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The Lost King
In an ancient place, in an ancient time…
King Athan vanishes at sea. His children, prince Thalos and princess Thara, drift apart with age, their kingdom falling into ruin. Thalos stubbornly clings to the past; Thara, resentful of her father, looks to the future. In the wake of this decline, a beautiful enchantress usurps the throne from the estranged siblings. She exiles Thalos to the edge of the world and slowly enslaves Thara’s mind.
In his exile, Thalos finds another castaway—an old comrade of his father. Together they begin a voyage in search of the lost king. Thara, meanwhile, resists the new queen’s coercive spells and finds a resistance of creatures still loyal to her father.
With a vast world of enchanted islands and beings between them, Thalos and Thara struggle to restore their family and rekindle the hope of the true king’s return.
King Athan vanishes at sea. His children, prince Thalos and princess Thara, drift apart with age, their kingdom falling into ruin. Thalos stubbornly clings to the past; Thara, resentful of her father, looks to the future. In the wake of this decline, a beautiful enchantress usurps the throne from the estranged siblings. She exiles Thalos to the edge of the world and slowly enslaves Thara’s mind.
In his exile, Thalos finds another castaway—an old comrade of his father. Together they begin a voyage in search of the lost king. Thara, meanwhile, resists the new queen’s coercive spells and finds a resistance of creatures still loyal to her father.
With a vast world of enchanted islands and beings between them, Thalos and Thara struggle to restore their family and rekindle the hope of the true king’s return.
- GenresFantasy
370 pages, Paperback
Published November 9, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 28, 2020
ARC provided via Book Siren in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
This is a mixed bag for me. I loved some parts while some doesn't work for me. The highlight of this book was the Greek influences. I loved how it was apparent throughout the book.
3.5 stars
This is a mixed bag for me. I loved some parts while some doesn't work for me. The highlight of this book was the Greek influences. I loved how it was apparent throughout the book.
October 15, 2020
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Lost King follows Thalos and Thara; the son and daughter of a King who has been gone for over a decade. An evil sorceress has taken over the kingdom while Thalos was away and Thara has fallen under the thrall of the sorceress. When Thalos is exiled will he be able to rally forces to help him take back his father's kingdom? Will Thara, now met with a resistance she knew nothing about, breakthrough the haze of mind control to restore her father's kingdom to it's former glory?
There were pieces I truly enjoyed in this novel and pieces I didn't really care for. Thalos and Thara were both great characters who just didn't get enough development over the passing of this novel. Often times the reader would be told that a journey would take a week, then be told "on the third day this happened" and then magically they were at their destination. Half of the story, in my opinion, takes place during these journeys we missed out on. It was hard for the reader to develop a relationship with the supporting characters when there was no dialogue between our mains and them on these long quests. A romance that could have been explored much more would not have felt rushed if we knew more about the encounters such love interest had with our main character. However, the plot was very good and the magic system was well enough introduced that it carried this to a three star review from me. I wish I would have had more time with the sorceress and gotten to learn more about what her plans for the lands were, but I understand a page restriction. I guess what I'm getting at is this: if this had been given the green light to be a duology, I feel the author would have made this a solid five star read.
Overall, I would recommend this for anyone looking for a quick read in a new world. Age range for this I would put at 10+ as there isn't anything that would be inappropriate even for younger readers.
The Lost King follows Thalos and Thara; the son and daughter of a King who has been gone for over a decade. An evil sorceress has taken over the kingdom while Thalos was away and Thara has fallen under the thrall of the sorceress. When Thalos is exiled will he be able to rally forces to help him take back his father's kingdom? Will Thara, now met with a resistance she knew nothing about, breakthrough the haze of mind control to restore her father's kingdom to it's former glory?
There were pieces I truly enjoyed in this novel and pieces I didn't really care for. Thalos and Thara were both great characters who just didn't get enough development over the passing of this novel. Often times the reader would be told that a journey would take a week, then be told "on the third day this happened" and then magically they were at their destination. Half of the story, in my opinion, takes place during these journeys we missed out on. It was hard for the reader to develop a relationship with the supporting characters when there was no dialogue between our mains and them on these long quests. A romance that could have been explored much more would not have felt rushed if we knew more about the encounters such love interest had with our main character. However, the plot was very good and the magic system was well enough introduced that it carried this to a three star review from me. I wish I would have had more time with the sorceress and gotten to learn more about what her plans for the lands were, but I understand a page restriction. I guess what I'm getting at is this: if this had been given the green light to be a duology, I feel the author would have made this a solid five star read.
Overall, I would recommend this for anyone looking for a quick read in a new world. Age range for this I would put at 10+ as there isn't anything that would be inappropriate even for younger readers.
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October 25, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated in the review are my own.
★ Bookstagram ★
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Rating: - (DNF @ 50%)
The Lost King is a fantasy story about a pair of siblings who had their kingdom taken away from them once their father disappeared. The story consists of multiple POVs, with the main ones being of the brother Thalos and the sister Thara.
I requested this book due to the stunning cover (the black and gold looks amazing together) and because I liked the idea behind the book, but when it came down to reading it I just couldn't push through it.
The story starts out at once with Thalos coming to the kingdom which has been taken over by an evil queen from another part of the world. I really enjoyed the set up and while it felt a bit sudden and rushed I thought things would develop in a very complex way. But none of it really happened.
Once Thalos is taken away and exiled the story suddenly became really slow. I personally didn't care about anything that was happening to him while being at the edge of the world. I didn't get to know him as a character so whatever fate befell him, I was indifferent about it. I also did not really care about his father, which is the main thing pushing the plot forward, as we don't know much about their family prior to the current situation (except for one short flashback).
I had a similar experience with Thara, our second main character, but I cared at least a little bit about her character, so her part of the story was easier for me to read.
The plot was dull in certain places and there were too many deus ex machina moments for me. Whenever something major needed to happen the two characters just happened to fall upon a group of people to help them. Thalos was supposed to be at the edge of the world, but getting away from there seemed really easy to me as a reader and the stakes didn't feel high. Thara outran this dangerous queen with barely any trouble because there was only one man chasing her.
To make it worse, whenever the characters stumbled upon another group, they barely interacted with the said group. A lot of characters were introduced through both plot lines, but we barely learned anything about them. Still, the main characters trusted them instantly with everything, despite barely talking to them. As a result of this, I also never cared for the new characters that showed up. The only exception to this would be Aravos. Another character I found interesting was the Red Phantom and I think the evil queen was written quite well.
My biggest issue with the book in the end was the writing style. I feel like everything else had great potential and could be developed into an amazing complex story, but there was so much telling and barely any showing that so much was lost. An example of this would be when Thara is speaking to Pheros. Instead of fleshing out a conversation between the two the author would write 'And then they talked about his homeland'.
It would have been a great opportunity to give these two characters more of a personality and talk more about the world's lore. There were a lot of similar instances where instead of the characters conversing, it would be skipped over by simply telling the reader that they in fact talked.
Because of this I didn't bond with any characters and after reading 50% of the book, I was still not invested in the plot.
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Summary:
I think this book had great potential. The world is developed in detail and is rich. However, I think the writing style (a lot of telling instead of showing) made me not care for the characters or the plot that was happening. On top of this, the plot would drag a lot and the stakes didn't feel high to me personally. I do think there is a lot of potential in the story, but because of all the reasons listed above, after thinking over it for a while, I decided to DNF this book at the 50% mark.
★ Bookstagram ★
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Rating: - (DNF @ 50%)
The Lost King is a fantasy story about a pair of siblings who had their kingdom taken away from them once their father disappeared. The story consists of multiple POVs, with the main ones being of the brother Thalos and the sister Thara.
I requested this book due to the stunning cover (the black and gold looks amazing together) and because I liked the idea behind the book, but when it came down to reading it I just couldn't push through it.
The story starts out at once with Thalos coming to the kingdom which has been taken over by an evil queen from another part of the world. I really enjoyed the set up and while it felt a bit sudden and rushed I thought things would develop in a very complex way. But none of it really happened.
Once Thalos is taken away and exiled the story suddenly became really slow. I personally didn't care about anything that was happening to him while being at the edge of the world. I didn't get to know him as a character so whatever fate befell him, I was indifferent about it. I also did not really care about his father, which is the main thing pushing the plot forward, as we don't know much about their family prior to the current situation (except for one short flashback).
I had a similar experience with Thara, our second main character, but I cared at least a little bit about her character, so her part of the story was easier for me to read.
The plot was dull in certain places and there were too many deus ex machina moments for me. Whenever something major needed to happen the two characters just happened to fall upon a group of people to help them. Thalos was supposed to be at the edge of the world, but getting away from there seemed really easy to me as a reader and the stakes didn't feel high. Thara outran this dangerous queen with barely any trouble because there was only one man chasing her.
To make it worse, whenever the characters stumbled upon another group, they barely interacted with the said group. A lot of characters were introduced through both plot lines, but we barely learned anything about them. Still, the main characters trusted them instantly with everything, despite barely talking to them. As a result of this, I also never cared for the new characters that showed up. The only exception to this would be Aravos. Another character I found interesting was the Red Phantom and I think the evil queen was written quite well.
My biggest issue with the book in the end was the writing style. I feel like everything else had great potential and could be developed into an amazing complex story, but there was so much telling and barely any showing that so much was lost. An example of this would be when Thara is speaking to Pheros. Instead of fleshing out a conversation between the two the author would write 'And then they talked about his homeland'.
It would have been a great opportunity to give these two characters more of a personality and talk more about the world's lore. There were a lot of similar instances where instead of the characters conversing, it would be skipped over by simply telling the reader that they in fact talked.
Because of this I didn't bond with any characters and after reading 50% of the book, I was still not invested in the plot.
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Summary:
I think this book had great potential. The world is developed in detail and is rich. However, I think the writing style (a lot of telling instead of showing) made me not care for the characters or the plot that was happening. On top of this, the plot would drag a lot and the stakes didn't feel high to me personally. I do think there is a lot of potential in the story, but because of all the reasons listed above, after thinking over it for a while, I decided to DNF this book at the 50% mark.
October 28, 2020
Note: this review is of an ARC and not the finished book.
The Lost King is an excellent middle-grade fantasy novel! I appreciated the influences of Greek Mythology on the world and plot, and the subtle tributes to C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. My youngest sister is in middle school, and I think this book is perfect for someone around her age (maybe she'll read it and finally enjoy reading high fantasy novels!). The only critique I have for this book is that I felt the characters were underdeveloped, which made it difficult to connect to them at times (and this is just my preference, but I think it would have been cool to see more about the backstory of the villain and read more from her POV to better understand her motivations and why she did what she did). All in all, though, I enjoyed reading this book and am proud of Frazier Alexander for getting this book out into the world. Publishing a debut novel is a thing to celebrate for sure.
Note: I received an ARC for free from BookFunnel and Fyreside Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
The Lost King is an excellent middle-grade fantasy novel! I appreciated the influences of Greek Mythology on the world and plot, and the subtle tributes to C.S. Lewis and Tolkien. My youngest sister is in middle school, and I think this book is perfect for someone around her age (maybe she'll read it and finally enjoy reading high fantasy novels!). The only critique I have for this book is that I felt the characters were underdeveloped, which made it difficult to connect to them at times (and this is just my preference, but I think it would have been cool to see more about the backstory of the villain and read more from her POV to better understand her motivations and why she did what she did). All in all, though, I enjoyed reading this book and am proud of Frazier Alexander for getting this book out into the world. Publishing a debut novel is a thing to celebrate for sure.
Note: I received an ARC for free from BookFunnel and Fyreside Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2020
Born and raised in Greece, it was normal for me to get intrigued by a book with lost kings and Gods and monsters. Its in my blood.
The book left me with mixed feelings. I liked it but I didn't loved it. I was reading it just for reading it. I didn't got invested.
The lore it's great. The setting is really beautiful I just felt the characters were lacking of emotions.
It had some pretty plot twists throughout that piqued my interest but not enough to got me hooked.
Thara and Thalos, our two protagonists, seemed to always have the God's blessings above them and really get away with anything except from Thalos exile which really got my attention but for a brief second.
I felt that some parts were written just to fill another page. Don't get me wrong, I think the book had great potentials. But I left unsatisfied.
The cover is stunning and that was the reason I chose to read it in first place.
Thank you BookSirens for the chance to read it
The book left me with mixed feelings. I liked it but I didn't loved it. I was reading it just for reading it. I didn't got invested.
The lore it's great. The setting is really beautiful I just felt the characters were lacking of emotions.
It had some pretty plot twists throughout that piqued my interest but not enough to got me hooked.
Thara and Thalos, our two protagonists, seemed to always have the God's blessings above them and really get away with anything except from Thalos exile which really got my attention but for a brief second.
I felt that some parts were written just to fill another page. Don't get me wrong, I think the book had great potentials. But I left unsatisfied.
The cover is stunning and that was the reason I chose to read it in first place.
Thank you BookSirens for the chance to read it
November 20, 2020
Adventures Await
I’ve heard this book compared to the Iliad or the Odyssey, and after reading it I completely agree. This epic adventure follows the journeys of a brother and sister as they try to find their father, the missing king. Along the way they fight
many battles and meet many new friends. This was a fun adventure to read. Lots of battle scenes reminiscent of Tolkien and Greek sagas.
I’ve heard this book compared to the Iliad or the Odyssey, and after reading it I completely agree. This epic adventure follows the journeys of a brother and sister as they try to find their father, the missing king. Along the way they fight
many battles and meet many new friends. This was a fun adventure to read. Lots of battle scenes reminiscent of Tolkien and Greek sagas.
November 29, 2020
“That is why the greatest magic in the world is hope, and the most enchanting things are mundane, because anything - a bit of water, a dark time, a simple friend or even an idle word - all have purpose, though you may not even see it. Or you may see it in a year, or ten, or twenty. Hope is immortal. Though at times it may appear dead, it is only waiting to be resurrected again.”
Told from multiple perspectives, fans of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis will enjoy stepping into a new world filled with so many fascinating creatures and characters as they embark on a journey across many lands to save the ones they hold dear. A brilliant story filled with hope, love, and sacrifice. EVERYONE needs to read this book as it points to THE GREATEST story of all.
Cannot wait to read more books by Frazier Alexander!
Told from multiple perspectives, fans of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis will enjoy stepping into a new world filled with so many fascinating creatures and characters as they embark on a journey across many lands to save the ones they hold dear. A brilliant story filled with hope, love, and sacrifice. EVERYONE needs to read this book as it points to THE GREATEST story of all.
Cannot wait to read more books by Frazier Alexander!
September 24, 2020
I decided to read this book because I was pretty intrigued by the beautiful cover and blurb. I have always been a fan of fantasy stories, especially those that feature kings and their fight for the throne.
Turns out I was not wrong with wanting to read it, I thoroughly enjoyed Thalos' and Thara's adventure, their journey to find their lost father, their loyal companions and their love for each other. This story had everything! I liked the fast pace and language that was used and that it reminded me of The Lord of the Rings and Narnia. It was a great debut and really makes me want to read more of Frazier Alexander's work in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Turns out I was not wrong with wanting to read it, I thoroughly enjoyed Thalos' and Thara's adventure, their journey to find their lost father, their loyal companions and their love for each other. This story had everything! I liked the fast pace and language that was used and that it reminded me of The Lord of the Rings and Narnia. It was a great debut and really makes me want to read more of Frazier Alexander's work in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 9, 2020
ARC from NetGalley
DNF at 84%
I really had to push myself to get this far, and it took me days. I tried, but I couldn't get into it. I was starting to skim pages, and then I decided that it was time to lay the book to rest.
I'm not sure what age group this book is targeted toward, but it was much too young for me, and there was way too much telling. When you tell that much and your characters aren't given time to develop, no one gives a fuck if they die, and here we are. This book is trying to cram in too many different fantasy elements. It could be done in a series over several books, but all at once is too much. Additionally, too many things have similar enough names that things get a bit foggy. There wasn't anything in particular that stood out as staggeringly bad to me, but all the little things combined were too much for me to enjoy myself.
DNF at 84%
I really had to push myself to get this far, and it took me days. I tried, but I couldn't get into it. I was starting to skim pages, and then I decided that it was time to lay the book to rest.
I'm not sure what age group this book is targeted toward, but it was much too young for me, and there was way too much telling. When you tell that much and your characters aren't given time to develop, no one gives a fuck if they die, and here we are. This book is trying to cram in too many different fantasy elements. It could be done in a series over several books, but all at once is too much. Additionally, too many things have similar enough names that things get a bit foggy. There wasn't anything in particular that stood out as staggeringly bad to me, but all the little things combined were too much for me to enjoy myself.
September 21, 2020
If you guys are looking for an awesome adventure and action packed magical fantasy read then you should check this book out.
The world building the author has created is beautifully designed and it's so enchanting. I loved the way the characters progress through out the book. The way Thara is able to connect with the mythical creatures and help them is another reason why I loved Thara. The use of language is simple and it's easily enjoyable. Even though this is the first book written by this author it really has a lot of enjoyable moments and I am looking forward to what Frazier has in the future.
The world building the author has created is beautifully designed and it's so enchanting. I loved the way the characters progress through out the book. The way Thara is able to connect with the mythical creatures and help them is another reason why I loved Thara. The use of language is simple and it's easily enjoyable. Even though this is the first book written by this author it really has a lot of enjoyable moments and I am looking forward to what Frazier has in the future.
July 3, 2020
I loved this book!! I do not regularly read fantasy, but I enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the fantastic creatures and the world building. I can’t wait to read more books from Frazier Alexander!
September 4, 2020
An exciting epic fantasy adventure that was packed full of action, magic and exciting new creatures and characters.
November 11, 2020
ARC provided by FyreSyde Publishing and Frazier Alexander via BookSirens. All opinions are mine and freely given.
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"Hope is for poetry," said Agramon. "War is despair."
11-11: 'The Lost King' by Frazier Alexander is a really ambitious, epic saga type of tale, billed as being for fans of Eragon and The Odyssey.
Now, I haven't read Eragon.. I remember the film vaguely, but I did enjoy it.. and I do like The Odyssey and other kinds of lengthy stories of that ilk. I genuinely can't say they're wrong in their suggestion, as it's an enjoyable story.
King Athan of Antaranis, after leading attacks of vengeance on neighboring peoples, faces an unexpected turn of events when Arkastaros .. a magic star filled with True Light, becomes lost to them. Having been created by the Ethirians and bestowed upon the top of Mount Vilastra, it's essentially the center of everything for his kingdom.
Upon embarking on a sea voyage in search of the great star, hoping to restore it.. the King and those loyal soldiers who accompany him on the quest.. go missing.
As the kingdom falls apart, his children Prince Thalos and Princess Thara follow diverging paths. The prince clings to the past.. proceeding with his learning to take over his father's mantle.. but only as an eventual last resort.. even as he hopes to locate his father and bring him home, while the princess' resentment of the King festers and she focuses almost solely on the future.
In the void of power left behind by the missing King and the royal siblings focused more on themselves than their people and their duties, a beautiful enchantress snatches the throne from them. Enslaving Thara and their people, when Thalos returns home from his teachings, he finds himself exiled to the edge of the known world.
Cast onto an island and left to die, Thalos happens across an old friend of his father's. Together, they take up the search for Athan as Thara finds a way to free herself from the new queen's thrall.. and seeks out a band of creatures still loyal to her father.
As I said before.. it's an incredibly ambitious undertaking. There are times when the story fumbles a little, when it's slightly clumsy as events unfold.. but I genuinely believe this is largely because the author packed so much content into the story. Though it isn't a long book, it's a bit of a dense read.. simply because there's always so much going on.
Alexander did a good job with Thalos, though Thara is a bit annoying in spots.. I suppose that's probably the nature of the average princess. They are both determined to impact their situation though and so those small things can be forgiven. There's no just lying down and letting the new queen walk over them here.
The supporting cast is great.. Nasiros and Ruan are absolute favorites of mine. There are fun elements like a sassy dragon, a giant sea turtle (though the initial scene reminded me a little of Pandaria in World of Warcraft), and some titan-sized enemies. Sundra, the enchantress, and her Red Phantom.. make excellent villains.
Ever changing settings like ghostly ruins and tunnels through the mountains that hold surprises of their own, keep everything very fresh visually and the battle scenes while rather extensive in spots, are easy enough to picture as you read them.
This might be an author to watch. I know I'll be keeping an eye out to see what else they have up their proverbial sleeve.
If you like epic journeys and underdog stories, this is probably the book for you.
PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSAMILLION | INDIGO | KOBO | WATERSTONES
January 3, 2021
I'm not one who typically reads fantasy, but I really enjoyed this story. You can really tell the author put alot of thought and effort into building a world for his story. If I had to pick something to critique it would only be that I wanted more! I feel like this easily could have been two or three books. There were a couple places I felt like the story was rushed, so splitting it into two books definitely would have given the reader more time to get to know the characters and the amazing world Frazier Alexander created. Overall, a definite winner, and a book I will be recommending to others!
October 21, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and FyreSyde Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fantasy clearly influenced by Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, as well as classic Greek-style epics. There are quests, unlikely companions, magic and creatures galore, and of course, a missing father. I really liked the storyline, and it hearkened back to stories I’ve loved for over a decade. But, for me, there wasn’t enough character depth and development. I want my stories to leave me wondering a bit who really is the bad guy or for the characters to be so well-crafted they could practically walk off the pages. In this case, that didn’t quite happen. There were so many characters I wanted to know better and a lot of potential for some very interesting, layered characters but it wasn’t fully realized. So, in the end, it gave me warm feelings because it reminded of stories I love dearly but it didn’t quite hit the spot for what I like to read now.
This is a fantasy clearly influenced by Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, as well as classic Greek-style epics. There are quests, unlikely companions, magic and creatures galore, and of course, a missing father. I really liked the storyline, and it hearkened back to stories I’ve loved for over a decade. But, for me, there wasn’t enough character depth and development. I want my stories to leave me wondering a bit who really is the bad guy or for the characters to be so well-crafted they could practically walk off the pages. In this case, that didn’t quite happen. There were so many characters I wanted to know better and a lot of potential for some very interesting, layered characters but it wasn’t fully realized. So, in the end, it gave me warm feelings because it reminded of stories I love dearly but it didn’t quite hit the spot for what I like to read now.
December 22, 2020
*3.5 stars*
I’m so proud of my fellow FyreSyde author! This book was so fun and so reminiscent of the Odyssey or the Iliad. I could totally picture reading this to a 10-14 year old who was just as into mythology and Narnia as I was (and still am).
This book got a little repetitive towards the end and there were a TON of characters that I kept mixing them up haha (I wish there was a guide or something) but this was just a fun little mythic tale that I’m glad I read!
I’m so proud of my fellow FyreSyde author! This book was so fun and so reminiscent of the Odyssey or the Iliad. I could totally picture reading this to a 10-14 year old who was just as into mythology and Narnia as I was (and still am).
This book got a little repetitive towards the end and there were a TON of characters that I kept mixing them up haha (I wish there was a guide or something) but this was just a fun little mythic tale that I’m glad I read!
December 8, 2020
This was a beautifully structured and well written fantasy. A devastating occurrence has crippled a kingdom and a King has vanished on his quest for revenge. An evil witch has taken over his kingdom and drugs the subjects into submission. The son of the king returns and is is banished. He is marooned on an island with a mute but in exploring his island of exile ,he is set on a quest to find his father and hopefully overcome the witch and restore the kingdom.
Like the great tales of quests such as Jason and the Golden fleece, or the voyages of Sinbad this book unfolds a wonderful fantasy filled with dragons and trolls, unicorns and dwarves and other mystical and magical creatures.This was a delight to read and very hard to put down. I highly recommend it!
Like the great tales of quests such as Jason and the Golden fleece, or the voyages of Sinbad this book unfolds a wonderful fantasy filled with dragons and trolls, unicorns and dwarves and other mystical and magical creatures.This was a delight to read and very hard to put down. I highly recommend it!
January 31, 2021
Truly an enjoyable read! So many fantastical creatures and places are introduced but the author did such an amazing job of detailing them that it made it easy and fun to imagine them. The main characters were well-written and engaging and having several point of views going on all at once kept things interesting and exciting. My only complaint is that the story has ended! This easily could have been multiple books as there were so many adventures that could have been expounded upon and written in more detail. Although the book came to a complete and satisfying ending perhaps the author could still continue on with a sequel as these characters and this magical world still have more stories to tell for sure! Definitely recommend for fantasy book lovers!
October 2, 2020
2.5 out of 5 stars.
I received an ARC of this thanks to Netgalley.
This book was long, and it felt like it. It dragged in parts. There seemed to be more telling than showing going on. I didn't feel that I was getting into the main characters' heads. I just felt like I was being told about their reactions and what was going on, rather than getting to feel it for myself.
Thalos and Thara were alright as protagonist, but I didn't feel really connected to either of them. Thalos seemed the typical tragic prince (right down to lusting after the female villain because she was hot?) and I was frustrated by how weak-willed Thara was, especially initially. Overall they were fine as protagonists, I just felt they were nothing special and added nothing new to the genre. They didn't seem fleshed out as characters.
I did like the inclusion of mythical creatures as part of the universe, and there were some awesome names for places. However, the book just didn't grip me or hook me in the way I wanted it to.
I received an ARC of this thanks to Netgalley.
This book was long, and it felt like it. It dragged in parts. There seemed to be more telling than showing going on. I didn't feel that I was getting into the main characters' heads. I just felt like I was being told about their reactions and what was going on, rather than getting to feel it for myself.
Thalos and Thara were alright as protagonist, but I didn't feel really connected to either of them. Thalos seemed the typical tragic prince (right down to lusting after the female villain because she was hot?) and I was frustrated by how weak-willed Thara was, especially initially. Overall they were fine as protagonists, I just felt they were nothing special and added nothing new to the genre. They didn't seem fleshed out as characters.
I did like the inclusion of mythical creatures as part of the universe, and there were some awesome names for places. However, the book just didn't grip me or hook me in the way I wanted it to.
October 8, 2020
A story of a forgotten time, magic and evil sorcery, a kingdom in trouble and two royal siblings who are not on the same page i.e. family drama and you have all the ingredients of an exceptional fantasy saga.
Well written, well developed world with engaging characters make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. It will be hard to wait for Alexander’s next work!!
Well written, well developed world with engaging characters make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. It will be hard to wait for Alexander’s next work!!
November 21, 2020
A book that shouldn't be published in today's day and age of literature only because it is too closely related to foundational works of classic reading. The book is epic, yet not too distant to understand and enjoy. In all honesty it is a fun work of epic fantasy. Much more like C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia meets Homer's the Illiad. I thought the differing story lines were fun and each one unique, and the author was successful in bringing them all together at the end.
At the end of the day, it is worth the read merely because it is a unique take on epic, mythic fantasy. Something of a breath of fresh air in the stuffy, cookie cutter and shallow fantasy/fiction of today's literature.
5 stars!
At the end of the day, it is worth the read merely because it is a unique take on epic, mythic fantasy. Something of a breath of fresh air in the stuffy, cookie cutter and shallow fantasy/fiction of today's literature.
5 stars!
September 27, 2020
Princess Thalos and Princess Thara are left behind when their father King Athan disappears at sea. Thalos doesn't plan to be gone as long as he was but when he comes back a new queen has stepped into power and has no plans to let go of the throne. Thalos ends up exiled while Thara begins to see the truth behind what is really happening within the kingdom. Can they find a way to get the throne back even when it seems all is lost?
This reminded me a bit of Clash of the Titans, had the feel of an adventure that was visual in every aspect. I thought this was a refreshing read, was surprised by the way the story played out and all of the surprises along the way. Great story.
This reminded me a bit of Clash of the Titans, had the feel of an adventure that was visual in every aspect. I thought this was a refreshing read, was surprised by the way the story played out and all of the surprises along the way. Great story.
November 6, 2020
This book was received as an ARC from FyreSyde Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I always gravitate towards the YA Fantasy/Adventure stories and this one was to the max! I could not stop reading this story. every chapter got even more exciting and you could not help but figure out if Thalos and Thara will find their father out at sea, save the kingdom and most importantly reunite as a family. Egos get in the way and Thalos and Thara overtake their throne to a beautiful enchantress that lead them to the unknown separated form one another but in their quest to reunite and save their father, they make new friends and find old ones that can help them. Every twist and turn imaginable was in each chapter of this book and this was a refreshing treat that definitely helped get my mind off all of the stress thanks to COVID-19.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I always gravitate towards the YA Fantasy/Adventure stories and this one was to the max! I could not stop reading this story. every chapter got even more exciting and you could not help but figure out if Thalos and Thara will find their father out at sea, save the kingdom and most importantly reunite as a family. Egos get in the way and Thalos and Thara overtake their throne to a beautiful enchantress that lead them to the unknown separated form one another but in their quest to reunite and save their father, they make new friends and find old ones that can help them. Every twist and turn imaginable was in each chapter of this book and this was a refreshing treat that definitely helped get my mind off all of the stress thanks to COVID-19.
We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
March 21, 2021
✨The Lost King✨
•
“Many cry out for the world to go back to the way it used to be. Many others cry out for it to become something new. But when the world is restored someday, you will find that it is both old and new, the same and yet different, not merely one or the other. The world restored will be Antaranis as it used to be, and it will be Antaranis as it never was.”
•
I had the pleasure of reading @frazierwrites debut novel a few months ago. We did a book swap and wanted to post about each other’s books. Here’s my review:
•
Carved out and discovered from the annals of long since past, written for our modern world, this daring adventure reads like a tale of old.
Reminiscent of Greek mythology, Tolkien’s world-building, and Lewis’s depth, this story has everything an epic fantasy should have.
The characters were well-developed, their back stories illuminating internal and external motives. The landscape and mapping of the world was brilliantly done, and it was nothing short of clever.
Overall, I was very pleased with this novel, loving all the allusions to the Christian faith, and felt myself longing and anticipating when the true King comes back and takes us home with Him.
I eagerly anticipate Frazier’s sequel to this story!
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!
•
#bookstagram #books #readersofinstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewsofinstagram #thelostking #frazieralexander #fantasy #epicfantasy #authorssupportingauthors #authorfriend
•
“Many cry out for the world to go back to the way it used to be. Many others cry out for it to become something new. But when the world is restored someday, you will find that it is both old and new, the same and yet different, not merely one or the other. The world restored will be Antaranis as it used to be, and it will be Antaranis as it never was.”
•
I had the pleasure of reading @frazierwrites debut novel a few months ago. We did a book swap and wanted to post about each other’s books. Here’s my review:
•
Carved out and discovered from the annals of long since past, written for our modern world, this daring adventure reads like a tale of old.
Reminiscent of Greek mythology, Tolkien’s world-building, and Lewis’s depth, this story has everything an epic fantasy should have.
The characters were well-developed, their back stories illuminating internal and external motives. The landscape and mapping of the world was brilliantly done, and it was nothing short of clever.
Overall, I was very pleased with this novel, loving all the allusions to the Christian faith, and felt myself longing and anticipating when the true King comes back and takes us home with Him.
I eagerly anticipate Frazier’s sequel to this story!
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!
•
#bookstagram #books #readersofinstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewsofinstagram #thelostking #frazieralexander #fantasy #epicfantasy #authorssupportingauthors #authorfriend
Read
September 6, 2020Compliments
-The world the author created is beautifully rich. From names to mythology to creatures, the book is impressively populated.
-It is clear that Frazier has a love for classical literature. I could feel the styles of Tolkien, Lewis, and the Odyssey influencing the text, and I enjoyed seeing their mark.
-The use of language is truly lovely, feeling nuanced and elevated without feeling snobby.
-What I enjoyed most was the ideology. There were moments where beautiful thoughts and beliefs were expressed that I don't often see in contemporary literature, and it was refreshing.
Critiques
-As often is the case, my critiques stem from some of my compliments. While I enjoyed seeing the homage to authors I love, I found myself missing the plots and rich characters that those authors create. I desperately wish we could have gotten to see more personality in the characters and witness more forward momentum in the plot.
-If I didn't know, I could probably guess that this was a first novel. There were a few artistic choices that usually lend themselves to writers with less experience, like calling Thalos "the man" for the first few pages instead of just saying his name. Now, these choices aren't inherently a bad thing. I think this book is a good place to start, and I am looking forward to seeing where Frazier goes from here.
-The world the author created is beautifully rich. From names to mythology to creatures, the book is impressively populated.
-It is clear that Frazier has a love for classical literature. I could feel the styles of Tolkien, Lewis, and the Odyssey influencing the text, and I enjoyed seeing their mark.
-The use of language is truly lovely, feeling nuanced and elevated without feeling snobby.
-What I enjoyed most was the ideology. There were moments where beautiful thoughts and beliefs were expressed that I don't often see in contemporary literature, and it was refreshing.
Critiques
-As often is the case, my critiques stem from some of my compliments. While I enjoyed seeing the homage to authors I love, I found myself missing the plots and rich characters that those authors create. I desperately wish we could have gotten to see more personality in the characters and witness more forward momentum in the plot.
-If I didn't know, I could probably guess that this was a first novel. There were a few artistic choices that usually lend themselves to writers with less experience, like calling Thalos "the man" for the first few pages instead of just saying his name. Now, these choices aren't inherently a bad thing. I think this book is a good place to start, and I am looking forward to seeing where Frazier goes from here.
July 19, 2021
Ooooo, I really wanted to like this book more.
This debut novel by Alexander read clumsily. The chapter breaks were numerous. Multiple single page chapters in a row, really? What was the reason, because it escaped this reader. The interchapter breaks were numerous. There were soooo many characters that it was difficult to keep track of who was who. The beginning of the story was long. There was too many places of telling, and not enough showing. There were clear sections that were extraneous.
The character development was shallow. I didn't feel I understood Thalos and Thara enough to get why they were doing what they were doing. It was difficult to be their champion. In the future, less characters, more development please. I enjoyed the sibling story, though. It made me think about how my brother and I would have handled ourselves.
The final quarter of the novel was too much going on too quickly. It was very much what Stephen King referred to as 'one bound jackery'. I felt as if I was reading a buffet of The Odyssey, The Bible, The Lord of the Rings and Greek mythology.
However, there were moments where I could see what potential Alexander has. ". . . until there was nothing left to meet them but swords and shields and the courage of the dying." Moments of solid writing are there. "Practice was all sweat and snarls."
I feel this is a young adult novel, although I found myself marveling at the elevated vocabulary.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Alexander has up his sleeve for his next piece.
This debut novel by Alexander read clumsily. The chapter breaks were numerous. Multiple single page chapters in a row, really? What was the reason, because it escaped this reader. The interchapter breaks were numerous. There were soooo many characters that it was difficult to keep track of who was who. The beginning of the story was long. There was too many places of telling, and not enough showing. There were clear sections that were extraneous.
The character development was shallow. I didn't feel I understood Thalos and Thara enough to get why they were doing what they were doing. It was difficult to be their champion. In the future, less characters, more development please. I enjoyed the sibling story, though. It made me think about how my brother and I would have handled ourselves.
The final quarter of the novel was too much going on too quickly. It was very much what Stephen King referred to as 'one bound jackery'. I felt as if I was reading a buffet of The Odyssey, The Bible, The Lord of the Rings and Greek mythology.
However, there were moments where I could see what potential Alexander has. ". . . until there was nothing left to meet them but swords and shields and the courage of the dying." Moments of solid writing are there. "Practice was all sweat and snarls."
I feel this is a young adult novel, although I found myself marveling at the elevated vocabulary.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Alexander has up his sleeve for his next piece.
November 15, 2020
I was sent a ARC of The Lost King by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book gave me Lord of the Rings, meets Game of Thrones, meets Percy Jackson vibes. The Lost King is set in a complex world filled with just about every mythical being you could imagine: from unicorns to dragons, gnomes to trolls. The first few pages blew me away! Thalo's adventure commences within the first chapter and the pace of the story never slows down. If you are a reader who dislikes long dialogue and just wants to read the adventure then I would highly recommend. For me however, I would have liked to dive into the characters personality a little more, outside of their quest. I also found that the world was so vast that I got a little geographically lost with how fast paced the story was. A map would definitely have been useful! I loved the multiple story lines co-occurring and the mixture of a strong male protagonist in Thalos with an equally, if not stronger, character in his sister Thara.
Overall, I have given this book three stars because I greatly enjoyed the story and got lost in a new world, but felt that the story was over too soon and a deep love for the characters was slightly lacking in my opinion.
This book gave me Lord of the Rings, meets Game of Thrones, meets Percy Jackson vibes. The Lost King is set in a complex world filled with just about every mythical being you could imagine: from unicorns to dragons, gnomes to trolls. The first few pages blew me away! Thalo's adventure commences within the first chapter and the pace of the story never slows down. If you are a reader who dislikes long dialogue and just wants to read the adventure then I would highly recommend. For me however, I would have liked to dive into the characters personality a little more, outside of their quest. I also found that the world was so vast that I got a little geographically lost with how fast paced the story was. A map would definitely have been useful! I loved the multiple story lines co-occurring and the mixture of a strong male protagonist in Thalos with an equally, if not stronger, character in his sister Thara.
Overall, I have given this book three stars because I greatly enjoyed the story and got lost in a new world, but felt that the story was over too soon and a deep love for the characters was slightly lacking in my opinion.
November 14, 2020
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was around 3.5 stars for me.
I'll admit I was a bit intimidated when I opened the book to find the glossary in the front. I enjoy fantasy but wasn't prepared for something that required me to retain a lot of new information so I was pleasantly surprised to find this book to be pretty readable without having to reference what things were.
Thalos and Thara are the children of the king and were interesting characters, but I felt like their arc was lacking. There's some really captivating parts of the book and some interesting creatures we meet along the way, and some things that didn't quite fit for me. While the characters are traveling there's songs and other things included that definitely made it feel like a real high fantasy world.
I found the pacing a little bit confusing throughout the book, especially toward the end. Overall it was an interesting read.
This book was around 3.5 stars for me.
I'll admit I was a bit intimidated when I opened the book to find the glossary in the front. I enjoy fantasy but wasn't prepared for something that required me to retain a lot of new information so I was pleasantly surprised to find this book to be pretty readable without having to reference what things were.
Thalos and Thara are the children of the king and were interesting characters, but I felt like their arc was lacking. There's some really captivating parts of the book and some interesting creatures we meet along the way, and some things that didn't quite fit for me. While the characters are traveling there's songs and other things included that definitely made it feel like a real high fantasy world.
I found the pacing a little bit confusing throughout the book, especially toward the end. Overall it was an interesting read.
Did Not Finish
February 18, 2021DNF @ 19%
I did not finish this book chiefly because of the writing. The style reminded me of Tolkien and RR. Martin which I'm not a huge fan of. The pacing was weird with characters talking about the endless time they spent in x place, only for me to find out it was one or two nights later, while the descriptions were long and some more important parts were just glossed over in a single line (a lot of telling, little showing). It gave an overall clunky experience that was hard to ignore. Neither the plot nor the characters were compelling enough to set aside this writing issue.
This book was simply not for me, but I can see fans of GoT or LotR being more open to it as the world building was promising even so early on.
I did not finish this book chiefly because of the writing. The style reminded me of Tolkien and RR. Martin which I'm not a huge fan of. The pacing was weird with characters talking about the endless time they spent in x place, only for me to find out it was one or two nights later, while the descriptions were long and some more important parts were just glossed over in a single line (a lot of telling, little showing). It gave an overall clunky experience that was hard to ignore. Neither the plot nor the characters were compelling enough to set aside this writing issue.
This book was simply not for me, but I can see fans of GoT or LotR being more open to it as the world building was promising even so early on.
November 10, 2020
The Lost King was a mixed bag for me to read through. I love a good hero's journey but there were periods where the story skipped around and I feel like it was lacking some development. I enjoyed the nods to Greek Mythology and feel like it could have been actualized with some more work with beta readers.
Overall I think its a fun middle grade story and it definitely would be appropriate for 10+, I would absolutely allow my 13 year old to read it and think she may enjoy it a bit more than I did.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Overall I think its a fun middle grade story and it definitely would be appropriate for 10+, I would absolutely allow my 13 year old to read it and think she may enjoy it a bit more than I did.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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