Nicholas Bruner
Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Young Adult Author
What I’m Reading: Viper and Steel
Viper and Steel is the third book in the Guilds of Ilbrea series by Megan O’Russell. I have previously read and reviewed both the first one, Inker and Crown, and the second one, Myth and Storm. The series is about the Karron clan, six natural and adopted children of Lord Karron who grew up together and have remained close now that they are in their late teens or early twenties and members of the various guilds in the city of Ilara, capital of Ilbrea. Things are advancing in the story arcs for all six characters, even as the city of Ilara itself is caught up in a civil war, so let’s see what the Karrons are up to.
A Far Ocean’s Tale and Other Stories Out Now!
In the final days of Atlantis, a ray must flee certain death—Find out what happens in this fantastic collection of stories that’ll keep you reading all night!
Packed with Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror, these short stories will keep you on the edge of your seat.
A Far Ocean’s Tale: Accused in the death of a ray, Gray-Patch, a telepathic ray, must flee for her life. Her travels through dangerous seas toward the city of the rays will end in disaster. Can she survive against all odds?
Mountain Man reveals medieval miners learning a horrific truth about the nature of the mountain they’re mining.
La Jolla Ballroom uncovers a man’s journey back to 1930’s California and he falls in love with the time… before discovering just how dangerous that period truly was.
Filled with captivatingly exciting world-building, interesting concepts that stand the test of time, and thought-provoking scenarios, these ten stories are a must-read for fantasy, sci-fi, and horror readers.
What I’m Reading: Locksmith at the End of the World
High Concept refers to a book or movie plot that can be easily described with one phrase. In Locksmith at the End of the World, a novella by Angela Glascock, that phrase is “zombie apocalypse from a dog’s point of view.” The first line of the book is “Chester knew something was terribly wrong when his person tried to eat him.” That first line immediately sets the tone(s) for the novella, which alternates between horrific and adorable as our canine hero, Chester, navigates a zombie-fied world. There’s also a big helping of dry humor.
What I’m Reading: Song of Echoes
Song of Echoes, by R.E. Palmer, is an epic fantasy with well-drawn characters and a classic feel. It starts off slowly but builds powerfully, its sympathetic characters operating in a beautifully-described landscape of rugged mountains and primoridal forests and swamps.
What I’m Reading: Myth and Storm
Myth and Storm is the second book in the Guilds of Ilbrea series by Megan O’Russell. I read the first one, Inker and Crown, a couple months ago and liked it enough to return for the second volume. If you recall, the book was about the Karron clan, six natural and adopted children of Lord Karron who grew up together and have remained close now that they are in their late teens or early twenties and members of the various guilds in the city of Ilara, capital of Ilbrea. So let’s see what our Ilbrean guild friends are up to this time!
Daughter Cloud Out Now!
Fourteen-year-old Aku is learning the hard truth about being a king…
When he must send off a ship called the Cloud Strider, newly-enthroned king Aku wishes he could join the crew. After all, they’re bound to experience an unparalleled adventure. The vessel of discovery and ambassadorship is a symbol of how his rule will be good and just.
The legendary island of the gods is on the itinerary, but what will the great ship discover?
Among the crew are old friends Tua and Keola, Kahu, and by a stroke of fate, Ambassador Hulu, Lady Lono, and baby Mili. The king waves his ship goodbye, and plans a celebratory rite, but disaster is about to strike. A disaster that will leave the whole kingdom reeling in shock, and that Aku will have to face without the aid of his closest companions. Will Atlantis recover from the devastation? Or will this event lead to the downfall of everything Aku has worked so hard for?
Read Daughter Cloud, book three in The Last Days of Atlantis trilogy, now!
What I’m Reading: Guardian Forest
Are you tired of generic fantasy? Well, here’s a book that feels personal, a true expression of the author’s individual vision. The Guardian Forest, by Sandra Hunter, is a bit rough around the edges. To be honest, it could have used a pass by a good editor (or a writer’s group!). But despite that, the book’s language is so rich, and the characters and plot so heartfelt, even spiritual, that it’s hard not to forgive it a few typos or a bit of questionable comma usage. In fact, after finishing it, I checked Amazon to order the sequel promised in the backmatter, only to discover it’s not out yet. According to Sandra’s website, it’s “coming soon.” I definitely hope so!
What I’m Reading: Inker and Crown
If you like my Last Days of Atlantis series, I think it’s a good bet you’ll like Inker and Crown, by Megan O’Russell. They’re both multi-character-arc epic fantasies with a flawed scribe as a main character. And they both have multiple related organizations that dominate the political structure of their worlds–the twelve temples of Atlantis, in the case of my books, and the seven guilds of Ilbrea, in the case of O’Russell’s.
