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Sunwielder
In a land on the brink of war, Gryff Worden discovers his family slaughtered, his farm in ruin.
Mortally wounded, he stumbles upon a timekeeper, an old woman of the northern forests, one who tracks the infinite paths of each life. She offers him a sunwield, a medallion promising to return him to the pivotal choices that swayed his life's journey. Her only condition—he must wear the bronze charm until the end.
Now his story remakes itself, casting him backward in time to moments of decision and death. His old life gone, he no longer remembers the purpose of the medallion burning his chest. As he uncovers the sunwield’s power, new choices lead him on an epic adventure through war, death, friendship, life, and love.
Mortally wounded, he stumbles upon a timekeeper, an old woman of the northern forests, one who tracks the infinite paths of each life. She offers him a sunwield, a medallion promising to return him to the pivotal choices that swayed his life's journey. Her only condition—he must wear the bronze charm until the end.
Now his story remakes itself, casting him backward in time to moments of decision and death. His old life gone, he no longer remembers the purpose of the medallion burning his chest. As he uncovers the sunwield’s power, new choices lead him on an epic adventure through war, death, friendship, life, and love.
- GenresFantasyTime Travel
426 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2014
About the author
D. Wallace Peach
24 books177 followersI didn’t care for reading as a child – I preferred Bonanza and Beverly Hillbillies reruns, Saturday morning cartoons and the Ed Sullivan show. Then one day, I opened a book titled The Hobbit.
Tolkien … literally changed my life.
I love to write. It’s a luxury I never expected I’d have time for – life got in the way. You know how that goes – kids, work, chores… sleep. I worked for 18 years in business where amassing coin was the all-consuming objective. It required huge amounts of time and mental energy. And for me personally, it was soul-slaying.
Then on September 11, 2001 two planes flew into the World Trade Center. I was working in Connecticut, about 2 hours from ground zero, and remember sitting in a conference room, watching the second tower fall.
That tragedy initiated a process of redefinition for me, an evaluation of what was vital and important. Life felt short and precarious, and I started to wonder if it was time to do something that actually mattered. I began to write.
Tolkien … literally changed my life.
I love to write. It’s a luxury I never expected I’d have time for – life got in the way. You know how that goes – kids, work, chores… sleep. I worked for 18 years in business where amassing coin was the all-consuming objective. It required huge amounts of time and mental energy. And for me personally, it was soul-slaying.
Then on September 11, 2001 two planes flew into the World Trade Center. I was working in Connecticut, about 2 hours from ground zero, and remember sitting in a conference room, watching the second tower fall.
That tragedy initiated a process of redefinition for me, an evaluation of what was vital and important. Life felt short and precarious, and I started to wonder if it was time to do something that actually mattered. I began to write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 21, 2019
I’d heard great things about D. Wallace Peach’s Sunwielder from a friend of mine, and it did not disappoint. The gritty time-travel fantasy book follows a humble farmer, Gryff, who is given the opportunity to repeat pivotal moments in his life so that he can make different, ideally better, choices.
The writing in Sunwielder is excellent, the world-building vast and complex, the characters easy to empathize with, and the plot a solidly woven, intricate knot of a story. I can only imagine that it was dizzying to keep track of what each character would remember at particular moments, but because D. Wallace Peach keeps all her plates spinning so expertly, it was never a confusing read.
I sometimes found the war scenes difficult to get through, but I suppose war is brutal and horrible. It was probably the right choice for Sunwielder to embrace those battles because combat profoundly changes Gryff and the world around him. It’s also clear that D. Wallace Peach did extensive research for the battle scenes, and that authenticity helps ground her story and the world it takes place in.
I love stories that take a single magical aspect and explore it thoroughly, so I found this book really enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
The writing in Sunwielder is excellent, the world-building vast and complex, the characters easy to empathize with, and the plot a solidly woven, intricate knot of a story. I can only imagine that it was dizzying to keep track of what each character would remember at particular moments, but because D. Wallace Peach keeps all her plates spinning so expertly, it was never a confusing read.
I sometimes found the war scenes difficult to get through, but I suppose war is brutal and horrible. It was probably the right choice for Sunwielder to embrace those battles because combat profoundly changes Gryff and the world around him. It’s also clear that D. Wallace Peach did extensive research for the battle scenes, and that authenticity helps ground her story and the world it takes place in.
I love stories that take a single magical aspect and explore it thoroughly, so I found this book really enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
October 4, 2019
In addition to having a killer name, D. Wallace Peach is a writer with talent, passion, ability, and imagination. It ain't fair and oughtn't be allowed!
Sunwielder is a finely crafted novel by someone who really knows what she is doing. Other reviewers have commented on the careful development of multiple characters, the convincing world building, and the effortless way the story is told, and I am not going to cover that ground again, other than to say that I concur generally with those sentiments.
What I particularly liked was the expert pacing of a plot that could easily have drowned the reader in an ever more confusing proliferation of alternate timelines and grandfather paradoxes. (I could name a few examples of this!) Instead, this trap is avoided with aplomb as the reader is given ample time to get to know the principal characters and to become familiar with the war and its complexities. Although the Sunwield is introduced early on, its effects are not fully explored until the reader is ready for them. I also thought the epilogue was a nice touch.
One thing I often wondered while reading was whether there was more to Brant's dislike of Gryff than met the eye, especially when Gryff confronts him about it and Brant seems to refer to a timeline which Gryff changed, but perhaps I missed something somewhere.
This was a very personal thought of mine, however, and doesn't detract from the overall strength of the book. Highly recommended.
Sunwielder is a finely crafted novel by someone who really knows what she is doing. Other reviewers have commented on the careful development of multiple characters, the convincing world building, and the effortless way the story is told, and I am not going to cover that ground again, other than to say that I concur generally with those sentiments.
What I particularly liked was the expert pacing of a plot that could easily have drowned the reader in an ever more confusing proliferation of alternate timelines and grandfather paradoxes. (I could name a few examples of this!) Instead, this trap is avoided with aplomb as the reader is given ample time to get to know the principal characters and to become familiar with the war and its complexities. Although the Sunwield is introduced early on, its effects are not fully explored until the reader is ready for them. I also thought the epilogue was a nice touch.
One thing I often wondered while reading was whether there was more to Brant's dislike of Gryff than met the eye, especially when Gryff confronts him about it and Brant seems to refer to a timeline which Gryff changed, but perhaps I missed something somewhere.
This was a very personal thought of mine, however, and doesn't detract from the overall strength of the book. Highly recommended.
