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: The Prisoner of Fear by Chad Miller

Title: The Prisoner of Fear (Book 1 Doyle and Braham Series)

Author: Chad Miller
Genre: Horror - Gothic Fiction
Publisher: Hear Our Voice LLC - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: October 1, 2022
Read: Oct. 8-11, 2022
Disclaimer: Author requested a review and sent a free paperback copy. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher:  It is 1889 in Philadelphia, and detective John Doyle is restless. Along with his miserable partner, Thomas Braham, Doyle pursues mysteries, strange sightings, and other obscurities tossed aside and disregarded by the police. For years, Doyle has taken on these cases in the hopes of discovering something supernatural - something that could upend and dispute his long-standing, debilitating fear that immortal souls do not exist. 

Doyle's search for the supernatural remains unsuccessful until he receives a strange letter from an old doctor friend regarding a young woman with a mysterious and rather disturbing illness. When the doctor goes missing in the same town that this young woman resides in, Doyle and Braham decide to take on the case and search for clues regarding their missing friend. In doing so, they discover that there is no longer any suffering young woman, but a dangerous abomination whose origin cannot be explained by science nor modern medicine. 

Meanwhile, an unnamed victim has been kidnapped. Trapped in a cell with nothing but a journal to document their experiences, this mysterious Prisoner must undergo terrifying scientific experiments while trying not to lose all hope and sanity.

Review: Anyone who knows me know I'm a huge fan of Gothic literature and its contemporary descendent, horror. My friends (and family) have heard me expound upon the virtues of dark fiction over the years. If it's dark, disturbing, psychologically scarring, and even the tiniest bit creepy, I'm all over it like flies on a corpse. 

So, dearest reader, you can imagine my excitement when I was offered a review copy of Chad Miller's The Prisoner of Fear. I waited with antici...............pation for it to arrive. When it finally landed on my doorstep, I was giddy, and yet I was in the midst of reading another book for review so I set Miller's book aside. Still, the cover haunted me. The promise of a Sherlockian-style mystery combined with the Gothic epistolary-based chills of Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley seduced me like a siren's call. For a week, I held firm and didn't give into that call. However, curiosity soon gave way to desire and I had no choice but to dive into those dark waters, whether for good or ill.

Oh, dearest reader, why did I wait to satisify my dark urges? Why, oh why, did I torment myself with fleeting glances at that haunting cover? Once I read the opening line, my resolve crumbled, and I came undone. Although I continued to read the other book in line for review during the day, I secretly stole precious hours each night to navigate the twists and turns and delightfully view the dark images Miller skillfully paints on the pages of The Prisoner of Fear. Yes, I lost hours of sleep, but what I gained is so much more valuable: a new "must-read" author. 

At the heart of Miller's work is a mystery that seems simple enough to solve. However, that simplicity is deceptive. I've admitted in other blogs that I'm often able to figure out the Who in most WhoDoneIt book, but Miller kept me guessing to the end, and then had the nerve to end the book with a cliffhanger. (AND the sequel isn't scheduled to be released until next year? WTF? Cue the hellish wailing and gnashing of teeth... *deep breath* It's fine. I'm calm. I can wait.) The plot twists were subtle and yet my mind was continually blown. Although I could tell a twist was coming soon the shapes those twists took were unexpected and shot the story into a completely different direction than I'd predicted. 

It wasn't until I'd finished reading the book that I realized the title didn't actually refer to a single character: The reader is The Prisoner of Fear, and like any good horror author, Chad Miller is the puppet master gleefully pulling strings. I, for one, will happily take up the roll of marionette. 

But....Miller, if you're reading this review, I have two words for you: Write. Faster.

Book Review: Isolated Futures (Omnibus) by Koen Martens

 

Title: Isolated Futures (Omnibus)

Author: Koen Martens
Genre: Science Fiction - Dystopian Futures
Publisher: Self-published - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: March 18, 2022
Read: September 20-26, 2022
Disclaimer: Author requested a review and sent a free paperback copy. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: If you’re a fan of thought-provoking sci-fi cyberpunk technothrillers like The Passengers and Black Mirror, then Koen Martens’ sci-fi anthology is your perfect next read! 

Story 1 - Forced to be Free: Sam, a young hacker with anger management issues, has joined

a defense initiative against the advancing Russian army set to occupy Europe. When he discovers his boss is working undercover for the enemy, he must thwart his boss and prevent the destruction of the EU’s drone defense network before it’s too late. 

Story 2 - Murder, Plain and Simple: Dr. Jennifer Mendoza is a ship physician on the interstellar luxury cruiser Christopher. When a prominent and wealthy passenger is murdered, she is called to investigate the crime. Can she identify the killer before more people lose their lives? 

Story 3 - Cima Peak: Juan, a naive adolescent growing up in a post-apocalyptic world, embarks on a dangerous excursion that strands him and his friend far from his home. Can they make it back to their base before it’s too late to save the city from incoming slavers? 

Story 4 - Negative Reinforcement: Limei is an independent app developer on an isolated space station. She is utterly dependent on and enamored with her personal AI assistant. When she learns The Algorithm is planning to destroy human life on her ship, she must find a way to take it down before her crew perishes. 

Story 5 - Eddy: Digital forensics expert Lagan has been wrongly convicted of murder, but no one is willing to believe that he witnessed his own doppelgänger commit the crime. When he learns that the doppelgänger was one of many beings created to replace humans with AI-run clones, he must prove his innocence and take down the scheme before more people’s lives are ruined. 

Story 6 - DingDong by Zhumee: When Martin’s new Zhumee smart doorbell accidentally causes his neighbor’s wrongful arrest, he must set out on a quest to prove her innocence. Little does he know, Zhumee has far more control over the justice system than anyone imagined. Can he race against the clock to take down this corrupt system?

Review: Six novellas. A total of 476 pages. Six days to read. Challenge accepted. 

Wow. Where do I start? Koen Martens' omnibus of science fiction dystopian futures offers six different and yet relatable and oddly relevant stories, each one more terrifyingly plausible than the last. I've spent the last three days since finishing Isolated Futures trying to figure out how I would describe the utter fascination, chills, and love I felt reading these novellas and the best I can do is simply.... Wow.

Each story deals with its own future--everything from the near future of Forced to Be Free to the distant future where Earth is merely an afterthought for most humans in Negative Reinforcement--and each delivers a gut punch when the reader realizes just how plausible each future is. 

Forced to Be Free has great pacing and a spy-thriller vibe with questionable characters, murky motives, and an all-too-believable invasion scenario that brings the headlines of today into very sharp focus. 

Murder, Plain and Simple is anything but plain and simple. I loved the distant future world building showcased in this story while the mystery reminded me of Agatha Christie. There's a delicate balance between the clues left for the reader and the final reveal that kept me guessing until the end. (And, for the record, I can usually figure out the Who in Whodunnits fairly quickly.)

Cima Peak has a dystopian survivor scenario, and I'll be honest, it wasn't my favorite story. I thought the tension between the two main characters could be a little tighter and more focused, especially given the high stakes set by the author. Also, I thought the "full circle" events wrapped up a bit too neatly given the story's after-the-fall-of-civilization setting, but overall, it was still a fun read.

Negative Reinforcement is a cautionary tale for the over-dependence on technology our world is already facing. Again, this wasn't my favorite story, mainly because it reminded me of The Matrix in many ways. But, I did like the arc for the main character. It was plausible, and I enjoyed the thought-provoking nature of the plot.

Eddy is a fast-paced collision between James Bond and Invasion of the Bodysnatchers, and I liked it! A lot. Science goes awry and the stakes are high for the protagonist...or is he the antagonist....could he be both? The story has a film-like quality I can easily see translating to the big--or small--screen. This is definitely my second favorite novella in the omnibus.

DingDong by Zhumee is, hands-down, my favorite and not just because its the only story in the bunch to feature a cat! (But, the cat is a delightful bonus.) Another cautionary tale that begs the reader to think about society's reliance on technology, and the vast network of devices we willingly tap into on a daily basis in the name of "security." 

Overall, Isolated Futures is an omnibus well worth reading if you're a lover of dystopian fiction, science fiction, techno thrillers, or just reading in general. Koen Martens states in the preface that he reconnected with his love of writing during the pandemic. I certainly hope he continues to love writing for many years to come because I'm a fan now, and I expect to see a lot more from Martens in the, hopefully, not-so-distant future. 

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.

Book Review: Lady Silver by Bobbie R. Byrd

 

Title: Lady Silver: Warlock Chronicles, Book 1

Author: Bobbie R. Byrd
Genre: Science Fiction with Fantasy Elements
Publisher: Dragoncrest Publising, LLC - Copyright July 2021
Publication Date: July 14, 2021
Read: August 27-September 7, 2021
Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of this book from Amazon. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: The multiverse is unraveling. 

When religious zealots resurrect the ancient technology that ripped open the dimensional barrier six thousand years ago, the galaxy faces another coming Cataclysm. 

Warlocks and humans, sister races of the same evolutionary tree, are divided by millennia of enmity and ancient animosity. It will take the magic of the warlocks and the humans’ technology to heal the breach between layers of the multiverse. 

Bryanna D’Isaac is an untrained, untried warlock with powerful magic who only wants to be left alone. Admiral Devon Bastion is career military, renowned for executing warlocks, who harbors secrets of his own. 

Deadly events indicate a derelict area of space called the Well is expanding. The threat of apocalyptic events forces the warlock and the soldier together. By joining forces, Bastion and D’Isaac can save the galaxy—if they don’t kill each other first. 

Can they learn to trust each other before the multiverse collapses?

Review: Lady Silver was an entertaining read. I loved the combination of science fiction and fantasy elements with humans using technology and warlocks using magic. The main characters, Bryanna D'Isaac and Devon Bastion, were a good match for one another in strengths and weakness, and even had a little romantic spark that may flame up in the second book. 

There were a few times when I thought the author could've slowed down just a tad and provided more world building elements, such as explaining The Flow--the mystical aetheric realms from which warlocks draw their power--a little more and how warlocks are able to manipulate their bonded realms. The universe of Lady Silver is unique, and I really wanted to feel immersed in it--and I did--but there were a few times when I felt the boundaries could've been pushed a little further with regards to setting the scene or character insight. 

Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading Lady Silver and can't wait to see what happens in the next book. 

Book Review: Empire of the Vampire - Jay Kristoff

Title: Empire of the Vampire

Author: Jay Kristoff
Genre: Dark Fantasy - Horror
Publisher: St. Martin's Press - Copyright September 2021
Publication Date: September 14, 2021
Read: August 19-27, 2021
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy as in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: 

From holy cup comes holy light; 

The faithful hand sets world aright. 

And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight, 

Mere man shall end this endless night. 

It has been twenty-seven long years since the last sunrise. For nearly three decades, vampires have waged war against humanity; building their eternal empire even as they tear down our own. Now, only a few tiny sparks of light endure in a sea of darkness. 

Gabriel de León is a silversaint: a member of a holy brotherhood dedicated to defending realm and church from the creatures of the night. But even the Silver Order could not stem the tide once daylight failed us, and now, only Gabriel remains. 

Imprisoned by the very monsters he vowed to destroy, the last silversaint is forced to tell his story. A story of legendary battles and forbidden love, of faith lost and friendships won, of the Wars of the Blood and the Forever King and the quest for humanity’s last remaining hope: 

The Holy Grail.

Review: Let me start by saying that Jay Kristoff is an absolute bastard. Don't misunderstand me. I love Jay's work with my entire little black heart. He's a masterful storyteller who has an uncanny ability to build a world wholly believable fantasy world, populate it with complex characters, make you fall in love with them, and then kill them in the most horribly gruesome ways while simultaneously destroying this carefully crafted world to the point you want to scream in frustration and throw the book across the room but you don't because you have...to...keep...reading until your eyes bleed. Seriously, the man can completely delight and yet piss off a reader at the same time. However, these are the reasons I love Jay's writing. The reason I say he's a bastard is because I have to wait at least a year for book two!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!! *sighs* ...enhancing my
calm...

Now, as for the book, I loved it. If Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind, and George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones were to have some kind of sick ménage à trois and have a seriously messed up love child, it would be Empire of the Vampire.

To say the main character, Gabriel de León (aka Gabe the Babe), is a complicated character is an understatement. He's complex. Tortured. Foul-mouthed. Snarky. Deadly. Covered in awesome tattoos. And I adore him. As he recounts his story, the world in which he lives comes to life...and dies...only to be resurrected as some weird, bloody phoenix. Gabe's world has been without full sunlight for nearly three decades, and vampires and other creatures have come out of the shadows to play and prey on humanity. Throw in shady religious orders and corrupt politics and you've got a party. 

Empire of the Vampire is an epic adventure spanning a lifetime. I wish I could say more about Gabriel and his story, but to do so would be to spoil too much of that story. If you have a soft spot for complex, tortured antiheroes like Marvel's Deadpool, I guarantee you'll love Gabriel de León. I know there's been a lot of hype around EOTV's release, and I have to say it's all true. Jay Kristoff has solidified his place as one of the best dark fantasy/horror authors working today.