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The Futhark Chronicles #1
The Keepers of Sulbreth
In this magical, medieval fantasy, forces must combine to save the kingdom of Futhark from the evil abyss that threatens it. Sitting within this land and high above an unexplored sea is Sulbreth, the seat from which the Otten family has always ruled. Standing next to their throne are the Keepers, gifted sorcerers who hide a guarded truth only the king understands. When Prince Jonared takes the throne, he also inherits a tragic and dark shadow ready to befall his land. He and the Keepers summon Sabelline Shelton, a rare sorceress gifted in metallurgy, for a duty she has always feared. But even her exceptional talents are not enough to forestall the soulless enemy issuing forth from the dark places of Futhark. When Cage Stone enters Sulbreth in a tournament to secure his sister’s future, he too is called by a prophetic destiny to help fight the otherworldly foes and renew the seals that protect their kingdom.
- GenresFantasy
450 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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June 28, 2022I started Keepers of Sulbreth at a bad time and will temporarily DNF it. I will come back to it later.
April 15, 2013
"The Keepers of Sulbreth" resembles its fantasy predecessors like "Le Morte de Arthur" in one way: by asking if a hero (who is bastard-born) can participate in a tournament and come out a king. Or at least where "Keepers" is concerned, can he come out a person with royal blood? The answer is yes, and though it's been done before, it's a fascinating take on the "chosen one" theme because of Gourley's investment in simultaneous character and world-building.
Cage Stone is the "Aragorn" of this tale. He's a stud that every woman would have a picture of gracing the bedroom wall. A man could only be so lucky to be built like Stone. But on top of that, he's an incredible athlete with part Elven blood. Although he could sleep with any woman he wants, he doesn't abuse his ability to deflower girls because, well, he's a bastard. And in the kingdom of Futhark, even if you look like a tattooed Ryan Gosling, you are still one rung beneath someone who knows who their father is.
Cage wears the shoes of "hero" in this story really well. I liked him almost instantly. And by participating in the tournament, he gets chosen for some awesome magical enhancements that involve extensive tattooing of his entire naked body. But they only make him look prettier (think eyeliner for bold long eyelashes). Enhancements like super vision, super speed, and well...you get the picture.
The women who do this magic are the Keepers, and I found Gourley's magic system fascinating. I liked the idea of weaving spells into tattoos. Sabell is the female lead in this book and does most of the needlework on Cage's flesh. She's an intelligent, vulnerable, and sexy spellcaster that is none too experienced with men. Good thing Cage is a gentleman because they are commanded to learn to sleep together for protection since a magical blanket that can bestow invisibility to those underneath it is only so big.
Gourley also knows how to create monsters. There's an undead creature in this book called a gromf that is REALLY well done. This isn't just a passage where a writer says "a zombie attacked and the warrior killed it." It's a bonafide well thought out horrific creature with sagging skin, rotting teeth, and a smell that could knock over a horse. the gromfs are magically created assassins...demons...and if they claw or scratch you, it's fatal. You become one of these horrible things and nothing can save you. They're capable of surprising bursts of speed, of hiding their own stench and even their own presence if that is the intent of the one that sends them. And the gromf ends up being scary. It's a fitting end when one turns on a woman that completely deserves her fate. I guess that's what you get when you play with dark magic.
The book ends with a cliffhanger. We are left with our hero Cage and the lovely spellcaster Sabell entering a tunnel that goes to someplace most people would choose to avoid. I can only imagine the horrors that await. It's probably a good thing that Cage is such a good warrior. He's probably going to need every bit of his strength and every bit of her magic just to keep them alive.
"Keepers of Sulbreth" is a five-star read for those of you out there who love epic fantasy. Gourley gives every minor character in this book a role to play, and each has a personality and motivation that is distinctly their own. She's like a female George R.R. Martin, building an incredibly intricate and detailed world through the growth of her characters. I'm glad I stumbled across this book and can't wait to read the sequel.
Cage Stone is the "Aragorn" of this tale. He's a stud that every woman would have a picture of gracing the bedroom wall. A man could only be so lucky to be built like Stone. But on top of that, he's an incredible athlete with part Elven blood. Although he could sleep with any woman he wants, he doesn't abuse his ability to deflower girls because, well, he's a bastard. And in the kingdom of Futhark, even if you look like a tattooed Ryan Gosling, you are still one rung beneath someone who knows who their father is.
Cage wears the shoes of "hero" in this story really well. I liked him almost instantly. And by participating in the tournament, he gets chosen for some awesome magical enhancements that involve extensive tattooing of his entire naked body. But they only make him look prettier (think eyeliner for bold long eyelashes). Enhancements like super vision, super speed, and well...you get the picture.
The women who do this magic are the Keepers, and I found Gourley's magic system fascinating. I liked the idea of weaving spells into tattoos. Sabell is the female lead in this book and does most of the needlework on Cage's flesh. She's an intelligent, vulnerable, and sexy spellcaster that is none too experienced with men. Good thing Cage is a gentleman because they are commanded to learn to sleep together for protection since a magical blanket that can bestow invisibility to those underneath it is only so big.
Gourley also knows how to create monsters. There's an undead creature in this book called a gromf that is REALLY well done. This isn't just a passage where a writer says "a zombie attacked and the warrior killed it." It's a bonafide well thought out horrific creature with sagging skin, rotting teeth, and a smell that could knock over a horse. the gromfs are magically created assassins...demons...and if they claw or scratch you, it's fatal. You become one of these horrible things and nothing can save you. They're capable of surprising bursts of speed, of hiding their own stench and even their own presence if that is the intent of the one that sends them. And the gromf ends up being scary. It's a fitting end when one turns on a woman that completely deserves her fate. I guess that's what you get when you play with dark magic.
The book ends with a cliffhanger. We are left with our hero Cage and the lovely spellcaster Sabell entering a tunnel that goes to someplace most people would choose to avoid. I can only imagine the horrors that await. It's probably a good thing that Cage is such a good warrior. He's probably going to need every bit of his strength and every bit of her magic just to keep them alive.
"Keepers of Sulbreth" is a five-star read for those of you out there who love epic fantasy. Gourley gives every minor character in this book a role to play, and each has a personality and motivation that is distinctly their own. She's like a female George R.R. Martin, building an incredibly intricate and detailed world through the growth of her characters. I'm glad I stumbled across this book and can't wait to read the sequel.
January 28, 2011
See my full review at: Read My Mind
My Review:
I think I liked this book from the very first sentence. I couldn't quote it, without looking it up, but I just know that I was utterly fascinated from beginning to end. Epic fantasy (which is, of course, subjective whether a reader might consider this particular book to be in the epic fantasy genre. I do.) is a genre that I used to read extensively when I was in middle school. But, as I moved through high school, college, and later, my reading was much more in the romance genre. All of this is to say, that until I started reading THE KEEPERS OF SULBRETH, I didn't realize how much I had missed reading it.
I will say that there are many characters in this novel to keep track of. The Keepers, of which Sabell is the main female character, are not only named, but so are their companions, who are warriors that act as guardians and fighters to protect the people of Sulbreth. There's the King, Jonared, and his personal guardian. There's Sabell's family: a sister and a father. There's Cage's family: a sister, step-mother, and close family friend. And, then there's Cage himself. The half-elf, half-human whom the survival of Sulbreth, and indeed the whole of Futhark, seems to rest upon. For readers that like to have a smaller, inclusive cast of characters to follow, this may not be the book for you.
However, I had no trouble following the story line. There was always a definitive plot that stretched throughout the book. There were no events that seemed to distract, or be irrelevant to the overall idea. Each character had their own personality. There was real growth in each one too, like Cage's acceptance of his mission solely to help his family gain their own residence, to his resignation that, however he had been forced into the situation, he was a key part to the Keepers' defeat of the demons plaguing Sulbreth.
The bottom line: I was entertained. I wanted to experience the lives of these characters, their plight, and what would happen next. I wanted to keep reading at the end of every sentence, and then at the end of every chapter. This was a novel about people dedicating their lives to keeping evil at bay, finding a purpose for their talents, and being a part of the greater good. THE KEEPERS OF SULBRETH is the perfect book for readers who enjoy fantasy, a seemingly impossible quest, and an enthralling journey to another world.
4.5/5 for plot
4/5 for characters
4/5 for language
My Rating: 12.5/15 (4 stars)
Highly Recommend, if you liked:
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb
My Review:
I think I liked this book from the very first sentence. I couldn't quote it, without looking it up, but I just know that I was utterly fascinated from beginning to end. Epic fantasy (which is, of course, subjective whether a reader might consider this particular book to be in the epic fantasy genre. I do.) is a genre that I used to read extensively when I was in middle school. But, as I moved through high school, college, and later, my reading was much more in the romance genre. All of this is to say, that until I started reading THE KEEPERS OF SULBRETH, I didn't realize how much I had missed reading it.
I will say that there are many characters in this novel to keep track of. The Keepers, of which Sabell is the main female character, are not only named, but so are their companions, who are warriors that act as guardians and fighters to protect the people of Sulbreth. There's the King, Jonared, and his personal guardian. There's Sabell's family: a sister and a father. There's Cage's family: a sister, step-mother, and close family friend. And, then there's Cage himself. The half-elf, half-human whom the survival of Sulbreth, and indeed the whole of Futhark, seems to rest upon. For readers that like to have a smaller, inclusive cast of characters to follow, this may not be the book for you.
However, I had no trouble following the story line. There was always a definitive plot that stretched throughout the book. There were no events that seemed to distract, or be irrelevant to the overall idea. Each character had their own personality. There was real growth in each one too, like Cage's acceptance of his mission solely to help his family gain their own residence, to his resignation that, however he had been forced into the situation, he was a key part to the Keepers' defeat of the demons plaguing Sulbreth.
The bottom line: I was entertained. I wanted to experience the lives of these characters, their plight, and what would happen next. I wanted to keep reading at the end of every sentence, and then at the end of every chapter. This was a novel about people dedicating their lives to keeping evil at bay, finding a purpose for their talents, and being a part of the greater good. THE KEEPERS OF SULBRETH is the perfect book for readers who enjoy fantasy, a seemingly impossible quest, and an enthralling journey to another world.
4.5/5 for plot
4/5 for characters
4/5 for language
My Rating: 12.5/15 (4 stars)
Highly Recommend, if you liked:
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb
January 19, 2010
Susan’s first debut in the fantasy genre is a five star effort. I immensely enjoyed the characters and the world she had created. It is without a doubt a page-turner, a well-written book full of surprises.
It is the story of a young man, Cage, who has taken the responsibility of protecting a woman and her daughter, Kristall. After her husband died drunk, Anadalune raised Cage as his own mother when his real mother wanted nothing to do with him. The husband had been a man who enjoyed spending his family fortune at the brewer’s and in company of doubtful women. He had hated the boy openly, while Anadalune loved him even when she knew he was her husband’s bastard son. When Kristall, was born Cage became the true elder brother and protector of her as well.
Times are hard for the family when they find themselves with no money, and according with the law women couldn’t own a house. The brother-in-law was to take over the mansion and their care, but he had plans of his own for the widow and her daughter… plans to keep them close and personal.
Cage’s reputation as a hired swordsman and that of a stern man kept the brother-in-law at bay.
When a great tournament is planned to give the winner a land of his own close to the castle, Cage decides to enter to earn the land for his family. But this tournament is more than meets the eye. There is a reason behind the contest that traps Cage in it.
The keepers are special magical women who have a very secret guardianship over the kingdom and lots of power over the king. Not everyone is happy with their power. Many view them as witches that need to be destroyed. Then what is it that keeps the king devoted to their cause… their spells over him or a cause more sinister that they keep hidden from the populace to battle alone?
You will find the answer to this and many more questions in The Keepers of Sulbreth. A great fantasy book for all fantasy lovers.
It is the story of a young man, Cage, who has taken the responsibility of protecting a woman and her daughter, Kristall. After her husband died drunk, Anadalune raised Cage as his own mother when his real mother wanted nothing to do with him. The husband had been a man who enjoyed spending his family fortune at the brewer’s and in company of doubtful women. He had hated the boy openly, while Anadalune loved him even when she knew he was her husband’s bastard son. When Kristall, was born Cage became the true elder brother and protector of her as well.
Times are hard for the family when they find themselves with no money, and according with the law women couldn’t own a house. The brother-in-law was to take over the mansion and their care, but he had plans of his own for the widow and her daughter… plans to keep them close and personal.
Cage’s reputation as a hired swordsman and that of a stern man kept the brother-in-law at bay.
When a great tournament is planned to give the winner a land of his own close to the castle, Cage decides to enter to earn the land for his family. But this tournament is more than meets the eye. There is a reason behind the contest that traps Cage in it.
The keepers are special magical women who have a very secret guardianship over the kingdom and lots of power over the king. Not everyone is happy with their power. Many view them as witches that need to be destroyed. Then what is it that keeps the king devoted to their cause… their spells over him or a cause more sinister that they keep hidden from the populace to battle alone?
You will find the answer to this and many more questions in The Keepers of Sulbreth. A great fantasy book for all fantasy lovers.
July 12, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed The Keepers of Sulbreth. The characters drew me into the story, and I found the relationship between the Keepers and their marshals fascinating. Cage Stone is no ordinary man. Not a typical hero,he has a complex history, and I suspect that his unique background will become even more important as the series continues. His relationship with Sabelline promises to add plenty of tension to the story, as he accompanies her on their quest. Although I was not overly fond of king Jonard at the beginning of the story, I liked him at the end of the first installment. There are many mysteries at play, and this first novel in the series set the stage with plenty of action and left me wanting more.
July 16, 2010
Great fantasy with demons and magic. This is the first in a new series, and the next doesn't come out until Jan 2011. I am excited to read more!
August 26, 2016
Great book, easy quick read, I couldn't put it down. A must read for all fantasy book lovers. Shame I can't get my hands on the rest of the series. :(
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews