Tag: Science Fiction Fantasy

Distant Fantasy: The Return (Book One) by Anthony C. Wray Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A soldier in the Iraq war finds himself and his team responsible for the defense of a planet on the other side of a wormhole as the life he once knew begins to bleed into this new reality in author Anthony C. Wray’s “Distant Fantasy: The Return”, the first book in this new sci-fi and fantasy series!

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The Synopsis

One minute, Colonel John Locklear was in an ambush in Iraq, and the next he was home and his entire team was MIA. In his dreams, he’s drawn into another world where past, present, and future are all happening at once. There are high-seas pirates negotiating with sentient robots and people who feed off of nature’s light energy. Natasha is a leader in this other world and she keeps calling John by the name “Zac.” Then, it isn’t a dream anymore and John becomes Zac, accepting that he—and his team—have a role to play in Lunia, the world on the other side of a black hole, the world Zac needs to save.

The Review

The world-building and storytelling in this book are superb. The engaging story and atmosphere the author builds both in our world and the world of Lunia are spectacular to behold, as the imagery the author uses in his writing allowed the reader to feel the wonder and emotions the characters were feeling during the events of the book.

What really stood out to me was the way the author honed in on themes of PTSD in soldiers returning from or back to war, family, and how trauma impacts us all. The backstory of John’s character and how his experiences shape his world and mission as “Zac” are so raw and emotional, and to see this reflected in his teammates added depth to the lore and mythos of this world. Combine that with a beautiful inclusion of Native American culture and language and readers are treated to a one-of-a-kind story.

The Verdict

Captivating, mesmerizing, and impactful, author Anthony C. Wray’s “Distant Fantasy: The Return” is a fantastic entry into a brand new series and a must-read sci-fi and fantasy novel! The twists and turns of the story are enthralling, and the balance of world-building and meaningful storytelling made this one book I couldn’t put down. If you haven’t already be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Anthony Wray’s writing began with stories about other worlds, but a high school writing exercise challenged him to tap into his emotions. He began writing emotional narratives that became psychological thrillers. He now dives into speculative fiction, combining it with psychological thrillers to blend reality and imagination into tales that balance the two worlds.

After military service, Anthony reintegrated into society using imagination to process deep emotion and believes it may present opportunities for those suffering from PTSD. Anthony has a BFA in Creative Writing and lives in Texas where he writes the Distant Fantasy series.

Stay up to date with Anthony at www.anthonycwray.net and on Facebook @AnthonyC.Wray and Twitter @Anthony_C_Wray.

https://twitter.com/Anthony_C_Wray

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Interview with Author Opëshum

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Interviews1 Comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

 Thank you for this question. Actually, when I ponder this I would say it was writing that got into me. I focused early on around being a filmmaker and fashioned myself standing somewhere between the Director and the lead camera person, cooking up visual recipes for words that were trapped on paper. Although I still have a penchant for writing screenplays, I have found myself so focused on creating written content that writing now feels like home.

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2) What inspired you to write your book?

 People often ask this question, and they are often uncomfortable with my answer. But I am wedded to the truth. This entire series is my interpretation of a conversation I am honored to be having with extraterrestrial beings.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

 Book 1, Beyond the Father, is meant to be a key. I am hoping it will not only unlock the door through which readers can enter into the world of Xżyber, but I truly hope it gives readers a chance to dive into areas in which they may otherwise be uncomfortable: pondering the imperfections of a god, examining the face of death, creating alternative meanings for what it may in fact mean to exist. I hope readers of Beyond the Father will come away with the confidence that they were born with the right to question…everything.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

 The endless possibilities within both SciFi and Fantasy writing is a very rewarding space for a writer, and before I starting working in this space I was a huge fan of what SciFi and fantasy offers both writers and readers. It allows one to meander out past the guardrails of what we believe reality is. It’s is on the outskirts of “reality” where writers in this genre are given the chance to create their most interesting work.

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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

 I would have to pose one question to Flexix, who has been jealous ever since I was selected by the Xżyberians to tell their story. He has not agreed with my treatment of the Book, and his envy has caused him to be mildly disruptive. If he would agree to sit down with me, I would ask him what it will take to calm him down!

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

 The strong reading community on Goodreads, and it’s variety of platforms is a world all of its own. My publisher, 1iR3 Publishers LLC, has really appreciated that and they introduced me to the platform.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

 Definitely connect with readers on a personal basis whenever possible. When a reader reaches out and tells you that your book broke through and reached them, take the time to thank them and let that reader know how very much their thoughts and opinions mean to you. At the end of the day, the writing that matters most is not about the number of books we sell. It’s more about the quality of our work and our ability to connect with humanity.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

 I will be releasing Book 2 of this series at the end of next year, and I am currently refining Episode 4 of that volume. Readers who follow me on Goodreads will have the benefit of seeing an iterative cover reveal ceremony that will span over several months leading up to the launch of Book 2. I hope they enjoy this upcoming journey with me!

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About the Author

Opëshum has been writing since she was a child, and believes that authors are selected by their characters to bring their stories to the world. Incredibly shy and introverted, Opëshum does not make public appearances. She prefers to remain behind the scenes as the characters in her books take center stage. Her current work, the 8-Book SciFi Epic gods on Trial: The Series™ kicks off with Book 1, BEYOND THE FATHER.  

Opëshum calls Sheridan, Wyoming her home, where she is currently writing Book 2 of this series. She lives in a modest Cape Cod dwelling on 3 acres of land where she lets a robust variety of sunflowers grow wild and untamed, while Aloe Vera and other succulents decorate almost every ledge within her house. An avid writer in the early morning and late at night, Opëshum often works on her manuscripts in rooms lit only by homemade candles.

She enjoys nature walks, full moons, and open spaces where she can stare up at the stars. 

“I live my life in the shadows, and I am shy. For I know that my appearance is not pleasing to the eye.” – Opëshum Patroz

Beyond the Father (gods on Trial: The Series Book One) by Opëshum Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews3 Comments

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

As a mysterious god on a distant planet watches as conflict arises in multiple sectors of this alien world, a far great threat looms and one young prince’s vision quest may change the course of their story in author Opëshum’s “Beyond the Father”, the first book in the gods on Trial series!

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The Synopsis

Beyond the Father” sets the scene for the 8-book Sci-Fi Epic “gods on Trial: The Series,” delving into life’s determination to transcend all limitation.  Set on the planet Xżyber, citizens of the Sub-Median Region, imperfectly reborn into metal, oppress those who are organic.  Elsewhere, in the Central Kingdom, religion supports royalty’s brutal domination of the lowest class.  War over scarce resources is coming, revolution within each region is brewing, and none know of the eccentric god who created them. This being watches, has fascinating conversations with his often-wiser companion, occasionally learns, and rarely intervenes.  The many levels and threads of struggle distract nearly all from a far greater threat.  Meanwhile, the young Prince Anglid’s vision quest into the unexplored Area X may ultimately change everything.  However, just when you think you know the direction of the story, the author has yet another surprise.

The Review

This was such a rich and captivating read. The author did an incredible job of building a unique and layered narrative with the equally layered mythos. The multiple POVs from such different characters and entities in this narrative allowed the reader to really get a sense of the struggles and power dynamics that this world held. The amount of detail and backstory the author poured into this story within such a short amount of pages was astounding, including the glossary of terms the author procured to make this world feel even more alive on the page.

Yet it was the beautiful fusion of sci-fi and fantasy along with the powerful themes of religion’s influence on politics, the improper balance of the class systems, and our place in the world as a whole that made this story really come alive. The varying arcs of each character allowed not only for this dynamic world to come alive, but to highlight the problems and emotional weight of each faction highlighted in this narrative. The blend of sci-fi tech and the alien world with the more epic elements of fantasy and mythology was great to see, but at the end of the day, the way the author highlighted how despite our class systems separating us, we are all individuals at our core, and each suffers from our own sources of distress and worries, was amazing to read.

The Verdict

Captivating, engaging, and thought-provoking, author Opëshum’s “Beyond the Father” is a fantastic first book in the gods on Trial series and a brilliant sci-fi and fantasy fusion. The twists and turns this narrative takes and the shocking twist ending will have readers clamoring for more, and the dynamic world the author has crafted leaves an incredible wealth of room for future installments in this series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Opëshum has been writing since she was a child, and believes that authors are selected by their characters to bring their stories to the world. Incredibly shy and introverted, Opëshum does not make public appearances. She prefers to remain behind the scenes as the characters in her books take center stage. Her current work, the 8-Book SciFi Epic gods on Trial: The Series™ kicks off with Book 1, BEYOND THE FATHER.  

Opëshum calls Sheridan, Wyoming her home, where she is currently writing Book 2 of this series. She lives in a modest Cape Cod dwelling on 3 acres of land where she lets a robust variety of sunflowers grow wild and untamed, while Aloe Vera and other succulents decorate almost every ledge within her house. An avid writer in the early morning and late at night, Opëshum often works on her manuscripts in rooms lit only by homemade candles.

She enjoys nature walks, full moons, and open spaces where she can stare up at the stars. 

“I live my life in the shadows, and I am shy. For I know that my appearance is not pleasing to the eye.” – Opëshum Patroz

https://twitter.com/1iR3Publishers

The Infinite Frontier: Book Three of The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations by J. Traveler Pelton Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

As Earth’s climate threatens to collapse and the Oberlynn family’s next generation looks to settle on Mars and beyond, an old frenemy from the family’s ancient past reemerges in author J. Traveler Pelton’s “The Infinite Frontier”, the third book in The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations series. 

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The Synopsis

The Oberllyns must weather the breaking up of the family network as fully half of the worldwide family decides to immigrate to the Mars colony. While the Oberllyn Think Tank struggles to get the colony on Mars to be safe, independent of outside influence, and self-sufficient, Micah, Kai, and Sir Alex have their hands full trying to stop the imminent collapse of the earth’s climate. They find a most unexpected mind behind it all, an old frenemy of the family. How do you destroy someone who’s been dead 300 years?

The Review

This was a brilliant and incredibly powerful story. The powerful character growth that the author deploys into this narrative is well done, as the reader is treated to some shocking returns and callbacks to earlier books in this saga. The action and suspense do an amazing job of blending with the imagery in the author’s writing to paint an incredibly vivid image of the multiple worlds that this story inhabits. 

Honestly, the story sticks out amongst the rest of this trilogy for many reasons, but the main reason is the author’s use of both sci-fi and historical fiction elements in the narrative. The author shines best when these genres are mashed up, as both the history of this fictional world and real-world history play such a dynamic role in the story. The themes of classism and racism that character interactions between antagonistic characters and members of the Oberlynn family are widely felt, and the shocking inclusion of historical figures and tech made this story so brilliantly written.

The Verdict

Epic, thought-provoking, and engaging, author J. Traveler Pelton’s “The Infinite Frontier” is a haunting and mesmerizing sci-fi and historical fiction read, and the perfect third entry into The Oberlynn’s Post-Terrestrial Generations series. The twists and turns in this narrative, along with the open-ended finale that keeps the idea of expansion and new generations of Oberlynn family members reaching all new heights make this a deeply engrossing and heartfelt read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She lives on a small farm with her husband, alpaca, chickens, Pomeranians, canaries and tolerates T-Bears Siamese cats and parrot Giz. She loves to find out what all her friends are studying. She was the Nation’s Mother for her tribe for several years: she is still wife to Dan after 47 years, mother of six adults, a grandmother of eight, a great-grandma of 1, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university and an avid reader. She studies science, technology, Biblical studies, and human behavior. She is quick to draw parallels between different fields of thought and weave the ideas into a cohesive ideology that is at once practical, usable, and thoughtful. Her books are the result of blending her life experiences with bureaucracy, studying science and nature, counseling, and faith. She greatly enjoys the intersection of fantasy and possibility and hopes you enjoy it as well. We will see you on the other side of the imagination tree.

