Synopsis:

Nearly a thousand years ago, the tyrant-sorcerer Mordechai betrayed his people, forged a weapon of darkness, and led an assault against the Middle Kingdoms to claim the throne of Reality. He slaughtered the defenders, broached the Shimmering Door, ascended to the Unseen Realm, and sought to make himself a god at the Heart of the World. Only at the last moment was he thwarted—by the sacrifice of a young woman, Lightbringer, who slew the Servant of Darkness and ended his terrible campaign.

But now evil stirs in ancient strongholds, and blood-rituals claim the lives of innocents throughout the cities of the world, and fearsome shadow-monsters have reappeared to feast upon the living. The Servant has been resurrected. His armies have grown. His power has swelled. And he has resumed his bloody war against the free world. Again he marches for the Shimmering Door and the Heart of the World; and now there are few who remain to stay his hand.

Only a young forest girl, Ashera Eldibara, has any hope of standing against Mordechai. She bears the Sword of Light, the fabled weapon of her predecessor, and its magic hums in her bones. Others stand at her side as protectors and guardians—a wizard, a warrior, and a huntress, each prepared to sacrifice all in the last desperate struggle against the Servant of Darkness.

But they are few, and Ashera is young and untrained, inexperienced in the ways of magic and warfare—and the monstrous armies that she faces are vast and powerful . . . and already hunting her.

The Servant is not just a love letter to classic high fantasy, this is a John Cusack holding a boombox up to the Mount Rushmore of classic high fantasy: Tolkien, Brooks, Jordan, and Weis/Hickman.

Woodland girl, Ashera, is tied to an ancient prophecy and like all good classic fantasy stories, and she is tasked with defeating a resurfaced dark lord. What unfolds in these ~800 pages is a journey we’ve seen plenty of times but can never ever get enough of. Add in some excellent side characters and we have ourselves a boiling pot of porridge.

I mean it when I say this is classic fantasy to a ‘T’. We have a champion and a dark lord after the World’s Heart. We have the Light v Dark, aka good v evil. We have swords of Light and Dark (oh my). We have a ‘farmboy/girl save the world’ trope. We have demon beasties who are just here to kill Team Good Guys/Gals. We have dark wizards who work for the dark lord. Good wizards who help our champion. A literal slow build journey from humble beginnings to prophecized leader. Literal Prophecies (this is obvious since the series title is Prophecy of the Five). Woodland elves. Dwarves. Faeries. This tome is bursting with classic fantasy concepts and each one of them is reverent to the very idea of said tropes, almost to a fault (of which I absolutely adore).

And while we’ve seen so many books trying to adhere to the classic style and the greats, it really takes a deft storyteller to make you feel like you are witnessing something new. Greer is one of the most gifted storytellers I’ve read in awhile, hands down. His cozy-ish Garden Knight stories are so visceral, so elegant in their prose, I knew without a doubt The Servant would be the same. And it was! The prose, the pacing, the characters and their arcs, just so well done. The almost 800 pages felt like 200 because I was so engrossed in this story. Greer is a master at painting a scene, letting it breathe as needed. He doesn’t just ram details down your throat, hoping you catch the taste of what he is cooking, no he simmers on low, throwing in dashes of lore, pinches of action, heaps of character.

That said, I can see how this won’t be a story for everyone. It’s classic for a reason: it takes its time. We spend nearly 150 pages with Ashera in her home village before the shit hits the fan. Much of what happens here seems like it shouldn’t have a point other than being fluff, but trust me, it all serves a purpose to build up Ashera’s arc. Characters we meet are given so much life, and when things happen, you feel terror for them when the demon beasties and bad wizards show up. And even when Ashera finally leaves her home and begins her book 1 plot (there are 5 planned books in this series), it still takes its time, especially when it comes to her learning her magic. So if you are looking for fast pacing and all out action, you won’t get this here.

The vast majority of this book is told through Ashera’s POV, probably close to 85% or more. She, like every farmboy/girl character before her, starts off very naive to things, but she isn’t just a cardboard cutout for worldbuilding to be dumped on. She has a lot of character depth in the beginning, especially her relationship with her sister Kyrina and the twins Talia and Tovin (who also have magic). There is a realness to the relationships in this book and I commend Greer for making sure to build these up as they define Ashera throughout the book. The other two POVs are Penedur (a warrior sent to protect her, think Aragorn) and Cenhelm (a guard working for the dark lord). Penedur is fun, and he helps guide Ashera in a great way, slightly turning the hardened warrior trope on its head a bit. Cenhelm is barely seen, we only meet him way later in the book, but I have to assume we will get more with him in the rest of the series. We also have Kirin as our resident good wizard, and then Shayelin, a character I won’t delve into for spoiler reasons.

I won’t lie, I don’t read a ton of classic fantasy as much anymore, mainly because it’s hard to stand up next to the greats, or to even take those classic tropes and make them fresh again. But it was super refreshing with The Servant. I cannot wait until book 2, I just know Greer will give me another great story! So if you need some classic fantasy in your life, definitely go pick this up when it releases on June 28!

Synopsis:
The epic naval fantasy trilogy concludes, as Sam, Mary and Benedict play a deadly game of war and espionage on the high-seas. Perfect for fans of pirate-infested waters, magical bestiaries and battling empires, by authors such as Adrienne Young, L. J. Andrews and Naomi Novik.
In the wake of the events of Black Tide Son, Hart flees into pirate-infested waters to shelter on the island where former rogue James Demery and the Fleetbreaker, Anne Firth, now rule.
Reeling from their discoveries about the truths of the Mereish-Aeadine war, Mary and Samuel hover on the precipice of a terrible, world-altering choice – they can stay silent and maintain their good names, or they can speak out and risk igniting total war across the Winter Sea.
Meanwhile, Benedict captains The Red Tempest, a lawless ship of deserters and corrupted mages in search of an Usti spy with incendiary stolen documents. Benedict is determined to make the truth known, consequences be damned.
As rumours spread of a new Ghistwold sprouting in the Mereish South Isles, Mary and Samuel sail once more into intrigue, espionage and an ocean on the brink of exploding into conflict. They must chart a course toward lasting, final peace, at the heart of the age-old battle for power upon the Winter Sea.

Review:

Hello again dear reader or listener, I hope you are well and your summer is off to a great start. I cannot say the same unfortunately, due to a loss in the family, but I am here because I turned to what comforts me most and that is stories. Especially ones I know are a safe haven.

Thanks to the lovely folk at Titan Books, I have once again been graced with an early peek at my most anticipated read of the year. This time, with the epic conclusion to a series that has become very dear to my heart. You know the feeling when you’re positively vibrating for the last installment but you’re also not ready to let the story and characters go? Long caused me this in spades with her Winter Sea trilogy! How very dare.

Minor spoilers for books 1 & 2 of the series ahead. Very minor, I promise. Borderline non-existent even.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again verbatim: H. M. Long raises the bar on what epic high-seas fantasy and character work are supposed to be. And she does so spectacularly, by grabbing you by the proverbial lapels and flinging you into edge of your seat action, humor, and so much heart.

This third and final installment only cemented it further by wrapping up this transporting tale in the most satisfying of ways, for many a reason.

Long picks up the story not much time after the events of Black Tide Son and the author takes no issue with plunging you directly into intense and breakneck action right from the get go. The opening 25% truly felt like the Donald Glover meme from Community, with me, the unsuspecting reader, cheerily walking into a room (see, port, iykyk) in flames and it all going progressively more and more downhill from there. Fittingly, I should add, considering who our first pov protag is in this book. Long puts your feelings through the wringer from the very first chapter, sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad one, but whatever the context, you are inevitably reeling. But it hurt so good, as they say. In fact, if I had to describe the overall effect this book had on me it would be by saying it was killing me softly for all of its 416 pages.

Long shines in her character work the most, and that is where the heart of this trilogy lies, for her protagonists have grown and developed so much throughout the course of the story that I felt actual pride for them, as if they were my own friends succeeding and maturing. Not to do any disservice to the plot itself of course, as it was twisting and winding, and also optimally paced, in a way that propels you forward without tiring you out, yet you never quite know where it’ll lead next or which otherworldly monster might suddenly appear to ruin a character’s day. If book two was a slow-burn under some aspects, book three has nothing slow about it. It looks back at you once and boisterously tells you to keep up with a roguish smile.  And you will, even pushing through the proverbial stitch in your side, because you will simply not want to put this book down.

It is nearly impossible to do all the central themes of this book justice without spoilers and I do not want to risk diluting effect of the previous two books if you haven’t read them yet, dear reader, so I need to be vague. But trust me when I say that if you’re looking for a trilogy with well-rounded and perfectly imperfect characters that you can’t help but root for, even the antiheroic ones you least expected to be siding with, then this is the series for you. From proper villain decay to restitution and responsibility, from questions of agency and freedom to finding one’s path forward even if it’s not what you’d originally wanted or expected.

The world of the Winter Sea is one of mesmerizing magic, high stakes, unforgiving elements, and badass action. Its cadre of characters do not leave you wanting, avoiding clichés and presenting archetypes in a way that is fresh and rich. There truly is something for everyone, be it camaraderie to die for, a romantic plot that will have you clutching your chest from the feels (they are goals, just chef’s kiss goals), political intrigue and conspiracies whose threads you seek to unravel along with the protagonists, wisecracks and humor that hit the spot every time, or moral frustrations that will have you pulling your hair as the characters learn priorities and which way their loyalties lie. Because nothing is ever quite as it seems and even when you think you know the characters and their drives by the third book, they will still surprise you. Not in a rug pull way of “the author needed an ex machina and this was the easiest way, character consistency be damned”, but in a way that still makes perfect sense for each character arc. Said in a better way, I was always pleasantly surprised but never confusedly shocked.

Not only was I immensely satisfied with how Mary and Samuel faced the action and where they eventually ended up but also with the ways they both grew as individuals and as a team overall throughout the trilogy – seriously the development of his attitude toward Mary going from “must protect the helpless damsel because I’m a gentleman” in book one, onto “the damsel is actually a highly capable and lowkey feral and formidable woman” throughout book two, and finally “we’re safer and more effective when working as a team” with book three, was utterly impeccable – but I am truly bowing to Long’s mastery in delivering a true antihero, whose guts I positively hated in book one, and for whom, by the end of this third book, I was feeling my chest tighten in sympathy to his struggle to redeem himself in order to be worthy of something I will not spoil. Hell, even his journey to accepting whether he wanted to in the first place, held me veritably captive.

Like, I am not sure I can fully explain to you dear reader how unforgiving of a person I am over certain things, and the fact that Long never once panders or sweeps anything under the rug to make the character more palatable and to wrap things up in a neat bow, was masterful. She instead works hard to show the nuance and difficulty in the rehabilitation and penance and the work they must still do to make up for their past. That, I could get behind so well. Bluntly put, she doesn’t excuse the asshole but at least you get to understand him and maybe even hope he will make the right choices going forth. Simply the fact that you are rooting for that to happen after the events of the first book alone, is testament to an expertly woven tale by a powerhouse storyteller.

Red Tempest Brother is everything you want in a series conclusion. It reunites you with beloved characters one last time, keeping you on the edge of your seat the whole time, while enthralling you with wondrous and epic ambiance you’ve loved and have been transported by throughout the whole series. The Winter Sea trilogy is one I will find myself rereading often in the future and if you haven’t yet started it, dear reader or listener, now is your chance to binge the whole thing in one go. Trust me, you’ll want to.

This final installment comes out July 8^th so run to preorder it now; an epic tale of brave and sassy seafarers awaits.

Until next time,
Eleni A.E.

P.S: as always, a major shoutout to mah boy Charles who is truly the mvp in every single one these books because he is Best Boi and the ever delightful foil to someone else. No, I will not elaborate.

Synopsis:

Irdessa the Undying, a renowned arena fighter in Fohrvylda, has escaped imprisonment but at great cost. Broken and alone, she must outwit and outfight her pursuers.

Basalt Kale, a failed Consonant monk of the lowest order, embarks on a quest to improve Ausgan but discovers vile secrets of his order that he cannot abide.

The heathens of Fohrvylda amass ships and beasts of war to sail the Faithless Sea and assault the monks of Ausgan, who will greet the steel-bearing invaders with elemental destruction.

Review:

Violence & Vigilance is action-packed from cover to cover featuring an array of unlikely heroes and conniving villains. It has a unique magic system employed by one side of the story, and gritty cunning by the other. There was a lot of setup done in preparation for the rest of the series (which is forthcoming, I hope.) It was a really fun read.

The way the story was relayed was a little unusual, in that there weren’t any true “main” characters. There were two distinct storylines, but each was presented from the viewpoints of a variety of characters involved in that storyline. I wasn’t immediately clear how the two story arcs related to one another, but after a while, that did become clear.

The first arc was set on the island of Forhvylda, and begins in a gladiatorial-style arena. Forhvylda is run by Vretos, a man said to be unkillable. He’s ruthless and doesn’t tolerate failure from his subordinates. His ultimate goal is to launch his fleet of ships, known as the Heathen Tide, in an attack on another island, but he can’t launch until conditions are just right. With a ruler like Vretos, there’s bound to be some dissent, though it will need something to spark the populace into outright rebellion. There were two standout characters for me in this story arc: Irdessa (who begins the story as a conscripted gladiator), and Kraus (who is crass and barbaric, very rough around the edges…but he grew on me over time.)

The second arc is set on the island of Ausgan, which is ruled by mages. Their leader is Intemrus, who is also said to be immortal. The mages have a strict hierarchy that requires not only innate talent to ascend, but also a cutthroat mentality to outcompete everyone else. The mages use Consonance, which is a blend of singing and elemental power that allows them to bend even their island’s weather to their wills. Throughout this story arc, Ausgan is dealing with native unrest, while simultaneously preparing for the Heathen Tide. Kale was by far my favorite character of this arc; he’s an anomaly amongst the mages, and his unusual ability throws a major wrench into some of the others’ plans.

With so much going on, it’s no wonder this is a massive book. I bought it as an ebook, so I didn’t realize its length until I’d been reading a while and the percent completed had only ticked up a tiny bit (Goodreads lists it at 643 pages, which might be my longest read so far this year.) But it was written so well, and the story was so engaging, that the length didn’t bother me.

Overall, this was a great first-in-series with some memorable characters and a ton of action that I definitely recommend.

Synopsis

Grahme has wanted to be a druid for as long as he can remember. Talented but headstrong, he runs afoul of a despotic, mind-controlling mage during his initiation quest. The price of failure is death. Intrigue and distrust has turns his order against him. Haggard, hunted and without his magic, Grahme must make impossible sacrifices or lose everything, or worse, be banished.

Review

The author very kindly sent me an audible code for this one, and my last year being what it was, it took me longer than I expected. I’m so glad I got to it though. “God this was fantastic,” was my mini review as I clicked 5 stars and that pretty much sums up how I felt the entire read. 

In this novel we follow Grahme on his journey to become a druid. Through personality clashes, disagreements and deceptions, as well as some outright tampering, he finds himself filtering through multiple mentors. These clashes get so severe that he is appointed leader of his own quest to prove himself just so the option isn’t taken away from him. He must return with a ghost orchid, a little know flower with heavy implications. Family issues, the druid council on his heels, and a mind-controlling mage in play, this is a multi-layered, coming-of-age, sprawling epic fantasy. 

The main character of Grahme was absolutely stellar. His personality feels spot on, and even with all his flaws and mistakes, he still has enough hero built in to carry a story. He shapes up to be a pretty awesome reluctant hero, and as you experience his growth, his power even surprises you. The author gives the reader heavy emotional scenes, tasking revelations and payoffs, and still enough wit and humor to keep the reader grounded. The narration by James Meunier was fantastic, and his portrayal of Grahme gripped me from the jump.

The way the druid magic works felt reminiscent of the Animorphs series, but in a way that tickled nostalgia but also felt like its own thing. It also felt much more adult, and although it’s a fantasy, it felt almost real in its explanation. Grahme and the other druids can take the shape of various animals. All they have to do is know the animal’s shape as well as allowing themselves to truly become them. That’s not to say there aren’t some shocking limitations, but I loved reading through all of their differing choices. 

The action sequences are spaced well, with gripping descriptions, and I found that I cared for everyone as I felt for them through Grahme. The scene of the druids holding off the approaching attack until they could escape under the cover of night was so tensely plotted that I had to finish it even though I had made it home…just sat and listened in the parked car. You have to give this one a go

Synopsis:

Even Time won’t stop him…

As the god-infected sorcerer Nammuor continues his conquest of the Triempery, the rightful heir to Essera’s throne, Handurin Stauberg Randolph, has raised a ragtag army of Khelds to resist. Handurin’s alliance with Dorilian Sordaneon seems shattered as Dorilian is forced to flee north–but Handurin isn’t counting Dorilian out.

Indeed, Dorilian is gathering his godborn powers in preparation for two inevitable confrontations: the evil Nammuor, and the Time-spanning entity of the Wall.

Review:

To quote my husband, “You authors…” which he usually accompanies with a shake of his head. I’m feeling that a bit right now, having reached the end of The Walled City, and suffering with the knowledge that I won’t know how all ends until next year.

In other words, this was another fantastic installment to the series that left me wanting more. Right now. I really don’t want to wait an entire year to know how this story ends, and yet, such is the publication timeline. So it goes without saying that The Rill Lord will be on my watchlist for preorders.

The Triempery series is a masterpiece of epic fantasy, with complex politics, god-machines, a villain that is both diabolical and cunning, and a plot so full of twists and turns that I couldn’t have predicted half of what has transpired so far. This is easily one of my favorite on-going fantasy series, and I don’t think it gets even half the attention it deserves. And since The Walled City is book five in the series, it’s difficult to say much more without dropping spoilers.

But there is one thing I need to mention here, because it’s going to be in the back of my mind for the next year. I’ve had a theory about one of the main characters since…somewhere in book two, I believe. There were so many hints dropped about that theory in this book, and the author is going to make me wait for the next one before I know for sure if I’m right. Which is why I started this review by quoting my husband. I loved this book, but not knowing… “You authors,” indeed.

(Seriously, though, if you’re a fan of epic fantasy and haven’t checked out the Triempery Revelations series, you’re missing out. It starts with Sordaneon, and only gets better from there.)

Synopsis:

From deep beneath the surface of Azeroth, a mysterious voice cries out for heroes. But before these brave souls heed the call, they must answer to their own voices within . . . .

• Anduin’s wanderings at last lead him to the solitude he seeks, until his peace is shattered in a heartrending tale by Christie Golden.
• Andrew Robinson takes Gazlowe to a struggling goblin city, where he aims to inspire its citizens to more worthy ambitions.
• Thrall grapples with his son’s coming of age in a heartfelt story by Jonathan Maberry about what it means to love and let go.
• Delilah Dawson gives voice to Alleria Windrunner, desperate to connect with her son in a tense, bittersweet journey home.

These tales―besides more from Catherynne M. Valente and Courtney Alameda―portray the poignant, introspective moments set to proceed World of Warcraft’s highly anticipated The War Within expansion.

As these larger-than-life heroes grapple with their next steps, a greater threat looms, one that will lead them to raise arms again to fight for the fate of Azeroth. Despite the chasm of varied backgrounds, allegiances, and choices that divide them, these tales prove that even in the darkest times, home unites us all.

Enhance your experience of The War Within, the first expansion in World of Warcraft’s World Soul Saga, with this immersive short story anthology featuring an all-star cast of bestselling, award-winning authors.

Review:

I was sent a copy of The Voices Within in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been playing World of Warcraft since the launch of Burning Crusade, it was the game that defined my teenage years. I haven’t read nearly as many of the books as I should have, and I’m now actively trying to change that.
Anyone who is playing The War Within likely agrees that WoW has lost a little of it’s ‘war’ identity recently, and is delving more into it’s feelings. So, The Voices Within follows this trend, giving this collection some stand out stories and some that I’m not sure did.

Before we get into talking about the individual stories I just want to take a moment to say that visually this is a stunning book. The naked hardback features some gorgeous stylised art, and each story is proceeded by a stunning full-colour illustration. It’s literally a heavy book and it feels so premium.

Okay, let’s talk a little about each story.

First up is Trials by Jonathan Marberry. Personally this is one of my favourites of the collection. It features Thrall and his children, and the story looks at the trials that Horde children go through. It features a fan-favourite boss from Vanilla and I was very happy with Thrall talking about ‘for all I’ve sought peace, sometimes I fear a world free from war… I can hardly remember the last time I hefted a weapon.’ I loved that it was set in Orgrimmar and Durotar/the Barrens, an area that is always nostalgic. I’m always up for stories that look at earlier lore & this one fit the bill for me.

The Calling by Christie Golden. Christie Golden has written so many incredible books for World of Warcraft and I think she was definitely the best choice for a story about Anduin. This one follows him between the events of Shadowlands and The War Within, when he’s just wallowing in his sadness. This was a fine story exploring the effects of war and mental health, but I’m honestly just not a fan of Anduin in his current state. It’s well-written and emotional, and I really enjoyed the setting and look at the lives of ‘normal’ people.

A Whisper of Warning by Delilah S. Dawson. I did enjoy this one, it’s a lot of walking and talking but it follows Alleria, and as she’s so important to the current story it was nice to learn some of her backstory. This one is set in Sivermoon, a fan favourite city, and the city was written so well and so on brand for the city we know in game. Again this one is a lot about feelings BUT it did give an insight into the void and how it’s affecting Alleria which I really loved.

The Lilac and the Stone by Catherynne M. Valente. This one examines Moira and Dagran, another couple of characters we’ve seen often in The War Within. I found this one to be good but not stand out, basically a relic has been found and all of the Dwarven Clans are arguing over it, interesting in theory but the main focus is on Moira worrying that Dagran won’t be able to lead them properly if we won’t even face the clan leaders. The writing is good, but I think the story focus just falls too much into feelings.

The Goblin Way by Andrew Robinson. With the whole Undermine patch being about goblins I was interested to see more of their society. This book came out before the Undermine patch and it’s clear that Robinson was given a brief of the goblins no longer being a ‘get profit at all costs’ group, and now starting to work together in unions group. Again not my favourite lore change, but Robinson did a great job with what he had.

Little Spark by Courtney Alameda. This story finishes The Voices Within on a high. This follows Faerin before she joins the Lamplighters. I really loved this as I genuinely think the lore of the Arathi and Hallowfall is fascinating. Alameda does an incredible job of making Faerin a real paladin, using skills that are so recognisable from the game itself. This was such an incredible story and a real highlight of the collection. It’s also the story that contains the most action.

Overall, if you’re a WoW fan this is worth picking up for the backstory and the lore. Yes, it falls into a lot of the issues that WoW is currently facing with it’s story telling, but even if you only read a few of the stories you’ll get some enjoyment from this collection.

Synopsis:

Cross the wrong men and meet their blades!

In a rugged frontier town, two broken men wander aimlessly–Grimlock, a tormented soul despised by the townspeople he protects, searches for a brother he may never find, while Vigilanton, a disgraced knight bound by shame, serves a vicious crime lord.

The Vragoths’ arrival–brutal conquerors seeking an ancient scepter to shift the balance of power–thrusts these disillusioned men into a deadly game they never asked to play. Redemption is the prize, but only if they can overcome spilled blood, betrayal, and their own inner demons.

Neither sought to be allies, let alone heroes, but vengeance forces them into a fate they cannot escape. Old grudges and past failures threaten to tear their fragile alliance apart. In this battle, there are no second chances. Victory means survival. Defeat means death. And time is running out.


Relentless Blades is a fast-paced epic fantasy that hits hard! If you love heroic battles, deep character struggles, and edge-of-your-seat adventure, this one’s for you! The fight for Zarune begins-are you ready?

Review:

Relentless Blades. It says it in the title. This is not a book trying to shout any views from the top of the tallest tower or the deepest dragon’s lair. This book wants to entertain, and that it does in spades.

You’ll take from other reviews that immersing yourself in the world Carroll has built can be take a few chapters. First off, stick with it. Secondly, once Caroll enters the first fight, you can almost hear the page sigh in response. The writing relaxes, the author’s clear love for Dungeons & Dragons takes centre stage, and off we go on a rollicking, battle-ladened adventure that from that moment does not let up. Entertainment. See. That’s the point.

We have two main characters to focus on. Grimlock, a half-breed with all the baggage that goes along with it, and a sense of honour and duty that shines through. The other is Vig, a supposedly bad apple in his family and a disgraced knight, whose life is turned upside down by the early events in the book. These two POVs are well-written and give diverse and meaningful viewpoints as the story rumbles along at a fast pace.

There is a death-scene that will live with me. Not a common thing, but if you remember the death of Artax from NeverEnding Story, then you know why me and Caroll need to have words. Enough said.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this D&D homage, and recommend it wholeheartedly.

Synopsis:

Othrun of Eastrealm’s victories in battle have made him a warlord to be feared throughout the continent of Acremia. His formidable knights have wreaked havoc on his foes. Now, the ultimate test awaits him and his warriors, as the great existential threat of invasion from the north has finally come to pass.

A confederacy led by the most ruthless Sanaavian rulers has besieged the tiny Eltnish kingdom of Rogonhe, a key strategic foothold the invaders covet in their plans to conquer all of Eltnia.

King Hert of Carthlughe has long fought to keep Rogonhe free and secure. Now, Hert calls his vassal Othrun, and his other allies to march their spears north into the bitter winter, to face the deadly, marauding Sanaavians, for whom war is but a sport.

Othrun’s situation has never been so dire. He is reeling from abandonment by his spiritual guide, marital troubles, and the core foundation of his beliefs being challenged by the pagan magic surrounding him. Despite this, Othrun must face harsh weather, rampaging armies, and sinister druids, risking not only his own life, but the lives of his family, and his entire army, to be faithful to Hert’s summons.

Othrun must also contend with the daunting powers and ruthless ambition of Queen Lysi, leader of the mysterious Coven of Mages, and his complicated relationship with her.

And finally, an old, bitter rival awaits Othrun in the cold north, bent on bringing the proud former Second Prince of Atalantyx to his knees.

But under Hert’s fierce leadership, all will not be easily lost for the Eltnish alliance. Hert plans to set upon his enemies like a pack of wolves, ripping them apart.

Blood will be spilt in the snow, heroes will fall, and Othrun’s legend as a warlord is bound to only grow if he can survive the fight.

But what price will Othrun pay for fidelity, and for glory?

Review:

I want to start off by saying this series just gets better over time.

P.L. Stuart has an incredible knack for weaving intricate plot lines, and A Pack of Wolves showcased that to its fullest. It was the culmination of so many events that began in earlier books, that as a reader, I knew were coming eventually, but how they were delivered… There was no predicting some of it. And I loved that.

The only comparison I can think of to make with this plot is it reminded me of a high-stakes game of Risk, with a dozen players all vying for supremacy. Alliances are formed—sometimes out of necessity, sometimes between “friends”, but in some cases, they were forced. There was betrayal and scheming. There was revenge, and some players got what was coming to them…but some were wholly undeserving of their fates.

And of course, there was battle and blood. There was the biggest, most epic battle of the series yet—and no one came out of it unscathed. But there were also a few heart-warming moments scattered throughout the book to balance out all of the death and destruction. It was really well done.

With the intricacies of the plot in this series, it’s one of those that the reader really needs to pay attention to details, because some of the seemingly unimportant comments or tidbits of information tend to become important later on. It’s epic, political fantasy at its best—and so worth the read.

If you haven’t checked out PL Stuart’s books yet, I encourage you to do so. The series begins with A Drowned Kingdom.

Synopsis

Fog looms over Entervia, bringing with it a long-dead legend and a dangerous power.

Zercien Volnaire, a young history teacher in the capital city of Entervia, was only a child when he last saw the fog and the demon in red robes within. But when war descends upon his home, the fog returns, and his mind becomes the vessel for a long-dead legendary hero’s return.

Now the spurned army from Ankarth, led by one who casts forbidden magic known as Pariah, marches ever closer to Entervia, its every step a warning of impending annihilation. And a depraved madman wanders the plains to the east in search of a throne, ever-vigilant for his next blood tithe.

Zercien finds himself possessed by the hero of old, and is granted unmatched strength and an unnatural immunity to forbidden magic. But with it comes a choice that will determine the fate of his homeland: embrace his loathsome alter ego and lose himself to the allure of power, or reject his gift and risk the destruction of Entervia.

The fog consumes.
The fog corrupts.
But the fog emboldens.

Review

I had a copy of this for too long, so apologies, but thanks to the author for the copy! My friend, Richard, really praises this one! 

This is a reluctant hero story that is just as lighthearted at times as it is clever. Our lead, Zercian, a teacher, finds himself drafted into the Entervian military through no fault of his own (or is it?). His mind is being commandeered by an ancient legendary hero, and that hero, simply will not leave him alone. But the thing is, over time, Zercian’s fear dissipates, his anticipation rises, and suddenly, he’s not so reluctant anymore. Is this solely because of his being fogbound, or was the inner hero—not the actual legendary being inhabiting his mind—there all along? 

This played with the idea of choice in a cool way. While Zercian is most definitely compelled, afraid of the danger, in the middle of teaching, and is in love and hasn’t proposed yet, hasn’t his life become just like the stories he teaches? And surely he won’t miss out on the chance to save kin and country? But still there’s the underlying debate on choice. Not only what would happen if he wasn’t compelled, but while he is, is he even the one steering the wheel anyway? It felt like a very old school trope coming to life. Making me think of Gandalf directing Frodo as they leave Rivendell in the movie, or Eragon telling Brom, “I didn’t ask for any of this.” Why do we torture our fantasy folks with such journeys? What I love was the fact that Zercian has so many reasons to stay and so many to go. 

The cast of characters has great banter, differing skills, personalities, and connections, and all service the novel in their own unique way. There’s tidbits of intrigue, mentions of the world beyond, and setup galore for the coming series. This is an underrated indie release for sure, bump it up in your TBR if you respect my opinion at all!

Synopsis

This second novel from Nebula Award-winning John Wiswell brings a humanizing, redemptive touch to the Hercules story in this mythological fantasy for fans of Jennifer Saint and Elodie Harper

Heracles, hero of Greece, dedicates all his feats to Hera, goddess of family. Heracles’ mother raised him to revere Hera, as her attempt to avoid the goddess’ wrath. Unbeknownst to Heracles, he is yet another child Hera’s husband, Zeus, had out of wedlock.

Hera loathes every minute of Heracles’ devotion. She finally snaps and sends the Furies to make Heracles kill himself. But the moment Heracles goes mad, his children playfully ambush him, and he slays them instead. When the madness fades, Heracles’s wife, Megara, convinces him to seek revenge. Together they’ll hunt the Furies and learn which god did this.

Believing Hera is the only god he can still trust, Heracles prays to Hera, who is wracked with guilt over killing his children. To mislead Heracles, Hera sends him on monster-slaying quests, but he is too traumatized to enact more violence. Instead, Heracles cares for the Nemean lion, cures the illness of the Lernaean hydra, and bonds with Crete’s giant bull.

Hera struggles with her role in Heracles life as Heracles begins to heal psychologically by connecting with the monsters—while also amassing an army that could lay siege to Olympos.

Nebula Award-winning author John Wiswell brings his signature humanizing touch to the Hercules story, forever changing the way we understand the man behind the myth—and the goddess reluctantly bound to him.

Review

Recently I read John Wiswell’s debut novel Someone You Can Build A Nest In. I really liked the atypical romance story and found myself vibing a lot with Wiswell’s humor throughout the story. 

If I just “liked” his first novel, I was enraptured by his new book, Wearing the Lion, an inspired take on the ancient Greek tale of Heracles and his Twelve Labors. I was captivated by the reimagining of the classic mythology, laughing throughout at Wiswell’s humor, while at the same time being reduced to tears by the tragedy (and ultimate character redemption) that unfolds with each page. 

Wearing the Lion doesn’t come out until June 17, but I just loved this book so much, I wanted to get the word out sooner than later.

So…strap in…in honor of Heracles’ 12 Labors and the 12 Olympian Gods of Greece, the rambling remainder of this review will be contained in 12 points (slight spoilers ahead for the retelling of a 2,500 year old story)….

1. OK…let’s talk Disney, or just American sensibilities. I teach history to junior high and high school students and have done more than my share of Ancient Greece and the Pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. One thing that absolutely drives me nuts (and I tell my students every year) is the American obsession with binary choices. Coke or Pepsi. Black or White. Republican or Democrat. Star Trek or Star Wars. Those binary choices have negatively impacted retellings of Greek mythology. Inevitably, we get movies like Disney’s Hercules (the Roman name of our hero, even though the story is almost completely Greek). In the Disney version, Zeus and Hera are happily married and Hercules is their son. The villain of the movie is Hades, all to set up the concept of Hercules = Good and Hades = Bad. In reality, the Greek Pantheon was a convoluted mess that isn’t easily defined by a binary protagonist/antagonist relationship. In Wiswell’s Wearing the Lion, the author really showcases the crazy dynamic of Mount Olympus, showing the machinations of more than just Zeus and Hades. In fact, Hades is barely even mentioned in the entire book. Instead we get a fantastic group of side characters…and I just fell in love with…

2. Boar. Well, I did at least. A Boar…man…or perhaps a man who believes himself to be a Boar. When we first meet Boar, his heartbreaking story and how he’s portrayed brought me to tears. His part of the story goes to show how Heracles thinks about the situations he’s put into and at times makes you wonder about…  

3. Heracles the Himbo? Disney’s version puts our hero on center-stage without a ton of book smarts. In the movie Meg pokes fun at it constantly, but the heroic qualities (and Herc’s looks) seem to offset his mental limitations. In Wiswell’s version, Heracles isn’t portrayed as a “hunk,” even pointing out that his god-given strength is so immense that he can’t work off his gut paunch. And while Wiswell doesn’t make Heracles a Rhodes scholar, he definitely uses inventiveness and wiles to complete his tasks. But throughout most of the novel, he does have a gigantic blindspot when it comes to…

4. Hera. When I read about the 12 Labors in school years ago, I always felt like Hera was somewhat justified. Not that it was Heracles’ fault that Zeus cheated on Hera, but it was more than that. This baby is born…this amazing baby fathered by Zeus. And then on top of it all, they name the freakin’ kid after the jilted mother of the gods. And, especially in Wiswell’s version, that name — HERA’S GLORY — leads Heracles to pray to her day after day after day. Was she right in her actions? No…but you can understand it. Which makes for an interesting…

5. Framing device. Wiswell alternates chapters between Hera and Heracles throughout. It creates an interesting look at the story through multiple perspectives, often from victim to perpetrator at the same time. It makes the book fly by quicker, but it feels almost required to slow down when tragedy strikes, but Wiswell wisely plays with the standard…

6. Narrative. In fact, the ancient Greek narrative isn’t a set canon. When you look back at stories like Heracles in Greece or Gilgamesh in Mesopotamia, there are so many possible plots. Many of these tales were oral in nature and just like any story, changes were made when it was told from one group to another. With variety in his back pocket, Wiswell takes a chisel to the typical plot, letting Hera still drive Heracles to the madness that kills his sons, but leaves his wife Megara alive, but altered — frightened — traumatized. Meg knows it had to be a Olympian, so she is the impetus that drives Heracles on the required…

7. Twelve Labors. In the original tradition of Heracles’ labors, it seems almost like a checklist — things that had to be done, regardless of difficulty for his crimes. But in this reimagining, Heracles works through them, not out of an obligation, but with a purpose…retribution. But in his quest for vengeance, he discovers his taste for violence is gone. It makes the Labors less of a chore and more of a quest from one Labor to the next to find answers.  Speaking of answers, I’ve just realized…

8. Twelve of anything is a lot. I didn’t really think this list through before I started. Wow. And neither did Hera. Her pain from… 

9. Zeus’ infidelity. His careless indifference to his own wife and family starts everything from the get-go. From there, he is a key to the story, but notably absent from most of the main storyline. In fact, Wiswell cleverly wove historical eras and the eventual displacement of Greece as the center of the modern world as the eventual explanation for Zeus’ disappearance. And it helped explain a huge plot hole in the Heracles original story – namely, why would Zeus even allow his wife to torment his favorite demigod son, not once, but on over a dozen separate occasions? Speaking again of those Labors, Heracles decision to avert violence leads to a wonderful… 

10. Found family. After killing his sons, Heracles is in a bad place and isn’t looking to replace them…just to avenge them. But in his quest for truth, the Twelve Labors don’t represent subtraction, but Heracles adding to his life by working through his grief. I mentioned Boar (a wonderful character), but he also adds the Nemean Lion (Wiswell may actually be insane for actually letting Heracles name him Purrseus), the Hydra, the Golden Hind, and the Cretan Bull to his crew. Each play a key role in getting him back to a place where he can face his demons and his tormentor. That tormentor again, we just keep coming back to…

11. Hera. Heracles is clearly the focus of this story, but there are two redemption arcs here and Hera goes on her own journey as well. In Wearing the Lion, Wiswell keeps the gods fairly consistent, which makes sense. Athena has her key attributes and keeps to those, same as Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, etc. But that consistent characterization shows how much Hera actually change and evolves over the course of the book. A book which was…

12. Excellent. I said it at the beginning, but I can’t help saying it again. Wiswell wrote a divine book in Wearing the Lion, weaving modern sensibilities into an ancient tale in a Mediterranean setting. When Heracles returned home at the end of his journey, Megara’s embrace had me weeping and I don’t know that I’ll forget how I felt in that moment any time soon. If you enjoy retellings of Greek myths or just great books in general, I think you’ll enjoy Wearing the Lion.  

Thank you to DAW for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Wearing the Lion releases on June 17.