Elven Blood

The Vellhor Saga #1

by Mark Stanley

WINNER of the High Fantasy category in the American Fiction Awards 2024
WINNER Gold - Literary Titan Book Awards 2024
WINNER of the Dark Fantasy category in the Firebird Book Awards 2024

Amazon Hot New Release August 2024!

"Mark Stanley demonstrates remarkable storytelling and world-building skills… His descriptive writing style effortlessly brings to life the diverse and intricate settings." 5 Star Independent Review - Literary Titan

WELCOME TO VELLHOR—WHERE ANCIENT ENEMIES, FORBIDDEN LOVE, AND THE BALANCE OF KINGDOMS TEETER ON THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION.

Gunnar, destined heir of the Draegoor Dwarves, is irresistibly drawn to Anwyn, a formidable Elven exile. Their illicit love threatens to upend their worlds, forcing them on a perilous journey rife with betrayal and peril. To make matters more dangerous, a malevolent force is rapidly consuming their realm.

Meanwhile, haunted by her past, a former assassin partners with an emerging mage to unravel a developing mystery. Before long, they’ll become ensnared in a web of treachery, binding their fates to the encroaching shadows.

When darkness finally falls over Vellhor, the fate of the realm will rest in the hands of Gunnar and Anwyn.

But each step toward the final battle will demand unimaginable sacrifice that will push their courage and resolve to its breaking point.

How far are they willing to go to save their world?

Immerse yourself in “Elven Blood”, an award winning tale of epic battles, indomitable spirits, and the relentless quest for hope. Ideal for readers who crave richly-woven fantasy worlds and unforgettable characters, this is one enthralling adventure until the very end!

"Elven Blood by Mark Stanley is an enthralling epic fantasy, blending forbidden love, perilous adventures, and escalating wars. The richly woven world and gripping narrative make it a must-read." 5 Star Independent Review - Readers Favorite

“A dramatic epic fantasy that will draw in readers who want a great sword-and-sorcery fantasy read with more than just swords-and-sorcery! A great read!” 5 Star Independent Review - Fiona McLaren, Reedsy

Genres: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Adventure, Epic Fantasy

250 pages, Hardcover

Published June 13, 2024

Reviews

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!* · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most successful AI-generated book I've seen so far, maybe. Over 1200 ratings on Amazon and a quite decent sales rank, and he even got Mark Lawrence to read a copy.

Look, of course I can't say definitively that this was written with generative A.I. because I wasn't there at the time. I can say that a friend's review of book 5 triggered my A.I. senses and I took a deeper look, and holy crap were there a bunch of stereotypical A.I.-isms right off the bat. I have only read the free preview pages of this book (because no way am I giving money for anything possibly A.I. generated) constituting 4 chapters, and I've seen plenty to convince me it's A.I.-generated, and nothing to make me question that judgment. The absolute best case scenario is that the author's writing is really crappy in exactly the same ways that generative A.I. writing is crappy, and the books simply happened to be published at the height of the current deceptive generative A.I. book publishing, with a book description featuring language and a format endemic to A.I.-generated books. Coincidence? I doubt it.

The fact that he published six 400-page books between July 2024 and March 2025, and has never published anything before ChatGPT and Claude went public, factors into it also. Yes, I know some people hold back books for a rapid release plan; I'm just putting all the pieces of the puzzle together here. While we're examining the entire picture, go ahead and disregard the book's awards. They are all from vanity book award programs that cater to self-publishers yearning for accolades. You pay a fee to enter your book in any of dozens of highly granual subgenres (with extra fees to enter as many as you want) and every single submitted book will win some prize level. The only impressive thing is that the book isn't complete A.I. slop at glance. The author did a good job of making it look like a real book.

And sure, maybe the author contributed ideas and worldbuilding that they came up with all on their own, although I don't see anything A.I. couldn't have suggested for them and they just chose which direction to steer the prompts. I've seen all the excuses, like "A.I. helped me with some of the worsmithing but the concepts were all mine," yada yada. As far as I'm concerned, the moment you have A.I. produce any portion of the text, you cannot consider yourself a writer or author in any way.

If you want to know my A.I. spotting credentials before I go into details, here's my shelf of books I've tagged as A.I.: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list... and if you check my Listopia votes through my profile you'll see a whole bunch of lists I maintain related to published AI-generated books. If you take issue with any particular title I'm happy to review it with you. I admit my limitations also; my experience is mostly with A.I. fantasy fiction, plus some sci-fi and horror, for adults and children. The romance genre must be saturated with A.I. books these days, but except for the sloppiest I would be hard pressed to say for sure if a specific romance novel were A.I.-generated, because there's more space in there for cheesy, overwrought, low-quality writing and I'm unfamiliar with the human baseline in that case.

More than that, I learned to spot A.I. by reverse engineering. Try to read The Man That Follows God like I did and not conclude that it was A.I.-generated. Try to read the early books of Samuel DenHartog and not come to realize all the ways in which A.I. writing is terrible. You can read books that are admittedly created by A.I. to see the patterns that occur across all such things. I'm not one to cling to common cries like, "he used em-dashes, it must be A.I.!" or the like. I've read plenty over the decades of my life, including knowingly reading a ton of crap, the bottom of the barrel of self-publishing by people who have no idea what they're doing and show no evidence of ever having read a book themselves. I've seen a lot of utterly bizarre and wrong things in this way, ridiculously terrible things but still things that could only come from a human. A.I.-generated writing is a whole other thing, and I've allowed myself to read it much more than is healthy for anyone. Let's get into it with Elven Blood.

There's plenty in just the opening page to make anyone familiar with generative A.I. output in fantasy novels to raise one's hackles. The very first two paragraphs each include an "a testament to" construction; whispers and resilience make appearances. I know I've said I don't cry A.I. just over little things, and occasional use of testament, determination, resilience and resolve, whispers can be part of human writing. But again, the timing of publication, the bizarre commonality of these things in other undeniably A.I.-generated books, and the sheer frequency of their appearance across the pages is problematic. Moving beyond specific words, the sentence structure and the function that each sentence serves speaks strongly to A.I. origins also.

The buildings stood as enduring monuments to the skill of their creators, their sturdy frames weathering the passage of centuries with stoic resilience.

A.I. writing is constantly explaining itself to the reader. At every turn it tells you the significance of everything, hammering on the supposed importance of every detail.

This colossal fortress served as their base of operations, its sturdy walls echoing with the whispers of history. [...] A sprawling mining metropolis, it bustled with life, inhabited by the sturdy and resourceful Braemeerian Dwarves. These Dwarves were not merely defined by their customs but also by their physical traits. [...] However, the Dwarves of Braemoor had a unique bark-like brown tone to their skin, a testament to their deep connection to the earth. [...] Each clan, with its distinct features and heritage, added layers of richness to the tapestry of the realm of Dreynas.

In fact, A.I. tells you everything, and shows you nothing. "Show, don't tell" is oft-cited writing advice that can mean a lot of different things, but when it comes to A.I., everything is told.

Their formidable presence was further heightened by the long oblong shields they bore, which offered a steadfast defense. In addition to their defensive gear, each dwarf was armed with a weapon suited to their individual combat style—whether it be a sword, axe, mace, or some combination thereof. They also carried a crossbow and a quiver brimming with bolts, ready to unleash precise and deadly ranged attacks when needed.

Oh, is that what shields are for? Steadfast defense? Who knew? Oh wow, crossbows are for deadly ranged attacks, when needed? Amazing.

Dialogue and personal interactions are often assigned subtleties of meaning that you would never get from the actual words spoken.

He turned to Gunnar, his tone tinged with curiosity and a hint of provocation. [...] His words carried a hint of humor, but beneath it, there lay a genuine worry.

I challenge anyone to act out these fine combinations of tones.

Yet, as the weight of General Wilfrid's orders settled upon them, Gunnar saw the resolve harden in their eyes, the anticipation giving way to steely determination. They were warriors, forged in the crucible of conflict, and they would meet whatever challenges lay ahead with unwavering resolve. [...] Despite the chill in the air and the looming threat of danger, a surge of pride swelled within Gunnar as he looked upon his comrades. In their unity, he found strength, and in their determination, he found reassurance. Together, they would face whatever lay ahead, their bond as unbreakable as the mountains themselves. [...] Following his address, Gunnar locked eyes with each of his squad leaders, a deliberate and intense gaze that conveyed both the gravity of the situation and the unspoken assurance that he would be right there beside them. He wanted his squad leaders to fully grasp the seriousness of the mission but also to recognize his unwavering commitment to sharing in the risks they would face. As he surveyed the expressions of his squad leaders, Gunnar’s expectations were met with a silent understanding. There were no questions, no uncertainties; they were a seasoned unit, well-acquainted with their duties and well-versed in the dangers that awaited them. In that moment of shared determination, the Snow Wolves were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Apparently we don't even need dialogue; a single gaze conveys an entire smorgasbord of gradations of determination.

A.I. frequently uses a "it's not just this, it's that!" sentence structure that quickly becomes grating and absurd.

In Dwarven culture, names held significant weight. They were more than mere labels; they reflected one's essence and heritage. [...] The weapons and armor were not mere creations; they were masterpieces meticulously forged by the most highly skilled Dwarven smiths in Dreynas.

(A.I. book blurbs use this a lot also, e.g. "Don't just turn the page—immerse yourself in the story".) The insistence that "each" or "every" instance of a thing carries great significance is equally common.

With each glance exchanged, her gaze revealed a glimpse of her pure and unspoiled spirit, a soft reminder of the enduring innocence she possessed. [...] Yet, the fifty Dwarves who now stood before Gunnar were no ordinary soldiers. Each one had distinguished themselves as an exceptional warrior, recognized by their superiors, and personally selected to remain within the military fold.

A.I. writing also tends to gloss over specifics and provide merely an overview of events, particularly when recounting past events.

Over the span of a decade, Gunnar had ceaselessly toiled to wrestle from his soldiers the respect that had initially eluded him. He devoted himself to a grueling regimen of training and education, honing his skills until he stood unrivalled within his unit. While his slightly above-average height and muscular frame certainly played to his advantage, it was the relentless grind of unyielding discipline and unflagging effort that catapulted him to the top and continued to keep him there. Through relentless study, Gunnar delved into the intricacies of his craft, learning about weaponry, battles, tactics, the different races on Vellhor and the magic systems used by those races. He refused to cut any corners in his pursuit of mastery.

Name one thing Gunnar did in any of that. Another:

One memory etched in Kemp’s mind involved Ellis, and a prank they had played on a professor. She was a battleaxe of a professor, with dark-red hair, whose disposition seemed to harbor an odd resentment toward her students, despite her role in educating the kingdom’s young minds. Ellis, in an act of impish brilliance, had harnessed his enchantment powers to manipulate a colony of ants, using them to disrupt her lecture on dream magic. The outcome had been uproarious, albeit fleeting, as Professor McArdle swiftly discerned the culprit behind the antics.

How exactly did the ants disrupt the lecture? And if this is a prank "they" played, what exactly did Kemp do?

And to circle back to all of the unwavering determination and resilience, oh my god.

He knew the challenges facing his family were far from over, but he also knew he would face them head-on, as he always had, with strength and determination born from the depths of the Scorched Mountains. [...] Gunnar's stoic demeanor remained unchanged, a testament to the resilience ingrained in the heart of every dwarf. [...] In their unity, he found strength, and in their determination, he found reassurance. Together, they would face whatever lay ahead, their bond as unbreakable as the mountains themselves. [...] Setting her katana aside, the blade, a symbol of her skill and determination, gleamed in the dim light of the morning. [...] Stories of his prowess echoed through the halls of Elven society, a testament to his unparalleled skill and unmatched dedication to his craft. [...] Anwyn’s unwavering determination and focus had driven her to excel in both magical and combat skills, despite the restrictions imposed by Elven society. [...] Yet, Anwyn couldn’t shake the belief in the compelling nature of her argument. A surge of determination rushed through her, fueled by her conviction that there had to be a better way. [...] With each droplet that tapped against the windowpane, his determination renewed, fueling his unwavering resolve to embark on the adventure awaiting him.

And again the whispering, so much whispering, and other wispy nonsense.

Dakarai’s weary footsteps whispered through the dimly lit corridor of his home, each soft sound a reminder of the relentless toil he endured in the mines. [...] This colossal fortress served as their base of operations, its sturdy walls echoing with the whispers of history. [...] the cottage sat beside a serene stream, its waters whispering secrets to the surrounding woods. [...] Elven steeds boasted remarkable longevity, spanning over a century, echoing the timeless bonds woven within the forest’s embrace.

What does any of the even mean? Saccharine, substanceless drivel is another hallmark of A.I. generated fantasy fiction. You have no idea how much of this I've seen in countless obvious A.I. slop books.

I could go on to mention things like how often a character's emotions are a "mix" or "mixture" of two things, but I'll defer to some of the deficiencies mentioned in others' reviews, things that the reviewers likely didn't realize are endemic and indicative of A.I. generation for this type of book. The reviews on Goodreads on the whole are very not good! Some selections: "The plot was literally spelt out by all the characters being prophesied, as to who they were and where they were going. The "battle" for the sacred tree was amazing in respect of the time taken between a LOT of the bad guys appearing and being vanquished by "four" of the good guys....never before tested in battle...so too much too soon. A lot of over explaining/too descriptive." "the page-by-page reading of it felt like wading through a quagmire at times. There are huge blocks of prose where nothing is happening. It's highly repetitious as well, like eating the same stale leftovers for five consecutive paragraphs." "There are words and phrases which were over used, imo." "The amount of over explaining, even flat out repeating…. it was painful to read. Also the overuse of words." The series of top reviews, i.e. the ones that a handful of other GR users have 'liked', are overwhelmingly critical. I note that Mark Lawrence's review doesn't say that the book is actually good at any point; it merely characterizes it and suggests that if you like that kind of thing, it might be for you.

The author has put work into promoting the book, getting it into people's hands through services like Booksiren and handing them out to at least one famous author at a convention. The book is packaged well and the marketing efforts have been successful, accounting for a respectable number of reviews and ratings for a self-published book. But the muted critical response is telling; the proof is in the pudding. I'm not surprised that more people haven't called the book out as A.I.-generated, despite citing weaknesses that are common with A.I., because most people haven't sunk into the trenches of deceptive A.I. books like I have. Maybe all readers should undergo some kind of A.I. immersion therapy so they'll understand what they're seeing the next time they're presented with a book like this.

I suppose it's possible this isn't, in fact, A.I. generated, but if not then there needs to be accounting for why it presents so many features that are stereotypical of A.I. generated writing at such high frequency. If you took out every line that doesn't perfectly mirror what A.I. does ad nauseum, there would hardly be anything left.

In conclusion, (that's a joke about AI use btw,) my money's on A.I. slop, in which case I'm sorry for everyone who read this book without realizing it. I know many publishers of A.I. generated material still consider themselves the "author" of that material, but really, putting an A.I. book out without disclosing that prominently is a lie and a serious disservice to readers, to actual writers, to literacy, and to humanity in general.

[Lacrima Mundi · Rating 1 out of 5]

AI "written", no thanks.

And yet another author for my do-not-support list. *sigh* Can we just NOT?

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was so obviously written primarily with AI, it's painful to read. The concept and basic plot might be the author's, but the descriptions, word choice, sentence structure... they all scream AI.

These are from the FIRST 2 paragraphs of the book:

Despite the weight of exhaustion pressing upon him, he moved with a certain grace, a testament to the inherent strength and agility of his lizard-like heritage.

And

The ancient abode, meticulously crafted by Dwarven hands centuries ago, stood as a testament to their artistry.

I wouldn't even mind if the author had put any work into editing it. Unfortunately, I see no evidence of it. A huge disappointment.

[musicality84 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Automatic one star rating for being AI written. Support writers, not machines.

[Julie Carmichael · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like these books, I even made it to part way through the third before giving up. The plot line is actually good, however the writing feels AI. There are words which are used over and over again, whole sentences repeated, plus major errors regarding the characters backgrounds which just make it unreadable. When one character talks about knowing another for years, despite only meeting a short while earlier is just one example. It does feel like the main plot has been written by the author but the rest filled in by AI. Luckily I borrowed them from unlimited and didn’t have to pay!

[Michael Barker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Seems like it was written by AI

The use of language was strange and awkward and did not flow naturally. Forced my way through to the end, but will not finish the series.

[Sa'id · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story but I'm not sure. I was entirely feeling it. A lot of things just seemed too easy. strange. it's hard to put into words but I just wasn't getting the vibe from all the prophecy stuff.

[Judy Worley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A grammar teacher’s nightmare!

Good world building and likable characters, of which there are many.
I am just a reader, not a grammar teacher but I was turned off by the abnormal amount of mistakes!
Almost every page is riddled with mistakes of both spelling and grammar! So much that it/they change the meaning or intent in some instances.
Was this online version an unedited release!!!?
I liked the book enough to continue with the series and hope an editor was employed.

[mike hodgson Carole Hodgson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the story too fragmented, with too many characters wanting centre stage. The plot was literally spelt out by all the characters being prophesied, as to who they were and where they were going. The "battle" for the sacred tree was amazing in respect of the time taken between a LOT of the bad guys appearing and being vanquished by "four" of the good guys....never before tested in battle...so too much too soon. A lot of over explaining/too descriptive. Not sure if I can stomach another in the series. Hopefully the author will progress and persevere, but Tolkien can rest easy.

[Linda Roach · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is terrible. I had to force myself to read the book. I had downloaded the second book at the same time and returned it. The errors made me cringe, they mixed up the characters at least once. I hope not to make the mistake of attempting to read another book by this person. Now, I have to find a GOOD book to immerse myself into, to get rid of the memory of this one.

[Jessika · Rating 1 out of 5]

What was this?
I had to give up trying to read this absolute trifle.

[Dan Wood]

DNF - writing style was very very odd, felt disjointed and stilted. Other reviewers mention AI - no clue if this is true but I could believe it

[Will Rivard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read about an elf, a couple humans, a couple dwarfs, and lizard people. While the overall story is good, the page-by-page reading of it felt like wading through a quagmire at times. There are huge blocks of prose where nothing is happening. It's highly repetitious as well, like eating the same stale leftovers for five consecutive paragraphs. With a little editing, it would have been great. If you're at the end of your to be read pile, then give this one a try. You might enjoy it more than I did.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The world building has a good start along with the introduction of the main characters. However, as the book is titled Eleven Blood you would think the author would have spent more time building that character and making her at least somewhat interesting. Instead we get a meek, dutiful daughter whose grandfather is more interesting than she is... and he's only a supporting character. Even the dwarves received more thought and attention than our elven heroine. There are words and phrases which were over used, imo. Remember back in high school when you had a paper due and your teacher wanted it to be 3 pages and you only had 2.25? Remember repeating yourself/rephrasing and adding superfluous words just to eek out the remainder of the page? That's what this feels like. So much so, it gets predictable and monotonous after a while. Books 2 and 3 are equally as bad, if not more so.
The content of the book is suitable for most audiences. There is some language but no explicit romance.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

All in all not a bad read.

To be honest I didn't enjoy this book as much as I was hoping and I had a few issues with it.
First, it seemed to take a long time to actually get to any significant plot development. Things were happening, but it felt like there was either little connection to each event or weren't really moving the story along.
Second, it felt like things were just happening to the characters, especially to Anwyn, rather than the characters moving the plot forward. There were parts that were just to easy/convenient to the plot.
Lastly, it felt a bit repetitive at times, like the same thing was being said, just in a different way, like when a college student has to reach a word count. All in all not a bad read and im sure other people will greatly enjoy this story, but I just really struggled to get through it.

[Laurie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wish I had looked at the reviews here instead of on amazon before trying to read.
Full of repeating descriptive words and sentences that repeats what the previous one just said. Fund myself editing more the actually reading. could have been a good idea if done right.

[Janice Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a struggle but made it to page 368. I loved Sarah Maas and Rebecca Yarrow fantasy novels. Sorry but this was too scattered to make a connection to the characters.

[Deeanna West]

Unfortunately for some reason I wasn’t entirely feeling this one. I couldn’t get into the writing style. I get like that sometimes though with mood reading so definitely recommend people give it a try as it is an interesting story. I think I’ll have a break and then pick up book 2 when I’m in a different mind frame.

The main plot of the book is following Anywn the elf and Gunnar the dwarf. Theres a prophecy saying they will save the world. Love a good prophecy. They are dealing with things separately to start and then closer to the end of the book join forces.

At the start of the story we get so much information. It may be easier to keep up if reading it but listening to the audiobook I struggled a little with all the name drops and info in particular from the first chapter from Gunnar. The narrator does a great job but I think I’d recommend reading this one rather than the audiobook.

Even though there’s lots of names I do always enjoy multi pov characters and Elven Blood delivers. As the story progresses we get a bunch of povs. Two humans, 1 elf, 1 drogo and 1 dwarf. However we also get a couple of bonus chapters/scenes from side characters as well which is fun. Overall my favourite pov was Gunnar’s, he felt like a well developed character. I also really liked Ruiha she was so snarky and fun and now I’m writing this I think she was actually my favourite.

I’d consider this a slow build fantasy. Stuff happens all the way through, however a lot of it feels like it’s the background development we need to know prior to the main story starting. Which happens nearer the end of the book and, I’m assuming, into book 2. I enjoy a story that builds up and up over consecutive books and I think this series will be one of those epic sprawling tales.

[voraciousreaderdarling · Rating 4 out of 5]

ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴏғ ᴇʟᴠᴇɴ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ: ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇʟʟʜᴏʀ sᴀɢᴀ ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ 𝟷, ʙʏ: ᴍᴀʀᴋ sᴛᴀɴʟᴇʏ

ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇs:
🗡️ epic fantasy
🗡️ good vs evil
🗡️ prophisies
🗡️ forbidden romance
🗡️

sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs: Kingsdons on the brink of destruction fates lie in the hands of two prophesied forbidden lovers. Their journey is one of sacrifice and courage that will push them to their limits while a second malevolent force threatens to consume the world.

𝘌𝘉 is told from 5 different POVS: 2 humans, 1 dwarf, 1 elf and 1 drogo. I personally loved the multiple POVS and the insight that they offered to the world and characters. I felt that the buildup for the plot to begin developing took longer than I expected. But when events began to propel the characters forward, I was immersed. The main romance was not as intense as I was hoping for but I hope to see more development in the second book. The battle scenes were highly cinematic and enjoyed the politics of the world and the high stakes of the MC’s quest.


My main complaint was with the grammatical errors I came across, there were a few too many words used in repetition as well as redundant paragraphs. I feel that with another round of editing, this one would have been superb.

Ultimately, I was left feeling that because of the amount of world building that took place in this first installment that the second volume’s plot will move much quicker. Overall, this was a nice weaving of fantasy elements, romance, and adventure.

With that being said I will be giving the second book a go later this year and recommend this title to lovers of epic fantasy and those who enjoy John Gwynne’s writing.

Thank you to the author for gifting me copy this title.

[James · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note: this review is based solely on the Amazon sample, for reasons that should become clear:

It screams "AI generated," and in all the worst possible ways. All that was missing were the names Kael, Elara, and Eldoria.

As I've said in countless reviews of other Ai-generated content (and sadly, we are spoiled with choice in that area), once you've seen the distinct sentence structure, cadence, and vocabulary of AI prose, particularly in the fantasy genre, it cannot be unseen.

This garbage wears the "AI generated" badge of dishonor because of the generic phrasing ("weary footsteps," "relentless toil"), and robotic lull-you-to-sleep sentence rhythm. Every word is bland, overwritten, and clunky.

The dialogue is stilted and unnatural. I could not find a single line of dialogue that wasn't info-dumpy ("How was your shift?" "Long, but fruitful. We struck a rich vein today.") All the characters sound exactly the same. No variation in voice whatsoever. The balance between action, dialogue, and exposition is way off. Too much telling, not enough showing.

The overreliance on modifiers is ridiculous. "Ancient abode, meticulously crafted by Dwarven hands centuries ago" is five clichés smashed into one. Where's the life? Where's the grit & grime? The dash of uniqueness? ANYTHING to make this seem like a world that's actually LIVED IN?

Specific examples of bad sentences:
"Despite the weight of exhaustion pressing upon him, he moved with a certain grace, a testament to the inherent strength and agility of his lizard-like heritage." (This could be three words: "He moved gracefully.")
"Even though the towering Drogo dwarfed their stature, the Dwarves crafted structures of grandiosity and magnificence, enabling even the hulking Drogo to navigate their halls with relative ease." (Utterly redundant and clunky.)

While undeniably tropey, it's clear the guy did do some level of worldbuilding on his own. Likely a homebrew TTRPG campaign that he felt like adapting into a story. That's the really sad part about it all: somewhere, buried under the AI Slop, was a fleeting creative spark. I'd have rather he published that: a raw, messy rough draft. Because at least that would have been something real with some heart in it.

Instead, he took the same shortcut so many other debut "authors" have since mid-2022: He fed some guided prompts into ChatGPT and decided that the only real fantasy story he could tell was the one where he was a legit author.

Strongest possible recommendation to avoid.

[Susan May · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written story with some very compelling characters. The world building was fantastic and the plot was intriguing.  The story offers an exciting blend of fantasy elements, mixing forbidden love, ancient feuds, and a struggle for balance in a kingdom on the verge of destruction.

The story follows Gunnar, the heir of the Dragur dwarf clan, and Anwin, an exiled elf, Anwin has lived with her parents in their small and qiuet cottage. Her father teaches her sword fighting and other ways to protect herself. She is really hidden from the outside world leading a very secluded and sheltered life until one day her life changed. She returned home to find their cottage under attack, her mother injured and her father looking like he was dead. She defeated her enemies and saved her fathers life. Then all the dirty secrets came out.  The assasins came for her family because they fear Anwin and what she is capable of.  She now knew that she must fulfill the prophecy and seek her true destiny. Gunnar had troubles of his own and set out searching for his forbidden love that would supposedly turn the kingdom upside down. He fought his way through many tough situations to find Anwin but he got the job done. Now the 2 set out on their journey to complete the prophecy. They would face terrifying odds and betrayel but the pair was determined.

A great read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to see where book 2 leads.

[Jessica Pierce · Rating 2 out of 5]

As someone who is searching cons for a good dwarf/elf romance book I was SO excited to find this. Based on the book synopsis this was EXACTLY what I’ve been searching for. But I was so disappointed by the lack of actual romance. There were so many characters to follow, I felt let down by what I had expected from the book overview and what I actually read. There are good moments in this story, and if you are looking for some action this does deliver. But for me personally I was reading fervently just to chase after the dream of an elven/dwarven romance.
Maybe this is mild spoilers but honestly when the synopsis says this is a tale of love, but there’s no ACTUAL love/romance in the books it’s a bit let down. I think a better synopsis would be inviting readers on an adventure where war is brimming as five intrepid characters from different worlds find themselves at the frontlines of war, ruin, and death. Sure there’s hints of an epic love story but there’s no real…what’s the word I’m looking for…connection? I have not decided if I’m going to read the next book, because I’m not one who likes to wait that long for a love story to actually happen. Again, there’s a lot of good moments in this book. I just wanted more romance.

[pagestohanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Booksiren and Hidden gem for the book arcs.

Vellhor Saga is ideal for readers who crave a richly woven fantasy world, compelling magical system, adventure, ancient rivalries, and impending war. Mark’s detailed world-building provides readers an immersive experience to the Vellhor world. I wished the author had used more varied descriptions instead of repeatedly relying on the word “Beacon” or phrase “Beacon of hope”, to enhance the showing rather than telling as a storyteller. The romantic connection between the prophesized “Forbidden Lovers”, Anwyn and Gunnar, lacks depth compared to the relationship between Ruiha and Kemp. The forced nature of their arranged “marriage/love” due to the prophecy feels underdeveloped and I hope it picks up in the upcoming book. Overall, the unique magical element allows Elves, Fae, Dwarves, Humans, and even half-human-animal beings, to harness the spirit of magic. Vellhor Saga, presents a gripping tale of strength as the different races work together to prepare in saving their realm from Nergai.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had its good and its bad. The first 400-500 pages were really slow, especially since there was 5 different points of view trying to do back stories on each character. After that things picked up, but was still very hard to read because of the different points of view and also multiple different paths/stories being told at once. Towards the end there was even more points of view added which I didn’t like. There were parts of the book that were really excellent and well done. There are some unique magical pieces to the book that are very whimsical and fun. The thing I had a hard time with also was how the story would change direction so quickly in a negative way. I can see where the author was trying to go. They were trying to create one cohesive idea with lots of back story but a lot of the back story felt unnecessary. The writing itself was done well, the world building was also well done.

*trigger warning* if rape is a trigger for you beware that it has a scene in it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story

So much going on with this book. I really look forward to the next.

I do advise if you do read/listen like me. Only do one or the other. They do not line up. Made me have brain farts. every time my eyes were reading and the narrator was off page. Like the book was edited after he narrated it. Or something. Between the major info given in book trying to keep up at the beginning and my eyes and brain getting off track with the listen part. Yeah just do one or the other. I have adult brain hiccups 😂
I usually don't complain about typos and what not. But this narrator reading paragraphs that just are not there threw me off. When it's just a word or so I am fine. But it stutters my flow when it's sentences and paragraphs. Don't get me wrong on the actual narrator though I liked him.
Other than that it's a great book. Just do not combine read/listen. Do one or the other. You definitely get MORE out of the audio if you look at it like that. Lol more words.

[stephanie cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Stanley’s Elven Blood is a gripping entry into the realm of high dark fantasy, drawing readers into a world that is as intricate as it is addictive. Stanley’s masterful world-building immerses us in a richly detailed landscape, where every character is vividly brought to life, complete with complex personalities and motivations.

The narrative is filled with epic battles that will leave readers breathless, each twist and turn raising the stakes and eliciting a gasp of disbelief. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Stanley introduces another jaw-dropping moment that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

For fans of ancient rivalries, forbidden romances, and the ever-present tension between kingdoms, Elven Blood checks all the boxes. This saga promises to captivate a wide range of genre enthusiasts, making it a must-read for anyone seeking an enthralling adventure.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Louise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I often choose new authors to try based on fantasy literature awards but unfortunately this book did not live up to my expectations. It is incredibly clumsily written with many grammatical and typographical errors. The language is repetitive as if it is a first draft; I wonder if this even had an editor. The world is created reasonably well and the different races included are pretty typical but the author does not fully develop their cultures or magics sufficiently for the reader to get on board. The vocabulary is weak and lazy, such as the use of the phrase “little did he know “. I would not recommend this novel.

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
Hmm.
I won't give up yet, but not holding my breath either.


Everyone says it's AI-written in the comments. Well...
You do see the influence, but it's not as bad as I expected. With that in mind, I'm giving the next book in the series a try. Who knows, maybe it'll be better than this one.

[Tomas Grizzly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5* rounded up - the story is worth 4, despite the book description and prophecy giving too much information about the coming plot for my taste and the fact that such a short book doesn't give enough space for the initial worldbuilding.
However, it's visible that the release was rushed - frequent missing or extra punctuation or even whole words in a way I noticed way too easily as someone who isn't native in English. I seriously hope this wasn't the work of a professional editor.
Also, putting the glossary at the very front makes it occupy a whopping ~25% of the free sample you can read.

[T.N. Traynor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic fantasy

I loved Elven Blood!
From the moment I stepped into the richly imagined world of Vellhor, I was hooked.
The blend of forbidden romance, ancient rivalries and the looming shadow of a malevolent force created a gripping story I couldn't put down.
Gunnar and Anwyri's love story was the heart of the book for me.
With assassins and mages, this is a good old traditional fantasy and I really enjoyed reading it.