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The Kalaraak Chronicles #1
Spark of the Divine
How far would you go to save your god?
As a Divine, Mae wields her strange gifts quietly as a mercenary—until a simple rescue job has her crew uncover a plot to steal divinity from the gods. When the god Mae serves is attacked, she must restore their power before the seven realms are thrown into chaos.
Originally inspired by a years-long Dungeons and Dragons campaign; and the first instalment in fantasy series The Kalaraak Chronicles, SPARK OF THE DIVINE follows a group of reluctant heroes on a quest to save a god while the fate of all divinity hangs in the balance. Will they each find what they desperately seek, or will the secrets they keep from one another be their undoing? Can they master their fears to defeat an evil their world has never seen?
Is it the strength of the god that matters, or the belief of the Divine?
As a Divine, Mae wields her strange gifts quietly as a mercenary—until a simple rescue job has her crew uncover a plot to steal divinity from the gods. When the god Mae serves is attacked, she must restore their power before the seven realms are thrown into chaos.
Originally inspired by a years-long Dungeons and Dragons campaign; and the first instalment in fantasy series The Kalaraak Chronicles, SPARK OF THE DIVINE follows a group of reluctant heroes on a quest to save a god while the fate of all divinity hangs in the balance. Will they each find what they desperately seek, or will the secrets they keep from one another be their undoing? Can they master their fears to defeat an evil their world has never seen?
Is it the strength of the god that matters, or the belief of the Divine?
632 pages, ebook
First published November 24, 2023
18 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
About the author
Louise Holland
4 books52 followersLouise Holland is a voracious reader, writer and lover of all things fantasy. Her debut novel, Spark of the Divine (The Kalaraak Chronicles, #1), is the first of a planned trilogy in the Kalaraak Chronicles cosmere.
She has played Dungeons & Dragons for many years and uses her table’s adventures as inspiration for her works, although she tries to keep the shopping chapters to a minimum.
She currently lives in Adelaide, Australia, where she spends most of her time wearing an obscene amount of pink, playing (heavily modded) Baldur's Gate 3, and listening to a completely normal amount of Taylor Swift.
She has played Dungeons & Dragons for many years and uses her table’s adventures as inspiration for her works, although she tries to keep the shopping chapters to a minimum.
She currently lives in Adelaide, Australia, where she spends most of her time wearing an obscene amount of pink, playing (heavily modded) Baldur's Gate 3, and listening to a completely normal amount of Taylor Swift.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 8, 2025
This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog
We all know the phrase “traditional fantasy told in a modern voice” by now, but rarely has an author nailed that vibe more perfectly than Louise Holland does. Spark of the Divine is a character-driven 80s-style epic fantasy adventure based on (in the author’s own words) her ‘unhinged DnD campaigns’. It’s got swords, guns, divine magic, epic battles, realm hopping, gods walking among us, found family vibes to die for, a little tease of slow-burn romance, and, can’t forget, a masked ball! Honestly, what’s not to love?!
During their latest bounty mission, a motley crew of misfits somehow stumbles into a scheme to steal the power from the gods. War is looming, the divinity of all the gods is at stake, and so these reluctant heroes are launched into a quest that will test them to their utmost limits. Whether they like it or not, it’s now up to them to conquer an evil force hell-bent on throwing the entire seven realms into chaos. Will their bonds of love and loyalty hold, or will their deepest secrets, flaws and fears be their undoing?
Now, I know this might sound a bit odd, but upon reading the first page of this book I genuinely got this magical and almost nostalgic feeling that I can only describe as ‘coming home’. There’s something about the world of Kalaraak that just felt so familiar and comforting, yet at the same time it was also still fresh and wholly unique in all the most exciting ways. I love how Holland gently eases you into this world, entrancing you with her magical prose and expertly trickling in just the right bits of organic world building at exactly the right times to continuously spark wonder.
I think it truly shows that this story is based on long-running DnD campaigns, because the world is so fully realised that it just feels like it’s teeming with life and history. Multiple races, lands, cultures, realms, and so much rich lore are all just tantalisingly waiting to be explored, and I loved sinking my teeth into it all. The various manifestations of the divine magic also had me enamoured, and I loved how themes of faith, fate, and mortality were explored through this softer magic system. Every time I thought I had seen all the glorious things there were to discover, yet another layer was peeled back and I was awe-struck all over again.
And it’s not only in the world building that you can notice how much time, love, and care has gone into the crafting of this world and story, but arguably even more so in the brilliant character work. We follow such a diverse cast of characters from all types of races, backgrounds, nationalities, and ages, which made it extremely fun to explore this world from so many different angles and perspectives. I just absolutely loved every single one of the four main POV characters, and came to care for them in a way that I totally wasn’t ready for.
They are all so wonderfully three-dimensional, with compelling personal motivations, complex backstories that are slowly revealed, and distinct and vibrant personalities that make them just jump off the page (and straight into your heart). And before you know it, you will be pathetically sobbing on the floor because Holland doesn’t pull any punches and you hadn’t realised just how emotionally invested you had become. It truly felt like I was spending time with life-long friends, which made this one of the most fun and engrossing reading experiences I have had in a long while.
The character dynamics within this motley crew are also entirely too amusing, and I loved how their clashing personalities resulted in all the most hysterical, heartwarming or gut wrenching interactions. Some of these characters constantly keep pushing each other’s buttons (looking at you, my prickly Lessie and ‘annoyingly handsome’ and suave Camden), others take everything too literal and are completely oblivious to social cues (mostly my fave mankitten Reevan, but also the stealthy smol goblin Grundle), and yet some others have endured so much together and have finally found solace in each other’s company (Mae and Valandaras, I hope to find a love like yours someday). Honestly, the snarky banter and found family vibes are just executed to perfection!
They all have to overcome incredible odds, both on an epic world-ending level as well as a deeply personal and emotional level, and I loved seeing them drag each other through it all together. The natural chemistry and undying love between this unlikely group of friends is just so palpable and believable, which is exactly why all the emotional beats hit just as hard as they are supposed to. Especially during Part 3 (of 3), Holland drags you across the entire spectrum of emotions without any remorse, leading up to an epic and beautifully bittersweet ending that just hurts SO good.
Never before have I been so happy to have just taken a complete gamble on a book. This was one of the most pleasant surprises I have had all year, and I have zero regrets about devouring this beautiful chunker in a little under 3 days.
How this is Holland’s debut is truly beyond me, but it makes me extremely excited to follow her along on what is undoubtedly going to be a very fruitful and exciting author journey. Also, I am already fully committed to starting my own Spark of the Divine fanclub and you’re more than welcome to join, highly recommend, it’s fun here ;)))
This book is perfect for fans of Michael J. Sullivan, Ryan Cahill and Brandon Sanderson, and also delivers some sweet emotional damage that I think Hobb fans will be very impressed and pleased with. If you are looking for that epic fantasy adventure that will make you remember why you fell in love with the genre in the first place, then you have to check out Spark of the Divine. It’s the comforting character-driven 80s-style fantasy of your dreams.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
We all know the phrase “traditional fantasy told in a modern voice” by now, but rarely has an author nailed that vibe more perfectly than Louise Holland does. Spark of the Divine is a character-driven 80s-style epic fantasy adventure based on (in the author’s own words) her ‘unhinged DnD campaigns’. It’s got swords, guns, divine magic, epic battles, realm hopping, gods walking among us, found family vibes to die for, a little tease of slow-burn romance, and, can’t forget, a masked ball! Honestly, what’s not to love?!
During their latest bounty mission, a motley crew of misfits somehow stumbles into a scheme to steal the power from the gods. War is looming, the divinity of all the gods is at stake, and so these reluctant heroes are launched into a quest that will test them to their utmost limits. Whether they like it or not, it’s now up to them to conquer an evil force hell-bent on throwing the entire seven realms into chaos. Will their bonds of love and loyalty hold, or will their deepest secrets, flaws and fears be their undoing?
Now, I know this might sound a bit odd, but upon reading the first page of this book I genuinely got this magical and almost nostalgic feeling that I can only describe as ‘coming home’. There’s something about the world of Kalaraak that just felt so familiar and comforting, yet at the same time it was also still fresh and wholly unique in all the most exciting ways. I love how Holland gently eases you into this world, entrancing you with her magical prose and expertly trickling in just the right bits of organic world building at exactly the right times to continuously spark wonder.
I think it truly shows that this story is based on long-running DnD campaigns, because the world is so fully realised that it just feels like it’s teeming with life and history. Multiple races, lands, cultures, realms, and so much rich lore are all just tantalisingly waiting to be explored, and I loved sinking my teeth into it all. The various manifestations of the divine magic also had me enamoured, and I loved how themes of faith, fate, and mortality were explored through this softer magic system. Every time I thought I had seen all the glorious things there were to discover, yet another layer was peeled back and I was awe-struck all over again.
And it’s not only in the world building that you can notice how much time, love, and care has gone into the crafting of this world and story, but arguably even more so in the brilliant character work. We follow such a diverse cast of characters from all types of races, backgrounds, nationalities, and ages, which made it extremely fun to explore this world from so many different angles and perspectives. I just absolutely loved every single one of the four main POV characters, and came to care for them in a way that I totally wasn’t ready for.
They are all so wonderfully three-dimensional, with compelling personal motivations, complex backstories that are slowly revealed, and distinct and vibrant personalities that make them just jump off the page (and straight into your heart). And before you know it, you will be pathetically sobbing on the floor because Holland doesn’t pull any punches and you hadn’t realised just how emotionally invested you had become. It truly felt like I was spending time with life-long friends, which made this one of the most fun and engrossing reading experiences I have had in a long while.
The character dynamics within this motley crew are also entirely too amusing, and I loved how their clashing personalities resulted in all the most hysterical, heartwarming or gut wrenching interactions. Some of these characters constantly keep pushing each other’s buttons (looking at you, my prickly Lessie and ‘annoyingly handsome’ and suave Camden), others take everything too literal and are completely oblivious to social cues (mostly my fave mankitten Reevan, but also the stealthy smol goblin Grundle), and yet some others have endured so much together and have finally found solace in each other’s company (Mae and Valandaras, I hope to find a love like yours someday). Honestly, the snarky banter and found family vibes are just executed to perfection!
They all have to overcome incredible odds, both on an epic world-ending level as well as a deeply personal and emotional level, and I loved seeing them drag each other through it all together. The natural chemistry and undying love between this unlikely group of friends is just so palpable and believable, which is exactly why all the emotional beats hit just as hard as they are supposed to. Especially during Part 3 (of 3), Holland drags you across the entire spectrum of emotions without any remorse, leading up to an epic and beautifully bittersweet ending that just hurts SO good.
Never before have I been so happy to have just taken a complete gamble on a book. This was one of the most pleasant surprises I have had all year, and I have zero regrets about devouring this beautiful chunker in a little under 3 days.
How this is Holland’s debut is truly beyond me, but it makes me extremely excited to follow her along on what is undoubtedly going to be a very fruitful and exciting author journey. Also, I am already fully committed to starting my own Spark of the Divine fanclub and you’re more than welcome to join, highly recommend, it’s fun here ;)))
This book is perfect for fans of Michael J. Sullivan, Ryan Cahill and Brandon Sanderson, and also delivers some sweet emotional damage that I think Hobb fans will be very impressed and pleased with. If you are looking for that epic fantasy adventure that will make you remember why you fell in love with the genre in the first place, then you have to check out Spark of the Divine. It’s the comforting character-driven 80s-style fantasy of your dreams.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
January 2, 2025
It’s me, hi. I’m the author. Honestly I’m only writing this review to help fix my google search results. They show an author’s most reviewed book in the preview, and I’d rather it be SotD than a random title I’ve never heard of and certainly did not write. I did consider giving myself four stars to be humble; but then I remember how I've worked super hard to make Spark of the Divine happen. I gave my blood, sweat and tears for this, and if you’ve come to see if it’s worth reading: I believe it is.
I’ve read this maybe 50 times now and I think it’s pretty good. There’s gods and magic, mystery, sword fights, idiots ignoring their feelings for each other, at least two epic battles, tragic backstories, espionage, and even a masked ball. It had everything I enjoy in a book. It’s uncanny.
If you read Spark and loved it, thank you so much. If you read it and didn’t, thank you for your time anyway. If you’re wondering if you should read it, hopefully the reviews here can help you decide, because ultimately reviews are for readers. Happy reading 🩵
I’ve read this maybe 50 times now and I think it’s pretty good. There’s gods and magic, mystery, sword fights, idiots ignoring their feelings for each other, at least two epic battles, tragic backstories, espionage, and even a masked ball. It had everything I enjoy in a book. It’s uncanny.
If you read Spark and loved it, thank you so much. If you read it and didn’t, thank you for your time anyway. If you’re wondering if you should read it, hopefully the reviews here can help you decide, because ultimately reviews are for readers. Happy reading 🩵
November 29, 2023
Review originally on JamReads
Spark of the Divine is the first book on the D&D inspired fantasy series The Kalaraak Chronicles, an unhinged character-driven novel which is also the debut of Louise Holland. Despite being quite a chonker, I can say that I devoured this book pretty fast, as it felt like a classic told in a modern voice, always giving you one more reason to continue and see if our band of mercenaries can win a match with marked cards.
During one of their last bounties, the crew of misfits end up crossing its path with a scheme which is trying to steal the power of gods; war drums sound over the seven realms, the own divinity of gods is being played on the table, so our heroes will be forced to start a quest in order to preserve the world. A journey that has many reminiscences from what you can expect on the most unhinged of D&D campaigns, testing the limits of the bonds that tie our characters together.
While the quest is central to the plot, it's really just an excuse for Holland to delve into her characters; one of the aspects that shines in particular in this novel. All of them are well developed, with their own particular backstories, and some characteristics that define them; they are quite a particular group, with characters that are unique in their own ways (Lessie is definitely the MVP, but that's something you will need to read the book to understand). Holland takes her time showing how the relationships between them work, the banter and how with the time they have spent together, they are a motley but joint band.
The world is also inspired by the ones used in classic fantasy (80s), with different places that we will visit as part of the quest, while others will just be described with an excellent amount of detail; and not only that, but including more plains of existence that enrich the reading experience.
Spark of the Divine is an excellent debut, a perfect book for those looking for a classic fantasy with a modern voice; it's a story which has a heart. Can't wait to continue reading more instalments on the Kalaraak Chronicles.
Spark of the Divine is the first book on the D&D inspired fantasy series The Kalaraak Chronicles, an unhinged character-driven novel which is also the debut of Louise Holland. Despite being quite a chonker, I can say that I devoured this book pretty fast, as it felt like a classic told in a modern voice, always giving you one more reason to continue and see if our band of mercenaries can win a match with marked cards.
During one of their last bounties, the crew of misfits end up crossing its path with a scheme which is trying to steal the power of gods; war drums sound over the seven realms, the own divinity of gods is being played on the table, so our heroes will be forced to start a quest in order to preserve the world. A journey that has many reminiscences from what you can expect on the most unhinged of D&D campaigns, testing the limits of the bonds that tie our characters together.
While the quest is central to the plot, it's really just an excuse for Holland to delve into her characters; one of the aspects that shines in particular in this novel. All of them are well developed, with their own particular backstories, and some characteristics that define them; they are quite a particular group, with characters that are unique in their own ways (Lessie is definitely the MVP, but that's something you will need to read the book to understand). Holland takes her time showing how the relationships between them work, the banter and how with the time they have spent together, they are a motley but joint band.
The world is also inspired by the ones used in classic fantasy (80s), with different places that we will visit as part of the quest, while others will just be described with an excellent amount of detail; and not only that, but including more plains of existence that enrich the reading experience.
Spark of the Divine is an excellent debut, a perfect book for those looking for a classic fantasy with a modern voice; it's a story which has a heart. Can't wait to continue reading more instalments on the Kalaraak Chronicles.
October 16, 2023
I loved this book! The writing style is intelligent and nice to read its almost poetic. There’s some world building at the start but it’s so worth it. The character development was amazing and I need more of all their stories. Book two thanks 🙏🏻
November 11, 2023
Believe me when I say Spark of the Divine was EPIC!
This debut fantasy held absolutely nothing back! From an intricate plot full of twists and turns, exceptional character work which made the reader slow down and be in the moment, accessible prose and a vivid world. This book had it all.
I loved this unapologetic love letter to a personal DND campaign, exploring friendship, love, loss while still managing to incorporate some of the humorous insanity that the game can bring.
I think the author has done an exceptional job and taken a tremendous amount of care when it comes to placing these elements together.
Criminally re readable and completely unputdownable, add Louise to your TBR’s immediately.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Watch out for full thoughts over on EPICindie.net and my YT channel!
This debut fantasy held absolutely nothing back! From an intricate plot full of twists and turns, exceptional character work which made the reader slow down and be in the moment, accessible prose and a vivid world. This book had it all.
I loved this unapologetic love letter to a personal DND campaign, exploring friendship, love, loss while still managing to incorporate some of the humorous insanity that the game can bring.
I think the author has done an exceptional job and taken a tremendous amount of care when it comes to placing these elements together.
Criminally re readable and completely unputdownable, add Louise to your TBR’s immediately.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Watch out for full thoughts over on EPICindie.net and my YT channel!
November 10, 2024
I really enjoyed the worldbuilding at the characters in Spak of the Divine by Louise Holland, but the overall plot didn't fully manage to hook me as much as I would have wished.
I have a super hard time pointing out what exactly was missing, but I just didn't care enough about what would happen, and even just a week after finishing it, I am having a hard time remembering the plot. The characters, and some scenes are still very vivid, so those parts did work well, but the overall story just didn't pull together well enough for me.
The romance was way too predictable. and didn't feel organic, but then, romance is never my favourite part in a book, so I didn't mind that.
Still an enjoyable read I finished, but sadly not one that left a lasting impression.
I have a super hard time pointing out what exactly was missing, but I just didn't care enough about what would happen, and even just a week after finishing it, I am having a hard time remembering the plot. The characters, and some scenes are still very vivid, so those parts did work well, but the overall story just didn't pull together well enough for me.
The romance was way too predictable. and didn't feel organic, but then, romance is never my favourite part in a book, so I didn't mind that.
Still an enjoyable read I finished, but sadly not one that left a lasting impression.
August 5, 2025
This was a really fun DND based adventure. We follow a party as they move throughout a few different nations, dealing with various issues. I don't want to get too far into spoilers, but there's a villain intent on stealing power from the gods, and our heroes are out to put a stop to them. All the main cast members of likable and there's lots of good dialogue, action, and some great emotional moments. Holland has excellent character work throughout. I absolutely loved Reevan and Grundle. Top tier characters! Loved the back and forth bickering between Lessie and Camden. I wasn't quite as intrigued by the will they/won't they dynamic between Mae and Val, but I liked both of them as characters. There were some points where sections felt a bit overwritten, but it was a pretty small issue. I recommend this one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2025
Have you ever had that one book you want to take as long time as possible to finish?
This was such a comfort read for me. I loved everything about it and didn't want it to end to fast. So this ended up being a book I read only 2-4 chapters every morning to my morning cup of coffee. Or at least until the last 9 chapters.
Louise's world is a beautiful place to travel in with Grief, danger, friendship, and banter between friends and companions. This is inspired by Dungeon and Dragons, never played it. But Spark of the Divine sure felt like being inside a big open world game, which you hope never ends.
Super excited for book 2.
This was such a comfort read for me. I loved everything about it and didn't want it to end to fast. So this ended up being a book I read only 2-4 chapters every morning to my morning cup of coffee. Or at least until the last 9 chapters.
Louise's world is a beautiful place to travel in with Grief, danger, friendship, and banter between friends and companions. This is inspired by Dungeon and Dragons, never played it. But Spark of the Divine sure felt like being inside a big open world game, which you hope never ends.
Super excited for book 2.
October 15, 2023
Thank you to the author for an ARC!!
I read this slowly when I had time away from uni work and it was the part of my day I looked forward to due to the comfort I found when reading this fantasy novel. Every page and character reminded me of the comfort I feel when my boyfriend and I discuss lore of our favorite video games.
Surprisingly, this is the debut novel of Louise Holland. The way that they crafted such a captivating story that instantly immersed me felt as though they were a seasoned fantasy writer. I can’t wait to have a final copy on my shelf when it releases so I can reread it when I miss the characters and story itself.
I read this slowly when I had time away from uni work and it was the part of my day I looked forward to due to the comfort I found when reading this fantasy novel. Every page and character reminded me of the comfort I feel when my boyfriend and I discuss lore of our favorite video games.
Surprisingly, this is the debut novel of Louise Holland. The way that they crafted such a captivating story that instantly immersed me felt as though they were a seasoned fantasy writer. I can’t wait to have a final copy on my shelf when it releases so I can reread it when I miss the characters and story itself.
September 8, 2024
Really loved this story from the bottom of my heart. The world, the characters, the magic system all were unique and fascinating. The characters were well fleshed out and I connected to them all even though there were so many POVs. Each character had their unique personality and charm. The different magic systems in the same world was a treat to read. As a plot driven reader this story pressed me so much with its action packed and fast paced plot. Would definitely recommend to all.
Want to read
March 29, 2025The author based this book on her D&D campaign and I can’t wait to read it 😩
October 31, 2024
This review was originally posted on SFFINSIDERS.COM
I enjoyed this more than I could put into proper words. Sometimes, you find a book that just checks every box, and this one was very much it for me.
Characters - I would die for them (overall score: 10/10)
Mae is an obvious favorite, but every character, even the ones who had me screaming and throwing this book across the room, breathed life into this story. The dynamics between this found-family gripped me, and I am invested in their stories. (And Camden, my honorable mention of the review because he’s a catalyst, and I loved his character.) The villains – chef kiss. OH AND GRUNDLE. UM, I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN MS HOLLAND.
Atmosphere – (overall score: 13/14)
Setting: I want to read more like this (9/10)
Holland mentioned she based this on a DnD campaign, and let me tell you, I NEED MORE OF IT, thanks.
Mood: I felt all the feels (4/4)
When I say I felt all the feels, trust me. I laughed, I cried, I was enraged, and I was surprised.
Writing Style – (overall score: 17/18)
Storytelling: Excellent storytelling (9/10)
Had me from page one. I think I highlighted more in this book than I have in a long while.
Grammar: No issues (4/4)
Formatting: No issues (4/4)
Plot – A pageturner (overall score: 10/10)
While I did try my best to savor this, I devoured it. The book has a few POVs and a few campaigns, and it’s a pretty epic ride, if I do say so myself.
Intrigue – (overall score: 13/14)
General: Couldn’t put it down (9/10)
This whole book is a pageturner, but during that last third of the book I was flipping pages so quickly, so much was happening that I was gripped.
Re-Readability: Dying to reread (4/4)
You bet I will be hosting a read-along!
Logic - (overall score: 13/14)
Plot Logic: I understand and want more (9/10)
Character Logic: Characters made sense (4/4)
If I give too much away in this section, it will be too spoiler-filled. As a general rule, I try to keep my reviews spoiler-free, but I will say I love these relationships. I was shocked by others, and one literally made me DM the author. I was so surprised.
Excitement – I’m in the exclusive fan club (10/10)
I bought all the editions, and I am the queen of the fan club. Expect my socials to blow up with quotes.
Scores:
CAWPILE: 86/90
I enjoyed this more than I could put into proper words. Sometimes, you find a book that just checks every box, and this one was very much it for me.
Characters - I would die for them (overall score: 10/10)
Mae is an obvious favorite, but every character, even the ones who had me screaming and throwing this book across the room, breathed life into this story. The dynamics between this found-family gripped me, and I am invested in their stories. (And Camden, my honorable mention of the review because he’s a catalyst, and I loved his character.) The villains – chef kiss. OH AND GRUNDLE. UM, I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN MS HOLLAND.
Atmosphere – (overall score: 13/14)
Setting: I want to read more like this (9/10)
Holland mentioned she based this on a DnD campaign, and let me tell you, I NEED MORE OF IT, thanks.
Mood: I felt all the feels (4/4)
When I say I felt all the feels, trust me. I laughed, I cried, I was enraged, and I was surprised.
Writing Style – (overall score: 17/18)
Storytelling: Excellent storytelling (9/10)
Had me from page one. I think I highlighted more in this book than I have in a long while.
Grammar: No issues (4/4)
Formatting: No issues (4/4)
Plot – A pageturner (overall score: 10/10)
While I did try my best to savor this, I devoured it. The book has a few POVs and a few campaigns, and it’s a pretty epic ride, if I do say so myself.
Intrigue – (overall score: 13/14)
General: Couldn’t put it down (9/10)
This whole book is a pageturner, but during that last third of the book I was flipping pages so quickly, so much was happening that I was gripped.
Re-Readability: Dying to reread (4/4)
You bet I will be hosting a read-along!
Logic - (overall score: 13/14)
Plot Logic: I understand and want more (9/10)
Character Logic: Characters made sense (4/4)
If I give too much away in this section, it will be too spoiler-filled. As a general rule, I try to keep my reviews spoiler-free, but I will say I love these relationships. I was shocked by others, and one literally made me DM the author. I was so surprised.
Excitement – I’m in the exclusive fan club (10/10)
I bought all the editions, and I am the queen of the fan club. Expect my socials to blow up with quotes.
Scores:
CAWPILE: 86/90
March 26, 2024
This book was absolutely amazing, had me hooked from start to finish! Certainly recommending this to all who will listen to me! Can’t wait for more
December 1, 2023
Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a great D&D adventure! I really enjoyed my time with this book. The characters immediately sneaked into my heart and I love them all for different reasons. Each one of the little troupe had their own cool backstory and character arc, just like I would expect from a well-put together campaign. I often saw the D&D behind the story but it was never over-prominent: the world is a familiar yet different enough place so I could be interested in the history, the countries, and the gods, magic works in familiar ways but is still cool, and yeah you can tell everyone's classes and stuff but they're not stereotypes. I'd like to say my favourite character was Lessie (I felt for her the most, she is my daughter from now on) but there's also Reevan. :D You can't make me decide!!
The story was On from the beginning. I liked the plot progression, we got to know several different interesting places but there was always time for little character moments. It's a long-ish book but it never lost steam for me, if anything, I'd have read more around/before the last confrontation. I will certainly try to make time for the sequels -- there are many things that stayed open and intrigue to look forward to. *screams because the you-know-what happened!!*
I totally recommend this if you like new takes on classic fantasy settings and stories.
What a great D&D adventure! I really enjoyed my time with this book. The characters immediately sneaked into my heart and I love them all for different reasons. Each one of the little troupe had their own cool backstory and character arc, just like I would expect from a well-put together campaign. I often saw the D&D behind the story but it was never over-prominent: the world is a familiar yet different enough place so I could be interested in the history, the countries, and the gods, magic works in familiar ways but is still cool, and yeah you can tell everyone's classes and stuff but they're not stereotypes. I'd like to say my favourite character was Lessie (I felt for her the most, she is my daughter from now on) but there's also Reevan. :D You can't make me decide!!
The story was On from the beginning. I liked the plot progression, we got to know several different interesting places but there was always time for little character moments. It's a long-ish book but it never lost steam for me, if anything, I'd have read more around/before the last confrontation. I will certainly try to make time for the sequels -- there are many things that stayed open and intrigue to look forward to. *screams because the you-know-what happened!!*
I totally recommend this if you like new takes on classic fantasy settings and stories.
April 23, 2024
The tl;dr: Inspired by DnD but my no means restricted by TTRPG storytelling tropes, Spark of the Divine is a marvellous and magical debut epic fantasy by Australian author Lousie Holland. Prepare to be swept away by dark magical threats, a quirky and loveable band of partying adventures, twists and turns, and emotional character moments that serve quite the mental wallop. Holland introduces us to a diverse party who actually feel like a group working together - sometimes they bicker and fight, but you also feel the genuine warmth between them. If you like to go on epic quests, but you also want to emotionally connect with characters, than you cannot really do better than Spark of the Divine. The book ends with some tantalizing cliffhangers, but in general the main arcs are wrapped up in a way that will leave you satisfied as you await the next book. Highly, highly recommended.
My Full Review:
I'm always hesistant when an author markets their book as "like DnD" or "based on a DnD campaign". These books are always focused on the worldbuilding, and the plots/characters are always thinly drawn to some quest for a lame macguffin. These books can also be alienating to non-DnD readers (and, to be clear, here I am not talking about the official DnD branded books) because they use creatures, spells, classes, races, etc. common to the DnD universe without much explanation or description. Therefore I was a bit hesistant walking into Spark of the Divine; I was really trusting the reviewers who were championing this book, but ready to give some mega side eye.
I left out a BIG sigh of relief when I realized that Spark of the Divine is an epic, heartfelt, love letter to quest fantasies and quirky parties of adventurers. The DNA of DnD is very much present, but it never overwhelms the narrative and you never feel like you are reading a "real play" podcast. This is a fully realized fantasy world, and it is as much fun as it is tense and nervewracking.
The biggest strength of Spark of the Divine is Holland's character work. This is a party you actually want to spend the entire adventure with, especially as the characters become deeper and more well-realized along the adventure. The characters in the book are so freaking good that I will say two things that I pretty much never say: (1) I would have loved for this book to be even longer than its already 600+ page count and (2) I wanted more POV characters! Most of the adventurers get their time to shine, and I wanted more time with even characters like pompous noble Camden. What drug did Holland inject into these characters that I wanted to a POV chapter from the most annoying character because I wanted to know more about what made him "tick"? I was so invested in each of these characters that I was swept away by a character giving a lengthy narrative of their past. This was essentially an info-dump, but it was so beautifully written and emotionally resonant that I was lost in Holland's prose and character work.
Part of what makes Holland's party of adventurers so endearing is their diversity. Whether it is by species (a goblin, kitsune, humans, godly-inspired beings, etc.) and just personality. Holland expertly avoids the lure of making everyone one of her characters a quip-machine. They most definitely make jokes, and you can see how this group has come to genuinely enjoy each other, but they also have their frictions, and the complicated nature of any group dynamics becomes clear throughout the book. This party felt real, and this only gets more complicated by the magical and political machinations of the plot.
Holland's characters are so strong that I honestly forgot about the plot half of the time. On the surface, it's fairly standard epic fantasy fare. A party of adventureres have to stop the bad magical organization from resurrecting a god that will destroy the world. However, it is the way in which Holland tells the story that gives it that extra bit of spark and makes it feel so fresh and original. Like HC Newell, Louise Holland's storytelling simultaneously feels like the fantasy-reading equivelent of returning home while also breathing new life into a genre that has been all but abandoned by traditional publishing. There are all of the familiar trappings and tropes that fans of quest fantasy are thirsting for, but at no point in the book did I feel like I had read this story before. Holland's world is dark yet vibrant, and while the worldbuilding won't knock your socks off, what she does with this world (and the characters that she occupies it with!) will absolutely keep you riveted across this chonky first book.
Spark of the Divine is the first book in The Kalaraak Chronicles, and some delicious twists in the final pages set up exciting developments for the future. At the same time, Holland wraps up many of the plot and character arcs by the final chapter. Readers will be left clamoring for more, while also feeling satisfied with the experience of reading this single book. I find there is this trend, especially in self-published fantasy where books "stop" rather than "end". I'm not sure if there is pressure to divide books up into as many chunks as possible for more sales, or to just to stop writing and get the book out in the world, but many books today feel like half of a book. Holland doesn't deal with that, and instead she brings the train back to the station while also teasing some tantalizing plot arcs to continue. She respects this book, its characters, its themes, and its plot, while also planting all kinds of plot-seeds to hopefully bloom later in the series. For me this always makes for the best reading experience!
In general, this is a stellar epic fantasy debut that will delight fans of DnD, quest fantasies, and big epic stories with a focus on characters. And again don't worry if you know nothing about DnD. I've only played one short session in my entire life and still felt welcomed into Holland's magical storytelling!
My Full Review:
I'm always hesistant when an author markets their book as "like DnD" or "based on a DnD campaign". These books are always focused on the worldbuilding, and the plots/characters are always thinly drawn to some quest for a lame macguffin. These books can also be alienating to non-DnD readers (and, to be clear, here I am not talking about the official DnD branded books) because they use creatures, spells, classes, races, etc. common to the DnD universe without much explanation or description. Therefore I was a bit hesistant walking into Spark of the Divine; I was really trusting the reviewers who were championing this book, but ready to give some mega side eye.
I left out a BIG sigh of relief when I realized that Spark of the Divine is an epic, heartfelt, love letter to quest fantasies and quirky parties of adventurers. The DNA of DnD is very much present, but it never overwhelms the narrative and you never feel like you are reading a "real play" podcast. This is a fully realized fantasy world, and it is as much fun as it is tense and nervewracking.
The biggest strength of Spark of the Divine is Holland's character work. This is a party you actually want to spend the entire adventure with, especially as the characters become deeper and more well-realized along the adventure. The characters in the book are so freaking good that I will say two things that I pretty much never say: (1) I would have loved for this book to be even longer than its already 600+ page count and (2) I wanted more POV characters! Most of the adventurers get their time to shine, and I wanted more time with even characters like pompous noble Camden. What drug did Holland inject into these characters that I wanted to a POV chapter from the most annoying character because I wanted to know more about what made him "tick"? I was so invested in each of these characters that I was swept away by a character giving a lengthy narrative of their past. This was essentially an info-dump, but it was so beautifully written and emotionally resonant that I was lost in Holland's prose and character work.
Part of what makes Holland's party of adventurers so endearing is their diversity. Whether it is by species (a goblin, kitsune, humans, godly-inspired beings, etc.) and just personality. Holland expertly avoids the lure of making everyone one of her characters a quip-machine. They most definitely make jokes, and you can see how this group has come to genuinely enjoy each other, but they also have their frictions, and the complicated nature of any group dynamics becomes clear throughout the book. This party felt real, and this only gets more complicated by the magical and political machinations of the plot.
Holland's characters are so strong that I honestly forgot about the plot half of the time. On the surface, it's fairly standard epic fantasy fare. A party of adventureres have to stop the bad magical organization from resurrecting a god that will destroy the world. However, it is the way in which Holland tells the story that gives it that extra bit of spark and makes it feel so fresh and original. Like HC Newell, Louise Holland's storytelling simultaneously feels like the fantasy-reading equivelent of returning home while also breathing new life into a genre that has been all but abandoned by traditional publishing. There are all of the familiar trappings and tropes that fans of quest fantasy are thirsting for, but at no point in the book did I feel like I had read this story before. Holland's world is dark yet vibrant, and while the worldbuilding won't knock your socks off, what she does with this world (and the characters that she occupies it with!) will absolutely keep you riveted across this chonky first book.
Spark of the Divine is the first book in The Kalaraak Chronicles, and some delicious twists in the final pages set up exciting developments for the future. At the same time, Holland wraps up many of the plot and character arcs by the final chapter. Readers will be left clamoring for more, while also feeling satisfied with the experience of reading this single book. I find there is this trend, especially in self-published fantasy where books "stop" rather than "end". I'm not sure if there is pressure to divide books up into as many chunks as possible for more sales, or to just to stop writing and get the book out in the world, but many books today feel like half of a book. Holland doesn't deal with that, and instead she brings the train back to the station while also teasing some tantalizing plot arcs to continue. She respects this book, its characters, its themes, and its plot, while also planting all kinds of plot-seeds to hopefully bloom later in the series. For me this always makes for the best reading experience!
In general, this is a stellar epic fantasy debut that will delight fans of DnD, quest fantasies, and big epic stories with a focus on characters. And again don't worry if you know nothing about DnD. I've only played one short session in my entire life and still felt welcomed into Holland's magical storytelling!
February 25, 2024
After a grueling battle against the bizarreness of Amazon not having this available, not being to afford shipping from Australia and then finally getting it from a family member who was visiting the US for a time being, I finally got my grubby little paws on this book. And then after working 9 days with one day off in between, I found time to finish it.
On a basic level, I liked this book a lot. I'm a big fan of classic old school fantasy, swords and magic and weird races and gods and yada yada. This book had it all and more, and that tickled me pink just for that alone.
But let's dive into a little deeper. The characters were very well written and although some mystic and divine, still relatable in a most human sense. Because let's face it, we play Dungeons and Dragons and something about unexplored trauma just oozes out. My favourite was Lessie by far, because having a human with nothing more than some smarts and gumption hanging out with a bunch of people a lot more powerful or skilled than she is and feeling like she might not be good enough is something I love in characters. She works hard for her craft and she's more skilled than she gives herself credit for. I relate to the hardworking, sarcastic characters in any series, so this doesn't come as a surprise at all.
I also loved that Reevan was neurodivergent. Not picking up on certain social cues, and behaving it ways that others found strange but understood that was just how he was and never told him to change. It was great, truly. I really liked all his parts and I hope we as readers see more of him in the other books. Plus his friendship with both Lessie and Grundle was wonderful and fun.
Mae and Valandaras' friendship turned slow burn romance was really sweet and I honestly felt myself hoping that we'd get more than just one little smooch but I'm also okay with how the storyline for the two of them went in this regard. I do also appreciate that they were both allowed to breathe as their own characters and people first, before connecting their stories together. It was one of the few romances in a fantasy that didn't have me rolling my eyes at, especially when they had mutual respect for one another.
The worldbuilding was extremely well done. I could imagine the world as Holland explained it, and it felt lived in and visceral. I could see the parties, the outfits, the places, the trees, even the bloody air. It was perfect, and exactly what this kind of fantasy novel needs. You can't have something some devesting on a world scale without a world feeling like it's an actual place. The God Trees, the realm of fire and lava, those two were the best described to me and I felt like I could feel the heat and suffocation from Ignatia. The battle against the final villain was also well detailed and you could feel the slosh of the water, the heat from the fire, and the wounds given back and forth.
My ONLY minor complaint was Grundle and how he was used. All the stuff in the final third of the book? I think it would have benefitted to have a few chapters from his POV. Mostly because I spent the whole book wondering what was going to happen to him, and sure enough, something did happen. Not that it's a terrible thing or anything, I just found it to be one of the twist that were easily predicted due to his lack of actual "screen time" if you will. I am curious to see how this affects his character in the future stories, but I do wish we just saw a little more of the goblin himself prior to that.
I'm also curious to see where Mae's and Val's stories go from here, since there is a lot up in the air about the direction of their stories. But that's a good thing, a good curiosity to have. I'm looking forward to see where the story takes everyone, especially considering the twist ending of the Mae's and Valandaras's plots this book.
Thanks for writing such a fun book, and I can't wait for the next one!
On a basic level, I liked this book a lot. I'm a big fan of classic old school fantasy, swords and magic and weird races and gods and yada yada. This book had it all and more, and that tickled me pink just for that alone.
But let's dive into a little deeper. The characters were very well written and although some mystic and divine, still relatable in a most human sense. Because let's face it, we play Dungeons and Dragons and something about unexplored trauma just oozes out. My favourite was Lessie by far, because having a human with nothing more than some smarts and gumption hanging out with a bunch of people a lot more powerful or skilled than she is and feeling like she might not be good enough is something I love in characters. She works hard for her craft and she's more skilled than she gives herself credit for. I relate to the hardworking, sarcastic characters in any series, so this doesn't come as a surprise at all.
I also loved that Reevan was neurodivergent. Not picking up on certain social cues, and behaving it ways that others found strange but understood that was just how he was and never told him to change. It was great, truly. I really liked all his parts and I hope we as readers see more of him in the other books. Plus his friendship with both Lessie and Grundle was wonderful and fun.
Mae and Valandaras' friendship turned slow burn romance was really sweet and I honestly felt myself hoping that we'd get more than just one little smooch but I'm also okay with how the storyline for the two of them went in this regard. I do also appreciate that they were both allowed to breathe as their own characters and people first, before connecting their stories together. It was one of the few romances in a fantasy that didn't have me rolling my eyes at, especially when they had mutual respect for one another.
The worldbuilding was extremely well done. I could imagine the world as Holland explained it, and it felt lived in and visceral. I could see the parties, the outfits, the places, the trees, even the bloody air. It was perfect, and exactly what this kind of fantasy novel needs. You can't have something some devesting on a world scale without a world feeling like it's an actual place. The God Trees, the realm of fire and lava, those two were the best described to me and I felt like I could feel the heat and suffocation from Ignatia. The battle against the final villain was also well detailed and you could feel the slosh of the water, the heat from the fire, and the wounds given back and forth.
My ONLY minor complaint was Grundle and how he was used. All the stuff in the final third of the book? I think it would have benefitted to have a few chapters from his POV. Mostly because I spent the whole book wondering what was going to happen to him, and sure enough, something did happen. Not that it's a terrible thing or anything, I just found it to be one of the twist that were easily predicted due to his lack of actual "screen time" if you will. I am curious to see how this affects his character in the future stories, but I do wish we just saw a little more of the goblin himself prior to that.
I'm also curious to see where Mae's and Val's stories go from here, since there is a lot up in the air about the direction of their stories. But that's a good thing, a good curiosity to have. I'm looking forward to see where the story takes everyone, especially considering the twist ending of the Mae's and Valandaras's plots this book.
Thanks for writing such a fun book, and I can't wait for the next one!
August 15, 2024
Disclaimer - I read this as a judge for Fantasy Faction for #SPFBOX. The opinion and rating are mine alone.
Spark of the Divine is Holland’s debut book and is loosely based on a D & D game her husband invented. Whilst the world building and characters are derived from the book, the story is Holland’s own invention.
Coming from an established D & D game, we get a deep well thought out world, with different realms as well as complete realised characters along with their back stories, their quirks as well as their good and bad habits. Holland introduces her characters well and without info dumps, we get to know most of them over a period of time and at the right time. A couple of characters do remain mysterious but that’s for good reason story wise.
The back story to everything is that the Gods were free and they had people called divines who would be the voice and physical embodiment of their God. Somehow a False God emerged and imprisoned the majority of the other Gods. Vry’iin ruled for millennia until some Gods escaped from the prison. Even with their God imprisoned the divines could still use the essence of their God to perform powerful acts.
Basically we have a mercenary group made up of Lessie, a young girl who is an excellent shot with a gun and revenge in her heart, Mae who is a Shapeshifter and a divine, Vandarak a swordsman who has been trained from childhood by the God Haropeth to find Vry’iin and kill him, this means he can be move between paths in the world, Reevan, a brilliant ratlike swordman and Grundle a silent Goblin. We meet them when they are about to rescue the kidnapped son of a very important noble. They manage the job and get the young man home, but end up staying the night as a few things about the kidnapping don’t add up. That evening a green light streaks through the sky which means a god has escaped the prison. Our group go off to investigate but when they get there they discover that others have got there before them, not “to meet a God. These people came to destroy one”. These protagonists lose the fight but unfortunately they have managed to drain off a lot of her essence, another bad thing is that it is Mae has only a spark remaining of her Goddess’s power and can’t risk changing shape or healing.
Unwittingly they discover a new evil God has been found and God’s, divines and humans are being fed to it, to make it as powerful (or if not more) to take on all other God’s and rule the world. Mae, discovers that she can get her power back and maybe free The Mother, but the way to find her Goddess is through to a realm that only Vandarak can make a gateway to, she convinces him, against his better judgement to take her and Lessie to. This realm. Meanwhile the others are doing all they can on the World plane to stop the threat of the God and his followers.
I really enjoyed this book a lot; as I said at the start, the world, the Pantheons and their Divine, as well as the characters are extremely well developed and it makes for an easy but exciting read. However; I did find the book particularly predictable in parts; the slightly evident D&D aspects and most annoying for me personally was when it came to the romantic couplings. Lessie and Camden have that enemies to Lovers vibe going on – even if it doesn’t quire get there in this novel. More annoying were Mae and Vandarak, they’d been travelling and fighting together for years and everyone could see they loved each other, other than themselves of course. The will he, will she drove me nuts and I was yelling in my head “just jump each other’s bones – PLEASE!! Thankfully they do and it’s off the page.
The ending was quite thrilling, and in one part well executed (looking at you there Reevan) but there were twists that were painfully obvious. It didn’t really ruin the ending for me and I really enjoyed the bittersweet HEA
8/10 for me.
Spark of the Divine is Holland’s debut book and is loosely based on a D & D game her husband invented. Whilst the world building and characters are derived from the book, the story is Holland’s own invention.
Coming from an established D & D game, we get a deep well thought out world, with different realms as well as complete realised characters along with their back stories, their quirks as well as their good and bad habits. Holland introduces her characters well and without info dumps, we get to know most of them over a period of time and at the right time. A couple of characters do remain mysterious but that’s for good reason story wise.
The back story to everything is that the Gods were free and they had people called divines who would be the voice and physical embodiment of their God. Somehow a False God emerged and imprisoned the majority of the other Gods. Vry’iin ruled for millennia until some Gods escaped from the prison. Even with their God imprisoned the divines could still use the essence of their God to perform powerful acts.
Basically we have a mercenary group made up of Lessie, a young girl who is an excellent shot with a gun and revenge in her heart, Mae who is a Shapeshifter and a divine, Vandarak a swordsman who has been trained from childhood by the God Haropeth to find Vry’iin and kill him, this means he can be move between paths in the world, Reevan, a brilliant ratlike swordman and Grundle a silent Goblin. We meet them when they are about to rescue the kidnapped son of a very important noble. They manage the job and get the young man home, but end up staying the night as a few things about the kidnapping don’t add up. That evening a green light streaks through the sky which means a god has escaped the prison. Our group go off to investigate but when they get there they discover that others have got there before them, not “to meet a God. These people came to destroy one”. These protagonists lose the fight but unfortunately they have managed to drain off a lot of her essence, another bad thing is that it is Mae has only a spark remaining of her Goddess’s power and can’t risk changing shape or healing.
Unwittingly they discover a new evil God has been found and God’s, divines and humans are being fed to it, to make it as powerful (or if not more) to take on all other God’s and rule the world. Mae, discovers that she can get her power back and maybe free The Mother, but the way to find her Goddess is through to a realm that only Vandarak can make a gateway to, she convinces him, against his better judgement to take her and Lessie to. This realm. Meanwhile the others are doing all they can on the World plane to stop the threat of the God and his followers.
I really enjoyed this book a lot; as I said at the start, the world, the Pantheons and their Divine, as well as the characters are extremely well developed and it makes for an easy but exciting read. However; I did find the book particularly predictable in parts; the slightly evident D&D aspects and most annoying for me personally was when it came to the romantic couplings. Lessie and Camden have that enemies to Lovers vibe going on – even if it doesn’t quire get there in this novel. More annoying were Mae and Vandarak, they’d been travelling and fighting together for years and everyone could see they loved each other, other than themselves of course. The will he, will she drove me nuts and I was yelling in my head “just jump each other’s bones – PLEASE!! Thankfully they do and it’s off the page.
The ending was quite thrilling, and in one part well executed (looking at you there Reevan) but there were twists that were painfully obvious. It didn’t really ruin the ending for me and I really enjoyed the bittersweet HEA
8/10 for me.
Want to read
June 5, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBOX contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
An assassin listens to the last words of the High Marshal he has poisoned, because no one deserves to die alone.
This story starts with dramatic action and character. It isn’t in a rush to tell me things. It steeps me in the world of the story, letting it unfold before me. I know enough to be engaged.
The immediate setting is detailed. The action of a dying, powerful man whose assassin insists on watching him die, arrests my attention. Every one of our Marshal’s lasts words feel important. They give me a sense of the story to come.
That we hear these last words from the point of view of our cynical, cruel, and yet strangely compassionate assassin makes for a striking contrast. That it seems our dying Marshal was the best of men is also very interesting to me.
I have to say a few words about prose. This is overwritten. There’s much to be said about stylistic choice, but this does suffer from being imprecise at times, leading to confusion.
The prologue is giving a lot of non-sentient objects intention. A “stubborn candle clung to life,” etc. This is fine. This is style. But liquid doesn’t “seep carelessly.” It has been left carelessly.
The candle may be stubborn, but the carelessness belongs to the man who spilled the liquid, not the liquid itself. If you choose to write like this, be careful of this kind of slippage.
Similarly, there’s a lot of indistinct pronouns usage in this prologue. There are two men in this scene and “he” could often apply to either of them. This imprecision makes our assassin feel imprecise by association. This is minor, but it nonetheless has an effect.
There is a minor but significant imprecision in characterization. Our assassin’s face is revealed, and we’re told it would be handsome if it was not utterly void of emotion. This presents a problem.
To this point in the narrative, our assassins face has been quite animated by emotions. He’s been sneering and moving his eyebrows around and making all manner of faces. These things are all explicitly emotional.
Did the author mean to say that his face was void of compassion? I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. Many readers might not notice this. They might blithely rush along to the next sentence, but I think these things matter.
Nevertheless, the style here (including the imprecisions) reminds me of Brandon Sanderson’s writing. It is dramatic. The characters are distinct, and expressly interesting.
They are different characters. They see the world differently. They are both driven by something. Our dead man, sadly, was driven by compassion and duty. He was a good man. Our assassin is something else entirely.
These strengths bode well for the novel to come, as do the allusions to the secret intrigues that lead to our Marshal’s slow death by poison. I want to know where this goes and see what other part our assassin will play in the story. I’m in.
An assassin listens to the last words of the High Marshal he has poisoned, because no one deserves to die alone.
This story starts with dramatic action and character. It isn’t in a rush to tell me things. It steeps me in the world of the story, letting it unfold before me. I know enough to be engaged.
The immediate setting is detailed. The action of a dying, powerful man whose assassin insists on watching him die, arrests my attention. Every one of our Marshal’s lasts words feel important. They give me a sense of the story to come.
That we hear these last words from the point of view of our cynical, cruel, and yet strangely compassionate assassin makes for a striking contrast. That it seems our dying Marshal was the best of men is also very interesting to me.
I have to say a few words about prose. This is overwritten. There’s much to be said about stylistic choice, but this does suffer from being imprecise at times, leading to confusion.
The prologue is giving a lot of non-sentient objects intention. A “stubborn candle clung to life,” etc. This is fine. This is style. But liquid doesn’t “seep carelessly.” It has been left carelessly.
The candle may be stubborn, but the carelessness belongs to the man who spilled the liquid, not the liquid itself. If you choose to write like this, be careful of this kind of slippage.
Similarly, there’s a lot of indistinct pronouns usage in this prologue. There are two men in this scene and “he” could often apply to either of them. This imprecision makes our assassin feel imprecise by association. This is minor, but it nonetheless has an effect.
There is a minor but significant imprecision in characterization. Our assassin’s face is revealed, and we’re told it would be handsome if it was not utterly void of emotion. This presents a problem.
To this point in the narrative, our assassins face has been quite animated by emotions. He’s been sneering and moving his eyebrows around and making all manner of faces. These things are all explicitly emotional.
Did the author mean to say that his face was void of compassion? I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. Many readers might not notice this. They might blithely rush along to the next sentence, but I think these things matter.
Nevertheless, the style here (including the imprecisions) reminds me of Brandon Sanderson’s writing. It is dramatic. The characters are distinct, and expressly interesting.
They are different characters. They see the world differently. They are both driven by something. Our dead man, sadly, was driven by compassion and duty. He was a good man. Our assassin is something else entirely.
These strengths bode well for the novel to come, as do the allusions to the secret intrigues that lead to our Marshal’s slow death by poison. I want to know where this goes and see what other part our assassin will play in the story. I’m in.
August 5, 2024
High Fantasy, based off of a true story - aka a D&D Campaign As a D&D player myself, this book was a lot of fun getting into. It is a very well done retelling of their campaign and after the end of book 1 - I will be following along with this party to see where life takes them.
In this story, we follow a mercenary crew doing regular party type things. Breaking and entering, exploding walls, lock picking - an annoying prisoner who's entitled and mouthy. You know, everything every good party needs.
During one of their jobs they uncover a deeper laying plot that could destroy the realm as they know it and the realm was already on the brink of war. A group is trying to steal the powers of the gods. Mae, a divine, holds on to what is barely a spark left of her faith and power. This crew, now must travel the land, uncover secrets (of the realm, and of those within the party itself) and try to stop the inevitable collapse of existence as they know it. This adventure will pull at your heart strings, throw at you magical battles, misleads and manipulation. It all comes down to in the end - what matters more. Belief and faith, or the utter power of the gods.
I really liked how this story ended - I won't much get into that because it would ruin the whole book. It is not how I expected this story to go though and that had to be my favourite part.
If you enjoy campaign story tellings (ie critical roll, dragonlance etc) then this is a story you may enjoy.
In this story, we follow a mercenary crew doing regular party type things. Breaking and entering, exploding walls, lock picking - an annoying prisoner who's entitled and mouthy. You know, everything every good party needs.
During one of their jobs they uncover a deeper laying plot that could destroy the realm as they know it and the realm was already on the brink of war. A group is trying to steal the powers of the gods. Mae, a divine, holds on to what is barely a spark left of her faith and power. This crew, now must travel the land, uncover secrets (of the realm, and of those within the party itself) and try to stop the inevitable collapse of existence as they know it. This adventure will pull at your heart strings, throw at you magical battles, misleads and manipulation. It all comes down to in the end - what matters more. Belief and faith, or the utter power of the gods.
I really liked how this story ended - I won't much get into that because it would ruin the whole book. It is not how I expected this story to go though and that had to be my favourite part.
If you enjoy campaign story tellings (ie critical roll, dragonlance etc) then this is a story you may enjoy.
September 2, 2024
Imagine with me a story that is so captivating and so immersive that it nestles a place inside your heart forever. I can feel the footsteps of these characters walking across my soul. Dramatic much? Well, get used to it because I fucking loved this book. And I don’t use expletives lightly.
Spark of the Divine was a cauldron of lentil stew made from the recipe card of generations of fantasy writers. It was warm and cozy and filled with such depth and feeling I could dive into a pool of it and never reach the bottom. Reading this felt like just barely touching the surface of the stories to come. But what touched me, what made this story, the heart of the tale, was the characters. They felt so real I could reach out and touch them. It’s been a long while since I met characters who felt as if they could be friends in a room. The door is always open for whatever adventure comes next because Holland has solidified her place in my Hall of Fame Books, for whatever it’s worth.
I’m feeling particularly emotional, so bear with me as I wipe the tears from my eyes. Ah, where were we? The adventure rating, yes. I need to find myself a Realmshifter because the alternative is selling the souls of my cats to the devil for a chance to visit Kalaraak. And if anyone knows me, I LOVE my cats. Six feet all around!
Spark of the Divine was a cauldron of lentil stew made from the recipe card of generations of fantasy writers. It was warm and cozy and filled with such depth and feeling I could dive into a pool of it and never reach the bottom. Reading this felt like just barely touching the surface of the stories to come. But what touched me, what made this story, the heart of the tale, was the characters. They felt so real I could reach out and touch them. It’s been a long while since I met characters who felt as if they could be friends in a room. The door is always open for whatever adventure comes next because Holland has solidified her place in my Hall of Fame Books, for whatever it’s worth.
I’m feeling particularly emotional, so bear with me as I wipe the tears from my eyes. Ah, where were we? The adventure rating, yes. I need to find myself a Realmshifter because the alternative is selling the souls of my cats to the devil for a chance to visit Kalaraak. And if anyone knows me, I LOVE my cats. Six feet all around!
October 30, 2023
I was lucky enough to be provided an ARC of this book.
This was my first ARC. I was draw in NY the D&D aspect as a lover of TTRPG's. I am so happy I was given a copy! This book was one of the best I've read all year. Well written with good pacing and great characters. I found myself unable to put it down.
You can see the D&D influences, but the world is also uniquely it's own resulting in it standing on its own with its world building, magic, and lore. The book is multi POV and each character is unique from one another. I found something to enjoy about all of them, and this rag-tag group is hilarious as they work together.
Mea's experiences were heartbreaking and the writing does a great job at making you feel what she is going through, and the pain the others feel watching her suffer. Reevan is my favorite of the bunch and I'm sure new readers will find a character they'll adore.
There is a twist in the end and Louise does a great job subtly weaving in hints that are easily brushed aside, you suspect if you notice but you're left doubting whether it is something you spotted. It all make total sense once things are made clear.
I highly recommend this book and will be buying a copy and recommending it to my friends the moment it's available.
This was my first ARC. I was draw in NY the D&D aspect as a lover of TTRPG's. I am so happy I was given a copy! This book was one of the best I've read all year. Well written with good pacing and great characters. I found myself unable to put it down.
You can see the D&D influences, but the world is also uniquely it's own resulting in it standing on its own with its world building, magic, and lore. The book is multi POV and each character is unique from one another. I found something to enjoy about all of them, and this rag-tag group is hilarious as they work together.
Mea's experiences were heartbreaking and the writing does a great job at making you feel what she is going through, and the pain the others feel watching her suffer. Reevan is my favorite of the bunch and I'm sure new readers will find a character they'll adore.
There is a twist in the end and Louise does a great job subtly weaving in hints that are easily brushed aside, you suspect if you notice but you're left doubting whether it is something you spotted. It all make total sense once things are made clear.
I highly recommend this book and will be buying a copy and recommending it to my friends the moment it's available.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2024
Great characters, slow burn
I initially picked this book up because I want to support more Aussie authors.
Genre: Sword & Sorcery
Tone: Mostly entertaining. I wouldn't call it humorous. Fluctuates with mids, lows and teases with warm fuzzies that don't have much of a payoff.
Plot: 3/5 Pretty standard "save the world from the evil cult" sort of deal.
Pacing: 2/5 Too heavy on description and flashbacks form my liking. There were times I was aware I was reading wall of text. (Very much a personal preference—I like my books to MOVE.)
Prose: 4/5 Very readable, but filter words kept me from being fully immersed.
World: 3/5 Familiar fantasy—D&D inspired. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Characters: 5/5 Awesome. Vibrant. Distinct. The highlight of the book.
Conflict: 2/5 Cultist goons and moustache-twirling evil-monologuing bosses. Works for some, not for me.
Overall enjoyment: 3/5
Feels familiar. Standard fantasy. I like faster paced stories, so whether I read the next book in the series depends on the page count. I'm not a fan of works by Sanderson, John Gwynne or Ryan Cahil; but if you like that stuff, Spark of the Divine might be for you.
I initially picked this book up because I want to support more Aussie authors.
Genre: Sword & Sorcery
Tone: Mostly entertaining. I wouldn't call it humorous. Fluctuates with mids, lows and teases with warm fuzzies that don't have much of a payoff.
Plot: 3/5 Pretty standard "save the world from the evil cult" sort of deal.
Pacing: 2/5 Too heavy on description and flashbacks form my liking. There were times I was aware I was reading wall of text. (Very much a personal preference—I like my books to MOVE.)
Prose: 4/5 Very readable, but filter words kept me from being fully immersed.
World: 3/5 Familiar fantasy—D&D inspired. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Characters: 5/5 Awesome. Vibrant. Distinct. The highlight of the book.
Conflict: 2/5 Cultist goons and moustache-twirling evil-monologuing bosses. Works for some, not for me.
Overall enjoyment: 3/5
Feels familiar. Standard fantasy. I like faster paced stories, so whether I read the next book in the series depends on the page count. I'm not a fan of works by Sanderson, John Gwynne or Ryan Cahil; but if you like that stuff, Spark of the Divine might be for you.
January 26, 2024
To put as simply as possible: I loved this book. The story immediately hooks you with its dynamic characters, breathless action, and sharp humor. These traits all keep you firmly hooked as the plot gets going, and you really get the feel for this world as our heroes travel from place to place. Holland's prose walks a line between lyrical and punchy that really engrosses the reader. Every character feels distinct with their own backstory to cement themselves in this world, and it makes them feel like actual people. This book is also very well-paced, and I never felt like it dragged. The climax at the end of the book is epic in scale while still managing to feel deeply personal, and the epilogue sets up wonderfully for a sequel (which I am eagerly waiting for). Team Lessie
September 17, 2024
Ok, it was a good, unique story with unique elements to how magic worked and divine inspirations.
It’s just that the writing style wasn’t my cup of tea.
You’d have some dialog between characters, and then pages of the characters thinking about the conversation and what it means to them or relates to their own story. But that internal dialog got very repetitive. I ended up skipping most internal dialog as it didn’t often add much after the first few repetitive thoughts.
I did like the action packed ending. I’ll pass on future books in the series though. But I think I understand why so many folks gave it 5 stars.
It’s just that the writing style wasn’t my cup of tea.
You’d have some dialog between characters, and then pages of the characters thinking about the conversation and what it means to them or relates to their own story. But that internal dialog got very repetitive. I ended up skipping most internal dialog as it didn’t often add much after the first few repetitive thoughts.
I did like the action packed ending. I’ll pass on future books in the series though. But I think I understand why so many folks gave it 5 stars.
January 25, 2024
both DnD fans and newbies will enjoy!
Louise Holland knows this world! Easy to tell when story is beingtold by a player who knows theins andouts of her game. Merges nice character development with excitingplottwists and challenges to keep the reader interested. Enjoy how humorous passages are neatly intertwined in her storyline. Particularly appreciated howthis story iswell laid-out and understandable to a newbie to the DnD sort of world like me! Have fun!
Louise Holland knows this world! Easy to tell when story is beingtold by a player who knows theins andouts of her game. Merges nice character development with excitingplottwists and challenges to keep the reader interested. Enjoy how humorous passages are neatly intertwined in her storyline. Particularly appreciated howthis story iswell laid-out and understandable to a newbie to the DnD sort of world like me! Have fun!
Currently reading
June 18, 202418th June 2024, added to TBR
I read one chapter to prepare a TBR for my personal SPFBO reading challenge. I already decided to read this fully before that chapter ended. Basing this off a year-long DnD campaign and adding a map, glossary and explicit mention no AI was used, has convinced me this is a passionate piece of work. The first chapter promises divine powers and a found family, which are two of my favorite themes in fantasy books, LET'S GO!
I read one chapter to prepare a TBR for my personal SPFBO reading challenge. I already decided to read this fully before that chapter ended. Basing this off a year-long DnD campaign and adding a map, glossary and explicit mention no AI was used, has convinced me this is a passionate piece of work. The first chapter promises divine powers and a found family, which are two of my favorite themes in fantasy books, LET'S GO!
September 10, 2024
Loved it! Found it very hard to put this book down once I started reading. I knew, and still know very little about D&D but found the stories easy to follow and the characters had their own and very interesting personalities which made this book a great read. Can’t wait for the next chapter of this journey.
October 4, 2024
A really fun classic DND-style romp told with a modern voice. Great characters and relationships, fast moving plot, some genuinely emotional moments.
A few more details in my video recap: https://youtu.be/l7VtA1IlvZU?si=-rWax...
A few more details in my video recap: https://youtu.be/l7VtA1IlvZU?si=-rWax...
February 19, 2024
3.5 stars. Fun adventure with a spectacular end.
August 23, 2023
Spark of the Divine stepwise introduces its eclectic band of misadventurers, slowly unfolding a richly-built world and the precarious place this motley crew hold within it. I laughed, I cried, I slapped my forehead, I saw the Nat 1 dice rolls behind the scenes. It manages to avoid the pitfalls and tropes of the fantasy-adventure genre, retaining heart at its core, grounded by a strong cast of characters.
PS: Reevan is my spirit animal.
PS: Reevan is my spirit animal.
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