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Neanderthal King
Imagine Game of Thrones, but with Neanderthals too!
It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.
But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.
Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.
And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.
Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.
Buy Neanderthal King today for a bold new take on a daring fantastic adventure… right up to its shocking conclusion.
Praise for Neanderthal
“...you'll abandon your love for elves, dwarves, and hobbits and draw you out of your armchair and into the turbulent world of humanity's distant and conflicted prehistory." - S Shane Thomas, author of A Paleolithic Fable (Anki Legacies)
Grab your copy, and discover the epic saga today!
It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.
But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.
Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.
And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.
Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.
Buy Neanderthal King today for a bold new take on a daring fantastic adventure… right up to its shocking conclusion.
Praise for Neanderthal
“...you'll abandon your love for elves, dwarves, and hobbits and draw you out of your armchair and into the turbulent world of humanity's distant and conflicted prehistory." - S Shane Thomas, author of A Paleolithic Fable (Anki Legacies)
Grab your copy, and discover the epic saga today!
- GenresFantasy
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 8, 2020
About the author
Matt Ward
5 books56 followersMatt Ward is an author, entrepreneur, host of the Disruptors.FM tech podcast, and the #24 ranked futurist worldwide.
His work focuses on the intersection of exponential technologies and the ethical issues confronting humanity in the 21st century, as do his novels, which are inspired by the cutting-edge scientists he interviews on his show.
Today, Matt writes fast-paced science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction technothrillers with a dystopian bent on the question: what does it mean to be human?
His work focuses on the intersection of exponential technologies and the ethical issues confronting humanity in the 21st century, as do his novels, which are inspired by the cutting-edge scientists he interviews on his show.
Today, Matt writes fast-paced science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction technothrillers with a dystopian bent on the question: what does it mean to be human?
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 8, 2022
*I received a free DRC of this book, with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
I am not sure I would really call this historical fiction, as it imagines a world in which neanderthals and ‘sapiens’ co-exist in a similar power relationship to that of blacks and whites in the days of apartheid, racial segregation, slavery and colonialism. I read it as more of an alternate reality/’Trousers of Time‘ style fantasy.
It was a little difficult to get to grips with the story at times, as part of the world-building technique here involved the renaming of familiar things, like ‘whinnie’ for horse. None of the terms were particularly obscure, but they did occasionally interrupt the smooth flow of the narrative as I had to pause to let my brain translate some of the terms used for very everyday objects.
There were also times I found the main plotline became a little repetitive as Maralek is sold into slavery, escapes, hides and fights, only to be sold into slavery again, escape… There are some interesting and engaging side characters along his journey, but I would advise not to get too attached to anyone in the story, as the most historically realistic aspect of the story is that things are not going to end well for the Neanderthal race!
My favourite aspect of the novel was Maralek’s character, as the author has avoided all of the ‘long-lost heir’ fantasy tropes by making his main character contradictory and realistically inept. He veers between noble and empathetic, if a bit dim, and casually bloodthirsty; his plans rarely work; his skills remain erratic and underdeveloped, and he is dogged by persistent bad luck. I really loved this, as the fantasy main characters who suddenly become skilled at everything they turn their hand to, without training or experience, are incredibly unrealistic and quite annoying to read. I think it’s great that we got a main character whose abilities more authentically reflect his upbringing and (lack of) opportunities in life – I really found myself rooting for him to succeed against the odds.
This feels like a really great story concept, with some good action and character development, that just needed a little more work on some of the pacing and world-building.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
I am not sure I would really call this historical fiction, as it imagines a world in which neanderthals and ‘sapiens’ co-exist in a similar power relationship to that of blacks and whites in the days of apartheid, racial segregation, slavery and colonialism. I read it as more of an alternate reality/’Trousers of Time‘ style fantasy.
It was a little difficult to get to grips with the story at times, as part of the world-building technique here involved the renaming of familiar things, like ‘whinnie’ for horse. None of the terms were particularly obscure, but they did occasionally interrupt the smooth flow of the narrative as I had to pause to let my brain translate some of the terms used for very everyday objects.
There were also times I found the main plotline became a little repetitive as Maralek is sold into slavery, escapes, hides and fights, only to be sold into slavery again, escape… There are some interesting and engaging side characters along his journey, but I would advise not to get too attached to anyone in the story, as the most historically realistic aspect of the story is that things are not going to end well for the Neanderthal race!
My favourite aspect of the novel was Maralek’s character, as the author has avoided all of the ‘long-lost heir’ fantasy tropes by making his main character contradictory and realistically inept. He veers between noble and empathetic, if a bit dim, and casually bloodthirsty; his plans rarely work; his skills remain erratic and underdeveloped, and he is dogged by persistent bad luck. I really loved this, as the fantasy main characters who suddenly become skilled at everything they turn their hand to, without training or experience, are incredibly unrealistic and quite annoying to read. I think it’s great that we got a main character whose abilities more authentically reflect his upbringing and (lack of) opportunities in life – I really found myself rooting for him to succeed against the odds.
This feels like a really great story concept, with some good action and character development, that just needed a little more work on some of the pacing and world-building.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
September 6, 2020
Here we have a book with a fascinating premise that instantly got my attention! I'm a huge fan of alternate history stories that put homo sapiens and Neanderthals together.
It presents itself as "A Game of Thrones with Neanderthals" though I personally find this comparison does both books a disservice.
Although there is some political machination, there the validity of the comparison ends.
Now, before I go any further.
This review is for the soon-to-be-released audiobook, which the author graciously provided at my request.
The audio is narrated by Geoffrey Boyes, who is a new voice for me. I will admit that at first I wasn't fond of his accent, but once I got used to it I enjoyed his narration quite a bit. He has a good range of voices, though his female voices blend together. He does a passable job creating accurate vocal inflections, but I didn't notice any variation in his reading tempo. In some ways it felt more like he was just reading the book rather than performing it.
Now, as I said I think the GoT comparison is highly inaccurate. I would say if you wanted to make a comparison it has more in common with the Spartacus story, though even that is a tenuous link.
One thing that needs to be mentioned is this book is written primarily in the first person. For me this is often a deal-breaker, but I committed to giving it a fair chance in spite of that.
Despite a few issues, which I will discuss later, the first person narrator is actually quite compelling. He has an interesting voice that does a good job of keeping the reader engaged.
The story told here is definitely on the darker side, touching on such uncomfortable subjects as rape (though not shown, only vaguely mentioned), torture, slavery, and the violent nature of humanity.
There are a few great characters here. Although King Isaac is certainly a deplorable human, I found his characterization excellent. He was a great villain.
The main character seems than a little dense and keeps hoping for outcomes that obviously aren't going to happen, but most of the time it comes off as a naive charm that is endearing.
And the thal blacksmith (no idea how to spell his name) was a fantastic character. He's one of the few supporting characters who actually comes off as nuanced and deep with a real personality and motivations of his own.
There are numerous side characters that were very disappointing in their simplicity.
One thing to be aware of is although the book purports to be historical, I found no evidence of that. There are certainly a few parallels to Earth history, but it felt to me like a secondary world low fantasy.
Very low.
I only noticed one reference to actual magic, and even that may have been only superstition. There are frequent references to "witches" and "witchery" but we never actually see any.
Now, as I mentioned above I'm a sucker for stories about Neanderthals. I was really looking forward to reading this, as usually human/Neanderthal mashups are the province of modern or near-future sci-fi. Seeing one set in medieval times had me primed for a great experience that I really wanted to love.
I wanted to love this book. I just couldn't.
First, I have an issue with the portrayal of the neanderthals themselves. It's very common to see them presented as mentally inferior to homo sapiens. Savage. Barbaric. Without creativity. But this goes against what we have scientific evidence of. In fact, it is highly likely that neanderthals were actually more intelligent than homo sapiens of the same era.
Similarly, while it is never explicitly stated, there is a strong implication that skill levels being equal a neanderthal would not be able to stand against a sapien swordsman in single combat, which is absurd. All the evidence I've ever seen strongly suggests that without the benefit of greater knowledge or skill a homo sapien simply would not be able to contend with a neanderthal's raw strength.
The advantage of a sapien's greater reach due to longer limbs simply wouldn't be enough to make up that difference. Not when wielding a weapon as large as a sword.
Secondarily, no reference was ever made to a disparity in size between sapiens and neanderthals, which I found very odd.
However, this may come down to my second major issue which is the almost total lack of descriptive details in the book.
I had a very hard time envisioning the events of the book because almost nothing was described. We had almost no details of clothing, ornamentation, symbols, facial features, buildings, or nearly anything else.
Perhaps this would be expected if the novel were booked as a historical thriller, but when I see the words "epic fantasy" I expect a certain amount of detail that just wasn't there.
A very minor addition to this is the monetary system of "beads." What are these, exactly? What do they look like? What are they made of? Do they serve another purpose other than just being money? None of these questions are addressed in the book.
Also, I found a great many modern colloquialisms that pushed me right out of the story. I already didn't believe this story could take place in medieval Europe, but the modern words and usages made that a lot worse.
Finally, we come to my biggest issue. The one that took this from minor annoyances that I could overlook to real issues that dramatically impacted my ability to enjoy the book.
The author seems to have taken a certain piece of writing advice far too seriously and without proper context. That being the oft-quoted "rule" that when writing in first person one should never start sentences with "I" ("I said this," "I did that," "I felt this way," etc).
Now, in general this is good advice. Starting every sentence this way gets repetitive quickly. However, the solution is to restructure sentences to that they are varied. Unfortunately, the author took that advice and simply omitted the word "I" making a great many sentences feel extremely choppy and disconnected.
Now, I did consider, in the beginning, that perhaps this was characterization for the neanderthals. Perhaps he was subtly showing that they omit references to self or that their speech is naturally contacted.
So I paid attention to how the neanderthals speak and I found that to not be the case. There doesn't seem to be any aversion to such references in their speech. So I'm left with no other option but to see this as the author implementing this piece of advice in a way that negatively impacted the writing.
And finally, we come to the ending.
There is certainly a measure of epic to the buildup as we approach the climax. There are several big battles that were fun to read. And while the way things come about brings the main character's naivete to new heights, it was still an exciting turn of events.
However. The ending just didn't feel earned. There was no Deus Ex Machina, thankfully. Everything is foreshadowed. A bit over-heavily, if I'm being honest. But the problem is that for me, it comes off as the main character is just passively letting things happen and running with it. Only at the very end, with an opportunity all-but handed to him, does he do something proactive to accomplish his goals.
It was still satisfying. It didn't ruin the ending for me. It just made it considerably less powerful than it otherwise may have been.
In the end, the author has some great ideas that are a lot of fun to read, he just needs to improve his writing. When his skills are up to the challenge I would love to see a true epic set in this same world.
I will give this book a passive recommendation with the caveat that a reader needs to understand the technical flaws of what they are entering into.
It presents itself as "A Game of Thrones with Neanderthals" though I personally find this comparison does both books a disservice.
Although there is some political machination, there the validity of the comparison ends.
Now, before I go any further.
This review is for the soon-to-be-released audiobook, which the author graciously provided at my request.
The audio is narrated by Geoffrey Boyes, who is a new voice for me. I will admit that at first I wasn't fond of his accent, but once I got used to it I enjoyed his narration quite a bit. He has a good range of voices, though his female voices blend together. He does a passable job creating accurate vocal inflections, but I didn't notice any variation in his reading tempo. In some ways it felt more like he was just reading the book rather than performing it.
Now, as I said I think the GoT comparison is highly inaccurate. I would say if you wanted to make a comparison it has more in common with the Spartacus story, though even that is a tenuous link.
One thing that needs to be mentioned is this book is written primarily in the first person. For me this is often a deal-breaker, but I committed to giving it a fair chance in spite of that.
Despite a few issues, which I will discuss later, the first person narrator is actually quite compelling. He has an interesting voice that does a good job of keeping the reader engaged.
The story told here is definitely on the darker side, touching on such uncomfortable subjects as rape (though not shown, only vaguely mentioned), torture, slavery, and the violent nature of humanity.
There are a few great characters here. Although King Isaac is certainly a deplorable human, I found his characterization excellent. He was a great villain.
The main character seems than a little dense and keeps hoping for outcomes that obviously aren't going to happen, but most of the time it comes off as a naive charm that is endearing.
And the thal blacksmith (no idea how to spell his name) was a fantastic character. He's one of the few supporting characters who actually comes off as nuanced and deep with a real personality and motivations of his own.
There are numerous side characters that were very disappointing in their simplicity.
One thing to be aware of is although the book purports to be historical, I found no evidence of that. There are certainly a few parallels to Earth history, but it felt to me like a secondary world low fantasy.
Very low.
I only noticed one reference to actual magic, and even that may have been only superstition. There are frequent references to "witches" and "witchery" but we never actually see any.
Now, as I mentioned above I'm a sucker for stories about Neanderthals. I was really looking forward to reading this, as usually human/Neanderthal mashups are the province of modern or near-future sci-fi. Seeing one set in medieval times had me primed for a great experience that I really wanted to love.
I wanted to love this book. I just couldn't.
First, I have an issue with the portrayal of the neanderthals themselves. It's very common to see them presented as mentally inferior to homo sapiens. Savage. Barbaric. Without creativity. But this goes against what we have scientific evidence of. In fact, it is highly likely that neanderthals were actually more intelligent than homo sapiens of the same era.
Similarly, while it is never explicitly stated, there is a strong implication that skill levels being equal a neanderthal would not be able to stand against a sapien swordsman in single combat, which is absurd. All the evidence I've ever seen strongly suggests that without the benefit of greater knowledge or skill a homo sapien simply would not be able to contend with a neanderthal's raw strength.
The advantage of a sapien's greater reach due to longer limbs simply wouldn't be enough to make up that difference. Not when wielding a weapon as large as a sword.
Secondarily, no reference was ever made to a disparity in size between sapiens and neanderthals, which I found very odd.
However, this may come down to my second major issue which is the almost total lack of descriptive details in the book.
I had a very hard time envisioning the events of the book because almost nothing was described. We had almost no details of clothing, ornamentation, symbols, facial features, buildings, or nearly anything else.
Perhaps this would be expected if the novel were booked as a historical thriller, but when I see the words "epic fantasy" I expect a certain amount of detail that just wasn't there.
A very minor addition to this is the monetary system of "beads." What are these, exactly? What do they look like? What are they made of? Do they serve another purpose other than just being money? None of these questions are addressed in the book.
Also, I found a great many modern colloquialisms that pushed me right out of the story. I already didn't believe this story could take place in medieval Europe, but the modern words and usages made that a lot worse.
Finally, we come to my biggest issue. The one that took this from minor annoyances that I could overlook to real issues that dramatically impacted my ability to enjoy the book.
The author seems to have taken a certain piece of writing advice far too seriously and without proper context. That being the oft-quoted "rule" that when writing in first person one should never start sentences with "I" ("I said this," "I did that," "I felt this way," etc).
Now, in general this is good advice. Starting every sentence this way gets repetitive quickly. However, the solution is to restructure sentences to that they are varied. Unfortunately, the author took that advice and simply omitted the word "I" making a great many sentences feel extremely choppy and disconnected.
Now, I did consider, in the beginning, that perhaps this was characterization for the neanderthals. Perhaps he was subtly showing that they omit references to self or that their speech is naturally contacted.
So I paid attention to how the neanderthals speak and I found that to not be the case. There doesn't seem to be any aversion to such references in their speech. So I'm left with no other option but to see this as the author implementing this piece of advice in a way that negatively impacted the writing.
And finally, we come to the ending.
There is certainly a measure of epic to the buildup as we approach the climax. There are several big battles that were fun to read. And while the way things come about brings the main character's naivete to new heights, it was still an exciting turn of events.
However. The ending just didn't feel earned. There was no Deus Ex Machina, thankfully. Everything is foreshadowed. A bit over-heavily, if I'm being honest. But the problem is that for me, it comes off as the main character is just passively letting things happen and running with it. Only at the very end, with an opportunity all-but handed to him, does he do something proactive to accomplish his goals.
It was still satisfying. It didn't ruin the ending for me. It just made it considerably less powerful than it otherwise may have been.
In the end, the author has some great ideas that are a lot of fun to read, he just needs to improve his writing. When his skills are up to the challenge I would love to see a true epic set in this same world.
I will give this book a passive recommendation with the caveat that a reader needs to understand the technical flaws of what they are entering into.
September 28, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Neanderthal King
Author: Matt Ward
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: ya fantasy, war
Publication Date: August 8, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, language, slavery, war)
Publisher: Myrmani Press
Pages: 318
Synopsis: It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.
But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.
Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.
And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.
Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.
Grab the 1st five chapters of Neanderthal King today for a bold new take on a daring teen hero’s fantastic adventure…
Review: For the most part I thought this book was really good. The book had a game of thrones feel and was very action-packed. The book was very fast-paced and I think the author did well with the storyline and the plot.
However I do think that the characters weren't as developed as I would have liked them to be. It just feels like I didn't really know the characters. I also thought the world building could have been more.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: Neanderthal King
Author: Matt Ward
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: ya fantasy, war
Publication Date: August 8, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, language, slavery, war)
Publisher: Myrmani Press
Pages: 318
Synopsis: It’s 1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by the dark Sapien king, Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood and fueled by Sap ingenuity.
But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath.
Raised the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word, your average Neanderthal.
And life’s livable, until King Isaac resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered prophecy… A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic battle to end all.
Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA fantasy by renowned science fiction and fantasy author, Matt Ward, that features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle, you’ll love this heroic historical tale.
Grab the 1st five chapters of Neanderthal King today for a bold new take on a daring teen hero’s fantastic adventure…
Review: For the most part I thought this book was really good. The book had a game of thrones feel and was very action-packed. The book was very fast-paced and I think the author did well with the storyline and the plot.
However I do think that the characters weren't as developed as I would have liked them to be. It just feels like I didn't really know the characters. I also thought the world building could have been more.
Verdict: It was good!
November 12, 2020
A coming of age story that gradually creeps up on you.
This story is very good, and I enjoyed it. Its world building is really good and the characters are solid and likable or hatable according to the story. I found the battles really exciting heart pounding stuff. The twists and turns in the plot are good because although you think you know what a certain person or group might do, you can be completely mistaken which was entertaining to read.
However, it was a harder read than normal, only because of the Thal way of speaking that the author included to give a taste of the Thal people.
It works, but like I said..it was a plod through.
Or perhaps I found it harder to follow due to something lacking in me, who knows?
Having said that, if you persevere and keep going, eventually it will grow on you and you will find the language makes sense in the end.
I'm glad I stuck with it because it's a great story.
Using his own morals and his few skills, Maralek is trying to survive in an extremely rough and hard world. After a hunting trip. Maralek is captured and and the rest of the able bodied taken as prisoners after his clan lands are decimated by an army of Sapians (otherwise known as Saps) that attacked them without warning. They are led by King Isaac Avington; a cruel and ruthless man who takes a great deal of pleasure in causing pain in any way possible, and who relishes murdering his enemies.
Maralek is fortunate, in that he finds himself taken prisoner, because all those too weak or the very young children are killed outright and the women taken prisoner are raped before being taken. He counts himself fortunate that he is alive, and he swears bitter revenge as he is taken a very long way from his home, to a Sap city, where he sold, along with all the other prisoners, into slavery.
However, luck is on his side, as a kind Sap trader called William Wolf, buys him and takes him to meet his brother and business partner, Borin Wolf. Maralek's shackles are removed and he is given a small amount of freedom, which he is warned, can be taken away if he tries to run away. He sees no reason to run as both William and Borin are good people he feels, and who seem like decent masters considering that they are Saps. All the while he is completely unaware of the cards that fate has dealt him.
All goes well, and Maralek is given the chance to become an apprentice to a free Thal called Dorek who is a fully qualified blacksmith, and who also seems like an honorable Thal. Dorek tells Marakel that he can see potential in Maralek which pleases Maralek as he had always wanted to become a blacksmith.
Well time passes, and Maralek becomes a very good blacksmith and is trusted by Dorek.
However, one day William and Borin start to seem different towards each other. Borin wishes to expand the business to include something new, but his brother William is adament against the idea and refuses.
Tensions between the brothers ends in tragedy, with William murdered by men Borin has sent messages to that he got Maralek to deliver for him. Of course this will implicate Maralek; so Maralek decides to run and Dorek offers to help him, however as things turn out, Dorek decides to run with Maralek.
Dorek and Maralek head North in hopes of escaping the law, and perhaps of helping them to find more Thal. To help them vanish from the eyes of the law, they join a caravan of wagons that are heading North.
What follows takes us all over city after city as Maralek and Dorek try to hide from the law but there is something else new about Maralek that an elderly witch woman keeps telling Maralek about. Something about him being the last of a line of Kings of his people the Thal? He doesnt know what shes on about and he doesnt know what to believe, but running towards their people seems like the wise thing to do till they can think of another plan.
This engaging story was an enjoyable read once I began understanding the way Thal people spoke.
Merged review:
A coming of age story that gradually creeps up on you.
This story is very good, and I enjoyed it. Its world building is really good and the characters are solid and likable or hatable according to the story. I found the battles really exciting heart pounding stuff. The twists and turns in the plot are good because although you think you know what a certain person or group might do, you can be completely mistaken which was entertaining to read.
However, it was a harder read than normal, only because of the Thal way of speaking that the author included to give a taste of the Thal people.
It works, but like I said..it was a plod through.
Or perhaps I found it harder to follow due to something lacking in me, who knows?
Having said that, if you persevere and keep going, eventually it will grow on you and you will find the language makes sense in the end.
I'm glad I stuck with it because it's a great story.
Using his own morals and his few skills, Maralek is trying to survive in an extremely rough and hard world. After a hunting trip. Maralek is captured and and the rest of the able bodied taken as prisoners after his clan lands are decimated by an army of Sapians (otherwise known as Saps) that attacked them without warning. They are led by King Isaac Avington; a cruel and ruthless man who takes a great deal of pleasure in causing pain in any way possible, and who relishes murdering his enemies.
Maralek is fortunate, in that he finds himself taken prisoner, because all those too weak or the very young children are killed outright and the women taken prisoner are raped before being taken. He counts himself fortunate that he is alive, and he swears bitter revenge as he is taken a very long way from his home, to a Sap city, where he sold, along with all the other prisoners, into slavery.
However, luck is on his side, as a kind Sap trader called William Wolf, buys him and takes him to meet his brother and business partner, Borin Wolf. Maralek's shackles are removed and he is given a small amount of freedom, which he is warned, can be taken away if he tries to run away. He sees no reason to run as both William and Borin are good people he feels, and who seem like decent masters considering that they are Saps. All the while he is completely unaware of the cards that fate has dealt him.
All goes well, and Maralek is given the chance to become an apprentice to a free Thal called Dorek who is a fully qualified blacksmith, and who also seems like an honorable Thal. Dorek tells Marakel that he can see potential in Maralek which pleases Maralek as he had always wanted to become a blacksmith.
Well time passes, and Maralek becomes a very good blacksmith and is trusted by Dorek.
However, one day William and Borin start to seem different towards each other. Borin wishes to expand the business to include something new, but his brother William is adament against the idea and refuses.
Tensions between the brothers ends in tragedy, with William murdered by men Borin has sent messages to that he got Maralek to deliver for him. Of course this will implicate Maralek; so Maralek decides to run and Dorek offers to help him, however as things turn out, Dorek decides to run with Maralek.
Dorek and Maralek head North in hopes of escaping the law, and perhaps of helping them to find more Thal. To help them vanish from the eyes of the law, they join a caravan of wagons that are heading North.
What follows takes us all over city after city as Maralek and Dorek try to hide from the law but there is something else new about Maralek that an elderly witch woman keeps telling Maralek about. Something about him being important? He doesnt know what shes on about and he doesnt know what to believe, but running towards their people seems like the wise thing to do till they can think of another plan.
This engaging story was an enjoyable read once I began understanding the way Thal people spoke.
This story is very good, and I enjoyed it. Its world building is really good and the characters are solid and likable or hatable according to the story. I found the battles really exciting heart pounding stuff. The twists and turns in the plot are good because although you think you know what a certain person or group might do, you can be completely mistaken which was entertaining to read.
However, it was a harder read than normal, only because of the Thal way of speaking that the author included to give a taste of the Thal people.
It works, but like I said..it was a plod through.
Or perhaps I found it harder to follow due to something lacking in me, who knows?
Having said that, if you persevere and keep going, eventually it will grow on you and you will find the language makes sense in the end.
I'm glad I stuck with it because it's a great story.
Using his own morals and his few skills, Maralek is trying to survive in an extremely rough and hard world. After a hunting trip. Maralek is captured and and the rest of the able bodied taken as prisoners after his clan lands are decimated by an army of Sapians (otherwise known as Saps) that attacked them without warning. They are led by King Isaac Avington; a cruel and ruthless man who takes a great deal of pleasure in causing pain in any way possible, and who relishes murdering his enemies.
Maralek is fortunate, in that he finds himself taken prisoner, because all those too weak or the very young children are killed outright and the women taken prisoner are raped before being taken. He counts himself fortunate that he is alive, and he swears bitter revenge as he is taken a very long way from his home, to a Sap city, where he sold, along with all the other prisoners, into slavery.
However, luck is on his side, as a kind Sap trader called William Wolf, buys him and takes him to meet his brother and business partner, Borin Wolf. Maralek's shackles are removed and he is given a small amount of freedom, which he is warned, can be taken away if he tries to run away. He sees no reason to run as both William and Borin are good people he feels, and who seem like decent masters considering that they are Saps. All the while he is completely unaware of the cards that fate has dealt him.
All goes well, and Maralek is given the chance to become an apprentice to a free Thal called Dorek who is a fully qualified blacksmith, and who also seems like an honorable Thal. Dorek tells Marakel that he can see potential in Maralek which pleases Maralek as he had always wanted to become a blacksmith.
Well time passes, and Maralek becomes a very good blacksmith and is trusted by Dorek.
However, one day William and Borin start to seem different towards each other. Borin wishes to expand the business to include something new, but his brother William is adament against the idea and refuses.
Tensions between the brothers ends in tragedy, with William murdered by men Borin has sent messages to that he got Maralek to deliver for him. Of course this will implicate Maralek; so Maralek decides to run and Dorek offers to help him, however as things turn out, Dorek decides to run with Maralek.
Dorek and Maralek head North in hopes of escaping the law, and perhaps of helping them to find more Thal. To help them vanish from the eyes of the law, they join a caravan of wagons that are heading North.
What follows takes us all over city after city as Maralek and Dorek try to hide from the law but there is something else new about Maralek that an elderly witch woman keeps telling Maralek about. Something about him being the last of a line of Kings of his people the Thal? He doesnt know what shes on about and he doesnt know what to believe, but running towards their people seems like the wise thing to do till they can think of another plan.
This engaging story was an enjoyable read once I began understanding the way Thal people spoke.
Merged review:
A coming of age story that gradually creeps up on you.
This story is very good, and I enjoyed it. Its world building is really good and the characters are solid and likable or hatable according to the story. I found the battles really exciting heart pounding stuff. The twists and turns in the plot are good because although you think you know what a certain person or group might do, you can be completely mistaken which was entertaining to read.
However, it was a harder read than normal, only because of the Thal way of speaking that the author included to give a taste of the Thal people.
It works, but like I said..it was a plod through.
Or perhaps I found it harder to follow due to something lacking in me, who knows?
Having said that, if you persevere and keep going, eventually it will grow on you and you will find the language makes sense in the end.
I'm glad I stuck with it because it's a great story.
Using his own morals and his few skills, Maralek is trying to survive in an extremely rough and hard world. After a hunting trip. Maralek is captured and and the rest of the able bodied taken as prisoners after his clan lands are decimated by an army of Sapians (otherwise known as Saps) that attacked them without warning. They are led by King Isaac Avington; a cruel and ruthless man who takes a great deal of pleasure in causing pain in any way possible, and who relishes murdering his enemies.
Maralek is fortunate, in that he finds himself taken prisoner, because all those too weak or the very young children are killed outright and the women taken prisoner are raped before being taken. He counts himself fortunate that he is alive, and he swears bitter revenge as he is taken a very long way from his home, to a Sap city, where he sold, along with all the other prisoners, into slavery.
However, luck is on his side, as a kind Sap trader called William Wolf, buys him and takes him to meet his brother and business partner, Borin Wolf. Maralek's shackles are removed and he is given a small amount of freedom, which he is warned, can be taken away if he tries to run away. He sees no reason to run as both William and Borin are good people he feels, and who seem like decent masters considering that they are Saps. All the while he is completely unaware of the cards that fate has dealt him.
All goes well, and Maralek is given the chance to become an apprentice to a free Thal called Dorek who is a fully qualified blacksmith, and who also seems like an honorable Thal. Dorek tells Marakel that he can see potential in Maralek which pleases Maralek as he had always wanted to become a blacksmith.
Well time passes, and Maralek becomes a very good blacksmith and is trusted by Dorek.
However, one day William and Borin start to seem different towards each other. Borin wishes to expand the business to include something new, but his brother William is adament against the idea and refuses.
Tensions between the brothers ends in tragedy, with William murdered by men Borin has sent messages to that he got Maralek to deliver for him. Of course this will implicate Maralek; so Maralek decides to run and Dorek offers to help him, however as things turn out, Dorek decides to run with Maralek.
Dorek and Maralek head North in hopes of escaping the law, and perhaps of helping them to find more Thal. To help them vanish from the eyes of the law, they join a caravan of wagons that are heading North.
What follows takes us all over city after city as Maralek and Dorek try to hide from the law but there is something else new about Maralek that an elderly witch woman keeps telling Maralek about. Something about him being important? He doesnt know what shes on about and he doesnt know what to believe, but running towards their people seems like the wise thing to do till they can think of another plan.
This engaging story was an enjoyable read once I began understanding the way Thal people spoke.
September 13, 2020
Apparently James Cameron had trouble selling the idea of a movie about the Titanic. “Where’s the suspense? We all know that in the end the ship sinks and everybody dies.”
Well, this story is about the Neanderthals’ last stand against Homo Sapiens from the POV of the losers. So, if you read this book, I hope you’re not aiming for an optimistic outlook. Be prepared for a lot of death.
This has an unfortunate dulling effect on the suspense, as we soon get inured to the fact that everybody is going to get killed eventually. But there is a nicely complex diplomatic plotline woven through the violence, which leads to a believable ending.
The main character is a work of art, starting out as a crude but honourable soldier, and developing gradually into a likeable-from-a-distance epic hero. Nobody else (except for a villain or two) is important, because they’re all going to die anyway.
This story has some of the best world-building I have seen. The writing style — grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary — is rugged and disjointed, just as we would expect the voice of a Neanderthal brute to be. In fact, the numerous errors disguise quite a lot of sloppy editing, (getting ‘nay’ and ‘neigh’ mixed up, for example) but in a mess like that, who can say for sure?
The setting is beautifully (no, strike that) realistically medieval, with stone castles, iron weapons and stinking, filthy hovels filled with piss, vomit, and steaming entrails. Effective, but definitely not for the weak of stomach.
Recommended for those who like their fantasy down to earth and beyond.
Well, this story is about the Neanderthals’ last stand against Homo Sapiens from the POV of the losers. So, if you read this book, I hope you’re not aiming for an optimistic outlook. Be prepared for a lot of death.
This has an unfortunate dulling effect on the suspense, as we soon get inured to the fact that everybody is going to get killed eventually. But there is a nicely complex diplomatic plotline woven through the violence, which leads to a believable ending.
The main character is a work of art, starting out as a crude but honourable soldier, and developing gradually into a likeable-from-a-distance epic hero. Nobody else (except for a villain or two) is important, because they’re all going to die anyway.
This story has some of the best world-building I have seen. The writing style — grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary — is rugged and disjointed, just as we would expect the voice of a Neanderthal brute to be. In fact, the numerous errors disguise quite a lot of sloppy editing, (getting ‘nay’ and ‘neigh’ mixed up, for example) but in a mess like that, who can say for sure?
The setting is beautifully (no, strike that) realistically medieval, with stone castles, iron weapons and stinking, filthy hovels filled with piss, vomit, and steaming entrails. Effective, but definitely not for the weak of stomach.
Recommended for those who like their fantasy down to earth and beyond.
April 14, 2025
I really really wanted to like this book!! It has everything I like in a book!!
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was amazing! He did a great job!
Parts of the book I did enjoy. There were some funny parts that made me giggle out loud.
But the more i listened, the more distressed I became. Maralek is extremely unlucky. everyone he befriended and loves dies. He was always caught. It became predictable.
In the end, the Dark King wasn't even killed by Maralek. The ending felt extremely rushed. within the final chapter, the king is killed and and the book ends.
I feel like another chapter should have been added. and a celebration party help or something. Give the main character that "We did it!" feeling with his people. but i guess that is hard when all the characters throughout the book are killed off.
I get character death. I really do, but this felt overkill. At the end of the book, Maralek literally has no one standing by his side.
NOTE TO THE AUTHOR: I hope my review does not upset you or discpurage you to write. All together, you wrote a massive book and dedicated so much time. I commend you on that. That is such an amazing accomplishment!!! My review was solely just my opinion. ❤️
I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was amazing! He did a great job!
Parts of the book I did enjoy. There were some funny parts that made me giggle out loud.
But the more i listened, the more distressed I became. Maralek is extremely unlucky. everyone he befriended and loves dies. He was always caught. It became predictable.
In the end, the Dark King wasn't even killed by Maralek. The ending felt extremely rushed. within the final chapter, the king is killed and and the book ends.
I feel like another chapter should have been added. and a celebration party help or something. Give the main character that "We did it!" feeling with his people. but i guess that is hard when all the characters throughout the book are killed off.
I get character death. I really do, but this felt overkill. At the end of the book, Maralek literally has no one standing by his side.
NOTE TO THE AUTHOR: I hope my review does not upset you or discpurage you to write. All together, you wrote a massive book and dedicated so much time. I commend you on that. That is such an amazing accomplishment!!! My review was solely just my opinion. ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2020
I'm always excited when picking up a new book by Matt Ward. I never know to expect. Neanderthal King was no exception!
We're introduced to a world where Neanderthals didn't die out. They live in their own kingdom and so do the homo-sapiens. When an attack is launched against the Neanderthals, their bloodline is believed to be deleted. Little do they know, there is one surviving heir. And he'll get his revenge.
So, like with every Matt Ward book, the worldbuilding is simply phenomenal. I don't read many alternate history books, but it's stories like this that make me interested in the genre. Ward even went so far as to create a specific language for the Thals. I also love the contrast in the entire way that each group of humans lived. For example, the Thals were typically led by their women while the Saps had male leaders.
I could definitely see how this book would appeal to Game of Throne fans. Also, if you're looking for something outside the box, this is the perfect read. Immersive with plenty of food for thought.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
We're introduced to a world where Neanderthals didn't die out. They live in their own kingdom and so do the homo-sapiens. When an attack is launched against the Neanderthals, their bloodline is believed to be deleted. Little do they know, there is one surviving heir. And he'll get his revenge.
So, like with every Matt Ward book, the worldbuilding is simply phenomenal. I don't read many alternate history books, but it's stories like this that make me interested in the genre. Ward even went so far as to create a specific language for the Thals. I also love the contrast in the entire way that each group of humans lived. For example, the Thals were typically led by their women while the Saps had male leaders.
I could definitely see how this book would appeal to Game of Throne fans. Also, if you're looking for something outside the box, this is the perfect read. Immersive with plenty of food for thought.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
Read
July 18, 2020What if the Neanderthal hadn’t become extinct? Matt Ward brings a tale of two great empires, the Sapiens, or Saps, and the Thals, and war between the two is a constant. Then in the Twelfth century, Sap King Isaac, overthrows the palace of Thal Queen Orik and kills her and her five children.
Wait, what? Five? Weren’t there six?
Sixteen years later, Isaac is still fighting outlying Thal villages, killing, burning, raping. And taking the strong as slaves, including one named Maralek, who vows vengeance on the Saps who have destroyed his country and ruined so many lives. Bought and escaped, taken again, escaped. Maralek makes friends easily, he’s a smart, pleasant boy. Is he the last Thal king, the rescued son of Orik?
Matt Ward is a marvelous author, his characters capture your heart; the battles are so fast paced you can’t turn the pages quickly enough! This is a stand alone fictional history that feels like it really happened that way.
You really don’t want to miss it!
Wait, what? Five? Weren’t there six?
Sixteen years later, Isaac is still fighting outlying Thal villages, killing, burning, raping. And taking the strong as slaves, including one named Maralek, who vows vengeance on the Saps who have destroyed his country and ruined so many lives. Bought and escaped, taken again, escaped. Maralek makes friends easily, he’s a smart, pleasant boy. Is he the last Thal king, the rescued son of Orik?
Matt Ward is a marvelous author, his characters capture your heart; the battles are so fast paced you can’t turn the pages quickly enough! This is a stand alone fictional history that feels like it really happened that way.
You really don’t want to miss it!
September 5, 2020
I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.
This was as thrilling a book as I expected. Lots of action, twists and who is who, and whodunit? A fun, exciting read into what could have been if history was different. What if the Neanderthals had survived as a race? What would they become?
This book tells the tale of the Neanderthals fight for freedom from a cunning, immoral despot intent on conquering the known world. The author has created some very strong characters and incredible worlds in this book. A young man has his whole family and his friends slaughtered through various methods over time and must survive slavery and threats of death.
Pick up a copy of this book and follow along as an uneducated youth finds out who he really is and grows into his role.
This was as thrilling a book as I expected. Lots of action, twists and who is who, and whodunit? A fun, exciting read into what could have been if history was different. What if the Neanderthals had survived as a race? What would they become?
This book tells the tale of the Neanderthals fight for freedom from a cunning, immoral despot intent on conquering the known world. The author has created some very strong characters and incredible worlds in this book. A young man has his whole family and his friends slaughtered through various methods over time and must survive slavery and threats of death.
Pick up a copy of this book and follow along as an uneducated youth finds out who he really is and grows into his role.
September 23, 2020
I was first caught by the book’s storyline which I enjoyed. It was a bit difficult to follow at first with so many unusual names and different words for things to keep track of. However I persevered and did eventually find it easier to follow and enjoy.
I found the writing in the first person a bit clipped for my liking. It sounded more like a string of statements rather than the telling of a story.
The narrator was new to me and took some time to get used to, however I think he did a good job overall.
The thing I was most disappointed with was the lack of descriptive details such as the beads and stones (where they came from, how the worked, what they look like and how or where people stored them), clothing, the buildings and more specifically the difference between different peoples.
I found the writing in the first person a bit clipped for my liking. It sounded more like a string of statements rather than the telling of a story.
The narrator was new to me and took some time to get used to, however I think he did a good job overall.
The thing I was most disappointed with was the lack of descriptive details such as the beads and stones (where they came from, how the worked, what they look like and how or where people stored them), clothing, the buildings and more specifically the difference between different peoples.
August 8, 2020
It took a while to get used to the writing style, especially to the extensive use of different terms for things though many were easy to work out.
An interesting switch. Instead of human trying to wipe out aliens or fellow humans in this Neanderthals are the target. And just like real life Isaac, the would-be king of all is full of deceit, trickery and with not a shred of honour about him.
The Neanderthals are being exterminated or enslaved with none to unite them since the slaughter of the last Thal ruler and all her children, or so Isaac thinks... mistakenly. Blood and gore to the max in this first book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
An interesting switch. Instead of human trying to wipe out aliens or fellow humans in this Neanderthals are the target. And just like real life Isaac, the would-be king of all is full of deceit, trickery and with not a shred of honour about him.
The Neanderthals are being exterminated or enslaved with none to unite them since the slaughter of the last Thal ruler and all her children, or so Isaac thinks... mistakenly. Blood and gore to the max in this first book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 24, 2020
The telling of an alternate history of the extinction of the Neanderthals and the ascendancy of Homo Sapiens is told in this story. Big,strong, dull witted, honour driven Neanderthals war with Homo Sapiens that by comparison are smaller, weaker, quick witted, devious and honourless. There’s slavery, trade, and war told in an easy to read way that keeps your interest front to back. There are ethical considerations posed by the conflict between these different types of humans which puts the Neanderthals genes in us uneasy with our Homo sapiens ones.
A very good read that piques our imagination. Now I’m off took look for more from Matt Ward because his storyline and writing style has my attention.
A very good read that piques our imagination. Now I’m off took look for more from Matt Ward because his storyline and writing style has my attention.
July 31, 2020
A twisty and imaginative take on the Human family tree!
Enter an alternate reality! What if the Neanderthals thrived instead of dying out and becoming lost to humankind as we now know it? Can the Thals co-exist with the Sapiens (Saps) without their war, violence, plunder, and slavery? A truly depraved King Isaac and company is hellbent on subjugating and eventually destroying the Thals, viewing them as interlopers and essentially animals. However, there is a bright and brave young Thal who takes up the mantle of his people, seeking freedom and justice. An absorbing read and you will most reluctantly turn the final satisfying page, although wanting more!
Enter an alternate reality! What if the Neanderthals thrived instead of dying out and becoming lost to humankind as we now know it? Can the Thals co-exist with the Sapiens (Saps) without their war, violence, plunder, and slavery? A truly depraved King Isaac and company is hellbent on subjugating and eventually destroying the Thals, viewing them as interlopers and essentially animals. However, there is a bright and brave young Thal who takes up the mantle of his people, seeking freedom and justice. An absorbing read and you will most reluctantly turn the final satisfying page, although wanting more!
August 10, 2020
Neanderthal King was a very enjoyable read. It tells the story of Maralek, a Neanderthal who is forced to become a slave when the Sapien King Isaac continues his crusade. There is a lot of action and adventure in this book and I absolutely loved it. The writing style was also something different, but I liked it! It fits very well with the story. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read fantasy.
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.
September 20, 2020
This was a very interesting story. Starts out as your typical fantasy and adds so much more! This is a great addition to the YA fantasy genre with a surprise ending! The characters are well developed and the story world is intriguing. If you are looking for a fantasy novel that is a little bit different, look no further! I highly recommend this book!
September 5, 2020
Sadly humans are the most vicious species on the planet, killing for no reason at all.
The Creatures of this planet kill only to Defend, eat, propagate, unless insane.
Sadly this is still true even in written stories. This author did a good job writing this book
The Creatures of this planet kill only to Defend, eat, propagate, unless insane.
Sadly this is still true even in written stories. This author did a good job writing this book
May 14, 2026
Pretty disappointing in all honesty. Good idea but not a great story sadly.
December 25, 2020
Great read
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews