Birthrights: Book One of the Last Son of the Feromage Saga

by David Trotter, Aaron Moschner (Illustrator)

TUR’MOR, capital of the Republic of Ordiatea and the center of the modern world, is a vast city-state by the sea where the haze of industry and the glisten of steel draws in people from across the continent of Ethrea. At the heart of the Tur’Mor lies two governing authorities, that of the political figureheads and the Holy Council of the Church of Ordan. However, beneath its cobbled streets and immense markets, a cancer sucks at the city-state, threatening to overturn the tender balance of it all. Cults, thieves, assassins, and robbers lurk, while the wealthy ‘Uppers’ leech off of the less fortunate.Burdened with guilt and remorse for his failings, a forgotten warrior finds himself trapped between the looming walls of Tur’Mor and a mysterious call to Find Them. His only hope is to learn to trust. But in a city where secrets and betrayal are the common language, and propaganda is being issued from those who should be helping, he is left to figure things out on his own.Meanwhile, in Southend of Tur’Mor, where the poor and despot cling on to whatever meager belongings they can scavenge, a group of misfits has banded together, headed by the charismatic Felik, calling themselves ‘The Crew’. Diversity makes them unique, stronger than common street toughs of Southend. But, when everyone has secrets, someone is bound to get hurt.Worlds collide as progress press ever onward. Important realities are lost to history as the march to greater enlightenment tramples out the once sacred truths of the past. Magic and mystical creatures? Fairy tales used to scare children. Arcane artifacts? Folklore to distract citizens from their responsibilities. The Church has verified this, and they do whatever it takes to ensure these facts. However, some of those darker truths should have never been allowed to be forgotten.

Genres: Fantasy

431 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 20, 2021

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book. Loved the illustrations and great story building. Made you feel for the characters and great balance between the different view points!

[Jaxon Charlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally got around to reading this one! It’s been on my list for an embarrassingly long time, but I’m so glad I finally read it.

Birthrights is an epic in its truest form. The lore and worldbuilding is rich and deep. It’s a world you can dive into and theorize about. However, it does require a lot of investment to get to that point. Once you’re through it though and start to grasp how the magic works and what the world’s history is, it pays off big time. Important moments are greatly enhanced by Trotter’s attention to detail.

The story also excels in its character work. Darius, a lost warrior transported to a time far from his, is about as cool as it gets. He’s got all kinds of powers and lots of backstory to learn. Aellia is a street rat, desperate to gain all the power and wealth she can to rise above the place the “Uppers” have put her. As part of Felik’s “Crew”, she sets out to steal the greatest wealth in the kingdom—and it only gets more nuts from there.

The art is another strength of the book. Aaron Moschner’s illustrations appear throughout the book, making it all the more vibrant and engaging. It really is a beautiful book, and it’ll be on my shelf for years to come.

Birthrights is a must read for fans of fantasy. If you like stories with a hero’s journey, expansive worlds, and detailed magic systems, give Birthrights a try. You won’t regret it.

[Melinda Cater · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Find them, or blood shall rain!”

Does your mind yearn for stories filled with complex and captivating world building? Filled with characters that will capture your heart, make you fall in love with them despite their faults and failures because they are absolutely beautiful, multifaceted, and entirely plausible? Where the story begs you to delve deeper? Think more? Question everything you think you know? And appreciate all the intricate and well designed nuances?

If your answer was yes to any and/or all of these questions then I have the perfect book for you!!!!

Birthrights (Book 1 of The Last Son of the Feromage Saga) by David Andrew Trotter is one spellbinding! Completely captivating! Character driven! But filled with some of the best and most enticing world building and magic system I have ever read! Honestly, I cannot think of a single thing I didn’t enjoy about this story.

First of all, I listened to the narrated version of this book and let me tell you, I adored the narrator! Kramer did an exceptional job of bringing Trotter’s characters and world to life. It was so good and I very highly recommend giving this audio book a listen.

Now onto the book review:

I loved the characters who were all multifaceted, intriguing, and well developed. My favotive just had to be Darius, 1000 year old, last Son of the Faromage, who despite waking up in a completely different era was able to move forward, search and question his existence and purpose, all the while being his completely altruistic and self sacrificing self. Also...he had some super exciting and unique abilities and I cannot wait to explore his character more in the next book.

Another fantastic element to this story is the subtle steampunk/futuristic world building. It is just so well done. The genius of it is in the small but perfectly executed details. It doesn’t slap you in the face but let’s you explore it with unique, interesting, well devised descriptions. I really really enjoyed learning about and experiencing this unique world , especially through the eyes of Darius, who himself, was new to it’s existence.

And finally I thoroughly and wholeheartedly appreciated the way Trotter interwove the aspect of religion and belief into the story. How he was able to take something such as gods and deities and portray them in a way that made me question what was right, who was good, where the evil presided, all those beliefs you hold dear and yet may be different than those of other people and religions. It was just nothing short of perfection. And I can tell this is one of those series that is going to stick with me far beyond it’s conclusion.

So yep…go read Birthrights and discover the amazing story of a protector thrown headlong into unknown future, where he must learn to navigate a religion both similar and yet so unlike his own, a thief and outcast who doesn’t shy away from fighting, battle, and refuses to let anything or anyone get in her way, and a prophecy that may or may not be exactly what it seems.

[Beba Andric · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a richly dark prologue! Straight into drama, a wounded soldier on a mission, a dark Queen, gods and murder. Imagine waking up in a tomb, not knowing who you are, where you are, trying to make sense of a few snippets that filter through your mind and then to be taken prisoner. The only thing he does know, he needs to escape and surprises all around him, himself includes, at his ability to do just that, at his strength, at his brutality. So starts this epic tale and story that is full of depth, as one man's memories elude him, his purpose elude him. But not for long. This is a tale of one man's quest to find himself, a very intricate story, complex, with many players, in a steady pace, slowly adding to reveal a full picture.

Darius is painted, stroke by stroke, as he too is revealed for what and who he is. I enjoyed the piece by piece unveiling, I enjoyed getting a clearer picture of Darius, his confusion so palpable, the phrase "find them, or blood shall rain" on repeat in his head. I must admit, I do enjoy epic fantasy, I however found a lot of portions in this book dragging somewhat. One minute I'm all in, expecting a major development, the next I'm trying to connect the dots. Don't get me wrong, this was a very well written book, well thought out, the delivery, to me was just that little bit too convoluted.

Having said that, I liked the complexity of Darius as a character, I liked seeing him lost in himself, lost in a world so far removed from his own, I enjoyed the honour and his need to help others. The religious aspect added a nice touch, and was well delivered. I also really enjoyed seeing the artwork as I was reading, a cool touch. But my favourite character must be Aellia, let's face it, who's doesn't like a street rat with all the smarts! All told, an enjoyable read.

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled to get into this to begin with, finding it slow and the writing somewhat clunky. But it was as if the novel found it's stride a few chapters in and I found myself hooked. The pace picked up, the writing flowed more, losing some of the 'show instead of tell' quality and the flashback felt less jarring. It took longer for both narratives to make sense, although Darius's was easy to invest in much sooner. By the end though, I was invested in both point of views, even if the dream flashbacks still often felt superfluous and drew me out of the main novel.

This is an undoubtedly complex novel, with numerous characters and several interwoven narratives. Some of it does get lost in the complexity; there isn't enough space to fully develop some characters and so I didn't care as much about them as I think I was probably meant to. But I was invested in the story as a whole once things got moving and was impressed by the complex world building displayed here. It doesn't stint on the action, but also has a wealth of political intrigue and back-stabbing and a world that is painstakingly built around you.

The strongest narrative here by far is that of Darius, a hulk of a man dropped hundreds of years into the future with a quest that he can't remember except through vague flashbacks and a haunting voice in his mind repeating one phrase. The past and the present collide, but it's Darius and the relationships he forges that bring this to life. The narrative with Felik and his band of thieves felt out of place until almost the conclusion of the novel. It felt like an afterthought for much of the novel and the characters weren't anywhere near as fleshed out as those in Darius's radius.

I'm intrigued at where this will go; partly because the Darius narrative is genuinely excellent by the end and partly because the Felik narrative resolves into a truly fascinating cliff hanger. So I'm rounding my instictive 3.5 stars to a full 4 stars.

[Deborah Svensson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Birthrights by David Andrew Trotter

Darius is an ancient Feromage who wakes and finds himself trapped. Struggling to escape from the container he is inside, he breaks out and finds he was inside a coffin. How could someone have buried him alive? However a coffin is not the only thing he has to break out of, he is also closed off within a chamber full of coffins. He manages to escape from the mausoleum, but does not recognize anything. While still feeling confused and weak, he is arrested and thrown in prison. He has no idea where he is and everyone he sees wears clothing he has never seen before. Even weak with hunger and very confused, he is much stronger than anyone else and manages to escape the prison and get away.
Darius ends up meeting a kindly priest who offers him food and a place to stay in exchange for Darius's help with chores and repairs. Darius learns that he has somehow been transported in time to a future that has mostly forgotten the ancient times from when Darius was a guardian. Darius keeps hearing a voice that only says "Find them" with no other directions on who he needs to find and why.
Factions within the city are fighting to take control, with magic and dark creatures mixed in with the rich and poor of the city. Darius has to figure out who he can trust and how he can save those that are in danger, while fulfilling his duties and hiding his powers.
I found this book interesting and continually found myself wondering what would happen next and how much more trouble would Darius get himself into without even trying.

[Susan May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darius is the last of his kind a Feromage, sworn protector of humanity passed from father to oldest son for generations. He has the words Find them, find them, or blood will rain" spoken by the voice that disturbs Darius in his sleep and visions he can't understand. His last battle was with the Morreans' queen and as he slew her she put her hand to his chest and cursed him. Darius wakes up in a tomb, in a strange city and can't remember how he got there. Ranan, a kindly priest who runs a shelter for those in need, takes him in and offers help. Our hero finds that he is 1,000 years into the future and all he knew village, family, and friends are no more and he wonders why he still exists. Daruis is steadfast and has perseverance along with a magic all his own. You will meet some interesting side characters along the way like Felix and Crew. Then we have Aellia a gang of thieves. Aellia is a thief who also happens to be deadly with a blade and quite unusual in her appearance and she stumbles upon an interesting artifact that will link her to our friend Darius. Also, Izebal, a beautiful lady of magic who befriends Darius along his journey after he saves her life doing what he does...being a genuinely good guy. This story has some nasty blood magic & a lot of twists and turns that keep the pages turning.

[Marena · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Find them, find them, or blood will rain". These words are spoken by the voice that disturbs Darius' sleep and visions he can't understand. Who's Darius you ask? He is the last of his kind a Feromage, sworn protector of humanity passed from father to oldest son for generations. His last battle was with the Morreans' queen and as he slew her she put her hand to his chest and cursed him. Darius wakes up in a tomb, in a strange city and can't remember how he got there. Ranan, a kindly priest who runs a shelter for those in need, takes him in and offers help. Our hero finds that he is 1,000 years into the future and all he knew village, family, and friends are no more and he wanders why he still exists. I loved Daruis' steadfastness and perseverance, he is kind and good, a regular "teddy bear" with a magic all his own. We meet some interesting side characters like Felix and Crew featuring Aellia a gang of thieves and later we meet Izebel a woman with very strong magic. I need more of this story I really enjoyed it.

[The Book Dragon's Hoard by A.V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The idea of this story is interesting and quite unusual. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the magic system which were quite different from what is currently in vogue with fantasy. The Sword & Sorcery mixed with historical fantasy that’s not Medieval was interesting and definitely kept me going.

However, I struggled to connect with the characters because there are lots of them. I think if the author had kept the points of view to the two most important characters, the story would have been a faster, more entertaining read. As it is, the unexpected shifts in perspective from one chapter to the next and the need to remember obscure characters who hadn’t appeared for several chapters made this into a slower read than I’d expected.

Overall, I give this novel 3.5 stars because there was enough to keep me reading and finish the book, which I’m glad I did. I particularly appreciate the message that even when we set out to fulfil a personal quest, we cannot achieve it on our own. Help is always an element even if we’re doing something for ourselves.

[Jessica Kurnas · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF at 30-40%. I gave this audiobook a listen and at first, the story showed great promise. It opens with a bit of mystery. With a Zelda: Breath of the Wild-esque scene the main character wakes in a tomb, not knowing much about himself.

I was lost on a couple accounts. The pacing is too slow in multiple areas, it made it so that there was not enough interest for me to continue the story. I didn't connect with the main character at any given point and therefore lost interest in him. There is also an odd amount of incredible detail for trivial things. Worldbuilding kind of took front stage and characters seemed to be secondary. There were also moments of exposition dumping. I think it would have served better as a novella...or a shorter novel. There is lots of repetition and it could have flowed better.

Credit where credit is due though, writing a 400+ page novel is no easy task. And I do think with heavy editing, it could be a good read. And the prologue and first chapter show promise that the author may end up in a better place in the near future.

[Jonathan Van Crumpet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a vastly complex book. The MC, Darius, the last son of the Feromage, wakes up after being cursed a thousand years ago, in a world of technology that has forgotten magic. His purpose, to 'find them, or blood will rain'. But who are they?

The beginning of the book immerses us into the confusion that is Darius' new life. The people he meets will have profound effects on his story, as forgotten magic is reborn in order to counteract the dark powers rising in the world.

There are plenty of fight scenes, gory enough to satisfy anyone. Politics and religion too, all surrounded in a twisting mesh of secrecy, jealousy and betrayal. There are heists, secret passages and ninja-esque warriors who pop through ceilings unexpectedly. So much to feast upon in this book

[Stacey Markle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darius really touched me! Waking up, not knowing who or what he was, what he was doing or even what age in the world it was, he kept trying to help people. A true protector in the body of the last warrior.
It's a big interesting world and I thought the world building was very strong. The characters are so well thought out. I love Darius obviously but the others are just as good. I always love a strong main female lead and I think we see that here in Aellia. She's bold and sassy! Planning her heist the way she did, shows how capable she is.
There are steampunk suggestions, religious overtones and an overall feeling that no matter what, Darius will save the day.
The ending left me wanting more! I guess that's what I will get in book #2

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A warrior out of place and time

A young warrior of his tribe with special abilities wakes from death, not knowing what’s going on, where/when he is, why. People help his story to unfold. Hard book for me to review. It’s one I wouldn’t have read based on description, a “me” story. I read for a group activity. The writing is good, main characters and story interesting. I found it hard to follow. To many switches between characters within chapters - I prefer a break and fewer POVs. Also, some readings/explanations I wanted to skim. Based on the good points, many people will like the intriguing tale.

[Yael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read. I started reading this book a couple months ago, and life got busy. I’ve picked it up and had to put it down three times, and every time the book called me back. This never happens to me; if I can put a book down rarely do I go back. The world building is phenomenal, the details of setting, be it the magic, the people, the city or forest are so meticulous you feel right there with the characters. The characters are fascinating, and well written, the storytelling has a beautiful flow that pulls you forward, and the blend of steampunk with epic fantasy is delightful. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Lorna Hanrahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

I was confused for part of the book but Darius was also confused and we were seeing things from his viewpoint so it was understandable. It was also not until late in the book that the connection between Darius and Felik's crew was alluded to. I did enjoy the book and plan to read the second soon.

[Phi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite a dark story, which isn't what I normally read, so it took me a while to get through it. BUT it was absolutely worth it! Rich and deep storytelling, an interesting setting, and very real characters that have a lot of depth. If you love dark epic fantasy, you will absolutely love this one! I will definitely be reading the rest of this series!

[Brady Hunsaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

just finished Birthrights yesterday. This is a REAL epic fantasy. It had some flavorings of flintlock fantasy as well as Wheel of Time or Stormlight Archives vibes. Very deep lore. Action scenes were a real strength.

[Alfred Muller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun story

This epic fantasy is a fun read with unique magic and a world fun of intrigue. The host of characters give you a good understanding of the world and allow you to explore the ins and outs

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just an amazing story really. World building, character building. A good amount of suspense!! Who the heck is he looking for!! Ugh. But seriously, fantastic book!

[Austin burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! Deep story, vivid world, and memorable characters. Also great narration on Audible.

[Steven Guglich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trotter tells a good story... the characters are layered and the plot is thick and exciting. This is a fun read for anyone looking for an epic fantasy with a little bit of steampunk thrown in.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing fantasy and world building! A story I can really delve into! Great read! Would highly recommend