Tag: #sci-fi fantasy

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BOOK REVIEW: Red Demon by Sill Bihagia

RED DEMON is a Sci-Fi Romantasy Blend debut author by Sill Bihagia. It is phenomnal!


Published: September 16th, 2025

Genre: Science Fantasy / LGBTQ+

Features
Spicy romantic subplot

Morally gray characters

Emotional depth

    SYNOPSIS

    A century ago, two human lines nearly wiped each other out rather than acknowledge their shared humanity. But when Jesse’s mining town is slaughtered under mysterious circumstances, it’s clear ancient bigotries are still alive, and rebels have access to some magic or tech capable of wide-scale genocide.

    The Red Demon bloodied her swords in that massacre   , a bioengineered immortal left over from that century old war. Jesse expected her to be upholding his empire’s fragile peace, not killing her own. But Jesse is too optimistic and stubborn to break. Better days are coming-and he’s willing to take on an immortal to protect the life he’s rebuilt among the ashes. 

    Faruhar, the so-called Red Demon, is not the mastermind Jesse expects. Her fragmented mind is ravaged by guilt over crimes she cannot remember committing, and a code impressed on her by a few kind people she cannot forget.

    REVIEW                                                                                                                                                     

    Debut author Sill Bihagia knows what she is doing in her powerful debut, RED DEMON. I don’t get moved by books at all, but this book tore at my soul. Red Demon is epic and viscerally written with deep, integrated world-building with fleshed-out, rounded characters. It gave me “Game of Thrones” with a dash of “Fifth Element” vibes. However, some have compared it to Red Rising, The Poppy War, or Gideon the Ninth .  We are introduced to Jesse, who was out with his brother hunting. Upon returning to their quaint mining town, he finds everyone is dead. Hope, though, shines when he sees that one of his older brothers is alive. The hope does not last for long as a figure appears with bright red hair. She murders his brothers right before him, leaving Jesse alive. Why?    

    Orphaned Jesses comes upon another town where he states his tragedy. Other towns have been wiped out, too. There is a rumor, talk of a disease used by rebels and a mysterious figure with red hair. “The Red Demon.”  A blacksmith and his family take Jesse in, adopting him, teaching Jesse the way of the sword as Jesse vows to find The Red Demon and kill her.  When the Red Demon strikes again in his new home with his new family and friends, Jesse is prepared, but only discovers that she actually saved his life. He learns that Red Demon is more than she seems.

    That is only the gist of it. Red Demon has so many delicious layers that do not disappoint you as a reader. As a writer, it brings joy that the craft of wordsmithing is not dead. There are writers and then there are storytellers. Bihagia is a storyteller, fitting in nicely with the other sci-fi fantasy writing greats. Bihagia says about her book:

    “It reads like fantasy, “but it’s grounded in science—CRISPR, neuroscience of memory, and mycological bionetworks. That’s there under the surface for the hard SFF readers, and those who are here for the emotional stakes find a villain who remembers who she loves… even if she forgets why she kills.”    

     Like I said, this book has layers. I also loved the action fight scenes. Best cleanly written fight scenes with sharp, precise cuts, making the words visualize and dance like a ballet in my head. I usually skim fight scenes in books. Bihagia kept me reading blow for blow. 

    While I like Sci-fi, I have quite lost interest in the genre and have been more into mystery thrillers. Red Demon brought me back, making me remember how good sci-fi fantasy can be when written well.

    RED DEMON gets 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5 stars.

    GET YOUR COPY TODAY AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND ONLINE BOOK SELLERS EVERYWHERE.

    http://Sillauthor.com

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Sill Bihagia is a data analyst, sword collector, and suburban chicken farmer with a background in evolutionary and behavioral neuroscience. They live in Severna Park, Maryland with their husband and two children. Sill writes speculative fiction with mature, approachable prose, emotional wreckage, and sharp wit. Red Demon is their debut novel and second published title. Their new imprint, Oria Press, champions inclusive, human-written speculative fiction with traditional-quality polish, seeking to lift up other indie writers with similar values.

    Follow Sill at @sillauthor on Instagram. Get signed, sprayed-edge editions available at Sillauthor.com

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    BOOK REVIEW: The Afterlife Experiment by Sam Weiss

    A bit of a change this Thursday. As I bring you a book review!

    ABSOLUTELY MIND-BENDING!

    The Afterlife Experiment (The Altered Planes Book 1)

    Published: October 10, 2023

    Genre: Dark fantasy/Sci-fi- horror/ American horror

    Pages: 310 pages

    Reality ends where madness begins.

    Atra Hart’s shadow has grown teeth. It moves on its own and whispers her name. She calls it Dread, and it threatens to devour her mind.

    When a fire breaks out at the asylum where she’s locked up, Atra seizes the chance for freedom, only to witness an electric-purple rift split the sky open. Like Dread, the rift is visible only to her.

    Then, she awakens back in the asylum, unharmed, as if the fire, the escape, and the rift never happened. But everything feels wrong. No one remembers her old life. Her family, her friends—even her past—have vanished. The doctors insist she’s delusional, but the messages scribbled on the mirrors suggest otherwise. The darkness beneath her bed whispers secrets. And the black cat that watches from where the veils thin? It doesn’t belong here.

    As Atra ventures deeper into the mystery, she uncovers a chilling truth: this isn’t an asylum. It’s a trap woven between broken realities. The rift isn’t a vision. It’s a crack in the barrier between worlds, and something is trying to come through. Dread isn’t a hallucination. It’s a harbinger, connected to something ancient that moves between realities like a parasite, searching for a perfect host.

    If Atra can’t sever her connection to Dread, she won’t just lose her grip on sanity—she’ll become the vessel that lets the horror in. She’ll open the door to something that could end reality itself.

    AMAZON

    REVIEW

    As I prepared to receive my ARC for the upcoming book, “In the House of Root and Rot” (book two in the Altered Planes Trilogy), I had to read book one, which the author had kindly gifted me as well. This book mind *ucked me and I liked it!

    We are introduced to Atra, who has spent most of her life in an asylum. She sees a dark shadow companion whom she calls Dread, which no one else can see. We also meet Tom, her father, who had abandoned Atra, leaving her for dead after a sinister experiment went wrong.

     A rift has opened in the fabric of time, and only Atra, Tom, and some others can see it. An ancient evil wants to break through. Atra has the final piece it needs.

    Think Stranger Things meets Sliders meets The Travellers or Fringe. I don’t know! This book makes you question the very reality you are reading!  This is the very first book where I couldn’t predict what would happen next! THE VERY FIRST! I was reading for my sanity, so there was that. These characters become you. 

    I love unreliable characters, and Weiss delivers cause this whole book is full of them. The ending leaves you craving what is next.  What horrors and madness await us in the next book? Stay tuned, as I’m set to read the second book “In the House of Root and Rot” soon!

    My overall rating is 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐out of 5 stars. This book gave me a trip, no drugs needed.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Sam was named after a dog, a fact her mother disputes to this day.

    While she’s terrible at writing “About Me”s about her, she’s been told she’s great at writing about what fictional people do. The more miserable she can make them, the better.

    Her love of horror films from the 80s, sci-fi shows from the 90s, and alternative music from the 00s have inspired her to write what she’s calling “Dark Science Fantasy” although she’s kind of making that up as she goes along.

    When she’s not ready to pull her hair out after discovering another plot hole she’s created, she goes camping with her husband as far away from society as possible. So far, this tactic has been mostly successful and she’s only had to physically converse with a grand total of nine people this year. Next year, she hopes to get that number down to six.

    Follow Sam and her books on IG @Weiss Author 🇨🇦

    Get The Afterlife Experiement today!

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    BOOK REVIEW:  Nebula’s Firefly by Dayron Maxwell

    Narvix is back in my world!

    Nebula’s FireFly (Book 2 Orphans of Solstice)

    Published: January 1, 2025

    Genre: Teen fantasy/Adventure

    Purchase link: AMAZON

    Synopsis

    As Narvix’s powers burgeon, His yearning for his human companions surpasses the perils of Enlo and his followers. Narvix endeavors to salvage the wreckage that the Arzo’s race has inflicted. However, the factions of Narvix and Enlo have their own hidden motives that will bring chaos to any planet and anyone involved.

    Nephia and her son Narvix start to understand each other better as they explore each other’s worlds.. Meanwhile, Nathalie, Mia, and Narvix’s friends lose themselves in the Arzo’s realm.

    In the third book, a mother watches her son from the depths of his soul, and a man consumed by revenge will collide with the lives of all who are bound to them. Can Narvix and his friends survive the upcoming battles? Will Earth like many planets become a playground of the gods, or will Narvix challenge Arzo’s culture by confronting Enlo?

    REVIEW

    It seemed like forever but budding Indie author Dayron Maxwell is back with book three in his Orphan of Solstice series. The series started back in 2018, Maxwell burst onto the book scene with Those Who Swallowed God, where we meet Narvix, just your average scimitar-shaped horned red skin teenager, whose life gets turned upside down when divine judgement wearing a tailored suit leads an army of winged humans to his hometown. Narvix’s mundane life of retro PC gaming and afternoon snoozing during fourth-period calculus screeches to a halt, replaced with dodging lighting bolts, facing a flaming woman all while trying not to create genocide from reaching his street address. Maxwell followed up in 2019 with the release of book two with Porlaris Phantom (formerly titled World of the Chimera).

    Now, after a long hiatus Maxwell is back with Nebula’s FireFly! Refreshing myself with books one and two, I got back into the world of Narvix where Narvix is still learning about himself, and his power, guided by his mother Nephia, he is told he is the one who must fight the deranged god Enlo.  Meanwhile, the enemy has taken roots on earth on the hunt for Narvix. When Narvix is granted a 3-day sneak back to earth before his extraordinary mission, Narvix reunites with Lulu as feelings are revealed. A black hole erupts in the middle of the city, and a shocking revelation is revealed that leaves you at a…wait what? Dosey of a cliffhanger.

    I said it once before, and I repeat it, this book series would make an excellent comic or anime series. Maxwell writes with such vividness filled with sci-fi fantasy imagery that something out of a fever dream. Think in the style of Into The Spiderverse, is how Narvix’s world explodes to life.

    Therefore my rating is⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 out of 5 stars.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Dayron Maxwell is an author of fantasy and coming-of-age books. He is currently working on a series of six books. His hobbies include writing, traveling, and occasionally a good movie.

    To learn more, follow him on his website Dayron Maxwell and on FACEBOOK

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    Book Spotlight Thursday 2: Tracking Tantor by Adam Gaffen

    A book spotlight double feature! So, strap in for the hope punk sci-fi fantasy Tracking Tantor by Adam Gaffen! Tracking Tantor is Book 9 in The Cassidy Chronicles series. If you love Star Trek or The Expanse, then this series is for you! Let’s read on!

    Tracking Tantor: The Missions of The TFS Pike (A Cassivyverse Novel)

    Published: June 25th, 2024 

    Genre: Sci-Fi, Space Exploration, Military Sci-Fi

    Pages: 505

    Synopsis

    THE MISSION CONTINUES!

     In "Tracking Tantor," Colonel Chloe Resler and her starship crew navigate mutiny, time-hunting aliens, and an ancient alien species determined to protect their secrets at any cost.  Following the perilous events of "The Ghosts of Tantor," where a routine mission led to a high-stakes race against time, Chloe's team now faces even greater challenges. Venturing into uncharted territory, they must unravel the mysteries of the Tantorians, avoid temporal anomalies, and battle relentless adversaries.

    Greyson Stuart, Nicole Crozier, and Jessa Ellis return to action, planning to test the Tantorian time travel device, while Captain Lexie Marsh and her AI partner, Sheba, contend with Spectre's machinations. As internal conflicts and the threat of mutiny loom, the crew embarks on a risky rescue mission that draws the attention of an alien fleet hostile to time travelers. With treacherous space, shifting timelines, and intergalactic conflict, "Tracking Tantor" offers a thrilling blend of exploration, danger, and teamwork, captivating sci-fi fans and adventure enthusiasts alike. Join Chloe and her crew as they battle the odds and uncover ancient secrets, leading to an explosive confrontation with their alien foes.

    Dive into a story where every moment counts, and every choice has cosmic consequences. “Tracking Tantor” delivers high-octane space exploration, heart-pounding military maneuvers, and a deep dive into ancient alien mysteries. Join Colonel Resler as she leads her diverse crew through uncharted territories; you’ll be captivated by the dynamic interplay of duty, loyalty, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.

    AVAILABLE NOW

    Amazon

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Adam Gaffen Winner of the Top 25 Indie Books of 2023 (The Heart of Space), 2022 (The Ghosts of Tantor), and 2021 (Triumph’s Ashes) is the author of the near-future, hopepunk science fiction universe that starts with “The Cassidy Chronicles, continues with the series “The Artemis War,” and the follow-on adventures launch with “The Ghosts of Tantor” and the newest Cassidyverse novel, “Tracking Tantor.” Two collections of short fiction, a technical manual, and a MG novel round out the universe for now. 

    He’s also venturing into fantasy/romance with the Godsfall trilogy and into heist novels with “The Vault & the Vixen,” all of which inhabit the Cassidyverse.

    He’s been honored with awards from Writers of the Future, Colorado Authors League, the Go Indie Now network, AllAuthor, Read Free.ly, and the Drunken Druid.

    He lives in Colorado with his wife, five dogs, and five cats and wonders where all the time goes.

    Learn more about Adam and his books at CassidyChronicles.com

    Do you like what I do? Please feel free to show your love and support by buying this writer a cup of coffee.

    https://ko-fi.com/jannyc