What do you think?
Journey Into the Cosmos
On the run for murder and desperate for a chance at redemption, a young willmage named Raz seeks out an insane rune caster for an opportunity of a lifetime. To his amazement, he finds himself partaking in cutting-edge research; exploring the newly discovered multiverse with a team of fresh but talented adventurers. The newly acquainted friends explore wondrous worlds with unimaginable horrors. They uncover a conspiracy by the very same organization that hunts Raz, The New Day Wizards. The heroes will need to expose the magical research guild for what they truly are before their mysterious plot comes to fruition and find a way home to save that which matters most.
- GenresFantasy
Paperback
Published September 11, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Read
July 26, 2024DNF at 36%
I was intrigued by the premise, the mage Raz and his motley crew being sent to explore the multiverse by Sigil, except there was no exploration. At least not for the three planes they visited before I quit. It was like when you're playing Final Fantasy and just walking around, looking to enter fights to gain experience. The group would walk around for a short time, encounter something to fight and immediately jump to the next plane. The only one that they actually noted things about their surroundings was a plane that was pretty much just like their own.
Zero character depth except for our main character, even though the author provided a couple of really great opportunities to do so. I mean, I did enjoy Raz's character, but I would have enjoyed learning more about the others in the group he chose to travel with.
I don't say this lightly - but this book could really benefit from having an editor take a pass at it. That would likely resolve the issues I listed above, plus smooth out the writing and hopefully assist with grammar, spelling and the such. I'm used to overlooking a few from reading so many ARCs, but when there are this many, it does interfere with my enjoyment of the book and make it impossible to immerse myself. My brain does this annoying thing where it starts counting them and it jars me out of the book.
I was intrigued by the premise, the mage Raz and his motley crew being sent to explore the multiverse by Sigil, except there was no exploration. At least not for the three planes they visited before I quit. It was like when you're playing Final Fantasy and just walking around, looking to enter fights to gain experience. The group would walk around for a short time, encounter something to fight and immediately jump to the next plane. The only one that they actually noted things about their surroundings was a plane that was pretty much just like their own.
Zero character depth except for our main character, even though the author provided a couple of really great opportunities to do so. I mean, I did enjoy Raz's character, but I would have enjoyed learning more about the others in the group he chose to travel with.
I don't say this lightly - but this book could really benefit from having an editor take a pass at it. That would likely resolve the issues I listed above, plus smooth out the writing and hopefully assist with grammar, spelling and the such. I'm used to overlooking a few from reading so many ARCs, but when there are this many, it does interfere with my enjoyment of the book and make it impossible to immerse myself. My brain does this annoying thing where it starts counting them and it jars me out of the book.
August 23, 2023
This is the first local Minnesota author I read, and this is a super underrated author in Minnesota. This book is so good! I really do think that this author has a TON of potential! He needs to keep writing books.
I 100000% will be reading the next book in the series! That book is "The World Storm"
I loved this book so so so much!
I 100000% will be reading the next book in the series! That book is "The World Storm"
I loved this book so so so much!
July 24, 2023
Journey into another Cosmic world filled with magic and adventure. The world building was so very creative and amazing.
The story follows 4 main characters that are thrown together into The Stranger Lands. ( I had a bit of Lord of the Rings moment... loved it) This book was an absolute page turner...looking forward to book 2. If you like books filled with heroes, villains, magic, fantasy, and adventure, this is it.
The story follows 4 main characters that are thrown together into The Stranger Lands. ( I had a bit of Lord of the Rings moment... loved it) This book was an absolute page turner...looking forward to book 2. If you like books filled with heroes, villains, magic, fantasy, and adventure, this is it.
June 22, 2023
Raz's journey reminded me of playing D&D and The Rift back in the day! This interplanetary travel, magic, and action worked very well together and I can't wait to continue the adventure with book 2.
Thank you, Jake, for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.
Thank you, Jake, for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.
November 1, 2023
What a fun and exciting read. This may be the first DND inspired book I’ve read, but I can’t be sure because I’m not familiar with DND. 🫣 But it was very entertaining!
There is definitely a lot of action in this book, and the plot is great. I would have enjoyed a little more backstory about the characters, but the world building was well done, and the concept of the different planes was out of this world. Ha ha.
Overall, a great read. Looking forward to reading book 2!
There is definitely a lot of action in this book, and the plot is great. I would have enjoyed a little more backstory about the characters, but the world building was well done, and the concept of the different planes was out of this world. Ha ha.
Overall, a great read. Looking forward to reading book 2!
December 24, 2023
good story!
Raz is on the run for murder and being pursued for capture by the New Day Wizards. In the process, he finds himself entangled in an all-new adventure that can help save the world. With his new unlikely friends, they travel the cosmos on a mission to exploit the treachery of this society. Together, they are an unstoppable team willing to fight for what they love and for the survival of their world as they know it.
The protagonist was simple yet charming. He faced many challenges that changed him and you witnessed his character develop from that of a boy into a man. My favorite character was Welby- an optimist in the face of defeat. The author did a wonderful job at bringing this book to life. It was full of action, adventure, love, and humor. This is a book I would recommend to anyone! It was easy to read and told a compelling story of friendship, hope, and perseverance. If you are a fan of Dungeons and Dragons or magic as a whole, please take the time to support this author and read a story you won’t forget. The story had a nice ending with room to build off of (there is a sequel I have not read yet).
I’m giving it 4 stars simply because some of the grammar and punctuation could have been used more productively to capture the intensity of their journey. However, that did not distract from the book as a whole and I truly enjoyed it. If you are or have a teen who is looking for something to add to their shelves, this would be perfect!
Raz is on the run for murder and being pursued for capture by the New Day Wizards. In the process, he finds himself entangled in an all-new adventure that can help save the world. With his new unlikely friends, they travel the cosmos on a mission to exploit the treachery of this society. Together, they are an unstoppable team willing to fight for what they love and for the survival of their world as they know it.
The protagonist was simple yet charming. He faced many challenges that changed him and you witnessed his character develop from that of a boy into a man. My favorite character was Welby- an optimist in the face of defeat. The author did a wonderful job at bringing this book to life. It was full of action, adventure, love, and humor. This is a book I would recommend to anyone! It was easy to read and told a compelling story of friendship, hope, and perseverance. If you are a fan of Dungeons and Dragons or magic as a whole, please take the time to support this author and read a story you won’t forget. The story had a nice ending with room to build off of (there is a sequel I have not read yet).
I’m giving it 4 stars simply because some of the grammar and punctuation could have been used more productively to capture the intensity of their journey. However, that did not distract from the book as a whole and I truly enjoyed it. If you are or have a teen who is looking for something to add to their shelves, this would be perfect!
December 5, 2023
Journey into the Cosmos: Tales from Stranger Lands is the first book of a potential series by Jake Fredendall. It is listed as a young adult, sword and sorcery/epic fantasy and the novel holds true to that. It’s an easy read and hard to put down.
Journey into the Cosmos is packed full of adventure and excitement. The author did a good job with their characters, but I felt like some of them were underdeveloped. Some I enjoyed more than others because I wasn’t given enough information about them.
The magical aspect of this novel is something I haven’t seen before. I don’t want to label it “unique” or “one of a kind” since I haven’t read every magical book out there, but it was unique to me that’s for sure. Because I hadn’t seen it before, I really enjoyed this story.
The worlds the author created for this story were amazing and creative. Usually, I find myself getting confused when a novel, or movie even, contains a multiverse but I never felt confused while reading this. I think the author did great with it. I don’t like feeling confused when I read a book, so kudos to Jake Fredendall for a job well done.
Journey into the Cosmos is packed full of adventure and excitement. The author did a good job with their characters, but I felt like some of them were underdeveloped. Some I enjoyed more than others because I wasn’t given enough information about them.
The magical aspect of this novel is something I haven’t seen before. I don’t want to label it “unique” or “one of a kind” since I haven’t read every magical book out there, but it was unique to me that’s for sure. Because I hadn’t seen it before, I really enjoyed this story.
The worlds the author created for this story were amazing and creative. Usually, I find myself getting confused when a novel, or movie even, contains a multiverse but I never felt confused while reading this. I think the author did great with it. I don’t like feeling confused when I read a book, so kudos to Jake Fredendall for a job well done.
December 12, 2023
Journey Into the Cosmos is the first in the Tales From the Stranger Lands series. It follows the tale of Raz, a willmage on the run. During his adventures, he begins researching the fantastical, newly-discovered multiverse. But all that glitters is not gold, for along the way he uncovers a conspiracy by the organization that is hunting him.
This is a tale of magic, friendship, secrecy, and adventure. This read like a quest in a top notch video game. All the great fantasy elements are there, a deeply magical world, intriguing characters, monsters, and lots of action. Raz is such a fun character and I am so glad this is a series because I need more! i recommend reading while listening to your favorite fantasy video game soundtrack for the best experience. This book is perfect for fans of video games, D&D, or just fantasy lovers in general.
This is a tale of magic, friendship, secrecy, and adventure. This read like a quest in a top notch video game. All the great fantasy elements are there, a deeply magical world, intriguing characters, monsters, and lots of action. Raz is such a fun character and I am so glad this is a series because I need more! i recommend reading while listening to your favorite fantasy video game soundtrack for the best experience. This book is perfect for fans of video games, D&D, or just fantasy lovers in general.
August 20, 2023
Journey Into the Cosmos, was my introduction to fantasy that is inspired by Dungeons and Dragons. I've played video games that were mildly inspired by this genre on the NES (dating myself, I know!) and also later, and I've also been a JRRT and GRRM and Robert Jordan fan for a long time, along with other fantasy authors. Also, I've never played D&D before, but I used to know a lot of people from school that were super into D&D, and they were always the "nerdy kids", but honestly I think that segment had a lot more creativity and originality than most people in the "cool" sector of my social experience in school. So, I went into this story knowing that I would have to interpret a lot of fantasy genre and lore that I wasn't as familiar with, because of my lack of knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons.
As a person who is not as familiar with this specific genre of fantasy, it might have taken me a little longer to have read this book than is usual for me, (I'm able to read books within a day, and this book took me twice as long as typical for me) however, I still had a great time reading this book. I had to take a little more time figuring out what the author was talking about with certain things, but that was me and not the author, and I think that is because of my inexperience with D&D culture and lore. People who are experienced with Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda and also Dungeons and Dragons and War Hammer will probably understand the terminology better than myself, so it took me a little longer to fully integrate what the author was talking about. However, I still had a great time with this book, and the author did convey satisfactorily to the layman what was happening.
The world building in this book feels completely on point. He does a great job immersing you in the world he's envisioning, and keeps you involved and engaged. He also does a great job with describing all of the monstrosities that are encountered in the narrative. And! There are PLENTY of these!
I also enjoyed the realism that the author imbibed his storyline and characters with, because there were plenty of times that he had his characters acting in what felt to ME a realistic manner. And I also respect his integrity to how particular situations might play out, even if that might mean the death of a character that you had really enjoyed, and was not ready to say goodbye to. I definitely cried towards the ending, and I don't know if I'm okay, still....
I feel this author has a LOT of potential, and I hope he keeps going with his trajectory, because I had A LOT of fun with his book and want to read the next one! I recommend this book if you love fantasy in any genre, but ESPECIALLY if you've played any role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons or War Hammer, or any video game that has a similar concept. I really feel that you will have a great time with this book, and will probably also enjoy the next book, even though I still haven't read it. I just sense that it will probably be just as fun!
As a person who is not as familiar with this specific genre of fantasy, it might have taken me a little longer to have read this book than is usual for me, (I'm able to read books within a day, and this book took me twice as long as typical for me) however, I still had a great time reading this book. I had to take a little more time figuring out what the author was talking about with certain things, but that was me and not the author, and I think that is because of my inexperience with D&D culture and lore. People who are experienced with Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda and also Dungeons and Dragons and War Hammer will probably understand the terminology better than myself, so it took me a little longer to fully integrate what the author was talking about. However, I still had a great time with this book, and the author did convey satisfactorily to the layman what was happening.
The world building in this book feels completely on point. He does a great job immersing you in the world he's envisioning, and keeps you involved and engaged. He also does a great job with describing all of the monstrosities that are encountered in the narrative. And! There are PLENTY of these!
I also enjoyed the realism that the author imbibed his storyline and characters with, because there were plenty of times that he had his characters acting in what felt to ME a realistic manner. And I also respect his integrity to how particular situations might play out, even if that might mean the death of a character that you had really enjoyed, and was not ready to say goodbye to. I definitely cried towards the ending, and I don't know if I'm okay, still....
I feel this author has a LOT of potential, and I hope he keeps going with his trajectory, because I had A LOT of fun with his book and want to read the next one! I recommend this book if you love fantasy in any genre, but ESPECIALLY if you've played any role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons or War Hammer, or any video game that has a similar concept. I really feel that you will have a great time with this book, and will probably also enjoy the next book, even though I still haven't read it. I just sense that it will probably be just as fun!
January 7, 2023
Journey Into the Cosmos is book one in a series currently being developed by an author named Jake Frendendall. This book involves magic of several varieties described in a way seemingly unique to the author. Interdimensional as well as interplanetary travel lead to several exciting situations and encounters for the main character, Raz, and his companions, as they embark on a mission to dismantle the establishment of the “New Day Wizards” guild. This book has a very strong story line, with just enough bumps in the road to keep things flowing without becoming monotonous, while still adding excitement, and somehow not detracting from the book’s main plot line.
While the story line itself is fantastic, and the characters are strong well-defined individuals, for my personal taste, I felt that some of the time spent in between battles could have had more detail pertaining tothe story as far as understanding the past lives and development of the characters. Character development adds an important element to a great story, offering readers a reason to feel invested in the outcome.
The vocabulary used in the writing has a superb variety of words. This, I found to be quite enjoyable. However, I did feel from time-to-time that some words had been overused. In normal speech, this may be overlooked, but for a book variation makes a difference. I also felt that, sporadically through the book, the flow of dialogue was a bit hard to follow and had to back-track a bit to gain an understanding of what was going on. This is not the case throughout the entire book, as much of it flows well. Overall this book has what I feel to be a strong and captivating storyline and is worth the read. I also hope to see some greater detail regarding the characters and more of the action in the books to follow.
While the story line itself is fantastic, and the characters are strong well-defined individuals, for my personal taste, I felt that some of the time spent in between battles could have had more detail pertaining tothe story as far as understanding the past lives and development of the characters. Character development adds an important element to a great story, offering readers a reason to feel invested in the outcome.
The vocabulary used in the writing has a superb variety of words. This, I found to be quite enjoyable. However, I did feel from time-to-time that some words had been overused. In normal speech, this may be overlooked, but for a book variation makes a difference. I also felt that, sporadically through the book, the flow of dialogue was a bit hard to follow and had to back-track a bit to gain an understanding of what was going on. This is not the case throughout the entire book, as much of it flows well. Overall this book has what I feel to be a strong and captivating storyline and is worth the read. I also hope to see some greater detail regarding the characters and more of the action in the books to follow.
June 6, 2024
Rating: 4.50/5 (rounded to 5/5)
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Plot: Raz ends up expelled forcefully from The New Day Wizards Academy, and chased for several weeks because of the destruction he caused. He ends up in Neverdry (which is really funny, because it's dry as hell there, like a desert) and slowly meets his companions: Welby, Crobane, and Mattias. All of them have heard of a dangerous quest, requested by Sigil the Mad, a powerful wizard who fled from the academy and headmaster Rowan upon completing his research and being forced out by Rowan and his companions. The team goes through several adventures for Sigil to finally catch what's going on throughout the whole universe, and with their current home.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book! It kind of reminds me of a mixture of Lord of the Rings, DND, and Hunger Games (only briefly). Welby is my favorite character, and must be protected at all costs! If he dies for any reason in the next two books, I will be rioting. His compassion for the earth, animals, and his companions is inspiring and I admire him, plus he's such a sweet guy.
The only thing that makes this a 4.5/5 instead of a 5/5 is because Crobane suddenly reveals his true identity abruptly. I just don't understand why he would all of a suddenly do that, and we not get an explanation. I'm pretty sure he mentions it before a battle and it's just like what the heck? no backstory or anything? dude! Maybe I missed something.
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Plot: Raz ends up expelled forcefully from The New Day Wizards Academy, and chased for several weeks because of the destruction he caused. He ends up in Neverdry (which is really funny, because it's dry as hell there, like a desert) and slowly meets his companions: Welby, Crobane, and Mattias. All of them have heard of a dangerous quest, requested by Sigil the Mad, a powerful wizard who fled from the academy and headmaster Rowan upon completing his research and being forced out by Rowan and his companions. The team goes through several adventures for Sigil to finally catch what's going on throughout the whole universe, and with their current home.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book! It kind of reminds me of a mixture of Lord of the Rings, DND, and Hunger Games (only briefly). Welby is my favorite character, and must be protected at all costs! If he dies for any reason in the next two books, I will be rioting. His compassion for the earth, animals, and his companions is inspiring and I admire him, plus he's such a sweet guy.
The only thing that makes this a 4.5/5 instead of a 5/5 is because Crobane suddenly reveals his true identity abruptly. I just don't understand why he would all of a suddenly do that, and we not get an explanation. I'm pretty sure he mentions it before a battle and it's just like what the heck? no backstory or anything? dude! Maybe I missed something.
March 3, 2024
Enjoyable Fantasy Story
This is truly a fantasy tale, with all the elements you would expect;
magic, alternate worlds (planes), monsters, and action.
The world building is great, as is the author’s description of the
feelings of teleporting pain, sickness, etc. As someone who is not
familiar with this specific genre of fantasy, there were a few
instances that I had to pause, look up what a word/reference meant to
figure out what the author was conveying, but it was not overly
disruptive, perhaps just something to keep in mind when trying to
attract a broad audience.
The author did a good job giving each character his own lane, but I
would have liked more development and additional backstory on some of
them. Early on there is an implied trust and friendship, without any
real basis for it, other than Raz’s internal rhetoric, telling the
reader ‘that is what friends do for one another’. For me personally,
it was a bit of a pet peeve and somewhat of a distraction to continue
to be “told” that they were friends. That being said, the relationship
between Raz and his group grows throughout the book, and I do believe
towards the end they are genuine friends.
Jake has tons of potential and it is obvious to me he will continue to
develop into a write of fantasy books that will be enjoyed by anyone
who reads them.
This is truly a fantasy tale, with all the elements you would expect;
magic, alternate worlds (planes), monsters, and action.
The world building is great, as is the author’s description of the
feelings of teleporting pain, sickness, etc. As someone who is not
familiar with this specific genre of fantasy, there were a few
instances that I had to pause, look up what a word/reference meant to
figure out what the author was conveying, but it was not overly
disruptive, perhaps just something to keep in mind when trying to
attract a broad audience.
The author did a good job giving each character his own lane, but I
would have liked more development and additional backstory on some of
them. Early on there is an implied trust and friendship, without any
real basis for it, other than Raz’s internal rhetoric, telling the
reader ‘that is what friends do for one another’. For me personally,
it was a bit of a pet peeve and somewhat of a distraction to continue
to be “told” that they were friends. That being said, the relationship
between Raz and his group grows throughout the book, and I do believe
towards the end they are genuine friends.
Jake has tons of potential and it is obvious to me he will continue to
develop into a write of fantasy books that will be enjoyed by anyone
who reads them.
December 8, 2023
I really loved this book, and recently re read it. With the way themes and the storyline flow with simplicity, conciseness and remain extremely engaging is impressive. I picked up plenty I missed somehow the second time around. The character development is written so well without difficulty following the progression and overall flow of the story. It’s hard not to love the fight scene towards the end and the book in its entirety! This fictional fantasy would make an incredible tv series and I can’t wait for the third book in this series to be released.
April 22, 2024
Journey into the Cosmos isn't like any book I've read before, but I actually really enjoyed it. I think the author did a great job telling the story, and leaving room to expand the series by adding more details and background of the characters. The book is like a magical fantasy type book that will keep your attention. It was actually harder to put down than I expected, and I already started book 2 lol..
August 13, 2024
This is the first local Minnesota author I read, and this is a super underrated author in Minnesota. This book is so good! I really do think that this author has a TON of potential! He needs to keep writing books.
I 100000% will be reading the next book in the series! That book is "The World Storm"
I loved this book so so so much!
I 100000% will be reading the next book in the series! That book is "The World Storm"
I loved this book so so so much!
April 28, 2024
The world is creatively built and full of wonder! The characters are interesting and exciting! Chapter 8 is my favorite chapter. The author did a fantastic job at bringing Jasper Ludicrous to life as an evil entertainer. I loved the book and can't wait to read the next one!
November 4, 2023
THIS IS AMAZING!! OMG READ THIS BOOK NOWWWW!!!!
June 23, 2024
Initially I bought this book for my daughter. She is 13 years old and has been a fan of Dungeons and Dragons Tabletop since she was 9. After she read it and loved it, I decided to give it a go. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, since the recommended age is from 9 to 17, I think. This is a fantasy novel all ages can enjoy. It has charming characters, an intriguing storyline and realistic, exciting fight scenes. I really had fun reading it. Especially since the author didn't sacrifice good language and writing to make it more accessible to kids. Might be a bit of a challenge for kids who are not that great at reading yet, might be exciting enough for them to keep at it and improve their reading skills. As we all know, practice makes perfect. Yeah, this is a good one for old and young alike.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews