I'm not going to say for sure that the tagline is a reference to my story, but it could be! Graphic from Death Knell Press. Looking to buy indie horror?
Nightmare Sky, and anthology of astronomical horror from Death Knell Press, is available as of November 4th, 2022! It's edited by Red Lagoe, and there's a foreword from Aurealis Award-winning author Alan Baxter and stories from 28 authors! The anthology is available in both e-book and paperback. There are all sorts of horror stories inside and they're all fantastic (yes, I got an early copy). Copies are available from: Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo Indie Bound (to buy it from your local bookstore) Don't forget that you can always ask your local library to order a copy! Authors: Tiffany Michelle Brown, Dino Parenti, Pauline Barmby, Zachary Rosenberg, Ziggy Schutz, Inara Enko, Jeremy Megargee, Vann Orcka, Patrick Barb, Justin Moritz, Matthew Condello, M. Richard Eley, Madison McSweeney, Bernard McGhee, Elizabeth Davis, Lindsey Ragsdale, Jacob Steven Mohr, Tony Logan, Kim Z. Dale, Ai Jiang, C.R. Beideman, Salvador Ayala, Kate Ota, Holly Rae Garcia, Avra Margariti, Grace R. Reynolds, Emerson Seipel, & Rose Strickman. Want to learn more? Check out Death Knell Press's page about it. I appreciate anyone who grabs a copy of this anthology!
0 Comments
Wilbur posing with HOM by James Moore. Photo by Kate Ota 2022 HOM by James Moore is a YA Christian fantasy novella (172 pages in paperback). The main character, Hom, was raised in a lab to cultivate his powers—he is visited by angels and demons and can teleport to Hell. However, when demons attack the facility, he learns he’s not the only teen with powers. He teams up with the ragtag group to escape, but when they learn the truth of what the demons are planning, they must make a tough choice—their own freedom, or saving the world.
James is part of the Judging More Than Just the Cover Book Club Podcast, and I was even a critique partner for many parts of this book. I also know it started as a storyboard type outline for a videogame. And it certainly feels like a videogame, with big boss fights, specified powers, and unique uniforms. I also liked Frieda, Hom’s pseudo-mom figure, the interesting settings, and the morally-gray scientist. The novella went by super quickly, as novellas tend to do. There was a lot more action than emotion, which is not necessarily a bad thing, depending on your mood. I know indie books are sometimes bashed for typos, but the ones here are few and far between, so worry not. This book is for you if you like Christian fantasy (i.e. angels, demons, and biblical God on the page), if you are in the mood for videogames but don’t want to actually play it yourself, or if you’re looking for a quick paced, high action read. It’s not for you if you aren’t into biblical content in fantasy, if you’re looking for deep emotion, or if violence in a novel is not your cup of tea. Have you read HOM yet? I know James would love your support! Be sure to review indie books, it helps the authors get more readers. Once again, my Kindle screen can't do them justice, so here are some higher quality images of the covers in this series. Photos from Amazon's listings for the books. The Demons of Muralia books by Mikko Azul so far include The Staff of Fire and Bone and The Rod of Wind and Iron.
This series is an indie YA/NA secondary-world fantasy with rich worldbuilding. It focuses on the main character, Cédron, a prince of a city-state who has cultural heritage from four different peoples and this is described to be everyone. However, he inherited some magical abilities from one of his disliked ancestral groups, which make him an outcast at home and a target for a power-hungry mage. An ancient god-like being is attempting to break free of his cage, and Cédron will either prevent it or cause it. One thing I like about this series is the Avatar: The Last Airbender vibe centered on Cédron. He needs to collect magical stones for each of the four elements to defeat his enemy. He also ends up collecting a band of friends who help him fight... well everybody, since no one seems to be on his side. The worldbuilding is deep and rich, but very clear. People from different cultures have names that made it very clear who they are in general, even if I forgot some specifics. On the downside, so many women died in book 1. And each time the death motivated the male MC to do more toward his quest: aka there were multiple fridgings. I also felt like the editor was overpaid for their quality of copyediting. Overall, this is your jam is you like really hardcore worldbuilding (funky names, different words for the sun and moon, multiple cultures, etc.), soft magic (aka rules not laid out to the reader), and quest stories. Not for you if you need books to satisfy the Bechdel test, if a large cast or multi POV is not your style, or if you're not a fan of fantasy violence. Have you read either of these two books? What did you think? Let's discuss in the comments! Transparency note: I read The Rod of Wind and Iron as a beta reader (aka free for me and supplied feedback for free to the author). I purchased The Staff of Fire and Bone and did not ask for or receive compensation for my honest review. This cover is gorgeous, and my Kindle just didn't do it justice, so no cat pics today. I read the Norse Queen by Johanna Whittenberg as the first book on my new e-reader, my first Kindle. (I've been a Barnes and Noble Nook girl for the last ten years, but my last Nook died and they don't make them anymore. Alas.) It's the first in an ongoing indie series set in the 800's in, you guessed it, Viking-held areas in what is now Scandinavia. This book's protagonist is Åsa (Oh-sah), a teenage princess of a small island. However, when a proposal goes awry, the jilted would-be fiancé (and enemy of her family's past) slaughters Åsa's family and takes her hostage. She must find a way through her grief, fear, and how to be a queen to her aggressors, while still trying to protect the conquered people who were once her father's subjects.
I enjoyed a lot about this book. The author clearly did a lot of research, as the world was full of detail and felt authentic. I didn't fact check anything, but I also never felt the urge to, which is very telling from me. Åsa was a strong female character, despite her very male-dominated circumstances. I appreciated that she never forgot about her subjects and found small but meaningful ways to rebel. Olaf, the love interest, was interesting for his flaws and growth, though I felt like he didn't grow enough and did some unforgivable things (Åsa would agree with me). There's also an element of magic to the story, but not enough that you're left thinking about how if magic was real so much of history would be different. I couldn't read the map on my Kindle (which is a fault of the Kindle, not the author) so despite the descriptions, I had trouble picturing where locations were in relation to each other. One other little downside is that Åsa has a touch of "not like other girls" syndrome, but this may have been required due to the real historical setting, so I'll forgive it more easily than I would a secondary world fantasy. I recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and light fantasy (light like not much magic, not as in uplifting). If you're tired of reading Viking stories where it's all about the men, you'll enjoy the badass Åsa. It's not for anyone triggered by/not in the mood to read about general violence, sexual violence/rape, kidnapping, or traumatic births. Have you read The Norse Queen? Let's discuss in the comments! Transparency note: I am in a writing group with the author of this book. I also beta read book 4 of the series before I read book 1. I paid for the book myself and have not been compensated for my review. |
Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
|