September 2023 Reviews – Baskerville Book Reviews

Review: War of the Nameless

The god of death, called the Nameless by some, has been biding his time for millennia. His scheme to break free of his prison is nearing fruition, and with the aid of the Soulless bound to him, he seeks to regain his former power. The world has scorned him and it must face his wrath.

Emra Castledowns has gathered an army to combat the threat the Soulless pose. Beside her are Vardak, a skilled warrior, renowned amongst his people and the protégé of the god of war, and Ravin, the most powerful wielder of magic the world has ever produced. The wizards have allied with her, the Five Kingdoms have lent soldiers and arms, and even the gods—sworn to remain neutral during mortal conflicts—have begun to choose sides.

In spite of her army’s might, the power the Nameless begins to unleash is daunting. The death god is a threat to the existence of every kingdom, every race and nationality—even the Soulless who serve him are not immune to his thirst for revenge.

Review: Children of the Night

“A page-turning read that leaves readers dazed and breathless…a thoroughly engrossing tale marked with intrigue, mystery, magic and murder.” (The Prairies Book Review)

For fans of the most famous gothic monsters comes a fantastical YA retelling.

Venice, 1865: Sixteen-year-old Ayanda Draculesti doesn’t remember her early life – all she knows is that she was found as a small child, wandering the streets of Venice with an intricate medallion and a mangled left arm. But Ayanda is unique – even though she’s alive, she has the powers of a vampire. She has the strength and speed to battle them, and most importantly, the will. She won’t let another child die.

Ayanda isn’t the only young Unnatural in Venice. Ghostly Yurei is in hiding, fleeing the captors determined to turn him into an assassin. Jette Jekyll and Belle Frankenstein are on the run from alchemists who want them dead and dissected. Their paths and Ayanda’s collide when a brutal enemy surfaces that threatens them all: one of the Greater Dead, a vampire that slithers through Venice murdering everyone she encounters.

Ayanda is determined to stop this Dead creature before she kills again. Yurei, Jette, and Belle aren’t. Why should they risk their lives to save people who see them as monsters? All they’ve ever known is hate and fear. They owe the world nothing.

But Ayanda can’t defeat a Dead creature alone.

Review: The Goblin Queen

This queen was never a princess.

Rejected as a child, Rangalan found family, friends and a home with the goblin folk of the mountains. Now hunted by the man who first rejected her, Rangalan’s father, King Longhorn, there’s nothing Rangalan will not do to protect her friends. That all sounds very serious. It’s not. It’s actually all rather silly, utter nonsense if you ask me. Listen to it if you must, but don’t say I did not warn you.