Knights of the Dead God Review by: Michael Evan

Posted on January 19, 2019 by michaelevan28

Knights of the Dead God by James Jakins

Review by Michael Evan

So first off…James Jakins is one of my favorite authors. Both first volumes in his other two series (Thunder’s War and Jack Bloodfist) were exceptional. He knows how to connect with the reader by always staying one step ahead and offering Easter eggs and shout outs to past books and characters, and like the best indie filmmakers he focuses on strong character interaction, and a unique tone and mood.

Knights of the Dead God is a special book. It’s certainly one of the best I’ve read all year and quite possibly in my top 5 novels of all time. The novel focuses on 3 central characters all wonderfully rendered and fleshed out by the author. Our first person MC is Mikaia Goretusk, a 6 year old Half Orc little girl who along with her protector Arthur Shield, a former Paladin of the God Saban, has fallen or teleported in to an alternate world, the world where Shield once served his deity Sabah on a mission to rid the world of the Orc race for destroying a great temple. Mikaia, separated from her parents entrusts Arthur (no longer tied to his God) to help her find her way back home. This leads to an encounter with Hazel, a young witch with a tragic back story, who slightly opportunistically (but with good intentions ) takes on the role of Mikaia’s protector in order to fulfill her own destiny that she believes Arthur Shield can help her accomplish, while Arthur struggles to find acceptance from his Paladin kin after years of separation and being thought dead.

Sound confusing? It’s really not, mainly because Jakins’ prose is so wonderfully straightforward, flowing without being flowery and he allows his characters, through dialogue and interaction to get to know each other and their stories while we get to know them as well.

Thematically , “Knights” deals with some large philosophical issues, mainly those that focus on the concepts of belief and inclusion. In Arthur Shield we are faced with a true redeemed hero, who allows his views on the world around him, specifically on certain races to change by looking outside his long standing belief system, and facing infidel status to protect his friends and loved ones.

The novel, like all of Jakins’ works shifts from Mikaia’s first person narrative, to third person sections focusing on Arthur and Hazel. This allows for changes in intensity and perspective and is but one of Jakins’ many literary strengths.

Knights of the Dead God is 185 pages. Some might consider it a short novel. Some might refer to it as a lengthy novella. That said, it should be required reading in creative writing classes as an example of less is more and how to tell a perfect fulfilling story without pages and pages of unnecessary exposition. After reading this book, I felt like I knew these characters. I had been on an intense journey with them, and I wanted to know them more. It felt important , epic and game changing, and not once did I doubt Jakins’ ability to wrap the novel up effectively in less than 200 pages. His pacing was perfect, and it remained so to the very last word.

I will end this review with a warning , and perhaps with a recommendation that will make you love Miki, Arthur and the rest of the “Knights” cast even more. This book is in fact a spin off to “Jack Bloodfist:Fixer” the novel which placed Jakins as a finalist in 2017’s SPFBO competition. Many references in the novel allude to situations that take place in “Jack” where we meet a very different Arthur Shield, and we are introduced to Mikaia Goretusk in a much more innocent way. Having read and loved “Jack” first I can assure you that those references in “Knights” will not only mean more but have you laughing hysterically and stoked for another great Jakins novel. It’s a testament to a great writer, when a book so entrenched in world building can stand on its own, but to fully experience the wonder of this unique world I’d recommend starting with Jack.

At this point I will read whatever Jakins puts out and I can’t wait for more Arthur, Miki and Jack. I’d rank it 6 stars if possible. Perfection!

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Mogworld Review by: Steve Caldwell

Posted on January 9, 2019 by michaelevan28

Mogworld by Yahtzee Crowshaw

Review by Steve Caldwell

Length: 350 Pages/ 13 Hours, 18 minutes (Audio)

Publisher: Dark Horse

Narrator: Yahtzee Crowshaw

Genre: GameLit

When a gaming industry insider like Yahtzee Crowshaw puts out a book directly poking some fun at the industry he has spent so much time in, it’s best to check it out. Mogworld is the fruit of that labor. You can tell he has deep roots in the gaming industry, as he details some of the backroom details someone on the outside wouldn’t be privy to, while creating a cracking good bit of hilarious fantasy GameLit that is basically what Monty Python would come up with if they wrote a GameLit book.

Jim has a dream. Graduate magic school and open up a magic shop, avoiding being a pig farmer like his parents. After a year in magic school, he has three spells and is ready to continue his studies. Unfortunately, the students from the warrior school down the road have other ideas, invading his school and killing Jim and the rest of the students. That should be the end, but life has a funny way of warping expectations, because 60 years later, Jim finds himself awoken in his previously alive, and now undead, body. Things are bound to get weird from here.

Being called back by a necromancer looking for an undead horde isn’t all bad. Since Dreadgrave the Necromancer forgot the part about unquestioning obedience in his spell, his horde has free will. Dreadgrave also provides a nice pay and benefits package, such as keeping the spoils of any looting and quality jobs in his   dread fortress. Jim lands the plumb assignment as head of the giant rat pit, and takes a real shine to the destruction of all the heroes. He even gets to kill what is possibly the funniest rogue ever, Slippery John, a time or two as he raids the fortress. Unlife is goodish until a bunch of strange Angels show up and Delete the fortress, Dreadgrave and all the undead but Jim, his associate Meryl, and a loudmouth undead priest. 

