Lost City

Tales of Lentari #1

by Jeffrey M. Poole

The fantasy kingdom of Lentari (introduced in Jeffrey Poole’s Bakkian Chronicles series) comes to life once again, in this acclaimed series.

Lukas, a young dwarf, narrowly averts tragedy while attending a class by the master craftsman Maelnar, falling into the forge’s fire. Amazingly, he comes away from the near miss with only a mark on his back. The mark is not quite a burn. But it is disfiguring and embarrassing to the family, and it’s not fading away, so his father, Venk, takes young Lukas to consult the most respected wizard in the kingdom. They learn this mysterious mark is part of a Questor’s Mark, a sort of roadmap to an adventure that had long been the dream of many—to find the Lost City of Nar.

Tales abound about the riches of Nar and the unsurpassed skills of that dwarven community, but no one has been there and no Narians seem to have survived. What happened? And how will Venk and the search party find the series of additional clues in order to complete the map? For completing the quest is the only way young Lukas will be free of the awful mark, and the only way his people will learn the answers to the age-old questions.

Lost City has been newly edited and re-released!

* * *

Praise for Jeffrey Poole’s epic fantasy
“I loved this book. It had so much imagination to it. Great for young and old.” - D. Estrada

“There's adventure & a little humor and all the characters are just right. “ - Happy2Day

“I especially liked that this story revolved around a husband and wife team, rather than being the typical “hero's journey” of an adolescent boy.” - M.L.

“… plenty of action, adventure, and romance, but is harmless enough for pre-teens to read; it is a well-told tale.” – 5 stars on Amazon

“If you love wizards, dragons, griffins & such, you have got to read the Bakkian Chronicles!” – 5 stars online review

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Amazon, Young Adult, Dragons, Childrens, Ebooks

330 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2013

About the author

Jeffrey M. Poole is a professional writer living in picturesque southwestern Oregon with his wife Giliane, and their dog, Kinsey the corgi. He is the best-selling author of cozy mystery series Corgi Case Files and of fantasy series Bakkian Chronicles, Tales of Lentari, and the Dragons of Andela. He is presently plotting out his seventeenth mystery novel and writing his fifteenth fantasy novel.

Jeffrey’s interests include astronomy, archaeology, archery, scuba diving, collecting movies, and tinkering with any electronic gadget he can get his hands on.

Proud member of:
SFWA - Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association
MWA - Mystery Writers of America

In September, 2020, the Corgi Case Files mystery series was picked up by Columbine Publishing Group and published under its mystery imprint, Secret Staircase Books. Beginning in 2023, all three fantasy series will also be published under the Secret Staircase Books imprint.

Fans can follow Jeffrey online at www.AuthorJMPoole.com or on Facebook at: Facebook.com/BakkianChronicles.

Reviews

[The Phoenix · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was good, but I felt the writing could have been more smooth. Also, there were a couple of places that seemed to not make sense. For instance, it's mentioned that a dwarf found out some information and provided the kidnapped dwarf with additional food since he was going to be gone for awhile, but then says that after the dwarf found out the information, he had the other dwarf followed and kidnapped because of his knowledge on the subject. I was confused since he can't have already been kidnapped, but also trailed and captured. There was another instance, but I can not remember what it was at the moment.
I think that this could have been written a little better. If it had, I would definitely have enjoyed it more.

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something strange is happening to Lukas's back. It doesn't hurt, but deserves a second look. That look reveals that a quest is in store for him, other dwarf family members and friends, and a wizard. It all has to do with the lost magical city of Nar. Is this the chance to finally locate the legend? Dwarfs aren't great hikers, but they willingly head above ground in search of adventure. Spells that go awry, nosy yet helpful dragons, magical creatures, danger, and treachery all play a part in this fun and family-friendly fantasy adventure. Battles? Yes--epic ones. Blood everywhere? Not so much. Humor? Certainly. This is an enjoyable book from cover to cover, filled with surprises and delightful detail. While at times it moves at a dwarf's pace, it picks up speed nicely at the end and keeps the reader turning pages to a hearty conclusion.

[Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first fantasy book I've read in twenty years. I'm testing the waters so to speak, in anticipation of starting a huge epic fantasy series (Robert Jordan). This was a very enjoyable story. A dwarf quest for lost city. The author Jeffery M. Poole, has a good sense of humor which he mixes with adventure. The descriptions and dialogue were very well done. A great re-introduction into fantasy books. I read this book on a Nook.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this out of curiosity. This is actually a great book for kids. It's not violent and it's simple, but full of adventures. Yes there are fights, but it's not detailed or gory.

