The Black Count

Normally I'd reserve this place for strictly science fiction and fantasy books.  However, I've come across a book that reads like a Three Musketeers novel, and for good reason.  The Black Count is a historically researched novel following Alexandre Dumas's father, Alex Dumas.  It may not be fantasy, but its got many of the elements that make a good fantasy book great.

Not one to read history books, I was only drawn to this book by its content.  I'm a huge fan of Alexandre Dumas's works, holding The Count of Monte Cristo as one of my favorite books of all time.  I was worried about the way this book would read, but that worry was put aside as soon as I started to read The Black Count.  It's written in such a way that the reader doesn't get bored, and it reads as if its a fantasy adventure.

This book is an incredible read, and it's one I will be talking about for a while.

You can find The Black Count at B&N or Amazon

Sword in the Storm

While I am anxiously working my way through a book right now, I wanted to take a few minutes and review a book that introduced me to an author whose books drew me back into reading as a hobby. That author is David Gemmell, and this particular book is Sword in The Storm.

As the first of four books in The Rigante series, Sword in The Storm for me defines Epic Fantasy. From the first pages, you get a great sense of the world these characters live in.  While it seems to draw heavily from ancient Scotland, you are immediately aware that this is also a world where magic exists.

Every character in this book has more depth to them than some people I know in the real world. Very rarely have I actually found myself caring about what happened to fictional characters as much I did with this book– and the rest of Gemmell's works. 

When you get down to the bare bones of the plot, it comes down to a classic battle between good and evil.  What really makes it worth the read though, is all the bits that make up this story–from background characters, subplots, unique religious perspectives, etc.  Gemmell is great at making heroes seem like real people; they aren't perfect; sometimes the good guys in these books have committed horrors that would make them seem like villains– Redemption seems to be a recurring theme Gemmell  thrived on. 

I was sad to learn that David Gemmell passed right before I had the pleasure of learning of his works. Thankfully he had gifted a number of great books upon the world prior to leaving it. 

I hope this has piqued your interest in this amazing author, and that you to will soon join me in recommending his works. 

You can purchase his books through almost every retailer, though this is a particular series that I think is best savored in a physical copy.

You can find Sword in the Storm at B&N or Amazon

And check out this site to see an entire list of the books that David Gemmel has written.

The Emperor's Blades

On one of many excursions into the Fantasy selections that my Nook has available for me I happened to stumble across this title, I had never heard of it or the author. I noticed that the version that I had found was the first seven chapters at no charge. The description sounded good, so how could I resist? I managed to power through those chapters in one night and quickly purchased the full version. 

The story involves the fate of three siblings who are drawn into the lives that destiny seems to have laid out before them. As the children of the Emperor, they all have a part to play in solving the mystery of his assassination. I do not want to go into too much of the plot, but I will say this book never slowed down. I was eagerly turning pages (sliding my finger on the Nook) to see what was going to happen next. 

I know the sequel to this novel has already hit the shelves, and as soon as I finish what I am currently reading, I have every intention of picking it up; I am confident it will occupy all my free time until I am able to finish it. 

The Emperor's Blades is available through Barnes & Noble and Amazon 

Brian Staveley can also be followed on Twitter

Top Ten

There are so many types of fantasy and science fiction out there now.  There are books with dragons, magic or urban fantasy.  Over the years, these genres have blossomed and thrived.  There are so many big names out there; it’s hard sometimes for the little guy to make a name.  That doesn’t mean that we don’t try.

My hopes in this are to try and celebrate those independent authors, people that the publisher’s haven’t yet picked up on.  That doesn't mean that I don’t read all the big names out there.  In fact, this first post is going to be celebrating my top ten list; ten books/ series that I have read, or am still reading that have stood out from the crowd and made me proud to read this genre.

That being said, I would love to feature some smaller known books, words that may have slipped through the cracks, people that are trying to self-publish.  If you have a book that you need reviewed or need to be seen, send it my way.  You can submit a copy to me (in PDF preferably) at dlbakerauthor@gmail.com.

Without any more rambling, here is my top-ten list of science fiction and fantasy books that I have read and I strongly encourage you to do the same:

#10: The Breaker’s Series

The Breaker series is an interesting take on aliens.  I’m not the biggest alien fan; most the time I’m lost in all the technical jargon that I don’t feel like I’ve gotten enough story.  This is not the case with Edward W. Robertson’s Breaker’s series.  This reads more like a survivalist guide in any apocalyptic event, following multiple people as they struggle to survive as the few survivors in a world that has been riddled with an alien-made plague.

#9 The Iron Druid Series

An urban fantasy set in modern times, The Iron Druid series throws the reader behind the lovable (if not sometimes misguided) character Atticus who is the last Druid.  With Irish deities, a hilariously lovable talking Irish wolfhound, and all sorts of random fantastical creatures, this book dances the edge of completely comical to serious.  Kevin Hearne has a way with words--and never seems to use the word “thing” which is highly impressive in the literary world.

#8 Guild Hunter Series

Nalini Singh is more of a romance author which probably brings into question why she’s on this list.  In all honesty, I love how she writes her characters.  With the amount of depth and personality that she gives each individual, it’s hard not to get roped into her story telling.  Set in a world full of vampires, angels and guild-hunters, this urban fantasy setting manages to tell an epic tale while never forgetting about the supporting characters.  There are some of her books that can be read as a standalone but I would recommend with the first book and just let the entire thing unravel.

#7 Sabina Kane series

These books were just addictive.  Magic, witches, vampires and all sorts of creatures that go bump in the night-- The Sabina Kane series is a solid series from beginning to end.  These books are emotional, comical and just plain cruel to some of the characters, but totally worth checking out.  The snarky and mistrusting main character, Sabina, is a delight to read, but is really made a whole person by the characters that she is surrounded by.  Jaye Wells writes a very addictive urban fantasy, with a touch of romance thrown in.

#6 Agent of Hel Series

Jacqueline Carey is one of my favorite author’s, someone who is able to weave complex stories that are very well written.  Her latest series, Agent of Hel, follows one of the most ordinary characters that I've ever seen in an urban fantasy, personality wise.  She is, however, a daughter of an incubus and has the locked potential of destroying the world--all while sporting an awesome tail.  This series deals with all sorts of magical creatures like fairies, werewolves and ghouls, but has a very down to earth feel as the reader gets to follow Daisy solve murder mysteries while dealing with the more simple aspects of life, like who she wants to be with.

#5 Soldier’s Duty:

Jean Johnson, normally an erotic romance author, has managed to write one of the best science fiction series that I’ve ever read.  This was a book that I just glanced at in the bookstore and it was love at first sight.  I had to be pried away so I wouldn’t read it in one sitting.  Ia, a mass precognitive, has to save the universe.  It’s as simple as that, except it isn’t.  Giving up her own hopes and dreams and enlisting in the military, she is forced to follow the only path she sees that will ensure sentient life surviving hundreds of years into the future.  This is a very well written series that provides enough technical lingo to make the reader understand the surroundings, but not too much to where the reader gets bored.  Ia is a very human protagonist that will tug a little at the heartstrings watching her make hard decisions every step of the way.

#4 The Godspeaker Series

It has been far too long since I've reread this series, and yet it still remains one of my all-time favorites.  Karen Miller manages to make sympathetic characters out of villains, protagonists that are brilliantly written, and a world that is based in a fantasy setting but doesn’t go too far.  These books are sprinkled with magic but it’s not so overwhelming that the reader gets bored.  The first book, Empress, shows where it all began, though there are many books in this series.  Although long, these books will have you try to read them in one sitting and by the time you are done with the series you may not realize where you are.

#3  Wayfarer Redemption Series

Sara Douglass was one of the greatest fantasy writer’s in my opinion.   Her stories were cohesive and complex, held magic and political intrigue, but they weren't too heavy on the fantasy or otherworldly creatures.   She had the perfect blend of all fantasy components in her books.  Over the years, I've recommended the Wayfarer Redemption series to many people, even some who didn't really like fantasy and this series has won them all over.  This is also one of the few epic fantasies that I have read that has a solid set of strong female protagonists.  I can’t recommend these books enough and can’t say enough good things about them.  I’m sad that there won’t be more books within the series, but I am quite happy that there is a solid ending that doesn't leave me questioning what happened years later.

#2 The Age of X Series

Richelle Mead is an author who is getting a lot of hype currently.  She has the Vampire academy series out and had a movie made based on the books, is finishing up the second series in the same universe, and also has a great series about a succubus out.  One of her series that I haven’t heard nearly enough about is The Age of X series.  Set in a futuristic world where religion has been severely squashed and set into little boundaries, one woman gets thrust into a game that the gods are playing.  Both books that are currently out are fast paced and intense, has awesome characters, and comic relief thrown in to offer some levity to the seriousness of the books.

#1 Kushiel’s Legacy Series

I mentioned that Jacqueline Carey is one of my favorite authors, right?  Well if it wasn’t obvious, it should be now as she’s making it on this list twice.  A series with a very different setting, the Kushiel’s Legacy series practically demands its own genre.  The main character, Phedre, is a woman who is cursed (blessed?) with a mote on her eye and derives pleasure from pain.  The world is incredibly complex, falls under the category of an epic fantasy, and holds a little bit for everyone.  It’s hard to summarize this series, or even one book in a single paragraph.  Suffice it to say, this masochistic character is thrust into a world of courtesans, spies, and political intrigue and is the only one, aside from her priestly companion, who can save the throne and their way of living. 

Did I miss anything?  Sure I did.  There are so many books out there that demand to be on this list.  I’ve even read a good deal of them.  Depending on the responses I get from this list, there may be more in the future, or I may keep it simple and do a single post at a time.  Let me know what you think!