Seven Deaths of an Empire by G. R. Matthews
Steven Poore
History and fantasy have always been easy bedfellows. Rather than just cuddling up under the covers however, Seven Deaths of an Empire wears its influences and heritage proudly, presenting the…
fantasy
SFF Authors of Asian and Pacific Islander Descent: An Incomplete List
Jennie Ivins
Good day Factioners! It’s June! I’m sure most of you know this already. I however thought I still had a week of May left. For some reason May always gets…
The 7th Annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off – Introductions
It’s that time of year again Factioners! In the north spring is coming to an end. In the south winter is on its way. And it is time for the…
Shadow and Bone: Netflix vs. the Books
JC Kang
The book isn’t better. With one huge caveat. Sucked in by the Grisha with their magical powers and vibrant worldbuilding equal to Game of Thrones, I binged Netflix’s adaptation of…
The 7th Annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off – Call for Submissions
Hello everyone and welcome to 2021’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO)! If you’ve been following our site for awhile you probably know about this awesome contest started by author Mark Lawrence.…
Magonomia – Role-playing Game Review
Richard Marpole
First Disclaimer: I received a free early access copy of this RPG in return for an honest review. Second Disclaimer: The version of the Magonomia manuscript I am reviewing was…
Tower of Mud and Straw by Yaroslav Barsukov
L. A. Young
When a book is said to be “buzzworthy,” there is a combination of curiosity and skepticism that comes with it. Readers and critics ask themselves, “should I read this book?”…
The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson – SPFBO #6 Finals Review
A. M. Justice
Anderson does a masterful job weaving a fast-paced adventure—including harrowing action scenes involving lots of monsters and zombies—into a fascinating backdrop involving economic ruin, misinformation, nativism, and stigma.
Voice of War by Zack Argyle – SPFBO #6 Finals Review
While preparing for the birth of his first child, Chrys Valerian is tasked with uncovering the group responsible for a series of missing threadweavers—those able to see and manipulate threadlight.…
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
Frankenstein meets Hacker meets Solo meets Legend of Zelda, in an Asian family drama. Given my interest in Asian-themed fantasy, it came as a surprise that I didn’t hear about…
Scott Kaelen Interview – The Nameless and the Fallen
Scott Kaelen’s debut novel, The Blighted City, was a semifinalist in the Fourth Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO4), and one of my favorite novels to emerge from that annual fantasy…
The Fall of Erlon by Robert H. Fleming – SPFBO #6 Finals Review
As empires burn, heroes must rise. Elisa Lannes was once heiress to the mighty Erlonian Empire. But when her mother abandons the empire and her emperor father is defeated on…