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Mist Falcon: Book One Of The Warrior Poet Archives
“I write this now, chiseled in stone and wrapped in wind…”
War has ended, crushing an already broken land. What’s left of the old Renillion Kingdom has crumbled into bickering city states. The uneasy peace is shattered as Swaar raiders invade.
Aiden wants nothing to do with their war, but scavenging on the outskirts of the Nine Cities, he uncovers a weapon of myth and power linked to the knightly order of the Mist Falcons.
Will Aiden control the elemental magic this weapon awakens in him or will the magic destroy him?
And, can Aiden’s newly found power, matched with the Mist Falcons’ muskets and elemental magic rebuff the ferocity of the Swaar advance, especially as the Swaar send out their champion, Ren Tako, Wolf Rider, to claim the concealed might from the ancient texts?
"Good vs. Evil...and you want them BOTH to win!" --Amazon Review
"...deftly balances action with atmosphere, and character intensity with an always-moving plot." --Amazon Review
"...Honestly, this book is tied as my favorite book with Orson Scott Card's, Ender's Game." --Amazon Review
"...I can't say enough good things about this book; I didn't want it to end..."--Amazon Review
" Mist Falcon is a well told epic fantasy told in the classic fashion with rich characters who live in a deep and complex world. The stakes are high, real, and best growing more dear chapter by chapter." --Amazon Review
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Epic Fantasy Book Categories For MIST FALCON:
- Gunpowder Fantasy
- Flintlock Fantasy
- Coming of Age Fantasy
- New Adult & College
- Myth & Legend Action Adventure
- Fantasy Sword & Sorcery Quest
An epic tale of myth & legend ...
War has ended, crushing an already broken land. What’s left of the old Renillion Kingdom has crumbled into bickering city states. The uneasy peace is shattered as Swaar raiders invade.
Aiden wants nothing to do with their war, but scavenging on the outskirts of the Nine Cities, he uncovers a weapon of myth and power linked to the knightly order of the Mist Falcons.
Will Aiden control the elemental magic this weapon awakens in him or will the magic destroy him?
And, can Aiden’s newly found power, matched with the Mist Falcons’ muskets and elemental magic rebuff the ferocity of the Swaar advance, especially as the Swaar send out their champion, Ren Tako, Wolf Rider, to claim the concealed might from the ancient texts?
"Good vs. Evil...and you want them BOTH to win!" --Amazon Review
"...deftly balances action with atmosphere, and character intensity with an always-moving plot." --Amazon Review
"...Honestly, this book is tied as my favorite book with Orson Scott Card's, Ender's Game." --Amazon Review
"...I can't say enough good things about this book; I didn't want it to end..."--Amazon Review
" Mist Falcon is a well told epic fantasy told in the classic fashion with rich characters who live in a deep and complex world. The stakes are high, real, and best growing more dear chapter by chapter." --Amazon Review
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Epic Fantasy Book Categories For MIST FALCON:
- Gunpowder Fantasy
- Flintlock Fantasy
- Coming of Age Fantasy
- New Adult & College
- Myth & Legend Action Adventure
- Fantasy Sword & Sorcery Quest
An epic tale of myth & legend ...
- GenresFantasyEpic Fantasy
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 8, 2015
11 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 4, 2016
Ryan Doughan’s Mist Falcon is a well told epic fantasy told in the classic fashion with rich characters who live in a deep and complex world. The stakes are high, real, and best growing more dear chapter by chapter. The well drawn characters are pulled together in snaking story lines.
At the start, the main hero, Aiden, finds himself buried in poverty, but his "good fortune" day sends him reeling into his worst nightmare as his love is lost, his body beaten, and even his freedom is taken away. He is eventually befriended by Willem, a wondering Minstrel, and a pair of good humored thieves. Each character has a unique voice with a solid backstory. In fact, that’s one of the great strengths of Mist Falcon: Book 1 of the Warrior Poet Archives; history is layered in a meaningful way that pushes the action.
The influence of random coincidences saving the day or happenstance as motivation is rare. Things are moving for a reason. This goes for characters, but also the different cities. Doughan’s sense of time, place and causality grounds the story well. So while fate and destiny grapple with lives, the actions don’t feel preordained and the heroes mere victims of fate tossed about by the wind. They unite for a reason and fight, claw, escape, and learn for their own purposes.
In Mist Falcon, you’ll find magic, traps, mysteries, battle, but no romance only love lost. One caution, it took me a few chapters to get into the flow of the story. Doughan’s writing for Mist Falcon is a little formal at times and a few sentences carry a little extra baggage, but once you get into the main story… the pacing and current keeps you moving and you don’t want to stop reading. Over all, a good book and well worth a shot if you are a fan of epic fantasy.
At the start, the main hero, Aiden, finds himself buried in poverty, but his "good fortune" day sends him reeling into his worst nightmare as his love is lost, his body beaten, and even his freedom is taken away. He is eventually befriended by Willem, a wondering Minstrel, and a pair of good humored thieves. Each character has a unique voice with a solid backstory. In fact, that’s one of the great strengths of Mist Falcon: Book 1 of the Warrior Poet Archives; history is layered in a meaningful way that pushes the action.
The influence of random coincidences saving the day or happenstance as motivation is rare. Things are moving for a reason. This goes for characters, but also the different cities. Doughan’s sense of time, place and causality grounds the story well. So while fate and destiny grapple with lives, the actions don’t feel preordained and the heroes mere victims of fate tossed about by the wind. They unite for a reason and fight, claw, escape, and learn for their own purposes.
In Mist Falcon, you’ll find magic, traps, mysteries, battle, but no romance only love lost. One caution, it took me a few chapters to get into the flow of the story. Doughan’s writing for Mist Falcon is a little formal at times and a few sentences carry a little extra baggage, but once you get into the main story… the pacing and current keeps you moving and you don’t want to stop reading. Over all, a good book and well worth a shot if you are a fan of epic fantasy.
August 13, 2016
Took a chance on this one because I know the author on Twitter (but not in real life). It had generally good reviews, though not a lot of them, so I was a little skeptical going in.
As it turns out, I had no reason to be skeptical. It's not a perfect book (occasional awkward sentences and minor editing issues), but these issues never pulled me out of the story.
I connected with Aiden and Willem right away. It took me a bit longer to connect with Tako, but his story has a lot of potential to become very interesting in subsequent installments. Rem and Lem were a lot of fun.
The best thing about this book was the action, especially toward the end of the book. I had that frantic feeling reading the last thirty percent. When I get that feeling, I know a book is good.
If I had to take a guess, I'd say fans of Weeks and Sanderson would find a lot to enjoy in this story.
Rating: 9/10
As it turns out, I had no reason to be skeptical. It's not a perfect book (occasional awkward sentences and minor editing issues), but these issues never pulled me out of the story.
I connected with Aiden and Willem right away. It took me a bit longer to connect with Tako, but his story has a lot of potential to become very interesting in subsequent installments. Rem and Lem were a lot of fun.
The best thing about this book was the action, especially toward the end of the book. I had that frantic feeling reading the last thirty percent. When I get that feeling, I know a book is good.
If I had to take a guess, I'd say fans of Weeks and Sanderson would find a lot to enjoy in this story.
Rating: 9/10
March 20, 2016
Mist Falcon is an excellent first volume in what should be an exciting epic fantasy series. This story kept me engaged for its entire telling. I was constantly reading just one more chapter so I could see what was happening to the characters I had begun investing myself in. As the first book in the series I think that Doughan did a good job of laying the framework for his overall vision of where this journey will take readers while keeping the reader interested in what was happening in this current volume of it. I think that this is a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys good storytelling and am excited to see where Doughan takes this series in the future.
Read
December 19, 2015I got this book from my library Zip-book program at the request of a friend to read his work. Sadly I must say that I could not finish it for I found it dull, poorly written and lacking an in interesting plot. I found a couple mistakes in the editing; something that I do not like to see in a book for a it makes it look cheap and as if the author didn't take a lot of time in writing/editing it.
October 18, 2015
I can still hear Tanbuary’s “step, clank, step, clank” as he moved down the dungeon corridor in this novel. The atmospherics in MIST FALCON work very well, which is good news for a fantasy story. I can’t recall a novel of this genre that invests the magical elements with such believable and diverse detail.
I also liked how well-developed the antagonist’s camp is (i.e. Dal Tek, Ren Tako, and the Swaar) while not allowing them to overwhelm the story. The story’s multiple plot-lines in Acts 1 and 2 are intricately interwoven, and unfold the story’s narrative arc with a richness and contrast that never loses momentum. It deftly balances action with atmosphere, and character intensity with an always-moving plot.
Early on in the story the gladiatorial section ends with a regrettable 'deus ex machina', a scene that also introduces Thun, Jumper, and the Elementals. If that one scene were modified so their escape from the combat occurs differently, before the power of the Elementals is revealed, the novel’s one weakness would be corrected.
That aside, MIST FALCON is an excellent addition to the growing canon of fantasy fiction, and I look forward the next book in this series, ‘The Warrior Poet Archives’. I especially enjoyed the action-packed 3rd Act, the action never lets up. Last note, the book’s cover is quite good, depicting a swirling Elemental with a Mist Falcon standing in the foreground.
I also liked how well-developed the antagonist’s camp is (i.e. Dal Tek, Ren Tako, and the Swaar) while not allowing them to overwhelm the story. The story’s multiple plot-lines in Acts 1 and 2 are intricately interwoven, and unfold the story’s narrative arc with a richness and contrast that never loses momentum. It deftly balances action with atmosphere, and character intensity with an always-moving plot.
Early on in the story the gladiatorial section ends with a regrettable 'deus ex machina', a scene that also introduces Thun, Jumper, and the Elementals. If that one scene were modified so their escape from the combat occurs differently, before the power of the Elementals is revealed, the novel’s one weakness would be corrected.
That aside, MIST FALCON is an excellent addition to the growing canon of fantasy fiction, and I look forward the next book in this series, ‘The Warrior Poet Archives’. I especially enjoyed the action-packed 3rd Act, the action never lets up. Last note, the book’s cover is quite good, depicting a swirling Elemental with a Mist Falcon standing in the foreground.
December 30, 2015
Well, I’ll say it right up front—MIST FALCON is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I know you can hear that kind of thing a lot in reviews, but in all seriousness, I read all the time, and this book is a ride from beginning to end. I loved it.
The book follows three main characters (Aiden, Willem, and Tako, Wolf Rider,) along with a swarm of supporting cast (I particularly loved the twins, Rem & Lem) as the world of the Nine Cities unfolds. Through death, revenge, imprisonment, slavery, salvation, untapped powers, betrayal and more, MIST FALCON flies us through a shattered kingdom besieged by a new foe of old.
I think this is the first chapter of something big! The depth of the world and trueness of the characters, paired with the sweeping, intoxicating story telling that Doughan offers makes this a must read.
Do yourself a big favor and pick up a copy of this today. You won’t be disappointed.
Now the unfairness of the world sets in as I have to wait for book two of The Warrior Poet Archives to come out. Please hurry, Ryan J. Doughan! I might go into withdrawal otherwise!
The book follows three main characters (Aiden, Willem, and Tako, Wolf Rider,) along with a swarm of supporting cast (I particularly loved the twins, Rem & Lem) as the world of the Nine Cities unfolds. Through death, revenge, imprisonment, slavery, salvation, untapped powers, betrayal and more, MIST FALCON flies us through a shattered kingdom besieged by a new foe of old.
I think this is the first chapter of something big! The depth of the world and trueness of the characters, paired with the sweeping, intoxicating story telling that Doughan offers makes this a must read.
Do yourself a big favor and pick up a copy of this today. You won’t be disappointed.
Now the unfairness of the world sets in as I have to wait for book two of The Warrior Poet Archives to come out. Please hurry, Ryan J. Doughan! I might go into withdrawal otherwise!
June 19, 2017
I can't say enough good things about this book; I didn't want it to end and was sad when I hit the last page, not because of the content but because there was no more. It's obvious to me that a great deal of thought and planning went into this creation - the backstory alone to mold the realm I was sucked into is excellent. I found all the characters engaging and even rooted for one of the antagonists. This is a wholly unique and original story in my opinion - masterfully written. I'm very much looking forward to the continuation and plan to snap it up as soon as it's released.
May 26, 2015
Not too many books get a five star rating, I save that for only the best. This is one of those books.
November 6, 2015
Good Book.
July 17, 2016
I didn't want to stop reading. Next one NOW
Sucked me in, kept me occupied,and I really didn't want it to end. I want the next book immediately if not sooner
Sucked me in, kept me occupied,and I really didn't want it to end. I want the next book immediately if not sooner
September 13, 2016
A really fun fantasy read with some very cool characters. The plot is great and I can't wait to read more from Mr. Doughan
December 17, 2017
I grabbed the audiobook add on to this ebook and was pleasantly surprised by the skill of the voice actor, Daniel Storm. Ryan took me into a fantastical land filled with lore and excitement. Two stories ran parallel in this book, one of Aiden, a scavenger and the other Ren Tako, Wolfrider. I was drawn to each character because of their strengths and weaknesses, Aiden was young and nieve while Tako was arrogant in his abilities but there was a genuine hero inside both of them.
The magic of the world was fascinating, and I will be interested in the next book to see how Ryan would expand this.
The magic of the world was fascinating, and I will be interested in the next book to see how Ryan would expand this.
April 14, 2025
This is a guy’s delight, but not mine. All the characters—good, bad, or indifferent—fight. It is one form of abuse, battle or fight after another, with a bit of story tucked between. As one character put it, “It is always thus—the quick and the strong take what they will and the rest learn only to guard what they stumble upon.” And, of course, they stumble upon some pretty significant finds.
I was confused by the motives, the religions and the heart of each character. The heroes are twisted, violent men who seem to all have dark motives or at least heinous histories. As a fantasy, the “elemental” magic and those who wielded it seemed too imaginary to be credible. I kept waiting for something meaningful to present itself, some purpose or person worth investing in, but I didn’t find it.
If you love this sort of thing, read on.
I was confused by the motives, the religions and the heart of each character. The heroes are twisted, violent men who seem to all have dark motives or at least heinous histories. As a fantasy, the “elemental” magic and those who wielded it seemed too imaginary to be credible. I kept waiting for something meaningful to present itself, some purpose or person worth investing in, but I didn’t find it.
If you love this sort of thing, read on.
September 6, 2018
I really really wanted to rate this book better. Slow start but the author's best strength is in developing characters and well described fight scenes. The book definitely picks up in the middle and ends with a bang. I'm invested in knowing more and reading the next books despite the 3 stars.
Speaking of --- 3 stars because I spotted so MANY grammatical mistakes through the book. Even put it down since the first couple pages had some too. And there were so many run on sentences and commas that it felt like reading a draft. My only comment is to really ramp up on the editing.
Speaking of --- 3 stars because I spotted so MANY grammatical mistakes through the book. Even put it down since the first couple pages had some too. And there were so many run on sentences and commas that it felt like reading a draft. My only comment is to really ramp up on the editing.
December 23, 2019
Okay
Interesting world and some good concepts. Frustrating when characters make uncharacteristically dumb decisions just to get into trouble for the plot movement. Could use an editor/proofreader once over (plumb is not the word for the fruit plum, other random instances of grammar and word issues but not so many as to give up on the story).
Interesting world and some good concepts. Frustrating when characters make uncharacteristically dumb decisions just to get into trouble for the plot movement. Could use an editor/proofreader once over (plumb is not the word for the fruit plum, other random instances of grammar and word issues but not so many as to give up on the story).
November 21, 2021
DNF 58%
I simply lost interest. The grammar and language choices are poor but that's not a deal-breaker. The plot structure didn't flow and most of the characters were forgettable. In the end, I just didn't feel compelled to continue. For me it was bland.
I simply lost interest. The grammar and language choices are poor but that's not a deal-breaker. The plot structure didn't flow and most of the characters were forgettable. In the end, I just didn't feel compelled to continue. For me it was bland.
June 13, 2019
A decent read. A promising series.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews