Kelly River

“To hunt that one is as wise as to go hunting a porcupine.” “I cannot leave this alone, Nighteyes.” “I understand. I am the same about porcupines.” While the first two novels in Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy were slow-burn character dramas wrapped in politics, Assassin’s Quest is exactly as the title implies; this is the story of a man on a journey. I have to confess, I was a little wary going…

‘My prince was human, I suddenly perceived. It was not reassuring.’ In my review for the previous book in Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy, Assassin’s Apprentice, I noted that the central theme of the story was one of parenting. If that novel was about growing up, this one is about maturity. We see our protagonist Fitz grappling with the tug of his responsibilities versus his emotions, and we delve…

Before I started writing Elizabeth of Rosepath in 2018, I really didn’t know all that much about medieval Europe. I had a general sense of the era as conveyed via movies and the occasional book, but certainly not enough to write about it with any degree of confidence. Yet the time period fascinated me. It wasn’t because of a particular historical figure, event, or country, but rather the broader…

I have to confess, Assassin’s Apprentice is one of those books that sat in my library untouched for far too long. I remember picking it up on a recommendation many years ago, but the title and blurb always called to mind the type of epic fantasy that’s never been my cup of tea. You know what they say about judging a book by its cover. When I finally dove into this one, I couldn’t have been…

Death Howl is a game that came out at the end of last year, a tactical deck builder that immediately grabbed my interest with its striking art style and haunting atmosphere. The story takes place in 6000 BC, following a grieving Mesolithic hunter named Ro as she embarks on a quest to save her dead son’s soul from the spirit world. It’s a simple narrative, but effectively told, providing a strong…

The final volume of The Song of Silver arrives late 2026. Pre-order now from your retailer of choice. – – – As the years turn, the villagers of Lunneset tell tales of the elusive Lady Silver, a benevolent noblewoman who was once a slave; of Saria Granger, protector of their fields, and of Fen Singer, the jester whose songs fill taverns across the kingdom. They speak darker words of Christian…

The second novel of the Song of Silver trilogy is out now! Click here to select a purchase link from your retailer of choice. Little hope remains for Livy and Fen. In the merchant town of Norcombe, where opulent manors tower above the shadowed pits of slave markets, the pair face a harrowing choice: submit willingly to servitude, or pay the price of defiance. Meanwhile, Christian Westhill…

A merry end of the year to everyone! With 2025 wrapping up, it’s time for another update. These past several months, I’ve been hard at work on The Price of the Wind, the second volume of The Song of Silver. I’m pleased to announce that the book is almost ready and scheduled to release on the first of February 2026, just over a month from now. You can pre-order from your retailer of choice to…

Ursula K. LeGuin’s A Wizard of Earthsea is one of those novels I’ve been peripherally aware of for many years, but I never sat down to give it a read until this autumn. While I wouldn’t say it’s one of my favourite books of all time, I did find it compelling enough to warrant a review. It’s a unique novel, short and sweet, with a wonderful focus on tone that evokes the mood of classic fantasy…

Merry August everyone! I hope your region of the world is treating you well, whichever season you happen to be in. I thought I’d check in with a post about my current progress on The Song of Silver book 2 along with an appeal for reviews! I’m an independent author, which means I have no marketing team, no industry contacts, no agent putting my name out there. Any ads I run, I organise myself,…

Okay, I confess that’s something of a clickbait title. I don’t actually think books are the most interactive form of media out there, but I do think they rank much higher than most people assume. I’ve always loved interactive media. TV, movies, and music are nice, but they rarely captivate my spirit the same way my two true loves do: books and games. There’s a commonality between rolling dice at…

The second volume of The Song of Silver arrives early 2026. Pre-order now from your retailer of choice. Little hope remains for Livy and Fen. In the merchant town of Norcombe, where opulent manors tower above the shadowed pits of slave markets, the pair face a harrowing choice: submit willingly to servitude, or pay the price of defiance. Meanwhile, Christian Westhill tightens his grasp on the…

The first novel of the Song of Silver trilogy, a thrilling new sequel to the Book of Roses saga, is out now! Click here to select a purchase link from your retailer of choice. The open road is no place for a lone woman, and in these lands, outlaws rule the forest. In defiance of her cautious parents, Livy leaves home to seek her fortune in the merchant trade, braving a dangerous new road rich…

With The Slave and the Sheriff releasing on June 1st, I thought it would be a good idea to write a blog post introducing the Song of Silver trilogy. I’ll be discussing what my next three novels will be about, where they fit into the Book of Roses series, and what to expect from the characters. There won’t be any spoilers in this post, but I will be giving some vague details about characters and…

As a teenager, I went through a phase of devouring Stephen King’s novels. It’s fair to say he was my favourite author for a long time. While I haven’t read as many of his books in the years since – though I do still pick them up occasionally – he was the first author that I consciously recognised as a formative influence on my writing. As an aspiring young novelist, this naturally led to me…