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The Vāyilian Threads #1
Beckoning of the Gate: The Vāyilian Threads
What do you fear to lose the most?
Santha Lathagin was raised on stories—of fae and spirits, of old gods and doors best left unopened. But childhood tales offer little in a world where whispers turn to scandal, and scandal to accusation. Now, fingers are pointing her way.
Shunned by her town and burdened by a past she cannot put to rest, Santha longs for more than the familiar cage of the Silver Valley. In the quiet of the forest near her home, she finds a rusted key resting atop a slab of stone, encircled by ancient rowan trees.
It is old. It remembers. And now, it has chosen again.
The key draws her into a hidden world of fading glamour and fractured courts, where dark fae and wights still linger, and eldritch pacts bind mortals to powers older than men. Each truth revealed demands a sacrifice. Each choice pushes her further into peril. As something ancient stirs in the north, Santha must decide what she is willing to become—and what she is willing to lose.
A dark fae fantasy of betrayal, sacrifice, and survival. A tale of coming of age and consequence, where folklore meets epic fantasy and memory itself carries power.
Perfect for readers of Garth Nix, Mark Lawrence, and Naomi Novik—Beckoning of the Gate weaves dark enchantment and the fatalism of old tales into a story where every choice carries a price.
Santha Lathagin was raised on stories—of fae and spirits, of old gods and doors best left unopened. But childhood tales offer little in a world where whispers turn to scandal, and scandal to accusation. Now, fingers are pointing her way.
Shunned by her town and burdened by a past she cannot put to rest, Santha longs for more than the familiar cage of the Silver Valley. In the quiet of the forest near her home, she finds a rusted key resting atop a slab of stone, encircled by ancient rowan trees.
It is old. It remembers. And now, it has chosen again.
The key draws her into a hidden world of fading glamour and fractured courts, where dark fae and wights still linger, and eldritch pacts bind mortals to powers older than men. Each truth revealed demands a sacrifice. Each choice pushes her further into peril. As something ancient stirs in the north, Santha must decide what she is willing to become—and what she is willing to lose.
A dark fae fantasy of betrayal, sacrifice, and survival. A tale of coming of age and consequence, where folklore meets epic fantasy and memory itself carries power.
Perfect for readers of Garth Nix, Mark Lawrence, and Naomi Novik—Beckoning of the Gate weaves dark enchantment and the fatalism of old tales into a story where every choice carries a price.
467 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2021
9 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin J. Ryan
1 book45 followersBorn and raised in the tropical heat of North Queensland, Australia, Benjamin (Ben, Benny, Benji, or any name whispered kindly) has always had his nose in books of magic, heroes, and the supernatural. He started writing at the age of fifteen—an enthusiasm that grew into a passion and a habit, as well as a distraction from his profession as a physiotherapist. When not writing or working, he enjoys wandering the worlds created by his beloved books, films, and games.
Beckoning of the Gate is the first entry in his debut fantasy series: The Vāyilian Threads. And old gods willing, it won’t be his last.
Beckoning of the Gate is the first entry in his debut fantasy series: The Vāyilian Threads. And old gods willing, it won’t be his last.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
January 22, 2022
This fantastic fantasy story is the first volume of "The Väyllian Threads" series, and also the debut novel by the Aussie author, Benjamin J. Ryan.
At the back of the book you'll find a wonderful Glossary where several words are explained by the auhtor to make it all the more understandable.
Story-telling is absolutely of a superb quality, this fantasy story itself is fast-paced and action-packed, and that is great to follow and enjoy in its entirety.
The book is divided into three parts, and each part has its own exciting and thrilling adventures to tell, and its all about a girl named, Santha Lathagin, and her mysterious key, and she with her magical key will set this book alight with beautiful and dangerous moments, in her quest to find the all important Gate.
What is to follow as a whole is a fabulous fantasy tale from this new author, and I hope that more will follow this treasure, for I look very much forward to the next instalment.
Highly recommended to anyone who love fantasy stories, for this is a terrific begin of this fantasy series, and that's why I like to call this first outing: "A Very Promising Fantasy Debut!"
**A thank you to the agent for my digital copy, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review, which I've given in my own personal way!**
At the back of the book you'll find a wonderful Glossary where several words are explained by the auhtor to make it all the more understandable.
Story-telling is absolutely of a superb quality, this fantasy story itself is fast-paced and action-packed, and that is great to follow and enjoy in its entirety.
The book is divided into three parts, and each part has its own exciting and thrilling adventures to tell, and its all about a girl named, Santha Lathagin, and her mysterious key, and she with her magical key will set this book alight with beautiful and dangerous moments, in her quest to find the all important Gate.
What is to follow as a whole is a fabulous fantasy tale from this new author, and I hope that more will follow this treasure, for I look very much forward to the next instalment.
Highly recommended to anyone who love fantasy stories, for this is a terrific begin of this fantasy series, and that's why I like to call this first outing: "A Very Promising Fantasy Debut!"
**A thank you to the agent for my digital copy, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review, which I've given in my own personal way!**
August 31, 2022
eARC received from author in exchange for honest review.
Beckoning of the Gate is an epic tale of loss, evil, sacrifice, love and friendship that culminates in a rather inclusive, mildly curious ending that has you wondering how the next book in the series will shape up.
If you're looking for a heavy read with several characters and complex villains, you won't find it here.
On the other hand, if you're used to the less distorted plotlines with easy-going (even if petulant) MCs, then you're sure to find this a lightly pleasant read.
Santha, the main character, is a chosen one of sorts. At the start of the series, she's a raw, unrefined youngling with many insecurities, flaws and fears, the latter of which is justly founded. Quite naturally, the figurative cracks in her character are a function of a turbulent past, a tumultuous present and a barely secure future.
Education with a respectable mentor is the best recourse for her, an option she grudgingly takes up, but soon comes to see the benefit of- the beginnings of her personality transformation.
Like all pig-headed, impulsive youngsters, she learns through a combination of forceful insistence and patient doting, both attributes lavished on her by her gifted tutor.
However, the future holds much more than she ever bargained, or imagined. The eldritch creatures of her studies come to life, ripping apart her entire world and forcing her to go on a life-changing, character-developing journey.
Along the way, she makes valuable friendships, gains the attention of formidable enemies, and gets caught up in the dregs of a centuries-old, dormant warfare involving humans and fae creatures.
All is not well, and at every step of the way she's forced to make difficult choices, battle her relentless enemies, and conquer herself in a new war for control over her soul.
And, at journey's end, what seems to be the only way out of her troubles, might just be what she's imagined all along...or not.
I can't say too much without giving away spoilers, so I'll have to pause here with my already-too-lengthy blurb.
There aren't a lot of characters in the book. Also, there's just one single plot thread,a surprise for me, given the book's length. I've read shorter books with more variety as regards plotlines, so it's a good thing that the author does manage to keep you intrigued all through.
The focus is on the MC's coming-of-age, LoTR-ish quest, and nothing else. And, it's quite interesting to watch Santha's character development from start to finish.
In the place of complex characters and elaborate settings, the author builds on the magic system and the world lore, both of which are done fairly well. They aren't overdone, but neither are they altogether uninteresting.
Only once do we ever get into a real city, but even then, the scenes are very memorable. Perhaps, subsequent books in the series will explore this aspect more...
All in all, the book is a rather pleasant read. It's not going to set your heart pounding in anticipation at every turn, but it's well written enough to ignite your imagination.
Beckoning of the Gate is an epic tale of loss, evil, sacrifice, love and friendship that culminates in a rather inclusive, mildly curious ending that has you wondering how the next book in the series will shape up.
If you're looking for a heavy read with several characters and complex villains, you won't find it here.
On the other hand, if you're used to the less distorted plotlines with easy-going (even if petulant) MCs, then you're sure to find this a lightly pleasant read.
Santha, the main character, is a chosen one of sorts. At the start of the series, she's a raw, unrefined youngling with many insecurities, flaws and fears, the latter of which is justly founded. Quite naturally, the figurative cracks in her character are a function of a turbulent past, a tumultuous present and a barely secure future.
Education with a respectable mentor is the best recourse for her, an option she grudgingly takes up, but soon comes to see the benefit of- the beginnings of her personality transformation.
Like all pig-headed, impulsive youngsters, she learns through a combination of forceful insistence and patient doting, both attributes lavished on her by her gifted tutor.
However, the future holds much more than she ever bargained, or imagined. The eldritch creatures of her studies come to life, ripping apart her entire world and forcing her to go on a life-changing, character-developing journey.
Along the way, she makes valuable friendships, gains the attention of formidable enemies, and gets caught up in the dregs of a centuries-old, dormant warfare involving humans and fae creatures.
All is not well, and at every step of the way she's forced to make difficult choices, battle her relentless enemies, and conquer herself in a new war for control over her soul.
And, at journey's end, what seems to be the only way out of her troubles, might just be what she's imagined all along...or not.
I can't say too much without giving away spoilers, so I'll have to pause here with my already-too-lengthy blurb.
There aren't a lot of characters in the book. Also, there's just one single plot thread,a surprise for me, given the book's length. I've read shorter books with more variety as regards plotlines, so it's a good thing that the author does manage to keep you intrigued all through.
The focus is on the MC's coming-of-age, LoTR-ish quest, and nothing else. And, it's quite interesting to watch Santha's character development from start to finish.
In the place of complex characters and elaborate settings, the author builds on the magic system and the world lore, both of which are done fairly well. They aren't overdone, but neither are they altogether uninteresting.
Only once do we ever get into a real city, but even then, the scenes are very memorable. Perhaps, subsequent books in the series will explore this aspect more...
All in all, the book is a rather pleasant read. It's not going to set your heart pounding in anticipation at every turn, but it's well written enough to ignite your imagination.
October 20, 2021
In some literary circles, there's a term reserved for a select few authors known as "first book bitch.” A high honour, it essentially means their debut novel is so good that it rivals the practiced perfection of their 100th offering. It is usually uttered endearingly, with a good measure of disbelief and the slightest hint of envy.
Benjamin J Ryan is a first book bitch.
Beckoning of the Gate is a seamless and spell-binding read. You won’t be able to put it down. (And I wouldn’t have, were it not for a book-blocking cherub of an 18 month old who wakes for hours at night, at all hours of the night, at all nights of the week. In the battle between the land of z’s and the land of fantasy, the z’s won. Just.)
The writing is flawless. Benjamin possesses such a way with words that you would think he has been blessed with the same magic that exists within his stories. He writing isn’t just text on a page, or pixels on a screen. His writing pulls you into the pages of his novel, so that you soon stop seeing words and start seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting and touching the world within.
And the story itself seems more than something simply conjured in the imagination of a practised storyteller, written in spits and spurts as inspiration strikes. Rather than the author choosing the story, it feels like the story chose the author (not unlike a certain key...).
There is nothing negative I can say about this book except that I fear the wait for the next will be interminable.
And with that, I conclude my gushing.
Read the book. You won’t regret it.
Benjamin J Ryan is a first book bitch.
Beckoning of the Gate is a seamless and spell-binding read. You won’t be able to put it down. (And I wouldn’t have, were it not for a book-blocking cherub of an 18 month old who wakes for hours at night, at all hours of the night, at all nights of the week. In the battle between the land of z’s and the land of fantasy, the z’s won. Just.)
The writing is flawless. Benjamin possesses such a way with words that you would think he has been blessed with the same magic that exists within his stories. He writing isn’t just text on a page, or pixels on a screen. His writing pulls you into the pages of his novel, so that you soon stop seeing words and start seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting and touching the world within.
And the story itself seems more than something simply conjured in the imagination of a practised storyteller, written in spits and spurts as inspiration strikes. Rather than the author choosing the story, it feels like the story chose the author (not unlike a certain key...).
There is nothing negative I can say about this book except that I fear the wait for the next will be interminable.
And with that, I conclude my gushing.
Read the book. You won’t regret it.
March 30, 2023
Beckoning of the Gate is surprising novel. A debut that shines a light on a new, promising author.
I will not dwell on the synopsis, I imagine that if you are here you have already read it, but let me say that the novel takes a very, very different direction from what the description suggests. I think it's a good thing to be honest.
Worldbuilding
For me, the worldbuilding was a breath of fresh air. I did not know much of the cultural subtext that inspired it, nor the habits and customs it should represent. The same goes for the creatures, artifacts, and supernatural abilities they have. And for a longtime reader, who has read and continues to read high fantasy every day, I'd say it's a more than positive result. Other readers will likely have a different experience, especially if they are more familiar with the legends and folklore that is mentioned, but for me it was all new and exciting.
Characters
The main character, Santha, is interesting and well-defined. The author made a conscious and thoughtful effort to give her specific motivations and make her actions credible. Her journey, both internal and practical, unfolds organically and the way she relates to other characters never sounds forced.
That said, I think she is a "difficult" character. Her strong will, and her desire for revenge, often transcend to arrogance. There have been several occasions in which her way of speaking (even to characters who were very close to her heart on paper) seemed to me so self-reported as to make it almost unbearable.
But on this specific point I think it is a personal matter. I have no doubt that Santha's decision-making is precisely what makes her so appealing to many other readers.
The rest of the cast is well written, but I feel it's used more as a tool to advance the plot than to build deep interpersonal relationships or examine Santha's emotional baggage.
Plot
After the first few chapters, everything flows in an excellent way. The three main parts alternate in an interesting way and there are a couple of very well structured revelations.
I think the only weakness is in the set-up section. The way Santha is presented to us, the tragedy she experienced, has virtually no impact on the development of the plot or the way she makes decisions, especially in the long term.
That backstory introduces a tone, and in a sense creates expectations, which are not explored in the rest of the novel.
Pity.
I think it's a flaw in the structural editing phase. All the information contained in that section would have had a more powerful impact if more carefully distributed throughout the narrative.
Prose
Without doubt the best part of the novel.
Ryan writes very well, he manages to make his presence as a narrator vanish in order to highlight actions, sensations and dialogues.
I think, from that point of view, it's the best debut I've read this year.
The writing is so refined that you might think this is the twentieth novel by a writer with decades of experience behind him.
Excellent.
Conclusion
While it suffers from some basic naivety, especially from a structural standpoint, Beckoning of the Gate is a smooth and heartfelt novel. Worldbuilding and prose have really impressed me and I am happy I've discovered a promising new author!
I will not dwell on the synopsis, I imagine that if you are here you have already read it, but let me say that the novel takes a very, very different direction from what the description suggests. I think it's a good thing to be honest.
Worldbuilding
For me, the worldbuilding was a breath of fresh air. I did not know much of the cultural subtext that inspired it, nor the habits and customs it should represent. The same goes for the creatures, artifacts, and supernatural abilities they have. And for a longtime reader, who has read and continues to read high fantasy every day, I'd say it's a more than positive result. Other readers will likely have a different experience, especially if they are more familiar with the legends and folklore that is mentioned, but for me it was all new and exciting.
Characters
The main character, Santha, is interesting and well-defined. The author made a conscious and thoughtful effort to give her specific motivations and make her actions credible. Her journey, both internal and practical, unfolds organically and the way she relates to other characters never sounds forced.
That said, I think she is a "difficult" character. Her strong will, and her desire for revenge, often transcend to arrogance. There have been several occasions in which her way of speaking (even to characters who were very close to her heart on paper) seemed to me so self-reported as to make it almost unbearable.
But on this specific point I think it is a personal matter. I have no doubt that Santha's decision-making is precisely what makes her so appealing to many other readers.
The rest of the cast is well written, but I feel it's used more as a tool to advance the plot than to build deep interpersonal relationships or examine Santha's emotional baggage.
Plot
After the first few chapters, everything flows in an excellent way. The three main parts alternate in an interesting way and there are a couple of very well structured revelations.
I think the only weakness is in the set-up section. The way Santha is presented to us, the tragedy she experienced, has virtually no impact on the development of the plot or the way she makes decisions, especially in the long term.
That backstory introduces a tone, and in a sense creates expectations, which are not explored in the rest of the novel.
Pity.
I think it's a flaw in the structural editing phase. All the information contained in that section would have had a more powerful impact if more carefully distributed throughout the narrative.
Prose
Without doubt the best part of the novel.
Ryan writes very well, he manages to make his presence as a narrator vanish in order to highlight actions, sensations and dialogues.
I think, from that point of view, it's the best debut I've read this year.
The writing is so refined that you might think this is the twentieth novel by a writer with decades of experience behind him.
Excellent.
Conclusion
While it suffers from some basic naivety, especially from a structural standpoint, Beckoning of the Gate is a smooth and heartfelt novel. Worldbuilding and prose have really impressed me and I am happy I've discovered a promising new author!
December 2, 2021
Beckoning of the Gate is the debut novel of Benjamin J. Ryan. It's a brilliant fantasy book which was really enjoyable to read.
The book is divided into three parts. In the first part we meet Shantra Lathagin, who lives with Dandon D'avery. There is a lot of gossip about them. But she fled to him after she was raped by Percival McKascey. She tells her parents, but doesn't feel truly heard and leaves.
Her parents have a goat farm, and she still takes care of the goats. One day she loses a goat and she follows him into the forest. There she is chased by wights and a deamon hound. She finds a key and takes it with her and flees to her home. There she finds her mother, but she turns out to be a wight. And she realizes both her parents are murdered because she took that key out of the forest.
And that is where the story kickstarts truly. The wight spoke to her and he wants the key. But the key has chosen her, and is bound to her. If they kill her, the key is lost to them. So they can't hurt her. Every single day she gets more intertwined with the key.
She gets warned that she needs to leave. Because they will kill her entire town. Dandon is training her and preparing her for the journey on which the key will take her.
The three princes of the faerie realm are after the key. And all have their own army to track the key down.
In part 2 she is going on her journey. My favorite part of the entire book is Biahnd. Biahnd was a dog made of stone. But through magick Dandon grants her life and Biahnd is connected to Shantra.
I love the entire relationship between Shantra and Biahnd. I love how much hatred Biahnd has for Dandon. And how her friendship grows with Shantra. A brilliantly worked out character. I wish she was real. Absolutely love her to pieces.
And from there one her quest starts. What is the key? Who wants it. What does she need to do? You follow her on her journey to the city. There she meets Erod again. A boy she met in her youth as well. I love the loyalty Erod has towards her. And how that relationship developes to.
In each and every chapter we learn more and more about the key. She also sees a lady in her dreams. And we learn how that all ties together.
It's a great fantasy quest which I enjoyed a lot.
But I did miss at times a bit more depth. The relationship between Biahnd and Shantra is absolutely perfect. But I missed a bit of depth in the love story between Shantra and Erod. I wish I felt it more in my heart, my soul.
There were also a few slower parts in the book. Which made it easy for me to put the book down and do something else.
If I look to how the book was written. That is definitely 10/10 for me! It's a magnificant book for a debut novel. But I do wish the story would have been a bit more compact at certain places, and had a bit more depth emotion wise.
But overall a fantastic book.
SPOILER ALERT:
The epilogue was PERFECTION! I love how Erod named his youngest daughter Shantra. And I love that his need to find his Shantra, the love of his life, was so big he left to find her. I cannot wait to read more about that quest and the continuation of that side of the story. That was definity a 6/5 star epilogue for me! Loved it.
4/5 well deserved stars overall from me!
The book is divided into three parts. In the first part we meet Shantra Lathagin, who lives with Dandon D'avery. There is a lot of gossip about them. But she fled to him after she was raped by Percival McKascey. She tells her parents, but doesn't feel truly heard and leaves.
Her parents have a goat farm, and she still takes care of the goats. One day she loses a goat and she follows him into the forest. There she is chased by wights and a deamon hound. She finds a key and takes it with her and flees to her home. There she finds her mother, but she turns out to be a wight. And she realizes both her parents are murdered because she took that key out of the forest.
And that is where the story kickstarts truly. The wight spoke to her and he wants the key. But the key has chosen her, and is bound to her. If they kill her, the key is lost to them. So they can't hurt her. Every single day she gets more intertwined with the key.
She gets warned that she needs to leave. Because they will kill her entire town. Dandon is training her and preparing her for the journey on which the key will take her.
The three princes of the faerie realm are after the key. And all have their own army to track the key down.
In part 2 she is going on her journey. My favorite part of the entire book is Biahnd. Biahnd was a dog made of stone. But through magick Dandon grants her life and Biahnd is connected to Shantra.
I love the entire relationship between Shantra and Biahnd. I love how much hatred Biahnd has for Dandon. And how her friendship grows with Shantra. A brilliantly worked out character. I wish she was real. Absolutely love her to pieces.
And from there one her quest starts. What is the key? Who wants it. What does she need to do? You follow her on her journey to the city. There she meets Erod again. A boy she met in her youth as well. I love the loyalty Erod has towards her. And how that relationship developes to.
In each and every chapter we learn more and more about the key. She also sees a lady in her dreams. And we learn how that all ties together.
It's a great fantasy quest which I enjoyed a lot.
But I did miss at times a bit more depth. The relationship between Biahnd and Shantra is absolutely perfect. But I missed a bit of depth in the love story between Shantra and Erod. I wish I felt it more in my heart, my soul.
There were also a few slower parts in the book. Which made it easy for me to put the book down and do something else.
If I look to how the book was written. That is definitely 10/10 for me! It's a magnificant book for a debut novel. But I do wish the story would have been a bit more compact at certain places, and had a bit more depth emotion wise.
But overall a fantastic book.
SPOILER ALERT:
The epilogue was PERFECTION! I love how Erod named his youngest daughter Shantra. And I love that his need to find his Shantra, the love of his life, was so big he left to find her. I cannot wait to read more about that quest and the continuation of that side of the story. That was definity a 6/5 star epilogue for me! Loved it.
4/5 well deserved stars overall from me!
December 11, 2021
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews.
Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews.
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A huge thank you to Benjamin J. Ryan and Odyssey Books for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes are taken from Beckoning of the Gate by Benjamin J. Ryan.
// Book Content Warnings: violence, death, sexual assault, harassment // – Please educate yourself on the potential content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some here.
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// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
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// Quick Review //
A beautifully written and magical tale, the first novel in The Vāyilian Threads series is a masterpiece full of adventure, danger, and high stakes. Unlike any fantasy novel I have read before, Beckoning of the Gate was a fantastically thrilling and compelling journey that left me yearning for more.
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// Other Information //
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Page Count: 430 pages
Release Date: October 7, 2021
Series: The Vāyilian Threads #1
Genre: Fiction, Adult, Young adult, Fantasy, Dark fantasy, High fantasy, Adventure
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// Book Description (from Goodreads) //
The only life Santha Lathagin has ever known has become her prison. Vicious gossip is everywhere. Whispers of a scandal have turned to accusations of murder, and fingers are pointing her way. Feeling powerless and alone, she yearns for escape.
When Santha stumbles upon a small, rusted key in the forest near her home, it seems her silent pleas have been answered. Awakened by her touch, the key demands to be heard—and she is not the only one to heed its call.
Thrust into a world only glimpsed in the stories of her childhood—of faeries and princes and eldritch magick— Santha sets out to unlock its secrets. But uncovering the truth has its own perils, and as the key’s influence grows, she will be left with a choice: survival or sacrifice.
But will it truly be hers to make?
… All the while, in the north, something ancient stirs. A great power that could unravel the very threads of existence.
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// Characters //
The characters within this novel’s pages are rich and full of life. Santha Lathagin, a young woman from a small farm town called Silver Valley in the highlands of southern Seratora, one of the four kingdoms. Santha is going through a rough time in her small town, with rumors of murder surrounding her. Nevertheless, she continues to take care of her goats while staying at her friend Dandon’s school. At first, Santha is presented as a simple yet headstrong young lady with nothing but a simple life. However, when she discovers a mysterious key in the forest, all Santha has known is turned upside down. The key chooses her for a purpose, one which Santha must discover. What Santha doesn’t expect is the interest of wights (fae) in the key.
I admired the evolution of Santha over time. Once she knows her presence draws wights and endangers her town, she decides to leave and discover the purpose of the key. Dandon, however, refuses to let her leave town until she has a basic understanding of survival and wights. This knowledge does not come to her right away, instead, she must work for it. She is a realistic yet strong protagonist who is also likable.
I’ve already mentioned Dandon D’Avery, Silver Valley’s teacher of all things fae, but there are other amazing and fascinating characters that make this story unique. Throughout Santha’s journey, she goes in and out of contact with Erodius Moureaux, a bold and foolhardy young man who becomes obsessed with her (and she, him). Besides Erod, Santha is accompanied by a magical ‘dog’ by the name of Biahnd, who was created by Dandon. Sassy and adorable, Biahnd is the companion anyone on the run would wish for.
The wights, or fae, in this novel are spectacularly created and magical. The challenges they present to Santha add grit and struggle to the story.
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// Writing and Setting //
Ryan does a great job of describing everything perfectly with an atmosphere of magic and darkness. The world is so full of depth and history, which the author is fantastic at conveying to the reader.
In this world, there are four kingdoms, two of which are Seratora and Calig. Wights have been around for as long as Santha can remember, but have kept to the shadows for so long that many people regard them as fantasy. “Like the two main societies of fae, the two temperaments: seelie and unseelie. The former were considered to be benevolent in nature, the latter less so, and with an insatiable hatred towards humanity.” The fae follow the orders of the most powerful wights. The entire story is rich with colorful and mystical places, characters, atmosphere, and history.
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// Plot //
As I mentioned earlier, Santha discovers a mysterious key that is essentially a beacon to all wights, though for what, no one knows. This is what Santha must discover: the purpose of the key and why it has chosen her as its keeper. Santha undergoes multiple trials during which she grows as a person. Through loss, chaos, and destruction she must learn her true destiny while protecting those around her.
Beckoning of the Gate was entertaining and fast-paced with nothing unnecessary throughout. I loved every chapter and page, for each added more to a story I could not wait to discover the bittersweet ending to.
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// Overall Review //
I loved the feeling of adventure that Beckoning of the Gate gave me as I read of Santha’s journey to save her world and friends. Unique and mesmerizing, I could not put this book down and loved every moment.
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Listen to this review and more on my podcast, Maya's Reviews.
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A huge thank you to Benjamin J. Ryan and Odyssey Books for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
All quotes are taken from Beckoning of the Gate by Benjamin J. Ryan.
// Book Content Warnings: violence, death, sexual assault, harassment // – Please educate yourself on the potential content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some here.
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// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
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// Quick Review //
A beautifully written and magical tale, the first novel in The Vāyilian Threads series is a masterpiece full of adventure, danger, and high stakes. Unlike any fantasy novel I have read before, Beckoning of the Gate was a fantastically thrilling and compelling journey that left me yearning for more.
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“‘Your fear is good, Santha. It tells you that you are alive, and drives you to be cautious with that life. The danger you face is very real, but you have been chosen for a reason. Just like you and I were to meet, the path to your destiny is set before you.'”
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// Other Information //
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Page Count: 430 pages
Release Date: October 7, 2021
Series: The Vāyilian Threads #1
Genre: Fiction, Adult, Young adult, Fantasy, Dark fantasy, High fantasy, Adventure
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// Book Description (from Goodreads) //
The only life Santha Lathagin has ever known has become her prison. Vicious gossip is everywhere. Whispers of a scandal have turned to accusations of murder, and fingers are pointing her way. Feeling powerless and alone, she yearns for escape.
When Santha stumbles upon a small, rusted key in the forest near her home, it seems her silent pleas have been answered. Awakened by her touch, the key demands to be heard—and she is not the only one to heed its call.
Thrust into a world only glimpsed in the stories of her childhood—of faeries and princes and eldritch magick— Santha sets out to unlock its secrets. But uncovering the truth has its own perils, and as the key’s influence grows, she will be left with a choice: survival or sacrifice.
But will it truly be hers to make?
… All the while, in the north, something ancient stirs. A great power that could unravel the very threads of existence.
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// Characters //
The characters within this novel’s pages are rich and full of life. Santha Lathagin, a young woman from a small farm town called Silver Valley in the highlands of southern Seratora, one of the four kingdoms. Santha is going through a rough time in her small town, with rumors of murder surrounding her. Nevertheless, she continues to take care of her goats while staying at her friend Dandon’s school. At first, Santha is presented as a simple yet headstrong young lady with nothing but a simple life. However, when she discovers a mysterious key in the forest, all Santha has known is turned upside down. The key chooses her for a purpose, one which Santha must discover. What Santha doesn’t expect is the interest of wights (fae) in the key.
I admired the evolution of Santha over time. Once she knows her presence draws wights and endangers her town, she decides to leave and discover the purpose of the key. Dandon, however, refuses to let her leave town until she has a basic understanding of survival and wights. This knowledge does not come to her right away, instead, she must work for it. She is a realistic yet strong protagonist who is also likable.
I’ve already mentioned Dandon D’Avery, Silver Valley’s teacher of all things fae, but there are other amazing and fascinating characters that make this story unique. Throughout Santha’s journey, she goes in and out of contact with Erodius Moureaux, a bold and foolhardy young man who becomes obsessed with her (and she, him). Besides Erod, Santha is accompanied by a magical ‘dog’ by the name of Biahnd, who was created by Dandon. Sassy and adorable, Biahnd is the companion anyone on the run would wish for.
The wights, or fae, in this novel are spectacularly created and magical. The challenges they present to Santha add grit and struggle to the story.
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“‘Let me tell you a little secret. Destiny. Fate. It is not a passageway—narrow, enclosed, predetermined with a destination irrevocably set—but rather, a field as far as the eye can see with any number of routes to take.'”
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// Writing and Setting //
Ryan does a great job of describing everything perfectly with an atmosphere of magic and darkness. The world is so full of depth and history, which the author is fantastic at conveying to the reader.
In this world, there are four kingdoms, two of which are Seratora and Calig. Wights have been around for as long as Santha can remember, but have kept to the shadows for so long that many people regard them as fantasy. “Like the two main societies of fae, the two temperaments: seelie and unseelie. The former were considered to be benevolent in nature, the latter less so, and with an insatiable hatred towards humanity.” The fae follow the orders of the most powerful wights. The entire story is rich with colorful and mystical places, characters, atmosphere, and history.
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// Plot //
As I mentioned earlier, Santha discovers a mysterious key that is essentially a beacon to all wights, though for what, no one knows. This is what Santha must discover: the purpose of the key and why it has chosen her as its keeper. Santha undergoes multiple trials during which she grows as a person. Through loss, chaos, and destruction she must learn her true destiny while protecting those around her.
Beckoning of the Gate was entertaining and fast-paced with nothing unnecessary throughout. I loved every chapter and page, for each added more to a story I could not wait to discover the bittersweet ending to.
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“Whatever was to come, she made a vow: never again would she let others pay the price for her own choices. No matter the cost to herself.”
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// Overall Review //
I loved the feeling of adventure that Beckoning of the Gate gave me as I read of Santha’s journey to save her world and friends. Unique and mesmerizing, I could not put this book down and loved every moment.
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July 12, 2022
Unfortunately, this one didn’t work as well for me as I had hoped it would. Don't get me wrong, 3 stars means that I had an okay time with the book and I would recommend it to the right people, but there were some serious issues I had that held me back from getting invested.
I find it hard to write a proper review for this book, so I am going to drop some things I liked and then some things I didn’t like, because I think that will work better.
Okay, so, what I liked:
- The worldbuilding: This is a very interesting world with lots of eldritch beings. I have read my fair share of stories about the fae, but this one felt very unique and I liked that.
- The technical writing: The author clearly knows how to write. There were almost no awkward phrasings or grammar errors, so that made the book feel very polished and helped with my immersion.
- The action scenes: While this isn’t a super action-heavy book, there were some very intense scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. I tend to have a hard time visualising action in books, but these were written so well that I had no problems at all.
- A magical (talking) companion: What more do I need to say… Is a magical talking companion (a dog/fox kinda creature, to be precise) ever going to be a negative? I think not :)
Then onto things I didn’t particularly enjoy (and keep in mind, this is all very subjective, you might have a very different reading experience to me!):
- The characters: I mean, they weren’t badly written… but they really didn’t feel like real people to me either. I am a very character-driven reader and the fact that I couldn’t connect to any of the characters here really hindered my enjoyment. Also, the relationships (be they familial, platonic or romantic) between these characters didn’t feel believable to me. There was an extreme case of insta-love here and while the end did offer some explanation, I still didn’t like it.
- The delivery of the worldbuilding: Now, I know I said above that I liked the worldbuilding, and that is true, but I didn’t like how it was delivered. Some parts felt like extreme info-dumps, while other parts didn’t offer any explanation and I didn’t understand what was going on. Luckily there was a glossary with all the creatures of this world at the back of the book, but I don’t think a reader has to rely on that to understand what is going on in a story. Flipping back and forth to a glossary doesn’t help with immersion, you know?
- The plot and pacing: I seriously considered DNFing this book for the first 25-30%, because it just took so long for anything interesting to happen. Then we finally got started on the quest and while I did enjoy that more than the start, I was never really engaged. For some reason I just never really felt like I knew why we were doing the things we were doing… and maybe that was supposed to be part of the mystery of Santha’s journey, but it only resulted in me feeling very detached and uninterested. And I can’t go into detail because of spoilers, but the ending was quite unsatisfying to me… so there’s that.
Now, I realise that this all might sound a bit negative, but I would still recommend this if the premise sounds intriguing to you, because this book seems to be a hit for a lot of people!
I guess I should’ve just listened to my gut feeling at the start and DNFed it when I started to realise that I didn’t care about Santha as a character.
That said, I never actively disliked reading this book and I don’t regret giving it a shot.
I would definitely read more from this author when he writes something else, because I think he has a lot of potential.
I find it hard to write a proper review for this book, so I am going to drop some things I liked and then some things I didn’t like, because I think that will work better.
Okay, so, what I liked:
- The worldbuilding: This is a very interesting world with lots of eldritch beings. I have read my fair share of stories about the fae, but this one felt very unique and I liked that.
- The technical writing: The author clearly knows how to write. There were almost no awkward phrasings or grammar errors, so that made the book feel very polished and helped with my immersion.
- The action scenes: While this isn’t a super action-heavy book, there were some very intense scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. I tend to have a hard time visualising action in books, but these were written so well that I had no problems at all.
- A magical (talking) companion: What more do I need to say… Is a magical talking companion (a dog/fox kinda creature, to be precise) ever going to be a negative? I think not :)
Then onto things I didn’t particularly enjoy (and keep in mind, this is all very subjective, you might have a very different reading experience to me!):
- The characters: I mean, they weren’t badly written… but they really didn’t feel like real people to me either. I am a very character-driven reader and the fact that I couldn’t connect to any of the characters here really hindered my enjoyment. Also, the relationships (be they familial, platonic or romantic) between these characters didn’t feel believable to me. There was an extreme case of insta-love here and while the end did offer some explanation, I still didn’t like it.
- The delivery of the worldbuilding: Now, I know I said above that I liked the worldbuilding, and that is true, but I didn’t like how it was delivered. Some parts felt like extreme info-dumps, while other parts didn’t offer any explanation and I didn’t understand what was going on. Luckily there was a glossary with all the creatures of this world at the back of the book, but I don’t think a reader has to rely on that to understand what is going on in a story. Flipping back and forth to a glossary doesn’t help with immersion, you know?
- The plot and pacing: I seriously considered DNFing this book for the first 25-30%, because it just took so long for anything interesting to happen. Then we finally got started on the quest and while I did enjoy that more than the start, I was never really engaged. For some reason I just never really felt like I knew why we were doing the things we were doing… and maybe that was supposed to be part of the mystery of Santha’s journey, but it only resulted in me feeling very detached and uninterested. And I can’t go into detail because of spoilers, but the ending was quite unsatisfying to me… so there’s that.
Now, I realise that this all might sound a bit negative, but I would still recommend this if the premise sounds intriguing to you, because this book seems to be a hit for a lot of people!
I guess I should’ve just listened to my gut feeling at the start and DNFed it when I started to realise that I didn’t care about Santha as a character.
That said, I never actively disliked reading this book and I don’t regret giving it a shot.
I would definitely read more from this author when he writes something else, because I think he has a lot of potential.
December 28, 2022
I received a free copy eARC in exchange for an honest review.
So, how do I start? First thing, this is very impressive for a debut fantasy: there's world building and magic systems, a heroine that carries her past burdens and goes through an astonishing yet believable character growth (meaning she's got depth and 3D), a journey (or multiple ones) for truth, then several versions of truth, like layers of an onion until your head is blown. By that I mean seriously, I don't quite understand what is going on near the end, but still it was a great dramatic ending, lots of flashbacks and tears (though not for me, my eyes are too dry hehe), great writing, and I enjoyed that. Moreover, as in any story, a lovable, talking animal sidekick hits my soft spot (ah, don't I just love toothless in the How to Train Your Dragon series and Reichis in Spellslinger?)
Anyway, back to this review. The only thing that puts me off is the actual concept of the key and gate which is kind of confusing. But maybe that's the point. I was reading too fast so I mainly focused on the action (which are great, well done) and the emotions (shown, not told, nice!), and might have neglected the backstory (silly me!). The pacing was a little strange though, slow at first, then really slow on the journey, until suddenly there's the city then everything just barrelled on and the plot twists and histories rained like confetti at the last 50 pages (I was panicking near the end because there were a bunch of new characters and problems and only 50 pages left! Thankfully the story was resolved).
Overall, great potential, nice intriguing story, a very interesting heroine and her dog/cat, a not very interesting love interest but alright, and a bunch of badass action, not to mention a magnificent book cover design. (It will look very nice on any shelf) Thanks again for the free ebook :D
So, how do I start? First thing, this is very impressive for a debut fantasy: there's world building and magic systems, a heroine that carries her past burdens and goes through an astonishing yet believable character growth (meaning she's got depth and 3D), a journey (or multiple ones) for truth, then several versions of truth, like layers of an onion until your head is blown. By that I mean seriously, I don't quite understand what is going on near the end, but still it was a great dramatic ending, lots of flashbacks and tears (though not for me, my eyes are too dry hehe), great writing, and I enjoyed that. Moreover, as in any story, a lovable, talking animal sidekick hits my soft spot (ah, don't I just love toothless in the How to Train Your Dragon series and Reichis in Spellslinger?)
Anyway, back to this review. The only thing that puts me off is the actual concept of the key and gate which is kind of confusing. But maybe that's the point. I was reading too fast so I mainly focused on the action (which are great, well done) and the emotions (shown, not told, nice!), and might have neglected the backstory (silly me!). The pacing was a little strange though, slow at first, then really slow on the journey, until suddenly there's the city then everything just barrelled on and the plot twists and histories rained like confetti at the last 50 pages (I was panicking near the end because there were a bunch of new characters and problems and only 50 pages left! Thankfully the story was resolved).
Overall, great potential, nice intriguing story, a very interesting heroine and her dog/cat, a not very interesting love interest but alright, and a bunch of badass action, not to mention a magnificent book cover design. (It will look very nice on any shelf) Thanks again for the free ebook :D
October 24, 2021
A gripping story from beginning to end, keeping me engaged and enthralled way past my bedtime, brilliantly articulated, superbly, cleverly and intensely descriptive, had me simultaneously listening to the sounds and music whilst absorbing the scenery, definitely a picture book in motion. A great read. Bring on the next one, Ben.
November 20, 2025
Thank you to the author Benjamin J. Ryan for providing me with an advanced reading copy. This has not influenced my review.
This was a pretty wild trip. What I really liked was how you get thrown straight into the story. You get a glimpse into Santha’s life before everything shifts and her adventure begins. The world building is great and the characters feel well thought out. I see a lot of potential in this series if it continues.
In short, Santha finds an ancient key and becomes its bearer, or better yet, the key finds her. From that moment on she is marked and hunted by different forms of wights and fae. She has to leave her hometown to protect the people she cares about and to follow the path the key has set for her. Before she leaves, she is guided and prepared by Dandon, her friend and mentor, who gives her knowledge and tools that will help her in the battles ahead. She is also joined by a magical companion named Biahnd, who adds a touch of humor to her journey.
The pacing was good but sometimes a bit dragged out, and at times the characters made choices that did not always feel consistent. For instance, I probably would have left the townspeople behind, since she was clearly treated as an outcast. She had a few meaningful connections, but they could have escaped or even joined her on her quest. If the book had been a little longer, this could have been explored more deeply and would have added something to the story. The plot felt a bit rushed toward the end, but that also made it exciting because I had no idea how it would turn out.
What I absolutely loved was the world building and how the wights were portrayed. There is so much potential here and many scenes felt like watching a movie. Pan’s Labyrinth meets The Hobbit. I am definitely looking forward to the second book.
One of my favorite quotes:
"It's tasted my blood? The fall. The gash on her left palm. She looked at it now, crusted over with dried blood. Not rust but blood, layered many times over, coated the key."
This was a pretty wild trip. What I really liked was how you get thrown straight into the story. You get a glimpse into Santha’s life before everything shifts and her adventure begins. The world building is great and the characters feel well thought out. I see a lot of potential in this series if it continues.
In short, Santha finds an ancient key and becomes its bearer, or better yet, the key finds her. From that moment on she is marked and hunted by different forms of wights and fae. She has to leave her hometown to protect the people she cares about and to follow the path the key has set for her. Before she leaves, she is guided and prepared by Dandon, her friend and mentor, who gives her knowledge and tools that will help her in the battles ahead. She is also joined by a magical companion named Biahnd, who adds a touch of humor to her journey.
The pacing was good but sometimes a bit dragged out, and at times the characters made choices that did not always feel consistent. For instance, I probably would have left the townspeople behind, since she was clearly treated as an outcast. She had a few meaningful connections, but they could have escaped or even joined her on her quest. If the book had been a little longer, this could have been explored more deeply and would have added something to the story. The plot felt a bit rushed toward the end, but that also made it exciting because I had no idea how it would turn out.
What I absolutely loved was the world building and how the wights were portrayed. There is so much potential here and many scenes felt like watching a movie. Pan’s Labyrinth meets The Hobbit. I am definitely looking forward to the second book.
One of my favorite quotes:
"It's tasted my blood? The fall. The gash on her left palm. She looked at it now, crusted over with dried blood. Not rust but blood, layered many times over, coated the key."
November 1, 2022
The story is fast paced with a lot of action scenes, suspense and thrill. I liked the world building and character development. The main character faces several dangers but the way she fights them is so realistic. She has her doubts but not without her strengths. She is a trauma survivor and was cast out of her house for something she had no control over. She is on a mission to save the world and doesn't stop at anything. Seemed very much like a coming of age story.
There's a magical key involved and so is a gate. But to know where the key leads to, the main character has to undertake a dangerous adventure and uncover several secrets.
Strong female lead with a gripping story, this was a commendable debut. Definitely recommended.
There's a magical key involved and so is a gate. But to know where the key leads to, the main character has to undertake a dangerous adventure and uncover several secrets.
Strong female lead with a gripping story, this was a commendable debut. Definitely recommended.
March 18, 2023
“This land be fraught with danger, lass, and we be but tiny drops in this here ocean of turmoil.”
First off I would like to congratulate Benjamin J. Ryan for creating a brilliantly entertaining story. What impresses me the most about this author is that he is only getting started!
One of my favorite parts about this book is the relationship between Santha and Biahnd. I liked the idea about how their minds are connected together. This really made me think about how you don’t know what someone else is thinking or going through. You would literally have to read their mind in order to figure this out, and even then, you might not be able to grasp the full complexities of their emotions. Another reason why I enjoyed this relationship is because the dialogue between these two characters was hilarious. One minute they were bickering and the next minute one of them was giving orders.
Another reason why I enjoyed Beckoning of the Gate was because I felt like the story was well written and easy to understand. Additionally, I found the glossary in the back of the book to be helpful, because whenever I’m reading a fantasy novel I feel like I’m trying to read another language. Luckily, having all of the words that the author created in the book, along with their definitions helped to eliminate this problem.
The only two negative things that I have to say about this book is that 1) I wish that there was a little more backstory to some of the other characters. 2) It was slow paced in certain parts.
I’m definitely going to recommend this book to some of my other friends who like fantasy novels.
I honestly feel like this book could go head to head with a bunch of The New York Times Best Sellers and still come out on top! Thanks again Benjamin J. Ryan for taking me on a wonderful adventure!
First off I would like to congratulate Benjamin J. Ryan for creating a brilliantly entertaining story. What impresses me the most about this author is that he is only getting started!
One of my favorite parts about this book is the relationship between Santha and Biahnd. I liked the idea about how their minds are connected together. This really made me think about how you don’t know what someone else is thinking or going through. You would literally have to read their mind in order to figure this out, and even then, you might not be able to grasp the full complexities of their emotions. Another reason why I enjoyed this relationship is because the dialogue between these two characters was hilarious. One minute they were bickering and the next minute one of them was giving orders.
Another reason why I enjoyed Beckoning of the Gate was because I felt like the story was well written and easy to understand. Additionally, I found the glossary in the back of the book to be helpful, because whenever I’m reading a fantasy novel I feel like I’m trying to read another language. Luckily, having all of the words that the author created in the book, along with their definitions helped to eliminate this problem.
The only two negative things that I have to say about this book is that 1) I wish that there was a little more backstory to some of the other characters. 2) It was slow paced in certain parts.
I’m definitely going to recommend this book to some of my other friends who like fantasy novels.
I honestly feel like this book could go head to head with a bunch of The New York Times Best Sellers and still come out on top! Thanks again Benjamin J. Ryan for taking me on a wonderful adventure!
December 23, 2021
This is a relatively fast-paced novel! It did drag on a little in the beginning, but overall it is an enjoyable read. Santha is stubborn and she’s one of my favorite characters in this book. This book has a very immersive setting and it makes you feel like you’re actually there. Perfect for fans of Lord of the Rings or dystopian fantasy.
November 8, 2021
Really loved this debut novel from Ryan. As an aspiring writer from Australia myself it's absolutely inspiring to see what can be achieved through hard work and dedication to ones craft. Fantastic work. I loved reading about Santha and felt like I really saw the world through her eyes. I am very keen for book 2. In saying that, I hope Ryan writes with the pace of a Sanderson/Abercrombie and not a Martin/Rothfuss haha
October 8, 2022
When I was younger I used to have dreams of finding some magic object that would whisk me away on an adventure. We all probably did, right?
I'm going to hardcore pass on this one though. Santha, our main character, finds a key deep in the forest, and honestly, everything goes to hell from there.
The fae/magic lore in this world seems like one of those that could go on forever, with endess stories and possibilities. I wish I could have learned more about them in details.
The main character wasn't my favourite person in the story, she wasn't my vibe you could say, but you have to give her props for the sheer amount of what she goes through, and then she keeps going. Her relationships with the different characters frustrated me more than once, though maybe that was the whole point. It was meant to be happy and healthy. People can really terrible to teach other.
My absolute favourite was Biahnd. I could read a whole book on her. She was spectacular and I'm still not over everything that happened. The 🌟 BEST 🌟 out of all the supporting characters and she deserves the world.
If you are an animal lover, BE CAREFUL, this book will shatter your heart a few times over. I had to put it down and walk away at least once.
I'm going to hardcore pass on this one though. Santha, our main character, finds a key deep in the forest, and honestly, everything goes to hell from there.
The fae/magic lore in this world seems like one of those that could go on forever, with endess stories and possibilities. I wish I could have learned more about them in details.
The main character wasn't my favourite person in the story, she wasn't my vibe you could say, but you have to give her props for the sheer amount of what she goes through, and then she keeps going. Her relationships with the different characters frustrated me more than once, though maybe that was the whole point. It was meant to be happy and healthy. People can really terrible to teach other.
My absolute favourite was Biahnd. I could read a whole book on her. She was spectacular and I'm still not over everything that happened. The 🌟 BEST 🌟 out of all the supporting characters and she deserves the world.
If you are an animal lover, BE CAREFUL, this book will shatter your heart a few times over. I had to put it down and walk away at least once.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2025
Thank you to the Author and Book Sirens for allowing me to get this as an ARC Read.
This will be short but sweet. As someone who does not read fantasy all the time, I did enjoy this story with its powerful worldbuilding, descriptors, and mythical elements (I felt like I was part of this world described). The strong female main character (Santha) leaves and uncovers secrets on her journey. I felt that this story was predictable and moderately paced until the end (faster paced) with the final battle which left me wanting more. I will say, the romance portion of it didn't make sense to me given her previous trauma.
If you enjoy strong female characters, fae, mythic elements, romance with no spice, with epic final battles then this book is for you!
This will be short but sweet. As someone who does not read fantasy all the time, I did enjoy this story with its powerful worldbuilding, descriptors, and mythical elements (I felt like I was part of this world described). The strong female main character (Santha) leaves and uncovers secrets on her journey. I felt that this story was predictable and moderately paced until the end (faster paced) with the final battle which left me wanting more. I will say, the romance portion of it didn't make sense to me given her previous trauma.
If you enjoy strong female characters, fae, mythic elements, romance with no spice, with epic final battles then this book is for you!
September 26, 2022
I got the ARC of this debut novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It was a pretty good light read. The plot thread is simple and straightforward, and the world is intriguing. I would have definitely loved to read more about the fae lore.
The characters were easy to follow, though I couldn't relate to the MC. There was only a handful of characters that the book focuses on. The rest of the minor characters show up once or twice throughout the book.
I did find that its a little long at times. I do like how the book was left open ended as well. I'm giving this 3 stars mostly because I reserve 4 stars to books I devoured and would think and ponder of repeatedly throughout the day; and 5 stars only for comfort reads.
It was a pretty good light read. The plot thread is simple and straightforward, and the world is intriguing. I would have definitely loved to read more about the fae lore.
The characters were easy to follow, though I couldn't relate to the MC. There was only a handful of characters that the book focuses on. The rest of the minor characters show up once or twice throughout the book.
I did find that its a little long at times. I do like how the book was left open ended as well. I'm giving this 3 stars mostly because I reserve 4 stars to books I devoured and would think and ponder of repeatedly throughout the day; and 5 stars only for comfort reads.
July 19, 2022
This book, Beckoning Of The Gate (The Vāyilian Threads Book 1) by Benjamin J Ryan, surprised me with the dark undertones it immediately had from the gap between the main character and her parents, as well as the lost goat. But I love the slow build of the plot, little details like not knowing if the key is a good thing or an evil thing. If you love following the coming of age character development of a girl who didn’t really believe in wights, the seelie and the unseelie to a woman fully invested, then this book is for you. If you’re into cats and dogs with strong, snarky personalities, then all the better.
December 5, 2022
I'd like to thank Benjamin's team for sending me a copy of Beckoning of the Gate in exchange for a honest review!
I loved the world that Benjamin created. Although maybe a little more simple than other fantasy novels, I enjoyed the history and the world building of the towns we visit throughout the book. I also appreciated the sheer amount of fae creatures we get to encounter throughout the story.
The pacing is quite fast but at the same time felt rather slow because there wasn't a whole lot happening. I think this is probably due to the book having a single plot thread - it could be improved dramatically if it wasn't so A-B.
Unfortunately I didn't relate to Santha (the main character) a huge amount either, which made it a little difficult to get in to. I also found that other characters came and went so quickly throughout the book that by the time you started to feel anything for them, they were written out. Biahnd was probably the exception here! And although its difficult to care for the characters because they're so temporary, Santha seems to move between not knowing them to caring deeply for them in no time at all, even when they displayed problematic behaviour.
There's also the issue of the trauma Santha struggles to deal with. Not a problem, I've read darker storylines! But I'd also have liked to see her come to terms with her past a little more, seeing as it features so heavily in the book. It felt as if she spoke about it once and then moved on!
There were a few moments where I thought "Ooop, here it is - it's kicking off!" but unfortunately the excitement was short lived as the story slowed again. One such moment was when the main antagonist makes his first on-page appearance. I was intrigued by his character but he became much more plain rather quickly.
If there was one thing that would make this book better it would be the addition of more plot threads. Not only would it make the story itself more interesting, it would give us the much needed time to get to know characters better and become more invested in them. It would also give the writer more time to build up anticipation and foreshadowing, rather than telling us that something felt off and having it be discovered immediately. Leave us guessing a bit rather than telling us. Let us wonder who the characters are or why they're doing the things they're doing - we like that!
Would I read it again?
Unfortunately probably not. I didn't feel enough for the characters and as someone that's a sucker for a romantic plotline, this one didn't do it for me.
But hey, it wasn't to my tastes - that doesn't mean it won't be to yours!
I loved the world that Benjamin created. Although maybe a little more simple than other fantasy novels, I enjoyed the history and the world building of the towns we visit throughout the book. I also appreciated the sheer amount of fae creatures we get to encounter throughout the story.
The pacing is quite fast but at the same time felt rather slow because there wasn't a whole lot happening. I think this is probably due to the book having a single plot thread - it could be improved dramatically if it wasn't so A-B.
Unfortunately I didn't relate to Santha (the main character) a huge amount either, which made it a little difficult to get in to. I also found that other characters came and went so quickly throughout the book that by the time you started to feel anything for them, they were written out. Biahnd was probably the exception here! And although its difficult to care for the characters because they're so temporary, Santha seems to move between not knowing them to caring deeply for them in no time at all, even when they displayed problematic behaviour.
There's also the issue of the trauma Santha struggles to deal with. Not a problem, I've read darker storylines! But I'd also have liked to see her come to terms with her past a little more, seeing as it features so heavily in the book. It felt as if she spoke about it once and then moved on!
There were a few moments where I thought "Ooop, here it is - it's kicking off!" but unfortunately the excitement was short lived as the story slowed again. One such moment was when the main antagonist makes his first on-page appearance. I was intrigued by his character but he became much more plain rather quickly.
If there was one thing that would make this book better it would be the addition of more plot threads. Not only would it make the story itself more interesting, it would give us the much needed time to get to know characters better and become more invested in them. It would also give the writer more time to build up anticipation and foreshadowing, rather than telling us that something felt off and having it be discovered immediately. Leave us guessing a bit rather than telling us. Let us wonder who the characters are or why they're doing the things they're doing - we like that!
Would I read it again?
Unfortunately probably not. I didn't feel enough for the characters and as someone that's a sucker for a romantic plotline, this one didn't do it for me.
But hey, it wasn't to my tastes - that doesn't mean it won't be to yours!
April 26, 2023
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I was provided with a digital copy of the book through the author in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, blood, injury, sexual assault/rape (off page), abandonment, animal death, death of parent
--
A great debut, Beckoning of the Gate has the cadence of a classic fantasy adventure.
We follow Santha, a young girl who inadvertently becomes the Keeper of an ancient key that she stumbles upon in the forest behind her house. Drawn in by the key’s power are many creatures of legend that Santha believed to be nothing but stories, their growing presence a great danger to the people of her town. The key itself steers Santha to some unknown destination, unlocking a chance for her to get away from the gossip that has shunned her from society. Thus Santha sets off on an journey to safeguard those around her but to also uncover the key’s true purpose.
Over the last few years I’ve fallen out of love with stories that involve fae and I jumped into this book not realising they were a significant element to it but you know what this book may have somewhat redeemed fae for me.
Benjamin J. Ryan is without a doubt a great storyteller. The worldbuilding in this book is brilliant, the writing immediately giving a vivid sense of the atmosphere.
The mythology, which you become more accustomed to the more you read was fascinating and there was some absolutely fantastic scenes where the unnerving, eeriness of the fae really came across. There’s a particular part of the story near the beginning with the protagonist and her mother that I still can’t stop thinking about.
I didn’t find myself able to exactly connect to Santha (or any of the characters in particular) but her development through the book was really well written. There were also some good character relationships though I feel like the one that stood out the most was the bond with Biahnd, her animal companion.
You have to push through a bit of a slow beginning but when the quest at the heart of the book kicks in I found my self really enjoying this adventurous, coming of age tale all the way through to the end.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the author’s future work!
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars
**I was provided with a digital copy of the book through the author in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, blood, injury, sexual assault/rape (off page), abandonment, animal death, death of parent
--
A great debut, Beckoning of the Gate has the cadence of a classic fantasy adventure.
We follow Santha, a young girl who inadvertently becomes the Keeper of an ancient key that she stumbles upon in the forest behind her house. Drawn in by the key’s power are many creatures of legend that Santha believed to be nothing but stories, their growing presence a great danger to the people of her town. The key itself steers Santha to some unknown destination, unlocking a chance for her to get away from the gossip that has shunned her from society. Thus Santha sets off on an journey to safeguard those around her but to also uncover the key’s true purpose.
Over the last few years I’ve fallen out of love with stories that involve fae and I jumped into this book not realising they were a significant element to it but you know what this book may have somewhat redeemed fae for me.
Benjamin J. Ryan is without a doubt a great storyteller. The worldbuilding in this book is brilliant, the writing immediately giving a vivid sense of the atmosphere.
The mythology, which you become more accustomed to the more you read was fascinating and there was some absolutely fantastic scenes where the unnerving, eeriness of the fae really came across. There’s a particular part of the story near the beginning with the protagonist and her mother that I still can’t stop thinking about.
I didn’t find myself able to exactly connect to Santha (or any of the characters in particular) but her development through the book was really well written. There were also some good character relationships though I feel like the one that stood out the most was the bond with Biahnd, her animal companion.
You have to push through a bit of a slow beginning but when the quest at the heart of the book kicks in I found my self really enjoying this adventurous, coming of age tale all the way through to the end.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the author’s future work!
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars
January 7, 2022
I received a free copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say, I really enjoyed the book. It was a mix of everything you need in a fantasy novel: magic, adventure and a bit of mystery.
It's a well written book that starts a bit slow, but that's not really a problem. The author took their time to set the atmosphere and introduce the characters, especially Santha. You get to know her really well through the book and she is an amazingly strong character, who can speak her mind and yet wears her feelings on her sleeve. What I did miss is more depth between some of the characters. Some are really well written but some are lacking a bit. The one I loved the most is the relationship between Santha and her unique companion Biahnd. He is truly a gem in the story and scenes with him are never boring. The relationship that is built with Santha along the way is perfectly written and it's really enjoyable.
The plot of the book is well thought out. It keeps you interested from the beginning of the book with all of its mysteries and twists coming along with the story. It was really hard to put the book down. And on top of everything, you get a full experience of the fantastical world of Seratora. The details of it are well incorporated into the story and didn't disrupt the reading flow at all.The same goes for the amazing magic system, that flows naturally through the story and doesn't feel forced like it sometimes does.
I usually don't put special attention to prologues and epilogues but in this case I do have to say that the epilogue was absolutely perfect and it offered an amazing ending to the story.
Beckoning of the Gate was a really enjoyable read and I'm glad I got a copy of the book. Despite some minor flaws, I loved the story and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
I have to say, I really enjoyed the book. It was a mix of everything you need in a fantasy novel: magic, adventure and a bit of mystery.
It's a well written book that starts a bit slow, but that's not really a problem. The author took their time to set the atmosphere and introduce the characters, especially Santha. You get to know her really well through the book and she is an amazingly strong character, who can speak her mind and yet wears her feelings on her sleeve. What I did miss is more depth between some of the characters. Some are really well written but some are lacking a bit. The one I loved the most is the relationship between Santha and her unique companion Biahnd. He is truly a gem in the story and scenes with him are never boring. The relationship that is built with Santha along the way is perfectly written and it's really enjoyable.
The plot of the book is well thought out. It keeps you interested from the beginning of the book with all of its mysteries and twists coming along with the story. It was really hard to put the book down. And on top of everything, you get a full experience of the fantastical world of Seratora. The details of it are well incorporated into the story and didn't disrupt the reading flow at all.The same goes for the amazing magic system, that flows naturally through the story and doesn't feel forced like it sometimes does.
I usually don't put special attention to prologues and epilogues but in this case I do have to say that the epilogue was absolutely perfect and it offered an amazing ending to the story.
Beckoning of the Gate was a really enjoyable read and I'm glad I got a copy of the book. Despite some minor flaws, I loved the story and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
December 31, 2022
I had a pretty good time with this. It’s a well written story and there are lots of weird and wonderful things found within – mostly under the banner of wights. There are various different types of wight and various different rules around them, so there’s a good bit of worldbuilding that’s gone into it.
The characters were decent – not the best, perhaps, but I still got on with them absolutely fine. The overall story was also pretty good, and for those who like an animal companion, there’s an interesting one here. It’s a dog with a fluffy tail, rather than the fox I think it looks like on the cover, but it was a good addition and added an extra layer to the story as well.
I haven’t heard anything about a second book in this series, but I would say this first book is quite well contained as a standalone. There are threads left at the end that you can expect to follow to continue the story, but I would probably expect this to be the type of story to move on a bit, rather than continuing with the same characters. That remains to be seen however.
The characters were decent – not the best, perhaps, but I still got on with them absolutely fine. The overall story was also pretty good, and for those who like an animal companion, there’s an interesting one here. It’s a dog with a fluffy tail, rather than the fox I think it looks like on the cover, but it was a good addition and added an extra layer to the story as well.
I haven’t heard anything about a second book in this series, but I would say this first book is quite well contained as a standalone. There are threads left at the end that you can expect to follow to continue the story, but I would probably expect this to be the type of story to move on a bit, rather than continuing with the same characters. That remains to be seen however.
December 2, 2021
4.5/5 stars
This was an amazing book that enthralled me from the very start. Beckoning of the Gate is a debut novel and it blew my expectations away. The storyline was fascinating with many good scenes. The writing was descriptive and engaging. The characters didn’t feel underdeveloped and the world building was very thorough. Overall this was a great debut novel.
This was an amazing book that enthralled me from the very start. Beckoning of the Gate is a debut novel and it blew my expectations away. The storyline was fascinating with many good scenes. The writing was descriptive and engaging. The characters didn’t feel underdeveloped and the world building was very thorough. Overall this was a great debut novel.
November 26, 2021
A descriptive, full of detail fantasy novel that fantasy readers should read. It got all the elements, adventures,a strong female character,magical kingdom, mythical being and a little romance. A great character development especially the main character and the plot keep growing without losing the essence of the story. The ending is open for another journey and I can't wait what's next.
November 2, 2021
Just finished reading, now I am waiting for the second book(no pressure Ben). Great story, great descriptions puts the reader right there wirh Santha. Loved it.
January 1, 2023
This book is the first of a series, but its final chapters are so exhaustive that this tome could be a stand alone with an open ending.
It's a really well written story, this one. It has everything: the epicity of classic fantasy, silly moments that make the reader laugh, an adventurous journey of misteries and growth, magic gates that link different universes. You want a love story too? There is one and it will make you suffer and cry (marry me Erod, I love you 💘). Plot twists? A lot, and some of them include unexpected deaths. 😱
Santha, the main character, is a girl who knows how to rebel. In her village she's continuously hit by prejudices but she doesn't lower her head under the pressure of bad gossips. She works hard and even if she's very young, she has a difficult past. Santha will make the difference in her world, and she'll become a legend for her people. 💪🏻
The thing I loved the most is the great presence of imaginary creatures. I adored Biandh in particular: she's the protagonist's companion and she's a dog with a cat behaviour. She's ironic, smart and loyal. 😼
Also, this book's aesthetic is lovely: I love the font chosen for the title and the illustration on the cover. It makes the reader immediately recognize the book's genre: it's the epithome of classic fantasy. I loved the map, too. Where there's a journey in the story, I love to follow the characters' visually in their change of position.
I highly reccomend this book, and I hope to see it published in Italy too, one day! ☺️
____________________
Il tomo è il primo di una 𝖘𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊, ma alla fine si ha l'impressione che potrebbe anche benissimo essere un autoconclusivo con un finale un po' indefinito, aperto a molte possibilità.
È scritto DAVVERO bene. C'è tutto: epicità del 𝖋𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖘𝖞, momenti sciocchi per ridere, battute ironiche e maliziose, un viaggio che sa di crescita e misteri, 𝖛𝖆𝖗𝖈𝖍𝖎 𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖈𝖎 che collegano ad altri mondi. La love story? C'è, è bellissima, e vi farà soffrire da cani (Erod sposami). Plot twist? Presenti, e alcuni sono delle morti improvvise e inaspettate che vi lasceranno di sasso. 😱
La protagonista Santha è una ragazza che non vuole abbassare la testa davanti ai pregiudizi che circondano la sua figura, una che sa rimboccarsi le maniche e che, anche se molto giovane, ne ha già passate di tutti i colori. È lei che cambierà tutta la realtà che la circonda, e diventerà una sorta di leggenda per le sue genti. 💪🏻
La cosa che mi è piaciuta di più è stata la gran presenza di 𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊 fantasiose che spesso riprendono bestie mitologiche. Ho adorato in particolare Biandh, l'animale che si affianca alla protagonista per tutto il suo 𝖛𝖎𝖆𝖌𝖌𝖎𝖔: una sorta di cagnolina con l'animo da gatta, una mente sveglia e scaltra e un repertorio di risposte ironiche al vetriolo. 😼
Ultimo ma non ultimo, come punto a favore va inserito anche l'aesthetic del libro: adoro la scelta del font del titolo e l'illustrazione della copertina; entrambe le cose danno subito l'idea di fantasy nudo e crudo, classico, epico. Adoro poi che dentro ci sia una cosa per me fondamentale, specie se la storia include un lungo viaggio: 𝖒𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖊. Aiutano a definire il worldbuilding e a me piace seguire visivamente il percorso intrapreso dai personaggi ed i loro spostamenti.
È super consigliato e mi piacerebbe arrivasse anche in italiano, prima o poi.
It's a really well written story, this one. It has everything: the epicity of classic fantasy, silly moments that make the reader laugh, an adventurous journey of misteries and growth, magic gates that link different universes. You want a love story too? There is one and it will make you suffer and cry (marry me Erod, I love you 💘). Plot twists? A lot, and some of them include unexpected deaths. 😱
Santha, the main character, is a girl who knows how to rebel. In her village she's continuously hit by prejudices but she doesn't lower her head under the pressure of bad gossips. She works hard and even if she's very young, she has a difficult past. Santha will make the difference in her world, and she'll become a legend for her people. 💪🏻
The thing I loved the most is the great presence of imaginary creatures. I adored Biandh in particular: she's the protagonist's companion and she's a dog with a cat behaviour. She's ironic, smart and loyal. 😼
Also, this book's aesthetic is lovely: I love the font chosen for the title and the illustration on the cover. It makes the reader immediately recognize the book's genre: it's the epithome of classic fantasy. I loved the map, too. Where there's a journey in the story, I love to follow the characters' visually in their change of position.
I highly reccomend this book, and I hope to see it published in Italy too, one day! ☺️
____________________
Il tomo è il primo di una 𝖘𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊, ma alla fine si ha l'impressione che potrebbe anche benissimo essere un autoconclusivo con un finale un po' indefinito, aperto a molte possibilità.
È scritto DAVVERO bene. C'è tutto: epicità del 𝖋𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖘𝖞, momenti sciocchi per ridere, battute ironiche e maliziose, un viaggio che sa di crescita e misteri, 𝖛𝖆𝖗𝖈𝖍𝖎 𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖈𝖎 che collegano ad altri mondi. La love story? C'è, è bellissima, e vi farà soffrire da cani (Erod sposami). Plot twist? Presenti, e alcuni sono delle morti improvvise e inaspettate che vi lasceranno di sasso. 😱
La protagonista Santha è una ragazza che non vuole abbassare la testa davanti ai pregiudizi che circondano la sua figura, una che sa rimboccarsi le maniche e che, anche se molto giovane, ne ha già passate di tutti i colori. È lei che cambierà tutta la realtà che la circonda, e diventerà una sorta di leggenda per le sue genti. 💪🏻
La cosa che mi è piaciuta di più è stata la gran presenza di 𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖊 fantasiose che spesso riprendono bestie mitologiche. Ho adorato in particolare Biandh, l'animale che si affianca alla protagonista per tutto il suo 𝖛𝖎𝖆𝖌𝖌𝖎𝖔: una sorta di cagnolina con l'animo da gatta, una mente sveglia e scaltra e un repertorio di risposte ironiche al vetriolo. 😼
Ultimo ma non ultimo, come punto a favore va inserito anche l'aesthetic del libro: adoro la scelta del font del titolo e l'illustrazione della copertina; entrambe le cose danno subito l'idea di fantasy nudo e crudo, classico, epico. Adoro poi che dentro ci sia una cosa per me fondamentale, specie se la storia include un lungo viaggio: 𝖒𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖊. Aiutano a definire il worldbuilding e a me piace seguire visivamente il percorso intrapreso dai personaggi ed i loro spostamenti.
È super consigliato e mi piacerebbe arrivasse anche in italiano, prima o poi.
March 8, 2022
Beckoning at the Gate starts us off after a somewhat cryptic prologue, with an ordinary girl living in a valley town, named Santha. Santha is very quickly shown to be a character who has already been through quite a lot, and we as the reader slowly catch on to the truth of what occurred, or at least, what we think is the truth. Here, is where I will make my first, and likely most important point. Ryan has a great talent for knowing what really goes on in his world, while his characters, do not. This is shown several times through the plot line, regarding several different topics, that no one character has the full picture. Much of the information given is hearsay, or purposefully held back for fear of another character’s reaction to the truth. Many of these plot lines are not fully revealed until a few chapters away from the finale of the book, but how enthralled I was by it.
The world is very interestingly thought out, and as someone who is a fan of folklore across the world, holds many familiar concepts. You may recognize quite a few of the creatures within, such as brownies, wights, and banshees. (The banshee was a particular haunting sequence for me, probably should not have read that in a dark room in the middle of the night.) All of the faerie creatures are fascinating, always offering more to the world with every appearance.
Action scenes are a definite plus here. Every battle or chase is described in excruciating detail, from every broken bone to every slashed muscle and tendon. The choreography is easy to keep track of, with plenty of surprises and gut-wrenching impacts. There are not as many fight scenes as you would find in some novels, but that isn’t a detriment at all.
Dialogue is interesting, but I will say there are certain times that I found it a little difficult to follow. Santha and her myriad companions have certain quips here and there that I had to re-read a few times to grasp what was being said. Other times the dialogue felt a little forced, but not to a glaring detriment.
The plot progression, was a little different than I was expecting. As a minor spoiler, the main party doesn’t leave the starting town until nearly halfway through the pages. It leads to plenty of set-up for how the world works, though I would say some of it could have been shown through flashbacks, or in another more natural way through the adventure. However, that being said, there is quite a lot of ‘past events’ that are referenced throughout, which add to the mystery of the story overall. Certain times, the information was thrown a little hard, and I had to reference back a couple times to keep track of what creatures or history was being discussed. The latter third of the book as well, was a little strange in how the pacing went. Certain times it was breakneck fast, and at others it was perhaps a little too slow. Overall though, it told a concise story, that promised plenty more to come from this rich world.
Beckoning of the Gate is a wonderful dark fantasy story, that is a great startup for a hopefully successful author. Benjamin, if you’re reading this, I can’t wait for your next story. Keep writing, and I’ll keep reading.
The world is very interestingly thought out, and as someone who is a fan of folklore across the world, holds many familiar concepts. You may recognize quite a few of the creatures within, such as brownies, wights, and banshees. (The banshee was a particular haunting sequence for me, probably should not have read that in a dark room in the middle of the night.) All of the faerie creatures are fascinating, always offering more to the world with every appearance.
Action scenes are a definite plus here. Every battle or chase is described in excruciating detail, from every broken bone to every slashed muscle and tendon. The choreography is easy to keep track of, with plenty of surprises and gut-wrenching impacts. There are not as many fight scenes as you would find in some novels, but that isn’t a detriment at all.
Dialogue is interesting, but I will say there are certain times that I found it a little difficult to follow. Santha and her myriad companions have certain quips here and there that I had to re-read a few times to grasp what was being said. Other times the dialogue felt a little forced, but not to a glaring detriment.
The plot progression, was a little different than I was expecting. As a minor spoiler, the main party doesn’t leave the starting town until nearly halfway through the pages. It leads to plenty of set-up for how the world works, though I would say some of it could have been shown through flashbacks, or in another more natural way through the adventure. However, that being said, there is quite a lot of ‘past events’ that are referenced throughout, which add to the mystery of the story overall. Certain times, the information was thrown a little hard, and I had to reference back a couple times to keep track of what creatures or history was being discussed. The latter third of the book as well, was a little strange in how the pacing went. Certain times it was breakneck fast, and at others it was perhaps a little too slow. Overall though, it told a concise story, that promised plenty more to come from this rich world.
Beckoning of the Gate is a wonderful dark fantasy story, that is a great startup for a hopefully successful author. Benjamin, if you’re reading this, I can’t wait for your next story. Keep writing, and I’ll keep reading.
December 21, 2022
I was offered a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, so here it is!
I was super excited to start this book because I am a huge fan of fantasy novels - it's my favorite genre after all. This world was intriguing because it felt like a mix of many worlds I'd already read before, so it didn't feel stale like it does when I read other fantasy books with the same old tropes. I was also excited to see what new twists and turns the author would take that would make the world his own.
I will say, the book mainly got three stars because the beginning pages were very slow. A lot of time passed where it felt like not much was happening, and when there was some action, it felt like it was explained away very quickly in a sentence or paragraph. Because of that, I had a bit of a hard time catching on to the storyline initially.
However, by about 1/3 - 1/2 of the way through, the story really picked up, and I got to experience so much of the rest of the world. I felt like the author avoided a lot of overused tropes, and I liked Santha because she took charge, and not in a stubborn-stupid way, but in a stubborn-this-is-the-right-choice-to-make-way, which was so refreshing. I appreciated that she made things happen while also being both rational in her decision-making and loving of the new family she made along her journey. And Biahnd? Maybe my favorite character - I'm obsessed with animal or creature and human friendships or bonds in fantasy novels, because they're just so unique and so much can be done with them! Definitely Santha's and Biahnd's bond was the highlight of the book for me.
The ending went by so fast and was a whirlwind of action and intrigue, and I was surprised by some of the twists! The ending was creative, though the cliffhanger did kill me a bit. I also have to say, though this may be controversial - I really like that the author was willing to kill off bigger characters. Devastating as it can be, it makes more sense considering the stakes. Justice for Biahnd, though :(
Overall, I'm excited to see what else Benjamin J. Ryan puts out, and I'm grateful he offered me the opportunity to experience his writing.
I was super excited to start this book because I am a huge fan of fantasy novels - it's my favorite genre after all. This world was intriguing because it felt like a mix of many worlds I'd already read before, so it didn't feel stale like it does when I read other fantasy books with the same old tropes. I was also excited to see what new twists and turns the author would take that would make the world his own.
I will say, the book mainly got three stars because the beginning pages were very slow. A lot of time passed where it felt like not much was happening, and when there was some action, it felt like it was explained away very quickly in a sentence or paragraph. Because of that, I had a bit of a hard time catching on to the storyline initially.
However, by about 1/3 - 1/2 of the way through, the story really picked up, and I got to experience so much of the rest of the world. I felt like the author avoided a lot of overused tropes, and I liked Santha because she took charge, and not in a stubborn-stupid way, but in a stubborn-this-is-the-right-choice-to-make-way, which was so refreshing. I appreciated that she made things happen while also being both rational in her decision-making and loving of the new family she made along her journey. And Biahnd? Maybe my favorite character - I'm obsessed with animal or creature and human friendships or bonds in fantasy novels, because they're just so unique and so much can be done with them! Definitely Santha's and Biahnd's bond was the highlight of the book for me.
The ending went by so fast and was a whirlwind of action and intrigue, and I was surprised by some of the twists! The ending was creative, though the cliffhanger did kill me a bit. I also have to say, though this may be controversial - I really like that the author was willing to kill off bigger characters. Devastating as it can be, it makes more sense considering the stakes. Justice for Biahnd, though :(
Overall, I'm excited to see what else Benjamin J. Ryan puts out, and I'm grateful he offered me the opportunity to experience his writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2022
This was a recommendation read and I must say that it needs to be passed on. I got sucked into this story very early on and the world within its pages is just absolutely astounding. The amount of lore, mystery, intrigue and more that keeps you reading on is just so plentiful and unique. I loved the protagonist, she was a fun character to watch as she developed, learning her past and what she does with her future because of it, and her companion is just brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters/creatures within, but also the magic of the places in this world and the history of it all... the various tales passed down and the way in which the world works and the hidden places that are right there but also not there at all. A lot of energy and consideration has gone into this book and it really shows, you dont just read this book but you feel it too. I will definitely look out for more from this author in the future.
November 7, 2025
I really enjoyed reading this book.
It has a detailed and very impressive world building, strong characters, an intense, yet sometimes intriguing relationship between the two main characters and just the right amount level of suspense.
The story is all about Santha ‘s quest, a search for the all important gate. This story really gets under your skin. The writers words felt raw, yet oh so intense and heart touching.
If you like a strong worldbuilding fae fantasy with an important quest, suspense and action, then this is a must read!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It has a detailed and very impressive world building, strong characters, an intense, yet sometimes intriguing relationship between the two main characters and just the right amount level of suspense.
The story is all about Santha ‘s quest, a search for the all important gate. This story really gets under your skin. The writers words felt raw, yet oh so intense and heart touching.
If you like a strong worldbuilding fae fantasy with an important quest, suspense and action, then this is a must read!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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