reads, Recent Reads

The Copper Promise

I recently read The Copper Promise, the first novel in The Copper Cat Trilogy by UK author Jen Williams. The Copper Promise follows the unlikely group of adventurers, the female mercenary Wydrin of Crosshaven (the infamous Copper Cat), Sir Sebastian Carverson (an exiled knight) and Lord Frith (a crippled nobleman, dispossessed of his lands). Lord… Continue reading The Copper Promise

Recent Reads

The City of Brass

The City of Brass is the first installment in the debut fantasy series The Daevabad Trilogy by American author S. A. Chakraborty based on early Islamic folklore and legends. The City of Brass follows female protagonist Nahri, a con-woman and thief who grew up an orphan on the Cairo streets during Ottoman-French occupation. Nahri has… Continue reading The City of Brass

Recent Reads

The Paper Menagerie & Other Stories

I read The Paper Menagerie and other stories by American author Ken Liu after having the great pleasure to listen to several panel sessions and meet him at Continuum in Melbourne. I was unfamiliar with his writing until hearing an excerpt from the first story in The Paper Menagerie, “The bookmaking habits of select species”.… Continue reading The Paper Menagerie & Other Stories

Recent Reads

Catching Teller Crow

The YA supernatural mystery, Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, explores Australian history, indigenous legends and cultural understanding through the characters of three young Aboriginal women.Catching Teller Crow follows Beth Teller, a recently deceased Aboriginal girl who has remained as a ghost, trying to stop the grief consuming her father by urging him… Continue reading Catching Teller Crow

events, Writing

Continuum 15, 2019

I attended Continuum15/NatCon 58 convention in Melbourne from June 7-10, 2019. The convention is an annual event for the Australian speculative fiction community. This was my first Continuum convention and I was looking forward to the many expert panels, workshops, Markets, the Maskbalao, Ditmar Awards, Shadows Awards & Norma K Hemming Awards.  Ticket pricing was very generous with… Continue reading Continuum 15, 2019

Recent Reads

Assassin’s Fate

Assassin’s Fate is the final volume in the Fitz & the Fool trilogy by American author Robin Hobb. Assassin's Fate also marks thefinal instalment in the acclaimed series of novels following the Farseer dynasty. Assassin's Fate sees the conclusion of the story surrounding Fitz, the illegitimate prince and assassin introduced in The Farseer Trilogy and… Continue reading Assassin’s Fate

Recent Reads

Nevernight

Nevernight is the first instalment in an adult Fantasy series The Nevernight Chronicle by best-selling author Jay Kristoff. Nevernight is a complex book with many wonderful aspects and qualities revealed amid the violence inherent to the story. It is told on a grand scale and never pretends to be anything else. Mia Corvere is the… Continue reading Nevernight

events, Writing

Aurealis Awards 2018

On May 4 2019, I attended the 2018 Aurealis Awards in Melbourne, an annual awards ceremony for works published that year from members of the Australian speculative fiction community. This was my first Aurealis Awards and I was thrilled to be part of the iconic Australian Speculative Fiction Awards. My self-published Fantasy novel Bone Arrow was entered and… Continue reading Aurealis Awards 2018

Recent Reads

Wolfskin

I recently read Wolfskin, the first volume in the duology, The Saga of the Light Isles by Australian author Juliet Marillier.Wolfskin begins in Rogaland among the Norseman of the Viking Age, following a young protagonist Eyvind on his journey to become a wolfskin warrior, one of the most esteemed warrior class in Rogaland. Eyvind befriends… Continue reading Wolfskin

Recent Reads

A Court of Thorns & Roses

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the first novel in an adult Fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas. Although listed as young adult Fantasy like previous novels by Maas, A Court of Thorns & Roses is unsuitable for younger readers and contains appropriate warnings despite the booksellers listing and conflicting publisher imprint from Bloomsbury… Continue reading A Court of Thorns & Roses