And so begins the official Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO)! (At least our part of it.)
For those who are here for the first time, welcome! You can learn more about the SPFBO here. For those who have been here before, let me reintroduce you to our process.
Our judges whittle down our group of 30 books by letting go of five at a time. We don’t read the books in any particular order, and so we don’t let them go from worst to best either. Each time we will review five books until we get to our semi-finalists, who will get their own reviews.
And most importantly remember: All reading is subjective. So, what we didn’t like might be someone else’s next favorite read. So if what you see here sounds like something you’d enjoy, please check them out!
Thank you very much to all the authors who entered, we know it is tough to get judged like this, and we definitely appreciate the courage to put your work forward to a contest!
You can keep up with round one of the contest on the official SPFBO website.
Now on to the First Five to Fall!
Adamant in Dust (Far Stone Cycle #1) by Willamette Sutta
Stones of power and one princess to save them all. The Far Stone Endurant is broken, and a prophecy foretells doom.
She should have been the chosen princess to deliver them. But Pergi can’t love Prince Teyrnon, and that’s a deal-breaker.
Pergi has prepared all her life to become the ruler her father wants. Without sons, he knows she could only retain the throne if she marries the neighboring prince, combining their kingdoms. Yet the same prophecy that calls for reunification also warns they must join by love. Supplanted by her younger sister in this technicality, Pergi waits with ill grace for Sadira to marry Teyrnon and steal her birthright. No one expects Sadira would do a runner on her wedding day.
What starts as an impromptu rescue of the wayward bride leads to a desperate struggle against a deadly foe. The dark lord Malchor ensnares Sadira in his opening bid to gain all the Far Stones of Power. With them, he will subjugate all the peoples of Miran.
At every turn, Pergi and her fellows run deeper into the conflict. Ancient lore, untold enemies, and secrets awaken to plunge them into overwhelming danger. They fight against evil and doubts in competing measures. Untried companions must trust each other with their lives and face the unknown together. Pergi again owns the responsibility to fulfill the prophecy, though it has become more unattainable. Can her adamant sense of duty rise above all the forces crushing her?
It’s not a game of hearts as they try to stay ahead of Malchor’s ruthless schemes. Their world lies on the brink of dire conquest, and the crux is Pergi’s impossible burden. The answer might not be what anyone envisions.
– – –
As an SPFBO entry and an indie fantasy, Adamant in Dust sits in that familiar space where ambition and enthusiasm are clearly there, but the execution sometimes feels a bit rough. Some of our all-time favorite books are indie, but here the story often felt a little too safe and too close to familiar fantasy shapes to make it to our semi-finals.
Some of our judges had a good time with the story, especially with the wyvern! But many found the writing flat, and got lost, or lost interest, during the backstory at the beginning. For readers who enjoy clean fantasy with clear moral lines and gentle handling of conflict, it may be a comfortable and satisfying read. But for our judges, it lacked the sharp edges needed to keep our interest and move on to the next round.
Arche (Project Tartarus #1) by Erebus Esprit
Tartarus is a dangerous place; every child knows that. But when a new soul finds his way there with no memories and no name, he gets to learn the harsh truth firsthand.
Who is he?
Why is he there?
Why are entities beyond his understanding taking a personal interest in him?
And why does everyone have a level?
He doesn’t know, but he’s going to find out, even if it kills him.
– – –
Many of our judges have had good experiences with LitRPGs, but Project Tartarus: Arche was a divisive read. While many agreed the story in the book, and the hints at where it could go next in the series, were very interesting, both the heavy explanation of the mechanics at the beginning and the stat boxes throughout made it hard to stay immersed in said story.
For those lovers of LitRPGs who like their books on the crunchier side, this could be a great series to try! But unfortunately, it did not wow us enough to continue in the contest.
Dragon’s Son by M. K. Casperson
Dragons. Empire. A Fight to the Death.
“I suppose it is time I write it out. No one believes my heritage. I want to keep it that way, but the truth is the truth. I am a dragon’s son.
My brother embraced our mother’s monstrous blood and betrayed Beotia. One day, Villain will return. I’ll not let him take the throne. You love me, but we’ve scarcely met. I don’t know that I’ll ever let you read this journal, but I’ll address it to you nonetheless. I shall begin.”
The Beotian Empire is rising. Alexis Comnenus is the prince every nation dreams of and has spent the last five years expanding the borders. His young wife, Princess Amarea, has not seen him since their wedding but yearns for the day when he will at last return. Alexis has written such glorious letters.
Yet Alexis is not what Amarea imagined, and when the gossip surrounding his birth proves true, Alexis and Amarea will fight both dragons and politicians to keep the empire together.
– – –
Another book with dragons! (We may be partial to dragons here at FF.)
This story is fast paced and full of court intrigue. And while the intrigue was good, Dragon’s Son might be a little too fast paced. Many judges thought while the short chapters made for a good read, they also thought it needed to slow down some. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, and the showing that was there needed more depth and description to help the reader connect emotionally with the characters.
There was also an issue brought up by all the judges in relation to the main female character, who was a child bride of twelve at the beginning of the book. And while the story makes a point to say that marriages aren’t consummated until adulthood, we all thought aging the character up would have made it a less uncomfortable read.
Overall, there are some good things here, but we had to let this story go as well.
Home For Retired Supervillains (Criminal Cove #1) by SF Sowter
In the year 2035, notorious supervillains find themselves confined to a high-tech, domed facility designed to keep their powers in check. Among them is Doc Shock, once a terror to New York City, now a frail yet cunning prisoner grappling with his own rusting body.
Through the eyes of Morgan Windshill, formerly known as “The Tormentor,” we delve into the secretive world of aging supervillains, uncovering hidden agendas, unexpected alliances, and the haunting regrets of a life spent in pursuit of power.
This darkly compelling tale weaves together interviews, classified documents, and first-hand accounts, painting a vivid picture of the line between heroism and villainy. As past misdeeds collide with a desire for redemption, the inmates of Criminal Cove navigate their twilight years, forever tethered to a world that fears and reviles them.
Discover the untold stories of the villains who shaped history and now face their ultimate reckoning.
– – –
We were excited by the concept of this book! Aging supervillains forced to live in a retirement community while their pasts come back to haunt them in the present sounds like a fun read. Unfortunately, Home For Retired Supervillains bounced off most of our judges.
Unlike the last entry in our list, this story was a bit too slow, with an entirely opposite problem: too much detail. And while the concept was solid, the execution, especially the graphic, shock-forward content, and abrasive style of humor did not appeal to us as much as we expected. Even coming from a group that enjoys grimdark, the characterization and tone did not connect the way we hoped. So we had to pass on this book too.
The Waking of Storm and Flame (The Fates of Aten #1) by N. A. Betts
You can defy a crown. You can outrun a war. But no one escapes their bloodline.
Alira Verbrandt never wanted a crown, only the quiet pursuit of knowledge. But when the ruthless Illyrian Empire marches on her homeland, the princess of Namelle is forced into a war that began long before her time.
On the eve of invasion, Alira discovers a dangerous truth: she is a Fate, the heir of a divine bloodline tied to ancient power and prophecy. Hunted for what she is and burdened with what she must become, Alira must unite others like her to awaken a rebel god; their last hope against annihilation.
But even the gods have something to fear. An ancient prophecy stirs, warning of their creator’s return, and with him, a final judgment that could erase both mortals and immortals alike.
– – –
The Waking of Storm and Flame is an epic fantasy and the author’s debut. The style of the prose was a highlight for the judges, but the story itself seemed to lack direction in the beginning. Being an epic fantasy, there was a lot of information to get out early on, but it became a bit much for our judges and it made the story’s direction hard to pin down. This one just didn’t hit they way we wanted it to, and we had to say goodbye to it as well.
And there you have it! Our First Five to Fall! Thank you again to the authors who took the time to enter and had the courage to let us read their work. We wish you all the best in the future!
That leaves us with 25 more books to get through. You can see the entire list of 300 books on Mark Lawrence’s website. Good luck to all the authors, and happy reading!
- The Artificer’s Knot by Eric Lewis
- Changebringer by Jean K. Silver
- City of Stone by K. T. Holder
- The Crimson Court by Brendan Noble
- The Fire Within by John B. Cheek
- Heroes of Valhalla by C. K. Kesterson
- Hunter’s Apprentice by Simon Shugar
- Island of the Dying Goddess by Ronit J.
- Keeper of the Gate by Margaret Feuerman
- Leave No Dragon Stone Unturned by Alexa Grave
- Legacy Bound by Elizabeth Daly
- Liches Get Scritches by H. J. Tolson
- Moon Witch by Grace Zhu
- The Non-Magical Declan Moore by Nathan Taylor
- Oath of Betrayal by Olena Nikitin
- Of Mages and Makers by Rel Carroll
- Physical Magic by William C. Tracy
- Remnant by K. R. Solberg and C. R. Jacobson
- Shadow of the Pyre by R. T. Silveus
- Shattered Peace by Megan Russ
- Sigil of Enderune by Rosaire Bushey
- Song of the Wolf by T. C. Smith
- Sweet & Wild by Alex Larkspur
- Tethered to Darkness by Matt Falcon
- The Winter Mage by TJ Muir
Our judges this year Adawia Asad, Eva Geraghty, Evelyn Grimald “E.G.” Stone, Julia Kitvaria Sarene, Karen Lucia, Kerry Smith, Kit Caelsto, Maureen Neuman, Robert Max Freeman, Sara Rosevear, Sherry Cammer, Stacey Markle, Tianna Twyman, and Yaniv Rosenfeld Cohen. If you’d like to learn more about us, including our likes and dislikes, you can read about them here. And again, you can learn more about the contest here.
Any queries should be directed to the editor, Jennie Ivins (me), via DM (Bluesky/Threads).
Title image by Valentina Ivanova.
Stuart Cripps-Schnoor
Julia Kitvaria Sarene