HELHEIM VOLUME 1: THE WITCH WAR

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Bookwraiths

18766275My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

580 A.D. in the frozen north lands.

Across the icy hills come a ragged band of Vikings. They are frantic, struggling to stay ahead of their pursuers. Their breaths blowing out in smoky clouds from frost ravaged throats; the adrenaline of fear pumping through their veins. All their collective thoughts focused on evading their enemies, escaping the death that they sense sprinting up behind them.

But one of these Vikings is not cowered by his fear though he feels it. For Rikard is the mightiest warrior of his village. A man sure of his strength. Determined to not only triumph over his foe but also full of steely resolve to protect his friends. And so even as his fellows pull ahead of him, he lingers, refusing to leave a dying comrade – until the vision appears to him. A vision of himself dead. A forewarning of some horrid future that Rikard cannot imagine coming to pass. And one that terrifies even so bold a Viking as him into abandoning his friend and taking to his heels to outrun fate.

And still the wild men pursue. They of the shaggy animal pelts and wild eyes, lapping behind Rikard and his fellows with their savage stamina, baying for blood and willing to pursue their quarry unto the ends of the world. But Rikard and his fellow Vikings’ fear gives them speed. Speed that they use to reach the gates of their village before the wild men can catch up.

But lo, the gates are barred. Nor can they be opened with the savages so close behind, and so Rikard and his friends turn to fight, swinging their bloody weapons with mighty sinews while they scream out their rage and fear at their enemies until not one of the wild men remain alive to accost them.

But wait!

Survival so dearly won quickly slips from the Vikings hands, for the corpses of the wild men begin to rise again after death – zombies intent on the destruction of all the living of the village. A horrible nightmare that has played out many times before in this land, as two witches wage a war of dark magic that rises up demons, zombies, and draugh to gift death to all those living who dare harbor the other’s rival.

Helheim is one of those hodgepodge stories, filled with images of old school Vikings, wicked witches, monstrous monsters, demonic magic, and hungry zombie. Out of this amalgamation, Cullen Bunn (story) and Joelle Jones (artwork) weave a blood spattered tale that – while depressing more than horrific – still manages to be entertaining and enjoyable. It is a simple page turning graphic novel, filled with incredibly gory battle scenes, realistic witches, and a straight forward story. The only thing it lacks is a hero of any sort though Rikard is arguable the protagonist.

All in all, I enjoyed Helheim. The only major complaint I had was that in the middle of the book the story skipped forward in time, skimming over what I felt was very important details and instead setting up a grand battle. Other than that, the story was fine, and the artwork was even better.

Received as an ARC from the publisher.

Buy Helheim Volume 1: The Witch War at Amazon.

Posted in Graphic Novels, S & S | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

ROMULUS BUCKLE & THE ENGINES OF WAR

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Bookwraiths

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Romulus Buckle & the Engines of War                       by Richard Ellis Preston, Jr.

Genre: Steampunk

Series: Chronicles of the Pneumatic Zeppelin #2

Publisher: 47North (November 19, 2013)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 476 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

The Swashbuckling King of Steampunk is back!

Yes, Romulus Buckle, our favorite zeppelin captain, has returned with the same fiery attitude, the same devious enemies, and the same soaring zeppelin to ride above it all. However, this time Richard Ellis Preston, Jr. has upped the fun quotient in Romulus Buckle & the Engines of War with an unexpected love triangle, more mesmerizing world building, new characters and dueling zeppelins!

You heard me right. Richard Ellis Preston, Jr. has done it; he has taken the silver-skinned zeppelins where readers have always longed them to go: war! And he has crafted those daring conflicts in the clouds with such amazing details that not only does the Pneumatic Zeppelin’s battles fill a reader with adrenaline pumping, steampunk daring-do but they also tantalizing in their absolute realism. A dualism that sets Romulus Buckle above so many other steampunk novels.

The story itself begins where the first novel in the series stopped: the Snow World prepares for all out war between the Founders and the rest of the clans. A war that promises to destroy everyone unless somehow Balthazar, Romulus’ adopted father, can forge a grand alliance to oppose the Founders. An alliance that must unite diverse people who have generations of hatred wedging them apart.

While the world balances upon the edge of steam-powered calamity, our ever impetuous hero, Romulus, extracts himself from the political intrigue, deciding to leave the politicians to their work and his beloved Pneumatic Zeppelin in dry dock for repairs while he sets out into the dreadful mountains to solve a mystery. Who attacked the Crackshafts years before and killed his sister?

Naturally, the quest immediately turns into non-stop action and thrills. And while the answer to the mystery seems fairly evident after reading book one, it still delights in its swashbuckling brilliance, as our favorite zeppelin captain encounters Martian monsters, uncovers yet more mysteries, and succeeds in turning every page into an action lovers roller coaster of delight.

But every roller coaster needs to slow down and allow the riders to catch their breath before the next big plunge and Mr. Preston gives his readers this pause from the heart racing excitement, seamlessly shifting from swashbuckling adventure to political intrigue and character development. And during these brief pauses, readers find themselves entertained by the characters themselves, learning more about our hero and his trusted comrades past and watching as Mr. Preston deftly fleshes out his amazing steampunk world: an environment of hissing steam contraptions, ferocious Martian monsters, and age old mysteries.

As you can no doubt see, I really enjoyed this novel. It took everything enjoyable from the first book, mixed in new character development and world building and cooked up a heart-racing steampunk masterpiece. Go buy this one today!

Purchase this novel at Amazon.

Posted in Cross-Genre, Post-apocalyptic, Steampunk | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

DEJAH THORIS and THE GREEN MEN OF MARS VOLUME 1

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Bookwraiths

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My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Dejah Thoris and the Green Men of Mars is a thrilling return to the old school, sword and sci-fi era personified in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars books, and it is without a doubt a worthy successor to those novels in every way.

The story that comes to life so vividly through Lui Antonio’s art and Mark Rahner’s writing centers on the beginning of a new era on Barsoom, for the relationship between the red people of Helium and their warlike, six-limbed, green-skinned neighbors, the Tharks, has changed. A relationship that before John Carter’s arrival upon the red planet was best described as mutual hatred has now transformed into one of understanding and acceptance. But while the wise among both people have embraced this vision of a new Barsoom, even they realize that erasing millenniums of enmity will not be easily accomplished or without its detractors .

Dejah Thoris of Helium herself is one of these wise leaders; a red-skinned princess who has whole heartedly embraced the Tharks in friendship but is plagued by feelings of distrust of her new green-skinned allies. Her misgivings fueled by vivid flashbacks of her own abuse and brutalization at the hands of Tharks. No matter Dejah’s personal feelings however, she moves ahead with a grand Red and Green celebration to memorialize the dawning of a new era of peace upon Barsoom, and it is then that things fall apart in a most disturbing fashion, as a dark side of Thark society rears its distasteful head. And the tale that follows is pure Burroughs’ Barsoom in all its unique glory.

Without a doubt, this graphic novel is well worth a read whether a person is a longtime John Carter fan or new to the world of Barsoom. While the beautiful artwork – full of scantily clad and well proportioned women and men! – is pure eye candy, it is the seamless coupling of those images with an entertaining and revealing story that sets this apart from other sword and sci-fi yarns. The simple fact is that Dejah Thoris and the Green Men of Mars is pure sugarcoated entertainment, full of interesting back story, filled with intense violence, and chopped full of old school sci-fi fun. Pick it up and enjoy!

Netgalley provided this book to me for free in return for an honest review. The review above was not paid for or influenced in any way by any person, entity or organization, but is my own personal opinions.

Purchase the graphic novel at Amazon.

Posted in Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Swashbuckling, Sword and Planet | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

AT THE WALLS OF GALBRIETH by ALON SHALEV

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Bookwraiths

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My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

At the Walls of Galbrieth is a young adult fantasy penned by Alon Shalev. The novel starts off frantically with a young wood elf named Seanchai fleeing his home in the middle of the night to escape the predations of the Emperor’s troops. The Empire is a human kingdom, which rules over all the other peoples of the land and periodically conscripts unlucky elves, dwarves and other “lesser” races into the military whenever there is a “man”-power shortage. And to escape this grizzly fate, young Seanchai finds himself stumbling through the night toward an unknown “uncle” in a distant village, who his parents have assured him will hide and protect him.

