The Sword and Its Servant

Grauwelt #1

by Victor Salinas

​Einsa finds herself without memory of her past and her origin, held prisoner by the Löwa, a species of warped monsters bent on using the Children of Mann for their horrendous genetic experiments. She and her companions are merely lab rats waiting to be plucked by their captors—until they decide to make their escape.

Einsa’s only hope for survival in the fallen world that awaits her rests with Klinde, an ancient and infamous warrior who is just as cunning and bloodthirsty as the enemy.

The Sword and Its Servant is the first installment of the multi-part Young Adult fantasy saga that takes you on a dark, fast-paced journey through the Grauwelt. It is a world filled with depravity, cruelty, mystery, and more than its fair share of insanity. Experience in vivid detail its strange inhabitants, horrendous creatures, wondrous locales, and deep lore through the eyes of a girl trapped between two evils. ​

This first book features a fully-fledged glossary called the Graulore™, containing over eighty entries pertaining to the world of Grauwelt, giving you insider details on key characters, places, events, creatures, and technology!

Genres: Fantasy

400 pages, Paperback

First published May 20, 2014

About the author

Vic is the principal creator and director behind Grauwelt and the author of the flagship book series. He is a long-time fan of many fantasy and Sci Fi series including the Lord of the Rings, Dune, and Star Wars (his all-time favorite: he dares you to test his knowledge!).

While he's not busy bringing the world of Grauwelt to life, Vic spends his time reading, exercising, and playing competitive Pokémon (want to battle?). He has spent much of his life working as a translator of English and Spanish. His Mother is from South America which has afforded him many opportunities to travel there and visit family.

He currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area. with his long-time companion and giant collection of nerd memorabilia.

Reviews

[Bookwraiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths Reviews

The Sword and Its Servant is the first installment of what is planned as an ongoing series. This “portal” story is definitely a YA novel with its “coming of age” theme, but it also has a very strong element of horror incorporated in it with some nightmarish characters who do some rather nasty things. And that blending of YA and horror is definitely what gives this tale a uniqueness missing in many other books; something fantasy readers tired of the familiar fantasy tropes might find very refreshing.

The story begins on Earth with a young boy named Johannes, who is read a bedtime story by his mother. This fairy tale (for so they both believe it to be) talks about a world called Grauwelt, where a group of refuges has fled for safety only to find it haunted by a horrible supernatural creature who begins to devour them. When all hope of their survival seems lost, the leader of these refugees does the unthinkable and turns to hell itself for help.

After his mother stops reading and tells him to go to sleep, Johannes finds himself unable to stop his imagination from wandering. Instead of settling down to slumber, his mind races with images of himself as a brave knight, riding off on his mighty steed to fight the nightmarish hound-like creatures of Grauwelt called the Lowa.

And then the horror begins for this small boy snugged safety under his covers, he finds a portal opening in his room! The pulsating whirlpool of light filled with the insidious voices and shadowy images of the creatures spoken of in the fairy tale – things that are not so easily vanquished by Johannes’ toy sword. And before he can even call for help, the youth finds himself forced into the sibilant vortex and taken to Grauwelt. A different reality that is somewhere between our own and that of Hel, filled with creatures that are straight out of his nightmares, all of them locked in a struggle to the death for survival.

From this beginning, Mr. Salinas develops the story through several different points of view. After Johannes’ introduction, a parallel story about a strange girl named Einsa is begun; her life being one of unending terror as she lives in pitch black cells full of abducted children. And then the author moves onto several of the Lowa, who are the sons of the King and involved in political machinations. Through these multiple stories, a vivid world of darkness and violence is carefully crafted.

There are several things to really like about The Sword and Its Servant.

One is that Mr. Salinas has crafted a rather non-traditional fantasy world, based not on humans but on another species entirely. The Lowas are truly horrible but also complex creatures who have their own peculiar traditions and civilization that are slowly revealed by the author.

Two, this is not a classic “good versus evil” tale. In fact, all the characters portrayed here are definitely gray. Throughout the narrative, you will find yourself thoroughly hating one for his actions, only to find the motives for those heinous deeds explained later and the hatred turning slowly into mere dislike or perhaps something even more. For example, the Lowas are definitely creatures out of a child’s nightmare, but Mr. Salinas develops them into intelligent beings whose vile acts are within the parameters of their culture. And even the denizens of "Hel" are not shown as completely evil, but something between the two polar opposites of good and bad.

Third, The Sword and Its Servant is not merely a book series; it is actually the introduction to the role-playing world of Grauwelt. Online, lovers of Mr. Salinas’ fantasy creation can immerse themselves into this world via a role-playing game aptly dubbed Grauplay. Something that isn’t exactly new, but the creative team does a great job of integrating the two things together in a new, inventive way, and it does add that extra dimension to the series as a whole.

Overall, I like The Sword and Its Servant. Mr. Salinas’ writing was more than adequate for this YA story; something that I know will only improve as the series progresses. The plot was inventive and fast paced, which makes it perfect for YA lovers. So if you are just a fantasy aficionado looking for something different, or a horror fan who likes it a bit fantastical, this is absolutely something you should check out.

I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank both of them for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Avid Reviews: www.avidfantasyreviews.wordpress.com

It is not often that one is able to find an independently published novel that is constructed as professionally as The Sword and Its Servant. Even at a first glance, you might be surprised that it is a small press/indie novel. The cover is gorgeous and rivals the jacket art from many of the novels distributed by large publishers, such as Tor and DAW, which have come out this year. The book is also seems as if it has been professionally edited, and is missing the rampant typos that are present in so many independently published novels. The Sword and Its Servant is Salinas’ debut novel, and the beginning of a YA (young adult) series that has six books planned.

Salinas’ new series is set in the world of Grauwelt, which is located in a different reality that can very rarely be accessed from Earth. Though the novel starts out with a common fantasy theme (a child finds himself sent through a portal into a different world) the story soon becomes incredibly unique in its setting, plot and characters, while somehow still incorporating some common fantasy elements and themes. This concurrence of the familiar and the distinctive was one of my favorite features of Salinas’ debut.

The Sword and Its Servant is told from several different points of view, and starts out on Earth with a young boy named Johannes, who hears the history of Grauwelt in a bedtime story that is read to him by his mother. As his imagination wanders, he imagines himself a knight, off to fight the nightmarish hound-like creatures of Grauwelt called the Lowa. It is not until he suddenly finds himself in a portal to another place that he realizes his imaginings might have become his reality. The story next introduces us to a girl named Einsa, who is imprisoned on Grauwelt in the pitch dark with a group of children known to the Lowa as the children of Mann. Einsa has been there the longest out of all of the prisoners, and she is the only one who has no recollection of a life before confinement. Lowa jailers come intermittently to bring scraps of food for the children to fight over, and to take one of the children away, never to return.

The book is also told from the point of view of several of the Lowa, who happen to be the sons of the King. The siblings are rivals, and when their father gives them an unheard of task, it soon becomes apparent that both a kingdom and the fate of the Lowa are at stake. Only the strongest and most cunning of the brothers will be victorious. Their task will be further complicated by Einsa, the children of Mann, and a magical sword with a mind of its own, who will all be trying their hardest to escape from the Lowa and bring destruction to the rulers of Grauwelt.

Salinas’ vivid imagination is originally what engaged me with this story. The Lowa are horrifying and complex creatures, and are a completely unique race of beings. The high fantasy genre is notorious for very rarely including civilizations that are not based on variations of humans, and the presence of such imaginative creatures and settings in this novel is sure to capture the attention of many connoisseurs of high fantasy. The plot of the novel is fast paced and full of plenty excitement, and it is a perfect introduction to fantasy for the YA age group. The novels themes include the loneliness and awkwardness of youth, and I would definitely classify it as a “coming of age” book.

If you are looking to read a book full of flowering prose or adult themes, I recommend looking elsewhere. Even though the book is well written, the writing is focused on displaying the inventiveness of the world and the setting, and on the action packed plotline. There are some horror elements to the novel, but its darkness and violence are perfectly fine for a YA audience. The writing lacks the grittiness of an author like Joe Abercrombie or the adult themes and horrifying scenes of the writing of Mark Lawrence. Obviously, this is perfect for most YA readers, and the book might actually be refreshing for some of you who want a break from the “grimdark” movement found in many modern fantasy novels.

Overall, I liked Salinas’ writing, and I am sure that it will be further refined in future novels. I loved the vivid imagination that he uses in his world building, and I am looking forward to reading more about Grauwelt in the future. The plot is fun and fast paced, and is perfect for YA audiences. I believe Salinas is trying to market this book to the older YA readers, but I think this book would be perfect for middle school and early high school readers as well. Others who may enjoy this novel include fans of “coming of age” fantasy, and fans of high fantasy. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for fantasy with adult themes, or a large-scale epic on the level of G.R.R. Martin.

I would rate this book as a 7/10.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Understone Group in return for an honest review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sword and Its Servant is the first installment of what is going to be a six-part series, all set in the world of the Grauwelt. The Grauwelt is a world that is somewhere between our own and that of Hel. It is full of creatures that are straight out of our nightmares, all fighting for supremacy.

One of my favorite things about high fantasy works is that there often isn't a clear line between that which is good and that which is evil. The characters in this novel are very much in the gray between them. There are many that you want to thoroughly dislike, if for no other reason than that they are beings out of nightmares. But they are also sentient beings who have moments that remind you of some part of humanity. Klinde is a Child of Hel is an ancient warrior whose physical form may surprise you. With the nomenclature of "Hel," one expects evil, but again there is such a gray area that one never really knows.

There are several parallel story lines that are carried throughout the book. They never truly intersect, but there are moments of foreshadowing that lend to imaginings of possibilities. By the end of the book, you have so many questions and very few answers. I expect that to some extent, as there is more to come with this series, but there were so many left unanswered that I honestly don't know how I feel about it.

This book is really more than a book, but part of a larger experience. It is a premise that I haven't encountered before and it will be interesting to see how it all works together. There is a huge interactive side to it that the publishing company intends to expand even further. The main website is here and I would recommend checking out the "About" page, especially "The Present and Future" section. Already there is a free online RPG called Grauplay, as well as the beginning of a wiki for the world of the Grauwelt. It is a fascinating idea!

Note: I have attached the content warning to this post, not because of sex or drugs, but because there is a lot of violence and mightmarish aspects to this novel. The author does describe this as YA and most of the characters are of that age, but it is definitely an older YA!

Things to love...

--The mystery and anticipation. With several story lines, there is a great deal of anticipation about how it all comes together!
--The foray into the nightmarish. The author did NOT shy away from the disturbing!

Things I wanted more/less of...

--More answers!

My Recommendation: This was unlike much of what I read, but I think it is a good start to an interesting new series!

[Michelle Quintana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book was sent to me for a review.
Entertaining first book in this new epic fantasy book. There are a lot of different characters in this book but what I liked is that they are not all thrown at you at once like how some books tend to do. It starts with a boy named Johannes and his mother reading a story to him about some far off place. He becomes enraptured with the story and pretends to be one of the defenders and pledges himself to Dietrich. Then he disappears. The story next picks up with Einsa, a girl that is being held prisoner and she doesn't even know why. As the story enfolds, the action starts to pick up. The Lowa were not what I thought they were going to be, but they are interesting characters with their own set of drama in the family. Klinde, who is a Child of Hel, is not what I was expecting him to be. After finding out what he is, it has me curious as to what the other Children of Hel look like. There were some deaths that were surprising. When Johannes makes an appearance again the book, it has me thinking that somehow his fate and Einsa's fate are tied together, even though they have not met. Looking forward to the next book in the series because I want to know who had Einsa and what has become of some of the other characters in the book such as Marcel and Willa. The book was too wordy in some places but overall an entertaining book.

[Whitney Mullenax · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was one that I quickly read, and while yes there are many characters that may be hard to remember in the beginning, it all comes together and starts making sense. In the real world, there are many characters, so it just kinda adds to the mystery and dark element of the book for me. You don't know where the story is going at first, but then it takes a turn and you're introduced into this whole new, scary world. This is where the bad guys live, until later you start to feel bad for them, or at least I did. Like another reviewer said, the line between good and evil is blurred. I really appreciate that, seeing the perspective of both parties involved, knowing that there's reasons for everything. The hero of the story eventually has to kill to survive and for the greater good, so you begin to wonder who the bad guy really is! The writing does capture you into the world of Hel, and I look forward to the next installment to see how it plays out.

[Mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is amazing .... It took me ages to read it (not my fault! The world conspired against me!) but it was amazing ...
REVIEW COMING SOON, BEFORE XMAS LOL

[Nickole Codico · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, I cringed at the thought of a Lowa, a breed of a big wolfish hound or something, dominating the first half of the story,but then I got used to it and I started to get fond of Ghesdalt, one of the Lowa, and I hate that I tried to like him and face the fact that it would be short-lived after all. I hate it and I hated Ulf, his brother, and I'm not gonna hide that fact.

What got me interested in this book, is that, it is not trying hard at all. The words flow like it is a world that you can never imagine yourself stepping into. It is a world unimaginable, it is basically an extension of our childhood nightmares. Remember the time when you were a child and you were so afraid to take a peak under your bed or open the closet door for the fear of monsters lurking just beyond the darkness? You can't imagine my surprise when I found out that under the bed or behind the closet door is a portal to a world that is called Grauwelt. A world I wouldn't dare visit, not in my lifetime.

What I liked about this book is, it's full of surprises, unpredictable, fast-paced, and filled with unimaginable characters. It's laced with the horrors of our childhood, our childhood's worst nightmares. You will never know who are the loyal ones to the throne and conversations are never safe, for the breathing castle seem to have ears that reports back to its master.

As I have said earlier, I grew to like and hate some characters and I'm gonna tell you I don't love any character at all. I hate the main human character, Einsa, she's not as strong a pursuit as I wanted her to be, and I don't feel her bravery throughout the book at all, even though there were a lot of fighting scenes that include her limp arms that just want to suck the power out of the sword. I hope she gets stronger in the next books and I hope I can feel a strong presence now that she's had a lot of gruesome fights out of her prison cell.

This book is twisted in a way that the perception of good and evil are kind of unconventional. Hell is not a place of pure evil, I don't know, the evilness is not depicted in the story because Hel helped mann by gifting them the children of Hel and defeat the Great Hund. I think the evil lurks somewhere above hell, in Grauwelt, where the Lowas are residing, or just, it lurks somewhere whose intentions are as dark as Grauwelt itself. Though with the children of Hel, I can't decide where they are in the scale of good and evil, right now I'll put it somewhere in between just leaning a little bit closer to evil.

Full Review

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Sword and Its Servant is a fantasy tale that had me very conflicted in how I felt about it. While never despising or hating the book, I found myself having very mixed feelings about the level of enjoyment. The characters are interesting but a bit numerous. It was not hard to follow but rather hard to place emotional weight with so many "players" in the story. The pacing of the book was also off for me. This being said, I was invested in the story and would love to see how the series develops. The Sword and Its Servant has placed the foundation for an interesting series that really needs to slow down and breathe.

[SFReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sword and Its Servant, by Victor Salinas, is another young adult book. How did I get sucked into reading another one, well... by the ages 15 and up warning label? Here I am thinking I might be reading a book a little on the spicy side, but nope, preteens in trouble. But I will say that Salinas takes the idea of trouble up a notch and the book becomes more of a pre-teen meets Hellraiser.

Most of the book, actually almost all of the book, focuses on some kids making a jail break. It also covers the POV of three of the arch-villains that rule over the Hunds, which is the evil race that has a great hate for humans. Lucky for the kids there is a hole in the cell that they are able to chip through. Once outside the cell, Salinas isn't scared of killing the kids off and the group quickly dies off and gets separated from each other.

Read more at SFReader: The Sword and Its Servant, by Victor Salinas

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

The storyline in this book was highly original and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The characters are creative and not the normal characters seen in a sci-fi novel. The mystery behind Einsa's past is something that kept me wanting to keep reading to find out who she truly is. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I could not put it down once I started reading. The theme of the battle between good and evil is played out well, especially with the majority of the human characters being children. I cannot wait to find out what happens in the next book. I especially cannot wait to find out who Einsa is and what happened to her in her past. A very good read.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be action packed. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the characters and always found my self wanting to read more.