What do you think?
Rate this book
Tales of Sight #1
Clovir: An Overture
Amazon.ca #1 Fantasy Anthologies Bestseller What Darkness Hides Within The Murk Of Cistern Ale?
Rolf the Tavernkeeper is a man with problems. The competition is crushing his business. His sister, a single mother named Karla, has moved into the Green Dragon and the baby is not making things any easier. You don't even want to hear what is going on with his brother, Alfred the Executioner.
When financial desperation, the family ties that bind, and a hefty dose of cowardice push Rolf to make selfish choices and dark alliances, he takes a course of action which sees him embroiled in behind-the-scenes plotting with the most powerful group in the Kingdom of Thrairn. Have his fortunes finally changed? Or will his gamble end with him dead before dawn?
While the thread of Rolf's plight bookends the rest of the stories in this anthology of fifteen tales, the rest of the yarns are of a more diverse sort. Set in such various locales as the mean streets of the Purple Run or the barracks of the Yellow Order of Knights, its timeline spans centuries. Featuring assorted intrigue like the politicking of an honourable Priest in a small town and a gumshoe Scribe in over his head in the capital City of Isha, contrasted with fierce threats in the steamy jungles of far-off Atika, Clovir: An Overture serves as an introduction to the world and characters of The Yoga Trilogy. See if you can spot the threads that tie in to the stories of The Yoga Trilogy, especially The Yoga of Strength.
Oh, and there is plenty of magic.
Rolf the Tavernkeeper is a man with problems. The competition is crushing his business. His sister, a single mother named Karla, has moved into the Green Dragon and the baby is not making things any easier. You don't even want to hear what is going on with his brother, Alfred the Executioner.
When financial desperation, the family ties that bind, and a hefty dose of cowardice push Rolf to make selfish choices and dark alliances, he takes a course of action which sees him embroiled in behind-the-scenes plotting with the most powerful group in the Kingdom of Thrairn. Have his fortunes finally changed? Or will his gamble end with him dead before dawn?
While the thread of Rolf's plight bookends the rest of the stories in this anthology of fifteen tales, the rest of the yarns are of a more diverse sort. Set in such various locales as the mean streets of the Purple Run or the barracks of the Yellow Order of Knights, its timeline spans centuries. Featuring assorted intrigue like the politicking of an honourable Priest in a small town and a gumshoe Scribe in over his head in the capital City of Isha, contrasted with fierce threats in the steamy jungles of far-off Atika, Clovir: An Overture serves as an introduction to the world and characters of The Yoga Trilogy. See if you can spot the threads that tie in to the stories of The Yoga Trilogy, especially The Yoga of Strength.
Oh, and there is plenty of magic.
Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2022
6 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Marc Rowe
24 books48 followersFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewmarcrowe
Twitter: https://twitter.com/YeOldeBawdyBard
Born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, Andrew Marc Rowe had no idea that the human psyche and the nature of reality were going to end up as his prime fascinations in life. Perhaps he had more than an inkling that he would wake up one morning as a jock doing sports things, given his penchant for nerdiness like mythology and fantasy and science fiction, but matters of the spirit and philosophy were the furthest things from his mind as an adolescent. More his speed were the most puerile and juvenile expressions of toilet and sexual humour offered up on silver platters by stand-up comedians and nascent Internet peeps.
People grow up, though, or so Andrew has been told. His interests expanded, limited world views were shattered, horizons increased in scope. Mental health problems became intractable, psychedelic medicines and following one’s dreams were recognized for their curative powers. Atheism became raving pantheism became ‘wrong question, dude’ as Andrew found himself no longer young enough to know everything or believe anything. Instead, he finds himself writing characters who think they know everything.
If you really want to stroke Andrew’s ego, tell him you’ve never read anything like his work before. It makes his writing nearly impossible to market but at least I’ve got chicken, as young Leroy Jenkins once proclaimed to a bunch of nerds in the mid-aughts.
What’s that? You want bog-standard biographical info? Lawyer, father of one, man nearing middle age who gets his jollies pushing and bending and licking the literary envelope.
Happy?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/YeOldeBawdyBard
Born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, Andrew Marc Rowe had no idea that the human psyche and the nature of reality were going to end up as his prime fascinations in life. Perhaps he had more than an inkling that he would wake up one morning as a jock doing sports things, given his penchant for nerdiness like mythology and fantasy and science fiction, but matters of the spirit and philosophy were the furthest things from his mind as an adolescent. More his speed were the most puerile and juvenile expressions of toilet and sexual humour offered up on silver platters by stand-up comedians and nascent Internet peeps.
People grow up, though, or so Andrew has been told. His interests expanded, limited world views were shattered, horizons increased in scope. Mental health problems became intractable, psychedelic medicines and following one’s dreams were recognized for their curative powers. Atheism became raving pantheism became ‘wrong question, dude’ as Andrew found himself no longer young enough to know everything or believe anything. Instead, he finds himself writing characters who think they know everything.
If you really want to stroke Andrew’s ego, tell him you’ve never read anything like his work before. It makes his writing nearly impossible to market but at least I’ve got chicken, as young Leroy Jenkins once proclaimed to a bunch of nerds in the mid-aughts.
What’s that? You want bog-standard biographical info? Lawyer, father of one, man nearing middle age who gets his jollies pushing and bending and licking the literary envelope.
Happy?
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 12, 2019
Clovir: An Overture starts with notes from the author addressing things like the inspiration behind the series, reading order and the matter of Yoga. Most don't have a proper understanding of what yoga actually means, and while the author wishes to stay true to himself and the spirit of the books, he acknowledges the name of his other novel (Yoga of Strength) can be a bit confusing for people. (If the author hadn't approached me, would I have picked YoS up? Maybe not, but I'm glad I did.) Thus, this collection is Rowe's way of helping ease readers into the series.
The stories are fun little glimpses into the world of Clovir and show off the author's quirky style of writing. They bring back some familiar names and ideas for readers of YoS, like Janus and the red-robed preachers. The stories are quite short snapshots, so I don't want to spoil them, but we meet a disgruntled barkeep, learn of sinister plots and get to know the world even better.
While many of the stories describe quite grim events, Rowe still fits in spiritual themes, with lines like: "Jason Cromwell might have told you that life is hard.
More likely than that, however: the man would have said that it is surprising and sweet and full of joy, if only we would open our eyes to see." A common theme is accepting life for what it is, not raging at injustice, not casting judgement on others and living in the moment. It's refreshing to see some light among the dark.
This is a good place to start if you're new to the series to get a feel for the author's style. It stands by itself without needing to read Yoga first, but existing readers will have an extra understanding of the context, and it makes a nice return to the series before reading the next Yoga book.
The stories are fun little glimpses into the world of Clovir and show off the author's quirky style of writing. They bring back some familiar names and ideas for readers of YoS, like Janus and the red-robed preachers. The stories are quite short snapshots, so I don't want to spoil them, but we meet a disgruntled barkeep, learn of sinister plots and get to know the world even better.
While many of the stories describe quite grim events, Rowe still fits in spiritual themes, with lines like: "Jason Cromwell might have told you that life is hard.
More likely than that, however: the man would have said that it is surprising and sweet and full of joy, if only we would open our eyes to see." A common theme is accepting life for what it is, not raging at injustice, not casting judgement on others and living in the moment. It's refreshing to see some light among the dark.
This is a good place to start if you're new to the series to get a feel for the author's style. It stands by itself without needing to read Yoga first, but existing readers will have an extra understanding of the context, and it makes a nice return to the series before reading the next Yoga book.
June 5, 2019
Welcome (back) to the world of Clovir!
I recently finished reading this collection of short stories, written by Andrew Marc Rowe and was thrilled to see how seamlessly I was transported back to Rowe’s world.
I am happy that I finished ready his first full length book, Yoga of Strength, prior to reading ‘Clovir: An Overture’ but I would not say that it is a must to read them in that order. I would recommend it, but it certainly would not be a mistake to read Clovir first.
‘Clovir: An Overture’ provides a rich tapestry of background lore and understanding of how things are integrated world of Clovir as well as how they got to be that way. The 15 short stories feature different protagonists but there is overlap between them as well as with the Yoga of Strength. So, depending on whether you read Clovir first or second to Yoga of Strength, it will either set the scene or fill in the gaps.
