Indie Authors Worth Reading
- alijonsmithcontact
- Sep 9, 2023
- 3 min read
I love discovering indie authors. Perhaps it's because their voices always feel unique and I don't mind if things are a little unpolished. But I don’t often shout about those books, so I thought I’d take the time to share some that really aught to be getting more attention.
Guild of Cowrie Catchers – Abigail Hilton
Fantasy/Romance/Adventure
Abigail writes beautiful short books about anthropomorphic foxes and griffins sailing the high seas. But these characters are more psychologically real than any you’ll find in books about boring, normal humans. I was stunned by the way she conveys the deep emotional histories of her characters and the tender romance at the core of the series – I can’t say much about that without leaking spoilers, but to give you a flavour, there is a love triangle between an outcast prince, a flamboyant assassin and a blind songstress, with some significant f/m/m twists.
I love the fact that these books look whimsical (they even have pictures!) but often stray into very dark territory. This is a world where slavery, torture and cannibalism are tolerated, giving the characters something profoundly important to fight for as they seek a better future for their islands.
A Battle Lost – Dave Shaw
Military/Sci-fi Adventure
It’s my contention that archaeologists make great writers, and this is the first book I present as evidence. A Battle Lost follows a young man who escapes a concentration camp. Filled with a need to return and save his baby brother, he first becomes a casual saboteur then the leader of a partisan army. It’s punchy, clever and has some great characters. On top of this, Dave’s writing style is so fluid and smooth that it makes me jealous.
The big hit in this book is the ending – it’s been over a year since I finished reading the book and I still think about the ending on a regular basis! No other book has ever got me in the same way. Hurry up and read it so I have someone to talk to about it with!
Kuiper Station - Wilbur Seymore
Grimdark Sci-fi
Every one of Wilbur’s characters is the scummiest humanity has to offer. The plot lurches forwards a-pace through visceral violence and sexual taboos galore. You will have your sense of morality thoroughly realigned, and once that’s done, this series is a ton of fun.
I also love the technical details in the books – Sci-fi that would actually work – from simple gel-filled cables that solidify when in place, to pirates leveraging optics that see in different parts of the EM spectrum to get the drop on their foes.
Guardians of Reyth - Joan Lightning
Fantasy/Adventure/Romance
Remember I said archaeologists make great authors? Joan is my second example. I’m mid way through the seven-book epic that is Guardians of Reyth, and I’m loving it at the moment. Joan has a compelling world, filled with likeable characters. Her tight, focused action set-pieces are the highlight for me, but she also manages a huge cast of characters with seeming ease.
The guardians in this series are mentally bonded to one another and she really explores this aspect well – better, I might venture, than Anne MacCaffery. I’ve got my fingers crossed for an epic finish to the series, I’ll let you know when I get there!
Night Terrors - Erin Walmsley
Horror/Poetry
This is a petite collection of poems that will make your skin crawl. Do yourself a favour a give it a read next time you have an hour to spare. Beautifully dark and evocative, the kind of bite-size delight that gets overlooked in our lives!
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