THE BITTER CROWN by Justin Lee Anderson. Orbit Books. p/b. £9.99. Reviewed by Elloise Hopkins. Still coming to terms with the shocking truth, Aranok, Allandria and Nirea, among others, must race to save their people from not just the threat of the Blackening nor the demons that came so close… Read More »The Bitter Crown
EMILY WILDE’S MAP OF THE OTHERLANDS by Heather Fawcett. Orbit Books. h/b. £20. Reviewed by Elloise Hopkins. Professor Emily Wilde, always a scholar first, is preoccupied with her latest project – to create a map of the faerie worlds she knows of and record their known entrances and secrets. It… Read More »Emily Wilde
The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma Orbit Books, pb, £9.19 Reviewed by Mikaela Silk A kingdom on the verge of war. A King on the verge of insanity. An assassin on the verge of freedom. A princess on the verge of embracing her power. But the scales could tip either… Read More »The Phoenix King
TRIAL OF THE SUN QUEEN by Nisha J. Tull. Orbit Books. p/b. £9.99. Reviewed by Elloise Hopkins. Lor has been imprisoned in Nostraza for 12 years and, after all that time, still has no idea why the Aurora King decided to send her and her siblings there. Her brother, Tristan,… Read More »Trial of the Sun Queen
THE DARKNESS BEFORE THEM by Matthew Ward. Orbit Books. p/b. £10.99. Reviewed by Elloise Hopkins. In the Kingdom of Khalad, Katija Arvish is a talented thief with one aim – to clear the debts left by her father. Debts that plunged her family into ruin. One big job should do… Read More »The Darkness Before
These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs Orbit Books, paperback £9.99 Reviewed by Nadya Mercik “Everything is a test,” says Esek Nightfoot in the book, and that’s what makes this story so brutal and unpredictable but, at the same time, so realistic and truthful. Jun Ironway, a caster and con artist,… Read More »The Burning Stars
The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft Orbit, p/b, £9.99 Review by Tori Borne ‘“The king wishes to be cooked alive,” the royal secretary said(…)’ is the bizarre and curious opening statement of Josiah Bancroft’s 2023 novel The Hexologists, a charming ‘whodunnit’ tale of royal conspiracy, political intrigue and magic. Our protagonists… Read More »The Hexologists
COMBAT CODES by Alexander Darwin COMBAT CODES by Alexander Darwin Orbit Books, pb, £8.31 Reviewed by Christine Downie Combat Codes is the debut novel of Alexander Darwin and is the first of a trilogy, with book 2 coming out at the end of 2023. The set-up for the story tells… Read More »Combat Codes
The Fractured Dark by Megan E. O’Keefe The Fractured Dark by Megan E. O’Keefe Orbit, pb, £9.99 Reviewed by Sarah Deeming Aware of the canus running through their pathway, a primitive lifeforce that takes control of its host, Naira Sharp and Tarquin Mercator are working with the Conservator to discover… Read More »The Fractured Dark
RED RIVER SEVEN by A.J. Ryan RED RIVER SEVEN by A.J. Ryan. Orbit Books. p/b. £9.99. Reviewed by Elloise Hopkins. He awakens to a corpse and to the realisation that he does not know his own name. Nor where he is. Nor why. It is a boat. Not large. His… Read More »Red River Seven