#IndiePrideDay is just around the corner. Between now and July 1st, I'll be featuring some of the indie author’s I’ve read (and loved) since becoming one myself. Today, we have: Simon Williams.
Simon and I connected on Goodreads early in 2014, not long after I published Magic-Price. After checking out a sample of his fantasy, Oblivion’s Forge (Aona Book #1), I knew right away that it was my kind of read. The writing was beautiful, almost lyrical at times, and dark. But it was clear the story was intricate with multiple POV shifts within a large cast of characters. I prefer reading 1st person or 3rd person from one character’s POV. I had also been reading a lot of Jim Butcher and Simon R. Green at the time (both in 1st person). I was concerned I would have trouble connecting with the many POV characters in Oblivion’s Forge and that switching between them would feel jarring after my current reads. That wasn’t the case at all. I was immediately drawn into this complex, bleak, and deliciously dark fantasy world with so many voices that were all unique and wonderfully flawed. I went on later to read Secret Roads (Book 2) and it was even better.
From my review of Oblivion’s Forge:
“I was thoroughly impressed with this book. Oblivion’s Forge (Aona Book 1) is dark fantasy at its best. It’s the story of a land on the cusp of change, an unknown ancient evil on the verge of awakening, and the many characters—innocent and not so innocent—caught up in its wake. The mystery deepens with each chapter, weaving its way through a vast elaborate world; painted beautifully with passion and a rich prose that lures you in from the first page.”
From my review of Secret Roads:
“As in the first book (Oblivion’s Forge), the author’s eloquent writing style and bold word choice captures you from the beginning. He drops you into a bleak landscape populated by diverse races all facing harsh circumstances and difficult choices—that become more harsh and difficult as the story progresses. This is a hard book to put down. Secret Roads is unapologetic adult fantasy and I loved it.”
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Simon has since published books 3, 4, and the final book in the Aona series, Salvation’s Door, was released earlier this month. They are all on my TBR and I look forward to reading them. If you enjoy dark fantasy that is richly detailed, passionate, and tragic, I urge you to give this series a try.
For more information on Simon and his work, please check out his website
To purchase the Aona series or his YA fantasy, Summer’s Dark Waters, visit his Amazon Author Page
Connect with him on Twitter https://twitter.com/SWilliamsAuthor
and Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/simonwilliamsauthor