Backstories, by Simon Van der Velde

 

Backstories, by Simon Van der Velde

Smoke and Mirrors Press - 2021
General Fiction (for lack of a better category)
E-book
90 Pages

* I received this digital ARC courtesy of the author in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

When I was approached by this author, and he was telling me a little about his book, he said "There’s a little bit of music, a touch of crime, plenty of mystery and bucket-loads of nostalgia…".

When an author or their rep tell me about their book, I know that they are trying to "sell" it - that is part of their job.  But when I can tell you that this is exactly what this book is like. 

Backstories is a collection of short stories. What makes this book so unique, is that the stories are the partially imagined past or "Backstories" of real world people who are either famous or infamous. Think history with a good dose of artistic license. Van der Velde has imagined the characters at a pivotal point in their lives or careers, and told that part of their stories - BUT, he never tells you outright who it is you are reading about. You take the clues, fill in the blanks and come up with the answer! This little book was so much fun to read. 

For most of these stories, I felt confident by their end, that I knew exactly who the story was about. (Don't worry, if you are unable to sleep at night wondering, the answers are available on his website, carefully tucked away and marked "spoilers"), The collection of characters is fairly eclectic, so there was one or two that I felt slightly less confident about, but there is pretty much something for everyone here. Some of the stories featured contemporary figures, while some were more historic. I could honestly see reading this book out loud with another person and making a game of each story to see who comes up with the right answer first! It would be a fun diversion on a road trip too. 

This little book was so fun to read, I hope to read other Backstories in the future!

Happy Reading,

Christine

Master Artificer, by Justin T. Call

 

Master Artificer, by Justin T. Call

Silent Gods - book #2

Blackstone Publishing - May 18, 2021 

Fantasy
E-book

817 Pages

* I received this digital ARC courtesy of Blackstone Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

In Master Artificer we continue with the exciting and epic story that began with Master of Sorrows, the first book in the Silent Gods series. If you haven't read that book yet, what are you waiting for? You can learn more about that first book by reading my review HERE 

This second installment is a beast of a book - and I mean that in the very best way. It rings in at well over 800 pages, and each of those pages has something to offer the story. 

We pick up where we left off at the end of Master of Sorrows. Chaenbalu lies in ruins, as does much of the beliefs Annev held prior to those events. Annev, and his friends forge ahead, to the city of Luqura. Annev is seeking to learn more about his magic, how to control it, and a way to remove the prosthetic that has melded itself to his body. This story is anything but the classical clear-cut good versus evil. Annev discovers that choices are not always so black and white, and once one's options offer nothing but choices in the grey, it is easy to stumble onto a darker path before you know it. 

Call is a master in his own rights. The world building is on point, but the character building in this book is extraordinary.  Although Annev is considered the "main character" and it is his story that brings us to this book, from here we now see separate storylines emerge for several other characters whose rolls are not just "supporting actors", but are integral to the story. The result is a book that is rich, epic, and multi-faceted, as well as thoroughly captivating. 

If you are looking for a fantasy series that is light and bright and feel-good, this may not be the one for you; but if you are looking for an epic fantasy you can sink your teeth into, with dark threads and morally ambiguous characters, this series is sure to fit the bill. 

Happy Reading,

Christine