Her co-author of the Clan Falconer fantasy series is her grandson T-Bear. T Bear Pelton is a self-proclaimed gamer, a Christian active in his home church, a Native American, a storyteller, and a novice blacksmith. He lives with his grandparents, his Amazon parrot, and four Siamese on a small alpaca farm while working full time and dreaming of times when magic still existed and wishes sometimes actually came true. Enjoy this fantasy with him and for just a little while, suspend daily life for a dream of dragons and wizards, beautiful ladies and knights, magic and faith. Travel then with us to another time, another place, and another dimension. Come to the future, after the War, when tech and magic combine with faith and fear.

Their farm, Springhaven Croft, is home to alpacas, dogs, Siamese cats, canaries, an eclectic group of chickens and an irascible Amazon Parrot named Gizmo. Traveler’s webpage is travelerpelton.com; she also has a FB page called Traveler Pelton. Come visit real soon!

Welcome to My Heart!

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Civil War (Chronicles of Rondure Book 1) by TC Marti Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young woman trained for years to be the best warrior and Smoke Master of her people must fight her way to expose her world’s corruption within it’s political system and go rogue against the very people who trained her in author TC Marti’s “Civil War”, the first book in the Chronicles of Rondure series. 

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The Synopsis

I was Culled at age five into the Bastille Military, the World of Rondure’s superpower…

…Having lived on-base for thirteen years, military life taught me two things: Mastery of the Smoke Element and to never apologize about using it on enemies.

Now that I’m awaiting a sure life sentence for the crime of exposing Bastille’s true crimes, they’ve left me with no choice. When they try to extradite me, I will call upon my Sword of Smoke and escape this predicament, using every combat technique they taught me against them.

Then, I’ll take it upon myself to finish a mission I started years ago; to unplug the People of Bastille and let them know who the real enemy is: their home nation and its Capital City of Paramount.

As I go rogue, every authority figure with money, power, and influence in the Bastille Empire will want me dead. Thanks to them, I’m one of the most powerful Smoke Masters in the World of Rondure. And I’m ready to break the spell the people of my nation have lived under for over a century.

Calling all fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender and George Orwell, Civil War features a strong heroine, with epic fantasy tropes bending into science fiction with dystopian and thriller elements, non-stop action, and stakes so high that Mina Hirai’s success or failure will set forth the fate of Rondure forever.

The Review

This was yet another fantastic entry into this beautifully written world of the author’s creation. The first book to connect the author’s original trilogy with the next trilogy in the Elementals of Nordica Saga, Civil War takes readers on a much more intimate journey than previous iterations of this series had done. Focusing instead on a first-person narrative, the story shows one young woman’s fight to escape a deadly prison sentence after learning of her government’s betrayal, and the fight to lead an insurrection to liberate the people of the government’s negative influence. The same balance of sci-fi and dystopian settings with the fantasy elements of the characters and the mythos overall made this such an impactful story to dive headfirst into.

The protagonist was definitely the driving force behind this narrative. The author’s ability to craft a more intimate and emotional narrative from the view of Mina Harai was a brilliant call, as it allowed a more personal view of the chaos and corruption Rondure was experiencing and the painful fight those who saw the corruption had to endure to reveal these dark truths. The connections she made, the horrors she was both witnessed and experienced, and the heroism she showed made her arc so engaging and the world-building and mythos as a result much more captivating.

The Verdict

Mind-blowing imagery, entertaining, and brilliantly written, author TC Marti’s “Civil War” is a must-read novel of 2022 for fans of sci-fi, dystopian, and fantasy-driven action-adventure narratives. The rich mythos that was expanded upon and explored in this narrative was amazing to read, and the personal development of one of the world’s heroes made this a stunning story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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Wind Wielder Review
Wind Master Review
Wind Keeper Review
Interview with Author TC Marti

About the Author

TC Marti has been an avid reader/writer for over three decades. He is the author of the Elementals Universe, a shared speculative fiction universe spanning multiple series. He is also a workout fanatic and a fan of Arizona sports teams.

