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Paladin Unbound
Indies Today 2021 Best Fantasy Award Winner
The last of a dying breed, a holy warrior must rise up against a growing darkness in Evelium.
The most unlikely of heroes, a lowly itinerant mercenary, Umhra the Peacebreaker is shunned by society for his mongrel half-Orc blood. Desperate to find work for himself and his band of fighters, Umhra agrees to help solve a rash of mysterious disappearances, but uncovers a larger, more insidious plot to overthrow the natural order of Evelium in the process.
As Umhra journeys into the depths of Telsidor’s Keep to search for the missing, he confronts an ancient evil and, after suffering a great loss, turns to the god he disavowed for help.
Compelled to save the kingdom he loves, can he defeat the enemy while protecting his true identity, or must he risk everything?
The last of a dying breed, a holy warrior must rise up against a growing darkness in Evelium.
The most unlikely of heroes, a lowly itinerant mercenary, Umhra the Peacebreaker is shunned by society for his mongrel half-Orc blood. Desperate to find work for himself and his band of fighters, Umhra agrees to help solve a rash of mysterious disappearances, but uncovers a larger, more insidious plot to overthrow the natural order of Evelium in the process.
As Umhra journeys into the depths of Telsidor’s Keep to search for the missing, he confronts an ancient evil and, after suffering a great loss, turns to the god he disavowed for help.
Compelled to save the kingdom he loves, can he defeat the enemy while protecting his true identity, or must he risk everything?
334 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2021
27 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
June 27, 2021
PALADIN UNBOUND was an exciting and fast-paced break following immediately on the heels of the intense marathon read that was Dragon Mage. There are certain books that hit at just the right time and I didn't know how much I needed this story until I sat down and began reading it. Part quest fantasy, part dark adventure, with a splash of vampires and horror thrown in the mix, and this story turned out to be such a cool blend of so much of what I love in a killer read.
The first thing that struck me about this book is the fantastic worldbuilding. Evelium is very much a wondrous traditional fantasy setting but with a dark edge that hints at a tumultuous and deadly past. We get glimpses of the history of this world at the beginning of each chapter by way of snippets taken from historical texts. It's alluded to that these texts were uncovered over the years by way of excavations. I really liked this technique because it provided a valuable context to the story without it feeling like info-dumping.
This book also deals a good deal with prejudice and stereotypes. The main character Umhra is a half-blood orc who often encounters derision and suspicion wherever he goes. Life isn't easy for he and his band of mercenaries as many jobs go to a more "acceptable" segment of clients. It's extremely surprising then when he is given the delicate mission of finding out what happened to a group of well-placed and respected dignitaries/soldiers who may have ventured into cursed Telsidor Keep only to then not return. Why assign this task to Umhra? Why now? Could it be because he and his cohorts are seen as expendable, or is there a deeper and more significant reason?
Once the mission gets under way this story really takes off and becomes a breakneck dark adventure fantasy to the thrilling final page. This is a truly delightful multi-faceted story that took me places that I wasn't expecting. I think that the addition of some horror elements gave this one a very Ravenloft feel, which hearkened back to my glory days of devouring those books one after another when I was first cutting my teeth on fantasy as a genre.
Suffice to say that Jeffrey Speight has written a wonderful first book that bodes incredibly well for future volumes. I had an absolute blast reading this and the story hit me with all the nostalgic feels that makes this such an entertaining experience from start to finish. Pick up this book if you love quick reads that grab your attention right from the jump and never let go. I can't wait to read the next book that Speight puts out because PALADIN UNBOUND, although entirely satisfying and amazing, left me wanting more of this type of story. Hopefully we won't have very long to wait!
The first thing that struck me about this book is the fantastic worldbuilding. Evelium is very much a wondrous traditional fantasy setting but with a dark edge that hints at a tumultuous and deadly past. We get glimpses of the history of this world at the beginning of each chapter by way of snippets taken from historical texts. It's alluded to that these texts were uncovered over the years by way of excavations. I really liked this technique because it provided a valuable context to the story without it feeling like info-dumping.
This book also deals a good deal with prejudice and stereotypes. The main character Umhra is a half-blood orc who often encounters derision and suspicion wherever he goes. Life isn't easy for he and his band of mercenaries as many jobs go to a more "acceptable" segment of clients. It's extremely surprising then when he is given the delicate mission of finding out what happened to a group of well-placed and respected dignitaries/soldiers who may have ventured into cursed Telsidor Keep only to then not return. Why assign this task to Umhra? Why now? Could it be because he and his cohorts are seen as expendable, or is there a deeper and more significant reason?
Once the mission gets under way this story really takes off and becomes a breakneck dark adventure fantasy to the thrilling final page. This is a truly delightful multi-faceted story that took me places that I wasn't expecting. I think that the addition of some horror elements gave this one a very Ravenloft feel, which hearkened back to my glory days of devouring those books one after another when I was first cutting my teeth on fantasy as a genre.
Suffice to say that Jeffrey Speight has written a wonderful first book that bodes incredibly well for future volumes. I had an absolute blast reading this and the story hit me with all the nostalgic feels that makes this such an entertaining experience from start to finish. Pick up this book if you love quick reads that grab your attention right from the jump and never let go. I can't wait to read the next book that Speight puts out because PALADIN UNBOUND, although entirely satisfying and amazing, left me wanting more of this type of story. Hopefully we won't have very long to wait!
August 2, 2021
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/08...
I go into books these days purposefully not looking into them. I don’t usually even want to know what they are about. I think half the fun, at least for me, is reading a book and then getting this “ah ha” moment where the light in my dusty attic turns on and I say, “Oh, so that’s what this book is about.”
Paladin Unbound was sent to me by the author, and I was really excited to read it. I didn’t know much about it aside from the fact that I’ve seen it in the hands of a lot readers I respect, which intrigued me. Also, I enjoy stories about paladins. They remind me of Ye Olde D&D days.
So, that’s about all I knew before diving in.
In truth, this was one of those books that hit me right when I needed it to. It has hearkens unto the glory days of quest fantasy, and yet there are a lot of new elements thrown in for good measure. A sort of interesting blent of horror and fantasy at times. Fast paced, with a lot of action the book instantly pulled me in, and it relentlessly dragged me along until the very last page.
Now, I know I’ve been on a bit of a kick recently regarding fantasy that reminded me of my fantasy-reading roots, and I will say this felt a lot like one of those books. Some elements of the story, and the paladin himself, reminded me a lot of those days when I actually had friends (ha ha), and we played D&D in the library. Also, though, of those first books in the genre I read and fell in love with. I’ve really been on the look for stuff like that recently.
Somehow, Speight managed to take all these elements that I love so much and make them his own, never making this book feel borrowed, or too-similar to anything else. The worldbuilding, for example, was superbly done. Carefully crafted, the world, at least on the surface, feels a lot like your traditional fantasy world. However, it doesn’t take long for the reader to see the darkness lurking behind so much of what you’re presented. A dark and storied past is hinted at, adding not just depth but a bit of texture to everything that transpires. I loved how history was dealt with in the book, and the way it seemed to touch every part of Paladin Unbound in subtle and not so subtle ways.
Umhra was a character I absolutely loved. A half-blood orc, Umhra doesn’t really have the easiest go at it. He faces a lot of prejudice in his day-to-day life, which Speight shows in a way that is both poignant and carefully done. Often passed over for jobs, I got the feeling that Umhra is sort of just hanging on. Despite that, however, Umhra might be one of the most positive characters I’ve read in a long time. He felt like the beating heart of this book. He had goals and desires, and a lot of personal confusion and decisions to make, but at the heart of it all, his motivation was personal and that personal motivation really worked for me. It made the entire story matter in a way it might not have otherwise.
The magic system was one I really enjoyed too, because there were a lot of times when Speight just let magic be magical because it was magic. I think, sometimes, in a lot of books like this, the plot gets bogged down by details, and while there are details here, and nothing is quite so nebulous as you might anticipate, Speight also seems to know when he just needs to let something be magical because it is. There’s a few different kinds here, divine magic, nature magic, sometimes objects can be imbued with magic. I loved how it added to the story, never really bogging down the plot or pace to make room for itself at the table. It was a nice addition to, rather than a defining characteristic of.
The plot is breakneck. Once our merry band of mercenaries is off on their task, things move along relentlessly. You’ll read about places you don’t expect to go and see things you don’t anticipate. Everything drives toward this incredible finale that is really just superb. For a fast, short(ish) book, I was amazed by how much was covered in the space of these pages. Speight keeps the elements of his book balanced, despite the quick pace, effortlessly weaving together the action and adventure with character development and dark fantasy elements that created something that both reminded me of the days I’d stay up way too late reading Dungeons and Dragons books all night, and gave me a feel for something new and all the author’s own as well.
Paladin Unbound really made an impression on me. I devoured it in the way I haven’t devoured a book in a long time. I could feel the author’s passion on each page. More, it reminded me of my early fantasy days when I would devour book after book, reading late into the night just so I could enjoy one more chapter. I haven’t done that in a while.
I go into books these days purposefully not looking into them. I don’t usually even want to know what they are about. I think half the fun, at least for me, is reading a book and then getting this “ah ha” moment where the light in my dusty attic turns on and I say, “Oh, so that’s what this book is about.”
Paladin Unbound was sent to me by the author, and I was really excited to read it. I didn’t know much about it aside from the fact that I’ve seen it in the hands of a lot readers I respect, which intrigued me. Also, I enjoy stories about paladins. They remind me of Ye Olde D&D days.
So, that’s about all I knew before diving in.
In truth, this was one of those books that hit me right when I needed it to. It has hearkens unto the glory days of quest fantasy, and yet there are a lot of new elements thrown in for good measure. A sort of interesting blent of horror and fantasy at times. Fast paced, with a lot of action the book instantly pulled me in, and it relentlessly dragged me along until the very last page.
Now, I know I’ve been on a bit of a kick recently regarding fantasy that reminded me of my fantasy-reading roots, and I will say this felt a lot like one of those books. Some elements of the story, and the paladin himself, reminded me a lot of those days when I actually had friends (ha ha), and we played D&D in the library. Also, though, of those first books in the genre I read and fell in love with. I’ve really been on the look for stuff like that recently.
Somehow, Speight managed to take all these elements that I love so much and make them his own, never making this book feel borrowed, or too-similar to anything else. The worldbuilding, for example, was superbly done. Carefully crafted, the world, at least on the surface, feels a lot like your traditional fantasy world. However, it doesn’t take long for the reader to see the darkness lurking behind so much of what you’re presented. A dark and storied past is hinted at, adding not just depth but a bit of texture to everything that transpires. I loved how history was dealt with in the book, and the way it seemed to touch every part of Paladin Unbound in subtle and not so subtle ways.
Umhra was a character I absolutely loved. A half-blood orc, Umhra doesn’t really have the easiest go at it. He faces a lot of prejudice in his day-to-day life, which Speight shows in a way that is both poignant and carefully done. Often passed over for jobs, I got the feeling that Umhra is sort of just hanging on. Despite that, however, Umhra might be one of the most positive characters I’ve read in a long time. He felt like the beating heart of this book. He had goals and desires, and a lot of personal confusion and decisions to make, but at the heart of it all, his motivation was personal and that personal motivation really worked for me. It made the entire story matter in a way it might not have otherwise.
The magic system was one I really enjoyed too, because there were a lot of times when Speight just let magic be magical because it was magic. I think, sometimes, in a lot of books like this, the plot gets bogged down by details, and while there are details here, and nothing is quite so nebulous as you might anticipate, Speight also seems to know when he just needs to let something be magical because it is. There’s a few different kinds here, divine magic, nature magic, sometimes objects can be imbued with magic. I loved how it added to the story, never really bogging down the plot or pace to make room for itself at the table. It was a nice addition to, rather than a defining characteristic of.
The plot is breakneck. Once our merry band of mercenaries is off on their task, things move along relentlessly. You’ll read about places you don’t expect to go and see things you don’t anticipate. Everything drives toward this incredible finale that is really just superb. For a fast, short(ish) book, I was amazed by how much was covered in the space of these pages. Speight keeps the elements of his book balanced, despite the quick pace, effortlessly weaving together the action and adventure with character development and dark fantasy elements that created something that both reminded me of the days I’d stay up way too late reading Dungeons and Dragons books all night, and gave me a feel for something new and all the author’s own as well.
Paladin Unbound really made an impression on me. I devoured it in the way I haven’t devoured a book in a long time. I could feel the author’s passion on each page. More, it reminded me of my early fantasy days when I would devour book after book, reading late into the night just so I could enjoy one more chapter. I haven’t done that in a while.
February 16, 2022
Paladin Unbound. I absolutely LOVED this book and I couldn’t have loved these characters more than I already do. The sweet friendship between Umhra and Nicholas is everything. Umhra, half orc and his newfound friends mace to save the world they live from an ancient evil. I was sucked in from the first page. The world building was wonderful and these characters stole my heart!
February 19, 2023
A fun book! Looking forward to book 2.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
October 18, 2021
There be spoilers below, proceed with caution!!
Jeffrey Speight gifted me a copy of his book a few months back and I have finally been able to get to reading it.
So for first of all thank you once again.
Let me start out by saying if you like D&D, World of Warcraft, RPGs and other things that are similar to these then you will enjoy the both the characters and the storyline of Paladin Unbound. Because to be honest with you, that was exactly the kind of thing I was feeling when reading. As a former (on long hiatus) WoW player it was Warcraft vibes I was feeling and well I liked that. I've rolled an Orc before, didn't get far with her but I did make one.
Also can I just say how nice it was to have the main in the fantasy novel be something that is not human or elven. I love my humans and elves in fantasy. I guess well technically there is some human as Umbra is half Orc from his fathers side and half human on his mothers.
The story starts out with Umbra the Peacemaker and his small band looking for work, they are a group of sell swords so to speak and they have come to the city to see if Lord Morrow will contract them. Umbra may not be fully Orc but outwardly his appearance is very much Orc and well people are not always excepting of this.
People are going missing, things are happening and Lord Morrow wants things done quietly.
So I'm going to back track because I lied when I said the story starts out with Umbra and his band of people. Because before that there is the prologue. The demon-god Naur is defeated and sealed away in another dimension. This is significant to mention because this is why things are happening. The worshipers of this demon-god are on the rise and they are trying to break the seal and free him once more unto this plane.
Umbra has had a really crappy life when one thinks about it. His parents are dead, because his village was attacked when he was four years old. He spent days in a hollowed out tree waiting for his father to return but sadly never did. As an Orc he faces the different prejudice and stereotypes, and well it doesn't help Jeff Speight decided to hurt all his friends right off the hop of this book.
But it was meant to be as it gives us character growth and introduces us to the Barrow Pack and my favourite character in the story, Shadow.
I'm noting going to go into anymore detail of the story and characters because I don't want to spoil the whole thing for you.
So if you like self discovery, found friendships, mysterious characters (Shadow I'm looking at you), demon-gods, good vs evil, swords that speak into your mind. Then check out Paladin Unbound for yourself.
For a smaller in length fantasy the worldbuilding was great, with little down time, the down time that was there served a purpose with us learning more about characters or what they were going through.
The only issues I have were with the flow writing wise, as this is a debut book things like that can improve with time. And I have all the faith in the world that future books that it will.
But with that being said I am rather looking forward to the next installment. Jeff Speight has created a potentially great fantasy world, I can not wait to see what happens next in The Archives of Evelium.
I want more Shadow just letting that be known.
Originally posted on I Can Has Books?
Jeffrey Speight gifted me a copy of his book a few months back and I have finally been able to get to reading it.
So for first of all thank you once again.
Let me start out by saying if you like D&D, World of Warcraft, RPGs and other things that are similar to these then you will enjoy the both the characters and the storyline of Paladin Unbound. Because to be honest with you, that was exactly the kind of thing I was feeling when reading. As a former (on long hiatus) WoW player it was Warcraft vibes I was feeling and well I liked that. I've rolled an Orc before, didn't get far with her but I did make one.
Also can I just say how nice it was to have the main in the fantasy novel be something that is not human or elven. I love my humans and elves in fantasy. I guess well technically there is some human as Umbra is half Orc from his fathers side and half human on his mothers.
The story starts out with Umbra the Peacemaker and his small band looking for work, they are a group of sell swords so to speak and they have come to the city to see if Lord Morrow will contract them. Umbra may not be fully Orc but outwardly his appearance is very much Orc and well people are not always excepting of this.
People are going missing, things are happening and Lord Morrow wants things done quietly.
So I'm going to back track because I lied when I said the story starts out with Umbra and his band of people. Because before that there is the prologue. The demon-god Naur is defeated and sealed away in another dimension. This is significant to mention because this is why things are happening. The worshipers of this demon-god are on the rise and they are trying to break the seal and free him once more unto this plane.
Umbra has had a really crappy life when one thinks about it. His parents are dead, because his village was attacked when he was four years old. He spent days in a hollowed out tree waiting for his father to return but sadly never did. As an Orc he faces the different prejudice and stereotypes, and well it doesn't help Jeff Speight decided to hurt all his friends right off the hop of this book.
But it was meant to be as it gives us character growth and introduces us to the Barrow Pack and my favourite character in the story, Shadow.
I'm noting going to go into anymore detail of the story and characters because I don't want to spoil the whole thing for you.
So if you like self discovery, found friendships, mysterious characters (Shadow I'm looking at you), demon-gods, good vs evil, swords that speak into your mind. Then check out Paladin Unbound for yourself.
For a smaller in length fantasy the worldbuilding was great, with little down time, the down time that was there served a purpose with us learning more about characters or what they were going through.
The only issues I have were with the flow writing wise, as this is a debut book things like that can improve with time. And I have all the faith in the world that future books that it will.
But with that being said I am rather looking forward to the next installment. Jeff Speight has created a potentially great fantasy world, I can not wait to see what happens next in The Archives of Evelium.
I want more Shadow just letting that be known.
Originally posted on I Can Has Books?
October 15, 2021
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Paladin Unbound
Sacrifices are being made to bring back the power of a God. But if his power sweeps across Evelium, evil will coat the land and death will surely follow. When Umhra and his companions take on a quest to find those who have gone missing, they will uncover a host of horrors. But it is only the beginning for Umhra. He must embrace powers he has suppressed and hidden in order to stand against the growing tide of evil.
Umhra's character has so many conflicting angles. His personality truly shows how being different can cause someone to fold into themselves and keep away from the general populace. While he isn’t the most self-confident character, he certainly makes up for it in his willingness to help his companions. As readers become immersed in the story, they’ll be able to see how honorable and kind-hearted Umhra is and the internal struggle he fights every step of the way.
The beginning of Paladin Unbound builds up Umhra’s unease with his orc heritage. His band of fellows has all seen the disgust people share for those of their kind. And yet as they journey into town for a job, they encounter very little conflict over who they are. There are a few brief moments where people admit their disgust at orcs, but these encounters do not allow the tension to build. As much as Umhra does not want to cause a scene, I would have liked to feel more emotion and unease brought into these scenes to really make them stand out.
Jeffrey Speight is a master at developing settings. Each time the characters entered a new area special attention was taken to highlight even the smallest of details. Readers will feel as if they are right alongside the characters taking in each moment. There is also a wealth of information given to the histories of the world and the character’s backgrounds. Although I do wish the information were broken down into smaller chunks, it allows readers a full view of each character.
I recommend this for readers who enjoy dialogue driven stories. Emphasis is made on the adventuring side of this tale and the bonds between characters. This does make the story slower in pace, but no less entertaining. And if you are a fan of Dungeons and Dragons you will feel as if you are embarking on a new campaign.
Sacrifices are being made to bring back the power of a God. But if his power sweeps across Evelium, evil will coat the land and death will surely follow. When Umhra and his companions take on a quest to find those who have gone missing, they will uncover a host of horrors. But it is only the beginning for Umhra. He must embrace powers he has suppressed and hidden in order to stand against the growing tide of evil.
Umhra's character has so many conflicting angles. His personality truly shows how being different can cause someone to fold into themselves and keep away from the general populace. While he isn’t the most self-confident character, he certainly makes up for it in his willingness to help his companions. As readers become immersed in the story, they’ll be able to see how honorable and kind-hearted Umhra is and the internal struggle he fights every step of the way.
The beginning of Paladin Unbound builds up Umhra’s unease with his orc heritage. His band of fellows has all seen the disgust people share for those of their kind. And yet as they journey into town for a job, they encounter very little conflict over who they are. There are a few brief moments where people admit their disgust at orcs, but these encounters do not allow the tension to build. As much as Umhra does not want to cause a scene, I would have liked to feel more emotion and unease brought into these scenes to really make them stand out.
Jeffrey Speight is a master at developing settings. Each time the characters entered a new area special attention was taken to highlight even the smallest of details. Readers will feel as if they are right alongside the characters taking in each moment. There is also a wealth of information given to the histories of the world and the character’s backgrounds. Although I do wish the information were broken down into smaller chunks, it allows readers a full view of each character.
I recommend this for readers who enjoy dialogue driven stories. Emphasis is made on the adventuring side of this tale and the bonds between characters. This does make the story slower in pace, but no less entertaining. And if you are a fan of Dungeons and Dragons you will feel as if you are embarking on a new campaign.
November 1, 2021
Bloodbound - a mercenary group of half-Orcs, led by Umhra the Peacebreaker (our protagonist). They are traveling to the city of Anaris with the hope to secure Lord Morrow's contract. Bloodbound was chosen and tasked to uncover the mysterious disappearances that are happening in the city. The group immediately set forth, leading to Umhra suffering a great loss while uncovering a more sinister plot - a cult is planning to unleash chaos on Evelium.
Now, Umhra must embrace his destiny or let Evelium descent into chaos...
_____
Short story first: I joined Jeff Speight's international giveaway on Twitter and was pleasantly surprised when he offered me an ebook if I'm interested in reviewing it. Of course, I'm not dumb. I SAID YES IMMEDIATELY! And I read happily ever after, lol.
Paladin Unbound is a richly imagined fantasy novel packed with adventure, creatures, gods, friendship, and goodness.
What really hit me while reading this was how remarkable the world-building. Jeff Speight had put a lot of effort in putting details in places while subtly accentuating them. Vivid descriptions without being over the top that I can see each place clearly in my head. Also, snippets were put at the beginning of each chapter which added depth to the lore and history of Evelium. There's also an amazing map!
The magic system was easy to follow and straightforward. We have divine magic, nature magic, and witchcraft. This is the usual thing we see in movies and books which IMO helped a lot. It doesn't need to be explained thoroughly, yet it laid a solid foundation.
Readers are treated to various creatures in Paladin Unbound. As the title suggest, there's a paladin. It also has a druid, vampire, witch, mage, and more.
The protagonist is a half-Orc where he regularly faces prejudice being one. Yet being ridiculed did not make Umhra vengeful. Instead, he's gentle, honorable, and optimistic.
As the story progress, we are joined by Nicholas (mage), Balris (priest), and the Barrow's Pact composed of Laudin (ranger), Gromley (cleric and warrior), Shadow (thief), and Naivara (druid). We slowly get to know them as the quest to vanquish the threat to Evelium advances. They are all well-rounded characters. They complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. In addition, the dialogue has a classic feel to it.
Overall, Paladin Unbound was a fun and immersive read. It gives the vibe of traditional fantasy heroes and the thrill of playing D&D. Fantasy readers would be delighted to read this! I'm so excited to have more adventures with Umhra and the Barrow's Pact. Can't wait to read what Jeff will cook up!
Thank you so much, Jeff Speight, for the ebook! I almost missed out reading a well-written book!
Now, Umhra must embrace his destiny or let Evelium descent into chaos...
_____
Short story first: I joined Jeff Speight's international giveaway on Twitter and was pleasantly surprised when he offered me an ebook if I'm interested in reviewing it. Of course, I'm not dumb. I SAID YES IMMEDIATELY! And I read happily ever after, lol.
Paladin Unbound is a richly imagined fantasy novel packed with adventure, creatures, gods, friendship, and goodness.
What really hit me while reading this was how remarkable the world-building. Jeff Speight had put a lot of effort in putting details in places while subtly accentuating them. Vivid descriptions without being over the top that I can see each place clearly in my head. Also, snippets were put at the beginning of each chapter which added depth to the lore and history of Evelium. There's also an amazing map!
The magic system was easy to follow and straightforward. We have divine magic, nature magic, and witchcraft. This is the usual thing we see in movies and books which IMO helped a lot. It doesn't need to be explained thoroughly, yet it laid a solid foundation.
Readers are treated to various creatures in Paladin Unbound. As the title suggest, there's a paladin. It also has a druid, vampire, witch, mage, and more.
The protagonist is a half-Orc where he regularly faces prejudice being one. Yet being ridiculed did not make Umhra vengeful. Instead, he's gentle, honorable, and optimistic.
As the story progress, we are joined by Nicholas (mage), Balris (priest), and the Barrow's Pact composed of Laudin (ranger), Gromley (cleric and warrior), Shadow (thief), and Naivara (druid). We slowly get to know them as the quest to vanquish the threat to Evelium advances. They are all well-rounded characters. They complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. In addition, the dialogue has a classic feel to it.
Overall, Paladin Unbound was a fun and immersive read. It gives the vibe of traditional fantasy heroes and the thrill of playing D&D. Fantasy readers would be delighted to read this! I'm so excited to have more adventures with Umhra and the Barrow's Pact. Can't wait to read what Jeff will cook up!
Thank you so much, Jeff Speight, for the ebook! I almost missed out reading a well-written book!
July 25, 2021
Paladin Unbound feels like I've witnessed an entire homebrew D&D campaign wrapped up into 334 pages. And I'm here for it.
A paladin, rogue, druid, fighter, bard, and cleric band together to stop the return of an evil god. It's epic; it's rich with world-building; and it's predictably great. There was no big twist that made this story great; it was the unadulterated heroism. So many stories now are filled with evil people doing evil things, but Paladin Unbound hearkens back to the bygone era of selfless heroes with pure hearts.
Besides an early scene that I didn't like, the rest flowed well and developed toward the rising climax sequence, which was absolutely the highlight. Filled with intense action, rising stakes, and great character moments, there is a great feeling of satisfaction by the final page. The campaign has ended. The party can rest. But they will be called upon again another day.
Hat tip to Jeffrey Speight. Nostalgia makes this a winner.
A paladin, rogue, druid, fighter, bard, and cleric band together to stop the return of an evil god. It's epic; it's rich with world-building; and it's predictably great. There was no big twist that made this story great; it was the unadulterated heroism. So many stories now are filled with evil people doing evil things, but Paladin Unbound hearkens back to the bygone era of selfless heroes with pure hearts.
Besides an early scene that I didn't like, the rest flowed well and developed toward the rising climax sequence, which was absolutely the highlight. Filled with intense action, rising stakes, and great character moments, there is a great feeling of satisfaction by the final page. The campaign has ended. The party can rest. But they will be called upon again another day.
Hat tip to Jeffrey Speight. Nostalgia makes this a winner.
June 28, 2021
As soon as I saw the cover and read the summary for Paladin Unbound I knew I wanted to read it. I’m always a fan of books that portray Orcs and Half-Orcs in a different light, and Umhra is a wonderful example of what Half-Orcs can be. Then there was the D&D aspect – which as anyone who knows me or the blog will know is something that dominates a large part of my life, and I don’t think Paladins get quite as much attention as some of the other classes so that was something else that was great to see here. Then there is that cover – it’s fantastic and even if I hadn’t been obsessed with D&D that would have pulled me in. Another bonus point is that there is a map of Evelium at the beginning
Paladin Unbound is a love letter to Dungeons & Dragons. It has all the chaos of an adventuring party let lose – often without all the information that could have made a difference, and a world that has been lovingly crafted to house that chaos. The worldbuilding is great, and I liked how between the prologue and the use of snippets from historical texts at the beginning of each chapter we’re given a sense of a world that not only has breadth but depth, and it was done in a way that framed the world without straying into overloading us with information. I am certainly a huge fan of that kind of approach, and I always like it when books use that moment at the start of the chapter to demonstrate something else about the world or the story. Evelium is a wonderful setting, and very much has the feel of a classic fantasy world but with a dark underside that is fighting to break the surface, and there was a wonderful blend of classic features – I may have grinned when the Dire Wolves appeared – and some twists on those features to set this book apart.
The magic is varied in this book, from the divine magic of the Clerics and Paladins to the more nature-based magic of the Ranger and Druid, to the creatures that inhabit the world, and the role of the Gods past and present, and it all plays into the story and world in different ways. Speight takes quite a soft approach to the magic, although there is a system through the suffusion of magical items of specific elements, such as gold or platinum, and I found that this approach worked well here because it allowed the story to flow without getting bogged down in too many details about how each piece of magic worked. Sometimes magic just needs to be magical, and it works especially well here because it feeds into the action-packed, fast-paced nature of this story.
Outside of the quest/adventure element, Paladin Unbound does explore prejudice and stereotypes, especially around Umhra and his original group, and while this is a familiar feature particularly around Orcs/Half-Orcs, what I liked about Speight’s approach was that he showed that there was a spectrum of how they were viewed. Through encounters with different parts of society, we can see there is a variety of reactions and how for some people, it is the person and the deeds that define them, but we also get to see the scope of experience of the mercenary band through flashbacks and their reactions to getting a mission that they had expected to be denied because of who they were, which in turn raised questions about why they had been selected. It added another element to the world and the worldbuilding, but it was also an integral part of Umhra’s story – both before the start of Paladin Unbound, but throughout, and it was great to see how it was woven through his reactions and expectations, and also his choices and his reasons for embracing his destiny.
The characters are the heart and soul of this book. Umhra was an unexpected character in many ways, and his optimism despite everything was incredibly endearing. I also very much enjoyed the fact that a large part of his motivation was personal. I’m all for prophecies and being chosen by the gods, and having a great destiny, but there was something wonderfully grounding about the fact that he was following that path for himself, and trying to find out who he was, rather than what the world was determined to see him as. I wish that we’d had longer to spend with the other members of his mercenary group because it would have been interesting to see what Speight would have done with an all Orc cast. That said, I loved the members of the Barrow’s Pact. I may have a soft spot for Gromley, and I loved Naivara from the moment we met her. They made for such a good party, working to each other’s strengths and with any weaknesses and struggles, and you could feel the bonds between them from the moment we met them, and how that expanded to include Umhra and the other newer members.
Paladin Unbound was a fun read, combining the feeling of real stakes, with the nostalgia of classical quest fantasy and the chaos of a D&D game. I loved seeing a Half-Orc character take the limelight and the feeling of being drawn into a world that was created with clear love and passion. Certainly a book for anyone with even so much as a passing interest in Dungeons and Dragons, but this is an approachable story that will appeal to fantasy fans of all ages.
Paladin Unbound is a love letter to Dungeons & Dragons. It has all the chaos of an adventuring party let lose – often without all the information that could have made a difference, and a world that has been lovingly crafted to house that chaos. The worldbuilding is great, and I liked how between the prologue and the use of snippets from historical texts at the beginning of each chapter we’re given a sense of a world that not only has breadth but depth, and it was done in a way that framed the world without straying into overloading us with information. I am certainly a huge fan of that kind of approach, and I always like it when books use that moment at the start of the chapter to demonstrate something else about the world or the story. Evelium is a wonderful setting, and very much has the feel of a classic fantasy world but with a dark underside that is fighting to break the surface, and there was a wonderful blend of classic features – I may have grinned when the Dire Wolves appeared – and some twists on those features to set this book apart.
The magic is varied in this book, from the divine magic of the Clerics and Paladins to the more nature-based magic of the Ranger and Druid, to the creatures that inhabit the world, and the role of the Gods past and present, and it all plays into the story and world in different ways. Speight takes quite a soft approach to the magic, although there is a system through the suffusion of magical items of specific elements, such as gold or platinum, and I found that this approach worked well here because it allowed the story to flow without getting bogged down in too many details about how each piece of magic worked. Sometimes magic just needs to be magical, and it works especially well here because it feeds into the action-packed, fast-paced nature of this story.
Outside of the quest/adventure element, Paladin Unbound does explore prejudice and stereotypes, especially around Umhra and his original group, and while this is a familiar feature particularly around Orcs/Half-Orcs, what I liked about Speight’s approach was that he showed that there was a spectrum of how they were viewed. Through encounters with different parts of society, we can see there is a variety of reactions and how for some people, it is the person and the deeds that define them, but we also get to see the scope of experience of the mercenary band through flashbacks and their reactions to getting a mission that they had expected to be denied because of who they were, which in turn raised questions about why they had been selected. It added another element to the world and the worldbuilding, but it was also an integral part of Umhra’s story – both before the start of Paladin Unbound, but throughout, and it was great to see how it was woven through his reactions and expectations, and also his choices and his reasons for embracing his destiny.
The characters are the heart and soul of this book. Umhra was an unexpected character in many ways, and his optimism despite everything was incredibly endearing. I also very much enjoyed the fact that a large part of his motivation was personal. I’m all for prophecies and being chosen by the gods, and having a great destiny, but there was something wonderfully grounding about the fact that he was following that path for himself, and trying to find out who he was, rather than what the world was determined to see him as. I wish that we’d had longer to spend with the other members of his mercenary group because it would have been interesting to see what Speight would have done with an all Orc cast. That said, I loved the members of the Barrow’s Pact. I may have a soft spot for Gromley, and I loved Naivara from the moment we met her. They made for such a good party, working to each other’s strengths and with any weaknesses and struggles, and you could feel the bonds between them from the moment we met them, and how that expanded to include Umhra and the other newer members.
Paladin Unbound was a fun read, combining the feeling of real stakes, with the nostalgia of classical quest fantasy and the chaos of a D&D game. I loved seeing a Half-Orc character take the limelight and the feeling of being drawn into a world that was created with clear love and passion. Certainly a book for anyone with even so much as a passing interest in Dungeons and Dragons, but this is an approachable story that will appeal to fantasy fans of all ages.
May 31, 2022
Fans of DnD based fantasy are in for a treat! Full of everything you might expect. Character backstories, random encounters, questing, and combat!!!
A solid read with a strong quest element that is both fast paced and well executed!!!
I love the idea
Of a half orc Paladin. It’s a fun idea that breaks the mold. Appearing in this 330 page book is Kings, Gods, Orcs, Dwarfs, Vampires, Imps, and so much more it’s fantasy AF!
The stakes are real I enjoyed the fact that no one was safe. I felt like our party members were dynamic characters with
believable interactions and full of camaraderie.
4/5
A solid read with a strong quest element that is both fast paced and well executed!!!
I love the idea
Of a half orc Paladin. It’s a fun idea that breaks the mold. Appearing in this 330 page book is Kings, Gods, Orcs, Dwarfs, Vampires, Imps, and so much more it’s fantasy AF!
The stakes are real I enjoyed the fact that no one was safe. I felt like our party members were dynamic characters with
believable interactions and full of camaraderie.
4/5
July 18, 2022
Please read my review at the following link:
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/...
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, and as always happy reading!! Stay Great!!
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/...
Thank you for taking the time to read my review, and as always happy reading!! Stay Great!!
March 22, 2023
Half-Orc main character? A band of misfits going on a quest? Sign me right up. I was very kindly sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This book is fast paced and full of action packed fight scenes. I am looking forward to reading the sequel to see where these characters go. I do think that I will be rereading this book physically before I read the sequel to just soak up any additional bits of information that I may of missed when listening to the audiobook.
June 28, 2021
When I first heard of this book from another blogger, I thought it had a solid premise and would make a fun, light fantasy read. Now that I'm finished, it is definitely a fun read, but I'll say this up front: Paladin Unbound is now tied with M.L. Spencer's Dragon Mage as my fantasy book of the year. I was just enthralled throughout the story, and spent a few sleepless nights just transported into this incredible world.
The world building in this story is top rate. We are introduced to the world of Elevium on the first page at the end of a war between its creator gods. The Fire God Naur has been defeated in his efforts to take over the world, and is banished by his sister goddess Vaila to Pragarus, a hell cut off from the world where he should be locked for all eternity. What Vaila didn't know was Naur left an insurance policy behind that had the potential to free him in the future if some truly evil people enact an insane plan.
This foundation leads us to the modern world of Elevium, where Naur is an all but forgotten myth, and the truly great magics are long in the past. It's a world divided into many countries, with their own agendas and peoples. There are humans, and some new fantasy races that are reminiscent of some of the more traditional fantasy races such as dwarves, elves, etc., but with their own twists that make them perfect for this world. There are also some tensions between the races, especially with the Orcs, who are seen as vicious barbarians. This makes life difficult for the orcs that choose to leave their homeland, since no one believes they can act any different. This creates a lot of tension throughout the book, adding another layer of struggle.
There is a variety of magic in the book. There is divine magic, given to priests and paladins from their gods to help protect the people of Elevium. There are also shape changing druids and other mages, as well as magical creatures such as vampires. A lot of the magic is tied into bonding an element through infusion, such as gold and platinum, which is about as high as modern mages get. The ancient mystics supposedly could bond Rhodium, basically giving them the power of minor gods, but no on has done that in many centuries. Its a very interesting system that isn't dwelled on too much, but just enough to intrigue the reader. It just lays a solid foundation that allows the story to flow without a lot of overcomplicated magical mumbo jumbo. Sometimes a magic fireball is just a magic fireball.
The characters in this book truly shine in a way that just grabs the reader. Umhra the Peacbreaker, the main character, is such a great character. A half orc/human, he is the leader of an Orc mercenary band that takes commissions to clear out monsters and bandits, all while generally being distrusted or even hated by the people around them. Umhra is such an optimist, even though he has led such a life of struggle. Raised by a monk after his village was wiped out by barbarian raiders, he is a brave, honorable man, trying to take care of his men, and when a mission they undertake goes horribly wrong, Umhra takes matters into his own hands to try and stop the world threatening conspiracy they have uncovered. Umhra's own secret could be the only thing that can save the world, although he faces possible death if his secret is revealed. It is his determination in the face of personal danger that really makes him shine.
Umhra's companions are also as good a group of fantasy companions as you could ask for. Laudin the ranger, Gromley the warrior priest, Naivara the druid, Shadow the rogue and Nicholas the mage, as well as Balris the healer priest and Talus the warrior are just a fantastic group, complementing each others abilities and working as a cohesive group. Their backgrounds and abilities are shown throughout the book, without any info dumps that are such a bane to immersing yourself in the story. Their character's grow and struggle throughout, and they have well plotted character arcs that really keep you wanting to read more about them. These are very much traditional heroes, even Shadow, who you can imagine being sketchy at a game of cards or dice, but would follow you through the gates of hell for a good cause. There is no grey morality here, but a wonderful throwback to traditional fantasy, where heroes are heroes, and proudly so.
The villains are an interesting bunch. They are separated throughout the story, and each encounter with one individual or group leads to another page unfolding in the greater conspiracy. There are no easy battles, no flawless victories. These are hardened, evil, and most importantly, powerful villains, who are not just going to be overpowered, and are a threat at all times to the heroes. They are truly evil, for different reasons with each villain, whether it be lust for power, selfishness, or fulfilling a prophesy, they are irredeemable because of their actions, and they wouldn't have it any other way. Again, a throwback to a more traditional fantasy style, and this really keeps the reader engaged all the way through to the final epic confrontation with the final force of evil, Naur himself.
All in all, this is easily one of the best books I have read in the past decade, and tying for my favorite fantasy book of this year with Dragon Mage is no small feat. I just kept getting drawn deeper into the story, finding myself constantly referring to the map as I went along (it's a beautiful map, so it added to the immersion), realizing just how epic this journey was. This is a book that will have appeal to so many fans of fantasy, and is even ok for younger readers, not having any sex or super graphic violence that could scare younger readers. Its just an intensely entertaining story, that I was sorry to see end. I do hope to read more adventures with Umhra and his companions soon, though, and congratulate the author on writing such an amazing adventure.
The world building in this story is top rate. We are introduced to the world of Elevium on the first page at the end of a war between its creator gods. The Fire God Naur has been defeated in his efforts to take over the world, and is banished by his sister goddess Vaila to Pragarus, a hell cut off from the world where he should be locked for all eternity. What Vaila didn't know was Naur left an insurance policy behind that had the potential to free him in the future if some truly evil people enact an insane plan.
This foundation leads us to the modern world of Elevium, where Naur is an all but forgotten myth, and the truly great magics are long in the past. It's a world divided into many countries, with their own agendas and peoples. There are humans, and some new fantasy races that are reminiscent of some of the more traditional fantasy races such as dwarves, elves, etc., but with their own twists that make them perfect for this world. There are also some tensions between the races, especially with the Orcs, who are seen as vicious barbarians. This makes life difficult for the orcs that choose to leave their homeland, since no one believes they can act any different. This creates a lot of tension throughout the book, adding another layer of struggle.
There is a variety of magic in the book. There is divine magic, given to priests and paladins from their gods to help protect the people of Elevium. There are also shape changing druids and other mages, as well as magical creatures such as vampires. A lot of the magic is tied into bonding an element through infusion, such as gold and platinum, which is about as high as modern mages get. The ancient mystics supposedly could bond Rhodium, basically giving them the power of minor gods, but no on has done that in many centuries. Its a very interesting system that isn't dwelled on too much, but just enough to intrigue the reader. It just lays a solid foundation that allows the story to flow without a lot of overcomplicated magical mumbo jumbo. Sometimes a magic fireball is just a magic fireball.
The characters in this book truly shine in a way that just grabs the reader. Umhra the Peacbreaker, the main character, is such a great character. A half orc/human, he is the leader of an Orc mercenary band that takes commissions to clear out monsters and bandits, all while generally being distrusted or even hated by the people around them. Umhra is such an optimist, even though he has led such a life of struggle. Raised by a monk after his village was wiped out by barbarian raiders, he is a brave, honorable man, trying to take care of his men, and when a mission they undertake goes horribly wrong, Umhra takes matters into his own hands to try and stop the world threatening conspiracy they have uncovered. Umhra's own secret could be the only thing that can save the world, although he faces possible death if his secret is revealed. It is his determination in the face of personal danger that really makes him shine.
Umhra's companions are also as good a group of fantasy companions as you could ask for. Laudin the ranger, Gromley the warrior priest, Naivara the druid, Shadow the rogue and Nicholas the mage, as well as Balris the healer priest and Talus the warrior are just a fantastic group, complementing each others abilities and working as a cohesive group. Their backgrounds and abilities are shown throughout the book, without any info dumps that are such a bane to immersing yourself in the story. Their character's grow and struggle throughout, and they have well plotted character arcs that really keep you wanting to read more about them. These are very much traditional heroes, even Shadow, who you can imagine being sketchy at a game of cards or dice, but would follow you through the gates of hell for a good cause. There is no grey morality here, but a wonderful throwback to traditional fantasy, where heroes are heroes, and proudly so.
The villains are an interesting bunch. They are separated throughout the story, and each encounter with one individual or group leads to another page unfolding in the greater conspiracy. There are no easy battles, no flawless victories. These are hardened, evil, and most importantly, powerful villains, who are not just going to be overpowered, and are a threat at all times to the heroes. They are truly evil, for different reasons with each villain, whether it be lust for power, selfishness, or fulfilling a prophesy, they are irredeemable because of their actions, and they wouldn't have it any other way. Again, a throwback to a more traditional fantasy style, and this really keeps the reader engaged all the way through to the final epic confrontation with the final force of evil, Naur himself.
All in all, this is easily one of the best books I have read in the past decade, and tying for my favorite fantasy book of this year with Dragon Mage is no small feat. I just kept getting drawn deeper into the story, finding myself constantly referring to the map as I went along (it's a beautiful map, so it added to the immersion), realizing just how epic this journey was. This is a book that will have appeal to so many fans of fantasy, and is even ok for younger readers, not having any sex or super graphic violence that could scare younger readers. Its just an intensely entertaining story, that I was sorry to see end. I do hope to read more adventures with Umhra and his companions soon, though, and congratulate the author on writing such an amazing adventure.
July 10, 2021
Absolutely brilliant! One of the best D&D inspired books you can read, a wonderful story of companionship, magic, world stakes and a nice accessible writing style by Jeff make this one of the better books that I have read this year.
Watch out for a full review coming soon on the blog.
Watch out for a full review coming soon on the blog.
July 8, 2021
Thank you to the author and Storytellers on Tour for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Paladin Unbound is available now.
When people ask for books I’d recommend to a fantasy newbie, ones that represent all the wonderful things the genre has to offer, I have a few go-tos. The Hobbit, obviously, and the Dragonlance Chronicles (really, is anyone surprised?), and, more recently, The Ventifact Colossus. Now I’m adding Paladin Unbound to that list, because this book would make anyone fall in love with fantasy.
The story starts with the main character, Umhra, just wanting to find work for himself and his band of mercenaries. When they are hired to find out what has happened to several missing people, they are thrust into a situation that is much darker and more dangerous than Umhra expected.
I was sucked in from page one, which begins at an ending. The ending of a war between gods, no less. The war ends with an asterisk, the sort that always leads to trouble down the road. What I loved about the opening is that it started huge, before moving on to the main storyline which is much more personal. It showcased a fascinating history, one that we continue to get snippets of throughout the book. I love when the history of a world or its belief systems is shared naturally like that, avoiding the dreaded info dump. I have to admit, though, I would actually read an entire book just dedicated to the history and mythology of the world of Evelium, I loved it so much. It was creative and well thought out.
As much as I enjoyed the world building, though, where Paladin Unbound shines is in its characters. There’s an excellent cast who build off each other in the best of ways. The interactions felt natural and allowed each character to grow and develop brilliantly. This was, in some ways, the typical adventuring group sometimes found in ttrpg’s – and that’s a great thing! It works very well, after all. There was Naivara the druid, Laudin the ranger, a mage named Nicholas (I have no idea why, but his name made me smile), Shadow the rogue, Balris the healer, Talus the fighter, and Gromley the warrior priest. While I loved all of them, I must say that I had a soft spot for Shadow.
Then there’s our main character, Umhra. Oh, how I loved Umhra! Being half-orc, he was distrusted, looked down on, or treated poorly quite a lot. He could have been bitter or angry and I wouldn’t have blamed him. But instead, he was an optimist, always looking for the best in every situation. He was, at his core, a good, honorable character. He was not your boring “lawful good”, however. He was incredibly nuanced and I loved reading about him. I haven’t been a huge fan of paladins in the past, but Umhra has me planning to make a paladin for my next D&D campaign.
This book would be perfect for fantasy newbies, ttrpg players, or readers who have traveled the length and breadth of many fantasy worlds and are looking for new adventures to go on. It left me excited and wanting more. Paladin Unbound is fantasy at its finest.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
When people ask for books I’d recommend to a fantasy newbie, ones that represent all the wonderful things the genre has to offer, I have a few go-tos. The Hobbit, obviously, and the Dragonlance Chronicles (really, is anyone surprised?), and, more recently, The Ventifact Colossus. Now I’m adding Paladin Unbound to that list, because this book would make anyone fall in love with fantasy.
The story starts with the main character, Umhra, just wanting to find work for himself and his band of mercenaries. When they are hired to find out what has happened to several missing people, they are thrust into a situation that is much darker and more dangerous than Umhra expected.
I was sucked in from page one, which begins at an ending. The ending of a war between gods, no less. The war ends with an asterisk, the sort that always leads to trouble down the road. What I loved about the opening is that it started huge, before moving on to the main storyline which is much more personal. It showcased a fascinating history, one that we continue to get snippets of throughout the book. I love when the history of a world or its belief systems is shared naturally like that, avoiding the dreaded info dump. I have to admit, though, I would actually read an entire book just dedicated to the history and mythology of the world of Evelium, I loved it so much. It was creative and well thought out.
As much as I enjoyed the world building, though, where Paladin Unbound shines is in its characters. There’s an excellent cast who build off each other in the best of ways. The interactions felt natural and allowed each character to grow and develop brilliantly. This was, in some ways, the typical adventuring group sometimes found in ttrpg’s – and that’s a great thing! It works very well, after all. There was Naivara the druid, Laudin the ranger, a mage named Nicholas (I have no idea why, but his name made me smile), Shadow the rogue, Balris the healer, Talus the fighter, and Gromley the warrior priest. While I loved all of them, I must say that I had a soft spot for Shadow.
Then there’s our main character, Umhra. Oh, how I loved Umhra! Being half-orc, he was distrusted, looked down on, or treated poorly quite a lot. He could have been bitter or angry and I wouldn’t have blamed him. But instead, he was an optimist, always looking for the best in every situation. He was, at his core, a good, honorable character. He was not your boring “lawful good”, however. He was incredibly nuanced and I loved reading about him. I haven’t been a huge fan of paladins in the past, but Umhra has me planning to make a paladin for my next D&D campaign.
This book would be perfect for fantasy newbies, ttrpg players, or readers who have traveled the length and breadth of many fantasy worlds and are looking for new adventures to go on. It left me excited and wanting more. Paladin Unbound is fantasy at its finest.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
December 2, 2021
For more reviews, go to www.wolfmantula.com
The audiobook was released on November 22nd, and I was reminded by the author that it was ready. So I immediately jumped into it, and I’m glad I did! I also wish I had given it a shot before the audio was released as well. Adam Blanford does a great job with his character voices as well as separating the narrator voice to deliver a solid performance, one character I liked solely because of the Scottish accent used!
This Sword and sorcery, epic fantasy is the start of Archives of Evelium series, this makes me happy because after reading this, I definitely want more stories! Paladin Unbound is a really good fast paced story with lots of well written action, violence, gore and a bunch of great fleshed out, diverse characters. A really fantastic read and as someone that has never played D&D, this really makes me wish I had!
An orc as the protagonist? Well, half-orc… I love it! Orcs are almost always the bad guy, so I love that the author flipped the script and gave us Uhmra, who being a half-orc has to deal with discrimination while also being a warrior, the last of his kind, destined to save the world must deal with a deadly cult that is trying to resurrect their demon god! The author also does a tremendous job with his world building, as I read all I wanted to do was be in these places myself… which is probably why I wish I had started playing D&D long ago. But, I picked up reading at 32 (36 now) maybe it’s not too late to pick up D&D!
UPDATE 12/1/21: I had an issue with the map quality in the eBook, because of this, the author has provided a better, zoomable map on his website at www.jeffreyspeight.com for anyone that likes to follow along like I do.
The audiobook was released on November 22nd, and I was reminded by the author that it was ready. So I immediately jumped into it, and I’m glad I did! I also wish I had given it a shot before the audio was released as well. Adam Blanford does a great job with his character voices as well as separating the narrator voice to deliver a solid performance, one character I liked solely because of the Scottish accent used!
This Sword and sorcery, epic fantasy is the start of Archives of Evelium series, this makes me happy because after reading this, I definitely want more stories! Paladin Unbound is a really good fast paced story with lots of well written action, violence, gore and a bunch of great fleshed out, diverse characters. A really fantastic read and as someone that has never played D&D, this really makes me wish I had!
An orc as the protagonist? Well, half-orc… I love it! Orcs are almost always the bad guy, so I love that the author flipped the script and gave us Uhmra, who being a half-orc has to deal with discrimination while also being a warrior, the last of his kind, destined to save the world must deal with a deadly cult that is trying to resurrect their demon god! The author also does a tremendous job with his world building, as I read all I wanted to do was be in these places myself… which is probably why I wish I had started playing D&D long ago. But, I picked up reading at 32 (36 now) maybe it’s not too late to pick up D&D!
UPDATE 12/1/21: I had an issue with the map quality in the eBook, because of this, the author has provided a better, zoomable map on his website at www.jeffreyspeight.com for anyone that likes to follow along like I do.
April 30, 2024
A too straight-forward plot and some awkward dialogue kept me from enjoying more this nice little adventure more. More like a D&D campaign, our heroes team assembles and emparks on a mission to save the world. Nice characters and action scenes and some pretty descriptions of the world weren't enough to engage me as much as I would have liked. Especially some worldbuilding details felt forced through some overly simplistic dialogue.
5,5/10
5,5/10
November 24, 2021
The last of his kind. His identity hidden from the world. A half-orc’s quest for work for his mercenaries unravels something much more sinister. Can he protect his secret while the kingdoms future is at stake? Great stuff!
October 4, 2021
I received a paperback copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Jeff!
Set on the continent of Evelium, this character driven fantasy follows the fortunes of Umhra, the half-orc. He is something of an underdog and a misfit – used to being treated as less important than other races and not picked for jobs he and his crew, The Bloodbound, would be best suited to. All of the while he has a secret which is shocking and unbelievable to everyone who discovers it.
Sadly Umrha’s band of half orcs come to a sticky end fairly early in the story and he is luckily invited to join The Barrows Pact, a group of mismatched heroes who are set to stop a banished god from returning to Evelium and believe Umhra is the only person capable of succeeding in this task.
I had heard a lot of good things about this book from other book bloggers, particularly those who enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons and other role-playing games, so I was a little worried that it might not live up to the hype – but I needn’t have been concerned! This story was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed traveling through the continent of Evelium and getting to know its weird and wonderful inhabitants immensely! A band of half Orcs? Yes please! Undead and a vampire lord? Bring ’em on! A shapeshifting Druid? Fabulous! And these are only a few of the many varied life forms you meet along the way as the Barrows Pact undertake their quest. The many imaginative foes for our heroes to get to grips with reminded me of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign – each one more challenging than the last, leading up to the final Big Bad – the banished God of Fire, Naur, who the Brothers of Resurrection are trying to bring back to Evelium.
The scene-setting in Paladin Unbound is very richly done with well-painted scenery and easy to visualize locations and a thoroughly thought out history/mythology with the God of Fire, Naur, his sister Vaila and their other two brothers who manifest on Evelium as an elk and a dragon.
At 321 printed pages this is quite a short book for the fantasy genre, which made a refreshing change from my recent reads, and once the action kicked in it was hard to put down.
If you are a player of role playing games you will definitely enjoy the style in which Paladin Unbound is written. If you are not a fan of such games, but enjoy fantasy elements such as bands of heroes traveling together on a quest, an unlikely hero, magic users, fantasy battles and imaginative opponents you will surely enjoy reading Paladin Unbound.
Set on the continent of Evelium, this character driven fantasy follows the fortunes of Umhra, the half-orc. He is something of an underdog and a misfit – used to being treated as less important than other races and not picked for jobs he and his crew, The Bloodbound, would be best suited to. All of the while he has a secret which is shocking and unbelievable to everyone who discovers it.
Sadly Umrha’s band of half orcs come to a sticky end fairly early in the story and he is luckily invited to join The Barrows Pact, a group of mismatched heroes who are set to stop a banished god from returning to Evelium and believe Umhra is the only person capable of succeeding in this task.
I had heard a lot of good things about this book from other book bloggers, particularly those who enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons and other role-playing games, so I was a little worried that it might not live up to the hype – but I needn’t have been concerned! This story was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed traveling through the continent of Evelium and getting to know its weird and wonderful inhabitants immensely! A band of half Orcs? Yes please! Undead and a vampire lord? Bring ’em on! A shapeshifting Druid? Fabulous! And these are only a few of the many varied life forms you meet along the way as the Barrows Pact undertake their quest. The many imaginative foes for our heroes to get to grips with reminded me of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign – each one more challenging than the last, leading up to the final Big Bad – the banished God of Fire, Naur, who the Brothers of Resurrection are trying to bring back to Evelium.
The scene-setting in Paladin Unbound is very richly done with well-painted scenery and easy to visualize locations and a thoroughly thought out history/mythology with the God of Fire, Naur, his sister Vaila and their other two brothers who manifest on Evelium as an elk and a dragon.
At 321 printed pages this is quite a short book for the fantasy genre, which made a refreshing change from my recent reads, and once the action kicked in it was hard to put down.
If you are a player of role playing games you will definitely enjoy the style in which Paladin Unbound is written. If you are not a fan of such games, but enjoy fantasy elements such as bands of heroes traveling together on a quest, an unlikely hero, magic users, fantasy battles and imaginative opponents you will surely enjoy reading Paladin Unbound.
July 10, 2021
I'd like to thank the author for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review. I've had the pleasure of working with Speight before, but I've tried to keep this review unbiased regardless of that!
Paladin Unbound explores a lot of themes I enjoy reading about, despite possibly not being a book I'd pick up myself as I've been known to shy away from things that have connections to DnD. That being said, whilst I can see how DnD plays an inspirational basis for some of the races and classes, the story stands well on it's own. As I mentioned previously, it has a lot of elements I enjoy, such as; adventure, journeying, travel and even questy-type vibes. So I might be a teeny tiny bit biased in that sense, as I very much enjoy travelling with characters and exploring a new world. We get a lot of that within the story, and get to visit a lot of the locations on the map - which I loved!
I found the writing to be very direct and to the point. This made the story fast-paced as well as making it easy to read. The book is certainly very accessible in that sense, and I'd recommend it to those who are even still new to epic fantasy. There was a fair balance of dialogue and description although some lengthy speech paragraphs were present, which I was not a fan of. A tad info dumpey, it gave a slight impression of more tell rather than show. However, that's usually a common debut author thing, and I can definitely see Speight overcoming that in the future. His ideas are ambitious and his takes on some of the traditional fantasy tropes are great in my opinion.
One thing I would have found useful would have been a glossary at the beginning or the end, detailing all the races. It's not a major fallback, just a personal preference. Similar to a map, I would have found it useful to go in with some knowledge or refer to the list throughout the story.
Overall, whilst I did have a few nitpicky comments, it was easy to read, follow along and enjoy. The characters we meet are all diverse and different, as well as all the races we are introduced to. There is room for growth - within the continent of Evelium as well as beyond it. Whilst brutal at times (it doesn't shy away from gore or death), it still focused on letting hope prevail. In conclusion, Paladin Unbound is a great debut and I'm glad I ended up reading it! Just goes to show certain types of books find you for a reason.
Paladin Unbound explores a lot of themes I enjoy reading about, despite possibly not being a book I'd pick up myself as I've been known to shy away from things that have connections to DnD. That being said, whilst I can see how DnD plays an inspirational basis for some of the races and classes, the story stands well on it's own. As I mentioned previously, it has a lot of elements I enjoy, such as; adventure, journeying, travel and even questy-type vibes. So I might be a teeny tiny bit biased in that sense, as I very much enjoy travelling with characters and exploring a new world. We get a lot of that within the story, and get to visit a lot of the locations on the map - which I loved!
I found the writing to be very direct and to the point. This made the story fast-paced as well as making it easy to read. The book is certainly very accessible in that sense, and I'd recommend it to those who are even still new to epic fantasy. There was a fair balance of dialogue and description although some lengthy speech paragraphs were present, which I was not a fan of. A tad info dumpey, it gave a slight impression of more tell rather than show. However, that's usually a common debut author thing, and I can definitely see Speight overcoming that in the future. His ideas are ambitious and his takes on some of the traditional fantasy tropes are great in my opinion.
One thing I would have found useful would have been a glossary at the beginning or the end, detailing all the races. It's not a major fallback, just a personal preference. Similar to a map, I would have found it useful to go in with some knowledge or refer to the list throughout the story.
Overall, whilst I did have a few nitpicky comments, it was easy to read, follow along and enjoy. The characters we meet are all diverse and different, as well as all the races we are introduced to. There is room for growth - within the continent of Evelium as well as beyond it. Whilst brutal at times (it doesn't shy away from gore or death), it still focused on letting hope prevail. In conclusion, Paladin Unbound is a great debut and I'm glad I ended up reading it! Just goes to show certain types of books find you for a reason.
December 21, 2022
Full Review @ http://www.roastedbookreviews.com/rev...
Paladin Unbound is a good book and the definition of a "page-turner," for me. I flew through the story because I was having so much fun with it. Usually, after a few chapters, I put the book down for a bit. I think about what I read, grab some coffee, take notes, then eventually return. Upon starting Paladin Unbound, there was no time for notes and coffee, only my quest. Much like a late night RPG, Paladin Unbound kept me pushing forward through the night and into the early morning. Unfortunately, there are missteps along the way that did detract from some enjoyment. However, If you're into D&D or the Pathfinder games, you'll love this. If you're not, I think you'll still enjoy it. I feel like there's something here for everyone. The author's surprising addition of horror elements delighted me. His world building, scene setting, and interesting party of characters made this a good fantasy adventure that I recommend. I will most certainly be reading the sequel.
Paladin Unbound is a good book and the definition of a "page-turner," for me. I flew through the story because I was having so much fun with it. Usually, after a few chapters, I put the book down for a bit. I think about what I read, grab some coffee, take notes, then eventually return. Upon starting Paladin Unbound, there was no time for notes and coffee, only my quest. Much like a late night RPG, Paladin Unbound kept me pushing forward through the night and into the early morning. Unfortunately, there are missteps along the way that did detract from some enjoyment. However, If you're into D&D or the Pathfinder games, you'll love this. If you're not, I think you'll still enjoy it. I feel like there's something here for everyone. The author's surprising addition of horror elements delighted me. His world building, scene setting, and interesting party of characters made this a good fantasy adventure that I recommend. I will most certainly be reading the sequel.
July 1, 2021
Before I even begin to talk about the book, I just want to say the world building in this novel is mind blowing. The introduction of the world Elevium at the beginning of the book is enough to keep you captivated until the end. The story begins with the scene of the end of war between the gods. Elevium is a great setting with shape changing druids, vampires, orcs and other magical creatures.
I liked the main character, Umhra. He's half orc and half human. He leads the orc mercenary band. He's an optimist, brave and an honourable character.
I think this is one of the best dark epic fantasy novel I've read this year. I absolutely loved the world building and characters. Loved the map of Elevium at the beginning and gives youba better picture.
Such an engaging, fast paced, action packed dark fantasy novel. Highly recommend and looking forward to reading more of Speight's work.
I liked the main character, Umhra. He's half orc and half human. He leads the orc mercenary band. He's an optimist, brave and an honourable character.
I think this is one of the best dark epic fantasy novel I've read this year. I absolutely loved the world building and characters. Loved the map of Elevium at the beginning and gives youba better picture.
Such an engaging, fast paced, action packed dark fantasy novel. Highly recommend and looking forward to reading more of Speight's work.
October 24, 2021
There’s this meme you may have seen which states that a single player Dungeons and Dragons campaign is basically writing a fantasy book, and Jeffrey Speight has certainly taken this to heart by translating his own Dungeons and Dragons adventures into a fantasy adventure in Paladin Unbound. I’ve played many role playing video games in my time, but have only just begun to embrace Dungeons and Dragons, the original fantasy game that inspired the genre. So much of Paladin Unbound feels instantly familiar and relatable to me as a gamer and as a new player of D&D. It’s a charming classic fantasy tale which hits all those tropes in an almost Lord of the Rings-style whimsical way. If you’re a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, or just classic fantasy in general, then Paladin Unbound may be the perfect read for you!
I describe Paladin Unbound as whimsical as the world is full of honourable and polite characters that really fit the noble bright subgenre of fantasy, despite the somewhat bloody battles throughout and macabre quest line. My biggest problem with this is I don’t feel the characters struggle enough. Maybe I’m just mean, but I do like to see characters challenged, and in Paladin Unbound I feel there is a lack of emotional depth which could definitely be improved with higher stakes and more suffering. Don’t get me wrong, the ensemble cast of adventurers are rather charming, especially Shadow the rogue, but I’d love to see more development with these characters in future.
I’m also rather sad we didn’t get more Orc action in the book, as I was sold on the premise of an Orc-band of warriors! Give me more Orcs!
As I said above, Paladin Unbound really does hit all of the classic fantasy adventure tropes as the main character of Umhra, a half-Orc, brings together a party of adventurers ranging across the main fantasy races and classes to complete a mighty quest and save the world from evil. What this entails is a journey across the world of Evelium with some side quests along the way and fantastic world-building to keep the journey fresh and interesting. It really did remind me of playing an old school RPG. I look forward to seeing where the Barrow’s Pact crew end up next!
Paladin Unbound is a classic fantasy adventure that will feel at home for fans of Dungeons and Dragons.
I describe Paladin Unbound as whimsical as the world is full of honourable and polite characters that really fit the noble bright subgenre of fantasy, despite the somewhat bloody battles throughout and macabre quest line. My biggest problem with this is I don’t feel the characters struggle enough. Maybe I’m just mean, but I do like to see characters challenged, and in Paladin Unbound I feel there is a lack of emotional depth which could definitely be improved with higher stakes and more suffering. Don’t get me wrong, the ensemble cast of adventurers are rather charming, especially Shadow the rogue, but I’d love to see more development with these characters in future.
I’m also rather sad we didn’t get more Orc action in the book, as I was sold on the premise of an Orc-band of warriors! Give me more Orcs!
As I said above, Paladin Unbound really does hit all of the classic fantasy adventure tropes as the main character of Umhra, a half-Orc, brings together a party of adventurers ranging across the main fantasy races and classes to complete a mighty quest and save the world from evil. What this entails is a journey across the world of Evelium with some side quests along the way and fantastic world-building to keep the journey fresh and interesting. It really did remind me of playing an old school RPG. I look forward to seeing where the Barrow’s Pact crew end up next!
Paladin Unbound is a classic fantasy adventure that will feel at home for fans of Dungeons and Dragons.
December 23, 2021
Can’t believe I didn’t post my review, could have sworn I did. Author, please forgive me!
I receive a free copy of this book via the author’s giveaway and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Gah! This is the kind of fantasy I’ve been wanting for a while! One that takes all the familiar troops but gives them a fresh coat of paint while still maintaining their integrity and what made us love them to begin with!
Our main viewpoint is from a half-orc and the author wastes no time in letting us know that all the stories of orcs we know have not been the whole truth, not by a long shot. It’s a trial for our MC to connect with other familiar races because of this prejudice and seeing them maneuver it is brilliant.
The worldbuilding is wonderful to follow. It’s not too excessive but you still feel immersed in this brand new yet familiar setting that ticks all the right fantasy boxes.
If you love the old school races, quests and settings of fantasy but want to see it given a fresh look, definitely check this book out.
I receive a free copy of this book via the author’s giveaway and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Gah! This is the kind of fantasy I’ve been wanting for a while! One that takes all the familiar troops but gives them a fresh coat of paint while still maintaining their integrity and what made us love them to begin with!
Our main viewpoint is from a half-orc and the author wastes no time in letting us know that all the stories of orcs we know have not been the whole truth, not by a long shot. It’s a trial for our MC to connect with other familiar races because of this prejudice and seeing them maneuver it is brilliant.
The worldbuilding is wonderful to follow. It’s not too excessive but you still feel immersed in this brand new yet familiar setting that ticks all the right fantasy boxes.
If you love the old school races, quests and settings of fantasy but want to see it given a fresh look, definitely check this book out.
January 15, 2022
Paladin Unbound by Jeffrey Speight is a fun D&D-style fantasy adventure. It has some good characters and plot points, but left me wanting more, and not necessarily in a good way.
This book is 320 pages long and for the story it tells, I feel like it should be closer to 500, with all that extra pagecount dedicated to the additional description that was missing here.
The team of adventurers we follow dance from one scrape to the next with barely time to catch their breath in between.
A bit more meat in the description and dialogue would go a long way towards making this a really decent book.
The story itself was generally good, even if I personally didn’t appreciate the meaningless “side quest” nature of several of its elements.
The characters were quite interesting and we did get background on several of those making up the main cast, although it often felt a bit forced rather than falling into dialogue naturally.
Overall, it’s a fun, quick-paced tale, and I did quite enjoy it even if it didn’t work for me on a few different levels.
This book is 320 pages long and for the story it tells, I feel like it should be closer to 500, with all that extra pagecount dedicated to the additional description that was missing here.
The team of adventurers we follow dance from one scrape to the next with barely time to catch their breath in between.
A bit more meat in the description and dialogue would go a long way towards making this a really decent book.
The story itself was generally good, even if I personally didn’t appreciate the meaningless “side quest” nature of several of its elements.
The characters were quite interesting and we did get background on several of those making up the main cast, although it often felt a bit forced rather than falling into dialogue naturally.
Overall, it’s a fun, quick-paced tale, and I did quite enjoy it even if it didn’t work for me on a few different levels.
January 19, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up.
I would like to add before I give my comments that this book was gifted to me by the author on Twitter and listened to via audible.
This was a good fun listen. It reminded me of going on a quest in the many RPG's I used to play as a child (and still now).
It is not spectacularly written but I think this will come in time as this I think is the authors first book. The action is great and the characters are well rounded, some are flatter than others but overall they are good.
I will definitely be continuing with the series and it is a good filler between books and I'm hoping for improvements as we go forward in the series.
For fun page turning/listen I would definitely give this a go. Just so not be expecting a master piece in story telling as you will be disappointed and give it a lower rating than it deserves.
I would like to add before I give my comments that this book was gifted to me by the author on Twitter and listened to via audible.
This was a good fun listen. It reminded me of going on a quest in the many RPG's I used to play as a child (and still now).
It is not spectacularly written but I think this will come in time as this I think is the authors first book. The action is great and the characters are well rounded, some are flatter than others but overall they are good.
I will definitely be continuing with the series and it is a good filler between books and I'm hoping for improvements as we go forward in the series.
For fun page turning/listen I would definitely give this a go. Just so not be expecting a master piece in story telling as you will be disappointed and give it a lower rating than it deserves.
October 10, 2021
Review to follow shortly
July 2, 2021
Paladin Unbound is a classic fantasy adventure, full of mysteries, mysterious cults, a warrior that is destined to save the world, and the grudges of Gods echoing for eons. In this novel, I was expecting something more grimdark. Many times, I questioned whether I was reading the epic fantasy trope or was there going to be moments of grim darkness. Suffice to say, this wasn’t the case and it made a break as I often read too much grimdark fantasy these days. You’ll find most of the characters in this novel are courteous, and sometimes perhaps a bit too trusting for my taste. But in the end, what you have is a complete story, right out of the package and it’s absolutely suitable for a children’s novel as well. It has something that grimdark fantasy is missing I think: Loyalty and Integrity. But that’s only my observation and that is an opinion. Nothing else, nothing more.
Umhra, a half-human half-orc mercenary is contracted by Lord Espen Morrow to find out what is going on in Ember Valley and why people are disappearing. This of course draws the Eyre of other mercenaries’ groups that discriminates against Orcs. I think racism is nothing more than jealousy disguised as hate. It stems from insecurity. So, they set out to do this task, and they uncover something more mysterious. Vampires and innocents. I don’t wish to reveal the story further, but I can give you a taste: Jealous Kings, Huge Immense Castles, Catacombs, the Undead, Gods, a cult called the Brotherhood of Resurrection (who are literally the worst people to call themselves a cult as I consider themselves a parody no matter what they think of themselves as high and mighty people trying to resurrect their demon God which, to be honest, is a stupid idea. Very stupid idea. Very stupid.) Actually, half of this novel reminded me of my playing sessions in Elder Scrolls Online. It was basically Castlevania but without so much of the grim darkness that was involved.
Let me be clear, this is heroic fantasy at all costs. And it’s got a traditional LOTR style element to it as well. It is refreshing, but I was hoping we could have seen some more clever stuff from the characters. Yes, it’s still a dangerous world, but the characters acted more on impulse rather than thinking two-three steps ahead for some parts of the novel. This is not always the case, and in many parts, you get quality writing. Sometimes there pacing issues, and sometimes I think scenes could have been shortened. There were many great characters in this novel, and I liked how Umhra managed to navigate a lot of this. Any sane person on his journey would have gone mad when you actually consider what he’ll get up to in the novel. I do say, he has a habit of travelling to Kings to meet them quite often! He is, of course, hiding a bigger secret.
There are powerful stakes, heart-breaking scenes, quality writing prose and amazing combat scenes. I really enjoyed this. It’s a 10/10 from me!
Umhra, a half-human half-orc mercenary is contracted by Lord Espen Morrow to find out what is going on in Ember Valley and why people are disappearing. This of course draws the Eyre of other mercenaries’ groups that discriminates against Orcs. I think racism is nothing more than jealousy disguised as hate. It stems from insecurity. So, they set out to do this task, and they uncover something more mysterious. Vampires and innocents. I don’t wish to reveal the story further, but I can give you a taste: Jealous Kings, Huge Immense Castles, Catacombs, the Undead, Gods, a cult called the Brotherhood of Resurrection (who are literally the worst people to call themselves a cult as I consider themselves a parody no matter what they think of themselves as high and mighty people trying to resurrect their demon God which, to be honest, is a stupid idea. Very stupid idea. Very stupid.) Actually, half of this novel reminded me of my playing sessions in Elder Scrolls Online. It was basically Castlevania but without so much of the grim darkness that was involved.
Let me be clear, this is heroic fantasy at all costs. And it’s got a traditional LOTR style element to it as well. It is refreshing, but I was hoping we could have seen some more clever stuff from the characters. Yes, it’s still a dangerous world, but the characters acted more on impulse rather than thinking two-three steps ahead for some parts of the novel. This is not always the case, and in many parts, you get quality writing. Sometimes there pacing issues, and sometimes I think scenes could have been shortened. There were many great characters in this novel, and I liked how Umhra managed to navigate a lot of this. Any sane person on his journey would have gone mad when you actually consider what he’ll get up to in the novel. I do say, he has a habit of travelling to Kings to meet them quite often! He is, of course, hiding a bigger secret.
There are powerful stakes, heart-breaking scenes, quality writing prose and amazing combat scenes. I really enjoyed this. It’s a 10/10 from me!
August 4, 2021
I would like to thank the author for the review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Paladin Unbound by Jeffrey Speight is a classic fantasy adventure jammed with mysteries, revenge, duty, and intense combat scenes. I really enjoy the quest type and found family trope in a fantasy book, and this one was on point.
The story followed Umhra the Peacebreaker, a half-orc leader of the mercenary group Bloodbound. They traveled to the city of Anaris in the intention of getting a contract with Lord Morrow. They agreed to solved the mystery of disappearances in the Ember Valley which led to Umhra stumbling into a higher stake maneuvering that threatened the natural order.
In terms of plot, this was very a quick-moving narrative, also very straightforward, which made it very easy to read. There was no filler here: all the scenes were necessary and helped build the climax. Even when this novel had quite a large cast, everyone was given enough time so readers got to know them. Each chapters had historical texts which gave us glimpses of historical background without info-dumping. Moreover, I liked how the adventure took me to unexpected places which I truly enjoyed when reading quest fantasy trope. Some horror elements were blended seamlessly in the story which made it more enthralling. Lastly, themes such as prejudice and stereotypes were tackled in the novel. Given that the protagonist was a half-blood orc, he and his band of mercenaries faced challenges and unfairness just because of their race.
The world-building was excellent. The book included such a detailed map and descriptions that made it easier to get immerse to the setting. There were quite a lot of different kinds of magic included here, which I found very enjoyable. The author did a great job explaining them without complicating things.
Characterwise, I really like the main character, Umhra. He was looked down and treated badly just because he was a half-orc, but instead, he always chose to be kind at all times. I honestly like my characters morally gray, but it was kind of refreshing to read such a naturally righteous character. On the other hand, the other characters were also well-written. I liked the dynamics and how their strengths and weaknesses heightened each other.
Overall, Paladin Unbound is such a solid dark epic fantasy read. The fantasy elements were superbly written, the characters were captivating, and the plot was well-paced. I highly recommend this novel.
4.5/5 stars!
Paladin Unbound by Jeffrey Speight is a classic fantasy adventure jammed with mysteries, revenge, duty, and intense combat scenes. I really enjoy the quest type and found family trope in a fantasy book, and this one was on point.
The story followed Umhra the Peacebreaker, a half-orc leader of the mercenary group Bloodbound. They traveled to the city of Anaris in the intention of getting a contract with Lord Morrow. They agreed to solved the mystery of disappearances in the Ember Valley which led to Umhra stumbling into a higher stake maneuvering that threatened the natural order.
In terms of plot, this was very a quick-moving narrative, also very straightforward, which made it very easy to read. There was no filler here: all the scenes were necessary and helped build the climax. Even when this novel had quite a large cast, everyone was given enough time so readers got to know them. Each chapters had historical texts which gave us glimpses of historical background without info-dumping. Moreover, I liked how the adventure took me to unexpected places which I truly enjoyed when reading quest fantasy trope. Some horror elements were blended seamlessly in the story which made it more enthralling. Lastly, themes such as prejudice and stereotypes were tackled in the novel. Given that the protagonist was a half-blood orc, he and his band of mercenaries faced challenges and unfairness just because of their race.
The world-building was excellent. The book included such a detailed map and descriptions that made it easier to get immerse to the setting. There were quite a lot of different kinds of magic included here, which I found very enjoyable. The author did a great job explaining them without complicating things.
Characterwise, I really like the main character, Umhra. He was looked down and treated badly just because he was a half-orc, but instead, he always chose to be kind at all times. I honestly like my characters morally gray, but it was kind of refreshing to read such a naturally righteous character. On the other hand, the other characters were also well-written. I liked the dynamics and how their strengths and weaknesses heightened each other.
Overall, Paladin Unbound is such a solid dark epic fantasy read. The fantasy elements were superbly written, the characters were captivating, and the plot was well-paced. I highly recommend this novel.
4.5/5 stars!
January 6, 2025
Umhra, the half-orc trained in secret by the monks to be a platinum paladin and the savior the world needs. His very existence is a death sentence as paladins have been extinct from the world for many years. With the rise of deaths around the land from a murderous cult bent on bringing their god back to life, actions must be taken. With his band of brothers and a noble sword holding the memories of a once living paladin, umhra must become an avatar for the gods. First book of my reread is now complete and on to book 2.
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