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The Last Prince #1
Forsaken Kingdom
At his kingdom's darkest hour, the lost heir returns. A pity he can't remember who he is ...To save his people and the forbidden magic they're sworn to defend, Wardin Rath surrenders his birthright and his past. For seven years he's held at the court of his deadliest enemy, oblivious to all he's lost. Until one day, the spell that stole his memories begins to crack.On the heels of a harrowing escape, Wardin's quest for answers leads him to the last magistery, where he studied magic as a boy. But he'll find no safe haven there—or anywhere. Plagued by threats and suspicion, hunted relentlessly by the king who will stop at nothing to crush him, Wardin is soon battling for his life, his home, and the survival of magic itself.And this time, the enemy will take no prisoners.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
November 16, 2017
This book has all the elements of epic fantasy that I’ve poked fun at in the past. You know the sort of thing - the lost heir to the kingdom, the enchanted sword (which has a name, naturally), the school for magic, the trusty sidekicks… I should have hated it, but instead I inhaled it almost at one sitting. Why? Because it’s so much fun. And there are positively no boring bits.
The book starts in the most awesome way imaginable. Wardin Rath is a prince, whose uncle and father have just lost a war. Wardin is the last of his line, and will be the object of the victorious king’s searches until he’s found. And then killed. But Wardin is somewhere very special, the last Magistery in the kingdom, the sole remaining repository for magic in the land. If Wardin is tracked down there, not only his own life will be lost, but the Magistery too, and with it all magical knowledge. So, at the age of just twelve, Wardin does something amazingly heroic: he leaves the Magistery, and allows himself to be caught by his enemy.
Needless to say (because the book would be very short otherwise) he isn’t killed. Instead his memories are magically erased, and he’s held at King Bramwell’s court as a royal tutor. Now, this requires some suspension of disbelief, because Bramwell is a hardnosed warrior and battle campaigner, and his motives for this action are dubious to say the least, but let that pass. Inevitably, the spell is eventually fractured, and so begins the main part of the story, with Wardin, now all grown up, trying to work out just who and what he is as bits of memory drift back to his mind, and eventually returning to the Magistery and his old friends.
I liked Wardin very much, and he’s believable both as the memory-wiped tutor and as the prince who is obviously destined to be a great leader of men (by book 3 of the trilogy, I predict). I liked the two sidekicks, too - Erietta and Arun, twins, and between the three of them they cover all three kinds of magic in this world. Battlemagic is physical, moving things about. Sage magic affects minds. Contrivance is about the imagination. And - here’s the really nice touch - each form has to be ‘balanced’ by its opposite. So battlemages have to do mental work after the expenditure of magic to balance themselves, sages do physical work and contrivers have to do mundane work, like scrubbing floors. This is very elegant.
The world-building isn’t excessive. The map at the front of the book is fairly minimalist, but I suspect that more places may be added as the trilogy progresses. For anyone (like me) who got a bit muddled about the family relationships, there’s a family tree along with a hires map at the Cairdarin website (Cairdarin is the world/continent name). But even if the world itself isn’t quite as detailed as an Ordnance Survey map, everywhere felt totally real and I could picture the settings perfectly in my mind, specially the awesome Magistery, nestled in the mountains, with its secret entrance.
The story rattles along, and there’s absolutely no filler. When Wardin sets off on a journey, there’s no meandering through the scenery, describing every tree and rock in loving detail. No, we jump straight to the next point of action, or sometimes the destination, with barely a moment to catch our breath. Sometimes these transitions felt a bit abrupt, but mostly I was glad to be spared the saggy bits.
As you’d expect, there’s a grand confrontation at the end, resolved very elegantly, which neatly sets the scene for the next book in the trilogy. I can’t wait. Highly recommended for fans of traditional epic fantasy. Five stars.
The book starts in the most awesome way imaginable. Wardin Rath is a prince, whose uncle and father have just lost a war. Wardin is the last of his line, and will be the object of the victorious king’s searches until he’s found. And then killed. But Wardin is somewhere very special, the last Magistery in the kingdom, the sole remaining repository for magic in the land. If Wardin is tracked down there, not only his own life will be lost, but the Magistery too, and with it all magical knowledge. So, at the age of just twelve, Wardin does something amazingly heroic: he leaves the Magistery, and allows himself to be caught by his enemy.
Needless to say (because the book would be very short otherwise) he isn’t killed. Instead his memories are magically erased, and he’s held at King Bramwell’s court as a royal tutor. Now, this requires some suspension of disbelief, because Bramwell is a hardnosed warrior and battle campaigner, and his motives for this action are dubious to say the least, but let that pass. Inevitably, the spell is eventually fractured, and so begins the main part of the story, with Wardin, now all grown up, trying to work out just who and what he is as bits of memory drift back to his mind, and eventually returning to the Magistery and his old friends.
I liked Wardin very much, and he’s believable both as the memory-wiped tutor and as the prince who is obviously destined to be a great leader of men (by book 3 of the trilogy, I predict). I liked the two sidekicks, too - Erietta and Arun, twins, and between the three of them they cover all three kinds of magic in this world. Battlemagic is physical, moving things about. Sage magic affects minds. Contrivance is about the imagination. And - here’s the really nice touch - each form has to be ‘balanced’ by its opposite. So battlemages have to do mental work after the expenditure of magic to balance themselves, sages do physical work and contrivers have to do mundane work, like scrubbing floors. This is very elegant.
The world-building isn’t excessive. The map at the front of the book is fairly minimalist, but I suspect that more places may be added as the trilogy progresses. For anyone (like me) who got a bit muddled about the family relationships, there’s a family tree along with a hires map at the Cairdarin website (Cairdarin is the world/continent name). But even if the world itself isn’t quite as detailed as an Ordnance Survey map, everywhere felt totally real and I could picture the settings perfectly in my mind, specially the awesome Magistery, nestled in the mountains, with its secret entrance.
The story rattles along, and there’s absolutely no filler. When Wardin sets off on a journey, there’s no meandering through the scenery, describing every tree and rock in loving detail. No, we jump straight to the next point of action, or sometimes the destination, with barely a moment to catch our breath. Sometimes these transitions felt a bit abrupt, but mostly I was glad to be spared the saggy bits.
As you’d expect, there’s a grand confrontation at the end, resolved very elegantly, which neatly sets the scene for the next book in the trilogy. I can’t wait. Highly recommended for fans of traditional epic fantasy. Five stars.
May 21, 2018
Forsaken Kingdom is J.P.Rasmussen's debut novel. What initially caught my attention was synopsis - I'm a huge fan of magic learning and I hoped there'll be quite a bit of hidden knowledge rediscovery. In a way, I wasn't wrong.
Wardin Rath is the last heir of the Kingdom. To save his people and the forbidden magic they’re sworn to defend, he allowed the bad guys to erase his memories magically. Oblivious of his past, he's been serving for seven years at the court of his deadliest enemy. One day things start to change - Wardin starts to have dreams, and he feels an inexplicable affinity toward the silver inkwell he spotted on King Bramwell's desk.
Soon, an attempt on his life is made, and he's on the run. He returns to the last magistery, where he studied magic as a boy. Unfortunately, even there, he won't be safe. The king wants to crush him.
The plot is rather simple and straightforward, and it draws heavily from well-known tropes (heir of the kingdom fighting for his birthright, faithful sidekicks, there are mentions of the enchanted sword). I have nothing against the tropes as long as they're used well, and J.P. Rasmussen writes them in an entertaining and easily accessible way.
Wardin is believable as a character. While we've all seen similar heroes in the fantasy literature, I have to say I like him. He has good dynamics with his "sidekicks" - twins Arun and Erietta. Each of them is skilled in one of three forms of magic known in this world. Also, each of them is nicely fleshed out. They feel real. I think the most interesting character is the bad guy - King Bramwell who can be both cruel and brutal but also believably touched by sentiments.
Magic system is neat. There are three kinds of magic. Battlemagic is physical, Sage magic affects minds, and Contrivance influences the imagination. Each form has to be balanced by its opposite - Battlemages have to do mental work after the expenditure of magic, contrivers do simple menial tasks, and sages have to do some physical work. Becoming out of balance isn't advised - it leads to catatonic states and madness. Apart from human-mages, there are also magical dogs known as blackhounds. I think it's a neat magic system, although I'm still not sure what determines whether the mage can perform magic or not.
The story is focused on the quest and action, and there's not much world-building or lengthy descriptions of flora and fauna. The pacing is uneven -
at the beginning of the book, I struggled with the story as everyone seemed to have the same voice and the story felt a bit slow. It changed fast, though, and the flow improves significantly.
My issues with the story are a bit spoilery - I feel like characters motivations aren't fully explored. Truth be told, I don't understand Bramwell's decisions (to keep Wardim alive, then to kill him, to kill all his rivals in the past, etc. - was it just because he has no magical powers? That would be petty for such an interesting character).
The plot is linear and straightforward - characters move from point A to point B to progress the storyline. At times, it feels a bit too convenient. One of the characters is saved by someone who happens to arrive from far away and at the right time. Again, too convenient, too simple.
The final battle was a bit of a letdown to me, but I can't elaborate on it not to spoil things for you. Suffice to say, the resolution felt anticlimactic and disappointing.
Overall, the book is well written, entertaining and quick to read. It uses tropes but does it with skill and some measure of restraint. I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel, but it's possible. The book gets three stars from me and it means that I liked it. There are some flaws, but it's a promising debut.
I read the book as part of the TBRind - An Indie Author and Reviewer Matching Service created and maintained by The Weatherwax Report.
August 28, 2024
A bit slow in parts, but this surprised me and I got sucked in so that I read this in two days flat. A fantastic start to a trilogy that I hope to physically buy and add to my favorites shelf. 4.5 ⭐
July 11, 2019
3.5 The one major flaw in this book is that it really feels like it should have been book 2 in this series and not book 1 and it would have been a solid 5 stars if there was some previous establishment.
Slight Spoilers but everything happens really quickly in the beginning and I struggled to feel any of the emotions I should feel when he gets amnesia or when he reunites with his best friends. Also having the time skip after him having amnesia felt like a waste as well.
Rasmussen should have honestly started his series with them as kids starting at the magic school because even if it sounds cookie cutter it allows the reader to feel the loss as well when the MC gets amnesia. I felt emotionally disconnected in scenes that I really should have felt sad for.
Slight Spoilers but everything happens really quickly in the beginning and I struggled to feel any of the emotions I should feel when he gets amnesia or when he reunites with his best friends. Also having the time skip after him having amnesia felt like a waste as well.
Rasmussen should have honestly started his series with them as kids starting at the magic school because even if it sounds cookie cutter it allows the reader to feel the loss as well when the MC gets amnesia. I felt emotionally disconnected in scenes that I really should have felt sad for.
October 27, 2017
Great Book. I love the characters and the plot. I think the author hit the nail on the head when describing the book as Aragon meets Harry Potter.
November 7, 2021
Books end up on my reading list for all kinds of reasons: references in other books, recommendations from colleagues, friends, and family, reviews in journals and newspapers, mentions by authors I like, even just browsing in a book store. No further research is required for a book to get onto the list, but when I go to find my next book to read, I dig a little deeper before I make a selection. By a little deeper, I mostly mean that I read the book summary/blurb – what would be on the back cover or the inside jacket flap, if the book were physical. Based on that, I will make a decision if the book is something that I want to read, or if I should remove it from the list.
Some books under-promise and over-deliver. Swordspoint, which we reviewed last week, is like that. The summary was enough for me to read it, but I didn’t expect anything remarkable; it proved to be one of the best fantasy books I’ve read this year. Forsaken Kingdom’s cover blurb was, unfortunately, the opposite. While the book wasn’t exactly bad, the main emotion I experienced while reading it was boredom. This coming from the man who recently read Human Dimension and Interior Space from cover to cover, and found it interesting.
If there is a book that demonstrates that there is more to good storytelling than just having a good story to tell, it is this one. Rasmussen came up with a good story with some interesting twists on a classic displaced heir plot, and in concept there were a lot of things about it that I really liked: the lost memory plot, and especially how it appeared from the outside, for instance, or the concept of needing to perform mundane tasks in conjunction with magical ones in order to keep from going insane, or even the royal family dynamics. The ideas were good, but something about their execution fell flat for me.
I think there were two main things that kept me from enjoying the book. First, lack of follow-through. The prologue/first chapter sets up the protagonist’s capture and memory loss, and the second chapter opens with him being unaware that he was ever anyone besides the royal tutor. While we are given a very brief view of what his life was like as the royal tutor, almost immediately we have a disruption from that normal, so soon that we barely have a normal from which to disrupt. This might seem like a good thing for pacing in a book that I’ve already accused of being boring, but because we don’t know enough of what the protagonist’s life was like before, it’s difficult to relate to him and his struggle to come to terms with his odd dreams and slowly remembered identity. To the reader, it’s only been a few pages since he was the sacrificial prince, and so we have little patience for him as the palace tutor.
The memory loss is made out to be a major part of the plot, but some of its most interesting implications are ignored, or hand-waved over. Rasmussen in several places makes reference to the prince’s people believing that he has betrayed them, but nothing much comes of that point, and soon enough they’re all following him around and proclaiming him to be a veritable messianic figure. It’s one thing for his close former friends and associates to be convinced after sufficient evidence – it’s quite another for the entire countryside to change its mind without much effort exerted on the prince’s part. He just takes it as his due.
Which is the other half of how this story stumbled in my mind: the main character was unsympathetic, to the point where I found myself hoping he would lose. This was not the deliberate anti-hero kind of effort, like in Lord Foul’s Bane, where the reader is not supposed to like the protagonist, or at least not be sure if they should like them. Instead, the prince is written as a hero but acts like, well, a shallow shell of an immature character. I found him arrogant, dimwitted, and whiney, to the point that I found myself hoping the antagonist would win. Our prince, despite losing his memory, acted like he was a gift to the world, and took it has his due that everyone should obey him and respect him and think he ought to be their king. He fumbled through the story, winning mostly by luck and because the magic system got stretched by the author to make the plot work, compared to his antagonist, who was highly competent, highly skilled, decisive, with a moral code, and a surprisingly complex and sympathetic story. I think the author may have realized that the antagonist was a little too sympathetic and interesting, because he added some gratuitous cruelty to try to convince us that the conquering king was actually evil.
It would be wrong to say that this book was bad. As I said, it was an interesting story, with some strong elements that could have been very good. In concept, I really liked the idea, and I would be interested in reading another implementation of it, but this particular incarnation was dull and flat. I don’t like giving negative reviews, especially to smaller-name fiction authors with whom I can increasingly relate as I work on developing my own writing, but I also did not enjoy Forsaken Kingdom. Perhaps, at some point, I will look at something else that Rasmussen wrote, but it won’t be in this series.
January 16, 2020
3.5 stars
March 6, 2024
Fast paced book that makes it a quick read.
Gives high fantasy vibes, will continue series
Gives high fantasy vibes, will continue series
October 21, 2017
Warden and Erietta take on the battle to keep the magic alive.
Bramwell has something against them, thinks anyone with magic might challenge his ruling.
There’s a mysterious sword no one has seen yet, which might make the ultimate change, if they can find it.
I think it’s realistic when wielding magic it has to be balanced out. Otherwise the wielder will go mad.
I can’t help thinking if that’s what happened to Bramwell or if it something else entirely?
I received a free copy and this is my honest review
Bramwell has something against them, thinks anyone with magic might challenge his ruling.
There’s a mysterious sword no one has seen yet, which might make the ultimate change, if they can find it.
I think it’s realistic when wielding magic it has to be balanced out. Otherwise the wielder will go mad.
I can’t help thinking if that’s what happened to Bramwell or if it something else entirely?
I received a free copy and this is my honest review
January 17, 2023
Magic is under siege as Bramwell Lancet, King of the Harth's seeks to eliminate the last traces of magic and rebellion in the land. Wardin Rath's father, Draven Rath, King of the Eryd's, sacrifices himself to protect his son and knowledge of the last magistry. With the death of Draven, Bramwell is led to believe he has eradicated the last magistry and place of magical learning. Wardin knows that, as the prince of the Eryd's, Bramwell will search high and low till he is found.
To ensure the last magistry stays hidden, Wardin turns himself over to Bramwell. Instead of ending his life, Bramwell has him put under a spell that tricks him into believing he is someone else. Convinced their prince has turned coat and forgotten them, the Eryd's subject themselves to Harthian rule.
When the contriver who is keeping Wardin under a spell dies suddenly, Wardin begins to remember who he was. He flees King Bramwell and finds his way to the last magistry. Reunited with his old friends, he must figure out a way to keep Pendralyn from being destroyed.
I read this story as part of my "writing a strong opening" research and knew I wanted to continue reading it. From the opening pages, the author painted a picture and introduced me to characters that I wanted to know more about. The world and setting are what you expect from an adventure fantasy story, but I really enjoyed the way he established magic.
To keep magic from being too strong he gave it weaknesses. Each type of magic, contrivance (imagination), sages (mental), and battlemagic (physical) required the magister to balance themselves with a task in opposition. So a battle mage had to do mental exercises to balance their use of battle magic. A contriver had to do menial tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and washing; a sage had to do physical activity.
It was quite interesting in application and I thought the author did a great job executing the magic system.
Additionally I thought the characters he established were robust enough that I could relate to and be invested in them. For the most part the cast was kept simple, with the main character Wardin and his two closest friends, Bramwell and his son, and a moderate secondary cast of characters that helped give the main characters depth, while keeping them in the spotlight.
I felt like the author also brought in elements and ideas, that are going to be applicable in later stories, in ways that like natural parts of this story, one of which is a legendary enchanted sword. They did a good job of setting up the later books, without making me feel like this book was missing things.
For the most part I buy my books from thrift stores, or look for great deals on sites like BookBub. There have been a few books that I've purchased new, either eBook or physical copy, but I liked this book enough that I'm going to purchase the second and third books in the series.
If you're looking for an enjoyable adventure fantasy story, Forsaken Kingdom by J.R. Rasmussen is a great read.
To ensure the last magistry stays hidden, Wardin turns himself over to Bramwell. Instead of ending his life, Bramwell has him put under a spell that tricks him into believing he is someone else. Convinced their prince has turned coat and forgotten them, the Eryd's subject themselves to Harthian rule.
When the contriver who is keeping Wardin under a spell dies suddenly, Wardin begins to remember who he was. He flees King Bramwell and finds his way to the last magistry. Reunited with his old friends, he must figure out a way to keep Pendralyn from being destroyed.
I read this story as part of my "writing a strong opening" research and knew I wanted to continue reading it. From the opening pages, the author painted a picture and introduced me to characters that I wanted to know more about. The world and setting are what you expect from an adventure fantasy story, but I really enjoyed the way he established magic.
To keep magic from being too strong he gave it weaknesses. Each type of magic, contrivance (imagination), sages (mental), and battlemagic (physical) required the magister to balance themselves with a task in opposition. So a battle mage had to do mental exercises to balance their use of battle magic. A contriver had to do menial tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and washing; a sage had to do physical activity.
It was quite interesting in application and I thought the author did a great job executing the magic system.
Additionally I thought the characters he established were robust enough that I could relate to and be invested in them. For the most part the cast was kept simple, with the main character Wardin and his two closest friends, Bramwell and his son, and a moderate secondary cast of characters that helped give the main characters depth, while keeping them in the spotlight.
I felt like the author also brought in elements and ideas, that are going to be applicable in later stories, in ways that like natural parts of this story, one of which is a legendary enchanted sword. They did a good job of setting up the later books, without making me feel like this book was missing things.
For the most part I buy my books from thrift stores, or look for great deals on sites like BookBub. There have been a few books that I've purchased new, either eBook or physical copy, but I liked this book enough that I'm going to purchase the second and third books in the series.
If you're looking for an enjoyable adventure fantasy story, Forsaken Kingdom by J.R. Rasmussen is a great read.
March 2, 2025
This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/4ko0VI8.
Believing it is the only way to save his people Wardin leaves the last remaining magical academy in the realm and turns himself into his deranged uncle. Although his uncle had killed his father, he spared him choosing instead to wipe the boy's memory. After years of thinking himself a tutor to the King his memory slowly begins to return. With it begins with one of the King's men committing suicide and an attempt upon Wardin's life. Soon, he is running for his life and trusting in people that say are friends, but could just as easily kill him for the reward.
This book is a great fantasy book that has magic, betrayal, and battles over who is the rightful ruler of a country. Based on the above I am sure you can see who the factions are, but if not it is against Wardin and his Uncle. Wardin must battle through a spell that took his memories, the loss and renewal of magic, being constantly hunted by all manner of people and creatures, and having to convince his people that he never intentionally rolled over and betrayed them to his uncle.
This is book one in a series and it took me a while to get into. It is a slow start, but once it picks up it is almost continuous action of some type. This seems like it will be a series that is definitely not a stand-alone. You must start with this book because it provides all of the background before the real war between the factions begins. There is every possibility I will read more in this series because once you get into it the story is very interesting.
I enjoyed the dynamic between the siblings and Wardin. I feel that there is every possibility of a potential romance between the female and Wardin in the future, but it was not a focus of this book. More like the idea for laying the groundwork of the ability in the future. They would make a cute couple, at least. This book does follow the trope of magical versus non-magical warring sides.
Believing it is the only way to save his people Wardin leaves the last remaining magical academy in the realm and turns himself into his deranged uncle. Although his uncle had killed his father, he spared him choosing instead to wipe the boy's memory. After years of thinking himself a tutor to the King his memory slowly begins to return. With it begins with one of the King's men committing suicide and an attempt upon Wardin's life. Soon, he is running for his life and trusting in people that say are friends, but could just as easily kill him for the reward.
This book is a great fantasy book that has magic, betrayal, and battles over who is the rightful ruler of a country. Based on the above I am sure you can see who the factions are, but if not it is against Wardin and his Uncle. Wardin must battle through a spell that took his memories, the loss and renewal of magic, being constantly hunted by all manner of people and creatures, and having to convince his people that he never intentionally rolled over and betrayed them to his uncle.
This is book one in a series and it took me a while to get into. It is a slow start, but once it picks up it is almost continuous action of some type. This seems like it will be a series that is definitely not a stand-alone. You must start with this book because it provides all of the background before the real war between the factions begins. There is every possibility I will read more in this series because once you get into it the story is very interesting.
I enjoyed the dynamic between the siblings and Wardin. I feel that there is every possibility of a potential romance between the female and Wardin in the future, but it was not a focus of this book. More like the idea for laying the groundwork of the ability in the future. They would make a cute couple, at least. This book does follow the trope of magical versus non-magical warring sides.
June 6, 2019
Decent story
What I didn’t like. The magic system doesn’t come of as much more than parlor tricks. The ways they have to Ballance themselves isn’t interesting or logical. It does serve as a way of keeping power in check though. I also find it very difficult that the king would spare his greatest rival for seven years no matter the reasoning. It is also the one event in the book that is very hard to believe. I don’t like how the author teases the reader about why the king would hate the protagonist dad so much, or how she mentions a backstory that hasn’t been provided yet.
What I liked. The story has good characters, with compelling dialogue between. The king is a tyrant but it’s believable. Wardin and his friends are like able and interesting. The black hounds would be cool to have.
The book holds promise, and it obvious to the reader the story would be a series. I think it’s that point which makes me not want to continue to the next book. I like the story but ultimately I don’t like being strung along and this book really doesn’t have a conclusion just an advertisement to say that you should keep reading.
What I didn’t like. The magic system doesn’t come of as much more than parlor tricks. The ways they have to Ballance themselves isn’t interesting or logical. It does serve as a way of keeping power in check though. I also find it very difficult that the king would spare his greatest rival for seven years no matter the reasoning. It is also the one event in the book that is very hard to believe. I don’t like how the author teases the reader about why the king would hate the protagonist dad so much, or how she mentions a backstory that hasn’t been provided yet.
What I liked. The story has good characters, with compelling dialogue between. The king is a tyrant but it’s believable. Wardin and his friends are like able and interesting. The black hounds would be cool to have.
The book holds promise, and it obvious to the reader the story would be a series. I think it’s that point which makes me not want to continue to the next book. I like the story but ultimately I don’t like being strung along and this book really doesn’t have a conclusion just an advertisement to say that you should keep reading.
February 20, 2023
A very good fantasy story, quick pace, great tension
The main complaint I have about this story is that it is too fast. I could’ve enjoyed reading more about Wardin acquiring new fighting skills, more details about the keep and gate, the ending of the final battle, and more information about other enchanted objects. Sometimes the author skips ahead in time when slowing down would be preferable.
Overall, the story is very enjoyable with magical illusions, potions, secret passages, deadly battles, and great camaraderie between the main character and his friends. A few characters die, but they are “short-lived” (punny) on the page, so their demise is not emotionally taxing.
There are a few teaser crumbs for future books with mysteries to solve. While this book ends at a reasonable place, there is certainly more trouble ahead.
The author has improved in conventions (only 8 comma errors!), and the writing is excellent. The word for death by noose is hanged, not hung.
I would recommend this novel to any reader who enjoys the idea of a lost royal person seeking to regain his throne from a tyrant and freedom for his people.
The main complaint I have about this story is that it is too fast. I could’ve enjoyed reading more about Wardin acquiring new fighting skills, more details about the keep and gate, the ending of the final battle, and more information about other enchanted objects. Sometimes the author skips ahead in time when slowing down would be preferable.
Overall, the story is very enjoyable with magical illusions, potions, secret passages, deadly battles, and great camaraderie between the main character and his friends. A few characters die, but they are “short-lived” (punny) on the page, so their demise is not emotionally taxing.
There are a few teaser crumbs for future books with mysteries to solve. While this book ends at a reasonable place, there is certainly more trouble ahead.
The author has improved in conventions (only 8 comma errors!), and the writing is excellent. The word for death by noose is hanged, not hung.
I would recommend this novel to any reader who enjoys the idea of a lost royal person seeking to regain his throne from a tyrant and freedom for his people.
January 4, 2019
I received an ARC of this story through Hidden Gems and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Wardin Rath is a prince studying magic at the magistry while his father is at war with their own family over control of the kingdom. Wardin's father is killed and the best plan Wardin can come up with is to turn himself over to the victor, his cousin Bramwell, before he is found at the last surviving magistry so he does not bring destruction upon it. Bramwell then has Wardin's memories blocked and replaced with a life of mediocrity and complacency as the rest of the world settles and magic becomes a legend... and eventually, the story really starts from here. When Wardin's memories return, and his old companions find him, it begins his grand quest, in traditional epic fantasy style. The story can seem a bit slow at times, but what true epic fantasy isn't (ie what felt like years of walking in LotR lol) ? This wasn't a fast read, but it was a good one and I can't wait for the next in the series!
Wardin Rath is a prince studying magic at the magistry while his father is at war with their own family over control of the kingdom. Wardin's father is killed and the best plan Wardin can come up with is to turn himself over to the victor, his cousin Bramwell, before he is found at the last surviving magistry so he does not bring destruction upon it. Bramwell then has Wardin's memories blocked and replaced with a life of mediocrity and complacency as the rest of the world settles and magic becomes a legend... and eventually, the story really starts from here. When Wardin's memories return, and his old companions find him, it begins his grand quest, in traditional epic fantasy style. The story can seem a bit slow at times, but what true epic fantasy isn't (ie what felt like years of walking in LotR lol) ? This wasn't a fast read, but it was a good one and I can't wait for the next in the series!
September 22, 2019
I have to admit that when I started reading this book I wasn't sure that I was going to like it. There were somethings that confused me because they weren't explained; well at least well enough for me. However, I persevered because I was enjoying the characters and the writing style. This book is also a slightly different take on magic, although it does have some slight similarities to the works of Mercedes Lackey. That being the concept of balance, while most of the things that weren't explained eventually, became clearer, there still are somethings that I have questions about, so those are a few reasons to read Book Two. I also want to find the sword that was mentioned. While the characters have a nice depth and decent descriptions, I would like to see more descriptions about the places. A nicely paced book, and overall a good read.
January 23, 2023
Gawd, what a dud this turned out to be. I was caught-up at first with the very intriguing story of magic and kingdoms -- a genre I've been not too keen on lately.
So I was happy for an exception, one that kept me reading any time I could to finish the book.
But, at about 80% the novelty collapsed into tired themes and about a million ways to say "Am I fit for this leadership role?", with naysayers ragging "You're not fit for this role," followed by developing magic tricks (which were actually novel and interesting) -- I wonder if they'll do the trick in the final battle?
It was all so inevitable. Then the denouement -- after the big build-up of the fierce enemy, the ending fell splat, all to keep the antagonist around for volume two.
So I was happy for an exception, one that kept me reading any time I could to finish the book.
But, at about 80% the novelty collapsed into tired themes and about a million ways to say "Am I fit for this leadership role?", with naysayers ragging "You're not fit for this role," followed by developing magic tricks (which were actually novel and interesting) -- I wonder if they'll do the trick in the final battle?
It was all so inevitable. Then the denouement -- after the big build-up of the fierce enemy, the ending fell splat, all to keep the antagonist around for volume two.
January 20, 2019
A very good read!
I admit that I'd never heard of the author, though I wouldn't weight that detail too greatly in a genre pool as richly populated as Fantasy Fiction. The read was engaging and entertaining. I haven't gone through a book so quickly in some time. As a seasoned reader of magic worlds, I could criticize some details. I choose not to however, and only mention it so that others might expect to find the same and know that it doesn't subtract from the story in the slightest. Now onto the next book before I have to sleep!
I admit that I'd never heard of the author, though I wouldn't weight that detail too greatly in a genre pool as richly populated as Fantasy Fiction. The read was engaging and entertaining. I haven't gone through a book so quickly in some time. As a seasoned reader of magic worlds, I could criticize some details. I choose not to however, and only mention it so that others might expect to find the same and know that it doesn't subtract from the story in the slightest. Now onto the next book before I have to sleep!
April 10, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was a little confused by some details in the beginning, but my patience was eventually rewarded with answers. The story held my attention and I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely loved the dynamic between the three main protagonists. I liked that they were young enough to make mistakes, but old enough to accept and consider the consequences of their actions.
Well done!!! On to the second book!
Well done!!! On to the second book!
May 22, 2020
Excited to hear how the story continues!
I liked this story - at first of course you have to deal with characters that are uncertain and young, but the author does this well without dwelling on it and making you annoyed by the whininess of youth. The story progressed quickly without leaving much out of nothing it down with too many details. I am looking forward to the next book!
I liked this story - at first of course you have to deal with characters that are uncertain and young, but the author does this well without dwelling on it and making you annoyed by the whininess of youth. The story progressed quickly without leaving much out of nothing it down with too many details. I am looking forward to the next book!
March 6, 2024
Enjoyable read.
This is a nice read if you have some time to kill and want a light read you can put down and pick up days later without the angst of putting down a novel that you feel with every fiber of your being as you inhale the pages. The main characters are likable and their magic amusing. The villains are bad enough you dislike them but not so evil your blood boils reading about them.
This is a nice read if you have some time to kill and want a light read you can put down and pick up days later without the angst of putting down a novel that you feel with every fiber of your being as you inhale the pages. The main characters are likable and their magic amusing. The villains are bad enough you dislike them but not so evil your blood boils reading about them.
February 28, 2018
Entertaining
This story was mostly entertaining and fast-moving. The characters are pretty well written with the main characters being the most fleshed-out. The trials the main character goes through are sometimes hard to believe but mostly plausible I would recommend this book to most epic fantasy Raiders.
This story was mostly entertaining and fast-moving. The characters are pretty well written with the main characters being the most fleshed-out. The trials the main character goes through are sometimes hard to believe but mostly plausible I would recommend this book to most epic fantasy Raiders.
March 20, 2018
4.5
LOVED this book, I had a really hard time putting it down. Well written, nicely paced, good characters, well woven plot. It really kinda had it all.
I have one complaint.
Book 2 is not yet out. Nor do I see a projected date.
*sigh*
Yet another series not yet finished that I can add to my "I'm hooked" list. I really need to learn. ;-)
LOVED this book, I had a really hard time putting it down. Well written, nicely paced, good characters, well woven plot. It really kinda had it all.
I have one complaint.
Book 2 is not yet out. Nor do I see a projected date.
*sigh*
Yet another series not yet finished that I can add to my "I'm hooked" list. I really need to learn. ;-)
August 7, 2021
Engrossing
This book was engrossing from page one to the end. The book was a joy to read with few editorial errors, refreshing for a computerised book. The characters are believeable and relatable. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good fiction. The story is morally sound with minimal violence, none of it gory.
This book was engrossing from page one to the end. The book was a joy to read with few editorial errors, refreshing for a computerised book. The characters are believeable and relatable. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good fiction. The story is morally sound with minimal violence, none of it gory.
December 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this with great characters and storyline. It was well written with plenty going on and just so different for me. I thoroughly enjoyed how events were pulled together later on in the story and how the characters interacted, it was really well interwoven to create a really enjoyable story.
January 9, 2024
Bramwell hates magic and wants to eradicate it apart from the bit he needs to stay in power and control people. Wardin sacrificed himself and is used as a pawn till the spell on him weakens and his life is threatened and he returns to claim his birthright and save magic and his kingdom. Good story and character building
October 6, 2024
I almost stopped reading this at the beginning because I’d judged it a waste of time, but I’m glad my aversion to searching again for something new to read stayed my hand.
This was good! The characters don’t have a ton of personality but the story itself really drew me in. I would recommend this to those who love a good fantasy series.
This was good! The characters don’t have a ton of personality but the story itself really drew me in. I would recommend this to those who love a good fantasy series.
November 18, 2017
Great read!!!
I gave this a five star. Want to find out what happens next. Writing was very good,descriptive, no grammatical errors, a little mystery,and intrigue. Fantasy is my main read, would recommend this book.
I gave this a five star. Want to find out what happens next. Writing was very good,descriptive, no grammatical errors, a little mystery,and intrigue. Fantasy is my main read, would recommend this book.
January 22, 2019
Excellent book!
This was a great read and a very interesting and exciting new world. The villains are depraved and the heroes are inspiring both in humility and tenacity. I can’t wait to continue the series.
This was a great read and a very interesting and exciting new world. The villains are depraved and the heroes are inspiring both in humility and tenacity. I can’t wait to continue the series.
January 12, 2023
terrific
The “Bad Dude” is really cruel, but that is expected in this type of story. I hope I don’t have nightmares! But the “Good People” manage with a few surprises. This is an exciting start of what must be an interesting series.
The “Bad Dude” is really cruel, but that is expected in this type of story. I hope I don’t have nightmares! But the “Good People” manage with a few surprises. This is an exciting start of what must be an interesting series.
April 15, 2023
Spellbinding!
Great intro to the last hidden world of magisters and the young prince in his determined efforts to save them. Draws you in so that you can't step away until the last words..
Great intro to the last hidden world of magisters and the young prince in his determined efforts to save them. Draws you in so that you can't step away until the last words..
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