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The Wandering Inn #4
Winter Solstice
Pirateaba returns, bringing you the thrilling fourth instalment of chart-topping LitRPG series The Wandering Inn.
It’s still winter, but everyone’s on the move. Rags the goblin is heading north, seeking allies against the Goblin Lord.
And Erin is going home...or trying to, at least. She’s determined to bring back cheer to The Wandering Inn - as well as Christmas! But the coldest time of the year leads to strange encounters with a number of people.
At the same time, Ryoka Griffin is far from what she would consider to be “home”. Deep in the north, in the city of Invrisil, she finds herself as the guest of Magnolia Reinhart. She must carefully negotiate the good graces of the Deadly Flower of the North. Like Erin, her success depends on friendships made by meetings of coincidence.
Includes the story of Wistram Days, when Ceria and Pisces first meet in the Academy of Mages, Wistram.
It’s still winter, but everyone’s on the move. Rags the goblin is heading north, seeking allies against the Goblin Lord.
And Erin is going home...or trying to, at least. She’s determined to bring back cheer to The Wandering Inn - as well as Christmas! But the coldest time of the year leads to strange encounters with a number of people.
At the same time, Ryoka Griffin is far from what she would consider to be “home”. Deep in the north, in the city of Invrisil, she finds herself as the guest of Magnolia Reinhart. She must carefully negotiate the good graces of the Deadly Flower of the North. Like Erin, her success depends on friendships made by meetings of coincidence.
Includes the story of Wistram Days, when Ceria and Pisces first meet in the Academy of Mages, Wistram.
Audiobook
First published July 26, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
February 5, 2023
Check out my YouTube channel where I show my instant reactions upon finishing reading fantasy books.
Just the world and the characters will make any Wandering Inn story top tier for me, but the plot of this one was noticeably lower quality than the previous entries and was my first in this series that did not get a 5/5. Full review coming soon...
Just the world and the characters will make any Wandering Inn story top tier for me, but the plot of this one was noticeably lower quality than the previous entries and was my first in this series that did not get a 5/5. Full review coming soon...
February 14, 2022
*** 4.15 ***
At this point, if you have finished close to 4500 pages of a story, you are either there because you love it, you love a character, or you are plain addicted as I am. Addicted doesn't mean I am blind to the multitude of weak points in the story, just that in my view, they are a worth price to pay for the pleasure of reading the variety of special moments which inhabit the universe of The Wandering Inn.
Pirateaba, whoever she is, has a knack for creating characters who are equal parts wonderful and annoying, good-hearted and neglectful, villainous and well-adjusted, powerful and vulnerable... In other words, just like everyone who you might meet on the street or see on your daily news broadcasts. And just as with family and friends, you love them despite themselves as much as because of who they are. In the InnVerse, characters have certain characteristics derivative of their race and cultural settings, but all of them are fluid in their development and you get to see good and bad sides of them, you see them in their best as well as in moments of poor decision-making, when you want to reach in the pages of the book and shake them, screaming in their faces, asking them to snap out of it and get themselves together!!!
All of those ups and downs are exactly what makes this unpredictable, exciting, funny and heartbreaking read, one of the most addictive stories I have come across in a long time. You can't help but put yourself in the shoes of those Earthlings who find themselves lost in a different world, against their will, and faced with no choice of returning back home, they try to live in a completely foreign environment. Lucky for the majority of them, this world somehow speaks English 😃😃😃.
I have to admit, I am having a really hard time keeping my grubby hands away from the next book, because I do have other things to read as well and I HAVE TO pace myself! I have to, right? Right?? 😃👍
At this point, if you have finished close to 4500 pages of a story, you are either there because you love it, you love a character, or you are plain addicted as I am. Addicted doesn't mean I am blind to the multitude of weak points in the story, just that in my view, they are a worth price to pay for the pleasure of reading the variety of special moments which inhabit the universe of The Wandering Inn.
