Mud

Chronicles of the Third Realm #1

by E.J. Wenstrom

Torn apart by war and abandoned by the gods, only one hope remains to save humanity. But the savior isn’t human at all.

Trapped by his Maker’s command to protect a mysterious box, Adem is forced to kill anyone who tries to steal it. When a young boy chances upon Adem’s temple, he resists temptation, intriguing the golem. As the boy and his sister convince Adem to leave the refuge of his temple, the group lands in a web of trouble.

Now Adem will do whatever necessary to keep his new young charges safe, even if it means risking all to get rid of the box. Their saving grace comes in the form of an angel who offers to set Adem free of the box’s magic by granting his greatest desire—making him human.

But first, Adem must bring back the angel’s long-dead human love from the Underworld. In doing so, he will risk breaking the barrier between the realms, a cataclysm that could launch the Third Realm War. To set things right, he may be forced to give up the only thing he’s ever truly wanted…a chance at a soul of his own

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, High Fantasy

347 pages, ebook

Published March 15, 2016

About the author

E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifyingmonsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the leftside can walk. Her award-winning fantasy series Chronicles of the Third RealmWar features a mashup of mythology, folklore, and a little chaos. It starts with Royal Palm Literary Award Book ofthe Year Mud (#1), Tides (#2), and Sparks (#3), as well as the prequel Rain(#0).

When she isn’t writing fiction, E. J. Wenstrom is a regular contributorto DIY MFA and BookRiot,and co-hosts the FANTASY+GIRL Podcast.

Get a FREE novella when you join E. J. Wenstrom's email list: http://ejwenstrom.com/rain/

Reviews

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This golem, Adem, has some issues with goal-setting:
Q:
I’m nowhere.
My destination. (c) Quite some destination, isn't it?
Ugh, feels like a familiar topic in some offices, doesn't it? Feels like he might be masquerading as some of the more clueless bosses!

Q:
Whatever it was, the Gods are gone, and the people won’t dare invoke Them for anything, afraid of Their wrath. The realm is in ruins. Only the Gods know what lies beyond Epoh’s high walls. (c)
Q:
That’s why I hide here, in the temple. I keep to where the humans don’t dare wander. The Gods don’t worry me. They forgot this realm long ago. (c)
Q:
Below my feet the ornate rug, once rich and brilliant, is worn so deep I can feel the wood’s grain under my toes. Decades of standing in the same place day after day after day. (c)
Q:
If I’m among the better ones, the others truly are doomed. (c)
Q:
Thugs. Whores. Dealers. Priests. The disturbed and the devout. Epoh’s sludge. (c)
Q:

[Keri M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tortured soul without a soul must find a way to help himself while having to help all the of humanity. EJ has this amazing ability to truly make you feel for her characters. Everything Adem does ends up going so incredibly wrong, and I just felt for him. All he wants is to be human so that he can stop hurting people, and I cant blame him for that. Even when he was being selfish and in denial, it tugged at my heart strings. The journey Adem goes on to protect Jordan is so heartbreaking. There were also some twists that kept me on my toes, completely unsure of who to trust, and tension that built up towards the end!! Do yourself a favor and read this!!

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodread giveaway. It was a decent book but I had trouble getting into it

[Kit (Metaphors and Moonlight) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Full Review:
*I received a free eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I really like books about uncommon supernatural creatures, so, when I saw this one had a golem as the protagonist, I jumped at the chance to read it.

The funny thing is, Adem is a golem, something that plays a huge role and has a major effect on the story, but he's one of the most human characters I've ever read about. This was definitely a character-driven book, which is what I like, and though I didn't necessarily relate to him, he was a character I really empathized with. This poor character, everything he tried to do ended up going so wrong, and I just felt for him. All he wanted was to be human so that he could stop hurting people, and I couldn't blame him for that. Even when he was being selfish and in denial, it tugged at my heart strings and I couldn't even be mad because I understood.

I also loved the relationship between Adem and Jordan, a child he saved. Adem was so protective of Jordan, and Jordan was so understanding of Adem, and they just made this really adorable team, something we didn't get to see a lot of in this book but might get more of in the next book.

The story itself was also well thought-out. Everything made sense, and the information about the realms and the gods was explained in a way that was easy to understand (even for someone like me who doesn't read many books in this genre). I also thought the portrayal of the Underworld was interesting and especially enjoyed that portion of the book. There were also some twists that kept me on my toes, completely unsure of who to trust, and tension that built up nicely toward the end.

I would've liked to get to know the side characters a little more since I found some of them really likeable (e.g. Jordan) and others interesting (e.g. Abazel), but other than that, I really don't have any complaints. I think it was just one of those books that didn't quite fit me and my reading preferences personally (it's classified on Amazon as paranormal and dystopian but seemed more high fantasy and metaphysical to me), hence the rating. Overall though, I did enjoy this book, and I think anyone who is more into these genres will enjoy it even more than I did!

Recommended For:
Anyone who likes books about character journey and growth and anyone looking for a book about an uncommon, yet very human, paranormal creature.

Original Review on Blog

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

MUD grabbed my attention from the first chapter, and held me through the underworld and back. As a reader I love feeling part of the character's growth throughout a story. With MUD you are along for the ride of lifetimes. If you like stories of gods and magic, havens and underworlds give this story a shot.....but remember to stretch because you'll have a couple of twists along the way.

Loved it.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book started off well, but I ended up skimming trying desperately to get to the end (and the book ended on a whimper at that). The blurb sounded like my cup of tea, but this wasn't at all what I was expecting. If you like storylines that rely heavily on vague and cryptic psuedo-mythology and prophecy, then you might enjoy this more than I did.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer; I attended a worldbuilding session, as led by this author, at the 2019 Maryland Writers Association Conference. I was intrigued by her fantasy series, and then I won the first book through a GoodReads Giveaway! And she signed it, too!

So I feel bad for only giving this three stars, but really my rating is much closer to 3.5. There is a lot of intriguing worldbuilding in here, Easter eggs that link back to real world sources, and set up for the next installments of the Third Realm War. That being said, I wish there was more character development.

Not necessarily for our protagonist, Adem. We are inside of Adem’s head and are privy to his tumultuous, Hamlet-like angst and indecision. Adem is a golem, in a generalized definition of the concept. I’m Jewish, and somewhat cultured in Judaism as well (I’m no all-knowing scholar but I’m not a “Larry David Jew” either. :P) So I reserve the right to nitpick a little. But anywho. Adem is a golem, meaning that he has a human maker who created him from clay (or mud…get it?) and bound him to a singular purpose. Namely, he has to protect a mysterious “box” that, for centuries, the Hunters have been trying to wrest from him. (Whenever the Hunters touch the box, Adem is supernaturally compelled to kill them. Speaking of supernatural, Adem is also immortal and a self-healer, eg golem traits.)

Adem lives in an authoritarian city called Epoh in a broader post-apocalyptic world called Terath. Terath used to be ruled by gods, but these gods abandoned their creatures (the humans, anyway) after the First Realm War. Things have more or less been going to hell in a handbasket since, and Epoh thinks it’s the only civilized place left. Not so, Adem finds out, when he teams up with the enigmatic (and possibly messianic?) boy, Joran, and his sister, Miriam. The whole set up and execution of these relationships felt a bit rushed to me. To be honest, I didn’t connect much with any of the relationships, though Wenstrom kept the intrigue going. An angel came to Adem and tempted him to complete a favor in the underworld for a price the golem couldn’t refuse. (Adem, much like Pinocchio, wants to be a real boy.) Of course the quest is far less straightforward and far more expansive than Adem would have guessed.

I suppose, out of all the secondary characters, I was drawn most to the ones whom Adem encountered in the Underworld. Maybe because their motivations were the most relatable with regards to familial obligation and revenge. I thought I’d be more interested in Jordan, especially after reading about him in my Page 112 Tag on BookTube. But alas, he may be a Chosen One, but his presence in the narrative was too fleeting for me to get much of an impression. I suppose this is a danger of the Chosen One trope (which I am also writing into my own fantasy project, mind.) We can’t let their Awesome Fates stand in for more traditional character development.

So, I liked it, over all. Definitely a fun, propulsive read. But other than some props to some worldbuilding elements, as a fantasy story it strikes me as middle of the road. Maybe more compulsive stuff will come in later installments! But…#somuchtoread! Oy.

[Reyna Favis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I downloaded this book during a free promotion because the protagonist was a golem. I could not resist a tale told from the point of view of such a creature. The story was enjoyable, with increasing tension due to poor decisions made by Adem the golem, decisions made for completely understandable reasons. Adem is a killer, but only because he is driven to murder by magical forces that control his actions. The golem is a sympathetic character because he is irresistibly innocent and good despite his circumstances. My only quibbles with the story were a sprinkling of typos (few and far between, so they don't really detract from the reading experience) and a tendency to be too repetitive in some sections where Adem is faced with a quandary and tries to think through what something means or what he should do next. Overall, the story is a great homage to Joseph Campbell and "The Hero's Journey."

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/17/2020)! 🎁

[Mystee Pulcine · Rating 5 out of 5]

You wouldn't expect a mythological, souless creature to be a relatable main character, but his desire to do good and subsequent failures is about as human as it gets. With a captivating story, you are sure to want to continue the adventure with Tides.

[Viking Jam · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://koeur.wordpress.com/2016/02/1...

Publisher: City Owl

Publishing Date: march 2016

ISBN:9780986251665

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2.8/5

Publishers Description: Trapped by his Maker’s command to protect a mysterious box, Adem is forced to kill anyone who tries to steal it. When a young boy chances upon Adem’s temple, he resists temptation, intriguing the golem. As the boy and his sister convince Adem to leave the refuge of his temple, the group lands in a web of trouble.

Review: Contrary to the publishers description, Adem is not convinced to leave the temple but rather is concerned for the boy and his sister while observing their lives.

Adem is a Golem, a being made from matter (Mud) by magic to do the bidding of its maker. Adem whiles away the centuries in seclusion at the fringes of society, fearing when he might have to kill again when compelled.

When I started reading this, the internal dialogue of Adem was decidedly female. So having settled that, I was surprised to find that later in the novel, Adem was male. The patterned responses and emotive directives to others that “he” cares about it is really quite feminine.

This novel was almost entirely internal dialogue. While I am known to detest novels that ride that certain pony, in this case it works. Adem is lonely and secluded with only his thoughts as company so it stands to reason that he processes everything internally without outside direction or experience. This almost infant quality of relating to humans or understanding their needs becomes apparent when he leaves the comfort of the Temple and begins a quest to bring a lost soul back from the underworld. I wasn’t a big fan of the story line shift from Adem protecting the box to the underworld trek to claim a lost soul. But the story line has to go somewhere and that movement continues to develop Adem as a character. The supporting characters seemed to lack depth as there was not a lot of time invested in their development. There is never a real clear understanding of why there were Realm Wars and what is gained by having one. Additionally who would care and why?

Mud is a pretty dam good first novel but lacks some refinement in character development and phrasing overuse (growled being prominent). The latter half of the novel got mired in internal dialogue so much that it detracted from the story line and the movement suffered as a consequence. kind of like trying to kick start a dead motorcycle that was running perfectly a few minutes before.

Mud is a rather myopic and egocentric journey of one character and his quest for a soul of his own that to me, he already has.

[WyoGal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quit at 14%; flowery language is illogical and distracting

There is potential in this story, but the author’s attempts to write lyrically fall flat at times due to the head-scratching details (sounds of thick clouds? Gritty grains of sand —duh!). These awkward descriptions bog down the momentum of the story. There are several distracting errors in word choice and in punctuation.

The inciting event involves a lot of backstory that lacks emotional believability. The need to find/retrieve the missing woman, who’s dead, is an intriguing idea but is not compelling. The need for a soul is possibly a page-turning idea. The red haired woman might be interesting, but I’m at 14% and still don’t know if I care about this mud man, his mysterious box, his boring life in the temple or his desire to leave.

The golem is an interesting character, but his naïveté contradicts his hyper awareness and understanding of his surroundings and knowledge of history.

Maybe if I weren’t reading late at night after work, I’d have more energy to invest in getting to the action in this story. At this point, I’m ready to try something else to read.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just okay for me. I liked the premise of the story, but the pacing of it was really uneven. There were some parts of the story that seemed like they were never going to end. I didn't really care about any of the characters other than the main character Adem. And he wasn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. It would have been more interesting if we knew how he had been made and why he was so different from other golems.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of a golem. It's new. It's different. And it's something you won't forget. The author explains that she wanted something new and different to write about. Well she's done it. And it's an interesting story, imho, that takes you on a journey beyond your imagination.

[M.L.S. Weech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall a pretty interesting twist on classic Greek myth storylines. Interesting setup. It has some artistically stylistic things I think people will find hit or miss (you'll either like the style or not), but if you like Greek myths, you'll probably enjoy this.

[Heather McCorkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dystopian of a very different, very delicious flavor.

[Stef · Rating 3 out of 5]

won on goodreads giveaway

Interesting story and characters, good writing. It is a bit confusing at times, but the story is good and the main character keeps you drawn in.

[Nathan Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy through Goodreads First Reads and am grateful for the opportunity.

Overall, this is an interesting story, with an intriguing mythos, fascinating challenges in the underworld, and various twists and surprises along the way, especially in the finale. I enjoyed the book, but there were a couple of things that kept me from fully liking it.

First, the synopsis on the book is kind of inaccurate. It says that Adem agreed to help the angel in part because it would allow him to keep the two children safe, but the whole part with him befriending the two actually comes after the deal with the angel.

But the thing that really bothered me about the whole story is that Adem, despite the plot being about him getting a soul and becoming human, never really seemed that alien or inhuman to me. Other books starring non-human protagonists, like The Golem and the Jinni and the Bartimaeus books, manage to give the characters enough inhuman traits that, while we still empathize with them, let us see them as inhuman beings with often alien traits and mindsets. Here, it was hard for me at times to remember that Adem isn't just a normal human. His thoughts don't have that sense of alien separation. This is a considerable problem, since the whole story revolves around him trying to get a soul. But if Adem already seems pretty human, what's the point of the soul? The lack of compelling characterization in that regard hinders the weight of the plot.

Even so, this is still a pretty good adventure to read, and I'm curious to see where things go next, after everything that went down in the final chapters. Many thanks again for letting me read the book through Goodreads!

[Kinyorda Sliwiak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would not recommend the audiobook. The narrator is okay for most of the characters but the voice for the gollum is over the top. Initially I enjoyed the story. Having a gollum, the lowly character in most fantasy worlds, as the only being who can achieve a task is interesting. The book moves quickly during Adem's quest. Unfortunately, with each new character that Adem meets he makes a series of terrible decisions that defy logic. Initially you can forgive Adem because he has not lived among humans but, after a while, it becomes old. Adem has no intuition, does not grow and just can't read the room. The final quarter of the book is where this is the most grating. Adem makes ridiculous decisions despite essentially having flashing red lights telling him that what he is doing is wrong. I'm not sure how I feel about the young boy in the book. He has a messiah-like quality but little explanation of why. His matter-of-fact confidence in the face of Adem's ignorance reinforces this. There is also little explanation of why the object he protects is so important or what its origin is.

[Bikram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer.
I had requested and received audible version of this book for free from the author, in exchange for an unbiased review.

What I liked about the book -
This book has a great world building as an essential part of the story telling and that works really well for it. I got drawn in very early on and was heavily intrigued by it. The characters are well written too and kept me engaged. It was entertaining overall.

What I disliked about the book -
There's way too much monologue, if you ask me. It somewhat bogged down an otherwise well paced story.

Narration -
Narration by Tom Zadoyko is the best part of this audiobook. This is one the best well narrated book I've listened to in recent times. Each scene is so perfectly rendered and every character is perfectly portrayed. Makes the listening experience fabulous.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing style is solid and, aside from a few typos, this is a fast and competently laid out book.

The main character, the golem, is not really that interesting or well characterized. The repetitive telling not showing, complaining about the pull of the magic box and his loneliness and his otherness, grates after awhile. Neither Miriam or Jordan are made real enough to matter as much as they must in order to make the story work.

Initially, I really liked the world state and I was interested in it, but, then it just becomes an imitation of a traditional hero's journey in Greek mythology. Overall, this book draws too heavily on real world mythology to be particularly interesting or unique. There's potential here but neither the world building nor the characters are well-rounded enough to make this book stand out.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you get when you cross Judeo-Christian mythology with Greek Mythology and sprinkle in some Hollywood? Yep. Mud.

This wasn't a bad book. Other than some cringy dialogue and fabricated scenes that you would see on the big screen (cue big fight between golem and angel), this story flowed well and was entertaining. It recycled a lot of existing mythology and standard fantasy tropes, which in and of itself isn't bad, but it's just hard to get too excited about the same old, same old when it's presented this way.

Probably a 2.5 star book, but I felt like rounding up today. I mean I can't say it was horrible. I can say though, that I have zero desire to finish the series. Best of luck, Adem, hope you put those angels back in their place!

[Kim Megahee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. EJ drew from a lot of different myths, legends and religion to construct a world different from all the rest. I didn't know what to expect, and she surprised me with an unusual hero - a golem. I was pulled in from the beginning and I really had a hard time putting the book down to get some real work done. That's what I want from a book.
The only thing that kept the book from being a five star (for me) was the existence of some typos. I think EJ should fire her copyeditor.
But don't let this put you off. This is a fun read that doesn't let you off the roller coaster for a second.
Well done, EJ.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Fun start to the series!
Starts off with some good action and a great hook.
It’s a good adventure and while you know Adeam has to survive (because the story is literally told from his point of view), there are still times when you can’t see how he will succeed.
I like the first person point of view as well.
The leap forward in time on the return from the under world was a great twist!
Definitely plenty of threads to pick up on for the rest of the series.

[Jacklyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent first book.

The characters are well developed. Mud is about a golem named, Adam. He is a tortured being without a soul. He is capable of loyalty if not love. He is working hard to get a soul from a forgotten goddess. I will read the second book soon. The first is a complete story though, which is very nice.

[Adele Moody · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ full of raw emotive writing, lovely descriptions but did waffle on with repeats. This is a short book but seemed longer. I really liked the underworld idea and Adem being a golem. Unfortunately there was a lot of spelling mistakes and typing errors, bit annoying! However the story sets up for the next book nicely which will be going on my tbr list.

[Will Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #goodreadsgiveaway for letting me review this book. What would you do for a soul when you don't have one? Elements of the supernatural, religion and action come together in this first book in the series. It can be slow to read at times, but it continues to build its pace as the book goes on.

[Elesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mud has great world building and I liked that it was about a golem, a creature you don't often see. His desire to belong is something we can all relate to at times. I really enjoyed the climax and ending of the book. Though this book is a complete story, it the start of something bigger.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, though not a favorite. It has an intriguing story. Adem is a golem. Tasked with protecting a box with unknown contents. He is then approached by an angel who wants him to bring him back a soul from the Underworld.

[Megan Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

MUD is a masterfully-written book about what it means to be human and explores how much we’re willing to risk for ourselves and others. The prose is beautiful, the characters are unforgettable, and the story moves along at a page-turning pace. I’d recommend this book anyone!