Arena Forged

by Robert Ryan

Regret is a burden. I should know. And magic makes it worse…

Once, the crowd adored me. I was young and the world was small. I fought in the arena, and I was good. The best. Warriors feared me. Kings praised me. And women…

Best to say little of that. Yet one ruined me. Cast me aside. Betrayed me. Those who showered me with gold turned to hunting me with steel. Because of her.

Age hides me now. But it robs me too. Strength and skill are fading, just when I need them most. The adoring crowds of my youth would not know me, and my name is dead on their lips. Fame, you are a traitor.

Now, another woman comes into my life as the ancient evil I once fled casts its shadow over the realm. She is my daughter, and I protect her from her enemies. Yet I do not tell her the truth.

Men I can still fight. Magic I can thwart, with a touch of my own. But the leader of my daughter’s enemies is worse.

She is a god…

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

205 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 22, 2025

About the author

I am a man born in the wrong era. My heart yearns for faraway places and even further afield times. Tolkien had me at the beginning of The Hobbit when he said, ". . . one morning long ago in the quiet of the world . . ."

I love to read high fantasy and epic fantasy novels, and I have a passion to write, to weave a story with words that draws the reader into another world.

Reviews

[Karen ⚜Mess⚜]

The guy on the cover looks like a cross between Conan and Kratos.
So, yeah. Insta buy.

[Cheryl A Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic!

This new series mixing the devious and the hopeful in a heart pounding tale of right and wrong and thin precipice the characters stand on. You never know just what the outcome will be until the scene fully unfolds across the pages!

[Lee Segars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet!

This is an unexpected twist in the hero/heroine quest which is the basis for fantasy literature. One with an older hero with his daughter who is expected to save the world though they do not believe they are the heroes of legend.

[troy henning · Rating 3 out of 5]

12-18 years of age

Maps are easy. This series doesn't have one. A bit of a symptom showing problems down the line. It's the first thing I look at. If the map view shows some detail, then that tells me some time was spent putting it together.

The flow of the series goes well (I read 4 books so far), but character depth is lacking. Simply not enough there. There are plenty of possibilities in bringing out more background story for the characters and their origins. Seems like the publisher was too eager to allow this series out for reading. It's akin to a lost opportunity here. The author should have been pressed to dig deeper.

[Roger D. Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warrior and a Princess combine to fulfill a prophesy.

Running for her life and rescued by a farmer, the Princess of an outlawed religion meets a legend from the arena to be her new protector. With the evil king and wizard using dark magic to control him hunting them down, they must reach the Druids for protection. The fight begins.

[T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arena Forged, book one of the Dream of the Druid series, is an ebook I purchased. I really enjoyed this world and the fact these characters didn't fill the trope slots of a young hero (this one has a few miles on him and an infamous backstory). I managed to read books 1-4 in two days. Well-paced action with flawed but likeable characters

[Jeff Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book! Good start for the series. While a short book, the author develops the characters quickly. I like Drom - he's older just wants to live. Events in the world do not allow this. He meets Ariane. Is she his daughter? Still need to find out. There are prophecies and the world is at a tipping point. Battle and magic sequences are well written.

[Rose Barbour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start

This book was a great start,, in what I think will be an even greater series, the world is detained and the characters keep you rooting for them. I cant wait to see what happens next.

[Magi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and great author

[Alvin Narsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

hmmm... Drom, Ariane and characters.
easy reading yet eloquent.
a different kind of fable, yet plausibly believable.
and short.
good stuff

[David Pike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically same plot Eye of the World/Wheel of Time but doesn’t take 10,000 pages to get to the point.

[Thornton T Perry IV · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Great Read, But

A well written and exciting story. My only criticism is its brevity. George R.R. Would consider this a short story. It is a great read, though.

[Nora Jeffries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining!

This book is very well written, entertaining and the characters are believable. I will definitely be reading the next book in line.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoy reading about the druids this however is beyond anything I have ever come across before. That has made it a very interesting experience

[ShooF · Rating 4 out of 5]

4* but I'll probably not continue in the series, for me there was just no hook & I don't really care one way or the other what happens to anyone. The possessed sword that does what it pleases makes no sense, then the MC retrieves a talisman that basically stops damage but that the sword will destroy when used in anger....so won't he get angry when someone or thing tries to damage him ?