Susana Imaginário

A solid debut, well written and easy to read with an intricate worldbuilding. Perfect for fans of Malice and Malazan.

Well written and carefully edited, Bloodlines is an entertaining read with lots of adventure, misfortune, intrigue and mystery. Themes of alcohol abuse and the negative psychological effects of war are prevalent and pertinent throughout.
The good: I particularly enjoyed the banter and camaraderie between the characters whenever they had a chance to reminiscence between adventures.
The not so good: There was a bit too much repetition at times, too many reiterations of the same events, and the (pretty much) only female character often came across as a delicate piece of luggage the male characters dragged around with them.
Overall Bloodlines is an compelling read with an interesting mythology and a good plot twist at the end.

As a fan of castles, Ireland and mysteries I thought this should be interesting. The main character, a brooding introvert named Alex, is my favourite kind of narrator who often thinks more than he says, and the story was entertaining enough to keep me turning the page long after it became predictable. The Fall of Castle Carrick is the sort of book I would have loved if not for a few annoying mistakes. Historical inaccuracies aside (this is fiction, after all) it seems the author got Ireland and Northern Ireland confused. I guess it all looks the same from across the pond, but I couldn't help to feel disappointed by that. I think the setting deserved a bit more research and the writing could use some polish as well. It felt rushed and haphazard at times, which is a shame. Overall, it's still well worth the read for the fantasy aspect of it and the thought provoking themes hidden between the lines.

Another interesting read by J Edward Neill. Not one, but four short stories connected to a similar premise. Each story builds on the previous from a different perspective. Well written and engaging throughout, the Hecacomb is a sort of dark fairy tale told in a Lovecraftian style.

Old Man of Tessera 5/5
Let the Bodies 4/5
Skeleton Sculptor 4/5
The Circle Macabre 4/5

The premise, far from new, was brilliantly handled in a refreshing, thought provoking way. My only complaint: it was too short. The story and characters deserved more depth.

There was too much exposition at times and too little detail in others, especially regarding character motivation. A shame for these are interesting characters and there's enough material in this story for a trilogy. I guess that was not the author's intention, and the result is fast-paced, entertaining read that leaves a lot to the imagination.
4.5 stars

Lord of Empathy tells the story of Bren, a mysterious self made man and talented Empath who rules the slums. This position however is not only illegal but precarious under the current state of affairs.
In a world ruled by Empaths, the society's elite, able to manipulate emotions for personal and political gain, Bren's rule will always be under threat, so in order to protect his interests Bren sets in motion a series of events with unexpected consequences.
More than Bren's uncanny ability to manipulate emotions is his intelligence and how he uses his talent on both friends and enemies that makes his character stand out from the usual anti-hero trope.
Around him there's a cast of interesting characters, conflict regarding gender roles, emotional abuse and the inevitable political intrigue to enrich the plot.
All this makes Lord of Empathy an entertaining read with quite the twist at the end.

700 years of alternate history.

William Ward discovers he's the heir to a vast fortune, and all he has to do is fight pure evil to keep it. As any good hero would do, he immediately quits his job and embarks on a journey around the world, determined to unravel the mysteries of his ancestors and claim his inheritance.

Lord of the Wills mixes alternate history with science fiction in a modern world setting. The writing style fits the story, and there's a detailed genealogy tree at the start of the book to guide the reader through the many generations of the different families involved in the plot.

If you enjoy long journeys and don't mind a few historical and geographical inconsistencies, you'll love this book.

God in the Machine is a book that should definitely be judged by its cover. The care the author put into it shows on every page.
The main plot follows two brothers, Elias and Leo, learning to survive in a world that is both dystopian and fantastical. The writing style suits the genre and is very cinematic. I could almost ‘watch' the story as if it was a movie while I read it. The author did an amazing job keeping the plot moving at an engaging pace. The ending was unexpected, and I'm intrigued to see how the story will unfold in the next books.
Overall, God in the Machine is an enjoyable read with a good premise, interesting characters, and an unusual world with much left to explore.

If you read God in the Machine, this short story is the cherry on top, otherwise it's a great introduction to the fantastic world Cole Martyn created. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The idea of ‘Dexter in a X-file episode' really appealed to me. Sadly, it fell short of its potential.
This could have been a great book if only it had been written with a more mature audience in mind. Young teenagers will probably love it, though...

I was looking for a quick read to clear my mind of epic fantasy tomes with dozens of characters and world ending stakes. Something simple and introspective with one or two characters. The Ghost Beside Me fit the bill.
Beware reader, this is not a story about vengeful ghosts in the attic, haunting the sanity out of the living but a fleeting tale of self-discovery, loneliness and longing for connection that many introverts will relate to.
E. Neville reminds me of a romanticised version of Bernardo Soares, and there's something almost Lovecraftian about the writing itself, which could have been greatly improved with another editing pass or two.
Overall, the ghost beside me is worth the read, whether or not you believe in ghosts.

I stumbled upon Dan Davis YouTube channel a few months ago while researching some of the oldest myths in the world. I've watched several of his videos since then and finally got around to read Godborn last month. I figured even if it was half as good as the videos it would be a good read and I was not disappointed.

Godborn is a well written and well researched book, faithful to the settings and cultures of the time while still leaving plenty of room for fantasy and mythology. It reminds me of Bernard Cornwell's Stonehenge, although I have to admit that sadly I haven't read many stories set in the Neolithic/ early bronze age (something that needs to change).

I admired the careful use of language to tell the story within the limitations set by the time period and the characters' personalities reflect this perfectly as well. Herkuhlos and his spear-brothers are far from the usual teenage ‘heroes' in modern fantasy and I appreciate that.
Unsurprisingly, my favourite thing about Godborn was the mythological elements woven into the story and I can't wait to continue the series.

Cloud Atlas meets Black Mirror

I was given a free audible code by the author in exchange for an honest review and had no idea what to expect (one shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, after all). I have to admit; I was not prepared for this.
What immediately caught my attention was the writing. It's not just good, it's great. First person present is my favourite perspective, but few writers manage to get it right. Weyman does. His writing is witty, sharp and concise. There's never a dull moment between sentences. And the stories are brilliant! The different genres and the way they fit together got me praising and cursing the author in equal amounts.
Definitely the most original read of the year for me.
I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a complex and well-written story.

They say every villain is a hero of his own story and after listening to Echoes of a Storm I was curious about Solomon Pace, the clever villainous villain who despite being able to crush bones and rip people's hearts out with a thought still spent so much time and energy behind the curtain, manipulating entire kingdoms to suit his machiavellian and mysterious agenda.

I was not disappointed. With each story we learn a little bit more about Solomon and how he became the way he did. Some tales are dark and humorous, others are brutal and thought provoking, all working together to bring this character to life and let us glimpse into the grand scheme of things at work in this grim world of monsters.

The narration improved considerably since Echoes and worked well with the characters and tone of the stories.

I recommend this to any fan of dark fantasy who is not easily offended and appreciates unapologetically flawed characters.

(I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.)

The best self-published book I've read all year.

Well written, clever, humourous and featuring a cast of engaging characters. I often found myself laughing out loud at some of the witty passages. Brilliant!

The Scattered King is a character-driven story with a complex plot aimed at an adult audience. I admit I had little idea of what was going on for about a third of the book and just kept reading for the pleasure of the narrative itself.
The book ends almost abruptly just as the story finally starts to make sense. It's all right, it's a series after all.

The audio narration took some getting used to, and the editing was jarring at times.

The author provided me with a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The opportunity was a pleasure and I intend to continue reading this series.

With an intriguing premise and poetic writing, Elias Pell takes the reader on a journey through the realm of dreams, alternating moments of tension and adventure with moments of endearing friendship and heartbreak. The result is an immersive read filled with dreamlike landscapes, heroism, suspense, magic and a few nightmarish characters.
I particularly liked how the author interwove deities and fairy tales from different mythologies into his story.
Steggie Belle & the Dream Warriors is a novel for both young and old adults who may have forgotten their dreams or simply wish to remember how it was like to dream as a child.

I wish I could say this story is short and sweet but although Nobody Tricks the Trickster is indeed short, it's far from sweet. This is one of the most intense nail biting 30min reads I've come across.
It felt like reading the epilogue of a horror novel. It has everything: enigmatic characters with mysterious backgrounds, atmospheric setting, magic, and of course, monsters! I wanted to know more about the characters, their background and relationships, but sadly, the story was over before I knew it.

I got this book for my husband, who's always looking for anything related to the Cthulhu Mythos. Because he's far less forgiving than I am regarding the quality of the writing, grammar and presentation of self-published books, I decided to read a few pages to make sure it was up to his standards. One hour later, I was still reading.

Marie Curie was an exceptional woman, but if anyone had suggested making her into a superhero, I'd probably reacted with ‘that's absurd!'. It's almost hard not to find the idea insulting, and yet (once you put all you know about the real Curie tucked away in a corner of your mind) it actually works. The whole thing is so bizarre. Honestly, I'm not even sure how to describe it (I guess this is part of the point). I can only say it is unlike anything I've read before. And when you think things cannot get any weirder, well, they do.

What Mordechai did with the personalities of Marie Curie, Charles Darwin and Konrad Lorenz (not to mention Schrödinger and his cat!) is similar to what I like to do with the gods of old mythologies.

Suffice to say, my husband didn't get the book until after I finished reading it.

It wasn't a smooth tale, though. There were ups and downs. Trilling moments, dull moments, confusing moments. But overrall, once you are attuned to the right mindset, it was quite entertaining. The writing is very clear, easy to read and carefully edited.

I'm pretty sure I missed many good Lovecraftian references, but I'm glad I read it. It was a breath of fresh air and if someone who's not a fan of the Cthulhu Mythos liked it, I'm sure real fans would love it. 

I'm always looking for unusual books and this one definitely fits the bill.
I first came across Necessarily Evil in a very positive and enthusiastic review from a blogger who had also liked my work, so I figured there was a good chance I'd like it too, especially considering the author's clever name. My expectations were thus pretty high, and I ended up not disappointed, but certainly overwhelmed.

Necessarily Evil features quite the whirlwind of characters, locations, mythologies and plots, crammed with references ranging from the religious, historical, fantastical, legendary, mythological, satanic, cultural, popular and obscure, all with a dash of D&D added into the mix. Reading it was like listening to all my favourite tunes at once. It was too much at times and it just became noise. It often reminded me of Monty Python. I loved the cleverness of it, but the presentation and delivery always put me off. I couldn't watch it for more than 5min before getting a headache... It's too loud, too hectic, the sound effects too jarring. I was invested in the story and wanted to know what would happen next but the narrative is so dense, I actually had to take several breaks and read something else before returning to the book. The formatting of the ebook doesn't help things either. Even just a few more paragraphs here and there and an adjustment in line spacing would have worked wonders at making the experience easier. (Just to make it clear, this is more a criticism of me as a reader than the narrative itself. And I still enjoy Monty Python... only in small doses ;) )

For the first time, I understand what my readers might feel when they say there's too much to take in. Compared with this, my humble mishmash of mythologies, fantastical creatures and androids is pretty straight forward!

I appreciate the potential of this story and all the work put into it, and I think I'd probably have enjoyed it more in audiobook format. The author has several other books published already and, thanks to his recent promo, I downloaded them all. I intend to read them, likely at leisure, one chapter at the time with many breaks in between.

I bought this book because I assumed by the title that it had something to do with the Greek god Zeus. (I noticed the author has updated the blurb since then to clarify that it does not, so I guess I wasn't the only one). By the time I realised my mistake, I was already invested in the story and, with or without Zeus, I still wanted to know the damn secret.

The Secret of the Second Zeus is a compelling page-turner set in one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. It could have been my nostalgia for Switzerland, or just the novelty of reading something without magic, aliens or dragons for a change, but I liked it and nearly two years and over 100 books later, I still remember this story.

A quick read, quite different from what I was expecting. Far from the traditional fiction novel, Rain Dancer is a thought-provoking compilation of insights about contemporary life. A book anyone with an introspective mind will relate to.

When I asked around for indie book recommendations to review for SPFM, I specified I was looking for an unusual, underrated book aimed at an adult audience. It had to be well written, well edited and preferably a debut by an author who chose to self-publish. RADIO was the first and the only recommendation I received that fit my pre-requisites and was not based on the author's popularity.

I had come across this book last year during SPFBO 6, but didn't add it to my TBR, probably having lost interest when I read it was set in 1928 Paris, a location and time period I had no interest in, but I took the author's lack of popularity as a good sign and decided to give RADIO another chance.

I could not believe my eyes when I saw the story opens with a conversation between Apollo, Artemis and Marduk. Not only that, their characterisation was great!

Marduk's character is everything one can expect of a ‘god' trapped inside a mortal's body. His conversations with Del and especially with Bernard are excellent. Nothing in the narrative felt contrived or unpolished.

RADIO not only ticked every criteria on my list, its quality surpassed my expectations and remained high throughout.

This is a well thought out book with well-rounded characters, engaging dialogue and a clever plot. The setting fits the narrative perfectly and, despite my preferences, it did not affect my enjoyment of the story. My only complaint (if it can even be called a complaint) is that it dragged on a bit too much at times, especially when dealing with Del's addiction. This was pertinent to the plot and character development but I felt that the constant meanderings into the effects of withdrawal, although respectfully and accurately portrayed, detracted from the main narrative. The ending makes up for it though. I figured a twist of some sort was coming, but failed to predict it all and was pleasantly surprised.

Genre bending and unique, RADIO is a work of heart and mind, not ego, and it deserves more attention.

Don't be intimidated by the page count. This is a well written and easy-to-read story with so much going on, you'll reach the end before you know it.

The story picks up right after the events of the first book and it's not for the easily offended. There's foul (sometimes brilliant!) language, violence, injustice and despair.

The title says it all. This is a dark and grim tale of deceit: political, personal, psychological, professional, divine, magical — you name it. Like in the first book, my favourite thing was the dialogue and the banter between the characters. It's rare to see both animosity and camaraderie depicted in such an entertaining way.

Another high point is the characterisation itself and how well mental illness, addiction and trauma are portrayed. Not only they actually fit the characters' personalities and background, they affect their choices, relationships and development in a way that makes sense.

This is a long book and it might drag a bit too much at times, with descriptions, reiterations and seemingly unnecessary meanderings, but pay attention, there lies the deceit.

Looking forward to the next book in the series!

Brilliant entertainment!

Orconomics was one of my favourite reads of last year and one of my favourite self-published books of all time. I finally got around to the sequel and wow! Son of a Liche is even better!
I was chuckling to myself almost all the way through.
If you enjoy clever satire, this series is for you.

This was such a great read! I didn't want it to end. Fans of Greek mythology, literature and science fiction with a sense of humour will love it.