Synopsis

In a world locked in eternal winter and haunted by prophecy, a young boy trains for years to become the Chosen One, only for another to rise and claim his place in the start of an unmissable epic from a rising star in fantasy. 

The northlands of Crua are locked in eternal winter, but prophecy tells of the chosen child – who will rule in the name of their God, and take warmth back from the South. Cahal du Nahere was raised to be this person: the Cowl-Rai, the saviour. Taken from his parents and prepared for his destiny. 

Review

Gods of the Wyrdwood is the newest book by RJ Barker. I’ve read and enjoyed his Wounded Kingdom trilogy and plan to get to the Bone Ships trilogy someday. When I saw the cover of this one however, I knew I had to get my hands on it as soon as possible. I love the forest and the pitch for this series sounded super interesting, so I went in with high expectations.

And it sort of met them? I’m conflicted about this one. Let’s get into it.

We begin by following Cahan, the Forester, who has a mysterious past and a dim outlook for the future. He’s living on his farm and soon, his past begins to catch up to him. Cahan is an immediately interesting protagonist. We get glimpses of his past throughout, and I really enjoyed reading his inner conflict and watching as he grows throughout the story.

From the first few pages, it’s evident that Barker isn’t going to hold our hands in the worldbuilding. Names, places, terminology, and more are thrown at the reader in rapid succession. But it all worked seamlessly. Nothing ever felt like too much of an info dump and if you had a question about a certain plant or creature, it would eventually be revealed as the story went on.

Another highlight of this book is Barker’s writing style. It’s often in short, clippy sentences which I really enjoyed. It was similar to his Wounded Kingdom books, but different enough that it felt like its own thing. It made the action punchy, the moments epic, and drew me into the world.

So far, we’ve got a great main character, awesome worldbuilding and good prose. So why only 6.5 stars?

Part of it boils down to my expectations and part of it is just general plot related issues. Minor plot spoilers follow. First, the pacing is all over the place. The story kicks off with its main plot hook around 100 pages in, wraps that up, then does a quick side quest (the best part of the novel if you ask me), then kinda ties everything together in that last half with a big action set piece.

Unfortunately, this means that the story doesn’t really flow together in a seamless way. It felt like the whole side quest was thrown into the middle just to set up several threads to the reader. While that may have been the case, it also contained the most interesting parts of the worldbuilding and introduced the fabled Wyrdwood. All of that stuff was fascinating, and I was confused when that story line was pretty much wrapped up mid-way through the book.

Also, while I really enjoyed the flashbacks throughout the book, they all blurred together by the end and the second half of them didn’t really add anything new – they just repeated the same two or three story beats.

We also have a second POV in the story in addition to Cahan. I really enjoyed this character in the first half of the book. They had interesting motivations and compelling reasons for what they were doing. But by the end of the book, I felt Barker didn’t know what to do with them and it felt like it amounted to very little.

It may sound like I’m being a bit too harsh, but there is such awesome potential in this book, that I just feel obligated to discuss at length.

So, let’s end with a few other positives. There are other side characters in the book that I really enjoyed including a fun animal companion. And while I didn’t exactly love where the plot itself ended up, the final third of the book is pretty tense and I couldn’t put it down. There are some great character moments and action scenes during the final sequence that kept me reading.

Thankfully, when I look back on the positives and negatives of the book, many of the negatives can easily be fixed in the sequels. I liked both the characters and the world and that’ll keep me coming back. Plus, it ends on juicy hook for the next installment, and I’ll definitely be checking out the sequel.

All in all, Gods of the Wyrdwood was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I really wanted to like it more than I did, but I still enjoyed myself. You may end up enjoying it much more than I did if the plot aspects don’t bother you. It’s a well written fantasy with unique worldbuilding that isn’t afraid to throw you in the deep end. If any of this sounds intriguing to you, be sure it pick it up when it releases in June.

*thanks to Orbit for an advance reading copy*

Synopsis

A Justice’s work is never done.

The Battle of Galen’s Vale is over, but the war for the Empire’s future has just begun. Concerned by rumors that the Magistratum’s authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets.

Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor’s grandson has been kidnapped – and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead him – and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir – to the southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights – and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.

Review

A magnificent follow up to the Justice of Kings, the Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan expands on the worldbuilding and delivers an epic return to the world of Sir Konrad Vonvalt.

I heartily enjoyed the Justice of Kings when I first read it just over a year ago and have been eagerly awaiting the sequel. The Justice of Kings was a mash up of epic fantasy and detective story with a dash of cosmic horror. The Tyranny of Faith takes the series in a different direction, doubling down on the horror elements and pushing the mystery stuff to the side a bit.

The story is still narrated by Helena, Justice Vonvalt’s protégée, and picks up directly after the end of the first book. Right away, this book is much larger in scope. While the first one centered on a few towns in the north and a mystery far from the center of the Empire, in Tyranny, we’re immediately thrust into the heart of the Empire of the Wolf.

Our crew of Vonvalt, Helena, Bressinger, and Sir Radomir arrive in the city of Sova, the capital of the Empire, and things quickly take a dark turn. As we (and the cast) get embroiled in a world of politics, we begin to see the degradation of Vonvalt. Events transpire that elevate him to a new place of power which makes for a very different story than in the first. We begin to see sides we hadn’t seen of the Empire. Gone is the crystal clear black and white that Helena envisioned. Now we see the world full of shades of grey.

And here lies the magic of the Tyranny of Faith. In Justice, we had a pretty clear picture of who Vonvalt was through Helena’s eyes. Now, we slowly get a different picture of who our favorite Justice is. I won’t spoil what happens, but I love when a book confronts you as a reader as to who you think a character is and who you think they should be. The Tyranny of Faith becomes a very apt name in more than one way.

At first, this rubbed me the wrong way. I knew who Vonvalt was – we had a whole book of history with him! But slowly I realized that I was reading Helena’s version of the story – we’re not in his head but hers. I love when authors do with this with narration. (The Fitz books by Robin Hobb being my favorite example). Hats off to Richard Swan for pulling this off.

Helena was pretty passive in the first book, but here she fully comes into her own. Many of the books best moments come from her actions and her relationships with the rest of their motely crew. I enjoyed the side characters in Justice of Kings, and here they shone once more. Bressinger and Sir Radomir are both great characters and their relationship with Helena is what helps to drive this story.

As to the plot of Tyranny, we still get a bit of a mystery, but it was less central to the narrative than I expected. At first it feels like a distraction from the big moves and plot points of the first act, but by the end it tied in very nicely to the whole story.

One of the most unexpected parts of the first book was the undertones of horror that we got with the magic system. Here, we get a doubling or even tripling down on that cosmic horror. The last third of the book has some epic scenes that are now etched into my mind and doesn’t shy away from some brutal and visceral descriptions.

I honestly don’t have too much more to say – this book raised the stakes and turned into a gritty character-focused cosmic horror fantasy novel. I loved it and I hope you do too. If that sounds up your alley, go pick this one up when it releases tomorrow. Bring on book three!!

*Thanks to Orbit for a copy in an exchange for a review*

Synopsis

The modern classic of space opera that began with Children of Time continues in this extraordinary novel of humanity’s battle for survival on a terraformed planet.

Earth failed. In a desperate bid to escape, the spaceship Enkidu and its captain, Heorest Holt, carried its precious human cargo to a potential new paradise. Generations later, this fragile colony has managed to survive, eking out a hardy existence. Yet life is tough, and much technological knowledge has been lost.

Then strangers appear. They possess unparalleled knowledge and thrilling technology – and they’ve arrived from another world to help humanity’s colonies. But not all is as it seems, and the price of the strangers’ help may be the colony itself.

Review

Over the past few years, I’ve read through many of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s books. I’ve been slowly reading through his fantasy epic, the Shadows of the Apt all year. But what first got me into his books was Children of Time. Still my favorite sci-fi book of all time, I’ve been anticipating this third book in the series ever since it was announced.

While I enjoyed the second in the series, Children of Ruin, I found it a bit too similar to the first book and it didn’t grab me the way the first one did.

I’m happy to announce that Children of Memory exceeded my expectations and was a wild ride from the front to back. It may not be perfect, but it is a great science fiction novel with signature Tchaikovsky creativity all wrapped in a great philosophical question.

The story opens with another colony ship looking for terraformed worlds in hope of a new life – just like in the first novel. However, on the discovered planet, Imir, life is hard, and it takes every bit of strength to even grow the most basics of food. We follow a young girl Liff who lives in the colony and dreams of meeting witches and having fairy tale adventures. Eventually she interacts with new strangers from who have come from out-of-town farms including her school teacher Miranda.

In another timeline, we loosely pick up threads from Children of Ruin. A new space ship with a crew of Portia, Paul, Fabian, newcomer Miranda and the ever present AI, Averna Kern, has set out in search of other planets which could contain life. They discover Imir and discuss how they should proceed in intervening at a failing colony.

What proceeds from there would be too much of a spoiler to say much more. The plot bounces all over the place in both time and location while the story is slowly unveiled. Many parts of the novel can be confusing as you’re introduced to new information that doesn’t seem to fit with what has been previously said. Thankfully, the third act brings everything together with many interesting twists and developments.

What I can talk about are the characters. Most of the focus is split between Liff and member of the space crew, Miranda. Miranda is a Human (capital H) that has been integrated into the Nod hive mind conciseness (see Children of Ruin). Her arc is the standout of the book and watching her struggle between her Human instincts and her Nodian desire to explore by consuming is fascinating to watch unfold.

Liff on the other hand, experiences the world in a much more primitive state. Seeing her interact with the more sci-fi moments and visualizing them as fairy tale stories is a great use of character perspective. It’s very reminiscent of Tchaikovsky’s Elder Race, which if you haven’t read, I highly recommend.  

Seeing the distinctions between Liff and Miranda and how they experience the world is a highlight of the first half of the novel. Eventually, as their paths cross, the relationship built between them leads to some poignant and emotional moments.

Now, this wouldn’t be a Children book without a new human-like animal uplift species. While we’ve seen Spiders and Octopuses, Memory introduces us to Covids, or Raven like birds who may or may not just be talented mimickers. The two Corvids we follow in Memory are Gothi and Gethli and they make up the third POV for the novel. Their dialogue is particularly memorable and the new dynamic they bring to the worldbuilding is very enjoyable.

The last character I’ll highlight is Averna Kern. The scientist turned AI continues to be a fascinating character who gets a bit more development this novel. And her story leads us to what lies at the heart of Children of Memory.

(Minor spoliers for the themes and end of book elements follow so if that puts you off, skip to the end). Much of this book is focused on a complicated philosophical question: what does it mean to be sentient? We have several different perspectives and approaches to this question throughout the book, but it all circles around to this thought. It’s a thought that has stuck with me after reading and I look forward to discussions about it.

However, that does lead me to a few issues I had with this book. Much of the philosophy and twists are towards the end of the novel. Some of the reveals that occur in the back half make the preceding pages feel like a bit of a waste. Now, I enjoyed reading through the whole book, but in hindsight, they became a little less necessary.

Along the same lines, much of this novel is confusing when it comes to plot and its structure. While this is eventually explained in full, it leads to a bit of a frustrating reading experience at times where I was turning back to earlier pages to see if I missed something when I hadn’t.

These are minor complaints for me, but I can see how some could find this more frustrating and tarnish the experience.

At the end of the day, the best Tchaikovsky books feature moments of creativity in worldbuilding, interesting character moments, and are all wrapped in an interesting thought experiment. Children of Memory has all that and more. If you’re a Tchaikovsky fan, I highly recommend picking this one up when it comes out early next year.

*special thanks to the publisher for a review copy*

Review

Alastair Reynolds is a sci-fi author who is typically at the top of the genre lists when looking at the best of modern sci-fi. I read his first book in the Revelation Space universe and found it enjoyable but was not particularly compelled to keep reading. I’ve been wanting to give his work another shot (that was his first published novel after all) and when I saw Eversion was a shorter standalone novel, I had the perfect opportunity.*

Often, if I choose to read a book, I decline to read the synopsis on the back cover. Usually it’s because I know the general plot due to recommendations or reviews I’ve read. In Eversion’s case, I went in pretty much completely blind – and it lead to one of the more fun reading experiences I’ve had in quite some time.  

The cover looks like any of Reynolds other books – some generic space shot with stars or a planet. So consider me surprised as I started the book and the story is set on an 1800s sail boat exploring the coast of Norway.

We’re introduced to our protagonist Dr Silas Coade, a doctor tasked with taking care of the crew as they explore a mysterious edifice. We follow him in first person narrative as he interacts with the rest of the crew including a Mexican security officer, a brilliant young cartographer and a mysterious woman who gives Silas grief at every opportunity.

Each character was well written with strong motivations, and you quickly understand the crew dynamics. The prose is very dynamic and served well to immerse me into the story.

Obviously, I knew this was branded as a science fiction book, so I figured something else was going on here. And that pleasure of slowly unraveling the mystery is what made this book work so well for me. This novel is short in comparison to other SFF I typically read, only 300 pages or so, and if you read the synopsis much of the mystery is revealed from the get-go (thus me not including it on this review).

If any of this remotely sounds interesting, go buy it upon release and read it blind. Not only are the reveals awesome, the book is just good despite that. So stop reading the review here and go enjoy the mystery. I think you’ll really like it.

Ok, if you’ve already read the synopsis or just want a bit more info going in, I’ll elaborate a bit further. You’ve been warned.

At several points throughout the novel, Silas is summarily killed and then wakes up and begins to experience the same quest but in a different place in the world and in a different time. First, we have the sailboat, then the crew is on a steam ship, then an airship and so on. It was so fun reading each different era and seeing the characters outfits, language, and minor quirks change as we hopped around in time. I won’t reveal how or why this is happening as it’s the crux of the novel and has something to do with a word that keeps popping up for some reason: eversion.

