Search Results for: Sebastien de Castell

Don’t Let Go the Coat: The Greatcoats by Sebastien de Castell

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Rather foolishly, I thought Sebastien de Castell’s Greatcoats trilogy was, er, a trilogy. But that was before the fourth novel, Tyrant’s Throne, showed up in hardcover last year. Jo Fletcher Books reprinted it in trade paperback on May 1 of this year, and this time it seems that de Castell has indeed bought his popular debut series to a close. In her review of Knight’s Shadow Sarah Avery said, De Castell is carving himself an enduring place in the fantasy canon…. Knight’s…

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Series Fantasy: The Greatcoats by Sebastien de Castell

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In her review of the second volume in Sebastien de Castell’s Greatcoats trilogy, Sarah Avery said: De Castell is carving himself an enduring place in the fantasy canon….  I forgot I was wondering or worrying or writing a review, because the stalwart, somewhat cracked hero Falcio Val Mond was tugging me back into his story. I’d follow Falcio anywhere… he makes us laugh, raucously, especially in the bleak moments when he and we need it most… One of the great pleasures…

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The Series Series: Knight’s Shadow by Sebastien de Castell

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When I reviewed the first book in the Greatcoats series, this was my conclusion: Is Traitor’s Blade destined to be a classic? Well, that’s a kind of question I ask myself about books I can get some distance from. I don’t want any distance from this book. What I want, just as soon as I finish writing this review, is to read Traitor’s Blade again, immediately. And maybe once more right after that. Now that I’ve read the second book in…

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Future Treasures: Knight’s Shadow by Sebastien de Castell

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The highly-anticipated second book in Sebastien de Castell’s The Greatcoats series is due next month, and I’m really looking forward to it. Sarah Avery’s rave review of the first volume, Traitor’s Blade, should help you understand why. Not only did I love this book, I trusted it. Somehow, de Castell managed in his debut novel to win my trust so completely and quickly that he could tell nearly half of his story in flashback, often for a chapter at a stretch,…

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The Series Series: Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell

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Well, this breaks the streak. After months of reviews that boiled down to not-my-book-but-maybe-yours or notably-flawed-but-with-some virtues or promising-but-published-a-draft-too-early, I looked at my box of review copies and saw months more of the same ahead of me. So I wrote John O’Neill and asked if any new books had come in that I might be able to love without reservation. Not only did I love this book, I trusted it. Somehow, de Castell managed in his debut novel to win my trust…

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Future Treasures: Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell

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There’s been a lot of pre-publication buzz about Canadian Sebastien de Castell’s debut novel Traitor’s Blade. Dave Duncan called it “A wild dance of fights, treachery, and jaw-dropping surprises,” and Fantasy Book Critic said it was “The first ‘new’ fantasy of 2014 that met and even exceeded my expectations.” But it was Niall Alexander’s review over at Tor.com that really piqued my curiosity. He called it “A bunch of fun from one cover to the other. Recommended especially to readers who’ve had…

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If Jack Reacher Came to Westeros: The Chronicles of Stratus by Mark De Jager

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Infernal and Firesky (Solaris, 2020/21). Covers by Head Design I’m not one to complain how things were better in the Good Old Days of fantasy in the 70s and 80s. (I know, I know — I had trouble keeping a straight face even as I typed that.) But at least mass market paperbacks were plentiful in those days, and you could escape from your neighborhood bookstore with a couple slender paperbacks, a chance to try out some exciting new authors,…

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A Valentine’s Gift for Lovers of Fantasy Intrigue: The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan

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The Justice of Kings and The Tyranny of Faith (Orbit, 2022 and 2023). Covers by Martina Fackova When I wrote about Richard Swan’s debut fantasy novel The Justice of Kings back in October, I got an enthusiastic response. Wayne Ligon called it “My favorite fantasy this year, so far!” and BG blogger Sarah Avery said, I’m a sucker for fantasy novels that care about the rule of law. I loved Sebastian de Castell’s Greatcoats series, about badass itinerant magistrates in…

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The Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on the Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of July 2018

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July has been a terrific month for fantasy readers, with several exciting debuts, more than a few big names, and a handful of highly anticipated installments in popular series. As usual, Jeff Somers at the Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog handily summarizes the most interesting titles of the month. Here’s a half-dozen of his best selections. Kill the Farm Boy by Kevin Hearne and Delilah S. Dawson (Del Rey, 384 pages, $27 in hardcover/ $13.99 digital, July 17) Hearne…

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The Series Series: The Pagan Night by Tim Akers

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It’s a tempting mistake to see The Pagan Night as an attempt to pare George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series down to a more manageable scale. At first glance, the setting appears to be an old-school medieval European fantasy world with knights, peasants, heraldry, tournaments, and dark forests full of monsters. Those dark forests are where Akers gets up to some impressive hijinks. You may know the old saw about how a conquered people’s gods will…

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