The Archives of Icínq-Régn, Book I: The Heirs of Menonias

by Garrett K. Jones, James Early (Illustrator)

"A great enemy, the Arch-Magus Menonias, has been vanquished and his campaign of terror and death has been thwarted. From the ashes of his reign, Icínq-Régn, the Five Kingdoms, have enjoyed an unprecedented era of peace as a unified nation. But a shadow from the darkest recesses of Icínq-Régn's violent past threatens to destroy everything as Menonias' hidden heirs rise up to complete their father's work and rekindle his legacy. But Icínq-Régn is not without protectors; three individuals - a ranger with an ancient connection to the Dragons, a priest in training, and a princess mage - rise up to meet their calling and face the 'Heirs of Menonias'."

351 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2015

Reviews

[Jeanne Godfroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book synopsis: The Heirs of Menonias is a fantasy book about mystics, mages, magic, dragons, demigods, and elves (among other beings), but with a unique twist – not only are the magical creatures intelligent, but they telepathically connect with the humans they choose to bond with, who are known as ”Mysts.” The dynamics of this symbiotic relationship thread through the story and ultimately heal the rift between humans and other magical creatures that the dark and powerful mystic, Menonias, engendered.

Three heroes: a Dragonmyst (a bonded dragon and human pair), a deity with a plethora of human fallacies, and a halfling elf princess (who is a martyr reincarnate) connect in a shared mission to preserve the peoples, creatures, and integrity of the kingdom of Icínq-Régn. They face three brothers – the heirs of the twisted grand Magus Menonias, who use a variety of weapons against them, including the dreaded Vipermysts (a hybrid of human and sentient viper).

The author also has a neat video summary of the book on his website.

What I liked about it: I’ve written about this before, but I find that reading independently and self-published books have really made me appreciate the value of a good story, despite the rough edges and, on occasion, utter rawness of such books. Menonias is a prime example of one such work. It has a number of issues emblematic of the growing pains all creative writers face, but the bones of the story are thoughtful and creative, and the potential of this book –and the Menonias-verse–are clearly evident.

There was plenty to like about Menonias. To begin with, he world-building is absolutely phenomenal - probably the best world-building I’ve read in quite some time. The lore is incredibly detailed and well-thought out, and the companion site for the book was a fun (and helpful) reference as I journeyed into the world of Icínq-Régn. My recommendation for prospective readers is that they investigate the lore on the author’s website before diving into the story - the book was much more fun to read once I decided to look up the things I couldn’t immediately figure out or place!

Additionally, the author has a special take on traditional fantasy characters, beings, and their associated tropes. When I first encountered the part about dragons and dragon riders, I was afraid I had run right into an overused trope (so many books, movies, and tv series about dragons out right now - dragons are definitely having a moment). But there was much more to the relationship and, as it turned out, the nature of relationships more generally in this universe. Specifically, the world of Menonias is a world of hybrids, both good and bad. Imagine, for example, what might happen if humans bond with magical creatures (elves, dragons, vampires, etc.). I found the concept intriguing, particularly since the author applies it in many different circumstances. Oh - I won’t give away the spoiler, but there is also a hybrid of hybrids in one of the main characters that blew my mind.

Finally, I sincerely appreciated the choreography and characters at play in the action scenes–and there are a myriad of them. Most involve magic, too, which creates some interesting twists and turns. Again, the website was a great reference for me to remember which spells led to which outcomes and so forth (and there are some stunning images / artwork of the creatures involved as well).

How you can experience the story: The Heirs of Menonias is available in hardcopy or eBook formats either from GKJ Publishing or Amazon. The e-book is available for purchase through Kindle or to check out on Kindle Unlimited.

[Ruth Benziger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was immediately intrigued based on the first page of the book. The characters hooked me in, the story propelled me forward, and the adventure kept me involved in the story. I spent a lot of time reading the book in increments simply by wanting to know what would happen next. I liked the stories and how they were separately and how they connected.

I was very happy with the amount of details provided. You get an image of what is happening around you. The author was skilled in providing a great picture with vivid imagery. His storytelling was to be admired. I felt the history gave me the reason behind the evil lurking to destroy the last heirs. I was so enthralled with the world the author created. The characters were very developed and I felt connected to each one for different reasons.

I felt like I was growing right along with the characters. The author is skilled at having a unique story and unique characters that stand out. It was nice to see how they started off unaware and simply unsure of their abilities. Later, you see them struggle and grow. I felt it was a great thing to witness and I felt proud of their journey.

I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

[KateLyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three heirs, three heros. who will win. who will die.