Hello writing and reading communities! It’s time for the next installment of Indie Recommends Indie and today I have E.G. Radcliff. I hosted a cover reveal for the third book in her The Coming of Áed series, The Wild Court. The first book in the series, The Hidden King was recommended by SK during the kick off post for this series.
Without much ado, let’s welcome E. G. Radcliff. Thank you for joining me for this series! Tell us a bit about yourself. 🙂
I’m a lifelong writer, lover of folktales and music, and I even dabble in visual art on occasion. I also love to sing, even more so if I get a chance to be accompanied by my brother on guitar or piano. I have a cat named Sushi.
Do you primarily read indie books or big publishers books as well?
I definitely read both. I’m a big fan of Sarah J. Maas for her world-building and emotive characters. At the same time I’m a huge fan of TH White’s The Once and Future King—publishing wasn’t the same industry when he was writing, but either way, I adore that book.
I’ve read some terrific indie authors since I’ve published my own books. Each one was a happy discovery, and there is such a fantastic variety out there. I think Amazon had to create new categories to accommodate the vast array of storytelling coming from the indie writing community.
E. G. Radcliff’s Indie Recommendations
Trail Markers by Cym Aros
Western Historical Fiction
Published 2021
Series: The Trail Marker Series
Book Number: 1
This tale – the first in a series of three – opens in the summer of 1874, in a prison camp south of Carson City. Falsely accused and incarcerated, two half-brothers find themselves in a losing battle to survive corrupt and brutal conditions. Cole Franklin, twenty-nine, is the privileged scion of the late, much-lionized patriarch of a wealthy California family.
Jesse, twenty-four, is that patriarch’s bastard son, a fact unknown to Jesse or the surviving Franklins until a scant year and a half before. Jesse had come to the Franklins as an itinerant cowboy. He is the younger of the two men, but he had ridden a long, hard trail of poverty, prejudice, and violence in his few years. Jesse had grown up a dirt-poor, hard-working, fatherless boy in a dying Sierra mining town; by age sixteen, he had seen three years of combat as a scout and sharpshooter for the Union Army, and spent the last eight months of the war interred in a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp.
Cole is a strong man, and brave, but their current predicament is unlike any battlefield he has ever faced. Jesse understands too well where they are, and what might lie ahead. He takes desperate action to ensure Cole’s freedom. The consequences of that action, for Jesse and the Franklin family, are severe and far-reaching.
Trail Markers begins with the brothers’ struggle against raw criminality – first, for simple survival; ultimately, for justice. Jesse faces bigotry, mob violence, and the shattering of his own mental health as he battles to regain his freedom and find an honorable path home to family and to the woman he loves.
Why this book is loved:
If Robert Ludlum (The Bourne Identity) and Laura Hillenbrand (Unbroken) had teamed up to write the character Jesse Franklin, instead of their characters Jason Bourne or Louie Zamperini, it may have looked a bit like this book. We need a book that shows us who we can be and the truths that deserve to be defended. Jesse is our north star. More human than Captain America, more breakable in body and spirit, Jesse is equally unflinching in his faith in right and wrong, and possesses a deep understanding of what we lose when essential truths are twisted in service of the worst elements of human nature. Both the very best and the very worst of our human condition are on display here. You will recognize them.
This is a gorgeous, intelligent, and heart wrenching story, not a little reminiscent of the filial love of the Cartwright brothers of the vintage Bonanza TV series. This is a tale of trust and family love and a belief in goodness and truth—in the face of immense wickedness—unspooled for your reading pleasure by a naturally gifted (and clearly well-read) storyteller.
The book is sprinkled with meaningful quotes from Thoreau, Dickens and Emerson. The juxtaposition of their old words against the story being told reminded me that our human condition is an eternal work in progress.
Angel Eyes by A.N. Willis
Ghost mystery story
Published 2021
Series: Penny Wright Series
Everyone in Ashton, Colorado, knows that January House is haunted. Tucked away on an isolated hillside, the place has seen grisly murders and unsolved disappearances. An artists’ commune took up residence there in the 1970s, creating a controversy that still divides the town. Now, a reclusive painter has died in the crumbling house. The police say it’s natural causes. But they don’t know why she fired a gun before she collapsed. Or why she called Bryce Wright, a man she hardly knew, and left a voicemail filled with her screams.
Bryce turns to his sister, Penny Wright. She’s seen ghosts all her life, but she’s reluctant to get involved with the mysteries of January House.
But everything changes when Bryce meets Eliza Davies—a young attorney who’s just arrived to ready the old house for sale. Bryce is convinced that Eliza is in danger. When Penny agrees to help, she soon discovers that her hometown harbors more dark secrets than she ever imagined.
And this time, it might be the living who pose the greatest threat of all.
Why E.G. Radcliff recommends this book:
AN Willis is at the top of her game with this second installment in the Penny Wright ghost story series. I loved the first book, Devil’s Night, and I think this one is even better. In each book, the ghost in question has its own history and that is part of where Willis shines. She is telling two stories in one—that of Penny and her family, and that of the ghost—who is always an interesting and fully developed character in their present and their past.
What I particularly enjoyed about Angel Eyes is the idea that the artist-ghost inhabits a painting she’s created in her mind as a place to hide from the REAL baddie. A very creative concept in a ghost story that I hadn’t come across before.
Penny’s character is developing as her strength as a medium grows, so I expect we’ll be seeing more great stories in this series.
Abalone by J.G. MacLeod
Psychological Fiction
Published 2018
J.G. MacLeod’s provocative first novel explores the topic of relationship violence with honesty and grit. Controversial and insightful, Ms. MacLeod delves into the complexity of abuse and describes its impact on the characters in her story.
Eighteen-year-old Liz is in her final year of high school when she meets James Macewan, an older student who is struggling academically and wrestling with his own demons. What begins as a simple tutoring assignment soon grows into her first dating relationship. Liz initially enjoys the excitement of being with James, but it does not take long before she cannot recognize who she is as an individual anymore. As James’s own life begins to unravel, he compensates by attempting to control every aspect of Liz’s existence. The situation eventually dissolves into a tale of violence and dehumanization that affects the characters’ lives forever.
J.G. MacLeod describes the fear and uncertainty that often come with the cycle of violence and allows readers to journey alongside Liz as she attempts to confront her abuser and heal from trauma.
The author understands that the description of abuse can be triggering for some people, so she wishes to inform potential readers that the content in Abalone can be graphic at times. Please be aware of this before ordering your copy.
Why E.G. Radcliff recommends this book:
5 stars
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
It starts small… a disrespectful comment (“just teasing!”), compliments that objectify (“I need your body. You’re so sexy you should turn tricks. You make me crazy”—these are not the compliments they purport to be), a mood swing, jealousy… and progresses to control, possessiveness, emotional abuse, and eventually sometimes physical abuse. Every time a person shrugs it off (he was teasing, he’s vulnerable, he’s hurting, he just loves me), they give away more than their self-esteem. They give away their agency, their thoughts, their body, and sometimes worse.
Drip, drip, drip… and then you’re gone.
I was a knot of tension reading this book, as I recognized the manipulative baby steps toward control from the very first encounter between Liz and James. The way the author chose to write it, in a first person diary-style narrative, ensured you saw the naïve POV of the MC-narrator. Even the dialogue tags (she said shyly, he admitted—let me be clear that he is not admitting anything) betray the skewed perspective of a girl who expects the best, but keeps getting the worst. Her need to be loved blinds her, confusing lust with love (“good moments”)—which lays the groundwork for the worst moments. One good moment is his currency for 10 horrible moments. Like many young girls, she takes responsibility for trying to please, which is the Achilles Heel that is exploited again and again. For the same reason, she takes responsibility for James’ bad behavior, because he tells her—and she believes him—that his unhappiness is her fault. And, like many young girls—and women—being found physically attractive is confused with caring.
The level of detail of each scene and chapter may not be quite right for standard fiction, but it serves a perfect purpose here, which is to underscore how tiny details and small moments—drips—matter in the step-by-step dismantling of a young girl.
Long ago, my mother said that every 16-year-old girl should read Anna Karenina. She would say the same thing about Abalone. It’s a must-read that shines a glaringly bright light on how relentless, miniscule boundary violations and insults (veiled and overt) can eventually erode an entire person.
The Traveller’s Stone by SJ Howland
YA Fantasy
Published 2019
Series: The Haven Series
Book Number: 1
Xander King does not believe in fairytales. He prefers rational explanations, keeping his head down and trying to avoid the inevitable comparisons with his genius mother. The last thing he expects is to have his life turned upside down by terrifying shadows and an encounter with a mysterious stone tablet, challenging his entire view of reality and catapulting him into the parallel world of Haven.
Faced with extraordinary creatures, ancient secrets and a heritage he does not understand, Xander is drawn into the struggle to protect the border between his own reality and Haven, and prevent disaster overcoming them both. But, as darkness spreads, he must confront new questions. Where does he belong, and is anything in Haven really as it seems?
Discover the mesmerising world of Haven and the truths long-hidden in the ancient stories in this gripping fantasy adventure.
Why E.G. Radcliff recommends this book:
Reading this was a blast! I knew on the first page I was going to love The Traveller’s Stone. The characters were immediately relatable. Any book that is so fun to read is an easy 5 stars. This story covers all the bases: hidden power, evil antagonists, doubters, good friends, fantastic beings… and brownies! What I would give to have a brownie or two around (reminded me of Dobby in some ways).
Skelly’s Square and A New Jerusalem by Stephen Black
(See what I did there? Two book recs in one. 🙂 )
Fantasy
Published 2020, 2021
Books 1 & 2 of The Kirkwood Scott Chronicles
They want him to save the world. But, first, he must save himself.
Kirkwood Scott is having a bad day. Languishing in a dead end job and recently dumped by his girlfriend he struggles with a crippling form of OCD which manifests itself in the form of Colonel Augustus Skelly, a phantom voice from Kirkwood’s childhood who controls his every waking moment via a series of tortuous routines, ‘The 49’.
Kirkwood has little to look forward to, bar a weekend of drunken oblivion in Belfast with his equally deadbeat friends. All that changes when he meets Meredith Starc, a young homeless woman struggling to survive on the streets and come to terms with her own troubled past. Kirkwood realises Meredith may hold the answer to him finally being free of his mental demons.
But what if Skelly is more than just a voice? Kirkwood and Meredith join forces to unearth a supernatural battle raging on the city’s back streets between ancient forces of good or evil, the outcome of which will decide the fate of the planet. Between them, they hold the key to saving mankind from a new Dark Age but can they survive long enough to do so as Skelly unleashes a legion of vicious ghost soldiers upon the unsuspecting city?
‘The Kirkwood Scott Chronicles: Skelly’s Square’ is a fast paced and darkly humorous supernatural fantasy guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Why E.G. Radcliff recommends this book:
SKELLY’S SQUARE: A wonderfully imaginative and well-told story. One of my favorite things about this book was Black’s development of his characters, and his use of perfectly placed linguistic flourishes to do so. I also loved the first chapter, even not yet knowing how it would relate to the rest of the story. But the author left zero loose ends, every breadcrumb led somewhere meaningful. I happily recommend this book.
A NEW JERUSALEM: When I read Skelly’s Square, I enthusiastically gave it 5 stars. Having just finished A New Jerusalem, I now realize Skelly’s Square was just an appetizer.
A New Jerusalem skillfully blends traits of dystopian, paranormal, and multi-dimensional epic fantasy, historical fiction and YA, deploying a richly developed ensemble cast of characters. Every character has their own story to tell, and fits like a puzzle piece with all the others.
This book is fast paced, yet patiently told. Very hard to put down. I wholeheartedly recommend.
I can’t wait for the next book!
After all these fabulous recommendations, here is one of E. G. Radcliff’s books that she wanted to highlight.
E. G. Radcliff’s Book Spotlight
The Wild Court by E. G. Radcliff
Fantasy
Published in 2021
Book 3 of The Coming of Áed Series
What perils await on the other side of the veil?
In the seventh year of Áed’s reign, night descends on the autumn festival. But a time of revelry turns into one of fiery destruction—as fae pour across the veil and the Gut becomes a battlefield in an otherworldly war.
Determined to protect his kingdom and the people he loves, Áed finds himself catapulted into a realm as unfamiliar as it is dangerous, where magic is king and wild courts vie for supremacy.
While the faerie Queen’s missing consort holds the key to life and death, tenuous alliances raise questions about Áed’s connection to the mysterious Bone court. His survival hinges on cunning as much as illusion.
On a mission like no other, only one thing is certain: no one will survive unscathed.
Readers who enjoyed books by Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas would LOVE this book!
Review on Amazon: (USA) (Canada) (UK) (France) (Germany)
You can subscribe to E. G. Radcliff’s newsletter here. If any legitimate reviewer would like an ARC, they email her at info@egradcliff.com. Thank you!
Thank you so much for hanging out with E. G. Radcliff and me today as part of the fifth Indie Recommends Indie Series. I hope you are enjoying the series so far and are looking forward to future posts. If you are an indie or small press author who is an avid reader and wants to be featured, sign up using the form on the Indie Recommends Indie home page. Looking forward to connecting with you.
Banner Photo of library by Alfons Morales on Unsplash
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