Marc Aplin's Blog, page 9

Also, Kate and Venn's passively antagonistic friendship . . . I love it!!! I wanna be there for ALL their interactions – to adjudicate, or just laugh. Their banter is witty and engaging, actually all the dialogue is very well done, and that is the best way to get me hooked – I relate more easily to characters through their dialogue.

This year's finalists are all big on their worldbuilding but the stand out so far has been The Wolf of Withervale. The author has obviously spent a huge amount of time and imagination creating the world in which the book is set - from climatic disaster for which biodomes were built.

To Shape a Dragon is an engrossing read that robustly and convincingly tackles some real world issues in a fantastic setting. In so doing, like the best of literature, it holds up a mirror for us to view ourselves in - and to take heed of.

This series is one of the best things to happen in years! Finally, a vampire book that isn’t about romance, nor just another horror novel. It firmly belongs in the urban fantasy category.

If you’re looking for something a bit different, something that isn’t too fluffy but still a lot of fun, with a crew you’ll grow to love, Echoes of the Imperium is a fantastic choice!

I'm a big UF fan and this book certainly ticks a number of boxes of what I love about that sub-genre of SFF

My favourite parts are mostly the mini stories of the quests the brothers completed, and the creatures and characters they met along the way. 

The inner conflict that comes with that was bleeding of the page, and addictive.

Last Winter Sun by G.R. Matthews is a mix of dystopian novel, magic, orks and other beasts. The blurb says “A-Team meets World of Warcraft” and as someone who enjoyed both a whole lot, I obviously had to read it!

I really, really like the premise – the sanctuary in the woods, the isolation (ostracism) from the local community, and the rest of the world, and the fascinating creatures (or animals) with amazing, and really cool, abilities, plus the sisters struggling to manage all this and navigate life