Table of Contents

“24 Authors, 24 Stories, 1 Unique Advent Calendar

Step into the magical realms of “The Advent of Winter,” where twenty-four self-published authors craft enchanting tales that will transport you to a realm of frost-kissed wonders. This winter-themed fantasy anthology invites you to journey through December, one captivating story at a time.

With each story, you’ll discover a new world, a new adventure, and a new facet of the season. From tales of joy and beauty that warm your heart to stories filled with danger and horror that send shivers down your spine, “The Advent of Winter” is a treasure trove of diverse narratives.

Let these evocative tales wrap you in the spirit of the season, as you explore the many faces of winter’s magic. Whether you’re seeking the comfort of familiar traditions or the thrill of unexpected surprises, this anthology will make your December days truly enchanting.”

Title: The Advent of Winter

Series: Standalone

Author: Dom McDermott, Thiago Abdalla, Kian N. Ardalan, Zack Argyle, Cal Black, Ryan Cahill, T.L. Greylock, Tim Hardie, Natalie Kelda, Christer Lende, L.L. MacRae, Andrew D. Meredith, H.C. Newell, Tatiana Obey, Quenby Olson, Palmer Pickering, J.D.L Rosell, Kerstin Espinosa Rosero, D.W. Ross, Karim Soliman, Tori, Tecken, Jim Wilbourne, A.R. Witham, H.L. Tinsley

Page Count: 550

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Date Read: December 24th, 2023

The Advent of Winter project was on my radar before the Kickstarter even launched. I backed it as quickly as I could once it went live. This sounded like such a great idea for the month of December. The lineup of authors who contributed was amazing. I recognized a lot of names. Many were already authors I’ve read and loved. There were several new to me as well.
 
Since this was an collection of short stories I will switch from my usual format and mention some memorable reads.
 
A Fighting Chance by Dom McDermott
First I will have to admit that I was most excited to read the story from the man, the myth and legend who put this all together, Dom McDermott. Keeping up with Dom the last couple of years talking books, reviewing books and enjoying the community I couldn’t wait to see what he put forth. I will simply say his story did not disappoint me in the slightest. I would love to see more from Dom in the future.
 
Frosted Embers by L.L. Macrae
This was one of the early stories released and was also one of the most hopeful tales. A lot of the stories were very cold and dark in this collection but this one kept the theme while still having a bit of heartwarming and hopeful feelings.
 
Frozen Hell by Karim Soliman
Not surprisingly another tale by Karim that clicks over well for my own tastes. An exciting tale of magic, warriors, titans and gods. A trying to redeem himself 5he last 15 years to make up for the previous 15.
 
A Cold Broad River by Tim Hardie
Hardie has been on my radar the last year or so thanks to some other friends in the community loving his books. This was probably my favorite new to me author. Though I have added 3 or 4 others to my list of must try after this project. Thus story was very exciting, tense and well put together for such a short tale.
 
The Blood that Burns the Winter Snow by Ryan Cahill
Finally, this was my favorite story from this collection. I’ve only read a couple of Ryan’s other books prior to this. With such a collection of great tales and authors this one just hit right up my alley. It really makes me want to get back to continuing his series further.
 
All in all this was such a fun read. It was wonderful to get a new story every day. Not to mention we still have more coming from the Kickstarter still. IL looking forward to adding this beautiful collection to my shelves of favorites once the physical copies ship and arrive.
 
If you didn’t get a chance to back the original project, I’d recommend getting your hands on this collection as soon as you’re able to.

Picture of Chad Barnard

Chad Barnard

Owner/Operator of The Hiking Reader Blog. Sharing thoughts on books and hiking trails and trying to find ways to continue to incorporate both hobbies together.

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