#fantasy book review

[jadejedi]

Fantasy Book Review: A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

JJ's rating: 5/5

How feral did it make me: 5/5

My book reviews

I’ve been reading (or listening) to a lot more books this year than normal, and I have realized that I need an outlet to talk about them. I considered making a goodreads account, but hey I already have this! So I will be reviewing the books I’ve read this year, and depending on how long it takes me, I might just start reviewing all my favorite reads. I'm probably going to add links to my blog to make them easier to find.

Let’s get into it. This book is so good. SO GOOD. I listened to it on audiobook, which normally means while I’m at work, driving, or at home doing chores, but I literally listened to the last 2 hours of this book at home doing absolutely nothing, just on the edge of my damn seat! 

Here’s a quick summary: the very anxious Prince Kadou accidentally causes a serious incident that leaves multiple of his personal guards dead or injured. In the aftermath, he is assigned a new guard by the sultan who is known for being an uptight rule follower. As their personalities clash, they have to solve a mystery and learn to work together…

I want to preface this review by saying that this is definitely a romance novel with a fantasy setting. The world building, especially for the main country this novel takes place in, is great and extremely vivid without unnecessary info dumps. The main plot of the story is perfectly serviceable, if a tad predictable, but it 1000% does what it needs to do for the romance. 

But, the romance. THE ROMANCE. This book was advertised as an “enemies to lovers slow burn romance” and it 100% delivers on both. Now, when some people think “enemies to lovers” or (even better imo) “enemies to friends to lovers”, they imagine that at least one of the parties involved is a horrible villain and the relationship is probably abusive in some way. I’m sure there are plenty of books out there where that is absolutely the case, but Rowland gets what makes that trope so good. It’s about two characters who are both good people, but initially clash. It’s the mutual hatred born out of a fundamental misunderstanding of the other’s character, it’s the eventual begrudging respect, it’s THE YEARNING. THE PINING. 

Both of these characters are so wonderful. We get both POV’s throughout: Kadou’s anxious desire to do what’s best for his country and not fuck anything up, and Evemere’s steadfast, noble determination to understand what makes the prince the way he is. 

I don’t want to give too much more away, but this book is filled with ALL the delightful romance tropes you could ever desire. 

Can we talk about pacing?? Pacing is so, so important, especially when writing a slow burn romance, and this author GETS. IT. Sometimes if the romance is resolved too early, all the tension goes out of the story, because if it’s a romance novel, we’re here for the romance, not the plot. But in this story the whole novel is centered around the romance, and the pacing just works so, so well. 

Also, the way that queerness is written into this story is wonderful. Third gender pronouns abound and  same sex attraction is fully accepted, and it’s really refreshing. Also, there are multiple female characters who play significant roles in the story who are fleshed out characters, which I feel is sometimes lacking in M/M romances. 

I have not been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it like four days ago. I listened to the audio book, which had an excellent narrator, but have also ordered the paperback with my favorite version of the cover. Please, do yourself the favor and read this one. Also, if you do read it, the author published a 10,000 word fanfic epilogue on AO3. It’s called What spring does with the cherry trees, and it’s a goddamn delight. 

[whenireadyougettosee]

The Way of Kings Review

Hi! I'm Liz and I review fantasy books!

The Way of Kings can be incredibly daunting, especially for people who don't read much high fantasy, 1200 pages is a LOT. However, for fans of the genre, I think it's a must-read.

I'm sure fans of Brandon Sanderson know about the Stormlight archives along with the rest of The Cosmere. Personally, my favorite is his standalone Warbreaker, the magic system alone was enough to blow my mind and leave me thinking for months.

Now, to The Way of Kings.

The size of the book can leave to-be readers wondering if all 1200 pages were necessary. I believe it was. I was hooked on the plot from the first pages. Every point of view and plotline was interesting and immersive. The characters had so much agency and personality it's hard to pick a favorite.

From Kaladin's strong will and leadership to Shallan's creativity and cunning and the mystery of Dalinar's visions that expanded the world and lore of Roshar. The character-driven story was packed with action, trials, successes, and failures.

There were some moments in the story I found myself skimming. Notably: Kaladin's flashbacks. I usually find that I react this way to flashbacks in books. Though, I do believe that were integral to understanding his character and I'm glad they were included. It showed how he developed the loyalty he carries throughout the book, as well as the pressure he puts on himself to help others.

Kaladin's character is strong. He seeks to make up for past failures and naturally finds himself the "captain" of the bridge crew 4. He sees the other members of the bridge crew, enslaved and half-dead, and gives them honor and purpose. His natural loyalty is infectious. His crew is full of personality (though it may take a bit to show) and while reading their interactions I truly felt they were a family, determined to keep each other alive in hostile conditions and in spite of the light-eyed leaders trying to control them.

What I find sticks with me is Dalinar's development vs. the parts of his character that remain static, as well as how his visions change his actions. Near the end of the book, this development really shines and he has badass moment after badass moment. I respected his honor from the beginning, but seeing him put it to practice in such ways in the climax was great to see. It leaves me wondering how his actions will affect the state of politics and the war later on.

Shallan was a character that was constantly surprising me. She's inquisitive and funny, but throughout her point of view, there is always a deeper and maybe darker theme. Throughout her wardship I see her motives challenged as well as changed as she learns more about the world, philosophy, and the old magic.

I find myself itching to start the next book immediately. For anyone on the edge of starting the long and ongoing high fantasy series, I must recommend it highly. We'll see how the characters make due as the events of The Stormlight Archives unfold.

[betterbooksandthings]

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem is a beautifully textured Egyptian-inspired high fantasy book that rips your heart apart and puts it back together again. As an orphaned apothecary’s assistant in a small town, no one expects Sylvia to hide powerful magic and an even more powerful lineage. When the kingdom of Jasad fell to the kingdom of Nizahl a decade ago, everyone believed all members of the royal family fell with it, but the magically adept Jasad heir escaped, and she has been on the run ever since. Her magic has been dampened for years so typically there is little threat it will be detected, but one day Arin, the Nizahl heir, discovers her power anyway. He cannot imagine she is lost royalty, but Arin knows her magic is powerful and can tell her strength will serve his political goals. With knowledge of Sylvia’s powers and Jasadi background, he blackmails her into becoming his champion for the Alcalah, a deadly series of trials where each kingdom has one chance at selecting a future victor that will bring pride to their country. Now she must keep her identity as the lost Jasad heir a secret from the strict and inscrutable heir, even as they grow inextricably close. If she wins, Sylvia will have enough money and status as the Alcalah victor to hide for the rest of her life, but as Jasadi rebels and her own conscience demand she takes up her throne, she has to decide if she is willing to live a life of peace at the cost of her people. The book is filled with magic, political intrigue, friendship, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a magical competition to tie it all together. I could not recommend this book more.

I must say, Hashem’s debut is an impressive feat of the genre. The magic system and world-building are top-tier for those looking for fantasy with multi-kingdom political intrigue and well-developed characters. Everyone and everything introduced to the book is there for a reason and they all have well-developed backstories and interior lives. I believe the book follows an iceberg approach to fantasy where we see a fraction of the worldbuilding that goes into crafting such an intricate system where everything feels real. Small details from clothing, food, and value differences between kingdoms give life to the people and the places they inhabit.

Sylvia is a wonderful character. She is a believable traumatized 20-year-old. The book is a good recommendation for fans of New Adult-aged protagonists, but it is firmly adult fantasy. She is comfortable with murdering for survival and capable of doing so. Even without consistent access to her powers, she is clever and calculating and knows how to wield a bevy of weapons. It doesn’t stop her from caring about a select group of people including her two best friends Sefa and Marek who follow her throughout the book. They have their own story that I will not spoil but rest assured they are wonderful and Sefa is on the ace spectrum for anyone who wants to know.

Now, there is also an enemies-to-lovers subplot in the book between the two heirs, Sylvia and Arin but it is a slow burn, backburner, low-spice (but high-heat) romance. Both characters have a certain level of touch aversion one due to a magic curse, the other due to a traumatic childhood. They are also two people who don’t trust or love with any level of ease. Nonetheless, they care about each other, and the growing care leads me to believe in their chemistry. I can find no confirmation that Sylvia was written to be on the ace spectrum so please correct me if I am wrong, but I read her character as demisexual or somewhere on the ace spectrum. I am completely on board with this ship either way.

Training for the Alcalah and the Alcalah itself is so well done. Anyone who likes a good high-stakes fantasy competition will be satisfied with this storyline. The secrets and political intrigue create ongoing tension throughout the book and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen in book 2.

All that is to say this book is absolutely wonderful. Thank you Orbit Books for providing me with an arc for an honest review and I would highly recommend you preorder yourself a copy because when The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem comes out on July 18, 2023, you will want to get started.

[thebookishmum]

Just finished reading ‘The Shadow of the Gods’ by John Gwynne with the @wellreadwyvern_bookclub with @wellreadwyvern

I absolutely loved this book. Dripping with Norse inspired mythology, dark, visceral and cinematic in it’s descriptions.

The book follow three point of views in a third person narrative, Orka, Elvar and Varg. The main characters are fleshed out and real, you can feel their emotions and all of their decisions make sense for the types of people they are. This is the first in the series and the three stories are separate for the most part but all help to show the world they are living in. Orka is my favourite point of view character to follow throughout, she is fierce, brave and more than she seems.

The world created in these pages is vivid and real, the characters feel alive. The magic and creatures are easy to imagine.

This book gets 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I cannot wait to read ‘The Hunger of the Gods’

[autumn2may]

Today our judges review J.D.L. Rosell's The Last Ranger for this year's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) finals! 🐉

"The worldbuilding was utterly fascinating. I not only loved all the outdoorsy skills (give me more!), but also the magic and wonder in here."

[charlesmoffat]

Book Review of Tad Williams's "The Dragonbone Chair". If you want to know how Game of Thrones ends... Just read this series instead. It is the same plot... ;)

[joncronshawauthor]

22 Unmissable Fantasy Books of 2022: Your Ultimate Guide

Another year, another towering pile of epic fantasy books hitting the shelves. Let’s shine a spotlight on 22 brilliant fantasy novels from 2022 that you simply mustn’t miss. No tedious prologues here, just top-notch action, imagination, and maybe the odd goblin who meets the business end of a battleaxe. Babel by R.F. Kuang In this dark academia fantasy, students at a university hold dangerous…

[writerlunawinters]

Title: Oathbringer

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy

Published: August 4, 2023

My Thoughts: Another fantastic entry in the Stormlight Archive series.

In Oathbringer, the third volume of the Stormlight Archive, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers. Dalinar Kholin's Alethi armies win a fleeting victory, but the enemy Parshendi summons the violent Everstorm, awakening the parshmen to their long enslavement by humans. Kaladin Stormblessed must confront the anger of the parshmen and investigate the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant in Urithiru. Dalinar realizes his mission to unite his homeland was too narrow, and the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not prevent civilization's end.

In terms of analysis, Oathbringer continues to build upon the world and characters established in the previous books. The conflict between the humans and the Parshendi reaches new heights, and the revelations about the history of Roshar and the Knights Radiant are fascinating. Sanderson's writing is as engaging as ever, and the audiobook narration is excellent. Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy.

As for a recommendation, I highly recommend Oathbringer to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy. However, I would advise reading the Novella, Edgedancer, before reading this. While not necessary, it did add important information that made the story a lot more well rounded.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Blurb: In this breathtaking sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller For the Wolf, Red's sister Neve struggles to escape a mysterious land of twisted roots, lost gods, and mountains made of bone—and the only clues to her rescue are a magic mirror and a dark prince who wants to bring the whole thing crumbling down.

The First Daughter is for the Throne

The Second Daughter is for the Wolf...

Red and the Wolf have finally contained the threat of the Old Kings but at a steep cost. Red's beloved sister Neve, the First Daughter is lost in the Shadowlands, an inverted kingdom where the vicious gods of legend have been trapped for centuries and the Old Kings have slowly been gaining control. But Neve has an ally, though it's one she'd rather never have to speak to again: the rogue king Solmir. Solmir wants to bring an end to the Shadowlands and he believes helping Neve may be the key to its destruction. But to do that, they will both have to journey across a dangerous landscape in order to find a mysterious Heart Tree, and finally to claim the gods' dark, twisted powers for themselves.

Review:

Kings to kill, gods to fight, and being stranded with the one person who has broken your trust is not the way Queen Neve thought her day would be going. The sequel to For the Wolf picks up where the first book ended, Red has become one with the Wilderwood and is living as part of it with her husband and Neve has fallen into the Shadowlands with Solmir, a ex-king who had tricked her... while also strangely has been taking care of her. Solmir has a different agenda, his entire goal is to kill the Five kings before they come back and will do everything to achieve his goals because if they are released they will destroy the entire world. Neve is now stranded in the Shadowlands with the one person she didn’t want to be, the one person who she had trusted and had found herself feeling something for, only to have the mask ripped off.. and yet despite his monstrousness, his cruelty, there is something more in the way he looks at her, the way he protects her. The only way to get out of the Shadowlands and stop the kings is if they both work together. But can they trust one another despite all their lies and deeds? Can they be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice as the more the go on this journey the more they discover they have in common... and that there is something there between them. While this is all happening Red and co are all trying to find a way to save Neve while dealing with the consequences of the first book, being that Red and Eammon are now magical immortal beings that are part Wilderwood and that there is also a mysterious new person in their group who has her own agenda. This was a great way to wrap up the story and get to know both Neve and Solmir more. I absolutely adored them, their romance is tragic, angsty, and beautiful. They are both willing to do whatever it takes for the ones they care about and are willing to get their hands dirty in order for the greater good. All in all, I have had a blast reading this duology and would definitely recommend it!

*Thanks Netgalley and Orbit Books, Orbit for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[jadejedi]

Fantasy Book Review: The Captive Trilogy by C.S. Pacat

JJ’s rating: 4.5/5

How feral did it make me: 5/5

My book reviews

Ahh these books. What can I possibly say about these books that hasn’t been said before? I first read these books not long after the third book, Kings Rising, was published, back in 2016. If I remember correctly, on that first read, I was sort of like, eh, these are good. I like these. And then a bit later, maybe like a year later (?) I went back and reread them and was like “oh my god?? oh my god?? OH MY GOD??!” And now they have become one of my more frequent rereads (like almost once a year), and they are easily the fandom that I most frequently return to in between hyper fixations. I only have these books on Kindle, and they are pretty thoroughly annotated at this point. Book two, Prince’s Gambit, is genuinely one of my favorite books of all time. 

Okay, if you haven’t read these books or heard of them, here’s the summary: Damianos of Akielos, the crown prince of this world’s version of ancient Greece, is captured by his half-brother in a coup and sent to his country’s greatest enemy, Vere, which is this world’s version of, like, a more debauched version of medieval France. Damen is given as a sex slave to the frigid Crown Prince Laurent. The problem? Damen killed Laurent’s older brother, Prince Auguste, five years ago, and if Laurent finds out Damen's true identity, he’ll definitely have him killed. So Damen has to make his way through the complexities of the Veretian court, ruled by Laurent’s uncle, the Regent, while trying to escape before his identity is revealed. 

There are a LOT OF content warnings for these books, but some of them are spoilers, so if you want them, DM me and I will be happy to answer any questions about content. I will say that the first book has a fairly different tone than the later two. The first book really leans in more to the master/slave kink dynamics of the whole story and is more like ~oooh look! So sexy! So provocative!~ The second and third books are more like “here, let me stab you with these heart wrenching revelations and genuine emotions!!!!!” Like the kink dynamics are still there in the later two books, but the tone is much more serious, if that makes sense. I believe C.S. Pacat has sort of talked about how the Captive Prince series was kind of her practice trilogy before writing Dark Rise (book two out now!!), and I think that is most obvious in the first book. 

The relationship between Damen and Laurent is absolutely wonderful. I consider them one of my top two or three OTPs. The hatred. The eventual respect. The yearning. The pining. The LONGING. THE TRUST. Here are some of my favorite (non spoilery) lines (all from book 2 because 2 and 3 have the best lines but the best lines in book 3 are all spoilers):

“It was like being pleased by a thorn bush, feeling fond of every prickle. Another second and he was going to say something ridiculous like that.”

“To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.” 

“A kingdom, or this.” (this line lives RENT FUCKING FREE in my mind forever)

These books also have a fairly unambiguously happy ending. The author has published several short stories, which are all very enjoyable.

Due to the content of these books, they are definitely not for everyone, but for me, at least, I think they are brilliant. They are THE enemies to friends to lovers couple, in my humble opinion. Also, there is a fairly large fandom for these books, with some GREAT fan artists and fanfic authors. Truly we are all blessed.

[kitausu]

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

This was such a perfect audiobook to listen to while sick and stuck inside! A really fast read with tons of action. I'm a huge sucker for animal/human bonds and this was a wonderful take on the trope. I really loved that we never lost sight of the fact that these birds were wild animals despite the pure devotion and adoration their handlers held for them. Even more, I love that despite the fact that we never lost sight of this, the relationship never felt cold. Just a masterful job!

[mich-afr]

A court of thrones and roses-

romance 3/5

spicy 1/5

Guys, I sold my soul to Sarah J Mass...jk alright, the hype was worth it. Booktok was right again. and I highly recommend it. I love Feyre; I love her character development and her whole family issue; coming from taking care of her family and sacrificing so much of her life to just coming to an entire New World to reinvent herself is so exciting. This happens because she kills a wolf, a fairy who was Tamlin's soldier who he sent off in the woods so that he can break a curse that was on Prynthian for the last 50 years. The curse is for 50 years; most of Prnthian has to be under the mountain, except for part of the spring court, which is stuck wearing masks for 50 years and tormented by a magical curse that depletes the magic from each high lord. Acotar is actually a beauty and beast retelling which i didn't know until after the reading the series.

Feyre is given an ultimatum of being killed or being brought to live in Prythian on the treaty between of the fairy and mortal lands treaty and this is when she is brought to the spring court by Tamlin, and this is when the plot starts to quicken we learned that there is a curse and she knows she has to break a curse, but she doesn't know how to because everyone is so secretive about it, so she has to find specific ways how to break it without breaking. The rules are so crazy to me, and she also falls in love with Tamlyn, a spring court high lord, who she hates. Still, in reality, she hates all fae just because of the prejudice of the mortal lands, and how they make them seem, but once she gets over that prejudice towards the fae, she starts to fall in love with Tamlyn. And the whole under the mountain part is one of my favorite parts of the book. Yeah, Amarantha captures her, and she has to go through these trials, but just reading it is just so awesome to me. Mind you, I also had the graphic audio audiobook while reading at the same time so that I could hear the characters' voices while reading it, and I like the music, and the sound effects help you experience the book so much better as well. It's so cool; not only do you get to imagine it in your head, but you also get the sound effects, guys. It makes the book experience so much better, and if you can get your hands on the graphic audio audiobook, I highly recommend that you do.

[whatsthecolouroftheskyblog]

Hello, how are you?✨

Last month I reread and annotated my used (and sadly a bit damaged) copy of In an Absent Dream, which is my favourite out of the Wayward Children series and the only one I physically own (why are these books so expensive despite being so short 😭)

I normally only underline cute sentences with a pencil, but I really liked the experience of rereading a favourite book and writing down my thoughts. It really helped me understand what I liked in the story and why this one has a special place in my heart ✨

Do you annotate on your books like it is so trendy now, or do you keep them pristine? 👀

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpCsQRArrtr/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[autumn2may]

Today our judges review Ryan Kirk's The Last Fang of God for this year's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) finals! 🐉

"[The] gritty, dark world with cruel gods who dictate the acts of humans, while still being pitiful as heck, and almost as demanding as the landscape, was well done."

Background image by Sven Brandsma.

[coffeeandirony]

INCREDIBLY fun, gripping, and well-written. This is the start of Brian McLellan's newest series and it's a great read. A brilliantly-envisioned magic system propels a plot that sometimes meanders a little bit but is still head and shoulders above most modern fantasy. This series actually reminds me a lot of Brandon Sanderson's Alloy of Law series - the worlds, magic systems, and world-weary yet still innocent protagonists are similar - but of course no one can touch Sanderson, who is an absolute master not just of world-building but of character writing. The romance is awkward and felt shoe-horned in, but a murder mystery subplot pleased me greatly and was absolutely packed with delightful and unexpected twists. Definitely recommend