Tag: Reading

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2022 Wrap Up

Photo by Sebastien Wiertz

Hello Readers,

Well it was a wild year last year, what with Covid still rearing its ugly head, war in the Ukraine, and some crazy weather events, such as the flooding here in Queensland, Australia. On a more personal note, I didn’t succeed in completing my goals for 2022. I only managed to read and review 5 books from my target of 12, I didn’t obtain any new reviews, and I didn’t manage to finish writing some of the stories I had hoped to.

To be honest I was a little slack over 2022. I had a lot of distractions. An X-Box managed to sneak into my life and I was sucked into the worlds of The Witcher, Dragon Age 2, Dragon Age 4, and Skyrim. I completed all four games, but it took months of gameplay. It wasn’t one of my goals going into the year, but I’ll take it as an achievement anyway. There were also a few new TV series that came out, the likes of The Witcher: Blood Origin (binged), The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power (binged), and Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon (yet to binge).

These are just some of the reasons (or excuses) why I didn’t reach my goals. I just hope I can be a bit more focused over 2023, try to pick up an extra review or two, and maybe get some actual writing done.

Happy Reading!

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Book Review – Heroes wanted by Various authors.

Heroes Wanted by various authors is a fantasy anthology.

The Cover: The cover image depicts some fantasy characters/creatures from the stories within and definitely fits with the genre. The artwork is good and the title font is in a good choice in a nice contrasting colour, making it clean and clear. The only thing I feel letting it down is that it is a very dark picture that tends to make the image a murky smudge on the thumbnail images you see online. Overall, I like it and fits the genre.

The Good Stuff: This is definitely a fantasy anthology, and you get exactly what you’re expecting in that regard. It was free on Amazon when I picked this title up and here are a few good stories between the covers, so great value in that respect. Anthologies are a great way to sample the works of a number of authors to see if you like their writing, and it can be worth it when you find one you like.

The Bad Stuff: As with most anthologies, you get ‘a mixed bag’ of stories from a variety of authors. Some are good stories and some you will likely skim through or skip. Sometimes this feels a little disappointing, but then I try to remind myself that it isn’t really an issue, especially when the book is free. Truly, if I can find one author I like from the various writers, it is far better than trying a novel by an author I haven’t read, only to find I don’t enjoy their work.

Overall, I enjoyed some of the stories, but not as many as those I skimmed or skipped. I didn’t find another favourite author is this book, but there are a couple I would give another go on one of their longer pieces of work. This one gets a sword slashing, magic blasting 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

You can also find his titles available in libraries. If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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Book Review: Half a War by Joe Abercrombie

Half a War

Half a War by Joe Abercrombie is the third book in the Shattered Sea Series.

The Cover: The cover version I have is mainly black and white with figures on the attack, fighting their way up a hill. It seems to me that defenders sit behind a shield wall with the prow beast of their ship at there backs; a scene from the story itself. The artwork is split across the middle by a mirror image in inverted tones. The title sits in the middle within a circle of scrolling waves and stands out in large red letters. I’m not a fan of font used for the title, but overall it is a nice cover in my opinion and fits the genre.

The Good Stuff: Once again, Abercrombie delivers some solid characters in a grim world. The plot has all the twists and betrayals I have come to expect from this author. My favourite character in this one would have to be Raith, followed by Koll, Rin, and Blue Jenner.

The Bad Stuff: I would like to have seen more of Rin in this story, and I actually expected to see a lot more of Thorn Bathu. In fact I was looking forwards to seeing more of Thorn, but I was left a little disappointed that she didn’t play a bigger part. I suppose her story had been told in the previous book. The elf ruins/relics/weapons also didn’t really work for me, it is clear what they represent and brings reality into the fantasy world, but I want my fantasy to be just that… fantasy.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, but not as much as the previous two in the series. This one gets a sword hammering, shield banging 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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Book Review: Half the World by Joe Abercrombie


Half the World by Joe Abercrombie is the second book in the Shattered Sea series.

The Cover: The copy I read has a slightly different image from the one in this post. It has the same wave made of bladed weapons, but it is crashing down upon a vessel akin to a Viking longship. The title is a bold blue against a greyish sky, with white text against a green sea for the author name. The fonts are clear, but I’m not a huge fan of the title font, I feel there could have been a better choice. Having said that, it is a solid fantasy book cover and overall I like it.

The Good Stuff: Yes, yes, I know I say it all the time, but it’s true… Abercrombie is my favourite author, and I feel the Shattered Sea is my favourite series. It has a truly rugged fantasy feel and I love it. Combine this world, the great characters, and Abercrombie’s writing style, and you have everything you could want between the covers.

The Bad Stuff: If there is any, I couldn’t find it.

Overall, this is a great title from Joe Abercrombie. It has great characters, a strongly developed world, a good story, and great writing style. If you haven’t read it yet, treat yourself, it’s well worth it. This one gets an oar slapping, shield banging 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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Book Review: As It Seems by Eric Lewis

As it Seems by Eric Lewis is a collection of short stories by a single author. The collection comprises mostly grimdark/fantasy, and a few stories that probably fit better into sci-fi.

The Cover: There seems to be a couple of covers for this book, I have the one with a robed figure striding forwards, face hidden beneath a hood, sword rested on his right shoulder and an axe hanging from his left hand. Both the image and the font are presented well and fit with the genre.

The Good Stuff: I liked the writing style, the world building, and the tone. I enjoyed that most of the stories were set in the same world; a dark, gritty, grim world. I quite like a bit of grimdark and this didn’t disappoint. The author certainly doesn’t buy into happy endings. One of the most notable things for me is that when it comes to anthologies, I’m usually only taken by a few stories. But, I also enjoyed every story in this book, and that is a big achievement by the author in my opinion.

The Bad Stuff: Okay, so this title is not without its faults. There are a few more typo’s than I would normally see in a book of this length. There are also some things that didn’t really gel for me. Things like a slave ship allowed to dock in a place where slavery is illegal, plumbers in a fantasy world, and modern terms like apartment, startup, and coffee break, that for me just don’t seem to fit with the world the author has created. This encroached on my enjoyment and held me back from fully immersing myself in some of the stories.

Overall, I can easily forgive the few typos and words/terms that I felt were out of place, simply because I really enjoyed this book. If you’re into slightly darker short stories by a single author, you should give this one a go. This one gets a back-stabbing, alchemical blasting, 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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New Release: Ripples Through Murky Water

Hello Readers,

Exciting news! After many months of talking about it, I have finally released the much awaited anthology. ‘Ripples Through Murky Water’ is now available. This collection contains eight of my horror/fantasy stories and you’ll find all the links you need to get your copy, below the blurb.

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Follow Corporal Jackson on a top-secret project where being kept in the dark might just kill him. See Macey as she gets a taste of the wild frontier while finding her place in the world. Check out Jordan and his collection of figures that would make anyone believe in monsters. Or how about watching Hades as he tries to shake off a headache and move out of the underworld.

Ripples Through Murky Water is a collection of eight short, dark and magical tales that will leave you hungry for more.

If you like chills down your spine, magical mayhem, or just a bit of a laugh, you’ll love Ripples Through Murky Water by Allan Walsh.

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I know you’ve been waiting a long time for it, but it is finally available and you can grab a copy of ‘Ripples Through Murky Water’ at the following retailers:

Amazon.com

Amazon.com.au

Amazon.co.uk

Other Stores

I hope you enjoy this collection of short stories. Feel free to let me know what you think or to share this post with your friends and family.

Thank you so much for your support.

Happy Reading,

Allan

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Cover Reveal: Ripples Through Murky Water

Hello Readers,

I’m excited and very pleased to tell you that I have another new release ready to be published. As always a new release deserves a cover reveal. So, in the spirit of Christmas, here’s an early present, a glimpse of the cover for Ripples Through Murky Water…

I’ll post again soon to let you all know when the book has been released.

Happy Reading

Allan

Brisbane, Australia.

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Book Review: The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie.

The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie is book 2 in the Age of Madness Trilogy and continues the saga within the First Law world.

The Cover: There is more than 1 version for this book. I have the colourful cover depicting a flaming battle scene in the background with the standard of the wolf at the fore. It is a good cover, it aligns with others in the series and is typical of an Abercrombie cover. Looking back after reading the story I feel it really fits well with the book itself. The image works with this Grimdark title, I like the fonts, and it stands out on a shelf.  

The Good Stuff: Come on guys, you must know by now that I love Abercrombie’s work. He just has a way with words that sings to my mind. The characters, as always, are great. The story, as always, is gritty and gripping. The plot, dare I say it… as always, is full of politics and betrayals. What’s not to love about it. I love the character of Rikke, along with Stour and Vick. The Northmen really make these novels for me, that’s the raw fantasy side of things I love, but even the more refined characters can blow me away. Don’t wait, just grab yourself a copy and read it!

The Bad Stuff: Okay, I’ll be honest, this wasn’t my favourite Abercrombie title, but it is a great book. I love the dark, gritty, fantasy side of Joe’s work, and I find that as the world moves forward making ‘progress’, the fantasy is slowly draining away. Which is why I prefer the First Law Trilogy. But I will still continue to read his newer work in this world, because he is just so good.

Overall, this is another cracking title from (in my opinion) the Grandmaster of Grimdark, Joe Abercrombie. Actually, I think that might be my new nick name for him – Grandmaster Grim! Honestly, if you read within this genre and you haven’t read any of his titles, give him a go. He is a great author. This one gets a polearm piercing, battle raging 4.5 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.

You can also find his titles available in libraries. If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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Book Review: Tales of Magic & Destiny by various authors

Tales of Magic & Destiny is an anthology containing 12 short fantasy stories.

The Cover: I do like this cover, it depicts an ominous dragon confronting a mage in the midst of casting a spell. The image is strong and tells the reader to expect fantasy between the pages, I just wish the title font was as strong as the image. The font lets the cover down in my opinion, and it is a shame because the artwork is so good.

The Good Stuff: There are 12 stories to wrap your mind around, and none of the 12 stories were bad. I read through most without skimming, and found the majority of them held my attention. They are all fantasy stories as the cover promises and the writing is competent.

The Bad Stuff: There are quite a few typos in some of these stories. It is easy enough to read through and work out what the sentences should say, but it does pull you out of the reading experience each time you hit one. While the stories weren’t bad and held my attention, I was disappointed with the endings of some and found others a little average. There were probably 2 stories I enjoyed more than the others, but none of them really grabbed me and pulled me in.

Overall, this book was okay. None of the stories really stood out to me, but if you have an hour or 2 to burn it will pass the time. The writing wasn’t bad, but in my opinion, the stories weren’t great either. This one gets an average 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.

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New Release: The Cold and the Dead

Hello Readers,

I now have another short story release fresh of the e-press. ‘The Cold and the Dead’ is now available. You’ll find all the links below the blurb. And don’t forget the anthology, which will include this short story, will be coming out in the not too distant future.

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Macey wants to forge her own path in life and make a name for herself, but it can be tough living in the wild country. Seems like everything wants to kill you out there.

The Cold and the Dead is a short horror story with a setting akin to the western frontier. If you like grim-dark adventure, skin-crawling horror, and hard-knock characters, you’ll love The Cold and the Dead.

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If you don’t want to wait for the anthology, you can get a copy of ‘The Cold and the Dead’ at the following retailers:

Amazon.com

Amazon.com.au

Amazon.co.uk

I hope you enjoy the story, I’m quite pleased with the way it has turned out. Please let me know what you think and feel free to share this post with any of your friends or family who might enjoy a short horror story.

Thank you so much for your support.

Happy Reading,

Allan