Wraithbound

Spiritbinder Saga #1

by Tim Akers

EPIC FANTASY BY A RISING STAR OF FANTASY

Since he was a boy, Rae Kelthannis has dreamed of being a stormbinder like his father, with an air elemental stitched into the fabric of his soul and the winds of heaven at his command. Those dreams died when his father, through no fault of his own, fell into disgrace and was banned by the justicars of the Iron Council. The family fled to the edge of the Ordered World, to live in fear in the shadow of encroaching Chaos.

When Rae defies his father’s orders and attempts to stitch an air elemental to his soul, he instead binds himself to a mysterious wraith. That’s when things get complicated and the world starts to fall apart around him. Literally.

About Valhellions :
“Akers’ novel puts the fantasy in urban fantasy, with real-world-dwelling fantastical characters similar to Jim Butcher and ridiculous set pieces reminiscent of Terry Pratchett.” — Booklist, starred review

About Knight’s Watch :
“Buckle up and get ready for a fun ride. Tim Akers delivers an epic story about weekend ren faire warriors versus actual monsters. Best fictional use of a Volvo station wagon ever.” —Larry Correia

About Tim Akers:
“A must for all epic fantasy fans.” — Starburst

“Full of strong world building, cinematic and frequent battle scenes, high adventure, great characters, suspense, and dramatic plot shifts, this is an engaging, fast-paced entry in a popular subgenre.” — Booklist, starred review

“Take a bit of fantasy, mix in the horror of the demonic, and put in some top-notch writing and you’ll have Akers’ latest novel.” — Hellnotes

“Fast-paced . . . an epic fantasy story with action, intrigue and a good story.” — RPG

“Delivers enough twists and surprises to keep readers fascinated . . . contains action, grittiness, magic, intrigue and well created characters.” — Rising Shadow

“An extremely well-developed secondary world.” — SF Signal

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

464 pages, Paperback

Published April 4, 2023

About the author

Tim Akers was born in deeply rural North Carolina, the only son of a theologian. He moved to Chicago for college, where he lives with his wife of thirteen years and their German shepherd. He splits his time between databases and fountain pens.
- PyrSF

Reviews

[Nick Borrelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion WRAITHBOUND is a perfect example of why many of us read fantasy books. Because in the end you can have all of the magic, worldbuilding, and bloody battles that you want but if it's not an entertaining and wondrous escape, then it's all just window dressing to be honest. This book has everything that attracted me to fantasy books in the first place and the one word that keeps coming to mind after finishing it last night is fun. What a fantastically fun read that just kept me glued to every page. And aside from it being fun WRAITHBOUND is also a banger of a story.

This is a book that has so much to like if you are a fantasy fan. Evil sorcerers, hellish demons, a brilliant magic system that hearkened me back to L.E. Modesitt's Order and Chaos based structure, and characters (like the main character Rae) who are put to the test very early on and must answer the bell time and time again. Couple that with some really bold worldbuilding and you have yourself one heck of an opening book in Akers' Spiritbinder Saga.

Another aspect that I loved about this book and what kept me reading is there are zero lulls and standing about. Right from the opening pages the first conflict hits and from there it's a whirlwind of action and dark sorcery badassery. I didn't know what to expect from WRAITHBOUND because I had never read a Tim Akers book before. But my uncertainty was quite quickly put to rest by this tightly woven plot and Akers' vivid writing. After that it was just a matter of settling in for the ride, and oh what a ride it was!

There's a blurb that I read about Tim Akers that said he is "a rising star of fantasy". Well, if this book is any indication I'd say his star has very much risen and planted itself firmly in the sky among the most talented authors in the genre. If you love fantasy that has edge of your seat action and takes no prisoners, then run out and get this book once it is officially released next month. I guarantee that you will be treated to one of the best sword and sorcery books you've read in a long time. I highly recommend WRAITHBOUND and you can be sure that this will not be the last Tim Akers book that I pick up. I'm just sorry I didn't get into his stuff sooner!

[Jason Ray Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. The main characters, Raelle, La, Mahk, and Estev, are likable and easy to emotionally invest in. The plot is balanced, maintaining tension, threat, calm, and consolidation. This balance makes the novel a relaxing, escapist read (a lot of recent fantasy novels are intense action and danger all the way through, and that becomes tiring). The main appeal is the setting, a late-18th c. or early 19th-c. technoscape (or quasi-steampunk) beset by cosmological storms (i.e., chaos is literally tearing apart landscapes in certain places). Additionally, there is an intriguing magic system that is tied to all sorts of related elements: political entities, supernatural beings, and other planes of existence. If you like epic fantasy and are interested in diving into a vital, fully realized secondary world that is unique and complete with likable characters, you'll enjoy this.

[Jord MiddleofNowhere · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 RTC

[Roger Sandri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had intended to get some editing done today, but this book simply would not let go. It’s a thrill ride with plenty of Night Angel vibes and an awesome sibling duo reminiscent of Corban and Cywen from Faithful and the Fallen. The magic system is complex, but given in small enough doses at a time to not be overwhelming, and all this done while on the go from one living horror to the next. There’s still a decent smattering of humor thrown in, and I loved the snark of a shadowy character we’ll not mention for spoilers sake.

Read this book. Read it. I just wrote that in Kristofer Hivju’s fake Swedish accent from those Scott’s commercials. Kind of like a snarky wraith…

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that the magic system and worldbuilding will be the biggest pull for people wanting to read this book. I would describe the book as being similiar to the magic system/worldbuilding of Brandon Sanderson's fantasy novels, with a dash of L. E. Modesitt's "Saga of Recluse" included.

On one hand, this book really has a small cast to follow, so it doesn't necessarily feel as overwhelming as other Fantasy series. However, if you're not connected to the main cast, it might be hard to stick with the book. I think Akers does a good enough job of giving the characters personality without alienating anyone.

This book is set in a late 1800s/early 1900s type world, featuring guns and other types of technology. I think this could be categorized as "light steampunk"? I'm not entirely sure how to categorize it like that.

The book is pretty hefty, and does tell quite a long story. Its about 600 pages in mass market paperback (450ish pages in trade paperback), and while being the first in a series, also tells a somewhat complete story in and of itself. It has a hook for book 2, but it mostly works on its own (think Mistborn: Final Empire being the both a complete story and the first in a trilogy).

There were a few fun twists that weren't super shocking, but they were all interesting and changed the dynamic of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I think that Akers delivers a very focused hard magic book that pays off what it promises. 7.5 out of 10.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced and packed with cinematic magical duels, Wraithbound is an exhilarating ride from start to finish.

Read my full review at Grimdark Magazine!

[CASPER HILEMAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Tim Akers's first volume of the “Spiritbinder Saga” published by Baen Books and distributed by Simon and Shuster, Mr. Akers has taken what fantasy and science fiction do best. He takes universal themes and adds demons, epic heroes, and deadly peril. The protagonist Rae is compelled to regain his family's honor after his father falls into disgrace by the vagaries of power and the machinations of the powerful. What would a family redemption story be without danger, mistakes, and drama? Mr. Akers has begun the story well and has convinced me to continue, he will surely convince you as well.
Cover art by Jeff Brown.
Published by Baen Books.
Releasing April 2023.
Available for pre-order wherever books are sold.

[Lex · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know how the problem with YA is unlikeable bland protagonists who think they're all that? I didn't expect to run into it in an adult epic. Rae is a lame kid and every single character (and the author!) knows it and comments on it. And yet, for some reason, they keep going along with his dumb ideas. The mystery of that is really the only thing that conceals the big twist at the end.

The book is very thick and it's 99% Rae making dumb decisions and every single person around him dying because of it, then Rae leads his mysteriously obedient companions on to a new location where the same thing happens. Over and over and over. I kept reading both for the mystery of the wraith and the mystery of Hadroy Manor - one of which is satisfactorily answered. All the characters that were actually interesting ended up either dead or evil so I'm not sure I'll pick up the sequel.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book to any readers of "high magic" fantasy. Akers has done an amazing job of fleshing out a truly unique cosmology and magic system, and then setting a world, characters, and some epic, cinematic action within it. I can't wait to read more about Rael Kelthannis and the rest of the Ordered World. There's a touch more of Rael in Akers' Memories of Copper and Blood, but I don't know that it's canon anymore, now that the Spiritbinder Saga has started in earnest.

This book is an epic fantasy "coming of age" story in a world you've never imagined. Chaos is eating away at the walls of Ordered reality, and magic comes from being bound to/with entities from other planes of reality. I've loved Akers' work since I first stumbled onto it, with his love for the weird in fantasy, and I think he particularly excelled at describing the epic mage duels in this book.

I definitely connected with the character of Rael, and with his connection to his father. I really liked the tension between inflexible bastions of Order and the incessant gnawing of Chaos, rather than the more frequent good/evil dichotomy most fantasy presents.

I was impacted by Akers' creativity and vision, and I am inspired to do something with my own. I think I'll start with baking a Hallowsphere pie.

[Jason Waltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more a 3.5 star book. Lots of exciting action with some very thrillingly intense scenes. Our hero is heroic, and his sidekicks steadfast and often the ones who save the moment, and the enemies are horrific and many and everywhere. I think a major blow was dealt them at the climax but there are so many and the danger so deep, I imagine there remains lots of horribleness and death and betrayal ahead. While I am not addicted to our hero I am quite interested in what happens with the trio as a whole. My largest struggle is that I have difficulty believing in this world. The magic is cool and exciting and risky and powerful and its concept and creation fun. But the environs and societal structures and world confused me or at least I couldn't sort it out. I felt like I entered a pre-existing world that I knew too little of and was constantly behind or just missing something. So - I enjoyed the plot, like the characters, and am dismayed by the world building.

[Bookish Satty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating - 4.5 Stars!

I really enjoyed this story. The magic system was quite unique to me and the action scenes were awesome to read. Overall a great read. Would definitely recommend to readers who love plot driven stories.

[Jmortiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fast paced, windwhipping, high speed horse-carriage-chase magical foray into epic dark fantasy. The theme of order vs chaos pervades this tale of treason, blood, and social class. It is a highly addictive new series with a outlaw hero that struggles for survival in a collapsing society.

[Joel Adamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Tim Akers' new epic fantasy book, a family goes through hell, literally, and comes up against dangerous demons. I don't know that I can quite summarize the cosmology of this book so soon after reading it, but the basic idea is that there are people who can bind their own souls to non-corporeal beings, including angels, demons, fae woodland creatures, and wraiths (hence the title). This is a very hard magic kind of a book, with the characters trying to figure out the laws of the world, and encountering people at various levels of understanding. It's a very scientific kind of fantasy, in a world that resembles eighteenth-century Europe, complete with flintlock weapons and the beginnings of industrialization.

The best thing about this book are the characters and their interactions. Right away I was hooked on how the main character Raelle (Rae for short) and his sister Lalette interact. It's not just believable, it's fun, from the way they snipe at each other to their complementary abilities and roles. It's sometimes funny, though not always as in Akers' Knight Watch series, never over-snarky, and never annoying. It would be quite engaging to read even if they were just being a family handling mundane struggles, but of course they're struggling to save the world. A side-effect of this (perhaps) is that there is plenty of modern language, which may irk some epic fantasy readers. I found it to be okay because the characters were so engaging and their interplay was irresistible.

The biggest thing keeping this from being a five star book was that it's a "mystery box" kind of a story. Rae and his sister are being pursued for the better part of the book before we really find out why. Indeed we don't find out the full why until the last few pages. This is okay, again because the interactions between the characters are so engaging. It's possible that if Akers had brought in the other perspectives necessary to spill the beans early on (as plenty of thrillers do), the book would have lost some of its charm. The entire book is told from one point of view (third person, with Rae as the viewpoint character at all times), and this means that there is a lot he's not going to know. I don't usually like stories told this way, but again it doesn't really matter all that much in this case. I highly recommend Wraithbound. It's a good book.

[Bender · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very conflicting book to rate.

The story starts off with a young Rae who's life is turned upside down when events beyond his understanding forces his father to abandon his life as a Baron's employee and flee to near anonymity living incognito in a border village. A decade later, just as Rae is frustrated with the state of affairs, the ghosts of the past catches them. And then the story spirals into a unending series of action packed events one following the other all the way to a epic climax.

It certainly was a fast paced action book where the pace never lets off from get go till the end. The world is quite intriguing with the various binders and the orderwalls and the like. Demons, wraiths angels...the potential for intriguing plot moves is rampant and the world is rich and detailed.

A couple of points made me drop 2 stars which was a shame as the book was just close to a 5 star rating. For one, the world and magic system really lacks explanations. I'd have expected a bit more exposition of just plain info-dumping to give us a sense of players in the game. If there's a fight between two binders, how will win be determined? Are there different tiers of angels or demons or wraiths based on strength of capability that determine to outcome of a fight? Why are there orderwalls? The area outside orderwalls are supposed to be bleak and unsurvivable, but then it doesn't turn out that way. It is a brilliant world even with the unexplained stuff, but a well explained one would have elevated this book greatly.

Secondly the characters, I do have a peeve against MCs who are just carried on by the events, just lucking out at the right moment with power ups, which is the case here. As much as I wanted to, I could not connect with Rae. Both La and Mahk are just there for the ride and rarely do anything consequential. More fleshing out of the supporting cast and a bit more background on Rae's intentions other than revenge and blindly charging towards foes way more powerful than him would have made this more solid.

Despite the flaws, it certainly was a very intriguing read and I'll definitely look to book 2, to see if I can get more of the world.

[FeifsGambit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can really tell that this author needs some work. The ideas that must flow in this mans head must be incredible. The way in which he transforms those ideas into written words is a bit confusing however. The magnificent scenes he attempts to describe in this book are mesmerizing and I haven't quite read anything quite like it before.

The pacing was great and there were rarely dull moments across the nearly 640 pages throughout the book. The biggest flaw about the read is the lack of information that is given to the reader as we go through the story. Things are happening, binding of elements, planes of existence, magic everywhere! It definitely gets an A+ for all that, but it almost falls on deaf ears when the reader has no understanding of what it means.

I found it increasingly annoying that not only is the magic used in this book poorly explained, the driving point of the plot isn't even revealed until the last 60 pages of the book. It honestly feels like the characters of the story are just running away from issues with no rhyme or reason and having zero clue why they are even in danger. And every time it looks like your going to get some information, the author throws the lines of, "Can't talk now, Ill explain later" or "We don't have time for this, lets go!" all the while calling all the characters who don't know what's going on fools.

If you are ok with the author making you feel helplessly ignorant through the majority of the story, you might actually like this book. As it stands now, I feel like the enjoyment I can get from this book can only be found through multiple read throughs. If the author does continue this story, I plan to do just that.

Tim Akers, Wraithbound is a fun read but has some obvious flaws. I may be checking out some of his other books until part 2 arrives.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Help me read more books

Hmm. Not a bad story, though somehow, I feel I've read this one before. It's a story of real vs. spiritual worlds, chaos vs. order, and the ever present good vs. evil. The only thing is, the book blurb is incorrect. It claims things begin falling apart *after* the main character binds the spirit. Not so, things are falling apart from the very start of the story, the binding only serves to give them direction (so to speak). As it turns out, the binding has absolutely nothing to do with the falling apart, but you already knew that didn't you?
Anyway, Ignore the blurb, and just read the story with a open mind, and it makes sense, though it does get a bit tangled at the end.
For what it's worth, if Baen didn't publish this one, I'm not sure I'd continue the series, but Baen is good at finding hidden gems, so I'll probably stick with this one on that fact alone, hopfully this one gets better.
I tend to really like this author's other material, so that's a point in the series favor as well.

[Henry Lazarus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tim Akers writes of a world in which chaos is slowly dissolving order. Mages tie spirits into their souls to command powerful forces. Rae Kelthannis’s father was a stormbinder, able to keep storms away from the area he was protecting. Then Something happened and Rae’s family fled with a spirit sword. Rae wants to be a stormbinder like his father and, using his father’s texts and the spirit blade, hopes to induce an air spirit into his soul. Unfortunately using the sword, reveals it’s presence to an unkillable demon, who kills Rae’s parents and sends him and his sister on the run through the chaos that destroys his town. Rae, it turns out, is actually Wraithbound (paper from Baen) and has to learn to use his powers fast to help he and his sister survive. This is a violent first book of a trilogy with a unique background that I sometimes found confusing.

[Aaron N. Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stopped a little shy of 100 pages. It's hard to put a finger on why this book didn't resonate with me, but I think these are some ingredients:

1) I had a hard time connecting with the characters
2) And the world, really
3) The inciting action felt like the first part of two, and the second part never came.

Tim, if you're reading this, sorry man 🤷‍♂️ I DNF lots of bestsellers and award-winners, so please don't take it personally

[Oliver Bogert · Rating 5 out of 5]

There isn't a wasted word in this one! Tim Akers keeps the action high and the book is constantly moving toward the finish. I kept bumping this one off my TBR for other more established authors, and wish I hadn't because once I started it didn't get put back down again. High action epic fantasy the way it should be, and I promise book 2 will be automatically escorted to the top of the pile.

[Christoph Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akers spins up an intricate magic system, with bound souls and angels and demons and... quite a bit of humor inbetween.

The magic works, even as it takes up quite a bit of space for all the explanations, a surprising way to use magic ends up playing a vital part. It does get handled before but it's a bit convenient for our heroes. Still, a good read.

[Alon Lankri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent first book
I liked the mystery but some of the reveal was obvious. I found the supporting characters too nerfed, and I would have liked to see more calm to disaster to calm rather than calm and then constant disaster. Or in other words choppy pacing. I also think the descriptions of a wraith bound weren't clear enough and the fight scenes were so so.

[J.T.T. Ryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging effort by Akers, Wraithbound is captivating. There's a real rhythm to the story making it fast-paced. It really does grab and hold the reader from the start to the end, with an excellent epilogue that sets up a promising new series. I also really liked Rae.

[Levitate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wraithbound is a good read with some excellent world building but I wouldn’t exactly call it fun, there is definitely an emphasis on the dark in dark fantasy here. That said, it’s certainly worth a look if the premise interests you. Those who enjoy this might also like Demon’s Reign by David Estes.

[Justin Greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenal book. Tim Akers is one of the best to do dark fantasy replete with sacrifice, heroism, and some of the coolest reality-bending magical concepts in the genre. I absolutely adored this and can’t wait for the next one.

[Kevin Neff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Tim Akers!