August 6, 2016
Darkness crept from beneath the branches into the pastures, gardens, and paths of the village. The night sky glittered with stars and the summer wind blew light and warm. The once great Jen’alar Worden of the Aldykaran army, a man of consequence, a sunwielder, sat contentedly by the beautiful Estriilde, the woman he loved. They were the lifeblood of legends. Samoril touched his palm to his shirt, pressing the bronze medallion to his chest. If the end of his journey delivered him to an evening such as this, he would bear the burdens along the way. He would choose such a life after all.
Sunwielder by D. Wallace Peach is a powerful and moving novel which follows the tragedy and triumph of Gryff Worden. It is a story of choices, love, loss, family, hope and life wonderfully told. The story is plotted coherently notwithstanding its twists and turns. The main protagonist will strongly appeal to many readers. It is a delightful story rendered brilliantly.
Author D. Wallace Peach lives in the coastal mountain range of Oregon amid the moss and rain and giant forests. She shares a log cabin with her husband, two dogs and Pinky the cat. Her previous works are Myths of the Mirror and The Melding of Aeris. Her next release, a duology, Myths of the Dragon Soul, Book I: Eye of Fire and Book II: Eye of Blind, a sequel to Myths of the Mirror, will soon hit the stands.
Sunwielder by D. Wallace Peach is a powerful and moving novel which follows the tragedy and triumph of Gryff Worden. It is a story of choices, love, loss, family, hope and life wonderfully told. The story is plotted coherently notwithstanding its twists and turns. The main protagonist will strongly appeal to many readers. It is a delightful story rendered brilliantly.
Author D. Wallace Peach lives in the coastal mountain range of Oregon amid the moss and rain and giant forests. She shares a log cabin with her husband, two dogs and Pinky the cat. Her previous works are Myths of the Mirror and The Melding of Aeris. Her next release, a duology, Myths of the Dragon Soul, Book I: Eye of Fire and Book II: Eye of Blind, a sequel to Myths of the Mirror, will soon hit the stands.
July 31, 2017
An excellent fantasy novel that is at times alternately beautiful, spellbinding and suspenseful. The author has an amazing skill with words, bringing every scene vividly to life. Sometimes, I simply had to stop and marvel at the pictures D. Wallace Peach painted with prose. Those range from the warmth of family life to the arrogance of royals, even the horrors of battle.
Gryff, a young farmer with a family finds his world turned upside down due to one fateful encounter during a bridge crossing. That moment has far-reaching consequences for him and many around him. When the first of those consequences ends in tragedy, Gryff is gifted with a Sunwield medallion which allows him to go back in time and change the decisions that led to catastrophe. The medallion has 27 lines, allowing him 27 chances to change/avert disaster over the course of years. During that time his role changes from farmer to soldier to commander.
The premise is interesting and the story richly detailed. I can’t say enough about the writer’s skill and story-telling ability. I also have to mention how much I loved the character Estrillde. I think she was my favorite in the book!
Gryff, a young farmer with a family finds his world turned upside down due to one fateful encounter during a bridge crossing. That moment has far-reaching consequences for him and many around him. When the first of those consequences ends in tragedy, Gryff is gifted with a Sunwield medallion which allows him to go back in time and change the decisions that led to catastrophe. The medallion has 27 lines, allowing him 27 chances to change/avert disaster over the course of years. During that time his role changes from farmer to soldier to commander.
The premise is interesting and the story richly detailed. I can’t say enough about the writer’s skill and story-telling ability. I also have to mention how much I loved the character Estrillde. I think she was my favorite in the book!
March 28, 2014
I don't give many 5 star reviews, but this is a very clever book. Without giving too many spoilers away, I love the way D. Wallace Peach handles the magic of the Sunwielder and how it works as an opportunity for the main character to grow and learn from his experiences. Very much a page turner. I would recommend it to anyone.
March 13, 2019
My husband and I rarely find books that we both enjoy - he has his genres, I have mine. But we both enjoy reading books by D. Wallace Peach and talking about them after we read them. The Sunwielder is no exception. In my husband's words, It's a story that takes you away from the day-to-day grind and places you in another world - one that you wonder could it possibly really exist, or did it? Peach's world-building is amazing. We both loved the concept of how life could change if someone or something changed the pathway you were following. We talked about this book for hours - and shared it with friends. We recommend it no matter what genre you usually read!
February 13, 2015
This is a great book. An epic story, which reminds me quite a bit of The Return of the King. But instead of wizards and magic, this book has a strange kind of time travel. A device that is given to a young farmer, to change his path. To alter his past, and his future.
The story starts with the young farmer, Gryff, living his happy life, on his farm, with his wife, and the rest of his simple family. Then, men come and burn his world to the ground. They kill his entire family. Even raped his wife, and hung her up, naked in a tree. Gryff finds her, and buries her. Then, he lays there by the stone grave, dying of his own wounds.
He wakes up in some old woman's cottage. Her own granddaughter laying dead, next to Gryff. She nurses him back to health and gives him the Sunwield. It's a medallion that she places around his neck. She explains that, if he wears this medallion, that he can change his path. He can roll back time, to save his loved ones, and in the process, save her granddaughter as well.
The old woman and her people sort of remind me of Native Americans, in their belief system. They're very Zen, and spiritual. It wouldn't surprise me one bit, if she was a total pot head. With wind chimes, and dream catchers hanging in her cottage.
Of course, Gryff doesn't understand a goddamn word she said. He figures she's just some raving lunatic. But he's at least grateful that she saved his life. He tries to get some rest, and when he wakes, he finds himself back at his farm, doing his chores. Gathering eggs, and such.
What the fuck is happening? He has no fucking clue. He's not aware of the Sunwield at all. He has no control over it. It just saves his life over and over. There's like 30 notches in this Sunwield. So, it's like 30 lives. Every time something bad happens, he can feel it getting warm on his chest, and then time goes all wobbly, and switches back to before everything went wrong, giving him an opportunity to change his future.
But what good is such a device to a simple farmer? None at all, really. So of course, I'm not really surprised when soldiers come to his farm, and force him into service for the king. Because war is coming, and they need all the bodies they can get. Plus, Gryff is a horse breeder, so he agrees to go with them, to train the horses they purchased from his farm.
Gryff makes the perfect soldier, because he is pretty much invincible. Whenever he dies, he gets to come back to battle with forethought of what's to come. So he quickly raises in the ranks, and soon has command over 600 horsemen.
So, what I'm saying is, this book turns into a medieval version of All You Need Is Kill. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you. It still makes for a great story, full of love and hope and valor.
I really enjoyed reading it, even though I could tell as soon as he met the old woman's vibrant and alive granddaughter, he'd end up ditching his wife. I mean, he really didn't have much choice. The Native American chick was a warrior, and he was thrust (heh, I said thrust) into battle with her. What else were they gonna do, play patty-cake?
The story starts with the young farmer, Gryff, living his happy life, on his farm, with his wife, and the rest of his simple family. Then, men come and burn his world to the ground. They kill his entire family. Even raped his wife, and hung her up, naked in a tree. Gryff finds her, and buries her. Then, he lays there by the stone grave, dying of his own wounds.
He wakes up in some old woman's cottage. Her own granddaughter laying dead, next to Gryff. She nurses him back to health and gives him the Sunwield. It's a medallion that she places around his neck. She explains that, if he wears this medallion, that he can change his path. He can roll back time, to save his loved ones, and in the process, save her granddaughter as well.
The old woman and her people sort of remind me of Native Americans, in their belief system. They're very Zen, and spiritual. It wouldn't surprise me one bit, if she was a total pot head. With wind chimes, and dream catchers hanging in her cottage.
Of course, Gryff doesn't understand a goddamn word she said. He figures she's just some raving lunatic. But he's at least grateful that she saved his life. He tries to get some rest, and when he wakes, he finds himself back at his farm, doing his chores. Gathering eggs, and such.
What the fuck is happening? He has no fucking clue. He's not aware of the Sunwield at all. He has no control over it. It just saves his life over and over. There's like 30 notches in this Sunwield. So, it's like 30 lives. Every time something bad happens, he can feel it getting warm on his chest, and then time goes all wobbly, and switches back to before everything went wrong, giving him an opportunity to change his future.
But what good is such a device to a simple farmer? None at all, really. So of course, I'm not really surprised when soldiers come to his farm, and force him into service for the king. Because war is coming, and they need all the bodies they can get. Plus, Gryff is a horse breeder, so he agrees to go with them, to train the horses they purchased from his farm.
Gryff makes the perfect soldier, because he is pretty much invincible. Whenever he dies, he gets to come back to battle with forethought of what's to come. So he quickly raises in the ranks, and soon has command over 600 horsemen.
So, what I'm saying is, this book turns into a medieval version of All You Need Is Kill. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you. It still makes for a great story, full of love and hope and valor.
I really enjoyed reading it, even though I could tell as soon as he met the old woman's vibrant and alive granddaughter, he'd end up ditching his wife. I mean, he really didn't have much choice. The Native American chick was a warrior, and he was thrust (heh, I said thrust) into battle with her. What else were they gonna do, play patty-cake?
August 12, 2014
I was enthralled by this book from the first page.
The attention to detail was one aspect that brought the book to life for me. The characters were described so that I could see them and their surroundings; this is very important to me when a story is as complex, and has as many characters and scenes, as this book does. I was easily able to follow Gryff through his travels, and see what he saw. The details in the war scenarios were equally as important as those of the characters, and author D. Wallace Peach did an amazing job bringing the battles to life, from the action and gore on the field down to the emotions before and after.
The plot was unique to me, and it worked well. It followed Gryff through his many choices, leading him back to have a second chance to correct his path each time one way failed, until he, and the land, finally arrived at the moment that was supposed to happen. I enjoyed seeing the infinite number of choices that could have been made, and how one small decision that seemed inconsequential could have such an enormous impact on everyone around him.
Sunwielder made me think quite a bit, not just about the book itself, but about my everyday life and the choices I make.
The only downside is that my house did not get cleaned while I was reading, I just couldn't put the book down. Thank you, D, for a great read.
The attention to detail was one aspect that brought the book to life for me. The characters were described so that I could see them and their surroundings; this is very important to me when a story is as complex, and has as many characters and scenes, as this book does. I was easily able to follow Gryff through his travels, and see what he saw. The details in the war scenarios were equally as important as those of the characters, and author D. Wallace Peach did an amazing job bringing the battles to life, from the action and gore on the field down to the emotions before and after.
The plot was unique to me, and it worked well. It followed Gryff through his many choices, leading him back to have a second chance to correct his path each time one way failed, until he, and the land, finally arrived at the moment that was supposed to happen. I enjoyed seeing the infinite number of choices that could have been made, and how one small decision that seemed inconsequential could have such an enormous impact on everyone around him.
Sunwielder made me think quite a bit, not just about the book itself, but about my everyday life and the choices I make.
The only downside is that my house did not get cleaned while I was reading, I just couldn't put the book down. Thank you, D, for a great read.
January 8, 2021
I do not read a lot of fantasy books, but I make an exception for D. Wallace Peach as her books are extraordinary and unique.
Gryff Worden is an ordinary man who just wants to help his uncle and aunt raise horses on their farm while raising his own family. Gryff adores his wife and two children, but there is bad blood between Gryff and the son of the Earl who rules his area. The hostility is emanates from Brant Loden's side only, but it changes the course of Gryff's life.
Gryff's country is attacked by an aggressive nation who want to enslave his people and he is eventually morally wounded and his family murdered by enemy soldiers. At the time of his death he is visited by an elderly prophet who offers him another chance at life if he accepts the sunwielder, a bronze medallion which allows him to go back in time and revise decisions he made thereby changing his life's path. I thought this concept was clever and unique. I have read other books where the hero can go back in time, but this particular method and the limited number of life choices offered by the sunwielder was something quite different and fascinating.
Gryff is a wonderful character, he is a good man and tries to do the right thing in all situations but he is human and, therefore, susceptible to various human failings like anger and resentment. It was most interesting to experience his going back in time and having to try an alternative approach when his previous choice failed. As Gryff moved further along his path, his choices improved and his self control and discipline increased allowing him to make better choices earlier and without constant intervention.
There is a love story thread that runs through the book and this is intriguing as the reader doesn't know how his relationships with his wife and with his lover are going to turn out - his destiny in this regard is unclear for most of the book.
There are a number of characters in this book and it provides great insight into the frailties of men and how arrogance, greed, and hunger for power can destroy individuals and the people around them. Good leadership is a strong theme in this book and the importance of strategy and leadership in war and battles is highlighted.
The author writes the most beautiful and powerful prose and even without the incredible story, this book would have been worth reading just to experience the skillful writing. I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and those who enjoy excellent writing.
Gryff Worden is an ordinary man who just wants to help his uncle and aunt raise horses on their farm while raising his own family. Gryff adores his wife and two children, but there is bad blood between Gryff and the son of the Earl who rules his area. The hostility is emanates from Brant Loden's side only, but it changes the course of Gryff's life.
Gryff's country is attacked by an aggressive nation who want to enslave his people and he is eventually morally wounded and his family murdered by enemy soldiers. At the time of his death he is visited by an elderly prophet who offers him another chance at life if he accepts the sunwielder, a bronze medallion which allows him to go back in time and revise decisions he made thereby changing his life's path. I thought this concept was clever and unique. I have read other books where the hero can go back in time, but this particular method and the limited number of life choices offered by the sunwielder was something quite different and fascinating.
Gryff is a wonderful character, he is a good man and tries to do the right thing in all situations but he is human and, therefore, susceptible to various human failings like anger and resentment. It was most interesting to experience his going back in time and having to try an alternative approach when his previous choice failed. As Gryff moved further along his path, his choices improved and his self control and discipline increased allowing him to make better choices earlier and without constant intervention.
There is a love story thread that runs through the book and this is intriguing as the reader doesn't know how his relationships with his wife and with his lover are going to turn out - his destiny in this regard is unclear for most of the book.
There are a number of characters in this book and it provides great insight into the frailties of men and how arrogance, greed, and hunger for power can destroy individuals and the people around them. Good leadership is a strong theme in this book and the importance of strategy and leadership in war and battles is highlighted.
The author writes the most beautiful and powerful prose and even without the incredible story, this book would have been worth reading just to experience the skillful writing. I highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and those who enjoy excellent writing.
November 14, 2022
A book divided
I LOVE the premise for this book. A fantasy version of Groundhog Day! Sign me up. I love stories where characters get to repeat things until they get it right.
Kudos to the writer for sucking me into the story from the first page and getting me to care so deeply for Gryff, a horse breeder, and his family. I was devastated by the death of his wife and children and couldn’t wait to read about Gryff setting things right.
The beginning of the book is a solid 5/5 for me. I loved the close character study of Gryff, his courtship and romance with Allanna, his desire to train in fighting in order to protect his beloved, the mystery of the animosity from the local lord. It’s so well written and engaging, I inhaled the pages.
Gryff wears the sunwield, a medallion that gives him 27 chances at doing over aspects of his life. The do overs are random, but usually prompted by death (not necessarily Gryff’s), and he’s transported back to random times rather than to shortly before the deciding incident.
Unfortunately, the book veered into territory that I was too distant from the book I wanted to read. While I understand the author wanted to show how we sometimes lose that which we set out to hold onto, certain incidents didn’t make sense to me and I disliked the change from the close character story to the wide reaching unfolding of endless battles. I found it hard to be interested in a war where I didn’t know the countries or why they were fighting, and the endless list of character and place names were meaningless. The world building just wasn’t there to keep me invested in the broader story. My interest in the book went from 100% to 0. I struggled to finish it.
Ultimately, for a book that started out talking about choices, it is revealed that Gryff has no choice at all. The medallion didn’t give him an opportunity to rewrite his fate, but made him a pawn of others who decided his fate, wielding him as a weapon to determine the outcome they saw fit and save the people they valued. This apparently is okay, and all the characters in the book are happy with the outcome. They don’t care that they’re used, because all they have is today.
The author is talented and this novel is certainly ambitious. Unfortunately, Gryff ended up taking a journey that I didn’t want to accompany him on.
5/5 for the first part of the book
1/5 for the rest of it
3/5 overall
I LOVE the premise for this book. A fantasy version of Groundhog Day! Sign me up. I love stories where characters get to repeat things until they get it right.
Kudos to the writer for sucking me into the story from the first page and getting me to care so deeply for Gryff, a horse breeder, and his family. I was devastated by the death of his wife and children and couldn’t wait to read about Gryff setting things right.
The beginning of the book is a solid 5/5 for me. I loved the close character study of Gryff, his courtship and romance with Allanna, his desire to train in fighting in order to protect his beloved, the mystery of the animosity from the local lord. It’s so well written and engaging, I inhaled the pages.
Gryff wears the sunwield, a medallion that gives him 27 chances at doing over aspects of his life. The do overs are random, but usually prompted by death (not necessarily Gryff’s), and he’s transported back to random times rather than to shortly before the deciding incident.
Unfortunately, the book veered into territory that I was too distant from the book I wanted to read. While I understand the author wanted to show how we sometimes lose that which we set out to hold onto, certain incidents didn’t make sense to me and I disliked the change from the close character story to the wide reaching unfolding of endless battles. I found it hard to be interested in a war where I didn’t know the countries or why they were fighting, and the endless list of character and place names were meaningless. The world building just wasn’t there to keep me invested in the broader story. My interest in the book went from 100% to 0. I struggled to finish it.
Ultimately, for a book that started out talking about choices, it is revealed that Gryff has no choice at all. The medallion didn’t give him an opportunity to rewrite his fate, but made him a pawn of others who decided his fate, wielding him as a weapon to determine the outcome they saw fit and save the people they valued. This apparently is okay, and all the characters in the book are happy with the outcome. They don’t care that they’re used, because all they have is today.
The author is talented and this novel is certainly ambitious. Unfortunately, Gryff ended up taking a journey that I didn’t want to accompany him on.
5/5 for the first part of the book
1/5 for the rest of it
3/5 overall
October 19, 2019
In Sunwielder (2016), D. Wallace Peach's fantasy world is not unlike Earth's medieval world of hardworking commoners, feudal lords, and warring kingdoms. The hero Gryff wants only to be a farmer and raise horses when his entire family is wiped out by a man who hates him for no apparent reason. When he has the opportunity to change his past with the time traveling Sunwielder, given to him by a timekeeper from a neighboring land, he takes it without questioning the cost. Even though it means he must leave the pastoral beauty of his farm, the loving warmth of his family, and spend the next years as a soldier, fighting a battle his farmer self barely cares about, he takes it. His one promise to his wife when he married her was that he'd keep her safe. He doesn't intend to break that promise. From the moment he dons the Sunwielder, his life is controlled by a future he isn't sure of. All he knows is when the present doesn't work out 'right', he dies and gets to try again.
This is a fast-paced story of undying love, baseless hate, and how a family's life becomes the pawn between those two. One of the most beautiful parts of this story is simply the way Peach links her words. Read this:
"Nearly three hundred men in the great hall dropped to one knee, right knuckles to the floor, heads bowed."
"Black oaks, dark with summer leaves, swathed the trail in shifting shadow. Shafts of sunlight speared the forest floor, altered only by the sway of branches in the heated wind."
Peach has a way of picking exactly the right word to evoke so much more than the meaning would promise. Few are better at world building. This is highly recommended not only for those who love fantasies but those who enjoy a good military thriller.
This is a fast-paced story of undying love, baseless hate, and how a family's life becomes the pawn between those two. One of the most beautiful parts of this story is simply the way Peach links her words. Read this:
"Nearly three hundred men in the great hall dropped to one knee, right knuckles to the floor, heads bowed."
"Black oaks, dark with summer leaves, swathed the trail in shifting shadow. Shafts of sunlight speared the forest floor, altered only by the sway of branches in the heated wind."
Peach has a way of picking exactly the right word to evoke so much more than the meaning would promise. Few are better at world building. This is highly recommended not only for those who love fantasies but those who enjoy a good military thriller.
February 12, 2020
“As he uncovers the sunwield’s power, new choices lead him on an epic adventure through war, death, friendship, life, and love.”
There are rare times when the blurb says it all. I can't add much to it, other than to say the writing behind the concept is excellent.
Gryff's life is well, tragic. But with the sunwielder as he faces tragedy he is transported back in time to the moment that where a choice led him down the path to that tragedy, often to a different tragedy.
If you are a fan of epic novels seeing a character's life unfolded before them, you will find D. writes these excellently. If the premise is something you find appealing in an epic novel I would recommend this.
There are rare times when the blurb says it all. I can't add much to it, other than to say the writing behind the concept is excellent.
Gryff's life is well, tragic. But with the sunwielder as he faces tragedy he is transported back in time to the moment that where a choice led him down the path to that tragedy, often to a different tragedy.
If you are a fan of epic novels seeing a character's life unfolded before them, you will find D. writes these excellently. If the premise is something you find appealing in an epic novel I would recommend this.
July 7, 2019
This is an exciting fantasy novel that is well written and surprisingly suspenseful. The scenes really jump to life and I often got totally immersed in the story. The world-building is thought-out and deep. It’s truly another land with cultures and customs that added to my total immersion into the story.
I was most impressed with Gryff’s character arc, growing from a simple farmer to a confident and competent commander. I highly recommend the book and look forward to reading more books by D. Wallace Peach.
I was most impressed with Gryff’s character arc, growing from a simple farmer to a confident and competent commander. I highly recommend the book and look forward to reading more books by D. Wallace Peach.
December 1, 2022
This is a fun time travel fantasy story. It is a good book with vivid and awesome descriptions of the surroundings and characters. People basically get to relive their lives and get a do-over, which reminded me of Nicholas Cage in the Weatherman or The Family Man, for some reason. They use these sun medallions to basically follow through until the end of their journey. There are some parts that went a little over my head, as you don't fully understand how something is possible or who is fighting who. I typically am not that big on fantasy books that deal with time travel or too much magical jumping around, but this is a well-written novel that will certainly entertain the average reader, and really shines in other places.
March 9, 2015
I was lucky enough to receive this book as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways, and because of that I was determined to give an honest review.
I would have liked to have given this novel more stars as I really did genuinely like the idea of how one person's action can change everyone's lives, as well as really enjoying the basic storyline. However, I just didn't get into the book as much as I had hoped I would.
There were some parts I absolutely adored, especially the parts when Gryff has to make a decision, as I felt I was getting to know the character(s) more in-depth so I could understand their views, actions and beliefs. But at other points I often found myself getting confused by the names and politics of the nations, as well as getting a bit lost in the numerous battles and all the formations. And sadly, it was that confusion which detached me from the story and led to me not enjoying the book as much as I had hoped.
That said, I still think it is definitely worth the read as it really made me aware of how one small action can have major repercussions and since reading the book I've been second guessing every decision!
I would have liked to have given this novel more stars as I really did genuinely like the idea of how one person's action can change everyone's lives, as well as really enjoying the basic storyline. However, I just didn't get into the book as much as I had hoped I would.
There were some parts I absolutely adored, especially the parts when Gryff has to make a decision, as I felt I was getting to know the character(s) more in-depth so I could understand their views, actions and beliefs. But at other points I often found myself getting confused by the names and politics of the nations, as well as getting a bit lost in the numerous battles and all the formations. And sadly, it was that confusion which detached me from the story and led to me not enjoying the book as much as I had hoped.
That said, I still think it is definitely worth the read as it really made me aware of how one small action can have major repercussions and since reading the book I've been second guessing every decision!
May 11, 2014
The warrior rode cautiously. Black oaks and silvergreen, dark with summer leaves, swathed the trail in shifting shadow. Shafts of sunlight speared the forest floor, altered only by the sway of graceful branches in the heated wind. This is the beginning of Author D. Wallace Peach’s novel, Sunwielder. It’s a story about Gryff Worden, who finds his family slaughtered in his farmyard. Mortally wounded, he stumbles upon a timekeeper, an old woman of a foreign land who tracks the infinite paths of each life. She offers him a sunwield, a mystical medallion that has the power to alter life’s paths. As he descends on a new journey, leaving the his old life behind, but never forgetting the past, he enters a world filled with war, death, new friendships and love. The amount of heartache and hardship Gryff suffers throughout his journey is almost unbearable. Author D. Wallace Peach’s virtuosity as a storyteller sucks you in on the first page and doesn't let go until the last word is read. The Sunwielder is a book that a great many people are going to admire, and that few people will be able to read without being moved.
March 24, 2015
Fascinating! Who doesn’t wish they had the chance to do it over again. I know I have wanted a ‘do over’ many, many times. Our hero Gryff is just a regular guy that makes regular guy mistakes that cost him and eventually his family dearly. Unlike you and me, he gets chances to for a ‘do over’ and makes things right. It isn't easy and he struggles with the life he is given. Even though he lived in a different world at a different time, I found I very much related to him and the problems he faced.
The characters are very believable and likeable. Nobody is perfect, but they try hard and eventually do the right things.
I’m giving Sunwielder five stars because I had such a good time reading it. It just feels good to read. The story is great, the people likeable and the bad guys are real good to not like. It was easy and fun, the perfect formula for relaxing with enough plot and twists to keep me interested and occasionally surprised while I enjoyed my free time. I was surprised and very happy at where Gryff finally ended up. It felt both satisfying and real.
If you enjoy fantasy/scifi this book is for you.
I will definitely pick up another book by this author.
The characters are very believable and likeable. Nobody is perfect, but they try hard and eventually do the right things.
I’m giving Sunwielder five stars because I had such a good time reading it. It just feels good to read. The story is great, the people likeable and the bad guys are real good to not like. It was easy and fun, the perfect formula for relaxing with enough plot and twists to keep me interested and occasionally surprised while I enjoyed my free time. I was surprised and very happy at where Gryff finally ended up. It felt both satisfying and real.
If you enjoy fantasy/scifi this book is for you.
I will definitely pick up another book by this author.
March 31, 2020
Solid characters and prose with an entertaining, well-paced story that successfully sidesteps the two pitfalls inherent to it; the first being that its main conceit (a character being returned in time when they die) necessitates the reiteration of a previous encounter/scene; and the second that the main character can cheat death to rewrite it. The second of these is particularly well handled since the deaths maintain their impact throughout.
From a more personal perspective, I would have liked a few more fantastical elements since the story really only features the sunweld. There was also a culminating moment I found less satisfying than I would like (being purposefully vague to avoid spoilers.)
Those two personal qualms aside, a very enjoyable book.
While hiding from the sun for eons, a stroke of reflected insanity struck us and my brother and braved the light of a slapdash set to record a video review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuBk9...
From a more personal perspective, I would have liked a few more fantastical elements since the story really only features the sunweld. There was also a culminating moment I found less satisfying than I would like (being purposefully vague to avoid spoilers.)
Those two personal qualms aside, a very enjoyable book.
While hiding from the sun for eons, a stroke of reflected insanity struck us and my brother and braved the light of a slapdash set to record a video review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuBk9...
August 17, 2022
Despite the gorgeous prose and vividly imagined setting, this book was a tough read for me. But before I say why, I must acknowledge the author's skills in use of language and especially of imagining scenes and rendering them into words. Here's the first paragraph:
"The warrior rode in silence. Black oaks, dark with summer leaves, swathed the trail in shifting shadow. Shafts of sunlight speared the forest floor, altered only by the sway of branches in the heated wind. She directed the mare with her knees, an arrow nocked in her recurve bow. A short sword, with a breath of a curve, rested in its scabbard at her belt, the ornate guard and curling quillon studded with moonstones."
And so it continues, rich with detail and the terminology of weapons, because this fictional world is at war. The life of the main character, Gryff Worden, is traced from young adulthood onward. We see him learn swordcraft and horse breeding, we follow his courtship and marriage, the beginnings of a family, only to be swept up with him into an army at war. Chapter after chapter deal with preparing for battle, strategies, bloody combat and its aftermath, only to regroup and do it all again. And again. The pages bristle with names, ranks, and terms for units of quasi-medieval armed forces. I most definitely respect the author for working out the details of a years-long campaign, full of victories and defeats, loss of friends, and having to eat horse meat.
Over and over again, the reader is reminded that War is Hell. Gryff longs to return to his farm and family, to find out if they are still alive, but is constantly denied because that is not his fate. His fate is contained in a medallion called the sunwield. While he carries it, he may exchange death for a different outcome. Because of this, some bloody scenes are repeated. Is there such a thing as reader's PTSD? Because I think I experienced it a few times. And I have to admit I skimmed sections that began with yet another battle.
So what kept me reading? Simply that I wanted to find out whether Gryff ever returns to his farm and family. And I wanted to know more about the sunwield. Where does it come from? Who decides who is given it? How does it work?
Were these questions answered? The final chapters provided some answers, but much remains a mystery. And even though Gryff sort of figures out how to use the sunwield, I was left feeling that he still didn't have much choice as to his ultimate fate. The ending, although satisfying, leaves the reader with much to think about. 4.5 stars, rounded up.
I recommend this book to readers of serious fantasy, especially those who appreciate realistic descriptions of armed conflict.
"The warrior rode in silence. Black oaks, dark with summer leaves, swathed the trail in shifting shadow. Shafts of sunlight speared the forest floor, altered only by the sway of branches in the heated wind. She directed the mare with her knees, an arrow nocked in her recurve bow. A short sword, with a breath of a curve, rested in its scabbard at her belt, the ornate guard and curling quillon studded with moonstones."
And so it continues, rich with detail and the terminology of weapons, because this fictional world is at war. The life of the main character, Gryff Worden, is traced from young adulthood onward. We see him learn swordcraft and horse breeding, we follow his courtship and marriage, the beginnings of a family, only to be swept up with him into an army at war. Chapter after chapter deal with preparing for battle, strategies, bloody combat and its aftermath, only to regroup and do it all again. And again. The pages bristle with names, ranks, and terms for units of quasi-medieval armed forces. I most definitely respect the author for working out the details of a years-long campaign, full of victories and defeats, loss of friends, and having to eat horse meat.
Over and over again, the reader is reminded that War is Hell. Gryff longs to return to his farm and family, to find out if they are still alive, but is constantly denied because that is not his fate. His fate is contained in a medallion called the sunwield. While he carries it, he may exchange death for a different outcome. Because of this, some bloody scenes are repeated. Is there such a thing as reader's PTSD? Because I think I experienced it a few times. And I have to admit I skimmed sections that began with yet another battle.
So what kept me reading? Simply that I wanted to find out whether Gryff ever returns to his farm and family. And I wanted to know more about the sunwield. Where does it come from? Who decides who is given it? How does it work?
Were these questions answered? The final chapters provided some answers, but much remains a mystery. And even though Gryff sort of figures out how to use the sunwield, I was left feeling that he still didn't have much choice as to his ultimate fate. The ending, although satisfying, leaves the reader with much to think about. 4.5 stars, rounded up.
I recommend this book to readers of serious fantasy, especially those who appreciate realistic descriptions of armed conflict.
December 13, 2020
(Maybe 3.5 or something around there. I was a bit conflicted on what to rate this one.)
Sunwielder follows the story of Gryff, a horse breeder and loving husband and father of two children in his first lifetime, as he becomes (with the help/coercion of the sunwield and Estriide's grandma) a general for the Aldykaran army. (And without going into spoilers, let's just say that he is a very successful general.)
The narrative voice is very nice with this story. There were parts that I found gorgeous. I also liked the idea of a time travel device that lets you remake your decisions in a fantasy novel, so that you can learn from your mistakes, but the problem is, he never remembers when it resets. He gets feelings, but he doesn't actually consciously have to learn from whatever mistake he made. He just has to do something different. And the outcomes seem almost random, like one time his daughter drowned, but cheating on his fiancée fixes this for some reason. I think this is the first thing that bothered me.
The other part was the glut of place names, squad names, name-names, and the fact that every character who stepped foot in even one page of the book was given a name. I felt like this bogged the book down immensely.
The other thing I had issue with was the fact that (and I'm not sure why I felt this way) it seemed like most of the book was written more as a summary of things that happened. Most of the wars scenes were very distant and repetitive to me. Due to this, I thought the book was a bit laborious to read. I also thought the book's theme kind of glorified impulsivity, and I didn't much care for that.
I did, however, enjoy the ending. It felt the most present to me, and the thing that tied most of the book back up neatly (I particularly enjoyed the fact that the repeated words of living in the present took on a new meaning once the sunwield was removed). The beginning was also nice when there was kind of a mystery to how Gryff would fix his problems starting back in his adolescence. Overall, however, I'm a bit confused. This book certainly had its moments, but the bulk of it was kind of boring, to me.
(I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Sunwielder follows the story of Gryff, a horse breeder and loving husband and father of two children in his first lifetime, as he becomes (with the help/coercion of the sunwield and Estriide's grandma) a general for the Aldykaran army. (And without going into spoilers, let's just say that he is a very successful general.)
The narrative voice is very nice with this story. There were parts that I found gorgeous. I also liked the idea of a time travel device that lets you remake your decisions in a fantasy novel, so that you can learn from your mistakes, but the problem is, he never remembers when it resets. He gets feelings, but he doesn't actually consciously have to learn from whatever mistake he made. He just has to do something different. And the outcomes seem almost random, like one time his daughter drowned, but cheating on his fiancée fixes this for some reason. I think this is the first thing that bothered me.
The other part was the glut of place names, squad names, name-names, and the fact that every character who stepped foot in even one page of the book was given a name. I felt like this bogged the book down immensely.
The other thing I had issue with was the fact that (and I'm not sure why I felt this way) it seemed like most of the book was written more as a summary of things that happened. Most of the wars scenes were very distant and repetitive to me. Due to this, I thought the book was a bit laborious to read. I also thought the book's theme kind of glorified impulsivity, and I didn't much care for that.
I did, however, enjoy the ending. It felt the most present to me, and the thing that tied most of the book back up neatly (I particularly enjoyed the fact that the repeated words of living in the present took on a new meaning once the sunwield was removed). The beginning was also nice when there was kind of a mystery to how Gryff would fix his problems starting back in his adolescence. Overall, however, I'm a bit confused. This book certainly had its moments, but the bulk of it was kind of boring, to me.
(I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
July 25, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The author, D. Wallace Peach, creates an absolutely fascinating world and a very interesting main character. Once I got into it, I really wanted to find out what happened.
The sunwield is a bronze medallion that allows Gryff Worden to go back in time to pivotal moments in his life, to make new choices and find a better path. He starts his journey after his family is murdered, but in seeking to protect them from such a horrible fate, Gryff goes on an epic journey, becoming an entirely different man in the process, and radically changing not only his own life, but the lives of all the people around him.
Some things I really loved: the vivid characters, including Gryff and his friends. The different cultures, including the Edriisans, who believe that time is never a straight line, but that all choices are branching and woven threads that exist at all times. And while some reviewers didn't like having Gryff relive some parts of his life over again, I found it intriguing to see how all his choices played out.
If I had a criticism, I'd say that some of the battle scenes are a bit too long and complex, and sometimes it was hard to keep track of minor character's names. However, I think many fans of epic fantasy aren't bothered by battle scenes, so that might not bother many people.
Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to fans of epic fantasy and time travel fiction. It's a fascinating depiction of the way our choices can have such a profound impact on the world around us, even seemingly small choices.
The sunwield is a bronze medallion that allows Gryff Worden to go back in time to pivotal moments in his life, to make new choices and find a better path. He starts his journey after his family is murdered, but in seeking to protect them from such a horrible fate, Gryff goes on an epic journey, becoming an entirely different man in the process, and radically changing not only his own life, but the lives of all the people around him.
Some things I really loved: the vivid characters, including Gryff and his friends. The different cultures, including the Edriisans, who believe that time is never a straight line, but that all choices are branching and woven threads that exist at all times. And while some reviewers didn't like having Gryff relive some parts of his life over again, I found it intriguing to see how all his choices played out.
If I had a criticism, I'd say that some of the battle scenes are a bit too long and complex, and sometimes it was hard to keep track of minor character's names. However, I think many fans of epic fantasy aren't bothered by battle scenes, so that might not bother many people.
Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to fans of epic fantasy and time travel fiction. It's a fascinating depiction of the way our choices can have such a profound impact on the world around us, even seemingly small choices.
July 8, 2024
Holy Déjà vu!
Horse trainer Griff Warden is content with life on his aunt and uncle's farm but is drawn into the escalating war between their tribes and an old foe after a run-in with an arrogant earl's son, Brant.
Leaving his young wife and children in his uncle's capable hands, Griff reluctantly joins the fight and is soon swept into a soldier's life in the Aldykaran army.
It's months before he gets to return home while searching for horses to help the failing cavalry he's been tasked with- against Brant's orders. He pays for the trip when a group of deserters turn up at the farm and kill his children, rape and hang his wife, murder Estriilde (the beautiful redhead he lusts after), and leaves Griff mortally wounded in a wooded glade. Heartsick, he waits for death, but an elderly woman (Estrilde's grandmother) offers him a sunwielder charm that enables Griff to go back in time and change his path, thereby saving the lives of his loved ones. Not only does the necklace protect his family, but it also changes the war's outcome. But as with all life-changing decisions, it comes at a cost.
The fight scenes are intense!
This is an incredibly complex story with moral questions that are as familiar in our world as it was in Griff's.
I love how this author always leaves the reader pondering societal issues and our efforts, or lack thereof, to make changes for the better.
A fantastic read!
Horse trainer Griff Warden is content with life on his aunt and uncle's farm but is drawn into the escalating war between their tribes and an old foe after a run-in with an arrogant earl's son, Brant.
Leaving his young wife and children in his uncle's capable hands, Griff reluctantly joins the fight and is soon swept into a soldier's life in the Aldykaran army.
It's months before he gets to return home while searching for horses to help the failing cavalry he's been tasked with- against Brant's orders. He pays for the trip when a group of deserters turn up at the farm and kill his children, rape and hang his wife, murder Estriilde (the beautiful redhead he lusts after), and leaves Griff mortally wounded in a wooded glade. Heartsick, he waits for death, but an elderly woman (Estrilde's grandmother) offers him a sunwielder charm that enables Griff to go back in time and change his path, thereby saving the lives of his loved ones. Not only does the necklace protect his family, but it also changes the war's outcome. But as with all life-changing decisions, it comes at a cost.
The fight scenes are intense!
This is an incredibly complex story with moral questions that are as familiar in our world as it was in Griff's.
I love how this author always leaves the reader pondering societal issues and our efforts, or lack thereof, to make changes for the better.
A fantastic read!
August 2, 2017
I got Sunwielder as a first reads, which was generously given by the author. The story is steeped with one idea for me, that every move that you make has its consequences, and the different paths that could be taken. The story follows Gryff, who has one of the most interesting plot lines that I have read in a while, primarily because of it's unpredictability. Gryff has the ability to relive moments in his life and change his choices. The tragic part of this amazing ability is that Gryff can't choose the moments that he can go back to and some moments cannot be undone, which was a really sad moment for me. The characters in the book I found were realistic in the regard that they had the same needs that I would need, which made them relateable. I loved some of the side characters who helped to determine Gryff's path as well as increasing his need to use the Sunwield, the magical item of the title. The realism is an important part of the book as I found myself drawn into this book because of the unpredictability. The only problem that I had was with the continiuity, which I found hard to track at points because of the unpredictability. Other than that fantastic book.
May 6, 2022
I think we all have had times when we wish we could have a chance to do something over. If we hadn’t said that stupid thing, if we had tried harder to salvage a relationship, the list is endless. Sunwielder is a story of a man who has such an opportunity. He is given a magic amulet that will take him back in time far enough to take a different path in life.
I would call this Fantasy because it involves magic and is in a sort of medieval setting. Nonetheless this novel stands out because of the multiple timelines involved. Of course, our hero has to make many choices. Some of them he has to redo, but then there are further difficulties on the new path.
There are epic battles, love, betrayal and more. The author describes both the strategy of the generals and the blood and guts of war. If you like war stories, this is for you. It is also a story of the struggles of a very human man trying to keep his humanity in the insanity of way.
Having read this story, I’m glad I can’t go back and try to do things over. Once is enough for me.
I would call this Fantasy because it involves magic and is in a sort of medieval setting. Nonetheless this novel stands out because of the multiple timelines involved. Of course, our hero has to make many choices. Some of them he has to redo, but then there are further difficulties on the new path.
There are epic battles, love, betrayal and more. The author describes both the strategy of the generals and the blood and guts of war. If you like war stories, this is for you. It is also a story of the struggles of a very human man trying to keep his humanity in the insanity of way.
Having read this story, I’m glad I can’t go back and try to do things over. Once is enough for me.
April 4, 2023
“Sunwielder” is a fantasy that not only offers a second chance but twenty-seven of them. Gryff is a farmer who loves his family. Everything changes for Gryff when his farm is attacked, and he loses his family and is dying. Here he is offered a medallion to change his path. This part of the story reminds me of “Groundhog Day,” where Gryff relives certain moments trying to get it right. Although he gets his family back, his life goes in a direction he couldn’t have foreseen. Because of a lord’s unreasonable hatred, Gryff gets pulled into a war. I love this part of the book where Gryff grows and learns as his path shifts and changes. His loyalty to those he loves as he tries to correct wrongs had me rooting for him to find happiness. The details weaved into the story brought Gryff’s world to life, whether on the farm or battlefield. It is a wonderful fantasy that not only explores new possibilities when things are bleak but friendship, family, and love—a fantasy I can easily recommend.
May 12, 2022
SUNWIELDER by D. Wallace Peach
This story is set in mythical roman times and definitely not a comedy, but even so it reminded me of Groundhog Day. The protagonist dies over and over again. Our hero Gryff is an average young man with average dreams and aspirations that against insurmountable odds, and with the help of a sunwield medallion, becomes a larger-than-life war hero.
Even though he's an honorable man, in his adventures back and forth through time, he comes to care deeply for two different women. I had no idea how D. Wallace Peach would work out this knotty, emotionally-charged issue to the characters, and my, satisfaction but she wraps up the story quite nicely with a HEA bow.
One of my favorite secondary characters was a flamboyant Edriisan named Tenney who fights at Gryff’s side.
SUNWIELDER is an immersive read that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
This story is set in mythical roman times and definitely not a comedy, but even so it reminded me of Groundhog Day. The protagonist dies over and over again. Our hero Gryff is an average young man with average dreams and aspirations that against insurmountable odds, and with the help of a sunwield medallion, becomes a larger-than-life war hero.
Even though he's an honorable man, in his adventures back and forth through time, he comes to care deeply for two different women. I had no idea how D. Wallace Peach would work out this knotty, emotionally-charged issue to the characters, and my, satisfaction but she wraps up the story quite nicely with a HEA bow.
One of my favorite secondary characters was a flamboyant Edriisan named Tenney who fights at Gryff’s side.
SUNWIELDER is an immersive read that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
July 17, 2017
After having read all four novels in the Rose Shield series as well as Sorcerer's garden, you'd think I would be Peach'd out. Instead, I was thoroughly engrossed once again in a world where magic is real, and unwilling heroes find themselves repeatedly pulled along paths that lead them and those they love closer and closer to annihilation.
Even though I'm swept up in a series of events with the tension and grandeur of a Roman campaign, Gryff's struggles to navigate a path that he rarely has the chance to control draws me in and keeps me turning pages. Now that I've finished and can catch my breath, I realize I need Gryff to succeed because so many of his battles are our own.
Even though I'm swept up in a series of events with the tension and grandeur of a Roman campaign, Gryff's struggles to navigate a path that he rarely has the chance to control draws me in and keeps me turning pages. Now that I've finished and can catch my breath, I realize I need Gryff to succeed because so many of his battles are our own.
July 11, 2019
Time travel with a twist!
I like it when it’s hard to predict how a story will progress and this fits the bill. We start off with two people whose paths are forced to cross after an attack. Then one is offered a choice and that changes a lot of people’s lives and a few nations as well. The world building was well done ; with just enough details to paint an awesome picture of this world of war and intrigue . The battles were well narrated ; I could definitely follow progression of engagements on the battle field and the character growth of the main protagonists was a joy to read and the conclusion was satisfying. Thanks so much for this story.
I like it when it’s hard to predict how a story will progress and this fits the bill. We start off with two people whose paths are forced to cross after an attack. Then one is offered a choice and that changes a lot of people’s lives and a few nations as well. The world building was well done ; with just enough details to paint an awesome picture of this world of war and intrigue . The battles were well narrated ; I could definitely follow progression of engagements on the battle field and the character growth of the main protagonists was a joy to read and the conclusion was satisfying. Thanks so much for this story.
December 20, 2019
If you would be granted the ability to travel back in time and redo some of your life choices, would you take it? What if strings were attached?
I loved the way D. Wallace Peach handled the plot and the magic she instilled in the time-travel charm as well as the twists she put in the past being relieved. The worlds she created were fascinating and very well developed as well as full of political intrigue. It was amazing to discover how Gryff's new life options affected those involved and the heartache he went through was gripping, well balanced by lyrical descriptions.
Sunwielder is a page turner with a super clever plot, highly recommended.
I loved the way D. Wallace Peach handled the plot and the magic she instilled in the time-travel charm as well as the twists she put in the past being relieved. The worlds she created were fascinating and very well developed as well as full of political intrigue. It was amazing to discover how Gryff's new life options affected those involved and the heartache he went through was gripping, well balanced by lyrical descriptions.
Sunwielder is a page turner with a super clever plot, highly recommended.
December 18, 2021
The plan was to read one chapter to get a feel for the book, since I didn't know anything about the author. Twenty-six chapters later, and well past bedtime, I forced myself to pause. The morning's fresh pot of coffee accompanied me back to Gryff's saga.
The author weaves a grand tale with loving care. Sometimes heart-breaking, yet the sunwielder provides hope. The characters are engaging and the military aspects are well done and without needless gore. I really enjoyed the home and hearth aspects, and wanted the characters to succeed. The ending was satisfying and encouraging; I am contented.
The author weaves a grand tale with loving care. Sometimes heart-breaking, yet the sunwielder provides hope. The characters are engaging and the military aspects are well done and without needless gore. I really enjoyed the home and hearth aspects, and wanted the characters to succeed. The ending was satisfying and encouraging; I am contented.
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