The story is a mystery – both solving what is happening to Silas, and finding what lies at the heart of the edifice. As the details are slowly unveiled, we have character revelations, interesting sci-fi themes and a great arc for our protagonist.

But at the heart of this story is the exploration of humanity and the relationships that we build among each other. This is a bit of a bleak book, but the way that Reynolds weaves its themes throughout make for compelling reading and a very emotional ending.

I really don’t have a ton of complaints with the book, but I think it could have been a bit longer and fleshed out some of the auxiliary characters. But the pacing of the rest of the book makes up for it and it never overstays its welcome.

Eversion is a great little stand-alone sci-fi novel and I highly recommend it – particularly if the hook sounds interesting to you. Be sure to keep an eye out for it when it releases later this summer.  

*Special thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review

Synopsis

The war is over.
Its heroes forgotten.
Until one chance discovery . . .

Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade his mind in the war. And one of humanity’s heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers.

Eighty years ago, Earth was destroyed by an alien enemy. Many escaped, but millions more died. So mankind created enhanced humans ­such as Idris – who could communicate mind-to-mind with our aggressors. Then these ‘Architects’ simply disappeared and Idris and his kind became obsolete.

Now, Idris and his crew have something strange, abandoned in space. It’s clearly the work of the Architects – but are they really returning? And if so, why? Hunted by gangsters, cults and governments, Idris and his crew race across the galaxy as they search for answers. For they now possess something of incalculable value, and many would kill to obtain it.

Review

I’m a big Adrian Tchaikovsky fan. Children of Time is a modern classic and stands as my favorite sci-fi novel of all time while Cage of Souls is a vastly underrated and incredible novel. Tchaikovsky’s works are always incredibly innovative and creative. From Elder Race (a fun novella which mixes fantasy and sci-fi) to his Shadows of the Apt series (a fantasy book with insect type races which I need to read more of) there’s always some interesting worldbuilding and fascinating ideas going on – and Shards of the Earth is no exception.

This book is space opera at its finest, fully brimming with ideas and a world that was thrilling to read with characters to become invested in.

The set up for the book takes some time but I’ll try and be concise. Shards of Earth takes place several years after the Architect War – a time where mysterious moon sized aliens appeared out of space to reshape matter into their own strange form of art. Their main targets for their art? Planets with life – including Earth which is now destroyed. After humans communicated with an Architect, the aliens disappeared back to wherever they came from. Idris, a genetically modified human who made first contact with the Architects is a survivor from the war. Now, years later, Idris and the crew he travels with finds proof that the Architects may finally be coming back.

And that’s just scratching the surface of what is going on in this book. Other elements include, a crab-like race of aliens who love to barter, insectoid robots who have defected from their human creators, a peaceful alien cult run by clams and much more. Each planet we visit is varied and interesting with their own history and culture. I could spend paragraph after paragraph describing all the ideas and worldbuilding that’s going on here. (also, as a side note, there’s a very helpful glossary and timeline in the back of the book) All this to say, the world is a joy to learn about as we continue to meet new and exciting characters and clever ideas.

However, if I had one complaint with Tchaikovsky generally, it would be his characterization. While his books may be full of incredible ideas that have stuck with me, I’ve never cared too much of any of his protagonists. This doesn’t always bother me, for example in Children of Time it works super well as we track the rise of a civilization, but I feel that Doors of Eden was a bit held back by my lack of interest in the main characters. Here however, I finally clicked with the motley crew of spacers.

In addition to Idris, we have Parthenon warrior Solace (from a race of women genetically grown for combat) taking up the other majority of POV time. She’s been sent to recruit Idris to the Parthenon since they knew each other during the war. Her relationship to the crew is fascinating as she struggles to balance her loyalties. We also have captain Rolo, a human with a strong love for his crew, a Hiver (the insect type robots) who controls miniature robots at his command, a crab-like alien name Kit and a several others. The comradery built between the crew felt natural and by the time the end rolled around, I was hit with all the right emotions – particularly with the relationship between Idris and Solace.

There are a few minor nitpicks I have with the book however. There’s a lot of seeming coincidences that occur throughout the story and a few story elements towards the end that didn’t quite work for me. Plus, one of the minor POVs seemed only included to move the plot along instead of a more natural fit. These were pretty minor overall however.

If it isn’t clear by now, there’s a lot going on in Shards of Earth. However, every time I felt like I might be lost or confused by who that character was (or what race they were) Tchaikovsky had a reminder built right into the text. This led me to always know what was going on and if I was confused, a sentence or two later would clear it all up (and the glossary is there if you’re still lost). That’s the sign of a great writer.

The book is well paced and consistently engaging throughout as we try to unravel the mysteries behind the Architects and much more. All this to say, please go read Shards of Earth. If you’re a space opera or sci-fi fan, it’s a must read – and if not, you may even find something to still enjoy.

Special thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review!

From Jared Besse: It’s been a pleasure to read and review this year’s SPFBO. I’ve gotten to love many new authors and series because of this competition and I’m excited to talk about yet another great book. See below for a synopsis, the FanFiAddict team’s thoughts, and our final rating of Hall of Bones!

Synopsis

In the remote land of Laskar the seven ruling clans have vied with each other for power for over a century. The son of the Reavesburg Clan Chief, Rothgar, has been groomed all his life for a role supporting his elder brother, Jorik, in leading their kingdom when their father’s time finally comes to an end.

However, the rulers of their greatest rivals, the Vorund Clan, are in the grip of something older and far darker. They have been conquered by evil, a remnant from the time when the gods warred with one another and the world of Amuran collapsed into the Fallen Age.

Everything is about to change …

The first book in The Brotherhood of the Eagle series, Hall of Bones begins a tale of epic fantasy, magic and intrigue.

Our Reviews & Ratings

Jared: 8.5/10

A great read. I was hooked from the opening lines seeing our main character at death’s door strung up and left out to dry. While the story then flashes back and takes a little bit to get going, the worldbuilding and character development makes it all worth the journey. Hall is a norse styled fantasy in the style of Robin Hobb. What’s important here is the characters, particularly our protagonist Rothgar whom we follow in first person narrative.

We follow his story as a small child and his journey as he grows into a warrior. The world is slowly expanded as he grows and experinces more. By the end, I was hooked and I plan to read the sequel soon!

Highly recommended for fans of Robin Hobb, and with great writing and strong characters, this takes its spot as one of my favorites for this year’s SPFBO.

Hamad: 7.5/10

I must admit that I would not have read this book if I wasn’t a judge in this competition but I am glad I did because it was a wild ride! I think this is one of the books that deserve more recognition!

The story follows our main protagonist Rothgar who is trained all his life to support his older brother, the successor of their father who happens to be the chief of the clan. On the other hand, we have the Vorund clan with its blood thirsty and greedy chief who is shrouded in dark magic and mystery.

Rothgar is an interesting character and since we get to see the story through his narrative, we get to know him very well. The story starts with him as a child and then we follow him until he becomes a young man with everything around him changing suddenly. The writing is great, I like the prose and I found it very engaging. However, there is something that is kind of a pet peeve for me which is introducing a large number of characters in very small time. I felt that specially in the beginning when we were bombarded with a lot of characters and to be honest, it took me some time to follow the story and recognize which characters are important and which ones are minor ones. To be fair, the author does a good job at making the distinction but a bit late which made the beginning kind of hard to trudge for me. And another thing is that the book does include a glossary at the end of all characters but there is no fun in constantly jumping back and forth to see who is who!

The book can also be a bit descriptive and the narrative is sometimes lost for a short time before it gets back on track again. On the other hand, I felt some of the characters did not get enough descriptions and they have similar sounding names which made it hard to connect to them.

I think the story itself is very interesting and although it is similar in parts to some of my previous reads -no surprise given its Norse mythology inspired- it still has its own charm and the author succeeds in having his own distinct voice! As I mentioned the beginning was tricky for me but around 50% the book was just super interesting and those parts in the middle were worth 5 stars for me. It does slow down after that and new things are introduced which progress the narrative but I was still itching for more of those emotions and euphoria the middle part gave me!

The world-building is good, I expected more from the magic which is introduced later in the story but I think it will be a bigger part of the next books so it is not really something that put me off!

Summary: Hall of Bones is an ambitious first book in a series that obviously have great potential. I think at some points too much was happening and I would have gone with something a bit lighter for a first book but it was still super engaging. If you don’t have a problem with many characters, this will be a great read for sure. I am glad I am part of SPFBO which made me read this!

Blaise: 9/10

This was the best indie book I read this year other than Dragon Mage. Brutal and engaging.

Final Score: 8.5/10 (rounded up)

From Jared Besse: I’ve loved getting to read through the different SPFBO books this year. It’s been a blast to see each book and their different styles over the course of the past year. This is one of my personal favorites, so I’m excited to talk about it a bit here. See below for a synopsis, the FanFiAddict team’s thoughts, and our final rating.

Synopsis

It starts with a rift that burns a thousand scars into the sky.
It makes the winds stop.
It makes the stars go dark.
It awakens an ancient beast.
And with it, a new reign of blood.
It is the Summoning.
And at the heart of it is fire.

***

When the Summoner’s army blazes through her village, Dove is forced into hiding. Torn from everything she knows, she begins training in the elements with only one goal in mind: to find her brother. She just needs to get past the Summoner’s army—but how can she slay a dragon that is already dead?

Our Reviews & Ratings

Hamad: 7/10

The story is intriguing, there are many complex elements with flying ships, magic, dragons and armies. The protagonist is a mute which is intriguing and very unique -funny thing is that I read Gallant by Schwab after this one and it also had a mute protagonist- and the main plot line is her trying to find her brother and save him. The other character I really cared about is Valerya who is like the antagonist of the story, she is morally grey and she has magic which is dwindling in the present world and makes her a force not to be missed with.

The prose is great but for some reasons I found myself confused many times in the story and trying to re-read paragraphs to grasp what happened. I also forgot the secondary characters although there were not many of those and I am used to reading stories with wider casts but I just guess I never connected to them as mush as I wanted to.

The magic system is interesting and I think because we see magic mostly at the beginning and ending, they were my favorite parts. The book is generally slow paced but it even slows down more in the middle which made me feel that that part dragged and I just wanted to know what happens next.

Summary: I enjoyed the story overall and I think it is well written with very good prose. For some reason the secondary characters and some of the plot lines were confusing for me and I could not connect to them. I think the ending was a bit rushed but still beautiful. I would recommend for people looking for something not so casual!

Jared: 8.5/10

Great worldbuilding. Fun and interesting characters, including lots of well done motivations. I highly enjoyed Dove as our main POV, as it isn’t that often we have a mute character in a book! Dancer and Bard, two travelers who get some of my favorite chapters were a standout. Their chemistry, banter, and exploits are very fun to read and I can’t wait to see where they go in the sequel.

I was engaged consistantly throughout the story and I highly look forward to the next book! Only minor flaw is some stuff towards the end felt a bit rushed and you could feel the author moving around the characters so that they ran into each other. This was a small nitpick though and this was a personal standout for SPFBO 7 for me.

Mada: 10/10

It is an epic book. It has multiple story arcs. Multiple spanning characters each with their own motives and agendas. Great characters, and good story. Pacing could have been better.

Tyra: 9/10

Great elemental magic system that synergizes well with the world building overall. I loved the characters so much too the ending hit me in the feels.

Final Score (rounded): 8.5/10

Synopsis:

Lik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest.

As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own – and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance.

Elvar has sworn to fulfil her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her.

Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god.

Their hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead . . . and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth.

Review:

Thanks to Orbit and netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Hunger of the Gods is the second book in the epic Bloodsworn trilogy by John Gwynne and is another amazing entry in the series. When I first read Shadow of the Gods, I was blown away and the well written characters and breathtaking action. Hunger of the Gods delivers more of the same great cast (including a new highlight) but suffers from a few pacing issues and middle book syndrome. (some spoilers for the first book follow)

First, let’s start with some of the wonderful things that continue from book one. The characters that we loved from Shadow of the Gods are back in full force and I loved continuing their stories. With the strong focus on Orka in the first book, I was a bit disappointed that she takes a bit of a backseat here, but this allows for others to shine.

Elvar particularly has some amazing moments and as I felt she had the weakest POV in the first book, it was wonderful to care so much about her journey. Varg and the Bloodsworn have some of the best moments from throughout the story and his found family plot continues to please although suffers a bit from a lack of development.

In Hunger of the Gods, we’re also treated to two new POVs from villain characters. One character’s arc is pretty standard and mostly serves to provides us insight into the enemy camp. It works fine, but he isn’t as compelling as some of the other characters. Our new perspective comes from Gudvarr, a warrior looking to make a name for himself among the heroes (or villains as the case may be). As the nephew of one of the land’s Jarls he wants to prove himself and Gwynne decides to do something he hasn’t done in one of his books before: give us an internal monologue!

Gudvarr is probably the highlight of the book for me. I loved reading his chapters and hear his inner voice as he attempts to rise above his station and yet doesn’t fool most people – this leads to some great moments of humor. He has a clear arc and it’s very enjoyable to read.

Another great aspect of Hunger is the action. Gwynne gives us some of the best he’s ever written and it’s here in full force. Limbs are taken off, creatures are fearsome, characters will die and much more. There’s some epic action set pieces here and they deliver on the goods. Some of the moments in this book are truly epic and make me want to continue to read.

The worldbuilding continues to grow and we see lots of new places around the land as our characters travel and travel around. Although this is where a few of the issues for me come into play. First, while the world is epic in scope, it seems that everyone is related to everyone else. We kept meeting characters that happen to be related to another of the main characters in another of the groups we follow. Usually, I don’t mind this too much, but it seemed a bit unnecessarily complex (and this from someone who has read and loved Malazan) and made the world feel small in scope.

Second, much of this book is our characters travelling from one place to the next, and then the next, and then the next. Not too much changed plot wise outside a few major developments. The action was still there and epic, but didn’t serve too much purpose some of the time (with the exception of Elvar who I felt had a good arc). There were several action scenes that felt like they were there just for action’s sake instead of moving the story along.

If it sounds like I’m being a bit too negative, don’t worry, there’s still a ton I really liked about this book! It just didn’t quite live up to my admittedly sky-high expectations. Overall, if you’re looking for an epic Norse inspired fantasy story with characters you care about and epic action, you’ll find a ton to love in Hunger of the Gods. It just suffers a bit from middle book syndrome. Still, I’ll be counting down the days until I can read the finale!!

I do hope you check it out when it comes out in a few weeks. And if you haven’t read Shadow yet, what are you doing?! Go read it now!

From Jared Besse: I’ve had a blast reading through the 9 other finalists in this year’s SPFBO. Each one is enjoyable in thier own right and this one is no exception. Here’s a few of our thoughts about the book and an aggregate score for the blog! Hope you enjoy reading.

Blurb

Norylska Groans…

with the weight of her crimes. In a city where winter reigns amid the fires of industry and war, soot and snow conspire to conceal centuries of death and deception.

Norylska Groans…

and the weight of a leaden sky threatens to crush her people. Katyushka Leonova, desperate to restore her family name, takes a job with Norylska’s brutal police force. To support his family, Genndy Antonov finds bloody work with a local crime syndicate.

Norylska Groans…

with the weight of her dead. As bodies fall, the two discover a foul truth hidden beneath layers of deception and violence: Come the thaw, what was buried will be revealed.

Our Reviews & Ratings

Jared B: 8.0/10

A totaly brutal read. Very well written and with some amazing world building and cool magic. The action is consistently intense and I became invested in the protagonists. It is however, very grim and dark so make of that what you will – don’t go in expecting puppies and sunshine. While I really enjoyed the story, it felt like some of the motivations that weren’t made clear till the end a bit frustrating. This was an intentional choice by the authors, but is one my personal pet peeves in stories. Overall though, a great read and an easy recommendation to grimdark readers.

Hamad: 8.5/10

“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”

I usually feel skittish around books that are co-authored because it means there should be a high level of understanding between the authors in order for the reader not to feel that they were reading two books and I am glad to say Fletcher and Snyder did a great job at that! I have read one book by Fletcher before and enjoyed it and haven’t read any books by Snyder so I did not know what to expect but I was very satisfied by the end of this book.

The story follows two main characters: Katyusha and Genndy. Kat finds herself working with the police force and Gen is working with a criminal group. The book has multiple POVs and both were very well written -I enjoyed Kat’s chapter a little more and to be honest I don’t know who wrote her- The writing is very atmospheric, I felt that the world was cold and dark and both authors were great at showing rather than telling.

I really loved the prose, I highlighted a ton of quotes and paragraphs and I specially liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The writing is gritty and there was a great level of synchronization between the authors that just made the story flow!

“If a man is a book, as Lavrenti wrote, then war rewrote it from page one. “

The world-building is also top notch. As I mentioned before, it was very atmospheric but I also loved the magic system which is simple but very creative. There are stones that can store people’s memories and some attributes and when people wear them, they get the memories of whoever had them before. You can imagine the potential of twists and turns that this system allows and which the authors put to good use! It kind of gave me Sanderson vibes!

I thought the story would take me much more time to go through but I finished it in 3 days which just shows how addicting it really was. I loved the focus on grey characters and grey morals which was reflected in many quotes and scenes through the book.

All Kievan’s greatest philosophers are from Norylska because Norylska teaches us the one truth: Life is grey.

There are moments of black, when the dust from the smelting furnaces blanket the city in soot.

There are moments of white, after a fresh snow fall.

But they are moments. Grey is the natural state.

Summary: Snyder and Fletcher both did a great job in writing this with a killer prose, a very smart and creative magical systems, a cold and dark world-building and a story that kept me on my tip toes till the end. I really hope they get to collaborate more in the future!

Ash: 8.0/10

I think this may have been the darkest book I have ever read. It truly captured the heart of grimdark. Norylska Groans hit the ground running right from the first chapter. I greatly enjoyed the two main POVs yet found myself looking forward to one over the other. The arcs for each character were wonderfully developed and I enjoyed the evolution of each. The setting was grim – I felt the desolation and pain. I found the majority of the book to be very well written with clearly defined motives. I did find the last 15% to become a little muddied and confusing when threads were tieing together. It felt like I had missed some key information or motives because I wasn’t fully understanding why things were suddenly happening. The ending was sort of a bit too abrupt for me – I haven’t heard anything yet but it left it open for a sequel. Overall, a brutal and dark story that kept me turning the pages well into the night.

David W: 8.75/10

I did not provide a full review for NG as I had already read a super early iteration of it for a blurb request, but here are my thoughts:  Low fantasy with a pitch black edge, a super intriguing magic system, and a story that I crave more of.
Definite grab if you enjoyed Peter McLean’s “War for the Rose Throne” or are looking for a gritter “Gentleman Bastards”

FINAL SCORE (Rounded Up): 8.5/10

Synopsis

Jade, the mysterious and magical substance once exclusive to the Green Bone warriors of Kekon, is now known and coveted throughout the world. Everyone wants access to the supernatural abilities it provides, from traditional forces such as governments, mercenaries, and criminal kingpins, to modern players, including doctors, athletes, and movie studios. As the struggle over the control of jade grows ever larger and more deadly, the Kaul family, and the ancient ways of the Kekonese Green Bones, will never be the same.

The Kauls have been battered by war and tragedy. They are plagued by resentments and old wounds as their adversaries are on the ascent and their country is riven by dangerous factions and foreign interference that could destroy the Green Bone way of life altogether. As a new generation arises, the clan’s growing empire is in danger of coming apart.

The clan must discern allies from enemies, set aside aside bloody rivalries, and make terrible sacrifices… but even the unbreakable bonds of blood and loyalty may not be enough to ensure the survival of the Green Bone clans and the nation they are sworn to protect.

Review

Endings are a tricky thing. A good ending can reframe an entire story or bring home the points that an author was making. A bad ending can sour the experience of a whole series or story. Thankfully, Jade Legacy, the third and final book in the Green Bone Saga, is a smashingly good ending.

Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee is without doubt one of the best books I’ve ever read. If you read my reviews of the past two books, you’d know that I enjoyed the first one but didn’t love it and really like the second. With Jade Legacy, this book has cemented itself as one of the all-time great trilogies up there with Mistborn and the Nevernight Chronicles. This was an ending that made all that came before it even better in retrospect and I encourage any reader to pick up this series.

So, what made Jade Legacy so special? For me, it’s the characters. It has been quite a while since I spent time with a cast as interesting and engaging as the characters in the Green Bone Saga. Every SINGLE character from the book (and past books) is fully developed and complex. I felt like I knew each and every person. They felt real, they made decisions and choices that felt in line with who I knew them to be – while still being able to surprise me and grow.

Every person from the past two books comes back into play here and is vital to the story. Even with tons of POVs, Lee was still able to keep me caring about every page I read and by the end, everyone had played a major role in the story.

One of the amazing things about Jade Legacy is that it is set over the course of decades. I had read review after review saying that this was handled incredibly well but I still went into the book skeptical. I’d been burned before by books that had time jumps where characters changed and became unrecognizable for the sake of plot. None of that is found here. Every person stays true to who they were but still has room to grow and change as they age.

Getting to watch Hilo, Shae, Anden, and even Bero, as they continue to struggle with the change in globalization of jade and the cold war with the Mountain clan is just a joy to read. It’s tough to talk about the plot here too much, considering where it goes and ends up, but rest assured it’s both sweeping and intimate. The story grows and grows as the world expands around our characters, but it never loses focus on the people we care about and their struggles that began this whole tale.

We get to meet the next generation of Green Bone warriors who will one day take over the clan and each was a treat to spend time with. Ru was a particular favorite of mine to read.

The themes that I discussed in my first reviews are present here as well. The push and pull between family, honor, and tradition, while still trying to live in a world that is quickly leaving those traits in the past is a fascinating dynamic. None of our characters are perfect and they make mistake after mistake while trying to navigate a changing world – and yet they continue fighting and trying. It’s just fantastic writing.

Oh, and if you were wondering if Legacy would be easier on the heart, be prepared. This book made me laugh, cry and turn the page holding my breath as I truly felt like anything could happen and no one character was safe. You’ve been warned.

Usually, I have a few minor annoyances when I read a book. But I’m hard pressed to think of any here. This isn’t the kind of book I read very often, and the first one didn’t knock my socks off, but I strongly recommend anyone read this.* The characters and the struggles they face are so compelling – it’s just a masterpiece.

So please, go pick up the Green Bone Saga. Well done Fonda Lee, you’ve made me a huge fan.

*My only caveat to this series is the content can be fairly graphic. The violence, sex and language can be strong at times but not any worse than an R rated movie. If you’re averse to this content, you may want to look elsewhere.