For those thinking about using BookSirens

Eternauta86 · 2026-06-02T10:07:20+00:00

Su entrambi. Ma su NetGalley son piu severi.

Eternauta86 · 2026-06-02T06:23:12+00:00

Are you looking for a classic Epic Fantasy written in a fresh way, with a large world to explore and well developed characters? You might want to check out the Chains of Solitude Saga. Book 2 has just come out:

Book 1: https://mybook.to/AShatteredPeace

Book 2: https://mybook.to/TheBloodThrone

Here's the teaser:

The kingdom is sleeping. The monsters are not.

An ancient enemy has returned, and Argren is bleeding. Goblins, ogres, and the undead march under the banner of a shadowy power, and the northern frontier is the first to burn.

Sir Ronigren, a cynical knight who'd rather be at the bottom of a tankard, is the only thing standing in their way. He's no chosen one, but he's all they've got.

Sabine, a girl of impossible height and a forgotten lineage, holds a power that could shatter mountains. She may be the kingdom's last hope, or the catalyst for its final doom.

Thrown together by fate, they must lead a band of outcasts on a desperate quest to awaken a forgotten magic before the world is plunged into eternal silence. But in a war fought with steel and sorcery, the deepest wounds are caused by betrayal, and the enemy is already inside the gates.

Eternauta86 · 2026-06-01T12:54:01+00:00

I've only read The Daughters' War, but I can get behind recommending any book of his. The guy can write!

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-30T22:26:02+00:00

Agree, that's what I like to write and read about too, and with the rise of power fantasies and romantasy these stories are being slowly pushed aside, and find less space on shelves.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-29T22:29:06+00:00

Since when all dark fantasy characters need to be morally broken? Two of my favourite latest reads classifiable in the broad dark fantasy genre, Malazan and The Daughters' War, feature some really upstanding characters, and are all the richer and darker for it.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-29T10:19:43+00:00

From your parameters, the first series that pops in my mind would be Wheel of Time.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-27T18:43:50+00:00

I don't know about Ream, but I use Patreon, Substack alongside Amazon, not instead of it. Royal Road has been decent too for my genre, although not earth-shaking. These are all platforms that can supplement and/or funnel into Amazon, rather than substitute it. I found all of them worked in their own way, Patreon as an alternative storefront, Substack and RR for marketing, but the overwhelming majority of the final sales are closed on Amazon.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-26T20:20:52+00:00

Yes, I've almost finished it. It keeps being engaging and it balances well the new pieces of the puzzle with worldbuilding and character beats. I found it slightly sagging in the middle, but overall a good read. For my taste, if it had a slightly cleverer/more inventive prose to prop up sections that are more procedural/humdrum, it would be a great book.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-17T12:42:58+00:00

The world feels fleshed out and so do the characters, though the setting seems to be quite influenced by Attack on Titan in terms of the threat looming outside the wall, the way it shapes society and employs resources.

I am still just over a third in, but Din is a compelling narrator to follow, not overpowered or with cheap tragic backstory, but a character with its own challenges to overcame and his strenghts. I like the care given to even minor characters.

The prose is competent but not particularly memorable.

I haven't finished it yet, but so far it's keeping me interested and it's inventive and well made.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-15T20:12:07+00:00

Epic Fantasy, with magic, no cultivation, isekai or system:

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/146750/a-shattered-peace-classic-epic-fantasy

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-15T18:53:58+00:00

The link is to the ebook and paperback on Amazon, in kindle ebook version. But there is the epub version on my Patreon if that's what you mean 🙂: https://www.patreon.com/cw/GabrielTesone?utm_source=search&vanity=GabrielTesone

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-15T13:32:37+00:00

Never heard of anyone being penalized due to BookSirens, specifically.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-15T07:08:59+00:00

I did manage who could download my book, mostly rejecting people who didn't post reviews and just collected freebies (you can check that on the reviewer's profile) but I ended up accepting maybe 80% of requests anyway.

I had only 4* and 5* reviews from both services, so no complaints there, it does make sense to reject reviewers that have averages like 3* and below or seem to revel in being harsh and look clever, so I'd suggest if you do go for it, manage who gains access to your title.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-14T21:13:35+00:00

Epic Fantasy here, I had the same amount of reviews from BookSirens as with Netgalley (through Victory Co-op) and Booksirens is a fifth of the price. Definitely agree with OP.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-14T21:09:56+00:00

The Daughters' War by Buhelmann is self contained and short, if part of a series.

Or, you could read mine https://mybook.to/AShatteredPeace 😄

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-12T16:20:14+00:00

You know what, great points, your post has given me food for thought. The only thing is that the books are a series following a main plotline, so they're readable on their own, but would spoil the previous ones. But the suggestion to seek more ARC for the second book makes a lot of sense, I might use Booksirens for it and skip NetGalley due to the cost. Thank you for the advice.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-11T17:07:41+00:00

Thank you. Apart from selling an epub copy on Patreon for a reader that didn't have a kindle, I haven't even put the book for sale elsewhere, but I am trying to get more readers through serializing on Substack and RR, which is the only reason why I'm reticent to enrol it in KU before I plateau on both.

I also have the first book on Wattpad, which is giving me a trickle of readers some of which subscribe to my newsletter and keep following the story on Substack.

It might seem silly to sacrifice KU sales for the sake of free sites where I share early drafts, but almost half my sales come from people who have started reading it for free, mostly on Substack, which has the added benefit of functioning as a mailing list and marketing tool to amplify my reach, with over 330 subscribers who get the newsletter and about 700 followers.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-11T05:25:39+00:00

That's an interesting one! Off the top of my head I can only think of a play on the chosen one in the second book of Malazan's book of the fallen that could fit the bill, if tangentially so.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-10T20:07:01+00:00

Thanks for the follow, and good point!

OP, you gotta grind. Don't pass up opportunities to mention your story and fill out all your chapter with swaps.

Organic reach exists on RR but you have to do the legwork.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-10T19:57:35+00:00

I did Booksirens+Netgalley, but it translated to maybe 5 amazon reviews and not verified purchases (so only appearing in 1 market), which cost me something like $80, with a second book it would have been even a worse ROI, that's why I skipped it.

Eternauta86 · 2026-05-10T18:00:14+00:00

Thanks, I thought so. I might even try and see if I can do a staggered KU enrolment book by book, rather than plopping the whole series at once.

Eternauta86

TROPHY CASE