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.

Our batch of 30 books was split equally between myself and the Critiquing Chemist’s team.  I have now completed my batch and announced my semi finalists and the CC have also now chosen their three semi finalists.

My three semi finalists:

The Critiquing Chemists Semi finalists are:

A Rival Most Vial: Potioneering for Love and Profit by R.K. Ashwick

Under the Lesser Moon by Shelly Campbell

The Many Shades of Midnight by C. M. Debell

I’ve made a start and completed one of these books already.  Only two more SFs to read now. I will say, that the first book I read was very good (of course it was – the Critiquing Chemist choose it) and I fear that there are some difficult decisions ahead.