The Storyteller True

Mark of Valliath #0

by M.H. Woodscourt

A storyteller running out of time. A kingdom on the brink of collapse. A search for a world of magic. Storyteller Jinji Wanderlust is determined to find the legendary realm of Shinac to save his world from a dread lord trying to cross over—before a fatal illness ends his life. Burdened with his malady, hindered by a spoiled prince, and pursued by an enemy empire, Jinji and a band of motley fugitives race across a crumbling kingdom to find the Arch between worlds. But even if they can reach Shinac, how can a simple storyteller hope to stand against the devastating evil lurking on the other side of the magical Arch?

Previously published under the title Crownless. This is a new expanded edition. It is the direct prequel stand-alone to the Mark of Valliath trilogy and tells the story of how a certain prince met a certain storyteller.

Genres: High Fantasy, Fantasy

460 pages, Paperback

First published May 17, 2023

Reviews

[Amena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are there words to describe Jinji's story? I almost need to ask that question because this story drew me in like the storyteller within captured his listeners. This is a book with flawless execution: the characters, the world building, the plot, the execution of the author's intentions -- it's really a book that belongs with the fae like its primary hero. Like that primary hero, the narrative unifies a group of disparate characters, from the spoiled prince to the child seer, from their protectors to the villains pursuing them, from the conquered king to the prince who razed his nation, and takes both them and the reader on a journey of finding magic and light in a corrupt, bloody world. And the author manages to paint all of this while balancing a number of disparate cultural traditions, vast landscapes, stories withins stories, and -- most impressively -- without offering a single chapter from the viewpoint of the primary hero himself. If there is a fellowship of noblebright fantasy books, this book is among them. And I am so glad I got to read it. Onto to its sequel!

[Keith J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Also known in earlier editions as "Crownless".
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I have read a lot of decent, clean fantasy in 45 years (and some which surprised me by not being clean). The author has written an intelligent, engaging, and compelling story with excellent character development and depth! Her writing is not only quality high fantasy, but as in the vein of Tolkein, and Mull - it is clean. No unwanted descriptions of immorality in any of its guises. Furthermore, her work is uplifting!
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I loved this book, and have already purchased and started on the subsequent three in this series. I have seen no "Deus Ex Machina" usage, nor "time dilation" problems (a "critical split-second" scene, where the protagonist takes 10 minutes to make a decision or act, while the bloodthirsty bad guys - figuratively - sit down and play a round of poker while waiting for the protagonist...), or other such insults to the intelligence.
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I have found this work of high enough quality that I've purchased a copy for my grandchildren. I believe they will really enjoy it, and I need not ever worry about hearing one of them say, "Well, uhhh, if Grandpa had this book, and it graphically describes such&such, I guess it must be ok....".
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I would recommend this book to any (advanced) pre-teen, teen, young adult, or oldster (like me...) who loves well-written, developed fantasy!

[Giselle Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Epic Adventure

An unforgettable epic adventure that brings together Storyteller Jinji, a soldier named Yeshton, Prince Jetekesh, Seer Rille, and Blood Prince Aredel. This is to become the most fateful quest in existence, one in which these intriguing characters venture across Amantier, into the mysterious magical realm of Shinac, and at last to the dangerous kingdom of KryTeer. They all must learn to trust each other along the way while also learning what it means to be kind, loyal, and a good friend -- not that this is easy. Many obstacles and shocking secrets dare to hinder them, stoking the fires of mistrust and fear. In the end, though, two great battles are fought to save Nakania and the lost land of Shinac, drawing the tale to a bittersweet ending.

[Tala Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad to go back to the beginning!

After having read the Shattered Arch and The Marked Prince, I felt it necessary to find the prequel to the series and learn more. I was definitely not disappointed! I can't wait for the third and final book in the trilogy and I'm glad I went back to the beginning and gleaned more about all the characters I have grown to love in the Shattered Arch and Marked Prince. M.H. Woodscourt is definitely one of my favorite authors and I look forward to everything she puts out. Can't wait for the next book in this series!

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow I ended up reading the prequel last and I’m here to say: START HERE FIRST! The trilogy was still wonderful, however I feel that reading the prequel first would have allowed me to fully settle into characters and appreciate their full redemption arcs and glow ups.

This does start off a little slow and really set the foundation for the series. I really enjoyed Jinji’s story and love him even more. Seeing Jetekish under mother’s watch was very eye opening to why he is the way he is.

I truly can’t state how much I enjoyed this series and love all of M. H. Woodscourt’s novels!

[Mandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in the beta stages and loved it. I should have written a more in depth review instantly to post later, but I didn't think about it.

M.H. Woodscourt is an amazing storyteller. I dare say she weaves a tale as well as Jinji. Her worlds are perfectly imagined and wonderfully penned. Her characters are real, flawed, and easy to fall in love or hate with. Her stories leave nothing to be desired ... except more.

[Heiki Eesmaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's okay and definitely there's a place for the fairytale-like, clean fantasy. I just feel like there are a few books that are more artful that I haven't read from Diana Wynne Jones or Patricia McKillip yet, and those would really be a better use of my time. I wish the moral points it has to make of equality between classes etc were somehow more interesting. The character motivations are flimsier than in some of my single-session D&D characters. DNF @ 25%

[Irinel Finco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, even though sometimes the point of view jumps from one person to another in the middle of the page. Perfect for an adolescent reader, very clean.

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting read! Although it started off a bit slow, it picked up pace nicely, quite dramatically in fact, with a desperate escape. The storyline is remarkably different and captivating. A young prince, spoilt by an obsessive mother, a dying king, poisoned by his wife, a storyteller all fear, a princess without a father or home and a Blood prince annexing kingdom after kingdom. All these fascinating characters come together to aid each other and to displace an evil king. I particularly liked young spunky Rille, who's not afraid to speak her mind. Jetekesh is the epitome of an annoying spoilt brat, while Jinji is such a beautiful character, giving hope to all. Jinji's character has so many facets and depth, his calm sage demeanor had me wishing I could be sitting round a camp fire with him regaling his colourful prose. Yet none of these characters are what they seem, all fight their own inner demons and overcome them. I enjoyed how the author draws one in, slowly pulling at the net until you're totally ensnared! Step by step, block by block, I found myself plodding alongside them, stumbling with them, laughing with them and feeling the raw despair with them. Yes, the author's talent is to take ones emotions and mush them up until I'm not sure what they resemble, but leaving one desperate for more of these superbly created characters and more of this magical world she builds so expertly. Thankfully, there is more, thankfully I get to continue the journey alongside them. Released initially as a standalone, Crownless, this new expanded version offers more depth and insight and I'm thrilled to have been part of this journey! Highly recommended read

[Margaret Gaffney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spoiled prince, a child seer, a lordless soldier, a fatherless servant, a dying storyteller...

Jinji Wanderlust is off to find the lost kingdom of Shinac, to fulfill a life goal before his own life runs out. His actions are like ripples in a pond, affecting the wartorn world of Amantier and all who live in it.

I was fortunate enough to be an ARC reviewer for The Shattered Arch, thus, I was aware of almost the entire plot of this prequel before I began reading. I had heard so much about Jinji in that first book that meeting him in the flesh was like meeting an old friend again. This story has a lot of characters to manage and a lot of ground to cover, literally and from a storytelling perspective. But I was left entirely satisfied, particularly with Jetekesh, who I only knew as the blessed and kindly prince from The Shattered Arch, so unlike how he is at the beginning of this story. I deeply admire MH Woodscourt's ability to create so many rich cultures and tell powerful stories, all without ever drawing in explicit scenes, which is a must for me in any book I read. I am eagerly awaiting The Marked Prince.

[Alder Blacksmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense adventure awaits!

Although this is book 0 (a prequel), Storyteller True should NOT be read separately or as a standalone. Everything that happens in this book leads to Mark of Valliath.

With that said…

Wow! This series is intense! So much action, adventure, deceit, revelations, emotion… The characters and world building are excellent. Plus, there are dragons!