“The Butcher in the Night is another superb achievement by author Charles X Cross and demonstrates that his initial success with The Man-Butcher Prize was no mere fluke; it can be incredibly difficult for authors to create a sequel that is the equal of the first book they produce, but Cross has vaulted that barrier with tremendous ease and produced something that exceeds The Man-Butcher Prize…”

“Hauler is a fast-paced, energetic and above-all fun slice of science-fiction, with a small but well-developed cast of characters, an intriguing take on the corporate dystopia scenario that is distinctly refreshing, and worldbuilding and an overarching narrative that hooked me from the very beginning, and kept me reading intensely until the last page. I’m genuinely curious and excited about where Kruger is taking the story of Benjamin Drake and his friends, enemies and reluctant allies, and cannot wait to get hold of a copy of the sequel whenever it comes out.”

“As the length of this review might have indicated, I cannot recommend Althingi: The Crescent and the Northern Star strongly enough to everyone who reads this blog – and indeed will be doing the same to anyone else I talk to about book recommendations. I cannot remember the last time that I enjoyed an anthology so much, and learnt so much about different cultures and time periods at the same time as reading fascinating, high-quality historical fiction. Althingi is a refreshingly different and unique approach to historical fiction, casting much-needed light on cultures, countries and religions that I would very likely never have learnt about otherwise.”

“Dead Man Walking is the Occult Detective genre stripped down to its bare essentials, a lean and muscular narrative that relentlessly drives itself forward without any excessive padding or extraneous sub-plots, and is an exemplar title that should be endlessly studied by Green’s fellow authors in the genre.”

“The inventive plotting, superbly imaginative prose and first-rate atmosphere in Tales Corpses Tell are all matched with memorable characterisation and stories with some wicked stings in the tails, all combining together to prove that J. D. Allen continues to be an author to watch in the horror genre. He’s a rising star in the indie section of the genre, and deserves to have a host of publishers vying to release his stories under their banners.”

“Perfectly paced despite its length, imbued with a superb sense of atmosphere that draws the reader into the murky depths of 1970s London and its criminal underbelly, and littered with cinematic and highly memorable action sequences, Shells is an absolute masterpiece of modern Noir fiction. “

“Floaters is nothing less than an immensely enjoyable, innovative and blood-spattered take on the zombie horror genre, pumping fresh blood into the veins of a stale and moribund corpse in order to bring it back to life so it may consume more living flesh. Floaters is clear evidence that Boatman has a distinctive talent for horror stories, and I look forward to seeing what he produces in the future, hopefully in partnership with Crystal Lake Publications.”

“When the Cicadas Stop Singing is nothing less than a masterpiece of survivalist post-apocalyptic horror fiction…”

“Andrew Doran and the Scroll of Nightmares is not only the best book in the Doran series, I firmly believe that it is the best book that Matthew Davenport has written so far. As I’ve followed his career with keen interest, I’ve witnessed an author who has demonstrated an intuitive understanding of the core concepts of the Cthulhu/Lovecraftian Mythos to an extent that few of his peers have managed to achieve, as well as a writer who is continually improving his craft. There’s a confidence in the novel that I haven’t seen before, both in its writing and in its overarching narrative and atmosphere, blending together the existing Mythos with Davenport’s own creations to create something fresh and potent, with highly potent worldbuilding bursting with fresh ideas and concepts…”

“A fast-paced, thrilling and complex historical thriller, Bloody Orkney has completely revived my interest in the historical fiction genre, with author Ken Lussey delivering a masterclass in how to invigorate the stale, trope-ridden setting of the Second World War by setting the narrative in a distant, unfamiliar location he imbues with a chilling and unsettling atmosphere and filling it with multi-faceted, memorable characters who stay with you long after the novel has come to an end.”

“The Damocles Files: Ragnarok Rising is a remarkable achievement by Benedict J. Jones and Anthony Watson, a novel that somehow manages to harness the energy, fast-paced action and punchy plot-lines of the old Commando and Battle comics while artfully blending it together with skilful, often sublime prose, an intense atmosphere that deftly varies between stories, and the horrifying and unsettling sense of imagination that Jones and Watson have demonstrated in their previous titles.”