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Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne A superhero space opera for grownups. For fans of Invincible and Marvel Cinematic Universe films who like a little hard science fiction in their superheroes.âšIf Thor and Harry Dresden combined in a transporter accident. |
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Initiation: Sex Wizards, Book 1 by Alethea Faust Magic is a rare gift that only exists in the bloodlines of the rich, the royal, and the reputable. Dominai of Airedale, a poor hunter and forest guide, is barely one of those things. But after a moonlit encounter with the wizard Allisande, Dominai's life is changed forever. She reveals that Dominai has magic in his lineage and provides him with a letter of introduction to the Crux, the center of magical study in the Kingdom of Straetham. Magical study is a far cry from the dusty tomes and rituals Dom was expecting. Instead, it is sex and desire, submission and surrender, loyalty and love, and, above all, trust. But when the trust of the Crux is betrayed, Dom must face his own insecurities and the unknown to protect his new home and his fellow wizards. Alethea Faustâs debut novel delivers risk-aware consensual kink, hard BDSM, budding relationships between kind, emotionally mature adults, and a lot of butt stuff. Initiation is a full-length adult fantasy, the first in the epic Sex Wizards series set in a sex-positive, magical world. This novel has a kink-based magic system which crosses a wide range of play with varying degrees of intensity. The wizards of the Crux include pansexual, polyamorous, fantasy race, nonbinary, gender non-conforming and intersex characters. |
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The Trials of Ashmount by John Palladino Cedain is destined to collapse. Across a world rife with blood, betrayal, and brutality, five people wade through unexpected tragedies. An egotistical student, a fleeing refugee, a nomadic warrior, a fallen noble, and a criminal in hiding navigate the sinister dealings of politicians, two sudden wars, and nefarious lies that surface at Ashmountâa university dedicated to teaching the five branches of magic. Survival means adapting or dying. Fans of Joe Abercrombie and hard magic systems will enjoy navigating a morally gray cast of characters in a world on the brink of collapse. |
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Ascendant (Songs of Chaos #1) by Michael R. Miller The start of a new dragon rider epic combining the best of Eragon and Pern with the hard magic of Brandon Sanderson and Will Wight. Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean. Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within. But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows. Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon's magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come, and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all. |
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Never Die (Mortal Techniques #1) by Rob J. Hayes Samurai, shinigami, vengeful spirits, and an impossible quest. Itami Cho has earned the name Whispering Blade. She is a Shintei warrior, sworn to the path of oaths and honour. But keeping her oaths has always been more difficult than taking them. When Flaming Fist and his bandits attack the city of Kaishi, Itami swears one last oath: she will protect the city and its people at any cost. Ein has spent his life dreaming of being a hero, and now the God of Death has given him a chance. The Reaper has set him an impossible quest: an eight-year-old boy sent to stop an immortal Emperor. Never Die is a stand alone set in the world of Mortal Techniques. Itâs a wuxia adventure filled with samurai, shinigami, heroes, and vengeful spirits. |
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Death and Sweet Temptations by Kristen Coar Kristen Coar launches her brand-new ALEX BAIN series with Death and Sweet Temptations, a tale of half-vampire, half-human Alex Bain, where the veil between the mundane and the monstrous thins to a nearly imperceptible shroud, and within its folds lurks a desire as perilous as any fiend. Set in a contemporary fantasy world brimming with magic, danger, and searing romance, this story is perfect for fans of series like Anita Blake, The Hollows, Crescent City, or the Night Huntress. Alex's tenure at Sweet Temptations is marked with success, her ascent up the corporate ladder as smooth as molten cocoa. But as Chicago's shadowed alleys echo with the cries of supernaturally murdered women, her dark heritage calls her to a far greater task. Joining forces with her wisecracking roommate Argo, a gourmet-loving corgi from Hell, and Sergeant Isabella "Izzie" Bliss of the CPD, they race against time to thwart this diabolical terror. However, before they can find those responsible, her two carefully curated identities collide in an office romance that quickly threatens to pull her under. As she falls deeper, the lines between sanity and chaos blur, and Lucas, the steamy consultant, becomes more than just a delicious distraction. As more women die and ancient powers awaken whispering of a long-forgotten prophecy, can her burgeoning love for a man with shady secrets and a wicked past craft a new destiny? One thing becomes clear: the price of temptation could be her very soul. Death and Sweet Temptations is a story of deep bonds, what makes a monster, and a love that transcends the darkness within each of us. Don't miss this gripping adventure, your next sexy supernatural obsession awaits! |
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Death of a Christmas Tree Salesman by Patricia Meredith Sam Shovel only comes to life for twelve days a year at Christmastime, and this year, he's in time to solve a murder mystery at the North Pole. O. Tannenbaumâthe world's largest supplier of Christmas treesâhas been murdered, and although Nick and Nora Claus are too busy to solve the mystery, Sam has enough time on his branchy hands to take a stab at it. Woven with enough Christmas references to choke a reindeer, find out if he succeeds in Death of a Christmas Tree Salesman. "Patricia Meredith's recipe for a perfect Christmas mystery? Magic with a dash of murder." âJess Brady, @jess.literarylife, Bookstagram Reviewer âI see Sam Shovel right up there with Frosty and Rudolphâhe'll go down in history!â â Kathy Buckmaster "Cookies, candy, presents...and murder! A holiday mystery that will leave you questioning...and craving sweets!" âNiko Sollazzo, @nikosbookreviews, BookTuber |
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Cradle of Sea and Soil by Bernie AnĂ©s Paz The Primordial Wound has festered with corruption since the birth of the world. The island tribes have warred against its spawn for just as longâand they are losing. Burdened by the same spiritual affliction that drove the first Halfborn insane, ColibrĂ lives in exile with little more than her warrior oaths and her son. But when ColibrĂ discovers corrupted land hidden away by sorcery, those same oaths drive her to find answers in an effort to protect the very people who fear her. Narune dreams of earning enough glory to show that he and his mother ColibrĂ are nothing like the Halfborn that came before them. Becoming a mystic will give him the strength he needs, but first, Narune will need to prove himself worthy in a trial of skill and honor. Together, ColibrĂ and Narune must learn to become the champions their people needâand face the curse threatening to scour away their spirits with fury. |
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Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts by Alina Leonova Two species of humans â one technologically advanced and one living in nature â have coexisted peacefully on their home planet for over a century. But when an ancient treaty is breached, devastation follows. Balika has always felt like an outsider. When tragedy strikes, she is left without a reason to remain with her tribe. Looking for a place where she can belong, she leaves the familiar forest and ventures into the desert to bond with a mythical animal through music. But her forgotten life calls her back when she discovers an unexpected threat to her land. Sammah works long hours as an experience developer and returns to his tiny apartment alone. He suffers from anxiety and spends most of his time in the virtual world. He opens up to a friendship with a colleague, but just when things start to look up, he gets trapped in a strange and dangerous affair. He might either lose himself, or the only person he truly cares about. Struggling to make the right choices, they get pulled into a brewing disaster. Their worlds are about to collide, and their paths are fated to cross. Caught on different sides of the conflict, Balika and Sammah take up the fight in their own ways. If they want to save what they love most, they must risk everything. Will that be enough? |
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The Son of the Prophets by Bryan Wilson "Those of white and those of flame will clash, and the universe will begin to shake." Colton's mission is straightforward: go home to Earth, wield the power of the stars for all to see, and seek the prophet his planet was named after. But nothing has come easy since he left his world. Traitors lurk in the shadows, causing chaos across the stars. War has begun, and with newfound responsibilities arising, those around Colton realize they will have to carry some of the burden if there's to be any hope of defeating the Army of Flame. Ace and Morris set out on their own course, hunting a rogue admiral down at Willick's side. Meanwhile, Violet Doku travels with her fellow soldiers of Vintara Company, sailing to the mysterious Forsaken Barrier, where the fight they have trained for lies in wait. Colton knows he will have to be quick with his tasks if he hopes to fulfill the prophecies and save mankind. But when age-old mysteries are answered, and past conflicts reemerge, he starts to question whether he can even save himself. |
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The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power A Mystery Scene Magazine 2021 Editor's Pick Trust No One. Especially Your Neighbors. Rachel Drake is on the run from the man who killed her husband. She never leaves her safe haven in an anonymous doorman building, until one night a phone call sends her running. On her way to the garage, she is murdered in the elevator. But her story doesnât end there. She finds herself in the afterlife, tethered to her death spot, her reach tied to the adjacent apartments. As she rides the elevator up and down, the lives of the residents intertwine. Every one of them has a dark secret. An aging trophy wife whose husband strays. A surgeon guarding a locked room. A TV medium who may be a fraud. An ordinary man with a mysterious hobby. Compelled to spend eternity observing her neighbors, she realizes that any one of them could be her killer. |
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A Voice That Thunders (Voice That Thunders #1) by Cully Mack Immortals conquering as gods. A Shadow creeping closer... Can an apprentice healer be the key to ignite a war? Mirah looks for the best in everybody. But her naivetĂ© is shattered when her clan is slaughtered, and sheâs dragged into captivity. Vulnerable and scared, she has no choice but to accept her kidnappersâ offer to join their sect of lethal female fighters. Desperate to find stability in her chaotic new life, Mirah throws herself into training as a water mage and warrior. But as she discovers her unprecedented elemental control, her instructor warns that revealing her power will put her in mortal danger. With the fate of humanity at risk, will Mirahâs growing abilities spell her salvation⊠or destruction? A Voice That Thunders is the first book in the action-packed Voice that Thunders epic fantasy series. If you like strong women, intricate world-building, and stories of enduring friendship, then youâll adore Cully Mackâs riveting saga. |
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The Feast of the Innocents by Colin Harker In the spirit of Mary Shelley and Thomas Ligotti, a new novel that unites the charismatic, scheming villains and chilling atmosphere of classic Gothic horror with visceral, supernatural terrors and historical intrigue... Winter 1665. Cyrus flees England to escape the human monster who murdered his father, but the horrors of Laughlin Priory are as inescapable. Pursued by a mysterious killer from France â haunted by a one-eyed chimney sweeper with sinister motives and an insatiable curiosity â in the Priory, Cyrus learns some secrets are worse than death. |
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Cherry Blossom Eyes by S.T. Cartledge âA work of poetic surrealism reminiscent of the films of Guillermo Del Toro and the SiĂșil A RĂșn manga, The Girl From The Other Sideâ - Carlton Mellick III Margot and Blanko live on the Isle of Flowers, blessed by the rose gold light of the cherry blossom sun. In the season of the Cold, they build bonfires on the beach to ward off the malicious shape-shifting sea creatures known as tourists from the island. Each year their home becomes colder, their resources become tighter, and more tourists swim ashore and murder the locals, bury them beneath the cherry blossom trees, and take their identities like nothing ever happened. Can they survive long enough to sort out real from imposter and put a stop to this hostile takeover? From Shane Cartledge, the author of The Orphanarium, comes a surreal YA bizarro novella about young love and finding oneâs true identity. |
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Queen of the Dawn by S.M. Gaither "The light cannot always overcome the dark. But it can rise to meet it.â Against all odds, Casia Greythorne has survived battles with gods and monsters alike, and the most powerful crown in the Kethran Empire is now securely in her grasp. Yet a seemingly impossible task still looms: finding a way to rid her world of its darkest god so she actually has a future to rule over. The path to sealing that god away has been revealed, but to follow it will mean venturing into a deadly and strange new realm, facing old fears and enemies, and deciphering ancient magic that raises more questions than answers. Meanwhile, chaos continues to spread throughout the empires. Armies rise and fall. The bonds between allies begin to frayâand hope along with it. And with every bloody battle, the final cost of saving their world becomes clearer. Dawn is coming, but will Casia and her friends survive to see the new day? |
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Cruelty: Unmasked by Ellen CroshĂĄin. Henry used to be a god. Now, heâs just the gardener. Nearly twenty-five years have passed since the ancient Faroust fell in love with Eliza MacTir. Stripped of his powers and forced to work for the family he used to rule, he canât avoid the woman who ruined him. But when a chance encounter brings him into contact with Elizaâs daughter Ăine, a twenty-one year old student looking for a chance to explore herself, he sees a chance to exact revenge. The affair is sweet and Henry knows that when he finally reveals it to Eliza, it will be even sweeter. But Henry and Ăine arenât the only ones keeping secrets. Ăineâs brother CaolĂĄn, sixteen and rebellious, has his share of demons and not all is well with Eliza and Cornelius. The veneer of the perfect family has cracks and once the truths start to spill, everything Eliza fought for will start to unravel. Secrets cannot be buried forever and the Veil wonât stay shut. Darker forces are watching and waiting⊠|
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The Girl in White by Shannon Reber Two years before, Madison Meyerâs best friend killed herself . . . or thatâs what they all believed. The truth about Emmaâs death was something only Emma and her killer knew. Now, Emmaâs spirit has returned to try and show Maddie what really happened to her. Seventeen-year-old Madisonâs life has just begun to go back to something that resembles normal for a genius level girl with a special proclivity for anything electronic. Computers were the world she immersed herself in after the death of her friend. Now, Maddie has to figure out what really happened to Emma, using the intelligence that is her stock and trade. The trouble is, lives are being lost. Can Maddie and her friend Ian figure out the mystery of Emmaâs death before itâs too late? Find out in this gripping mystery which is the first book in the exciting series to come! |
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The Pirates of Pepper Pot Point by Michele Schultz The Pirates of Pepper Pot Point is the story of a little boy named Peter that has a scary adventure with a pirate who circles the waters of a town called Pepper Pot Point. During this adventure, Peter befriends this pirate and teaches him a valuable lesson, friends are worth more than their weight in gold. |
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The Revenge of Thousands by Michael Roberti Before we were TRAITORS⊠Before there was a GRAVE waiting for us all.. While more than WORMS remained⊠It started with a war. It began with REVENGE. Praise for the Crown and Tide âThe narrative voice really shines here. Every character has a unique voice and interesting perspectiveâŠâ âTimothy Wolff, author of Platinum Tinted Darkness ââŠthe author makes so many great character observations that I'm reminded of Brent Weeks in the lightbringer series and of Joe Abercrombie in the First Law trilogy.â âDylan West, the author of Scribesâ Descent âWow. What a great study in well-laid intrigue. It had all the right pieces, from those who thought themselves clever, to those that were. It was a rolling stone with not a bit of moss growing upon it as it rolled toward its inevitable and well-laid end.â âAndrew D Meredith, author of Needle and Leaf and the Kallattian Saga âMichael is another writer on my list of when their book releases, it goes to the front of my TBR. Heâs hooked me, and I canât wait to see what he has in store!ââDavidâs Best Reads |
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The Seventh Cadence by Jim Wilbourne An action-packed epic fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks, and Michael J. Sullivan After a supernatural and unforeseen calamity shatters the tentative alliance of the five realms, the Deseran Dominion has returned to take back their homeland and restore their oppressive regime. As the Dominion readies their troops for invasion, the fate of the entire world rests in the hands of a fugitive scientist, a powerful pacifist, and an unseasoned prince with little to guide them but their own ideals. With the freedom of a kingdom at risk, each must find their place in a world torn asunder. The Seventh Cadence is a sweeping high fantasy epic of war, found family, and reckoning with fate. |
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The Century Blade by Rob J. Hayes Orochi, the king of the dragons, has ordered his brothers and sisters to destroy humanity. It falls to a young hero to assemble a team and stop the dragons' rampage. It falls to the Century Blade. This is a short story set in the world of the award-winning Mortal Techniques. It is designed to be read as a standalone story, completely independent from the full length novels set in the same world. |
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Rise of the Sky Pirate by S.W. Raine Before becoming the infamous sky pirate from The Techno Mage, Benedict Keenan was a disorderly drunkard from London Belowâand in this spin-off series, his story is finally being told. Straying from his dream of living like the nobles in the Upper Lands for far too long, Benedict takes on an easy mercenary job with a band of rogues to quickly get back on his feet. But when a surgeon from the Upper Landsâthe sole survivor of a sky pirate attack aboard an airship returning from an important science conventionâis found in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Benedict is suddenly thrust into a dangerous high-stakes race against a poisonous alchemical infusion set to be released into the Great Lakes. Whatâs worse is that a man from Benedict's past is at the center of it all. Can he stop the sky pirate before the world becomes mind-controlled? Rise of the Sky Pirate is an action-packed steampunk adventure that reaches for the stars while saving the world along the way. |
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The Nameless Restaurant: A Cozy Cooking Fantasy by Tao Wong There is a restaurant in Toronto. Its entrance is announced only by a simple, unadorned wooden door, varnished to a beautiful shine but without paint, hidden beside dumpsters and a fire escape. There is no sign, no indication of what lies behind the door. If you do manage to find the restaurant, the décor is dated and worn. Homey, if one were to be generous. The service is atrocious, the proprietor a grouch. The regulars are worse: silent, brooding, and unfriendly to newcomers. There is no set menu, alternating with the whim and whimsy of the owner. The selection of wine and beer is sparse or non-existent at times, and the prices for everything outrageous. There is a restaurant in Toronto that is magically hidden, whose service is horrible, and whose food is divine. This is the story of the Nameless Restaurant. |
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The Truth for the Lies by O. H. Phukdischidt Is the handsome winged criminal a madman? Or has he uncovered a government conspiracy that threatens his entire race? In the country of Tar, humans and winged people called hollow-boned live side by side. Red Raven, a criminal so named by the media because of his red wings and black hair, wreaks havoc on the cities. He revels in torturing government employees and blowing up charity organizations. His true motives with these attacks, however, remain a mystery. Indigo is an agent of the Sentinels of Light, a private organization sworn to uphold justice. The skilled fighter is the Sentinelâs Master Swordsman and makes apprehending Red Raven his top priority. However, he finds the criminal beautiful and charming. The man may not be as evil as everyone seems to think. The more often they battle each other, the harder it becomes for the two men to deny their fiery attraction. And the more he learns about the alluring manâs motivations, the more Indigo questions everything he was taught about the sheltered world he was raised in. |
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When Shadows Fall by Lindy Enns âEverything I hated and feared was outside that window. There was nothing between me and the night, nothing but a boy I didnât know and shouldnât trust.â Afflicted with debilitating panic attacks and constant anxiety, Ara Holstenner is the last person who would ever oppose the tyrant lord who subjugates her people. But when her sister is taken by shadow creatures, Ara must defy The Lord's edicts and brave the forbidden night world to save her. Can Ara overcome the fears that have defined her since childhood, or will she doom her sisterâand herselfâto a lifetime of torment? |
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The Place Below (Maer Cycle book 3) by Dan Fitzgerald Itâs been twenty-five years since the Battle for the Archive. Peace reigns over the Silver Hills, and humans and Maer are preparing to sign their first trade agreement. Even warring tribes of the Free Maer have set aside old quarrels. Sasha is a young scholar of mixed Maer and human parentage, traveling throughout the Maer lands collecting stories of the Ka-lar, the buried Forever Kings. She finds a reference in the Archive to a Ka-lar named Kuun, a scholar in life, who was laid down in an ancient brightstone mine, beneath a mountain said to be the home of the fabled Skin Maer. The lure of the tale is too strong to resist. Joined by some old friends, Sasha sets out to uncover secrets that have lain buried for over a thousand years. In The Place Below, the Maer Cycle comes to a close as the darkest mysteries of the Maer are at last brought into the light. |
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Son of Thunder by James Jakins Berun Toirnach is a prince, a priest, and a mage. With the power of Lightning he fights to protect what is important to him. When Berunâs friends and family are put in danger the young prince must rely on his power and his allies, old and new, to save them. With him is his father's most trusted bodyguard, a disgraced assassin known for his skill and ruthless precision. A young God Mage and her companions, linked together with powerful magic. And a coward with a power he's afraid to use. All of them will be needed to save those threatened. But time is against them and their enemies have secrets of their own. |
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We Men of Ash and Shadows by HL Tinsley âWe Men of Ash and Shadowâ is the first book in the Vanguard Series and follows the journey of protagonist, John Vanguard, through the dark and corrupt city of DâOrsee. A Grimdark gas lamp novel, âWe Men of Ash and Shadowâ explores themes of redemption, loyalty, and betrayal against the backdrop of a world where survival often means compromising your values. Amidst the gas lamp shadows former soldier-turned-mercenary John Vanguard hunts criminals at the behest of his corrupt employer, Captain Felix Sanquain. Shamed by his deserter past and seeking to make amends for his many misdeeds, a chance encounter with Tarryn Leersac â a skilled young would-be-assassin fallen from the graces of high society â leads Vanguard to become an unlikely mentor. Charged with hunting down the killer of two guards left washed up on the banks of the canal, the further Vanguard delves into the underbelly of the city the more he finds himself entangled in a web of secrets and lies. A prominent aristocrat is missing. Crime lords, con men and harlots run amok and the city teeters on the brink of another revolution. With his already precarious reputation hanging by a thread, Vanguard must piece together how and why the last war came to pass, find a way to earn redemption for his mistakes and come to terms with the past in a city where few survive, and even fewer can be trusted. |
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Gold, Lock and Key by E J Doble From grimdark author E J Doble, comes a fairytale with a dark twist... "All it needs, is a bit of tenacity... and three little bears." Goldie, an outlaw and contract hunter of the Baron's State, accepts a new assignment from her employer to find an old cabin in the woods, home to three 'shapeshifters' who can morph into bears. Considered to be little more than a myth, Goldie assumes at first that the shapeshifters are an exaggeration - but with the sizeable bounty her employer is offering, she soon realises there may be more truth in it than she realised. And that isn't the only thing on her mind: she discovers her main rival - a manipulative and incredibly cunning trapper named Southey - has also taken on the contract, and will be contending for the same bounty she so fervently desires. Having waited many long years to have her revenge and outsmart Southey for past mistakes, Goldie sees the new contract as a perfect opportunity to do so. All she has to do is play her cards just right. And kill three bears... |
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Merchants of Knowledge and Magic by Erika McCorkle On one of the many planes of the Pentagonal Dominion, priestess Calinthe trades in information, collecting valuable secrets for her demonic employer. Calinthe has a secret of her own: she's intersex, making her a target for the matriarchal slavers of the Ophidian Plane whose territory she must cross in her search for hidden knowledge. But thanks to her friend Zakuro's illusions, Calinthe presents as a womanâa comfortable, if furtive, existence in a world determined to bring her to heel. But when, instead of a mere secret, the priestess uncovers an incalculably powerful artifact, Calinthe finds herself in a high-stakes negotiation with the same matriarchs who sought to enslave her. On the table: Calinthe's discovery, a charm powerful enough to transform a mortal into a god⊠against a secret so deadly it could quell all life on every plane of the dominion. If Calinthe plays her cards perfectly, she and Zakuro could escape Ophidia wealthier than either of them ever dreamed possible. But if she plays them wrong⊠âŠshe'll learn slavery in her pursuers' hands is a fate far worse than death. |
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Head Like a Hole by Andrew Van Wey When you bury your past, make sure that itâs dead. Itâs the mid-nineties. Grunge and flannel are fading as the Spice Girls and Hot Topic conquer the malls. Cherry gloss glistens on the lips of the youth. Modems hiss as America comes online. And in a fog-drenched cove at the edge of New England, something terrible awakens when a fisherman reels in a gruesome catch: the remains of a young woman. Remains still pulsing with furious life. For Megan Monroe and her friends, this is how their nightmare begins: a wet whisper over their shoulder, a dark hand reaching out from the edge of their sight, and a name clawing at the back of their minds. A young woman scratched from their memory. To stop this devouring terror, Megan will need to mend broken friendships and reassemble her fractured past, for what stalks them hungers to remake itself in their image⊠piece by bloody piece. Dig into the haunted past with Head Like a Hole, a novel of malignant secrets, shattered friendships, and twisted bodily horror. â â â â â "This is a brilliant read. A wonderful well-written plot and a story line that had me engaged from the start." â â â â â "A quick, fun read that will be enjoyed by true crime, horror, and sci-fi fans." â â â â â "A beautiful, gritty tale that engages you to piece it all together while being deliciously entertained at the same time." |
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A Dagger in the Dark by Tom Dumbrell Twenty years before the events of The Look of a King, in a world on the cusp of change, a young man dreams of a life far from the one he has known. Is he a captain in the making, or out of his depth? The stakes are high, and only time will tell if the spoils are worth the gamble. . . |
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The Unsung Hero by Jack T Canis A novelette of sword and sorcery, a warband of dwarves are corrected in their erroneous understanding of one of their greatest legends by the legend himself and his companion from the myth. The Siege of Telemarqe had been known as a dwarven battle of heroics against the might of a Dark Elven army. But the truth was very different, will the warband accept the truth? 'The Siege of Telemarqe is the last great legend in living memory for the dwarves, where a small, brave band of dwarven warriors, led by Stenchorn the Smelter, held the might of the Dark Elven army at bay until their eventual rout. 'Or was it? Truth is stranger than fiction & the dwarves are in for a shock when their own hero Stenchorn gainsays the history books. Is the proud dwarven nation ready for the truth?' |
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Dark Woods, Deep Water by Jelena Dunato In the depths of a remote forest, an enchanted castle preys on unwary travellers. The servants of the Goddess Morana sacrifice to their dark mistress every soul who crosses its threshold . One terrible night, three people who should never have met find themselves trapped there: a spoiled lady escaping an unwanted marriage, an aging warrior-prince on a deadly mission, and a resourceful rogue caught up in a botched heist. As their destinies entwine and the dawn approaches, the solution to the castleâs riddle becomes clear: if they want to escape, one of them must die. A dark fantasy tale inspired by Slavic folklore, Dark Woods, Deep Water is the debut novel by Croatian author Jelena Dunato. Set in an intricately imagined world that staggers the line between fairytale and brutality, this novel will appeal to fans of Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik, as well as lovers of classic Gothic fiction. |
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With a Blighted Touch by J. Todd Kingrea In Scarburn County, Tennessee there is a small mountain community called Black Rock, known for its unusual and prevalent blight that affects all vegetation . . . When an unexpected death forces Christopher "Kit" McNeil to return to his small hometown in the Tennessee mountains after eighteen years, he must confront his past and a secret he's kept since he was twelve. A talented guitarist with a history of bad choices and even worse luck, Kit soon reunites with an old friend and learns about recent disappearances and mysterious deaths in the area. They begin to wonder if it's connected to what they witnessed in the woods when they were kids and if a creepy local family is involved. Stranger still, almost half of their high school graduating class has died. When more shredded bodies begin appearing, Kit becomes a suspect. But what he discovers is even more frightening-evil has set its sights on him and his friends and it won't stop until it gets what it needs. Can Kit and his friends band together in time to stop this ancient evil? Or will a new reign of terror that the Cherokee once called Uyaga be unleashed to roam the earth once more? |
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One Road In by Hannah R. Palmer 'Some say, at night, you can see glowing eyes of fire between the trees, watching. Waiting...' Sadieâs younger brother Ben went missing 5 years ago. No one knows where he went. No one knows who, or what, took him. So explain the look of guilt on Sadieâs face when her mother called with the best news possible: Ben has come home. What does Sadie know about his disappearance? And what has her brother brought home with him? Thereâs something on the small island off the coast of Rose Bay, and its glowing amber eyes are making its presence known. Sadie needs to reconcile what happened all those years ago with where she finds herself now, before it has the chance to tear her family, and her hometown, apart again. |