The Bridge at Ardendale

The Legend of Fergus #1

by J.W. Kent

So, what does a legendary mercenary do when he retires? “He finds him an out of the way place… where they grow good barley and hops. Sets his-self up brewing ale, and mayhap finds a soft, curvy lass or two to keep his bones warm at night….” But when Fergus walked into the Upper Arden Valley he found far more than he had bargained for.

Genres: Fantasy

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2013

About the author

J.W. Kent is a Bluegrass musician and avid homebrewer. He also enjoys fishing, black powder firearms, playing his bagpipes and doting on his granddaughter. He makes his home in the Shenandoah Valley with his wife Robin, and can not imagine a life without dogs in it.

Reviews

[Travis Mohrman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was really well written. the characters are nicely developed and the whole thing has a good flow to it. I usually stick to science fiction instead of the fantasy realms (a la "game of thrones) but i think i may be checking out books like these more after reading this one.
the humor in it is hilarious too. It's bawdy, and at times, just plain dirty, but it makes for very good humor and also a much more realistic and believable world. To assume warriors like this were polite gentiles is ridiculous!
Also, the main character is written with a scottish (or irish) accent and its done surprisingly well. it is very hard to write with an accent but this new author pulled it off without a hitch.
overall, an excellent read that i highly recommend.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute joy to read! The character building was superb and I could not help but fall in love with Fergus. The old world diction mixed with profanity had me laughing out loud many times, bringing about numerous inquisitive glances from coworkers and family. I was overjoyed to see that there is another book as well, and I shall be downloading it momentarily.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Here there are kings and kingdoms, armies and battles, mercenaries, bandits, swords, pubs, and beer. No dragons or sorcery needed, just the ingenuity and skills of ordinary people, trying to avoid the bad guys and live in peace. Some of the characters here are better developed than others, but all of them are unique individuals. The world they dwell in is described well without detracting from the pace of the story. I also learned more about the art of brewing while reading this - it's seems to be a theme in a few books I've read this year.

I'm probably about to make the author cringe and retreat to a corner, but it's my review, and I'll say what I think.

Fergus is so adorable! He bristles with weaponry and turns the air blue with bad language, but he's just an old softy behind the rough exterior. He is prepared to like everyone he meets, unless they give him a reason not to like them. He retired from fighting wars because he couldn't find a good reason to kill guys that were just like him, but for a different uniform. He likes ladies - all the ladies - and sees every female as a lady, no matter what her past or present occupation may be. He's delighted to make new friends and help them all that he can, and is humbly pleased if a lady should grant him her attention. He's certainly deadly enough to those with evil intent, but is a staunch defender of the innocent. Kate is certainly a match for him - her personality is great, too. I thought their gradual romance to be very sweet.

And I really loved the dog. There is no denying the importance of that. There you have it - this book was lots of fun.

[Thomas Cardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bridge at Ardendale was fun right out of the barrel--both the gun barrel and the ale barrel. Impeccable action? It's got it. Bawdy humor? In spades.

Fergus is an old timer, but his days of making the legends the bards sing about are not done. He aims to settle down in a nice, out of the way place--even if it means cutting a bloody swath through those who stand in his way.

The characters are a delight. Fergus is brilliant to see in action, a character with a full and deep background. Everything in the story has a rich history, and yet things never grind to a halt of exposition. History is hinted with a light hand. Even his horse and dog are memorable characters filled with unique quirks and depth that tells the reader they have a history.

If there is a shortcomming, I would say it is in the villains of the story. They are fowl and wicked, but their time in scene is very brief. As soon as Fergus gets face to face with them they are blood and body parts. That is not to say their missdeads do not extend through the story, because they do. I am happy that the POV stays with Fergus, but I hope in the future we will see multiple exchanges between him and his more worthy opponents.

I highly recommend this story, it is sword and sorcery, hold the sorcery and give me an extra side of swords and an ale.

[Amanda Emburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this book! One can't help but to fall in love with the main character Fergus, the guy is hilarious! This book has a little of everything including bandits and booze. Fergus' outlook on life and it's events in the story never fail to make you laugh out loud. I can't wait to read more about the adventures of this legend and his dog :)

[Tony Bertauski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fergus is one of the most fun protags I've read in a while. The strong old English accent is just plain fun to read, and the arse kickin' he delivers while dropping these verbal gems is a smilin' shot of testosterone. I want to drink a beer with this crusty old coot!

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by Author and GoodReads-Friend Thomas Cardin (Author of the Vorallon Series), and was available at the kindle lending library, so I gave it a shot.

I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the book. The world was well written, the characters, especially Fergus and his horse and dog (yes, his horse and dog are characters!), are memorable. There is also some bawdy humor and beer brewing, the latter for the first time in any fantasy book I have read to date.

I'll have to second Thomas' review in that the exchanges with the villians are a bit short. It might be intended, to show that fergus can make short work of everyone if he so desires, but it still kind of hurt the suspense of the encounters between them.

All in all, I consider this a good, if not great, book. I know at least one friend I will recommend this book to, and if you like fantasy, humor and a bit of violence, you might want to pick this book up.

[Colette Chadwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fergus is a dirty, foulmouthed, and very smart mercenary looking for retirement. He is a refreshing character you will absolutely love.

The Bridge of Ardendale is a work of art. Filled with swords, bandits, battles, blood and guts. A vicious horse, a dirty dog, mixed with colorful language, ale, and humor.

I reckon that someday soon, when ye be ready, ye will acquaint ye self to dis book.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Fergus makes me smile throughout the book. I'm not a fan of beer but this story makes beer making sound quite interesting. There is adventure, comedy, romance. What more could you ask for?

[Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's official. I'm a Fergus fan. This was a well written story and the characters were a delight. I enjoyed it the whole way through, and am looking forward to more of Fergus' story. Well done, Mr. Kent!

[Rick Finley · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was far better than i had anticipated it would be. the story of an old mercenary who has retired and just wants a quite life, growing hops and relaxing. of course that doesnt go to plan, and what we get instead is a fast and full adventure that i found hugely enjoayble. great read

[Richard Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not done with it yet but really enjoying "The Bridge at Ardendale." Funny characters and seamless writing. Mr. Kent is a great story teller.

[Linda Luedeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the characters. Will have to check out the sequels. I love happy endings.