Esther

by A.J. Rugg

When The Watcher dies and the demon arrives, the world will be tested again.


Mahilde is the last of an ancient race who can harness the power of the Earth but she is waning in a world almost devoid of magic. Her task is to protect the child, the one chance against the darkness. She finds Malcolm, an ageing mercenary who cares for nothing but coin, and Willich, a hopeless drunkard who longs for his own death. With these two she must spark a rebellion, for the demon Morbus has turned monarchs to his will and their populations into mindless fanatics.


Esther is book I of The Watcher Trilogy, a fast paced adventure in the highest tradition of heroic fantasy.

357 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2021

About the author

AJ is a Fantasy and Science Fiction writer from Sydney, Australia. 'Esther' Book I of The Watcher series is AJ's first full length novel. AJ has published a number of short stories, the most recent being a novella entitled 'The Boat, My Father.'

Reviews

[Kristen Bowman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not technically finish. The book was just too violent and graphic for me, so trigger warning for anyone else who might be upset by rape or violent murders of infants and children described much too matter-of-factly. Wasn’t for me for that reason (but I’m a mother of two small children). I liked the world that was created and wanted to overlook those things but couldn’t.

[HoldenC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really impressed with this book and finished it faster than I expected (lockdown helped). I loved the problems that each character seemed to have and how they dealt with them. Loved the ending (won't give it away). I haven't heard of this author before but hope he/she writes more.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very exciting book with some solid fight scenes.

[Tasuka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book

[Gina809 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really grabbed me. I loved it second of it and can recommend.

[BJH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very exciting book

[Bon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid debut for a promising new author. It took a while for the main character to be introduced and it did jump around between characters, but I found that refreshing rather than confusing. It read like some of the fantasy novels I loved as a child but with a modern twist. A great read.

[Plaurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Loved it.

[Tony Ronalds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best fantasy book Ive read this year.

[Alan Jokowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit more violent than I expected but overall a good book. The story kept me engaged and I liked that there was just a bit of magic and not too much.

[Bookgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to see a female warrior who is actually believable. I really liked this book and can highly recommend.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this fast.

[Benjongsula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book and I highly recommend!

[Anne Jervis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this and I am impressed! In fact, I couldn't put it down and devoured it over the course of a week. The characters seemed real, each with their own peculiarities. Willich is tragic and I found myself rooting for him every time he did something stupid. I loved the relationship between Esther and Malcolm too. Mahilde is my favourite though and Im very keen to see what happens with her. Overall, a great book and I hope there's another one coming soon!