Smorgasbord Fantasia

 The Priest of Bones by Peter McLean is a grim-dark low-fantasy opener to a series, that came out a few years back. Having read his first series, The Burned Man trilogy - which was excellent stuff - I had no qualms in jumping onto this bandwagon. And within minutes I was swept away by the grim fortunes of One Mr. Tomas Piety and his men, soldiers returning back from an ill-fated war to their home-town of Ellinburg, to an even more lopsided state of affairs with usurping foreigners, political machinations and poverty and diseases at large in his home-town.  The setting is that of the town of Ellinburg, a down and out town with its motley collection of barhouses, whorehouses and gambling circles. A place gone to rot, with the so-called 'nobles' interested only in their own parties fueled by substance-abuse. The corrupt Governor with his men of law, are only interested in who is paying them higher taxes. Divided and ruled by different gang-lands, the most prominent are of cour...

I have never read anything by Nicky Drayden before - Her bio claims 200+ short stories and 3 full length novels to her credit and it's a shame I just discovered her map-cap of a debut 3 years late. But better late than never and I resolve to set matter straight because this hyper-imaginative author is going right to the top of my must-read authors list after this blistering, too-weird-but-oh-so-much-fun genre-bending science-fantasy debut of hers, called The Prey of Gods .  Set in the distant future, around 2160 the story is set in the town of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The narrative spools out from five different POVs all of them unique and absolutely compelling by themselves: Muzi, a young teenage on the cusp of his adulthood with his confused feelings for his best friend Elkin. Nomvula, a young girl from the village outside the town who's blessed with secrets by the Gods themselves and who's secretly enamoured by this older man Mr. Tau whom her mother claims to hav...

I know I'm coming late to the American Hippo party but better late than never!  River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey a neo-western that pulls no punches, by way of an imagined American alt-history romp where Hippos have been introduced into domestication [ Think Hippo-farms or ranches] It's a very clever twist on what could have been, based on an actual attempt to pass a bill in the US Senate to import hippos for meat. The story follows the capers [ Oh despite so many tedious reminders, I just cannot think myself to call that an "operation" all aboveboard! Come on. ] of a group of determined men and women, out to ensure that a lake full of feral wild hippos can be herded out into the wilds, clearing up the Lake for safer commercial uses. The only issue may be, that the man who claims to have gotten this "legitimate" job order from the Feds, maybe holding out on a dirty secret, a deeply nursed personal vendetta. And little matter that the dangerous man who ru...

Something about that haunting title, that draws you in. Don't judge a book by its cover but how about it's title then? Well, if this book were to be judged on that dimension, then it comes across every bit as intriguing and engaging as that evocative title. Danielle Cain's first outing is a high energy, razor-sharp no-nonsense post-anarchist surreal novella that is soaring high on ideals and posing uncomfortable questions. Danielle is a traveller, in the truest sense of that word. A nomad who hitchhikes her way through decrepit American heartlands. She is making her way to this place, off the grid and google maps - called Freedom, Iowa that her best friend claimed, is the ideal hipster nomad paradise: As the name suggests, a place free of the yoke of any authorities or rules, governed simply by the good will of its free-hearted citizens. But as Danielle enters the town, she is greeted by this unreal red demoniacal deer with three antlers, whom the townsfolk refer to ...

Godblind is Anna Stephen 's spell-binding debut that captured the fantasy world's imagination over - her unflinching story is splotched dark and grim with blood, unapologetically pitching her as one those worthy successors to Joe Abercrombie and Mark Lawrence. I didn't get to read this one last year and am kicking myself for the miss. Anna is one of the top notch talents who burst onto the fantasy grim-dark scene last year - along with the likes of Anna Smith Spark and Ed McDonald ( Incidentally both of whose second books are excellent fare establishing them as major forces to be reckoned with!) So when Darksoul came out this year, I knew I had to go back and read her debut and catch up, with this rising tide of red. The Red Gods are coming back and their thirst for blood is unquenchable. Exiled a millennia ago and plotting their return, the blood-thirsty Gods ( Dark Lady and her brother, the God of Pain) are worshiped by the tribe/kingdom in the west known as M...

Think Assassins in fantasy fiction - and you have a handy number of names that pop into your head. Brent Weeks Angels Trilogy, Robin Hobbs' Assassin series and of course, for those of you who have played the games, the Assassin's Creed. Girton Clubfoot is possibly another name you want to add to that pantheon of greats having had a fantastic opening with the Age of Assassins by R J Barker . I just finished the first book and I really, really enjoyed this one. I had been meaning to get into the Wounded Kingdom  trilogy by R J Barker for a while now - This whole series comes highly recommended by a few of my favourite bloggers and so I bought the book one the first chance it came up on sale. The Age of Assassins is a low-fantasy story featuring familiar traditional setting of knights, squires, sorcerers and assassins set up as a murder mystery within a castle in a land plagued and soured lifeless by the use of sorcerous magic. The Tired Lands is almost a post-apocalypt...

Angus Watson 's fantasy spin on historical facts continues to regale us - in his latest series, West of West . I had thoroughly enjoyed the Age of Iron - a historical epic, the first in a political sword and sorcery series that was sheer fun, full of pulse-pounding action and some unforgettable characters, brimming with that gallows humour. The series sought to shed light on the pre-christ era and the roman conquest of the south brit isles - with of course creative liberty in terms of the magic and the gory action which probably defined those times. And now with this one, You die when you die - he turns his attention to the Vikings - setting out to explore their little-known exploits on the American soil, the first intrepid explorers who dared to go beyond set boundaries. His treatment stands out - converting that research into believable and highly entertaining fiction that still rings deep and true in some fashion. I know some of my favourite fellow bloggers have love...

Sarah is fast becoming my go-to author for those twisted dark pretzel of a story that blurs the line between psychological thrillers and surreal fantasies. Of course, Behind Her Eyes was a runaway hit phenomenon last year after it came. A dark, real dark psychological thriller guaranteed to knock the socks off you with it's double-whammy twists that hits you at the end. The marketing materials came with specific instructions not to give away the mind blowing ending. And I agree that this definitely added to the hype and hoopla around the book making us intrigued, causing us to get to that end faster. I finished this in a week's time but I took my time purely because the premise and the story is really unsettling and caused me to stop several times and put this aside. So the story is about three characters in love. Yes - a doomed love-triangle involving a very successful psychiatrist, his rich and beautiful wife and his secretary in office, a single mum. So far so...

 If Terry Pratchett decided to write a tale about a bunch of oldies going up in arms against ALL the bloodthirsty monsters you have ever read about, to save one girl and in that process, maybe the world too (A trivial side- benefit of course) all the while tripping on the sounds of Rock for Ages, then it would have sort of ...become Kings of the Wyld . I know it totally doesn't do justice to the genius of Nicholas Eames - But hey, I so totally loved this book. Celebrating rock and epic fantasy in a totally inscrutable mash-up that nevertheless turns out to be a runaway platinum jubilee record hit, Nicholas Eames gives us the opening act of The Band - in Kings of the Wyld. This is a rollicking tale of backslapping bromance borne out of the sort of wild road-trip undertaken by a bunch of ageing rockstars, dragging themselves out of retirement for that one last-ditch all-out  effort to revive the glory of old and to experience the unbeatable high of that unadulterated a...

Seanan McGuire continues her marvellously magical exploration of the dark side of our fairy tales – Down among the sticks and bones is the accompanying novella to the first book, in the series Wayward Children . Sort of like an origin story to Jack and Jill, the twins from Every Heart a Doorway where we were first introduced to Eleanor West's School for the special kids. Kids who had tumbled down through rabbit-holes, whisked away into faraway magical worlds through doors that opened out into such. Kids who come back in our monotonous hum-drum of an everyday daily life and need to learn to adjust back. But some of them never do, because of the irresistible magical pull of the life beyond those doors, in these lush beautiful Hallways or scary dangerous Moors as it may be. Jack and Jill, or Jacqueline and Jillian as they are born – twins to indifferent unloving parents Chester and Melanie are raised up to conform to the ideals of their parents as trophy children – to co...

So I usually never finish a graphic novel at one shot. I am extremely attention deficient, more so with graphic novels than other means. But this book, my god! I had read Batman: Year One by Frank Miller and his earlier works on the Dark Knight Universe. So when I wandered into this book-store and saw the thirty percent discount tag on Dark Knight – The Master Race I had to just sweep this gorgeous black hardcover novel right off the shelf and run straight to the billing. And then I checked right into the closest coffee bar and went right down, devouring the same. And was I hooked! I mean, like being completely riveted to the glorious art-work, puzzled by the non-linear narrative, awed by the final coming together of story lines and plot resolution. It happens rarely. I loved SAGA – and I was impressed by the Unwritten . But this? Frank Miller ’s blockbuster re-entry to the DC Universe after The Dark Knight Returns polarized the world into solid haters of Gotham’s dark hero and...

Been trying to compile this list of the biggie titles from 2017 books that I missed out reading because, hey life happened :) Of course, the vested interest is that when I next finish a book I know which is the title that I need to read next. So here goes that promised list: The Stone in the Skull by Elizabeth Bear Elizabeth Bear is a prolific author - and has always been on my horizon – in fact, I am ashamed that despite being a long time SFF reader, I still haven’t read any of her titles. She’s been steadily churning out some amazing works out there – and last year, I had decided to take the plunge. With The Stone in the Skull touted to be a lush, expansive entry into the Lotus Kingdom saga, showcasing Bear at her best, I think this was one of the biggest misses of 2017 for me. This will be completed in Jan for sure. It’s a promise to myself.  In the meanwhile, this is why I think you should read it. Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill A heart wrenching story from...

Ararat by Christopher Golden delivers on exactly what it promises: bucket loads of fun, a non-stop harrowing adventure set in a claustrophic snowbound setting – the howling winds and the blitzing snowfall forms a perfect background for the blood, gore and the horror drama. I am a fan of Christopher Golden – Having loved Tin Men, a blistering scathing social commentary on the possible future of fighting terrorism, I knew I was in for a good ride with Ararat. Christopher doesn’t waste much time in setting up the premise: An adventure-loving couple Adam and Meryam, looking for their next thrill-ride decide on their next target, Mount Ararat in Turkey where it is believed that a recent avalanche has thrown open a massive cave up and rumors claim that the famed Noah’s Ark might be sighted within. A race ensues between different groups of enthusiasts who all want to get their first piece of the spoils, filmmaking crews, historians, archeology students, even the US officials want in on ...

Happy Release Day to Silvia Morena-Garcia ! Her latest, Beautiful Ones hits the stands today - and the lovely folks at Thomas Dunne  books were kind enough to send me a copy along with excerpts from her dazzling new take on troubled love, telekinesis underlined by an amazingly haunting old world charm and elegance to the story.  I absolutely loved her debut tale of magic and music, set in the 80's Mexico, Signal to Noise and can't wait to delve into this one. About the book: Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s debut, Signal To Noise, jump started her writing career winning a Copper Cylinder Award, and was a finalist of the British Fantasy, Locus, Sunburst, and Aurora awards. Her sophomore novel, Certain Dark Things, earned praise from such wide ranging publications as PopSugar, Romantic Times, Locus Magazine, and The New York Times Book Review. Her take on vampires was selected as one of NPR’s “Best Books of 2016” and was a finalist for this year’s Locus Awards. Continuing ...

2017 seems to be the year of debuts – for epic fantasy. First it was the excellent Court of Broken Knives by Anna Smith Spark , vying hard to fit into the title of her own twitter handle, @LadyGrimDark – then I happened to fall in love with the lush and beautiful East Asian inspired epic fantasy Tiger’s Daughter by Arsenault K Rivera . I am going to go back and finish Anna Stephen ’s gripping debut in Godblind as well. And then Blackwing happened. Ed McDonald ’s debut infuses new life into the fading genre of grim-dark. But regardless of the grim-dark tag, this is accomplished debut that goes far beyond. Blackwing is suitably gritty – flush with shocking violence, the tone and treatment is dark enough and there is a lot of black humour for it to qualify as grim-dark. But Ed’s top notch writing is what truly elevates this one above the pile of ordinary. Very clever turns of phrases that hits you square between your eyes– and of course, the excellent world building and a p...