SFF – Page 8 – Amy Leigh Reads

Storm Front Review

June 12, 2020June 8, 2020by amyleighreads1 Comment

47212._SY475_ Really enjoyed this!!!

This book is the first of a series called the Dresdan Files that has 15 books in total with another 2 being released in the near future! It revolves around a wizarding detective called Harry Dresdan in modern day Chicago and the antics he gets up to helping the police with any supernatural crimes.

This is really a cult classic that I had actually never heard of until quite recently. I’ve been trying to delve a little deeper into the fantasy genre and get around to reading some of these series that have been out and beloved by the masses. So I went into this book with my expectations quite high, and was pleasantly surprised.

Harry is one the most likeable characters ever! There is something about that him that immediately endeared him to me and I was very much attached to him right from the start. He has that leap without looking mentality which I really enjoy in our main protagonists; it makes them more spontaneous and natural in a way, more realistic. I can’t wait to find out more about his background and his education with his previous master and how that deteriorated in the books to come.

The way his two seemingly unrelated cases were entangled together and the way he uncovered the truth through his reasoning’s was highly entertaining. I had no idea what direction that plot was going to go in next and given his unpredictability I was enthralled right from the start. They way that information regarding magic and their rules and regulations was presented made sense and wasn’t overwhelming in any way.

It wasn’t the most sophisticated fantasy novel that I have ever read but it didn’t have to be. It was pure adrenaline, fast paced action with a couple of cool fighting scenes. I’ve heard Harry Dresdan is quite the gunslinger in the series and that wasn’t really highlighted at all in this book so again I’m just excited to find about more about his character and what he will get up to in the series to come!

⭐️4/5 stars it felt like an episode of Law and Order with a fantastical twist!

Reviews

Foundryside Review

May 20, 2020May 20, 2020by amyleighreads2 Comments

Foundryside RD4 clean flat Foundryside follows a girl named Sancia who has a secret ability that enables her to be the best thief in the city. When she takes on a job to steal an ancient artefact it places her life in danger and sets in motion a chain of events that could change everything.

I really liked Sancia. We don’t learn a lot about her right at the start, we are gradually given insight into her background and everything she has had to overcome throughout the course of the book. She’s not naive and she isn’t afraid to put herself in danger in order to do what needs to be done. I think her past defines her present and her future and this is made prevalent later on in the plot. I don’t think she really develops much in the book but I think she is already so multifaceted that any development was really needed. Her candour and her brash nature was highly entertaining and she’s just a super likeable character.

Gregor on the other hand, I wasn’t so sure about at the start. He just seemed like a spoilt founder who was playing at meting out justice to whoever crosses him. I liked that even though his story seems straight forward he still manages to surprise me and be a lot more interesting than what he seems. He seems genuinely remorseful for what happened to Sancia and how his family might have something to do with it and the fact that he confronts his mother truly displayed that.

I really loved the setting of this book, the atmosphere and the conditions of the city really added a layer of depth to the storyline and set the tone for the book. The dark, grittiness of the commons was heavily described and the almost hopelessness Sancia felt whilst living there really captured my attention.

The fantastic element of the story with the scrivers was really unique and interesting. I love that its based on lore and legends and the fact that there is still so much to be discovered makes me excited for the rest of the series.

⭐️4/5 this was fantastic!!!!!

Top Ten Tuesdays

Reasons why I Love Fantasy Series

May 19, 2020July 11, 2020by amyleighreads19 Comments

This weeks Top 10 Tuesday is reason’s you love…. and today I decided to list the reasons I love fantasy series with a couple of examples!

Here are 9 reasons why I love Fantasy Series:

I loving deep diving into a new world with every fantasy novel I pick up, learning all about it and how it differs from reality.

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Magic is usually at the core of each fantasy novel/series and learning about all of the intricacies, rules and restrictions is one my favourite things about the genre!

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The characters are such a highlight in fantasy. Sometimes they are quite similar to regular human in a completely fantastical setting, other times they are a completely foreign species that we need to learn about!

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Quests are some of my favourite tropes in fiction and the fantasy genre has provided me with some of my favourites!

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Of course nothing quite beats an evil overlord of some kind that our underdog main protagonist needs to defeat. The dichotomy of good versus evil is very prevalent in fantasy and I feel it creates a bond between the reader and the characters.

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There are sooooo many different subgenres of fantasy that keep me engaged and consistently entertained! One I’ve recently been enjoying is sci-fi fantasy!

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A good romance mixed in between all of the magic and adventure is something that always keeps me coming back for more!

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There is something freeing about diving headfirst into a long, epic/high fantasy series that really helps you to escape the realities of life.

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This might seem a little trivial to some but there is something about maps in fantasy novels that I just love! It reinforces how different the world may be and definitely adds a layer of depth to the tale.

Reviews

The Black Prism Review

May 15, 2020May 13, 2020by amyleighreads2 Comments

*MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW*

515zOsxnpQL__SX329_BO1,204,203,200_ The Black Prism is a multi-perspective epic fantasy novel revolving around this holy figure in this world called the Prism. He just found out that he has fathered a child 15 years ago and now must shield him from those who wish to cause him harm.

Gavin is such an interesting, multi-faceted character that just kept surprising me at every turn! He is definitely more of a morally grey character who is striving to atone for what he thinks are the sins of his past. Giving himself the seven great tasks he wants to accomplish before he looses his powers. He isn’t afraid to do what he thinks is right for the greater good of the Chromeria whilst still maintaining a kind of neutrality and level of separation from all of their rules and regulations. That twist of the stolen identities definitely surprised me, I was thinking whilst reading during their interaction, what if Dazen beat Gavin and then two minutes later what do you know. It was a fantastic revelation and set up perfectly for the reader.

Kip didn’t really capture my attention at all for the first half or so of the book. Of course I knew he was going to be integral to the story and would somehow end up making an impact later on, but it took a little while for him to get there. There is quite an emphasis put on his weight and the fact that he is a bit of a coward, but I’m glad that we see some growth from his character over the course of the plot, having to make some decisions and take action where he would of previously ran and hid.

This was the perfect amount of world building and introduction of all the characters and their backstories without being overwhelming. Granted at the start as I am with most epic/high fantasy I read I am a little lost, but I established myself pretty quickly into this world and was invested almost instantaneously with the characters. The magic system was unique and interesting and had just enough information to keep me engaged yet eager to know more.

I loved my experience reading this book and I cannot wait to binge the rest of the series and see how the world progresses and the action intensifies!!

⭐️5/5 stars Why did I wait so long???