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Phantom in the Flames: Fulkonor Book 1
On his 18th birthday, Edsel’s entire world gets turned upside down. He quickly finds himself locked into a race for survival as everything he was taught to believe about the world, magic, and other races turns out to be lies. Edsel finds himself blamed for magical attacks happening throughout the Empire, and is forced to leave his home behind, possibly forever. Finding the world enveloped in chaos, full of dragons, goblins, elves, and many other fantastic creatures, can he survive long enough to make it back to his family?
560 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 24, 2026
About the author
R.K. Van Pelt
1 book3 followersA Michigan native who loves all things fantasy, sci-fi, and all things animals!!! R.K. spends her time writing, reading, and exploring with her pets and husband. From hanging out with sloths at the zoo, to long late night drives, R.K. loves to find inspiration everywhere.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 27, 2026
ARC Review:
What an adventure! It was so easy for me to become immersed in this story, and I felt as though I was right beside Edsel, though every emotion and experience. It was fun, it was intense, it was aggravating, it was scary, it was full of wonder, hope, anticipation, joy, heartache, excitement…you name it, I felt it right there alongside Edsel and those he crossed paths with on what we will call his journey home. I loved getting JUST enough on some of the characters in the beginning to start forming questions and theories in my mind, and then seeing those answered as I continued to read on and learned more. I was thrown for a loop a few times which I think is so great and well done - who wants to be able to guess the whole story before you ever finish the book? This truly kept me engaged and interested and wanting more. That being said….the ending?! Book two, I need you! Give me more Fulkonor!
What an adventure! It was so easy for me to become immersed in this story, and I felt as though I was right beside Edsel, though every emotion and experience. It was fun, it was intense, it was aggravating, it was scary, it was full of wonder, hope, anticipation, joy, heartache, excitement…you name it, I felt it right there alongside Edsel and those he crossed paths with on what we will call his journey home. I loved getting JUST enough on some of the characters in the beginning to start forming questions and theories in my mind, and then seeing those answered as I continued to read on and learned more. I was thrown for a loop a few times which I think is so great and well done - who wants to be able to guess the whole story before you ever finish the book? This truly kept me engaged and interested and wanting more. That being said….the ending?! Book two, I need you! Give me more Fulkonor!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Phantom in the Flames is a promising fantasy story that follows 18-year-old Edsel on a journey for survival. R.K. Van Pelt introduces a big, beautiful world full of different creatures and magic. Orcs, gobleens, and dragons, oh my! This book creates the stage for eye opening events that turns Edsel's world upside down. I am excited to see the rest of this story and to see where R.K. Van Pelt takes readers!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow, wow, wow!! First I need Edsel and a certain female character to meet back up right now please! A true epic fantasy, learning about the world with the MMC was fun, challenging, and heart breaking all at the same time. Edsel and those he meets are all three dimensional. The dialog is engaging and well thought out! I just wish there was more dragons. Also book two when??
Review of advance copy received from Author
The book starts out narrow. Yet as the MMC moves through the book we get to learn along side him about this magical, fun, scary, and expansive world. The relationships he forms are meaningful and progress organically. The characters are amazing, and realistic. The plot is intriguing. R.K. also offers a refreshing take on some classic fantasy races while building complex and interesting cultures to them. I AM OBSESSED WITH A UNIQUE SPECIES IN THIS BOOK! Also the ending is well done and leaves me wanting more!!
March 20, 2026
This book was so good!! I am so grateful that I was able to ARC read this book! I loved every second of it! The story hooked me and I was cheering on Edsel through the whole thing. It had me on the edge of my seat, and that ENDING!!!!! Oh my goodness! I cannot wait for the next one!!
March 24, 2026
I received Phantom in the Flames in return for an honest review from the author.
Edsel's life was quiet living with his aunt until his 18th birthday decided to change everything. Suddenly he's on the run to stay safe and making friends along the way. I enjoyed the cast of characters that Edsel encounters on his adventure making friends and growing as the story progresses.
I was hooked right from the very first page to the very last. I devoured this one in about four hours and finished it in two quick reading sessions. This is a epic fantasy with lots of world building and a whole cast of characters. I found Edsel very relatable and easy to connect with you can't help cheering him on as the story progresses.
This is the first in an exciting new series from a new voice. The story is beautifully written it's captivating from start to finish and leaves the reader wanting more. I'm not a epic fantasy reader but that may have changed after enjoying this one so much. I'm excited to continue the series and see how Edsel grows as the story progresses. If you enjoy relatable characters with action packed adventure this is a must. It's one of my favorite reads of 2026 and I loved it. Highly recommend.
Edsel's life was quiet living with his aunt until his 18th birthday decided to change everything. Suddenly he's on the run to stay safe and making friends along the way. I enjoyed the cast of characters that Edsel encounters on his adventure making friends and growing as the story progresses.
I was hooked right from the very first page to the very last. I devoured this one in about four hours and finished it in two quick reading sessions. This is a epic fantasy with lots of world building and a whole cast of characters. I found Edsel very relatable and easy to connect with you can't help cheering him on as the story progresses.
This is the first in an exciting new series from a new voice. The story is beautifully written it's captivating from start to finish and leaves the reader wanting more. I'm not a epic fantasy reader but that may have changed after enjoying this one so much. I'm excited to continue the series and see how Edsel grows as the story progresses. If you enjoy relatable characters with action packed adventure this is a must. It's one of my favorite reads of 2026 and I loved it. Highly recommend.
March 27, 2026
ARC REVIEW:
From many adventures to new friends, this story keeps you on your toes! It has everything you could want in a fantasy novel. I need that second book already!!!!
From many adventures to new friends, this story keeps you on your toes! It has everything you could want in a fantasy novel. I need that second book already!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Content/Trigger Warnings: depression, miscarriage
Phantom in the Flames promises classic epic fantasy—magic, dragons, and political conflict—but the execution didn’t fully come together.
I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Readers who enjoy fast-paced fantasy packed with magic, multiple factions, and moving pieces may still find things to enjoy here.
Pacing and structure were major challenges. Characters appear quickly with little development, and entire chapters sometimes shift to seemingly random side characters. This head-hopping scattered the narrative and pulled focus from Edsel’s story. Many chapters end with him falling asleep or blacking out, making the story feel like it resets rather than flows.
Worldbuilding was inconsistent. Edsel is a farm boy, yet has extensive access to books and education without explanation. He also suddenly has a bow and full quiver of arrows with no explanation.
Edsel’s aunt is confusingly portrayed. She is described as humble, yet earns enormous sums from rare elas fur. The story hints she may be powerful, but this is never explored.
Small details also pulled me out of the setting. Words like “socks” felt modern, and weapons are described unrealistically, such as strapping both a sword and scabbard to someone’s back.
The book touches on heavy topics like depression and miscarriage. These moments could have been handled with more depth to convey their emotional weight, making them more impactful for readers.
I was also surprised by the lack of dragons. The blurb suggests they are central, but the only one appears in the prologue and a ghost of one on the last page. Edsel carries a dragon scale that is never meaningfully used.
At times, the story felt less like a grounded narrative and more like a chaotic tabletop campaign where the DM keeps adding new plot hooks before the last ones are resolved.
While this book wasn’t the right fit for me, readers who enjoy fast-paced fantasy with many magical elements may still find things to like. For me, it ultimately felt less like a finished epic fantasy and more like the rough first draft of one.
Phantom in the Flames promises classic epic fantasy—magic, dragons, and political conflict—but the execution didn’t fully come together.
I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Readers who enjoy fast-paced fantasy packed with magic, multiple factions, and moving pieces may still find things to enjoy here.
Pacing and structure were major challenges. Characters appear quickly with little development, and entire chapters sometimes shift to seemingly random side characters. This head-hopping scattered the narrative and pulled focus from Edsel’s story. Many chapters end with him falling asleep or blacking out, making the story feel like it resets rather than flows.
Worldbuilding was inconsistent. Edsel is a farm boy, yet has extensive access to books and education without explanation. He also suddenly has a bow and full quiver of arrows with no explanation.
Edsel’s aunt is confusingly portrayed. She is described as humble, yet earns enormous sums from rare elas fur. The story hints she may be powerful, but this is never explored.
Small details also pulled me out of the setting. Words like “socks” felt modern, and weapons are described unrealistically, such as strapping both a sword and scabbard to someone’s back.
The book touches on heavy topics like depression and miscarriage. These moments could have been handled with more depth to convey their emotional weight, making them more impactful for readers.
I was also surprised by the lack of dragons. The blurb suggests they are central, but the only one appears in the prologue and a ghost of one on the last page. Edsel carries a dragon scale that is never meaningfully used.
At times, the story felt less like a grounded narrative and more like a chaotic tabletop campaign where the DM keeps adding new plot hooks before the last ones are resolved.
While this book wasn’t the right fit for me, readers who enjoy fast-paced fantasy with many magical elements may still find things to like. For me, it ultimately felt less like a finished epic fantasy and more like the rough first draft of one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fun book to read! Edsel as a main character was mostly believable, and well written. It was interesting to see the different situations he was forced into and how he handled them. The other characters were good, as well. The pacing was good, for the most part, although it did drag in the middle/beginning of the end for me, but picked back up near/after the climax. The only thing I was disappointed with was the lack of dragons, and the first chapter was a bit too enigmatic, and wasn't referenced until much, much, much later in the book. And there was a scene at the end that was confusing as well. Edsel also carried around an object for the entire book, but it was never explained or used, so I'm hoping to get better clarification, and dragons, in Book 2! But like I said, this is a fun book to read, and a great first offering from the author. Looking forward to more.
This was a fun book to read! Edsel as a main character was mostly believable, and well written. It was interesting to see the different situations he was forced into and how he handled them. The other characters were good, as well. The pacing was good, for the most part, although it did drag in the middle/beginning of the end for me, but picked back up near/after the climax. The only thing I was disappointed with was the lack of dragons, and the first chapter was a bit too enigmatic, and wasn't referenced until much, much, much later in the book. And there was a scene at the end that was confusing as well. Edsel also carried around an object for the entire book, but it was never explained or used, so I'm hoping to get better clarification, and dragons, in Book 2! But like I said, this is a fun book to read, and a great first offering from the author. Looking forward to more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wowza! The author of Phantom in the Flames brings the reader on a new look into the fantasy universe. With a new spin on classic fantasy races, and even some new ones, this book gives the reader a new appreciation for adventuring a whole new world. We follow Edsel, fresh at 18 years old, as he learns to navigate his world while on the run. His axis is turned on end the more he learns, and he has to make some difficult decisions along the way. With each new friend gained as he travels, new choices and opportunities appear, and with them more danger as well. I'm so excited to see where this story goes!
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you love loads of fantasy tropes and creatures, this book has it all, from goblins to elves to magic and many friends made along the way, although I could have done with more dragons! And the ending...Totally unexpected.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had an early sneak peek!
this was such a fun fantasy book full of twists and adventure 🙂
if you love Orcs Goblins and Dragons you need to grab this!
this was such a fun fantasy book full of twists and adventure 🙂
if you love Orcs Goblins and Dragons you need to grab this!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews