thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

3.75 stars only because it was a little slow to start for me and it definitely felt like i had to pay attention and remind myself who was who/what was what but that's to be expected in the first book of a series. still a fun read especially if you're a fan of celtic mythology like me! so well written and totally immersive

3.75-4 stars!

This book feels like a sleeper hit to me. The writing is good, the atmosphere, tone, imagery, and plot are all interesting, and the POV switches actually kept me more engaged instead of removing my interest in the story. I will say, as this is a dark-themed story, there are some triggers involved such as attempted assault and violence.

BUT? CELTIC MYTHOLOGY? Always a win for me.

I will say that there were parts that were like anti-drops for me. I almost felt like I was missing something as I was reading, which is why I couldn't give this full marks. As it is the first book in a series of some kind, I expect some of this missed-step feeling might be fixed when the story is wrapped up and all loose ends have been tied.

This is also a GREAT example of a book having some awful characters and yet, I still loved getting to know them and getting to be a part of this journey. We are also treated to some great character development. This is always so good to see, although I will admit that I wonder if there is more evolving to come in future installments. Excited to see if there is!

NOOOO THE STABLE BOY AND VIXEN NOOOOOOOOOO im crying why would u do this to me

this was really good but really long and the cover art is really pretty but i feel like it could've used so more editing and the worldbuilding/politics is a LOT so i just didn't catch some of it and i didn't understand the plot until like a third of the way through lol

In the misty past, where old gods rule, magic exists, and races brush against one another uneasily. This is epic fantasy of politics, religion, the politics of religion, war, love, and finding purpose. And, of course, lots of action. Ben Maeden, haunted by his past, is allowing himself to fall into drunken forgetfulness until in an act of unusual conscience he helps a young noblewoman pursued by a band of mercenaries. Together they run, trying to outrace the enemies following them and to stop a war, if they can.

Based on Irish folklore, this is a rich world with well developed characters, governments, social mores, and uneasy peace between races and countries. There are a number of people which can be a little difficult to keep track of, particularly in the beginning but there is an appendix that helps. The pov switches between a number of characters, including the people chasing after Ben and Una, so these are not one dimensional "bad" guys. I like it when people are nuanced and even the "good" people aren't always "good."

Definitely a book to pick up and get lost in if you like fae, magic and epic fantasy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I really enjoyed the Celtic/Irish-inspired world building that this book draws on. It was very complex with a great hard magic system--I loved the scientific tie ins. The story itself starts like almost a heist story but quickly develops into political intrigue and epic high fantasy. The characters have depth and flaws but are still likable enough to keep my interest.

I will say, I struggled to get into the story initially and had to refer back to sections I had already read and reference content to figure out what was going on in a few areas, which is not my favorite thing to do. The multiple POVs were sometimes confusing. I don't mind complexity in fantasy but this is definitely not the book to pick up if you are in a light reading mood. The dialect also caused a bit of a slower read. Compares to Naomi Novak, Samantha Shannon, GRRM.

⭐ 4,25 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Lights Out Ink for sending a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✒️
After a hunt gone wrong on Sidhe grounds, Ben Maeden is outcast from the society of Rosweal. He is content to just live in drunkenness and make the best of a shitty situation, when he falls upon a group of mercenaries with a captured young woman. But the young woman isn't just a nobody, but Una Moura, hunted and wanted everywhere she'll ever sit foot. But Una is also something else; the key to freedom for Ben Maeden and a way back to his former life. Together, and with all odds against them, they will do their utmost to prevent a war in Innisfail.

📖
Did I absolutely fall in love with this cover? Why, yes I did. And behind the cover I was welcomed into a very big world, built on some heavy lore, inspired by Irish mythology, intense history, religion and some well-fledged characters we follow in a multi-POV telling of political intrigue and different obstacles.

I will not lie, this book was an intense read with a lot of stuff happening, while you're slowly getting drips of history, lore and characters introduced, forming a bigger political plot and the main storyline, which can be hard to see at first. If you hang in there for the first few chapters and let the story unfold, you will be rewarded by a bigger fantastical world, leaving you wanting for more when you finish the last chapter of the book.

My absolute favourite part of the book is the characters, slowly followed by the set-ups of plot slowly unfolding on the page. The characters are all strongly written, and while Ben seems to be the hero on paper, Una can also care for herself and others.

If you're into good world-building with a bigger world behind the main storyline, then this series is worth picking up. I'm surprised by how unknown this book seems to be, because it's so well-written with a thought out and intriguing plotline as well. If you enjoy a fantasy book, where you both get action and understandable magic, then don't walk, but run to pick up this book.

This gorgeous fantasy starts out fast and quick-paced; a heist like any other. Our lead Ben, has accompanied thieves to steal from the noblemen of the north. Fearsome warriors and they don't come back unscathed.

This spans throughout the continent of Innisfail and throws in a noblewoman trying to escape a band of mercenaries.

If epic fantasy with heists and an expansive world is your type of thing, then The sons of mil is right up your alley.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc

This was such an interesting book. There was clearly so much back-end work done on the worldbuilding such that it feels like an incredibly fleshed-out universe. There was a reasonable balance of people understanding enough about elements of the world/politics that could be passed on to the audience, and people that didn't care enough about global politics to be able to offer any insight. The reader is hit with a lot of different names for people places and societal roles that can be difficult to grapple with at first, but once you read further you get the hang of it.

I enjoyed the different relationships between the characters based on their history with one another, though sometimes people rehashing their dislike of Ben again and again got tiring. I will say though, this is the first book in the series so I understand the need to withhold some relationship building for further books.

I will definitely be looking for the next book in this series to see where it goes from here!

Thank you to NetGalley and L.M. Riviere for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for this review.

I love fantasy and this book is one of the most enthralling stories I have ever read, including the classics. Intense, Celtic mythology, action and mythological creatures wrapped into a complex intense adventure. Suspense, relationships…what is not to love. Highly rated. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Definitely an interesting interpretation of Celtic and Irish mythology. This book was complex and hard to follow at times, with a lot of it written in dialect. A good book and series to get into if you like George R.R. Martin or Juliet Marrillier.

This was an epic fantasy story with elves, battles, and mythology.

I found that you really have to take the time to immerse yourself in this story. There are a lot of characters, so the POV switches and you have to keep track of who is who. I liked that there were strong females in this story, something that will always draw me to an author’s works.

There’s action and adventure, but some parts did feel a bit dry. I totally understand that the author was creating this world for the reader. The last half picked up and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Lights Out Ink for a copy!

PS, I love the cover art! It really draws the eye.

🌪️ "She raged at the night sky,
the wind tearing through the trees,
the hardening loam beneath her feet,
and the very air she breathed."

I'm obsessed with the sparkling cover! ✨ The narration was highly intriguing and I was on my toes to see what happens next. Hands down one of the best series in 2023. The pacing, the relationship dynamics, the world building - everything was chef's kiss 🥹 Recommended!

This book was a high fantasy that offered great characters and villains that feel like true villains. The action is a big part of the novel and gives the perfect amount of romance. The first half of this book took time to get into since the start off slow, but it gets better.

ARC Review: Received for free via NetGalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you to L. M. Riviere for the opportunity.

I fell for the title and description, though the gorgeous cover didn’t hurt. I’m a huge fan of Celtic, Irish, and Nordic mythology, so it seemed like worth a try. Still, it’s been awhile, since I’ve read books that didn’t scream “quick unedited teen-writing for KindleUnlimited”, so I kept my expectations low.

Sons of Mil surprised me. While there were some issues (see below), the story was nicely written. I especially loved the language and the extended vocabulary (as sadly as it sounds, the rarity nowadays), and the nuances it highlighted. Even the dialect sounded natural and weren’t annoying as they usually go.

I liked the plot, the world-building, and the mythology behind it. I especially liked the non-perfect main male character, though the same cannot truly be said about the main female lead. The only issues I had with the story were a bot confusing, and therefore less interesting, jumps to characters that were scantly introduced in the story and were frankly not quite exciting to read about. Quite soon I found myself skipping lines in some of these subplots, knowing I won’t miss much. That was a pity. At the same time I wished the build-up between the leads would be described more. Though executed well, the romantic subplot felt rushed.

Despite those minor issues, I greatly enjoyed the book and already buried myself in the second one. As it goes, Sons of Mil deserves 5 stars from me for the utter pleasure of reading it.

I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A hidden gem of adult epic fantasy!

Ben Maeden is a lost existence, a man without a goal. That is until he accidentally saves a girl that is at the center of an emerging nationwide conflict and becomes her unwilling bodyguard.

I can't believe this book has so few ratings. This is a well-written book and if someone told me it was a best-seller, I would have believed them.

Innisfail is a rich world based on Irish mythology. Humans and Sidhe live in fragile peace. Besides the obvious magic of the Sidhe, there also exist some in the human population that wield power, which generally grows stronger in women. This magic was not yet fully explored or explained, but it had a certain scientific base to it that I found refreshing.

The story mostly follows the companion on the run while here and there we get a POV from one of the parties that chases them. I appreciated these side POVs as they made the enemies humans with goals rather than just "evil people".

Ben and Una made for very interesting main characters. We slowly learn about their past as the story progresses and find out about their secrets. They have a very "unwilling companions" energy and I enjoyed their banter.

I am giving this book 4,5 because I had some small issues. We get a lot of hints about what is happening through the various POVs that eventually build the whole picture, but I felt like I was still missing some parts, although no major ones. Especially one past event was really bugging me, as knowing what actually happened might completely change how I think about Ben. Other than that, the characters' abilities seemed a bit inconsistent, depending on what the story needed.

The first book was already full of story, discoveries, and interesting characters but I have a feeling there is much more to come in the sequels.

Good fantasy writing entails creating a believable world and a system of magic that makes sense. Characters that are three dimensional and consistent within their individual philosophies, with realistic interactions between them, are also required. Throw in some necessary likable secondary characters and a good plot and voila - a good novel.

Riviere has provided all of the above with book one of the Innisfail Cycle. There was action aplenty and the pacing was excellent. I liked most of the characters, baddies included, though even the ones I didn’t like were more than caricatures - they just weren’t likable.

Five stars for “The Sons of Mil.” This novel has tropes sure to satisfy most readers, action to keep you turning pages well past bed time, and a plot that will keep you wondering what’s next. My thanks to the author via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are strictly my own and offered without recompense.

#TheSonsofMil #TheInnisfailCycle #NetGalley #IfCatsCouldRead #RescuedIsMyFavoriteBreed #Bookstagram #Catstagram #BooksAndCats #CatsAndBooks #KindlesAllTheWayDown

I received an arc from Net Galley to read. So, thank you to Net Galley and to Episodic!

I swear to God, this book snuck up on me. First off, yes, this is a pretty stereotypical High Fantasy/Epic Fantasy novel. There were times in the beginning where I felt the plot lulled but after the halfway mark, I understood all of what I had just read was had built up to the action of the second half of story, which was fantastic. I have to say, I'm a fan of the setting, especially with the backdrop of the Red City, Bethany, (especially) Rosweal, there were a lot of places that I got to see and I liked the vast majority of them.

Second off, the characters. Besides the large amounts of (perhaps unnecessary) attempted rapes, I generally liked our small cast of heroes. I despised the villains with great vitriol, as one should with villains, and I really don't know why but I LOVED the Sluagh. Need more. Let the next book a Halloween book too. Give me more beasties. In any case, despite his ruthlessness, I found myself really liking Ben and the dynamic he had with Una and Rian. I did feel like the romance in the story came a little out of nowhere, but apparently it was the right amount of buildup for me because I was gnashing my teeth, thinking of said romance, when I got to the ending.

All of that being said, third off. The reason why I said this book snuck up on me is because the plot really looped me in after I became more used to the settings and started loving the characters. Damn you, Riviere, I really started caring about each main/side character's wellbeing and when damnit, there was a death, I literally screamed and caused my roommates to panic. When a book makes me ask, "How could you?!?!?!?", that's when it's in my good graces.

I will be purchasing this book on my own to include in my collection. Would recommend to readers of High Fantasy/Epic Fantasy if they want a fun romp that borders "Game of Thrones" violence that turns satisfying (after a hot sec). Trigger warning for attempted rape (I am not a fan of this but most of the guys get wonderfully doled out justice). Additionally, "Sons of Mil" has HUGE references to Irish mythology and ancient history, which I found I well appreciated but also happen to lack knowledge in. Give this book a shot!

This book was so thoroughly detailed and fantastically plotted. It weaved multiple storylines together seamlessly and while I found this a bit overwhelming at first, it really paid off in the end. Ben, Una, and Rian had a great dynamic to play off each other. The world was flushed out really well and you could really tell the author has a love for the old mythology. If you like detailed fantasy novels steeped in lore, this one’s for you.

L.M. Riviere creates a world in Eire full of family drama, political intrigue and elves. The story has all the makings to be a truly epic fantasy-- morally ambiguous characters, oncoming war, scheming politicians, and all the innocent and not so innocent people caught in between.

The world building is epic but can also be dry and dense at times. It does feel like we get breadcrumbs and then huge dry info dumps. The characters are well developed and it is very refreshing to see many strong and capable female characters. The POV changes were a great way to see the inner workings of each character, but there were a lot of characters we followed and it did get hard to keep them straight at times. There is a glossary in the back which was great, but is cumbersome for e-readers.

I would say the first 75% of the book is world building and character development and the last 25% is the main action and where things start to really pick up. The story does end on a cliffhanger, so be prepared, but I am definitely looking forward to finishing Ben and Una (and Rian!)'s story.