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The Elemental
Fate and destiny do not always align...
Raised within the Temple walls, Baldric has dedicated his life to a single to kill the Elementals and the radical cults that seek to summon them. When the foretold omens begin to reveal themselves, his hunt begins. On his journey, he will face powers far greater than he could have ever imagined.
Svanhild comes from a humble background, and when the opportunity comes, she follows the hunter in search of her own destiny. Her visions lead them north, but even her gift of foresight does not prepare her for what they encounter. Before the end, her decisions will prove to be the most crucial of all.
The Svalkin can see the hands of the gods in many ways. When Bjorn predicts an omen of war, his king must make a decision. This threat is not as straight-forward as it seems, however. The Svalkin are in grave danger, and so are their kingdoms.
Amidst the power struggles of the nation-states, warring racial factions, and the dying will of the Old Gods, these characters will come face-to-face with trials of faith, courage, and betrayal. The world as they know it is about to change; all that’s left to decide, is what they are willing to fight for.
Raised within the Temple walls, Baldric has dedicated his life to a single to kill the Elementals and the radical cults that seek to summon them. When the foretold omens begin to reveal themselves, his hunt begins. On his journey, he will face powers far greater than he could have ever imagined.
Svanhild comes from a humble background, and when the opportunity comes, she follows the hunter in search of her own destiny. Her visions lead them north, but even her gift of foresight does not prepare her for what they encounter. Before the end, her decisions will prove to be the most crucial of all.
The Svalkin can see the hands of the gods in many ways. When Bjorn predicts an omen of war, his king must make a decision. This threat is not as straight-forward as it seems, however. The Svalkin are in grave danger, and so are their kingdoms.
Amidst the power struggles of the nation-states, warring racial factions, and the dying will of the Old Gods, these characters will come face-to-face with trials of faith, courage, and betrayal. The world as they know it is about to change; all that’s left to decide, is what they are willing to fight for.
ebook
Published August 17, 2019
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About the author
J.M. Simmons
4 books1 followerI have always been inspired by what can be explored and discussed with fantasy, since it is in fiction that we are shown the truest versions of ourselves. I have been writing for almost 15 years, but I never dared to publish until now. When we write, we display such an intimate, secretive side of ourselves that it is tempting to keep our work hidden away. But, I think there is true value that comes from each individual's unique perspective. I personally think the best way to share this, is to share our writing with each other.
"When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, 'I am going to produce a work of art.' I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing."
--George Orwell
"When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, 'I am going to produce a work of art.' I write it because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, and my initial concern is to get a hearing."
--George Orwell
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 1, 2019
I really wish that Goodreads allowed 0.5 star reviews because if I could, I would rate this at 3.5*. It was a solid 3.75-4 for me until about... 70% thru and from then on it lost some value.
Things I did like:
The characters. Oh the characters were so good. You could tell the author really put some thought into their personalities. They didn't come off as flat to me and they really had some spark. I really enjoyed their journey's and the development they had from the beginning until the end.
The world that was developed I felt was very strong. It was a world that was full of wonder and full of magic. It had all things that you would want to see a fantasy novel. New vs Old religions, halflings, seers, humans, hunters. It had the types of characters what I would like to see in this type of novel.
The actual plot line itself was one that hooked me from the start. It was interesting, it was intriguing, it was full of wonder. I wanted to learn more, read what was coming next. It was developed and well thought out and the pacing was perfect for the first half.
Things I didn't like:
There was one chapter that I completely skipped. I started to read it, read one page, and immediately flipped to the beginning of the next chapter. I thought the chapter was completely unnecessary and there was just too much there for me. It didn't ruin the story for me but it was just something I wasn't interested in reading about.
The last 30% or so of the book itself fell a little flat for me. It was worth the reading in order to set up the book(s) that are sure to follow and it was a lot of setup. There was still some really good reading and some good action that was here but it just didn't connect with me like the first 70% or so did.
Overall, I think this was a really really good first book from the author. I thought it was really good reading and I will read book 2 if there is one (which I assume so from the ending). I'm hoping the follow up an improvement from book 1 and I think the author can do some really good things. The writing is very good! I was literally hooked from the first sentence of the Prologue! I really hope we can get book 2 soon so I can continue on with the story!
Things I did like:
The characters. Oh the characters were so good. You could tell the author really put some thought into their personalities. They didn't come off as flat to me and they really had some spark. I really enjoyed their journey's and the development they had from the beginning until the end.
The world that was developed I felt was very strong. It was a world that was full of wonder and full of magic. It had all things that you would want to see a fantasy novel. New vs Old religions, halflings, seers, humans, hunters. It had the types of characters what I would like to see in this type of novel.
The actual plot line itself was one that hooked me from the start. It was interesting, it was intriguing, it was full of wonder. I wanted to learn more, read what was coming next. It was developed and well thought out and the pacing was perfect for the first half.
Things I didn't like:
There was one chapter that I completely skipped. I started to read it, read one page, and immediately flipped to the beginning of the next chapter. I thought the chapter was completely unnecessary and there was just too much there for me. It didn't ruin the story for me but it was just something I wasn't interested in reading about.
The last 30% or so of the book itself fell a little flat for me. It was worth the reading in order to set up the book(s) that are sure to follow and it was a lot of setup. There was still some really good reading and some good action that was here but it just didn't connect with me like the first 70% or so did.
Overall, I think this was a really really good first book from the author. I thought it was really good reading and I will read book 2 if there is one (which I assume so from the ending). I'm hoping the follow up an improvement from book 1 and I think the author can do some really good things. The writing is very good! I was literally hooked from the first sentence of the Prologue! I really hope we can get book 2 soon so I can continue on with the story!
August 20, 2019
A new take on old verse new gods. There was a lot of potential with this story but for me it fell short. There was a lot of traveling place to place. Even more repetitive phrasing. Of course I understand this is the beginning of the series and the build the world and back grounds of each of the characters is necessary
, but as a reader I don’t have the need to know that the set of hunters need to end the immortals or that some are for the immortals and wish to bring them back at each new section of the story.
, but as a reader I don’t have the need to know that the set of hunters need to end the immortals or that some are for the immortals and wish to bring them back at each new section of the story.
August 22, 2019
I liked the premise of this book and how the story was told. The characters were well developed and we're interesting. The story dragged a little for my liking. There was alot going on but the plots seemed to take a while to get there. Being the first book, this could be deliberate to open readers to the world and to explain the back stories of each character. I will be looking forward to seeing what book 2 will do and hope it's faster pace and more action. Great start though.
I received an arc for an honest review
I received an arc for an honest review
August 22, 2019
I think this was an interesting start to a series, and I look forward to what else is going to happen. I fell in love with these characters, and how they all think so differently, yet were able to come together and work so well. I'm excited to see what else this author will come up with.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews