GUEST POST: CHARLES E. YALLOWITZ

Posted on June 3, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Last week, I was honored to spotlight Charles E. Yallowitz’s newest installment in his Legends of Windemere series, and today, he has been nice enough to return with a guest post. So without any of my infernal babbling, we will get to the post.
A big thank you to Wendell for having me for a guest post so soon after being part of the promotional tour for my latest book, Tribe of the Snow Tiger. An important part of this story involves rivalries, which drive many of the events. In fact, the idea of rivalries is one of the core pieces of the overall series. With a group of heroes and a separate group of villains, it’s hard not to pair them off and have grudge matches turn up from time to time. So, what are some things to consider when using a rivalry? Keep in mind that I’m talking as a series author.

1. A rivalry requires more than one encounter or at least the mention of previous run-ins between the participants. This helps the characters to evolve through their encounters and use each other to improve. For example, Luke Callindor has an early rivalry with a demonic assassin. They have several encounters, which is what helps him evolve from the inexperienced warrior to a blossoming adventurer. If it was only one fight then it would be closer to a random encounter like you find in video games.

2. Not every encounter should be won by the hero. That makes the villain appear to be weak and that can also make the hero seem weak. On the other side of things, you can’t have the villain repeatedly win. A big reason is because that usually results in the hero dying or being horribly maimed. The trick is to have it be a victory that doesn’t end the rivalry and maybe even has both characters claim a success.

3. I might be alone on this, but a series rivalry should become personal. Maybe it starts as business or a spur of the moment encounter, but a deep rivalry goes beyond the quest and overall story. It is a key component of the characters’ evolution as they play off each other and strive to be the final winner. This could be a one-sided personal thing too. For example, a villain keeps attacking because of a previous loss while the hero is simply trying to get the quest done. One fights for wounded pride and the other fights because he/she doesn’t really have a choice unless they keep running.

4. Depending on the length of the series, you do not need a rivalry encounter in every volume. Short series can allow for this, but doing it in a long one can make the dynamic grow stale. Readers will roll their eyes at ‘another fight’ that will solve nothing other than upping the word count. The rivalry is like a delicious scoop of ice cream. Great once in a while, but many people will get sick of it if it’s always around. (Not the best analogy, but I’m hungry and ran out of ice cream.)

5. Characters need to grow and evolve from the rivalry. This is in terms of personality, physical abilities, belief systems, and whatever else gets called into question whenever the adversaries meet. There is a reason such a thing is in your story and that is to drive the characters to become stronger because of or in spite of each other. This can manifest in developing new combat moves, a change in the willingness to kill, physical scars, and any number of changes. My point is that neither character should come out of a good rivalry in the same condition as they went in.

6. Know when to stop a rivalry. Seriously, an author needs to look at every meeting and consider it is the last one. Think about how the encounter will end and if it makes sense for the characters to continue. As previously stated, you always run the risk of a rivalry getting stale. Making it feel like the fight will never end is a surefire way to do this.

7. Connecting to the previous point, the rivalry should end with some closure. Having the two battle, walk away, and never settle the dispute is only useful when you plan on them meeting up again. An ending to a rivalry is a reward for the characters, the author, and the readers.

Now Available on Amazon!

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Need to catch Legends of Windemere from the beginning? Then click on the covers below!

You can start for FREE . . .

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Or grab the $4.99 ‘3 in 1’ bundles!

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
3D Conversion by Bestt_graphics

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Also Available:

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Interested in a new adventure? Then grab your Kindle & dive back into the world of Windemere! Don’t forget an apple for Fizzle.

About the Author:

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you, and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

Posted in Author Spotlights, Guest Post | Tagged author spotlight, barbarians, Charles E Yallowitz, epic fantasy series, Fantasy, fantasy series, Legends of Windemere, Luke Callindor, Tribe of the Snow Tiger, warriors, wizards | 4 Comments

WRAP-UP — MAY 2016

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Aviary Photo_131041252392891383 Welcome to my monthly wrap up! A final tip of the hat to the month behind and all the great (at least, we hope they were all great) books that have been reviewed as well as anything else exciting that happened.

So if you’ve missed something on Bookwraiths and want to check it out without having to cycle through all the old posts, look below and click on a pic which interests you. Hopefully, you’ll discover something which helps you on your quest to discover all the great books out there!

BOOK REVIEWS THIS MONTH

SHORT STORY REVIEWS

SPECIAL FEATURES

MEMES

Posted in Monthly Wrap Up | Tagged An Echo of the Ascended, author interview, Charles E Yallowitz, Faith and Moonlight, Fantasy, fantasy author interviews, guest post, Half a War, Interview, Joe Abercrombie, Joe King, Legends of Windemere, Luke Taylor, Mark Gelineau, Mark Lawrence, Monthly Wrap Up, Prince of Fools, Runtime, sb divya, Shannara, Terry Brooks, The Defenders of Shannara | Leave a comment

STACKING THE SHELVES, VOL. 27

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga’s Reviews is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether it be physically or virtually. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

The Weaver’s Lament by Elizabeth Haydon

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Symphony of Ages #9

Publisher: Tor Books (June 21, 2016)

Length: 352 pages

Acclaimed author Elizabeth Haydon returns with a heartbreaking tale of love and valor in The Weaver’s Lament, the ninth and final installment of her USA Today bestselling Symphony of Ages series that began with Rhapsody.

For a thousand years, the lands ruled by the Cymrian Alliance have been at peace. When the brutal death of a dear friend catapults the kingdom to the brink of civil war, Rhapsody finds herself in an impossible situation: forced to choose between her beloved husband, Ashe, and her two oldest friends, Grunthor and Achmed. Choosing her husband will mean the death of thousands of innocents. Siding against him will cost Rhapsody the other half of her soul, both in this life and the next.

In The Weaver’s Lament, the lines between the past and future are irrevocably blurred, and the strength of true love is tested in unthinkable ways. Bestselling author Elizabeth Haydon has delivered a spectacular conclusion to the Symphony of Ages.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

All Fixed Up by Linda Grimes

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Ciel Halligan #4

Publisher: Tor Books (May 24, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 336 pages

The hilarious adventures of human chameleon Ciel Halligan continue in the fourth installment of this original urban fantasy series from Linda Grimes, All Fixed Up.

Ciel Halligan, aura adaptor extraordinaire, has a lot of experience filling in for her clients–as them. A rare genetic quirk gives her the ability to absorb human energy and project it back out in a flawless imitation. She’s hard at work, posing as a well-known and celebrated astronaut, about to make a stunning announcement on behalf of the space program…when the photographer documenting the job sees right through her aura. Worse, it soon becomes apparent that he not only knows Ciel’s not who she’s supposed to be, but means her harm.

When Ciel’s elderly Aunt Helen—also an aura adaptor—is murdered in Central Park, and the same photographer shows up at the funeral, Ciel starts to feel even more exposed. Then more adaptors are killed in the same way, and she becomes terrified her friends and family are being systematically exterminated … and it’s starting to look like she’s the ultimate target. She turns to Billy Doyle, her best-friend-turned-boyfriend, for help, but when an unexpected crisis causes him to take off without a word, she’s left to rely on her not-so-former crush, CIA agent Mark Fielding.

Staying alive, keeping control of her romantic life, and unraveling the mystery of why adaptors are being pursued becomes a harder balancing act than ever in this new Ciel Halligan adventure from Linda Grimes.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in Stacking the Shelves | Tagged all fixed up, chameleon, ciel halligan, elizabeth haydon, linda grimes, rhapsody, Stacking the Shelves, symphony of ages, the weaver's lament, Tor, Tor Books, Urban Fantasy | 6 Comments

BACKLIST BURNDOWN: PRINCE OF FOOLS

Posted on May 27, 2016 by Bookwraiths

book

Backlist Burndown is a monthly meme hosted by Lisa from Tenacious Reader where you read one book from your backlist every month, then share your review of it the last Friday of that month. And, finally, I’ve gotten my reading (and reviews) into some semblance of order, so I can start participating in this great meme.

Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Red Queen’s War #1

Publisher: Ace (June 3, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 355 pages

My Rating: 3.5 stars

The Broken Empire trilogy stands as a seminal work in the fantasy genre, a grimdark extravagance which turned many a head. Jorg Ancrath an unforgettable protagonist who changed the genre forever in my mind. Mark Lawrence’s brilliance as a storyteller a revelation. But like all stories, no matter how great, Jorg’s personal journey came to an end, and fans of the series cried out for more! This fascinating post-apocalyptic world too glorious, too rich with untold stories to leave just yet.

Well, thankfully, Mr. Lawrence himself wasn’t ready to depart the Broken Empire. The Red Queen’s War returning to this mesmerizing place, introducing a new, very different main character in Prince Jalan Kendeth, third son of the Red Queen’s third son: a liar, gambler, womanizer, cheat, and — above all else — a coward!

No matter Prince Jalan’s intentions of spending his life carousing the bars and gambling dens with his friends, leaping from ladies’ windows while evading enraged brothers, and attempting to make the most of being the tenth in line to the throne, he cannot escape the dark sorcery and momentous machinations permeating the Broken Empire. His destiny to become an integral part of the Red Queen’s War: the lifelong struggle his grandmother has been waging against hidden foes bent on the destruction of the whole world. The conflict now supposedly escalating into into an undead army being raised by the Dead King. But Jalan finds it all incredibly boring and tedious. His grandmother’s constant speeches about it all mind numbing. Rather he views it all as telltale signs the old crone is on her last leg, nearly ready to go ahead and graciously die already.

But then fate intervenes in the Prince’s life. A boring evening at the opera turning into a near death experience, as Jalan barely escapes being caught in a devastating spell cast by the Red Queen’s mysterious (and seemingly invisible) witch the Silent Sister. When the magic goes awry, it binds Jalan to a muscle-bound northman named Snorri ver Snagason, who is on a quest to the icy north to rescue his family and confront the minions of the Dead King. So, naturally, Jalan attempts to get the hell away from the lunatic as fast as possible — only to find the spell will kill him if he does not stay close to his new companion.

Forced to “volunteer” for Snorri’s suicide mission, Jalan finds himself traveling across the Broken Empire, confronting many familiar faces from Mark Lawrence’s previous trilogy and attempting to runaway from all the dangers he stumbles into. Each step into the north leading him closer to an epic confrontation with the most heinous foe. More importantly, each step means Jalan is running out of time to break the spell, get the hell away from Snorri, and return home to the inviting arms of the DeVeer sisters — all of them!

As much as I was enraptured by Jorg Ancrath’s tale in The Broken Empire, I have to go ahead and confess that I much prefer reading about Jalan. A rakish playboy with an easy charm and a witty comment for any situation he instantaneously becomes the guy you’d like to hang out with and drink a few beers, go gambling with, or watch some fights. No, you would never trust him with your money or your honey, but the guy is damn likable. Even his penchant for getting the hell out of the way of danger is more a foible which is understandable and clever than a horrible character trait. (I mean, who wouldn’t want to run the other way if you were facing certain death.) So while the book had a much different tone than Prince of Thorns, it worked amazingly well for me, because of Jalan.

For those more concerned with how Jalan’s tale and the Red Queen’s War fit into the Broken Empire saga, I have to assure you Mr. Lawrence does an outstanding job harmonizing the two: Jorg’s personal journey meshing seamlessly with the Red Queen’s War, separate and distinct yet part of the same overarching struggle. He is even able to find entertaining, fitting ways for Jalan and Jorg to nearly crossing paths on a few occasions without it impacting the previous trilogy. Our cowardly prince having some page turning encounters with prominent figures from The Broken Empire. Jalan’s humor always front-and-center, turning the bleakest, most depressing Ancrath moment into sheer comedic genius. This whole story line gifting readers with some of the best moments in the book by far.

Even with all that being said though, this isn’t really a “happier” story than Jorg’s tale. Here we have the fate of Snorri’s family and the sense of impending doom from the Dead King’s minions filling the majority of scenes. Sure, there is more humor and camaraderie between Jalan and Snorri than anyone in Thorns, but these are only brief interludes before shadows close back in, smothering the tale in grimdark gloom — which might or might not be a bad thing according to your perspective.

All of which is a perfect segue into my main criticism of Prince of Fools: the journey. As I mentioned, I loved Jalan, really warmed to his humor and his rakish ways, but once he leaves his homeland to journey north with Snorri, there were many times were I grew horribly bored with it all. Not the times where Jalan is crossing paths with Jorg or other Thorn alumni, but when the companions are traversing these seemingly endless, totally dull countries, sailing across oceans, or interacting with the Viking-esque northmen, nothing much happens other than Snorri and his tragic history being introduced. Yes, my heart wept for this man and his lost family, but I kept asking myself when were we going to get to see Jalan do something fun again. Maybe that is shallow of me, yet it is exactly what I was thinking up until the rousing ending, which saved the second half of the book for me.

On the whole, Prince of Fools is a great introduction to an amazing new character in Jalan. Mr. Lawrence having now created two, stellar protagonists who are absolutely nothing alike except in their ability to make readers fall in love with them. Definitely, new readers should probably start their journey through the Broken Empire with Jorg’s tale in Thorns, but if the more bloodthirsty approach of my favorite Ancrath is too much, you could hop on Jalan’s journey without missing too much. Just understand going in that Snorri might make you snore and that the journey does seem like it is to the ends of the earth.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Backlist Burndown, Epic, Fantasy, Grimdark | Tagged Backlist Burndown, best fantasy series, epic fantasy, Fantasy, fantasy series, grimdark, Jalan, Jorg, magic, Mark Lawrence, post-apocalyptic world, Prince Jalan, Prince of Fools, Prince of Thorns, the broken empire, The Red Queen's War, undead, witches, zombies | 7 Comments

RUNTIME

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Runtime by S.B. Divya

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Stand Alone Novella

Publisher: Tor (May 17, 2016)

Author Information: Twitter| Website

Length: 96 pages

My rating: 3 stars

The Minerva Sierra Challenge is a grueling day long race across the Sierra Nevada mountain range of the western United States. Participants internally augmented with enhancement chips and garbed in intricate exoskeletons; most of them corporately sponsored with support teams and the best tech money can buy. The winner assured of fame and fortune across the world. And into this renowned competition comes the most unlikely of contestants: Marmeg Guinto.

This bouncer from a poor family secretly enters the competition with money meant for tuition to nursing school and with tech pulled out of rich people’s garbage. Hell, even her implants are black market knockoffs, which she earned by her “illegal” cyber jobs. But even with all the odds stacked against her, Marmeg is driven to compete and win this competition by a lofty goal, a near divine purpose, a burning desire: to raise herself and her family out of poverty, to be able to attend college, to help her brother get his citizenship papers, and to finally be able to have the surgeries to become a gender neutral person.

As a social commentary goes, Runtime is an engaging, believable narrative of a possible future where technological advancement and continuing discrimination has shaped a society similar yet very different than our own. The Minerva Sierra Challenge a nice vehicle for S.B. Divya to entertain readers while the underlying morality issues are slowly revealed. Marmeg’s personal journey through this place grounding and livening up what would otherwise be a rather straightforward social justice tale.

Where this novella excels is in the writing style of S.B. Divya. The crisp, clear, and concise narrative effortless to read, quickly pulling you in and engaging you in Marmeg’s story without ever overloading your reading senses with too much information (i.e. no info dumps to be found here). Simple yet elegant, the author’s writing is extremely palatable and uniquely suited to the novella format.

Where Runtime struggled is in the story line itself. Even with its grueling and treacherous race scenes (where not only the terrain but other people are hazards), this is a work of social commentary, whose underlying messages about modern society’s ongoing struggles with technology, social stratification, gender identification, and bioengineering cannot be overlooked, because they are so tightly woven into every paragraph of our protagonist’s story that to extract them would cause the story itself to cease to be. And since modern “morality plays” are not particularly appealing to me, I found it difficult to enjoy Marmeg’s journey. Every second of my reading time spent comparing her society to our own rather than being held spellbound by this competition of enhanced humans traversing a mountain range in a day. Others might find the novella’s commentary on modern problems amazingly insightful or uniquely empowering however, so this particular criticism might merely be my personal preference in reading subjects.

Set in a dystopian society with a strong female lead who is dealing with many discriminatory, societal issues, Runtime is a quick, enjoyable read that will satisfy lovers of clever works of social commentary. While somewhat successful in mixing an exciting race narrative into the morality mix to keep things from becoming preachy, the novella will definitely be remembered more about its spotlight on our current societal issues and where the future might take us rather than the racing competition itself.

I received this novella from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase the book at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Near-Future, Science Fiction | Tagged exoskeletons, internal chips, Near-Future, Novella, Runtime, S.B. Divya, Science fiction, science fiction novella, social commentary, Tor Books | 7 Comments

TOP 5 WEDNESDAY: CHARACTERS YOU DEFEND

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Bookwraiths

top5

Today, the guys in the Goodreads Top 5 Wednesday group had a great topic: Characters You Defend! You know, the people you love in your favorites books, but no one else (or, at least, a vocal minority of readers) dislike or hate, yet you are always defending them, making up explanations, not excuses, for their behavior, and refusing to allow others to disparage without due recompense. And we all have those particular characters, and I’m going to share my top five with you. Maybe, we have a few in common.

5. BIAGIO (Tyrants and Kings)

Killer. Madman. Tyrant. Biagio has been called of those and worse, yet by the third book of the trilogy, he has transformed into a madman and tyrant who wants peace — even if he must kill his once trusted minions to accomplish it. And some of my reading buddies can’t ever forgive and forget the bad Biagio has done when he decides to change, but I say everyone deserves a second chance, especially someone who is as cunning and brilliant as this guy.

PURCHASE AT AMAZON.

4. SA’BA TAALOR (SEVEN FORGES)

This might be cheating, but I have to lump all these amazing, ruthless, near tyrannical people into one category. Their gods given crusade to completely destroy the Fellein Empire leading to some brutal, cringe worthy moments in the series. But because they are also amazingly interesting to read about and have many compelling qualities, I always defend their behavior to naysayers, who cry foul. My standard response being, “Their gods told them to, dude. How can you look into a gods eyes and say no.” Okay, it isn’t a great counter argument, but it is what I’m sticking with.

PURCHASE AT AMAZON.

3. LADY (THE BLACK COMPANY)

Sorceress supreme. Evil incarnate. Lord of the Taken. In the place of a Dark Lord she made herself Queen! Not dark but beautiful and terrible as the Morn! Treacherous as the Seas! Stronger than the foundations of the Earth! All love her and despair! Yeah, I did borrow that from The Fellowship of the Ring, but it applies here just as well, because no matter how strongly people tell me Lady is a bad, bad woman I still love her anyway . . . always will.

PURCHASE AT AMAZON.

2. JORG ANCRATH (THE BROKEN EMPIRE)

I hate him. I fear him. I’m left aghast at his bloody sociopathic behavior. I also clearly see the deep cunning and philosophical contemplation behind his every action. His belief that his way might not be right, but it is the only right thing he can do and still survive. And while I’m never completely sold on his explanations, believing they are as close to deceptive self-delusions as one can come, they do show me another side of him; a person who could be a great worth if reformed, tweaked, or saved from his baser instincts. And that is exactly why he is worth reading about, because Jorg is the perfect mixture of bad and good.

PURCHASE AT AMAZON.

1. THOMAS COVENANT (THOMAS COVENANT)

Now, this whiny, selfish leper gets on my last nerve every time I reread this classic fantasy series. His actions toward other innocent characters in the book enrage me to righteous wrath. He is also one of the most self-absorbed bastard I’ve ever attempted to empathize with. BUT his personal journey from the horrendous Covenant to the more mature, attempting to do the right thing Covenant is nearly a story of redemption, which is why I will always tell readers to put up with his nauseating mewling and witness the journey he takes.

PURCHASE AT AMAZON.

Posted in Top Five Wednesday | Tagged characters i defend, characters i love, fantasy books, fantasy cahracters i love, Glen Cook, James A. Moore, John Marco, Jorg Ancrath, Mark Lawrence, Prince of Thorns, Sa'ba Taalor, Seven Forges, STEPHEN R. DONALDSON, The Black Company, the broken empire, thomas covenant, Top 5 Wednesday, Tyrant and Kings | 2 Comments

INDIE WEDNESDAY: LEGENDS OF WINDEMERE

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Along my reading journey, I’ve made a conscious decision to not only read the books on the shelves at my local Barnes & Nobles store, or online at Amazon, but to also try self-published, or indie, works as often as I can.

Now, I know several of you are snickering in the background or rolling your eyes at my idiot crusade to bring a few good indie works to light. And, believe me, I understand why you’d do that. Several years into this, I have to admit that I’ve probably stopped reading more indie stories than I’ve finished, but if I don’t share those triumphs and failure, then no one else will know whether these self-published stories are worth investing their time into or not.

And one of my favorite indie authors (Charles E. Yallowitz)is releasing the newest installment of his Legends of Windemere fantasy series. So take a look at it!

Now Available on Amazon for Pre-Order!
Coming to your Kindle on June 1st!

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Timoran Wrath has a shameful secret that is about to see the light of day.

The noble barbarian has always been a constant source of strength and wisdom for his beloved friends. His loyalty has been unwavering and they know that he would never hesitate to lay down his life for them. Even in their darkest hour, the champions know that Timoran will come through and fight to the bitter end. Now they must return the favor as he reunites with his tribe and willingly faces the executioner’s blade.

Is it possible that the honorable Timoran was nothing more than an illusion?

Don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads ‘To Read’ List too!

Excerpt: The Snow Tiger

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“The snow is too bright and level for me to see anything clearly,” the barbarian growls. The sound of shuffling and mild cursing draws his attention to Nyx who has sunk up to her nose in snow. “What are you doing, fire sprite?”

Nyx shivers while squinting into the distance, her eyes coated in bronze energy. “The reason you can’t see anything might be because you’re too tall. I’m trying to see if there’s anything that breaks the level ground. My eyes are enhanced right now, but I don’t . . . wait a second . . . I think there’s something buried out there. A beast of some kind? It’s a very subtle up and down motion that reminds me of something breathing. It just stopped moving, but I don’t know what that means. I’ll lead the way.”

Not waiting for a response, Nyx pushes through the thick snow and uses wind magic to gradually shift the powder out of her path. She does her best to move quietly and avoid disturbing whatever they are approaching, but the crunch of frozen grass beneath her boots makes the half-elf cringe with every step. A violent sneeze threatens to erupt from her nose, stifled quickly by a silence spell around her nostrils. Rubbing at her cold legs, Nyx is thankful when Timoran puts a vest made of black fur over her. The Ifrit hair warms her body and drives away the looming cold that has been brewing in her chest for the last few minutes. With renewed energy, the channeler walks a little faster and adds a simple heat spell to the wind that is steadily clearing the path.

“Wow. Such a beautiful creature,” she whispers when she steps into a circular clearing that surrounds the dead beast.

The enormous snow tiger’s blue and black fur is thick, the hairs sparkling when touched by direct sunlight. It has long incisors of glistening white that jut out of its mouth due to their size and sharpness. A slender tail lies limp in the exposed grass and still twitches as the muscles continue to lose their tension. Powerful legs and massive paws are splayed on the ground, giving the body the appearance of having peacefully died in its sleep. The gaping wound in the gorgeous snow tiger’s side is the only sign of an attack, the surrounding fur matted with aromatic blood.

Timoran’s rage boils when he spots the three cubs that are mewling and pushing against their dead mother. Judging from their size and faint, black stripes, he assumes they are no older than three months. Rusty manacles are attached to their back legs, the chains running to a stake that has been driven into the muddy earth. Restraining his anger, the barbarian moves within reach of the animals and gently breaks the metal bindings that are bruising their ankles. Scared and confused, the cubs cower against the still warm corpse and hiss whenever one of the adventurers comes close. One of the snow tigers bravely charges at Timoran and bites his boot, proudly returning to the others when the towering figure moves away.

Need to catch Legends of Windemere from the beginning? Then click on the covers below!

You can start for FREE . . .

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Or grab the $4.99 ‘3 in 1’ bundles!

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
3D Conversion by Bestt_graphics

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Also Available:

Cover Art by Jason Pedersen

Interested in a new adventure? Then grab your Kindle & dive back into the world of Windemere! Don’t forget an apple for Fizzle.

About the Author:

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

Posted in Indie Wednesday | Tagged action, action adventure, adventure, amazon, Amazon Kindle, barbarians, battles, blog tour, casters, chaos elves, Charles E Yallowitz, Dariana, Delvin Cunningham, demons, dragons, ebook, elves, epic fantasy, Fantasy, fantasy series, Fizzle, guest post, High fantasy, indie fantasy, Kindle, Kindle Bundles, Kindle Ebook, Legends of Windemere, Luke Callindor, magic, new fantasy release, new release, Nyx, romance, Sari, sorceress, tigers, Timoran Wrath, Trinity, Windemere, wizards, Writing | 4 Comments

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY — THE WAKING FIRE

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to let readers share their excitement for books coming out soon, and the novel I’m eagerly awaiting is . . .

The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Draconis Memoria #1

Publisher: Ace Books (July 5, 2016)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 592 pages

Throughout the vast lands controlled by the Ironship Syndicate, nothing is more prized than the blood of drakes. Harvested from the veins of captive or hunted Reds, Green, Blues and Blacks, it can be distilled into elixirs that give fearsome powers to the rare men and women who have the ability harness them—known as the blood-blessed.

But not many know the truth: that the lines of drakes are weakening. If they fail, war with the neighboring Corvantine Empire will follow swiftly. The Syndicate’s last hope resides in whispers of the existence of another breed of drake, far more powerful than the rest, and the few who have been chosen by fate to seek it.

Claydon Torcreek is a petty thief and an unregistered blood-blessed, who finds himself pressed into service by the protectorate and sent to wild, uncharted territories in search of a creature he believes is little more than legend. Lizanne Lethridge is a formidable spy and assassin, facing gravest danger on an espionage mission deep into the heart of enemy territory. And Corrick Hilemore is the second lieutenant of an ironship, whose pursuit of ruthless brigands leads him to a far greater threat at the edge of the world.

As lives and empires clash and intertwine, as the unknown and the known collide, all three must fight to turn the tide of a coming war, or drown in its wake.

PURCHASE THE BOOK AT AMAZON

Posted in Waiting on Wednesday | Tagged ANTHONY RYAN, dragons, epic fantasy, The Draconis Memoria, The Waking Fire, Waiting on Wednesday | 2 Comments

TOP TEN TUESDAY

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Bookwraiths

Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! This is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where a new top ten list hits the web every week!

This week our topic is …

Ten Books I Feel Differently About After Time Has Passed

10. Half a King by Joe Abercrombie (More Positive)

When this YA fantasy was released several years ago, I have to admit I wasn’t terribly impressed. (Read my review) I even went so far as to label it a “grimwhine” because of the author’s attempt to mix young adult themes with grimdark. Not that I hated the book. I didn’t. It was just okay. But after finishing off the trilogy, I now view it as the best of the three, as its failings are miniscule compared to my problems with the other two books.

Purchase Half a King (Shattered Sea Book 1) at Amazon.

9. The Gilded Chain by Dave Duncan (More Negative)

After years of telling myself I’d get around to trying this series, I finally did, and while it took me a little while to get into the book, I especially enjoyed the ending. (Read my review) So much so, my feet took me straight to my local used bookstore to buy the next installment of the series. Now, though, I can’t find the desire to read it: all the boring sections of The Gilded Chain foremost in my mind. Not ready to write it off yet, but it is going down the list rapidly.

Purchase Gilded Chain: A Tale Of The King’s Blades at Amazon.

8. Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt Jr. (Indifference)

This is the only book I’ve read by Mr. Modesitt as well as the only Saga of Recluce novel which I have tried. At the time I finished it, my feelings for it was fairly positive: not the best book I ever read but a decent enough opening story in a series. As more and more time has passed though, I can’t say I’ve ever felt any need to return to the world. And that is how I still feel — complete indifference.

Purchase The Magic of Recluce at Amazon.

7. Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (More Positive)

After falling in love with The Gunslinger, I was dying to pick up this book, but the different tone and story direction impacted my enjoyment in a negative way. As I slowly made my way through the entire series however, I came to appreciate this one more. Not sure if that is due to my disillusionment with the last two books of the series or my realization of how good The Drawing of the Three really was, but either way this one is trending upward.

Purchase The Drawing of the Three at Amazon.

6. Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly (More Negative)

This book (and the Sun Wolf and Starhawk series it spawned) probably fall into that category where teenage favorites go, because when I first read this one decades ago I adored it and loved the whole series, but when I attempted to reread it a few years ago, I could not force myself through it. Is it that bad? No. But it just isn’t for me anymore, which is kind of sad in that “OH GOD, I’M GETTING OLD!” sort of way that I’d prefer not to talk about.

Purchase The Ladies of Mandrigyn at Amazon.

5. King’s Dragon by Kate Elliott (Indifference)

When I first picked this up upon release many years ago, I fell totally in love with the complex world and the intricate story line Ms. Elliott was weaving. My reading calendar thereafter containing specific details on when the next installment of the series was expected to hit my local bookstore, but then, after four books, I lost interest. Can’t recall exactly what caused my breakup with Crown of Stars, but one day I put it down never to return (at least, up to this point). My indifference to the conclusion still remaining to this day.

Purchase King’s Dragon: Crown of Stars #1 at Amazon.

4. Dragon Hunters by Marc Turner (More Positive)

When the Heavens Fall was one of my favorite books in 2015, so when I picked up the second installment of The Chronicle of the Exile, I was expecting to have a little sophomore letdown. When Mr. Turner introduced a whole new cast of characters in the novel though, I was a bit disappointed. But then I was given the opportunity to beta read Red Tide, where Mr. Turner begins integrating the cast of books one and two together, and suddenly the brilliance of Dragon Hunters became apparent, which is why it is trending higher on my charts.

Purchase Dragon Hunters: The Chronicle of the Exile, Book Two at Amazon.

3. Jhereg by Steven Brust (More Negative)

Another teenage favorite which has slowly eroded until it is a book I cannot reread anymore. Back in the day, its straightforward gangster style story was new, innovative, and terribly cool, but now it pales in comparison with more modern fantasy novels. For that reason, this (and the whole Vlad Taltos series) has been relegated to the “I USE TO LOVE THIS BOOK” shelf.

Purchase The Book of Jhereg at Amazon.

2. Book of Swords by Fred Saberhagen (Indifference)

As I’ve mentioned many times on this blog and to my reading friends, I have always wanted to like this series for whatever reason. The sword and sorcery flavor with gods, magic swords, and a post-apocalyptic setting seem tailor made for my tastes, but every time I have tried this series (I’ve picked it up four or more times over the years.) it does not work for me. The why isn’t obvious even to me, but I always put the book down feeling fairly meh about what I’ve read, which generally leads me to not pick it up again. Strange but true, folks.

Purchase The Complete Book of Swords at Amazon.

1. The Black Company by Glen Cook (Love It More)

We all have books which seem to get better with age; different themes within it appealing to us at one age then another appealing to us at a later age. Well, The Black Company series is that book/series for me. My rereads of it ever few years always leaving me as enraptured with its brilliance as when I was a teenager experiencing it for the very first time.

Purchase The Black Company at Amazon.

Posted in Top Ten Tuesday | Tagged adventure, Barbara Hambly, Brust, Crown of Stars, Dark Tower, Dragon Hunters, dragons, Epic, Fantasy, Fred Saberhagen, Glen Cook, Half a King, Jhereg, Joe Abercrombie, Kate Elliott, magic, Marc Turner, modesitt, recluce, Stephen King, sword and sorcery, The Black Company, Top Ten Tuesday | 4 Comments

FUN DAY MONDAY, OR THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELP ME SURVIVE THE WEEK AHEAD (MAY 23, 2016)

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Bookwraiths

funday-monday

The work week begins. I quickly slip into my business suit and head back into the office to save a few innocent people. But while I try to fool myself into being excited about the grind, deep down, I’m not, so I’m going to escape dreary reality by reading some great books.

Behind as usual (Real life — especially work — has been brutal lately.) but I keep on trying to find time to read all these great books.

The Godless by Ben Peek

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Children Trilogy #1

Publisher: Tor Books (August 14, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 413 pages

The Gods have fallen but their powers live on . . .

Fifteen thousand years after the War of the Gods and their corpses now lie scattered across the world, slowly dying as men and women awake with strange powers that are derived from their bodies. While some see these powers as a gift – most call them a curse.

When Ayae – a young cartographer’s apprentice in the city of Mireea – is trapped in a burning building, she is terrified as a dormant power comes to life within her. The flames destroy everything around her but she remains unscathed – fire cannot touch her. This curse makes her a target for the army marching on her home – an army determined to reclaim the body of the god Ger, who lies dying beneath the city, and harness his power for themselves.

Zaifyr, a man adorned in ancient charms, also arrives in Mireea. His arrival draws the attention of two of the ‘children of the gods’, Fo and Bau, powerful, centuries-old beings who consider themselves immortal. All three will offer different visions for Ayae’s powers – and whatever choice she makes will result in new enemies.

Meanwhile, as the army approaches ever closer to Mireea, the saboteur Bueralan and Dark, his mercenary group, look to infiltrate and learn its weaknesses. Alone in a humid, dangerous land, they find themselves witness to rites so appalling they realize it would take the Gods themselves to halt the enemy’s attack – and even they may not be enough.