What do you think?
Rate this book
The Woven Worlds #1
Ozmander
The first book of The Woven Worlds, Ozmander is the epic tale of a young healer accompanying a mysterious man on a dangerous journey.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2017
1 person is currently reading
986 people want to read
About the author
Luke Taylor
15 books300 followersLuke Taylor is an author and musician from Renton, Washington.
He has been writing since age 7 and playing guitar since age 13, publishing 7 novels across several genres and the instrumental hard rock album, Perpetual Winter, available on all digital platforms. He has also released an album with his melodic death metal band, Skölhammer, called Tiger's Tail, which is available both digitally and as a CD Digipak. For more information on Luke and his music, check out Luke's website
Luke has several series and standalone novels in the works.
Luke is happy to accept your friend request and hopes one of the many books or songs he has written will feel like it's written just for you.
He has been writing since age 7 and playing guitar since age 13, publishing 7 novels across several genres and the instrumental hard rock album, Perpetual Winter, available on all digital platforms. He has also released an album with his melodic death metal band, Skölhammer, called Tiger's Tail, which is available both digitally and as a CD Digipak. For more information on Luke and his music, check out Luke's website
Luke has several series and standalone novels in the works.
Luke is happy to accept your friend request and hopes one of the many books or songs he has written will feel like it's written just for you.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 5, 2017
A terrifying and exhilarating adventure deep into the Woven Worlds where nothing is what it seems and no one is safe. Full review to come soon.
{Thank you Luke Taylor and publisher for kindly giving me this book free of charge, which does not influence my review.}
{Thank you Luke Taylor and publisher for kindly giving me this book free of charge, which does not influence my review.}
March 20, 2018
This is a short, self-published Fantasy title following Rosalyn De Boswel after an encounter with mysterious man on the road sets her on a path she never could have foreseen.
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is its inclusion of dragons. These dragons are not fiercely protective & greedy relations of Smaug. Instead, they are very dog-like in nature, having loyal relationships with their masters & overall playful mannerisms. Think similar to Toothless from How to Train your Dragon!
Another particularly enjoyable quality of this story is the humor, most clearly expressed through the character Nurmedov. He is a father-figure of a man with a comedic nature & a medley of bread crumbs & blades adorning his front. Always ready to crack a joke, eat a meal, and offer a word of encouragement, he was by far my favorite character.
Ozmander is full of lovely writing. There's no shortage of description, which makes it easy on the imagination to discern how settings & people appear. However, there are places where the descriptive style is a bit too in-depth. In particular, many things are compared to the colors of the sun at its different phases in the sky. The comparisons are never confusing, but perhaps would have more power if varied more.
My most prominent difficulty with this story is the fully grasping the aspect of how humans interact with their magic predispositions, which are described as Mystis, Sanctus, and Tempus. These three states are not outright defined, but rather it is determined through context the importance of each & how they are used. I would've liked a bit more explanation in the way of these aspects of the world because they do become quite critical later on.
Overall, this story proceeded in a logical, easy to follow fashion with delightful characterization, but near the very end it lost a bit of its clarity. In parts it became difficult for me to imagine what specifically was happening & why, and how the story is wrapped up is somewhat unclear in my mind. This may be because I was not fully in tune with how some of the magical workings of this world work,
I would recommend for anyone looking for a short, enjoyable ride through a unique fantasy world!
This review and other reviews of mine can be found on Book Nest!
***Disclaimer: The author, Luke Taylor, is a friend of mine. While I have, to the best of my ability, reviewed this title as fairly as possible, I believe it's important to disclose any source of potential bias! Special thank you to Luke for sending me a lovely review copy!***
One of my favorite aspects of this novel is its inclusion of dragons. These dragons are not fiercely protective & greedy relations of Smaug. Instead, they are very dog-like in nature, having loyal relationships with their masters & overall playful mannerisms. Think similar to Toothless from How to Train your Dragon!
Another particularly enjoyable quality of this story is the humor, most clearly expressed through the character Nurmedov. He is a father-figure of a man with a comedic nature & a medley of bread crumbs & blades adorning his front. Always ready to crack a joke, eat a meal, and offer a word of encouragement, he was by far my favorite character.
Ozmander is full of lovely writing. There's no shortage of description, which makes it easy on the imagination to discern how settings & people appear. However, there are places where the descriptive style is a bit too in-depth. In particular, many things are compared to the colors of the sun at its different phases in the sky. The comparisons are never confusing, but perhaps would have more power if varied more.
My most prominent difficulty with this story is the fully grasping the aspect of how humans interact with their magic predispositions, which are described as Mystis, Sanctus, and Tempus. These three states are not outright defined, but rather it is determined through context the importance of each & how they are used. I would've liked a bit more explanation in the way of these aspects of the world because they do become quite critical later on.
Overall, this story proceeded in a logical, easy to follow fashion with delightful characterization, but near the very end it lost a bit of its clarity. In parts it became difficult for me to imagine what specifically was happening & why, and how the story is wrapped up is somewhat unclear in my mind. This may be because I was not fully in tune with how some of the magical workings of this world work,
I would recommend for anyone looking for a short, enjoyable ride through a unique fantasy world!
This review and other reviews of mine can be found on Book Nest!
***Disclaimer: The author, Luke Taylor, is a friend of mine. While I have, to the best of my ability, reviewed this title as fairly as possible, I believe it's important to disclose any source of potential bias! Special thank you to Luke for sending me a lovely review copy!***
Read
June 13, 2017This is my new book and I really love it! It sees me creating a world-building system, a magic system, and hopefully writing a ten to twenty book series, the ending of which came to me in a dream. Writing this book and series comes full circle for me and goes back to my roots. Now that Ozmander is finished, I will be taking the next year to make a hand-drawn, hand-colored, and hand-lettered comic book adaptation in my favorite Bronze Age style, and I hope you all love the novel and the comic as much as I do.
Ozmander is a fast-paced young adult high fantasy, suitable for grades 9 and up and will be available in paperback and ebook on Amazon June 13th.
Ozmander is a fast-paced young adult high fantasy, suitable for grades 9 and up and will be available in paperback and ebook on Amazon June 13th.
August 6, 2017
*4.5 OVERWHELMING STARS*
Luke generously provided a physical ARC of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was unlike anything I've ever read before but I loved it! This is actually the book that got me out of my reading slump that lasted almost 2 months!
That ending quite literally made me see stars, I did not see that coming. I can't wait to see all these adventures again in the comic book adaption and hopefully the sequels are coming soon after that!
Luke built an entire world and magic system, made you fall in love with his characters (especially Nurmedov) and involved lots of adventures and action, and all that in only 238 pages! What more does one want?
Full review coming soon!
Luke generously provided a physical ARC of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was unlike anything I've ever read before but I loved it! This is actually the book that got me out of my reading slump that lasted almost 2 months!
That ending quite literally made me see stars, I did not see that coming. I can't wait to see all these adventures again in the comic book adaption and hopefully the sequels are coming soon after that!
Luke built an entire world and magic system, made you fall in love with his characters (especially Nurmedov) and involved lots of adventures and action, and all that in only 238 pages! What more does one want?
Full review coming soon!
August 18, 2017
It is quite a strange story of how I came to read this book. I don't want to bore you with all the little details, but lets just say that the author, Luke, came to my rescue. Because of that I clicked on his goodreads page, found out he was an author, and told him I would read one of his books. He just needed to pick one for me.
He picked Ozmander, and it was a pick that was fun to go through. We follow the healer Nomyd, Rosalyn de Boswel, throughout this story. She is straight out of healing school and gets the chance to put her healing to good use very soon. She heals a strange man on the road and their journey ensues.
The characters in the book are great. All 4 of the main characters have a good personality, but I wish that they were a little more fleshed out. I wish that I knew all of them and their motives just a little better. Something just felt missing. I have read a couple of other reviews and I have to say I agree with them that Nurmedov is by far the most fun character. He adds comic relief and is a smart aleck to boot. His lines are a lot of fun, and he can easily put a smile on your face while walking this journey with Xander and Rosalyn.
Each person in the Woven Worlds has a Mystis and a Sanctus. And I'm not quite sure what these things are or what they do. They seem to be inside of you and I sort of pictured them like a type of good and bad conscience, and while I enjoyed reading about them, because they were interesting, I wish I understood what they were a little better. Hopefully the becomes more obvious in the subsequent books. I did read a review that said it is the mind and the spirit, but I didn't get that at all from reading the book, but once I read it, it did make a lot of sense. Just wish I read it before I finished the whole book.
My biggest complaint about the book is that everything just happened so conveniently. Especially the ending. The final confrontation was going DOWN at the end of the book, and it just seemed like "Oh screw it, I'm wrapping this up." And then it was over. It was a big build up to me sitting on the edge of my seat (bed) and how are they going to get out of this and OMG is this really happening and......oh, ok. I guess were done here.
Overall this was a fun little read. I enjoyed my time in the Woven Worlds and I think I will be back for book 2. This is a world that I believe has a lot of potential, and I am excited to see what Mr. Taylor comes up with.
Haha, seriously Nurmedov is the best :)
He picked Ozmander, and it was a pick that was fun to go through. We follow the healer Nomyd, Rosalyn de Boswel, throughout this story. She is straight out of healing school and gets the chance to put her healing to good use very soon. She heals a strange man on the road and their journey ensues.
You touched me, not giving a damn about who I was or what I'd done. It didn't matter who I was to you, or what I had done, as long as you could help me and heal me, that's all you cared about. And look at you now, all the way across The Sea of The Dead to the heart of the abyss. Just to save me. Just to heal me. Just to bring me back.
The characters in the book are great. All 4 of the main characters have a good personality, but I wish that they were a little more fleshed out. I wish that I knew all of them and their motives just a little better. Something just felt missing. I have read a couple of other reviews and I have to say I agree with them that Nurmedov is by far the most fun character. He adds comic relief and is a smart aleck to boot. His lines are a lot of fun, and he can easily put a smile on your face while walking this journey with Xander and Rosalyn.
I think the only way to kill Nurmedov is to take away his food. No wonder he survived so many adventures. The man simply ate his way through any exploit. It gave new meaning to the phrase leaving a trail of breadcrumbs
Each person in the Woven Worlds has a Mystis and a Sanctus. And I'm not quite sure what these things are or what they do. They seem to be inside of you and I sort of pictured them like a type of good and bad conscience, and while I enjoyed reading about them, because they were interesting, I wish I understood what they were a little better. Hopefully the becomes more obvious in the subsequent books. I did read a review that said it is the mind and the spirit, but I didn't get that at all from reading the book, but once I read it, it did make a lot of sense. Just wish I read it before I finished the whole book.
Nothing's serious, you know, nothing ever will be. Life's just and adventure. Can't live it standing still
My biggest complaint about the book is that everything just happened so conveniently. Especially the ending. The final confrontation was going DOWN at the end of the book, and it just seemed like "Oh screw it, I'm wrapping this up." And then it was over. It was a big build up to me sitting on the edge of my seat (bed) and how are they going to get out of this and OMG is this really happening and......oh, ok. I guess were done here.
I knew my place. I always did. I just never knew how to get there.
Overall this was a fun little read. I enjoyed my time in the Woven Worlds and I think I will be back for book 2. This is a world that I believe has a lot of potential, and I am excited to see what Mr. Taylor comes up with.
"What is your plight my friend?
"It is...that I am obsessed with myself. I can't stop talking about myself and I don't want to. I'm the most interesting person I've ever met. The funniest, too."
Haha, seriously Nurmedov is the best :)
August 5, 2017
A terrifying and exhilarating adventure deep into the Woven Worlds where nothing is what it seems and no one is safe. Full review to come soon.
{Thank you Luke Taylor and publisher for kindly giving me this book free of charge, which does not influence my review.}
{Thank you Luke Taylor and publisher for kindly giving me this book free of charge, which does not influence my review.}
May 18, 2017
Wow!! Luke Taylor has done it again!!
This book was incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I love Luke's use of language and it made me feel so warm and fuzzy being allowed back in his worlds. It is one of the best books of I have read in 2017 and, if you're a fan of fantasy, I highly recommend pre ordering yourself a copy.
A full, in-depth review with no spoilers is available on my blog https://cariadllyfr.wordpress.com/201...
I'm just going to go and hug this book for a while!
This book was incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I love Luke's use of language and it made me feel so warm and fuzzy being allowed back in his worlds. It is one of the best books of I have read in 2017 and, if you're a fan of fantasy, I highly recommend pre ordering yourself a copy.
A full, in-depth review with no spoilers is available on my blog https://cariadllyfr.wordpress.com/201...
I'm just going to go and hug this book for a while!
December 27, 2017
This was definitely a five star read! An amazing story with an amazing cast, with a message that is powerful, but never preachy. Vivid, creative, and absorbing.
The main character, Rosalyn, is compelling and relatable. Though she was a top student, she finds out quickly that she still has a lot to learn. When she meets up with a mysterious man and starts out on a dangerous journey (one that will be joined by other characters--as well as doglike dragons!--along the way) she begins to understand her purpose. As she learns, the reader does too, so the worldbuilding is not only vivid, it's very natural.
Luke Taylor has a limitless imagination, and great instinct when it comes to characterization. I'm a big fan of ensemble casts, as long as they are layered and balanced. You will definitely find that here. Rosalyn, Xander, the hilarious Nurmedov, and Ilan (a very complex boy and one of my favorites,) don't overpower each other. They combine for the perfect balance of danger, humor, and heart. I also loved Shmaila, a wonderfully powerful woman I hope to see more of!
The action builds at a brisk pace, but the final 50 pages really fly. But even through the most intense action, there's character growth--realizations about healing, redemption, and the limits of human understanding.
A fantastic read! Luke Taylor's magnificent prose brings to life a vividly imagined world full of compelling characters I would happily follow anywhere!
The main character, Rosalyn, is compelling and relatable. Though she was a top student, she finds out quickly that she still has a lot to learn. When she meets up with a mysterious man and starts out on a dangerous journey (one that will be joined by other characters--as well as doglike dragons!--along the way) she begins to understand her purpose. As she learns, the reader does too, so the worldbuilding is not only vivid, it's very natural.
Luke Taylor has a limitless imagination, and great instinct when it comes to characterization. I'm a big fan of ensemble casts, as long as they are layered and balanced. You will definitely find that here. Rosalyn, Xander, the hilarious Nurmedov, and Ilan (a very complex boy and one of my favorites,) don't overpower each other. They combine for the perfect balance of danger, humor, and heart. I also loved Shmaila, a wonderfully powerful woman I hope to see more of!
The action builds at a brisk pace, but the final 50 pages really fly. But even through the most intense action, there's character growth--realizations about healing, redemption, and the limits of human understanding.
A fantastic read! Luke Taylor's magnificent prose brings to life a vividly imagined world full of compelling characters I would happily follow anywhere!
February 18, 2018
A great super-duper fast-paced introduction into the Woven Worlds. Luke Taylor continues to strive at putting his original ideas from his Mystis (mind) to paper. Wish his Mystis hadn't restrained him and gave us more content for all his characters though!
P.S. Full review to come soon.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
P.S. Full review to come soon.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
May 20, 2017
Definitely Luke's best yet. I feel so honored to be one of the first to read it before it becomes a big hit. I recommend to people who enjoy high fantasy, but I think really anyone would enjoy the story. The characters are all really likable and hilarious. There's cool twists that you don't see coming and an ending that will leave you wanting more. Never a dull moment when reading one of Luke's books, but this one especially had me captivated.
Read it and be impressed.
Read it and be impressed.
July 16, 2017
The newest book of Luke Taylor is so different from his another books, he decided to make this one lighter and not so wordy and it is the benefit. I must admit this is my favorite book of the author so far. I did enjoy reading and liked all about it.
The writing style is simple but still beautiful, unlike the writing style in all another books of the author, which didn’t let me to be into the story completely.
The world-building. The author constructed the whole network of worlds and in this book we can see only one with its own magical system and I must say he did a great job. So I am looking forward to new books of this series and new worlds.
The plot is fast-pacing and quite interesting.
Everything starts from meeting a stranger on a road by the main character Rosalyn. She is a nomyd (a traveling healer) and went to the city, but this encounter changed her plans and Rosalyn decided to join this stranger, not knowing his name or where they are going, she just wanted to help him, since it is her calling to help people. Sounds interesting, right? Add to this the journey to there do not know where, interesting characters, adventures, magic, of course, and voila we have the book you can read to relax after hard day or just to have fun.
The characters.
Rosalyn is a nomyd as I wrote above and she is a kind and very helping person by nature. A positive and bright character. I cannot tell that I was overwhelmed with this character but she is likable.
The stranger (I decided not to reveal his name. Read and you will know his name and who he is). A very cold and mysterious man. I wondered who he is the whole book. He is a very interesting character and you just can’t help liking him.
Nurmedov is my favorite. He is funny, funny and funny! Also he is obsessed with himself and food and has a sharp tongue. What a perfect combo!
Ilan is a childhood friend of Rosalyn, a nice guy and things. I think we will know more about him in one of the next books.
The dragons. Oh my, they are the funniest and the cutest dragons I have ever met in the books, especially Daisey. Guys, you must read it just because of them and Nurmedov, of course!
Also I would like to highlight the humor of the book. There were lots of hilarious moments and dialogues, that made this one even more interesting.
All in all, the book turned out light, funny and serious at the same time and it is worth your attention. I recommend the book to everyone.
The writing style is simple but still beautiful, unlike the writing style in all another books of the author, which didn’t let me to be into the story completely.
The world-building. The author constructed the whole network of worlds and in this book we can see only one with its own magical system and I must say he did a great job. So I am looking forward to new books of this series and new worlds.
The plot is fast-pacing and quite interesting.
Everything starts from meeting a stranger on a road by the main character Rosalyn. She is a nomyd (a traveling healer) and went to the city, but this encounter changed her plans and Rosalyn decided to join this stranger, not knowing his name or where they are going, she just wanted to help him, since it is her calling to help people. Sounds interesting, right? Add to this the journey to there do not know where, interesting characters, adventures, magic, of course, and voila we have the book you can read to relax after hard day or just to have fun.
The characters.
Rosalyn is a nomyd as I wrote above and she is a kind and very helping person by nature. A positive and bright character. I cannot tell that I was overwhelmed with this character but she is likable.
The stranger (I decided not to reveal his name. Read and you will know his name and who he is). A very cold and mysterious man. I wondered who he is the whole book. He is a very interesting character and you just can’t help liking him.
Nurmedov is my favorite. He is funny, funny and funny! Also he is obsessed with himself and food and has a sharp tongue. What a perfect combo!
Ilan is a childhood friend of Rosalyn, a nice guy and things. I think we will know more about him in one of the next books.
The dragons. Oh my, they are the funniest and the cutest dragons I have ever met in the books, especially Daisey. Guys, you must read it just because of them and Nurmedov, of course!
Also I would like to highlight the humor of the book. There were lots of hilarious moments and dialogues, that made this one even more interesting.
All in all, the book turned out light, funny and serious at the same time and it is worth your attention. I recommend the book to everyone.
March 6, 2018
The thing I loved the most about Ozmander was the main character's voice. She sounds like a fifteen year old girl, which is a hard thing to do in this kind of fantasy. So, kudos to Luke Taylor for doing a great job. And the imagination! Exceptional views--yeah, I could picture them--and dragons, and, um, dragon milk! That's pretty cool. Ozmander took me on a wild ride to strange places in a stranger world, and at the end *spoiler*. ;)
Read it!
Read it!
October 23, 2017
I loved this adventure story and the characters. I highly recommend this book!
June 4, 2017
Another hit from Taylor!! I give it all of the stars! Can't wait for book two, I am thrilled that this will be a series!
May 31, 2017
This book was AWESOME
I loved every minute of it.
The story pulled me in from the start.
I was intrigued.
Who were these people? what were their stories?
I felt things, thought things...
I dont want to give away anything to do with the storyline, but the prologue is very important to the story line.
The characters were different, each great in their own way. Something to lighten the mood, to bring a smile. Someone to grow with, to learn the magic system, the balance, the world. Someone to want to trust in. Someone to bring kindness and hope and love. Someone to crush your soul.... It is a dangerous brew of characters, one that left me drunk with thoughts and sloppy with feelings.
The dragon pups were awesome! Bailey <3 I loved how they were like puppies, but dragons. Love that she chose fat little Daisy as her dragon. I mean who wouldn't love massive pups as freaking dragons!? I LOVE IT.
The style of Luke's writing is beautiful as always. The way he can weave words into something so beautiful.
But that ending. THAT ENDING!!! It broke me and my heart.
I want to know more about the woven worlds... I want more!
TLDR: The book is great. If you like fantasy then you should read it. READ IT. Its a quick read, and bound to suck you right in.
I loved every minute of it.
The story pulled me in from the start.
I was intrigued.
Who were these people? what were their stories?
I felt things, thought things...
I dont want to give away anything to do with the storyline, but the prologue is very important to the story line.
The characters were different, each great in their own way. Something to lighten the mood, to bring a smile. Someone to grow with, to learn the magic system, the balance, the world. Someone to want to trust in. Someone to bring kindness and hope and love. Someone to crush your soul.... It is a dangerous brew of characters, one that left me drunk with thoughts and sloppy with feelings.
The dragon pups were awesome! Bailey <3 I loved how they were like puppies, but dragons. Love that she chose fat little Daisy as her dragon. I mean who wouldn't love massive pups as freaking dragons!? I LOVE IT.
The style of Luke's writing is beautiful as always. The way he can weave words into something so beautiful.
But that ending. THAT ENDING!!! It broke me and my heart.
I want to know more about the woven worlds... I want more!
TLDR: The book is great. If you like fantasy then you should read it. READ IT. Its a quick read, and bound to suck you right in.
October 22, 2017
Reading Ozmander was absolutely refreshing. The Woven Worlds truly ARE woven into a magical tapestry of adventure full of heart and character. One of my favorite things about this book is the perfect balance that it is: the excitement, the lightheartedness, the plethora of hilarious moments... Yet also the insight, the depth of character development, the imagination behind the world, and the concept of the different Crafts. There is something about it that reminds me of Narnia: Luke creates another huge, colorful world I want to escape into, and I can, by cracking open the first page. And also, just like Narnia did for me growing up, Ozmander has a certain hopefulness to it that I love. The world is an ugly, painful place, and the truth can be the most painful thing there is sometimes, but there is hope and purpose in the midst. Ozmander is a beautiful display of that in a way that keeps you smiling the whole way through. The characters are diverse and interesting, full of quirks and mystery, yet very relatable. An amazing, fulfilling read that keeps me wanting more!
P.S. This books has really made me want a pet dragon...
P.S. This books has really made me want a pet dragon...
April 2, 2018
Review to come.
November 3, 2017
Won this book on a goodreads giveaway hosted by the author!
This book was different from my other reads, but I apsolutely loved it! Would recommend to fantasy lovers or anyone looking for a unique read.
Full review to come soon.
This book was different from my other reads, but I apsolutely loved it! Would recommend to fantasy lovers or anyone looking for a unique read.
Full review to come soon.
February 7, 2020
This is a fearsome adventure written in a mystical poetical style. What I liked best about it was the story of the triumph of Sanctus (spirit) over Mystis (mind). And also, the dragons.
Rosalyn De Boswel is newly graduated from an institution called Bayh Creek – a school or monastery, or something similar – where she has been trained to use her Mystis as a Nomyd, or healer. She has been sent with no companion or resources other than a small satchel of healing supplies to the city of Kalazaris, also known as the City of Sin, when she discovers a man passed out by the side of the road. She is not sure whether he is dead or not, but when she touches him, he comes to life quite emphatically.
There is something not quite right about him. He has mysterious powers. But Rosalyn sticks close to him anyway, despite the fact that he at first tries to drive her away. For a long time, he won’t even tell her his name.
In the city they meet up with a strange man by the name of Nurmedov. At this point Rosalyn learns that the man she saved in the woods is called Xander. At least here. They begin making plans to leave the city. These include getting dragons. Dragons here are furry, give milk, and some of them have floppy ears. But not everything is so encouraging. As they are about to set out, they encounter first Rosalyn’s oldest friend, Ilan, who has now become a Paladyr of the Infernium. These are people who are sort of like police whose job is to capture people who use Craft (which is any kind of magic) and put them in prison. Then they are forced to tangle with someone from Xander’s past, a ridiculously powerful woman who is a Pryystys of Thanem, the head god of their world. Rosalyn has to help Xander defeat her before they can leave Kalazaris.
When they escape on their dragons, Ilan hitches a ride with Rosalyn on her dragon.
They set off across the sea to find a place Xander refers to as “the Abyss.” Rosalyn seems to think that the point is to right some wrong or to fix something that is broken. But things get very strange when they arrive at their destination and it is finally revealed who Xander really is and what he has done. It seems that not everything can be fixed.
Rosalyn De Boswel is newly graduated from an institution called Bayh Creek – a school or monastery, or something similar – where she has been trained to use her Mystis as a Nomyd, or healer. She has been sent with no companion or resources other than a small satchel of healing supplies to the city of Kalazaris, also known as the City of Sin, when she discovers a man passed out by the side of the road. She is not sure whether he is dead or not, but when she touches him, he comes to life quite emphatically.
There is something not quite right about him. He has mysterious powers. But Rosalyn sticks close to him anyway, despite the fact that he at first tries to drive her away. For a long time, he won’t even tell her his name.
In the city they meet up with a strange man by the name of Nurmedov. At this point Rosalyn learns that the man she saved in the woods is called Xander. At least here. They begin making plans to leave the city. These include getting dragons. Dragons here are furry, give milk, and some of them have floppy ears. But not everything is so encouraging. As they are about to set out, they encounter first Rosalyn’s oldest friend, Ilan, who has now become a Paladyr of the Infernium. These are people who are sort of like police whose job is to capture people who use Craft (which is any kind of magic) and put them in prison. Then they are forced to tangle with someone from Xander’s past, a ridiculously powerful woman who is a Pryystys of Thanem, the head god of their world. Rosalyn has to help Xander defeat her before they can leave Kalazaris.
When they escape on their dragons, Ilan hitches a ride with Rosalyn on her dragon.
They set off across the sea to find a place Xander refers to as “the Abyss.” Rosalyn seems to think that the point is to right some wrong or to fix something that is broken. But things get very strange when they arrive at their destination and it is finally revealed who Xander really is and what he has done. It seems that not everything can be fixed.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews