Review of ~ T.M. Lakomy – The Shadow Crucible

9/10

I received a review copy of The Shadow Crucible in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank T.M. Lakomy and Select Books Inc. for this opportunity.

This novel was influenced by the scriptures found within the Nag Hammadi scrolls which were written sometime between the 2nd and 3rd-century A.D. and resurfaced about 70-years-ago. Lakomy’s stunning debut is a complex adult fantasy epic set mainly in an alternative medieval London that reeks shadowy imagery and environments reminiscent of Penny Dreadful. For the majority, this narrative follows two key players who are pawns in a greater game of which they do not yet comprehend. Firstly, the orphan protecting, demon tormented seer, Estella; who has been blessed with the gift of sight, and can often unwillingly see into Heaven itself. Secondly, Count Mikhael, a mind-reading Templar who enforces religious viewpoints and actions even though he also sees the spirits and grotesque beings that frequent beneath the radars of most individuals existence.

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Guest Review of ~ Steven Erikson – Gardens Of The Moon (Malazan Book Of The Fallen #1)

9.5/10 – Review by Holden R Johnson (The Red Heir)

“Convergence,” Tool said. “Power ever draws other power.”

Why have I waited so long to read this?
There will be spoilers in the section that discusses characters – so please tread lightly!

Gardens of the Moon, The first entry in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series is best described as a convergence. The tapestry weaved by Erikson is something I am both amazed by as a reader and envious of as a writer. I now know another level that I hope to achieve and as my friend stated recently, I may have to rethink my rating system for other books.

Guest Review of ~ Robert Jordan – The Eye Of The World (Wheel of Time #1)

8.5/10

“The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills”

The Eye of the World, the first epic fantasy book in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, provided me with exactly the kind of experience I expected from it.
1. An old school fantasy feel.
2. Lots of intense descriptions of every small detail that normally my brain just tries to ignore and piece together itself.
3. Tons and tons of traveling. (No campfire is left to the imagination)
4. Enough epicness to prove that it is truly one of the greats.

Reading the Eye of the World, I have realized that I have grown out of many of the less modern fantasy themes and styles of writing.

Review of ~ Anonymous – The Legendary Adventures of Alexander the Great (Penguin Epics, #13)

6.5/10 – The Legendary Adventures of Alexander the Great is a short novel within the Penguin Epics collection. Essentially these are shortish texts about some of the finest figures in history or mythology and other titles in the series include tales about Aeneas, Beowulf and King Arthur amongst others. The full text that this book cuts and summarises to a more streamlined affair is the double in size ‘The Great Alexander Romance’ which has been translated possibly thousands of times and is the prime text for Alexanders’ adventures throughout Eurasia and Africa. The whole known world was at his untimely demise, under his control.

Review of ~ John Gwynne – Wrath (The Faithful and the Fallen #4)

9.5/10 – If you follow the frequency of my reviews then you will be able to analyse that I have devoured the stories from John Gwynne’s fantasy epic saga, The Faithful and the Fallen at an inhuman pace, and the reason for this is that they are spectacularly envisaged works of art. I always find the final book in a series that I have committed about seventy hours of my time into reading is the most difficult to write a review about. This is due to no longer being able to escape within and have my senses bombarded by the unpredictable, exhilarating action of The Banished Lands, which has an emotional impact on me, and also that a certain amount of what I have stated in the previous novels’ reviews about characters, techniques, devices and editing are still prevalent here; however, I do not wish to recycle the same points written previously.

Review of ~ John Gwynne – Ruin (The Faithful and the Fallen #3)

9.5/10 – Ruin is Gwynne’s third novel in his stunning epic fantasy saga, The Faithful and the Fallen. The fabled God-War is no longer a mythical looming prophecy; it is very real and the events unfolding within The Banished Lands are presented to us by a plethora of vivid and dramatic characters.

Review of ~ John Gwynne – Valour (The Faithful and the Fallen #2)

9.0/10

“One thought circled in his head like the black birds swirling about the mountain peaks. They must be stopped.” – Corban

Valour carries on literally minutes after the action when Malice presented us such an amazing breathless finale. We witness the so-called Bright Star Corban; and his bizarre accumulated band of all sorts that incorporates warriors, witches, Queens and outcast woodsmen – following on from the evacuation of Dun Carreg due to the unforeseeable monstrous actions that took place, with the effects still lingering amongst the groups’ morale. It also picks up with readers favourite, Maquin awakening in the tombs underneath Haldis after the ultimate betrayal and follows him overcoming his tragic loss, knowing that his main ambition is now ultimate revenge.