D.M. Cain’s blog

A gritty urban fantasy reminiscent of Jessica Jones

As this blog focuses on world-building, I want to share with you my review of a great urban fantasy book I read recently that has excellent world-building – Nite Fire: Flash Point by C.L. Schneider – Enjoy!

A dark, gritty urban fantasy that is reminiscent of Jessica Jones

 

This book took me a long time to finish, not because I wasn’t enjoying it but because every inch of the world is so rich and loaded with fantastic details which all come together to build an image of this heavy, dark city plagued by crime and a nasty underworld of creature attacks. I was strongly reminded of the Jessica Jones TV show. This book has the same film-noir feel to it – sour, embittered detectives and dark underworld goings-on. The protagonist, Dahlia Nite is also very Jessica Jones – strong, independent and won’t take any nonsense from anybody!

As with all of C.L. Schneider’s work, the plot is complex and well-developed, the characters grey and layered. Nothing is as it seems, and there is always layer upon layer of mystery, intrigue, snappy comebacks and downright brutal violence. Schneider is one of few authors I read who can make my jaw physically drop. She is a master of the epic reveal!

A cracking read – I can’t wait for the next in the series!

Grab it on Amazon here!

More from C.L. Schneider:

clschneider

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Why I’m becoming disillusioned with the Oscars – a guest post by Alex Thomas

Why I’m becoming disillusioned with the Oscars – a guest post by Alex Thomas

 

Ah, the Oscars. The annual awards ceremony hosted by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Science.

Oscars-Academy-Awards-Alex-Thomas-Film

It celebrates all things film and rewards those who have been judged to have made the best contribution to the industry we all know and love. The coveted by many yet gifted to so few, Oscars. It was often assumed (by me admittedly and so many more of us) that the Oscar goes to… the greatest of its category, the ‘Best Picture’ of the year, the ‘Best Actor’ or ‘Actress’, the ‘Best Director’ and so on and so forth.

I’ve always gone along with these awards and believed their certification to be the gospel truth, to carry more weight than the opinions of friends and family, to trust The Academy to only award the best of the best, year in year out. I’ve taken ‘Metacritic’ scores to be the measure of all good cinema, and Oscar nominations as an unshakable mark of a the best films of the year.

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Can Universal Still Build A Monster Universe?

Patrick Jackson is featured on my site today to talk about the immersive world-building of Universal Studios. Take it away, Patrick!

Can Universal Still Build A Monster Universe?

For those interested in expanded worlds and connected universes in fiction, Universal’s Dark Universe has been something to keep an eye on the last few years. The idea was for the studio to use its valuable monster properties to establish a darker version of the Marvel or DC superhero universes (especially after the recent success of Black Panther, and the upcoming Avengers:Infinity War movie). But after The Mummy failed as the first planned installment, the Monsterverse is in peril. Top producers have abandoned the project, and at this point it’s uncertain whether or not the so-called “Dark Universe” will ever come to fruition.

Continue reading “Can Universal Still Build A Monster Universe?”

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Cover reveal for an outstanding urban fantasy book

 Nite Fire: Chain Reaction

One of my favourite authors, C.L. Schneider, is on the countdown to releasing her latest novel – Chain Reaction: Book 2 of Nite Fire (an epic urban fantasy series). I’m super excited to share the cover with you. Inspired by a compilation of several scenes within the book, the cover features empathic shapeshifter, Dahlia Nite, in her (mostly) human form. The artwork was created by the amazing cover artist, Alan Dingman.

C.L.Schneider Nite Fie: Chain Reaction cover reveal urban fantasy

Blurb

If anyone can tell the difference between monsters and humans, it’s Dahlia Nite. For nearly a century, she’s hunted one to protect the other; safeguarding humanity from the creatures that slip through the torn veil between the worlds—creatures like her. But the lines are blurring. As people begin mutating and combusting on the streets, Dahlia realizes a strange affliction has descended upon Sentinel City. The mysterious ailment strikes all walks of life, from the posh, high-end nightclub district to the homeless community. Its victims, driven to random acts of savagery, are drawing attention too fast to cover up.

Assigned to the case, Dahlia and her human partner, Detective Alex Creed, investigate the deaths. But all they have is questions and bodies, and a public on the verge of panic. Working behind the scenes with her self-appointed sidekick, Casey Evans, Dahlia struggles to discover what, or who, is behind the alarming transformations. As the violence spreads and the mystery unfolds, she wonders: are the victims still human? Were they ever?

Chain Reaction is the second book in the Nite Fire Series.

Nite Fire: Chain Reaction - epic urban fantasy dragon shapeshifters

Curious about the series?

Read excerpts at clschneiderauthor.com

Check out the trailer for Flash Point (bk#1)  https://youtu.be/C041ClBpihI

Catch up with book #1 before book #2 comes out! http://mybook.to/NF1

Chain Reaction will be available for paperback and up for pre-order soon. Subscribe to the newsletter for information on the official release date http://bit.ly/2EgLFfr

C.L.Schneider Nite Fie: Chain Reaction cover reveal urban fantasy

About the Author

C. L. Schneider

Award-winning epic and urban fantasy author C.L. SchneiderC.L. Schneider is an award-winning independent author of adult epic and urban fantasy. Born in a small Kansas town, she currently resides in New York’s scenic Hudson Valley Region with her husband and two sons. Her published works include the epic trilogy, The Crown of Stones, and Flash Point, the first book in her urban fantasy series, Nite Fire. Book two, Chain Reaction, will be released in early 2018.

Learn more about C.L. Schneider, and the worlds she creates, at clschneiderauthor.com where you can read reviews, excerpts and sneak peeks, join her Street Team, and subscribe to her newsletter. An active part of the indie author online community, you can connect with her on social media, where she is often found chatting about the daily ups and downs of a writer’s life.

Published Works

All titles available in paperback or for Kindle. Read free with Kindle Unlimited.

Nite Fire: Flash Point (Bk 1)

The Crown of Stones: Magic-Price (also available on Audible)

The Crown of Stones: Magic-Scars

The Crown of Stones: Magic-Borne

Epic and urban fantasy novels by C.L. Schneider

Connect

Twitter  https://twitter.com/cl_schneider

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/CLS.Author

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/clschneiderauthor/

Google+  https://www.google.com/+CLSchneider

Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomCLSchneider

 

Related Posts:

Cover reveal for C.L Schneider’s new fantasy book!

 

 

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My first radio interview!

My first interview with Radio Leicester

Last Saturday, I was lucky enough to be interviewed on Radio Leicester by the wonderful Emma Boydell. Having heard my recent segment about Marvel’s latest movie, Black Panther, I was invited onto the show to talk about my writing.

Emma was particularly interested in the epic fantasy world I have created and how my series works.

You can catch this 20-minute interview (with a few song breaks!) here

fantasy author writer DM Cain epic immersive fantasy fiction worldbuilding radio interview
Fantasy author D.M. Cain and Radio Leicester presenter Emma Boydell

Related links:

The Light and Shadow Chronicles – a unique immersive fantasy world

The Shield of Soren

A Chronicle of Chaos

New fantasy titles coming this year!

Excerpt from upcoming ‘The Shield of Soren’

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The Light and Shadow Chronicles – a unique immersive fantasy world

Why are the Light and Shadow Chronicles unique?

My immersive fantasy novels A Chronicle of Chaos and The Shield of Soren are part of a dark, epic series called The Light and Shadow Chronicles. This series features warriors, epic battles, angels, demons, magic and people with incredible powers.

The Shield of Soren and A Chronicle of Chaos D.M. Cain epic immersive fantasy fiction
The Light and Shadow Chronicles – an epic fantasy series

So what makes it any different from countless other fantasy series? Read on to find out…

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Fantasy inspired by the English Reformation

Today, A.M. Manay is talking about her young adult high fantasy novel Hexborn.

Hexborn and the English Reformation

Inspiration can come from many places.  In the case of Hexborn, my fantasy novel currently up for nominations on Kindle Scout, one of my sources of inspiration was the Reformation. Take a look.

From Hexborn:

Gasps filled the village Temple as Brother Edmun began reading the king’s declaration regarding his takeover of the Church of Bryn.  He stopped and glared at them over the top of the paper until they quieted, then continued.  Shiloh, sitting on the front bench, could feel eyes upon her back when he got to the section about the cleanliness laws.  Her Da patted her arm and gave her a grin and a wink, and she relaxed.

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9/10 stars for Marvel’s Black Panther

**WARNING – THIS POST CONTAINS SOME MINOR SPOILERS FOR BLACK PANTHER**

Marvel’s Black Panther has smashed box office takings and changed the face of superhero movies forever. But what of the film itself? D.M. Cain explores whether the movie is worth all the hype.

Wakanda (the brand new location in Black Panther) is a beautiful and vibrant example of exquisite world-building. It looks incredible – as a stunning fantasy landscape, a technological wonder, but also as a country buzzing with tradition and culture. The costumes, weapons, architecture and even the people’s gestures (the crossing of the arms, the dancing before the duels, etc) all contribute to a stunning world more developed than anything we have seen in the Marvel universe to date.

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