Today marks the official kickoff of the Under Ordshaw Book Tour presented by Storytellers On Tour, and we’ve got a great lineup helping us spotlight this incredible Urban Fantasy adventure! Under Ordshaw is a book that’s been sitting on my TBR for far too long, and I was thrilled to finally crack that book open and give it some attention – attention it so rightly deserves.
We’ve enlisted the help of a group of wonderful and talented bloggers and Bookstagrammers to help us celebrate the release of the Under Ordshaw audiobook. This is what we have going on, so make sure to check out each and everyone one of these amazing bloggers throughout the week for some brilliant content, including reviews, spotlights, interviews, and more.
The Tour
APRIL 19TH – THE WELCOMING
Whispers & Wonder
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APRIL 20TH
The Paperback Voyager
Through Novel Time & Distance – @scarlettreadzandrunz
Olliespot Book Review
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APRIL 21ST
Out of This World SFF Reviews
Laura’s Book Reviews
Parsecs & Parchment
@bibliophilesandcoffee
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APRIL 22ND
Susy’s Cozy World
Knapsack.news
Armed with a Book
@the.littlest.bookshelf
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APRIL 23RD
Dream Come Review
The Book Lovers’ Sanctuary
Sometimes Leelynn Reads
Geek Pron Vlogs
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APRIL 24TH
Paul’s Picks
Bookriot – @bookriot_anjedah
Fantasy Book Critic
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APRIL 25TH – THE ENCORE
RockStarlit BookAsylum
For more about this tour visit Storytellers On Tour.
The Book
SERIES: Ordshaw (#1)
PUBLISHED: May 29, 2018 (Self-published)
PAGES: 301
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
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Blurb
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 could 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.
What reviewers are saying about the Ordshaw series…
“I have no hesitation in recommending this…I was hooked from start to finish.” – Lynn’s Books
“a very different kind of story…both intriguing and fascinating” – Space & Sorcery
“a little bit Buffy, a little bit Simon R. Green, a little bit Grimm, a little bit Charles de Lint…I was utterly hooked” – Bookshine and Readbows
“[not] quite like anything I’ve read before…I recommend this to anyone looking for a unique story set in an urban setting with solid world-building” – Way Too Fantasy
“I was thoroughly hooked with this absolute page turner.” – Babydolls and Razorblades
“a really fun adventure with a lot of interesting characters (and creatures)” – Forever Lost in Literature
“A truly unique and interesting Urban Fantasy series” – Crooks Books
“Recommended for fans of well-written urban fantasy, who’d appreciate something a little different.” – Sarah Higbee, author of the Sunblinded Trilogy
“fun, thrill-a-minute urban fantasy full of unique characters, exciting action and wonderfully comic moments” – Phil Parker, author of The Knights’ Protocol Trilogy
Review
ALSO REVIEWED AT: Goodreads
Under Ordshaw is the gritty and thrilling first installment in Phil Williams’ Ordshaw series, an Urban Fantasy jaunt perfectly balanced with a little bit of horror and a little bit of humor. At its heart it’s a cautionary tale of the dangers of secrets, highlighting that no matter how determined one may be to leave the past behind, it will always be lurking around the darkest of corners. Set in a familiar world where the line between good and bad is blurred beyond recognition, readers are barraged with the weird and wondrous, as they’re introduced to cryptic mysteries, foul-mouthed fairies, and deception seeping from the pages. There’s much to discover below the city of Ordshaw, and this is only the beginning – A story that sinks it teeth and claws in, and refuses to let go.
The world Williams has crafted is among the strongest aspects of this book. Readers are transported to a corrupt city crawling with vicious crime syndicates, secret government agencies with neither limits nor regard for collateral damage, and a sovereign society deeply governed by shady politics, all struggling for a foothold in this living, breathing behemoth. But the real threat lies beneath. Mysterious entities, horrific abominations, and nasty secrets lie in wait, stalking and hunting the unaware in the pitch black tunnels under Ordshaw. There are so many layers to the city itself, both literally and figuratively, and peeling back each to discover bits and pieces at a time is an engaging and fully immersive venture. Vivid and tactile descriptions easily submerge those that fall victim to its sinister charm.
There’s a brilliant myriad of morally gray players with their hands in the game throughout this story, a game that has yet to truly reveal itself. Pax, a late-night card player looking to cruise through life on her meager winnings; Casario, a rogue agent of The Ministry, who’s completely consumed by his prejudices; Barton, a broken man attempting to forget the past and mend burned bridges at home; and Letty, a salty fairy who has gloriously introduced me to a whole new vocabulary of profanities. Each so finely developed, their intentions warring with those of the others, but all with both damning and redeeming qualities. Early in the story it’s easy to pick a side, but as the story progresses it becomes more difficult to remain steadfast your belief of who’s the “good guy”.
Williams portrays the extraordinary with a well-written and polished narrative, smartly stripped of all unnecessary details that may have otherwise weighed it down, leaving readers fully invested in attempting to put the puzzle pieces together. He excels at presenting clever, hilarious banter and amusing delusions as we make our way through each of the three parts, adding plenty of levity to the darker aspects of the book. The story itself suffers from a bit of a slow start, but then quickly builds up and explodes into an action-packed race to the finish as all the factions converge. A solid plot is presented, then developed and evolved as readers are introduced to the various needs and desires of all involved.
Under Ordshaw is a gleaming example of what the Urban Fantasy subgenre has to offer, and it surpassed all the expectations I had when I first began flipping through its pages. We’re left with lots of questions that need answering, and threads that need tying, so it’s a blessing the rest of this series is already published. I’m very much looking forward to what glorious absurdity awaits me in Blue Angel and The Violent Fae. If you’re on the hunt for a gripping tale drenched in mystery and ample sass, the I highly recommend giving this a read.
The Author
Phil Williams is an author of contemporary fantasy and dystopian fiction, including the Ordshaw urban fantasy thrillers and the post-apocalyptic Estalia series. He also writes reference books to help foreign learners master the nuances of English, two of which are regular best-sellers on Kindle.
WEBSITE: http://www.phil-williams.co.uk/
That’s all I got for ya! Be sure to keep an eye on the official Under Ordshaw tour page over at Storytellers On Tour (https://storytellersontour.online/2020/03/11/tour-schedule-under-ordshaw-by-phil-williams/) to see what the other bloggers, vloggers, and Bookstagrammers have to say!
Happy Reading!
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