Category Archives: Fantasy

The Black God’s Drums

Posted on 24 October 2020 by Barbara Howe

Creeper—who doesn’t want to be called by her real name, Jacqueline—is s 13-year-old living on the streets in New Orleans. She’s an orphan, but she’s not alone; wherever she goes, Oya, the goddess of winds and storms, is with her, … Continue reading →

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Sorcerer to the Crown

Posted on 9 October 2020 by Barbara Howe

England’s magic is dwindling. It is a matter of great concern to the members of the Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, and contributes to the finger pointing, rumour mongering, and agitation in the ranks that is complicating the work of … Continue reading →

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The Prince of Secrets

Posted on 12 September 2020 by Barbara Howe

The Prince of Secrets, the second book in the Stariel series by New Zealand author A J Lancaster, takes us deeper into the world of the fae we were given only glimpses of in the first book, The Lord of … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: The Wordsmith

Posted on 29 August 2020 by Barbara Howe

Irene van Gelder’s drudge job is killing her, but how can she earn a living as an air witch when her own guild calls her a fraud? The Fire Warlock doesn’t ask for her credentials, but with tensions rising between … Continue reading →

Posted in A Writer's Life, Epic Fantasy | Leave a comment

The Clockill and the Thief

Posted on 21 August 2020 by Barbara Howe

Sin, street urchin turned trainee spy, is back in Gareth Ward’s YA novel, The Clockill and the Thief, the sequel to The Traitor and the Thief. Both books won New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel award for Best Youth Novel in their … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Fiction, Fantasy, Kiwi author | Leave a comment

Short Takes on a Trio by New Zealand Authors

Posted on 8 May 2020 by Barbara Howe

Aftershocks (Earthcore Book 3) by Grace Bridges Aftershocks is a fine addition to the Earthcore series, with a more interesting conflict than the earlier books (RotoVegas and Volcano City). Anira Fraser—the leader of the Earthcore team, when her mind isn’t … Continue reading →

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Deltora Quest

Posted on 25 April 2020 by Barbara Howe

Most of the children’s books I’ve blogged about are ones I read to my daughter. The Deltora Quest series, by Australian author Emily Rodda, is an outlier. My daughter discovered it for herself and read the entire series as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Noblebright Fantasy | 2 Comments

Temeraire

Posted on 11 April 2020 by Barbara Howe

A British ship has just captured a French vessel after an unusually hard-fought battle. Captain Will Laurence is at first contemptuous of the French captain for risking men’s lives by refusing to surrender long after it becomes obvious they are … Continue reading →

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The Goblin Emperor

Posted on 28 March 2020 by Barbara Howe

With New Zealand in lockdown while the pandemic rages and our Prime Minister reminding us to be kind to one another, it seems appropriate to turn to hopepunk. What is hopepunk? I’m quoting here from a longer post by Alexandra … Continue reading →

Posted in Fantasy, Hopepunk | 2 Comments

The Night Circus

Posted on 13 March 2020 by Barbara Howe

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards… It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. London, October 1873. The flamboyant illusionist Prospero the Enchanter proposes a contest to his … Continue reading →

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