"Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering: An Epic Fantasy Rooted in Magic and Heart"

Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🌿 Book Review: Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering | GetUrBook 📚

Some stories don’t just invite you into their world—they root you there. Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering is one such immersive tale. This epic fantasy masterwork gently draws you in with the serenity of a farm and a man’s yearning for peace—but soon plunges you into the throes of a rising rebellion, long-buried magic, and the power of chosen family.

At the heart of Heliotrope is Teleo, a battle-worn warrior seeking solace in stonework and soil. But fate doesn’t allow him rest for long. When a young fugitive & a royal heir tumbles into his quiet life, Teleo is swept into a tide of political turmoil, ancient magic, and dangerous loyalties. What begins as an act of sheltering a runaway becomes a fierce battle to protect the remnants of a once-glorious legacy.

Pickering’s writing is lush and patient—this is not a tale that rushes. Like laying each stone in a grand wall, the world-building is meticulous. Every character is shaped with care, especially Teleo, whose depth, sorrow, and strength anchor the narrative. The novel balances cozy, grounded moments with bursts of sharp action, rich lore, and emotional depth. It's a book about fighting not just for survival, but for what truly matters.

💫 If you love fantasy that embraces both heart and sword—where found families heal old wounds and ancient powers awaken with purpose—Heliotrope is a must-read.

📌 Perfect for fans of character-driven epics, slow-burn fantasy, and immersive world-building.

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L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 41

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 41 by L. Ron Hubbard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


🚀 Book Review: L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 41

🌌 Twelve new voices. One galactic leap into tomorrow’s science fiction and fantasy.

🔖 #GetUrBook #WritersOfTheFuture #SciFiAnthology #FantasyDebuts #GalacticReads #SpecFicSpotlight #FutureClassics #NewVoicesInFiction

Strap in for a literary hyperjump—Writers of the Future Volume 41 is not just an anthology, it’s a portal into parallel worlds, coded fates, and mythic resurrections. Curated by Jody Lynn Nye, this stellar collection amplifies the voices of tomorrow’s sci-fi and fantasy trailblazers—each selected through one of the most respected contests in speculative literature.

🧠 “Kill Switch” by Robert F. Lowell simulates a pulse-pounding ethical dilemma between human autonomy and artificial override, cloaked in sleek cyberpunk noir.
⚡ “Thirty Minutes or It’s a Paradox” by Patrick MacPhee is a temporal joyride—blending humor, chaos theory, and time loops tighter than a quantum knot.
🌿 “Karma Birds” by Lauren McGuire offers lyrical eco-fantasy, where rebirth takes wing through a myth-soaked, post-collapse lens.
🌀 “Slip Stone” by Sandra Skalski grounds magical realism in a world of shifting realities, with consequences that ripple far past the page.

Each of the twelve stories comes alive with vivid artwork by breakthrough illustrators—true to the anthology’s dual mission of championing both literary and visual creativity. The bonus fiction by L. Ron Hubbard, Tim Powers, and Sean Williams adds veteran star power and depth to the constellation.

💫 Plus, insightful craft essays (including “It Don’t Mean a Thing” by Robert J. Sawyer and “An Artist’s Path” by Tom Wood) give aspiring creators coordinates to navigate the ever-expanding creative universe.

✨ Final Verdict:
⭐ 5/5 stars — Volume 41 is a warp-speed sampling of the next generation of speculative fiction. Whether you seek tech-laced thrills, alternate timelines, or myth-fused futures, this collection delivers like an interstellar beacon for readers and writers alike

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A Girl of Many Crowns By D.H. Morris

MAGICAL, BEAUTIFUL BRUGES by D. H. Morris

The Girl of Many Crowns begins and ends in Bruges, an exquisitely beautiful Belgian city and UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, the ninth-century Bruges, where the novel begins, was a far cry from what it has now become. When the book begins, Bruges is part of Flanders, a province of Francia. A once-thriving Roman center of trade, Bruges with easy access to the North Sea, had been overrun by Vikings so often that it was only a shell of its former glory. The fortress within the town was but a ruin and there were very few residents within its boundaries. Curiosity took me to Bruges in 2005 as I was researching the story of Baldwin Iron Arm and Judith of Francia, which is the basis for The Girl of Many Crowns. I wished to see if there was anything from the ninth century remaining in the city. At the end of the book, Baldwin and Judith plan to rebuild the town and settle at the site of the former fortress where the river Reie encounters the North Sea. That spot is now the impressive Burg Square. Canals have since been built to transport people and goods, and the architecture of the ninth century has long been replaced by thirteenth-century buildings. However, the city still retains its charming medieval personality which makes it a perfect movie set. In fact, PK, the first Bollywood movie filmed in Belgium was set in Bruges. Riding leisurely in a boat along its pristine canals, I wondered if the first Count and Countess of Flanders, Baldwin and Judith, envisioned the stunning transformation of their city. I also wondered if the city still remembered them. As I walked along a cobblestone path, peering into quaint shops featuring decadent Belgian chocolates and baked goods, I spotted a chocolate bear that transported me to the story that had happened more than one thousand years earlier. Here was my first evidence that Bruges still valued their early medieval history. The chocolatiers of Bruges had honored Baldwin’s slaying of the bear that tried to attack Judith on their wild flight from a French castle. That first revelation was not the only nod to their story. The brewers of Bruges also paid homage in their Bear of Bruges beer. And I spotted small monuments or plaques related to Baldwin and Judith here and there within the city. A magical story deserves a magical setting. I did not write The Girl of Many Crowns until many years later, but the memory of this beautiful city still warms my heart. I truly fell in love with the city that begins and ends my story on that magical visit to Bruges.