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Salvation
A man wakes on a frozen battlefield when a scavenging couple finds him among the dead. As they nurse him back to health, he is struck with the horrible realization he can’t remember who he is or anything about his past. Taken in by the kind pair, he begins helping with their farm. She even takes him to meet her family, especially her single sister. The ideal life offered in the high mountains of Winigh is shattered when he sees a transport bringing enemy monsters to the shores below. Cut off by high snow on the pass, their fate will soon be the same as the town his company failed to protect in the last battle, if this estranged soldier cannot help them fight off the next wave of invaders. Even worse, the people of the town don’t trust this Selene soldier. He has a strange resistance to their folk magic which some say make him as dangerous as the enemies preparing to destroy them.
220 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2014
302 people want to read
About the author
James Wymore
33 books54 followersJames Wymore grew up on a heavy diet of movies and books that morphed his real life adventures into imaginary worlds. His published works span the fiction spectrum, including many different genres in the best-selling Actuator series. He’s an acquisitions editor, running games with hundreds of players at conventions. http://jameswymore.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 5, 2014
Fantastic! That is one word of many to describe this book. This was the first book I ever read by James Wymore. And I can now say it won't be the last. A new land is brought to life, filled with vivid characters, amazing scenery, and pulse-pounding anticipation!
The book starts off with a man who wakes up with no memory and is given the name "Elwood" by the couple that found him. He was the lone survivor of an enemy attack by a race of sea monsters called the Hyzoi. Elwood quickly settles into life with the couple as a part of the family. But still his past haunts him. He is torn between the secrets of the battle and who he was and the life he is now happy with.
A few seasons after he is saved he spots the Hyzoi bringing in more ships to attack once again. It is winter and the mountain community is cut off from any help. If an army was defeated by these monsters what can a 100 villagers do?!
This story builds in such a way that you cannot tear your eyes from it. Like a single small ember as it ripples, shifts, sparks and builds into a blaze! That is what happens here. The pace is calm, and serene. The landscape and lifestyle presented to us in a way that frees the imagination. I could see each cottage and homestead. Each character was wonderfully portrayed. Macey and Bowen especially tugged at my heart.
The depth that is given is amazing! This story is heartfelt and dramatic. Part drama and romance mixed with intrigue and adventure. Not to mention an stunning battle. Each new scene presented I could feel a part of. The tragedies moved me to near tears, the anticipation of battle had me on the edge of me seat, nervous for these characters you easily come to love and adore.
The only downsides were these: One it was short. I wanted more!!! And secondly Elwoods past may be unknown to him but for me it was painstakingly obvious. So a little less clues there would have added a bit more to the story.
Otherwise, I loved this book! I am eager to read more books by James Wymore and I highly encourage this book to anyone who loves fantasy, epic battles, surviving/chases or even fans for historical romance. The blending of aspects makes this an appealing read for men and women about equally. So be sure to check this book out!
*Special thanks to Curiosity Quills Press for allowing me to read a copy of this book through Adobe Digital Editions. This was provided via Netgalley in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.*
The book starts off with a man who wakes up with no memory and is given the name "Elwood" by the couple that found him. He was the lone survivor of an enemy attack by a race of sea monsters called the Hyzoi. Elwood quickly settles into life with the couple as a part of the family. But still his past haunts him. He is torn between the secrets of the battle and who he was and the life he is now happy with.
A few seasons after he is saved he spots the Hyzoi bringing in more ships to attack once again. It is winter and the mountain community is cut off from any help. If an army was defeated by these monsters what can a 100 villagers do?!
This story builds in such a way that you cannot tear your eyes from it. Like a single small ember as it ripples, shifts, sparks and builds into a blaze! That is what happens here. The pace is calm, and serene. The landscape and lifestyle presented to us in a way that frees the imagination. I could see each cottage and homestead. Each character was wonderfully portrayed. Macey and Bowen especially tugged at my heart.
The depth that is given is amazing! This story is heartfelt and dramatic. Part drama and romance mixed with intrigue and adventure. Not to mention an stunning battle. Each new scene presented I could feel a part of. The tragedies moved me to near tears, the anticipation of battle had me on the edge of me seat, nervous for these characters you easily come to love and adore.
The only downsides were these: One it was short. I wanted more!!! And secondly Elwoods past may be unknown to him but for me it was painstakingly obvious. So a little less clues there would have added a bit more to the story.
Otherwise, I loved this book! I am eager to read more books by James Wymore and I highly encourage this book to anyone who loves fantasy, epic battles, surviving/chases or even fans for historical romance. The blending of aspects makes this an appealing read for men and women about equally. So be sure to check this book out!
*Special thanks to Curiosity Quills Press for allowing me to read a copy of this book through Adobe Digital Editions. This was provided via Netgalley in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.*
June 24, 2014
*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley*
Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com
'Salvation' by James Wymore is a gripping fantasy tale, full of action, suspense and romance. I liked the magic system the author invented, I think it was pretty unique and I was interested to know more about it. The characters could've been more developed, but overall I found them appealing. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I will look forward to reading other books by James Wymore.
Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com
'Salvation' by James Wymore is a gripping fantasy tale, full of action, suspense and romance. I liked the magic system the author invented, I think it was pretty unique and I was interested to know more about it. The characters could've been more developed, but overall I found them appealing. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I will look forward to reading other books by James Wymore.
October 16, 2014
Amnesia plot can be a great way to introduce reader to your imaginary world. And it also makes an introduction full of tension. When I read a summary for Salvation, it reminded me of one of my all-time favorite movies The Bourne Identity. So I was looking forward to reading it.
Similar to The Bourne Identity in Salvation wounded soldier is saved from death on a battlefield by two villagers, a husband and wife. They turn out to be scavengers who use a military equipment from the battlefields in everyday life. Still, they do not lack compassion and nurse the soldier back to health. The soldier has amnesia so they name him Elwood. Elwood might turn out to be their salvation when invaders attack nearby small mountain village called Winigh.
The world building is pretty sparse. But it worked. Elwood has amnesia and does not remember anything. And other characters live in god-forsaken village so they do not know what is happening except some big news. For example: they know there is a war in progress, but they don’t know details about attackers, Hyzoi. This was too bad since they are weird looking amphibians and I would have loved to know more about their culture and reasons for war.
The magic is also not explained. Villagers know that some of them have magic. But how the hell it works they do not know. It just does.
There is even a love story hidden in a plot, but it was shadowed with battles. There is no time for romance in war.
The battles were very well written. I was often biting my nails waiting to see how it will be resolved. There were a couple of good twists that gave the war an air of unexpected.
The ending was too tame and ordinary for me. I expected something more original if we took in regard originality of invaders.
In The End..
I hoped for a lot of action, and of course a good fantasy, and I am happy to report that Salvation delivered all that. And it’s a standalone novel! A rare occurrence in fantasy genre. The world and magic might not be explained much but there are a lot of intense battle scenes to make up for it.
Recommended for fans of fantasy (duh) with amnesia plots, small mountain town settings, siege battles, …
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
Similar to The Bourne Identity in Salvation wounded soldier is saved from death on a battlefield by two villagers, a husband and wife. They turn out to be scavengers who use a military equipment from the battlefields in everyday life. Still, they do not lack compassion and nurse the soldier back to health. The soldier has amnesia so they name him Elwood. Elwood might turn out to be their salvation when invaders attack nearby small mountain village called Winigh.
“I’ll die before I see Winigh destroyed by Hyzoi.” He made the oath easily, deep down knowing he must already be bound by similar oaths now forgotten.
“I don’t think we need another person to die for us,” Bowen said as he scratched his salt and pepper beard. “Way I see it, we need somebody who can live for us.”
The world building is pretty sparse. But it worked. Elwood has amnesia and does not remember anything. And other characters live in god-forsaken village so they do not know what is happening except some big news. For example: they know there is a war in progress, but they don’t know details about attackers, Hyzoi. This was too bad since they are weird looking amphibians and I would have loved to know more about their culture and reasons for war.
The magic is also not explained. Villagers know that some of them have magic. But how the hell it works they do not know. It just does.
There is even a love story hidden in a plot, but it was shadowed with battles. There is no time for romance in war.
The battles were very well written. I was often biting my nails waiting to see how it will be resolved. There were a couple of good twists that gave the war an air of unexpected.
“They saw him as a general who could lead them to victory, but they did not know the cost of victory in war. When they did, he would no longer be a hero. They would think of him as a butcher. His only comfort would be in knowing they would still be alive to have those thoughts.”
The ending was too tame and ordinary for me. I expected something more original if we took in regard originality of invaders.
In The End..
I hoped for a lot of action, and of course a good fantasy, and I am happy to report that Salvation delivered all that. And it’s a standalone novel! A rare occurrence in fantasy genre. The world and magic might not be explained much but there are a lot of intense battle scenes to make up for it.
Recommended for fans of fantasy (duh) with amnesia plots, small mountain town settings, siege battles, …
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
May 17, 2014
Elwood has no memory of who he is or where he came from. All he knows is that he was a soldier wounded while fighting against the monstrous Hyzoi; a race of armored mermen with razor sharp teeth and claws. Nursed back to health and taken in by Macey and Bowen—the kindly older couple who find him nearly dead on the banks of a frozen river—Elwood quickly becomes part of their family. Macey even lines Elwood up with her younger sister, and the prospect of a peaceful agrarian life helps him to begin to move on. But all that changes when Elwood spots a horde of Hyzoi advancing on his new home. Now he is forced to use his military training and intrinsic leadership skills to prepare the people of Winigh to desperately defend against an innumerable foe.
Salvation is a fast paced and emotionally immersive tale of courage and survival, expertly interwoven with inspiring threads of love and heroic sacrifice. With an epic siege reminiscent of Peter Jackson’s Battle of Helm’s Deep, Salvation is an intelligently written and exciting piece of standalone fiction that is riveting right up until the last word. Five stars for the elegant and emotional Salvation by James Wymore.
Salvation is a fast paced and emotionally immersive tale of courage and survival, expertly interwoven with inspiring threads of love and heroic sacrifice. With an epic siege reminiscent of Peter Jackson’s Battle of Helm’s Deep, Salvation is an intelligently written and exciting piece of standalone fiction that is riveting right up until the last word. Five stars for the elegant and emotional Salvation by James Wymore.
May 21, 2014
Salvation is a gripping, emotional fantasy novel by James Wymore. Set in the mythical kingdom of Sel, it follows the journey of a soldier as he learns lessons of honor, destiny, and love.
