Press

Praise for The Saxon Spears:

“In The Saxon Spears James Calbraith gives us a fast-paced, immediate, raw look into the dark times of the fifth century. The might and majesty of Rome is crumbling, and Britain is a dangerous land, as Britons, Saxons and Jutes all vie for dominance. Into this maelstrom strides Ash, a hero straddling both the old world of the departed civilized Romans and the gritty, violent present of the Saxon pirates in search of land. James Calbraith’s Ash is a sympathetic protagonist, full of mystery and a yearning to discover the secrets of his past and the truth of his destiny. The Saxon Spears is a great read.” – MATTHEW HARFFY, author of BERNICIA CHRONICLES

“There was plenty of action, and content to keep me busy and entertaining throughout.” – Donna Maguire, Donna’s Book Blog ★★★★

“An intriguing and impressive start to a new series, a captivating coming of age tale of a young warrior destined for greatness.” – Gwendalyn, Gwendalyn Books ★★★★
“richly detailed book full of really great characters” – Patty Woodland, Books Cooks Looks ★★★★
“A fine beginning indeed to what promises to be an exciting series.” – Paul Bennett, Hoover Book Reviews ★★★★
“Rich, detailed writing and compelling characters.” – Jessica Belmont, Jessica Belmont ★★★★★
“A truly intriguing and impressive start to a new series.” – Liberty Ireland, Historical Graffiti ★★★★★
“If you love saxons, vikings, or intense plot situations then you’ll love this read!” – YA It’s Lit

Praise for The Shadow of Black Wings:

“Fast paced and full of energy.” —Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of the Shadows of the Apt

“James Calbraith’s writing is reminiscent of a classic, epic fantasy -immersive, and detailed to the letter. The real-world cultures he draws from are incredibly well-researched and truthful, and yet well-balanced with the fantasy elements he sprinkles in between. An intriguing and impressive series.” —Ben Galley, author of the Emaneska Series

“This manuscript is full of highly crafted detail that will make readers shiver at times with fear and delight. (…) a familiar yet highly original fantasy that is a worthwhile read.”—Publisher’s Weekly

“Calbraith weaves a story that is wholly original while following the traditional fantasy tropes.” – eFiction Steampunk

“The detail and intricacy of the writing is impressive. With inclusion of races and histories, it almost reminds me of Tolkien – in Asia.” – YA Book Bridges review ★★★★

“I’m definitelygoing to be reading the next book in the series.” – Vered Ehsani review ★★★★

“The story is…excitingand vivid. I hope to see the next in the series soon.” – You Gotta Read review ★★★★

“The story really was enjoyableand the end was a brilliant lead in for the next book in the series.” – Literary+ review ★★★★

“The book’s strongest point is world building…every scene and location is painted to perfection.” – Trickster Eric review ★★★★

“The pace of the book is fast, and the multiculturalism of the story is superb…a solid 4 1/2 stars out of 5 and highly recommend it to the steampunk fans.” – Gnostalgia ★★★★½

“Completely original and unexpected (…) The world-building here is phenomenal. I definitely plan on reading the next book in the series.” – Cherie Reads review ★★★

“What a book! (…) the writing just flows and sweeps you away.” – Readers’ Favorite ★★★★★

“The Shadow of Black Wings is a thoroughly captivating read and I was extremely surprised by how quickly I fell into it. ” – Amazon.com reviews ★★★★★

“This book was really great…it captivated me quickly after having read only a few pages. I’m really excitedabout the next book and the developing of the story.” – Goodreads reviews ★★★★★

“The Shadow of Black Wings is a brilliantdebut novel by James Calbraith, which blends fantasy with alternate history to conjure a Victorian world full of dragons and magic and derring-do.” – Amazon.co.uk reviews ★★★★★

“James Calbraith takes a slice of actual history and uses it to conjure up a world so familiar, so brilliantly plausible that I found myself lovingly immersed in it.” – Barnes&Noble reviews ★★★★★

“A very cool read, especially if historical fantasy is your cup of tea.” – Happy Tails blog ★★★★

“A terrific start for a series (…) engaging and unique with characters that you can find likable and interesting, and just enough of a mysterious twist to keep you wondering what next.” – I Am Indeed blog ★★★★

“An excellent read that will keep you glued to the pages.” – A Book Lover’s Library ★★★★★

“A must read for all fantasy lovers.” – Sweet’n’Sassi blog ★★★★

“This book had a little bit of every thing.” – Deal Sharing Aunt blog ★★★★

“It is worth reading. I had fun with this book.” – HDWP books

“I liked The Shadow of Black Wings. (…) So much in fact, that I’ll probably go ahead and buy the next two books.” – View from Valhalla (Podcast Review)