SPFBO 2017 - Phase 1

Initially this page has the list of entries, assigned to the ten blogs. It also has links to reviews and blog posts from phase 1, listed as they show up, and the entries will be coloured red as they are eliminated, light green if they graduate from any sub-groups the blogs may consider, and bright green if chosen for the final. Individual reviews will also be linked from the book names.

Click on the book titles for links to reviews.

You can see the blogger list and the duties they've agree to here, And the call to authors here.

A note to authors:

First let me say thank you to all the authors who sent their work in. You were so numerous I wasn't able to respond individually but at the end of this post is a list of all the entries I received, which blogger they went to.

Almost everyone who sent in thanked me for taking the time to do this - of course I've spent only a modest amount of time on the project and it is the bloggers who are going to put in the real hours.

Almost everyone who sent in thanked me for the opportunity. And it is a great opportunity - but let's take a moment to keep expectations real here. If we have 300 entries and each blogger is going to select the book they feel is best from the 30 entries sent to them ... that means that 97% of you will fall at the first hurdle. That's just the unforgiving mathematics of the thing.

You may have written a great book, but there may be one in that 30 that the blogger likes better.

Here are my views on 'failure'.

& the annual title wordle!

From which we can see that our average title hovers in the "Magic Storm-Dragon" to "War of the Blood Empire" region.

And the gender breakdown:

SPFBO 2017 posts
- There is now a discussion group on Facebook, open to all.
- How it will go down at Fantasy-Faction.
- Nitty gritty details from Bookworm Blues.
- Fantasy-Faction talk about SPFBO 3 and the world of self-pub.
- Booknest lay down the law!
- Spiffbo central for the Qwillery.
- Pornokitsch claims not to be a dick.
- On Fantasy Book Critic Mihir tells us what plans he and Cindy have.
- On Fantasy-Faction Laura provides banners galore.
- The eponymous Lynn reminds us that there can be only one.
- Kitty G video blogs on the SPFBO and the titles allocated to her.
- I am collecting the finalists for the cover contest here.
- For Fantasy Book Review James selects his three favourite covers from their batch and joins in the prediction game!
- Pornokitsch offers some unwanted writing advice.
- On Venturelaxread Katherine selects her cover finalists.
- Fantasy Book Critic select their top covers.
- Bookworm Blues posts their finalists for the cover contest.
- Fantasy-Faction kick off their campaign.
- On Lynn's Books we see her favourite covers!
- Fantasy-Faction talk about the cover contest.
- James chooses Fantasy Book Review's overall top 4 covers
- Lynn is ready to go!
- Booknest kicks off with the first review of SPFBO 2017
- Booknest reviews Throne of Ice
- Pornokitsch reviews and cuts 26 titles!
- Booknest reviews Mercenary
- Lynn reveals her first 5
- On Kelly Stock's blog there's an SPFBO tag & reviews of her fellow contestants
- On Bookworm Blues the first semi-finalist is chosen
- Booknest reviews The Final Harvest
- On Fantasy Book Critic news of a contestant give-away.
- Kitty G on youtube talking about her 1st SPFBO books.
- Booknest review The Ring and The Flag.
- Booknest review A City of Hope and Ruin.
- Booknest review Shadow Shadow
- Bookworm Blues chooses a 2nd semi-finalist!
- Booknest review The Fading Dusk
- Booknest review 99 Days
- Booknest review Blossom and the Beast
- Venturelaxread swings the axe and twenty titles go down
- Booknest choose their first semi-finalist
- Booknest review Men and Dragons
- Fantasy Book Review select Winter's Reach as their 1st semi-finalist
- Fantasy-Faction cut five titles.
- Pornokitsch has criteria!
- Pornokitsch reviews Under Witch Moon
- Pornokitsch reviews Dead Letter
- Pornokitsch reviews Irons in the Fire
- Booknest reviews Spire City
- Pornokitsch selects their finalist!
- Booknest reviews War of the Black Tower
- 1st Semi-finalist selected on Fantasy Book Critic
- Booknest reviews City of Masks
- Booknest reviews Shadowbane
- Booknest reviews The Shattered Orb
- Venturelaxread reviews Magic comes to Whiteport
- Four titles go out on Lynn's Books
- Booknest reviews Rune Empire
- Booknest reviews Requiem for the Wolf
- Booknest picks a second semi-finalist!
- Lynn selects her next 5 titles
- Fantasy Book Critic reviews The Crimson Queen
- Booknest reviews The Silent Song
- Booknest picks a third semi-finalist!
- Booknest reviews Fall Far From The Tree
- Bookworm Blues chooses a third semi-finalist!
- Booknest reviews The Tainted Shrine.
- Kitty G video blogs about her first five titles
- Fantasy-Faction cut more books
- Fantasy Book Critic choose a 2nd semi-finalist!
- Kitty G video reviews semi-finalist The Exercise of Vital Powers.
- Kitty G video reviews semi-finalist Gift of the Phoenix
- Lynn deals with her second batch
- Booknest reviews Pilgrim of the Storm
- Kitty G youtubes about her 2nd group
- Fantasy Book Review reviews semifinalist A Threat of Shadows
- Fantasy Book Review reviews semifinalist Where Loyalties Lie
- Venturelaxread reviews A Conspiracy of Shadows
- Venturelaxread reviews Toric's Dagger
- Venturelaxread reviews Destiny of the Wulf
- Booknest reviews Wreckers Gate
- Fantasy Book Critic reviews semifinalist Neferitis' Heart
- Fantasy Book Critic interviews A.W. Exley
- Booknest review A Star Reckoner's Lot
- Kitty G video reviews Devil's Night Dawning
- Venturelaxread reviews The Eagle's Flight
- I pontificate on flaws and fairness in the SPFBO
- Venturelaxread reviews Faithless
- Booknest reviews The Brothers Jetstream: Leviathan
- Venturelaxread cuts two titles
- On the Weatherwax Report Esme is reading 100 SPFBO books and reviewing at a great rate of knots!
- Another round of mini-reviews on Bookworm Blues
- Kitty G videos her third round up!
- Fantasy Book Critic third round, 2 semi-finalists chosen!
- Booknest reviews Kindling
- Fantasy-Faction cut five more books
- Fantasy Book Critic review The Woven Ring
- Booknest reviews Benjamin Ashwood
- Kitty G video reviews her fourth five
- Fantasy Book Critic review The Songweaver's Vow
- Fantasy Book Review reviews Cage of Deceit
- Lynn looks over her 4th bunch
- Fantasy-Faction cut five more titles.
- Fantasy Book Critic selects another semi-finalist
- Kitty G video reviews her fifth five
- On Bookworm Blues the last five face judgement
- The five semifinalists on Bookworm Blues
- Venturelaxread reviews The Censor's Hand
- Venturelaxread reviews The Way Into Chaos
- Venturelaxread's finalist announced!
- Qwillery reveal their six semifinalists
- Kitty G reviews her last batch of five
- Kitty G selects her final seven and chooses a finalist!
- Valley of Embers reviewed on Bookworm Blues
- Lynn's Books selects another semifinalist
- Booknest reviews The White Tower
- On Fantasy Book Critic the last two semifinalists are chosen
- Bookworm Blues reviews Sufficiently Advanced Magic
- Bookworm Blues reviews Anaerfell
- Bookworm Blues reviews Ascend Online
- Bookworm Blues reviews Once Lost Lords
- Bookworm Blues selects a finalist!
- Fantasy Book Critic review their last 3 semifinalists
- Fantasy-Faction cut a fifth five
- Booknest reviews Pilgrimage to Skara
- Booknest announce the last of their semifinalists
- Fantasy Book Critic selects a finalist!
- Booknest chooses their finalist!
- On Lynn's Books the final batch of five is considered
- Lynn's Books narrows the field to four
- Fantasy Book Review reviews The Silver Mask
- Lynn's Books reviews Jack Bloodfist
- Lynn's Books reviews Today Is Too Late
- Lynn's Books reviews The Empire of the Dead
- Lynn's Books reviews The Archbishop's Amulet
- Lynn's Books chooses their finalist!
- Fantasy Book Review choose their finalist!
- On Fantasy Book Review Mage Slave is reviewed
- Fantasy-Faction review The Tale of Gurion Thricebound
- Fantasy-Faction review Clearwater Dawn.
- Fantasy-Faction review Wings of Justice
- Fantasy-Faction review Stolen Magic
- Fantasy-Faction choose their finalist!
- The Qwillery review their finalist and five semi-finalists!

See the finalists' score board.

290 of 300 eliminated.

Entries 

Reviews (where available) are linked from the book titles. Just click.

Bookworm Blues (30)

M.M. Perry - Whom The Gods Love

Ginny O - The Lone Prospect

T.O. Munro - The Medusa's Daughter

Kathy Cyr - Max Hamby

Trip Ellington - Evermage: Clash of Chaos 

Glenn G. Thater - Gateway to Nifleheim

Marie Andreas - The Glass Gargoyle

Elizabeth Baxter - The Last Priestess

Gemma Perfect - The Kingmaker

Taddeus White - Kingdom Asunder

Dale Triplett - Halcyon's Wake: Faith

Bethany Adams - Soulbound

Joyce Reynolds-Ward - Pledges of Honor

Nancy Foster - An Ominous Book

Brian Decker - Lamentation's Peak

Grace and Thomas Lockhaven - Quest Chasers - The Deadly Cavern *

James Beach - Ghost Magnet

Luke Chmilenko - Ascend Online +

Andrew Rowe - Sufficiently Advanced Magic +

Steven Kelliher - Valley of Embers +*

Elena Bryce - Guardian of the Grail

Jamie Brindle - A Treatise on Blood and Iron

Howard Gurney - Twin

Jonathan Yanez - Of Angels and Men

Joshua Robertson - Anaerfell +

Linn Tesli - Reborn

Alesha Escobar - The Tower's Alchemist

Stephan Morse - Once Lost Lords +

Kit Abbey - All The Things You Have To Burn *

Pat Pflieger - The House at the Edge of Time

Fantasy-Faction (30)

Ginny O - The Dawn Warrior

A.R Winterstaar - The Child Revealed

Meghan Richardson & Tina Verduzco - Storm and the Mermaid's Knot

Alexia Purdy - Ever Shade

Richard Parry - Night's Favour

Ryan Mueller - Empire of Chains *

Scott Fitzgerald Gray - Clearwater Dawn +

Melissa Snark - Valkyries' Vengeance

Brian D. Anderson & Steven Savile - Akiri: The Scepter of Xarbaal

C.D. Gallant-King - Ten Thousand Days

Marina Finlayson - Stolen Magic +

Charlotte E. English - Draykon

Terri Bruce - Hereafter

Angela Holder - The Tale of Gurion Thricebound +

K.S. Villoso - Jaeth's Eye

V.R. Cardoso - The Dragon Hunter and the Mage *

Jade Kerrion - Illusions

Kristal Shaff - Life-charmer

Brett Herman - Chaos Trims My Beard +

Frances Smith - Spirit of the Sword: Pride and Fury

Ulff Lehmann - Shattered Dreams

Nigel Bird - Drawn In

Michael-Scott Earle - Wings of Justice +

Joe Bailey - Spellsinger *

Brandon Barr - Ella Dethroned

Guerric Hache - Zeroth Law

Bill Hiatt - Living With Your Past Selves

Christopher G Nuttall - The Zero Blessing

Gus Campbell - Pagan Heart

Christopher Bunn - The Hawk And His Boy

Fantasy Book Critic (30)

M.M. Perry - The Arbiter

Charlotte E. English - Miss Landon and Aubranael

Tiffany Cherney - Forgotten Relics

Victor Poole - The Slave From The East

Pippa DaCosta - The Heartstone Thief

Danielle E Shipley - The Ballad of Allyn-a-Dale

Matthew Presley - The Woven Ring +

Dominique Kristine - Shadows for a Princess

J.C. Staudt - Warcaster

Amelia Smith - The Defenders' Apprentice

Rachel Medhurst - Thunder Hunter
Alex Hutson - The Crimson Queen +

R.A. Steffan - The Lion Mistress

C.H. Baum - Gods of Color

A.W. Exley - Nefertiti's Heart +*

Dale Kutzera - Andy McBean and the War of the Worlds

Laura VanArendonk Baugh - The Songweaver's Vow +

Jason A Holt - The Burglar of Sliceharbour

Ken Lozito - Haven of Shadows

S.K. Wee - Absence of Color

Quenby Olson - The Half Killed

Benedict Patrick - Where The Waters Turn Black + :: 1st place in cover contest.

Richard Writhen - The Hiss of the Blade

JT Stoll - The Rift

Adrian G Hilder - The General's Legacy +

A.M. Macdonald - Dybsy

S.J. Lem - The Waterfall Traveler

Dhesan Neil Pillay - Wrath of the Exiled

Samuel Gately - Night of the Chalk + *

Derek Siddoway - Windsworn

Lynn's Books (30)

Justin Sloan - Land of the Gods *
Elizabeth Baxter - Everwinter +

Charlotte E. English - Faerie Fruit

Ken Lozito - Road to Shandara

Layla Nash - War Witch +

Watson Davis - The Archbishop's Amulet +

Aldrea Alien - The Rogue King

Jenna Elizabeth Johnson - Faeborne

Tirzah Duncan - Grace the Mace

Josh Rhoades & Mike Rutledge - The Apotheosis Break

Alan Tucker - The Devil You Know

Scott Haworth - Dark Moonlighting

Jordan R Murray - The Emperor's Horn

C.V. Dreesman - Cursefell

Kelly Stock - The Soul Guide

Burke Fitzpatrick - Today Is Too Late +

James Jakins - Jack Bloodfist +

Clayton D Baker & Michael H Kuecker - The Saga of Dirt and Poncho +

Patty Jansen - Sand and Storm

Gayle Torrens  - The Tralls of Nindarry

Rob Cornell - Darker Things

Phil Tucker - The Empire of the Dead * +

Jim Beach - Wishful Thinking

Anthea Sharp - Feyland: The Dark Realm

Ilana Waters - The Age of Mages

Sandy Hyatt James - A Gaze of Flint

Autumn M Birt - Spark of Defiance *

S.E Burr - Goblin Fruit

Tiffany Turner - The Lost Secret of the Fairies

Tom Gaskin - Search of the Lost

The Qwillery (30)

James Jakins - Son of Thunder +

Matt Gilbert - The Dead God's Due

Rachel Aaron - Nice Dragons Finish Last

Alexander Grant - The Forbidden City

Simon Rudman - Threads of an Empire

Katika Schneider - Devotion

Brandon Lee - The Beginning After The End

Tamra Westberry - Curse of the Ice Dragon

Lindsey R Loucks - Petrified City

K. Bird Lincoln - Tiger Lily +

C.K. Rieke - The Road To Light

M.T. McGuire - Few Are Chosen

Jack Simmonds - The Boy With Purple Eyes

M.R. Anthony - Soldiers' Redemption  :: 2nd place in cover contest. +

Pauline M Ross - The Dragon's Egg +

Lucia Ashta - Magic Awakens

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan - Seasons' Beginnings

Jessica V Fisette - Fire and Ice

Mathew Moss - The Path of Man +

Vicki L Weavil - Crown of Ice

Alex Vick - Breaking Magic

Anthea Sharp - Elfhame

D.K. Holmberg - Soldier Son +

Elle Casey - War of the Fey

Jeramy Goble - Souls of Astraeus *
Linda Acaster - Torc of Moonlight
Cynthia Clay - The Romance of the Unicorn
K.R. Boyter - The Legends of Grimous Ironblood

Sonja Black - The Snow White Files

Adam Vine - Corruption *

Pornokitsch (30)

Antonio Urias - Irons in the Fire +

Benjamin Descovich - Dead Letter +*

Alex Perry - The War of Undoing

Maria Schneider - Under Witch Moon +

Devin Madson - The Blood Whisperers

Phil Norris - Life in the Fast Lane

Watson Davis - The Devil's Library

Alexia Purdy - Reign of Blood

Alison Blake - The Road to Cordia

Peter Petrack - Wayfarers Highway

Kerry La Porte - Past Perfekt

Brian Terenna - Talent Storm

J Philip Horne - Joss the Seven

Laura Perry - The Bed

Jackson Lear - A God Among Thieves

Dominick Murray - Red Season Rising

Aidan Hennessy - The Grey Mage

Aaron Hodges - Rebirth

Tora Moon - Ancient Enemies

Colleen Ruttan - The Last Falcon

Harvey Click - Demon Frenzy Entered last year!

Marsha A Moore - Seeking a Scribe

Brian W Foster - Repulsive

Traci Loudin - The last of the Ageless
Lucas Thorn - Trail of the Necromancer *
Marylin Vix - Everything for Love *
Dorian Hart - The Ventifact Colossus
J.L. Scritchfield - The Last Days of the Wanderer
Craig A Price - The Crimson Claymore
Carl Harwood - Hale's Fire
Louisa Clarkson - The Silver Strand

Ventureadlaxre (30)

Jackson Lear - Kingston Raine and the Grim Reaper

Lilian Oake - Nahtaia

S.J. Madill - Magic comes to Whiteport  +

William C Tracy - Tuning the Symphony

Clinton Harding - Our Monsters

Everly Frost - Beyond the Ever Reach

Tamara Westberry - Divine and Dateless

Meghan Ciana Doidge - Catching Echoes

Kari Stewart - Second Olympus

Jamie Edmundson - Toric's Dagger

Harrison Davies - Destiny of the Wulf

Kay Ling - Beyond the Forest

Christopher Bunn - The Fury Clock

Christina Ochs - The Forsaken Crown
Harmon Cooper - Fantasy Online

Cameron Smith - The Holtur Enigma

David J Normoyle - The Silver Portal

Holly Evans - Stolen Ink

Jesse Teller - Liefdom *

Aidan Meyer - Arcana Zero

Harry Connolly - The Way Into Chaos +

V.B. Marlowe - A Girl Called Dust

Dean F Wilson - The Call of Agon

J.L. Madore - Blaze Ignites

Daniel Olesen - The Eagle's Flight +

Skyler Wood - Dungeon Crawl

Graham Austin-King - Faithless +

R.S. McCoy - The Killing Jar + 
Adam Steiner - The Censor's Hand +*

R.D. Henderson - Wit Fallo *

James Kelly - The Fey Man (replacing title not meeting entry requirements)

Randy Nargi - A Conspiracy of Shadows  (replacing title not meeting entry requirements)

Fantasy Book Review (30)

Jesse Teller - Mestlven

Louise Cypress - Mermaid Abroad

Elise Edmonds - Where Carpets Fly

Josh Brannan - Bookland

Craig Schaefer - Winter's Reach +*

J.C. Hart - Serafina's Flame

Michael Timmins - The Awakening

Rebecca Thorne - Mage Slave +*

Andrea L Staum - Blood of the Sire

S.M. Schmitz - Shadows of the Gods

Aldrea Alien - Dark One's Mistress

Jennifer Baldwin - The Thirteen Treasures of Britain

Z.V. Hunter - Calamity Rising

Jennifer Anne Davis - Cage of Deceit +*

J.A. Andrews - A Threat of Shadows +

Alexa Grave - Mind Behind The Mind

C.J. Brightley - The Lord of Dreams

Rob J Hayes - Where Loyalties Lie +

Christian Ellingsen - The Silver Mask +

David Palmer - Ours is the Storm

Amy McNulty - The Ballad of the Beanstalk

Mel Dunay - Marrying a Monster

Sarah Ash - The Flood Dragon's Sacrifice

Will Weisser - Aetheria's Daemon

Catharine Glen - The Rose Crown

Bailey Montagne - Knight and Wizard

John Ryers - The Glass Thief

Jamie Le Fey - Ahe'ey

Kevin McLaughlin - Valhalla Online

Stephanie A Cain - Shades of Circle City

Booknest.eu  (30)

Remy Thomas - Kindling

A.C. Cobble - Benjamin Ashwood

Zig Zag Claybourne - The Brothers Jetstream: Leviathan

Yehya H Safwat - The Final Harvest

Sarah Dalton - The Dragon Wakes

Kit Campbell - City of Hope and Ruin

Paula M Hunter - Throne of Ice

Sandell Wall - Rune Empire + 
Paul Francois - Shadowbane: Age of Aelfborn

Michael Wisehart - The White Tower *

Jon Kiln - Mercenary

Ashley Capes - City of Masks

Russ Linton - Pilgrim of the Storm

Melissa Giorgio - The Fading Dusk

Eric Knight - Wreckers Gate *

Keith Ward - 99 Days

Jack Conner - War of the Black Tower

Tara Saunders - Requiem for the Wolf +

Darrell Drake - A Star-Reckoner's Lot +

V.B. Marlowe - Shadow, Shadow +*

Toby Bennett - The Silent Song

Amy McNulty - Fall Far From The Tree

E.S. Furlan - The Tainted Shrine

Will Hahn - The Ring and the Flag

Samuel E Green - The Shattered Orb +

Bailey Montagne - Men and Dragons

Daniel Ausema - Spire City, Season One: Infected

R.S. McCoy - Blossom and the Beast

Shane Ramey - The Children of Espen

Jonathan S Pembroke - Pilgrimage to Skara +

Kitty G video reviews (30)

Ben Galley - The Heart of Stone :: 3rd place in cover contest. +
Donna Cook - Gift of the Phoenix +

Roland Boykin - The Pain of Compassion

B.R. Kingsolver - Chameleon Assassin

Giselle Marks - Princess of Zenina

Joseph Malik - Dragon's Trail

Tim Marquitz - Influx

M Gregg Roe - Audrey of Farmerton

V.B. Marlowe - Naomi Grim
Damien Black - Devil's Night Dawning +

M.L. Spencer - Darkstorm +

Toby Bennett - Umbra +

Sable Aradia - Showdown

Megan Crewe - A Mortal Song

Steven Harper Piziks - Danny

Amy McNulty - Nobody's Goddess

Maya Starling - Dragon's Treasure

Matthew Olney - Heir to the Sundered Crown

Ian Gregoire - The Exercise of Vital Powers +

Paul Lavender - The Eighth God

T.H. Paul - The Legacy Chronicle: The Sword +

Cate Dean - Shattered Throne

Gavin Poludniowski - The Fall of Rath

Nyki Blatchley - At An Uncertain Hour

Jodi Cummings - The Four Powers

Phil Tucker - One by One

Beth Hammond - The Sound of the Stones

Jaclyn Dolamore - The Sorcerer's Concubine

Steven Laidlaw - Pulse

T.S. Adrian - Beneath the Silver Rose

RESERVE LIST

Donna Maree Hanson - Argenterra

Travis M Riddle - Wondrous

L.L. McNeil - Moroda

James A Hunter - Viridian Gate Online

B.T. Lowry - Fire from the Overworld

Jenna Black - The Gifted Dead

D.M. Almond - Secrets of the Elders

Kevin Wright - Lords of the Asylum 

Ruthanne Reid - Half Shelf Prophecies

Sarah Waldock - Falconburg Divided

+ Semi-Finalist

* Cover finalist

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