Fantasy 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: Rise of the Sparrows

A cursed omen who dreams of death. A girl who calls fire with a wish. A group of resistance fighters who need the king to die.

Prophecy has brought them together, but will it destroy them too?

Rachael is no stranger to struggle: her parents abandoned her when she was five, she is homeless, and the villagers avoid her because they fear her prophetic dreams. Rachael is okay with that—if they leave her alone, they won’t harm her, and she can look after herself. But then she meets Cephy, and Cephy isn’t used to being away from her mother’s warmth.

When her father beats Cephy again, she burns the house and her family down with her magic. The scared villagers call on the White Guard to take them away and execute them, but neither girl is ready to die. Together, they escape into a world they know nothing about… towards a Mist Woman with dark plans and a resistance plotting regicide.

Rachael wants only to live in peace, but the resistance needs her, and it promises a better tomorrow for all magically gifted. It’s everything Rachael wants and more…
But is she prepared to commit the ultimate crime and claim the throne to get it?

If you like plot twists, kickass heroines, and dark destructive magic, then you’ll love the first instalment in this page-turning epic fantasy trilogy.

Review: Devil’s Night

Bear witness to the ghosts and dark gods of Motor City, revealed by the light of a fiery cityscape. It’s the night before Halloween and Detroit is burning in a celebration of arson and vandalism.

Devil’s Night is a unique collection of interconnected urban horror stories taking you back to October 30th, 1987. Drawing inspiration from Michigan legends such as the Nain Rouge and the Hobo Pig Lady, Lawson weaves a rich and haunting tapestry of terror and tragedy. Inside these chapters, you will find cursed vinyl records, inner-city druids, diabolical priests, and slim slivers of hope. Devil’s Night burns with Curtis M. Lawson’s signature brand of supernatural dread. This is smart psychological horror, ablaze with visceral imagery, with equal measures of heart and heartache.

Review: A Contract In Sol Forne

A contained fantasy adventure featuring djinns, dangerous wishes, political factions, and militias.

A djinn.
A boy.
A terrible contract.

“I wouldn’t have asked for that if I knew I could ask for anything.”

Vaelin is an ancient djinn on a quest to seek the artifact to which she is enslaved. Her centuries-long journey lands her in the southern port city-state of Sol Forne, where she is certain the artifact is held.

There, she meets Dorovan, a disaffected youth from a dissolved noble house. Though their initial connection is cursory, their bond becomes one that may endanger the entire Cycle of Nature.

Review: Crystal King

Gavin Stoutheart’s father, the baron, is missing, along with Gavin’s brother, the heir. Gavin must step up to lead his people as they flee before an invading army. His only hope is that a combination of prohibited animal magic and his knack for strategy will keep them safe as they make their way through a fractured kingdom with an army on their tail.

Review: Dragonfly Wishes

Once upon a time there was a fisherman and his wife…. Scratch that…. Once upon a time there was a fashion designer and a dragon shifter from another world….

Arianna Travers creates clothing that brings joy to others. Haunted by her mother’s disappearance and tormented by her overlording step-uncle, Arianna desires to escape reality, even if it’s only through the tip of her charcoal pencil.

A royal of Ellehcor, Kyan the dragon shifter spies the forlorn beauty through a magical window to another world. To meet her face-to-face, he leaves the sanctuary of his home realm and enters the portal, transforming into a dragonfly.

Things don’t go as planned when Kyan becomes entangled in spider silk. Arianna discovers the little blue dragonfly and rescues him. As a reward, Kyan offers to grant her wishes, but before Arianna can make a wish, the Overlord steals it from her.

As Kyan and Arianna’s relationship blossoms, so does the breadth of the Overlord’s wishes. Kyan strives to save Arianna from her uncle and his devious plans, but what can a dragonfly do?

Review: Army of the Cursed

Everybody knew the Cursed were coming.
Nobody knew how to defeat them.

The Goranians thought they were ready to face demons in battle. But when the foretold War of the Last Day begins, one fact becomes clear: the doom of mankind is just a matter of time. Now its fate rests in the hands of a hapless trio.

A mage’s apprentice who relies on her wits rather than magic.

A princess who seeks the ultimate weapon against demons, but first, she has to survive the turmoil of civil war.

And a warrior whose swordplay could prove more useful against a threat graver than the bandits infesting his village.

Can the three unite and put aside their differences before it is too late? The entire human race is already on the brink of extinction.

ARMY OF THE CURSED is a thrilling read for epic fantasy fans who yearn for their ASOIAF fix. Brace for a tale of magic, betrayals, and fear of the unknown, and lose yourself in the world of Gorania.