What do you think?
Rate this book
Tales of Pawan Kor
Wrath of the White Tigress: A Tale of Pawan Kor
He thought he was a hero. She showed him the truth. Now he'll do anything to stop the man who made him a monster. For twenty years Jaska Bavadi has faithfully served the Palymfar Order and its Grandmaster, the powerful wizard Salahn, but an encounter with Zyrella Anthari, last high priestess of the White Tigress, shatters the spell that chained Jaska’s mind. Now faced with the horrors he unknowingly committed against people he swore to protect, Jaska must put Salahn's reign of cruelty to an end. Together, he and Zyrella race to save the White Tigress and stop Salahn from opening the Gates of the Underworld. An army of palymfar warriors stands in their way, but the dangerous secrets that cloud their destinies threaten to doom them first. In the tradition of Michael Moorcock, David Gemmell, and Glen Cook, Wrath of the White Tigress delivers a thrilling tale sword & sorcery fans will love.
228 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2009
About the author
David Alastair Hayden
21 books116 followersDavid Alastair Hayden writes science fiction and fantasy. He lives in Alabama. He studied history, literature, and religion at the University of Alabama.
David is also an avid collector of vintage manual typewriters, mostly from the 1950's.
To learn more about David's upcoming projects or to leave him feedback, please visit www.dahayden.com.
David is also an avid collector of vintage manual typewriters, mostly from the 1950's.
To learn more about David's upcoming projects or to leave him feedback, please visit www.dahayden.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 9, 2013
All my “out of my comfort zone” reading this year has put me in the mood for a straight-up, quest-driven, heroic epic fantasy, which it feels like I haven't read in forever. And here's Wrath of the White Tigress to fit the bill. It has an interesting setting (somewhat but not strictly Middle-Eastern / Persian / Indian in flavor), conflicted protagonists (guilt-driven heroes are so much more interesting than those going for simple revenge), a tight, self-contained plot (wonder of wonders!), and a cool villain with clearly defined goals and abilities.
I really liked the bad guy, Salahn. If you had to pick an Evil Overlord to work for, this one strikes me as a better boss than most. None of that “you failed me in the slightest way, so now you must die” crap. Here's a guy who recognizes loyalty among minions, and I imagine he probably offers a pretty good compensation package. Yeah, he's evil and cruel, but at least you can respect him. (I guess it's a sign that I've been working for the City of Birmingham too long, that I'm considering Faceless Minion of Darkness as an alternate career path.)
Two other things I appreciate about this novel: 1) The story world is bigger than the story being told. The novel's Big Bad and the quest to destroy him aren't the end-all be-all of the setting's existence. The characters cross path with others who have quests, lives, concerns, and missions of their own that only intersect the main story in passing. It gives great depth to the milieu to know that everything you see isn't merely a prop for the story at hand. And 2), this is a biggie: the author doesn't promise a happy ending. Even though “fate” and various flavors of predestination are all on the table, Hayden makes it clear early on that happily-ever-after probably isn't in the cards. You gotta love it.
I really liked the bad guy, Salahn. If you had to pick an Evil Overlord to work for, this one strikes me as a better boss than most. None of that “you failed me in the slightest way, so now you must die” crap. Here's a guy who recognizes loyalty among minions, and I imagine he probably offers a pretty good compensation package. Yeah, he's evil and cruel, but at least you can respect him. (I guess it's a sign that I've been working for the City of Birmingham too long, that I'm considering Faceless Minion of Darkness as an alternate career path.)
Two other things I appreciate about this novel: 1) The story world is bigger than the story being told. The novel's Big Bad and the quest to destroy him aren't the end-all be-all of the setting's existence. The characters cross path with others who have quests, lives, concerns, and missions of their own that only intersect the main story in passing. It gives great depth to the milieu to know that everything you see isn't merely a prop for the story at hand. And 2), this is a biggie: the author doesn't promise a happy ending. Even though “fate” and various flavors of predestination are all on the table, Hayden makes it clear early on that happily-ever-after probably isn't in the cards. You gotta love it.
September 16, 2011
You'll see from my other reviews that I keep these short and sweet and only review books that capture me in one way or another.
This my friends, is a diamond in the rough ... I've had this on my "to download and read" pile for the last month and today I took the plunge, at just over £2 it's less than a takeaway coffee - BARGAIN!
I've not been able to put it down. Each time I did I picked it back up "just to read another chapter" ... When the battery on my ipad hit 10% I became distressed at having to leave it to charge for several hours.
This author creates a believable fantasy world shrouded in exotic beliefs, multiple gods, assassins, seafarers, magic and fantastical creatures.
The main characters were delicious and believable, I genuinely cared about the love triangle. I won't spoil it for you but I felt it was the right ending.
The character development was spot on, the story was sprinkled with little bits of back story that came together wonderfully at the end.
You can tell that the author spent time and love developing this story into the polished gem that it is, I would LOVE to read more stories surrounding Jaska.
There are a lot of badly written e-books being pumped out nowadays, I am happy to say this is not one of them.
This my friends, is a diamond in the rough ... I've had this on my "to download and read" pile for the last month and today I took the plunge, at just over £2 it's less than a takeaway coffee - BARGAIN!
I've not been able to put it down. Each time I did I picked it back up "just to read another chapter" ... When the battery on my ipad hit 10% I became distressed at having to leave it to charge for several hours.
This author creates a believable fantasy world shrouded in exotic beliefs, multiple gods, assassins, seafarers, magic and fantastical creatures.
The main characters were delicious and believable, I genuinely cared about the love triangle. I won't spoil it for you but I felt it was the right ending.
The character development was spot on, the story was sprinkled with little bits of back story that came together wonderfully at the end.
You can tell that the author spent time and love developing this story into the polished gem that it is, I would LOVE to read more stories surrounding Jaska.
There are a lot of badly written e-books being pumped out nowadays, I am happy to say this is not one of them.
March 23, 2012
I'm new to David's stuff, but I thought Tigress was a strong effort. I particularly liked the exotic landscapes, and the exotic ladies. There is nothing mind-blowing here, but a solid story about an assassin who seeks to redeem himself after committing foul crimes while under the spell of an evil sorcerer. Where David makes a good "stretch" effort is with his rules of magic. The source of one's power is set into a personal stone, or quavra, as he calls it. Spell casting seems to be a fluid act that comes naturally to the caster and does not seem like playing by D&D rules, if you know what I mean.
There were parts that could have used a bit more editing, but I'm just being nit-picky.
Great work, David!
My score was a 3.7, but rounded up to 4 :)
There were parts that could have used a bit more editing, but I'm just being nit-picky.
Great work, David!
My score was a 3.7, but rounded up to 4 :)
August 2, 2011
Wrath of the White Tigress is fun and fast paced adventure with a dark side. But my favorite thing about it is the little tidbits of world that are just plain cool. They make you smile suddenly and reread the passage to savor the image they conjure. Its the thing I love the most from old school sword & sorcery or sword & planet stories and Wrath of the White Tigress strikes the same chords.
September 25, 2012
Review originally over at Fantasy Book Critic
Wrath of the White Tigress is another high fantasy book which seemed very interesting due to its blurb which promised action, heroes and wild thrill ride. This book was also a review copy requested from the author. The book has a rather stark but eye-catching cover and while the colour scheme is one which is rarely seen, it works nicely with the way its presented. The story has the main character Jaska Bavdi who is presented as an antagonist of sorts, until his semi-fatal meeting with the White Tigress head Priestess Zyrella which not only changes his perspective but also causes him to regain his sense of duty & bearing. He is then charged with saving the land of Pawan Kor from his previous master Grandmaster Salahn of the Palymfar Order, who in order to achieve his goals might just sacrifice about everything.
Set in a high fantasy world with certain Indian & middle eastern influences, the world of Pawan Kor is a fascinating one to read about with its wild mix of deities, strange lands & various magical minutiae. The story is a quintessential fantasy with a minor cast of characters who have been forced by circumstances to pool their resources and try to stop the carnage caused by the evil doers. What David. A. Hayden does bring to the table which helps in adding flair and spice to this story, is intriguing world-building, exciting characterization and a hodgepodge mix of action, romance, thrill and humor. These characteristics make this story a fun one to read and even though it’s a bit predictable, the reader will not want to drop the story as the author has made it very entertaining all the way though to its terrific climax. There’s also a strong romantic angle added to the story and while it’s very predictable, it does not detract anything from the overall story. It is rather sagaciously ingrained into the character interactions wherein it is more enjoyable.
Wrath of the White Tigress is a standalone book and gives a sense of closure to the reader however is possibly the first book about the Tales of Pawan Kor, the author has said that he has plans for another standalone story set in the same world and then to top it off with a third book which will unite the characters from this book as well as the second. With his dramatic writing style and action packed storyline, David Alastair Hayden manages to deliver a thoroughly entertaining sword & sorcery nuanced fantasy book. This book will find favor with readers who enjoy fast paced, action packed stories similar to those written by Brandon Sanderson, Mercedes Lackey & Jennifer Fallon.
May 16, 2012
Description:
Jaska Bavadi served Grandmaster Salahn of the Palymfar Order for twenty years, carrying out every order, including assassinations, without question; his loyalty unwavering. Until he encountered the last high priestess of the White Tigress, Zyrella Anthari, who broke the charm that controlled his mind, as well as his actions. As the dark tasks he committed come to light, Jaska must find a way to end Salahn's rule and protect the people of Hareez before Pawan Kor is merged with the Underworld.
Review:
I was pleasantly surprised by David Alastair Hayden's writing style, full of fast-paced action scenes, middle-eastern flair, and a new fantasy world for discovery – Pawan Kor. I do not read adult fantasies too often, but when I do, this is the kind I enjoy. I loved the names of the people and places, the language and dialogue pulling me into Jaska and Zyrella's world. I found the story-line fun and enthralling, especially when it reached its zenith. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the sex scenes, which seemed unnecessary, or of the predictable romance; I thought the characters worked well together without them. Everything else fit into the plot perfectly, particularly the vivid descriptions readers could get lost in. I must give a thumbs-up to Pepper Thorn and Sandara for the bright and intricate cover design, it made me want to read Wrath of the White Tigress even more! Overall, the well-written storyline paired with exciting characters and the middle-eastern landscape held enough sorcery and swordplay to keep me entertained. Recommended for readers of the adult (17+) fantasy genre.
Rating: On the Run (4/5)
*** I received this book from the author (Typing Cat Press) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Jaska Bavadi served Grandmaster Salahn of the Palymfar Order for twenty years, carrying out every order, including assassinations, without question; his loyalty unwavering. Until he encountered the last high priestess of the White Tigress, Zyrella Anthari, who broke the charm that controlled his mind, as well as his actions. As the dark tasks he committed come to light, Jaska must find a way to end Salahn's rule and protect the people of Hareez before Pawan Kor is merged with the Underworld.
Review:
I was pleasantly surprised by David Alastair Hayden's writing style, full of fast-paced action scenes, middle-eastern flair, and a new fantasy world for discovery – Pawan Kor. I do not read adult fantasies too often, but when I do, this is the kind I enjoy. I loved the names of the people and places, the language and dialogue pulling me into Jaska and Zyrella's world. I found the story-line fun and enthralling, especially when it reached its zenith. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of the sex scenes, which seemed unnecessary, or of the predictable romance; I thought the characters worked well together without them. Everything else fit into the plot perfectly, particularly the vivid descriptions readers could get lost in. I must give a thumbs-up to Pepper Thorn and Sandara for the bright and intricate cover design, it made me want to read Wrath of the White Tigress even more! Overall, the well-written storyline paired with exciting characters and the middle-eastern landscape held enough sorcery and swordplay to keep me entertained. Recommended for readers of the adult (17+) fantasy genre.
Rating: On the Run (4/5)
*** I received this book from the author (Typing Cat Press) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
August 20, 2012
Billed as a modern sword & sorcery tale in the tradition of Moorcock and Gemmel, this book starts with a compelling premise: an assassin tasked with killing a high priestess manages to shake off decades of mystical brainwashing. Working with Zyrella, the high priestess, he turns against the evil emperor Salahn and attempts to destroy the regime he once helped build.
I enjoyed the book, but it had a few issues. The beginning and conclusion were quite strong, but the middle part seemed to lose focus and meander a bit. I liked the main trio of characters, Jaska, Zyrella, and Ohzi, but the middle third of the book rapidly introduces a number of new faces that failed to leave much of an impression. As a result there are a couple cases of dramatic self-sacrifice that fell flat. I didn't really need the archer twins with their vague prophecy or the desert tribesmen, they were all fairly interchangeable and I would've rather spent more time with the main characters.
The prose was solid, but not particularly ostentatious. Not much time was spent on world-building, but the setting seemed interesting and a pleasant change from pseudo-Europe. The magic presented was interesting, but perhaps a little under-developed (the star-based magic was especially vague). The fast pace and action reminded me a bit of my favorite sword & sorcery stories, but the frequent divine intervention and good versus evil plot are well-trodden epic fantasy tropes and appealed less.
Hayden is a newer author, and I suspect my issues with the book are related to that. It was a fun read, though. I own another Hayden book besides this one and I plan to keep an eye out for future releases as well.
I enjoyed the book, but it had a few issues. The beginning and conclusion were quite strong, but the middle part seemed to lose focus and meander a bit. I liked the main trio of characters, Jaska, Zyrella, and Ohzi, but the middle third of the book rapidly introduces a number of new faces that failed to leave much of an impression. As a result there are a couple cases of dramatic self-sacrifice that fell flat. I didn't really need the archer twins with their vague prophecy or the desert tribesmen, they were all fairly interchangeable and I would've rather spent more time with the main characters.
The prose was solid, but not particularly ostentatious. Not much time was spent on world-building, but the setting seemed interesting and a pleasant change from pseudo-Europe. The magic presented was interesting, but perhaps a little under-developed (the star-based magic was especially vague). The fast pace and action reminded me a bit of my favorite sword & sorcery stories, but the frequent divine intervention and good versus evil plot are well-trodden epic fantasy tropes and appealed less.
Hayden is a newer author, and I suspect my issues with the book are related to that. It was a fun read, though. I own another Hayden book besides this one and I plan to keep an eye out for future releases as well.
June 23, 2012
Zyrella Anthari is a priestest for the white tigress goddess. The white tigress has been imprisoned by Grandmaster Salahn of the Palymfar Order and Zyrella is attempting free her goddess. Grandmaster Salahn sends he’s ultimate assassin, Jaska Bavadi, to kill Zyrella, thereby giving Salahn all the tigress’s power. Zyerella, with the help of the white tigress frees Jaska from a magical charm Salahn has placed on him. The charm kept Jaska under Salahn’s mind control. Now that the charm is broken Jaska must search for the truth, come to grips with the evil he met out on innocent people and find a way to destroy Salahn before he merges the Pawan Kor with the underworld.
David Alastair Hayden’s created a fantasy world to pull you into this enthralling story. Wrath of the White Tigress is action packed, pretty fast paced and has the flair sword and sorcery. Hayden was extremely descriptive and gave lots of back ground to keep you engulfed in the world he created, though at times it slowed the pace down a little. Wrath of the White Tigress has an original story line that is sure to please any adult fantasy reader.
This copy of Wrath of the White Tigress was given to me by Cat Press and David Alastair Hayden in exchange for an honest review.
David Alastair Hayden’s created a fantasy world to pull you into this enthralling story. Wrath of the White Tigress is action packed, pretty fast paced and has the flair sword and sorcery. Hayden was extremely descriptive and gave lots of back ground to keep you engulfed in the world he created, though at times it slowed the pace down a little. Wrath of the White Tigress has an original story line that is sure to please any adult fantasy reader.
This copy of Wrath of the White Tigress was given to me by Cat Press and David Alastair Hayden in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2012
I really liked Wrath of the White Tigress. It's well-written, with effective and believable characters in both camps; the good guys have practical considerations and are not just blindly devoted to a cause, and the bad guy is psychotically evil, but at the same time is pursuing his ends for what (to him, at least) are perfectly logical reasons. One of my favorite things about the book is how in their travels, the heroes fully interact with the people they meet and the world around them. Instead of glossing over travel time with a "they grew bored on the long trip"-style description of a boat journey, the main characters help out and integrate themselves into the day-to-day workings of the boat. It lends a nice touch of practicality and realism.
May 28, 2014
A good man fooled
When Jaska is fooled into serving an evil power he must be shown the wrong of his actions and convinced to redress the imbalance. A more mature book than his YA series, this blend of Asian mythology and heroic struggle culminates to create a redemption story of epic proportions. Enjoyed it and look forward to more.
When Jaska is fooled into serving an evil power he must be shown the wrong of his actions and convinced to redress the imbalance. A more mature book than his YA series, this blend of Asian mythology and heroic struggle culminates to create a redemption story of epic proportions. Enjoyed it and look forward to more.
January 19, 2012
A fun, fast-paced adventure story that will keep you reading chapter after chapter. Mr. Hayden has created a believable world with interesting characters in it. Much like the old sword and sorcery stories I enjoy, I hope there will more adventures in Pawan Kor to come!
August 1, 2011
I could not put this book down.
Want to Read
October 2, 2011I won this book from First Reads. Looks like a good book. Thank you.
April 10, 2012
I loved this book. It was a well detailed, well developed character quest driven story. I recommend it for any fantasy readers. I will definitely read it again and again.
June 28, 2018
No thank you. Not for me.
June 16, 2012
Free copy received from BookRooster.com for review
Premise: Zyrella is the last priestess of the White Tigress. The sorcerer Salahn has conquered the nation with his elite corps of warriors and is absorbing and destroying minor deities in his quest for immortality. Zyrella is trying to protect her goddess, but the Tigress herself is more concerned with a warrior named Jaska. He is the worst of the sorcerer's men, but could he be the Tigress's salvation?
A few unavoidable minor spoilers follow. Really, it's okay.
Sometimes I should listen to my first instinct. When I received the offer of this review copy, I did what I always do: I read the sample on Amazon. I thought it was interesting, with promise, but not enough to request the review copy. Later I was cleaning samples off my Kindle and I came across it again. I found that I was still intrigued by the concept, so I requested a copy after all.
Then I read it.
It's not a terrible book, but neither is it good. The characters are forced into some growth and change right at the beginning, but then their state is basically set for the rest of the book. The warrior, it turns out rather quickly, was hypnotized magically. He thought he was fighting for right and justice when he was torturing and raping villagers. So he's tormented by half-memories and still super-badass, and that doesn't change through the rest of the novel. The priestess is sad, yet hopeful and a bit ineffable. (Of course she's drawn to the warrior dude. Later there's an explanation for this. It's incredibly stupid.) The bad guys are evil. They think of themselves as evil and congratulate each other on how evil they are.
This can work: an author can make the villains a legion of crazy Caligulas, but it's a delicate balance to keep it seeming realistic. Why does this group hold power at all? There are no illusions: everyone knows they're evil. Why don't the other nations band together to stop them? The in-world explanation seems to be that Sorcerer-guy is too powerful already, but it seems odd to me that there aren't heroes breaking out all over.
None of the characters grow or change over most of the novel. They learn stuff, then proceed to a new area, then gain a new party member. It got a little silly. The ending wasn't satisfying, and there was occasional highly explicit violence that seemed to come out of nowhere.
The writing isn't bad on a technical level; the description is decently done and some of the ideas are really intriguing. However, for me the story never really delivered on its early promise. None of the races, magics, religions or back-stories seemed fully realized to me. The world-building felt merely superficial.
After all that, I still didn't hate this book, I just don't really think it was worth the time to read when there are so many novels in the world.
Premise: Zyrella is the last priestess of the White Tigress. The sorcerer Salahn has conquered the nation with his elite corps of warriors and is absorbing and destroying minor deities in his quest for immortality. Zyrella is trying to protect her goddess, but the Tigress herself is more concerned with a warrior named Jaska. He is the worst of the sorcerer's men, but could he be the Tigress's salvation?
A few unavoidable minor spoilers follow. Really, it's okay.
Sometimes I should listen to my first instinct. When I received the offer of this review copy, I did what I always do: I read the sample on Amazon. I thought it was interesting, with promise, but not enough to request the review copy. Later I was cleaning samples off my Kindle and I came across it again. I found that I was still intrigued by the concept, so I requested a copy after all.
Then I read it.
It's not a terrible book, but neither is it good. The characters are forced into some growth and change right at the beginning, but then their state is basically set for the rest of the book. The warrior, it turns out rather quickly, was hypnotized magically. He thought he was fighting for right and justice when he was torturing and raping villagers. So he's tormented by half-memories and still super-badass, and that doesn't change through the rest of the novel. The priestess is sad, yet hopeful and a bit ineffable. (Of course she's drawn to the warrior dude. Later there's an explanation for this. It's incredibly stupid.) The bad guys are evil. They think of themselves as evil and congratulate each other on how evil they are.
This can work: an author can make the villains a legion of crazy Caligulas, but it's a delicate balance to keep it seeming realistic. Why does this group hold power at all? There are no illusions: everyone knows they're evil. Why don't the other nations band together to stop them? The in-world explanation seems to be that Sorcerer-guy is too powerful already, but it seems odd to me that there aren't heroes breaking out all over.
None of the characters grow or change over most of the novel. They learn stuff, then proceed to a new area, then gain a new party member. It got a little silly. The ending wasn't satisfying, and there was occasional highly explicit violence that seemed to come out of nowhere.
The writing isn't bad on a technical level; the description is decently done and some of the ideas are really intriguing. However, for me the story never really delivered on its early promise. None of the races, magics, religions or back-stories seemed fully realized to me. The world-building felt merely superficial.
After all that, I still didn't hate this book, I just don't really think it was worth the time to read when there are so many novels in the world.
April 19, 2013
I was fortunate to gain access to this book during a kindle promotion. I purchased it and forgot about it until about a week ago when I started reading it and I was pleasantly surprised.
I have not read anything from the science-fiction/fantasy genre for a long time, having favored non-fiction books of late.
Anyway, I don't think Mr Hayden's book will be winning any of the prestigious science fiction honors, awarded to this genre anytime soon. However, his book is short, direct and enjoyable. There is no messing about with characters who are unsure of themselves. The premise of the book is a mission of vengeance and from the very beginning it maintains its quick pace.
The protagonist, Jaska Bavadi also known as the Slayer, upon discovering that he has been magically manipulated for the majority of his life, proceeds to hack, slash and disembowel his way to the man responsible for his suffering. Many of the other characters become his friends or they have brief meetings with the business end of his weapons.
The unfortunate draw back of Mr Hayden's book is that there is very little description of the world of Pawan Kor. This is a place where humans interact with lesser deities as if they were best friends. They also coexist with races of humanoids, like the Jakal headed Arhrhakim and the bird headed Eirsenda and yet the regular flora and fauna appear to be the same as what we are used to here on earth. I know it is Mr. Hayden's creation, but it would have been nice if we got a little more. He makes mention of the sun (Zhura) and the moon (Avida) but that is about it really.
But, as I said in the beginning, it is short easy reading and Mr Hayden writes very well. I am sure as he churns out additional novels his work will improve with leaps and bounds. For now, I look forward to sampling some of his other works. Particular the ones having to do with the realm of Pawan Kor.
I have not read anything from the science-fiction/fantasy genre for a long time, having favored non-fiction books of late.
Anyway, I don't think Mr Hayden's book will be winning any of the prestigious science fiction honors, awarded to this genre anytime soon. However, his book is short, direct and enjoyable. There is no messing about with characters who are unsure of themselves. The premise of the book is a mission of vengeance and from the very beginning it maintains its quick pace.
The protagonist, Jaska Bavadi also known as the Slayer, upon discovering that he has been magically manipulated for the majority of his life, proceeds to hack, slash and disembowel his way to the man responsible for his suffering. Many of the other characters become his friends or they have brief meetings with the business end of his weapons.
The unfortunate draw back of Mr Hayden's book is that there is very little description of the world of Pawan Kor. This is a place where humans interact with lesser deities as if they were best friends. They also coexist with races of humanoids, like the Jakal headed Arhrhakim and the bird headed Eirsenda and yet the regular flora and fauna appear to be the same as what we are used to here on earth. I know it is Mr. Hayden's creation, but it would have been nice if we got a little more. He makes mention of the sun (Zhura) and the moon (Avida) but that is about it really.
But, as I said in the beginning, it is short easy reading and Mr Hayden writes very well. I am sure as he churns out additional novels his work will improve with leaps and bounds. For now, I look forward to sampling some of his other works. Particular the ones having to do with the realm of Pawan Kor.
September 8, 2012
Received ebook edition through Goodreads giveaway. The best 'bad guy' I have read about in too long! Wow, that man is mean. Sweet that he is unrelentingly evil. Too many folks develop a 'bad guy with a heart.' Sadly, there are selfish, nasty people in the world, and Hayden gives us one. I love it!!! I'm writing a review, and the good guy is extraneous! All the characters are well developed, but doggone I like that bad guy! Read it and enjoy!
March 8, 2013
Flat delivery detracted from the story which was also somewhat limited in character development and narrative style (a lot of places where the narrator provides detailed background information aka info dumps). It had the feel of a novice effort.
April 23, 2017
Zyrella and Jaska come from different backgrounds, both living a life of pure devotion; Zyrella to her Goddess, and Jaska to his Kingdom.
The moral, internal dilemmas and withdrawal Jaska is forced to endure increases his appeal and credibility.
Zyrella's quest empowers her to help Jaska overcome his doubts, embrace his ability to help her, and ultimately defeat an evil which frees him - and others.
An adult magical quest of monumental measures will spellbind readers. Abilities to strive to overcome and the humility to accept assistance... and acceptance.
Clearly, a highly recommendable high epic fantasy begging to be read, enjoyed, and loved.
The moral, internal dilemmas and withdrawal Jaska is forced to endure increases his appeal and credibility.
Zyrella's quest empowers her to help Jaska overcome his doubts, embrace his ability to help her, and ultimately defeat an evil which frees him - and others.
An adult magical quest of monumental measures will spellbind readers. Abilities to strive to overcome and the humility to accept assistance... and acceptance.
Clearly, a highly recommendable high epic fantasy begging to be read, enjoyed, and loved.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews