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Korin's Journal #1
The Dragon Gem
With nothing to go on but a vague dream which may or may not be memory, Korinalis Karell has traveled Amirand for three years in search of his birth parents. With a magical Contract to fund his journey and a magic talking wizard cat named Max to keep him out of trouble, Korin has made his way through the world with no success in finding them.
However, what starts out as a seemingly simple Contract job to find a stolen gem for a count quickly turns into a fight for survival that brings about revelations about Korin's life that turn his world inside-out and upside-down.
With the aid of a mediocre wizard who happens to be the daughter of the most powerful wizard in Amirand, a chatterbox Kolarin, and Max, Korin sets out to discover the secrets of his past so that he may live to see his future.
This is a firsthand account of Korin's journey as he chases down thieves, is chased down by a dragon and gods-forsaken creatures of death, and finds out that life just never seems to get easier.
The Dragon Gem is approximately 142,000 words in length.
However, what starts out as a seemingly simple Contract job to find a stolen gem for a count quickly turns into a fight for survival that brings about revelations about Korin's life that turn his world inside-out and upside-down.
With the aid of a mediocre wizard who happens to be the daughter of the most powerful wizard in Amirand, a chatterbox Kolarin, and Max, Korin sets out to discover the secrets of his past so that he may live to see his future.
This is a firsthand account of Korin's journey as he chases down thieves, is chased down by a dragon and gods-forsaken creatures of death, and finds out that life just never seems to get easier.
The Dragon Gem is approximately 142,000 words in length.
- GenresFantasy
438 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2012
26 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Brian Beam
6 books30 followersBrian Beam was born and raised in Kentucky and is a proud husband and father. He holds degrees in marketing and nursing, following his passion for writing in his free time. He has way too many cats and likes video games a little too much.
His writing has been influenced and inspired by some of his favorite authors including Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, Jim Butcher, Patrick Rothfuss, and Terry Goodkind.
He currently resides in North Carolina.
www.facebook.com/brianbeamauthor
http://www.brian-beam.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/brianbeam2
bbeams32@gmail.com
His writing has been influenced and inspired by some of his favorite authors including Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, Jim Butcher, Patrick Rothfuss, and Terry Goodkind.
He currently resides in North Carolina.
www.facebook.com/brianbeamauthor
http://www.brian-beam.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/brianbeam2
bbeams32@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 17, 2014
Where to start...
I can tell you this book doesn’t lack in action. There always seemed to be something happening. Either the characters were fleeing for their lives or they were fighting. It made it fast paced and kept me interested. For the most part, the fight scenes were play by play. Sometimes I followed, sometimes I didn’t, but it never detracted from my enjoyment. I also liked how Beam kept us close to Korin (the narrator and main protagonist) by letting us in on what pains he was experiencing during all this action. I think it’s odd how in some books when a character fights there’s no connection to pain. Here, Beam connected us with it.
The world was built fairly well and I was satisfied by the information I received. There’s like a billion gods in this world and it was handled with a huge dose of humor. Some might find it annoying (because of how they’re all referenced) but I found it thoroughly entertaining. And I think—or at least hope—that it’ll tie in to some of the dangling story questions, a few of which I’ve developed a couple of theories to solve. This should tell you that the plot is interesting enough to keep you guessing with hints dropped here and there to allow your imagination to work on puzzling it all out. That said, I think Beam relied heavily on the old trope “I can’t tell you yet because it could put you in danger.” Meaning, one character has all the answers, but doesn’t reveal. I’ve never really been bothered by this unless the story and characters are dull. This story was not, so I was fine.
On to Korin, our narrator and main protagonist. I’ll tell you, I liked him more in the beginning. His humor had me smiling often and I liked that he wasn’t always winning. He needed help, or he got the crap beat out of him. That was good. Me likey. However, the further I read, his realism turned into dependency. He was incapable of protecting himself. He never once handled a situation on his own and never once got himself out of it. Sure, he had ideas and thought through some stuff, but in regards to fighting he was a little reliant. I would have liked to see him escape a few situations on his own (without the help of others), just to show he’s as good as he says/thinks he is.
There’s a lot of humor in this book. At the beginning, I was into it. By the end, I was kinda ready for a little more realistic reactions to horrific scenes. I like a book heavy with emotion. I think too often a character doesn’t react appropriately to a terribly sad event. Korin reacted to sad events with emotion, which I enjoyed. However, he switched too quickly between horrible sorrow to his wise-crackish self. Again, it didn’t bother me so much in the beginning, but by the end (as events got darker) I would have liked to keep things serious just a little longer. Furthermore, the later humor of the book felt a little forced, while at the beginning it felt more natural. Here’s a few lines that had me smiling in the beginning:
“So now the stolen gem that I’d stolen had been stolen. Fancy that.”
For this next one, keep in mind that he has a talking cat wizard:
“Not many things can hurt your pride more than being berated by a tabby.”
There was a lovely dose of sarcasm and dry humor that I enjoyed. I liked Korin’s narration. It was entertaining and witty.
So to conclude my ramblings, this was a fast paced, very light, very enjoyable read. I’ve already bought the second book, and Beam has a new fan.
I can tell you this book doesn’t lack in action. There always seemed to be something happening. Either the characters were fleeing for their lives or they were fighting. It made it fast paced and kept me interested. For the most part, the fight scenes were play by play. Sometimes I followed, sometimes I didn’t, but it never detracted from my enjoyment. I also liked how Beam kept us close to Korin (the narrator and main protagonist) by letting us in on what pains he was experiencing during all this action. I think it’s odd how in some books when a character fights there’s no connection to pain. Here, Beam connected us with it.
The world was built fairly well and I was satisfied by the information I received. There’s like a billion gods in this world and it was handled with a huge dose of humor. Some might find it annoying (because of how they’re all referenced) but I found it thoroughly entertaining. And I think—or at least hope—that it’ll tie in to some of the dangling story questions, a few of which I’ve developed a couple of theories to solve. This should tell you that the plot is interesting enough to keep you guessing with hints dropped here and there to allow your imagination to work on puzzling it all out. That said, I think Beam relied heavily on the old trope “I can’t tell you yet because it could put you in danger.” Meaning, one character has all the answers, but doesn’t reveal. I’ve never really been bothered by this unless the story and characters are dull. This story was not, so I was fine.
On to Korin, our narrator and main protagonist. I’ll tell you, I liked him more in the beginning. His humor had me smiling often and I liked that he wasn’t always winning. He needed help, or he got the crap beat out of him. That was good. Me likey. However, the further I read, his realism turned into dependency. He was incapable of protecting himself. He never once handled a situation on his own and never once got himself out of it. Sure, he had ideas and thought through some stuff, but in regards to fighting he was a little reliant. I would have liked to see him escape a few situations on his own (without the help of others), just to show he’s as good as he says/thinks he is.
There’s a lot of humor in this book. At the beginning, I was into it. By the end, I was kinda ready for a little more realistic reactions to horrific scenes. I like a book heavy with emotion. I think too often a character doesn’t react appropriately to a terribly sad event. Korin reacted to sad events with emotion, which I enjoyed. However, he switched too quickly between horrible sorrow to his wise-crackish self. Again, it didn’t bother me so much in the beginning, but by the end (as events got darker) I would have liked to keep things serious just a little longer. Furthermore, the later humor of the book felt a little forced, while at the beginning it felt more natural. Here’s a few lines that had me smiling in the beginning:
“So now the stolen gem that I’d stolen had been stolen. Fancy that.”
For this next one, keep in mind that he has a talking cat wizard:
“Not many things can hurt your pride more than being berated by a tabby.”
There was a lovely dose of sarcasm and dry humor that I enjoyed. I liked Korin’s narration. It was entertaining and witty.
So to conclude my ramblings, this was a fast paced, very light, very enjoyable read. I’ve already bought the second book, and Beam has a new fan.
February 6, 2015
I've been meaning to write this review and finally got a chance to do it.
A warrior by the name of Korinalis Karell is obligated by the magic of an Activated Contract (more on that later) to seek a certain gem for a Count Galius Firmon while searching for the parents he never knew. Sounds like a pretty straightforward adventure, except it's not. Brian weaves a wonderful storyline that gives you one layer of mystery that turns into another. Most things aren't what they seem to be, and the story quickly expands from the assumed premise to an altogether different one.
That are a lot of things I like here. The story is mostly written in first person through the eyes of Korinalis (hence I'm assuming the subtitle, "Korin's Journal"), which can be challenging, since this type of story format can sometimes be limited based upon the knowledge of the main character with what is happening around him/her, but Brian makes it works well. Korin's befuddlement becomes our befuddlement, and you feel like you are literally accompanying him on his adventure, learning the clues that build upon bigger clues alongside him. Also, the concept of a Contract was unique - the magic involved in creating it, the safeguards built around those involved, its Activation, and its Terms were all great ideas.
Next you have the supporting characters - we have Salmaea the female wizard (Sal), 'Til the Kolarin thief, and Max. Each has a unique voice, motivation, and personality without sounding generic which can happen with fantasy supporting casts (i.e., "wizard", check, "thief", check). They could easily have become ciphers, mere background devices to fill a page or chapter, but in this case, their interplay and own needs are clearly defined, and you start to care for these characters - another example of good writing.
Max is of course my favorite, even outshining Korin, in my opinion. Another layer of mystery surrounds this magical wizard cat (did I forget to mention Max was a cat?) and without giving away any spoilers, let's just say there is a lot more to him than meets the eye.
With Korin's exposition, again you risked having a dry and overly detailed explanation for events and situations to keep the reader informed on all of the introduced concepts. There is a lot of fleshing out of concepts for the reader to understand, but nothing that sounds artificial or forced. Brian has some fun with Korin and Max. You can't beat a magic cat telling his companion he's an "Averinax-blooded lunkhead", and Korin's colorful dialogue of "They just didn't know that they'd gotten their asses kicked by a cat." cracked me up.
To tell more of the story and the additional characters met would be giving away a lot of what the story builds up to. Suffice to say the story isn't over yet! More Korin, more Max, please!
A warrior by the name of Korinalis Karell is obligated by the magic of an Activated Contract (more on that later) to seek a certain gem for a Count Galius Firmon while searching for the parents he never knew. Sounds like a pretty straightforward adventure, except it's not. Brian weaves a wonderful storyline that gives you one layer of mystery that turns into another. Most things aren't what they seem to be, and the story quickly expands from the assumed premise to an altogether different one.
That are a lot of things I like here. The story is mostly written in first person through the eyes of Korinalis (hence I'm assuming the subtitle, "Korin's Journal"), which can be challenging, since this type of story format can sometimes be limited based upon the knowledge of the main character with what is happening around him/her, but Brian makes it works well. Korin's befuddlement becomes our befuddlement, and you feel like you are literally accompanying him on his adventure, learning the clues that build upon bigger clues alongside him. Also, the concept of a Contract was unique - the magic involved in creating it, the safeguards built around those involved, its Activation, and its Terms were all great ideas.
Next you have the supporting characters - we have Salmaea the female wizard (Sal), 'Til the Kolarin thief, and Max. Each has a unique voice, motivation, and personality without sounding generic which can happen with fantasy supporting casts (i.e., "wizard", check, "thief", check). They could easily have become ciphers, mere background devices to fill a page or chapter, but in this case, their interplay and own needs are clearly defined, and you start to care for these characters - another example of good writing.
Max is of course my favorite, even outshining Korin, in my opinion. Another layer of mystery surrounds this magical wizard cat (did I forget to mention Max was a cat?) and without giving away any spoilers, let's just say there is a lot more to him than meets the eye.
With Korin's exposition, again you risked having a dry and overly detailed explanation for events and situations to keep the reader informed on all of the introduced concepts. There is a lot of fleshing out of concepts for the reader to understand, but nothing that sounds artificial or forced. Brian has some fun with Korin and Max. You can't beat a magic cat telling his companion he's an "Averinax-blooded lunkhead", and Korin's colorful dialogue of "They just didn't know that they'd gotten their asses kicked by a cat." cracked me up.
To tell more of the story and the additional characters met would be giving away a lot of what the story builds up to. Suffice to say the story isn't over yet! More Korin, more Max, please!
May 23, 2012
I generally do not read fantasy, although I loved the Harry Potter series. However, it was as if a giant hand snatched me into The Dragon Gem and would not let go until I had read every word. I love the characters and the total excitement Brian Beam has created. Korin is a very believable character with a great sense of humor and a familiarness that tugs at the heartstrings. On a quest for the truth, he is alternately chased by monsters and his inner demons, all the while having a great sense of humor and caring for his friends. Max is one of the greatest characters ever (I can say that about a wizard cat, right?) and I loved him! This book has everything - fantasy, romance, battles with monsters, family ties, wizardry, and it's a total roller coaster all the way. I do have to say that if the book were properly edited I feel that it would be a runaway bestseller. I chose not to address those concerns here and am just speaking to the content of the book. Mr. Beam is a witty writer and his characters spring from the page and become your best friends. You care what happens to them and root for them to overcome obstacles and find what they are searching for. I was a bit let down by the end, but again, it was due to editing and I cannot give less credence to the story because of it. Good job all around Mr. Beam. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series - you have hooked me on fantasy!
July 27, 2012
Ok, I really enjoyed reading this book. God help me, i couldn't stop laughing about the wizard kitty, lol. It has a little of everything in it, action, love, comedy. You will not be able to put it down, I know I had a heard time putting it down. The characters a amazing, tehehe, especially the wizard kitty. Sorry, back to the review. This story has evil, good, dragons, wizard kitty ;), and much, much more :D
A must read :)
♥♥♥♥♥
A must read :)
♥♥♥♥♥
December 23, 2014
A quality title that doesnt skimp on content. The protagonist and the characters were well developed and you didnt get lost with side storylines you really dont care about.
May 4, 2017
Intense and violent with the offset of humor from the characters. Looking forward to the next book.
January 15, 2013
The Dragon Gem
Well, if you like action and adventure, you’ll want to give this book a read!
The characters are well thought out and most definitely likable. I cared about them. Well except for a couple of them anyway!
The protagonist, Korin, thinks he’s pretty tough, but is a big softy. I liked his passion, his sense of honor, his need to take the moral high ground in all situations, even at the expense of his own life.
There is plenty of humor. That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.
The plot flowed well and it is a good story premise with many mysteries that need to be uncovered. The answers to some of these peppered throughout the book often enough to satisfy but also keep interest peaked. (I believe this is just the first book in the series.)
What I liked as I read, there would be twists that I didn’t see coming and these were worked into the story believably. (Like when they found out what the gem really was. Hope that’s not a spoiler!)
The author has a good imagination that he can relate to the reader. Some of his creatures are, hmmm, well read the book and find out for yourself! But I gotta wonder how he came up with these things!! Awesome! Oh and a dragon. I won’t say any more about the dragon, but it’s good.
The ending does, without a doubt, lead to there being another book. At least I hope so.
Overall, the writing is above average. Would the book have benefited from a critique or edit? Sure, but that’s just stuff. The book was still a pleasant read with great characters, adventures, and action. Lots of action! Whew!
I look forward to reading the next installment of Korin’s journey to find the truth.
Well, if you like action and adventure, you’ll want to give this book a read!
The characters are well thought out and most definitely likable. I cared about them. Well except for a couple of them anyway!
The protagonist, Korin, thinks he’s pretty tough, but is a big softy. I liked his passion, his sense of honor, his need to take the moral high ground in all situations, even at the expense of his own life.
There is plenty of humor. That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned.
The plot flowed well and it is a good story premise with many mysteries that need to be uncovered. The answers to some of these peppered throughout the book often enough to satisfy but also keep interest peaked. (I believe this is just the first book in the series.)
What I liked as I read, there would be twists that I didn’t see coming and these were worked into the story believably. (Like when they found out what the gem really was. Hope that’s not a spoiler!)
The author has a good imagination that he can relate to the reader. Some of his creatures are, hmmm, well read the book and find out for yourself! But I gotta wonder how he came up with these things!! Awesome! Oh and a dragon. I won’t say any more about the dragon, but it’s good.
The ending does, without a doubt, lead to there being another book. At least I hope so.
Overall, the writing is above average. Would the book have benefited from a critique or edit? Sure, but that’s just stuff. The book was still a pleasant read with great characters, adventures, and action. Lots of action! Whew!
I look forward to reading the next installment of Korin’s journey to find the truth.
April 8, 2014
Dragon's Gem was a fun read, and it kept me entertained the whole way through. I am a sucker for classic Sword & Sorcery fantasy, and Beam provides a solid adventure with a fun and diverse cast of characters, who were also full of unending sarcasm that kept the dialog in a good flow.
I have read many fantasy novels, though not as many as some, and never in my delvings have I chanced upon a talking cat who is also a wizard. I won't spoil what happens to the wizard cat, but it's damn adorable. I'll leave it at that!
The dragon is of course an important figure in the story, and I greatly enjoyed his character and the lore surrounding him.
The story ends with many loose ends, and leaves you with only one option: to read the next book in Korin's Journal! If you are a fan of classic epic fantasy, I recommend that you do so.
I have read many fantasy novels, though not as many as some, and never in my delvings have I chanced upon a talking cat who is also a wizard. I won't spoil what happens to the wizard cat, but it's damn adorable. I'll leave it at that!
The dragon is of course an important figure in the story, and I greatly enjoyed his character and the lore surrounding him.
The story ends with many loose ends, and leaves you with only one option: to read the next book in Korin's Journal! If you are a fan of classic epic fantasy, I recommend that you do so.
August 10, 2012
A light hearted read with the usual mix of adventure fantasy creatures such as a dragon, some magic, a lost prince(?) and evil wizards – this was not a difficult book to read. There were times however, where the writing was a little clumsy and from the tone of the storytelling I would guess that it would be more suited towards young adults or children. If it were to targeted at adults it would need some serious editing to polish up the prose a little (although let me point out, someone probably said this of the Harry Potter books…). One of my favourite aspects were the various deities and the curses associated with them and Max’s humour/wit.
Full review at: http://indieebooks.wordpress.com/2012...
Full review at: http://indieebooks.wordpress.com/2012...
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April 8, 2016Be prepared to loose yourself in mystical times
I gave this book a four star rating because I thoroughly enjoyed it . The story was suspenseful and kept me interested with all its twists and turns. The author's writing provides a good balance of excitement and background. The story unfolds at a good pace, all the while challenging the reader to solve some of the mystery for her/himself.
I recommend this book to all those that dream of living in a time of royalty, dragons, peasants, and magic! I am looking forward to the next book in this series as I want to know what happens next and where the adventures will continue to take me.
I gave this book a four star rating because I thoroughly enjoyed it . The story was suspenseful and kept me interested with all its twists and turns. The author's writing provides a good balance of excitement and background. The story unfolds at a good pace, all the while challenging the reader to solve some of the mystery for her/himself.
I recommend this book to all those that dream of living in a time of royalty, dragons, peasants, and magic! I am looking forward to the next book in this series as I want to know what happens next and where the adventures will continue to take me.
September 30, 2012
A great debut novel! Little rough around the edges editing-wise, but I got so wrapped up in the adventure, it didn't much matter. Korin is so likable, you can't help but get invested in his quest and, more than once, I found myself leaning forward in my seat cheering him on. Max and 'Til are great additions to the cast and I hope to see some more of Sal' as the story goes along. Good pacing, good length, can't wait for more.
February 13, 2013
I decided this book from the Goodread Giveaways and I am honored to have received this book. It is a fun fantasy book with twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Like able characters mixed with some not so likable characters makes for a nice read and this book is definitely a great read.
Thanks for letting me win this. I really enjoyed the book and hope to read the next book if there is another one coming out.
Thanks for letting me win this. I really enjoyed the book and hope to read the next book if there is another one coming out.
December 30, 2014
What a great series starter.
I recommend this book to any fantasy lover out there. Lots of action throughout to keep the story moving. Some books have what I would call *boring spots*—spots the book could have done without—this book thankfully did not have any of these so called *spots*, in my opinion anyways. What a great start to the series, I definitely will be reading the rest of the series. Book 2 is already on my kindle awaiting its turn.
I recommend this book to any fantasy lover out there. Lots of action throughout to keep the story moving. Some books have what I would call *boring spots*—spots the book could have done without—this book thankfully did not have any of these so called *spots*, in my opinion anyways. What a great start to the series, I definitely will be reading the rest of the series. Book 2 is already on my kindle awaiting its turn.
July 29, 2015
The Dragon Gem is a fantasy adventure tale featuring a wise-cracking protagonist and a colorful cast of cohorts. This book is written from the perspective of the author's journal, and includes some light-hearted as well as gut-wrenching moments. The story moves along at a quick pace, with conflict and dilemma at every turn. Book 1 sets up many mysteries waiting to be unraveled in the following books, but is a well-rounded story that stands on its own.
May 1, 2016
Excellent plot (5*) with the exception of the constant intrusion of cutsie comments that jerk the reader out of the moment 'telling' emotions or responses where it needed to be shown. That was most irritating and damaged the power of otherwise well written dramatic elements. The result is the pace suffered as did the involvement.
I still recommend it as a great story if one can overlook the 'telling.'
I still recommend it as a great story if one can overlook the 'telling.'
April 14, 2012
I wrote it, I may be a little biased :)
February 3, 2013
the hero is overmatched to the point that recounts of his survival detract from his adventures.
June 3, 2014
Lots of fun
I enjoyed this book a lot. I took a couple of chapters to get the rhythm of the writing, once I did I couldn't put the book down.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I took a couple of chapters to get the rhythm of the writing, once I did I couldn't put the book down.
tbr-later
February 19, 202021 November 2014: $0.00 FREE on Kindle
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