The Weaver

Old Blood Saga #1

by B. Scott Hoadley

Shadowy figures. Haunting dreams. A discovery that could change everything.

Young Nathan Briggs inherits more than he’d bargained for. Caught between family and a mysterious inheritance from his grandfather, he must choose between who he thinks he is and who he must become. This choice could change his life forever.

Death and Magic are never far away…

ABOUT THE OLD BLOOD SERIES

Nathan Briggs is a young twenty-something from New England whose family inheritance leads him into a world of magic and myth. Driven to learn about his past, come to grips with his power and his place in the world, dark forces drive him towards an inevitable series of confrontations.

In the first book of the five-book series, we meet Nathan returning home from nearly a year of travels to face the disappearance of his grandfather. What unravels sets him on a path that will test him to the very core and endanger those he loves most.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

445 pages, Paperback

Published January 5, 2021

About the author

B. Scott Hoadley traded engineering and design blueprints for fantasy worlds, and he's never looked back. When the pandemic created an unexpected pause in his consulting career, he finally seized the chance to pursue his childhood dream of writing the epic fantasy stories that had captivated him since youth.

His urban fantasy series, Old Blood Saga, has already delivered four novels: THE WEAVER, OLD BLOOD, HUNTER'S MOON, and BLOOD TIES. The final two books, WEAVER'S ISLE and THE CONCLAVE, arrive in 2025 and 2026. Currently deep in writing book five, the author brings his unique engineering mindset to crafting intricate magical systems and complex world-building.

Armed with an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College and a passion for fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, and dystopian fiction, the author splits his time between consulting projects and creating the next adventure. When not writing, you'll find him exploring the English countryside, gaming, or planning his next writing project.

Originally from New York with time spent in Boston, the author now calls London home with his partner.

Reviews

[Mariusz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sceptical to order a book from an author that I don’t know but the story line caught my eye. I love a good fantasy book and this one delivers so much more than that. You can relate to the main character in more ways than one. The book is well written and edited. The story takes you through a journey of self-discovery with interesting twists and turns.

The book was delivered yesterday, and I could not put it down. It started slow (I think it was deliberately done by the author as it’s building the story line for the other books), but it picks up pace, leaving me wanting more. I can’t wait for the second book as I want to know where the story will take me. My imagination worked overtime, and it was a great escape from everything that is happening in the word today.

Hurry Up with the book 2!!!

[Chris Jamison · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “The Weaver”, author B. Scott Hoadley introduces us to a cast of characters brought together by family, friendship and circumstance. This first of an anticipated five books sets the scene, introduces us to characters we care about, and then launches us off on a new adventure, just as the book ends.

The main character, Nathan, is just starting his adult life, and learning to reconcile individual choice with family obligations. In fact, the primary relationship in Nathan’s life is the one with his father, and Hoadley takes us into Nathan’s head as he navigates relations between father and son. Every action Nathan takes is in reaction to his father, or in response to what he anticipates his father’s reaction will be.

I particularly enjoyed Hoadley’s descriptions of life in Provincetown and Boston. I felt like I was there, walking, eating and shopping with Nathan.

I am eagerly looking forward to Book 2 in this series, to see what happens next with Nathan, Serena and Ben.

[Christina Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent first novel in this trilogy, introducing the reader to some intriguing characters and storylines. Look forward to reading the next in the series.

[Lauren Chilton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really had high hopes for this book as it had similar themes to one of my favourite books but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. It was described as a slow burn but I barely perceived a connection between the protagonist and the love interest, the story took a long time to lay the foundations and it just didn't grip me. All Nathan seems to do is eat or work. It would have been nice to see more relationship building and delve deeper into the supernatural. I'll still read the next one purely because once I start a series I like to see it through I just hope the second one builds quicker on what is a interesting premise.

[Michelle Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this first in series from B Scott Hoadley - even better reading it in the sunshine on holiday as I did! I had to go straight into book 2 to find out what happened next.

Blurb: Nathan Briggs left home and family to travel the world a year earlier. The son of a wealthy New England industrialist family, Nathan traveled as far away from responsibility in the family business as he could after university.

His relationship with his father fractured, and having cut his travels short to fly home at news of a missing grandfather, he returns to face the prospect of a life tied to Briggs Industries, confused and unsure what to do about his future.

But is everything what it seems? Are his family the people he'd always thought them to be? How well had he really known his grandfather?

Hunted in the night by dark shadows, inheritor of a strange magic, and his family's past unravelling before his eyes, he races to learn magic from a missing grandfather while coming to terms with his own father and his place in the family. Can he save himself and his friends from the darkness? Will he strong enough?

This new world is not the one he grew up knowing. He must come to grips with it before it kills him.

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had to describe this in one word it would be SLOW.

Now don’t get me wrong I don’t mind a slow start to a long series. But it wasn’t just that it was more like reading Nathan’s diary at times.
I went for a run, went to work. Came home made something to eat.
Went for a run, went to work. Decided to go for dinner. Food was lovely tipped waitress well.
Went to work. Called my friend Ben went out for dinner. Tipped waitress well.

The thing is I liked the premise. I can see it building into a good story. But I’m just not sure it’s for me. Due to how it’s written I felt remote. Like a stranger looking in. I wasn’t attached, engaged or connected to any of the characters at all.
So I’m calling it quits.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the most tedious books I’ve read in a very long time. It seriously reminded me of a sample AI-written few paragraphs another author shared. Repetitive and filled with irrelevant details. The entire story could have been told in less than a quarter of the number of words. It would have been a better book. It ends on a cliffhanger of sorts but I have absolutely no interest in finding out what happens to these cardboard characters. I resorted to skimming the last half to see if it got better - it absolutely didn’t.

[Nicole Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok book. What had me marking it down was the dialogue was very wooden between characters, and all the times that characters were talking, it was always very quick so nothing really flowed from the conversations or was expanded on. It was also very repetitive. He would run. Go to work. Go out to eat. Sleep. Run. Work. Go out to eat. Sleep.
I am going to continue with the series as I hope it will get better however

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a little slow to get going but once you get into the story then it pulls you in quite quickly. I love the descriptions of the area and the houses and I can almost smell the sea air. I really love a book that pulls me in to it’s environment. Can’t wait to see where the story goes in book two!!

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably shocked

I like fantasy books. But I like the ones with the witches and the sorcerers and the Light romance and All those things. I will normally avoid A vampire Or werewolf type story. I cannot wait For the next installment. I almost was slower catching on than he did. LOL Looking forward to what happens next.

[Avril Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book - I'm a huge supernatural/fantasy fan and love a good series but I will not be reading the rest of the series.
The writing style was very stilted, every character had the same voice and the characters changed personalities throughout the book. Numerous descriptives didn't advance the story and were completely superfluous

[Helen ONeill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wonderful weaver saga unfolds

What an absolute treat. I loved how we get to know Nathan as he discovers more about his power and the worlds around him. There’s plenty of tension, great characters, and a legacy to be fulfilled. Looking forward to reading the next one!

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is interesting, and it has characters I would like to continue to get to know. For that I would have rated it higher. But the book is poorly proofed and edited, for which I have little tolerance. I would have enjoyed the story more if I didn't feel compelled to fix typos all the way through.