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The Relics of War #1
The Moon's Eye
Chosen for advanced training by the god of war himself, Vardak is considered a paragon amongst his people, the Scorpion Men. Yet his position and training come with a cost: He must serve the whims of the god, with no questions asked. Only days after his training is complete, he is sent far away from his desert homeland in order to act as the protector of the Fire Maiden’s mortal daughter, Janna.
Janna has been tasked with the recovery of a magical relic known as The Moon’s Eye, but she has little worldly experience to guide her. The Immortals deem the relic’s recovery imperative, for it alone can combat the rise of the Soulless—those sworn to the fallen, nameless god of death. The Soulless are ruthless and powerful, and eager to wage war upon the land in order to appease the god they serve.
Though Vardak is skilled in battle, he must lead Janna through several perilous areas in order to reach the relic she seeks, pushing his abilities to the limit. Unbeknownst to the pair, the Soulless raise an army and begin their conquest, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Will they secure The Moon’s Eye before all is lost, or will the relic itself prove to be their undoing?
Janna has been tasked with the recovery of a magical relic known as The Moon’s Eye, but she has little worldly experience to guide her. The Immortals deem the relic’s recovery imperative, for it alone can combat the rise of the Soulless—those sworn to the fallen, nameless god of death. The Soulless are ruthless and powerful, and eager to wage war upon the land in order to appease the god they serve.
Though Vardak is skilled in battle, he must lead Janna through several perilous areas in order to reach the relic she seeks, pushing his abilities to the limit. Unbeknownst to the pair, the Soulless raise an army and begin their conquest, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Will they secure The Moon’s Eye before all is lost, or will the relic itself prove to be their undoing?
- GenresFantasy
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
20 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Calvin
13 books54 followersA.J. Calvin is a science fiction/fantasy novelist from Loveland, Colorado known best for The Caein Legacy series and The Relics of War series. By day, she works as a microbiologist, but in her free time she writes. She lives with her husband, a turtle, and a salt water aquarium.
When she is not working or writing, she enjoys scuba diving, hiking, and playing video games.
Be sure to follow A.J. on BookBub for new release alerts and more! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-j-c...
For more information on the author and news about her writing, please visit her website at www.ajcalvin.net.
When she is not working or writing, she enjoys scuba diving, hiking, and playing video games.
Be sure to follow A.J. on BookBub for new release alerts and more! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-j-c...
For more information on the author and news about her writing, please visit her website at www.ajcalvin.net.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 21 reviews
March 28, 2022
I’ve been so excited to start AJ Calvin’s new series because I really enjoyed her standalone urban fantasy, HUNTED. In THE MOON’S EYE, Vardak, a warrior and one of the scorpion men, is tasked by the gods to protect Jana, the mortal daughter of another god in her quest to retrieve a magical relic—The Moon’s Eye. First they have to find the relic. Then they have to make the perilous journey to get it. The world building is richly described. Vardak and Jana’s world is a harsh desert wasteland where multiple tribes and races live and author AJ Calvin describes each one in intricate detail. This really reminded me a lot of the style of SJM’s Throne of Glass with all the different complex story perspectives, the twisted court politics, the magic, blackmail and betrayal, but of course it was a unique and exceptional story of its own. I loved the detailed world building that went into every aspect of the story. The battle scenes were phenomenal. The descriptions of the world which is desert-based and insect-alien based was just so interesting to read, like Vardak and Jana when they’re on their journey and seeing the artwork on the walls. I loved the Myrkr, the blue skinned silver tattooed warriors led by Arundej, who don’t show their faces. I also found the storyline with Dranamir and the princess to be one that I really enjoyed. I just loved all the storylines and the rich gorgeous storytelling. This was a great book and I’m looking forward to book two!
February 10, 2022
My #FebruarySheWrote reads, where I will be reading exclusively female authors who use the pronouns she/her, continues. This next book is one I had been eyeing for a while: "The Moon's Eye", Book One in "The Relics of War" series, by A.J. Calvin. I found this book to be wonderful, a real hidden gem that deserves a lot more attention, in my estimation.
Fantasy fans who like the (enjoyable) trope of capricious gods callously manipulating hapless mortals for the gods' own (often nefarious or at the least selfish) purposes, you are going to love this book. The setting for "The Moon's Eye" is the Five Kingdoms. There, the Scorpion Men, half-scorpion, half-humanoid creatures, enjoy an uneasy peace, holed up in the vicinity of the Wasted Land, behind the fastness of The Stronghold, their formidable domains.
These partial arachnids are a stoic warrior culture, and among the best fighters is the hero, Vardak. Vardak is young, fairly reserved, but he loves his family, including his brothers, fellow warriors. Vardak has the (potentially dubious) honour of being chosen as the apprentice of the god Blademon, the Scorpion Men's patron deity. Blademon's sibling goddess, the ill-tempered Fire Maiden Flariel, has a human daughter, named Janna. As per Flariel, Janna requires a champion to guard her on a perilous quest, and Blademon tasks the reluctant Vardak with the job.
The quest involves recovering the titular Moon's Eye. The Moon's Eye is a powerful artifact, and is needed to combat another powerful relic, the Shalin Stone. The reason why the Shalin Stone is so dangerous is that it can be used to summon the malevolent powers of The Nameless, a Satan-like figure, whose main servants are the hideous, demonic, Soulless. The Nameless is currently shackled and neutered, but if his Soulless can use mortals to their advantage, they will be able to free their master to once more wreak havoc on the world.
Unfortunately, the Shalin Stone is in the hands of a madman, the sorcerer Shan'tar, who controls an army of Murkors. Murkors are mysterious tattooed humans, who remain hooded at all times. They are as formidable warriors as the Scorpion Men. Shan'tar plans to summon the Soulless, to aid in his plans to conquer the Five Kingdoms. The Murkor commander, Aran'daj, just wants to keep his followers alive, and not be the pawn of wizards or demons. Aran'daj is a man who always has a plan, and he plans to find a way to extricate his subordinates from the clutches of those who would use the Murkors as expendable foot soldiers in their unholy wars.
The Soulless, whose seat of power is the foreboding Obsidian Tower, have dissension among their ranks, vying for the favour of the Nameless. The incumbent successor to the Nameless, Alyra, is challenged by the most powerful Soulless, Dranamir. Dranamir is using the Princess Tamarin, who killed her own parents, and training Tamarin in the dark arts, as the young Princess has latent magical powers. Meanwhile the Soulless Kama, a great strategist, has his own mission, as he takes Aran'daj as his right hand man, to lead the Murkors into battle.
Finally, the Shining Tower, training academy for sorcerers where Shan'tar was a member of the Council, is the place where talented newcomer Tavesin, has found a portal to the Aetherium. The Aetherium is the gateway by which the Soulless enter the Five Kingdoms. But Tavesin's intrusion to the Aetherium has come to the attention of one of the demons, putting him in grevious danger.
Calvin spins an intoxicating, complex tale, filled with numerous races and creatures. Reptilian Drakkon, the warlike and fascinating Murkors and Scorpion Men, intrepid feline-like fighters, sea serpents, and more, come to life on the pages of "The Moon's Eye". Calvin's layered and nuanced world-building is exceptional.Her prose is illuminating, and vivid; the book is very well-written.
The characters are fascinating, and there were just enough POVs to give a fulsome picture of the major plot-threads, without being overwhelming. Calvin nicely ties all the important characters and their arcs together as the book progresses.
Vardak is an interesting lead. He's pragmatic, taciturn, but has plenty of flavour to his personality. My favourite was the general Aran'daj, whose dogged resolve to save his people, facing extermination for the slightest failure, via the hands of his pitiless Soulless master, made him compelling and admirable.
This book is an amazing example of a classic-feeling fantasy tale, that while not groundbreaking in themes, feels fresh, inventive, is well-paced, very well-written, and is loads of fun. A quick read at around 350 pages, I barely put this one down, and polished it off in an evening plus an afternoon.
My only quibble about this book is that, along with the great map provided, a glossary of characters as a reference, would have been handy, to keep things sorted.
If you're looking for an under-the-radar book that had the potential to be a fantastic first installment in what could shape up to be an very intriguing series, don't sleep on this one! I will definitely be picking up book two, "The Talisman of Delucha", coming later in 2022!
Fantasy fans who like the (enjoyable) trope of capricious gods callously manipulating hapless mortals for the gods' own (often nefarious or at the least selfish) purposes, you are going to love this book. The setting for "The Moon's Eye" is the Five Kingdoms. There, the Scorpion Men, half-scorpion, half-humanoid creatures, enjoy an uneasy peace, holed up in the vicinity of the Wasted Land, behind the fastness of The Stronghold, their formidable domains.
These partial arachnids are a stoic warrior culture, and among the best fighters is the hero, Vardak. Vardak is young, fairly reserved, but he loves his family, including his brothers, fellow warriors. Vardak has the (potentially dubious) honour of being chosen as the apprentice of the god Blademon, the Scorpion Men's patron deity. Blademon's sibling goddess, the ill-tempered Fire Maiden Flariel, has a human daughter, named Janna. As per Flariel, Janna requires a champion to guard her on a perilous quest, and Blademon tasks the reluctant Vardak with the job.
The quest involves recovering the titular Moon's Eye. The Moon's Eye is a powerful artifact, and is needed to combat another powerful relic, the Shalin Stone. The reason why the Shalin Stone is so dangerous is that it can be used to summon the malevolent powers of The Nameless, a Satan-like figure, whose main servants are the hideous, demonic, Soulless. The Nameless is currently shackled and neutered, but if his Soulless can use mortals to their advantage, they will be able to free their master to once more wreak havoc on the world.
Unfortunately, the Shalin Stone is in the hands of a madman, the sorcerer Shan'tar, who controls an army of Murkors. Murkors are mysterious tattooed humans, who remain hooded at all times. They are as formidable warriors as the Scorpion Men. Shan'tar plans to summon the Soulless, to aid in his plans to conquer the Five Kingdoms. The Murkor commander, Aran'daj, just wants to keep his followers alive, and not be the pawn of wizards or demons. Aran'daj is a man who always has a plan, and he plans to find a way to extricate his subordinates from the clutches of those who would use the Murkors as expendable foot soldiers in their unholy wars.
The Soulless, whose seat of power is the foreboding Obsidian Tower, have dissension among their ranks, vying for the favour of the Nameless. The incumbent successor to the Nameless, Alyra, is challenged by the most powerful Soulless, Dranamir. Dranamir is using the Princess Tamarin, who killed her own parents, and training Tamarin in the dark arts, as the young Princess has latent magical powers. Meanwhile the Soulless Kama, a great strategist, has his own mission, as he takes Aran'daj as his right hand man, to lead the Murkors into battle.
Finally, the Shining Tower, training academy for sorcerers where Shan'tar was a member of the Council, is the place where talented newcomer Tavesin, has found a portal to the Aetherium. The Aetherium is the gateway by which the Soulless enter the Five Kingdoms. But Tavesin's intrusion to the Aetherium has come to the attention of one of the demons, putting him in grevious danger.
Calvin spins an intoxicating, complex tale, filled with numerous races and creatures. Reptilian Drakkon, the warlike and fascinating Murkors and Scorpion Men, intrepid feline-like fighters, sea serpents, and more, come to life on the pages of "The Moon's Eye". Calvin's layered and nuanced world-building is exceptional.Her prose is illuminating, and vivid; the book is very well-written.
The characters are fascinating, and there were just enough POVs to give a fulsome picture of the major plot-threads, without being overwhelming. Calvin nicely ties all the important characters and their arcs together as the book progresses.
Vardak is an interesting lead. He's pragmatic, taciturn, but has plenty of flavour to his personality. My favourite was the general Aran'daj, whose dogged resolve to save his people, facing extermination for the slightest failure, via the hands of his pitiless Soulless master, made him compelling and admirable.
This book is an amazing example of a classic-feeling fantasy tale, that while not groundbreaking in themes, feels fresh, inventive, is well-paced, very well-written, and is loads of fun. A quick read at around 350 pages, I barely put this one down, and polished it off in an evening plus an afternoon.
My only quibble about this book is that, along with the great map provided, a glossary of characters as a reference, would have been handy, to keep things sorted.
If you're looking for an under-the-radar book that had the potential to be a fantastic first installment in what could shape up to be an very intriguing series, don't sleep on this one! I will definitely be picking up book two, "The Talisman of Delucha", coming later in 2022!
February 6, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. It has multiple POV’s and I pretty much only liked Vardak’s! I mean he’s half scorpion and ends up traveling with another, Meryn who is a feline race. I loved him most of all and can’t wait to see how their friendship progresses in the next book! The wait for July will be long. The other characters were fleshed out and interesting but I found myself only caring for Vardak and his companions. His brothers as well. I highly recommend giving this a try!
April 5, 2022
A great beginning to an Epic Fantasy tale. ‘The Moon’s Eye’ is the first in the series by author A.J. Calvin. This one has been on my TBR list for a while. If you’re an Epic Fantasy fan like I am, you should give this book a try. It lives up in proper Tolkien form with multiple races (some old and some new) with a battle between two mage towers (with some twists to the theme). The world gets thrown into war as the forgotten god’s minions are freed upon the world. It reminded me of Jordan, of course, with a caged god and spell casting minions who have sold their souls to their forgotten god, but it is also uniquely different. The book has several threads going on at once with multiple MCs to keep you busy. I enjoyed the storyline and look forward to finding time to read further into the series in the future. Well done, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 5, 2022
Epic fantasy with multiple POVs is NOT my usual go to, but I'd heard good things about this one and thought why not? While I'll admit I had a bit of trouble reading one character's perspective and then having to read multiple chapters from others' before I got back to what was happening with the first (ie: Vardak and Janna), I have to say the author did a great job of weaving a tale worth hanging in there for. Lovers of classic epic fantasy will no doubt inhale this book, and while that may not be me and it may have taken me a while to read (shedding a few tears along the way), I can happily say I'm glad I stuck it out. And I hope Vardak's next adventure goes a little bit easier on him. Although I suspect it won't. 😉
July 24, 2022
The Moon's Eye is one of the most epic fantasy novels I've read in quite some time. The world building is absolutely phenomenal and I especially loved how well the details fit into the narrative without bogging it down. There's plenty of magic, action, character growth, and different POVs to keep the story interesting. What an adventure!
My personal favorite characters were Vardak and Janna. I loved the journey they had together to find the Moon's Eye and stop the Soulless. Janna, in particular, was amazing because even though she lived a sheltered life and was nervous about embarking on her journey, she was still optimistic. Her character growth was a pleasure to watch.
Overall, The Moon's Eye is a fantastic adventure and I look forward to reading the sequel soon! 4.5 Stars!
My personal favorite characters were Vardak and Janna. I loved the journey they had together to find the Moon's Eye and stop the Soulless. Janna, in particular, was amazing because even though she lived a sheltered life and was nervous about embarking on her journey, she was still optimistic. Her character growth was a pleasure to watch.
Overall, The Moon's Eye is a fantastic adventure and I look forward to reading the sequel soon! 4.5 Stars!
December 13, 2023
As I was reading this, I kept picturing Skyrim minus the dragons and the cold, icy landscape. If you have that in mind, throw in some Scorpion Men (half man/half scorpion), some selfish gods, magic relics, and evil, gray-skinned bad guys called the Soulless, you can picture this fantasy world really well.
This is a typical epic fantasy quest with new races of people and great worldbuilding, just be prepared to read big chunks of description and past events. I was hoping to see Vardak (one MC) in action, but it seemed that every time his group was in trouble, or I could see trouble ahead, they were pretty much saved from doing anything. I more enjoyed one of the Soulless' and the Murkor commander's POV--they did stuff.
This is a typical epic fantasy quest with new races of people and great worldbuilding, just be prepared to read big chunks of description and past events. I was hoping to see Vardak (one MC) in action, but it seemed that every time his group was in trouble, or I could see trouble ahead, they were pretty much saved from doing anything. I more enjoyed one of the Soulless' and the Murkor commander's POV--they did stuff.
July 18, 2022
I was drawn to The Moon’s Eye because it looked and sounded like a classic epic fantasy, and it certainly lived up to that with the scope of the worldbuilding and the quest that was the heart of this story. I will say that the cover and story do lean very much into the themes, and some of the tropes that you would expect from this kind of story, but that does not make it a predictable read, and there so many original elements that this was a really fun, refreshing take on a classic mould.
As always there is a bonus point for the map!
The worldbuilding was solid and multi-layered, and absolutely my favourite part of the book. I am always a fan of stories that have Gods being directly involved in the world, and here we have multiple gods intervening and moving mortals as pawns according to their own purposes, some nefarious, some selfish, and never really asking permission. I liked the feeling that Calvin gave to her gods, because they felt different to the various races and characters, regardless of their powers or status, and there was a fantastic otherworldly, more-than-human feel to them.
Then there was the world itself. This was very much a journey story, and it is through that quest that we get to see so much of the world unfold – one of my favourite ways to have a world develop, and Calvin has some truly spectacular descriptions to bring the setting alive and we explore it organically with the characters. The Five Kingdoms are home to a rich variety of races and cultures, and Calvin deftly weaves together political intrigue, different beliefs, different gods and their apostles stirring the pot, to a real sense of history (and future, with the goals of some of the sides) to create a rich, complex world that felt both very much alive but also as though it was on the edge and directly involved with the unfolding plot. The Scorpion Men were one of my favourite groups, but I was also fascinated by the Murkor and the Soulless – and honestly Calvin just ticked so many worldbuilding boxes for me.
I’ve been on a kick rewatching The Mummy series in the last week or so, and I immediately flashed to that when reading about the Scorpion Men (half-humanoid/half-scorpion). That may have influenced my favourite character – Vardak. He had a slight element of ‘chosen one’ in that he had been chosen by his patron god Blademon to be his apprentice, but he doesn’t fall into that trope, and I liked him as a protagonist as he was a good balance of quiet and pragmatic (in the way of his people), but also personality, and I liked that even with that ‘chosen’ element he was striving to improve his skills. And it was an interesting dynamic, having him with Janna, who had been given the quest, but rather than being chosen was god-born. I didn’t connect with her as much, but I did like their pairing on the journey, and she certainly grew on me as the story proceeded. Another favourite was Aran’daj, and I also found myself really enjoying the thread that had Dranamir. I will say that there are a lot of characters to keep track of here (fitting for an epic fantasy).
Calvin’s writing really brought this story to life on so many levels, and the action and pacing made this book a quick, enjoyable read that was a lot of fun. It really did feel like I had dived into a classic epic fantasy, and I have already added the other books in this series to my TBR, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this one to anyone who wants to experience that feeling!
As always there is a bonus point for the map!
The worldbuilding was solid and multi-layered, and absolutely my favourite part of the book. I am always a fan of stories that have Gods being directly involved in the world, and here we have multiple gods intervening and moving mortals as pawns according to their own purposes, some nefarious, some selfish, and never really asking permission. I liked the feeling that Calvin gave to her gods, because they felt different to the various races and characters, regardless of their powers or status, and there was a fantastic otherworldly, more-than-human feel to them.
Then there was the world itself. This was very much a journey story, and it is through that quest that we get to see so much of the world unfold – one of my favourite ways to have a world develop, and Calvin has some truly spectacular descriptions to bring the setting alive and we explore it organically with the characters. The Five Kingdoms are home to a rich variety of races and cultures, and Calvin deftly weaves together political intrigue, different beliefs, different gods and their apostles stirring the pot, to a real sense of history (and future, with the goals of some of the sides) to create a rich, complex world that felt both very much alive but also as though it was on the edge and directly involved with the unfolding plot. The Scorpion Men were one of my favourite groups, but I was also fascinated by the Murkor and the Soulless – and honestly Calvin just ticked so many worldbuilding boxes for me.
I’ve been on a kick rewatching The Mummy series in the last week or so, and I immediately flashed to that when reading about the Scorpion Men (half-humanoid/half-scorpion). That may have influenced my favourite character – Vardak. He had a slight element of ‘chosen one’ in that he had been chosen by his patron god Blademon to be his apprentice, but he doesn’t fall into that trope, and I liked him as a protagonist as he was a good balance of quiet and pragmatic (in the way of his people), but also personality, and I liked that even with that ‘chosen’ element he was striving to improve his skills. And it was an interesting dynamic, having him with Janna, who had been given the quest, but rather than being chosen was god-born. I didn’t connect with her as much, but I did like their pairing on the journey, and she certainly grew on me as the story proceeded. Another favourite was Aran’daj, and I also found myself really enjoying the thread that had Dranamir. I will say that there are a lot of characters to keep track of here (fitting for an epic fantasy).
Calvin’s writing really brought this story to life on so many levels, and the action and pacing made this book a quick, enjoyable read that was a lot of fun. It really did feel like I had dived into a classic epic fantasy, and I have already added the other books in this series to my TBR, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this one to anyone who wants to experience that feeling!
July 18, 2022
I loved everything about this story – the rich and intricately woven world building, the complex and intriguing plot, the array of interesting and unique characters. It’s something new and exciting in the epic fantasy world and is filled with gods, magic, curses, destiny and sacrifices, which makes for an addictive read!
I flew through the pages and was gripped from the beginning. A great pace is set and the information is well relayed and interspersed with action, chaos and strategy heightening our interest. I really enjoyed the multiple points of view, their narratives seamlessly weave together and unravel alongside each other, giving a greater understanding of the world and characters, enhancing and deepening the story. The view of the world we get to see is very different depending on whose eyes we see it from adding another immersive layer to the mix.
Vardak is tasked to protect Janna in her quest to retrieve the Moon’s Eye. He is a warrior and a defender trained by the God of War himself and takes his mission seriously. Janna has lived a sheltered life and she’s curious, brave and optimistic. I liked how her and Vardak learn to understand and support each other during their perilous journey, and it was great to see her develop on her individual path. They pick up some helpers along the way and become a tight bonded group. They traverse dangerous terrain, encounter killer foe, and are forced to make an impossible decision with devastating impact.
There is a war between the wizards, good v evil, that’s spilling over into all the kingdoms and the different realms. Allegiances are made, or forced, to do what’s needed to protect their people. I felt for each group and the situations they find themselves in as the Soulless cruelly wreak havoc in the name of their Master, and use their unparalleled power relishing in the death, ruination and turmoil they leave in their path.
It’s the ultimate fight for freedom against the plotting, scheming and power struggles in play in this high stakes war. There’s pulse-pounding action, characters you are rooting for, and everlasting hope amongst the vast helplessness faced. It sets us up perfectly for the second book, and luckily there’s not long to wait!
With thanks to @Escapist_Tours and @AJCalvin for a place on the tour and the opportunity to read and review this book.
I flew through the pages and was gripped from the beginning. A great pace is set and the information is well relayed and interspersed with action, chaos and strategy heightening our interest. I really enjoyed the multiple points of view, their narratives seamlessly weave together and unravel alongside each other, giving a greater understanding of the world and characters, enhancing and deepening the story. The view of the world we get to see is very different depending on whose eyes we see it from adding another immersive layer to the mix.
Vardak is tasked to protect Janna in her quest to retrieve the Moon’s Eye. He is a warrior and a defender trained by the God of War himself and takes his mission seriously. Janna has lived a sheltered life and she’s curious, brave and optimistic. I liked how her and Vardak learn to understand and support each other during their perilous journey, and it was great to see her develop on her individual path. They pick up some helpers along the way and become a tight bonded group. They traverse dangerous terrain, encounter killer foe, and are forced to make an impossible decision with devastating impact.
There is a war between the wizards, good v evil, that’s spilling over into all the kingdoms and the different realms. Allegiances are made, or forced, to do what’s needed to protect their people. I felt for each group and the situations they find themselves in as the Soulless cruelly wreak havoc in the name of their Master, and use their unparalleled power relishing in the death, ruination and turmoil they leave in their path.
It’s the ultimate fight for freedom against the plotting, scheming and power struggles in play in this high stakes war. There’s pulse-pounding action, characters you are rooting for, and everlasting hope amongst the vast helplessness faced. It sets us up perfectly for the second book, and luckily there’s not long to wait!
With thanks to @Escapist_Tours and @AJCalvin for a place on the tour and the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 13, 2022
Vardak is ordered by the god who trained him to accompany a young woman on a quest to recover a magical relic. Even as a trained warrior and fierce Scorpion Man, Vardak does not know if he is prepared for what lies ahead of them, and his charge, Janna, is most definitely not. As they leave on their perilous journey, the Soulless return to the world to wage war and claim it for the great evil one, The Nameless. Everyone's future is dark if they do not stop the Soulless, but will Vardak and Janna find the relic to help in the war?
This is a fabulous start to a fantasy series. The world-building is incredible. There are humans, but not the other races are not the stereotypical ones. I'm fascinated by the Scorpion Men and the Murkor. The reader travels to various settings through the multiple points of view. We see through the eyes of good and evil and all the shades of gray in between. At first, I was a little intimidated by the large cast of characters, but everything fell smoothly into place and I was hooked on the story. The plot has many layers which all weave in and out of each other. Vardak is immediately admirable and I do pity him being chosen by the gods. Janna seemed like a scared and naive girl along for the ride, but she surprised me. I also really enjoyed reading about the Murkor, and how they dealt with the fact the Soulless always forced their people to fight for them when they clearly do not want to do so. Lots of action and magic and great mystical beasts. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
This is a fabulous start to a fantasy series. The world-building is incredible. There are humans, but not the other races are not the stereotypical ones. I'm fascinated by the Scorpion Men and the Murkor. The reader travels to various settings through the multiple points of view. We see through the eyes of good and evil and all the shades of gray in between. At first, I was a little intimidated by the large cast of characters, but everything fell smoothly into place and I was hooked on the story. The plot has many layers which all weave in and out of each other. Vardak is immediately admirable and I do pity him being chosen by the gods. Janna seemed like a scared and naive girl along for the ride, but she surprised me. I also really enjoyed reading about the Murkor, and how they dealt with the fact the Soulless always forced their people to fight for them when they clearly do not want to do so. Lots of action and magic and great mystical beasts. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
July 19, 2022
An epic fantasy and an amazing adventure, this first installment in The Relics of War series is one you’re not going to want to miss if you’re a sword and sorcery fantasy fan.
Vardak is considered the strongest and best warrior of his people, the Scorpion Men, and is favored by the god of war. This success comes at a cost, however, because he must serve this god no matter what. As the story opens, we learn that Vardak has been tasked with protecting the Fire Maiden’s mortal daughter, Janna.
Janna must go on a quest to retrieve a magical relic called The Moon’s Eye but she is inexperienced and, quite frankly, scared to complete her task. But she must, however, for The Moon’s Eye is the only thing that can stop the evil Soulless from rising to power.
Calvin expertly builds a fantastic world of gods and different mortal races. The character development ensures you’re able to find a favorite and root for them. That being said, there are a lot of characters and it did take me several chapters to figure out exactly who was doing what.
Overall, this is a distinctive read!
Vardak is considered the strongest and best warrior of his people, the Scorpion Men, and is favored by the god of war. This success comes at a cost, however, because he must serve this god no matter what. As the story opens, we learn that Vardak has been tasked with protecting the Fire Maiden’s mortal daughter, Janna.
Janna must go on a quest to retrieve a magical relic called The Moon’s Eye but she is inexperienced and, quite frankly, scared to complete her task. But she must, however, for The Moon’s Eye is the only thing that can stop the evil Soulless from rising to power.
Calvin expertly builds a fantastic world of gods and different mortal races. The character development ensures you’re able to find a favorite and root for them. That being said, there are a lot of characters and it did take me several chapters to figure out exactly who was doing what.
Overall, this is a distinctive read!
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January 4, 2022What to say about The Moon’s Eye well, take a journey to the Five Kingdoms and meet some wonderful characters. This story is filled with adventure, danger, excitement, and even a little long lost love. Take a journey with an interesting cast of characters with backgrounds of all sorts.Meet different clans, some humans and some something else. As they travel searching for the Moon’s Eye, will they find it in time to stop the soulless from releasing their Nameless master, who could destroy everything. Travel across the kingdoms with wizards, Murkor and Scorpion Men.Meet the different gods who are on both sides of this war, are they telling their followers everything, do you think they have ulterior motives? If so to what end?Who will succeed in finding the gem first, who will come out the victor in this war? If your looking for a great fantasy or sci fi this is the story for you can’t wait to see what comes next for the heroes and villains of this story.
January 10, 2022
For starts, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one. The unique characters were amazing and the adventure and suspense kept me wanting to read more. The writing provided great detail which made it easy for getting a vision of what the characters and places looked like. Made for a great visualization of the adventure.
January 21, 2022
I absolutely loved reading this book. For starters, I am a huge fan of multiple POV books, so this was a big plus for me. The character I enjoyed the most was Vardak, I mean he is a stoic half scorpion, what more do you need? The other characters were in-depth and well thought out. The story was phenomenal and I am excited for the second book in the series!
January 16, 2022
This is a multi species book with amazing characters. The world building is out of this world!
I will admit that in the beginning, this book was difficult to follow. But once you learn about the characters, it takes off and you can't put it down. I recommend this book for teen to adult.
I will admit that in the beginning, this book was difficult to follow. But once you learn about the characters, it takes off and you can't put it down. I recommend this book for teen to adult.
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April 6, 2023I read this book in preparation for my Blog post for Book 2 and I have to admit despite the fact that I read it pretty quickly, this was a good read. Detailed review for The Moon's Eye will come soon.
January 27, 2022
Excellent!
June 2, 2022
The Moon's Eye was a solid Epic Fantasy tale, and I enjoyed it a lot. Mortals caught in the designs of the gods forge their own path in a world poised on the brink of devastating war. A.J. has given us a good balance of world-building, action-oriented plot, and character development, including a solid amount of each without belaboring any one of them. There are a LOT of characters, though, as the story follows multiple interrelated storylines and rotates POV regularly, so it took me a while before I felt like I had a good handle on many of them, but I thought that was okay. Considering this book is half as long as many epic fantasy books I can name, A.J. packed a ton of stuff in here.
There are a lot of what appear to be homages to The Wheel of Time: an imprisoned Dark Lord served by powerful evil spellcasters who were imprisoned and then get free, a tower where wizards live and train their students in various traditions identified by colors, a strange dream realm that a young student accidentally accesses and that the forces of evil already know how to use. But, in addition to those elements, A.J. gives us a panoply of fantasy races (many of which are very different from anything I've seen before -- hello, Scorpion Men!), a polytheistic pantheon of gods who are very active in the world, knightly orders, subtly subversive servants, monsters, temples, jungle treks, clashing armies, and city sieges. It's a lot of great stuff, and I look forward to reading the next book.
There are a lot of what appear to be homages to The Wheel of Time: an imprisoned Dark Lord served by powerful evil spellcasters who were imprisoned and then get free, a tower where wizards live and train their students in various traditions identified by colors, a strange dream realm that a young student accidentally accesses and that the forces of evil already know how to use. But, in addition to those elements, A.J. gives us a panoply of fantasy races (many of which are very different from anything I've seen before -- hello, Scorpion Men!), a polytheistic pantheon of gods who are very active in the world, knightly orders, subtly subversive servants, monsters, temples, jungle treks, clashing armies, and city sieges. It's a lot of great stuff, and I look forward to reading the next book.
July 18, 2022
a massive thanks to @escapist_tours and @ajcalvin for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The first in The Relics of War series, we follow Vardak, a scorpion man.......yes you read correctly! Chosen by an immortal god to undertake advanced training and right after completing it finds himself sent on a perilous journey to protect Janna, daughter of a Goddess, to locate and secure The Moons Eye, which the God's want as it will help combat the rise of the soulless, the ruthless and evil ones trying to bring back the caged God.
That's all I want to say about the story as I think you should just pick it up and give it a go! This is a great book and a fantastic opening to a series, I loved how the author pays homage to the great fantasy books before, but does so in an original way. It plays with the trope of the God's using mortals for their own gain and also mixes many fascinating races (Scorpion men....I mean its so cool), magic and great characters.
To finish, the pacing was fantastic here, I sometimes find the first in a fantasy series can take a while to get going after alot of introductions etc, but this was quick paced and we got info while the story was going.
I loved this and I think anyone who likes adult fantasy and dark fantasy will enjoy this one.
I cant wait to read the next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The first in The Relics of War series, we follow Vardak, a scorpion man.......yes you read correctly! Chosen by an immortal god to undertake advanced training and right after completing it finds himself sent on a perilous journey to protect Janna, daughter of a Goddess, to locate and secure The Moons Eye, which the God's want as it will help combat the rise of the soulless, the ruthless and evil ones trying to bring back the caged God.
That's all I want to say about the story as I think you should just pick it up and give it a go! This is a great book and a fantastic opening to a series, I loved how the author pays homage to the great fantasy books before, but does so in an original way. It plays with the trope of the God's using mortals for their own gain and also mixes many fascinating races (Scorpion men....I mean its so cool), magic and great characters.
To finish, the pacing was fantastic here, I sometimes find the first in a fantasy series can take a while to get going after alot of introductions etc, but this was quick paced and we got info while the story was going.
I loved this and I think anyone who likes adult fantasy and dark fantasy will enjoy this one.
I cant wait to read the next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 7, 2023
I highly enjoyed this book! It brought a unique world to life, inhabited by scorpion people, powerful and vengeful gods, and a group of evil beings who seem bent on destroying and controlling the world at the behest of a nameless god.
As I read, I was reminded of classic sword and sorcery stories involving dungeons, wizards, and special relics. However, this book added some twists on classic tropes that were refreshing.
Perhaps someday this setting could be translated into a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and I would certainly play it! I am also looking forward to the next book.
As I read, I was reminded of classic sword and sorcery stories involving dungeons, wizards, and special relics. However, this book added some twists on classic tropes that were refreshing.
Perhaps someday this setting could be translated into a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and I would certainly play it! I am also looking forward to the next book.
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