Word up, y’all, happy May.

So, Horns of the Hunter is currently up for Pre-Order on Amazon (releasing 27/07/2021 – grab it HERE to support ya boy Frank), and I’m currently nuts-deep in writing the follow up to it (King of Embers – aiming to have 1st draft done before summer’s out, currently at circa 26k out of a target of 100k). So while I’ve not much news of my own to share today, I thought I’d post a review of a book I finished reading in April – Dragon Mage by the incredibly talented M. L. Spencer.

Review below:

I’ll cut straight to the chase – Dragon Mage by M. L. Spencer is a modern day classic, there’s no doubt about it. I absolutely loved this book, and I’m not usually one for the more conventional forms of fantasy – but it’s literally that fucking good. Dragon Mage has already had an enormous amount of praise (just look at the Goodreads rating/reviews it has!), and tbh I can only repeat what other people have already said on that site and agree immensely with them.

A large amount amount of this book’s punch is that, as others have stated, it’s main protagonist (one Aram Raythe) has ASD, and M. L. Spencer works it into his character ingeniously. Aram‘s presentation throughout the book is extremely convincing, from mannerisms right down to behaviour and quirks, and he’s a fascinating protagonist and one you end up routing for consistently from start to finish.

Aside from the protagonist, M. L. Spencer‘s new world is wonderfully detailed and fascinatingly crafted, being the result of a cataclysmic split prior to the events of the novel. Its magic systems are also intriguing (and unique – knots?? No idea how she came up with the idea, but it’s fantastic and works a charm) and varied.

I’ve been reading M. L. Spencer‘s books since 2017, starting with Darkstorm in her epic Rhenwars Saga, and have been a fan ever since (check out the Rhenwars Saga HERE). Her writing has evolved over the years, and while I wouldn’t call this book grimdark (though it does have its grim bits), it is a work of art, inspired, and surpassing many of the genre classics by a long shot.

According my yam-based rating system, I award Dragon Mage the following Yam Score:

5/5 yams without question: Yammelujah!

You can grab a copy of Dragon Mage by M. L. Spencer HERE on Amazon.

Peace out for now y’all! I’ll be back soon with an update on my writing and the approaching release for Horns of the Hunter.