Pirateaba, whoever she is, has a knack for creating characters who are equal parts wonderful and annoying, good-hearted and neglectful, villainous and well-adjusted, powerful and vulnerable... In other words, just like everyone who you might meet on the street or see on your daily news broadcasts. And just as with family and friends, you love them despite themselves as much as because of who they are. In the InnVerse, characters have certain characteristics derivative of their race and cultural settings, but all of them are fluid in their development and you get to see good and bad sides of them, you see them in their best as well as in moments of poor decision-making, when you want to reach in the pages of the book and shake them, screaming in their faces, asking them to snap out of it and get themselves together!!!
All of those ups and downs are exactly what makes this unpredictable, exciting, funny and heartbreaking read, one of the most addictive stories I have come across in a long time. You can't help but put yourself in the shoes of those Earthlings who find themselves lost in a different world, against their will, and faced with no choice of returning back home, they try to live in a completely foreign environment. Lucky for the majority of them, this world somehow speaks English 😃😃😃.
I have to admit, I am having a really hard time keeping my grubby hands away from the next book, because I do have other things to read as well and I HAVE TO pace myself! I have to, right? Right?? 😃👍
February 29, 2024
3.5 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/9q64BSnOQBg
I picked up this series again after taking a small break. I don't know if it was the book or the passing of time, but I found myself less immersed in the story this time. Thankfully the story picked up by the end. I particularly enjoyed the Christmas aspects to the story, which worked nicely since I was reading during the holidays.
Video Review: https://youtu.be/9q64BSnOQBg
I picked up this series again after taking a small break. I don't know if it was the book or the passing of time, but I found myself less immersed in the story this time. Thankfully the story picked up by the end. I particularly enjoyed the Christmas aspects to the story, which worked nicely since I was reading during the holidays.
November 27, 2025
5/5 stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This one looks at Rags’ life up close, chronicles her character’s growth, as we see her further come of age, and watch her turning into someone that will certainly have a bigger role to play on the broader world stage in the story to come. It also takes a deeper dive into life at Wistrom, flashbacking into Seria’s and Pisces’ lives at the magic school and come to understand their current relationship on a deeper level.
We also run into Erin’s attitude of living life at a breakneck speed, essentially ADHDing through the thick and thin with a smile pasted on her face, helping people, following interesting arcs, finally catch up to her. We will see how she will deal with the burden of it all in the next one.
The Antinium’s arc also curves in a direction I am savoring quite a bit.
Engaging read as usual. Plenty of funny moments, emotional highs and lows, underdog situations. Had a lovely time. Onto the next one!
This one looks at Rags’ life up close, chronicles her character’s growth, as we see her further come of age, and watch her turning into someone that will certainly have a bigger role to play on the broader world stage in the story to come. It also takes a deeper dive into life at Wistrom, flashbacking into Seria’s and Pisces’ lives at the magic school and come to understand their current relationship on a deeper level.
We also run into Erin’s attitude of living life at a breakneck speed, essentially ADHDing through the thick and thin with a smile pasted on her face, helping people, following interesting arcs, finally catch up to her. We will see how she will deal with the burden of it all in the next one.
The Antinium’s arc also curves in a direction I am savoring quite a bit.
Engaging read as usual. Plenty of funny moments, emotional highs and lows, underdog situations. Had a lovely time. Onto the next one!
April 9, 2025
The Best Volume yet in such an Addicting Series!
The Wandering Inn is definitely not something I would state is a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. There are reasonable flaws you could easily point out, and there are odd structural aspects, maybe due to the nature of web serials, but Worm, I would say, structurally was much better. There are some plot inconsistencies (weirdly with the revised version) from early volumes to volume 3, yet it's so addicting and genuinely great. While Books 3-4 actually do work pretty well as separate novels, they do comprise one big arc. Volume 3 as a whole is the strongest in the series, it does so much right and really gives our characters and the world a lot more depth.
When you have crossed the 1.54 million words and there is no sign of its declining quality, you know you have a success on your hands. The advantage of a series with such a length is that certain aspects you're going to gravitate to immensely, and that’s just me with Liscor. It’s such a comforting place, there are just chapters Pirateaba wrote of the characters just living their lives, and it’s so compelling. I haven’t felt that sense of comfort in other places in The Wandering Inn, intentional or not, the amount of development Pirateaba has given the place and its inhabitants makes it feel alive. I’ve briefly mentioned specifics in my Book 3 review, so this book will focus on the developments only in Book 4 and the larger context of the series as a whole. Before I go into spoilers, I will just mention that I heard Wistram Days was controversial, but I actually really enjoyed this mini novel in this already big book. It could have been placed better, but overall it added value and gave much-needed depth to Ceria and, in particular, Pisces. The Rags plotline was awesome. I really enjoyed the Laken sections and just the whole Erin plotline, especially in the second half of the book. That ending probably delivered Pirateaba's best writing, or at least close to it.
In conclusion, both Book 3 and Book 4 (which make up Volume 3) are my favourites in the series so far, which is promising. The plot progression has definitely taken a step back, but I think Pirateaba's ability as a writer is slowly improving and just adding some needed depth to the world. While Pirateaba isn’t a great writer, she is a good storyteller, and I’m excited to continue this story with the following books-volumes.
8/10
The Wandering Inn is definitely not something I would state is a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. There are reasonable flaws you could easily point out, and there are odd structural aspects, maybe due to the nature of web serials, but Worm, I would say, structurally was much better. There are some plot inconsistencies (weirdly with the revised version) from early volumes to volume 3, yet it's so addicting and genuinely great. While Books 3-4 actually do work pretty well as separate novels, they do comprise one big arc. Volume 3 as a whole is the strongest in the series, it does so much right and really gives our characters and the world a lot more depth.
When you have crossed the 1.54 million words and there is no sign of its declining quality, you know you have a success on your hands. The advantage of a series with such a length is that certain aspects you're going to gravitate to immensely, and that’s just me with Liscor. It’s such a comforting place, there are just chapters Pirateaba wrote of the characters just living their lives, and it’s so compelling. I haven’t felt that sense of comfort in other places in The Wandering Inn, intentional or not, the amount of development Pirateaba has given the place and its inhabitants makes it feel alive. I’ve briefly mentioned specifics in my Book 3 review, so this book will focus on the developments only in Book 4 and the larger context of the series as a whole. Before I go into spoilers, I will just mention that I heard Wistram Days was controversial, but I actually really enjoyed this mini novel in this already big book. It could have been placed better, but overall it added value and gave much-needed depth to Ceria and, in particular, Pisces. The Rags plotline was awesome. I really enjoyed the Laken sections and just the whole Erin plotline, especially in the second half of the book. That ending probably delivered Pirateaba's best writing, or at least close to it.
In conclusion, both Book 3 and Book 4 (which make up Volume 3) are my favourites in the series so far, which is promising. The plot progression has definitely taken a step back, but I think Pirateaba's ability as a writer is slowly improving and just adding some needed depth to the world. While Pirateaba isn’t a great writer, she is a good storyteller, and I’m excited to continue this story with the following books-volumes.
8/10
October 6, 2024
2024/10/06 Notes: 3rd Audio Read
Wistram days are a big chunk of this audiobook. The first time I read this part on the website, I didn't enjoy this giant flashback because the jump happened in the middle of other interesting events in the present.
Perhaps, for the first time, I felt a fondness for the flashback to Pisces & Ceria's past. The placement is still awkward & annoying, but the events are key aspects of the characters involved.
The varied perspectives are one of the strong points of the series. You get a clearly drawn POV from different characters for a singular event. It may seem too abrasive or harsh, but I like the doses of reality the segments add to a fanciful world of levels and magic.
11/29/21 Notes: 1st Audio Read
Audiobook Rating 4 Stars vs the 3.5 Stars for the Website
Andrea Parsneau does a fantastic job of making the characters come to life. It's a bit different from how I picture the story in my head, but not so different that it's jarring. Vol3 is full of key elements that are a part of the series, but slow moving in some ways. The audiobook makes the slow seem to move faster. =)
It was around Vol4-5 that I grew to love the series vs enjoy reading it. I'm excited about the audiobooks catching up to where I fell in love with the series.
Wistram days are a big chunk of this audiobook. The first time I read this part on the website, I didn't enjoy this giant flashback because the jump happened in the middle of other interesting events in the present.
Perhaps, for the first time, I felt a fondness for the flashback to Pisces & Ceria's past. The placement is still awkward & annoying, but the events are key aspects of the characters involved.
The varied perspectives are one of the strong points of the series. You get a clearly drawn POV from different characters for a singular event. It may seem too abrasive or harsh, but I like the doses of reality the segments add to a fanciful world of levels and magic.
11/29/21 Notes: 1st Audio Read
Audiobook Rating 4 Stars vs the 3.5 Stars for the Website
Andrea Parsneau does a fantastic job of making the characters come to life. It's a bit different from how I picture the story in my head, but not so different that it's jarring. Vol3 is full of key elements that are a part of the series, but slow moving in some ways. The audiobook makes the slow seem to move faster. =)
It was around Vol4-5 that I grew to love the series vs enjoy reading it. I'm excited about the audiobooks catching up to where I fell in love with the series.
August 8, 2021
The story is meandering and it's starting to lose cohesion.
New stuff keeps getting added and we're slowly forgetting what happened before (Like with Gazi / Flos). Too many loose ends. I get a definite ASOIAF vibe there: as in the author digging their own plot quagmire.
The writing tends to get very long-winded and melodramatic. Lots of repetition, rephrasing...
Erin and Ryouka are still very, very, annoying MCs.
But damn! Andrea Parsneau kills it again, and makes it all worthwhile.
At this point, I think I'm tracking this series only because she's narrating it.
New stuff keeps getting added and we're slowly forgetting what happened before (Like with Gazi / Flos). Too many loose ends. I get a definite ASOIAF vibe there: as in the author digging their own plot quagmire.
The writing tends to get very long-winded and melodramatic. Lots of repetition, rephrasing...
Erin and Ryouka are still very, very, annoying MCs.
But damn! Andrea Parsneau kills it again, and makes it all worthwhile.
At this point, I think I'm tracking this series only because she's narrating it.
December 2, 2025
This series just gets better. It's amaizng how much the characters and world has developed. This one was particularly enjoyable. Maybe the most fun yet. So much travel and new places and new people. So many amazing scenes. So many interesting skills learned. And the larger over arching story is getting very intense. Between the Goblins and Wistram and the dread lord that's risen.
We just love this series. We've listened to months worth, and will listen to so much more. But first it's time for the Lady Astronaut series as a bit of a palate cleanser.
We just love this series. We've listened to months worth, and will listen to so much more. But first it's time for the Lady Astronaut series as a bit of a palate cleanser.
April 12, 2025
RTC - I'm officially addicted. Not that that's a new thing, but well... And I'm not saying that in a positive note, as the realization of HOW fucking massive this series is...
Well. Unless pirateaba finishes some day, there's no chance to ever catch up haha - no matter how fast one reads...
Well. Unless pirateaba finishes some day, there's no chance to ever catch up haha - no matter how fast one reads...
June 6, 2025
4.5/5
This book had alot of Erin and Ryoka and they are the weakest characters for me.
Winston school part was a fun magic school short story
Not a fan of the overall Christmas part polt.
This is the weakest TWI book so far. But I'm fully addicted this is the perfect book to have as a back up book. Or to read between other books. also stier audiobook
This book had alot of Erin and Ryoka and they are the weakest characters for me.
Winston school part was a fun magic school short story
Not a fan of the overall Christmas part polt.
This is the weakest TWI book so far. But I'm fully addicted this is the perfect book to have as a back up book. Or to read between other books. also stier audiobook
May 27, 2022
4.5 stars
I love this freaking story. The audiobooks are quite long but I find I love it, too. The narration is superb, and the characters just keep me invested more and more. There's just a smattering of litRPG elements, just enough for it to stay cute but not enough for it to become obnoxious.
I honestly hate waiting for the next audiobook, but am very committed to staying with them so I am not likely to read it for free on the website. I'm still really glad the option to read it for free is there, though.
This story is like a new best friend.
I love this freaking story. The audiobooks are quite long but I find I love it, too. The narration is superb, and the characters just keep me invested more and more. There's just a smattering of litRPG elements, just enough for it to stay cute but not enough for it to become obnoxious.
I honestly hate waiting for the next audiobook, but am very committed to staying with them so I am not likely to read it for free on the website. I'm still really glad the option to read it for free is there, though.
This story is like a new best friend.
February 13, 2023
The story is entertaining. The characters are passable, but the prose is trash, and the book needed an editor badly. I understand that the web serial format doesn’t really lend itself to more traditional styles of editing/publication, but I feel before releasing paid versions of the story on kindle/audible, the author really owed their readers some editing and revision work.
My biggest issues with the plot of this installment in the series are the overly lengthy flashback sequence in the mage school. Flashbacks are nice, but this read like an entire prequel and would have been better being written and released as a standalone prequel book. Really weird to include it as half of a mainline book in the series. The other big issue I have is with some of the things the author chooses to focus on only to then disregard completely later. For instance, there was an entire sequence (probably 10+ pages) earlier in the series dedicated to Pisces learning to animate dead animals, but now we learn that apparently he’s been able to do it for years (maybe there’s some payoff later, but right now it reads as a major continuity error). Another example is Erin’s teleportation door. A sizable page count is dedicated to detailing the limitations of this fantastic new artifact, only for the author to turn around and tell their audience to completely disregard the limitations because Erin’s Inn is now magical and mages can recharge the door so actually it doesn’t really have any meaningful restrictions. I don’t mind an author setting expectations and then subverting them later for storytelling purposes, but this all just seemed pointless and like a complete waste of space on the page.
Really a lot of it boils down to the major problem I’ve had throughout the series. The writing isn’t tight enough and it could be so, so much better. It’s like eating a meal that’s honestly not bad, pretty good even, but it isn’t seasoned quite right. It’s almost more disappointing than a terrible meal because you know what could have been. That’s this series. Could be greats, but falls far short of its potential because it lacks the tight storytelling and expert prose an editor would have helped the author achieve.
My biggest issues with the plot of this installment in the series are the overly lengthy flashback sequence in the mage school. Flashbacks are nice, but this read like an entire prequel and would have been better being written and released as a standalone prequel book. Really weird to include it as half of a mainline book in the series. The other big issue I have is with some of the things the author chooses to focus on only to then disregard completely later. For instance, there was an entire sequence (probably 10+ pages) earlier in the series dedicated to Pisces learning to animate dead animals, but now we learn that apparently he’s been able to do it for years (maybe there’s some payoff later, but right now it reads as a major continuity error). Another example is Erin’s teleportation door. A sizable page count is dedicated to detailing the limitations of this fantastic new artifact, only for the author to turn around and tell their audience to completely disregard the limitations because Erin’s Inn is now magical and mages can recharge the door so actually it doesn’t really have any meaningful restrictions. I don’t mind an author setting expectations and then subverting them later for storytelling purposes, but this all just seemed pointless and like a complete waste of space on the page.
Really a lot of it boils down to the major problem I’ve had throughout the series. The writing isn’t tight enough and it could be so, so much better. It’s like eating a meal that’s honestly not bad, pretty good even, but it isn’t seasoned quite right. It’s almost more disappointing than a terrible meal because you know what could have been. That’s this series. Could be greats, but falls far short of its potential because it lacks the tight storytelling and expert prose an editor would have helped the author achieve.
January 17, 2026
This was an interesting entry as Pirateaba takes her time developing her characters. We learn about how Ceria and Pisces met back on Wistrom, giving us insight into why their current relationship is so complicated. We find out about Rag's origins and get to see her continue to learn and grow into someone who will likely be important in this crazy world. I like the interactions she has with Garen Redfang, and I particularly like her choosing to make a stand when it comes to humans. No, this does not mean she will not kill humans. But she won't kill them willy nilly, and she won't stand for abuse, particularly against women. We find out more about the Antinium, and I wonder why the emotional stories about the Antinium move me to tears every time. Oddly enough, I also liked that Erin had a breakdown. It was bound to happen, but I also like that it ended up bringing her closer to the ones who care and that it's okay for her to lean on others. I really like how the story with Lyon progressed, and I look forward to having her in the rest of the books.
The stuff with the Winter Solstice was really interesting, if confusing, and I wondering what the future ramifications will be!
Overall, a solid read.
The stuff with the Winter Solstice was really interesting, if confusing, and I wondering what the future ramifications will be!
Overall, a solid read.
September 26, 2024
Auch wenn dieser Band im Vergleich zur Reihe eher schwächer ist, haben wir immer noch ein echt gutes Buch. Wir haben in der ersten Hälfte weiterhin viele kleine Geschichten, aber zum Ende endlich auch mehr Erin. Durch das Weihnachtsthema bekommen wir mit ihrem Charakter auch ein paar echt coole Szenen. Ich liebe eigentlich, wenn Figuren sich zum ersten Mal begegnen, aber in diesem Band hat es für mich nicht ganz so geklappt.
(+)
- Rags war Highlight des Buches
- Der Mix aus hartem Gaming System und mystischer Magie ist einzigartig
- Wistram ist als Setting echt interessant
- Um das Inn herum spielen sich mittlerweile so viele kleine Geschichten ab
(-)
- Wistram Flashback war zwar interessant, aber etwas zu lang und hat vom Plot abgelenkt
- Ryoka etwas zu vertrauensselig gegenüber einer anderen Figur
Mein Booktube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWsL...
Mein Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nico_fantas...
(+)
- Rags war Highlight des Buches
- Der Mix aus hartem Gaming System und mystischer Magie ist einzigartig
- Wistram ist als Setting echt interessant
- Um das Inn herum spielen sich mittlerweile so viele kleine Geschichten ab
(-)
- Wistram Flashback war zwar interessant, aber etwas zu lang und hat vom Plot abgelenkt
- Ryoka etwas zu vertrauensselig gegenüber einer anderen Figur
Mein Booktube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWsL...
Mein Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nico_fantas...
April 16, 2025
This has been my favourite book so far.
It’s just so easy to slip back into the world and find a real comfort and enjoyment.
This book has some fantastic character development for Ceria and Picses, as we get several chapters of their time in Wistram. It has real Harry Potter vibes but a little darker and is one of if not the best sections of story telling so far in the first four books (Maybe Esthelm in book 3 is better but it’s close)
Also how good is the author at bringing characters in and just making them feel so integral to the story. Laken is the perfect example of this!
Honestly these books are getting better with each one and this was another huge instalment that was so easy to get through.
Looking forward to seeing what happens next
It’s just so easy to slip back into the world and find a real comfort and enjoyment.
This book has some fantastic character development for Ceria and Picses, as we get several chapters of their time in Wistram. It has real Harry Potter vibes but a little darker and is one of if not the best sections of story telling so far in the first four books (Maybe Esthelm in book 3 is better but it’s close)
Also how good is the author at bringing characters in and just making them feel so integral to the story. Laken is the perfect example of this!
Honestly these books are getting better with each one and this was another huge instalment that was so easy to get through.
Looking forward to seeing what happens next
October 6, 2024
This book was such a joy to read, I loved it! By far one of my favorite series and I will always highly recommend.
What I love about this book is the authors ability to portray such vivid emotions and make you feel like you’re experiencing the same heartbreak or the same joy as the characters. Truly a spectacular writer
This one in particular had such a creepy end, very well done.
What I love about this book is the authors ability to portray such vivid emotions and make you feel like you’re experiencing the same heartbreak or the same joy as the characters. Truly a spectacular writer
This one in particular had such a creepy end, very well done.
January 21, 2026
Definitely my comfort series. These books are so long I feel like I’m reviewing an entire series at once lol.
Still, great addition to the series.
Still, great addition to the series.
September 11, 2023
I didn't like the recap of the magic school.
October 31, 2025
4.5/5! The narrator for these audio books does a great job. Liked this story. If you aren't trying this super long web novel (longest in the world) what are you waiting for!
March 20, 2022
I listened to this on Audible.
I'm still learning how to consume audiobooks, but after having gotten a slightly wider variety than before, I've come to appreciate just how amazing Andrea Parsineau truly is. I have yet to come across a narrator her equal (though true my sample is still pretty small).
The second half of Vol. 3 of the Wandering Inn sees more paths cross, introduces more scenes that tug on heartstrings and inspire belly laughs. Bits of the bigger world are revealed, and more characters and more hidden motivations. Lots of great memorable moments.
I'm still learning how to consume audiobooks, but after having gotten a slightly wider variety than before, I've come to appreciate just how amazing Andrea Parsineau truly is. I have yet to come across a narrator her equal (though true my sample is still pretty small).
The second half of Vol. 3 of the Wandering Inn sees more paths cross, introduces more scenes that tug on heartstrings and inspire belly laughs. Bits of the bigger world are revealed, and more characters and more hidden motivations. Lots of great memorable moments.
January 20, 2023
Best Book in the series to Date 🏠
December 22, 2021
Pretty standard "Wandering Inn" installment: the plot doesn't really move along at all, the characters are enriched to an absurd but still enjoyable level, and the reader gets to immerse themselves in a world that is particularly satisfying.
I would liken "The Wandering Inn" to a video game that doesn't have a defined destination for the player, but just allows them to do what they want, when they want. Unlike an adventure game where you follow a certain plot and everything hinges on getting to the end, "The Wandering Inn" reminds me of when I get bored of the WoW storylines and just start meandering from one region to the next, picking up random quests, and just enjoying my time in the game, which, while vastly different from a normal gaming experience, is a nice change of pace and certainly has its own merits.
I would liken "The Wandering Inn" to a video game that doesn't have a defined destination for the player, but just allows them to do what they want, when they want. Unlike an adventure game where you follow a certain plot and everything hinges on getting to the end, "The Wandering Inn" reminds me of when I get bored of the WoW storylines and just start meandering from one region to the next, picking up random quests, and just enjoying my time in the game, which, while vastly different from a normal gaming experience, is a nice change of pace and certainly has its own merits.
January 22, 2022
Andrea Parsneau is a fantastic narrator. If not for the audiobook, I think it would have been harder to get through this one. Even so, there were times where it dragged quite a bit and it felt clear that this was a web serial rather than a novel with planned beginning, middle, and end.
Some cool new items and plot points emerged in this volume. It was neat to get more backstory for Pisces and what happened at Wistram. Overall not my favourite installment of the series but I've been told things get better so I will stick with it!
Some cool new items and plot points emerged in this volume. It was neat to get more backstory for Pisces and what happened at Wistram. Overall not my favourite installment of the series but I've been told things get better so I will stick with it!
August 29, 2021
My favorite volume of The Wandering Inn so far...how does the author keep managing to make this story & this world and these characters better all the time?
I love this series and will eagerly await the audio release of the next volume....thank you Pirate Aba!
I love this series and will eagerly await the audio release of the next volume....thank you Pirate Aba!
January 9, 2025
I would probably give this a 3.5 ⭐️, but rounding down as this was my least favourite of the Wandering Inn books to date. As usual:
Storylines I Disliked:
- Rags and the goblins storyline. This is probably my least favourite storyline throughout the entire series. I don't find Rags a likeable protagonist and the secondary goblin characters that were introduced seemed two-dimensional and forgettable. All this bitch does is complain and then acts like a jerk.
- Christmas. The plot and pace bent too much to accommodate the introduction of Christmas and incorporating the nods to Santa, Rudolph and Frosty. It felt like a Christmas episode of a series that you're stuck watching in the summer. And I actually read this around Christmas.
Storylines I Neither Liked Or Disliked
- Wistram Days. The Ceria and Pisces backstory felt shoehorned in and started off at a crawl with a very basic magical school storyline. That being said, the ending and golem challenge / expulsion picked up and was enjoyable. I am curious if the upper floors will be revisited in the present timeline.
- Laken was a footnote in this book and just alright. Interactions with Ryoka (particularly the Wistram phone call) were well done though.
Storylines I Liked
- The Magical Door. This was a fun introduction to a small-scale, but effective, narrative and plot device in how the characters understood and utilized the artifact. The Celum connection was well done in order to not abandon characters and arcs initiated in Book 3, while also avoiding the unnecessary addition of additional POV characters. Interested to see the application of this in later books.
- Erin getting torn a new one by Zel. Yeah she's generally charming, but also a judgemental bitch (see Toren) that deserved a call out finally.
- The appraisal and introduction of the recovered magical items was intriguing. Ryoka continues to annoy me though with her ridiculous unilateral decision-making.
- The Christmas Day confrontation between Zel and Klbkch / Xrn. Also the discussions about Erin's origins and Teriarch at the inn.
- The Winter Solstice. Not sure what the fuck was happening and it came out of the blue, but it was intriguing and hints at bigger reveals down the road.
Onto Book 5: The Last Light (and hopefully more Geneva 🤞🏼).
Storylines I Disliked:
- Rags and the goblins storyline. This is probably my least favourite storyline throughout the entire series. I don't find Rags a likeable protagonist and the secondary goblin characters that were introduced seemed two-dimensional and forgettable. All this bitch does is complain and then acts like a jerk.
- Christmas. The plot and pace bent too much to accommodate the introduction of Christmas and incorporating the nods to Santa, Rudolph and Frosty. It felt like a Christmas episode of a series that you're stuck watching in the summer. And I actually read this around Christmas.
Storylines I Neither Liked Or Disliked
- Wistram Days. The Ceria and Pisces backstory felt shoehorned in and started off at a crawl with a very basic magical school storyline. That being said, the ending and golem challenge / expulsion picked up and was enjoyable. I am curious if the upper floors will be revisited in the present timeline.
- Laken was a footnote in this book and just alright. Interactions with Ryoka (particularly the Wistram phone call) were well done though.
Storylines I Liked
- The Magical Door. This was a fun introduction to a small-scale, but effective, narrative and plot device in how the characters understood and utilized the artifact. The Celum connection was well done in order to not abandon characters and arcs initiated in Book 3, while also avoiding the unnecessary addition of additional POV characters. Interested to see the application of this in later books.
- Erin getting torn a new one by Zel. Yeah she's generally charming, but also a judgemental bitch (see Toren) that deserved a call out finally.
- The appraisal and introduction of the recovered magical items was intriguing. Ryoka continues to annoy me though with her ridiculous unilateral decision-making.
- The Christmas Day confrontation between Zel and Klbkch / Xrn. Also the discussions about Erin's origins and Teriarch at the inn.
- The Winter Solstice. Not sure what the fuck was happening and it came out of the blue, but it was intriguing and hints at bigger reveals down the road.
Onto Book 5: The Last Light (and hopefully more Geneva 🤞🏼).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2024
4.5*
Com sempre, una delícia escoltar una nova entrega d'aquesta saga gegantina. Ha sigut molt interessant conèixer més a fons Pieces i Ceria, així com el seu temps a l'Acadèmia Wistram. Molt emocional tota la part nadalenca, l'autora excel·leix, com sempre, en això i un força aterridor final... amb moltes ganes de continuar la saga en pic acabada la #SpookySeason.
Com sempre, una delícia escoltar una nova entrega d'aquesta saga gegantina. Ha sigut molt interessant conèixer més a fons Pieces i Ceria, així com el seu temps a l'Acadèmia Wistram. Molt emocional tota la part nadalenca, l'autora excel·leix, com sempre, en això i un força aterridor final... amb moltes ganes de continuar la saga en pic acabada la #SpookySeason.
January 23, 2026
I have so much I want to say about this book. so much going on. I loved the part about the westeros school. that was really interesting and we learned alot about Pisces. I am loving this series. I highly recommend it.
January 12, 2024
I am still enjoying the series, i am loving the introduction of new characters and the overall story progression… although I grow weary of the MC’s extreme dips in emotions.
July 9, 2024
I got invested in Rags’s story so was bummed it didn’t get brought back up later in book. Cool backstory of Ceria and Pisces at wizard school. Christmas time with Erin was cozy. Not much going on with Ryoka.
February 25, 2025
Favorite in the series so far. Also huge shout out to the voice actress Andrea Parsneau, she is a one woman show and creates a full cast of characters that all sound unique.
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