Shapeshifters

The second in the immersive series set along the waterways of a fantasy world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir.Caro has settled into a routine: Wake, eat breakfast, try to figure out who is going attempt to assassinate Markos today. The currents aren't exactly calm. Markos is in constant danger, and his claim to the Akhaian throne is largely unsupported. Without military strength he doesn't have a chance. Relief appears on the horizon when a powerful Archon wants to side with Markos in his fight for the throne. But in exchange for an army, Markos must marry the Archon’s daughter. They must decide which is more important: their love for each other or the fate of Akhaia. And Caro will have to decide if her destiny is to sail with the tide, or chart her own course.With shipwrecks, lost treasure, old and new enemies, dark magic, and devastating romance, Sarah Tolcser weaves another epic story about chasing fate.

“It really doesn’t matter how many secret fighting arts you learn; they just don’t teach you how to fight squirrel cats in assassin school.”Queenslayer is the fifth instalment in the Spellslinger series which continues the developed storyline created with the prior four in the series.Sebastien de Castell has once again delivered a hilarious novel with an array of unique characters and intricate plots. Queenslayer introduced the Daroman Empire, the most dominant military power of the continent that is convoluted with numerous traditions and political intrigues that had a degree of description which immersed me into the read.It was great to be back in this world once again reading the brilliant partnership of the two main characters of the novel with their excellent contrasting personalities which sometimes blend into each other.It is very hard to say much on this instalment as it may contain spoilers of the first four in the Spellslinger series, so I will just say that this addition to the series is as great as its predecessors, adopting each fantastic aspect and developing it further, while expanding the plot I have become so invested in.I now face the painful wait until the next is published and shall be patient with baited breath…I highly recommend to all :)

Magically gifted aristocrats rule--and commoners are doomed to serve. But a rebellion threatens the old order. The dystopian trilogy that began with Gilded Cage and Tarnished City concludes.In a world where the lower classes must endure ten years of forced service to unfairly advantaged, magically powered rulers, a teenage boy dreams of rebellion, his older sister yearns for love and knowledge, and a dangerous young aristocrat seeks to remake the world with his dark gifts. In Bright Ruin, the final book in the trilogy set in modern-day England, our heroes will lead a revolution that will transform--or destroy--the world.

In a high fantasy feminist epic, a revolutionary spell gives women the ability to control their own fertility—with consequences that rock their patriarchal society to its core.When a nobleman’s first duty is to produce a male heir, women are treated like possessions and bargaining chips. But as the aftereffects of a world-altering spell ripple out physically and culturally, women at last have a bargaining chip of their own. And two women in particular find themselves at the crossroads of change.Alys is the widowed mother of two teenage children, and the disinherited daughter of a king. Her existence has been carefully proscribed, but now she discovers a fierce talent not only for politics but also for magic—once deemed solely the domain of men. Meanwhile, in a neighboring kingdom, young Ellin finds herself unexpectedly on the throne after the sudden death of her grandfather the king and everyone else who stood ahead of her in the line of succession. Conventional wisdom holds that she will marry quickly, then quietly surrender the throne to her new husband…. Only, Ellin has other ideas.The tensions building in the two kingdoms grow abruptly worse when a caravan of exiled women and their escort of disgraced soldiers stumbles upon a new source of magic in what was once uninhabitable desert. This new and revolutionary magic—which only women can wield—threatens to tear down what is left of the patriarchy. And the men who currently hold power will do anything to fight back.

This is the story of Orhan, son of Siyyah Doctus Felix Praeclarissimus, and his history of the Great Siege, written down so that the deeds and sufferings of great men may never be forgotten.A siege is approaching, and the city has little time to prepare. The people have no food and no weapons, and the enemy has sworn to slaughter them all.To save the city will take a miracle, but what it has is Orhan. A colonel of engineers, Orhan has far more experience with bridge-building than battles, is a cheat and a liar, and has a serious problem with authority. He is, in other words, perfect for the job.

As Brandon Sanderson’s #1 bestselling Skyward series celebrates its third volume, Cytonic, travel back in time to the origin of Cytonics in the novella Defending Elysium.Centuries before Spensa looked skyward from the planet Detritus—back on Old Earth before it was lost—Jason Write faced a crucial question: was humanity ready to join galactic society?When faster-than-light communications were discovered by a small telephone company in 2071, alien species such as the Tenasi and Varvax overheard them and came to visit Earth. Because the Phone Company controls all communications with the aliens, their operatives like Jason operate above the law.Now, on the space platform Evensong, one of the Phone Company’s scientists has gone missing before surfacing in a hospital with amnesia, and Jason is sent to investigate. Right as he arrives, the body of a murdered Varvax ambassador is discovered, sure to cause a galactic incident. Coln Abrams of the United Intelligence Bureau seizes the opportunity to investigate Jason as he deals with the crisis. This could be the UIB’s chance to discover the Phone Company’s secrets—how does FTL communication work, and what is Jason hiding?Winner of Spain’s UPC Award for Science Fiction in 2007.

The sea dragons are returning, and Joron Twiner's dreams of freedom lie shattered. His Shipwife is gone and all he has left is revenge.Leading the black fleet from the deck of Tide Child Joron takes every opportunity to strike at his enemies, but he knows his time is limited. His fleet is shrinking and the Keyshan's Rot is running through his body. He runs from a prophecy that says he and the avian sorcerer, the Windseer, will end the entire world.But the sea dragons have begun to return, and if you can have one miracle, who is to say that there cannot be another?

'He thinks you are the thief...'Shyla is a researcher who resides in the underground desert city of Zirdai, which is ruled by the wealthy Water Prince and brutal Heliacal Priestess. Even though Shyla is sun-kissed - an outcast, considered cursed by the Sun Goddess - she is still renowned for uncovering innumerable archaic facts, lost artefacts, ancient maps and obscure historical documents. Her quiet life is about to change when Banqui, an archaeologist, enlists her services to find The Eyes of Tamburah: legendary gemstones that bestow great magic on their wielder. These ancient objects can tip the balance of power and give whoever possesses them complete control of the city.But chaos erupts when The Eyes are stolen soon after they're found - and Shyla is blamed for the theft. Forced to flee, with the Prince's soldiers and the Priestess's deacons on her trail, Shyla must recover the jewels and clear her name. A quest that will unearth secrets even more valuable than The Eyes of Tamburah themselves...

Introducing an epic new trilogy from Taran Matharu, author of the New York Times–bestselling Summoner series. Throughout history, people have vanished with no explanation. A group of teenagers are about to discover why.Cade is settling into a new boarding school, contemplating his future, when he finds himself transported to another realm. He soon discovers their new world is populated with lost remnants from the past: prehistoric creatures, ancient relics, and stranger still — people. Overwhelmed by his new surroundings, Cade has little time to adjust, for soon he and his fellow classmates are forced to become contenders in a brutal game, controlled by mysterious overlords.But who are these beings and why did they choose these teens? Cade must prepare for battle . . . because hiding is not an option.

More than a century has passed since Liliath crept into the empty sarcophagus of Saint Marguerite, fleeing the Fall of Ystara. But she emerges from her magical sleep still beautiful, looking no more than nineteen, and once again renews her single-minded quest to be united with her lover, Palleniel, the archangel of Ystara.A seemingly impossible quest, but Liliath is one of the greatest practitioners of angelic magic to have ever lived, summoning angels and forcing them to do her bidding.Liliath knew that most of the inhabitants of Ystara died from the Ash Blood plague or were transformed into beastlings, and she herself led the survivors who fled into neighboring Sarance. Now she learns that angels shun the Ystaran’s descendants. If they are touched by angelic magic, their blood will turn to ash. They are known as Refusers, and can only live the most lowly lives.But Liliath cares nothing for the descendants of her people, save how they can serve her. It is four young Sarancians who hold her interest: Simeon, a studious doctor-in-training; Henri, a dedicated fortune hunter; Agnez, an adventurous musketeer cadet; and Dorotea, an icon-maker and scholar of angelic magic. They are the key to her quest.The four feel a strange kinship from the moment they meet, but do not know why, or suspect their importance. All become pawns in Liliath’s grand scheme to fulfill her destiny and be united with the love of her life. No matter the cost to everyone else. . .

In epic YA fantasy about a girl with a special power to communicate with magical beasts and the warring kingdom only she can save.Elin's family has an important responsibility: caring for the fearsome water serpents that form the core of their kingdom's army. So when some of the beasts mysteriously die, Elin's mother is sentenced to death as punishment. With her last breath she manages to send her daughter to safety.Alone, far from home, Elin soon discovers that she can talk to both the terrifying water serpents and the majestic flying beasts that guard her queen. This skill gives her great powers, but it also involves her in deadly plots that could cost her life. Can she save herself and prevent her beloved beasts from being used as tools of war? Or is there no way of escaping the terrible battles to come?

Saffron Coulter is back on Earth, but even so, nothing is easy. Struggling with the victimising expectations of her friends and family and threatened with a stay in psychiatric care, Saffron has to make a choice: to forget about Kena and fit back into the life she s outgrown, or pit herself against everything she s ever known and everyone she loves. Meanwhile in Kena, Gwen is increasingly troubled by Leoden s absence and his plans for the captive worldwalkers, while Yena, still in Veksh, must confront the deposed Kadeja. What is their endgame? Who can they trust? And what happens when Leoden returns? "File Under" Fantasy"

Thank you to tor teen and netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.CW: Mentioned Torture / After Effects of Torture / Death I was so excited for Ship of Smoke and Steel last year but was disappointed when actually reading it. Don’t get me wrong, there were some great elements. The ghost ship, a bisexual mc, ff and mm relationships throughout the book. But the story as a whole could not quite sell me over. I am pleased to say that I enjoyed City of Stone and Silence a lot more. In this instance we get a dual perspective. Isoka of course, on the ship, and her sister Tori, in the city. Isoka is trying to find a way to get the ship turned which seems to become even more impossible when it docks somewhere on its own. Tori isn’t quite as sheltered as her sister believes and goes into the other wards to help in a hospital where she can. Unfortunately a big uprising is triggered, and she is right there, at the front. These two story lines moving next to each other gave the book a bigger dynamic and deepened out the world considerably. We get explanations about the ship and what was its purpose. We see much more of the city and the underlying problems. There are many underlying themes here, but especially in Tori’s story where the unequalness of their world is zoomed in on with the wards. I found hearing where the ship came from interesting and we got more interesting dynamics across the board between Isoka and the other characters in her story line. With just those that followed her (with the exception of her lover and friend) it was getting a little flat. But the addition of other characters created dynamics and reasons for them to question things. Tori was a joy to follow. She is a little more subdued than Isoka but knows exactly what she wants. The one thing I found awkward is that Tori is 13 for most of the book, she turns 14 at some point, and this is written by a man who lets her mention masturbation (not that this is something that should not be mentioned) and lets her have a somewhat steamy kiss with a 16 year old. Don’t get me wrong, personality wise the couple works. But there is a difference developmentally wise between a 13-14 year old and a 16-17 year old. Adding on that it was written by a man made me feel very awkward. It wasn’t written badly but as a woman and a mom this didn’t quite feel right. Obviously this is a very personal thing however and other might not feel similar to me. The book as a whole though felt like a step up from the first book and I can’t wait for the reunion between the sisters.

A brilliant debut epic fantasy with a unique magic system and unforgettable characters.It is a time of revolution. in the cities, food shortages stir citizens to riots against the crown. In the wilds, new magic threatens the dominance of the tribes. and on the battlefields, even the most brilliant commanders struggle in the shadow of total war. Three lines of magic must be mastered in order to usher in a new age, and three heroes must emerge. Sarine is an artist on the streets of New Sarresant whose secret familiar helps her uncover bloodlust and madness where she expected only revolutionary fervor.Arak'Jur wields the power of beasts to keep his people safe, but his strength cannot protect them from war amongst themselves.Erris is a brilliant cavalry officer trying to defend New Sarresant from an enemy general armed with magic she barely understands. Each must learn the secrets of their power in time to guide their people through ruin. But a greater evil may be trying to stop them.

Enter an immersive world where the chosen few have the ability to summon demons...Arcturus is just an orphaned stable boy when he discovers he has the ability to summon demons from another world. He is sent to Vocans Academy where the lost arts of summoning, spell craft and demonology are taught to the noble children of the Empire. As the first commoner gifted with this ability, his discovery challenges the nobility and the powers that be and Arcturus soon makes enemies. With no one but his demon Sacharissa by his side, Arcturus must prove himself as a worthy Summoner...Set before the events of SUMMONER: The Novice this is the perfect introduction to the New York Times bestselling SUMMONER series.

The Shroud of Prophecy tests fate to discover what happens when the path of good and right, the triumph of light over darkness, the only path to salvation… fails.Everyone loves Mathias. So naturally, when he discovers it’s his destiny to save the world, he dives in head first, pulling his best friend Aaslo along for the ride.Mathias is thrilled for the adventure! There’s nothing better than a road beneath his feet and adventure in the air. Aaslo, on the other hand, has never cared for the world beyond the borders of his sleepy village and would be much happier alone and in the woods. But, someone has to keep the Chosen One’s head on his shoulders and his feet on the ground.It turns out saving the world isn’t as easy, or exciting, as it sounds in the stories. Mathias is more than willing to place his life on the line, but Aaslo would love nothing more than to forget about all the talk of arcane bloodlines and magical fae creatures. When the going gets rough, folks start to believe their only chance for survival is to surrender to the forces of evil, which isn’t how the stories go. At all. To make matters worse Aaslo is beginning to fear that he may have lost his mind…

A brilliantly imagined saga of honour, glory and warfare, Call of the Bone Ships is the captivating epic fantasy sequel to RJ Barker's The Bone Ships.Dragons have returned to the Hundred Isles. But their return heralds only war and destruction. When a horde of dying slaves are discovered in the bowels of a ship, Shipwife Meas and the crew of the Tide Child find themselves drawn into a vicious plot that will leave them questioning their loyalties and fighting for their lives.

As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...A Demon in Silver takes place around 100 years after an event known as The Fall occurred when the gods broke the heartstone and overnight all magic was removed from the world. That is until the magic returns and an innocuous farm girl by the name of Livia Harrow starts to show magical abilities.The story in A Demon in Silver is told from multiple points of view. You have Josten Cade, an ex-soldier and now mercenary who often finds himself shit outta luck. Silver, an amnesiac who remembers nothing about herself but suffers horrifying nightmares with images of a war-torn landscape and visceral fighting and Livia Harrow, a farm girl who is happy with her lot but unknown to her is harbouring magic not seen in 100 years.At first, the PoV characters and their respective stories all seem rather separate and you will find yourself wondering how the seemingly random trio of characters will have anything to do with each other. The story mainly revolves around Livia and the magic that she possesses and that everyone wants. She is dragged here and there by those who wish to harness the magic for themselves but it is only when Ford introduces Kaleb, a new fourth PoV character later in the book that all the characters actually converge in the same place. It is his addition to the story that acts as the catalyst and really shows what fate awaits Livia.By the end of A Demon in Silver Ford has brought all his characters deftly together building throughout the book to what is an epic climax that closes of A Demon in Silver, hints at what is next to come and leaves things open for a bigger and bloodier sequel.A Demon in Silver is itself fast-paced but Ford still manages to take his time in introducing the four PoV characters. This works well allowing the reader the opportunity to become separately acquainted with each of the characters, their personalities and their stories which often take place over a span of years as we get to witness events that have an impact on them and help to shape who they are by the time that A Demon in Silver takes place.There’s plenty of in-depth characterisation at play in A Demon in Silver with the PoV, main and many secondary characters all being given the chance to develop. I liked all of the PoV characters and found them to be interesting, individual and able to hold your attention. I’m hard picked to choose a favourite from amongst them. I liked Josten Cade and really enjoyed the banter between him and his sidekick Mullen Bull. I found myself intrigued by Silver and the mystery surrounding her. The story of Kaleb is fascinating and Livia is full of moxie and gumption with regards to the hand that she has been dealt. Taking the circumstances that she finds herself in on the chin and she also has a profound effect on both Josten and Kaleb helping to show different facets to both their personalities.There is something effortless in reading Ford’s writing that transports you into his story and leaves you craving more. A Demon in Silver is brimming with grim goodness, will whet the appetite of any fantasy fan and includes action, gore, humour, foul language, shades of grey characters (all the good stuff) and his world includes a variety of different nations, religions and old gods.I do love some high-quality world-building in a book, particularly in the fantasy genre. I’m the type of reader who likes to get a feel for the world that the author has created, that the characters inhabit, its history and immerse myself in it and in that respect, A Demon in Silver doesn’t disappoint, not at all. World-building is at the forefront in A Demon in Silver and Ford has created a book chock full of fascinating history (excerpts of lore strewn throughout add to this) with a world that feels vast, rich in detail and lived in.You can tell that A Demon in Silver is the first book in the trilogy, acting as the introduction to the characters, the setting and the story as Ford sets up the players and pieces sublimely heightening the anticipation and paving the way for the next book.A Demon in Silver is an impressive start to the War of the Archons by Ford. Dark but not overly dark, it is very accessible giving you everything that you could possibly want in the first book of a trilogy, it is a thrilling ride and I loved it all.I was a big fan of Ford’s previous work, the Steelhaven trilogy, he is a talented author and I am pleased to see him return with a stellar new fantasy outing in A Demon in Silver, I hope it does well as I feel it deserves to be a hit.If you are looking for a fast-paced, bloody and brilliant read then this is the book for you.