Fantasy Book Reviews
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Fearless – Lauren Roberts
What happens when a promising story built on danger, forbidden love, and rebellion begins to collapse under the weight of its own ambition? In Fearless, the final book in the Powerless trilogy (fourth, if you count the novella Powerful), that very question is answered – not always satisfyingly. Fearless brings the story of Paedyn Grey…
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Why Humans Avoid War
Why Humans Avoid War by Daniel Pascap My rating: 5 of 5 stars Humans have a long history, much of it grim. To progress as a species, and indeed to survive, they needed to become better. And so they grew. But can any species with roots so deeply entwined in bloodlust and violence ever truly…
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Reckless – Lauren Roberts
Reckless by Lauren RobertsMy rating: 2 of 5 stars Forced to hide for the right to live. Forced to flee from a predator sworn to end their very existence. After successfully hiding in plain sight for so long and then holding their own amongst the elites of their society life should finally have improved…
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Review: The Shiver Tree
The Shiver Tree by Holly Searcy My rating: 4 of 5 stars Initially, I was hesitant when I dived into Holly Searcy’s debut novel, The Shiver Tree. There are so many new fantasy authors that just rehash old tropes or that try to build a world on a scale larger than their capabilities. The reviews…
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Review: Powerless
Powerless by Lauren Roberts My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Powerless,” a dystopian novel heavily inspired by “The Hunger Games” and set against a backdrop eerily reminiscent of the Holocaust, offers a riveting exploration of a world where the absence of power is a death sentence. In this harsh realm, only the Elites, those born…
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Review: The Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski My rating: 1 of 5 stars Of all the Witcher books, this is by far the least enjoyable. Moving a story forward by using random third parties that the reader neither knows nor cares about is not world-building. The author seems obsessed with using women as sex…
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Review: Time of Contempt
Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski My rating: 3 of 5 stars “Time of Contempt” progresses the captivating saga of Ciri, delving deeper into her narrative while balancing the intricate dynamics between her, Geralt, and Yennefer. As the second book in Andrzej Sapkowski’s renowned series, it sets a dramatic stage for an impending societal upheaval,…
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Review: The Blood of Elves
The Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book delves deeper into the intertwined journey of Geralt and Ciri, offering a blend of humor and despair as Geralt, a master with his sword, finds himself thrust into an unexpected parental role. Yet, as the narrative leans more towards Ciri’s…
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Review: The Last Wish
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski My rating: 2 of 5 stars The literary foundation for the Netflix series (the show impressively mirrors the book’s narrative with remarkable fidelity). However, while the storyline remains engaging, the book’s ambitious task of introducing numerous characters and establishing multiple storylines proves to be its Achilles’ heel. The abundance…
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Review: Murtagh
Murtagh by Christopher Paolini My rating: 4 of 5 stars “Murtagh” unfurls yet another chapter in the world of Eragon, extending a familiar tapestry of dragons, quests, and looming adversities. My journey through this fifth full-length instalment was coloured by a deep-seated affection for the world Paolini has crafted and the characters that inhabit it….
