It’s been an interesting first few months reviewing for Netgalley. Some of the books have been, let’s say “less fun,” while others have been great. This one definitely leans towards the latter category. When I signed up for it a while back, the premise sounded interesting, but by the time I actually started it (about 36 hours ago), I had […]
Review – The Fires of Muspelheim by Matt Larkin
It’s over. Nine glorious books (ten if you include Darkness Forged) and Ragnarok is here. This has been one of the finest series I’ve ever read, independent or otherwise, and it’s been a pleasure to be on board as a beta reader for the last half of it. All the characters are back, and the stories are brought to their […]
Review – The Warrior’s Bane by David L McDaniel
Another day, another Netgalley review. This is the first book by this author, and it’s a decent enough first effort. The plot revolves around Alaezdar, a former mercenary who ran from his unit after killing one of his fellow mercs. He finds some peace in a town called Valewood, where the locals welcome him and he settles in helping out […]
Review – Darkmage by ML Spencer
You may (or may not) remember I wrote a review for Darkstorm, the precursor to Darkmage, a while back. As far as I know (yell at me if I’m wrong), Darkmage was actually written (or at least published) before Darkstorm, so this is essentially book one, and Darkstorm is book 0.5. I liked Darkstorm, but most of the first 70% […]
Review – Ravencry by Ed McDonald
I read Blackwing, Ed McDonald’s debut novel, earlier this year and I absolutely loved it. It was about as close to perfect (for me, anyway) as a novel could get – great characters, awesome setting and a slap in the jaw ending that Nostradamus wouldn’t see coming. When the first novel is this good, there is always an air of […]
Review – Shadow of the Exile by Mitchell Hogan
I’ve been meaning to read some of this author’s stuff for a while now, but the weight of my TBR always pushed it back. Needless to say, when Netgalley gave me the chance to check out his latest, while also applying a deadline, I was more than chuffed. And it’s a good book, to boot. The story is told from […]
Review – Lakes of Mars by Merritt Graves
Another day, another review, and I’m nearly through my initial Netgalley binge. I had mixed feelings about this book, that went something along the lines of: It’s Harry Potter…in space! It’s Lord of the Flies…in space! It’s Battle Royale…in space! It’s Ender’s Game…in space! Oh, hang on a minute… Ender’s Game is probably the best comparison, but it follows a […]
Review – The New Magic by Joseph Malik
Another gift from Netgalley (as most of my next four or five reviews will be), and like The Burning Stone, this one has a caveat – this time it’s a sequel. However, unlike Jack Whyte’s latest, I never felt I missed anything by not having read the previous novel. This, as you may or may not know, is one of […]
The Burning Stone by Jack Whyte
Despite being a fan of both historical fiction and fantasy, somehow I’ve made it through my prolific reading “career” without ever having read any Jack Whyte. When this popped up on Netgalley, I didn’t need much persuading to take it on for review. So what is the appeal that has made him such a popular author, and is this a […]
Review – The Gates of Hel by Matt Larkin
We’ve reached book eight in this massive romp through Norse mythology (and beyond), and Odin’s efforts to defy Ragnarok look to be in vain. He endeavours to cast off the yoke of urd and defy the strands woven by the Norns. But is that as simple as it sounds? Not that it sounds simple. With the future looking bleak, Odin […]