Eric Balch's Blog, page 2

Title: The Kingmaster

Author: C. A. Doehrmann

Genre: Sword & Sorcery Fantasy

Rating: (5 / 5)

Available: Amazon

Kyen is a swordsman with a heavy name on his shoulders. Shy and destitute, he’s about to lose the only thing he has left—his best friend.

When Finn is attacked and stricken, Kyen pledges his sword to save him. But blades are useless against the Kingmaster, a sinister strategist armed with a dark relic. Kyen must hunt for the last living summoner in Ellunon, the only hope to stop the Kingmaster and heal Finn.

Fending off dragons, wrangling a princess (and her unwanted suitor), and surviving the wilds of Ellunon are the least of Kyen’s problems. Every summoner he finds is lost, dead, or powerless. The Kingmaster’s grip is spreading. Finn’s time is running out. When Kyen suddenly finds himself the center of the Kingmaster’s designs, he realizes too late. The stakes are higher than he ever imagined…

The Kingmaster is the first novel in the Arc Legends of Ellunon fantasy series.  Taking place in an alternate world, the story follows Kyen, a renowned swordsman and hero of a great war.  When his friend, Prince Finn, undergoes a bizarre change in personality after a mysterious attack, Kyen sets off on a quest to find someone who can cure him.  On his journey, he teams up with the princess of another kingdom who is searching for the same thing he is.  Along with an obnoxious prince who is trying to court the princess, they face dangers of many kinds, ranging from monsters in the woods to attacks from the Kingmaster himself.

The Kingmaster is an engaging tale filled with magic, adventure, and mystery.  Kyen is a bit of a loner who travels with the others reluctantly.  His past is somewhat mysterious and he hides a secret from the others and possibly himself.  The princess is inexperienced, but eager to learn and is far more resourceful than given credit for by the others, especially her suitor.  The unwanted prince is obnoxious and overbearing and is on the journey only because the princess is.  All the characters have unique personalities and motivations.

Overall, The Kingmaster is an entertaining and well-well written story.  Fans of sword and sorcery-style fantasy will be sure to enjoy this book.  Everyone will be looking forward to the next installment.

C. A. Doehrmann, an avid writer of sword and sorcery fantasy, loves strong characters, deep adventures, and smash-down, drag-out fights. She is excited to share her debut series in the Arc Legends world with The Kingmaster (Book 1 of Ellunon.) You can find her writing at arclegends.com where she shares bonus chapters, side quests, and announcements.

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Title: The Ascendants: Bloodlines

Author: Christian Green

Genre: Science Fiction/Superhero

Rating: (5 / 5)

Available: Amazon

Worlds are in turmoil. The evil Ashtarian Federation has continued their expansion into multiple galaxies. The Galactic Conqueror, Nazir Katan, leader of the Ashtarian Federation, has learned of a valuable resource on Earth.

After centuries of fighting, he believes this resource will give him the advantage needed to defeat the benevolent Genoshian Empire once and for all. Earth finds themselves stuck in the middle of a deadly war that they are ill-equipped to handle.

Earth’s only hope is the superhero faction known as The Ascendants. Scattered and fractured by previous events, the Ascendants find themselves outclassed by a much deadlier opponent. The heroes of Earth must unite if they are to have any chance of defeating this galactic force.

The Ascendants: Bloodlines is a superhero science fiction short story and is the first installment of the Age of Living Legends series.  Starting in space with a prologue that sets up the greater threat, the story switches to Earth to introduce the characters.  The story introduces a few of the major characters, with the heroes briefly butting heads with a government agent.  All the characters involved are unique and well rounded individuals.  The story itself is entertaining and ends on a cliffhanger setting up the adventure hinted at in the prologue.  The overarching story seems to be presented in a classic comic book format in written form.  Overall, The Ascendants: Bloodlines is entertaining.  Fans of superhero stories and comic serials will certainly be looking forward to future installments.

Christian Green is an avid reader of all things fantasy related. As a writer, Christian focuses on delivering a compelling story and mixing in captivating dialogue. While description is important to him, Christian writes in a way in which the audience can imagine these characters as they see fit. Christian currently lives in Illinois and is constantly reading and writing to improve his skills as an author. 

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Title: Moonshadow’s Guardian

Author: Dianna Gunn

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Rating: (5 / 5)

Available: Amazon

All Riana has ever wanted is freedom. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing her kind cannot have.

Bound by the curse in her demonic blood for millennia, Riana has tried several times to bend the rules and live out her life in the mortal realm. Now her consistent rule breaking has drawn the attention of Loki, God of Mischief, the main tormentor of Riana’s kind. But instead of punishing her, he offers her the escape she has always desired. All she has to do to is save the kingdom of Moonshadow from a mysterious magical plague.

Armed only with the inherent power of her own blood and Loki’s pet dragon, Riana is determined to fight for the right to create her own destiny.

However, when her mission forces her to destroy the last remnants of an ancient culture, Riana must ask – what is freedom really worth?

Moonshadow’s Guardian is a dark fantasy novel about the meaning of belonging, and the struggle to create a future not defined by your past.

Trigger Warnings: PTSD, depression, torture, gore, death.

Moonshadow’s Guardian is fantasy novel and the first of two in the story.  Taking place in an alternate world, the story follows Riana, a demon bound to the gods who wishes to be free.  She seems to get that chance when her patron Loki gives her a contract to fulfill: find the source of a plague sweeping across the kingdom of Moonshadow and end it.  Having worked contracts in Moonshadow before, Riana is familiar with the kingdom, although much has changed since she was last there.  Arriving in Moonshadow with her dragon Rolf, Riana must navigate the politics of the royal Vonstone family, headed by King Jacob VIII, whose own wife and son have been infected.  The king’s undead ancestors comprise many of his advisors, including Riana’s old friend Jacob II.  Riana must contend with her own memories while searching for the source of the plague, hoping to redeem herself for a previous failed mission.

Moonshadow’s Guardian is an engaging tale filled with magic and adventure.  Riana has a rebellious streak and a great dislike of Loki, but works tirelessly to fulfill her contract.  Her past is both mysterious and tragic, revealed through flashbacks that shape her motives.  Rolf is an enigma: a fearsome-looking dragon with an innocent personality.  Jacob VIII is desperate to save his kingdom, but comes off as unreasonable in his preferred methods, leading to many arguments with Riana on how to proceed.  All the characters involved are unique and well-portrayed with their own desires and motives. 

Overall, Moonshadow’s Guardian is an entertaining and well-written story.  It is a dark tale, but not so dark as to turn away those who enjoy the lighter side of fantasy.  Dark Fantasy fans will be sure to enjoy this book.  Everyone who reads it will certainly be looking forward to the next installment.

Dianna Gunn is an SEO writer and digital marketing specialist by day and an author of fantasy and science fiction with strong horror elements by night. Her first full-length novel, Moonshadow’s Guardian, was released in 2018, with the sequel set to arrive in fall 2022.

She also runs the Weeknight Writers Group, a social enterprise dedicated to creating accessible educational and community supports for writers, including the #WeeknightWriters Twitter chat on Thursdays at 7PM EST.

The post IndieApril Review: Moonshadow’s Guardian appeared first on Eric Balch.

Title: The Ancient Ones

Author: Cassandra L. Thompson

Genre: Dark Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

Some things are not meant to die…

When David stumbles upon a tragic young woman in a sordid Limehouse pub, he has no idea she’d recognize him as the last vampyre alive, nor that she’d be the one to pull out his story. Yet as he recalls his life from the sweltering vineyards of Ancient Rome to the cold horrors of Medieval Romania – as well as his tumultuous past with the mad and mysterious Lucius – he realizes she is much more than what she seems. 

Gothic horror and mythological fantasy blend seamlessly together in this thrilling adventure, breathing new life into vampire lore as it reveals its true origins. The Ancient Ones is a tale of myth, mayhem, and magic…with a dash of romance that bites.

The Ancient Ones is a combination of dark fantasy and historical fiction and is the first book in the Ancient Ones trilogy.  The story begins in London in 1857 as David walks through the city.  When he stops at his favorite pub, he meets a woman who intrigues him, despite clearly being deathly ill.  Interacting with her, David shares his life story with her, which begins thousands of years ago with David as the young son of a Celtic druid before being captured an enslaved in Rome.  He recounts his romance with fellow slave Gaia and his meeting with the vampire Lucius.  Tragedy leads to David’s, then called Davius, turning.  His story continues through the centuries, as he relays his tale to his dying companion.

The Ancient Ones is an entertaining story involving vampires and ancient gods.  David’s tale is an interesting one.  He is a well rounded character whose development through the centuries is well portrayed.  Lucius is a mysterious entity with a secret past.  All the characters that get involved through the story are unique and well rounded.  Gods from multiple mythologies play a part at various points and the simultaneous existence of them all meshes well within the world. 

Overall, The Ancient Ones is an engaging story.  All of the mythologies involved are blended very well.  The origin of vampires is unique and the David’s interactions with his dying companion between flashbacks are portrayed very well.  Fans of historical fiction, dark fantasy, vampire stories, and mythology will be sure two enjoy this book and will be looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

Gothic horror writer Cassandra L. Thompson has been creating stories since she got her grubby little hands around a pen. When she is not busy managing a house full of feral children (human and canine), you can find her wandering around cemeteries, taking pictures of abandoned things, or in the library doing research. 

She has a B.A. in History and a MLIS, but she ignores her degrees to focus on The Ancient Ones Trilogy and run Quill & Crow Publishing House, the quaint and curious press that celebrates dark fantasy, Gothic horror, and dreadfully dark poetry. 

The post IndieApril Review: The Ancient Ones appeared first on Eric Balch.

Title: Golden Heart

Author: P.J. Thorndyke

Genre: Steampunk

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

Steampunk and the lost world genre collide in a thrilling adventure that will decide the fate of America…

The North American continent has been torn apart by civil war. Steam-powered behemoths stalk the landscape, dirigibles prowl the skies and society stands on the back of a new class of slaves known as ‘mechanicals’. The conflict between the Union and the Confederacy has dragged on for twenty-five years with neither side coming close to victory. Something is needed to tip the balance.

Lazarus Longman – antiquarian, explorer and treasure hunter for the British Empire – had heard of the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, but he never believed they really existed. So when he was ordered to track down the only two men rumored to have seen the fabled land he was skeptical to say the least. His skepticism turned to desperation when he found out that his quarry was Gerard Vasquez; a degenerate gambler, drinker and pistoleer and his companion, Hok’ee; a towering Navajo with a ferocious temper and a mechanical gun-arm.

The British want these men delivered into the hands of the Confederacy so that the war can be brought to a swift resolution. But not everybody wants the Confederacy to win. Especially not Tsar Alexander III who has dispatched his own deadly assassin to ensure the Confederates never get their hands on America’s golden heart

Golden Heart is the first book in the Lazarus Longman Chronicles, a series of steampunk books.  The story takes place in an alternate history during the American Civil War.  It follows Lazarus Longman, a British agent who has become disillusioned with his government after a previous mission.  Despite his longing to return home, he takes on a mission from to retrieve a bandit and Confederate deserter named Gerard Vasquez and return him to the Confederacy.  Vasquez is said to possess some object of great value.  Complications arise when a Russian agent named Katarina interferes in his mission, intent on handing Vasquez over to the Union.  Circumstances force the three, and Vasquez’s Native American companion Hok’ee, to team up.  Encounters with both Union and Confederate forces cause multiple betrayals and renewals of alliances as both sides search for the same thing, leading to an epic showdown.

Golden Heart is an entertaining story.  The world in which the characters live is well developed and the technology is described very well.  Steampunk-variants of cyborgs and dirigibles are prominent parts of the setting, especially among the Confederate military.  Lazarus himself is a well developed character.  At first, he is weary and just wanting to get the mission over with, but gradually comes to realized that the mission is not all it seams to be.  Vasquez has hidden layers and mysterious motives and Hok’ee has surprising secrets of his own.  Katarina is single-mindedly focused on her own mission, but softens a bit as the story progresses.  All of the other characters, whether Confederate, Union, or other factions, are unique individuals with varying motives and goals.

Overall, Golden Heart is an engaging story.  Steampunk fans will enjoy the described technology and the overall setting.  Fans of alternate history stories may also enjoy this take on the American Civil War.  Either way, readers will be looking forward to reading the other installments.

P. J. Thorndyke is a writer of Steampunk, Fantasy and Adventure fiction inspired by the trashier side of pop culture like dime novels, pulp magazines, and grindhouse movies.

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Here’s a look at some future projects, some of which I have announced before and some are just now being revealed. Note that titles are subject to change.

More adventures of Pelagius and company

Book 0: Skinwalker: A prequel to Assault on Devil’s Den exploring the events that caused Pelagius to question himself. Status: Brainstorming

Book 3: Siege of the Soul: The continuing fallout of Assault on Devil’s Den and Trial by Tournament. Status: Brainstorming

A separate storyline from Champion of Valor following a different set of characters

Book 1: The Dragon Crusade: In the kingdom of Drago, dragons are considered sacred. A group of trainee Dragon Protectors uncover a plot by a new group of dragon slayers that threaten both the kingdom and dragons as a whole. Status: Rough draft in progress

The projects listed under this category are either completely standalone or may be part of a saga later on

Soul Hunter: The origin story of the Green-Eyed Man. Status: Brainstorming

The Elven Supremacy: Follows a character from Trial by Tournament after the events of that story. To avoid spoilers, no other details will be given at this time. Status: Brainstorming

The Creature Codex: Gartiniel’s Tome of Zoology: An in-universe manual of the denizens and creatures of Sarcasca.  Originally written by the elf Gartiniel and updated throughout the centuries by his descendants Status: Brainstorming

The post Future Projects appeared first on Eric Balch.

Trial by Tournament is now available in ebook, paperback and hardcover on Albris, the Apple Books App, Barnes and Noble (online only), Book Depository, Bookmate, Books-A-Million, Books Inc, Bookshop.org, Booktopia, ebooks.com, Indie Bound, Kobo, Powell’s Books, and Scribd.

for more information and links to all stores.

The process for the audiobook has begun. More updates to come as they become avaliable

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Trial by Tournament is now available on Amazon in Kindle, , and .  Stay tuned for additional updates

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Title: Do Zombie Dogs Infect?

Author: Ian F. James

Genre: Horror

Rating: (4 / 5)

Available: Amazon

A virulent, man-made plague unleashed…

A city in the grip of a growing swarm of undead…

Matt Cage’s only thought is to flee the devastation any way he can. A two-way radio in a smoke-filled parking lot gives him a lifeline, with the army men he contacts desperate to get their hands on the medical box next to it. That gets him the offer of a helicopter ride to safety, but the attack of a diseased dog brings the threat of infection and leads him to a beautiful girl who might be his best chance of survival…

…if she doesn’t kill him.

The only trouble is he doesn’t know which, as the world becomes a zombie hell on earth.

Do Zombie Dogs Infect? is a short horror novel set in modern day.  The story takes place both in an unnamed city and a military base.  A scientist at the base has been conducting research into creating undead soldiers.  When his project is shut down and his work confiscated, he steals two vials of the serum to continue his research on his own.  However, an accident on his way home sets off an outbreak that threatens the entire area.  The story goes on to follow the military commander at the base as he tries to figure out what is going on and a survivor in the city as he tries desperately to get out of town.  When he finds a radio and a strange box, he gets in contact with the base and must find a way to get there before he falls victim to the zombie outbreak.

Do Zombie Dogs Infect?  is an entertaining horror story.  All the characters involved are unique individuals trying to figure out how to survive the situation.

Overall, Do Zombie Dogs Infect? is a fun horror story.  It is a fast paced quick read that keeps the tension high and wondering what will happen next.  Fans of zombie stories will certainly enjoy this book and will be hoping for possible future installments.

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Proofreading is complete on Trial by Tournament. The book is now being formatted. No release date known as of yet.

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