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The Inner Lands #1
Something Stirs
For centuries, the mountainous borders of the Inner Lands had kept the monstrous Grinth at bay, and people had finally found peace. But their complacency would be their undoing, for everything was about to change. As their world falls apart around them, an unlikely bond between a young girl, beaten by her father, and a conflicted warrior, haunted by his tragic past, could well seal the fate of all humanity.
As they fight for their survival, a final battle looms. But before they can stand a chance against the Grinth, they'll first have to conquer their own pasts. Will friendship and strength prevail? Or will the cunning and cruelty of evil twist the world into turmoil? Nothing is certain in the Inner Lands.
When Fallor called a meeting for the entire Hillock village, little did Sill know that it was just the beginning in a series of events that would reshape everything she knew about their small world. The banishing of her abusive father frees her to embark on a journey of her own. One in which she encounters incredible natural wonders like the Moonmirror Peak, mysterious people like Draneth the shaman and his hawk Tamarellin, strange men with stranger eyes; and the mighty Rydan Fort, built into the side of a mountain.
It could have been the adventure of her dreams, were it not for the monstrous creatures that pursue her all the way; bringing death, destruction and tragedy to everything and everyone she grows to cherish. The power she kept a secret for so long is too much for her young mind to handle but she'll have to learn how to wield it, and quickly, if she's to survive in this harsh new world.
As they fight for their survival, a final battle looms. But before they can stand a chance against the Grinth, they'll first have to conquer their own pasts. Will friendship and strength prevail? Or will the cunning and cruelty of evil twist the world into turmoil? Nothing is certain in the Inner Lands.
When Fallor called a meeting for the entire Hillock village, little did Sill know that it was just the beginning in a series of events that would reshape everything she knew about their small world. The banishing of her abusive father frees her to embark on a journey of her own. One in which she encounters incredible natural wonders like the Moonmirror Peak, mysterious people like Draneth the shaman and his hawk Tamarellin, strange men with stranger eyes; and the mighty Rydan Fort, built into the side of a mountain.
It could have been the adventure of her dreams, were it not for the monstrous creatures that pursue her all the way; bringing death, destruction and tragedy to everything and everyone she grows to cherish. The power she kept a secret for so long is too much for her young mind to handle but she'll have to learn how to wield it, and quickly, if she's to survive in this harsh new world.
302 pages, ebook
Published August 2, 2017
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Austin
2 books4 followersThe story and world of The Inner Lands first began to manifest itself over 10 years ago; born of a creative writing project that became my final-piece at University, alongside a Dissertation on New Media Technologies and Human Interaction. The initial concept was simply about a young girl walking through a forest, who stumbles upon a clearing. In the clearing, a warrior kneels, crying. The reader doesn't know who the girl is or what she's doing; who the warrior is or why he's crying - and neither did I.
Fast forward 10 years and you won't find that scene within The Inner Lands: Something Stirs. Yet the girl remains, as does the warrior, and the forest. That simple scene seems to have expanded, almost beyond my control.
The Inner Lands was always going to be about people - I knew that, but the final novel has become reflective of life in more ways now than I ever even intended. My own life, modern-day life, ancient life. The struggles that we all go through and the wisdom we gain from making mistakes.
The Inner Lands was written to be the kind of epic fantasy novel I would have enjoyed reading. It was designed to start simply and expand to reach a climatic, action-packed ending, so stick with it and, hopefully, you'll enjoy reading it too.
Fast forward 10 years and you won't find that scene within The Inner Lands: Something Stirs. Yet the girl remains, as does the warrior, and the forest. That simple scene seems to have expanded, almost beyond my control.
The Inner Lands was always going to be about people - I knew that, but the final novel has become reflective of life in more ways now than I ever even intended. My own life, modern-day life, ancient life. The struggles that we all go through and the wisdom we gain from making mistakes.
The Inner Lands was written to be the kind of epic fantasy novel I would have enjoyed reading. It was designed to start simply and expand to reach a climatic, action-packed ending, so stick with it and, hopefully, you'll enjoy reading it too.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 2, 2018
*I received a free copy of this book. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
The Inner Lands: Something Stirs embodies all that is good in epic fantasy, made fresh and unique by the skillful world- and character-building by A. J. Austin.
Here are the chosen ones discovering their powers and going on a quest to save the world, but Austin brings that world to life around us, and makes us not only believe in his characters but deeply care about them and follow their fates as breathlessly as is our own lives depended on their success.
The enemies, in the form of the Grinth, are terrifying in appearance, behaviour and intelligence, and their links to Kallem are mysterious and unsettling.
The plot follows an epic battle for the Inner Lands between the human survivors of previous Grinth battles, and the creatures who have somehow breached their previously impenetrable safe haven. More than that though is the development of Sill and Kallem as they struggle with their inner and outer demons and learn the potential for good and evil within themselves as they try to decide which voice to follow. This is actually a story about people, memory, forgiveness, and finding out who we really are.
Even the side characters are distinct and fully-fleshed, with their own strengths and flaws, and I found myself as heavily invested in them as the main protagonists (especially my particular feathered favourite!).
This is an excellent start to a new fantasy series, and fans of books such as Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series will enjoy The Inner Lands. I can’t wait for the next in the series to find out what happens next!
People were beginning to appear through the dark and now Sill became aware of the sound of shouting and running feet.
Raffin stared up at her, bewildered and afraid. She turned away from him, unable to watch the red pouring from his brow. I did that, she thought. My best friend, my father, the quilt. It’s all my fault!
She began to back slowly away from the scene. The running feet were getting closer. How could she explain what had happened? She looked up at the hut one last time. Great plumes of smoke filed endlessly through the doorway and rose steadily up, staining the night sky.
Sill turned and ran.
– A. J. Austin, The Inner Lands: Something Stirs
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
The Inner Lands: Something Stirs embodies all that is good in epic fantasy, made fresh and unique by the skillful world- and character-building by A. J. Austin.
Here are the chosen ones discovering their powers and going on a quest to save the world, but Austin brings that world to life around us, and makes us not only believe in his characters but deeply care about them and follow their fates as breathlessly as is our own lives depended on their success.
The enemies, in the form of the Grinth, are terrifying in appearance, behaviour and intelligence, and their links to Kallem are mysterious and unsettling.
The plot follows an epic battle for the Inner Lands between the human survivors of previous Grinth battles, and the creatures who have somehow breached their previously impenetrable safe haven. More than that though is the development of Sill and Kallem as they struggle with their inner and outer demons and learn the potential for good and evil within themselves as they try to decide which voice to follow. This is actually a story about people, memory, forgiveness, and finding out who we really are.
Even the side characters are distinct and fully-fleshed, with their own strengths and flaws, and I found myself as heavily invested in them as the main protagonists (especially my particular feathered favourite!).
This is an excellent start to a new fantasy series, and fans of books such as Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series will enjoy The Inner Lands. I can’t wait for the next in the series to find out what happens next!
People were beginning to appear through the dark and now Sill became aware of the sound of shouting and running feet.
Raffin stared up at her, bewildered and afraid. She turned away from him, unable to watch the red pouring from his brow. I did that, she thought. My best friend, my father, the quilt. It’s all my fault!
She began to back slowly away from the scene. The running feet were getting closer. How could she explain what had happened? She looked up at the hut one last time. Great plumes of smoke filed endlessly through the doorway and rose steadily up, staining the night sky.
Sill turned and ran.
– A. J. Austin, The Inner Lands: Something Stirs
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
September 18, 2020
This book did take me longer than most to read, but I still enjoyed it. It took a little while to get into the book, because the first half mainly consists of a journey, which was somewhat uneventful. The plot definitely picked up after that though, and was paced quite well. I don't necessarily see myself rereading this, but I'm definitely interested to see where the author takes the next book.
This book had quite a bit of action, but it did rely on the characters to keep it moving forward. In all honesty, I considered dropping this book when I read that Sill was 12, but thankfully she was written to be mature. I personally really liked Kallum, and I really enjoyed reading his struggle with his inner demons. Most of the secondary characters were pretty bland, and the only one I found myself caring for was Brorn. That being said, because the next book does skip forward 5 years, I can definitely see a lot of potential for the development of Raffin and Sill.
While this book wasn't anything particularly special in the fantasy genre, it was unique, and it did hold my attention. I did struggle to picture the Grinths, which was a slight problem because they were the main villain of the book. I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed, but I think there's definite potential for a great series here.
Thanks to Hidden Gems for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
This book had quite a bit of action, but it did rely on the characters to keep it moving forward. In all honesty, I considered dropping this book when I read that Sill was 12, but thankfully she was written to be mature. I personally really liked Kallum, and I really enjoyed reading his struggle with his inner demons. Most of the secondary characters were pretty bland, and the only one I found myself caring for was Brorn. That being said, because the next book does skip forward 5 years, I can definitely see a lot of potential for the development of Raffin and Sill.
While this book wasn't anything particularly special in the fantasy genre, it was unique, and it did hold my attention. I did struggle to picture the Grinths, which was a slight problem because they were the main villain of the book. I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed, but I think there's definite potential for a great series here.
Thanks to Hidden Gems for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
October 12, 2019
I really got into this book which although it starts slowly, pulls you into the world of The Inner Lands and takes time to establish character, environments and the lore and history of a people who have found sanctuary after fleeing from a monstrous enemy.
Effort and care is taken to set the scene and build up to the action and characters are introduced well and described with a lightness of touch which is not distracting.
The pace of the writing is good and doesn't feel rushed. When the main plot gets underway and the action starts, it is exciting with well-described battle scenes and a good level of tension and mystery that keeps you reading.
The main hook of the story is intriguing and piques your interest early on and the villains (The Grinth) are a menacing presence and well-developed.
The primary characters, particularly the heroine, Sill, are well conceived, skilfully described and are not too simplistic or stereotypical. Character development is interesting and you really care about and identify with the main characters as the story progresses.
This novel has some good twists and turns in the plot which keeps you guessing and I think it is an original and fresh take on the fantasy adventure genre, with enough good action, character development and surprises to keep you engaged and wanting to find out what happens next.
I'm looking forward to book 2 in the series.
Effort and care is taken to set the scene and build up to the action and characters are introduced well and described with a lightness of touch which is not distracting.
The pace of the writing is good and doesn't feel rushed. When the main plot gets underway and the action starts, it is exciting with well-described battle scenes and a good level of tension and mystery that keeps you reading.
The main hook of the story is intriguing and piques your interest early on and the villains (The Grinth) are a menacing presence and well-developed.
The primary characters, particularly the heroine, Sill, are well conceived, skilfully described and are not too simplistic or stereotypical. Character development is interesting and you really care about and identify with the main characters as the story progresses.
This novel has some good twists and turns in the plot which keeps you guessing and I think it is an original and fresh take on the fantasy adventure genre, with enough good action, character development and surprises to keep you engaged and wanting to find out what happens next.
I'm looking forward to book 2 in the series.
November 10, 2020
The Inner Lands: Something Stirs is the debut novel, and first in a series, of British author A.J. Austin.
Quite often, when I try to read a first time authors work, I find myself having to really try and avoid being overly critical. It can be so easy to read a debut novel, and scrutinize it's worth against the finer works of authors who have long since established themselves. When it comes to fantasy, very often first time authors release a book that can buzz with a naive exuberance, but fall down in terms of originality and focus. It's not easy launching a career in writing, and it can be very cutthroat.
So it's with great joy that I share with you guys today the first work of A.J. Austin - Author. Something Stirs offers plenty to enjoy: a richly textured and beautifully described world, a sense of grandeur with hints at a dark and fearsome history, beautifully written central characters, and a plot that's tightly woven and full of surprises.
The plot in itself doesn't feel wholly unique, but do not hold that against giving it a try. This a highly addictive, enjoyable fantasy story with a YA feel.At the same time, you sense Austin's ambition is far greater than this. Echoes of Robert Jordan, Raymond E Feist and even more recent authors like Michael J. Sullivan flavour the text with a confidence that evokes fond memories of the classic fantasy series of the eighties and nineties.
Let's consider the base elements of the plot. Set centuries after the world was ravaged by the evil and monstrous Grinth, a small society gathered in a part of the world called The Inner Lands have prospered in a time of peace and security.
In one small village, Sill, a girl who has been a victim of a violent father all her life, and blessed- or cursed- with certain alarming powers seeks out the admiration and acceptance of those around her. One day, all goes wrong and she is left homeless, her abusive father subsequently made an outcast. The plot then unravels, including journeys in the wilderness, the return of monsters of myth and legend, and the peace of the land is thrown into chaos. Sill needs to team up with a madman, Kallem, and a mystic figure, Draneth, to unlock the mysteries of the Grinth and save the world as they know it.
On the surface, this work is not the most original. But the beauty lies in the depth of the writing. The way Austin confidently writes about grief as he pushes the story along reminded me strongly, so strongly, of Robin Hobb's debut novel Harpy's Flight (written under her real name Megan Lindholm in the early eighties). Much like her early work, I really appreciated the attention given to the characters emotional responses to things, and the entire book felt, in a way, like an exploration of grief and loneliness.
Interestingly, in conversation with the author, I found him to be particularly enthusiastic about my thoughts upon this.
Read along to hear what the author has to say in response.
Regarding my observation that the story seems heavily focused on grief, mourning and recovery:
Austin: "Yep, that's me alright, grief and loneliness! Not really, but in all seriousness I think fantasy is great for introverts. I was definitely one of those too, and I've always been emotional and somehow [I] find my mind wandering towards darker thoughts. [My book Something Stirs] was absolutely about dealing with some of that - the whole series is. I hoped it wouldn't prove too depressing for people to read."
I can assure you, it certainly isn't.
Austin: "You're not the only person who's likened me to Robin Hobb, which is funny since I've never read her work. I'm glad the emotional responses come across. That was probably the most important part of it for me and you never know whether something that affects you is going to have any impact on others."
Clearly delighted that it has shown itself to have that sort of impact, Austin continues to talk on enthusiastically about the striking cover art: "And Carlo's art was great! He is Peruvian - it was such a chance encounter. He was so positive and excited about the project. I hardly gave him any guidance and he just nailed every scene." I will leave links to his Facebook page down below.
"Some emotions are so strong, you just can't put them into meaningful words, and people are uncomfortable talking about negative/sad things. So, we put them into other creative mediums and (if you're weird like me) you devise a whole world and let your characters act out tragedy for you. Most people relate can relate to that better."
Since speaking, A.J. Austin has subsequently released the second installment of his trilogy, Dark Tidings.
Here below are some further reviews of his work:
“An epic fantasy tale with expert world & character building, creates a work where you care about both the world and the characters that inhabit it” Douglas C. Bjur
“This is an excellent start to a new fantasy series, and fans of books such as Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series will enjoy The Inner Lands” Steph Warren
“I’ve been coming across some really amazing independently published novels of late and The Inner Lands: Something Stirs is most definitely one of them. A J Austin’s ability to build and bring to life a believable epic fantasy world is amazing.” legolas007
For more information check here:
Website: https://theinnerlands.com/
Author: https://www.facebook.com/theinnerlands/
Artwork: https://www.facebook.com/LICARTO7/
To purchase The Inner Lands: Something Stirs, check it out here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074H9524...
To purchase The Inner Lands: Dark Tidings, check it out here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08992GNP...
Quite often, when I try to read a first time authors work, I find myself having to really try and avoid being overly critical. It can be so easy to read a debut novel, and scrutinize it's worth against the finer works of authors who have long since established themselves. When it comes to fantasy, very often first time authors release a book that can buzz with a naive exuberance, but fall down in terms of originality and focus. It's not easy launching a career in writing, and it can be very cutthroat.
So it's with great joy that I share with you guys today the first work of A.J. Austin - Author. Something Stirs offers plenty to enjoy: a richly textured and beautifully described world, a sense of grandeur with hints at a dark and fearsome history, beautifully written central characters, and a plot that's tightly woven and full of surprises.
The plot in itself doesn't feel wholly unique, but do not hold that against giving it a try. This a highly addictive, enjoyable fantasy story with a YA feel.At the same time, you sense Austin's ambition is far greater than this. Echoes of Robert Jordan, Raymond E Feist and even more recent authors like Michael J. Sullivan flavour the text with a confidence that evokes fond memories of the classic fantasy series of the eighties and nineties.
Let's consider the base elements of the plot. Set centuries after the world was ravaged by the evil and monstrous Grinth, a small society gathered in a part of the world called The Inner Lands have prospered in a time of peace and security.
In one small village, Sill, a girl who has been a victim of a violent father all her life, and blessed- or cursed- with certain alarming powers seeks out the admiration and acceptance of those around her. One day, all goes wrong and she is left homeless, her abusive father subsequently made an outcast. The plot then unravels, including journeys in the wilderness, the return of monsters of myth and legend, and the peace of the land is thrown into chaos. Sill needs to team up with a madman, Kallem, and a mystic figure, Draneth, to unlock the mysteries of the Grinth and save the world as they know it.
On the surface, this work is not the most original. But the beauty lies in the depth of the writing. The way Austin confidently writes about grief as he pushes the story along reminded me strongly, so strongly, of Robin Hobb's debut novel Harpy's Flight (written under her real name Megan Lindholm in the early eighties). Much like her early work, I really appreciated the attention given to the characters emotional responses to things, and the entire book felt, in a way, like an exploration of grief and loneliness.
Interestingly, in conversation with the author, I found him to be particularly enthusiastic about my thoughts upon this.
Read along to hear what the author has to say in response.
Regarding my observation that the story seems heavily focused on grief, mourning and recovery:
Austin: "Yep, that's me alright, grief and loneliness! Not really, but in all seriousness I think fantasy is great for introverts. I was definitely one of those too, and I've always been emotional and somehow [I] find my mind wandering towards darker thoughts. [My book Something Stirs] was absolutely about dealing with some of that - the whole series is. I hoped it wouldn't prove too depressing for people to read."
I can assure you, it certainly isn't.
Austin: "You're not the only person who's likened me to Robin Hobb, which is funny since I've never read her work. I'm glad the emotional responses come across. That was probably the most important part of it for me and you never know whether something that affects you is going to have any impact on others."
Clearly delighted that it has shown itself to have that sort of impact, Austin continues to talk on enthusiastically about the striking cover art: "And Carlo's art was great! He is Peruvian - it was such a chance encounter. He was so positive and excited about the project. I hardly gave him any guidance and he just nailed every scene." I will leave links to his Facebook page down below.
"Some emotions are so strong, you just can't put them into meaningful words, and people are uncomfortable talking about negative/sad things. So, we put them into other creative mediums and (if you're weird like me) you devise a whole world and let your characters act out tragedy for you. Most people relate can relate to that better."
Since speaking, A.J. Austin has subsequently released the second installment of his trilogy, Dark Tidings.
Here below are some further reviews of his work:
“An epic fantasy tale with expert world & character building, creates a work where you care about both the world and the characters that inhabit it” Douglas C. Bjur
“This is an excellent start to a new fantasy series, and fans of books such as Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series will enjoy The Inner Lands” Steph Warren
“I’ve been coming across some really amazing independently published novels of late and The Inner Lands: Something Stirs is most definitely one of them. A J Austin’s ability to build and bring to life a believable epic fantasy world is amazing.” legolas007
For more information check here:
Website: https://theinnerlands.com/
Author: https://www.facebook.com/theinnerlands/
Artwork: https://www.facebook.com/LICARTO7/
To purchase The Inner Lands: Something Stirs, check it out here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074H9524...
To purchase The Inner Lands: Dark Tidings, check it out here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08992GNP...
September 15, 2019
Loved this book! From the first page you are drawn into this world. It manages to be both a tense page turner as well as having a lot of heart, with well drawn characters that you really route for in their epic journey. Can’t wait for book 2.
September 15, 2019
I read this book as part of a reading group (Library staff/ex-staff from public, college and university libraries) and unless it’s your pick, you never know what to expect until you open it up and start reading! So, there is nothing better than really enjoying it and finding out that it’s part of a series. The only problem is waiting for the author to finish writing the next instalment!
This is a character driven novel were the characters are vivid with a variety of personalities and traits which are all well drawn out. Because the characters are so strong these essentially dictate how they would react to what is happening around them which makes the plot stronger as it doesn’t move in the same ways as other more traditional plot driven fantasy novels.
From the first few pages I was sucked into Sill’s world, firstly being drawn into her daily life, living in the peaceful but complacent Hillock village, with only old tales of past dangers to hint that not everything is good and happy in the Inner Lands.
Sill is already having to deal with difficulties even before our main adventure begins. Being raised by an abusive and manipulating father and coming to terms with the fact that she is different from everyone else in the village. As the story widens, we meet other characters including Kallem who is battling his own inner thoughts and how he sees himself within the village. And as the characters start to interact, we learn more about them and the history of the Inner lands.
I love that the author has taken the time to let the reader connect to the characters so that throughout the book when they are dealing with the evil force of the Grinth and having to deal with tragedy we are right there along with them.
There is a good balance between dialogue and action and the big action scenes (which tends to be my least favourite parts of books) are well plotted and in some instances have some refreshing surprises.
My favourite character is Tamarellin who is a Hawk who can communicate telepathically with Draneth the shaman, there is a great bond between these characters, and I love the dialogue between them.
This is also I book that I feel I could re-read again and again, as when talking about it with the book group, it started so many different conversations and I have realised I had missed little bits of detail which will be great to pick up on next read around.
I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.
This is a character driven novel were the characters are vivid with a variety of personalities and traits which are all well drawn out. Because the characters are so strong these essentially dictate how they would react to what is happening around them which makes the plot stronger as it doesn’t move in the same ways as other more traditional plot driven fantasy novels.
From the first few pages I was sucked into Sill’s world, firstly being drawn into her daily life, living in the peaceful but complacent Hillock village, with only old tales of past dangers to hint that not everything is good and happy in the Inner Lands.
Sill is already having to deal with difficulties even before our main adventure begins. Being raised by an abusive and manipulating father and coming to terms with the fact that she is different from everyone else in the village. As the story widens, we meet other characters including Kallem who is battling his own inner thoughts and how he sees himself within the village. And as the characters start to interact, we learn more about them and the history of the Inner lands.
I love that the author has taken the time to let the reader connect to the characters so that throughout the book when they are dealing with the evil force of the Grinth and having to deal with tragedy we are right there along with them.
There is a good balance between dialogue and action and the big action scenes (which tends to be my least favourite parts of books) are well plotted and in some instances have some refreshing surprises.
My favourite character is Tamarellin who is a Hawk who can communicate telepathically with Draneth the shaman, there is a great bond between these characters, and I love the dialogue between them.
This is also I book that I feel I could re-read again and again, as when talking about it with the book group, it started so many different conversations and I have realised I had missed little bits of detail which will be great to pick up on next read around.
I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2020
Preface: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
There's not a whole lot to say about this novel - unfortunately, it's just not very compelling. Our two main characters, Sill and Kallem, are very flat. Sill is a generic abused child character, and Kallem is an emotionless husk (something he himself acknowledges). The relationship between the two is poorly developed, as Kallem comes to care for Sill for seemingly no reason. They never really have any bonding moments, he just decides he likes her enough to suddenly change all of his priorities and desires. The other characters are similarly flat - generic childhood friend, generic elders, generic wise old mentor who doesn't actually do any mentoring. The only semi-interesting character is the talking hawk, and that's just because everyone else is so stale.
The plot is meandering and unfocused. The characters first seek out the old mentor, but he never actually teaches them anything, he just drags them to another location. Those two trips are the bulk of the book, followed by a climatic battle with the novel's generic villains, manlike animals that, for some reason, are obsessed with killing humans. The way they're dealt with is similarly generic, and pops up in pretty much every other fantasy story with a mindless horde of creatures.
I would not really recommend this to anyone unless they are absolutely starved for a fantasy read.
There's not a whole lot to say about this novel - unfortunately, it's just not very compelling. Our two main characters, Sill and Kallem, are very flat. Sill is a generic abused child character, and Kallem is an emotionless husk (something he himself acknowledges). The relationship between the two is poorly developed, as Kallem comes to care for Sill for seemingly no reason. They never really have any bonding moments, he just decides he likes her enough to suddenly change all of his priorities and desires. The other characters are similarly flat - generic childhood friend, generic elders, generic wise old mentor who doesn't actually do any mentoring. The only semi-interesting character is the talking hawk, and that's just because everyone else is so stale.
The plot is meandering and unfocused. The characters first seek out the old mentor, but he never actually teaches them anything, he just drags them to another location. Those two trips are the bulk of the book, followed by a climatic battle with the novel's generic villains, manlike animals that, for some reason, are obsessed with killing humans. The way they're dealt with is similarly generic, and pops up in pretty much every other fantasy story with a mindless horde of creatures.
I would not really recommend this to anyone unless they are absolutely starved for a fantasy read.
August 31, 2020
I received a free copy to give an honest review from Hiddengemsbooks.
This book earns a 2.5. It would be a good book to recommend to someone wanting to start reading fantasy for the first time. It has a fast pace, and a large cast if characters.
There is very little world building, one dimensional characters and a very weak plot that amounts to a mass of faceless enemies that just want to kill humans. We follow Sill, a young girl with a dead mom and a rage filled alcoholic dad that blames her, and we also follow kallum, an emotionless boy who watched his dad and sister die years prior to o e of the monsters.
The magic system is never really explained except powerful when needed. The fights are rather confusing with mostly telling and very little showing. There were brief moments in the description that showed a lot of potential. The author really should have spent more time editing and more focus on fleshing out the world.
This book earns a 2.5. It would be a good book to recommend to someone wanting to start reading fantasy for the first time. It has a fast pace, and a large cast if characters.
There is very little world building, one dimensional characters and a very weak plot that amounts to a mass of faceless enemies that just want to kill humans. We follow Sill, a young girl with a dead mom and a rage filled alcoholic dad that blames her, and we also follow kallum, an emotionless boy who watched his dad and sister die years prior to o e of the monsters.
The magic system is never really explained except powerful when needed. The fights are rather confusing with mostly telling and very little showing. There were brief moments in the description that showed a lot of potential. The author really should have spent more time editing and more focus on fleshing out the world.
September 7, 2020
I enjoyed this book which embodied the spirit of a good fantasy story. There is the classic good verses evil, old unchallenged ways verses the truth and the challenges of young people struggling to find their true selves and purpose. Combined, this author wove an enjoyable, easy read that left the reader wanting more. I voluntarily read this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2022
The Inner Lands has the makings of an epic, sweeping fantasy, with some interesting concepts but ultimately, I did not feel like the narrative made me all too concerned about the stakes. And although the characters do grow and change by the end of the book, I did not feel like the build-up delivered a satisfying finale. I would be interested to see how this gets built upon in the next books.
Read
December 26, 2019I am bored. DNF...
August 25, 2020
This is the first book in a series, and the author does a great job of setting the scene in the opening chapters as it doesn't take long for this world to feel familiar. The characters are well-developed and interesting. The plot is fascinating. It did feel a bit slow in parts though. All-in-all, "The Inner Lands: Something Stirs" is an enjoyable read.
My thanks to the author and Hidden Gems for a free copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author and Hidden Gems for a free copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
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