A man awakes amid the carnage of battle with no memory of who he was. Kind villagers take him in and nurse him back to health, and he joins their community. When their peaceful village is threatened by the same enemies responsible for his blank mind, he uses what little he can recall to turn farmers and peasants into soldiers in a battle for survival against overwhelming odds.
The characters are deep and brought out in a believable way that brought me in and got me emotionally invested. James has an interesting take on magic that is different and unique, which he weaves into the narrative in a way that explains it without bogging down the story.
I did think Elwood's relationship with Jewel progressed from "hello" to "lets get married" a bit fast, and the running for dear life parts at the end felt a tad drawn out. There is mention of a strange darkness which is never addressed, nor is any true resolution provided to explain the nature of the conflict with the Hyzoi (the amphibious enemy.)
Overall, it's an engaging story with likable characters that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer.
A man awakes amid the carnage of battle with no memory of who he was. Kind villagers take him in and nurse him back to health, and he joins their community. When their peaceful village is threatened by the same enemies responsible for his blank mind, he uses what little he can recall to turn farmers and peasants into soldiers in a battle for survival against overwhelming odds.
The characters are deep and brought out in a believable way that brought me in and got me emotionally invested. James has an interesting take on magic that is different and unique, which he weaves into the narrative in a way that explains it without bogging down the story.
I did think Elwood's relationship with Jewel progressed from "hello" to "lets get married" a bit fast, and the running for dear life parts at the end felt a tad drawn out. There is mention of a strange darkness which is never addressed, nor is any true resolution provided to explain the nature of the conflict with the Hyzoi (the amphibious enemy.)
Overall, it's an engaging story with likable characters that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer.
May 11, 2014
First things first, I got this book from publishers as an ARC for review, so thank you Curiosity Quills Press for this opportunity.
This book is just what the blurb advertises it to be. It is a Heroic Fantasy novel which doesn't really do anything different but has a solid prose and some nicely written action. Despite being quite enjoyable in its faster scenes the predictability of the overall plot made it kind of a chore to read at times. This fact added with generic characters hold back the overall promise of an action packed & thrilling ride and ultimately makes this an average piece of work.
It is the story of a man and a small community fighting for their survival against hordes of vicious enemies; outnumbered and out-skilled yet finding means of hope and glory through the protagonists training. Our protagonist is found by a family of scavengers in a battle field and wakes up remembering nothing of his past. He then learns new trades and tries to be a part of the small community which saved him. But their peace is threatened by the same creatures responsible for our heroes amnesia as they prepare to invade their little town. So the people, under the protagonists teaching learn the trade of war through training and prepares for defense of their home against innumerable odds.
The world building was minimal as most of the story focused on this little town and its surroundings. The creatures who attack the town were quite interesting in their ways and their physiology were explained with much detail which is always nice by my book. The magic system was a bit confusing at first but in the end it was actually one of the few unique things in the book.
The protagonists point of view was somewhat fresh and to be honest the characters were done right in their own regard and were compatible to the story and setting but they never really made me feel interested enough to root for them., as they were a bit too generic.
The main flaw as I previously mentioned was the predictability. The identity of the amnesic hero could be seen from a mile & it is so easy to guess which characters will survive and who will die. But the prose was quite crisp and precise; & the action sequences, specially the strategy of holding a wall and killing opponents who are bigger and stronger than you were done quite nicely and was the saving grace of the novel. Maybe the next works by the writer will focus on these strong points of his writing.
Overall I will give this 3 out of 5 stars.
For more reviews and stuff check out my blog -
http://ihate00critics.blogspot.com/
This book is just what the blurb advertises it to be. It is a Heroic Fantasy novel which doesn't really do anything different but has a solid prose and some nicely written action. Despite being quite enjoyable in its faster scenes the predictability of the overall plot made it kind of a chore to read at times. This fact added with generic characters hold back the overall promise of an action packed & thrilling ride and ultimately makes this an average piece of work.
It is the story of a man and a small community fighting for their survival against hordes of vicious enemies; outnumbered and out-skilled yet finding means of hope and glory through the protagonists training. Our protagonist is found by a family of scavengers in a battle field and wakes up remembering nothing of his past. He then learns new trades and tries to be a part of the small community which saved him. But their peace is threatened by the same creatures responsible for our heroes amnesia as they prepare to invade their little town. So the people, under the protagonists teaching learn the trade of war through training and prepares for defense of their home against innumerable odds.
The world building was minimal as most of the story focused on this little town and its surroundings. The creatures who attack the town were quite interesting in their ways and their physiology were explained with much detail which is always nice by my book. The magic system was a bit confusing at first but in the end it was actually one of the few unique things in the book.
The protagonists point of view was somewhat fresh and to be honest the characters were done right in their own regard and were compatible to the story and setting but they never really made me feel interested enough to root for them., as they were a bit too generic.
The main flaw as I previously mentioned was the predictability. The identity of the amnesic hero could be seen from a mile & it is so easy to guess which characters will survive and who will die. But the prose was quite crisp and precise; & the action sequences, specially the strategy of holding a wall and killing opponents who are bigger and stronger than you were done quite nicely and was the saving grace of the novel. Maybe the next works by the writer will focus on these strong points of his writing.
Overall I will give this 3 out of 5 stars.
For more reviews and stuff check out my blog -
http://ihate00critics.blogspot.com/
July 7, 2014
What ages would I recommend it too? Twelve and up.
Length? Three evenings.
Characters? Memorable, several characters.
Setting? Fantasy world with some similarities to Earth.
Written approximately? 2014.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? Yes. Many questions. Without spoilers, we still don't know why the enemy is an enemy. Also, at the end, several months elapse, with no note of what happens during them.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes. About five chapters begin awkwardly. There were multiple unexpected POV switches in one chapter near the end. The last chapter feels out of place without any information on the intervening months.
Short storyline: A male character suffering from amnesia is awakened by two other characters. Eventually, he figures out who he is. No big surprise as to who he is. Except the name of course.
Notes for the reader: Read past the awkward chapters beginnings. The storyline is good, even if a plot hole or two still exist. Perhaps, they were left intentionally to be filled in through a sequel.
Length? Three evenings.
Characters? Memorable, several characters.
Setting? Fantasy world with some similarities to Earth.
Written approximately? 2014.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? Yes. Many questions. Without spoilers, we still don't know why the enemy is an enemy. Also, at the end, several months elapse, with no note of what happens during them.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes. About five chapters begin awkwardly. There were multiple unexpected POV switches in one chapter near the end. The last chapter feels out of place without any information on the intervening months.
Short storyline: A male character suffering from amnesia is awakened by two other characters. Eventually, he figures out who he is. No big surprise as to who he is. Except the name of course.
Notes for the reader: Read past the awkward chapters beginnings. The storyline is good, even if a plot hole or two still exist. Perhaps, they were left intentionally to be filled in through a sequel.
June 24, 2014
I got this book from publishers as an ARC for review, so thank you Curiosity Quills Press
This is a fantasy action tale.It was a fun read. I enjoyed the characters Elwood, jewel and Macey. Elwwod wakes up after battle with no memory of who he was. the villagers take him in and nurse him back to health.Their village is threatened by Hyozi sea creatures, I liked the idea of the creatures but would have liked to know more about them and why they were enemies. Another thing that bothered me was if Elwood had no memory how could he remember how to fight these creatures and battle strategy? Otherwise I enjoyed this magical action tale and if it continues I would be interested in reading the rest
This is a fantasy action tale.It was a fun read. I enjoyed the characters Elwood, jewel and Macey. Elwwod wakes up after battle with no memory of who he was. the villagers take him in and nurse him back to health.Their village is threatened by Hyozi sea creatures, I liked the idea of the creatures but would have liked to know more about them and why they were enemies. Another thing that bothered me was if Elwood had no memory how could he remember how to fight these creatures and battle strategy? Otherwise I enjoyed this magical action tale and if it continues I would be interested in reading the rest
June 25, 2014
Another fantastic book by James Wymore! The characters warm your heart on every page. I love Jewel and her strength.
Normally I shy away from books with a lot of battlefield scenes. The violence was never graphic and Wymore used the experiences to develop the characters and their relationships.
***********Spoiler Comimg! Stop her if you haven't read the book yet!******************
I adored the ending. I love seeing characters grow and change in a positive way through adversity. However, I was a little disappointed that "Elwood" wasn't able to solve the problem with the Hyzoi. I kept waiting for Jewel to help him find a way to communicate with the fish people.
Please tell me there is a second book!
Normally I shy away from books with a lot of battlefield scenes. The violence was never graphic and Wymore used the experiences to develop the characters and their relationships.
***********Spoiler Comimg! Stop her if you haven't read the book yet!******************
I adored the ending. I love seeing characters grow and change in a positive way through adversity. However, I was a little disappointed that "Elwood" wasn't able to solve the problem with the Hyzoi. I kept waiting for Jewel to help him find a way to communicate with the fish people.
Please tell me there is a second book!
July 16, 2014
A soldier left for dead on an icy wasteland is taken in by a benevolent couple, Masey and Bowen. He has no recollection of his life before waking in the aftermath of the battle. After months of care by his new adoptive family he takes the name Masey was to give the child she never bore; Elwood.
Elwood instinctively knows weapons, how to fight and how to lead men in battle. These skills are desperately needed in the months to come when he must build an army from his new extended family. They must fight or die at the hands of the creatures who took his memory, and past life, from him.
This is a great story which is filled with action and emotion. A must read for all who love fantasy.
Elwood instinctively knows weapons, how to fight and how to lead men in battle. These skills are desperately needed in the months to come when he must build an army from his new extended family. They must fight or die at the hands of the creatures who took his memory, and past life, from him.
This is a great story which is filled with action and emotion. A must read for all who love fantasy.
May 27, 2014
A great story of a survivor who comes to find life when he can't remember his own. A fun read with suspense romance and a bit if mystery.
October 10, 2015
Okay, let me first start by saying that I stumbled on this in a Goodreads ad initially (so if there are any authors reading this, apparently they do work, somewhat ;) ). The cover art instantly caught my attention, and it had been a while since I’d found a good traditional fantasy, so I was intrigued. Listed as an epic fantasy, Salvation has everything you’d expect from the genre — a hero who is, well, heroic; large-scale battles that embody the definition of “epic”; and even a touch of romance.
The story starts with a soldier, wounded and barely alive, being found by scavengers searching the battlefield for useful materials. The older couple take the man in and nurse him back to health, naming him “Elwood” when it becomes apparent his lost memories will not return. Elwood embraces his new life, settling in to the simpler life of a farmer. Macey, his now adopted mom-type figure, even sets him up with her younger sister and romance blooms.
But peace and serenity aren’t in his future for long. The Hyzoi — an armored race of mermen — are gearing up to attack the small, isolated village Elwood now calls home, and he’s the only one who can help save the people who once saved him. But only if the people of Winigh decide to trust him.
Overall, this is a good story, and it had massive potential to be great. The cultures and world are unique and well-crafted; I especially enjoyed the new take on magic (which I won’t spoil because that would ruin it for you). I thought the action sequences were solid, and the descriptions of the food and gore interestingly detailed. But unfortunately, there were also quite a few things that pulled this one down, ruining my ability to become fully immersed in the story. I hate to say it, but it felt like an unedited manuscript to me.
Some of the worst offenders were:
--Head-hopping: the story is told in what should be 3rd person limited, with Elwood being the POV character. But routinely, we are shown inside the thoughts/actions of the other characters, within the same paragraph and sometimes even the same sentence as Elwood’s perspective. I tried to give the author the benefit of the doubt and thought perhaps he was trying for 3rd person omniscient, but at the end of the day, it simply didn’t really work in either, living awkwardly somewhere in between.
--The prose is littered with errors: tense problems, grammar issues (commas especially were misplaced and used inconsistently, making me wonder which style guide the editor was using on this…), and typos/incorrect words (ex: “heard” vs. “herd”). Some people may be able to look past these, but I found it distracting. And I read unedited manuscripts for a living.
--Choppy timeline: there isn’t really any sense of flow between the chapters. Often, each chapter or even scene felt like it was written as a stand-alone episode, like a cut-scene in a video game. The transitions were abrupt, and we jump through so much time in the first few chapters that I lost all sense of timeline. This did seem to work itself out, a little, later in the book, but I felt like many places could have been expanded, which would have resulted in a richer experience for the reader. I would almost characterize the plot as reminiscent of film — fast-paced and full of “fade-to-black” transitions.
I don’t like to solely supply the negative facets of my experience though, so before I wrap this up, I want to point out the good. Wymore has massive potential as a writer, and I definitely look forward to more from him in the future. Salvation is a fresh infusion to the genre and featured many intriguing elements. I enjoyed the mystery of Elwood’s real identity, and actually think that’s the aspect that kept me reading most. Like my fellow reviewers, I figured it out well before the characters did (so perhaps the foreshadowing could have been toned down a little to prolong that element), but I still felt that character arc was one of the strongest.
My overall impression is that of a book that maybe could have been absolutely amazing in the hands of a different editor. Wymore definitely has the talent, it just needed to be cultivated and polished a little bit more.
**Disclosure Statement: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
The story starts with a soldier, wounded and barely alive, being found by scavengers searching the battlefield for useful materials. The older couple take the man in and nurse him back to health, naming him “Elwood” when it becomes apparent his lost memories will not return. Elwood embraces his new life, settling in to the simpler life of a farmer. Macey, his now adopted mom-type figure, even sets him up with her younger sister and romance blooms.
But peace and serenity aren’t in his future for long. The Hyzoi — an armored race of mermen — are gearing up to attack the small, isolated village Elwood now calls home, and he’s the only one who can help save the people who once saved him. But only if the people of Winigh decide to trust him.
Overall, this is a good story, and it had massive potential to be great. The cultures and world are unique and well-crafted; I especially enjoyed the new take on magic (which I won’t spoil because that would ruin it for you). I thought the action sequences were solid, and the descriptions of the food and gore interestingly detailed. But unfortunately, there were also quite a few things that pulled this one down, ruining my ability to become fully immersed in the story. I hate to say it, but it felt like an unedited manuscript to me.
Some of the worst offenders were:
--Head-hopping: the story is told in what should be 3rd person limited, with Elwood being the POV character. But routinely, we are shown inside the thoughts/actions of the other characters, within the same paragraph and sometimes even the same sentence as Elwood’s perspective. I tried to give the author the benefit of the doubt and thought perhaps he was trying for 3rd person omniscient, but at the end of the day, it simply didn’t really work in either, living awkwardly somewhere in between.
--The prose is littered with errors: tense problems, grammar issues (commas especially were misplaced and used inconsistently, making me wonder which style guide the editor was using on this…), and typos/incorrect words (ex: “heard” vs. “herd”). Some people may be able to look past these, but I found it distracting. And I read unedited manuscripts for a living.
--Choppy timeline: there isn’t really any sense of flow between the chapters. Often, each chapter or even scene felt like it was written as a stand-alone episode, like a cut-scene in a video game. The transitions were abrupt, and we jump through so much time in the first few chapters that I lost all sense of timeline. This did seem to work itself out, a little, later in the book, but I felt like many places could have been expanded, which would have resulted in a richer experience for the reader. I would almost characterize the plot as reminiscent of film — fast-paced and full of “fade-to-black” transitions.
I don’t like to solely supply the negative facets of my experience though, so before I wrap this up, I want to point out the good. Wymore has massive potential as a writer, and I definitely look forward to more from him in the future. Salvation is a fresh infusion to the genre and featured many intriguing elements. I enjoyed the mystery of Elwood’s real identity, and actually think that’s the aspect that kept me reading most. Like my fellow reviewers, I figured it out well before the characters did (so perhaps the foreshadowing could have been toned down a little to prolong that element), but I still felt that character arc was one of the strongest.
My overall impression is that of a book that maybe could have been absolutely amazing in the hands of a different editor. Wymore definitely has the talent, it just needed to be cultivated and polished a little bit more.
**Disclosure Statement: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
June 24, 2014
Now about this book, I liked it, I really did or at least most of it. Let me give a little synopsis about the book before I start talking about it.
The book starts out with a married couple scavenging for metal on a frozen battlefield, when they come across a soldier that is still alive. They take him home and nurse him back to health. Once the soldier comes around he realizes he can't remember anything, so he stays with the couple and helps them with their little farm. One day they decide to go and visit the woman's family in the mountains, while staying with her family he looks down to the ocean and see's the creatures that had attacked him the first time preparing for another attack. Now he must take it upon himself to raise an army and protect these people who saved his life.
My only real problem was with the romance story line, if felt really rushed. When he comes to the village he meets the sister of the woman who saved his life, and it's love at first sight. I can dig love at first sight, but it was two days later and he was purposing to her! Then it was another 2 or 3 days and she was telling him she was pregnant, she said she used magic to be able to tell, ok I'll buy that, but coupled with everything else it just made that portion of the story unbelievable.
The love story aside I thought it was really well done, the world building was good and the characters were endearing. Although it lacked a little in the way of descriptiveness for the characters appearances, I don't know if the Hero was ever really fleshed out so that I had a clear picture of what he looked like. Maybe the author did it on purpose, to let us readers form our own image.
I really enjoyed the fish creatures that were attacking the humans, I thought it was a really good idea for the "bad guys". They are, at least to my knowledge, completely original. And I really liked the idea of creatures that terrorizes the very source of life for humans.
On a whole I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to any fantasy reader as long as they didn't expect too much from the romance story line.
The book starts out with a married couple scavenging for metal on a frozen battlefield, when they come across a soldier that is still alive. They take him home and nurse him back to health. Once the soldier comes around he realizes he can't remember anything, so he stays with the couple and helps them with their little farm. One day they decide to go and visit the woman's family in the mountains, while staying with her family he looks down to the ocean and see's the creatures that had attacked him the first time preparing for another attack. Now he must take it upon himself to raise an army and protect these people who saved his life.
My only real problem was with the romance story line, if felt really rushed. When he comes to the village he meets the sister of the woman who saved his life, and it's love at first sight. I can dig love at first sight, but it was two days later and he was purposing to her! Then it was another 2 or 3 days and she was telling him she was pregnant, she said she used magic to be able to tell, ok I'll buy that, but coupled with everything else it just made that portion of the story unbelievable.
The love story aside I thought it was really well done, the world building was good and the characters were endearing. Although it lacked a little in the way of descriptiveness for the characters appearances, I don't know if the Hero was ever really fleshed out so that I had a clear picture of what he looked like. Maybe the author did it on purpose, to let us readers form our own image.
I really enjoyed the fish creatures that were attacking the humans, I thought it was a really good idea for the "bad guys". They are, at least to my knowledge, completely original. And I really liked the idea of creatures that terrorizes the very source of life for humans.
On a whole I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to any fantasy reader as long as they didn't expect too much from the romance story line.
January 12, 2017
I recommend clicking here for a larger image of the cover, because unfortunately the cover was the best thing about Salvation. It's striking, and even after having read the book, it still draws me in.
I wish the book had lived up to its cover. Set in a fantasy world, the humans were at war with intelligent creatures that lived in the sea. Days after a great battle on a riverbank, scavenging villagers found a lone survivor of the battle. They nursed the man back to health, and as he had lost all memory of his life before, settled down to live out his days with them. Unfortunately the undersea creatures had other ideas about that. As the story continued, he regained his memories, and thus his life took on a whole different turn.
That plot seems like it should work, but the problem is that the author's writing skills weren't up to the job. Technically, his writing was very very basic. This sort of thing (not a quote):
Elwood was cold. He got his jacket. He put his jacket on. He was thirsty. He walked to the stream. He dipped a cup in. He drank the water. The water was very cold. It felt good to drink it.
Also, there were multiple spelling issues (things a spellchecker wouldn't catch -- "the goat heard" was used multiple times), and semicolons used incorrectly.
There were a number of unbelievable things happening, like two goats pulled a sled full of four adults for an entire day without falling over, and a couple of goats pulled a sled with two grown men while being chased by the fast undersea creatures and they successfully got away. Also, while I wasn't surprised at what the main character with amnesia turned out to be, I would have liked the story a whole lot more if he hadn't been something so special and unique.
The author did an odd thing: He used "wagged his head" repeatedly instead of "shook his head". I never heard 'wag' used that way, and while a quick googling said it wasn't wrong, it was still very odd. Thinking it might be British English that I hadn't encountered before, I googled him. His About Me page didn't give me an answer on the wag thing, but it did perhaps explain the quality of writing in the book and also made me frown.
I wish the book had lived up to its cover. Set in a fantasy world, the humans were at war with intelligent creatures that lived in the sea. Days after a great battle on a riverbank, scavenging villagers found a lone survivor of the battle. They nursed the man back to health, and as he had lost all memory of his life before, settled down to live out his days with them. Unfortunately the undersea creatures had other ideas about that. As the story continued, he regained his memories, and thus his life took on a whole different turn.
That plot seems like it should work, but the problem is that the author's writing skills weren't up to the job. Technically, his writing was very very basic. This sort of thing (not a quote):
Elwood was cold. He got his jacket. He put his jacket on. He was thirsty. He walked to the stream. He dipped a cup in. He drank the water. The water was very cold. It felt good to drink it.
Also, there were multiple spelling issues (things a spellchecker wouldn't catch -- "the goat heard" was used multiple times), and semicolons used incorrectly.
There were a number of unbelievable things happening, like two goats pulled a sled full of four adults for an entire day without falling over, and a couple of goats pulled a sled with two grown men while being chased by the fast undersea creatures and they successfully got away. Also, while I wasn't surprised at what the main character with amnesia turned out to be, I would have liked the story a whole lot more if he hadn't been something so special and unique.
The author did an odd thing: He used "wagged his head" repeatedly instead of "shook his head". I never heard 'wag' used that way, and while a quick googling said it wasn't wrong, it was still very odd. Thinking it might be British English that I hadn't encountered before, I googled him. His About Me page didn't give me an answer on the wag thing, but it did perhaps explain the quality of writing in the book and also made me frown.
August 15, 2017
Salvation is a fantasy written by James Wymore and published by Curiosity Quills Press. For the blog tour, I requested an ARC of this book in order to review it. Here are my thoughts.
It is awesome! There are so many fantasy books that center around the same thing. You go into a bookstore and it’s either books about assassins, elves, or elvish assassins. Sure, there are other fantasy books, like Game of Thrones, that get you going, but not many out there with a new and interesting twist in the world. I feel that James Wymore’s Salvation has that interesting twist.
It was fairly easy to figure out the man’s history even though Wymore by no means lets you know until about seventy-five percent in. You are only given hints and have to figure it out. It is this mystery as well as the monsters attacking the town of Winigh that keeps you reading and wanting more.
I love military history and the war/battle scenes in any fantasy book or movie. I love watching them figure out how to fight and the tactics they use. Wymore does not leave out any details. You feel like you are in the battlefront with them. You feel for these people. The characters are well written and lovable which makes the hardships of war that more saddening for the reader. But, you see the hope and light in it as well.
The monsters are terrifying. I have no idea how to describe them. At one point the characters describe them as fishmen. However, there is a frog and alligator like quality to the enemy. It is thrilling and disturbing to see just how brutal they are. I have found myself cringing at times.
Overall, the world is well written and I would love to see more of it. I want to know why they are enemies. I want more. I’m not sure if there will be more stories about this world, but nevertheless, this world is not worth ignoring. Wymore is a creative storyteller. It is a book that you will devour (there’s a pun in there, but you have to read the book to get it).
Seriously, read this book. You can find it at Amazon today!
It is awesome! There are so many fantasy books that center around the same thing. You go into a bookstore and it’s either books about assassins, elves, or elvish assassins. Sure, there are other fantasy books, like Game of Thrones, that get you going, but not many out there with a new and interesting twist in the world. I feel that James Wymore’s Salvation has that interesting twist.
It was fairly easy to figure out the man’s history even though Wymore by no means lets you know until about seventy-five percent in. You are only given hints and have to figure it out. It is this mystery as well as the monsters attacking the town of Winigh that keeps you reading and wanting more.
I love military history and the war/battle scenes in any fantasy book or movie. I love watching them figure out how to fight and the tactics they use. Wymore does not leave out any details. You feel like you are in the battlefront with them. You feel for these people. The characters are well written and lovable which makes the hardships of war that more saddening for the reader. But, you see the hope and light in it as well.
The monsters are terrifying. I have no idea how to describe them. At one point the characters describe them as fishmen. However, there is a frog and alligator like quality to the enemy. It is thrilling and disturbing to see just how brutal they are. I have found myself cringing at times.
Overall, the world is well written and I would love to see more of it. I want to know why they are enemies. I want more. I’m not sure if there will be more stories about this world, but nevertheless, this world is not worth ignoring. Wymore is a creative storyteller. It is a book that you will devour (there’s a pun in there, but you have to read the book to get it).
Seriously, read this book. You can find it at Amazon today!
June 2, 2014
(I received a free copy of this book, from Curiosity Quills Press, in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I really liked this book. It was easy to relate to the characters in this and I felt this was a really easy read and a well-written book. I think I would definitely read it again in the future.
I liked how close Elwood grew to Bowen and Macey. It was nice to see the way their relationship formed and I also felt that the amnesia angle was handled pretty well. I was pulled into the book pretty much straight away and found myself reading avidly, waiting to see what would happen.
I especially liked the role belief played in the use of magic. I thought that was a fairly unique twist on a fantasy world where magic is used. I could really understand the rules of the world, too, in particular the use of magic.
A lot of the story was about the build-up to the battle, but I thought that was a good way of doing it. I really appreciated that the author took the time to show the sheer amount of training and preparation that went into going to fight the war.
I really liked Jewel and her relationship with Elwood. It came across as really believable and the feelings between them seemed to grow naturally.
Although the enemy were creepy, I would have liked to know where the enmity stemmed from. It would be interesting to see the origin of the conflict.
I could see a lot of the book's events happening in my mind and I felt it was really well-written. I cared about the characters and grieved along with them when they suffered loss.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I really liked this book. It was easy to relate to the characters in this and I felt this was a really easy read and a well-written book. I think I would definitely read it again in the future.
I liked how close Elwood grew to Bowen and Macey. It was nice to see the way their relationship formed and I also felt that the amnesia angle was handled pretty well. I was pulled into the book pretty much straight away and found myself reading avidly, waiting to see what would happen.
I especially liked the role belief played in the use of magic. I thought that was a fairly unique twist on a fantasy world where magic is used. I could really understand the rules of the world, too, in particular the use of magic.
A lot of the story was about the build-up to the battle, but I thought that was a good way of doing it. I really appreciated that the author took the time to show the sheer amount of training and preparation that went into going to fight the war.
I really liked Jewel and her relationship with Elwood. It came across as really believable and the feelings between them seemed to grow naturally.
Although the enemy were creepy, I would have liked to know where the enmity stemmed from. It would be interesting to see the origin of the conflict.
I could see a lot of the book's events happening in my mind and I felt it was really well-written. I cared about the characters and grieved along with them when they suffered loss.
September 15, 2014
*I received a free copy of this book for review from NetGalley*
2.5 out of 5 stars.
I wanted to like this book, but it just didn't deliver. The idea of it, the concept could've been interesting, but it just fell flat. It just felt like this book wasn't fully developed. The characters were a bit 2D, like placeholders - they existed only in service to the main character, not as people in their own right. The plot was a bit patchy in places and predictable in others - the 'battle' scenes in particular were just so boring, and the math on casualties a little sketchy. Some things did interest me, but they were never explained. I wanted to find out why the fish-reptile creatures were attacking, I wanted to find out about the secret magic that the prince has (and now his son). It felt like it was just getting interesting and fleshing out near the end, after he got his memory back - and then, bam, It ended. And is apparently NOT the start of a series, so then I'm left wondering how the author thought that was a complete story? What, a marriage and a baby and everything is fine in the world, no more story? Kind of lame. Overall, it felt more like an adolescent boy's glory fantasy than anything else - immature and a bit self-serving. It could've been more and better, but it wasn't.
2.5 out of 5 stars.
I wanted to like this book, but it just didn't deliver. The idea of it, the concept could've been interesting, but it just fell flat. It just felt like this book wasn't fully developed. The characters were a bit 2D, like placeholders - they existed only in service to the main character, not as people in their own right. The plot was a bit patchy in places and predictable in others - the 'battle' scenes in particular were just so boring, and the math on casualties a little sketchy. Some things did interest me, but they were never explained. I wanted to find out why the fish-reptile creatures were attacking, I wanted to find out about the secret magic that the prince has (and now his son). It felt like it was just getting interesting and fleshing out near the end, after he got his memory back - and then, bam, It ended. And is apparently NOT the start of a series, so then I'm left wondering how the author thought that was a complete story? What, a marriage and a baby and everything is fine in the world, no more story? Kind of lame. Overall, it felt more like an adolescent boy's glory fantasy than anything else - immature and a bit self-serving. It could've been more and better, but it wasn't.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2014
Salvation is an action-packed story of a man with no memory. He's rescued by a sweet couple who are salvaging metal from a battle field. With no memory, the couple christen him Elwood.
Elwood may not remember who he is, but he still remembers how to fight. When the village of his kind rescuers is threatened by the fish men, he leads the way in showing the mountain people how to prepare and defend their homes from unprovoked attack.
Very nice world building in this story. Great descriptions of the mountains and the defenses they build to protect their village. The fish men made for a very different sort of opponent. Plus, there was just the right amount of romance to sweeten the great fighting scenes. I enjoyed how what seemed like the ending, was in fact just a switch in action.
Elwood may not remember who he is, but he still remembers how to fight. When the village of his kind rescuers is threatened by the fish men, he leads the way in showing the mountain people how to prepare and defend their homes from unprovoked attack.
Very nice world building in this story. Great descriptions of the mountains and the defenses they build to protect their village. The fish men made for a very different sort of opponent. Plus, there was just the right amount of romance to sweeten the great fighting scenes. I enjoyed how what seemed like the ending, was in fact just a switch in action.
June 7, 2017
NetGalley ARC.
A little slow going. Like Elwood, it's takes awhile to get your bearings. I had an inkling of who Elwood really was and I was mostly correct. Nothing really wowed me about this book. It was a very generic, run-of-the-mill fantasy story. Sometimes a little plodding. It was short and to the point. Nothing spectacular. The characters were pretty one dimensional. It was okay. If it were a series, I wouldn't be interested in continuing.
A little slow going. Like Elwood, it's takes awhile to get your bearings. I had an inkling of who Elwood really was and I was mostly correct. Nothing really wowed me about this book. It was a very generic, run-of-the-mill fantasy story. Sometimes a little plodding. It was short and to the point. Nothing spectacular. The characters were pretty one dimensional. It was okay. If it were a series, I wouldn't be interested in continuing.
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