SPFBO X is now well underway and I have now completed reading at least the first 25% of the fifteen books I was allocated.  My co-judges (The Critiquing Chemist.) have also been making their way through their books and will be posting separately at some point in the near future.

For those who don’t know about SPFBO (the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off) – this is a competition created and run by Mark Lawrence.  The competition is now in its tenth year and you can find more about all the other entrants and judges over on Mark Lawrence’s blog. 

I separated my books into three batches which you can find here, here and here.  Having read the first 25% (at least) I’ve chosen five books that I intend to read further before choosing potential semi finalists to pass to the Critiquing Chemist to read.  The purpose of this post, which is the first of two such posts, is to make my first five cuts.  This isn’t a part of the competition that I enjoy but it is unavoidable.  So, without further ado, and in no particular order please find my first cuts below.  (My commiserations to the authors together with my utmost respect and appreciation for submitting your books into the competition).  

Messengers of Ilbeor by TJ Klapprodt

Messengers connect six races of the verdant and beautiful land of Ilbeor, and newly trained messenger Alanda feels the promise of her adult life as she steps into the world to find her fortune. Faithful dog Alis at her side, Alanda traverses the mountainous wilderness only to be punished by storm and sun before becoming the first elf-friend in generations. When she meets charming messenger Tostig and feels the spark of a connection unlike any she’s ever known, she believes her life has truly begun.

After being greeted by tragedy and a brother changed by primal magics she does not understand, Alanda must travel the icy wastes with an unlikely companion to discover the answers to her brother’s prophetic gifts and her own heritage. With only a mysterious artifact to guide her way, she knows only one thing: her entire destiny is about to change. In Tostig’s attempt to race to her side, he is waylaid by the mysterious Sashu toward his own changed future as powerful magician and a hand of the gods themselves.

As Alanda and Tostig uncover who they were fated to be, they learn the appearance of peace in Ilbeor is only given by the lack of outright war…and when they each come to the attention of vengeful elven mage Altoneir, they stand to find out just how much they have to lose.

My Thoughts (read 27%)

As the story begins we meet Alanda, a newly trained Messenger about to undertake her first assignment.  Accompanied by her dog Alis she sets off on her first solo adventure.  

During these early chapters Alanda goes through quite a lot.  Becoming very ill, rescued by elf healers and eventually declared a friend to elves before returning home and meeting a possible love interest along the way.  Unfortunately disaster is about to strike, Alanda’s family are struck down by illness and her family home burned to avoid contagion.

I found this easy to read, it’s a very clean story in that there’s no cursing or other content that would be inappropriate for younger readers (during the chapters I read at least), and in fact there’s a ‘gateway into fantasy’ feel about the story.  I wouldn’t say that it worked totally for me or more to the point it didn’t stand out at this stage.  The writing, although easy to get along with is a little overly descriptive at times and I didn’t find myself becoming attached to the central character.  Even though Alanda undoubtedly suffers during these early chapters I didn’t feel any real sense of impending danger or tension as any real issues or moments that should have felt devastating felt too quickly dealt with.  

That being said, I certainly didn’t struggle with the story up to the point I broke off.

Verdict: Cut

The Fate Of by JE Lynn

Evangeline is a cleric at the Church of Stars – an institution dedicated to healing and taking care of the people of Lovern amid a mysterious plague. After being warned that there is a cult infiltrating her beloved home, she starts her investigation. She aims to uncover the truth of who they are and what they want while maintaining her secretive relationship with her childhood friend.

Dianthus, memoryless and with nowhere else to go, has been living with the city’s royal family ever since they awoke five months ago, found confused and delirious by the youngest prince. They’ve become accustomed to the family’s lavish lifestyle, ignoring the burden of discovering their past identity in favor of the comfort they offer, but as the days move forward and a courtship with the crown prince begins, they start to find that they can only turn away from themselves for so long.

Harr is a wayward assassin who recently joined a strange circle of collaborators pursuing immortality. Haunted by the memories of her past and profession, she works to find the key to living forever while trying not to lose her head in the process.

The Fate of is the first novel in a seven book series set in a dark fantasy world with inspiration taken from the cosmic horror and gothic genres. It follows three protagonists as they slowly uncover parts of a larger conspiracy that threatens the peace of their city but none of that will matter if they can’t overcome themselves.

My Thoughts (read 26%)

The story follows three characters.  Eva is a cleric in the Church of Stars.  As the story begins she is predominantly involved in the care of patients who have fallen to a sickness that has already taken many lives.  She is frustrated by the lack of knowledge concerning the disease and the shortage of supplies to treat patients.  Eva has a secret relationship with the Archbishop that places both of them in a difficult position.  Dianthus, a person found in the city with no memory and given shelter by the royal family and a potential budding relationship with one of the princes.  Harr is an assassin who becomes interested in dark dealings with the ultimate goal of immortality.

I’m not entirely sure how many pages this book has (Amazon suggests approximately 470) which if that is the case, I would have expected to be a lot more invested in the story and characters by the time I reached my cut off point.  I think there is a lot of promise in terms of the plot but I found myself with constant niggles that simply held me back or frustrated me a little.  I’m not going to elaborate here because it’s quite possible that these issues are expanded upon as the story evolves.  I do think there could be some cuts made here and there to make the text a bit more punchy, I am intrigued about some of the plot elements but at this point the story hasn’t quite worked it’s magic on me.

Verdict : Cut

Woodspell by CR Collins

Humanity’s time has run out.

She’ll never be a victim again, but Rowena’s new power could destroy her country.

WOODSPELL is Volume 1 in the completed trilogy, TALES OF ARDONNA: WOODSPELL SERIES, a fairy tale for adults.

My Thoughts (read 21%)

Rowena is escaping from her life with the help of her brother.  Unfortunately they become separated and Rowena is left to fend for herself with only the forest to help.  She develops an affinity for the trees before eventually coming across the nearest town where she makes new friends.  

To be honest I struggled with this one a little and simply don’t think it’s the right fit for me which isn’t to say that others won’t love it of course.  It has an interesting blend of what seems to be modern and magical but I had difficulty really sinking into the story.  And, although I was intrigued by the trees and their connection to Rowena – I wouldn’t say I was convinced about why that connection was so strong to the point I read up to.

Verdict : Cut

The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle by Steve Hugh Westenra

Tyler Kyle doesn’t believe in monsters.

A washed-up thirty-year-old actor and reluctant cryptid investigator, Tyler is used to playing the Scully to his best friend Josh’s Mulder on their stupidly popular YouTube channel. But when Tyler receives previously unseen footage of the B movie bombshell mother who abandoned him eighteen years ago—footage linked to an isolated island in the Canadian wilderness—the mystery is one conspiracy he’s determined to investigate. The fact that following the scent gives Tyler an excuse to run away from the “straight” Josh, whom he drunkenly made out with, is just the cherry on the shit sundae.

But Echo Island isn’t what it seems. Its eerily scenic veneer hides a twisted secret buried in its roots as a gay conversion camp, and as Tyler retraces his mother’s footsteps, he discovers a supernatural connection between the residents and the island—one they seem to think Tyler and his mother share.

Even worse, the footage of Tyler’s mom came from someone on the island–a stalker whose obsessive fascination with both Tyler and Josh is about to make Tyler wish he hadn’t gone this one alone. Puppeteered by his stalker, searching for his mother, and debating whether it’s possible to queerbait yourself, Tyler comes to realize that it doesn’t matter so much whether you believe in monsters, if they believe in you.

My Thoughts (read 29%)

Well, I was intrigued enough by this book to continue reading further than expected.  This is a book about a young man, Tyler, who has gone in search of the mother who abandoned him as a boy.  His search takes him to a very unusual island where it seems he has more questions than answers.

I like the premise for this, I also think the writing was good although I think Tyler tries a little too hard sometimes to be amusing and it almost becomes tiring at times.  It also feels like one of those books that is going to be elusive, I already feel like both Tyler and I are chasing answers and it doesn’t really feel that they’re going to be forthcoming.

This was a quirky read to where I broke off.  Some of the descriptions are really good and make the place easy to envisage.  I think I would have liked more ‘investigating’ than I felt was present by this (almost) first third of the book, and also, at the point I put the book down any real fantasy elements were absent – although there is mention of strange beasts in the forest (that are meant to be bears but clearly are something more horrific). 

I certainly didn’t dislike this but I would have liked it to move along a little faster than it did.

Verdict : Cut

Sidetracked by SK Kelley

Jayde Palmer considers herself a typical college student, but life is messy.

The day before her 19th birthday, a chance meeting with a beautiful young man named Ice Monroe disrupts Jayde’s plans for a quiet, relaxing summer. She assumes he’s too good to be true—until he calls. Jayde takes the bait, and things go well at first, but the relationship takes a bizarre turn when Ice drops a bombshell secret:

He is a magical human-feline shapeshifter, known as an immortal.

As Jayde comes to terms with the existence of immortals and struggles to work out Ice’s true intentions in dating her, a series of unexpected and uncomfortable encounters with a figure from his past leave Jayde increasingly unsure who she can trust or what she should do next.

Even so, it’s clear that something is wrong, and she may have no choice but to act on instinct.

Sidetracked is part one of a four-part series about dark secrets, difficult decisions, strange dreams, a secret government program, and mental illness.

With cats and a little bit of magic!

My Thoughts (read 25%)

Sidetracked was fairly easy to read at the point I read up to.  It feels like it’s going to go down the paranormal romance route although at the point I stopped reading I wouldn’t say there was any romance involved.  We meet Jayde Palmer.  A student who just turned 19.  Whilst shopping for groceries one day she meets the hottest boy ever who takes her phone number and eventually gets in touch to organise a date. 

I don’t quite know where this story is headed at the moment but my immediate thoughts.  This reads like fanfic with definite Twilight vibes (although I’d say more 50 Shades vibes tbh).  Jayde is incredibly naive, she never questions anything, even though there are little red flags popping up already.  Ice – the love interest – seems very cool towards her, I’m not quite certain what his interest is but before you can blink he’s revealing his secrets about shapeshifting to her and getting her to sign nondisclosure agreements.  I think my issue with this book is that it felt too familiar, although I’m not sure what direction the story will eventually take so there could be surprises in store.

Verdict: Cut