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Quest for Heroes #2
The Warrior: Quest for Heroes, Book II
The story of Kell Kressia continues in Book II of the gripping fantasy duology. Kell, two time saviour of the Five Kingdoms, is now the King of Algany. He has fame, power, respect, and has never been more miserable…Bound, by duty and responsibility, Kell is King only in name. Trapped in a loveless marriage, he leaves affairs of state to his wife, Sigrid. When his old friend, Willow, turns up asking him to go on a journey to her homeland he can’t wait to leave.The Malice, a malevolent poison that alters everything it infects, runs rampant across Willow’s homeland. Desperate to find a cure her cousin, Ravvi, is willing to try a dark ritual which could damn her people forever. Journeying to a distant land, Kell and his companions must stop Ravvi before it’s too late.While Kell is away Reverend Mother Britak’s plans come to a head. Queen Sigrid must find a way to protect her family and her nation, but against such a ruthless opponent, something has to give…
419 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 9, 2022
73 people are currently reading
1265 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Aryan
17 books756 followersI’m a lifelong fan of fantasy and science fiction. It started with The Hobbit, The Belgariad, the Earthsea books, the Shannara books, DragonLance and then David Gemmell, who was a huge influence on my writing.
My novels include:-
The Nightingale and the Falcon trilogy
The Judas Blossom (July 2023)
The Blood Dimmed Tide (9 July 2024)
The Judas Blossom 3 (July 2025)
The Quest for Heroes duology
-The Coward (June 2021)
- The Warrior (August 2022)
Age of Darkness (first trilogy)
- Battlemage
- Bloodmage
- Chaosmage
Age of Dread (second trilogy)
-Mageborn
-Magefall
-Magebane
A prequel novella to everything, Of Gods and Men, was published in February 2018.
I am represented by Juliet Mushens of Mushens Entertainment.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
April 12, 2022
This was a pleasant surprise!
Last year, I read The Coward, the first instalment in this series, and gave it four stars. I enjoyed my time reading The Coward, but some things were holding it back from being fantastic. Firstly, the book relied quite heavily on classical fantasy tropes, and the “quest trope” rarely works well for me. Moreover, some of the action scenes felt unnecessary and random in the first book. However, Aryan still was able to get me invested in Kell and his story, which made me want to continue with this series. So what did I think?
If you’ve read The Coward, you know that it reads like a standalone in many ways. Therefore, I was interested to see how Aryan would continue this story after the conclusion in The Coward. Let me start by saying that The Warrior is an improvement in nearly every way.
Firstly, Aryan introduces various new POVs, side characters, and locations to the story, adding another element of complexity. Moreover, I had a great time following all the new POVs. While The Coward is very much the story of Kell, The Warrior is much more a story about the kingdom and an existential threat threatening the lives of millions. Aryan takes time to flesh out the characters by giving the readers insights into their background, thoughts and struggles, making them feel more compelling and intriguing. I also loved seeing these characters grow and mature throughout the story!
Moreover, the plot in The Warrior is significantly more compelling, creative and captivating. Due to spoilers, I won’t get into details, but I would recommend readers who enjoyed The Coward to pick up this book. The Warrior is a considerable step-up in storytelling, characterisation and world-building!
However, this series does have some slight flaws. Although the characterisation is a step up from The Coward, most of the characters do not have much depth. If you are looking for a fantasy series that analyses characters in great detail, you won’t find it here. Moreover, Aryan’s battle scenes do, for some reason, not captivate me. Battle scenes rarely captivate me, but some authors, such as John Gwynne and R.F. Kuang, are able to get me invested in fight scenes. Unfortunately, Aryan wasn’t able to do that. Lastly, one of the plotlines in The Warrior has the “quest trope”. I know many readers do not enjoy quest stories, but Aryan does make an effort at putting some interesting twists on this trope in this story. I would encourage you not to let the “quest trope” put you off!
The Warrior is a compelling story with memorable characters and a riveting pace. Aryan has improved on everything that made The Coward great. The Warrior is an entertaining, complex and exciting story that most fantasy readers will enjoy! I had a great time reading this book and will keep an eye out for what Stephen Aryan will publish next!
4 / 5
Thanks to AngryRobots for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to my Patreons Erin, DentThe Artair and Blake <3
Last year, I read The Coward, the first instalment in this series, and gave it four stars. I enjoyed my time reading The Coward, but some things were holding it back from being fantastic. Firstly, the book relied quite heavily on classical fantasy tropes, and the “quest trope” rarely works well for me. Moreover, some of the action scenes felt unnecessary and random in the first book. However, Aryan still was able to get me invested in Kell and his story, which made me want to continue with this series. So what did I think?
If you’ve read The Coward, you know that it reads like a standalone in many ways. Therefore, I was interested to see how Aryan would continue this story after the conclusion in The Coward. Let me start by saying that The Warrior is an improvement in nearly every way.
Firstly, Aryan introduces various new POVs, side characters, and locations to the story, adding another element of complexity. Moreover, I had a great time following all the new POVs. While The Coward is very much the story of Kell, The Warrior is much more a story about the kingdom and an existential threat threatening the lives of millions. Aryan takes time to flesh out the characters by giving the readers insights into their background, thoughts and struggles, making them feel more compelling and intriguing. I also loved seeing these characters grow and mature throughout the story!
Moreover, the plot in The Warrior is significantly more compelling, creative and captivating. Due to spoilers, I won’t get into details, but I would recommend readers who enjoyed The Coward to pick up this book. The Warrior is a considerable step-up in storytelling, characterisation and world-building!
However, this series does have some slight flaws. Although the characterisation is a step up from The Coward, most of the characters do not have much depth. If you are looking for a fantasy series that analyses characters in great detail, you won’t find it here. Moreover, Aryan’s battle scenes do, for some reason, not captivate me. Battle scenes rarely captivate me, but some authors, such as John Gwynne and R.F. Kuang, are able to get me invested in fight scenes. Unfortunately, Aryan wasn’t able to do that. Lastly, one of the plotlines in The Warrior has the “quest trope”. I know many readers do not enjoy quest stories, but Aryan does make an effort at putting some interesting twists on this trope in this story. I would encourage you not to let the “quest trope” put you off!
The Warrior is a compelling story with memorable characters and a riveting pace. Aryan has improved on everything that made The Coward great. The Warrior is an entertaining, complex and exciting story that most fantasy readers will enjoy! I had a great time reading this book and will keep an eye out for what Stephen Aryan will publish next!
4 / 5
Thanks to AngryRobots for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to my Patreons Erin, DentThe Artair and Blake <3
June 19, 2022
Full review to come on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/hollyheartsbooks
March 27, 2023
Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
DNF at 80%. Oye. Here's the DNF Q&A:
Did you really give The Warrior a chance?
Oh yes. More than I should have, really. I made it 80% of the way through before deciding to throw in the towel.
Have you enjoyed other books in the same genre before?
As Fantasy is my favorite genre, I’d say yes. This wasn’t a case of not liking the type of story, but rather issues with the execution. Here are some great titles I thought comparable to the series:
Did you have certain expectations before starting it?
I enjoyed the first book in the duology (The Coward) enough to buy myself a copy of this book. I was reasonably sure I’d like it and was actually predicting it would be better than the first book. At the very least I expected it to deliver what was promised on the back of the book (we’ll get into that shortly).
What ultimately made you stop reading?
I got fed up. The whole premise of the story was that the fantastically enigmatic non-human main character called Willow needed help with something in her home country. I signed up for the experience of getting to see her culture and all of the cool world-building that entailed.
The trouble is, even as far in as 80%, there were practically NO insights into her people. We reached a town, but there were no descriptors of this town even just as a town, let alone how it differed from anything you’d find in human society. We also didn’t get any additional depth to Willow’s character more than just seeing a little more emotion from her. It was a massive disappointment.
Most of the book was about the two main characters discussing Willow’s problem, reiterating Willow’s problem, then traveling and camping while, you guessed it, talking about Willow’s problem. This would’ve been okay had there been other plot points and world-building nuggets to draw me along, but as it was it felt like a complete waste of pages.
Well, saying there weren’t other plot points is a bit inaccurate, which leads me to my “misleading book summary” gripe: there was a random character included in the story (Odde was his name) who as far as I read had the only compelling conflicts… of the supernatural variety. O_o say what? I tell you, it was so bizarre. There’s this random new character with a problem that didn’t fit into the structure of the world at all and yet he ended up with the most plot-progression and page count. I didn’t want a book about Odde. I wanted a book about Willow.
When it hit the 80% mark and became clear my desires for the story weren’t going to be realized, I set it down in disappointment. Folks, I made it 80 percent into a quick fantasy read and decided it wasn’t worth my time to see where it ended.
Was there anything you liked about The Warrior?
I liked the basic flow of the writing. It’s very accessible and one of the main reasons I enjoyed the first book. While that remained the same, everything else dropped in quality.
Would you read anything else by this author?
Ooooh this is harsh, but I took his other works off my TBR after my experience with this. I may try future books from him, but no longer have any interest in his backlist.
So you DNF’d the book – would you still recommend it?
Despite how much I really didn’t like The Warrior, I’d still endorse The Coward as a fun, lighthearted fantasy read. I know a few people who liked The Warrior, but I just can’t get past the disappointment enough to feel comfortable endorsing it.
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Katrin, Melissa, Derek, Tonya, Betsy, Mike, and Jen! <3
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
DNF at 80%. Oye. Here's the DNF Q&A:
Did you really give The Warrior a chance?
Oh yes. More than I should have, really. I made it 80% of the way through before deciding to throw in the towel.
Have you enjoyed other books in the same genre before?
As Fantasy is my favorite genre, I’d say yes. This wasn’t a case of not liking the type of story, but rather issues with the execution. Here are some great titles I thought comparable to the series:
Did you have certain expectations before starting it?
I enjoyed the first book in the duology (The Coward) enough to buy myself a copy of this book. I was reasonably sure I’d like it and was actually predicting it would be better than the first book. At the very least I expected it to deliver what was promised on the back of the book (we’ll get into that shortly).
What ultimately made you stop reading?
I got fed up. The whole premise of the story was that the fantastically enigmatic non-human main character called Willow needed help with something in her home country. I signed up for the experience of getting to see her culture and all of the cool world-building that entailed.
The trouble is, even as far in as 80%, there were practically NO insights into her people. We reached a town, but there were no descriptors of this town even just as a town, let alone how it differed from anything you’d find in human society. We also didn’t get any additional depth to Willow’s character more than just seeing a little more emotion from her. It was a massive disappointment.
Most of the book was about the two main characters discussing Willow’s problem, reiterating Willow’s problem, then traveling and camping while, you guessed it, talking about Willow’s problem. This would’ve been okay had there been other plot points and world-building nuggets to draw me along, but as it was it felt like a complete waste of pages.
Well, saying there weren’t other plot points is a bit inaccurate, which leads me to my “misleading book summary” gripe: there was a random character included in the story (Odde was his name) who as far as I read had the only compelling conflicts… of the supernatural variety. O_o say what? I tell you, it was so bizarre. There’s this random new character with a problem that didn’t fit into the structure of the world at all and yet he ended up with the most plot-progression and page count. I didn’t want a book about Odde. I wanted a book about Willow.
When it hit the 80% mark and became clear my desires for the story weren’t going to be realized, I set it down in disappointment. Folks, I made it 80 percent into a quick fantasy read and decided it wasn’t worth my time to see where it ended.
Was there anything you liked about The Warrior?
I liked the basic flow of the writing. It’s very accessible and one of the main reasons I enjoyed the first book. While that remained the same, everything else dropped in quality.
Would you read anything else by this author?
Ooooh this is harsh, but I took his other works off my TBR after my experience with this. I may try future books from him, but no longer have any interest in his backlist.
So you DNF’d the book – would you still recommend it?
Despite how much I really didn’t like The Warrior, I’d still endorse The Coward as a fun, lighthearted fantasy read. I know a few people who liked The Warrior, but I just can’t get past the disappointment enough to feel comfortable endorsing it.
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Katrin, Melissa, Derek, Tonya, Betsy, Mike, and Jen! <3
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
April 20, 2023
4/5 I really enjoyed this book!!! Kell and Willow are an awesome combo.
The true shining light here is Sigrid. Her character expansion was something special to behold.
I have to say the structure of the book is really interesting and the pacing frenetic. Once again I must say that Aryan is the true successor to David Gemmell.
While I really enjoyed this book I did not love it as much as The Coward. I found the raven body guards to not be as compelling as the band from the coward. I also wanted to know more about the Shepard and explore the ramifications of the history surrounding the church. Since this is a duology i had hoping to get those answers and I didn’t.
Aside from those minor gripes Stephen Aryan has done it again and wrote a heroic fantasy that would make Gemmell proud.
The true shining light here is Sigrid. Her character expansion was something special to behold.
I have to say the structure of the book is really interesting and the pacing frenetic. Once again I must say that Aryan is the true successor to David Gemmell.
While I really enjoyed this book I did not love it as much as The Coward. I found the raven body guards to not be as compelling as the band from the coward. I also wanted to know more about the Shepard and explore the ramifications of the history surrounding the church. Since this is a duology i had hoping to get those answers and I didn’t.
Aside from those minor gripes Stephen Aryan has done it again and wrote a heroic fantasy that would make Gemmell proud.
August 10, 2022
Kell Kressia is back, married to Sigrid now and the King of Algany. Willow is also back with a huge ask that takes Kell away from his family for quite a few years.
I'm going to *duck behind the couch* and say that I liked The Coward a lot more than The Warrior. It was nice to see Kell off on another heroic quest, even if none of the humans understood it. I liked Sigrid the most as she dealt the crazy old Reverend Mother and the five kingdoms. I wanted more from the Queen and appreciated her arc the most.
Where Aryan kind of lost me was in his shift from low fantasy to the more magical elements. I got to ask him about it in the Q & A on the SFF Oasis discord and understood what he was saying about wanting to change it up, but it was too strange for me to introduce so much newness into book 2. Odd's ... Thing ... What the heck was it? I would have loved the two other questers from book one back, or at least an update but their story was done. I also didn't feel for Odd or Yarra at all, so a lot of the book felt harder to get through.
The ending went from near catastrophe to more or less resolved, real quick, which was OK from a wrap up standpoint but The Warrior wasn't nearly as light as The Coward, and I just ended up with a lot of mixed feelings
I'm going to *duck behind the couch* and say that I liked The Coward a lot more than The Warrior. It was nice to see Kell off on another heroic quest, even if none of the humans understood it. I liked Sigrid the most as she dealt the crazy old Reverend Mother and the five kingdoms. I wanted more from the Queen and appreciated her arc the most.
Where Aryan kind of lost me was in his shift from low fantasy to the more magical elements. I got to ask him about it in the Q & A on the SFF Oasis discord and understood what he was saying about wanting to change it up, but it was too strange for me to introduce so much newness into book 2. Odd's ... Thing ... What the heck was it? I would have loved the two other questers from book one back, or at least an update but their story was done. I also didn't feel for Odd or Yarra at all, so a lot of the book felt harder to get through.
The ending went from near catastrophe to more or less resolved, real quick, which was OK from a wrap up standpoint but The Warrior wasn't nearly as light as The Coward, and I just ended up with a lot of mixed feelings
February 9, 2025
4.5 stars 🌟
Thoroughly enjoyed this even more than the first book but there was a glaring problem with this book that made me reduce it a little, which I will bring up later.
This book begins with a time jump. Kell is now the King, Sigird is his wife and they have a son. Willow comes back to the kingdom to ask for help to save her people which Kell agrees and brings a group of warriors with him.
Pros:
I enjoyed the fact that Kell kind of takes a backseat in this book. Yes he’s still a major POV character but he’s far from the most entertaining while Sigird and Odd were so fun to read about.
The worldbuilding as far as describing the landscape and creatures of Willow’s world was top tier. The creatures are incredibly evil and unique and that is refreshing. One of my pet peeves is some fantasy authors just describing an actual animal like a Tiger but just changing a small part and calling it a “Tyger”. Well that’s not to be seen with an Aryan book.
The fight scene between Odd and one of the creatures was one of the best chapters I’ve ever read.
Cons:
I expected more lore and culture worldbuilding of Willow’s people or even Willow herself, which there was literally none with the exception of her describing what is destroying her land and people. Aryan missed a huge opportunity to fully flesh out these strange people.
All in all I loved this series and wish he wrote more books
My top 5 Favorite books of 2024 so far:
Dragons of Deepwood Fern by Bradley Beaulieu
Son of the black sword by Larry Correia
King Killing Queen by Shawn Speakman
Krampus by Brom
Impact Winter by Travis Beacham
Thoroughly enjoyed this even more than the first book but there was a glaring problem with this book that made me reduce it a little, which I will bring up later.
This book begins with a time jump. Kell is now the King, Sigird is his wife and they have a son. Willow comes back to the kingdom to ask for help to save her people which Kell agrees and brings a group of warriors with him.
Pros:
I enjoyed the fact that Kell kind of takes a backseat in this book. Yes he’s still a major POV character but he’s far from the most entertaining while Sigird and Odd were so fun to read about.
The worldbuilding as far as describing the landscape and creatures of Willow’s world was top tier. The creatures are incredibly evil and unique and that is refreshing. One of my pet peeves is some fantasy authors just describing an actual animal like a Tiger but just changing a small part and calling it a “Tyger”. Well that’s not to be seen with an Aryan book.
The fight scene between Odd and one of the creatures was one of the best chapters I’ve ever read.
Cons:
I expected more lore and culture worldbuilding of Willow’s people or even Willow herself, which there was literally none with the exception of her describing what is destroying her land and people. Aryan missed a huge opportunity to fully flesh out these strange people.
All in all I loved this series and wish he wrote more books
My top 5 Favorite books of 2024 so far:
Dragons of Deepwood Fern by Bradley Beaulieu
Son of the black sword by Larry Correia
King Killing Queen by Shawn Speakman
Krampus by Brom
Impact Winter by Travis Beacham
September 21, 2022
Overall I liked this follow-up and ending for The Quest for Heroes. I think I was a bit less engaged in the story overall compared to The Coward but it was still enjoyable. I think exploring the areas of the world that were the focus of this were cool but nothing tops the interest of the frozen north and the villain of book one.
August 9, 2022
I received an advanced review copy of The Warrior by from the publisher, Angry Robot Books.
First of all, it’s a beauty. I love the almost-minimalist design and the colours are great on their own but also complement The Coward very nicely when they are together.
When an old friend comes calling, Kell Kressia takes up his sword once more to fulfil a promise. Well, it’s not just to fulfil a promise—Kell is a figurehead king in a loveless marriage, and the Alfár Willow gives him the opportunity he’s been waiting for: to get away from it all.
Kell, Willow, and their small band head into the homeland of the Alfár to find a cure for a malevolent poison that’s eating its way across the land.
The worldbuilding here takes an interesting turn as we get into the Alfár lands and I like the impact this has on the characters and their place in the wider world.
While I didn’t get as much out of Kell’s companions as I did in The Coward, this is countered by the addition of Sigrid’s POV. I like the different perspective we get on Kell and the kingdom through her eyes, and it helps to develop the story overall, as well as just those characters.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as I did The Coward. The Coward was very much unique, and while I like how The Warrior didn’t just try to replicate the formula, I think part of the appeal was the novelty value that we got in the first book.
This was still a really enjoyable read however. The storytelling and characterisation are excellent and the writing is just so accessible and free flowing. Combined with The Coward, this makes a superb duology.
First of all, it’s a beauty. I love the almost-minimalist design and the colours are great on their own but also complement The Coward very nicely when they are together.
When an old friend comes calling, Kell Kressia takes up his sword once more to fulfil a promise. Well, it’s not just to fulfil a promise—Kell is a figurehead king in a loveless marriage, and the Alfár Willow gives him the opportunity he’s been waiting for: to get away from it all.
Kell, Willow, and their small band head into the homeland of the Alfár to find a cure for a malevolent poison that’s eating its way across the land.
The worldbuilding here takes an interesting turn as we get into the Alfár lands and I like the impact this has on the characters and their place in the wider world.
While I didn’t get as much out of Kell’s companions as I did in The Coward, this is countered by the addition of Sigrid’s POV. I like the different perspective we get on Kell and the kingdom through her eyes, and it helps to develop the story overall, as well as just those characters.
Overall, I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as I did The Coward. The Coward was very much unique, and while I like how The Warrior didn’t just try to replicate the formula, I think part of the appeal was the novelty value that we got in the first book.
This was still a really enjoyable read however. The storytelling and characterisation are excellent and the writing is just so accessible and free flowing. Combined with The Coward, this makes a superb duology.
August 5, 2022
4.5/5 Stars rounded to 5 Stars
I received an eArc in exchange for an honest review from the publisher, AngryRobot.
The Warrior is an epic conclusion in the Quest of Heroes Duology. This fantasy novel picks up after The Coward and follows multiple characters within the Five Kingdoms through various adventures.
The story of Kell Kressia continues, as a two-time saviour of the Five Kingdoms and now, King of Algany. While Kell is now King, he let’s his wife Sigrid handle the Kingdom and their relationship is both distant and strained. Willow returns to ask Kell for his help in her homeland and as promised, he agrees.
A poison spreads through Willows homeland and infects all life, both in mind and body. All the while, Reverend Mother Britak makes her move in the Five Kingdoms. We get various plots throughout the story, which gives a deeper look into the world and characters.
Returning to Algany and seeing how Kell has faired since the ending of The Coward was wonderful. While Kell’s character has grown in some ways, he seemed to have stagnated in others. We are also introduced to points of views from Queen Sigrid, along with two new characters, Yara and Odd.
While all the characters have their own internal struggles, I found myself loving Queen Sigrid’s POV and I truly enjoyed her character arc. She felt like the star of this one for me and is on my list of strong female characters. There was lots of great character development across the cast, and I really enjoyed seeing their individual journeys.
The world building was excellent and was more explored than The Coward. We continue to see action packed adventures and the quest trope. I will say, the quest trope did feel different from The Coward and kept me on the edge of my seat through the story.
The pacing was medium to fast, and I encountered several moments that made The Warrior hard to put down. Aryan’s writing is captivating, with lots of engaging scenes.
There is one area that felt rushed to me and was a bit unsatisfying. I would have also liked a bit more exploration or time with the story, as there were continually aspects that are brought up and left with a bit of mystery.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Warrior. A great read and a duology I’d recommend to any classic fantasy fans out there.
I received an eArc in exchange for an honest review from the publisher, AngryRobot.
The Warrior is an epic conclusion in the Quest of Heroes Duology. This fantasy novel picks up after The Coward and follows multiple characters within the Five Kingdoms through various adventures.
The story of Kell Kressia continues, as a two-time saviour of the Five Kingdoms and now, King of Algany. While Kell is now King, he let’s his wife Sigrid handle the Kingdom and their relationship is both distant and strained. Willow returns to ask Kell for his help in her homeland and as promised, he agrees.
A poison spreads through Willows homeland and infects all life, both in mind and body. All the while, Reverend Mother Britak makes her move in the Five Kingdoms. We get various plots throughout the story, which gives a deeper look into the world and characters.
Returning to Algany and seeing how Kell has faired since the ending of The Coward was wonderful. While Kell’s character has grown in some ways, he seemed to have stagnated in others. We are also introduced to points of views from Queen Sigrid, along with two new characters, Yara and Odd.
While all the characters have their own internal struggles, I found myself loving Queen Sigrid’s POV and I truly enjoyed her character arc. She felt like the star of this one for me and is on my list of strong female characters. There was lots of great character development across the cast, and I really enjoyed seeing their individual journeys.
The world building was excellent and was more explored than The Coward. We continue to see action packed adventures and the quest trope. I will say, the quest trope did feel different from The Coward and kept me on the edge of my seat through the story.
The pacing was medium to fast, and I encountered several moments that made The Warrior hard to put down. Aryan’s writing is captivating, with lots of engaging scenes.
There is one area that felt rushed to me and was a bit unsatisfying. I would have also liked a bit more exploration or time with the story, as there were continually aspects that are brought up and left with a bit of mystery.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Warrior. A great read and a duology I’d recommend to any classic fantasy fans out there.
July 27, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Angry Robot Books for providing me with an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. I'll split this review into the positives and negatives for me, before a recommendation for the series as a whole.
The book was enjoyable, well-paced, and brought some complexities that the first book lacked. Some new characters, some old faces. One of the new side characters, Odd was my favorite thing about this read. His story took me by surprise and had me hooked till the end.
If you liked book 1, I recommend picking up this one because it combines elements from the first while also shaking things up a fair bit.
We have a bit of a situation with two stories progressing in parallel in this one, and one tale definitely outweighed the other for me. So definitely issues with regard to balancing POV/page time with reference to the story being told for the set of characters in question. Furthermore, it feels a bit disjointed from book 1. The continuity between the two feels a bit shaky. I feel like I could almost read book 2 without having read book 1 and get away with it. Similar to Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates - while the books are definitely linked it's practically two different stories.
The ending might've been a little simplistic in nature, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Keeping that last point in mind, I'd recommend this duology to anyone starting out in fantasy. Stephen Aryan is very talented at writing a vibrant world and a quest plotline, and anyone can get into a good time with this fun crew of characters. Easy-to-read prose, a very relatable main character, and short chapters make this a solid entry for beginners in adult fantasy, but also something a veteran might enjoy. 7.5/10.
The Warrior comes out on August 9th, 2022. Thank you :)
The book was enjoyable, well-paced, and brought some complexities that the first book lacked. Some new characters, some old faces. One of the new side characters, Odd was my favorite thing about this read. His story took me by surprise and had me hooked till the end.
If you liked book 1, I recommend picking up this one because it combines elements from the first while also shaking things up a fair bit.
We have a bit of a situation with two stories progressing in parallel in this one, and one tale definitely outweighed the other for me. So definitely issues with regard to balancing POV/page time with reference to the story being told for the set of characters in question. Furthermore, it feels a bit disjointed from book 1. The continuity between the two feels a bit shaky. I feel like I could almost read book 2 without having read book 1 and get away with it. Similar to Gardens of the Moon and Deadhouse Gates - while the books are definitely linked it's practically two different stories.
The ending might've been a little simplistic in nature, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Keeping that last point in mind, I'd recommend this duology to anyone starting out in fantasy. Stephen Aryan is very talented at writing a vibrant world and a quest plotline, and anyone can get into a good time with this fun crew of characters. Easy-to-read prose, a very relatable main character, and short chapters make this a solid entry for beginners in adult fantasy, but also something a veteran might enjoy. 7.5/10.
The Warrior comes out on August 9th, 2022. Thank you :)
January 3, 2026
I'm a big fan of Stephen Aryan. His "The Nightingale and the Falcon" trilogy (The Judas Blossom) was utterly brilliant Historical Fantasy. And I also absolutely loved his Sword and Sorcery novel "The Coward".
So it is with great pain that I say that this book, while good, is a significant step down in quality.
I did really enjoy how quickly Aryan patched up Kell and Sigrid's relationship. Another author would have dragged it out the entire book, but Aryan did a good job of reminding the characters why they are in their positions.
Unfortunately, this book had much more melancholy than the first book did, and as a result I didn't care for the main story with Kell Kressia. It was much more ethereal and mystical and less straight forward than the first book. There's a lot of visions and metaphorical things happening than in the previous book.
However, I absolutely loved Sigrid's story in this book. Her storyline had me hooked throughout and had the entire book been hers it would be a top tier book. I loved seeing what was happening with "the faith" and what she was doing in terms of governing, self-sacrifice, and taking action into her own hands. My only complaint was we saw her once every 3-5 chapters dedicated to Kell, and it should have been the other way around. So many elements of Sigrid's plotline felt like they were smushed into 1 chapter rather than be spread out.
So yet again, the B-plot was much more interesting than the A-plot of the book. But had the B-plot this time been the A-plot instead, I think I would have rated the book much higher.
Overall, while this is still a "good" book, I think it pales in comparison to the other 4 Stephen Aryan books I've read. Yet, I'm still super excited to read his other novels that I have remaining, as he is still a fantastic author.
But for this book, I'll give it a 7 out of 10. Good, just disappointing in ways.
So it is with great pain that I say that this book, while good, is a significant step down in quality.
I did really enjoy how quickly Aryan patched up Kell and Sigrid's relationship. Another author would have dragged it out the entire book, but Aryan did a good job of reminding the characters why they are in their positions.
Unfortunately, this book had much more melancholy than the first book did, and as a result I didn't care for the main story with Kell Kressia. It was much more ethereal and mystical and less straight forward than the first book. There's a lot of visions and metaphorical things happening than in the previous book.
However, I absolutely loved Sigrid's story in this book. Her storyline had me hooked throughout and had the entire book been hers it would be a top tier book. I loved seeing what was happening with "the faith" and what she was doing in terms of governing, self-sacrifice, and taking action into her own hands. My only complaint was we saw her once every 3-5 chapters dedicated to Kell, and it should have been the other way around. So many elements of Sigrid's plotline felt like they were smushed into 1 chapter rather than be spread out.
So yet again, the B-plot was much more interesting than the A-plot of the book. But had the B-plot this time been the A-plot instead, I think I would have rated the book much higher.
Overall, while this is still a "good" book, I think it pales in comparison to the other 4 Stephen Aryan books I've read. Yet, I'm still super excited to read his other novels that I have remaining, as he is still a fantastic author.
But for this book, I'll give it a 7 out of 10. Good, just disappointing in ways.
April 7, 2022
Wow. What a book. What an adventure. I feel exhausted after the thrill ride I've just been on. My nerves are in shreds. This is everything I loved about The Coward turned up to 11. Buy this book people, and thank me later
February 18, 2023
Apparently I hold the unpopular opinion that this book was a big disappointment. Very little of what I enjoyed about the The Coward is present in this sequel, and I do not have much of anything positive to say here. The new quest that Kell and company undertake here had potential, allowing us explore Willow's character and her people in more depth, but that was a complete missed opportunity. Kell and Willow were the main returning characters featured in The Warrior, but it was as if the author forgot about them, or at least forgot to develop them in a way that gave them any depth whatsoever. Instead they were mere shells of what they were in the previous book.
The character who seemed to have the most focus and development in this book was Odd (yes, that is actually his name). He was actually a fairly interesting character, but he was not featured in The Coward and feels oddly out of place in this book, almost as if the author had an idea to write a story featuring this character, and worked it into this sequel where he does not actually belong. It just did not work for me. The other character featured prominently here was Sigrid, who had a separate story arc that played out in parallel to the quest of Kell and company. This was the part of the book that I found to be the most compelling, but after some time her arc became increasingly stereotypical and far to rushed for it to seem like it was progressing in a natural and believable manner. In fact, the entire ending portion of the book concluded much to quickly and conveniently.
Therefore I cannot honestly recommend this book. The Coward had a pretty satisfying conclusion, and can be read as a standalone. In my opinion, it probably should have remained as such.
The character who seemed to have the most focus and development in this book was Odd (yes, that is actually his name). He was actually a fairly interesting character, but he was not featured in The Coward and feels oddly out of place in this book, almost as if the author had an idea to write a story featuring this character, and worked it into this sequel where he does not actually belong. It just did not work for me. The other character featured prominently here was Sigrid, who had a separate story arc that played out in parallel to the quest of Kell and company. This was the part of the book that I found to be the most compelling, but after some time her arc became increasingly stereotypical and far to rushed for it to seem like it was progressing in a natural and believable manner. In fact, the entire ending portion of the book concluded much to quickly and conveniently.
Therefore I cannot honestly recommend this book. The Coward had a pretty satisfying conclusion, and can be read as a standalone. In my opinion, it probably should have remained as such.
July 12, 2022
Avis Lecture 🧐📖 "The Warrior", Qu'est for Heroes 2, Stephen Aryan ⚔️
Copie en Avant Première, reçue dans le cadre de mon partenariat avec @angryrobotbooks
Conclusion de la duologie qui débute par "The Coward" (qui d'ailleurs peut être lu en stand alone), il me tardait de découvrir ce tome qui sort le 9 août prochain 🤩
Il m'avait fallu 24h pour lire le tome 1, où l'on suivait Kell, seul rescapé et héros présumé du Grand Nord. Dans ce tome 2, on découvre la suite de ses aventures ou plutôt de sa vie aux côtés de Sigrid, sa femme, qui d'ailleurs partage son point de vue dans ce volume. Soyons clair, j'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé Sigrid, avoir un personnage féminin dans cet univers donne vraiment une nouvelle dynamique au récit. Sigrid est une femme de caractère, une épouse et une mère, j'avoue avoir préféré ses passages à ceux de Kell d'ailleurs ici 😍
Bien que le récit se base sur une nouvelle menace, je n'ai pas été plus emballé par celle ci, et j'ai trouvé le tome 1 plus original du fait de l'intrigue basée sur "La Légende de Kell" et ce personnage, lâche, qu'il représente. Donc préférence pour le tome 1 🤩
Ceci étant, ça reste du Stephen Aryan : sa plume est fluide, ça se lit très facilement et encore une fois, mettre en avant Sigrid était une très bonne idée à mon sens 😁👍
English in comments ⬇️
Copie en Avant Première, reçue dans le cadre de mon partenariat avec @angryrobotbooks
Conclusion de la duologie qui débute par "The Coward" (qui d'ailleurs peut être lu en stand alone), il me tardait de découvrir ce tome qui sort le 9 août prochain 🤩
Il m'avait fallu 24h pour lire le tome 1, où l'on suivait Kell, seul rescapé et héros présumé du Grand Nord. Dans ce tome 2, on découvre la suite de ses aventures ou plutôt de sa vie aux côtés de Sigrid, sa femme, qui d'ailleurs partage son point de vue dans ce volume. Soyons clair, j'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé Sigrid, avoir un personnage féminin dans cet univers donne vraiment une nouvelle dynamique au récit. Sigrid est une femme de caractère, une épouse et une mère, j'avoue avoir préféré ses passages à ceux de Kell d'ailleurs ici 😍
Bien que le récit se base sur une nouvelle menace, je n'ai pas été plus emballé par celle ci, et j'ai trouvé le tome 1 plus original du fait de l'intrigue basée sur "La Légende de Kell" et ce personnage, lâche, qu'il représente. Donc préférence pour le tome 1 🤩
Ceci étant, ça reste du Stephen Aryan : sa plume est fluide, ça se lit très facilement et encore une fois, mettre en avant Sigrid était une très bonne idée à mon sens 😁👍
English in comments ⬇️
July 12, 2022
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The Warrior is an enjoyable fantasy book that toes the line between a 3 and 4 star book.
It continues where it left off in The Coward and this is where I enjoyed the story most. When Kell and his wife Sigrid, were still together in the same place. Not long into the book they split up as Kell returns a favour to a friend and travels with them on a deadly mission and this then splits the story into two.
The first part of the story and one I preferred is political and intense with Sigrid in control of the Five Kingdoms. The second part of the story, which reads parallel to the first, is about Kell and his journey. This had an adventure feel to it that juggled action and travelling.
I really liked the new characters Stephen added into this world and I feel that without these characters this would have been nowhere near as good. They each bring something new to the world and provide a unique insight whether they're from the Ravens or are an Alfár. I liked how they each had their own issues and this was touched upon in a clever way as they dealt with the threats they faced.
There are action scenes in this book but they seem to lose momentum at times or possibly go on too long for what reason I'm not sure as I felt if they were condensed and altered in pace they could provide great reading.
One of my issues with The Coward was the travelling part and unfortunately The Warrior suffers in this department again slightly. The time is filled in generally with some kind of character development but I found myself skipping ahead to see how much longer till the next chapter.
I liked the characters but wanted a bit more depth and I wished the story hadn't been split so much but understand why this was done. It's my opinion that I think those who would enjoy this the most are light fantasy readers. I suspect that if you are a hardcore epic fantasy reader I think you might find this a little too tame for your tastes.
The Warrior is an enjoyable fantasy book that toes the line between a 3 and 4 star book.
It continues where it left off in The Coward and this is where I enjoyed the story most. When Kell and his wife Sigrid, were still together in the same place. Not long into the book they split up as Kell returns a favour to a friend and travels with them on a deadly mission and this then splits the story into two.
The first part of the story and one I preferred is political and intense with Sigrid in control of the Five Kingdoms. The second part of the story, which reads parallel to the first, is about Kell and his journey. This had an adventure feel to it that juggled action and travelling.
I really liked the new characters Stephen added into this world and I feel that without these characters this would have been nowhere near as good. They each bring something new to the world and provide a unique insight whether they're from the Ravens or are an Alfár. I liked how they each had their own issues and this was touched upon in a clever way as they dealt with the threats they faced.
There are action scenes in this book but they seem to lose momentum at times or possibly go on too long for what reason I'm not sure as I felt if they were condensed and altered in pace they could provide great reading.
One of my issues with The Coward was the travelling part and unfortunately The Warrior suffers in this department again slightly. The time is filled in generally with some kind of character development but I found myself skipping ahead to see how much longer till the next chapter.
I liked the characters but wanted a bit more depth and I wished the story hadn't been split so much but understand why this was done. It's my opinion that I think those who would enjoy this the most are light fantasy readers. I suspect that if you are a hardcore epic fantasy reader I think you might find this a little too tame for your tastes.
May 28, 2022
4.5/5 stars
It has been two years since The Coward, and Kell Kressia is now King of Algany, a role he never wanted. When Willow calls on him to fulfill his promise, he goes on a mission to her mysterious homeland to stop a desperate act of evil. Meanwhile, his wife Queen Sigrid is left to handle the zealous Reverend Mother and the brewing Holy War in the Five Kingdoms.
Following two separate story threads, The Warrior feels like two books mashed into one, leaving not quite enough time to fully develop both storylines (one more so than the other). The main plot follows Kell and Willow with two of his elite guard Odd and Yarra who both carry past traumas of their own. Their mission feels doomed from the outset and proves to be bleak and depressing. Kell once again shines in his role as the reluctant protagonist but now with more maturity and personal conviction. I loved the addition of the stoic Odd as a man with a secret who’s journey is the most surprisingly moving. How I wish we got more time with him because there is definitely more to explore there.
The secondary storyline involving Sigrid and the Holy War was intricate with court politics, maneuvering and espionage, but I felt like it did not have enough time to reach its full potential. The story was rushed and Sigrid was relegated to the background during most of its events. I can’t help but feel like this would have served better as a third book with bigger roles for herself, Kell, and their son.
The Warrior is very different from The Coward (a favorite fantasy book of mine) and had much to live up. While there was definitely more to tell, The Warrior already has a lot to offer with its more epic and traditional fantasy story (compared to the more personal quest in The Coward) that will appeal to most fantasy readers.
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
It has been two years since The Coward, and Kell Kressia is now King of Algany, a role he never wanted. When Willow calls on him to fulfill his promise, he goes on a mission to her mysterious homeland to stop a desperate act of evil. Meanwhile, his wife Queen Sigrid is left to handle the zealous Reverend Mother and the brewing Holy War in the Five Kingdoms.
Following two separate story threads, The Warrior feels like two books mashed into one, leaving not quite enough time to fully develop both storylines (one more so than the other). The main plot follows Kell and Willow with two of his elite guard Odd and Yarra who both carry past traumas of their own. Their mission feels doomed from the outset and proves to be bleak and depressing. Kell once again shines in his role as the reluctant protagonist but now with more maturity and personal conviction. I loved the addition of the stoic Odd as a man with a secret who’s journey is the most surprisingly moving. How I wish we got more time with him because there is definitely more to explore there.
The secondary storyline involving Sigrid and the Holy War was intricate with court politics, maneuvering and espionage, but I felt like it did not have enough time to reach its full potential. The story was rushed and Sigrid was relegated to the background during most of its events. I can’t help but feel like this would have served better as a third book with bigger roles for herself, Kell, and their son.
The Warrior is very different from The Coward (a favorite fantasy book of mine) and had much to live up. While there was definitely more to tell, The Warrior already has a lot to offer with its more epic and traditional fantasy story (compared to the more personal quest in The Coward) that will appeal to most fantasy readers.
Thank you to Angry Robot Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2025
This was such a great read!
I really loved how Aryan took a completely different approach from the first book. It made this feel like a fresh, exciting adventure with a strong heart of its own, rather than just a repeat of what came before.
Willow and Kell were an absolutely brilliant double act. Their friendship, especially as they face danger after danger, was easily one of the highlights of the story for me. I’m a sucker for strong character bonds, and this book delivered that in spades.
Odd was such an unexpected standout. I genuinely didn’t think I’d enjoy his storyline as much as I did, but it ended up being one of my favourite parts of the book. It added a great layer of surprise and depth to the story.
Sigrid was also fantastic. Her character was strong, memorable, and really well written — although I would have happily read even more of her. She definitely deserved a little more page time.
Stephen Aryan continues to be one of those authors whose books I just fly through. His writing style is so easy for me to sink into, and his prose just works for me every time. He’s quickly becoming one of those “instant-read” authors for me.
I really loved how Aryan took a completely different approach from the first book. It made this feel like a fresh, exciting adventure with a strong heart of its own, rather than just a repeat of what came before.
Willow and Kell were an absolutely brilliant double act. Their friendship, especially as they face danger after danger, was easily one of the highlights of the story for me. I’m a sucker for strong character bonds, and this book delivered that in spades.
Odd was such an unexpected standout. I genuinely didn’t think I’d enjoy his storyline as much as I did, but it ended up being one of my favourite parts of the book. It added a great layer of surprise and depth to the story.
Sigrid was also fantastic. Her character was strong, memorable, and really well written — although I would have happily read even more of her. She definitely deserved a little more page time.
Stephen Aryan continues to be one of those authors whose books I just fly through. His writing style is so easy for me to sink into, and his prose just works for me every time. He’s quickly becoming one of those “instant-read” authors for me.
August 11, 2022
I feel as though I prefer the sequel to The Coward. I loved The Coward, the story was amazing and I love a good quest. The thing that has pushed this one to a 5 star is that I feel as though I connected with these characters more. We watch them fighting their own battles through a sickness that they are on a quest to cure, which effects each character completely differently. The way Stephen writes these characters is amazing and it was so good to be back with Kell, off to save the world again.
October 20, 2022
J’avais beaucoup apprécié ma lecture de The Coward, avec son côté fantasy épique old-school condensée et ses personnages attachants. La suite The warrior est arrivée un an après et conclut le diptyque Quest for heroes avec une nouvelle aventure pour notre ami Kell Kressia. Alors, est-ce que cette nouvelle quête tient ses promesses ?
Quelques années ont passé depuis le second grand voyage de Kell, aujourd’hui il est marié et il est accessoirement roi d’Algany, ce qui fait une sacré ascension sociale quand même. Sa relation avec la reine Sigrid est légèrement tendue, le seul détail qui les pousse à se parler de temps en temps, c’est le fils qu’ils ont en commun. Une petite opportunité se présente sous la forme de Willow, notre mystérieuse amie Alfar, qui débarque un jour pour demander l’aide de Kell pour rien de moins que sauver tout son peuple d’un mal mystérieux, la Malice (non, c’est pas le livre de John Gwynne). Sans trop se poser de question, notre « héros » prend son baluchon et se casse après avoir fait un bisou à sa famille et embarqué deux de ses gardes d’élites : Odd et Yarra. Sigrid se retrouve seule à gérer le royaume, et les dangers ne se feront pas attendre puisque la révérende-mère Britak est toujours de très mauvais poil.
Dans la forme on retrouve le schéma du premier roman, une classique quête avec un groupe d’aventuriers qui part dégommer un grand mal inconnu à l’autre bout de la carte. Une grosse partie du bouquin nous raconte le voyage de Kell et ses trois compagnons dans les terres inexplorées des Alvar, un monde exotique et mystérieux qu’on prend beaucoup de plaisir à découvrir. En contre-point, on n’a heureusement plus le point de vue de Britak mais on retrouve Sigrid qui va affronter des dangers inédits dans son royaume, et contrairement au tome précédent on est beaucoup plus équilibrés, les deux facettes de l’histoire sont passionnantes et se complètent. On ressent le courage et la ténacité de Sigrid qui doit assumer seule pendant que couillon est parti à l’aventure en la laissant avec un royaume et un fils sur les bras, même si de son côté il avait pas vraiment le choix. Refuser son aide à Willow était impensable, mais il a gravement sous-estimé la tâche à accomplir.
On va apprendre à connaitre Odd et Yarra pendant le voyage, ces deux nouveaux protagonistes sont complexes et amènent de la richesse à l’ensemble. Odd a un sombre secret qu’il essaye de cacher, un secret mortel, mais les épreuves et le désespoir vont le conduire à se révéler petit à petit. Yarra est au contraire affaiblie par des évènements passés qui ont complètement sapé sa confiance en elle. Avec Kell est Willow, chacun va avoir une progression intéressante, une quête personnelle qui se mêle au but ultime de leur aventure, ce qui donne un roman très satisfaisant dans l’ensemble. Petit à petit on va sombrer dans le désespoir et la folie. Le roman est dédié à David Gemmell, et on sait l’influence qu’à eu l’auteur sur Stephen Aryan dès son premier roman. Ici on a clairement tout un pan de l’histoire qui rend hommage à Légende, mais j’en dirais pas plus. Sachez juste que c’est très réussi, et on retrouve avec grand plaisir une force de caractère toute Gemmellienne, la résistance jusqu’à la toute dernière lueur d’espoir fou.
Dans un premier temps j’ai beaucoup aimé l’arc d’Odd qui amène beaucoup de mystère et un aspect un peu thriller à l’aventure, il m’a fait penser à un personnage de série bien connue mais je me garderai bien d’en parler ici pour ne pas trop en dévoiler. Il a une trajectoire assez particulière au sein du groupe, avec un arc de rédemption maitrisé, tout comme Yarra qui va se reconstruire à travers leur épopée. Mais au fur et à mesure qu’on avance, la partie de Sigrid s’installe doucement malgré le peu de chapitres qui lui sont consacrés, son histoire porte quelque chose de spécial, et elle va en chier. A travers elle, l’auteur nous parle de famille, de devoir et de sacrifice, et toutes ces années d’intrigues politiques, de complots et de guerres vont la transformer radicalement.
The warrior est, comme son prédécesseur, une excellente lecture dans laquelle Stephen Aryan nous plonge, même meilleure que The coward à mon goût puisqu’on n’a plus les chapitres moins intéressants du point de vue de Britak. On retrouve la même structure archi-classique de la quête, mais les différents arcs des personnages se mêlent et se répondent merveilleusement pour constituer une œuvre entière, équilibrée et satisfaisante pour moi.
https://ours-inculte.fr/the-warrior/
Quelques années ont passé depuis le second grand voyage de Kell, aujourd’hui il est marié et il est accessoirement roi d’Algany, ce qui fait une sacré ascension sociale quand même. Sa relation avec la reine Sigrid est légèrement tendue, le seul détail qui les pousse à se parler de temps en temps, c’est le fils qu’ils ont en commun. Une petite opportunité se présente sous la forme de Willow, notre mystérieuse amie Alfar, qui débarque un jour pour demander l’aide de Kell pour rien de moins que sauver tout son peuple d’un mal mystérieux, la Malice (non, c’est pas le livre de John Gwynne). Sans trop se poser de question, notre « héros » prend son baluchon et se casse après avoir fait un bisou à sa famille et embarqué deux de ses gardes d’élites : Odd et Yarra. Sigrid se retrouve seule à gérer le royaume, et les dangers ne se feront pas attendre puisque la révérende-mère Britak est toujours de très mauvais poil.
Dans la forme on retrouve le schéma du premier roman, une classique quête avec un groupe d’aventuriers qui part dégommer un grand mal inconnu à l’autre bout de la carte. Une grosse partie du bouquin nous raconte le voyage de Kell et ses trois compagnons dans les terres inexplorées des Alvar, un monde exotique et mystérieux qu’on prend beaucoup de plaisir à découvrir. En contre-point, on n’a heureusement plus le point de vue de Britak mais on retrouve Sigrid qui va affronter des dangers inédits dans son royaume, et contrairement au tome précédent on est beaucoup plus équilibrés, les deux facettes de l’histoire sont passionnantes et se complètent. On ressent le courage et la ténacité de Sigrid qui doit assumer seule pendant que couillon est parti à l’aventure en la laissant avec un royaume et un fils sur les bras, même si de son côté il avait pas vraiment le choix. Refuser son aide à Willow était impensable, mais il a gravement sous-estimé la tâche à accomplir.
On va apprendre à connaitre Odd et Yarra pendant le voyage, ces deux nouveaux protagonistes sont complexes et amènent de la richesse à l’ensemble. Odd a un sombre secret qu’il essaye de cacher, un secret mortel, mais les épreuves et le désespoir vont le conduire à se révéler petit à petit. Yarra est au contraire affaiblie par des évènements passés qui ont complètement sapé sa confiance en elle. Avec Kell est Willow, chacun va avoir une progression intéressante, une quête personnelle qui se mêle au but ultime de leur aventure, ce qui donne un roman très satisfaisant dans l’ensemble. Petit à petit on va sombrer dans le désespoir et la folie. Le roman est dédié à David Gemmell, et on sait l’influence qu’à eu l’auteur sur Stephen Aryan dès son premier roman. Ici on a clairement tout un pan de l’histoire qui rend hommage à Légende, mais j’en dirais pas plus. Sachez juste que c’est très réussi, et on retrouve avec grand plaisir une force de caractère toute Gemmellienne, la résistance jusqu’à la toute dernière lueur d’espoir fou.
Dans un premier temps j’ai beaucoup aimé l’arc d’Odd qui amène beaucoup de mystère et un aspect un peu thriller à l’aventure, il m’a fait penser à un personnage de série bien connue mais je me garderai bien d’en parler ici pour ne pas trop en dévoiler. Il a une trajectoire assez particulière au sein du groupe, avec un arc de rédemption maitrisé, tout comme Yarra qui va se reconstruire à travers leur épopée. Mais au fur et à mesure qu’on avance, la partie de Sigrid s’installe doucement malgré le peu de chapitres qui lui sont consacrés, son histoire porte quelque chose de spécial, et elle va en chier. A travers elle, l’auteur nous parle de famille, de devoir et de sacrifice, et toutes ces années d’intrigues politiques, de complots et de guerres vont la transformer radicalement.
The warrior est, comme son prédécesseur, une excellente lecture dans laquelle Stephen Aryan nous plonge, même meilleure que The coward à mon goût puisqu’on n’a plus les chapitres moins intéressants du point de vue de Britak. On retrouve la même structure archi-classique de la quête, mais les différents arcs des personnages se mêlent et se répondent merveilleusement pour constituer une œuvre entière, équilibrée et satisfaisante pour moi.
https://ours-inculte.fr/the-warrior/
August 28, 2022
4/5 stars.
I did really enjoy my time reading this duology but I preferred book one to book two. The Warrior picks up two years after the events of The Coward conclude and once again Kell is called to adventure. Similar to book one, we have an assembly of a party but where in book one it became found family, in book two those relationships didn't really develop. Rather it concentrated more on each individual facing their own challenges internally.
Kell sets off and time quickly begins to function differently and therefore we end up with two timelines (Kell's and his wife who remained behind). This created some confusion and some major time-gaps in one of the timelines.
I loved the new POV, who went with Kell on the adventure. He's intro'd in Chapter 3 and is immediately very engaging. Though character development was a bit rushed and his conclusion felt lackluster and wasn't given the emotional weight it should've been in my opinion.
Overall, I'm happy that I read the Quest of Heroes and will be happily recommending it for those looking for classic quest fantasy.
I did really enjoy my time reading this duology but I preferred book one to book two. The Warrior picks up two years after the events of The Coward conclude and once again Kell is called to adventure. Similar to book one, we have an assembly of a party but where in book one it became found family, in book two those relationships didn't really develop. Rather it concentrated more on each individual facing their own challenges internally.
Kell sets off and time quickly begins to function differently and therefore we end up with two timelines (Kell's and his wife who remained behind). This created some confusion and some major time-gaps in one of the timelines.
I loved the new POV, who went with Kell on the adventure. He's intro'd in Chapter 3 and is immediately very engaging. Though character development was a bit rushed and his conclusion felt lackluster and wasn't given the emotional weight it should've been in my opinion.
Overall, I'm happy that I read the Quest of Heroes and will be happily recommending it for those looking for classic quest fantasy.
May 6, 2025
I found this book to be bland. The plot was slow moving, and the passage of time for one half of the story felt much much shorter than the other half. No characters were stand out. I did enjoy the very few battle scenes given.
September 5, 2022
I’m so sad it’s over and yet it’s so good!!!
August 3, 2022
I enjoyed this conclusion to the story. I would give the author a pass for that all too convenient happy ending which was a bit predictable though :)
The rest of the story saw quests, politics, secrets, etc in fine order. Having the characters face their "fears" in the form of regrets, challenges, secrets of their nature, and more created a story that was just not entertaining but possessed adequate depth. The story did not shy away from harsh outcomes as it moved along and provided more interesting characters that its predecessors, giving them more time in the light and weaving a complex but compelling tale at the same time.
I would highly recommend this title.
Thank you Angry Robot for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review.
The rest of the story saw quests, politics, secrets, etc in fine order. Having the characters face their "fears" in the form of regrets, challenges, secrets of their nature, and more created a story that was just not entertaining but possessed adequate depth. The story did not shy away from harsh outcomes as it moved along and provided more interesting characters that its predecessors, giving them more time in the light and weaving a complex but compelling tale at the same time.
I would highly recommend this title.
Thank you Angry Robot for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review.
July 30, 2022
Last summer, we were introduced to Kell Kressia, a man who was mistaken for a hero and sent on a quest to save the world from the terrible Ice Lich in the far Frozen North – and not for the first time. The Warrior picks up two years after he returned victorious and finds Kell stagnating: having been married off to Sigrid, and now appointed King, when he’d rather have gone back to his quiet life on the farm. Offering him a timely escape, comes Willow...
My full review can be read online via Grimdark Magazine, here:
https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-the-warrior-by-stephen-aryan/
My full review can be read online via Grimdark Magazine, here:
https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-the-warrior-by-stephen-aryan/
October 17, 2022
Overall, I thought this book was pretty good, but just like the first book in the series, the ending seemed very rushed and anticlimactic.
First of all, it was my understanding that their whole goal was to find Ravvi and also find the source of the Malice and stop it. However, when they did find Ravvi, he didn't say anything, was in it for about two pages, and then died. Yikes. When they found the source of the Malice, all they did was splash some magic blood on it (which we never got the full story on, mind you) and then they promptly left and gave up. I also feel like we never really get closure on what happens to the Alfàr, Yarra or Odd. It just seemed very poorly thought out in my opinion.
First of all, it was my understanding that their whole goal was to find Ravvi and also find the source of the Malice and stop it. However, when they did find Ravvi, he didn't say anything, was in it for about two pages, and then died. Yikes. When they found the source of the Malice, all they did was splash some magic blood on it (which we never got the full story on, mind you) and then they promptly left and gave up. I also feel like we never really get closure on what happens to the Alfàr, Yarra or Odd. It just seemed very poorly thought out in my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2022
8 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Kell Kresia, two time Hero of the Four Kingdoms, King of Algany, most famous man alive—is trapped. Trapped in a grand design as the “king” of one of the four kingdoms, a position he fills mostly as a figurehead. Trapped in a loveless marriage, his wife Sigrid was born to rule but for the nature of being a woman, something she has never forgiven the world for. Trapped and surrounded by people and fame, he can’t find any alone time or anonymity among the commonfolk.
So when his old friend Willow shows up requesting for her homeland, Kell can’t wait to leave.
But this isn’t something as simple as a quest north to defeat the Ice Lich. The land of the Alfár is remote and hidden—somewhere humans have rarely tread. More importantly, it is a land out of time; both literally and figuratively, as the passage of time moves differently in this realm, meaning that for every week that passes within, a year or more might pass in the outside world. Then there is the Malice, the strange and terrible affliction that poisons the land.
Meanwhile life in the Four Kingdoms goes on, with Sigrid (and her infant son) ruling alone. Day to day politicking aside, the continent inches ever closer to war, divided on the worship of the Shepherd, the religion that one Reverend Mother Britak would use to create a theocracy. Despite its very nature being based on a lie, the faith continues to push into Algany, its devotees purging any other beliefs in their way. And without Kell’s legend to dissuade her, there may be nothing holding Britak back from the future she desires. Nothing but Sigrid.
Only upon reaching the Alfár homeland of Gilial do Kell and his party realize just how far gone the place truly is. The trees have withered and died, or turned to monsters of bark and branch. The animals have become mindless beasts only sated by blood and meat. The other races of Gilial have fallen into ruin, and are only rumored to exist in any form. While the Alfár are just a shadow of their former glory—a dying, infected species, day by day more and more fall victim to the Malice.
There exists a plan to save Gilial but it is dark and desperate, despicable and deranged. Willow seeks to stop it, something which Kell and his companions—members of his personal guard: Odd, a loner harboring a terrible secret; and Yarra, harboring deep regret—are instrumental to, as humans may resist the Malice better than their Alfár counterparts.
Only upon seeing the state of the land they might wonder—how could the cure possible be any worse than the affliction?
—
For it to be precious, life has to end. If I live forever and do nothing, then what was the point?
—
While the first quest broke Kell, the second made him whole. What will this third one do?
Well, at least he won’t have to face the Ice Lich. Or WILL he?
No. He won’t. Instead he’ll face a world unseen by most of humanity, full of vibrant locales and ruined cities and creatures never seen before—all corrupted by the Malice’s influence. It was quite the tale, one that left me wanting to see more of this new world, yearning to see it before it had been devastated by the Malice. What we see in the Warrior is a world laid to waste. Oh, to see it before!
But anyway, the story is a good one. Kell’s is, at least. Full of twists and turns. Challenge and peril. A land full of surprise and opportunity. The story winds its way through this strange land, eventually leading to the heart of the Malice—and to the big reveal. As big reveals go, this may not have been anything game-changing, but it was at least interesting. And the conclusion and aftermath more than make up for any letdown in the mystery department.
The issue I have is not with Kell’s story, but Sigrid’s. Even in the first few pages of her first chapter, you knew where it was going to lead. Well, you knew where Kell’s was leading too. But where Kell’s was interesting, immersive, and exciting throughout—and even sprinkled with a seed of doubt—Sigrid’s only started this way. But at the 3/4 mark, it takes a turn. Everything afterwards seems like a foregone conclusion.
While a great tale and quest, the Warrior ain’t exactly innovative. It’s strongly reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings, albeit an abbreviated, poor man’s version. It’s entertaining, sure; almost everything that it does, this book does well (excluding, of course, the conclusion at home). It isn’t a retelling of LotR, or a fanfic, although the quest is rife with similarities. That said, there’s nothing wrong with doing a little LotR impersonation every now and then. Impression is the highest form of flattery. And LotR is (no matter your opinion on it) the most popular fantasy tale. It would be impossible not to draw similarities between the two. And that’s okay. Because it’s not a clone, a rip-off, or a retelling. The Warrior tells an amazing story with just a little bit of a letdown towards the end.
TL;DR
The Warrior isn’t a game-changer. It tells of a quest—a fellowship, if you will—through a land devastated and barren, to reach some peril at the end and vanquish it. I mean, just stop me here if this reminds you of anything. Or just keep reading. Because while the initial plot is hardly innovative, once you get into it it’s sure immersive. A plague destroying a previously forgotten land. A race against time. A legend with nothing to prove, hunting the Malice that threatens his friends. A new world to explore. An old world to remember. I mean, it’s all quite good. And a worthy conclusion to a fabulous duology!
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Kell Kresia, two time Hero of the Four Kingdoms, King of Algany, most famous man alive—is trapped. Trapped in a grand design as the “king” of one of the four kingdoms, a position he fills mostly as a figurehead. Trapped in a loveless marriage, his wife Sigrid was born to rule but for the nature of being a woman, something she has never forgiven the world for. Trapped and surrounded by people and fame, he can’t find any alone time or anonymity among the commonfolk.
So when his old friend Willow shows up requesting for her homeland, Kell can’t wait to leave.
But this isn’t something as simple as a quest north to defeat the Ice Lich. The land of the Alfár is remote and hidden—somewhere humans have rarely tread. More importantly, it is a land out of time; both literally and figuratively, as the passage of time moves differently in this realm, meaning that for every week that passes within, a year or more might pass in the outside world. Then there is the Malice, the strange and terrible affliction that poisons the land.
Meanwhile life in the Four Kingdoms goes on, with Sigrid (and her infant son) ruling alone. Day to day politicking aside, the continent inches ever closer to war, divided on the worship of the Shepherd, the religion that one Reverend Mother Britak would use to create a theocracy. Despite its very nature being based on a lie, the faith continues to push into Algany, its devotees purging any other beliefs in their way. And without Kell’s legend to dissuade her, there may be nothing holding Britak back from the future she desires. Nothing but Sigrid.
Only upon reaching the Alfár homeland of Gilial do Kell and his party realize just how far gone the place truly is. The trees have withered and died, or turned to monsters of bark and branch. The animals have become mindless beasts only sated by blood and meat. The other races of Gilial have fallen into ruin, and are only rumored to exist in any form. While the Alfár are just a shadow of their former glory—a dying, infected species, day by day more and more fall victim to the Malice.
There exists a plan to save Gilial but it is dark and desperate, despicable and deranged. Willow seeks to stop it, something which Kell and his companions—members of his personal guard: Odd, a loner harboring a terrible secret; and Yarra, harboring deep regret—are instrumental to, as humans may resist the Malice better than their Alfár counterparts.
Only upon seeing the state of the land they might wonder—how could the cure possible be any worse than the affliction?
—
For it to be precious, life has to end. If I live forever and do nothing, then what was the point?
—
While the first quest broke Kell, the second made him whole. What will this third one do?
Well, at least he won’t have to face the Ice Lich. Or WILL he?
No. He won’t. Instead he’ll face a world unseen by most of humanity, full of vibrant locales and ruined cities and creatures never seen before—all corrupted by the Malice’s influence. It was quite the tale, one that left me wanting to see more of this new world, yearning to see it before it had been devastated by the Malice. What we see in the Warrior is a world laid to waste. Oh, to see it before!
But anyway, the story is a good one. Kell’s is, at least. Full of twists and turns. Challenge and peril. A land full of surprise and opportunity. The story winds its way through this strange land, eventually leading to the heart of the Malice—and to the big reveal. As big reveals go, this may not have been anything game-changing, but it was at least interesting. And the conclusion and aftermath more than make up for any letdown in the mystery department.
The issue I have is not with Kell’s story, but Sigrid’s. Even in the first few pages of her first chapter, you knew where it was going to lead. Well, you knew where Kell’s was leading too. But where Kell’s was interesting, immersive, and exciting throughout—and even sprinkled with a seed of doubt—Sigrid’s only started this way. But at the 3/4 mark, it takes a turn. Everything afterwards seems like a foregone conclusion.
While a great tale and quest, the Warrior ain’t exactly innovative. It’s strongly reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings, albeit an abbreviated, poor man’s version. It’s entertaining, sure; almost everything that it does, this book does well (excluding, of course, the conclusion at home). It isn’t a retelling of LotR, or a fanfic, although the quest is rife with similarities. That said, there’s nothing wrong with doing a little LotR impersonation every now and then. Impression is the highest form of flattery. And LotR is (no matter your opinion on it) the most popular fantasy tale. It would be impossible not to draw similarities between the two. And that’s okay. Because it’s not a clone, a rip-off, or a retelling. The Warrior tells an amazing story with just a little bit of a letdown towards the end.
TL;DR
The Warrior isn’t a game-changer. It tells of a quest—a fellowship, if you will—through a land devastated and barren, to reach some peril at the end and vanquish it. I mean, just stop me here if this reminds you of anything. Or just keep reading. Because while the initial plot is hardly innovative, once you get into it it’s sure immersive. A plague destroying a previously forgotten land. A race against time. A legend with nothing to prove, hunting the Malice that threatens his friends. A new world to explore. An old world to remember. I mean, it’s all quite good. And a worthy conclusion to a fabulous duology!
October 1, 2022
Huge let down on book 1. The quest was just silly, the domestic plot dull, character development predictable and boring. And the time jump and final plot resolution tiresome.
April 26, 2022
https://fanfiaddict.com/the-warrior-q...
Stephen Aryan follows up his success of The Coward with a worthy Sequel in here.
Post events in The Coward, Kell’s wish to be left alone to fade into obscurity is taking a beating after being crowned as the King and married to ex-Princess and now Queen Sigrud. His desire to do good by his wife, battles constantly to his apathy to be doing any kind of ‘kingly’ responsibilities resulting in a compromise that makes neither of them happy. When a face from the past returns seeking his help. Kell’s departure on a the journey coincides with tumultuous events happening in the kingdom during his absence that Queen Sigrud has to navigate. How both fare against their challenges make up the plot.
The highlight of this book, similar to the previous one, is obviously the writing. The prose is light and simple and easy to follow all the while had me magically transported me to Algany. It is delightfully immersive as we get pulled into a mysterious journey and a geopolitical conflict at the same time. The plot alternates between Kell’s journey and Queen Sigrud’s political crisis as we move to the climax. The bleakness of Kell’s journey when faced against harrowing odds made me wince in anticipation more than once! Special shoutout to the familial crisis sections between Kell and Sigrud as we get pulled into two characters, both victims of circumstance, suffering through a relationship no fault of their own all the while trying to be better version of themselves. It can’t get more authentic than this! And this is special, as I really don’t like familial drama, so getting me hooked is just all credit to the author and his writing!
As to characters, Queen Sigrud takes the cake as the character I loved the most in this book. A complex character as she plays being the wife to a indifferent king, a mother wanting the best for her son, a queen trying to keep the Kingdom intact all rolled into one spectacular package. Despite being good, I felt Warrior Sigrud wasn’t really as unique or gripping as Queen Sigrud both as a character and as a mover of the plot. Kell was good as usual and his journey was quite absorbing, but subconsciously I always had a feeling that the plot structure was a bit similar to book 1 just in a different setting, which took away some of the shine.
An aspect which I had some trouble wrapping my head around was the timeline switches. The chapters have abrupt jumps in time as between we have sometime from weeks to months to years. They serve to move the plot didn’t feel like a smooth transition. This is more complicated as due to the world, the timeline differs between Kell’s journey and Queen’s issues adding to the complexity that at many times I was actually lost as to when the events were happening in context of fixed point, being the beginning of the plot.
These minor niggles aside, I really enjoyed The warrior and would gladly recommend this to all who love a good diet of adventure fantasy with a delicious side of political intrigue.
Stephen Aryan follows up his success of The Coward with a worthy Sequel in here.
Post events in The Coward, Kell’s wish to be left alone to fade into obscurity is taking a beating after being crowned as the King and married to ex-Princess and now Queen Sigrud. His desire to do good by his wife, battles constantly to his apathy to be doing any kind of ‘kingly’ responsibilities resulting in a compromise that makes neither of them happy. When a face from the past returns seeking his help. Kell’s departure on a the journey coincides with tumultuous events happening in the kingdom during his absence that Queen Sigrud has to navigate. How both fare against their challenges make up the plot.
