Greetings, fabled followers, craven cultists, grimoire gnomes and blog butterflies! The first twelfth of 2020 is behind us and the eternal question must be asked: What the heck happened last month? Here, at the Reliquary, not too much. Books were read, old posts revisited, humans hunted for spo--don't know where that came from, to tell... Continue Reading →
Jim Butcher’s Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2)
Hullo and welcome to this tiny review, in which I will bitch and moan about Fool Moon for a wee bit! Why? Because #EverythingIsContent ! I listened to James Masters's reading of the first Harry Dresden novel almost two years ago -- my Goodreads shelf tells me I read it on June 29, 2017 --... Continue Reading →
Book Review: City of Kings by Rob J. Hayes (Archived)
Hey, everyone! This review was originally published over on BookNest.eu about six months ago. Check the site out, great reviews by me and many other lovely folks! I thought I'd start reposting my old reviews here every few days, in case anyone who hasn't seen them before follows my blog for the book reviews in... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Gifts by Ursula Le Guin
I've been meaning to explore the great Ursula Le Guin's writing for a few years, now. I always thought I'd start with Earthsea if not for a serendipitous occasion in my new university library thanks to which I stumbled upon this, a short 280-page first part of a trilogy by the name of 'Annals of... Continue Reading →
Small Gods: A Discworld Review
Oh, lawks, I read another Discworld novel. Small Gods was Terry Pratchett's most intricate examination of organised religion and faith yet. Where do the gods come from? How many masks do they wear? Are they just a big lot of buggers sitting on their arses, pulling the limbs off mortals for the giggles? That's what... Continue Reading →
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik spins gold in this excellent new standalone novel, which perfectly captures the essence of Slavic fairy tales while doing an excellent job of turning the classical Rumplestiltskin tale on its heels. Novik's previous novel, Uprooted, was a 2015 favourite of mine. Novik's love for Slavic folklore shined through. For the first time had... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Melokai by Rosalyn Kelly: The Good, The Bad, The Meh
I received Melokai for free as part of r/fantasy's TBRindr initiative, meant to popularize and highlight the works of independently published authors. Melokai's opening held a great deal of promise, which could've propelled the story forward. Unfortunately, this novel didn't ultimately deliver on the promises made, both by its opening and its cover. Before I... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Promise of Blood
(Disclaimer: Some minor spoilers ahead.) Brian's Style Promise of Blood isn't the first novel I've read by Brian McClellan. That honour goes to Sins of Empire, which holds a special place in my heart as both the first flintlock fantasy I've read, as well as the first title I purchased because of a recommendation read... Continue Reading →
Book Review: A Star Reckoner’s Lot
Disclaimer: This book has been kindly provided by Darrel Drake for free, in exchange for a review. No one said anything about being honest but I wasn't told to lie either, so it evens out somewhere along the line, I reckon. A Star-Reckoner's Lot has been an interesting ride, one that left me some strong impressions.... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
I've had some trouble putting my thoughts in order where Senlin Ascends, the first book in Josiah Bancroft's Books of Babel series of four, is concerned. This book is an excellent read, the kind whose characters live with you well after you've put it down for good. Perhaps Senlin Ascends is one of those rare... Continue Reading →