An Awesome Premise The premise of “Engines of Empire” by R. S. Ford is fantastic. The settings are diverse and intriguing, and the story takes place in a fantasy world where industrial guilds rule the nation. Throw in a powerful religion with ardent believers and an enemy nation that rejects machines and bases their society […]
The Servant Mage
What’s not to love? The novella “The Servant Mage” is a delight. This is the first Kate Elliott story I’ve read, and I’m hooked on her writing style, her storytelling, her world building, character development, her magic system. Just about everything. Because this is a novella, I won’t say much about the story because I’m […]
A Fairytale: “Daughter of the Moon Goddess”
A New Twist to a Chinese Legend Sue Lynn Tan’s debut novel Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology #1) is a charming story about Xingyin, daughter of the moon goddess, and her journey to release her mother from the Celestial Emperor’s magical imprisonment. Here’s Tan’s description of the story: “Daughter of the […]
“Warbreaker”: Magic From Colors
BioChromatic Magic The characters in “Warbreaker,” a Brandon Sanderson novel set in his Cosmere world, use BioChromatic magic. Those who use magic need breath (people’s life force) and colors to work their magic. The people of Idris believe this is bad, while those of Hallandren use it freely. The story begins when the king of […]
The Fantasy Continues: “Knight of the Silver Circle” by Duncan Hamilton
Things Get More Serious in Book Two KNIGHT OF THE SILVER CIRCLE is book two of the DRAGONSLAYER trilogy. At the end of the first book, there’s an ominous sentence or two that tells the reader about three dragon eggs deep in a cave moving and the shell cracking. I found that tidbit a great […]
Dragonslayer: Action, Humor, & Magic
Dragonslayer: A Fun High Fantasy Read If you like high fantasy and a fun read, Duncan Hamilton’s Dragonslayer (Dragonslayer Book 1) fits that category. The humor in the story surprised me. At first, I thought the story was a drunken-has-been changes. Turns out I was wrong. Hamilton puts some fun twists to this trope. Guillot […]
