Kristen Shafer's SPFBO Semi-Finalist Pick

I would like to begin by congratulating all our indie authors who made the SPFBO 11 lottery. It is an achievement to be celebrated. I know that putting your own work out there for strangers to judge and critique can feel daunting, so a firm pat on the back to our entrants. 

I was assigned at random five titles by SFF Insiders from our team’s 30 book allotment. They varied in length and subgenre.

• Slaying Dragons for Tail by M.J.G. Pither

• They Live Among Us by EBatzell

• Demon’s Tear by R.E. Sanders

• Magic, Maps, and Mischief by David Green

• Last Among Equals by Peter J. Aldin

For my reading order, I tried to alternate between book lengths in order to keep myself evenly paced. Outlining my judging criteria, I always focus on world building, character development, and enjoyment. Additionally, I required myself to give each book at least a 30% minimum before making any decisions. 

Without further delay, here and my thoughts on each of the titles:

Slaying Dragons for Tail by MJG Pither

This book caught me completely off guard. I feel it’s one of those stories that you will either love or dislike. Bern, our main protagonist, is a dragon slayer under the employment of Wyrm Removal Company. Dragons in this world are akin to pests and range in many sizes and abilities. Bern’s goal is to take on enough contracts that will (hopefully) leave him with enough funds to cover a good time in the city brothel. 

You learn early on that Bern is a tad bit of a jerk. Self centered, arrogant, and full of himself. The author does an excellent job of letting his character development, although questionable at times, shine though. Readers are quickly able to form their own thoughts and opinions on if they like Bern as a person. This factor, doubled with colorful world building from the first chapters, makes for an interesting start to the story. 

Moving on to the dragons. The author does a great job of crafting unique abilities for his winged reptiles. All dragons in this story have varying powers and strengths, making it so no fight is ever the same. Our protagonist must have an arsenal of knowledge at hand in order to survive these encounters. The battle scenes between Bern and a dragon are intense and well written, providing readers with a crystal clear picture.

A main factor that altered my reading experience was the plot line. Yes, the book is about getting tail, but I feel it was maybe a bit too much tail. Almost everyone in the book is looking for a tangle in the sheets. We had an interaction of Bern finding an Orc woman unconscious in an orchard with deep talon wounds and a mysterious black dragon scale pierced with a dagger. This had me ensnared and I was very keen on watching the mystery unfurl. However, it kept getting stalled and pushed away by the constant need for a romp or our protagonist's inner monologue of how badly he needs a brothel.

They Live Among Us by EBatzell

This book can be classified as a fantasy with a small science fiction twist. Baztell wastes no time in tossing readers directly into the action as our protagonist Rogero finds himself wrapped up in a terrorist takeover of his workplace office building. And to top it all off, aliens show up. But not to worry, Rogero is a Magister and also possesses a very specific set of powers. 

I always enjoy a book with fast action, and the author knows how to deliver whip fast scenes. However, there were a few things that impacted my reading. First was the constant switch between first and third person. This made the first few chapters a bit difficult to follow as the reader. I found myself having to backtrack quite a bit to keep up with the story and character dialogue. 

Second was the character building. It wasn’t until about 20% into the book that we were able to get Rogero’s backstory and how he came into his skill set. Prior to this we mostly see him in action scenes. Since this was the shortest book in my batch at 213 pages, I personally felt that it could have benefited from some earlier world building and character development. 

Demon's Tear by R.E. Sanders

Easily a genuine epic fantasy tale, Demon’s Tear was by far the longest book in my batch and most ambitious. Coming in at a whopping 535 pages, this book needed some time to set up and establish its world building. For this reason, readers need to give this book at least the first 80 pages to establish the setting, characters, and pace. 

This book is split into various parts, each with a POV of a different protagonist. The first being Eain, a young man and skilled fighter trying to prove his worth to those around him. Second are Ellyah and Nastia, both skilled thieves who have stolen the legendary gem known as Demon’s Tear. Sanders does an excellent job with making his story very character driven, a quality I highly respect and enjoy in a classic fantasy series. Additionally, the world building is massive. Readers are jumping all over the continent as we alternate between characters. With these jumps, the culture and mannerisms of the area changes. The author truly makes the reader feel as if they have travelled to a different location. 

One thing that I encountered when reading was I noticed the POV’s were pretty lengthy. I wish that there was maybe a bit more back and forth in switching between the characters. Eain’s story in the beginning had such a cliff hanger that when I was reading about Ellyah in the following chapters, I found myself hoping the next page I turned would switch back. 

Magic, Maps, and Mischief by David Green

Here we have a classic, low stakes, cozy fantasy featuring a neurodivergent protagonist. David Green takes readers on a journey as they follow Greton of Willow. A mage by profession, he enjoys the comfort of his books, maps, and inks. He sets out on a journey to find his “heart’s desire” and to live out a life of comfort. However, Greton soon finds himself entangled in danger. 

The character development and world building is well fleshed out. Descriptions of how Grenton interacts with the world around him as someone who does not understand certain social cues or mannerisms was very eye opening. The fascination with maps and the extreme details he describes them with really paints a picture of his gentle character. I am also a sucker for animal companions in fantasy worlds, so the incorporation of Atlas the tawny owl gave this story the additional cozy feel.  

One thing I had a difficult time meshing with was the pacing. This book is indeed more of Greton’s personal experience and less dangerous aspects. We as readers get a front row seat into Grenton’s mind and his inner dialogue for how he interacts with others. There were times I found myself skipping a bit of this dialogue due to its length. 

Last Among Equals by Peter J. Aldin

Last Among Equals was the last book in my batch to be read. A dark and classic epic fantasy where a soldier of a disgraced House and a young apprentice mage from a foreign nation are forced to come together to battle an invading force that will see both nations burn. 

The beginning of the story has a “what is happening” type of feeling as readers are thrust into a mid battle encounter with the Trell. These monstrous creatures are capable of dark magicks that can raise powerful creatures from seemingly nothing. There is a sense of confusion, which gives readers a glimpse into exactly the same emotion the characters are feeling as the Trell decimate a militia encampment outside a small village. But after a few more chapters, we come to understand the “what’s and why's” as worldbuilding is steadily built and revealed. Aldin does a fantastic job of crafting his world and characters through deeds and actions. This allows for the story to flow seamlessly from chapter to chapter. 

The characters Aldin has crafted are multilayered, diverse, and even a touch flawed. Each character experiences significant growth as the book progresses. One of my favorite tropes is the underdog and that’s exactly what bucket our disgraced soldier, Erik, falls into. Additionally, women are written as genuine characters with depth to advance the plot. 

One thing I wished was a bit different was how often Prej was on page. I felt she was getting slightly overshadowed by other characters' development as the story progressed. However, I can also see the other side of the coin if this was done intentionally to set her up for more growth in future installments. Either way, I want more Prej as I adore her character. 

My Semifinalist Pick

Before I reveal my semifinalist pick, I want all the authors in my batch to not feel discouraged if their book does not move on in the competition. The SPFBO contest and the way it is set up makes it so books have to be cut and only one can advance to the next round. When I was reading each title in my batch, I always had bookish friends in mind who I knew would love the story.

For my semifinalist selection, I held myself to the standard that I would rate the book at least 4.0 stars or higher. With this, it was a very tight decision between two titles. Demon’s Tear by R.E. Sanders and Last Among Equals by Peter J. Aldin. I’ll admit I had to sit on this selection for a few days. But without further delay, my semifinalist choice for SPFBO 11 is-

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Last Among Equals by Peter J. Aldin!

I offer my congratulations to Peter. Last Among Equals will now advance to the finalist round within SFF Insiders and be read by our other judges.