Gemma Calvertson and the Forest of Despair

The Aepistelle Chronicles #1

by Ryan Hoyt

A heroine’s first adventure. A kingdom’s last hope. Gemma spends her days studying a war her father fought in before her birth, but she realizes that not everything is what it seems. When she sets off to interview an aging hero, she learns about an emerging threat to the kingdom prophesied by the forbidden factions of magic and religion.

Since she can’t go to the officials without incriminating her new friend Richard, they must set off together on a journey through an uncanny forest to confirm and neutralize the threat. Can they forge new alliances and defeat the forces of evil without the use of magic or the might of a military?

If they fail, everyone they love will perish.

The Forest of Despair is the first book of the Aepistelle Chronicles, a new series of epic fantasy adventures following an emerging heroine and her team of sidekicks, including a witch with an army of children, a young homeless seer, a giant ogre, a boisterous stage performer, and an all-female crew of pirates.

360 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2021

About the author

Ryan Hoyt is a San Francisco Bay Area native currently residing near Sacramento, CA. His love for creepy and fantastic stories was nurtured early on by his mother, who let him watch the TV miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s It at six years old.

Since 2021, Ryan has published several fantasy and horror books through his publisher, Machete & Quill Press. Sign up for his newsletter at MacheteAndQuill.com to get exclusive news and more!

Reviews

[Marion Over · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this world. The characters are brilliant. From reclusive Richard, the war hero, that held on to the past because he knew it was important to the future. Gemma, who wants to understand how the past crushed her family.

Characters like the ship of drunken female sailors that say their only in it for the money. The boy who sees the future in dreams; a crying man that's loving and brave; a drunken actor that remembers he is still a hero; the brother that has to find his missing sister. Naliah, let me not forget the witch. There's a plethora of wonderful and horrible characters in this world.

A darkness that has slowly consumed the land, taking away all faith and magic. Enslaving it's people. Horrid rulers that have corrupted everything even nature. This is the story of the people who find their inner warriors and fight that growing darkness.

I really look forward to future books by Ryan Hoyt. There's plenty of stories left in the land of Aepistelle. They have been a joy to read.

I was sent this ARC by BookSirens. All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Heather Tarkington · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forest of Despair is a phenomenal book. This is a story of several characters needing to find their true selves and in the process needing to save their world from evil. Many times you are left wondering if a certain character is truly good or evil, which makes the story very relevant to real life. As, human beings are usually not 100% one or the other. There are several storylines, but they merge together well and it doesn’t feel like you are struggling to get them to fit. This is the first in a series, so there are some loose ends, but the main parts of the story are wrapped up well enough to not leave you with a huge cliffhanger. I am excited to start the next book though, as there are many things I am intrigued to see how they turn out. This is a great book with mystical creatures, magic, heroes and villains. It touches on the trauma of war and the importance of family and friends. It is action packed but still gives a good amount of background and storytelling.

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this is off to such a great start. This first book in the Aepistelle Chronicles is set in an incredible world designed by this author with some incredible characters. First we meet Gemma our female mc as she explores the past to discover the future, then there’s Richard the war hero who comes out of seclusion to help save the world. It’s a fantastic fantasy adventure that draws you in from the very start and just does not let go. Simply fantastic!

[Fey Flowers (enbytweenthepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by the book. There were often twists that I didn't expect and you can clearly see the enthusiasm for Stephen King. Ryan often manages to create a fantastic atmosphere. Reading "The Witch of Ferathan" beforehand was a good decision. The author does not shy away from letting beloved characters die in this book either. Emotionally, it is really a great journey for the reader as well :)

I love the development of Gemma and George. Both characters were consistently likeable and grew beyond themselves.

The 4 war heroes are also extraordinary characters, I have taken Richard, Arnem and Jestan straight to my heart, I would like to get to know Maachel better in the further course.

Even if it was a bit too much war enthusiasm for my taste, I found it quite fantastic how toxic masculinity is partly broken in the same breath. (Even if I would have wished for that even more with Arnem). Nevertheless, the empathy for "the enemies" was never neglected, which I think is very important.

I'm looking forward to more books in this series and I can't wait to see what happens next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sarah Jayn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I loved most about this book was how the author told the story from different perspectives, how the tale moved and flowed from person to person who had a part of the story to contribute.

I had read the prequel as it was encouraged to do so before reading this first book. I am glad that I did because it helped show how much the world had changed in the years, and characters that would come into play again.

My only strife with this book was that it did take a bit for me to really get into the story, the beginning didn't have a lot of action, and the characters were traveling, but once it picked up it really picked up!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantasy is one of my favourite genres, so I was absolutely thrilled to be offered the opportunity to read and review this book. This is the first book in the Aepistelle Chronicles.

This was a great series starter. It had interesting characters who I felt were explored just enough to leave me wanting to know more about them and their world. I also liked the world building and the style of writing.

The story is the pretty typical heroes and villains cliche but there were quite a few unique and unexpected moments throughout the story which kept me reading. The ending was Okay, very open ended, I will definitely consider checking out the sequel.

Probably my favourite thing about this book is the cover art, it’s so beautiful, definitely something that would catch my eye in a shop!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable fantasy adventure. Old heros finding themselves lost, newcomers becoming the reluctant new heros and the adventure that comes with discovering just who they are and who they are meant to be.
This is a good start to an epic story with both memorable good guys and bad guys. Nice world building and voices for each of the players. I will be looking forward to the next one in this series. Lots of potential for reading aloud to teens as there is a fair amount of violence and gore.
I received this ARC free from BookSirens. I am happy to leave this reveiw.

[Lou Dakin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminiscent of the adventures in Tolkien’s universe, Ryan Hoyt made a world entirely their own and placed in it, people in need and people willing to step up and be heroes. What made it better than it already was, is the lesser seen passing of the torch from one generation to the next and is left open enough for a sequel (which I am very much looking forward to). I do wish that the Capital City had been explored a bit more and that we could find out more about the other tribes and species used…

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the more interesting fantasy worlds I have read lately. I thoroughly enjoyed each character and how they are each paired up with the old heroes and a new hero in the saga.

Great start to a series that I look forward to reading more of.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderfully done start to the Aepistelle Chronicles, the characters were fun and I enjoyed the plot of the book. I can't wait to read more in this universe.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Malischa Nijenhuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Gemma spends her days studying a war her father fought in before her birth, but she realizes that not everything is what it seems. When she sets off to interview an aging hero, she learns about an emerging threat to the kingdom prophesied by the forbidden factions of magic and religion.

I really do love this world this author has created.
The characters are just briljant.
I really enjoyed this book a lot.
and i do not have other word than i loved it and want more of this briljant characters.

[Wattson Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely because it sets the stage for the series. The characters kept me interested enough to continue reading it. One thing that I appreciate was the effort put into the worldbuilding. While there are cliches involving the heroes and villains cliche, there were several unique and surprising moments in the book that kept me hooked.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great job world building and character development. I love the band of misfits who worked so well together yet revealed their own quirks and demons along the way. Highly recommend.

[Angel Smathers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goreoge ended up my favorite woth his love for the cats that he keeps leaving lmao
But this book with everyone traveling towards there goal to take down the rein. It was a good fantasy read

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. All the characters were very compelling and complex. Looking forward to reading more!

[Joan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Novel was beautifully written as a Dark High Fantasy. It's an epic tale of adventure thru a harsh world that is slowly losing its religion and magic. The story tells of Gemma an inspiring reporter slowly transforms into a heroine like her father did 25 years earlier.

The Characters are fun and interesting. They work well together. The characters including a witch with an army of children, a young homeless seer, a giant ogre, a boisterous stage performer, and an all-female crew of pirates.

The author is a warm and loving person which flows out into his writing. Lovers of J.R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis among other High Dark Fantasy epic tales will love this Darker Gorier High Fantasy adventure.

Thank you for gifting me this advance copy of an amazing epic tale.

The Aepistelle Chronicles
YA / New Adult
Magic
Dark High Fantasy
Graphic Novel/ Violence

[Vladimir Novak · Rating 5 out of 5]

As of right now, the book looks great! I just found out that there is actually a prequel, so I am going to read that first and then finish reading this one, but even less than 100 pages in, it looks awesome.

[Marsha Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give yourself some time and grace to get to know all the characters. Some of their lives were intertwined in the past. More of their lives will be intertwined in the future. Though differently motivated, the characters work towards a common goal against a double-crossing king and even darker presence from an ancient forest. The unlikeliest of characters join Gemma and her team, helping shape her into the leader she is meant to be. Complete with a map to help you navigate the scenes, this book highlights the importance of investigation, the sacrifices of warriors, the wisdom of heroes past, and fresh perspectives from a younger generation. It also celebrates women in leadership! My kind of book!

[Sharli Kaltenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twenty three year old Gemma Calverston works for Capital University as a researcher. She has learned all that she can from the written word about the reign of King Davin and his oppression of people, land and religious freedoms. She sets out on a journey, with the University's blessing, to find Richard The Elusive. Over the next few months her life twists and turns in ways she could never have imagined. Richard, her father and two other gentlemen were the original four "crusaders". She will relive the adventures as they did, will she survive? I greatly enjoyed this book

[Hannah Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an unfortunate DNF for me. While the book was well-written, I didn't feel engaged with the characters and I felt jostled about with the constant switching between POVs after each short chapter. I wish the chapters had clearly labeled who the POV character was for that chapter, as it would have helped alleviate some confusion at the beginning of each chapter. I also felt the world-building could have been deepened from the beginning, as I couldn't quite envision the world or what the area looked like from the on-page descriptions.

Thanks to the author for a review copy of the book!

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great little book told from different points of view, it’s a whole immersive world . Gemma forges new friendships and awareness learning from the past to guide the future
I received an advance copy and my review is my own words voluntary

[BookishWeeb Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a read! Thoroughly enjoyed the general storyline and thought the author did a great job developing their characters. There's magic, there are warriors, there's consuming darkness, and a girl that just wants to understand the past.