Hello writing and reading communities! It’s time for the next instalment of Indie Recommends Indie and today I have T. M. Kohl with me. Tabby reached out to me after she saw SK’s post and it brings my heart so much joy to have an author take initiative to work with me on this series.
Tabby, thank you for joining me for this series! Since this is your first time on Armed with A Book, please tell me and my readers a bit about yourself. 🙂
Hello all, I am delighted to be here today. 🙂 I am an avid reader of fantasy, sci fi, and an occasional dalliance into historical fiction. I am also a fantasy author, publishing my first book, The Warriors of Bhrea: The Lost King in 2020. I love books with unique and creative worldbuilding and fish out of water scenarios. And, I have to admit, I’m a sucker for romance!
Do you primarily read indie books or big publishers books as well?
Nowadays, I primarily read indie books. Most months I read all indie books, sometimes breaking it up with a book from a big publishing house (for instance, Brandon Sanderson or Dean Koontz). I remember in college (about 10 years ago) discovering self-published books on Amazon, putting them on my Kindle, and falling in love with so many indie books!
Tabby’s Indie Recommendations
Paternus: Rise of Gods by Dyrk Ashton
Epic Fantasy
Published 2016
Paternus Trilogy #1
Described as American Gods meets The Avengers and Supernatural meets The Lord of the Rings, Paternus combines myths from around the world in a modern story of action and intrigue that is “urban fantasy on the surface, but so much more at its core!”
Even myths have legends. And not all legends are myth.
When a local hospital is attacked by strange and frightening men, Fiona Patterson and Zeke Prisco save a catatonic old man named Peter—and find themselves running for their lives with creatures beyond imagination hounding their every step.
With nowhere else to turn, they seek out Fi’s enigmatic Uncle Edgar. But the more their questions are answered, the more they discover that nothing is what it seems–not Peter, not Edgar, perhaps not even themselves.
The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of lore—they’re real. And now they’ve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil that’s been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the world’s oldest war has begun.
Paternus: Rise of Gods, is Dyrk Ashton’s critically acclaimed debut novel and the first book in The Paternus Trilogy. It has been compared to works by Neil Gaiman, Scott Hawkins, Roger Zelazny, China Miéville, Joss Whedon, and Kevin Hearne.
Why this book is loved:
The Paternus Trilogy has gotten some much-deserved acclaim. It is wacky and at times irreverent, but it is ultimately lovable. I love the vast scope the story covers, and it takes its time to go deep into characters, even side characters. If you love learning about mythology, this book does an amazing job of integrating many different myths, legends, and archetypes into the story. I especially enjoyed how silly it could be, but there are plenty of heartfelt moments too. Fi and Zeke are relatable and fun characters, and they are a great “straight man” pair as we dive into a crazy world where every myth is actually real. I recommend this book for anyone who loves epic fantasy and mythology.
The Changeling Tree by Frances Evelyn
Fairy tale Fantasy
Published 2019
Book 1 of series
A missing girl. A Faerie game. An abandoned baby.
Tracy has been missing for months and her mum isn’t answering the door, but Mike refuses to give up on her. When Tracy’s mum disappears too, his last hope is gone, but in the overgrown garden he finds a pram, and in the pram is a baby.
Will this be Mike’s happy ever after, or will they come for his daughter too?The Changeling Tree is the first magical instalment in the real-world fantasy series. If you like Faerie games, time-travel and family sagas, you’ll love Frances Evelyn’s intriguing story.
Why Tabby recommends this book:
I had no idea what I was getting into when starting this book. At first it seemed like a fairy-tale, where everything is magical and simply works out because everyone needs their happily ever after. You know, like the Disney versions. Well I won’t spoil too much, but while there is certainly some witty humor and charm, the reality underlying this story is actually quite scary. Forget Disney, this is more like The Brothers Grimm.
The characters were all enjoyable in their own way. I liked the human side of the story, as everyone had their own secrets and motivations that were slowly revealed throughout the story. I also highly enjoyed the faerie characters too—the author did a great job making their society strange and alien to a human reader.
The plot constantly kept me guessing as to what was really going on. As it reached the end and I thought I had a pretty good idea of what was happening, the rug got pulled out from under me, and I’m dying to know what happens next!
Kudos to the author for creating an engaging and mysterious world that pulls from familiar stories of fairy tales and legends. If you’d like a twist on modern fairy tales, this would be right up your alley!
Of Shade and Shadow by Niamh & Rebecca Schmid
Epic Fantasy
Published 2020
First in series
The Great War is won… so everyone tells her. But even with her brother now king, Astra Verzaer knows the fight is far from over. When her sudden exile finds her alone in the dreary country of Merimeethia with only the aloof Prince Louko for company, she digs deeper in vain attempts to find proof of her suspicions. Yet Astra is not the only one with secrets, and she soon finds herself swallowed up in a sudden uproar over Merimeethia’s throne–an uproar which she believes to be caused by the very person she set out to find. But will anybody believe her? Even if they do, will it be too late?
Why Tabby recommends this book:
I have to admit that I blasted through this book quite quickly, needing to find out what would happen next. Astra and Louko served very well as main characters—I found myself empathizing with their deep insecurities and sympathizing with their tragic and traumatic pasts. Through their eyes it was interesting to see the world and its history unfold, finding out bit by bit what is really going on.
What I really found interesting was the terrible effects of childhood trauma had on the characters (even beyond the main characters), making them all the more real and human. I was heartened to see how a friendship and human connection could begin to heal those wounds, no matter how insurmountable it might have seemed. I saw this story as one of hope, despite all the hardship the characters experienced.
Very well done for a debut book, plot wise and character wise. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and have recommended it to others. I think it could use just a light editing rinse to clear up some typos and occasional wacky formatting, but that hardly detracted from the story. Really worth the read, especially if you are interested in fantasy and/or deep introspection of characters!
The Wayfinder’s Apprentice by K. Dezendorf
Fantasy Adventure/Romance
Published 2021
First in series
Rose knows the magical world of the Umbra exists. She’s been there before, and she longs to return to the land of fantasy and start a happier life. Stuck on Earth with only her trickster guardian and a displaced gang of elven siblings for company; Rose has a fateful run-in with a rogue wild elf and meets a Wayfinder, a gatekeeper of the portals between realms. However, Rose is horrified to discover the Umbra has changed since her first visit, finding herself caught up in unexpected conflicts, from warring god-like beings to dealings with demons. With many grueling choices ahead of her, Rose finds the dream she yearns for comes with a cost.
Why Tabby recommends this book:
When I began reading this book, I thought I had an idea where it was going, but the author continually surprised me. I ventured deeper and deeper into a magical world called Umbra, a world very different from our own and also dangerous. I enjoyed learning about the different races and how they interacted in this world, as well as how Umbra interacted with Earth. The characters were all enjoyable, and I especially enjoyed some of the side characters like Vikhail and Granger. Though I felt the plot meandered a bit at times, I kept wanting to know what would happen next, only to turn the page and a new surprise would come about!
Something that really struck me about this book was the main character’s struggle with abuse and belonging. The author did a great job portraying the horrors of abuse and how it affects the mind of a young child. Some particular moments brought me to tears as they were quite moving.
Kudos to the author for doing a great job on her debut novel. If you enjoy portal fantasies, add this one to the list!
The Path of Flames by Phil Tucker
Epic Fantasy
Published 2018
Series: The Chronicles of the Black Gate
A war fueled by the dark powers of forbidden sorcery is about to engulf the Ascendant Empire. Agerastian heretics, armed with black fire and fueled by bitter hatred, seek to sever the ancient portals that unite the empire – and in so doing destroy it.
Asho–a squire with a reviled past–sees his liege, the Lady Kyferin, and her meager forces banished to an infamous ruin. Beset by tragedy and betrayal, demons and an approaching army, the fate of the Kyferins hangs by the slenderest of threads. Asho realizes that their sole hope of survival may lie hidden within the depths of his scarred soul–a secret that could reverse their fortunes and reveal the truth behind the war that wracks their empire.
Unpredictable, fast paced, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Path of Flames is the first installment in a gripping new epic fantasy series.
Why Tabby recommends this book:
It has been a while since I’ve ready this book, but there are so many scenes and characters I vividly remember because of Phil Tucker’s beautiful writing style. He created an in-depth world that was easy to sink into and had a lot to explore. I enjoyed pretty much every single character. The battles were epic, the cultures fleshed out, and the POVs are distinct and fresh.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves epic fantasy, young adult/new adult fantasy, and coming of age stories.
📖 Previously recommended by Jeramy Goble. See what he said about this book here. 📖
After all these fabulous recommendations, here is Tabby’s book that she wanted to highlight.
T. M. Kohl’s Book Spotlight
The Lost King by T. M. Kohl
Fantasy
First Book
The Warriors of Bhrea #1 series
Published in 2021
She’s trapped on another world. With a strange voice in her head. What will it take to get back to Earth?
Lauren Strauss wanted a normal life, but fate had another idea in mind. Plagued by bizarre dreams and questions about her family’s past, Lauren hopes the day of her college graduation will lead to her getting answers…
When she’s caught up in a violent attack that rocks downtown Chicago, her mother arms her with a mysterious amulet which she will soon realize has a mind of its own. Tearing her from Earth and dropping her in an alien place, it abandons Lauren and leaves her to navigate this new world by herself.
She will do anything to return home. But can she?
Readers who enjoyed The Chronicles of Narnia and Avatar: The Last Airbender would like this book.
To get the latest news, extras, and sneak peeks from T. M. Kohl, sign up for her newsletter here. You can buy the first book of The Warriors of Bhrea series on Amazon, and the third is coming soon! Connect with Tabby on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and her website.
Have you read any of these books? Tell us in the comments!
Thank you so much for hanging out with Tabby and me today as part of the tenth 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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