This is Queen’s Book Asylum’s main SPFBO 10 page, where you’ll find a short heads up about the contest, info about our process, the 30 books assigned to us, and how we divided them – including GR and universal links -, our progress in the semi-finals and finals, and updates throughout the competition.
The Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off is hosted by none other than Mark Lawrence, author of several highly successful Fantasy novels. 300 books compete, judged by 10 blogs, and at the end of 11 long, bloody months 1 winner will emerge. You can find every detail on Mark’s SPFBO page along with the process of all 10 blogs in Phase 1 of SPFBO 10.
Like the other blogs, we got 30 books assigned as well. For SPFBO 10 we have 6 judges on our team. Our process will be pretty much the same as it was for SPFBO 9. During Phase 1, each of us will read at least 20-25% of each book allocated to us within our team. Every one of us will have 2 elimination round posts. In the first, we cut 2 titles with mini reviews, and in the second we review our remaining titles and announce whether we picked a semi-finalist or not. We will aim to pick 3-6 semi-finalists. Please note that none of us is required to pick a semi-finalist, and it might happen that someone picks none while someone else picks two. Once we have our semi-finalists, we all will read and review them. Our scores for each semi-finalist will be revealed after we announce our finalist in October.
Both in the Semi-Final and Final stages we’ll have a DNF rule in place: if a judge reads a book (either semi-finalist or finalist if they didn’t opt out beforehand), they have to read at least 25% of it. If they decide to DNF between 25% – 50% they’ll have to give a score but can opt out of writing a review, and if they DNF after 50% (or not) then also have to score AND write a review.
Find out more about us and how we are going to do things in this Introduction post!
These are the 30 SPFBO 10 books we started with (clicking on them will take you to their respective buying pages):
In the SPFBO 10 Finals, we’ll read all of the finalists picked by our lovely fellow judging teams. At the end of it (April 30th the latest), we’ll have our overall winner! To follow everyone’s progress, please visit’s Mark Lawrence’s SPFBO 10 Finals page. Clicking on the covers in the slider will take you to their respective buying pages.
| Title: Mushroom Blues Author: Adrian M. Gibson Series: The Hofmann Report #1 Pages: 398 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
| Title: The Oathsworn Legacy Author: K.R. Gangi Series: standalone Pages: 642 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
 | Title: Gates of Hope Author: J. E. Hannaford Series: Aulirean Gates #1 Pages: 492 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
 | Title: Runelight Author: JA Andrews Series: The Aenigma Lights #1 Pages: 736 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
 | Title: Wolf of Withervale Author: Joaquín Baldwin Series: Noss Saga #1 Pages: 748 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: 6 Jen: 8 Liis: 7 Timy: 6 Tru: 8 | Average: 7 FINAL SCORE: 7 REVIEW |
 | The Forest at the Heart of Her Mage Author: Hiyodori Series: standalone Pages: 575 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
 | Title: The Humane Society of Creatures & Cryptids Author: Stephanie Gillis Series: Teraglossa #1 Pages: 576 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
 | Title: The Tenacious Tale of Tanna the Tendersword Author: Dewey Conway & Bill Adams Series: standalone Pages: 270 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
| Title: By a Silver Thread Author: Rachel Aaron Series: DFZ Changling #1 Pages: 392 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
| Title: By Blood, by Salt Author: J. L. Odom Series: Land of Exile #1 Pages: 374 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: Jen: Liis: Timy: Tru: | Average: FINAL SCORE: REVIEW |
In the SPFBO 10 Semi-Final round, we’ll read each others’ picks, score them, and eventually choose our finalist. The titles are in the same order as we announced them. Clicking on the covers in the slider will take you to their respective buying pages.
 | Title: A Circle of Stars Author: Craig Montgomery Series: The Stardust Duology #1 Pages: 483 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: 5 Jen: 7 Liis: 6 Timy: 7 Tru: 7.5 | Average: 6.5 FINAL SCORE: 6.5 REVIEW |
 | Title: Temper the Dark Author: L. Ryan Storms Series: standalone Pages: 320 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: 4 Jen: 7.5 Liis: 8 Timy: 7.5 Tru: 7 | Average: 6.8 FINAL SCORE: 7 REVIEW |
 | Title: The Stranger of Ul Darak Author: S.C. Eston Series: The Lost Tyronian Archives #1 Pages: 494 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: 6 Jen: 7.5 Liis: 8 Timy: 5 Tru: 6 | Average: 6.5 FINAL SCORE: 6.5 REVIEW |
| Title: Wolf of Withervale Author: Joaquín Baldwin Series: Noss Saga #1 Pages: 748 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: 6 Jen: 8 Liis: 7 Timy: 6 Tru: 8 | Average: 7 FINAL SCORE: 7 REVIEW |
 | Title: Bringer of the Scourge Author: M. Daniel McDowell Series: Song of the Scourgelands #1 Pages: 256 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | Arina: 7.5 Jen: 6.5 Liis: 7.5 Timy: 5.5 Tru: 5 | Average: 6.4 FINAL SCORE: 6.5 REVIEW |
Above you can see all 30 of the books we’ll be spending the next few months with, and below you can follow our process through our elimination round of SPFBO 10 Phase 1. We’ll be doing regular updates as our posts go live and will have a new section once we have all the semi-finalists chosen.
Andy
 | Title: Trial of the Berserker Author: Noël Traver Series: Primal Fury #1 Pages: 286 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: City in the Dragon’s Eye Author: Jordan Loyal Short Series: Dragon Reich #1 Pages: 302 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Mother of the Fallen Author: J.R. Manga Series: Pages: 380 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Elegy of a Fragmented Vineyard Author: Kaden Love Series: Paladins of the Harvest #1 Pages: 433 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: The Thief’s Keeper Author: Kyrie Wang Series: Enemy’s Keeper #0 Pages: 255 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
Arina
 | Title: Echoes of Memory Author: M. Anthony Harris Series: standalone Pages: 629 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
| Title: Bringer of the Scourge Author: M. Daniel McDowell Series: Song of the Scourgelands #1 Pages: 256 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | SEMI-FINALIST |
 | Title: Dead as Dreams Author: Alexa Grave Series: Saga of Souls and Dreams #1 Pages: 406 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Heir of Amber and Fire Author: Rachanee Lumayno Series: The Kingdom Legacy #1 Pages: 281 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Secrets of the Sorcerers Author: Joan Marie Verba Series: Chronicles of the Library of Sorcery #1 Pages: 200 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
Jen
| Title: Wolf of Withervale Author: Joaquín Baldwin Series: Noss Saga #1 Pages: 748 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | SEMI-FINALIST |
 | Title: Silverskin Author: Caitee Cooper Series: Portlock Trilogy #1 Pages: 445 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Where Fate Whispers Author: E.G. Tudor Series: The Fated Partners #1 Pages: 263 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Dango Author: Jack Long Series: The Dark Frontier Adventures #1 Pages: 250 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Merewif: The Mermaid Witch Author: Amanda Adam Series: Saelfen Trilogy #1 Pages: 352 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
Liis
 | Title: Glory to the Waxing Sun Author: Cooper Ward Series: standalone Pages: 181 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
| Title: The Stranger of Ul Darak Author: S.C. Eston Series: The Lost Tyronian Archives #1 Pages: 494 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | SEMI-FINALIST |
 | Title: Bloodwoven Author: G.J. Terral Series: The Binding Tenets Trilogy #1 Pages: 328 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Dawn of the Darkest Day Author: K.C. Woodruff Series: Soultappers Saga #1 Pages: 606 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Imago Author: M Zakharuk Series: standalone Pages: 336 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
Timy
 | Title: The Faithful Dark Author: Cate Baumer Series: The Brilliant Soul Duology #1 Pages: 380 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: The Stars Would Curse Us Author: Stephanie Combs & Valerie Rivers Series: The Stars Would Curse Us #1 Pages: 288 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: They Left Magic in Their Wake Author: Marilyn Peake Series: standalone Pages: 348 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
| Title: Temper the Dark Author: L. Ryan Storms Series: standalone Pages: 320 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | SEMI-FINALIST |
 | Title: The Call of the Valkyries Author: T J Mayhew Series: The Viking Saga #1 Pages: 306 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
Tru
| Title: A Circle of Stars Author: Craig Montgomery Series: The Stardust Duology #1 Pages: 483 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | SEMI-FINALIST |
 | Title: Chosen Author: Scarlett Strange Series: The Time Guardian #1 Pages: 321 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Of Shadows and Death Author: Sharlene Healy Series: The Five Queens Prophecy #1 Pages: 393 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: Ghosts of the Catacombs Author: Janna Ruth Series: Parisian Ghosts #1 Pages: 264 Audiobook: No BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
 | Title: The Gatekeeper of Pericael Author: Hayley Reese Chow Series: standalone Pages: 189 Audiobook: Yes BUY | GOODREADS | CUT |
How exciting, I look forward to seeing what the team thinks of these 30 entries! Happy reading!
Thank you! We look forward to reading these, for sure!
So many great titles!! This is so exciting! Thanks for supporting indie authors!
💜