epic fantasy

Audiobook Reviews 4.45/5: Crimson Claymore by Craig A Price, Jr.

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Fantasy, Writing , , , , ,

I tried valiantly to get you a picture, but WordPress would have none of that.

 

4.45/5 Stars Great Start to an Epic Fantasy

Summary:

Searon and Starlyn and company go on an epic quest to save Calthoria from all kinds of evil.

Additional Comments:

– I heard the audiobook version, so forgive me if spellings are a tad off. First, let me say this is a great start to an epic fantasy series and I did enjoy listening to it. Want to make that clear in case some of the rest seems nitpicky.

– Characters 4/5 stars – The main characters are pretty well defined and, for the most part, likeable. The wizard is characterized as annoying and he definitely lives up to that. While good characterization, it still irritated me. Searon’s a tad overpowered like a video game character somebody obsessed over for a few decades and just kept leveling up skills. (He’s good with every kind of weapon he lays his hands on, but then again, so are most of the main characters.)

– Character development 4/5 – Searon does develop a little emotionally throughout the story. He at least learns to let go of the main driving force behind his bloodthirsty rage against the drayaks. Not many others change.

– World-building (4/5) – Starlyn’s race is essentially elves. They’re cool. Pretty in tune with nature. I like how she breaks out of that mold. There are a number of different, terrifying races. Their motivations are murky, and they seem to be controlled by humans or dark wizards or something with a big chip on its shoulder.

The difference between mage, wizard, necrowhatevers, witches, and whatnot got tedious, but I think it would click better if I was wider read in this particular genre.

– Plot (4/5) – While action-packed, it doesn’t really seem like there’s much rhyme or reason to much of the quest. Simply put, bad guys are attacking and good guys have to unite to fight them off. Pretty sure that’s the plot of most epic fantasy stories, yet it still works here.

– Fight scenes (5/5) – many and awesome. Perhaps even overdone in the sense that even if there’s not a wider battle going on, there’s usually a sparring match of some sort.

– Confusing: Not sure why the title centers on Searon’s weapon. It’s a cool weapon, but it’s not immediately apparent in the first story why the crimson claymore matters. I’m assuming it’ll have greater meaning later in the series, but the weapon’s importance seems a minor point compared to the war arising between the various races on this world.

Conclusion:

Fun, relatively clean (I mean there are a LOT of fight scenes) epic fantasy story. It’s a series worth checking out. Audiobook version is definitely recommended.

 

 

Associate links to follow…

Amazon Prime

 

Audible – If you’d like some free codes, please email me at [email protected] with requests for any of my works.



4 More Free Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

Julie Gilbert dystopia, Fantasy, Paranormal, Reader Resource, romance, Young Adult , , ,

Starstruck Cover

Introduction:

And we’re back with more fantasy. This time, I’m chucking in the science fiction option too.

YA Paranormal Romance: Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt

Arguably one of the few genres that fit in the “not my thing” category, but they’re popular. Oh, so popular. I do love the cover.

Epic Fantasy: Slumbering by C.S. Johnson

While we’re judging books by their covers … this one looks dark, foreboding, and awesome. Love the angel wings or are they demon wings?

Fantasy not your thing? Try Science Fiction.

Nothing says Scifi like Time travel: Knot in Time by Alan Tucker

This one’s definitely going to have a distinct voice. You get that much from the blurb. Some people love time travel books and some don’t. If you’re in the “do” category, give this a go.

Bonus:

Nyssa Glass and the Crisis Caper by H. L. Burke

Steampunk novelette.

Conclusion:

This collection hits multiple flavors: epic, lighthearted, and romantic. If you’re a reading omnivore, I’d love to hear your thoughts on all three.

(associate links to follow)

Kindle Unlimited

Anybody ever tried this? What do you think of Kindle Unlimited? When I retire in like 60 years, I’m totally signing up.

 

Amazon Prime

Free Kindle Reading App

Audible


Awesome Audiobooks: 4.5/5 Quest of the Dreamwalker by Stacy Bennett

Julie Gilbert Audiobooks, Fantasy, Young Adult , , , ,

Disclaimers: Forgive any spelling issues I heard the audiobook. And I don’t own the rights to the pic. Got it off of audible.com.

Summary:

Cara’s a dreamwalker who’s practically raised by an evil sorcerer bent on gaining immortality. Captain Mason Khourey and Archer are mercenaries who get caught up in a tangled web of danger and intrigue. (Totally was not picturing the name spelled like that.)

Additional Comments:

– The world-building is fun, but a few aspects aren’t really fleshed out. Cara’s abilities aren’t really fully realized. I think that’s probably because this is book 1 of a longer story, but still, we’re told she’s a dreamwalker and then given maybe 2 glimpses of this at at play. Could be because it’s part one of a longer story.

– The characters are great, though I will say Cara kind of got annoying. I ended up liking Falin a lot more than Cara and she came into the book like 8 hrs into the story. There were a few points when she does something massively stupid that made me raise an eyebrow, but I can understand to some extent the necessity in moving the plot forward that way. It’s just not pretty.

– Several plot points fall under “well, that’s convenient” but it’s still a very compelling story.

– The end twist is excellent. But then the book continues, opening up a new aspect to the journey, which really messes with the sense of closure that could have been had.

– Content warnings: at least 2 “adult” content scenes; graphic violence and disturbing images

– The narrator’s performance worked wonders in bringing the story to life. It’s a long story, but he handled it well. The voices are distinct and pleasant to listen to.

Conclusion:

If you’re a fan of the genre, this is definitely a series to snap up.

 

As Always …

If you want the chance to get the audiobook for free, please join Audiobook Readers’ Edge.

If you’re an author (or a narrator) with an audiobook you’d like featured, sign up for Audiobook Authors’ Edge.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Julie C. Gilbert

Audiobook Edge and it’s Matchmaker Program are completely free now, but if you wanna donate anyway, go for it 😉

Er, just do it as a friend b/c otherwise, you’re basically just paying paypal.