Book Review: Stonewhisper
Posted: September 29, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Hifgh Fantasy, Review, Young Adult | Tags: Book Review, H.Y. Gregor, High Fantasy, Stone Whisper, Writing to be Read, Young Adult Fantasy 2 Comments
About the Book
Lovers of the Night Angel trilogy and the Ember Blade will enjoy this dastardly tale of torn loyalties, a criminal empire, and a fallen hero.
Erion spends his days fighting Daemanon’s monsters and his nights skirting the line between criminal and victim. He’s stuck as a hired thug for the Crimson Fang—forced to pay his father’s debt as he tries to keep the Fang from discovering his younger brother’s potent Life Magic. When Erion kills the wrong man, he gives the Fang exactly what they need to bring him into their criminal ranks.
When a Guardian of Pelinon arrives to investigate a series of disappearances, Erion and his dodgy allies unearth the truth of the disappearances buried beneath layers of stone, secrets, and death.
Necromancers weave dark rites. Chaos erupts. For Erion, is there any good in being a hero if there’s no one left to save?
For lovers of Dungeons & Dragons and GameLit, this is a book from the sweeping epic fantasy world of Eldros Legacy.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Stonewhisper-Crimson-Fang-Eldros-Legacy-ebook/dp/B0C3Z3RRMC/
My Review
Stone Whisper, by H.Y. Gregor is a young adult high fantasy adventure of the highest caliber. This story was crafted to provide tantalizing plot and subplot lines, skillfully woven into a complex tale of magic, monsters, and mayhem. Gregor offers interesting and complex characters, vivid discriptions, and an intriguing plot.
As Erion slays his way through monsters and hellhounds to discover who is behind the recent rash of disappearances of young peasant women, he uncovers a great evil happening right under the noses of all. But, he’s caught in clutches of the Crimson Fang, a criminal gang running rampant in the city, in order to clear his father’s debts, forced tol use his earth magic for their benefit. Torn between a need to keep his younger brother hidden until he can come up with asuccessful plan to get him away from the city, and his obligation to pay his father’s debt to the criminal Crimson Fang, and a realization that the evil must be stopped.
The adventure is high and the stakes are higher, and all is not as it seems. Stone Whisper is a thoroughly entertaining read. I give it five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
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Book Review: Rise of the Dragonslayer
Posted: September 15, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy, Review | Tags: Book Review, Cynthia Vespia, High Fantasy, Rise of the Dragon Slayer, Writing to be Read 2 CommentsAbout the Book
From the depths of dragon’s fire
a legendary warrior will rise
Fire destroyed her life yet ignited in her a new purpose.
When the last ember of Rayna’s home burned out she vowed to find the dragon responsible and slay it. Orphaned and alone she gets caught up with the Forsaken Force, a band of mercenaries who do as they please. In order to stay alive, Rayna must earn their trust through demonstrated skill and a fiery spirit.
The brothers-in-arms become like a second home until tragedy strikes again. With her need for vengeance renewed, Rayna grows even more determined to slay the dragon that burned her life or die trying.
Rise of the Dragonslayer is a prequel to the Time of Dragons series by fantasy author Cynthia Vespia.
My Review
Rise of the Dragon Slayer, by Cynthia Vespia is short prequel to her Time of the Dragons series, which tells readers how Rayna came to be on a quest to irradicate the last of the dragons which torment the lands of her home. I recently read and reviewed Book 1 of the series, Rayna the Dragon Slayer, (You can see my review of Rayna: Dragon Slayer here), so I was pleased to be able to read the prequel for free when I signed up for her newsletter. From what I can tell, that’s the only way to get this book, so instead of a purchase link above, I’m including the URL to sign up for her newsletter here: https://www.cynthiavespia.com/free-story
Rise of the Dragon Slayer tells the story of how it all started. It reveals the reason for Rayna’s hatred and desire for revenge of one dragon sets her on a quest for the death of all dragons. We see her face her very first dragon. It’s a short read, and I can’t say much without giving away spoilers, but I will say that I was amazed at the creative way in which she defeats the dragon, and I think you will be, too.
A perfect prequel to the Time of Dragon’s series, Rise of the Dragon Slayer is original and surprising. A thrilling dragon hunting adventure. I give it five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
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Book Review – Rayna: Dragon Slayer
Posted: May 12, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Hifgh Fantasy, High Fantasy, Review | Tags: Book Review, Cynthia Vespia, Dragon slayers, High Fantasy, Kaye Lynne Booth, Rayna, Writing to be Read 10 CommentsAbout the Book
She was a warrior forged from flame, a slayer of mighty dragons, until one final quest changed everything
Rayna had been hunting dragons since the day one burned her family to ash. Her skills, enhanced by a massive broadsword, made her a legendary dragonslayer. Marred by a mysterious stigmata labeled “the dragon’s curse” she was both revered and feared as she hunted down the dragons across Atharia.
Rayna thought she’d slain them all. But when the royal house sought the slayer they told her of another. One more dragon plagued the land…the very same beast which burned Rayna’s home years before. Fueled by vengeance Rayna takes up the quest to fulfill her life’s purpose and purge the beasts from the world. But as she gets closer to the kill, Rayna learns a bitter truth that will drastically alter her path and turn the hunter into the hunted.
Painful, pivotal memories surface as Rayna races to find the culprit behind the mayhem, recover a lost child, and get to the real target to set things right.
Rayna the Dragonslayer is the first in an exciting dragon fantasy adventure series A Time of Dragons. It’s a symphony of sword & sorcery, high fantasy, and a heroic quest that is like The Mandalorian merging with Game of Thrones.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rayna-Dragonslayer-Time-Dragons-Book-ebook/dp/B0BRWZY8KY
My Review
A tough female protagonist is what drew me to pick up Rayna, by Cynthia Vespia. (Plus, it has a kick butt cover.) I’ve talked a bit about making strong female protagonists believable and relatable, and Ms. Vespia did not disappoint. Rayna is strong, agile and tough enough to slay dragons, which I hear can be rather tricky. She is portrayed as being physically and mentally strong, yet still emotionally vulnerable, which makes her relatable for just about everyone. Though tough and hard, Rayna also reveals a side that is very human, one perhaps even she didn’t know was there. Rayna is one heroine who I look forward to reading more about.
Dragon slaying in a land of castles and Kings, with lots of sword play and a bit of magic thrown in makes this tale a must for high fantasy lovers. I give Rayna five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
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Journeying into the Worlds of Fantasy in April
Posted: April 6, 2020 Filed under: Books, Dark Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Writing | Tags: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, High Fantasy, low fantasy, Space Fantasy, sword and sorcery, Urban fantasy, western fantasy, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
In April, Writing to be Read celebrates fantasy. That area of literature and visual media where fantastical elements become possible, and maybe even expected. Fantasy is as old as the fables and fairytales which birthed it centuries ago. In fantasy, anything is possible, and readers journey to worlds beyond their own imaginations, allowing effective escapes from reality, which is why it is such a popular genre.
Although in fantasy, anything may be possible, each story world must have its own set of rules which should never be broken. And it’s the author’s job to be sure those rules are clear for readers and ensure that they are never breached. To ensure this, authors go to great lengths, drawing up elaborate story bibles and creating maps of their worlds in order to keep everything straight.
There are many subgenres of fantasy, including dark fantasy, which carries readers into evil realms; high or epic fantasy, which ventures into magical worlds on the hero’s journey; low fantasy, which magical elements mingle in the real world; magical realism, which takes place in worlds similar to ours, but where magical elements are common place; urban fantasy, where legends come to life; sword and sorcery, with sword weilding heroes who thrive on gallentry; space fantasy, which takes place in the imaginative worlds in the far reaches of the universe; western fantasy, where magical or supernatural elements invade the landscapes of the old west; fantand superhero fiction, where protagonists use supernatural powers to manipulate the elements of the real world.
The hero’s journey originated with fantasy, and that is where writing instructors turn to provide examples of the way that journey progresses for their students. Bilbo Baggins’ hero’s journey in The Hobbit is exemplary, but it is only a prelude to the ultimate hero’s journey Frodo embarks upon in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. J.R.R. Tolkien paved the way for fantasy writers right up to those of present day.
Stick with me this month for a great line-up of fantasy reviews and interviews with authors of the fantasy genre. My “Chatting with the Pros” author guest is L. Deni Colter, and my supporting interview is with J.B. Garner. I’ll also be reviewing the X Marks the Spot anthology, edited by Lisa Mangum; Severed Wings, by Steven Elliot Altman; and Indomitable, by J.B.Garner. I do interviews on Mondays and reviews on Fridays, so drop in and find out what is happening on the fantasy scene.
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“Shadow Blade”: A high fantasy novel of intrigue and mystery
Posted: March 29, 2019 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction | Tags: Book Review, Chris Barili, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, High Fantasy, Shadow Blade, Writing to be Read 2 Comments
Spies and assassins, deception, adventure, magic – Shadow Blade, by Chris Barili has it all. With an intriguing story line that keeps readers guessing, with twists and turns around every corner, this story is everything a fantasy adventure should be. In the tradition of high fantasy, Barili has created a rich medieval style world of kings and castles, princesses and assassins, where magic is addictive and nothing is as it seems.
When a Denari Lai assassin falls in love with his target, it’s pretty certain that things are going to get complicated. Throw a second assassin into the mix and it’s near certain that there will be trouble and things may not end well. As you get to know Ashai, the Denari Lai assassin whose heart may be bigger than his training, and Princess Makari, whose kindness has earned the adoration and respect of an entire kingdom, you’ll find that you can’t help but root for them both to triumph against all odds.
Ashai didn’t intend to fall in love with Makari, but when he does it proves to be quite a dilemma. His love for her goes against everything he’s been taught, causing him to question his training. When a Denari Lai is set on a target, he stops at nothing to accomplish the sanction, but in a sudden turn of the tables, Ashai will now stop at nothing to prevent it. In his quest to save the woman who now haunts his dreams, he becomes a target. He doesn’t know who to trust, but he finds allies in some unsuspected places, enemies lurking in the shadows, and a surprise around every corner. He’ll do anything to keep Makari safe, even forfeiting the very magic that he draws his strength from and risking his very existence.
Chris Barili has crafted a delightful fantasy adventure in Shadow Blade. It has a well- developed fantasy world, with unique and memorable characters that will stay with you. You won’t want to put it down. I give it five quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