As soon as a reader becomes comfortable with Seanchai’s desperate flight however, Mr. Shalev quickly pulls the rug out from under them, as the young elf’s escape turns into something much more important. Indeed, it is soon revealed that the need for Seanchai to avoid the Empire’s soldiers is more complicated than just a parent’s desire to protect their child and is, in fact, tied up in a truth Seanchai himself did not know of. A fact about himself that his parent’s never expressed to him; something that they made sure to carefully hide from him until the time was ripe for its revelation. And that – as much as a desire to protect him from slavery – was the true reason Seanchai was sent running from the village just ahead of the soldier’s torches and his fellow villagers screams of pain.

When Seanchai finally stumbles into fellow elves who can guide him to his “uncle”, this secret slowly begins to be revealed. For our young elf is aghast to find that not only are his elven rescuers rebels against the Empire but that they are eager to aid him, even more determined to lay down their lives to make sure he reaches uncle. For these elvish freedom fighters believe in Seanchai, have been taught that he alone has some hidden ability that can aid them in their fight for liberation. Some power hidden deep within him which might be enough to finally destroy the Empire – if he can only be protected long enough to reach a mysterious teacher. A long and arduous journey to be sure; one that will be wrought with danger but one which Seanchai must complete – whether he wishes to or not!

With At the Walls of Galbrieth, Mr. Shalev delivers a well-paced novel that is penned in a straight-forward style that any young reader can understand and enjoy, and while it is clearly YA fare, it is devoid of the normal unexplainable whining, annoying teen angst, or ridiculous juvenile flip flopping in character decisions. Indeed, these youths are portrayed in a very realistic way and interwoven into their fantastic adventures are very adult themes of racism and slavery, friendship and love, loyalty and honor, and power and dominance. Now, that does not mean that Mr. Shalev does not deliver up doses of fantastical magic, rousing sword fights, and shadowy history, because he does so and in just the right dosage to keep a reader enthralled by Seanchai’s tale. However, intermingled into all that action, suspense, and adventure, one will also find many life lessons about good and evil, and that is what makes At the Walls of Galbrieth a hidden YA gem.

Purchase this novel at Amazon.

Posted in Fantasy, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

THE GODBORN by PAUL S. KEMP

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Bookwraiths

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My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

The Godborn is book two of The Sundering; a multi-volume, world-changing event taking place in the Forgotten Realms. The first book of the series was The Companions by R.A. Salvatore, where a reader continues – or begins – his journey with Drizzt Do’Urden. But though both books deal with circumstances of “the Sundering” of worlds, there is no real requirement that one must finish The Companions to enjoy The Godborn. Indeed, the novels in The Sundering series do not appear to be sequential nor build upon one another. All the tales have in common are their setting within the Forgotten Realms and the fact that they each reveal important canon changes within the world or deal with notable characters of the Forgotten Realms. Other than that, these novels are stand alone stories that succeed or fail solely upon their own merits.

The Godborn itself focuses on the story of Vasen, Erevis Cale’s son. (Erevis Cale being one of the heroes of the Twilight Wars Trilogy, where he, Drasek Riven, and Magadon, a half-demon mind mage, fought to stop a shade named Rivalen from bringing about the end of the world by releasing Shar, the Lady of Loss, into the world.) Vasen is a half-human, half-shade whose mother was transported into the future to give birth to him, because prophecy foretold that he would play a pivotal role in the ultimate confrontation between light and dark.

After his mother’s death at his birth, Vasen is raised by followers of the divine Amaunator, god of the dawn, at their hidden Abbey of the Rose. And though he bears the unmistakable marks of his shade heritage, he is raised by his adopted father to be strong in his service and love for the light. A paradox which might tear a weaker man apart, but a fact that only strengthens Vasen, as he becomes a man comfortable both within the darkness and the light. Accepted by both yet never wholly owned by either. A wildcard that is destined to decide the fate of the world.

Throughout his unusual life, Vasen is haunted by visions of his father; a man he never knew and whom he knows nothing about, yet still the dreams come to him, demanding that he rescue this stranger from some imprisonment. And while the desire to discover this unknown father holds some value to Vasen, he has responsibilities to the divine Amaunator, and he finds reasons to push the visions to the side, telling himself he will deal with them another day. However, soon fate intervenes against Vasen, as other forces begin scrounging the lands looking for the son of Erevis Cale!

One of these forces take the form of Sayeed and Zeeahd; two brothers who slither across the world, spreading horror and violence at every step. Their only mission, their only desire in life to find Erevis Cale’s son for a demon lord. Their reward for services rendered: a promise that their miserable, cursed existence will finally end in a painless death!

And so our steadfast Vasen finds himself forced to begin his journey to find a father he never knew and toward a destiny he never even knew he had. A destiny that brings him into contact with his father’s old friends and promises to resolve the ultimate fate of the world!

For a casual reader, The Godborn is an intriguing fantasy story with both good characters and evil ones fighting for the fate of the world itself. Mr. Kemp has penned a well paced tale that has a good bit of interesting back story, intense and vividly described horror elements, and an epic ending. Without a doubt, it is well worth a read for entertainment value alone.

For longtime readers of Paul S. Kemp’s Twilight Wars novels, this book is the culmination of that whole epic storyline. They get to discover if Erevis Cale will live or die. Whether the god Mask triumphs over Shar. And how all their favorite characters fit into the new Forgotten Realms that is being built by the Sundering. All in all, Mr. Kemp does a fine job bringing closure to the old plots while creating a whole new beginning.

No matter which category a fantasy reader falls into however, this novel is well worth a read!

Wizards of the Coast and Netgalley provided this book to me for free in return for an honest review. The review above was not paid for or influenced in any way by any person, entity or organization, but is my own personal opinions.

Purchase the novel at Amazon.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF THE SUNDERING SERIES
THE COMPANIONS (THE SUNDERING #1)
THE ADVERSARY (THE SUNDERING #3)
THE REAVER (THE SUNDERING #4)
THE SENTINEL (THE SUNDERING #5)
THE HERALD (THE SUNDERING #6)

Posted in Fantasy, Forgotten Realms, High, Sword and Sorcery | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

OVID’S VALLEY by ERIC PATRICK CLAYTON

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Bookwraiths

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My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

Ovid’s Valley is a contemporary fantasy set within a small, mountain town of that name. Ovid is a place where people spend their lives enjoying the rugged mountains and untamed forests, reveling in the idyllic nature of their self-imposed isolation, and hoping that the drawback of the modern world pass them by. And for Aaron Mitchell it has been a nice place to grow up in – until now that is.

Because the modern world has invaded this valley of solace, interrupted the normal hum of small town living, as a super secret government facility nears to completion on the outskirts of town. A facility that promised jobs and growth to the tiny hamlet without ever informing the citizenry of exactly what the complex itself would house. And now not only has the noise and commotion of construction crews and heavy equipment interrupted everyone’s daily life, but the occupants of the government building have begun to appear in town. Strange people who begin to approach Aaron himself, disturbing a feeling hidden deep within him.

For Aaron has always been different from everyone else. Teased as a child for his strange body odor and his inability to use any electrical device without breaking it, he has spent his life focused on nature, becoming a trail guide for hikers and horseback riders at the local lodge. The life suites him. Hell, he even met his soon to be fiancé at the lodge. But the appearance of these government types has triggered something within Aaron, caused his nearly forgotten quirks to act up again and his dearly held desire to just be normal start to slip away. A fact which terrifies not only him but his loved ones as well.

Yet, even as he desperately tries to hold on to normalcy, a single question plagues Aaron’s psyche: does he really want to be normal? Is his comfortable, normal existence really that fulfilling, or would he really prefer to release the quirks within and embrace whatever he was born to be?

This novel was an interesting one, filled with descriptions of the inner turmoil of Aaron and those around him and allowing a reader to truly empathize with each character – both good and bad ones. That along with its buildup to the revelation of the super secret government facility will keep a reader turning pages, and for that reason, the story is well worth a try.

Like all books, however, this one had things which did not “click” with me.

First, the wonderful immersion into the psyche and motives of the main characters was enjoyable the first go around, but the story devolved into too many pages of rehashing Aaron and others issues too many times to keep my attention.

Second, there were several characters who just irritated me whenever I was forced to read about them; one being Aaron’s girlfriend. Perhaps the author intended her to be a self-absorbed twenty-something with no identifiable redeeming quality, and if Mr. Clayton did intend this characterization then I applaud him, because every time she appeared on the pages I heard nails scratching across a blackboard. However, if Mr. Clayton wished me to – in any small measure – empathize with her, he failed horribly, because all her motives seemed terribly shallow to me.

In summation, this is the first book in a series that is worth a try if you enjoy contemporary fantasy. It has a well thought out plot with characters that Mr. Clayton delves into. While it has issues with pacing and a bit too much description at times, it will keep your attention as you follow Aaron along his path from ordinary to extraordinary.

Purchase the novel at Amazon.

Posted in 3 Stars, Contemporary, Fantasy, Self-Published | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SEVEN FORGES (SEVEN FORGES #1) by JAMES A. MOORE

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Bookwraiths

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Seven Forges by James A. Moore

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Seven Forges #1

Publisher: Angry Robot (September 24, 2013)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 389 pages

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Seven Forges is a tantalizing fantasy. The tale begins with one, Captain Merros Dulver, leading a small group of adventurers toward a range of unexplored mountains called the Seven Forges. The country the group must transverse is a frozen wasteland, wind blasted, and devoid of life; facts that have made it an impenetrable barrier for anyone from the Empire of Fellein – which controls the majority of the known world – to have ever reached these legendary peaks, let alone, explore them. But, naturally, someone offered Merros a lot of money to come out of his well earned military retirement to do just that, so here he is freezing his butt off and wishing he was anywhere except where he is.

Naturally, things are not what they seem, and the uninhabited barrens are not quite so uninhabited. Soon, Captain Merros finds himself confronted not only by horrible beasts but also by an unknown race of people. A race which seems friendly and inviting, but which also obviously has far more secrets that they hide than that they reveal. And even as the good captain finds himself becoming a very rich and very famous explorer, he wonders if this mingling of the Sa’ba Taalor people with his own is a historic event or a horrible mistake.

There are many things one could talk about with Seven Forges but the star of the show is the land of the Seven Forges and its people, the Sa’ba Taalor. For that initial desolate environment where Captain Merros’ journey of discovery begins is very symbolic of where Mr. Moore intends to take you. The mighty tundra is the border between two different worlds in more than just a physical way, for as a explorer transverses the post-apocalyptic wasteland he finds himself also abandoning the norms of ordinary humanity. The world of the Sa’ba Taalor is a unique land unto itself, where – cut off from the rest of human civilization – these people have evolved along a much different evolutionary track, gaining unique idiosyncracies in both their physiology and societal makeup; changes which makes them just as unhuman as any intelligent alien who might descend from the heavens. And soon, one finds themselves eager to see more of these wonderful people, learn more about their differences, and hear more of their history. Indeed, they steal the show.

But like all novels, there were problems with this tale, and the main one was simple the Sa’ba Taalor themselves.

How can I rave about how interesting these guys are but then say they are the main problem in the book?

Simply put, the Sa’ba Taalor are so interesting they overwhelm all the other elements of the story. Once they appear, the rest of the story just seems to pale in comparison to their creative brilliance. Honestly, who cares about Captain Merros’ homeland, the Fellein Empire, or its Emperor and his devious counselor and sorcerer Desh when you could read some more about the Seven Forges and its mesmerizing people?

I didn’t, unfortunately.

To summarize, Seven Forges was an okay book. The Sa’ba Taalor people themselves and their history was unique and compelling, but the normal humans and their empire fell flat. The characters outside of the Sa’ba Taalor were only mildly interesting, and until the last few chapters, the story dragged except when the Sa’ba Taalor were actually the focus. However, the novel was interesting enough that I will be returning to Mr. Moore’s world – if for no other reason than to visit with (Yeah, I’m going to say it one more time) the Sa’ba Taalor again.

I received this book from Netgalley and Angry Robot in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank Netgalley for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase this novel over at Amazon.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS OF THE SEVEN FORGES SERIES
THE BLASTED LANDS (PART 2)

Posted in Fantasy | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Review : The King’s Bastard – Rowena Cory Daniells

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Bookwraiths
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THE WOLF OF TEBRON by C.S. LAKIN

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Bookwraiths

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My rating is 3 out of 5 stars.

The Wolf of Tebron is a Christian fable delivered in classic, fantasy style. Yes, it’s allegory, and yes, it is based on different stories of the Bible. And if you find it difficult to digest these type of message stories, then this novel is not for you. However, if you adore stories where every paragraph can be dissected for its hidden meaning (The author actually cites G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis throughout the book) then this brilliantly written fairy tale will be one that you enjoy immensely.

The tale itself centers on a young blacksmith—Joran—who lives a peaceful, uncomplicated life in his forest village, happy to come home each night to his beautiful wife. His whole existence shatters in an instance, however, when he returns home a little earlier than usual one day, walking past his neighbor’s farm and sees his wife in the farmer’s loving embrace. His heart broken and his world destroyed, Joran confronts his wife later about what he has seen. When she refuses to admit the truth. Joran sends Charris away in a rage.

Soon, everyone in Joran’s small village has learned that he and Charris are no longer living together and begin to suspect that something is amiss – no matter his story that she is just visiting her family in another town. And to make matters worse, rumors begin to circulate that Charris never arrived at her destination but mysteriously disappeared off the wagon he had placed her upon. Now, our young blacksmith finds his world fully and completed destroyed, for he loves his wife no matter her infidelity and feels obligated to discover what has happened to her.

The journey Joran then sets out upon sees him walk many miles, wearing out three sets of shoes, solving the riddle of three keys, and saving the life of a mysterious wolf named Ruyah. With his new wolf friend in tow, our young hero meets and visits with the Moon, the Sun and the South Wind before eventually traveling to the sea, where his dreams have shown him Charris trapped in a slowly dissolving sandcastle.

But while his steps lead him across the world, his quest also lies down another path; a path that lies inward into his very psyche, as Joran is forced to face and resolve emotions that have tormented him his entire life—feelings of estrangement from his family, resentment toward his brothers, anger toward his wife, and despair for his failures. Soon, he begins to see that the truth is a relative thing, easily bent, distorted, and hidden by the espouser of it. Yet, our young hero also discovers that love is the only source of real truth.

As stated earlier, this is a well written fairy tale based in an interesting fantasy world with intriguing characters and more than a few moral lessons. And while it can be viewed as a morality play, C.S. Lakin does a wonderful job of delivering an entertaining story along with the Christian theology. As with all allegorical tales, this book would be a great novel to discuss in a book reading group or a reading class, where all of the intricate details of Joran’s world could be shifted through for hidden meanings. Indeed, this is a worthy successor to the works of the great Christian apologist C.S. Lewis.

Purchase the novel at Amazon.

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KIRIATH’S QUEST by RICK BARRY

Posted on October 27, 2013 by Bookwraiths

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My rating is 2 our of 5 stars.

Xandria is a kingdom of refugees, formed by the remnant of the mighty kingdom of Illria after its horrendous destruction. But whatever peace the people of Xandria found in their new homes is brief, because in this land of milk and honey they are confronted by the primitive and brutal Grishnaki tribes, who ever tried to enslave or destroy them. War engulfs the two peoples war for many years until finally an uneasy truce asserts itself. But how long will it last?

One fine morning King Jekoniah and Prince Kiriath are out for an early morning ride, enjoying the peaceful countryside surrounding the capital city of Shiralla when the fragile peace shatters. Naturally the two are not expecting trouble so near to their home, and when hundreds of Grishnaki burst from the forests and ambush father and son, they are too far away from their protectors and unable to fight such overwhelming numbers. Thus, King Jekoniah is carried away by his enemies, while Prince Kiriath is left for dead.

When Prince Kiriath overcomes his injuries and returns home, he finds all in turmoil at his and his father’s disappearance. But before any rescue can be fully begun, things become even more muddled as a Grishnaki ambassador comes to the capital with a ransom proposal. All the primitives wish is a simple thing: teach them the way of steel and King Jekoniah will live. And while news that his father has survived is pleasing to Kiriath’s ears, he knows the ransom price is too great and would lead to the eventual destruction of his land.

The tale that follows is a fantasy adventure starring the reluctant hero Kiriath as he sets off on a quest to rescue his father in the impenetrable fortress valley of Dar-kon, mightiest of the Grishnaki kings. Naturally, the young prince does not go alone but with his truest friend Brand – and an unexpected companion. Along the way, Kiriath faces legendary monsters, discovers long dead civilizations and begins to uncover the intangible qualities that will someday make him a wise and mighty King of Xandria.

All in all, this novel is a fine read if you understand what it is: standard fantasy that is tailored more toward new readers or young adults. As long as you understand it is not grimdark fantasy but more the light fantasy variety then you will not be disappointed. Indeed, for this type of tale, Kiriath’s Quest is a solid piece of workmanship, filled with fantastical adventure, interesting characters, and even a rousing battle at the end. Well worth a try.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank Netgalley for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

Purchase this novel at Amazon.

Posted in Fantasy, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment