The Simple Delivery

Chronicles of the Dawnblade #1

by Andrew James Claydon

Just because you’re chosen, doesn’t mean you want to be

Nicolas loves his village life just the way it is, everything as it’s supposed to be.

When he is chosen for a task, he finds himself going out into a world he knows little about and feels completely unprepared for. His only comfort is that all he has to do is deliver a message. That should be pretty simple, right?

One near death experience later, Nicolas finds himself in a world of heroes’, villains’, magic and far too many undead creatures for his liking.

Caught up in events he can’t control, he must, with the strange companions he meets along the way, foil a plot that may destroy his Kingdom as he knows it, maybe even the world. Thousands of lives are in the hands of someone who has never even picked up a sword, but at least he knows not to hold it by the pointy end.

Genres: Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2024

About the author

Andrew Claydon has an imagination, one full of variety.

Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's adventurous, sometimes it's shocking, and occasionally it's outright strange...but it's never boring!

Andrew is a UK author who grew up loving fantasy movies such as Conan, Krull, Beastmaster and Willow. The epic worlds and battles of swords and sorcery therein inspired him to create his own fantasy worlds, adding to them his own brand of irreverent humour; because sometimes it's good to chuckle in between sword fights!

He wants to inspire the imagination of others, just as he's been inspired; with dashing heroes, epic quests and vile villains.

So reader beware, you aren't just opening a book, but a doorway into Andrew's imagination. It'll be a strange journey, but an entertaining one!

Reviews

[Arista Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshingly fantastic adventure!

When I read the blurb for Andrew Claydon's debut novel, The Simple Delivery, and he was able to make me laugh, twice, in less that 160 words, I knew I had to take a chance on this book.

I have always enjoyed reading epic fantasy books. They're the first book genre I truly fell in love with, but The Simple Delivery is truly something special.

It's not just the relateability of the main character, Nicholas, and his pure irritation at having his life meddled with by mystical forces. It's not just the beautiful and varied collection of companions he gathers throughout his journey. It's not even, just, the cleverly woven rivalry of the enemy factions that we're introduced to, indicating complex lore, and richly thought out layers of worldbuilding.

What really makes this book stand out to me is the crisp, sharp, dry, and utterly hilarious voice of the narrator. The irreverent manner in which this epic fantasy tale is told. I don't think there was a single chapter that didn't have me at least grinning at my screen, and at best, laughing aloud.

Andrew Claydon's writing is fresh, and enjoyable, and fun, and his tone is sometimes so amsusing as to almost be a paradoy of what I've come to expect from the fantasy genre.

I will be buying a copy to sit proudly on my bookshelf, and am eagerly looking forward to reading more of this authors work in the future.

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

[Blaise · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...

Nicholas lives a simple life until the day his world will be changed forever. He is tasked with making a simple delivery to a knight of the Kingdom on a well known bridge. Seems easy enough, but that knight never shows up while Nicholas is ambused and winds up nearly drowning. Now stranded in the middle of nowhere, Nicholas is left to pick up the pieces of his mission and try to find his way home. Nicholas adventures have only just begun.

I actually supported the release of this book on kickstarter and I’m pleased to say this was such a joy to read. The humor and banter in this novel is what kept me returning to it everyday. Nicholas is an unwilling hero to say the least but he will always be there to help those in need. The first creature he meets on his journey is an orc named Garaz. Not your angry and violent orc from The Lord of the Rings, but a friendly one who can use magic and make healing potions. Garaz is always full of surpirses and a loyal friend. Next we encounter the non-binary shape changer named Shift. Very deadly with their skills and Shift takes on the role of the brute in the company but will fight to any enemy to complete the task. Finally we have the fallen warrior Auron, who has returned to the mortal realm as a spirit. Auron takes on the mentor role for Nicholas but the problem is only he and Garaz can see him. His combat training will be essential if the company wishes to foil the plans of several vampire families from creating havoc.

This is a classical sword and sorcery novel written with a few modern twists. Pacing is quick throughout the novel and it felt like each chapter ended in a spot where I never wanted to stop reading. This type of story has been written many times before but the witty lines that Andrew Claydon wrote down had me giggling multiple times each night. Simply Delivery is not a game changer type of novel but an adventure you will want to see to the very end. I believe this is the authors debut novel in a seven book series so there will be plenty more to come from our heros.

This is a story I am pleased to have picked up and share with the community. The second book in the series was actually just funded on kickstarter and should be released early next year. That is a novel already on my TBR and a series I intend to see through to the end.

Cheers!

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Image being a normal person, trying to live a normal life, when suddenly you're thrust into a position you really don't want! This book had me giggling almost from the onset, a reluctant hero, a bumbling Oracle,(those scenes had me laughing out loud!) In fact, the humour continues throughout, very refreshingly written in. How one cannot help loving Nicolas is a testament to the author, starting with his name, Nicolas Percival Carnegie has such a beautiful ring to it, almost aristocrat not that he is! He tries so hard to be honourable, to do the right thing, although that might not actually BE the right thing! He's tasked with delivering a message, to whom and when is up for debate and I could almost see poor Nicolas scratching his head in confusion. There's plenty of action as well that kept me entertained. In fact, this is probably the most entertaining book I've read in a long while! And when Orcs and Vampires enter the frey, well, what more needs to be said! There's also a solid plot, as well as terrific characters including mercenaries and even a necromancer. The vividly descriptive scenes were so real, I could almost smell the smoke and see the dust of the slain vampires. Nicolas remains real throughout, his reactions are true, his conflicted thoughts spot on, his sense of right is so profound that his angst and reasoning after killing a Vampire is quite poignant. Nicolas is the supposed hero yet he's the one being rescued, saved, again and again. I loved the fact that he wasn't a typical "hero", even though the fate of the world rested on his reluctant shoulders. He IS a hero in my book, anyone so righteous is a hero. He's so down to earth, after everything he went through, on his return to his village, in response to "what happened" he replied " I delivered a message, it just took longer than I thought". Just loved this book!

[Sara G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun read! Nicolas is a very engaging anti-hero that very much reminds me of some of my college friends who just want to stay home and play video games. (Though this is not a contemporary fantasy.) In the beginning it reminded me a bit of Robert Asprin/Piers Anthony (Without quite so much punning. : ) in that the author does approaches the fantasy world with a bit of tongue in cheek irreverence of standard fantasy stereotypes and uses the fantasy world to have a bit of fun with the 'I just want to stay home' protagonist becoming aware of current social conventions - like dealing with falling for a punchy they/them shape-shifter.
I actually took a star off because about 2/5ths the way through the book, the balance between playfulness and seriousness shifts. For me, the vampires get a bit too silly, while the necromancer gets a bit too serious.
Still, if you're looking for a fun, playful read that doesn't get bogged down with romance or /too/ much character angst, this is a nice afternoon escape from the real world.

***Note: I was giving a free ARC copy of this book.***

[Michael Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let me say that this story was highly entertaining. It was a unique spin on familiar tropes and story arcs--giving it a familiar feel with enough new stuff to keep a reader engaged.

I enjoyed the characters a great deal--they each had distinct personalities and they blended together quite well. Garaz was my favorite, but they all shine at different parts.

I thought Andy did an excellent job writing action scenes (a skill many struggle with), and the pacing between said scenes was superb. There weren't many parts that felt slow or where I found myself skimming through.

So, why not five stars? Well, I know for a fact that he hired an editor, but there are grammar, typo, or punctuation issues at a clip of almost one per page. The story does enough to overcome the issue and I'm not one to let little mistakes take away from a good story, but it was frequent enough that it did become a distraction at times.

[Becky James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulously funny and touching tale!

Nicolas is a normal boy who likes his life mundane when he is thrust into a duty he definitely does not want. However, it's just delivering a message. That should be simple, right?

Tone-wise, this book is a good mixture of tense and amusing. There were some laugh out loud funny scenes and also some very touching scenes. Nicolas gets by with a mixture of luck and being himself, helping where he can, which stands him in very good stead. There are diverse characters handled well, so kudos for that, and raises some great questions about unconscious bias and what it means to be a true hero.

The pacing could have done with a touch more tightening up, but the mystery unfolded well, and the twist at the end genuinely had my eyebrows raising to the ceiling. I'm excited for the next installment! Keep writing, Andy!

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic epic fantasy read about a shy boy from the village who turns into a hero. The author has done a great job on the world building and the story telling. You are hooked from the start as we follow Nicolas on his epic journey to deliver a letter. It’s a bumpy road and he meets some strange and unusual characters (not all of them good) along the way and it was interesting to see him change and grow though stay down to earth. The humour had me laughing out loud on more then one occasion, there’s some action and of course the fate of the world rests on Nicolas’s shoulders so no pressure. It’s was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to more from this author.

[Lisa Heiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Action-Packed Read

This was a great book with the author describing the characters and the world itself in detail. Each scene is written so you feel like you are right there yourself. Plus, I enjoyed the humor interlaced within between the main characters as well. Nicolas' character grew throughout the book which was nice to see such a realistic progression from someone who was just a "regular Joe," turn into a hero himself as the book went on. I anticipate that the next book should be just as good as this one!

[Paul Birch · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book based in a fictional world but providing believable characters and a cleverly woven story. It draws you in and manages to make you laugh and to feel for the team that forms as the story unfolds.
This is the start of The Chronicles of the Dawnblade. The Chronicles are being written and the second in the series is due on December 5th. Having found myself fully absorbed in the first book I am eagerly awaiting the next.

[Bonnie Milani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not so simple

This is a delightful coming of age romp following one seriously reluctant delivery boy-cum-hero. It was great fun watching this whiner gradually come to terms with his own flaws and manage to save the day. Excellent twist at the end.

[echo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was fantastic loved the adventure so much loved the characters

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the year of the choosing, and Nicholas was summoned to attend the oracle, and even though he did not want to be chosen, and said so, as luck would have it he was. All Nicholas wanted was to stay safe in Hablock, the small village which he loved just as it was, however now he was expected to venture into the unknown to deliver a message from the deities to the hero, as he was the word bearer. It was meant to be just a day away from his home but in fact things turned out quite differently for poor Nicholas. He was attacked in the forest, lost his backpack with supplies, then encountered mercenaries and nearly lost his life, and all this before even delivering his message. He bonded with a spirit, that of Auron Dawnblade, the hero, and was persuaded to follow the mercenaries who were up to no good. He teamed up with an orc, Garaz the wizard healer, and with Shift, the shapeshifter, and together they faced a necromancer and a horde of vampires in a battle like no other to save their world from the undead, who intended taking over the city for starters. Nicholas was no warrior and never intended to be a hero, he was a homebody, and suffered from panic attacks when afraid, which had become continuous during his travels, however the Dawnblade which he now wielded, almost turned him into one, and his moral compass well made up for his lack of courage. I love the characters in this book, I must admit I was quite surprised to find Auron as a spirit, but love that he is still the brash hero he was in the previous book even though he is quite annoying at times. I would dearly love to go on reading more of the chronicles since it seems the evil threat is not yet wiped out, and I am very pleasantly surprised to find such an excellent series by such a new author, for a first book this is amazing and I highly recommend reading.

[Yael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book–at first more thanks to the secondary characters, however the main character grows, and comes into his role by the end of the book. The writing style, vivid characters, and action, deliver a great beginning to a promising series.

[Robbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This rounds up to 3 stars. It was pretty decent for a self-published first novel. The story was genuinely good and the plot played out well, expressing some fairly clever ideas. The writing style, however, wasn't quite what I enjoy. It was a bit wordy at the wrong times and I sometimes felt that the wrong things were given space in the storytelling. I think that the protagonist would have benefited from having had a life that he actually liked displayed in the novel so that he actually had a reason to want to stay, and then later return, home.

[André · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Simple Delivery is the ‘reluctant hero’-story at it’s best. Nicolas Percival Carnegie – and I love that he insists on using his full name all the time – is probably the absolute opposite of Bilbo Baggins. He is a normal village boy who wants to continue his life as it is, definitely no adventures, please. But one day he becomes the chosen messenger for the oracle who lives closeby. He is tasked with the delivery of a message and reluctantly he agrees, simply because he does not see an easy way out and also because he takes his responsibilities very serious. And after all, delivering a message shouldn’t be that difficult to manage even though he is lacking some specifics. Go there, repeat the words, go back to the village to continue with his life. Of course, this does not happen and instead he is thrust into an adventure.

What begins as a more or less pure comedy turns at some point into a very enjoyable blend of comedy and adventure. The vibe somehow reminded me of old adventure games on the computer (Simon the Sorcerer, King’s Quest,… - yes, I am that old, thank you), the balance between funny, tense and touching moments was really well done. And Nicolas’ character development was completely convincing, because he stays true to himself throughout the whole story. I really liked that. There are also strong and diverse side-characters that hopefully get more stage-time in future installments to shine a bit more. But they raised some interesting questions that we hopefully get more into in the future. Claydon’s writing is very smooth.

To sum it up, The Simple Delivery is a very enjoyable and entertaining read. Strongly recommended.

[Kozyreadsxo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Simple Delivery had me laughing from literally the first page. I received an advance listening copy and honestly didn’t expect to love it as much as I did, but this book completely won me over. Timothy Drennan’s narration absolutely nailed the comedic timing and character voices, so much so that I went and bought the Kindle version just to re-read and highlight my favorite bits.

Nicolas Percival Carnegie is a 21-year-old village guy who loves his simple life and has zero interest in adventure. Of course, fate has other plans. When the Oracle “chooses” him to deliver a message, Nicolas tries everything to squirm out of it, even reasoning that maybe if he just tells the Oracle he doesn’t want to be chosen, they’ll pick someone else. The Oracle basically says “chosen is chosen” and sends him on his way whether he likes it or not. Our reluctant hero gets dragged kicking and screaming into a quest he never asked for.

The comedy kicks in immediately. Nicolas is sarcastic, endearingly whiny, and constantly running internal commentary about how utterly done he is with this nonsense. He’s never even picked up a sword before, though at least he knows not to hold it by the pointy end. Watching him set off with just a dagger at his side while muttering about life’s unfairness had me cackling.

Of course, the “simple delivery” becomes anything but simple. One near-death experience later, Nicolas realizes he’s stumbled into something huge. The message he’s carrying is tied to a plot against the kingdom, and suddenly he’s dealing with a dark necromancer raising an army of vampires to destroy the realm. Nicolas’s reaction to learning this is basically “Are you freaking kidding me?” which was exactly my reaction too.

Thankfully, Nicolas gathers the most delightfully oddball crew of companions, giving the story major Dungeons & Dragons party vibes. Auron of Tellmark is the legendary hero mentor who’s just past his prime and loves regaling everyone with tales of his glory days. He’s over-the-top heroic in a lovable, himbo uncle way—not to mention he’s a spirit and not everyone could see him at first, which adds another layer of comedy to his interactions. After seeing a bloody warning scrawled on a dungeon wall, Auron just nods and goes, “Ah, the universal symbol for ‘bugger off or die.’ How quaint.” His deadpan humor had me rolling.

Garaz is an honest-to-gods orc mage who might be the coolest orc I’ve encountered in fantasy recently. He’s big, green, can hurl fireballs, and has this dry wit that plays perfectly off Nicolas’s sarcasm. The unlikely friendship between cautious Nicolas and gruff Garaz gave me all the found family feels.

Shift is a shapeshifting thief who uses they/them pronouns and serves as the ultimate wildcard of the group. They can change their appearance at will and use it for maximum mischief. Shift is confident, sassy, and a total scene-stealer. The way they’re introduced had me in stitches - the team finds this thief mid-heist, and after some chaos, Shift ends up joining them by shapeshifting into a pompous villain to confuse a bunch of orcs.

This ragtag fellowship bickers and bonds and accidentally stumbles into heroism together. Their chemistry is perfect. Despite coming from wildly different backgrounds, they form a tight-knit team with genuine found family vibes that hit hard by the end.

The pacing is fast and furious - it’s just over 230 pages but packed with action and shenanigans. Some spoiler-heavy highlights that I loved: the vampire den scene where Nicolas stumbles into a room full of vampires, frantically looking around for “the other human” they’re smelling until he realizes he IS the only human in the room. Twelve vampires turn to stare at him and he just blurts “Oh, crap.” The ensuing chase had me both laughing and on edge.

The dungeon escape involves Shift impersonating a gaoler, Garaz using explosive magic unexpectedly, and Nicolas accidentally knocking himself over with sword recoil. By the time they’re crawling through underground tunnels, bickering about directions, I had tears of laughter in my eyes.

The final battle at the barracks is chef’s kiss fantasy fun - orc berserkers and vampire hordes swarming the walls while our motley crew fights in the thick of it. Nicolas is crossing swords with undead enemies while cracking nervous jokes to keep himself sane. When the necromancer has Auron on the ropes, Nicolas throws himself between them with zero clue what he’s doing, swinging his sword wildly while yelling “Please don’t kill me!” It’s messy and hilarious but actually turns the tide.

Through it all, Nicolas remains the most reluctant hero ever. He doesn’t suddenly become fearless - during the final battle he’s still muttering “I just want to go home!” But he steps up when it counts, proving you don’t need to be naturally heroic to become one.

What I loved most was how this book balances genuine heart with consistent humor. The comedy never undermines the character development or relationships. Nicolas’s growth from cowardly courier to accidental hero feels both funny and oddly inspiring. The found family dynamics between this ridiculous crew gave me all the warm feelings, especially watching Nicolas go from desperately wanting to ditch these weirdos to thinking of them as true friends.

The world-building strikes a nice balance between satire and genuine fantasy elements. We get orcs, vampires, necromancers - all the classic staples - but presented in a fresh, humorous light. There are hints of deeper lore and politics that suggest a bigger world beyond this story, which I’m excited to explore in future books.

This was such a refreshing change from my usual heavy romantasy reads. No brooding characters or intense angst here - just a fun, wild adventure that reminded me fantasy can be pure entertainment. The humor is spot-on, witty without being silly, sometimes parodying classic fantasy tropes in clever ways.

I’m giving this 4 out of 5 stars. It’s not a life-changing masterpiece, but it’s absolutely a blast and a new favorite for when I need to laugh. The only reason it’s not 5 stars is because I reserve that rating for books that fundamentally impact me. This one altered my mood completely though - it made me genuinely happy while reading, which is priceless.

I’m already looking forward to the sequel. If you love epic fantasy quests but also love to laugh at the absurdity of it all, do yourself a favor and pick this up. Just be prepared to deliver yourself straight into an all-night reading binge.

[Elisa Menz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was on my radar for a while until I couldn't resist my curiosity anymore. I love fantasy but (please don't kill me) it can be exhausting to read sometimes. This book is refreshing in so many ways! I loved the way the author didn't overwhelm the reader with heavy worldbuilding but still managed to create a believable world.
Messages from the Gods through a severely unreliable channel? We can work with it.
Vampires? Sure!
Non-binary, shape-shifting damsels in distress? "Call me a damsel again and you'll learn what distress really means!"
Nicolas is the ultimate reluctant hero. He never changes his mind about his distaste for adventure. On the other hand and much to his dismay, he isn't the kind of guy who can turn his back on other people's pain. He's a goody-two-shoes but one we can relate to. He will save the day, complain thoroughly, and won't enjoy a second of it.
Definitely recommend this to anyone with a sense of humor.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Everyday Hero . . .

I love the humor and irreverence in this story line. Right from the first page I started chuckling at the description of Nicolas’ travel on the bumpy road. He is supposed to deliver a message which is presumed to be a simple task. Instead, he gets embroiled in all sorts of adventures as he tangles with villains, magic, and more undead creatures than he is comfortable with.

Yet this unlikely shy person, who had been sheltered in his little village all his life, somehow becomes a hero. I will quote one sentence which I believe should convince the reader to grab this book and enjoy every word: “Thousands of lives are in the hands of someone who has never even picked up a sword, but at least he knows not to hold it by the pointy end.”

I still have tears of laughter from that one. Perfect!

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! When we first meet Nicholas, he is quite whiny and doesn't want to do the task he is chosen to do because it would require him to leave his safe village. But that isn't an option, and leave he must. What follows is the unluckiest of paths he can encounter. But Nicholas continues to endure, shockingly, and meets companions along the way. The author does a wonderful job bringing you into this world and making you a companion as well. You're tossed in the dungeon, crawling thru tunnels, sleeping in barracks, and crossing swords to save each other right along with our crew. The humor and humanity keep this book from being weighed down too heavily, and the gallows' humor especially keep their imminent deaths from seeming so terrible. I'm not sure what's next for Nicholas Carnage, but I hope for his sake, it includes his companions.

"Chosen is chosen"

[Leigh W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun take on the reluctant hero trope. What I really appreciated with the character is that he grew but didn't change. So many of these types of books has the character completely transforming into the hero we all expect. Our main character grew as a person but fundamentally remained the same which is refreshing. The humor was good, it made me chuckle and laugh out loud at times. I enjoyed each of the characters we were introduced to. The scene where they rescue damsel in distress was just amazing. There were a few spots where it dragged for me a bit but I was able to get through those spots and they weren't many. I am very excited to see how this series continues and if we will be seeing the group join together again.

[Phi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: just finished the audiobook for a reread, and it was marvelous! The narrator did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. The voices fit the story so well! I can't wait for the rest of the series to come to audio as well!

This was such a wonderful story! So full of humor, I seriously laughed aloud several times. The humor is this one was right up my alley. I loved how the story was so full of action, yet never felt overly tense. Just a fun adventure with a few fights (some larger scale than others). The characters were all so fun and wonderful too! I look forward to the next book!

[Heather Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant funny read

I loved this funny epic fantasy from start to finish. There were many laugh out loud moments and I enjoyed it throughly. I couldn’t put it down. I can't wait for the next instalment. I'm rooting for Nick Carnage!

[Lisa Papi · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some things about this book I liked, and some things I absolutely did not like. Because of that, a 3 star rating seems fair.

For the first fifteen chapters, I found the main character more annoying than endearing, with the constant whining, low self esteem, and feeling sorry for himself. By chapter 7 I was seriously considering putting the book down and moving on to something else, but decided to push on. It was not until 3/4th of the way through the book that he finally became more engaging. The other characters really saved the story, being far more entertaining and engaging. I would have liked to see him reach that level of growth much earlier in the story.
Additionally, I absolutely did not like one of the main characters, Swift, being defined as "gender neutral" and all the disruption that created within the story....it also stuck me as very ingenuous, considering the so-called gender neutral character was portrayed as a very pretty young woman, and romantic interest of the MC through half the book. Also, the continuous use of "they/them", using a plural designation for a singular character, was disruptive to the flow and downright irritating at times. I would have enjoyed it more if Swift, being a shapeshifter, had actually shifted occasionally other than only when it/they/them were introduced, without all the angst over how the other characters referred to it/they/them, who was in a fact, a very pretty young woman....so confusing!

Having said that, the actual premise of the story was great....a reluctant hero trapped by circumstances beyond his control, having to face things he never expected to have to deal with in his quiet, safe, small town life. A ragtag group with nothing in common brought together unexpectedly and accomplishing unbelievable things. The twists and turns, action packed scenes, and comedic relief were well done. The epilogue paved the way nicely for future stories.

Unfortunately, I will not be reading them.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a ton of fun to read. It is a lighter book with lots of humor and a main hero who doesn't want to be a hero.

The main character, Nicholas, is not the typical hero you normally see in a fantasy book. In fact, he doesn't even want to be a hero and is a bit of a wimp. Honestly, I feel like Nicholas is how most people might be if they were forced into a dangerous quest without any sort of training or preparation, which makes him feel like a more human and relatable character. In spite of this, he does keep trying to help those around him even though he is often very unsuited toand terrified of the quests he undertakes.

The plot moved along at a good pace and the story was very funny while also being a very enjoyable adventure fantasy story. There are several characters who show up throughout the story and join Nicholas on his quest. These characters were all a lot of fun, with unique personalities that often broke standard fantasy tropes. One example is an orc who is very well-spoken and polite and is a healer. There is a good mix of different fantasy elements in this story that combine to make a very enjoyable read.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a fun and humorous fantasy adventure.

I received a digital copy of this book from the author for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Vancil C. Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Simple Delivery (book 1 of The Chronicles of the Dawn Blade)
I received this as an ARC and to give an honest review of the content. Now, on to the review!
There are any number of interesting, and very devious, characters in this story, but the MC, Nicolas, is the penultimate 'work in progress' if there ever was one! And I say this in a good way because Nicolas always tries to do what is right, even when he is scared to death or unsure of the outcomes of his actions. Speaking of action there is plenty of that! Nic was selected to deliver an important but somewhat ambiguous message to an unspecified 'Hero' who would be crossing a bridge sometime during the afternoon, or the evening. The snarky humor continues throughout the story; love it! Nic is captured by mercenaries and thrown into a dungeon. The 'spirit' of a great warrior, most likely the one the message was intended for!, helps Nic to escape. The action picks up as vampires, orcs, and a devious necromancer make plans to 'change the world'! I could not stop reading this story once I started! Let me warn you about the ending – there will be a major twist you will not see coming! I am really looking forward to the next book in this series!

[The Book Dragon's Hoard by A.V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of The Simple Delivery is unique and made for a fun read. Nicolas is chosen to carry a divine message to a hero in the hope of saving humanity. But this is the last thing Nicolas wants. He is not a reluctant hero, but a reluctant messenger. So reluctant in fact, he's the butt of a whole number of jokes from the rag-tag group of misfits he manages to rally to his cause. Together with the ghost of a murdered hero, a healer orc, and a person of unidentified identity, Nicolas is thrown feet-first into an adventure where necromancers and an army of vampires make life complicated.

The story has many moments of humour and I certainly chuckled in many of them, although I feel there was scope for so much more. There were many situations where I felt I should have laughed out loud, but for some reason either the author's style or something else just didn't have what I needed for the humour to pack a punch. Another detractor for me was the constant pronoun confusion, which often threw me out of the story and forced me to backtrack to be sure I was following who was doing what.

For what it's worth, The Simple Delivery offers an entertaining read.

[Dorothy Drennen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read about a fantasy book or read a summary or read a review,there are two words that casue me to flee as if from a hot flame.: "cozy" and "vampire."
I am not sure where I learned about this trilogy, but those words were not mentioned. Good thing. I found the characters to be well-portrayed -- I liked all four of the heroic band very much. Shift the shapeshifter, Garaz the mage org, Auron the spirit... and most of all, Nicolas the reluctant hero. "Just because you’re chosen, doesn’t mean you want to be." Nicolas is Chosen to bear a message from the Deities to a Hero... he has zero interest in the role or the mission, but lacking any reasonable exit from the plan, sets off as the Word Bearer. From there... he meets villains and heroes and villagers and soldiers... and yes, vampires. Worldbuilding is good, and the writing includes a fair bit of humor
The story is very engaging. I rated it four stars mostly because the book would have benefited from one more round of proofreading/editing.... too many errors, and I always find that so distracting!

[SC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this audiobook! At first I was a little worried that the narrator didn't suit me , but I'm glad I stuck it out because the way he told the story was fantastic! You could really hear the emotion in his voice and it was easy to distinguish the characters from each other.

I absolutely loved this ragtag group of aspiring heroes. I loved how nothing was straightforward or predictable , I was rooting for them the whole way ! It also had a very unexpected twist which has me really looking forward to the second installment !

There were moments that I found my mind losing focus on the tale , but it usually did reel me back in very quickly as it was quite fast paced.

Overall I had a wonderful time with plenty of laughs out loud and will be continuing with the series! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a unique and different take on the "hero on a quest" fantasy genre!

[A.M. Portman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun adventure story; it had a lighter, humorous tone with modern phrases and slang, which at times reminded me of some of the dialogue used in Avatar the last Airbender. It’s a fantasy story very fitting for the genre, with orcs, shapeshifters, vampires, ghosts and other usual fantasy elements. The main character’s story arc was a lot like playing world of Warcraft, with a very reluctant, average-Joe MC getting side-quested into heroism, and that was a lot of fun. The book’s greatest strength was its well-written plot, with ever-rising stakes and plenty of exciting action and a very well done final battle, where every time you think it’s over, it’s not, until the final boss is defeated. It took me a little while to get into the book at first, and the main character won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I became fond of him by the end.

[Deborah Svensson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicolas lives in a small village, never having been outside it and is quite content with that. When he is chosen by the oracle to perform a task for the deities, he reluctantly accepts. He fearfully sets out on his task to deliver a message, which is luckily well within reach for him to walk to, deliver the message and be back home by evening.

Nicolas’s travel is not without eventful happenings however, leaving him terrified. He easily passes out from fright often and at the smallest things, vomits in fearful situations and is generally just a trembling tongue-tied mess. His quick adventure ends up being extended well past his one day away, as he finds himself on a very reluctant adventure with three unlikely travel companions, where they find themselves trying to rescue others and ultimately try to save the kingdom.

This was a very entertaining book to read that I quite enjoyed.