Smorgasbord Fantasia

Brian Staveley won my heart with his fantastic debut last year, The Emperor’s Blades . It helped that the massive marketing engines of large publishing houses worked overtime to ensure that the book got up front and close to us readers even before it released. But one thing was certain – even as I closed the last page of book-1 – that Brian was just getting started . The scope of book-one was more personal – the fates of three royal children after their father, the Emperor on the Unhewn Throne, is murdered and how the lines of fate circle around each – never entangling except towards the fag end when Valyn gets to team up with Kaden – and as book one ended, we knew the stakes were getting much higher. There were forces involved here that went far beyond the courts politics of Annur and the Dawn Palace. And perhaps Kaden, the one undergoing training at the hands of the Shin monks, would be key to understanding the perils of this harsh brutal world – where the storm-clouds were begin...

Sometimes I cheat. And I put in reviews outside of Fantasy and Science Fiction books here on my blog. And if it is movies, then it usually is a movie that has affected me in a great manner. Badlapur fits right into that mold – a revenge saga directed by Sriram Raghavan, a past master at creating dark haunting cinematic pieces that focuses on the dark labyrinths within one’s mind – remember Ek Hasina Thi ? Several scenes were disturbing and had me cringing – but Sriram’s deft hands brought them out in the best possible manner – a crime-thriller, slick and underrated that went on to be appreciated as art-form in a genre that usually sees a lot of kitschy rehashes of Hollywood or Korean movies. Sriram’s handiwork – perhaps inspired – is still one of the best we get to see and Badlapur marks a bounce-back to form for the talented director ( After his big budget Agent Vinod tanked!) Varun Dhawan plays Raghav aka Raghu, an up and coming ad agency executive living the plush hap...

Angelfall by Susan Ee released back in 2012 (published by Skyscape after it was an indie title before in 2011) and it recently caught my eye as the trilogy ending, End of Days is coming out this May. So a quick request to NetGalley followed and the book was in my TBR. A highly successful YA series featuring another plucky heroine? After “The Awesome” by Eva Darrows, I guess the genre had a second life as far as I was concerned. And I was beginning to like some titles!  But the first few lines really reeled me in, hook, line and sinker – a dystopian world where the 'Angels of Apocalypse' have gone on a rampage destroying the big cities of the world and humanity is scrounging in pockets to survive. Not to mention the post-apocalyptic world being a lawless harsh place where human lives value lesser than a fallen feather to the gangs roaming the streets. Author Susan Ee launches us straight into the middle of the night – where seventeen-year old Penryn along with her quasi...

The Awesome by Eva Darrows is a fun little package – urban fantasy at its riotous LMAO best. The name itself should give you a clue that this is a book that doesn't take itself seriously. A name that screams teenage indifference, self-absorbed cocky attitudes. The Awesome features "I am cool. Yes I know it. I am THE Awesome " Maggie Cunningham , a precocious seventeen-year protagonist who represents the geeky, know-it-all, self-obsessed teenagers, who by the way is also an apprentice to her mother – an acclaimed monster hunter herself. The twist in the story is..that she has to ‘get laid’ to become a federally registered full-fledged hunter. The Awesome thus splays open the teenager version of the pandora's box: Full of all the dating-problems, drunken-sex parties and sugary first-kisses ( and all post-kiss insecurities and the emotional rollercoaster rides that follows) along with some hairy jeepers-creepers creating problems in thier daily life. Read fanged mons...

So Orbit has come out with some fascinating cover-reveals for their Fall 2015 catalog..And a lot of titles are series continuations or conclusions. Here are some: A Crown for Cold Silver by Alex Marshall About the Book:   FIVE VILLAINS. ONE LEGENDARY GENERAL. A FINAL QUEST FOR VENGEANCE. Twenty years ago, feared general Cobalt Zosia led her five villainous captains and mercenary army into battle, wrestling monsters and toppling an empire. When there were no more titles to win and no more worlds to conquer, she retired and gave up her legend to history. Now the peace she carved for herself has been shattered by the unprovoked slaughter of her village. Seeking bloody vengeance, Zosia heads for battle once more, but to find justice she must confront grudge-bearing enemies, once-loyal allies, and an unknown army that marches under a familiar banner. A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER is an outstanding epic fantasy debut featuring an unforgettable warrior. What's in it f...