stories in and

The Flame and The Blade

The Flame and The Blade by Meredith Hart

SPFBO7

He’s a fire mage on the wrong side of the King’s law. She’s a hired guard desperate to prove herself. Together, they must survive the legendary Demon Forest. Lord Vethe Scarvian is a direct descendant of the man who almost destroyed humanity. And that plus a couple of coppers will buy him another mug of ale. Vethe has no use for his once-noble family’s dubious legacy. When his aunt reveals the existence of a long-lost betrothal agreement hidden somewhere in the ruins of the Demon Forest, Vethe is only interested in how much money the noblewoman betrothed to him would be willing to pay to escape that contract. He just has to find the contract first. Lyria Guardia let her family down and got her heart broken. Gods help her, that will never happen again. After a crushing betrayal by the man she’d built her life around, Lyria abandons her promising career with the Adventurer’s Guild and returns, humiliated and heartbroken, to the Guard’s Guild that her family has run for hundreds of years. Determined to regain her position and prove herself to her five brothers, Lyria is willing to accept any assignment. Even if that means she has to drag some spoiled noble brat through the Demon Forest in search of a mysterious missing contract. The Flame and The Blade is the first book in a new romantic fantasy adventure series. Fans of Miranda Honfleur and Sarah J. Maas will love this story of forbidden magic, dangerous adventure, and sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance.


Finnian's Fiddle

Finnian's Fiddle by Chandler Groover

SPFBO7

Dragons can often be obstinate, and when one dragon arrives at a rural seaport demanding to hear a child prodigy perform the violin, the townspeople must strategize. They send a boy named Finnian to the city to learn how to play. Unfortunately for Finnian, the task isn’t so simple. Everyone from bandits to scheming aristocrats seem to stand in his way, and before his quest has ended, he will have to contend with a devious plot stretching into the fairy realm itself. FINNIAN'S FIDDLE is a fantasy story for all ages—a folktale with mythic proportions.


Ascendant (Songs of Chaos #1)

Ascendant (Songs of Chaos #1) by Michael R. Miller

SPFBO7

The start of a new dragon rider epic combining the best of Eragon and Pern with the hard magic of Brandon Sanderson and Will Wight. Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean. Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within. But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows. Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon's magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come, and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.


Coyote Chronicles

Coyote Chronicles by Anton Le Roy

SPFBO7

An aging warrior battles with gods, demons, monsters and the resurfacing troubles of his own past in this action packed fantasy adventure. Book 1 in The Veteran series. Can be read as a single book or as part of an ongoing series. "They call me Veteran. A grizzled old warrior. Always on the road, meandering through fantastic lands and bouncing from contract to contract, which usually end up in violence. I flee the past. I flee the ghosts that forever haunt me, but I know that in the end I'll have to finally stand and face them down. And when that day of reckoning comes my sword will be singing, the world will be burning, the ghosts will be swarming and a goddess will fall." Veteran and his buddy Gregor, two aged warriors for hire, have been on the road for decades when an audacious contract to steal a magical relic from a god brings them into contact with dark cultists called the Newborn. They soon discover the Newborn are led by an old pal they thought long dead, something Veteran had always blamed himself for. In an attempt to make amends, they track the priests through war torn kingdoms to find him. Along the way they'll learn just how dangerous the Newborn are and also that facing up to the past can be even more deadly.


Burning Promise

Burning Promise by Thiago d'Evecque

SPFBO7

"Those who seek the Abyss are doomed to find it." Alicia is a country girl with a simple life. Her only dreams are to spend her life besides her fiancĂ© and work the fields. Dreams that are shattered when mercenaries attack her village and leave a trail of smoke, ashes, and blood. Something awakes inside Alicia. A thirst for vengeance dominates her and demands to be quenched with death. In a path paved by hatred, Alicia will face saurians — massive lizards and birds that plague the North — advanced golems, corrupt soldiers, and a conspiracy involving angels, necromancers, and the blood magic forbidden in the kingdom. But her greatest struggle will be to keep her own humanity as she dives into the Abyss.


A Change of Blood

A Change of Blood by G. P. Gabriel

SPFBO7

A man hearing the voice of his dead wife. A boy struggling to understand emotions he cannot feel. A journey into a land of bloodthirsty creatures was never a simple matter to begin with. Their mission: deliver an arcane explosive into the heart of the corruption. Kynnar is a Guild Drengir mercenary roaming the Corrupted Lands, a place of maddening sickness that took the life of his beloved. When his guild leader contacts him after years of silence, it's to send him on a mission with an assembled crew. Sounds like just another job. At least until he finds out he'll work alongside mages with powers responsible for the infection in the first place. Eight, a human experiment of torture, fails to assassinate his target. If he wants to stay alive—which he decides would be a preferrable outcome—he has to accept an offer from the very man he tried to kill. The offer gets him into the Guild of the Arcane, but nowhere did it mention he'd be an apprentice to a battlemage about to embark on a certain mission. Sort of makes the whole 'not dying' part redundant. A Change of Blood is a high fantasy novel set in a world of water and deadly storms. Elements of madness include, but are not limited to; hallucinations, weapons hidden inside human flesh, a thief with his crossbow for a lover, and an unhealthy amount of feeling sorry for oneself.


Blood of Ravens

Blood of Ravens by Jen McIntosh

SPFBO7

Hunted. Hidden. Scattered. But the old bloodlines hold true. And now is the time of the Rising. It’s been a hundred years since the Shade King orchestrated the Fall of the Graced; a century since he tipped the balance in his favour and brought those magically gifted warriors to their knees. But now a new power is rising and even the faintest ember, buried amongst ash and ruin, can reignite the flames of war. Renila remembers nothing of her life before the birth of her son, save the old stories she knows by heart. But when a stranger arrives at the castle she calls home, her past begins to resurface – and with it, her power. Enslaved by his master’s dark magic, the Shade King’s general, Alexan, has been dispatched to hunt down the King’s daughter – and either return her to her father, or kill her. His history with the Princess makes him well suited to the task, but it may also be his undoing. Keriath, bastard daughter of the Shade King, has been hunted her entire life and, since she was old enough to wield the power in her veins, has dedicated herself to destroying the monster who claims to have sired her. But the events of a single night may change her fate forever. The twins, Lucan and Suriya, are plagued by nightmares – by visions of myth and monsters – for which their mysterious yet domineering mother blames Renila and her stories. But there is something she is not telling them, and they are determined to find out what. This enthralling and immersive epic fantasy story is the first in The Rising Series, and Jen McIntosh’s debut novel.


The Vanguards of Scion

The Vanguards of Scion by Michael E. Thom

SPFBO7

Power corrupts absolutely. The Vanguards of Scion is a dark epic fantasy story about five characters who are given great powers by dark beings from another dimension. We follow the five as they move through the East Realm and soon discover their powers have unimaginably horrid costs and the stakes keep stacking against them as the world they once knew begins to change forever because of their own mistakes. THE MOST POWERFUL MAGE IN THE UNIVERSE CREATES SCION, A POCKET DIMENSION FOR HARVESTING THE MOST POWERFUL MAGIC IN THE UNIVERSE, BUT IT IS DYING. THE KING OF SCION SETS HIS SIGHTS ON A NEW WORLD TO RESIDE, BUT HE MUST FIND FOLLOWERS TO WEAKEN ITS KINGDOMS FOR HIS INVASION A failed knight, a petite foul-mouthed assassin, an outcast witch, an alchemist who seeks validation & a huntress desperate to save her dying sister. All are met with a proposition to change their lives forever but at what cost? The five begin on separate paths across the world but their fates collide as some are visited by the King of Scion and given unworldly powers in exchange for servitude as vanguards to usher in his invasion. Some soon discover that great power is not worth the price of the bloodshed it bestows, but others embrace it straight into villainy.


Legacy of Flame

Legacy of Flame by Rebecca Bapaye

SPFBO7 Indie Recs Indie

A winter queen and prince of flame, bound together by fate. Following a deadly attack on a druid grove, Queen Elia Kolenikova of the Ice Realm is the first and only monarch to take a stand against the fire priest order, a reclusive band of sorcerers with unlimited power. Determined to find a way to protect druids from further violence, Elia turns to the annals of history, tracing her knowledge of fire priests back to a time when a previous Ice Queen was intimately tied to the rise of the order. There’s just one problem: what Elia reads in those accounts may not be true. To unravel the mystery, Elia needs more than an ally—she needs a fire priest. An immortal Ice Realm prince who’s been missing from the history books for centuries. Syllian, like his father before him, sacrificed his mortal body to be born again in flames. Two thousand years later, he’s hunted at every turn by fire priests seeking revenge for his betrayal of the order. The threat means little until a rumor reaches him: Queen Elia Kolenikova is asking questions. About fire priests, about druids, and most dangerously of all, about the truth. Emerging from the shadows could cost Syllian his life. But if he doesn’t, the lies and propaganda of the fire priest order will cost Elia hers first.


Stone & Shield (Fall of Emros 1)

Stone & Shield (Fall of Emros 1) by Thomas J Devens

SPFBO7

A new vain Emperor sits on the throne. Dreaming of glory and conquest. A stirring in the west as power shifts. And a band of mercenaries known as the Stone & Shield make way to return to the imperial capital. A great gritty grimdark adventure. For thirty years Diirg has done the bloody work and the years have taken their toll. But when in the trade of death, one’s past is never far behind. It’s a long journey to Emros City, and enemies new and old stalk the trails.


Winds of Strife

Winds of Strife by U. G. Gutman

SPFBO7

“They burned me and mine. I'm not done until I burn them and theirs in return.” Witch-hunts have plagued the kingdom of Olyanath for decades. Thousands were slain due to the king’s paranoia of women who practice Senspiritic magic. No more. Nye and his companions have seen enough of murder and misogyny. Fifteen years have passed since he joined the witch-hunters, and now, at long last, an opportunity to destroy them from the inside reveals itself. An opportunity to overthrow the king and end his reign of cruelty. But fifteen years of pretense have taken a toll. The strive for vengeance has steered Nye toward a path of violence and villainy. His hands are stained by the blood of countless innocents, his heart is scorched by grief, and his sanity hangs by a thread. Even if he can kill the king and see this revolution through, it may not suffice to purge the voices from his head.


Raiders

Raiders by C. A. Lyness

SPFBO7

A magical weapon in the hands of evil. It could end them all. Aboard the Dreadnaught, Shiphead Junathan Reed and the Raiders fight the battles that the Northlands can’t. Peace is fleeting and sharp iron is the only ally. When a great Northlands vault is breached and a magical weapon plundered, Jun and the Raiders will head to the Southlands to take it back. The corsair responsible — Raynar Bloom the Halfsight — should be dead, but after coming out of hiding, he has barricaded himself on the Isle of Rats and conjured a deadly storm to deter any interlopers. With the ancient weapon in the Halfsight’s grip, the realm is in danger that no fleet or army could withstand. But Jun has met with the Halfsight before, when everything he loved was torn from his heart and scattered to the seas. Once again, Jun will have to face the monster responsible for ten years of torment — the death of his family, the pain of his capture and the empty void of his life. He’ll stop at nothing to get his reckoning and bury the Halfsight. Even if he has to share the grave. 'Raiders' is the first book in a series called 'The Dying Light Saga'.


Fractured Throne - Part One

Fractured Throne - Part One by Lee H. Haywood

SPFBO7

Previously published as Fractured Throne Book 1 by Lee H. Haywood. Never trust the promise of a dragon. Emethius Lunen is learning that lesson the hard way. One of the best swordsmen in the realm, Emethius has spent his life serving the royal family. But his oath is challenged when the Crown Prince attempts to overthrow his own father, forcing Emethius defend the royal family from itself. Most believe that Prince Meriatis longs for power, but Emethius has his own dark theory. He believes the prince is afflicted by the Blackheart, a sickness that causes its victims to slowly lose their mind to an ancient deity known as the Shadow. Torn by his friendship to Prince Meriatis and his loyalty to the High Lord, Emethius doesn't know what to do. But when a mysterious dragon name Ftoril offers Emethius a way to save both the prince and the realm, Emethius can't refuse the offer. Ftoril claims to know of a sorceress who can cure the Blackheart. The only problem - the sorceress has gone into hiding in the fallen Empire of Cella, a place where nightmarish creatures known as the Cul reign supreme. The dragon promises to guide Emethius to the sorceress, that is, if Emethius is willing to pay the price.


Saint Dorian and the Witch

Saint Dorian and the Witch by Michael Raship

SPFBO7

The rumors borne across the empire by pilgrims are full of wild talk about Dorian, a boy with a flute reputed to have come from somewhere beyond the world in order to combat great evil. His followers are already calling him Saint Dorian. When word of the boy with the flute spreads as far as the remote mountain monastery where the young monk Bartholomew serves in the honored position of librarian, he astonishes his fellow monks by placing his faith in vague, contradictory rumors and declaring himself a follower of Dorian. Before the winter snows cut off the monastery from the rest of the empire, he makes a clandestine departure from the only home he has ever known in order to devote himself to the child saint. Even while others around him continue to deny that Dorian is a saint, Bartholomew can sense the boy with the flute guiding his journey, summoning him to play his destined role in a vast pattern that will give a purpose to the puzzling events of his past life and of his journey: His ill-fated childhood act of charity towards the wandering heretical storyteller Valentine The warning spoken to him by one of the greatest men in the empire, the legendary hero and subtly brilliant monk Father Zero His bargain with a wild witch girl named Ruth, who agrees to keep him safe on his journey in exchange for obscure facts of natural science and philosophy that only a librarian could know The powerful new spells that Ruth is creating based on this knowledge, spells that Bartholomew believes will be of service in combating the great evil against which Dorian is said to be waging a righteous war Yet when he and Ruth arrive at their journey’s end, and Bartholomew is about to fulfill his destined role in Dorian’s plans, it suddenly seems to him that his proper place is not among Dorian’s followers but on the other side, as an ally to the child saint’s enemies and a rebel against heaven.


The Child of Chaos

The Child of Chaos by Glen Dahlgren

SPFBO7

Nothing can break the stranglehold the gods of Order have on the world . . . except a roll of the dice. An irresistible longing drags young Galen to an ancient vault where, long ago, the gods of Order locked Chaos away. Chaos promises power to the one destined to liberate it, but Galen's dreams warn of dark consequences. He isn't the only one racing to the vault, however. Horace, the bully who lives to torment Galen, is determined to unleash Chaos--and he might know how to do it. Galen's imagination always got him into trouble, but now it may be the only thing that can prevent Horace from unraveling the world.


The Broken Heart of Arelium

The Broken Heart of Arelium by Alex Robins

SPFBO7

“A fast-paced epic fantasy thrill-ride filled with action-packed battles, compelling mysteries, and unforeseen betrayals.” Some Things Must Never Be Forgotten. Over 400 years ago, twelve great warriors united the beleaguered armies of men and scoured the war-torn lands of evil, pushing the enemy back into the underground pits and caverns from whence they came. To ensure their legacy, each of the Twelve founded fortress monasteries to impart their unique knowledge of war and politics to a select few, the Knights of the Twelve. But now the last of the Twelve have long since passed from history to legend and the Knights, their numbers dwindling, are harbouring a dark and terrible secret that must be protected at all costs. Merad Reed has spent half his life guarding a great crater known as the Pit, yearning for some escape from the bleak monotony. Then the arrival of Aldarin, one of the few remaining Knights of the Twelve, sets off a chain of cataclysmic events that will change Reed forever. To the north, Jelaïa del Arelium, heiress to the richest of the nine Baronies, must learn to navigate the swirling political currents of her father’s court if she hopes one day to take his place. But the flickering flames of ambition hide the shadow of an even greater threat. And deep within the earth, something is stirring.


Birthright

Birthright by Kim Fedyk

SPFBO7

Arleth, a 17 year old slave in a backwater world, has no idea her life is about to be turned upside down.She is too busy trying to avoid the abuse from her owner Bella. But when the legendary king of Oherra comes to Tocarra, Arleth soon finds herself being chased by assassins, sought out by spies and smack dab in the middle of a decades long war. It soon becomes clear to Arleth that powerful forces are at play. Not everyone is who they seem, even those she wants to trust the most. Haunted by an ancient magic, Arleth must decide who she can trust and fast. The wrong choice would cost her the ultimate price - a fate worse than death - to end up as an enchantment. A hollowed out shell of a person; devoid of thought, consciousness and feeling. That's if the birthright she's completely unaware of doesn't kill her first.


Elijah

Elijah by S A Haycock

SPFBO7

Sixteen-year-old Jacob Da Nesta and his older sister Maria live a simple life of anonymity in their peaceful border town. But when a runaway prince from a rival nation appears in their doorway asking for them, their lives are changed forever. Jacob, Maria, and their allies must flee from enemies both foreign and domestic as they journey through the perilous, war-torn land of Valouria. Guided only by visions from the mysterious Elijah, will Jacob and Maria reach salvation, or will their dark secrets catch up with them?


DragonBirth

DragonBirth by Raina Nightingale

SPFBO7

In a world where dragons are considered demons and Dragonriders are hunted and killed as witches . . . Silmavalien is a devout young woman from a small mountain village. Her engaged, Noren, is teaching her the bow and her life goals are limited to marrying him – as soon as he completes his Manhood Hunt – and having a family. But then she meets a dragon hatchling and discovers a love she could never have dreamed, but one that rips her entire world apart. The gods she has worshiped, everything she has ever been taught or believed, is a monstrous lie, and she's not sure what to believe now. Can she dare to trust Noren with her new secret, even if he is the only person she's ever heard voice doubts about whether the stories are true? If she, or the hatchling Minth, are discovered, both will be burned alive. How can she survive and care for Minth in a wild hostile world – one that is even stranger than she thought?


Stone Magus

Stone Magus by Stephanie C. Marks

SPFBO7

***THE FIRST NOVEL IN THIS SERIES IS BEST ENJOYED WHEN YOU DON'T READ ANY SPOILERS BEFOREHAND.*** In life, love, and family, there is always strength in numbers. Something is off balance between the Windsong Sisters, and for Opal and Ruby, the terrible might of their powers may just lead them to catastrophe—or clarity. As half-elf mages in the service of the Order of Aiuna, the sisters spend their days collecting and preserving anything that magic touches, and as their mission takes them further back into their past, the darkness that awaits them there threatens to destroy everything they hold dear. Despite the dark smoke rising around them, Opal is finding it hard to ignore the flames flickering between herself and Baerdun. There’s just something about it that makes her feel weak, and not just in the knees. With so much happening around them, it’s becoming much harder to keep her heart her own. After everything they’ve lost—what if they lose themselves as well? Enter a world where shadows exist within and without, and follow Opal, Ruby, and Baerdun down a path that will either bring them together or force them apart. If you like Sarah J. Mass, Grace Draven, and Jennifer Armentrout, then Stone Magus is a novel you won’t be able to put down. ***WARNING: Stone Magus contains adult sexual themes, violence, and other explicit content that could distress some readers. Proceed with caution.***


As Fierce as Steel

As Fierce as Steel by Christopher P. Walsh

SPFBO7

The nation of Illiastra sits in the clutches of the Elite Merchant Party, a group who uses its lands and its peoples to enrich themselves and further their own goals. Openly standing against them is a woman known only as Lady Orangecloak and her faction, the Thieves. With their very lives at stake, the Thieves and their fearless leader fight to end a hundred-year reign of oppression. Inspired by Lady Orangecloak's actions and seeking her own emancipation, Lady Marigold Tullivan, daughter of a ruling lord, steps forward with designs on tearing down the Elite Merchants from within. Will Illiastra survive what is to come? As Fierce as Steel is the inaugural entry in the seven-part Gold & Steel Saga, an industrial-era fantasy epic by Christopher Walsh. The series blends traditional fantasy elements with modern sensibilities, inviting seasoned fans of the genre and contemporary readers alike. The conflicts and struggles of Lady Orangecloak, Marigold Tullivan, mercenary Tryst Reine, Ellarie Dollen of the Thieves and others weave a grand epic adventure of growth and personal discovery that is sure to captivate readers of all preferences.


Deathborn

Deathborn by C. E. Page

SPFBO7

Corruption is a disease with no cure that ends with a rapid descent into madness and violence. And until now it only targeted mages. When an infected warden shows up challenging everything Margot thought she knew she is thrown into the chase to find the impossible cure. But to understand this new revelation she needs someone who knows possession ... She needs Nea and lucky for Margot, her warden friend Garret has been tasked with tracking the rogue necromancer down. Garret is used to dealing with deadly mages so this should be like any other job: find the mage and deliver her to the king. But from the moment he finds Nea he is dragged into a deadly game of dark secrets and brutal machinations. Now he must make a choice: deliver Nea as promised and place a weapon in the hands of a mad man or deny his king and change the lives of wardens and mages forever.


The Hand of Fire

The Hand of Fire by Roland J. O'Leary

SPFBO7

The material world has a mystical reflection – the Essence. If you have the power to manipulate the Essence, you can change the world of matter. You can conjure a flame from nothing. You can make your dreams come true. Or create nightmares of your worst imagining. This is the world of The Hand of Fire, the first novel in a new epic fantasy series filled with gripping action, spectacular magic and spellbinding visual writing. The Grand Alliance has failed, its armies destroyed by the monstrous Ulokan horde. But the Ulokans have been defeated in turn by the forces of the sorcerer-lord Skraka Gorn. As ancient evils rise once more and new threats emerge, Gorn proposes a new empire under his leadership. Tamurac, lord of the Halyas, has disappeared with the Grand Alliance. Now his teenage son Danalar must accept responsibility and become the warrior and leader he has trained his whole life to be. Meanwhile, until he comes of age it falls to Charymylle, Lady Halyas, to lead the clan through this time of change - if the wardens and warband will follow a woman. When a survivor returns with suspicions of Gorn's treachery, the Halyas must make a fateful choice. They could choose safety and support Gorn's imperial ambitions. Or dare to resist his expanding empire and face his devastating sorceries in a new kind of war. Their decision leads to an adventure greater and more terrible than the Halyas ever imagined.


The Shadow and the Sun

The Shadow and the Sun by Monica Enderle Pierce

SPFBO7

When a world’s fate rests on her sword, will a loyal soldier obey her king or follow her heart? Militess Halina is an accomplished leader, a fearsome soldier, and the unapologetically tough bastard daughter of Ursinum’s king. When she’s ordered to gain the allegiance of Shadow Mage Gethen — a notoriously dangerous necromancer whose brother is an enemy king — she assumes the negotiations will be simple: Either he’ll pledge his loyalty or she’ll remove his head. But the Shadow Mage isn’t what she expected, nor is his situation. Intriguing and powerful, Gethen’s the only man preventing the return of an ancient menace that threatens their world. And though he hates to admit it, his sorcery is failing and he needs her help. Suddenly Ursinum’s dispute with Gethen’s brother seems petty, and Halina must decide who’s best served by her sword: her king or every man, woman, and child in the four kingdoms and beyond. Magic, adventure, love, and suspense abound in the first novel of Monica Enderle Pierce’s Militess & Mage series. Epic fantasy that’s perfect for fans of sword and sorcery fiction with a touch of enemies-to-lovers romance.


Wrath - Dinosaur Dungeon Book 1

Wrath - Dinosaur Dungeon Book 1 by Alex Raizman

SPFBO7

When dungeon delvers and dinosaurs clash, who can survive? Newborn Dungeon Cores must choose what entity they help contain, and that choice determines what monsters they are able to summon. After being executed for crimes forgotten in death, Tira is given the chance to make that choice. Tira chose Acekorah, the Primeval Terror, a being so dangerous few cores will risk trying to contain it. The danger wasn’t important. Tira remembers dying. If containing Acekorah means Tira will face greater danger, that’s a risk worth taking, because the Primeval Terror walked the world long before the races of Man roamed the earth, and Cores bound to him are able to summon beings from beyond the veil of time. Now, forged in the fires of Tira's wrath, the dinosaurs will walk the world anew.


Doomsayer Prince, Part One

Doomsayer Prince, Part One by Rune S. Nielsen

SPFBO7

WHAT THEY FORESEE WILL SHATTER THIS AGE In his vision, colossal artifacts stride across his homeland, destroying everything in their path. In a desperate attempt to save his home, Mage Prince Phytiax heads to the wild north in search of allies. On his journey, his magical powers become damaged at the worst possible time, and his destined allies need to be saved before they can help him: Pino, the weakest Mage of all time and wielder of a mysterious artifact sword; Emilai, a kidnapped noble woman—turned Witch to fight her captors; and Cordin, an old Light Master wanted for murder, but dead-set on getting his life back. With the brutal and mysterious force invading and destabilizing the kingdoms around them, will his potential allies help or hinder him? And even if they save their homelands, the price might be worse than they ever imagined.


Seven Ways to Kill a King

Seven Ways to Kill a King by Melissa Wright

SPFBO7

She was born a princess. They made her an assassin. One was an accident. Two a coincidence. By three, they would know. It would be harder, but I would avenge my mother's death. These kings would pay that price. Seven cities make up the Storm Queen's Realm, each of their self-crowned, murderous kings are one of Princess Myrina's marks. The treasonous curs may have banded together to share a stolen throne, but soon they will fall. They thought her dead, killed in the massacre. They thought their rule secure, but Myrina of Stormskeep has awoken. With the help of her loyal bloodsworn, the shadow princess will have her revenge.


A World Broken

A World Broken by Carol A. Park

SPFBO7

They say that long ago, the world was unbroken. That there was no war—nor poverty, nor disease, nor famine. That the gods themselves walked among mortals—choosing some to be their instruments of peace and justice among the races. They even say that there was no winter. Then, it all fell apart. The five races of Erets have lived in one accord since the inception of the world. But now, the seeds of hostility are growing due to a dispute over an innocuous plant, and three people find themselves entangled in affairs they would have once found unbelievable. An advocate—trained to promote mutual understanding between the races—must confront the unimaginable prospect that peace is out of reach. A priest—one who refuses to bend the knee to the gods he serves—finds that the only vow to those gods he has made might be harder to keep than he expects. And a seeker—a gentle warrior sent to uncover the truth behind an unthinkable murder—stumbles into a labyrinth of lies that could shatter the world. These three must save the world that they know. But are they already too late?


Duplicity of Power

Duplicity of Power by S. Lynn Helton

SPFBO7

An improbable partnership of noble and rogue, an unlikely quest – key to the fate of the Six Realms, power struggles and the machinations of gods, and a legendary artifact of Power... Not always a Shadower, Namid is now one of the leaders of this select group, this guild of rogues in the decrepit city of Rhadanthus. Here she has found a refuge from darker times. Rescuing a stranger is not usually part of her nightly haul. Her decision to help the wounded man sparks a series of events that upends her hard-won haven and sends her fleeing for her life. Another’s quest snags Namid and casts her across the Six Realms of the Monarch and beyond, entangling her and others in power struggles, the machinations of gods, and the dangers of a past thought left behind. What at first seemed a fool's errand to restore a legendary artifact of Power becomes a gambit for the fate of the Six Realms. And Namid doesn't even believe in fate!


Burn Red Skies

Burn Red Skies by Kerstin Espinosa Rosero

SPFBO7 SPFBO Finalist

When the Summoner's army blazes through her village, Dove is forced into hiding. Torn from everything she knows, she begins training in the elements with only one goal in mind: to find her brother. She just needs to get past the Summoner's army-but how can she slay a dragon that is already dead? "Burn Red Skies" is an epic fantasy with fire and flame, swords and martial arts, and strong female protagonists and antagonists. The story is told from different sides of an upcoming elemental war. The atrocities are enough to bring out the hero in the villain-and the villain in the hero.


Order of the Magi

Order of the Magi by Christopher Scott

SPFBO7

Cantus dreams of glory in magical combat. He should have ample opportunities to win fame by hunting down rogue spellcasters for the Order of the Magi. But when a seemingly simple mission leaves him permanently disabled, he must journey to the center of the Auduwyn Empire to track down the errant mage who can heal him before his magic disappears entirely. To make matters worse, he soon discovers a growing threat that challenges the very fabric of the Order and the lasting peace it has established. A story about hubris, fear, and the occasional fireball, the self-contained novel Order of the Magi transports readers into a world where magic only complicates matters and glory comes at a grisly cost.


Daughter of Flood and Fury

Daughter of Flood and Fury by Levi Jacobs

SPFBO7

Aletheia was born a heresy: a girl with a man’s magic, in a city where monks and witches are mortal enemies. Training in her powers only under her father’s protection, head of the monastery, she shocks everyone by becoming the best seer in generations. Until her father is murdered. A suicide, they call it, but she knows the truth: he was murdered for his heresy. For her. Now she must make a harrowing choice: disown everything her father stood for to stay alive, or flee the temple and seek to expose his killers, even as they hunt her down. Daughter of Flood and Fury is the gripping first book in the Tidecaller Chronicles. If you like strong female leads, clever magic and page-turning action, then you’ll love Levi Jacobs’ epic fantasy adventure. Buy it today and find out if the girl born a heresy will live to be a hero.


Bad Cow

Bad Cow by Andrew Hindle

SPFBO7

In the last great golden age of the planet Earth, Barry Dell dies in a tragic elevator accident. On a not-quite proverbial stairway to Heaven, Moskin Stormburg dedicates his life to figuring out where it all went wrong. In a world slowly choking on its own sewage, the Vandemar sisters do what they can to save a human race that by all rights should be taking its last desperate breaths. And through it all, the Archangel Gabriel asks himself when it's okay to dust his hands off and walk away. This is a story about a dying world and the Angels, the Demons, the Vampires, the lost immortals and the billions and billions of humans trying to live on it. It is a story about a two-thousand-year-long game of musical chairs where somebody switched off the music at the very beginning. And burned the chairs. As for why it's called "Bad Cow" ... well you'll probably have to read the book and see. The blurb can't tell you everything.


Truth and Other Lies

Truth and Other Lies by Lyra Wolf

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Nothing is trickier than the truth. All Loki the trickster god of Asgard wants is a quiet, peaceful life where he’s free to needle Balder, occasionally stir up the inter-realm porridge pot, and get Thor to dress in women’s garments (for all the best reasons). Getting beset by sudden, painful, and terribly inconvenient visions of blood, ash, and death are definitely not on his to-do list. But, because of some small, ridiculous remnant of caring that refuses to be extinguished, Loki feels he must save Asgard...and that means warning Odin, his least favorite god (next to Thor). But getting the gods to believe the boy who cried Fenrir is harder than it looks, and time is running out, not just for Asgard, but also for a mortal woman named Sigyn who may just hold the key to Loki’s future. Loki is about to find out the hard way that the only thing crueler than truth are the lies behind it all. "Truth and Other Lies" is the first book in a new series inspired by Norse mythology, and has snarky anti-heroes, lovers-to-enemies, and strong female characters.


The Ninth Scripture

The Ninth Scripture by D Wolfsbane

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Wishing Shelf Book Awards Finalist (teen category) B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree *** Cuest is a world at war, where men are conscripted when they come of age and women are sent to nurtures to birth more soldiers to replace those they bury. At the orphanage of Sector Six, Zecaar, a hopeful pessimist, is saved from her numbing fate and taken to Talcom Academy because she has something the others do not—she has the talent. As she cultivates her telepathic and telekinetic abilities amid sanctioned fights, discrimination, hidden agendas, and desperate acts, events spin out of control until Zecaar begins to ask herself—is this where I truly belong? The Hunt is the first installment in The Ninth Scripture trilogy and is a fast-paced adventure of one teenager’s journey to find meaning in a world gone mad, where choice challenges fate, perception eclipses truth, and the twisting path is haunted by the ghosts it creates.


Rising Shadows (The Pillar of Creation #1)

Rising Shadows (The Pillar of Creation #1) by Phillip Blackwater

SPFBO7

As tension rises between the southern and northern nations of the small continent of Exitium in the world of Anteris, the Elves turn to their eastern neighbors, the Humans, for help. They wish to learn the ways of combat, which they are not accustomed to, for they have always wielded a power far greater than forged steel. The Shards of Creation, mystical artifacts of great and virtually infinite power, have always been their prized weapon, but times have changed. They now face the same threat as the Humans: the southern nation known as the Ethula. Wariel Ritch, general of the Human army, will take upon his shoulders this burden. But when a shadow of a past long forgotten threatens what little stability is left in the world, he will have to leave everything behind to stop it. Medregal Tergrast, an Ethulan king, dead for a thousand years, plans his return to the world of the living to gain back his former glory and finally fulfill his destiny by gaining control of the Shards of Creation. But is he really the threat people make him out to be? In the meantime, in the bowels of the Human Kingdom, the reign of Dana Crystaloak is put into jeopardy when people around her start questioning her decisions. If she falls, war could break out across all lands.


Eyes Last Seen Dying

Eyes Last Seen Dying by Colin Adams

SPFBO7

Lena is a gifted young swordswoman yet to develop the necessary wit, guile, and talent to destroy the world, but she's a fast learner. Tricked by her sensei into starting a war, Lena steals one of six stones holding back the Nithrain, the wickedness haunting the fringes of old tales. Hunted by every side, either to reforge the stone or to prevent its return, to save herself Lena must first become the hero worthy of redemption. Eyes Last Seen Dying is epic fantasy of the highest order, written by a remarkable new voice. Prepare to be transported into the richly detailed world of Ithander, a land brimming with wondrous creatures, magic, and martial arts.


The Iron Crown

The Iron Crown by L L Macrae

SPFBO7 SPFBO Finalist SFFOasis

Fenn’s first and only memory is finding himself in the middle of a forest, face to face with a dragon spirit mocking him, all knowledge gone apart from his own name. Lost and confused, his only hope for answers is Calidra—a woman living on the edge of the world with her partner. Forced to return home when her father dies, Calidra has put off facing her estranged mother for seven years, and she begrudgingly helps Fenn, forging papers for him so he can avoid the Queen’s Inquisitors. But her mother is the least of her worries when they discover an ancient enemy is rising again. It should be impossible with the Iron Crown in power—and Fenn is terrified he might unwittingly be playing a part in the war’s resurgence. Surrounded by vengeful spirits and powerful magic, Fenn’s desperate attempt to find his way home might well alter the fate of Tassar, and every power in it. A new high fantasy series bursts into life with the DRAGON SPIRITS who reign supreme in the magic-drenched world of Tassar. THE IRON CROWN is the first novel in this brand new trilogy and will be available in May 2021.


A Journey Unveiled

A Journey Unveiled by Amy Maltman

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A plane crash. A cave. A magical journey begins. It’s June 8, 2004. The first Transit of Venus in more than a century. Lexi Guinel and her family are flying high above the Italian Alps when a storm sweeps in, knocking their plane from the sky. While seeking help, Lexi stumbles through a mysterious veil into a world of magic and evil. Crown Prince Aeric of Gower obeys his father’s every command, no matter how dark or cruel. When elves and dwarves seize the city Aeric commands, he is grateful for his critical wounds. He’d rather face death than the king’s wrath. Unfortunately, the witches and elves have other plans. Lexi has more to learn than magic. Life in Gowerland is dangerous, especially after her fate becomes entwined with that of Prince Aeric. They have important roles to play...provided they don’t kill each other first. Step through a crack, you can't go back.


Cold from the North

Cold from the North by D W Ross

SPFBO7

Driven by the promise of an ancient prophecy which will bring the dark ways of an old god back to power and prominence, an army of invaders swarms Ogulf Harlsbane’s homeland slaughtering all those who oppose them. Along with his people, Ogulf must seek refuge from this savage force. In his search of sanctuary, he is tasked with finding the one person who can put a stop to the onslaught. Doing so will send him across lands and seas, have him and his closest friend navigate the intricacies of a civil war, and try to win the help of the princess fighting for her throne. If he fails, darkness will prevail and the reign of the Onyxborn will begin.


By the Pact

By the Pact by Joanna Maciejewska

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High mages lied: Veranesh, the demon who destroyed the continent is still alive. And it's up to their former student to expose the truth—even if it means another Cataclysm. When Kamira, a once high mage student turned arcanist, discovers an imprisoned demon in underground ruins, she is forced into a pact that grants her powerful magic, but also ties her to the very demon that once devastated the continent
 and Veranesh wants his freedom. With one friend by her side, Veelk, a mage killer bound on protecting her, Kamira will have to outwit the archmages, other demons, and possibly her own demonic benefactor to survive. Her chances are slim, but with Veelk’s ever-present sarcastic repartee, Kamira might just pull through. Plots and schemes, power and means—sometimes the price for victory is choosing which friend will die, but when you only have one friend, the choice is
 easy?


Ad Luna

Ad Luna by Hûw Steer

SPFBO7 SPSFC SPSFC 2022

The Moon is on the brink of war. Alexander Dio, an officer of the Vulture Dragoons, flies in defence of the Lunar people against the monstrous armies of the Sun. He is ready for war - or at least he thinks he is. But when Dio's patrol finds a crashed ship out in the Sea of Tranquility, his life is turned upside-down. Because the ship is not from the Moon, and its captain is unlike anyone he's ever known. His name is Lucian, and he comes from the Earth. Based on the ancient Greek story by Lucian of Samosata, this voyage of fantastic discovery goes back to the very beginning of science-fiction. HĂ»w’s previous novel, The Blackbird and the Ghost, was a semi-finalist in the fifth Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. His short stories have been published in various anthologies.


Red Harvest Moon

Red Harvest Moon by Miles Hurt

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The tables for the harvest feast are set. And the ghuls of Urizan are coming, uninvited.Led by the colossus Krond, the flesh-eating ghuls are ready to blaze and burn across the lands of Soren. The village of Puttle lies in their path, where they will bring fire and death. The Black Feather is an outlaw, an outcast, a Wandering Knife. But he is the only hope the villagers have in this dark hour. Bandit turned protector, the Black Feather is hired by the villagers to take up his sword against the marauders. Krond seeks the Black Feather. The ghuls are hungry. And the harvest moon will shine red. Get your free copy of the prequel novella 'Bane of Wolves' at www dot mileshurt dot com.


The Forever King

The Forever King by Ben Galley

SPFBO7 SPFBO Finalist SFFOasis

Revenge loves company. Mithrid Fenn wants nothing to do with magick. Magick is a curse word, banned by the vast Arka Empire and punishable by death. Its purging has finally brought peace to war-torn Emaneska. Only a stubborn rebellion, led by the warlord Outlaw King, raids and pillages the empire's northern fringes. To cliff-brat Mithrid, this is an age of tranquility and childhood games. That is until an illegal spellbook washes up on her shores, and she finds herself thrust into a war she never knew existed. Now hunted by daemons and mages, she is dragged inexorably north to Scalussen and its rebels fighting doggedly to preserve a memory of freedom. Mithrid holds no such ideals. She fights for revenge and nothing nobler. If spilling blood means helping the Outlaw King, then so be it. Even if it means all-out war. --- The Forever King is the first book in a new trilogy - The Scalussen Chronicles - set in the dark and nordic world of The Emaneska Series. A breathless and emotional tale of revenge that crisscrosses a vast world, The Forever King is an epic fantasy ideal for fans of Joe Abercrombie, Steven Erikson and Mark Lawrence.


Fledglings First Flight

Fledglings First Flight by Heather Major

Have you ever imagined the world was bigger than you see? It was a regular day for Amy when she learned the truth of the world. Writing in her hidden forest nook, Amy investigates a strange stillness in the forest that leads her to two winged men in a clearing. Following this encounter, she begins to grow wings of her own and is told that she will be able to learn to wield magic. Amy learns that the world was shattered ages ago into magical shards connected with a series of Doors, and that she is the prophesied one who will save those shards from the Demon King. As Amy’s wings develop, her mentor tries to bring her to his home shard to train her in the use of magic. The Demon King has other ideas, and his minions redirect Amy to a shard filled with ruthless barbarians. With only a small fae for company, Amy must find her way to her mentor and learn how she can defeat the Demon King.


Winterhued

Winterhued by E. H. Alger

In a land on the edge of all that is known dwells Princess Winterhued, erudite, beautiful, broken-hearted. The heir to her father's kingdom and raised to be queen, she is troubled by terrifying dreams and now finds the half-demented king turning against her. Slimy sycophants whisper in his ear, persuading him that a 'mere woman' is incapable of ruling, and now he ogles the princess's ladies-in-waiting and boasts of begetting a male heir. But Winterhued's fears become as naught when a vast and ancient being comes flying on dread wings to lay siege to Castle Lawhill. Trailing fear and slaughter, it traps Winterhued and her people within the broken walls. The princess strives to save her subjects, but it seems the only one courageous enough to help her is the lowliest servant-boy in the castle. Yet from the east, riding across wraith-haunted Iron Crag, comes a nameless knight, exiled and condemned, and a horned creature follows him, silent as moonlight. ‘In her debut, Alger evokes dreamy classics, such as Lord Dunsany’s 1924 novel, The King of Elfland’s Daughter, while blessing her characters with a modern wit that lets them stand beside figures created by Neil Gaiman. Fantasy fans will consistently enjoy the lyrical prose... An epic fantasy marked by passionate prose and courageous characters.’ - Kirkus Reviews


The King's Sun (The Brass Machine: Book One)

The King's Sun (The Brass Machine: Book One) by Isaac Grisham

Prince Kitsune dreamed of leading an army in his father's wars for supremacy. Before he can wage a single battle, the king crushes those hopes, banishing his devoted son. But not all is lost. Kitsune will regain his birthright if he assassinates the son of his father's rival. A son possessed by fiery magic. Outside his kingdom for the first time, Kitsune struggles to survive mercenaries and political intrigue. He encounters the enigmatic, dark-haired Myobu. He discovers magical Yokai and dark family secrets... ...and strange new feelings for his companion. As the two men forge their path together, an unrealized and dangerous magic blossoms within Kitsune. The powers of the Yokai are capable of unspeakable destruction, and they grow stronger in him with each passing day. Can the prince use his gifts to slay his target and win his father's affection? Or will it destroy everything he loves?


The King's Fear (The Brass Machine: Book Two)

The King's Fear (The Brass Machine: Book Two) by Isaac Grisham

Myobu waited all his life to find true love. Then, just as he makes a connection, he's murdered. Reeling from the fatal climax of his love story with Prince Kitsune, the magical Yokai must take advantage of a second chance at life, reconciling his past and present while keeping the prince from following a path of darkness. Kitsune, lost in grief and guilt, finds a renewed purpose and the potential for hope when he discovers the legendary Sword of Inari. But when voices within the steel begin speaking to him, he's tempted down a path of deceit and destruction. With an army under his command, Kitsune must defend the world against the whims of his deranged father. King Oni's aggression is mounting, and he will stop at nothing to maintain his power over the region. In a tale of good versus evil, life and death, Kitsune and Myobu must come together to face unspeakable horrors. They are tasked with destroying an evil that threatens the brass machine--and their world.


The Season of the Cerulyn

The Season of the Cerulyn by Luke R. J. Maynard

Book II of the Travalaith Saga The women of the Mages' Uprising were never known to take civil war lying down. But Catrine and her fellow war-widows are determined to do just that, avenging their lost husbands, lives, and innocence by engaging in a sustained campaign of seduction and espionage against the Travalaithi Empire that could change the course of the war. But when Catrine falls in love with her hapless mark, and and both of them are thrown into a deadly conflict involving Aewyn and her roguish band of Havenari outriders, the lovestruck spy must choose once and for all where her true allegiance lies—and decide whether her heart belongs to the living or the dead. The Travalaith Saga continues, grows, and takes a darker turn in this moving chronicle of high adventure, civil war, and deadly intrigue.


The Season of the Plough

The Season of the Plough by Luke R. J. Maynard

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Book I of the Travalaith Saga The Prophecy was wrong... There is no Chosen One. Coming of age under the weight of an epic destiny wasn’t easy. All Aewyn ever wanted for herself was a home and a family. But to the farmers of Widowvale, she was always destined for greatness. After all, she was a fae-blooded foundling of mysterious birth. Her story was the stuff of fairy-tales. And the villagers, all refugees from a looming civil war, were in desperate need of something to believe in. But prophecies can be misread, and the men who call themselves wise are often mistaken. When a primordial darkness stirs in the deep wood, and Aewyn’s dubious old mentor is sentenced to hang for treason, the supposed Chosen One must live or die by a choice of her own: Will she forsake her home and her new family for the dubious destiny she's been promised—or sacrifice it all for one chance to save them? ★★★★★ “The attention to detail here is almost staggering
this promises to be a top-quality series.”—Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★ “I am astounded such a fantastic book came from a first-time author. This book was amazingly written.”—Goodreads Reviewer


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