Book Review: Jade War by Fonda Lee

Banner image of cover of Jade War by Fonda Lee superimposed over a zoomed in version of same cover. Text reads "Book Review" and "Off The TBR"

I’ve returned to the world of Fonda Lee’s The Green Bone Saga and let me tell you it was such a good experience! Jade War is just as engrossing as it’s predecessor Jade City, but now on a more global scale. I previously described Jade City as being a “vivid, gritty, gangster fantasy.” Well, Jade War doubles down on that description and throws in some serious character and plot development ensuring it doesn’t fall into that dreaded sophomore slump, but instead stands up and carries the torch for this series as it continues on to the next installment in Jade Legacy.

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Book Review: The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso

Banner image featuring cover of The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso superimposed over zoomed in image of same cover. Text reads "Book Review"  and "Off The TBR."

I’ve finally made it to the end of The Chronicles of The Bitch Queen. It’s been an emotional and intimate journey with Queen Talyien as she penned her story, and it would be an understatement to say I enjoyed it. Tali’s narrative has become a new favorite fantasy series, with a new favorite protagonist, and with K.S. Villoso as a new favorite author. If you’re looking for compelling and complex characters in an epic non-western fantasy setting I recommend you give this series a chance.

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What I’m Reading: The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso

Banner image of cover of The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso superimposed over zoomed in and blurred image of same cover. Text reads "What I'm Reading" and "Off The TBR."

I’d hoped that this “What I’m Reading Post” would be a book review but alas it’s not. I had that hope because this book is scheduled to be released today in the U.S. and the publisher sent me an ARC, and I’ve had it a while, and I usually try to get reviews for ARCs posted before the book comes out if not weeks before it comes out. But I didn’t. Because I’m still reading it. Because I’m behind. Because life.

Anyway, the least I can do is get a What I’m Reading post put together to go live on the day the book releases. That’s something right? So what am I reading? Well…it’s The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso.

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Book Review: The Ikessar Falcon by K.S. Villoso

Banner image featuring cover of The Ikessar Falcon by K.S. Villos superimposed over zoomed in image of same cover. Text reads "Book Review" and "Off The TBR"

Why? Why did I wait so long to read The Ikessar Falcon? Like, seriously why? I mean yeah I’ve got a lot of books on my TBR and this was just one among many. But I could have bumped it up the stack a bit. I should have bumped it up the stack a bit. I loved The Wolf of Oren-Yaro so why didn’t I read the follow-up right away? Why?

Look, here’s the takeaway you need from this review…you don’t even need to read the rest of it if you don’t want to…the one thing I want to get across if nothing else is this…

If you’re not already reading The Chronicles of The Bitch Queen, you should be because this series is just damn fantastic.

There. That’s it. That’s the whole point of anything else I might have to say about this book and this series. If you want a little more keep reading.

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Book Review: Jade City

I’m always nervous to start reading a book that I’m also going to review when that book has already received gobs of praise from other readers. I’m always worried that it will be a letdown for me and I’ll be that one guy who craps on what everybody else loves. Thankfully, in the case of Jade City this isn’t the case.

Jade City is a vivid, gritty, gangster fantasy. I seriously enjoyed this read.

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Book Review: The Sword of Kaigen

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The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang is one of the most unique books I’ve read this year. Any one of the following is reason enough to read it; It’s imaginative and defies expected norms; It has elemental magic and one of the best set piece fight scenes I’ve ever read; It is one of the best non-western/Asian inspired fantasies I’ve come across; It’s very much a character driven book for those who love character driven books; It will hit you in the feels; It won the Fifth Annual Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (#SPFBO).

So take your pick. Of the selling points I just listed what grabs your attention the most? Is it more than one? I’ll try to run through them and give you my thoughts. Here we go… Continue reading