Matthew

Going into this read, I knew nothing about the book or the author. When I first got into Book Twitter, I somehow saw the cover of this and instantly purchased it. That cover is beautiful and amazing! Thankfully, what's inside isn't too bad either.

A King's Radiance is truly a fantastic tale. Sure, there are a few common fantasy tropes within it, but this book is really about family at the heart of it. It's successful and it works because I care about the characters within it. Sure, they can be aggravating at times and make decisions that make you want to pull your hair out. But that is something that real people do. No one is perfect, but at the end of the day, this family cares about one another.

The main characters are great, along with the side characters, and really carry this story along. But then, at a certain point, you get a twist. And another twist. And then the twists keep coming making this book even more enjoyable.

If you like classic fantasy, family relationships, twists, and of course, gorgeous covers, then this book is for you!

Back before the wars when I was a pathologist, San Francisco had one physcian for every one thousand people in the city. Neo SF had grown to more than fifteen thousand. There was only one physician for all those people. Doctor Elspeth Darrow.

Wick Welker's newest novel, Saint Elspeth, is an instant sci-fi classic! Twenty years after the arrival of aliens, Dr. Elspeth Darrow does everything she can to help the citizens of Neo SF be cared for. A journey for some medical supplies leads to some shocking discoveries for Dr. Darrow and it's up to her, and her ‘fellowship', to figure out the mysteries that lead to our planet's potential end or salvation.

I can no longer sleep because of the worry, but it's no longer a worry for the present which is already sealed - the story already written. Nor do I worry about my tragic past that the Hila came and stole from me. No, I worry for the world that comes after the relics of pre-war people are finally swept from the earth. I worry that we're on the cusp of reverse human evolution where clinical trials are replaced by witch trials. I fear I am a mere residue on glass - an airbrushed silhouette of a grasping hand reaching for the walls of ancient caves. We had one chance at civilization. I'm uncertain we deserve another.

“What were once were? People are the same now as they were then.”

“Little by little, each human mind adds to the story of knowledge. Someone toils their whole lives trying to figure something out. They figure out maybe a millimeter of the problem, and the next generation takes it from there. Everyone is like one link in the chain of scientific knowledge.”

I'm a little late to Christopher Russell's party but it's better late than never!

I'm not gonna lie. I was so close to having this book be a DNF. The book opens with the longest Prolouge I've ever read. Not only was it lengthy but it was a somewhat difficult read. You are literally thrown into this world in the middle Lozaria's biggest battle. I was having some trouble with it. Then, the main characters aren't introduced until about 200 pages in. But once they are introduced, the book becomes a much more easier and enjoyable read.

Rebirth suffers from maybe having too much to include in the first book of a series. Some info dumps and pacing kind of insist that a good portion of the book be in a prequel novella instead of book one of the series. But really, that's my only complaint.

With that out of the way, Christopher creates a living breathing world with some interesting characters. The book made me think of Brandon Sanderson in a Final Fantasy game. The world-building is phenomenal, the magic system is intriguing, and the characters are either very likable or very dislikable. Also, it's kind of steampunky with battle airships and tanks which aren't in your normal fantasy setting.

There is one scene that absolutely got me very emotional. You'll know it when you come to it. I barely knew the character and I was in tears. It was very Sanderson-esque with its conveying of love and emotion and that's some high praise coming from me because I think Brandon Sanderson is the very best at writing characters and conveying very real human emotions.

I'm not saying Christopher Russell is at Brandon Sanderson's level. Sometimes Christopher gets a little too wordy in giving details but as a young author, he can only get better and improve (and as of this writing, I'm a good deal into Book 2 and it's a much better book in every way).

Overall, I'm very glad I stuck with this book. It's a rough start but the ride becomes a lot smoother and more enjoyable as it goes!

“The sword cares not who it cuts.”

That's the tagline for this book. This book is a sword that will cut you over and over and have you begging for more! Quite simply, this is THE Fantasy Book of the Year! In fact, it's in the Top 10 Fantasy Books of all time and it's one of my favorite books! Oh, and one more thing... A TALKING SWORD!!!

I love fantasy books that are highly fantastic and full of imagination. Author Gareth Hanrahan has to have one of the most creative and imaginative minds. This book has everything you could ever ask for in a fantasy novel. The world building is next level!

Imagine if you will, that the in the Lord of the Rings, there were no Hobbits. But the Fellowship still formed and they were able to win! Then imagine what happens after the book ends. That the stories, poems, and songs all tell of the mighty heroes and their victory and they all lived happily ever after. But what if it wasn't happily ever after? What if life still goes on? This is what this book is.

Alf is such a great character and his companion, the talking sword, Spellbreaker is also a fantastic character. Alf keeps putting Spellbreaker away but I wanted more of this talking sword. Olva, Alf's sister, is the character we can relate to. She's the normal person who gets introduced to the world in all its beauty and horrors. I wondered why she was included in this tale, but it works itself out. She really represents us getting to discover this world.

The prose also deserves a mention. It's kind of written in a classical fantasy-type prose that I really enjoyed. It's not at all difficult but it fit this world perfectly! Also, the cover is amazing. Just look at it! Oh... and there's a dog!

I have a new favorite author and a new favorite book. I can not hype up this book or love it any more than I do! Waiting for book two is a bummer but it will be an instant buy, as will any book this author writes!

L.R. Schulz knocks it out of the part with a grand slam with this continuation of the Bonds of Kin series. Just because The King Radiant is no more doesn't mean our story with the Glaives siblings is over! Peace hasn't been achieved, rumors surface that the Skae are real, the sun might be dying, and who is the mysterious Sun Prince from across the sea?

A King's Radiance was a nice fantasy story but The Sun Prince is better in every way! More epic, more grand, more adventures, more risks, more emotion, more battles, more fantasy, and more creatures! This book doesn't suffer from being the second in a series. It's actually better than the first book. It keeps all the heart and emotion from the previous installment but amps everything up!

We have the same cast of characters, mostly focusing on the Glaives siblings, who all continue to be great. But new characters are introduced and two of them are standouts. First, there is Zeek. What is it and what is its story? It's interesting to see this world from its point of view. And then there is The Sun Prince himself! He's one of my favorite characters, and getting to know him was great. Is he a friend or foe? I won't say but he is a great character.

There was a shock at the end of Part One that really rattled me. I honestly questioned myself if the story could continue to be as good as it was with what happened. Even though it was jarring, I, like the other characters, slowly got over it and continued to move on.

I will make a note that there was one small sex scene. It wasn't very descriptive or lewd but for some reason, it did kind of jar me. I wasn't expecting it. It doesn't take away anything or dampen the story, it just seemed like it was kind of out of place. But that's just me.

This is an example of what all second books should strive to be. Take everything you loved about the first and just add more! Don't miss out on this!