The Axe & Grindstone

Like Terry Pratchett meets Stephen King... down the pub

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Pub Date 31 Oct 2019 | Archive Date 01 Apr 2020

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Description

Ladies and Gentlemen, last orders please.

Seriously, this could be your last ever order…


Have you ever fancied running a pub?

What about two pubs? 

And what if they were in different dimensions? 

Enter Mark Adams who is in serious need of a pint.


Now the fabled landlord of Peacebattle, he’s the only person who can stop the world from screaming for the rest of time.

But why chose a loser to save the world? What is the truth at the heart of the Binding Brothers’ dark religion and the monsters who thrive in its heart? And will Mark survive long enough to remember the most important advice of his entire career:

Don’t scream.

Whatever you do.

Don’t scream.

Ladies and Gentlemen, last orders please.

Seriously, this could be your last ever order…


Have you ever fancied running a pub?

What about two pubs? 

And what if they were in different dimensions? 

...


Advance Praise

"You'll be binge reading this desperate to know who has an axe to grind, but remember...don't scream'

'So immersive I could taste a pint'

'Slipping through dimensions, I'd love to read more from this universe.'"

"You'll be binge reading this desperate to know who has an axe to grind, but remember...don't scream'

'So immersive I could taste a pint'

'Slipping through dimensions, I'd love to read more from this...


Available Editions

ISBN 9781916084506
PRICE $2.99 (USD)

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Average rating from 14 members


Featured Reviews

Enjoyable book but not Pratchett-like

I enjoyed this book. The world-building is very good, as is the character development. The story is well paced. The book is promoted as Terry Pratchett meets Stephen King. I've read most of Pratchett's Discworld books and I don't see it. The book didn't have Pratchett's humor, clever wording or social commentary. It is however an enjoyable book and is worth reading.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

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This is a fun fantasy book about Mark, the manager of a city-centre bar who is offered the chance to manage his own pub in the Devon countryside.

Upon arriving during a torrential downpour, he finds he is now the landlord to a typical country pub. The only problem is this one has a basement which leads to its twin located in another world.



Paul Phipps-Williams uses his character’s sudden strange situation to great effect before thrusting him into an end of the fantasy world and our world situation. Thrown with religious zealots, torture and plenty of sarcasm and you have, hopefully, a beginning to a new series of fantasy books. Well recommended

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I'm always a little wary when authors are compared to Terry Pratchett but this one didn't disappoint me.
There's a little humour, a little horror and interdimensional adventure set within a local country pub.
I found the fantasy creatures original and intriguing. I'm still not sure what Emmet actually is. (Orangutan crossed with a hedgehog dressed like a truck driver ??? At least that how I'm imagining him)
I would add a trigger warning as there is a heavy self harm element (not due to mental health issues, although perhaps the "bad guys" could be seen as the personification of ones internal demons) and brief mentions of suicide.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

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Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

I loved this book. I got from it exactly what I wanted. For someone reason this gave the great 80 horrors vibe so when I started this I did not expect anything more and for that I LOVED IT! The atmosphere was everything I wanted it to be. I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

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Mark Adams is a bit of a layabout. He knows how to manage a pub and that’s about the extent of the ambition he wants to have. When his previous job ends and he finds himself at the helm of an out of the way pub that seems inexorably linked to a tavern in another world - one filled with fantastic beings and a looming terror, Mark has to decide whether to step up or forget it all in a pint or two.

THE AXE AND GRINDSTONE starts out great. A bit of light fantastic, very British, a touch of humor and darkness, but as the novel progresses and Adams finds himself wrapped up in a massive prophecy regarding the pubs, a growing evil and the end of both worlds, it loses the plot a bit. As the story got more complex, it became weighed down in an awkward mix of import and wackiness. All the same, I do recommend it as a fun, rather quick read if you enjoy fantasy-meets-modern stories.

(This review was originally printed in TABLETOPS & TENTACLES MAGAZINE - Vol. 1, Issue 1)

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The Axe and Grindstone by Paul Phipps-Williams was received direct from the publisher and I chose to review it. I had never read this author before, and from the title I was unsure what this book would be about. I generally don't go into plot details in my reviews, int his case I will because the book is from across the great pond (some of you will get that reference). Imagine owning a pub, then imagine owning a pub that crossed a dimensional boundary, making you own two pubs that you have to keep the peace for them both? This makes for interesting storyline that at times, keeps too wrapped up in slow dialogue but overall, I enjoyed the book after a little bit of skimming. If this sounds interesting to you or to someone you buy gifts for, certainly give it a read.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

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this was a lot of fun to read, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the story and going through it. I'd be interested in reading more from the author.

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This was a super cute book, focused around bars as the center of a community. It just so happens to be a magical community. I thought this was such a neat idea! There’s a reluctant hero, which is the most fun of all, especially because yes, I can definitely relate to him not wanting to do all the potentially deadly stuff. The horror was fun and creepy, but also not too scary, and the humor was a nice counterbalance for it. There were times towards the end, though, when the pacing felt really off, and I wanted a better feel for the second world. Overall, though, I had fun with this book!

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fast paced comic horror with some fantastic characters. An interesting fantasy novel where a bartender whose lost his way suddenly finds himself running a bar, that appears to be in two different dimensions. This has engaging characters and optimum for a binge read for the weekend !

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