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Half-Elven #1
Starwatcher
“The stars are cold and blind ‘til we warm them with our need and sing of what they see.” From The Song of the Starwatchers In a land ravaged by plague, the new King hopes a volatile mix of faith, superstition, and trade might save his realm. Muren, the stubborn and impulsive son of the King’s Starwatcher, turns to the reticent elves of Longwood for answers. Through the discovery and loss of everything he loves, Muren finds himself the reluctant father of a forbidden child, and the centre of a conflict that threatens to decimate a world he is ill equipped to save. What makes a hero? Muren may want to be one. His daughter, Kirsten, may have to be one. The world will certainly need them both.
646 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 19, 2016
Starwatcher: Half-Elven Book One is a fantasy novel set in The Realm, a world of elves, gnomes, trolls, humans as well as mythical and not so mythical animals. It is a time of politics, war, royalty, worshipping ‘The One’ and reading the stars. The main character Muren, the son of the Royal Starwatcher, matures from a selfish, impulsive ne’er-do-well to a man capable of thinking of the welfare of others. He befriends a mixture of people from different walks of life throughout his journey as he ultimately tries to save his world. There are many compelling subplots throughout the book to help us understand the political climate of the time. We enter the magical world of Elves, learn of the clever gnome ways and realize that trolls are to be feared. There are powerful spells, ancient rituals and mythical creatures to capture our imagination.
Fantasy is not usually my genre of novels. The forbidden half-elven child was an enticing prospect. The book is written in a format that is easy to read and follow. A lot of breaks in the writing (short paragraphs and many chapters), gives the reader ample opportunity to refer to the glossary in the back of the book to remind you who the character is. I particularly enjoyed the author’s wit. His one line zingers often had me laughing out loud, repeating the sentence to my husband. It happened enough that he asked to read the book next. The author’s ability to set the stage, describing the surroundings with just the right amount of detail to paint a picture in your mind as you read was also particularly well done.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The cast of interesting characters was complete: some you like, some you relate to and others you despise. The book was hard to put down. It was an exemplary first novel for Rice and I look forward to the next in the series.
Fantasy is not usually my genre of novels. The forbidden half-elven child was an enticing prospect. The book is written in a format that is easy to read and follow. A lot of breaks in the writing (short paragraphs and many chapters), gives the reader ample opportunity to refer to the glossary in the back of the book to remind you who the character is. I particularly enjoyed the author’s wit. His one line zingers often had me laughing out loud, repeating the sentence to my husband. It happened enough that he asked to read the book next. The author’s ability to set the stage, describing the surroundings with just the right amount of detail to paint a picture in your mind as you read was also particularly well done.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The cast of interesting characters was complete: some you like, some you relate to and others you despise. The book was hard to put down. It was an exemplary first novel for Rice and I look forward to the next in the series.
November 30, 2016
I have to say I quite enjoyed this book. Rice writes beautiful prose and weaves a deep knot of a narrative in a very Game of Thrones-esque fashion. There are several factions that are all conniving for power in a kingdom that has been hammered by bandits, plague, and an ever-looming horde of Lifesbane.
Thrust into the middle of it all, quite unwillingly, is our hero - Muren. Much like the rest of Starwatcher, Muren isn't quite what you'd expect in your typical hero. He's flawed, like all good characters are, but Rice turned the flaws up to 11 making Muren a very realistic and believable character, and often acting in ways I'd be at least tempted to act (I'm sad to admit). The whole cast of characters are likeable, deep and believable.
Starwatcher was a refreshing fantasy novel. As someone who oft rolls his eyes at old fantasy tropes, having so many of them turned on their head gave me a new found admiration for the genre. I wasn't sure if anything new and interesting could be done in a world of Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes and Humans, but Rice has turned around and done it. A solid 5-star book, and I can't wait for the next one.
Thrust into the middle of it all, quite unwillingly, is our hero - Muren. Much like the rest of Starwatcher, Muren isn't quite what you'd expect in your typical hero. He's flawed, like all good characters are, but Rice turned the flaws up to 11 making Muren a very realistic and believable character, and often acting in ways I'd be at least tempted to act (I'm sad to admit). The whole cast of characters are likeable, deep and believable.
Starwatcher was a refreshing fantasy novel. As someone who oft rolls his eyes at old fantasy tropes, having so many of them turned on their head gave me a new found admiration for the genre. I wasn't sure if anything new and interesting could be done in a world of Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes and Humans, but Rice has turned around and done it. A solid 5-star book, and I can't wait for the next one.
August 3, 2016
David Rice's first novel is incredible! I'm not a big fantasy genre fan, but this tale hooked me early and kept me reading to the end. This is a strong, character-driven story. The plot makes sense, because the characters are believable; their motivations are clear, the stakes are high, and the obstacles they face immense! Rice weaves the plot lines together masterfully. A wonderful read! Can't wait for the next in the series!
December 15, 2021
Love it. Harkening back to the good days of high fantasy, this series has a vast world surrounding the personal stories at the heart of the novels. The first in the series, books continue to get broader in scope and with even greater stakes. Try it out!
August 9, 2021
Couldn't put it down!! With a reluctant "hero" who needs a lot of growing up to do, Dave creates a picture of a realm in turmoil. I particularly enjoyed seeing the strong women in his life be influential in his growing. Excited for book two!!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews