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Hymn of the Ancients #1
Hymn of the Ancients
A carefree treasure-hunter with swagger. A long-lost ancient tome in a language no one can read. A secret cult hidden from the world. The hunt for the truth begins.
"To hells with your legacy. My life is my own, and I want to explore the world."
Leonel Anglian was supposed to be a hero. It was a part of his family legacy as the grandson of Leoric Anglian, the greatest holy warrior-general the kingdom of Ellaria had ever known. But after Leo's grandfather died and his father was exiled for freeing the very orcs his grandfather rallied against in the Rolanse Liberation war, Leo left that life behind. Legacy had brought him nothing but pain and death, and he wanted no part of it.
Now he's a broke excavator--people who are paid by the Cantry Church to search the world for sacred relics of the Ancients--alongside an unlikely group of companions that do more drinking than they do excavating. And Leo wouldn't have it any other way. He never worried a day over the things most people ground themselves to dust over.
Until one day Leo stumbles upon the greatest discovery of the Ancients that had been seen in thousands of years--And with it comes secrets that could shake the very foundations of civilization, changing the history that had been known to all the kinsmen of the world.
Across the sea in the continent of Teldaran, Kaejic Bloodwolf, Chieftain of the Bloodwolf tribe of orcs has had visions of his people's return to their homeland. Visions of Kaejic wiping out the Anglian line and restoring honor to his people. After coming face to face with Leo's father, Leo is all that is left to stand in the way of his destiny.
Leo's normal life has gone in an instant. Powerful forces all across both continents are searching for him and the secrets he has uncovered.
The hunt for the truth, and Leo himself, begins.
"To hells with your legacy. My life is my own, and I want to explore the world."
Leonel Anglian was supposed to be a hero. It was a part of his family legacy as the grandson of Leoric Anglian, the greatest holy warrior-general the kingdom of Ellaria had ever known. But after Leo's grandfather died and his father was exiled for freeing the very orcs his grandfather rallied against in the Rolanse Liberation war, Leo left that life behind. Legacy had brought him nothing but pain and death, and he wanted no part of it.
Now he's a broke excavator--people who are paid by the Cantry Church to search the world for sacred relics of the Ancients--alongside an unlikely group of companions that do more drinking than they do excavating. And Leo wouldn't have it any other way. He never worried a day over the things most people ground themselves to dust over.
Until one day Leo stumbles upon the greatest discovery of the Ancients that had been seen in thousands of years--And with it comes secrets that could shake the very foundations of civilization, changing the history that had been known to all the kinsmen of the world.
Across the sea in the continent of Teldaran, Kaejic Bloodwolf, Chieftain of the Bloodwolf tribe of orcs has had visions of his people's return to their homeland. Visions of Kaejic wiping out the Anglian line and restoring honor to his people. After coming face to face with Leo's father, Leo is all that is left to stand in the way of his destiny.
Leo's normal life has gone in an instant. Powerful forces all across both continents are searching for him and the secrets he has uncovered.
The hunt for the truth, and Leo himself, begins.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 24, 2020
302 people are currently reading
2876 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 19, 2023
Actual Rating 3.5
Leo is the grandson to a great holy warrior who defended the kingdom of Ellaria until his death. But when his father was exiled for treason, Leo decided to leave it all behind and become a treasure hunter. Now he and his group search the world for relics and ruins of the Ancients, selling these things to the highest bidder, which is often the Cantry Church. But when Leo makes the discovery of a lifetime, secrets begin to emerge, and he is soon wanted by the church. On the run and questioning the truths he’s always known, Leo and his friends attempt to find the real truth and survive against the forces that are against them.
I decided to reread this in celebration of the release of book two and was disappointed to have had some change of heart about it. First, the things that remain the same. The worldbuilding is phenomenal! The author’s ability to include meaningful lore and history throughout the read was excellent and highlighted the expansiveness and depth of this world. I quite enjoyed the characters. There’s a little bit of traditional fantasy stereotype included for most of them, but that makes this feel like a comfort read. The religious aspect of the world, the conflicts, and the competing factions were still excellently incorporated, and added to the depth of this world.
I did notice that the author relied on some info-dumps throughout the read. They weren’t constant but there were a few larger ones that greatly slowed down the plot. The pacing also greatly lagged during the middle of the book, taking some time for anything meaningful or relevant to happen. In fact, there were a few subplots that popped up and were resolved but didn’t seem to connect to anything and didn’t add to the story aside from the worldbuilding aspect (e.g., side quests, essentially).
The version I read this time is the one available on Amazon, so I was quite disappointed to run across so many errors still. I’d hoped by now it would have undergone some editing to fix these mistakes. All in all, I still think this is a fun and interesting fantasy that I definitely recommend, though I’m a little less impressed with it the second time through. Fingers crossed for book two!
Original Rating: 4 stars. Original Review Date: February 11, 2021.
This work was excellent! The world building and history/lore were thorough and fascinating and did not slow down the story at all. The characters were varied, well-written, and relatable. And the different conflicts and varied competing factions added to the realness and intensity of the work. The only reason I can't give this book five stars like I want to is due to the amount of typos and grammatical errors throughout it - it needs to have a good edit. Overall, highly recommend! Hope the second book gets edited better so I can give it five stars.
Leo is the grandson to a great holy warrior who defended the kingdom of Ellaria until his death. But when his father was exiled for treason, Leo decided to leave it all behind and become a treasure hunter. Now he and his group search the world for relics and ruins of the Ancients, selling these things to the highest bidder, which is often the Cantry Church. But when Leo makes the discovery of a lifetime, secrets begin to emerge, and he is soon wanted by the church. On the run and questioning the truths he’s always known, Leo and his friends attempt to find the real truth and survive against the forces that are against them.
I decided to reread this in celebration of the release of book two and was disappointed to have had some change of heart about it. First, the things that remain the same. The worldbuilding is phenomenal! The author’s ability to include meaningful lore and history throughout the read was excellent and highlighted the expansiveness and depth of this world. I quite enjoyed the characters. There’s a little bit of traditional fantasy stereotype included for most of them, but that makes this feel like a comfort read. The religious aspect of the world, the conflicts, and the competing factions were still excellently incorporated, and added to the depth of this world.
I did notice that the author relied on some info-dumps throughout the read. They weren’t constant but there were a few larger ones that greatly slowed down the plot. The pacing also greatly lagged during the middle of the book, taking some time for anything meaningful or relevant to happen. In fact, there were a few subplots that popped up and were resolved but didn’t seem to connect to anything and didn’t add to the story aside from the worldbuilding aspect (e.g., side quests, essentially).
The version I read this time is the one available on Amazon, so I was quite disappointed to run across so many errors still. I’d hoped by now it would have undergone some editing to fix these mistakes. All in all, I still think this is a fun and interesting fantasy that I definitely recommend, though I’m a little less impressed with it the second time through. Fingers crossed for book two!
Original Rating: 4 stars. Original Review Date: February 11, 2021.
This work was excellent! The world building and history/lore were thorough and fascinating and did not slow down the story at all. The characters were varied, well-written, and relatable. And the different conflicts and varied competing factions added to the realness and intensity of the work. The only reason I can't give this book five stars like I want to is due to the amount of typos and grammatical errors throughout it - it needs to have a good edit. Overall, highly recommend! Hope the second book gets edited better so I can give it five stars.
September 3, 2023
"Hymn of the Ancients" is built on the Tolkien, pseudo-medieval, Dungeon and Dragons/Warhammer template and I was ready for it!
Our intrepid heroes start out as licenced excavators. Think salvage treasure hunters who have to give the official Church first look at anything they find and First chance to buy it. They are not the best at their job but they have a lot of fun doing it and find just enough treasure to squeak by...until they find something ancient and very magical. Life gets very weird after that.
The strength of this book is the characters. They are fully drawn. They have multi-generational histories. They are complex. They grow as people through the story.
The story becomes a quest adventure and the author nearly overplayed the ending, but I forgive him. I had so much fun with and affection for the main crew that I can't wait to dive into part 2 (Blood of the Demonheart).
Our intrepid heroes start out as licenced excavators. Think salvage treasure hunters who have to give the official Church first look at anything they find and First chance to buy it. They are not the best at their job but they have a lot of fun doing it and find just enough treasure to squeak by...until they find something ancient and very magical. Life gets very weird after that.
The strength of this book is the characters. They are fully drawn. They have multi-generational histories. They are complex. They grow as people through the story.
The story becomes a quest adventure and the author nearly overplayed the ending, but I forgive him. I had so much fun with and affection for the main crew that I can't wait to dive into part 2 (Blood of the Demonheart).
February 16, 2022
Not bad but not great. The characters were decent but some things like this ridiculously quick relationship was too predictable. The grammatical errors were annoying cause there was quite a few of them and sometimes had to read the lone a second time.
December 22, 2020
A good story ruined by lack of proofreading and corrections. There are missing words, words out of place, words misused (most glaring: itch in place of scratch), and other issues. I didn't finish this draft manuscript.
December 6, 2020
Pretty good story, but
lack of editing detracts considerably. And the writing is awkward at times. I would have given it at least a 4* if someone had cared enough to do the extra work.
I enjoyed the characters and the mix.
lack of editing detracts considerably. And the writing is awkward at times. I would have given it at least a 4* if someone had cared enough to do the extra work.
I enjoyed the characters and the mix.
January 6, 2021
Book 1
Book 1 was a fun read and had errors throughout . The plot was interesting and the characters developed well enough. The story was a lot of moving around to places and running from this and that.
Book 1 was a fun read and had errors throughout . The plot was interesting and the characters developed well enough. The story was a lot of moving around to places and running from this and that.
May 31, 2022
I won this e-book as a part of a Goodreads Giveaway and will do my best to give an insightful and honest review :)
Let's start with the things I liked about this book. I really liked the fact that this book felt like I was reading someone's tabletop D&D campaign come to life and in detail. This book did have some solid world-building (albeit while it included a map which was very helpful, the map I saw missed out on an entire continent... I am not sure if this is just a formatting error on Kindle's part or if it was like this in the paperback as well) and I was genuinely able to picture myself there with the characters. I also liked the motley crew of characters themselves, Leo in particular, while a bit overpowered at times, was interesting and I found myself wanting to know more about him (and we did get some good flashbacks of his training and younger years). I also liked all the mystery surrounding the old religions and old gods as well as how much time, demons, and priests changed the religions to reimagine them completely. I felt that was an interesting twist and realistic in the way that modern religions have come into existence via adaptations of other cultures and change over time to fit the modern values/vices. I also like that we got multiple perspectives in this book and it was not just Leo all the time. I think this was used well to move the story forward, foreshadow, and also gave us more empathy for the Orcs.
However, with all of these good things, I still felt like there were a few ways it could have been even better. First and foremost, while the pacing was moderate for most of the book, it did feel like it dragged at times while the characters were going on a lot of "side-quest"-like missions and battles that did add to the adventure, but also did little to move the story forward (again, this book reads a lot like a D&D campaign, so, yes, it will obviously have side quests and inconsistency in the story beats from time to time). However, the pacing did pick up at the end and that was where I had the most fun in this book. Also, while I really liked Leo, this story was definitely Leo-centric in that I felt the other side characters just felt like they were along for the Leo-train as we never truly delved into their backstories, comradery, or got to know them as characters. I also felt a disconnect with the lengthy fight scenes and ended up skimming most of them just to get back to the main story content. And yes, as other reviews have stated, there were editing errors throughout this title. However, these errors never really affected my reading experience and were easily glanced over when I was really into the story.
Overall, this was an enjoyable story but has room for improvement! I am excited to see where it goes and I think I will definitely be looking to read the next book!
Let's start with the things I liked about this book. I really liked the fact that this book felt like I was reading someone's tabletop D&D campaign come to life and in detail. This book did have some solid world-building (albeit while it included a map which was very helpful, the map I saw missed out on an entire continent... I am not sure if this is just a formatting error on Kindle's part or if it was like this in the paperback as well) and I was genuinely able to picture myself there with the characters. I also liked the motley crew of characters themselves, Leo in particular, while a bit overpowered at times, was interesting and I found myself wanting to know more about him (and we did get some good flashbacks of his training and younger years). I also liked all the mystery surrounding the old religions and old gods as well as how much time, demons, and priests changed the religions to reimagine them completely. I felt that was an interesting twist and realistic in the way that modern religions have come into existence via adaptations of other cultures and change over time to fit the modern values/vices. I also like that we got multiple perspectives in this book and it was not just Leo all the time. I think this was used well to move the story forward, foreshadow, and also gave us more empathy for the Orcs.
However, with all of these good things, I still felt like there were a few ways it could have been even better. First and foremost, while the pacing was moderate for most of the book, it did feel like it dragged at times while the characters were going on a lot of "side-quest"-like missions and battles that did add to the adventure, but also did little to move the story forward (again, this book reads a lot like a D&D campaign, so, yes, it will obviously have side quests and inconsistency in the story beats from time to time). However, the pacing did pick up at the end and that was where I had the most fun in this book. Also, while I really liked Leo, this story was definitely Leo-centric in that I felt the other side characters just felt like they were along for the Leo-train as we never truly delved into their backstories, comradery, or got to know them as characters. I also felt a disconnect with the lengthy fight scenes and ended up skimming most of them just to get back to the main story content. And yes, as other reviews have stated, there were editing errors throughout this title. However, these errors never really affected my reading experience and were easily glanced over when I was really into the story.
Overall, this was an enjoyable story but has room for improvement! I am excited to see where it goes and I think I will definitely be looking to read the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2022
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and while I did enjoy the story and storytelling, there were several editing errors such as misuse of words or wrong words being used. While it wasn't overly distracting it was enough to take away some enjoyment of the novel. That being said, this was a very interesting story and I loved the inclusion of orcs and sort of showing they are not always the villain. I enjoyed the lore and world building of it, more so the lore and wish we seen more of it. I wish there was a little more lore to the story and lore to the Ancients than what we actually see. add a little more in, and clear up some of the editting issues and this could be an outstanding novel.
January 22, 2021
Robuster
The HOOK is excellent. The protagonist part is very well written .
The problem for me was two fold. Not enough back story on the fellowship members and the damn fight scenes are endless , over the top and confusing.
There are pages of this novel that should rate a five star but the over half is less than two stars.
If you like this genre I would recommend it . Otherwise there are better alternatives.
The HOOK is excellent. The protagonist part is very well written .
The problem for me was two fold. Not enough back story on the fellowship members and the damn fight scenes are endless , over the top and confusing.
There are pages of this novel that should rate a five star but the over half is less than two stars.
If you like this genre I would recommend it . Otherwise there are better alternatives.
July 28, 2025
Evan Pickering conjures a vivid fantasy world filled with layered storylines, intriguing connections, and a cast of characters whose motivations gradually unfold with depth and nuance. From the outset, I was drawn into the mythical past and the web of intersecting plots, each contributing to the rising tension surrounding the central characters.
The pacing is sharp, with action-packed scenes that build atmosphere and drive anticipation. Yet the story’s power lies just as much in its quieter moments—the character interactions, internal struggles, and the reasons behind every move forward. The reluctant hero, in particular, feels authentic: flawed and brave, and increasingly sympathetic through flashbacks that reveal the scars and strength of his youth
Magic, political unrest, and a cast of morally complex figures—some you’re not sure whether to fear or admire—give the narrative a satisfying richness. The writing moves with purpose, offering meaning in each scene and subtle glimpses of what’s to come.
By the final chapters, I was fully invested. I immediately started book two and finished it quickly, eager to continue the journey. This is a smart, streamlined fantasy adventure perfect for readers who appreciate momentum without sacrificing emotional resonance or depth.
The pacing is sharp, with action-packed scenes that build atmosphere and drive anticipation. Yet the story’s power lies just as much in its quieter moments—the character interactions, internal struggles, and the reasons behind every move forward. The reluctant hero, in particular, feels authentic: flawed and brave, and increasingly sympathetic through flashbacks that reveal the scars and strength of his youth
Magic, political unrest, and a cast of morally complex figures—some you’re not sure whether to fear or admire—give the narrative a satisfying richness. The writing moves with purpose, offering meaning in each scene and subtle glimpses of what’s to come.
By the final chapters, I was fully invested. I immediately started book two and finished it quickly, eager to continue the journey. This is a smart, streamlined fantasy adventure perfect for readers who appreciate momentum without sacrificing emotional resonance or depth.
November 3, 2023
I enjoyed reading this finding it a piece of inspiring fantasy with the world it is set in with it's different phases and the religion and people, possibly not people, but different species in conflict with each other. Leo has opted out of his position as a higher up to seek his fortune as an archaeologist/treasure hunter seeking religious artefacts from the previous ages along with his crew. His prowess as a fighter trained by his father stands him in good stead as he is dragged into the power struggle to control the religion which is threatened by the discovery of ancient writings of great power but is based on lies and run by demons from an age long past supported by his grandfather who is the reason his father was killed by Orcs in revenge for the loss of their land. It has all the ingredients for an epic story.
June 28, 2024
I really liked the story. Huge into the secret history and dungeon crawling and I'm super excited to read more about Istran and Eskian in the next book. Characters were great. I'm super excited to get more info on Donnal's family and I love Vera's dynamic with both Orcs and Humans. The writing style is nice and understandable for the common reader such as myself.
Criticism: There are some elements that felt unnecessary, like the tourney and the "romance" between Leo and Reina. Also, just a minor mistake, but I noticed a few times there were some dialogue lines that never had closed quotations. I don't think the villain was really hyped up enough throughout the book. I like the reveal of the high priest being a demon, but it feels like that could have been a much better twist if we saw more of him chasing after Leo with the Cantry before the reveal.
Criticism: There are some elements that felt unnecessary, like the tourney and the "romance" between Leo and Reina. Also, just a minor mistake, but I noticed a few times there were some dialogue lines that never had closed quotations. I don't think the villain was really hyped up enough throughout the book. I like the reveal of the high priest being a demon, but it feels like that could have been a much better twist if we saw more of him chasing after Leo with the Cantry before the reveal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2023
This was is one of the most refreshing reads I've had in a long time. Evan is not afraid to shirk the rules of the genre, which makes his characters more alive and exciting than the rest of the ho hum books out there. As the story progressed, it became a real page-turner that I couldn't put down. I happily missed several hours of sleep before I finished this book. If you love fantasy books but find yourself bored, pick this one up! I just hope the second book gets enough support on Kickstarter that I will have a chance to read it!
July 19, 2024
Nostalgic fantasy at its finest
This original story follows Leo, and his treasure hunting pals through an unexpected journey, with danger and intrigue lurking around every corner. It is as entertaining as it is captivating, with nods to some of the greatest fantasy stories of our time. It earns an A+ in character development, as well as scene display, and attention to detail. This book is a great read for new, and established fantasy readers alike. I laughed, I cried, I smirked, and I threw things. I'm eager to see what this author has in store for the rest of this series!
This original story follows Leo, and his treasure hunting pals through an unexpected journey, with danger and intrigue lurking around every corner. It is as entertaining as it is captivating, with nods to some of the greatest fantasy stories of our time. It earns an A+ in character development, as well as scene display, and attention to detail. This book is a great read for new, and established fantasy readers alike. I laughed, I cried, I smirked, and I threw things. I'm eager to see what this author has in store for the rest of this series!
August 1, 2024
3.5⭐️
this is probably one of the most unique books i have read and is very different from my typical reads. i found it hard to get into at times, i think parts of it were slow but other parts were so dense with the world building and story that it got a bit confusing. overall this was a good adventure book and i enjoyed reading it. parts of it reminded me of Zelda and gave similar vibes. i did find some of the authors words to be repetitive, like “leathery” and “cavernous” in the last handful of chapters in the book.
this is probably one of the most unique books i have read and is very different from my typical reads. i found it hard to get into at times, i think parts of it were slow but other parts were so dense with the world building and story that it got a bit confusing. overall this was a good adventure book and i enjoyed reading it. parts of it reminded me of Zelda and gave similar vibes. i did find some of the authors words to be repetitive, like “leathery” and “cavernous” in the last handful of chapters in the book.
January 20, 2021
Great new discovery!
From the second page of this story I knew this book was going to be one I liked. It is a wonderful example of epic fantasy in a truly well formed world with all the kinds of characters I love. A scrappy band on the underdog side. A hero who exudes confidence - even in his uncertainty. Halflings, dwarves and Orcs. A well thought out church and many things that are not what they seem.
From the second page of this story I knew this book was going to be one I liked. It is a wonderful example of epic fantasy in a truly well formed world with all the kinds of characters I love. A scrappy band on the underdog side. A hero who exudes confidence - even in his uncertainty. Halflings, dwarves and Orcs. A well thought out church and many things that are not what they seem.
January 14, 2021
I throughly enjoy this! I see alot of potential here and never once have I been in this kind of world before, so that is a strong plus. All together, a swell read and would pick up the authors future works!
February 18, 2022
Great Tale!
A great tale related by a damned good storyteller. That being said the flow was constantly interrupted by typos. A bit of editing and this terrific story becomes six stars.
A great tale related by a damned good storyteller. That being said the flow was constantly interrupted by typos. A bit of editing and this terrific story becomes six stars.
February 3, 2024
Gripping read
Great story and good characters. Couple of typos and editing issues that interrupted the flow a few times but this guy can really spin a tale that draws you in and makes you feel like you're standing in the midst of it all.
Great story and good characters. Couple of typos and editing issues that interrupted the flow a few times but this guy can really spin a tale that draws you in and makes you feel like you're standing in the midst of it all.
September 4, 2024
I just completed Hymn of the Ancients by Evan Pickering. I thought this was really good. I thought some of it made no sense - I struggled some with the main character. That is all I will say about that. Overall no fatal flaws - for me- and I enjoyed it.
December 8, 2024
Not bad not great. Started out slow then lots happening in the final quarter of the book. A little formulaic in places heroes stumble across something weird going in and they save the day. Easy plane read.
October 14, 2024
No soul.
I felt like I was reading something I had read before and was not impressed that time either. Not really a bad book, just not good enough to make me want to read book two.
I felt like I was reading something I had read before and was not impressed that time either. Not really a bad book, just not good enough to make me want to read book two.
October 17, 2024
These book is really fantastic.
December 14, 2023
Fantastic dungeon crawler type story. Love how easily and slowly characters are introduced. Oh and chapter titles, real ones. Only 1% romance, 75% action 24% natural feeling comedy. This was a goodreads giveaway. I cant wait to read the 2nd book in this series. Has a good ending that makes you want more without being a cliffhanger. Some mild language but would be great for teens and up (pg 14 ish). Evan Pickering you have a new fan that may or may not be about to benge read all of your other work, and please write more things
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews