Tag: Reviews

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Book Review: The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy (Volume 1)

The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy: Alchemy with WordsThe Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy (Volume 1) Edited by Darin Park and Tom Dullemond

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a non-fiction title with numerous contributing writers, and is written for writers. It is a compendium that covers a broad range of material for writers of fantasy and will be useful to those writing in this genre.

The Cover: The image is a good fit for a non-fiction title geared towards writers and the quill lends itself to the fantasy genre. The title clearly conveys what the book is about, but while the fonts are suitable enough, I feel the title fonts could have been a little better. Overall, a strong cover for the title.

The Good Stuff: This book would be a fantastic addition to any fantasy writer’s reference library. It is packed with useful information on topics relevant to the fantasy genre, from medieval food and clothing, to religion and world building. This book has detailed information weapons, armour, and much more. It also provides links to websites and further reference material that is relevant and may be of use.

The Bad Stuff: If there is any bad stuff, I did not notice it. I am very satisfied with this book as a reference guide for writing fantasy.

Overall, this is a fantastic reference guide. It covers a great deal of topics relevant to the fantasy writer and will open your eyes to, or at the very least remind you about, checking your facts. The content is both interesting and great for future reference. I’m ranking this one 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from this link:

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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.

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Book Review – Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes

Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle (Book of Never, #0)

Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Never: Prequel to The Amber Isle by Ashley Capes is a short fantasy story about a thief with bad blood (hmmm… why does that sound familiar to me). We follow the story of Never as he steals he way towards a cure.

The Cover: Okay, I’m adding a new section for cover design in my reviews as I feel they need to be spoken about. I love the cover on this book and probably would not have bothered to pick this title up if not the beautiful artwork. It screams fantasy to me, provoking a mood of gritty action and danger. Just my kind of book.

The Good Stuff: I must say that once I got over the character’s name and the writing style, I actually enjoyed this story and the world building that was developed over this short story. It is certainly a fantasy set in a world I enjoy to read. The characters were also quite well rounded for a short story. The storyline isn’t bad at all, but as with any new author you read, it may take a few pages to get into the swing of things. I’d say give it a chance and see what you think, I found it free on amazon and if the end matter in the book is up to date, you can get the following book free if you sign up to My Capes Newsletter.

The Bad Stuff: The name of our protagonist threw me off. Every time I read his name I was confused by the actual meaning of the word, expecting a sentence to form somewhat differently. The writing style didn’t grip me and pull me in either, I found it a bit passive.

Overall the story was interesting and well-paced, I wasn’t fully invested in the characters, but feel if I were given a little more time with them, I would form a stronger bond. If you are looking for something quick to read with a fantasy setting, I’d say give it a go. I’m giving this one a shadow hugging 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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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.

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Book Review – Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie.

Last Argument of Kings (The First Law, #3)Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last Argument of Kings is the third book in the First Law Trilogy and continues the story of some familiar characters, while introducing some new ones too.

The Cover: As far as Joe’s covers go, this is one of the better ones. I do feel it is a little plain and could have been so much better, but at least it conveys the tone of the story and I get a feel for the genre.

The Good Stuff: In true Abercrombie style, the tale is tough and gritty. It gives glimpses into the true nature of human beings through a variety of interesting characters. In this book we get to see a lot more of Logen Nine fingers and his darker side – ‘The Bloody Nine’. I loved every minute of this book. Once again Abercrombie has come to the party. No, actually he has brought the party to your house, along with an entourage of characters that are beautiful and yet so individually ugly, you’ll love and hate them all at the same time. And they’re going to turn your place upside down before they leave. If you haven’t read any of Joe Abercrombie’s work yet, I have one question for you – what are you waiting for?

The Bad Stuff: Come on, it’s Joe! Okay, if I have to say something it is that the ending does not bring the story to an close. It leaves it open and keeps you yearning for more. Damn it.

This one is definitely worth 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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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.

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Book Review – The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn, #2)The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson continues the story of Vin and Elend in the aftermath of the Lord Rulers fall.

The Cover: A nice cover that matches the others in the series. Nice artwork that shows you the genre of the content inside.

The Good Stuff: I really enjoyed this book. It continues seamlessly from book one with all the much loved characters and a full introduction to the Koloss, who were only breezed over in book one. The complexity of the plot seems to get deeper and deeper, with multiple sub-plots taking you through a maze of story questions that keep you reading. I would say this series was well mapped out before the first book was ever written, and what a great job Brandon Sanderson has done.

The Bad Stuff: The only criticism I have of this story is that the explanation of the magic system was repetitive and overdone. Aside from the fact that I knew about it from the previous book, it seemed too explained more than required in this novel.

Overall, this is another great fantasy novel that has hooked me into reading the 3rd novel in the series, which I’m sure will not disappoint. I’m giving this an allomantic, page pushing 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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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.

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Book Review – The Cloud by K.I Zachopoulos

The CloudThe Cloud by K.I. Zachopoulos

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Cloud is a fantasy graphic novel about a boy and his wolf who go on a journey to find the boy’s father and return a wish that was stolen from him.

The Cover: This is a beautiful cover that clearly defines the fantasy elements of the story, however it does not convey that the book is a graphic novel. This is fine if it is housed on the bookshelves under graphic novels, but my suggestion to the author would be to add some subtext to make it clear. Something along the lines of ‘A fantasy graphic novel that will take you on a beautifully illustrated adventure.’

The Good Stuff: There is an interesting tale here set in an interesting world and it is beautifully illustrated. The layout and quality of the artwork is done to a professional standard, and it certainly looks like a graphic novel should do.

The Bad Stuff: While the tale is interesting and the artwork is visual feast for your eyes, by all accounts the story seems to be a little hard to follow. If you are a die-hard graphic novelist/comic reader, you may not be fazed by this, but for me, well… the artwork made it well worth a read.

Overall, if you are a lover of good art you will enjoy this book, but if you are after a smooth flowing, easy to understand story this may leave you a little unsatisfied. I’m giving this one an eye opening, mind marvelling 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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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.

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Book Review – The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie.

The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Blade Itself is a fantasy novel about … well, a host of characters and the parts they play in this tale of feuds, conspiracies, and wars. Set in a vicious world with well-established cultures and classes, magic and science, superstitions and beliefs.

The Cover: I do get the feeling that this is a fantasy novel. The blood splatter suggests there will be some violence. It’s quite plain and doesn’t really grab me.

The good stuff: This book has a full cast of characters from Logen Ninefingers, Bayaz and Jezal Dan Luthar, to Major Collem West, Sand dan Glokta, and Ferro. Their paths woven seamlessly into the story in a world where life is neither fun nor fair. The characters own their individual personalities, their individual traits and their individual problems, while war broods all around. Abercrombie weaves a tale of respected men who lie and scheme, barbarians who have honour and respect and strong women who kick some serious arse.

The Bad Stuff: The only bad thing about this book is it comes to an end and leaves you wanting more.

In my opinion, this is a superbly written fantasy novel with a mix of aristocratic society and down-in-the-gutter, bang-to-rights hard men. This action packed novel packs a punch and deserves a place on the shelf of any true fantasy fan. I’m giving it 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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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.

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Book Review – Magician by Raymond E. Fiest.

Magician (The Riftwar Saga, #1-2)

Magician by Raymond E. Feist

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Magician is an epic fantasy novel about the lives of Pug and those around him, their victories, their defeats, their friendships, oh… and there is magic.

The Cover: A good traditional fantasy cover that clearly demonstrates the genre and gives you some idea of what sort of story you’re going to get.

The good stuff: While Magician bears some similarities to Tolkien’s work, it is an epic tale in its own right. Feist has put an original spin on a plot that has been used before and has some well rounded characters. His world building is done well, creating different races and cultures in worlds far apart. The Magician has everything a great fantasy epic should have: magic, magical weapons and armour, dragons, elves, dwarves and more.

The Bad Stuff: If I said I had just read a book with wizards, dwarves, elves, goblins and a mad king, what would you think of? Well, The Magician is not the title that most people would think of. As mentioned above, there are a few similarities to another well read epic fantasy in this book. There’s also some over explaining and repetition, with a fair bit of telling in the writing style.

In my opinion, this is a great fantasy novel and is a much loved classic that deserves a space on the shelf of any true fantasy fan. This one gets 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks from me.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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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. 

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Book Review – The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke.

The Lascar's Dagger (The Forsaken Lands, #1)

The Lascar’s Dagger by Glenda Larke

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Lascar’s Dagger is the tale of a Saker Rampion, a spy of the Va faith who, coerced by an enchanted dagger, is unwittingly drawn into a stranger’s quest.

The Cover: For me, this is a great cover. I love stories with thieves or assassins and I would grab this one off the shelf just at a glimpse of this cover. It is a strong fantasy cover in my opinion.

The Good Stuff: I really enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting and apart from Saker, they all have strong, clear traits and they stay ‘in character’ throughout the book. The author, Glenda Larke, builds a believable world with a diverse ensemble of characters. She has some creative ideas and weaves some interesting plot lines.

The Bad Stuff: In my opinion there are two major logic flaws within this story. The main character, Saker Rampion, is a veteran spy and I quote “the pontifect’s best; the hunter after truth, the clever spy, the sharp witted investigator.” For a man who is all this, I found him likeable, but incredibly stupid. Saker makes rash assumptions when there is evidence to the contrary. And then there is ‘the thing’ that princess Mathilda hides from the world. I won’t tell you what it is, that would spoil your read if you do take a gander at this tale, but honestly, I have my doubts that she could hide something like this, in this world, under the conditions imposed upon her. I also found some info dumping in the text and some ‘telling’, both of which could have easily been dealt with through different writing techniques.

As a reader it is easy for me to criticise Glenda Larke’s writing. As a writer, I know how easy it is to make these sort of mistakes and still not notice them after reading the story a hundred times. On the whole, Glenda has created an original story with some great characters, set in a believable world. Her prose makes for an enjoyable read and I will certainly read more of her works. I’m giving this one 4 out of 5 Golden bookmarks.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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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. 

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Book Review – Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie.

Before They Are Hanged (The First Law, #2)

Before They Are Hanged

by Joe Abercrombie

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Before They Are Hanged is the continuation of The First Law series and follows the stories of the First of the Magi, Logen Ninefingers, Ferro, and many more of the host of characters within the book.

The Cover: Not a terrible cover, quite simple and plain, but nothing special. It does fit well with the others in this series and conveys the genre.

The good stuff: This book has a full cast of characters and Mr Abercrombie moves easily from one to another allowing the story to flow. I love the relationship between Logen Nine fingers and Ferro, The sudden shifts in temperament of Bayaz, the character arc Jezal Dan Luthar moves through as his character grows and there is so much more to love within the pages of this book. The story and the characters paths come together like a peacocks feather: Beautiful, colourful, and consisting of numerous barbs that all seem to converge on a pointed spine. Joe has created a dangerous, intriguing world and I absolutely love it. I have come to expect great things from Joe Abercrombie and he did not disappoint me with this novel.

The Bad Stuff: As with most other novels I’ve read by Joe, the only bad thing is that the book comes to an end and you want more.

In my opinion, this is a superbly written fantasy novel with a well established society, governments, clans, etc… The action, twists and political scheming keeps coming and holds the readers interest until the end. There are some richly described places, well defined characters and interesting fantasy elements. I have come to expect great things from Joe Abercrombie and he has not let me down with this fantastic novel. Call me biased if you will, but JA is without doubt my favourite author and I’m giving this one a blood thirsty 5 out of 5 golden bookmarks with a huge, deranged grin.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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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. 

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Book Review – Story Genius by Lisa Cron

Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a non-fiction title that looks at planning and forming connections between your characters and the reader’s emotions using the craft of writing.

The Cover: The cover is a good fit with the non-fiction genre and the image is fitting for the concept spoken about within the book.

The Good Stuff: This book covers some of the techniques a writer needs to know: Plotting, planning, characters arcs, etc… but it is done an entirely new way compared to other books I have read on these topics. There is some great information in this book and I did find the concept interesting and somewhat enlightening. The author is obviously talented and experienced in this field, and shares a wealth of her knowledge with the reader. I certainly found some insights into new ways of looking at things that I will put into use.

The Bad Stuff: I hate to say it, but I struggled through this book. I struggled because I like to get to the point quickly, but the author seems to waffle on a bit too much for me. I’m not saying it was a bad book, because it wasn’t bad by any means. I struggled because the examples were in a genre I do not read. I struggled because the author tries to make a closer connection with the reader. I struggled because it was too nice and fluffy for me. I can see many readers would love this, but it isn’t for me.

Overall, for a writer, there is value in reading this book. If you write romance or ‘chick lit’ you will probably love it. If it were written using horror or fantasy examples and was more succinct, I would have raved about it. As it stands, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. I’m ranking this one 3 out of 5 golden bookmarks for a worthwhile lesson in connecting with readers.

Want to know if you agree with my review? Grab your own copy from these links:

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Get it on Kobo

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. 

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