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Heirs of Destiny #0.5
The Renegade Apprentice
A desperate breakout. A perilous life on the streets. A fight to the death.
Evren’s life as an apprentice priest is an endless torment, until he seizes the chance to escape his slavery. But his freedom, and his life, may be cut very short because the dark alleys of Vothmot hold their own dangers...some deadlier than others!
Evren’s life as an apprentice priest is an endless torment, until he seizes the chance to escape his slavery. But his freedom, and his life, may be cut very short because the dark alleys of Vothmot hold their own dangers...some deadlier than others!
107 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2019
20 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Andy Peloquin
91 books1,298 followersI am, first and foremost, a storyteller and an artist--words are my palette. Fantasy is my genre of choice, and I love to explore the darker side of human nature through the filter of fantasy heroes, villains, and everything in between. I'm also a freelance writer, a book lover, and a guy who just loves to meet new people and spend hours talking about my fascination for the worlds I encounter in the pages of fantasy novels.
Fantasy provides us with an escape, a way to forget about our mundane problems and step into worlds where anything is possible. It transcends age, gender, religion, race, or lifestyle--it is our way of believing what cannot be, delving into the unknowable, and discovering hidden truths about ourselves and our world in a brand new way. Fiction at its very best!
Fantasy provides us with an escape, a way to forget about our mundane problems and step into worlds where anything is possible. It transcends age, gender, religion, race, or lifestyle--it is our way of believing what cannot be, delving into the unknowable, and discovering hidden truths about ourselves and our world in a brand new way. Fiction at its very best!
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 28, 2023
"The Renegade Apprentice" by Andy Peloquin is a gripping journey through a gritty and unforgiving world. The story follows Evren's daring escape from a life of torment and his subsequent struggle for survival in the dangerous streets of Vothmot. Peloquin's skill in portraying violent and desperate settings shines through, as he delves into the world of brutal child gangs and the challenges they face. The narrative captures the raw essence of survival and the unrelenting spirit of those fighting against adversity.
February 24, 2021
Other reviews seem very excited about this book, but I don't see why. Maybe because I haven't read anything else by this author so the fact that this is backstory in an existing universe doesn't mean anything to me.
The main character, Evren, is an apprentice at the Temple. But where the priests are supposed to teaching him about the religion and grooming him to move up they are instead acquiring wealth and beating the apprentices. He escapes and falls in with a street gang, a la Oliver Twist. Except that where Oliver is naive and weak, Evren is capable of beating up other boys.
This is a story of how violence is how to get ahead.
The main character, Evren, is an apprentice at the Temple. But where the priests are supposed to teaching him about the religion and grooming him to move up they are instead acquiring wealth and beating the apprentices. He escapes and falls in with a street gang, a la Oliver Twist. Except that where Oliver is naive and weak, Evren is capable of beating up other boys.
This is a story of how violence is how to get ahead.
May 31, 2023
Also referred to as Evren’s Story. This is a prequel novella to the Heirs of Destiny and the latest I’ve finished from the included Podium Audio prequels on Audible.
This prequel novella focuses on the darker side of the world. Well, a fantasy world. It mainly focuses on the darker side of humans and human nature. Evren, an apprentice priest wants to escape the confines of his cell. The priests are nothing more than aggressive rapists and abusers, that call their nightly visits “prayers” (to me this is unfortunately mentioned so often it’s literally beaten into the ground). The older apprentice boys manage a fight club, so that they can bet on others’ suffering. When an opportunity to escape surfaces, Evren will soon find out that the streets are no safer or kinder.
The rest that ensues, to me, doesn’t really do anything in the way of setup for a series that I can see, other than perhaps giving backstory on the character of Evren. We also only get the world building through the eyes of exactly what the characters see. So a seedy church compound and seedy poor city streets. There’s not much in the way of lore or anything else. I didn’t mind or dislike listening to this one, but I find now that I can’t really think of good things to say.
I will say that the narrator didn’t do a bad job, but he is American and doing an accent. Because it is not his actual accent, it comes off as sounding Spanish and Italian and Russian depending on what he’s saying. Which I guess in a fantasy world isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all, but it did pull me out of it more than once.
Personally a 3/5*. Just didn’t really work for me.
This prequel novella focuses on the darker side of the world. Well, a fantasy world. It mainly focuses on the darker side of humans and human nature. Evren, an apprentice priest wants to escape the confines of his cell. The priests are nothing more than aggressive rapists and abusers, that call their nightly visits “prayers” (to me this is unfortunately mentioned so often it’s literally beaten into the ground). The older apprentice boys manage a fight club, so that they can bet on others’ suffering. When an opportunity to escape surfaces, Evren will soon find out that the streets are no safer or kinder.
The rest that ensues, to me, doesn’t really do anything in the way of setup for a series that I can see, other than perhaps giving backstory on the character of Evren. We also only get the world building through the eyes of exactly what the characters see. So a seedy church compound and seedy poor city streets. There’s not much in the way of lore or anything else. I didn’t mind or dislike listening to this one, but I find now that I can’t really think of good things to say.
I will say that the narrator didn’t do a bad job, but he is American and doing an accent. Because it is not his actual accent, it comes off as sounding Spanish and Italian and Russian depending on what he’s saying. Which I guess in a fantasy world isn’t necessarily a bad thing at all, but it did pull me out of it more than once.
Personally a 3/5*. Just didn’t really work for me.
August 17, 2021
Andy Peloquin never fails to impress, a fantastic short tale from the Heirs Of Destiny series, we follow one of the main protagonist Evren from the main books, who is an apprentice priest and its a living hell, when he and a fellow Davor make a break for it, escaping a life of slavery, while they make their way through the streets and Dark alleys of Vothmot, full of thieves, murderers and some unsavoury characters, but escaping one hell, running might have landed them in a much worse situation, with Davor alot younger, he must toughen up and steel to survive, after reading this, I will be checking out the series in the near future, awesome narration by Tristan Morris, super read, a cracking arrange of voices gives it an extra touch of awesomeness, highly recommend...😁
May 15, 2019
OMG... absolutely, positively AMAZING!!!!!!
Andy keeps pumping out the awesomeness! I know I said his Life for a Life short was one of the best ones I've ever read buuutttt now I don't know!!! I loved this one sooo much!!!
Underground stories and stories about orphan-turned thieves are some of the best!! Think Kvothe in Patrick Rothfuss' Name of the Wind or Hayden and Royce in Michael J. Sullivan's Ryria books!!
I absolutely loved Evern’s character and this adventure . . . seriously wow. You want a nail-biting adventure that will whisk you into a world of adventure you'll never forget? Look no further!!
Andy keeps pumping out the awesomeness! I know I said his Life for a Life short was one of the best ones I've ever read buuutttt now I don't know!!! I loved this one sooo much!!!
Underground stories and stories about orphan-turned thieves are some of the best!! Think Kvothe in Patrick Rothfuss' Name of the Wind or Hayden and Royce in Michael J. Sullivan's Ryria books!!
I absolutely loved Evern’s character and this adventure . . . seriously wow. You want a nail-biting adventure that will whisk you into a world of adventure you'll never forget? Look no further!!
June 12, 2019
This is just the kind of fantasy I like best, rich with human interest, and into the bargain dealing with two of my very favourite themes - new beginnings and the turning of the worm. There's nothing like seeing a downtrodden young person take command of his life and escape from his abusers. There's a reason Cinderella is the most popular of all the old tales.
Peloquin has taken these two time-honoured themes and woven a richly original tale, in which you may be sure you'll be thoroughly invested by the time it ends, and looking forward to the rest of what promises to be a wonderful series.
Peloquin has taken these two time-honoured themes and woven a richly original tale, in which you may be sure you'll be thoroughly invested by the time it ends, and looking forward to the rest of what promises to be a wonderful series.
June 4, 2020
Certain authors, you just know there is no question to rating. Pristine writing, gut wrenching storylines, characters you will either love or love to hate. This is such a tale! Set in lands I am familiar with from other of his books, this is a look into the beginnings of one of his characters that makes appearances in other tales. Being drawn in was a given, and following this life of continual adversity, this MC tried to stay on a somewhat cleaner path . It’s a quick read so...what can I say but..pick it up and experience the emotions yourself. All my reviews are always voluntarily written.
July 1, 2019
This short prequel novella is a good insight into Evren's past before his tales in Shalandra in Heirs of Destiny. It's fast, it's fun and it's well written and kinda makes you want more.
Peloquin delivers once more on this. This took me a while to actually review because of time but I definitely recommend this!
Peloquin delivers once more on this. This took me a while to actually review because of time but I definitely recommend this!
January 29, 2020
Great! The story of Evren’s origin and how he ended up on the street in Vothmot where, in Dark Blade Slayer (Hero of Darkness, Book 5), he steals the Hunter of Voramis’ purse. Read it before or after HOD #5 and the Heirs of Destiny series (which happens after HOD #5.) I love getting the answers to how characters I care about became who they are!
July 23, 2019
A place of learning, learning to stay alive. Outstanding book about life, learning and staying alive. Follow the young hero as he learns that life is all about survival and protection. Andy Peloquin writes a fascinating tale.
December 18, 2024
A good one. Haven’t read the main series, so I went in blind. But it was skillfully written with lots of things falling into place quickly without being unbelievable. OP MC but has to struggle somewhat for wins. Loved it
July 29, 2019
Ah Evern. What a life he had to endure as a young one. An adventurous, quick pacing read. It's a dark story.
August 1, 2019
This was a good back story for Evren. It gives insight into his character from the Hero of Darkness and then in the Heirs series.
September 4, 2019
Amazing read! Lots of action.
January 16, 2023
This was a quick read (only about 100 pages) but it gives you the background of Enron and explains how he got where he is.
February 16, 2025
It’s hard not to love these novellas by Andy Peloquin. Another great story for a character that has grown on me in the Darkblade series. Ready to ready about his own adventures is Shalandria.
July 24, 2019
What's there not to like? Evren is my kind of kid! I can't wait to see how these characters get fleshed out as I get into the meat of the books!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews