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The Cracked Altar
A missing princess. A city under siege. A compendium of the blackest sorcery.
The Grand Mage of Caragol is the most dangerous man in the realm, so when Kerstin steals his spellbook right out of his tower, she lights up a firestorm of trouble.
An army sweeps through the city of Klomm, but countless lives are a petty sum for such great power. With the spellbook, Kerstin can deal with the villainous Count Olgris, and the unspeakable horrors conjured by the Grand Mage.
But she is dancing on a spider's thread.
Meanwhile on the other side of the kingdom, fifteen-year-old Hinkle walks a tightrope of her own, spinning a web of dangerous lies around her new master, Sir Gilkrist of Lothellae.
When Sir Gilkrist’s quest brings them to Klomm, she discovers the secrets she’s been hiding are darker than she ever imagined. A diabolical scheme threatens to engulf the world in shadow and blood - and it has everything to do with her Aunt Kerstin.
But can Sir Gilkrist help her... or will he devise a dark purpose of his own?
Praise from readers:
★★★★★ - "A fresh take on witches, knights and magic. While the novel stays true to its genre, the author brings a fresh look at magic, the dark arts, and everything in between. Characters are relatable and I really enjoyed the horror elements as well. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series."
★★★★★ - "Great fantasy novel. Action and excitement on the surface with deeper and heavier undertones. Rains builds a complex and immersive world of nations at war, old grudges, magic and intrigue."
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 17, 2020
177 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
About the author
Timothy J.R. Rains
25 books9 followersBewitched at a young age by all things to do with swords and magic, Canadian fantasy author Timothy J. R. Rains spent his youth slaughtering Minotaurs in the misty woods of rural Nova Scotia.
He studied cartography at the Centre of Geographic Sciences and has a degree in theology from Briercrest College. When he isn’t caught up in another dimension, he’s usually out in the middle of some cold river with a cigar in his teeth and a fishing rod in his hands. He lives with his wife and daughter in Riverview, New Brunswick.
He studied cartography at the Centre of Geographic Sciences and has a degree in theology from Briercrest College. When he isn’t caught up in another dimension, he’s usually out in the middle of some cold river with a cigar in his teeth and a fishing rod in his hands. He lives with his wife and daughter in Riverview, New Brunswick.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 1, 2020
The Cracked Altar, a fantasy novel by Timothy J. R. Rains, first interested me because of its intriguing title. Would it have a religious theme? What dastardly action would happen, as when something says cracked, it usually has a clever twist. As soon as I dove in, Hinkle's near-capture captivated me. I'm not typically a reader in this genre, but the more I sample some works, I find myself becoming a fan.
Hinkle's family tree is complex. We immediately learn that her mother is gone. She's been living with a grandmother in a world where her family has suffered. There's an uncle who's a mystery and aunt who's either a pious nun or a nefarious witch. Which will it be? Hinkle is rescued by her own special brand of knight, and her grandmother engineers a solution that will benefit them all in the future. It's a powerful scene and sets a fantastic tone for the book. We follow Hinkle's path with her new protector only to learn nothing we've thought true is indeed accurate. In this world, what's gray is more important than what's black and white.
Rains builds a fascinating and well-developed world where the rich are rich, and the poor are poor. Part-fairy tale and part mystical quest, the novel will engage your visual senses as each scene and action are vividly described. The battle scenes were strong but not over-the-top. The secrets were revealed at timely moments. And the clues were in abundance. The story is gripping, and I'm hopeful there will be a sequel. Kudos to the author for gaining a new fan in the fantasy genre.
Hinkle's family tree is complex. We immediately learn that her mother is gone. She's been living with a grandmother in a world where her family has suffered. There's an uncle who's a mystery and aunt who's either a pious nun or a nefarious witch. Which will it be? Hinkle is rescued by her own special brand of knight, and her grandmother engineers a solution that will benefit them all in the future. It's a powerful scene and sets a fantastic tone for the book. We follow Hinkle's path with her new protector only to learn nothing we've thought true is indeed accurate. In this world, what's gray is more important than what's black and white.
Rains builds a fascinating and well-developed world where the rich are rich, and the poor are poor. Part-fairy tale and part mystical quest, the novel will engage your visual senses as each scene and action are vividly described. The battle scenes were strong but not over-the-top. The secrets were revealed at timely moments. And the clues were in abundance. The story is gripping, and I'm hopeful there will be a sequel. Kudos to the author for gaining a new fan in the fantasy genre.
July 13, 2019
Entertaining read with lots of intrigue and mystical aspects.
The beginning of this book grabbed me right off. It reminded me a little of a cross between Brave heart and Kingdom of dreams – world-wise, I mean.
I liked that I could visualize the scenes with no trouble. I liked Hinkle and her character. But if I'm honest, I wasn't sure if the main characters were supposed to be portrayed as villainous – because that's how I saw Sir Gilkrist – arrogant, self-serving and infuriating. And then we have Kerstin, a witch everyone feared and disliked and who actually acted the part of the bad guy – save for when she was asked to save parts of the village. But the author cast enough shadow around Kerstin's character to make one wonder about her ulterior motives, and that twist at the end just made me more curious.
The battle scenes were vivid and packed with action – which I enjoyed very much. And although I didn't like the way Sir Gilkrist treated Hinkle, I know that's how men from a past era treated their servants.
The plot was a little confusing at first, I couldn't figure it out – Sir Gilkrist stated his goal was to find the missing princess, but he didn't seem to be giving much thought about her. And Kerstin, also one of the main characters, only showed up later in the story.
The spellbook was only mentioned later in the story – I wouldn't have known it was a major point if the blurb hadn't mentioned it. Those were my only– niggles, as a fellow friend likes to call them, otherwise, the book had my attention all the way.
The writing was simple and easy to understand, and save for a few creepy scenes, there wasn't any trigger points in the story. It's suited for readers age 12+, but I think it'd appeal to an older target, maybe 16+.
The beginning of this book grabbed me right off. It reminded me a little of a cross between Brave heart and Kingdom of dreams – world-wise, I mean.
I liked that I could visualize the scenes with no trouble. I liked Hinkle and her character. But if I'm honest, I wasn't sure if the main characters were supposed to be portrayed as villainous – because that's how I saw Sir Gilkrist – arrogant, self-serving and infuriating. And then we have Kerstin, a witch everyone feared and disliked and who actually acted the part of the bad guy – save for when she was asked to save parts of the village. But the author cast enough shadow around Kerstin's character to make one wonder about her ulterior motives, and that twist at the end just made me more curious.
The battle scenes were vivid and packed with action – which I enjoyed very much. And although I didn't like the way Sir Gilkrist treated Hinkle, I know that's how men from a past era treated their servants.
The plot was a little confusing at first, I couldn't figure it out – Sir Gilkrist stated his goal was to find the missing princess, but he didn't seem to be giving much thought about her. And Kerstin, also one of the main characters, only showed up later in the story.
The spellbook was only mentioned later in the story – I wouldn't have known it was a major point if the blurb hadn't mentioned it. Those were my only– niggles, as a fellow friend likes to call them, otherwise, the book had my attention all the way.
The writing was simple and easy to understand, and save for a few creepy scenes, there wasn't any trigger points in the story. It's suited for readers age 12+, but I think it'd appeal to an older target, maybe 16+.
May 7, 2019
I took a deep interest in this book from the title and the cover; the idea of a cracked altar certainly leans towards a religious theme—myself being devoutly Christian, I’m always hungry for more faith-based writing. In fact, this book was presented to me as ‘thinly veiled Christian fantasy’ after doing a bit of reading, I’m sad to say it is not very Christian at all. There are slight hints at Christianity, but certainly not enough to call this Christian fantasy. Maybe there are others who feel this book was screaming the name of Jesus from cover to cover, but I respectfully disagree and found myself feeling a bit misled and, therefore, a bit disappointed.
Despite the bad start I had going into this novel; I will admit that it was not bad at all! The writing was done very well, and the world building was honestly amazing! I love fantasy; discovering new worlds, battling mythical creatures, going on worldwide adventures—its probably the peak of human creativity. But this book took me back to old school fantasy; magic, knights, and good versus evil. I’ll be honest and say it was a little dark for my taste—not a huge fan of witchcraft or sorcery at all, but it was enjoyable for those who’ve got a little more grit than I do.
Aside from my initial complaint, I have to say I didn’t really enjoy one of the main characters. I found Sir Gilkrist very unlikeable and rude. His attitude was truly difficult to overlook, and I could not get myself to enjoy him as a protagonist. BUT this is a complaint based purely on personal taste, this is not a crack at the writing or even at the story itself. I wish I could have enjoyed Sir Gilkrist more, I wish I could have related to the main characters more in general. But I did not dislike the story or the cast as a whole.
I hit a few bumps going into this book but overall, I’d say it is certainly a book I would recommend to others. Now that I’m familiar with the plot, the characters, and the use of darker sorts of magic and witches, I’ll admit this is not something I would personally pick up but I’d be surprised if it didn’t make it onto the favorites list of many readers in the future.
The Cracked Altar is a well-paced read for fantasy audiences, but it can easily be enjoyed by those with an interest in magic and adventure. If you’ve got a thing for terrible villains and suspenseful endings, I would highly suggest cracking this open—I promise its well worth a read.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Despite the bad start I had going into this novel; I will admit that it was not bad at all! The writing was done very well, and the world building was honestly amazing! I love fantasy; discovering new worlds, battling mythical creatures, going on worldwide adventures—its probably the peak of human creativity. But this book took me back to old school fantasy; magic, knights, and good versus evil. I’ll be honest and say it was a little dark for my taste—not a huge fan of witchcraft or sorcery at all, but it was enjoyable for those who’ve got a little more grit than I do.
Aside from my initial complaint, I have to say I didn’t really enjoy one of the main characters. I found Sir Gilkrist very unlikeable and rude. His attitude was truly difficult to overlook, and I could not get myself to enjoy him as a protagonist. BUT this is a complaint based purely on personal taste, this is not a crack at the writing or even at the story itself. I wish I could have enjoyed Sir Gilkrist more, I wish I could have related to the main characters more in general. But I did not dislike the story or the cast as a whole.
I hit a few bumps going into this book but overall, I’d say it is certainly a book I would recommend to others. Now that I’m familiar with the plot, the characters, and the use of darker sorts of magic and witches, I’ll admit this is not something I would personally pick up but I’d be surprised if it didn’t make it onto the favorites list of many readers in the future.
The Cracked Altar is a well-paced read for fantasy audiences, but it can easily be enjoyed by those with an interest in magic and adventure. If you’ve got a thing for terrible villains and suspenseful endings, I would highly suggest cracking this open—I promise its well worth a read.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
October 1, 2022
Set within a plot of knights, magic, and deceit, The Cracked Altar offers a twisty adventure for those who love fantasy. While the story starts off from Hinkle’s point of view, the plot actually shifts to other characters at times, namely Sir Gilkrist.
Summing up the plot is a bit of a challenge considering the network of places and people that the author created. Early on, we learn that Gilkrist is fulfilling a knight’s quest, which we don’t see too much of in this story because he is soon occupied with the siege of Klomm. At this point, things take a dark turn. A powerful warrior and a sinister mage are out for revenge for unknown reasons, and it’s up to this noble knight (and his maid) to save the day. As secrets are revealed, Hinkle is forced play a role she never wanted.
While this is the major plot, there are also several subplots that will eventually gain more spotlight; however, I will not go into the finer details in order to prevent any spoilers. I will say that the plot remained cohesive, and the author’s direction for his story and his characters never got lost.
The only real letdown concerning the plot is the pacing. For the majority of the story, it was excellent…until the ending. There were a few scenes that happened in the latter half of the book that gripped me, kept me turning page after page. Only none of these were the climax. Reaching the actual climax, things finished out a little too quickly and without enough detail. Ultimately, I would have enjoyed more of a build-up and a stronger finale to this grand adventure.
Summing up the plot is a bit of a challenge considering the network of places and people that the author created. Early on, we learn that Gilkrist is fulfilling a knight’s quest, which we don’t see too much of in this story because he is soon occupied with the siege of Klomm. At this point, things take a dark turn. A powerful warrior and a sinister mage are out for revenge for unknown reasons, and it’s up to this noble knight (and his maid) to save the day. As secrets are revealed, Hinkle is forced play a role she never wanted.
While this is the major plot, there are also several subplots that will eventually gain more spotlight; however, I will not go into the finer details in order to prevent any spoilers. I will say that the plot remained cohesive, and the author’s direction for his story and his characters never got lost.
The only real letdown concerning the plot is the pacing. For the majority of the story, it was excellent…until the ending. There were a few scenes that happened in the latter half of the book that gripped me, kept me turning page after page. Only none of these were the climax. Reaching the actual climax, things finished out a little too quickly and without enough detail. Ultimately, I would have enjoyed more of a build-up and a stronger finale to this grand adventure.
March 22, 2019
An intriguing yet realistic world where the rich are rich and the poor are poor. There are mystical elements which makes this story even better. I will say that his writing with the senses...fantastic job. He really does a great job with “show” not “tell” if you like mystical quest... check it out.
February 26, 2019
I loved the darkness of some of the characters. The writing was very descriptive and immersive. A fantastic start to the series!
September 2, 2024
Hinkle is a young girl living with her Grandmother after the death of her Mother....Her grandmother is a witch and sells Hinkle to a passing Knight as a servant. Sir Gilchrist can't quite believe he now has a personal maid and has no clue what to do with her. They make their way to Klomm where Hinkle's Aunt Kirsten lives Hinkle believes all the Gods have deserted her so she no longer prays or believes in them...Sir Gilchrist makes Hinkle do a black magic spell to let him gain power and glory as the savior of battle besieged Klomm....Yes, there is a LOT going on in this the first book of The Cracked Altar series but read it and the rest of the series to find out what happens to Hinkle and the rest of the multi person cast...in both audio or physical version. Hinkle has been sent to a bad place thanks to her wicked Aunt Kirsten will she ever return to her home will someone find her what is in store for her in this wretched place she does not know or want to be in...read on dear readers and find out. A new take on Witches Knights and magicks
November 16, 2019
To be totally honest I really, really struggled to get into this book. After reading the synopsis, I really thought I would enjoy it. I do not give up on books, so I persevered. I am so glad I did. When it finally grabbed me, boy did it grab me! When I finished it I was actually quite gutted it was over. I think the issues for me was that at the beginning it was just too descriptive... I was thinking to myself, come on.... get on with it!!! It's hard to put my finger on it but in my opinion I think that is what it was. I am used to being "gripped" right from the outset. The names are unusual too, so that could be something as well. If I had to rate this at the start of the book it unfortunately would have been a 1 star, however by the end the author had me so I have given it 4 stars!!
"This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."
"This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."
September 26, 2019
What a beautifully written book! The language is so well-crafted that I was inside the story right away, and it was magical. I loved the way the main characters were depicted in their time and setting, always somewhere between a rock and a hard place, not black, not white, but various shades of everything in between. The action and battle/siege scenes were vivid, and the cliffhanger at the end left me wanting more. I can recommend this book to anyone who loves a good medieval fantasy story with some dark magic and remarkable female characters. Am looking forward to book 2!
May 16, 2020
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
The Cracked Altar got my attention because of the unusual title, and interesting cover. I was guessing, the book itself will be similar, to a historical fiction novel about the crusaders.
It was a fascinating fantasy book, well written, and what I liked in it even if I wouldn’t be a fan of the fantasy genre I could read it as an adventure book with knights, fights, some magic and good versus evil storyline. I was waiting a bit more action in the book.
The Cracked Altar got my attention because of the unusual title, and interesting cover. I was guessing, the book itself will be similar, to a historical fiction novel about the crusaders.
It was a fascinating fantasy book, well written, and what I liked in it even if I wouldn’t be a fan of the fantasy genre I could read it as an adventure book with knights, fights, some magic and good versus evil storyline. I was waiting a bit more action in the book.
September 8, 2020
I liked this fantasy story with its mystery, intrigue, and secrets. The characters were interesting with some very easy to hate and I had to see what they were hiding and how others would react once the secrets and hidden stuff was revealed. I liked the mix of the middle ages, hint of religion but not preachy, and the magic. While not a light story it was still fun to read and the darker feel fit well. The scenes were good and the battles easy to picture. Overall a good story.
July 3, 2022
I will be honest this book was hard to get into at times and at other times it had my full attention. This felt very much like a sword and the stone meets the black caldron feel. I love a book that can keep me guessing and this one truly kept me guessing. I did not see any of it coming which is always a bonus in my book. By the end I was intrigued in the story and ready to see what happens next. I would have given it a higher rating but this wasn’t really my favorite writing style.
June 22, 2020
The Cracked Altar takes the reader into a masterfully woven narrative. The characters are nuanced. The writing style is unique. The plot is winding. There is somehow the right mix of dark and humour. Timothy Rains demonstrates true power of creation in his work. Can't wait for the next in the series.
July 1, 2025
Knights, witches and magic! A stolen spellbook and necromancy! This was such an entertaining story! Poor 15 year old Hinkle is in for a life changing experience thanks to all the shenanigans her family is involved in. If you are looking for white knights on steeds to rescue a damsel in distress, that is not this book. But if you want chaos and family drama, look no further!
February 21, 2020
Loved this book! Instantly grabbed me! I love Hinkle and the characters she comes across in this story. I can't wait to see where this story goes. Good world building. Magic system is intriguing. I would recommend this book for any fantasy reader.
May 1, 2020
The story has promise. I didn’t connect with the characters as well as I would have liked. Perhaps this story just wasn’t for me.
The world- building was great. The scenes were vivid.
I do believe the story will appeal to its intended audience of young adult fantasy readers.
The world- building was great. The scenes were vivid.
I do believe the story will appeal to its intended audience of young adult fantasy readers.
September 3, 2024
I was happy when I finished it. While the story was mildly interesting, i didn’t like any of the characters in this book. I don’t want to read another one. I would rate somewhere around two stars, but the writing wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me.
Want to read
July 20, 2023Couldn't keep my interest, might read again later
March 3, 2025
Empezo muy lento, y un tanto aburrido, pero de la segunda mitad para delante, se pone interesante. El final te deja en un cliffhanger muy bueno.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews