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The Bowl of Souls #1
Eye of the Moonrat
Part One of the Moonrat Saga and the first book of the acclaimed Bowl of Souls Series, an action-filled fantasy series set in a world of magic, mystery, and monsters! Justan knew what he wanted. He was to join the Dremaldrian Battle Academy and become one of the greatest fighters in the Known Lands, but nothing is going his way. He is forced to train with a strange warrior woman and after an ancient elemental marks his chest with a frost-covered scar, magic seems to be determining his fate. Meanwhile, the evil forces of the Moonrat Mother have joined with Ewzad Vriil, a wizard of immense power who is transforming wild creatures into an army of monsters. Join Justan and his companions on an epic journey that will pit them against the Dark Prophet’s evil followers. Ogres and dragons, warriors and wizards are destined to clash, their fates guided by The Bowl of Souls. The Bowl of Souls series. THE MOONRAT SAGA 1. Eye of the Moonrat 2. Messenger of the Dark Prophet 3. Hunt of the Bandham 1.5. Hilt's Pride 4. War of Stardeon 5. Mother of the Moonrat THE JHARRO GROVE SAGA 1. Tarah Woodblade 2. Protector of the Grove 3. Ogre Apprentice 4. The Troll King 5. Priestess of War 6. Behemoth (2017) THE DARK PROPHET SAGA 1. Sir Edge (Upcoming)
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2012
211 people are currently reading
2293 people want to read
About the author
Trevor H. Cooley
32 books251 followersI was born in South Carolina and have lived all around the United states. Utah, New Mexico, Michigan and Tennessee.
I started reading novels in second grade and my love of Fantasy started with Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain series. I couldn't get enough, continued with David Eddings, Tolkein, Robert Jordan. All I wanted was to become a published writer.
The characters and concepts that eventually became the Bowl of Souls series started in my teens. I wrote short stories, kept notebooks full of ideas, and generally dreamed about my world constantly. There were several attempts at starting a novel over the years.
Not long after I was married, my wife told me to stop talking about the story and write it down. Here I am, many years and rewrites and submissions and rejection letters later taking the plunge into self publishing.
The Bowl of Souls Series:
THE MOONRAT SAGA
1. Eye of the Moonrat
2. Messenger of the Dark Prophet
3. Hunt of the Bandham
1.5. Hilt's Pride
4. War of Stardeon
5. Mother of the Moonrat
THE JHARRO GROVE SAGA
1. Tarah Woodblade
2. Protector of the Grove
3. Ogre Apprentice
4. The Troll King
5. Priestess of War
6. Behemoth (2017)
THE DARK PROPHET SAGA
1. Sir Edge (Upcoming)
TALLOW JONES
1. Tallow Jones: Wizard Detective (Fall 2017)
NOOSE JUMPERS
1. Noose Jumpers: A Mythological Western
2. (Upcoming)
I currently live in Idaho with my wife and four children.
I started reading novels in second grade and my love of Fantasy started with Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain series. I couldn't get enough, continued with David Eddings, Tolkein, Robert Jordan. All I wanted was to become a published writer.
The characters and concepts that eventually became the Bowl of Souls series started in my teens. I wrote short stories, kept notebooks full of ideas, and generally dreamed about my world constantly. There were several attempts at starting a novel over the years.
Not long after I was married, my wife told me to stop talking about the story and write it down. Here I am, many years and rewrites and submissions and rejection letters later taking the plunge into self publishing.
The Bowl of Souls Series:
THE MOONRAT SAGA
1. Eye of the Moonrat
2. Messenger of the Dark Prophet
3. Hunt of the Bandham
1.5. Hilt's Pride
4. War of Stardeon
5. Mother of the Moonrat
THE JHARRO GROVE SAGA
1. Tarah Woodblade
2. Protector of the Grove
3. Ogre Apprentice
4. The Troll King
5. Priestess of War
6. Behemoth (2017)
THE DARK PROPHET SAGA
1. Sir Edge (Upcoming)
TALLOW JONES
1. Tallow Jones: Wizard Detective (Fall 2017)
NOOSE JUMPERS
1. Noose Jumpers: A Mythological Western
2. (Upcoming)
I currently live in Idaho with my wife and four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
February 15, 2018
Eye of the Moonrat
The Bowl of Souls, Book 1
By: Trevor H. Cooley
Narrated by: James Foster
This book had me hooked right away and I couldn't stop. I loved the plot, the characters, and the fun of it all. Great fantasy, magic, and I like voting for the underdog. Lots of creatures, intrigue, adventure, and more.
The narrator is wonderful at keeping the flow going at a perfect pace and the voices were great! Great performance.
The Bowl of Souls, Book 1
By: Trevor H. Cooley
Narrated by: James Foster
This book had me hooked right away and I couldn't stop. I loved the plot, the characters, and the fun of it all. Great fantasy, magic, and I like voting for the underdog. Lots of creatures, intrigue, adventure, and more.
The narrator is wonderful at keeping the flow going at a perfect pace and the voices were great! Great performance.
January 30, 2013
This book is one of my all time favourite book. It has a heroic fantasy story line in which the main character is weak but gets stronger and stronger and before you know it he is the guy who everyone turns to. Although this is how most heroic fantasy goes I really like the fact that it all makes sense. I mean yea Justan becomes stronger but it didn't take him a chapter to become from weak to he-man. No it happens slowly but surely. I like the fact that he got stronger by his own efforts first before his magic ability got activated. Also although his magic ability is strong it's not by any stretch of the means unbeatable. He is strong but still relatable. The other thing I like is the side characters. I love strong female characters that don't simper and hide behind the Hero when the going gets tough and Ma'am is as strong as you get. I have bought all his ebooks and I am thinking of buying his hard copy books too.
May 7, 2014
the premise of an incapable protagonist valiantly trying his best was intriguing, if not terribly inspired.
It was completely invalidated when halfway through the book, the protagonist is suddenly (in the book equivalent of a "rocky" montage) transformed into mr. perfect. And no, it does not get better or more believable in the next books of the series.
It was completely invalidated when halfway through the book, the protagonist is suddenly (in the book equivalent of a "rocky" montage) transformed into mr. perfect. And no, it does not get better or more believable in the next books of the series.
August 16, 2012
The Eye of the Moonrat, all things considered is a good read. I will say the book does seem to start off as a young adult novel from the viewpoint of a teen who thinks he knows better then all how to become a warrior. There is growth in the character but the first few chapters can be a bit hard to get through. Though the book starts out as a coming of age story you tend to loose site of that rather quickly.
I thought the characters were well thought out. The showed growth and depth along the journey and I found myself caring about them as I read. This seems to be rare in a lot of Indy books so I would put it out that it is a definite plus to the story. I would even go far enough to say that it is one of the few books were changing perspective doesn't annoy me and I enjoyed it. A few times it did but mostly I was able to read without the irritation of this due to liking the characters
I would say that the endings of the first and second book end in a way that there is a General resolution to some things but it is far from being a book unto itself. That is to say that if you pick the book up, expect to have to read more books to see how it goes. I don't think the author set out to make it serialized, and I wouldn't say it is completely. In fact the second book could be read right after the first and it would sound like just another chapter starting.
Overall, good book worth the read, be prepared to buy more though if you want to continue to follow the story as the books aren't a stand alone read.
I thought the characters were well thought out. The showed growth and depth along the journey and I found myself caring about them as I read. This seems to be rare in a lot of Indy books so I would put it out that it is a definite plus to the story. I would even go far enough to say that it is one of the few books were changing perspective doesn't annoy me and I enjoyed it. A few times it did but mostly I was able to read without the irritation of this due to liking the characters
I would say that the endings of the first and second book end in a way that there is a General resolution to some things but it is far from being a book unto itself. That is to say that if you pick the book up, expect to have to read more books to see how it goes. I don't think the author set out to make it serialized, and I wouldn't say it is completely. In fact the second book could be read right after the first and it would sound like just another chapter starting.
Overall, good book worth the read, be prepared to buy more though if you want to continue to follow the story as the books aren't a stand alone read.
January 6, 2020
Mini-Review:
3.5 Stars Round Up to 4 Stars
3.5 Stars for Narration by James Foster
4 Stars for Concepts
2 Stars for Awkward POV Changes
4 Stars for Characters
The title & cover for the book are weird. Nothing fancy but a little odd. It's just odd enough to catch my eye. I've seen the audiobook on Audible for a while but I resisted getting it because I don't care for the blurb. I'm glad I took a chance because I actually like the characters. The very beginning of the book is weird and badly formatted but it will snag your attention & get a response of some sort.
The characters are a lot of fun and I like the hints of potential for the overall plot. I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that the rest of the series will end up being a fun adventure and the writing will become more cohesive with each book.
3.5 Stars Round Up to 4 Stars
3.5 Stars for Narration by James Foster
4 Stars for Concepts
2 Stars for Awkward POV Changes
4 Stars for Characters
The title & cover for the book are weird. Nothing fancy but a little odd. It's just odd enough to catch my eye. I've seen the audiobook on Audible for a while but I resisted getting it because I don't care for the blurb. I'm glad I took a chance because I actually like the characters. The very beginning of the book is weird and badly formatted but it will snag your attention & get a response of some sort.
The characters are a lot of fun and I like the hints of potential for the overall plot. I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that the rest of the series will end up being a fun adventure and the writing will become more cohesive with each book.
June 4, 2015
ABR's full Eye of the Moonrat audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Look at that cover! How could anyone say that they didn’t want to know what this story was about after seeing that calm yet creepy cover. As soon as I saw it I needed to know more. Thankfully I am well aware of the narrator, yet the author is new to me, so I had some idea of what I was in for.
This is a total unadulterated fantasy story. Full of all of the creatures one would expect, Ogres, Orcs, Gnomes, Goblins, Elves, Dwarves, and many other fantastical and potentially magical creatures and races. The main focus is on a young man, Justan, who has tried for his entire adult life to get into the prestigious battle academy. Here was a guy that didn’t think he needed to do anything difficult in life and everything should just pan out. This was not working for him. Now this is his last chance to get enrolled and this time he is given a trainer. Here we get to see Justan grow from a cowardly youngster into a brave adult. While some of his dreams are met, others are seemingly taken away from him without reason.
Eye of the Moonrat has a lot going on, many things that seemed disjointed, slowly came together, even though not close enough for me, the nearer I got to the end. As there are several side stories happening at the same time, I think, as Justan’s. They never did merge into one, however I do see that happening in the future.
Trevor H. Cooley did a great job creating a world that, while familiar to fantasy lovers like me, still has an originality to it all. The characters are given space and time to grow and develop. Descriptions of the scenery would make you swear that he has been there.
At first it felt a bit sacrilegious to hear James Foster be anybody other than Adrian Ring. I did eventually get used to this and allowing Foster to lull me into my imagination. He has a certain calming quality to his voice that allowed me to forget that I was in pain, forgive me I listed to most of the audio book while on an epic 30 mile bicycle ride. I think this is the highest amount of characters that Foster has had to deal with in one story. Happy to say he pulled it off very well. I especially like his take on the dwarf Lenny, er, Lenry, whatever.
If you are looking for a fantasy story that tells itself to you, rather than lecture, look no further. While some may say it is juvenile, I would saw that you have to start somewhere and might as well be the beginning. I am looking forward to being able to listen to book two in this fascinating series.
Audiobook provided for for review by the narrator.
Look at that cover! How could anyone say that they didn’t want to know what this story was about after seeing that calm yet creepy cover. As soon as I saw it I needed to know more. Thankfully I am well aware of the narrator, yet the author is new to me, so I had some idea of what I was in for.
This is a total unadulterated fantasy story. Full of all of the creatures one would expect, Ogres, Orcs, Gnomes, Goblins, Elves, Dwarves, and many other fantastical and potentially magical creatures and races. The main focus is on a young man, Justan, who has tried for his entire adult life to get into the prestigious battle academy. Here was a guy that didn’t think he needed to do anything difficult in life and everything should just pan out. This was not working for him. Now this is his last chance to get enrolled and this time he is given a trainer. Here we get to see Justan grow from a cowardly youngster into a brave adult. While some of his dreams are met, others are seemingly taken away from him without reason.
Eye of the Moonrat has a lot going on, many things that seemed disjointed, slowly came together, even though not close enough for me, the nearer I got to the end. As there are several side stories happening at the same time, I think, as Justan’s. They never did merge into one, however I do see that happening in the future.
Trevor H. Cooley did a great job creating a world that, while familiar to fantasy lovers like me, still has an originality to it all. The characters are given space and time to grow and develop. Descriptions of the scenery would make you swear that he has been there.
At first it felt a bit sacrilegious to hear James Foster be anybody other than Adrian Ring. I did eventually get used to this and allowing Foster to lull me into my imagination. He has a certain calming quality to his voice that allowed me to forget that I was in pain, forgive me I listed to most of the audio book while on an epic 30 mile bicycle ride. I think this is the highest amount of characters that Foster has had to deal with in one story. Happy to say he pulled it off very well. I especially like his take on the dwarf Lenny, er, Lenry, whatever.
If you are looking for a fantasy story that tells itself to you, rather than lecture, look no further. While some may say it is juvenile, I would saw that you have to start somewhere and might as well be the beginning. I am looking forward to being able to listen to book two in this fascinating series.
Audiobook provided for for review by the narrator.
April 23, 2016
Teenage ego fantasy. The protagonist is the awkward highschool nerd everyman, confident in his intellectual superiority, and yet a failure in the eyes of his school. He gets even by becoming the ultimate battle mage. This book is pure wish fulfillment; I probably would've loved it as a teen. Now it just irritates me.
June 30, 2017
The review is for the Series so far Books 1-9 that I have read. I picked up the first book by a friends recommendation having never heard of it or the Author. I didn't really expect much as it is a self published author who hasn't really reached main stream channels. To my surprise I ended up really enjoying the book. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I ended up buying or b0rrowing the rest of the books in the series available at the time and binge reading them. It did help they were only $2-4 each or mostly available via kindle unlimited (so free yay).
They are self published books so especially the first couple had a bit more grammar and editing errors that would likely have not occurred if a professional editor had done their work, but overall surprisingly few. The quality of the work overall I would say rivals many of this fellow published fantasy authors, but for a deeply discounted price. The powers by the main character were very original to me, the bad guys while some cliche'd are sufficiently creepy and thought out to make them believable. He also does a good job of building up the stories and background of the supporting characters enough so that they could (and do) have books of their own.
So overall I would say this book and series is like going to Walmart to buy a cheap tool just expecting it to last for one job, yet you find yourself 10 years later still using that tool because of the unexpected quality of it's make. It isn't the best tool ever, but it gets the job done. And yes my Analogy's are about as good as David Charleston's metaphors in The Reckoners.
They are self published books so especially the first couple had a bit more grammar and editing errors that would likely have not occurred if a professional editor had done their work, but overall surprisingly few. The quality of the work overall I would say rivals many of this fellow published fantasy authors, but for a deeply discounted price. The powers by the main character were very original to me, the bad guys while some cliche'd are sufficiently creepy and thought out to make them believable. He also does a good job of building up the stories and background of the supporting characters enough so that they could (and do) have books of their own.
So overall I would say this book and series is like going to Walmart to buy a cheap tool just expecting it to last for one job, yet you find yourself 10 years later still using that tool because of the unexpected quality of it's make. It isn't the best tool ever, but it gets the job done. And yes my Analogy's are about as good as David Charleston's metaphors in The Reckoners.
October 19, 2016
About a week ago I was wondering what audio book to download. I had nothing planned, and so I used Amazons list of which Kindle books you can upgrade to audible. Looked through the list, found Eye of the Moonrat. The cover looked interesting. The price was good. So i bought and downloaded it, not reading the blurb. I had no idea what the story was or even what genre (I read a lot of different genres so this could literally be anything). My records show I purchased the book in January, but I have absolutely no memory of this...
So I was basically just picking a book on random, hoping for the best.
Never have I been more pleasantly surprised over a book. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The story is good, and the narrator does a fantastic job too! I couldn't believe my luck!
Imagine my delight when I found out there are 8 more books!! Needless to say I immediately bought and downloaded book 2 :D
I would definitely recommend this book if you like the genre!!!
So I was basically just picking a book on random, hoping for the best.
Never have I been more pleasantly surprised over a book. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The story is good, and the narrator does a fantastic job too! I couldn't believe my luck!
Imagine my delight when I found out there are 8 more books!! Needless to say I immediately bought and downloaded book 2 :D
I would definitely recommend this book if you like the genre!!!
July 10, 2014
I really enjoyed this book, and recommend with ease! As a genre I was getting a little tired of it, and so begun this with a sense of 'here we go again'. But I was pleasantly surprised.
It wasn't full of the usual exotic and absurd names that you struggle to keep up with, get confused by and subsequently follow. The writing style has a nice simple flow to it and the author has done a great job keeping the story and character development going throughout the story.
One big feature I liked, was the introduction of other characters, who's story you get to follow that at the moment doesn't appear to have any correlation to the main character and story. Guessing it will at some point. But these are not your normal characters, these are interestingly different types of creature and character that haven't in my experience had a voice in a story from other books.
I'm now a big fan, and will definitely be getting the rest in the series and following the authors other work!
It wasn't full of the usual exotic and absurd names that you struggle to keep up with, get confused by and subsequently follow. The writing style has a nice simple flow to it and the author has done a great job keeping the story and character development going throughout the story.
One big feature I liked, was the introduction of other characters, who's story you get to follow that at the moment doesn't appear to have any correlation to the main character and story. Guessing it will at some point. But these are not your normal characters, these are interestingly different types of creature and character that haven't in my experience had a voice in a story from other books.
I'm now a big fan, and will definitely be getting the rest in the series and following the authors other work!
June 14, 2017
This book was interesting, to say the least. Despite the corny title and even cornier pronouns that pepper the book, I found myself enjoying this book. It's by no means the pinnacle of modern fantasy but it is worth a read.
The most interesting thing about this book is that it is Old School Fantasy through and through but unlike most Old School Fantasy, it is readable. The biggest problem with most Old School Fantasy is that the characters tend to be an afterthought to the world building. The world is the main character and that leaves the other characters flat and boring. In EYE OF THE MOONRAT, the characterization is more deeply realized making the plot more interesting and enjoyable.
Don't get it twisted though. This is an OLD SCHOOL FANTASY so it is jammed packed with tropes and unoriginality. We meet an overpowered "farm boy" who sets off on a quest to become more overpowered. The bad guys are bad and the good guys are so good that it's annoying. However the mere readability of this book makes it pleasant and acceptable. This is exactly what I wanted the true Old School books I've read to be.
Recommended.
The most interesting thing about this book is that it is Old School Fantasy through and through but unlike most Old School Fantasy, it is readable. The biggest problem with most Old School Fantasy is that the characters tend to be an afterthought to the world building. The world is the main character and that leaves the other characters flat and boring. In EYE OF THE MOONRAT, the characterization is more deeply realized making the plot more interesting and enjoyable.
Don't get it twisted though. This is an OLD SCHOOL FANTASY so it is jammed packed with tropes and unoriginality. We meet an overpowered "farm boy" who sets off on a quest to become more overpowered. The bad guys are bad and the good guys are so good that it's annoying. However the mere readability of this book makes it pleasant and acceptable. This is exactly what I wanted the true Old School books I've read to be.
Recommended.
August 19, 2015
Full review and more available at: http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogsp...
*****
My Thoughts:
Ogres? Wizards? Dragons? Rats? Ethan are you sure you're okay? Rest assured friends, this is Ethan and I am definitely not ill. As you guys well know, Ethan here is not a fan of high fantasy. I don't do ogres, I only recently became a fan of dragons, and any rodent that isn't my guinea pig and I are probably not going to be pals. But have you met Trevor Cooley? While I'm not here to say that I'm now the biggest fantasy fan on the planet, I am here to say with authors like Cooley, I may need to change my outlook on the genre!
In true One Guy's Guide to Good Reads fashion, let me get a few negatives out of the way first.
First off, this was a huge novel. This novel was nearly 400 pages, which is just fine, but I really think a whole lot of it could have been condensed. This is my biggest problem with this genre is that a lot of this are described to the point of overkill and the stories end up being phonebooks. It works out well for fans of the genre, but for casual readers such as myself it can be a little daunting to see those numbers.
Second, while in the end I enjoyed the story immensely, it took a long time for me to get there. The biggest reason it's taken me two months to get this novel finished and reviews is because it was rather difficult for me to wrap my mind around and to get into. As I stated before, it's a lot to take in. This is the very first novel in a long series (with each book being massive as well) so there was quite a lot of groundwork to lay (which Cooley did a fantastic job at). It is definitely a conflicting issue, but while in the end it worked out, it took a lot for me to get 'into' this tale.
While I did mention that the story took a while for me to get into, the plot really hit the mark. The story picks up right from the beginning and hits the ground running. While there were several scenes that could have been condensed, overall, the plot line was fast-paced and complete. There were few plot holes and most all side plots were wrapped up to completion in this first installment, while leaving many questions to be answered in the remainder of this series. I can only imagine Cooley had one heck of a time laying out the intricate plotline to this series. Major kudos to him!
Guys. I can't even hardly speak about the characters in this novel. Why? There are SO many, I couldn't even begin to break it down. From Justan to Squirrel, Fist, Tamboor, magical creatures, and so many more, how is one to wrap their mind around it? I know I sure couldn't. One of the great parts about the story was that regardless of how many characters were involved, Cooley really did a fantastic job in keeping true to the fantasy-style of writing and devoting more attention to the plot and the setting and letting the characters speak for themselves. It's a bold move in writing, but when you have a cast of dozens, it's often the greatest course of action which Cooley chose to perfection. While the character development for our main cast was great, it really left me thinking about the development of the supporting cast. While the supporting cast doesn't get near the attention of the main one, the characters are still well-rounded and definitely worth a closer glance as everyoen is not who they immediately appear to be!
In the end I found myself genuinely impressed by Cooley's imaginative and unique storytelling ability. Moonrat is clearly a work of passion as is evident on each and every page of this tome. Cooley has released several stories as of now and I am sure each are a unique and impressive as Moonrat. The ending of the story definitely leaves the reader wanting more so any fans of fantasy will be thrilled to know there is an entire Cooley-Literary World waiting for them out there.
This all being said, I am granting Eye of the Moonrat by Trevor H. Cooley a well-deserved 4-star review. While fantasy is never going to take the top stop on my genre shelf, this was a great addition to my summer readathon regardless! I highly recommend this read to all fans of high-fantasy and to readers of YA and up. Add this one to your TBR today!
*****
*****
My Thoughts:
Ogres? Wizards? Dragons? Rats? Ethan are you sure you're okay? Rest assured friends, this is Ethan and I am definitely not ill. As you guys well know, Ethan here is not a fan of high fantasy. I don't do ogres, I only recently became a fan of dragons, and any rodent that isn't my guinea pig and I are probably not going to be pals. But have you met Trevor Cooley? While I'm not here to say that I'm now the biggest fantasy fan on the planet, I am here to say with authors like Cooley, I may need to change my outlook on the genre!
In true One Guy's Guide to Good Reads fashion, let me get a few negatives out of the way first.
First off, this was a huge novel. This novel was nearly 400 pages, which is just fine, but I really think a whole lot of it could have been condensed. This is my biggest problem with this genre is that a lot of this are described to the point of overkill and the stories end up being phonebooks. It works out well for fans of the genre, but for casual readers such as myself it can be a little daunting to see those numbers.
Second, while in the end I enjoyed the story immensely, it took a long time for me to get there. The biggest reason it's taken me two months to get this novel finished and reviews is because it was rather difficult for me to wrap my mind around and to get into. As I stated before, it's a lot to take in. This is the very first novel in a long series (with each book being massive as well) so there was quite a lot of groundwork to lay (which Cooley did a fantastic job at). It is definitely a conflicting issue, but while in the end it worked out, it took a lot for me to get 'into' this tale.
While I did mention that the story took a while for me to get into, the plot really hit the mark. The story picks up right from the beginning and hits the ground running. While there were several scenes that could have been condensed, overall, the plot line was fast-paced and complete. There were few plot holes and most all side plots were wrapped up to completion in this first installment, while leaving many questions to be answered in the remainder of this series. I can only imagine Cooley had one heck of a time laying out the intricate plotline to this series. Major kudos to him!
Guys. I can't even hardly speak about the characters in this novel. Why? There are SO many, I couldn't even begin to break it down. From Justan to Squirrel, Fist, Tamboor, magical creatures, and so many more, how is one to wrap their mind around it? I know I sure couldn't. One of the great parts about the story was that regardless of how many characters were involved, Cooley really did a fantastic job in keeping true to the fantasy-style of writing and devoting more attention to the plot and the setting and letting the characters speak for themselves. It's a bold move in writing, but when you have a cast of dozens, it's often the greatest course of action which Cooley chose to perfection. While the character development for our main cast was great, it really left me thinking about the development of the supporting cast. While the supporting cast doesn't get near the attention of the main one, the characters are still well-rounded and definitely worth a closer glance as everyoen is not who they immediately appear to be!
In the end I found myself genuinely impressed by Cooley's imaginative and unique storytelling ability. Moonrat is clearly a work of passion as is evident on each and every page of this tome. Cooley has released several stories as of now and I am sure each are a unique and impressive as Moonrat. The ending of the story definitely leaves the reader wanting more so any fans of fantasy will be thrilled to know there is an entire Cooley-Literary World waiting for them out there.
This all being said, I am granting Eye of the Moonrat by Trevor H. Cooley a well-deserved 4-star review. While fantasy is never going to take the top stop on my genre shelf, this was a great addition to my summer readathon regardless! I highly recommend this read to all fans of high-fantasy and to readers of YA and up. Add this one to your TBR today!
*****
October 13, 2013
We start out with Justan being portrayed as an underdog - brilliant at strategy, but unable to perform in physical combat. His second and last try at getting enough points in the entrance tournament to the Warrior's Academy fails, but he's given an unexpected chance to try one more time.
As he begins his training, it's quickly shown that there's no disability or other physical limitation holding him back, simply the fact that he never pushed his physical limits and generally assumed that he knew better than anyone else (including the professors ), so after two years of 'training school' he's still basically self taught.
This arrogance is a hallmark of the character. He's very immature, operating on emotion most of the time. The few times he makes friends or shows loyalty make him a more likeable character. He is also redeemed as he begins to acknowledge his own faults
He also becomes very overpowered over the course of the story , and is far from an underdog. However, the author does take care to have him injured and dependent on others for survival, mitigating somewhat the 'I can do anything' status of the character.
The story also shows glimpses into some of the other characters in the world - the big bad guy and a few other solitary 'heroes' who will undoubtedly come in to play in future books.
A solid read, with some enjoyable interactions, but not breaking any new ground for me.
As he begins his training, it's quickly shown that there's no disability or other physical limitation holding him back, simply the fact that he never pushed his physical limits and generally assumed that he knew better than anyone else (including the professors ), so after two years of 'training school' he's still basically self taught.
This arrogance is a hallmark of the character. He's very immature, operating on emotion most of the time. The few times he makes friends or shows loyalty make him a more likeable character. He is also redeemed as he begins to acknowledge his own faults
He also becomes very overpowered over the course of the story , and is far from an underdog. However, the author does take care to have him injured and dependent on others for survival, mitigating somewhat the 'I can do anything' status of the character.
The story also shows glimpses into some of the other characters in the world - the big bad guy and a few other solitary 'heroes' who will undoubtedly come in to play in future books.
A solid read, with some enjoyable interactions, but not breaking any new ground for me.
January 7, 2014
Eye of the Moonrat follows a young man that wants to master weapon skills like his father. At first glance it might appear as your run of the mill fantasy, but there are a number of things that set this book and series apart.
First, the progression of the main character's growth is exceptional, and in many ways, unexpected. At many points he struggles a great deal before accomplishing anything. The author did an excellent job not making him too strong right from the beginning.
Second, the villain is intriguing. He presents an air of mystery and menace and suggests that much more is to come throughout the series.
Third, there are several points of magic within the world that are interesting, creative, and new. I will be interested to see how they tie back into the story as the series progresses.
I'm excited to move on to the next book in the series, and will be keeping an eye on this author in the future.
First, the progression of the main character's growth is exceptional, and in many ways, unexpected. At many points he struggles a great deal before accomplishing anything. The author did an excellent job not making him too strong right from the beginning.
Second, the villain is intriguing. He presents an air of mystery and menace and suggests that much more is to come throughout the series.
Third, there are several points of magic within the world that are interesting, creative, and new. I will be interested to see how they tie back into the story as the series progresses.
I'm excited to move on to the next book in the series, and will be keeping an eye on this author in the future.
August 14, 2013
It was a pleasant surprise how quickly I was drawn into both the story of "Eye of the Moonrat" and the character of Justan. It had me hooked from the get go, with a rousing story of an underdog who is destined for great things.
Trevor Cooley weaves a wonderful tale, filled with all the tropes that make up a good story. It has mystery and intrigue, swords and sorcery, with just a hint of romance. It's a recipe that will leave you hungry for more.
I would recommend this story to any lover of fantasy. Although, as the first book, the sweep of the story is not yet epic in scope, you can practically feel the dark and sinister plot building in the background. There is more to this evil than meets the eye.
If, after reading this book, you are like me in craving more, then read on! It only gets better...
Trevor Cooley weaves a wonderful tale, filled with all the tropes that make up a good story. It has mystery and intrigue, swords and sorcery, with just a hint of romance. It's a recipe that will leave you hungry for more.
I would recommend this story to any lover of fantasy. Although, as the first book, the sweep of the story is not yet epic in scope, you can practically feel the dark and sinister plot building in the background. There is more to this evil than meets the eye.
If, after reading this book, you are like me in craving more, then read on! It only gets better...
March 10, 2015
A great series!
I started reading the sample thinking what is a Moonrat? The writing pulled me in so I read it as a KU book (really enjoy Kindle U), and quickly devoured it and went to the next, and the next, and all the way through book 8. I am happy I found the series where I did, not having to wait for the next one for awhile, but now I want book 9 right now lol. I found that the characters grow realistically through the series with unexpected twists making me root for my favs and hoping the bad guys die horribly. This series has fighting, magic, evil overlords, a little romance, ogres, elfs, trolls, dwarfs, demons, funny cursing, food descriptions that made me hungry, and the Tribe of Big and Little People. I laughed, cried, and got snacks while reading. I really enjoyed this series so far and am looking forward to more!
I started reading the sample thinking what is a Moonrat? The writing pulled me in so I read it as a KU book (really enjoy Kindle U), and quickly devoured it and went to the next, and the next, and all the way through book 8. I am happy I found the series where I did, not having to wait for the next one for awhile, but now I want book 9 right now lol. I found that the characters grow realistically through the series with unexpected twists making me root for my favs and hoping the bad guys die horribly. This series has fighting, magic, evil overlords, a little romance, ogres, elfs, trolls, dwarfs, demons, funny cursing, food descriptions that made me hungry, and the Tribe of Big and Little People. I laughed, cried, and got snacks while reading. I really enjoyed this series so far and am looking forward to more!
September 25, 2014
Eye of the Moonrat is one of those easy adds to your "to-read" shelf. Its got a decent overall rating and the synopsis is intriguing. So it appears to have all the things going for it making 3 stars I give it a bit of a disappointment. But in some ways it has set up the books to come so well that it ensures you will continue with the series and that in itself is a job done. Trevor handles the multiple POV's nicely and each protagonist has been very interestingly crafted. You know these protagonist's will come together eventually and you just can't wait for that to happen. On the downside, Trevor spoon feeds us and thus takes away from the actual reading experience of exploration that comes with new world settings. My mixed feelings reflect in the mixed review. Onwards to book 2!
December 7, 2014
This was one of the biggest surprises I've stumbled across in recent memory. I had a lot of fun reading this book. In many ways it is a standard coming of age fantasy but it was more than that. The author introduced many standard fantasy races (dwarves, elves, goblins, etc.) but he added his own little feel to each and made them fresh and exciting while at the same time comfortable.
While the main plot line is great I find myself really intrigued by the secondary story lines (I won't spoil them for you) and I can't wait to see how everything comes together in future books.
This is a great book that I think deserves more attention than it is getting. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
While the main plot line is great I find myself really intrigued by the secondary story lines (I won't spoil them for you) and I can't wait to see how everything comes together in future books.
This is a great book that I think deserves more attention than it is getting. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
July 5, 2015
I rather enjoyed this book and the remainder of the series so far. It's Young Adult, but there weren't many boring parts and I enjoyed the world building of the Author. The Magic system (at least the Spirit aspect) was rather interesting.
I didn't give it a five though; it was still a little raw, IMO. Many of the characters were a bit flat, and while there was some growth/development, it wasn't enough for a five star book (or series). Some of the mythic creatures seemed a bit different than standard fantasy (I.E Gnomes that are thin and 7+ feet tall) which was nice in a way.
There was a lot of refreshing parts though and the story was enjoyable and engaging. I could still put the book down, but it was on my mind when it was. I look forward to reading book 9.
I didn't give it a five though; it was still a little raw, IMO. Many of the characters were a bit flat, and while there was some growth/development, it wasn't enough for a five star book (or series). Some of the mythic creatures seemed a bit different than standard fantasy (I.E Gnomes that are thin and 7+ feet tall) which was nice in a way.
There was a lot of refreshing parts though and the story was enjoyable and engaging. I could still put the book down, but it was on my mind when it was. I look forward to reading book 9.
January 11, 2015
Interesting reading
I found this book interesting even though I rarely like stories of magic, wizards and such. The book is filled with goblins, orcs, elves, images and wizards. The hero is both a mage and warrior in training, but I found him to be disappointing, even though I cannot explain why.
The characters are not fleshed out quite enough but that could just be me. I find it hard to dislike this book, yet I am not fully engaged by it. In many ways I was disappointed by the story line. Perhaps book two will engage me at a deeper level. But if you like magic, wizards, ogres, orcs, goblins and trolls give this book a read.
I found this book interesting even though I rarely like stories of magic, wizards and such. The book is filled with goblins, orcs, elves, images and wizards. The hero is both a mage and warrior in training, but I found him to be disappointing, even though I cannot explain why.
The characters are not fleshed out quite enough but that could just be me. I find it hard to dislike this book, yet I am not fully engaged by it. In many ways I was disappointed by the story line. Perhaps book two will engage me at a deeper level. But if you like magic, wizards, ogres, orcs, goblins and trolls give this book a read.
February 7, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Eye of the Moonrat tells the story of a boy whose only desire is to enter to warrior school in hopes to follow in his father's foot steps. This was a fast fun read and though it follows a classic fantasy theme the author was very creative. I read all the books in the series as well as the novella Hilt's Pride written by Trevor H. Cooley ( a self published author ). I am anxiously awaiting the fourth book in the series and Trevor H. Cooley will remain on my reading list for a long time to come.
August 7, 2013
A fun fantasy novel, don't let the name fool you!
I am adding this, just finished book 4, I have not loved characters so much in a fantasy series since I first read Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis's Heroes of the Lance. These characters are as dear to me as Raistlin, Caramon , Tanis, Tasslehoff, Flint , Goldmoon , Riverwind , Sturm , Tika , and Laurana for those who read those novels you will know what this statement means.
I am adding this, just finished book 4, I have not loved characters so much in a fantasy series since I first read Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis's Heroes of the Lance. These characters are as dear to me as Raistlin, Caramon , Tanis, Tasslehoff, Flint , Goldmoon , Riverwind , Sturm , Tika , and Laurana for those who read those novels you will know what this statement means.
November 13, 2013
Very good the beginning was okay but luckily it progressively got better so far i'm am happy with this book i can't admit i would have done things the same way lol he was very complacent in my opinion but still i started on the second book so far it's pretty good can't wait to see what happens so many mystery's so many possible outcomes it keeps you guessing and i believe thats one of the things i like most about this book
I hope you all enjoy it as much as i did :)
I hope you all enjoy it as much as i did :)
September 5, 2013
Another great Indie read! I was initially a bit wary of the title and the fact a lot of readers were mentioning it reads like a YA coming of age story (first 15% was a bit worrying) but was very happy with how it panned out. It certainly kept me wanting to continue reading and find out what was next (always a good sign LOL)and I will certainly be reading Book 2!
August 19, 2014
Super fantastic adventure . I absolutely loved this whole series so far . I still have to read book 5 and on. I'm excited to start them . I have put them off for awhile in hopes that audible.com would get off there butts and record these books... Ah well. I guess I better fit them into my busy life and if audible ever gets around to it then I'll listen to them then too.
April 14, 2015
Another Bookbub deal sucked me in and I know I will be reading the remainder of this series. I really enjoy the world the author has created. Trevor Cooley has some engaging characters that I can't wait to learn more about. I am intrigued the same way Justan is, and I look forward to hearing more about Fist and Deathclaw. It'll be a good series, I know it.
July 23, 2015
Nice fantasy, written from several different POV and really well written and easy to read. It's quite interesting even if the main character is not really to my liking and the progression is a little bit too fast.
He felt like that guy in my d&d party that was a power player and got super equipment at very low level: not fun.
He felt like that guy in my d&d party that was a power player and got super equipment at very low level: not fun.
December 8, 2013
I like how the hero isn't naturally skilled or strong, he really has to work at everything. I also like that he has flaws, he's arrogant, full of himself, and unwilling to ask for help. It makes him human
February 17, 2015
Great new book. At first glance this book seems much the same as any other epic fantasy, but its the author's delivery that makes it so addicting. I loved every minute of the book and can't wait to read the next!!!
August 13, 2012
Dwarves, Elves, warriors, wizards, ghosts, kick ass chicks. Hoo baby was this book for me! I recommend!!!
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