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The Godyear Saga #1
The Immortal King
"The only thing needed to set the world ablaze is a spark..."
Godspeaker. Elfman. Wightman. Corpse-Whisperer. These are some of the names folk give Edward, one of a small number of unique individuals blessed – or perhaps cursed – with a powerful connection to the Otherworld and its many mystical inhabitants. The Gifted, they are called. Edward earns his living as his predecessors did, by selling his gift to both noble and peasant alike, interpreting their dreams and omens, calming their dead, and ensuring Otherworldly beings remain where they belong.
He does not expect that something as ordinary as a midwinter snowstorm will toss him into the drama of the Kingdom of Ardonn. Fate leads him on a journey that will change his life, as she sends him on a quest for revenge, binds him to the aspirations of a day-dreaming romantic, and sees him embroiled in a plot to release an ancient, immortal king from his tomb.
War is brewing in Ardonn – and Edward must struggle against the rising tide.
Godspeaker. Elfman. Wightman. Corpse-Whisperer. These are some of the names folk give Edward, one of a small number of unique individuals blessed – or perhaps cursed – with a powerful connection to the Otherworld and its many mystical inhabitants. The Gifted, they are called. Edward earns his living as his predecessors did, by selling his gift to both noble and peasant alike, interpreting their dreams and omens, calming their dead, and ensuring Otherworldly beings remain where they belong.
He does not expect that something as ordinary as a midwinter snowstorm will toss him into the drama of the Kingdom of Ardonn. Fate leads him on a journey that will change his life, as she sends him on a quest for revenge, binds him to the aspirations of a day-dreaming romantic, and sees him embroiled in a plot to release an ancient, immortal king from his tomb.
War is brewing in Ardonn – and Edward must struggle against the rising tide.
- GenresFantasy
433 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2021
18 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Jason Malone
4 books6 followersMy name is Jason Malone, and I am an author from New Zealand. I have always had a passion for storytelling and for writing, and since I was young I have been deeply interested in history, mythology, folklore. My writing is greatly inspired by the ancient & medieval culture and spirituality of Western Europe, particularly that of the Anglo-Saxons and British Isles, and through fantasy I hope to share my love for these things with others. There is a lot to love about these people and their history, and I believe we can learn a lot from them.
At university I studied history, and while I enjoy researching and writing history my true passion ultimately lies in fiction. Hence, Ardonn and its many stories were born.
At university I studied history, and while I enjoy researching and writing history my true passion ultimately lies in fiction. Hence, Ardonn and its many stories were born.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 9, 2021
A great debut novel by Jason Malone. Really well-developed lore and vivid characters, so excited for book 2!
March 3, 2021
This is a great debut book for Jason and I can’t wait for the rest of this series to come out.
All the characters in this novel are exciting and you feel completely drawn into their world.
The storyline is very well thought out and is an exciting and intense read.
I definitely recommend this to any fantasy reader.
All the characters in this novel are exciting and you feel completely drawn into their world.
The storyline is very well thought out and is an exciting and intense read.
I definitely recommend this to any fantasy reader.
February 9, 2021
Great book from start to finish! Great story, character development, and plot. I’m not usually one who enjoys or even thinks about reading fantasy, but this book kept me hooked and entertained throughout. I’m really excited for the series to continue and to follow the story of Edward (I’m also really keen to follow the development of Edward and Matilda’s relationship).
July 7, 2021
Made it about 1/2 of the way through but just couldn't finish it. The story has so much potential to be really engaging and interesting as the lore and world seem well thought out, but there were a few stylistic choices that I couldn't get past (such as the first-person 'storytelling' past-tense tone) and the plot rollicks along very quickly without much elaboration or scene building. Perhaps I am a raging feminist who should have finished the book before reviewing it, but I also didn't enjoy the use and description of the female characters. There were barely any female characters that hadn't either a) slept with the MC, b) flirted with the MC or c) been an object of desire for the MC.
December 11, 2021
The Immortal King is without a doubt, the best surprise of the year. I happened upon the author totally by chance and noticed a book title in his bio, so I decided to pick up a copy on Amazon. I have read debut novels of fantasy writers before, and I expected the usual lore-dumping, predictable "twists," and some annoying modern tropes of the genre. When I opened to page 1, what I got from author Jason Malone defied my expectations.
What I got was a deeply personal tale told by the main character Edward the Godspeaker, with the narrative voice of a mature Edward recounting his youthful mistakes and reminiscing about meeting his wife. While one could think this diminishes the story's drama, Malone uses it to intensify the drama. "He'll survive, but how? They'll escape, but at what cost?" was established early in the story and maintained carefully throughout the book. The author keeps his protagonist flawed, ignorant, and struggling without making him inept or clumsy: Edward's supernatural gifts give him insight but no special powers to magic his way out of difficulty. Edward's charisma gets him out of trouble, but his subtle ego gets him back into it. The complexity of the characters and their struggles is wonderfully understated.
My personal kudos to the author for keeping the voice of the narration appropriate for the tone and era. Too many authors fall either into dense medieval prose that bogs down the writing, or fall instead into using narrative language with too much modern speech unbefitting of a tale in a medieval setting! I could go on about the excellence of this book, but I will leave further writing to the author, who I am sure will continue to surprise me whenever he published book two of The Godyear Saga. I eagerly await!
What I got was a deeply personal tale told by the main character Edward the Godspeaker, with the narrative voice of a mature Edward recounting his youthful mistakes and reminiscing about meeting his wife. While one could think this diminishes the story's drama, Malone uses it to intensify the drama. "He'll survive, but how? They'll escape, but at what cost?" was established early in the story and maintained carefully throughout the book. The author keeps his protagonist flawed, ignorant, and struggling without making him inept or clumsy: Edward's supernatural gifts give him insight but no special powers to magic his way out of difficulty. Edward's charisma gets him out of trouble, but his subtle ego gets him back into it. The complexity of the characters and their struggles is wonderfully understated.
My personal kudos to the author for keeping the voice of the narration appropriate for the tone and era. Too many authors fall either into dense medieval prose that bogs down the writing, or fall instead into using narrative language with too much modern speech unbefitting of a tale in a medieval setting! I could go on about the excellence of this book, but I will leave further writing to the author, who I am sure will continue to surprise me whenever he published book two of The Godyear Saga. I eagerly await!
April 20, 2021
I hope the next volume in the series will come out soon. Reading this book was an utter pleasure. I fell in love with the novel from the first pages, and it didn't disappoint me till the very end. I told about it to everyone who willed to listen, and I'm telling you now, "This is gold." Jason Malone has a rare talent of building believable worlds through myths and tales of his own imagination, sprinkling them with charismatic characters and action scenes. The book is engaging, well-balanced and entertaining. It's so hard to speak about it without spoilers! I've been waiting for a fantasy novel that shows a humble yet self-confident hero who is not just another chosen one. Edward (the main character) has unique abilities, though he never brags about being special. There's a whole philosophy behind his attitude to his gift.
If you want to have a great time with a book, the Immortal King is what you need.
If you want to have a great time with a book, the Immortal King is what you need.
April 27, 2023
Being my first fanatasy genre read, I was pleasantly surprised when I couldn't put the book down. I was captivated for the entirety of this book. It is extremely well written, with a good balance of modern and more traditional references. Now that I can add a new genre to my book collection, finding out that the sequel is already available has me super excited. I would definitely recommend this book for both beginners and advanced readers.
November 26, 2025
I don't read fantasy and I don't like fantasy. However, my partner got me this book so I started reading it, turns out its phenomenal. The author conveys the world in a way that makes it so easy to see yourself in their shoes and in the heart of the story. I have already purchased books 2 and 3, can't wait to read those as well.
April 5, 2021
Excellently well written and grabs the reader right from the start. Felt very immersed in the characters and the storyline. I cannot wait for the next instalment. Simply put, it’s a great book. Loved it!
June 25, 2021
This was such a good read. The world is so believable and detailed and the story drew me back in to wanting to read more. I also enjoyed following the journey through the book's map and the way the story ended left me excited for the next one to come out!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews