Book Review: The Iron Children by Rebecca Fraimow

Title: The Iron Children

Author: Rebecca Fraimow
Genre: Science Fiction - Fantasy 
Publisher: Rebellion Publishing Ltd - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: February 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781786189882
Read: January 28-29, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Asher has been training her entire life to become a Sor-Commander. One day, she'll give her soul to the gilded, mechanical body of the Sor and become a commander to a battalion of Dedicates. These soldiers, encased in exoskeletons, with extra arms, and telepathic subordination to the Sor-Commanders, are the only thing that's kept the much larger Levastani army of conquest at bay for decades. 

But while on a training journey, Asher and her party are attacked, and her commander is incapacitated, leaving her alone to lead the unit across a bitterly cold, unstable mountain. Worse, one of the Dedicates is not what they seem: a spy for the enemy, with their own reasons to hate their mechanical body and the people who put them in it. 

To get off the mountain alive, Asher and her unit will need to decide how much they're willing to sacrifice -- and what for.

Review: The Iron Children is hard to categorize as a story. It's definitely a novella in length--less that 200 pages--and outstanding in the world building. It's part fantasy, part science fiction, part religious commentary, and all fascinating. 

I was blown away by Rebecca Fraimow's mastery of story craft. In the space of roughly half the length of most novels, Rebecca creates relatable characters, a complex world, high-stakes conflict, an established military hierarchy, and a complicated belief system. I've read (and enjoyed) novels with more pages and less substance that The Iron Children. Seriously, my hat's off to Fraimow.

Told in alternative points of view, the reader is given insight into the world via Asher, a Sor-Commander novice; Barghest, a Dedicate sergeant; and the unnamed spy among the troops. Asher and Barghest's points of view are written third person while the spy's is written as first person. This is a clever writing choice because it keeps the reader questioning the spy's identity and building suspense until the pivotal "big reveal." 

Overall, The Iron Children is an outstanding addition to both the science fiction and fantasy genres and is worth a read by anyone who enjoys blurring the lines between these genres.

Book Review: Witch King by Martha Wells

Title: Witch King

Author: Martha Wells
Genre: Fantasy - Epic Fantasy
Publisher: Tordotcom - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: May 31, 2023
ISBN: 9781250826794
Read: May 11-31, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well. 

But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence? 

Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions. 

He’s not going to like the answers.

Review: Witch King by Martha Wells is filled with complex magic, expansive world building, complicated characters, badass action, and one seriously snarky demon. I fell in love with Kai from the start. First, he wakes up to find that he's not only been murdered and entombed at the bottom of the sea--a move that limits his powers--but someone thinks they can ensnare him to use as a magical familiar. Talk about starting the day off on the wrong foot. Then things seem to go from bad to worse the more Kai and his ragtag band of compatriots try to solve the mystery of who killed him and why.

The world Wells has created is as complex as Tolkien's Middle Earth and filled with magic both complicated and subtle. While the magic isn't fully explained and can be a little confusing at times, it all makes sense within a world that features demons, witches, and humans working together against a common foe. The powers welded by the characters is defined and includes limitations, such as Kai's abilities being weakened by water. Some may find the lack of full disclosure of the mechanics behind the magic frustrating, but I didn't mind it because the action surrounding the use of the magic served as enough of an explanation. 

In addition to being powerful, Kai is snarky, and I'm totally here for it. Demons should be snarky, in my opinion. His relationship with Ziede is like that of siblings in that they care deeply for one another, are comfortable enough to call out the other's BS, tease one another, and kick anyone's ass who seeks to harm the other. Despite being a demon, the relationship with Ziede makes Kai seem more human in many ways, but then he "eats" an attacker and we're reminded that he's most definitely not human. He's a complex character and I'd love to see more of him in the feature. 

There was one aspect of the book I found a little jarring at first but quickly adapted to and that was the alternating time lines. The story begins in the present but jumps back in time around the third chapter. Even though the chapters set in the past are clearly marked as "the past," some reads may find the alternating time lines to be headache inducing since everything is told from Kai's point of view. However, once I got into the rhythm of Wells's writing style, I found the dual time lines to be a clever way to fill in backstory for Kai, Ziede, and other characters while maintaining forward plot movement. In order to understand the present events Kai is facing, the reader must know the history of this world. Rather than have endless conversations or huge info dumps in the middle of the story that bogs down the plot, alternating the chapters works well to provide the reader with that crucial background information.

Overall, Witch King is a fun read, and anyone who love epic fantasy will find it a worthy addition to their shelves.

Book Review: The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowena Miller

Title: The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill

Author: Rowena Miller
Genre: Fantasy - Historical Fantasy - Folklore 
Publisher: Redhook - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 9780316378475
Read: March 14-19, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings: Abuse (spousal), classism

Synopsis from Publisher: In the early 1900s, two sisters must navigate the magic and the dangers of the Fae in this enchanting and cozy historical fantasy about sisterhood and self-discovery. 

There is no magic on Prospect Hill—or anywhere else, for that matter. But just on the other side of the veil is the world of the Fae. Generations ago, the first farmers on Prospect Hill learned to bargain small trades to make their lives a little easier—a bit of glass to find something lost, a cup of milk for better layers in the chicken coop. 

Much of that old wisdom was lost as the riverboats gave way to the rail lines and the farmers took work at mills and factories. Alaine Fairborn’s family, however, was always superstitious, and she still hums the rhymes to find a lost shoe and to ensure dry weather on her sister’s wedding day. 

When Delphine confides her new husband is not the man she thought he was, Alaine will stop at nothing to help her sister escape him. Small bargains buy them time, but a major one is needed. Yet, the price for true freedom may be more than they’re willing to pay.

Review: I'm on the fence with this book. On one hand I love Fae bargains and how they can go so very wrong. The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill feature such a bargain, which pleases my dark little heart. However, it take fooooorrreeevveeerrr to get to it so on the second hand, I wanted to slam the book against the wall far more times than I care to count and scream, "Get to the freakin' point already!" My antagonistic view of the first half of the book wasn't helped by the disconnect I felt as a reader to the two sisters, Alaine and Delphine.

The sisters don't exactly see eye-to-eye on several issues, but that's to be expected. I have two sisters and if the three of us ever agree on anything, then chances are Hell has frozen over. I do like the naturalness of that sibling relationship, especially once it become obvious that Delphine is in over her head, both with her abusive husband and with the Fae. 

The writing is beautiful, I must admit. It has a lovely lyrical quality that's hard to capture and reminds me of so many fairy tales I read as a child--and still love to read, if I'm honest--and yet, the slow pace of the beginning almost made this a DNF for me. But once the plot truly clicked into place--namely the major bargain demanded of the sisters--the pace picked up and I blew through the pages. Getting to that point, though, was more of a chore than it should have been.

Overall, Rowena Miller has crafted an interesting blend of fantasy, feminism, and Fae bargains. If you enjoy a slow build fantasy book with a fast payout at the end, then you'll be happy with The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill. 

Book Review: Broken Promises by Stavros Saristavros

Title: Broken Promises (A Fateful Force Adventure)

Author: Stavros Saristavros
Genre: Fantasy - Adventure - Dungeons & Dragons
Publisher: Stavros Saristavros - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Read: April 12-15, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Street gangs, corrupt merchants, and a powerful thieves guild. What could go wrong? 

Fighting orcs and hobgoblins on the frontier has seasoned Akke, but her return to the city of her birth could prove just as challenging. 

In a race against time to rescue an old friend, Akke and Ailuros land in the middle of a brewing gang war, where a person’s safety must be bargained for with more than just gold. 

But Akke must be careful what she promises and to whom, for dangers lurk everywhere. Some of them harder to see than others.

Review: Broken Promises takes place in the aftermath of the events detailed in The Tome of Syyx and follows Akke--a half-elf--and her friend Ailuros--a panthor--as they return to Akke's hometown to fulfill a promise she made long ago. Once again, Saristavros has created a rich, vibrant setting and intriguing characters that make you want to join their adventures and even settle in at the tavern to share a pint.

While Akke doesn't think for a moment that making good on her promise will be easy, she and Ailuros soon learn that things aren't the same as they were when Akke left town...and yet very little has truly changed. Street gangs still rule the night and certain parts of town within the confines of an uneasy truce. However, when that truce is shattered, Akke and Ailuros find themselves in the middle of a brewing turf war, and more than a few old enemies are looking to exact a pound of flesh from the half-elf. Time isn't on the friends' side as they race to find the one Akke had promised to protect so long ago, keep themselves and new friends alive, and maybe stop a gang war that will tear the city apart.

Crisp writing, strong character development, and a vivid world are the trademarks I've come to expect from Saristavros, and Broken Promises is no exception. Anyone who loves fantasy adventure filled with magic, swashbuckling, and a good dose of humor will love The Fateful Force book series and side adventures. 

Book Review: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw

Title: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen

Author: Shea Ernshaw
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Disney Press - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: August 2, 2022
Read: October 23 - November 4, 2022
Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of this book from Amazon. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Jack and Sally are "truly meant to be" ... or are they? 

Sally Skellington is the official, newly-minted Pumpkin Queen after a whirlwind courtship with her true love, Jack, who Sally adores with every inch of her fabric seams-- if only she could say the same for her new role as Queen of Halloween Town. Cast into the spotlight and tasked with all sorts of queenly duties, Sally can't help but wonder if all she's done is trade her captivity under Dr. Finkelstein for a different cage. But when Sally and Zero accidentally uncover a long-hidden doorway to an ancient realm called Dream Town, she'll unknowingly set into motion a chain of sinister events that put her future as Pumpkin Queen, and the future of Halloween Town itself, into jeopardy. Can Sally discover what it means to be true to herself and save the town she's learned to call home, or will her future turn into her worst... well, nightmare?

Review: I'm a huge fan of Tim Burton's classic The Nightmare Before Christmas and have always loved the relationship between Sally, the rag doll, and Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King. So I was incredibly excited when I learned there was to a book exploring their relationship and the events after that fateful year when Jack tried to take over Christmas with disastrous results.

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen is a slow building story. It begins with Jack and Sally's wedding and then follows the efforts of the denizens of Halloween Town to make their new queen into...well, their idea of a queen. Naturally, Sally isn't sure about her new role since she's only ever been an unwilling "daughter" to Dr. Finkelstein before she and Jack found one another. Sally looks for a way to escape the demands of being the newly-crowned Pumpkin Queen, but inadvertently sets off a chain of events that threatens Halloween Town, the other holiday realms, and even the Human World when she finds a passage into the mysterious and unknown realm of Dream Town.

I love the expansion of the holiday worlds and the new characters introduced in this book. However, I had some issues with Sally. At the end of The Nightmare Before Christmas, it seemed as though she had grown as a character and found an inner strength she didn't know she had when she tried to stop Jack from entering the Human World to take over Christmas and then attempting a solo rescue of Sandy Claws from Oogie Boogie. After these heroic actions, she seemed a great fit for Jack and as the future Pumpkin Queen. However, that isn't the Sally presented at the beginning of Long Live the Pumpkin Queen. 

Sally seems to have reverted to her more withdrawn self in the beginning of the book. While it's easy to understand she'd have some trepidation regarding her new role as co-ruler of Halloween Town, she comes across as...for lack of a better word, whiny. Yes, she does grow throughout the story and once again comes out as a strong character at the end, but I wanted to see that strong Sally from the end of The Nightmare Before Christmas at the beginning and then see her become even stronger. Sadly, that's now how the author chose to write her character.

Overall, Long Live the Pumpkin Queen is an enjoyable read and is a welcomed addition to Tim Burton's world of The Nightmare Before Christmas. I hope more books will come that continues to expand the holiday worlds and the legend of the Pumpkin King and Queen.

Book Review: Into the Well by Bobbie R. Byrd

 

Title: Into the Well (Warlock Chronicles, Book 2)

Author: Bobbie R. Byrd
Genre: Science Fiction with Fantasy Elements
Publisher: Dragoncrest Publishing, LLC - Copyright 2021
Publication Date: September 8, 2021
Read: October 23-29, 2022
Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of this book from Amazon. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warning: This book contains references to sexual assault, violence, and slavery.

Synopsis from Publisher: The Well is forbidden space. Dangerous, deadly, unpredictable, unforgiving. 

A forgotten planet. Dark secrets buried for millennia in dark magic. 

Not for much longer... 

INTO the WELL continues the treacherous journey of Bryanna D'Isaac, the warlock known as Lady Silver, and Admiral Devon Bastion deep into the Well in search of the lost homeworld of their ancestors. Convoluted space-time, dimensional rifts, and festering conflict brought the Cataclysm that took humans and warlocks to the brink of extinction millennia ago. 

History is about to repeat itself.

Review: Into the Well by Bobbie R. Byrd has been sitting on my To-Be-Read shelf for over a year. Not because I had no interest in continuing the story of Bryanna and Devon from the first Warlock Chronicles installment, Lady Silver, but because as often happens with readers/reviewers, I was distracted by other books. Some good. Some not so good. Some that made me question my life choices. And some that were life changing. Into the Well falls solidly in the "Very good" category.

As with the first book, there are some issues with minor typos, formatting (at least in the paperback copy I read--some of the pages had faded print that made reading a little challenging), and truly hardcore science fiction fans will find some of the science/engineering parlance a bit jarring. (Sticklers for science fiction grounded in science realism, even if theoretical, may want to skip certain bits or read them with a grain of salt.) The fantasy element dealing with the Warlocks and their magic is solid, however. The budding romance between Bryanna and Devon is in full swing, and the android T'Laan steals the scene more than once throughout the book. Overall, Into the Well is a nearly perfect compliment to Lady Silver.

While the ending of the book suggests there will be at least one more installment in the series, I've found no mention of the title or an estimated date of publication. I hope Byrd continues The Warlock Chronicles and continues expanding the unique worlds she has created.

Book Review: The Tome of Syyx by Stavros Saristavros

Title: The Tome of Syyx (The Fateful Force Series, Book 1)

Author: Stavros Saristavros
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Self-published - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: April 1, 2022
Read: Sept. 13-Oct. 19, 2022
Disclaimer: Author requested a review and sent a free paperback copy. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Ancient evils stir. Deals must be brokered. But who can be trusted?  

On the fringes of civilization, the town of Sanctuary embarks on a mission to legitimize its existence and that of its monstrous inhabitants. 

Under the Leadership of its Mysterious Lord, four young adventurers set out from the town on a dangerous mission into the Wild Moor. 

But they discover that armies of orcs and hobgoblins are far from the only threats to the Free Cities of the frontier. Ancient evils stir, dragons are rumored to once again fly, and an imprisoned god returns to plague the world. 

Unlikely alliances must be forged and rivalries put aside. But not all Friends are what they seem…

Review: Fantasy is my first love among all genres. From childhood, I've loved stories of valiant heroes, epic evilness, and fantastical lands populated by denizens who may or may not be human. Throw in a dragon (or two) and an ancient death god, and you've got The Tome of Syyx by debut author Stavros Saristavros. You've also go the beginnings of one helluva a great
series.

(One item I'd like to mention before continuing with my review, Saristavros gives thanks in his Acknowledgements to a few people, including his wife, for providing time and inspiration for the book through Dungeons and Dragons campaigns. I'm a huge D&D fan and have been playing since I was ten. I can definitely see the D&D-inpsired elements in The Tome of Syyx, and I love them! Yes, I totally geeked out over the D&D elements. And, yes, the fact that the book arrived signed and with an inscription only made me geek out even harder. What can I say? I'm a dork. Now, on with the review...)

The Tome of Syyx opens with an epic battle, and Saristavros's writing paints a clear picture of the events to the point I could smell the smoke from the fires, hears the battle cries of the combatants, and taste the acridness of....well, I probably shouldn't mention that because potential spoilers. Let's just say, I was completely in the moment while reading the prologue.

The writing continued to paint vivd pictures throughout the book. Never did I feel as though I was a reader scanning words on a page. I felt as though I was in the scene with the characters, taking part in battles, sharing drinks in taverns, celebrating victories, and commiserating losses. Multiple points of view give depth to the story and keeps the reader on their mental toes wondering who can be trusted, how will the story end, and most importantly, when will book two be released because by the end of The Tome of Syyx you'll be so invested in the characters and world you'll want to keep reading and reading and reading and... You get the idea.

The Tome of Syyx is an emotional rollercoaster interspersed with high-stakes battles, intrigue, and a cast of lovable characters. I can't wait to see what the next installment will bring.

Book Review: A Grave of Flowers by Priscylla Attler

 

Title: A Grave of Flowers

Author: Priscylla Attler
Genre: YA Fantasy with LGBTQIA+ elements
Publisher: Self-published - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Read: July 6-September 11, 2022 -- Did Not Finish
Disclaimer: Author requested a review and sent a free paperback copy via Amazon. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: 16-year old Nulla has been discriminated against her entire life for her colorism - a genetic illness that gave her bright, colorful features. While her family once sheltered and isolated her for her own protection, this seclusion was not enough to protect her from her own unusual power, a power that is both dangerous and life-saving. 

Nulla’s friend, Ani, is slated to become the next Child of Dead, a role that is feared by many. Terrified of his fate, Ani decides to escape his home country, bringing Nulla, her twin brother,
and his best friend Zephr in tow. However, their escape plans are quickly turned upside down when Nulla is kidnapped and sold to a mad scientist performing human experiments on Colors and Ani is hunted down by Dianne - a previous Child of Death wanting to punish Ani for escaping his fate. As Nulla suffers at the hands of her cruel captor, can she learn to control her power in time to save herself?

Review: When I was initially contacted by a publicist asking if I'd be interested in reviewing debut author Priscylla Attler's A Grave of Flowers, the synopsis intrigued me. I love finding new writers, especially when the story sound compelling and offers a element that is often underrepresented in fantasy and science fiction such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters. (Full disclosure: I am neither of these, however, I am a very strong believer in equality for all regardless of skin color, sexual orientation, economic status, country of origin, religion, or any of the other myriad reasons humans find to generally be assholes to one another. My personal philosophy is "Be excellent to one another and party on, dudes." If only I could apply it to this book...) Naturally, I agreed and was sent a review copy by the author through Amazon in exchange for a honest review. 

I began reading with high hopes. The prologue definitely caught my attention. Yeah, there were a few small typos and punctuation matters, but I can easily overlook such things when the characters are engaging and the story is promising. Alas, what started with such promise quickly gave way to an overly idealistic view of what was billed as an "oppressive government," zero-zip-zilch-nada tension between supposedly contrary characters, no evidence of an actual plot anywhere on the page, and a painfully obvious lack of skilled writing and editing.

Any yet, despite all these negatives, I could--and still do--see a glimmer of potential in the overall story. The biggest problem I see with A Grave of Flowers is the dreaded "Friends and Family Review Syndrome." I fully understand wanting to share your writing with those closest to you. However, unless you have brutally honest friends and family--and I mean honest almost to the point of being labeled sociopathic--those friends and family should never be trusted to give proper, authentic feedback because once they are faced with the choice of either giving impartial and possibly negative evaluations of the writer's work and potentially crushing the writer's soul they will 99.999999% of the time opt for the non-soul-eviscerating "Yeah, it's great! I love it!" If a writer hears this and nothing else, assume your friends and family are all wearing flame retardant pants.

Writing is hard, and it doesn't happen in a vacuum. As I said, I really do see potential in the premise of A Grave of Flowers. Unfortunately, the writing doesn't live up to that potential. My suggestion to the author is to look into a basic fiction workshop. Most colleges and universities offer workshop classes either as part of a creative writing program, an English department elective, or as part of a community-enrichment program. These workshops offer exposure to a variety of genres and writing styles while also providing encouragement and honest feedback. If none of these options are available, find an online critique group. NaNoWriMo, for example, offers plenty of contacts both during November and year-round. The other option is to find a freelance/independent editor. Yes, an editor, or "book doctor," will expect payment anywhere from a few hundred to several thousands of dollars depending on how they charge (per hour, by word count, or by page count). Editors can cover everything from character development, plotting, and world-building to line edits with attention paid to spelling, punctuation, and grammar. It all depends on how much the author is willing to pay and how much work the story needs.

While A Grave of Flowers joins the handful of books I sadly must file in the "did not finish" category and therefore cannot be recommended for purchase at this time, I sincerely hope the author will look into resources to develop the story and polish their writing because I believe there's potential here.