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The Ever Hero Saga #1
The Chaos Gate
A HERO MUST RISE
An unlikely hero rises from the ashes of a hidden monastery and encounters a world he does not understand and powers that should be held only by long-forgotten gods. A chance encounter with a young wood witch, and the forbidden attraction that follows, propel two unlikely companions into events that will change the face of the Three Kingdoms of Hanna forever.
Meanwhile, war is brewing in the North, and a mad duke plans his vengeance against the throne of Baroqia. And from the shadows, a crafty archdevil pulls the strings of her puppets, plotting to steal every mortal soul in Hanna.
A legendary hero of old must rise to save the realm. But there’s a catch. The next incarnation of the Ever Hero doesn’t know he’s been chosen.
If you are looking for a propulsive, epic fantasy series opener that brings revenge, forbidden attraction, and heroism to the forefront, as unlikely companions rise to face both militaristic and demonic enemies, then this book is for you.
An unlikely hero rises from the ashes of a hidden monastery and encounters a world he does not understand and powers that should be held only by long-forgotten gods. A chance encounter with a young wood witch, and the forbidden attraction that follows, propel two unlikely companions into events that will change the face of the Three Kingdoms of Hanna forever.
Meanwhile, war is brewing in the North, and a mad duke plans his vengeance against the throne of Baroqia. And from the shadows, a crafty archdevil pulls the strings of her puppets, plotting to steal every mortal soul in Hanna.
A legendary hero of old must rise to save the realm. But there’s a catch. The next incarnation of the Ever Hero doesn’t know he’s been chosen.
If you are looking for a propulsive, epic fantasy series opener that brings revenge, forbidden attraction, and heroism to the forefront, as unlikely companions rise to face both militaristic and demonic enemies, then this book is for you.
- GenresFantasy
482 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2020
148 people are currently reading
608 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Pantanella
36 books22 followersJeff Pantanella is a Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) graduate, Guggenheim Fellow, fine art painter, video game maker, and fantasy novel author. He can’t remember names or dates and was told there’d be no math in writing fiction, so, here we are.
Jeff has always been drawn to the complexities confronted by being the hero in any story. Whom do you save, and what if you can’t? His “Ever Hero Saga” is his debut series into the world of dark fantasy fiction, and he explores just how challenging it can be when you are indeed that hero or you're not and think you are.
Welcome to the Three Kingdoms of Hanna and your introduction to the life and times of the Ever Heroes. Follow Kasai's adventures which span different lands, realms and worlds as he does his best to fight the forces of evil, that unknowingly, he lets loose on the Mortal Realm.
I hope you have as much fun reading my novels as I had writing them.
Jeff has always been drawn to the complexities confronted by being the hero in any story. Whom do you save, and what if you can’t? His “Ever Hero Saga” is his debut series into the world of dark fantasy fiction, and he explores just how challenging it can be when you are indeed that hero or you're not and think you are.
Welcome to the Three Kingdoms of Hanna and your introduction to the life and times of the Ever Heroes. Follow Kasai's adventures which span different lands, realms and worlds as he does his best to fight the forces of evil, that unknowingly, he lets loose on the Mortal Realm.
I hope you have as much fun reading my novels as I had writing them.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 29, 2024
The Chaos Gate by Jeff Pantanella is an exhilarating opening to a new epic fantasy series that promises both action and intrigue. I saw it described as “Shaolin monks meets Dungeons & Dragons,” and I couldn’t agree more—this book combines martial arts, complex characters, and high-stakes conflict in a way that’s hard to put down.
The story revolves around multiple POVs, with the primary focus on a young monk who was orphaned and raised in a secluded monastery. His path of self-discovery and personal growth quickly becomes a central thread of the narrative, but the author masterfully intertwines it with several other compelling storylines. One of these follows a dark and malevolent force from another realm that’s poised to invade, offering a chilling glimpse into the evil that threatens the world. Another introduces us to a politically-savvy duke, discontent with the ruling class, and plotting to shift the balance of power.
Each narrative thread is distinct yet intricately connected, contributing to a sense of ever-growing tension. The pacing is well-balanced, never dragging or rushing through pivotal moments. Pantanella’s world-building is immersive, providing rich detail that adds depth to the story without ever overwhelming the reader.
Overall, The Chaos Gate is a compelling read for fans of dark epic fantasy. The book’s blend of multi-layered characters, martial arts-inspired action, and political intrigue makes it stand out from the crowd. If you enjoy narratives that explore the gray areas between good and evil and appreciate stories that set up for grander things to come, I highly recommend giving this series a try. I’m eager to see where it goes from here!
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
The story revolves around multiple POVs, with the primary focus on a young monk who was orphaned and raised in a secluded monastery. His path of self-discovery and personal growth quickly becomes a central thread of the narrative, but the author masterfully intertwines it with several other compelling storylines. One of these follows a dark and malevolent force from another realm that’s poised to invade, offering a chilling glimpse into the evil that threatens the world. Another introduces us to a politically-savvy duke, discontent with the ruling class, and plotting to shift the balance of power.
Each narrative thread is distinct yet intricately connected, contributing to a sense of ever-growing tension. The pacing is well-balanced, never dragging or rushing through pivotal moments. Pantanella’s world-building is immersive, providing rich detail that adds depth to the story without ever overwhelming the reader.
Overall, The Chaos Gate is a compelling read for fans of dark epic fantasy. The book’s blend of multi-layered characters, martial arts-inspired action, and political intrigue makes it stand out from the crowd. If you enjoy narratives that explore the gray areas between good and evil and appreciate stories that set up for grander things to come, I highly recommend giving this series a try. I’m eager to see where it goes from here!
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)
April 3, 2021
Very Good
A very good story that mirrors the innocence before a a coming of age.
"A hero? Not me. I'm just a humble student, not even as talented or knowledgeable as my seniors in my training school," is the confirmation of Unconscious Incompetence — You don’t know what you don’t know and live within unconscious incompetence. Our hero has no clue.
By the end of the book, he is into the realm of Conscious Incompetence. He knows there are many things he doesn't know and begins to try to move into the third stage of learning/being, Conscious Competence. I'm looking forward to the next book to see how he gets from student to journeyman.
Some minor technical errors that should have been caught by the editor.
A very good story that mirrors the innocence before a a coming of age.
"A hero? Not me. I'm just a humble student, not even as talented or knowledgeable as my seniors in my training school," is the confirmation of Unconscious Incompetence — You don’t know what you don’t know and live within unconscious incompetence. Our hero has no clue.
By the end of the book, he is into the realm of Conscious Incompetence. He knows there are many things he doesn't know and begins to try to move into the third stage of learning/being, Conscious Competence. I'm looking forward to the next book to see how he gets from student to journeyman.
Some minor technical errors that should have been caught by the editor.
July 17, 2024
TL;DR Review: Shaolin Monk meets Dungeons and Dragons, with a side order of “holy sh*t this is dark and epic”!
Full Review:
The Chaos Gate is…a lot. And I do mean that in the best way possible!
There is so much going on at once that it can be hard to track it all at first, but once you get a sense of what’s going on, it’s an easy ride to get into.
The story follows multiple POV characters:
Kasai – A young monk-in-training who feels like a nobody, but who finds himself being drawn into ever-greater roles and developing impossible abilities. His is the classic epic fantasy story of a young man discovering he is so much more than he ever believed.
Sekka – A demon queen of Hell who will do anything and rip apart anyone if it means she can return to the mortal world to conquer, as is her right. She was by far my favorite character of the book. She’s cruel, cunning, manipulative, deceitful, and downright wicked. And has a penchant for bathing in the blood and viscera of her victims. Be warned: Sekka’s chapters are replete with shocking and vivid gore that made for such compelling and dark reading.
Shiverrig – A duke who believes it’s his right to rule, and hates the King who is standing in his way. He’s willing to strike a devil’s bargain (literally) to bring about his victory and restore the power he is due.
Another POV character is introduced later on, but for the most part, these three characters are the ones driving the story forward.
And what a story it is!
Kasai’s tale is very much the “Hero’s journey” that we’re all familiar with, except it’s wrapped up in the unique-feeling flavor of a Shaolin-style monk. We see him progressing through his journey to become the hero the realm needs, and get a better sense of the world’s magic system through his eyes.
Sekka’s tale is reminiscent of any Matron Mother of Menzoberranzan, only she has the powers of a demon queen and an entire army of demons and devils to control. It definitely gave me all the “Underdark scheming and manipulation vibes” that I loved about the Drizzt Do’Urden books.
Shivverig feels more Game of Thrones in the way he’s manipulating political events in his attempt to gain power. He is striking a deal with various devils, though, but going into his Faustian bargain intending to use the demon queen only as long as he needs her, then eradicate her so he can be the savior of the mortal world and thus its rightful ruler.
Put together, these three stories create a unique flavor that is immensely enjoyable and an adventure well worth reading.
Be prepared, though: the story takes every opportunity it can to go DARK—a choice I strongly approve of!
Full Review:
The Chaos Gate is…a lot. And I do mean that in the best way possible!
There is so much going on at once that it can be hard to track it all at first, but once you get a sense of what’s going on, it’s an easy ride to get into.
The story follows multiple POV characters:
Kasai – A young monk-in-training who feels like a nobody, but who finds himself being drawn into ever-greater roles and developing impossible abilities. His is the classic epic fantasy story of a young man discovering he is so much more than he ever believed.
Sekka – A demon queen of Hell who will do anything and rip apart anyone if it means she can return to the mortal world to conquer, as is her right. She was by far my favorite character of the book. She’s cruel, cunning, manipulative, deceitful, and downright wicked. And has a penchant for bathing in the blood and viscera of her victims. Be warned: Sekka’s chapters are replete with shocking and vivid gore that made for such compelling and dark reading.
Shiverrig – A duke who believes it’s his right to rule, and hates the King who is standing in his way. He’s willing to strike a devil’s bargain (literally) to bring about his victory and restore the power he is due.
Another POV character is introduced later on, but for the most part, these three characters are the ones driving the story forward.
And what a story it is!
Kasai’s tale is very much the “Hero’s journey” that we’re all familiar with, except it’s wrapped up in the unique-feeling flavor of a Shaolin-style monk. We see him progressing through his journey to become the hero the realm needs, and get a better sense of the world’s magic system through his eyes.
Sekka’s tale is reminiscent of any Matron Mother of Menzoberranzan, only she has the powers of a demon queen and an entire army of demons and devils to control. It definitely gave me all the “Underdark scheming and manipulation vibes” that I loved about the Drizzt Do’Urden books.
Shivverig feels more Game of Thrones in the way he’s manipulating political events in his attempt to gain power. He is striking a deal with various devils, though, but going into his Faustian bargain intending to use the demon queen only as long as he needs her, then eradicate her so he can be the savior of the mortal world and thus its rightful ruler.
Put together, these three stories create a unique flavor that is immensely enjoyable and an adventure well worth reading.
Be prepared, though: the story takes every opportunity it can to go DARK—a choice I strongly approve of!
January 6, 2022
𝑻𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆: The Chaos Gate
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Jeff Pantanella
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘:
The Chaos Gate written by the author Jeff Pantanella is a fantasy story. It is the first installment in the Ever Hero Saga.
One day, Gerun Shiverrig asked his father why he wasn't made King. The kingdom was founded by Gerun's forefathers. But now the reality is that Mortimer is the Prince of Baroqia.
When Gerun's grandfather passed away, House Conrad grabbed power. After the loss of his father, Gerun's hatred for House Conrad was at the peak. On the other hand, Traveling Master brought kids to the monastery. Kasai is now seventeen years old and has an eighteen years old friend Daku. Master Choejor said - “Believe in the path Aetenos has set for you". According to the prophecy, Aetenos will return to Hanna as the Ever Hero.
The cast of characters and map given at the beginning of the book are very helpful. Cover photo of the book is well designed. Those who love reading fantasy stories with vast characters would definitely enjoy this novel. I appreciate the vivid imagination of the author in the world building. Go ahead with this book without any second thoughts.
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 5/5
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Jeff Pantanella
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘:
The Chaos Gate written by the author Jeff Pantanella is a fantasy story. It is the first installment in the Ever Hero Saga.
One day, Gerun Shiverrig asked his father why he wasn't made King. The kingdom was founded by Gerun's forefathers. But now the reality is that Mortimer is the Prince of Baroqia.
When Gerun's grandfather passed away, House Conrad grabbed power. After the loss of his father, Gerun's hatred for House Conrad was at the peak. On the other hand, Traveling Master brought kids to the monastery. Kasai is now seventeen years old and has an eighteen years old friend Daku. Master Choejor said - “Believe in the path Aetenos has set for you". According to the prophecy, Aetenos will return to Hanna as the Ever Hero.
The cast of characters and map given at the beginning of the book are very helpful. Cover photo of the book is well designed. Those who love reading fantasy stories with vast characters would definitely enjoy this novel. I appreciate the vivid imagination of the author in the world building. Go ahead with this book without any second thoughts.
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 5/5
August 13, 2024
Overall 4.5🌟
This was another fantastic debut novel for me. The story was fast paced and really kept me flipping the pages to find out what happened next.
This was pitched as Avatar the Last Air Bender meets the dark gritty-ness of Game of Thrones and it did not disappoint. I could really feel the influence if Aang in Kasai as he discovers more about himself and his powers grow. On top of that, several of the mentors were giving off major Monk Gyatsu vibes and I loved it.
I loved the multi povs and really enjoyed getting to see the story from the heroes and villains as the story played out.
The setting and history was well thought out and was not provided in an info dump sort of way that many books 1's tend to do.
The overall story felt like an epic D&D adventure but with very familiar tropes and character journeys. Even though they were familiar, it still felt unique as far as the setting and character developments overall. On top of that, it was almost like a peek behind the DM screen as you got to see the povs from several of the villains as well.
My only complaint was one of the late story female povs started off so strong but almost felt rail-roaded at the end as just being the love interest for Kasai. Really hoping her character development continues to progress in subsequent stories.
This was another fantastic debut novel for me. The story was fast paced and really kept me flipping the pages to find out what happened next.
This was pitched as Avatar the Last Air Bender meets the dark gritty-ness of Game of Thrones and it did not disappoint. I could really feel the influence if Aang in Kasai as he discovers more about himself and his powers grow. On top of that, several of the mentors were giving off major Monk Gyatsu vibes and I loved it.
I loved the multi povs and really enjoyed getting to see the story from the heroes and villains as the story played out.
The setting and history was well thought out and was not provided in an info dump sort of way that many books 1's tend to do.
The overall story felt like an epic D&D adventure but with very familiar tropes and character journeys. Even though they were familiar, it still felt unique as far as the setting and character developments overall. On top of that, it was almost like a peek behind the DM screen as you got to see the povs from several of the villains as well.
My only complaint was one of the late story female povs started off so strong but almost felt rail-roaded at the end as just being the love interest for Kasai. Really hoping her character development continues to progress in subsequent stories.
July 14, 2024
If you like epic high fantasy, that is dark and violent, with intricate world building, then I suggest you pick this one up.
The world, governments and magic systems felt real, with a ton of depth. I felt like I was dumped into the three Kingdoms of Hanna.
I enjoyed the political intrigue through the eyes of a vengeful Duke. I also enjoyed some of the relationships that developed throughout book 1. Plus you get the chosen one which is always fun, and evil demons and an alluring succubus.
The pacing was excellent. Non-stop action, either through brutal fights and battles or through scheming and plotting. Whatever was happening on the page was happening fast and true. Kept me turning the pages.
This was a very violent and bloody read. Evil seethes out of the pages, but there is always some light to balance the scales...
The one thing that felt slow was the character depth. This is only book 1 of a large series, and it did start to pick up the development towards the end of this book. I imagine it only improves from here.
4/5
The world, governments and magic systems felt real, with a ton of depth. I felt like I was dumped into the three Kingdoms of Hanna.
I enjoyed the political intrigue through the eyes of a vengeful Duke. I also enjoyed some of the relationships that developed throughout book 1. Plus you get the chosen one which is always fun, and evil demons and an alluring succubus.
The pacing was excellent. Non-stop action, either through brutal fights and battles or through scheming and plotting. Whatever was happening on the page was happening fast and true. Kept me turning the pages.
This was a very violent and bloody read. Evil seethes out of the pages, but there is always some light to balance the scales...
The one thing that felt slow was the character depth. This is only book 1 of a large series, and it did start to pick up the development towards the end of this book. I imagine it only improves from here.
4/5
December 24, 2024
If you like magic, demons, monks, martial arts and great writing, then I couldn’t recommend this book enough. It gives chosen one vibes, with political intrigue and has well written battle scenes that draw you in. It’s well paced to keep you turning pages and the plot is addictive and keeps you wondering what’s going to happen next.
October 24, 2025
Advertised as Last Airbender but darker it ended up being super derivative. Writing feels like early stage ai without access to a thesaurus. The story is slightly interesting. The protagonist is beyond dense, and the relationships wanted to be deep with shallow events that link them
If I ever hear seductive, righteous, or Master again I'm going to get war flashbacks
If I ever hear seductive, righteous, or Master again I'm going to get war flashbacks
March 17, 2023
I thought that this was an okay read. An interesting fantasy realm with mysticism, devils, magic, knights, and fighting monks. The story pace seemed a little slow to me, with a lot of setup between bouts of action.
October 1, 2025
Interesting story. I don't know if it was Kindle or the original author/editor/publisher, but there were a number of typos and grammatical errors throughout the book.
December 28, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the way the story went from character to character so it felt like the story kept moving very nicely. Kasai (the main character) felt like he progressed well, especially for a young man watching his whole world fall down around him. I like the classic fight between good and evil and I feel like I could understand the motives of each character as they were presented and fleshed out. I couldn’t give it a full five stars for a few reasons. I think the magic system was not really explained. It didn’t seem overly complex which is totally fine, but the magic just kinda happened. I wish there was more explanation for that. And another thing I think could’ve used work was the relationships between characters. They felt a little convenient most of the time which made the story seem a little convenient. Like they need to find the ever hero and boom, he shows up at their front door. We haven’t seen kasai fight much in this story and all of a sudden he is destroying an entire army practically. I think this book would have benefited from an extra 30-50 pages to flesh some of those things out. All of that aside tho, I really did enjoy this book and my “complaints” are what I thought would take it over the top. Would recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2025
Exceptional storytelling and world building. If you like heroes with mystical martial arts like Avatar: The Last Airbender, witches like Yennefer wielding elemental magic, and devious villains like Lilith from Diablo, this book and series is for you. Highly recommend.
January 12, 2023
Action packed adventure with everything from Heaven to Hell and places in-between. A Legendary tale of heroes vs villains vs bad good guy vs heroic villain. Highly Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews