The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation.
Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications.
When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will.
Most of them.
My thoughts: this had a really interesting premise, and I liked many of the characters, except Atlas, who seems a bit suspect, however I felt that it lagged a little at times in the middle.
Despite the fact that the six are supposed to be adults, they often behave more like children, spoilt ones at that. With their squabbles, petty rivalries and inability to work together. Most of them have been out in the world, albeit a very privileged version, for several years, only Libby and Nico are recent graduates with limited life experience. But that doesn’t stop them from falling back into childish behaviour but as we know from reality shows like The Apprentice, people often do when they aren’t getting their own way.
I found Dalton to be a bit robotic, and there are hints that he isn’t quite human anymore, which should be interesting if Parisa unpacks that in book 2. I also really didn’t like Ezra, Libby can do a lot better, but again it looks like there’s more to him than just a side character. There are a lot of things being set up towards the end of the book that hopefully come to fruition in the next book.
I know this book has been something of a sensation (not that I remotely understand how you release a book via TikTok) and it is very well written and enjoyable, the illustrations of the characters helped me a lot as I’m not great with visualising things and I enjoyed the way each chapter had a different narrative voice. I just wanted more to the plot, which seemed to struggle a bit at times, hopefully all the sitting around pays off in the next installment.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
In New Haven, Connecticut, a decades-old cold case resurfaces. As charges are brought, the details grow stranger and stranger…
An antiquities dealer and amateur children’s magician named Edward Fox is charged with three murders, dating back to the 1980’s, when he should have been only a child. Fox is a wanderer and a fall-down drunk. The case’s unnatural timeline combined with one alleged victim’s status as a teen beauty queen set the stage for the State of Connecticut v. Fox to become the trial of the century.
Maggie Stowe -insomniac, Private Investigator, dream thief- has been following Fox for months. She is a crusader for women and girls and can still hear them screaming in Fox’s dreams every night. But reality has begun to blur for the exhausted Maggie. Soon she is unsure of anything except for the fact that she’s a pawn in a perilous game.
Defender Ben Cartwright -the son of a murdered civil rights activist- knows to never take justice for granted. To him, the case reeks of prosecutorial overreach. All three counts are alleged murders without cadavers, linked to his client by circumstantial evidence rooted out by an obsessive PI with a direct line to her girlfriend at the State’s Attorney’s Office. Edward insists that Ben is the man to defend him. Never mind that he’s young, or only just passed the Bar, or that he speaks a bit slowly because his mind works differently than most people’s.
The trial becomes a battle of wills. A jury and a nation are asked to consider -as the evidence strongly suggests- that Fox has been around and interfering with the lives of humans for a very long time; back to the Depression-era streets of Chicago, through decades with a traveling circus, and during the Selma to Montgomery marches that took place in Alabama, 1965…
Lumen Reese is a an author of diverse fantasy, sci-fi, historical and speculative fiction from Michigan.
My thoughts: this is a strange book, the plot is far from simple and explaining it might be a bit tricky. Women are turned into birds, several men live far longer lifespans than normal and might be some sort of vampire, teenage girls keep disappearing, and a PI can experience other people’s dreams.
Edward Fox is a magician – as in has literal magic powers and not just performs sleight of hand illusions. He’s also at least 100 years old. He’s lived enough life for many people and has tried to help others whenever he can. But now it’s come back on him as he’s arrested for kidnap and possible murder of three young women over several decades. It gets stranger from there as he goes on trial.
There are layers of story, slowly peeled back by both Fox and the witnesses on the stand. His life and theirs are revealed to an increasingly astonished jury and judge. His own lawyer is also entangled in Fox’s history and that was just confusing. I don’t really know how Fox does some of the things he’s claimed to do and I finished the book with many questions. A really brain twister.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for a review but all opinions remain my own.
Welcome the reveal of this beautiful cover! Read more about In the Midst of Magic by Christian Cura and stay tuned for the book tour coming this spring!
In the Midst of Magic
Expected Publication Date: June 4th, 2022
Genre: Fantasy
And if you wrong her, shall she not revenge?
Meet Kara Hartman, a photojournalist who is hiding her magic from the world. Traumatized by her brother’s death, she wants nothing more to do with magic. But just when she thought she could neglect her gift, it becomes apparent that the universe has other plans for Kara. When she discovers that an old foe has broken out of prison, hellbent on destroying her new life, Kara has no choice but to embrace the only power that can stop her.
Coming Soon!
About the Author
Christian Cura is a new author who also has a background in graphic design. He graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art and Visual Technology. Inspired by the likes of Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, and Robert Jordan, it has always been a dream of his to write and publish a novel of his own. In 2019, he achieved that goal with his first book Dreams of Fire. His most recent work, Temple of Ice, is perhaps his most notable achievement, garnering four and five-star reviews on Amazon. He currently lives in Northern Virginia where he continues to write while procrastinating on finding an actual job. When Cura is not writing he can be found creating artwork or getting beaten up at his MMA gym.
Mysterious. Hidden. Sacred. Erabel is the beating heart of Dorcha Wood. And its heir has come home.
Fleeing the man who betrayed her, Fiadh returns to her beloved forest, into its heart, to discover her people. And herself. With the aid of Veren, an Aos Sí warrior, she explores her birthright, a world safeguarded from the corruption of mankind. There, she learns the history of a mighty race and the vastness of the power coursing through her blood.
But beyond Erabel’s boundaries, men are flocking, rallying to an evil lord who covets the strength flowing in Fiadh’s veins. They have their eyes fixed on the lost kingdom of the Aos Sí, and it’s only a matter of time before they breach those borders and come for Fiadh and all who protect her.
All around her, the world is closing in, as some plot in shadows, and others in the stark light of day.
Kristin Ward is an award-winning young adult author living in Connecticut. A science and math teacher for over twenty years, she infuses her geeky passions into stories that meld realism and fantasy. Kristin embraces her inner nerd regularly, often quoting 80s movies while expecting those around her to chime in with appropriate rejoinders. As a nature freak, she can be found wandering the woods – she may be lost, so please stop and ask if you see her – or chilling in her yard with all manner of furry and feathered friends. Often referred to as a unicorn by colleagues who remain in awe of her ability to create or find various and sundry things in mere moments. In reality, the horn was removed years ago, leaving only a mild imprint that can be seen if she tilts her head just right. A lifelong lover of books and writing, she dreamed of becoming an author for thirty years before publishing her award-winning debut in 2018. Her first novel, After the Green Withered, is one of many things you should probably read.
My thoughts: this is the second book in the series and while it’s very readable, I found it dragged slightly as much of it was just explaining the back story to the coming war and setting up the next book, where it will all come to a head. Fiadh is now in Erabel, learning her history through visions and half answers to her questions. While Gideon is busy making a massive mistake in siding with Darragh.
A lot of the story is spent in filling in the past and explaining who all the characters are and how they fit together so there’s not a lot of action and adventure. I struggled with it a bit as I wanted more energy and pace, not memories and scheming. But that’s on me. Hopefully book three will have all the requisite action I need!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own
What if I told you that everything you knew about your life was a lie and that you’re being hunted? What if I told you that you were prey? This is the reality for Luvenia Rousseau. Amidst the struggle to survive in a famished, war-torn country and the fight against the phantoms of her past, her family is brutally ripped apart by a tyrant queen’s venomous army. Just when all hope seems lost, she stumbles upon an enchanted realm while the queen hunts for the one who got away.
A page-turning debut novel among the likes of Hunger Games, Snow White, and Throne of Glass, this dark fairy tale adaptation will have you on the edge of your seat.
Excerpt The Queen of Aureland strode into her castle’s training hall like an ancient warrior comprised of bone crushing strength and the breathless wonder of snow-capped mountain air. Rarely did she wear riding pants and a tunic—for she believed one’s attire should reflect one’s character and she was a leader of others into excellence and virtue—but today her leading required a different sort of approach and a gown would not do. Granted, her tunic glistened with fine jewels—there was no need to look like a peasant. Her protégé thought she’d seen fierce opponents in her training, but she hadn’t seen Nuria. The queen’s most guarded secret may be of an entirely different nature, but her hundred years of honed battle skills came in at a close second. “Hello, Luvenia,” she said to get the girl’s attention, her voice silken. “No need to look so shocked, darling. I will be conducting your training this fine morning. Darius needed to sleep. Though achieving his agreement on that fact was a battle in and of itself.” She rolled her eyes and smoothed her bejeweled tunic, then clapped both hands together. “Right, then, let us get to it. You are weakest in hand-to-hand combat, yes?” Veni nodded mutely, feeling as though she were about to discover the queen’s beauty and gentle spirit had merely been the adorned scabbard sheathing a powerful blade. “Very well.” The queen eyed the girl. “I will not hold back. Your training will not be complete until you are capable of disarming and defeating me. That will not happen today. There is no need for unrealistic expectations. Though you, my dear, will beat me one day. Recognize your potential without masking it in obscured reality.” Veni’s mind spun. She’s going to run me into the ground, physically and mentally. “Use your words, dear. Are you prepared or not?” Veni smirked and sighed a breathy laugh. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose.” Nuria’s beauty turned lethal as she lunged for the wide-eyed girl. Before Veni could even get her hands up to defend herself, the queen nicked her chin with her bare knuckles, enough to stun her. In an instant, she had Veni’s own arm twisted behind her and forced her to her knees. The queen released her captive and Veni stood as her vision swam a bit from the blow to her chin. Nuria wiped the blood from her split knuckle on her pants. “My Hordemen go easy on you and spar with you.” She shook her head. “You have had enough of that. Sparring is unrealistic and you have grown used to how it works.” The queen put a finger to her temple. “Your mind is quick, dear heart, but wits alone will not win a battle. A sparring session, perhaps, but not a battle. Darius has taught you well how to predict your opponent’s next move, this is wise. However, most of the people you come across in a fight will not be calculated. They will be ruthless. There is a fine line between noble ferocity and ruthless ferocity. The truth of it is you will need to dance on the edge of that line in order to get your sister back. We will help you stay on the noble side, but you must embrace the ferocity. You can spar and train all day long, learning all the perfect maneuvers and defenses, but until you can take a true blow and get back up, you are not learning what you will need to succeed in bringing Ester home. Do you understand? ” Veni’s jaw stung, and her heart pounded, but she knew Nuria was right. It was time to cease pretending that she was learning to fight and to truly take hold of it. “Yes,” she told the queen. “Again. Let’s go.” Fast as lightning, Nuria came at her with no mercy over and over. The girl’s blood was splattered on the queen’s sparkling tunic and Nuria’s knuckles continued to bleed. Veni forgot everything she’d learned in routine sparring sessions and had little success discerning Nuria’s next move. That is, for the first half of their session. Once she’d taken several hits and tasted self-preservation as well as a sense of wildness, her training came back to her in a new way. She ended up on her back or rear or face countless times, but it would only take one hit. Luvenia had to hit that beautiful queen one time and she would be satisfied for the day. “Are you certain you would like to continue? Your eye is beginning to swell.” Nuria watched her protégé struggle to stand, yet again. “I’m sure,” she said through gritted teeth. “Again.” Her eye was indeed swelling shut and her mouth was thick with blood and saliva, but she was going to hit that perfect face. Just once.
J.L. was born and raised in the great state of Texas. After attending college in Oklahoma, J.L. became a bookkeeper and office manager. She swiftly discovered she was to be a Keeper of Books and a Manager of Fantastical Worlds, instead. Thus began the unfolding of her literary journey,
J.L. now lives with her husband and two children, penning her next masterpiece for you to enjoy, while running her own bookish shop, Wicked Whimsy Boutique.
My thoughts: a lot happens in this book so you need to pay attention, block out your reading time, send any distractions away. Focus. OK. Good. Luvenia is thrust into international warfare and intrigue after her mother is murdered, rescued by a shape shifting owl, she’s taken to a land she didn’t know existed, populated by extraordinary people with special powers. They’re preparing for war against an evil usurper in another kingdom – Luvenia’s homeland in fact. She’s determined to join them and avenge her family. Along the way she’ll learn a lot about herself, fall in love and discover the truth about her family.
There’s lots of spying, war council meetings, but also time to meet mermaids and ride through the woods, attend a ball and fall for the handsome general. I remember reading that historically wars were a lot of standing around waiting for things to happen – before the battle of Waterloo, the Countess of Richmond threw a party – so it makes sense to keep busy!
This is a standalone and a chunky read, but it doesn’t get boring. There’s lots of interesting characters and subplots to keep you entertained in the build up to the big battle. I think Thera’s storyline was my favourite, for a princess she’s quite the rebel.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Two years after defying the wizard Belthandros Sethennai and escaping into the great unknown, Csorwe and Shuthmili have made a new life for themselves, hunting for secrets among the ruins of an ancient snake empire.
Along for the ride is Tal Charossa, determined to leave the humiliation and heartbreak of his hometown far behind him, even if it means enduring the company of his old rival and her insufferable girlfriend.
All three of them would be quite happy never to see Sethennai again. But when a routine expedition goes off the rails and a terrifying imperial relic awakens, they find that a common enemy may be all it takes to bring them back into his orbit.
My thoughts: do not mess with creepy snake gods – that’s the main takeaway from this book. I suppose if you keep prodding a bear, it will eventually bite you. Which is essentially what Sethennai is doing. And the gang really need to stop getting mixed up with him. He’s always got another agenda. Csorwe and Shuthmili get the brunt of it after they awaken ancient scary goddess and world destroyer Iriskivaal. Tal of course gets to do his hero bit, reluctantly. And he gets a sidekick too, the latest Chosen Bride to the Unspoken, Tsereg, who might be more than just a complete handful of chaos.
This book was a lot of fun, the characters were more fully realised and their relationships cemented in and realistic. Csorwe and Shuthmili’s bond is unbreakable, even when they’re variously possessed by ancient gods. They’re Tal’s best friends despite his insistence that he doesn’t like them much and Oranna, even undead, is still annoying and knows way too much!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
In an age defined by men, it will take something extraordinary to show four women who they truly are . . .
October 1840. A young woman staggers alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of impossible wings rip themselves from her shoulders.
Meanwhile, when rumours of a ‘fallen angel’ cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger . . .
THE GIFTS is the astonishing debut adult novel from the lauded author of BEARMOUTH. A gripping and ambitious book told through five different perspectives and set against the luminous backdrop of nineteenth century London, it explores science, nature and religion, enlightenment, the role of women in society and the dark danger of ambition.
My thoughts: bits of this book reminded me of Skellig, David Almond’s extraordinary book, but this is far darker, more complex and with large themes and ideas. Women sprouting wings, three in this story, although only two live, perhaps, as Natalya suggests because of the wildness within in them, the fact that they are rejected by society – she for her baby born out of wedlock, Etta for her skin colour and illegitimacy, and then Mary – who does not grow physical wings but does spread her metaphorical ones and fights to save the pair trapped in a terrible place.
I have often been glad that, as much as I like learning about history, that I live in an age of relative freedom for women. That I have far more rights than many who came before me. Women like Natalya, Etta and Mary. Women like Annie and Sarah too. Where society dictates their roles, and gives them rules and even clothing that imprisons and controls them, forcing them to conform or else be outcast and alone.
There is also a loss of religious faith here – Etta, Natalya and Mary have all pretty much given up on church and God. Each of them have been broken by cruel twists of fate and survival becomes much more important than prayer. Edward is the one who prays, but the church he attends is much more about appearances and as he descends into his delusions and cruelty, his faith too starts to warp and suffer. Faith does not offer comfort or support here, just cold blank faced stone.
While the fantastical elements of the story are wonderful, it is the more humdrum stuff and the kindness of others that matters. Jos and George’s kindness in taking in their niece Mary, hers in turn towards Charlie. Those human connections that make us who we are, Mary wants to help Etta and Natalya, not just for the story, but because she is good and kind. She is determined to improve her own situation, but also that of these other women, women she does not even know, and in doing so also helps Annie and Sarah too – the Meakes’ house is no longer a safe place for women – not even for the dog locked in the basement too (also female). A striking, moving story of women and strength.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own
As Evenfall nears, the stakes grow ever higher for those in Faery…
Banished from the Winter Court for daring to fall in love, Prince Ash achieved the impossible and journeyed to the End of the World to earn a soul and keep his vow to always stand beside Queen Meghan of the Iron Fey.
Now he faces even more incomprehensible odds. Their son, King Keirran of the Forgotten, is missing. Something more ancient than the courts of Faery and more evil than anything Ash has faced in a millennium is rising as Evenfall approaches. And if Ash and his allies cannot stop it, the chaos that has begun to divide the world will shatter it for eternity.
My thoughts: it took me a little while to remember all the characters and what happened in the previous book (note to self; make time to re-read previous books in future) but then I got swept up in the adventure as the gang attempt to solve the mystery of Evenfall and put a stop to the increasing presence of evil fae.
Having to leave Faery once again and venture into the mortal realm, they discover a terrible blend of magic and technology that’s feeding the growing evil set to wake the slumbering Nightmare King, and potentially destroy all of the realms of Faery, the Between and even the human world.
Told mostly from Ash’s perspective, which gets a bit boring at times – give me Puck as narrator with all his opinions and smart arse comments – you see his deep love for his family and friends, for his world and determination to stop the growing evil, without giving in to his Unseelie nature and risking his soul.
I’m intrigued by the prospect of the next book – as the gang enter the Nightmare King’s realm to find him and stop him. I also need more Grimalkin – who doesn’t love an all-knowing super sarcastic magic cat.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
Shadow Bound Souls, blends Science Fiction and classic high fantasy in a steampunk world.
The Sagean Lord has emerged.
While the Wrythen’s influence grows stronger, the Sagean and his power-hungry acolytes, the Court of Dragons, are intent on delivering the gem of souls to the Temple of Ama; where the Sintering Fountain can transform the acolytes into Luminaries.
Meanwhile, the band of heroes find themselves separated in a world starting to tear itself apart. Having suffered a huge loss, Ellaria and Elias must escape the Mainland with the Sagean’s agents pursuing them. When Elias becomes sick, Ellaria decides to hide amongst the Showman’s Traveling Show of Wonders. But their journey is shadowed by darkness and when troupe members turn up murdered, Ellaria struggles to find the killer amongst her company.
Far away in the Warhawk Mountains, the three young rogues are stranded with the Tempest Stone. Aimless about what to do, their paths take a turn when they discover the horrifying magnitude of the Sagean’s return to power, the Scree.
Excerpt A fog drifted amongst the looming masses of tents and travel-crafts. A man stepped from shadow to shadow with a blood-soaked knife. Ellaria could feel him stalking her, but she couldn't see him. A slight disturbance in the grass, a crunch in the dirt, whispered of his position. But the sound was lost in the wind before she could locate its source. Where had everyone gone, she wondered. The entirety of the fairgrounds was empty. With a lantern in her hands, she weaved around the trampled paths through the large field, the darkness of the night yet to give way to the morning light. No matter where she looked, she couldn't find anyone. She heard a sharp ringing sound from the caravan circle, and she rushed from around a carriage house to the center space. At the center was a tall man with a top hat. The soft glow of the surrounding carriages provided only enough light to softly illuminate the fog and patches of the ground, leaving the man mostly disguised. He leaned slightly on a cane and his right hand at his side held a long-curved knife. In succession, the lanterns started to wane and extinguish from behind him. Gradually, each light winked out of existence in a progression toward her and the darkness consumed the circle yard. Her own light held, and she lifted it forward to see. A sinister smile on the pale man was now only a few feet away. She couldn't breathe. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. The man's face appeared, and she almost recognized him, but his eyes were missing. Like they had been burned out of his skull. “Hello, Ms. Moonstone,” he spoke in a smoky voice that sent a shiver run down her spine. “Who are you?” Ellaria said. “Don't you know? Don't you recognize me?” “No.” “What a shame, after so many encounters, too,” he said, and lifted the blade. A reflection appeared in the steel of a man she did recognize: Elias. And the pale man laughed. A dark mocking laugh that made her skin crawl. Her hand trembled and Ellaria threw the lantern at his feet...
A fallen empire, a failed republic, and a frontier of alchemy, magic and machines…
They thought the war was over. That they had given enough, but when an oppressive empire falls, what comes from the ashes, is turmoil and treachery.
Ellaria Moonstone, an alchemist, and a hero of the Great War, has spent the last forty years trying to rebuild. An emissary for the Scholar’s Guild, her life’s work has been in establishing universities throughout the world. But as a former general that led the resistance in overthrowing the Sagean Empire, she has watched as all she fought for has slowly eroded away and with it, her faith in the republic. Now in her mid-fifties her singular focus has been to protect all knowledge for future generations.
When Ellaria is suspiciously requested to attend a meeting in the capitol city of Adalon, she quickly realizes something is amiss and the main governing body the Coalition of Nations may be compromised. When the Peace King of the Free Cities goes missing the plot to overthrow the tenuous republic takes shape, and Ellaria becomes convinced that the entity manipulating the fragile government is in servitude to a new Sagean Emperor. A Luminary with the powers to control energy.
Now the Coalition is intent on hunting down and capturing the man that defeated the last Sagean Emperor. The greatest hero of the war, Qudin Lightweaver. However, Ellaria’s old friend has not been seen in twenty years. With no one left to trust, she sends for help from old allies and expatriates scattered across the chaotic frontier. Once reunited, the aging veterans realize trust between old friends is not what it once was.
Three former war heroes, long past their prime and haunted by their pasts, are all that stand against a dark entity threatening the future. With the currency of souls is in the balance they find their destinies are entwined with a band of young rogues. Together they must stop the return of a dark empire. While each path to the truth is rot with peril, they discover the key to protecting the future resides in the mysteries of the past. The quest for a lost tomb ensues and the recovery of a relic from the time of the unknown ancients, called the Tempest Stone.
The Binding Tempest is the beginning of an immerse saga, of magic, alchemy, airships, and ancient mysteries. A new epic Sci-Fi and Fantasy series that is a classic High Fantasy Adventure injected with Steampunk science. For fans of The Wheel of Time series, Shadow and Bone and the Stormlight Archives.
Enter for a chance to win a signed hardcover edition of The Binding Tempest (International) a Rafflecopter giveaway
Steven Rudy received a degree in Environmental Design and Architecture from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He currently lives in Colorado with his wife and three kids and works as an architectural designer on historic preservation projects and residential projects.
My thoughts: this is an action packed steampunk sci-fi fantasy novel, that picks up right after book one (so read that first). Traversing entire continents the gang are reunited only to be separated again as they seek to stop the evil Sagean Emperor from seizing power and unleashing the Wrythen on the world.
Racing against time and with only the vaguest idea of what to do, not helped by Elias being in a coma for a bit, even Ellaria and Rovan are a bit of a loss, let alone the younger contingent, who weren’t even alive yet last time the Sagean had to be stopped. But with some luck, some help from old friends and new, oh and Tali’s increasingly strong powers, they might just be able to get to the temple in time…or not.
The plot rips along at a break neck pace at times, and there’s a lot going on, new characters, new peoples, gunfights, sword fights, giant monsters, kidnap, murder, some leaping from windows, y’know the usual adventure stuff when there’s a world to save and no one really knows what they’re doing! Great fun, roll on book three!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own
None can resist the ravages of time. Knowledge is lost. Memories fade.
But some things must never be forgotten.
Over 400 years ago, twelve great warriors united the beleaguered armies of men and scoured the war-torn lands of evil, pushing the enemy back into the underground pits and caverns from whence they came. To ensure their legacy, each of the Twelve founded fortress monasteries to impart their unique knowledge of war and politics to a select few, the Knights of the Twelve.
But now the last of the Twelve have long since passed from history to legend and the Knights, their numbers dwindling, are harbouring a dark and terrible secret that must be protected at all costs.
Merad Reed has spent half his life guarding a great crater known as the Pit, yearning for some escape from the bleak monotony. Then the arrival of Aldarin, one of the few remaining Knights of the Twelve, sets off a chain of cataclysmic events that will change Reed forever.
To the north, Jelaïa del Arelium, heiress to the richest of the nine Baronies, must learn to navigate the swirling political currents of her father’s court if she hopes one day to take his place. But the flickering flames of ambition hide the shadow of an even greater threat.
Alex Robins was born in Norwich, England back when it was still trendy to wear lycra tracksuits and bright pink headbands. Norwich School Library was where he first discovered his love of reading, an old converted undercroft packed to the rafters with books. The first fantasy series he read was The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis & Tracey Hickman, quickly followed by The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and David Eddings’ The Belgariad.
At the age of twelve Alex moved across the channel to Nantes in France. Speaking very little French, the first few years were difficult and sometimes lonely as he scrambled to get a grip on the intricate grammar and vocabulary of the French language. His taste in books branched out from epic fantasy to science-fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and historical fiction, but he always came back to his favourite fantasy authors when looking to escape the outside world.
After degrees in agronomy, project management, and computer sciences, Alex founded his own company dedicated to online voting. He met his wife during a game of badminton and they spent several years getting trounced in various regional tournaments before getting married. Alex now lives in the sunny Loire Valley in western France, surrounded by imposing castles, sprawling vineyards, and two children. After reading fantasy books for the last thirty years he decided to write one. The Broken Heart of Arelium is his first novel, and the first in the War of the Twelve series.
My thoughts: like lots of grimdark fantasy this starts with actual monsters, crawling out of the Pit, and ends with more human monsters, hiding in plain sight. Though there are also heroes – Reed, the last member of the Old Guard, Aldarin the Knight and Jelaïa, the heir to Arulian’s barony. The three of them must stand firm against monsters of both kinds.
There is a lot of fighting, it felt a bit like one long battle scene with talking in between, which isn’t hugely my thing. I wanted more history, more world building and magic. But that’s me. If you like lots of pitched fighting and desperate heroics, this is definitely for you.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 