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A Thief's Tale #1
I, Exile
Exiled into a wasteland because of a heist gone wrong, Emelith vows to hunt down the one responsible. Except not all is what it seems in the haunted realm of the Cauldron.
- GenresFantasyLow Fantasy
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 29, 2020
6 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
David M. Samuels
8 books42 followersAuthor writes under the penname D.M. Samuels as well.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 24, 2020
I, Exile was a perfect read for me right now. It is a shorter book with nearly non stop action, and not all the wordy fluff that comes with a lot of fantasy books. Don’t get me wrong, I love fluff, but sometimes a fast-paced adventure is a great change of pace.
Emelith is the main character, a thief who is captured during a heist and then exiled out into the wastes. She is bent on tracking down and having the head of her partner for the heist having backfired. I would have liked to know more about her abilities and why she is such a great thief, but Emelith’s diplomatic skills and personal growth in the story are two things I really like about her character. The strongest women can admit when they’re wrong and learn from their misconceptions and I love seeing that in books. As a 30 something I definitely appreciate a slightly older main character as well.
After meeting a tribe of exiles led by an old sorceress, Emelith starts to realize that there is so much more to everything than meets the eye. I liked the banter between the tribe, most of the characters, and especially Ruso the dog, who takes an instant liking to Emelith.
An ancient necromancer trying to gain his soul back, giant worms and spiders, heat and sun and cold, plus some nasty blue monsters are just a few of the things the tribe must face as they journey in pursuit of Emelith’s possessed partner. It was interesting to read about the magic possessed by the sorceress as well as the necromancer/lich, we get a history and back story but not too much small detail.
Samuels does a great job with setting and geological descriptions as far as giving us a context for the story. He really packed quite a lot of world building and setting into a short book.
My biggest and really only issue with the book was the language. Some times there was tribal language and slang appropriate to the setting and culture, and sometimes there was modern slang which to me just doesn’t fit in a fantasy. Also a cannon was mentioned where for the rest of the book, only magic and swords and bows were used with no mention of firepower.
Overall I totally recommend to fans of fantasy adventures and mixed casts of characters. I was never bored at all while reading and I can’t wait to see where Samuels takes this series.
Emelith is the main character, a thief who is captured during a heist and then exiled out into the wastes. She is bent on tracking down and having the head of her partner for the heist having backfired. I would have liked to know more about her abilities and why she is such a great thief, but Emelith’s diplomatic skills and personal growth in the story are two things I really like about her character. The strongest women can admit when they’re wrong and learn from their misconceptions and I love seeing that in books. As a 30 something I definitely appreciate a slightly older main character as well.
After meeting a tribe of exiles led by an old sorceress, Emelith starts to realize that there is so much more to everything than meets the eye. I liked the banter between the tribe, most of the characters, and especially Ruso the dog, who takes an instant liking to Emelith.
An ancient necromancer trying to gain his soul back, giant worms and spiders, heat and sun and cold, plus some nasty blue monsters are just a few of the things the tribe must face as they journey in pursuit of Emelith’s possessed partner. It was interesting to read about the magic possessed by the sorceress as well as the necromancer/lich, we get a history and back story but not too much small detail.
Samuels does a great job with setting and geological descriptions as far as giving us a context for the story. He really packed quite a lot of world building and setting into a short book.
My biggest and really only issue with the book was the language. Some times there was tribal language and slang appropriate to the setting and culture, and sometimes there was modern slang which to me just doesn’t fit in a fantasy. Also a cannon was mentioned where for the rest of the book, only magic and swords and bows were used with no mention of firepower.
Overall I totally recommend to fans of fantasy adventures and mixed casts of characters. I was never bored at all while reading and I can’t wait to see where Samuels takes this series.
May 29, 2020
A fast-paced, plot-heavy adventure about a heist gone wrong, an exile to a desert wasteland, and a threat from a powerful opponent that could spell doom for all the land.
The plot was a fun trip, but the characters were a bit too thin. There was more depth added toward the end of the book, but it would have been nice to put it at the beginning so I could have cared more about character motivation and cheered or jeered them on.
If you’re a fan of playing RPGs, whether it’s a computer game or a D&D campaign with friends, you’ll likely enjoy this story. Most of the book was a quest through various locations, ‘NPC’ encounters, and lots and lots of monsters.
There are a few convenient “just-in-time!” moments, and injuries didn’t seem to slow the party down, but the story moves so quickly into the next challenge that it’s hard to dwell on anything for too long.
Overall, a fun sword-and-sorcery adventure that feels like a RPG campaign in book form. Recommended!
7.0 / 10
The plot was a fun trip, but the characters were a bit too thin. There was more depth added toward the end of the book, but it would have been nice to put it at the beginning so I could have cared more about character motivation and cheered or jeered them on.
If you’re a fan of playing RPGs, whether it’s a computer game or a D&D campaign with friends, you’ll likely enjoy this story. Most of the book was a quest through various locations, ‘NPC’ encounters, and lots and lots of monsters.
There are a few convenient “just-in-time!” moments, and injuries didn’t seem to slow the party down, but the story moves so quickly into the next challenge that it’s hard to dwell on anything for too long.
Overall, a fun sword-and-sorcery adventure that feels like a RPG campaign in book form. Recommended!
7.0 / 10
February 29, 2020
The author, David Samuels, approached me for a review after finding me on the TBRindr list. I am happy to help out a fellow indie author, so I read his pitch. It called it an adventure story that would appeal to fans of Kings of the Wyld and Gentlemen Bastards (both of which I have not yet read). However, he said that the plot and the atmosphere capture the spirit of Mad Max (2015), The Mummy (1999), and Indiana Jones (no date given - let's go with the first three movies). I chuckled to myself about how, owing to the ubiquity of remakes these days, it was necessary for David to date the films he cited.
I was damn glad he picked 1999’s The Mummy, and not the newer one - shows a basic elevated level of taste, you know?
A quick note about my review style: I am no monkey picking nits from the hide of his pack mate. I take a Ram Dassian view of art, i.e. perfection does not exist in nature, but five out of five reviews do (go figure)! I try to look at books as forests, rather than groupings of trees, and I’m not a teacher. If a book is effective in what it sets out to do, the writing is good, and I am happy with it when it’s done, I generally give it full marks. Small stylistic, grammatical, or spelling blemishes do not usually detract from a score. What will detract is abortive pacing (one of my biggest peeves), overuse of description (see first peeve), and ineffectual characterization. I also know from personal experience that some things decried as bugs are in fact features, so I try to appreciate what an author is trying to do when I come up with my score.
In this case, it was billed as an adventure story like The Mummy. That is precisely what we get.
Review – 5/5
As I said, this is an adventure story in a desert setting, filled with ancient evils and arcane knowledge from days gone by. There is a boatload of rollicking action, a few twists, and an epic conclusion that leaves it open for a sequel.
A dyed-in-the-wool H.P. Lovecraft aficionado, I have a serious love for descriptive prose. I am all for a bit of the old Hemingway ‘cut it down to the bones’ version of writing, which has basically taken over most fiction these days. But God damn – do I enjoy it when I have to use the Kindle dictionary to expand my vocabulary as I read. Give me death or give me da purp(le prose). Thankfully, Samuels delivers the latter (although there is plenty of the former to go around for some of the characters). That’s not to say that the language is too complex, which is a problem in and of itself. Rather, I, Exile has a style that is very descriptive but not overly so. A fine balance was struck by Samuels – hats off to him.
I also enjoyed the use of anachronisms and modern slang. I do not find that this detracts from a story, and it was fitting, given that the main character (it’s told from a first-person perspective) is a jailbird. At first I thought this was a heist tale, because it starts of with the main character, Emelith, and her partner, Niellan, attempting to thieve some ancient scroll from a bunch of hard-ass monks. Things go south pretty quickly – Niellan double-crosses her and Emelith is left to pick up the pieces in jail.
She is sentenced to death for her crime, a sentence which involves being cast out into a massive desert wasteland, the site of some ancient apocalyptic happening where nothing grows, except for giant scorpions and spiders and all kinds of Mummy-esque nastiness. She eventually does meet other people, though, and while we don’t find a mummy in the story, there is a perfect fantasy version of that idea represented as the main villain (one hint: phylactery)…
I won’t go into any further detail, because you’ll need to read it yourself. Suffice it to say that the story is action-packed, featuring interesting characters and expertly-timed beats. The pacing is just fantastico. I’ll be frank: you’re not getting a huge philosophical statement on the human condition, but there is a redemption element to the story which was enjoyable. I especially liked Emelith’s change in perspective and what she does at the end. I won’t spoil it. Nonetheless, I, Exile is a popcorn flick of a book, and it executes this perfectly well.
Overall, I was very impressed with David Samuels’ I, Exile. I read the book over the course of a couple of days, which is a great sign. I waited to post the review, though, because today is launch day!
I was damn glad he picked 1999’s The Mummy, and not the newer one - shows a basic elevated level of taste, you know?
A quick note about my review style: I am no monkey picking nits from the hide of his pack mate. I take a Ram Dassian view of art, i.e. perfection does not exist in nature, but five out of five reviews do (go figure)! I try to look at books as forests, rather than groupings of trees, and I’m not a teacher. If a book is effective in what it sets out to do, the writing is good, and I am happy with it when it’s done, I generally give it full marks. Small stylistic, grammatical, or spelling blemishes do not usually detract from a score. What will detract is abortive pacing (one of my biggest peeves), overuse of description (see first peeve), and ineffectual characterization. I also know from personal experience that some things decried as bugs are in fact features, so I try to appreciate what an author is trying to do when I come up with my score.
In this case, it was billed as an adventure story like The Mummy. That is precisely what we get.
Review – 5/5
As I said, this is an adventure story in a desert setting, filled with ancient evils and arcane knowledge from days gone by. There is a boatload of rollicking action, a few twists, and an epic conclusion that leaves it open for a sequel.
A dyed-in-the-wool H.P. Lovecraft aficionado, I have a serious love for descriptive prose. I am all for a bit of the old Hemingway ‘cut it down to the bones’ version of writing, which has basically taken over most fiction these days. But God damn – do I enjoy it when I have to use the Kindle dictionary to expand my vocabulary as I read. Give me death or give me da purp(le prose). Thankfully, Samuels delivers the latter (although there is plenty of the former to go around for some of the characters). That’s not to say that the language is too complex, which is a problem in and of itself. Rather, I, Exile has a style that is very descriptive but not overly so. A fine balance was struck by Samuels – hats off to him.
I also enjoyed the use of anachronisms and modern slang. I do not find that this detracts from a story, and it was fitting, given that the main character (it’s told from a first-person perspective) is a jailbird. At first I thought this was a heist tale, because it starts of with the main character, Emelith, and her partner, Niellan, attempting to thieve some ancient scroll from a bunch of hard-ass monks. Things go south pretty quickly – Niellan double-crosses her and Emelith is left to pick up the pieces in jail.
She is sentenced to death for her crime, a sentence which involves being cast out into a massive desert wasteland, the site of some ancient apocalyptic happening where nothing grows, except for giant scorpions and spiders and all kinds of Mummy-esque nastiness. She eventually does meet other people, though, and while we don’t find a mummy in the story, there is a perfect fantasy version of that idea represented as the main villain (one hint: phylactery)…
I won’t go into any further detail, because you’ll need to read it yourself. Suffice it to say that the story is action-packed, featuring interesting characters and expertly-timed beats. The pacing is just fantastico. I’ll be frank: you’re not getting a huge philosophical statement on the human condition, but there is a redemption element to the story which was enjoyable. I especially liked Emelith’s change in perspective and what she does at the end. I won’t spoil it. Nonetheless, I, Exile is a popcorn flick of a book, and it executes this perfectly well.
Overall, I was very impressed with David Samuels’ I, Exile. I read the book over the course of a couple of days, which is a great sign. I waited to post the review, though, because today is launch day!
July 19, 2020
Emelith grew up on the streets after losing her family in a fire at a young age. A member of the Guilded Hands (a thief’s organisation), she doesn’t trust easily and only works with people she does. So, it is a huge blow to her when her long-time partner betrays her and escapes with the Exegesis, the very scroll, they were commissioned to steal, leaving her behind to pay for the crime- a sentence that means exile.
Bent on retrieving the stolen scroll and extracting a little revenge, Emelith, sets out after her ex-partner through the desert world of the Cauldron where she quickly learns that all to do with the scroll is not as it seems.
***
This hit a lot of my buttons for fun popcorn reading. Especially with the setting- tombs, creepy crawlies, and magic, and the similarities to a couple of my favourite movies Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Mummy. It was the perfect storm of my likes and was just a lot of fun to read.
Emelith was a likeable enough voice. She is that typical snarky quick-witted pov that you find in a lot of adventure type books, with a good dry humour that knocks the edge off the sharpness of her character and because it’s first person it keeps the rest from getting too dark. She takes a while to warm to but as we learn more about her, she grows on you.
The world is that quick, learn as you go style and I appreciated just how much of world building was weaved in while on the go, keeping the pace up at a nice clip and making it hard to put down.
Great use of atmosphere. I really enjoyed the scenes in the past, and I liked how it was used to show us background to explain the goals of Marthelios. My other favourite scene was a dreamlike sequence with him and Emelith, a needed scene between the two that works doubly by giving us that personal connection to her friend and to Marthelios.
The plot had enough interesting world building add-ons, and a little character growth arc, to keep it feeling fresh and exciting- even if we do recognize the heart of the story or at least if you have seen every mummy movie made 247 times like I have, you will.
Fast paced, lots of atmosphere and cool magic (phylacteries, gotta love it) sprinkle that with lots of fun fights with creepy creature monsters- always my favourite when it comes to action adventure type stories, it’s worth checking out.
Other notes-
Irrelevant to the story but something about the book cover reminded me a lot of the covers dynamite comics did for the Daniel Jackson Stargate series. Colours maybe.
Thank you to David M. Samuels for the offer of a copy through TBRindr service in exchange for a review.
Bent on retrieving the stolen scroll and extracting a little revenge, Emelith, sets out after her ex-partner through the desert world of the Cauldron where she quickly learns that all to do with the scroll is not as it seems.
***
This hit a lot of my buttons for fun popcorn reading. Especially with the setting- tombs, creepy crawlies, and magic, and the similarities to a couple of my favourite movies Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Mummy. It was the perfect storm of my likes and was just a lot of fun to read.
Emelith was a likeable enough voice. She is that typical snarky quick-witted pov that you find in a lot of adventure type books, with a good dry humour that knocks the edge off the sharpness of her character and because it’s first person it keeps the rest from getting too dark. She takes a while to warm to but as we learn more about her, she grows on you.
