Ronit J

Indie fantasy books only made it to my TBR a few years back. Today, they make up for half, maybe more of my TBR!

So, as the year draws to an end, I thought of making a list of the top 5 independently published or self-published fantasy books that I read this year

Note: This list is of books that I read this year, not books released this year. I’m thinking of making a different list focused on those. Coincidentally, all 5 of these books are part of my Fantasy Bingo Card! Check it out here.

5. Spire Climbers by Rob J Hayes

Starting off this list with a Progression Fantasy sequel…

Full disclosure: I signed up for the eARC for Titan Hoppers last year, and it was quite a wild ride. I wasn’t expecting an email in my inbox with the eARC for Spire Climbers, but hey… if you get a chance to read a Rob J Hayes novel before release you don’t decline the opportunity.

The book was so fast-paced that I ended up staying up late one night to finish this book. The second half of the book was simply un-put-down-able! I really loved how Hayes developed the story and made this one more focused on Emil.

Unlike Titan Hoppers, SC was much better paced (not just balanced, but also break-neck), and was a huge improvement on an already amazing Titan Hoppers!

Read my full review here

4. Orconomics by J Zachary Pike

This is one of the first indie fantasy books that I came across. I picked it up years ago, but for some reason never got around to reading it.

Now that I finally read it, I can’t believe I waited this long! From start to finish, this was a very pleasant read. A perfect blend of humour, thrill, action, and character moments that will appeal to anyone who loves the SFF genre and DnD-style games.

Personally, I loved the plot and that ending. Completely pulled the carpet under my feet with that ending. Can’t wait to read the sequels!

Read my full review here

3. The Captain by Will Wight

As of writing this post, I’m about 10% into The Engineer (The Last Horizon Book 2). I can’t say if The Engineer is better than The Captain or not, but my top 5 list would be incomplete with this series.

This book came out of nowhere for me, and was positively zany and thrilling. The amount of references and information that Wight throws at you, whilst telling a fast-paced story that’s equal parts gripping and satisfying is a feat in itself.

Read my full review here

2. Gunmetal Gods by Zamil Akhtar

Another member of my TBR that I finally read this year, and holy hell what a book this was!

I’ve said this way too many times – Zamil Akhtar’s unique voice is one of the many things that makes this book an absolutely dreadful delight. The balance of cosmic horror and dark fantasy is enhanced by Akhtar’s empathetic treatment of characters. If you haven’t already, you need to read this book!

The final part is coming out next year.

Read my full review here

1. Blood Over Bright Haven by M L Wang

Not just one of the best indie fantasy books, but THE BEST FANTASY BOOK I read this year was M L Wang’s Blood Over Bright Haven.

Seriously, I haven’t seen authors balance plot, characters, themes and world-building as seamlessly as Wang has done in this book. The prologue alone is such a stellar opening, and the story hasn’t even begun yet. And just as perfect the start is, the ending too is weaved together with expert precision, tying up all arcs in a satisfying manner.

This was my first M L Wang book, and I can’t wait to read Sword of Kaigen.

Read my full review here

Honorary Mentions

I can’t end this list without mentioning a few really good indie fantasy books that almost made the cut.

• The Eleventh Cycle by Kian N Ardalan: Inspired by Berserk & Dark Souls, this eerily dark and haunting story had a daunting atmosphere and an epic scope that fans of Berserk and Dark Souls will find familiar. The Mount Morniar scenes especially were my favourite. I’m really looking forward to the sequel, and where Ardalan is taking this story.
• Death Rider by Zamil Akhtar: Remember how I said Akhtar has a unique voice? Well, you can sample it with this free novella. I read it after Gunmetal Gods, and this only made me want to abandon my TBR and binge on the Gunmetal Gods series.
• The Fall by Ryan Cahill: A novella set before the main series, I picked it up because I’ve been hearing a lot about this series. Reading this novella explained exactly why. A classic fantasy setting with dragon riders and elves, Ryan Cahill’s treatment of action and tension in this novella is some of the finest writing I’ve read this year. The fact that he made even a 90 page novella feel so epic just makes me wonder how his fat tomes are gonna read.
• No Safe Haven by James Lloyd Dulin: I did not like the first book. I was sceptical, but still signed up for the sequel because Dulin’s characters and world-building were top-notch. So glad I picked this up, because not only does NSH fix all the issues I had with No Heart For A Thief, but also develops the book to a completely different stratosphere. I am in awe of how much Dulin has grown as a writer and storyteller from Book 1, and I really look forward to reading Book 3!

My upcoming novel is also an Indie Fantasy Book!

Island of the Dying Goddess is a grimdark fantasy horror stand-alone inspired by Elden Ring and A Fistful of Dollars!

Word Count: ~86,000

Description: 

On the island of eternal grief
Even the gods have died a thousand deaths

My name is Anawar, and I am an immortal explorer. A few days ago, I was stranded on Sawarrgh, an island where everything looks twisted and the air smells of mourning. The atmosphere has forced suppressed memories to resurface. I have to consciously keep them at bay, or I won’t be able to survive this island’s horrors.

There’s Ghaph, the mad warmongering god who mutilates his enemies and patches on their dismembered limbs. Then there’s Ndraja, the goddess who can enslave entire kingdoms with just her thoughts. But the worst is the nameless Goddess who created Sawarrgh a millennia ago, caging it in a barrier that reverses time, forcing the island to relive the same year over and over.

Sawarrgh is a nightmare come alive. Here, existence itself is a curse. The living are barely alive. The stranded, condemned.

I need to escape this island, and in doing so free Sawarrgh from its perpetual punishment.

And the only way to do that is to kill the Goddess.

Elden Ring meets A Fistful of Dollars in this stand-alone horror grimdark fantasy

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Thank you for reading!