An imaginative work that weaves fantasy and social commentary into a scathingly funny revenge tale.
In this fantasy, a bitter keyboard warrior must confront some hard truths when he finds himself magically transported into one of the medieval novels that he savaged online.
Milton Smith loves nothing better than to tear people down on the internet—especially authors who specialize in medieval fiction, like Anna DeMarco. After leading a smear campaign that nearly destroyed her first book, Milton is readying his attack on Anna’s new release when he is suddenly transported to a strange realm. Now, Milton finds himself trapped in the world of Anna’s first novel, Love in a Time Faraway. Captured by knights and thrown into a dungeon, Milton discovers sections of the novel mysteriously delivered to him on parchment scrolls. With nothing better to do, he finally finds the time to actually read the book instead of simply judging it—and much to his chagrin, he becomes desperate to know what comes next. As Milton escapes prison and makes an unexpected friend, he slowly works his way toward the queen’s castle and the end of the novel. Will he finally concede that Anna has some real talent? Or will his stubbornness curse him to a lifetime of being trapped in his own hostility? Prater gleefully leans into the stereotype of the overweight, basement-dwelling incel who lives with his mom and only feels powerful by anonymously hurting people. This makes Milton’s eventual emotional reckoning—and realization that he was simply jealous of both Anna and her heroic knight characters—all the more satisfying (if sadly fantastical). The dissonance between modern and medieval dialogue sometimes comes across as hokey, but also adds to the fun. After accusations by Milton of being a gym rat and using steroids, for example, a knight responds: “I feel this statement is derogatory and expect you to explain what this steroid and gym is.” Prater has ultimately crafted an amusing, inventive, and timely foray into the perils of authorship.
An imaginative work that weaves fantasy and social commentary into a scathingly funny revenge tale.Pub Date: April 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798306677422
Page Count: 304
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: April 23, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A compelling and skillfully written end to a thrilling fantasy series.
In the final book of Corland’s dark fantasy trilogy, a ragtag band works together to liberate a colony and dethrone tyrants.
A group of spies, thieves, and murderers, united by a common goal of ending the treacherous rule of King Joon of Yusan, regroup after a bloody battle claims the life of one of their own—the banished Yusanian prince, Euyn. However, there’s little time for Mikail, Aeri, Sora, and Royo to mourn. Bounty hunters and assassins are after them, in part because they now possess three of five legendary Relics of the Dragon Lord. Mikail, who’s just found out that he’s the last surviving member of a royal family, wields the Water Scepter of Wei, while Aeri, King Joon’s daughter, holds the Sands of Tim and the Golden Ring of Khitan. The remaining relics—the Flaming Sword of Gaya and the Immortal Crown—remain with King Joon, who’s desperate to have all five to wield a great deal more power. Meanwhile, the cruel Count Seok, who once indentured Sora, has usurped the throne of Yusan. The group has two goals: overthrow the king and liberate the Yusanian colony of Gaya—Mikail’s homeland—so that it can again be a thriving, independent realm. The relics are powerful tools in combat, but using them is adversely affecting Aeri and Mikail’s health. They need allies, but trusting strangers is a dangerous gamble. Corland’s final book in her Broken Blades trilogy is a relentlessly thrilling and action-packed dark fantasy featuring memorable characters, intense battle scenes, romance, and a satisfying conclusion. Alternately narrated by Aeri, Mikail, Sora, Royo, and their long-lost friend, Tiyung, readers benefit from watching the story unfold through the perspectives of each compelling, well-drawn character. The author’s passion for the fantasy genre shines through in the novel’s richly detailed worldbuilding, including vivid descriptions of landscapes and palace layouts, as well as its exploration of magic. Readers will also delight in the sardonic humor sprinkled throughout, as when Mikahil narrates, “Rune thinks he fathered Seok’s son. Truly, the nobility of Yusan has too much time on their hands.”
A compelling and skillfully written end to a thrilling fantasy series.Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781649379153
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.
On the orders of her mother, a woman goes to dragon-riding school.
Even though her mother is a general in Navarre’s army, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail was raised by her father to follow his path as a scribe. After his death, though, Violet's mother shocks her by forcing her to enter the elite and deadly dragon rider academy at Basgiath War College. Most students die at the War College: during training sessions, at the hands of their classmates, or by the very dragons they hope to one day be paired with. From Day One, Violet is targeted by her classmates, some because they hate her mother, others because they think she’s too physically frail to succeed. She must survive a daily gauntlet of physical challenges and the deadly attacks of classmates, which she does with the help of secret knowledge handed down by her two older siblings, who'd been students there before her. Violet is at the mercy of the plot rather than being in charge of it, hurtling through one obstacle after another. As a result, the story is action-packed and fast-paced, but Violet is a strange mix of pure competence and total passivity, always managing to come out on the winning side. The book is categorized as romantasy, with Violet pulled between the comforting love she feels from her childhood best friend, Dain Aetos, and the incendiary attraction she feels for family enemy Xaden Riorson. However, the way Dain constantly undermines Violet's abilities and his lack of character development make this an unconvincing storyline. The plots and subplots aren’t well-integrated, with the first half purely focused on Violet’s training, followed by a brief detour for romance, and then a final focus on outside threats.
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374042
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
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