stories in and

Gunmetal Gods

Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Akhtar

SPFBO7 Indie Recs Indie

Game of Thrones meets Arabian Nights in this blood-soaked fantasy epic inspired by the crusades, featuring Lovecraftian gods, mischievous djinns, and astral magic! They took his daughter, so Micah comes to take their kingdom. Fifty thousand gun-toting paladins march behind him, all baptized in angel blood, thirsty to burn unbelievers. Only the janissaries can stand against them. Their living legend, Kevah, once beheaded a magus amid a hail of ice daggers. But ever since his wife disappeared, he spends his days in a haze of hashish and poetry. To save the kingdom, Kevah must conquer his grief and become the legend he once was. But Micah writes his own legend in blood, and his righteous conquest will stop at nothing. When the gods choose sides, a legend will be etched upon the stars.


This Merry Hell

This Merry Hell by Edward Hargreaves

SPFBO7

This comedy adventure tells of a man who finds himself unexpectedly lifeless and arguing with his killer. Rather suddenly locked in a barren underworld, confused and confronted by his new surroundings, Jason goes in search of answers. Without the constraints of society, or a body, he finds himself freshly motivated. Their living hell has given him a confidence stolen in life and drives a need to learn why he was condemned. Regardless of all the adventure, sin and consequence, Jason forever upholds his sense of humor and a lighthearted approach to death, torment and the afterlife. In a space beyond time, where every soul is forced to face themselves and their blunt existence, craving purpose, love and companionship, Jason and his guide explore their very own empty otherworld seeking some escape from their inevitable journey. In this dark realm Jason gathers a motley crew to explore, to live and to meet fate head-on. Throughout their grand tour of the sights and sounds of the netherworld, Jason’s dialogue driven approach to the souls around him finds psychopaths and saints alike. Ultimately, the trek through this hell sees friend and foe flock in a search for meaning, power and the devil himself. This Merry Hell is a book with some hellarious consequences and its own literal plot hole. It is fun, frivolous and philosophic in equal measure!


The Great MacGuffin

The Great MacGuffin by Rachel Ford

SPFBO7

A fully immersive virtual reality system. A beta testing opportunity that’s the stuff of dreams – or a nightmare that may never end. Jack Owens has logged tens of thousands of hours on Marshfield Studio games. So he’s not surprised when the company hires him to be one of their first beta testers for the newly developed Dagger of Doom series. Jack doesn’t think twice when the techs strap him into a VR apparatus and transfer his consciousness to the new world. He’s got a return switch. He can come back any time. Except, he can’t. A bug in the software has trapped him. And the only way out is to finish the game. Step one? Find the great MacGuffin. Step two? Get the h*ll out of here.


Unstoppable Shadow

Unstoppable Shadow by Alex Mead

SPFBO7

Friendless orphan from the slums of Talon, Scab is no ordinary boy. So everyone keeps telling him. He’s pretty sure ‘the Slow’ doesn’t happen to anyone else, but he daren’t ask, in fear of the next beating. Taken from the city, Scab finds himself closer than ever to having a bed of his own, but it comes at a price. A painful one. Veteran assassin, Silas is ready for a normal life with a family. Something the Shadows would never allow. Not helping matters, the strange, grey-eyed boy from the slums gives him glimpses of how life might be with a son. Offering Scab the opportunity to follow the same violent path as his own, Silas finds himself bound tighter to the Shadows. With his future entwined with the boy’s, he’s beginning to wonder if death may be the only way out.


From the Darkness Comes

From the Darkness Comes by Joy Demers

SPFBO7

Revenge is not for the faint of heart. Cadda ni Caridos is a revenant who desires nothing more than finding the man who made her that way – the same man who killed her father and captured her mother. The glowing eyes, night vision, incredible strength and speed that came out of resurrection might seem like a boon, but when she can’t control her abilities and starts bringing death to others, she realizes it’s a curse. Cadda must dodge the authorities while searching for her father’s murderer, a man who turns out to be a powerful duke, and the only person to know the fate of her mother. Always one step away from the king and his elite order of bodyguards, Lord Kenric Dorsile is near impossible to get close to, especially for a lowly foreigner like Cadda. While scheming a way to do just that, Cadda is finally caught by the authorities. Being conscripted into the army as punishment and sent to the far edge of the kingdom to defend against barbarians – the enemy of her enemy – proves to be a mammoth of a challenge. Cadda must find a way to return to the capital, even if that way includes personally fanning the flames of war. Otherwise, she risks losing her mother forever and forfeiting the right to avenge her father and herself.


Uncharted

Uncharted by Alli Temple

SPFBO7

In a world of arrogant nobles and their punishing laws, Georgina will be hanged if anyone discovers she is a spy. But when the wicked prince proposes marriage, Georgina must accept. Refusing would expose the secrets she has delivered to a hidden resistance and forfeit her life. With her wedding day looming ever closer, salvation comes from an unlikely source. Pirate Captain Cinder is a terror on the open sea, striking fear into hearts wherever she sails. Now she has a new target. The vulnerable Princess Georgina should be an easy mark in Cinder’s kidnapping plot. But the legend of Captain Cinder is more intertwined with Georgina’s own history than either of them expect. Treacherous storms. A mysterious pirate king. The prince’s unrelenting pursuit. Georgina and Cinder can only escape by following the uncharted course of their hearts. But just as a future together is within their grasp, Cinder’s past threatens to drag them both to the deep.


The Clarity of Cold Steel

The Clarity of Cold Steel by Kevin Wright

SPFBO7 SPSFC SPSFC 2022

The kid disappeared two days ago. Missing. Abducted. Murdered. What have you... Just another in an endless line of indigent kids wrung from the dregs of the Machine City. And it’s my job to find him. Me. Avinash Shakteel, detective extraordinaire. Probably you ain’t heard of me. Not if you run the straight and narrow and ply the right side of the tracks. Cause me? I ply the other. Two days missing… Two long days in the Machine City, last bastion of mankind in all its fallen glory. Where the sum total of life’s cheaper than in part. I hope I find the kid. By God, I do. But if I can’t find all of him, I pray I find none. Join Detective Shakteel in this gritty steampunk thriller sure to set your blood to boil.


The Hungry Fire

The Hungry Fire by A.M. Obst

SPFBO7

They’re surrounded by immense magical powers. How can they survive when they only have wits and desperation as weapons? Betharad, Sarnd and Jessa are doing their best to step out from the shadow cast by their hero parents. But they are thrown into a desperate battle for survival by the return of the sorcerer their parents died to defeat. The siblings search for clues in their parents’ tragic battle, only to uncover shocking secrets behind the official story. Reeling from the discovery and lacking magical powers of their own, as their enemy meddles with chaotic forces, death seems inevitable. Can three ordinary people outwit a fiend whose ruthless ambitions could send their world to its doom? The Hungry Fire is the gripping first book in the Serpentstone epic fantasy series. If you like underdog champions, earth-shattering magic, and high-stakes action, then you’ll love A.M. Obst’s riveting tale.


Fourth Sister

Fourth Sister by M. L. Farb

SPFBO7

Shi, shi, fourth and death. Fourth sister and twin to death. Brother born silent. Blamed for her twin brother’s death, Shisei, the outcast fourth of seven sisters, apprentices herself to a mask maker; but when the local Kazoku accuses the youngest sister of killing his son, Shisei must lead her sisters in a deception that will either save the youngest or condemn them all. Fourth Sister is a Japanese fairy tale retelling with sparse poetry and gold-mended brokenness. A Studio Ghibli type story which invokes reflection. Little Women x Spirited Away


To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl

To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl by Benedict Patrick

SPFBO7

There is a price to pay for becoming a story. Kaimana has defied the gods and won the freedom to spend the rest of her days travelling the collection of tropical islands she calls home. But the people of the islands have taken notice of her. They have started to tell her story; for many children, one of their favourite fireside tales is now that of the Taniwha Girl, the brave woman who befriends monsters. Some islanders even pray to her. The gods are displeased, but they are not the only ones paying attention to Kaimana’s rise to fame. On the borders of the island ring, an ancient demon - an old enemy of the Crescent Atoll - spreads its influence, and a spider-faced figure shadows Kaimana’s movements. To secure her own safety, and that of her island home, Kaimana has to make a choice: turn her back on the people of the Crescent Atoll and continue enjoying the life she has won for herself, or give up all she holds dear to live up to the legend of the Taniwha Girl. To Dream and Die As A Taniwha Girl is a standalone novel from Benedict Patrick's Yarnworld, and features a return to the tropical islands of the Crescent Atoll.


Sairō's Claw

Sairō's Claw by Virginia McClain

SPFBO7 SFFOasis

An action-adventure fantasy romp featuring sword lesbians, sea battles, and a grumpy wolf spirit. Torako has done many things to protect the valley that she calls home, but she’s never looted a corpse before. So when the katana she steals off the still-cooling body of a bandit turns out to be possessed by a grumpy wolf kami, she can only assume it’s because she’s somehow angered the spirits. An impression that’s only reinforced when she returns home to find her wife abducted and her daughter in hiding. But angry spirits or no, Torako isn't about to let bandits run off with the love of her life, even if it means taking their 3 year old on a rescue mission. In all Kaiyo's years as Captain of the Wind Serpent she has never once questioned her admiral’s orders. So when she receives the command to abduct a civilian scribe with the help of fifteen felons, she registers her objections, but does as she is bid. Yet, as the mission unfolds, Kaiyo finds herself questioning everything from her loyalties to her convictions. As Torako and Kaiyo’s fates cross like dueling blades, their persistence is matched only by their fury, until they uncover a series of truths they may never be ready to accept.


Wrath - Dinosaur Dungeon Book 1

Wrath - Dinosaur Dungeon Book 1 by Alex Raizman

SPFBO7

When dungeon delvers and dinosaurs clash, who can survive? Newborn Dungeon Cores must choose what entity they help contain, and that choice determines what monsters they are able to summon. After being executed for crimes forgotten in death, Tira is given the chance to make that choice. Tira chose Acekorah, the Primeval Terror, a being so dangerous few cores will risk trying to contain it. The danger wasn’t important. Tira remembers dying. If containing Acekorah means Tira will face greater danger, that’s a risk worth taking, because the Primeval Terror walked the world long before the races of Man roamed the earth, and Cores bound to him are able to summon beings from beyond the veil of time. Now, forged in the fires of Tira's wrath, the dinosaurs will walk the world anew.


The Lightning Knight

The Lightning Knight by Sean P. Valiente

SPFBO7

Magic isn’t real. Not anymore and not like it used to be. Or so I thought… 16-year-old Oliver Quartermain doesn’t believe in magic anymore. But who cares? He has it all: he comes from a rich and noble family and doesn’t have a care in the world. But how quickly that can all change. In the space of a few moments, Oliver’s life is turned upside down when he is tasked with protecting and saving the very magic he never believed in. But that’s not even the half of it. The only way to save magic is by training a young boy named Po Pondarion, who is destined to save the world. Not only does Oliver have to train the young and totally clueless Po, but he also has to battle an evil secret organization bent on destroying them, all while deciphering the secrets of a Magical Codex. Oliver enlists the help of his unlikely best friends, Roc and Yokel, as well as the Knight Angels, secretive vigilantes he’s only recently met, to help him train Po and save the world. That should be simple, right? Will this merry band of misfits be able to train the young Po in time for him to learn the secrets of magic and save its very existence forever? The Lightning Knight is a gripping epic fantasy that will have you on the edge of your seat, eagerly flipping to the next page. Let yourself become emersed in this rich and magical world and join Oliver and Po on the adventure of a lifetime.


Twelve Jackals

Twelve Jackals by Moud Adel

SPFBO7

Immersive World full of unique magic systems In a divided land where rival factions struggle to gain control using the unique talents of their respective realms, Rakamai and people of Kala curb their use of magic, because to do otherwise steals years from their lives. But when a new alliance turns into a bloody betrayal and threatens open war, Rakamai vows to get revenge and secure the future of his people. To do so, he'll need to fully embrace the magic of his people and bring his own considerable powers to bear. After all, a short future is better than no future at all. Perfect for fans of Sanderson like worlds and heavy magic systems.


Echoes of a Storm

Echoes of a Storm by Alan Scott

SPFBO7

Writing Style: Dialogue and Character driven Book Type: Dark Fantasy Themes: Parenthood, relationships, forbidden love, loss, power and prejudice Target audience: Open minded people who enjoy a more mature and grittier storyline in their fantasy books Welcome dear reader to a story of betrayal, heroes, monsters, and dark deeds. Welcome to Echoes of a Storm. Echoes of a Storm is the first instalment in the Storm Series and sets the scene and tone for this powerful bittersweet trilogy. This dark, gritty, fantasy novel explores many themes such as, relationships, forbidden love, loss, power, prejudice and ultimately, the monster which lurks inside us all. Follow the life of a young princess named Kathleen, from the age of 6 through to her marriage at the age of 18. As you delve further into her story, secrets will be revealed, battles will be fought, lives will be brutally cut short or changed forever, and the deviant and the Werewolf will make themselves known. Are you ready to enter the world of Talocants and discover the stories and secrets it holds?


Doomsayer Prince, Part One

Doomsayer Prince, Part One by Rune S. Nielsen

SPFBO7

WHAT THEY FORESEE WILL SHATTER THIS AGE In his vision, colossal artifacts stride across his homeland, destroying everything in their path. In a desperate attempt to save his home, Mage Prince Phytiax heads to the wild north in search of allies. On his journey, his magical powers become damaged at the worst possible time, and his destined allies need to be saved before they can help him: Pino, the weakest Mage of all time and wielder of a mysterious artifact sword; Emilai, a kidnapped noble woman—turned Witch to fight her captors; and Cordin, an old Light Master wanted for murder, but dead-set on getting his life back. With the brutal and mysterious force invading and destabilizing the kingdoms around them, will his potential allies help or hinder him? And even if they save their homelands, the price might be worse than they ever imagined.


The Pirate's Scourge

The Pirate's Scourge by Chris A. Jackson

SPFBO7

Nothing is more dangerous than a warrior enslaved. Upon the lawless Blood Sea, mariners survive by wits, cunning, and skill. Pirate captain Kevril Longbright is a survivor. With his own ship, a faithful crew, and an ambitious partner handing him fat merchant prizes, he is truly the scourge of the sea, free and beholden to none. Or is he? Accepting jobs from Jhavika Keshmir is far easier than scouring the sea for his own targets. But when Kevril captures a mystical truthsayer, Preel, he learns that the truth can be both a blessing and a curse. Preel reveals the foul enchantment behind Jhavika’s uncanny ability to convince others to do her bidding. Far from being his own master, Kevril is a slave to Jhavika’s every command. Enraged by her lies and manipulations, the pirate captain embarks upon a perilous quest for freedom. But enslavement can take many forms, and Kevril finds himself increasingly drawn to Preel and her mysterious talent. Who knew the truth could be so damning, so freeing, and so seductive…


War God Rising

War God Rising by Tim Marquitz

SPFBO7

Monty Python meets Gladiator! Sand is destined for greatness. Or so a pair of two-bit criminals would have him believe. After rescuing him from certain doom, Bess and Kaede embark on a scheme to game the War God Tournament. It’d be easier if Sand wasn’t an alcohol-soaked twit with a disturbing interest in mutton. Pitted against monsters, magic swords, and murderers galore, they soon realize winning the tourney is the least of their worries.


A Bad Rune at Angels Deep

A Bad Rune at Angels Deep by Anthony Lowe

SPFBO7

"I'm not a god. I'm just mean like one." Runes: a form of deployable magick that caused untold devastation during the war. With the stroke of a pen, entire cities were demolished, entire armies decimated—and now one such rune may have come south to Ariasun County. Acting on scant clues left behind by the vicious lynching of a smuggler, Evaline Cartwright and Trivan Esterhazy head north to track the rune’s passage through the county. All in the hope of destroying the rune—or its possessor—before it can be used for catastrophic ends. A Bad Rune at Angels Deep is the next entry in The Shattered Frontier series, which features a Tolkien-esque fantasy world that has advanced into an age of steam, gunslingers and gold rushes. Follow Evaline and Trivan in their adventures across one of the most hostile counties in the land, replete with scoundrels of all shapes, sizes, and magickal ability.


Gleeman's Tales

Gleeman's Tales by Matthew Travagline

SPFBO7

Gnochi Gleeman is not like other entertainers. Because of his expansive knowledge of pre-apocalyptic Earth, the stories he tells are valued well beyond the flashes of an illuminator, or the spheres of a juggler. Gnochi spent the first decade of his career telling stories while traveling between taverns, inns, and any hole-in-the-wall which would feed him. Cleo, a young teen from across the ocean, flees from her chaperone into the woods of an unknown land. During her first months journeying through eastern Lyrinth, she discovers something life-changing about herself. With that discovery comes the knowledge that her life is in grave danger. Despite a love for the open road and a thrill for telling new audiences about the lost age, Gnochi chooses to retire and focus on curating his family’s hidden library of first-age texts. But the fates would not grant Gnochi the boon of a peaceful retirement. Not long after settling down, he learns that his sister and niece have been kidnapped, and in order to free them, he must assassinate the land’s ruling monarch. On the path to murder, Gnochi runs into Cleo and the unlikely duo seek safe passage to Lyrinth’s capital among the dilapidated tents of a traveling menagerie. All the while, people across the world are beginning to prepare for the once-in-a-decade winteryear. These winteryears, one of the echoes of the first age still present in the current world, have been ravaging the Earth since it awoke from its eternal winter and recovered from its near destruction thousands of years ago. Will proper preparations be taken before the Earth is blanketed in its yearlong snow?


Jewels of Smoky Quartz

Jewels of Smoky Quartz by Anat Eliraz

SPFBO7

A world ruled by force and magic. A game which could have a fatal ending. She is just an ordinary woman - an emergency room nurse who practices martial arts in her free time. Teleported into a harsh, strange world and sold into slavery to the fighters' ring of Tur'an, she must use her wit and skills to survive. On the brink of death, she wakes up in a strange room - only to meet one of her captors. Now, he acts as her protector. Together they leave the city, but their journey will confront them with their own fears and deepest secrets. And through it all, she finds solace in an old tune. Not knowing yet how it will impact her life - and the lives of everyone else.


EXODUS 2022

EXODUS 2022 by Kenneth G. Bennett

SPFBO7

Eco, sci-fi, thriller EXODUS 2022: "Bennett, after a neat Dean Koontz–style curtain-raiser, keeps raising the stakes… Deft storytelling and a riptide of action propel this cataclysmic narrative." --KIRKUS REVIEWS IS HE LOSING HIS MIND-- OR HIS WORLD? Joe Stanton is in agony. Out of his mind over the death of his young daughter. Unable to contain his grief, Joe loses control in public, screaming his daughter’s name and causing a huge scene at a hotel on San Juan Island in Washington State. Thing is, Joe Stanton doesn’t have a daughter. Never did. And when the authorities arrive they blame the 28-year-old’s outburst on drugs. What they don’t yet know is that others up and down the Pacific coast—from the Bering Sea to the Puget Sound—are suffering identical, always fatal mental breakdowns. With the help of his girlfriend, Joe struggles to unravel the meaning of the hallucination destroying his mind. As the couple begins to perceive its significance—and Joe’s role in a looming global calamity—they must also outwit a billionaire weapons contractor bent on exploiting Joe’s newfound understanding of the cosmos, and outlast the time bomb ticking in Joe’s brain.


Seven Ways to Kill a King

Seven Ways to Kill a King by Melissa Wright

SPFBO7

She was born a princess. They made her an assassin. One was an accident. Two a coincidence. By three, they would know. It would be harder, but I would avenge my mother's death. These kings would pay that price. Seven cities make up the Storm Queen's Realm, each of their self-crowned, murderous kings are one of Princess Myrina's marks. The treasonous curs may have banded together to share a stolen throne, but soon they will fall. They thought her dead, killed in the massacre. They thought their rule secure, but Myrina of Stormskeep has awoken. With the help of her loyal bloodsworn, the shadow princess will have her revenge.


Overworld, The Dragon Mage Saga

Overworld, The Dragon Mage Saga by Rohan M. Vider

SPFBO7

A magic apocalypse. Refugees from Earth. A new world. Elves, orcs, and dragons! Portals from Overworld have appeared on Earth, and beings intent on conscripting humanity into the mysterious Trials have invaded. Earth is doomed. Humanity has been exiled. Can Jamie save mankind? Jamie Sinclair, a young man with unique gifts, must find a way for his family and friends to survive Earth's destruction and build a new home in Overworld. The Trials is not a game. Will Jamie survive its challenges? Join Jamie as he struggles through the brutal Trials while wrestling with his new magics and Overworld's game-like dynamics. A fantasy post-apocalyptic survival story of one man's journey to save humanity.


Dragon Mage

Dragon Mage by ML Spencer

SPFBO7

Aram Raythe has the power to challenge the gods. He just doesn't know it yet. Aram thinks he's nothing but a misfit from a small fishing village in a dark corner of the world. As far as Aram knows, he has nothing, with hardly a possession to his name other than a desire to make friends and be accepted by those around him, which is something he's never known. But Aram is more. Much, much more. Unknown to him, Aram bears within him a gift so old and rare that many people would kill him for it, and there are others who would twist him to use for their own sinister purposes. These magics are so potent that Aram earns a place at an academy for warrior mages training to earn for themselves the greatest place of honor among the armies of men: dragon riders. Aram will have to fight for respect by becoming not just a dragon rider, but a Champion, the caliber of mage that hasn't existed in the world for hundreds of years. And the land needs a Champion. Because when a dark god out of ancient myth arises to threaten the world of magic, it is Aram the world will turn to in its hour of need.


Red Sky Blues

Red Sky Blues by Matthew Davis

SPFBO7

Evil books. Ancient powers. Zombie pigs? Thomas Grey, occult scholar and reclusive mage, is having a terrible day. Down on his luck and facing a looming electrical bill, he is hired by the supernatural overlord of his hometown to track down a magical book of colossal cosmic evil: The Libro Nihil. The hunt leads Thomas on an adventure across the sleepy cow town of Hanford steeped with mystery, magic, and an absurd amount of mayhem. Aided by his crotchety, spell-slinging mentor as well as his friend and sometimes bodyguard, Thomas finds himself embroiled in a bizarre and terrifying conspiracy to awaken a sleeping evil that promises to push his magical prowess and threshold for pain to their limits. It looks like a bad, bad day to have gotten out of bed. But a guy’s got to get paid. Red Sky Blues is the first book in the new urban weird series Grey Days. It also includes a collection of short stories, and interior art by comic artist Will Kirkby.


The Sword in the Street

The Sword in the Street by C.M. Caplan

SPFBO7

Trial by battle is a holy rite on Hillside. Hired blades bleed their foes in savage duels, settling everything from petty grievances to the corporate laws that keep their citizens in line. Embroiled in these cutthroat political games is John Chronicle, an impoverished swordsman with no better prospects, seeking the duel that will free him from the Dregs. Meanwhile, John’s boyfriend Edwin, an autistic university student, befriends a fellow scholar who claims to study the arcane art of thaumaturgy. When she offers to teach Edwin this subtle magic, he hopes that he can use it to bolster John’s skill with a blade. But thaumaturgy is a dangerous magic, and the forces that drive it have other plans. The couple soon find themselves entangled in the web of intrigue surrounding the swordsmen and their sponsors, and they’re forced to question how bloody they’re willing to get to escape poverty — and they don’t come away with the same answer.


The Cutlass Swoon: A New World Romance

The Cutlass Swoon: A New World Romance by Andrew Marc Rowe

SPFBO7

Strange Lovers In Dangerous Times, Or Dangerous Lovers In Strange Times? Only Time Will Tell... David Holloway is an Ensign on a British galleon with a secret: he’s had enough of the legitimate way of doing things. His master plan? To break bad and join up with a pirate crew. Slicing and dicing and blasting his way into the graces of a cursed Captain Starling, David’s hidden double life in a European mysticism club comes crashing into full view of his crew right around the time he meets the love of his life, the enigmatic Heather Mercado. Before the pair can enjoy their newfound company, betrayal leaves them high and dry, desperate for a crew and a ship and… pretty much everything piratey. Everything, that is, except for a magical cutlass made of pure ruby. When he's not flapping silvern tongue at prospective crew or tangling the regular kind with Heather, David’s skill as a magician emerges. He might have already mastered combat and the mystical arts, but his ability as a leader and a lover will be tested beyond the bounds of reason. As the lines between the real world and David’s spiritual realm blur and disappear, angels and demons and voodoo spirits take centre stage. Can David come to terms with his own past in time to put an end to Captain Starling’s reign of terror? And is it even his job? Maybe he’ll find out… as long as he brings enough hot chocolate. The Cutlass Swoon: A New World Romance is the first book in the spiritual action romance The Davy Jones Trilogy. As Priya Khajuria, author of Bollywood P.I. California Dreaming, said about the book, 'get ready for a giant, rollicking, hugely entertaining story that crosses fable with adventure, pirating with fantasy, philosophy with bantering, and the pure songs of the heart alongside raunchy, gut-bursting hilarity.' Get your copy of The Cutlass Swoon to sail your way to a world of love, luck, and adventure today!


As I Was on my Way to Strawberry Fair

As I Was on my Way to Strawberry Fair by Raymond St. Elmo

SPFBO7

Two strangers aide one other on a dark country road; and vow to meet again at the local Renaissance Fair. To do so they must learn to see beyond their own masks. And united, to win past a host of fairy glamours, crazed role-players, angry jugglers, sinister bikers and the secret of the ancient charter of Strawberry Fair itself. I will find you at Strawberry Fair, I will win you a lion, a tiger, a bear. I will buy you ices, electronic devices And give you a kiss for finding me there. A romance in masks.


Lake Merrin, Journal of an Adventurer

Lake Merrin, Journal of an Adventurer by Samuel Colbran

SPFBO7

Journey to this new land filled with magic and technology. The first of five, set in an Industrial Fantasy world. He is a face in the crowd; a nobody, but with every story, there is a beginning. Travel with this ordinary half-human as he works to find a roof over his head, to put food on the table and stumbles on something beyond his reckoning. This is his journey; this is his path. His Journal. A Journal of an Adventurer. Should he stand up to become a "hero"? ...Will it matter?


The Mazes of Magic

The Mazes of Magic by Jack Massa

SPFBO7

The Lord of the Abyss is rising in Egypt. Can a reckless young Greek find the power to stop him? Imprisoned in a slave yard, tormented by spells of madness, Korax the Greek struggles to regain his memory. Purchased by the High Priest Harnouphis, he is given an Egyptian name, transported to a temple on the Nile, put into service as a translator. But Harnouphis also has another plan: to tap the Greek's extraordinary talent as a seer to advance his own dark ambitions. As his wits return, Korax forges a plan of his own: to learn enough of the mystic arts to escape Egypt and return to his home island of Rhodes. But before he can act, he must perform a service for the Goddess Isis. Korax may be gifted, but can he summon the power to overcome both his master and his master's god? A novel of myth, magic, and adventure, set in the Age of the Seven Wonders of the World. If you like stories of heroes, gods, and magic, then you will love the Conjurer of Rhodes series. Book 1 - The Mazes of Magic Book 2 - The Lights of Alexandria Book 3 - The Treasure of the Sun God


A World Broken

A World Broken by Carol A. Park

SPFBO7

They say that long ago, the world was unbroken. That there was no war—nor poverty, nor disease, nor famine. That the gods themselves walked among mortals—choosing some to be their instruments of peace and justice among the races. They even say that there was no winter. Then, it all fell apart. The five races of Erets have lived in one accord since the inception of the world. But now, the seeds of hostility are growing due to a dispute over an innocuous plant, and three people find themselves entangled in affairs they would have once found unbelievable. An advocate—trained to promote mutual understanding between the races—must confront the unimaginable prospect that peace is out of reach. A priest—one who refuses to bend the knee to the gods he serves—finds that the only vow to those gods he has made might be harder to keep than he expects. And a seeker—a gentle warrior sent to uncover the truth behind an unthinkable murder—stumbles into a labyrinth of lies that could shatter the world. These three must save the world that they know. But are they already too late?


Duplicity of Power

Duplicity of Power by S. Lynn Helton

SPFBO7

An improbable partnership of noble and rogue, an unlikely quest – key to the fate of the Six Realms, power struggles and the machinations of gods, and a legendary artifact of Power... Not always a Shadower, Namid is now one of the leaders of this select group, this guild of rogues in the decrepit city of Rhadanthus. Here she has found a refuge from darker times. Rescuing a stranger is not usually part of her nightly haul. Her decision to help the wounded man sparks a series of events that upends her hard-won haven and sends her fleeing for her life. Another’s quest snags Namid and casts her across the Six Realms of the Monarch and beyond, entangling her and others in power struggles, the machinations of gods, and the dangers of a past thought left behind. What at first seemed a fool's errand to restore a legendary artifact of Power becomes a gambit for the fate of the Six Realms. And Namid doesn't even believe in fate!


Blood Indigo

Blood Indigo by Talulah J. Sullivan

SPFBO7

A centuries-long stalemate endures over possession of a sentient world. In one corner, a dwindling cabal of shamans holds onto a desperate defense; in the other, a colony of aliens try to control a bio-engineering experiment run amok. In the middle stands a youth who has been genetically altered to ‘Shape’ the elemental powers. Yet if Tokela claims his power, it will make of him an outcast, a catalyst--and a weapon. The stalemate is about to break...


Dawn Rising

Dawn Rising by A.F.E. Smith

SPFBO7

Alyssia Gale is a daydreamer. A liar. An attention seeker. Everyone she's ever known has found a label to stick on her, but one thing's for sure: she can't be telling the truth. The flashes she sees of the dark and difficult lives of four other people, living in a world that's not her own … they can't be real. Alyssia understands that as well as anyone, even if she does keep catching herself thinking of the people she sees as friends. Then she's pulled into that other world by blood and dark magic, and realises that everyone she's ever known was wrong. To start with, her focus is on surviving until she can find a way home. Yet it doesn't take long for her to figure out that where before she was merely a spectator, now she can change things. And with one of her friends being forced into an abusive marriage, and another trapped in the cruellest of prisons, there's plenty that needs changing. She just needs to survive long enough to do it. What she doesn't know is that something connects her to these four people. Something she never could have imagined. And it's not long before she isn't just fighting to find her place between the worlds – she's fighting to protect her closest friends from a narrative that wants them dead.


Minimum Wage Magic

Minimum Wage Magic by Rachel Aaron

Making a living is hard. In a lawless city where gods are real, dragons are traffic hazards, and buildings move around on their own, it can feel downright impossible. Good thing freelance mage Opal Yong-ae has never let little things like impossibility stop her. She’s found a way to put her overpriced magical art history degree to use as a Cleaner: a contract municipal employee who empties out abandoned apartments and resells the unusual treasures she finds inside for a profit. It’s not a pretty job, or a safe one--there’s a reason she wears bite-proof gloves--but when you’re neck-deep in debt to a very magical, very nasty individual, you can’t be picky about where the money comes from. But even Opal’s low standards are put to the test when the only thing of value in her latest apartment is the body of the previous tenant. Dealing with the dead isn’t technically part of her job, but this mage died hiding a secret that could be worth a lot of money, and Opal’s the only one who knows. With debts she can’t pay due at the end of the week, this could be the big break she’s been waiting for, but in a city of runaway magic where getting in over your head generally means losing it, the cost of chasing this opportunity might be more than Opal can survive. AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a new series set in the same universe as my Heartstrikers books, but you don’t need to have read those stories to enjoy this one. MINIMUM WAGE MAGIC was written to stand by itself, so if you haven’t read the others, don’t worry! I wrote this book with you in mind. Thank you so much for reading!


Burn Red Skies

Burn Red Skies by Kerstin Espinosa Rosero

SPFBO7 SPFBO Finalist

When the Summoner's army blazes through her village, Dove is forced into hiding. Torn from everything she knows, she begins training in the elements with only one goal in mind: to find her brother. She just needs to get past the Summoner's army-but how can she slay a dragon that is already dead? "Burn Red Skies" is an epic fantasy with fire and flame, swords and martial arts, and strong female protagonists and antagonists. The story is told from different sides of an upcoming elemental war. The atrocities are enough to bring out the hero in the villain-and the villain in the hero.


A Season of Ravens

A Season of Ravens by J R Snyder

SPFBO7

Confronting werewolves, exploring haunted forests, calming angry spirits, and befriending ancient vampires. These are just a few of the tasks that Asher Norwood and his raven partner Aethon find themselves doing on any given day. Asher is a sin eater, a guild of mages that exists to combat dark magic wherever it rears its ugly head. Invoking the forces of nature to protect a society that looks down on him, Asher will stop at nothing to defeat the monsters that plague his world. Follow Asher on his journey to enchanted forests, remote mountains, monster-laden seas, and fantastic cities. A Season of Ravens is a collection of eight stories that combine to make the first novel of the Sin Eater Tales series.


The Scars of Gaia

The Scars of Gaia by R P Lauer

SPFBO7

In the war torn world of Gaia, only two nations have survived the years of conflict. One covets power and strength, while the other covets science and knowledge. Both believe that they alone follow the true path of God. James, a poverty-stricken merchant in the nation of strength, struggles to provide for himself and his mother. In his travels, his life will become intertwined with Claire; a scientist on the wrong path from the rival nation of knowledge. They meet on a day like any other, but events will transpire which alter the course of fate. Together they will discover answers for their own lives, while also uncovering deeper secrets within the world around them. Can the two of them help bring compassion to a world of arrogance, oppression and brutality? As they begin to unravel the thread of truth and myth, they will be forced to ask: Can compassion heal The Scars Of Gaia?


Past Legends

Past Legends by A. F. Stewart

SPFBO7

An immortal witch of Camelot. A looming magical crisis. A destiny she’s willing to reject. All Nimue wants is a peaceful life, but her past won’t leave her alone. And when her friend Iseult brings news that her old rival Morgawse has been abducted, an impending catastrophe lands on her doorstep. And worse, the wizard responsible is Nimue’s ex, Nostradamus. Dragged into another adventure, Nimue confronts her former flame as he wages a desperate quest, only to be thrust deeper into an escalating crisis. As Nimue struggles to unravel what is happening, she discovers dark secrets that threaten the heart of magical energy. Now it’s her fate to rescue magic for every witch and wizard, including her friends. Trouble is, she wants no part of being magic’s saviour. Will Nimue step up as a champion? Or will she let the magical world die? Past Legends: The Camelot Immortals Book One, is a contemporary Arthurian fantasy inspired by the tales we all know and love. If you like strong snarky heroines, wizards and witches, and copious amounts of alcohol, then you’ll love the adventures of Nimue and her friends. Warning: This book contains offensive language.


Order of the Magi

Order of the Magi by Christopher Scott

SPFBO7

Cantus dreams of glory in magical combat. He should have ample opportunities to win fame by hunting down rogue spellcasters for the Order of the Magi. But when a seemingly simple mission leaves him permanently disabled, he must journey to the center of the Auduwyn Empire to track down the errant mage who can heal him before his magic disappears entirely. To make matters worse, he soon discovers a growing threat that challenges the very fabric of the Order and the lasting peace it has established. A story about hubris, fear, and the occasional fireball, the self-contained novel Order of the Magi transports readers into a world where magic only complicates matters and glory comes at a grisly cost.


Death by Miracle

Death by Miracle by Fowler Brown

SPFBO7

All persons shall be equal before the law, regardless of divine heritage or status of godhood. That’s the idea, anyway. Detective Sophia Akerele deals with the worst of divinity. Instead of chattering on social media about Apollo’s latest pop song, she’s tracing magical weapons to local gangs… until she takes a fireball to the chest. She expects an afterlife, not a job offer from an international law enforcement agency. The Furies give her a chance to finally make a difference—to return to life with the power needed to tackle the worst supernatural crimes. Her first assignment: Egypt, where a divine bomb throws her hometown into chaos. Sophia works alongside her cynical new partner, the local police, and an adventurous demigoddess with a doctoral degree in thaumaturgy. But that may not be enough, as she confronts organized crime, sinister gods, and, worst of all, the family she had to leave behind. Eliott Dunstan on Reedsy Discovery: "Queer representation, expertly-researched myth and history, and a compelling, morally complex plot driven and populated by badass women! … If you like mythic and/or urban fantasy, worldbuilding that actively works against colonialism, and imaginative takes on modern gods, pick up Death by Miracle. You won't regret it."


Daughter of Flood and Fury

Daughter of Flood and Fury by Levi Jacobs

SPFBO7

Aletheia was born a heresy: a girl with a man’s magic, in a city where monks and witches are mortal enemies. Training in her powers only under her father’s protection, head of the monastery, she shocks everyone by becoming the best seer in generations. Until her father is murdered. A suicide, they call it, but she knows the truth: he was murdered for his heresy. For her. Now she must make a harrowing choice: disown everything her father stood for to stay alive, or flee the temple and seek to expose his killers, even as they hunt her down. Daughter of Flood and Fury is the gripping first book in the Tidecaller Chronicles. If you like strong female leads, clever magic and page-turning action, then you’ll love Levi Jacobs’ epic fantasy adventure. Buy it today and find out if the girl born a heresy will live to be a hero.


One of Us

One of Us by M. L. Roberts

SPFBO7

A haunted girl, an evil witch, the mysterious fae. Olivia hopes each psychic vision will be the last. Then she can concentrate on school, grades, and getting a driver’s license. But a wicked force stands in the way and once Olivia crosses its path, the only way out is death. As Olivia searches for answers, she discovers unsolved murders, a secret pact, and a vow to avenge the past. The truth exists in a lost library once magically protected, and within it a book thought to have been destroyed. Against impossible odds, Olivia fights to save a friend’s life, release others from the same fate, and protect those she loves. If you like girls who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, who avoid the easy choice and do what's right, then you will love One of Us by M. L. Roberts, a battle of honesty vs. lies in a city at risk. A story of magic, mayhem, and murder, told with a glimmer of sharp-edged wit, and tied to an unbreakable curse.


Dark Apprentice

Dark Apprentice by Val Neil

SPFBO7

A psychopathic wizard. An immortal mage. An epic battle of wills. Nikolai doesn’t want much out of life: sex, immortality, and the power to disembowel anyone who crosses him. But with dark magic forbidden, his only option is Medea–a mage so deadly even the Enforcers give her a wide berth. Despite dire warnings that her apprentices don’t survive, Nikolai won’t stop until she agrees to train him. After all, he’s a killer himself. Barbaric and brutal, the training is a far cry from what Nikolai expects. When a mysterious illness strikes Nikolai down, he suspects he’s found the secret to Medea’s longevity. He resolves to find out what happened to her previous apprentices. If he can locate the source of her power, he can turn it against her. Medea swore off training dark wizards–none of them take the craft seriously and the ungrateful bastards always try to kill her. This one definitely seems the backstabbing type, but magic is dying out and she hasn’t felt such magical strength in centuries. If she can control the boy, show him that magic is more than curses and necromancy, he might obtain the power he desires. If not, well . . . What’s one more dead apprentice? If you enjoy dark fantasy with quirky, morally grey characters and humorous banter (but no romance), this is the book for you!


Hall of Bones

Hall of Bones by Tim Hardie

SPFBO7 SPFBO Finalist

In the remote land of Laskar the seven ruling clans have vied with each other for power for over a century. The son of the Reavesburg Clan Chief, Rothgar, has been groomed all his life for a role supporting his elder brother, Jorik, in leading their kingdom when their father’s time finally comes to an end. However, the rulers of their greatest rivals, the Vorund Clan, are in the grip of something older and far darker. They have been conquered by evil, a remnant from the time when the gods warred with one another and the world of Amuran collapsed into the Fallen Age. Everything is about to change … The first book in The Brotherhood of the Eagle series, Hall of Bones begins a tale of epic fantasy, magic and intrigue.


Bad Cow

Bad Cow by Andrew Hindle

SPFBO7

In the last great golden age of the planet Earth, Barry Dell dies in a tragic elevator accident. On a not-quite proverbial stairway to Heaven, Moskin Stormburg dedicates his life to figuring out where it all went wrong. In a world slowly choking on its own sewage, the Vandemar sisters do what they can to save a human race that by all rights should be taking its last desperate breaths. And through it all, the Archangel Gabriel asks himself when it's okay to dust his hands off and walk away. This is a story about a dying world and the Angels, the Demons, the Vampires, the lost immortals and the billions and billions of humans trying to live on it. It is a story about a two-thousand-year-long game of musical chairs where somebody switched off the music at the very beginning. And burned the chairs. As for why it's called "Bad Cow" ... well you'll probably have to read the book and see. The blurb can't tell you everything.


Children

Children by Bjorn Larssen

SPFBO7

Gods make lousy parents. All Magni wants is peace and quiet, but when your father is the God of thunder, you don’t get to live the life you want. When Thor destroys all his son knows and loves, Magni vows to bring prosperity and end the violence… forever. But can you escape cruelty in a universe built on it, or the shadow of your father when everyone calls you by his name? Maya, her rage more powerful than she knows, wants freedom to pursue her own destiny. Neither torture nor blackmail can make her obedient or pretty enough for Freya, her foster-mother and Goddess of love. Fighting for independence and revenge, can a mere human win a game where Gods dictate the rules? 2020 Stabby Nominee –Best Self-Published/Independent Novel The book includes strong language, depictions of sexual, physical, and emotional violence. For full list of triggers, which may contain spoilers, see: https://www.bjornlarssen.com/children-tw


Beneath a Brass Sky

Beneath a Brass Sky by Eli Steele

SPFBO7

Ulfric Halehorn is a sellsword that believes in the sanctity of the contract. He’s also rekindled an old grudge, incited a riot, and landed himself in jail on enough counts to see himself hung twice. In the midst of this, he somehow managed to win a lucrative contract to transport a mysterious crate across the Brasslands to Kush. He’d be better off if he hadn’t. Days into the journey, Ulfric learns that the job is more than it seems, and that he carries with him the spark that may touch off a revolution that could burn across a city, and perhaps an entire region. Knowing this, Ulfric sees a chance to atone for breaking another contract nearly a decade ago — one that cost another city its freedom and its people their lives; an act that still haunts him to this day. But the Brasslands is a vast land, filled with fugitives, and wild beasts, and nameless things that lurk in the low dark. In those wastes also rides another — one charged with snuffing out the same revolution that Ulfric aims to set afire. And as these rivals drive towards their opposing goals, a storm of steel and blood is building on a bleak horizon. BENEATH A BRASS SKY is a fantasy novel that fans of Abercrombie’s Red Country, King’s The Gunslinger, and Sanderson’s Alloy of Law will enjoy.


Demons, Ink

Demons, Ink by Clayton Snyder

SPFBO7

Jack Nyx is down on his luck. Demons bound to his flesh, his ex's soul in a jar, and on his last dime, he takes the one job he shouldn’t.But a quick buck never comes easy, and Jack is in the deep end of the fecal pool. Desperate, he enlists the help of street witch, Ivy Sosye.In over their heads, trapped between the demons they know and the devil they don't, the last thing Jack needs is to fall for his best friend.Hunted, cursed, and in love is no way to go through life. Then again, it's better than dead.


© 2025 Hakea Media | Terms | Privacy