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Haunting Weir
He’s about to become the very thing he despises. Can a spell craft construct, an elf, and a ghost save his life and his soul? Art Storygrove yearns to be an elite demon hunter. But during his final test to enter the sacred guild of exorcists, his masters discover a formidable rare fiend dwelling inside his mind. And if he doesn’t successfully complete a dangerous solo quest to rid himself of the vile possession, he faces execution… or a fate worse than death. Teaming with an eclectic band of misfit allies, Art must track down an infernal library that holds the true name of the beast within him. But with zealots from the brotherhood he hoped to join hunting him and the darkness slowly destroying his sanity, he may not survive long enough to learn the monstrous truth. Can Art destroy the devilish force before it’s unleashed upon the world?
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2016
16 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Kari L. Ronning
25 books7 followersThe Moon Muse of Art & Writing
Kari Ronning is the primary writer, artist and designer behind Three Muses Ink and all the art and stories it produces and publishes.
With a Bachelor’s in Arts, she shares her vision through poetry, narrative, digital painting, photography and many other forms of creative endeavors.
Kari Ronning is the primary writer, artist and designer behind Three Muses Ink and all the art and stories it produces and publishes.
With a Bachelor’s in Arts, she shares her vision through poetry, narrative, digital painting, photography and many other forms of creative endeavors.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 21, 2017
Exceptional writing and character development kept me turning pages throughout this dark and deep tale, which would appeal to an older YA audience as well as adults interested in an intense quest with a philosophical feel. A great start to what should be a compelling series.
September 4, 2017
Haunting Weir was a weird book for me to get into, but the mood, the uniqueness, and the speculative fiction wins the day.
First of all, the conflict is mostly man versus himself, one of the classic conflicts of literature. It's really Art, the main character, battling a demon with himself (this happens fairly early in the book so it's not a spoiler).
Sometimes I felt as if it were Art battling an ongoing sickness. You know, the one like when you have the flu, and you feel you have to report at the office. On the subway there you feel a huge ache in your stomach... and then you down a syrupy-taste medical drop... and you feel better for a little while, just until you get into the office. Then you wonder, should you go back home immediately and surrender, should you stay on and tackle those reports due by five p.m., and then after looking at yourself in the mirror in the public washroom, you say yes, I can do this. (In fact Art does take magical and mythical candies to keep the demon at bay). Then you have another major migraine come on, and a co-worker comes up to you and offers some water, and helps you feel better, so you stay on your mission to get those reports done.
Sorry, I'm rambling, and that's entirely unfair to this book, because it does introduce some very interesting characters, although some of the concepts are quite quirky (i.e. how a romantic couple of different species are tethered to each other, and how it's possible for Art to host a demon bigger than him, not quite incorporeal but also capable of being corporeal... I couldn't imagine it, despite trying) it's very fascinating, like reading another world. While, as said, it's hard to develop an entire book on man fighting himself with less external conflict than internal conflict, this book manages to pull it off.
The mood is dark, gloomy, and very Gothic. The monsters and magical creatures that inhabit this world are very inventive and unlike those I've ever read before. For that creativity and originality I give it four stars, although overall I found it a little weird. (And I do love weirdness in stories, so I'm surprised to hear myself say that--must be that I like a normal, Earth-type world as the base system, and this book has a different world, although one can imagine it being somewhat akin to late medieval Europe with its bands of roaming knight guilds acting as greater good mercenaries).
The writing style is very consistent, and I appreciate that. Pacing between description and action is very even, with many little flourishes of exploration, impending danger, action, and resolution.
My favourite part was when they are inside the Consciatorium. (you kept thinking, is this the right place, or not--nothing is as it seems!)
First of all, the conflict is mostly man versus himself, one of the classic conflicts of literature. It's really Art, the main character, battling a demon with himself (this happens fairly early in the book so it's not a spoiler).
Sometimes I felt as if it were Art battling an ongoing sickness. You know, the one like when you have the flu, and you feel you have to report at the office. On the subway there you feel a huge ache in your stomach... and then you down a syrupy-taste medical drop... and you feel better for a little while, just until you get into the office. Then you wonder, should you go back home immediately and surrender, should you stay on and tackle those reports due by five p.m., and then after looking at yourself in the mirror in the public washroom, you say yes, I can do this. (In fact Art does take magical and mythical candies to keep the demon at bay). Then you have another major migraine come on, and a co-worker comes up to you and offers some water, and helps you feel better, so you stay on your mission to get those reports done.
Sorry, I'm rambling, and that's entirely unfair to this book, because it does introduce some very interesting characters, although some of the concepts are quite quirky (i.e. how a romantic couple of different species are tethered to each other, and how it's possible for Art to host a demon bigger than him, not quite incorporeal but also capable of being corporeal... I couldn't imagine it, despite trying) it's very fascinating, like reading another world. While, as said, it's hard to develop an entire book on man fighting himself with less external conflict than internal conflict, this book manages to pull it off.
The mood is dark, gloomy, and very Gothic. The monsters and magical creatures that inhabit this world are very inventive and unlike those I've ever read before. For that creativity and originality I give it four stars, although overall I found it a little weird. (And I do love weirdness in stories, so I'm surprised to hear myself say that--must be that I like a normal, Earth-type world as the base system, and this book has a different world, although one can imagine it being somewhat akin to late medieval Europe with its bands of roaming knight guilds acting as greater good mercenaries).
The writing style is very consistent, and I appreciate that. Pacing between description and action is very even, with many little flourishes of exploration, impending danger, action, and resolution.
My favourite part was when they are inside the Consciatorium. (you kept thinking, is this the right place, or not--nothing is as it seems!)
March 29, 2018
Haunting Weir is a dark fantasy read with Gothic undertones that explores the age-old good versus evil dilemma. Filled with fantastical creatures, it explores humans and demons in a kind of symbiotic state. The story is unique and is the first book in a series with more adventure to come.
The illustrations before each chapter are beautiful and contribute to the settings. The pace is good, the characters developed, and overall the word building drove the plot. We sense the determination of the protagonist to overcome obstacles and find redemption. There is plenty of suspense, but at times the story lagged with too much description, especially during action sequences and I found myself glossing over to the good parts. However, it is well written and, if you read between the lines, you may notice the meaning behind the Weir.
I would recommend this book to fans of YA.
The illustrations before each chapter are beautiful and contribute to the settings. The pace is good, the characters developed, and overall the word building drove the plot. We sense the determination of the protagonist to overcome obstacles and find redemption. There is plenty of suspense, but at times the story lagged with too much description, especially during action sequences and I found myself glossing over to the good parts. However, it is well written and, if you read between the lines, you may notice the meaning behind the Weir.
I would recommend this book to fans of YA.
August 23, 2017
A well-developed and intricate world of wonders, fantasy, and memorable characters! I really enjoyed this fantastical book as it was neither too dark or horrifying but perfectly deep and interesting. The authors did a great job of developing the entire world, not just the characters.
March 24, 2017
Haunting Weir is book one of a dark series that sees demons plague the world of man. Written as a response to demons, both real and within, author Kari Ronning harnesses their own responses to trauma, creating a breath-taking world of shadow.
Our main character, Art Storygrove, has been training to become a Weiriman (a protector of the human race against demons.) With an unusual team of allies, Art seeks to rid himself of his own demons, learning more about his past as his quest continues.
There is no shortage of drama or action here. The authors have developed a complex world that pulls you into its darkest reaches. The philosophical narration and stunning imagery have me anticipating my next read from this talented duo.
Rated 5/5 stars.
Our main character, Art Storygrove, has been training to become a Weiriman (a protector of the human race against demons.) With an unusual team of allies, Art seeks to rid himself of his own demons, learning more about his past as his quest continues.
There is no shortage of drama or action here. The authors have developed a complex world that pulls you into its darkest reaches. The philosophical narration and stunning imagery have me anticipating my next read from this talented duo.
Rated 5/5 stars.
December 10, 2017
I found this book a frustrating read. There are so many interesting ideas here, badly let down by the writing.
Any tension in the book (and there is a lot of dramatic action) is undercut by long info dumps about background. Sometimes these are about Art, filling us in on the main character’s background, other times it’s to tell us something essential to our understanding of what has happened. At other times, the action is slowed by Art’s long internal dialogues. By the time we get back to the battle at hand, the tension has been sucked away.
The writing is very strange, with many sentences I had to read more than once to understand. For example, at one point we are told that Art is in pain. Then the next sentence states, ‘Trying not to wince even when he breathed, another man came to stand over Art.’ I think it’s Art who is trying not to wince, but from the way the sentence is written, perhaps it’s this other man? ‘Taking only a few bites of his toast and a spoon full of eggs, they were ready to depart.’ They both ate from the toast and eggs? ‘ ‘…the sound so loud Art’s ears rattled down to the bones of his neck.’ I cannot even begin to understand what that sentence means.
We are also often both told and shown Art’s emotions, such as ‘Feeling angry, his stomach knotting so that the nourishment had just taken tasted sour’… The telling kept me one step removed from identifying with Art, and from really caring about what happened to him.
The concept is interesting, and the characters Art meets during his travels are intriguing. As it stands, this book is in dire need of developmental editing. If this were to happen, I’d love to read it again. There is a lot of potential here.
Any tension in the book (and there is a lot of dramatic action) is undercut by long info dumps about background. Sometimes these are about Art, filling us in on the main character’s background, other times it’s to tell us something essential to our understanding of what has happened. At other times, the action is slowed by Art’s long internal dialogues. By the time we get back to the battle at hand, the tension has been sucked away.
The writing is very strange, with many sentences I had to read more than once to understand. For example, at one point we are told that Art is in pain. Then the next sentence states, ‘Trying not to wince even when he breathed, another man came to stand over Art.’ I think it’s Art who is trying not to wince, but from the way the sentence is written, perhaps it’s this other man? ‘Taking only a few bites of his toast and a spoon full of eggs, they were ready to depart.’ They both ate from the toast and eggs? ‘ ‘…the sound so loud Art’s ears rattled down to the bones of his neck.’ I cannot even begin to understand what that sentence means.
We are also often both told and shown Art’s emotions, such as ‘Feeling angry, his stomach knotting so that the nourishment had just taken tasted sour’… The telling kept me one step removed from identifying with Art, and from really caring about what happened to him.
The concept is interesting, and the characters Art meets during his travels are intriguing. As it stands, this book is in dire need of developmental editing. If this were to happen, I’d love to read it again. There is a lot of potential here.
November 14, 2016
I really loved reading this book! Great characters, pacing and a very put together world. Fascinating take on exorcists without being religious. A demon has basically taken up residence in an exorcists-in-training and the story is about discovering what can be done, how this is even possible and how do they keep the demon from getting free. Really interesting character developments too. I highly recommend this story and look forward to others in the series.
June 30, 2017
Haunting Weir left me with very conflicted feelings.
Where to start?
I’d describe Haunting Weir as new adult steampunk.
The pace is breakneck from beginning to end, without more than a few moments where there is a lull in the action and a chance for some world building. Some people like a frenetic pace, I don’t. Everything happens in a very short span of time, which makes any character growth hard to believe.
The atmosphere is interesting, but is also a contradiction. The world is supposed to be a dark and haunted place (think staples of the steampunk: Arcanum or Bloodborne), with danger lurking at every corner, and we’re told so time and again. Each of the locales visited by the hero is supposed to be some place people never get out of. Most of the description fits well too, but it doesn’t go beyond appearances. Although literally everything is described as dangerous and dark, the events don’t let us feel that dread; I never felt as if anyone was ever in real danger. I would also have appreciated a map over any of the illustrations before the chapters
I normally wouldn’t even mention grammar, occasional mistakes don’t trouble me. But in this case, there were just too many misspelled words which drew me out of the story. Breeched instead of breached, hales instead of hails, etc. That and consecutive sentences with the same meaning. I won’t go into details, but additional editing and proofreading might have made a good difference in my appreciation of the novel.
The characters and their concepts are where this story gets interesting (though the main character is a somewhat of a gary stu, I can’t help but wonder why a pretty boy good at everything would be a loner). That and the various little twists and details of the profession around evil hunting (candies instead of potions).
The story isn’t too original (think fetch quest for unique item before facing the big bad) but it still manages to be interesting if you don’t mind Deux exes. In this case, most of those are when characters pop abilities when they are needed even though they never were mentioned before. If this last doesn’t bother you, then you will likely appreciate Haunting Weir more than I did.
So, for good character concepts, an interesting world with fun twists on conventions plagued by used tropes and lack of danger fitting the description, I rate “Haunting Weir” three (3) stars. Despite everything that irked me, it was still an entertaining read. If you like the beaten path more than I do and don’t mind heroes winning the day without paying a price, it might be an excellent read for you.
Where to start?
I’d describe Haunting Weir as new adult steampunk.
The pace is breakneck from beginning to end, without more than a few moments where there is a lull in the action and a chance for some world building. Some people like a frenetic pace, I don’t. Everything happens in a very short span of time, which makes any character growth hard to believe.
The atmosphere is interesting, but is also a contradiction. The world is supposed to be a dark and haunted place (think staples of the steampunk: Arcanum or Bloodborne), with danger lurking at every corner, and we’re told so time and again. Each of the locales visited by the hero is supposed to be some place people never get out of. Most of the description fits well too, but it doesn’t go beyond appearances. Although literally everything is described as dangerous and dark, the events don’t let us feel that dread; I never felt as if anyone was ever in real danger. I would also have appreciated a map over any of the illustrations before the chapters
I normally wouldn’t even mention grammar, occasional mistakes don’t trouble me. But in this case, there were just too many misspelled words which drew me out of the story. Breeched instead of breached, hales instead of hails, etc. That and consecutive sentences with the same meaning. I won’t go into details, but additional editing and proofreading might have made a good difference in my appreciation of the novel.
The characters and their concepts are where this story gets interesting (though the main character is a somewhat of a gary stu, I can’t help but wonder why a pretty boy good at everything would be a loner). That and the various little twists and details of the profession around evil hunting (candies instead of potions).
The story isn’t too original (think fetch quest for unique item before facing the big bad) but it still manages to be interesting if you don’t mind Deux exes. In this case, most of those are when characters pop abilities when they are needed even though they never were mentioned before. If this last doesn’t bother you, then you will likely appreciate Haunting Weir more than I did.
So, for good character concepts, an interesting world with fun twists on conventions plagued by used tropes and lack of danger fitting the description, I rate “Haunting Weir” three (3) stars. Despite everything that irked me, it was still an entertaining read. If you like the beaten path more than I do and don’t mind heroes winning the day without paying a price, it might be an excellent read for you.
February 2, 2018
I loved this book. Seriously loved.
This is a story about demons. Art Storygrove has a very real one inside of him, imprisoned between his mental walls (or weirs). Those who take the time to read the author’s note at the beginning will understand that the story’s meaning is far deeper than that of fiction. It’s an allegory, and when read with that understanding, it speaks volumes.
I have the attention span of a gnat, yet I was riveted to this story and completely obsessed with finishing it. The world building is excellent: creative, unique, and lush. Thanks to the author’s cinematic writing style, each sentence translated easily into a clear mental picture. There are no lulls, but also none of the franticness that occurs when writers pack in action for the sake of keeping readers interested. Instead, events comes at a natural pace, successfully moving the plot while developing an interesting cast of characters. I found each of the characters to be complex and compelling. I’m a romantic, so Ever and Orchid became my favorites. The bond between them was touching, sincere, and ever so delicate.
If the story wasn’t already stellar on its own, we’re also given illustrations. They were beautifully done, simplistic in style, and reminiscent of Art Nouveau lithographs.
I’m usually a picky reader and can find shortcomings in almost anything that I read. While I’m sure that this book had its faults, the truth was that I didn’t notice them at all and won’t bother looking for any. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book and will be singing its praises to anyone that will listen.
This is a story about demons. Art Storygrove has a very real one inside of him, imprisoned between his mental walls (or weirs). Those who take the time to read the author’s note at the beginning will understand that the story’s meaning is far deeper than that of fiction. It’s an allegory, and when read with that understanding, it speaks volumes.
I have the attention span of a gnat, yet I was riveted to this story and completely obsessed with finishing it. The world building is excellent: creative, unique, and lush. Thanks to the author’s cinematic writing style, each sentence translated easily into a clear mental picture. There are no lulls, but also none of the franticness that occurs when writers pack in action for the sake of keeping readers interested. Instead, events comes at a natural pace, successfully moving the plot while developing an interesting cast of characters. I found each of the characters to be complex and compelling. I’m a romantic, so Ever and Orchid became my favorites. The bond between them was touching, sincere, and ever so delicate.
If the story wasn’t already stellar on its own, we’re also given illustrations. They were beautifully done, simplistic in style, and reminiscent of Art Nouveau lithographs.
I’m usually a picky reader and can find shortcomings in almost anything that I read. While I’m sure that this book had its faults, the truth was that I didn’t notice them at all and won’t bother looking for any. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book and will be singing its praises to anyone that will listen.
June 28, 2017
Art Storygrove studied all of his life to become a Weirimen -- a special breed of guardians which protect the world from evil demons, spirits and demonic possessions. There’s only one problem, when Art goes to face his final challenge before graduation, he finds his inner weir houses a fierce Pith demon that must be exorcised. If his soul cannot be freed of this evil presence then his life could be sacrificed. Thus sets the foundation for a journey in which Art is trying to save his own life.
He must find an ancient wise man, known only as the Weaver. No one else even knows how to battle the evil he carries inside himself. But if he does find this Weaver, there’s no guarantee that the man will even help him. That is IF this mystical person is still alive.
Trying to thwart his plans at every step along the way are demons -- drawn to the evil inside him. Each skirmish leaves him physically weakened and less able to deal with his inner demon.
This story is full of action, heart break, romance and demons! It is beautifully written. As a reader it isn’t often that I get to say that about a novel. But I can tell that the authors spent a great deal of time considering how each step of this journey would play out and how they would describe it.
Luckily for Art, he encounters some decent if afflicted allies along the way. If they don’t kill him and try to steal his Weir Hewn blade, he might just make it.
This is a story that I can recommend highly to a wide variety of readers who like action, adventure and demon hunting.
He must find an ancient wise man, known only as the Weaver. No one else even knows how to battle the evil he carries inside himself. But if he does find this Weaver, there’s no guarantee that the man will even help him. That is IF this mystical person is still alive.
Trying to thwart his plans at every step along the way are demons -- drawn to the evil inside him. Each skirmish leaves him physically weakened and less able to deal with his inner demon.
This story is full of action, heart break, romance and demons! It is beautifully written. As a reader it isn’t often that I get to say that about a novel. But I can tell that the authors spent a great deal of time considering how each step of this journey would play out and how they would describe it.
Luckily for Art, he encounters some decent if afflicted allies along the way. If they don’t kill him and try to steal his Weir Hewn blade, he might just make it.
This is a story that I can recommend highly to a wide variety of readers who like action, adventure and demon hunting.
September 12, 2017
The novel, Haunting Weir, has potential as a work of paranormal/fantasy fiction. It has all of the elements a supernatural tale should have. There are even some quite imaginative scenes, such as the visit to the library with its Eternal Reading Room and Hallway of Endless Deep that I quite enjoyed. It was here that I felt the overall tone was expressed well. Art’s discovery of the secrets of his identity were quite intriguing as well.
Sometimes the style of writing just did not connect with me as a reader, though. The exposition was too detailed and dragged out. There was so much explained before any real action occurred. Yes, some sort of explanation is needed, but it did not seem like any true action showed up until halfway into the novel, therefore, it did not quite always keep my attention. Then, as I got toward the end, well, it seemed sort of like an anti-climactic ending. It could be that I just prefer novels with supernatural elements that take place in our own world, and this did not seem that way, like the sort of novels that make you feel as if this possibly could happen to you, if one little change was made. This was not like that. He seems to live in a world of Weirs. It doesn't seem to be a real problem that he has a demon, because the author does not show how it is a problem in his world.
Perhaps it was lacking in character development, because, although it is known what may happen if Art does not get the help he needs, I had a hard time caring about the outcome for him.
Sometimes the style of writing just did not connect with me as a reader, though. The exposition was too detailed and dragged out. There was so much explained before any real action occurred. Yes, some sort of explanation is needed, but it did not seem like any true action showed up until halfway into the novel, therefore, it did not quite always keep my attention. Then, as I got toward the end, well, it seemed sort of like an anti-climactic ending. It could be that I just prefer novels with supernatural elements that take place in our own world, and this did not seem that way, like the sort of novels that make you feel as if this possibly could happen to you, if one little change was made. This was not like that. He seems to live in a world of Weirs. It doesn't seem to be a real problem that he has a demon, because the author does not show how it is a problem in his world.
Perhaps it was lacking in character development, because, although it is known what may happen if Art does not get the help he needs, I had a hard time caring about the outcome for him.
November 13, 2017
The Haunting Weir is a distinctive book, with several important virtues. It boasts some unique world building, so it’s not merely a Rowling or Tolkien knockoff clad in a different cover. It contains elegant illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. It’s about good vs. evil, and that’s handled in a believable way. The main character is three-dimensional with relatable goals, even though they mostly involve defeating demons, especially the demon within. And the use of descriptive language has much to admire about it.
As an example of the latter, consider the opening sentence: “Anticipation is always thick, like the flavor of dark wine.” An unusual metaphor, an apt description that most readers will be able to relate to, and it’s the only opener I can think of that brings in the sense of taste in the opening paragraph. There are many of these gems sprinkled throughout.
The story is structured like a quest, which is fine—there are only so many plotlines in the world. And the ending is satisfying, although I won’t spoil it for you here.
I’d like to see a little less exposition, though. More showing, less telling. The book begins with an expository prologue, which is both unwise and unnecessary—all the relevant info we need is given at the beginning of chapter one.
If you like a dark feel to your stories with an unequivocal goal, you might find this a satisfying read.
As an example of the latter, consider the opening sentence: “Anticipation is always thick, like the flavor of dark wine.” An unusual metaphor, an apt description that most readers will be able to relate to, and it’s the only opener I can think of that brings in the sense of taste in the opening paragraph. There are many of these gems sprinkled throughout.
The story is structured like a quest, which is fine—there are only so many plotlines in the world. And the ending is satisfying, although I won’t spoil it for you here.
I’d like to see a little less exposition, though. More showing, less telling. The book begins with an expository prologue, which is both unwise and unnecessary—all the relevant info we need is given at the beginning of chapter one.
If you like a dark feel to your stories with an unequivocal goal, you might find this a satisfying read.
December 13, 2017
The Haunting Weir introduces us to Art Storygrove, a training weiriman who is set to settle his weir to join the Weirimen Guild in his family’s footsteps. However, in the trial, he finds that his weir is unlike other weirs, except for one which reared its ugly head decades ago. Only two weirimen were left alive from the first weir’s attack, and Art is sent off to find them to find out how to defeat his weir, all the while trying not to succumb to his own demon’s darkness. As well as avoiding the few guild members who see him and his weir as a threat and have put a price on his head.
I liked the idea behind the construct of the Weirimen Guild, and the idea of how demons or weirs worked in this world. I had some confusion with it starting out, with how some of the description was written, with the demons hiding behind a door inside someone’s mind, and then somehow exploding out and becoming corporeal to wreak havoc. And the start gave the book a Harry Potter meets Middle Earth meets Supernatural feel to the story. I also liked the artwork done for each chapter. They really added some helpful visuals to the writing, which sometimes lacked description. Overall, the tone and tempo of the story was good, and I would recommend any dark fantasy lovers to read it!
I liked the idea behind the construct of the Weirimen Guild, and the idea of how demons or weirs worked in this world. I had some confusion with it starting out, with how some of the description was written, with the demons hiding behind a door inside someone’s mind, and then somehow exploding out and becoming corporeal to wreak havoc. And the start gave the book a Harry Potter meets Middle Earth meets Supernatural feel to the story. I also liked the artwork done for each chapter. They really added some helpful visuals to the writing, which sometimes lacked description. Overall, the tone and tempo of the story was good, and I would recommend any dark fantasy lovers to read it!
November 26, 2017
The writing duo of Ronning and Gagnon have created a very imaginative world and filled it with new and exciting characters. Truly, their imagination seems to have no bounds. Haunting Weir is one of the freshest stories I have read in quite some time.
That being said, there are some indicators that the authors are fairly new to their craft. At times the prose can ramble a bit and could stand with a bit of tightening. There are also a fair amount of errors and typos sprinkled throughout the book as well. Nothing that another round of editing couldn't handle and not enough to really interfere with the enjoyment of the story line.
This book rates a solid three and a half stars from me, but without the ability to show that, I'm rounding up to four.
All in all, not a bad beginning to what promises to be a very entertaining series.
That being said, there are some indicators that the authors are fairly new to their craft. At times the prose can ramble a bit and could stand with a bit of tightening. There are also a fair amount of errors and typos sprinkled throughout the book as well. Nothing that another round of editing couldn't handle and not enough to really interfere with the enjoyment of the story line.
This book rates a solid three and a half stars from me, but without the ability to show that, I'm rounding up to four.
All in all, not a bad beginning to what promises to be a very entertaining series.
August 1, 2017
I really enjoyed this despite the common fantasy elements - orphan doesn't know where he's come from and goes on a quest to save his life from terrible evil. Meets a wise yet grumpy old man and is joined by an elf who looks down on all things mankind BUT Lucid is a wonderfully fresh character and the love story between Ever & Orchid is so touching, it feels very realistic. I loved the fact that sweets help keep evil away, that's always been my excuse, and I enjoyed the reveal with Art & the demon. I found the book very easy to read, well written with a clear author voice and well developed characters. The plot didn't try too hard to be super clever and as such had good pace and felt very organic.
February 19, 2018
Haunting Weir, which is book one of a dark fantasy series, builds a world where good battles evil. We root for the protagonist as he fights demons including one that lives within. Interesting, unusual, and sometimes odd characters populate the story. I liked the author's creativity, world-building, and the detailed illustrations. (There is an illustration before the start of each chapter.) At times, there was too much exposition and a need for more showing and less telling. I'd rate this book three and three-fourths stars and I'm rounding up to four for creativity and the beautiful illustrations.
June 21, 2017
Haunting Weir is one of those truly enjoyable, classically-written novels that are hard to come by these days. The style of writing in this novel conjures thoughts of Poe and Shelley, if they were writing modern-day fantasy such as Lord of the Rings or even Harry Potter. Weir's underpinnings
seem to be an exsitential examination of the subworkings of the conscious mind, set to a theme of elves, demons and black magic. Pure poetry. Nicely done.
seem to be an exsitential examination of the subworkings of the conscious mind, set to a theme of elves, demons and black magic. Pure poetry. Nicely done.
December 29, 2018
The idea is fantastic - the execution of the plot was not great. The author needs to take the time to go through the book and work out some of the kinks. There are grammatical errors that should have been fixed, and there is almost no flow to the book. I had a hard time staying with it because it was a bit boring to read, even though the story should have been interesting. Needs work, but has potential.
February 7, 2018
Wow! What a well-done story, I know I will be thinking about it for a while. The story made me really think about how we all have our own internal struggles. The story itself is not set in any world like our own, so if you like to escape the every day and go to a world of fantasy, this book is for you! Ronning really nailed the narrative here and sets up for an amazing series.
November 13, 2017
I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Haunting Weir - Dark Fantasy suitable for teen readers. Full review here: https://rhianwriting.wordpress.com/ai...
Final score: 15/20 (would be 17 without the typos).
The Haunting Weir - Dark Fantasy suitable for teen readers. Full review here: https://rhianwriting.wordpress.com/ai...
Final score: 15/20 (would be 17 without the typos).
August 24, 2018
This book has so many interesting ideas, but suffers from the writing. The sentences are often weirdly structures and because of this I couldn't really get into the story at all.
August 12, 2017
Haunting Weir (Haunted Weir Workings Book 1) by Kari L Ronning is a tale that takes you down the adventurous path of a young man that has worked all of his life to obtain his dreams. He finds that he has more talent then they really want in his job. This is a good book. The first two chapters setting the stage and laying out the characters were a little hard to follow, but once you got past that this was a wonderful read. Don't give up on it. This has everything that a good adventure needs with great character development and descriptive scenes that you can just close your eyes and imagine you are standing there beside them. I would recommend this series!
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