The Bristling Wood

Since it took me forever to finally get to it, my main concern was that the Deverry series might not have aged well. But with both Daggerspell and Darkspell under my belt, I'm definitely digging the 80s/90s vibe of these books. So much so that I jumped into the fourth volume right after reading this one to complete the first story arc of Katharine Kerr's celtic fantasy saga.

The same caveat applies, however. In my previous reviews, I said that some readers might find the structure of the Deverry series to be a little off-putting. Since it follows a number of souls being reborn through the centuries, the original cast you get to know at the beginning of the novel gets replaced by a different bunch of characters after a few chapters. Given that reincarnation seems to be at the heart of the Deverry, this is something everyone needs to get used to, even if it can feel a little weird at times. It's a little less prevalent in The Bristling Wood, true, but a good chunk of the tale takes place in the past. Now that I have a better idea of what the overall plot will turn out to be, understandably I'm more interested in what's occurring in the present and it always feels a little jarring to be thrown back into the past to witness events featuring different reincarnations of the main protagonists. Having said that, though the whole storyline focusing on putting the right kind of man on the throne felt a bit superfluous, especially since it appears to have little bearing on the main plot, I did enjoy seeing the creation of the Silver Daggers.

Here's the blurb:

Against the passionate sweep of Deverrian history, the powerful wizard Nevyn has lived for centuries, atoning for the sins he committed in his youth. Now, with so much of his work at stake, Nevyn discovers that the Dark Council has been quietly interfering with the already tangled politics of war-torn Eldidd. Their evil webs are nearly spun before Nevyn, with all the power at his command, even realizes there’s a war of magic destroying his world.

Katharine Kerr’s enthralling tales Daggerspell and Darkspell introduced readers to the kingdom of Deverry, a world where ancient gods gamble with the fates of nations, and where the souls of men and women persist beyond death. Now the dazzling fantasy saga continues with The Bristling Wood, a vast and intricate tapestry of conflict, intrigue, and high magic that transcends the bounds of time and space.

As was the case with its predecessors, in The Bristling Wood Katharine Kerr's worldbuilding continues to be top notch. À la Katherine Kurtz and Kate Elliott, she has an eye for historical details and her portrayal of medieval Welsh/Celtic culture continues to bring this tale to life with a realism that makes everything feel genuine. We finally discover more about magic, the Wildfolk, the Westfolk, and all the other mysteries of the Deverry universe. Once again, these many revelations elevate the series to another level. I relished learning more about the elves and the coming of man upon the shores of Deverry. We learn more about the dweomer and its uses, about Bardek and the lands beyond Deverry, about the Old One, the dark masters, the Hawks of the Brotherhood and the other guilds, as well as their respective plans. In many ways, it's in this third installment that the story truly takes off.

Now that I've gotten used to the various reincarnations of the protagonists, the characterization wasn't as tricky it used to be. Initially, I figured that the core of the series would always focus on Nevyn's quest to right the wrongs he caused to the people he loved. After all, his task is to spend eternity correcting his mistakes so they can all fulfill their destiny. And every time she's reborn, Brangwen's soul must learn to wield and control the dweomer, or else Nevyn must wait for a new cycle to begin, hoping to find her and start anew. And yet, The Bristling Wood hints at a much bigger story arc, one in which Rhodry's elven heritage might take center stage. It will be interesting to see if that's the case or not. Jill, Rhodry, Cullyn, and Lovyan return in this third volume and the story progresses even more than it did in Darkspell. The whole mind/physical rape plotline endured by Jill took me by surprise and I'm curious to see where the author intends to go with that. It was also interesting to witness Brangwen being reborn as a man, even though Kerr didn't do much with that thread. This felt like a missed opportunity for me. Nevertheless, there is a lot of character growth in this one. I also enjoyed Salamander coming into his own as a protagonist, which adds a new dimension to the story.

As mentioned, the jumps through the timeline are not as discordant in The Bristling Wood. The pace flows extremely well throughout the novel and it felt as though Kerr finally found her stride. This one adds yet more layers to what is already an ambitious fantasy series, all the while keeping everything character-driven with a relatively small cast. The cliffhanger ending gave me no choice but to follow up with The Dragon Revenant as soon as I reached the last page. There was no way I could wait to find out what happens next!

As I said before, if you're looking for a complex old-school speculative fiction series featuring an interesting cast of characters, Katharine Kerr's Deverry series is definitely for you. And you can still download both Daggerspell and Darkspell for about 10$ via the link below to get started.

The final verdict: 7.75/10

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

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Mark Lawrence's The Girl and the Stars 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:

In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown.

On Abeth the vastness of the ice holds no room for individuals. Survival together is barely possible. No one survives alone.

To resist the cold, to endure the months of night when even the air itself begins to freeze, requires a special breed. Variation is dangerous, difference is fatal. And Yaz is not the same.

Yaz is torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her family, from the boy she thought she would spend her days with, and has to carve out a new path for herself in a world whose existence she never suspected. A world full of difference and mystery and danger.

Yaz learns that Abeth is older and stranger than she had ever imagined. She learns that her weaknesses are another kind of strength. And she learns to challenge the cruel arithmetic of survival that has always governed her people.

Only when it’s darkest you can see the stars.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Bradley Beaulieu's The Lays of Anuskaya: The Complete Trilogy for only 5.99$ by following this Amazon Associate link. That's 2224 pages of awesome for not even 6$! =) 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:

Among inhospitable and unforgiving seas stands Khalakovo, a mountainous archipelago of seven islands, its prominent eyrie stretching a thousand feet into the sky. Serviced by windships bearing goods and dignitaries, Khalakovo’s eyrie stands at the crossroads of world trade. But all is not well in Khalakovo. Conflict has erupted between the ruling Landed, the indigenous Aramahn, and the fanatical Maharraht, and a wasting disease has grown rampant over the past decade. Now, Khalakovo is to play host to the Nine Dukes, a meeting which will weigh heavily upon Khalakovo’s future.

When an elemental spirit attacks an incoming windship, murdering the Grand Duke and his retinue, Prince Nikandr, heir to the scepter of Khalakovo, is tasked with finding the child prodigy believed to be behind the summoning. However, Nikandr discovers that the boy is an autistic savant who may hold the key to lifting the blight that has been sweeping the islands. Can the Dukes, thirsty for revenge, be held at bay? Can Khalakovo be saved? The elusive answer drifts upon the Winds of Khalakovo…

This omnibus edition of The Lays of Anuskaya is comprised of the following novels:
The Winds of Khalakovo
The Straits of Galahesh
The Flames of Shadam Khoreh

Also included are the following two Lays of Anuskaya novellas:
“To the Towers of Tulandan”
“Prima”

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download William Gibson's Count Zero 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:

A stylish, street smart, frighteningly probable parable of the future from the visionary, New York Times bestselling author of Neuromancer and Agency.

A corporate mercenary wakes in a reconstructed body, a beautiful woman by his side. Then Hosaka Corporation reactivates him, for a mission more dangerous than the one he’s recovering from: to get a defecting chief of R&D—and the biochip he’s perfected—out intact. But this proves to be of supreme interest to certain other parties—some of whom aren’t remotely human...

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (October 20th)

In hardcover:

Sarah A. Parker's When the Moon Hatched debuts at number 2. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Rebecca Yarros' Iron Flame is down four positions, ending the week at number 10. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Abigail Owen's The Games Gods Play is down two spots, finishing the week at number 13. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

In paperback:

Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing is down one position, ending the week at number 2. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses is down two positions, ending the week at number 5. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Mist and Fury is up three positions, ending the week at number 8. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Wings and Ruin returns at number 13. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download K. J. Parker's The Devil You Know 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 greatest philosopher of all time is offering to sell his soul to the Devil. All he wants is twenty more years to complete his life’s work. After that, he really doesn’t care.

But the assistant demon assigned to the case has his suspicions, because the philosopher is Saloninus–the greatest philosopher, yes, but also the greatest liar, trickster and cheat the world has yet known; the sort of man even the Father of Lies can’t trust.

He’s almost certainly up to something; but what?

"Parker generates a fair degree of suspense... an accomplished performance." -- Gary K. Wolfe (for Locus Magazine)

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can also get your hands on the digital edition of Tolkien's The Fall of Gondolin 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:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In the Tale of The Fall of Gondolin are two of the greatest powers in the world. There is Morgoth of the uttermost evil, unseen in this story but ruling over a vast military power from his fortress of Angband. Deeply opposed to Morgoth is Ulmo, second in might only to Manwë, chief of the Valar: he is called the Lord of Waters, of all seas, lakes, and rivers under the sky. But he works in secret in Middle-earth to support the Noldor, the kindred of the Elves among whom were numbered Húrin and Túrin Turambar.

Central to this enmity of the gods is the city of Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable. It was built and peopled by Noldorin Elves who, when they dwelt in Valinor, the land of the gods, rebelled against their rule and fled to Middle-earth. Turgon King of Gondolin is hated and feared above all his enemies by Morgoth, who seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city, while the gods in Valinor in heated debate largely refuse to intervene in support of Ulmo’s desires and designs.

Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, the instrument of Ulmo’s designs. Guided unseen by him Tuor sets out from the land of his birth on the fearful journey to Gondolin, and in one of the most arresting moments in the history of Middle-earth the sea-god himself appears to him, rising out of the ocean in the midst of a storm. In Gondolin he becomes great; he is wedded to Idril, Turgon’s daughter, and their son is Eärendel, whose birth and profound importance in days to come is foreseen by Ulmo.

At last comes the terrible ending. Morgoth learns through an act of supreme treachery all that he needs to mount a devastating attack on the city, with Balrogs and dragons and numberless Orcs. After a minutely observed account of the fall of Gondolin, the tale ends with the escape of Túrin and Idril, with the child Eärendel, looking back from a cleft in the mountains as they flee southward, at the blazing wreckage of their city. They were journeying into a new story, the Tale of Eärendel, which Tolkien never wrote, but which is sketched out in this book from other sources.

Following his presentation of Beren and Lúthien Christopher Tolkien has used the same ‘history in sequence’ mode in the writing of this edition of The Fall of Gondolin. In the words of J.R.R. Tolkien, it was ‘the first real story of this imaginary world’ and, together with Beren and Lúthien and The Children of Húrin, he regarded it as one of the three ‘Great Tales’ of the Elder Days.

You can also download Daryl Gregory's Revelator for only 1.99$ here.

Here's the blurb:

In 1933, nine-year-old Stella is left in the care of her grandmother, Motty, in the backwoods of Tennessee. The mountains are home to dangerous secrets, and soon after she arrives, Stella wanders into a dark cavern where she encounters the family's personal god, an entity known as the Ghostdaddy.

Years later, after a tragic incident that caused her to flee, Stella—now a professional bootlegger—returns for Motty's funeral, and to check on the mysterious ten-year-old girl named Sunny that Motty adopted. Sunny appears innocent enough, but she is more powerful than Stella could imagine—and she’s a direct link to Stella's buried past and her family's destructive faith.

Haunting and wholly engrossing, summoning mesmerizing voices and giving shape to the dark, Revelator is a southern gothic tale for the ages.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Miles Cameron's Deep Black for only 0.99$ 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 a blurb:

Marca Nbaro had always dreamed of serving aboard the Greatships, with their vast cargo holds and a crew that could fill a city.

They are the lifeblood of human-occupied space, transporting an unimaginable volume - and value - of goods from City, the greatest human orbital, all the way to Tradepoint at the other, to trade for xenoglas with an unknowable alien species.

And now, out in the darkness of space, something is targeting them.

Nbaro and her friends are close to locating their enemy, in this gripping sequel to the award-nominated Artifact Space, but they are running out of time - and their allies are running out of patience . . .

Written by one of the most exciting new voices in SF, this space thriller will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of China Miéville's The Scar 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 a blurb:

A mythmaker of the highest order, China Miéville has emblazoned the fantasy novel with fresh language, startling images, and stunning originality. Set in the same sprawling world of Miéville’s Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning novel, Perdido Street Station, this latest epic introduces a whole new cast of intriguing characters and dazzling creations.

Aboard a vast seafaring vessel, a band of prisoners and slaves, their bodies remade into grotesque biological oddities, is being transported to the fledgling colony of New Crobuzon. But the journey is not theirs alone. They are joined by a handful of travelers, each with a reason for fleeing the city. Among them is Bellis Coldwine, a renowned linguist whose services as an interpreter grant her passage—and escape from horrific punishment. For she is linked to Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin, the brilliant renegade scientist who has unwittingly unleashed a nightmare upon New Crobuzon.

For Bellis, the plan is clear: live among the new frontiersmen of the colony until it is safe to return home. But when the ship is besieged by pirates on the Swollen Ocean, the senior officers are summarily executed. The surviving passengers are brought to Armada, a city constructed from the hulls of pirated ships, a floating, landless mass ruled by the bizarre duality called the Lovers. On Armada, everyone is given work, and even Remades live as equals to humans, Cactae, and Cray. Yet no one may ever leave.

Lonely and embittered in her captivity, Bellis knows that to show dissent is a death sentence. Instead, she must furtively seek information about Armada’s agenda. The answer lies in the dark, amorphous shapes that float undetected miles below the waters—terrifying entities with a singular, chilling mission. . . .

China Miéville is a writer for a new era—and The Scar is a luminous, brilliantly imagined novel that is nothing short of spectacular.

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from China Miéville’s Embassytown.

The Devils

Needless to say, I was giddy at the thought of getting an early read of Joe Abercrombie's newest novel months before its pub date. The Age of Madness trilogy was pretty bleak, even by the author's standards. Lord Grimdark is not known for his romantasy or cozy fantasy works and it's safe to say that his last series truly delivered on the grimdark front. From the blurb, it appeared that Abercrombie went for a more humorous style and tone for this new one and I for one was looking forward to that. As mentioned in my review of The Wisdom of Crowds, I felt that it was a bit too high-handed with the social commentary and a bit overdone with Judge's cruelty and the Great Change in general.

The Devils is indeed a more fun and entertaining novel. Not a light read per se, but lighter than what Abercrombie has accustomed to with the First Law books. Sure, the narrative is snarky and filled with jokes and hilarious scenes, but à la Abercrombie there is nevertheless plenty of blood and gore to go along with the "lighter" elements of the tale. I doubt that The Devils will end up on the ballot for the World Fantasy Award, yet I can assure you that it's the most fun you'll have reading SFF in 2025!

Here's the blurb:

A brand-new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie, featuring a notorious band of anti-heroes on a delightfully bloody and raucous journey.

Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds.

Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters. The mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends.

Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it's a good thing Brother Diaz has the devils on his side.

It's difficult to judge how good/bad the worldbuilding is. As was the case with The Blade Itself, Abercrombie doesn't reveal a whole lot about this alternate Europe and the rest of the world. Perhaps subsequent installments will flesh out the world a bit more, as was the case with the First Law trilogy. But that remains to be seen. The author keeps his cards rather close to his chest in this first volume and only provides enough information so that readers can follow what's going on. The Devils is set in a universe where the great Roman Empire, the one that ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, never came to be. Rome was conquered by Carthage and became part of its empire, until Carthage was swalloed by the opening of a gate to Hell that went terribly wrong. There is a schism between the Church of the West, which is matriarchal and follows the Saviour (who was a woman), and the Church of the East, which patriarchal and follows the Father of the Saviour. There is no Muslim/Islam analog, for some reason. The Holy Land is occupied by elves, against whom the Crusades were fought. Prophecies seem to indicate that the elves will return once more to destroy the world, which is why something must be done to reconcile the Church under one creed so that the elven menace can be faced by a united front.

Brother Diaz, a craven monk with little to recommend him, is summoned to the Holy City, where he's press-ganged into becoming the head of the Chapel of the Holy Expediency. Though it goes against its precepts, the Church understands that sometimes one must fight fire with fire. As stated in the cover blurb, holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds. The Chapel of the Holy Expediency is comprised of evil elements that should have been put to death. Instead of being burned at the stake, they were given the opportunity to atone for their crimes by serving Her Holiness. A lost scion of  the royal family of Troy has been found. Brother Diaz and his flock must return her to the fabled city of splendors so she can ascend the Serpent Throne, and in so doing perhaps heal the rift and reunite the Eastern and the Western branches of the Church. The problem is that everyone with a claim to the crown will stop at nothing to kill the girl and ascend the Serpent Throne. And Troy is a long way from Rome. To make matters worse, all Brother Diaz has to rely on are the street urchin who is to somehow become empress, a cursed Knight Templar, a geriatric vampire, a jack-of-all-trades woman who's seen it all, a supposedly flesh-eating elf, a self-important necromancer, and a sex-crazed Norse female werewolf. What can possibly go wrong along the way? Why everything, of course!

It's obvious that Abercrombie decided that he was going to have fun writing this one, so buckle up because this is going to be one heck of a ride. Forget about the dark and dismal atmosphere of the Age of Madness, The Devils will have you chuckling and then laughing out loud in basically every single chapter. As is the author's wont, characterization remains this novel's best facet. Everyone gets a POV other than Baptiste, which makes me wonder why. This is another character-driven effort and Abercrombie sure came up with a motley crew of flawed men and women. Understandably, Alex, would-be Empress of the East if they can somehow survive this shit show and reach Troy and put her on the throne, is sort of the main protagonist. I say sort of because there is a nice balance between most of the perspectives and everyone shares the limelight. And though I've more or less enjoyed everyone's POV, with the exception of Vigga who was always a bit over-the-top for my liking, I have to admit that Balthazar Sham Ivam Draxi is probably my favorite Abercrombie protagonist other than the inimitable Sand dan Glokta. True, these characters are not always the sharpest tools in the shed, but they each get their moment to shine and it's nice to see that each dog has its day. In true Abercrombie fashion, the author plays with our expectations and pulls the rug from under our feet a number of times. Even with a more humorous style and tone, Joe Abercrombie will always be Joe Abercrombie.

Having said that, I do believe that he went a bit overboard with the jokes and the snarky bits. And yet, to be honest, The Devils is that kind of work. It's meant to be a fun and thrilling ride and this is exactly what it is. Some sequences move more fluidly than others, yet pace is never really an issue. Some scenes only seem to exist for comedic purposes and don't necessarily add much to the story itself, true. But who cares in the end? You're having a good time from the first to the very last page.

Mark your calendar. The Devils is sure to be a hit next spring!

The final verdict: 8/10

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

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download John Scalzi's Starter Villain 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 a blurb:

Now a New York Times bestseller!

Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place.

Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan.

Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can also get your hands on the digital edition of William Gibson's Virtual Light 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:

2005: Welcome to NoCal and SoCal, the uneasy sister-states of what used to be California. Here the millenium has come and gone, leaving in its wake only stunned survivors. In Los Angeles, Berry Rydell is a former armed-response rentacop now working for a bounty hunter. Chevette Washington is a bicycle messenger turned pickpocket who impulsively snatches a pair of innocent-looking sunglasses. But these are no ordinary shades. What you can see through these high-tech specs can make you rich--or get you killed. Now Berry and Chevette are on the run, zeroing in on the digitalized heart of DatAmerica, where pure information is the greatest high. And a mind can be a terrible thing to crash...

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of Beth Revis' Full Speed to a Crash Landing 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:

Ada Lamarr may have gotten to the spaceship wreck first, but looter’s rights won’t get her far when she’s got a hole in the side of her ship and her spacesuit is almost out of air. Fortunately for her, help arrives in the form of a government salvage crew—and while they reluctantly rescue her from certain death, they are not pleased to have an unexpected passenger along on their classified mission.

But Ada doesn’t care—all that matters to her is enjoying their fine food and sweet, sweet oxygen—until Rian White, the government agent in charge, starts to suspect that there’s more to Ada than meets the eye. He’s not wrong—but he’s so pretty that Ada is perfectly happy to keep him paying attention to her—at least until she can complete the job she was sent to pull off. But as quick as Ada is, Rian might be quicker—and she may not be entirely sure who’s manipulating who until it’s too late…

A phenomenally fun novella that kicks off a trilogy of sexy space heists and romantic tension, Full Speed to a Crash Landing is packed with great characters and full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.

This week's New York Times Bestsellers (October 13th)

In hardcover:

Rebecca Yarros' Iron Flame is up three positions, ending the week at number 6. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

TJ Klune's Somewhere Beyond the Sea is down three positions, ending the week at number 8. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Abigail Owen's The Games Gods Play is down five spots, finishing the week at number 11. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

In paperback:

Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing mtaintains its position at number 1. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses maintains its position at number 3. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Mist and Fury is down four positions, ending the week at number 11. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Raven Kennedy's Goldfinch debuts at number 14. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

Stephen King's Holly maintains its position at number 15. For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne 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:

WINNER OF THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2021 BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKLIST, AND THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

A ruthless princess and a powerful priestess come together to rewrite the fate of an empire in this “fiercely and unapologetically feminist tale of endurance and revolution set against a gorgeous, unique magical world” (S. A. Chakraborty, author of the The City of Brass).

Exiled by her despotic brother, princess Malini spends her days dreaming of vengeance while imprisoned in the Hirana: an ancient cliffside temple that was once the revered source of the magical deathless waters but is now little more than a decaying ruin.

The secrets of the Hirana call to Priya. But in order to keep the truth of her past safely hidden, she works as a servant in the loathed regent’s household and cleaning Malini’s chambers.

When Malini witnesses Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a ruthless princess seeking to steal a throne. The other a powerful priestess desperate to save her family. Together, they will set an empire ablaze.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download James Logan's The Silverblood Promise 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:

Lukan Gardova is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and—thanks to a duel that ended badly—the disgraced heir to an ancient noble house. His days consist of cheap wine, rigged card games, and wondering how he might win back the life he threw away.

When Lukan discovers that his estranged father has been murdered in strange circumstances, he finds fresh purpose. Deprived of his chance to make amends for his mistakes, he vows to unravel the mystery behind his father's death.

His search for answers leads him to Saphrona, fabled city of merchant princes, where anything can be bought if one has the coin. Lukan only seeks the truth, but instead he finds danger and secrets in every shadow.

For in Saphrona, everything has a price—and the price of truth is the deadliest of all.

You can download Justin Cronin's international bestseller, The Passage, 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 a blurb:

'It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.'

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear - of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he's done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey - spanning miles and decades - towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

With The Passage, award-winning author Justin Cronin has written both a relentlessly suspenseful adventure and an epic chronicle of human endurance in the face of unprecedented catastrophe and unimaginable danger. Its inventive storytelling, masterful prose, and depth of human insight mark it as a crucial and transcendent work of modern fiction.

You can also download Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising 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:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Discover Thrawn’s origins within the Chiss Ascendancy in the first book in an epic new Star Wars trilogy from bestselling author Timothy Zahn.

Beyond the edge of the galaxy lies the Unknown Regions: chaotic, uncharted, and near impassable, with hidden secrets and dangers in equal measure. And nestled within its swirling chaos is the Ascendancy, home to the enigmatic Chiss and the Nine Ruling Families that lead them.

The peace of the Ascendancy, a beacon of calm and stability, is shattered after a daring attack on the Chiss capital that leaves no trace of the enemy. Baffled, the Ascendancy dispatches one of its brightest young military officers to root out the unseen assailants. A recruit born of no title, but adopted into the powerful family of the Mitth and given the name Thrawn.

With the might of the Expansionary Fleet at his back, and the aid of his comrade Admiral Ar’alani, answers begin to fall into place. But as Thrawn’s first command probes deeper into the vast stretch of space his people call the Chaos, he realizes that the mission he has been given is not what it seems.

And the threat to the Ascendancy is only just beginning.

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now get your hands on the digital edition of David Weber's On Basilik Station for free 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:

INTRODUCING
HONOR HARRINGTON

Having made him look a fool, she's been exiled to Basilisk Station in disgrace and set up for ruin by a superior who hates her.

Her demoralized crew blames her for their ship's humiliating posting to an out-of-the-way picket station.

The aborigines of the system's only habitable planet are smoking homicide-inducing hallucinogens.

Parliament isn't sure it wants to keep the place; the major local industry is smuggling; the merchant cartels want her head; the star-conquering, so-called "Republic" of Haven is Up To Something; and Honor Harrington has a single, over-age light cruiser with an armament that doesn't work to police the entire star system.

But the people out to get her have made one mistake. They've made her mad.

At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (DRM Rights Management).

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Joanne Bertin's The Last Dragonlord 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:

Dragonlord Linden Rathan, last-born of a race of immortal weredragons, has spent six hundred years alone, searching for his soultwin while his fellow Dragonlords watch over humanity’s Five Kingdoms.

When the Queen of Cassori dies mysteriously, Linden and the other Dragonlords are called upon to prevent civil war as two human claimants vie for the regency. As the battle for Cassori rule escalates, Linden becomes the target of the Fellowship, a secret society of true-humans who could actually destroy his immortal life.

Then he meets a beautiful young ship captain named Maurynna who may be the only one who can help Linden bring Cassori back from the brink of chaos. The Last Dragonlord is the debut novel in Joanne Bertin’s acclaimed Dragonlord series.

You can also download Greg Bear's Eon for only 1.99$ here.

Here's the blurb:

In a supernova flash, the asteroid arrived and entered Earth’s orbit. Three hundred kilometers in length, it is not solid rock but a series of hollowed-out chambers housing ancient, abandoned cities of human origin, a civilization named Thistledown. The people who lived there survived a nuclear holocaust that nearly rendered humanity extinct—more than a thousand years from now.

To prevent this future from coming to pass, theoretical mathematician Patricia Vasquez must explore Thistledown and decipher its secret history. But what she discovers is an even greater mystery, a tunnel that exists beyond the physical dimensions of the asteroid. Called the Way, it leads to the home of humanity’s descendants, and to a conflict greater than the impending war between Earth’s superpowers over the fate of the asteroid, in “the grandest work yet” by Nebula Award–winning author Greg Bear (Locus).

More inexpensive ebook goodies!

You can now download Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World 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.

The three next installments, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, and The Shadow Rising are also on sale.

Here's the blurb:

The Wheel of Time ® is a PBS Great American Read Selection! Now in development for TV!

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. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

When The Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs—a savage tribe of half-men, half-beasts— five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.