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Chains of Honor #1–4 omnibus
Chains of Honor: The Complete Series
After failing the test to gain entrance to the nation’s prestigious wizarding school, Yanko Whitefox worries he’ll never be able to regain his family’s lost honor.
Then war breaks out, his home is targeted, and survival becomes more of a concern than accolades.
With his family scattered, Yanko’s only allies are a politically incorrect parrot, a sarcastic sculptor, and a gifted warrior who may be an enemy spy.
Determined to stop the war and bring peace to his nation, Yanko must undertake a quest that will put his fledgling power to the ultimate test. If he fails, he’ll lose much more than honor.
Then war breaks out, his home is targeted, and survival becomes more of a concern than accolades.
With his family scattered, Yanko’s only allies are a politically incorrect parrot, a sarcastic sculptor, and a gifted warrior who may be an enemy spy.
Determined to stop the war and bring peace to his nation, Yanko must undertake a quest that will put his fledgling power to the ultimate test. If he fails, he’ll lose much more than honor.
1559 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 12, 2023
411 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Buroker
198 books6,266 followersI'm a full-time indie fantasy and science fiction author. When I'm not writing, I'm ferrying my dogs to hiking trails for adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 13, 2024
Relatable fantasy
Lindsay Buroker has a talent for engaging storytelling. The plot moves along quickly with lots of action and exotic locations. Her way with dialog and witty banter keeps it fun even while it's suspenseful.
I read the Emperor's Edge series before these so it was fun to revisit Talika and Rias's world a few decades later and from the Nurian perspective.
Because the stories are so compelling, it's been difficult to get enough sleep at night. I generally read until I get drowsy. These books made me want to keep reading instead of sleeping.
Lindsay Buroker has a talent for engaging storytelling. The plot moves along quickly with lots of action and exotic locations. Her way with dialog and witty banter keeps it fun even while it's suspenseful.
I read the Emperor's Edge series before these so it was fun to revisit Talika and Rias's world a few decades later and from the Nurian perspective.
Because the stories are so compelling, it's been difficult to get enough sleep at night. I generally read until I get drowsy. These books made me want to keep reading instead of sleeping.
May 30, 2024
Really enjoyed this omnibus - have to review it this way, too, since I wouldn't be able for the life of me figure out where the divides in the stories were for individual books.
These stories are about a young boy who is prepping to be ready for mage school, and his father sends him into the care of his uncle in the mines to get some toughening up. His aptitudes are for gardening magics, considered quite unmanly, and he has a long way to grow into gaining some confidence in himself.
While the story begins with a close-range setting to let us get to know our main character closely, eventually the series roams out to give us a wider view of the world.
It was a fun adventure, with our hero an interesting combination of sweet and compassionate, but also not emotionally anxious. While extremely dutiful and honorable, he was also aware of the boundaries between his own actions, and the actions of people around him, and the limits of his control over them. Which things he could and could not take responsibility for, which to my reading makes him surprisingly morally grey. I think that level of decisiveness and ability to move on from decisions made will in the end make him a surprisingly good leader, and are utterly necessary qualities to have in one, but it's nonetheless discomforting on some level.
I can relate wholeheartedly to the boy who intends harm to no-one. The boy who hurts when animals are hurt. I can't connect emotionally with the boy who is pragmatic enough to use his magic to take lives, even lives of people who intended to kill him, and walks away good humoured.
I wish I could though, because those decisive qualities are clearly necessary in anyone who wants to have any sort of power. Who knows, maybe this is some sort of a guide to how to do that. Although there's not enough of an inner monologue to show me the thought process he's going through.
Anyway, having gone off-topic enough, I enjoyed it. It straddles the middle-line of not having logic-holes so overtly stupid in it I was thrown off, but remaining light-hearted by glossing over some of the wider implications of events. Fun good times, so I'll be looking for some of its prequels.
These stories are about a young boy who is prepping to be ready for mage school, and his father sends him into the care of his uncle in the mines to get some toughening up. His aptitudes are for gardening magics, considered quite unmanly, and he has a long way to grow into gaining some confidence in himself.
While the story begins with a close-range setting to let us get to know our main character closely, eventually the series roams out to give us a wider view of the world.
It was a fun adventure, with our hero an interesting combination of sweet and compassionate, but also not emotionally anxious. While extremely dutiful and honorable, he was also aware of the boundaries between his own actions, and the actions of people around him, and the limits of his control over them. Which things he could and could not take responsibility for, which to my reading makes him surprisingly morally grey. I think that level of decisiveness and ability to move on from decisions made will in the end make him a surprisingly good leader, and are utterly necessary qualities to have in one, but it's nonetheless discomforting on some level.
I can relate wholeheartedly to the boy who intends harm to no-one. The boy who hurts when animals are hurt. I can't connect emotionally with the boy who is pragmatic enough to use his magic to take lives, even lives of people who intended to kill him, and walks away good humoured.
I wish I could though, because those decisive qualities are clearly necessary in anyone who wants to have any sort of power. Who knows, maybe this is some sort of a guide to how to do that. Although there's not enough of an inner monologue to show me the thought process he's going through.
Anyway, having gone off-topic enough, I enjoyed it. It straddles the middle-line of not having logic-holes so overtly stupid in it I was thrown off, but remaining light-hearted by glossing over some of the wider implications of events. Fun good times, so I'll be looking for some of its prequels.
October 17, 2025
All that, and a bag of chips!
What are the light! What an absolute delight. It is quite simply a joy to return to this world of Lindsay‘s, I hadn’t realized I missed it quite so much. If you haven’t read the “Emperor‘s edge“ series, then you must before reading this. In no way is it necessary, in the slightest. However, it all fits together so much better when red in sequential order according to the timeline.
As to this series… It’s just plain and simple great fun. We have the unassuming hero gradually growing into his powers, and never once quite recognizing the fact that he has grown in power so tremendously. If it were anyone other than Lindsay doing this, it would probably come off as either farcical or… I struggle to find the right word.… I suppose the only way I can come up with is either farcical or fake! But in Lindsay‘s death hand, her wonderful ability to bring us inside the feelings and minds of her characters, he’s just a simple boy who doesn’t realize he’s grown-up. Of course, because this is an omnibus, and since all four books are present, the final result is painfully obvious from one of the titles. Still, even with the ending being spelled out in advance, I had absolutely no trouble believing that our hero was just as naïve as he is constantly reminded by his friends that he is. Not only does this, endeared him to those around him, but it endures him to the readers as well. And I assure you, he will endear you to this series and Lindsay’s writing, and may you therefore become a fan and help me help her continue to write for a long while to come by writing more long winded, highly praising reviews.
In the meantime, just read the books, I guarantee you will enjoy!
What are the light! What an absolute delight. It is quite simply a joy to return to this world of Lindsay‘s, I hadn’t realized I missed it quite so much. If you haven’t read the “Emperor‘s edge“ series, then you must before reading this. In no way is it necessary, in the slightest. However, it all fits together so much better when red in sequential order according to the timeline.
As to this series… It’s just plain and simple great fun. We have the unassuming hero gradually growing into his powers, and never once quite recognizing the fact that he has grown in power so tremendously. If it were anyone other than Lindsay doing this, it would probably come off as either farcical or… I struggle to find the right word.… I suppose the only way I can come up with is either farcical or fake! But in Lindsay‘s death hand, her wonderful ability to bring us inside the feelings and minds of her characters, he’s just a simple boy who doesn’t realize he’s grown-up. Of course, because this is an omnibus, and since all four books are present, the final result is painfully obvious from one of the titles. Still, even with the ending being spelled out in advance, I had absolutely no trouble believing that our hero was just as naïve as he is constantly reminded by his friends that he is. Not only does this, endeared him to those around him, but it endures him to the readers as well. And I assure you, he will endear you to this series and Lindsay’s writing, and may you therefore become a fan and help me help her continue to write for a long while to come by writing more long winded, highly praising reviews.
In the meantime, just read the books, I guarantee you will enjoy!
October 28, 2025
Lindsay Buroker is an entertaining writer of science fiction and fantasy. The stories in 'Chains of Honor' are based in the same world as her first ever novels, the fantasy series 'Emperor's Edge'.
Here the fantasy world has an East Asian YA flavour. Our hero is 18 year-old Yanko White Fox, a naive, somewhat bumbling but highly moral young man from an out-of-favour aristocratic family, whose dream is to perfect his agricultural magical abilities to feed a starving continent. When Yanko was barely months old, his magically-talented warrior mage mother, Pey Lu abandoned the family to become Pirate Captain Snake Heart. The White Fox clan fell out of favour with the Great Chief as a result and Yanko's father is counting on him to pass the entrance examination into wizarding school to restore the family honour. He fails. But all is not lost. Yanko's naive but honest and kind nature wins him some unexpected friends and allies, notably Dak, a one-eyed Turganian military intelligence agent who becomes his bodyguard, translator and friend. As Yanko's native land, Nuria, starves and falls into civil unrest, he is sent by Prince Zirabo on an apparently-impossible quest, to find a magical artifact that could point the way to a hidden continent which in time could provide a food supply. Along the way he is reunited with his estranged mother, befriends his would-be assassin, Jhali, and courageously faces adversity and outright danger to free his family and save his fellow Nurians.
Here the fantasy world has an East Asian YA flavour. Our hero is 18 year-old Yanko White Fox, a naive, somewhat bumbling but highly moral young man from an out-of-favour aristocratic family, whose dream is to perfect his agricultural magical abilities to feed a starving continent. When Yanko was barely months old, his magically-talented warrior mage mother, Pey Lu abandoned the family to become Pirate Captain Snake Heart. The White Fox clan fell out of favour with the Great Chief as a result and Yanko's father is counting on him to pass the entrance examination into wizarding school to restore the family honour. He fails. But all is not lost. Yanko's naive but honest and kind nature wins him some unexpected friends and allies, notably Dak, a one-eyed Turganian military intelligence agent who becomes his bodyguard, translator and friend. As Yanko's native land, Nuria, starves and falls into civil unrest, he is sent by Prince Zirabo on an apparently-impossible quest, to find a magical artifact that could point the way to a hidden continent which in time could provide a food supply. Along the way he is reunited with his estranged mother, befriends his would-be assassin, Jhali, and courageously faces adversity and outright danger to free his family and save his fellow Nurians.
December 5, 2023
A bit YA
This is a good one for teens and those adults (me included) who like to read YA. We all need some fantasy adventure in our lives. It’s not epic but it is creative and the world making imaginative. I love the major characters and the monster battles that are an important part of the plot. The magic is fanciful.
No need to read Emperors Edge to enjoy these books. The storyline is different and doesn’t interact. Chains of Honor does build a wider world with competing national interests. But it is a tad predictable which makes it a leisurelly read and great down time.
This is a good one for teens and those adults (me included) who like to read YA. We all need some fantasy adventure in our lives. It’s not epic but it is creative and the world making imaginative. I love the major characters and the monster battles that are an important part of the plot. The magic is fanciful.
No need to read Emperors Edge to enjoy these books. The storyline is different and doesn’t interact. Chains of Honor does build a wider world with competing national interests. But it is a tad predictable which makes it a leisurelly read and great down time.
June 14, 2024
Mages and martial arts. Magic and inventions. Pirates and Presidents. They are all here.
It's a great series with a surprising end. The young mage has adventure after adventure, adding to his followers each time. Gradually, his powers increased until he was able to take and defeat other mages and their dastardly constructs. He even befriended a cheeky parrot who decided to follow him around in the hope of getting more crackers or sunflower seeds. I enjoyed it all and I think you will too.
It's a great series with a surprising end. The young mage has adventure after adventure, adding to his followers each time. Gradually, his powers increased until he was able to take and defeat other mages and their dastardly constructs. He even befriended a cheeky parrot who decided to follow him around in the hope of getting more crackers or sunflower seeds. I enjoyed it all and I think you will too.
January 26, 2024
Pesky Parrot
I love reading fantasy adventures but this series took the biscuit. lol.
I really enjoyed stepping in and being in with the adventure. Didn’t want to put the adventures away.
I really felt I was with Zenko & Dak watching them grow to become friends.
I am going to be at a bit of a loss. It certainly helped as I have been battling with whooping cough since the end of November.
I love reading fantasy adventures but this series took the biscuit. lol.
I really enjoyed stepping in and being in with the adventure. Didn’t want to put the adventures away.
I really felt I was with Zenko & Dak watching them grow to become friends.
I am going to be at a bit of a loss. It certainly helped as I have been battling with whooping cough since the end of November.
January 27, 2024
Yanko White Fox is bound by his honor to become a warrior mage. When his country falls into civil war, his honor compels him to undertake a quest for his prince.
If you’ve read Emperor’s Edge or Encrypted, you will enjoy cameo appearances from some of those characters.
Do you have to read those books first? No. But I enjoyed these stories more because I had read those series and adored those characters.
If you’ve read Emperor’s Edge or Encrypted, you will enjoy cameo appearances from some of those characters.
Do you have to read those books first? No. But I enjoyed these stories more because I had read those series and adored those characters.
January 19, 2024
War is called many things and the most remarks will be derogatory..,,rightly so.
For young, seventeen year old Yanko, war was not actually meant to have been an opportunity. Yet, somehow, that is what happened almost willy nilly.
And for the reader, this box set, Chains of Honor, becomes a font of new and surprising memories on a truly epic scale.
Something beyond the norm.
Enjoy.
For young, seventeen year old Yanko, war was not actually meant to have been an opportunity. Yet, somehow, that is what happened almost willy nilly.
And for the reader, this box set, Chains of Honor, becomes a font of new and surprising memories on a truly epic scale.
Something beyond the norm.
Enjoy.
April 10, 2025
A very pleasant read with many interesting characters and much fun filled banter as well. If you are looking for hot and steamy sex filled pages, this isn't it, but if you are looking for a well developed and a very pleasant storyline, this should fit the bill nicely. Looking forward to reading many other excellent novels by this writer!
June 18, 2025
Couldn't finish it.
Why do good writers like you insist on repeating the same things over and over. In this series, the main character, Yanko is constantly described as a worry wart about his hurting others. It is nauseating and got old fast. I quit reading when they broke the heroine out of prison after the umpteenth time this scenario was described.
Why do good writers like you insist on repeating the same things over and over. In this series, the main character, Yanko is constantly described as a worry wart about his hurting others. It is nauseating and got old fast. I quit reading when they broke the heroine out of prison after the umpteenth time this scenario was described.
January 14, 2024
Excellent Read
Another great series by Lindsay Buroker. Chains of Honor is filled with bad ass warrior women, men of honor and courage, and complex villains, some of whom become surprising allies.
Another great series by Lindsay Buroker. Chains of Honor is filled with bad ass warrior women, men of honor and courage, and complex villains, some of whom become surprising allies.
January 24, 2024
Amazing epic
Four books and the storyline goes forever forward without faltering ... an excellent read altho I add a word of warning ... once started, you'll have difficulty putting it down ... prepare to put your free time on hold, until you finish book four ... enjoy!
Four books and the storyline goes forever forward without faltering ... an excellent read altho I add a word of warning ... once started, you'll have difficulty putting it down ... prepare to put your free time on hold, until you finish book four ... enjoy!
April 22, 2024
totally amazing and super fun 🤩
I loved the characters, the world and the warring nations that seem to clash with diversity until they don’t. I loved the mix of technology, intelligence and magical abilities.
I loved the characters, the world and the warring nations that seem to clash with diversity until they don’t. I loved the mix of technology, intelligence and magical abilities.
July 5, 2024
Very enjoyable. Likeable characters, pretty good world building, exciting adventures and twists. Some parts required a bit more suspension of disbelief than I'd expect, but hey it's fantasy.
Really good read, would recommend.
Really good read, would recommend.
December 27, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this series. But it loses a mandatory star for ending books in the middle of the action.
The protagonist is a very likeable guy thrust unwillingly into adventures that may lead to a hero role. The other main characters are (mostly) believable and show some depth over time. Lots of action.
The protagonist is a very likeable guy thrust unwillingly into adventures that may lead to a hero role. The other main characters are (mostly) believable and show some depth over time. Lots of action.
April 25, 2025
Epic fantasy adventure indeed!
This is a must read if you like fantasy, adventure, well written plots and dynamic characters. Yanko, the main character, goes through trials and beats insurmountable odds with a group of enjoyable friends. This is a great ride!
This is a must read if you like fantasy, adventure, well written plots and dynamic characters. Yanko, the main character, goes through trials and beats insurmountable odds with a group of enjoyable friends. This is a great ride!
April 29, 2025
Wonderful series
I loved the characters and especially enjoyed the light humor. The unlikely friendships formed through unusual interactions between possible enemies was eye opening. My favorite character was Kei!!! Lol
I loved the characters and especially enjoyed the light humor. The unlikely friendships formed through unusual interactions between possible enemies was eye opening. My favorite character was Kei!!! Lol
December 5, 2025
superb adventures
Fascinating characters in this wonderful story. Lindsay Buroker has done it again with another 5 star series.
Subplots, humour, battles and loads of relationship levels happening throughout.
Love it.
Fascinating characters in this wonderful story. Lindsay Buroker has done it again with another 5 star series.
Subplots, humour, battles and loads of relationship levels happening throughout.
Love it.
January 25, 2024
Another hit for Buroker
The story was so at the beginning, but then I got hooked on the story. Couldn't put it down. I really liked Dak.
The story was so at the beginning, but then I got hooked on the story. Couldn't put it down. I really liked Dak.
February 16, 2024
Lindsay Buroker never disappoints
This was a great series, full of adventures and dangers, intriguing characters , and a some nice twists. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This was a great series, full of adventures and dangers, intriguing characters , and a some nice twists. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
February 18, 2024
Excellent
A very enjoyable read. I would recommend this series for anyone young or old who has a passion for reading
A very enjoyable read. I would recommend this series for anyone young or old who has a passion for reading
April 3, 2024
Good overall story. There were continuity errors. I think the author forgot some things she wrote in earlier books in the series.
May 29, 2024
Absolutely brilliant. I though I might read something else half way through this epic read, but no - I plowed straight on
I will be looking for more from this author
I will be looking for more from this author
August 15, 2024
From very humble beginnings
Tabloid a moksu noble from a family fallen from grace. His image honor propels him to greatness through a series of hard choices.
Tabloid a moksu noble from a family fallen from grace. His image honor propels him to greatness through a series of hard choices.
March 19, 2025
Yanko
This book was very amusing. Well written and not dry. Humor is always good as well as the exploits. Loved the characters.
This book was very amusing. Well written and not dry. Humor is always good as well as the exploits. Loved the characters.
April 23, 2025
An interesting series filled with a solid plot and believable themes throughout.
May 7, 2025
Great Read
I throughly enjoyed this book. It had a good story line and kept me interested throughout the entire story. I recommend reading this book.
I throughly enjoyed this book. It had a good story line and kept me interested throughout the entire story. I recommend reading this book.
September 17, 2025
Excellent
All I need to see is: "Lindsay Buroker, author", and I KNOW I'm in for a great, adventurous epic escape.
All I need to see is: "Lindsay Buroker, author", and I KNOW I'm in for a great, adventurous epic escape.
December 12, 2025
Love this series!
This is a wonderful series, so in a Chinese style universe, with lots of fun characters, wild magic, and throw in some pirates for fun. Read it!
This is a wonderful series, so in a Chinese style universe, with lots of fun characters, wild magic, and throw in some pirates for fun. Read it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews