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The Scepter of Amon
Kill the treasure-hoarding monster, find the ancient artifact, and deliver it to the wizard. Every adventurer knows the drill. But what if that adventurer is a troll?
The wizard has run out of heroes to send after the Scepter of Amon, so he picks Kevrin, a troll who desires to be human. He is powerful, resilient, and just a little bit scared of fire. A simple magical disguise allows Kevrin to interact with other humans, but can Kevrin fit in? He can’t read. He doesn’t understand sarcasm. And he has no idea what a scepter even looks like. But since the wizard promised to turn him into a human if he is successful, he has all the motivation in the world.
Can Kevrin trust his new friends if they find out what he really is? Can he trust the wizard? Will he find what he is really looking for? Or will he eat his horse the next time he gets too hungry?
The Scepter of Amon is told in a classic fantasy setting and is the first book in the Hero’s Path trilogy.
The wizard has run out of heroes to send after the Scepter of Amon, so he picks Kevrin, a troll who desires to be human. He is powerful, resilient, and just a little bit scared of fire. A simple magical disguise allows Kevrin to interact with other humans, but can Kevrin fit in? He can’t read. He doesn’t understand sarcasm. And he has no idea what a scepter even looks like. But since the wizard promised to turn him into a human if he is successful, he has all the motivation in the world.
Can Kevrin trust his new friends if they find out what he really is? Can he trust the wizard? Will he find what he is really looking for? Or will he eat his horse the next time he gets too hungry?
The Scepter of Amon is told in a classic fantasy setting and is the first book in the Hero’s Path trilogy.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2022
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501 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 9, 2023
A week later, I can't decide whether I liked the book or not. It's not terrible. It's also not great. I had to look over my Kindle highlights and notes to remind myself what I thought about it while I was reading, and I realized that I had forgotten many of the negatives that struck me while I read, which is maybe a good sign: the overall memory of the book is better than the sum of its parts.
What I haven't forgotten is how schmaltzy the book was. This isn't a problem if you want clean heroic fantasy, with distinctly good and evil characters, heroes who support each other and strive for justice and love and goodness in the realm. But yeah, super schmaltzy. It's the kind of book that gives no reason not to expect that the good guys will win, even though they're not particularly bright, but neither are the villains so it's a fair matchup.
Most of the time, I thought the story was rather simple (like the characters). It's about a troll who has been magically turned into a human, physically, who wants to be human for real. In exchange for a promise to fulfill that dream, a wizard sends the trollman on a quest to recover the titular scepter. Trolls in this setting are drawn straight-up from Appendix N material, and all other fantasy aspects (goblins, orcs, Vancian magic system, status of technology and social organization) are identical to basic Dungeons and Dragons lore. Like I said, simple. But I was pleasantly surprised by some plot twists, and the story as a whole was well-structured and satisfying.
The book's biggest problem is awkwardness caused by the omniscient POV. It fits this kind of old-school fantasy tale, but many times the narration delved into information or perspectives that were 100% a departure from the characters' experience within the scene, and this made for many inelegant moments.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway in March 2022. It took me a year and a half to get around to reading it, but I did it. The pact is thus fulfilled.
What I haven't forgotten is how schmaltzy the book was. This isn't a problem if you want clean heroic fantasy, with distinctly good and evil characters, heroes who support each other and strive for justice and love and goodness in the realm. But yeah, super schmaltzy. It's the kind of book that gives no reason not to expect that the good guys will win, even though they're not particularly bright, but neither are the villains so it's a fair matchup.
Most of the time, I thought the story was rather simple (like the characters). It's about a troll who has been magically turned into a human, physically, who wants to be human for real. In exchange for a promise to fulfill that dream, a wizard sends the trollman on a quest to recover the titular scepter. Trolls in this setting are drawn straight-up from Appendix N material, and all other fantasy aspects (goblins, orcs, Vancian magic system, status of technology and social organization) are identical to basic Dungeons and Dragons lore. Like I said, simple. But I was pleasantly surprised by some plot twists, and the story as a whole was well-structured and satisfying.
The book's biggest problem is awkwardness caused by the omniscient POV. It fits this kind of old-school fantasy tale, but many times the narration delved into information or perspectives that were 100% a departure from the characters' experience within the scene, and this made for many inelegant moments.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway in March 2022. It took me a year and a half to get around to reading it, but I did it. The pact is thus fulfilled.
October 23, 2023
Who doesn’t love a good fantasy adventure ? Author, David Pontier, takes a classsic medieval fantasy quest and finds new ways to explore the mysteries. Our focus is a down-on-his-luck troll, Kevrin, who hides his identity with magic, and wishes simply to one day become a mortal. However, it’s never that easy, and to get an enchanter to transform him, he needs to quest along with our support characters through thick and thin. There’s humor, great twists, and a fun set up for additional stories. The writing is clean, smooth, and compelling. So, if you’re looking for fantasy that’s a little different, come get some “The Scepter of Amon (The Hero's Path Book 1).”
February 23, 2022
Slow start and a Fantastic finish
The first handful of chapter have a slow build that drops alot of background information. Stay strong and it's worth the effort.
I enjoyed the blending of standard characters with a refreshing twist.
The first handful of chapter have a slow build that drops alot of background information. Stay strong and it's worth the effort.
I enjoyed the blending of standard characters with a refreshing twist.
April 29, 2022
A very enjoyable read. Loved Kevrin, the troll who wants to become human. A nice good vs evil tale with plenty of action, humour and magic. A recommended read for sword & sorcery fans.
May 25, 2022
Goblins, trolls, wizards, orcs, magical weapons, what more could a fantasy fan ask for?? I love the characters, the plot, the setting. Can’t wait to read the next one!
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
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January 20, 2025I like this book, but the foght descriptions are too long
February 14, 2022
Interesting twists. I read alot of books like this and this one has more than the normal smash and bash.
December 29, 2022
The Scepter of Amon has a great mix of character development, plot twists, and action. I thoroughly enjoyed joining Kevrin on his adventures and appreciated the combination of fighting, magic, and human themes covered in the first book of this series. I am eager to continue with the next book in the series!
September 4, 2023
I'm the author, and I thought I would share some of the reviews from Amazon:
Stars 5: Warmly Familiar, Yet Refreshingly Unique
‘The Scepter of Amon’ is a book that is stitched together with an author’s love of story and characters. David Pontier takes time to sculpt a wonderful narrative. The incredible detail in this book reminded me of reading the Lord of the Rings saga. David A. Pontier adds unique attributes to familiar characters.
It was refreshing and humorous to follow Kevrin as he tried to figure out human emotion and customs. I also felt bad for him at times. The book made me feel emotion; masterfully done!
Not a curse word in the whole book! To me, this says many great things about the author’s skills. But mostly; instant classic!
Five wholehearted stars! I recommend ‘The Scepter of Amon’ for mature adolescents and young adults with an appetite for detail.
Stars 5: Excellent Start
I liked the concept of this book solely based on the character. I personally haven't read books where trolls and orcs and such are portrayed as good guys. They're normally dirty, frowned upon beings. But this novel aims to change the course, giving Kevrin, a troll, the stage. Aside from that, it's a fun story with wizards and quests and monsters. You'll enjoy the read and look forward to book 2.
Stars 4: Worth a Read
Though the book starts off very slow, it picks up after the first few chapters. I liked the characters and the way they came across as authentic and real. I also felt like the book had a lot more heart and emotion than I expected.
Stars 5: Interesting and fun adventure
A great read with a unique main character. Lots of fun!
Stars 5: Good Read
Loved it. Was a good read from start to finish
Stars 5: Warmly Familiar, Yet Refreshingly Unique
‘The Scepter of Amon’ is a book that is stitched together with an author’s love of story and characters. David Pontier takes time to sculpt a wonderful narrative. The incredible detail in this book reminded me of reading the Lord of the Rings saga. David A. Pontier adds unique attributes to familiar characters.
It was refreshing and humorous to follow Kevrin as he tried to figure out human emotion and customs. I also felt bad for him at times. The book made me feel emotion; masterfully done!
Not a curse word in the whole book! To me, this says many great things about the author’s skills. But mostly; instant classic!
Five wholehearted stars! I recommend ‘The Scepter of Amon’ for mature adolescents and young adults with an appetite for detail.
Stars 5: Excellent Start
I liked the concept of this book solely based on the character. I personally haven't read books where trolls and orcs and such are portrayed as good guys. They're normally dirty, frowned upon beings. But this novel aims to change the course, giving Kevrin, a troll, the stage. Aside from that, it's a fun story with wizards and quests and monsters. You'll enjoy the read and look forward to book 2.
Stars 4: Worth a Read
Though the book starts off very slow, it picks up after the first few chapters. I liked the characters and the way they came across as authentic and real. I also felt like the book had a lot more heart and emotion than I expected.
Stars 5: Interesting and fun adventure
A great read with a unique main character. Lots of fun!
Stars 5: Good Read
Loved it. Was a good read from start to finish
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews