Dark Fantasy

In this action-packed epic fantasy debut, three heroes scarred by old hatreds must find a way to overcome their pasts if they are to have any chance of saving their crumbling Republic from complete destruction. Perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Brent Weeks, and Brandon Sanderson.A shadow has fallen over the Tressian Republic.While the armies of the Hadari Empire invade the borderlands, the Republic’s noble families plot against each other, divided by personal ambition.But as Tressia falls, heroes rise.Viktor Akadra is the Republic’s champion and conqueror of the rebellious south. A warrior without equal, he also hides a secret that would see him burned as a heretic.Josiri Trelan would gladly see Viktor condemned to the flames – vengeance for a rebellion crushed and a mother slain. And while Josiri plots fresh insurrection, his sister, Calenne, is determined to escape their tarnished legacy and break the shackles of the past.As dark days beckon, these three must overcome their differences to save the Republic. Yet decades of bad blood are not easily set aside. Victory – if it comes at all – will command a higher price than they could have imagined.

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.Insanely brilliant. Fletcher did it again. Black Stone Heart is one of his best works so far, and Fletcher has finally crafted something as good as his Manifest Delusion series with this one.I’m starting to feel that Fletcher is becoming the Sanderson of grimdark fantasy. No, none of their works are remotely similar to one another, what do I mean by this statement then? Fletcher keeps pouring out new series without completing them first! I should be annoyed by this fact, but I can’t possibly complain when all of them have been so good in their own way. Black Stone Heart is the first book The Obsidian Path series, and as expected, it’s another incredible grimdark fantasy. Also, if you can, do get the physical edition of this book; there are interior artworks by Stas Borodin, I’ve seen one, and it was gorgeous.Black Stone Heart follows the journey of Khraen. Khraen wakes up alone and lost; his stone heart has been shattered and littered across the world. Every time he acquires a fragment of his heart, he gains a part of his memory back. Realizing this, Khraen walks the obsidian path to restore his memory. Excluding The Millenial Manifesto, I’ve read all of Fletcher’s work, and although it will sound unbelievable, I truly believe that Black Stone Heart is Fletcher’s most compulsively readable book so far. It’s such an imaginative grimdark fantasy that involves a lot of resonating discussions about memories, identities, xenophobia, consequences, choices, and the nature of evil. \ \ “Every day we do the things we think we have to do. So rarely do we stop to question our choices. We don’t even see deciding that we ‘have to do something’ is itself a choice. We blunder through life, writing our failures and excuses as we go, defending every choice with justifications made up after the fact. The truth is, we never really consider the consequences.”\ \ Fletcher has given Khraen such a unique and distinctive voice that made his first-person perspective narration so bloody compelling to read. Mysteries, dark humor, destruction, and moral dilemma filled the pages of this book; I can’t get enough of them. At the beginning of the novel, Khraen was pretty much an empty vessel, but a few people he met in his quest to unlock his past ended up changing him for the better. At least, that’s what he thinks. There are complications in attaining more of his former self, with each fragment gained Khraen recognizes that he may not be as good as his present self. The moral dilemma that Khraen faced felt so genuine; he can’t resist getting more of his fragments back, he needs to know, but knowing more could end up changing him back to his former self. Plus, there’s another possibility, it may not be the revelations of his past that changes him, it could be the cruel surroundings and racism he constantly met on his journey. After all, it’s utterly difficult to continue your intention of being kind-hearted when your environment never stops treating you with hatred. Will he ends up reverting back to his former self? Will he continue to do good despite everyone being hateful and judgmental towards the color of his skin? Read and find out for yourself!\ \ “Hating all wizards for the actions of one or two is madness. If a woman breaks your heart, do you hate all women?”\ \ Similar to Fletcher’s Manifest Delusion and City of Sacrifice series, Black Stone Heart contained world-building that, somehow, felt refreshing to read, especially in grimdark fantasy. I’m a bit conflicted on how much I should talk about here, the fantasy elements in the world-building I encountered—like magic, wizards, necromancer, and many more I won’t mention—were surprises to me that I didn’t know about upon reading and they made me amazed by the scope of the story. In order to make sure you retain that wow experience on your reads, I’m gonna close this section by saying the world-building—especially the history of the world—was incredibly bleak and magnificent.\ \ “The past, I decided, was like that. Even the most cherished moments faded, became memories of memories, as we focused on the parts we liked, and forgot the rest. But where individual moments lacked clarity, knowledge was something different. \ \ Honestly speaking, I haven’t read any grimdark fantasy for five months, I even thought that I was tired of the genre after finding myself disappointed with The Chronicles of the Black Company series by Glen Cook. As it turns out, I’ve just been reading something that’s not working for me. I can always count on Joe Abercrombie, Steven Erikson, and Michael Fletcher to make me love reading the genre again. Black Stone Heart encapsulates why I love reading grimdark fantasy; it’s brutal, it’s merciless, it’s darkly humorous, it’s thought-provoking, and it’s brilliant. Before reading this novel, I kept on wishing that Fletcher would write the final book in Manifest Delusions first. But now, I don’t even mind if Fletcher suddenly stopped writing his other series and decided to focus on finishing this first. My curiosity to find out what happened next is on a ridiculously high level, and the overall quality of the book—in a different way—is at least as good as Beyond Redemption. Black Stone Heart feels like the beginning of a series that will stick with you long after you’re done reading it. I absolutely recommend this book to every grimdark fantasy readers.\ \ “There are gods and demons. There are heavens and hells.But there is no fate, there is no force of destiny.Only you can decide who you are.Your actions will define you.” \ \ Official release date: 1st April 2020You can pre-order the book from: Amazon UK | Amazon USThe quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel NotionsSpecial thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!My Patrons: Alfred, Devin, Hamad, Joie, Mike, Miracle, Nicholas.

A land under occupation. A legendary sword. A young man’s journey to find his destiny.Aren has lived by the rules all his life. He’s never questioned it; that’s just the way things are. But then his father is executed for treason, and he and his best friend Cade are thrown into a prison mine, doomed to work until they drop. Unless they can somehow break free . . .But what lies beyond the prison walls is more terrifying still. Rescued by a man who hates him yet is oath-bound to protect him, pursued by inhuman forces, Aren slowly accepts that everything he knew about his world was a lie. The rules are not there to protect him, or his people, but to enslave them. A revolution is brewing, and Aren is being drawn into it, whether he likes it or not.The key to the revolution is the Ember Blade. The sword of kings, the Excalibur of his people. Only with the Ember Blade in hand can their people be inspired to rise up . . . but it’s locked in an impenetrable vault in the most heavily guarded fortress in the land. All they have to do now is steal it. . .Designed to return to classic fantasy adventures and values, from a modern perspective, this is a fast-moving coming-of-age trilogy featuring a strong cast of diverse characters, brilliant set-pieces and a powerful character and plot driven story.

The Light of All That Falls concludes the epic adventure that began in The Shadow of What Was Lost, the acclaimed fantasy blockbuster from James Islington.The Boundary is whole once again, but it may be too late.Banes now stalk Andarra, while in Ilin Illan, the political machinations of a generation come to a head as Wirr's newfound ability forces his family's old enemies into action.Imprisoned and alone in a strange land, Davian is pitted against the remaining Venerate as they work tirelessly to undo Asha's sacrifice - even as he struggles with what he has learned about the friend he chose to set free.And Caeden, now facing the consequences of his centuries-old plan, must finally confront its reality - heartbroken at how it began, and devastated by how it must end.

A city threatened by unimaginable horrors must trust their most hated outcast, or lose everything, in this crushing epic fantasy debut.After ten years on the run, dodging daemons and debt, reviled magician Edrin Walker returns home to avenge the brutal murder of his friend. Lynas had uncovered a terrible secret, something that threatened to devour the entire city. He tried to warn the Arcanum, the sorcerers who rule the city. He failed. Lynas was skinned alive and Walker felt every cut. Now nothing will stop him from finding the murderer. Magi, mortals, daemons, and even the gods - Walker will burn them all if he has to. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he's killed a god...

The king is dead, long live the king...The assassin Girton Club-foot and his master have returned to Maniyadoc in hope of finding sanctuary, but death, as always, dogs Girton’s heels. The place he knew no longer exists.War rages across Maniyadoc, with three kings claiming the same crown – and one of them is Girton’s old friend Rufra. Girton finds himself hurrying to uncover a plot to murder Rufra on what should be the day of the king’s greatest victory. But while Girton deals with threats inside and outside Rufra’s war encampment, he can’t help wondering if his greatest enemy hides beneath his own skin.

THE KING IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE KING . . .Many years of peace have passed in Maniyadoc, years of relative calm for the assassin Girton Club-Foot. Even the Forgetting Plague, which ravaged the rest of the kingdoms, seemed to pass them by. But now Rufra ap Vthyr eyes the vacant High-King's throne and will take his court to the capital, a rat's nest of intrigue and murder, where every enemy he has ever made will gather and the endgame of twenty years of politics and murder will be played out in his bid to become the King of all Kings.Friends become enemies, enemies become friends and the god of death, Xus the Unseen, stands closer than ever - casting his shadow over everything most dear to Girton.

In the thrilling conclusion to the “deftly and originally executed” (Booklist) New York Times bestselling trilogy, Vaelin Al Sorna must help his Queen reclaim her Realm. Only his enemy has a dangerous new collaborator, one with powers darker than Vaelin has ever encountered…“The Ally is there, but only ever as a shadow, unexplained catastrophe or murder committed at the behest of a dark vengeful spirit. Sorting truth from myth is often a fruitless task.”After fighting back from the brink of death, Queen Lyrna is determined to repel the invading Volarian army and regain the independence of the Unified Realm. Except, to accomplish her goals, she must do more than rally her loyal supporters. She must align herself with forces she once found repugnant—those who possess the strange and varied gifts of the Dark—and take the war to her enemy’s doorstep.Victory rests on the shoulders of Vaelin Al Sorna, now named Battle Lord of the Realm. However, his path is riddled with difficulties. For the Volarian enemy has a new weapon on their side, one that Vaelin must destroy if the Realm is to prevail—a mysterious Ally with the ability to grant unnaturally long life to her servants. And defeating one who cannot be killed is a nearly impossible feat, especially when Vaelin’s blood-song, the mystical power which has made him the epic fighter he is, has gone ominously silent… 

Anthony Ryan's debut novel Blood Song--the first book of the Raven's Shadow series--took the fantasy world by storm. Now, he returns to the world of this acclaimed series with The Wolf's Call, which begins a thrilling new story of razor-sharp action and epic adventure.Peace never lasts. Vaelin Al Sorna is a living legend, his name known across the Realm. It was his leadership that overthrew empires, his blade that won hard-fought battles - and his sacrifice that defeated an evil more terrifying than anything the world had ever seen. He won titles aplenty, only to cast aside his earned glory for a quiet life in the Realm's northern reaches.Yet whispers have come from across the sea - rumours of an army called the Steel Horde, led by a man who believes himself a god. Vaelin has no wish to fight another war, but when he learns that Sherin, the woman he lost long ago, has fallen into the Horde's grasp, he resolves to confront this powerful new threat.To this end, Vaelin travels to the realms of the Merchant Kings, a land ruled by honor and intrigue. There, as the drums of war thunder across kingdoms riven by conflict, Vaelin learns a terrible truth: that there are some battles that even he may not be strong enough to win.

A black sun is rising … Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors under King Brenin’s rule, learning the art of war. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. But that day will come all too soon. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage. The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed shields in battle, the earth running dark with their heartsblood. Although the giant-clans were broken in ages past, their ruined fortresses still scar the land. But now giants stir anew, the very stones weep blood and there are sightings of giant wyrms. Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. Sorrow will darken the world, as angels and demons make it their battlefield. Then there will be a war to end all wars. High King Aquilus summons his fellow kings to council, seeking an alliance in this time of need. Some are skeptical, fighting their own border skirmishes against pirates and giants. But prophesy indicates darkness and light will demand two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. They would be wise to seek out both, for if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind’s hopes and dreams will fall to dust.

\ War has erupted in the Banished Lands as the race for power intensifies.\ \ \ \ \ Corban flees his homeland searching for peace, but he soon discovers that there is no haven in the west as the agents of Rhin and roaming bands of giants hound his every step.\ \ Veradis leaves the battleground and rushes to his King's side. But he has witnessed both combat and betrayal and his duty weighs heavily upon him.\ \ Maquin seeks only revenge, but pirate slavers and the brutal world of pit-fighting stand in his way.\ \ Nathair becomes embroiled in the wars of the west as Queen Rhin marches against King Owain. The need to find the cauldron of the giants drives him on.\ \ \ Sides are chosen and oaths will be fulfilled or broken in a land where hell has broken loose.\

The Banished Lands are engulfed in war and chaos. The cunning Queen Rhin has conquered the west and High King Nathair has the cauldron, most powerful of the seven treasures. At his back stands the scheming Calidus and a warband of the Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. They plan to bring Asroth and his host of the Fallen into the world of flesh, but to do so they need the seven treasures. Nathair has been deceived but now he knows the truth. He has choices to make, choices that will determine the fate of the Banished Lands.Elsewhere the flame of resistance is growing - Queen Edana finds allies in the swamps of Ardan. Maquin is loose in Tenebral, hunted by Lykos and his corsairs. Here he will witness the birth of a rebellion in Nathair's own realm.Corban has been swept along by the tide of war. He has suffered, lost loved ones, sought only safety from the darkness. But he will run no more. He has seen the face of evil and he has set his will to fight it. The question is, how? With a disparate band gathered about him - his family, friends, giants, fanatical warriors, an angel and a talking crow he begins the journey to Drassil, the fabled fortress hidden deep in the heart of Forn Forest. For in Drassil lies the spear of Skald, one of the seven treasures, and here it is prophesied that the Bright Star will stand against the Black Sun.

I don't review my own books, but I do use this space to update readers. So here goes...10/19/19 - We are back from New York (we were there for the start of the recording of the audiobook. We still have at least one, and maybe two days of recording left. We are finding some very minor adjustments that we are making during the recordings, so I'm going to wait until we are done before making the ebook. But we are dangerously close to having everything locked down and sending the Kickstarter backers their ebook on the next installment.10/10/19 - The beta reader feedback is in and incorporated, and I've received the copyedits from both Linda and Laura. I'll just need a few days to accept/reject the copyedits and then we're done! Kickstarter people should receive their copies of Age of Death ebook within a week. If you missed the Kickstarter and want a "manual add" that's still possible. \ Just fill out his form, and we'll add you!\ 09/24/19 - Did you miss the Kickstarter? No worries, there is a manual way we can add you to the project, so you can still join in the fun. \ Just fill out his form, and we'll get you set up!\ 09/10/19 - The Kickstarter ended and it was a great success! • 3,120 backers (567 more than my previous best project) • $119,337 in funding ($8,471 more than my previous best project)• 2nd most-backed fiction Kickstarter of all time• 4th most-funded fiction Kickstarter of all timeFor those that missed the Kickstarter, there will be a way to participate through the BackerKit pre-order store. I'll be posting when it is live.09/09/19 - The book is essentially "done" and has gone to the copyeditors for them to work their magic. One will have it back on 10/04 the other on 10/08. It'll take me a few days to go over their changes then we can get the Kickstarter backers their copies.08/23/19 - Well, yesterday we launched the Kickstarter for Age of Death, and while I'm not surprised the project funded...I was shocked that we did so in just 25 minutes. Currently, it's raised more than $61,000 from nearly 1,700 backers. That makes it the 7th-most backed and 15-most funded fiction project of all time. We already cleared our first stretch goal, and Robin just posted a second one (all backers will receive a bonus short story: Autumn Mists). If you want to get Age of Death 3 months before the retail release, then come on by \ the Kickstarter!\ 08/06/19 - And done! Well, mostly. Some time ago, Robin had some major alpha feedback for this book, which made me take apart the engine, and for a while, it was in pieces around my garage. Well, I put it back together, turned the key, and what do you know it started! With the magnitude of the changes, Robin needed to go over it again, and she did. There was still one major area that needed work and after a surprisingly short and easy meeting (they don't always go that way) we had a plan, and so while she finished reviewing the book, I worked on some tweaks to the part she and I agreed to in our "meeting." Well, I finished them about half an hour ago, and at the same time, Robin sent me a file with her full book's review comments (of which are simple "line edit" level changes) - no more structural issues! These types of changes usually go quickly for me, and I predict we can be in beta in less than a week. We'll keep you posted.07/18/19 - Okay, with Age of Legend officially released we have seen a lot of excitement for this title. So, here are some details. #1 Pre-order pages are already up for the audio and hardcover editions. We hope to have the ebook live in the next few weeks. Official release date is 2/4/20, but we WILL be doing a Kickstarter and people who pre-order through that will get the book in October. The artwork for the cover is finished. Marc Simonetti did a great job, and I hope to be revealing the cover soon. Stay tuned!03/28/18 - Finished the post-alpha-2 edits on this book, and it should be "done" except for any minor tweaking I might find as I work on post-alpha-2 edits on the final book. What is a post-alpha-2 edit? Well, Robin gave me initial (alpha) on books #4 - #6 "back in the day," and #4 needed some pretty extensive work. That's what I had been spending the majority of my "post Age of War" time on. It was the most extensive rework of a book I've done, but it was (a) essential and (b) I'm now happy with the way that book is (and if Robin agrees it'll start getting reading for beta). Okay, so back to this book. I went over it all given the massive changes to book #4. There were some things I trimmed out that weren't working for me, but very little needed to be revamped. This book was actually in much better shape than I remembered, and if Robin is satisfied with it, It'll go over to beta shortly after Age of Legend. Oh...and we changed the title of this...again...but I think we'll be sticking with Age of Death.

In the final book of the Ash and Sand trilogy, Ruka, son of Beyla, faces the emperor of the world, yet even victory may not save his people…With the death of his ally, Farahi Alaku, Ruka ‘Godtongue’ is alone. Or not exactly… The island prince Kale Alaku now haunts his mind, rattling within his once peaceful ‘Grove’, promising revenge and growing every moment in power. Meanwhile, the Pyu isles are in chaos; the coastal kingdom of the Tong is still Ruka’s enemy, and every day that passes brings the empire closer to destroying his dream of a new world for his people.Once again, the son of Beyla will need the strength of his dark twin, Bukayag. Perhaps together they can unite three peoples, gather an army of ash, and defend or destroy their way to peace. But in the end, there can be only one king of heaven…

A raucous, bawdy, blood-soaked adventure fantasy debut that's The Lord of the Rings reimagined by way of Sons of Anarchy.Jackal is proud to be a Grey Bastard, member of a sworn brotherhood of half-orcs. Unloved and unwanted in civilized society, the Bastards eke out a hard life in the desolate no-man's-land called the Lots, protecting frail and noble human civilization from invading bands of vicious full-blooded orcs.But as Jackal is soon to learn, his pride may be misplaced. Because a dark secret lies at the heart of the Bastards' existence--one that reveals a horrifying truth behind humanity's tenuous peace with the orcs, and exposes a grave danger on the horizon. On the heels of the ultimate betrayal, Jackal must scramble to stop a devastating invasion--even as he wonders where his true loyalties lie.

Crowfall is a gritty epic fantasy for fans of Mark Lawrence, Scott Lynch and Daniel Polansky.'Dark, twisty and excellent . . . Grimdark with heart' Mark LawrenceA sorceress cataclysm has hit the Range, the final defensive line between the Republic and the immortal Deep Kings.Tormenting red rains sweep the land, new monstrosities feed on fear in the darkness, and the power of the Nameless, the gods who protect the Republic, lies broken. The Blackwing captains who serve them are being picked off one by one, and even immortals have learned what it means to die. Meanwhile the Deep Kings have only grown stronger, and are poised to deliver a blow that will finally end the war.Ryhalt Galharrow stands apart from it all.He has been deeper into the wasteland known as the Misery than ever before. It has grown within him - changed him - but all power comes with a price, and now the ghosts of his past, formerly confined to the Misery, walk with him everywhere.They will even follow him, and the few surviving Blackwing captains, on one final mission into the darkness.

Events are coming to a climax in the Banished Lands, as the war reaches new heights. King Nathair has taken control of the fortress at Drassil and three of the Seven Treasures are in his possession. And together with Calidus and his ally Queen Rhin, Nathair will do anything to obtain the remaining Treasures. With all seven under his command, he can open a portal to the Otherworld. Then Asroth and his demon-horde will finally break into the Banished Lands and become flesh.Meanwhile Corban has been taken prisoner by the Jotun, warrior giants who ride their enormous bears into battle. His warband scattered, Corban must make new allies if he hopes to survive. But can he bond with competing factions of warlike giants? Somehow he must, if he's to counter the threat Nathair represents.His life hangs in the balance - and with it, the fate of the Banished Lands.

Tomas Piety has been many things: soldier, priest, gangster...and spy. As Tomas's power grows, the nobility better watch their backs, in this dark and gritty epic fantasy series.People are weak, and the poorer and more oppressed they are, the weaker they become--until they can't take it anymore. And when they rise up...may the gods help their oppressors.When Tomas Piety returned from the war, he just wanted to rebuild his empire of crime with his gang of Pious Men. But his past as a spy for the Queen's Men drew him back in and brought him more power than he ever imagined.Now, with half of his city in ashes and the Queen's Men at his back, the webs of political intrigue stretch out from the capital to pull Tomas in. Dannsburg is calling.In Dannsburg the nobility fight with words, not blades, but the results are every bit as bloody. In this pit of beasts, Tomas must decide once and for all whether he is truly the people's champion...or just a priest of lies.