Welcome to Ordshaw.
Don't look down.
Pax is one rent cheque away from the unforgiving streets of Ordshaw. After her stash is stolen, her hunt for the thief unearths a book of nightmares and a string of killers, and she stands to lose much more than her home.
There's something lurking under her city.
Knowing it's there can get you killed.
This blend of urban fantasy and contemporary thriller takes you on a journey into the heart of Ordshaw, in the company of such richly imagined characters that you won't want to leave.
Get it now.
This is quite the intriguing description of Phil Williams' urban fantasy with bite UNDER ORDSHAW. Since this is a pretty fantastic blurb, giving everyone a definite feel for the atmosphere and plot of the story, I will give no further specifics to avoid spoilers. What I will do is give my overall impressions on the world-building, characters, and why you should pick this up immediately either in physical, ebook, or audiobook form.
The two major strengths of UNDER ORDSHAW are definitely the characters and world-building in my opinion. In terms of the characters, my two favorites were the main character Pax and the kickass fae Letty. It's interesting because the two characters really couldn't be more different, yet I loved them each in their own way. Letty is bombasic, foul-mouthed, and often rough around the edges. Think Tinkerbell with a machine gun and tattoos. And there are many more where Letty came from. These definitely ain't your Disney fairies. Pax on the other hand is a bit more measured, thinks much more before she acts, and plays the part that she needs to play to discover what she is looking for.
Then there's the really inventive world-building which made this such a fun and entertaining read for me. The idea of an underground city operating underneath the unsuspecting inhabitants of the city above is a concept that I have always liked a lot. It's part of the reason why Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere is one of my all-time favorite fantasy books. And Phil Williams manages to capture much of that spirit with this book I'm happy to say. It really is a cool place filled with supernatural creatures and various other mystifying creatures aplenty.
This is a read for those who enjoy their urban fantasy with a healthy dose of the fantastic, as well as some sarcastic humor and grittiness. I couldn't help but crack a smile as I turned the final page knowing that I will absolutely wish to continue with the following two volumes of this fun and captivating series. UNDER ORDSHAW is definitely a book that you will want to check out!
(My Rating: 8/10)
And here's a special treat! Click the audio clip above to listen to a free excerpt from the upcoming audiobook narrated by Fran Burgoyne.
Phil Williams was born in the commuter-belt of Hertfordshire, where he learnt to escape a comfortable life through sinister fantasy fiction. His erratic career has variously involved the study of language and relationships - and took him to such locations as Prague, Moscow, and Abu Dhabi. He finally settled on the quiet Sussex seaside, where he lives in Worthing with his wife and his fluffy dog, Herbert. He divides his time between writing educational books that help people better understand English and fantasy books that help people better escape reality. So he tells himself.
His novels include:
Ordshaw: A collection of urban fantasy thrillers set in and around the UK city of Ordshaw - a place where dark secrets threaten the modern world. The Sunken City trilogy follows card sharp Pax Kuranes' introduction to a labyrinthine conspiracy, starting with Under Ordshaw. Expect monsters, diminutive fairies and a mystery that will take a lot of late nights to unravel.
Estalia: starting with Phil's debut novel, Wixon's Day, in 2012, this post-apocalyptic series explores a dystopia powered by steam. With reconstructed steampunk machines and an anarchist government, Estalia is a deadly place that gets more tense and chaotic with each installment in the series.
His work also includes stories set in the post-World War 3 dystopia of Faergrowe (including A Most Apocalyptic Christmas and an upcoming five-book action-thriller arc starting with The Worst Survive), as well as various standalone stories and screenplays.
You can connect with author Phil Williams on these social platforms:
And there you have it - The #StorytellersOnTour Blog Tour for UNDER ORDSHAW by Phil Williams! I really hope that you have enjoyed my stop on the tour. Please be sure to check out all of the other outstanding blogs participating and their stops as well.
Here is the official schedule for anyone who would like to follow along:
Thanks as always for visiting and Happy Reading!
-Nick
Don't look down.
Pax is one rent cheque away from the unforgiving streets of Ordshaw. After her stash is stolen, her hunt for the thief unearths a book of nightmares and a string of killers, and she stands to lose much more than her home.
There's something lurking under her city.
Knowing it's there can get you killed.
This blend of urban fantasy and contemporary thriller takes you on a journey into the heart of Ordshaw, in the company of such richly imagined characters that you won't want to leave.
Get it now.
This is quite the intriguing description of Phil Williams' urban fantasy with bite UNDER ORDSHAW. Since this is a pretty fantastic blurb, giving everyone a definite feel for the atmosphere and plot of the story, I will give no further specifics to avoid spoilers. What I will do is give my overall impressions on the world-building, characters, and why you should pick this up immediately either in physical, ebook, or audiobook form.
The two major strengths of UNDER ORDSHAW are definitely the characters and world-building in my opinion. In terms of the characters, my two favorites were the main character Pax and the kickass fae Letty. It's interesting because the two characters really couldn't be more different, yet I loved them each in their own way. Letty is bombasic, foul-mouthed, and often rough around the edges. Think Tinkerbell with a machine gun and tattoos. And there are many more where Letty came from. These definitely ain't your Disney fairies. Pax on the other hand is a bit more measured, thinks much more before she acts, and plays the part that she needs to play to discover what she is looking for.
Then there's the really inventive world-building which made this such a fun and entertaining read for me. The idea of an underground city operating underneath the unsuspecting inhabitants of the city above is a concept that I have always liked a lot. It's part of the reason why Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere is one of my all-time favorite fantasy books. And Phil Williams manages to capture much of that spirit with this book I'm happy to say. It really is a cool place filled with supernatural creatures and various other mystifying creatures aplenty.
This is a read for those who enjoy their urban fantasy with a healthy dose of the fantastic, as well as some sarcastic humor and grittiness. I couldn't help but crack a smile as I turned the final page knowing that I will absolutely wish to continue with the following two volumes of this fun and captivating series. UNDER ORDSHAW is definitely a book that you will want to check out!
(My Rating: 8/10)
About the author
Phil Williams was born in the commuter-belt of Hertfordshire, where he learnt to escape a comfortable life through sinister fantasy fiction. His erratic career has variously involved the study of language and relationships - and took him to such locations as Prague, Moscow, and Abu Dhabi. He finally settled on the quiet Sussex seaside, where he lives in Worthing with his wife and his fluffy dog, Herbert. He divides his time between writing educational books that help people better understand English and fantasy books that help people better escape reality. So he tells himself.
His novels include:
Ordshaw: A collection of urban fantasy thrillers set in and around the UK city of Ordshaw - a place where dark secrets threaten the modern world. The Sunken City trilogy follows card sharp Pax Kuranes' introduction to a labyrinthine conspiracy, starting with Under Ordshaw. Expect monsters, diminutive fairies and a mystery that will take a lot of late nights to unravel.
Estalia: starting with Phil's debut novel, Wixon's Day, in 2012, this post-apocalyptic series explores a dystopia powered by steam. With reconstructed steampunk machines and an anarchist government, Estalia is a deadly place that gets more tense and chaotic with each installment in the series.
His work also includes stories set in the post-World War 3 dystopia of Faergrowe (including A Most Apocalyptic Christmas and an upcoming five-book action-thriller arc starting with The Worst Survive), as well as various standalone stories and screenplays.
You can connect with author Phil Williams on these social platforms:
And there you have it - The #StorytellersOnTour Blog Tour for UNDER ORDSHAW by Phil Williams! I really hope that you have enjoyed my stop on the tour. Please be sure to check out all of the other outstanding blogs participating and their stops as well.
Here is the official schedule for anyone who would like to follow along:
Thanks as always for visiting and Happy Reading!
-Nick
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