The world is that quick, learn as you go style and I appreciated just how much of world building was weaved in while on the go, keeping the pace up at a nice clip and making it hard to put down.
Great use of atmosphere. I really enjoyed the scenes in the past, and I liked how it was used to show us background to explain the goals of Marthelios. My other favourite scene was a dreamlike sequence with him and Emelith, a needed scene between the two that works doubly by giving us that personal connection to her friend and to Marthelios.
The plot had enough interesting world building add-ons, and a little character growth arc, to keep it feeling fresh and exciting- even if we do recognize the heart of the story or at least if you have seen every mummy movie made 247 times like I have, you will.
Fast paced, lots of atmosphere and cool magic (phylacteries, gotta love it) sprinkle that with lots of fun fights with creepy creature monsters- always my favourite when it comes to action adventure type stories, it’s worth checking out.
Other notes-
Irrelevant to the story but something about the book cover reminded me a lot of the covers dynamite comics did for the Daniel Jackson Stargate series. Colours maybe.
Thank you to David M. Samuels for the offer of a copy through TBRindr service in exchange for a review.
Read
June 23, 2021Free today on Amazon (6/23-6)
February 18, 2020
If you've ever loved those classic fantasy persistent world novels or found yourself dreaming of D&D rogues with whip-smart personalities and a penchant for adventure, then this fresh new fantasy should catch your eye. Because it is unashamedly an adventure story, full of strange creatures, daring dos, and an older than average MC who's never more than 100 yards from needing to give someone the side-eye.
It follows Emelith the Finder, a thief and one of the infamous Gilded Hands, as she attempts to steal a holy scripture for a rather powerful wizard. No questions asked, no string attached. Except not all goes to plan. Betrayed by her long time thieving partner Niel, she's caught and exiled to the barren wastes beyond the city where few (if any) have ever survived. Fuelled by anger, she follows her erstwhile companion, determined to get answers (and maybe a little face punching practise). But it turns out there are bigger things at play in the desert, cataclysmic events that have already swept up Niel and are about to ensnare her as well.
You like smart-alec rogues who stay unfazed even in the face of terrible danger? Ones with tongues as sharp as their blades and moral compasses that don't always point north? You'll like Emelith; perhaps she's a tad masculine in her delivery, but she's a fun character to follow, especially knowing that she's confident through experience rather than the cock-sureness of youth (can we get a hells yeah for characters over 21 having adventures?)
That said, she's not infallible; most of the story sees her pushed from pillar to post. Sometimes the pacing of dramatic events could seem relentless and the tension a little diluted by it. I loved some of the big set pieces that are the staple of action-adventure fantasies (battling the big-bad monsters, seeing a new and amazingly vivid world though the jaded eyes of a character who cannot help but insert snarky asides), but it could lack a little in human connection. While tracking her former friend, Emelith encounters some strange peoples but never really goes more than surface deep when getting to know them. Don't expect some complex party dynamics; it's very much the Emelith's internal monologue show with all the similie-prone world-weariness she can muster.
Any complaints I had were really more about it being a deeper story. I don't know if it needs to be - much like a Forgotten Realms/D&D novel, it's all about the action rather than character relationships. The villains are Bad, the goods guys are... Well, she's technically good (probably of the Chaotic variety), and the Quest (with the capital Q) is the driver here. The world building is amazing, the protagonist a bundle of energy, and that nostalgic feel is ever present.
-I received a free ARC edition of this ebook from the author. My choice to read/review/enjoy this book was entirely my own-
It follows Emelith the Finder, a thief and one of the infamous Gilded Hands, as she attempts to steal a holy scripture for a rather powerful wizard. No questions asked, no string attached. Except not all goes to plan. Betrayed by her long time thieving partner Niel, she's caught and exiled to the barren wastes beyond the city where few (if any) have ever survived. Fuelled by anger, she follows her erstwhile companion, determined to get answers (and maybe a little face punching practise). But it turns out there are bigger things at play in the desert, cataclysmic events that have already swept up Niel and are about to ensnare her as well.
You like smart-alec rogues who stay unfazed even in the face of terrible danger? Ones with tongues as sharp as their blades and moral compasses that don't always point north? You'll like Emelith; perhaps she's a tad masculine in her delivery, but she's a fun character to follow, especially knowing that she's confident through experience rather than the cock-sureness of youth (can we get a hells yeah for characters over 21 having adventures?)
That said, she's not infallible; most of the story sees her pushed from pillar to post. Sometimes the pacing of dramatic events could seem relentless and the tension a little diluted by it. I loved some of the big set pieces that are the staple of action-adventure fantasies (battling the big-bad monsters, seeing a new and amazingly vivid world though the jaded eyes of a character who cannot help but insert snarky asides), but it could lack a little in human connection. While tracking her former friend, Emelith encounters some strange peoples but never really goes more than surface deep when getting to know them. Don't expect some complex party dynamics; it's very much the Emelith's internal monologue show with all the similie-prone world-weariness she can muster.
Any complaints I had were really more about it being a deeper story. I don't know if it needs to be - much like a Forgotten Realms/D&D novel, it's all about the action rather than character relationships. The villains are Bad, the goods guys are... Well, she's technically good (probably of the Chaotic variety), and the Quest (with the capital Q) is the driver here. The world building is amazing, the protagonist a bundle of energy, and that nostalgic feel is ever present.
-I received a free ARC edition of this ebook from the author. My choice to read/review/enjoy this book was entirely my own-
April 25, 2020
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
Well, the synopsis here is not one of the longest, that’s true, but at least it is pretty accurate. Emelith is our MC and we follow her during a not so good heist, imprisonment and the exile which follows. She is exiled in a sort of wasteland, in which surviving is not so sure, and in which live some scary things. Or creatures. Whatever. But she didn’t care about all this. She cares for one thing, and one thing only: revenge against her partner, who betrayed her.
But then after encountering some interesting characters, a tribe who lives in this desert wasteland and their seer, she discovers that things aren’t so simple, and she finds herself between a war for the destiny of the world.
The story is good and interesting. You won’t get bored while reading, that’s for sure. We see a lot of action, explorations, and some internal dynamics between the characters and the tribe so that’s good.
What is a shame, here, is the worldbuilding. It is not that it is bad. It is just that this could have been the strongest feature of this book because the author creates something original and interesting. But it is also quite complex, and we don’t get to see enough of it. On one hand, we see a lot of strange and different creatures, and this was pretty good, but we understand that there are a ton of different cultures and races on the world he creates for us, and we don’t get to see a lot of them. We see some, but not enough. And this was a shame because there are so many potentialities in there!
So, this was a pleasant reading, the right one if you want a bit of adventure to spice up your afternoon, it is good if you want to read something not too demanding, maybe to take a break from other readings, and it is a good choice if you just want to busy yourselves with some captivating travels and adventures, but it could have been so much more. It feels, in a way, sort of incomplete, even if you would enjoy the reading anyway.
Well, the synopsis here is not one of the longest, that’s true, but at least it is pretty accurate. Emelith is our MC and we follow her during a not so good heist, imprisonment and the exile which follows. She is exiled in a sort of wasteland, in which surviving is not so sure, and in which live some scary things. Or creatures. Whatever. But she didn’t care about all this. She cares for one thing, and one thing only: revenge against her partner, who betrayed her.
But then after encountering some interesting characters, a tribe who lives in this desert wasteland and their seer, she discovers that things aren’t so simple, and she finds herself between a war for the destiny of the world.
The story is good and interesting. You won’t get bored while reading, that’s for sure. We see a lot of action, explorations, and some internal dynamics between the characters and the tribe so that’s good.
What is a shame, here, is the worldbuilding. It is not that it is bad. It is just that this could have been the strongest feature of this book because the author creates something original and interesting. But it is also quite complex, and we don’t get to see enough of it. On one hand, we see a lot of strange and different creatures, and this was pretty good, but we understand that there are a ton of different cultures and races on the world he creates for us, and we don’t get to see a lot of them. We see some, but not enough. And this was a shame because there are so many potentialities in there!
So, this was a pleasant reading, the right one if you want a bit of adventure to spice up your afternoon, it is good if you want to read something not too demanding, maybe to take a break from other readings, and it is a good choice if you just want to busy yourselves with some captivating travels and adventures, but it could have been so much more. It feels, in a way, sort of incomplete, even if you would enjoy the reading anyway.
February 20, 2020
This is a very good book with a lot of character development and world building. It is a great fantasy read that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. I enjoyed every minute of it, and hope to read future books from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 1, 2020
I came here planning to do a deep dive into why I thoroughly enjoyed David's story, but then found that Andrew Marc Rowe's review had already nailed every point I could think of making!
(Only 4 stars from me, tho. Not because I found any huge nits, but because - y'know - Virgo :P )
(Only 4 stars from me, tho. Not because I found any huge nits, but because - y'know - Virgo :P )
June 23, 2020
Held my attention from the first page to the last
March 17, 2020
Self-Published
Genre: Fantasy, Low Fantasy
Pages: 220
Format: Kindle e-book
Copy: Courtesy by the author through r/fantasy’s TBRindr list in return for an honest review.
The opportunity of coming across a gemstone of a book is why I am happy to read the works of indie fantasy authors whose titles haven’t yet gained wider recognition online. I’ve come across some brilliant works, and I’ve faced off against some reads that didn’t quite cut it – in the face of all those, David M. Samuels’ I, Exile measures up as an engaging and entertaining story of personal growth and adventure, with no small dose of sarcasm thanks to smartass protagonist Emelith. Oh, and a bloody lich makes this feel like a proper romp through pulpy fantasy goodness.
What this book reminded me of, as I read it, was the Forgotten Realms novels in the 90s, those Drizzt Do’Urden books every fantasy nerd and their father (i.e. me and my dad) read; not in the characters, necessarily, as there isn’t much in Emelith to remind you of Drizzt, but in the excitement and swift action, in the stakes that are never anything less than life-and-death, in the easy prose which allows you to glide through the pages, and in the unexpected allies found and forged along the way.
The setting for I, Exile is a post-apocalyptic desert in a world that has undergone a massive flood as recently as a few centuries back. All sorts of nasty buggers have made this desert their home, as is the way of these things but the nastiest, perhaps, is a lich seemingly no longer happy with staying with his skull buried in the sand. I’ll say no more about the lich, as that’d be giving away more than is strictly necessary, except for this – this is a fun villain, who strikes a balance between tropey and novel in all the right ways.
Emelith’s journey made I, Exile more appealing than it otherwise would’ve been. Prone to anger and snap judgements, the further our protagonist goes into this Mad Max-esque (to use the author’s own comparison) wasteland, the more she realizes about herself. Quiet moments of contemplation abound in-between the excellent action sequences.
Samuels’ novel is technically adept – for its vast majority, I had a hard time finding any typos, grammatical errors or punctuation mistakes. Only the last few percents offered a slight increase in that type of issues, and that might be because I was sent an arc pre-publication date. The prose is expressive without coming across as bloated; if anything, it’s on the economic side as far as descriptions go.
One piece of criticism I have is, the short blurb and the cover for the book did not work for me – the cover looks so very much like a bad 90s comic, I considered skipping it on this basis alone. That’s not the kind of feeling you want your cover to elicit. The blurb is too short and doesn’t arouse interest nearly as much as it should.
The cast of supporting characters includes plenty of interesting names, many of whom have their own motivations which conflict either with one another’s, or with Emelith’s, There’s a mysterious priestess, a few warriors.
I enjoyed I, Exile. My score for this one is 4/5 Stars on Goodreads, and I happily recommend you put it on your to-read list!
You’ll enjoy this one if:
*You like less magic and more wit in your fantasy;
*You’ve a love for desert settings, monsters, and a pleasing surplus of back-stabbing;
*You’re looking for fun action and choppy dialogue, courtesy of a brash badass;
*You want to take a deep breath of that action-adventure-y nostalgia of 90s fantasy – it’s pulpy, it’s fun, and it’s head and unlike many of the 90s Forgotten Realms book, it’s actually good!
*And more! Prob’ly.
Genre: Fantasy, Low Fantasy
Pages: 220
Format: Kindle e-book
Copy: Courtesy by the author through r/fantasy’s TBRindr list in return for an honest review.
The opportunity of coming across a gemstone of a book is why I am happy to read the works of indie fantasy authors whose titles haven’t yet gained wider recognition online. I’ve come across some brilliant works, and I’ve faced off against some reads that didn’t quite cut it – in the face of all those, David M. Samuels’ I, Exile measures up as an engaging and entertaining story of personal growth and adventure, with no small dose of sarcasm thanks to smartass protagonist Emelith. Oh, and a bloody lich makes this feel like a proper romp through pulpy fantasy goodness.
What this book reminded me of, as I read it, was the Forgotten Realms novels in the 90s, those Drizzt Do’Urden books every fantasy nerd and their father (i.e. me and my dad) read; not in the characters, necessarily, as there isn’t much in Emelith to remind you of Drizzt, but in the excitement and swift action, in the stakes that are never anything less than life-and-death, in the easy prose which allows you to glide through the pages, and in the unexpected allies found and forged along the way.
The setting for I, Exile is a post-apocalyptic desert in a world that has undergone a massive flood as recently as a few centuries back. All sorts of nasty buggers have made this desert their home, as is the way of these things but the nastiest, perhaps, is a lich seemingly no longer happy with staying with his skull buried in the sand. I’ll say no more about the lich, as that’d be giving away more than is strictly necessary, except for this – this is a fun villain, who strikes a balance between tropey and novel in all the right ways.
Emelith’s journey made I, Exile more appealing than it otherwise would’ve been. Prone to anger and snap judgements, the further our protagonist goes into this Mad Max-esque (to use the author’s own comparison) wasteland, the more she realizes about herself. Quiet moments of contemplation abound in-between the excellent action sequences.
Samuels’ novel is technically adept – for its vast majority, I had a hard time finding any typos, grammatical errors or punctuation mistakes. Only the last few percents offered a slight increase in that type of issues, and that might be because I was sent an arc pre-publication date. The prose is expressive without coming across as bloated; if anything, it’s on the economic side as far as descriptions go.
One piece of criticism I have is, the short blurb and the cover for the book did not work for me – the cover looks so very much like a bad 90s comic, I considered skipping it on this basis alone. That’s not the kind of feeling you want your cover to elicit. The blurb is too short and doesn’t arouse interest nearly as much as it should.
The cast of supporting characters includes plenty of interesting names, many of whom have their own motivations which conflict either with one another’s, or with Emelith’s, There’s a mysterious priestess, a few warriors.
I enjoyed I, Exile. My score for this one is 4/5 Stars on Goodreads, and I happily recommend you put it on your to-read list!
You’ll enjoy this one if:
*You like less magic and more wit in your fantasy;
*You’ve a love for desert settings, monsters, and a pleasing surplus of back-stabbing;
*You’re looking for fun action and choppy dialogue, courtesy of a brash badass;
*You want to take a deep breath of that action-adventure-y nostalgia of 90s fantasy – it’s pulpy, it’s fun, and it’s head and unlike many of the 90s Forgotten Realms book, it’s actually good!
*And more! Prob’ly.
August 27, 2020
Firstly, I have to say that I loved the cover, although I would say that the title is lost a little against the background. However, it was the cover, along with the comparisons with The Mummy and Indiana Jones that caught my attention, and I have to say that comparison was on the money. While undoubtedly fantasy, I, Exile was an exciting adventure romp in the vein of those movies – some of my favourite growing up – and that combined with the wonderful feel of that older style, classic sword and sorcery was right up my street.
I found the prose easy to read, without losing the depth and description to bring Samuels’ world to life. It did take me a little while to get used to the language – mixing modern slang and anachronisms, but once I had, I found that it added to the charm of the narrative and the world, and all in all was very well balanced. The pacing was also spot on. There was a lot of action with twists and turns that kept me on my toes and unable to put the book down. Yet this was balanced with quieter, slower moments to catch or breaths and to see the characters regroup and develop. For a relatively short book, it packed a punch in the best possible way.
I enjoyed Emelith as a character, in part because she was a little older than quite a lot of the main characters that we see, and being close in age made me appreciate her all the more. While it would have been great to learn more of her history and how she developed her skillset (something that might come if there are future books), but she made for a fascinating character all the same. A talented thief, but also good at diplomacy which isn’t something you see very often, but what really made her a stand out character was that even in a shorter book she underwent considerable personal growth that was both realistic but well done. She’s a strong character, but not perfect, and she learned from her mistakes.
The worldbuilding and magic were well-developed and added an extra dimension to the narrative, and I would love to have the chance to learn more about the world. In particular, I enjoyed the parts involving the necromancer, as well as the Sorceress. While it would be great to have seen more, we were given more than enough history and backstory about these elements to thoroughly pull you into the world and narrative.
Overall, this was a highly entertaining adventure story, with excellent action scenes that mean that you are never bored from start to finish. A perfect read for anyone who enjoys fantasy adventures, and in search of fun, fast-paced book, with more than a dash of that classic Sword & Sorcery feel.
I found the prose easy to read, without losing the depth and description to bring Samuels’ world to life. It did take me a little while to get used to the language – mixing modern slang and anachronisms, but once I had, I found that it added to the charm of the narrative and the world, and all in all was very well balanced. The pacing was also spot on. There was a lot of action with twists and turns that kept me on my toes and unable to put the book down. Yet this was balanced with quieter, slower moments to catch or breaths and to see the characters regroup and develop. For a relatively short book, it packed a punch in the best possible way.
I enjoyed Emelith as a character, in part because she was a little older than quite a lot of the main characters that we see, and being close in age made me appreciate her all the more. While it would have been great to learn more of her history and how she developed her skillset (something that might come if there are future books), but she made for a fascinating character all the same. A talented thief, but also good at diplomacy which isn’t something you see very often, but what really made her a stand out character was that even in a shorter book she underwent considerable personal growth that was both realistic but well done. She’s a strong character, but not perfect, and she learned from her mistakes.
The worldbuilding and magic were well-developed and added an extra dimension to the narrative, and I would love to have the chance to learn more about the world. In particular, I enjoyed the parts involving the necromancer, as well as the Sorceress. While it would be great to have seen more, we were given more than enough history and backstory about these elements to thoroughly pull you into the world and narrative.
Overall, this was a highly entertaining adventure story, with excellent action scenes that mean that you are never bored from start to finish. A perfect read for anyone who enjoys fantasy adventures, and in search of fun, fast-paced book, with more than a dash of that classic Sword & Sorcery feel.
September 13, 2020
I, Exile is a very good book. That's the short summary of this review. It's not perfect (what book is?) but it's a very good read, fast-paced and full of excellent worldbuilding and witty dialogue. That's the slightly longer summary of this review. The purpose of these summaries is to hammer home the point that if you like fantasy, you should read this book.
The worldbuilding is fantastic, and it's one thing I'll praise Samuels for above all else. The decaying grandeur of ruined cities, the societies of desert tribesmen, the overshadowing menace of ancient necromancers - it's all beautifully written and realised. The plot is pretty good too. Emelith's quest across the wastes to save her possessed friend has some great emotional highs and lows, and the supporting cast of characters has some real gems, particularly the cantankerous witch/priestess Madelaine.
It's too fast in places, though, and this is where the book does falter a little. There's barely any time to get to know the main characters at the beginning, and that robs the series of betrayals and revelations of a lot of its impact. Similarly, the end feels a little rushed - which is a real shame, because the climactic battle is superbly written. I wanted time to let Emelith and the other characters pick up the pieces, to pause and reflect on what had just happened. Again, though, there's scarcely time for a few apologies before the story's over. The story definitely needed to slow down in places and just let things breathe.
But none of this diminishes the fact that it's a brilliant story. Samuels' descriptions are beautiful, his characters, Emelith in particular, infectiously fun to travel with and listen to. The world of Euvael is vast and wonderful, and I really, really want to learn more about it.
The worldbuilding is fantastic, and it's one thing I'll praise Samuels for above all else. The decaying grandeur of ruined cities, the societies of desert tribesmen, the overshadowing menace of ancient necromancers - it's all beautifully written and realised. The plot is pretty good too. Emelith's quest across the wastes to save her possessed friend has some great emotional highs and lows, and the supporting cast of characters has some real gems, particularly the cantankerous witch/priestess Madelaine.
It's too fast in places, though, and this is where the book does falter a little. There's barely any time to get to know the main characters at the beginning, and that robs the series of betrayals and revelations of a lot of its impact. Similarly, the end feels a little rushed - which is a real shame, because the climactic battle is superbly written. I wanted time to let Emelith and the other characters pick up the pieces, to pause and reflect on what had just happened. Again, though, there's scarcely time for a few apologies before the story's over. The story definitely needed to slow down in places and just let things breathe.
But none of this diminishes the fact that it's a brilliant story. Samuels' descriptions are beautiful, his characters, Emelith in particular, infectiously fun to travel with and listen to. The world of Euvael is vast and wonderful, and I really, really want to learn more about it.
April 15, 2020
Emelith is exiled to a wasteland as punishment for a crime. Exiled. To a wasteland. What a premise. Giving us lots of Mad Max vibes, Samuels propels us along through this godforsaken, horrific place, to help Emelith exact revenge on the one who put her there.
There’s a lot going on. Samuels almost doesn’t allow us to breathe, as he hits us with a new enemy or catastrophe every few pages. Violence, gore, and sorrow, all lead to Emelith gleaning more information about her prey, and slowly changing her goals.
The characters are good here, particularly Emelith who begins as a fierce, irritable loner, and becomes someone else quite entirely. The others are peppered with backstories and connections which allow us to understand them.
A great one for those with a penchant for monsters, adventure, violence, and women who are hellbent on redemption.
There’s a lot going on. Samuels almost doesn’t allow us to breathe, as he hits us with a new enemy or catastrophe every few pages. Violence, gore, and sorrow, all lead to Emelith gleaning more information about her prey, and slowly changing her goals.
The characters are good here, particularly Emelith who begins as a fierce, irritable loner, and becomes someone else quite entirely. The others are peppered with backstories and connections which allow us to understand them.
A great one for those with a penchant for monsters, adventure, violence, and women who are hellbent on redemption.
May 26, 2020
Makes me want to play Gothic RPG
This was an interesting story with good world building. The Cauldron had a variety of monsters and reminded me of an old video game called Gothic. Emelith was an awesome character with a snarky voice that I loved. I liked her martial arts and pad speak. Her willingness to go into the Cauldron (eventually) made me fist pump.
On the downside, I don't like brainwash/possession as a major plot point. The first half was light on action, but the end made up for it. Especially one prolonged duel. I recommend the book. It is a first person tale (just in case that matters).
This was an interesting story with good world building. The Cauldron had a variety of monsters and reminded me of an old video game called Gothic. Emelith was an awesome character with a snarky voice that I loved. I liked her martial arts and pad speak. Her willingness to go into the Cauldron (eventually) made me fist pump.
On the downside, I don't like brainwash/possession as a major plot point. The first half was light on action, but the end made up for it. Especially one prolonged duel. I recommend the book. It is a first person tale (just in case that matters).
June 2, 2020
I, Exile is a pretty good book. The pacing was good and enjoyable, there were some nice worldbuilding touches and unique ideas. I found it a quick and easy read, and I had a good time doing it.
The plot revolves around a thief who is betrayed by her partner. They are both exiled to an unforgiving desert and expected to die. Our heroine wants revenge, and so chases her betrayer through the hostile environment. Of course, there's more to the situation than she knows, and we get to learn about the world and the people in it through her journey.
This wasn't a perfect book, but it was fun to read, and I'm glad I got to!
The plot revolves around a thief who is betrayed by her partner. They are both exiled to an unforgiving desert and expected to die. Our heroine wants revenge, and so chases her betrayer through the hostile environment. Of course, there's more to the situation than she knows, and we get to learn about the world and the people in it through her journey.
This wasn't a perfect book, but it was fun to read, and I'm glad I got to!
March 28, 2020
Yet another riveting story from David M. Samuels! Emelith's journey through the Cauldron is immersive, fun, dangerous, and enlightening. Each character was unique in their own way, and the world-building feels real and solid (even to the point where I would never venture into a Cauldron-like desert for fear of giant scorpions, undead monsters, and an ancient evil ready to be reawakened). Absolutely engaging!
Want to read
July 24, 2020David Samuels is an exquisite man with an incredible mind. Everything he does is perfection; an understatement, really. We should all praise the lord that we were born in a world where men of his caliber exist. We aren't worthy.
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