A Dance With Dragons by George R R Martin

I wonder, does anyone even read these disclaimers? Probably just me. Anyway, as before, this is part of an on-going series. I’ve been reading A Song of Ice and Fire since 2011 for goodness sake. If you haven’t read what comes before on your own head be it. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya 😛 In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance — beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Read more […]

A Feast For Crows by George R R Martin

I’m sure you already know this but I am going to say it again anyway. A Feast For Crows is a sequel (and part of an on-going series). It is entirely possible that if you haven’t read the many words that appear in all the other books there may be spoilers below. After centuries of bitter strife, the seven powers dividing the land have beaten one another into an uneasy truce. But it’s not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters of the Seven Kingdoms gather. Now, as Read more […]

Godsquad by Heide Goody and Iain Grant

The Team: Joan of Arc, the armour-plated teen saint of Orleans. Francis of Assisi, friend to all the animals whether they like it or not. St Christopher, the patron saint of travel who by papal decree has never existed – no matter how much he argues otherwise. The Mission: An impossible prayer has been received by Heaven and it’s a prayer that only Mary, Mother of God, can answer. Unfortunately, Mary hasn’t been seen in decades and is off wandering the Earth somewhere. This Read more […]

A Man Lies Dreaming by Lavie Tidhar
Fantasy , Historical , Hodder , Lavie Tidhar / March 14, 2015

Deep in the heart of history’s most infamous concentration camp, a man lies dreaming. His name is Shomer, and before the war he was a pulp fiction author. Now, to escape the brutal reality of life in Auschwitz, Shomer spends his nights imagining another world – a world where a disgraced former dictator now known only as Wolf ekes out a miserable existence as a low-rent PI in London’s grimiest streets. I was fascinated by the premise of this novel as soon as I first heard about it. An alternate history, Read more […]

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Fantasy , Titan Books , V.E. Schwab / March 4, 2015

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London – but no one speaks of that now. Officially, Read more […]

The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams
Fantasy , Headline , Jen Williams / February 26, 2015

Please note The Iron Ghost is a sequel to The Copper Promise, so it is entirely likely that this review may contain minor spoilery type stuff. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Wydrin of Crosshaven, Sir Sebastian and Lord Aaron Frith are experienced in the perils of stirring up the old gods. They are also familiar with defeating them, and the heroes of Baneswatch are now enjoying the perks of suddenly being very much in demand for their services. When a job comes up in the distant city of Skaldshollow, Read more […]

Lucifer by Alexander Kosoris
Alexander Kosoris , Fantasy , Iguana Books / February 10, 2015

The angels at God’s office complex regularly turn out amazing projects. Lucifer happens to be working on the development of humans, within the larger Creation project. The other angels involved seem satisfied creating beings that aren’t living or feeling, a major problem, since Lucifer needs to create actual personalities before the fast approaching release date. To top it all off, he needs to fit rebelling against the Creator into his busy life if he ever wants to get a corporate promotion. Lucifer Read more […]

Cannonbridge by Jonathan Barnes
Fantasy , Historical , Jonathan Barnes , Solaris / February 7, 2015

Flamboyant, charismatic Matthew Cannonbridge was touched by genius, the most influential creative mind of the 19th century, a prolific novelist, accomplished playwright, the poet of his generation. The only problem is, he should never have existed and beleaguered, provincial, recently-divorced 21st Century don Toby Judd is the only person to realise something has gone wrong with history. All the world was Cannonbridge’s and he possessed, seemingly, the ability to be everywhere at once. Cannonbridge Read more […]

The Boy Who Wept Blood by Den Patrick
Den Patrick , Fantasy , Gollancz / January 29, 2015

Please note The Boy Who Wept Blood is a sequel to The Boy With The Porcelain Blade and it is highly likely that if you haven’t read that first book then this review will contain something akin to spoilers. Be warned!    Ten years have passed since the disappearance of Lucien and his protégé, the young swordsman Dino, is struggling to live up to Lucien’s legacy. Sworn to protect the silent queen Anea as she struggles to bring a new democracy to Demesne, Dino finds himself drawn into a deadly Read more […]

Vowed by Liz de Jager
Fantasy , Liz de Jager , Tor Books , Young Adult / November 17, 2014

Please note Vowed is a direct sequel to Banished so it is entirely possible that this review may contain something akin to spoilers if you haven’t already read book one. Actually if you haven’t read Banished why are you here? Go read it and then come back and we’ll talk. A Blackhart can see the supernatural behind everyday crimes. But some crimes hide even greater evils . . . Kit Blackhart must investigate why children are disappearing from a London estate. Their parents, the police Read more […]

Reign of Evil by Weston Ochse
Fantasy , Horror , Thriller , Titan Books , Weston Ochse / November 14, 2014

Legend holds that when Britain is in its darkest hour, King Arthur will return to save the country, if not the world. That legend is dead wrong. When a Grove of Druids sacrifices the lives of a group of innocents, including the fiancée of a member of SEAL Team 666, the ancient king is brought back from the dead and sets his sights on subjugating humanity and cleansing his land of all who are not true Britons. Because of political sensitivities, Triple 6 is ordered to stand down, but that order Read more […]

The Relic Guild by Edward Cox
Edward Cox , Fantasy , Gollancz / September 22, 2014

Magic caused the war. Magic is forbidden. Magic will save us. It was said the Labyrinth had once been the great meeting place, a sprawling city at the heart of an endless maze where a million humans hosted the Houses of the Aelfir. The Aelfir who had brought trade and riches, and a future full of promise. But when the Thaumaturgists, overlords of human and Aelfir alike, went to war, everything was ruined and the Labyrinth became an abandoned forbidden zone, where humans were trapped behind boundary Read more […]

Breed by K T Davies
Fantasy , Fox Spirit , K T Davies / September 11, 2014

After being chased by a dragon, tricked by a demon, almost killed by a psychopathic gang boss and hunted by a ferocious arrachid assassin, Breed’s life really takes a turn for the worst. Sentenced to five years bonded servitude to a one-handed priest magician, Breed must find the weapon of the ancient hero known only as the Hammer of the North within a year and a day. With only a drug-addicted vagrant, a rat faced child and a timid priest for back up Breed sets out for the mighty city of Read more […]