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The Hound of Hell #1
The Hound of Hell
He serves the Round Table in cruel and sadistic ways. But can this knighted spymaster survive when the tables turn?
Renault has pledged his deadly skills and mortal life to the Brotherhood. Even centuries after King Arthur’s demise, when the Merlin orders him to lead a rescue mission, he armors up without hesitation. Yet this cunning warrior did not predict his assignment would be a vicious fight to the death.
Aboard a speeding train with his men by his side, a shocking betrayal throws Renault off guard and jeopardizes the entire crusade. And with an old foe intent on claiming his head, he fears the forces of their combined enemies may finally outmatch his knights.
Can Renault defeat a desperate assassin and save the captive, or will his legendary reputation come to a gory end?
The Hound of Hell is the first book in the gripping Hound of Hell dark fantasy spin-off series within The Brotherhood of Merlin universe.
Renault has pledged his deadly skills and mortal life to the Brotherhood. Even centuries after King Arthur’s demise, when the Merlin orders him to lead a rescue mission, he armors up without hesitation. Yet this cunning warrior did not predict his assignment would be a vicious fight to the death.
Aboard a speeding train with his men by his side, a shocking betrayal throws Renault off guard and jeopardizes the entire crusade. And with an old foe intent on claiming his head, he fears the forces of their combined enemies may finally outmatch his knights.
Can Renault defeat a desperate assassin and save the captive, or will his legendary reputation come to a gory end?
The Hound of Hell is the first book in the gripping Hound of Hell dark fantasy spin-off series within The Brotherhood of Merlin universe.
150 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2019
412 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Rory D. Nelson
14 books33 followersWhen I was growing up, I never had aspirations of writing. Even as an adult, I never longed to write the great American novel. I believed I simply didn’t have the patience for it, though I had good writing skills. I worked hard to get into college, but once I was there I did little in the way of furthering my academic career and nothing in terms of building any future career. My greatest achievement in four years in college was successfully building a bong out of a hand held vacuum cleaner.
Like many college dropouts, I bounced aimlessly from job to job. I was a roofer, a fast food fry cook, a framer, a bouncer, cashier, housecleaner and even a would-be actor. Nothing enriched my soul or brought me any closer to happiness. I yearned for something more. I just didn’t know what it was.
In 1995, I reached a low point in my life. Fresh out of jail from a recent burglary conviction, I found myself homeless, unable to afford even the basic necessities and was forced to move back home to Idaho. I did regain some self-respect and finally got on my feet and once again became completely self-sufficient; but I was still pretty miserable.
I moved back to LA again in 1996 and after a number of unsavory and unsatisfying pursuits, I moved to Sacramento in 1999 to be with my then girlfriend, whom I later married. Like many couples, the illusion of true love obscured in a cloud of compatibility and chemistry eventually dissipated and reality set in. We divorced amicably enough.
By my late thirties, a relentless story had been steadily gnawing its way into my head in the form of dreams. An elaborate, rich, diverse character haunted me, begging me to give him life. Finally, I did just that. I began to write. The very first book I wrote of the character was not great and it was panned at a couple of writing conferences I attended.
Before I even got to the end of that book, the prequel to this amazing saga began to take on life. I knew I had to write it from the beginning. The story evolved as I wrote and continued to delve deeper into this world. This series is a labor of love and I hope you find the world as enthralling as I do.
Like many college dropouts, I bounced aimlessly from job to job. I was a roofer, a fast food fry cook, a framer, a bouncer, cashier, housecleaner and even a would-be actor. Nothing enriched my soul or brought me any closer to happiness. I yearned for something more. I just didn’t know what it was.
In 1995, I reached a low point in my life. Fresh out of jail from a recent burglary conviction, I found myself homeless, unable to afford even the basic necessities and was forced to move back home to Idaho. I did regain some self-respect and finally got on my feet and once again became completely self-sufficient; but I was still pretty miserable.
I moved back to LA again in 1996 and after a number of unsavory and unsatisfying pursuits, I moved to Sacramento in 1999 to be with my then girlfriend, whom I later married. Like many couples, the illusion of true love obscured in a cloud of compatibility and chemistry eventually dissipated and reality set in. We divorced amicably enough.
By my late thirties, a relentless story had been steadily gnawing its way into my head in the form of dreams. An elaborate, rich, diverse character haunted me, begging me to give him life. Finally, I did just that. I began to write. The very first book I wrote of the character was not great and it was panned at a couple of writing conferences I attended.
Before I even got to the end of that book, the prequel to this amazing saga began to take on life. I knew I had to write it from the beginning. The story evolved as I wrote and continued to delve deeper into this world. This series is a labor of love and I hope you find the world as enthralling as I do.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 3, 2019
The Hound of Hell (The Hound of Hell #1) by Rory D. Nelson is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. Ugh! I wanted to like this book so much, I mean look at this cover! The writing was so humbled that I couldn't keep track of what was going on most of the time. The strange language just left me totally uninterested. I was so looking forward to this book!😢
May 17, 2022
A worldwide weird west steampunk story that needed a professional edit.
May 27, 2019
I received an ARC of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I tried with this book, i honestly did.
I struggled through the horrendous language and seriously misogynistic writing for two chapters. But when i got to chapter 3 i just couldn’t continue any further.
This book is most definitely one to add to the DNF collection.
The sheer misogyny annoyed me through the writing and the repetitive, poor use of language (language and grammar that doesn’t even make sense, by the way. One wonders if the author realises that his protagonist is running around in chaps and underpants??)
As an aside - despite the misogynistic language used in the book i was willing to overlook, and soften this review at a later date.
But the fact that the author had the downright nerve to tell me that i couldn’t possibly have read his book (in such an aggressive tone) just beggars belief, and tells me that i was absolutely correct in my assessment of both the book and the author himself.
To other writers out there - if someone gives you a sh***y star rating, maybe don’t aggressively message them and dictate to them that they couldn’t possibly have read YOUR book.
A gentle enquiry will endear you in greater stead, and in the past i have been known to reattempt books after a civil conversation with the authors.
Definitely not in this case!
#netgalley
I tried with this book, i honestly did.
I struggled through the horrendous language and seriously misogynistic writing for two chapters. But when i got to chapter 3 i just couldn’t continue any further.
This book is most definitely one to add to the DNF collection.
The sheer misogyny annoyed me through the writing and the repetitive, poor use of language (language and grammar that doesn’t even make sense, by the way. One wonders if the author realises that his protagonist is running around in chaps and underpants??)
As an aside - despite the misogynistic language used in the book i was willing to overlook, and soften this review at a later date.
But the fact that the author had the downright nerve to tell me that i couldn’t possibly have read his book (in such an aggressive tone) just beggars belief, and tells me that i was absolutely correct in my assessment of both the book and the author himself.
To other writers out there - if someone gives you a sh***y star rating, maybe don’t aggressively message them and dictate to them that they couldn’t possibly have read YOUR book.
A gentle enquiry will endear you in greater stead, and in the past i have been known to reattempt books after a civil conversation with the authors.
Definitely not in this case!
#netgalley
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November 17, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/17/2020)! 🎁
May 17, 2019
The Hound of Hell centers around Renault - the leader of Merlin’s underground network. In an elaborate attempt at subterfuge, Renault, and Daliance infiltrate the Visi-Gauls. They found a way out of their tumultuous ordeal, but I won’t spoil it by telling you what happened. Renault character is tenacious, cunning, loyal to a fault, heroic, selfless, compassionate and sensitive, which I wasn’t expecting.
From the start, Renault is complex, reveling in his torture of his enemies like some mad, petulant child. I was a bit disgusted with him. But by about a third of the way in, there’s a scene with a member of his family that had me in tears. My heart bled for his tortured soul.
By the half-way point in the book, how the hell Renault emerges from the deep hole he’s put himself in will have your head scratchin’. Half of his men have betrayed him; a ruthless and sadistic Commander is on his tale; and a huge bounty sits on his head. Renault has his work cut out for him. Throughout the various scenes, I found him to be brooding, dark, and uncompromising. A nice twisted anti-hero suits him just fine. Look at the book cover.
This dark fantasy parallels events that happen in The Brotherhood of Merlin series, namely Book Three. And it’s a spin-off from BOM - chronicles the Knights of The Round Table several hundred years after the death of King Arthur. You’ll get a glimpse of how Merlin strategizes with his dark brethren. The warped machinations of the infamous villain’s pepper this very shadowy epic.
Nelson has a talent in weaving various plot layers. So, I get the sense from his writing there will be more books in either series. Most likely it’ll converge at some point. Now that would definitely be epic.
I was lucky enough to receive review copies for all the books in The Brotherhood of Merlin series. And as much I loved that entire series, I think this series is better. There is more suspense in the fight scenes, unexpected twists in the plots, and like an onion, pealing the layers is entertainment at its finest.
And, before I forget, this series has badass heroines. Finally! Thank you Nelson. These badass heroines play a major role throughout the series. I especially loved Bella, the Shariff of Oriza, and love interest of Renault’s best friend, Drake, the Kill-Smith. You guessed it; he’s also a spy. Gotta love that name and he lives up to it.
Overall, the plot moves at a breakneck speed, twisting, turning, and surprising the hell out of me. I was so immersed in the book as I could not guess what would happen next – that’s a rarity for me. Several hours would go by without my notice and I finished the book in two sittings. What does that tell you?
My only complaint is that it ended much too soon especially with that cliff-hanger ending. Now, I wait patiently for Book Two and can’t wait to see where it will take me. This would make an awesome movie.
From the start, Renault is complex, reveling in his torture of his enemies like some mad, petulant child. I was a bit disgusted with him. But by about a third of the way in, there’s a scene with a member of his family that had me in tears. My heart bled for his tortured soul.
By the half-way point in the book, how the hell Renault emerges from the deep hole he’s put himself in will have your head scratchin’. Half of his men have betrayed him; a ruthless and sadistic Commander is on his tale; and a huge bounty sits on his head. Renault has his work cut out for him. Throughout the various scenes, I found him to be brooding, dark, and uncompromising. A nice twisted anti-hero suits him just fine. Look at the book cover.
This dark fantasy parallels events that happen in The Brotherhood of Merlin series, namely Book Three. And it’s a spin-off from BOM - chronicles the Knights of The Round Table several hundred years after the death of King Arthur. You’ll get a glimpse of how Merlin strategizes with his dark brethren. The warped machinations of the infamous villain’s pepper this very shadowy epic.
Nelson has a talent in weaving various plot layers. So, I get the sense from his writing there will be more books in either series. Most likely it’ll converge at some point. Now that would definitely be epic.
I was lucky enough to receive review copies for all the books in The Brotherhood of Merlin series. And as much I loved that entire series, I think this series is better. There is more suspense in the fight scenes, unexpected twists in the plots, and like an onion, pealing the layers is entertainment at its finest.
And, before I forget, this series has badass heroines. Finally! Thank you Nelson. These badass heroines play a major role throughout the series. I especially loved Bella, the Shariff of Oriza, and love interest of Renault’s best friend, Drake, the Kill-Smith. You guessed it; he’s also a spy. Gotta love that name and he lives up to it.
Overall, the plot moves at a breakneck speed, twisting, turning, and surprising the hell out of me. I was so immersed in the book as I could not guess what would happen next – that’s a rarity for me. Several hours would go by without my notice and I finished the book in two sittings. What does that tell you?
My only complaint is that it ended much too soon especially with that cliff-hanger ending. Now, I wait patiently for Book Two and can’t wait to see where it will take me. This would make an awesome movie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2019
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited to dive into this book because the premise is right up my alley. I love anti-heroes, spy stories, and anything Arthurian/Merlinian, so a book about an anti-hero spy working for Merlin should be a match made in heaven for me.
Alas, that was not the case at all. According to Netgalley's listing for the book, The Hound of Hell is a spin-off series of the author's previous series, The Brotherhood of Merlin, which I have not read. Being the first book in a spin-off series, one would expect a bare minimum of enough worldbuilding and context to understand why the reader is supposed to care about the characters, but unfortunately, Nelson fails in that regard.
The Hound of Hell dumps the reader into the plot with no backstory, no context, and no idea what is happening. POV changes happen with no notice or reasoning, simply expecting the reader to figure it out on their own, and the same happens with flashbacks -- not even a divider or formatting change to help the reader catch on. The grammar and sentence structure is a hot mess, thus making following the practically non-existent plot utterly impossible.
Even without considering the bad formatting and lack of context, the characters (particularly the main character, Renault) are one-dimensional, boring, and predictable. Renault is essentially a homicidal and blood-thirsty Gary Stu who revels in bloodshed, and Nelson caters to this, spending more time describing gruesome (and completely unnecessary) killings than furthering the plot or worldbuilding. He then tries to force the reader to like and sympathize with Renault in exceedingly more and more absurd ways. Renault also apparently has psychic mind-reading abilities, but that seemingly doesn't help him in his spying duties...?
The author can't even seemingly decide what era this novel takes place in. Both it and its parent series are seemingly meant to take place "several hundred years after the death of King Arthur" -- which would still put them several hundred years before present day according to Arthurian legend. Nelson mainly focuses on typical Medieval and just-after-Medieval era hallmarks for the practically non-existent world building that is done, but then he throws in words like "bubble butt" (referring to a courtesan, and one of the least problematic things said about or done to courtesans and women in this novel) and "pixie stick."
It takes a lot for me to DNF a book, especially for an ARC and/or before the 50% point, but I had to for this novel. It genuinely reads like badly written fanfiction for a person with homicidal desires. Upon reading other reviews and seeing that the author aggressively messaged another reviewer for their bad review, that just confirms my dislike.
This novel left a bad taste in my mouth, and I'd suggest avoiding it at all costs.
I was excited to dive into this book because the premise is right up my alley. I love anti-heroes, spy stories, and anything Arthurian/Merlinian, so a book about an anti-hero spy working for Merlin should be a match made in heaven for me.
Alas, that was not the case at all. According to Netgalley's listing for the book, The Hound of Hell is a spin-off series of the author's previous series, The Brotherhood of Merlin, which I have not read. Being the first book in a spin-off series, one would expect a bare minimum of enough worldbuilding and context to understand why the reader is supposed to care about the characters, but unfortunately, Nelson fails in that regard.
The Hound of Hell dumps the reader into the plot with no backstory, no context, and no idea what is happening. POV changes happen with no notice or reasoning, simply expecting the reader to figure it out on their own, and the same happens with flashbacks -- not even a divider or formatting change to help the reader catch on. The grammar and sentence structure is a hot mess, thus making following the practically non-existent plot utterly impossible.
Even without considering the bad formatting and lack of context, the characters (particularly the main character, Renault) are one-dimensional, boring, and predictable. Renault is essentially a homicidal and blood-thirsty Gary Stu who revels in bloodshed, and Nelson caters to this, spending more time describing gruesome (and completely unnecessary) killings than furthering the plot or worldbuilding. He then tries to force the reader to like and sympathize with Renault in exceedingly more and more absurd ways. Renault also apparently has psychic mind-reading abilities, but that seemingly doesn't help him in his spying duties...?
The author can't even seemingly decide what era this novel takes place in. Both it and its parent series are seemingly meant to take place "several hundred years after the death of King Arthur" -- which would still put them several hundred years before present day according to Arthurian legend. Nelson mainly focuses on typical Medieval and just-after-Medieval era hallmarks for the practically non-existent world building that is done, but then he throws in words like "bubble butt" (referring to a courtesan, and one of the least problematic things said about or done to courtesans and women in this novel) and "pixie stick."
It takes a lot for me to DNF a book, especially for an ARC and/or before the 50% point, but I had to for this novel. It genuinely reads like badly written fanfiction for a person with homicidal desires. Upon reading other reviews and seeing that the author aggressively messaged another reviewer for their bad review, that just confirms my dislike.
This novel left a bad taste in my mouth, and I'd suggest avoiding it at all costs.
August 14, 2019
I must admit that I was very misled by the description of this book. I thought it would be a sort of Arthurian Knights of the Round Table story in a western setting. Nope. The only thing “Arthurian” about this story was the name Merlin.
And while I truly dislike having to give a bad review of someone’s work, I must be honest and say this was a poorly written (seriously in need of editing), ridiculously violent (bloody, gruesome murder on nearly every page and the same, few stupid methods of killing over and over), and overly foul-mouthed free-for-all — like a teenaged boy’s fantasy spewed across the pages. I couldn’t even tell if the misspellings were intentional or not, since the spelling of some words would change randomly.
There wasn’t much of a plot (except blood, body parts, and f-bombs flying everywhere), and what little story line there was seemed to have no real motivation or logical reasoning behind it. I never actually figured out why they were springing Crixus from the train, other than Merlin told them to and it was an excuse to kill a bunch of people and destroy a train.
It took everything I had to finish this book, but I kept going, hoping it would eventually make sense and have some redeeming quality. Unfortunately, it really never did. Maybe I’d need to read the original Brotherhood of Merlin series to understand what’s going on. However, after slogging through this mess, I can tell you that’s not going to happen.
I always try to find something good to say about a book, but it’s very difficult to do with this one. I guess I could tell you that one female character (which, by the way, are all over-sexualized) cared about her kids. That’s about the nicest thing I can come up with. Okay, and the cover is pretty cool, but that’s it. Sorry to say, but this is one I highly recommend you don’t buy. The author could truly benefit from an honest group of beta-readers and a well-paid editor to clean this up and make it even remotely worth reading.
I picked up a complimentary digital ARC of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own.
And while I truly dislike having to give a bad review of someone’s work, I must be honest and say this was a poorly written (seriously in need of editing), ridiculously violent (bloody, gruesome murder on nearly every page and the same, few stupid methods of killing over and over), and overly foul-mouthed free-for-all — like a teenaged boy’s fantasy spewed across the pages. I couldn’t even tell if the misspellings were intentional or not, since the spelling of some words would change randomly.
There wasn’t much of a plot (except blood, body parts, and f-bombs flying everywhere), and what little story line there was seemed to have no real motivation or logical reasoning behind it. I never actually figured out why they were springing Crixus from the train, other than Merlin told them to and it was an excuse to kill a bunch of people and destroy a train.
It took everything I had to finish this book, but I kept going, hoping it would eventually make sense and have some redeeming quality. Unfortunately, it really never did. Maybe I’d need to read the original Brotherhood of Merlin series to understand what’s going on. However, after slogging through this mess, I can tell you that’s not going to happen.
I always try to find something good to say about a book, but it’s very difficult to do with this one. I guess I could tell you that one female character (which, by the way, are all over-sexualized) cared about her kids. That’s about the nicest thing I can come up with. Okay, and the cover is pretty cool, but that’s it. Sorry to say, but this is one I highly recommend you don’t buy. The author could truly benefit from an honest group of beta-readers and a well-paid editor to clean this up and make it even remotely worth reading.
I picked up a complimentary digital ARC of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own.
May 25, 2025
This is a too-fast-paced with not nearly enough characterization novel. The main character has a backstory that isn't revealed yet but promises to be intriguing. The problem is that the writer needs the Renault to be engaging now, in this book, and Renault is not. Sure, he throws knives, but when he whips them out, there should be an affectation like he wears gloves to avoid cuts. His father made him wear the gloves to protect his hands. A man is known by the way he keeps his hands. Or some such.
Why is the protagonist called the Hound of Hell? This is book one information. The writer doesn't know if his reader will even want to read book 2. There's a lot of action that moves at a pace that is almost too rapid. The story doesn't breathe, and it could definitely benefit from a few breaths. I don't understand the why things are happening. There are some writers that overshare on exposition. Nelson does not. There is very little exposition here.
A thorough rewrite would IMHO make this a lot better. The action is cinematic. One can actually visualize what is happening as if it were occurring in a movie. This is a big positive. The action sequences give life to the story, but there does not appear to be enough of a narrative thread between the sequences to tell a story sufficiently engaging or thought-provoking.
Why is the protagonist called the Hound of Hell? This is book one information. The writer doesn't know if his reader will even want to read book 2. There's a lot of action that moves at a pace that is almost too rapid. The story doesn't breathe, and it could definitely benefit from a few breaths. I don't understand the why things are happening. There are some writers that overshare on exposition. Nelson does not. There is very little exposition here.
A thorough rewrite would IMHO make this a lot better. The action is cinematic. One can actually visualize what is happening as if it were occurring in a movie. This is a big positive. The action sequences give life to the story, but there does not appear to be enough of a narrative thread between the sequences to tell a story sufficiently engaging or thought-provoking.
October 2, 2019
I finished one of this author's books once before. I was bad to put it mildly; he hasn't improved in the least. I tried to give him a second chance and it was purely in vain. Had to give up on it about a dozen pages or so in. He can't seem to decide what genre he is writing in. I paid nothing for this book and at least to me that's exactly what it was worth. I definitely is a vanity publishing job. He should find something that he is good at; writing isn't it.
August 26, 2019
Although I’m new to this particular author’s style and even his books in general, I can say without a doubt that this work left a marvelous impression. For anyone who, hasn’t read this or is still in the process of deciding if it is worth their time, I would definitely say so. A book such as this is hard to come by and is sure to entice not only your curiosity but also your heart. With a setting that is based in a time between the old west and the early industrial age, this is something less seen nowadays. Yet the author takes it a step further and molds the book creatively with a smidge of pre-modern developments such as weaponry. Aspects like these only serve as a taste of the true genius the author put into the work. Furthermore, in consideration to the characters, I love the names used, such as: Merlin, Whalen, and the main character Renault. Occupations where another facet that caught my attention. Truly, I was caught off guard finding out the main character was an assassin in this setting. For my first time reading this, I was left on the edge of my seat from the action and suspense between Whalen and Renault. The chemistry between each character and the plot was very elaborately written in such a manner as to drive a reader to always be questioning what will come next. Personally, I’m unquestionably looking forward to the next release and would recommend to any other potential readers to snatch up the opportunity to read this without delay.
August 31, 2019
The cover was great and the concept was intriguing. I enjoyed the fast paced action scenes. They were bloody and fun to read. The story was a bit hard to get into for me with the way it was written it was just a little hard to follow and understand at times. But I did enjoy the overall Wild West action feel of the story like I said it was unique and interesting.
August 25, 2019
I read Rory D. Nelson's The Hound of Hell before knowing of his previous books. After reading The Hound of Hell, I am so intrigued in the world of his book that I want to read the Brotherhood of Merlin series so I can learn more of his unique world. When I read his book, I was taken in by such an action packed, nail-biting, and emotional read with our amazing Renault and his friends like Drake. I recommend reading his amazing book, but make sure to read the series before hand as it will help you understand certain events that transpire in The Hound of Hell. I certainly will!
September 3, 2019
It was a little more western than I expected when Merlin is involved. I did enjoy it though. It was different than most books featuring Merlin, & a little confusing since I have not read the other series. Death scenes can be graphic & ends on cliffhanger. I received an ARC copy & volunteered to leave a review.
June 8, 2020
Renault is on a mission for Merlin and the Round Table in this steam-punk flavored western fantasy. He needs to rescue a man from a train guarded by hoards of soldiers with a team of operatives that may or may not betray him. The settings and mission kept reminding me of a Western movie set in Mexico where a group was out to rob a gold train. Take that vibe, add in gyro-copters, strange weapons, plenty of action and you get a bit of a thrill ride for your trouble. This being my first foray into this universe, I had to wonder about the backstory, but that could be fixed by reading other volumes by this author. Not a bad introduction to this universe.
December 27, 2019
We met Renault in the Merlin and Brotherhood series, and although he was quick to kill, he also had a compassionate side to him.
This is a mission given to him by Merlin, but nothing goes to plan.
It is a cliffhanger, but l am looking forward to see what comes next, as I don't believe the brothers would give up on one of their own.
This episode wasn't as graphically intensive as others from this author. Although, the violence was still imparted, it was more in keeping with the context of the story, rather than the horror factor.
This is a mission given to him by Merlin, but nothing goes to plan.
It is a cliffhanger, but l am looking forward to see what comes next, as I don't believe the brothers would give up on one of their own.
This episode wasn't as graphically intensive as others from this author. Although, the violence was still imparted, it was more in keeping with the context of the story, rather than the horror factor.
December 4, 2021
The story was a bit hard to get into for me with the way it was written it was just a little hard to follow at first. After the first few pages the plot moves at a breakneck speed, twisting, turning, totally surprising the hell out of me. At that point I was so immersed in the book as I could not guess what would happen next – several hours went by without notice and I finished the book.
My one complaint is that it ended much too soon leaving me with that cliff-hanger ending. Now, I'm patiently waiting for Book Two. I can’t wait to see what will happen next.
My one complaint is that it ended much too soon leaving me with that cliff-hanger ending. Now, I'm patiently waiting for Book Two. I can’t wait to see what will happen next.
August 13, 2022
A western in the same sense that Stephen King's The Dark Tower is a western. Lots of gunslinging and gun fights. Violence is excessive and graphic, including many sex scenes both with and without rape. I found the level of violence off putting. Read Books 1 through 3.
Well written, with a decent plot and well drawn characters, but the violence was way over the top.
Well written, with a decent plot and well drawn characters, but the violence was way over the top.
May 26, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
It started off very well but for some reason through the whole book I had this cowboy movie. It was OK but as if something was missing. The main character felt undeveloped
It started off very well but for some reason through the whole book I had this cowboy movie. It was OK but as if something was missing. The main character felt undeveloped
November 20, 2020
This book that Rory Nelson put together is a real page turner. The characters He has developed are very interesting and the plot is fascinating! If you liked this book, it is the first one in A series. The second book is already out! An . read. Santa Mike
January 29, 2021
I loved the cover. Loved the synopsis. Then...just wasn't wowed by the story or the writing. I think it has a lot of potential, but overall was just hard to follow the story, and at times difficult to read.
August 30, 2022
This is a great series starter. The characters are memorable and very interesting. The action is almost non-stop and extremely detailed. If you like reading step by step descriptions of battles, you'll love this book.
April 6, 2024
no thank you
I only have one word to say “shariff” I just cannot get past it. Review says it needs more words. Learn how to spell it’s to distracting. I could get past the page where it was spelled correctly only one time but the other 6 were wrong.
I only have one word to say “shariff” I just cannot get past it. Review says it needs more words. Learn how to spell it’s to distracting. I could get past the page where it was spelled correctly only one time but the other 6 were wrong.
January 20, 2020
Spellbinding
Definitely holds your attention. Had to read in one sitting but hated how it left me hanging.
Can hardly wait for book 2.
Definitely holds your attention. Had to read in one sitting but hated how it left me hanging.
Can hardly wait for book 2.
November 27, 2020
Cliffhanger
Ends with a real cliffhanger. I wasn't going to get the next one in the series, but now I guess I will have to. Lots of action and gore.
Ends with a real cliffhanger. I wasn't going to get the next one in the series, but now I guess I will have to. Lots of action and gore.
August 31, 2022
Great boxset not my usual genre but loved the fast pace of action all characters had there own individual identity
January 15, 2023
This was OK, but I don't think I will be reading any more of this series.
There is too much blood, gore, cursing, and abusive sex for my taste.
There is too much blood, gore, cursing, and abusive sex for my taste.
September 29, 2019
This was a quick DNF.
I barely made it 30 pages in before I knew it was a lost cause. I kept rereading passages to the point where I was going nowhere.
The characters. The plot. Nothing stuck, so unfortunately, I had to put it down even though the synopsis initially intrigued me.
I barely made it 30 pages in before I knew it was a lost cause. I kept rereading passages to the point where I was going nowhere.
The characters. The plot. Nothing stuck, so unfortunately, I had to put it down even though the synopsis initially intrigued me.
September 6, 2019
I jumped at the chance to read this book as an ARC through Netgalley because of the awesome cover and the description of the book. Alas, it was not at all what I expected. Is it Fantasy? Western? Alternative history? I'm still not sure.
I love the legend of King Arthur and this book was touted as being somehow connected with that legend. The only thing Arthurian that I could find in this book was the name Merlin. Renault is a spy working for Merlin, but I had an extremely difficult time figuring out what his mission was most of the time and what was happening.
I really tried to like this book and wanted to enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me. I thought maybe I was missing something, but it seems that the reviewers are very divided along two lines: 5 stars/loved it or 1 star/UGH!
The opening chapter has Renault in prison, but he is able to break out and kill numerous guards because he's such a bada**. Violence, blood and gore greet the reader in the first three chapters to the point that I almost said, "Forget it!". I don't mind some violence, but when it is used to cover up the lack of a good story, it's just gratuitous.
There might be more books in this series (since this is called #1), but I won't be bothering to find out.
I love the legend of King Arthur and this book was touted as being somehow connected with that legend. The only thing Arthurian that I could find in this book was the name Merlin. Renault is a spy working for Merlin, but I had an extremely difficult time figuring out what his mission was most of the time and what was happening.
I really tried to like this book and wanted to enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me. I thought maybe I was missing something, but it seems that the reviewers are very divided along two lines: 5 stars/loved it or 1 star/UGH!
The opening chapter has Renault in prison, but he is able to break out and kill numerous guards because he's such a bada**. Violence, blood and gore greet the reader in the first three chapters to the point that I almost said, "Forget it!". I don't mind some violence, but when it is used to cover up the lack of a good story, it's just gratuitous.
There might be more books in this series (since this is called #1), but I won't be bothering to find out.
September 8, 2019
A thrilling and chilling suspense laden adventure that takes place in a steampunk environment. Enjoyable and fun for all!
September 2, 2019
This book had a very interesting plot and different, which with so many books out there following the same idea was enjoyable. I found it rather interesting but it is a tad bit hard to follow, this the 4 stars instead of 5. But I would definitely recommend it. It does have violence but it goes with the theme of the book. I did receive an advanced readers copy of this book provided by the author but the review is my opinion and mine only
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