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Chronicles of Llars #1
A Tide of Shadows
Carym of Hyrum is a respected village hero. That is until he is wrongly accused of rebellion and murder. Saved from execution at the hands of the authorities by the very band of rebels he despises, Carym must risk everything to repay the criminals for his freedom by undertaking a dangerous quest for a vial of water from the mythical Everpool.
Meanwhile, a dark wizard in league with the evil god,
Meanwhile, a dark wizard in league with the evil god,
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 23, 2011
96 people are currently reading
735 people want to read
About the author
Tom Bielawski
15 books15 followersSoftware developer, USMC veteran, veteran lawman, family man, and writer of books.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 24, 2012
Fantastic book for a debut novel. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
February 26, 2020
There is a lot going on in this book, we are getting introduced to the many players that will I'm guessing play major/important roles in the story arc, with many more to come as the books go on I'm thinking.I am interest to see how it all plays out. My only issue is how it reads. Like for a short book it has taken me longer then normal. The flow isn't as strong as the story it's self and I can see that being a draw back for people.
But I'm thinking this was the authors first novel and as the series goes on the reading of it will improve. :)
Actual rating: 3.75 stars
But I'm thinking this was the authors first novel and as the series goes on the reading of it will improve. :)
Actual rating: 3.75 stars
March 24, 2012
Just a suggestion before reading this book...schedule to have at least 3 days of nothing but reading! It's a long book...yet when you get to the end you can't help but feel disappointed that it didn't continue further!
The author keeps you hooked from beginning to end. You immerse yourself into a world called Llars while its characters bind you there. While reading, you're lost to the your current reality as he spins the tale of Carym and Shalthazar, two characters on opposing sides (good and evil) as they make their way to their own destiny and eventually, their own truths.
What's also great about `A Tide of Shadows' are the sub-characters, as well. The characters are anywhere from being human, creature or something else (like gods), are vividly brought to life and catches you (many times throughout the book), off guard. It's a suspenseful, fantastical and thrilling writing of an epic tale. The best part, it's a world that includes elves. But most of all, it's about one man's self-tortured soul and his journey to redeem himself. I loved this book!
Can't wait for the next book and continue on this wonderful and amazing journey!
The author keeps you hooked from beginning to end. You immerse yourself into a world called Llars while its characters bind you there. While reading, you're lost to the your current reality as he spins the tale of Carym and Shalthazar, two characters on opposing sides (good and evil) as they make their way to their own destiny and eventually, their own truths.
What's also great about `A Tide of Shadows' are the sub-characters, as well. The characters are anywhere from being human, creature or something else (like gods), are vividly brought to life and catches you (many times throughout the book), off guard. It's a suspenseful, fantastical and thrilling writing of an epic tale. The best part, it's a world that includes elves. But most of all, it's about one man's self-tortured soul and his journey to redeem himself. I loved this book!
Can't wait for the next book and continue on this wonderful and amazing journey!
February 21, 2012
liked it!
February 19, 2012
Book 1 in series
February 18, 2013
This book is released as an Epic Fantasy and it is certainly long enough to qualify. This is a book full of paradoxes - it is good but not good enough to pull me back for the second book; the hero is interesting but also quite dull at times; his best friend just comes across as being quite whiney and hasn't shared a lot of his life with his "best" friend. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book and people aren't always what you think they are. Although there is a lot of detail in this book, there are areas where not much is given although I think this will be embellished in the further books.
An interesting storyline which was enjoyable but just not enough to buy the second.
An interesting storyline which was enjoyable but just not enough to buy the second.
March 15, 2015
An average fantasy story with some interesting elements. however some characters seem unrealistic such as the best friend who had hidden much of his life from the main character. There was also one point where the immersion is totally shattered when on a ship the main character and a shipload of sailors start drinking seawater.
April 2, 2014
I'm not quite sure about this book. The idea, the imagination and the whole magic world was quite interesting but for some reason I wasn't as hooked as I hoped I would be. It was a good read, no doubt, but I wasn't on the edge of my seat, unable to put the book down.
September 3, 2014
Not too sure about this book. I was not as hooked as I thought I would be. It seemed that the author was trying too hard. Without delving into the same stereotypical comparisons to Tolkien this story was decent at best.
January 31, 2012
Poorly written, repetitive use of words to describe the character and his actions.
November 19, 2014
Not a bad read.
December 29, 2014
Fabulously written. Great creator of another world and its inhabitants. Anxious to continue the series.
March 6, 2019
Pass
Getting through this book was difficult. From the beginning there were errors that ought have been caught through proofreading. The use of phrases such as Hades when the established world and religion are not Greek, momentarily interrupt the illusion being presented in the book of their world. This example was not singular in nature, another illusory interruption would be the mounted trout in a bamboo home of a commoner. When compared to what was found in the homes of commoners during the Middle Ages. The story line takes place in a Middle Ages feudal type environment. Lastly there is character development, which makes the characters in the book to be nothing more than caricatures
Getting through this book was difficult. From the beginning there were errors that ought have been caught through proofreading. The use of phrases such as Hades when the established world and religion are not Greek, momentarily interrupt the illusion being presented in the book of their world. This example was not singular in nature, another illusory interruption would be the mounted trout in a bamboo home of a commoner. When compared to what was found in the homes of commoners during the Middle Ages. The story line takes place in a Middle Ages feudal type environment. Lastly there is character development, which makes the characters in the book to be nothing more than caricatures
January 18, 2018
A Tide of Shadows by Tom Bielawski is the first book in the Chronicles of Llars series. Carym of Hyrum finds he has powers that he didn't know he had, and embarks on a journey with his friend, Zach.
A Tide of Shadows has the good vs evil trope, which I love, but for some reason I just couldn't get into this story. There were many details given, but not the details I wanted. These details may be included in future books, however, I didn't care for the flow of the story enough to read future books. With that being said, I felt it a decent enough read for passing the time.
Purchased on Amazon.
A Tide of Shadows has the good vs evil trope, which I love, but for some reason I just couldn't get into this story. There were many details given, but not the details I wanted. These details may be included in future books, however, I didn't care for the flow of the story enough to read future books. With that being said, I felt it a decent enough read for passing the time.
Purchased on Amazon.
October 31, 2019
dnf at 1%
I know a story is in trouble when it starts with a character waking up "as usual." Then the author starts with backstory. Two strikes and you're out.
Included in Dark Matter & Dragons
I know a story is in trouble when it starts with a character waking up "as usual." Then the author starts with backstory. Two strikes and you're out.
Included in Dark Matter & Dragons
January 26, 2021
I just could not get into this book. I did not find the characters to be engaging.
March 11, 2023
I enjoyed reading this book and the series that followed it.
June 17, 2015
Literally the first part of a series
I really like endings. Happy or sad, they close the tale.
Here we have the beginning of several stories. So many, in fact, that character development suffers due to to many being introduced and none reach any kind of closure.
It is hard to feel sympathy for the hero, I think I know which one is the hero, but can't be sure, and feel antipathy for the villain, of which there are many. There is a guy that may end up being the hero or the villain, turning him into a tragic hero would be a great twist! But... can't know because there is only a beginning of the story, nothing else.
Although I understand the idea, get you hooked on the story to get you to buy the next installment, I like to see if the author can close successfully the story. That is, have an ending that closes the story. It can be tragedy, comedy, whatever, but a satisfying ending. Some closures are so good you are looking forward to the next book and the next adventure. Here the door opens, and you get a look inside the story, barely, but no closure at all.
That's the reason for the 3 stars. It may be a good story and it may be a great adventure, but is too hard to say from this introduction.
I really like endings. Happy or sad, they close the tale.
Here we have the beginning of several stories. So many, in fact, that character development suffers due to to many being introduced and none reach any kind of closure.
It is hard to feel sympathy for the hero, I think I know which one is the hero, but can't be sure, and feel antipathy for the villain, of which there are many. There is a guy that may end up being the hero or the villain, turning him into a tragic hero would be a great twist! But... can't know because there is only a beginning of the story, nothing else.
Although I understand the idea, get you hooked on the story to get you to buy the next installment, I like to see if the author can close successfully the story. That is, have an ending that closes the story. It can be tragedy, comedy, whatever, but a satisfying ending. Some closures are so good you are looking forward to the next book and the next adventure. Here the door opens, and you get a look inside the story, barely, but no closure at all.
That's the reason for the 3 stars. It may be a good story and it may be a great adventure, but is too hard to say from this introduction.
October 27, 2015
This book starts out a bit cumbersome, but picks up and hits it's voice about a third of the way into the book; from then on it flows well.
I have a bit of a dislike for "save the world" type stories (my personal opinion) in fantasy as they are over used to death. This does follow the typical prophetic figure emerges to doom the world and one emerges to save the world and they must clash to either save or damn the world... A tried formula, with little divergence. I will likely continue the series as I am always an optimist that something will turn for the unique, but this work is also filled with too many archetypes... like cardboard cut, slap some name on the hero and a darker villain, duplicitous friends, coincidental discoveries, etc. BUT I hold out that there will be deeper, fleshier things to come, especially seeing the rise of fluidity in tone and voice from the beginning of this book to the end.
I have a bit of a dislike for "save the world" type stories (my personal opinion) in fantasy as they are over used to death. This does follow the typical prophetic figure emerges to doom the world and one emerges to save the world and they must clash to either save or damn the world... A tried formula, with little divergence. I will likely continue the series as I am always an optimist that something will turn for the unique, but this work is also filled with too many archetypes... like cardboard cut, slap some name on the hero and a darker villain, duplicitous friends, coincidental discoveries, etc. BUT I hold out that there will be deeper, fleshier things to come, especially seeing the rise of fluidity in tone and voice from the beginning of this book to the end.
August 18, 2015
All in all, I'd say this was a pretty good debut novel for the author. The story line, while convoluted, was still more than interesting enough to keep my interest all along. The main characters that you meet all appear to be fast more complex than was originally let on, some the hero in particular seems at times to be amiable and at the and tone insipid and worthless. It makes for an intriguing cocktail of stimuli that definitely kept me turning pages very quickly. This is a very quick read to say the least, which is always nice. It took about 12 days if trading in 20 minute bursts every weekday on my commute home from work to finish with the occasional 20 minutes while eating my lunch. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next installment in the series.
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August 29, 2016UPDATE: I can't say this is a bad book, but I'm not just feeling it. It's a bit boring and it doesn't really capture me.
ORIGINAL:The first couple chapters were fine, but then shalthazar showed up and bored me to death. I'm over it.
ORIGINAL:The first couple chapters were fine, but then shalthazar showed up and bored me to death. I'm over it.
September 28, 2015
Great story
I enjoyed this book and have to say, Thank you.,for making this long enough so it took me several days to read, not hours. I look forward to getting the rest of your books.
I enjoyed this book and have to say, Thank you.,for making this long enough so it took me several days to read, not hours. I look forward to getting the rest of your books.
December 6, 2015
Ok, it was kind of a good read. I got it for free, so the value is good.
Will I read the next book? Probably not. Mostly because I have more urgent reads in front of me. But if I start wondering about what will happen to Carym and/or Zack, I will pick it up...
Will I read the next book? Probably not. Mostly because I have more urgent reads in front of me. But if I start wondering about what will happen to Carym and/or Zack, I will pick it up...
May 17, 2015
I can't believe I finally finished! The book was instantly interesting, then suddenly changed but in a way I'm glad I completed the reading. Things got incredibly more intriguing!
Want to read
June 18, 2015kindle
September 4, 2015
I liked this book
This book is a fairly good read the author did a good job of tried and true plot development in the story.
This book is a fairly good read the author did a good job of tried and true plot development in the story.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews