Tales of Kingshold is a collection of novelettes, short stories, letters and notes about events that happened before, after and during the election in Kingshold. We meet old and new characters, some of them likely to appear in later books. In my review I will focus on the novelettes and short stories, but let me note that I foud Jyuth’s thoughts on magic pretty interesting and it was a good addition, explaining how the magic in this world works.
This has a closed room horror feel at times, like Aliens or the Thing meets the old west. And there’s a nice nod to King’s Dark Tower series.
With it’s old west feel and campy horror movie vibe, The Demons Within is a hugely fun entry into this series.
Danse Macabre is the perfect read for a cold, foggy autumn/winter afternoon which you spend curled up with a hot drink to chase away the chill of the weather and the story both. Blue and her journey will keep you glued to the pages, clench your heart and leave you utterly broken. It’s not hard to imagine a world so cold and cruel as the one Blue lived in after all.
There is something charming about The Prince of Cats despite its flaws, and the fact that it’s not a heartwarming story. It’s about revenge, freedom, relationships, keeping your enemies closer than friends. It has a sort of Arabian Nights vibe about it, especially the shepherd’s story. I recommend to check this book out if you need a different setting, like to read about a thief, who is far from being perfect, or invulnerable.
The Seventeenth issue of Grimdark Magazine (GDM) features a nice selection of authors with stories or various articles. It features short stories from Devin Madson, Amanda J. Spedding and Brian Staveley, two interviews with Sebastian de Castell and Jen Williams, two book reviews about City of Kings by Rob J. Hayes and Chasing Graves by Ben Galley, plus an article from Anna Stephens which makes this magazine a complete and highly enjoyable brief read. Don’t be surprised when you find yourself adding a few more books to your to-be-read mountain. Oops.
This book is a rough diamond which needs some polishing, but man, you can see it shine anyway. The Endless Ocean is a tale of a great adventure to fantastical worlds, pirates, ancient creatures. Sinbad’s adventures meets legends of the ancient era, giving birth to an epic fantasy worth your time.
Phipps obviously has fun writing this series and these characters, and if I put aside my misjudges, it’s quite entertaining. But I can’t decide if I should take this book seriously (does it takes itself seriously?) or should I just look at it as some popcorn fun. Even so, An American Weredeer in Michigan improved compared to I Was a Teenage Weredeer. I could lean back, read, and just enjoy myself while giggling at some of Jane’s or the Merlin Gun’s comments.
In Darkness Forged you might find everything you’ve been looking for: heroic fights, vengeance, violence (in many form), enveloped in norse mythology. This book has an oddly satisfying ending on the bittersweet side. If you are into grimdark, norse mythology, have a few hours to spare and don’t mind having a dark twist in your read, I definitely recommend this book!
Symphony of the Wind is intricate, surprising, and doesn’t shy away from giving punches. If you like your fantasy dark, don’t mind if the pace is a bit slower, want to be surprised and don’t see what happens next, you should absolutely check this out!
From The Shadows Of The Owl Queen’s Court is a very dark tale about chasing your dreams, about nature having its own way in the end. Do you love the original Grimm tales? How about some action and monsters? Read Benedict Patrick’s other books or just looking for something original? Then you found the perfect book, my friend!