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Heroes of Ravenford #3
The Dark Monolith
Politics has rules. Unfortunately, they aren’t the same as fighting monsters.
An ancient monolith tied to dangerous magic has resurfaced, and the Serpent Cult wants it badly. If they succeed, the balance of power could shift in ways no one is ready for.
Glolindir and his friends intend to stop them—right after they deal with being accused of treason. Forced into a dramatic trial by combat, the party must fight for their reputation before they can even begin their next quest.
Cleared—or not—they must race straight into the Darkwoods, where forgotten magic, deadly traps, and unexpected monsters wait around every corner. The cult is ahead of them, the pressure is on, and the party is learning that saving the day often means improvising… a lot.
Dark Monolith delivers classic fantasy adventure with escalating stakes, found-family camaraderie, and the comfort-read joy of watching heroes grow stronger together.
An ancient monolith tied to dangerous magic has resurfaced, and the Serpent Cult wants it badly. If they succeed, the balance of power could shift in ways no one is ready for.
Glolindir and his friends intend to stop them—right after they deal with being accused of treason. Forced into a dramatic trial by combat, the party must fight for their reputation before they can even begin their next quest.
Cleared—or not—they must race straight into the Darkwoods, where forgotten magic, deadly traps, and unexpected monsters wait around every corner. The cult is ahead of them, the pressure is on, and the party is learning that saving the day often means improvising… a lot.
Dark Monolith delivers classic fantasy adventure with escalating stakes, found-family camaraderie, and the comfort-read joy of watching heroes grow stronger together.
- GenresFantasy
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2015
138 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
F.P. Spirit
13 books488 followersSwords, Sorcery & Sarcasm
F.P. Spirit is an avid science fiction and fantasy fan. A Trekkie before it was cool, F. P. became hooked on fantasy the moment he cracked open his first copy of Lord of the Rings. When he is not lost roaming the multiverse of sci-fi and high-fantasy fiction, F. P. is either creating adventures for his roll-playing friends and family or connecting with his mind and body in an attempt to reach that inner spark of spirit.
To learn more you can go to his website fpspirit.com or subscribe to his newsletter at fpspirit.com/newsletter
F.P. Spirit is an avid science fiction and fantasy fan. A Trekkie before it was cool, F. P. became hooked on fantasy the moment he cracked open his first copy of Lord of the Rings. When he is not lost roaming the multiverse of sci-fi and high-fantasy fiction, F. P. is either creating adventures for his roll-playing friends and family or connecting with his mind and body in an attempt to reach that inner spark of spirit.
To learn more you can go to his website fpspirit.com or subscribe to his newsletter at fpspirit.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 20, 2017
The depth of story and the characters is getting better and better with each book! I LOVE this series!
August 21, 2017
*ARC review. This review may contain spoilers. You have been warned*
*update on this review at the end*
What a fantastic addition to the Heroes of Ravenford series! F.P. Spirit has not let me down with this book and has kept me hooked. The plot is great and there is a lot more character development in this book than the last which was great to see.
The book starts off were the last one left, picking up the pieces after the cult's attack and we get right into the thick of things as more insidious plots are figured out and in need of being taken care of. But first, a dual between our champion Lloyd and the pompous arrogant prick, Fafnar. I was so happy when this scene came up and man was it a great scene. The battle was fantastic and the emotions these characters feel during it is great! I was a bit let down with how the fight ended, but how it did wasn't surprising in the least so I can't fully complain...just wish.
After our the tournament our Heroes set off on another journey but with a bit of an extra headcount. Lady Alana, Seeress Elistra, and mysterious Ruka join our band of male heroes, creating quite the adventure just getting to the next town let alone the rest of the journey. The addition of these three ladies is really nice and add some great dynamics to the group. And as you'd expect from a group of boys dealing with girls, some very funny and interesting moments transpire throughout this book. The addition of these ladies isn't just for atheistic. These girl know how to kick some serious butt and can sometimes outshine the men in certain situations which is a nice dynamic I'm glad F.P. put in.
As the the story progresses our Heroes deal with all sorts of obstacles are rather annoying and inconvenient but that's what happens when you're a Hero and everyone is out to get you. After a while though our Heroes get to the Monolith and that's where it really get interesting. Two words: Death Puzzles. Doesn't sound all that appealing does it? Didn't think so and trust me, I'd never want to do what our heroes had to go through. There are many puzzles for them to deal with as this monolith is pretty much one big one, and it does feel a bit repetitive sometime (a minor complaint I have), but they were all uniquely built so it wasn't like you were feeling the need to skip over them (and if you feel it, don't because there are some pretty important things happening during each of them).
Near the end of the book is where a lot of people will be excited. Ruka and her sisters' major mysterious secret...IS REVEALED! That's right we learn what's up with these three girls and man is it an interesting one. I won't spoil that part for anyone but this secret is a surprise if you don't know much about the world this one is inspired by. If you do, it may not come off as big of a surprise but it may be still, who knows.
The book ends at a very interesting point. Not a real cliffhanger but it did feel a little bit like one. It definitely made me want book 4 to be out...right now. I'll be eagerly waiting for that release day, that's for sure.
So, for this very entertaining read, I give The Dark Monolith 5 stars out of 5. Can't wait for the next one F.P.!
**Edit** Most of my original review remains the same, but the author did a revision to the series and provided me with another copy to get my thoughts (same reason as stated in my revised review on the first book). This book reads much better now. His writing has improved a lot. There are also references to changes from books 1 and 2 that make this flow nicely. Also the gender change of Delgron to Titan in book 1 allowed for the addition of the female group members in this book to be a little less jarring and shoved in as if to appease readers. It all now feels like this was the original intended plan (which I do believe was the original intent prior to reader comments, it just took the author's original plan longer to implement them than readers would have liked). With the addition of these female characters, and the revisions to the book, there is some more romance aspects happening, but I don't find it takes away from the story and does feel like there will be some point to it. Those who are affected by love/infatuation are young and it's common in a setting such as this. It also helps deepen the characters so they're not too flat and lacking in emotions. They feel like young adults trying to figure things out in life and deal with situations they hadn't bargained for.
*update on this review at the end*
What a fantastic addition to the Heroes of Ravenford series! F.P. Spirit has not let me down with this book and has kept me hooked. The plot is great and there is a lot more character development in this book than the last which was great to see.
The book starts off were the last one left, picking up the pieces after the cult's attack and we get right into the thick of things as more insidious plots are figured out and in need of being taken care of. But first, a dual between our champion Lloyd and the pompous arrogant prick, Fafnar. I was so happy when this scene came up and man was it a great scene. The battle was fantastic and the emotions these characters feel during it is great! I was a bit let down with how the fight ended, but how it did wasn't surprising in the least so I can't fully complain...just wish.
After our the tournament our Heroes set off on another journey but with a bit of an extra headcount. Lady Alana, Seeress Elistra, and mysterious Ruka join our band of male heroes, creating quite the adventure just getting to the next town let alone the rest of the journey. The addition of these three ladies is really nice and add some great dynamics to the group. And as you'd expect from a group of boys dealing with girls, some very funny and interesting moments transpire throughout this book. The addition of these ladies isn't just for atheistic. These girl know how to kick some serious butt and can sometimes outshine the men in certain situations which is a nice dynamic I'm glad F.P. put in.
As the the story progresses our Heroes deal with all sorts of obstacles are rather annoying and inconvenient but that's what happens when you're a Hero and everyone is out to get you. After a while though our Heroes get to the Monolith and that's where it really get interesting. Two words: Death Puzzles. Doesn't sound all that appealing does it? Didn't think so and trust me, I'd never want to do what our heroes had to go through. There are many puzzles for them to deal with as this monolith is pretty much one big one, and it does feel a bit repetitive sometime (a minor complaint I have), but they were all uniquely built so it wasn't like you were feeling the need to skip over them (and if you feel it, don't because there are some pretty important things happening during each of them).
Near the end of the book is where a lot of people will be excited. Ruka and her sisters' major mysterious secret...IS REVEALED! That's right we learn what's up with these three girls and man is it an interesting one. I won't spoil that part for anyone but this secret is a surprise if you don't know much about the world this one is inspired by. If you do, it may not come off as big of a surprise but it may be still, who knows.
The book ends at a very interesting point. Not a real cliffhanger but it did feel a little bit like one. It definitely made me want book 4 to be out...right now. I'll be eagerly waiting for that release day, that's for sure.
So, for this very entertaining read, I give The Dark Monolith 5 stars out of 5. Can't wait for the next one F.P.!
**Edit** Most of my original review remains the same, but the author did a revision to the series and provided me with another copy to get my thoughts (same reason as stated in my revised review on the first book). This book reads much better now. His writing has improved a lot. There are also references to changes from books 1 and 2 that make this flow nicely. Also the gender change of Delgron to Titan in book 1 allowed for the addition of the female group members in this book to be a little less jarring and shoved in as if to appease readers. It all now feels like this was the original intended plan (which I do believe was the original intent prior to reader comments, it just took the author's original plan longer to implement them than readers would have liked). With the addition of these female characters, and the revisions to the book, there is some more romance aspects happening, but I don't find it takes away from the story and does feel like there will be some point to it. Those who are affected by love/infatuation are young and it's common in a setting such as this. It also helps deepen the characters so they're not too flat and lacking in emotions. They feel like young adults trying to figure things out in life and deal with situations they hadn't bargained for.
March 24, 2024
This journey with our band of heroes doesn’t let up on the danger element and we hold our breath as the companions walk from one deadly possibility straight into another one. At some point, our companions are in an enormous structure that seems to have no end, and the situation can be described as one big “puzzle.” The scary part being if one of them gets a part wrong, it ends for our hero. It also was quite detailed as far as each challenge and how the structure fit together and was arranged, such as the different connecting stairway, platforms etc. As someone that has a hard time picturing that sort of detail, I kept a nice running image in my head of the sequence of events happening in the structure and how the “puzzle” worked or didn’t work depending on our characters moved Yet this well created picture was due to the exceptional job on the part of our guide (the author), so I was especially impressed with how well it was done.
Yet as in the previous journeys, it comes down to our companions. This continues another enjoyable journey with our band of heroes with everything we have come to love about them thus far and more. They gained a few companions to join the perilous journey, and it only added in a great way to the adventure. Lloyd continued to be one of my favorites, always ready to answer any threat with the end of a blade in order to protect his comrades. Even more endearing was this warrior’s softer side, the one who finally allowed his affections for the princess of his eye to be shown and still left him red faced from her attentions. Seth wouldn’t be outdone by his ability to keep his companions out of traps of every kind because underneath all the good-natured verbal blows he throws at them, it’s obvious he’d walk through fire for them. Aksel leads the band using his wisdom and his gift of healing, not having any problems with making sure the most stubborn of patients follows his orders to our amusement. Then there’s Glolindir, who grew a lot during this journey. He continued to use his talents as a wizard to help his friends to no surprise, but perhaps he wrestled with his greatest fears and insecurities in this trek. He saw the unimaginable, his nightmare of what could be and he had to decide whether it would paralyze him or if he would fight to keep it from becoming reality. Glolindir also found he had softer side, and it brought out a part of him that lightened his journey.
And what about the ones we added to journey? They grow on us quickly and some of them surprise us in remarkable ways as the journey changes them. There’s the lady knight, fierce in battle, but underneath the armor shields a gentle heart. There’s the bard whose tune can uplift or soothe his comrades’ spirit, but greater still his words find their mark when the moment is needed. There’s the seeress whose perspective warns them of the dangers ahead and yet equally reminds them they are stronger than the frightening shadows that demand to become substance. Then there’s the one that’s known for his unfaltering ability to charm one pretty woman after the other. Yet his true strength of heart emerges when he becomes the slim hope to rescue a dying comrade. Lastly, there’s the secretive companion taking the cover of a teenager girl that’s deadly with a knife and an attitude to match. However, slowly she lowers her guard and discovers she’s willing to do and give whatever it takes to make sure her companions make it through to the end of the journey.
Yet as in the previous journeys, it comes down to our companions. This continues another enjoyable journey with our band of heroes with everything we have come to love about them thus far and more. They gained a few companions to join the perilous journey, and it only added in a great way to the adventure. Lloyd continued to be one of my favorites, always ready to answer any threat with the end of a blade in order to protect his comrades. Even more endearing was this warrior’s softer side, the one who finally allowed his affections for the princess of his eye to be shown and still left him red faced from her attentions. Seth wouldn’t be outdone by his ability to keep his companions out of traps of every kind because underneath all the good-natured verbal blows he throws at them, it’s obvious he’d walk through fire for them. Aksel leads the band using his wisdom and his gift of healing, not having any problems with making sure the most stubborn of patients follows his orders to our amusement. Then there’s Glolindir, who grew a lot during this journey. He continued to use his talents as a wizard to help his friends to no surprise, but perhaps he wrestled with his greatest fears and insecurities in this trek. He saw the unimaginable, his nightmare of what could be and he had to decide whether it would paralyze him or if he would fight to keep it from becoming reality. Glolindir also found he had softer side, and it brought out a part of him that lightened his journey.
And what about the ones we added to journey? They grow on us quickly and some of them surprise us in remarkable ways as the journey changes them. There’s the lady knight, fierce in battle, but underneath the armor shields a gentle heart. There’s the bard whose tune can uplift or soothe his comrades’ spirit, but greater still his words find their mark when the moment is needed. There’s the seeress whose perspective warns them of the dangers ahead and yet equally reminds them they are stronger than the frightening shadows that demand to become substance. Then there’s the one that’s known for his unfaltering ability to charm one pretty woman after the other. Yet his true strength of heart emerges when he becomes the slim hope to rescue a dying comrade. Lastly, there’s the secretive companion taking the cover of a teenager girl that’s deadly with a knife and an attitude to match. However, slowly she lowers her guard and discovers she’s willing to do and give whatever it takes to make sure her companions make it through to the end of the journey.
November 19, 2019
This I found to be the most exciting book so far in the series of adventures our group of heroes have faced together. Venturing into the dark monolith to look for Larketh’s, the evil thrall master’s works and get these before the serpent cult got their hands on them proves to be a crazy challenge. It’s a good thing that our heroes have diverse abilities and use these against whoever they face in such great teamwork that they are unstoppable. This series just keeps on getting better full of sword and sorcery scenes, great world building and a fantastic cast of characters one cannot but help falling in love with. They are funny, loyal and charismatic all in their own different ways. The puzzles our friends had to solve to access the dark monolith are awesome and so very interesting. I know I just have to read further into this fun series, it’s so entertaining and jam packed with non-stop action.
February 14, 2021
The author has done a nice job of setting us up for this conclusion to the first three books. The companions finally set off to find the black monolith in the forest, hoping this quest will be the finish of the serpent cult. They take the Lady Alana of the Knights of the Rose with them this time. Lady Alana has contacted another of the troops and he has agreed to bring his men to their aid at the monolith. They have to figure out travel logistics for that group as well as for themselves so that no one is left alone without purpose. Of course, the heroes are the ones the cult is trying to stop, so the troops manage their overland trip without incident. Then the fun begins. We already know that the cult has had three days to get in and get out, but the tracks show them going in only, so now our heroes have to worry about finding them inside too. The stress builds up and doesn't stop until the last page of the book.
June 14, 2018
Dungeons and Dragons or Lord of the Rings anyone?
Epic Fantasy has long captured the imaginations of readers and this third episode stands up to the test. There are dangerous puzzles to solve to reach the ultimate prize, and all the heroes must display their courage and best skills to remain alive. If you like playing Dungeons and Dragons or just enjoyed reading the exploits of fantasy heroes in Lord of the Rings, then you will love reading this one.
Epic Fantasy has long captured the imaginations of readers and this third episode stands up to the test. There are dangerous puzzles to solve to reach the ultimate prize, and all the heroes must display their courage and best skills to remain alive. If you like playing Dungeons and Dragons or just enjoyed reading the exploits of fantasy heroes in Lord of the Rings, then you will love reading this one.
December 4, 2018
The saga continues in Dark Monolith. The heroes need to find an important book, with a very complicated spell inside, before any remainders of the Serpent Cult can get to it. They believe this begins with going to the 'dark monolith.' Thus begins another adventure for the heroes. I love this epic fantasy. The characters continue to grow and the plot, along with the world building, is incredible.
September 17, 2017
Great book.
It is a great adventure that doesn't have any swearing. It does have adult themes where the author states that charactes are naked but that is just about as far as it goes.
It is a great adventure that doesn't have any swearing. It does have adult themes where the author states that charactes are naked but that is just about as far as it goes.
February 12, 2023
Another fine addition to the story arc
Our heroes grow in skill, team work and insight as they face challenges and puzzles. Each character faces internal decisions as well, deepening emotions and intimacy. Really enjoy the authors ability to weave history and narrative.
Our heroes grow in skill, team work and insight as they face challenges and puzzles. Each character faces internal decisions as well, deepening emotions and intimacy. Really enjoy the authors ability to weave history and narrative.
March 30, 2018
More swords and sorcery
I highly recommend you read first 2 books in the series, this one builds from the story started there. Another fun and quick read.
I highly recommend you read first 2 books in the series, this one builds from the story started there. Another fun and quick read.
August 4, 2020
Great book. The plot, characters, and the action are great.
March 11, 2017
Step backward
The series is poorly written and crude. I felt hopeful in the minor improvements of the last book, but this one is the worst in the series. The grammar is rough. The humor is weak. Relationships are crude. Character development is just OK. Story seems like a copy of a video game manual. Worst of all, the story is incomplete and ends without closure.
The series is poorly written and crude. I felt hopeful in the minor improvements of the last book, but this one is the worst in the series. The grammar is rough. The humor is weak. Relationships are crude. Character development is just OK. Story seems like a copy of a video game manual. Worst of all, the story is incomplete and ends without closure.
May 15, 2015
As with his last two books, author F.P. Spirit has not disappointed me with The Dark Monolith. Each book in the Heroes of Ravenford series has consecutively gotten better (something which I applaud the author for), and I have to say that The Dark Monolith is my favorite in the series thus far!
Besides being packed with clean, fun adventure, great battles, and our beloved heroes who are full of sarcasm and wit, there is a lot more mystery, puzzle solving, and brain teasers presented in The Dark Monolith. I found myself trying to unravel the mysteries right along with the heroes.
There is also a bit of a love triangle going on between a few of the characters. Some of the shenanigans and conversations between the love sick couples had me laughing out loud more than once.
As in the last two books, there are some brilliant plot twists. One of them in particular took me completely by surprise (an occurrence that rarely happens to this girl).
However, unlike the last two books, The Dark Monolith left me hanging off the edge of a cliff. As I read the last sentence, I started crying and hyperventilating... okay, not really. But, I am pretty sure my favorite fictional people are about to die, and the author just left me on the edge of my seat, snarling for more.
Please come by my blog to read my full review!: Review of The Dark Monolith by FP Spirit
Besides being packed with clean, fun adventure, great battles, and our beloved heroes who are full of sarcasm and wit, there is a lot more mystery, puzzle solving, and brain teasers presented in The Dark Monolith. I found myself trying to unravel the mysteries right along with the heroes.
There is also a bit of a love triangle going on between a few of the characters. Some of the shenanigans and conversations between the love sick couples had me laughing out loud more than once.
As in the last two books, there are some brilliant plot twists. One of them in particular took me completely by surprise (an occurrence that rarely happens to this girl).
However, unlike the last two books, The Dark Monolith left me hanging off the edge of a cliff. As I read the last sentence, I started crying and hyperventilating... okay, not really. But, I am pretty sure my favorite fictional people are about to die, and the author just left me on the edge of my seat, snarling for more.
Please come by my blog to read my full review!: Review of The Dark Monolith by FP Spirit
November 29, 2016
This kind of fantasy book is one I'd like to call "fantasy junk food" (or "comfort food," whichever you prefer). It reads very much like a D&D novel, only it takes place in an original world. It's basically about a group of people of various talents who band together to fight evildoers. You have two armored swordsmen who act as tanks, two rogue-types, a wizard, a healer, and an archer. They fight with incredible agility and power, they heal with bright light, they shoot fireballs, they eat and make merry ... and of course, they fall in love and kiss a lot. I see that a lot of readers really like the characters for their witty banter and huge hearts, and I like them too, but the story has only a few compelling elements, which I prefer any story to have. The good guys are clearly good, and the bad guys are clearly bad. There aren't any shades of gray. The last few chapters made me feel like I was reading a strategy guide for a Japanese RPG, and while I admit I've played my fair share of that kind of video game, reading about witty characters solving labyrinth puzzles got awfully monotonous. I recommend this for fans of D&D, whether they're players or not, and my recommendation is lukewarm for anyone who would rather have compelling drama.
November 21, 2018
On to the monolith! To uncover the secrets of Thrall Master Larkarth and to prevent the serpent cult from making an army of atone golems Aksel, Lloyd, Glo, Seth, Elledan and their new friends Ruka, Donnie, Alana, and the mysterious Elistra all venture to the Thrall masters' monolith hoping to stop the serpent cult once and for all, each use their talent to keep the group safe but will it be enough or will they fail in their mission letting the land of Thac slip into chaos and war?
Will our favorite characters make it out of this alive or will this be the last battle they face together.
Will our favorite characters make it out of this alive or will this be the last battle they face together.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews