Once There Were Heroes

A Time of Dragons #1

by Philip C. Quaintrell

From Philip C. Quaintrell, author of The Echoes Saga 'For lovers of your classic Tolkien, this series has it all' - Alan Coleman - Amazon customer 'Best newcomer to the genre. Philip is up there with Feist and Sanderson' - Philip Spick - Amazon customer 700,000 COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE -- THE GODS ARE DEAD.

IN THEIR ABSENCE, THERE CAN BE ONLY CHAOS. ONLY WAR.

AND THEY ARE NOT ALL THAT HAS FADED FROM THE WORLD OF VERDA... Once there were heroes. Brave men and women who showed their quality to be above the rest. Those whose deeds earned them the heart of a dragon . Those whose courage and strength resonated with the unborn, who, in their eggs, can wait thousands of years for a warrior worthy of them. These heroes rose up on young battlefields and defended the weak and oppressed across all of Erador. They did so because they were inspired . They had only to look up and see. Dragons Riders! The last noble warriors in the realm. Only heroes can embolden the ordinary. For centuries, millennia , the Dragon Riders galvanised generation after generation, adding Riders to their ranks, birthing dragons from their eggs. But there are no more heroes. War with the Andarens is like nothing the Riders, nor the armies of Erador, have ever faced. In the place of heroes there are only soldiers now. Fodder for the machine of war. This time of twilight is set to be the crowning hour of the dark, when the light is losing its grip. There are those who have been waiting, biding their time in the shadows while the heroes of Verda die out. They worship something ancient. Something forgotten by myth and legend. Something evil. It falls on a few to keep back that darkness. A few who must rise without inspiration and prove themselves worthy. -- 'I read a lot of fantasy books and I can say that this is one of the best I have read' - B. Stewart - Amazon customer - The Echoes Saga ''The Echoes Saga' demonstrates a simple commitment to the power of story' - Stephen Dudley - Amazon customer - The Echoes Saga

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Epic Fantasy, Fiction, High Fantasy, Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy

829 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2023

About the author

Philip started his career as an emergency nurse and began writing the books he’d want to read as a hobby between shifts.

He published his first novel in 2016, and soon began his epic fantasy series, The Echoes Saga which went straight into the Amazon bestsellers list in 4 countries.

Now one of the best-selling indie authors worldwide, Philip lives in Manchester, England with his wife and two young children and is hoping this is just the beginning.

Reviews

[John Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read plenty of 5 star books in my day but there’s only a handful of book 1s that are more like 6 stars.

Game of Thrones
Assassin’s Apprentice
Empire of the Vampire

These books are absolutely incredible and I can firmly put this book among them. These are the only books that made me finish one chapter after another and say “holy shit”. What this author did with the world building and the character work was just top tier. I’ve never read any of this author’s previous works and didn’t even know this was a prequel so I have no idea if this book is way better than his other books or not.

I loved every single protagonist, truly despised the antagonist, and completely enraptured with the worldbuilding, the different races, and the inventive creatures.

Philip is immediately a favorite author for me based off this one book!

[Jeremy Schwab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome back...to the beginning! 🔥

Quaintrell takes us back to Verda, (a world those of us familiar with Phillips masterful works "The Ranger Archives" and "Echo's Saga") and brings us many, many...many years before either. This is a time all of us could only day dream about while on our wild ride through Echo's...A Time of Dragons!

While we are dropped back into a world we all know and fell in love with, this is a very different (fresh) Verda. Quaintrell pens a sprawling, magical, mysterious and dark landscape with a bevy of new characters and races. All following their respected paths to protect and fight for what they believe to be the correct path(based on the events and recorded Histories from their written pasts). But is all they've been bred, raised and trained to fight for actually the full truth?! This is the start of another Epic that Quaintrell is so good at crafting. Blending adventure, courage, love, loss, unplanned friendships and just flat out awe! You will no doubt have issues putting this book down and (as with myself) have to deal with an amazing ending leaving you wanting the next installment immediately!

Fans of Quaintrell do not hesitate to dive in, and those just finding this wonderful world...grab the works of Phillip Quaintrell's "The Ranger Archives" and "Echo's Saga" and settle in to one of the wildest and amazing (dragon) rides of your book reading lives!! 🔥🔥🔥

Book 1 "Once There Were Heros" is an easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me and the new series "A Time of Dragons" is sure to be another gem in Phillip Quaintrell's Epic Fantasy resume 🍻📚

[Caitlyn’s Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I hadn’t read Quiantrell’s other works in the Verda world before reading this, simply because I didn’t know. I didn’t know that the Echoes Saga takes place in the same world, and that’s on me.
But, I can say that having reading this one first, you can still understand and enjoy the story. Now with that being said obviously there is a different reading experience coming from someone familiar with the world and the events of the Echoes Saga. But wow what a book this was. You can tell that Quaintrell loves fantasy books. This was filled to brim with epic fights, character development, and world building. After reading this book then going to Rise of the Ranger, book 1 in the echoes saga, this is my favorite by far (and Rise of the Ranger was still a 5 ⭐️ read for me).
I would rate this book a 10 out of 5. I loved it so much.

[Henrique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once There Were Heroes
5⭐+❤️


Once There Were Heroes is the first book in the 5-book series A Time of Dragons, a prequel series by author Phillip Quaintrell, the same author of The Echoes Saga and The Ranger Archives. Here we go back 5,000 years in Verda's history to see the origin of the dragons and also their rivals, the Aegres, who are giant eagles. I simply loved this book. At first, I felt a little confused because there were so many new and unknown characters, and also because it started in the middle of the mess. However, as the book progresses, the author better situates you in the book, mainly because here we follow two timelines, past and present, and each has its protagonists. In the past, we have Daijen Saeth and Ilhitrand, who are two knights of Aegres. In the present, we have practically three prominent characters who are the protagonists. First, we have the wonderful Androma, who is a Dragon Rider. We also have Galien Drakalis, who is a mercenary who is searching for a legendary treasure and ends up meeting Androma. Last but not least, we have Androma. Joran, I won't go into details so as not to spoil the plot that involves him, but I really liked everything in this book. It was very epic to follow the plot, the characters, the political intrigues, the battle scenes that are epic and one in particular for a chapter with an aerial fight between a Dragon Rider and an Eagle Rider in the sky is breathtaking and the world building is wonderful. Here we have the beginning of a new epic saga in a world already known but new things to show for those who have read all the books in The Echoes Saga. I highly recommend this series, you won't regret it.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t familiar with Quaintrell’s novels and didn’t know much about Once There Were Heroes before starting it. I came across it on Instagram; someone was recommending it alongside other fantasy books I loved. It was the only one on the list I hadn’t read, so adding it to my TBR was a no-brainer. Only after I began did I realize it’s set in the distant past of other previously published novels in the same world. It also made me want to sit down and write a full review, which I haven’t done in the longest time.

The concept is some of the best fantasy I’ve read in a while. It truly has this "epic" feeling many newly released fantasies miss/do not aim for. It feels fresh, gripping, and multi-layered. That said, the book could really benefit from stronger editing and polishing. With that, it could easily be a solid five-star read. The lack of tight editing is noticeable—something that made more sense once I learned it’s self-published.

The book is over 800 pages, yet it didn’t feel that long. At first—especially if you’re like me and unfamiliar with this world—you’ll probably feel confused. Quaintrell feeds you pieces of the puzzle gradually, just enough to keep you curious without revealing too much. But you do have to be patient. Some chapters require effort, particularly when a new or seemingly random perspective appears—someone you don’t know yet and can’t fully bring yourself to care about. In the second half, the connections become clearer, and things start to click. Still, early on, the constant shifts in perspective can make it harder to stay fully engaged.

As for the worldbuilding, the author weaves a complex—yet not overwhelming—and intriguing lore. The world features dragons, fae like creatures, wizards, dead gods, giant eagles, dwarves, and much more. There’s a lot to absorb and keep track of. I’m sure the upcoming books will expand on it further.

Once There Were Heroes follows three major plotlines. One takes place roughly sixty years in the past, and a third that is introduced in the second part of the book. Each plotline includes multiple perspectives, and at times the transitions feel abrupt. For example, a battle scene might suddenly shift to a completely different character within the same chapter. I assume this structure was intentional, since chapters seem to be organized around plotlines rather than individual perspectives, but it does take some getting used to.

There are definitely elements that could be improved with the support of a strong publisher. Honestly, if I hadn’t enjoyed the story as much as I did, those flaws would have lowered my rating to 3 stars.

What could've been improved?

1- The writing
Aside from the typos, some paragraphs and sentences needed serious rephrasing. Words like "trio", "pair", and "company" were used far too many times (trio alone appeared 43!!! times). Sentences like "Without hesitation, the smuggler threw his axe the one who threatened the boy's throat" and "a fact he had to put to one side now, lest the threat of it cripple his critical thinking" (yes, that’s exactly how it’s written) completely pulled me out of the events that were happening. I don’t think I’ve ever come across "critical thinking" used in a fantasy novel before - what are we doing, applying for jobs?

I’m not usually someone who focuses heavily on writing style, but here it needed serious work and editing. I really hope the author gets at least a few strong beta readers for his future books because, as we all know, the novels we read are rarely the product of one person alone. They’re shaped by feedback, edits, and multiple rounds of refinement.

2- The characters

The characters weren’t the strongest aspect of this novel. The writing — which needs significant improvement as previously highlighted— may have contributed to that, but so did the way the book is structured. Take Ilithranda, for example. There’s constant talk about how impressive and formidable she is, and we’re never inside her head. We only see her through other characters’ perspectives. As a result, she felt underwhelming to me because she didn't do anything impressive. I’m hoping she does something truly remarkable in the next installment because, so far, she came across as somewhat bland despite all the hype surrounding her.

The tone of the writing also could have felt more mature. It didn’t fully read as “adult” to me. Daijen, for instance, is positioned as a cool character, but he comes off as too "naive" and lacks real depth.

I also think Slait was a missed opportunity. How were initiates allowed to go and bond with an Aegre that will kill them if they feel like it, and the initiates cannot fight back, they have to do die, and still allow them to carry weapons? How did those super smart senior Vahlken think students will submit peacefully? They also want "good" people, how did Slait fit that criteria? Then him massacring so many and fleeing (COME ON), that's so much typical black and white and one dimensional. He had no good traits, just your old school bad guy/bully. I think it would've been much better if he became a zealot for Vahlken and maybe another initiate went rogue, it would've added a lot more depth instead of it being so blatantly black and white.

Another character that needs serious work is Joran, seriously there's no depth around this guy.


Without revealing anything, I would just like to say that the amount of timely coincidences was too much and happened too many times to just pass casually.

I believe I have written enough while doing my best to keep my review spoiler free. I know the negatives might be many but it's also good to know what to expect. I saw many reviews claiming the writing is excellent... it's not. But the book is so damn entertaining, gripping, and makes such a nice read. It is a solid fantasy that you must read if you're familiar with Quaintrell's work and should give it a try if you're a fantasy fan. I honestly don't know if I would recommend starting with his other series set in this world first not having read them myself (but I have added them to my TBR).

[Barefoot Gypsy Jimerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful writing!!

Perfection at its finest. Perfectly done. The writing is so real you see, feel and hear everything that each an every character dose. Philip Quaintrell brings such Beautiful Work to Life.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic

It’s been awhile since I found a great scifantasy story. I’m 74 been reading fantasy since I was 18. This is a truly great read.

[Shanna (shannasaurus_rex_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Literally could not put it down at times, especially the last 10-15%. I'm dying for the next book now.

[blank ⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, RTC

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: Did a reread of this ahead of book 2's release and I must say that it was even better the second time. Can't wait to see what mysteries are solved and how our heroes progress in book 2!

This book was really good. I’ll start there. For me, the same thing happened here as it did with Rise of the Ranger. I started it and wasn’t grabbed like with other books I’ve read, so I struggled with keeping going, but I pushed on and finally grabbed the names and places and titles, and soon began to absolutely fall into this book. The lore and world building was great and expanded on what we already know of Verda and the breadcrumbs for what we learned in the Echoes Saga was great but I was left with way more questions than answers by the end which drives me nuts but I guess we’ll just have to wait until books 2!

[Librukie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

"Once there were heroes. They rose up on young battlefields and defended the weak and opressed across all of Erador. Only heroes can embolden the ordinary. In the place of heroes there are only soldiers now. Fodder for the machine of war".

Humanos y andaren llevan siglos enfrentados en una guerra que no parece tener fin. Ambos cuentan con fuerzas formidables: los humanos con los jinetes de dragón, y los andaren con los vahlken, guerreros "mutantes" que cabalgan águilas gigantes. Ambos grupos son en gran parte independientes de sus respectivos gobiernos, pero acuden en defensa de aquellos pertenecientes a sus especies, por lo que los aegres y los dragones parecen estar destinados a ser enemigos eternos, como las personas que los dirigen.
Nadie ve fin a esta larga guerra, pero hace años, con ayuda del Yelmo de Ahnir, el Dios de los andaren, se predijo la llegada de un niño mestizo que podría cambiarlo todo.

Es un poquito complejo y abrumador situarse en esta saga TAN LARGA, compuesta de momento por nada más y nada menos que CATORCE libros, divididos en tres sagas interconectadas. Este es la primera parte de una bilogía que vendría a ser la precuela, y cuyos hechos suceden 12.000 años antes a su siguiente trilogía. El mismo autor dice que se puede empezar con este universo por donde uno quiera, así que yo decidí empezarla por orden cronológico, siendo este el punto de partida.

"Once there were heroes" es una historia de fantasía clásica, con un grupo bastante grande y diverso de personajes y una trama que da constantes saltos hacia alante y hacia atrás en el tiempo. Su ritmo es más bien pausado, de estas historias que se va cociendo a fuego lento, pero no va a ser una sorpresa para nadie que yo diga que es precisamente esto una de las cosas que más me gustó de la novela. Si bien su mundo creo que peca un poquito de "genérico" y no creo que sorprenda demasiado en cuanto a originalidad, sobre todo a aquellos que ya tenemos unos cuantos años leyendo el género a nuestras espaldas... Creo que es en sus personajes donde destaca y brilla, y es precisamente ese ritmo lo que nos permite ir conociéndolos poco a poco, a la vez que se nos van desvelando detalles del mundo que les rodea y todos los secretos que se cuecen en las sombras.

No voy a engañar a nadie, no es la historia más innovadora ni con mejores giros que he leído últimamente, pero creo que tiene lo suficiente (y de sobra) para agradar a todos aquellos que disfrutamos con la fantasía. El ritmo es bueno, los personajes muy bien construidos y carismáticos y ambas lineas temporales son igualmente interesantes, lo que hace que los saltos temporales jamás sean un impedimento a la hora de mantenerte enganchado.
Y perdonad que insista con el tema de los personajes... Pero es que los tenéis de todos los géneros, edades y razas. Y aquí aplaudimos que las enanas tengan barba y se roben un poco la atención de sus colegas masculinos 💅 El grupo que se va formando a lo largo de las páginas (y de los años) es de lo más entrañable y variopinto, y conquista a cualquiera al que le vaya un poquito la típica fantasía rolera.

He terminado este primer libro con una buenísima sensación, todavía muchas preguntas por responder (que asumo me contestarán en la segunda parte) y todas mis esperanzas puestas en esta saga tan larga. Si sigue así, no descarto que se convierta en una de mis favoritas. Absolutamente recomendado si leéis en inglés.

[Artrain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Imagine reading a book where the only POVs are those of side characters. That is what reading Once There Were Heroes felt like. It is an entire volume that only serves to build a backstory.

It is an decent story, though nothing extraordinary, and the side characters are fine, though nothing that left me particularly bothered about them. The overarching plot is the same old "light vs darkness" bs that we've read plenty of times. The author does try to present it in a slightly unique manner though, which is what made me at least speed read the whole thing to see where it led.

I also felt that the book was in heavy need of editing and shortening. There were too many convoluted sentences, and some that didn't make sense at all.

I'll consider this as a 0.5th volume instead of the 1st, and see what the next one brings. There is potential, and the writing is decent. It just needs to be more centred in my opinion.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow once again, another Philip Quaintrell masterpiece. I highly recommend all of this man’s books haha. I read his entire Echoes Saga series a few months back and it turned into one of the best fantasy series I’ve ever read. Something about it just really pulled me in. Anyways, this A TIME OF DRAGONS series is sooooo good. Book 1 starts off with a bang and portrays the mind-blowingly beautiful world of Verda. This man’s world building is spectacular. I don’t want to spoil anything but I highly recommend his Echoes Saga series first, followed by this series. Perfect 10

[Reed Fallow · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWork Of Art

Simply put this is a story of might , magic
, courage and destiny . Any reader who loves to read. Who loves the journey to another world will like this work of wonder !

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book of Quaintrell's new Verda series takes us back long before the Echoes Saga. The "good guys" are a mixed bag, but the bad guys are clearly defined.

l don't find myself too enamored with most of the protagonists with the exception of the dwarves, I love them. The book has the annoying tendency to jump back and forth in time, but by the end I sort of got used to that.

lnteresting beginning, while not as compelling group of characters as the Echoes Saga l have no doubt he'll bring it home.

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once There Were Heroes ignites the epic and slow-burning genesis of an unexplored saga in the world of Verda.

This is not the first time I have read a book by Philip C. Quaintrell. Far from the truth. This is the tenth book by Quaintrell that I have read. It feels surreal to see how far Quaintrell has come. I read A Clash of Fates, the last book in The Echoes Saga by Philip C. Quaintrell, in the year 2022. It’s been more than three years since I’ve read anything by Quaintrell. And since then, his popularity and success have gradually escalated. Deservedly. I thought I was done with the world of Verda. I thought I had read everything I needed from this world. When I heard A Time of Dragons will take place 12,000 years before the start of Rise of the Ranger, I was slightly apprehensive about the necessity of the series. It is one of the main reasons why it took this long to dive into this book. But the readers and fans have spoken. The FOMO can’t be sealed further. I will elaborate upon this more later, but Quaintrell has successfully walked that dangerous tightrope balance of satisfying both new readers and old-time readers in the world of Verda with Once There Were Heroes.

“Honour cannot be forced upon one… It must be taken.”

First of all, I need to emphasize this. I do not know about the rest of the series yet, but if we’re putting only Once There Were Heroes into the equation, it is NOT necessary to read The Echoes Saga first before reading Once There Were Heroes. Believe me. I am a sucker for reading everything in the same world in the publication order. But in this case, you can definitely start your journey in Verda from reading Once There Were Heroes. Quaintrell has also improved his writing craft since the completion of The Echoes Saga. Right from the epic prologue with the Helm of Ahnir and the visions it bestowed, you can tell. The story in Once There Were Heroes is told from two time frames. The present timeline and the one that begins 80 years before the first chapter. Both timelines move steadily, with the one from the past jumping several years ahead several times. By the end of the book, the past timeline reached 40 years before the start of the first chapter. We still have many things to explore in the next book, and I’m excited about it.

“Power… is attained through practice and discipline. Freedom, however, is considerably harder to come by.”

One of the clear signs of Quaintrell’s improvement is how he tackles and introduces the multiple POV characters and cast in this epic fantasy story. Now, the new story and set of characters here might take some time to warm up to. At least, for me, I did not warm up to them as quickly as Asher and his gang in The Echoes Saga. However, the way Quaintrell introduces and dissects their personality here felt organic and gradual. In Rise of the Ranger, it was quite challenging to memorize who’s who and which factions they belong to. That is no longer the case in Once There Were Heroes. Daijen Saeth, the main POV character for the past timeline, was hands down my favorite of them all. His story and training to become a Vahlken, essentially like a Witcher in The Witcher series, gel with me so well. I will also point this out. High fantasy books need a despicable character like Slait in his POV chapters. I won’t spoil you. The quality of Daijen’s story started off well, and the quality stayed consistent throughout the first part of the novel. It was, fortunately, elevated to something amazing after a specific chapter filled with Slait’s chaotic and unhinged actions. It was intense, consequential, and it ramped up the danger of the narrative. Let’s leave it at that. Those who have read it will know what I am talking about. Those who have not, you have to read and find out for yourself. This isn’t to say that Daijen’s story was the only POV character to look forward to. In this one book alone, we followed the tale of more than eight POV characters. Daijen the Vahlken, Androma the blind dragon rider, Gallien Drakalis the smuggler, Kitrana the Merman, Yamnomora and Grarfath the Dwarves, and Joran. It is not possible to explain what I like about them all in this review without making this review turn into a short story. But rest assured. All of their tale coalesced to begin another grand story in the world of Verda.

“In the blink of an eye, the world about you can become a storm. It will try to move you to its will. When your time inside these walls is at an end, you will see the truth of it. That you are the storm.”

WithA Time of Dragons as the series name, it is safe and expected to read Once There Were Heroes with the brimming hope of encountering dragons' flights and their majestic entrance. You will certainly get them here. However, do not expect to see many of them yet. Be patient. I haven’t read the sequel, but I’m sure Quaintrell will reward us in the later books. In return, Quaintrell prepared the Aegres, the Vahlken’s armored gryphons, to amaze us. And oh, I was amazed. Additionally, in Once There Were Heroes, readers get to explore Erador and Andaren. These weren’t done in The Echoes Saga, and for me, this made a refreshing reading experience to explore a new side of Verda. It’s not only about the location, per se. There were still some cool Easter Eggs for us who have been in this world before. Fantastical creatures like dragons and the Leviathan were awesome to witness again. And then, Yamnomora and Grarfath were names that should be familiar to readers of The Echoes Saga, and the reality of their beginning is humbling, to say the least. From my perspective, I find it funny to see this is how their legend begins. And that, although not mandatory, is something that can be appreciated by both new and old time readers of Verda.

“Unless the rest of us, you actually have something to live for. You’re meant for something greater than dying on some forgotten rock. Become everything they say you will. Then you can end all this death once and for all.”

Similar to The Echoes Saga, I can safely recommend Once There Were Heroes to readers who love classic epic fantasy and a story of light versus darkness done right. Be patient throughout the slow-burning narrative. There’s a lot to like in this. And when it explodes, it blazes. From prophecy, multiple POV characters to follow, dragons, armored gryhons, and exhilarating action sequences, Once There Were Heroes has them all. In my opinion, as a reader who has read the entirety of The Echoes Saga, too, Quaintrell has successfully written some of his best action sequences in Once There Were Heroes. My top three standout chapters in this book were The Fall, Dragon vs Aegre, and A Red Dawn. Truly incredible. And speaking of The Fall, there may be a chapter or two dedicated to The Bound and The Broken by Ryan Cahill. I do believe this book will click well with fans of The Bound and the Broken. And, obviously, The Echoes Saga. I look forward to reading In the Shadow of Kings as soon as possible.

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[Tony Hinde · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 26%

I don't get it. Everyone rates this book five stars.

It's dull and hard to follow. Not because it's complex, although it is, but because the author doesn't give context and makes narrative leaps without warning. For example, at one point Kit, the Nimean, is fighting things underwater and then she's walking up stairs in the air. There was no transition.

The two forces that are at war with each other, seem equally at fault. No protagonist steps forward to lead the plot. It feels like standing in the eye of a tornado and describing the destruction, but without feeling any fear and not knowing whose house just sped past.

The magic, what little there is of it, has no structure or explanation. The two supernatural warrior sects seem equally bloodthirsty and indoctrinated. Within the first quarter of this book we are only able to learn the origin of the Vahlken... and their "training" is laughable. It consists of being beaten up and nearly killed, again and again, then you are warned that any disrespect or lack of perfection will result in death... and then you're thrown into a magic pond.

Sure the world is complex and dark but there's no hero to follow, nor a clear side to take in the conflict. There's not even a group of survivors whose internal bonds form a bulwark against the raging tides of war. In short, I can't find a horse to ride and don't know where the finishing line is.

[my_two_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once There Were Heores by Philip C. Quaintrell

Moving away from Illian and Ayda this book focuses on Erador and Andorra a long time in the past, not sure fully but a few millenia atleast.

Two reasons why this is my favourite book of 2023 as of yet:

One, the world gave plenty of nods to the previous two series in this world be it the monsters for RA and the weapons, materials, and even characters. However it just had a a feel of a totally new world with plenty more to explore.

With the new countries, came new magic, new lore that was super fun to read about. Essentially reason one is the World Building was Epic.

Two, PCQ managed to pull of a great cast of characters with a well paced plot split between past and present with both plots intertwining.

The book was just fantastic from start to finish and I thoroughly recommend this book to any action packed classic fantasy reader.

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

[Annie♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rate this book a 4.25 stars

From the first page, Once There Were Heroes had me hooked. Philip C. Quaintrell blends action, mystery, and rich worldbuilding into a story that feels both epic in scale and intimate in emotion. The battles are vivid and cinematic. The pacing is relentless in the best way—each chapter pushes you forward, making it nearly impossible to stop reading.

The story balances two timelines with remarkable clarity, weaving them together with precision and purpose. Each perspective draws you deeper, revealing secrets, alliances, and betrayals that seamlessly combine to build a story much deeper and more impactful.

The characters are deeply layered and beautifully crafted—each one carries their own struggles, ambitions, and flaws. There’s weight to every decision, cost in every victory, and a constant undercurrent of wonder at the dragons and gods shaping the fate of this world.

It’s everything I want from an epic fantasy. It’s the kind of book that makes you stay up too late and wanting more. 😱😆

[George Rokkos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! I loved the author’s first series, so when I found out they were making a new series I was very excited! This book did not disappoint all of the amazing elements of fantasy that I love so much! Super enjoyed the magic in this book! Loved the world building in this book so much. I can’t wait for the next book! I loved all the new characters and change in the book and I’m so excited for what’s next!

[Clark Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book! I could not put it down. When I got towards the end I was struggling because I wanted to know what was going to happen with Joran and company, but at the same time I didn't want it to end because I knew I'm going to have to wait til next year for the next book in the saga. This book truly delivers. I'm really looking forward to this new saga.

[FineLineReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je pense que lire sa précédente saga (qui se passe dans le même univers) aurait été plus judicieux
J’avoue qu’à partir d’un moment les longueurs ont pris le dessus et j’étais plus vraiment intéressé par ce que je lisais

Malgré tout j’ai adoré les derniers 20% et ça m’a donné envie de lire l’autre saga donc à voir si je relis celui ci plus tard!

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to begin...

The world and the story are definitely intriguing, although I can imagine the leaps in the past/present & povs might be confusing to some. It tells the history and the current, setting up the storyline for the next book in the series with a decent ground layer with different povs.

There's numerous things that a lot of fantasy readers will enjoy: dragons & riders, wizards, aegres & their riders, weavers & giant spiders, a bad guy & good guy and some jolly dwarves. The book also offers some decent wise quotes for you to save.

It's more or less a classic chosen one/dark&light build-up in a slower manner, so if you mind this, this is not the book for you.

I did feel like the writing was a bit dreadful at some point towards the end and felt some unease wanting to wrap things up. Maybe the pacing towards the end wasn't entirely to my liking, and the sentences didn't provoke much emotion when it did spring into action. Because of this, I deducted a point as a 5 star review would mean I'm absolutely glued to the book and could cry out of emotion 😅.

This doesn't mean the book is bad by any means, it's actually quite good - but in my opinion, it could maybe have been polished a little bit more here and there to provoke the right emotions in me.

However, I see the potential of both story and writing, so I'll definitely read the next!

[Allyson Czarsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being my first book by this author I was blown away . With some small nods to other epic fantasy authors and the feel of Lord of the Rings meets a grand D&D crew this book has everything you could want . Religious zealots , unlikely hero’s and even more unlikely companions. Beautifully immersive world building that doesn’t take away from the character development and a search for the gods. I am seriously looking forward to devouring the entirety of his works .

[Randolph Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too confusing

Book jumps around in time too much and you learn one of the heros dies way too early in the story. And one of the main protagonists doesn't act in any normal fashion.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

High stakes, fantastic fight scenes, conspiracies, and prophesies. What are you waiting for? Read this book!

At this point Phillip could write about characters in Verda doing laundry and I’d eat it up!

[Ann Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

Was a bit thrown at first with the time differences. That soon changed and now can’t wait for book 2.

[Kenneth Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

the more I read the more I wished it was not so good

I didn’t want to start a new series but this one is soooo good I can’t stop reading and reading

[Ovium_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was insanely good. Like crazy how much I enjoyed this. The writing style is spot on for me. I could see and feel everything I read. From start to finish, I was enamored with this world, and I'm dying for more. We get multiple POVs with various different timelines that all come together for an epic story. One of my favorite things is when there's timeline hopping in books. Granted, they can be confusing at first. But when all the pieces start moving and the characters start to come together, it's the holy sh!t moment I live for. And it's done so well here. The story and characters had me locked in and made it so hard to put down. The last few chapters were non-stop action and had me on edge the whole time!

I can not wait to jump into book 2 of A Time of Dragons, In the Shadow of Kings.

[Brandon Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, immersive story that loosely follows the "chosen-one" trope. I say loosely because you follow the chosen one throughout some of the chapters, but I feel like this book was more about back story, setup and the origins and lore behind the chosen one. You follow the chosen ones protectors throughout his upbringing in this vivid tale of survival. There were some really cool scenes with awesome imagery. The scene of the initiates pairing with the Aegres was intense and awesome. And the cliffhanger at the end has me wanting to start book 2 right away. So many questions!

Bravo Phil!