The settings and years that the short stories take place within offer a variety and it is clear that Rowe has become a stronger writer especially when it comes to articulating each characters’ dialects.
As I made my way through the stories contained within ‘Clovir: An Overture’ it seemed to me that Rowe had loosened his grip on the reins a little, letting the subjects present themselves naturally instead of forcing words on paper. He is unearthing the tales and you can tell he is enjoying the process.
I fully recommend ‘Clovir: An Overture’ especially if you have already read Yoga of Strength.
I recently finished reading this collection of short stories, written by Andrew Marc Rowe and was thrilled to see how seamlessly I was transported back to Rowe’s world.
I am happy that I finished ready his first full length book, Yoga of Strength, prior to reading ‘Clovir: An Overture’ but I would not say that it is a must to read them in that order. I would recommend it, but it certainly would not be a mistake to read Clovir first.
‘Clovir: An Overture’ provides a rich tapestry of background lore and understanding of how things are integrated world of Clovir as well as how they got to be that way. The 15 short stories feature different protagonists but there is overlap between them as well as with the Yoga of Strength. So, depending on whether you read Clovir first or second to Yoga of Strength, it will either set the scene or fill in the gaps.
The settings and years that the short stories take place within offer a variety and it is clear that Rowe has become a stronger writer especially when it comes to articulating each characters’ dialects.
As I made my way through the stories contained within ‘Clovir: An Overture’ it seemed to me that Rowe had loosened his grip on the reins a little, letting the subjects present themselves naturally instead of forcing words on paper. He is unearthing the tales and you can tell he is enjoying the process.
I fully recommend ‘Clovir: An Overture’ especially if you have already read Yoga of Strength.
July 19, 2019
I thought the stories in Andrew's Clovir: An Overture were awesome! I couldn't put the book down and I would definitely recommend it. It's an easy and very interesting read. I'm really looking forward to reading the follow-up to these characters' stories! Give it a read!
August 9, 2020
Received free for review:
Look forward to reading more in this series!
Look forward to reading more in this series!
June 27, 2021
I used to be big into mythology as a kid. I had no idea why, really. Why do we like the stories that we do? Why am I not writing crime fiction (hey, maybe one day)? Why did I get stuck on the idea of gods and powers and epic quests and world-shattering consequences? Because that plays a large role in The Clovir Cycle.
But there are also stories of the little people involved in these worlds. Why is it that so much of fantasy is focused on the guys (or, unfortunately less frequently, the gals) with epic powers and magnificent destinies? What about the others? That is part of what I am doing with Tales of Sight, the four companion anthologies to The Yoga Trilogy - to tell the stories of the lesser-known folks, the ones who are pretty much subject to the crazy stuff that the protagonists and villains of the main novels get up to. Like the stories of Rolf, the Tavernkeeper of The Green Dragon; Jason Cromwell, peaceful nephew of villainous Thief Lord Mad Derrick Cromwell; or Horace and Giselda Jenkins, owners of the Black Kettle Inn.
I love writing novels, but the short story is another medium altogether. It really takes a level of laser-like focus to tell a short story - there's no room for rambling.
When I was first learning how to write, I picked up a book called On Writing by Stephen King. It was pretty much a sacred text to me when I was beating my head against the wall, trying to learn how to write. In the book, Mr. King suggested that we start learning how to write longer fiction by starting with the short story. In terms of influence, Stephen King's short story collections were some of my favourite reads when I was in my late teens and early twenties. I also got into the work of Irvine Welsh, the author of Trainspotting. In addition to that well-known and gritty masterpiece, he also wrote a number of short story collections that I devoured as I discovered them. I simply adore the short story - there is so much you can do with it. Whether its a quick comedic punch, a philosophical jab, or a mind-bending hook, the short story is an art form in itself.
In fact, I love them so much, I decided to make them a regular part of my writing. Fully half of the fiction books I write are short story anthologies, starting with Clovir: An Overture, Tales of Sight I.
From here, I would recommend you either go for The Yoga of Strength, Book One of The Yoga Trilogy, or An Atikan Interlude, Tales of Sight II. If you haven't gotten your free copy of The Amaril Company, A Prequel to The Yoga Trilogy, check it out here!
A quick note about the way I write my cycles. Essentially, there is a total of eight interrelated books set within the world of each cycle. That includes a prequel novella and a trilogy of novels, and a “Tales of” series of short story collections. The generally recommended reading order is to start with the novella, followed, by the first book of short stories, followed by the first main trilogy novel, then the second book of short stories, and on down the line in this fashion. However, this is not strictly necessary - you can start with the first book in the trilogies or the first book of short stories and you will be able to follow along.
The main novels tend to be a little more ‘serious’ and philosophical as a whole than the short stories, but that is not always the case. I cut my teeth as a writer on short stories - I love the format, I love what is required of an author to write in that style. That said, the more humorous stories are found in the ‘Tales of’ short story collections, but there are plenty of funny scenes in the novels and some philosophical interludes in the short stories.
To make a long story short - if you want the complete experience, read the entire cycle. If you just want to read the main story, check out the trilogy (and the prequel, if it strikes your fancy). If you want some bite-sized chunks to digest, check out the ‘Tales of’ stories.
But there are also stories of the little people involved in these worlds. Why is it that so much of fantasy is focused on the guys (or, unfortunately less frequently, the gals) with epic powers and magnificent destinies? What about the others? That is part of what I am doing with Tales of Sight, the four companion anthologies to The Yoga Trilogy - to tell the stories of the lesser-known folks, the ones who are pretty much subject to the crazy stuff that the protagonists and villains of the main novels get up to. Like the stories of Rolf, the Tavernkeeper of The Green Dragon; Jason Cromwell, peaceful nephew of villainous Thief Lord Mad Derrick Cromwell; or Horace and Giselda Jenkins, owners of the Black Kettle Inn.
I love writing novels, but the short story is another medium altogether. It really takes a level of laser-like focus to tell a short story - there's no room for rambling.
When I was first learning how to write, I picked up a book called On Writing by Stephen King. It was pretty much a sacred text to me when I was beating my head against the wall, trying to learn how to write. In the book, Mr. King suggested that we start learning how to write longer fiction by starting with the short story. In terms of influence, Stephen King's short story collections were some of my favourite reads when I was in my late teens and early twenties. I also got into the work of Irvine Welsh, the author of Trainspotting. In addition to that well-known and gritty masterpiece, he also wrote a number of short story collections that I devoured as I discovered them. I simply adore the short story - there is so much you can do with it. Whether its a quick comedic punch, a philosophical jab, or a mind-bending hook, the short story is an art form in itself.
In fact, I love them so much, I decided to make them a regular part of my writing. Fully half of the fiction books I write are short story anthologies, starting with Clovir: An Overture, Tales of Sight I.
From here, I would recommend you either go for The Yoga of Strength, Book One of The Yoga Trilogy, or An Atikan Interlude, Tales of Sight II. If you haven't gotten your free copy of The Amaril Company, A Prequel to The Yoga Trilogy, check it out here!
A quick note about the way I write my cycles. Essentially, there is a total of eight interrelated books set within the world of each cycle. That includes a prequel novella and a trilogy of novels, and a “Tales of” series of short story collections. The generally recommended reading order is to start with the novella, followed, by the first book of short stories, followed by the first main trilogy novel, then the second book of short stories, and on down the line in this fashion. However, this is not strictly necessary - you can start with the first book in the trilogies or the first book of short stories and you will be able to follow along.
The main novels tend to be a little more ‘serious’ and philosophical as a whole than the short stories, but that is not always the case. I cut my teeth as a writer on short stories - I love the format, I love what is required of an author to write in that style. That said, the more humorous stories are found in the ‘Tales of’ short story collections, but there are plenty of funny scenes in the novels and some philosophical interludes in the short stories.
To make a long story short - if you want the complete experience, read the entire cycle. If you just want to read the main story, check out the trilogy (and the prequel, if it strikes your fancy). If you want some bite-sized chunks to digest, check out the ‘Tales of’ stories.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews