“Blood of the Four” by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon – An Odyssey of Gods and Slaves

Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon United

The idea of co-authorship is in itself a fine practice, often allowing lesser-known authors to make their talents known by collaborating with established figures. Unfortunately, in many cases proficient authors sink into complacency and essentially allow their partners to do all the work for them, being content with merely slapping their names on the cover and drawing the profits from it. There are times however when a partnership between authors gives rise to something great, a work that exceeds what either could have achieved on their own and pulling them in a direction neither have really considered. I'd say that Blood of the Four would fall under this umbrella, written in cooperation by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon, two deeply respected and skilled authors in their own rights.

“Knight's Shadow” by Sebastien de Castell – The Homeland Under Siege

Revisiting the Epic World with Sebastien de Castell

Fantasy is understandably one of the most common genres authors tend to gravitate towards, presenting them with a blank canvas with innumerable paints at their disposal, a world of infinite possibilities and equally numerous tropes and conventions. There are some who seek to bravely reinvent the wheel, while others such as Sebastien de Castell prefer to mostly work within the boundaries of what has already been achieved in an attempt to weave breathtaking stories banking on a whole lot more than mere novelty. In the first book of The Greatcoats series, de Castell established an epic and marvellous universe for his fantastic adventures, and thankfully it was only the beginning as we get to explore it in greater depth in the second book titled Knight's Shadow.