What is SPFBO 9?  This is  a competition where authors of self-published fantasy can enter their work. The objective to find a winner out of the 300 entries submitted.  Ten judges (or judging teams) each receive 30 entrants.  Each judge/team will eventually submit one finalist to the second round where a winner will eventually be decided upon. Check out Mark Lawrence’s post here to look at this year’s entrants, judges and allocations list.

My introduction post can be found here and also the Critiquing Chemist recently posted their first elimination post.  I posted my first ‘cuts’ last week.  Today is my second round of cuts and one more such post remains for next Saturday.  That will leave my remaining ‘potential Semi Finalists’.

Again, as last week, I take no pleasure in making these cuts but it is an essential part of the competition.

I would point out that the books listed below have been randomly selected and are not in any particular order. I would also mention that these are partial reviews as in most instances I’ve read 30% of the book. So, let’s begin.

The Wayfarer by Zachary Kekac

This is a difficult book to review.  On the one hand, the writing is beautiful, poetic even at times, and the world is described really well. On the other hand, at roughly 38% into the story I would struggle to really pin down the plot at this time.  Which, to be fair, I’m only just over a third into the story so plenty of time yet for everything to become clear.

Aeros is the Wayfarer, he’s on a dark journey of self discovery.  Accompanied by a shadow figure that only he can see.  He desperately seeks answers to his memory loss.

The journey here is sometimes real for him, fighting with deadly foes, at others, it feels more dreamlike with what feels like illusions or false memories.

I confess that I am intrigued, but at the same time I’m not totally convinced the story is for me. The plot feels as though it’s almost buried under a wealth of beautiful imagery that whilst satisfying in some respects leaves you perplexed at others.  And, I didn’t find myself connecting with the central character at the point at which I broke off.

As I said above though, some impressive descriptive writing.

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Out of the Grey by KB Sprague

SPFBO Status: Cut

Blurb:

TO SUPPRESS KNOWLEDGE IS HUMAN NATURE…

Some believe a return to the old ways will lead to the end of humankind. Others have long forgotten the origins of the anti-tech treaty and dismiss it as old-world superstition designed to maintain oppressive control over society.

In a land recovering from disaster and emboldened by unearthly leviathans, an underground tech resurgence threatens what’s left of the human race. Torn between beliefs and duty, a dimension-warping luminary and a mystical shaman begin their rise to power for opposing factions, defying forces greater than they are while dragging their naïve, young apprentices into peril along with them.

They must prepare now for the coming doom before it’s too late — even if it sparks an all-out war between neighboring territories. A war neither side can hope to win.

Out of the Grey is the first book in the Luminary series.

General Thoughts:

Out of the Grey brings to us a world where the old ways are in direct conflict with increasingly new technology. This is a world that seems to have suffered a cataclysmic event of some sort although some of the old technology still exists. Treaties are in place to prevent people breaching certain codes, particularly in relation to inventions and using certain substances. The central area is Gan – I was thinking of it almost like the capitol.  Citizens who live in Gan are called Elderkin, they live longer and have more enriched lives, better prospects, etc,  These things haven’t, of course, gone unnoticed by neighbouring towns who are becoming resentful of the prosperity of Gan and it’s residents and as a result these other areas are starting to take action – it would seem that Gan maybe doesn’t always practice what it preaches.

So, characters.  

We have Hadamard, a luminary.  He’s embarking on a voyage to the Other Worldly Realm with a number of ’prospects’ all vying for a place on his projects.

Vey, is an assistant to the Grey Clerk.  She has been given a task to travel to Fort Abandon (or Fort Abindohn as it was formerly known) to interview a Vice Regent about the possible breaching of treaties and she is looking forward to the challenge.

Akrylla is a Scarsander (at this point I couldn’t exactly elaborate on what that means but I’m sure all will become clear). Fort Abindohn was the home of her ancestors. She seems to be on a mission all her own although the nature of what that is was unknown at the point at which I broke off.

Elu is from the Dim Sea Caves.  He has been taken from his village along with all his neighbours, presumably to be sold into slavery.

The world building is interesting.  There are a whole bunch of intriguing ideas such as Netherships, zero gravity, astrolabs and imbued stones/gems.  Also there is mention of different races such as giants.  The place that the Luminary travelled to is called Seventh Kaeda, a place that sits atop a mountain sized clump of rock that seems to be suspended in a gravity free zone where light is provided by something known as Starshine – the two bound together by tendrils named the tangles.  On top of this there is mention of giant leviathans.  It’s a complex world that seems well thought out.

There certainly isn’t a shortage of ideas and imagination and the author brings to us a story that blends fantasy and sci fi.

In terms of issues. I think sometimes the terminology and explanations come over very technical, which to be fair is, I think, just a reflection of how much the author loves this world – but for me, I would prefer this to be more relatable, for example, the travel to Seventh Kaeda, I found it difficult to visualise in my mind and had to backtrack to read it over – in fairness that could just have been me not really paying enough attention.

Anyway, an interesting story so far  An intriguing setting and a cast of characters that lovers of multiple POVs will undoubtedly enjoy.

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A Crown of Blood by Lincoln Law

SPFBO Status: Cut

Blurb:

A bloodthirsty army. A long forgotten god. A power believed lost.

Roisin Latenda is a Groundformer Acolyte in training, a person with the ability to manipulate the earth. Long ago—before the people rose up, killed their Gods, and fashioned their corpses into weapons—these powers could move mountains, form cities, shift countries. Now with the Gods dead, the powers are weaker, but humanity controls it. And wrestling power from the gods was always about autonomy.

When a powerful army arrives in Roisin’s small village, supported by an unknown god named the Soulmonger, all is sent into chaos. They ravage the village, killing many, and force Roisin to choose between those she loves, and her duty to her Groundformer training.

But Roisin’s life isn’t the only one to be horrifically transformed by the Soulmongers’ arrival. Piritta, the political aspirant, will find her drive for power warped in the most terrible way. Bree, the apprentice cartographer, will have to face her past; a past bathed in blood. And Kaori, whose porcelain mask hides many secrets, will seize the vengeance she seeks for a world which wronged her.

These four young women find their fates intertwined. If they make the right decisions, three of them may save the world from this new and deadly force. And should they fail, one will destroy it.

A dark and epic tale about friendship, power and the cost of war begins in A Crown of Blood, the first book of the Deimachy Trilogy.

General Thoughts:

I would say this story falls into epic fantasy and given the characters and set up to where I’ve read up to it’s going to be a fairly strong female cast – three friends and a Queen planning revenge.

As the story begins we meet Roisin. An acolyte in training to become a Groundformer.  A person who will have the magical ability to manipulate or bend the earth to her will.  Roisin has a companion animal, a fox, named Vulpo who she can communicate with and who helps her to concentrate. 

Bree is one of Roisin’s friends, she has little magical ability and has chosen to become a cartographer.

Piritta is another friend, Daughter of a Lord, beautiful and ambitious and frustrated with her lot in life. 

So to the point I read up to two key events took place.  An acolyte visited to inform everyone that the High Acolyte had died (suspected poisoning), this seemed to tie in with a certain unrest that could be detected reading between the lines, the King not having a heir for example, causing a certain level of unrest.  Not to mention general concern about an increased number of Skybinders spotted flying over the area.  The second event is that the city is attacked by sky binders.  They are led by a masked woman,Queen Kaori, a soul monger who takes Piritta when her army leaves.

The Groundformer people seem to play second fiddle to the Skybinders  and although there is a tentative peace they fear further bloodshed.  

In terms of issues, well, I would say that the attack on Roisin’s village felt off somehow.  We have the queen and her army, they attack the village, killing people and eventually taking a hostage.  And yet they don’t seem to search  the place at all.  They appear, murder some villagers, round the rest up and then leave with one extra person in tow leaving the survivors behind.

I would have said that this had an almost YA feel to it, what with the ages of the MCs and the animal companions, etc.  But, after the attack on the village things definitely took a darker tone. So be aware – this is potentially a dark story.

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SPFBO Status: Cut

Blurb:

Talon Cour-Vermane is not only the sole inheritor of his House’s lands, titles, and political power, but also of the pact his family has forged with darkness through countless generations. From birth, Talon’s father tethered his son’s life to the family’s bloodline and his own ambitions of power, but everything changes when a new blacksmith and his young apprentice, Richen, join the staff at the Cour-Vermane estate. With their fateful meeting, Talon’s life changes course forever, derailing the meticulously laid out existence planned for him. From his family’s estates and the countryside of Eleryon to the extents of the Xallian Empire and the dwarven kingdom of Lymehold, Talon discovers the different aspects of love, true family, and himself as he battles his cursed blood and the shackles to darkness his father bound him with.

“I wanted to craft an epic fantasy story featuring the incredible diversity of love and relationships that span the asexual spectrum in my LGBTQIA+ inclusive world. The new continent of Rhymera acts as the backdrop for Talon’s story, and I’ve filled it with a rich tapestry of living characters and unique locations that followers have come to expect from my storytelling.”— Jay Tallsquall

An accessible tale of high fantasy adventure for all of those who have yearned for love and felt the heartbreak of its loss, Legacy of the Vermillion Blade is for the hopeful broken-hearted and the broken hopeful-hearted in us all.

General Thoughts:

Legacy of the Vermillion Blade, well, initially, I felt it was a coming of age story but as I progressed I would liken it more to one person’s journey to discover themselves and the adventures they encounter along the way.

As the story begins we meet Talon. The only son and heir of the Cour-Vermane estate.  Unbeknownst to Talon his family made a pact many years ago with ’the darkness’ in return for power and Talon now falls under the same curse.  Talon’s parents have very little to do with him and when a new blacksmith arrives with a similarly aged son the two form a strong friendship that begins to blossom. Unfortunately Ritchen is taken from Talon’s home when he becomes injured and from then Talon vows to find him again. 

From there Talon sets to training to make him stronger, he then begins to train with weapons and eventually he leaves the family home, having confronted the curse he labours under.

This has a classic fantasy style which is made unique by the asexual love interest that develops between the two boys and becomes Talon’s motivation in the events that unfold.

We have a mediaeval setting but the writing style is quite modern and the pace is fairly steady.

I found myself easily interested but at the same time a little disconnected from the characters and their plights.  I also had some issues, for example, why were Talon’s parents so indifferent to him? It was very perplexing. They almost came across as emotionally numb. This may become clear as the story unfolds

I read just beyond the 30% mark and this held my attention well but I wasn’t totally enamoured with the MC up to that point although this could change with further reading.

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My commiserations to the authors cut today.  And my thanks to you for entering your books into the competition.