The highlight of this book, similar to the previous one, is obviously the writing. The prose is light and simple and easy to follow all the while had me magically transported me to Algany. It is delightfully immersive as we get pulled into a mysterious journey and a geopolitical conflict at the same time. The plot alternates between Kell’s journey and Queen Sigrud’s political crisis as we move to the climax. The bleakness of Kell’s journey when faced against harrowing odds made me wince in anticipation more than once! Special shoutout to the familial crisis sections between Kell and Sigrud as we get pulled into two characters, both victims of circumstance, suffering through a relationship no fault of their own all the while trying to be better version of themselves. It can’t get more authentic than this! And this is special, as I really don’t like familial drama, so getting me hooked is just all credit to the author and his writing!
As to characters, Queen Sigrud takes the cake as the character I loved the most in this book. A complex character as she plays being the wife to a indifferent king, a mother wanting the best for her son, a queen trying to keep the Kingdom intact all rolled into one spectacular package. Despite being good, I felt Warrior Sigrud wasn’t really as unique or gripping as Queen Sigrud both as a character and as a mover of the plot. Kell was good as usual and his journey was quite absorbing, but subconsciously I always had a feeling that the plot structure was a bit similar to book 1 just in a different setting, which took away some of the shine.
An aspect which I had some trouble wrapping my head around was the timeline switches. The chapters have abrupt jumps in time as between we have sometime from weeks to months to years. They serve to move the plot didn’t feel like a smooth transition. This is more complicated as due to the world, the timeline differs between Kell’s journey and Queen’s issues adding to the complexity that at many times I was actually lost as to when the events were happening in context of fixed point, being the beginning of the plot.
These minor niggles aside, I really enjoyed The warrior and would gladly recommend this to all who love a good diet of adventure fantasy with a delicious side of political intrigue.
April 18, 2022
Before I start this review, I would just like to thank AngryRobot Books for providing me the opportunity to read this novel, in return for an honest review.
Kell is a man who has been forced into fame, a coward who had to learn how to be a brave warrior. I was instantly excited for Kell's journey within this novel upon seeing the title - The Warrior - my brain began to imagine the adventure that Kell could take that would provide him with the opportunity to become the legend he had fallen into by accident in the beginning of The Coward. I was not disappointed - Kell absolutely shines in this novel and how he develops as a character is both heart-warming and satisfying as a reader. Aryan has done a brilliant job with his road map for Kell, between the two books in this duology, Kell has climbed from moment to moment and this novel does a brilliant job highlighting his progress as a hero.
I do not want to spoil the story within this novel so I will re-frame from any details about the characters too much. The story is fast paced, action packed and moves with a tempo designed to make the reader turn each page frantically. Every time I finished a chapter, I kept thinking in my mind that I would just read one more but after some time, multiple chapters had danced by. Even when I reached the end of the novel, I was ready to feel sad because such a great novel was coming to and end but instead I was happy and relieved. Often stories struggle to find an ending and leave readers disappointed, however Aryan did a splendid job of tying up all the loose ends and providing the characters with the endings they needed.
In The Warrior we meet a cast of new characters and we have one main return in Willow. I did an interview with Aryan, and he hinted that we would discover more about Willow within the second novel and he was not lying. The story focuses on her return to Kell, both characters interacting was great to read, providing information through their conversations as Kell's own intrigue about Willow led the discovery. We are also joined by two new characters in Odd and Yarra - both of whom have backgrounds that affect the story. Odd was an interesting character, who is surrounded in mystery but at the same time seems so reliable to the King. Whereas Yarra is unsure about her own abilities but comes into her own as the story progresses. Both characters get their own chapters and both were a delight to read, which was good since the side characters can sometimes take away from the main story. The final character with a POV within this book is Kell's wife Sigrid, whose story went in a direction I was not expecting at any point, even in the last quarter of the novel. Her story tackled the more religious elements in the book, which I enjoyed hugely as Aryan wrote this side of the story well. This section of the novel is the furthest away from Kell's own tale but that isn't to say it was enjoyable all the same.
I have read a number of Stephen Aryan's novels at this point and my favourite element about his writing is the pacing. His novels are always packed with plenty of adventure and heroes, twists and turns, and I have never felt disappointed with the story. I really enjoy fast paced fantasy and Aryan's novels hit that spot for myself! The Warrior may only be around 400 pages but it is packed to the brim with excitement, danger and character lore.
Kell is a man who has been forced into fame, a coward who had to learn how to be a brave warrior. I was instantly excited for Kell's journey within this novel upon seeing the title - The Warrior - my brain began to imagine the adventure that Kell could take that would provide him with the opportunity to become the legend he had fallen into by accident in the beginning of The Coward. I was not disappointed - Kell absolutely shines in this novel and how he develops as a character is both heart-warming and satisfying as a reader. Aryan has done a brilliant job with his road map for Kell, between the two books in this duology, Kell has climbed from moment to moment and this novel does a brilliant job highlighting his progress as a hero.
I do not want to spoil the story within this novel so I will re-frame from any details about the characters too much. The story is fast paced, action packed and moves with a tempo designed to make the reader turn each page frantically. Every time I finished a chapter, I kept thinking in my mind that I would just read one more but after some time, multiple chapters had danced by. Even when I reached the end of the novel, I was ready to feel sad because such a great novel was coming to and end but instead I was happy and relieved. Often stories struggle to find an ending and leave readers disappointed, however Aryan did a splendid job of tying up all the loose ends and providing the characters with the endings they needed.
In The Warrior we meet a cast of new characters and we have one main return in Willow. I did an interview with Aryan, and he hinted that we would discover more about Willow within the second novel and he was not lying. The story focuses on her return to Kell, both characters interacting was great to read, providing information through their conversations as Kell's own intrigue about Willow led the discovery. We are also joined by two new characters in Odd and Yarra - both of whom have backgrounds that affect the story. Odd was an interesting character, who is surrounded in mystery but at the same time seems so reliable to the King. Whereas Yarra is unsure about her own abilities but comes into her own as the story progresses. Both characters get their own chapters and both were a delight to read, which was good since the side characters can sometimes take away from the main story. The final character with a POV within this book is Kell's wife Sigrid, whose story went in a direction I was not expecting at any point, even in the last quarter of the novel. Her story tackled the more religious elements in the book, which I enjoyed hugely as Aryan wrote this side of the story well. This section of the novel is the furthest away from Kell's own tale but that isn't to say it was enjoyable all the same.
I have read a number of Stephen Aryan's novels at this point and my favourite element about his writing is the pacing. His novels are always packed with plenty of adventure and heroes, twists and turns, and I have never felt disappointed with the story. I really enjoy fast paced fantasy and Aryan's novels hit that spot for myself! The Warrior may only be around 400 pages but it is packed to the brim with excitement, danger and character lore.
November 27, 2022
3.8/5
I have multiple thought about this book. The set up of 2 adventures happening at the same time with variables on time and different characters was incredibly interesting mix.
The main issues I find with this book is that The Coward sets a high expectations for Kell's life as new king and the incoming Holy war. Kell's life is barely shown and he jumps into a new adventure right away, away from his country. The war is addressed but in a way that does not necessarily live to the expectation set in the first book as a more complex battle of intellect and strategy as this side of the plot is more focus on Sigrid's life. I loved seeing Sigrid as a character and her evolution through the different events, but I feel like she could have had her own book more than being part of the book The Warrior.
At the same time there are some plot holes in the story that leave you wondering what was the point on mentioning this such as the big secret of who "god" actually is or what is the hunger, where did it come from where did the ghost that Odd saw came from, among other things. The author was able to wrap up the book in a way (a little rushed) that as a reader I didn't NEED to know what happened to these plot holes BUT I think that adding another 100 to 200 pages to address these would have make the book a solid 4 to 4.5.
The main things I love about this book is the pacing and the constant plot development. From the beginning until the end I was always on the edge of my sit wanting to know what would come up next, as every chapter was full of new events that filled me with excitement and anxiety. I was not able to sleep until I actually finished it.
Personally, I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes a good old fantasy book, BUT I would recommend to first read The Warrior and then The Coward as a prequel. I find that without the expectation set by The Coward which I would say is a better book the Warrior feels as a stronger piece.
I have multiple thought about this book. The set up of 2 adventures happening at the same time with variables on time and different characters was incredibly interesting mix.
The main issues I find with this book is that The Coward sets a high expectations for Kell's life as new king and the incoming Holy war. Kell's life is barely shown and he jumps into a new adventure right away, away from his country. The war is addressed but in a way that does not necessarily live to the expectation set in the first book as a more complex battle of intellect and strategy as this side of the plot is more focus on Sigrid's life. I loved seeing Sigrid as a character and her evolution through the different events, but I feel like she could have had her own book more than being part of the book The Warrior.
At the same time there are some plot holes in the story that leave you wondering what was the point on mentioning this such as the big secret of who "god" actually is or what is the hunger, where did it come from where did the ghost that Odd saw came from, among other things. The author was able to wrap up the book in a way (a little rushed) that as a reader I didn't NEED to know what happened to these plot holes BUT I think that adding another 100 to 200 pages to address these would have make the book a solid 4 to 4.5.
The main things I love about this book is the pacing and the constant plot development. From the beginning until the end I was always on the edge of my sit wanting to know what would come up next, as every chapter was full of new events that filled me with excitement and anxiety. I was not able to sleep until I actually finished it.
Personally, I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes a good old fantasy book, BUT I would recommend to first read The Warrior and then The Coward as a prequel. I find that without the expectation set by The Coward which I would say is a better book the Warrior feels as a stronger piece.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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