What do you think?
Rate this book
Buried Goddess Saga #1
Web of Eyes
A rotten thief. A stubborn knight. Only together can they save a broken kingdom.
Self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Thief", Whitney Fierstown, has yet to find a trinket or treasure he couldn't steal. He nearly pulls off the heist of the century by snatching the Glass Crown off the dying king's head until rotten luck throws him into the path of Torsten Unger, a steadfast knight determined to save his vulnerable kingdom.
Torsten offers this ultimatum: rot and die in a dank cell or join him on a dangerous expedition and put his skills to good use. The Queen's treasonous brother has cursed the Crown Prince by taking a piece of his soul and hiding it in the haunted Webbed Woods. Only a master thief can steal it back.
Rebellion building in the south. Madness seated upon the throne. Famine and death spreading throughout the land. The kingdom is in peril.
If this unlikely pair is to thwart their devious target, save the prince, and survive the horrifying monster lurking in the darkness, they must first put aside their differences...or die trying.
Check out the exciting first book in an Epic Fantasy Adventure Series perfect for fans of R.A Salvatore, Brandon Sanderson, and Nicholas Eames. You can also listen to Web of Eyes on audible, performed by award-winning narrator Luke Daniels.
Torsten offers this ultimatum: rot and die in a dank cell or join him on a dangerous expedition and put his skills to good use. The Queen's treasonous brother has cursed the Crown Prince by taking a piece of his soul and hiding it in the haunted Webbed Woods. Only a master thief can steal it back.
Rebellion building in the south. Madness seated upon the throne. Famine and death spreading throughout the land. The kingdom is in peril.
If this unlikely pair is to thwart their devious target, save the prince, and survive the horrifying monster lurking in the darkness, they must first put aside their differences...or die trying.
Check out the exciting first book in an Epic Fantasy Adventure Series perfect for fans of R.A Salvatore, Brandon Sanderson, and Nicholas Eames. You can also listen to Web of Eyes on audible, performed by award-winning narrator Luke Daniels.
422 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2018
1029 people are currently reading
1342 people want to read
About the author
Rhett C. Bruno
70 books648 followersRhett is happy to hear from his fans and can be reached at rcbruno44@outlook.com. Please subscribe to his newsletter for exclusive access to updates about his work and the opportunity to receive limited content and ARCs.
http://rhettbruno.com/newsletter/. Or join his facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rhett...
Rhett Bruno grew up in Hauppauge, New York, and studied at the Syracuse University School of Architecture where he graduated cum laude.
He has been writing since he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic short stories when he was young to show to his parents. When he reached high school he decided to take that a step further and write the “Isinda Trilogy”. After the encouragement of his favorite English teacher he decided to self-publish the “Isinda Trilogy” so that the people closest to him could enjoy his early work.
While studying architecture Rhett continued to write as much as he could, but finding the time during the brutal curriculum proved difficult. It wasn’t until he was a senior that he decided to finally pursue his passion for Science Fiction. After rededicating himself to reading works of the Science Fiction author’s he always loved, (Frank Herbert, Timothy Zahn, Heinlein, etc.) he began writing “The Circuit: Executor Rising”, The first part of what he hopes will be a successful Adult Science Fiction Series.
Since then Rhett has been hired by an Architecture firm in Mount Kisco, NY. But that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to work on “The Circuit” and all of the other stories bouncing around in his head. He is also currently studying at the New School to earn a Certificate in Screenwriting in the hopes of one day writing for TV or Video Games.
http://rhettbruno.com/newsletter/. Or join his facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rhett...
Rhett Bruno grew up in Hauppauge, New York, and studied at the Syracuse University School of Architecture where he graduated cum laude.
He has been writing since he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic short stories when he was young to show to his parents. When he reached high school he decided to take that a step further and write the “Isinda Trilogy”. After the encouragement of his favorite English teacher he decided to self-publish the “Isinda Trilogy” so that the people closest to him could enjoy his early work.
While studying architecture Rhett continued to write as much as he could, but finding the time during the brutal curriculum proved difficult. It wasn’t until he was a senior that he decided to finally pursue his passion for Science Fiction. After rededicating himself to reading works of the Science Fiction author’s he always loved, (Frank Herbert, Timothy Zahn, Heinlein, etc.) he began writing “The Circuit: Executor Rising”, The first part of what he hopes will be a successful Adult Science Fiction Series.
Since then Rhett has been hired by an Architecture firm in Mount Kisco, NY. But that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to work on “The Circuit” and all of the other stories bouncing around in his head. He is also currently studying at the New School to earn a Certificate in Screenwriting in the hopes of one day writing for TV or Video Games.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
June 8, 2019
4 very enthusiastic stars for the audiobook version of this as narrated by the ever-awesome Luke Daniels.
In this book we follow the unhappy partnership of a thief and a knight who are on a quest to save a kingdom in turmoil. Thrown together after a series of mishaps, the two must battle evil magic, foreign wanna-be conquerors, and royals who don't seem to want to be saved from themselves. Filled with adventure, magic, and a healthy dose of humour, Web of Eyes is a very strong start to this series.
I have to admit that for the first 25% of this book I was a bit worried about my friendship with the person who raved to me about this series. I struggled a to get immersed in the story and was starting to think that this story was going to be placed in a position of prominence on my "Where are the strong female characters?" shelf. Thankfully, just before I got too frustrated with the male-dominated story, a great female character showed up, and she was definitely strong. I hope she has an even bigger role in the stories to come.
I can't give this a full 5 stars because I did have a few tiny qualms (beyond the above-mentioned lack of females). There were times that the voices were just a bit too silly/overdone for me, and there was one really rough section that needed an editor's hand. That said, the strength of the rest of this story more than redeems those tiny issues, and I wholeheartedly recommend this book, especially to anyone who enjoys the Off to Be the Wizard or NPCs series.
Badass Female Character score: 3.5/5 -- When she finally shows up, Sora rocks! I just wish there was more of her.
A very big thanks to Aethon Books for providing me with a review copy of this audiobook.
In this book we follow the unhappy partnership of a thief and a knight who are on a quest to save a kingdom in turmoil. Thrown together after a series of mishaps, the two must battle evil magic, foreign wanna-be conquerors, and royals who don't seem to want to be saved from themselves. Filled with adventure, magic, and a healthy dose of humour, Web of Eyes is a very strong start to this series.
I have to admit that for the first 25% of this book I was a bit worried about my friendship with the person who raved to me about this series. I struggled a to get immersed in the story and was starting to think that this story was going to be placed in a position of prominence on my "Where are the strong female characters?" shelf. Thankfully, just before I got too frustrated with the male-dominated story, a great female character showed up, and she was definitely strong. I hope she has an even bigger role in the stories to come.
I can't give this a full 5 stars because I did have a few tiny qualms (beyond the above-mentioned lack of females). There were times that the voices were just a bit too silly/overdone for me, and there was one really rough section that needed an editor's hand. That said, the strength of the rest of this story more than redeems those tiny issues, and I wholeheartedly recommend this book, especially to anyone who enjoys the Off to Be the Wizard or NPCs series.
Badass Female Character score: 3.5/5 -- When she finally shows up, Sora rocks! I just wish there was more of her.
A very big thanks to Aethon Books for providing me with a review copy of this audiobook.
December 31, 2018
What a perfect ending of 2018!
After that recent dual X-Files fiasco, I just went through I was willing to bet this will complete the hat-trick of failures to close out the year.
Oh, how wrong I was! I don't even know where to start from!
Okay, that shouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone since my reviews are essentially ramblings pulled through the spellchecker.
But! They always have a point. And a picture of my childhood and how the world today is very different. And I bitch about it. And yes, Disney, I still hate you. If heartless corporations could burn in hell, you'll surely find your way next to Electronic Arts. Closely followed by Bethesda and Blizzard.
But I digress.
There will be no eternal fire nor damnation here. If anything, all three people involved in this work should be named saints - Rhett C. Bruno, Jaime Castle, and Luke Daniels.
I'll try to keep this review brief as I'm afraid I'll fail to impress upon you how awesome this audiobook was if it gets watered down. No images, no emojis.
Stay a while, and listen.
First, the story.
There's a Thief, quite opposite of humble, who stole everything that could have been stolen and is in the business for the thrill. One day he makes a drunken bet that he'll steal the Glass Crown from the top of King's head.
On the other side is a Knight. So righteous I'm surprised nobody ever called him a Paladin :) Their roads cross and the unwilling alliance to stop the common enemy is formed.
"Common enemy" doesn't do much to convince the Thief and he'd rather just split and leave heroics to people who enjoy that kind of things. Through a barrage of unsolicited comments and witty remarks, he manages to surprise, annoy, and amuse everyone they meet on their journeys.
Characters are built well and I took an instant liking to them. Dialogue is amazing and at moments pure gold. I had a fair share of laughter and chuckles.
Not once I noticed "He said, she said, he said" problem. There's no excessive cursing and when it suits the situation alternate words are sometimes used. You won't hear 'shit' but a 'shog' got its generous air time.
First time I heard it, many other books who just refused to curse came to mind. I fully expected to be annoyed again by gems like "Oh happy Buddha!" instead of "Holy shit!" but that did not happen. Shog quickly grew on me.
Yuck! Not like that!
But there you have it. A perfect setup for a Sword and Sorcery tale. It will be glorious, trust me.
I expected a bit... friendlier goodbye at the end but that is likely just a setup for the sequel. Not a big deal, although I'd have liked more.
And this story is over. But the tale has just begun. I can't wait for more.
Second, the narration.
I've listened to Luke Daniels before. I liked Luke Daniels before. I rated vocal skills of Luke Daniels 5* before. Multiple times.
This person, the one I've heard narrating this book, was the final form of Luke Daniels. Web of Eyes was Luke's Mona Lisa.
I've heard many, many good narrators in past years but Luke from this work would give them all run for their money. I just can't wrap my head around how amazingly superb his voice acting was. I'm also running out of superlatives.
This book easily makes the top three of the best narrations I've ever heard in my life.
If the story above leaves you on the fence if you should get the book, the narration should make the decision for you.
I knew Luke was great and when the argument between two dwarves began at the start of the book I was amazed. To be true, I quickly had my share of fun there as I'm not a big fan of dwarves butchering English and I got seriously confused whose exactly mom was an ugly bearded wench. But this did set a quality bar for the voice acting, and from that moment on it just kept getting up.
And just when I thought there's nothing more Luke can do to top this experience, Bruno and Castle introduced another character. And the voice he's given again amazes me. Constable, mid-book, had a particularly great role. I wanted this to last forever!
But, 11 and a half hours is what we got. And it were great 11 and a half hours! It's been a long time since I so thoroughly enjoyed a book. World building, characters, dialogue, story... everything clicked.
The only bad thing, I suppose there's no better way to call it, is that I don't really know how those characters are really named :) I mean, I can say their names but they'd probably be mortally offended if I had to write them :D
After knowing the characters for over 11 hours, the best I can come up with are Whitney, Thornsten, Sorah, and Yoriah. "Yoriah" is a master-level Bard. I enjoyed his songs :-)
I think I got only Whitney correct and I know that as I read the book synopsis. It says Whitney there :D
But not being sure about character's name is a small price to pay to enjoy the audio version of the book. Once again, just in case you missed the point - if you pick up the written book over the audiobook version - you are out of your mind.
Usually, I'm jumping from title to title and there isn't much time to dedicate to particular series and see it through the end. Which is a mistake, I know. But there's so much to read and so little time.
Anyway, this is a case of Somnia Online or Continue Online. I need to see how this ends, even if it had 72 sequels.
I must also add that I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review and I've reached back to the author for more of this drug. I need this!
If you like epic fantasy, do yourself a favor. Grab the audiobook as soon as you can.
Web of Eyes (Buried Goddess Saga #1)
Rhett C. Bruno (Author), Jaime Castle (Author), Luke Daniels (Narrator)
After that recent dual X-Files fiasco, I just went through I was willing to bet this will complete the hat-trick of failures to close out the year.
Oh, how wrong I was! I don't even know where to start from!
Okay, that shouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone since my reviews are essentially ramblings pulled through the spellchecker.
But! They always have a point. And a picture of my childhood and how the world today is very different. And I bitch about it. And yes, Disney, I still hate you. If heartless corporations could burn in hell, you'll surely find your way next to Electronic Arts. Closely followed by Bethesda and Blizzard.
But I digress.
There will be no eternal fire nor damnation here. If anything, all three people involved in this work should be named saints - Rhett C. Bruno, Jaime Castle, and Luke Daniels.
I'll try to keep this review brief as I'm afraid I'll fail to impress upon you how awesome this audiobook was if it gets watered down. No images, no emojis.
Stay a while, and listen.
First, the story.
There's a Thief, quite opposite of humble, who stole everything that could have been stolen and is in the business for the thrill. One day he makes a drunken bet that he'll steal the Glass Crown from the top of King's head.
On the other side is a Knight. So righteous I'm surprised nobody ever called him a Paladin :) Their roads cross and the unwilling alliance to stop the common enemy is formed.
"Common enemy" doesn't do much to convince the Thief and he'd rather just split and leave heroics to people who enjoy that kind of things. Through a barrage of unsolicited comments and witty remarks, he manages to surprise, annoy, and amuse everyone they meet on their journeys.
Characters are built well and I took an instant liking to them. Dialogue is amazing and at moments pure gold. I had a fair share of laughter and chuckles.
Not once I noticed "He said, she said, he said" problem. There's no excessive cursing and when it suits the situation alternate words are sometimes used. You won't hear 'shit' but a 'shog' got its generous air time.
First time I heard it, many other books who just refused to curse came to mind. I fully expected to be annoyed again by gems like "Oh happy Buddha!" instead of "Holy shit!" but that did not happen. Shog quickly grew on me.
Yuck! Not like that!
But there you have it. A perfect setup for a Sword and Sorcery tale. It will be glorious, trust me.
I expected a bit... friendlier goodbye at the end but that is likely just a setup for the sequel. Not a big deal, although I'd have liked more.
And this story is over. But the tale has just begun. I can't wait for more.
Second, the narration.
I've listened to Luke Daniels before. I liked Luke Daniels before. I rated vocal skills of Luke Daniels 5* before. Multiple times.
This person, the one I've heard narrating this book, was the final form of Luke Daniels. Web of Eyes was Luke's Mona Lisa.
I've heard many, many good narrators in past years but Luke from this work would give them all run for their money. I just can't wrap my head around how amazingly superb his voice acting was. I'm also running out of superlatives.
This book easily makes the top three of the best narrations I've ever heard in my life.
If the story above leaves you on the fence if you should get the book, the narration should make the decision for you.
I knew Luke was great and when the argument between two dwarves began at the start of the book I was amazed. To be true, I quickly had my share of fun there as I'm not a big fan of dwarves butchering English and I got seriously confused whose exactly mom was an ugly bearded wench. But this did set a quality bar for the voice acting, and from that moment on it just kept getting up.
And just when I thought there's nothing more Luke can do to top this experience, Bruno and Castle introduced another character. And the voice he's given again amazes me. Constable, mid-book, had a particularly great role. I wanted this to last forever!
But, 11 and a half hours is what we got. And it were great 11 and a half hours! It's been a long time since I so thoroughly enjoyed a book. World building, characters, dialogue, story... everything clicked.
The only bad thing, I suppose there's no better way to call it, is that I don't really know how those characters are really named :) I mean, I can say their names but they'd probably be mortally offended if I had to write them :D
After knowing the characters for over 11 hours, the best I can come up with are Whitney, Thornsten, Sorah, and Yoriah. "Yoriah" is a master-level Bard. I enjoyed his songs :-)
I think I got only Whitney correct and I know that as I read the book synopsis. It says Whitney there :D
But not being sure about character's name is a small price to pay to enjoy the audio version of the book. Once again, just in case you missed the point - if you pick up the written book over the audiobook version - you are out of your mind.
Usually, I'm jumping from title to title and there isn't much time to dedicate to particular series and see it through the end. Which is a mistake, I know. But there's so much to read and so little time.
Anyway, this is a case of Somnia Online or Continue Online. I need to see how this ends, even if it had 72 sequels.
I must also add that I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review and I've reached back to the author for more of this drug. I need this!
If you like epic fantasy, do yourself a favor. Grab the audiobook as soon as you can.
Web of Eyes (Buried Goddess Saga #1)
Rhett C. Bruno (Author), Jaime Castle (Author), Luke Daniels (Narrator)
Verdict Uniquely voiced Epic Fantasy awesomeness!
Runtime 11:37
Overall
Performance
Story
December 10, 2020
Web of Eyes
(Buried Goddess Saga #1)
by Rhett C. Bruno and Jamie Castle
Narration by Luke Daniels
I really liked this book regardless that it took me a long time to finish it which is unusual for me. It was no way related to the book but situations in my life at the present. I love the bragging dwarf, the blood mage and the craziness of the whole adventure! The humour sprinkled in with the suspense, the snarky comments from our not-so-fearless dwarf, and the wonderful interactions between characters.
Daniels can perform any voice, male, female, child, and any creature to make it so believable! You would think there is a full cast of characters performing the narration!
(Buried Goddess Saga #1)
by Rhett C. Bruno and Jamie Castle
Narration by Luke Daniels
I really liked this book regardless that it took me a long time to finish it which is unusual for me. It was no way related to the book but situations in my life at the present. I love the bragging dwarf, the blood mage and the craziness of the whole adventure! The humour sprinkled in with the suspense, the snarky comments from our not-so-fearless dwarf, and the wonderful interactions between characters.
Daniels can perform any voice, male, female, child, and any creature to make it so believable! You would think there is a full cast of characters performing the narration!
November 12, 2018
“An ill king brings circling wolves.”
- [ ] This is an excellent epic fantasy! A great world building. A world of wonder and magic, of traitors and friends. Very plausible characters, especially the thief who gives a whole different dimension to the story with his fun and witty dialogue and adventure. This promises to be a great series! Looking forward to the next installment!
I received an early version of this book from the publisher and my review is entirely voluntary.
- [ ] This is an excellent epic fantasy! A great world building. A world of wonder and magic, of traitors and friends. Very plausible characters, especially the thief who gives a whole different dimension to the story with his fun and witty dialogue and adventure. This promises to be a great series! Looking forward to the next installment!
I received an early version of this book from the publisher and my review is entirely voluntary.
September 24, 2021
Twenty Five 'Reviews' In One Day: Book 3!
I'd already read and loved Rhett C. Bruno's science fiction work, so I went into this eagerly and curious to see how his skills would lend themselves to a high fantasy setting, particularly with a co-author I wasn't that familiar with.
It turns out Bruno and Castle are more than capable of working in this kind of fantasy world. There's nothing astoundingly original here; the two authors demonstrate their love for the genre by wearing their influences proudly on their sleeves; but the writing is so engaging I found myself hardly bothered by the familiar tropes as they arrived. The love of Tolkien is most evident; you could probably subtitle this book 'There and Back Again... With a REAL Thief This Time'. Not a bad concept!
The characters all have unique voices; you don't ever need to be told who's talking, which is nice. The plot moves along at a good pace without ever feeling rushed. The threat feels real, with meaningful consequences and, perhaps best of all, it didn't end how I was expecting.
Due to my reviewing backlog, I've actually already read book 2 and part of book 3 by this point, and I'm happy to report the series finds its own voice a lot more as it goes along.
My next book: Hellions vol. 2
I'd already read and loved Rhett C. Bruno's science fiction work, so I went into this eagerly and curious to see how his skills would lend themselves to a high fantasy setting, particularly with a co-author I wasn't that familiar with.
It turns out Bruno and Castle are more than capable of working in this kind of fantasy world. There's nothing astoundingly original here; the two authors demonstrate their love for the genre by wearing their influences proudly on their sleeves; but the writing is so engaging I found myself hardly bothered by the familiar tropes as they arrived. The love of Tolkien is most evident; you could probably subtitle this book 'There and Back Again... With a REAL Thief This Time'. Not a bad concept!
The characters all have unique voices; you don't ever need to be told who's talking, which is nice. The plot moves along at a good pace without ever feeling rushed. The threat feels real, with meaningful consequences and, perhaps best of all, it didn't end how I was expecting.
Due to my reviewing backlog, I've actually already read book 2 and part of book 3 by this point, and I'm happy to report the series finds its own voice a lot more as it goes along.
My next book: Hellions vol. 2
November 21, 2018
It was a wild ride writing this book alongside Jaime Castle, and an even crazier one getting it published in all formats. I'm extremely proud of this as my debut Fantasy Novel, and hope you all enjoy!
May 13, 2020
4,5 stars - English Ebook 🌹🦋🌹
Glued to the television with the vampire diaries and other Dutch books I was reading for an honest review, this book took way langer than it would be if I could keep on reading. What I did not expect when reading it was a fantasy version of 48 hours. The stick-in-the-mud knight and mischievous rogue partnering together is nothing new to fantasy, but I cannot think of one where it is done with better flair.
Thornton is head of the king’s elite guards, Coming from a humble birth, honnor connect him to the widow of his King who gave him a chance to be someone. His foil is the thief, Whitney, a Robin Hood with a BIG ego.
But oh, what a story. The king is dying, and enemies are circling. His son is incompetent since being cursed by the foreign queen’s warlock brother. When the king dies and the prince falls comatose, it is up to Thornton to recover a doll which supposedly houses the prince’s soul. With no idea of where to start, he reluctantly recruits Whitney to help. What follows is twists and turns, where no mansion or fortress is safe from burning down; and it turns out there is more to the religion than the fervent Thornton wants to believe.
I real Epic fantasy I enjoyed. Is this your kind of fantasy? Please read it! 🌹🦋🍀
Glued to the television with the vampire diaries and other Dutch books I was reading for an honest review, this book took way langer than it would be if I could keep on reading. What I did not expect when reading it was a fantasy version of 48 hours. The stick-in-the-mud knight and mischievous rogue partnering together is nothing new to fantasy, but I cannot think of one where it is done with better flair.
Thornton is head of the king’s elite guards, Coming from a humble birth, honnor connect him to the widow of his King who gave him a chance to be someone. His foil is the thief, Whitney, a Robin Hood with a BIG ego.
But oh, what a story. The king is dying, and enemies are circling. His son is incompetent since being cursed by the foreign queen’s warlock brother. When the king dies and the prince falls comatose, it is up to Thornton to recover a doll which supposedly houses the prince’s soul. With no idea of where to start, he reluctantly recruits Whitney to help. What follows is twists and turns, where no mansion or fortress is safe from burning down; and it turns out there is more to the religion than the fervent Thornton wants to believe.
I real Epic fantasy I enjoyed. Is this your kind of fantasy? Please read it! 🌹🦋🍀
December 8, 2022
This reads like a really entertaining first draft.
The concept of a knight and a thief working together is fun to read (that is if you ignore the subtle sexism and the editorial mistakes).
The concept of a knight and a thief working together is fun to read (that is if you ignore the subtle sexism and the editorial mistakes).
August 1, 2021
A great quest story, with interesting twists.
I’m a little cautious of sword and sorcery epics nowadays, as there is a lot of repetition, but when I was offered a review copy I thought I would give it a try, and was not disappointed. Although I did find the story slightly hard to get into, all the new names soon sorted themselves out in my mind and once the main protagonists set out on their quest, I really enjoyed it.
There were sufficient surprises and twists and turns in the plot to keep my interest, and I liked very much that one of the main characters was so irreverent – it kept the story nice and light. The novel was a decent length – somewhat rare nowadays - giving the authors time to develop the characters and the interpersonal relationships nicely.
The twist in the ending was great – not a cliff hanger as such, which I do not like, as I want to choose to buy the next book, not feel forced into it. However, I feel the authors understand this, and are merely setting things up nicely for the next book – which I wish was out already!
I’m a little cautious of sword and sorcery epics nowadays, as there is a lot of repetition, but when I was offered a review copy I thought I would give it a try, and was not disappointed. Although I did find the story slightly hard to get into, all the new names soon sorted themselves out in my mind and once the main protagonists set out on their quest, I really enjoyed it.
There were sufficient surprises and twists and turns in the plot to keep my interest, and I liked very much that one of the main characters was so irreverent – it kept the story nice and light. The novel was a decent length – somewhat rare nowadays - giving the authors time to develop the characters and the interpersonal relationships nicely.
The twist in the ending was great – not a cliff hanger as such, which I do not like, as I want to choose to buy the next book, not feel forced into it. However, I feel the authors understand this, and are merely setting things up nicely for the next book – which I wish was out already!
February 7, 2018
A fun fantasy quest in which wisecracking but cowardly thief Whitney Fierstown joins forces (reluctantly) with pious but loyal to a fault knight Torsten Unger.
When Whitney's foolhardy ways catch up with him and he gets caught after pulling the "job of a lifetime," Torsten saves him from the gaol to help him retrieve an item taken from the young heir to the throne.
What begins is a plot of twists and turns that watches the pair stumble and bumble towards their eventual goal. As this is (at least) a trilogy, along the way we see a few pointers towards future events in the series, and one will always wonder what exactly is going on, as our perspective is from the standpoint of the two MCs.
The plot is engaging, and the characters are amusing and interesting, particularly the dour Torsten, whose faith is tested often. Deserves somewhere between 4 & 4.5 stars.
When Whitney's foolhardy ways catch up with him and he gets caught after pulling the "job of a lifetime," Torsten saves him from the gaol to help him retrieve an item taken from the young heir to the throne.
What begins is a plot of twists and turns that watches the pair stumble and bumble towards their eventual goal. As this is (at least) a trilogy, along the way we see a few pointers towards future events in the series, and one will always wonder what exactly is going on, as our perspective is from the standpoint of the two MCs.
The plot is engaging, and the characters are amusing and interesting, particularly the dour Torsten, whose faith is tested often. Deserves somewhere between 4 & 4.5 stars.
February 7, 2022
Oh, how I love Whitney. He is such a witty and fun character who drove Torsten crazy! I really enjoyed this boo. My only complaint is I’m bummed that the two MC’s go their seperate ways. I would’ve looked forward to the rest of the series if it was the two of them adventuring together and becoming actual friends.
May 27, 2022
5 stars - English Ebook
Epicentrum adventure and of course a quest makes this a high fantasy novel I really liked.
In the glass kingdom, where Great king Liam lies dying, the Queen, a bride stolen from a heathen land of sorcerers to the far North, the Drav Cra, is a beauty but in no way a leader to the kingdom.
Queen Oleander bore the great king a son but her treacherous brother, Redstar, steals the child's soul tailisman, and sets the the scène for this first adventure and quest in Pantego
Three form the team for the quest.
The story moves along at a pretty good pace after setting up the characters and the scenario. It is a little slow at frist but you see who the characters are, what the lay of the land is and what the meaning of it all is.
About half through the book Rhett and Steve kick in the afterburners, superchargers and turbo, and it takes off like a Dozi speedboat at fulltime throttle. Hold on! What a ride.
Epicentrum adventure and of course a quest makes this a high fantasy novel I really liked.
In the glass kingdom, where Great king Liam lies dying, the Queen, a bride stolen from a heathen land of sorcerers to the far North, the Drav Cra, is a beauty but in no way a leader to the kingdom.
Queen Oleander bore the great king a son but her treacherous brother, Redstar, steals the child's soul tailisman, and sets the the scène for this first adventure and quest in Pantego
Three form the team for the quest.
The story moves along at a pretty good pace after setting up the characters and the scenario. It is a little slow at frist but you see who the characters are, what the lay of the land is and what the meaning of it all is.
About half through the book Rhett and Steve kick in the afterburners, superchargers and turbo, and it takes off like a Dozi speedboat at fulltime throttle. Hold on! What a ride.
November 18, 2018
This review is for the audiobook version of Web of Eyes as narrated by Luke Daniels and, to be honest, I'm not sure if the reasons I rated this book as high as I did was because of anything especially great about the title or if it was just on Luke Daniels' strengths as a narrator.
Daniels isn't for everyone but as a huge fan of his narrations of Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series and Scott Meyer's Magic 2.0 series, Web of Eyes was another strong showing for the reader. He brings a certain joie de vivre to his work that is infectious.
On its own merits, Web of Eyes is a fun romp through a fantasy world rife with its fair share of epic fantasy tropes. However, what set it apart for me was the buddy cop vibe I felt between "the world's greatest" thief, Whitney Fierstown and the too-serious-for-his-own-good knight, Torsten Unger.
If any of that sounds even remotely interesting to you, then you won't be disappointed.
*** Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Daniels isn't for everyone but as a huge fan of his narrations of Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series and Scott Meyer's Magic 2.0 series, Web of Eyes was another strong showing for the reader. He brings a certain joie de vivre to his work that is infectious.
On its own merits, Web of Eyes is a fun romp through a fantasy world rife with its fair share of epic fantasy tropes. However, what set it apart for me was the buddy cop vibe I felt between "the world's greatest" thief, Whitney Fierstown and the too-serious-for-his-own-good knight, Torsten Unger.
If any of that sounds even remotely interesting to you, then you won't be disappointed.
*** Disclaimer: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
February 18, 2021
A Fantasy Version of 48 Hours
"What I did not expect when reading it was a fantasy version of 48 Hours—the iconic comedy with Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte as a cop and a criminal who are forced together, and mayhem and hilarity ensue. The stick-in-the-mud knight and mischievous rogue partnering together is nothing new to fantasy, but I cannot think of one where it is done with better flair."
Full review here:
http://fantasy-faction.com/2018/web-o...
"What I did not expect when reading it was a fantasy version of 48 Hours—the iconic comedy with Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte as a cop and a criminal who are forced together, and mayhem and hilarity ensue. The stick-in-the-mud knight and mischievous rogue partnering together is nothing new to fantasy, but I cannot think of one where it is done with better flair."
Full review here:
http://fantasy-faction.com/2018/web-o...
February 13, 2018
Excellent beginning to a very promising fantasy series.
Good world building, fast paced with well developed, likeable characters.
Enjoyed the magic system and the humour sprinkled throughout, often originating with Whitney, the garrulous thief who's very adept at pithy one-liners.
Finishes on an incredibly intriguing twist that has me very interested in reading the next book.
Good world building, fast paced with well developed, likeable characters.
Enjoyed the magic system and the humour sprinkled throughout, often originating with Whitney, the garrulous thief who's very adept at pithy one-liners.
Finishes on an incredibly intriguing twist that has me very interested in reading the next book.
March 28, 2019
More like a 4.5
It was really fascinating. I hadn't been caught up in a book for such a long time and I read this non-stop. well, non-stop as far as the assignments I had to turn in these few days let me to.
The first few chapters may feel a little too long, possibly even boring, but your patience with the story definitely pays off. Characters all well-built. Each has his/her own share of weakness and flaws, which makes them more believable. I enjoyed the plot as well since unlike most of the fantasy books, it wasn't just focused on the mission and on saving the world and whatsoever. There were obstacles in their ways, sometimes they would go back, change their minds, just like normal people would do. The religious system of the story is nice and complicated and I'm eager to find out where they would take it next.
Honestly, the authors made the religious feuds so real and life-like. just like how in real life it is hard to find out the truth, so it is in the story. Each person has their own perspective on what exactly happened, who did the miracle and who is evil and who is good.
but what I LOVED THE MOST was the writing. Even though it had been a while since I had been so caught up with a story, it had been literally ages since I had enjoyed the literature of an English book. As far as I recall, the last time I read an English book that used quite a lot of similies and metaphors and puns and all sorts of literary devices that enriches the writing, was when I was reading Warbreaker in 2013. That's LONG people, very long and I do read a lot. So this book was really a welcome change from the matter-of-fact like the way most of English authors like to write.
So why not a 5 star? To be honest, even though the book kept me on my toes, and it never failed to surprise me with plot twists, when I was done reading it I didn't felt the over-the-cloud and satisfactory feeling I get when I finish a book. I can think of a few reasons for this, such that I didn't get really emotionally connected with the characters even though they were built masterfully. Or the fact that the story was too open that I don't really feel existed or upset over the course of action currently undertaken in the story. Or possibly I lack that sense of satisfaction because not once did I get to enjoy knowing something more than the characters and then be stressed out at their blindness or whatever or not if my theories are not.
Is it a very selfish reason to deduct marks? Probably. That's why I give it a five with the stars but I do enjoy getting emotionally and mentally involved with the story and since our personal feelings to deserve a little bit of point, I stay with my 4.5.
P.S: This book would be such an amazing choice for any Riyria lovers because in ways it is essentially very close. albeit, by this, I don't suggest that these similarities are intended or anything. Besides the type of the characters occupations, the characters themselve don't have a lot in common.
It was really fascinating. I hadn't been caught up in a book for such a long time and I read this non-stop. well, non-stop as far as the assignments I had to turn in these few days let me to.
The first few chapters may feel a little too long, possibly even boring, but your patience with the story definitely pays off. Characters all well-built. Each has his/her own share of weakness and flaws, which makes them more believable. I enjoyed the plot as well since unlike most of the fantasy books, it wasn't just focused on the mission and on saving the world and whatsoever. There were obstacles in their ways, sometimes they would go back, change their minds, just like normal people would do. The religious system of the story is nice and complicated and I'm eager to find out where they would take it next.
Honestly, the authors made the religious feuds so real and life-like. just like how in real life it is hard to find out the truth, so it is in the story. Each person has their own perspective on what exactly happened, who did the miracle and who is evil and who is good.
but what I LOVED THE MOST was the writing. Even though it had been a while since I had been so caught up with a story, it had been literally ages since I had enjoyed the literature of an English book. As far as I recall, the last time I read an English book that used quite a lot of similies and metaphors and puns and all sorts of literary devices that enriches the writing, was when I was reading Warbreaker in 2013. That's LONG people, very long and I do read a lot. So this book was really a welcome change from the matter-of-fact like the way most of English authors like to write.
So why not a 5 star? To be honest, even though the book kept me on my toes, and it never failed to surprise me with plot twists, when I was done reading it I didn't felt the over-the-cloud and satisfactory feeling I get when I finish a book. I can think of a few reasons for this, such that I didn't get really emotionally connected with the characters even though they were built masterfully. Or the fact that the story was too open that I don't really feel existed or upset over the course of action currently undertaken in the story. Or possibly I lack that sense of satisfaction because not once did I get to enjoy knowing something more than the characters and then be stressed out at their blindness or whatever or not if my theories are not.
Is it a very selfish reason to deduct marks? Probably. That's why I give it a five with the stars but I do enjoy getting emotionally and mentally involved with the story and since our personal feelings to deserve a little bit of point, I stay with my 4.5.
P.S: This book would be such an amazing choice for any Riyria lovers because in ways it is essentially very close. albeit, by this, I don't suggest that these similarities are intended or anything. Besides the type of the characters occupations, the characters themselve don't have a lot in common.
January 11, 2020
Notes:
Lots of potential for a cool series. There's a YA tone. The main characters made me think of another duo that I really love but they are not them. Inconsistent pacing. In some ways, the story may have been stronger if it was told from just one perspective: either Whitney or Torsten. I'm not sure if it's due to the writing styles of the two authors clashing or what but there is an unevenness to the whole that makes the story jarring in many ways.
Lots of potential for a cool series. There's a YA tone. The main characters made me think of another duo that I really love but they are not them. Inconsistent pacing. In some ways, the story may have been stronger if it was told from just one perspective: either Whitney or Torsten. I'm not sure if it's due to the writing styles of the two authors clashing or what but there is an unevenness to the whole that makes the story jarring in many ways.
August 1, 2024
One cocky thief and one daring bet over drinks.
To steal a kings crown.
Conspiracy & murder I expectantly arrive leading to the greatest of risk.
This one was a lot of fun! A stern grumpy knight, a fearless thief = humour, adventure & thrills! So great!
To steal a kings crown.
Conspiracy & murder I expectantly arrive leading to the greatest of risk.
This one was a lot of fun! A stern grumpy knight, a fearless thief = humour, adventure & thrills! So great!
December 13, 2018
This is my review of the audio version as posted on Audible:
It's my first book both by the authors Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle and by the narrator Luke Daniels. And although it's an OK meeting, I somehow feel there is something lacking in that epic story - I don't feel the magic here that I usually find in great fantasy novels...
But, that said, it's not a bad book, it keeps you going on, keeps you interested in some characters at least and some events. It has all the elements you want to find in an epic fantasy series: a quest to save the kingdom, mages, demons, knights and thieves... Quite a set of a few interesting characters and quite a chain of adventures and misadventures, really... And yet there were moments when I forced myself to listen on...
The only explanation I can give for that is that the main character, Whitney, really got on my nerves after the first hour of listening. He has nothing that would somewhow warm me up to him; he is arrogant, boastful, never knows when to shut up... And his voice... How old is he? 80 going on 90?... I would probably have liked him better if I just read the book. But the voice he's been given by Mr Daniels is so over the top, so preposterous that it was a real torture for me listening to him. I know other listeners appreciated Mr Daniel's job and I don't deny it, he's an excellent voice actor, great at doing different accents and different male voices (I liked almost all the other voices in the story), but Whithey's voice just literally 'scratched' my brain (you know that dreadful feeling you have when someone scratches the blackboard with fingernails, right?...)
So overall, it's a decent fantasy epic, with some good adventures and interesting characters, very well acted out by Mr Daniels in general, with some small flaws that some listeners may find irritating and irksome.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
It's my first book both by the authors Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle and by the narrator Luke Daniels. And although it's an OK meeting, I somehow feel there is something lacking in that epic story - I don't feel the magic here that I usually find in great fantasy novels...
But, that said, it's not a bad book, it keeps you going on, keeps you interested in some characters at least and some events. It has all the elements you want to find in an epic fantasy series: a quest to save the kingdom, mages, demons, knights and thieves... Quite a set of a few interesting characters and quite a chain of adventures and misadventures, really... And yet there were moments when I forced myself to listen on...
The only explanation I can give for that is that the main character, Whitney, really got on my nerves after the first hour of listening. He has nothing that would somewhow warm me up to him; he is arrogant, boastful, never knows when to shut up... And his voice... How old is he? 80 going on 90?... I would probably have liked him better if I just read the book. But the voice he's been given by Mr Daniels is so over the top, so preposterous that it was a real torture for me listening to him. I know other listeners appreciated Mr Daniel's job and I don't deny it, he's an excellent voice actor, great at doing different accents and different male voices (I liked almost all the other voices in the story), but Whithey's voice just literally 'scratched' my brain (you know that dreadful feeling you have when someone scratches the blackboard with fingernails, right?...)
So overall, it's a decent fantasy epic, with some good adventures and interesting characters, very well acted out by Mr Daniels in general, with some small flaws that some listeners may find irritating and irksome.
DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
February 6, 2018
Torsten Unger is Wearer of the White to a dying king. With one sickly son and a foreign-born, unstable Queen, he’s all too well aware that the conquered lands around the Glass Kingdom will be planning their invasions before the throne goes cold. Despite this, the Queen insists that more knights be sent into the deadly Webbed Woods in an attempt to retrieve a doll for the heir to the throne - a doll that she insists holds a piece of her son's soul. To stand a chance where so many others have failed, Torsten knows he needs to enlist some help – the kind of help he wouldn't normally consider.
Web of Eyes has a lot going for it - a truly excellent, attention-catching title, imaginative world-building, and complex politics with a variety of nations and influences. On the other hand, the characters didn't do much for me; if they had benefited from the same level of development that clearly went into the world-building, I would have been ecstatic. As it was, Torsten and all his entourage came across as takes on various well-established types - the emotionally fragile queen, the muscled warrior hero, the trickster thief...you get the idea. However, with a little tightening up on the storylines, and a bit more character development, this would have been solidly in the running for five stars. I would still recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure fantasy.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
Web of Eyes has a lot going for it - a truly excellent, attention-catching title, imaginative world-building, and complex politics with a variety of nations and influences. On the other hand, the characters didn't do much for me; if they had benefited from the same level of development that clearly went into the world-building, I would have been ecstatic. As it was, Torsten and all his entourage came across as takes on various well-established types - the emotionally fragile queen, the muscled warrior hero, the trickster thief...you get the idea. However, with a little tightening up on the storylines, and a bit more character development, this would have been solidly in the running for five stars. I would still recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure fantasy.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
November 12, 2018
“You will recover what was stolen from your beloved future king, or I will find a new Wearer who can,” she said.“
You want to know how to get people to read a new series? Start out with a unique premise, and build your world around it. With many fantasies out there, those that are inventive and set a convincing stage are the ones who win the audience. For me, characters drive a story and Rhett Bruno grabs you and doesn’t let go until the ride is over and leaves you not wanting to wait for the second installment. Recommended 4/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]
You want to know how to get people to read a new series? Start out with a unique premise, and build your world around it. With many fantasies out there, those that are inventive and set a convincing stage are the ones who win the audience. For me, characters drive a story and Rhett Bruno grabs you and doesn’t let go until the ride is over and leaves you not wanting to wait for the second installment. Recommended 4/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]
November 15, 2018
Great Book
This was a good book with interesting characters and a good storylline. Looking forward to reading the next book in line.
This was a good book with interesting characters and a good storylline. Looking forward to reading the next book in line.
March 26, 2018
Good adventures
It was good but not great- the characters were not as witty or sarcastic as I expected them to be. I didn’t care about any of them, frankly. There is no depth, no feelings- it seems as besides the knight none cares about anything. They are just doing things out of necessity or completely on the whim. The thief doesn’t even blow his horn in any interesting way. The queen is a demented and spoiled bimbo, the knight is hard headed religious fanatic and the boy and the girl are mostly clueless.
It was good but not great- the characters were not as witty or sarcastic as I expected them to be. I didn’t care about any of them, frankly. There is no depth, no feelings- it seems as besides the knight none cares about anything. They are just doing things out of necessity or completely on the whim. The thief doesn’t even blow his horn in any interesting way. The queen is a demented and spoiled bimbo, the knight is hard headed religious fanatic and the boy and the girl are mostly clueless.
November 13, 2018
I generally don’t read fantasy but when I was given the opportunity to read this book I thought why not. I have to say I really enjoy this story. The authors has done an excellent job setting the scene for an epic adventure. The characters are very vivid, they almost jump of the page. I am looking forward to book 2.
November 12, 2018
This is a good fantasy novel! It has plenty of action and intrigue, along with good character definition. I can't wait to see what happens next.
November 12, 2018
This is a good fantasy novel! It has plenty of action and intrigue, along with good character definition. I can't wait to see what happens next.
July 23, 2019
I keep looking at all these amazing reviews and wondering how I'm looking at the same book, but frankly, I'm halfway through and bored as hell. I don't care about any of the characters, they don't care about each other, and I give up.
October 20, 2018
A wild tale of corruption, love and crazy adventure awaits for those whom reads this book. Should make a good series with this first book.
November 6, 2018
it was a little slower than I would have liked but in all an interesting start to an adventure that looks promising.
July 2, 2019
3.5 stars - It took me a long while to get into this one and keep the players straight. I was enjoying it fairly well toward the end, but I don’t think I will continue the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews