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RELICS: The Chronicles of Solomon Drake
RELICS - The Chronicles of Solomon Drake, is a Fantasy story set in modern day Detroit. It's about a young man named Solomon Drake who's a Wizard and works in Blackmane's Magic and Potion Shop. He is the apprentice of Barnabas Blackmane, who is also Solomon's adoptive father. His mother died in childbirth and his father's fate is a mystery. Solomon is part of a strange world that exist right along side ours. Creatures and beings of every description such as, Witches, Trolls, Elves, Dwarves and Demons move among us Normals beyond the notice of most everyone.
On a brisk Monday in December - after staying up most of the night looking after a pack of sick Werewolves - Solomon's world is turned upside down when a small Cob Elf is found in the back of Blackmane's with a strange crystal in his possession, a crystal that contains the spirit of the powerful Wizard Merlin. What makes matters worse is an Albino along with his sexy twin leather clad Vampire accomplices enters the store hunting for the Elf and the crystal he carries, which they hope will lead them to the hidden resting place of King Arthur's sword Excalibur. What happens next will lead Solomon on a quest that might just end up costing him his life.
On a brisk Monday in December - after staying up most of the night looking after a pack of sick Werewolves - Solomon's world is turned upside down when a small Cob Elf is found in the back of Blackmane's with a strange crystal in his possession, a crystal that contains the spirit of the powerful Wizard Merlin. What makes matters worse is an Albino along with his sexy twin leather clad Vampire accomplices enters the store hunting for the Elf and the crystal he carries, which they hope will lead them to the hidden resting place of King Arthur's sword Excalibur. What happens next will lead Solomon on a quest that might just end up costing him his life.
501 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2018
20 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 9, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
This is one of my favorite indie books! I think Robert York did such an amazing job. I was entertained the entire time!
I really liked the way this book was written. Chapter 1 broke it down that you were reading the journal of the main character Solomon. Throughout the book while you are reading the story you would also get the main characters commentary which was really funny! I don’t feel like I have quite laughed at a book like I did at this one! The main character was funny and I loved the bantering back and forth between the cast of characters.
I felt like this book was paced really good for me! It started off quick with action scenes in chapter 2 and there was action and fighting scenes sprinkled throughout the book to keep you hooked!
This book was so much fun for me to read! I cannot wait to continue with the rest of the series!
This is one of my favorite indie books! I think Robert York did such an amazing job. I was entertained the entire time!
I really liked the way this book was written. Chapter 1 broke it down that you were reading the journal of the main character Solomon. Throughout the book while you are reading the story you would also get the main characters commentary which was really funny! I don’t feel like I have quite laughed at a book like I did at this one! The main character was funny and I loved the bantering back and forth between the cast of characters.
I felt like this book was paced really good for me! It started off quick with action scenes in chapter 2 and there was action and fighting scenes sprinkled throughout the book to keep you hooked!
This book was so much fun for me to read! I cannot wait to continue with the rest of the series!
January 8, 2026
NO SPOILERS!!….
Relics: The Chronicles of Solomon Drake feels like stepping sideways into a world that’s been quietly humming beneath our own all along. The story drops you into a modern city where magic hasn’t vanished—it’s just learned how to hide. From the start, there’s a sense of curiosity and motion, like the book is constantly nudging you forward, daring you to keep up. I never felt overwhelmed by the fantasy elements; instead, they unfold naturally, making the strange feel oddly familiar.
What really grounded the experience for me was Solomon himself. He doesn’t come across as some untouchable, all-knowing hero—he feels young, learning, and sometimes clearly out of his depth. That vulnerability made it easy to connect to him, especially as the world around him grows more dangerous and complicated. The supporting cast adds a lot of personality and texture, giving the story moments of humor and warmth that balance out the darker undertones.
By the end, the book left me with the feeling of having just read the opening chapter of something much larger. It’s fast-paced without feeling rushed, imaginative without being confusing, and clearly written with a love for classic fantasy mixed into a modern setting. While it leans into familiar urban-fantasy ideas, it does so with enough heart and energy that I was genuinely interested in where Solomon’s journey would go next. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t try to reinvent the genre—but reminds you why you enjoy it in the first place.
Relics: The Chronicles of Solomon Drake feels like stepping sideways into a world that’s been quietly humming beneath our own all along. The story drops you into a modern city where magic hasn’t vanished—it’s just learned how to hide. From the start, there’s a sense of curiosity and motion, like the book is constantly nudging you forward, daring you to keep up. I never felt overwhelmed by the fantasy elements; instead, they unfold naturally, making the strange feel oddly familiar.
What really grounded the experience for me was Solomon himself. He doesn’t come across as some untouchable, all-knowing hero—he feels young, learning, and sometimes clearly out of his depth. That vulnerability made it easy to connect to him, especially as the world around him grows more dangerous and complicated. The supporting cast adds a lot of personality and texture, giving the story moments of humor and warmth that balance out the darker undertones.
By the end, the book left me with the feeling of having just read the opening chapter of something much larger. It’s fast-paced without feeling rushed, imaginative without being confusing, and clearly written with a love for classic fantasy mixed into a modern setting. While it leans into familiar urban-fantasy ideas, it does so with enough heart and energy that I was genuinely interested in where Solomon’s journey would go next. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t try to reinvent the genre—but reminds you why you enjoy it in the first place.
January 10, 2026
I loved this book so much. It has everything you can think of for a fantasy setting mixed with a modern spin. There is humor, fighting, and even some romance. I will definitely be continuing in the series!
January 13, 2026
This was such a fun time. I genuinely laughed out loud several times. I loved all of the unique characters. This was very easy to follow even though there was a lot of information. I’m excited to continue the series.
January 9, 2026
this was such a great book. I highly recommend it. It was action packed
January 12, 2026
Such a great read! Action, adventure, humor, wizards, wear wolves, vampires, cob elves, wood elves, dark elves and so much more! The Chronicles of Solomon Drake is a must read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️book!
July 14, 2025
The story itself was unique and engaging - but the grammar needed some work.
On my YouTube channel, I exclusively review self-published fantasy books. Relics has some of the best tone and humor I've read in a long time. Check out my full review here: https://youtu.be/nOR2w_zBEUY?si=HLCkI...
Here is a brief overview of my breakdown:
Immersion (worldbuilding): 7.5/10 - Very familiar and easy entry into this world because it's an urban fantasy taking place in Detroit. I liked that we also got to see other locations through portal travel and experience new scenery/landscapes. It did lean on mythical tropes at times, especially with vampires and werewolves.
Names (characters): 6.5/10 - Solomon Drake is a great character with tons of personality. The side characters are perhaps a little shallow, but they also have interesting dynamics. My main issue here was the dialogue. I really felt like it was a little too straightforward at times with too much exposition.
Da Magic (& creatures): 7.5/10 - The gnomes were the highlight of the book for me! I haven't laughed like that at a scene in a while. All of the mythical creatures I think were done really, really well. The magic itself was also familiar, with the wizards using staffs and wands and spells to channel their power.
Infrastructure (plot, pacing, prose, etc.): 5.5/10 - This one was tough. Because the actual plot and prose and pacing were fantastic! But the grammar needed a lot of work. The paragraph and dialogue structuring made some sequences and scenes hard to follow. It just made reading it more effort.
Enjoyment: 6.5/10 - The dialogue and the grammar were the biggest detractors in the story. But the humor and the plot was engaging and interesting enough that I wanted to finish the story, and potentially even read the rest of the series! I think with an editor giving this a clean-up, this book would be in a far better position to succeed.
Relics is a great book, especially for YA audiences. It's got a coming of age hero and King Arthur legends and mythical creatures... It's all just a lot of fun. This is a very creative author and it'll be interesting to see how these stories progress.
On my YouTube channel, I exclusively review self-published fantasy books. Relics has some of the best tone and humor I've read in a long time. Check out my full review here: https://youtu.be/nOR2w_zBEUY?si=HLCkI...
Here is a brief overview of my breakdown:
Immersion (worldbuilding): 7.5/10 - Very familiar and easy entry into this world because it's an urban fantasy taking place in Detroit. I liked that we also got to see other locations through portal travel and experience new scenery/landscapes. It did lean on mythical tropes at times, especially with vampires and werewolves.
Names (characters): 6.5/10 - Solomon Drake is a great character with tons of personality. The side characters are perhaps a little shallow, but they also have interesting dynamics. My main issue here was the dialogue. I really felt like it was a little too straightforward at times with too much exposition.
Da Magic (& creatures): 7.5/10 - The gnomes were the highlight of the book for me! I haven't laughed like that at a scene in a while. All of the mythical creatures I think were done really, really well. The magic itself was also familiar, with the wizards using staffs and wands and spells to channel their power.
Infrastructure (plot, pacing, prose, etc.): 5.5/10 - This one was tough. Because the actual plot and prose and pacing were fantastic! But the grammar needed a lot of work. The paragraph and dialogue structuring made some sequences and scenes hard to follow. It just made reading it more effort.
Enjoyment: 6.5/10 - The dialogue and the grammar were the biggest detractors in the story. But the humor and the plot was engaging and interesting enough that I wanted to finish the story, and potentially even read the rest of the series! I think with an editor giving this a clean-up, this book would be in a far better position to succeed.
Relics is a great book, especially for YA audiences. It's got a coming of age hero and King Arthur legends and mythical creatures... It's all just a lot of fun. This is a very creative author and it'll be interesting to see how these stories progress.
May 20, 2020
This book is about a 27-year-old Solomon Drake, who works at Blackmane’s Magic and Potion Shop. The story starts with Solomon writing in his journal and the whole story is told through his point of view.
He explains how magic is all around us and that magical creatures hide themselves in plain sight and we don’t realize they live among us mortals.
He also talks about his job at the Magic store that sells strange and exotic items along with everything else connected to the magical world.
The story continues by introducing his adoptive father and alludes to his mysterious father whom he has never met. Shortly after he has an encounter with a small Elf carrying a magic crystal and then is thrown into a conflict with deadly Vampire twins. There is also a wonderful romance beginning between Solomon and a Vampire, Adrianna Thorne. From cover to cover, this book is filled with magic, mystery, romance, mythology, drama, action, humor, and an epic storyline with creative narration.
My Take:
RELICS: The Chronicles of Solomon Drake is the debut novel and also the 1st book in the series written by Robert York. I have never read an Urban Fantasy novel with such a fun and creative storyline.
I loved reading this book, from the very beginning the artistic descriptive writing grasped my attention and hooked me until I finished reading it.
The book itself is a lengthy read to complete in one go, but every time I put the book down, the story kept calling me back, wondering what would happen next.
I liked the way the author, Robert York has written this novel. It felt like I was reading an actual journal of a modern-day Wizard. The storyline is very creative and well penned. The uniqueness of the story and it’s a mix of characters is what makes it a must-read and I can't wait to read the second book of the series.
Overall a truly magical book with a twist of modern writing. So and read now.
He explains how magic is all around us and that magical creatures hide themselves in plain sight and we don’t realize they live among us mortals.
He also talks about his job at the Magic store that sells strange and exotic items along with everything else connected to the magical world.
The story continues by introducing his adoptive father and alludes to his mysterious father whom he has never met. Shortly after he has an encounter with a small Elf carrying a magic crystal and then is thrown into a conflict with deadly Vampire twins. There is also a wonderful romance beginning between Solomon and a Vampire, Adrianna Thorne. From cover to cover, this book is filled with magic, mystery, romance, mythology, drama, action, humor, and an epic storyline with creative narration.
My Take:
RELICS: The Chronicles of Solomon Drake is the debut novel and also the 1st book in the series written by Robert York. I have never read an Urban Fantasy novel with such a fun and creative storyline.
I loved reading this book, from the very beginning the artistic descriptive writing grasped my attention and hooked me until I finished reading it.
The book itself is a lengthy read to complete in one go, but every time I put the book down, the story kept calling me back, wondering what would happen next.
I liked the way the author, Robert York has written this novel. It felt like I was reading an actual journal of a modern-day Wizard. The storyline is very creative and well penned. The uniqueness of the story and it’s a mix of characters is what makes it a must-read and I can't wait to read the second book of the series.
Overall a truly magical book with a twist of modern writing. So and read now.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews