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The Forest of Allund #1
The Forest of Allund
Young Mage Alexio Sopholus has returned home after ten years away at the Mage Academy. Although short and slight of build due to childhood sickness, he has found academic acclaim through his studies. Upon arrival in his home of Korpolis, he reacquaints himself with his old human friends and his former home. His only desire is to take up the position of forest caretaker left to him by his deceased master. The Forest of Allund is a place filled with equal parts myth, mystery, and fear. There he meets a wandering Amazon, but most importantly, his large and intelligent animal friends reside there. They all help him guard the forest against outside intruders. Soon the nature of the forces that govern and protect this place is made evident to him as he finds new sources of knowledge and power.
Although he only seeks peace and quiet, he is soon thrust into a war with a new barbarian tribe, the Zilar. They seek total domination of all the lands and are not above using slavery, genocide, and brutal repression to get their way. Alexio is forced to fight them directly using all the powers at his command. Initially successful in his efforts he finds his victories have only made him the object of intrigue by his leaders who fear his power and his popularity. His efforts at protecting the land are met with suspicion, fear, and betrayal by his own leaders.
Seeing the destruction, deceit, and betrayal around him, Alexio is forced to conclude that all his most cherished beliefs, principles, ethics, and morality are all but useless against the foes arrayed against him. To protect himself and his friends he must wage war. It will be a war without pity, mercy, and against the laws of Gods and Men. It may also make him an outcast in his own land.
Although he only seeks peace and quiet, he is soon thrust into a war with a new barbarian tribe, the Zilar. They seek total domination of all the lands and are not above using slavery, genocide, and brutal repression to get their way. Alexio is forced to fight them directly using all the powers at his command. Initially successful in his efforts he finds his victories have only made him the object of intrigue by his leaders who fear his power and his popularity. His efforts at protecting the land are met with suspicion, fear, and betrayal by his own leaders.
Seeing the destruction, deceit, and betrayal around him, Alexio is forced to conclude that all his most cherished beliefs, principles, ethics, and morality are all but useless against the foes arrayed against him. To protect himself and his friends he must wage war. It will be a war without pity, mercy, and against the laws of Gods and Men. It may also make him an outcast in his own land.
- GenresFantasy
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 25, 2020
3 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Wilbur Arron
4 books13 followersHi!
I am Wilbur Arron, or at least the man behind Wilbur Arron. My namesake is a pseudonym that I use so I do not tick off former friends, enemies, colleagues, and other less savory people I have known during my career and who appear in my books in one form or another. I also use a pseudonym because I want people to judge my work on what they read, not on me as a person.
Who am I really?
I am a retired Professional Engineer that has worked throughout the country over the last 40 years. I am a widower in my late 60s. One of the few good things about becoming an old fart is that I have lived through the 50s, 60, 70s, 80, and so forth. I have seen with my own eyes our progress (or lack of) in space, computers, astrophysics, medicine, engineering, and other areas that we now take for granted. I do not want this to become a 'back in the good old days' rant, but things have changed to an unbelievable extent just in my lifetime. I started out doing calculations on my Pickett slide rule, using an IBM 360 with Fortran-4, and something experimental we called the Arpanet. Now I have a supercomputer on my desk, I got no clue how to program it, and I access almost anything on the planet using the Internet. I started my life paying a dime to make a phone call in a phone booth when I went out. Now I have a smartphone through which anyone on the planet is about 15 seconds away. I hope you get where I am coming from.
Besides science and technology, another great interest of mine is history, particularly ancient history. I always wanted to know where the principles of science and engineering were discovered and utilized for the first time. This has led me mostly to Gecro-Roman history from about 1500 BCE to 500 AD. Many of the construction techniques we use today actually came from our distant ancestors. Example: Did you know the Romans built with reinforced concrete? Over my life, I have discovered if you do not know where you came from, you will have great difficulty in understanding where you are now, and you will have no idea of what is likely to come in the future. History is our anchor that holds us steady in the whirling stream of current events. One of my great joys is in giving talks on the history of science and the use of technology throughout the ages.
I am a life long fan of Fantasy and Science Fiction since the 1960s. I feel I have lived to see science fiction become fact. Over the years I have met many of the authors of this period both in science fiction and history. I was always interested in writing but never had the time or opportunity in a busy career to do it properly. Now in retirement, I have the time to dedicate to this new career. Writing allows me to combine my love of science, technology, and ancient history. The Forest of Allund is the first major work of my own fiction, although I have written many short stories that can be found in several of the short story and fan fiction websites.
Besides writing, I like reading. I have been to many wordcons and other conventions going back to the 1980s. I am also interested in strategic studies. Please check out my web page at www.wilburarron.com. My blog is also there where I have been putting tib bits on Ancient Greece whenever I find time to update it. You can also send me comments from my webpage. I love to hear from you.
Thanks
WA
I am Wilbur Arron, or at least the man behind Wilbur Arron. My namesake is a pseudonym that I use so I do not tick off former friends, enemies, colleagues, and other less savory people I have known during my career and who appear in my books in one form or another. I also use a pseudonym because I want people to judge my work on what they read, not on me as a person.
Who am I really?
I am a retired Professional Engineer that has worked throughout the country over the last 40 years. I am a widower in my late 60s. One of the few good things about becoming an old fart is that I have lived through the 50s, 60, 70s, 80, and so forth. I have seen with my own eyes our progress (or lack of) in space, computers, astrophysics, medicine, engineering, and other areas that we now take for granted. I do not want this to become a 'back in the good old days' rant, but things have changed to an unbelievable extent just in my lifetime. I started out doing calculations on my Pickett slide rule, using an IBM 360 with Fortran-4, and something experimental we called the Arpanet. Now I have a supercomputer on my desk, I got no clue how to program it, and I access almost anything on the planet using the Internet. I started my life paying a dime to make a phone call in a phone booth when I went out. Now I have a smartphone through which anyone on the planet is about 15 seconds away. I hope you get where I am coming from.
Besides science and technology, another great interest of mine is history, particularly ancient history. I always wanted to know where the principles of science and engineering were discovered and utilized for the first time. This has led me mostly to Gecro-Roman history from about 1500 BCE to 500 AD. Many of the construction techniques we use today actually came from our distant ancestors. Example: Did you know the Romans built with reinforced concrete? Over my life, I have discovered if you do not know where you came from, you will have great difficulty in understanding where you are now, and you will have no idea of what is likely to come in the future. History is our anchor that holds us steady in the whirling stream of current events. One of my great joys is in giving talks on the history of science and the use of technology throughout the ages.
I am a life long fan of Fantasy and Science Fiction since the 1960s. I feel I have lived to see science fiction become fact. Over the years I have met many of the authors of this period both in science fiction and history. I was always interested in writing but never had the time or opportunity in a busy career to do it properly. Now in retirement, I have the time to dedicate to this new career. Writing allows me to combine my love of science, technology, and ancient history. The Forest of Allund is the first major work of my own fiction, although I have written many short stories that can be found in several of the short story and fan fiction websites.
Besides writing, I like reading. I have been to many wordcons and other conventions going back to the 1980s. I am also interested in strategic studies. Please check out my web page at www.wilburarron.com. My blog is also there where I have been putting tib bits on Ancient Greece whenever I find time to update it. You can also send me comments from my webpage. I love to hear from you.
Thanks
WA
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 20, 2020
This was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. So big thank you to the author!
I was very impressed what with this being a debut book. Unfortunately, I don’t think I was the right target audience for this.
I had a difficult time with the writing style in particular. I found the writing very choppy, insipid and lackluster. And although I found that the character building and world building was very well done, I felt that there wasn’t much description of the surroundings and even the characters.
Speaking of characters... There were a lot! At least ten... Not to mention that some of the animal names were very similar, making it even harder for me to remember who they were. I had to really rely on the author mentioning wings, a mane, hooves, etc. That being said, my favorite part by far was, in fact, the little animal friends. They were my favorite characters and I felt like they added a lot to the story. I actually would have liked to see them even more through out the story. And I enjoyed that the MC was able to talk to them. I felt that the ability to talk to the animals was probably the best part of the whole magic system!
The magic system in this book was very fun and very easy to understand. Which is especially a good thing for readers like me who don’t read a lot of epic fantasy. However, I also felt that some of the magic was cliche. For example: Elemental magic, metal magic, even the ability to talk to animals, etc. All of which are very often seen in fantasy books. I would have liked to see a little more of a unique twist to it!
But I DO actually recommend this book AND this author! I think anyone who enjoys Greek Mythology and more specifically, classic fantasy (this book had a classic fantasy vibe) would really enjoy this one.
I think this author actually has a lot of potential and will be looking into his future work!
I was very impressed what with this being a debut book. Unfortunately, I don’t think I was the right target audience for this.
I had a difficult time with the writing style in particular. I found the writing very choppy, insipid and lackluster. And although I found that the character building and world building was very well done, I felt that there wasn’t much description of the surroundings and even the characters.
Speaking of characters... There were a lot! At least ten... Not to mention that some of the animal names were very similar, making it even harder for me to remember who they were. I had to really rely on the author mentioning wings, a mane, hooves, etc. That being said, my favorite part by far was, in fact, the little animal friends. They were my favorite characters and I felt like they added a lot to the story. I actually would have liked to see them even more through out the story. And I enjoyed that the MC was able to talk to them. I felt that the ability to talk to the animals was probably the best part of the whole magic system!
The magic system in this book was very fun and very easy to understand. Which is especially a good thing for readers like me who don’t read a lot of epic fantasy. However, I also felt that some of the magic was cliche. For example: Elemental magic, metal magic, even the ability to talk to animals, etc. All of which are very often seen in fantasy books. I would have liked to see a little more of a unique twist to it!
But I DO actually recommend this book AND this author! I think anyone who enjoys Greek Mythology and more specifically, classic fantasy (this book had a classic fantasy vibe) would really enjoy this one.
I think this author actually has a lot of potential and will be looking into his future work!
October 15, 2020
****
My review for the book … "The Forest of Allund"
*3.5 stars rounded off to 4 stars* * 70% *
As per my scoring system, the book is in the "Very good" category, meaning the author can achieve excellence with his potential.
****
'The Forest of Allund' is a fantasy tale told in the first person in the past tense. The story revolves around a young wise man, Mage Alexio who has achieved distinction in his studies at the Mages Academy. "A Mage is honest in his words and deeds." Alex naturally is a principled man, morally and ethically bound to the admirable value systems in life. As a peace lover, declining the attractive opportunities offered to him by a city ruler, he has chosen to defend his favourite place ... 'Allund Forest' with its myths and mysteries. He joins his old acquaintances ... 'talking' intelligent animals in the forest. He wants to take the responsibility to save the forest and his friends from the intruders. There he meets a wandering Amazon woman "Philie".
He faces challenges from dominating barbarian enemies. With the help of his friends and legendary mythical "Old Ones", he thwarts their attack temporarily. Pleased, his superiors confer him with certain administrative powers and his fame begins to spread. His responsibilities get expanded.
'New' challenges arise from an unexpected enemy. Alex takes his own hard decision beyond his conferred powers; despite a dilemma between his moral codes and a need to protect the motherland... "When faced with a complex problem, try to view it from as many angles as you can. One way of viewing should offer a solution.”
Alex faces a trial, although he had fought with his enemies, only to save his motherland. But his leaders who celebrated him before, soon begin to hate him and fear his magical powers and rising popularity. They want his help to protect them in emergencies, but at the same time, they want to suppress him, using his innocence. Ulterior motives, cunningness, fear syndromes and power games begin to rule. It angers Alex.
Alex, an outcast, now is disheartened. He finds his cherished values in life have no meaning. The deceitful enemies make Alex decide ...well, what's that? What's that 'new' challenge which changed the course of his destiny?
The story has a good start and an entertainment quotient, due to attention to the details. Its good features like the flow, absorbing style, editing, fluid narratives and dialogues, appeals to me in many aspects of realistic portrayals of Alex. I appreciate the creativity in the memorable characterization of Alex, his noble fair-minded outlooks; besides the true depiction of certain characters ... loyal 'Amazon' Philie, Cleon, Melina, Pallas, and Lycus. A good and uniqueness in the portrayal of the world of strange magic, mythical creatures and talking animals, add liveliness to the story.
The author has kept me pretty indulged in the interleaved sub-stories depicting: 1) Love between Alex and Melina; 2) Amazing Magical skills of Alex; 3) Sacrosanct friendships; 4) Battles; 5) Adventures.
Well, it is a very simple storyline. Some twists would have made the reading more interesting! Yes, the story has dragged due to lengthier and repetitive narratives. I sometimes felt I was lost in the 'forest' due to the excessive dosage of Greek words which deter the flow; also, the author has used so many names, sometimes confusing, which impedes the ease in reading. There are certain unconvincing and missed aspects leading to confusion. In essence, a reader can enjoy this book if he devotes good attention.
I have rated the book 4 stars, despite the shortcomings due to the author's delivery of some special aspects: 1) The author has insightfully portrayed the core of the human psyche, explaining the ugly minds. 2) Beautiful depictions of war which happens within ourselves and with others in our daily life. 3) Some hidden touches of sarcasm and subtle hints for the current leaders. 4) Alex's character etched with ethics, philosophy, morality, has offered something to human society… that it is a human tendency to always take control of others advantageously, with selfish motives. And how an innocent Alex is exposed to the new vistas.
If you are interested in a book filled with adventure, gruesome punishments, myth, mystery, and magical world please read this book.
My review for the book … "The Forest of Allund"
*3.5 stars rounded off to 4 stars* * 70% *
As per my scoring system, the book is in the "Very good" category, meaning the author can achieve excellence with his potential.
****
'The Forest of Allund' is a fantasy tale told in the first person in the past tense. The story revolves around a young wise man, Mage Alexio who has achieved distinction in his studies at the Mages Academy. "A Mage is honest in his words and deeds." Alex naturally is a principled man, morally and ethically bound to the admirable value systems in life. As a peace lover, declining the attractive opportunities offered to him by a city ruler, he has chosen to defend his favourite place ... 'Allund Forest' with its myths and mysteries. He joins his old acquaintances ... 'talking' intelligent animals in the forest. He wants to take the responsibility to save the forest and his friends from the intruders. There he meets a wandering Amazon woman "Philie".
He faces challenges from dominating barbarian enemies. With the help of his friends and legendary mythical "Old Ones", he thwarts their attack temporarily. Pleased, his superiors confer him with certain administrative powers and his fame begins to spread. His responsibilities get expanded.
'New' challenges arise from an unexpected enemy. Alex takes his own hard decision beyond his conferred powers; despite a dilemma between his moral codes and a need to protect the motherland... "When faced with a complex problem, try to view it from as many angles as you can. One way of viewing should offer a solution.”
Alex faces a trial, although he had fought with his enemies, only to save his motherland. But his leaders who celebrated him before, soon begin to hate him and fear his magical powers and rising popularity. They want his help to protect them in emergencies, but at the same time, they want to suppress him, using his innocence. Ulterior motives, cunningness, fear syndromes and power games begin to rule. It angers Alex.
Alex, an outcast, now is disheartened. He finds his cherished values in life have no meaning. The deceitful enemies make Alex decide ...well, what's that? What's that 'new' challenge which changed the course of his destiny?
The story has a good start and an entertainment quotient, due to attention to the details. Its good features like the flow, absorbing style, editing, fluid narratives and dialogues, appeals to me in many aspects of realistic portrayals of Alex. I appreciate the creativity in the memorable characterization of Alex, his noble fair-minded outlooks; besides the true depiction of certain characters ... loyal 'Amazon' Philie, Cleon, Melina, Pallas, and Lycus. A good and uniqueness in the portrayal of the world of strange magic, mythical creatures and talking animals, add liveliness to the story.
The author has kept me pretty indulged in the interleaved sub-stories depicting: 1) Love between Alex and Melina; 2) Amazing Magical skills of Alex; 3) Sacrosanct friendships; 4) Battles; 5) Adventures.
Well, it is a very simple storyline. Some twists would have made the reading more interesting! Yes, the story has dragged due to lengthier and repetitive narratives. I sometimes felt I was lost in the 'forest' due to the excessive dosage of Greek words which deter the flow; also, the author has used so many names, sometimes confusing, which impedes the ease in reading. There are certain unconvincing and missed aspects leading to confusion. In essence, a reader can enjoy this book if he devotes good attention.
I have rated the book 4 stars, despite the shortcomings due to the author's delivery of some special aspects: 1) The author has insightfully portrayed the core of the human psyche, explaining the ugly minds. 2) Beautiful depictions of war which happens within ourselves and with others in our daily life. 3) Some hidden touches of sarcasm and subtle hints for the current leaders. 4) Alex's character etched with ethics, philosophy, morality, has offered something to human society… that it is a human tendency to always take control of others advantageously, with selfish motives. And how an innocent Alex is exposed to the new vistas.
If you are interested in a book filled with adventure, gruesome punishments, myth, mystery, and magical world please read this book.
July 21, 2019
Not a bad fantasy story, but I had to knock a star off for the never ending made up words to replace measurements, money, people's titles and so on. It was very off putting and actually took away from the story. I liked the MC's "friends" and his magic was cool. The slight lecturing on being honorable and then sleeping with their significant other and hiding it when inappropriate could have been left out. Why make such a big deal about it and then turn around and do the opposite. So much for their so called morals. I did enjoy the two parts to the book, it almost felt like a sequel. Not sure if I can say this was worth reading. Probably not.
November 15, 2020
This book's author clearly knows ancient Greece and Greek history. That's a plus. It's the reason I gave this book a chance (that and an awesome cover). What I got read more like a series of novellas than one story (the first of a trilogy). Alex fights several battles, often without a true army at his back, and always wins pretty easily. First against the Zilar leader (Ziltar, Zilter?), then Lycus, finally Ptolemy. Each story felt separate from the earlier villain. I feel you should know that before going into this. Overall, it was alright, but the dialogue and narration didn't flow too well. On the plus side, the worldbuilding was outstanding. I finished this book, but I'll give it a few days to see if I feel the need to read the next two or to simply move on to other worlds. The rest of my review will contain spoilers.
The Good.
Alex is basically a Greek Jedi. He has a code (which he kind of obeys) and magic powers. If you ever wanted your Jedi to worship Zeus instead of the Force, here is your chance.
Building a dam to stop the Zilar. A poor supply system is usually the reason an army loses a war. Alex's plan was sound.
Philie forced Alex to attack the dam engineers. Alex suffers from Gundam Protagonist Syndrome, meaning he is super over powered, but doesn't like killing people. I don't care for this trope, but seeing Philie force his hand made me fistpump.
Alex is pretty petty with regards to Lycus. He constantly refers to him as "brat" or "boy."
Lycus' coup.
The battle at the dam. Despite being overpowered, the action scenes were the highlights for me (a guy who likes a ton of action in his stories).
The Mage Code and the worldbuilding were top shelf. I enjoyed a lesser used setting of ancient Greece versus Medieval Europe.
Alex was punished for violating the Mage Codes (he did, even if he felt he could justify all of it). However, the reveal the powers that be just used it as a convenient excuse to banish him made it that much better. Especially, since Alex found out and basically gave them all both middle fingers.
The Bad.
Asterisks are used to signify unfamiliar Greek words. Why? I can highlight the word on my Kindle and get a definition for all words. I didn't need this, so the asterisk was a marker to pull a person out of the story.
Many times the same words were used within a paragraph or in close proximity to each other. More word diversity was needed. A good thesaurus should have been included during the final edits. This also led to a few typos such as "knocking" an arrow instead of "nocking" it.
There were five pairs of animals with similar names. It took a while to keep track of all of them. Especially since the deer and birds were both A names, while the unicorns and boars had K names.
Why doesn't anyone use contractions when they speak? The dialogue was so stunted as a result of everyone speaking each word. Considering it was literally all Greek, this made it annoyed to listen to conversations.
Force magik? Just call it gravity.
Zilar will watch the roads for scouts but not the only river? Too many plans were too simple, yet worked. Lempus should have been caught.
Alex was an overpowered pacifist. I hate that. It allows the author to have massive slaughter, but as long as Alex whines a little after each one, we are given permission to root for him. Either depower him, or make him accepting/savage. Stop trying to have your cake and eat it too.
The book was way longer than it needed to be. There were so many filler paragraphs and scenes. I didn't need to know every time he ate, slept, bedded a woman, or emptied his bowels. Each of these actions comes up copious times.
Where were all the evil monsters? I wanted Alex to face off against a cyclops or something. The only "monsters" were all his allies.
The Technical.
The book is written in first person.
There is violence.
Sex scenes are all fade to black.
A ton of passive voice is used. A really large amount.
The Good.
Alex is basically a Greek Jedi. He has a code (which he kind of obeys) and magic powers. If you ever wanted your Jedi to worship Zeus instead of the Force, here is your chance.
Building a dam to stop the Zilar. A poor supply system is usually the reason an army loses a war. Alex's plan was sound.
Philie forced Alex to attack the dam engineers. Alex suffers from Gundam Protagonist Syndrome, meaning he is super over powered, but doesn't like killing people. I don't care for this trope, but seeing Philie force his hand made me fistpump.
Alex is pretty petty with regards to Lycus. He constantly refers to him as "brat" or "boy."
Lycus' coup.
The battle at the dam. Despite being overpowered, the action scenes were the highlights for me (a guy who likes a ton of action in his stories).
The Mage Code and the worldbuilding were top shelf. I enjoyed a lesser used setting of ancient Greece versus Medieval Europe.
Alex was punished for violating the Mage Codes (he did, even if he felt he could justify all of it). However, the reveal the powers that be just used it as a convenient excuse to banish him made it that much better. Especially, since Alex found out and basically gave them all both middle fingers.
The Bad.
Asterisks are used to signify unfamiliar Greek words. Why? I can highlight the word on my Kindle and get a definition for all words. I didn't need this, so the asterisk was a marker to pull a person out of the story.
Many times the same words were used within a paragraph or in close proximity to each other. More word diversity was needed. A good thesaurus should have been included during the final edits. This also led to a few typos such as "knocking" an arrow instead of "nocking" it.
There were five pairs of animals with similar names. It took a while to keep track of all of them. Especially since the deer and birds were both A names, while the unicorns and boars had K names.
Why doesn't anyone use contractions when they speak? The dialogue was so stunted as a result of everyone speaking each word. Considering it was literally all Greek, this made it annoyed to listen to conversations.
Force magik? Just call it gravity.
Zilar will watch the roads for scouts but not the only river? Too many plans were too simple, yet worked. Lempus should have been caught.
Alex was an overpowered pacifist. I hate that. It allows the author to have massive slaughter, but as long as Alex whines a little after each one, we are given permission to root for him. Either depower him, or make him accepting/savage. Stop trying to have your cake and eat it too.
The book was way longer than it needed to be. There were so many filler paragraphs and scenes. I didn't need to know every time he ate, slept, bedded a woman, or emptied his bowels. Each of these actions comes up copious times.
Where were all the evil monsters? I wanted Alex to face off against a cyclops or something. The only "monsters" were all his allies.
The Technical.
The book is written in first person.
There is violence.
Sex scenes are all fade to black.
A ton of passive voice is used. A really large amount.
April 27, 2020
"It must be wonderful to have the power of the gods."
But what man has a right to such powers? And besides, all mages know that one must always be respectful towards the Gods — it is written in The Code of the Brotherhood of Mages, after all. If a mage started to act like a god, then the gods would not take such an offence without recompense.
Mage Alexio Sopholus had graduated with a first-rate diploma from the Academy in all three schools. It was an exceptional accomplishment. With such qualifications, Alexio could have been a teacher at the Academy. He could even have become an advisor to a great king. But such a life was not for him. Instead, Alexio had returned home for a peaceful life as the caretaker of the Forest of Allund.
Alexio is determined to remain humble, to only use his powers for good. However, a dark and formidable army led by the ruthless barbarian leader, Zilar, threatens everything he knows and loves. Thrust into a war, not of his making, Alexio faces some difficult decisions. Does he continue to honour and abide by the Mage Code, or does he forsake it and save his friends?
Only time will tell if his decision is the right one…
From a prodigal son's return to the shocking betrayal by men who should have known better, The Forest of Allund (The Forest of Allund, Book #1) by Wilbur Arron is an epic tale of friendship, war, magic and love.
With a swirling stroke of his quill, Arron has portrayed a world that is filled with mythical creatures, legendary gods, and daring adventures. The Forest of Alluund is an evocative story that is painted on a canvas of great heroism and desperate tragedy. It is a story about a coming war and the man who would do absolutely anything to stop it.
Told with an alluring sense of time and place, The Forest of Allund is rich in both mythology and history. Drawing inspiration from the Hellenistic period, Arron has given his young hero a backdrop that is realistic in the telling. Add to that the mythical creatures, the moral dilemmas, the magic, and the protagonist's fight to save his kingdom, makes for one very appealing story.
Arron writes a great deal about ethics and morals in this book, and this story reminded me of Homer when he said in The Iliad that "We men are wretched things..." This quote certainly sums up Alexio's character, for he does some truly wretched things. War and fear corrupt as surely as power does. Alexio really struggles with the dilemma that he finds himself in, and often he looks for excuses that would exonerate him from his crimes. He had to do it. It was them or him. He was defending his friends. The truth is, of course, he is a very powerful mage who has within his possession the jurisdiction over life and death. However, Alexio does not harness his magic because he wants to elevate his position. He does not seek acclaim — he shies away from it. But there are some things that he does, which suggest that fame and power are exactly what he seeks, and I can understand why some of his allies question his motives. Despite the magic and the power, Alexio comes across as very human in the telling. He does have the power of the gods, but he does not have the gods' wisdom to know when enough is enough. Alexio is such a contradiction — on the one hand, he is this peaceful, wise character, and on the other, he is a cold-blooded murderer. Circumstances turn Alexio into an anti-hero, which I thought made him all the more fascinating.
A character that I was drawn to was Philie of the Amazon Antelope Tribe. Philie has a very intriguing backstory, and she is, as one would expect from an Amazon, courageous, strong and wise. I thought Philie brought a great deal to this story. At times she becomes Alexio's conscience, which isn't necessarily a good thing because she makes excuses for what he has done and what he will do. However, this does prove her unyielding loyalty to Alexio, which is admirable. Philie is certainly a warrior you would want standing by your side in a fight. I thought Philie's depiction was sublime.
There are many mythical creatures in this book, and they are all marvellously depicted. It is almost as if Alexio and the mythological creatures have an unspoken covenant. These creatures are dedicated to preserving Alexio's life — they do treat him as a sort of god, and they will do as he commands — with the exception of the Old Ones who will not be ruled by anyone! I was particularly fascinated with the Old Ones. These ancient beings are terrifying to look upon, and yet, they are exceptionally wise. When Alexio does something that they are not comfortable with, they tell him, which is precisely what Alexio needs. He does not always listen, but it does curb his volatile nature to an extent.
Some of the problems the protagonist faces when fighting the enemy, are overcome with the use of some very clever engineering. Arron depicts these engineering challenges in an easy to understand way, which I thought was very refreshing, and it also gives his readers an insight into some of the tremendous engineering feats of this era. Likewise, the attention to the military detail is also worthy of praise. Kudos, Mr Arron
If you are looking for a book that is rich in fantasy and magic with a touch of the ancient world, then The Forest of Allund (The Forest of Allund, Book #1) by Wilbur Arron will undoubtedly appeal. I am very much looking forward to reading Book #2 of what promises to be a very compelling series.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
June 7, 2020
The Forest of Allund
One of the best fantasy stories that I have read that included mythology. It was the best of both worlds. I loved the flow of the story and how the characters went really well together. I liked when Alexio returns to his home city and was welcomed back with open arms. I liked how it reminds me that if something is threatening what we love we must do what we can to protect it. The descriptions were great. The mythology blends really well. You don't know that its coming and then boom its there bring a jazzy new side to a world of magic and greek gods. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves greek mythology and magic.
One of the best fantasy stories that I have read that included mythology. It was the best of both worlds. I loved the flow of the story and how the characters went really well together. I liked when Alexio returns to his home city and was welcomed back with open arms. I liked how it reminds me that if something is threatening what we love we must do what we can to protect it. The descriptions were great. The mythology blends really well. You don't know that its coming and then boom its there bring a jazzy new side to a world of magic and greek gods. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves greek mythology and magic.
May 28, 2020
Wilbur Arron treats us to a world of magic and discovery in The Forest of Allund! Returning home, mage Alexio becomes the caretaker of a magical wood. He learns much from the creatures and interesting characters there, but when an invading army threatens to destroy that which he loves, Alexio must turn that which he learned into battlecraft. I love the sense of discovery Arron has instilled in his world! It was exciting to see what Alexio would encounter and learn next. It made me care about the world, which upped the stakes as war came to threaten it. If you’re looking for an immersive fantasy experience, then take a trip into the perilous Forest of Allund!
April 10, 2021
This was too much fun. Ancient Greece meets Dungeons and Dragons. The mage in this story focused on a few spells, but it had a very role-playing feel to it. The writing style is simple and easy to follow. The plot keeps you guessing a little, and some of the action is actually suspenseful.
September 27, 2021
I was provided with a complimentary copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first book in the series and follows the journey of a young mage named Alexio Sopholus. Alexio has spent ten years at the Mage Academy and has now returned to his previous home. As the story unfolds, we meet various characters both from his past and those who belong to his life as a mage.
The story follows Alexio as he faces many different enemies and formulates different battle strategies. Sometimes he fights alone, sometimes he has help. I found the use of Greek words at times to be quite confusing as the meaning or references were provided only at the end. I enjoyed the way the author interspersed Greek Mythology and used it as a backbone for the plot. However, a caution to readers, be sure to have some background knowledge of Greek Mythology otherwise it can be difficult to understand the book.
The writing is average with a lot of unnecessary description that didn't catch my attention as much as I had hoped. However, I did enjoy reading about Alexio's plans and strategies. I also enjoyed meeting his "friends" in the forest though their names were a little hard to remember. The dialogue between him and his "friends" and the ways in which they helped him out were interesting and very well portrayed during the course of the book.
On the whole, the book was a good one time read and there were quite a few sections that I enjoyed! I think this book and the author have much more potential. I will definitely look out for more books by the author.
This is the first book in the series and follows the journey of a young mage named Alexio Sopholus. Alexio has spent ten years at the Mage Academy and has now returned to his previous home. As the story unfolds, we meet various characters both from his past and those who belong to his life as a mage.
The story follows Alexio as he faces many different enemies and formulates different battle strategies. Sometimes he fights alone, sometimes he has help. I found the use of Greek words at times to be quite confusing as the meaning or references were provided only at the end. I enjoyed the way the author interspersed Greek Mythology and used it as a backbone for the plot. However, a caution to readers, be sure to have some background knowledge of Greek Mythology otherwise it can be difficult to understand the book.
The writing is average with a lot of unnecessary description that didn't catch my attention as much as I had hoped. However, I did enjoy reading about Alexio's plans and strategies. I also enjoyed meeting his "friends" in the forest though their names were a little hard to remember. The dialogue between him and his "friends" and the ways in which they helped him out were interesting and very well portrayed during the course of the book.
On the whole, the book was a good one time read and there were quite a few sections that I enjoyed! I think this book and the author have much more potential. I will definitely look out for more books by the author.
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