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Duilleog (A New Druids Series Book 1)

Donald D. Allan (Goodreads Author)

4.24 · Rating details · 34 ratings · 12 reviews

GOLD winner of the Dan Poynter's Global Ebook Awards 2016.
"A tale of good and evil that will engage you from the get-go!" Martin C. Jordan
"An excellent debut fantasy novel." Kelly R. Bell
The Last Druid has just awakened his powers.

Visit a land where the druids have been eradicated and Gaea stands on the brink of wiping out mankind. