Tag Archives: Quarter-Turn Fantasy

The Lions of Al-Rassan is the Rare Single-Volume Epic

Posted on January 12, 2021 by H.P.

Guy Gavriel Kay has given us a true epic in a single volume in The Lions of Al-Rassan.  It is a thinly veiled retelling of El Cid and the Reconquista, albeit altered and compressed (the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Fantasy | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Review of Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger

Posted on October 22, 2019 by H.P.

I almost bailed early on Steel Crow Saga.  It didn’t wind up blowing on me, but it did grow on me.  I’m glad I didn’t bail. Steel Crow Saga is sort of a secondary world, fantasy version of the Asia … Continue reading →

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The Traitor Son Cycle is the Perfect Hair of the Dog for your Game of Thrones Hangover

Posted on May 21, 2019 by H.P.

Originally posted on Every Day Should Be Tuesday:
Suffering from a Game of Thrones hangover after that shocking season 7 finale?  Theorizing about the final season too bitter a salve when the wait might be well over a year?  Looking…

Posted in Fantasy, Sundry | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Can’t Wait Wednesday: Guardian by A.J. Hartley

Posted on May 16, 2018 by H.P.

One of my more delightful discoveries last year was the Steeplejack series by A.J. Hartley.   A “steeplejack” is a craftsman who repairs chimneys, church steeples, and the like.  In a 19th-century milieu like that of the Steeplejack series, it is … Continue reading →

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Friday Face-Off: Medieval Cover

Posted on April 27, 2018 by H.P.

It’s 4am, another semester is on the books, and I am awake.  Why not crack open a beer and participate in Friday Face-Off?  This week’s theme is: “Those darling bygone times… with their delicious fortresses, and their dear old dungeons, … Continue reading →

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The Tethered Mage is an excellent fantasy debut, if a little YA for my tastes

Posted on November 28, 2017 by H.P.

The Tethered Mage is an excellent fantasy debut, if a little YA for my tastes.  It benefits tremendously from a rich, Venetian-inspired setting, a well-crafted plot, and two strong leads. Heiress Amalia is pulled into empire politics when chance (and … Continue reading →

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The Fall of Dragons Ends a Great Fantasy Series with a Bloody, Alien Bang

Posted on October 31, 2017 by H.P.

Is there anything left I can say about The Traitor Son Cycle that I haven’t already said?  After all, I have already posted reviews of the first, second, third, and fourth books, and I posted a pitch for Game of … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

The Traitor Son Cycle is the Perfect Hair of the Dog for your Game of Thrones Hangover

Posted on August 30, 2017 by H.P.

Suffering from a Game of Thrones hangover after that shocking season 7 finale?  Theorizing about the final season too bitter a salve when the wait might be well over a year?  Looking for something with knights and magic and dragons … Continue reading →

Posted in Fantasy, Sundry | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Giveaway! And Review of Firebrand by A.J. Hartley

Posted on June 6, 2017 by H.P.

I was all kinds of impressed by Hartley’s Steeplejack. Firebrand improves on it. Hartley is more confident in his story, his setting, and his characters, and it shows. Ang Sutonga is back as a private detective/secret agent for parliamentary backbencher … Continue reading →

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Review of Steeplejack by A.J. Hartley

Posted on May 30, 2017 by H.P.

I don’t read much YA. If there is much as good as Steeplejack out there, I need to read a lot more. Steeplejack follows a 17-year-old chimney repairer turned private investigator in a fantasy South Africa. The story following her … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments