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Tribesman #1
Tribesman
Banished from his homeland, a warrior of the Northern Clans grows weary of life in a harsh alien land. With the dark god Morrigu haunting his dreams, the warrior and champion Culainn journeys north in search of a merchant's daughter abducted by clansmen. With a desert princess as a companion he will travel through a land baked by a scorching sun, where bandits roam free and dark beasts stalk the night.
An ancient evil is rising from the desert. A Benouin myth of a ghost city inhabited by the souls of their ancestors, a bridge to the Underworld is unleashing demonic creatures on an unsuspecting world. Culainn and Persha, warrior and mage, stand alone against a tide of darkness. All the while the dark war god of the north seeks to use Culainn as her own tool, her own champion.
An ancient evil is rising from the desert. A Benouin myth of a ghost city inhabited by the souls of their ancestors, a bridge to the Underworld is unleashing demonic creatures on an unsuspecting world. Culainn and Persha, warrior and mage, stand alone against a tide of darkness. All the while the dark war god of the north seeks to use Culainn as her own tool, her own champion.
- GenresFantasy
210 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2012
19 people are currently reading
1022 people want to read
About the author
Paul Freeman
49 books55 followersPaul Freeman is from Dublin, Ireland, where he now works, plays and writes. In the past he has lived in Germany and America but is now content to keep his roaming to the worlds he creates and writes about.
Tribesman is his first published novel, an epic fantasy with hints of Celtic myth. He has also published a short story in the steampunk anthology, Strange Tales From the Scriptorium Vaults. Season of the Dead is a novel about the zombie apocalypse, told from four different perspectives by four different authors. Season of the Dead is published by Spore Press
Book 2 in the Tribesman series, Warrior is now available.
Tribesman is his first published novel, an epic fantasy with hints of Celtic myth. He has also published a short story in the steampunk anthology, Strange Tales From the Scriptorium Vaults. Season of the Dead is a novel about the zombie apocalypse, told from four different perspectives by four different authors. Season of the Dead is published by Spore Press
Book 2 in the Tribesman series, Warrior is now available.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 25, 2013
A Must Read for All Epic Fantasy Lovers!
TRIBESMAN by Paul Freeman is an epic fantasy tale of a true warrior and an outcast, Culainn, who sets on a perilous journey in search of Cotterell the merchant’s daughter abducted by clansmen. In the lands he wanders Culainn is often prejudiced, people calling him Tribesman, which he considers an offence. There are a lot of things I enjoyed about this novel and first of all I’d like to say I enormously loved the main characters, Culainn and Persha (a woman Culainn saves from a group of villains on one occasion).
Paul Freeman is really great at characterization! Culainn makes a fantastic character. He is a strong, experienced warrior, blessed with the gift of sensing danger, yet haunted all the time by a dark goddess Morrigu, who is most often the sign of someone’s impending death. Culainn and Persha are together wandering the deserts, facing malevolent demons and other creatures that seek to kill whoever they find in their way. It’s a journey fraught with dangers and full of unpredictable twists and turns.
The book is filled with masterfully-written descriptions of the harsh and barren scenery. There are also quite a number of intense action-packed scenes here that are very visual and really well-done. This will especially appeal to action-oriented readers, I’m sure.
I just can’t help admiring the author’s ability at writing such intense scenes as this one:
“Up close the creature’s hot and putrid breath assaulted him as it snapped its massive jaws. The claws on its hind legs ripped at his thighs, while the front paws pinned him to the ground. He needed both hands to prevent the creature from ripping out his throat, all the while his legs and torso were being torn to shreds. … He saw the blood-red eyes staring into his own and knew the beast was too powerful, his strength was failing fast. The creature shook its head violently from side to side in order to break free of his grip and get at him with its fangs. His muscles were beginning to burn from the agony of the demon’s ripping claws.”
There were also a few flashback scenes into Culainn’s childhood that helped relate to the warrior on a deeper level, and helped me get to know Culainn better. And it’s not only about him, I should say, but about the other characters as well.
I enjoyed Mr. Freeman’s manner of writing—it’s strong, mature, and just to the point. The scenes—especially the fight scenes—were very easy to visualize. It felt as if I were there, in the thick of the events. There were also a few romantic bits, not sickly sweet romantic, but appropriate for an epic fantasy book.
One of the parts of the book that I enjoyed the most was Culainn’s visit to Azral-Murbo, the City of the Dead, where he goes to save Persha. A great climax to the book!
To sum up, this is a must-read for all fantasy lovers, especially those who enjoy epic fantasy! I look forward to future releases by this author!
TRIBESMAN by Paul Freeman is an epic fantasy tale of a true warrior and an outcast, Culainn, who sets on a perilous journey in search of Cotterell the merchant’s daughter abducted by clansmen. In the lands he wanders Culainn is often prejudiced, people calling him Tribesman, which he considers an offence. There are a lot of things I enjoyed about this novel and first of all I’d like to say I enormously loved the main characters, Culainn and Persha (a woman Culainn saves from a group of villains on one occasion).
Paul Freeman is really great at characterization! Culainn makes a fantastic character. He is a strong, experienced warrior, blessed with the gift of sensing danger, yet haunted all the time by a dark goddess Morrigu, who is most often the sign of someone’s impending death. Culainn and Persha are together wandering the deserts, facing malevolent demons and other creatures that seek to kill whoever they find in their way. It’s a journey fraught with dangers and full of unpredictable twists and turns.
The book is filled with masterfully-written descriptions of the harsh and barren scenery. There are also quite a number of intense action-packed scenes here that are very visual and really well-done. This will especially appeal to action-oriented readers, I’m sure.
I just can’t help admiring the author’s ability at writing such intense scenes as this one:
“Up close the creature’s hot and putrid breath assaulted him as it snapped its massive jaws. The claws on its hind legs ripped at his thighs, while the front paws pinned him to the ground. He needed both hands to prevent the creature from ripping out his throat, all the while his legs and torso were being torn to shreds. … He saw the blood-red eyes staring into his own and knew the beast was too powerful, his strength was failing fast. The creature shook its head violently from side to side in order to break free of his grip and get at him with its fangs. His muscles were beginning to burn from the agony of the demon’s ripping claws.”
There were also a few flashback scenes into Culainn’s childhood that helped relate to the warrior on a deeper level, and helped me get to know Culainn better. And it’s not only about him, I should say, but about the other characters as well.
I enjoyed Mr. Freeman’s manner of writing—it’s strong, mature, and just to the point. The scenes—especially the fight scenes—were very easy to visualize. It felt as if I were there, in the thick of the events. There were also a few romantic bits, not sickly sweet romantic, but appropriate for an epic fantasy book.
One of the parts of the book that I enjoyed the most was Culainn’s visit to Azral-Murbo, the City of the Dead, where he goes to save Persha. A great climax to the book!
To sum up, this is a must-read for all fantasy lovers, especially those who enjoy epic fantasy! I look forward to future releases by this author!
Read
August 14, 2014I LIKED IT
This is one of those frustrating times when a book could have easily made it up a notch in my rating. It sat on the brink, tipping both ways, but in the end, it fell just a hair short. For the first quarter of the book, this was making its way into the I REALLY LIKED IT group. However, the further I read, the more I started losing interest.
First off, we’re introduced to the main character who just woke with a hangover. Immediately, I liked the Tribesman. He was a tough guy, picked on because of his race, and we were shown quickly that he’s not afraid of confrontation. I’m rubbing my hands together in excitement.
As I continued to read, I still liked our Tribesman, but when more characters were introduced, he started to fade. Reason? They allll talked the same. In the beginning, the landlady and a few ruffians had a lazy dialect. They used contractions, where our Tribesman did not. Cool, right? Well, that faded pretty quickly. Soon, the dialog just felt heavy, jerky, and kept me from getting into my beloved reading trance. It never bothered me that the Tribesman spoke formally. It gave him a unique voice in the beginning, but like I said, when others joined, he got drowned out. Seriously, that was my biggest beef. Towards the middle, it all began to run together. I missed that distinction I felt in the beginning. I understand not every word that can be a contraction should be a contraction, but when there’s a good chunk of dialog, it just doesn’t flow when everyone speaks stiffly.
There were some awesome fight scenes. Then there were some I was hugely disappointed in. First, Tribesman is a badass. I enjoyed it when we were fighting there with him, right in his mind. But then there were sections where a fight was coming, then all of sudden it was over. We were then told what happened. For example, bad group of guys were coming up the stairs and never saw their deaths. First guy fell with a dagger in his throat, second with a stab to the chest, and so on. For me, personally, I would have rather been with Tribesman as he did all this stuff, not seeing it from outside. I understand this is totally a personal preference. A lot of action scenes are written this way. But when Freeman gives me a taste of awesome action and then tosses me a scrap like that, I feel a little cheated.
Also purely personal tastes is my dislike for head hopping mid scene with no formal break. One minute I’m with Tribesman after a big fight, and then all of a sudden I’m with another character. It’s always jarring for me when this happens. I really prefer a break to show a PoV change.
One thing I very much enjoyed is that we stayed with our main character and his companion about 98% of the time. It kept me close to our Tribesman at a time I might have become bored if another storyline would have been introduced.
If you’re looking for a strong female character, don’t expect one here. Sure, she puts up a bit of fight, but she’s more looking to be rescued. Shame, because when I first met our female protagonist, I thought she’d end up being a bit tougher.
So overall, I never skimmed and read it in a single afternoon. I must say, it was a quick read. I enjoyed this book, but those few negatives kept me at a slight distance when there was every possibility to become hugely engrossed.
A couple cool excerpts:
“Heroes are simply frightened men with gods-luck who survive.”
“Fear has a smell, it is blood and shit and the piss of the man standing next to you, or maybe it is your own.”
You can this and other reviews on my website: http://booksbylkevans.com
This is one of those frustrating times when a book could have easily made it up a notch in my rating. It sat on the brink, tipping both ways, but in the end, it fell just a hair short. For the first quarter of the book, this was making its way into the I REALLY LIKED IT group. However, the further I read, the more I started losing interest.
First off, we’re introduced to the main character who just woke with a hangover. Immediately, I liked the Tribesman. He was a tough guy, picked on because of his race, and we were shown quickly that he’s not afraid of confrontation. I’m rubbing my hands together in excitement.
As I continued to read, I still liked our Tribesman, but when more characters were introduced, he started to fade. Reason? They allll talked the same. In the beginning, the landlady and a few ruffians had a lazy dialect. They used contractions, where our Tribesman did not. Cool, right? Well, that faded pretty quickly. Soon, the dialog just felt heavy, jerky, and kept me from getting into my beloved reading trance. It never bothered me that the Tribesman spoke formally. It gave him a unique voice in the beginning, but like I said, when others joined, he got drowned out. Seriously, that was my biggest beef. Towards the middle, it all began to run together. I missed that distinction I felt in the beginning. I understand not every word that can be a contraction should be a contraction, but when there’s a good chunk of dialog, it just doesn’t flow when everyone speaks stiffly.
There were some awesome fight scenes. Then there were some I was hugely disappointed in. First, Tribesman is a badass. I enjoyed it when we were fighting there with him, right in his mind. But then there were sections where a fight was coming, then all of sudden it was over. We were then told what happened. For example, bad group of guys were coming up the stairs and never saw their deaths. First guy fell with a dagger in his throat, second with a stab to the chest, and so on. For me, personally, I would have rather been with Tribesman as he did all this stuff, not seeing it from outside. I understand this is totally a personal preference. A lot of action scenes are written this way. But when Freeman gives me a taste of awesome action and then tosses me a scrap like that, I feel a little cheated.
Also purely personal tastes is my dislike for head hopping mid scene with no formal break. One minute I’m with Tribesman after a big fight, and then all of a sudden I’m with another character. It’s always jarring for me when this happens. I really prefer a break to show a PoV change.
One thing I very much enjoyed is that we stayed with our main character and his companion about 98% of the time. It kept me close to our Tribesman at a time I might have become bored if another storyline would have been introduced.
If you’re looking for a strong female character, don’t expect one here. Sure, she puts up a bit of fight, but she’s more looking to be rescued. Shame, because when I first met our female protagonist, I thought she’d end up being a bit tougher.
So overall, I never skimmed and read it in a single afternoon. I must say, it was a quick read. I enjoyed this book, but those few negatives kept me at a slight distance when there was every possibility to become hugely engrossed.
A couple cool excerpts:
“Heroes are simply frightened men with gods-luck who survive.”
“Fear has a smell, it is blood and shit and the piss of the man standing next to you, or maybe it is your own.”
You can this and other reviews on my website: http://booksbylkevans.com
July 7, 2013
This was an awesome read for the epic fantasy genre. There was a lot of gore and bloodshed between mortals and supernatural beings alike. This is exactly what I want to read concerning this genre. I was quickly pulled in to the plot and the social similarities and differences it had with our own society. I was interested to read about the hostility people had against fair skinned and fair haired Northerners. It was like a role reversal where dark skinned peoples were "better." The image that I got regarding the Northerners was that of Vikings; tall, very muscular with braided hair hanging down, and the life of raiding. Even the goddess of death, Morrigu reminded me a little bit of Freya.
Overall I though it was well worth the read. There was a little romance thrown in and honestly I could have done with less. Our main character got derailed from his original path (obviously) but I didn't think he would go that far off. Still I was happy with how the book ended and where the main characters ended up. It would have been just a bit too perfect if the author decided to take a more mushy ending. I would have to say though that my favorite character would have to be Morrigu. She is just so conniving and terrifying and everything in between. Of course, being the goddess of death warrants such characteristics. So anyways, a great book to read and I immensely enjoyed that this is not part of a series. Don't get me wrong, book series' are great, but there is something satisfying about finishing a book without having to wait for the next one to be published (or purchased).
Overall I though it was well worth the read. There was a little romance thrown in and honestly I could have done with less. Our main character got derailed from his original path (obviously) but I didn't think he would go that far off. Still I was happy with how the book ended and where the main characters ended up. It would have been just a bit too perfect if the author decided to take a more mushy ending. I would have to say though that my favorite character would have to be Morrigu. She is just so conniving and terrifying and everything in between. Of course, being the goddess of death warrants such characteristics. So anyways, a great book to read and I immensely enjoyed that this is not part of a series. Don't get me wrong, book series' are great, but there is something satisfying about finishing a book without having to wait for the next one to be published (or purchased).
October 16, 2012
Awesome and epic. Those are two words that are often overused to the point where their original mean has been diluted beyond recognition. And yet, with regards to Tribesman, those two words are particularly applicable.
The breadth, depth and scope of the world created by Paul Freeman is awesome in its development and epic in its delivery. Culainn is a dynamic character who has made some poor choices in his past and is dealing with the consequences of them. He undertakes a quest to retrieve a merchants daughter. Along the way he meets Persha, an beautiful dessert nomad, and an outcast just like the warrior of the north. Together they battle demons, hell hounds and search for the lost city of the dead. A story of magic, gods, love and betrayal, Tribesman is truly an epic adventure.
I deeply enjoyed this story. It is one of the few e-books that I've read that I plan to also purchase the printed copy when it comes out. It has earned not only a place in my kindle but on my shelf.
The breadth, depth and scope of the world created by Paul Freeman is awesome in its development and epic in its delivery. Culainn is a dynamic character who has made some poor choices in his past and is dealing with the consequences of them. He undertakes a quest to retrieve a merchants daughter. Along the way he meets Persha, an beautiful dessert nomad, and an outcast just like the warrior of the north. Together they battle demons, hell hounds and search for the lost city of the dead. A story of magic, gods, love and betrayal, Tribesman is truly an epic adventure.
I deeply enjoyed this story. It is one of the few e-books that I've read that I plan to also purchase the printed copy when it comes out. It has earned not only a place in my kindle but on my shelf.
February 6, 2013
This is a marvelous fantasy read. What seems as a simple fantasy concept is quickly launched into one of the more compelling stories that I've ever read within the genre. Mr. Freeman has such an interesting and unique descriptive sense that I found myself intrigued by the prose as much as the beautifully rich characters.
If you are a fan of the fantasy genre, you'll lose yourself in Tribesman's pages. It's a perilous journey that's remarkably constructed.
If you are a fan of the fantasy genre, you'll lose yourself in Tribesman's pages. It's a perilous journey that's remarkably constructed.
June 7, 2013
Good storytelling, relatable lead character and a plot that becomes more engaging as the pages turn. Paul Freeman is a new enjoyable voice in the genre, and I'll make sure I keep an eye for his next work.
June 29, 2013
TRIBESMAN by Paul Freeman is an epic fantasy tale of a true warrior and an outcast, Culainn, who sets on a perilous journey in search of Cotterell the merchant’s daughter abducted by clansmen. In the lands he wanders Culainn is often prejudiced, people calling him Tribesman, which he considers an offence. There are a lot of things I enjoyed about this novel and first of all I’d like to say I enormously loved the main characters, Culainn and Persha (a woman Culainn saves from a group of villains on one occasion).
Paul Freeman is really great at characterization! Culainn makes a fantastic character. He is a strong, experienced warrior, blessed with the gift of sensing danger, yet haunted all the time by a dark goddess Morrigu, who is most often the sign of someone’s impending death. Culainn and Persha are together wandering the deserts, facing malevolent demons and other creatures that seek to kill whoever they find in their way. It’s a journey fraught with dangers and full of unpredictable twists and turns.
The book is filled with masterfully-written descriptions of the harsh and barren scenery. There are also quite a number of intense action-packed scenes here that are very visual and really well-done. This will especially appeal to action-oriented readers, I’m sure.
I just can’t help admiring the author’s ability at writing such intense scenes as this one:
“Up close the creature’s hot and putrid breath assaulted him as it snapped its massive jaws. The claws on its hind legs ripped at his thighs, while the front paws pinned him to the ground. He needed both hands to prevent the creature from ripping out his throat, all the while his legs and torso were being torn to shreds. … He saw the blood-red eyes staring into his own and knew the beast was too powerful, his strength was failing fast. The creature shook its head violently from side to side in order to break free of his grip and get at him with its fangs. His muscles were beginning to burn from the agony of the demon’s ripping claws.”
There were also a few flashback scenes into Culainn’s childhood that helped relate to the warrior on a deeper level, and helped me get to know Culainn better. And it’s not only about him, I should say, but about the other characters as well.
I enjoyed Mr. Freeman’s manner of writing—it’s strong, mature, and just to the point. The scenes—especially the fight scenes—were very easy to visualize. It felt as if I were there, in the thick of the events. There were also a few romantic bits, not sickly sweet romantic, but appropriate for an epic fantasy book.
One of the parts of the book that I enjoyed the most was Culainn’s visit to Azral-Murbo, the City of the Dead, where he goes to save Persha. A great climax to the book!
To sum up, this is a must-read for all fantasy lovers, especially those who enjoy epic fantasy! I look forward to future releases by this author!
Paul Freeman is really great at characterization! Culainn makes a fantastic character. He is a strong, experienced warrior, blessed with the gift of sensing danger, yet haunted all the time by a dark goddess Morrigu, who is most often the sign of someone’s impending death. Culainn and Persha are together wandering the deserts, facing malevolent demons and other creatures that seek to kill whoever they find in their way. It’s a journey fraught with dangers and full of unpredictable twists and turns.
The book is filled with masterfully-written descriptions of the harsh and barren scenery. There are also quite a number of intense action-packed scenes here that are very visual and really well-done. This will especially appeal to action-oriented readers, I’m sure.
I just can’t help admiring the author’s ability at writing such intense scenes as this one:
“Up close the creature’s hot and putrid breath assaulted him as it snapped its massive jaws. The claws on its hind legs ripped at his thighs, while the front paws pinned him to the ground. He needed both hands to prevent the creature from ripping out his throat, all the while his legs and torso were being torn to shreds. … He saw the blood-red eyes staring into his own and knew the beast was too powerful, his strength was failing fast. The creature shook its head violently from side to side in order to break free of his grip and get at him with its fangs. His muscles were beginning to burn from the agony of the demon’s ripping claws.”
There were also a few flashback scenes into Culainn’s childhood that helped relate to the warrior on a deeper level, and helped me get to know Culainn better. And it’s not only about him, I should say, but about the other characters as well.
I enjoyed Mr. Freeman’s manner of writing—it’s strong, mature, and just to the point. The scenes—especially the fight scenes—were very easy to visualize. It felt as if I were there, in the thick of the events. There were also a few romantic bits, not sickly sweet romantic, but appropriate for an epic fantasy book.
One of the parts of the book that I enjoyed the most was Culainn’s visit to Azral-Murbo, the City of the Dead, where he goes to save Persha. A great climax to the book!
To sum up, this is a must-read for all fantasy lovers, especially those who enjoy epic fantasy! I look forward to future releases by this author!
March 23, 2014
I'm not too free with five star reviews, but I gave Tribesman by Paul Freeman five stars because it was really worth it. Tribesman is about Culainn, a man from beyond the northern mountains with a tortured past, cast to the desert lands to the south, living out a life of exile. The story starts with his blade being bought, and from there, fate takes over. This is a really gripping tale, rife with love, danger, demons, magic and gods.
One of the things I liked most about this book was the use of magic. In a lot of fantasy books, you have mages that can cast spells like lightning and fire and all kinds of battle magics, but in Tribesman, the magic is more spiritual, frightening, and potent.
I can't really tell you the biggest reason that I love this book in a way you will understand, but I will try. When I was younger, I had an older friend who I used to visit who got me into writing. She was the first writer that helped to mold my craft. I loved her writing. She had this simple style of falling into the characters lives, of knowing precisely who they were and what they stood for. Her characters could have easily fit in this world as much as the world she wrote about. Tribesman reminded me of her writing, and it reminded me precisely why I love fantasy so much.
One of the things I liked most about this book was the use of magic. In a lot of fantasy books, you have mages that can cast spells like lightning and fire and all kinds of battle magics, but in Tribesman, the magic is more spiritual, frightening, and potent.
I can't really tell you the biggest reason that I love this book in a way you will understand, but I will try. When I was younger, I had an older friend who I used to visit who got me into writing. She was the first writer that helped to mold my craft. I loved her writing. She had this simple style of falling into the characters lives, of knowing precisely who they were and what they stood for. Her characters could have easily fit in this world as much as the world she wrote about. Tribesman reminded me of her writing, and it reminded me precisely why I love fantasy so much.
January 4, 2013
A thoroughly enjoyable read
This is a super tale of warriors and mages and demons and sword-fights and battles and nasty deaths. Culainn, the hero, is a true hero; a great fighter, almost fearless, but who finds himself pitted against some formidable enemies, all the while aided/hindered by a god who infiltrates his dreams and seeks to control him for her own devious ends. There is romance, too, and the horrors of battle and soldiery, with much blood spilt, many limbs lopped off and some pretty nasty flesh-wounds. And Culainn, wracked by guilt for a shameful deed that led to his self-imposed exile from his homelands, debates whether he can return home to escape the hostile environment he now finds himself in. The story is never predictable, always gripping, making for a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying read. Highly recommended. I eagerly await Books 2 and 3 of the series!
This is a super tale of warriors and mages and demons and sword-fights and battles and nasty deaths. Culainn, the hero, is a true hero; a great fighter, almost fearless, but who finds himself pitted against some formidable enemies, all the while aided/hindered by a god who infiltrates his dreams and seeks to control him for her own devious ends. There is romance, too, and the horrors of battle and soldiery, with much blood spilt, many limbs lopped off and some pretty nasty flesh-wounds. And Culainn, wracked by guilt for a shameful deed that led to his self-imposed exile from his homelands, debates whether he can return home to escape the hostile environment he now finds himself in. The story is never predictable, always gripping, making for a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying read. Highly recommended. I eagerly await Books 2 and 3 of the series!
December 7, 2012
Paul Freeman has built a believable - and harshly terrifying - world inside this fast-paced novel. The eponymous protagonist's hands are drenched in blood, and yet he comes across as vulnerable as well as heroic. By the end of the book we're as confused as he is: who is the real villain? Is it Morrigu, goddess of war and death, or is it simply fate?
Pacing is excellent, characters well formed, and the story unfolds like a napkin. The Kindle version I was reading contained several formatting errors that will most likely be corrected in subsequent editions, but they weren't enough to slow me down - I finished the book in a day. I highly recommend, and look forward to more!
NB: 12/2012, I changed this review to five stars because the formatting errors have been addressed. If you like epic fantasy, don't miss this fabulous read!
Pacing is excellent, characters well formed, and the story unfolds like a napkin. The Kindle version I was reading contained several formatting errors that will most likely be corrected in subsequent editions, but they weren't enough to slow me down - I finished the book in a day. I highly recommend, and look forward to more!
NB: 12/2012, I changed this review to five stars because the formatting errors have been addressed. If you like epic fantasy, don't miss this fabulous read!
October 14, 2012
This is a stirring adventure story set in a fictional world that has a wonderful depth of detail and mystery to it. Culainn, an exiled warrior from the Northern clans, is hired by a wealthy merchant on a mission to the north. En route, his mission goes awry as he encounters rampaging desert tribes, demonic beasts, and a City of the Dead.
Despite his unfortunate past, Culainn makes choices to help others, leading him to a fateful romance with a young woman who has many secrets. The characters are complex, well-drawn, and fascinating. The story itself is fast-paced, suspenseful, and very well-written.
Is the raven god Morrigu leading him to his doom? Can he trust the burly fellow tribesman he meets in the City of the Dead? It makes for a gripping tale and I look forward to sequels and a movie.
Despite his unfortunate past, Culainn makes choices to help others, leading him to a fateful romance with a young woman who has many secrets. The characters are complex, well-drawn, and fascinating. The story itself is fast-paced, suspenseful, and very well-written.
Is the raven god Morrigu leading him to his doom? Can he trust the burly fellow tribesman he meets in the City of the Dead? It makes for a gripping tale and I look forward to sequels and a movie.
January 27, 2016
The hero of 'Tribesman', Culainn, is a barbarian warrior in the finest tradition of the genre. He's strong, fast, and deadly - 'a warrior born'. But, unlike some other fantasy hero's, he has more on his mind than gold, women and adventure. He is tormented by a cruel and capricious god, in exile from his homeland, an outcast amongst people who both fear and despise him. The slowly revealed mystery of his past is just one of the well woven strands that run through this story, giving more depth to both the plot and the character than barbarian warrior fantasy's often have. However, there's plenty of the traditional elements as well - savage battles, beautiful women, evil mages and ferocious monsters! Sword and sorcery of a high standard.
November 30, 2012
Fabulous story about Calian, outcast sent on a mission to find a richman's lost daughter.
Can I say this story gripped me from the start, I love Calain's character, enjoyed this book so much I think I'm going to read it again soon.
Hurry up Paul Freeman and write another!!!!!! :-) It pulled me through a very sad time, Thankyou.
Can I say this story gripped me from the start, I love Calain's character, enjoyed this book so much I think I'm going to read it again soon.
Hurry up Paul Freeman and write another!!!!!! :-) It pulled me through a very sad time, Thankyou.
January 8, 2013
Tribesman is a rousing adventure tale of a hero on a mission to retrieve a missing girl. He's not just a sword-swinging, barbarian thug, but an honor-bound warrior who overcomes personal fears and dreadful demons as he moves through real and mythic worlds to fulfill his quest. Like all good stories, we're left wanting more.
March 7, 2021
I read this novel a few years ago but neglected to record my thoughts, so I’m giving it another go.
The story starts very well, with a sympathetic northern barbarian skulking around a backwater of a southern empire, half-heartily taking the job of finding the missing daughter of a merchant as a means of breaking with his underworld boss. This part of the story is gritty. It’s smart. The Conan clone protagonist is quickly fleshed out as a mysterious warrior with a god-bothered destiny. All good so far.
But then he is sidetracked and the story starts to wobble. He saves a woman from a gang rape - a bit stereotypical as a plot point - and she turns out to be a mysterious mage with a different god-bothered destiny. Facing danger together, they fall in love - again, a bit stereotypical - and the merchant’s daughter is completely forgotten.
A completely new story starts at this point. The pair find themselves facing a grotesque evil of monsters overrunning the land from a cursed city. They defeat the evil, but realise they are but pawns in a game of Gods.
Don’t get me wrong. All this is very well done and extremely readable.
It’s excellent heroic fantasy, with engaging characters and a well presented world, lots of action and romance, but there’s no story as such and no development in the characters, so despite all the high quality elements the whole falls somewhat flat. Culainn, the protagonist, knew he was manipulated by Morrigu, his God of death, at the beginning of the story, and he knows that he is still being manipulated at the end. He’s just a little bit angrier. So not much change.
That the narrative sweeps the reader along without a clear direction of travel is testament to the quality of the writing, despite a few editorial issues here and there (awkward Point of View jumps in particular). This is good stuff. But for all Culainn’s wandering, there is no inner journey. For all his victories, he does not overcome any antagonists that matter to him. These are but passing episodes. Excellent episodes, but not enough to create a true myth.
The original story of the missing daughter continues in the sequel, I understand, but I’m not yet sure I’ll read on. I have enjoyed the reread, so this is a definite four stars despite my hunger for something more.
The story starts very well, with a sympathetic northern barbarian skulking around a backwater of a southern empire, half-heartily taking the job of finding the missing daughter of a merchant as a means of breaking with his underworld boss. This part of the story is gritty. It’s smart. The Conan clone protagonist is quickly fleshed out as a mysterious warrior with a god-bothered destiny. All good so far.
But then he is sidetracked and the story starts to wobble. He saves a woman from a gang rape - a bit stereotypical as a plot point - and she turns out to be a mysterious mage with a different god-bothered destiny. Facing danger together, they fall in love - again, a bit stereotypical - and the merchant’s daughter is completely forgotten.
A completely new story starts at this point. The pair find themselves facing a grotesque evil of monsters overrunning the land from a cursed city. They defeat the evil, but realise they are but pawns in a game of Gods.
Don’t get me wrong. All this is very well done and extremely readable.
It’s excellent heroic fantasy, with engaging characters and a well presented world, lots of action and romance, but there’s no story as such and no development in the characters, so despite all the high quality elements the whole falls somewhat flat. Culainn, the protagonist, knew he was manipulated by Morrigu, his God of death, at the beginning of the story, and he knows that he is still being manipulated at the end. He’s just a little bit angrier. So not much change.
That the narrative sweeps the reader along without a clear direction of travel is testament to the quality of the writing, despite a few editorial issues here and there (awkward Point of View jumps in particular). This is good stuff. But for all Culainn’s wandering, there is no inner journey. For all his victories, he does not overcome any antagonists that matter to him. These are but passing episodes. Excellent episodes, but not enough to create a true myth.
The original story of the missing daughter continues in the sequel, I understand, but I’m not yet sure I’ll read on. I have enjoyed the reread, so this is a definite four stars despite my hunger for something more.
June 7, 2015
This book has been in my library for a while and, while looking for something to read set in another time and place, something not so much of the real world, I opened it. It met my expectations – another time and place indeed, filled with vengeful gods and spirits, the heat of the desert sands and also the cool of the mountains. I was transported.
Tribesman is a well-structured story and moves seamlessly between the present in the tale and the memories of the mighty northern warrior and the powerful women from the desert. Fearsome battles with both real enemies and those from the world of the dead spice the tale, as does love, and the will of one man to rescue his damsel from the clutches of a terrible evil.
Although I do wish it was longer, it is well worth a read, and I know there is another book!
Tribesman is a well-structured story and moves seamlessly between the present in the tale and the memories of the mighty northern warrior and the powerful women from the desert. Fearsome battles with both real enemies and those from the world of the dead spice the tale, as does love, and the will of one man to rescue his damsel from the clutches of a terrible evil.
Although I do wish it was longer, it is well worth a read, and I know there is another book!
January 13, 2014
Interesting plot and characters, but I found the telling of their story very flat. This was longer than it needed to be and fairly depressing throughout. Whatever sparks of hope or joy popped up in the middle got crushed in the process. So after a lot of really bad stuff happened, the main character was in a situation not terribly dissimilar from the book's beginning but slightly closer to home.
June 27, 2013
This book had me from the first page – rich characters, vibrant setting and intriguing storyline. Well done! A most excellent read which kept me huddled over my kindle deep into the night.
October 29, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyable read that leaves the door open for a sequel.
May 12, 2017
This book had so much promise at the beginning. Culainn is in exile from his homeland, somewhere to the North of where he lives now. He is an outcast because of his looks - his people are known for their vicious raids into other lands. A wealthy merchant hires Culainn to attempt to rescue his daughter who was kidnapped while in the mountains.
Culainn agrees, and sets out to attempt to at least head to the mountains to see if there is a sign of the daughter. He stops in a small town, saves a woman from being raped, runs off with her to flee from pursuers, hallucinates about a god, gets attacked by demons, falls in love with the woman, the woman gets captured and raped anyhow and I gave up. I forgot what the book was about because it just went on and on and on.
Culainn agrees, and sets out to attempt to at least head to the mountains to see if there is a sign of the daughter. He stops in a small town, saves a woman from being raped, runs off with her to flee from pursuers, hallucinates about a god, gets attacked by demons, falls in love with the woman, the woman gets captured and raped anyhow and I gave up. I forgot what the book was about because it just went on and on and on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2018
Interesting
Interesting read that brings out the darkness of man while the gods fight among themselves to rule the lands and man.
Interesting read that brings out the darkness of man while the gods fight among themselves to rule the lands and man.
Read
February 16, 2026DNF 49%
February 15, 2013
Tribesman has the makings to be an excellent novel. However, it fell short for me on several levels. Overall, the story was intriguing and well-paced, and kept me reading until the very end. That being said, there were numerous moments where I contemplated putting it down altogether. I am glad that I gave it the benefit of the doubt and kept reading.
The strengths of this book lie in the two main characters, Culainn and Persha. From the beginning, you get a glimpse of the somewhat stereotypical fantasy archetypes; the damaged warrior/hero and the dark and exotic female who may or may not have magical powers. What sets them apart in Tribesman is Freeman’s characterization. They were well-developed and the burgeoning relationship between them really added to the storyline. Secondary characters were also treated with the same deft touch. Well done.
The story itself morphed over time from one seemingly innocuous quest to find a merchant’s missing daughter into a journey that becomes more dangerous. This was also well done. I felt the story moved, with only the occasional bits of backstory that I felt were unnecessary.
What I didn’t like were the numerous editorial (mostly punctuation, more than a few grammatical) errors and the tendency of the author to tell me the story, not show me. While it moved well, I felt as though I were being told a tale, rather than being immersed in it. There were quite a few well-written passages, but overall, I felt the story needed the heavy hand of a good editor to bring to life the tale that was offered.
Would I read another novel by Mr. Freeman? Begrudgingly. My enjoyment of the work was overshadowed by the errors and the bits of lackluster writing. Were that to be solved, I am confident in saying that Mr. Freeman definitely has talent. The overall feel of Tribesman will be familiar to many readers of the genre, but there are notes that make it stand out. The world of Culainn and his people and of Persha and the Benouin are colorful and engaging. The ending left me a bit cold, as it was abrupt. It left me wondering if there would be a follow up, simply because I enjoyed the storyline and was interested in the characters.
I am hesitant to rate this lower than three stars. What saved it for me was Freeman’s ability to craft an interesting and unique storyline, and bolster that with good, solid characterization. Were it not for that, I would have rated this with two stars. However, I can recommend that you read this one for yourself and decide.
The strengths of this book lie in the two main characters, Culainn and Persha. From the beginning, you get a glimpse of the somewhat stereotypical fantasy archetypes; the damaged warrior/hero and the dark and exotic female who may or may not have magical powers. What sets them apart in Tribesman is Freeman’s characterization. They were well-developed and the burgeoning relationship between them really added to the storyline. Secondary characters were also treated with the same deft touch. Well done.
The story itself morphed over time from one seemingly innocuous quest to find a merchant’s missing daughter into a journey that becomes more dangerous. This was also well done. I felt the story moved, with only the occasional bits of backstory that I felt were unnecessary.
What I didn’t like were the numerous editorial (mostly punctuation, more than a few grammatical) errors and the tendency of the author to tell me the story, not show me. While it moved well, I felt as though I were being told a tale, rather than being immersed in it. There were quite a few well-written passages, but overall, I felt the story needed the heavy hand of a good editor to bring to life the tale that was offered.
Would I read another novel by Mr. Freeman? Begrudgingly. My enjoyment of the work was overshadowed by the errors and the bits of lackluster writing. Were that to be solved, I am confident in saying that Mr. Freeman definitely has talent. The overall feel of Tribesman will be familiar to many readers of the genre, but there are notes that make it stand out. The world of Culainn and his people and of Persha and the Benouin are colorful and engaging. The ending left me a bit cold, as it was abrupt. It left me wondering if there would be a follow up, simply because I enjoyed the storyline and was interested in the characters.
I am hesitant to rate this lower than three stars. What saved it for me was Freeman’s ability to craft an interesting and unique storyline, and bolster that with good, solid characterization. Were it not for that, I would have rated this with two stars. However, I can recommend that you read this one for yourself and decide.
November 15, 2013
Tribesman actually isn't a bad read but I thought it could have been better and by that I mean longer. Culainn is a Clansman or Tribesman from the north who finds himself smack bang in the middle of the Tunsai Empire. It feels as if it is somewhere in the Middle East, perhaps Persia and Culainn's people sound Celtic due to the fact they have druids and seem to do a lot of raiding. When Guild Master Cotterel pays him to find his daughter, Sheera who has been kidnapped he sets off for the north with the idea that he might just take the money and run. But when he rescues a Benouin woman from some men trying to rape her he sets off a chain of events that sees them running from the rapists and into the desert where they encounter strange misshapen beasts from the abyss that are threatening to overwhelm the world. Culainn will have to enter the city of the dead to put an end to the madness.
As a fantasy it actually works well in most respects but as mentioned earlier it really should have been longer because the ending, which I won't mention here feels tacked on as if the author realised he was running out of word space and tried to cram everything in. Unfortunately you can't do that with fantasy very easily. You're creating a fictional world that does have parallels in our own world but you need space to explain and lay out your world. There are lots of scenes of a very beefy, muscular Culainn who sounds a lot like Conan, and then there is Persha, his lady love who happens to be a mage and the daughter of a Benouin king. On a minor note I found the name Benouin rather odd as they are based on the Bedouin and similarly the use of druids for the northern Clansmen is odd. Druids were just priests in the Celtic world, it would have been better just to have called them priests or even shamans. I know it's pedantic but these irksome features do hold the work back.
In general it's entertaining enough but more could have been done to develop Culainn, we get that he's muscular and pretty handy with a sword but we don't need to be reminded of this all the time, just a wee reminder now and then that he's built like Arnie and can't get a grip on his emotions without getting tongue tied. More showing and less telling in other words.
I gave it a two out of five because it is okay but not outstanding. Perhaps a sequel might see more work put into character development and if the book was longer the author would have space to do this without leaving me feeling short changed.
As a fantasy it actually works well in most respects but as mentioned earlier it really should have been longer because the ending, which I won't mention here feels tacked on as if the author realised he was running out of word space and tried to cram everything in. Unfortunately you can't do that with fantasy very easily. You're creating a fictional world that does have parallels in our own world but you need space to explain and lay out your world. There are lots of scenes of a very beefy, muscular Culainn who sounds a lot like Conan, and then there is Persha, his lady love who happens to be a mage and the daughter of a Benouin king. On a minor note I found the name Benouin rather odd as they are based on the Bedouin and similarly the use of druids for the northern Clansmen is odd. Druids were just priests in the Celtic world, it would have been better just to have called them priests or even shamans. I know it's pedantic but these irksome features do hold the work back.
In general it's entertaining enough but more could have been done to develop Culainn, we get that he's muscular and pretty handy with a sword but we don't need to be reminded of this all the time, just a wee reminder now and then that he's built like Arnie and can't get a grip on his emotions without getting tongue tied. More showing and less telling in other words.
I gave it a two out of five because it is okay but not outstanding. Perhaps a sequel might see more work put into character development and if the book was longer the author would have space to do this without leaving me feeling short changed.
November 7, 2015
I was not expecting anything mind blowing but, in the meantime, i sure was not expecting to dislike this book that much.
The warrior was stupid and violent (Hey girl, go back to the city where the weird old warrior who's chasing us is at while i'm playing hero, i love you).
The "princess" was even more stupid and unloveable (This old guy seems menacing is it not ? let's not talk about it to anyone and see what happen next).
They feel like a bad theather interpretation of a fantasy story played by the quaterback bully and the queen cheerleader. This is bad.
The old soldier is a "bad" bad guy (Those two i don't like them, let's always have my hand wander around my sword looking at them with an angry face and see if they notice).
The big bad guy is laughable, he appears for two pages and dies lamentably.
The god figure is just weird.
I did not care one time for any of them (but for one rape scene who just doesn't feel right given the not so dark plot of the story).
Everything seems rushed, untidy. Many questions remains unanswered.
I am very disappointed.
The warrior was stupid and violent (Hey girl, go back to the city where the weird old warrior who's chasing us is at while i'm playing hero, i love you).
The "princess" was even more stupid and unloveable (This old guy seems menacing is it not ? let's not talk about it to anyone and see what happen next).
They feel like a bad theather interpretation of a fantasy story played by the quaterback bully and the queen cheerleader. This is bad.
The old soldier is a "bad" bad guy (Those two i don't like them, let's always have my hand wander around my sword looking at them with an angry face and see if they notice).
The big bad guy is laughable, he appears for two pages and dies lamentably.
The god figure is just weird.
I did not care one time for any of them (but for one rape scene who just doesn't feel right given the not so dark plot of the story).
Everything seems rushed, untidy. Many questions remains unanswered.
I am very disappointed.
February 26, 2014
You find two kinds of people in this world. Those who love the epic part of the fantasy genre and those who do not!
I fall into the first category.
The characters in this book had all the typical elements of stong if flawed humans.
The world building is where the epic started to flag some. The world was told into being and I never got to feel that the world was shown to me.
The epic battle between the past and the present was well balanced and I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the mechanics of the world. Again this was handled as expected from an epic fantasy.
Where the epic part again fails to deliver is in the theme of the book. It was over simplified and I missed the truth of our reality being reflected as a new and understated theme. Yes good vs evil but I would have prefered a more movel approach and some more true and tested truths being picked up and shaken to reveal a fallacy accepted as a truth.
That said. Inread for pleasure. For escape. For fun. I liked reading this book. So go ahead. See if you agree, pick up a copy and be entertained.
WaAr
I fall into the first category.
The characters in this book had all the typical elements of stong if flawed humans.
The world building is where the epic started to flag some. The world was told into being and I never got to feel that the world was shown to me.
The epic battle between the past and the present was well balanced and I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the mechanics of the world. Again this was handled as expected from an epic fantasy.
Where the epic part again fails to deliver is in the theme of the book. It was over simplified and I missed the truth of our reality being reflected as a new and understated theme. Yes good vs evil but I would have prefered a more movel approach and some more true and tested truths being picked up and shaken to reveal a fallacy accepted as a truth.
That said. Inread for pleasure. For escape. For fun. I liked reading this book. So go ahead. See if you agree, pick up a copy and be entertained.
WaAr
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