Wow, I’ve read some great fantasy lately, and I want to share my thoughts with you. The first two reviews are of recently released novels (there may be spoilers ahead, but I’m trying to avoid them):
A Whisper in the Walls by Scott Reintgen
Waxways #2; Fantasy
Ren Monroe’s ultimate goal is to avenge her father’s murder. Now that she’s in a telepathic bond with the murderer’s son, Theo Brood, that should be easy, right? Of course not. She needs to recruit someone else. Someone who also has been wronged by Theo’s family. That someone is the Tin’Vori siblings. They have special skills that can help Ren bring down the Brood family.
Ren has turned up the temperature in this second book of the Waxways series.
The story expands from the dangerous forest outside of the city of Kathor, where Ren and Theo fought for their lives in the first book of the Waxway series, A Door in the Dark. There’s the city where the Tin’Vori family is hiding. There’s the bitter cold of the outer regions, where Theo ends up. And there’s the inner walls of the Brood family mansion itself, where Ren now finds herself a member of said clan. But they look down on her for being from the wrong side of the tracks. Awkward.
Reintgen expands the story with multiple points of view. Whereas A Door in the Dark is told from Ren’s point of view, we are now treated to scenes as told not only by Ren, but from other characters. Looking forward to see what happens next in this world Reintgen has created.
If you like a heist, a fantasy and a revenge tale, you may get all three in A Whisper in the Walls. You’ll just have to read it to find out how the heist goes.
The Tainted Cup by Robert Bennett Jackson
Shadow of the Leviathan #1, fantasy, murder mystery
The unlikely duo of Dinios Kol, an “engraver” who can memorize large amounts of information, and his new superior, Ana Dolabra, a cantankerous woman twice his age who says absolutely what’s on her mind. Kol investigates the scene of horrific death and finds the whole empire is at stake.
Both hilarious and horrifying, The Tainted Cup is a perfect blend of murder mystery and fantasy. I loved Bennett’s Divine Cities trilogy and found this new series just as good but very different in tone. Ana Dolabra’s lack of filter when she bosses poor Kol around made me laugh out loud.
Bennett’s latest is a mix of murder mystery and fantasy. He perfectly layers in the world building while keeping the murder mystery believable. That’s not an easy feat.
While I loved Bennett’s Divine Cities trilogy (especially City of Staries), The Tainted Cup is right up there for me. And if you listen to audiobooks, I recommend that format for this novel. Narrator Andrew Fallaize does an excellent job. I could tell which character was speaking at all times.
Dare I say I like The Tainted Cup even more than Bennett’s City of Stairs? I just might.
The Emperor’s Mask by Ben S. Dobson
Magebreakers #2, fantasy, murder mystery
This is the 2nd book in the Magebreakers series. I’m beginning to really like these characters: Tane Carver, a non-magical guy fighting crime in a magical world; Kadka, his half-orc associate who finds herself facing prejudice in their city.
This series is one of those hidden gems in fantasy. I wish more people knew about Dobson’s Magebreakers. He does a great job with the worldbuilding, plot development, and character arcs.
I enjoyed this one even more than the first one and looking forward to reading the rest.
Photo by Pedro Dias: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-with-blue-skin-and-flowers-on-her-face-23885808/
Andrew M. Friday 
Leave a comment