Tag: swords & sorcery

Six Moons, Seven Gods: The Legends of Baelon by Robert A. Walker 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.

An ambitious thief in the Thieves Guild sparks a chain of events that will reshape everything the people of Baelon once held dear in author Robert A. Walker’s “Six Moons, Seven Gods: The Legend of Baelon”. 

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The Synopsis

“One must be careful practicing deception. The easiest to deceive will always be one’s self.”

The skilled thieves of the Takers Guild plot to overthrow the kingdoms of Baelon, but when their plans are thwarted by a prescient woman and her brooding daughter, they must turn to the League of Assassins for assistance. Meanwhile, retired royal guard Rolft Aerns returns to the palace of King Axil with an old score to settle. When they all cross paths–and swords–in the dark shadows of Fostead’s south end, nothing is as it seems and the murder count rises quickly.

The long fingers of the Guild reach everywhere, and one overly ambitious thief is all it takes to spark a chain of events that will haunt the world of Baelon for many years to come.

Six Moons, Seven Gods is book one in The Legends of Baelon.

To enter the world of Baelon, read the sample below the book’s photo on this page.

AWARDS

Winner, Book Excellence Award for Best Medieval Fantasy, Chick Lit Cafe, November, 2023

Winner, Literary Titan Book Award, December, 2023

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The Review

This was an engaging, powerful tale of fantasy-driven political thriller meets fantasy-driven mythos. The author’s imagery and thick atmosphere throughout this novel were incredible, as they brought the world of Baelon to life on the page and made the lands of this world feel vibrant and alive.

The heart of this story was the incredible story and character development. The intrigue and drama that the author can develop in this novel capture the political intrigue of Game of Thrones but add even more fantasy elements that make the story feel original and unique. The characters were engaging, and each character, whether protagonist or antagonist, had a complex web of morality that kept them emotionally invested. The secrets each character held allowed the more redemptive arcs to feel engaging.

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The Verdict

Remarkable, magical, and entertaining author Robert A. Walker’s “Six Moons, Seven Gods: The Legends of Baelon” is a must-read fantasy novel. The action, suspense, romance, and each twist and turn in the narrative are enough to keep the reader enthralled, and the richly developed world of Baelon will keep readers wanting more of this fantasy world. If you haven’t yet, make sure you pick up your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Award-winning author Robert A. Walker grew up in Northwestern Massachusetts. After graduating college, he packed his scant belongings in a car with rusted-out floorboards and headed west. He’s lived in California ever since, and now resides along the Pacific Ocean with his wife and dogs. When not fabricating stories, he can be found roaming local tennis courts or working on a never-ending list of DIY house projects.

rawalkerwriting.com

A Song in the Dark (Evercharm Book 3) by S.D. Reeves 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. 

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A young woman pursued by nefarious forces hoping to use her gift (or curse) for their own needs must discover who she can trust quickly in author S.D. Reeves novel, “A Song in the Dark”, the third book in the Evercharm series.

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The Synopsis

Everyone seeks her song. But who among them is prepared to die for it…

On a perilous mountain pass, Niena, the girl known as The Melody of Three, undertakes a treacherous journey with her fairy queen step-grandmother to escape all those who wish to control her. Niena’s gift is also her curse. As the descendant of three races, she is the only one who can play the Evercharm, the lyre used to create the fairy, elf, and human worlds. For sorcerer Christaan De Rein and his trusted apprentice Higgins, he needs Niena for the protection of the Curators. But after one long week into their journey to capture her, it feels as if they are chasing shadows.

When those shadows transform into seething Udur, the Teamor’s vicious hounds, Rein’s traveling party are not the only ones in imminent danger. Niena is learning fast that reality is not all that it seems. And if creation is to be stopped from unraveling completely, she must decide exactly who she can trust…

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The Review

This was a compelling and captivating read. The author did a fantastic job of world-building, crafting a narrative that is both detailed and imaginative all at once. The haunting imagery the author captures not only highlights the fantasy genre so perfectly but also brings a cinematic flair that keeps the action and adventure elements of the story fresh and alive on the page.

The character development was astounding in this story. The balance between Niena’s struggles as the weight of not one but several worlds hangs on her shoulders and the sense of destiny and hope that Rein exudes as he explores the elements of harmony that the themes play on kept these two protagonists highly engaging to the reader. The concept of vibrations and music overall impacting a world and the universal language we all speak made the fantasy and action elements explode off the page.

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The Verdict

Memorable, thoughtful, and entertaining, author Stephen Reeves’s “A Song in the Dark” is a must-read sword and sorcery style fantasy novel. The twists and turns in the narrative and the gripping character growth help evolve the world in which the story is being told, and the narrative itself makes this a truly thrilling read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Stephen Reeves was born in 1980 in Huntsville, Alabama. He currently resides in Switzerland with an undetermined number of cats greater than zero, and a propensity for nonsense. On those cold nights where the wind steams off snowbanks, he is known to write award-winning fantasy novels. And curse his wife’s cold feet.

The Shadow Realm by Anya Costello 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 girl finds herself transported to another dimension after living in a world in which her parents disappeared and the mysterious Shadow Hour loomed every day over the world, and soon she must fight to survive and find a way of saving both her new friends and humanity in author Anya Costello’s “The Shadow Realm”.

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The Synopsis

A teenage girl is transported to a dangerous realm and must learn to trust others if she and her friends have any chance of survival. The protagonist Amber is a thirteen-year-old girl just trying to keep up her grades and survive the daily Shadow Hour that has taken over her world. Amber has lived with her aunt since the strange disappearance of her parents and the loss of her memories. Left alone with her aunt, trying to move on from the mystery of her parents’ disappearance, and wary of the threat that the Shadow Hour poses to her and everyone around her, Amber becomes fiercely independent and motivated though reluctant to reach out to others or accept help. Only when Amber is swept into another dimension and forced to work with an unlikely group of friends does she begin to open up and realize that she doesn’t need to face the world alone.

In this Hunger Games-like fantasy adventure novel, Amber is banished from the dangerous near future of her own reality to another realm known as the Shadow Realm. There she must survive a series of deadly obstacles in order to save not only herself and her friends, but humanity as well.

The Review

This was such a brilliantly written and imaginative read. The author, a young teen author, showcases an incredible command over world-building and atmosphere, both of which this novel has plenty of. The tension and unique settings of this dark dimension highlight the surreal dangers and newfound threats facing the world, while the action and suspense keep the reader on edge as the journey progresses. 

What really stood out to me as both a reader and writer was the author’s ability to develop complex and engaging mythology in this world of the Shadow Realm and the various creatures and figures that inhabit it, as well as the emotional character development that occurs between the protagonist and other survivors of this world. The mystery of the young woman’s past and family mix with the theme of opening up and letting others into her life, which proves crucial to her survival. The losses and struggles that occur over time as the trials continue to make this story’s narrative feel thrilling and heart-pounding as each chapter plays out.

The Verdict

Harrowing, entertaining, and exceptionally well written, author Anya Costello’s “The Shadow Hour” is a superb new YA Fantasy meets dystopian thriller. The first in what one can only hope becomes a series, the lengthy read starts out strong and never slows down, giving the reader an engaging experience that keeps them invested in the protagonist’s journey and the emotional bonds she forms. The way the author brought the iconic theme of the Hero’s Journey to life in a fresh and brand new way showcases a growing talent in the literary world that will only get better and better as time goes on, so if you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of this incredible novel today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Anya Costello is a teen author whose manuscript won first prize of the International Writing Contest of Stone Soup magazine and Mackenzie Press.

Anya says: I have been writing stories since the age of four and at age ten, I attempted my first full length work of fiction, The Shadow Hour. I have always been drawn to writing fantasy and fiction. Building worlds that follow different rules from our own, like the Shadow Realm, and creating the characters that live within them allows me to put aspects of my own life, experiences, and thoughts in an entirely new context.

Anya has been presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair and has received a citation from United Sates Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III.

Anya was born and raised in Massachusetts where she currently resides with her family.

Local Teen Author of ‘The Shadow Hour’ Joins Studio 10

Author Anya Costello On How To Write A Book That Sparks A Movement

‘The Shadow Hour’

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Eternity’s Mirror (Eternal Chronicles Book 2) by Zachary Hagen 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.

As a great evil looms over the world and is threatening to consume it whole, three young heroes continue their quest to the other side of Eternity’s Mirror to find the answers they seek in author Zachary Hagen’s “Eternity’s Mirror”, the second book in the Eternal Chronicles series.

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The Synopsis

Flip the coin and find a whole new world on the other side.

The Circle is uniting the countries of Lux Terra. Elior, Nyx, and Opal are finding that some things have changed as the result of their adventures with Michael. Yrahkaz has been tasked with squashing the growing obsession with Michael.

When an important clue to finding Eliam and fixing Nyx’s and Opal’s problems is given to them, they recruit the help of a disgraced magi-technician to get to him, but their initial success is more then they bargained for.

The other side of the Mirror of Eternity is filled with wonders and dangers they never imagined. Will they still be able to prevail against an evil that is bent on devouring them whole, or will they fall prey to its cunning pursuit?

Eternity’s Mirror is the thrilling continuation of The Eternal Chronicles picking up where Eternity’s Well left off. 

The Review

The world-building in this novel is simply incredible. While I am new to this series and I would recommend reading the first book in the series to really be able to capture the backstory and history of these characters, the author did an amazing job of building a story that could stand on its own two feet and a mythos that is rich with dynamic history and storytelling. The way the setting allowed readers to be brought into a brand new world while seeing how magic and sword & sorcery style storytelling could reflect in a more modern world was incredible to see and made the journey feel that much more engaging.

The character growth was spectacular here. The way the author was able to introduce a wide array of characters to help flesh out this growing mythos while also giving more depth to the main cast of characters, both the protagonists and antagonists alike, was beautifully done. The heart of the narrative really did a great job of balancing out the larger, fate of the world dangers with the more personal character struggles, like Elior’s journey to finding Elliam. 

The Verdict

Mesmerizing, powerful, and entertaining, author Zachary Hagen’s “Eternity’s Mirror” is a must-read novel of 2022 for any fans of epic fantasy storytelling. The rich history and mythos that the author has crafted for this world and the hero’s journey theme that can be found throughout the narrative made this a truly engaging storyline, and the promise of another thrilling chapter with an open-ended final chapter made this a story that couldn’t be put down. Be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

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About the Author

Zachary Hagen is a North Carolina based fantasy author and teacher. He lives there with his wife, Claudia, and their dog, Flynn. When he isn’t busy writing his next book or teaching, you can often find him walking around his neighbor hood or up hiking in Hanging Rock Park with his wife and their friends.

From a young age he was enthralled with the world of story. From the stories his parents read to him from his blue bedtime story books (if you know, you know) to the first two series that he read, The Chronicles of Narnia and A Series of Unfortunate Events, Zachary’s tastes continued to develop throughout his years of reading.

The influences for his first series, The Eternal Chronicles, include Christopher Paolini, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and others.

https://zacharyhagenwrites.com/