More inexpensive ebook goodies!


You can now download N. K. Jemisin's The City We Became for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Three-time Hugo Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author N.K. Jemisin crafts her most incredible novel yet, a story of culture, identity, magic, and myths in contemporary New York City.

In Manhattan, a young grad student gets off the train and realizes he doesn't remember who he is, where he's from, or even his own name. But he can sense the beating heart of the city, see its history, and feel its power.

In the Bronx, a Lenape gallery director discovers strange graffiti scattered throughout the city, so beautiful and powerful it's as if the paint is literally calling to her.

In Brooklyn, a politician and mother finds she can hear the songs of her city, pulsing to the beat of her Louboutin heels.

And they're not the only ones.

Every great city has a soul. Some are ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York? She's got six.


Sea of Sorrows


Just when I thought that this series couldn't really get any better, Michelle West somehow found a way to elevate her game to another level, making Sea of Sorrows the best installment thus far!

While The Broken Crown proved to be a vast introduction to a convoluted tale, its immediate sequel The Uncrowned King turned out to be a more self-contained novel that focused on the Northern storylines. In The Shining Court, West started to up the ante and brought existing threads together, introducing new plotlines which added yet new layers to an already complex story arc and further fleshing out characters and their back stories in the process. And like its predecessor, Sea of Sorrows pushes the envelope even further and makes the Sun Sword one of the best speculative fiction series I have ever read.

Yes, it's that damn good!

Here's the blurb:

The fourth novel of the acclaimed Sun Sword series returns to a war-torn world of noble houses divided and demon lords unleashed...

In the Essalieyan Empire, the armies are gathering, ready to champion the cause of Valedan kai di’Leonne, last survivor of the ruling clan of the Dominion. But Valedan himself must take a different road to war, sealing what Dominion alliances he can claim without the Empire’s backing.

Yet even before Valedan sets forth, Jewel of House Terafin has already journeyed beyond mortal realms with only her domicis Avandar to guard her back, walking through flame to join the Voyani on a trek they’ve been destined to make for centuries. Behind her she has left a House on the brink of bloody dynastic war—and her den caught in the deadly political infighting.

Kiriel, too, must face the greatest challenge of her life, torn between the conflicting demands of her father’s and her mortal heritage.

And as the Voyani—with Jewel, Avandar, Kallandras, Diora, Teresa, and Lord Celleriant of the Winter Queen’s court—embark upon the Sea of Sorrows in a desperate attempt to reach the lost Cities of Man, a spell gone awry insures that all their enemies—whether of mortal or demonkind—can trace the path they are following and strike out at them at any moment…


Structurally, it often feels as though six volumes were not enough to recount the full tale Michelle West wanted to tell. The good thing about such limitation is that her editor forced West to keep a lid of things, thus preventing her from getting lost in the mire of extraneous plot threads that plagued portions of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, Steven Erikson's The Malazan Book of the Fallen, and Brandon Sanderson's The Stormlight Archive. The bad thing is that it forces the author to juggle with several storylines, all of them important in the greater scheme of things, and somehow write them in a way that creates an interesting and cohesive whole. That is easier said than done, it goes without saying. The exciting endgame and the great finale of The Shining Court set the stage for an amazing fourth volume. Unfortunately, since the bulk of the novel took place in the Dominion, West has no choice but to backtrack and elaborate on the events that took place in the Essalieyan Empire while the proverbial shit was hitting in the fan in the South. Because as important as the Dominion plotlines were, what occurred in the North will also have far-reaching consequences in both the Sun Sword and the House War series. Ideally, the author could have written two separate books; one focusing on the North and the other on the South. In the end, she couldn't, which is why the reader is forced to go through these jarring shifts in three of the four installments so far. Imagine if, instead of writing three different books, each focusing on certain plotlines, the events of Steven Erikson's Memories of Ice, House of Chains, and Midnight Tides had been crammed together in three novels that, while being all over the place, attempted to maintain an overall story arc that was coherent with no continuity issues. That would have been quite a feat, right? And yet, though those shifts are incongruous, given that West's universe resounds with as much depth as Erikson's Malazan world it is somewhat of a wonder that she has managed to write such a compelling tale while dealing with such constraints.

Once again, the worldbuilding continues to be astonishing. I know I'm repeating myself, but in my previous reviews I mentioned that West has an eye for detail and that the imagery she creates leaps off the page at every turn. And yes, the same can be said of Sea of Sorrows. With yet more layers added with each new chapter, there is a depth to Michelle West's universe that rivals that of Tolkien, Erikson, and Bakker. How the Sun Sword somehow managed to remain the genre's best-kept secret for nearly three decades, I'll never know. If she sticks the landing, and to all ends and purposes it looks as though she does, the Sun Sword should be one of the most celebrated fantasy series out there. Here's to hoping that my reviews will entice enough readers to give these books a shot and help raise awareness in a series that should be held in high esteem by legions of SFF fans around the world. As mentioned before, with each new page, each new chapter, each new book, the author weaves a tapestry that is as complex as it is captivating.

Weighing in at 830 pages, Sea of Sorrows is no slim volume. Like The Shining Court, it is another sprawling book that covers a lot of plot threads and locales. And like its predecessor, it is as tightly written as The Uncrowned King. Though we must go through 200+ pages to find out what happened in the North since Jewel disappeared with Avandar, unlike the Evereve scenes that dragged for a while in the previous volume, the bulk of this novel made for compulsive reading. The Voyani storyline, which I found so intriguing in the third installment, takes center stage in this one and it's extraordinary. The flashback sequence that reveals the secrets of the Arkosa Voyani was the best I've read since Jordan sent Rand al'Thor into the heart of Rhuidean.

Once more, the characterization is top notch. À la Robin Hobb and Jacqueline Carey, Michelle West continues to flesh out a cast of endearing and fascinating three-dimensional characters. Even if the abrupt shift that brought us back to the imperial capital of Averalaan was a bit discordant, it was nice to get reacquainted with Kiriel and the Ospreys, Valedan, Princess Mirialyn, Ramiro kai di'Callesta, Meralonne APhaniel, Sigurne Mellifas, and Ser Anton di'Guivera. War with the Dominion is coming and it was interesting to see the first step taken in that regard. But given how The Shining Court ended, I couldn't wait to discover what the author had in store for Teresea, Diora, Jewel, and Kallandras. The Arkosan clan plays an important role in Sea of Sorrows. To a certain extent, one could say that it is their book, for so many threads have to do with them. In my last review, I said I was looking forward to see how the Voyani storyline would play out and I wasn't disappointed. Of all the protagonists, it is Margret that goes through the most character growth in this fourth volume. With a deft human touch, though she is infuriating, West really makes you feel for her. Add to that her relationships with her brother Adam, and her cousins Elena and Nicu, and there's a lot of emotional baggage to deal with. That and Margret's feelings of inadequacy when dealing with Yollana, the old Matriarch of the Havalla Voyani clan. The strained and unexpected relationship she forms with Diora, bearer of the Heart of Arkosa, truly made the book for me. Add to that new revelations about Jewel, Kallandras, Avandar, Kiriel, Celleriant, and more, and you have a novel that's impossible to put down.

Given the number of quotes I posted on Hotlist, it should come as no surprise that Michelle West's beautiful prose continues to make quite an impression on me. Problem is, in the previous volumes the author had a tendency to be quite verbose and repetitive. Which resulted in many a scene being overwritten. Not so with Sea of Sorrows. With so much to cram into a single novel, I guess that everything that wasn't important was cut from the narrative. Hence, I'm pleased to report that there are no pacing issues slowing down the rhythm of this one. Like The Shining Court, it's not a fast-paced work by any stretch of the imagination. And yet, by the time they approach the hidden remains of Arkosa, this book becomes a true page-turner!

True to form, Michelle West weaves the various threads of her story together and make them come together in another exciting endgame. For the fourth time in a row, she caps it all off with the sort of panache that makes you beg for more. I know I've been saying this in every review so far, but as good as the previous finales turned out to be, the one with which West brings Sea of Sorrows to a close is the best one yet! Four books in, it's now evident that West can swing with the best of them.

The Sun Sword deserves the highest possible recommendation. Sea of Sorrows is one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read!

The final verdict: 10/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

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You can now download Kel Kade's Free the Darkness for only 3.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Raised and trained in seclusion at a secret fortress on the edge of the northern wilds of the Kingdom of Ashai, a young warrior called Rezkin is unexpectedly thrust into the outworld when a terrible battle destroys all that he knows. With no understanding of his life’s purpose and armed with masterful weapons mysteriously bestowed upon him by a dead king, Rezkin must travel across Ashai to find the one man who may hold the clues to his very existence.

Determined to adhere to his last orders, Rezkin extends his protection to an unlikely assortment of individuals he meets along the way, often leading to humorous and poignant incidents.

As if pursuing an elite warrior across a kingdom, figuring out who he is and why everyone he knows is dead, and attempting to find these so-called friends and protect them is not enough, strange things are happening in the kingdom. New dangers begin to arise that threaten not only Rezkin and his friends, but possibly everyone in Ashai.


This week's New York Times Bestsellers (April 2nd)

In hardcover:

Samantha Shannon's A Day of Fallen Night is down two spots, finishing the week at number 12. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!


For a limited time, you can download Joe Abercrombie's A Little Hatred for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The chimneys of industry rise over Adua and the world seethes with new opportunities. But old scores run deep as ever.

On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal’s son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments.

Savine dan Glokta – socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union – plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.

The age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die. With the help of the mad hillwoman Isern-i-Phail, Rikke struggles to control the blessing, or the curse, of the Long Eye. Glimpsing the future is one thing, but with the guiding hand of the First of the Magi still pulling the strings, changing it will be quite another…

Quote of the Day

The histories say a lot of things. Some of it contradictory. They say things about different empires, and we don't know which empire surrounds us. They say things about different worlds, and we don't know which world we're on. They say things about different times, and we don't know when our kind became trapped here. They say things about different species . . . and we don't even know which species we are.

- MARK LAWRENCE, The Book That Wouldn't Burn

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

You can read an extract from the novel here.

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You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Robin Hobb's Fool's Assassin for only 3.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Nearly twenty years ago, Robin Hobb burst upon the fantasy scene with the first of her acclaimed Farseer novels, Assassin’s Apprentice, which introduced the characters of FitzChivalry Farseer and his uncanny friend the Fool. A watershed moment in modern fantasy, this novel—and those that followed—broke exciting new ground in a beloved genre. Together with George R. R. Martin, Robin Hobb helped pave the way for such talented new voices as Scott Lynch, Brandon Sanderson, and Naomi Novik.

Over the years, Hobb’s imagination has soared throughout the mythic lands of the Six Duchies in such bestselling series as the Liveship Traders Trilogy and the Rain Wilds Chronicles. But no matter how far she roamed, her heart always remained with Fitz. And now, at last, she has come home, with an astonishing new novel that opens a dark and gripping chapter in the Farseer saga.

FitzChivalry—royal bastard and former king’s assassin—has left his life of intrigue behind. As far as the rest of the world knows, FitzChivalry Farseer is dead and buried. Masquerading as Tom Badgerlock, Fitz is now married to his childhood sweetheart, Molly, and leading the quiet life of a country squire.

Though Fitz is haunted by the disappearance of the Fool, who did so much to shape Fitz into the man he has become, such private hurts are put aside in the business of daily life, at least until the appearance of menacing, pale-skinned strangers casts a sinister shadow over Fitz’s past . . . and his future.

Now, to protect his new life, the former assassin must once again take up his old one. . .

Quote of the Day

“I have heard lies all my life; they are part of survival in the High Court. Grace—and the illusion of beauty—does not easily accommodate truth; truth is blunt, and often brutal; it is a face that, once exposed, is unavoidable. When we speak a plain truth, we take a risk, always, because the truth lingers in the memory of both the speaker and the listener.

“We save our truths,” she added softly. “As if they are valuable only when hidden. We hide our affection; we hide simple things. Love. The loyalty that comes not from duty but from other complicated desires.”

- MICHELLE WEST, Sea of Sorrows

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Finished this novel this afternoon and it was amazing! Michelle West really is awesome! =)

It also features the best flashback sequence since Robert Jordan sent Rand al'Thor into Rhuidean.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!


You can now download Adrian Tchaikovsky's The Tiger and the Wolf for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The first novel in the Echoes of the Fall series, The Tiger and the Wolf is an accomplished high fantasy by Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of the Arthur C. Clarke award-winning Children of Time.

In the bleak northern crown of the world, war is coming.

Maniye's father is the Wolf clan's chieftain, but she's an outcast. Her mother was queen of the Tiger and these tribes have been enemies for generations. Maniye also hides a deadly secret. All can shift into their clan's animal form, but Maniye can take on tiger and wolf shapes. She refuses to disown half her soul so escapes, rescuing a prisoner of the Wolf clan in the process. The killer Broken Axe is set on their trail, to drag them back for retribution.

The Wolf chieftan plots to rule the north and controlling his daughter is crucial to his schemes. However, other tribes also prepare for strife. Strangers from the far south appear too, seeking allies in their own conflict. It's a season for omens as priests foresee danger and a darkness falling across the land. Some say a great war is coming, overshadowing even Wolf ambitions. A time of testing and broken laws is near, but what spark will set the world ablaze?

The Ferryman


This is going to be an extremely tricky review to write because just accidentally revealing one detail could spoil the entire novel. And God knows I don't want to do that, for Justin Cronin wrote a very good book. The sort of mind-bending story you wish there would be more of.

Alas, such tales are few and far between, which is why novels like The Ferryman are so special. It's been said before, so it is safe to claim that Cronin's newest is Westworld meets Inception. To be honest, it's much more than that, but to say more could spoil everything. For that reason, I would recommend not reading too many online reviews, as many might not be spoiler-free and that would simply kill the entire plot.

Here's the blurb:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage comes a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia—where the truth isn’t what it seems.

Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera’s lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh.

Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process—and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he’s been dreaming—which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry.

Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group—known as “Arrivalists”—who may be fomenting revolution.

Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized—and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.


The bulk of the story takes place in the archipelago of Prospera. The main island of the same name is where Prosperans devote themselves to the highest aspirations: Creative expression and the pursuit of personal excellence. They are a society of musicians and painters, poets and scholars, as well as artisans of every type. The second island, known as the Annex, is home to the support staff-men and women of lesser biological and social endowments. It is connected to the main island via a floating causeway. The third island is known as the Nursery. Protected by dangerous shoals and towering cliffs, this is where the ferry takes people on the brink of going through a new iteration. While every citizen's life begins and ends at the Nursery, no one really knows anything about the place and the process behind each new iteration. How such a little slice of paradise can remain hidden and unaffected in a world decimated by war and climate change, this remains the novel's biggest secret. To leave Prospera is, as a matter of course, forbidden. Word of Prospera's existence would bring about its own doom.

The better part of The Ferryman is told from two perspectives. The first, that of Proctor Bennett, and the other, that of Thea Dimopolous. Proctor is director for District Six of the Department of Social Contracts, Enforcement Division. Also known as a Ferryman, it is his duty to accompany the elder citizens who are emotionally distressed to the ferry that will take them to the Nursery to begin a new life. Thea is an art dealer, but she's also a secret member of the rebels. Fate will bring them together following the fiasco caused by Proctor's father at the ferry pier. When the powers that be get wind of the old man's cryptic message, Proctor is being forced to retire and be reiterated for the secret truth he might know. But he doesn't and his refusal to go down without a fight could change Prospera forever. With the help of unlikely allies, they will unveil the secret of the Nursery and discover the truth about Prospera.

The Ferryman moves at a slow burn at the beginning and the pace picks up around the halfway point of the novel. Though it's never really a fast-paced affair, Justin Cronin knows how to keep readers interested and the rhythm is never an issue. Indeed, I was hooked by the prologue and never looked back. I found the characters and their storylines fascinating, and I went through what is by no means a slim book in just a few sittings. I absolutely loved the endgame, yet was not as enamored with the ending itself. Not that it wasn't good, just a little too neat for my taste.

Justin Cronin's The Ferryman is hard to put down. Do yourself a favor and read this one as soon as you have the chance!

The final verdict: 8.5/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

You can read an extract from the novel here.

Quote of the Day

Anger was easy to accept and to own. It might be a liability, but it was also a weapon, a shield, in certain circumstances an act of strength.

- MICHELLE WEST, Sea of Sorrows

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

The first three volumes were all great, but this fourth installment just might be the best one yet!

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You can now download Peter V. Brett's The Desert Prince for only 3.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Fifteen years have passed since the end of the war with demons, creatures of darkness who have hunted the night and plagued humanity since time out of mind. The heroes of humanity’s hour of need have become legend, and those who remain struggle to escape their shadows.

Olive Paper and Darin Bales have grown up in this new peaceful world. Demons have been all but destroyed, but dangers still lurk for the children of heroes.

Olive, princess of Hollow, has her entire life planned out by her mother, Duchess Leesha Paper: a steady march on a checklist to prepare her for succession. The more her mother writes the script, the more Olive rails against playing the parts she is assigned.

Darin faces challenges of a different kind. Though free to choose his own path, the weight of legacy hangs heavy around his shoulders. It isn’t easy being the son of the man people say saved the world. Everyone expects greatness from Darin, but the only thing he’s ever been great at is hiding.

When Olive and Darin step across the wards one night, they learn the demons are not all gone, and those that remain hunger for revenge. Events are set in motion that only prophecy can foresee as Olive and Darin seek to find their own places in the world in time to save it again.


This week's New York Times Bestsellers (March 26th)

In hardcover:

Samantha Shannon's A Day of Fallen Night is down seven spots, finishing the week at number 10. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Sam Maggs' Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars debuts at number 11. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Stephen King's Fairy Tale is down two positions, ending the week at number 15. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!


You can now download M. R. Carey's The Boy on the Bridge, prequel to The Girl With All the Gifts, for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From the author of USA Today bestseller The Girl With All the Gifts, a terrifying new novel set in the same post-apocalyptic world.

Once upon a time, in a land blighted by terror, there was a very clever boy.

The people thought the boy could save them, so they opened their gates and sent him out into the world.

To where the monsters lived.


You can also download Stephen King's Carrie for only 1.99$ here.

Here's the blurb:

Stephen King's legendary debut, about a teenage outcast and the revenge she enacts on her classmates.

Carrie White may be picked on by her classmates, but she has a gift. She can move things with her mind. Doors lock. Candles fall. This is her power and her problem. Then, an act of kindness, as spontaneous as the vicious taunts of her classmates, offers Carrie a chance to be a normal...until an unexpected cruelty turns her gift into a weapon of horror and destruction that no one will ever forget.


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You can now get your hands on The Complete Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan for 84.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® by Robert Jordan has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters.

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again.

When she arrives in a small village in the Two Rivers, Moiraine Sedai discovers three villagers, each of whom might be the long-awaited and reviled Chosen One, the Dragon Reborn. But she is not the only stranger to the village, nor the only one searching. The Dark One is breaking free from his prison, and in a race against time and the agents of the Shadow, Moiraine must guide her charges through lands of myth and legend, toward allies both new and old, and into the footsteps of prophecy.

This ebook contains the full text of the fourteen books of The Wheel of Time, plus the prequel novel New Spring.

The Wheel of Time®
New Spring: The Novel
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams

By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light


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You can now download R. Scott Bakker's The Judging Eye for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link . This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The Darkness That Comes Before, The Warrior Prophet, and The Thousandfold Thought --collectively the Prince of Nothing Saga-were R. Scott Bakker's magnificent debut into the upper echelon of epic fantasy. In those three books, Bakker created a world that was at once a triumph of the fantastic and an historical epic as real as any that came before.

Widely praised by reviewers and a growing body of fans, Bakker has already established the reputation as one of the smartest writers in the fantasy genre-a writer in the line stretching from Homer to Peake to Tolkein. Now he returns to The Prince of Nothing with the long awaited The Judging Eye, the first book in an all-new series. Set twenty years after the end of The Thousandfold Thought, Bakker reintroduces us to a world that is at once familiar but also very different than the one readers thought they knew. Delving even further into his richly imagined universe of myth, violence, and sorcery, and fully remolding the fantasy genre to broaden the scope of intricacy and meaning, R. Scott Bakker has once again written a fantasy novel that defies all expectations and rewards the reader with an experience unlike any to be had in the canon of today's literature.

Quote of the Day

You speak well for a Southern-bred Serra; you speak with an edge in your voice..

All women know how to wield words.

Not so, Serra Alina. In my experience, what the Serras know how to wield best is their silence; it is their lack of words that cuts.

Is it not this way in the North, ACormaris? We each make weapons out of the things we can.

Or tools.

- MICHELLE WEST, Sea of Sorrows

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Loving this 4th installment!

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You can now download Joe Abercrombie's Half a King for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

“I swore an oath to avenge the death of my father. I may be half a man, but I swore a whole oath.”

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

The deceived will become the deceiver.

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

The betrayed will become the betrayer.

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

Will the usurped become the usurper?

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy.

Quote of the Day

He did not, however, speak. Some things lost strength or power when put into words because the words that contained them were inadequate.

- MICHELLE WEST, Sea of Sorrows

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

This series is awesome, folks! You can still get the first two volumes on sale, so don't miss out! =)

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (March 19th)

In hardcover:

Samantha Shannon's A Day of Fallen Night debuts at number 3. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Shannon Chakraborty's The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi debuts at number 8. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Stephen King's Fairy Tale is down one position, ending the week at number 13. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

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You can now download Joe Hill's 20th Century Ghosts for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

From the New York Times bestselling author of NOS4A2 and Horns comes this award-winning collection of short fiction.

Imogene is young, beautiful . . . and dead, waiting in the Rosebud Theater one afternoon in 1945. . . .

Francis was human once, but now he's an eight-foot-tall locust, and everyone in Calliphora will tremble when they hear him sing. . . .

John is locked in a basement stained with the blood of half a dozen murdered children, and an antique telephone, long since disconnected, rings at night with calls from the dead. . . .

Nolan knows but can never tell what really happened in the summer of '77, when his idiot savant younger brother built a vast cardboard fort with secret doors leading into other worlds. . . .

The past isn't dead. It isn't even past. . . .

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You can now download Kim Stanley Robinson's incredible The Years of Rice and Salt for only 4.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

With the same unique vision that brought his now classic Mars trilogy to vivid life, bestselling author Kim Stanley Robinson boldly imagines an alternate history of the last seven hundred years. In his grandest work yet, the acclaimed storyteller constructs a world vastly different from the one we know. . . .

“A thoughtful, magisterial alternate history from one of science fiction’s most important writers.”—The New York Times Book Review

It is the fourteenth century and one of the most apocalyptic events in human history is set to occur—the coming of the Black Death. History teaches us that a third of Europe’s population was destroyed. But what if the plague had killed 99 percent of the population instead? How would the world have changed? This is a look at the history that could have been—one that stretches across centuries, sees dynasties and nations rise and crumble, and spans horrible famine and magnificent innovation.

Through the eyes of soldiers and kings, explorers and philosophers, slaves and scholars, Robinson navigates a world where Buddhism and Islam are the most influential and practiced religions, while Christianity is merely a historical footnote. Probing the most profound questions as only he can, Robinson shines his extraordinary light on the place of religion, culture, power—and even love—in this bold New World.

