Review – The Infernal Aether – Peter Oxley

16 June, 201716 June, 2017 ~ Zealot Guest Author ~ Leave a comment

by Meera Nair

Oxley, Peter - The Infernal Aether When an act of bravado lands Augustus and Maxwell Potts into a war between two realms, they hadn’t realized how fast their normal lives would spiral out of reach. They begin to be hounded by monstrosities from Hell. Add to that Andras, a seemingly invincible evil incarnate, who is bent on making puppets out of Gus and Maxwell. Excited by the weak nature of humanity, Andras decides to make Earth the new Hell, by opening a portal into the Aether (i.e. the spirit realm). Together with N’yotsu and Kate, the brothers embark on a long journey that takes them all around London and the British countryside, in an attempt to defeat Andras and his posse. Continue reading →

Review — Liefdom: A Tale from Perilisc by Jesse Teller

9 June, 201716 June, 2017 ~ Zealot Guest Author ~ Leave a comment

Princes, fairies, wizards, demons—Liefdom brings you into a world where the lands of men, the fae, and Hell clash in an epic story about love, darkness, violence, and destiny.

The day the prince is born in a scene of blood and pain, the first warrior fairy in centuries is born outside of Liefdom, the fairy capital. Shunned by his city, Gentry Mandrake battles with his inherent love for his homeland and his people and the violent destiny he sees in his future to protect his child, the prince.

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Review — Escape from Eden by Rachel McClellan

3 June, 20174 June, 2017 ~ Zealot Guest Author ~ Leave a comment

Escape From Eden… A sequel to a book that I couldn’t be bothered to look up, due to the disappointment and anger this one caused in me. I hated every second of it, and on multiple occasions I wished to burn the book, but it was on my phone, so you know…

Another drawn-out, chewed-up idea about a strong woman who defies the odds and rises like a phoenix from the ashes of the lives that she destroyed, but somehow managed to convince herself and everyone around that she is not at fault. I’d understand one book, but a three-part series? Come on Rachel, you’re better than this. Continue reading →

Review – The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

16 May, 2017 ~ Zealot Guest Author ~ Leave a comment

by Meera Nair

Thank you Bloomsbury India for sending me a copy of this book for review.

The Song Rising is the third instalment in Samantha Shannon’s dystopian fiction series, The Bone Season. True to its namesake, the novel chronicles the rising of hope, as the Mime Order attempts to evade the growing power of Scion (a corrupt governmental organization that seeks to rid the world of unnaturals). The new threat that the Mime Order faces makes it impossible for clairvoyants to roam freely in London. In addition to facing off the malicious Hildred Vance, Paige Mahoney has lured a hoard of other enemies. Nashira Sargas, the Emim, Terebell Sheratan are all waiting for her to slip up. Even some of the clairvoyants seem to think her unfit to be the Underqueen. With so many people vying for her failure, Paige is thrust into a ceaseless conundrum. Continue reading →

Review – The Time Machine – HG Wells

24 March, 20172 May, 2017 ~ Zealot Guest Author ~ Leave a comment

The book is written as a frame narrative. The story starts with our protagonist, referred to only as The Time Traveller telling a group of friends about his time-travel device and explains the concept to them. In order to prove it works he activates the device, and the guests are asked to come a week later when they see The Traveller walking in all messy and exhausted. There the epic tale of his travels begins.

He travelled to the year 802 701 AD, and there encountered small, humanoid creatures called Eloi. He soon finds out that the creatures are friendly, so he goes roaming around only to discover his time machine missing when he returns. Looking about, he decides that the only place it can be is in the pedestal of the nearby statue. He decides to observe the statue, and during the night he spots another kind of creatures, which he finds out are called Morlocks. Observing them, he deduces that they are nocturnal, and that they live underground. Continue reading →

Review – Defiled Earth – Tom GH Adams

16 March, 20174 April, 2017 ~ Bryce Grant ~ Leave a comment

I was practically drooling when Pete handed me (via email) a book of short horror stories. I am a complete sucker for the things. I remember taking road trips with my family and sneakily reading my brother’s copy of Stephen King’s Skeleton Crew when my mom wasn’t looking (I wasn’t allowed to read scary stories when I was kid because ‘my imagination was too active’ or something). Short horror was my introduction to horror and the love never faded.

Tom GH Adams’s Defiled Earth and Other Tales is a compilation of his short horror stories. A cursed LAGOON, a troubled teen and a lusty monster are just a few of his focal points and each story hits a different area of the horror spectrum. He definitely touches on some interesting subjects. Continue reading →

Review – The Ninth Circle – Lincoln Cole

4 March, 20173 April, 2017 ~ Bryce Grant ~ Leave a comment

Note from Pete: Lincoln Cole has previously been interviewed for Featured Friday! Check out the interview here. After reading Bryce’s review, of course.

This book was super short. That’s not a complaint, just a fact. I read the whole thing in less than about an hour. (I made popcorn while I was reading, so I’m not sure on the exact time it took me to read.)

Lincoln Cole’s The Ninth Circle is the story of a heart broken man, Arthur Vangeest, fighting a cult and finding a new purpose in life.

That’s really all I can say about the plot because it’s so short. In fact, I think I’d consider this more of a short story than a novel.