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The Librarian Gladiator: Book One of the Tallindran Trilogy
Hamelin, a village separated from the rest of the world, has a deadly problem. Fierce, flying beasts ravage and cull the sparse human population, forcing Hamelins citizens to live within the safety of her boundaries. With no help in sight, the village leaders look to their god, the Provider, for salvation, and they unearth a chilling answer to their problem. The Tournament of the Kindred—a much-celebrated, barbaric event that pits four gladiators against each other in deadly combat.
Winning the Tournament brings rich rewards, fame, and glory to ones bloodline. Losing, however, results in a lethal trip to the Sacrificial Altar for you and all those who share your blood: man, woman, and child. The sacrifice is said to be a blood offering to the Provider for reprievea necessary evil for the greater good of all. Neven Oakfall, adolescent town historian and librarian, is chosen by random draw to fight for the survival of his bloodline.
After a life behind a desk, Neven must find the courage deep within himself to defeat his stronger opponents, for he discovers that much more than the lives of those he loves hangs in the balance. An evil lurks, waiting for its moment to deliver the death blow to the village, and Neven is all that stands in its way, whether he likes it or not.
Winning the Tournament brings rich rewards, fame, and glory to ones bloodline. Losing, however, results in a lethal trip to the Sacrificial Altar for you and all those who share your blood: man, woman, and child. The sacrifice is said to be a blood offering to the Provider for reprievea necessary evil for the greater good of all. Neven Oakfall, adolescent town historian and librarian, is chosen by random draw to fight for the survival of his bloodline.
After a life behind a desk, Neven must find the courage deep within himself to defeat his stronger opponents, for he discovers that much more than the lives of those he loves hangs in the balance. An evil lurks, waiting for its moment to deliver the death blow to the village, and Neven is all that stands in its way, whether he likes it or not.
353 pages, Audible Audio
First published December 19, 2014
6 people are currently reading
336 people want to read
About the author
Dustin Bilyk
19 books40 followersDustin is a prolific short story writer and novelist, as well as the Lead Editor of the Author's Hand. When he's not perfecting the works of others, he's writing Grimdark Epic Fantasy, and has been doing so since he first read the works of Joe Abercrombie and GRR Martin.
He published the first fantasy novel in the Tallindran Trilogy, The Librarian Gladiator, in March of 2024. With a novella coming out in April, and Book Two arriving on the shelves in early 2025, he's been busy at work in the writing chair, exploring his worlds and reveling in the fact that others will join him when he's done.
Dustin also runs the Worldstone Publishing house and produces the Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy annually. Each volume features 20+ incredible stories and the same numbers of established authors who specialize in the two genres.
Dustin has a Frenchie-Pug named Bilbo, and lives an enthusiastically full and wonderful life in the Canadian North.
He published the first fantasy novel in the Tallindran Trilogy, The Librarian Gladiator, in March of 2024. With a novella coming out in April, and Book Two arriving on the shelves in early 2025, he's been busy at work in the writing chair, exploring his worlds and reveling in the fact that others will join him when he's done.
Dustin also runs the Worldstone Publishing house and produces the Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy annually. Each volume features 20+ incredible stories and the same numbers of established authors who specialize in the two genres.
Dustin has a Frenchie-Pug named Bilbo, and lives an enthusiastically full and wonderful life in the Canadian North.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 1, 2019
I read this book to fill the Paint It Black square of my 2019 Halloween Bingo Card.
I’m a former library worker and I’m a sucker for books about libraries and librarians. I bought this book a while ago, because the main character is a librarian of sorts. It’s the second book I’ve read this year where the author has obviously decided to juxtapose “Librarian” with something unlikely. In this case, librarian gladiator. (See also The Hunted, where it is librarian-assassin). Strangely, both of these books were written by fellow Canadians. I hadn’t realized that this author was a Canuck until I hit about one third of the way through, and one of his characters “hucked” a bottle into a bush. That’s such a prairie Canadian verb! It is something I’ve never heard outside the prairies, but we used it all the time in school--”Huck this in the garbage” for example.
It is obvious that the author has read a fair amount of fantasy literature and he knows how these things need to be structured. His ideas were basically sound, he came up with good villains (kind of a cross between a human and a pterodactyl), he created his band of buddies. However, I had a really difficult time finishing the book because of the quality of the writing itself. There were a lot of really long sentences, sometimes a bit confusing. There were awkward sentence structures. Stephen King may say that the road to hell is paved with adverbs, but adjectives can fulfill that role too. There were way, way too many adjectives, often repetitive. How many times does the reader need to be reminded that a character is young, for example? There was a lot of unnecessary crude language (and I admit that this is just my thing). I can see using various swear words and crude expressions in dialog--it gives you a feeling for the character using it. But I found it unusual for the author to use it during description, which is unspoken by any character. Last but not least, there were a lot of words that seemed to be picked out of a thesaurus without the author actually realizing what they meant. He described one character’s sleep: “He tousled and turned,” rather than tossed and turned. He also writes: “...he could feel the veins on his head swelling beneath his frock of fine, black hair.” Now a frock is a dress, not a hair pattern, so this rubbed me the wrong way. Combine that with a confusion about whether to use “your” or “you’re” and this book drove my inner editor to drink.
In short, this author has potential, with decent ideas and knowledge of how to plot a novel. However, I would recommend a really good professional editor to help him improve his final product. It would be a shame if he quit writing, but he needs to level up.
I’m a former library worker and I’m a sucker for books about libraries and librarians. I bought this book a while ago, because the main character is a librarian of sorts. It’s the second book I’ve read this year where the author has obviously decided to juxtapose “Librarian” with something unlikely. In this case, librarian gladiator. (See also The Hunted, where it is librarian-assassin). Strangely, both of these books were written by fellow Canadians. I hadn’t realized that this author was a Canuck until I hit about one third of the way through, and one of his characters “hucked” a bottle into a bush. That’s such a prairie Canadian verb! It is something I’ve never heard outside the prairies, but we used it all the time in school--”Huck this in the garbage” for example.
It is obvious that the author has read a fair amount of fantasy literature and he knows how these things need to be structured. His ideas were basically sound, he came up with good villains (kind of a cross between a human and a pterodactyl), he created his band of buddies. However, I had a really difficult time finishing the book because of the quality of the writing itself. There were a lot of really long sentences, sometimes a bit confusing. There were awkward sentence structures. Stephen King may say that the road to hell is paved with adverbs, but adjectives can fulfill that role too. There were way, way too many adjectives, often repetitive. How many times does the reader need to be reminded that a character is young, for example? There was a lot of unnecessary crude language (and I admit that this is just my thing). I can see using various swear words and crude expressions in dialog--it gives you a feeling for the character using it. But I found it unusual for the author to use it during description, which is unspoken by any character. Last but not least, there were a lot of words that seemed to be picked out of a thesaurus without the author actually realizing what they meant. He described one character’s sleep: “He tousled and turned,” rather than tossed and turned. He also writes: “...he could feel the veins on his head swelling beneath his frock of fine, black hair.” Now a frock is a dress, not a hair pattern, so this rubbed me the wrong way. Combine that with a confusion about whether to use “your” or “you’re” and this book drove my inner editor to drink.
In short, this author has potential, with decent ideas and knowledge of how to plot a novel. However, I would recommend a really good professional editor to help him improve his final product. It would be a shame if he quit writing, but he needs to level up.
decided-not-to-read
September 5, 2016A boy is selected by his community to be one of 4 gladiators to fight to the death in an annual tournament.
Maybe this story is good -- it's gotten good ratings on Goodreads & Amazon.
But the beginning was conceptually so much like The Hunger Games, that I felt like I was reading a knockoff.
The book opens as the 4 gladiators are introduced.
I don't know any of these characters, I have no empathy for any of them, so it was hard to really care about them.
Even though the story has gotten good ratings, for me, the beginning wasn't interesting or compelling enough for me to keep reading.
Maybe this story is good -- it's gotten good ratings on Goodreads & Amazon.
But the beginning was conceptually so much like The Hunger Games, that I felt like I was reading a knockoff.
The book opens as the 4 gladiators are introduced.
I don't know any of these characters, I have no empathy for any of them, so it was hard to really care about them.
Even though the story has gotten good ratings, for me, the beginning wasn't interesting or compelling enough for me to keep reading.
June 29, 2016
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
I was enticed by the description of this book. It had me hooked for the first sentence. It is about the Tournament of Hearts where the loser has their entire bloodline erased. That just sounds intense and terrifying. I was expecting to read about how Neven Fairchild dealt with the tournament but that wasn't all that happened. This was just one layer to the story. There were multiple layers with multiple points of view. You have flying beasts attacking the town, a corrupt council, friendship, trust, magic, alchemy and a spine staff.
It had all the elements of a great story wrapped in to a beautifully covered book. My socks were completely blown off that I couldn't find them. It was weird, different, unique, unbelievable and one of the best books I have ever read. Who would think that I'm cheering for a Librarian Gladiator. I've got to get my hands on a signed copy because I have a good feeling about this series. It doesn't fit into any category with a nice bow. It is different and much appreciated.
My favorite character was Delgado. His snark, bravery, friendship and vulgar mouth made him my favorite. I actually had a tough time picking a favorite because all of them added a different element to the story which was much needed. You find yourself sympathizing with people you thought you would hate. You end up trusting someone that you hated at first. Everyone added something special and they will remain special in my heart.
My favorite part was when Neven, Talpus, and Delgado fought their first Jagisado. It was funny and scary. They were all a hot mess and it made seem realistic. Those three boys are going to be fun to read about and I'm ecstatic that it is the first book in the series. I plan on following this series closely because I'm now a fan for life.
Overall I would recommend this to book to anyone who likes fantasy. I would say it is a borderline YA because there is some violence and profanity. I don't think it was over done or too grotesque. It is a beautifully written novel that I look forward to sharing with my friends.
I was enticed by the description of this book. It had me hooked for the first sentence. It is about the Tournament of Hearts where the loser has their entire bloodline erased. That just sounds intense and terrifying. I was expecting to read about how Neven Fairchild dealt with the tournament but that wasn't all that happened. This was just one layer to the story. There were multiple layers with multiple points of view. You have flying beasts attacking the town, a corrupt council, friendship, trust, magic, alchemy and a spine staff.
It had all the elements of a great story wrapped in to a beautifully covered book. My socks were completely blown off that I couldn't find them. It was weird, different, unique, unbelievable and one of the best books I have ever read. Who would think that I'm cheering for a Librarian Gladiator. I've got to get my hands on a signed copy because I have a good feeling about this series. It doesn't fit into any category with a nice bow. It is different and much appreciated.
My favorite character was Delgado. His snark, bravery, friendship and vulgar mouth made him my favorite. I actually had a tough time picking a favorite because all of them added a different element to the story which was much needed. You find yourself sympathizing with people you thought you would hate. You end up trusting someone that you hated at first. Everyone added something special and they will remain special in my heart.
My favorite part was when Neven, Talpus, and Delgado fought their first Jagisado. It was funny and scary. They were all a hot mess and it made seem realistic. Those three boys are going to be fun to read about and I'm ecstatic that it is the first book in the series. I plan on following this series closely because I'm now a fan for life.
Overall I would recommend this to book to anyone who likes fantasy. I would say it is a borderline YA because there is some violence and profanity. I don't think it was over done or too grotesque. It is a beautifully written novel that I look forward to sharing with my friends.
June 26, 2016
This is an enormous book, highly detailed and thorough world and story.
I really don't want to delve too deeply into the story, as I feel that you really need to read it and become absorbed into the story to understand.
The story is based around Neven Fairchild, a librarian. He is chosen to compete in the Tournament of Hearts, a deadly battle that brings honour for your family if won. He runs into a deadly beast who speaks to him of a great destiny and life begins to change for Neven. Things go from bad to worse for him and the whole town when evil is unleashed and it's up to Neven to save them.
I was a little confused with the time period, it seems that in some respects there is a lot of history and technology, but in other respects it seems quite historical. There was hints and references to great events in the past - for instance the sacrifice of certain people in the Colosseum style battleground. Also there are biblical-like sacrifices and worship of gods and false gods which is all discussed. I found this quite interesting, but the detail with which the sacrifices were described was quite disturbing.
The book overall was interesting and action packed. Almost instantly action packed, so you won't have to far to read before something exciting happens. Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to a sequel.
I really don't want to delve too deeply into the story, as I feel that you really need to read it and become absorbed into the story to understand.
The story is based around Neven Fairchild, a librarian. He is chosen to compete in the Tournament of Hearts, a deadly battle that brings honour for your family if won. He runs into a deadly beast who speaks to him of a great destiny and life begins to change for Neven. Things go from bad to worse for him and the whole town when evil is unleashed and it's up to Neven to save them.
I was a little confused with the time period, it seems that in some respects there is a lot of history and technology, but in other respects it seems quite historical. There was hints and references to great events in the past - for instance the sacrifice of certain people in the Colosseum style battleground. Also there are biblical-like sacrifices and worship of gods and false gods which is all discussed. I found this quite interesting, but the detail with which the sacrifices were described was quite disturbing.
The book overall was interesting and action packed. Almost instantly action packed, so you won't have to far to read before something exciting happens. Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to a sequel.
February 15, 2016
This book is almost too good. You know how you feel when there's a nun nearby? Like you might blurt out the wrong thing? I want to say the right things here, because this should be your new favorite fantasy.
This first book in the Librarian Gladiator series goes places you could never imagine, which is why we praise writers like Dustin. (Can I call you, Dustin? I have been inside your head, we ought to be friends.) Hamelin is a small village encircled by the Ghastly Peaks, and this forced intimacy heightens your empathy when bad things happen to good people. And they do. (In myriad gruesome ways; this is not a story for the younger set or the faint of heart.)
When the winged beasts swoop down from the North, fantasy fans will be all, "Hell yeah, bring it on, Dustin." Each of these GMO rejects have their own particular brand of creepy, and the purebreds are so beautiful your eyes will hurt.
I read this book twice already, in a way. I went back and savored the good parts before moving on to the next chapter. Already slavering like a silverback wolf for the next two books, which are in the pipeline.
I received this book in exchange for a review.
This first book in the Librarian Gladiator series goes places you could never imagine, which is why we praise writers like Dustin. (Can I call you, Dustin? I have been inside your head, we ought to be friends.) Hamelin is a small village encircled by the Ghastly Peaks, and this forced intimacy heightens your empathy when bad things happen to good people. And they do. (In myriad gruesome ways; this is not a story for the younger set or the faint of heart.)
When the winged beasts swoop down from the North, fantasy fans will be all, "Hell yeah, bring it on, Dustin." Each of these GMO rejects have their own particular brand of creepy, and the purebreds are so beautiful your eyes will hurt.
I read this book twice already, in a way. I went back and savored the good parts before moving on to the next chapter. Already slavering like a silverback wolf for the next two books, which are in the pipeline.
I received this book in exchange for a review.
October 16, 2016
Link to my video review:
When I read this books was about a Tournament of Hearts where if you win you'll get rich and your entire family won't have to participate in the tournament for the next few decades and if you loose you and your entire family will die as a sacrifice I thought of the Hunger Games.
However, this was not the Hunger Games.
After the ceremony was over, I was expecting for the characters to have one day with their families then go to the tournament right away, but I was gladly wrong. After the ceremony, the main character Neven gets in a fight with his father and decides to go to his "secret place" where we learn so much about the world and the reason of the Tournament.
After this the story takes a direction that I was not expecting. And I especially liked all of the characters.
This was overall an enjoyable read, however I got confused almost every other paragraph and had to reread a lot. But maybe that was just me since I'm not used to reading that many fantasy or even ebooks.
When I read this books was about a Tournament of Hearts where if you win you'll get rich and your entire family won't have to participate in the tournament for the next few decades and if you loose you and your entire family will die as a sacrifice I thought of the Hunger Games.
However, this was not the Hunger Games.
After the ceremony was over, I was expecting for the characters to have one day with their families then go to the tournament right away, but I was gladly wrong. After the ceremony, the main character Neven gets in a fight with his father and decides to go to his "secret place" where we learn so much about the world and the reason of the Tournament.
After this the story takes a direction that I was not expecting. And I especially liked all of the characters.
This was overall an enjoyable read, however I got confused almost every other paragraph and had to reread a lot. But maybe that was just me since I'm not used to reading that many fantasy or even ebooks.
September 10, 2024
This book was intense! But very awesome. It starts by making you think it is another Hunger Games offshoot, but then it rapidly veers off in a whole new direction to uncover secrets that nothing is what it appears. I loved the world-building here and the many unique characters that fill the classic sound and evil roles well.
With dark gargoyle-animal-magical creatures tainted as both evil and intelligent, magic long since gone that keeps reappearing, can the librarian Gladiator be more than he appears, or is the Tournament of Hearts the end of his short life?
Read on and see... Solid 4 stars; I can't wait to read the next one.
With dark gargoyle-animal-magical creatures tainted as both evil and intelligent, magic long since gone that keeps reappearing, can the librarian Gladiator be more than he appears, or is the Tournament of Hearts the end of his short life?
Read on and see... Solid 4 stars; I can't wait to read the next one.
February 13, 2015
An immersive YA and adult fantasy in which the most striking feature is the rampaging power of the imagination of the author. The story holds the reader's attention and moves at a rapid pace through a complex series of events. The writing is a little on the raw side but there is great talent here.
Hamelin is a mediaeval-style village isolated by a mountain wall (and more) from its world. There is a particular structure to the layout and administration of the village, and it later becomes clear that there are reasons for this. The unfolding of the background to Hamelin's situation is one of the strong points of this book.
Neven Fairchild is the librarian of the title, an unwilling gladiator in the life-and-death Tournament of Hearts. Characters tend to be just a little larger than life, in the nature of a fantasy, and are extremely well depicted in a concise and effective style. Bilyk devotes equal attention to all his characters, both good and evil. Neven, Talpus, Delgado and Reoni are leading human characters, but the large cast includes creatures vaguely reminiscent of harpies, called the Jagisado, together with other strange humans and some of the most horrible monsters I have yet come across.
Neven's name has been drawn in the Tournament, and at the same time he begins to discover his own abilities, origins and purpose. He frantically searches for answers within the framework of the stresses placed upon him while time ticks away.
The writing style is good and flows well, but is badly flawed by the very poor editing (if any has been done other than the author's own checks). If this is to be an honest review, I have to say that - but I must add that this will not keep me from reading Dustin Bilyk again. He creates a fantasy that is just too good to stay away from! Perhaps I should mention that there is also a fair amount of foul language, although I did not feel that it was gratuitous.
If you are extremely sensitive to editing flaws I would suggest waiting for the paperback which I predict will be forthcoming at some point. Writers with this amount of talent are generally picked up by mainstream publishers at some point, and the editing gets done.
All other fantasy fans, get yourself a copy and dive in. I recommend this very, very highly. Five stars, less one for the editing.
I received a free review copy of the .epub edition for an honest and objective review.
Hamelin is a mediaeval-style village isolated by a mountain wall (and more) from its world. There is a particular structure to the layout and administration of the village, and it later becomes clear that there are reasons for this. The unfolding of the background to Hamelin's situation is one of the strong points of this book.
Neven Fairchild is the librarian of the title, an unwilling gladiator in the life-and-death Tournament of Hearts. Characters tend to be just a little larger than life, in the nature of a fantasy, and are extremely well depicted in a concise and effective style. Bilyk devotes equal attention to all his characters, both good and evil. Neven, Talpus, Delgado and Reoni are leading human characters, but the large cast includes creatures vaguely reminiscent of harpies, called the Jagisado, together with other strange humans and some of the most horrible monsters I have yet come across.
Neven's name has been drawn in the Tournament, and at the same time he begins to discover his own abilities, origins and purpose. He frantically searches for answers within the framework of the stresses placed upon him while time ticks away.
The writing style is good and flows well, but is badly flawed by the very poor editing (if any has been done other than the author's own checks). If this is to be an honest review, I have to say that - but I must add that this will not keep me from reading Dustin Bilyk again. He creates a fantasy that is just too good to stay away from! Perhaps I should mention that there is also a fair amount of foul language, although I did not feel that it was gratuitous.
If you are extremely sensitive to editing flaws I would suggest waiting for the paperback which I predict will be forthcoming at some point. Writers with this amount of talent are generally picked up by mainstream publishers at some point, and the editing gets done.
All other fantasy fans, get yourself a copy and dive in. I recommend this very, very highly. Five stars, less one for the editing.
I received a free review copy of the .epub edition for an honest and objective review.
April 23, 2016
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review through the group For Love of a Book*
I'm so torn with this book. I'm giving it 3 stars but, I want to give it more. I think in the future I'll read it again and see what happens.
For now, I thought it was a good book and really interesting but, for some reason I could not connect to the characters. I liked Neven and his friends, especially Delgado but, I just couldn't make the full connect. The world building was fantastic though. It was very deep and the next book looks primed to be even more so. Although, the book starts out by throwing the reader in the middle of things, and I felt I was scrambling to pick up the pieces and understand immediately. --Then again, sometimes I love this feature so, could just be how I'm feeling right now--
Lots of mystery and intrigue involved as well as betrayal. So much there to pull you in and wonder about the mystery and how it would be solved. There was also a few stories going on at once here and switching from one to the other could be jarring. Usually we were with Neven but then suddenly the Character the read is shadowing gets switched. I'm also more used to this at the start of a chapter and not in the middle. But, recently I've been reading first person stories so, that might also be what made the switched so weird to me.
Overall, I liked the story and characters and the magic wasn't really there(still confused on how someone died) BUT in the next book I feel things would really get better and more explained. So, will I read the next book? Probably. ^_^
I'm so torn with this book. I'm giving it 3 stars but, I want to give it more. I think in the future I'll read it again and see what happens.
For now, I thought it was a good book and really interesting but, for some reason I could not connect to the characters. I liked Neven and his friends, especially Delgado but, I just couldn't make the full connect. The world building was fantastic though. It was very deep and the next book looks primed to be even more so. Although, the book starts out by throwing the reader in the middle of things, and I felt I was scrambling to pick up the pieces and understand immediately. --Then again, sometimes I love this feature so, could just be how I'm feeling right now--
Lots of mystery and intrigue involved as well as betrayal. So much there to pull you in and wonder about the mystery and how it would be solved. There was also a few stories going on at once here and switching from one to the other could be jarring. Usually we were with Neven but then suddenly the Character the read is shadowing gets switched. I'm also more used to this at the start of a chapter and not in the middle. But, recently I've been reading first person stories so, that might also be what made the switched so weird to me.
Overall, I liked the story and characters and the magic wasn't really there(still confused on how someone died) BUT in the next book I feel things would really get better and more explained. So, will I read the next book? Probably. ^_^
October 11, 2016
I just can't give this one any stars, I feel like it would not be fair to the author or the book considering that I was unable to finish it.
When I would sit down and read this I would get into it a little bit, mostly because of my level of curiosity. However, if I took a break to do dishes or go to bed I struggled to get myself back into it.
It was not for lack of writing, the writing was great, I found the world building to be very helpful, the author did a great job! I just personally could not connect with these characters, and I wanted to! I still actually want to. Typically i can finish a book in 2-5 days depending on the length, if it takes longer than that it just isn't for me.
I liked Neven, I found him interesting, yet I just didn't care for him, or about him. Some of his friends were entertaining. I have all intentions of giving this book another try, and if that is the case I will post a review and provide stars at that time.
This was honestly well written, I appreciated that, Dustin did a fantastic job, I just couldn't get into it, the book did not reach out and grab me.
When I would sit down and read this I would get into it a little bit, mostly because of my level of curiosity. However, if I took a break to do dishes or go to bed I struggled to get myself back into it.
It was not for lack of writing, the writing was great, I found the world building to be very helpful, the author did a great job! I just personally could not connect with these characters, and I wanted to! I still actually want to. Typically i can finish a book in 2-5 days depending on the length, if it takes longer than that it just isn't for me.
I liked Neven, I found him interesting, yet I just didn't care for him, or about him. Some of his friends were entertaining. I have all intentions of giving this book another try, and if that is the case I will post a review and provide stars at that time.
This was honestly well written, I appreciated that, Dustin did a fantastic job, I just couldn't get into it, the book did not reach out and grab me.
January 4, 2016
Just the right combination of fantasy, mystery, adventure and magic.
*An advanced copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*
*An advanced copy of this book was given to me in exchange for an honest review*
April 27, 2016
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
-this review may contain spoilers-
Like other reviewers, I was a little concerned about the similarity between Tournament Of Hearts and The Hunger Games, but this storyline quickly took on a life of its own. It opens with the drawing ceremony, where a representative of four bloodlines in a small, post-apocalyptic village of Hamelin must face each other in a violent, winner takes all fight to the death. One bloodline will be obliterated, and the other will be exalted. The sacrifice is for the greater good, and is intended to appease The Provider. It is tradition- and no one must question. But this year Neven Fairchild, the son of Hamelin's librarian and the town's documenter of all bloodlines' histories, is chosen. Neven does question- everything- and soon finds that the traditions of the Rathians and its bloodlines are not at all what they appear to be. And the elimination of bloodlines is for a far more evil purpose- to eliminate the humans completely. For the people live in a village surrounded by mountains and forests, where fantastical creatures with glowing eyes, sharp tentacles, and scaly wings live to hunt and destroy them.
Early on Neven is approached by one of these terrifying 'metalheads', named Smoke, who communicates that he is really a guardian to Neven, claiming Neven is the only one that can save his own race and the 'good' metalheads- an oxymoron to any logical Rathian. Neven has but a few days before the tournament that would most likely end his life to figure out that the history he has been told and the records for his people has been terribly distorted- and the only future for the human race lies on the other side of the mountains that contain them. But how can a 17 year old Librarian Gladiator and a band of two teenagers save their people?
The world built by Dustin Bilyk is a fantastical one. The creatures are very creepy- I found myself wishing there were pictures because my imagination couldn't do them justice! The two stories- Neven being obligated to fight in the Tournament and the unfolding mystery of hidden magic and the betrayal of history- were interwoven very well, coming to a head as the decimation of Hamelin becomes imminent. The fear and uncertainty felt by Neven after being told by Smoke that he is the Chosen One because of the goodness inside him and the desire to do right is clear. The implication that there are many in their community with hidden 'Blessings', meaning magical gifts, that were clearly forbidden for fear of brutal death also became evident. But as Neven realizes his own gift the glass wall that surrounded his belief system begins to crack, and soon his entire world is shattered- brandishing a new terrain that he must navigate in order to save everyone he loves.
-this review may contain spoilers-
Like other reviewers, I was a little concerned about the similarity between Tournament Of Hearts and The Hunger Games, but this storyline quickly took on a life of its own. It opens with the drawing ceremony, where a representative of four bloodlines in a small, post-apocalyptic village of Hamelin must face each other in a violent, winner takes all fight to the death. One bloodline will be obliterated, and the other will be exalted. The sacrifice is for the greater good, and is intended to appease The Provider. It is tradition- and no one must question. But this year Neven Fairchild, the son of Hamelin's librarian and the town's documenter of all bloodlines' histories, is chosen. Neven does question- everything- and soon finds that the traditions of the Rathians and its bloodlines are not at all what they appear to be. And the elimination of bloodlines is for a far more evil purpose- to eliminate the humans completely. For the people live in a village surrounded by mountains and forests, where fantastical creatures with glowing eyes, sharp tentacles, and scaly wings live to hunt and destroy them.
Early on Neven is approached by one of these terrifying 'metalheads', named Smoke, who communicates that he is really a guardian to Neven, claiming Neven is the only one that can save his own race and the 'good' metalheads- an oxymoron to any logical Rathian. Neven has but a few days before the tournament that would most likely end his life to figure out that the history he has been told and the records for his people has been terribly distorted- and the only future for the human race lies on the other side of the mountains that contain them. But how can a 17 year old Librarian Gladiator and a band of two teenagers save their people?
The world built by Dustin Bilyk is a fantastical one. The creatures are very creepy- I found myself wishing there were pictures because my imagination couldn't do them justice! The two stories- Neven being obligated to fight in the Tournament and the unfolding mystery of hidden magic and the betrayal of history- were interwoven very well, coming to a head as the decimation of Hamelin becomes imminent. The fear and uncertainty felt by Neven after being told by Smoke that he is the Chosen One because of the goodness inside him and the desire to do right is clear. The implication that there are many in their community with hidden 'Blessings', meaning magical gifts, that were clearly forbidden for fear of brutal death also became evident. But as Neven realizes his own gift the glass wall that surrounded his belief system begins to crack, and soon his entire world is shattered- brandishing a new terrain that he must navigate in order to save everyone he loves.
August 10, 2015
This book is so much fun! A medieval village, isolated by forests, mountains, and myth, terrorised by flying gargoyle-like monsters. A plot that dealt with vengeful gods with a prophecy and a freakin’ Hunger Games-style tournament thrown into the mix. Characters that were funny, unique, and enthralling. I. Was. In. Heaven.
There was never a boring moment in this book. From when Neven was thrown from one weird situation to the next and he gathered the strength to grapple for control of his density, I was hooked all the way through. Neven was a protagonist I could believe in, and I can’t wait to see what he does in the next books.
If you like anything to do with light medieval-fantasy, you’ll enjoy this book. This is one of those cases where, superficially, it seems like you’ve seen it before. But this story is so well done, it’s taking the things I already love and making me love them all over again.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
There was never a boring moment in this book. From when Neven was thrown from one weird situation to the next and he gathered the strength to grapple for control of his density, I was hooked all the way through. Neven was a protagonist I could believe in, and I can’t wait to see what he does in the next books.
If you like anything to do with light medieval-fantasy, you’ll enjoy this book. This is one of those cases where, superficially, it seems like you’ve seen it before. But this story is so well done, it’s taking the things I already love and making me love them all over again.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 2, 2016
Fantasy novel with plenty of surprises
Starting of like a copy of the Hunger Games, this fantasy novel evolves along a different route, introducing other creatures and a quest. The story takes place in a small town called Hamelin in a land called Raithe which is constantly under attack from winged monsters called the Jagisalo.
The librarian, Neven Fairchild, is chosen to take part, along with three others, in the Tournament of Hearts and his whole bloodline will be eradicated if he finishes last. The Tournament is organised to appease the local deity and to guarantee good harvests. However, before the Tournament begins, he discovers a great deal which affects his position and makes him reconsider the whole purpose of the Tournament.
The characters are well-developed and the writing makes for an original and engaging read. Ending on a cliffhanger, I look forward to reading the next episode.
Starting of like a copy of the Hunger Games, this fantasy novel evolves along a different route, introducing other creatures and a quest. The story takes place in a small town called Hamelin in a land called Raithe which is constantly under attack from winged monsters called the Jagisalo.
The librarian, Neven Fairchild, is chosen to take part, along with three others, in the Tournament of Hearts and his whole bloodline will be eradicated if he finishes last. The Tournament is organised to appease the local deity and to guarantee good harvests. However, before the Tournament begins, he discovers a great deal which affects his position and makes him reconsider the whole purpose of the Tournament.
The characters are well-developed and the writing makes for an original and engaging read. Ending on a cliffhanger, I look forward to reading the next episode.
January 10, 2015
This book is a definite gladiator book. I like where the plot it goes in the story. I think this author did a great job in the book of setting the plot up for more books in the series. I think I could see this series in a movie, for sure. I will be excited to see how the next book goes. A fight for survival for your bloodline is a good idea. I think the “Rock” would be a great fit for a role in this book when it becomes a movie. *I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
August 8, 2015
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens next. Neven & his friends are quite courageous and I'm pretty amazed that they are still sane after what they've been through. There were times throughout the book where I felt the story dragged a bit, but overall the plot was interesting & had quite a few twists & turns that kept me guessing. It will be interesting to see what happened to Neven's mother & to Reoni. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fantasy adventure story.
I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what happens next. Neven & his friends are quite courageous and I'm pretty amazed that they are still sane after what they've been through. There were times throughout the book where I felt the story dragged a bit, but overall the plot was interesting & had quite a few twists & turns that kept me guessing. It will be interesting to see what happened to Neven's mother & to Reoni. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fantasy adventure story.
June 7, 2015
'Tournament of Hearts' reminded me a little of the Hunger Games scenario at first, but this story is quite different. The world in which the novel is set is depicted with thorough attention to detail, as are the characters. The idea of a Librarian Gladiator is certainly an appealing one (knowledge being power!) and this character's journey didn't disappoint.
(I was given a free copy of this book for review.)
(I was given a free copy of this book for review.)
August 31, 2024
This was a fun read. Loved the friendship and banter between Neven, Talpus, and Delgado (apologies if I spelled the names wrong, I listened via audiobook). World building was great with some interesting concepts. And the narration was fantastic. Looking forward to the next book!
March 24, 2015
Set in Hamelin (town), Barlow Fairchild (father, historians, bookkeepers, writers of Raithe), Neven Fairchild (son) & Kreinveck Stouthammer (elderly man, farmer) were attending the announcing of the Drawing of the Bloodlines by Lemmiwigs (Master of Ceremonies, dwarf). Clara Fairchild (wife/mother) had been killed.
The gladiators for the Tournament of Hearts are: Talpus Tal Wolfbane (Nevin BMF), Reoni Brackenvaal (f), Neven Fairchild & Kreinveck.
If/when the gladiator wins he/she will be free from the bloodlines sacrifice for 50 yrs.
Barlow & Neven’s job was to keep track of the historical facts of Hamelin & their PPL.
Neven had a confrontation with 4 silverback wolves. He managed to slew 3 of them, the other 1 took a big gash out of his arm which he had to have medical attention.
Centurion Malus, Wally, Getty, & Renfrew (kitchen help) all work for
Captain Tyrus Brackenvaal (Reoni’s father, warrior, The Steel). Senisra (f, mountain dweller) was Reoni’s mother. Gordon Armstad (Horace brother) is Reoni fiancée.
Captain Brackenvaal shows Neven (17, Librarian Gladiator) the Wasp Nest hidden way beneath the barracks. Its fortification purpose is to keep the PPL from harm’s way against the evil Jagisado (human killers, aka Metalheads).
Reginald & Pellorn were 2 of the scientist down there.
Councilor Tervainus Klakthorn announces The Tournament of Hearts had begun. Kreinveck Stouthammer vs Neven (17, Librarian Gladiator).
Who would win?
Reoni Brackenvaal, could you please join Neven Fairchild in the ring.
Who will win this battle?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written fantasy book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great fantasy movie, animated cartoon, or mini TV series. Not something I normally read, but I think I got it. To be continued? I’m going to give it 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Story Cartel; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
The gladiators for the Tournament of Hearts are: Talpus Tal Wolfbane (Nevin BMF), Reoni Brackenvaal (f), Neven Fairchild & Kreinveck.
If/when the gladiator wins he/she will be free from the bloodlines sacrifice for 50 yrs.
Barlow & Neven’s job was to keep track of the historical facts of Hamelin & their PPL.
Neven had a confrontation with 4 silverback wolves. He managed to slew 3 of them, the other 1 took a big gash out of his arm which he had to have medical attention.
Centurion Malus, Wally, Getty, & Renfrew (kitchen help) all work for
Captain Tyrus Brackenvaal (Reoni’s father, warrior, The Steel). Senisra (f, mountain dweller) was Reoni’s mother. Gordon Armstad (Horace brother) is Reoni fiancée.
Captain Brackenvaal shows Neven (17, Librarian Gladiator) the Wasp Nest hidden way beneath the barracks. Its fortification purpose is to keep the PPL from harm’s way against the evil Jagisado (human killers, aka Metalheads).
Reginald & Pellorn were 2 of the scientist down there.
Councilor Tervainus Klakthorn announces The Tournament of Hearts had begun. Kreinveck Stouthammer vs Neven (17, Librarian Gladiator).
Who would win?
Reoni Brackenvaal, could you please join Neven Fairchild in the ring.
Who will win this battle?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written fantasy book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great fantasy movie, animated cartoon, or mini TV series. Not something I normally read, but I think I got it. To be continued? I’m going to give it 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Story Cartel; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
February 15, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I would, ideally, give this book 4.5 stars. I did find it a bit difficult to get into at the start, but as the book progressed, I found it easier to become absorbed into the storyline and began caring about the characters.
The idea of the Tournament of Hearts is a frightening one, but I felt it was quite realistic that a society would develop that kind of ritual in a belief to keep themselves protected. What I would have liked to see was how that all came about - one of the characters thinks about how he lived through a time the sacrifice wasn't gone through with.
Although certainly not a conventional warrior, I felt Neven worked really well as a hero and central character in this book. Although he did have certain otherworldly abilities, I felt the author did a good job of showing how those developed... as well as letting him experience the consequences of certain actions; and having to rely on other people for help. I strongly dislike books where one character is ridiculously overpowered, to the point that other characters become obsolete... and I felt this book did a good job of going the other way.
All four of the characters who were meant to fight in the tournament were intriguing and it was interesting to see that Neven would potentially have to face his friend. Although the blurb of the book suggested that much of the main focus would be on the tournament, I liked that I got to see some of the ordinary, everyday lives of the people of Hamelin.
I have to be honest and say that my favourite character in this book was Smoke. Right from his first appearance, I was drawn to him and found him a really interesting being. There were certain scenes that made me really cringe where he was involved... but there were other scenes, particularly towards the end, that made me feel quite emotional.
As for other favourite characters... I think Neven and his two friends are tied for that. As the book progressed on, I enjoyed reading about the true camaraderie and brotherhood that existed between them. I also appreciated the fact that the author created 'bad' characters who had some potentially redeeming qualities.
I'm definitely interested in reading the next book in this series. I'm really looking forward to seeing where the characters will go now.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I would, ideally, give this book 4.5 stars. I did find it a bit difficult to get into at the start, but as the book progressed, I found it easier to become absorbed into the storyline and began caring about the characters.
The idea of the Tournament of Hearts is a frightening one, but I felt it was quite realistic that a society would develop that kind of ritual in a belief to keep themselves protected. What I would have liked to see was how that all came about - one of the characters thinks about how he lived through a time the sacrifice wasn't gone through with.
Although certainly not a conventional warrior, I felt Neven worked really well as a hero and central character in this book. Although he did have certain otherworldly abilities, I felt the author did a good job of showing how those developed... as well as letting him experience the consequences of certain actions; and having to rely on other people for help. I strongly dislike books where one character is ridiculously overpowered, to the point that other characters become obsolete... and I felt this book did a good job of going the other way.
All four of the characters who were meant to fight in the tournament were intriguing and it was interesting to see that Neven would potentially have to face his friend. Although the blurb of the book suggested that much of the main focus would be on the tournament, I liked that I got to see some of the ordinary, everyday lives of the people of Hamelin.
I have to be honest and say that my favourite character in this book was Smoke. Right from his first appearance, I was drawn to him and found him a really interesting being. There were certain scenes that made me really cringe where he was involved... but there were other scenes, particularly towards the end, that made me feel quite emotional.
As for other favourite characters... I think Neven and his two friends are tied for that. As the book progressed on, I enjoyed reading about the true camaraderie and brotherhood that existed between them. I also appreciated the fact that the author created 'bad' characters who had some potentially redeeming qualities.
I'm definitely interested in reading the next book in this series. I'm really looking forward to seeing where the characters will go now.
February 4, 2015
I don't want to say much about this book for fear of giving too much away. There is an incredible amount of detail in this book which makes you feel like you are apart of the story. Dustin Bilyk actually found me on twitter and asked me if I would review this book. That has never happened to me before so I jumped at the opportunity.
Neven Fairchild is a librarian. He is chosen to participate in the Tournament of Hearts, a deadly battle that brings great things for your family if won. Then he runs into a deadly beast that speaks of his destiny and things start to change for Neven. Things go from bad to worse for him and the whole town when evil is unleashed and it's up to Neven to save them.
I am uncertain of the time period for this book I don't think it was ever said and I was a little confused. At first I thought it may be in the past with the fight to the death colosseum style battle and biblical-like sacrifices. But then when they spoke it was more of a modern day tongue so I am unsure. Then I realized it is a fictional book and it doesn't really matter when it's supposed to take place.
The biblical timed sacrifices bothered me, not because of my religion but more because it's hard to imagine. I don't want to think about times when it was okay to kill someone to save your crops and because of that it was difficult for me to read it. The book overall was interesting and action packed. Almost instantly action packed, so I didn't have to far to read before anything exciting happened.
Once Smoke is introduced to the story the cove makes sense and really look at that cover. It just kind of draws you in, at least it does for me. The character names are pretty crazy I think the only "normal" name is Bella. I didn't even try to pronounce some of these names.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to a sequel.
For more of my reviews visit http://www.hyperashley.com/
Neven Fairchild is a librarian. He is chosen to participate in the Tournament of Hearts, a deadly battle that brings great things for your family if won. Then he runs into a deadly beast that speaks of his destiny and things start to change for Neven. Things go from bad to worse for him and the whole town when evil is unleashed and it's up to Neven to save them.
I am uncertain of the time period for this book I don't think it was ever said and I was a little confused. At first I thought it may be in the past with the fight to the death colosseum style battle and biblical-like sacrifices. But then when they spoke it was more of a modern day tongue so I am unsure. Then I realized it is a fictional book and it doesn't really matter when it's supposed to take place.
The biblical timed sacrifices bothered me, not because of my religion but more because it's hard to imagine. I don't want to think about times when it was okay to kill someone to save your crops and because of that it was difficult for me to read it. The book overall was interesting and action packed. Almost instantly action packed, so I didn't have to far to read before anything exciting happened.
Once Smoke is introduced to the story the cove makes sense and really look at that cover. It just kind of draws you in, at least it does for me. The character names are pretty crazy I think the only "normal" name is Bella. I didn't even try to pronounce some of these names.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to a sequel.
For more of my reviews visit http://www.hyperashley.com/
August 3, 2015
You can find this, and other reviews, on my blog. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a really interesting story, with its two main arcs woven together well.
First up, we have the tournament itself: an annual event that pits 4 “gladiators” against each other, very much in a “winner takes all format”, as the loser has their entire bloodline wiped out.
And then we have Hamelin’s past catching up with it. Many, many years ago, an unnamed event caused Hamelin’s founders to remove themselves from their world and set up in the valley they now call home. But they can’t remain apart forever, and the outside world is beginning to creep in.
Firmly in the middle of these is Neven, who not only has to contend with fighting in the Tournament, but also content with the flying beasts that seem to have targetted him.
I did enjoy the story and the characters for the most part. The purpose of the tournament is definitely unique, and I’m very curious to learn more about Hamelin’s past, especially as despite the profound impact it has had on how the town runs, and despite histories being kept as far back as the town has existed, no one seems to have a clue that there is a world outside the valley - almost everyone is bizarrely content to continue just as they always have.
I did find it a bit of a struggle to connect with any of the characters though, and some areas were a bit too bogged down in details. There’s so much going on in the book! A run through by an editor will easily fix those issues though, and they don’t detract from the overall story too much.
When it’s all said and done though, this is definitely worth a read for anyone who enjoys their fantasy with an action-packed, dystopian edge.
This was a really interesting story, with its two main arcs woven together well.
First up, we have the tournament itself: an annual event that pits 4 “gladiators” against each other, very much in a “winner takes all format”, as the loser has their entire bloodline wiped out.
And then we have Hamelin’s past catching up with it. Many, many years ago, an unnamed event caused Hamelin’s founders to remove themselves from their world and set up in the valley they now call home. But they can’t remain apart forever, and the outside world is beginning to creep in.
Firmly in the middle of these is Neven, who not only has to contend with fighting in the Tournament, but also content with the flying beasts that seem to have targetted him.
I did enjoy the story and the characters for the most part. The purpose of the tournament is definitely unique, and I’m very curious to learn more about Hamelin’s past, especially as despite the profound impact it has had on how the town runs, and despite histories being kept as far back as the town has existed, no one seems to have a clue that there is a world outside the valley - almost everyone is bizarrely content to continue just as they always have.
I did find it a bit of a struggle to connect with any of the characters though, and some areas were a bit too bogged down in details. There’s so much going on in the book! A run through by an editor will easily fix those issues though, and they don’t detract from the overall story too much.
When it’s all said and done though, this is definitely worth a read for anyone who enjoys their fantasy with an action-packed, dystopian edge.
June 25, 2024
I didn't really have any expectations going into this listen, just hoping for the best and honestly I was quite surprised by how captivating, entertaining, and engaging this book was from beginning to end, I finished the entire book in approximately two days, absolutely bingeing it. I found the characters to all have unique and interesting personalities and not feel like cut-outs of basic tropes. There was no "filler" at all and it really felt like every chapter had a purpose and a reason for existing. Generally I find that books are a bit too predictable, but the entire time I listened to this I had so many questions, that eventually got answered neatly. (I still have many more things I'd like to know)
The world of this book starts off small and opens up dramatically by the end, Even so, I found the depth of the worldbuilding to be both interesting and vast. There are so many things I'm excited to see get expanded upon in Book Two. In fact if I were to have anything negative to say, it would probably be that I found the narrator's voice acting of the main character to be a bit off. The main character is in his late teens, but still extremely soft spoken. I'm not sure if this is intentional, but until I learned his age I was under the impression our hero was around the age of twelve or thirteen. It threw me off a bit, especially considering his friends sound roughly age appropriate.
Needless to say I would highly recommend picking this up, I didn't regret listening and I don't think you will either.
The world of this book starts off small and opens up dramatically by the end, Even so, I found the depth of the worldbuilding to be both interesting and vast. There are so many things I'm excited to see get expanded upon in Book Two. In fact if I were to have anything negative to say, it would probably be that I found the narrator's voice acting of the main character to be a bit off. The main character is in his late teens, but still extremely soft spoken. I'm not sure if this is intentional, but until I learned his age I was under the impression our hero was around the age of twelve or thirteen. It threw me off a bit, especially considering his friends sound roughly age appropriate.
Needless to say I would highly recommend picking this up, I didn't regret listening and I don't think you will either.
April 23, 2016
Tournament of Hearts: The Librarian Gladiator is the first in a planned three-book series. The town of Hamelin has a yearly ritual called the Tournament of Hearts in which four contestants are selected to fight each other to the death. Not only are the losers killed, but their entire bloodlines are wiped out as a sacrifice to the gods for a good harvest.
Neven Fairchild is the town historian and librarian whose job it is to trace genealogies and family histories. He is totally unsuited to fight in the Tournament, but has been selected nonetheless, along with his friend, Talpus, a girl warrior named Reoni, and an old man named Kreinveck. Needless to say, things don't look good for Neven.
Klakthorn, the evil Councillor who has been running the Tournament has his own motives for what should happen. There are also flying beasts called Jagisado and one in particular named Smoke who are ravaging the countryside, but also seem to be helping Neven.
The world building here is wonderful, but there is a lot of detail and characters. I got confused sometimes with everything that is going on. There is a lot of fighting and it can be a bit gory in places. This is a book well worth reading however as it goes places you'd never expect (I don't want to give too much away). Neven is an interesting hero, certainly not a warrior, but not quite the nerd you might expect him to be. Warning: the book does end on a cliffhanger, but the next book should be out soon.
Neven Fairchild is the town historian and librarian whose job it is to trace genealogies and family histories. He is totally unsuited to fight in the Tournament, but has been selected nonetheless, along with his friend, Talpus, a girl warrior named Reoni, and an old man named Kreinveck. Needless to say, things don't look good for Neven.
Klakthorn, the evil Councillor who has been running the Tournament has his own motives for what should happen. There are also flying beasts called Jagisado and one in particular named Smoke who are ravaging the countryside, but also seem to be helping Neven.
The world building here is wonderful, but there is a lot of detail and characters. I got confused sometimes with everything that is going on. There is a lot of fighting and it can be a bit gory in places. This is a book well worth reading however as it goes places you'd never expect (I don't want to give too much away). Neven is an interesting hero, certainly not a warrior, but not quite the nerd you might expect him to be. Warning: the book does end on a cliffhanger, but the next book should be out soon.
June 27, 2024
A slightly different twist on a classic trope
Book: ***
Performance: ****
Despite the somewhat provocative title, it was the dark world building premise that I found interesting enough to pick up the story … of course, high stakes, tourney style combat has been done before; but I had not yet encountered one where the penalty for the loser was the sacrifice of the entire family line and I was interested in how the author would implement this. Over all, this was a pretty entertaining story, first introducing our “librarian” hero as one of the selected four (4) before cramming a ton of action, adventure, mystery and surprises into the few days before the combat.
The characters were well developed, if prone to some of the typical navel gazing that drives me to distraction (oh no I don’t want anything at all to do with that mysterious power that guarantees I can not die today cause it is just too scary or evil or what ever). The story does throw in a few good monsters that actually become an important part of the plot and a solid resolution at the end … with an obvious lead in to the next book (but this story is reasonably complete). All in all, the story would be a good 3.5 and the solid narration makes it easy to round up.
I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#TheLibrarianGladiator #TheTallindranTrilogy #FreeAudiobkFacebkGrp #KindleUnlimited
Book: ***
Performance: ****
Despite the somewhat provocative title, it was the dark world building premise that I found interesting enough to pick up the story … of course, high stakes, tourney style combat has been done before; but I had not yet encountered one where the penalty for the loser was the sacrifice of the entire family line and I was interested in how the author would implement this. Over all, this was a pretty entertaining story, first introducing our “librarian” hero as one of the selected four (4) before cramming a ton of action, adventure, mystery and surprises into the few days before the combat.
The characters were well developed, if prone to some of the typical navel gazing that drives me to distraction (oh no I don’t want anything at all to do with that mysterious power that guarantees I can not die today cause it is just too scary or evil or what ever). The story does throw in a few good monsters that actually become an important part of the plot and a solid resolution at the end … with an obvious lead in to the next book (but this story is reasonably complete). All in all, the story would be a good 3.5 and the solid narration makes it easy to round up.
I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#TheLibrarianGladiator #TheTallindranTrilogy #FreeAudiobkFacebkGrp #KindleUnlimited
February 14, 2015
I was given a copy of this book in order to give an honest review through the Shut Up & Read- Read it and Reap Group.
Neven has been chosen to be a member of the Tournament of Hearts, the book opens up with this event taking place. Neven's family has always held their place in the community as the town historians/librarians. If Neven does not succeed in surviving this tournament his family (consisting of his father and himself) will be perished from the community along with their family name Fairchild.
I found this story quite difficult to get into. The plot can become fantastic but it's almost as if the author uses too many details to describe every single thing happening that I tended to get bogged down with the details or tired of reading because the story was not moving fast enough. There were some very exciting moments throughout the story though. If you enjoyed the Hunger Games and you can look past all the extra details in this book I think it would be a wise choice to pick up and read. It's only just over 300 pages in length so not too long of a read.
Neven has been chosen to be a member of the Tournament of Hearts, the book opens up with this event taking place. Neven's family has always held their place in the community as the town historians/librarians. If Neven does not succeed in surviving this tournament his family (consisting of his father and himself) will be perished from the community along with their family name Fairchild.
I found this story quite difficult to get into. The plot can become fantastic but it's almost as if the author uses too many details to describe every single thing happening that I tended to get bogged down with the details or tired of reading because the story was not moving fast enough. There were some very exciting moments throughout the story though. If you enjoyed the Hunger Games and you can look past all the extra details in this book I think it would be a wise choice to pick up and read. It's only just over 300 pages in length so not too long of a read.
February 13, 2015
This was a very fascinating read and I enjoy it. Neven Fairchild is chosen to represent his family in Tournament of Hearts where the losing family are all sacrifice to please their god. Neven has to find the courage to fight for his family and his life but its not easy when there are those who want to see him fail. This good has so many detail that went in to it and I love that Naven is the main character but the book also show from other characters point of view the good and the bad. This book was great I really want to know what will happen next to Neven and his friends so I will be looking forward to book two in this series.
March 4, 2015
I didn't realize this book was the first in the series until I was almost finished with it. Then I got somewhat upset that I would have to wait to find out what happens next.
I thought I knew where this book was going when I first started reading it but it completely surprised me. I definitely don't think I want to live in Hamelin, especially with the giant bugs. Those definitely made me shudder. I think the description of the Jagisado could have been a little bit better. I had a hard time picturing them in my head but other than that the world building and story was really good and kept my attention.
I thought I knew where this book was going when I first started reading it but it completely surprised me. I definitely don't think I want to live in Hamelin, especially with the giant bugs. Those definitely made me shudder. I think the description of the Jagisado could have been a little bit better. I had a hard time picturing them in my head but other than that the world building and story was really good and kept my attention.
April 18, 2016
What book lover wouldn't love a fantasy story featuring a librarian?! At first glance, the Tournament of Hearts is similar to the Hunger Games but keep reading & you'll see it's so much more. This book was fast paced and unique. Bilyk has done a great job with the magic system & world building.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. I really enjoyed Tournament of Hearts and would recommend it to all fantasy lovers!
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
I'm looking forward to the next book in this series. I really enjoyed Tournament of Hearts and would recommend it to all fantasy lovers!
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.
May 9, 2024
Great concept, fun characters, plenty of gore, and lots of good twists to keep you guessing. Some bits of backstory lag the pace occasionally, but overall the plot is strong and this story will keep you reading.
Full disclosure note: I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure note: I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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