This is The First Book of the Broken Stone Chronicle By Author Damien Black.
Here is the synopsis:
As a kingdom teeters on the brink of civil war, two witch hunters fight to stop a warlock before he unlocks an ancient evil…
For centuries only the sacred Argolian Order has stood between the dark forces of the Other Side and the mortal vale. Now the barrier between worlds is breaking down, and two of its monks must identify the demonologist responsible, before he has them killed…
When novice Adelko is assigned to adept Horskram, he rejoices at the chance to lead an adventurous life. An adventurous death isn’t what he had in mind – but it comes calling when they learn of a sorcerous theft. Whoever is behind it wants to silence them before they can warn the Grand Master of their order...
As Horskram and Adelko flee from one danger to another, their homeland erupts into civil war – the rebellious southern barons have reunited and want to dethrone the King of Northalde. Their world is on the brink of a momentous struggle that will reshape it forever…
My opinion:
Epic, that would be my description if asked to put it in only one word. Damien’s Black book will go straight to my favorite list. The reader will find itself in a dark parallel world where evil is very real. This world is beautifully created, you could swear the author was there, the details make the scenes trapping.
The characters are incredibly well constructed, their flaws make them all more appealing and true. We have a priest, a novice, a knight, a princess, a squire… so much to chose from. The multiple points of view are flawless, each character has importance and depth. My favorite of all would be Adelko, a novice under the tutelage of Master Horskram, he’s the more relatable to me, smart and creative under pressure, also prone to question everything and see the best on people.
The plot is beautifully made, creating mysteries to solve that just won't let you put the book down. Every story is connected and carries an important meaning, every scenario is so thoroughly described you can almost smell it. Despite having a hint sometimes as to what could happen next, most was a surprise, the unpredictability is refreshing. The action scenes look like something you would see in an epic fantasy movie, even better: fierce monsters, brave heroes, and powerful villains.
The end is not really an end, but a new beginning, with just a few riddles unraveled and much more to solve. The danger to face will grow as I’m sure the adventure will too.
Here's the Amazon Page for this book. And Damien Black's Facebook page.
Thank you for a thorough, balanced, well-written review, Selene. It has given me sufficient detail to see the frame of the story and the main characters. The analysis of them piques my curiosity. I am not into reading novels of this genre but based on your review I might make an exception. I love heroes with flaws and villains who make mistakes!
ReplyDeleteThis was not my genre either, but Damien is that good. Thanks for stopping by!
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