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Ironborn: Book #1 in The Ironborn Saga
A fun, exciting read somewhere between Joe Abercrombie and Terry Pratchett.
The island kingdom of Ironbay is under siege from Estovia’s warships. Can a street urchin and a tiny band of royal marines break the siege and free Ironbay, or will Estovia’s oppressive, power hungry tyrant, Emperor Solokov, crush their Ironborn home?
Ironborn is fast paced, epic fantasy with heart. You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll cry, and you’ll be on the edge of your seat.
‘Enough bite to keep it real. Enough humour to keep it fun.’
‘Guaranteed you’ll laugh out loud at least once or your money back!’
The island kingdom of Ironbay is under siege from Estovia’s warships. Can a street urchin and a tiny band of royal marines break the siege and free Ironbay, or will Estovia’s oppressive, power hungry tyrant, Emperor Solokov, crush their Ironborn home?
Ironborn is fast paced, epic fantasy with heart. You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll cry, and you’ll be on the edge of your seat.
‘Enough bite to keep it real. Enough humour to keep it fun.’
‘Guaranteed you’ll laugh out loud at least once or your money back!’
232 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 22, 2024
233 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 24, 2025
was... ok
February 10, 2025
Better than I expected!
Thank you Andrew Cavanaugh for writing this first book in a series that has me wanting more to read and laugh with and yes to cry too. A new fan!
Thank you Andrew Cavanaugh for writing this first book in a series that has me wanting more to read and laugh with and yes to cry too. A new fan!
January 10, 2025
Seafaring
Poor eurchin to seafaring hero coming of age story. Lots of adventure, violence.
Crutch is one stuff MC . On to the next in serires
Poor eurchin to seafaring hero coming of age story. Lots of adventure, violence.
Crutch is one stuff MC . On to the next in serires
August 10, 2024
Exciting, entertaining story
Crutch, a street urchin, ends up on the Auld Faithful after escaping through the sewers of Ironbay. Using his mind and experiences, Crutch saves a group of Marines and becomes one of them.
The challenges keep building for Crutch, and the story moves at a quick, thrilling pace until Crutch knows that being at sea is where he belongs.
The book is thrilling and entertaining on many levels. I enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down until I was done.
Crutch, a street urchin, ends up on the Auld Faithful after escaping through the sewers of Ironbay. Using his mind and experiences, Crutch saves a group of Marines and becomes one of them.
The challenges keep building for Crutch, and the story moves at a quick, thrilling pace until Crutch knows that being at sea is where he belongs.
The book is thrilling and entertaining on many levels. I enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down until I was done.
September 6, 2024
In Iron Bay, Crutch is a street urchin that ends up on a military ship and earns his place with the me. Lots of trouble, action, survival that had me rooting for Crutch. A good fantasy that built the story up and had me glued to the end. Had to see if Crutch would survive and thrive and live to the end.
August 22, 2024
An action-packed exciting bloodthirsty Adventure
A fantastic book exciting, interesting, fast moving story. I couldn't put it down and read it in only two or three settings. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
A fantastic book exciting, interesting, fast moving story. I couldn't put it down and read it in only two or three settings. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
September 25, 2024
Quite good!
August 12, 2024
“Ironborn” is a fun, action-filled YA Fantasy novel that does not quite live up to its hype. Publicists should not toss the names of Terry Pratchett and Joe Abercrombie around lightly; raised expectations are the main cause of one-star reviews.
Setting that aside, this is a reasonable book of its kind, full of quirky but stereotyped characters and mild humour of the sort that the naïve think rough, tough men indulge in. It’s in a sub-category sometimes called “Sword but no Sorcery,” where magic is minimal, and reader interest leans heavily on the “Sword” part.
This is the tale of a crippled beggar in an extremely ugly medieval environment, barely eking out an existence through use of his wits. A questionable turn of fortune sees him stowing away by mistake on a ship full of Marines on an undercover operation. He works his way into their group because they gradually come to recognize his wit and grit, just as the readers do. Soon we find ourselves cheering each unlikely success. It’s easy to believe in just about anything if you really want to.
From there the book is a constant battle against barely believable (even for Fantasy) odds.
The other strength of the book is the world building. It may not be a pretty world, but the description is detailed and powerfully cringeworthy, and the sights, sounds, and especially smells draw us in. And also revolt us.
On the negative side, I found the writing difficult to get into because of the awkwardness of the sentences. Some were merely misplaced modifiers:
“He looked up to see Quicksilver in the rigging, who was now raining down flask after flask of oil…”
But this one…
“The ships at the docks, and the Auld Faithful, and the family he never had waited, ready to carry him to that future.”
…is grammatically correct, but I had to read “he never had waited” three times to figure out what it meant.
But my main difficulty in this review is deciding what readership to recommend the novel to. The naïve dialogue, potty humour and simple character motivation seems appropriate for pre-teen readers, but the gritty subject matter leans towards PG-13. Battle scenes are remarkable for their repeated gory descriptions of people being pierced by ballista bolts, and limbs and heads being lopped off.
Basically, this book resembles the over-the-top violent video games and graphic novels parents wish their fourteen-year-old son would stay away from.
Setting that aside, this is a reasonable book of its kind, full of quirky but stereotyped characters and mild humour of the sort that the naïve think rough, tough men indulge in. It’s in a sub-category sometimes called “Sword but no Sorcery,” where magic is minimal, and reader interest leans heavily on the “Sword” part.
This is the tale of a crippled beggar in an extremely ugly medieval environment, barely eking out an existence through use of his wits. A questionable turn of fortune sees him stowing away by mistake on a ship full of Marines on an undercover operation. He works his way into their group because they gradually come to recognize his wit and grit, just as the readers do. Soon we find ourselves cheering each unlikely success. It’s easy to believe in just about anything if you really want to.
From there the book is a constant battle against barely believable (even for Fantasy) odds.
The other strength of the book is the world building. It may not be a pretty world, but the description is detailed and powerfully cringeworthy, and the sights, sounds, and especially smells draw us in. And also revolt us.
On the negative side, I found the writing difficult to get into because of the awkwardness of the sentences. Some were merely misplaced modifiers:
“He looked up to see Quicksilver in the rigging, who was now raining down flask after flask of oil…”
But this one…
“The ships at the docks, and the Auld Faithful, and the family he never had waited, ready to carry him to that future.”
…is grammatically correct, but I had to read “he never had waited” three times to figure out what it meant.
But my main difficulty in this review is deciding what readership to recommend the novel to. The naïve dialogue, potty humour and simple character motivation seems appropriate for pre-teen readers, but the gritty subject matter leans towards PG-13. Battle scenes are remarkable for their repeated gory descriptions of people being pierced by ballista bolts, and limbs and heads being lopped off.
Basically, this book resembles the over-the-top violent video games and graphic novels parents wish their fourteen-year-old son would stay away from.
July 19, 2024
Crutch is nothing. A nobody. Just another orphan making a living with his cunning and wit, exploiting the misfortunes of others. He has nothing but the clothes on his back and the crutch in his hand. But when a deal goes sour, he's thrust into the wide-open sea, where he must prove his courage to himself and the ruthless naval crew of the Auld Faithful. Alone, Crutch has learned that his greatest weakness may also be his greatest advantage. With unlikely allies and new friends at his side, Crutch discovers that the world is wider and more terrifying than he ever imagined.
Ironborn, the first novel in Andrew Cavanagh’s Ironborn Saga, is a fast-paced, action-filled adventure brimming with personality. Crutch, the smart and cunning protagonist, introduces readers to a world overflowing with war, conflict, and adventure. His ability to overcome trials using intellect rather than brute force is truly inspiring. The characters are diverse and engaging, with standouts like Boulder, who brings both humor and heart, truly bringing the story to life. The story is well-written and captivating, the characters are filled with heart, and overall, it is an excellent read. Cavanagh demonstrates a talent for storytelling that keeps his audience captivated. I found myself entranced by Crutch’s wit and journey. Watching him navigate his struggles and turn his disadvantages into strengths kept me thoroughly engaged. The scenes aboard the Auld Faithful are particularly engaging, especially the climbing test, where Crutch’s ingenuity and bravery shine through. The supporting characters, while not as deeply developed as Crutch, add significant value to the narrative. Boulder, with his humor and heart, stands out, bringing moments of levity to the otherwise intense storyline. The camaraderie and conflicts among the crew members are well-depicted, adding layers of complexity to Crutch's journey.
Ironborn is a compelling and fast-paced adventure that will captivate fans of action-filled novels and those who appreciate tales of resilience and ingenuity. Andrew Cavanagh’s skillful writing and rich world-building make this book a must-read.
Ironborn, the first novel in Andrew Cavanagh’s Ironborn Saga, is a fast-paced, action-filled adventure brimming with personality. Crutch, the smart and cunning protagonist, introduces readers to a world overflowing with war, conflict, and adventure. His ability to overcome trials using intellect rather than brute force is truly inspiring. The characters are diverse and engaging, with standouts like Boulder, who brings both humor and heart, truly bringing the story to life. The story is well-written and captivating, the characters are filled with heart, and overall, it is an excellent read. Cavanagh demonstrates a talent for storytelling that keeps his audience captivated. I found myself entranced by Crutch’s wit and journey. Watching him navigate his struggles and turn his disadvantages into strengths kept me thoroughly engaged. The scenes aboard the Auld Faithful are particularly engaging, especially the climbing test, where Crutch’s ingenuity and bravery shine through. The supporting characters, while not as deeply developed as Crutch, add significant value to the narrative. Boulder, with his humor and heart, stands out, bringing moments of levity to the otherwise intense storyline. The camaraderie and conflicts among the crew members are well-depicted, adding layers of complexity to Crutch's journey.
Ironborn is a compelling and fast-paced adventure that will captivate fans of action-filled novels and those who appreciate tales of resilience and ingenuity. Andrew Cavanagh’s skillful writing and rich world-building make this book a must-read.
May 28, 2025
So much fun! this book reads fast and furious. almost like a comic book, the pages are dripping with adventure. the writing lacks in eloquence. this is my only complaint. deeper descriptions and more detailed vocabulary would help make the story feel more adult. that being said, this is definitely not a story for children. the world and the characters within it are wildly entertaining. a truly great story, and fun to read. maybe the simplistic writing style lends to this. if you like a gritty dark tale, or are a huge pirate buff, this is a book for you.
November 13, 2024
deceiving ad
If you like a page turner strong plot interesting well written characters coupled with depth of writing this book is definitely not for you
If it was anymore light weight it would float away
To be honestI am not sure who this is written for unless its for the semi literate
If you like a page turner strong plot interesting well written characters coupled with depth of writing this book is definitely not for you
If it was anymore light weight it would float away
To be honestI am not sure who this is written for unless its for the semi literate
February 7, 2025
Well, it's got action, but it doesn't ring believable to me.
If characters don't behave realistically, and items not magically endowed behave in ways that stretch credulity - it drops me out of the world and I come away dissatisfied.
I'll not bother wit the rest of the series.
If characters don't behave realistically, and items not magically endowed behave in ways that stretch credulity - it drops me out of the world and I come away dissatisfied.
I'll not bother wit the rest of the series.
January 14, 2026
Entertaining enough to want to finish but overall a bit juvenile. There’s no reason given as to why the ironborn are at war with their enemy. The rags to riches story is okay but adding a disability pushes the limits on believability - fun story though!
February 23, 2025
Ironborn #1
What a story and eclectic mix of characters and an hero with a crutch who lives by his wits and challenges
What a story and eclectic mix of characters and an hero with a crutch who lives by his wits and challenges
November 26, 2025
A cracking fun read.
Not a seafaring yarn that I was expecting but all in all a fun story. First book of the series, here we go.
Not a seafaring yarn that I was expecting but all in all a fun story. First book of the series, here we go.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews