Strings: Book One of The Winter Saga

by Ryan Hickey

Caleb Fleischer bags groceries and slays monsters. Armed with his magical tome and scythe, Caleb has spent his whole life keeping the small town of Orion, Illinois safe from mystical threats. But all he wants, all he's ever wanted, was to live a normal, simple life. No magic. No monsters. No fighting.

Then Heather O'Brien shows up and drags Caleb to Chicago to assist with her mysteriously ill mother. It should be a simple job, but not all is as it seems. The magical organization, The Guild of Life, has its own plans that threaten the whole city.

Caleb's life gets plunged into a dangerous cycle of magic, monsters, and fighting as he struggles against this malicious plot. But the deeper he sinks into battle, the more he realizes he must confront the ghosts of his abusive past. And if he stands any chance of succeeding, Caleb will have to face the choice between living the life he wants to live, and the life the citizens of Chicago need him to live.

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2021

Reviews

[Kara Petrovic]

Caleb is such a sympathetic character. I fell in love with him as soon as I read the first page. He's strong, he's capable, he's everything a leading man should be—but he's also human, painfully so. Without giving too much away, we see everything that's needed in a book to make a well-rounded, yet unique character arc. Caleb comes across as your regular man-in-fiction: incredibly skilled and from a long line of incredibly skilled Scribes. But the pressure of that lineage and the future it entails is one Caleb never wanted. Caleb is interesting because he has all the makings of a hero, yet has absolutely no interest in being one. And his backstory, which is revealed slowly, and once through a flashback that moved me to tears, is one we as a society are often lacking. Caleb is a man, yes, but he's deeply emotional and deeply emotionally scarred. He teaches readers that it's okay to embrace your emotions, not live in fear of them and that it's okay to find your own path.

He's also family-oriented, or, at the least, he takes care of his family—namely his ailing father. But the nature of his family dynamic is a fun twist and a shocking surprise. It makes Caleb all the more balanced on this see-saw of 'perfect soldier' and 'wounded child'.

Then there's Heather, a powerhouse in and of herself! At first, when you meet Caleb, you assume that by regular notions of what we understand books to go down, he's the strongest. And then you meet Heather, who practically puts him to shame. Yet she's well rounded too, capable in her own way, driven where Caleb isn't, and emotionally mature where Caleb struggles.

As for the story... well, suffice it to say I'm sure there can be read many parallels between the Guild and society as we know it. And, gosh, is it ever expertly set up. Beat by beat, each chapter leads you to one conclusion about the truth, only to realize by the end what you had missed that was really the answer.

Ryan Michael Hickey creates a masterful, poetic, deep with imagery and symbolism story. It's one I'll likely read again and again, and one whose follow-up I will await with bated breath. Highly recommended.

[Sarah Heavin]

I can’t recommend this book enough. The characters were well developed and easy to connect with- I found myself invested in what happens next and am looking forward to the second book. Strings is a timeless novel that can be enjoyed across many age groups. I wish I had discovered it sooner so I could have read it aloud to my kids. It was reminiscent of The Princess Bride—wholesome and meaningful. The themes of anti-oppression and transmission of generational trauma are perfectly relevant, with a slowly developing love story that left me wanting more.

[Eva Carrier]

Amazing story! The characters develop so well throughout the book and the story has you constantly intrigued. Can't wait to see what comes next!

[Kayla]

I love this book so much!! Caleb is such a well-developed character and I loved how along with the heavy topics, there is humor to balance it out. This story is so suspenseful and there were so many points where I couldn’t put the book down. I felt really inspired by Heather and loved her drive and how strong and good she was! Caleb’s traumas come up a lot and I think Ryan did an amazing job of writing realistic panic attacks and trauma responses and just kinda the “ugly” side of having to deal with issues from your past. The magic in this world is sooo cool and creative and unique. I had an easy time understanding it all too! Caleb is such a sweet cinnamon roll and I would die for Opp!!