What do you think?
Rate this book
Valkwitch
“I want to hear your version of the beginning, oh master bard. Let’s hear about the time before the titles and plane-shifting. When I was just…me.”
Life and Death. Fire and Water. Light and Shadow. Air and Earth.
Together, the eight elemental forces were used in the creation of the world. Now, separately, they seek to unmake it. To do that they need agents to carry out their designs. Thus the Elements offer a pact to anyone willing to listen and the terms are simple: power for service.
Those who accept have become heroes and villains, men and women of legend. History and myth are littered with tales of their deeds, while the face of the world is scarred by their successes and failures in equal measure.
For Tyrissa, such stories reside solely in within the pages of a book. While she feels the call of a more adventurous life, she reins in the urge and settles for ownership of the immense evergreen forests of her homeland. As much as she may dream of greater things it seems she wasn't meant for a life beyond her current reach.
But such stories have a certain way of unfolding, and Tyrissa will find herself drawn into the long-simmering elemental conflict in a way she never quite imagined.
Valkwitch is the beginning of an epic fantasy saga that stretches across a fracturing world and into realms beyond.
Life and Death. Fire and Water. Light and Shadow. Air and Earth.
Together, the eight elemental forces were used in the creation of the world. Now, separately, they seek to unmake it. To do that they need agents to carry out their designs. Thus the Elements offer a pact to anyone willing to listen and the terms are simple: power for service.
Those who accept have become heroes and villains, men and women of legend. History and myth are littered with tales of their deeds, while the face of the world is scarred by their successes and failures in equal measure.
For Tyrissa, such stories reside solely in within the pages of a book. While she feels the call of a more adventurous life, she reins in the urge and settles for ownership of the immense evergreen forests of her homeland. As much as she may dream of greater things it seems she wasn't meant for a life beyond her current reach.
But such stories have a certain way of unfolding, and Tyrissa will find herself drawn into the long-simmering elemental conflict in a way she never quite imagined.
Valkwitch is the beginning of an epic fantasy saga that stretches across a fracturing world and into realms beyond.
- GenresFantasyEpic Fantasy
366 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2013
2 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Michael Watson
4 books7 followersMichael L. Watson has spent much of his life in fantasy worlds, be it reading, watching, game-mastering, or playing. He figured he might as well write a few and complete the set. He lives in Dallas, Texas
Valkwitch is his first novel.
Valkwitch is his first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 11, 2013
Call me biased if you must, but I think this book is great. It was simultaneously the hardest and most worthwhile thing I've ever done.
I hope you enjoy it!
I hope you enjoy it!
December 18, 2020
If I have mentioned it before in my review of Anthony Ryan’s “Blood Song,” there are some authors who you know you are just going to enjoy. Their style of writing just feels comfortable and effortless. I felt this with Robin Hobb and I felt it with George R R Martin.
The opening of Valkwitch gave me a very similar feeling. The prologue was good but it was the first chapter I loved. Michael does a great job of easing the reader into his world and introducing his main character Tyrissa along with her brothers. The dialogue feels organic and the story-telling natural.
It is something that is rare and I devoured the first few chapters eagerly.
Tyrissa is your standard fantasy character: She dreams of a better life and for adventure beyond the small town she lives in. She is also going through the motions in what is perceived to be a patriarchal society. Fortunately there is far more to Tyrissa than the standard setup. She is sure of herself but at the same time naive. One minute she speaks with authority on subjects and the next she is unsure and out of her depth. She s confident in her ability to fight but is also readily humbled. These are nice character traits as Tyrissa is neither arrogant nor condescending.
The supporting cast is more of a mixed bag. Many characters drift in an out of the story with no real resolution. One can only assume that they are set up for future books, but it is a shame as you are not too sure what to make of some of them.
Olivianna for example, is a good character. She is the first lady that Tyrissa is told to protect in her new job and instantly sets about antagonising Tyrissa. The reasons for this are unclear other than the simple explanation that from where Olivianna comes from it is considered “sport.” It adds a nice layer of mystery to Olivianna and sets her apart from the other characters.
Kexan is also a prominent character. A skilled warrior he trains Tyrissa in becoming a more proficient fighter. Out of everyone (other than her family) he gets closest to Tyrissa, offering to train her and later working with her.
There is no antagonist as such. Tyrissa pursues Vralin but we never really get a sense of who he is, other than a puppet of the elements. Surprisingly, I did not mind this, in fact I found it refreshing
Tyrissa’s brother, Lirian is a constant, but he is reduced to a minor role in fairness. Only featuring at sporadic times to make sure his sister is alright. This proves as a useful anchor for the plot, refocusing it and reminding the reader of all that has gone on.
Speaking of the plot, I feel this is where the novel is a little weak. Once the incident that sets Tyrissa is underway the driving force behind the story is a little lost. There were times where I found myself wondering (particularly in the first half of the book) exactly what Tyrissa was supposed to be doing. Her journey is less of a quest but more of a travel log. Tyrissa has a mystery to solve, but she does not appear to be in any rush to achieve her goal. It is more of a “wait and see” what happens situation. Every now and then she gets the urge to be proactive but quickly gives up at the first hurdle.
This all changes when she meets Giroon the bard where Tyrissa learns a little bit more about who she has become.
Don’t get me wrong, Michael Watson’s writing is highly accomplished. In parts it is baffling that this is a debut novel as the prose is so well written and descriptive, but there are pacing issues. Quite often the strongest element of the writing i.e, the descriptive passages are also the weakest. There are times when far too much times is spent on describing a market place or city. As a result, all momentum of the scene is lost. It never becomes a chore to read, but sometimes you wish the pace was a little more direct.
Once the plot becomes clearer however, the pace of the novel increases. The action scenes are extremely well handled and I loved the idea of the Pact with their special powers. These are used extensively but never feel over done. They are also never used as a deux ex machina which is nice as all the characters are vulnerable.
Michael unveils elements of the plot slowly and thoughtfully. There is a subtlety to his writing that even most established authors would be proud of. To achieve this so early on in his career makes me envious.
All of these builds to a huge climatic showdown. Michael does well to avoid rehashing earlier confrontations with Vralin and provide the reader with something new. Whilst the story line concludes in a satisfactory way, there is a real sense that the story is just beginning.
Overall then, I enjoyed Valkwitch. The writing is excellent and the idea fresh and original. Apart from the pacing issues early on in the novel and the seemingly constant merry-go-round of characters entering and departing the story with no real resolution I would be given Michael debut novel top marks. I am certainly looking forward to the second book.
My rating: 8.3
The opening of Valkwitch gave me a very similar feeling. The prologue was good but it was the first chapter I loved. Michael does a great job of easing the reader into his world and introducing his main character Tyrissa along with her brothers. The dialogue feels organic and the story-telling natural.
It is something that is rare and I devoured the first few chapters eagerly.
Tyrissa is your standard fantasy character: She dreams of a better life and for adventure beyond the small town she lives in. She is also going through the motions in what is perceived to be a patriarchal society. Fortunately there is far more to Tyrissa than the standard setup. She is sure of herself but at the same time naive. One minute she speaks with authority on subjects and the next she is unsure and out of her depth. She s confident in her ability to fight but is also readily humbled. These are nice character traits as Tyrissa is neither arrogant nor condescending.
The supporting cast is more of a mixed bag. Many characters drift in an out of the story with no real resolution. One can only assume that they are set up for future books, but it is a shame as you are not too sure what to make of some of them.
Olivianna for example, is a good character. She is the first lady that Tyrissa is told to protect in her new job and instantly sets about antagonising Tyrissa. The reasons for this are unclear other than the simple explanation that from where Olivianna comes from it is considered “sport.” It adds a nice layer of mystery to Olivianna and sets her apart from the other characters.
Kexan is also a prominent character. A skilled warrior he trains Tyrissa in becoming a more proficient fighter. Out of everyone (other than her family) he gets closest to Tyrissa, offering to train her and later working with her.
There is no antagonist as such. Tyrissa pursues Vralin but we never really get a sense of who he is, other than a puppet of the elements. Surprisingly, I did not mind this, in fact I found it refreshing
Tyrissa’s brother, Lirian is a constant, but he is reduced to a minor role in fairness. Only featuring at sporadic times to make sure his sister is alright. This proves as a useful anchor for the plot, refocusing it and reminding the reader of all that has gone on.
Speaking of the plot, I feel this is where the novel is a little weak. Once the incident that sets Tyrissa is underway the driving force behind the story is a little lost. There were times where I found myself wondering (particularly in the first half of the book) exactly what Tyrissa was supposed to be doing. Her journey is less of a quest but more of a travel log. Tyrissa has a mystery to solve, but she does not appear to be in any rush to achieve her goal. It is more of a “wait and see” what happens situation. Every now and then she gets the urge to be proactive but quickly gives up at the first hurdle.
This all changes when she meets Giroon the bard where Tyrissa learns a little bit more about who she has become.
Don’t get me wrong, Michael Watson’s writing is highly accomplished. In parts it is baffling that this is a debut novel as the prose is so well written and descriptive, but there are pacing issues. Quite often the strongest element of the writing i.e, the descriptive passages are also the weakest. There are times when far too much times is spent on describing a market place or city. As a result, all momentum of the scene is lost. It never becomes a chore to read, but sometimes you wish the pace was a little more direct.
Once the plot becomes clearer however, the pace of the novel increases. The action scenes are extremely well handled and I loved the idea of the Pact with their special powers. These are used extensively but never feel over done. They are also never used as a deux ex machina which is nice as all the characters are vulnerable.
Michael unveils elements of the plot slowly and thoughtfully. There is a subtlety to his writing that even most established authors would be proud of. To achieve this so early on in his career makes me envious.
All of these builds to a huge climatic showdown. Michael does well to avoid rehashing earlier confrontations with Vralin and provide the reader with something new. Whilst the story line concludes in a satisfactory way, there is a real sense that the story is just beginning.
Overall then, I enjoyed Valkwitch. The writing is excellent and the idea fresh and original. Apart from the pacing issues early on in the novel and the seemingly constant merry-go-round of characters entering and departing the story with no real resolution I would be given Michael debut novel top marks. I am certainly looking forward to the second book.
My rating: 8.3
June 17, 2015
Valkwitch is a standard high fantasy about a young girl who stands out from the crowd due to an early incident which I won't divulge due to spoilers. What proceeds to unfold is the hero's journey through peril as she joins what appears to be a caravan of misfits.
The prose is crisp and effective, there are very few mistakes and the text is well-edited.
Which brings me to the age-old question: why only three stars?
The reason that this review is somewhat shorter than my usual fare is simply because plot-wise, nothing really grabbed me. Our hero goes through the aforementioned peril and comes out the other side changed, but in spite of this I felt little empathy or interest in her subsequent questing. She's a fairly standard character, neither likeable nor unlikeable, and feels like a blank canvas for the world to be imposed upon.
I think the biggest hurdle Watson faces is that there's an absolute glut of high fantasy out there, both published and self-published, and while his writing is of a high quality and the presentation is excellent throughout, there's simply not enough uniqueness about the work to make it stand out from its peers.
It's not all bad, Watson is a good builder of worlds, and it shows as the layers are peeled off one by one. There are intriguing concepts and well-realised systems to be found for the discerning reader.
If you like standard high fantasy fare with a young female protagonist, this is your book. Disregard my relatively lukewarm interview and give it a read, because there's quality to be found here if this is the sort of work you're looking for.
Unfortunately for the likes of me, I've been burnt out on one too many books just like this one.
The prose is crisp and effective, there are very few mistakes and the text is well-edited.
Which brings me to the age-old question: why only three stars?
The reason that this review is somewhat shorter than my usual fare is simply because plot-wise, nothing really grabbed me. Our hero goes through the aforementioned peril and comes out the other side changed, but in spite of this I felt little empathy or interest in her subsequent questing. She's a fairly standard character, neither likeable nor unlikeable, and feels like a blank canvas for the world to be imposed upon.
I think the biggest hurdle Watson faces is that there's an absolute glut of high fantasy out there, both published and self-published, and while his writing is of a high quality and the presentation is excellent throughout, there's simply not enough uniqueness about the work to make it stand out from its peers.
It's not all bad, Watson is a good builder of worlds, and it shows as the layers are peeled off one by one. There are intriguing concepts and well-realised systems to be found for the discerning reader.
If you like standard high fantasy fare with a young female protagonist, this is your book. Disregard my relatively lukewarm interview and give it a read, because there's quality to be found here if this is the sort of work you're looking for.
Unfortunately for the likes of me, I've been burnt out on one too many books just like this one.
September 22, 2013
Disclaimer: I received this book for free through the Goodreads First Readers program.
Valkwitch is that rare self-published novel that is so polished, you have to check to make sure that there's no publishing house attached to the front. Author Michael Watson no doubt spent a lot of time building his world and it shows: rich and detailed, with distinct regions and races, each with their own flavor and agenda.
Tyrissa Jorensen, the daughter of a carpenter, lives in the remote kingdom of Morgale. Twenty years ago, the kingdom was ravaged by "the Clense" -- an event that set neighbor against neighbor and decimated the population. The Clense resulted in the king outlawing all Pactbound -- individuals who strike a deal with one of the elements in return for specific powers. This order does not effect Tyrissa -- until she unwittingly finds herself Pactbound to an unknown power.
It is Tyrissa's older brother, Liran, who suggests a solution: travel with him to far-away Khalanheim, where a "Pact Witch" is rumored to live. A woman with the power to strip away Pacts and return the individual to normal.
As Tyrissa travels, she begins to unwind the mystery surrounding her Pact; what she once wished to be rid of, starts to grow and become a part of her in ways she never imagined.
Valkwitch captured me from the start with its strong characters and detailed environment. There are a few errors here and there, but that in no way detracts from the narrative. I look forward to the next installment.
Valkwitch is that rare self-published novel that is so polished, you have to check to make sure that there's no publishing house attached to the front. Author Michael Watson no doubt spent a lot of time building his world and it shows: rich and detailed, with distinct regions and races, each with their own flavor and agenda.
Tyrissa Jorensen, the daughter of a carpenter, lives in the remote kingdom of Morgale. Twenty years ago, the kingdom was ravaged by "the Clense" -- an event that set neighbor against neighbor and decimated the population. The Clense resulted in the king outlawing all Pactbound -- individuals who strike a deal with one of the elements in return for specific powers. This order does not effect Tyrissa -- until she unwittingly finds herself Pactbound to an unknown power.
It is Tyrissa's older brother, Liran, who suggests a solution: travel with him to far-away Khalanheim, where a "Pact Witch" is rumored to live. A woman with the power to strip away Pacts and return the individual to normal.
As Tyrissa travels, she begins to unwind the mystery surrounding her Pact; what she once wished to be rid of, starts to grow and become a part of her in ways she never imagined.
Valkwitch captured me from the start with its strong characters and detailed environment. There are a few errors here and there, but that in no way detracts from the narrative. I look forward to the next installment.
April 29, 2016
This novel was very well written, proceeds through the plot at a good pace, and has a, for lack of a better descriptor, non-annoying female protagonist. The vast world develops well in Watson's hands, with just enough description to paint a clear, precise, and illuminating picture, but without boring the reader. I can't wait for the rest of this series.
February 20, 2015
I enjoyed this very much. It took a little while to get into the book when I first started reading but once I got into it then I loved it. It's a great book with a lot of excitement and adventure. Great read!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews