A Good Story with a Classic Feel

This is a good story written in a classical style. The bad guys are bad, the good guys are good. But not done in a way that embarrasses you to enjoy.
I definitely plan to read the next in the series.

9 people found this helpful

A Very Nice Find!

I came across this 1st book in this series quite by accident. I downloaded another of this author's books, Sevenfold Sword, the first book in a series that I believe follows the son or perhaps children of the main character in this series and while I began to listen to it I was looking at the other books this author wrote. When I saw that there were books that predated it set in the same world and concerning some of the core characters I immediately stopped the book and downloaded this. I hadn't heard of the author nor the narrator and there were very few reviews on the books in this series so I was a bit leery as to whether or not I'd enjoy it. Oftentimes the first few books an author puts out can be tortuous to get through but progressively get better as more and more books are put out especially given that self publication is much easier to achieve now. This book wasn't like that at all. It was wonderfully done with great character development and a storyline full of action that still gives the reader a firm grasp on the world's history without revealing too much about the central characters, leaving plenty of mystery to be disclosed in later books. I wasn't familiar with the narrator, Steven Crossley, either and have never listened to him prior to this book as far as I can recall. There again I was pleasantly surprised. He does a solid job and gives much more to the story than reading alone. His female voices were a little weak but not so much that it detracts from the performance. I definitely recommend checking this title out!

5 people found this helpful

Excellent Story! Please Give it a Try!

I have listened to the first nine books in this series, and I have really enjoyed it so far! If you looking for a fairly clean, but well written sword/sorcery series (with a Christian world view) I would recommend this series. Starting in book five there is some sex (not explicit - just mentioned). The narrator does change starting book six, but I think he does a great job.

As a Christian I really enjoy several aspects of this book series:

First, this book series takes place in a world where most people seem to believe in Christianity (specifically it seems to be similar to Catholicism). This is a refreshing (and less common) thing to read in modern culture. For example, one of the main characters in the party is a priest, and he talks about how things relate to faith quite a bit. The other characters discuss their faith as well. When a character starts having sex out of marriage in the fifth book it is acknowledged to be wrong, and even discussed by the other characters to some extent.

Second, its refreshing to have such real characters with real problems. The main character Ridmark is possibly the greatest warrior of the age which leads to some great fight scenes. However, while he is a great fighter, he is also a fairly emotionally broken (not in a whiny way though) person due to a tragedy from his past. In spite of being exiled from the kingdom he has spent the last five years saving and protecting people as the Gray Knight. Calliande is one of the other main characters, and is an incredibly strong woman with amazing character, but has her own problems and baggage as well. What I enjoy about this is seeing amazing people who are broken (emotionally/mentally) in certain ways, but they still do their best (even though they aren't perfect) to save the kingdom in spite of their problems.

Third, I just really enjoy the story!

Fourth, the narrators both do an excellent job! (Steven Crossley for the first five books, and then Brad Wills started narrating from book six onwards). Note: Some of the reviews were a little negative towards Brad Wills taking over in book six, but a couple of hours into the first book he narrated I came to really enjoy it. Personally, I think like in most things people don't like change. I would highly recommend you give Brad Wills a chance, and listen to the entire sixth book before making any decisions. I really enjoy both narrators!

2 people found this helpful

good read

story is complex and good from the start and draws you in to whats going on. however i believe its a little dry. the humor that pops up every now and then is like your grandfathers humor.

2 people found this helpful

Christian Propaganda Masquerading as Epic Fantasy.

The author takes a story with great potential and gradually squanders it by accosting the reader with unabating Christian moralizing. Frequently, dialogue will exist for no other discernible reason than to remind the readers that the protagonists are proud Christians.

I could endure no more partway through book three when it became obvious that any non-Christians in this story will invariably be power-obsessed social Darwinists who view right and wrong via the lens of whatever lets them amass more power because that is how non-Christians must think because Christianity is the only thing that stops the strong from abusing the weak and without Christianity no one can tell right from wrong. As a consequence, all of the characters become stale and shallow because they all think alike, have no impetus to grow or challenge their own beliefs. The story could be made much better by giving even a single one of the protagonists a different religion or philosophical disposition to generate some conflict within the group; it could probably be fixed entirely by removing all the Christian BS and making the characters different. In this group are an ork and a dwarf who found Jesus and act just like all the rest of the god-fearing humans. Why even make them a different species at all if they're just going to be just like the rest of the humans in thought and speech?

It really is a tragedy, because there is much to enjoy about the books, but the constant Jesus-pushing becomes too jarring and blatant and eventually the reader cannot help but feel as if the author is insulting their intelligence.

If you are a Christian who hates self-reflection and people with beliefs different from your own, this is the book for you, all others should stay away.

12 people found this helpful

Great description of action

I really enjoy the action scene descriptions. I can see the damage caused as I hear the words.

Dissapointing compared to the later series

Struggled to finish this. Narrator mispronounced and over enunciated half the words he read. Extremely inconsistent with his reading of different characters and their lines, I hope he gets better throughout the series or I'll have to give up on it.

Well written and narrated but lots about Jesus.

Good book but all the references to the Catholic Church and Jesus were tiresome and didn't advance the plot or characters. The good Orc and dawarve are baptized Catholics. Every aside seems to be about Catholicism and the even reference Rome of first earth ect from the Bible. I don't mind hearing about the church, I just don't think it added to this story.

Exciting adventure

A great start to what seems to be a fantastic series. If you like fantasy and a well drawn plot with a touch of mystique.

Please use Stephen Brand as narrator

This is a good story- very interesting but I enjoyed the other books more because of the different narrator.