What do you think?
Rate this book
Kingdom Society: The Black Hood: An Anime Inspired Science/Fantasy Epic
Alyeth Zane never expected he’d be forced to leave his home at only six years old. He never dreamed he’d end up in the future living a life he didn’t know. If it hadn’t been for his wonderful mentor and protector Xylok saving him, life could have been very different.
Alyeth faces many tough choices along his journey to becoming stronger, and of course, figuring out how to beat the evil Black Hood.
Together with his sister Cindrel, his master Xylok, and many more allies they make along the way, they will press forward. But will they be able to get strong enough to destroy evil itself?
Alyeth faces many tough choices along his journey to becoming stronger, and of course, figuring out how to beat the evil Black Hood.
Together with his sister Cindrel, his master Xylok, and many more allies they make along the way, they will press forward. But will they be able to get strong enough to destroy evil itself?
364 pages, Paperback
First published December 28, 2022
19 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
October 6, 2023
Category Ratings based on a 10 point scale, formula calculates 1/2 star and whole star ratings.
I read about 20% of the ebook on Kindle Unlimited and used an audible credit the day the audiobook came out. I ended at page 179 of 281 and 59% of the audiobook.
I was so sad to DNF this. I barely scrapbooked my 2 other DNFs thus far this year. But I needed to for this one. It has so much promise! I needed to be shown, not told, the information about characters and places. The premise of fantasy magic with future sci-fi tech was exciting, but I became more and more disillusioned.
Character 2
I don't feel as though I know or understand any of the characters. I couldn't bring myself to care when a main character (?) had their arm lopped off.
Atmosphere 1
I didn't picture where we were at any point of time. Couldn't. Descriptions were info dumped and the large gaps in time jumps at the very beginning made me feel like I just walked into a movie theatre and half the movie has already played at a one-time showing.
Writing 2
With every chapter, information was thrown at me and I could not get immersed in the story.
Plot 3.5
This plot could be a blockbuster movie, drawn out better could have been two whole books.
Intrigue 1.5
Although the audio performance was amazeballs, this was the first time ever that I needed to slow the playback to under 1x speed. I also did not understand why a child who had a Scottish-esque accent, who then spent the entirety of her teen years in a future United States, was introduced with a slightly accented tone, suddenly had a thick, brogue again after getting her memories back.
Logic 2
Evil for the sake of Evil and Good for the sake of Good makes no sense to me. Morality, any personal conflict, was absent and not a factor to the story. It was assumed that good guys behave this one way, but no why and bad guys behave this other way, with no character growth amongst either group. They were just good because they were good and evil because they were evil. Characters did things for no discernible reason and broke out into unnecessary monologues as big bads advanced upon them from what seemed to be mere walking distances.
Enjoyment 1
I just didn't. Either this mash up isn't for me (although I did mention at the beginning of this that the premise was absolutely fascinating and I was looking forward to the mix of past and future like in Michael Crichton's Timeline) or this particular author's way of writing this isn't for me. In my defense, I also don't like Monty Python or most of Bruce Campbell's B movie work although I love Bruce himself.
Formula Says: 1.86 average, equaling a low 1.5, dropping the star rating to 1.
If various issues are addressed and a second edition is released, I intend to revisit it.
I read about 20% of the ebook on Kindle Unlimited and used an audible credit the day the audiobook came out. I ended at page 179 of 281 and 59% of the audiobook.
I was so sad to DNF this. I barely scrapbooked my 2 other DNFs thus far this year. But I needed to for this one. It has so much promise! I needed to be shown, not told, the information about characters and places. The premise of fantasy magic with future sci-fi tech was exciting, but I became more and more disillusioned.
Character 2
I don't feel as though I know or understand any of the characters. I couldn't bring myself to care when a main character (?) had their arm lopped off.
Atmosphere 1
I didn't picture where we were at any point of time. Couldn't. Descriptions were info dumped and the large gaps in time jumps at the very beginning made me feel like I just walked into a movie theatre and half the movie has already played at a one-time showing.
Writing 2
With every chapter, information was thrown at me and I could not get immersed in the story.
Plot 3.5
This plot could be a blockbuster movie, drawn out better could have been two whole books.
Intrigue 1.5
Although the audio performance was amazeballs, this was the first time ever that I needed to slow the playback to under 1x speed. I also did not understand why a child who had a Scottish-esque accent, who then spent the entirety of her teen years in a future United States, was introduced with a slightly accented tone, suddenly had a thick, brogue again after getting her memories back.
Logic 2
Evil for the sake of Evil and Good for the sake of Good makes no sense to me. Morality, any personal conflict, was absent and not a factor to the story. It was assumed that good guys behave this one way, but no why and bad guys behave this other way, with no character growth amongst either group. They were just good because they were good and evil because they were evil. Characters did things for no discernible reason and broke out into unnecessary monologues as big bads advanced upon them from what seemed to be mere walking distances.
Enjoyment 1
I just didn't. Either this mash up isn't for me (although I did mention at the beginning of this that the premise was absolutely fascinating and I was looking forward to the mix of past and future like in Michael Crichton's Timeline) or this particular author's way of writing this isn't for me. In my defense, I also don't like Monty Python or most of Bruce Campbell's B movie work although I love Bruce himself.
Formula Says: 1.86 average, equaling a low 1.5, dropping the star rating to 1.
If various issues are addressed and a second edition is released, I intend to revisit it.
January 15, 2025
First, I want to say the author narrates his own audiobook and I would give it 10 out of 5 stars. He’s amazing. It had me laughing at parts. I swear the guy can do 1000 different voices.
The story is very fast paced. The magic, the time travel, and the evil villains all come together so well. The good guys are hanging in there but it’s hard to beat an immortal.
If you are looking for a good, fun, dramatic and action packed tale, you have to read this. Better yet, get the audiobook. You won’t be disappointed.
I want to thank the author for providing me a free copy of the audiobook. This review is voluntary.
The story is very fast paced. The magic, the time travel, and the evil villains all come together so well. The good guys are hanging in there but it’s hard to beat an immortal.
If you are looking for a good, fun, dramatic and action packed tale, you have to read this. Better yet, get the audiobook. You won’t be disappointed.
I want to thank the author for providing me a free copy of the audiobook. This review is voluntary.
May 27, 2024
OKAY! SO!
I had been CRAVING a plot-focused fantasy for a while now. SO, I JUMPED on this read. Had I been able to read this book with zero interruption I would have finished it in a day. It was SO GOOD. I found myself getting lost in this beautifully written world and honestly HOLY SH!T! It satisfied the craving for sure! The action was everything I needed. This story moves fast but manages to stay very enjoyable and keep you interested! I truly cannot wait to read more!!!!!
If you are looking for a story that is FUN, FAST, and ADDICTIVE this is definitely the read for you!
July 14, 2024
This book melds scifi and fantasy perfectly!! You get characters that you can’t stop thinking about, a story that keeps you focused and reading and an actual plot! This was enjoyable to read and it was easy to be reading and look up and wonder where the hours went!!! Do your self a favor and give this a shot!!
October 20, 2023
I was gifted a copy of this straight from the author after connecting on tiktok, in exchange for an honest review, and well, I have thoughts.
Firstly, after reading the prologue I was HYPED. Sounded like it was going to be a standard fantasy setting about a bad ass assassin, in medieval-esc times. But then it changes? (Later on I realised the prologue was like the villains origin story, but I was keen for an assassin story and this wasn’t it)
I found the plot moved along VERY quickly, which I’m often keen for a fast paced book, but in this case I struggled to keep up, saying that, this is my first dive into a more sci-fi type fantasy novel, so perhaps that’s why? I was confused about the fact that there was time travel technology in what I pictured in my head to be medieval times, and when the timeline kept jumping without much story in between I found it hard to keep track of what was happening, who was who, and the relations of everyone. Once the timeline settled and everyone was in one place and in one time it was easier to follow and I definitely enjoyed the second half of the book a lot more!
Writing wise there was a few things that didn’t hit the mark for me personally. I’m very much a “see’s a movie in my mind” kind of person when I’m reading and the lack of world building here made it hard for me to picture where I was, what the characters looked like how the magic system worked and how that all tied in with the technology aspect.
I also felt that the characters lacked depth, and I found it hard to connect with them.
With all that being said, I enjoyed the overall storyline I just don’t think the sci-fi tech aspect mixed in with magic and more traditional fantasy story telling just wasn’t quite my genre and I didn’t feel the connection I usually feel to a fantasy novel
Firstly, after reading the prologue I was HYPED. Sounded like it was going to be a standard fantasy setting about a bad ass assassin, in medieval-esc times. But then it changes? (Later on I realised the prologue was like the villains origin story, but I was keen for an assassin story and this wasn’t it)
I found the plot moved along VERY quickly, which I’m often keen for a fast paced book, but in this case I struggled to keep up, saying that, this is my first dive into a more sci-fi type fantasy novel, so perhaps that’s why? I was confused about the fact that there was time travel technology in what I pictured in my head to be medieval times, and when the timeline kept jumping without much story in between I found it hard to keep track of what was happening, who was who, and the relations of everyone. Once the timeline settled and everyone was in one place and in one time it was easier to follow and I definitely enjoyed the second half of the book a lot more!
Writing wise there was a few things that didn’t hit the mark for me personally. I’m very much a “see’s a movie in my mind” kind of person when I’m reading and the lack of world building here made it hard for me to picture where I was, what the characters looked like how the magic system worked and how that all tied in with the technology aspect.
I also felt that the characters lacked depth, and I found it hard to connect with them.
With all that being said, I enjoyed the overall storyline I just don’t think the sci-fi tech aspect mixed in with magic and more traditional fantasy story telling just wasn’t quite my genre and I didn’t feel the connection I usually feel to a fantasy novel
May 29, 2024
This book is so descriptive. The world building and details are so well done, it likens itself to a graphic novel without the need for actual pictures. Full of intense fantasy and magic, time travel from the year 10,002 City of Targus in Dun'Nahar to 2049 Bozeman Montana. There are a lot of detailed fight scenes, but with the magic and how it's told makes the conflict seem less violent.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between the characters Xylock and Alyeth . The master and his mighty young apprentice. Alyeth's parents always protected him and his sister from magic, but Xylock, like the cool uncle, takes Alyeth aside to teach him things, believing it's better to be prepared. And he wasn't wrong. Along comes the bad guy, Lord Zallrahn.
Alyeth and his sister, Cindrel, are hidden away on Earth as Xylock and the rest prepare to fight. And Lord Zallrahn sent someone too. Pawns are moved around the chessboard, but the fight isn't over at the end. The Game Master leads the way to book 2.
And I always like to leave a quote:
"Sometimes the only way to defeat darkness is with darkness. This is something I know to be true. However, I feel I might be losing faith in my own beliefs the longer I live. Perhaps I had it wrong all along. Maybe the only way to defeat darkness is by staying in the light."
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between the characters Xylock and Alyeth . The master and his mighty young apprentice. Alyeth's parents always protected him and his sister from magic, but Xylock, like the cool uncle, takes Alyeth aside to teach him things, believing it's better to be prepared. And he wasn't wrong. Along comes the bad guy, Lord Zallrahn.
Alyeth and his sister, Cindrel, are hidden away on Earth as Xylock and the rest prepare to fight. And Lord Zallrahn sent someone too. Pawns are moved around the chessboard, but the fight isn't over at the end. The Game Master leads the way to book 2.
And I always like to leave a quote:
"Sometimes the only way to defeat darkness is with darkness. This is something I know to be true. However, I feel I might be losing faith in my own beliefs the longer I live. Perhaps I had it wrong all along. Maybe the only way to defeat darkness is by staying in the light."
August 14, 2024
It's been a little while since I've finished a book! Life's kept me busy! I had the pleasure of re reading this book as there was a lot more added to it. The first time I read this book, I was floored. It was such a wonderful fantasy story that kept me entertained and curious. @thefunkyfantasyman had more to be said in this story and re did and made it even better! The story lines, the character development. It was everything I was looking for and more ! He's out done himself. I can't wait to see what you do next!
This story follows Alyeth and his family as they save their world from pure evil that's threatening to take over their home. Alyeth and Cindrel, being only children at the time, learn a devastating horror awaits them. And only time and a clever wizard will help them through it.
This story follows Alyeth and his family as they save their world from pure evil that's threatening to take over their home. Alyeth and Cindrel, being only children at the time, learn a devastating horror awaits them. And only time and a clever wizard will help them through it.
May 28, 2023
I found this author through TikTok and was intrigued by his description of his book. While reading I could tell that he has a true passion for his work and that is admirable. This book had elements for me that were reminiscent of Star Wars, GoT, X-Men and even the Arthurian legend. However, I felt as though the narrative wasn’t as cohesive as it could have been, and that the characters were underdeveloped. It made it fairly difficult for me to connect with the story. I hope this author continues to hone their craft in their future writing as I see a lot of potential.
June 1, 2024
Kingdom Society The Black Hood by Nathan Helm is a vibrantly detailed story that had my attention from the beginning. The world building and character development took place throughout the entire book. So much of the magic, action, and adventure was so original and exciting. Throughout the book there were little details (what I like to think of as Easter eggs) dropped in that tied in through the book and I hope will be explored and expanded on in future books. I look forward to reading the next book and seeing what happens next.
June 10, 2024
I don’t even know where to begin - this book took me on an adventure and I absolutely loved it! The author did a fantastic job world building and giving us such rich background and history. I really felt like I was a part of the story.
I was so invested in all the characters, especially Cindrel. I love when characters come to life and you become emotionally attached to their story and outcome.
Absolutely brilliant!
I was so invested in all the characters, especially Cindrel. I love when characters come to life and you become emotionally attached to their story and outcome.
Absolutely brilliant!
July 12, 2024
A damn fine book. Nathan shows off his literary muscles in this epic tale that will have you turning the pages long into the night. Fight scenes have your jaw on the floor with a story line that leaves you begging for more.
Read
April 20, 2023It took a little time for me to get into the story but after a couple chapters, I was committed to it wholeheartedly. Not only did I read but, I also swapped it up and got to listen to it on Audible as well thanks to the amazing Nathan Helm!
Good vs Evil is always something that I love to dive into and this story was nothing short of that. Plenty of detail, learning about the characters and all the trials that they had to go through to defeat their enemy. The small added touch of first love in it was a good way to my heart.
Nathan does an AMAZING variety of voices for his OWN book. I repeat... HE NARRATES HIS OWN DAMN BOOK!!! The accents and voices were phenomenal and added to the story.
Cindrel won my attention and love in this book, reading about her growing up and her, I wanna say not exactly backstory but what she had to go through really made me hurt for her. I'm excited to read more about her in the upcoming book!
Good vs Evil is always something that I love to dive into and this story was nothing short of that. Plenty of detail, learning about the characters and all the trials that they had to go through to defeat their enemy. The small added touch of first love in it was a good way to my heart.
Nathan does an AMAZING variety of voices for his OWN book. I repeat... HE NARRATES HIS OWN DAMN BOOK!!! The accents and voices were phenomenal and added to the story.
Cindrel won my attention and love in this book, reading about her growing up and her, I wanna say not exactly backstory but what she had to go through really made me hurt for her. I'm excited to read more about her in the upcoming book!
May 28, 2024
Coming from someone who normally only reads fantasy with some romance aspect, I was surprised at home quickly I devoured this book. This plot driven fantasy was fast paced, action packed, and fun. I really enjoyed the portion of the book where they travel to the ‘future’, it gave me lots of laughs. The authors descriptions, especially in the fight scenes built the perfect imagery. I’m not someone who can always ‘see the movie playing in my head’ while I’m reading a book but this one I definitely could. There were parts of it that very much reminded me of playing a video game and I enjoyed that as well. If you are at all into sci-fi and fantasy I think you will love this book!
February 23, 2025
While this is typically not a genre I gravitate to, I definitely agree that this is a book fit for fans of anime! I listened to this on audiobook and it absolutely played out like an epic anime with banter and battles!
Nathan does a phenomenal job at narrating his story (it’s a legit performance).
While there is a lot of information to take in , this does move along well and keeps the readers interest. I found myself stressing for the characters on multiple occasions.
If you’re looking for a action-packed anime-inspired story, then I definitely recommend you check it out.
Nathan does a phenomenal job at narrating his story (it’s a legit performance).
While there is a lot of information to take in , this does move along well and keeps the readers interest. I found myself stressing for the characters on multiple occasions.
If you’re looking for a action-packed anime-inspired story, then I definitely recommend you check it out.
June 4, 2024
This book was fast paced and kept me entertained the whole time!! I was lucky enough for the author to send me an arc version of this book. And let me tell you it is definitely worth the read!!! I am not usually a huge fantasy reader( I am trying to get into it) and this book wasn’t hard to digest at all!! It was easy to follow and it kept you wanting to read more!! This is a perfect book to get into fantasy to get the feel of what fantasy worlds are like and if you enjoy the genre!!!
June 1, 2024
If you’re looking for a plot centered, adventure packed, and fast paced fantasy then this is the book for you! It was well written and you can tell just how much went into making sure the plot flowed without leaving the reader bored. I couldn’t put it down!
September 29, 2023
This book is all around explosive fun. I senses heavy anime vibes and some LOTR as well. It moved fast and the characters were fun. I look forward to more from this author!
March 16, 2023
Thrilling
A very thrilling Fantasy read. Highly enjoyable characters and plot. I would highly recommend to those that like Fantasy reads and magic!
A very thrilling Fantasy read. Highly enjoyable characters and plot. I would highly recommend to those that like Fantasy reads and magic!
September 9, 2023
I received a free copy of this book. I am providing an honest review.
3.5 stars!
The basics:
Alyeth, his family, and his kingdom are being threatened by an evil sorcerer known as the Black Hood. After the Black Hood possesses Alyeth’s father and imprisons his mother, Alyeth’s memory is wiped and he is brought to the future. It takes a decade before Alyeth’s memories return and he is reunited with his sister and childhood mentor. Together, the trio and their band of unlikely allies must prepare to free their family, save their kingdom, and defeat the Black Hood.
My thoughts:
Overall, this was a really great low fantasy novel. While there was magic, time traveling technology, and some incredible futuristic elements, it was still very digestible for those that don’t typically read fantasy. The book was also full of action and very fast paced. I additionally really enjoyed the characters in this novel. Alyeth is endearing, Kayla is very sweet, Xyolok is hilarious, and you really begin to empathize with the Black Hood and Ezra. Nathan Helm truly excels in character development. There are some romantic undertones, as well, but I didn’t find the romance to distract from the actual plot.
Though I really enjoyed the novel overall, I do have some slight criticisms. The character names do change partway through the novel, which does get a bit confusing. The Black Hood becomes Zallahran (and he almost changes his name again) and Kayla becomes Koren. While the name changes are explained by the author, I wish the character names had stayed consistent for the sake of clarity.
Overall, I would highly recommend this novel to low fantasy lovers looking for a modern twist!
3.5 stars!
The basics:
Alyeth, his family, and his kingdom are being threatened by an evil sorcerer known as the Black Hood. After the Black Hood possesses Alyeth’s father and imprisons his mother, Alyeth’s memory is wiped and he is brought to the future. It takes a decade before Alyeth’s memories return and he is reunited with his sister and childhood mentor. Together, the trio and their band of unlikely allies must prepare to free their family, save their kingdom, and defeat the Black Hood.
My thoughts:
Overall, this was a really great low fantasy novel. While there was magic, time traveling technology, and some incredible futuristic elements, it was still very digestible for those that don’t typically read fantasy. The book was also full of action and very fast paced. I additionally really enjoyed the characters in this novel. Alyeth is endearing, Kayla is very sweet, Xyolok is hilarious, and you really begin to empathize with the Black Hood and Ezra. Nathan Helm truly excels in character development. There are some romantic undertones, as well, but I didn’t find the romance to distract from the actual plot.
Though I really enjoyed the novel overall, I do have some slight criticisms. The character names do change partway through the novel, which does get a bit confusing. The Black Hood becomes Zallahran (and he almost changes his name again) and Kayla becomes Koren. While the name changes are explained by the author, I wish the character names had stayed consistent for the sake of clarity.
Overall, I would highly recommend this novel to low fantasy lovers looking for a modern twist!
November 16, 2023
3.5⭐️
Let me preface this by saying 3rd person pov is definitely not my favorite to read. But I listened to this on audio and the author narrated this brilliantly. It was a fun listen and the plot was pretty solid. Wasn’t a huge fan of the name changes during the book but overall wasn’t a bad read for a YA fantasy book.
Let me preface this by saying 3rd person pov is definitely not my favorite to read. But I listened to this on audio and the author narrated this brilliantly. It was a fun listen and the plot was pretty solid. Wasn’t a huge fan of the name changes during the book but overall wasn’t a bad read for a YA fantasy book.
May 23, 2023
This is definitely not what i normally read. In the beginning, it felt like a very rushed dump of info. And i was surprised that in the beginning the names were so "normal". The original description of Chalon was easy to imagine, but im glad that wasn't his true form. I did enjoy the growth of Alyeth and how Xylox always seemed to be there for him and his sister.
It felt like there was a lot of talking to keep the movement of the book in flow. While I dont care for extreme length of world building, there are times at wished there was more. But i am going to read the second just to see what Korath and Arryeon have in mind.
It felt like there was a lot of talking to keep the movement of the book in flow. While I dont care for extreme length of world building, there are times at wished there was more. But i am going to read the second just to see what Korath and Arryeon have in mind.
May 23, 2024
Normally, I read fantasy with a pretty heavy romance aspect in it. So this is not a typical book I would have normally picked up. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I was asked to ARC read by the author in exchange for my honest review.
There's a lot of action and sacrifice. There's magic. There's a futuristic element to it. This author has a very creative mind as evident by the magic systems and the way he created this world. My favorite character definitely has to be the Xylok. I absolutely love him. I enjoyed following Alyeth and Cindrel's journey!
The final rating is 4.25 stars ⭐️
There's a lot of action and sacrifice. There's magic. There's a futuristic element to it. This author has a very creative mind as evident by the magic systems and the way he created this world. My favorite character definitely has to be the Xylok. I absolutely love him. I enjoyed following Alyeth and Cindrel's journey!
The final rating is 4.25 stars ⭐️
May 22, 2024
This story plays with the line between scifi and fantasy. The fast pace plot is filled with epic battles where the cast of characters get to show off their unique special attacks. The interspersed downtime is lighthearted and a good pallet cleanser. I enjoyed the anime references especially the One Piece ones and the loveable wizard Xylok. It was easy to follow as the fight scenes told the story and expanded upon the universe. My favorite part was the 'future' portion of the book. I thought the characters really came into their own. Can't wait to see what comes next in the series.
February 10, 2025
This book was so good. A man does whatever it takes to protect his family even when it means he has no control over himself. In an effort to protect his children, he has a close friend wipe their memory and send them far away into the future. The evil being that is taking over their dad’s body must not find them. So much happens in this book. Magic. Adventure. Love. Sacrifice. Excited for the rest of the series. 💕💕
October 30, 2024
Great book with a great plot! Author contacted me through TikTok with an opportunity to read his book and post a review. I can honestly say it kept me intrigued until the very end! Characters and plot were engaging and interesting. Grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to read more! Keep it up Nathan!
March 1, 2023
Feb 17th A fabulous action packed fast paced read! If you enjoy anime highly recommend you add this book to your collection asap!
May 19, 2024
I am really giving this a 3.75. I received a free Arc Copy of the new revision which will be live 5/31 in exchange for an honest opinion.
I will be honest I predominately read books that have some type of romance element. I usually read fantasy romance or romantic fantasy (there is a difference I promise :) ) but I will say I do on occasion read straight fantasy if the plot is intriguing enough. I will say the blurb did get me really interested in the book especially when the author's promotions mentioned anime influences. The reason I bring that all up is that I am a big fan of fantasy and anime, but I may not have been 100% the targeted reader of this book so please keep that in mind.
This book was hard for me to rate. I loved the 1st part and could not put it down and really fell in
love with the characters but then after a big event where some characters had to escape using what they thought was a time travel device the whole time they are in this "future" I kept thinking this isn't the future because where would this be and this and that. Time travel wouldn't remove such big elements of a world and universe. In the end there was a "Suprise" around this matter but up until this point I just found it hard to enjoy this section, because I kept nitpicking it apart in my head rather than just sitting and enjoying what I was reading. This may not bother other readers but for a reader like me I feel like the reveal could have happened earlier and it wouldn't have changed what the characters did at all. It would have just provided a clearer context of the situation for readers like me who could be frustrated by something like this. (I am trying not to give away too much of the book).
Then the characters went back home, and I was so excited to fall back in love with the characters and their world. Now, this is where you really start to see the anime influences happen and I did enjoy them a lot until it started to seem like this section of the book was really drawn out and slowed the tempo of the book down and it started to seem like every anime reference that I could think of was being thrown in and for me it just seemed to me this section could have been edited down a bit. Now, there would be moments where my interest would peak back up a little but then it would just seem like we were on never getting to the big event that I was waiting for. At about 70% I will be honest I almost DNFed this book but at that point I was like I made it this far and I am still invested enough in the siblings that I did want to find out what happened to them. For the final battle things did pick up again to make for an interesting conclusion along with a cliff hanger as well.
So, with all of that up and down I just ended up with a 3.75.
Alyeth Zane has the perfect life with a loving family and a great godfather who all dote on each other, and they live in a safe kingdom and time. The only thing that would make it better would be if his parents would finally allow him and his sister to start their magical training. However, that is until a powerful dangerous man shows up threatening the safety of their kingdom. They fight back and at the final moment Alyeth and his sister are whisked away by their godfather/protector to a place he never imagined where his life would end up. Now is when the journey starts as everyone must prepare and train to truly fight off this evil as it will not be held off for long and everyone must be ready, or their world will be doomed.
I will be honest I predominately read books that have some type of romance element. I usually read fantasy romance or romantic fantasy (there is a difference I promise :) ) but I will say I do on occasion read straight fantasy if the plot is intriguing enough. I will say the blurb did get me really interested in the book especially when the author's promotions mentioned anime influences. The reason I bring that all up is that I am a big fan of fantasy and anime, but I may not have been 100% the targeted reader of this book so please keep that in mind.
This book was hard for me to rate. I loved the 1st part and could not put it down and really fell in
love with the characters but then after a big event where some characters had to escape using what they thought was a time travel device the whole time they are in this "future" I kept thinking this isn't the future because where would this be and this and that. Time travel wouldn't remove such big elements of a world and universe. In the end there was a "Suprise" around this matter but up until this point I just found it hard to enjoy this section, because I kept nitpicking it apart in my head rather than just sitting and enjoying what I was reading. This may not bother other readers but for a reader like me I feel like the reveal could have happened earlier and it wouldn't have changed what the characters did at all. It would have just provided a clearer context of the situation for readers like me who could be frustrated by something like this. (I am trying not to give away too much of the book).
Then the characters went back home, and I was so excited to fall back in love with the characters and their world. Now, this is where you really start to see the anime influences happen and I did enjoy them a lot until it started to seem like this section of the book was really drawn out and slowed the tempo of the book down and it started to seem like every anime reference that I could think of was being thrown in and for me it just seemed to me this section could have been edited down a bit. Now, there would be moments where my interest would peak back up a little but then it would just seem like we were on never getting to the big event that I was waiting for. At about 70% I will be honest I almost DNFed this book but at that point I was like I made it this far and I am still invested enough in the siblings that I did want to find out what happened to them. For the final battle things did pick up again to make for an interesting conclusion along with a cliff hanger as well.
So, with all of that up and down I just ended up with a 3.75.
Alyeth Zane has the perfect life with a loving family and a great godfather who all dote on each other, and they live in a safe kingdom and time. The only thing that would make it better would be if his parents would finally allow him and his sister to start their magical training. However, that is until a powerful dangerous man shows up threatening the safety of their kingdom. They fight back and at the final moment Alyeth and his sister are whisked away by their godfather/protector to a place he never imagined where his life would end up. Now is when the journey starts as everyone must prepare and train to truly fight off this evil as it will not be held off for long and everyone must be ready, or their world will be doomed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2024
HOLY MOLY. I couldn’t stand to put this book down. Following alyeth, cindrel, and xylok was an EXPERIENCE. I adored this book and Nathan did a really great job explaining events and portraying some very unique characters. It is full of action, anime references, Harry Potter references, even some LOTR and Star Wars! You won’t regret picking up this book. It has its light hearted moments that really let you breathe after having read something heavy or traumatic for the characters to have gone through but there is truly never a dull moment. I’m so happy Nathan has reworked this book to flow the way it did as he said in his original version he didn’t have as much of the training sequence but I found that to be a vital part of the story. The training sequence helped me understand so much of what was going on in the next battle scenes and it’s not even boring when they’re training! They end up fighting and doing some really great exercises to par them up for what’s to come!
Scroll ahead if you want spoilers!
***
My absolute favorite parts of this book were the “time travel” which was ACTUALLY a planet jump! You follow not just alyeth, cindrel, and xylok to earth but also Ezra, whom of which is their cousin! My other favorite part was the final battle sequence, alyeth came to be gifted some freaking AMAZING powers, I absolutely loved reading about him fighting Zallrahn (and defeating). However I cried when everyone around him died but then with alyeths new powers he was able to bring them back to follow through with their plans in defeating the black hood! Just WOW I couldn’t get enough of this book and I’m so stoked to see what book 2 has in store for our main characters!
Scroll ahead if you want spoilers!
***
My absolute favorite parts of this book were the “time travel” which was ACTUALLY a planet jump! You follow not just alyeth, cindrel, and xylok to earth but also Ezra, whom of which is their cousin! My other favorite part was the final battle sequence, alyeth came to be gifted some freaking AMAZING powers, I absolutely loved reading about him fighting Zallrahn (and defeating). However I cried when everyone around him died but then with alyeths new powers he was able to bring them back to follow through with their plans in defeating the black hood! Just WOW I couldn’t get enough of this book and I’m so stoked to see what book 2 has in store for our main characters!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2023
Not my normal read, but this book by Nathan Helm left me craving more! From the moment I opened its pages, I was captivated by the gripping battle between good and evil that unfolded before my eyes. Helm masterfully crafted a story that was not only filled with thrilling action and suspense, but also delved deep into the complex emotions and moral dilemmas faced by the characters. I found myself emotionally invested in their journeys, torn between rooting for the heroes and sympathizing with the struggles in this fantasy, thriller. The author's ability to evoke such strong emotions through his vivid descriptions and realistic character development is truly commendable. As I turned each page, I couldn't help but experience a rollercoaster of emotions, from heart-pounding excitement to heart-wrenching sadness. This book challenged my preconceptions and opened my mind to new perspectives, leaving a lasting impact on me. It was a literary adventure that left me longing for more, eagerly awaiting Helm's next masterpiece to arrive in the mail.
January 30, 2025
This was such an amazing story. I was hooked from the beginning. I grew to adore many of the characters. I loved the "time travel" aspect of it and how the modern world was tied into a story that starts so many years before. It made me laugh, it made me sad, and it made me mad. There were actual tears coming out of my eyes.
The author did an amazing job narrating this story. Each character had a unique voice and personality. He was able to switch from one character to another flawlessly. I have always struggled with being able to listen to audiobooks because my mind gets distracted and I don't hear parts of the story and I then have to go back and listen again. He was able to keep me entertained and I was able to listen without "spacing out" or getting distracted. His emotions were spot on with what was going on. If there was crying, it really sounded like he was crying which then made me cry. You can tell that he put in a lot of time and effort and that it's from the heart.
In conclusion, READ/LISTEN TO THE BOOK! You will not be disappointed.
The author did an amazing job narrating this story. Each character had a unique voice and personality. He was able to switch from one character to another flawlessly. I have always struggled with being able to listen to audiobooks because my mind gets distracted and I don't hear parts of the story and I then have to go back and listen again. He was able to keep me entertained and I was able to listen without "spacing out" or getting distracted. His emotions were spot on with what was going on. If there was crying, it really sounded like he was crying which then made me cry. You can tell that he put in a lot of time and effort and that it's from the heart.
In conclusion, READ/LISTEN TO THE BOOK! You will not be disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews