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Heliotrope
Genre: Epic Fantasy/Heroic Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery
Teleo is a retired soldier descended from Mages, who were cast out of power generations ago. After years of war and sorrow, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm and work his stonemason’s craft.
His wife and daughter had been murdered during a war raid several years earlier and his young son stolen by the enemy side. He spent years unsuccessfully searching for his son and returned home broken-hearted. At the local castle, he comes upon a war orphan stolen by his side from the enemy and rescues him from abuse, adopting him as his foster son.
Teleo is working at the castle when he finds himself in the middle of a coup. This launches a journey to protect his new family, uncover the secrets of the ancient ways, and reclaim the magic of the Mages.
A cast of lovable characters:
Teleo – A gritty warrior who would do anything for you, unless you cross those he loves, then you will meet his blade.
Dinsmora – A reclusive herbalist who weaves shadows.
The fosterling – Orphan who forms a family and softens the toughest of hearts.
The animals – Characters in their own right who carry burdens and bring glory.
Magic:
Magic was outlawed generations ago but lingers in the blood of the kingdoms. There were good reasons it was outlawed and reasons it must rise again.
Teleo is a retired soldier descended from Mages, who were cast out of power generations ago. After years of war and sorrow, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm and work his stonemason’s craft.
His wife and daughter had been murdered during a war raid several years earlier and his young son stolen by the enemy side. He spent years unsuccessfully searching for his son and returned home broken-hearted. At the local castle, he comes upon a war orphan stolen by his side from the enemy and rescues him from abuse, adopting him as his foster son.
Teleo is working at the castle when he finds himself in the middle of a coup. This launches a journey to protect his new family, uncover the secrets of the ancient ways, and reclaim the magic of the Mages.
A cast of lovable characters:
Teleo – A gritty warrior who would do anything for you, unless you cross those he loves, then you will meet his blade.
Dinsmora – A reclusive herbalist who weaves shadows.
The fosterling – Orphan who forms a family and softens the toughest of hearts.
The animals – Characters in their own right who carry burdens and bring glory.
Magic:
Magic was outlawed generations ago but lingers in the blood of the kingdoms. There were good reasons it was outlawed and reasons it must rise again.
784 pages, Paperback
Published November 23, 2022
33 people are currently reading
4409 people want to read
About the author
Palmer Pickering
5 books171 followersPalmer has been writing fiction since she was eight. She received her BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University, with concentrations in Religion and Race Relations.
She currently works in Silicon Valley in the gaming industry and high tech. In addition, Palmer holds a certificate in Chinese Acupressure, is a certified solar panel installer, and studied Tibetan Buddhism with the 14th Dalai Lama.
She lives and writes in the magical redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, California.
She currently works in Silicon Valley in the gaming industry and high tech. In addition, Palmer holds a certificate in Chinese Acupressure, is a certified solar panel installer, and studied Tibetan Buddhism with the 14th Dalai Lama.
She lives and writes in the magical redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
January 15, 2024
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 stars
Heliotrope is a good one-off standalone character-driven fantasy reminiscent of the classic adventurous fantasy novel.
I have mentioned it many times, but I am always searching for more great one-off standalone fantasy novels. Comparatively, they are rare in the genre. When I heard from some of my friends that Heliotrope is a standalone novel heavily rooted in classic fantasy style with some popular tropes I love reading in the genre, I knew I couldn’t pass it up. Found family, badass and a child trope, and animal companions are incredibly prevalent in this story about responsibility, prejudice, and redemption. Additionally, Heliotrope is not the first time I heard about Palmer Pickering's books. I have also heard positive reviews on Pickering's Star Children Saga series. But after reading this, it is not an easy task to review Heliotrope because I have a wildly different reading experience reading the three parts contained in Heliotrope. I will share my thoughts on each Part of the book.
The story in Heliotrope is told in third-person narration exclusively from the perspective of Teleo, a retired soldier descended from Mages, who were cast out of power generations ago. After years of war and sorrow, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm and work his stonemason’s craft. His wife and daughter had been murdered during a war raid several years earlier, and his young son was stolen by the enemy side. He spent years unsuccessfully searching for his son and returned home broken-hearted. Now, at the local castle, he comes upon a war orphan stolen by his side from the enemy, treated poorly, and Teleo decides to rescue him from abuse, adopting him as his foster son. Pickering did an incredible job establishing Teleo's voice, background, and circumstances in the first part of Heliotrope. It did not take long for me to care about Teleo, Jesum, and Kaspari. And right from the beginning, you can already tell that Pickering has an accessible and descriptive writing style. The best comparison I can think of, although not too similar, is Robert Jordan's writing style. But this descriptive prose did not hinder me from bursting through Part 1 of the book in a single day. The introduction and the slice-of-life setting were handled nicely. And as the peaceful moment crumbled, as expected, I was already invested in the struggle of Teleo and his newfound family.
Unfortunately, Pickering’s descriptive writing style backfired on me in Part 2 of the book. Part 2 of Heliotrope was roughly 300 pages long, and in my opinion, it was too long for its own good. After the powerful Part 1 of the book and the tension sparked at the conclusion of it, the length of Part 2 felt too wordy and surprisingly much lower in stakes. On top of the low stakes, with the addition of the slow-burn narrative (which I tend to favor) and descriptive writing, the majority of Part 2 ultimately felt unnecessary for the rest of the book. This, of course, does not mean there wasn't something important to take out of it. Sigrid is one of the most crucial characters in Heliotrope, and in Part 2, we meet her for the first time. And then, there is also the matter of uncovering the secret of the Heliotrope and the ancient ways, reclaiming the magic of the Mages that Teleo can do. But at the end of the day, I felt the 300 pages should have been condensed. The fact that it took me a week to read the entirety of part 2 should be enough to clarify my investment in the story. That is a reading speed and emotional attachment remarkably contradictory to my reading experience of Part 1 and Part 3 of the novel.
With a similar reading speed and attachment to Part 1, I read all of Part 3 within two days. It was gratifying to see how much Teleo and his newfound family grew to care about each other from their unlikely beginning. Plus, everything ramped up considerably in the final section of Heliotrope. Teleo's skill as a mage and war veteran was fully unleashed in the climax sequence. I couldn't put it down. A non-stop engaging battle sequence with Pickering's straightforward prose made the close-quarter combat feel vivid. And with one or two emotional scenes that felt realistic included, despite the slog portions I encountered in Part 2, I personally think the payoff was worth the journey.
Overall, if you are looking for a good character-driven, slow-burn, equally cozy-and-serious standalone fantasy novel, you should try Heliotrope. Even more so if you are a fan of the popular beloved tropes such as found family, animal companion, and the badass and a child trope. It has a strong beginning, and although the middle portion felt too long, the payoff and the ending were rewarding and satisfying. Heliotrope will also be a match for readers who want to experience a modern fantasy book rooted in the adventurous classic fantasy standalone novel. I will certainly read Star Children Saga by the author someday.
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Ciprian, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Sirbu, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe.
3.5/5 stars
Heliotrope is a good one-off standalone character-driven fantasy reminiscent of the classic adventurous fantasy novel.
I have mentioned it many times, but I am always searching for more great one-off standalone fantasy novels. Comparatively, they are rare in the genre. When I heard from some of my friends that Heliotrope is a standalone novel heavily rooted in classic fantasy style with some popular tropes I love reading in the genre, I knew I couldn’t pass it up. Found family, badass and a child trope, and animal companions are incredibly prevalent in this story about responsibility, prejudice, and redemption. Additionally, Heliotrope is not the first time I heard about Palmer Pickering's books. I have also heard positive reviews on Pickering's Star Children Saga series. But after reading this, it is not an easy task to review Heliotrope because I have a wildly different reading experience reading the three parts contained in Heliotrope. I will share my thoughts on each Part of the book.
The story in Heliotrope is told in third-person narration exclusively from the perspective of Teleo, a retired soldier descended from Mages, who were cast out of power generations ago. After years of war and sorrow, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm and work his stonemason’s craft. His wife and daughter had been murdered during a war raid several years earlier, and his young son was stolen by the enemy side. He spent years unsuccessfully searching for his son and returned home broken-hearted. Now, at the local castle, he comes upon a war orphan stolen by his side from the enemy, treated poorly, and Teleo decides to rescue him from abuse, adopting him as his foster son. Pickering did an incredible job establishing Teleo's voice, background, and circumstances in the first part of Heliotrope. It did not take long for me to care about Teleo, Jesum, and Kaspari. And right from the beginning, you can already tell that Pickering has an accessible and descriptive writing style. The best comparison I can think of, although not too similar, is Robert Jordan's writing style. But this descriptive prose did not hinder me from bursting through Part 1 of the book in a single day. The introduction and the slice-of-life setting were handled nicely. And as the peaceful moment crumbled, as expected, I was already invested in the struggle of Teleo and his newfound family.
Unfortunately, Pickering’s descriptive writing style backfired on me in Part 2 of the book. Part 2 of Heliotrope was roughly 300 pages long, and in my opinion, it was too long for its own good. After the powerful Part 1 of the book and the tension sparked at the conclusion of it, the length of Part 2 felt too wordy and surprisingly much lower in stakes. On top of the low stakes, with the addition of the slow-burn narrative (which I tend to favor) and descriptive writing, the majority of Part 2 ultimately felt unnecessary for the rest of the book. This, of course, does not mean there wasn't something important to take out of it. Sigrid is one of the most crucial characters in Heliotrope, and in Part 2, we meet her for the first time. And then, there is also the matter of uncovering the secret of the Heliotrope and the ancient ways, reclaiming the magic of the Mages that Teleo can do. But at the end of the day, I felt the 300 pages should have been condensed. The fact that it took me a week to read the entirety of part 2 should be enough to clarify my investment in the story. That is a reading speed and emotional attachment remarkably contradictory to my reading experience of Part 1 and Part 3 of the novel.
With a similar reading speed and attachment to Part 1, I read all of Part 3 within two days. It was gratifying to see how much Teleo and his newfound family grew to care about each other from their unlikely beginning. Plus, everything ramped up considerably in the final section of Heliotrope. Teleo's skill as a mage and war veteran was fully unleashed in the climax sequence. I couldn't put it down. A non-stop engaging battle sequence with Pickering's straightforward prose made the close-quarter combat feel vivid. And with one or two emotional scenes that felt realistic included, despite the slog portions I encountered in Part 2, I personally think the payoff was worth the journey.
Overall, if you are looking for a good character-driven, slow-burn, equally cozy-and-serious standalone fantasy novel, you should try Heliotrope. Even more so if you are a fan of the popular beloved tropes such as found family, animal companion, and the badass and a child trope. It has a strong beginning, and although the middle portion felt too long, the payoff and the ending were rewarding and satisfying. Heliotrope will also be a match for readers who want to experience a modern fantasy book rooted in the adventurous classic fantasy standalone novel. I will certainly read Star Children Saga by the author someday.
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Ciprian, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Sirbu, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe.
May 18, 2025
What a fantastic book. If you want to see me talk about this book on my channel check out My Booktube Channel
Palmer Knocked this one out of the park with the story. Even though the detailed descriptions of clothes and scenery were a bit on the heavy side for my taste. The Themes, Characterization, and Story Kept me so engrossed that I was unable to put the book down.
Teleo, Jessum, Kaspari, Mora, and Sigird each felt distinct with compelling story arcs. I identified much more with an older protagonist. Also, the found family trope was executed to 100% perfection!
Did I mention already that I loved it?
Do you like animal companions?
Do you like horses?
BLACKJACK is the horse for you. I loved him from the moment I first met him.
Don't even get me started on the magic system. Tied to the summer solstice and dancing in a magic circle with swords was right up my alley.
Darkness 2/5 has moments but they are understated
Story 5/5
Pacing 2/5 this book takes its time
Characterization 5/5
Fun 4/5
Inventiveness 5/5 really cool magic system
Structure 4/5
Enjoyment 5/5 i really like this book.
Palmer Knocked this one out of the park with the story. Even though the detailed descriptions of clothes and scenery were a bit on the heavy side for my taste. The Themes, Characterization, and Story Kept me so engrossed that I was unable to put the book down.
Teleo, Jessum, Kaspari, Mora, and Sigird each felt distinct with compelling story arcs. I identified much more with an older protagonist. Also, the found family trope was executed to 100% perfection!
Did I mention already that I loved it?
Do you like animal companions?
Do you like horses?
BLACKJACK is the horse for you. I loved him from the moment I first met him.
Don't even get me started on the magic system. Tied to the summer solstice and dancing in a magic circle with swords was right up my alley.
Darkness 2/5 has moments but they are understated
Story 5/5
Pacing 2/5 this book takes its time
Characterization 5/5
Fun 4/5
Inventiveness 5/5 really cool magic system
Structure 4/5
Enjoyment 5/5 i really like this book.
Read
August 18, 2023If you are looking for a heartwarming read a touch on the sweet side - with focus on an older main character, this is a pleasant, straightforward story about a retired war veteran who acquires the care of two orphans - one an abused child uprooted and forced to indenture by conquest, and the other, a highly sought fugitive after an upset rips her from her family and her inheritance. Enjoyably slow burn, with a rounded depth of world building and focus on crafts, barter, and details of subsistence living, with enough of the harsh edges nicely rounded off to keep the focus on the characters and their relationships. A refreshing view of two teens, displaced, and forced to come of age in times of transition, is shown from the adult perspective of the man and his cousin, who become their protectors. The idealization of the animals, the kids, and the oft times primitive setting is balanced by the adults, who have flaws, and by the unflinching moments involving raw violence. The prose is straightforward and plain, and the magic, well woven, sometimes beautiful, and threatening when the characters succumb and fall into bewitchment. Not quite a fairy tale, but straddling the line between bucolic nostalgia, warm sentiment, and mythic lore rediscovered from a past that is still embedded in everyday life, the tone cuts a fine line between a leisurely escape read and tense action with well spun suspense. The prose is straightforward, unembroidered, and the writer demonstrates enough confidence, telling her story without the cliche annoyance of slamming the reader's experience with a cliffhanger. The ending satisfies. If there was planned for a sequel, the book solidly stands on its own.
April 12, 2023
Great older protagonist, found family, lost magic, full video review to come.
December 16, 2022
3.5 stars (rounded up)
Heliotrope is a slow-burn fantasy adventure of truly epic proportions. I went in completely blind and absolutely loved letting myself get lost in this captivating tale filled with magic, political intrigue, survival, family, love, loss and fate.
This story is told through the eyes of Teleo, a retired soldier with bloodties to the Mages who were cast out of power generations ago. After losing his entire family in a war raid, with his son being stolen by the enemy, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life as a farmer and stonemason. But when he takes on a masonry job for the crown, he finds himself in the middle of a coup and his life is turned upside down. Together with his new apprentice and the hidden heir to the throne, he flees the castle and sets out for his cousin, a reclusive herbalist. After a time of healing and planning, this newfound family embarks upon an arduous journey to find answers about the ancient ways and restore the magic of the Mages to the land.
Now, first of all I think it’s important to note that this is a capital S slow-burn story. This 700+ page chunker is divided up into three large parts, with the first part being devoted almost entirely to establishing the world, the characters and their relationships. We follow these characters as they carry out all the menial tasks of their everyday lives and get to really sit in their feelings. Heck, even the animals are developed to the point of having their own entire personalities, that’s how much time and care was put into setting up the story and characters. Depending on the reader, this will either work extremely well for emotional investment, or it will lose their interest due to lack of action and plot progression. I personally landed somewhere in the middle, because while I did really enjoy the strong found family vibes in this story, I never really connected to any of the characters. I think I would have preferred this book to be multiple POV, since I found Teleo to be just… fine. Most of the supporting characters were way more interesting to me and I would have loved to be able to see things from their perspective, as I think that would have greatly increased my enjoyment and investment.
Luckily, all this set-up had some great pay-off and I really enjoyed seeing the stakes get raised the further we got into the story. These characters are faced with incredible odds and I thought it was very compelling to see them navigate all the tricky situations that they find themselves entangled in. The morality and loyalty of these characters are tested beyond belief, which added a nice layer of depth and nuance to the story.
I was also kept very engaged by the intriguing world building and I thought the author did a magnificent job of slowly revealing information about the magic, history and lore of this world. The whole concept of the Heliotropes was fascinating and I loved learning about the magic along with Teleo. While this book is description-heavy, there wasn’t a single point that felt clunky or info-dumpy in its deliverance of the world building. In fact, the magic and rich lore in this story are quite mystical and mysterious, which creates that sense of wonder that I so adore when reading fantasy.
Talking about that sense of wonder, there’s no denying that Pickering knows how to write an immersive story. The prose reminded me of authors like Robert Jordan and Robin Hobb, mainly because it is so deliberate and description-heavy. This world and its characters come to life through the vivid and evocative descriptions of all the places our characters visit and the people they meet.
I personally did struggle a bit with this type of writing, since I am not a visual reader and at times felt like I was lost in a sea of words. I just tend to prefer more dialogue-focused narratives, as those often help me connect to characters better. That said, I could still acknowledge that Pickering is a very skilled writer and recognized that she was doing an amazing job of setting the scene and creating a sense of atmosphere.
All in all, I am very glad I gave this chunky boy a shot, because it gave me all the cosy and nostalgic feels. This is the type of classic, epic fantasy that you can just completely lose yourself in, which I really loved.
If you like slow-burn fantasy with lots of deep and rich world building and lore, complex characters, dangerous political intrigue, heartwarming found family vibes, loveable animal companions and tons of magic, then Heliotrope is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for review. All opinions are my own.
Heliotrope is a slow-burn fantasy adventure of truly epic proportions. I went in completely blind and absolutely loved letting myself get lost in this captivating tale filled with magic, political intrigue, survival, family, love, loss and fate.
This story is told through the eyes of Teleo, a retired soldier with bloodties to the Mages who were cast out of power generations ago. After losing his entire family in a war raid, with his son being stolen by the enemy, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life as a farmer and stonemason. But when he takes on a masonry job for the crown, he finds himself in the middle of a coup and his life is turned upside down. Together with his new apprentice and the hidden heir to the throne, he flees the castle and sets out for his cousin, a reclusive herbalist. After a time of healing and planning, this newfound family embarks upon an arduous journey to find answers about the ancient ways and restore the magic of the Mages to the land.
Now, first of all I think it’s important to note that this is a capital S slow-burn story. This 700+ page chunker is divided up into three large parts, with the first part being devoted almost entirely to establishing the world, the characters and their relationships. We follow these characters as they carry out all the menial tasks of their everyday lives and get to really sit in their feelings. Heck, even the animals are developed to the point of having their own entire personalities, that’s how much time and care was put into setting up the story and characters. Depending on the reader, this will either work extremely well for emotional investment, or it will lose their interest due to lack of action and plot progression. I personally landed somewhere in the middle, because while I did really enjoy the strong found family vibes in this story, I never really connected to any of the characters. I think I would have preferred this book to be multiple POV, since I found Teleo to be just… fine. Most of the supporting characters were way more interesting to me and I would have loved to be able to see things from their perspective, as I think that would have greatly increased my enjoyment and investment.
Luckily, all this set-up had some great pay-off and I really enjoyed seeing the stakes get raised the further we got into the story. These characters are faced with incredible odds and I thought it was very compelling to see them navigate all the tricky situations that they find themselves entangled in. The morality and loyalty of these characters are tested beyond belief, which added a nice layer of depth and nuance to the story.
I was also kept very engaged by the intriguing world building and I thought the author did a magnificent job of slowly revealing information about the magic, history and lore of this world. The whole concept of the Heliotropes was fascinating and I loved learning about the magic along with Teleo. While this book is description-heavy, there wasn’t a single point that felt clunky or info-dumpy in its deliverance of the world building. In fact, the magic and rich lore in this story are quite mystical and mysterious, which creates that sense of wonder that I so adore when reading fantasy.
Talking about that sense of wonder, there’s no denying that Pickering knows how to write an immersive story. The prose reminded me of authors like Robert Jordan and Robin Hobb, mainly because it is so deliberate and description-heavy. This world and its characters come to life through the vivid and evocative descriptions of all the places our characters visit and the people they meet.
I personally did struggle a bit with this type of writing, since I am not a visual reader and at times felt like I was lost in a sea of words. I just tend to prefer more dialogue-focused narratives, as those often help me connect to characters better. That said, I could still acknowledge that Pickering is a very skilled writer and recognized that she was doing an amazing job of setting the scene and creating a sense of atmosphere.
All in all, I am very glad I gave this chunky boy a shot, because it gave me all the cosy and nostalgic feels. This is the type of classic, epic fantasy that you can just completely lose yourself in, which I really loved.
If you like slow-burn fantasy with lots of deep and rich world building and lore, complex characters, dangerous political intrigue, heartwarming found family vibes, loveable animal companions and tons of magic, then Heliotrope is the book for you!
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for review. All opinions are my own.
April 20, 2023
5/5 Stars
I received a physical copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
A masterful story, with incredible magic and loveable characters. Heliotrope is a self-published Sword and Sorcery fantasy that has been carefully woven through the eyes of an endearing protagonist.
Teleo, a retired soldier, wants nothing more than a quiet life after years of war and spends his days working as a stone mason. After years looking for his kidnapped son and grieving the loss of his wife and daughter, he comes across a war orphan. Rescuing this orphan from the abuse of his caretakers, he takes him on as an apprentice. By request of the Queen, he begins working at the castle only to find himself in the middle of a coup. Thus, starting the journey to protect his new family and discover the ancient secrets of magic lost to time.
Teleo immediately captured my heart, his character often reminded me of a thoughtful and pragmatic father figure who must balance what is best for his foster family while keeping them safe. As the story is told through Teleo’s perspective, we get an in-depth look into his personality, and choices which helped create impactful scenes. With his pragmatic view to life, kind heart and willingness to do what’s right, Teleo made for a compelling character.
It's no secret that I love the found family trope and this was no exception. Each character felt distinct and their relationships are well built, adding a great dynamic between them. Palmer Pickering beautifully captured a family brought together through circumstance and tested those bonds in unexpected ways.
Overall, I appreciated that the characters growth and their relationships are built in meaningful ways. Through circumstances, action, and time, rather than necessity of the plot.
The story builds as we follow the characters on their journey, with every step bringing new threats and discoveries. Each development from the characters, world, and magic, felt natural to the stories progression with satisfying tie-ins throughout.
Let’s talk about the magic for a moment. Though magic in this world has been outlawed, it still lingers in the blood of the descendants and children’s tales. As a result, the characters know little of magic, and I loved being able to discover the magic system with them. With flying sword fighting mages and those who can weave magic into the world around them, the magic system felt unique and well built.
Now, Heliotrope is a chunky book at 784 pages with a slow burn for pacing. However, the story unfolds in a way that feels incredibly personal with heartwarming and gut-wrenching moments.
I ended up immersion reading the physical copy of the book with the audiobook. George Guidall was the perfect choice of narrator for Teleo, capturing the characters personality, and emotions in an effortless performance. From his rich voice, pacing, and tone this felt like a story being told by the fire. I’ll be looking for more audiobooks narrated by Guidall for future reads.
Overall, this was an immersive read, with endearing characters, found family, impactful scenes, compelling magic, and great battle scenes, all while creating a very human experience.
I’d highly recommend Heliotrope for any fantasy reader out there.
I received a physical copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
A masterful story, with incredible magic and loveable characters. Heliotrope is a self-published Sword and Sorcery fantasy that has been carefully woven through the eyes of an endearing protagonist.
Teleo, a retired soldier, wants nothing more than a quiet life after years of war and spends his days working as a stone mason. After years looking for his kidnapped son and grieving the loss of his wife and daughter, he comes across a war orphan. Rescuing this orphan from the abuse of his caretakers, he takes him on as an apprentice. By request of the Queen, he begins working at the castle only to find himself in the middle of a coup. Thus, starting the journey to protect his new family and discover the ancient secrets of magic lost to time.
Teleo immediately captured my heart, his character often reminded me of a thoughtful and pragmatic father figure who must balance what is best for his foster family while keeping them safe. As the story is told through Teleo’s perspective, we get an in-depth look into his personality, and choices which helped create impactful scenes. With his pragmatic view to life, kind heart and willingness to do what’s right, Teleo made for a compelling character.
It's no secret that I love the found family trope and this was no exception. Each character felt distinct and their relationships are well built, adding a great dynamic between them. Palmer Pickering beautifully captured a family brought together through circumstance and tested those bonds in unexpected ways.
Overall, I appreciated that the characters growth and their relationships are built in meaningful ways. Through circumstances, action, and time, rather than necessity of the plot.
The story builds as we follow the characters on their journey, with every step bringing new threats and discoveries. Each development from the characters, world, and magic, felt natural to the stories progression with satisfying tie-ins throughout.
Let’s talk about the magic for a moment. Though magic in this world has been outlawed, it still lingers in the blood of the descendants and children’s tales. As a result, the characters know little of magic, and I loved being able to discover the magic system with them. With flying sword fighting mages and those who can weave magic into the world around them, the magic system felt unique and well built.
Now, Heliotrope is a chunky book at 784 pages with a slow burn for pacing. However, the story unfolds in a way that feels incredibly personal with heartwarming and gut-wrenching moments.
I ended up immersion reading the physical copy of the book with the audiobook. George Guidall was the perfect choice of narrator for Teleo, capturing the characters personality, and emotions in an effortless performance. From his rich voice, pacing, and tone this felt like a story being told by the fire. I’ll be looking for more audiobooks narrated by Guidall for future reads.
Overall, this was an immersive read, with endearing characters, found family, impactful scenes, compelling magic, and great battle scenes, all while creating a very human experience.
I’d highly recommend Heliotrope for any fantasy reader out there.
November 27, 2022
4.5 Rounded up
Heliotrope was a slow burn, epic, fantasy adventure that felt like I was playing an old familiar fantasy game, and I absolutely adored it.
Teleo, a retired soldier happy to live out his remaining days as a humble farmer and taking on the occasional masonry job for the throne, has been commissioned to create a mosaic masterpiece. A pear tree that the current queen can gaze upon daily, coupled with creatures that bring life to the piece. Seeing his work, she insists he continue working for the castle by repairing an old pattern down by the training yard. Able to use the coin, he agrees and sets to work across the field from his old nemesis. While working on the pattern it becomes apparent that the ancient magic of the heliotrope has been forgotten and no one realises what power they are currently sitting on. Before Teleo can repair the powerful pattern his life changes forever, and he is fighting for his life once more.
A bloody coup breaks out and the time of peace is over. Teleo must flee with his new apprentice in desperate need of medical attention and the hidden heir to the throne. Both just children, both strongly resembling the two he lost many years past. They take to forests where Dinsmora, his cousin lives, secluded in her own magic infused sanctuary. Using the time to heal and hatch a plan to venture out to the other hidden heliotropes across the lands.
Full of adventure, dangerous political intrigue, and royalty on the other side of crazy this was one hell of an epic tale.
There are so many praises that I have for this 780 page tome but I will say that this book may not be for everyone so, stay with me.
The first point to note is that this book is extremely slow paced in my opinion. We as the reader really sit with our characters as they make their decisions and go through their everyday lives leading up to and during this adventure. To say it is slow doesn’t mean that it was not entertaining, I would argue that in this case it is quite the opposite. By learning who our characters are, the environments that they are in, I became more and more invested in the storyline no matter of how fast we were moving through it. It made me feel like I was part of this family as they made their way through the world.
Speaking of the world, we get to explore several different towns, cities, and castles. Each place feels so different than the last, the politics and dangers that need to be navigated are complex. This means our characters need to be smart enough to learn along the way, to know who an ally is and who isn’t. We also experience multiple seasons seeing which towns can hold out over a long and cold winter and those that may not fare so well but truly thrive in the new spring. By painting such a full picture, the author has made this world feel huge.
Next up characters. Our characters fall in and out of each other’s lives naturally and we can see why those relationships work because we have a good understanding of the main protagonists. Each character is there for a purpose, and they bring a new element to the table. If you love a found family, if you love sitting with your characters in their thoughts and processes, this is going to be a book you don’t want to miss. But humans weren’t the only thing of note here, the animal companions were plentiful and full of personality. From a cranky stag which an overzealous libido to a majestic and intelligent hunting falcon. However, the horses really stole the show, they were delightful, stubborn, loyal, and sometimes, downright amusing as the beautiful beasts can be in real life.
Finally, we arrive at the magic. There were some truly magical elements to this book starting with its namesake, the heliotrope. A large collection of mage infused stone which has been formed into an enchanted pattern. The history of these shapes is rich and explored at various stages throughout the book. We learn that these ancient patterns were used for battles between mage classes and to infuse soldiers with incredible energy before battle, but it didn’t stop there. To dance the sword on the heliotrope provided the dancer with energy and life. The dances were also described so beautifully and powerfully that I was absolutely enamoured with how it worked. But the magic doesn’t stop there. The guardian and mage magic developed with our characters as each person found their own strength and voice on this adventure and it was wonderful to follow.
What is interesting to me is that this book has a few features that I don’t necessarily gravitate towards when choosing my next read. The omniscient narration style left little to the imagination as we travelled with our found family to one town or another. We learnt everything about them and their actions through the narrator’s voice. What they had to breakfast, what they thought about it and how they planned their next actions. However due to the slow pace and the build-up of relationships, I was so connected to the characters that by the end I really did want to know what they were dining on and when.
I was utterly mesmerised by Palmer’s entry into EPIC fantasy and really hope that there is more coming to us in this genre.
Heliotrope was a slow burn, epic, fantasy adventure that felt like I was playing an old familiar fantasy game, and I absolutely adored it.
Teleo, a retired soldier happy to live out his remaining days as a humble farmer and taking on the occasional masonry job for the throne, has been commissioned to create a mosaic masterpiece. A pear tree that the current queen can gaze upon daily, coupled with creatures that bring life to the piece. Seeing his work, she insists he continue working for the castle by repairing an old pattern down by the training yard. Able to use the coin, he agrees and sets to work across the field from his old nemesis. While working on the pattern it becomes apparent that the ancient magic of the heliotrope has been forgotten and no one realises what power they are currently sitting on. Before Teleo can repair the powerful pattern his life changes forever, and he is fighting for his life once more.
A bloody coup breaks out and the time of peace is over. Teleo must flee with his new apprentice in desperate need of medical attention and the hidden heir to the throne. Both just children, both strongly resembling the two he lost many years past. They take to forests where Dinsmora, his cousin lives, secluded in her own magic infused sanctuary. Using the time to heal and hatch a plan to venture out to the other hidden heliotropes across the lands.
Full of adventure, dangerous political intrigue, and royalty on the other side of crazy this was one hell of an epic tale.
There are so many praises that I have for this 780 page tome but I will say that this book may not be for everyone so, stay with me.
The first point to note is that this book is extremely slow paced in my opinion. We as the reader really sit with our characters as they make their decisions and go through their everyday lives leading up to and during this adventure. To say it is slow doesn’t mean that it was not entertaining, I would argue that in this case it is quite the opposite. By learning who our characters are, the environments that they are in, I became more and more invested in the storyline no matter of how fast we were moving through it. It made me feel like I was part of this family as they made their way through the world.
Speaking of the world, we get to explore several different towns, cities, and castles. Each place feels so different than the last, the politics and dangers that need to be navigated are complex. This means our characters need to be smart enough to learn along the way, to know who an ally is and who isn’t. We also experience multiple seasons seeing which towns can hold out over a long and cold winter and those that may not fare so well but truly thrive in the new spring. By painting such a full picture, the author has made this world feel huge.
Next up characters. Our characters fall in and out of each other’s lives naturally and we can see why those relationships work because we have a good understanding of the main protagonists. Each character is there for a purpose, and they bring a new element to the table. If you love a found family, if you love sitting with your characters in their thoughts and processes, this is going to be a book you don’t want to miss. But humans weren’t the only thing of note here, the animal companions were plentiful and full of personality. From a cranky stag which an overzealous libido to a majestic and intelligent hunting falcon. However, the horses really stole the show, they were delightful, stubborn, loyal, and sometimes, downright amusing as the beautiful beasts can be in real life.
Finally, we arrive at the magic. There were some truly magical elements to this book starting with its namesake, the heliotrope. A large collection of mage infused stone which has been formed into an enchanted pattern. The history of these shapes is rich and explored at various stages throughout the book. We learn that these ancient patterns were used for battles between mage classes and to infuse soldiers with incredible energy before battle, but it didn’t stop there. To dance the sword on the heliotrope provided the dancer with energy and life. The dances were also described so beautifully and powerfully that I was absolutely enamoured with how it worked. But the magic doesn’t stop there. The guardian and mage magic developed with our characters as each person found their own strength and voice on this adventure and it was wonderful to follow.
What is interesting to me is that this book has a few features that I don’t necessarily gravitate towards when choosing my next read. The omniscient narration style left little to the imagination as we travelled with our found family to one town or another. We learnt everything about them and their actions through the narrator’s voice. What they had to breakfast, what they thought about it and how they planned their next actions. However due to the slow pace and the build-up of relationships, I was so connected to the characters that by the end I really did want to know what they were dining on and when.
I was utterly mesmerised by Palmer’s entry into EPIC fantasy and really hope that there is more coming to us in this genre.
January 22, 2025
When I read a book like Heliotrope, I remember why I love fantasy, especially classic epic fantasy.
If I have to choose only 2 adjectives to describe this book, I'd say positive and immersive.
Positive because, in a difficult world, just fresh from a war, where tyrants rule and people starve or find themselves slaves, it's heart-warming to see our main characters finding help with genuinely good and honest people.
Nowadays, with the dominating grimdark genre, it's not east to read a story about good people meeting other good people and fighting against the bad people, without any hidden agenda.
I know it seems too simplistic, but real life in the real world is hard enough, so in a fantasy book I love to dream about a different world with magic, heroes and good people making the difference.
Heliotrope made me dream and that's why I'd choose immersive as second adjective.
The style of Palmer Pickering and the pace she gave to the story allowed me to fully lose myself in the world of Heliotrope.
Sometimes slow-burning and low pace are seen as negative aspects, but for me it's exactly the opposite.
I loved every part of the book, even when it was only about tending sheep and horses.
To be honest I would have made some parts even longer and I would have loved to read even more about this world, its history, its different people and cultures, the magic system and so on.
It is anyway one of the best books I've read in the last years, that's why, even if I like standalones, I really hope that Palmer Pickering will return to this world in the future and give us more of Teleo, Dinsmora, Jessum, Kaspari and of course Hunter and the horses.
If I have to choose only 2 adjectives to describe this book, I'd say positive and immersive.
Positive because, in a difficult world, just fresh from a war, where tyrants rule and people starve or find themselves slaves, it's heart-warming to see our main characters finding help with genuinely good and honest people.
Nowadays, with the dominating grimdark genre, it's not east to read a story about good people meeting other good people and fighting against the bad people, without any hidden agenda.
I know it seems too simplistic, but real life in the real world is hard enough, so in a fantasy book I love to dream about a different world with magic, heroes and good people making the difference.
Heliotrope made me dream and that's why I'd choose immersive as second adjective.
The style of Palmer Pickering and the pace she gave to the story allowed me to fully lose myself in the world of Heliotrope.
Sometimes slow-burning and low pace are seen as negative aspects, but for me it's exactly the opposite.
I loved every part of the book, even when it was only about tending sheep and horses.
To be honest I would have made some parts even longer and I would have loved to read even more about this world, its history, its different people and cultures, the magic system and so on.
It is anyway one of the best books I've read in the last years, that's why, even if I like standalones, I really hope that Palmer Pickering will return to this world in the future and give us more of Teleo, Dinsmora, Jessum, Kaspari and of course Hunter and the horses.
November 21, 2022
I was lucky to be approached by the author giving me the chance to read and review a copy of Heliotrope in the month of November which is when the book is released as well. Release day is November 29th so keep an eye out or go ahead and pre-order if what you read below interests you at all. I admittedly was both excited for a chance to read another book from one of my newest favorite authors this year. But at the same time I knew that my month was already bursting at the seems with the TBR. I made some adjustments not to remove anything but found a way to fit it in. I'm so very happy I did!
Heliotrope is what I'd consider a mid-range as it relates to length coming in around the 700+ mark from the version I read. But this was one of those reads that I was always wanting to pick up and read more of it. I read a lot while eating my meals as well as while on the treadmill. Once in awhile I find myself so sucked into a book that the times on the treadmill just fly by and I lose complete track of time.
I'd like to mention some items I really enjoyed about this book. The first being the constant struggle our characters deal with along the way but find ways to adapt and work together to find solutions. I certainly felt for Teleo strongly from the beginning. Another item to mention is the tremendous personality the author injects into animals in this world. I think many of them border on animal company but don't quite going completely in that direction. I mean some are very close like the main group's horses and the gryfalcon. But this goes even as far as the lambs and ram. There is just so much personality to the animals. I find myself laughing at their antics or concerned for their safety. Even though I could list several more the only other one I'll mention is the author's slight of hand. I even mentioned to the author her writing does include this as I found myself several times forgetting about something which was important earlier in the book until it returned later on. I had a lot of ta-da moments in the second half of this read.
The pacing was spot on for this reader. I devoured this book and it wasn't exactly short. I found myself picking up this read whenever I had a chance which was typically several times per day just to keep the story going to see what was going to happen next. We do have plenty of ebb and flow throughout the book. But I don't recall there ever being a time where I felt the story was just kind of trickling along. In my humble opinion this was a very easy read.
The character development was smooth and deep by the end. As with many books we tend to learn a lot about our main protagonist but by the end of this one I learned a considerable amount of our supporting cast as well. I found myself constantly concerned for the safety of our young members or the relationship between our family all together. Then you add in the relationships they create with the next ring of supporting characters in the various locations they find themselves and I found myself wanting to know even more about so many different characters.
The world build was great as well. We spend a bit of time in our starting region and city, then begin to learn more about that region's surrounding area before venture into a completely different region for a good chunk of the book and yet again before spending the end with an entirely different one yet. All three have different cultures and environments to learn about in each.
I'd recommend this read to any fans of epic fantasy as it truly fills that role. I'd even venture to recommend it to readers who don't typically read thicker books above the 400 page mark. I just feel it reads so easily it should hold the attention of those readers well.
I will finish this with a couple of closing statements. The first being as I told the author I haven't found myself feeling a read this strongly since I read Wrath by John Gwynne last year. The second is that as 2022 is nearing the end this is definitely in contention for my favorite read of the year. And that is saying something because I've had many reads this year that I've loved including two others from this very author. If you're interested the digital and paperback versions are releasing November 29th, 2022 so keep an eye out or better yet, pre-order it!
Heliotrope is what I'd consider a mid-range as it relates to length coming in around the 700+ mark from the version I read. But this was one of those reads that I was always wanting to pick up and read more of it. I read a lot while eating my meals as well as while on the treadmill. Once in awhile I find myself so sucked into a book that the times on the treadmill just fly by and I lose complete track of time.
I'd like to mention some items I really enjoyed about this book. The first being the constant struggle our characters deal with along the way but find ways to adapt and work together to find solutions. I certainly felt for Teleo strongly from the beginning. Another item to mention is the tremendous personality the author injects into animals in this world. I think many of them border on animal company but don't quite going completely in that direction. I mean some are very close like the main group's horses and the gryfalcon. But this goes even as far as the lambs and ram. There is just so much personality to the animals. I find myself laughing at their antics or concerned for their safety. Even though I could list several more the only other one I'll mention is the author's slight of hand. I even mentioned to the author her writing does include this as I found myself several times forgetting about something which was important earlier in the book until it returned later on. I had a lot of ta-da moments in the second half of this read.
The pacing was spot on for this reader. I devoured this book and it wasn't exactly short. I found myself picking up this read whenever I had a chance which was typically several times per day just to keep the story going to see what was going to happen next. We do have plenty of ebb and flow throughout the book. But I don't recall there ever being a time where I felt the story was just kind of trickling along. In my humble opinion this was a very easy read.
The character development was smooth and deep by the end. As with many books we tend to learn a lot about our main protagonist but by the end of this one I learned a considerable amount of our supporting cast as well. I found myself constantly concerned for the safety of our young members or the relationship between our family all together. Then you add in the relationships they create with the next ring of supporting characters in the various locations they find themselves and I found myself wanting to know even more about so many different characters.
The world build was great as well. We spend a bit of time in our starting region and city, then begin to learn more about that region's surrounding area before venture into a completely different region for a good chunk of the book and yet again before spending the end with an entirely different one yet. All three have different cultures and environments to learn about in each.
I'd recommend this read to any fans of epic fantasy as it truly fills that role. I'd even venture to recommend it to readers who don't typically read thicker books above the 400 page mark. I just feel it reads so easily it should hold the attention of those readers well.
I will finish this with a couple of closing statements. The first being as I told the author I haven't found myself feeling a read this strongly since I read Wrath by John Gwynne last year. The second is that as 2022 is nearing the end this is definitely in contention for my favorite read of the year. And that is saying something because I've had many reads this year that I've loved including two others from this very author. If you're interested the digital and paperback versions are releasing November 29th, 2022 so keep an eye out or better yet, pre-order it!
May 18, 2023
I give this 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
I was given this from the author for an honest review, so here we go .
I like my relatability to Telio , who says adventures starts with a young. Who says that an animal companion has to be a dog?
.
It screams epic throughout the pages ….for uniqueness the magic throughout the book it actually keeps you on your toes. I didn’t expect much …of the Magic.., but it happened..
oh, I can see if you want to be in an escape from reality then read this book !!..a little bit of a chunker, but nothing that we cannot rise to the challenge because it’s quite enjoyable .
I also listened to the audio for this as well ….but I had to put it down go back to the book and narrator is well known, but his voice is so well known he was throwing me into another story, and I was beginning to think the second version of Roland’s
Katet from the Dark tower happening. Can’t have that! But those are my shortcomings …no one else’s.
Pick this up and read it!!!
I was given this from the author for an honest review, so here we go .
I like my relatability to Telio , who says adventures starts with a young. Who says that an animal companion has to be a dog?
.
It screams epic throughout the pages ….for uniqueness the magic throughout the book it actually keeps you on your toes. I didn’t expect much …of the Magic.., but it happened..
oh, I can see if you want to be in an escape from reality then read this book !!..a little bit of a chunker, but nothing that we cannot rise to the challenge because it’s quite enjoyable .
I also listened to the audio for this as well ….but I had to put it down go back to the book and narrator is well known, but his voice is so well known he was throwing me into another story, and I was beginning to think the second version of Roland’s
Katet from the Dark tower happening. Can’t have that! But those are my shortcomings …no one else’s.
Pick this up and read it!!!
February 12, 2023
https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...
Today is my stop on the Escapist Book Tour and I am honored to be reviewing Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering. Heliotrope is a story of loss and pain for our main character Teleo and the redemption arc needed to set the world right again. A slow-burn plot and pacing will be the name of the game here but if you stick with it, then you will be rewarded dozens of times over. As a standalone novel, Heliotrope stands at just over 750 pages and I have no trepidations in holding this novel in my top 3 favorite standalone books of the genre. I hope you have got your popcorn ready!
Teleo is a battered and broken war veteran who wants nothing more than to live his life in quiet and solitude. His wife and daughter were horribly murdered years before and his son taken by the enemy. After several tries to save his son unsuccessfully, he has returned home to become a farmer and stone mason. We start our journey with Teleo reparing some stone work in the training yard of the queen. Teleo sees the way the captain is training his soldiers and does not get involved despite his war background. Teleo soon discovers that he is indeed repairing a Heliotrope which is a magic place forgotten by most people because mages are a myth. Suddenly Teleo finds himself in a middle of a coup against the queen and he is forced to flee with his apprentice Jesum and the heir to the throne Kaspari. Teleo is once again the protector of these two young children just like he was with his real family many years prior. How could he look these two youth’s in the eye and guarantee their safety? With little options to choose from, Teleo and the children move to his cousin Dinsmora. From here a new journey will begin to find the other Heliotropes and discover the hidden secrets they may hold.
Palmer Pickering does an amazing job of building the world and telling a full story arc for our characters in just a single volume. The slow-burn approach to the story is done to immerse the reader into the feel of the world before it all goes to chaos. I felt both great excitement for the journey about to be taken and despair for the hardships, both past and present, our characters will be forced to endure. The world had a little bit of ancient Greek and Roman feel to it which is my bread and butter type of setting. The more history, themes, customs, and magic you can throw into a series, all the better and the author accomplishes this all in a standalone. The writting style is very smooth and any reader wil have no trouble being absorbed into the story in the first few chapters. A classical fantasy type feel is what some readers may find with this story which is always a plus with me!
Heliotrope is an amazing novel with a satisfying ending. If you are not looking to invest your time in a large series or trilogy, then Heliptrope should be the book for you. This was my first reading experience for Palmer Pickering and it most certainly will not be my last. Thanks so much to both the author and Escapist Book Tour for having me be a part of this and I’m looking forward to the next adventure.
Cheers!
Today is my stop on the Escapist Book Tour and I am honored to be reviewing Heliotrope by Palmer Pickering. Heliotrope is a story of loss and pain for our main character Teleo and the redemption arc needed to set the world right again. A slow-burn plot and pacing will be the name of the game here but if you stick with it, then you will be rewarded dozens of times over. As a standalone novel, Heliotrope stands at just over 750 pages and I have no trepidations in holding this novel in my top 3 favorite standalone books of the genre. I hope you have got your popcorn ready!
Teleo is a battered and broken war veteran who wants nothing more than to live his life in quiet and solitude. His wife and daughter were horribly murdered years before and his son taken by the enemy. After several tries to save his son unsuccessfully, he has returned home to become a farmer and stone mason. We start our journey with Teleo reparing some stone work in the training yard of the queen. Teleo sees the way the captain is training his soldiers and does not get involved despite his war background. Teleo soon discovers that he is indeed repairing a Heliotrope which is a magic place forgotten by most people because mages are a myth. Suddenly Teleo finds himself in a middle of a coup against the queen and he is forced to flee with his apprentice Jesum and the heir to the throne Kaspari. Teleo is once again the protector of these two young children just like he was with his real family many years prior. How could he look these two youth’s in the eye and guarantee their safety? With little options to choose from, Teleo and the children move to his cousin Dinsmora. From here a new journey will begin to find the other Heliotropes and discover the hidden secrets they may hold.
Palmer Pickering does an amazing job of building the world and telling a full story arc for our characters in just a single volume. The slow-burn approach to the story is done to immerse the reader into the feel of the world before it all goes to chaos. I felt both great excitement for the journey about to be taken and despair for the hardships, both past and present, our characters will be forced to endure. The world had a little bit of ancient Greek and Roman feel to it which is my bread and butter type of setting. The more history, themes, customs, and magic you can throw into a series, all the better and the author accomplishes this all in a standalone. The writting style is very smooth and any reader wil have no trouble being absorbed into the story in the first few chapters. A classical fantasy type feel is what some readers may find with this story which is always a plus with me!
Heliotrope is an amazing novel with a satisfying ending. If you are not looking to invest your time in a large series or trilogy, then Heliptrope should be the book for you. This was my first reading experience for Palmer Pickering and it most certainly will not be my last. Thanks so much to both the author and Escapist Book Tour for having me be a part of this and I’m looking forward to the next adventure.
Cheers!
August 3, 2024
This story reads like a classic fantasy tale. There is a lot of world building so you must be patient. It doesn’t have lots of battles. There are more one-to-one combat situations as it arises.
Teleo is a stonemason who creates mosaic floors and such. It’s such ani interesting occupation. I had no idea where this would lead us. We discover that a heliotrope is a multicolored mosaic floor created with various shapes and sizes. The legend says that if you dance around this circle during the summer solstice you will be blessed. So what does this mean? The story slowly reveals the secrets of the heliotropes, Mages and Stone Masons.
An unlikely band of people end up together to travel after a king’s family is murdered. Teleo, his cousin, Dinsmora, Jesus, an orphan boy Teleo rescues from bullies, and Kaspari, a princess. We also have wonderful horse companions and a gyrfalcon named Hunter. They play important roles throughout the story too.
As mentioned this is a slower paced book with more emphasis on characters and worldbuilding. So the middle of the book meanders along without much action. A new character is introduced here. Also the appearance of magical elements becomes clearer. But the magic is more subtle an experience. It is very unique.
This is a book you must savor and allow yourself to be taken away into a magical, medieval world.
Thank you to the author for this complementary copy of her book.
Teleo is a stonemason who creates mosaic floors and such. It’s such ani interesting occupation. I had no idea where this would lead us. We discover that a heliotrope is a multicolored mosaic floor created with various shapes and sizes. The legend says that if you dance around this circle during the summer solstice you will be blessed. So what does this mean? The story slowly reveals the secrets of the heliotropes, Mages and Stone Masons.
An unlikely band of people end up together to travel after a king’s family is murdered. Teleo, his cousin, Dinsmora, Jesus, an orphan boy Teleo rescues from bullies, and Kaspari, a princess. We also have wonderful horse companions and a gyrfalcon named Hunter. They play important roles throughout the story too.
As mentioned this is a slower paced book with more emphasis on characters and worldbuilding. So the middle of the book meanders along without much action. A new character is introduced here. Also the appearance of magical elements becomes clearer. But the magic is more subtle an experience. It is very unique.
This is a book you must savor and allow yourself to be taken away into a magical, medieval world.
Thank you to the author for this complementary copy of her book.
May 23, 2024
Review to come in SFFinsiders.com
August 4, 2023
Totally immersive!
A terrifying coup. A mason will rely on his past soldiering skills to protect royalty. Hunted, it begins a journey fraught with danger. Also the discovery of wondrous magic.
A masterpiece of storytelling. Wonderful pacing & prose. A classic feel loaded with incredible battle scenes and some real brutality at times.
Easily top 10 this year.
A terrifying coup. A mason will rely on his past soldiering skills to protect royalty. Hunted, it begins a journey fraught with danger. Also the discovery of wondrous magic.
A masterpiece of storytelling. Wonderful pacing & prose. A classic feel loaded with incredible battle scenes and some real brutality at times.
Easily top 10 this year.
October 29, 2023
This is a really fantastic book.
A few friends recommended this one, because of the "hobb vibes" and you know what, they were right! .
PP eases you into the story. Spending time creating the world, introducing the characters and releasing snippets of magic and history.
The story moves at a steady pace but this gives the opportunity to connect, grow and fall in love with the characters. I appreciated that PP decided to put the characters at the front of this novel. I love being able to understand the motives and decisions of characters, rough with the smooth. The author achieves this.
I welcomed the addition of magic as the story went on and it took the book to a new level. The combination of intrigue and discovery blended exceptionally as I progressed
The ending itself is perfect. The author manages to wrap up all the threads in a realistic and beautifully crafted manner.
A very well deserved 5 stars for me
A few friends recommended this one, because of the "hobb vibes" and you know what, they were right! .
PP eases you into the story. Spending time creating the world, introducing the characters and releasing snippets of magic and history.
The story moves at a steady pace but this gives the opportunity to connect, grow and fall in love with the characters. I appreciated that PP decided to put the characters at the front of this novel. I love being able to understand the motives and decisions of characters, rough with the smooth. The author achieves this.
I welcomed the addition of magic as the story went on and it took the book to a new level. The combination of intrigue and discovery blended exceptionally as I progressed
The ending itself is perfect. The author manages to wrap up all the threads in a realistic and beautifully crafted manner.
A very well deserved 5 stars for me
June 12, 2024
From the very beginning, I was invested in the characters and really enjoyed the opening 7 chapters. But at that point, my interest started to wane until I finally DNF'ed it on chapter 19. The story no longer had any pull and there was nothing making me excited to get back to the story any time I put it down.
With that said, this DNF is likely more of a reflection of my current state of mind and less of a reflection on the quality of the book. I am absolutely in a slump right now and this is the 3rd slower paced book I've DNF'd in the last 4 weeks. It's very possible that I will give the story another try when it better aligns with what I'm in the mood for.
Update:
6 months later, I picked this book back up and it unfortunately is not for me. While I did enjoy the first 7 chapters, I felt the pacing came to a screeching halt. By the time the story picked up again, I had already lost interest.
With that said, this DNF is likely more of a reflection of my current state of mind and less of a reflection on the quality of the book. I am absolutely in a slump right now and this is the 3rd slower paced book I've DNF'd in the last 4 weeks. It's very possible that I will give the story another try when it better aligns with what I'm in the mood for.
Update:
6 months later, I picked this book back up and it unfortunately is not for me. While I did enjoy the first 7 chapters, I felt the pacing came to a screeching halt. By the time the story picked up again, I had already lost interest.
March 19, 2023
This was a different read for me, because the other books I've read by Palmer Pickering had intense science fiction and space themes and I HAVE LOVED THEM.
Heliotrope admittedly had more action than Moon Deeds and Light Fighters combined! I mean, this was such an adrenaline rush, reading this book! 700 pages, can you believe that. I sure can't. I mean, this book is the C-H-O-N-K-I-E-S-T one I've ever read. And it was fantastic.
I bonded with Teleo right away. I don't know why but that's what happened. The book kept throwing different things at Teleo man, it's weird. If i start talking about the plot then I won't stop. So it'll be better if you read the book yourself and find out. BECAUSE ITS WORTH IT. TRUST DEAR OLE ME YOU GUYS
Heliotrope admittedly had more action than Moon Deeds and Light Fighters combined! I mean, this was such an adrenaline rush, reading this book! 700 pages, can you believe that. I sure can't. I mean, this book is the C-H-O-N-K-I-E-S-T one I've ever read. And it was fantastic.
I bonded with Teleo right away. I don't know why but that's what happened. The book kept throwing different things at Teleo man, it's weird. If i start talking about the plot then I won't stop. So it'll be better if you read the book yourself and find out. BECAUSE ITS WORTH IT. TRUST DEAR OLE ME YOU GUYS
December 27, 2023
Heliotrope is a book that’s been on my radar for a while so I’m glad SPFBO gave me the excuse to prioritize it. It’s a beautifully put together book with a great map, some small illustrations, and artful chapter headers.
I read a different book by this author last year and I was stunned to see the difference in writing styles between the two. They both work well for their genre and story but I wasn’t expecting such a big shift in voice and was really impressed by that.
There are two major things to point out that the author did really well with this series: the world-building and the characters. Many times, I will like a book because of one of those things but Pickering manages to shine with both here!
The characters are very much their own people in terms of personality, history, emotions, and goals and aspirations. The story is told from the point of view of one character so his development is, of course, what we see the most but there is still so much to see for the other characters as well. Their growth and transformations based on experiences and other outside and inside influences (I don’t want to go into too much detail here and spoil something) were some of the highlights of the book for me. The teenagers especially stood out to me. Sometimes brave, sometimes moody, they had a great range of emotions, and I felt that they were well-written with their age and development (and the ups and downs that come along with that) always kept in mind. They could be unpredictable sometimes in ways that worked really well.
The level of detail that went into the world-building was incredible as well. It was really easy for me to picture the surroundings, especially the castles, which were a very fun part of the book for me. The way she included animal characters with such strong personalities themselves added to the charm of the world as well.
The different magical aspects were very intriguing. I loved learning about them separately as well as together with their contrasts and similarities. Seeing them influence the world and characters in their own ways was a fun aspect to follow. They felt creative without being too unfamiliar so she was able to give great examples of their uses without the danger of over-explaining things that would risk taking the reader out of the flow of the story.
Pickering’s writing skills really shine in this book. It felt like she knew exactly which details to include for the surroundings, feelings, and actions happening to make it sound absolutely beautiful. On an individual sentence level, I really enjoyed that.
On a bigger level though, I also sometimes struggled with it just a little bit. There were times where I was hanging on to every word and then there were times where my mind would start to drift away. I realized that the book worked better for me in small doses where I could really appreciate the details each time without getting weary of them.
Despite these beautiful details, all together, it felt like it took a really long time for things to start moving again after each major event in the book. I sometimes struggled to keep my excitement going until the next big thing happening and think this is where the book might lose some readers along the way. The main character also seemed really good at everything he attempted, which took a little bit of the excitement away after a while. I actually think that Heliotrope could make for a really good novella series if the major events were split into multiple books as both of my issues with this book would have less of an impact in that format, in my opinion.
Overall though, I think this is a really well written book that I’m glad I moved up on my TBR. I’m a big fan of the found family trope, which really shone here. The beautiful writing style and attention to detail has me looking forward to what the author will be writing next and I’m happy to recommend this title as a semifinalist to my team.
I read a different book by this author last year and I was stunned to see the difference in writing styles between the two. They both work well for their genre and story but I wasn’t expecting such a big shift in voice and was really impressed by that.
There are two major things to point out that the author did really well with this series: the world-building and the characters. Many times, I will like a book because of one of those things but Pickering manages to shine with both here!
The characters are very much their own people in terms of personality, history, emotions, and goals and aspirations. The story is told from the point of view of one character so his development is, of course, what we see the most but there is still so much to see for the other characters as well. Their growth and transformations based on experiences and other outside and inside influences (I don’t want to go into too much detail here and spoil something) were some of the highlights of the book for me. The teenagers especially stood out to me. Sometimes brave, sometimes moody, they had a great range of emotions, and I felt that they were well-written with their age and development (and the ups and downs that come along with that) always kept in mind. They could be unpredictable sometimes in ways that worked really well.
The level of detail that went into the world-building was incredible as well. It was really easy for me to picture the surroundings, especially the castles, which were a very fun part of the book for me. The way she included animal characters with such strong personalities themselves added to the charm of the world as well.
The different magical aspects were very intriguing. I loved learning about them separately as well as together with their contrasts and similarities. Seeing them influence the world and characters in their own ways was a fun aspect to follow. They felt creative without being too unfamiliar so she was able to give great examples of their uses without the danger of over-explaining things that would risk taking the reader out of the flow of the story.
Pickering’s writing skills really shine in this book. It felt like she knew exactly which details to include for the surroundings, feelings, and actions happening to make it sound absolutely beautiful. On an individual sentence level, I really enjoyed that.
On a bigger level though, I also sometimes struggled with it just a little bit. There were times where I was hanging on to every word and then there were times where my mind would start to drift away. I realized that the book worked better for me in small doses where I could really appreciate the details each time without getting weary of them.
Despite these beautiful details, all together, it felt like it took a really long time for things to start moving again after each major event in the book. I sometimes struggled to keep my excitement going until the next big thing happening and think this is where the book might lose some readers along the way. The main character also seemed really good at everything he attempted, which took a little bit of the excitement away after a while. I actually think that Heliotrope could make for a really good novella series if the major events were split into multiple books as both of my issues with this book would have less of an impact in that format, in my opinion.
Overall though, I think this is a really well written book that I’m glad I moved up on my TBR. I’m a big fan of the found family trope, which really shone here. The beautiful writing style and attention to detail has me looking forward to what the author will be writing next and I’m happy to recommend this title as a semifinalist to my team.
February 11, 2023
Full text review: https://jamreads.com/reviews/heliotro...
Interview with Palmer Pickering: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...
Heliotrope is the dive into epic fantasy from the author of the Star Children saga, Palmer Pickering. The result is a slow-burn, epic fantasy adventure that feels like one of the classics of the genre, with a story around tropes like found family, the necessity to adapt to the circumstance, and the growth of the characters while trying to protect those around them.
Teleo is a retired soldier that wants to spend the rest of his days just being a farmer and doing the occasional masonry job. Due to his ability, the queen chooses him to repair some of the old patterns in the training yard; and while doing it, he also adopts an orphan as an apprentice. Soon, he realizes the pattern is in reality a Heliotrope, a magic place forgotten by most people.
But before he's able to finish the reparations, his peace dreams get interrupted by a bloody coup. Another time, Teleo is in the need to fight for his life, but now has to take care of two children; having to flee with his apprentice and the heir to the throne, Jesum and Kaspari. They take the path to meet Dinsmora, Teleo's cousin, in her magical sanctuary, to recover and start a new journey to go to the other heliotropes hidden and forgotten, for most people Mages are just a myth.
What starts here is a big journey with our group of characters, that will show us different parts of the world, an adventure that will make us develop a bond with these characters, in the style of classic fantasy as Robert Jordan. This gets reflected in the pace, as it is a really slow book, but not for that it feels boring, as honestly there are a ton of elements that get introduced and make it interesting, because we get to see the whole thoughts of our characters, making us feel invested into the outcome as we become part of the family.
Talking about the world, it plays an important role in the whole story, as we visit several cities and places during the journey, and our characters get involved in the politics and plays of those places. The narrative style is also a big help to introduce us to the different notable places we visit, as there are plenty of descriptions, allowing us to get a really complete mental image, making the world feel huge. We also stay on different towns for several seasons, allowing us to compare how it evolves between seasons.
Characters are extremely well developed, even including the animals that are part of the journey. Each one has its own motivations, and takes a different role when they get to a place; and as the story evolves, the found family trope takes a more important role, growing as time passes. Personally, I only have one gripe, as I would like Kaspari to get a little bit more of the spotlight, but even with that in mind, the job done in this aspect is excellent.
Heliotrope was a really smooth read, as despite its length, I devoured it in a pair of days, in part because it is really well written. This book will be a delight for those that prefer classic fantasy or look for a sword and sorcery (more sword than sorcery) story. To be honest, I wonder if we will return to this world at some point in another novel, as it felt super interesting and full of life; and I enjoyed my whole time there.
Interview with Palmer Pickering: https://jamreads.com/interviews/some-...
Heliotrope is the dive into epic fantasy from the author of the Star Children saga, Palmer Pickering. The result is a slow-burn, epic fantasy adventure that feels like one of the classics of the genre, with a story around tropes like found family, the necessity to adapt to the circumstance, and the growth of the characters while trying to protect those around them.
Teleo is a retired soldier that wants to spend the rest of his days just being a farmer and doing the occasional masonry job. Due to his ability, the queen chooses him to repair some of the old patterns in the training yard; and while doing it, he also adopts an orphan as an apprentice. Soon, he realizes the pattern is in reality a Heliotrope, a magic place forgotten by most people.
But before he's able to finish the reparations, his peace dreams get interrupted by a bloody coup. Another time, Teleo is in the need to fight for his life, but now has to take care of two children; having to flee with his apprentice and the heir to the throne, Jesum and Kaspari. They take the path to meet Dinsmora, Teleo's cousin, in her magical sanctuary, to recover and start a new journey to go to the other heliotropes hidden and forgotten, for most people Mages are just a myth.
What starts here is a big journey with our group of characters, that will show us different parts of the world, an adventure that will make us develop a bond with these characters, in the style of classic fantasy as Robert Jordan. This gets reflected in the pace, as it is a really slow book, but not for that it feels boring, as honestly there are a ton of elements that get introduced and make it interesting, because we get to see the whole thoughts of our characters, making us feel invested into the outcome as we become part of the family.
Talking about the world, it plays an important role in the whole story, as we visit several cities and places during the journey, and our characters get involved in the politics and plays of those places. The narrative style is also a big help to introduce us to the different notable places we visit, as there are plenty of descriptions, allowing us to get a really complete mental image, making the world feel huge. We also stay on different towns for several seasons, allowing us to compare how it evolves between seasons.
Characters are extremely well developed, even including the animals that are part of the journey. Each one has its own motivations, and takes a different role when they get to a place; and as the story evolves, the found family trope takes a more important role, growing as time passes. Personally, I only have one gripe, as I would like Kaspari to get a little bit more of the spotlight, but even with that in mind, the job done in this aspect is excellent.
Heliotrope was a really smooth read, as despite its length, I devoured it in a pair of days, in part because it is really well written. This book will be a delight for those that prefer classic fantasy or look for a sword and sorcery (more sword than sorcery) story. To be honest, I wonder if we will return to this world at some point in another novel, as it felt super interesting and full of life; and I enjoyed my whole time there.
Read
December 18, 2024I'm not going to rate this book, as I did editiorial work on it and so have a conflict of interest, but I loved it!
This chunky tome is a standalone, and though it works well as one, there are definitely the tendrils of a further story to follow, and I would love to go on that journey.
There's a great found family here and I love how this group binds together over the course of the book until they would do anything to protect each other. I think the relationships are really well done to make that work and feel so natural.
The magic is something I really like here, and there are a couple of different examples of it on display. There's magic stitched into clothing which is cool, and Stone Guardian magic that, amongst other things, allows you to pass through walls. The Heliotrope magic was a favourite though, giving the gift of travel and opening up so many possibilities, many of which the book explored.
And for the story, I really enjoyed that too. It's a bit of a slow burn at times, but there's so much detail that you don't want to go too fast and potentially miss some of the intricacies of the writing. I really enjoyed the flow of this one, and there were some tense moments and good battles that were really well crafted.
If you're looking for an in-depth fantasy that takes the time to build a great story without needing to spread it over multiple volumes, this is a fantastic recommendation.
This chunky tome is a standalone, and though it works well as one, there are definitely the tendrils of a further story to follow, and I would love to go on that journey.
There's a great found family here and I love how this group binds together over the course of the book until they would do anything to protect each other. I think the relationships are really well done to make that work and feel so natural.
The magic is something I really like here, and there are a couple of different examples of it on display. There's magic stitched into clothing which is cool, and Stone Guardian magic that, amongst other things, allows you to pass through walls. The Heliotrope magic was a favourite though, giving the gift of travel and opening up so many possibilities, many of which the book explored.
And for the story, I really enjoyed that too. It's a bit of a slow burn at times, but there's so much detail that you don't want to go too fast and potentially miss some of the intricacies of the writing. I really enjoyed the flow of this one, and there were some tense moments and good battles that were really well crafted.
If you're looking for an in-depth fantasy that takes the time to build a great story without needing to spread it over multiple volumes, this is a fantastic recommendation.
April 28, 2023
Heliotrope is a beautifully written slow-burn fantasy adventure told through the eyes of a retired soldier, Teleo. After losing his entire family and his son stolen by the enemy, Teleo just want a quiet life. His life turns upside down when he finds himself in the middle of a coup. He flees the palace with a rescued orphan and the 'prince'.
Firstly a very big applaud to the author for the phenomenal world building and magical system. Her writing style is very distinctive and descriptive. Very well done.
I absolutely loved Teleo's character. Dinsmora is definitely an interesting character and I thought they both complimented each other. I loved how the story was separated into three parts and each part representing the different kingdoms. The detailed map was a great idea.
Heliotrope is a great fantasy read and I highly recommend this book. I really hope there is a second book.
Firstly a very big applaud to the author for the phenomenal world building and magical system. Her writing style is very distinctive and descriptive. Very well done.
I absolutely loved Teleo's character. Dinsmora is definitely an interesting character and I thought they both complimented each other. I loved how the story was separated into three parts and each part representing the different kingdoms. The detailed map was a great idea.
Heliotrope is a great fantasy read and I highly recommend this book. I really hope there is a second book.
Read
September 20, 2023Why I read this:
Wanting to read more self-pub fantasy, particularly from the #SPFBO9 crowd. I chose this book without even reading the blurb because it was available on audio and I had seen some positive reviews.
My Impression:
As someone who reads grimdark, melancholy horror and literary fiction, there are times when I want to read something that is a bit more comforting and homely. Heliotrope is rich with descriptions of food, work, and daily life, and very soon, the book envelops you in the textures of a new world. The book has a wholesome, artisanal quality that I really liked. And Teleo, the retired soldier turned stonemason (the single POV for this story) imbues the tale with a certain paternal calm. Early scenes with the mistreated orphan boy are touching and you can feel the author's love of horses throughout.
Lost in the day-to-day business of eating and trading, working and sleeping, we get to know the characters in a relaxed way. There is no real sense of threat after the inciting incident. Mysteries and creeping enchantments complicate matters and the first "mission" was my favourite. The final third of the book draws together complex patterns of magic and politics, and love is given a chance.
The audiobook is great. George Guidall has a calm and resonant voice that really suits the story.
Craft-Related Notes:
-Enchantments have a fairytale quality. Reminded me at different points of Narnia, The Golden Fleece, and tales from folklore where a lust for jewels turns people mad.
-Many fantasy series start out with a single chosen one, but by book 5, everyone has magic powers. Suddenly the stakes don't matter because no one can get hurt or die. There is a bit of this in the final third of the book and while the magic system opens up and things progress, I found this part less engaging.
-There are violent scenes but they do not feel harsh or disturbing. I think this is because Pickering describes what is happening but does not present it through an emotional viewpoint. This has the benefit of retaining the overall cosy feel of the book, but it does give such scenes less meaning/impact.
-Descriptions of food and daily life are second to none. I loved this aspect, though Heliotrope breaks the record for the number of meals described in a single book.
Wanting to read more self-pub fantasy, particularly from the #SPFBO9 crowd. I chose this book without even reading the blurb because it was available on audio and I had seen some positive reviews.
My Impression:
As someone who reads grimdark, melancholy horror and literary fiction, there are times when I want to read something that is a bit more comforting and homely. Heliotrope is rich with descriptions of food, work, and daily life, and very soon, the book envelops you in the textures of a new world. The book has a wholesome, artisanal quality that I really liked. And Teleo, the retired soldier turned stonemason (the single POV for this story) imbues the tale with a certain paternal calm. Early scenes with the mistreated orphan boy are touching and you can feel the author's love of horses throughout.
Lost in the day-to-day business of eating and trading, working and sleeping, we get to know the characters in a relaxed way. There is no real sense of threat after the inciting incident. Mysteries and creeping enchantments complicate matters and the first "mission" was my favourite. The final third of the book draws together complex patterns of magic and politics, and love is given a chance.
The audiobook is great. George Guidall has a calm and resonant voice that really suits the story.
Craft-Related Notes:
-Enchantments have a fairytale quality. Reminded me at different points of Narnia, The Golden Fleece, and tales from folklore where a lust for jewels turns people mad.
-Many fantasy series start out with a single chosen one, but by book 5, everyone has magic powers. Suddenly the stakes don't matter because no one can get hurt or die. There is a bit of this in the final third of the book and while the magic system opens up and things progress, I found this part less engaging.
-There are violent scenes but they do not feel harsh or disturbing. I think this is because Pickering describes what is happening but does not present it through an emotional viewpoint. This has the benefit of retaining the overall cosy feel of the book, but it does give such scenes less meaning/impact.
-Descriptions of food and daily life are second to none. I loved this aspect, though Heliotrope breaks the record for the number of meals described in a single book.
February 9, 2023
4.5
Heliotrope is a slow-burn epic fantasy stand-alone that has a little bit of everything for everyone. Found family, magic, bloody battles, romance and so much more. Palmer Pickerings beautifully descriptive prose had me completely immersed and I blew through this chonker in just a few days.
We begin our story with a man named Teleo, someone with a tragic past and a boring, lonely present. When fate intervenes with his mundane existence, Teleo must save two young orphans, rediscovering family along the way.
Heliotrope embraces what makes classic fantasy great and brings it into the modern fantasy landscape with skill and heart. Pickerings’ prose is reminiscent of Robert Jordan, though not quite as long winded. The towns, cities and villages we visit are vividly realized, making it easy to slip into the world of Heliotrope.
The story is quite straight-forward and easily accessible. We never really go into religion, the cast is tight and the lore is only explained as it pertains to the story. For some, that may be a weakness, but for me it was perfect. I never felt like the world was lacking, having all the information I needed to enjoy the story and the mystery added to the realism.
Where this novel truly shines is with its characters. Palmer Pickering breathes live into her characters and makes them jump off the page. Their personalities are expertly crafted and everyone stands on their own. The growth they each go through is believable and beautifully crafted.
Heliotrope will grab your heart and not let go until well after you’ve turned the final page. A wonderful quest with beautiful prose and great characters, prepare to lose yourself in this epic fantasy.
Heliotrope is a slow-burn epic fantasy stand-alone that has a little bit of everything for everyone. Found family, magic, bloody battles, romance and so much more. Palmer Pickerings beautifully descriptive prose had me completely immersed and I blew through this chonker in just a few days.
We begin our story with a man named Teleo, someone with a tragic past and a boring, lonely present. When fate intervenes with his mundane existence, Teleo must save two young orphans, rediscovering family along the way.
Heliotrope embraces what makes classic fantasy great and brings it into the modern fantasy landscape with skill and heart. Pickerings’ prose is reminiscent of Robert Jordan, though not quite as long winded. The towns, cities and villages we visit are vividly realized, making it easy to slip into the world of Heliotrope.
The story is quite straight-forward and easily accessible. We never really go into religion, the cast is tight and the lore is only explained as it pertains to the story. For some, that may be a weakness, but for me it was perfect. I never felt like the world was lacking, having all the information I needed to enjoy the story and the mystery added to the realism.
Where this novel truly shines is with its characters. Palmer Pickering breathes live into her characters and makes them jump off the page. Their personalities are expertly crafted and everyone stands on their own. The growth they each go through is believable and beautifully crafted.
Heliotrope will grab your heart and not let go until well after you’ve turned the final page. A wonderful quest with beautiful prose and great characters, prepare to lose yourself in this epic fantasy.
September 22, 2023
He wept until he had no more tears, and rocked the dead boy to the beat of his broken heart.
A good read. Not your standard swords-and-sorcery fantasy, but close. Linear, journey plot line. Good storytelling and backstory development. The usual medieval European analog tropes: horses never tire, arrows always fly true, food appears when needed, hero walks on water. Many reasonable people for the protagonist to ally with.
“Here, your very own magic cloak.” “It’s not magic.” “Your very own camouflage confusion cloak that is not magic.”
The externals are too easy. Our hero gets all the breaks. New magic reveals itself to get him out of impossible dilemmas. No learning curve, little fumbling. But the protagonist’s biggest battles are within. Believable inner turmoil.
He wished he could do something for her, but he had never discovered the cure for grief.
Quibbles: Epoxy?! The usual not-in-this-world-but-hey-this-is-fantasy improbabilities. Single, unnecessary profanity.
He forced back his tears and squeezed the shoulders of [redacted]—acutely aware that he was complaining about missing his family to two orphans.
A good read. Not your standard swords-and-sorcery fantasy, but close. Linear, journey plot line. Good storytelling and backstory development. The usual medieval European analog tropes: horses never tire, arrows always fly true, food appears when needed, hero walks on water. Many reasonable people for the protagonist to ally with.
“Here, your very own magic cloak.” “It’s not magic.” “Your very own camouflage confusion cloak that is not magic.”
The externals are too easy. Our hero gets all the breaks. New magic reveals itself to get him out of impossible dilemmas. No learning curve, little fumbling. But the protagonist’s biggest battles are within. Believable inner turmoil.
He wished he could do something for her, but he had never discovered the cure for grief.
Quibbles: Epoxy?! The usual not-in-this-world-but-hey-this-is-fantasy improbabilities. Single, unnecessary profanity.
He forced back his tears and squeezed the shoulders of [redacted]—acutely aware that he was complaining about missing his family to two orphans.
April 3, 2023
‘Heliotrope’ is a huge epic fantasy at 784 pages which may seem daunting to some readers but I would definitely recommend reading it because it’s a fantastic story. Palmer Pickering’s world building is intricate and captivating and I love all the main characters especially Teleo and Dinsmora. ‘Heliotrope’ takes a little while to properly get going but it’s well worth it. An easy five star read for me.
I received a gifted copy of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.
I received a gifted copy of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and written voluntarily.
February 28, 2025
This was an outstanding book--perhaps the best in its genre Ive read in years. Interesting theme of the heliotrope and the various types of mages. Wonderful characters and the author does an excellent job developing their relationships and interactions. It was a beautifully written from start to finish. Unlike many of its competitors, this story has a climatic and beautiful ending. Readers will not leave angry with the author for "ruining the story." There might be room for a vol. 2 that follows a certain character's path to a restoration of her monarchy and our hero's role in assisting in this endeavor???
Thank you to Palmer Pickering for giving me several hours of reading pleasure. I loved the book and will keep an eye out for more. You are an extremely talented writer.
Thank you to Palmer Pickering for giving me several hours of reading pleasure. I loved the book and will keep an eye out for more. You are an extremely talented writer.
April 28, 2024
Great classic epic fantasy with a wonderful found family. It doesn’t break any new ground, but it is a solid stand alone read with one things that many fantasy novel lack which is a satisfying conclusion.
Read
January 27, 2023
Read
July 11, 2023Heliotrope might be described as "classic fantasy with a modern twist," but it seems like I've been describing a lot of books that way recently. I have to ask myself, might it be that all of these books are simply traditional fantasy stories--the only "twist" being that they are being written now, rather than decades ago? However we might describe such contemporary works, Heliotrope is certainly one of them, and it is a great read.
There are a number of interesting things about this book. For one, the magic is written in a way that reminds me a bit of L.E. Modessitt--likely because it's a soft magic system that we experience directly via the POV character, not because of any mechanical similarities. Indeed, the lack of specific similarities to other works is another interesting aspect of the book. Whereas a lot of these "classic fantasy with a modern twist" books are chockfull of worldbuilding elements that are clearly directly inspired by other works, Heliotrope is able to do its own thing while also being a standard swords-and-horses fantasy--a fairly impressive accomplishment. Everything feels very familiar, but at the same time, you can't point at anything and say, "Oh, sure--she got that from The Wheel of Time."
Those familiar elements are all handled quite well. Feasts in a castle, travelling the wilderness, stopping at inns, caring for weapons, handling animals--all standard details for fantasy epics, and not always the most popular ones with readers. Pickering, however, has a real knack for providing just the right details to create atmosphere without overdoing it. Even legendary authors in the genre are known for inspiring cries of, "Dear Lord! Can we just get on with it?" with some of these details, but that never happened to me in Heliotrope. Instead, all of the detail (and there is seriously a lot about dealing with the animals) creates a familiar, sometimes downright cozy vibe.
You could almost read an entire book about the characters just going about their daily lives. I say almost because there is a section towards the middle of the book that is basically just that, and I think some readers will think it goes on too long. Then again, it was just about the time that I thought, You know, everyone's kind of just been hanging out and having a good time for a while now, that things picked up again.
It is a very quick read, despite the page count. Pickering's prose is accessible--of the "window-pane" variety--and she writes the style well. There aren't a lot of awkward phrasings or inelegant sentences. She just tells the story plainly, and tells it well. I did feel that some elements felt a bit rushed. For example, one of the titular heliotropes is discovered in the first chapter, before we have any notion of its significance. I hesitate to call this a real flaw, though, because it's all part of balancing the pace of the story. Establishing the heliotrope's significance beforehand would have improved its reveal, but it also would have slowed everything down. Heliotrope covers quite a lot of ground, and part of covering a lot of ground is rushing through some things. It will work for some readers, and it won't for others--but I don't think it will be enough, on its own, to spoil anyone's experience of the book.
Because Heliotrope covers a lot of ground, it is very satisfying as both a series opener and a single volume. The book tells a complete story with no cliffhanger ending; although, there are major unresolved plot threads to pull the reader into the next book. And I very much look forward to that sequel.
There are a number of interesting things about this book. For one, the magic is written in a way that reminds me a bit of L.E. Modessitt--likely because it's a soft magic system that we experience directly via the POV character, not because of any mechanical similarities. Indeed, the lack of specific similarities to other works is another interesting aspect of the book. Whereas a lot of these "classic fantasy with a modern twist" books are chockfull of worldbuilding elements that are clearly directly inspired by other works, Heliotrope is able to do its own thing while also being a standard swords-and-horses fantasy--a fairly impressive accomplishment. Everything feels very familiar, but at the same time, you can't point at anything and say, "Oh, sure--she got that from The Wheel of Time."
Those familiar elements are all handled quite well. Feasts in a castle, travelling the wilderness, stopping at inns, caring for weapons, handling animals--all standard details for fantasy epics, and not always the most popular ones with readers. Pickering, however, has a real knack for providing just the right details to create atmosphere without overdoing it. Even legendary authors in the genre are known for inspiring cries of, "Dear Lord! Can we just get on with it?" with some of these details, but that never happened to me in Heliotrope. Instead, all of the detail (and there is seriously a lot about dealing with the animals) creates a familiar, sometimes downright cozy vibe.
You could almost read an entire book about the characters just going about their daily lives. I say almost because there is a section towards the middle of the book that is basically just that, and I think some readers will think it goes on too long. Then again, it was just about the time that I thought, You know, everyone's kind of just been hanging out and having a good time for a while now, that things picked up again.
It is a very quick read, despite the page count. Pickering's prose is accessible--of the "window-pane" variety--and she writes the style well. There aren't a lot of awkward phrasings or inelegant sentences. She just tells the story plainly, and tells it well. I did feel that some elements felt a bit rushed. For example, one of the titular heliotropes is discovered in the first chapter, before we have any notion of its significance. I hesitate to call this a real flaw, though, because it's all part of balancing the pace of the story. Establishing the heliotrope's significance beforehand would have improved its reveal, but it also would have slowed everything down. Heliotrope covers quite a lot of ground, and part of covering a lot of ground is rushing through some things. It will work for some readers, and it won't for others--but I don't think it will be enough, on its own, to spoil anyone's experience of the book.
Because Heliotrope covers a lot of ground, it is very satisfying as both a series opener and a single volume. The book tells a complete story with no cliffhanger ending; although, there are major unresolved plot threads to pull the reader into the next book. And I very much look forward to that sequel.
January 16, 2023
What a great way to start the year. Amazing characters, great world building, slow instead of throwing everything at us in the first chapter. Packed with action, and animals that characters in their own name.
Teleo and his new found family were a pleasure to read and know.
Highly recommend it to fantasy fans, you will enjoy it!
Teleo and his new found family were a pleasure to read and know.
Highly recommend it to fantasy fans, you will enjoy it!
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