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Old Habits
A fortune in lost gems. A man on the run from his brothers. A dread secret in Castle Dornica. Stoce grew up alone on the tough streets of Farport to become an exceptional street thief, but nothing in his life has prepared him for this. Hired for a simple theft, Stoce is now on the run from The Brotherhood. Stalked by deadly assassins in a strange land, Stoce must face an archmage, soldiers, and a host of guards to find the gems he lost. But what treacherous plot is unfolding in the castle he searches, and how does the annoyingly noble paladin Judic fit into this conspiracy? Facing impossible odds, outmatched by dark magic and deadly traps, Stoce uses all of his considerable skill to search, to survive, and perhaps to find an even greater treasure.
261 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
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343 people want to read
About the author
Christopher R. Taylor
10 books79 followersChristopher Taylor is the author of three novels -- Snowberry's Veil, Old Habits, and Life Unworthy -- along with many other works for role playing games. He lives in Oregon and is always at work on another novel.
A life long dreamer, Christopher encountered fantasy in The Hobbit at a young age and for him it was like coming home. He learned to play AD&D in 1979 and his gaming experiences as player and GM have shaped his storytelling and world building skills to a razor sharp edge.
Both Old Habits and Snowberry's Veil are set in his game world Jolrhos and reflect his love of both the wilds of Oregon and the gaming worlds he's been a part of.
Christopher checks the back of closets for Narnia and feels odd writing about himself in the third person.
A life long dreamer, Christopher encountered fantasy in The Hobbit at a young age and for him it was like coming home. He learned to play AD&D in 1979 and his gaming experiences as player and GM have shaped his storytelling and world building skills to a razor sharp edge.
Both Old Habits and Snowberry's Veil are set in his game world Jolrhos and reflect his love of both the wilds of Oregon and the gaming worlds he's been a part of.
Christopher checks the back of closets for Narnia and feels odd writing about himself in the third person.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 2, 2016
In my acting days, I learned the hard way that if you start with intense emotion or action, you have nowhere else to go but down. This is a truth for writing as well since all stories have a natural flow of “highs” and “lows”. Since this story started in the middle of a dangerous confrontation, what came next seemed to drag and meander. It’s such a shame, because the story is interesting and fairly well written.
The story eventually picked up again once Stoce (the main character) got to the castle. Mr. Taylor did a good job keeping this “castle crawl” interesting, slowly unfolding the nefarious conspiracy taking place during the main character’s visit. I didn’t like the occasional long-winded rants or information dumps by the conspirators, though.
Speaking of information dumps; I want to briefly mention that there is a glossary at the beginning of the book and endnotes (which probably should be a proper appendix) at the back. Personally, I’m not keen on those things. I want the author to work in the necessary information and translations. However, I know that I’m a minority when it comes to this aspect of the fantasy realm. So, for those who revel in these extras: this book has it :-)
I thoroughly enjoyed how Mr. Taylor casually worked magic into everyday life while keeping it unexpected and, at times, terrifying. Unlike high fantasy where you are awash with elves, dwarves, dragons, and other mythical creatures, this story has only mention of them. It was interesting to hear about them while still being firmly planted in an all-human environment.
Mr. Taylor also did a good job of making the different communities (and countries) different from each other, yet familiar in some ways – much like our world. Having these things pointed out from the main character’s observations and experiences was a nice touch.
Overall, it was a decent read; suspenseful and original, since we don’t often (ever?) see castle crawls and stories from a thief’s point of view.
(Note: I received a free copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.)
The story eventually picked up again once Stoce (the main character) got to the castle. Mr. Taylor did a good job keeping this “castle crawl” interesting, slowly unfolding the nefarious conspiracy taking place during the main character’s visit. I didn’t like the occasional long-winded rants or information dumps by the conspirators, though.
Speaking of information dumps; I want to briefly mention that there is a glossary at the beginning of the book and endnotes (which probably should be a proper appendix) at the back. Personally, I’m not keen on those things. I want the author to work in the necessary information and translations. However, I know that I’m a minority when it comes to this aspect of the fantasy realm. So, for those who revel in these extras: this book has it :-)
I thoroughly enjoyed how Mr. Taylor casually worked magic into everyday life while keeping it unexpected and, at times, terrifying. Unlike high fantasy where you are awash with elves, dwarves, dragons, and other mythical creatures, this story has only mention of them. It was interesting to hear about them while still being firmly planted in an all-human environment.
Mr. Taylor also did a good job of making the different communities (and countries) different from each other, yet familiar in some ways – much like our world. Having these things pointed out from the main character’s observations and experiences was a nice touch.
Overall, it was a decent read; suspenseful and original, since we don’t often (ever?) see castle crawls and stories from a thief’s point of view.
(Note: I received a free copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.)
August 2, 2011
The story is moderately engaging, although the first person voice is not strongly distinctive. Taylor's prose is somewhat bland, and he uses a few words eccentrically. But the plot is coherent, and doesn't contain noticeable authorial manipulations of probability. A pleasant, if unchallenging, read for a leisurely day.
April 10, 2016
Interesting story
I liked this story. Stove is a thief and the journey is one that is more than the usual thief endures. With the stench of death on his tail, it give the story Aaron grand uniqueness. A twist of religion hints makes this a well-defined story.
I liked this story. Stove is a thief and the journey is one that is more than the usual thief endures. With the stench of death on his tail, it give the story Aaron grand uniqueness. A twist of religion hints makes this a well-defined story.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews