Welcome to my stop on the book blitz for A Sea of Perals & Leaves hosted by Storytellers on Tour! You can find the full details of this event here or by clicking on the image above. And stick around to the end of this post for a giveaway! As always, thanks so much to Justine and Timy at Storytellers on Tour for organizing this event and allowing me to take part.
Series: Standalone Author: Rosalyn Briar Published: December 1, 2020 Genre: Dark Fantasy, Romance Age Group: Adult Length: 275 pages
Synopsis
Princess Ingrid of Norella Isle does not want to get married. So, her priestess girlfriend, Lilura, devises a wicked plot to deter suitors with a nearly impossible marriage contract: should Ingrid die first, her husband must be buried at sea beside her.
The plan backfires when all seven suitors agree, and the king announces a competition for Ingrid’s hand. Ingrid must keep her head above water as she deals with the suitors, a jealous girlfriend, and the news of two murdered priestesses.
As the suitors are eliminated, one man stands out: the quirky and anxious Prince Soren who charms both Ingrid and Lilura.
When Lilura goes missing, Ingrid and Soren must piece together who has murdered the priestesses and why before it’s too late.
CW: This novel contains violence, sexual situations, and adult language.
Rosalyn Briar is a former teacher who is married to her high school sweetheart. Together, they have built a beautiful life and have two fearless daughters. Rosalyn is obsessed with gothic fairy tales, scary movies, sun dresses, traveling, and reading books. She is the published author of The Crown of Bones and A Sea of Pearls & Leaves, both of which are fairy tale retellings. Rosalyn is also the host of #NovelBuilding, a daily Twitter question with monthly themes for fellow writers to connect. When Rosalyn isn’t writing or reading, you can find her playing dress up with her two princesses or exploring the woods for wildflowers.
Giveaway
Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of A Sea of Pearls & Leaves! (Us Only.)
Welcome to my stop on the book tour for To Dream and Die As a Taniwha Girl hosted by Storytellers on Tour! You can find the full schedule for this tour here, or by clicking on the image above. Be sure to check out other participants’ posts for more reviews and other content. As always, thanks so much to Justine and Timy at Storytellers on Tour for organizing this book tour and allowing me to take part.
Synopsis
There is a price to pay for becoming a story.
Kaimana has defied the gods and won the freedom to spend the rest of her days travelling the collection of tropical islands she calls home.
But the people of the islands have taken notice of her.
They have started to tell her story; for many children, one of their favourite fireside tales is now that of the Taniwha Girl, the brave woman who befriends monsters.
Some islanders even pray to her.
The gods are displeased, but they are not the only ones paying attention to Kaimana’s rise to fame. On the borders of the island ring, an ancient demon – an old enemy of the Crescent Atoll – spreads its influence, and a spider-faced figure shadows Kaimana’s movements.
To secure her own safety, and that of her island home, Kaimana has to make a choice: turn her back on the people of the Crescent Atoll and continue enjoying the life she has won for herself, or give up all she holds dear to live up to the legend of the Taniwha Girl.
Series: Yarnsworld, #5 (standalone) Author: Benedict Patrick Published: November 15, 2020 Genre: Fantasy, Folklore Age Group: Adult Length: 272 pages
I came to this novel without really knowing what to expect. I was aware that this series is well-loved and reads almost as folklore. I had also been told that although this is book five, it works as a standalone, though I was a bit hesitant to believe this as I’ve encountered a number of books advertised as “standalone” that actually don’t live up to their full potential without context from the rest of the series. But regardless, I decided to give it a try, and I’m so glad I did.
I had absolutely zero issues reading this novel without any knowledge of the rest of the series. There are probably small references I would have caught if I had read the prior books, but they weren’t apparent enough to make me feel like I was missing out on anything. That being said, this novel was good enough that I’m confident the other books in the series will be amazing as well, so there’s really no reason not to start at the beginning if you’re a newcomer to the Yarnsworld like I am.
Taniwha, as referenced in the title, are various monsters within the islands of the Crescent Atoll. Generally, they’re based on a regular animal (dog, whale, etc.) but much bigger and often with extra features. Kaimana is known throughout the islands as the Taniwha Girl, for she is known to befriend monsters, including her best friend and travel companion Rakau. Though all the two of them want is spend their lives relaxing and traveling as they please (and intervening when relations between taniwha and humans get rough), the Taniwha Girl is becoming somewhat of a legend. So much so that some people have started praying to her, which the gods of the Crescent Atoll do not take kindly to. She is also being stalked by a spider-masked figure with unknown but likely nefarious motives.
The world-building in this book is delicious. It’s done gradually, but ends up conveying a rich atmosphere that really does feel like it’s straight from a folktale. (As I understand, it takes some amount of influence from Polynesian mythology, though I’m not sure precisely what/how much is borrowed). In fact, in between every chapter is an in-universe folktale from the Crescent Atolls about their gods and history. These stories and the lessons behind them often relate to the occurrences of the main story.
It’s hard for me to truly explain what I appreciated about this novel without delving into spoilers, so I’m just going to say that the plot is my favorite of any recent read. Typically I’m one to get more attached to characters and world-building then to care all that much about the plot, so long as it’s not glaringly bad. Yet, in this case, while the characters and the world were great, the plot was what made this book truly exceptional to me. Suffice to say, it did not go at all where I was expecting it to.
I highly recommend To Dream and Die as a Taniwha Girl to anyone who is ready for a gritty, emotional, and surprising read that explores themes of freedom, heroism, revenge, and redemption within a vivid world.
Benedict Patrick is from a small town in Northern Ireland called Banbridge, but has been living and working in Scotland since he moved there at the age of eighteen. Tragically, that was quite a while ago.
He has been writing for most of his life, and has been reading for pretty much all of it (with help from mum and dad at the beginning). Benedict’s life changed when a substitute primary school teacher read his class part of The Hobbit and later loaned him the book – he fell in love with the fantasy genre and never looked back.
Welcome to my stop on the book tour for Frozen Rage hosted by Storytellers on Tour! You can find the full schedule for this tour here, or by clicking on the image above. Be sure to check out other participants’ posts for more reviews and other content. And stick around to the end of this post for a giveaway! As always, thanks so much to Justine and Timy at Storytellers on Tour for organizing this book tour and allowing me to take part.
Synopsis
Realm of Dreich is a getaway for the rich and powerful, a medieval-inspired town in the middle of a vast frozen wilderness. Now it’s the site of a wedding, intended to join two feuding families who have spent centuries in an uneasy truce with each other.
When Tommy Carpenter asks his best friend, Nate Garrett, to help him with the security of the wedding, Nate reluctantly agrees, knowing that it will be a long weekend of work and, in all probability, treachery.
It is only a matter of time before members of each family are found murdered and it is up to Nate and Tommy to find the killer before more bodies fall, potentially reigniting a war.
Series: Hellequin Chronicles, #6.5 (standalone) Author: Steve McHugh Published: September 15, 2020 Genre: Urban Fantasy Age Group: Adult Length: 117 pages
I decided to join the tour for Frozen Rage because I always like the idea of an isolated murder mystery (especially in the snowy wilderness), and it seemed like the fantasy elements would make it even more up my alley. Plus, I think reading a standalone novella is often a great way to get an idea of whether you’d like to read more from a particular author without committing to actually starting a series.
With this in mind, I have to say that the book isn’t quite what I expected. It’s not so much a cozy supernatural murder mystery as it is a chaotic and fast-paced book in which people get murdered. Don’t get me wrong, the determination of who committed the (multiple) murders is a primary part of the plot. But it’s not so much that we’re following a list of clues as we are trying to keep up as all hell continued to break loose.
Of course, just because the book didn’t conform to the expectations I extracted from a single line of the synopsis, doesn’t make it bad. On the contrary, once I got settled in, I found the story quite enjoyable. At the same time though, I did feel like there were a few too many characters and outside events squeezed into this little novella for me to understand everyone’s motivations, which made it frustratingly difficult to make a good guess as to the murderer(s).
So far as the other part of my expectations, getting a feeling for the series and author, I think this novella served quite well, and I’ll go ahead and share my findings with you. First of all, this was such an easy book to fly through. Obviously, almost any novella makes for a quick read, but in this case the straightforward prose and constant action also contributed. This seems like the perfect book (and possibly series) to sit down and read when you don’t want to think but rather just be sucked into a fun world. The snarky characters make for a great time, and the wide variety of supernatural beings (werebears, banshees, telepaths, and necromancers) also contributed to the entertainment.
If a chaotic, murdery wedding attended by werewolves, werelions, and a number of other supernatural creatures sounds like a fun time to you, I worry for your sanity. But if it sounds fun to read about, I definitely recommend you give Frozen Rage a try.
Steve’s been writing from an early age, his first completed story was done in an English lesson. Unfortunately, after the teacher read it, he had to have a chat with the head of the year about the violent content and bad language. The follow up ‘One boy and his frog’ was less concerning to his teachers and got him an A.
It wasn’t for another decade that he would start work on a full length novel, the results of which is now available to purchase.
He was born in a small village called Mexborough, South Yorkshire, but now lives with his wife and three young daughters in Southampton.
Giveaway
Enter the giveaway for a chance to a paperback copy of Frozen Rage! (Open internationally.)
Welcome to my stop on the book tour for Divinity’s Twilight: Rebirth hosted by Storytellers on Tour! You can find the full schedule for this tour here, or in the image down below. Be sure to check out other participants’ posts for for reviews and other content. Also, stick around to the end of this post for a giveaway! As always, thanks so much to Justine and Timy at Storytellers on Tour for organizing this book tour and allowing me to take part.
When two blades clash, the third will fall, and the fate of all will be jeopardized. To save Lozaria, the failures of the past must be atoned for by a new generation of heroes. The time has come for mortals to cast off sight and, in doing so, truly come to see . . .
Victory is never absolute.
Seven centuries ago, the forces of order won the Illyriite War on the plains of Har’muth. Darmatus and Rabban Aurelian slew their elder brother, Sarcon, the despotic architect of the conflict, then sacrificed themselves to banish the cataclysmic vortex opened with his dying breath. The first advent of the Oblivion Well was thwarted. Even without their vanished gods, the seven races of Lozaria proved themselves capable of safeguarding their world.
Or so the story goes.
The year is now 697 A.B.H (After the Battle of Har’muth). Though war itself remains much the same, the weapons with which it is waged have evolved. Airships bearing powerful cannons ply the skies, reducing the influence of mages and their spells. Long range communication has brought far flung regions of Lozaria closer than ever before. At the center of this technological revolution are the three Terran states of Darmatia, Rabban, and Sarconia, who have fought a near ceaseless campaign of 700 years in an attempt to best each other. The roots of their enmity lie buried beneath the wasteland of Har’muth, a place all three nations consider best forgotten.
However, an ancient power sealed within Har’muth has not forgotten them, and the descendants of those who fought on that field must now take a stand to rectify the mistakes of the past.
First Thoughts
It’s always my goal when I participate in a book tour to have read the book in its entirety and be able to post a thorough review. Unfortunately, that is not the case this time. Between starting a new job and pursuing some other interests, I simply haven’t been very motivated to read in the past couple of weeks. I probably could have forced myself to devote more time to Rebirth and at least get a few more chapters in, but that would hardly be doing the book or the author justice. Even from what little I have read so far, I can tell this isn’t a novel I’m going to want to rush through.
Even though I can’t provide a full review, I can reflect on what I’ve read so far. First off, the prologue is long, almost a full 50 pages. It’s action-packed and does a great job of pulling us into the world and getting us invested in the characters– only to leave us on a cliffhanger and jump 697 years into the future. It might sound like I’m frustrated by this, but honestly I think it’s a great narrative choice. Instead of slogging through heavy exposition dumps in the first few chapters to get us caught up with the history of the world, we get to experience it ourselves. And though the cliffhanger is somewhat resolved in the next chapter, throughout the rest of the book I’ll continue to be looking out for details about what exactly took place, meaning I have an extra level of engagement.
I’m not one to focus too heavily on prose, but I do think Russell has hit the perfect balance for an epic fantasy. Sentences are long on average (which, as someone who refuses to write short sentences, I approve of) and a number of big descriptive words are thrown around. But at the same time, there’s plenty of clarity and I never felt like we were too hung up on description (again, as someone with a rather poor visual imagination, I appreciate this).
There’s not much more to say except that I’m really looking forward to continuing this book, and, from what I can tell so far, I think it’s a great choice for an epic, war-based fantasy with a large cast of characters. From just the little I’ve read, I’m already interested in the magic system and steampunk-ish technology. You can tell that Russell put a lot of thought into creating this world, which is usually a great sign that it’ll be worthwhile to stick around.
Christopher Russell (native of Williamsburg, VA) is a 27-year-old mechanical and aerospace engineer (graduate of the University of Virginia) who has loved reading since the day he picked up a book and writing since he could scrawl his first letters. After voraciously consuming titles from every genre—ranging from Star Wars to Lord of the Rings—he decided to combine the expertise from his professional education, passions, and Christian faith into a fantasy epic bridging the gap between magic and science. He currently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia, with his loyal dog, Vallen, named after the protagonist of his first work. For behind-the-scenes information on all of Christopher Russell’s works, visit christopherrussellauthor.com.
Giveaway
Join the giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback of Rebirth! As one of the lucky few to already own a physical copy, I feel inclined to let you know that it’s a beautiful book. The cover art looks even more gorgeous in person, and it has a matte finish that is somehow soft to the touch. It’s definitely worth getting your hands on!
Welcome to my stop on The Hollow Gods book tour hosted by Storytellers on Tour! You can find the full schedule for this tour here. Also, stick around to the end of this post for a giveaway! As always, thanks so much to Justine and Timy at Storytellers on Tour for organizing this book tour and allowing me to take part.
Synopsis
Black Hollow is a town with a dark secret.
For centuries, residents have foretold the return of the Dreamwalker—an ominous figure from local folklore said to lure young women into the woods and possess them. Yet the boundary between fact and fable is blurred by a troubling statistic: occasionally, women do go missing. And after they return, they almost always end up dead.
When Kai wakes up next to the lifeless body of a recently missing girl, his memory blank, he struggles to clear his already threadbare conscience.
Miya, a floundering university student, experiences signs that she may be the Dreamwalker’s next victim. Can she trust Kai as their paths collide, or does he herald her demise?
And after losing a young patient, crestfallen oncologist, Mason, embarks on a quest to debunk the town’s superstitions, only to find his sanity tested.
A maelstrom of ancient grudges, forgotten traumas, and deadly secrets loom in the foggy forests of Black Hollow. Can three unlikely heroes put aside their fears and unite to confront a centuries-old evil? Will they uncover the truth behind the fable, or will the cycle repeat?
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Series: The Chaos Cycle Duology, #1 Author: A. J. Vrana Published: July 28, 2020 by The Parliament House Length: 409 pages Genre: Dark Fantasy, Horror Age: New Adult/Adult
The Hollow Gods is a horror mystery set in a small, superstitious town where girls often go missing and, even if they do return, end up dead. It’s told from the perspectives of three characters: Kai, a sort of alpha male who really just has been fending for himself for way too long (and is possibly possessed); Miya, a college student that can’t seem to find her place in the world; and Mason, an oncologist (cancer doctor if you’re stupid like I am) who is haunted by some bad decisions he made in caring for a patient.
Kai might be fairly stereotypical, but I still really enjoyed his character and the sass that he and Miya threw back and forth. (Also, his full name, Kai Donovon, inevitably reminded me of The Vampire Diaries every time it came up.) As for Miya, I found her struggles relatable along with her desire to investigate things but also not end up dead. Mason is the only one of the three main characters who didn’t really work for me. I just never felt for him as much as it seemed I was supposed to and didn’t see his place in the story. Most of the time when I was in his POV, I was eager to get back to either Kai or Miya.
One thing Vrana did very well in this novel is making the people and the small town setting feel authentic, despite the supernatural aspects going on. The great dialogue, including characters’ inner dialogue, definitely contributed to this. It was also refreshing how skeptical some of the characters were. They didn’t accept supernatural explanations any easier than I did (and often actually took more time to come to terms with them than I did because, you know, I was expecting a fantasy story).
The major thing that kept me from liking this novel more was that I didn’t get the payoff I was hoping for. Most of the novel is spent building up the mystery of what exactly is going on and even keeping certain facts that the characters know secret from the reader in order to keep us from guessing too soon. Unfortunately, for me the ending didn’t quite warrant this tension. There wasn’t any great surprise and things were left a little ambiguously, which I don’t always mind but in this case did feel unsatisfying.
Overall, I really enjoyed the experience of reading this novel. The atmosphere and characters were amazing. The focus on local folklore made for a deliciously unsettling mystery and for the most part the supernatural elements were gripping. Unfortunately, the plot fell a little short of what I was hoping for, but that definitely doesn’t seem to be the case for everyone. If an atmospheric, character-based, small town dark fantasy sounds up your alley, don’t hesitate to give this one a try!
A. J. Vrana is a Serbian-Canadian academic and writer from Toronto, Canada. She lives with her two rescue cats, Moonstone and Peanut Butter, who nest in her window-side bookshelf and cast judgmental stares at nearby pigeons. Her doctoral research examines the supernatural in modern Japanese and former-Yugoslavian literature and its relationship to violence. When not toiling away at caffeine-fueled, scholarly pursuits, she enjoys jewelry-making, cupcakes, and concocting dark tales to unleash upon the world.
Giveaway
Enter the giveaway for a chance to win your choice of a poster inspired by The Hollow Gods!
Welcome to my stop on the Shadow of a Dead God book tour hosted by Storytellers on Tour! You can find the full schedule for this tour here. Also, stick around to the end of this post for a giveaway! As always, thanks so much to Justine and Timy at Storytellers on Tour for organizing this book tour and allowing me to take part.
Synopsis
A dead god. A brutal murder. One second-rate mage.
It was only supposed to be one little job – a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he’s been framed for a murder he didn’t commit.
So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he’s guilty?
Mennik has no choice if he is going to get out of this: he will have to throw himself into the corrupt world of the city’s high mages, a world he fled years ago. Faced by supernatural beasts, the mage-killing Ash Guard, and a ruthless, unknown adversary, it’s going to take every trick Mennik can summon just to keep him and his friend alive.
But a new, dark power is rising in Agatos, and all that stands in its way is one damaged mage…
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Published: May 27, 2020 Genre: Fantasy Age Group: Adult Pages: 460
Shadow of a Dead God is high fantasy with an urban fantasy vibe and a mystery plot. Mennik, as a snarky, down-on-his-luck, mage-for-hire, reminds me a bit of Harry Dresden, but in a somewhat more traditional fantasy setting.
The book was a bit slow to start for me, but I liked it more and more the further I got. Towards the beginning, there was a good deal of exposition about the setting that I just wasn’t ready for yet. I think this stems from the fact that the author has done a great job of worldbuilding; he has thought about every aspect of the city of Agatos and how it fits into the surrounding world. I grew to really appreciate the fullness of this setting as I went on reading, but, as someone who has a hard time visualizing maps and such, I would have benefited from it being introduced a little more gradually.
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is the magic system. I love the idea that mages are really just making use of the leftovers of dead gods, and the way Mennik experiences magic through color and geometry was fun and easy to imagine while the fact that each mage might conceptualize magic differently seems realistic. I also loved that Mennik was advertised as a second-rate mage, and that’s exactly what we got. At no point did he discover some sort of hidden ability to help him save the day.
Some other things I appreciate about this book are the relationships and the personal stakes that they invoked. Nik’s friends won’t put up with any shit from him, but at the same time they always have his back. There are consequences to breaking promises and betraying people’s trust. And sure, solving the murder mystery might be beneficial to the whole city, but Nik’s motivation is merely to protect himself and those he loves. No one’s in it for the adventure or appealing to anyone’s sense of honor, which to me makes the story feel genuine.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story with its immersive world and non-stop tension. The mystery was compelling, and the supernatural aspects were entertaining. If this sounds like a great read to you, don’t forget to check out the rest of the stops on this blog tour and enter the giveaway below.
Patrick Samphire started writing when he was fourteen years old and thought it would be a good way of getting out of English lessons. It didn’t work, but he kept on writing anyway.
He has lived in Zambia, Guyana, Austria and England. He has been charged at by a buffalo and, once, when he sat on a camel, he cried. He was only a kid. Don’t make this weird.
Patrick has worked as a teacher, an editor and publisher of physics journals, a marketing minion, and a pen pusher (real job!). Now, when he’s not writing, he designs websites and book covers. He has a PhD in theoretical physics, which means that all the unlikely science in his books is actually true. Well, most of it. Well, some of it. Maybe.
Patrick now lives in Wales, U.K. with his wife, the awesome writer Stephanie Burgis, their two sons, and their cat, Pebbles. Right now, in Wales, it is almost certainly raining.
He has published almost twenty short stories and novellas in magazines and anthologies, including Realms of Fantasy, Interzone, Strange Horizons, and The Year’s Best Fantasy, as well as one fantasy novel for adults, SHADOW OF A DEAD GOD, and two novels for children, SECRETS OF THE DRAGON TOMB and THE EMPEROR OF MARS.
Giveaway
Enter here for a chance to win a physical copy or one of ten ebook copies of Shadow of a Dead God!
Welcome to my stop on the book tour for Spit and Song by Travis M. Riddle. We’re nearing the end of the week now (where does the time go?) so it’s quite likely that you’ve already seen some posts about this book floating around. But now you’ve been graced by my review as well!
Don’t forget to stop by other stops on the tour as well for more opinions and excerpts that might help you make up your mind as to whether you want to add Spit and Song to your TBR.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Title: Spit and Song Series: The Ustlian Tales #2 Author: Travis M. Riddle Published: Nov, 2019 Length: 510 pages
This book tour is actually the first one I ever signed up for, and I was so excited to do so because Spit and Song was already on my TBR at that point due to both it’s beautiful cover and the author’s presence in the r/fantasy subreddit. I had a feeling I would enjoy this novel from what I had heard about it’s focus on adventure and a developing platonic friendship. Thankfully, this is one of those times when my instinct about a book was entirely accurate.
Despite being the second book in a series, Spit and Song easily reads as a standalone. It follows the musician Puk who’s addiction to fire spit gets him kicked out of his traveling troupe and the trader Kali who’s wares have decreased in value due to the introduction of a new product from across the sea. The book starts out a bit slow, setting up these backgrounds and leading the characters to meetup about 20% in. Both wanting to get to Atlua but running low on money, this unlikely pair teams up to undertake a dangerous and somewhat-less-then-legal retrieval job that will (hopefully) be worth it for the large payout.
The world-building in this novel was a delight. We’re gradually introduced to a variety of imaginative races that are physically and culturally distinct but don’t fall into the trap (and pet peeve of mine) of being defined by personality traits. Similarly, each city and town that we come across throughout the novel has a unique feel. Everything in this book is very well thought out, but I never felt overwhelmed by it all. There were occasional lengthy descriptions about a city, species, or magic system, but they were provided when you needed them, rather than all up front. I finished this book with a vast knowledge of the world, and yet I find myself wanting to know more.
Though there is a definite plot that drives this book along, I’d still describe it as primarily character-driven. As I mentioned before, this novel is centered around a developing platonic relationship between two decidedly different individuals who are trying to work together to accomplish something that is very much outside of both of their comfort zones. Both characters have realistic flaws (though one arguably much more so than the other), and trust between them certainly isn’t instantaneous. Though none of the side characters received a great amount of development, they did feel similarly authentic to me.
It’s hard for me to say precisely what is keeping me from giving Spit and Song a 4.5 or 5 star rating, but I’m going to try. I think it comes down to the fact that though I liked the characters and thought they were well-done, I didn’t really develop a connection with either of them. I admire this novel a lot for the creativity and meticulousness that obviously went into it, but in the end it didn’t make me feel, which is something I’m looking for in a truly amazing read. Obviously, this is very subjective. So, despite this critique, I would easily recommend this book to almost any fantasy-lover, particularly those who love to sink into a new world and prefer to do without romance.
Travis M. Riddle lives with his pooch in Austin,TX,where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Writing & Rhetoric at St.Edward’s University. His work has been published in award-winning literary journal the Sorin Oak Review.
Welcome to the dangerous, clandestine world of ESPionage. Welcome to The Strip, where operatives on the fringe command teams of ‘Cards’: Agents cursed with subtle, specialized, and sometimes sloppy psychic powers. Dr Ken Park, Korean-American psychologist and spy, dares to lead six of these Cards. Together, they tackle esoteric threats the Department of Homeland Security cannot.
Park takes his team to Africa to retrieve the Faith Machine. Built by the Soviets to turn prayers into suffering, the psychotronic device fell into the hands of a demented warlord. Tragically, the mission fails and the madman slaughters hundreds of innocents while the machine burns.
They return to the States in disgrace, and into an ambush by the mysterious and brutal Casemen. Cut off from command and each other, the scattered agents rush to their safe house in the west. While spy agencies from around the world want retribution for the catastrophe in Africa. Park’s team outplays enemies left and right, while uncovering the true threat. There’s another Faith Machine, one destined to bring hell on earth.
Welcome to my stop on the tour for The Faith Machine! This is the first book tour I’ve been a part of, so I want to thank the wonderful Storytellers on Tour and the author, Tone Milazzo, for the opportunity.
This is only the first day of a week-long tour for The Faith Machine featuring reviews, excerpts, and photos. You can find the full schedule below and more information as well as links to all of the other participants here.
Review
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Title: The Faith Machine Series: ESPionage #1 Author: Tone Milazzo Published: May 1st, 2020 Length: 392 pages
I choose to read The Faith Machine because I’m a fan of weird fiction and the mixing of genres, and this seemed to be exactly that. It’s a psychic espionage thriller described as something along the lines of “if the X-men were spies” which just sounds like a great time. And for the most part, it delivered on this premise.
In the beginning of this book, we meet the different members of Project Dead Blind, a spy agency. As they show up in the story, we find out about their backgrounds and unique abilities, or cards, through one-page profiles written by the leader of Project Dead Blind, James Ensign. I found this to be a good way for readers to become familiar with the characters without the need for a lot of backstory. Even so, I did find myself having a hard time keeping track of everyone at first just because it was a large cast of characters (7, I believe) that was introduced pretty much all at once.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the cards that the characters possess because they were quirky and fun to see in action. They ranged from being a supposed Amazon warrior to distorting probability to borrowing other people’s skills and were always tied to the character’s personality and often a mental illness, whether that be bipolar disorder, PTSD, addiction, or schizophrenia — almost no one in this book is neurotypical. I’ve been debating with myself whether the representation of all of these mental illnesses was handled well, and honestly I’m not sure. Someone with more knowledge than I have probably needs to weigh in on that.
These cards aren’t so much superpowers as they are something each character has learned to live with, though some have more benefits than others. (In other words, more akin to X-men than Avengers.) Each member of Project Dead Blind is unique and memorable, at times almost exaggeratedly so. Many of them aren’t exactly likeable, and they don’t get along well. A large part of this book feels somewhat like watching a series of impending car wrecks, but in a good way.
Just like the characters, the plot is rather odd, but for me this is where it didn’t work quite as well. In the end, I’m not sure if I would be able to write a cohesive summary of the plot because I don’t feel like I have a good grasp of everything that happened. The non-stop action upheld by very short chapters was entertaining but also a little overwhelming for me at some points.
The gist of the plot is that there are Faith Machines, a sort of religious artifact that, depending on who you ask, have to be either obtained or destroyed. There are a number of groups and governments going after these machines, each with a separate agenda and each a danger to the mission and well-being of Project Dead Blind.
One of the members of the Project is a mystery, even to James Ensign. He has precognition of the future which allows him to frequently pop up out of nowhere to save the day. His motivations differ from everyone else’s because he believes that it’s his job to follow the future that is already decided upon. His character and the implications of his card was one of my favorite aspects of this novel. I was impressed by how well Milazzo was able to retain tension in the story even with a character who supposedly knew everything that was going to happen.
Towards the end of the book is where things seem to go a bit off the rails in a way that I found rather confusing and unsatisfying. This is partially because so much happened in such a short span of time and partially because things got even weirder than they had been so far. As I mentioned, I don’t mind things being weird, but in this case I had a hard time identifying a purpose behind the weirdness, which to me makes it somewhat less gratifying.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and being along for the ride even if it seemed a bit chaotic at times. If you’re someone who enjoys an out-of-the-box narrative, then I recommend you give this entertaining espionage thriller a try. Don’t forget to check out the other stops on this book tour throughout the rest of the week!
Tone Milazzo is the author of Picking Up the Ghost, The Faith Machine, and the ESPionage Role-Playing Game.
Stories have always been Tone’s first love. When the first hunter told another about the one who got away, stories made us human. Stories lead to understanding. Fiction, religion, biographies, gossip, gaming, and history, it all goes into the slow cooker and out come stories.
To those ends Tone’s been around, professionally speaking. Marine, taxi driver, teacher, assistant to scientists, and coder. This breath of experience has given Tone a little knowledge about a lot of things, good and bad.
He lives in San Diego with his wife Melissa Milazzo (author of Time is a Flat Circle) and two dogs, all of whom are more capable than he is.
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