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Goldenguard
He left them for dead. Now he’s their only hope.
Big Walter doesn’t want to be a hero anymore. He spent his youth prowling through the dark, and punching back whatever crawled out of it. Of course, he had friends then—a one-eared do-gooder, a serpent-tongued fire mage, the town belle, and a scab-kneed night elf—all guarding their Midwestern town of New Haven. Before they all fell apart. Before Walter had enough of being the big, dumb brute. Before he left, and finally found peace.
But now, something is calling him home. The darkness has grown stronger, New Haven is undefended, and worst of all, Walter can hear his friends screaming in his mind. But going back means more than trudging through the icy winter and the slithering night. He must return to his youth, relive the joys of friendship and community, and suffer old heartaches anew. Only then can he answer the hard questions: what really happened to those blissful years? What’s waiting for him out in the darkness?
And is there enough time to set it right?
Big Walter doesn’t want to be a hero anymore. He spent his youth prowling through the dark, and punching back whatever crawled out of it. Of course, he had friends then—a one-eared do-gooder, a serpent-tongued fire mage, the town belle, and a scab-kneed night elf—all guarding their Midwestern town of New Haven. Before they all fell apart. Before Walter had enough of being the big, dumb brute. Before he left, and finally found peace.
But now, something is calling him home. The darkness has grown stronger, New Haven is undefended, and worst of all, Walter can hear his friends screaming in his mind. But going back means more than trudging through the icy winter and the slithering night. He must return to his youth, relive the joys of friendship and community, and suffer old heartaches anew. Only then can he answer the hard questions: what really happened to those blissful years? What’s waiting for him out in the darkness?
And is there enough time to set it right?
- GenresFantasy
348 pages, Paperback, Kindle Ebook
Published November 26, 2022
5 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Michael A. Blaylock
3 books9 followersMichael is a writer of fantasy and whatever idea sounds good for the next ten minutes. He lives in Southern Idaho with his wife and two boys.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 21, 2024
I REALLY like Big Walter. Like, REALLY.
This book is like literary fiction accidentally stumbled into a magic shop. The way the author casually weaves magic into the mundane as if it’s part of a grocery list is expertly done, and I have more “oooh that was good!” lines written down than I can count.
This isn’t a typical action-packed fantasy novel, so make sure you’re in a cozy mood when you sit down to read this book, but I promise you it’s worth your time.
This book is like literary fiction accidentally stumbled into a magic shop. The way the author casually weaves magic into the mundane as if it’s part of a grocery list is expertly done, and I have more “oooh that was good!” lines written down than I can count.
This isn’t a typical action-packed fantasy novel, so make sure you’re in a cozy mood when you sit down to read this book, but I promise you it’s worth your time.
May 21, 2024
I LOVED this book. A sure sign I’ll be re-reading something is when the well of emotion and action at the climax makes me tear up - and without and spoilers, I sure will be re-reading this.
First off, I am a sucker for the 20s/30s setting - this book not only nails the time period but also perfectly encapsulates the feeling of small-town America at the same time.
The magic in this story is rich, exciting, and full of adventure - just the right blend for me along the spectrum of soft and hard with plenty of mystery but plenty we get to learn and see along the way.
Speaking of mystery, the plot delivers that wonderfully - I was hooked as everything unfolded, the first chapter was a perfect hook and I found myself flipping back multiple times as story developments recontextualized what we had seen so far.
Finally, all of the characters are delightful. I love Walter, Di, Quill, Mary, and John each for different reasons and could go on for ages. The biggest thing I will say is how genuine everybody feels. I found myself feeling and understanding every decision (good and bad) that folks made because it just felt RIGHT. This was particularly the case for Walter due to him being the point of view but this very much goes for everybody.
Outstanding book and I’ll absolutely be looking out for future Blaylock stories!
First off, I am a sucker for the 20s/30s setting - this book not only nails the time period but also perfectly encapsulates the feeling of small-town America at the same time.
The magic in this story is rich, exciting, and full of adventure - just the right blend for me along the spectrum of soft and hard with plenty of mystery but plenty we get to learn and see along the way.
Speaking of mystery, the plot delivers that wonderfully - I was hooked as everything unfolded, the first chapter was a perfect hook and I found myself flipping back multiple times as story developments recontextualized what we had seen so far.
Finally, all of the characters are delightful. I love Walter, Di, Quill, Mary, and John each for different reasons and could go on for ages. The biggest thing I will say is how genuine everybody feels. I found myself feeling and understanding every decision (good and bad) that folks made because it just felt RIGHT. This was particularly the case for Walter due to him being the point of view but this very much goes for everybody.
Outstanding book and I’ll absolutely be looking out for future Blaylock stories!
August 13, 2024
Goldenguard is a fantastic historic fantasy about friendship, life, and self-discovery.
The fictional world is interesting, it's adjacent to our reality, but has magic, giants and elves, trees that have a fiery healing glow on christmas, and monsters that live in the darkness. The world-building is done flawlessly, with the reader being gently lowered into the word very naturally.
The characters are where the book really shines. They're lovable, but flawed, with all the intricacies of real people and it brings the story to life. Their personalities and motivations are each distinct and relatable in a way that makes you fall in love with them instantly.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author. If you like coming of age stories and fantasy adventure, this is the book for you.
The fictional world is interesting, it's adjacent to our reality, but has magic, giants and elves, trees that have a fiery healing glow on christmas, and monsters that live in the darkness. The world-building is done flawlessly, with the reader being gently lowered into the word very naturally.
The characters are where the book really shines. They're lovable, but flawed, with all the intricacies of real people and it brings the story to life. Their personalities and motivations are each distinct and relatable in a way that makes you fall in love with them instantly.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more from this author. If you like coming of age stories and fantasy adventure, this is the book for you.
February 15, 2023
Easily one of my new favorites. What if you took a coming of age story and set it in a small town in the 1920s with memorable human characters and oh yeah throw in a half-giant protagonist who learns friendship and heartache while fighting demon Darkmist that come out in the night? You get one incredible read. Olden-days vibe mixed with fantasy and a strong redemptive undertone. I’ve never read anything like this.
Oh and from a writing standpoint, this has some of the most beautiful imagery/metaphors and impacting dialogue I’ve ever read. I legit underlined some of my favorite sentences after I soaked them in 10 times in a row. How can he say so much in such few words?
Oh and from a writing standpoint, this has some of the most beautiful imagery/metaphors and impacting dialogue I’ve ever read. I legit underlined some of my favorite sentences after I soaked them in 10 times in a row. How can he say so much in such few words?
August 27, 2023
I was skeptical about this book with its Hallmark cover, but I could not have been more glad the old adage holds up: don’t judge a book by its cover. Don’t sleep on this book, folks.
I couldn’t put it down. Even though I had to take a small hiatus, as soon I picked it up again, it felt like no time had gone by and I still intimately knew Walter, John, Di, Mary, and Quill. Michael creates a world of rich detail without being overly ornate and flowery. Every word matters. Also, the ending? I was on the edge of my seat.
I love this book.
I couldn’t put it down. Even though I had to take a small hiatus, as soon I picked it up again, it felt like no time had gone by and I still intimately knew Walter, John, Di, Mary, and Quill. Michael creates a world of rich detail without being overly ornate and flowery. Every word matters. Also, the ending? I was on the edge of my seat.
I love this book.
June 12, 2024
What a delight
This book was a delight. A great story about deep and meaningful friendship with amazing characters that would appeal to anyone, but especially if you are from somewhere small, this book will speak to you on a deeper level too. As someone who moved away from my small town and moved back, I have felt so many of Walter’s emotions, but I hope like Walter maybe I have finally learned what it really means to be big.
I very much enjoyed my time with this book, and was surprised to take away some self reflection as well, definitely highly recommend!
This book was a delight. A great story about deep and meaningful friendship with amazing characters that would appeal to anyone, but especially if you are from somewhere small, this book will speak to you on a deeper level too. As someone who moved away from my small town and moved back, I have felt so many of Walter’s emotions, but I hope like Walter maybe I have finally learned what it really means to be big.
I very much enjoyed my time with this book, and was surprised to take away some self reflection as well, definitely highly recommend!
June 12, 2024
This book was a delight. An amazing story about deep and meaningful friendships with amazing characters that would appeal to anyone, but especially if you are from somewhere small, this book has the ability to speak to you in a whole different level. As someone who moved away from my small town and moved back, I have felt a lot of Walter’s emotions, but hope that I have also learned what it truly means to be big.
I enjoyed all of my time with this book, and was surprised to take away some self reflection as well. Highly recommend!
I enjoyed all of my time with this book, and was surprised to take away some self reflection as well. Highly recommend!
April 18, 2024
This was an interesting, enjoyable story. I didn’t really like the way the book was structured, but I did like the story. It was just a little hard to follow because it changed between past tense and present tense, and changed between first person and third person, and I don’t know why exactly? But, that being said, it was an enjoyable story. I liked the characters (especially Walter) and the magic was unique.
December 17, 2024
It took me several chapters to get invested into the book, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It borders on "cozy," even though there's some tension and high stakes involved. Walter is a sympathetic protagonist, and so are each of his friends. I loved spending time with them. The climax of the book had some fun conventions I wasn't expecting, too. I recommend for anyone that likes a solid, stand-alone, atmostpheric fantasy.
January 2, 2024
This is a "you want it, you got it" book! Adventure - You got it! Magic - You got it! Characters you love immediately - You Got it! This is an absolutely fantastic story! and yes I do have a favorite character, who will yours be? Read this, you won't regret it!
December 19, 2022
Great book, loved the concept. Couldn't put it down.
July 12, 2024
Heartwarming story with great characters. Loved the atmosphere it was super cozy and warm!
June 24, 2024
A heartwarming story of friendship
This story was a heartwarming story of friendship. The cadence of the tale and the characters kept me rooting for them until the end. A perfect fireside read.
This story was a heartwarming story of friendship. The cadence of the tale and the characters kept me rooting for them until the end. A perfect fireside read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews