Sci-Fi & Fantasy

SKELLIG: The Tales of Con...

E. R. Barr (Telemachus Press, LLC)

| Reviewed by Meg McKinnon

In Skellig: The Tales of Conor Archer, Volume 2 by E. R. Barr, Conor’s journey continues as he is sent to Ireland to escape the chaos in Tinker’s Grove —the seventeen-year-old Conor Archer, after a series of mystical encounters, has discovered he is part of an ancient shapeshifting lineage called the Roan, with powers linked to the sea and the Otherworld. But peace is fleeting. Conor finds himself hunted by a Japanese war criminal, Otherworld beings, and a wealthy landowner with dark intentions. With the help of friends—an archangel, a shapeshi...

ROAN: An Urban Fantasy No...

E. R. Barr (Telemachus Press, LLC)

| Reviewed by Meg McKinnon

Roan: The Tales of Conor Archer by E.R. Barr is an epic urban fantasy that introduces a promising series. In this captivating debut, teenage Conor faces a mysterious destiny after a fateful encounter with a stranger in Chicago. Bitten on the hand and haunted by his mother’s passing, Conor’s journey leads him to the quiet town of Tinker’s Grove, Wisconsin. There, amid folklore, strange happenings, and an ancient Indian mound, he begins to unravel secrets that threaten to change him forever. With the help of friendly townspeople and Troubles, a l...

THE CALL OF ABADDON

Colin Searle (Searle Productions)

| Reviewed by Rachel Groover

Gripping and exhilarating, The Call of Abaddon by Colin Searle plunges you into a fractured Earth on the brink of annihilation. The world is engulfed in relentless wars and technological chaos. Jason is among the millions struggling for survival until an alien obelisk, the Abaddon Beacon, reaches into his mind from afar, and his dormant psychic powers spiral out of control. With the alien technology infecting society and a ruthless emperor seeking the Beacon’s destructive power across the Solar System, Jason and his allies race to find and dest...

The Midnight Rose

Catalina Paris (Crimson Rose Publishing)

| Reviewed by Sarah Harkness

In The Midnight Rose by Catalina Paris, sixteen-year-old apprentice alchemist Leo flees a surprise attack on the Alchemical Court. He opens a portal to a forgotten world, where he encounters Lisandre, Lady of the Vines, a faerie stuck under the watchful eye of the Holly Queen. With Leo’s aid, Lisandre uncovers dangerous secrets and powerful threats to her life, forcing her to flee her realm. She helps Leo in his quest to find the lost talismans of Atlantica. Their journey intertwines with Flora, a spirited songstress searching for her true fami...

The Separation of Briin

K.I.S. (K. Schultz)

| Reviewed by Yna Erdrich

The Separation of Briin by K.I.S. is a sweeping fantasy saga set across the continent of Áitarbith, spanning centuries of history and prophecy. The story follows Briin, a gifted yet socially and emotionally challenged young truth-teller, who struggles with sinister visions, rejection, and a desperate love for his brother Hiirn. As Briin's dreams reveal glimpses of a looming catastrophe involving dark magic and monstrous creatures, he becomes entangled in a covert quest to uncover and thwart a sinister conspiracy aimed at the continent’s destruc...

Pink Corrosion

Costi Gurgu (Kult Books)

| Reviewed by Matthew Novak

In Costi Gurgu’s Pink Corrosion, Geo Woodman kills Prince Boris after the second Black Rain and becomes heir to the Silkers' crown. He struggles to win the trust of the commanders and council members in his efforts to stop the Silver Star from destroying the Caves. Geo must forge alliances with people like Lord Lakefront while facing enemies within his court, like Lady L and the wicked Silver Star. He faces personal betrayals, political intrigue, and military threats. While he fights to control an already fractured civilization and enforce his...

Servitude

Costi Gurgu (Kult Books)

| Reviewed by Cristina Prescott

Servitude by Costi Gurgu presents a dystopian, near-future world already destroyed by war, and characterized by economic collapse and the rise of a brutal culture of servitude. Blake Frye is a New York cop who has worked hard to dismantle illegal slave trade sponsored by political elites and big corporations, navigating treacherous terrains, facing the ruthlessness of an authoritarian regime, and underground camps that look worse than the Nazi death camps. He is framed for treason, and his pregnant wife is kidnapped. Blake must clear his name a...

Archer's Moon

J.W. Webb (Self Published)

| Reviewed by James Farlow

Archer’s Moon: Dawn of Legends by J.W. Webb is a wide-angled prequel to the fantastic universe of Legends of Ansu, delving into the creation of its mythical environment many years before the main story begins. The tale of the young goddess Argonwui “Aggy” and her relationship with the mortal Eltayn Elafan, a young hunter who finds himself embroiled in divine schemes, ancient rivalries, and cosmic forces. As Aggy yearns to be free and have an adventure in the mortal world, she struggles to understand her divine blood. She is constantly thwarted...

Desiderata

M.P. Desmarais (self-published (IngramSpark))

| Reviewed by Joanne Higbee

Desiderata by M.P. Desmarais delivers an engrossing science fiction novel with fully fleshed-out characters and a conflict that grows in stakes with each page. The hydropower systems of Gracyr are failing, and there is an urgent need for a new source of energy. Four unlikely allies—a gifted swordsman Gerrard, a fierce swordfighter Andromeda, a relentless scholar Regina, and a disturbed fighter Hector—are on a dangerous quest to find a solution. From bartending to privateering and bounty hunting, their journey takes them deep into uncharted terr...

The Assays of Ata

K.I.S. (K. Schultz)

| Reviewed by Brenda Baiocchi

K. I. S.'s The Assays of Ata is a spellbinding fantasy tale brimming with intrigue, political machinations, and the struggle for survival against the backdrop of a nightmarish setting and formidable foes. Set in the richly imagined world of Áitarbith, the story follows Ata—a Pandial spy masquerading as a maid in the Cinnaen royal household. The setting—a glass-encased palace highlighted by its fragility and vulnerability amid a winter storm—acts as both a luxurious home and a precarious haven fraught with danger. Ata's covert operatio...

Dear Book Lover!

Welcome to The Book Commentary, home of the Best Books in over 200 categories. Thousands of books are published every month and we pick the best for you. We only recommend and publish reviews for books with ratings of 4-5 Stars. Join our growing community of thousands of readers, booksellers, and librarians and discover books that delight and shape readers like you!