Unleashed: Part 1 of the Baksa Series

by Travis Kuffel

In a perilous realm of elite warriors, ancient powers unfold. One warrior's choice leads to a chain reaction affecting many lives—all intertwined in a tapestry of epic proportions as Hadrek awakens.Cadel is a massive warrior gifted with the skills, acumen, and conviction to become the greatest hero ever born in Ganden. After leaving his home deep in Lobana Forest, he joins the Baksa, a unit of elite warriors gathered from all the realms.After getting promoted to the Rangers, who patrol the realms, he is on the third watch one night and catches a young thief in the act. His convictions force him to make a choice that will change both of their lives forever. Forced to transport the thief to Arukah Prison far across the realm, Cadel is unaware that Sa’res Maeve is hunting the young man as well. A harrowing chase leaves a bloody trail across Ganden as Sa’res will do anything to return an ancient amulet to her chieftain deep in the Niph’al Swamps.From the Midbaros Desert to the jungle realm of Tamayar, Cadel is caught in a dangerous game with stakes that reach far beyond a simple thief’s life. With the long-dormant power of Hadrek stirring beneath the surface, and the threat of war hanging over the realms, Cadel is about to be unleashed.Get your copy today and join Cadel in the pursuit of destiny, where every decision leaves a mark on the fate of Ganden. The realms await—answer the call and immerse yourself in a tale that transcends imagination.

485 pages, Paperback

Published February 23, 2024

About the author

Raised in Essex, Massachusetts, Travis worked in his family’s sawmill and lumber business from the age of seven instead of going to school. An avid outdoorsman from a young age, whether it was hunting the rolling hills of New Hampshire or fly-fishing remote brook trout ponds in the deep northwoods of Maine, he was raised for adventure. Even while playing many sports, including baseball, football and hockey, nothing captured his heart nearly as much as his thirst for literature and a passion for Jesus.
After traveling the country for many years serving at various churches as a pastor, worship leader and many other roles, he ended up landing in Agawam, Massachusetts, where he continues serving in churches. While raising five children who have the same love of Jesus and adventurous hearts, Travis runs a residential tree service.
Somewhere in the midst of it all, he has taken his passion for adventure and love of literature to create a fantasy realm called Ganden, a land of swords, bows, heroes, villains, danger and lore, magic and love. The stories will draw you in, the characters will capture your heart, and the messages are bound to inspire you as you laugh, cry, and raise your swords with the heroes of Ganden!

Reviews

[Karen Mazzaferri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travis Kuffle has masterfully built a world and characters that you can immerse yourself in. I loved the two main characters and some of the secondary characters as well. I particularly enjoyed all the realm hopping as they traveled from one place to another.
My only thing was, I kept putting the book down and coming back to it. I was and did find it interesting, but I found it slow in some places. All in all it was a really good fantasy tale that many fantasy readers will immerse themselves into.
I would like to thank #netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read #unleashed

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gear up, fantasy fanatics! Unleashed is like a wild ride on a dragon – full of twists, turns, and enough epic battles to make even Gandalf jealous. Picture this: Cadel, a hulking warrior with a heart of gold, stumbles into a hot mess involving thieves, ancient powers, and a chase that makes 'Fast and Furious' look like a Sunday stroll. It's a realm-hopping extravaganza from the Lobana Forest to the Niph'al Swamps, and you better believe it's a rollercoaster of mythical proportions. The characters are as fierce as a dragon's breath, and the world-building is so immersive, you'll feel the sand between your toes in Midbaros and the jungle humidity of Tamayar. But what really had me hooked? The stakes, my friends. With war on the horizon and Hadrek's power waking up like a grumpy giant, Cadel is about to be unleashed, and you don't want to miss it. So, grab your swords, wizard staff, or whatever floats your fantasy boat – 'cause Ganden is calling, and Unleashed is the answer you've been waiting for!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free digital copy of this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.

Let me begin by saying, if you are into fantasy adventures then you will likely find something for you in this book. From fights to kind-hearted warriors to ancient powers to destiny, this book will take you on a journey from start to finish and it ticks all the boxes for an epic fantasy adventure. Kuffel is clearly passionate about the story he is telling, and cares deeply for the characters; he is also quite talented at ensuring emotion is translated onto the page. Unfortunately, even with those positives, I cannot give this book five stars based on my experience.

Unleashed nearly lost me in the beginning. In the first two paragraphs there is a lot of unnecessary and flowery text explaining a character's appearance; in the first chapters were are introduced to so many named characters I had a hard time keeping them straight; throughout the whole story there are unfamiliar terms that come with little context up front to allow us to understand entirely what the words mean. I don't root for the main character of Cadel - his first scene in the book, in which he encounters a thief, has an interesting setup, but once he acts, he almost feels contradictory.

And the line in the synopsis "forced to transport the thief to Arukah Prison" is purely misleading as he is not forced to go on that journey at all.

From the synopsis of this story, it sounded perfect for the stories I read, and I wanted to enjoy it more than I did, but I have to conclude that despite the genre, and the fact I adore stories with quest plotlines, this story is not for me. If you too are a fan of fantasy adventures and quests across realms, then I think you may find something in this story; aside from the flowery prose up front (which does improve drastically as the book progresses), it is well written, it just failed to capture the attention of this reader.

[Abigail L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unleashed is a fantasy adventure that drew me in from the first page and didn't let go until the final word. The story revolves around Cadel, a formidable warrior thrust into a world of elite fighters, ancient powers, and destiny. His encounter with a young thief sets off a chain reaction, sending them on a perilous journey across the diverse realms of Ganden. Taking readers from the Midbaros Desert to the jungle realm of Tamayar, this book creates a tapestry of epic proportions. What captivated me the most was the seamless blend of character development, intricate world-building, and a plot filled with twists and turns. As Cadel grapples with his choices and the long-dormant power of Hadrek awakens, the stakes are raised, and the threat of war looms. Unleashed is a great read that immerses you in a fantasy world where every decision shapes the fate of the realms.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was fantastic! What an extremely exciting story. I am so glad I chose this book to read. The blurb had sounded exciting but it was nothing compared to the real story. It just blew me away. I was completely enthralled, I couldn't put it down, well, I did have to put it down once but my body was screaming for sleep. Traitorous body! After that there was no stopping me 'til I finished. This was epic and I am so totally glad that this is a series and there will be another book. Yeah!! To the author, Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! Amazing things going on in that head of yours. I'll say it one more time, WOW! Totally impressed.

[Victoria Trout · Rating 5 out of 5]

How differences ripple…

This story emphasizes the difference one person can make. The ripples flow out in all directions in ways no one anticipates. This is the first installment of this new fantasy series, and it is well worth reading. It is a lengthy read, but I love epic-length stories. I usually wait until there is more than one released in a series, but this was worth taking the jump into a new series. Am I bummed the next book is not available? Yes. But I’m not sorry I read it now instead of later. Now I can savor this story while waiting for the next installment.

[Stephanie Marrero-Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been an incredible journey of trust and anxiety all tied with a bow of faith. I have had to pause and process so many times while reading this book simply because it is THAT GOOD! It leaves you incredibly reflective on aspects of your own life as you embark on so many battles with these characters. I'm so excited for the next book and cannot wait to hear what Cadel is doing next, and how his perspective on Yaqol is impacted! Love Love LOVE!

[Sherry McCarthy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Made it to page 54 and just couldn’t get invested. To many weird names, and killed off a lot of characters in the beginning, including the horse!