I'm not sure what it was about this book, except that it's well-written and flows smoothly, with all the character development and tropes that I really enjoy. The Will of the Many is an academy story done well, but there is plenty of action and story outside the academy setting if that's not your usual cup of tea. The protagonist is easy to root for, not perfect, but not so flawed he's unlikeable, and the friendships and relationships he builds as the story progresses are my favourite part. Admittedly, the ending sent the series in a direction of a trope I really don't enjoy, so I'm not sure how I'll go with subsequent books, but I will absolutely be picking up book 2 as soon as it comes out.
At the elite Catenan Academy, where students are prepared as the future leaders of the Hierarchy empire, the curriculum reveals a layered set of mysteries which turn murderous in this new fantasy by bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.
Vis, the adopted son of Magnus Quintus Ulcisor, a prominent senator within the Hierarchy, is trained to enter the famed Catenan Academy to help Ulciscor learn what the hidden agenda is of the remote island academy. Secretly, he also wants Vis to discover what happed to his brother who died at the academy. He's sure the current Principalis of…
I recently read an interview with Samantha Shannon where she talked about re-visiting this series and re-publishing an updated version. It intrigued me enough to pick up the series again, as I had tried it years ago and found it a bit too grim for my liking. This time around I REALLY enjoyed it. I'm not sure if it's because of Shannon's changes, or just because I was in the right book mood for it this time, but I loved it. As I write this, I'm just starting the third book in the series, and still loving the story. Paige Mahoney is a fantastic protagonist. I can't quite put my finger on why I like her so much, apart from saying while Shannon writes to tropes, she doesn't lean into them to a degree that it makes a character annoying. And the side cast is great too. If you like dystopian fantasy and haven't read this series yet, I can highly recommend it).
The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people's minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.
It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford - a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious…
This was a delightful read, a bit along the lines of House in the Cerulean Sea or Legends and Lattes but different in its own way. When a fallen angel is tasked to tempt a woman who refuses to be tempted, hijinx ensue! Not only hijinx, there's lots of chocolate and chocolate baked goods, plus a heart warming story about family and redemption and working out what's really important in life. It's also quite a short read, clocking in at only 286 pages, so a perfect book for a rainy afternoon.
A “charming tale of little temptations” (Jacquelyn Benson), this feel-good comedy by fantasy author Olivia Atwater mixes angels, demons, romance, and chocolate into a perfectly petty and wickedly entertaining novel.
A little bit of sin is good for the soul.
Gadriel, the fallen angel of petty temptations, has a bit of a gambling debt. Fortunately, her angelic bookie is happy to let her pay off her debts by doing what she does best: All Gadriel has to do is tempt miserably sinless mortal Holly Harker to do a few nice things for herself.
A corrupt kingdom. A rising darkness. Can a broken warrior save a world?
Mithranar is a country divided by ignorance and magic. Oppressed by their winged folk rulers, humans struggle to eke out an existence. Their only help comes from the mysterious Shadowhawk, a criminal who has evaded all attempts at capture. Meanwhile, something else … something violent … stalks the streets, and it has ambitions that could bring Mithranar to its knees.
The arrival of a foreign warrior will change everything.
Descended from the ruling house of the kingdom of the Twin Thrones, Talyn Dynan is a born warrior. But after a combat mission goes tragically wrong, she is left broken and wracked with guilt, her confidence in tatters. A dangerous mission to the allied country of Mithranar is her final chance to prove she can still be an elite warrior.
And it could change the world.
Or end in her death.
A Tale of Stars and Shadow is the first book in an adult epic fantasy series for readers who love: political intrigue, found family, a hint of magic, and a strong female lead.
