Order The Liminal People over HERE
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I was raised on comic books. I read them and reread them dozens of times until they fell apart. I remember the look my parents gave me when I told them that I wanted to be an X-Man once I grow up. I guess they wanted a different career for me. And yet all I wanted to do was to go to X-Mansion , hang out with superpowered kids and go on adventures. Sure, I had some backup plans, but this was my dream.
Sadly, things didn’t go as planned. As I’m not gifted with omega level mutant power, I finished as an HR Consultant and part-time yoga teacher. Not exactly Wolverine. Heck, not even Cypher who's the lamest X-men ever.
I accepted my fate. If one day, I grow claws and teleport myself to Paris to grab a coffee and a croissant for breakfast, I’ll let you know. For now, though, I still enjoy superheroes, especially the ones with the mutant superpowers. I still follow some comic book series, but I have an impression that Marvel lost a sense of direction a bit.
As books were always my true love, I’ve been trying to find good books about superheroes. I loved The Rook by Daniel O’Malley, but couldn’t get into most books in the genre. And I tried and tried more than few times in recent years.
That's why I didn’t expect much when starting The Liminal People. The cover isn’t exactly exciting, and there’s little information about the book in virtual communities I visit while looking for recommendations. After finishing The Liminal People I can say that it’s one of the best books I read this year. Not the best, but it hits all the right spots. It’s ultra-violent but also layered and complex.
Meet Taggert: "The woman with the smell of donkey sausage on her hands behind me has broken two bones in her life. Ten people have hypertension. Five people are drunk. I’m swimming in their biorhythms."
He’s one of the Liminal People - folks with supernatural powers. Some of them go mad or borderline schizo, while others secretly run large portions of the world. Taggert serves Nardeen Maximus – a terrifying crime lord with mysterious powers. Taggert is a healer. He can perform ten thousand dollars’ worth of dental work in a blink of an eye. He’s able to heal cancer and rebuild himself after being cut into pieces. He can also burn your liver and intestines with lactic acid, turn your stomach into a Swiss cheese-like membrane and fill it with the remains of your bone marrow. He can make you allergic to your blood. The extent of his powers is terrifying, and the author describes them and their applications in vivid, visual and convincing ways. In short, it's better to keep on his right side.
One day he receives a call from the only woman he ever loved. Her daughter is missing. She asks Taggert for help. He risks the wrath of his master to try and save Yasmine’s daughter. It soon becomes apparent the daughter has more power than anyone could imagine. She’s a teenager feeling lost and insecure; her skills make her a killing – machine. Explosive combination. Taggert will have to question a lot of things and go through lots of trauma to keep the girl safe. Taggert is, by nature, impulsive and obsessive. The book is told from his perspective, and it makes good use of his limitations and his nature. While Taggert is quite bright, he doesn’t really understand everything he sees and what’s happening around him. He narrates events but sometimes isn’t the fastest on the uptake and connecting facts. His voice is quite emotional. There’s some underlying dark humour but don’t expect anything a la Abercrombie.
The world building is introduced exclusively through Taggert’s viewpoint. As a result, we don’t get all the answers we would like to get – for example, why do some people have powers or if they’re gods? Despite this, Taggert’s voice is engaging, intimate and intense. It’s one of few books in which I didn’t mind that some loose ends remained loose. It leaves a place for speculation. I’m okay with it.
The prose is interesting. It’ll appeal to some, but for others, it may be difficult to digest. It’s most creative, visual and robust, but at times it becomes a bit melodramatic. Some similes are over-the-top or purplish. Here’s an example:
"Yasmine’s voice sends my heart into spasms again. Cayenne-flavored honey. Extended vowels to cover a slight lisp. Well-manicured teeth massaged by a tongue that’s mastered so many languages she gets them confused in casual conversations."
It’s important to note Taggert isn’t a noble hero. He’s a killer. When he’s furious, anger and rage fill his thoughts and as readers we experience these outbursts vividly. Here’s Taggert raging:
"I didn't just feel it; I recorded each and every sensation. I can replicate each one. I will. I'll play it back plus ten for the bastard that caused my love to fall. And before they go down, I'll wet the concrete with their brain matter. I'll explode their marrow out of their bones and make a mess of their capillaries. I'll make a paste of their eyes, I promise. I'll make them bleed from their ears and turn their digestive system against them. They'll digest their own organs. I'll increase their pain receptors so that their clothes feel like sandpaper. I'll make their own breath sound like a DC-10 is landing in their chest. I'll fill their lungs with every excessive fluid in their body I can find. I'll make a decomposing mess of them, I swear I will. They'll pray to gods they don't believe in for the pain to end before I explode each taste bud in their mouth and inflame their genitals with the stray parasites they immune system usually fights off."
Nice bloke, right?
I liked the way villains and side-characters were written. Apart from one character who’s rotten to the bone, other are complex and morally ambiguous. I like grey tones as they sustain the gritty and haunting atmosphere that’s both thrilling and horrifying. The heroes and villains dance the line between humans and gods. The powers displayed in the book are nothing new in concept, but the way they are applied is creative and convincing. The prose helps to feel how it would be to experience them in gritty details:
"Since I’m at a toilet I vomit up sixty-five pounds, making sure to check my discharge for too much stomach acids. I just need to lose the pounds, not my voice."
Suddenly, shape-shifting sounds less fun.
CONCLUSION: The Liminal People is a fantastic novel about superheroes that touches many vital subjects (family, race, faith) in an entertaining and moving way. The prose is very vivid and, for me, it made this tale. The strength isn’t in the plot that’s relatively easy to predict but in the voice of the narrator with all his emotions and phobias present in the language. The book is violent, and some of the body's transformations performed by Taggert may hunt you for a long time. I highly recommend it to all X-Men aspirants.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I was raised on comic books. I read them and reread them dozens of times until they fell apart. I remember the look my parents gave me when I told them that I wanted to be an X-Man once I grow up. I guess they wanted a different career for me. And yet all I wanted to do was to go to X-Mansion , hang out with superpowered kids and go on adventures. Sure, I had some backup plans, but this was my dream.
Sadly, things didn’t go as planned. As I’m not gifted with omega level mutant power, I finished as an HR Consultant and part-time yoga teacher. Not exactly Wolverine. Heck, not even Cypher who's the lamest X-men ever.
I accepted my fate. If one day, I grow claws and teleport myself to Paris to grab a coffee and a croissant for breakfast, I’ll let you know. For now, though, I still enjoy superheroes, especially the ones with the mutant superpowers. I still follow some comic book series, but I have an impression that Marvel lost a sense of direction a bit.
As books were always my true love, I’ve been trying to find good books about superheroes. I loved The Rook by Daniel O’Malley, but couldn’t get into most books in the genre. And I tried and tried more than few times in recent years.
That's why I didn’t expect much when starting The Liminal People. The cover isn’t exactly exciting, and there’s little information about the book in virtual communities I visit while looking for recommendations. After finishing The Liminal People I can say that it’s one of the best books I read this year. Not the best, but it hits all the right spots. It’s ultra-violent but also layered and complex.
Meet Taggert: "The woman with the smell of donkey sausage on her hands behind me has broken two bones in her life. Ten people have hypertension. Five people are drunk. I’m swimming in their biorhythms."
He’s one of the Liminal People - folks with supernatural powers. Some of them go mad or borderline schizo, while others secretly run large portions of the world. Taggert serves Nardeen Maximus – a terrifying crime lord with mysterious powers. Taggert is a healer. He can perform ten thousand dollars’ worth of dental work in a blink of an eye. He’s able to heal cancer and rebuild himself after being cut into pieces. He can also burn your liver and intestines with lactic acid, turn your stomach into a Swiss cheese-like membrane and fill it with the remains of your bone marrow. He can make you allergic to your blood. The extent of his powers is terrifying, and the author describes them and their applications in vivid, visual and convincing ways. In short, it's better to keep on his right side.
One day he receives a call from the only woman he ever loved. Her daughter is missing. She asks Taggert for help. He risks the wrath of his master to try and save Yasmine’s daughter. It soon becomes apparent the daughter has more power than anyone could imagine. She’s a teenager feeling lost and insecure; her skills make her a killing – machine. Explosive combination. Taggert will have to question a lot of things and go through lots of trauma to keep the girl safe. Taggert is, by nature, impulsive and obsessive. The book is told from his perspective, and it makes good use of his limitations and his nature. While Taggert is quite bright, he doesn’t really understand everything he sees and what’s happening around him. He narrates events but sometimes isn’t the fastest on the uptake and connecting facts. His voice is quite emotional. There’s some underlying dark humour but don’t expect anything a la Abercrombie.
The world building is introduced exclusively through Taggert’s viewpoint. As a result, we don’t get all the answers we would like to get – for example, why do some people have powers or if they’re gods? Despite this, Taggert’s voice is engaging, intimate and intense. It’s one of few books in which I didn’t mind that some loose ends remained loose. It leaves a place for speculation. I’m okay with it.
The prose is interesting. It’ll appeal to some, but for others, it may be difficult to digest. It’s most creative, visual and robust, but at times it becomes a bit melodramatic. Some similes are over-the-top or purplish. Here’s an example:
"Yasmine’s voice sends my heart into spasms again. Cayenne-flavored honey. Extended vowels to cover a slight lisp. Well-manicured teeth massaged by a tongue that’s mastered so many languages she gets them confused in casual conversations."
It’s important to note Taggert isn’t a noble hero. He’s a killer. When he’s furious, anger and rage fill his thoughts and as readers we experience these outbursts vividly. Here’s Taggert raging:
"I didn't just feel it; I recorded each and every sensation. I can replicate each one. I will. I'll play it back plus ten for the bastard that caused my love to fall. And before they go down, I'll wet the concrete with their brain matter. I'll explode their marrow out of their bones and make a mess of their capillaries. I'll make a paste of their eyes, I promise. I'll make them bleed from their ears and turn their digestive system against them. They'll digest their own organs. I'll increase their pain receptors so that their clothes feel like sandpaper. I'll make their own breath sound like a DC-10 is landing in their chest. I'll fill their lungs with every excessive fluid in their body I can find. I'll make a decomposing mess of them, I swear I will. They'll pray to gods they don't believe in for the pain to end before I explode each taste bud in their mouth and inflame their genitals with the stray parasites they immune system usually fights off."
Nice bloke, right?
I liked the way villains and side-characters were written. Apart from one character who’s rotten to the bone, other are complex and morally ambiguous. I like grey tones as they sustain the gritty and haunting atmosphere that’s both thrilling and horrifying. The heroes and villains dance the line between humans and gods. The powers displayed in the book are nothing new in concept, but the way they are applied is creative and convincing. The prose helps to feel how it would be to experience them in gritty details:
"Since I’m at a toilet I vomit up sixty-five pounds, making sure to check my discharge for too much stomach acids. I just need to lose the pounds, not my voice."
Suddenly, shape-shifting sounds less fun.
CONCLUSION: The Liminal People is a fantastic novel about superheroes that touches many vital subjects (family, race, faith) in an entertaining and moving way. The prose is very vivid and, for me, it made this tale. The strength isn’t in the plot that’s relatively easy to predict but in the voice of the narrator with all his emotions and phobias present in the language. The book is violent, and some of the body's transformations performed by Taggert may hunt you for a long time. I highly recommend it to all X-Men aspirants.
12:01 AM | 
Posted by
The Reader |
So with all hoopla and fanfare, SPFBO 2017 came to a close last Wednesday and we had a winner. WHERE LOYALTIES LIE by Rob J. Hayes beat 299 other entries to claim the Selfie stick for its writer. I’m sure Rob was over the moon and considering what horrid experiences he had to go through to get these books published (read more about it over HERE, HERE, HERE, & HERE). I can only imagine this must be a sweet sort of vindication.
I was glad to first discover Rob back in 2013 when I happened upon his debut trilogy titled The Ties That Bind. 2013 was a tough year for me personally as my dad’s cancer spiraled into a lot of complications. Things were pretty crazy for months and I wasn’t able to read anything during that stressful time. One weekend though I happened up a book titled The Heresy Within, it had a horrible cover but the excerpt hooked me and I bought the book. By the time Monday rolled over, I had finished the trilogy and was actively hunting for the author, an unknown dude by the name of Rob J. Hayes.
Since the last five years I’ve only gotten to know him better and watched him write amazing books. He’s had some rough dips thanks to unscrupulous smalltime publishers but he’s bounced back (with some lingering headaches) but this win is an immense one.
I asked Rob if he would mind to answer a few questions and he graciously agreed. So read ahead to know more about Rob’s pirates, state of mind and which titles really had him biting his nails:
I was glad to first discover Rob back in 2013 when I happened upon his debut trilogy titled The Ties That Bind. 2013 was a tough year for me personally as my dad’s cancer spiraled into a lot of complications. Things were pretty crazy for months and I wasn’t able to read anything during that stressful time. One weekend though I happened up a book titled The Heresy Within, it had a horrible cover but the excerpt hooked me and I bought the book. By the time Monday rolled over, I had finished the trilogy and was actively hunting for the author, an unknown dude by the name of Rob J. Hayes.
Since the last five years I’ve only gotten to know him better and watched him write amazing books. He’s had some rough dips thanks to unscrupulous smalltime publishers but he’s bounced back (with some lingering headaches) but this win is an immense one.
I asked Rob if he would mind to answer a few questions and he graciously agreed. So read ahead to know more about Rob’s pirates, state of mind and which titles really had him biting his nails:
Q] Many congratulations on winning the third edition of the SPFBO contest Rob. It must be a wonderful feeling and I’m very happy for you. How did you hear about the SPFBO contest, and what made you decide to enter it?
A] Thank you. It's quite a rush to have won something, and I think I'm still quite shocked by it. I first heard about SPFBO during its first go round, but had no books eligible at the time. I follow Mark on social media, and when he first announced it I could already see it was going to be a big deal for self-published authors, and also a big deal for readers wanting to find some quality fantasy. I actually entered the second SPFBO with my steampunk thief caper, but that novel didn't make it past the first round. So when the 3rd SPFBO was announced, and it coincided so nicely with my release of Where Loyalties Lie, I decided I couldn't pass up the chance. At the very least I knew I'd get a new review out of it, and that would be well worth the (minor) effort of submitting.
A] Thank you. It's quite a rush to have won something, and I think I'm still quite shocked by it. I first heard about SPFBO during its first go round, but had no books eligible at the time. I follow Mark on social media, and when he first announced it I could already see it was going to be a big deal for self-published authors, and also a big deal for readers wanting to find some quality fantasy. I actually entered the second SPFBO with my steampunk thief caper, but that novel didn't make it past the first round. So when the 3rd SPFBO was announced, and it coincided so nicely with my release of Where Loyalties Lie, I decided I couldn't pass up the chance. At the very least I knew I'd get a new review out of it, and that would be well worth the (minor) effort of submitting.
Q] You entered Where Loyalties Lie which won this edition. What made you enter it rather than your debut book since they are both set in the same world?
A] You know, I never even considered entering The Heresy Within. I published that book back in 2013, and it's now been released twice as self-published, and once with a small press. I just never even thought that it could be eligible. But saying that, Where Loyalties Lie is a better book in many ways. Like any skill, you get better the more you do it, and I've learned a lot since I first started writing. Also, people love pirates.
Q] Talking about your FBR group of 30 books, which books among your competition really had you worried?
A] All of them. I never really thought I'd make it out of the group stages. With competition like A Threat of Shadows by JA Andrews, and Winter's Reach by Craig Schafer, I was fairly certain my pirates would scuttle themselves on some rocks. And it very nearly went down that way. With 30 books to review, many of the blog sites employ multiple reviewers, and there was some discussion as to which book to put through. Luckily for me, Where Loyalties Lie was saved from being cut and then eventually picked as the finalist.
Honestly there were some truly brilliant books entered this year (there have been every year to be fair), and I've read quite a few of them myself. Some absolute gems worth checking. So if anyone is wondering, I can heartily recommend Chaos Trims My Beard by Brett Herman, Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe, Faithless by Graham Austin King, The Woven Ring by MD Presley. And many more as well to be honest. I'm still working my way through the TBR pile I built up from this SPFBO, and it's only going to grow when the next one kicks off.
Q] Reaching the finals, how was the entire process from selection to the eventual decision? How did you manage to calm yourself with the ebb and flow of the points total and the reviews?
A] Rum. I calmed myself with rum... and bourbon. It was nerve wracking. I checked out every review and kept a watchful eye on the scoreboard. The race near the end with Sufficiently Advanced Magic had me biting my nails. The two books were neck and neck for so long. And then Crimson Queen had a sudden surge of high points towards the end and suddenly it was a three book race. It's not for the faint of heart.
Q] This was your second time within the contest and you won it in your sophomore entry. Are you planning to enter it in the future?
A] Definitely. Assuming the contest keeps going, and I truly hope that it does from both an author and a reader stand point. I'll be skipping this year though as I have no eligible books. It's been sequels and sci-fi for me this past year.
A] You know, I never even considered entering The Heresy Within. I published that book back in 2013, and it's now been released twice as self-published, and once with a small press. I just never even thought that it could be eligible. But saying that, Where Loyalties Lie is a better book in many ways. Like any skill, you get better the more you do it, and I've learned a lot since I first started writing. Also, people love pirates.
Q] Talking about your FBR group of 30 books, which books among your competition really had you worried?
A] All of them. I never really thought I'd make it out of the group stages. With competition like A Threat of Shadows by JA Andrews, and Winter's Reach by Craig Schafer, I was fairly certain my pirates would scuttle themselves on some rocks. And it very nearly went down that way. With 30 books to review, many of the blog sites employ multiple reviewers, and there was some discussion as to which book to put through. Luckily for me, Where Loyalties Lie was saved from being cut and then eventually picked as the finalist.
Honestly there were some truly brilliant books entered this year (there have been every year to be fair), and I've read quite a few of them myself. Some absolute gems worth checking. So if anyone is wondering, I can heartily recommend Chaos Trims My Beard by Brett Herman, Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe, Faithless by Graham Austin King, The Woven Ring by MD Presley. And many more as well to be honest. I'm still working my way through the TBR pile I built up from this SPFBO, and it's only going to grow when the next one kicks off.
Q] Reaching the finals, how was the entire process from selection to the eventual decision? How did you manage to calm yourself with the ebb and flow of the points total and the reviews?
A] Rum. I calmed myself with rum... and bourbon. It was nerve wracking. I checked out every review and kept a watchful eye on the scoreboard. The race near the end with Sufficiently Advanced Magic had me biting my nails. The two books were neck and neck for so long. And then Crimson Queen had a sudden surge of high points towards the end and suddenly it was a three book race. It's not for the faint of heart.
Q] This was your second time within the contest and you won it in your sophomore entry. Are you planning to enter it in the future?
A] Definitely. Assuming the contest keeps going, and I truly hope that it does from both an author and a reader stand point. I'll be skipping this year though as I have no eligible books. It's been sequels and sci-fi for me this past year.
Q] When’s your next book release going to be? Can you tell us about the book and what genre will it be?
A] My next release is called City Of Kings and is releasing on August 6th of this very year. It's another fantasy title and it's set in the same world as Where Loyalties Lie, but it revolves around different characters and a different part of the world. The book centers around a siege, but is told from the perspective of the attackers rather than the defenders, and explores the turmoil and violence that surround a regime change, while also building on the longer running saga of the world. For readers that have read my debut trilogy, there's a few returning characters from those books; and for new readers, it's a standalone novel that requires no prior knowledge about the world or any of its inhabitants. And it has a gorgeous cover.
Q] Thank you again for your time and congratulations once again. What advice do you have for the authors for the next edition of SPFBO?
A] Don't enter with expectations. The SPFBO is an amazing opportunity to meet people (bloggers, readers, and other authors), and even if you don't get the signal boost you're hoping for, those connections you can make through the contest can more than make up for it. I've certainly made some new friends from this year's.
A] My next release is called City Of Kings and is releasing on August 6th of this very year. It's another fantasy title and it's set in the same world as Where Loyalties Lie, but it revolves around different characters and a different part of the world. The book centers around a siege, but is told from the perspective of the attackers rather than the defenders, and explores the turmoil and violence that surround a regime change, while also building on the longer running saga of the world. For readers that have read my debut trilogy, there's a few returning characters from those books; and for new readers, it's a standalone novel that requires no prior knowledge about the world or any of its inhabitants. And it has a gorgeous cover.
Q] Thank you again for your time and congratulations once again. What advice do you have for the authors for the next edition of SPFBO?
A] Don't enter with expectations. The SPFBO is an amazing opportunity to meet people (bloggers, readers, and other authors), and even if you don't get the signal boost you're hoping for, those connections you can make through the contest can more than make up for it. I've certainly made some new friends from this year's.
Official Author Website
Order The Grey Bastards HERE
OFFICIAL AUTHOR INFORMATION: Jonathan French was born in Tennessee, and spent his childhood reading comics. He spent his childhood and teenage in the UK and US which fueled his curiosity and spurred his writing roots. His greatest literary influences are Robert E. Howard and Lloyd Alexander. He loves D&D and publicly speaking on topics that are dear to him. He currently resides in Atlanta with his wife, son and cat.
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: “LIVE IN THE SADDLE. DIE ON THE HOG.” Call them outcasts, call them savages—they’ve been called worse, by their own mothers—but Jackal is proud to be a Grey Bastard.
He and his fellow half-orcs patrol the barren wastes of the Lot Lands, spilling their own damned blood to keep civilized folk safe. A rabble of hard-talking, hog-riding, whore-mongering brawlers they may be, but the Bastards are Jackal’s sworn brothers, fighting at his side in a land where there’s no room for softness. And once Jackal’s in charge—as soon as he can unseat the Bastards’ tyrannical, seemingly unkillable founder—there’s a few things they’ll do different. Better.
Or at least, that’s the plan. Until the fallout from a deadly showdown makes Jackal start investigating the Lot Lands for himself. Soon, he’s wondering if his feelings have blinded him to ugly truths about this world, and the Bastards’ place in it.
In a quest for answers that takes him from decaying dungeons to the frontlines of an ancient feud, Jackal finds himself battling invading orcs, rampaging centaurs, and grubby human conspiracies alike—along with a host of dark magics so terrifying they’d give even the heartiest Bastard pause.
Finally, Jackal must ride to confront a threat that’s lain in wait for generations, even as he wonders whether the Bastards can—or should--survive.
Delivered with a generous wink to Sons of Anarchy, featuring sneaky-smart worldbuilding and gobs of fearsomely foul-mouthed charm, The Grey Bastards is a grimy, pulpy, masterpiece—and a raunchy, swaggering, cunningly clever adventure that’s like nothing you’ve read before.
FORMAT/INFO: The Grey Bastards is 442 pages long divided over thirty-six numbered chapters. Narration is via third person solely by Jackal throughout. This is the first volume of the Lot Lands saga.
June 19, 2018 marks the e-book and hardback publication of The Grey Bastards and it being published by Crown Publishing. It will also be released in the UK in both Trade paperback and e-book versions on June 21, 2018. Cover art is by Larry Rostant and design is provided by Duncan Spilling (see above for the US cover and the UK cover is below).
Order The Grey Bastards HERE
OFFICIAL AUTHOR INFORMATION: Jonathan French was born in Tennessee, and spent his childhood reading comics. He spent his childhood and teenage in the UK and US which fueled his curiosity and spurred his writing roots. His greatest literary influences are Robert E. Howard and Lloyd Alexander. He loves D&D and publicly speaking on topics that are dear to him. He currently resides in Atlanta with his wife, son and cat.
OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: “LIVE IN THE SADDLE. DIE ON THE HOG.” Call them outcasts, call them savages—they’ve been called worse, by their own mothers—but Jackal is proud to be a Grey Bastard.
He and his fellow half-orcs patrol the barren wastes of the Lot Lands, spilling their own damned blood to keep civilized folk safe. A rabble of hard-talking, hog-riding, whore-mongering brawlers they may be, but the Bastards are Jackal’s sworn brothers, fighting at his side in a land where there’s no room for softness. And once Jackal’s in charge—as soon as he can unseat the Bastards’ tyrannical, seemingly unkillable founder—there’s a few things they’ll do different. Better.
Or at least, that’s the plan. Until the fallout from a deadly showdown makes Jackal start investigating the Lot Lands for himself. Soon, he’s wondering if his feelings have blinded him to ugly truths about this world, and the Bastards’ place in it.
In a quest for answers that takes him from decaying dungeons to the frontlines of an ancient feud, Jackal finds himself battling invading orcs, rampaging centaurs, and grubby human conspiracies alike—along with a host of dark magics so terrifying they’d give even the heartiest Bastard pause.
Finally, Jackal must ride to confront a threat that’s lain in wait for generations, even as he wonders whether the Bastards can—or should--survive.
Delivered with a generous wink to Sons of Anarchy, featuring sneaky-smart worldbuilding and gobs of fearsomely foul-mouthed charm, The Grey Bastards is a grimy, pulpy, masterpiece—and a raunchy, swaggering, cunningly clever adventure that’s like nothing you’ve read before.
FORMAT/INFO: The Grey Bastards is 442 pages long divided over thirty-six numbered chapters. Narration is via third person solely by Jackal throughout. This is the first volume of the Lot Lands saga.
June 19, 2018 marks the e-book and hardback publication of The Grey Bastards and it being published by Crown Publishing. It will also be released in the UK in both Trade paperback and e-book versions on June 21, 2018. Cover art is by Larry Rostant and design is provided by Duncan Spilling (see above for the US cover and the UK cover is below).
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Grey Bastards in its previous iteration won the second edition of the SPFBO. The book wowed most judges with its harsh content within and a brilliant cover by Raymond Swanland. It’s a fantasy book that’s different in every sense of the word and was a finalist selected by the Bibliotropic blog.
The story begins with Jackal, a half-orc who is a member of the Grey Bastards (one of the eight hoofs *read gang/tribe*) which are present in the lot lands. The Grey Bastards are a group of nine half-orcs who take care of their region in the lots and are on tenuous relationship with most of the other lots. Our protagonist is Jackal who along with Oats and Fetching are doing ranging rounds and we discover their friendly yet competitive relationship with each other. Jackal is a person with ambition in his heart but he needs votes and a plan to dislodge the Claymaster (the head of the Grey Bastards) from the hoof’s chair. His best friends are Oats a thrice-blood (three fourths of an orc and human) and Fetching who’s is the only female half-orc ever to be a Grey Bastard.
Jackal’s plans are gestating however they have to take a backseat as he encounters a sorcerer who’s also akin to their kind. While reeling from this shocker, he discovers that they are soon betrayed by someone who has no reason to do so. Plus there’s the whole mystery of the elf girl who might hold the answers but is unwilling or unable to provide them. There’s also the undercurrents about the hoof leadership which leave Jackal a bit tenuous with his bid. Ultimately all of this will boil down to a few events upon which the history of the Lot lands will be laid bare as well as the injustice meted out by Hispartha that gets uncovered in this opening volume.
Here’s why I enjoyed this story so much, beginning from its unorthodox roots, having half-orcs as the main characters and having biker gang culture shown in a dark fantasy setting is very, very impressive. Kudos to Jonathan French for writing such a different story and having the guts to follow through and not take any easy routes with his characterizations, world history and even politics. This is a murky world and someone has compared it to the biker gang crime drama Sons Of Anarchy which I feel is very, very apt. The characters are mired in shades of grey, there are betrayals, scheming and lot of background/historical details which are slowly laid bare. This is very similar to the Sons Of Anarchy saga and also hearkens to David Dalglish’s Half-Orcs series (but with a lot less magic). Jonathan French’s creations are tortured souls who are just trying to find a semblance of peace, power and parity in their lives.
Let’s talk about the first strength of the book beginning with our protagonist Jackal and all the characters introduced within. Jonathan French makes each one stand out with their unique personas. Jackal is cunning yet not Machiavellian, Oats is steadfastly loyal but not farsighted. Fetching is vicious but not cruel in her ways. The Claymaster and the rest of the hoof mates are equally intriguing as are the various other characters introduced. All of these characters are heroes and villains in their own ways and even though we aren’t given everyone else’s POV besides Jackal, I felt that each and everyone could have been a strong lead protagonist. Secondly the bawdry nature of the story and characters is very true and is constant throughout the storyline. I liked this aspect and while it might not be for everyone, but for those who don’t mind a solid dose of darkness and cursing, this tale will fit right in.
Thirdly the world-building is done very well and what I mean is that the author slowly unveils the world (first the Lot lands and later on Hispartha). Also this world has other races such as Orcs, Centaurs, Elfs and humans who all are far away from the classical epic fantasy tropes and share the darkness imagined by the author. The Centaurs are bloodthirsty and have an interesting way to express themselves via one night (titled the Ravager's Moon). The Elves are contrarians and are also reticent enough to kill folks who disturb them. The Orcs are deadly and war-mongering, not to mention the progenitors of the half-orcs and I believe the readers will learn more as to how they view each other via the story. There’s also the cool aspect of the hogs who function as trusty steeds, deadly battle machines and just are fun to read whenever they are featured in the story. The pace of the story never slackens and the plot twists are not that frequent however they come and shake up the story vigorously. The new cover is pretty neat but I preferred the previous one by Raymond Swanland.
The only thing which I thought was the drawback for this story was that the world history wasn’t revealed quite to my satisfaction. This was a very personal observation as the author does reveal a lot but I felt that more could have been unveiled. Of course the author might be waiting to unleash more in the sequel and I can’t wait to read it.
CONCLUSION: The Grey Bastards is a brilliant gem of story that’s certainly not for every reader however I believe most SFF fans should read it. Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdry charm and vicious characters. The Grey Bastards has instantaneously catapulted him into my must-read list and the sequel to the Grey Bastards (currently titled The True Bastards) is one of my most anticipated books for 2019.
The story begins with Jackal, a half-orc who is a member of the Grey Bastards (one of the eight hoofs *read gang/tribe*) which are present in the lot lands. The Grey Bastards are a group of nine half-orcs who take care of their region in the lots and are on tenuous relationship with most of the other lots. Our protagonist is Jackal who along with Oats and Fetching are doing ranging rounds and we discover their friendly yet competitive relationship with each other. Jackal is a person with ambition in his heart but he needs votes and a plan to dislodge the Claymaster (the head of the Grey Bastards) from the hoof’s chair. His best friends are Oats a thrice-blood (three fourths of an orc and human) and Fetching who’s is the only female half-orc ever to be a Grey Bastard.
Jackal’s plans are gestating however they have to take a backseat as he encounters a sorcerer who’s also akin to their kind. While reeling from this shocker, he discovers that they are soon betrayed by someone who has no reason to do so. Plus there’s the whole mystery of the elf girl who might hold the answers but is unwilling or unable to provide them. There’s also the undercurrents about the hoof leadership which leave Jackal a bit tenuous with his bid. Ultimately all of this will boil down to a few events upon which the history of the Lot lands will be laid bare as well as the injustice meted out by Hispartha that gets uncovered in this opening volume.
Here’s why I enjoyed this story so much, beginning from its unorthodox roots, having half-orcs as the main characters and having biker gang culture shown in a dark fantasy setting is very, very impressive. Kudos to Jonathan French for writing such a different story and having the guts to follow through and not take any easy routes with his characterizations, world history and even politics. This is a murky world and someone has compared it to the biker gang crime drama Sons Of Anarchy which I feel is very, very apt. The characters are mired in shades of grey, there are betrayals, scheming and lot of background/historical details which are slowly laid bare. This is very similar to the Sons Of Anarchy saga and also hearkens to David Dalglish’s Half-Orcs series (but with a lot less magic). Jonathan French’s creations are tortured souls who are just trying to find a semblance of peace, power and parity in their lives.
Let’s talk about the first strength of the book beginning with our protagonist Jackal and all the characters introduced within. Jonathan French makes each one stand out with their unique personas. Jackal is cunning yet not Machiavellian, Oats is steadfastly loyal but not farsighted. Fetching is vicious but not cruel in her ways. The Claymaster and the rest of the hoof mates are equally intriguing as are the various other characters introduced. All of these characters are heroes and villains in their own ways and even though we aren’t given everyone else’s POV besides Jackal, I felt that each and everyone could have been a strong lead protagonist. Secondly the bawdry nature of the story and characters is very true and is constant throughout the storyline. I liked this aspect and while it might not be for everyone, but for those who don’t mind a solid dose of darkness and cursing, this tale will fit right in.
Thirdly the world-building is done very well and what I mean is that the author slowly unveils the world (first the Lot lands and later on Hispartha). Also this world has other races such as Orcs, Centaurs, Elfs and humans who all are far away from the classical epic fantasy tropes and share the darkness imagined by the author. The Centaurs are bloodthirsty and have an interesting way to express themselves via one night (titled the Ravager's Moon). The Elves are contrarians and are also reticent enough to kill folks who disturb them. The Orcs are deadly and war-mongering, not to mention the progenitors of the half-orcs and I believe the readers will learn more as to how they view each other via the story. There’s also the cool aspect of the hogs who function as trusty steeds, deadly battle machines and just are fun to read whenever they are featured in the story. The pace of the story never slackens and the plot twists are not that frequent however they come and shake up the story vigorously. The new cover is pretty neat but I preferred the previous one by Raymond Swanland.
The only thing which I thought was the drawback for this story was that the world history wasn’t revealed quite to my satisfaction. This was a very personal observation as the author does reveal a lot but I felt that more could have been unveiled. Of course the author might be waiting to unleash more in the sequel and I can’t wait to read it.
CONCLUSION: The Grey Bastards is a brilliant gem of story that’s certainly not for every reader however I believe most SFF fans should read it. Jonathan French has to be lauded for his plot ingenuity, bawdry charm and vicious characters. The Grey Bastards has instantaneously catapulted him into my must-read list and the sequel to the Grey Bastards (currently titled The True Bastards) is one of my most anticipated books for 2019.
FORMAT: The Last Gargoyle is the first book in a new children's series. The series has a mix of mystery, action, and mythological creatures. The novel stands at 288 pages and was published January 9, 2018 by Crown Books for Young Readers.
ANALYSIS: Paul Durham quickly moved to the top of my list of
favorite children's writers with his debut novel Luck Uglies. Immediately after
reading the first book, I couldn't stop talking about it and recommending it to
pretty much anyone who would listen to me. When I found out that 2018 promised
a new series from him, I was super excited but a little apprehensive as my
expectations were pretty high.
Part of my apprehension was because this series strayed from
his original series which was traditional fantasy. The Last Gargoyle has a more
historical, dark vibe with some mythology thrown in. Luckily, Paul Durham
pulled this off nicely. There is a spooky vibe that carries throughout the
novel, but Durham knows how to throw in witty one-liners and some warm 'feel
good moments' every now and then to give readers a break from all the doom and
gloom.
What really shines in The Last Gargoyle is the setting. It
takes place in Boston, but not the Boston everyone is used to. There is this
gothic, creepy vibe to this Boston. Readers familiar with the Boston area will definitely
be able to picture and imagine the places in the novel, but they will probably
see them in a whole new light.
Another element that jumps out is Durham's ability to really
flesh out and develop the characters. Durham does an amazing job of creating
some characters that have been around for centuries and giving them the ability
to appeal to readers. They don't come across as know-it-all or stiff. In fact,
there are a number of times where they are still learning and growing which
readers don't always encounter in characters who have lived for so long.
The other main character, a young mortal child, in the novel
is, at first, a bit harsh and not really likeable. However, as the story goes
on and you learn more about what is going on with her, what happened to her,
and what she is currently battling, she starts to grow on you. By the end of
the story, I really wanted to learn more about her and what happens. I was
pleasantly surprised that she grew on me.
I will say the 'big bad' villain is pretty creepy; probably
one of the more creepier children's bad guys that I have read recently. Not
only are the villain's actions creepy, but his entire description and look is
downright frightening. It is this aspect of the novel that moves this story
from younger middle grade to a little bit older middle grade. The spooky,
creepy bad guy that pretty much preys on children while they sleep and sends
things out into the night to capture them is something that the younger age
range might not be ready for.
I will warn you though that while the book does wrap up a
lot of things, there is still a lot to be explored in future books. It will be
fun to see where the series goes from here and what other unique twists and
turns Durham can bring to the children's fiction world.
Overall, I loved The Last Gargoyle. I felt it was fresh,
unique and wasn't bloated like a lot of books try to be as they are competing
to see who can make the biggest/fattest book. If you are looking for something
that is an original story but not super long, then this is the book for you. I
can't recommend this book enough and it is certain to be one of my top reads
for 2018.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Review/Blog Tour: Wellspring of Chaos (Saga of Recluce Book 12) by L.E. Modesitt Jr. (Reviewed by Cindy Hannikman)
OVERVIEW: Kharl's
life has been always been as ordered and dependable as the barrels he
makes. His trouble begins when he saves saves a rape victim he finds
unconscious in an alley, a blackstaffer—a young expatriate mage—from
Recluce.
When the blackstaffer is mysteriously murdered in Kharl's cooperage, Kharl is jailed, tried, and flogged, and in a shocking turnaround released—and his wife executed for the murder, which she did not commit. Kharl ends up on the run, taking the slain woman's black staff and her book, The Basis of Order, which explains the principles of its power.
The diligent cooper is about to learn a new, very different skill.
When the blackstaffer is mysteriously murdered in Kharl's cooperage, Kharl is jailed, tried, and flogged, and in a shocking turnaround released—and his wife executed for the murder, which she did not commit. Kharl ends up on the run, taking the slain woman's black staff and her book, The Basis of Order, which explains the principles of its power.
The diligent cooper is about to learn a new, very different skill.
ANALYSIS: The Saga of Recluce was one of those series that I always
promised myself I'd give it a try and read every single book, but after reading
books one and two I looked and saw it spanned a good 16 or so more books and my
interest waivered. It wasn't until it was brought to my attention and I was
given the opportunity to take part in the blog tour leading up to the release
of the newest Recluce book that I decided to jump back into the series by
reading Wellspring of Chaos which is
the 12 (in publishing order) book of the series.
One of the things that jumped out to me almost immediately
upon starting Wellspring of Chaos is that it wasn't anything like Modesitt's
earlier Recluce books. Sure, it is set up in the same general world and uses
the same magical system, but it differs in that it takes place in a different
part of the overall timeline, a new section of the world, and even has a main
character that isn't your average fantasy novel main character.
Readers are introduced to Kharl – a skilled cooper who is
satisfied with his life living in relative peace with his wife and two
children. He isn't rich by any stretch of the imagination, but he isn't begging
in the streets. On the surface this sounds like it would be a pretty dull
character to follow. I admit if someone had told me I would be reading a book
about a man in his 40s who spends his days making barrels and has a relatively
normal family, I'd probably have laughed, but things didn't turn out that way
at all.
Kharl is unexpectedly, and very early on in the book, met
with a series of unfortunate events. He is forced to choose between doing what
is right or ignoring the problem. Kharl decides to do what he feels is right
and that leads to a series of events that quickly spiral out of control and
lead to unexpected changes in his life. With all of the changes going on, Kharl
is forced to go on one of those 'coming of age' quests that the teens always
seem to go on in fantasy novels.
This shift of pace of having an older, more mature voice for
the series really captured my attention. I found myself drawn to Kharl and his
life. I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to follow him on his quests and
see what he would do or how he would work things out. I didn't care if Kharl
was fighting battles or just sitting and putting together wood to create a barrel
that would hold apples for the upcoming harvest. I just wanted to be around
Kharl and really just follow his story.
The further along I got in Wellspring of Chaos the more I
noticed huge changes from previous novels. First, there was an emphasis more on
mystery building, action and adventure. There was still the detailed
world-building and development of characters and a focus on what some might
view as boring, but there was a lot more action and not so much a focus on
weighing good vs. evil or dealing with the really, really boring aspects of the
characters' day-to-day lives.
Another thing that stuck out to me was Modesitt's lack of
using sounds in the book. Anyone who has read any of the earlier Recluce novels
knows exactly what I am talking about. While telling a part of the story,
Modesitt would randomly put in something like "splat...... splunk....
splat......plop" instead of describing something that would happen or an
action that occurred. This didn't happen once or twice, this happened multiple
times and it really was just a personal dislike that I had with the books. I am
happy to say this book didn't have that in it.
After completing Wellspring of Chaos I feel I can
comfortably evaluate it from two standpoints – people who have never read any
of the Recluce books and those that have read some. For those that have read
Modesitt and didn't particularly care for the series, you may find Wellspring
of Chaos to your liking. It has a different pace, focus, and is honestly better
written than the previous books.
For those who have had no experience with Modesitt, this is
a great place to start. The amazing thing is almost all the books can be read
as a standalone. Sure, it is fun to read them in publishing order or chronological
order, but you don't have to do that. If you haven't read any of his books,
give this a try especially if you love a well-written story with relatable
characters that you find yourself really caring about.
As for my personal opinion, I loved Wellspring of Chaos. I
feel if I had read this book first I probably would have been encouraged to
continue swiftly reading the series. I find myself drawn to the other books in
the Recluce series and look forward to seeing what the future – or past as some
of the books go into – holds.
It doesn’t happen often that I read series of books one immediately after the other. And yet, that’s precisely what happened with Craig Schaefer’s bibliography. I devoured all of his books in one month. It’s embarrassing. The author has spent thousands of hours to craft the books, develop characters and wrap-up plotlines and I consumed them in few weeks.
And what a ride it was!
Now, It has to be said upfront that Craig Schaefer won’t win a Pulitzer, but he’ll sure as hell entertain you. In a loud and violent way.
His world, you see, is not happy. Hell is a concrete, real place. Heaven, as far as anyone knows, is not. The few angelic beings anyone recalls seeing are violently insane, and if there’s any higher power out there, it’s utterly silent.
All Schaefer’s books are interconnected and happen in the same world, although there’s a considerable time gap between events presented in the Revanche Cycle and his urban-fantasy series.
It’s not necessary to read all of them to enjoy others thoroughly.
Schafer debuted in 2014 with The Long Way Down, and he continues to publish three-four books a year since then. The man is a machine. In interviews, he admits that writing is his career of choice and he approaches it seriously. He works at least eight hours every day, Every single day. This may be because he started to publish later in his life – he was forty when he published The Long Way Down. I appreciate this kind of work ethics. It's also worth noting that he develops as a writer and tries new things (by writing in slightly different genres).
Reading order
Schaefer’s series can be read independently of each other. However, having in mind many FBC readers’ genre of choice is high/low-fantasy, I’d like to suggest reading his series in the following order:
Revanche Cycle:
And what a ride it was!
Now, It has to be said upfront that Craig Schaefer won’t win a Pulitzer, but he’ll sure as hell entertain you. In a loud and violent way.
His world, you see, is not happy. Hell is a concrete, real place. Heaven, as far as anyone knows, is not. The few angelic beings anyone recalls seeing are violently insane, and if there’s any higher power out there, it’s utterly silent.
All Schaefer’s books are interconnected and happen in the same world, although there’s a considerable time gap between events presented in the Revanche Cycle and his urban-fantasy series.
It’s not necessary to read all of them to enjoy others thoroughly.
Schafer debuted in 2014 with The Long Way Down, and he continues to publish three-four books a year since then. The man is a machine. In interviews, he admits that writing is his career of choice and he approaches it seriously. He works at least eight hours every day, Every single day. This may be because he started to publish later in his life – he was forty when he published The Long Way Down. I appreciate this kind of work ethics. It's also worth noting that he develops as a writer and tries new things (by writing in slightly different genres).
Reading order
Schaefer’s series can be read independently of each other. However, having in mind many FBC readers’ genre of choice is high/low-fantasy, I’d like to suggest reading his series in the following order:
Revanche Cycle:
Number - Title - Date of publication
1) Winter’s Reach - November 2014
2) The Instruments of Control - April 2015
3) Terms of Surrender - November 2015
4) Queen of the Night - June 2016
What a fun read! Heroes win, villains die, everybody gets a cake.
Oh, wait.
I’ve mistaken books.
Let’s try again.
The Revanche Cycle is an epic fantasy with multiple viewpoint characters, set in a world reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. The series deals with conspiracies, political intrigue, the relationship between church and state, how religion is used (and abused) to shape policy. It's also about faith and culture, and overcoming the obstacles society throws in your path. It's a story about women. It is also, as the title hints, a story about revenge. And how a single violent act, buried in the past, can have devastating global consequences.
The story is fast-paced, character-driven and well plotted. The ending of the series is bold and satisfying. Also, heart-wrenching. The only drawback I can see is the fact that none of the books works well as a standalone. As a completed series, though, it’s criminally underread and underrated.
The story is already finished and can be bought in a kindle bundle for $8. Frankly, it’s a steal.
Daniel Faust series:
1) Winter’s Reach - November 2014
2) The Instruments of Control - April 2015
3) Terms of Surrender - November 2015
4) Queen of the Night - June 2016
What a fun read! Heroes win, villains die, everybody gets a cake.
Oh, wait.
I’ve mistaken books.
Let’s try again.
The Revanche Cycle is an epic fantasy with multiple viewpoint characters, set in a world reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. The series deals with conspiracies, political intrigue, the relationship between church and state, how religion is used (and abused) to shape policy. It's also about faith and culture, and overcoming the obstacles society throws in your path. It's a story about women. It is also, as the title hints, a story about revenge. And how a single violent act, buried in the past, can have devastating global consequences.
The story is fast-paced, character-driven and well plotted. The ending of the series is bold and satisfying. Also, heart-wrenching. The only drawback I can see is the fact that none of the books works well as a standalone. As a completed series, though, it’s criminally underread and underrated.
The story is already finished and can be bought in a kindle bundle for $8. Frankly, it’s a steal.
Daniel Faust series:
Number Title Publication date
1) The Long Way Down - July 2014
1.5) The White Gold Score - February 2016
2) Redemption Song - June 2014
3) The Living End - August 2014
4) A Plain-Dealing Villain - January 2015
5) The Killing Floor Blues - July 2015
6) The Castle Doctrine - September 2016
7) Double or Nothing - June 2017
8) The Neon Boneyard - April 2018
Daniel Faust is the main character of the series. He’s a con artist, thief and former gangster living in the shadows of Las Vegas. Daniel uses black magic and bullets to get what he wants. He’s not really a good guy. Because the story is told from his perspective and his voice is enjoyable, it’s easy to forget that he can be stone cold killer with little mercy in his heart. He lives in a noirish world filled with characters whose morality is black or grey. He’s helped by his chosen family – a group of rogues and outlaws. Each of them possesses different magical talents, and their strength lies in cooperation and planning.
Daniel isn’t a powerhouse wizard. He has some tricks up his sleeve, but if you like comparisons, Harry Dresden would destroy him in a fraction of a second (him and half of Las Vegas, the way Harry does). And yet due to his wit, Daniel’s able to win in impossible fights.
Did I mention that his girlfriend is a demon? You know, actual demon. From Hell. Because she is. Caitlin rocks. She can be sweet to Daniel, but she’s not the one to play with unless you like your heart to be broken. Quite literally – after it’s torn up from your ribcage. Also, Caitlin calls Daniel her pet so if you’re ultra-macho you may find this reversal of relationship dynamics unsettling.
The series is loud, fast and violent. It’s strongest part is characterisation. While characters aren’t as developed as the ones portrayed in the Revanche Cycle, they have enough charisma to truly like them and cheer for them.
It’s early in the series when Daniel stumbles on a "The End of the World as We Know It" plot and tries to take down the bad guys. The thing is bad guys are quite terrifying and their schemes remain a bit of mystery.
Harmony Black series:
1) The Long Way Down - July 2014
1.5) The White Gold Score - February 2016
2) Redemption Song - June 2014
3) The Living End - August 2014
4) A Plain-Dealing Villain - January 2015
5) The Killing Floor Blues - July 2015
6) The Castle Doctrine - September 2016
7) Double or Nothing - June 2017
8) The Neon Boneyard - April 2018
Daniel Faust is the main character of the series. He’s a con artist, thief and former gangster living in the shadows of Las Vegas. Daniel uses black magic and bullets to get what he wants. He’s not really a good guy. Because the story is told from his perspective and his voice is enjoyable, it’s easy to forget that he can be stone cold killer with little mercy in his heart. He lives in a noirish world filled with characters whose morality is black or grey. He’s helped by his chosen family – a group of rogues and outlaws. Each of them possesses different magical talents, and their strength lies in cooperation and planning.
Daniel isn’t a powerhouse wizard. He has some tricks up his sleeve, but if you like comparisons, Harry Dresden would destroy him in a fraction of a second (him and half of Las Vegas, the way Harry does). And yet due to his wit, Daniel’s able to win in impossible fights.
Did I mention that his girlfriend is a demon? You know, actual demon. From Hell. Because she is. Caitlin rocks. She can be sweet to Daniel, but she’s not the one to play with unless you like your heart to be broken. Quite literally – after it’s torn up from your ribcage. Also, Caitlin calls Daniel her pet so if you’re ultra-macho you may find this reversal of relationship dynamics unsettling.
The series is loud, fast and violent. It’s strongest part is characterisation. While characters aren’t as developed as the ones portrayed in the Revanche Cycle, they have enough charisma to truly like them and cheer for them.
It’s early in the series when Daniel stumbles on a "The End of the World as We Know It" plot and tries to take down the bad guys. The thing is bad guys are quite terrifying and their schemes remain a bit of mystery.
Harmony Black series:
Number Title Publication date
1) Harmony Black - February 2016
2) Red Knight Falling - April 2016
3) Glass Predator - March 2017
4) Cold Spectrum - October 2017
The Harmony Black series is a spinoff to the Daniel Faust novels. She was introduced as Daniel's “antagonist” (well, the thing is he’s the bad guy). While she collaborated with him on few occasions like saving the world, her pet project was to see him in prison. Harmony is an FBI agent and a witch. Her spinoff series follows her adventures with her new team, working to take down occult criminals and supernatural threats all over the United States.
I must confess it took me some time to get into the series. Harmony is just too damn straight. Which is funny as she's ready to wreak havoc and kill other people (also those close to her) to reach her team goals (to be fair saving a world is a good goal). The stories are usually fast-paced and each of the books focuses on a different Circus team member.
In Cold Spectrum they uncover a diabolical conspiracy in the highest ranks of the government, it appears that everything Harmony and her friends have worked for, fought for, and risked their lives for might be a lie. And it's the book in which I started to like Harmony as she has to deal not only with treason but also with kind of supernatural addiction that adds a little bent to her character.
In order to get all nuances and hints in the Faust and Harmony series, it's good to start Harmony Black after finishing A Plain-Dealing Villain and finish it before getting to Double or Nothing. By reading the series in this order you'll know what's the deal with one million dollar hat or why on earth would Harmony buy a flamethrower from Winslow.
Wisdom’s Grave trilogy:
1) Harmony Black - February 2016
2) Red Knight Falling - April 2016
3) Glass Predator - March 2017
4) Cold Spectrum - October 2017
The Harmony Black series is a spinoff to the Daniel Faust novels. She was introduced as Daniel's “antagonist” (well, the thing is he’s the bad guy). While she collaborated with him on few occasions like saving the world, her pet project was to see him in prison. Harmony is an FBI agent and a witch. Her spinoff series follows her adventures with her new team, working to take down occult criminals and supernatural threats all over the United States.
I must confess it took me some time to get into the series. Harmony is just too damn straight. Which is funny as she's ready to wreak havoc and kill other people (also those close to her) to reach her team goals (to be fair saving a world is a good goal). The stories are usually fast-paced and each of the books focuses on a different Circus team member.
In Cold Spectrum they uncover a diabolical conspiracy in the highest ranks of the government, it appears that everything Harmony and her friends have worked for, fought for, and risked their lives for might be a lie. And it's the book in which I started to like Harmony as she has to deal not only with treason but also with kind of supernatural addiction that adds a little bent to her character.
In order to get all nuances and hints in the Faust and Harmony series, it's good to start Harmony Black after finishing A Plain-Dealing Villain and finish it before getting to Double or Nothing. By reading the series in this order you'll know what's the deal with one million dollar hat or why on earth would Harmony buy a flamethrower from Winslow.
Wisdom’s Grave trilogy:
Number Title Publication date
1) Sworn to the Night - January 2018
2) Detonation Boulevard (tentative title) - Fall 2018
The Wisdom’s Grave trilogy is Craig Schaefer 's new trilogy that’s supposed to reveal a lot of secrets about the universe and, above all, my favourite characters from the Revanche Cycle. They’re back in modern times to kick some ass. And I can’t wait to see where the story will go. Both Daniel Faust and Harmony Black make cameos here, and while it’s not necessary to know their series to understand what’s happening, it definitely helps and allows to savour nuances and hints.
Why do I appreciate the guy?
Outside the fact his book brought a lot of fun and entertainment to my life, I appreciate Craig Schaefer for:
* Work ethics - he treats his career and fans seriously and openly communicates his sales, writing progress and problems
* Playing a long game - you remember Lost and X-Files? It was apparent they had no idea where they were going. It was nice to follow them along the way, but none of these stories was wrapped up satisfyingly. So far, Schaefer connects his heroes and plots in satisfying ways.
* Creating intriguing, morally ambiguous characters that I like.
* Writing in different genres (so - he develops his skills as a writer)
* Refreshing urban fantasy scene
1) Sworn to the Night - January 2018
2) Detonation Boulevard (tentative title) - Fall 2018
The Wisdom’s Grave trilogy is Craig Schaefer 's new trilogy that’s supposed to reveal a lot of secrets about the universe and, above all, my favourite characters from the Revanche Cycle. They’re back in modern times to kick some ass. And I can’t wait to see where the story will go. Both Daniel Faust and Harmony Black make cameos here, and while it’s not necessary to know their series to understand what’s happening, it definitely helps and allows to savour nuances and hints.
Why do I appreciate the guy?
Outside the fact his book brought a lot of fun and entertainment to my life, I appreciate Craig Schaefer for:
* Work ethics - he treats his career and fans seriously and openly communicates his sales, writing progress and problems
* Playing a long game - you remember Lost and X-Files? It was apparent they had no idea where they were going. It was nice to follow them along the way, but none of these stories was wrapped up satisfyingly. So far, Schaefer connects his heroes and plots in satisfying ways.
* Creating intriguing, morally ambiguous characters that I like.
* Writing in different genres (so - he develops his skills as a writer)
* Refreshing urban fantasy scene
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lukasz Przywoski is an avid fiction reader from Poland. As a reviewer, he tries to be critical and thoroughly analyze books that he reads. As a result, he rarely gives 5 stars ratings - he reserves them to books that feel special. Apart from being keen on reading and inhabiting imaginary worlds, his biggest passion is the science of movement and movement in multiple forms. Life without sport and books wouldn't be worth living.
While fantasy is his favourite genre, he tends to read pretty broadly and is always eager to try new things.
Favourite authors: Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Mark Lawrence, Craig Schaefer, Seth Skorkowsky, Matt Suddain and many others.. He's also active on r/fantasy as barb4ry1.
While fantasy is his favourite genre, he tends to read pretty broadly and is always eager to try new things.
Favourite authors: Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Mark Lawrence, Craig Schaefer, Seth Skorkowsky, Matt Suddain and many others.. He's also active on r/fantasy as barb4ry1.
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