If you're in the mood for a grimdark fantasy but would prefer something quick and easy to read, this is the series for you. The Seven Swords is a stands out for its unique settings, elaborate world building, and short format that is reminiscent of Moorcock's books of the late 1970's. This is a harsh unkind world with plenty of gods, magic, and, obviously, swords. Everybody has secrets but none are worse than Guyime's bloody past and the sword that made it possible. He believes his soul is beyond redemption so he's willing to die for a chance to destroy his sword. But the fabled Seven Swords are indestructible by mortal means so he sets off on epic pilgrimage. There is plenty of action, betrayal, and death along the way.

There are six known decimates that are wielded by Sorcerers in both Belleger and Amika, two countries who have been warring with each other for generations. The battles between them have become so bloody that the engagements are known as "hells". Sorcerers on both sides use the six decimates (Fire, Wind, Pestilence, Earthquake, Drought, and Lightning) in these hells, but it is Amika that has the advantage because they have the better sorcerers. Belleger survives by using rifles to out-range the sorcerers; however, they can never gain the upper hand because building reliable rifles is a slow and time consuming process for them. The battles rage on until, in the blink of an eye, all sorcerers in Belleger lose their ability to wield magic. The king quickly becomes desperate because he knows Belleger lacks enough rifles to fend off an Amikan attack without magic, so he opts for a cliché Hail Mary. He sends his son, Prince Bifalt, out on a quest to find a mythical book in an unknown location in order to restore sorcery and save his people. Because, why not?

Viv is an orc babrarian, and after many years of adventuring she is ready to hang up her broadsword to pursue her dream of opening a coffee shop. Ever since she first smelled the gnomish drink she has been making plans and when her final job has her slaying a scavern queen she knows the time has come. According to an obscure legend the heart of a scavern queen will guarantee the success of its owner. Things seem to be going well until one of her old adventuring group comes seeking the heart and stirs up the local crime lord against Viv. Being a shop keeper is certainly more complicated and dangerous than Viv expected, but with help from her friends Legends and Lattes might be a great success. 

Even many of those who haven't played World of Warcraft are familiar with the name Sylvanas. Sylvanas Windrunner, The Banshee Queen, and leader of the undead Forsaken of the Horde. In this authorized book Sylvanas hopes that her life story will persuade the human king Anduin to join her and the mysterious Jailor in ending the circle of life and death. Her prominent role in WoW's ongoing storyline has often seemed quixotic if not outright insane but in her own words she reveals her reasons for acting as she did. Christie Golden strings together the bits and pieces of WoW lore with added details to give players the full story behind this legend. Sylvanas is just as mercurial, driven, and insane as you always thought, if not more so. Anduin is a surprisingly good listener but maintains that everything she tells him could as easily argue that she shouldn't help the Jailor. Love and logic are pitted against rage and grief as two old enemies fight a mental battle for the fate of Azeroth.

The Street Rats of Aramoor series has been slowly moving from one tribe of street kids to the next and this time around the focus is on Sandstorm.  Ayrion's life is a busy one now that he is one of the chiefs of Hurricane, but things are about to get a lot more complicated for him. First it is Noph, the chief of Sandstorm, who sets up a meeting with Ayrion and the other leaders of Hurricane to discuss some potential big changes for them all, and then it is the King himself who insists that Ayrion join the Elondrian Lancers to receive further training. There aren't enough days in the week for Ayrion to do all that is being asked of him, and with plenty of enemies waiting to pounce on those he holds dear if he gets distracted, you just know something is going to go wrong...

In Blood Song an Imperial scribe travels with the most reviled enemy of his people on his journey to meet his fate. To the Empire he is the enemy soldier called Hopekiller, but Vaelin Al Sorna is far from the hateful enemy the scribe expects. Although he finds some elements of Vaelin's life to fantastic to be believed, the scribe is still absorbed in the tale. At age ten Vaelin was given to the Sixth Order, the brutal warrior arm of the Church, by his father without any explanation. Under the harsh conditions of the Order the boys of his year are first rivals, then friends, and eventually Brothers in more than just name. Some of them have secrets, and by the time they are full Brothers leading missions against the Dark Vaelin begins to suspect that one of them may have gone over to the Dark themselves.

The locations of the Godstones are now known and the various battles to control them are underway; however, only the Dynize know how to use them and their leader has plans to do just that. The conflict now spans multiple continents and the main PoV characters are spread across the lands, each doing their part to destroy the stones before they can be used. Easier said than done. Michel is headed back to Landfall to do what he can, Mad Ben Styke is across the ocean planning to attack the stone within the Dynize capital with the Mad Lancers, and Lady Vlora Flint must find a way to stop the Dynize army, despite the fact that she is physically broken and no longer has her Powder Mage abilities. If they don't succeed then a new God will be born and the Dynize will dictate the fate of the world.

In the land of Baroken it is the Wizard Lord's duty to protect the land, people, and magical ler. Since hunting down rogue wizards is one of their most important duties they are gifted with a set of talismans, ler that have been bound to an object, to ensure they have the most power. It was not long until the wizards of the Council of Immortals realized that those talismans would make it very difficult to deal with a rogue Wizard Lord, a Dark Lord. They created a second set of talismans that would be linked to those of the Wizard Lord and given to talented individuals who would act as a team to take down Dark Lords. The talismans of The Chosen as they are called enhance their natural abilities with specific magics according to their role in the team but they also bear a curse. When one of the Chosen dies the Wizard Lord loses the power of his linked talisman so should he kill all of the Chosen he is no more powerful than other members of the Council. They think they have covered every possibility. They are wrong.

Things really start to get complicated in book two of the series and we now know the stakes are much higher than originally thought. Yes there are countries at war with each other, but the real fight is taking place at a different level. There is a second conflict going on within the war between those who seek to control the Godstones and those who want to destroy them. What makes this complicated is those two factions don't perfectly align with the national war that is underway. The real conflict is pretty much the PoV characters against everyone else when it comes to the Godstones and the bigger war is just muddying up the landscape. Mad Ben Styke, General Vlora Flint, Taniel Two-Shot, and Michel all have interesting storylines, but their lives are on the line every step of the way. 

Ten years after the end of the first trilogy, we can finally return to Brian McClellan's intriguing world of powder mages, privileged, and blood sorcerers. The nation of Fatrasta is new on the scene, but the problems facing it are not. Despite the order being kept by the secret police, known as the Black Hats, dissent is everywhere. The oppressed Palo that live within the capital city of Landfall are treated as second class citizens, so they retaliate by stirring up a lot of trouble. This conflict is the centerpiece for our three new PoV characters. General Vlora Flint, leader of the Riflejack Mercenary Company, who is hired by the local government to capture the insurgent leader, Mama Palo, and bring her to justice. Mad Ben Styke, a former war hero and killing machine who is let out of prison by a mysterious person who tasks him with getting close to Lady Flint and awaiting further instruction. And finally, Michel Bravis, an under cover agent who has infiltrated the Black Hats and struggles a bit with remembering which side he is actually on.