stories in and

Shields in Shadow (The Silent Champions #1)

Shields in Shadow (The Silent Champions #1) by Andy Peloquin

SPFBO6

Burdened with legend. Hardened by battle scars. Hellbent on bloody revenge. As the son of a famous general, Aravon is proud to captain his own company against his people's enemy. But the experienced veteran’s march toward glory dissolves into pain as ruthless barbarians massacre every last one of his soldiers. Burning for vengeance, he leaps at the chance to spearhead a specially-trained company and pay back his tragic defeat with blood. Desperate to not repeat his tragic past, Aravon trains his new warriors relentlessly. But the captain fears that all the tactical drills in the world may not matter when they’re forced to defend a helpless village against overwhelming odds. As his quick raids sow chaos amongst the enemy, the bloodthirsty savages threaten to make Aravon's nightmarish history repeat itself
 Can the captain take command of his fighting spirit before the kingdom falls to barbarous invaders? Shields in Shadow is the first book in the action-packed Silent Champions military fantasy series. If you like square-jawed heroes, well-oiled military action, and epic world-building, then you’ll love Andy Peloquin’s gripping novel.


Shadows of Creation (Creation Chronicles #1)

Shadows of Creation (Creation Chronicles #1) by Ryan D. Meier

SPFBO6

An ancient darkness has awoken, A legend come to life. A studious, young apprentice unhappy with her mundane life of learning at one of Turina’s magical temples is forced into a research project with the Order’s most arrogant protĂ©gĂ©, throwing both of them into a dangerous quest they could have never anticipated. Two young royals, both heirs to their own Elven kingdoms, reconnect after long years apart in hopes of solving all of their people’s problems, only to find the world isn’t as simple as they thought. A down on his luck mercenary drunkenly stumbles into the fray, battling a conflict inside of himself as dark as the road ahead. Their paths collide in this fast-paced escapade filled with action, peril, and mystery. A story you won’t soon forget. What other secrets hide within the pages of Shadows of Creation?


Shadowmancy

Shadowmancy by Jason Franks

SPFBO6

On a mountain that does not exist, there is a school where they teach the impossible. From his first day at the Academy, things have been difficult for Quay. Though he has surrendered his name, like every other acolyte at the magical school, Quay is the son of a disgraced professor, and he finds that his father's old enemies are already lined up against him-while the professor's own faction is just as suspicious. Quay refuses to take a side, but as his powers grow it becomes apparent that the damaged young boy may prove a greater threat than his father ever was. Deep in the Library of Shadows Quay finds a way to survive his father's treacherous legacy, but the price is high indeed. Includes 12 interior illustrations by Nicholas Hunter.


Shadow of a Dead God (Mennik Thorn #1)

Shadow of a Dead God (Mennik Thorn #1) by Patrick Samphire

SPFBO6 SPFBO Finalist

It was only supposed to be one little job - a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he's been framed for a murder he didn't commit. So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he's guilty? Mennik has no choice if he wants to get out of this: he is going to have to throw himself into the corrupt world of the city's high mages, a world he fled years ago. Faced by supernatural beasts, the mage-killing Ash Guard, and a ruthless, unknown adversary, it's going to take every trick Mennik can summon just to keep him and his friend alive. But a new, dark power is rising in Agatos, and all that stands in its way is one damaged mage...


Rise of the Forgotten Sun (The Sun and the Raven #1)

Rise of the Forgotten Sun (The Sun and the Raven #1) by Jon Monson

SPFBO6

All I ever wanted was to see the world and maybe discover an ancient civilization or two. A life of scholarly solitude and adventure was more than enough for me. I never wanted to play politics. I never wanted to get married. I most certainly never dreamed of becoming a god. Yet when I ventured into the depths of the Soulless Desert, I found... something- a power so ancient it has been forgotten by mankind. That day unleashed a chain of events that, once started, cannot be stopped. It is the Rise of the Forgotten Sun. It is the beginning of the end.


The Renegade Within (FireWall #1)

The Renegade Within (FireWall #1) by Mark Johnson

SPFBO6

She committed an unspeakable act. Her quest for redemption will pit her against rising evil...Terese dreams of ascending to the highest ranks of the Seekers. But if they discover her role in a forbidden experiment that massacred hundreds, she'll suffer punishment and exile. With the suspicious eyes of her superiors watching closely, she pursues the four survivors before they can spread their infection and implicate Terese in the crime.Torn from her daughter and plagued by guilt, she journeys across desolate lands where the undead run and foul magic hangs heavy in the air. But as she closes in on her prey, Terese discovers something far more sinister at work. And the secrets she unearths throw her devotion to the Order into doubt.Will Terese betray her vows to bring a brutal conspiracy to light before more innocent victims die?The Renegade Within is the first book in the sweeping FireWall epic fantasy series. If you like strong women, immersive worlds, and suspenseful twists and turns, then you'll love Mark Johnson's enthralling adventure.Buy The Renegade Within to start a journey for atonement today!


The Reluctant Witch: Year One

The Reluctant Witch: Year One by Kristen S Walker

SPFBO6

A young witch who just wants to be invisible. A beautiful mermaid who doesn't belong. A secret relationship that threatens the entire academy. Brie only agreed to try the witch academy to make her mother happy. She assumed she would learn Water magic. But when the students were assigned to their Elemental classes, she ended up in Earth. The list of reasons for her to leave the school keeps growing-her roommate is a bully, she doesn't understand her classes, and everyone judges her for her infamous family name. Then a beautiful mermaid named Gabriella catches her eye at the beach. Merfolk aren't allowed in Santa Cruz because they're dangerous killers, but Gabriella is friendly and kind. She agrees to show Water magic to Brie as long as she keeps their meetings a secret. Brie lies to everyone about Gabriella, even when her Fae mentor asks her to investigate merfolk. But when the secret relationship strains her friendships, tanks her grades, and threatens her position at the academy, Brie learns that love comes at a high price. She must choose between her first love and her magical school-or lose everything. The Reluctant Witch is the first book in an upper YA urban fantasy academy series. It features the daughter of Rosa from the Fae of Calaveras trilogy, but it takes place twenty years after the original series and does not require prior reading. If you like teen witches, magical schools, and introverts who have to overcome their wish to be left alone, you'll enjoy Kristen S. Walker's latest novel.


Relentless

Relentless by David Folker

SPFBO6

The Junk Knight is a famed relic-hunter. A grim mercenary with a fell reputation. An angry loner prone to fits of rage. The locals stay clear. Unless they need protection. But you don't count on the Junk Knight to bend a sympathetic ear to your plight. You need payment. And relics aren't exactly easy to come by... But when a stranger undertakes an impossible quest to rescue an innocent from a dark fate, Junk Knight is moved. No one knows why. Least of all Junk Knight. What was it that made this stranger's plight so irresistible? Junk Knight will quickly learn that the stranger is not what he seems. That the quest is not what it seems. The darkest adversities of Junk Knight's forgotten past, long since buried, will rise up once again to haunt the troubled mercenary, threatening the success of their venture. Will they prevail?


Ranger's Oath (Arc of Radiance/Fall of Radiance #1)

Ranger's Oath (Arc of Radiance/Fall of Radiance #1) by Blake Arthur Peel

The barrier between worlds is broken. Only he knows the truth... Magic has protected Tarsynium for a thousand years, shielding its people from being ravaged by bloodthirsty demons. When a young ranger's apprentice named Owyn Lund discovers that the Arc of Radiance has been breached, he tries to warn anybody who will listen. But legends aren't supposed to be real. When a village is mysteriously destroyed, rangers, mages, and rebels all point the finger, blaming each other for the demons' brutality. However, Zara Dennel, a mage's ward, has heard Owyn's tale—and she's inclined to believe him. Together, they must prove that friendship is greater than intolerance, unity is more important than division, and that even the most powerful magic can sometimes not be enough. Failure means the end of all things. A second—and lasting—Doom. Experience the beginning of a thrilling Epic Fantasy series suitable for all ages. It's perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Sarah J. Maas, and Brandon Sanderson.


RADIO

RADIO by J. Rushing

SPFBO6 SPFBO Finalist Indie Recs Indie

RADIO is an SPFBO 2020 (Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off) Semi-Finalist. Amid the music, lights and energy of 1928’s Paris, something sinister pulses through the éther. The Radio of the Gods manipulates minds across the continent and its creator, the arrogant god Marduk, will sacrifice everything to keep his kind from perverting his masterpiece. Attempted treason and bitter betrayal force Marduk to escape into a new, unknown body. Worse still, the previous owner, an opium-addicted jazz guitarist, is still inside. Desperate, drug-addled and fighting for control, Marduk is forced to rely on the few friends he has left – and one terrifying enemy — to see his mission to fruition. If Marduk and company fail, the gods’ vain machinations will destroy everything they’ve built, including civilization itself, all made possible by his RADIO.


Queens of the Wyrd

Queens of the Wyrd by Timandra Whitecastle

SPFBO6 Indie Recs Indie

Raise your shield. Defend your sisters. Prepare for battle Half-giant Lovis and her Shieldmaiden warband were once among the fiercest warriors in Midgard. But those days are long past and now Lovis just wants to provide a safe home for herself and her daughter - that is, until her former shield-sister Solveig shows up on her doorstep with shattering news. Solveig's warrior daughter is trapped on the Plains of Vigrid in a siege gone ugly. Desperate to rescue her, Sol is trying to get the old warband back together again. But their glory days are a distant memory. The Shieldmaidens are Shieldmothers now, entangled in domestic obligations and ancient rivalries. But family is everything, and Lovis was never more at home than at her shield-sisters' side. Their road won't be easy: old debts must be paid, wrongs must be righted, and the Nornir are always pulling on loose threads, leaving the Shieldmaidens facing the end of all Nine Realms. Ragnarok is coming, and if the Shieldmaidens can't stop it, Lovis will lose everyone she loves... Fate is inexorable. Wyrd bith ful araed. Queens of the Wyrd is the brand-new epic Norse fantasy adventure by Timandra Whitecastle. If you love mothers as heroes, epic dragon battles as well as stand-out characters you can root for, BUY QUEENS OF THE WYRD TODAY!


Princess of Shadows (Fairy Tale Adventures #1)

Princess of Shadows (Fairy Tale Adventures #1) by A.G. Marshall

SPFBO6

Only a true princess can save the kingdom. Alaric wants to be king. He wants to continue the peace and prosperity his father created in Aeonia. But with enemies questioning his bloodline, he’ll have to put his heart on the line and marry a stranger to secure his right to rule. Only a match with a true princess will silence his critics and protect his future. Lina’s lineage is shocking at best and deadly at worst. Over a century ago, she put herself into an enchanted sleep to seal away a horde of dark creatures. Now both Lina and the goblins are awake. Without friends or resources, Lina must seek the help of the Council of Kings. To get close enough to them to ask for aid, she’ll need to convince everyone she’s a true princess. As Alaric searches for a true princess to marry, Lina tries to convince the world she is one. But while they try to save the kingdom on their own, they may find what they need is each other.


A Prince's Errand (Tales of the Amulet #1)

A Prince's Errand (Tales of the Amulet #1) by Dan Zangari, Robert Zangari

SPFBO6

#1 New Release in Classic Fantasy A Prince's Errand, Book One of Tales of the Amulet begins an exciting new epic fantasy saga. Several millennia ago a war raged between the factions of dragonkind. With their world ravaged, the Kaldean Alliance forged the Amulet of Draconic Control and the Tethering Stone, and banished their foes to other realms, saving Kalda from utter destruction. Fearing the power of the Amulet, the survivors secreted it away. But now knowledge of the Amulet has resurfaced--and in the wrong hands, war could erupt anew. A PRINCE'S ERRAND Long ago, men harnessed the Channels of Power, creating tevisrals-devices capable of manifesting magic. But men weren't the only ones to accomplish such feats. Dragons crafted the most sophisticated tevisrals. These shaped the world, defining civilization of man and elf alike. Over the centuries, the people of Kalda have fallen into a dark age, where elves are estranged from men and dragons have retreated into legend. Tevisrals are scarce and men are willing to trade everything for them. But there are some who wish to bury the past, and in their lands, possessing tevisrals is tantamount to treason. Still, daring men scour the world in search of Kalda's past. One such man, the scholar Krindal, seeks an ancient order known as the Keepers of Truth and Might. He yearns for their knowledge, long feared lost. Prince Kaescis Midivar also searches for these Keepers. The assassination of his uncle, the emperor of Mindolarn, killed his hopes of peace with his empire's enemies. His empire's survival hinges upon unearthing the Keepers' secrets. An aging warrior, Cornar Dol'shir, longs to be home with his wife. But his retirement must wait, as his band of adventurers is recruited to help find the Keepers' hidden temple on the Isle of Klindala. Haunted by his tragic past, Iltar, the Son of Adrin, does not join in the search for the Keepers. Instead, he seeks to unravel the mysteries held within a volume of prophecy foretelling the advent of the Unspoken One and the return of the Crimson Eye. His search takes him to the Empire of Mindolarn, where all is not as it seems. An ancient war was won by a simple amulet. It brought peace, but in the wrong hands it could spell a doom the likes of which no world has ever seen. May the Crimson Eye remain hidden for all time.


Prince of Shadow and Ash (The Mercenary and the Mage #1)

Prince of Shadow and Ash (The Mercenary and the Mage #1) by Selina R. Gonzalez

SPFBO6

Bastard and former mercenary Lord Regulus Hargreaves just wants to earn his freedom from the sorcerer who enslaved him. When Lady Adelaide sees past his scar and his shadowed past, Regulus’ dying hope rekindles. But will loving Adelaide while serving the Prince of Shadow and Ash put her in danger? Adelaide Belanger longs to use the magical energy within her, but revealing her power could get her killed. When she meets kind and rugged Regulus, she wonders if she has finally found someone to trust with her secret—and her heart. Regulus and Adelaide struggle to build a relationship and keep their secrets from those who would harm them. By the time Regulus’ and Adelaide’s secrets are revealed, it may be too late for them both...


Priestess of Ishana (Tesha #1)

Priestess of Ishana (Tesha #1) by Judith Starkston

SPFBO6

A curse, a conspiracy and the clash of kingdoms. A defiant priestess confronts her foes, armed only with ingenuity and forbidden magic. "Priestess of Ishana evokes everything I love about historically-inspired fantasy with a strong and savvy heroine, a compassionate hero, and a world both blessed and cursed by the oversight of gods. Mystery, romance, action: this has it all." -Beth Cato, author of The Clockwork Dagger and Breath of Earth A malignant curse from the Underworld threatens Tesha's city with fiery devastation. The young priestess of Ishana, goddess of love and war, must overcome this demonic darkness. Charred remains of an enemy of the Hitolian Empire reveal both treason and evil magic. Into this crisis, King Hattu, the younger brother of the Great King, arrives to make offerings to the goddess Ishana, but he conceals his true mission in the city. As a connection sparks between King Hattu and Tesha, the Grand Votary accuses Hattu of murderous sorcery and jails him under penalty of death. Isolated in prison, Hattu's only hope lies in Tesha to uncover the conspiracy against him. Unfortunately, the Grand Votary is Tesha's father, a rash, unyielding man, and now her worst enemy. To help Hattu, she must risk destroying her own father. Step into this exotic world of historical fantasy, with its richly imagined details of the Bronze Age, evocative of the Near East. In a whirlpool of magic, politics, family crisis and love, Tesha pursues justice over the dark forces arrayed against her.


Pradyutita (Jaya! Book 1)

Pradyutita (Jaya! Book 1) by Geetha Krishnan

SPFBO6

In Hastinapura, Atiratha and Radha find a baby floating in the river. In the palace, the impotent King Pandu is forced to abdicate the throne while his bastard half brother Vidura conspires with his queen Kunti. The blind King Dhritarashtra struggles against his autocratic uncle while the sage Vyasa fights desperately to avert a power struggle within the Kuru family. This is the saga of Mahabharata, as it has never been told before.


The Power of Conviction (The Prime #1)

The Power of Conviction (The Prime #1) by Catrin Russell

SPFBO6

The Darkness was closing in over the Midlands, with the Priesthood being the only one daring to stand up against its terrifying presence. Trained in the arts of the Light, the priests walked a bloodied path through the scores of demons, seeking to rid the world of their unholy presence. But the fight against demonkind was becoming increasingly perilous, and danger rose to threaten the Priesthood’s very survival. The priestess Anaya stands resolute in her conviction. Despite the dangers she must endure along her dedicated path, her unwavering faith in the Goddess and Her divine supremacy doesn’t falter. She’s set on following the orders of her High Priest, no matter how gruesome. Until one day, when all her beliefs are challenged
 A fateful meeting with the elusive demon Samael opens the doors to doubt and Anaya begins to question the very path of the Priesthood and of all those steadfast in the preachings of the Goddess. Were they wrong about demonkind? Was her purpose in life truly for naught? The Prime Series contains subjects and scenes that depict violence, torture, consequences of prolonged sexual abuse, emotional scars and suffering, as well as mature language and steamy scenes. It is therefore intended for a mature audience.


The Phoenix Prince (Royal Blood #1)

The Phoenix Prince (Royal Blood #1) by Kristen Gupton

SPFBO6

Prince Keiran no more wishes to be king than he wants to be a vampire. Unfortunately, both fates were determined at his birth. He's spent the last twenty-three years trying to ignore his vampirism, but he can no longer ignore the throne. His father has died, and in seven days, Keiran will be made King of Tordania. The late king's adviser, the demon-summoner Peirte Methaius, has other ideas. He wants the throne for himself. He publicly opposes the notion of a vampire king, and there are others sympathetic to that view. They don't want Tordania to suffer the same horrible fate as other vampire-led realms. Keiran, already in failing health due to his abstinence from human blood, is now the target of an assassination plot. Opposing Peirte might prove too much for him to bear. It might be too much for Tordania, too, with the people so divided. But the alternative is to let the country fall under the spell of Peirte's black magic, and Keiran can't allow that. He never wanted to be king, but he's always been a patriot, and he'll do whatever it takes to save his people.


The Phoenix Embryo (Seasons of the Phoenix #1)

The Phoenix Embryo (Seasons of the Phoenix #1) by Jeanne Marcella

SPFBO6

A dark fantasy for mature readers. Twelve-year-old goddess devotees seek redemption during a seven year exile. Twelve-and-a-half-year-old Acanthus Breese and his yellow-robed peers have survived without an adult presence for seven years. They’ve scavenged. Endured madness, starvation, and murder after the adults imprisoned and abandoned them without a backward glance. They’ve clawed their way to civilization and questionable sanity at the guidance of one of their own. Thirteen-year-old Edward Dasheel is a direct descendant of the goddess Staritti and the red phoenix god, Dasheel. Because of Edward’s love and leadership, Acanthus and the other boys know that despite their regretful crime of harming Staritti and driving her away, hope for redemption remains. Acanthus knows Edward better than anyone; he knows Edward hides dark secrets about their exile, the adults, and specifically about him. So it is terrifying when suddenly the adults return, pushing themselves back into their lives. What do they want after all these years? And why? The Phoenix Embryo is a gritty dark fantasy for mature readers who enjoy mystery, suspense, tragedy, warrior priests and phoenix gods. It is a coming of age story filled with betrayal, grief, and hope. This is book 1 of the Seasons of the Phoenix saga, an LGBTQ fantasy fiction.


Pawn (Night of the Dark Fae #1)

Pawn (Night of the Dark Fae #1) by Angela J. Ford

SPFBO6

A day will come, when curses will be broken, the lost shall be found, the found shall be lost, and the rift between mortal and celestial will cease to exist. - Prophecy of Erinyes Maeve of Carn is a warrior of warriors, but she’s no hero. Born with superhuman strength she sells her abilities to mercenaries and warlords in exchange for wealth. Until the night of the full moon. . . In the midst of a raid, led by the warlord she just might be falling in love with, Maeve is taken by the Dark Fae. After leaving her to rot in the dungeon of the damned they offer her a deal. Freedom. If she finds a divine relic rumored to have the power to break all curses. Left with no other choice, Maeve sets off on a perilous quest, guided by the Scholar. Set in an expansive fantasy world with monsters, magic and mysteries, the Night of the Dark Fae series is an epic fantasy trilogy birthed from the mind of International Best Selling Author, Angela J. Ford. Readers who love action, adventure, romance, sword and sorcery will be held captive by this series.


Path of the Tiger: Volume I of the Tooth, Claw and Steel epic

Path of the Tiger: Volume I of the Tooth, Claw and Steel epic by J.M. Hemmings

SPFBO6

When the world was still young and civilisation was but a dream, they walked among us, alternately revered as living gods and feared as powerful demons. Beastwalkers: nearly immortal men and women who could wear the living bodies of animals. As the empires of humankind grew, the existence of these beings passed from incontrovertible truth to hazy memory, fading in time to legend and eventually crumbling into myth. But the beastwalkers endured, living hundreds of secret lives, drifting surreptitiously through countless centuries and the rise and fall of civilisations, like fireflies travelling through a night forest. Only a few still draw breath, hunted relentlessly by a global cabal bent both on their final extermination and unchallenged dominion over our entire planet. Now, in the 21st century, the remaining beastwalkers will make their final stand 
 but unbeknown to us, their struggle is our struggle, and the vicious campaign of extermination directed against them is, ultimately, a war of attrition waged on all living things. Will the beastwalkers prevail in their last battle and survive the coming storm 
 or will they, along with humankind and the rest of the living world, face total destruction in a cataclysm of final doom? The Tooth, Claw and Steel epic is a saga of wonder, violence, magic, tragedy, inspiration, brutality, love and hope, set against the awestriking backdrop of twelve thousand years of history and featuring an enormous cast of characters, ranging from gladiators of ancient Rome to Knights Templar to CEOs of multinational corporations, and many more. Dive headlong J.M. Hemmings’ richly woven tapestry of genre-bending historical fantasy in Path of the Tiger, the first volume of this grandiose and spellbinding story.


Paradise Clash: Bounty Hunter (Paradise Clash #1)

Paradise Clash: Bounty Hunter (Paradise Clash #1) by L.E. Price

SPFBO6

Jake Camden is an urban hunter. He finds fugitives, the missing, the lost, stalking his prey through the toxic slums and glittering corporate monoliths of a near-future Philadelphia. His new clients want him to find their missing son, Trevor. The problem? They know exactly where his body is, comatose and on life support. His mind is missing. Trevor logged into a virtual-reality role-playing game, the cultural phenomenon called Paradise Clash
and vanished, disappearing from the grid, trapped somewhere inside the simulation. The developers say it’s a one-in-a-trillion glitch. Jake isn’t so sure; he knows an abduction when he sees one. The company wants it hushed up to avoid a media panic. The family just wants their kid back. To crack the case, Jake Camden will have to leave the world he’s used to, trading back-alley dives and acid rain for the bright blue skies of a fantasy paradise. Elves, dragon-hunting cults, airships and sorcery — it’s nothing the hard-nosed detective has ever had to face. He’ll need new tools, new methods, and new allies, including a gregarious dwarven warrior and a shrewd merchant queen, to find Trevor and bring him home alive. But as mysteries mount and people begin to die in the real world, Jake realizes he’s standing on the edge of something bigger than a single abduction. A criminal conspiracy is unfolding, one with global consequences, and he may be the only man standing in its path.


The Owl at The End of The World

The Owl at The End of The World by Stas Rolla

SPFBO6

It is said that when the world is again aflame, a Great Owl imprisoned beneath the land will rise and return to the stars from where it came. The world is on a death bed. Volcanos erupt daily. Ash chokes the sky, blotting out the sun. Civilization is a myth. A lone person wanders the barren land. Art and survival comprise her life. She heads south, hoping to find any place where life has not died. A place that does not believe in the story of the Owl. A place where there is hope that the world will not end. A place where she can hide from the truth. She is a descendant of the Owl, and every myth is based off something true...


The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing

The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing by Raymond St. Elmo

SPFBO6

Clarence St. Claire is a programmer who cherishes an orderly life. His motto: ‘work is important; people, not so much’. His determination to be The Most Serious Person on the Planet is threatened when he becomes haunted by a mysterious manuscript from his past: 300 pages of possibly random bird tracks. Risking his career and self-possession, St. Claire dares to pursue the manuscript against the opposition of hackers, the NSA, the ghosts of famous writers and doubts of his own sanity. Lost in a maze of bird-prints and their possible meanings, St. Claire determines to summon the late writer Jorge Louis Borges to help with the translation. He will dream Borges into existence, exactly as Borges wrote of doing. But this act stirs the opposition of a secret order of past writers, who may, possibly, have their own agenda. The duel between St. Claire’s reality and theirs leads to a final encounter in The Dark Library, before the dread conclave known as The Tribunal of Dreams. ‘Origins’ is a book about books, about magic realism and artificial intelligence, virtual reality and languages, and how sensible people wind up in strange situations by strangely sensible steps. It is built of the words books whisper to each other alone after the library has closed. It ends as it must: with the hero tossed into a pit by Edgar Alan Poe. Kidding. I mean, that last does happen but the final ending is the hero finding the answer and getting the girl, as well as his sanity back. Mostly back.


The One Who Could Not Fly (The Wing Cycle, #1)

The One Who Could Not Fly (The Wing Cycle, #1) by E.G. Stone

SPFBO6

For generations, sylphs have lived isolated on the island of Shinalea, forgotten by the world. But they, too, have forgotten their past. Until it rears its head and changes the very foundations of their world
 Ravenna has grown up isolated and ostracised amongst the sylphs for her small wing size and her unusual colouring. She lives with the Intellecti, a collection of sylphs dedicated to learning, to facts, to history, to thought. But she feels most free when she runs through the trees of her beloved home. Until, that is, she comes across beings that should have been myth. Humans. Captured, Ravenna is taken from her home and into the vastness of the desert mainland. She is sold into slavery and thrown into a world that proves everything she knew about the humans right: they are nothing more than the cruel, bloodthirsty beings that filled sylph myths with horror. Until, that is, Ravenna makes a single mistake. She falls. Suddenly, the world is not quite what she knew. Ravenna is thrust into this world of humans and their schemings for power, their political machinations, their hopes, their dreams. Ravenna must decide whether humans are the nightmares of her people’s legends or just beings like her, finding their place in an unexpected world. And she must decide whether to save her world, or to destroy it. The One Who Could Not Fly is an exciting fantasy adventure that asks questions of family, of independence, and of what it really means to fly.


Og-Grim-Dog: The Three-Headed Ogre (Me Three #1)

Og-Grim-Dog: The Three-Headed Ogre (Me Three #1) by Jamie Edmundson

SPFBO6

Two heads are better than one. Three can be a real pain in the arse. We are Og-Grim-Dog! We have been loved and reviled! We have been the Hero of the Hour, the Darkest Villain, and everything in between! We have saved this world and travelled to worlds beyond it! You think you can distil the life of Og-Grim-Dog into some words on a page? When a stranger visits their inn, the regulars are in for a surprise. Did their Landlord really come here from Gal’azu—the dangerous, edgier province to the east? Could it be that his stories, so fanciful and fantastical, were episodes from his previous life? When their Landlord is persuaded to have his life story recorded for posterity, the surprises come thick and fast. Just like his regulars, you too can learn how a three-headed ogre came to be a hero. Unlike them, you don't stand to be killed if it all goes wrong...


Of Shadows and Blood (Shadow Elf Chronicles #1)

Of Shadows and Blood (Shadow Elf Chronicles #1) by J.T. Williams

SPFBO6

A half-elf seeks a cure in the mysterious Shadowlands. But followers of The Blood stalk the lands and there are whispers of ancient demons returning... Kealin Half-Elf has only been like this for a few weeks and already he is changing. He feels a hunger he has never felt before. Before this, he had mastered the power of his ancient Dwemhar heritage, destroyed an ascended being, but was mortally injured. Vampirism saved him. But now he must hurry to reverse the effect before he is eternally trapped in a state of maniacal blood lust. But the worst part? The Shadowlands are not a place for a pale elf... and even more so one that has the ancient Dwemhar lineage. Not to mention his traveling companions have their own secrets, especially the mysterious wizard Evurn -a shadow elf returning home after generations in hiding. Kealin knows it unwise to ask him directly. In the darkness of what is to come, Kealin will have few choices if he is to save himself and those he cares about. But the one choice he might need to make will mean losing everything else he fights to hold on to. In the end, should he just embrace the darkness and release his hold on sanity? He might not have a choice.


Of Honey and Wildfires (Songs of Sefate #1)

Of Honey and Wildfires (Songs of Sefate #1) by Sarah Chorn

SPFBO6 Indie Recs Indie SFFOasis

From the moment the first settler dug a well and struck a lode of shine, the world changed. Now, everything revolves around that magical oil. What began as a simple scouting expedition becomes a life-changing ordeal for Arlen Esco. The son of a powerful mogul, Arlen is kidnapped and forced to confront uncomfortable truths his father has kept hidden. In his hands lies a decision that will determine the fate of everyone he loves—and impact the lives of every person in Shine Territory. The daughter of an infamous saboteur and outlaw, Cassandra has her own dangerous secrets to protect. When the lives of those she loves are threatened, she realizes that she is uniquely placed to change the balance of power in Shine Territory once and for all. Secrets breed more secrets. Somehow, Arlen and Cassandra must find their own truths in the middle of a garden of lies.


Of Fractured Lands and Sundered Dreams (Almodel's Awakening #1)

Of Fractured Lands and Sundered Dreams (Almodel's Awakening #1) by E.D. Lazure

SPFBO6

The Fimarans’ attempt to overthrow their god backfires. As ghastly creatures begin to fill Fimara and the world’s oceans, Fimarans have no choice but to invade neighboring Odi-Lodo, home of the Dwarfs. Centuries later, facing a revolt by the enslaved Dwarfs, Faija Soothing Wind must find the will to survive and to embrace motherhood. On the run with her daughter, she meets an ailing slave claiming a divine mission which would lead north to Fimara, the accursed land of her ancestors. Beyond the horizon, the nations of Oria, discovering that monsters no longer haunt the seas, race to send ships over uncharted waters. Survivors of a shipwrecked expedition, historian Tellorym Lewyn, Sister Mikala, and Raysho of Alyth land on Dolixa, where the ruling shamans refuse to embrace the Dreamer’s prophecy regarding the arrival of seafarers and the impending transformation of both Dolixa and Fimara. The first book in the Almodel’s Awakening trilogy, Of fractured lands and sundered dreams is inspired by classic tragedies where proud characters must pay a steep price for their hubris while others choose to embrace sacrifice in an uncertain pursuit of salvation. With mature themes and limited fantasy elements, the story revolves around deeply flawed characters facing unimaginable circumstances and unforgiving decisions.


The Obsidian Psalm

The Obsidian Psalm by Clayton Snyder

SPFBO6

Betrayed by those he trusted. Resurrected by a man he should loathe. A head full of memories he didn’t make. Rook is forced into a bargain that might kill him if he refuses, and if he accepts, could mean the end of existence. Trapped in a shadow war between necromancers, his choices are dwindling to one: Cut a bloody swathe of revenge across humanity’s last remaining city.


Oath Sworn (Wolf's Oath #1)

Oath Sworn (Wolf's Oath #1) by Meg MacDonald

SPFBO6

One man’s oath. One boy’s sacred duty. One enemy bent on their destruction. Soldier and statesman, Aralt syr Tremayne has finally laid to rest the ghosts of his past. He could no more have prevented the death of the Kavistra’s sons than the death of his own brother. Now, the grave has given one of them up. Aralt’s world is thrown into tumult when Lian Kynsei, last of a soul-touched clan and scion of a religious dynasty, returns and Aralt is oath sworn to protect the boy’s interests. But Lian is also a traumatized boy whose secrets rival Aralt’s own. And neither of them are telling the truth. Oath Sworn begins the Wolf's Oath trilogy, a gothic gaslamp fantasy filled with unforgettable characters and a richly-drawn world where skyships sail above tidal extremes, and crystal swords are tuned to their owner’s souls. Follow this riveting adventure as one man is forced to choose between duty and his lust for revenge.


Oasis

Oasis by Bharat Krishnan

SPFBO6

Once, there was a truce. Desperaux controlled the west with magic, and Desire claimed the east with steel and science. But now magic has disappeared, and the world has changed. The kingdom of Desire will stop at nothing to maintain the new world order. On Juno’s wedding day, their Mengery soldiers came marching through the Nine desert to rip his world apart. Now he journeys east with his adopted brother, Trey, in search of revenge after the murder of his family. Along the way, the two face bandits and the magical creatures of the Nine. When they finally reach Desire, Juno and Trey will face something even deadlier – their own fears and ambitions. This is a tale of brotherhood, a revenge story that will remind you that everything has a cost – a cost that will be paid to Desire and to the inner demons that govern us all.


The Nothing Mage

The Nothing Mage by J.P. Valentine

SPFBO6

Beware, oh friend, the Nothing Mage, The man himself a blight, With magic cursed and spells unseen, That none can stand and fight. Beware, oh King, the Nothing Mage, A force that pierces all, The tolling bell that sings of death, ‘Till lords and empires fall. Beware, oh love, the Nothing Mage, A vengeful man is he, So if you dare to draw his wrath, Then nothing ye shall be. "There’s nothing there." The words may as well have been a death sentence to young Declan. Without mana, there could be no studying at the sky-piercing Pinnacle Towers, there could be no great monster hunts, and there could be no following in his father’s legendary footsteps. He’d be a cripple. But when a terrible accident forces him to flee, Declan learns the true nature of his mana. Just because it doesn’t resonate at any known frequency, doesn’t mean it isn’t magic. Just because he can’t cast the same spells as everyone else doesn’t mean he isn’t a mage. And just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.


Nightfall: A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Dystopian Novel

Nightfall: A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Dystopian Novel by J.J. Coffelt

SPFBO6

Death awaits if you're caught outside during Nightfall. Humanity hides from the horrors of Night within the dome of Mecca, paralyzed by fear. Few dare to cross into the world beyond. Venturing out into the underworld, Jericho uncovers an artifact of the Old Ones. Using this technology, Jericho and his clan plot to overthrow the false god of Mecca. Embarking on a thrilling journey across the underworld, they learn many secrets, including some better left undiscovered. Gripping your mind with a sense of wonder, this epic Sci-fi/fantasy adventure will leave you breathless. This story catapults you into a world of dark mystery and chaos. This would be a perfect gift for any YA that enjoyed reading Percy Jackson, The Maze Runner, Dune, or, The Hunger Games.


Night Warrior

Night Warrior by Jordan J. Scavone

SPFBO6

When a bolt of lightning strikes seventeen-year-old Viranda’s home during a severe thunderstorm, she awakens, dazed, to find a strange blood-covered man sitting calmly on her bed. This man claims to be Cillian Balor, The Night Warrior, the same character Viranda herself had created in her novel. Cillian believes Viranda to be the Goddess of Fate from his homeworld of Lingard. However, Viranda claims there is no Goddess of Fate in Lingard; she should know, she did create it after all. When other characters from her book begin to appear in her world, Viranda fears what would happen if the likes of Finn Razorclaw, a deadly werewolf and the arch-rival of Cillian, or the feared witches of The Black Cat Clan arrived as well. With the help of her best friend Bee, and a protection gnome named Mo, Viranda and Cillian must discover the secret to Cillian’s existence and prevent catastrophic damage by powerful supernatural beings.


Night of the Bloody Tines (Klinghammer Saga #1)

Night of the Bloody Tines (Klinghammer Saga #1) by Rogan Feltmate

SPFBO6

ENTER the city-state of Klinghammer, a former global superpower run by old guilds and older families. Its archaic corporatist government is the last of its kind, and Lord Mayor Trav Pinion sees the writing on the wall. With a pending bid to join the Concert of Tines—an international economic and military alliance—Klinghammer is on the cusp of taking its seat on the global stage once more. However, the Corporation’s repressive policies against magic have sparked outrage across the land, prompting Kasters to rise up
 Amid the tumult, Chelsi Ashbruner applies for an internship at Guildhall, and gets much more than she bargained for. She is hired as the Auxiliary to Airn Dutta, an up-and-coming political luminary and a descendant of the City’s most powerful industrial dynasty. An attempt on the Lord Mayor’s life ignites a political powder keg, threatening to expose Klinghammer’s dirtiest secrets. An aged vigilante, a legendary swordsman, and a detective fallen from grace, are forced from retirement. Along with Chelsi and Airn, they’ll soon discover whether the City can survive its past when confronted by its eldest foes



Night Latch (The Locksmith #1)

Night Latch (The Locksmith #1) by Anela Deen

SPFBO6

Sam Alvarez doesn’t just open locks. He’s the key. Living in Bellemer, Iowa, Sam leads a typical small-town life. When he’s not looking after his Nana or dealing with his mother’s expectations, he runs a one-man locksmith company. Unlike regular locksmiths, he can open anything with a touch and a wish, but Sam keeps that secret to himself. No reason to alarm the neighbors, after all. And if he sometimes feels an indefinable pull to do more with his life, well, that's probably just indigestion. Then one day, an unsettlingly beautiful out-of-towner asks for Sam’s help to open a door. Only one problem: The job’s in a graveyard. And the client? Turns out she’s Death. Maybe that’s two problems. When Sam unlocks more than he intended and demons come out to play, he discovers he’s far more than a locksmith with a hidden quirk. Now, he needs to figure out who he is and what he’s been called to do before darker forces close the door on him for good.


Nether Light

Nether Light by Shaun Paul Stevens

SPFBO6 SPFBO Finalist

Take a journey through a world punished by a dark, imprisoned magic. A world where children are given poison. A world where your talent is decided by the state. A world where reality is breaking down. When refugee Guyen washes up in the land of his enemy, he knows he will fight, but soon finds himself falling down a well of wonder and improbability. Can he survive a system designed to oppress him? Can he tame his anger to unleash his potential? Can he see his enemy for what they truly are? Nether Light is a gritty, heart-wrenching tale of high magic and high stakes, loves lost and friendships gained, set in an oil-lit, 18th century world far, far away. And it's full to the gills with epic fantasy, plotting, scheming, and racy, jaw-dropping, immersive adventure. What more could you ask for? Grab a copy now. For fans of Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, Neil Gaiman, Mark Lawrence, V.E. Schwab, Ed McDonald, Brian McClellan. Please note: This book contains mature themes.


Shimon of the Stars (Neon Red, #1)

Shimon of the Stars (Neon Red, #1) by Gabriel

SPFBO6 WriteHive Book Club

What is the thought process of someone seeing their family again after a near-decade? Shimon Astrai has been resident of modern Pangaea until the age of eight. One day, while on vacation with his family, he enters a parallel world on accident - the Demon Realm, inhabited by savage creatures and conditions that dictate to kill or be killed. Nine years later, the now 17-year old boy receives the unique chance to return back to the Human Realm. After accepting, Shimon finds himself overlooking Cherize City, the bustling metropolis that used to be his hometown. Equipped with abilities from the other world like immense strength, speed and a seeming aversion to gravity - but also complete obliviousness to social norms, language and the modern world in general - Shimon enters the grand city with one desire in mind: reuniting with his family that lost him all those years ago.


Necropolis

Necropolis by Xina Marie Uhl

SPFBO6

When prison guard Conyr rescues a young priest from execution, he sets off a dangerous adventure that brings allies in a scheming politician, a mischievous urchin, and a beautiful tavern server. Together, the group must navigate a maze of power-hungry rivals, skilled assassins, and deadly sorcery. For the young priest's lost memory holds the key to more than his past, but the fate of two cities.


Midnight Monster Club (Fallen Rogues #1)

Midnight Monster Club (Fallen Rogues #1) by Gerhard Gehrke

SPFBO6

A grave keeper like Digger has one law to remember: harm a pureblood and lose your life. But after an enigmatic woman named Amalia invades his favorite card club seeking refuge, it starts getting hard to stick to this rule. Between mercenaries in pursuit of a stolen treasure hot on her heels and a snooping city sheriff keen on keeping the peace, Digger finds himself in a tight spot. He will have to trust a band of lowlifes to avoid the gallows, or even worse, a sentence to the catacombs. In a city like Diregloom, everyone hides a secret, and Digger has more than skeletons in his closet. The mystery of Amalia’s ill-gotten prize threatens to reveal them all.Digger has one advantage. He’s always known where to hide the bodies. Midnight Monster Club is a dark fantasy novel with action and grim humor. It’s sure to keep you turning the page!For fans of Carnival Row, The Witcher, and the Thieves’ World series.


Mid-Lich Crisis

Mid-Lich Crisis by Steve Thomas

SPFBO6

Is trying to sacrifice your estranged wife to a bloodthirsty demon an irredeemable act of evil? This is the sort of question the Dread Wizard Darruk Darkbringer struggles with. After being called evil one too many times, Darruk sets off to find a new purpose in his life and become a beloved celebrity. Can a dark wizard come to terms with himself and prove to the world that a few atrocities don’t define who he is? You’ll feel guilty for laughing at his twisted tale of self-discovery.


Meadowcity (Arcera #1)

Meadowcity (Arcera #1) by Liz Delton

SPFBO6

The first war in a thousand years has only just begun... Sylvia Thorne is one of the few people brave enough to travel through the empty lands of what remains of once great civilizations. She is a Rider: delivering messages betwen the Four Cities and setting up trade are her business, one that thrives only because she knows how to defend herself in the empty spaces called the wilds. Everything changes when Sylvia returns home to Meadowcity, carrying a message from the Governor of Skycity. She quickly finds out that what she’s been carrying isn’t some trifling correspondence—but a declaration of war from Governor Sorin Greyling. And the message isn't their only cause for concern... Join Sylvia as she embarks on a journey that will decide the fate of Meadow City—and all of those who live in the Four Cities of Arcera. And relive the past to discover what drove Sorin down his path of destruction...


Magister's Bane (Call of the Elements #1)

Magister's Bane (Call of the Elements #1) by Yvette Bostic

SPFBO6

Magic can’t be real, right? Tell that to the werewolf glaring at me with his near-black eyes or the handsome vampire in the corner. Did I enjoy growing up rejected by everyone I encountered because of my physical abnormalities? Hell no! The only thing I ever wanted was to be accepted by someone. Not everyone, just anyone. A normal job and one solid meal a day would’ve been nice too. You know that old saying, “Be careful what you wish for?” Yeah, that one really sucks. After a vampire kidnapped me, I suddenly become wanted by all the wrong people. Why would those blood sucking fiends want a deformed, malnourished woman who looked more like a little girl? I only get more questions when an elemental mage steals me from the vampires and thrust me into a role I wasn’t prepared for. I thought I wanted to know the answers, but discovering the truth forced me into a fight for my life. One I wasn’t sure I could win.


Magical Friends

Magical Friends by Barbara G. Tarn

SPFBO6

Once upon a time he dreamed of becoming a dragon rider. Once upon a time he had magical friends. Now Torik is a woodcutter who has moved to his king's castle out of friendship for the prince heir. Now King, Lambert is almost killed in a revolt and Torik's magical friends resurface to save him. Both exiled from their hometown, Torik and Lambert wander in search of a new home with two of Torik's childhood magical friends – a young Genn healer and a dragonette. Twins with different destinies, Babirye and Tamika were born in Sannia, up north, where people have pale skin and golden manes. When they were children, their merchant father moved the family to Agharek, where their dark skins were less conspicuous. But when the twins developed different attitudes, their father sent them to the Queendom of Maadre. Now Babirya is a shaman and Tamika a strong warrior woman who go back to Agharek to their brothers and magical friends. A journey through the world, meeting people and seeing places. With a dragonette. A Silvery Earth novel.


Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft: Book One of Marcus Grimm saga

Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft: Book One of Marcus Grimm saga by Stas Borodin, Stanislav Borodin

SPFBO6

The steppes were always feared, for the steppe warlocks were cruel and ruthless. For centuries, the tiny kingdom of Lieh was a shield that protected civilization from the hordes of ferocious nomads. But one day, everything changed. The truce that had lasted for many years was broken and a powerful new warlock invaded the kingdom. Young Marcus Grimm must take up arms and join his father's army in his maiden battle. Adventurer, student at the Academy of Magic, pirate hunter, army scout and slayer of sorcerers – on the way he will find true friends and make some fearsome enemies. He will become the Hand of Destiny. The first book of the Marcus Grimm saga. Translated from Russian. Stas Borodin is the author of the popular fantasy series “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”, written in the genre of heroic fantasy. The series includes the novel of the same name “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”, novels “Black Hands” and “Funeral Pyres”. “Fists of clay” is a stand-alone novel and a sequel to “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”. The novel “Stars and Arrows” is written in the genre of alternative history and set in times of American Civil War.


The Madness of Hallen (Khalada Stone #1)

The Madness of Hallen (Khalada Stone #1) by Russell Meek

SPFBO6

Battle raged on the desert sands of the Great Depression. A land of tribal warriors, scattered and leaderless, was finally united under one mind, a man proclaimed as Husam al-Din, the Sword of the Faith. On the dark day of his death, al-Din’s priests tore his mind apart, preventing his treacherous wife, Maymunah, from taking control of the armies. They disappeared beyond the borders of the known lands, taking with them six harmonic stones containing the mind of al-Din, leaving the tribes leaderless and united only by faith. Revenge vowed, Maymunah set her descendants on a quest to recover the lost stones. Centuries passed as nothing was found, until twenty generations later, in an ice cave deep in the Meil’vohllen Mountains, Hallen made a discovery that would change the world forever. Unable to contain the power of the stones, Hallen’s mind was lost, and for three further generations the daughters of Maymunah have only heard whispers in the wind... The Madness of Hallen is the first of four epic fantasy novels, following the lives of two brothers in their quest against the rightful heir to the mind of Husam al-Din.


The Lure of Fools (The Age of the Infinite #1)

The Lure of Fools (The Age of the Infinite #1) by Jason James King

SPFBO6

“Adventure is the lure of fools, and excitement glamour to the gullible. The siren song of the world is as music to the wanderer’s feet, but that dance leads only to the soul-less grave.” So Jekaran’s uncle has warned him. But that doesn’t stop him from leaping at the exhilarating chance to single-handedly rescue a beautiful woman from a gang of lecherous thieves. But the bored farm boy quickly finds that he is no match for the group of angry street thugs, and only escapes death by bonding a magical sword that grants him the strength and skill of a master swordsman. Unfortunately, a peasant wielding such magic is forbidden and punishable by death. Thus Jekaran finds himself a fugitive with his fate tied to that of the exotic and mysterious, Kairah; a fey woman who must deliver a dire warning to the king that, if heeded, could prevent the very extinction of humanity.


The Lost War (Eidyn #1)

The Lost War (Eidyn #1) by Justin Lee Anderson

SPFBO6 SPFBO Winner SPFBO Finalist

The war is over, but something is rotten in the state of Eidyn. With a ragged peace in place, demons burn farmlands, violent Reivers roam the wilds and plague has spread beyond the Black Meadows. The country is on its knees. In a society that fears and shuns him, Aranok is the first magically-skilled draoidh to be named King’s Envoy. Now, charged with restoring an exiled foreign queen to her throne, he leads a group of strangers across the ravaged country. But at every step, a new mystery complicates their mission. As bodies drop around them, new threats emerge and lies are revealed, can Aranok bring his companions together and uncover the conspiracy that threatens the kingdom? Strap in for this twisted fantasy road trip from award-winning author Justin Lee Anderson.


Lords of Deception (War of Four Kingdoms 1)

Lords of Deception (War of Four Kingdoms 1) by Christopher C. Fuchs

SPFBO6

Emperors and kings thought it had been buried long ago: the Order of the Candlestone was defeated, the grim deeds of its assassins forgotten and its dangerous alchemy shunned. But Arasemis, an eccentric warrior-scholar, is determined to revive the Order and return the continent to its primitive origins, if he can control his apprentices. Arthan Valient is a young nobleman from a respected family who wrestles with providing honorable service to a weak king. Thrust into a powerful position before he is ready, Arthan must navigate the political intrigue of a court in slow collapse, while avoiding Arasemis’s new assassins. Arasemis, Arthan, and their companions learn that help can be found in the most unlikely of places, even as the shadow of war looms across the continent. But trust is always elusive.


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