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For a limited time only, you can get your hands on Swords and Deviltry, the first Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser book by Fritz Leiber, for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb for the first one:

Swords and Deviltry, the first book of Leiber’s landmark series, introduces us to a strange world where our two strangers find the familiar in themselves and discover the icy power of female magic. Three master-magician femme fatales and a sprightly lad illuminate the bonds between father and son, the relationship between the bravado of the imagination and the courage of fools. A hedge wizard explains the cold war between the sexes. Mouse and Fafhrd meet again and learn the truth of how Mouse became the Gray Mouser. Together they traverse the smoke and mirrors of Lankhmar learning more and more of the foggy world in which they live, mapping the sinister silent symptoms of the never-ending night smog. They follow the night smog’s relation to the region’s longing for larceny and the hazy opiate of vanity. Last but certainly not least, they experience the pleasures and pains of the City of Sevenscore Thousand Smokers that will lead them to countless more adventures and misadventures.

Quote of the Day

There were things about oneself that one should never have to face, but in order to reach the weapon, the killing force, one not only had to face them.

One had to become them.

- MICHELLE WEST, Sea of Sorrows

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Looks like this one will be another memorable read!

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You can now download Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's Dragons of Deceit for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman return to the unforgettable world of the New York Times bestselling Dragonlance series as a new heroine—desperate to restore her beloved father to life—sets off on a quest to change time.

Destina Rosethorn—as her name implies—believes herself to be a favored child of destiny. But when her father dies in the War of the Lance, she watches her carefully constructed world come crashing down. She loses not only her beloved father but also the legacy he has left her: the family lands and castle. To save her father, she hatches a bold plan—to go back in time and prevent his death.

First, she has to secure the Device of Time Journeying, last known to be in the possession of the spirited kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot. But to change time, she’ll need another magical artifact—the most powerful and dangerous artifact ever created. Destina’s quest takes her from the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin to the town of Solace and beyond, setting in motion a chain of disastrous events that threaten to divert the course of the River of Time, alter the past, and forever change the future.


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You can now download Anna Smith Spark's just released A Woman of the Sword for only 5.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

A Woman of the Sword is an epic fantasy seen through the eyes of an ordinary woman. Lidae is a daughter, a wife, a mother - and a great warrior born to fight. Her sword is hungry for killing, her right hand is red with blood.

War is very much a woman's business. But war is not kind to women. And war is not kind to mothers and their sons.


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You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Naomi Novik's Uprooted for only 1.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”

Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (March 12th)

In hardcover:
 
Stephen King's Fairy Tale is up four positions, ending the week at number 12. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

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You can now download Michelle Sagara West's Into the Dark Lands for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

This is the author's first series and it's not related to the Sun Sword and the House War sequences.

Here's the blurb:

War has its cost, and the Servants of the Bright Heart and the Servants of the Dark Heart have been locked in a struggle that has defined life—and death—for millennia. But the end is coming, and only the Lady who has served the Bright Heart for the whole of her immortal life has seen it, in a vision that spans time and demands the highest of prices.

Erin is a healer, and against the nature of her birthright she has learned to wield a sword and use it to bring death to the enemies of her people. Scarred by the losses that war always demands, she is the chosen champion of Light and the enemy of darkness.

But no magical sword or simple quest awaits Erin. Her journey and her doom lie in the Dark Heart’s stronghold, and in the hands of her people’s greatest enemy.

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You can now download Markus Heitz's The Dwarves for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

For countless millennia, the dwarves of the have defended the stone gateway into Girdlegard. Many and varied foes have hurled themselves against the portal and died attempting to breach it. No man or beast has ever succeeded. Until now. . .

Abandoned as a child, Tungdil the blacksmith labors contentedly in the land of Ionandar, the only dwarf in a kingdom of men. Although he does not want for friends, Tungdil is very much aware that he is alone -- indeed, he has not so much as set eyes on another dwarf. But all that is about to change.

Sent out into the world to deliver a message and reacquaint himself with his people, the young foundling finds himself thrust into a battle for which he has not been trained. Not only his own safety, but the life of every man, woman and child in Girdlegard depends upon his ability to embrace his heritage. Although he has many unanswered questions, Tungdil is certain of one thing: no matter where he was raised, he is a true dwarf.

And no one has ever questioned the courage of the Dwarves.


The Shining Court


Oh my God, this one was a doozy! If she keeps at it--and three books in it doesn't look as though she's planning to stop--I have a feeling that Michelle West's The Sun Sword will end up as one of my favorite fantasy series of all time!

As mentioned in my last review, The Broken Crown mostly worked as a vast introduction to a decidedly multilayered tale, while The Uncrowned King turned out to be a more self-contained novel. The second installment was not as sprawling as its predecessor, which by necessity needed to lay the groundwork for the rest of the series, for it focused on the King's Challenge and its far-reaching repercussions. This tighter focus made for an easier and more streamlined reading experience, but I did miss the Dominion plotlines of the first volume.

In The Shining Court, West elevates her game and starts to bring existing threads together. Even better, she introduces new storylines that add yet new layers to an already convoluted plot and further flesh out characters and their back stories. In the same way Steven Erikson's Memories of Ice and George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords marked pivotal turning points in their respective fantasy sagas, with The Shining Court Michelle West ups the ante and shows that she can swing with the best of them.

Here's the blurb:

IN THE DOMINION --

those allied with the demons of the Shining Court feared the bargain they'd made. For to the kialli betrayal was a way of life, and every action was a means to gain greater power. And as the Festival of the Moon approached, the demon kin began to prey upon those in the Tor Leonne. But more frightening than their presence was their "gift" for the Festival, masks created not by human craftsmen but by the kialli. Even the magic and knowledge of the greatest of the Dominion's Widan had been unable to discern what trap the masks contained--and time to discover and avert this menace was running out....

IN THE EMPIRE --

the armies were mobilizing for war. But before they carried the battle to the Dominion, Seer Jewel ATerafin would be forced to follow her own destiny. For what she'd seen in vision she could not deny. And so Jewel, with only Avander to guard her back, would abandon House Terafin on the eve of its greatest peril and journey into the darkness which was fast overshadowing the mortal lands....

AND AMONG THE VOYANI --

the moment had come to make their final stand against Allasakar, Lord of the Hells, for they alone had kept to the old ways, guarding the ancient knowledge. But hounded by their enemies, and with one of their greatest treasures hidden in the Tor Leonne, could they withstand the power of the Shining Court?


As was the case in the first two volumes, the worldbuilding continues to be exceptional. In my previous reviews, I mentioned that West had an eye for detail and that the imagery she creates leaps off the page at every turn. The same can be said of The Shining Court and then some. With yet more layers added with each new revelations, there is a depth to her universe that is akin to that of Tolkien, Erikson, and Bakker. That's really saying something! Bringing together plotlines from its predecessors, this third installment alternates between the Dominion and the Essalieyan Empire. Jewel's storyline takes us down an unexpected road that changes the game for that protagonist and likely sets the stage for the House War series. I loved the new dimension that adding the gipsy-like Voyani provided to the overall story arc. Forget about Robert Jordan's Tuatha'an. West's traveling people are badass men and women. Especially the Matriarchs, wise women bearing ancient secrets that may change the course of the coming war against the Lord of Night. In addition, we also get to see more of how the Shining Court operates and who the major players are. Michelle West has created a world that lives and breathes and I can't wait to discover what happens next. As mentioned before, with each new page, each new chapter, each new book, the author weaves a tapestry that is as complex as it is captivating.

Structurally, as it alternates between the Essalieyan Empire and the Dominion to begin with, but with the bulk of the rest of the tale occurring in the South, The Shining Court is more akin to The Broken Crown than the second volume. Add to that Jewel's visit to Evereve and its aftermath, as well as the sequences taking place in the Northern Wastes, and one could say that the story is all over the place. It is, no doubt about it. But other than the Evereve portions, which dragged for some reason, there was no such meanderings regarding the rest of the plotlines. If anything, though it is another sprawling book that covers a lot of plot threads and locales, it felt as though it was as tightly written as The Uncrowned King. It remains to be seen, but I have a feeling that The Shining Court will act as a transition novel bridging the events of the first two volumes and tying them together in a manner that will allow West to move the plot forward in a more streamlined fashion.

Once more, the characterization is amazing. À la Robin Hobb and Jacqueline Carey, somehow Michelle West comes up with yet more endearing and fascinating three-dimensional protagonists. It was a delight to be reacquainted with Serra Teresa and Serra Diora in the Dominion. They have made such an impression in The Broken Crown and I was curious to see what the fallout of those events would be. And yet, as important as these two women are and will continue to be, they were upstaged by the Voyani in this book. The Arkosa clan play an important role in The Shining Court, but I particularly enjoyed every scene featuring the four Matriarchs. I was impressed by how Michelle West fleshed them out and I'm looking forward to see how the Voyani storyline will play out. Of all the protagonists, it is doubtless Jewel that goes through the most character growth in this third volume. I liked how her relationship with Avandar evolved, even if it added a slew of mystical beings and supernatural creatures to the already Malazan-length Dramatis Personae of the Sun Sword series. Add to that new revelations about Kallandras, Avandar, Kiriel, the Shining Court, and the Voyani which offer more tantalizing hints of buried pasts and powers. Speaking of the Shining Court, I would have liked to see more of Anya, a deranged young woman who's also the most powerful mage seen in millennia. There is a childish aspect to her character that makes you feel for the poor girl.

It's no secret that Michelle West's beautiful prose has made quite an impression on me and The Shining Court is no different. It continues to be reminiscent of that of Guy Gavriel Kay and Jacqueline Carey. Having said that, the author remains quite verbose and repetitive, and hence many portions are overwritten. But with a story this good, I guess I got used to this quirk of hers and it doesn't really bother me anymore. As was the case with the first volume, there are some pacing issues. Especially with the Evereve sequence, which was much longer than it needed to be. Other than that, even though a few scenes can slow the overall rhythm of the novel, for the most part the tale that is The Shining Court moves at a good clip. Mind you, it's not a fast-paced work by any stretch of the imagination, but it makes for another compulsive reading experience.

Once again, Michelle West weaves the various threads of her story together and make them come together to form an exciting endgame. For the third time in a row, she caps it all off with the sort of panache that makes you beg for more. And as good as the previous finales turned out to be, the one with which West brings The Shining Court to a close is the best one yet!

Three books in, for my money Michelle West's The Sun Sword is the best speculative fiction work ever published by Daw Books. Yes, better than anything written by Tad Williams, C. S. Friedman, Patrick Rothfuss, and the rest! So get your hands on these books!

The final verdict: 9.5/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

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You can now download Andrea Stewart's The Bone Shard Daughter for only 2.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

The Bone Shard Daughter is an unmissable debut from a major new voice in epic fantasy — a stunning tale of magic, mystery, and revolution in which the former heir to the emperor will fight to reclaim her power and her place on the throne.

The emperor's reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands.

Lin is the emperor's daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright - and save her people.


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You can also get your hands on the digital edition of Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts' Daughter of the Empire, first installment in the excellent Empire trilogy, for only 5.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

An epic tale of adventure and intrigue, Daughter of the Empire is fantasy of the highest order by two of the most talented writers in the field today.

Magic and murder engulf the realm of Kelewan. Fierce warlords ignite a bitter blood feud to enslave the empire of Tsuranuanni. While in the opulent Imperial courts, assassins and spy-master plot cunning and devious intrigues against the rightful heir. Now Mara, a young, untested Ruling lady, is called upon to lead her people in a heroic struggle for survival. But first she must rally an army of rebel warriors, form a pact with the alien cho-ja, and marry the son of a hated enemy. Only then can Mara face her most dangerous foe of all—in his own impregnable stronghold.

Musical Interlude



Here's some Chemical Brothers to help kickstart your week!

Quote of the Day

While seasons turned upon their axes, while darkness attained its apex and ceded way to light, while warmth and joy and revelry abounded across the frostbitten land, the Cassiline Brotherhood maintained a fixed point around which all these things might revolve, as bright and remote as the stars in the night sky.

It was a proud place in which to abide.

But sometimes it was a lonely one, too. The ties that bound us were bonds of the spirit; there was no place in Cassiel's service for bonds of the heart.

Or at least so they told us.


- JACQUELINE CAREY, Cassiel's Servant. You can pre-order it by following this Amazon Associate link.

Oh boy, it feels good to be back in this universe! =)

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You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Sebastien de Castell's Traitor's Blade for only 3.16$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

The second and third volumes, Knight's Shadow and Saint's Blood, are 0.78$ each, while the fourth installment, Tyran't Throne is 3.99$. Which means that you can download the entire series for 8.71$!

Here's the blurb:

Falcio is the first Cantor of the Greatcoats. Trained in the fighting arts and the laws of Tristia, the Greatcoats are travelling Magisters upholding King’s Law. They are heroes. Or at least they were, until they stood aside while the Dukes took the kingdom, and impaled their King’s head on a spike.

Now Tristia is on the verge of collapse and the barbarians are sniffing at the borders. The Dukes bring chaos to the land, while the Greatcoats are scattered far and wide, reviled as traitors, their legendary coats in tatters.

All they have left are the promises they made to King Paelis, to carry out one final mission. But if they have any hope of fulfilling the King’s dream, the divided Greatcoats must reunite, or they will also have to stand aside as they watch their world burn…

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You can now get your hands on the excellent The Briar King by Greg Keyes for only 3.17$ by following this Amazon Associate link. This OneLink will take you to the nearest Amazon site serving your country and you'll see if you can take advantage of this sale.

Here's the blurb:

Two thousand years ago, the Born Queen defeated the Skasloi lords, freeing humans from the bitter yoke of slavery. But now monstrous creatures roam the land—and destinies become inextricably entangled in a drama of power and seduction. The king’s woodsman, a rebellious girl, a young priest, a roguish adventurer, and a young man made suddenly into a knight—all face malevolent forces that shake the foundations of the kingdom, even as the Briar King, legendary harbinger of death, awakens from his slumber. At the heart of this many-layered tale is Anne Dare, youngest daughter of the royal family . . . upon whom the fate of her world may depend.