WOW - This one is very good! Fancy an epic adventure?
926936
It really is the best yet, but do read The Enigma Strain first, just because you can. This stands alone, but together it's even richer. This book "books it" in the fast pace department. It picks up and never slows down. It was great to read about Ben and Julie again. An ancient mystery has come to light. it keeps popping up in some dream research, of all things. That means trips. In this case, the Amazon Jungle, the rain forest and all it entails. An epic renewed search for El Dorado, the lost city of gold, buried or nonexistent, this lost treasure has been sought by many and now Ben and Julie are involved. It's a wild ride, with all kinds of impact in many directions.

I can't tell you another author to compare this too, because I tend to see each author as their own, not a duplicate of - "insert a name here." I can tell you, this is Nick Thacker's best book to date, and the other books I have read were not bad. We can only wait for what he writes for us next, but this one is a superb thriller.

My copy came from the author. I left this review because I wanted to, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
3655297
(Note: Another review by my daughter) This one is just as awesome as the first! I totally recommend this one too! You'll be knocked almost entirely off your feet! This met WAY more than my expectations. To say I was satisfied was an understatement! I was really happy! It's almost as good as the first one. It comes in by a very close second. How much better was the first than the second? I'll give you this: .0001 points better. They might as well be the same, as they are so epic the books are a hurricane of epic! This and it's prequel are totally in the top five in my favorites list. READ THE PREQUEL AND THEN THIS ONE I AM BEGGING YOU
4940266
The Queen of Mariskantania is missing, and it is up to the hero, Sir Nathan to smite all the evil in the land and rescue
her. In this colorful adventure we travel with Sir Nathan across the land, past beautiful puffy Jubb Jubb trees, through
the Swamp Forest of Misery, past Mount Thunder and all the way to Flying Hills of Blort. This perilous journey is
wrought with danger as our hero must outsmart pixies, evil wizards, the mini Prestidigitator (who really thinks he's ten
feet tall) and baby giants. Through everything the Hero manages to overcome his challenges and in the end makes a
number of new friends.

This book is an enchanting tale of adventure and fun. I smiled the entire time I was reading it to the point that my
cheeks hurt. Author Mark Simon Smith has created an entertaining world for children and adults alike. There was a
number of laugh-out-loud moments and even a few places where I found myself holding my breath to find out what was
going to happen to our hero. In addition to the great descriptions and clever adventures that Sir Nathan experienced, I
think that readers have an opportunity to learn about overcoming obstacles, using your head to solve problems and
making new friends in the process -- lessons we can all use no matter our age or experience.

(This book was provided to Compulsion Reads for review by the author.)
2997741
A great adventure story - it will hold you by the seat of your pants for the entire ride. Mr. Romyn has created a world you dive into, rich and full of imagination. This author is not "Tolkienesque", he has created his own world, out of several. A very good book. I am very impressed.
3334370
This book was thrilling, well written, very imaginative and so much fun!  It is an action adventure with great details, fantastic characters - good and bad, and was a pleasure to read.  I cannot wait for more!
1548869
Heir to Kale (Rise of the Temple Gods) by K. L. Bone

### 4 Hashtags ###

Wow, what an amazing fantasy adventure, here you will be transported into a beautiful world as you have never known before.

Mary (Mariana) and Ameria are both trained warriors, twins and princesses, they were separated at birth and have been brought up in different temples.  Mary is destined to become queen.  Her uncle, the current king and has an agenda of his own.  Each temple has their own colour and they train their warriors to elite levels. The fights are superbly described and the tension can be felt throughout.  The battle between the temples and the sisters commences.

There are some very unexpected twists, mixed with the intricate royalty, long standing traditions oh and not forgetting the severe treachery.  This is well written story which is so descriptive that this book fully captured my imagination.

I have dropped my rating just a little as I found in places the story was a little too drawn out  ....also the talking dogs were not for me, they were very strange to say the least!

I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
4070465
I chuckled, I gasped, I'll never look at Silly Putty the same way again.

This riveting quest, with its instantly likable hero, chilling adversaries, fantastical creatures, and search for a tantalizing treasure grabs you and never lets go. If you want to see a fight between headless tribesman and fiery skeleton warriors, this book delivers. I'd love to see a Ray Harryhausen (of stop-motion special effects fame) treatment of the many jaw-dropping scenes.

The author utilizes his well-honed knowledge of Arabian culture, lore, myths and banter to sculpt a rich and exciting story as any experienced by a certain other Arabian sailor. Witty dialogue and narration gives the characters and action a satisfying depth. Other treats are the clever nods, cameos, really, to famous figures from well known mythological literature.  Azzam is reminiscent of an Islamic-esque Indiana Jones adventure, making it all-around awesome.

 I could easily savor adventure after adventure penned by this author. I can't wait for his next book(s)!

I think this book is now available for the Kindle.
283703
This story really took me by surprise. To be honest, I'm not exactly a sci/fi fan. But EARTHSHATTER by Albert Nothlit is such a terrific adventure, it doesn't matter if you're a sic/fi fan or not. The book is beautifully written. The eight main characters are fleshed out so well, that in my head I still see them as real people. The action just never stops. I mean NEVER. I admit I had reservations about buying this book. It's over 500 pages, and I thought, wow, if it's just the least bit boring that 500 pages is going to really drag. But was I bored? Not for a minute. DSP Publications made a wise choice when they contracted this story. It truly is top-notch. And I need to mention one more thing. Not often do readers comment on editing, but this time I think I should. I didn't run across one editing mistake in all these 500 pages. I've read books from the top 5 publishers with mistakes scattered through them. But not here. So kudos to the DSPP editors who prepped this book for publication. Story, editing, cover art, everything. EARTHSHATTER by Albert Nothlit is an amazing achievement. I loved it.
3040331
A couple weeks ago I finished Pendragons Heir by Suzannah Rowntree, and wowif you haven't read this book, you should seriously think about it. It is legend and adventure with a splash of honest, unsentimental romance.

Synopsis: Blanche Pendragon enjoys her undemanding life as the ward of an eccentric nobleman in 1900s England. Its been years since she wondered what happened to her long lost parents, but then a gift on the night of her eighteenth birthday reveals a heritage more dangerous and awe-inspiring than she ever dreamed ofor wanted. Soon Blanche is flung into a world of wayfaring immortals, daring knights, and deadly combats, with a murderous witch-queen on her trail and the future of a kingdom at stake. As the legendary King Arthur Pendragon and his warriors face enemies without and treachery within, Blanche discovers a secret that could destroy the whole realm of Logres. Even if the kingdom could be saved, is she the one to do it? Or is someone else the Pendragons Heir?

In the first place, I loved this book because I love a good adventure story, and that is what Suzannah Rowntree delivered. Its one of those stories where you feel like you are on the cusp of a great adventure and youll never be the same after. This book took the old Arthurian legends I knew and stayed true to them, while at the same time keeping me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next.

The setting was fantastic. From 1900s England to Logres to the wilds of Arthurian England, I felt like I was there, and not once was I pulled out of the story by an out-of-place detail.

I loved the vividness of the characters. Perceval was my favorite by far. At first I was not sure whom I liked the best, but by the last third or so, it was without a doubt him. He was impetuous, yes, but he had a good heart, and was a realistic fellow that you loved despite his faults.

Blanche had a fantastic character arc, in my opinion. She started the book as a sympathetic character with some flaws, of course, but they were not glaring ones. Over the course of the book, you see her drop selfishness that you didn't even know was there until you see the new Blanchefleur emerging from the old, and you watch her become a brave and considerate young woman.

Simon Corbin was really cool. Ill leave it at that. If you don't know why, then please, read the book.

As far as I can remember, there were only a couple sensitive things in the book; the first was the use of magic by the antagonists. This, frankly, did not bother me, since it was basically just following the legends, and it was definitely not portrayed as a good thing. The second was the storyline of Lancelot and Guinevere, and Guineveres faithfulness was questioned throughout a portion of the book. I feel that the author handled this very well, however, and brought it to a good conclusion.

I felt that the middle dragged some. Blanchefleur is in one place and Perceval is traveling old-legend-style about the countryside, jousting and coming to adventures. It was not a boring sort of dragging, but I did feel perhaps like the plot was not driving forward the way it did at the beginning and the end.

The end was incredible. It sucked me in and I was caught until I had finished the book. I have to say, Suzannah concluded the book in the best way Ive ever seen these tales concluded, hands down, and for once I did not walk away from them downhearted. There is hope and rightness in the end, and that is as much as I dare say about it.

Altogether the book was very clean and tight and easy to read. I would recommend caution for younger readers due to the discussion of infidelity in the book.
3694955
This is nothing short of an epic adventure that starts with a young boy born on the continent of Antarctica.  What ensues is a thrill ride of amazingly epic proportions that leave you breathlessly turning the page for more.  Action, sci-fiction, fantasy, horror, young adult, thriller, romance - this book really covers all genres.  Read it, you won't be sorry!!!
4780244
4.5 stars out of 5

The Pirates Wish summed up in two words? Delightfully torturous.  The relationship between the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji has never been what you might call easy or smooth.  Bound to each other by a curse, Naji must complete three impossible tasks to be free of it and of Ananna.  Tasks that seem even more impossible than ever given the fact that they're stranded on a mystical, sinister floating island with no hope of escape.

Or maybe their situations not so impossible?

When Ananna helps Naji complete one of his impossible tasks, their uneasy relationship becomes decidedly strained, but it also allows for the possibility that maybe the curse isn't as unbreakable as they thought.

Or is it?  Or isn't it?  Or is it?  Confused? Good.  So am I.

What Im not confused about is that The Pirates Wish was even better than The Assassins Curse, and heres why  The character development for Ananna and Naji is fantastic, but especially for Ananna.  This is her story.  Yes, theres a romance (AND ITS FANTASTIC) and Najis awesome and all that great stuff, but this is the story of a fierce, fiery, independent, a little bit reckless, a little bit wild, and wonderfully flawed girl coming into her own her own way, and I love it.  And the relationship tension!  Its tense, yall!  And the story is just exciting.  Its what an adventure should be  fast moving, lots of action, new allies, old friends, persistent enemies, planning, plotting, escapes, rescues, magic and mayhem, danger, swashbuckling, feats of derring do, a little bit of unrequited love, lots of traveling through a rich and fascinating world, and a manticore.  The way Cassandra Rose Clarke approaches her fantasy  fresh, a little irreverent (as viewed through the eyes of Ananna) and somewhat unexpected  also sets this particular fantasy duology apart from the rest.

Overall? Absolutely wonderful (and, as previously stated, delightfully torturous).
2175970
I love adventure stories. Those stories where the characters are to trek on and on and on. This is one of those novels, and a very good one at that! Full of descriptions and astounding details, but if you like straight-forward books, forget about this one. Me myself I absolutely love books rich in detail.
  Some people may tell you that this book is a cliche or copy or whatever they'd like to call it. I've one thing to tell you; setting. Let's see George Lucas come up with an astounding world in which there are not simply random alien creatures, but far more; astounding, realistic, in-depth landscapes, battling cultures with realistic problems, and everything described down to complete exactness.
  Here, Terry Brooks has weaved a new sort of book. A book in which you are not meant to pass the time; you are meant to realize its existence. Philosophies and morals inevident until the character makes their climactic appearance. A cliffhanger, and I really need to get the Elfstones of Shannara.
622313
The Thirteenth (The Thirteenth Series #1)
G.L. Twynham

This story is unique and different and fun!!  This book takes you on a journey and it is fabulous! Page after page the story unfolds and the writing has such wonderful descriptions you are captivated. I really enjoyed it. This is not my normal read, but when I was given the chance to jump out of my comfort zone I took it. I am glad I did... I think you should too. I was completely and utterly captivated by the unique storyline.
Val Saunders is a great character! I loved her!  I felt like at times I wanted to hug her and let her cry on my shoulder and then kick some butt for her too! I also wanted to tell her to grow up, get stronger and stop it a few times too. That is the thing with Val she became a friend, a person I could simply say "cut it out already...get it done!"! I think that is the sign of a good story if I am so vested I am forgetting that the person I am talking with is fictional. (We will not mention the stares I get when speaking to my kindle!)
The story will take you on a wonderful adventure and make you realize the importance of life. Your family and friends can mean everything. I would recommend this book to anyone. If you want a book with a good story, well written adventure it is for you. I want to tell you more about this book, but alas I am not ruining it. I feel you should take the plunge into the books and get lost chapter after chapter. I plan on having my daughters friends check this out too.  I meant it when I said, this story is for everyone!  Check out this wonderful author. I plan to continue my adventure with Val and see what happens next on book two!
BUY the book here!!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Thirteenth-Series-ebook/dp/B004MYFT8S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359299364&sr=8-2&keywords=g+l+twynham
1474778
The Cloudstone Key by Darren T. Patrick is an amazing epic fantasy, and a really good debut novel. It tells the story of Karsen Morgate, a young man who is entrusted with the mission to take this carving called the Ennae of which he knows little about, to a person he has never met, and is soon to discover that he is getting into deeper trouble than he expected. So we get to accompany him in his first adventure ever, and discover this astonishing world which raises more questions that just suck you into the story. This is the first book in a series, so of course we don't get this questions answered, but I definitely am waiting to learn more about this story.

I really appreciate a book that can transport and submerge you into a whole new and different world; but that is also very tricky because there's always the risk that this world doesn't fit together in a consistent and logical manner. However, this is not the case, because Darren did in fact take care of every single detail in order to make the world of Tholann plausible and believable. I really enjoyed the detail in Darren's description of this magical place. You could almost see it and I could feel I was there alongside with the characters. Tholann appeared to be like this ancient world, full of history and tradition; they had their own expressions, currency and culture, and it was filled with different races and species. Although, at first, it was a little bit hard to absorb all the new information in order to understand this new world. I especially liked the fact that Tholann's people depended or functioned around nine agates which where themed, meaning that each of them had their own purpose. Of course, since the book is the first of a series, we only get to learn about four of them, but I'm looking forward to uncovering the mystery behind the others.

The plot is well structured and well paced, although I have to admit that for me it started a little bit slow, but past chapter one the story gets more interesting and engaging as it develops. It has a good amount of mystery and suspense, mixed with a touch of epic adventure.

What I liked the most about the characters is that they were so different from each other. First we have Karsen, a young man with a secret passion for adventure, adventures which he hadn't got the chance to have, until his father dies, his half-brother kills a young woman, and he is forced to leave the only home he has ever known to complete a mission he has been entrusted with, and of which he knows little about. He is very cautious, curious, respectful, and has a thirst for knowledge. Then, we have the Jhikquae, which I loved. They are a race of giant women who are in charge of maintaining the equilibrium in Silanokitt forest. They had this elfish vibe, but I thought they were a really original species. Finally, we have Bestah, a Sky-Touched boy, who I thought was really annoying at first; was it really that hard to give straightforward answers? But in the end he turned out to be ok, a really sweet boy.

To sum it up. I totally recommend this book to anyone who loves to get a peek into new worlds and have a taste for adventures. Good job Darren!

*Note: I recieved a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, but my opinion was not biased in any way by this fact.
2432641
***I was given a copy of this book from the author but decided to purchase this book via KOBO, so that I can read it again***
When in the mood for an epic fantasy read, I expect to be taken away, absorbing every detail as if I were there. I love a lengthy well-written adventure, the kind that you simply can't put down even though you have things you should be doing. Everyone loves a good adventure and Gondell's Quest delivered and then some.

First, I love Gondell. He is a predictable little gnome,content to go about his life fishing and living a quiet life, never expecting his existence to be of importance to anyone. It is his desire for fish that leads him down a path he didn't expect. Gondell is surprised to learn, via a naughty little fairy, that he is the keeper--the key to winning an impending war.

It was nice that the hero in this story is a gnome and not the usual elf or fairy and there were several different creatures that were new to me. The Guild, an unlikely combination of Elf, Ogre, Dwarf and Nymph partner with a Ghul, and race to rescue Gondell from the clutches of the dark Lord as they struggle to maintain good over evil.

The character development is impeccable and gives the reader insight into the characters intentions, emotions and thoughts. You won't get spoilers from me...you just have to read to find out.

Overall I give this book an easy five stars, for many reasons: the story and character development were on par with what I expect from an epic fantasy--to be engrossed in every aspect of the adventure, the story-line was extremely well-written and professionally presented, and even though it was a long read, the mystery kept me turning the page and left me wanting for more. This book had me from the second I previewed it and it is representative of such great adventures as what Tolkien brought to us. It is exactly the type of read you would snuggle up with on a cold winter night and I will most likely read this book again and again. I look forward to reading the second part of Gondell's Quest and learning how it all plays out.
4190563
Holy Heck, this book! I was not expecting to start reading and look up and an hour has gone by! This is a fast paced, edge of you seat adventure! I totally could see this being made into an EPIC movie! I'd be first in line! This has everything my little heart could want. Adventure, steampunk, crazy evil hot ladies that wanna take over the world, and a very interesting protagonist and plot..I can't forget the plot!

There is so much going on in this book, but it never feels too heavy handed. There's lots of back story given out, but it's woven into the present enough that you don't feel like you are trudging through a whole slew of info dump. I really hate the info dump technique, so this is a BIG plus for me. S.M. Blooding did a great job in making sure we understood the world, but without the looooooooonnnnnggggg drawn out history lesson that books like this sometimes give out.

I loved Synn and I cannot wait to see how his character grows in the next installments and I cannot CANNOT wait to know more about Nix! She's quite a fun gal *snicker*

This is gonna be a great series!
2302726
This is indeed an excellent story, wonderfully told.  Brian Trenchard-Smith has done a superb job of weaving an intricate and mesmerizing tale of epic and timeless (no, seriously, TIMELESS, and you'll know why I'm chuckling as I type that when you read this book!) heroes and villains. The setups and payoffs are compelling and very satisfying.  I loved the characters and I loved the rich prose.  I can't wait to see the movie version!