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The Sword and the Flame #1
The Forging
In a world where magic and the sword rule and dragons are forgotten, a band of friends find each other but can they overcome their own fears and trials in time to fulfill their destiny? Their adventure begins in The Sword and the Flame: The Forging. Before a weapon can be used, it must be forged in the fires of life.
- GenresFantasy
442 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2012
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112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 30, 2013
A.D. & D. anyone?
The Forging is the first entry in C. P. Bialois’ bestselling The Sword and the Flame series. The Forging shows a strong imagination and I hated to put the book down. As is not uncommon in the Epic Fantasy genre, the plot follows an ensemble cast and lingers on long descriptions of the wilderness around the City of Hope.
Bialois_The ForgingBerek is owned by Renard an unscrupulous circus operator. His father sold him to Renard. Apparently Berek displayed magic and the shame of it forced his father to sell him. Okay, this is fantasy. Berek is a pit fighter, a slave gladiator, who fights for the amusement of Renard’s customers. Berek hopes to pay off his contract and win his freedom. Little does he know that no one escapes Renard’s circus alive. Think Island of Dr. Moreau.
A merry band of merry heroes and heroines gather around Berek the Barbarian-Magician. Viola the apprentice Sorceress, Janessa the Halfling-Thief, Galin the Dwarf, and Gilliam the Cleric join him. Their object is a treasure hunt to find the gold Berek needs to buy his freedom. Each has their own motives for helping, those Gilliam’s are the most straightforward. Fleir the Air Nymph-Woman joins the troop later. Not all of these titles are in the book, but it’s fairly obvious to gamers.
In addition to the fellowship ensemble, are Mern and Fech. Mern is a vendor traveling with Renard’s circus. He offers agrees to train Viola in magic. And Fech the Gargoyle completes the cast as Renard’s pet.
Ranking:
Bialois develops his characters and they interact in long scenes on normally excised from action-adventures or thrillers. Critical reviewers should note the genre, and possibly consider the sub-genre before casting aspersions. Forging is clearly an Epic Fantasy, Swords and Sorcery book (duh), but it reflects a character driven approach as found in many romantic fantasies. For some readers this may seem unusual, but consider the later books in the Sword of Shannara series by Terry Brooks or anything written by Anne McCaffrey. Actually, I half expected Janessa to fall for Berek, and for Fleir and Janessa to square off. It didn’t happen, per se, but it looks like there may be a rivalry brewing over Berek. If I were Bialois I would take advantage of Berek’s barbarian charms in future episodes.
And as always my ranking takes the target audience into account.
A.D. & D. Fan Fiction?
Some reviewers have been critical of the Forging as an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons adventure tale. To which my response is … So? To me that’s a feature not a bug. I’d say ‘Yes, it is! But if it isn’t, it ought to be.’ Personally it reminded me of my favorite video game, Diablo. Versions 1 and 2; not the D3 fixed track, MMORPGAGABAndPlayWithRudeTeens version.
Format and Writing:
I reviewed the Kindle version on my daughter’s Kindle. Formatting is professional. The cover works for the book. My only complaint is the lack of a Table of Contents for convenience. This is not an issue if you’re not sharing a Kindle.
Recommendation:
If you are a fan of Epic Fantasy and Fantasy MMORPG Games such as Diablo, League of Legends, Legend of Edda, Lord of the Rings, Maple Story, Runes of Magic, Ultima or Vindictus, I highly recommend the book. … Okay, so I am showing my age. If you also enjoy fan fiction in this genre following one or more of these games, I strongly urge you to check The Forging out and share it with your like-minded friends.
About the author:
C. P. Bailois is the pen name of a writer named Ed. He forged his pen name from the names of his pets ... couldn’t resist. Don’t worry I understand, I prefer a pen name too.
CP blogs at The BiaLog, http://cpbialois.wordpress.com/. Follow him at facebook.com/CP Bailois, or on Twitter @cpbialois.
Reviewed by:
D. A. Knight
Author of
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf and
Cretaceous Clay and the Ninth Ring
The Forging is the first entry in C. P. Bialois’ bestselling The Sword and the Flame series. The Forging shows a strong imagination and I hated to put the book down. As is not uncommon in the Epic Fantasy genre, the plot follows an ensemble cast and lingers on long descriptions of the wilderness around the City of Hope.
Bialois_The ForgingBerek is owned by Renard an unscrupulous circus operator. His father sold him to Renard. Apparently Berek displayed magic and the shame of it forced his father to sell him. Okay, this is fantasy. Berek is a pit fighter, a slave gladiator, who fights for the amusement of Renard’s customers. Berek hopes to pay off his contract and win his freedom. Little does he know that no one escapes Renard’s circus alive. Think Island of Dr. Moreau.
A merry band of merry heroes and heroines gather around Berek the Barbarian-Magician. Viola the apprentice Sorceress, Janessa the Halfling-Thief, Galin the Dwarf, and Gilliam the Cleric join him. Their object is a treasure hunt to find the gold Berek needs to buy his freedom. Each has their own motives for helping, those Gilliam’s are the most straightforward. Fleir the Air Nymph-Woman joins the troop later. Not all of these titles are in the book, but it’s fairly obvious to gamers.
In addition to the fellowship ensemble, are Mern and Fech. Mern is a vendor traveling with Renard’s circus. He offers agrees to train Viola in magic. And Fech the Gargoyle completes the cast as Renard’s pet.
Ranking:
Bialois develops his characters and they interact in long scenes on normally excised from action-adventures or thrillers. Critical reviewers should note the genre, and possibly consider the sub-genre before casting aspersions. Forging is clearly an Epic Fantasy, Swords and Sorcery book (duh), but it reflects a character driven approach as found in many romantic fantasies. For some readers this may seem unusual, but consider the later books in the Sword of Shannara series by Terry Brooks or anything written by Anne McCaffrey. Actually, I half expected Janessa to fall for Berek, and for Fleir and Janessa to square off. It didn’t happen, per se, but it looks like there may be a rivalry brewing over Berek. If I were Bialois I would take advantage of Berek’s barbarian charms in future episodes.
And as always my ranking takes the target audience into account.
A.D. & D. Fan Fiction?
Some reviewers have been critical of the Forging as an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons adventure tale. To which my response is … So? To me that’s a feature not a bug. I’d say ‘Yes, it is! But if it isn’t, it ought to be.’ Personally it reminded me of my favorite video game, Diablo. Versions 1 and 2; not the D3 fixed track, MMORPGAGABAndPlayWithRudeTeens version.
Format and Writing:
I reviewed the Kindle version on my daughter’s Kindle. Formatting is professional. The cover works for the book. My only complaint is the lack of a Table of Contents for convenience. This is not an issue if you’re not sharing a Kindle.
Recommendation:
If you are a fan of Epic Fantasy and Fantasy MMORPG Games such as Diablo, League of Legends, Legend of Edda, Lord of the Rings, Maple Story, Runes of Magic, Ultima or Vindictus, I highly recommend the book. … Okay, so I am showing my age. If you also enjoy fan fiction in this genre following one or more of these games, I strongly urge you to check The Forging out and share it with your like-minded friends.
About the author:
C. P. Bailois is the pen name of a writer named Ed. He forged his pen name from the names of his pets ... couldn’t resist. Don’t worry I understand, I prefer a pen name too.
CP blogs at The BiaLog, http://cpbialois.wordpress.com/. Follow him at facebook.com/CP Bailois, or on Twitter @cpbialois.
Reviewed by:
D. A. Knight
Author of
Cretaceous Clay and the Black Dwarf and
Cretaceous Clay and the Ninth Ring
September 4, 2014
I always read the best and, worst of the reviews before I buy a book. Inevitably, I find the one star reviews to contain the same complaints. "Unbelievable characters." "Power that comes from nowhere." "I couldn't believe this or that happened." And, of course, the threadbare old, old, old standard concerning redundant phrases, colloquialisms, and cliches. Of course, this book is full of them, because it's FICTION! I am so glad that writers of fantasy-adventure do NOT make their characters sound like (as) some burned-out, ponytailed, (with the big bald spot in the middle) professor of English. Having finished my rant, I offer my review.
I enjoyed the book thoroughly. The characters were well developed as each was presented during the book. So much so, I felt as though I could see their smiles, grimaces, or pain during their adventure. The bond between the two female protagonists intrigued me. The male protagonists each had their own struggles to deal with, both emotional and physical. The book contained a well-balanced mix of magic, heroics, and mental insights. Bialois painted mental pictures that filled the story with ... a lot of things. The ending does have a huge hook, as it should, it is a series!
Five stars from me; I want to find out who Jenessa falls in love with! I would recommend this book. I found it to be a fast read for a book of its length, and yes, redundantly, I would recommend it!
I enjoyed the book thoroughly. The characters were well developed as each was presented during the book. So much so, I felt as though I could see their smiles, grimaces, or pain during their adventure. The bond between the two female protagonists intrigued me. The male protagonists each had their own struggles to deal with, both emotional and physical. The book contained a well-balanced mix of magic, heroics, and mental insights. Bialois painted mental pictures that filled the story with ... a lot of things. The ending does have a huge hook, as it should, it is a series!
Five stars from me; I want to find out who Jenessa falls in love with! I would recommend this book. I found it to be a fast read for a book of its length, and yes, redundantly, I would recommend it!
March 7, 2017
I wanted to read fantasy again, and I had my eye on this one for a while. Therefore, when I had a spot on the TBR, I added this one. Read on for my review!
Synopsis (from the author): In a world where magic and the sword rule and dragons are forgotten, a band of friends find each other but can they overcome their own fears and trials in time to fulfill their destiny? Their adventure begins in The Sword and the Flame: The Forging. Before a weapon can be used, it must be forged in the fires of life.
What I liked: The Forging is one of those fantasy books that makes you feel good! It has all the requisite elements - a quest, danger, sacrifice, peril, and the awakening of power. The characters, though, make this an enjoyable read for me. My favorite is Janessa, the Halfling. Her friend Viola, the apprentice Sorcerer, and Berek, a Barabarian add their own elements. The gargoyle Fech makes a great enforcer for Renard (the circus owner), and both of those are the evil in the story. All told, The Forging is a good read for all fantasy readers.
What I didn’t like: With all the characters (I didn’t mention Galin the Dwarf, Mern the Sorcerer, and a few others), following the story is a bit confusing. Other than that, no complaints from me1
Overall impression: The Forging is a fantasy book for all ages. Cool characters, an interesting quest, a magical barbarian, and lots of evil afoot make this a fun read. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy!
My rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis (from the author): In a world where magic and the sword rule and dragons are forgotten, a band of friends find each other but can they overcome their own fears and trials in time to fulfill their destiny? Their adventure begins in The Sword and the Flame: The Forging. Before a weapon can be used, it must be forged in the fires of life.
What I liked: The Forging is one of those fantasy books that makes you feel good! It has all the requisite elements - a quest, danger, sacrifice, peril, and the awakening of power. The characters, though, make this an enjoyable read for me. My favorite is Janessa, the Halfling. Her friend Viola, the apprentice Sorcerer, and Berek, a Barabarian add their own elements. The gargoyle Fech makes a great enforcer for Renard (the circus owner), and both of those are the evil in the story. All told, The Forging is a good read for all fantasy readers.
What I didn’t like: With all the characters (I didn’t mention Galin the Dwarf, Mern the Sorcerer, and a few others), following the story is a bit confusing. Other than that, no complaints from me1
Overall impression: The Forging is a fantasy book for all ages. Cool characters, an interesting quest, a magical barbarian, and lots of evil afoot make this a fun read. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy!
My rating: 5 Stars
October 9, 2012
It reads like a game of AD&D, but unfortunately not a very well written one. The author apparently is unaware of a simple and frequently needed word: "than" -- not to be confused with then, which the author uses when "than" is meant. Combine that issue with plenty of awkward sentences, run-ons, and even a double negative or two, and it is hard to enjoy the writing. Found additionally at least one flaw in the story (scrolls are stored into a trunk without being looked at yet suddenly the mage can use spells from those scrolls?). The adventure itself is okay, if you can get past everything else, but then the author additionally breaks the basic rules of series and stand-alone books by ending on a cliff-hanger.
Although I found some of the characters somewhat interesting (as basically well-backgrounded typical AD&D-type characters), I didn't enjoy it enough to feel compelled to find the sequel to find out what happens to them.
I'd say don't bother with this unless you really don't care about decent writing and are willing to invest in at least the next book in the series to get some idea what happens to the characters.
Although I found some of the characters somewhat interesting (as basically well-backgrounded typical AD&D-type characters), I didn't enjoy it enough to feel compelled to find the sequel to find out what happens to them.
I'd say don't bother with this unless you really don't care about decent writing and are willing to invest in at least the next book in the series to get some idea what happens to the characters.
October 6, 2015
I have started reading more fantasy recently and this book has shown me what I've been missing. With a great collection of characters and descriptions of locations that helped my imagination picture the setting, I'll be reading more from this genre and this author.
I especially liked how the relationship between the main characters developed. There is sometimes friction between the different personalities, but they are ultimately united on a mission to help one of the group obtain freedom.
I thought the story flowed well with time spent allowing the characters to see the consequences of their thoughts and actions. It's not the kind of book with action on every page, but a well thought out book written by an author with a fantastic imagination.
I especially liked how the relationship between the main characters developed. There is sometimes friction between the different personalities, but they are ultimately united on a mission to help one of the group obtain freedom.
I thought the story flowed well with time spent allowing the characters to see the consequences of their thoughts and actions. It's not the kind of book with action on every page, but a well thought out book written by an author with a fantastic imagination.
April 7, 2015
The Sword and Flame is a well-developed and well-balanced fantasy novel.
Mr. Bialois imagination creates a fast-paced world of epic proportions. The characters are full of depth and the storyline is filled with magic and adventure.
The writing and characters draw you into their world and you experience what they’re going through.
Nicely done Mr. Bialois.
Mr. Bialois imagination creates a fast-paced world of epic proportions. The characters are full of depth and the storyline is filled with magic and adventure.
The writing and characters draw you into their world and you experience what they’re going through.
Nicely done Mr. Bialois.
March 31, 2014
This book was a wonderful rich world. Many charters who you really get to know and care about. This is one of the best new sword and horse fantasies I have read in a long while. I look forward with great interest to the next book. It will be amazing and full of wonderful surprises!
April 3, 2012
As the author I'm biased so you'll have to judge for yourself. No spoilers here :)
December 11, 2012
story was amazing could not put the book down the magic and character progression was phenomenal
September 5, 2013
another great book by C.P. i love the character and if you enjoy Weiss and Hickman you will love this!
July 9, 2017
I have read a huge number of books from the fantasy genre, and found this to be one of the most enjoyable.
The characters are very interesting and well developed. The storyline is very exciting and hard to predict. I enjoyed the twists and turns and found it difficult to put the book down.
I will definitely be reading the 2nd and 3rd books in the series as I have to know what happens to the characters and find out who survives.
The characters are very interesting and well developed. The storyline is very exciting and hard to predict. I enjoyed the twists and turns and found it difficult to put the book down.
I will definitely be reading the 2nd and 3rd books in the series as I have to know what happens to the characters and find out who survives.
September 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this story. It's been a long time since I've read a sword and sorcery fantasy book. I found the book easy to read and did a great job at introducing the characters. I actually felt that I cared about them as they went through their trials. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
December 5, 2016
Warning ⚠️ Cliffhanger
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews