The Road to Underfall

Loremasters of Elundium #1

by Mike Jefferies

Peace in the kingdom of Elundium is shattered when the corrupt Chancellors gather their forces, prepared to attack the rule of King Holbian, and the messenger Thane must cross enemy territory to save his people

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, High Fantasy

384 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1991

About the author

Mike Jefferies is a British screenwriter, film producer, and author. Jefferies founded the media and publishing group Mondiale in 1991 which he sold to the Daily Mail in 1999 after winning the HRH Queens Award for Enterprise in 1998.
He was born in Liverpool and now resides in Los Angeles. When he is not working in Hollywood, he is writing fantasy novels.

Reviews

[Matt Matash · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found a copy of this book in a local used bookstore and I was drawn in by the cover art. Big mistake! The only reason I finished it was because I have a hard time leaving a book on my shelf half-read. It lacks character development, a coherent plot, and detail in general.
The main characters are rarely described by physical appearance or temperament. They do however make constant use of flowery language and swear great and powerful oaths. I'm one for a motivational speech as much as the next guy, but the author needed to make use of filler dialogue and normal character interactions to build actual interest in the characters...not just "Before this day is done...!" and "Lo! I will fight 'til my last breath...!" So hackneyed.
A lot of times during the story telling, from paragraph to paragraph, the author will jump to a different character's viewpoint, which left me confused more than once. Furthermore, characters would make completely baffling decisions! Staying out in the wild overnight when they could have just stayed safe behind the city walls, leaving on their quest without weapons, and villains that stub their toe and run off into the sunset swearing vengeance...all leaving my jaw hanging open in disbelief.
The lack of detail was most disappointing. For a book that, on the cover, claims to follow in Tolkien's footsteps, you would think that three-quarters of the book would be detail! Nope. How big is Elundium? What do cities and characters look like? What does a nightbeast even look like!? The main character has killed a hundred or so (it seems, never says) and we have absolutely no clue what they look like other than...they're black? And have whips and claws...some talk...I dunno, they're just bad (I don't know why) and need to die. Even the battles, the meat of this genre, are described in under two paragraphs each!
So maybe I'm being overly harsh. I get that when this book came out, shelves were saturated with Sword 'n' Sorcery type books. It's like $2 now...if you wanna scratch a fantasy itch, it'll do that. It is a commitment, as the 370 page book is open-ended, thus if you're (possibly) interested in the plot, you have to finish the next two books in the series, Palace of Kings and Shadowfall. In conclusion, the cover art of this book is fantastic; the content...not so much.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book, as well as the other ones in the trilogy. These were my favorite books when I was a teenager. While it seems a bit dry in areas, I can forgive it. Something about these books really drew me in, and I've only found a few since then that have done the same thing.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's somewhat embarrassing to admit that I was 50 pages into this book before I remembered that I read it before. Now I'm committed to re-read the full series (3 books).

This is classic fantasy. The author almost over-does the sing-song rhythm and poetic fantasy language in telling the tale. For example,

"Hidden from the sun beneath a million tons of rock the City of Night brooded in silence..."

and

"... the one who would take this throne must grow to manhood alone, and yet if I leave your son unhelped, he will grow to be ignorant and ill-prepared..."

If the rhythm of that language is too much for you, you won't enjoy this book.

As to the story itself, it's solid if "Arthur-esque". A battle of light vs. dark, a stable boy tutored by a mysterious magician to become the new king, etc., etc.

[Andria Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see how it's compared to Tolkien, and while I enjoyed talking horses amongst other animals, this was a bit...wordy. And while the prose was good and the story interesting, it wasn't very memorable to me, but that's likely because I've read a lot of fantasy. Rated: 3.5 ⭐

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a long time to finish this book, but I read it pretty closely. I have a little bit of beef (think jr bacon cheeseburger, not a triple quarter-pounder) with the writing, but at least it was fairly consistent writing throughout.

Before I get to that, have you ever wanted to read a book that ends at its most crucial moment? Now you can. This is the book for you.

Now I’m going to turn to some random pages to see if we can find a pattern:

‘Perhaps the movement of his hand made the blood begin flowing, for first it tingled, then burned and felt warm.’ (page 112)

‘“Tend to the horse,” he commanded, pointing towards Sprint, “for his was the hardest road to World’s End.”’ (241)

‘“If only I could understand what you say or know the counsel of your words, for Thane has gone, following in his grandfather’s prints towards the great gate somewhere near Mantern’s Peak.”’ (347)

‘It is no small matter to be passed off lightly, my King, for through their love you have the last errant rider to serve the Granite Kings.’ (32)

I didn’t have to search for this; I really just flipped through to show you the regurgitative quality with which the author constructs sentences.

I can wait for the next book, for I have many other books to read before I come to it. But I think I shall read it with interest, for I enjoy the story.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was well in the midst of my fantasy phase, and I remember it being a thrilling read. The fierce talking war-animals were a plus for me, particularly the horses. The landscape/world of this book was epic yet believable, in spite of its talking beasts.

A very entertaining, somewhat dark fantasy read that really pulls you in. My memory of it may be a little distorted, since I read it so long ago, but I was an avid fantasy fan, and remember it as one of the best.

[Jenny Ilgunas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been on my bookshelf for years, along with the 2nd book, so I thought I'd give it a go.

I'm hooked!!

Now trawling ebay to find a copy of the 3rd book as the libraries are all closed due to lockdown.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago and enjoyed it immensely, immediately purchasing the next two books. Highly recommended for all fantasy lovers.

[Lorewarden]

This novel was a treat because I went into it knowing absolutely nothing about the author or the series. It definitely reads more like a myth or legend more than a standard fantasy prose story, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The heroic language and dramatic turns of phrase add a charm you don't necessarily get with more modern fantasy. However one down side of that is you get an incredibly narrow view of the world of Elundium, as you learn almost nothing about how this world works outside of the stories of a handful heroes. I look forward to learning more about the world in the later novels.

[Samuel Williamson · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be perfectly honest, the book was not great. It really does have some solid ideas, but the execution in my opinion really just was not great. You can read some of the other reviews to get a more in-depth look, but I am no scholar andcan’t give any actual details. I just know that it wasn’t great, and while there were definitely some parts of this book I enjoyed, when I got to the halfway point it was very tough to continue.

[Christopher Haby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much like Tolkien. The imagery is not as descriptive in comparison, but the story is fantastic. Great vocabulary, very good character development.

[Massimo Penazzi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uffa! Il solito fantasy.

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a classic old-school fantasy that feels Arthurian, full of ancient lore, and has a great sense of adventure. This reread felt almost like discovering it for the first time.

The opening is dense and introduces the history of Elundium and the prophecy surrounding a future king. It takes time to find a good pace, but when Thane begins his journey the story is much more engaging.

It’s a story that has heart. The relationship between Thane and Esteron, a legendary Warhorse who chooses Thane to be his companion, is so well written. The Battle Owls, especially Mulcade and Rockspray, are written as more than just animal companions, and the Border Runners round out the idea that the pact between the creatures is now being restored because of Thane. Every animal that chooses to stand beside Thane does so freely. It makes those moments heartfelt.

If you know me as a reader, you know I like well written characters. Duclos and Morolda at Gildersleeves were two of my favourites. I was disappointed the book spends only a short time with them. Willow also became a standout character. The courage and devotion he shows in the story made for one of most memorable moments. Sprint, who is a relay horse filled with courage, provided one of the novel's most emotional storylines.

The author has created a world that feels real and immersive. The Wayhouses, ancient prophecies, and just the journey across Elundium all create a world that feels lived in.

My biggest criticism is with how Thane is often written during action scenes. He spends much of the novel uncertain and simply growing into his role as the hero, but there are moments where he laughs in the face of overwhelming danger and charges into battle with so much confidence that it’s too melodramatic. The romance with Elionbel also developed too quickly.

But this is a fantasy brimming with warmth, compassion, and memorable characters. It reminds us that true courage comes from the choices characters make.

[Tabitha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will put my thoughts of the series as a whole in this review to save time.
Overall it was just... meh. The base plot was ok but very easy to see the outcome in my opinion. I honestly think it would have been better if the whole "seed of darkness" (trying not to put spoilers in) had never happened and the author had just ended it with the second book and the "passing of the guard". I see the purpose of the story-line in Book 3 because it fleshes out some of the main messaging in the story but I just couldn't get into it. The books are easy, quick reads but the third one I started, got a third of the way through, just started to skim, then read the last two chapters - it just wasn't worth my time at that point because I already knew what was going to happen.
My biggest complaint though, other than just the meh-ness of it all is the fact that it was extremely hard for me to get my head around the ages of the characters and the time in the book. I.e. the main character at first is described as a child but then not more than three chapters later he is holding his own in battle, the Old King was described as a "middle age" man (maybe) at the beginning but seems beyond ancient at the end. You get the feeling that a good amount of time is supposed to be taking place but everything runs together so quickly it makes it feel more like just months or days which is confusing. Knowing that the author is/was a screenwriter makes how the story was written a bit more understandable - it would be easy enough to take it and make a film, and lets be honest who needs good character or time descriptions in a story when you are going to be casting and making a film... if you see what I mean.

I will not be keeping these in my collection and I very much ready for something else.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of the worst books I have ever read. If you enjoy reading prequils you will probabaly enjoy this book. I found that I kept telling myself "just a little bit more, then it will all come together." The entire story has that sense of anticipation that is usually only seen in the dry background info that is sometimes necessary in a prequil. I read the entire 1st book and most of the second waiting for the story to begin. Unfortunatealy it never did!!!

I found the caracters to be at best dry and boring, and at worst completely incomprehensible. It was near impossible to understand where someone were coming from at any given time. To make it even worse not one caracter seemed the least bit complex. You would think that a simple character would be easy to understand but somehow that wasn't the case.

Sometimes an author will pay too much attention to creating a unique world and he will miss the importance of character developement. However, in this case the setting was even worse than the characters. Never before have I had to redesigning a location in my head every time the story visited it. There was so little detail that after one and a half books I still have no idea what Elundium is supposed to look like.

I can safely say that this is one of the most god awful stories I have ever read. This will be the first time in my life that I have been able to stop reading in the middle of a series because I just don't care what happens.

[The Wanderer · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the prior poster noted, there is little to NO character development. Our hero is leaving home and we learn for the first time that he has a mother. All we'll ever know about her is that she gives him a scarf. Is she fat, old, pretty, ugly, grimy, loving?? It continues in that vein throughout the book. And, oh, those great battles of two paragraph length. I like the book's concept but am glad I got it from the 'free shelf' at the library. That's it's monetary value. I can't believe Harper/Collins actually published this. It must be aimed toward young adults or something. It has so much potential but certainly lacks a competent (or any) editor. That's a shame. With even a LITTLE character and plot development this would be a pretty decent book. And to have actually made a trilogy of it, H/C must have been very desperate.

[Audrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Road to Underfall feels unfinished. It sorely lacks detail and development. The plot is not cohesive either. Characters just pop into places often with no explanation. The hatred toward the main character is explained poorly, as is his motivation to become a hero. The action is confusing and underdeveloped.
It is a quick, almost mindless read (if you can ignore the confusion the book inevitability creates). It might be worth finished the three-part series just to read the end. Perhaps.

[T J · Rating 4 out of 5]

The darkness is spreading and the king is afraid for all Elundium. He turns to Nevian the magician but only a boy, a horse and owl stands in the way of the darkness. This has all the signs of being a great series. Jumped right into book 2 Palace of Kings!

[Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book (series) on the to read pile for many years. I wish I read it sooner it was a fun read with some interesting characters and a good story. Looking forward to the second volume.

[Dana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful writing.

[Ice Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hit and miss series, but overall I enjoyed it

[Devin Cary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid book in classic fantasy style. Definitely worth a read.