The Lazarus Gambit: Book 1 of the Lazarus Cycle by Jon_Compton My rating: 4 of 5 stars A Different Approach Jon Compton has taken a different approach in this slow-burn, conflict-driven story. Much of the narrative is epistolary: reports, summaries, transcripts, that paint a picture of a bureaucratic military beholden to the lessons of the past, facing an enemy that uses their knowledge of this dogma to inflict heavy defeats. Be patient. In between the reports, Jon brings us into the lives of very real characters, facing impossible choices. For good or bad, external forces shake the hierarchy, splintering the power structures, hobbling and retarding the military’s strength just when it needs to present a cohesive whole. And as an added bonus, Jon writes a fabulous space battle that would do credit to E.E. Doc Smith. https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/39915868-craig-miller View all my reviews
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A gifted young master of ceramics never expected his hands—trained to manipulate clay—to be called upon to wield sorcery. But when Ross Cambridge is thrust into contact with the Quathiels, the elemental beings who choreograph events, he is given an impossible choice: learn their sorcerous arts or lose the woman he loves. For centuries, the Quathiels and human sorcerers have warred for control of the fertile north. After the Blessed Plague shattered the old empire, surviving sorcerers were isolated in the frozen south—desperate to reclaim the land and status they had lost. Ross lived far from the borderlands, but a sorcerer on a quest for a lost artifact destroyed his village, burned its homes, and enslaved many of its people. Among them was Ross’s betrothed—pregnant and now sorcerously Bound. Legend says that only death can free the Bound. Refusing that fate, Ross pursues her captor across the western wilds, working with the Quathiels for the means to remove the spell. But sorcery come...
A young master of ceramics is thrust into contact with the Quathiels, the elemental creatures of this world, and he must learn all he can of the sorcerous arts from them if he is to rescue his betrothed. The conflict between the Quathiels and the humans who came from beyond the Dark had waxed and waned over the centuries. Five hundred years ago The Blessed Plague swept through the human empire freeing the Keldanan Prefecture from the Old Countries, forcing the surviving sorcerers to retreat into the cold southern lands. They strove endlessly to retake the fertile temperate northern lands but the Quathiels pressed forward sweeping up many into their dance. Ross Cambridge lived in a village, far from Keldana's desert border, but his bucolic life was upended when a sorcerer and his company swept through the region, destroying the town's ancient bridge, setting homes ablaze, and taking slaves. Ross's betrothed was one of those taken. It was said that only the mercy of a sharp...
CALLING ALL READERS OF EPIC FANTASY! Talismans is launching in February 2026! Before it hits the shelves, I'm looking for a passionate team of readers to get an exclusive, early look and help spread the word. If you love epic fantasy, quests, the clash of arms as well as ideals, if you love Elizabeth Moon and Roger Zelazny, this book is for you! 📖 About the Book: To free his beloved, Ross must master skills he's been told don't exist. A young, accomplished worker of ceramics, Ross is thrust into the age-old conflict with the sorcerous lords from the cold southern lands. His home has been burned and his betrothed enslaved. It was said that only the mercy of a sharp blade could free a Bound slave. Can Ross do the impossible, or would he have to free her? If Ross learns enough sorcery to save his betrothed, he will be exiled to live with the sorcerous lords in the south. What you get: A FREE e-book copy of Talismans. What I'm looking for in return: An honest review pos...
I just finished reading “Dancing with a Daemon” by Elen Sentier. It’s a fun read. Elen leads us through an exciting, erotic, magical adventure from London’s Sadler’s Wells to the magical Welsh wilds. We follow a talented dancer who confronts a sorcerous abuser so she can free herself and the land under his thrall. Elen paints a detailed narrative that will percolate into your dreams. https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FR1R11HY