Bridgefinders: The Echo Worlds, Volume 1

The Echo Worlds #1

by Joshua C. Cook

We are losing a war we don't even know is being fought. A war over magic. On one side the Slyph, an immensely powerful magical being who rules the Echo World. On the other, the Bridgefinders, an ancient order of men and women. A war that the humans are losing. When Cendan Key, a new Bridgefinder is discovered, he wants nothing to do with it. But he alone can change the course of a war that has the highest stakes ever, the planet itself.

Audible Audio

Published May 6, 2016

About the author

Born and Raised in Sunny (sometimes) Florida, I grew up in a house of readers. I've always been into good Sci-Fi, fantasy, and technology. In fact I ended up somehow working in the IT field for the last 13 years.
One of the things that surprised me about my career was the interaction of people with technology. How blindly trusting people are of whatever the computer says on it, regardless if what it's saying is even possible.
When I decided to write, I chose to play in the space of the interaction between people and technology, and reality vs. perception.

Reviews

[David Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read, as far as Fantasy novels go. I felt a cracking pace was set from the first few pages of reading, which did not give up throughout the entire read. The setting and characters were well thought out and I enjoyed the difference in demographic backgrounds.
I enjoyed the awkwardness of the main protagonist and his coming to terms, or lack thereof, with the world he is set in.

The powers and magics makes this book really stand up and was my favorite addition to the story, making me want to read on ...

I was a little thrown at times by some minor errors, yet it was not enough to detract from a good read. The overall scheme of the book did have a twisty tapestry, yet I felt it needed to be a little less obvious in where it would end up. The ending also came way too soon for me and I was annoyed I didn’t know more.

In all however I enjoyed the new ideas in this book, and the elements used to make the world we know, mystical and exciting … and that is why I award Bridgefinders 4 Stars.

[Briana Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never been big on fantasy, let alone urban fantasy, but Cook does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the story world without overwhelming him or her. I may be a bit biased because (full disclosure) I edited this novel, but this book is one that I enjoyed reading nonetheless. Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for an immersive, entertaining read.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short, easy-to-read story. The main character, Cendan Key, is well developed and likeable, in a strange way. The antagonist, an angry god called the Slyph, is also well fleshed out, and is equally unlikable.
The story flows well and is entertaining. It’s not a thrilling page-turner, but it has enough intrigue to keep readers interested to the end.
We are in Cendan’s head for most of the story. Joshua writes in a clear voice that is consistent through internal monologue, dialogue, action and description. Cendan explains his motives, and through him we learn about his role with a small group of Bridgefinders trying to fight a rear-guard action against the Slyph, and to protect the earth from her attempts to destroy it.
The story is set in our recognizable world, but with enough magic and monsters to satisfy fantasy readers. I particularly liked the rather creepy Elves. I hope they play a thought-provoking role in future books in the series!
I found some small formatting and grammatical errors, but nothing bad enough to throw me out of the story and stop me from enjoying the read. The dialogue is less sparkling than one normally finds in urban fantasy books, but in an eccentric way, it is in keeping with Joshua’s voice.
In summary, this is an entertaining read and a promising start to an intriguing fantasy series.

[Scott Spotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason, while I was reading this story, I imagined (without realizing it until after) a Dr. Seuss-type story, but in novel form, written for adults. Even the mythical beast, the villain Slyph’s name sounds Seussian. The feel of the novel is simple, imaginative, and brilliant. It’s a story written in a way I don’t think I’ve seen before. Almost everything—characters, setting, prose. pacing, and so on, is wholly integrated into this—the story. The progression is very clean and it holds me spellbound.

This is an incredible book of fantasy! In a way, I hope the author does not write a sequel. Instead, I want him to use his overpowering imagination to add another unique book to the world.

[Korra II Allison Baskerville · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve mentioned numerous times in my reviews that I’m a fan of the whole good vs. evil battles while humanity remains miraculously, blissfully unaware. It’s fair to say that I have a bit of a bias towards this type of story.

This is one of those rare exceptions for me. I did enjoy it, don’t get me wrong. But it’s incredibly slow. Little to nothing happens in the grand scheme of things and it’s almost entirely setup and world-building. When it finally starts to get interesting, it ends.

The story constantly brings up memorable protagonist and his ex-girlfriend’s relationship. But it never goes anywhere with it. It never hints that they might still have feelings or get back together, so it feels like a waste of time to even bring it up. It seems the only reason for ex-girlfriend and memorable protagonist’s relationship is so she can constantly talk about how logical he is in his decision making, every time he does something rash.

The other characters are all generic. Bossman, who I want to call Isran because he reminds some of a character from a videogame, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. He’s the tough, gruff boss-man who’s always been in charge and doesn’t like this new kid who doesn’t bend to his will. There’s generic evil villain who’s evil because evil, generic evil sidekick who’s evil because evil. Finally, there’s generic throwaway character because they needed another body to make the roster feel less empty.

The premise is interesting. The world and lore are interesting. The story is slow and the characters are paper-thin, and by paper, I mean tracing paper.

The narrator is a mixed bag as well. He constantly pauses awkwardly between sentences, as if each sentence is the end of a paragraph. He reads the number 0 as “o”, which I find insufferably annoying. While this didn’t annoy me, I’m mentioning it because it might annoy some; he constantly makes smacking noises while he talks. It sounds like he’s got a mouth full of spit or a piece of candy clinking off his teeth every few words. You can tell when one audio recording session ends and another begins because the audio will randomly be louder or quieter than it was before, which is incredibly distracting.

For those of you wondering why I referred to his narration as a mixed bag; He’s amazing at doing character voices. He does a superb job of bringing personality to these cardboard cutouts.

NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.

[Deb Threadgill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cendan is a System Analyst very set in his ways. He can’t even keep a relationship for long, I think he feel it has too much give and take and he really wants to be in charge all the time. He doesn’t want to order anything new on the restaurants he goes to and is not going to go to a new one.
His world is basically turned upside down when he finds his latest ex-Jasmine, a man named Marcus and a man named Sal are all Bridgefinders and as he is about to go into a restaurant, they think he is one also.. They all have what they call focuses. Marcos’s is a ring, Jasmine has a Wooden flower in lacquered red, Sal’s is like a small globe that appears to have a flame in it and Cendan’s is I huge old black key that he found at a thrift shop. He just liked it since his last name was Key.
For Cendan who thinks in a straight line and doesn’t really believe wat they are telling him, he agrees to spend one night in the Headquarters. He learns there is an Echo World of our World and a being that wants to take control of both which would kill all humans on our world. Sylph is her name and she I’d described as white and old by Sal who is the only one who has seen her. The archon world has an awful creature that Sylph created that is half-gremlin, half-globulin and maybe a little bit human. It’s name is Grellnot and he is about knee high, stinks, his skin is shiny green, has serrated teeth, his nose and face are droopy and he has large eyes with blood red iris’s. He likes to eat humans but doesn’t get to come to our world very often. There are all kinds of creatures on Echo World, besides goblins, gremlins, elves, fairies, pixies, elves and lots more. What Sylph does is build bridges by magic and sends all kinds of creatures to earth to try and destroy what they can. The Bridgefinders jib is to find those bridges, send the creatures back and close the bridge. Cendan finds out he is also a maker and their hasn’t been one in over fifteen hundred years.
Bridgefinders is a great fun read that allow your imagination go with the words that the author Joshua C. Cook has written. When I get a chance I am going to read the next book in the series. I think Mr. cook does a great job with this book and could be read by the same people that can go to PG13 movies.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and look forward to book two because it has been set up nicely to continue. The plot was interesting the way magic can only be found in an alternative world but the hero's still need to protect against it and the creatures it produces without really understanding it. The cast of characters was like able and the bad guys bad enough to be hated. The author has a way of drawing you into the story that keeps you hooked and wanting to know what happens next and I liked the way we learnt about the bridge finders and the history along with the main character and his special connection to the key. Off to start the next book.
When his young neighbour is bitten by a creature, Cendan is thrust into a whole new world of magic and world that he is supposed to protect. He is a bridgefinder. Someone who is charged with sending demons and creatures created by the Slyph back to there own world before they can create havoc in his world. He is one in a small group of people with the capability to do this and with the Slyph growing in power time is running out. He will have to learn as he goes along but he is not just any old bridgefinder and the Slyph knows it, so she will do everything in her power to catch him or destroy him like she did the last maker.
The narrator was okay but did seem to hesitate or take long pauses that weren't necessary. Otherwise he was a good reader with different voices for the characters.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story, the main character named Cendan Key, finds out that he is part of a group of people called Bridgefinders, who fight to keep magical creatures from entering the Human world. How can one not relate to a character who finds himself in a place he doesn't want to be, doing things he doesn't want to do, because of some unexplained random chance? The story is fun and entertaining, and I recommend it to others who like this genre. Brian C McKee's narration is lackluster and there are strange pauses during the execution of the story, although his voice is pleasant. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily left this review.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bridgefinders (The Echo Worlds Book 1), my seventh read from author Joshua C. Cook. Well-written urban fantasy with captivating & intriguing characters. 402-pages/6-hours 28-minutes, but reads longer due to the depth & development Cook weaves in. “I received a free Audible copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. Eric Brian C. McKee’s narration adds to the book's enjoyment. I (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018.

[Christina Frøkjær · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bridgefinders is entertaining and creative. It was a quick read that definitely sparks the curiosity making the reader want to know more. It is a good start to a promising new book series. I am looking forward to seeing what the author comes up with next, where he takes these characters, and what new creatures he introduces us to.

[Incog Nito · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Honest Review

This story is very enjoyable definitely a book I would recommend, my only problem with this fun action packed book was it was at first hard to get into/hard to follow but once the characters where introduced the story begins to flow much easier

[Brian Peltz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got free Audible version for a review. Story is well done and interesting. The narrative is reminiscent of a kid giving a book report and the attempt at a female voice is so bad I cringed. I strongly advise READ the book don't listen to it.

[eiei · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audiobook: I'm so sorry to say that I decided to dnf this book solely because of the narration. The audio quality was so bad, I can hear each inhale and exhale of the narrator. The pacing was all over the place. He would suddenly read so fast then go back to being normal and it goes on and on.

[James Hockley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a contemporary fantasy set on this here Earth, just as we know it. But there is actually more to our world than we think – there is an alternate world where magic reigns, and where a malicious enemy plots Earth’s downfall. See, this enemy wants to control Earth, but fortunately there is an underground group of heroes who fight off these unwanted attentions. These heroes are called the Bridgefinders.

And our protagonist is a Bridgefinder called Cendan Key. Only at outset, he is not a Bridgefinder. Hence begins a story of discovery and retaliation.

So – what is this adventure like? Well, ultimately I quite liked it. The overall concept is not entirely original (the idea that there is a hidden magic on Earth has been done before I suspect), but the particulars of this tale certainly seem unique. The references to the alternate world being an “echo of creation” are certainly quite interesting, and the way the author marries all sorts of mythical creatures into his world is interesting. And in fact, beyond this, the author also exercises an extensive imagination in the formulation of even greater numbers of mythical beasts. Great work.

And our lead character is interesting too. A geek certainly, and one who struggles with social interactions. He is someone who likes logical processes, and this presents a natural challenge to the world he is thrown into – so he naturally rebels against the path laid before him. Will he accept this fate? This is one of the key threads of the story.

Now, I have not tried to give much away in this review (I don’t think reviews should give too much away!) but I suspect that anyone reading this will already have a feel for the story. This is good in many ways, but I do think that the trajectory of the story is perhaps a little too obvious. There are certainly twists here, but the twists are setup rather earlier than they occur, so at no point did I find myself gasping (not that I actually verbally gasp that much when reading anyway!) This certainly didn’t ruin the story, but it did mean that the story flowed logically (perhaps the story is a reflection of Cendan’s personality?) and never truly astonished. Still a good story, but it could perhaps have been closed up slightly for the reader.

But a logical story certainly does not mean a tardy story. We are right into the action in this book, at outset, and the pace doesn’t ease noticeably. I never felt like I was meandering in the prose, and pinch-points arrived at logical locations to keep the story moving on. Overall, a well-constructed arc.

So – are there any problems? Well yes, I think there are. And the most important one is to do with the writing itself. The prose is certainly decent, and doesn’t become cloying or anything like that, but there are numerous errors in here – and not subtle pedantic ones. The most noticeable (and possibly least forgiving) one is that our protagonist’s name is spelt incorrectly on a few occasions. That’s one place we really shouldn’t have spelling mistakes!

And there are some other mistakes too – certainly not entirely destructive, but frequent enough to twig as a reader and make the experience judder somewhat. There is also one switch of POV which I think is a mistake, but again, not a fundamental problem – just jarring as a reader. It would be worth closing these down in a future edit.

In terms of other aspects, I suspect that they come down to taste. One thing that got on my nerves a bit was Sal’s ‘surfer dude’ dialogue, but that is probably just me. There’s no need to change anything, and in fact, it did add some interesting contrast to the other characters – it just got under my skin a bit. And the other characters are likeable enough with their own personalities, though I suspect that more could have been made of our protag’s relationship with the girl (not that I want a romance, but some extra tension there could have been nice).

And then beyond this, the book seems to come to quite an abrupt end – there is none of the loose ends tying stuff that you normally get at the end of the novel. Now, this is the first part of a series, so in some sense loose ends are entirely acceptable, but I think that more could have been done with the conclusions, and in leading into the next book. We know that all is not well and that the fight is not won, but there was very little sense of what the new equilibrium looks like. Will this deter readers from moving on? I very much doubt it, but something a bit more tapered could be quite nice.

Overall this is an enjoyable read – certainly for those who jump at this sub-genre. And with a bit of editorial polish and tapering at the end, this would probably be a very decent book. It’s a great idea and promises to turn into an intriguing series. Great work.

This is 3 stars because of some of the spelling errors in the version I read. Without this, it is probably 4 stars. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

http://www.jhockley.com/epic-fantasy/...

[Kirsty Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The storyline is good, and it flowed well. A pleasure to hear this story. Good world building.

[Emma Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fanbloodytastic 💖best characters ever and very engaging world, Joshua c. Cook as written another masterpiece, total recommendation

[Nicole Kiefer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bridgfinders by Joshua C. Cook

The beginning of the Bridgfinders was a little dry and showed the same struggle I have with the first few pages, so I can hardly complain about it since I have the same problem. Still it needs to be said because once you are a few pages in and gotten over the seemingly unusual character of his hero, the story becomes interesting. The world Mr. Cook lays out in his story is well thought through and detailed, the concept reminding me a little of the Mortal Instrument series, if they had been decimated and lost most of their history.
His main character Cendan Key reminds me at first of a person with OCD and Autism, one disconnected from the world, yet at the same time more connected than others. Yet soon as he falls in with the small Bridgfinders community, he seems driven by unseen forces to find its place and connect to the few people the group is made of. The transformation is rather quick and unexpected, yet still interesting to experience.
Mr. Cook is using well know mythology as well adding his own touch to create a world familiar to us, yet new and intriguing. With the creatures he uses that aren't commonly known, he is inventive and descriptive, yet leaving room for some imagination.
The overall of the story shows time spend to think and dream up a world within the world we know, and the way he wrote it makes it one of those books any age can read, no matter that the characters are grown up.
Mr. Cook shows to be a promising new author who constructs his world with concept and thought. I would give it 3.5 stars but with a little more practice I'm sure the next one will be a four or more.

[Mel Corban · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving this book three stars because I believe it’s a promising start to a potentially very compelling series. The character of Cendan Key is pretty unique, in my opinion, and is fleshed out fairly early on. The world the author builds is well described, whimsical, and imaginative, and makes for immersive reading.

The writing and characters are very straightforward and direct, which is… okay. The main character is the arguably the most developed (I had a harder time connecting with his fellow Bridgefinders), and I personally found him to be quite likable. The creatures and mythical beings from the Echo World are creative and interesting, too, but…

It’s hard to explain, but I guess I’m just missing that spark—or that bit of extra magic, if you will—in the tone, dialogue, and characterizations that would have made things *really* come alive. The story itself is fine. Some parts—like where characters were just basically just there explaining everything—were a little bland for me, and some parts are a a bit overwritten (in one scene, the main character recaps to his colleagues an incident that happened just one or two pages ago… twice). Despite this, I think the next novel will be something to look forward to. If the dramatic climax is any indication, there should be some exciting times to come…

*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Diamond Stafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

My future favorite series

I have to say I loved the book, I initially purchased it via audible but the reader had this horrible mono tone voice it make it hard to go with the natural flow of the story. The story I loved it , the author has a way of giving you the framework for the man characters thought process. With strong detail he shows you how anchored the character is to the mundane world. Then he throws you into a supernatural titanic all while making sure you try your best to remain logical about the fact that magic and all its troubles exist. I'm extremely excited about the future of these books and will continue to read as much as the author is willing to produce

[S.K. Lessner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Arc copy in exchange for a free review and am happy I did! This is quite a creative & detailed novel. The characters are developed but the author still leaves room for the reader to add their own ideas to each as well. The mystical world that is created is enchanting and unique.
Although there is room for improvement, I really enjoyed this read and think it would be a great read for any age! It was definitely a good beginning for a series and I look forward to seeing what happens next!

[A.M. Bochnak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bridgefinders is entertaining and creative. It was a quick read that definitely sparks the curiosity making the reader want to know more. It is a good start to a promising new book series. I am looking forward to seeing what the author comes up with next, where he takes these characters, and what new creatures he introduces us to.