This is about a group of dwarves who discover a mysterious tattoo or a mark as they call it on a young dwarf. They don't know how he got it, but they figure out that it's a clue to the lost city of Nar. They decide to go on a quest to find it using the mark on the young dwarf.

It's a fun simple story full of dragons, intrigue and a lost city of Nar that held mysteries that you would be surprised about.

I would definitely recommend this for your kids at any age.

[Tracey Bruyette-pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeffrey M. Poole seems to have a knack for writing visual stories. From the first page to the last he captures the imagination. It's a rare thing to find an author who is as consistently interesting. I find myself talking about him and his work, to my friends and sometimes strangers, quite often. This is a must read for any fantasy fan!

[Bill Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic tween or young adult ebook or in my case kindle. A quest begins when a young dwarf attends a conference with his father. A strange mark appears on his back which turns out to be a Quest map. Thus begins a trek to the far corners of Lentari for five dwarves and a stalwart dragon in search of a mysterious "Power Hammer"and the lost city of Nar.

[Julie Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good well-written fantasy filled with action and adventure. The map idea was cleverly done.

The characters are interesting and well-developed and fit nicely into the plot.

Good descriptions and sense of place...believable world.

Worth a look.

[Michelle Thexton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait to read the next one, really engrossing

[Ramon Angel Quinones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fantasy story

usually not a fantasy fan but this book was actually really good,the characters and plot all seem to just fit together an all around good book

[Suzanne Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It grabbed my attention from the start and I found the story easy to read and it flowed well.
Great for both adults and children!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

great book for kids/tweens! and perfectly readable for everyone else too.

[Michael Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Good Sword and Sorcery Quest Tale With Dragons

I really enjoyed Poole's "Lost City" tale. It starts as a Quest (with a capital Q) delivered to a young dwarf, son of a dwarf blacksmith, by mistake. The Quest was intended for another, but seems to have been sent to the wrong ethereal address...The Quest leads a small band, mostly relatives of the young dwarf, from place to place as they follow clues to assemble the parts of a lost artifact, which in turn, leads them to a millennia-lost city hidden under a mountain.

Great plot, neat solution, fun characters combine to create a very enjoyable tale!

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

By a strange turn of events a young dwarf is sent on a quest of a lifetime. The boy ends up with what his father thinks is a scar from tumbling into a forge. The father is wrong, it is much more than that.
His father, uncle, a warrior, and a scholar join with him to try to discover the solution to the quest. The story includes helpful dragons, a not very scholarly scholar, and some intense battles that are safe to read to kids.
A good proofreader would help add back the missing words and few misspelled words. But isn't that the case in many books.

[James Groenestein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it took me longer than it should to read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Who knew they were so close to discovering the legendary city of Nar.....

Dwarves trading with dragons and humans, a quest given to a young dwarf by accident....or was it....

Fantastic descriptions and plot by the author; I was swept in to a world of metal, stone and forest with a dragon or 2 thrown in for good measure too.

Looking forward to book 2 of the series

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet little read. Fantasy from the dwarven perspective. Lots of interesting characters- the sequel has lots of potential.

A fair chunk of the travel destinations are outlined pretty far in advance and the journeys themselves seem a touch too easy to be exciting a lot of the time, but it’s still a fun plot and has some really good moments.

[Hellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started reading this author through the tales of lentari series and have loved every book that has been available ever since. No teen angst or werewolves and vampires that is enjoyable to read in a fantasy series. Very highly recommend.

[mary-kay richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!!!

This is a good all age book! Only saw a few mis - spellings . good storyline.!! Makes me want to read more!

[meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Lots of adventure. Good plot. Recommend for young teens. Easy reading difficult to put down. Give it a high five.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful and thoroughly entertaining read. Filled with humor in a well crafted story arc.

[Hollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story, and very interesting adventure.

[Craig Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun adventure where a young boy has some sort of tattoo, but it's actual a map to a lost world. A small group of people go on an adventure, and it's non-stop fun from there. I wish it didn't move around the characters so much so we could get deeper into each individual, but otherwise, a fun, clean adventure that promises to be the beginning of a fantastic series. The narration was well done as well.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm rating this book as if I was 10-13.

A solid writing effort combined with good editing made this book an easy and enjoyable read.

Lucas, a young dwarf, is found to have a quest map on his back. The Council decides he must go on the quest but he will be accompanied by a number of adults. This is where the book tripped me up. I thought it was going to be a "coming of age story", but it wasn't. Lucas made some good observations to help the group on the quest, but mostly he was just a walking map.

Lucas' father turned out to be the primary protagonist, but others in the group also carried the banner at different times. If you feel another character was the primary protagonist, I won't be upset.

I really liked the character development of the Dragons. With the exception of Eragon and a couple of other stories, the presence of dragons is secondary to the story. I've always thought that with their life spans that they Must have some good stories to tell.

"Son, it's that time in your life when you are going to start meeting ..... others not exactly like yourself.."

"Dad, let's not do this embarrasing thing. I already know everything I need to about the birds and the bears, OK?"

"Uh ..... did you think .... that I was going to tell you about girl dragons, son?"

"Well ..... sure, Pop. You mean you ..... weren't?"

"Oh, no. No, no, no. That will come lat..... What do you mean you know all about the birds and the bears?"

"Nothing, I mean, uh, I misspoke. What creatures am I going to meet?"

"Oh. Well there are going to be bee's and dwarves and trolls and ..... "

"Dad. Dad! You mean there are more than dragons and bears and bee's and birds ?"

"Yes son, there are, many more. The sneakiest, most vicious ones are called humans. You will just have to believe me when I tell you they are the one species that actually hunt dragonkind."

" !!! Hunt? You mean ..... hunt ..... like in ..... they try to kill us, hunt?"

"Unfortunately, yes son. They hunt us and try to kill us. Worse yet, they succeed all too often."

"Dad! You don't really mean that! You ..... you're just trying to scare me! Dad, that's not funny. Dragons are the biggest, we are the wisest, we are the strongest"

"Son, son. Calm down. There aren't any humans around. Calm down and I'll tell you the story of the very first time man and dragonkind met."

"Uh ..... OK, Dad. But before you start, can we get a snack? I mean, do you think Mom could bring us a snack and ..... and ..... "

[Lenita Sheridan]

A Wonderful Story

This book has a beautiful cover and a wonderful story. The author has a good sense of humor and this sets the tone for the book. I liked the idea of a sentient tree; it was very imaginative. The descriptions and dialogue were good, though I couldn't always tell who was talking. The author was very creative in the way he had the two headed dragon talk to itself from its two different heads. That was definitely funny. There are all sorts of other funny parts in the book. I did find myself skimming through the fight scene the way one might skim through the battle scenes in War and Peace. I would recommend this book for middle grade through adult.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as part of the "Quest" anthology.

While this was not a complex or deep book it was fun to read and I intend to read more in the series. It is a fairly straightforward fantasy adventure and a bit predictable in places, but a good solid read.

As with all indie books I read I do pay attention to the editing and proofreading. While there were several errors in the book it was better than most indie works I have read lately. Most of the errors were things like missing articles (a, the, etc...). The 2 most egregious were the word should used in place of shoulder and a sentence where a couple of the words were in the wrong order. Overall this was well edited for an indie book.

[Bill Tillman]

Lost City, I will take five Dwarfs with a Dragon on the side!

What a fun quest, the Lost City of Nar An adventure taking the questor's to the four corners of Lentari. A tale full of twists and turns, with enough clues for the most diehard of mystery buffs. Five stars for mid-grade and YA readers.

[Lorac625 · Rating 4 out of 5]

a book to be read again and again

I'm unabashedly a big fan of Jeffrey Poole and Lentari,and I am so glad he has expanded his books to more than R'Tal. Not that the Bakkian books aren't fabulous, but I knew the dwarves and dragons had TONS of great stories just waiting to be told. This book proves that -as usual!- I was correct. ;)

[Birgit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it! Dwarves as main characters, and dragons, and a quest for a long lost city, add to that witty dialogues and a lot of humour, and you have something you'll find it hard to put down and stop reading.
Although I had the impression it was more targeted for much younger readers, I as an adult thoroughly enjoyed this story and would not mind reading more of this author, or in this series.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the opportunity to return to Lentari! The dwarfs of one clan are challenged to go on a quest without knowing what it is. The five that end up going on the quest have many adventures on the way to fulfilling it. Loved the different characters and how they interacted with each other.

Love this author!

[Phyllis Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a true "page-turner". For those who do not know what that means it is a book that is so good that you cannot help but to turn the page and keep reading. The characters are enjoyable, the quest interesting and that there are friendly dragon folk involved doesn't hurt a bit.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick review as I’m playing catch-up on a few books I’ve read.
I read this with my 11 year old daughter and we are both LOVING the series!

Update:
Almost 3 years later I’m now reading these with my younger daughter! Still LOVE these books!!!