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The Rotstorm #1
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath
An action-packed and unique fantasy adventure, featuring General Floré and a quest to save her abducted daughter, by debut Scottish author, Ian Green.
Fight the Storm.
Protect your people.
The endless rotstorm rages over the ruins of the Ferron Empire. Floré would never let the slavers of the Empire rise again. As a warrior of the Stormguard Commandos, she wrought horrors in the rotstorm to protect her people. She did her duty and left the bloodshed behind.
Fight for your family.
Floré’s peace is shattered when blazing orbs of light cut through the night sky and descend on her village. Her daughter is abducted and Floré is forced into a chase across a land of twisted monsters and ancient gods. She must pursue the mysterious orbs, whose presence could herald the return of the Empire she spent her entire life fighting.
Destroy your enemies.
Now, Floré must take up the role she had sworn to put aside and become the weapon the Stormguard trained her to be, to save not only her daughter, but her people...
Read this action-packed and unique fantasy adventure from debut Scottish author, Ian Green. Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series or Sam Sykes' Seven Blades In Black.
Fight the Storm.
Protect your people.
The endless rotstorm rages over the ruins of the Ferron Empire. Floré would never let the slavers of the Empire rise again. As a warrior of the Stormguard Commandos, she wrought horrors in the rotstorm to protect her people. She did her duty and left the bloodshed behind.
Fight for your family.
Floré’s peace is shattered when blazing orbs of light cut through the night sky and descend on her village. Her daughter is abducted and Floré is forced into a chase across a land of twisted monsters and ancient gods. She must pursue the mysterious orbs, whose presence could herald the return of the Empire she spent her entire life fighting.
Destroy your enemies.
Now, Floré must take up the role she had sworn to put aside and become the weapon the Stormguard trained her to be, to save not only her daughter, but her people...
Read this action-packed and unique fantasy adventure from debut Scottish author, Ian Green. Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series or Sam Sykes' Seven Blades In Black.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published August 5, 2021
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987 people want to read
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August 5, 2021Happy publication day! To hear a short pitch of this fantasy debut from Ian Green himself, to see if this is for you, you can click on a link here - The Brothers Gwynne
April 5, 2021
I was in the fortunate position of getting to read an advanced copy of this and thought it was great. An excellent story of a mother desperately trying to find her daughter in a brutal and rich fantasy world punctuated with pulpy action scenes, funny moments and characters you are rooting for. I find myself still thinking about this one weeks later and am desperately hoping for more adventure in this world.
June 15, 2021
A huge thank you to Aria & Aries (Head of Zeus,) and NetGalley for the provision of the e-arc of The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath, the debut fantasy novel by Ian Green, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath begins with introduction to Floré Artollens, her husband Jonas and their daughter Marta as they live their peaceful country life, on a day that Floré, the local sergeant must leave to investigate a local issue. All appears peaceful and normal, but this peace is soon be shattered by the appearance of mysterious orbs in the sky. Floré finds herself facing the loss of everything that is dear to her including the death of her husband and the kidnapping of her daughter.
From this point forward the story explodes, Floré’s backstory is brought to the fore and the world that we are introduced to as a quiet, pleasant and beautiful environment is transformed into a landscape of bitter war, magic, conjuring and curses. The world building is very well constructed, including definition of the Gods that rule and fight and the small gods, and demons, but it is also paced to impact on view point as you read…I’m not going to share any more here, spoilers! The rules and structure of the magic system itself are also very interesting, and you aren’t force fed an a to z from the start, Green makes efforts to drip feed this as relevant throughout the story.
As a debut novel, this story in itself is absolutely fantastic and I for one will definitely be up for reading the sequel. However, there were a few points that niggled – the introduction of Ashbringer is a little too piecemeal and for my tastes maybe a little too early in the story; greater impact may have been achieved by introducing her at the key stage of the story.
I did feel that the pace of the story jolted from slow and steady into a gallop and remained at that point for the remainder of the book, with the exception of a couple of jolting stops, but for me it definitely added to the sense of urgency and need that Floré had to rescue her kidnapped daughter.
There is a lot to be said for this book and if you only pick it up for the world-building and magic system Green has created then you are in for a treat. I suspect that this book is just the first layer of the onion skin of this world and personally, I can’t wait to read more.
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath begins with introduction to Floré Artollens, her husband Jonas and their daughter Marta as they live their peaceful country life, on a day that Floré, the local sergeant must leave to investigate a local issue. All appears peaceful and normal, but this peace is soon be shattered by the appearance of mysterious orbs in the sky. Floré finds herself facing the loss of everything that is dear to her including the death of her husband and the kidnapping of her daughter.
From this point forward the story explodes, Floré’s backstory is brought to the fore and the world that we are introduced to as a quiet, pleasant and beautiful environment is transformed into a landscape of bitter war, magic, conjuring and curses. The world building is very well constructed, including definition of the Gods that rule and fight and the small gods, and demons, but it is also paced to impact on view point as you read…I’m not going to share any more here, spoilers! The rules and structure of the magic system itself are also very interesting, and you aren’t force fed an a to z from the start, Green makes efforts to drip feed this as relevant throughout the story.
As a debut novel, this story in itself is absolutely fantastic and I for one will definitely be up for reading the sequel. However, there were a few points that niggled – the introduction of Ashbringer is a little too piecemeal and for my tastes maybe a little too early in the story; greater impact may have been achieved by introducing her at the key stage of the story.
I did feel that the pace of the story jolted from slow and steady into a gallop and remained at that point for the remainder of the book, with the exception of a couple of jolting stops, but for me it definitely added to the sense of urgency and need that Floré had to rescue her kidnapped daughter.
There is a lot to be said for this book and if you only pick it up for the world-building and magic system Green has created then you are in for a treat. I suspect that this book is just the first layer of the onion skin of this world and personally, I can’t wait to read more.
September 6, 2021
This is new series about child abduction set around crow men, goblins, demons and big balls, We have a map I always find good map helps the story. It's little slow but soon picks up into action packed very haunting demon dark hell.
This different coloured book cover the other one is white. I like this one better but still think it's boring.
This different coloured book cover the other one is white. I like this one better but still think it's boring.
May 6, 2021
“She gripped herself hard on each arm. The hard layer was there, the layer she had worked so long to put away. Callousness, a brutality borne of necessity, a willingness to break and be broken to do what must be done…”
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath, the debut fantasy novel of Ian Green, tells the story of Flore a Sergeant in the Forrest Watch who is enjoying the peaceful life. Flore must come to confront her past and the person she used to be when the appearance of mysterious orbs in the sky shatter the peace she has cultivated. In order to save what she lost Flore must become the person she thought she had left behind.
Flore Artollens previous commander describes her better in words then I can in this review. “When a hard job needs doing…you need a soldier who will work until the job is done. Artollen will put on her gauntlets and she will keep us safe, if she must kill Lothals ghost itself”. Flore is a fabulous lead character in this story and I loved reading her scenes. I found it a shame that this book includes multiple viewpoints because of how much I enjoyed her story and her development. Jonas Skein Wreck was another one of my favourite characters to read about.
This debut novel is not without some issues. I did find that there were some pacing issues in the first and second act of the story. Often I found the story jumping around a little too much to multiple points of view some of which didn’t seem relevant or contribute much to the story’s progression. I found fault with the character Ashbringer who gains her own small viewpoint twice within the first 70% of the novel which breaks the reader from the flow of the story up to that point. She makes a major entrance in Act 3 and I believe that would have been a perfect meeting point for this character that wouldn’t feel jarring.
Green has created a very interesting world and magic system within The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath. I really enjoyed reading about the rise of the Ferron Empire, dominating the world to their fall as the people of Ferron are punished by the god Anshuka. A punishment that leads to the creation of the Rotstorm and the motivation that drives the villain of the story. The Skein is a really interesting magic system to read about and just when you think you begin to understand the pattern Green demonstrates that you are really just skimming the surface of how magic can be used in this world.
Pacing issues in the first and second act of The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath are a little jarring but the story certainly finds its footing during act 3 that leads us to a satisfying conclusion and sets the stage for future visits to the world created by Green.
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath, the debut fantasy novel of Ian Green, tells the story of Flore a Sergeant in the Forrest Watch who is enjoying the peaceful life. Flore must come to confront her past and the person she used to be when the appearance of mysterious orbs in the sky shatter the peace she has cultivated. In order to save what she lost Flore must become the person she thought she had left behind.
Flore Artollens previous commander describes her better in words then I can in this review. “When a hard job needs doing…you need a soldier who will work until the job is done. Artollen will put on her gauntlets and she will keep us safe, if she must kill Lothals ghost itself”. Flore is a fabulous lead character in this story and I loved reading her scenes. I found it a shame that this book includes multiple viewpoints because of how much I enjoyed her story and her development. Jonas Skein Wreck was another one of my favourite characters to read about.
This debut novel is not without some issues. I did find that there were some pacing issues in the first and second act of the story. Often I found the story jumping around a little too much to multiple points of view some of which didn’t seem relevant or contribute much to the story’s progression. I found fault with the character Ashbringer who gains her own small viewpoint twice within the first 70% of the novel which breaks the reader from the flow of the story up to that point. She makes a major entrance in Act 3 and I believe that would have been a perfect meeting point for this character that wouldn’t feel jarring.
Green has created a very interesting world and magic system within The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath. I really enjoyed reading about the rise of the Ferron Empire, dominating the world to their fall as the people of Ferron are punished by the god Anshuka. A punishment that leads to the creation of the Rotstorm and the motivation that drives the villain of the story. The Skein is a really interesting magic system to read about and just when you think you begin to understand the pattern Green demonstrates that you are really just skimming the surface of how magic can be used in this world.
Pacing issues in the first and second act of The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath are a little jarring but the story certainly finds its footing during act 3 that leads us to a satisfying conclusion and sets the stage for future visits to the world created by Green.
September 22, 2021
This was a very unique fantasy, definitely some elements that seemed to incorporate a bit of sci-fi-esque as well, which was fun!
July 17, 2021
This whole book feels like a mishmash of memories, the author seemingly struggling to write anything he hadn’t seen or read somewhere before. The most obvious influence is LotR but I’d say Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive comes a close second. It wouldn’t be quite so bad if the characters or plot were engaging enough to pull the reader past that feeling, but they’re not.
Full review to follow.
Full review to follow.
October 11, 2024
‘It will be the balanced blade, but I think you are less about the gauntlet than the fist beneath. Even without metal you still manage to get the job done.’
Well-written epic fantasy which explores the depths of love, loyalty, and duty. Multiple primary characters adds depth but tangles the thread of the story. Liberal borrowing from classic fantasy types and devices with a blush of science fiction.
‘What are they?’ ‘They are my people’s past, and your people’s future.’
Good demonstration of emotion and intention. Most characters forced to choose among competing, suboptimal goals and means. Competing sides view each other through stereotypes and historic animosity. Not quite four stars, but close enough.
“Are you strong enough to be good, with the capacity to do such ill? Are you brave enough to find out?’
Well-written epic fantasy which explores the depths of love, loyalty, and duty. Multiple primary characters adds depth but tangles the thread of the story. Liberal borrowing from classic fantasy types and devices with a blush of science fiction.
‘What are they?’ ‘They are my people’s past, and your people’s future.’
Good demonstration of emotion and intention. Most characters forced to choose among competing, suboptimal goals and means. Competing sides view each other through stereotypes and historic animosity. Not quite four stars, but close enough.
“Are you strong enough to be good, with the capacity to do such ill? Are you brave enough to find out?’
July 31, 2021
"The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath" pretty much has everything you'd expect from a fantasy book (gods, monsters, action, etc.), and far more than you'd expect from a debut author. Above everything is one woman's quest to rescue her daughter, and it was hard not to become too emotionally invested in General Floré's journey - in fact, I've started using "rotstorm" as a curse word. I hope we get to return to this world (and the author's great writing!) at some point in the not-too-distant future.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
June 28, 2021
What really impressed me about The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath was the characters, there’s a real heart put into these characters, particularly Flore the captain and mother and the 3 cadets, Yselda, Cuss and Petron, There is a really strong female voice in this book, something which you don’t find often enough in male written fantasy, or rather women are too typically just one thing. Flore is warrior, she’s brave, she’s a badass with gauntlets, she’s considered a legend, but she’s also a mother, a wife and is maternal and caring to her cadets. As a protagonist she has a range that makes you enjoy every scene she’s in.
Then there’s the cadets, aged between 13-15, brothers Petron and Cuss, while apart in the story, tell a beautiful story of love and family, and Yselda that of a young woman trying to find her way. Essentially these 3 are children forced into an adult situation and yet there’s a very clever line between showing their innocence and bravery and they you feel the, grow on the page. You really root for these characters, they’re incredibly endearing.
The only minor criticism is that occasionally elements are introduced quite long before they are properly explained, for example Ashbringer or the principles of Skein and the tattoos - the former character’s narrative was a little confusing and out of the blue before she was properly explained and interacted with the main characters. It’s a minor criticism though because you catch up with yourself eventually and it may just be that I personally need more help!
This is a wonderful debut with exquisite world building and action scenes, beautiful writing and all with characters you fall in love with. Thank you NetGalley for the review copy, I look forward to the next instalment
Then there’s the cadets, aged between 13-15, brothers Petron and Cuss, while apart in the story, tell a beautiful story of love and family, and Yselda that of a young woman trying to find her way. Essentially these 3 are children forced into an adult situation and yet there’s a very clever line between showing their innocence and bravery and they you feel the, grow on the page. You really root for these characters, they’re incredibly endearing.
The only minor criticism is that occasionally elements are introduced quite long before they are properly explained, for example Ashbringer or the principles of Skein and the tattoos - the former character’s narrative was a little confusing and out of the blue before she was properly explained and interacted with the main characters. It’s a minor criticism though because you catch up with yourself eventually and it may just be that I personally need more help!
This is a wonderful debut with exquisite world building and action scenes, beautiful writing and all with characters you fall in love with. Thank you NetGalley for the review copy, I look forward to the next instalment
March 27, 2021
I was lucky enough to read an advance copy and I am so excited for this trilogy. I’m not always a huge sci fi fan but this wove in fantasy and other genres and was un-put-downable! I was so attached to the characters - I laughed, I cried, I gasped along with them. Strap in - this is fabulous.
December 3, 2024
I may have to go back and read this instead of listening to it. It was hard to listen to the accent, charming though it was.
June 27, 2021
A classic style fantasy with all my favourite tropes. Can't wait for the sequel.
April 16, 2022
This was a solid opening to a fantasy trilogy with a lot of complicated world building and solid characters.
It also told a contained story with a single arc completed, and while the ending does leave a lot of things open, if you were so inclined you could definitely just read book one.
The world is detailed and the writing kept me guessing - I did need to concentrate on this read, worried I'd miss key details if I didn't take everything in.
I'm looking forward to reading book two. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
It also told a contained story with a single arc completed, and while the ending does leave a lot of things open, if you were so inclined you could definitely just read book one.
The world is detailed and the writing kept me guessing - I did need to concentrate on this read, worried I'd miss key details if I didn't take everything in.
I'm looking forward to reading book two. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2021
Ian Green's "The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath" is an epic grimdark fantasy. You can tell it's grimdark, because the warriors swear, because fights aren't over after a single blow, instead requiring a bloody pummeling to keep the enemy down (and with one of the weapons of choice being metal gauntlets, that's a LOT of pummeling), because significant characters die - some quite early on. But mostly because of a intriguing and pleasing ambivilance in the normally black and white of who is good and who is bad. While you might not root for the baddie, you can certainly see that he's trying to do his best for his people. It will be interesting to see how this is sustained in subsequent instalments.
It's a wonderful looking hardback book, forgoing the usual fantasy image for strong text and simple (but effective) graphics. Mine is gray, rather than the red cover, not sure what the difference is!
The structure and cast of characters is possibly (almost certainly) strongly influenced by a love of D&D, there are a high number of different races and roles involved, including goblins who may not quite be what they appear. The magical system is interesting, a little like that of the Witcher, in that magic has a cost, unless you can work with what is there. (The skein) This keeps it from all conquering being too easy, with a notable powerful exception that also has a cost.
We enter the world with a lot of history already behind it, both recent (an atrocity managed by one of these rare magical adept) and more distant (a fall of an empire, and the gods that sustained it). This adds colour, and while stories about gods are one thing, coming across their skeletons is another! Other than a flash back prologue, things are, by and large, quiet, though it is a peace of attrition, with a stormwall that needs constant defence, and an enemy pressed by other forces up against it and into suffering. When a new threat arises, a threat that is very personal to the main characters, a road journey of sorts begins - there's a lot of travel, and only SOME of it is by flying saucer (! yup! though they call them orbs, I see what you did, author!) or by magical portal.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints, and with multiple flashbacks. While it is mostly easy to keep track, new characters are occassionally introduced almost all the way through the story, that keep things off balance. I've no idea if this could have been done with fewer points of view, or whether a personae dramatis might have helped, but I did hanker at times for an simpler path. Mind you, it is quite filmic - the omniscient camera is trained on just about everybody of importance.
The writing is strong and flows and is easy to read, but for me, the text could have done with a last round of line edits, which might have caught the rare mistake and also highlit a few redundant or repeated descriptions. This is a niggle, rather than a significant criticism, and it certainly wasn't enough to throw me out of the story, and no more than I have been guilty of myself (and worse), but it would be remiss of me not to comment: one more pass might have helped a strong debut be even stronger.
It's a wonderful looking hardback book, forgoing the usual fantasy image for strong text and simple (but effective) graphics. Mine is gray, rather than the red cover, not sure what the difference is!
The structure and cast of characters is possibly (almost certainly) strongly influenced by a love of D&D, there are a high number of different races and roles involved, including goblins who may not quite be what they appear. The magical system is interesting, a little like that of the Witcher, in that magic has a cost, unless you can work with what is there. (The skein) This keeps it from all conquering being too easy, with a notable powerful exception that also has a cost.
We enter the world with a lot of history already behind it, both recent (an atrocity managed by one of these rare magical adept) and more distant (a fall of an empire, and the gods that sustained it). This adds colour, and while stories about gods are one thing, coming across their skeletons is another! Other than a flash back prologue, things are, by and large, quiet, though it is a peace of attrition, with a stormwall that needs constant defence, and an enemy pressed by other forces up against it and into suffering. When a new threat arises, a threat that is very personal to the main characters, a road journey of sorts begins - there's a lot of travel, and only SOME of it is by flying saucer (! yup! though they call them orbs, I see what you did, author!) or by magical portal.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints, and with multiple flashbacks. While it is mostly easy to keep track, new characters are occassionally introduced almost all the way through the story, that keep things off balance. I've no idea if this could have been done with fewer points of view, or whether a personae dramatis might have helped, but I did hanker at times for an simpler path. Mind you, it is quite filmic - the omniscient camera is trained on just about everybody of importance.
The writing is strong and flows and is easy to read, but for me, the text could have done with a last round of line edits, which might have caught the rare mistake and also highlit a few redundant or repeated descriptions. This is a niggle, rather than a significant criticism, and it certainly wasn't enough to throw me out of the story, and no more than I have been guilty of myself (and worse), but it would be remiss of me not to comment: one more pass might have helped a strong debut be even stronger.
July 11, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.
Rating 2.5
I am so happy to finally be done with this book. It took me over two weeks to finish—which is a long time for me. It’s way too descriptive in a lot of areas. I swear, every time someone saw a goblin, it was described in detail. Every. Time. However, there’s also the opposite of too many descriptions. Various words weren’t truly described at all. You could kind of glean a meaning out of context, but nothing was for certain (unless I totally missed it). This book had potential with the main storyline. There were different bits and perspectives that I felt weren’t really needed, but the baseline was solid. Floré, Janos, and Petron really held the story together. Theirs were the bits that I actually looked forward to reading. Unfortunately, there is just too much noise everywhere else. Of course, the story ended on a cliffhanger; I am doubting ill read the next book.
Rating 2.5
I am so happy to finally be done with this book. It took me over two weeks to finish—which is a long time for me. It’s way too descriptive in a lot of areas. I swear, every time someone saw a goblin, it was described in detail. Every. Time. However, there’s also the opposite of too many descriptions. Various words weren’t truly described at all. You could kind of glean a meaning out of context, but nothing was for certain (unless I totally missed it). This book had potential with the main storyline. There were different bits and perspectives that I felt weren’t really needed, but the baseline was solid. Floré, Janos, and Petron really held the story together. Theirs were the bits that I actually looked forward to reading. Unfortunately, there is just too much noise everywhere else. Of course, the story ended on a cliffhanger; I am doubting ill read the next book.
September 21, 2021
A slow start that finished with a vociferous demand for book 2 now!
A war of Gods played out by a few that were not fully aware of what they were involved in till much later. And the protagonist was only in it for family. The most powerful character was left for dead in the first seconds! What an in auspicious start to a fantasy quest. There is so much left by the end of the book that Mr. Green had best be finishing up the next novel soon!
This is a new and refreshing addition to the fantasy novel genre. A little slow to start mostly due to a confusing array of ling, history, mystery, and theology of the story. Even at the end I had some questions regarding the backdrop of the world and its flavors. Moments of poetry and brillance in the diction are there to find and to capture the imagination.
The book ended too soon and I am in: what is next Mr. Green, where you taking me? Where will the story go…
A war of Gods played out by a few that were not fully aware of what they were involved in till much later. And the protagonist was only in it for family. The most powerful character was left for dead in the first seconds! What an in auspicious start to a fantasy quest. There is so much left by the end of the book that Mr. Green had best be finishing up the next novel soon!
This is a new and refreshing addition to the fantasy novel genre. A little slow to start mostly due to a confusing array of ling, history, mystery, and theology of the story. Even at the end I had some questions regarding the backdrop of the world and its flavors. Moments of poetry and brillance in the diction are there to find and to capture the imagination.
The book ended too soon and I am in: what is next Mr. Green, where you taking me? Where will the story go…
August 12, 2022
“Eyes sharp, blades sharper.”
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️.5/5
Holy crow-men, Batman! This debut fantasy was such a fun ride, and I find myself wanting more immediately. Is it grimdark? Is it epic fantasy? Is it a little bit scifi? Yes, to all three. This was a classic vengeance story but with enough unique twists that it was a fantastic surprise. Most importantly, the characters are wonderful. Without sympathetic characters, a book is simply not enjoyable enough for me.
I don’t want to do a summary of the story, you can get that on goodreads. But I will say that this felt like Bloodsworn Saga with a twist. If you’re having Orka withdrawals, let me suggest Floré Artollen and her fists. You won’t be disappointed.
I will say, the story jumps a bit in time and place and it hurt my brain sometimes because I’d be lost, but that was my only issue.
⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️.5/5
Holy crow-men, Batman! This debut fantasy was such a fun ride, and I find myself wanting more immediately. Is it grimdark? Is it epic fantasy? Is it a little bit scifi? Yes, to all three. This was a classic vengeance story but with enough unique twists that it was a fantastic surprise. Most importantly, the characters are wonderful. Without sympathetic characters, a book is simply not enjoyable enough for me.
I don’t want to do a summary of the story, you can get that on goodreads. But I will say that this felt like Bloodsworn Saga with a twist. If you’re having Orka withdrawals, let me suggest Floré Artollen and her fists. You won’t be disappointed.
I will say, the story jumps a bit in time and place and it hurt my brain sometimes because I’d be lost, but that was my only issue.
August 15, 2022
This book is full of weird and wonderful races that as the story progresses into book 2 I look forward too spending more time with, this is a great read that strives to offer a unique take on different aspects of Fantasy and it largely succeeds. I look forward to book 2.
August 3, 2022
Amazing, emotional, sucks you in from very start can't wait for book 2
August 19, 2022
Re-read to dive into book 2! Just as brilliant!!!
August 19, 2021
'The child is mine,' she said, her voice steel, 'and I am going to find her, and the boy Petron. If I must cut through the council themselves I will do it. If I must fight the Stormguard and Anshuka herself I will do it. If I must tear down the Tullioch Shard by hand I will do it, I will not be distracted by Benazir jumping at shadows in the rotstorm or Starbeck's auguries of doom; I will not waste time sharpening swords in the Hookstone forest, or peering at crow-men over the Stormwall...'
Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me an Advanced Review Copy of The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath in return for an honest review.
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath is an action-packed and unique fantasy debut, featuring Floré and a quest to save her abducted daughter. The story starts with local sergeant Floré investigating some strange activity with some new cadets, and we meet her young family: her husband Jonas and their daughter Marta. The village seems quiet and peaceful, but while she is away, demons attack and her daughter is taken.
Wow, this is an amazing debut novel — this is my favourite fantasy read so far this year! I was absolutely hooked from start to finish. This book has all the elements of a story I love: a rich lore, a strong female lead and an exciting, fast-paced story!
The world is incredibly rich and vibrant, with a huge lore. Every chapter starts with an extract from a character diary a history book and so on about the world, its history and customs. This makes the world feel established and grounded in real life. There are different races, the Tullioch and Antian. And I loved the magic system — the skein, and stories of the different magic users, especially Tollen the One Eye. The way that we are introduced to this exciting new world is done so well, I didn't feel overwhelmed with information despite how much there is to learn.
The characters are great too and I loved them all, but particularly the two main characters — Floré and Ysolda. Both women are brave in their own way — Floré an experienced fighter while Ysolda is battling her own demons and fear of wolves. There are flashbacks to Floré's past which I really enjoyed too: her training as a cadet, wars she has fought in and giving more context and history to the world.
Overall, this is an addictive fantasy that I just couldn't put down. This book is a huge achievement, especially as this is Ian's debut novel. An absolute must read — and I can't wait to read more from this world!
September 22, 2021
𝙀𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙥, 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙥𝙚𝙧.
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath reminded me a lot of John Gwynne’s The Shadow of the Gods, especially with the badass mother protagonist looking for her child. Ian Green also utilizes multiple point of views in his storytelling, but not as action-packed nor at the breakneck pace Gwynne does in his. The book was slow to start and a bit bogged down by flashbacks and history-telling. This helped set up a rich, fully realized world that feels lived in, but it also disrupted the flow of the story and leaves the narrative feeling a bit jumbled. When the main plot finally gets going though, each reveal does give us an lightbulb moment. The climax (Act 3 as a whole in fact) was just fantastic with surprising twists and unexpected deaths.
“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴.”
I didn’t feel like we got to know the characters much outside of the context of the book’s events, but I actually did loved the villain’s origin story. I found him to be the most fleshed out and relatable character in the book. You understand his motivations and why he does the things he does. It actually made me want to root for him, and this really marks a great storyteller. I just wish we got these insight into the other characters as well.
The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath reminded me a lot of John Gwynne’s The Shadow of the Gods, especially with the badass mother protagonist looking for her child. Ian Green also utilizes multiple point of views in his storytelling, but not as action-packed nor at the breakneck pace Gwynne does in his. The book was slow to start and a bit bogged down by flashbacks and history-telling. This helped set up a rich, fully realized world that feels lived in, but it also disrupted the flow of the story and leaves the narrative feeling a bit jumbled. When the main plot finally gets going though, each reveal does give us an lightbulb moment. The climax (Act 3 as a whole in fact) was just fantastic with surprising twists and unexpected deaths.
“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴.”
I didn’t feel like we got to know the characters much outside of the context of the book’s events, but I actually did loved the villain’s origin story. I found him to be the most fleshed out and relatable character in the book. You understand his motivations and why he does the things he does. It actually made me want to root for him, and this really marks a great storyteller. I just wish we got these insight into the other characters as well.
October 10, 2021
‘The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath’ tells the story of Flore, who as a fighter of the Stormguard Commandos faced horrors during her time at the Ferron Empire. But now she’s put it all behind her. But she soon finds herself once more having to her Stormguard training again to use one last time to chase after the orbs that appear one night in her village that could mean danger for all and potentially mean the return of the Empire. The Stormguards are there too protect the Stormwall from any creature and demons who may wish to cause harm to those inside the realm.
Flore is an amazing, strong, kick-ass character and the kind of female lead that’s relatable. Although she was hoping to leave all the traumas of the last behind, she still goes on an adventure to save her daughter and her people. We learn more about her and her previous life as we go on. I really loved her character, she’s not only a mother and wife who cares about her family but someone who cares about others around her and is willing to stand up for others despite her past.
The author has done a fabulous job of world building within this novel. The author goes into such great description throughout that you get a real sense of the world he’s built.
A fun and upbeat read. With goblins, magic and more. It reminded me somewhat of ‘Bored of the Rings’ but perhaps not as slapstick. This was such a fun read that I didn’t want it to end. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next chapter in the story brings and this is a brilliant start to the series from debut author, Ian Green.
A lighthearted fantasy with plenty of action. One of my favourite fantasy books to have come out this year so far.
Flore is an amazing, strong, kick-ass character and the kind of female lead that’s relatable. Although she was hoping to leave all the traumas of the last behind, she still goes on an adventure to save her daughter and her people. We learn more about her and her previous life as we go on. I really loved her character, she’s not only a mother and wife who cares about her family but someone who cares about others around her and is willing to stand up for others despite her past.
The author has done a fabulous job of world building within this novel. The author goes into such great description throughout that you get a real sense of the world he’s built.
A fun and upbeat read. With goblins, magic and more. It reminded me somewhat of ‘Bored of the Rings’ but perhaps not as slapstick. This was such a fun read that I didn’t want it to end. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next chapter in the story brings and this is a brilliant start to the series from debut author, Ian Green.
A lighthearted fantasy with plenty of action. One of my favourite fantasy books to have come out this year so far.
April 15, 2022
What a fantastic beginning to a series! This epic fantasy is perfect for experienced fantasy readers who like to puzzle out a story. We follow a few perspectives in the present interspersed with flashbacks that progressively shed some light on different elements. This really kept me on my toes and built tension. Aside from that we also get snippets of books within the world, some sayings, interlude chapters, etc... and this just made the reading experience so rich and immersive because it felt like this world existed!
Bullet review:
- Masterfully plotted
- Intriguing magic
- Rich lore and history
- "Lived-in" world
- Fantastic characters
- Two timelines
- Interesting storytelling
I love the characters and I enjoyed the complexity of the perspectives and of reconciling them together (iykyk). The pacing is progressively faster and the ending had me gasping. Needless to say, I am super hyped for book 2!
Bullet review:
- Masterfully plotted
- Intriguing magic
- Rich lore and history
- "Lived-in" world
- Fantastic characters
- Two timelines
- Interesting storytelling
I love the characters and I enjoyed the complexity of the perspectives and of reconciling them together (iykyk). The pacing is progressively faster and the ending had me gasping. Needless to say, I am super hyped for book 2!
August 19, 2021
If you like a good fantasy read then you won’t go far wrong with a copy of this engrossing book. With Goblins, gods, monsters, crow men, skein-mage’s, lots of action which really builds up towards the end. This book has it all. I am relatively new to reading fantasy so still learning what some of the characters do. This is book one in what looks to be a very good trilogy.
The world building is brilliant, there is a map at the front of the book which helps you see where places are, especially when the story does at times leap from one place to another dependant in where each character is. There is a lot of description used to give you ideas of the surrounding scenery, landscapes and creatures. Although I think a few times too many descriptions of the Goblins, once they had been described once it didn’t really need to be mentioned again.
Flore Artollen is the main protagonist and it was nice to see a female having such a huge role, when her daughter is taken and many people are killed Flore is determined to get her daughter, Marta, back and get revenge. She is a character you find yourself really rooting for, she takes care of the young cadets she has with her Yselde is a young female cadet who stays by her side for most of the story she is another strong character, along with Cuss another cadet who is trying to find his brother Petron who was taken at the same time as Marta. Along the way they are joined by other creatures from different walks of life, they all have the same goal in stopping the bad guys.
You do have to focus a lot on the story as there are a lot of points of view, and some of the story jumped back and forward in time, mainly in order to explain what the cause of some of the actions were. At times the pace was full throttle action, then it would slow a bit, building towards the dramatic climax at the end.
The writer has used a great deal of imagination bringing an epic fantasy novel into modern day times. It’s nice to see the women being involved in the battles as well as the men. I admit there were bits that confused me at times but I soon worked out what was what again this is from me not having read too many fantasy novels until recently.
A great debut novel, I can see this being a very popular read among fantasy readers and those who love D & D. I look forward to see where things go in book 2.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read, gripping, engrossing, great characterisation, with everything you expect within a fantasy story. Superb imaginary world building. Thank you to @HoZ_Books for an ARC of this book all thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way biased.
The world building is brilliant, there is a map at the front of the book which helps you see where places are, especially when the story does at times leap from one place to another dependant in where each character is. There is a lot of description used to give you ideas of the surrounding scenery, landscapes and creatures. Although I think a few times too many descriptions of the Goblins, once they had been described once it didn’t really need to be mentioned again.
Flore Artollen is the main protagonist and it was nice to see a female having such a huge role, when her daughter is taken and many people are killed Flore is determined to get her daughter, Marta, back and get revenge. She is a character you find yourself really rooting for, she takes care of the young cadets she has with her Yselde is a young female cadet who stays by her side for most of the story she is another strong character, along with Cuss another cadet who is trying to find his brother Petron who was taken at the same time as Marta. Along the way they are joined by other creatures from different walks of life, they all have the same goal in stopping the bad guys.
You do have to focus a lot on the story as there are a lot of points of view, and some of the story jumped back and forward in time, mainly in order to explain what the cause of some of the actions were. At times the pace was full throttle action, then it would slow a bit, building towards the dramatic climax at the end.
The writer has used a great deal of imagination bringing an epic fantasy novel into modern day times. It’s nice to see the women being involved in the battles as well as the men. I admit there were bits that confused me at times but I soon worked out what was what again this is from me not having read too many fantasy novels until recently.
A great debut novel, I can see this being a very popular read among fantasy readers and those who love D & D. I look forward to see where things go in book 2.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read, gripping, engrossing, great characterisation, with everything you expect within a fantasy story. Superb imaginary world building. Thank you to @HoZ_Books for an ARC of this book all thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way biased.
did-not-finish
March 25, 2025DNF op bladzijde 57.
Normaal gesproken probeer ik het minimaal 100 bladzijdes voor ik besluit een boek op te geven, maar dit boek is het hem gewoon niet.
Ik lees, maar niets blijft hangen. Wat er precies gebeurt is? I couldn’t tell you. En hoewel dat vast voor een deel aan mij ligt, ligt het ook echt aan de schrijfstijl en (het gebrek aan) editing van dit boek.
Zinnen waarin voornaamwoorden niet kloppen (‘his felt his heart racing’ i.p.v. ‘he felt his heart racing’) of stukken zin die dubbel gedrukt zijn (‘when the lights came, they came they came from the south’) zijn simpelweg slordigheidsfouten die je in een gepubliceerd boek niet wilt hebben. Het haalt het leesplezier en gemak ervan af.
Daarnaast gebruikt Ian Green het woord ‘and’ zo ontzettend vaak in zijn zinnen dat het haast een opsomming wordt, i.p.v. een lopend verhaal.
Jammer, want ik had dit boek van vriendinnen gehad zonder er ook maar iets over te weten, maar dit is het hem nier voor mij.
Normaal gesproken probeer ik het minimaal 100 bladzijdes voor ik besluit een boek op te geven, maar dit boek is het hem gewoon niet.
Ik lees, maar niets blijft hangen. Wat er precies gebeurt is? I couldn’t tell you. En hoewel dat vast voor een deel aan mij ligt, ligt het ook echt aan de schrijfstijl en (het gebrek aan) editing van dit boek.
Zinnen waarin voornaamwoorden niet kloppen (‘his felt his heart racing’ i.p.v. ‘he felt his heart racing’) of stukken zin die dubbel gedrukt zijn (‘when the lights came, they came they came from the south’) zijn simpelweg slordigheidsfouten die je in een gepubliceerd boek niet wilt hebben. Het haalt het leesplezier en gemak ervan af.
Daarnaast gebruikt Ian Green het woord ‘and’ zo ontzettend vaak in zijn zinnen dat het haast een opsomming wordt, i.p.v. een lopend verhaal.
Jammer, want ik had dit boek van vriendinnen gehad zonder er ook maar iets over te weten, maar dit is het hem nier voor mij.
December 14, 2021
It's rare to come across a book in the fantasy genre that is as deep as The Gauntlet and the Fist Beneath. It's hard to do this book justice in a review! The characters felt so real I could almost touch them. The world and its conflicts were deep and realistic. The human drama of a grieving mother forced to take up her role as a soldier to find her child was seamlessly woven into the world's epic-scale history. And it all just kept opening out into new layers and revelations. Some people might find the flashback chapters and changes in PoV character jarring, but for me these were what made the setting and characters feel so real. This is an amazing debut novel; I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
January 3, 2022
I loved this book. It’s unashamedly fantasy, with some familiarity of setting but with more than enough uniqueness to make it feel fresh. It’s one of the most hard-to-put-down books I can recall reading, I just fell for the characters and their motivations instantly. My heart was racing as the conclusion approached, and I can’t wait for the next in the trilogy! It gets a full 5 stars because Ian Green’s characterful dialogue and vivid geographical depictions blended the fantasy world with the north-east Scotland home that part of me has longed for ever since I left.
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