Preorder Book I in the Catenarian Chronicles

United Vidden by Fern Brady Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young woman seeking her destiny as a ruler runs off when her rights as heir to the throne are forfeited, and upon returning to her planet she discovers a land ravaged by war and hostility in author Fern Brady’s “United Vidden”. 

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The Synopsis 

Shattered by her father’s decision to deny her the throne as the first female heir of Dravidia, Princess Verena makes the worst mistake of her life: She runs away. Her departure, days before her wedding to the heir of the Principality of Aulden, throws her nation into war. In a desperate bid to reverse the consequences of her choice, the princess returns to planet Jorn, anxious to prove herself worthy to rule. But it is too late. The princess finds her kingdom conquered by Prince Amiel ra Aulden. Now, Verena must earn back her birthright as well as the trust of her people.

The Review

This was an incredibly wonderful blend of science fiction and fantasy storytelling. The old world politics and fiery intensity between the ruling figures spoke to classic fantasy storytelling, while they travel between planets, and the exploration of how “Earth” has influenced other worlds in the universe was pure sci-fi through and through. The richness of the mythos the author has crafted here and the natural fusion of these two genres are an immediate plus for newcomers to this author’s work. 

The character development was complex and rich to take in. The raw emotions of Verena and her journey as she fights for what she believes is her birthright, then quickly grow as a fighter and a ruler who will do anything to set things right, makes this story shine so brightly. The complex relationship she has with the Prince is both heated and passionate in an intricate way, and the exploration of politics in such a grand arena as this story is amazing to read. 

The Verdict

Exhilarating, entertaining, and thoughtful in its approach, author Fern Brady’s “United Vidden” is a must-read epic sci-fi fantasy read that is impossible to put down. The gripping narrative and haunting nature of Verena’s path in this book highlight the action and romance that lace the intricate layers of this wonderfully woven narrative. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Fern Brady is the founder and CEO of Inklings Publishing. She holds multiple Masters degrees and several certifications. She began her professional life as a foreign correspondent, taught for 15 years in Alief ISD, and is a full-time Realtor in Houston. She has published numerous short stories, two children’s picture books, and a couple of poems. Her debut novel, United Vidden, which is book one in her Thyrein’s Galactic Wall Series, released in 2020 along with her graphic novel/novella hybrid New Beginning. She is the current president of the Houston Writers Guild, with whom she served in that capacity previously, and is on the board of Authorology. Besides being Municipal Liaison for Nanowrimo Houston, she is also a member of American Book Publishers Association as well as of Blood Over Texas and Romance Writers of America. She lives in Houston, TX, with her parents and her talkative husky, Arya. Follow Fern’s writing at: www.fernbrady.com

https://twitter.com/Fbrady03

Wind Keeper (Elementals of Nordica 3) by T.C. Marti Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sion realizes that he has become a pawn in yet another game, and must rise to uncover the truth before an unspeakable plot and enemies from both outside and inside of his current home in author T.C. Marti’s “Wind Keeper”, the third and final chapter in the Elementals of Nordica Trilogy. 

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The Synopsis

Sion Zona thought he at least had a sense of security in Nordica…

…Until realization strikes that he is nothing more than a pawn in yet another game

He could’ve seen Tamuria playing this game. But Nordica? Sion spent the last year believing that Nordica was the Land of Elementals. A place where elementals could freely practice their ability on their own terms, unlike the perpetual restrictions Tamuria set.

Now that the truth’s out in the open, it’s clear the Nordicans were only using their elementals for their own, selfish gain.

Then again, not everything out there meets the eye. Was using elementals and Elemental Masters really Nordica’s ulterior motive? Or is someone or something more sinister pulling Nordica’s strings?

And if that’s the case, every single elemental in the World of Eidolon is in danger. War has ravaged the region. Death is everywhere. And now, Sion must deal with not just an external enemy, but numerous internal enemies.

Wind Keeper is Book III in the Elementals of Nordica Series and the conclusion to the Eidolon Trilogy. If you love global conspiracies, alternate worlds, swords, and sorcery, plus a blend of old-world epic fantasy fused into science fiction, look no further!

The Review

What a shocking and exhilarating final chapter in this particular series. The action and suspense that went into this narrative were so profoundly felt. The author once again did such a fantastic job of balancing the fantasy elements of the magic and powers the Nine had and how it impacted their character traits with the science-fiction of the futuristic and otherworldly settings along with the political and militaristic aspects of the narrative. 

The rich character development and the impact the narrative has on this cast of characters is so expertly told. Getting to see how far these characters have evolved over time and how powerful they’ve grown both individually and as a group was amazing. The themes were so powerful here, getting to see how politics can muddy the waters of any powerful nation, as well as the dangers of being used as weapons and having your freedoms stripped from you in the face of a powerful force. 

The Verdict

Mesmerizing, action-packed, and thought-provoking, author TC Marti’s “Wind Keeper” is a must-read genre mashup of fantasy and science fiction! The perfect way to end this particular series, the author does an amazing job of leaving a big enough cliffhanger that readers should expect a brand-new trilogy to follow up this one and continue this amazing story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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Wind Wielder Review
Wind Master Review
Interview with Author T.C. Marti

About the Author

TC Marti has been an avid reader/writer for over three decades. He is the author of the Elementals Universe, a shared speculative fiction universe spanning multiple series. He is also a workout fanatic and a fan of Arizona sports teams.

Preorder Book I in the Catenarian Chronicles

Jexter Bladebrace & The Exalted Kingdom by Jamie Smartkins Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

After a planetary disaster leaves only a handful of humans alive on a deserted island, an alien race comes and makes an alliance to save the survivors in author Jamie Smartkins’s “Jexter Bladebrace & The Exalted Kingdom”. 

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The Synopsis

In the year 2080 AD, the asteroid Ominoulada strikes the Earth, shaking the planet.

Jexter Bladebrace finds himself stranded on an island. The spaceship Spectrovor arrives to help the Earthlings. Joining one hundred survivors on the island where Spectrovor lands, Jexter, Shelly and Mac try to prevent their island from sinking into the ocean.

The Spectropeans from Spectrovor suggest an alliance with the Earthlings, whereby they will save them by turning them into humphibians, a life form which can survive on land as well as in water. The humphibians take refuge in a sunken ship and learn to live on the demolished planet Earth, exploring and finding new places.

But when they find another planet, a reflection of the Earth, their lives take a drastic turn.

Can Jexter, Shelly and Mac salvage the future of the Earthlings?

The Review

This was a fast-paced and highly creative read! The author immediately set the tone of the narrative, spelling out the destruction of Earth and the diminishing odds of survival the last of humanity faced in the wake of a massive asteroid. The author did an incredible job of balancing out humor and wit with a beautiful amount of world-building and found the perfect chord of harmony between the fantasy and science fiction elements.

The character arcs did a great job of really delving into the relationships these survivors had with each other and the otherworldly visitors who helped save them. For such a short read, the author created characters that readers immediately cared for and helped elevate the narrative overall. The twists and turns the narrative took allowed for several of the main characters to take on alternate roles as the story progressed, almost as if watching a show where an actor took on multiple roles for the same project.

The Verdict

A refreshing, entertaining, and creative sci-fi and fantasy read, author Jamie Smartkins’s “Jexter Bladebrace & The Exalted Kingdom” is a must-read novel to kick off 2022! Although I personally would have loved to see some more time to delve into these characters’ backstories and the history of these fictional worlds the author created, the narrative flowed quickly and gave readers an incredible story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

8/10

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About the Author

Jamie Smartkins is the author of action adventure fantasy sci-fi book ‘Jexter Bladebrace & The Exalted Kingdom’. Jamie is an Indian science fiction writer, blogger and YouTuber. After having over a decade of experience in the software industry, he moved into the world of writing. He is also a voracious reader, music lover and winner of several quiz and dance competitions. Jamie started writing about fantasy stories as he believes creative art in any genre is the ultimate form of abstract science.

He loves studying astrology, palmistry and new foreign languages during his spare time.

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https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJamieS

Child of Light by Terry Brooks Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young woman who has spent years in a child’s prison makes a desperate escape before she is transferred to the prison for adults, but upon entering the mysterious wastelands surrounding the prison she meets a person who claims to be one of the Fae, and says she is as well. With no memories of her life before the prison and looking nothing like him, she must navigate this magical world and discover who she really is in author Terry Brooks’s novel, “Child of Light”.

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The Synopsis

The electrifying first novel of an all-new fantasy series from the legendary author behind the Shannara saga, about a human girl struggling to find her place in a magical world she’s never known.

At nineteen, Auris Afton Grieg has led an . . . unusual life. Since the age of fifteen, she has been trapped in a sinister prison. Why? She does not know. She has no memories of her past beyond the vaguest of impressions. All she knows is that she is about to age out of the children’s prison, and rumors say that the adult version is far, far worse. So she and some friends stage a desperate escape into the surrounding wastelands. And it is here that Auris’s journey of discovery begins, for she is rescued by a handsome yet alien stranger. Harrow claims to be Fae—a member of a magical race that Auris had thought to be no more than legend. Odder still, he seems to think that she is one as well, although the two look nothing alike. But strangest of all, when he brings her to his wondrous homeland, she begins to suspect that he is right. Yet how could a woman who looks entirely human be a magical being herself?

Told with a fresh, energetic voice, this fantasy puzzle box is perfect for fans of Terry Brooks and new readers alike, as one young woman slowly unlocks truths about herself and her world—and, in doing so, begins to heal both.

The Review

A gripping and engaging fantasy read, the author brilliantly draws readers in immediately with a grim and brutal world in which the protagonist faces unspeakable horrors and sees firsthand the vicious nature of her captors, the Goblins. The pacing and mythology the author develops throughout this novel deliver not only a grand universe in which these mythological creatures dwell, but a shocking series of twists and turns not only in the protagonist’s origins but in the status quo of this fantasy world overall. 

The character development was fantastic to see unfold here, and very much reminded me of the bond that formed so quickly between Jace and Clary in Cassandra Clare’s “The Mortal Instruments” YA Series. Auris and Harrow are a breath of fresh air challenging one another without delving into unneeded friction between them, while still delivering plenty of tension with other characters. The gritty nature of the villains plays well into the main narrative, but the villains themselves, the Goblins and Humanity’s ruling leadership, all feel like a play on the theme of humanity’s destruction of the environment and their need to drain natural resources, as this becomes part of the narrative over time.

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The Verdict

An entertaining, emotional, and evenly-paced sci-fi and fantasy read, author Terry Brooks and his novel “Child of Light” is a must-read novel of 2021, and the perfect fall read for fantasy fans. The Fae become more than just an additional fictional race in this book, instead of becoming the prominently featured class and (mostly) heroes in this action-packed and gripping narrative that will leave fans eager for more. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Terry Brooks was born in Illinois in 1944, where he spent a great deal of his childhood and early adulthood dreaming up stories in and around Sinnissippi Park, the very same park that would eventually become the setting for his bestselling Word & Void trilogy. He went to college and received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College, where he majored in English Literature, and he received his graduate degree from the School of Law at Washington & Lee University.

A writer since high school, he wrote many stories within the genres of science fiction, western, fiction, and non-fiction, until one semester early in his college years he was given The Lord of the Rings to read. That moment changed Terry’s life forever, because in Tolkien’s great work he found all the elements needed to fully explore his writing combined in one genre.

He then wrote The Sword of Shannara, the seven year grand result retaining sanity while studying at Washington & Lee University and practicing law. It became the first work of fiction ever to appear on the New York Times trade paperback bestseller list, where it remained for over five months.

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