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The Brooding Bard
It liked to hide itself between buildings.
The entrance to the bar was for the most part, unassuming. To look at the place, you'd never know that it actually spanned half a city block, extending into the space behind the businesses on either side.
Samuel Karde's life was nothing but noise until he moved to the city Clare. He liked it there. He got a job and found a pub and kept mostly to himself.
And then twenty-six people died.
The explosion rocked the bar and everyone inside could feel it. Samuel Karde lived to see another day, but what that day brought was the man in the hood. The man with the tie and the impeccable suit. And the railroad spikes.
The Bard.
The entrance to the bar was for the most part, unassuming. To look at the place, you'd never know that it actually spanned half a city block, extending into the space behind the businesses on either side.
Samuel Karde's life was nothing but noise until he moved to the city Clare. He liked it there. He got a job and found a pub and kept mostly to himself.
And then twenty-six people died.
The explosion rocked the bar and everyone inside could feel it. Samuel Karde lived to see another day, but what that day brought was the man in the hood. The man with the tie and the impeccable suit. And the railroad spikes.
The Bard.
212 pages, Hardcover
First published January 14, 2014
58 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Philbrook
3 books5 followersHello! I write things. Sometimes they're good. Sometimes they're better. Sometimes, I wake up with an empty cup of coffee, a beer, and a manuscript, and I wonder what happened.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 14, 2014
This was a great read. I read the entire thing from start to finish in an afternoon, just like the author’s other book Summer Falls. If you have read Summer Falls, you’ll notice that this book is a bit longer and that is a huge asset. The world and character building needed those extra pages and they shine wonderfully.
It took a supernatural turn fairly early on, without taking away from the mystery and action expected from this author. I felt a few of the scenes were rushed slightly, but overall the pacing was great. For instance,
Character wise, I loved the Bard and Veronika the most. The Bard was so evil, so menacing, that when other characters talked about him I could feel his presence oozing into the scene. Veronika is The author has a talent for writing male leads, in this case Samuel. He is just normal enough that I feel like I already know him, while having enough unique personality traits to keep him interesting.
Plot wise,
The ending was well done. Not a ton of loose ends like a lot of books in this genre. The characters were interesting enough and their problems unique enough that another book could easily be written. That being said, do not feel like you can’t read the book because of that. The entire story was wrapped up, this isn’t a book with a giant problem that needs to be fixed over the course of three books. It just could have another book written with the same characters, the character and world building was just that good.
It took a supernatural turn fairly early on, without taking away from the mystery and action expected from this author. I felt a few of the scenes were rushed slightly, but overall the pacing was great. For instance,
Character wise, I loved the Bard and Veronika the most. The Bard was so evil, so menacing, that when other characters talked about him I could feel his presence oozing into the scene. Veronika is The author has a talent for writing male leads, in this case Samuel. He is just normal enough that I feel like I already know him, while having enough unique personality traits to keep him interesting.
Plot wise,
The ending was well done. Not a ton of loose ends like a lot of books in this genre. The characters were interesting enough and their problems unique enough that another book could easily be written. That being said, do not feel like you can’t read the book because of that. The entire story was wrapped up, this isn’t a book with a giant problem that needs to be fixed over the course of three books. It just could have another book written with the same characters, the character and world building was just that good.
February 7, 2014
Following Samuel Karde through what started as his typical evening at a bar in Clare, the reader is whisked into the fast-paced supernatural chaos that ensues. What is real and what is a dream? Are people truly who they appear to be? Along with Sam, you are torn deciphering reality from dreams - all of which are bound together by a developing horror as he tries to find answers. Who, or what, is responsible for all of these grizzly murders? And will that which is responsible be back for more in the future? Only the author knows...
August 25, 2016
I received this book from First Reads. WOW! What a great book! I really could not put it down. Can't wait to read more from this author!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews