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Netherworld
DEATH IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
Casper Renolds heard tales of the Netherworld every Holy Day as a boy. It was a mysterious place. A dark place. A space between spaces where the gods of Wayland tested a departed soul to prove it worthy of second life. He'd been schooled since infancy to reject the temptation to compete in the trials when Death finally came for him.
But no one had ever told him what to do if he was murdered.
When Lord Harlen has him killed to get to his sister, Kaelyn, Casper is spurred to face the Netherworld trials in hope of returning to stop his murderer's dastardly plans. But his choice sparks a centuries-old prophecy, and he soon finds himself in the middle of a war he wanted nothing to do with. For every step he takes in the changing landscapes of the Netherworld, his murderer takes another in the land of the living. Kaelyn's attempts to keep Harlen at bay will only work for so long. As Casper pits his wit, strength, and courage against the god of death, he unravels a conspiracy at the heart of his murder that could spell doom for all of Wayland. He must beat his trials, thwart his murderer, and embrace his destiny, or everything will be destroyed. Can Casper defeat Death in time? Or will his soul be lost forever?
Filled with monsters, mayhem, and magic, Netherworld is a can't-miss fantasy adventure about finding hope in the face of uncertainty.
Casper Renolds heard tales of the Netherworld every Holy Day as a boy. It was a mysterious place. A dark place. A space between spaces where the gods of Wayland tested a departed soul to prove it worthy of second life. He'd been schooled since infancy to reject the temptation to compete in the trials when Death finally came for him.
But no one had ever told him what to do if he was murdered.
When Lord Harlen has him killed to get to his sister, Kaelyn, Casper is spurred to face the Netherworld trials in hope of returning to stop his murderer's dastardly plans. But his choice sparks a centuries-old prophecy, and he soon finds himself in the middle of a war he wanted nothing to do with. For every step he takes in the changing landscapes of the Netherworld, his murderer takes another in the land of the living. Kaelyn's attempts to keep Harlen at bay will only work for so long. As Casper pits his wit, strength, and courage against the god of death, he unravels a conspiracy at the heart of his murder that could spell doom for all of Wayland. He must beat his trials, thwart his murderer, and embrace his destiny, or everything will be destroyed. Can Casper defeat Death in time? Or will his soul be lost forever?
Filled with monsters, mayhem, and magic, Netherworld is a can't-miss fantasy adventure about finding hope in the face of uncertainty.
324 pages, Paperback
Published March 21, 2022
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Ari Ryder
6 books16 followersAri Ryder is a Mystery, Science Fiction, and Fantasy writer who revels in the thrill of a good adventure. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found studying forensic science, traveling on research trips, and solving impossible puzzles. Ari has a Masters in Publishing from The George Washington University which has forever deepened her love and appreciation of books. Ari currently lives in Virginia with her stubborn Siberian Husky where she’s currently working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 21, 2022
Ari Ryder has turned in something truly special here!
What makes this book work so good is the fact that it nails every aspect that it needs to. Character development is very good. The plot is fanastic. The romance is natural and exciting, the villains are horrible and frustrating (in a good way), and the themes are superb. It is very difficult for a new author, particularly one not published by a major publisher, to nail each and every one of these aspects.
In this book, Ryder sets up two main plotlines with two minor plotlines that all interweave well. The main plotline that takes up the lionshare of the book is Casper, who is sent to the Netherworld and is working to fight his way back to the real world. His sections of the book had all of the classic hero tropes, from the hero finding and rescuing a young boy to him having to go through three tests. There's even a magic sword that only our hero can use to defeat the enemy. These might seem like cliche's, but Ryder does an excellent job of making them feel organic and naturally fit the story. The characters that Casper meets in this section were fun to read about.
The second plotline revolves Casper's sister, Kaelyn, who is now alone without Casper and is being persued by the villain of the story: Lord Harlen. She mixes the damsel in distress trope with a very resilient heroine, such as Princess Leia.
Both of the main plotlines were expertly interwoven, and it never felt like we were spending too much time with one or the other. Ryder demonstrates a level of writing that many professional writers don't even have. Her ability to keep the reader excited throughout is going to serve her well in her career.
If I can add one comment, it isn't necessarily a critique or a praise, but this book has very minimalistic worldbuilding. It is so vague, particularly the portions of Kaelyn's storyline that feel like they could be set in virtually any fantasy universe. Many Fantasy readers who are accustomed to modern fantasy worldbuilding might feel frustrated at the lack of clarity to the magic system and worldbuilding. It worked well for me, who is someone that doesn't dwell on worldbuilding, but it could be a source of frustration for some readers.
Ryder did one very smart thing here, where she set up the book as both a standalone and the beginning of a series. This is similar to what Sanderson did with the Mistborn series. I think this will make it easier to pitch to new audiences in the future.
The action in this book is quick yet exciting. The monsters and mythical creatures were all excellent, particularly the (Spoiler Redacted) Creature that Casper tames.
Ari has proven that she understands the various genres and can deftly make fans of classic fantasy and modern fantasy happy with her work. She demonstrates a new strand of the genre that needs to be emphasized in the future.
Overall, this is a solid Fantasy novel! Ari Ryder wrote a fantastic book last year in the mystery genre (Murder at the Harvey House) and wrote another superb book here. She has proven herself fully able to write in multiple genres. This book hit all of the wonderful notes it needed to hit. Ryder certainly is a diamond in the rough, and the major publishers should be calling her up. I give this book a 9.5 out of 10! Way to Go Ari!
What makes this book work so good is the fact that it nails every aspect that it needs to. Character development is very good. The plot is fanastic. The romance is natural and exciting, the villains are horrible and frustrating (in a good way), and the themes are superb. It is very difficult for a new author, particularly one not published by a major publisher, to nail each and every one of these aspects.
In this book, Ryder sets up two main plotlines with two minor plotlines that all interweave well. The main plotline that takes up the lionshare of the book is Casper, who is sent to the Netherworld and is working to fight his way back to the real world. His sections of the book had all of the classic hero tropes, from the hero finding and rescuing a young boy to him having to go through three tests. There's even a magic sword that only our hero can use to defeat the enemy. These might seem like cliche's, but Ryder does an excellent job of making them feel organic and naturally fit the story. The characters that Casper meets in this section were fun to read about.
The second plotline revolves Casper's sister, Kaelyn, who is now alone without Casper and is being persued by the villain of the story: Lord Harlen. She mixes the damsel in distress trope with a very resilient heroine, such as Princess Leia.
Both of the main plotlines were expertly interwoven, and it never felt like we were spending too much time with one or the other. Ryder demonstrates a level of writing that many professional writers don't even have. Her ability to keep the reader excited throughout is going to serve her well in her career.
If I can add one comment, it isn't necessarily a critique or a praise, but this book has very minimalistic worldbuilding. It is so vague, particularly the portions of Kaelyn's storyline that feel like they could be set in virtually any fantasy universe. Many Fantasy readers who are accustomed to modern fantasy worldbuilding might feel frustrated at the lack of clarity to the magic system and worldbuilding. It worked well for me, who is someone that doesn't dwell on worldbuilding, but it could be a source of frustration for some readers.
Ryder did one very smart thing here, where she set up the book as both a standalone and the beginning of a series. This is similar to what Sanderson did with the Mistborn series. I think this will make it easier to pitch to new audiences in the future.
The action in this book is quick yet exciting. The monsters and mythical creatures were all excellent, particularly the (Spoiler Redacted) Creature that Casper tames.
Ari has proven that she understands the various genres and can deftly make fans of classic fantasy and modern fantasy happy with her work. She demonstrates a new strand of the genre that needs to be emphasized in the future.
Overall, this is a solid Fantasy novel! Ari Ryder wrote a fantastic book last year in the mystery genre (Murder at the Harvey House) and wrote another superb book here. She has proven herself fully able to write in multiple genres. This book hit all of the wonderful notes it needed to hit. Ryder certainly is a diamond in the rough, and the major publishers should be calling her up. I give this book a 9.5 out of 10! Way to Go Ari!
June 3, 2022
Another Awesome Read
This was truly a book that I could not put down. The characters were endearing and the imagination of the author was amazing. I loved the book and will be looking forward to what happens in Wayland next.
This was truly a book that I could not put down. The characters were endearing and the imagination of the author was amazing. I loved the book and will be looking forward to what happens in Wayland next.
September 28, 2022
Let me just say: I absolutely love this book. There are no dull or slow spots in it, and the characters are so special, well written, and each unique. I found myself rooting hard for certain ones (no spoilers) to succeed and hoping that others would not. It doesn't ruin anything to say that Gran is probably my fave, and Casper's continued bravery is something to be admired. Once you pick up Netherworld, you won't want to put it down!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews