January turn up to be a good reading month. Yes, OK, some of the books I completed I started them in December but still. I think I read around 3 books. So Let’s try for the same amount in February too!
The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold
Synopsis
A former soldier turned PI tries to help the fantasy creatures whose lives he ruined in a world that’s lost its magic in a compelling debut fantasy by Black Sails actor Luke Arnold.
Welcome to Sunder City. The magic is gone but the monsters remain.
I’m Fetch Phillips, just like it says on the window. There are a few things you should know before you hire me:
1. Sobriety costs extra.
2. My services are confidential.
3. I don’t work for humans.
It’s nothing personal–I’m human myself. But after what happened, to the magic, it’s not the humans who need my help.
Walk the streets of Sunder City and meet Fetch, his magical clients, and a darkly imagined world perfect for readers of Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher.
Goodreads link: The Last Smile in Sunder
The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
Synopsis
The Omehi people have been fighting an unwinnable fight for almost two hundred years. Their society has been built around war and only war. The lucky ones are born gifted. One in every two thousand women has the power to call down dragons. One in every hundred men is able to magically transform himself into a bigger, stronger, faster killing machine.
Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He’s going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn’t get the chance. Those closest to him are brutally murdered, and his grief swiftly turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to an unthinkable path. He’ll become the greatest swordsman to ever live, a man willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill the three who betrayed him.
Goodreads link: The Rage of Dragons
It was torn between a couple of books that I have on my TBR and I decided on the one below. However, I might change my mind later…
Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan
Synopsis
The Age of Kings is dead . . . and I have killed it.
It’s a bloody business overthrowing a king…
Field Marshal Tamas’ coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to scramble for money and power by Tamas’s supposed allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces.
Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.
But when gods are involved…
Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should…
In a rich, distinctive world that mixes magic with technology, who could stand against mages that control gunpowder and bullets?
Goodreads link: Promise of Blood
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (Re-Read)
Synopsis:
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.
In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.
Goodreads link: The Fellowship of the Ring
This is my TBR for the month of January. If I managed to get back on track I might start on another book, either an ARC from Netgalley or a book from an indie/self-published author. We’ll see how it goes.
What about you? What do you plan to read in January? Let me know in the comments!
I’m really interested in the last smile in sunder but I’ve got a whole host of books planned for February. Tome Topple is also this month so my reading tends to be focussed on the big books.
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Oh good luck with Tome Topple! I would love to take part in Tome Topple but one big book usually takes me a whole month to get through so… I’m really enjoying the last smile in Sunder. I’m hoping to finish by tomorrow and post a review on Tuesday. If you get the time to read it (maybe after February 😉) I would love to hear your opinion!
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Brian McClellan’s series is an amazing read: I had some problems with the first book (started it twice), but once I got into the story and started to care about the characters, it became one of my favorites. And the series keeps improving! Happy reading 🙂
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Sweet! Happy to hear that you enjoyed the series. I’ll keep that in mind and keep pushing if I struggle at the beginning 😊. Thank you for leaving a comment I really appreciate!
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Definitely want to read some Brian McClellan this year, I’ve heard good things!
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I’ve heard very good things too 😊 Let me know what you thought of it when you get to read one of his books!
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