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A Tale of Gods and Glory: A Legend of Ruskhazar
“Very well. I will tell you the story of Lord Taliz, but I need to warn you, it isn’t what you are expecting. And it isn’t the tale you have been told.”
“I wouldn’t be here if I believed the tale I had been told.”
The name of Lord Taliz the Champion of Coldhaven is one that almost everyone has heard... but the story? Well, the story is less well known. Now I don’t mean the tale that is sung in every tavern across Ruskhazar. I'm talking about what really happened.
Taliz and his sister Sofarynn are exiles seeking a new home in the mountainous peninsula of Ruskhazar. What they find instead is a world where monsters and magic exist outside of bard’s songs. While looking for work, Taliz instead is recruited by a reclusive group of individuals only to realize too late that they are werewolves. Now a member of the pack with powerful abilities he doesn’t understand, Taliz must learn to balance between who he once was and who—or what—he has become.
To many people Taliz is a hero, a legend, perhaps a figure made up by the bards. Some believe that he never existed at all. Oh, his home Coldhaven was certainly real enough, but how could someone like Taliz have lived and still be considered a mortal?
As the years pass, Taliz works to prove himself to his pack and perhaps in the process woo a beautiful but aloof werewolf named Ylfa. Sofarynn turns her attention to unlocking the mysteries of magic, a force that exists only in Ruskhazar. Except where Taliz goes trouble always follows. The siblings soon find themselves defending their new home from werewolf killers, a cult that worships a tiny statue, and bounty hunters sent to bring them back to their desert homeland to face charges. However, there is something buried under Coldhaven far more dangerous than anything they have ever faced, and it just came back from the dead.
But I’m here to tell you, Taliz is real, he existed, and he is not the hero you believe him to be. Yes, he did the things the bards claim. He charmed monsters, rose in status, saved Coldhaven, and then burned it all to the ground. But there was nothing exceptional about him. So, you may ask how did an ordinary man—a foreigner no less—come to be revered as the champion of the very city he destroyed? Well, I suppose if you trust the bard's accounts it’s because there was a worse fate than the fire, but if you ask me... the bards got it all wrong.
“I wouldn’t be here if I believed the tale I had been told.”
The name of Lord Taliz the Champion of Coldhaven is one that almost everyone has heard... but the story? Well, the story is less well known. Now I don’t mean the tale that is sung in every tavern across Ruskhazar. I'm talking about what really happened.
Taliz and his sister Sofarynn are exiles seeking a new home in the mountainous peninsula of Ruskhazar. What they find instead is a world where monsters and magic exist outside of bard’s songs. While looking for work, Taliz instead is recruited by a reclusive group of individuals only to realize too late that they are werewolves. Now a member of the pack with powerful abilities he doesn’t understand, Taliz must learn to balance between who he once was and who—or what—he has become.
To many people Taliz is a hero, a legend, perhaps a figure made up by the bards. Some believe that he never existed at all. Oh, his home Coldhaven was certainly real enough, but how could someone like Taliz have lived and still be considered a mortal?
As the years pass, Taliz works to prove himself to his pack and perhaps in the process woo a beautiful but aloof werewolf named Ylfa. Sofarynn turns her attention to unlocking the mysteries of magic, a force that exists only in Ruskhazar. Except where Taliz goes trouble always follows. The siblings soon find themselves defending their new home from werewolf killers, a cult that worships a tiny statue, and bounty hunters sent to bring them back to their desert homeland to face charges. However, there is something buried under Coldhaven far more dangerous than anything they have ever faced, and it just came back from the dead.
But I’m here to tell you, Taliz is real, he existed, and he is not the hero you believe him to be. Yes, he did the things the bards claim. He charmed monsters, rose in status, saved Coldhaven, and then burned it all to the ground. But there was nothing exceptional about him. So, you may ask how did an ordinary man—a foreigner no less—come to be revered as the champion of the very city he destroyed? Well, I suppose if you trust the bard's accounts it’s because there was a worse fate than the fire, but if you ask me... the bards got it all wrong.
- GenresFantasyEbooksWerewolves
372 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2022
23 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Nicki Chapelway
41 books334 followersNicki is a twenty-something author of swoony romantic fantasy. She has been writing since she was eleven and has since published several works. She enjoys creating stories with twisty-stabby faerie romances, retellings that take a darker turn, and epic fantasies in worlds full of monsters and magic.
Nicki lives in Ohio where she spends far too much time watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping. She listens to music basically all the time, and adores obsessing over mythologies, her shows, and her slew of fictional boyfriends. When not writing, she can usually be found at her desk with either a paintbrush or a pen in her hand.
Subscribe to her newsletter and receive a free book!
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Nicki lives in Ohio where she spends far too much time watching TV, playing video games, and sleeping. She listens to music basically all the time, and adores obsessing over mythologies, her shows, and her slew of fictional boyfriends. When not writing, she can usually be found at her desk with either a paintbrush or a pen in her hand.
Subscribe to her newsletter and receive a free book!
https://mailchi.mp/b6ec5f4a74a5/subsc...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 16, 2022
This is a fantastic example of a character-driven story done correctly. The way this tale was woven, I didn't need a plot to stay engaged. Taliz's story features a strong cast of characters and a steady rise of creepy levels that had me on the edge of my seat. It was a story I had to grow to love, but once I fell in there was no extricating my heart from this pack of supernatural mercenaries, no matter how disturbingly savage they could get (I'm looking at you, Ylfa - and Idla). A uniquely formatted gem from an author whose storytelling I will never tire of!
January 23, 2022
Ruskhazar has a special place in my heart and this story has a special place in Ruskhazar.
Lord Taliz of Coldhaven is a legendary figure revered throughout Ruskhazar, but who was he really and what actually happened on that snowy afternoon when Coldhaven burned is something that you can only learn by reading this book.
Did Taliz charm monsters—or was he one? Is Taliz the savior of Coldhaven—or is he the reason that it is now nothing but a pile of ash? And what part does his sister Sofarynn play in it all? Is she truly the villain the bards claim that she is?
This story is part romance, part comedy, part horror all wrapped up in one epic fantasy tale that is just one part in a far bigger world.
I am the author of this piece and all opinions I have are 100% biased.
Lord Taliz of Coldhaven is a legendary figure revered throughout Ruskhazar, but who was he really and what actually happened on that snowy afternoon when Coldhaven burned is something that you can only learn by reading this book.
Did Taliz charm monsters—or was he one? Is Taliz the savior of Coldhaven—or is he the reason that it is now nothing but a pile of ash? And what part does his sister Sofarynn play in it all? Is she truly the villain the bards claim that she is?
This story is part romance, part comedy, part horror all wrapped up in one epic fantasy tale that is just one part in a far bigger world.
I am the author of this piece and all opinions I have are 100% biased.
March 21, 2022
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
*Cries* I'll never recover *Cries*
What I Liked:
This book is like the new “Robin Hood”, I don’t mean that it retells “Robin Hood”, it doesn’t. What I mean is that it takes the formula of the legendary hero and brings it in a new light. The whole point of “A Tale of Gods and Glory” was to showcase the world of Ruskhazar’s legends and how the legend of Taliz got exaggerated and brought into popularity. As someone who really appreciates world-building, especially on this level, I applaud the author for crafting the worlds’ myths and legends.
After the legend of Taliz got popular, a citizen of Ruskhazar looks for answers to learn the truth of what happened to the small village of Coldhaven. She finds a mysterious man at a local tavern who she believes knows the truth about Taliz. So the story begins.
Taliz was a delight the moment the story started. Definitely a charmer. It was so much fun to watch Taliz interact with the culture he wasn’t familiar with. It was like exploring the world with fresh eyes. And having Taliz explained the deserts where he was from made me want to have another book centered around those parts.
I actually really appreciated the culture that was created for these books. It was descriptive of how the world of Ruskhazar was created, why and how the magic systems work, what marriage means to the different races in the story, and so much more! I almost could write a whole post on just how this world works.
Though I honestly loved how the author described the romantic relationship between Taliz and Ylfa. Taliz was always smitten with Ylfa, with his culture giving a gift of some kind was something like a proposal, he tried to do that with Ylfa. Ylfa views marriage as something very permit, even after death, and wasn’t ready for that type of commitment. I just thought that it really helped build their relationship rather than making it instant love. That was what I meant with the world-building in the story, it really goes hand-in-hand with every aspect of the story, which was so amazing!
This book also had Nicki’s signature writing that always wins me over, the banter. There were so many moments that made me laugh or smile over something that one of the characters said or done.
This book was something like a roller coaster ride in so many ways. If it wasn’t playing with my heartstrings with the romantic drama, then it was scaring me with my favorite characters in some horrific scene. I mean, you couldn’t expect anything less from a group of mercenaries. You never knew what kind of job they were going to get hired to do. 😉 This was something that I really appreciated. It was fun. Who wouldn’t love a grand fantasy world to explore where the characters have to complete several quests. It was almost like getting to play an RPG game, except you don’t have to fight the difficult boss levels, the characters would do that for you. 😉 If I remember right, this world was loosely based on “Skyrim”, sooo, it definitely had that feel to it. In a good way.
The werewolf aspect was so cool! They were like bigger, more powerful wolves. And they didn’t have to have a full moon or to get angry to transform, they could transform whenever they wanted. Even though I thought it would’ve been cool, I did end up appreciating the fact that they only receive their enhanced powers while they were a werewolf and not while in their human form. And it was interesting to see how some of the characters didn’t like transforming, as some were forced into that situation rather than invited. And when I mean “forced”, I mean some pretty scary situations at times. There were a couple of characters who did like being a werewolf, which I liked seeing that aspect of it as well. It was a very fun element in the story that I did wish was explored a little more.
I really enjoy the backstories of all the characters. Especially Birger. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about him. But then his backstory came in, and it was actually pretty emotional. I loved how he liked to bake goods for everyone. Polina’s happy, upbeat, flirtatious personality made my day. Idla’s vicious attitude made me smile, because underneath all that you could see how much she cared about the people around her. Grier and his passion for being a werewolf. Sofarynn and her love and passion for knowledge and magic. Ylfa for her carefulness with her heart but her loving personality. Taliz and his charming way of talking. Snorre for his love and gentleness. Just all the characters.
AND THAT ENDING!!! DON’T MIND ME CRYING OVER HERE!!!
What I Didn’t Like:
I do want to add in a disclaimer. NOTHING in this part of the review is against the author or her writing. Nicki is a talented writer and is one of my best friends. I’m just being nitpicky for this novel because there were a few things I didn’t enjoy personally. For every single one of my reviews, I try to give my honest opinion.
Even though I really enjoyed the story, they were a few things that were not my favorite. Anyone who is familiar with my rating system will know that I do take off stars for really gruesome scenes. And while violence doesn’t really bother me too much, there are a few occasions that I flinched at. Unfortunately, this book does contain such a scene.
I’m sorry, but a room full of decapitated bodies and decapitated heads on the ground for the main character to kick around and not to mention all the blood… And while the main character was supposed to be semi-disturbed from this scene, it was played as humorous and very flippant. There was a little bit of seriousness, but I just thought that the scene could’ve been handled better. As the main character is supposed to dislike violence and blood. I don’t know, I just thought that if the scene needed to be in here that it should have given us more of an emotional kick than it did.
Also, in said scene, the two guys with Taliz just all of a sudden were okay with Taliz. I get it, Taliz is a charmer. But it really irritated me that we kept getting reminded of that fact. Taliz doesn’t have a magical power that makes people fall in love with him. Those men just found their comrades dead and decapitated, I don’t see them trusting Taliz that quickly.
The Narrator:
I have a love-hate relationship with the narrator trope. While I can’t think of too many incidents in books, I can think of lots of examples in movies. The problem with having a narrator is that you often fall into the risk of being too telling. I have watched some movies that have excellent narrator scenes, such as: “The Lord of the Rings” where Galadriel has a voice-over that explains the making of the rings. Another time that it worked really well is in “A Christmas Story” where the narrator adds to the jokes to the overall show. BUT, it can be overused and too telling.
Honestly, I think that the narrator in this story would’ve been better if it was just at the beginning and end. The reason I really dislike the narrator in this story was because of this one particular scene. Everything was very tense, there was a lot of action, I was really feeling the scene and was invested with what was happening with the characters when it was interrupted by the narrator of the story. The narrator literally stops the whole story in the middle of the scene to tell us (the readers) very dramatically that the scene was too emotional to retell. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And while the main character does remember parts of the scene throughout the second part of the story, I was given no visuals as to what happened. I felt very frustrated as a reader, and a little let down. The whole point of reading is to watch a story get unfold, not… not get told that a certain part was too emotional to be retold.
Werewolves:
So one of the big things in this book was supposed to be the werewolf aspect. And I was sorely disappointed. I realized that I just said above that I loved the werewolves, and I do. The thing that I don’t love about them in this novel was that they don’t get much of a role.
Okay, I get it, they have rules about not turning into werewolves around other people. It makes sense. BUT, there were so many times when Taliz could have turned into a werewolf where it would’ve made sense.
Like when he was angry and wanted to blame something on another character, he could have turned into a werewolf to find said character. I mean, Taliz keeps talking about how he doesn’t know how to track, but yet, he COULD as a werewolf. Instead, he asked a different character to help him?
Or that time when he fell into that pit. I mean, I’m not one hundred percent sure, but couldn’t he have jumped out of the pit in his werewolf form?
I agree that they were impelling good morals compared to what the other werewolf packs were doing in this world. But, I don’t know, I felt like the book was giving us some really cool element without impelling it into the story very well. Basically, all the werewolves in this pack became regular humans who were mercenaries. It was still really cool, but I would have liked a little more.
The other thing I had some problems within this story was that some of the characters seemed to be held aloof. Unlike other novels by the same author, I didn’t feel really emotionally connected to the characters. I think it got a little better in the second part. But I also felt that a lot of the characters could have had more page time or something. Especially Taliz’s sister. They were supposed to be close, but I never really saw that in the story.
Content in Book:
1. Fantasy religion that does contain worshiping other gods and a creepy cult. Very prevalent to the overall plot.
2. Violence. (Content warning!) There is at least one scene, that was written straight from a horror movie, has decapitated body parts, heads on the ground, and lots of blood. Proceed with caution!) (Other violence. Bow and arrow, swords, hand-to-hand combat, speaking about violence in a threatening way, battleaxes, biting someone as a werewolf, etc.)
3. Gore. (Dead bodies on the ground, sometimes decapitated, sometimes rotting. Blood. Etc.)
4. Werewolves. (Very little werewolf violence in this one, mainly just told and the fact that the characters can transform into a werewolf.)
5. Magic. (Actually not much in this story. Mainly characters who supposedly can use magic but doesn’t. One of the characters really wants to learn magic. There is a darker rune magic at one part, but it didn’t really bother me too much).
6. Drunk characters. (Characters drinking alcohol, trying to get drunk to numb emotional pain, etc.)
Who I Would Recommend This Book Too:
Those who like fantasy. Those who like legendary hero stories. Those who like a mixture of romance, werewolves, horror, magic, and more in their stories. Those who like witty characters. Those who like character-driven stories. Those who like deep, excellent world-building.
Review first posted on my blog here with fan art that I had drawn ( https://gracemmorris.wordpress.com/20... )
*Cries* I'll never recover *Cries*
What I Liked:
This book is like the new “Robin Hood”, I don’t mean that it retells “Robin Hood”, it doesn’t. What I mean is that it takes the formula of the legendary hero and brings it in a new light. The whole point of “A Tale of Gods and Glory” was to showcase the world of Ruskhazar’s legends and how the legend of Taliz got exaggerated and brought into popularity. As someone who really appreciates world-building, especially on this level, I applaud the author for crafting the worlds’ myths and legends.
After the legend of Taliz got popular, a citizen of Ruskhazar looks for answers to learn the truth of what happened to the small village of Coldhaven. She finds a mysterious man at a local tavern who she believes knows the truth about Taliz. So the story begins.
Taliz was a delight the moment the story started. Definitely a charmer. It was so much fun to watch Taliz interact with the culture he wasn’t familiar with. It was like exploring the world with fresh eyes. And having Taliz explained the deserts where he was from made me want to have another book centered around those parts.
I actually really appreciated the culture that was created for these books. It was descriptive of how the world of Ruskhazar was created, why and how the magic systems work, what marriage means to the different races in the story, and so much more! I almost could write a whole post on just how this world works.
Though I honestly loved how the author described the romantic relationship between Taliz and Ylfa. Taliz was always smitten with Ylfa, with his culture giving a gift of some kind was something like a proposal, he tried to do that with Ylfa. Ylfa views marriage as something very permit, even after death, and wasn’t ready for that type of commitment. I just thought that it really helped build their relationship rather than making it instant love. That was what I meant with the world-building in the story, it really goes hand-in-hand with every aspect of the story, which was so amazing!
This book also had Nicki’s signature writing that always wins me over, the banter. There were so many moments that made me laugh or smile over something that one of the characters said or done.
This book was something like a roller coaster ride in so many ways. If it wasn’t playing with my heartstrings with the romantic drama, then it was scaring me with my favorite characters in some horrific scene. I mean, you couldn’t expect anything less from a group of mercenaries. You never knew what kind of job they were going to get hired to do. 😉 This was something that I really appreciated. It was fun. Who wouldn’t love a grand fantasy world to explore where the characters have to complete several quests. It was almost like getting to play an RPG game, except you don’t have to fight the difficult boss levels, the characters would do that for you. 😉 If I remember right, this world was loosely based on “Skyrim”, sooo, it definitely had that feel to it. In a good way.
The werewolf aspect was so cool! They were like bigger, more powerful wolves. And they didn’t have to have a full moon or to get angry to transform, they could transform whenever they wanted. Even though I thought it would’ve been cool, I did end up appreciating the fact that they only receive their enhanced powers while they were a werewolf and not while in their human form. And it was interesting to see how some of the characters didn’t like transforming, as some were forced into that situation rather than invited. And when I mean “forced”, I mean some pretty scary situations at times. There were a couple of characters who did like being a werewolf, which I liked seeing that aspect of it as well. It was a very fun element in the story that I did wish was explored a little more.
I really enjoy the backstories of all the characters. Especially Birger. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about him. But then his backstory came in, and it was actually pretty emotional. I loved how he liked to bake goods for everyone. Polina’s happy, upbeat, flirtatious personality made my day. Idla’s vicious attitude made me smile, because underneath all that you could see how much she cared about the people around her. Grier and his passion for being a werewolf. Sofarynn and her love and passion for knowledge and magic. Ylfa for her carefulness with her heart but her loving personality. Taliz and his charming way of talking. Snorre for his love and gentleness. Just all the characters.
AND THAT ENDING!!! DON’T MIND ME CRYING OVER HERE!!!
What I Didn’t Like:
I do want to add in a disclaimer. NOTHING in this part of the review is against the author or her writing. Nicki is a talented writer and is one of my best friends. I’m just being nitpicky for this novel because there were a few things I didn’t enjoy personally. For every single one of my reviews, I try to give my honest opinion.
Even though I really enjoyed the story, they were a few things that were not my favorite. Anyone who is familiar with my rating system will know that I do take off stars for really gruesome scenes. And while violence doesn’t really bother me too much, there are a few occasions that I flinched at. Unfortunately, this book does contain such a scene.
I’m sorry, but a room full of decapitated bodies and decapitated heads on the ground for the main character to kick around and not to mention all the blood… And while the main character was supposed to be semi-disturbed from this scene, it was played as humorous and very flippant. There was a little bit of seriousness, but I just thought that the scene could’ve been handled better. As the main character is supposed to dislike violence and blood. I don’t know, I just thought that if the scene needed to be in here that it should have given us more of an emotional kick than it did.
Also, in said scene, the two guys with Taliz just all of a sudden were okay with Taliz. I get it, Taliz is a charmer. But it really irritated me that we kept getting reminded of that fact. Taliz doesn’t have a magical power that makes people fall in love with him. Those men just found their comrades dead and decapitated, I don’t see them trusting Taliz that quickly.
The Narrator:
I have a love-hate relationship with the narrator trope. While I can’t think of too many incidents in books, I can think of lots of examples in movies. The problem with having a narrator is that you often fall into the risk of being too telling. I have watched some movies that have excellent narrator scenes, such as: “The Lord of the Rings” where Galadriel has a voice-over that explains the making of the rings. Another time that it worked really well is in “A Christmas Story” where the narrator adds to the jokes to the overall show. BUT, it can be overused and too telling.
Honestly, I think that the narrator in this story would’ve been better if it was just at the beginning and end. The reason I really dislike the narrator in this story was because of this one particular scene. Everything was very tense, there was a lot of action, I was really feeling the scene and was invested with what was happening with the characters when it was interrupted by the narrator of the story. The narrator literally stops the whole story in the middle of the scene to tell us (the readers) very dramatically that the scene was too emotional to retell. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And while the main character does remember parts of the scene throughout the second part of the story, I was given no visuals as to what happened. I felt very frustrated as a reader, and a little let down. The whole point of reading is to watch a story get unfold, not… not get told that a certain part was too emotional to be retold.
Werewolves:
So one of the big things in this book was supposed to be the werewolf aspect. And I was sorely disappointed. I realized that I just said above that I loved the werewolves, and I do. The thing that I don’t love about them in this novel was that they don’t get much of a role.
Okay, I get it, they have rules about not turning into werewolves around other people. It makes sense. BUT, there were so many times when Taliz could have turned into a werewolf where it would’ve made sense.
Like when he was angry and wanted to blame something on another character, he could have turned into a werewolf to find said character. I mean, Taliz keeps talking about how he doesn’t know how to track, but yet, he COULD as a werewolf. Instead, he asked a different character to help him?
Or that time when he fell into that pit. I mean, I’m not one hundred percent sure, but couldn’t he have jumped out of the pit in his werewolf form?
I agree that they were impelling good morals compared to what the other werewolf packs were doing in this world. But, I don’t know, I felt like the book was giving us some really cool element without impelling it into the story very well. Basically, all the werewolves in this pack became regular humans who were mercenaries. It was still really cool, but I would have liked a little more.
The other thing I had some problems within this story was that some of the characters seemed to be held aloof. Unlike other novels by the same author, I didn’t feel really emotionally connected to the characters. I think it got a little better in the second part. But I also felt that a lot of the characters could have had more page time or something. Especially Taliz’s sister. They were supposed to be close, but I never really saw that in the story.
Content in Book:
1. Fantasy religion that does contain worshiping other gods and a creepy cult. Very prevalent to the overall plot.
2. Violence. (Content warning!) There is at least one scene, that was written straight from a horror movie, has decapitated body parts, heads on the ground, and lots of blood. Proceed with caution!) (Other violence. Bow and arrow, swords, hand-to-hand combat, speaking about violence in a threatening way, battleaxes, biting someone as a werewolf, etc.)
3. Gore. (Dead bodies on the ground, sometimes decapitated, sometimes rotting. Blood. Etc.)
4. Werewolves. (Very little werewolf violence in this one, mainly just told and the fact that the characters can transform into a werewolf.)
5. Magic. (Actually not much in this story. Mainly characters who supposedly can use magic but doesn’t. One of the characters really wants to learn magic. There is a darker rune magic at one part, but it didn’t really bother me too much).
6. Drunk characters. (Characters drinking alcohol, trying to get drunk to numb emotional pain, etc.)
Who I Would Recommend This Book Too:
Those who like fantasy. Those who like legendary hero stories. Those who like a mixture of romance, werewolves, horror, magic, and more in their stories. Those who like witty characters. Those who like character-driven stories. Those who like deep, excellent world-building.
Review first posted on my blog here with fan art that I had drawn ( https://gracemmorris.wordpress.com/20... )
December 9, 2022
Myths, magic & Taliz
An interesting story of a young refugee and his sister fleeing for their lives and getting all tangled up in a new land’s myths and fables. Werewolves, magic, and an evil god dog his footsteps and he strives to save his friends and family.
An interesting story of a young refugee and his sister fleeing for their lives and getting all tangled up in a new land’s myths and fables. Werewolves, magic, and an evil god dog his footsteps and he strives to save his friends and family.
November 10, 2023
Oh my goodness, that was amazing.
I really enjoyed reading my first ever book from this author (thanks so much for letting me read your book baby, Nicki!), and I’m most assuredly going to try more of her works! So why did it take me forever to read it? Heh…one word: ebook. More specifically, a PDF I read on my phone. 😒Yeah, not fun and kinda killed my wanting to pick it up for weeks at a time to do so and then not want to put it down, LOL!
This is such a vast and complex while also simple world (the best type, in my opinion!) with such a dynamic cast of characters—I ended up loving them all in no time, even Taliz’s sister who I, ah, didn’t like for the majority of the book, haha. I warmed up to her by the end, but I did think she was a bit TOO mean to her brother for too long. I also loved the author’s take on werewolves—it was SO COOL and nothing I would have thought of and is just amazing. I also liked how we were only given information about the world and lore when we needed it rather then just random info dumps thrown in there for no reason.
Taliz is such a fun, interesting, flawed character I instantly loved from page one until the end. He has such a dry, self praising sense of humor that’s actually funny, while he also truly cares and loves those around him to the point of doing some pretty dumb things just to protect them. I especially loved the part where someone mentions a vampire and Taliz wonders if he should ask what that is before he gets turned into one. 🤣🤣 Ylfa is my second favorite character and one of the few tough female characters to not annoy me to no end—I loved her and how REAL she felt. Actually ALL the characters felt very real and three demential and were definitely my favorite part of the whole book.
I would highly recommend this if you like a darker fantasy with light, funny spots, a vast world, and wonderful dynamic characters. I will certainly be adding a hard copy of this book to my shelf!
Content: magic; magical creatures; werewolves; people mention/worship fictional fantasy gods and goddesses; innocent to mildly seductive flirting; violence and blood (semi detailed); some bodies are found with heads and limbs missing plus pools of blood (it’s detailed just enough to get across the gruesome picture); mentions of vampires; characters drink and get drunk; kissing (not detailed); a character is drugged and kidnapped; death and grief; a dark cult; dark, evil spirits; mentions of necromancy and necromancers (not in a good light); a creature masquerades as people it has killed; dead, rotting bodies are found
***Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own, and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜***
I really enjoyed reading my first ever book from this author (thanks so much for letting me read your book baby, Nicki!), and I’m most assuredly going to try more of her works! So why did it take me forever to read it? Heh…one word: ebook. More specifically, a PDF I read on my phone. 😒Yeah, not fun and kinda killed my wanting to pick it up for weeks at a time to do so and then not want to put it down, LOL!
This is such a vast and complex while also simple world (the best type, in my opinion!) with such a dynamic cast of characters—I ended up loving them all in no time, even Taliz’s sister who I, ah, didn’t like for the majority of the book, haha. I warmed up to her by the end, but I did think she was a bit TOO mean to her brother for too long. I also loved the author’s take on werewolves—it was SO COOL and nothing I would have thought of and is just amazing. I also liked how we were only given information about the world and lore when we needed it rather then just random info dumps thrown in there for no reason.
Taliz is such a fun, interesting, flawed character I instantly loved from page one until the end. He has such a dry, self praising sense of humor that’s actually funny, while he also truly cares and loves those around him to the point of doing some pretty dumb things just to protect them. I especially loved the part where someone mentions a vampire and Taliz wonders if he should ask what that is before he gets turned into one. 🤣🤣 Ylfa is my second favorite character and one of the few tough female characters to not annoy me to no end—I loved her and how REAL she felt. Actually ALL the characters felt very real and three demential and were definitely my favorite part of the whole book.
I would highly recommend this if you like a darker fantasy with light, funny spots, a vast world, and wonderful dynamic characters. I will certainly be adding a hard copy of this book to my shelf!
Content: magic; magical creatures; werewolves; people mention/worship fictional fantasy gods and goddesses; innocent to mildly seductive flirting; violence and blood (semi detailed); some bodies are found with heads and limbs missing plus pools of blood (it’s detailed just enough to get across the gruesome picture); mentions of vampires; characters drink and get drunk; kissing (not detailed); a character is drugged and kidnapped; death and grief; a dark cult; dark, evil spirits; mentions of necromancy and necromancers (not in a good light); a creature masquerades as people it has killed; dead, rotting bodies are found
***Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own, and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜***
April 18, 2025
Decent story with potential
This story has a lot of fun elements: a roguish hero, a close-knit group of mercenaries, a mysterious cult, and more! There’s room for additional editing to clean up some of the character inconsistencies, missing plot information, and typos. I really wish the author showed what happened at the battle at the fort instead of cutting off the escape with interludes that pulled the reader out of the story. I also would have liked to see more growth in the main character, Taliz. He seemed to stay the same irresponsible rogue from beginning to end but still reaped all the rewards despite making some pore decisions.
I was a bit disappointed that the werewolf aspect of the novel didn’t really play into the plot. The power to transform is considered a “gift” but the pack never uses their gift. The main character also complains about not having a choice in becoming a werewolf, but as a werewolf, he chooses to never change into one.
This book is still worth a read if you enjoy character driven fantasy novels with conclusive endings. The book stands alone and is a fun read if you like banter, college-age antics/tavern visits, and a bit of suspense.
This story has a lot of fun elements: a roguish hero, a close-knit group of mercenaries, a mysterious cult, and more! There’s room for additional editing to clean up some of the character inconsistencies, missing plot information, and typos. I really wish the author showed what happened at the battle at the fort instead of cutting off the escape with interludes that pulled the reader out of the story. I also would have liked to see more growth in the main character, Taliz. He seemed to stay the same irresponsible rogue from beginning to end but still reaped all the rewards despite making some pore decisions.
I was a bit disappointed that the werewolf aspect of the novel didn’t really play into the plot. The power to transform is considered a “gift” but the pack never uses their gift. The main character also complains about not having a choice in becoming a werewolf, but as a werewolf, he chooses to never change into one.
This book is still worth a read if you enjoy character driven fantasy novels with conclusive endings. The book stands alone and is a fun read if you like banter, college-age antics/tavern visits, and a bit of suspense.
July 24, 2025
I quite enjoyed this book! A theme throughout this author's books is her fabulous character writing. I loved Taliz! His fun personality was so distinct and well-written! I loved his stories and his relationship with his sister and the other characters in this book. I enjoyed so many of the characters, especially Ylfa and Polina. I was a little hesitant because I haven't read a vampire book before, but I still thought it was a unique and interesting element to the story.
One thing I didn't realize going into it is that there is a little bit of horror in this book. I don't like to read that content but I didn't come across anything that jumped out to me in a bad way.
If you're looking for a good character-driven story, this is a good one!
One thing I didn't realize going into it is that there is a little bit of horror in this book. I don't like to read that content but I didn't come across anything that jumped out to me in a bad way.
If you're looking for a good character-driven story, this is a good one!
March 16, 2025
Nicki Chapelway does a fantastic writing and had that great blend of everything that I was hoping for. The characters had that element that I was looking for from the description and was engaged with what was happening. It uses the fantasy element perfectly with the horror element and was glad it was so well done.
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.
March 3, 2024
Loved this unique story
I can positively say that I have never read a book that combines the culture of Arab desert and Vikings. Plus their in werewolves and necromancy. But it works! Somehow she made i out work so well. The best part of this book are the characters and all their relationships with eachother. The characters and their love for eachother has a special place in my heart.
This is a fun little fantasy. I’ve never seen a book where Arabian characters move to a cold, snowy viking village. It’s actually a really cool combination. Also a little sprinkling of werewolves and a creepy ancient God made it even more interesting. If you prefer character motivated over plot then this my be a book to check out.
It is an indie that could have used some more editing and development. But if you don’t mind that, and want to read a clean viking book with great character relationships then I recommend checking this stand alone out.
I can positively say that I have never read a book that combines the culture of Arab desert and Vikings. Plus their in werewolves and necromancy. But it works! Somehow she made i out work so well. The best part of this book are the characters and all their relationships with eachother. The characters and their love for eachother has a special place in my heart.
This is a fun little fantasy. I’ve never seen a book where Arabian characters move to a cold, snowy viking village. It’s actually a really cool combination. Also a little sprinkling of werewolves and a creepy ancient God made it even more interesting. If you prefer character motivated over plot then this my be a book to check out.
It is an indie that could have used some more editing and development. But if you don’t mind that, and want to read a clean viking book with great character relationships then I recommend checking this stand alone out.
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