SPFBO Finalist SPFBO Finalists
Finalists in Mark Lawrence's Self-published Fantasy Blog-Off from all years.
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Sworn to the Night (The Wisdom's Grave Trilogy #1) by Craig Schaefer Marie Reinhart is an NYPD detective on the trail of a serial killer. When she sleeps, though, she dreams of other lives; she dreams of being a knight, in strange wars and strange worlds. On the other side of the city, Nessa Roth is a college professor trapped in a loveless marriage, an unwilling prop in a political dynasty. She's also a fledgling witch, weaving poppets and tiny spells behind closed doors. When Marie's case draws her into Nessa's path, sparks fly. What comes next is more than a furtive whirlwind affair; it's the first pebbles of an avalanche. Nessa and Marie are the victims of a curse that has pursued them across countless lifetimes; a doom designed to trap them in a twisted living fairy tale, with their romance fated to end in misery and death. They aren't going out without a fight. As they race to uncover the truth, forces are in motion across the country. In Las Vegas, a professional thief is sent on a deadly heist. In a Detroit back alley, witches gather under the guidance of a mysterious woman in red. Just outside New York, an abandoned zoo becomes the hunting-ground for servants of a savage and alien king. The occult underground is taking sides and forming lines of battle. Time is running out, and Nessa and Marie have one chance to save themselves, break the curse, and demand justice. This time, they're writing their own ending. |
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We Ride the Storm (The Reborn Empire #1) by Devin Madson War built the Kisian Empire and war will tear it down. And as an empire falls, three warriors rise. Caught in a foreign war, Captain Rah eâTorin and his exiled warriors will have to fight or die. Their honour code is all they have left until orders from within stress them to breaking point, and the very bonds that hold them together will be ripped apart. Cassandra wants the voice in her head to go away. Willing to do anything for peace, the ageing whore takes an assassination contract that promises answers, only the true price may be everyone and everything she knows. A prisoner in her own castle, Princess Miko doesnât dream of freedom but of the power to fight for her empire. As the daughter of a traitor the path to redemption could as easily tear it, and her family, asunder. As an empire dies they will have to ride the storm or drown in its blood. |
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The Gods of Men (The Gods of Men #1) by Barbara Kloss Top 10 Finalist in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO 2018 Sable hated the gods. She hated what men did in their name. Magic is forbidden throughout the Five Provinces; those born with it are hunted and killed. Sable doesnât know her music holds power over soulsânot until, at age nine, she plays her flute before the desert court and accidentally stops her baby sisterâs heart, killing her. Horrified by what sheâs done and fearing for her life, she flees north, out of Provincial jurisdiction and into the frigid land of exiles and thieves, known as The Wilds. There, Sable lives in hiding, burdened by guilt, and survives as a healer. But now, ten years later, someoneâor somethingâis hunting her. On the run again, Sableâs best chance for survival is Jos, a lethal man from the Five Provinces, who claims to need her skills as a healer to save his dying father, and she needs the large sum of money heâs offered. Thereâs something about him Sable doesnât trust, but she doesnât have many options. A spirit of the dead is hunting her, summoned by a mysterious necromancer, and itâs getting closer. Sable soon discovers sheâs just the start of the necromancerâs plan to take over the Five Provinces, and sheâs the only one with the power to stop it. But harnessing her forbidden power means revealing it to the world, and the dangerous Provincial, Jos, sheâs beginning to fall for. Fans of Brandon Sanderson, Naomi Novik, and Victoria Schwab will love this dark and epic fantasy adventure. |
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Pilgrimage to Skara by Jonathan Pembroke Finalist in the 2017 Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off contest! It has been nearly two decades since Pell Wendt abandoned the power and prestige of Collum. Ruled by the semi-divine Ajudicar, the city had been his home all his life, but no longer. Spurned by the woman he loved, the former pathfinder, adventurer and criminal walked away from his life of escorting promising youngsters to the shrines of power, and retreated to his farm in the Sogras, to live a life of bitter and brooding rejection. Now, House Kettiburg has reached out with a an offer he can't refuse: a pilgrimage to Skara, a mythical and dangerous shrine far out in the barbarous Outlands, for the supplicant Keilie - the daughter of the very woman who rejected him. Trapped by the love his heart cannot deny, Wendt agrees to the pilgrimage and finds himself embroiled in intrigue and betrayal, with far-reaching implications for himself, Keilie, and the tattered remains of the human race. |
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Tiger Lily (Tiger Lily #1) by K. Bird Lincoln Lily isn't supposed to hunt game in the Daimyo's woods. She's just the cook's daughter. It isn't her place to talk to nobility. And she definitely isn't supposed to sing the forbidden old, Jindo religion songs. But Lily was born in the year of the Tiger, and can't ever be like other village girls. In the woods snaring rabbits one day, she finds instead the Daimyo's son, Ashikaga, wounded, in the gooseberry brush. When the Pretender Emperor's men arrive to kill Ashikaga, Lily, desperate, sings a forbidden Jindo song. The song wakes a powerful spirit â as well as Ashikaga's interest. The prickly lord has hidden secrets of his own and a burning desire to prove himself to his father. He will stop at nothing to defeat his father's greatest enemy. All Lily wants to do is take care of her sisters. But the Pretender-Emperor's forces are drawing near, and now the Daimyo's son knows she communes with Jindo gods. She wants to trust Ashikaga when he swears he will not tell her secret, but he is a noble â and Lily only a peasant. Lily's heart is leading her down a dangerous path. She may have to defy her father, Ashikaga, and even the spirits themselves in order to defeat the Pretender-Emperor's magic and keep safe all that she loves. |
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Chaos Trims My Beard by Brett Herman A Fantasy Noir Edwayn Sattler is a half-dwarf with a beard and a dead end job. One night when serving drinks to the city's rich and famous, a fiery playboy loses control of his magic and goes on a burning rampage. After some ill-advised heroics aided by the magic that lives in Edwayn's beard, he finds himself unemployed and socially exiled. With no other job or friends to fall back to, he signs on with an inscrutable ratman sporting a badge and a fetching hat, and together they dive beard and whiskers first into a magical murder conspiracy that threatens to consume the city. Armed with sub-par wits, a dry sense of humor, and a handful of magical tricks, Edwayn encounters conflagrating cops, smooth-talking trolls, shadowy corporate enforcers, and an air-headed vixen with a fatalistic streak. When his easy-going life spirals into a thrilling, darkly hilarious tale of intrigue and deception, Edwayn will find out just how close this newfound chaos will trim his beard. |
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The War of Undoing (Kyland Falls #1) by Alex Perry âMy name is Tay Raining, and this is my brother Ellstone. I wonder if youâve heard of us ⊠I have a birthmark shaped like a question mark on my hand, I think it might mean something but Iâm not sure what. My brother is probably important too, though I canât imagine how. Iâm rambling now, sorry. The point is ⊠the point is, we are the Rainings, and weâre here to save you.â War is brewing in Kyland, as the shadowy, spell-weaving vumas rebel against the human government, but both sides have secret weapons at their disposal. The humansâ secret weapon: a plan that could be the undoing of the world. The vumasâ secret weapon: three young humans abandoned in the smog-shrouded town of Tarot â Tay, Ellstone and Miller Raining. The Rainings could be the key to winning the war, but first theyâll need to work out whose side they are really on⊠The War of Undoing takes readers on an exciting journey into a world on the brink of tearing itself apart. It is the first book in the Kyland Falls fantasy series, and is Alex Perry's debut novel. |
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The Way Into Chaos (The Great Way #1) by Harry Connolly The Great Way is an epic fantasy trilogy about a supernatural invasion that destroys an empire. The city of Peradain is the heart of an empire built with steel, spears, and a monopoly on magic⊠until, in a single day, it falls, overthrown by a swarm of supernatural creatures of incredible power and ferocity. Neither soldier nor spell caster can stand against them. The empire's armies are crushed, its people scattered, its king and queen killed. Freed for the first time in generations, city-states scramble to seize neighboring territories and capture imperial spell casters. But as the creatures spread across the land, these formerly conquered peoples discover they are not prepared to face the enemy that destroyed an empire. Can the last Peradaini prince, pursued by the beasts that killed his parents, cross battle-torn lands to retrieve a spell that mightâjust mightâturn the battle against this new enemy? |
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Devil's Night Dawning (Broken Stone Chronicle #1) by Damien Black As a kingdom teeters on the brink of war, two witch hunters fight to stop a warlock before he unleashes an ancient evil⊠For centuries, the Argolian Order has protected the mortal vale from the dark forces of the Other Side. Now the barrier between worlds is breaking down, and two monks must survive a civil war before they can stop the wizard responsible. When Adelko is assigned to legendary exorcist and witch hunter Horskram, he expects an adventurous life. Death by adventure isnât what he had in mind â but it seems the only outcome when they learn of a sorcerous theft that threatens the world. The thief wants to silence them â permanently. And so Horskram and Adelko flee from one danger to another as the Jarl of Thule leads a rebel army against the King of Northalde, plunging the realm into conflict. And on the Other Side, demonkind reawakens⊠The Broken Stone Chronicle is a riveting tale of war, quest, magic and horror for fans of medieval fantasy, sword and sorcery, dark fantasy and epic fantasy. Buy a copy now! Selected for the final in the 2017 SPFBO book competition |
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The Crimson Queen (The Raveling #1) by Alec Hutson SPFBO Finalist Indie Recs Indie 2016 Ink and Insights Competition - Judges' Favorite 2017 Reader's Favorite Award for Epic Fantasy 2nd place in the 2017 SPFBO Long ago the world fell into twilight, when the great empires of old consumed each other in sorcerous cataclysms. In the south the Star Towers fell, swallowed by the sea, while the black glaciers descended upon the northern holdfasts, entombing the cities of Min-Ceruth in ice and sorcery. Then from the ancient empire of Menekar the paladins of Ama came, putting every surviving sorcerer to the sword and cleansing their taint from the land for the radiant glory of their lord. The pulse of magic slowed, fading like the heartbeat of a dying man. But after a thousand years it has begun to quicken again. In a small fishing village a boy with strange powers comes of age... A young queen rises in the west, fanning the long-smoldering embers of magic into a blaze once more... Something of great importance is stolen - or freed - from the mysterious Empire of Swords and Flowers... And the immortals who survived the ancient cataclysms bestir themselves, casting about for why the world is suddenly changing... |
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Sufficiently Advanced Magic (Arcane Ascension #1) by Andrew Rowe Five years ago, Corin Cadenceâs brother entered the Serpent Spire â a colossal tower with ever-shifting rooms, traps, and monsters. Those who survive the spireâs trials return home with an attunement: a mark granting the bearer magical powers. According to legend, those few who reach the top of the tower will be granted a boon by the spireâs goddess. He never returned. Now, itâs Corinâs turn. Heâs headed to the top floor, on a mission to meet the goddess. If he can survive the trials, Corin will earn an attunement, but that wonât be sufficient to survive the dangers on the upper levels. For that, heâs going to need training, allies, and a lot of ingenuity. The journey wonât be easy, but Corin wonât stop until he gets his brother back. |
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Where Loyalties Lie (Best Laid Plans #1) by Rob J. Hayes SPFBO Finalist Indie Recs Indie SPFBO Winner Everybody knows Captain Drake Morass is only out for himself. As the fires of a dying city burn on a distant shore, Drake sees an opportunity to unite the other pirate Captains under his flag and claim a crown for himself. If he is to succeed, he will need allies and the Oracle named Keelin Stillwater, the best swordsman in the isles, as his right hand. With enemy ships sailing his waters and setting fire to his cities, and the sinister Tanner Black threatening to steal the throne before Drake even has a chance to sit upon it, Drake Morass must somehow convince the other Captains that his best interests are also theirs. Where Loyalties Lie is the first book in the Best Laid Plans duology and is set in the same world as The Ties That Bind trilogy, continuing Captain Drake Morass' story where the trilogy left off. WINNER SPFBO3 |
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The Shadow Soul (A Dance of Dragons #1) by Kaitlyn Davis When Jinji's home is destroyed, she is left with nowhere to run and no one to run to â until she meets Rhen, a prince chasing rumors that foreign enemies have landed on his shores. Masquerading as a boy, Jinji joins Rhen with vengeance in her heart. But traveling together doesn't mean trusting one another, and both are keeping a deep secret â magic. Jinji can weave the elements to create master illusions and Rhen can pull burning flames into his flesh. But while they struggle to hide the truth, a shadow lurks in the night. An ancient evil has reawakened, and unbeknownst to them, these two unlikely companions hold the key to its defeat. Because their meeting was not coincidence â it was fate. And their story has played out before, in a long forgotten time, an age of myth that is about to be reborn... From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes a fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Tamora Pierce! Told in alternating male and female perspectives. |
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Outpost (The Fylking #1) by F.T. McKinstry In a war-torn realm occupied by a race of immortal warlords called the Fylking, trouble can reach cosmic proportions. Using the realm as a backwater outpost from which to fight an ancient war, the Fylking guard an interdimensional portal called the Gate. The Fylkingâs enemies, who think nothing of annihilating a world to gain even a small advantage, are bent on destroying it. After two centuries of peace, the realm is at war. A Gate warden with a tormented past discovers a warlock gathering an army that cannot die. A Kingâs Ranger is snared in a trap that pits him against the Fylking's enemies. And a knitter discovers an inborn power revered by the gods themselves. Caught in a maelstrom of murder, treachery, sorcery and war, they must rally to protect the Gate against a plot that will violate the balance of cosmos, destroy the Fylking and leave the world in ruins. The god they serve is as fickle as a crowâand known to demand a steep price for an answered prayer. Includes a map and a glossary. |
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The Moonlight War by S.K.S. Perry Three caravans have vanished traversing the Cowcheanne Way. The legendary Tahsis platoon, warriors thought by most to be invincible, are dispatched to investigate and are never heard from again. Rumours of native uprisings and bandit armies grow wilder and more widespread every day, while the more devout whisper about the return of the Horde, a mythic foe from ages past. The truce between the warring Kael-tii and Ashai nations is put to the test when a new caravan is outfitted and they are forced to travel The Way together. As an ancient evil is unleashed upon them, a group of heroes, friend and foe alike, must band together for survival. When the true nature of their mission slowly comes to light, the growing distrust between the Kael-tii and Ashai camps threatens to tear the caravan apart. Can they set aside their differences in time to combat the menace that imperils them all, or are they doomed to join the ranks of lost souls claimed by the cursed Cowcheanne Way? |
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The Music Box Girl by K.A. Stewart FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC, FOR THE MUSIC OF LOVE Steam and steel are king, nowhere more so than Detroit, the gleaming gem of the worldâs industrial crown. A beacon of innovation and culture, it is the birthplace of the mechanical automatons, and the home of the famed Detroit Opera House. It is where people come with their dreams, their plans, and their secrets. A young man with the voice of an angel and dreams of stardom. A globe-trotting heiress with a passion for adventure and memories of a lost childhood love. A mysterious woman with a soul made of pure music and a secret worth killing for. Beneath the glitter and sparkle, something sinister lurks at the opera, and three lives will collide with tragic consequences. |
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Assassin's Charge (Echoes of Imara) by Claire Frank A cold-hearted assassin. A boy with a price on his head. Rhisia Sen is one of the Empireâs highest paid assassins. Living a life of luxury, she chooses her contracts carefully, working to amass enough wealth so she can leave her bloody trade. She is offered a new contract on the outskirts of civilization, and almost refusesâuntil she sees the purse. It could be the last job she ever has to take. But when she reaches the destination, she discovers her mark is a child. The contract, and her reputation, demand she kill the boyâif she can banish his innocent face from her mind. But another assassin has been sent to kill her, and a notorious bounty hunter is on her trail. She doesnât know why the boy is a target, or why her former employer wants her dead. Saving the child could be her only chance at survival. |
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Larcout (Fire Born, Blood Blessed #1) by K.A. Krantz Blood-beings can be chattel or char. Fire seethes through the veins of every Morsam, demanding domination and destruction. Combat is a hobby. Slaughtering the inferior blood-beings is entertainment. Life is a repetitious cycle in the prison fashioned by the gods. But mix-race abomination Vadrigyn os Harlo suspects the key to freedom lies with safeguarding the blood-beings; until her blood-born mother uses foreign magic to turn the Morsam against Vadrigyn. Betrayed, bound, and broken, Vadrigyn struggles against the dying of her essential fire. Yet the ebbing flames unleash the dormant magic of her mixed heritage⊠The magic to destroy free will. Seized by the gods and dumped in the desert nation of Larcout to stop history from repeating, Vadrigyn discovers her motherâs legacy of treason and slaughter still festers. To survive the intrigues of the royal court, the roiling undercurrents of civil war, and the gods themselves, Vadrigyn must unravel the conspiracy behind her motherâs banishment. But manipulating free will unleashes a torrent of consequences. If she fails the gods, she will return to the Morsam prison, stripped of all magic and all hope. If she succeeds, she can rule a nation. Kasthu. Roborgu. Inarchma. Live. Learn. Burn. |
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Fionn: Defence of RĂĄth BlĂĄdhma (Fionn mac Cumhaill #1) by Brian O'Sullivan The Fionn mac Cumhaill Series - Book 1: Defence of RĂĄth BlĂĄdhma: Ireland: 192 A.D. A time of strife and treachery. Political ambition and inter-tribal conflict has set the country on edge, testing the strength of long-established alliances. Following the massacre of their enemies at the battle of Cnucha, Clann Morna are hungry for power. Elsewhere, a mysterious war party roams the forests of the âGreat Wildâ and a ruthless magician is intent on murder. In the secluded valley of Glenn Ceoch, disgraced druid Bodhmhall and the woman warrior Liath Luachra, have successfully avoided the bloodshed for many years. Now, the arrival of a pregnant refugee threatens the peace they have created together. Run or fight, the odds are overwhelming. And death stalks on every side. Based on the ancient Irish mythology and Fenian Cycle texts, the Fionn mac Cumhaill Series by Irish author Brian OâSullivan is a gritty and authentic retelling of the birth and early adventures of Irish mythology Irelandâs greatest hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill. Gripping, insightful and utterly action-packed, this is Irish mythology/ fiction as youâve never read it before. This classic Irish fantasy and historical adventure was a 2016 SPFBO Competition finalist and Irish bestseller. The book also includes the following extra content: * a glossary with explanations on ancient Irish cultural concepts * historical notes on the Fenian Cycle * a pronunciation guide and links to an online audio pronunciation guide |
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Paternus: Rise of Gods (Paternus Trilogy #1) by Dyrk Ashton SPFBO Finalist Indie Recs Indie Described as American Gods meets The Avengers and Supernatural meets The Lord of the Rings, Paternus combines myths from around the world in a modern story of action and intrigue that is âurban fantasy on the surface, but so much more at its core!â Even myths have legends. And not all legends are myth. When a local hospital is attacked by strange and frightening men, Fiona Patterson and Zeke Prisco save a catatonic old man named Peterâand find themselves running for their lives with creatures beyond imagination hounding their every step. With nowhere else to turn, they seek out Fiâs enigmatic Uncle Edgar. But the more their questions are answered, the more they discover that nothing is what it seems--not Peter, not Edgar, perhaps not even themselves. The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of loreâtheyâre real. And now theyâve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil thatâs been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the worldâs oldest war has begun. Paternus: Rise of Gods, is Dyrk Ashtonâs critically acclaimed debut novel and the first book in The Paternus Trilogy. It has been compared to works by Neil Gaiman, Scott Hawkins, Roger Zelazny, China MiĂ©ville, Joss Whedon, and Kevin Hearne. |
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The Path of Flames (Chronicles of the Black Gate #1) by Phil Tucker SPFBO Finalist Indie Recs Indie A war fueled by the dark powers of forbidden sorcery is about to engulf the Ascendant Empire. Agerastian heretics, armed with black fire and fueled by bitter hatred, seek to sever the ancient portals that unite the empire - and in so doing destroy it. Asho--a squire with a reviled past--sees his liege, the Lady Kyferin, and her meager forces banished to an infamous ruin. Beset by tragedy and betrayal, demons and an approaching army, the fate of the Kyferins hangs by the slenderest of threads. Asho realizes that their sole hope of survival may lie hidden within the depths of his scarred soul--a secret that could reverse their fortunes and reveal the truth behind the war that wracks their empire. Unpredictable, fast paced, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Path of Flames is the first installment in a gripping new epic fantasy series. r/Fantasy 2016 Stabby Award Finalist 2016 #SPFBO Finalist |
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A Soul for Trouble (Soulbearer #1) by Crista McHugh When youâre a witch named Trouble, chaos follows. Arden Lesstymine (known to everyone as Trouble) likes attention as much as the next girl, but this is getting ridiculous. When an insane stranger is murdered at the inn where she works, Trouble becomes the next Soulbearer for the disembodied god of chaos, Loku. Yes, it comes with the ability to channel the godâs limitless power, but at the cost of her sanity â literally. Now she has a sexy but cynical knight claiming to be her protector, a prince trying to seduce her to his cause (and his bed), and a snarky chaos god who offers a play-by-play commentary on it all, whether she wants to hear it or not. To make matters worse, a necromancer wants to capture the soul of Loku for his own dark purposes, and the only way he can get it is by killing her first. |
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Under a Colder Sun (Khale the Wanderer #1) by Greg James A Grimdark Fantasy Adventure set in a world of Darkness and Chaos! Khale the Wanderer: dark warrior of legend, a reaver with a demonâs soul. King Alosse: ruler of Colm, willing to risk everything to save his city and its people. Princess Milanda: an innocent, kept pure since birth, unknowing of her fate. Neprokhodymh: the cursed city of sorcerers where Khale must make a choice that will scar him for life, or fall into darkness forever. INCLUDES BONUS SHORT STORIES: 'Timestone' and 'Each Dawn, I Die'. 2015 SPFBO Finalist! |
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Blade's Edge (Chronicles of Gensokai #1) by Virginia McClain Mishi and Taka live each day of their lives with the shadow of death lurking behind them. The struggle to hide the elemental powers that mark the two girls as KisĆshi separates them from the other orphans, yet forges a deep bond between them. When Mishi is dragged from the orphanage at the age of eight, the girls are unsure if or when they will find each other again. While their powers grow with each season-cycle, the girls must come to terms with their true selves--Mishi as a warrior, Taka as a healer--as they forge separate paths which lead to the same horrifying discovery. The RĆjĆ« councilâs dark secret is one that it has spent centuries killing to keep, and Mishi and Taka know too much. The two young women have overcome desperate odds in a society where their very existence is a crime, but now that they know the RĆjĆ«âs secret they find themselves fighting for much more than their own survival. Finalist in the 2019 SPFBO |
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Shattered Sands by W.G. Saraband For years, Tamazi felt she was nothing like the other slave-girls. It was not until her master disappeared, the Great Vizier of the desert kingdom of Rilmaaqah, that a power older than the sands themselves took hold of her; a power that could finally free her, or enslave her forever. Rilmaaqah is in chaos. The fires of rebellion spread, and the winds of change threaten the Mageocracy, as the common people rise with the courage to claim their share. But the sands hide many things, and it falls to an unlikely group of people to put a stop to death, before she sings her lullaby to the living. |
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Fortune's Fool (Eterean Empire #1) by Angela Boord A secret affair. A disfiguring punishment. A burning need for revenge. Kyrra dâAliente has a bad reputation and an arm made of metal. Cast out of the safe and luxurious world of silk to which she was born, played as a pawn in a game of feuding Houses, Kyrra navigates a dangerous world of mercenaries, spies, and smugglers while disguising herself as a man. War destroyed her family and the man she loved. Vengeance is within her grasp. But is she willing to pay its price? Second Place Winner in Mark Lawrence's SPFBO 5 ! One of Fantasy Book Review's Best Books of 2019! 2019 Stabby Nominee |
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What Remains of Heroes (A Requiem for Heroes #1) by David Benem Lannick deVeers used to be somebody. A hero, even. Then, he ran afoul of the kingdomâs most powerful general and the cost he paid was nearly too much to bear. In the years that followed, his grief turned him into a shadow of his former self, and he spent his days drowning his regrets in tankards of ale. But now an unexpected encounter casts Lannick upon an unlikely path to revenge. If he can just find the strength to overcome the many mistakes of his past, he can seize the chance to become a hero once more. And with an ancient enemy lurking at the kingdomâs doorstep, heâd better⊠|
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A Sea of Broken Glass (The Lady & The Darkness #1) by onya M. Black Secrets have a price. After enduring weeks of torture and being convicted of witchery, Ris escapes, only to discover the Darkness and the Lady are hunting her. They need the magic that sings within her. Creator of all, the imprisoned Lady needs Ris, her last vessel, to find the Heart of Creation. The Darkness seeks to corrupt the vessel and retain his hold on the Lady, and with it, the world. Ris finds help from a pair of Paladins of Light who aid her in cleansing the evil taint from the lands. As her power grows, so do her questions. How can she restore balance to the world and free the Lady? Should the Lady be trusted or is she as much at fault for the evil in the world as the Darkness? With powerful demons War, Ruin, and Plague at her heels, Ris struggles to stay alive as she tries to unravel the secrets hidden within her before it's too late. Secrets that may cost Ris her soul even if she does succeed. |
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Sins of a Sovereignty (Amernia Fallen #1) by Simon (Plague Jack) Watts From their prisons, the old gods watch, and wait. Calcifer, the arrogant and obtuse sorcerer turned monster hunter, wants nothing more than to bleed his country of its gold, and return to his lover. When she is assaulted and her mind is left in tatters, Calcifer seeks vengeance by any means necessary. Sir Clark Pendragon has murdered more men than he cares to remember. Tired and battle scarred, the old knight just wants to live out his last days in peace. When he is needed to stop an assassination, Pendragon is ripped from his retirement and sent north to save his country one final time. Shrike, keeper of Amernia's secrets, spends his days combing through letters in search of blackmail. Cunning, and with a mind sharper than a blade, Shrike's luck is slowly running out, as sinister shadows conspire against him. War is coming to Amernia, and the Blood Queen stands at the heart of the chaos. A wave of hatred ripples across her country, and she maintains order with fire and fear. The rift between rich and poor, human and nonhuman, divides the kingdom more everyday, as a spectral rider streaks across the sky, heralding the death of kings. The fates of Calcifer, Pendragon, Shrike, and the Blood Queen are hopelessly intertwined, and new alliances will be forged and broken as war threatens to tear Amernia asunder. 2015 SPFBO Finalist |
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A Tale of Stars and Shadow (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #1) by Lisa Cassidy Dumnorix princess and born warrior, Talyn Dynan was the finest fighter of her generation. With her Callanan partner at her side, she was invincible, reckless, a death-knell to their enemies. But after her partner is torn away from her, Talyn is left broken, wracked with guilt and unable to regain the confidence she once had. Could an unexpected mission to the mysterious country of Mithranar, home of the magical winged folk, be the thing that saves her? Or will the danger and secrets she finds there finally break her completely? The Shadowhawk lives a life in the shadows. Constantly hunted for his criminal exploits, yet desperate to help the human folk of Mithranar who are oppressed by their winged folk rulers, he haunts the streets of Dock City. The arrival of a foreign warrior threatens to upset the carefully balanced life he leads, but when she begins to offer a hope for the humans he's only ever dreamed of, can he risk trusting her? And unbeknownst to both, a mysterious foe stalks the dark corners of Dock City. One that answers to a single purpose... Vengeance. |
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City of Burning Shadows (Apocrypha: The Dying World #1) by Barbara J. Webb Joshua âAshâ Drake is a man in hiding. Hiding from the past, from the horror of his life as a priest after the gods disappeared. Hiding from his emotions, denying the nightmares that haunt his sleep and the anger that fuels his days. Most of all, hiding from the truthâthat no matter how much he keeps his head down, no matter how he clings to the echoes of everyday life, his cityâhis worldâis dying. When a new technology offers salvation to his desperate city, Ash must reach out to people he left behind and step back into the world that almost killed him. But coming out of hiding now could be the worst mistake Ash has ever made. Because there are monsters in the darkness, feeding the chaos, watching the city burn. And once those monsters know his name, Ash will never be able to hide again. |
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Spark City (Spark City Cycle #1) by Robert J. Power Erroh has a plan. A simple plan. Itâll never work. Young warrior, Erroh, is destined for a life of duty and tradition. By birth-right, the mysterious trials of The Cull await him. A chance to win the greatest prize Spark City can offer. However, heâd rather spend his days drinking, gambling and travelling the roads as a free man. But war is on the horizon and although he doesnât know it yet, Erroh is standing in the way of the first wave. Across great distances and against many brutal obstacles, he will be forced to call upon the warrior within to hunt down those who disturb the peace of a world he once rejected. And he wonât be alone. Spark Cityâs slow burn love story, epic sword fights and dark humour have won a devoted readership and earned comparisons to fantasy masters Joe Abercrombie, David Gemmell and Anthony Ryan. |
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Beggar's Rebellion (Resonant Saga #1) by Levi Jacobs The Councilate controls everything except the truth. I have nothing save my discoveryâbut with this shall I destroy an empire. Tai Kulga lost the rebellion and his best friend on the same day, stripping him of his will to live even as a strange power flooded his bones. When the friend returns as a spirit guide, it feels like a second chanceâbut his friend is not who he was, and the Councilate is not done oppressing his people. When trouble with lawkeepers lands Taiâs surviving friends in a prison camp, he must go underground to find the last of the rebels and convince them to break his friends free. Along the way he meets Ellumia Aygla, runaway Councilate daughter posing as an accountant to escape her family and the avarice of the capital. Curious about the link between spirit guides and magic, her insights earn her a place among the rebels, and along with Taiâs power help turn the tide against the colonialists. But as the rebels begin to repeat the Councilateâs mistakes, Tai and Ellumia must confront their own pasts and prejudices, before the brewing war turns them into the monsters they fight. |
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Bloodrush (The Scarlet Star Trilogy #1) by Ben Galley SPFBO Finalist Indie Recs Indie SFFOasis When Prime Lord Hark is found in a pool of his own blood, his only son Merion Hark finds his world turned upside down and inside out. The Prime Lordâs last will and testament forces Merion west across the Iron Ocean, to the very brink of the Endless Land and all civilisation. To a place they call Wyoming. In the dusty frontier town of Fell Falls, there is no silverware, no servants, no plush velvet nor towering spires. Only dust, danger and the railway. Merion has only one ally to help him escape the torturous heat and unravel the mystery of his father's murder: a faerie warrior named Rhin, and a twelve inch-tall outcast of the fae realm. Revenge and redemption are never easy. There are dark forces at work in Fell Falls, and not just the railwraiths, brigands or the savages. Secrets lurk in Merionâs bloodline. Secrets that will redefine the young Hark, and open up a whole world of magic buried by empire and industry. âââ WINNER OF THE LIBRARY JOURNAL'S INDIE EBOOK AWARDS 2016 BLOGGERS' FAVOURITE OF #SPFBO 2015 ABOUT BLOODRUSH The first book in the Scarlet Star Trilogy, Bloodrush is a coming-of-age and weird western fantasy set in an alternate 1867. It is a time when steam and clockwork seek to push the boundaries of the known world, even if it means trampling an ancient one. An action-packed mix of western and dark fantasy, Bloodrush is perfect for readers of Neil Gaiman, Jim Butcher, Lila Bowen and Stephen Kingâs Dark Tower. |
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Kalanon's Rising (Agents of Kalanon #1) by Darian Smith Solve the murder. Stop the war. Save the world. Sir Brannon Kesh spent years building a new life as a physician, leaving the name Bloodhawk and the war that spawned it behind. But when the King's cousin is murdered, duty calls him back. The crime scene suggests dark magic and the evidence points to the ambassador of Nilar, an alluring woman with secrets of her own, who sees Bloodhawk as little more than a war criminal. As bodies pile up and political ramifications escalate, Brannon must join forces with a vain mage, a socially awkward priest, and a corpse animating shaman to solve the murders and prevent another war. But who can he trust when the phases of a bigger plan take shape? The Risen are the greatest danger Brannon has ever faced. If he and his team cannot stop the killer then all of Kalanon - and the world - will descend into darkness. SPFBO 5 FINALIST - Winner of the SpecFicNZ Novel Competition - Sir Julius Award Winning Author |
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The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids (Amra Thetys #1) by Michael McClung *Winner of the 2015 Self Published Fantasy Blog-Off, Hosted by Mark Lawrence* Amra Thetys lives by two simple rulesâtake care of business, and never let it get personal. Thieves don't last long in Lucernis otherwise. But when a fellow rogue and good friend is butchered on the street in a deal gone wrong, she turns her back on burglary and goes after something more precious than treasure: Revenge. Revenge, however, might be hard to come by. A nightmare assortment of enemies, including an immortal assassin and a mad sorcerer, believe Amra is in possession of The Blade That Whispers Hateâthe legendary, powerful artifact her friend was murdered forâand they'll do anything to take it from her. Trouble is, Amra hasn't got the least clue where the Blade might be. She needs to find the Blade, and soon, or she'll be joining her colleague in a cold grave instead of avenging his death. Time is running out for the small, scarred thief. |
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Orconomics (The Dark Profit Saga #1) by J. Zachary Pike Brimming with swords, sorcery, and wit, Orconomics: A Satire introduces Arth, a world much like our own but with more magic and fewer vowels. For the licensed wizards and warriors of Arth, slaying and looting the forces of evil is just a job. The Heroes' Guild has turned adventuring into a career, selling the rights to monstersâ hoards of treasure as investment opportunities. Corporations spend immense sums sponsoring heroes to undertake quests, betting theyâll reap the profits in plunder funds when the loot is divvied up. Questing was all business for famous Dwarven berserker Gorm Ingerson, until a botched expedition wiped out his party, disgraced his name, and reduced him to a thieving vagabond. Twenty years later, a chance encounter sees Gorm forcibly recruited by a priest of a mad goddess to undertake a quest that has a reputation for getting heroes killed. But thereâs more to Gormâs new job than an insane prophecy; powerful corporations and governments have shown an unusual interest in the job. Gorm might be able to turn a bad deal into a golden opportunity and win back the fame and fortune he lost so long ago. Promising fun, fantasy, and financial calamity, Orconomics: A Satire is the first book in The Dark Profit Saga, an economically epic trilogy. Winner of the 4th Self Published Fantasy Blog Off -- (SPFBO 2018) |
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The Grey Bastards (The Lot Lands #1) by Jonathan French LIVE IN THE SADDLE. DIE ON THE HOG. Such is the creed of the half-orcs dwelling in the Lot Lands. Sworn to hardened brotherhoods known as hoofs, these former slaves patrol their unforgiving country astride massive swine bred for war. They are all that stand between the decadent heart of noble Hispartha and marauding bands of full-blood orcs. Jackal rides with the Grey Bastards, one of eight hoofs that have survived the harsh embrace of the Lots. Young, cunning and ambitious, he schemes to unseat the increasingly tyrannical founder of the Bastards, a plague-ridden warlord called the Claymaster. Supporting Jackalâs dangerous bid for leadership are Oats, a hulking mongrel with more orc than human blood, and Fetching, the only female rider in all the hoofs. When the troubling appearance of a foreign sorcerer comes upon the heels of a faceless betrayal, Jackalâs plans are thrown into turmoil. He finds himself saddled with a captive elf girl whose very presence begins to unravel his alliances. With the anarchic blood rite of the Betrayer Moon close at hand, Jackal must decide where his loyalties truly lie, and carve out his place in a world that rewards only the vicious. SPFBO 2016 Winner |
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Priest (Ratcatchers) by Matthew Colville A Fantasy Novel. After years spent in the inn he bought and never opened, Heden is drawn out, and sent into a dark forest to investigate the death of a knight. Nothing is what it seems. Why was Heden chosen for this mission? Who killed the knight and why? Why won't anyone talk to him? As the Green Order awaits Heden's final judgement, he finds his morality, perspective, and sense of self are each challenged and then destroyed. Perhaps nothing, even right and wrong, can survive in the haunted wood. |
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The Sword of Kaigen (Theonite) by M.L. Wang A mother struggling to repress her violent past, A son struggling to grasp his violent future, A father blind to the danger that threatens them all. When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores? High on a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empireâs enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name âThe Sword of Kaigen.â Born into Kusanagiâs legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: to master his familyâs fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigenâs alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies. Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface. SPFBO Winner 2019 |
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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 1928âs Paris, something sinister pulses through the ĂŠther. 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 â and one terrifying enemy â to see his mission to fruition. If Marduk and company fail, the godsâ vain machinations will destroy everything theyâve built, including civilization itself, all made possible by his RADIO. |
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Eye of Obscurance (Fate of Wizardoms #1) by Jeffrey L. Kohanek SPFBO 2020 Semifinalist In a realm where wizards rule, magic reigns supreme. Power. The ambitious thirst for it. In a realm where wizards rule, those able to claim a throne are granted the power of a god. How can one defeat a god? A clever thief, a determined acrobat, and a troubled dwarf are joined by an old storyteller as they attempt the impossible: Assassinate a wizard lord. Their slim hope lies in the power of an enchanted amulet, the Eye of Obscurance. These unwitting pawns are trapped in a contest of wizards. The stakes: The fate of the world. From bestselling author Jeffrey L. Kohanek comes the first novel in an epic fantasy saga where magic reigns, wizards thirst for power, and the world teeters on the edge of breaking, perfect for readers who enjoy Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, or Robert Jordan. |