SPFBO Semifinalist #1 and Five Other Great Self-Published Fantasies

[@NuclearKatie]

The camera had a personality of its own in this video 🤣 gave me a good laugh. A Gamble of Gods sounds interesting!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! I was filming on a rooftop and had nowhere to put my camera, so my spontaneous volunteer camera person helped me out.

[@marklawrence8418]

Great reviews. Very pleased for the semi-finalist, a book I've actually read. Well deserved in my own humble opinion.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Well deserved indeed! I had a lot of fun reading A Gamble of Gods, and I’m eager to see where Faywood takes the series. Cheers, Mark!

[@MitrielFaywood]

Thank you so much for your kind support, I feel very lucky to have come this far with the book.

[@bishallohani7903]

Wow 😮😮 the view 😍

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

It’s a very nice place with even nicer people! 😊

[@MitrielFaywood]

I feel so honoured and grateful to have become one of the semifinalists. Thank you for the wonderful review and for treating us to these beautiful views from your holiday!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for conceiving of and working so hard to produce a compelling story! I enjoyed my time with Kristian, Selena, and Conor immensely!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Sold! A Gamble or Gods sounds so intriguing! Also the setting around you is so beautiful and peaceful-enjoy your time abroad!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Ben! Nepal is being good to me. I hope you’ll love A Gamble of Gods!

[@MitrielFaywood]

Thank you, hope you'll enjoy it! 🙂

[@RedFuryBooks]

It's great of you to highlight some of the books not moving on! Loved the location too. Adding Faywood's book to my TBR - thanks for the video!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, Josh! There are so many deserving books in this contest, so the toughest part is definitely deciding on which to forward.

[@MitrielFaywood]

Thank you, hope you'll have fun with it when you get there!

[@CoverswithCassidy]

Very excited, your pick has been on my want to read for awhile!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I hope you’ll enjoy it when you get a chance to read it, Cassidy! Cheers!

[@MitrielFaywood]

Hope you'll enjoy it when the time comes!

[@merleharris7485]

Diggin' that shirt...it also works on a fantasy mise en scene level with the live "Shire" background. That shirt is ..dare I say it? ... fitting.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! The shirt and the background are both Nepali. Cheers, Micah!

[@diyanosaur]

Yay excited to read the semifinalist!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I hope you’ll love it!

[@laurablakeauthor]

Fun reviews and such a beautiful backdrop!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you! The books were fun to read! I’ve been enjoying the sights here in Nepal very much, and it’s great to be back.

[@laurablakeauthor]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy it looks absolutely beautiful. Hope to see more Nepal content!

[@ukaszprzywoski6901]

Excellent reviews, thank you.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for watching!

[@BrianBell7]

He did it. He finally did it. Dr. Fantasy finally transported himself to Eormenlond. godspeed Dr. Fantasy. Godspeed.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! I’m glad I landed in Asdralad! The food is excellent! Cheers, Brian!

[@liviajelliot]

Great reviews! Thank you so much for sharing, there are some really insightful books there!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, Livia! SPFBO is really loaded with some great stories this year!

[@Johanna_reads]

I loved the setting and your non-tweed look in this video! I'm so curious about the fact you've read Holly Black! A little secret is that I enjoyed a few of her fairy books several years ago. Mitriel Faywood certainly does have a cool fantasy author name, and I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on the book!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Yes, I read a little Holly Black along with my younger daughter many years ago. Tithe was the name of the book, I think. Too hot for a jacket here. Climate change is not going to help my mission to bring tweed back into fashion! Cheers, Johanna!

[@ToriTalks2]

You always do such an awesome job reviewing, Philip! I'm taking notes. XD I hope you have a wonderful time on vacation and thank you for all the work you're doing for SPFBO!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Tori - you’re too kind! My best to you for your reading and writing!

[@MaedBetweenthePages]

I love a walking house so The Dungeon That Walks Like a Man has caught my eye 👀 Congrats to A Gamble of Gods! That genre combining aspect sounds very intriguing...

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Somehow it doesn’t surprise me that someone as well traveled as you would find a walking house intriguing, Taylor! 😊 Happy reading!

[@MaedBetweenthePages]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy never made that connection before! And thank you, you too :)

[@jcmberne]

I can't get over that shirt. Fantastic.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, Joe! It’s one of my Nepali shirts. When in Rome . . . or Kathmandu!

[@thedrownedkingdomsaga7847]

Great video and fabulous reviews Philip! Can't wait to see even more of your SPFBO content, leading up to you selecting your finalist! And what a backdrop to film this video! So happy for you and yours, on what must be an incredible trip! Safe travels and thanks again for such wonderful reviews that highlight positives for the contestants!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, P.L.! It’s a privilege to be a judge for SPFBO, and I’m enjoying the stories I’m encountering. As an aside, I continue to enjoy A Drowned Kingdom immensely and hope to have a review by Friday.

[@thedrownedkingdomsaga7847]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy wow! I'll be waiting with high level of anticipation for your review! Hope you enjoy the remainder of your read!

[@danielmaidman9125]

Love the entirely typical generosity with all the books!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Daniel! As an author, you’re well aware of how much of themselves people pour into their stories. I try to respect that, as I know you do. All the best!

[@danielmaidman9125]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I do. I'm going on 15 years of published art criticism and I take that approach with the work I write about; to somebody, it meant everything. All the best to you as well!

[@vaughnroycroft999]

Congrats to all of the entries, but particularly to Faywood. I've been hearing good things for a while. Guess this is the signal to finally order it. The sky and the birds made lovely cameo appearances. Very summery. Hope you and yours are well, and everyone is feeling as relaxed as this video feels. Thanks for all you do for self-pub, my friend!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Vaughn! It’s lovely to be back in Nepal!

[@MitrielFaywood]

Thank you so much, hope you'll enjoy it!

[@johnmauro1230]

I am a big fan of Mitriel Faywood's book. Great choice!!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, John! It was a delightful read, and I hope lots of people will pick it up!

[@MitrielFaywood]

Thank you so much for your support, John, it really means a lot!

[@DoUnicornsRead]

What exactly was that video about ? I was far too distracted by the view to pay much attention. 😁 Thanks for sharing your reading and favourites of SPFBO so far! Also, nice to see that your holiday in Nepal seems to be agreeing with you, Philip!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Angela! I am having a great time with family here and eating and resting well. The downside is that I have a lot less time for watching my friends on KZbin, but I’m getting to the videos gradually. All the best!

[@DoUnicornsRead]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Stopped reading your answer after family, eating and resting well. Everything else is totally unimportant. Enjoy Philip!

[@esmayrosalyne]

First of all, what a breathtaking view, I hope you are enjoying your vacation! Very exciting to hear your thoughts on this batch of books, I am very intrigued by A Single Spark and A Twist of Fate now! And congrats to the semi-finalist, I have heard nothing but amazing things about that book so I am very eager to dive in myself soon!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m very glad to hear that some of the books piqued your interest, Esmay! I know that all of them belong with certain readers. I shot the video on the roof of the house where I’m staying! 😊

[@MitrielFaywood]

Thank you so much, I hope you'll enjoy it when you eventually get to it!

[@AliceJohnsonauthor]

Another brilliant video, thank you, Philip for some wonderful and positive feedback.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Alice! It was very tough to decide on the semi-finalist, but at least I get to read some great stories!

[@MrHehj]

Appreciate the commitment whilst on your travels - you've certainly set the standard for scenic backgrounds! Pleased to see I previously picked up a copy of your first semi-finalist, I'll be interested to see how it does later on in SPFBO.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Nepal is beautiful! The banana trees behind me have started to produce some yummy bananas, not to mention there are mangoes in season here too. I’m eating well and enjoying the scenery, plus I’m reading some great books!

[@MitrielFaywood]

Thanks for your kind interest and support!

[@ACriticalDragon]

Typical, I move to Florida so the Nemesis goes somewhere even more 'exotic'. I know your game.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Gotcha this time, Nemesis! And those are banana trees behind me - and the bananas are yummy! So are the mangoes! 😋

[@ACriticalDragon]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy I do like mangoes. I hope you are safe, well, and having a fantastic trip.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@ACriticalDragon It’s lovely here, and it’s wonderful catching up with family. I will have stories to tell you. I hope you’re doing well too, my friend!

[@AndrewsWizardlyReads]

Philip that looks like paradise

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’ve had a lovely time back in Nepal. Cheers, Andrew!

[@avi4905]

What a beautiful setting! I love your outdorrs background. Thsi must have been a difficult choice and video to film. Thank you for this great video.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Avi! Judging is actually very hard - especially when there are so many wonderful entries. I’m in Nepal right now, and there are lots of beautiful views here!

[@SadirSSamir]

I read your semi-finalist pick earlier this year and loved it! So happy for the author and well-deserved 😊

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it too, Sadir!

[@MitrielFaywood]

Thank you so much for the kind words, Sadir and may I also congratulate you for making it to the BBNYA semifinals very recently! :)

[@SadirSSamir]

Thank you! 🥰 I’m still a bit in shock over that to be honest 😅

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@SadirSSamir Congratulations, Sadir!

[@SadirSSamir]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Thank you kindly, Philip! 😊

[@Gaigemaid]

This background is a vibe. Love it! Congrats to all contestants and thank you for spending time to read and review these books.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Jessica! I’m currently in the southern part of Nepal, the Terai, which borders with India. It’s a wonderful place!

[@Gaigemaid]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy that sounds amazing! I hope you enjoy your time out there.

[@MichaelRSchultheiss]

What a fascinating collection of books, and kudos to the semi-finalist! Also, thank you so much for all your work on this contest!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Michael! It’s a lot of work, but I get to enjoy so many great stories. All the best!

[@MichaelRSchultheiss]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy right on! I'll look forward to hearing more about the rest of your books. Cheers!

[@ernstbrehm1135]

That is beautiful country right there!!!!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you, Ernst! It’s the Terai, the flat part of Nepal that borders with India.

[@brockmays3409]

This semi-finalist was one I listed in my predictions for potential semi-finalists!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

An excellent prediction!

[@MetalGildarts]

Whoa, where did your suit coat go! LOL. Sound like good reads.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

It’s just a bit too hot and humid for the jacket! 😁

[@MetalGildarts]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy oh yeah take that off...I can't stand humidity.

[@Verlopil]

Thanks for letting us know about ALL the books. One of the runners-up sounded fun to me so I'm buying that one. By the way, what the heck are they growing in that field behind you? As a farmer's granddaughter, it was driving me nuts not to be able to identify the crop. Pineapples? Dates? Coconuts? Just palm trees? I need to know!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Most of the trees you see behind me are banana trees. The bananas are yummy! I’m in Nepal right now. 😊

[@Verlopil]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy That's so cool!I wonder if I could grow a banana plant inside? I hope you have a wonderful and safe trip!

[@brancellbooks]

I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to judge one of these things. So many good books to choose from.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

It is very hard! Agonizing even. The great part is that I get to read so many great books. So many of them could win the contest, but I suppose it’s the nature of contests that only one can win. Cheers!

[@maxittome]

Did you have the opportunity to read / review the book Illborn ? It was self published and it is pretty amazing!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Not yet, but it’s on my radar. I hear great things!