War in the Fallows

The High Council #1

by Jahmil Effend, Jahmar Effend

Royal children no longer desire merely the throne of their kingdom. The prize they seek is a seat on the High Council as a God.

The quake of footsteps from the divine shape the fabric of the realm. These All Beings walk among mortals and their children hold the titles of king and queen. When blessed blood is threatened, lines are drawn. Aron Barre II, a newly crowned ruler, is thrusted in the middle of a conflict between the rivaling kingdoms of the Fallows. The political journey he embarks on will change the course of Caldonia forever.

Now Aron is thrown into the first war in years with violent nations, and disgruntled Houses all seeking an opportunity to elevate through the chaos. Instantly, the world is afflicted by destruction, manipulation and deception, illuminating a truth that will fundamentally shift history.

The world is not always so simple.

Genres: Fantasy

263 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2021

Reviews

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to preface this by saying this book is quite different from my normal reads (mostly YA fiction) because it is fantasy and also has some darker elements because of the plot surrounding war.

The world was easy to get sucked into and I loved how the characters truly came to life. I especially loved King Aron’s POV but it was really nice to see Asher and Simon’s as well so you get the full 360 of the world.

Highly recommend and can’t wait for the rest of the series!

[Niki Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow... Wow, wow, wow! This book took a turn that I was not expecting at all, but I highly enjoyed it. I liked how this book was told from three people ( Aron, Simon, and Asher), it gives you three different outlooks on the world also from these characters which is something I truly like instead of just a single POV. My only complaint would be that the book threw so much at me for such a short read that it left me wanting so much more.. but I guess that's why this is going to be a series and not a stand alone. This is an excellent book and honestly, I want the entire series now when it comes out.

[Logan Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC.

From the start of the book I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. This book has some high fantasy elements and jumps right into the world. Personally, I love that so it was right in my wheel house.

The story is basically set in a world where kings and queens become Gods on their 40th nameday and the rest of the plot revolves around that concept and three kings.

As you get through the first bit you’re introduced to a couple of other character POVs. For me it was jarring at first, but the authors did a decent job making each POV really feel like their own world.

The writing is serviceable, you’re not getting any George RR Martin level dialogue, but it has some good moments.

The characters!! That’s my favorite part, most of them are flawed in some way. Some of them are straight badass and others have their small moments. There are a lot of characters, so the story gets more interesting as you get further in.

For me the highlight of the book is the ending and the Tournament. I’m a sucker for a good tournament and I like how these authors didn’t just make it josting or one on one duels. There’s basically a battle royale, a tag team match and like a triple threat at the end and it has a pretty satisfying conclusion.

Pacing wise I think the book was timed pretty well. I would have loved to stay with the characters a bit longer and have a chance to really spend a lot of time, but the book is a quick read. It’s a fair introduction to a world and a concept that I want to know more about.

[April Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC received in return for an honest review*
Video Review: https://youtu.be/aBTTvGnN7qc

[Shandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
OKAY - honestly if I could rate different parts of this book I would. The first half of the book, I’ll be honest, was hard for me to get through. There are so many characters and plot lines and sub plots and just so much happening that I had a hard time keeping track of it all and at times it was pretty cheesy. HOWEVER, around the halfway point it really picks up, the pacing gets a lot better and it feels more polished. Things get streamlined a bit and there are a few twists that I really wasn’t expecting. Looking forward to the second book and what happens next cause this ended on a cliffhanger and I have so many questions. Overall, a great commentary on family and relationships.

[Jahmil Effend · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first book will always hold a special place in my heart. Remembering the process of creating this world and following these characters will be something I never forget. It love War in the Fallows and hope that the story brings you joy and gives you the escapism we all need.

[DREW BOOK REVIEWS · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was sent to me for a ARC review

Full video Review can be found here: https://youtu.be/yGUPDlyojuc

War of the Fallows is a world in which 3 kingdoms are launched into a war, with their Gods who walk among men controlling and manipulating the ruling monarchs of the world.

I honestly love the idea of a world in which gods are walking among men and influencing or controlling the affairs of the world and ruling over the Monarchs of men. That in and of itself is not unique, however what I did find unique in this world is that these Gods, who are ascended Monarchs at the age of 40 are men just like any others, but worshipped as Gods by the people of the land.

While most fantasy worlds have some kind of magic system this world does not, That is not a draw back but something I actually liked about it. It makes it different than other fantasy you might read which is a good thing.

One of my favorite Aspects of this story is how LGBTQIA+ issues are represented. One character is a Gay man with a husband. This relationship is treated no different than any other married coupled and written with such normalcy that you do not even stop to think about it. I love how this was handled, and we need more writers who handle these issues and normalized them in literature.

My draw backs, this world could really benefit from more world building and character building, I really wanted to spend more time in the world and with these characters. The world and character building was enough to keep me interested and wanting more, but was still, at least I felt, barley even begun.

overall it was a good read and I really enjoyed it.

[D. Howlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fantasy story I have been waiting to read! If I could have dedicated all my time and effort to reading this book, I would have. The Effend brothers did a stellar job in piecing together a world that is beautiful and terrible all at once. The characters perspectives were fresh and relatable, finding a little bit of myself in their struggles and tribulations. I loved that the history, values and beliefs were never dumped on the reader, but evenly spread throughout. Amazing x1,000!!! The ending left me furious and scared, the tension hanging by a thread. Could not have been a better read.

I cannot wait to read more stories from this world and these incredible debut authors!

[Marley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! I loved the multiple POV's and the fast pacing. It's very interesting to see the inner workings of the courts and how they function both separately and together from the different POV's. I'm kind of sad I've already read the book because now I have to wait for the second! Will definitely be recommending this book.

[Michael Crenshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for a short read .I can't wait to read the series when it come out .I highly recommend this book