All Posts By

Eric Ballein

REVIEW: Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon Forbidden West is a sequel to the fantastic 2017 game, Horizon Zero Dawn. Just like its predecessor, it is a wonderful blend of genres that I can best describe as post-apocalyptic tribal fantasy/science...

REVIEW: Joan by Katherine Chen

Joan by Katherine Chen walks a tightrope that few historical novels manage to do successfully; it is a well-written historical novel yet does not overflow with historical minutiae. The titular Joan has indeed been...

Cover for The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison

REVIEW: The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison

The Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison is the second book of the Cemeteries of Amalo series, a spin-off of The Goblin Emperor. This book, like Witness for the Dead, follows the prelate Thara...

REVIEW: All The Seas of The World by Guy Gavriel Kay

All The Seas of The World, the third book in a loose trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay, takes place in a pre-renaissance country much like Italy. There are a small number of fantasy elements,...

REVIEW: The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison is many things; a novel about elves and goblins, a story with mages and magic, and a book with a steampunk aesthetic. Yet, these belie what the novel...

REVIEW: The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay

The Lions of Al-Rassan is a beautifully written book filled with brutality, philosophy, religion, history, and romance. Guy Gavriel Kay, for most of his novels, occupies an interesting place between historical fiction and fantasy;...

REVIEW: Later by Stephen King

Later is a thrilling, sarcastic, and gritty book that hits like a shovel to the skull. In a good way, of course. I knew it was likely to be solid, even great, but Later...

REVIEW: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is Ubisoft‘s newest open-world historical adventure that takes place in the ninth century. Valhalla is, in some ways, more of the same: environments are bloated with things to do, battles are...

REVIEW: Lent by Jo Walton

Lent is a chimera of a novel, a combination of historical fiction and fantasy with bits of religious and philosophical arguments peppered throughout a thoroughly interesting Groundhog’s Day-esque story. Jo Walton juggles each of...

REVIEW: Greedfall by Spiders Studios

Greedfall is a double-A roleplaying game by the French studio Spiders. It is designed in many ways similar to the Dragon Age games, on a smaller budget of course, and it mostly succeeds in...