Now on the run, Jim and his companions discover things in the world are getting really strange. Another priestnamed Barry that they met in the first village they came to after the deleting is now traveling around with a bunch of adventurers, destroying whole towns, and he is exhibiting incredibly powerful Magic! He is also preaching the word of Simon, his new god. Who is this god Simon? And why is he trying to delete so much of the world? With a couple of crazy adventurer’s gulld goons chasing them as well, Jim, Meryl, the Priest and Slippery John must discover what is threatening their world. And Jim needs to find out why he is all of a sudden hearing voices in his head, possibly from another god. The answers will shock them, and their world will never be the same after they discover what is causing it all.

This book has so many good things going for it. Snappy dialogue, fun world building, a plot that mixes fantasy, game and real life seamlessly and some of the best characters you’re likely to find. The characters are all fully realized, and show depth you wouldn’t expect. The comedy is mixed throughout and is , and really fits well within the story. The entire group of Jim, Meryl and the Priest are so funny, and even the priest’s name is a hilarious joke. The GameLit elements fit seamlessly, and just make the book that much better.  

The narration is handled quite ably by the author. This is not a bad thing, as anyone who has ever heard his podcast can attest. Acerbic, witty, snarky and droll are all words that can be used to describe his performance, and he does such a great job bringing his characters to life. His narrative pacing is excellent, and he has such a good grasp of what he wants to emphasize in the story! He is definitely my favorite narrating author.

All told, this is definitely in my top five favorite of this genre. I can’t think of anything I disliked, and it should apeal to a wide range of fans, from straight fantasy, grimdark, LitRPG and GameLit. There’s something in here for everyone.

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Dead God’s Due Review by: Noelle Nichols

Posted on January 9, 2019 by michaelevan28

Dead God’s Due by Matt Gilbert

Review by Noelle Nichols

This book surprised me, and not quite in a good way. I had absolutely no idea where it was going at first, and I didn’t even fully understand the point of the prologue until the end of the book, which had me questioning why it was even included. The beginning prologue and first chapters usually give you a good impression of what’s to come, and I was a little blind-sided by what this story turned into.

My overall impression of the first part of this book was very Romanesque world, but the book suddenly shifts about six or so chapters into the novel to be more of a political, game of thrones cut-throat world where it’s about backstabbing and betrayal between houses. I personally enjoyed the beginning of this book more because I enjoyed the details of the world and the adventure of those characters as opposed to pages and pages of dialog and people yelling at one another.

Matt Gilbertt has a wonderful gift for description, which I wish came more through in the latter half of the book, though there wasn’t much opportunity for it. The last half basically takes place in the same setting, leaving no room for details other than facial expressions and colorful language. There are, however, some wonderful passages where you’re completely transported into the world with fresh details throughout the book, but they are few, and I find it a shame because I enjoyed them a lot.

The writing style, when the settings calls for it, is rich and detailed. The dialogue is well written. There were a couple on instances where more “modern” phrases and clichés were used (birthday cake, “sue me”, “pale in comparison”, pregnancy test, “need to know basis”), which kind of pulled me out of the original impression of the Roman world where very archaic words are used. Personally, I hate most modern phrases and words in fantasy, unless it’s in an Urban fantasy setting, and if I were beta-reading this, I would have noted them to be thought about by the author.

Totally a personal preference, but I was digging the ancient Roman feel to it.

I thought the story, once it veered off from the beginning, played out at good pace. There were a few scene changes I felt were too rush, particularly nearing the end where the character POV could have benefitted from being a little longer. This story is told in third person, omniscient, but with direct character thoughts which allow us a glimpse inside the characters’ heads to feel closer to them. This was very well done by the author, and I enjoyed that aspect.

The main plot mostly revolved around the Southlanders (the original main characters of the story) traveling to another place in hopes of discovering the ancient evil foretold by the prophecy (in an attempt to stop war, I believe—it was a little vague). There they meet the people living there who are afraid that is why they came and the political turmoil ensues. 

I had a few characters I really liked, particularly the Southlander more Roman-type people. They were proud warriors, just like the Spartans, but we don’t get to see too much of their story after the shift. Maybe in book two? I liked their crude humor.

Despite all my critique, I did enjoy what the story ended up as. I feared for the characters’ lives, enjoyed the small respites and saw a world created by a talented author. My hopes for the the next book is that we get back to the magic and the power of the Meites that is barely touched upon in the first book. It’s hard to say where the second book will go, but judging from the first, I would say we’re heading back on course to the prophecy. 

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Coilhunter Review by: Michael Evan

Posted on January 5, 2019 by michaelevan28

Coilhunter by Dean F. Wilson

Review by Michael Evan

I am a massive fan of the work Dean Wilson has created with Coilhunter, and the first book in the series introduces his unique world and characters and sets the stage for some groundbreaking and unique storytelling.

On the surface, the novel takes place in a dystopian steampunk world in The Wild North, more or less a wasteland full of wanted criminals. At the start, we find The Coilhunter, in true Western fashion, hunting bad guys (complete with classic western trope names like Old Mad Jack) on Wanted posters and serving his own form of vigilante quick draw justice. 

As the novel progresses we learn that Nox, as the titular MC begins being referred to as, has a tragic backstory that leads him to his lonely life as a feared bounty hunter. There is a secret hidden with the buried corpse of an old friend and he’ll stop at nothing to solve the mystery ,achieve justice and finally allow himself to be at peace.

Aside from the incredible descriptions of the world , specifically the technology (Nox drives a circular Monowheel which simply needs to find its way to film), what makes the novel brilliant is the way each chapter brings us further in to the mind of it’s anti-hero. The stereotypical cowboy vigilante of the first chapter becomes a philosophical three dimensional character, who constantly questions his choices, his lifestyle, and his entire self concept. Where other fictional vigilantes allow their tragedy to envelope them completely in their Grimdark quest, Wilson’s Coilhunter, is unable to prevent the kindness he possessed in his former life from seeping in to his interactions. He struggles with his reputation as a feared killer, the desire to be decent and just, and his selfish want to complete his personal quest and be left alone.

Then there is the action. Oh the glory of the Monowheel chases, the shoot em ups, and the desert monster fights. These are a pulp lover’s dream come true. Wilson is clearly a film lover and he’s perfectly juggled the quiet nuanced character moments with massive blockbuster action sequences. It was hard not to hear a John Williams score while reading them. 

Coilhunter was a lot of fun to read. It was entirely different than just about any speculative fiction I’ve read of late. It is far from a comedic story, though at times, Wilson’s narrative reminded me of Hunter S Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, and the quirky and more abstract sections found me laughing and wanting to capture quotes as there were so many memorable ones.

There’s no doubt that after reading this novel you will need to devour the other books in the series, and if you’re like me you’ll be holding out hope that this amazing series will one day make it to the big screen.

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Soldier Son Review by: Ryan Mueller

Posted on January 3, 2019 by michaelevan28

Soldier Son – DK Holmberg

Review by: Ryan Mueller

I picked this up because I’ve really enjoyed Holmberg’s Cloud Warrior saga. I’ve read most of the way through that series and wanted to try one of his other series.

Overall, I’d say this was a good read. It’s about on the same level as the first Cloud Warrior Saga book, which I enjoyed, but not as much as the later books in the series.

Everything I’ve read so far of Holmberg’s focuses on a single point-of-view character. This allows for a shorter novel and a more focused read, but as a reader of epic fantasy, I sometimes find myself wishing I could see the world from others’ viewpoints.

In this one, it took me a while to warm up to Endric, the main character. At the beginning, he seems like a petulant child even though he’s old enough to become a military officer. This was an intentional choice by Holmberg, though, intended to showcase Endric’s character development throughout the novel. And he does develop. I won’t give away too much because I like to keep my reviews spoiler-free.

Because of the narrow focus, I found that the worldbuilding came out gradually. I also enjoyed finding out answers to mysteries as the story progressed. This approach works well for me as a reader because there’s nothing I hate more than the beginning of a book being weighed down by worldbuilding infodumps.

Thankfully, those were kept to a minimum here. Toward the end, there was a fair amount of action. It wasn’t an explosion of action like in his Cloud Warrior books, but it was still enjoyable. Overall, the book was a little lighter on action than I’d expected for a military-focused book, and that’s part of the reason I didn’t quite love it.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy fantasy read, this book fits the bill perfectly. It’s not great by any means, but it’s the kind of popcorn fantasy I like reading to relax before bed. Rating: 8/10

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Book and a Pint With Michael and James: Never Die by Rob J. Hayes

Posted on December 31, 2018 by michaelevan28

Never Die by Rob J. Hayes

So here it is just in time for New Years Eve. Our debut segment of Book and a Pint. With our first subject/victim…Rob Hayes’ Never Die. So however you spend your evening, we hope you can get a laugh or at least a few smiles, ughs or groans out of this!

ME: So…first few chapters in..what did you think?

JJ: I really liked Century Blade’s backstory. Really cool worldbuilding.

ME: Yea I like the way he told that story. I’m a big fan of books where an actual story within a story takes place.

JJ: I also have to say, this is the most anime book I’ve read possibly ever and I’m really mad at him for pulling it off so well.

ME: Yea I loved the mention of Century Blade coming back as a Yokai. Did you ever read that Usagi Yojimbo comic?

JJ: I haven’t but I’m a little familiar with the character.

ME: Samurai bunny. Basically more samurai than bunny.
Speaking of anthropomorphic animals I’m doing some research for my new book this week…Miami Seaquarium! Need to see seals and walruses (Walri?) in their unnatural habitat.

JJ: Awesome! So, what are you going to call this book?

ME: Not there yet. Research first. Which makes me wonder…what kind of research do you think Rob put in to this book?

JJ: See, seals are cool and everything, but you want to write a book where the research really just requires you sitting on the couch and “taking notes”. For Rob, I guarantee it was a months long binge-watch of anime and wuxia movies. Maybe some Kurosawa.

ME: I’m kinda glad I liked the book. If he’s the method writer type and I gave him a bad review I’d be worried he’d kick my ass.

JJ: I mean… We don’t know for sure he isn’t…He could have the Iron Gut technique.

ME: Chapter 46
Rob Hayes vs Bad Review Guy

JJ: What’s his hero name, though? He needs something cool like “Emerald Wind” or “Whispering Blade.”

ME: Carpal Tunnel Dagger?
Way Too Prolific Spork?
Wait no…Chapter 46…-Mighty iPhone vs Prolific Spork?

JJ: That’s a much better chapter title. Might be some copyright issues, but I think we’ll be okay.

ME: What… is Spork registered?

JJ: Probably. Hold on
(45 seconds later)
Holy shit… I just googled that. The word spork is actually trademarked…

ME: Fuck off!….Ok Chapter 46
The Mighty Eye Pod vs Spork-X

JJ: These are rapidly moving away from good hero names…Anyway, can we address the issue that this book is basically just a really revamped version of Pokemon? And I mean that in only the best way.

ME: I actually typed Pokémon while you typed it then erased it because I thought my other bit was funnier

JJ: Ha! Fine. I’ll give you that. I was serious, though. It’s an eight year old kid going out into the world and creating a team of very dangerous creatures. Using them to fight others and then adding the defeated to his team.

ME: Yea I can see that ..I just kept thinking Sixth Sense except instead of “I see dead people” it was “I heal dead killers”

JJ: That definitely changes my reading of the story. Now all I can picture is young Haley Joel Osment leading these killers around.

ME: At least it’s not old Haley Joel Osment. He’d be getting them in bar fights and crashing SUVs

JJ: I’m pretty sure they’d manage all that on their own.No crashed SUV, but they do crash that water dragon…

ME: Dragons are cool . Any type really. But the swimming kind are on a different level of awesome.

JJ: This is true. I know I’m generally a fan.

ME: My wife wrote a short story about a dragon. Know of any anthologies ?

JJ: Subtle, real subtle. Why, yes, Michael, I do. I know of one coming out early next year. Some writer friends and I put together a genre-less anthology.

(Tragic back story: my wife’s entry came in too late and was denied)

JJ: Not to detract from this insightful discussion about Mr. Hayes great book about dead heroes…

ME: But seriously though how much does The Emerald Wind kick ass? He’s like an undead Shrek….that kills people.

JJ: Shrek in that he’s grumpy and pretends that he hates everybody?

ME: Yea sort of. I kind of read all his bits with an Irish accent. I love those conflicted badasses that want to just be assholes but end up being decent dudes. Bear in mind..If you died a horrible death and then we’re somehow brought back to life by the anime version of Haley Joel Pikachu and told that you needed to kill an untouchable grand master emperor to not die again ,how pissed off would you be?

JJ: Hm… I’d probably be a little more okay with it than Emerald Wind was,but I would not be optimistic about my chances.

ME: And the topper of all this..is that the booze tastes like shit to all these undead second chancers!

JJ: Not just that, but food… I love food… so much… Okay, I would be very unhappy with the whole situation

ME: I think you’d be able to take out that emperor though man, just bring Jackson Smith with you. He’s in every bloody one of your books. I’m sure he could teleport in to the real world for some ass kicking.

JJ: Yeah, but with the exception of his really putting himself center stage in Summervale he’s more likely to just move a few pieces on the backend. He’d be the guy in Ein’s hometown that told a bunch of stories about Cho so he would think to sew her back up.

ME: Speaking of Ein, what’s the deal with all the barefoot toe stubbing? man..I have kids and this is triggering me now. Shoes are important.

JJ: Haha. Man, when he sits down and just starts sewing his foot up. That actually got me a little bit. I’m an adult man and I couldn’t do that.

ME: Yea the last time I dropped something on my toe I think I cried and ran to the doctor

ME: Seriously though…without giving much away, Cho was freaking awesome. That battle at the end… I’m still reeling

JJ: Yes! And you called the sword name.

ME: Yea it’s weird I saw that coming but it didn’t take away from it’s awesomeness when it finally happened, and I’m not going to spoil either of the names of Cho’s swords

JJ: Sometimes seeing it coming actually makes it more satisfying.

ME: So …ending…where you shocked ? Cuz I’m still thinking about it!

JJ: I wouldn’t say shocked. It was set up pretty well. Enough hints to make it obvious enough. The biggest shock for me was the abruptness of each hero’s final scene. Mostly Iron Gut…

ME: Yea and that kind of leads in to the whole idea of how ultimately they were kind of pawns in a much bigger game.

JJ: Yeah. Very well done story. Every reveal, for the most part, fit what had been established.

ME: And what’s awesome is that should he want to write a sequel there are limitless possibilities.

JJ: Yeah. I like that it’s fine as a stand alone, but the world has room for a lot more.

ME: So Mr. Jakins drive this thing home with your overall review of this one.

JJ: I’d definitely give it a 5/5. I think I chose it as one of my favorite reads of the year, so that should say something. It’s a world I’m ready to jump back into, but even if Hayes leaves it as is, I’m happy with what he gave us.

ME: Yea me too. I’ll further that by saying if you love Anime inspired fantasy with killer fight scenes, memorable characters , vengeful spirits ,and creepy kids, add this one to your 2019 TBR ….or Spork X will hunt you down in the night…Or was it the Vengeful Spork?

JJ: Mighty Sporker X.

ME: Yes!!! Finally, that’s the ultimate hero name. And…copyrighting…now!
Well the new year is just about upon us. What’s coming up for 2019?

JJ: Hopefully just the right amount of books for me to keep up with. But I know that’s won’t end up being true…

ME: Yea I’ve resigned to the fact that I will never read 90% of this bloody mountain.

JJ: Mine was big before. Need to get faster… 2018 was the year I jumped my audible listening speed up to 1.25x. Maybe 2019 is the year I get it to 2x.

ME: Well the good thing is we both read and loved our next one! And it’s an actual comedy. We’ll be back in a few weeks with our next Book and a Pint where we try to out-funny Mr. CT Phipps with just about as many Vampire jokes as we can throw out.

JJ: Vampire jokes? Ah man, this is gonna suck…get it? I’m hilarious.

ME: That joke kinda bites, dude

JJ: …

ME: See ya in a few!

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Top Reads of 2018

Posted on December 29, 2018 by michaelevan28

These are our top books of 2018 in order of author’s last name by the Fantasy Focus Review Team. It was an amazing year for Fantasy and it was quite difficult to come up with this list. There are so many honourable mentions, but we’re quite certain you won’t go wrong with any of these.

The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft: I will likely soon be known on this blog as the reviewer that refuses to shut up about The Books of Babel series by Josiah Bancroft. I was extremely fortunate enough to get my hands on an advanced copy of the third book. The first book in the series, Senlin Ascends, is nothing short of a masterpiece. The Hod King just might surpass it in excellence as the best installment in the series to date. – Dani

King of Assassins by RJ Barker: RJ Barker’s final instalment of The Wounded Kingdom is an immense emotional masterpiece. He ties together all of his plot points beautifully and has ensured that his trilogy will be an enduring classic. – Michael E.

Burning Ashes by James Bennett: Draconic hero Ben Garston’s quest is brutal and uncompromising and James Bennett demands that we journey with him from the beginning. His prose shifts from the standard to the abstract poetic much like Rushdie and David Miller, and while the story is excellent, Bennett’s prose is a wonder to behold and the true star. – Michael E.

The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus: I don’t usually read movie-tie ins. But I made an exception for this one and do not regret it. Anyone that was a fan of del Toro’s film will likely enjoy this read. It departs from the movie in several ways, and every one of those departures is a brilliant improvement. – James

One of Us by Craig DiLouie: This book hit me hard. In this alternate United States, the 1960s saw the rise of a virus called the germ. Anyone that has the germ will see no effects of it themselves but their children will be born extremely mutated. Their face may be upside-down, they may grow fungus on their skin, they may bear a strong resemblance to a dog or a gorilla. One of us explored what it means to be human in a way that hit home hard and refused to let up. This is one of the most difficult and emotional books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading and it is going to stay with me for a long time. – Dani

Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames: A brilliant sequel to an amazing debut. Bloody Rose adds new layers to the world first introduced in Kings of the Wyld. It’s a different kind of story compared to the first book. Where Kings focuses on a band of old, retired heroes, Rose shows us the life on the road for the “modern” band. Despite any differences between the books, I still felt that this story had all the charm that made me fall in love with the first. – James

Quelling by Angie Grigaliunas: After a phenomenal debut, the civil unrest in this sequel grows in a brilliant example of worldbuilding and character development. The rebellion’s wheel is turning. . . – Michael B.

Never Die by Rob J Hayes: I have to believe that Hayes just spent months watching an endless stream of martial arts films and anime as research for this novel. A love for that genre shines through in every page. Creative worldbuilding and amazing characters make for a fun, action-packed story that I thoroughly enjoyed. – James

Knights of the Dead God by James Jakins: A beautifully written tale that is actually a spin off of Jakins’ Jack Bloodfist series. Centered  around a Paladin and a Half Orc 6 year old girl, It feels important, epic and game changing, and not once did I doubt Jakins’ ability to wrap the novel up effectively in less than 200 pages. His pacing was perfect, and it remained so to the very last word. – Michael E.

The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston: This debut novel brings everything you want from a new fantasy. Edrin Walker is a powerful magician, exiled from his home on the understanding that his friends will be protected in his absence. When Lynas, his closest friend, is brutally murdered, Edrin returns and finds himself thrust into a much larger fight than he anticipated and people on every side want him dead. Fast-paced, engaging and ambitious. – Shona

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa: Shadow of the Fox combines everything I love about Japanese folklore and anime into one place. It’s a quick and easy read, totally reliant on every classic anime trope and cliche in the books. Pretty dojinshi boys, yokai and a mischievous fox, as well as the most tried and true quest of an ancient scroll being the key to saving the world. If you want to read your anime, instead of watching I would recommend it. It’s a fun book, and if you’re unfamiliar with anime or don’t know about sickle weasels or fox spirits, it’ll be more of a unique treat for you. – Noelle

Jade City by Fonda Lee: Everything about this story is fascinating. Set in an Asian-inspired world with 1980s-ish level technology, the island nation of Kekon where Jade grants magical, superhero-like abilities, has long been in isolation just up until a few decades ago. Now that their borders have opened to the wider world, the mob families that once all but ruled Kekon are playing parts in international politics with nations that covet their jade. From its amazing writing, dynamic characters, and remarkably creative world, this book kept me on my toes from beginning to end. – Dani

Ravencry by Ed McDonald: Favorite book of 2018 hands down. By far. Nothing else comes close to the wonderful, rich, gritty details of the Misery and Rhyalt’s gruesome and haunted past. I found myself completely entranced by the storytelling and glued to every detail that painted the most graphic, yet heroic adventure story about a man trying to look out for his comrades and save a town that’s falling to pieces. If you like rich world-building in a more gruesome world, you can’t find a much better adventure than this one. – Noelle

Priest of Bones by Peter McLean: While I read a lot of indy fantasy, occasionally I do receive an review copy form a traditional publisher. Priest of Bones just happens to be one of those. I have to say, I was absolutely blown away by the dark world world Peter McLean has created. Centering around a group of returning conscripted soldiers who used to be criminal gangsters, it chronicles the Pious men, named after their leader Thomas Piety, who return home to find their territory taken over by outsiders, and their efforts to take it back. There is also an overarching conspiracy that has repercussions for the entire kingdom. With A fantastic cast of characters and a well described setting, this fast paced dark fantasy has something for any fantasy fan. – Steve

Priest of Bones by Peter McLean: This is a brilliant, gritty, fantasy story. Tomas Piety returns from war to discover that his businesses have been taken over by a rival ‘company’ and his people are starving and frightened. As he sets about reclaiming what was his, Piety discovers that the war isn’t over and there’s more to the troubles in Ellinburg than meets the eye. Violent but ultimately hopeful, all fans of gritty fantasy should read this. – Shona

Kings of Paradise by Richard Nell:  Brutal, compelling and gut-wrenching from start to finish, Kings of Paradise is an epic soaked in the blood of its fallen. – Michael B.

Straight Outta Fangton by Charles Phipps: Urban fantasy in the highest quality, this is exactly how I would imagine Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines would be if written in this day and age. Funny, thought provoking and brilliant. – Michael B.

Wraith Lord by CT Phipps: Being a huge fan of the first book in this series, Wraith Knight, I was excited to see the sequel being written. Definitely a worthy sequel. Jacob Riversson is adjusting to his unlife as the new god of Evil, although for a god of evil, he isn’t exactly Sauron. Along with his two wives, who he shared the godly power with, Jacob has to fight the avatars of the Lawgiver, god of Good, who is more evil than Jacob will ever be. With amazing characters, a fast paced plot and and one of my favorite fantasy settings, I can’t recommend this one highly enough. – Steve

Son of a Liche by J. Zachary Pike: Another sequel to one of my favorite books, in this case Orconomics, the second book in the Dark Profits series takes everything that works in the first book like a creative plot, excellent characters and loads of humor, as well as a dash of darkness, shakes it all up, and amps it up to 11! Adding even more of what made Orconomics an SPFBO award finalist, This book will definitely grab hold of any fantasy fan, and not let go. – Steve

The Hyena and the Hawk by Adrian Tchaikovsky: The final instalment in the Echoes of the Fall trilogy, The Hyena and the Hawk sees all the peoples from the Crown of the World to the River Kingdom of Old Croc, come together to fight the legendary Plague People who are destroying villages all across the land. A fantastic finale to a wonderful trilogy with hints at links to Tchaikovsky’s larger series, Shadows of the Apt. If you haven’t read these books yet, start now. – Shona

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Interview With Jamie Davis

Posted on December 28, 2018 by michaelevan28

An interview I conducted with talented
prolific author and resident podcaster Jamie Davis

FF:Jamie, Can you talk a little about your relationship and experience with EMS and nursing as well as non-fiction writing, and how it led to writing your first fictional series Extreme Medical Services?

JD: I fell in love with helping people as a health care professional, first as a paramedic and later as a nurse. This later developed into a passion for educating the next generation of healthcare professionals so I started teaching new EMTs and paramedics, then developed a whole channel of podcasts dedicated to news and education for healthcare pros. Eventually, someone dared me to write a book and I decided to take the way I learned and taught medication dosing to my students and write a short book teaching that method. It is a best-selling book and used by several paramedic and nursing programs to help students learn medication dosing math.

I enjoyed writing that book and self-publishing it. I also discovered the world of indie fiction authors. The following year, I discovered National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and decided to take on the task of writing a novel first draft in one month. That November for NaNoWriMo, I wrote the first draft of Extreme Medical Services where I combined my love for quality healthcare with my love for all things fantasy.

FF: I actually began my journey through your work with Broken Throne, and I found Winnie to be an exceptionally strong and likeable character. I always enjoy when a male author takes on female MCs and writes them with strength and confidence. Unfortunately there are not as many examples of this in the genre as readers would like, and most that do exist are not written by male authors. Was there any thought or inspiration behind your focus on strong women in so many of your novels?

JD: I have three kids, the younger two are daughters. I was a stay at home dad for most of their lives so I understand young women in a way most men don’t I think. I also think it’s important to write strong female characters and break away from the common tropes about women in fantasy (i.e. they always need rescuing).

In the second trilogy of Accidental Traveler, Hal’s daughter visits the game world after she grows up. I did this on purpose because there aren’t many female main characters in litRPG fantasy stories so I created a rich vibrant world (or tried to) and got people caring about the characters and world. Then I left a plot hole referring to the daughter as a child grown up. I’m getting huge positive response from reviews and emails from male gamers who can’t wait for the next trilogy and guessing correctly who will be the focus. That’s what I hoped for

FF: I confess to not having played a video game since Street Fighter 2 and having never gotten involved in tabletop gaming, yet I am finding myself immersed in your Accidental Traveller series. How would you describe this series to those unfamiliar with litRPG as a genre?

JD: When an everyday guy with a boring life decides to play a bootleg copy of the world’s hottest game, he unknowingly gets sucked into the game world where he must become the hero of prophecy and legend, whether he wants to or not. It’s an epic fantasy tale with elements of roleplaying and computer games everyone will recognize.

FF: Who would you say are the biggest influences on your writing?

JD: Growing up, I read a lot of Robert Heinlein, Piers Anthony, Andre Norton, and Anne McCaffrey. They shaped my love for sci-fi and fantasy books and taught me the importance of having characters you cared about and believed in, that you could root for. Later influences include (as I mentioned before) Joel Rosenberg, plus Robert Jordan, and David Webe

FF: I hear you’ve been involved in NaNoWriMo again this year. What have you been working on and how’s it going?

JD: NaNoWriMo was the most ambitious month I ever planned. I set a goal to write the first drafts of two books in that month. I came in a just over 120,000 words on two projects. The first was the fifth book in the Delivery Mage saga “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” which will be released in the middle of January. The second was the first book in a new sci fi cyberpunk trilogy. That book is titled Cyber’s Change.

FF: Can you talk a bit about The Delivery Mage, and how it all came together..I understand it’s part of a shared universe?

JD:I was invited to join a group of super-talented authors from a variety of genres (all fantasy and sci-fi). The universe is called Newton’s Gate and takes place in the near future where a space travel experiment gone awry caused thousands of inter-dimensional and inter-planetary portals to open both on earth and in space around the earth. My stories surround the exploits of a magic-using ex-special ops soldier who now works as a smuggler and black-marketeer. He specializes in delivering packages, no questions asked, to other worlds via the portals on earth.

FF: I loved the first book. A lot of fun. How did you manage to get 5 books out in 2 months? Do you sleep?

JD: I dictate my first drafts which is sort of like telling myself a story out loud. Once the words are down in a document it’s not that hard to clean it up, re-write the parts that need it, and edit the final story. This is my full time gig for the most part so you have to put full-time hours in even if you don’t feel like it at that moment.

FF: So this new Cyberpunk series that’s starting, what’s it all about?

JD: It follows a young woman to college from a family of social conservatives. In this version of the future, people are getting cybernetic enhancements the way people today get tattoos. Cass’ family belong to a political movement called Sapiens who believe people with enhancements are no longer pure humans. She comes face to face with her own preconceived notions when she discovers her college roommate has several “attachments” on her body as well as “V-Tats” which are cybernetically enhanced video tattoos implanted in the skin. Cass then has an accident while on a trip with friends and the doctors install a series of implants to save her life. The first story is mostly about her coming to grips with her own humanity, her family’s prejudices, and how to deal with the bigotry of her past. Books two and three will deal with her family’s discovery of her upgrades, and her escape from her father’s desire to have her “fixed” even if it will leave her a vegetable.

FF: You got your start as a writer with a series that echoes your life’s career path. For those not in the know can you talk a little about that series?

JD:Sure.I have always loved fantasy and most recently enjoyed contemporary fantasy and urban fantasy stories. I was drawn to the concept of a secret world living among us. The idea that creatures of myth and legend aren’t just hiding in the shadows, they live next door unbeknownst to everyone around them. Who would these citizens call when they needed medical treatment during an emergency? I created a special group of paramedics who treat these “Unusual” patients. It inspired me to write seven books in the main series and prequel short novel. I’m planning on continuing with at least one more story in the next year.

FF: So in other exciting news, you’re breaking in to Fantasy Podcasting. How do you feel about that?

JD: I’ve been working as a medical journalist and podcaster for going on thirteen years. The Fantasy Focus Podcast project has me excited in a way I haven’t felt since I first started the MedicCast in 2005. I’m looking forward to talking with fellow fantasy authors about their books, their writing method and process, and get a chance to build a whole new audience of devoted fantasy podcast fans, too.

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The Blinding Knife Review by: Noelle Nichols

Posted on December 28, 2018 by michaelevan28

The Blinding Knife – Brent Weeks
Review by: Noelle Nichols

If you’re reading this review, I’m assuming you’ve finished the first book. If you haven’t, there are spoilers . Read at your own risk. 

This book picks up shortly after the ending of the first ,with Gavin Guile, who we know is Dazen Guile, losing his ability to draft one of the colors. Which means his reign as Prism is unfortunately fated to be short. Book two is where I would say the plot really thickens and where things start coming together. If you don’t read epic fantasy, this is when you get out. Things tend to spiral out of control in big series like this, and I was not surprised to see that gods were wound into this tale.

A very watered-down version of the plot is: the Color Prince, is trying to take over the Seven Strapies, Gavin/Dazen is trying to maintain control while he’s losing his power, making him more and more like a normal human being (the horror!). 

That blasted dagger we were supposed to care about in the first book, finally has a purpose.

The plot of Dazen/Gavin thickens and comes to a head. One of my favorite parts has been the details and intricacies that went into creating the prison for Gavin. They show how meticulous and calculating a character he is. My favorite kind of villain…er, I mean hero? It can really go both ways in this book, depending on who’s backstory you sympathize with most, which adds a bit of depth to all of the characters and tension between everyone involved, and makes it fun for the reader to see how this ends up. There are multiple times I was confused as to who was who, but Brent Weeks does a good job of reminding us in the narrative 

The appendix has grown since the first book, and the amount of passion and dedication to the series is well shown in the notes and descriptions.

Again, I’m going to say the brilliance behind this book lies in the small moments. The intricacies in the things that don’t seem like a big deal, but then are wound into a much bigger plot. I was pleasantly surprised with a few seemingly inconsequential tangents that ended up being really cool stories in and of themselves. I can see why this series is so large.

I particularly enjoyed liking Kip a little more in this book, as I had not been fond of him in the previous book. He’s okay now. Karris is still okay, though we get a bit more solved between her and Gavin/Dazen. Liv is as despicable as she was in the first book.

To sum up this book: things get complicated. 

Oh, and on annoyance in the paperback. The formatting changed from book one and I’m not sure why. It didn’t save paper, so I’m curious as to why it happened. I like my books to look the same, so the inconsistency threw me cracking open the second book. To me, page numbers in the margins look tacky, but that’s a petty comment on my part.

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The Black Prism Review by: Noelle Nichols

Posted on December 28, 2018 by michaelevan28

The Black Prism – Brent Weeks
Review by: Noelle Nichols

Any book that includes an Appendix at the end is a commitment, especially a Brent Weeks book. Especially the Lightbringer Series. These are some of the largest books I’ve ever read, and I read a lot of epic fantasy.

What fascinates me the most about this series is the magic system. The color spectrum has been done a few times in fantasy before, but the particular detail about making magic use finite and show visibly in the eye, fascinates me, as well as how each person is only able to use their specific color spectrum. There’s a fun scene where the characters are tested for what colors they can see. It’s one of my favorites. Fascinating stuff. World building and magic systems are half the reason I read fantasy, and I was not disappointed.

Just because of the magic system, I was pretty game to continue reading this series despite my perhaps unpopular opinion of some of the characters in this series.

Kip. I know I am not alone in this, and I know Kip was crafted with specific intention to break some of the stereotypes of the male hero in fiction. I’ll admit, he didn’t really grow on me for most of the book because the main character is a bit of a lost cause, and I didn’t really like the humor, even though I do have friends very similar to him. Only at the very, very end, did I kind of think he was alright—because I’m a sucker for someone who doesn’t give up, and only for that reason did I root for him. Which, I suppose may have been the point of his character. 

I didn’t much care for the female lead, Karris. She didn’t seem as developed or have as much personality as the other characters did, but I did appreciate that she was a pretty bad ass woman and much preferable to some of the other shady females in the series. 

I read this book mainly for one POV character, Gavin. And I can’t tell you why this book made me mad until you read it, because it would be a huge spoiler, but I found Gavin’s character to be the most appealing to me. He’s charged with being the Prism, who is the one character who can use all the different colors of magic. He’s tasked with a pretty hard feat, keeping order and making sure that all those across the Seven Strapies remain safe, and there is not an imbalance of one color over the other.

This book is a pretty easy read, in regards to the writing style. Engaging Deep POV with character thoughts, where most of them added to the story. Some of them pulled me from the story as odd, but for the most part, I remained enthralled and rooted in the story. A strength of Brent Weeks’ is definitely his banter and humor. 

The romantic undertones were well done and believable, making the characters seem almost too real for me, to the point that I wanted to get back to the story. (I’m not a huge fan of heavy romance too similar to real life in fantasy). That being said, It was well done, and I chuckled more than once at the domestic banter. I just reeeeally wanted to learn more about the magic system, and what the Drafters could create with their specific color. I am a slightly impatient reader.

I would say this series is more of a wandering story, where you’re pulled from one fire to the next, and I can say from reading the next book, that this continues with the series. If you like more episodic stories where you feel you’re more “hanging out” than getting to the next plot point, that’s how I would describe this book. Personally, I’m a fan, albeit sometimes I wished he focused more on my favorite characters than the others, or that things did not wander so far.

Overall, a nice change from the usual English-set adventure. The culture in this is a little more advanced, so you won’t be getting much with swords, but with battles with magic and guns.

Fair warning: Like I said at the beginning of my review. It’s a commitment, and the most rewarding aspects of the series are the little moments between the characters and being able to watch them grow over the course of well over a couple million words.

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