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When Things Are Set Right
A mother bereft. A captive released. An ancient power awakens.
Humanity was never supposed to evolve this way.
For years, Last Stand Weapons has operated in the shadows, pushing the boundaries of science, genetics, and human potential. Their greatest achievement may also become their greatest threat.
Shannon has spent her entire life running from a past she doesn't fully understand. Hunted by powerful forces and burdened by abilities that defy explanation, she soon discovers she's connected to something far bigger than herself.
As hidden agendas begin to surface and dangerous truths come to light, the line between protector and weapon starts to disappear.
How far would humanity go to create the next stage of evolution?
And what happens when the creation decides it no longer wants to be controlled?
EXIT Theory is a fast-paced science fiction thriller blending genetic engineering, corporate conspiracies, military action, and near-future technology into a story of survival, identity, and the terrifying consequences of playing god.
Humanity was never supposed to evolve this way.
For years, Last Stand Weapons has operated in the shadows, pushing the boundaries of science, genetics, and human potential. Their greatest achievement may also become their greatest threat.
Shannon has spent her entire life running from a past she doesn't fully understand. Hunted by powerful forces and burdened by abilities that defy explanation, she soon discovers she's connected to something far bigger than herself.
As hidden agendas begin to surface and dangerous truths come to light, the line between protector and weapon starts to disappear.
How far would humanity go to create the next stage of evolution?
And what happens when the creation decides it no longer wants to be controlled?
EXIT Theory is a fast-paced science fiction thriller blending genetic engineering, corporate conspiracies, military action, and near-future technology into a story of survival, identity, and the terrifying consequences of playing god.
432 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2022
About the author
Jordan St. James
5 books35 followersJordan St. James is the pen name for the husband and wife writing duo Jordan and Gustavo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 5, 2023
A friendship centered book that explores themes of grief, familial love, loss, and acceptance of truths.
My favorite part about WTASR is the friendship between Grim and Aeryn and the witty dialogue. I’m not going to call it banter because that word is associated with annoying books for me lol but I liked how these authors handled their dialogue. I’ve also never read a book similar to DND but this one felt like it, whether it was or not.
There were some plot choices I couldn’t get on board with and didn’t make sense to me. Other than that, great story!
My favorite part about WTASR is the friendship between Grim and Aeryn and the witty dialogue. I’m not going to call it banter because that word is associated with annoying books for me lol but I liked how these authors handled their dialogue. I’ve also never read a book similar to DND but this one felt like it, whether it was or not.
There were some plot choices I couldn’t get on board with and didn’t make sense to me. Other than that, great story!
January 22, 2023
When Things Are Set Right follows the story of Aeryn, a solitary wood elf, and Grim, a mysterious escaped slave with no memory of his childhood. The two unlikely companions embark on a journey to find Grim's family, and they make many colorful friends (and enemies) along the way. As they gradually uncover hidden plots and forgotten secrets, they begin to realize that there is more to Grim's past than they originally thought.
I really enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced and easy-to-read, with plenty of action and intrigue.
The characters are loveable and well-drawn, and their interactions are the highlight of the book. Aeryn in particular is a girl after my own heart: practical, independent, and slightly stubborn...what's not to like?
This would be a great book for fans of Dungeons and Dragons or the Riyria Revelations book series. If you love classic fantasy settings, replete with dragons, axe-wielding northmen, elves, and magical runes, then this book is right up your alley.
I really enjoyed this book. It's fast-paced and easy-to-read, with plenty of action and intrigue.
The characters are loveable and well-drawn, and their interactions are the highlight of the book. Aeryn in particular is a girl after my own heart: practical, independent, and slightly stubborn...what's not to like?
This would be a great book for fans of Dungeons and Dragons or the Riyria Revelations book series. If you love classic fantasy settings, replete with dragons, axe-wielding northmen, elves, and magical runes, then this book is right up your alley.
January 24, 2023
This first chapter in a new fantasy series follows Aeryn, an elf, and Grim, an escaped slave who is driven by mysterious "runes" to learn more about his past. The pair embark on an often perilous journey, encountering friends and foes along the way. If you're a fan of Middle Earth stories, you'll find it easy to be swept into this fresh new tale by Jordan St. James. And by the end, you'll be ready for book #2!
November 22, 2023
This is a great start to a trilogy for anyone interested in Dungeons and Dragons (yes, there are dragons) and for anyone interested in middle earth, LOTR vibes. That's what I imagined in this journey with our two main characters, Aeryn and Grim. Their relationship was witty in dialogue and authentic in action. The pacing might have started a little slow, but it picks up early enough in the book to keep the reader interested and invested.
I think what was missing was some urgency in the characters. We know Grim is trying to find his family, but he's not in much of a hurry. We get the idea that Aeryn is not ready to stay with her family and felt in more of a rush to get away. It also felt like major plot points were stumbled upon too easily. Make it harder for the characters to get what they want and there will be tension and conflict.
Off to a good start! Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy.
I think what was missing was some urgency in the characters. We know Grim is trying to find his family, but he's not in much of a hurry. We get the idea that Aeryn is not ready to stay with her family and felt in more of a rush to get away. It also felt like major plot points were stumbled upon too easily. Make it harder for the characters to get what they want and there will be tension and conflict.
Off to a good start! Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy.
June 30, 2023
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!
3.25/5 stars
This was a really interesting, high fantasy novel! It had strong characters, was gritty where it needed to be, and there are dragons which....who doesn't love dragons?
I think the execution just wasn't quite up to the idea - it was good, but not excellent. The pacing felt slow, and the characters' motivations seemed to come to easily at times....crazy idea I never would have thought of but it moves the plot forward, sign me up!
I'm definitely curious what happens in the next book and will likely pick it up, but it's not at the top of my TBR. Overall, it's a solid addition to the classic, super high fantasy genre but the writing lacks the maturity to be a rockstar.
3.25/5 stars
This was a really interesting, high fantasy novel! It had strong characters, was gritty where it needed to be, and there are dragons which....who doesn't love dragons?
I think the execution just wasn't quite up to the idea - it was good, but not excellent. The pacing felt slow, and the characters' motivations seemed to come to easily at times....crazy idea I never would have thought of but it moves the plot forward, sign me up!
I'm definitely curious what happens in the next book and will likely pick it up, but it's not at the top of my TBR. Overall, it's a solid addition to the classic, super high fantasy genre but the writing lacks the maturity to be a rockstar.
June 21, 2023
First off, thanks, Netgalley, for the free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
First of the characters, I liked them a lot, but they all fell a bit flat and could use a bit more fleshing out, in my opinion.
For me, the story is a bit to fast paced. I think a lot of things could benefit from more fleshing out and just a bit more world building.
The story itself is quite fun. I did enjoy the banter and interactions between various characters.
In the end, quite a decent debut of hopefully a great fantasy series.
3,5/5 stars
First of the characters, I liked them a lot, but they all fell a bit flat and could use a bit more fleshing out, in my opinion.
For me, the story is a bit to fast paced. I think a lot of things could benefit from more fleshing out and just a bit more world building.
The story itself is quite fun. I did enjoy the banter and interactions between various characters.
In the end, quite a decent debut of hopefully a great fantasy series.
3,5/5 stars
May 8, 2026
When Things Are Set Right was a delight to read. I've already started the second book in the series, and I'm looking forward to reading more by Jordan St. James!
This felt like such a fresh fantasy read! The main character, Aeryn, was believable, interesting, and easy to root for. Her motivations and actions made sense in the context of her character. She really is an excellent main character, and I can't wait to continue learning more about her in the next books.
I thought the overall world was well-done, thoughtful, and a nice shift from the typical fantasy tropes I've seen lately. This book still has dragons, magic, sword and archery fighting, elves, orcs, humans, etc. yet I didn't feel like I already knew the rules of the game. That alone kept my interest engaged.
This book is action-packed. Without giving away spoilers, there is a lot for the characters to overcome internally and externally, so there is always some potential for conflict, and Jordan St. James takes that and runs with it! Makes for very exciting story lines and scenes, though I think the pacing in some sections could have been drawn out (more on this later).
The secondary characters were mostly good (especially Wolfe - he made me chuckle), and I felt like they contributed to the plot in a believable way. The world-building was excellent. The towns and side characters were fleshed out, and I had no trouble immersing myself in Errebos and getting lost in the topography, politics, and nuances of the realm.
The writing style is clear and easy to understand, but it also sweeps the reader along. I found myself reading way past my bedtime just to read "one more chapter." I am more likely to skip past any issues with plot or characters in a book if the writing is really good, and in this case it was!
However, I felt like Grim was a bit of a two-dimensional character at times, despite his really interesting backstory. There weren't enough action cues or chapters from his perspective to let me in on what he was thinking or feeling. And, along that note, I felt like the connection between him and Aeryn was lacking. Even if this isn't meant to develop into a romantic relationship (there was perhaps a hint of that in this book), I still would have liked to see more quiet moments of friendship between them. However, this might have been intentional as one of the secondary characters points out late in the book that Grim and Aeryn hardly known anything about each other, despite all they have gone through and all the time spent together. I am hoping their relationship, whatever it may be, develops into something with more meat on it in the next book.
The beginning of the book was perfectly paced, but there were a few parts throughout the second half of the book that felt rushed, and the ending felt very rushed. Lots of awesome, crazy stuff happens, but there wasn't enough character reactions or emotions about these events. I especially wanted a little more weight around Ophelia and Wolfe. It seemed like things just happened and then the plot was moving past it with only a single line commenting on their fates (to avoid spoilers, I won't mention any more details).
Despite my above griping, I *devoured* this book and immediately jumped into the next one, so I highly recommend it! And I am really looking forward to seeing how the characters and the plot develop in the second and third books. If you've made it this far on my review, then just go ahead and order the book. You'll enjoy it!
This felt like such a fresh fantasy read! The main character, Aeryn, was believable, interesting, and easy to root for. Her motivations and actions made sense in the context of her character. She really is an excellent main character, and I can't wait to continue learning more about her in the next books.
I thought the overall world was well-done, thoughtful, and a nice shift from the typical fantasy tropes I've seen lately. This book still has dragons, magic, sword and archery fighting, elves, orcs, humans, etc. yet I didn't feel like I already knew the rules of the game. That alone kept my interest engaged.
This book is action-packed. Without giving away spoilers, there is a lot for the characters to overcome internally and externally, so there is always some potential for conflict, and Jordan St. James takes that and runs with it! Makes for very exciting story lines and scenes, though I think the pacing in some sections could have been drawn out (more on this later).
The secondary characters were mostly good (especially Wolfe - he made me chuckle), and I felt like they contributed to the plot in a believable way. The world-building was excellent. The towns and side characters were fleshed out, and I had no trouble immersing myself in Errebos and getting lost in the topography, politics, and nuances of the realm.
The writing style is clear and easy to understand, but it also sweeps the reader along. I found myself reading way past my bedtime just to read "one more chapter." I am more likely to skip past any issues with plot or characters in a book if the writing is really good, and in this case it was!
However, I felt like Grim was a bit of a two-dimensional character at times, despite his really interesting backstory. There weren't enough action cues or chapters from his perspective to let me in on what he was thinking or feeling. And, along that note, I felt like the connection between him and Aeryn was lacking. Even if this isn't meant to develop into a romantic relationship (there was perhaps a hint of that in this book), I still would have liked to see more quiet moments of friendship between them. However, this might have been intentional as one of the secondary characters points out late in the book that Grim and Aeryn hardly known anything about each other, despite all they have gone through and all the time spent together. I am hoping their relationship, whatever it may be, develops into something with more meat on it in the next book.
The beginning of the book was perfectly paced, but there were a few parts throughout the second half of the book that felt rushed, and the ending felt very rushed. Lots of awesome, crazy stuff happens, but there wasn't enough character reactions or emotions about these events. I especially wanted a little more weight around Ophelia and Wolfe. It seemed like things just happened and then the plot was moving past it with only a single line commenting on their fates (to avoid spoilers, I won't mention any more details).
Despite my above griping, I *devoured* this book and immediately jumped into the next one, so I highly recommend it! And I am really looking forward to seeing how the characters and the plot develop in the second and third books. If you've made it this far on my review, then just go ahead and order the book. You'll enjoy it!
October 12, 2023
Thank you to House of Q LLC and Jordan St. James for an arc copy of When Things Are Set Right to review!
Pitch me a classic fantasy story with a quest, elves, dragons, and cultural influences from Norse/ Viking culture, it’s a fairly safe bet that it’s a book I want to read. I won’t lie though, the cover of When Things Are Set Right got me before the blurb.
Readers are going to have mixed reactions to this book. I think if you love Lord of the Rings, you’ll enjoy it for the old traditional fantasy novel structure. If you like the big block-buster types of modern fantasy that go to extremes for complicated characters, and plots, and find a plot twist angle to throw at you out of the blue, you might be a little underwhelmed by this story. However, I would encourage you not to judge this book by the standards of other fantasy books, and joy it for its charms.
Jordan St. James's writing style is subtle, character-driven and hinges on a promise of an epic fantasy world to come through the plot of When Things Are Set Right. The plot of this book is about discovery and the characters’ quest scraps away at the unknowns exposed by the meeting of the two protagonists Aeryn and Grim. Some of the character motivations and goals are very simplistic, but I feel this is part of the establishment of the world-building and narrative of the series. This is a book of secrets being exposed to the characters as their journey yields more clues and questions. As readers, we are learning with them about the history of their world as the book grows.
I’m not sure if there are some building blocks for a future romance subplot within When Things Are Set Right. Slightly would appeal to me – but I enjoyed the focus on the companionship between the characters' relationships without complications of attraction or sexual tension. Again, I felt a strong link back to the traditional fantasy novels of the last century like Chronicles of Narnia or Lord of the Rings. I found these elements refreshing to read as I feel as a concept, its subtle art form is easily lost in epic fantasy weighed down with big egos, epic romances, and plots crammed to the teeth with complicated magic, politics, and bloodshed.
Sometimes simple and subtle can be a refreshing state, even if you can guess the plot twists a mile off. I did find myself thinking many times of my four favourite hobbits and seeing their traits in Aeryn, Grim, and the tag-along companions they find on their journey.
When that post-book slump happens for all dragon-era bookworms, I recommend When Things Are Set Right for your next hit of quests, magic, battle, and dragons. This story will be ready and waiting to whisk you off to another world, continuing your dragon era.
Tropes to expect:
High fantasy
Chosen One
Epic Quest
Emotional wounds
Forced proximity
Morally grey characters
January 27, 2023
I don't normally read or write reviews, so I don't know entirely what a reader would like to know. What I do know is that this is an enjoyable book.
Aeryn is a character that you want to root for within the first chapter and her background is unfolded gradually, which helps keep the story moving at a good pace. I found her story touching, and took a break after the first few chapters because I became a little emotional. When I resumed, it was easy to get back into the story.
I normally have to read books before considering buying them, but I will buy the 2nd before reading it.
Aeryn is a character that you want to root for within the first chapter and her background is unfolded gradually, which helps keep the story moving at a good pace. I found her story touching, and took a break after the first few chapters because I became a little emotional. When I resumed, it was easy to get back into the story.
I normally have to read books before considering buying them, but I will buy the 2nd before reading it.
October 29, 2025
A grieving mother finds a rebel slave in the south and they decide to travel north to find his family... What could be more exciting? Grim, the former slave, and Aeryn, the mother, go through a lot of dangers including dragons and a creepy guy who is obsessed with magic and power. Weaver was really cute and I love grackles. Wolfe and Ophelia were some of my favorite characters, Wolfe in particular. I think that this would have to be in my top ten books. I would totally give it a read! If you like fantasy, you'll enjoy it.
July 15, 2024
Absolutely loved this book! From the beginning to the end I was hooked, I devoured this book in 2 days I didn’t want to put it down, officially in my top 5 favorite fantasy books I’ve ever read.
October 24, 2025
This book is amazing! I love the plot, the characters, everything about about this book is well written. I also love the world Jordan St. James created. I 100 percent recommend this book!
March 3, 2023
Aeryn is a grieving mother who is hesitant to take on her family trade. She encounters an ex-slave in the forrest who is near death and nurses him back to health. In order to delay this decision, she decides to help Grim, the ex-slave whom she helped, find his long-lost family. Old-age magic becomes involved and an adventure begins.
This book has dragons (always exciting!), grief, overcoming shame and judgment, a cool fantasy-type of adventuring and a very interesting female main character who is more complicated than your standard protagonist with layers of strength and vulnerability in equal measure. I genuinely emphathised with her and felt her grief, feelings of guilt and attempts to move forward. I also enjoyed the variety of side-characters, who also felt fairly well-developed given their non-MC status.
Minor critique is that I felt like I understood Grim's perspective a bit less despite his equally complicated background, and think this story would have been potentially been told better as a dual POV. That said, I really loved the characters and their growing dynamic (no spice but I really felt their relationship starts from 0 and grows from there!).
In terms of format, I listened to this as an audiobook. This made it easy to listen and I enjoyed that there were a variety of accents [it made me picture characters in a certain way which I don't think I would have done reading in paperback format), but I have to admit I had to listen to it on 2x speed because I felt it was very slow on the normal 1x setting. Apart from that, a very enjoyable way to consume this book.
I do hope to listen/read the next installment as the worldbuilding is very interesting and I feel we have only been teased with some of it.
I was kindly provided with an ARC of the audiobook by the author in exchange for an unbiased review, which I leave voluntarily
This book has dragons (always exciting!), grief, overcoming shame and judgment, a cool fantasy-type of adventuring and a very interesting female main character who is more complicated than your standard protagonist with layers of strength and vulnerability in equal measure. I genuinely emphathised with her and felt her grief, feelings of guilt and attempts to move forward. I also enjoyed the variety of side-characters, who also felt fairly well-developed given their non-MC status.
Minor critique is that I felt like I understood Grim's perspective a bit less despite his equally complicated background, and think this story would have been potentially been told better as a dual POV. That said, I really loved the characters and their growing dynamic (no spice but I really felt their relationship starts from 0 and grows from there!).
In terms of format, I listened to this as an audiobook. This made it easy to listen and I enjoyed that there were a variety of accents [it made me picture characters in a certain way which I don't think I would have done reading in paperback format), but I have to admit I had to listen to it on 2x speed because I felt it was very slow on the normal 1x setting. Apart from that, a very enjoyable way to consume this book.
I do hope to listen/read the next installment as the worldbuilding is very interesting and I feel we have only been teased with some of it.
I was kindly provided with an ARC of the audiobook by the author in exchange for an unbiased review, which I leave voluntarily
December 14, 2023
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest review.
I'm always a sucker for anything to do with dragons, quests, and an unlikely group of adventurers and this has all three. This book was an easy fun read, especially with certain characters offering comedic relief in all the right moments. The Female and Male MC were full of spunk and personality and I enjoyed that their relationship stayed platonic and didn't turn romantic. If it does turn romantic later on in the series I'd be happy with it as their friendship has been established and the series won't revolve around their "love". The magic system was interesting, those born with tattooed runes on their body had the capability to use and channel magic. The villains of the story were perfect, one villain as the focus of the book but the other villain as the focus of the series. I'd definitely recommend if you enjoy quests and an unlikely band of heroes. I'll be keeping up with this series and can see this book becoming one of my favorite reads of the year.
I'm always a sucker for anything to do with dragons, quests, and an unlikely group of adventurers and this has all three. This book was an easy fun read, especially with certain characters offering comedic relief in all the right moments. The Female and Male MC were full of spunk and personality and I enjoyed that their relationship stayed platonic and didn't turn romantic. If it does turn romantic later on in the series I'd be happy with it as their friendship has been established and the series won't revolve around their "love". The magic system was interesting, those born with tattooed runes on their body had the capability to use and channel magic. The villains of the story were perfect, one villain as the focus of the book but the other villain as the focus of the series. I'd definitely recommend if you enjoy quests and an unlikely band of heroes. I'll be keeping up with this series and can see this book becoming one of my favorite reads of the year.
February 10, 2023
Aeryn is a wood elf who desperately wants to escape her home village where there are painful memories of the daughter she lost. Living in the woods, she stumbles upon a man named Grim, an injured human ex-slave with mysterious runes on his knuckles. After nursing him back to health, she decides to go with him to find his family and avoid her own family obligations.
I loved all the world building as they travelled across the continent and the magic system was very unique. The writing and flow of the story made it easy to understand and read.
I really liked Aeryn and Grim. I would have loved a little more on page friendship growth between them, but there is definitely potential for that and more in the next book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut fantasy novel. It was a solid start to the series and I’m interested to see where the story goes!
I loved all the world building as they travelled across the continent and the magic system was very unique. The writing and flow of the story made it easy to understand and read.
I really liked Aeryn and Grim. I would have loved a little more on page friendship growth between them, but there is definitely potential for that and more in the next book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut fantasy novel. It was a solid start to the series and I’m interested to see where the story goes!
February 4, 2023
I could not put this book down!
As most who read my reviews know, I'm big on dragons and big burly grumpy characters that endear themselves to sunshine characters (although with what Aeryn has endured she's not all sunshine -- maybe a slightly cloudy day with the sun poking out.) She actually reminds me a lot of Katniss Everdeen, being a skilled hunter and she knows her healing herbs well and genuinely wants to help Grim, no matter what she tells herself otherwise.
If you are a fan of books like LOTR, The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time Book 2), or really any adventure fantasy with a chosen one trope, this book is for you. It flows so effortlessly and is action-packed with a really grisly and evil antagonist. I love it all and am eager to read more!
As most who read my reviews know, I'm big on dragons and big burly grumpy characters that endear themselves to sunshine characters (although with what Aeryn has endured she's not all sunshine -- maybe a slightly cloudy day with the sun poking out.) She actually reminds me a lot of Katniss Everdeen, being a skilled hunter and she knows her healing herbs well and genuinely wants to help Grim, no matter what she tells herself otherwise.
If you are a fan of books like LOTR, The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time Book 2), or really any adventure fantasy with a chosen one trope, this book is for you. It flows so effortlessly and is action-packed with a really grisly and evil antagonist. I love it all and am eager to read more!
November 12, 2023
Aeryn is an independent wood elf that has distanced herself from her family due to her grief… Grim is a runaway slave with no memory of his family or what the runes on his hands mean… Together they unite to make an unlikely and unstoppable pair 🫡
I loved this book, from the world building to the action, and especially watching Aeryn and Grims friendship and trust in one another grow!
Read this if you like:
🔥 Fantasy
🔥 Found Family
🔥 Ax Battles
🔥 Dragons 👀
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, on Spotify or Audible, it really submerged me into the book and made me feel like I was alongside Aeryn and Grim! Thank you to House Of Q LLC for the opportunity 🤍
I loved this book, from the world building to the action, and especially watching Aeryn and Grims friendship and trust in one another grow!
Read this if you like:
🔥 Fantasy
🔥 Found Family
🔥 Ax Battles
🔥 Dragons 👀
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, on Spotify or Audible, it really submerged me into the book and made me feel like I was alongside Aeryn and Grim! Thank you to House Of Q LLC for the opportunity 🤍
August 29, 2024
3.5 rounded down. There was a lot I enjoyed in this book- the magic system was unique, the world was interesting, the found family built was fun. I did not care for the narrator of the audiobook. I feel like this book dragged quite a bit in the middle, like a fair bit could have been cut to speed it up especially in the running/travel portion which dragged down the pacing. The ending was very well done though. I’d be intrigued to continue the series.
September 7, 2023
This was a fun book to read, it gave me D&D vibes but also if you are a gamer it gave me Skyrim vibes with them doing side quest alongside their main quests.
I enjoyed how we have different species such elves and humans in the story giving it that fantastical setting element.
It was a fun read, definitely intriguing, however it did take me a little to get into. But overall a good book 😊
I enjoyed how we have different species such elves and humans in the story giving it that fantastical setting element.
It was a fun read, definitely intriguing, however it did take me a little to get into. But overall a good book 😊
October 5, 2023
A very well written, fast paced adventure. Easy to connect with the characters and share in their joy and pain. A captivating storyline with a few plot twist they will keep you guessing. The authors do a great job of keeping the reader engaged. I ordered the second book before I finished this one. A very impressive debut!
December 10, 2023
The village was a great setting for a story that just flew off the page with each subplot of the narrative. Great job!
June 18, 2025
I received an ARC for the audiobook, for which I'm grateful, but this has not influenced my review in any way.
Please note that this story contains certain trigger topics (including animal deaths).
Overall, I think this is a good book and story. It's a solid fantasy quest, with elves, some magic, and brief dragon cameos! The two main characters (protagonists) are likable, relatable, deep, & feel real. Two other side characters are also nice and perform their role of making this a ragtag party going on a quest, as is typical of epic fantasy. The world-building isn't complex or particularly unique, but does its job of making this feel like a real place. As a fellow writer, I have to be careful not to get too nitpicky with prose or how the plot/execution isn't how I would have done it! This is an entertaining, occasionally gut-wrenching, book.
I must confess I wasn't a fan of the narration. Though the dialogues & voice acting were good, the general narration of reading the non-dialogue lines felt stilted to the point that I had to check and make sure it wasn't an automatic voice-over but a real human narrator. This improved toward the end. I loved the female protagonist's voice, though!
A strange point I couldn't help but notice was that the book's aversion to using the word "tear", replacing it with "wet", "water", "liquid", & so on. The female protagonist was more prone to crying than I like for female leads, but that's also a matter of taste.
What truly bothered me was that beyond the general "hunting for survival", there were companion animal deaths that, to me, felt more for effect than being necessary to the story/plot. I know it's weird that animal deaths bother many people more than human ones, but it's a big trigger for me personally. Speaking of trigger topics, there are a few others you might want to consider. But I don't wish to spoil anything.
Side note: The discussions around pregnancy and choosing to be a single mother, particularly in fantasy books, aren't my cup of tea. But I'm glad to find out that one of the authors identifies as a woman, & whether you personally believe it matters or not, it's good to know that the author could have conceivably (pun intended!) known what they were talking about!
Please note that this story contains certain trigger topics (including animal deaths).
Overall, I think this is a good book and story. It's a solid fantasy quest, with elves, some magic, and brief dragon cameos! The two main characters (protagonists) are likable, relatable, deep, & feel real. Two other side characters are also nice and perform their role of making this a ragtag party going on a quest, as is typical of epic fantasy. The world-building isn't complex or particularly unique, but does its job of making this feel like a real place. As a fellow writer, I have to be careful not to get too nitpicky with prose or how the plot/execution isn't how I would have done it! This is an entertaining, occasionally gut-wrenching, book.
I must confess I wasn't a fan of the narration. Though the dialogues & voice acting were good, the general narration of reading the non-dialogue lines felt stilted to the point that I had to check and make sure it wasn't an automatic voice-over but a real human narrator. This improved toward the end. I loved the female protagonist's voice, though!
A strange point I couldn't help but notice was that the book's aversion to using the word "tear", replacing it with "wet", "water", "liquid", & so on. The female protagonist was more prone to crying than I like for female leads, but that's also a matter of taste.
What truly bothered me was that beyond the general "hunting for survival", there were companion animal deaths that, to me, felt more for effect than being necessary to the story/plot. I know it's weird that animal deaths bother many people more than human ones, but it's a big trigger for me personally. Speaking of trigger topics, there are a few others you might want to consider. But I don't wish to spoil anything.
Side note: The discussions around pregnancy and choosing to be a single mother, particularly in fantasy books, aren't my cup of tea. But I'm glad to find out that one of the authors identifies as a woman, & whether you personally believe it matters or not, it's good to know that the author could have conceivably (pun intended!) known what they were talking about!
July 10, 2023
🌟 🌟 🌟
3 stars
A powerful start to the book. A palpable feeling if urgency and need and despair followed by resolution and a thing to hyper focus on so that you don't think too hard on the possible loss coming.
I was shocked by the bravery of the author willing to touch on a subject a book where the protagonist has lost a baby. It's such a raw, rare painful thing to read but also necessary I believe for many reasons.
The book was gripping in it's writing and it's subject matter. There was heartbreak and it resonated in me, tge reader.
Now, I'm a sucker for a book about an elf, but I'm an even bigger one when it's so good, it has me hooked from the get go.
She self exiles herself from her town and only visits when she needs to like for more arrowheads etc. On her way back from one of these trips she finds people in her camp site abd listens in to their plans which suffice to say they aren't friendlies and so she is on the defensive right away, luckily, as she is on a kill or be killed situation and kills forbthe first time. In running from the scene she finds a man slumped with an arrow sticking out abd decides to help him, learning he was a slave since a child of 8 years old.
A light book about a couple on a mission, an adventure, with fun characters along the way. It's a good read, it held me hooked throughout but I dud feel it read young in many places. More YA than more and that's great too but so long as you know that going in, you'll enjoy it.
In terms of romance, more a tale of companionship than anything else.
Good twist at the end.
Touches on;
Slavery
Death of a child
Self exile
Adventure
Dragons
A mission
Elves and humans
3 stars
A powerful start to the book. A palpable feeling if urgency and need and despair followed by resolution and a thing to hyper focus on so that you don't think too hard on the possible loss coming.
I was shocked by the bravery of the author willing to touch on a subject a book where the protagonist has lost a baby. It's such a raw, rare painful thing to read but also necessary I believe for many reasons.
The book was gripping in it's writing and it's subject matter. There was heartbreak and it resonated in me, tge reader.
Now, I'm a sucker for a book about an elf, but I'm an even bigger one when it's so good, it has me hooked from the get go.
She self exiles herself from her town and only visits when she needs to like for more arrowheads etc. On her way back from one of these trips she finds people in her camp site abd listens in to their plans which suffice to say they aren't friendlies and so she is on the defensive right away, luckily, as she is on a kill or be killed situation and kills forbthe first time. In running from the scene she finds a man slumped with an arrow sticking out abd decides to help him, learning he was a slave since a child of 8 years old.
A light book about a couple on a mission, an adventure, with fun characters along the way. It's a good read, it held me hooked throughout but I dud feel it read young in many places. More YA than more and that's great too but so long as you know that going in, you'll enjoy it.
In terms of romance, more a tale of companionship than anything else.
Good twist at the end.
Touches on;
Slavery
Death of a child
Self exile
Adventure
Dragons
A mission
Elves and humans
November 15, 2023
"'Grim, people only pay by the hour if they've hired a prostitute,' Wolfe said. Grim was quiet for a beat. 'Oh.'"
Do you ever read a book that you find wholesome for no reason whatsoever?
When Things Are Set Right is a fantasy adventure book that I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did. I'd seen it compared to Lord of the Rings, so I was prepared for long-winded explanations that would confuse me, but instead, I was treated with a short, fast-paced adventure with a found family I actually really liked.
The story focuses on a wood-elf named Aeryn helping an escaped slave called Grim to find his way home. It sounds simple, but the story had quite a few twists and turns and a despicable villain whom I have zero sympathy for.
I think the highlight of this book for me was the relationship dynamics between the characters. It was refreshing to read something where romance is not front and center. The characters were realistic and the way they treated each other just made my heart happy.
If you're intimidated by classic epic fantasy, When Things Are Set Right is a perfect introduction to the genre, and it's only 200 pages!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.5/5
Do you ever read a book that you find wholesome for no reason whatsoever?
When Things Are Set Right is a fantasy adventure book that I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did. I'd seen it compared to Lord of the Rings, so I was prepared for long-winded explanations that would confuse me, but instead, I was treated with a short, fast-paced adventure with a found family I actually really liked.
The story focuses on a wood-elf named Aeryn helping an escaped slave called Grim to find his way home. It sounds simple, but the story had quite a few twists and turns and a despicable villain whom I have zero sympathy for.
I think the highlight of this book for me was the relationship dynamics between the characters. It was refreshing to read something where romance is not front and center. The characters were realistic and the way they treated each other just made my heart happy.
If you're intimidated by classic epic fantasy, When Things Are Set Right is a perfect introduction to the genre, and it's only 200 pages!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!
3.5/5
March 9, 2023
I received an audio version from the author; all opinions are my own.
I was engaged in this story as I loved the main character. Though she suffered so, she was a badass. She could live on her own without society throwing shade at her. When she teams up with Grimm, I really enjoyed getting to see the world Jordan St James created. The dragon doesn't show up till the end but that is ok because there are plenty of threats along the way.
As for the narration, there were some bad parts but great dialogue. In the beginning, there is an exposition and the narrator says them all in the same meter no matter the sentence. I almost stop listening. But when we got to dialogue, the narration shined; she gave brilliant voices to each character and really immersed me in the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am ready to read the next one.
I was engaged in this story as I loved the main character. Though she suffered so, she was a badass. She could live on her own without society throwing shade at her. When she teams up with Grimm, I really enjoyed getting to see the world Jordan St James created. The dragon doesn't show up till the end but that is ok because there are plenty of threats along the way.
As for the narration, there were some bad parts but great dialogue. In the beginning, there is an exposition and the narrator says them all in the same meter no matter the sentence. I almost stop listening. But when we got to dialogue, the narration shined; she gave brilliant voices to each character and really immersed me in the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am ready to read the next one.
December 21, 2023
I've picked up many fantasy stories over the years, looking for something that makes feel like I'm on a D&D adventure. Playing tabletop, fantasy RPGs is my favorite hobby. I've read Lord of the Rings, most of the Game of Thrones books, and about a third of the Wheel of Time books. I've read one-off novels and short stories in fanatsy worlds. Other than Lord of the Rings, this is the only book that felt like D&D to me. Sure, there's plenty of adventure to be had in all of the other stories I've read, but something about the way this story was written makes me feel like I'm truly in a D&D-like adventure. Now I understand that this specific aspect may not appeal to all readers, but I found the story quite engaging. The characters were well-written and easy to root for. The ending was satisfying. I'll be buying book #2 soon to see how the adventure continues.
September 10, 2025
This was a refreshingly polished and crisp fantasy adventure.
Took me a while to get through, in part because I was listening on audiobook and I'll admit it wasn't my favorite narration (though I know firsthand the ups and downs of narrating, and I followed along in the ebook — which I definitely enjoyed).
Not much to say beyond that! Aeryn and Grim are fun characters, though Wolfe and Ophelia really took the spotlight when they showed up. Fun times, lots of action, and a simple, easy-to-follow writing style that I'm partial to (maybe a little biased, even!). It worked for me, though it came close to feeling stiff at times, so those who prefer more flowing prose may need to push through parts here and there. That said, it's well worth it, and I thoroughly enjoyed this first part of the Silversaar Legacy. Great work!
Took me a while to get through, in part because I was listening on audiobook and I'll admit it wasn't my favorite narration (though I know firsthand the ups and downs of narrating, and I followed along in the ebook — which I definitely enjoyed).
Not much to say beyond that! Aeryn and Grim are fun characters, though Wolfe and Ophelia really took the spotlight when they showed up. Fun times, lots of action, and a simple, easy-to-follow writing style that I'm partial to (maybe a little biased, even!). It worked for me, though it came close to feeling stiff at times, so those who prefer more flowing prose may need to push through parts here and there. That said, it's well worth it, and I thoroughly enjoyed this first part of the Silversaar Legacy. Great work!
May 31, 2026
I got totally sucked into this story. A few years ago, contemporary fantasy put a bad taste in my mouth, since so much I had read was just A.B.C. Tolkien. These characters and setting, though, were original and rich. I did not guess the direction of the story, and it was such a fun ride! The callbacks to other fantasy lore or references like Lewis’s trilemma were delightful touchstones, and by no means distracted from the unique world in the series. I would totally recommend this book, especially if you would geek out that the authors are Knox locals! On to book two now.
December 13, 2025
This story perfectly captures why I love indie books: it's a bold, risk-taking narrative that big publishers might shy away from. Aeryn is a highly likable protagonist—she's proactive and shapes her own path rather than being defined solely by others' actions, yet she's refreshingly imperfect and far from boring. My only real criticism is that some of the military logistics feel a bit stretched. Aside from that, I wholeheartedly recommend this book!
November 30, 2023
This is such a solid read. The writing is is the type of good where you forget you're reading. I love fantasy but sometimes it can feel trope heavy or cheesy. This was not that at all. The characters and their struggles felt real. I'm excited to see where the story goes in the second book.
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