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Moonrise #1
Wolfsong
15 years ago, a band of heroes died to save the world. But, in doing so, they unleashed something that should have been forgotten.
In the wake of the great Reckoning that nearly ended humanity, darkness swells in alleys, throne rooms, and places unknown. A complex web of subterfuge and dark politics has been spun and the world unknowingly stands at a precipice once more.
In this first installment of the Moonrise Saga, a young man seeks a stranger lurking in his pastoral village, a master assassin is given his most challenging mission yet, and a swordsman’s daughter struggles to find her own path in the wake of her sister’s marriage.
In this resplendent fantasy story full of diverse and authentically human characters, a world of hidden magic and thrilling mystery is revealed. And deep within lies a story of trauma, hope, and the beauty in between.
In the wake of the great Reckoning that nearly ended humanity, darkness swells in alleys, throne rooms, and places unknown. A complex web of subterfuge and dark politics has been spun and the world unknowingly stands at a precipice once more.
In this first installment of the Moonrise Saga, a young man seeks a stranger lurking in his pastoral village, a master assassin is given his most challenging mission yet, and a swordsman’s daughter struggles to find her own path in the wake of her sister’s marriage.
In this resplendent fantasy story full of diverse and authentically human characters, a world of hidden magic and thrilling mystery is revealed. And deep within lies a story of trauma, hope, and the beauty in between.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 8, 2021
89 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews
July 11, 2022
I really enjoyed Wolfsong. It gave me a bit of Game of Thrones vibes because of the multiple POVs, politics, and the adventure aspects.
The Reckoning almost wiped out humanity, the survivors are left to deal with the aftermath. Brendon is an orphan raised by his parent's friends. He has no idea who his father is or what that means for him. Leara has her life turned upsides down following her sister's wedding. She goes on a quest for revenge. Kumori is a warrior struggling to prove himself.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this story as well. As I said, major Game of Thrones vibes for anyone who is a fan of that series. This seems more toned down than Game of Thrones, but it is still very similar. I look forward to reading more of this series!
The Reckoning almost wiped out humanity, the survivors are left to deal with the aftermath. Brendon is an orphan raised by his parent's friends. He has no idea who his father is or what that means for him. Leara has her life turned upsides down following her sister's wedding. She goes on a quest for revenge. Kumori is a warrior struggling to prove himself.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this story as well. As I said, major Game of Thrones vibes for anyone who is a fan of that series. This seems more toned down than Game of Thrones, but it is still very similar. I look forward to reading more of this series!
September 30, 2021
I was contacted via Instagram by the official Instagram page of the Moonrise Saga to do an honest review of this book.
First of all, the story is told from three different points of view in three different regions. Brendon is a farmhand for his adoptive parents. They live in a town where there is a nightly curfew and everyone has to be home before curfew. Brendon isn't given much time to himself, so he constantly takes chances and either stays out past curfew or sneaks out during the night. One night, he sees a strange hooded figure and finds a small book the figure dropped. We don't ever find out what was in the book (he doesn't open it) nor do we find out who the hooded figure is.
Then we meet Kumori. He is an assassin from one of the oldest guilds. He and his comrades are known as wolves. He is tasked to find the son of a slain comrade and bring him to safety. The boy he is looking for is Brendon. When he tries to get Brendon, Brendon's adoptive parents do everything in the power to prevent Brendon from going. They eventually send him off to a school where he would learn to be a warrior.
Finally we meet Leara. She is the daughter of a swordsman and has grown up learning the proper ways to fight. When her sister is married off and later captured, Leara and her father set off to save her. During the rescue, Leara's father is killed and she must return home with her sister by herself. Although she killed all the people who had imprisoned her sister (an many others), Leara knew they weren't the ones behind the kidnapping. She leaves her mother and sister under the protection of her sister's husband and sets off in search of the ones responsible for her father's death.
So now, time for the honesty. What was written was great, but there was absolutely no resolution for any character. I understand that this is a saga and there will be more books to come, but there was just nothing at the end. Leara goes off on her own and we don't know where she was going (she doesn't even really know) and we don't know what happens to her. Brendon and Kumori are in the same town, but Kumori now can't get to Brendon because of his heavily guarded school. All we know is Brendon is the key to preventing something big from happening, but we don't know why he's the key or what is going to happen.
I did like what was written in book one. The characters were well written, we knew much about each of them. It's just there was nothing at the end. It was a short book (less than 200 pages) and I feel it could have been a lot longer, with book one and two of the saga being in the same book.
We are given a glimpse of book two (Legion) at the end and it shows great promise with some resolution. I look forward to reading the second installment of the saga.
First of all, the story is told from three different points of view in three different regions. Brendon is a farmhand for his adoptive parents. They live in a town where there is a nightly curfew and everyone has to be home before curfew. Brendon isn't given much time to himself, so he constantly takes chances and either stays out past curfew or sneaks out during the night. One night, he sees a strange hooded figure and finds a small book the figure dropped. We don't ever find out what was in the book (he doesn't open it) nor do we find out who the hooded figure is.
Then we meet Kumori. He is an assassin from one of the oldest guilds. He and his comrades are known as wolves. He is tasked to find the son of a slain comrade and bring him to safety. The boy he is looking for is Brendon. When he tries to get Brendon, Brendon's adoptive parents do everything in the power to prevent Brendon from going. They eventually send him off to a school where he would learn to be a warrior.
Finally we meet Leara. She is the daughter of a swordsman and has grown up learning the proper ways to fight. When her sister is married off and later captured, Leara and her father set off to save her. During the rescue, Leara's father is killed and she must return home with her sister by herself. Although she killed all the people who had imprisoned her sister (an many others), Leara knew they weren't the ones behind the kidnapping. She leaves her mother and sister under the protection of her sister's husband and sets off in search of the ones responsible for her father's death.
So now, time for the honesty. What was written was great, but there was absolutely no resolution for any character. I understand that this is a saga and there will be more books to come, but there was just nothing at the end. Leara goes off on her own and we don't know where she was going (she doesn't even really know) and we don't know what happens to her. Brendon and Kumori are in the same town, but Kumori now can't get to Brendon because of his heavily guarded school. All we know is Brendon is the key to preventing something big from happening, but we don't know why he's the key or what is going to happen.
I did like what was written in book one. The characters were well written, we knew much about each of them. It's just there was nothing at the end. It was a short book (less than 200 pages) and I feel it could have been a lot longer, with book one and two of the saga being in the same book.
We are given a glimpse of book two (Legion) at the end and it shows great promise with some resolution. I look forward to reading the second installment of the saga.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2021
Wolfsong is criminally short, with a writing style that I wish was prevalent amongst fantasy works and will leave you clamouring for more.
The vivid language transports you into this well constructed world and endears you to each of the three main characters.
Brendon is a orphan raised by stern and emotionally distant foster parents. He is coming to grips with his dreary life but yearns for more.
Leara is a fiercely loyal young woman, dealing with the upheaval of her idyllic life when her sister marries and is set to move away from the family home.
Kumori is a stoic warrior elevated high for someone of his age and thus wants to prove he earned his rank of sentinel justly.
I honestly struggled to personally decide if this was actually YA as it has a feel of an adult epic high fantasy delivered in an easily digestible length.
My only criticism is that with the short length you don't really get a feel for the greater premise of the story but it certainly delivers on the impression of political upheaval, magical twists, hard won battles and hints at greater things to unfold.
The author has truly created a lovely piece of fantasy that fans of works such as The Priory of the Orange Tree, Mistborn and Farseer Triology will quickly jump on board especially if the series continues as strongly as it started.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.
The vivid language transports you into this well constructed world and endears you to each of the three main characters.
Brendon is a orphan raised by stern and emotionally distant foster parents. He is coming to grips with his dreary life but yearns for more.
Leara is a fiercely loyal young woman, dealing with the upheaval of her idyllic life when her sister marries and is set to move away from the family home.
Kumori is a stoic warrior elevated high for someone of his age and thus wants to prove he earned his rank of sentinel justly.
I honestly struggled to personally decide if this was actually YA as it has a feel of an adult epic high fantasy delivered in an easily digestible length.
My only criticism is that with the short length you don't really get a feel for the greater premise of the story but it certainly delivers on the impression of political upheaval, magical twists, hard won battles and hints at greater things to unfold.
The author has truly created a lovely piece of fantasy that fans of works such as The Priory of the Orange Tree, Mistborn and Farseer Triology will quickly jump on board especially if the series continues as strongly as it started.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions are my own.
October 9, 2021
What a well written story, it pulls you in quickly and you immediately become attached to the main characters. This is storytelling at it best! I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series. I highly recommend you check it out.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 26, 2023
Great YA. It's been a while since I have read a YA fantasy. Also first time reading a book from this author who I discovered on tik tok . Thank you for the opportunity to read your book I look forward to more in the future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 10, 2023
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. I don’t read that many fantasy books (although I’m trying to read more in this genre), but this book was very well written, characters beautifully developed, and the world building was nicely done. It kinda reminded me of Game of Thrones but an easier version to follow.
The only thing that prevented me from giving 5 stars to the book is that at the end of the book nothing really happened. I understand that it’s a trilogy, but I kinda expected a big reveal or a surprising event happening at the end, maybe like a cliffhanger. But when I read the last page and turned the page to continue the next chapter, I was kinda disappointed to find out the book finished there. It just didn’t feel right to me.
I received a free copy of the book on BookSprout to leave an honest review.
The only thing that prevented me from giving 5 stars to the book is that at the end of the book nothing really happened. I understand that it’s a trilogy, but I kinda expected a big reveal or a surprising event happening at the end, maybe like a cliffhanger. But when I read the last page and turned the page to continue the next chapter, I was kinda disappointed to find out the book finished there. It just didn’t feel right to me.
I received a free copy of the book on BookSprout to leave an honest review.
January 6, 2023
Firstly, I would actually rate this book a 3.5. I really enjoyed this book, the characters were interesting and it was well written. My reason for the 3 star review is just that it didn’t have any sort of resolution. It felt more like a part one to a larger book, I would have liked a little more resolution. The book seemed to end rather abruptly. I can’t wait to read the other installments.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 30, 2021
Brendon 🐺🍆⛲🔪 the Bold
ADULT Historical Medieval🏰🔪🐎 Style Fantasy 🌈. Illustrated!
This is a medieval style🏰 🐎🔪adventure novel with plenty of sword fights🔪, knights🐎🔪 in armour, etc. The novel takes place on a fantasy world 🌎. Thankfully the magic doesn't take over the story. The story focuses on the very human peop!e that populate the world 🌎. Beautifully Illustrated with some haunting paintings of Brendon🐺🐎🔪 and his world 🌎
ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook from Amazon 📚with KU.
Merged review:
Brendon 🐺🍆⛲🔪 the Bold
ADULT Historical Medieval🏰🔪🐎 Style Fantasy 🌈. Illustrated!
This is a medieval style🏰 🐎🔪adventure novel with plenty of sword fights🔪, knights🐎🔪 in armour, etc. The novel takes place on a fantasy world 🌎. Thankfully the magic doesn't take over the story. The story focuses on the very human peop!e that populate the world 🌎. Beautifully Illustrated with some haunting paintings of Brendon🐺🐎🔪 and his world 🌎
ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook from Amazon 📚with KU.
Ends in a cliffhanger.
ADULT Historical Medieval🏰🔪🐎 Style Fantasy 🌈. Illustrated!
This is a medieval style🏰 🐎🔪adventure novel with plenty of sword fights🔪, knights🐎🔪 in armour, etc. The novel takes place on a fantasy world 🌎. Thankfully the magic doesn't take over the story. The story focuses on the very human peop!e that populate the world 🌎. Beautifully Illustrated with some haunting paintings of Brendon🐺🐎🔪 and his world 🌎
ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook from Amazon 📚with KU.
Merged review:
Brendon 🐺🍆⛲🔪 the Bold
ADULT Historical Medieval🏰🔪🐎 Style Fantasy 🌈. Illustrated!
This is a medieval style🏰 🐎🔪adventure novel with plenty of sword fights🔪, knights🐎🔪 in armour, etc. The novel takes place on a fantasy world 🌎. Thankfully the magic doesn't take over the story. The story focuses on the very human peop!e that populate the world 🌎. Beautifully Illustrated with some haunting paintings of Brendon🐺🐎🔪 and his world 🌎
ARC Provided by Booksprout 🌱
I also got this ebook from Amazon 📚with KU.
Ends in a cliffhanger.
February 25, 2023
This story has so much potential, and this first book just hints at much to come. Unfortunately, it feels like it left off at the halfway mark of a typical novel.
The prologue, which must be about left me feeling wanting. And I even like prologues.
This story is written from 3 different perspectives, which I like, and while you learn a little more about the upbringing of one character Brenden (who is both referred to as Brenden and Bren interchangeably, which felt really odd considering it was always from the perspective of the narrator, and not that certain characters used a nickname or the character himself) This character was decent, he seems to know as little about himself as the rest of us, so that revelation speaks to what might come. This part of the story eludes to some magic with a chance encounter with a hooded figure and the mystery of a little book that found its way to the character though we know nothing of it.
Kumori is the second character we meet, however, this one I don't feel like I knew very much.. he is part of some sort of Wolf Guild, and has a wolf companion that is portrayed more like a puppy, and you don't really get much info on what the guild is, only that there are several with other animal names and this one was supposed to protect someone they weren't able to.
Leara's story has not yet been woven into the greater arc, where Kumori and Brenden's stories intermingle, hers does not. She is definitely the kick-ass type of character but there is no backstory on what drives her.
She loses her dad while they rescue her sister from some bandits, one who seems to think using an arrow as the only means of self-defense in close quarters is a good choice.. the story leaves with her taking off from the funeral and we know nothing else.
The writing is decent, and the choice of descriptive words is often good and paints a nice picture, but the overuse of the characters' names got old. One paragraph in particular at the beginning of the story had the use of Septimus 5 times, where several could have been replaced with he/him/his, it was very reminiscent of how books for young school-aged children are written.
Overall, I did not find enough depth of character or world-building to want to continue to find out what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The prologue, which must be about left me feeling wanting. And I even like prologues.
This story is written from 3 different perspectives, which I like, and while you learn a little more about the upbringing of one character Brenden (who is both referred to as Brenden and Bren interchangeably, which felt really odd considering it was always from the perspective of the narrator, and not that certain characters used a nickname or the character himself) This character was decent, he seems to know as little about himself as the rest of us, so that revelation speaks to what might come. This part of the story eludes to some magic with a chance encounter with a hooded figure and the mystery of a little book that found its way to the character though we know nothing of it.
Kumori is the second character we meet, however, this one I don't feel like I knew very much.. he is part of some sort of Wolf Guild, and has a wolf companion that is portrayed more like a puppy, and you don't really get much info on what the guild is, only that there are several with other animal names and this one was supposed to protect someone they weren't able to.
Leara's story has not yet been woven into the greater arc, where Kumori and Brenden's stories intermingle, hers does not. She is definitely the kick-ass type of character but there is no backstory on what drives her.
She loses her dad while they rescue her sister from some bandits, one who seems to think using an arrow as the only means of self-defense in close quarters is a good choice.. the story leaves with her taking off from the funeral and we know nothing else.
The writing is decent, and the choice of descriptive words is often good and paints a nice picture, but the overuse of the characters' names got old. One paragraph in particular at the beginning of the story had the use of Septimus 5 times, where several could have been replaced with he/him/his, it was very reminiscent of how books for young school-aged children are written.
Overall, I did not find enough depth of character or world-building to want to continue to find out what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 26, 2023
I found this book through tiktok and really wanted to love it based on the plot summary and was excited to start, but it really felt unfinished. I was constantly wondering if I had gotten only a portion of the first book instead of the book in its entirety.
The book introduces you to our three characters and alternates between point of views. The problem I had with it was it felt like the whole book was just exposition, introducing you to our individual heroes and backstories with no real progression forward. Just when we were reaching that point where you have the trigger for a "hero's journey", the book was finished and we're left with so many unanswered questions.
I know there are more books in this series and I haven't read the sequel yet but felt like the pacing of this first book was just too slow and maybe some of the events of the next books could be combined here to make one more well-rounded story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The book introduces you to our three characters and alternates between point of views. The problem I had with it was it felt like the whole book was just exposition, introducing you to our individual heroes and backstories with no real progression forward. Just when we were reaching that point where you have the trigger for a "hero's journey", the book was finished and we're left with so many unanswered questions.
I know there are more books in this series and I haven't read the sequel yet but felt like the pacing of this first book was just too slow and maybe some of the events of the next books could be combined here to make one more well-rounded story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 6, 2023
Ignatz Dovidans has a new reader. I stumbled across his TikTok regarding his Moonrise series and was intrigued. Instead of going via Booksprout, I purchased a copy via Amazon and I am so glad to have it in my collection.
Wolfsong leads you on what I can only believe will be an epic journey of the three main characters (so far). His writing paints a beautiful and intricate world.
Brendon - a foster boy working on the foster parents farm, wanting to see the world, but also not wanting to leave his home.
Leara - living a comfortable life watching her sister marry a local lord, her father a great swordsman and teacher encouraging her to handle a sword.
And my favourite character so far, Kumori - a young warrior eager to prove himself to The Old Wolf, part of the Wolf Guild sent on a mission.
The most disappointing part of this book is that it is just only 200 pages long. The world that Ignatz has created sucks you in from the first page, you get to be in the same world and view it through three different POV's. I can't wait to see how their paths come together.
Wolfsong leads you on what I can only believe will be an epic journey of the three main characters (so far). His writing paints a beautiful and intricate world.
Brendon - a foster boy working on the foster parents farm, wanting to see the world, but also not wanting to leave his home.
Leara - living a comfortable life watching her sister marry a local lord, her father a great swordsman and teacher encouraging her to handle a sword.
And my favourite character so far, Kumori - a young warrior eager to prove himself to The Old Wolf, part of the Wolf Guild sent on a mission.
The most disappointing part of this book is that it is just only 200 pages long. The world that Ignatz has created sucks you in from the first page, you get to be in the same world and view it through three different POV's. I can't wait to see how their paths come together.
February 26, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were engaging and well written. It was a quick read. I loved reading about Leara and her raw emotions and passions. I was intrigued by Kumori’s supernatural experiences. And I really want to see what’s going to happen with Bren. My only complaint is it felt like a prequel for 2/3 of the perspectives. Nothing really happened. It felt like all 3 main characters just got called on a hero’s journey and then we stopped.
July 2, 2022
This book is an interesting introduction to a new world. While it feels like a traditional first book that leaves you with more questions than answers, the desire to understand where our characters are going from here is something that definitely makes you want to keep going. Add in the fact that it's a quick read and has artwork that will take your breath away, this is absolutely worth it! I can't wait to see where we end up next in this story!
March 5, 2023
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wolfsong has good pacing for a young adult novel, and enough mysteries to keep the reader turning the pages.
However it occasionally seems unsure of its target demographic. The pacing and ideas presented feel most appropriate for younger readers, but some of the language used is outside the scope of vocabulary that is expected of this age group.
Whilst the book was fun to read and the mysteries surrounding the main characters kept me hooked, there was disappointingly no conclusion.
Wolfsong has good pacing for a young adult novel, and enough mysteries to keep the reader turning the pages.
However it occasionally seems unsure of its target demographic. The pacing and ideas presented feel most appropriate for younger readers, but some of the language used is outside the scope of vocabulary that is expected of this age group.
Whilst the book was fun to read and the mysteries surrounding the main characters kept me hooked, there was disappointingly no conclusion.
June 29, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! It felt like the beginning of a great fantasy adventure. I definitely will be grabbing the second one. The author clearly has defined their world and out a lot of thought into the social and political dynamics. Though the world building is huge, the author also takes time to let the reader get to know the characters too. Their goals and intentions are clear and I really liked all three of the POVs. Great book!
January 15, 2023
3.5/5 stars
Book 1 of the Moonrise series is all about character introduction until chapter 12 (63% of the way through) where things start to pick up and we see our 3 characters starting on each of their journey's. The writing is really good and you can really tell that the author is setting the series up for amazing adventures with real up's and downs that will no doubt be riveting for the readers. The reasons I give this 3.5 stars is because of how long it took for anything really interesting to happen and the fact that the only real fight/battle scene lasted only 3 paragraphs. I am excited to see where book 2 goes and what happens with all 3 of the characters we are following.
Book 1 of the Moonrise series is all about character introduction until chapter 12 (63% of the way through) where things start to pick up and we see our 3 characters starting on each of their journey's. The writing is really good and you can really tell that the author is setting the series up for amazing adventures with real up's and downs that will no doubt be riveting for the readers. The reasons I give this 3.5 stars is because of how long it took for anything really interesting to happen and the fact that the only real fight/battle scene lasted only 3 paragraphs. I am excited to see where book 2 goes and what happens with all 3 of the characters we are following.
February 28, 2023
It started off really good the prologue was super interesting and I found pleasing that we were following the story of three different characters
However as the book moved on it also started to get boring too much details and not enough info on the story, and the separate point of view of characters bothered me a lot, whenever something interesting was happening the chapter ended and there we were following s different story in the cliffhanger left previously so it did not create the same impact
Overall I did not like it, not enough fantasy for my liking except for the awesome beginning.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
However as the book moved on it also started to get boring too much details and not enough info on the story, and the separate point of view of characters bothered me a lot, whenever something interesting was happening the chapter ended and there we were following s different story in the cliffhanger left previously so it did not create the same impact
Overall I did not like it, not enough fantasy for my liking except for the awesome beginning.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 9, 2025
One of my goals this year is to read more indie books. I found this author on tiktok and thought, why not?
Overall, I thought this book was very well packaged and edited. The prose is also very easy to read, flowing well. Super professionally done and executed.
I also quite enjoyed the action scenes. The author really has a knack for them.
This book is marketed as short epic fantasy and while I get the appeal of that, I think we miss a lot of what makes the genre enjoyable when you cut it down that much. It definitely felt like the first act of a much larger book, and in general, I’d rather read the entire book together. I also think 3 povs might be too many for this short of a story, my attention stretched too thin.
Another note I have on this is the worldbuilding and description, I think it’s probably the most lacking. There is description, but it’s nothing I haven’t read before in a million other stories. There is a section near the end where a character visits a goose inn with a bunch of stuffed geese. I want more of THAT. Not just comedic description, but little details And set pieces that make the world stand out to me and that are truly unique. Because I do think the author is creating a world worth exploring, it’s just revealing that more to the reader that will make their work shine.
Overall, I thought this book was very well packaged and edited. The prose is also very easy to read, flowing well. Super professionally done and executed.
I also quite enjoyed the action scenes. The author really has a knack for them.
This book is marketed as short epic fantasy and while I get the appeal of that, I think we miss a lot of what makes the genre enjoyable when you cut it down that much. It definitely felt like the first act of a much larger book, and in general, I’d rather read the entire book together. I also think 3 povs might be too many for this short of a story, my attention stretched too thin.
Another note I have on this is the worldbuilding and description, I think it’s probably the most lacking. There is description, but it’s nothing I haven’t read before in a million other stories. There is a section near the end where a character visits a goose inn with a bunch of stuffed geese. I want more of THAT. Not just comedic description, but little details And set pieces that make the world stand out to me and that are truly unique. Because I do think the author is creating a world worth exploring, it’s just revealing that more to the reader that will make their work shine.
February 8, 2023
I received a free copy of this book for a voluntary and honest review of this book.
Let me start by saying this: this was a very enjoyable read. I would say it's probably at about 3.5 stars, but I would prefer to round it up than down. I know it's published by an independent author and not by a huge company. And I like supporting smaller and newer authors - even if, in this case, it's simply by reviewing. Even Stephen King had to start somewhere!
The things I really liked about this book:
We'll start at the very beginning (a very good place to start). This author put a warning label at the very beginning of the story. This is such a huge thing for such a small paragraph and I absolutely love it. I know authors are starting to do this and it makes me happy. For me, there was nothing in it over the top for a YA level book. I didn't even think there was anything worse than any of the cop/medical/fire shows on tv these days or even most of the YA genre. But I still love to see it included, because we never know what someone else might be uncomfortable with. And in a world that's so harsh and cruel, it doesn't hurt to offer the kindness and consideration of a warning.
I'm enjoying the characters. There's room for them all to be fleshed out a lot more, but I think this book creates a good foundation for each character that the following books hopefully will build on. They're young - teenagers or young adults - and, for the most part, they act that way. They aren't all of a sudden the best at something they didn't know 2 minutes ago like a lot of current YA MCs are, which makes me very happy.
The world building is the same. We haven't gotten into very much of it, but I definitely get the feel that this author knows his world and has it fleshed out beyond what is written in this first book.
The storyline has good potential. Three characters all separate at the beginning, two of them coming together in this book. I'm guessing all 3 will somehow eventually come together in the next books - though it remains to be seen in what way.
The underlying mystery of two creatures who seemingly disappeared into thin air and what they may represent is a good hook for me, as well. I'm definitely curious as to what will come from that story and the black notebook.
The artwork. I've never read a book over children's age books that had illustrations in them. That was really cool. One thing that I struggled with occasionally, being on kindle, was I couldn't tell if the illustration related to the previous or upcoming chapter, but that's not that big of a deal over all.
Readability. For me, this was a quick and easy read. It was engaging, I didn't feel like I was dragging through it. Even reading it closely to be able to review, it only took me about 2 1/2 hours to read this evening. And I did it in one sitting.
Did not end on a cliff-hanger - kind of. Don't get me wrong, I love a good cliff-hanger (even the ones where authors take that literally...) But it's also super nice to have a series where that is not the case. This book does not tie up all the strings with a pretty little bow. This is definitely a serious and to know the whole story, you are required to continue the series. But this ending isn't going to keep me up the rest of the night until I can get my hands on the next book. The author found a good lull in the story, brought each character's final chapter to a nice little setting, and said farewell for now.
The final point leads me to an in between point - something I both like and dislike. This book feels like a context book. This is simply you're 200-something page prologue. This book sets the stage for what feels like the "actual" story to begin. We've been introduced to these characters, we've gotten to know them a bit, we've gotten their backstory some and now we (the readers and the characters) are finally ready to embark on our journey. Let the show begin.
Things I didn't love as much about this book:
In direct opposition to my last comment, this book did have some pacing issues to me. There's a specific chapter (chapter 12 - no spoilers) that was just unbelievably too quick for me. There was... I will be quite honest, I also saw it coming. So perhaps that I expected it left me with less of an emotional connection with the actions and characters, but it was over too quickly. There was no hook. It was just done. And yet, another couple of characters introduced early in the book don't seem particularly relevant to anything in this story. I understand they might have needed an introduction for the later books, but it was... a little bulky for this book.
The tone he uses throughout the story sometimes pulled me out of my immersion into his world. There's a mid-high-language feel in his writing, which is, by no means, a bad thing. Make people pull out their dictionaries and learn new things. It's great. But then low-language words would be fit into the middle of a paragraph or a paragraph would be in a full-bodied high-language. When the writing went either of these directions, it was like a stumble in my mind that did not keep me immersed.
There are some issues with wording or editing. I noticed one place where a character's name was misspelled. There were a few different moments where things happen twice - for instance, the character needed "street" lights to see the path as he continued his journey and then two paragraphs later, the sun started to set. In another, the same phrase is used in the last paragraph of one chapter and only minimally changed before being used in the first couple paragraphs of the following chapter. This is something that is hard to catch when you're the primary (or perhaps sole) person responsible for writing, editing, and getting it out for public consumption. I found this a few times near the beginning of the book and then a couple more times near the end. The middle was largely clear of notable edits - or I got caught up in the story and completely missed them!
Ultimately, this was an enjoyable book and the start of what I hope to be a good series. I'm certainly looking forward to reading the second book and seeing where this story takes them all.
Let me start by saying this: this was a very enjoyable read. I would say it's probably at about 3.5 stars, but I would prefer to round it up than down. I know it's published by an independent author and not by a huge company. And I like supporting smaller and newer authors - even if, in this case, it's simply by reviewing. Even Stephen King had to start somewhere!
The things I really liked about this book:
We'll start at the very beginning (a very good place to start). This author put a warning label at the very beginning of the story. This is such a huge thing for such a small paragraph and I absolutely love it. I know authors are starting to do this and it makes me happy. For me, there was nothing in it over the top for a YA level book. I didn't even think there was anything worse than any of the cop/medical/fire shows on tv these days or even most of the YA genre. But I still love to see it included, because we never know what someone else might be uncomfortable with. And in a world that's so harsh and cruel, it doesn't hurt to offer the kindness and consideration of a warning.
I'm enjoying the characters. There's room for them all to be fleshed out a lot more, but I think this book creates a good foundation for each character that the following books hopefully will build on. They're young - teenagers or young adults - and, for the most part, they act that way. They aren't all of a sudden the best at something they didn't know 2 minutes ago like a lot of current YA MCs are, which makes me very happy.
The world building is the same. We haven't gotten into very much of it, but I definitely get the feel that this author knows his world and has it fleshed out beyond what is written in this first book.
The storyline has good potential. Three characters all separate at the beginning, two of them coming together in this book. I'm guessing all 3 will somehow eventually come together in the next books - though it remains to be seen in what way.
The underlying mystery of two creatures who seemingly disappeared into thin air and what they may represent is a good hook for me, as well. I'm definitely curious as to what will come from that story and the black notebook.
The artwork. I've never read a book over children's age books that had illustrations in them. That was really cool. One thing that I struggled with occasionally, being on kindle, was I couldn't tell if the illustration related to the previous or upcoming chapter, but that's not that big of a deal over all.
Readability. For me, this was a quick and easy read. It was engaging, I didn't feel like I was dragging through it. Even reading it closely to be able to review, it only took me about 2 1/2 hours to read this evening. And I did it in one sitting.
Did not end on a cliff-hanger - kind of. Don't get me wrong, I love a good cliff-hanger (even the ones where authors take that literally...) But it's also super nice to have a series where that is not the case. This book does not tie up all the strings with a pretty little bow. This is definitely a serious and to know the whole story, you are required to continue the series. But this ending isn't going to keep me up the rest of the night until I can get my hands on the next book. The author found a good lull in the story, brought each character's final chapter to a nice little setting, and said farewell for now.
The final point leads me to an in between point - something I both like and dislike. This book feels like a context book. This is simply you're 200-something page prologue. This book sets the stage for what feels like the "actual" story to begin. We've been introduced to these characters, we've gotten to know them a bit, we've gotten their backstory some and now we (the readers and the characters) are finally ready to embark on our journey. Let the show begin.
Things I didn't love as much about this book:
In direct opposition to my last comment, this book did have some pacing issues to me. There's a specific chapter (chapter 12 - no spoilers) that was just unbelievably too quick for me. There was... I will be quite honest, I also saw it coming. So perhaps that I expected it left me with less of an emotional connection with the actions and characters, but it was over too quickly. There was no hook. It was just done. And yet, another couple of characters introduced early in the book don't seem particularly relevant to anything in this story. I understand they might have needed an introduction for the later books, but it was... a little bulky for this book.
The tone he uses throughout the story sometimes pulled me out of my immersion into his world. There's a mid-high-language feel in his writing, which is, by no means, a bad thing. Make people pull out their dictionaries and learn new things. It's great. But then low-language words would be fit into the middle of a paragraph or a paragraph would be in a full-bodied high-language. When the writing went either of these directions, it was like a stumble in my mind that did not keep me immersed.
There are some issues with wording or editing. I noticed one place where a character's name was misspelled. There were a few different moments where things happen twice - for instance, the character needed "street" lights to see the path as he continued his journey and then two paragraphs later, the sun started to set. In another, the same phrase is used in the last paragraph of one chapter and only minimally changed before being used in the first couple paragraphs of the following chapter. This is something that is hard to catch when you're the primary (or perhaps sole) person responsible for writing, editing, and getting it out for public consumption. I found this a few times near the beginning of the book and then a couple more times near the end. The middle was largely clear of notable edits - or I got caught up in the story and completely missed them!
Ultimately, this was an enjoyable book and the start of what I hope to be a good series. I'm certainly looking forward to reading the second book and seeing where this story takes them all.
November 17, 2021
I thought this was a great book but I felt like it only just got started and then finished.
Since I finished reading this book I have found more of the authors Tictoks (which is how I found out about this book in the first place) and have found out its the 1st in a 40 something series so this now makes sense.
All in all though I think this is a great book, a great start to an adventure and I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series I hope they come soon, I've found that I am already emotionally invested in the characters especially Leara who I think has a great story/adventure coming and Kumori who I just think his whole character/plot wha ever you want to call it, is just amazing and the sort I always enjoy in books.
I think it's going to be a great story no matter how many books. :-)
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Since I finished reading this book I have found more of the authors Tictoks (which is how I found out about this book in the first place) and have found out its the 1st in a 40 something series so this now makes sense.
All in all though I think this is a great book, a great start to an adventure and I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series I hope they come soon, I've found that I am already emotionally invested in the characters especially Leara who I think has a great story/adventure coming and Kumori who I just think his whole character/plot wha ever you want to call it, is just amazing and the sort I always enjoy in books.
I think it's going to be a great story no matter how many books. :-)
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 29, 2021
The book introduces three protagonists...
Brendon, a farm boy from Trebley... who loves sunsets, and books... and dislikes his cold foster parents, who send him away to the Ehlronian army...
Kumori, a Sentinel in the Wolves Guild... who is sent off on the mission to get Brendon to join the Wolves...
and Leara, a fierce swordswoman from West Creek... who sets off to avenge her father, and hunt slavers the slavers who destroyed her family...
The world building is gradual, and I'd have liked a lot more detail. This book mostly seems to be setting the stage for the rest of the series.
I enjoyed the book, and though it's not fast paced, it's a quick read. I'd love to continue reading this series.
Brendon, a farm boy from Trebley... who loves sunsets, and books... and dislikes his cold foster parents, who send him away to the Ehlronian army...
Kumori, a Sentinel in the Wolves Guild... who is sent off on the mission to get Brendon to join the Wolves...
and Leara, a fierce swordswoman from West Creek... who sets off to avenge her father, and hunt slavers the slavers who destroyed her family...
The world building is gradual, and I'd have liked a lot more detail. This book mostly seems to be setting the stage for the rest of the series.
I enjoyed the book, and though it's not fast paced, it's a quick read. I'd love to continue reading this series.
October 26, 2021
The kind of tale sang by Bards in days long ago. If you are a fan of Homer, Chaucer, or Tolkien, this fantasy novel is in your wheelhouse. Wolfsong is the first book in the Moonrise series by Ignatz Dovidāns. Right off the bat on the first page, you are swept into the action of everything going sideways, which at first was a bit confusing as the story shifted; however, it cleared up very quickly and we are put on the path of following Brendon, Kumori, and Leara. As the story progresses, the three character's stories start to intertwine preparing us for the next adventures in book 2. A speedy read you won't want to put down until it's time to pick up the next book.
February 26, 2023
What about Wolfsong, one might ask, and here is my answer:
It's good. Genuinely good, in all the meanings of the word, it has an very intriguing start, inviting the reader towards it, and a plot twist that slots like puzzle pieces, despite of having caught me a little by surprise.
However, my favorite thing about it, was how Ignatz introduces the characters, very fluid, very enhancing, and above all, show us the character instead of telling. A very important part in the entertainment industry.
It's nice to read, very good book, I recommend to everyone who wants a adventure to enjoy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It's good. Genuinely good, in all the meanings of the word, it has an very intriguing start, inviting the reader towards it, and a plot twist that slots like puzzle pieces, despite of having caught me a little by surprise.
However, my favorite thing about it, was how Ignatz introduces the characters, very fluid, very enhancing, and above all, show us the character instead of telling. A very important part in the entertainment industry.
It's nice to read, very good book, I recommend to everyone who wants a adventure to enjoy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 28, 2023
It is definetly a page turning story and the begginig of an adventure.
I would recommend it to someone who likes a good book, with good and interesting world building, amazing characters, who likes their stories to be short and fast paced.
At the begginig you have this beautiful map, that gives you a little bit of perspective, where everything is happening. There is some beautiful art included, and at the begginig of every chapter it has this detailed lining. It has relatively little number of characters, so it quite easy to remember them. There are three main characters, whose story is told.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I would recommend it to someone who likes a good book, with good and interesting world building, amazing characters, who likes their stories to be short and fast paced.
At the begginig you have this beautiful map, that gives you a little bit of perspective, where everything is happening. There is some beautiful art included, and at the begginig of every chapter it has this detailed lining. It has relatively little number of characters, so it quite easy to remember them. There are three main characters, whose story is told.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 3, 2023
I am so glad I found this amazing author. Following multiple points of view all completing the story keeps it well rounded and has you wanting more. The story moves well but wish I had more. I cannot wait to continue reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 22, 2021
The longer you read the better the story gets. At first, I wasn't too sure about the book especially since multiple character point of view stories are harder for me to get into, but by halfway I was interested and wanted to read more. The characters were interesting and I could see how their stories come together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 28, 2023
The book started off with an action-filled scene, and I found myself loving the writing style, the words' flow, and how easy it was to visualize the action - something which carried on throughout the book. It was short, unique, and enjoyable; I read it in one seating. It's told in three POVs which isn't common in most books, but which I loved. All in all, can't wait to read the rest of the series!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 23, 2022
It’s possible that the rest of this series is good, but I don’t quite understand why this was released as it’s own book. It reads like a prologue with all buildup and no payoff. A lot of character development with nearly nothing happening in the plot. The writing quality is good, but there’s nothing knitting this book together into a cohesive story.
October 22, 2021
There wasn't enough. I read and read and read and I couldn't put the book down and then it was done. I'll be eagerly waiting for the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 6, 2023
The edition of this book is terrible, the book has content for 80 pages but is edited for 200. There's a lot of noise and scenes that could be erased and nothing would change. The whole book is basically an introduction, nothing really happens.
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