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Dark Sea Annals #2
The Errant King
Like a long night's slumber disturbed by disquieting dreams, twenty years have passed since Morlan Stormgarden's exile. The realm of Myriad waits in uncertain peace, for The Gray Hour Massacres remain unsolved. Tempted by the lure of adventure, High King Lochlan Stormgarden begins to ponder his royal destiny. A daring plan is hatched, the High King's throne is left vacant, and Lochlan meets Ariana Kurtz who might be the love of his life if she doesn't kill him first.
Meanwhile, Alastair and Telwyn Coldhollow set out to hunt Cythraul, the seemingly immortal assassin who vowed to murder everyone Alastair had ever loved. Many paths will cross, a hellish creature will awaken in the Hinterlands, and the fate of Myriad will be decided in one Bloody Red Night.
Meanwhile, Alastair and Telwyn Coldhollow set out to hunt Cythraul, the seemingly immortal assassin who vowed to murder everyone Alastair had ever loved. Many paths will cross, a hellish creature will awaken in the Hinterlands, and the fate of Myriad will be decided in one Bloody Red Night.
623 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2011
41 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
About the author
Wayne Thomas Batson
43 books928 followersWayne Thomas Batson was born in Seabrook, MD in 1968. He had an adventurous childhood and adolescence that included: building forts in the woods, crabbing and crayfishing in bays, ponds, and bayous, playing lead guitar in a heavy metal band, and teaching tennis lessons at the local recreation center. He attended Gabriel DuVal Senior High School where he wrote for the school’s newspaper and literary magazine. He was voted “Most Talented” in his senior year, and wrote this for his Yearbook Senior Goal: “To become a published author.” Little did he know that God had even greater plans.
Wayne Thomas Batson has spent the last thirty years teaching Reading and English to Maryland middle school students. Wayne Thomas Batson lives in Eldersburg with his extraordinary wife of 26 years. His four adult children intermittently live at home whenever their unexpected adventures lead them.
Batson’s writing career began in 2005 with the publication of fantasy epic, The Door Within. Since then, The Door Within, The Final Storm, Isle of Swords, and Isle of Fire have all appeared on the CBA Young Adult Bestseller List, including #2 for The Final Storm Fall 2007. To date, Batson has penned or coauthored seventeen novels and has sold well over half a million copies.
Wayne Thomas Batson gives thanks to God for the abundant life he’s been given. He continues to write for the people he cares so deeply about because he believes that, on a deep level, we all long for another world and yearn to do something important.
Wayne Thomas Batson has spent the last thirty years teaching Reading and English to Maryland middle school students. Wayne Thomas Batson lives in Eldersburg with his extraordinary wife of 26 years. His four adult children intermittently live at home whenever their unexpected adventures lead them.
Batson’s writing career began in 2005 with the publication of fantasy epic, The Door Within. Since then, The Door Within, The Final Storm, Isle of Swords, and Isle of Fire have all appeared on the CBA Young Adult Bestseller List, including #2 for The Final Storm Fall 2007. To date, Batson has penned or coauthored seventeen novels and has sold well over half a million copies.
Wayne Thomas Batson gives thanks to God for the abundant life he’s been given. He continues to write for the people he cares so deeply about because he believes that, on a deep level, we all long for another world and yearn to do something important.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 21, 2019
I thought I was gonna get a good month of leisurely reading this massive volume. Nope, once I started, I couldn't stop. I laughed. I cried. And now I gotta buy no3 ASAP.
This one continues in the same vein as the first. I recommend reading close together as there are a lot of names/places/peoples/items to keep track of. Several points of views cover the massive Myridian Continent, taking us along for the ride with Alastair and his family, along with King Loch and his ensemble. I didn't particularly enjoy Ariana's point of view, being in first person while the rest of the book is in third, and by the end of the book there no longer was a need for her point of view, but that's just me :P. I have similar thoughts concerning Tango and his sister's chapters, but they were definitely necessary to the plot.
Warning, the end is brutal, keep tissues nearby!!!!
This one continues in the same vein as the first. I recommend reading close together as there are a lot of names/places/peoples/items to keep track of. Several points of views cover the massive Myridian Continent, taking us along for the ride with Alastair and his family, along with King Loch and his ensemble. I didn't particularly enjoy Ariana's point of view, being in first person while the rest of the book is in third, and by the end of the book there no longer was a need for her point of view, but that's just me :P. I have similar thoughts concerning Tango and his sister's chapters, but they were definitely necessary to the plot.
Warning, the end is brutal, keep tissues nearby!!!!
June 6, 2012
20 years has passed since Moral was banished across the Dark Sea, never to return again. Since then the kingdom of Myraid is flourishing. Lochland is doing a fantastic job ruling his prosperous kingdom from his late father's throne. His only set back is that he is young and feels the need for adventure. Fearful of growing old on the throne without truly meeting his people and facing adventure stalks Loch. Desperate for escape he goes errant, leaving the kingdom in his mothers aging hands for weeks at a time.
Alastair and Abbegael are proud of their son Telywn as he masters every skill he puts himself to. Only when Abbegael fears for her life Alastair and Tel go on a dangerous hunt for their eternal enemy, Cythraul. Sadly they are to late to stop the dangerous powers Cythraul has released in the last 20 years. A mighty dragon queen is one of these, Raudrim-Quevara is wrecking havoc on her homeland and will not rest till she destroys all who hinder her goal of bringing the world to ruin.
As a long time fan of Wayne Thomas Batson I was thrilled when Errant King came out. I loved "The Sword in the Stars" and was ready to learn more about Alastair and the world of Myraid. Upon receiving Errant King I saw it was over 500 pages I thought, "This is going to be great or just okay." Okay is what it turned out to be, I feel this book fell short of what it could have been.
First off the characters that we are introduced to overwhelmed me. I spent half of Errant King trying to figure out who on earth were Tango and Meli, not to mention what were they.
We start the story by meeting Arianna and learn of her fight for women rights and the past that haunts her. Next is Lochland, Maren, Sebastian, Ealden and the other lords of the land as they rule according to the One. Then we travel across the mountains to meet Tango and Meli, little ones who must flee their homeland and the blood hungry queen-dragon. Following this long line of characters to keep track of is Alastair, Abbegael and Telwyn and all the troubles they will have to face. Please, let us not forget the villains of this story, Cythrual and the dragon queen each have their own stories to tell.
This made it hard to attach to the 11 or so main characters, and harder still to keep track of their individual plots. At times I got tired of reading a about a great fight Alastair was about to have only to then jump to a kitchen and learn of Tango doing the dishes that I skipped large sections of the book (+30 pages at a time) to continue on with that character and then come back and read the parts I had skipped.
Unrealistic moments also had me in conflict. Some archery shooting skills portrayed in the book as normal are beyond impossible with modern fiber-glass bows, sights, and carbon arrows with plastic fletching, much less with traditional wooden arrows and recurves and without sights. As a archer and fencer I have grown to love Wayne Thomas Batson's style of using realistic fighting and shooting techniques for all his previous books, it hurt me to see him turn from something that I hold in high regard. Sadly fighting and shooting weren't the only things that took a turn for fanciful wish, someone being a master smith, swordsman, and expert in every weapon is also to unreal for me to over look. Another is fighting for over an hour straight. I do fencing, and I am out of breath within 5 minutes of hard fighting, doing an hour straight with broad sword is just too much for any man. Falling in love at the equivalent of first sight is there too, but I'll leave that view up to the individual reader.
The world was also very hard to follow for most of the book. With no map and multiple characters running around the map I got to the point that I didn't care where in Myriad they were. (Though I have since learned future copies of this book will have a map.)
Now for the pros of this book. The plot was very well laid out, with the multiple characters lining up according to the time line and other important things was done very well. The fight scenes, which is 90% of why I love Batson's recent writing, were masterfully written with amazing moves (though some-as stated-were above a little far fetched), tricks and cunning ideas. Also Batson is a natural at getting even the most reluctant reader hooked in the moment and to feel the joy, hope, pain, and despair at any given time that the characters are dealing with. Lets not forget the colorful world that keeps growing but still has secrets to tell. Finally, the ending of this book made up for many of the things I didn't like, as always it was fast paced and revealing while giving us just as many questions as it answered for the next book in the Dark Sea Annals.
This book has a big closing that I hope will lead to a bigger opening for book 3 in The Dark Sea Annuals.
Alastair and Abbegael are proud of their son Telywn as he masters every skill he puts himself to. Only when Abbegael fears for her life Alastair and Tel go on a dangerous hunt for their eternal enemy, Cythraul. Sadly they are to late to stop the dangerous powers Cythraul has released in the last 20 years. A mighty dragon queen is one of these, Raudrim-Quevara is wrecking havoc on her homeland and will not rest till she destroys all who hinder her goal of bringing the world to ruin.
As a long time fan of Wayne Thomas Batson I was thrilled when Errant King came out. I loved "The Sword in the Stars" and was ready to learn more about Alastair and the world of Myraid. Upon receiving Errant King I saw it was over 500 pages I thought, "This is going to be great or just okay." Okay is what it turned out to be, I feel this book fell short of what it could have been.
First off the characters that we are introduced to overwhelmed me. I spent half of Errant King trying to figure out who on earth were Tango and Meli, not to mention what were they.
We start the story by meeting Arianna and learn of her fight for women rights and the past that haunts her. Next is Lochland, Maren, Sebastian, Ealden and the other lords of the land as they rule according to the One. Then we travel across the mountains to meet Tango and Meli, little ones who must flee their homeland and the blood hungry queen-dragon. Following this long line of characters to keep track of is Alastair, Abbegael and Telwyn and all the troubles they will have to face. Please, let us not forget the villains of this story, Cythrual and the dragon queen each have their own stories to tell.
This made it hard to attach to the 11 or so main characters, and harder still to keep track of their individual plots. At times I got tired of reading a about a great fight Alastair was about to have only to then jump to a kitchen and learn of Tango doing the dishes that I skipped large sections of the book (+30 pages at a time) to continue on with that character and then come back and read the parts I had skipped.
Unrealistic moments also had me in conflict. Some archery shooting skills portrayed in the book as normal are beyond impossible with modern fiber-glass bows, sights, and carbon arrows with plastic fletching, much less with traditional wooden arrows and recurves and without sights. As a archer and fencer I have grown to love Wayne Thomas Batson's style of using realistic fighting and shooting techniques for all his previous books, it hurt me to see him turn from something that I hold in high regard. Sadly fighting and shooting weren't the only things that took a turn for fanciful wish, someone being a master smith, swordsman, and expert in every weapon is also to unreal for me to over look. Another is fighting for over an hour straight. I do fencing, and I am out of breath within 5 minutes of hard fighting, doing an hour straight with broad sword is just too much for any man. Falling in love at the equivalent of first sight is there too, but I'll leave that view up to the individual reader.
The world was also very hard to follow for most of the book. With no map and multiple characters running around the map I got to the point that I didn't care where in Myriad they were. (Though I have since learned future copies of this book will have a map.)
Now for the pros of this book. The plot was very well laid out, with the multiple characters lining up according to the time line and other important things was done very well. The fight scenes, which is 90% of why I love Batson's recent writing, were masterfully written with amazing moves (though some-as stated-were above a little far fetched), tricks and cunning ideas. Also Batson is a natural at getting even the most reluctant reader hooked in the moment and to feel the joy, hope, pain, and despair at any given time that the characters are dealing with. Lets not forget the colorful world that keeps growing but still has secrets to tell. Finally, the ending of this book made up for many of the things I didn't like, as always it was fast paced and revealing while giving us just as many questions as it answered for the next book in the Dark Sea Annals.
This book has a big closing that I hope will lead to a bigger opening for book 3 in The Dark Sea Annuals.
August 16, 2016
Great sequel to a previously-great book.
Pros:
I LOVE how this book had its own plot and story that got resolved in it while setting up a ton of plot elements for the series as a whole. (I think there are supposed to be seven books or so in it.) A lot of series kind of have this thing going where each book just builds up to the climax at the end of the series, but there's no real plot for the specific book in particular. Having a book where stuff does get resolved so that it's semi-stand-alone (you're not going to be content with just this book though), while being part of a larger scheme is very refreshing.
The action scenes in this book were really, really good. While I enjoy action scenes in novels, they don't often impress me as being scenes where the action was really, really well done. This book is one of the few exceptions.
All pros of the first book apply. Engaging world that we get to delve into more, and fascinating characters that still have their strong and weak points.
Cons:
I'm on the fence about the romantic sub-plot of the story. Part of it may be that it just came pretty late in the story, so that the relationship between the two characters seemed almost kind of shallow since they didn't know each other for a while before they started "dating." It wasn't distracting or annoying, but seemed like it could have been developed more.,
The next book isn't out yet. =P Seriously; us crazy book geeks can't wait long enough for the next installment.
Overall:
This book is a great example of how to slowly build a series by maintaining it's own plot while leading up to bigger battles in the books to come. Really looking forward to the next installment.
4.5-5 stars.
Pros:
I LOVE how this book had its own plot and story that got resolved in it while setting up a ton of plot elements for the series as a whole. (I think there are supposed to be seven books or so in it.) A lot of series kind of have this thing going where each book just builds up to the climax at the end of the series, but there's no real plot for the specific book in particular. Having a book where stuff does get resolved so that it's semi-stand-alone (you're not going to be content with just this book though), while being part of a larger scheme is very refreshing.
The action scenes in this book were really, really good. While I enjoy action scenes in novels, they don't often impress me as being scenes where the action was really, really well done. This book is one of the few exceptions.
All pros of the first book apply. Engaging world that we get to delve into more, and fascinating characters that still have their strong and weak points.
Cons:
I'm on the fence about the romantic sub-plot of the story. Part of it may be that it just came pretty late in the story, so that the relationship between the two characters seemed almost kind of shallow since they didn't know each other for a while before they started "dating." It wasn't distracting or annoying, but seemed like it could have been developed more.,
The next book isn't out yet. =P Seriously; us crazy book geeks can't wait long enough for the next installment.
Overall:
This book is a great example of how to slowly build a series by maintaining it's own plot while leading up to bigger battles in the books to come. Really looking forward to the next installment.
4.5-5 stars.
January 29, 2020
This sequel to Sword in the Stars brings in new characters and expands the story world, but you still get to keep up with your favorites. As expected, lots of adventure and battling, but tender moments and character growth as well. Looking forward to the next in the series.
February 16, 2012
Twenty years after the end of The Sword in the Stars, an ancient evil stirs in Myriad. King Aravel is long dead, leaving the throne to his wife Queen Maren, and his son Lochlan, who is about to be crowned High King of Myriad. There just one problem, Loch isn’t quite sure that he wants to be King.
Meanwhile, rumors abound. Cythraul, Morlan’s chief assassin, seems to have returned from the dead. Alistair and Telwyn set off on a perilous journey to discover the truth and end the villain once and for all.
But an even graver danger threatens Myriad. With Loch absent experimenting with a life of errantry and Alistair and Telwyn distracted on the hunt, the time is ripe for invasion. Evil descends on Myriad in greater numbers than ever before. Will the people of Myriad be able to survive the terrors approaching from all sides?
Whew! I have to start off by saying that The Errant King is now my favorite Batson book, topping The Door Within Trilogy, the Pirate series, the Berinfell Prophecies, and even The Sword in the Stars.
In the The Errant King, Wayne Thomas Batson spins a masterful tale filled with excitement, adventure, danger, and truly creepy villains with plenty of humor sprinkled on the side.
The Errant King is the second book in the Dark Sea Annals series, an epic story that will span seven books ere it reaches the conclusion. In this second book, Batson takes his writing to a whole new level, interweaving dozens of intricate plot lines, some carrying over from The Sword in the Stars, others reaching on into the next books. Because of the epic plot however, you don't want to read The Errant King without reading The Sword in the Stars first.
I felt like I really connected with all of the characters – especially Loch, Telwyn, Ariana, Fred. And of course Alistair and Abbagael. (As a side note, I had heard so many people talking about Fred, I couldn’t wait to read the book to find out what it was all about. All I can tell you is that Fred is one of the most creative and imaginative characters I’ve met thus far. Definitely worth reading if only to find out who Fred is.)
There are plenty of allegorical and Christian themes woven skillfully throughout the entire framework of the book. It's another one of those books that, as I call it, echoes eternity.
The largest difficulty I had with the book was when two characters fell in love in less than a week. It seemed somewhat ridiculous, but did not detract too much from the story.
Others have remarked negatively on the inclusion of a scene where the young King Loch has to deal with the overtly flirtatious advances of a young woman. However, I think the scene was well handled and added greatly to Loch's character as well as providing a good lesson for teens reading the story.
Overall, The Errant King was a tremendous and captivating read. Due to the violent battles and the somewhat gory nature of the descriptions as well as some extremely nasty villains, I would recommend The Errant King for an older reader, around 14 up to adult. If you're looking for a high action fantasy adventure, than the Errant King belongs on your list! 5 stars!
Meanwhile, rumors abound. Cythraul, Morlan’s chief assassin, seems to have returned from the dead. Alistair and Telwyn set off on a perilous journey to discover the truth and end the villain once and for all.
But an even graver danger threatens Myriad. With Loch absent experimenting with a life of errantry and Alistair and Telwyn distracted on the hunt, the time is ripe for invasion. Evil descends on Myriad in greater numbers than ever before. Will the people of Myriad be able to survive the terrors approaching from all sides?
Whew! I have to start off by saying that The Errant King is now my favorite Batson book, topping The Door Within Trilogy, the Pirate series, the Berinfell Prophecies, and even The Sword in the Stars.
In the The Errant King, Wayne Thomas Batson spins a masterful tale filled with excitement, adventure, danger, and truly creepy villains with plenty of humor sprinkled on the side.
The Errant King is the second book in the Dark Sea Annals series, an epic story that will span seven books ere it reaches the conclusion. In this second book, Batson takes his writing to a whole new level, interweaving dozens of intricate plot lines, some carrying over from The Sword in the Stars, others reaching on into the next books. Because of the epic plot however, you don't want to read The Errant King without reading The Sword in the Stars first.
I felt like I really connected with all of the characters – especially Loch, Telwyn, Ariana, Fred. And of course Alistair and Abbagael. (As a side note, I had heard so many people talking about Fred, I couldn’t wait to read the book to find out what it was all about. All I can tell you is that Fred is one of the most creative and imaginative characters I’ve met thus far. Definitely worth reading if only to find out who Fred is.)
There are plenty of allegorical and Christian themes woven skillfully throughout the entire framework of the book. It's another one of those books that, as I call it, echoes eternity.
The largest difficulty I had with the book was when two characters fell in love in less than a week. It seemed somewhat ridiculous, but did not detract too much from the story.
Others have remarked negatively on the inclusion of a scene where the young King Loch has to deal with the overtly flirtatious advances of a young woman. However, I think the scene was well handled and added greatly to Loch's character as well as providing a good lesson for teens reading the story.
Overall, The Errant King was a tremendous and captivating read. Due to the violent battles and the somewhat gory nature of the descriptions as well as some extremely nasty villains, I would recommend The Errant King for an older reader, around 14 up to adult. If you're looking for a high action fantasy adventure, than the Errant King belongs on your list! 5 stars!
February 16, 2012
I was quite impressed with The Errant King, Batson's newest work. Knowing that many reviewers said there were too many characters, I disagree. There were certainly many "extras," if you may, but the amount of important characters was not overwhelming. This was aided by the fact that most came from separate settings and situations, which each showed us new pieces of Myriad. For this reason, among others, this book has become very important to the series. We don't encounter the same old problems, character flaws, and reasoning as we would have, had the story dawdled in Anglinore (the capital). The land of Myriad has matured in the series, as have the characters themselves. I found Loch's excursions and remarks comical and enjoyable, Shepherd Sebastian's advice compelling, and Fred's jovial manner refreshing.
When it comes to the story itself, The Errant King is a big set-up. Many pieces come in place, but the final result is still a mystery. The tragic ending served its purpose, and hinted at what a massive chess-game this series will become. Batson has become good at chess, it appears. I await his next move eagerly.
When it comes to the story itself, The Errant King is a big set-up. Many pieces come in place, but the final result is still a mystery. The tragic ending served its purpose, and hinted at what a massive chess-game this series will become. Batson has become good at chess, it appears. I await his next move eagerly.
April 7, 2015
A Read For All!
The Errant King is about the takeover rule of the Red Queen, along with King Lochlan Stormgarden and Telwyn Coldhollow. A unlikely beautiful girl named Ariana is mentioned along with Fred, and Millard Key. A family sets out to escape the tyranny of the Red Queen and Lochlan goes errant. What happens when Lochlan may go errant too much? What will happen to his Kingdom in his absence? Find out in The Errant King!
The Errant King is about the takeover rule of the Red Queen, along with King Lochlan Stormgarden and Telwyn Coldhollow. A unlikely beautiful girl named Ariana is mentioned along with Fred, and Millard Key. A family sets out to escape the tyranny of the Red Queen and Lochlan goes errant. What happens when Lochlan may go errant too much? What will happen to his Kingdom in his absence? Find out in The Errant King!
July 10, 2017
This sequel continues to build on the gripping action, intense characters, and thought-provoking topics of the first book. Recommended to mature teens and up who are fantasy fans, as it does contain gruesome images.
Like Christian sci-fi and fantasy? Check out thebookhoundchristianspecfic.blogspot.com for full-length reviews, author interviews, and more!
Like Christian sci-fi and fantasy? Check out thebookhoundchristianspecfic.blogspot.com for full-length reviews, author interviews, and more!
May 12, 2019
(1st read: March 2012. 2nd read: May 2019.)
Rereading book 2 right on the heels of book 1, Sword in the Stars, was a good idea. The characters and world details were fresh in my mind. But I have to admit, I wish this book had taken an extra trip to the editor’s desk.
(Minor spoilers ahead.)
What I Loved:
•King Lochlan! He was (mostly) a great protagonist and a good ruler. Despite being talented at everything he does, his kindness and interest in his people won me over.
•Shepherd Sebastian Sternbough gives me grumpy wizard vibes. :D
•It’s been 20 years since book 1–and the world has changed. Myriad has recovered somewhat from the war, but some of its most important defenses (including faith in the First One) are still in steady decline.
•The barrows scene! There are plenty of monsters throughout, but that scene in particular was intense!
•All the action, really. It’s one of Batson’s strengths, keeping the reader engaged in battle scenes.
•Cythraul. CREEPY DUDE.
•Telwyn is all grown up! It melts my heart that he still calls Alastair “Mi Da.” Tel is so steady and wise. Love him.
-Poor Queen Maren, though. She’s a wreck and it’s sad to see such a strong woman fall apart. (Realistic given the circumstances, though.)
•There is a massively violent dragon of Smaug-like proportions!
•Alastair. Still one of my favs. We didn’t get enough of him this time around, and somebody better promise me things will turn out all right regarding—*cough* spoiler.
•Fred is the best talking sword.
•We get to explore more of Myriad’s vastness, including the Hinterlands.
•What a catastrophic ending! THANK GOODNESS BOOK 3 IS PUBLISHED.
What I Didn’t Love:
•The plot took a long time to get going again.
•Tango and Meli were cute, but seemed to be there mostly to let the reader know about Raudrim-Quevara (the dragon).
•As much as I like Lochlan, his main conflict for most of the book was, “I feel stifled as a king; let me go have adventures and meet my people.” Which is FINE, but the real danger took a long time to kick in.
•Ariana annoyed me. HER conflict was mainly, “You can’t prevent me from hunting just because I’m a woman!” She could’ve been cool, but I found her whiny. Also it took three-quarters of the book for her and Lochlan to even meet.
•Anachronisms again. I personally don’t prefer my high fantasy folks to go around saying, “okay,” and “you guys” and cracking modern-sounding jokes.
•Some continuity errors. Example: the dragon’s talons go from white to being described as black.
•Typos. I don’t like to harp on anyone for missing the odd apostrophe or swapping homonyms—no one is perfect—but there were simply too many to overlook here, sadly. I am hoping with everything in me that the newly republished version is all cleaned up!
Conclusion:
While the plot took a while to gain traction, and the road was bumpy with typos, and a few characters fell flat for me, I still love the world of Myriad. The last 200 pages were worth the first 300, because that ending is DEVASTATING. Like I said, I need book 3 soon!
I’m rating this 3.5 but rounding down to 3, because I gave 4 stars to Sword in the Stars and enjoyed that one a bit more.
Rereading book 2 right on the heels of book 1, Sword in the Stars, was a good idea. The characters and world details were fresh in my mind. But I have to admit, I wish this book had taken an extra trip to the editor’s desk.
(Minor spoilers ahead.)
What I Loved:
•King Lochlan! He was (mostly) a great protagonist and a good ruler. Despite being talented at everything he does, his kindness and interest in his people won me over.
•Shepherd Sebastian Sternbough gives me grumpy wizard vibes. :D
•It’s been 20 years since book 1–and the world has changed. Myriad has recovered somewhat from the war, but some of its most important defenses (including faith in the First One) are still in steady decline.
•The barrows scene! There are plenty of monsters throughout, but that scene in particular was intense!
•All the action, really. It’s one of Batson’s strengths, keeping the reader engaged in battle scenes.
•Cythraul. CREEPY DUDE.
•Telwyn is all grown up! It melts my heart that he still calls Alastair “Mi Da.” Tel is so steady and wise. Love him.
-Poor Queen Maren, though. She’s a wreck and it’s sad to see such a strong woman fall apart. (Realistic given the circumstances, though.)
•There is a massively violent dragon of Smaug-like proportions!
•Alastair. Still one of my favs. We didn’t get enough of him this time around, and somebody better promise me things will turn out all right regarding—*cough* spoiler.
•Fred is the best talking sword.
•We get to explore more of Myriad’s vastness, including the Hinterlands.
•What a catastrophic ending! THANK GOODNESS BOOK 3 IS PUBLISHED.
What I Didn’t Love:
•The plot took a long time to get going again.
•Tango and Meli were cute, but seemed to be there mostly to let the reader know about Raudrim-Quevara (the dragon).
•As much as I like Lochlan, his main conflict for most of the book was, “I feel stifled as a king; let me go have adventures and meet my people.” Which is FINE, but the real danger took a long time to kick in.
•Ariana annoyed me. HER conflict was mainly, “You can’t prevent me from hunting just because I’m a woman!” She could’ve been cool, but I found her whiny. Also it took three-quarters of the book for her and Lochlan to even meet.
•Anachronisms again. I personally don’t prefer my high fantasy folks to go around saying, “okay,” and “you guys” and cracking modern-sounding jokes.
•Some continuity errors. Example: the dragon’s talons go from white to being described as black.
•Typos. I don’t like to harp on anyone for missing the odd apostrophe or swapping homonyms—no one is perfect—but there were simply too many to overlook here, sadly. I am hoping with everything in me that the newly republished version is all cleaned up!
Conclusion:
While the plot took a while to gain traction, and the road was bumpy with typos, and a few characters fell flat for me, I still love the world of Myriad. The last 200 pages were worth the first 300, because that ending is DEVASTATING. Like I said, I need book 3 soon!
I’m rating this 3.5 but rounding down to 3, because I gave 4 stars to Sword in the Stars and enjoyed that one a bit more.
September 28, 2019
Warning, spoilers for book one: The Sword in The Stars
This book was amazing. It has some of the best interwoven point of views I've ever seen. I didn't need the characters to have met to care about all of them and see why they were important. It's a story with depth and breadth. It's in some ways lots of stories. Because life isn't just about a few important heroes. The characters are awesome. I especially love Telwyn and King Lochlan.
Telwyn is one of the best saviour figures I've read. There's a great balance between humanity and divinity. He's not some special set apart untouchable person. He's a young man with a mother and a father. And yet he's more than that. He is special, but he doesn't claim it.
Loch is somewhat less extraordinary, but still epic.. A young man who has been king his whole life. He takes his responsibility seriously, but it weighs on him. He's not sure he can hold up to it. So he turns knight errant and has all kinds of awesome adventures. Meanwhile he's dealing with problems challenging the kingdoms and the plot keep thickening.
Dangers grow, terrible things begin to happen, the time is at hand, terrible things happen, and I need the next book.
Old characters, too, are not left behind. There's still Alistair Coldhollow and his lady Abbagael. (Though she claimed him firs, so...) Abbagael's Uncle Jak. There's still may of the other kings and a few people who were youths once and parents now. Also villains that we hoped were gone, but knew were not.
I must mention one more new character. Ariana Kurtz. Village girl, expert archer, mighty hunter and orphan. With her, her loyal friend Mill. They're awesome.
This book was amazing. It has some of the best interwoven point of views I've ever seen. I didn't need the characters to have met to care about all of them and see why they were important. It's a story with depth and breadth. It's in some ways lots of stories. Because life isn't just about a few important heroes. The characters are awesome. I especially love Telwyn and King Lochlan.
Telwyn is one of the best saviour figures I've read. There's a great balance between humanity and divinity. He's not some special set apart untouchable person. He's a young man with a mother and a father. And yet he's more than that. He is special, but he doesn't claim it.
Loch is somewhat less extraordinary, but still epic.. A young man who has been king his whole life. He takes his responsibility seriously, but it weighs on him. He's not sure he can hold up to it. So he turns knight errant and has all kinds of awesome adventures. Meanwhile he's dealing with problems challenging the kingdoms and the plot keep thickening.
Dangers grow, terrible things begin to happen, the time is at hand, terrible things happen, and I need the next book.
Old characters, too, are not left behind. There's still Alistair Coldhollow and his lady Abbagael. (Though she claimed him firs, so...) Abbagael's Uncle Jak. There's still may of the other kings and a few people who were youths once and parents now. Also villains that we hoped were gone, but knew were not.
I must mention one more new character. Ariana Kurtz. Village girl, expert archer, mighty hunter and orphan. With her, her loyal friend Mill. They're awesome.
November 11, 2021
I really liked this book. Especially Loch. Both Loch and Arianna were very fun characters and I was very glad for their additions to the story.
Although I guessed the villain's plans long before they happened, he surprised me in how exactly he pulled off his plans. So that was good. This book was fun, but the whole time I was anxiously waiting for something-er-other that I don't want to give away.
The basic concept of the first two books of this series at least is very, very unique, and I think Sir Batson does a really good job with it. Unfortunately, I never connected with the MC of book one, but book 2 has a really good MC, so that problem's solved!
The book had too many POV swaps. Unfortunately, Sir Batson seems incapable of having more than a few very captivating and sympathetic characters in a book, so whenever he switches POVs to the other ones who aren't captivating and/or sympathetic, I couldn't help but groan...
Overall a good series, especially if you're a big fan of high fantasy (which I'm not really). This series made me want to start developing my own high fantasy world. XD
Although I guessed the villain's plans long before they happened, he surprised me in how exactly he pulled off his plans. So that was good. This book was fun, but the whole time I was anxiously waiting for something-er-other that I don't want to give away.
The basic concept of the first two books of this series at least is very, very unique, and I think Sir Batson does a really good job with it. Unfortunately, I never connected with the MC of book one, but book 2 has a really good MC, so that problem's solved!
The book had too many POV swaps. Unfortunately, Sir Batson seems incapable of having more than a few very captivating and sympathetic characters in a book, so whenever he switches POVs to the other ones who aren't captivating and/or sympathetic, I couldn't help but groan...
Overall a good series, especially if you're a big fan of high fantasy (which I'm not really). This series made me want to start developing my own high fantasy world. XD
August 29, 2018
Ok, I enjoyed The Errant King far more than the first book in this story. The characters were much more interesting and compelling, the story was more coherent, and the world building was utterly fantastic! Batson gives us a world that is rich with lore and history and an other-worldly character that yet also feels as grounded as far as a fantasy world can be. But yet again, the romance is the weakest part of the story and I found Ariana a wee bit annoying - and those were pretty much the only reasons I didn't give the book five stars. ((((Also, beware of minor spoilers here, I would have liked to see a bit more conclusion to Tango and Meli's storyline in the end of this book)))) Overall, I really enjoyed this book and and would recommend it to teens and up (it can get a little gory). I cannot wait for the third book to be published!!
December 11, 2023
If you're the kind of person who gets upset at stories without consequences, this book is for you! So many world-changing things happened here; it's honestly mind-boggling. I really loved where the characters from the previous book went, and the new characters were great, too. I do wish the romance had been better developed, and there was one curse word. Other than those two elements, though, I don't think I have any complaints. Can't wait to get my hands on book 3!
October 30, 2025
The second in this series was equally engaging, dynamic, and full of all manner of fantastical beasts, epic battles, and all things fantasy. There is quite a lot more going on in this book than the first, yet the story line is not terribly difficult to follow and it keeps readers on edge and eager for more.
October 21, 2025
Darkness Before the Dawn
Great writing and character development with lots of action. Both good and dark throughout the story building to a devastating ending. Looking forward to the next book.
Great writing and character development with lots of action. Both good and dark throughout the story building to a devastating ending. Looking forward to the next book.
January 1, 2020
Wow, excitement & adventure to the max!!! I couldn't put it down.
February 3, 2021
I absolutely love this Christian fantasy/allegorical series! It reminds me of Lord of the Rings.
February 1, 2024
AMAZING!!!
September 30, 2025
This is the most typo filled book I've ever read.
March 7, 2020
So I was a touch bored at the beginning. I didn't really care for Loch, or even Telwyn, honestly. I wanted more Abbagayle and Alistair (which I didn't really get, tbh). I didn't really understand what the whole point was with all the archer-people, and while Tango and Meli were cute, I didn't really care for them either. But I kept reading, and eventually things started interesting and I saw how they were fitting together, and that's always fun.
Pros:
-The High King has a talking sword named Fred. Like, YES.
-The Adventure Board concept is COOL and I want more of that in my stories.
-Tango. Like, just the name. That's cool.
-Took me a while to like Loch, but after a while, he kinda grew on me.
Cons:
-Not enough Alistair and Abbagayle for my liking.
-Kinda boring at the beginning and took me a while to really get into the book.
Pros:
-The High King has a talking sword named Fred. Like, YES.
-The Adventure Board concept is COOL and I want more of that in my stories.
-Tango. Like, just the name. That's cool.
-Took me a while to like Loch, but after a while, he kinda grew on me.
Cons:
-Not enough Alistair and Abbagayle for my liking.
-Kinda boring at the beginning and took me a while to really get into the book.
January 28, 2012
The Errant King continues the epic story of The Dark Sea Annals right where Sword in the Stars left off. It begins with the chapter that you knew was going to happen after the end of Sword in the Stars but was not recorded in the first book. After that, it jumps ahead twenty years to a time when King Lochland is sitting on the thrown of Anglinore and Telwyn is grown up.
This book will take you once again on a journey through the amazing wonders in the world of Myriad. Mr. Batson did a great job worldbuilding. I enjoyed all of Loch's adventures to the various places in his kingdom. The places and people that he saw and met were very realistic. It almost made me feel like I was traveling the world with him.
I really liked the concept of the Purelines. And Cythraul being one of them made him an even better villain. Very cool.
One of the things that I would have liked to find in this book but didn't was a map. There wasn't a map in Sword in the Stars so I was eager to find one in the Errant King. I was a bit disappointed when I didn't. Though, according to Mr. Batson, there will be one in future books.
Overall, The Errant king was a great book. The only things I didn't like about it was the absence of a map (which wasn't a big thing and did not affect how much I enjoyed the story at all) and all of the typos and other errors. But if a few misspelled words and names don't bother you, I would strongly recommend this book. I have already lent it to three of my friends and they all enjoyed it.
I look forward to the rest of the books in the Dark Sea Annals with great anticipation. So far, this has been an epic series and I can't wait for book three!
This book will take you once again on a journey through the amazing wonders in the world of Myriad. Mr. Batson did a great job worldbuilding. I enjoyed all of Loch's adventures to the various places in his kingdom. The places and people that he saw and met were very realistic. It almost made me feel like I was traveling the world with him.
I really liked the concept of the Purelines. And Cythraul being one of them made him an even better villain. Very cool.
One of the things that I would have liked to find in this book but didn't was a map. There wasn't a map in Sword in the Stars so I was eager to find one in the Errant King. I was a bit disappointed when I didn't. Though, according to Mr. Batson, there will be one in future books.
Overall, The Errant king was a great book. The only things I didn't like about it was the absence of a map (which wasn't a big thing and did not affect how much I enjoyed the story at all) and all of the typos and other errors. But if a few misspelled words and names don't bother you, I would strongly recommend this book. I have already lent it to three of my friends and they all enjoyed it.
I look forward to the rest of the books in the Dark Sea Annals with great anticipation. So far, this has been an epic series and I can't wait for book three!
April 22, 2012
Storyline - King Lochland is overwhelmed by the work of the kingdom of Myriad. So he goes out and lives among his people, taking up new trades to blend with the town's folk. But old and new enemies are rising up and causing destruction and heart ache wherever they go. Hinterlanders, who live on the other side of the mountains, have an old queen, known as the Red Queen, returns, worse now than she was before. Now part dragon, she rains fire on whoever rebels against her. Alistair and Telwyn go off looking for Cetheral when Abbageal's dreams are haunted by him. But a worst evil is coming from the Dark Sea. Can this evil be turned away? Will the Halfainin be found and be called forth?
Personal Opinion - Good but perhaps too many characters to follow. Don't get me wrong, the characters were great and diverse, and I enjoyed them very much. But, because of so many character, it seemed a little long. Besides that, the story lines were intriguing and new beings were introduced as well as characters I hope to see more of. The Hinterland people were so interesting and fun (they reminded me a bit of Hobbits). I am curious as to how some inhabitants of the land have fared after the terrible battles. The story was good and is leading up to more, dangerous adventures for the next books in the series. So many questions need to answered with the ending of this book.
Personal Opinion - Good but perhaps too many characters to follow. Don't get me wrong, the characters were great and diverse, and I enjoyed them very much. But, because of so many character, it seemed a little long. Besides that, the story lines were intriguing and new beings were introduced as well as characters I hope to see more of. The Hinterland people were so interesting and fun (they reminded me a bit of Hobbits). I am curious as to how some inhabitants of the land have fared after the terrible battles. The story was good and is leading up to more, dangerous adventures for the next books in the series. So many questions need to answered with the ending of this book.
Read
September 17, 2025(Spoiler Alert if you have not read the first book!)
High King of Myriad Lochlan is feeling the pressure of being a king. He is pestered 24/7 about problems of small of big importance. Everyone has need of him. The pressure is starting to wear down on him, so one of his trusted advisers, Sebastian Sternbough, tells him that he needs a break from Royal life and travel the country. Lochlan is happy to do this, but will it cost him his throne?
Tango and Meli live in the hinterlands, A land over the mountains west of Myriad. They live in relative peace and quiet until one day a descovery in a cave will change their lives! Will they survive the wrath a evil monarch rising?
Ariana is a girl from a village in the wetlands, an area in north Myriad. She desires to be a hunter, for she has the skill, but the village elders will not let her join the Hunters Guild because of her gender. But what is she willing to risk to make her dream come true?
Alastair Coldhollow finally is able to settle down and live a quiet life in the country, but when news that the ruthless killer Cythraul still lives, will he be able to keep his family safe?
Wayne Thomas Batson weaves a Tolkien-like epic in The Errant King with Action, Humor, and suspense. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 12.
My hat is off to you once again Mr Batson!!!
High King of Myriad Lochlan is feeling the pressure of being a king. He is pestered 24/7 about problems of small of big importance. Everyone has need of him. The pressure is starting to wear down on him, so one of his trusted advisers, Sebastian Sternbough, tells him that he needs a break from Royal life and travel the country. Lochlan is happy to do this, but will it cost him his throne?
Tango and Meli live in the hinterlands, A land over the mountains west of Myriad. They live in relative peace and quiet until one day a descovery in a cave will change their lives! Will they survive the wrath a evil monarch rising?
Ariana is a girl from a village in the wetlands, an area in north Myriad. She desires to be a hunter, for she has the skill, but the village elders will not let her join the Hunters Guild because of her gender. But what is she willing to risk to make her dream come true?
Alastair Coldhollow finally is able to settle down and live a quiet life in the country, but when news that the ruthless killer Cythraul still lives, will he be able to keep his family safe?
Wayne Thomas Batson weaves a Tolkien-like epic in The Errant King with Action, Humor, and suspense. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 12.
My hat is off to you once again Mr Batson!!!
May 18, 2020
I can say that I enjoyed this book just as much as the last book. Only, this one was a bit slow on the pacing. I mean, it was good. But reading about Lochlan and his travels through Myriad; it’s great that we’re getting more insight on the world itself, but what does this have to do with the Grey Hour raids? The only plot lines that are immediately intriguing are the Spriggan siblings and Alastair and Telwyn’s hunt for Cythraul. Later on down the road, Lochlan encounters Ariana Kurtz, who is the daughter of Hagen Kurtz; but while their encounter is pretty funny, I can’t help but feel that their romance was too forced. Seriously, they hit it off faster than any Disney princess I’ve ever seen! Another thing about this book that pisses me off is that some characters are introduced and then just completely forgotten! Like Baron Cardiff, Lochlan’s cousin. Cardiff attempts to use Lochlan's going errant to get the throne, but as soon as Morlan is introduced, he just kinda disappears and we never see him again. So Cardiff’s existence impacted absolutely nothing! I hope Batson fixes this in future books.
January 18, 2012
Legends of old come forth from dark caves. I dark figure speaks and a thunderous roar comes out from the deep. A young king becomes restless and longs for an adventure of his own. To cross his country that he has only seen from the windows of his castle. There is much that ways on the Shepherds mind if he gives his consent in allowing the young king to do so. Little do any know of what takes place during the Grey Hour, but one you girl does. She has witnessed the horrors that take place, but she tries to forget that fateful night. All of these roads will cross in The Errant King. Wayne Thomas Batson has delivered another epic adventure for the imagination! Following Sword in the Stars, The Errant King continues, without hesitation, where Sword in the Stars left off. I liked how there was some romance and for the mature reader, it was well written. For those of a younger age group, they may not see what was transpiring between the two nor fully understand how love works. A great read for those that are looking for an all around fantasy adventure!!
August 29, 2014
I really enjoyed this book.
One thing I was not expecting was that it would be 20 years after the first book. As I read it made sense why Wayne Thomas Baton did it this way.
I enjoyed the book. For me there were many surprises that were awesome and I did not expect but that made it such a good book for me.
I loved the characters and got to see some more of the backgrounds of some characters that was not told within the first. I really started to hate Cythraul as a character but he gets even more creepy in this book in my opinion.
I hope that there is a third book in this series because Wayne left us at a cliffhanger that makes me think there is another book.
One thing I was not expecting was that it would be 20 years after the first book. As I read it made sense why Wayne Thomas Baton did it this way.
I enjoyed the book. For me there were many surprises that were awesome and I did not expect but that made it such a good book for me.
I loved the characters and got to see some more of the backgrounds of some characters that was not told within the first. I really started to hate Cythraul as a character but he gets even more creepy in this book in my opinion.
I hope that there is a third book in this series because Wayne left us at a cliffhanger that makes me think there is another book.
June 21, 2012
As with all of Wayne's books, The Dark Sea Annals is re-defining the word "Epic". The Errant King picks up about twenty years after The Sword in the Stars ends, and has all of the great elements of its predecessor. All of my favorite characters make a reappearance, and the new characters are well done. My only complaint is that I can't wait for the rest of the series.
October 24, 2018
This was a great read - so much is happening all at once, lots of character to keep track of, but that makes the story great... So many questions unanswered... now to wait patiently for the next book (is it ready yet?)
June 1, 2012
I got this book for Christmas and I was so excited that I was shaking!
It's a great read, even better than the first one.
It's a great read, even better than the first one.
May 26, 2012
This is currently my favorite novel EVER! It is sooooooooo amazing! Buy it NOW! Stop reading this review and through it in you cart!
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