John Staughton, Senior Reviewer | Self-Publishing Review

Review: FitzDuncan’s Enlightenment by John Spearman

FitzDuncan's Enlightenment by John J. Spearman

Author John Spearman offers a whip-smart installment to his sword-swinging series with FitzDuncan’s Enlightenment, a savagely clever and entertaining adventure.

Still reeling from his last adventure with the broken nose and bruises to show for it, Casimir FitzDuncan plunges directly into his next job, one that will also involve Lucy, his “betrothed and beloved.” Caz’s reputation as a finder of lost things and a messenger of unusual retribution has spread to the highest halls of power in Aquileia, including the king, queen, and crown prince. Far superseding the status of his birth, they royally task him to accompany the […]

Review: Tales of the Axis: The Hunter’s Prey by Justin Hui

Tales of the Axis by Justin Hui

Author Justin Hui catapults readers into a wild, humanity-filled galaxy in Tales of the Axis: The Hunter’s Prey, a character-driven thriller armed with clever sci-fi twists.

After centuries of tepid tolerance and extraterrestrial expansion, the United Commonwealth and the Valderian Empire are on the verge of historic trade agreements that could reunite the human race. However, when the Valderian emperor is killed in an explosion, Princess Adelia finds herself thrust into power, and dropped into a lion’s den of deadly manipulation and political maneuvering.

Adelia’s tragedies continue after being arrested by her father’s “best friend,” who alleges that she […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-03-04T08:24:34+02:00February 8th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews, Space Opera Book Reviews|

A Boy’s Hammer by Alex Grass

A Boy's Hammer by Alex Grass Author Alex Grass fuses mythology and magic with the gritty modern world in A Boy’s Hammer, a witty, immersive, and mystical adventure that will leave you laughing and thoroughly hooked.

When Alan dramatically descends to Earth in an ultraviolet explosion, covered in tattoos of hammers, few people can believe he’s the same boy who disappeared in a plane crash twenty years earlier. His odd arrival is also a harbinger of something much worse: chaos is organizing itself in deadly and demonic ways, and long-dormant powers are awakening to face them. Finding unlikely allies along the way – from curmudgeonly […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-08T08:50:10+02:00February 7th, 2022|Categories: New Releases|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: The Ferryman’s Toll (Hourglass Book 2) by Daniel James

The Ferryman's Toll (Hourglass Book 2) by Daniel James

Diving even deeper into an elite criminal echelon of New York City, as well as the dubious powers of a shadowy government agency tasked to deal with supernatural threats, The Ferryman’s Toll by Daniel James is a raucous and action-fueled sequel to Hourglass.

Rose Hadfield’s Intensive Scare Unit and the rest of the Hourglass gang once again come to blows with the Cairnwood Society and their devilish ambitions. The creepy cabal isn’t snatching souls from the realms of Erebus this time around, but they are creating a murderous battalion of super-powered assassins, which sets the stage for some epic […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-08T10:23:36+02:00February 7th, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Paranormal Book Reviews, Science Fiction Book Reviews|

The Fake Among Us by Samuel Ludke

A mind-bending novella that will have readers questioning their own grasp on reality, The Fake Among Us by Samuel Ludke is a sci-fi action thriller like few others. A twisted tale of “resetting” one’s reality and the dangerous power that technological progress can hold, this story sees a lawman bent and broken by a sinister scientist, proving that the line between human and robot is not as clear as we might imagine. Despite the intriguing premise, the execution needs significant work, as the writing is plagued by repetitive language, stilted dialogue, unclear scene cuts, and basic proofreading errors, which is […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-08T06:11:36+02:00February 7th, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Premonitions of a Mayan American by Peter Saucier

A stirring collection steeped in magic realism, timeless battles, and the legendary power of cenotes, Premonitions of a Mayan American by Peter Saucier is a stunning follow-up to Premonitions of a Lucid Dreamer, bookended with an extra novella to further thrill readers. A zoologist named Mya embarks on a mystical quest of self-discovery, reining in the epic power of her dreams and bending ancient embers to her will for protection against forces both supernatural and dangerously real. Blending folklore traditions, enchanting threads of Mayan culture, and modern action, Saucier weaves an immersive collection of visionary fiction, with rich prose […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-03T09:04:14+02:00February 3rd, 2022|Categories: Editorial Reviews|

Review: Harriet: A Jane Austen Variation by Alice McVeigh

Harriet: A Jane Austen Variation by Alice McVeigh

Harriet Smith boldly catapults herself into the delicate world of high society in Harriet: A Jane Austen Variation, another masterfully penned homage by Alice McVeigh. Youthful passions, fanciful romance, and shifting social dynamics make this an entertaining drama, a peek into the past, and a subtly modern treat.

Casting herself in the role of Emma Woodhouse’s protege, or live-in pet project, in an effort to move herself into a new sphere of society, Harriet cuts a strong, fearless, and authentic figure. Austen fans will be familiar with Emma’s character, from the novel of the same name, but this variation […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-03T05:42:59+02:00February 3rd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Historical Fiction Book Reviews|

Review: Amerlee and the Green Void by George Hudoba

Amerlee and the Green Void by George Hudoba

Author George Hudoba holds nothing back in the chaotic cosmic opera, Amerlee and the Green Void, his latest novel from The Monarch in the Milky Way series. Captain Aa, Tata Crubon, Azure, Agent Sasha, Smith the immortal Emperor, the Toxic, and more return for this light-speed sequel to Agent Sasha, the first installation of the alternate reality sci-fi saga.

Picking up where the first book left off, readers are plunged right back into the action, as an elaborate two-pronged bank heist is executed to retrieve precious goods stolen by the Trust from the UNHL (United Nations of Humanlike […]

John Staughton, Senior Reviewer2022-02-03T05:52:03+02:00February 2nd, 2022|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: Science Fiction Book Reviews|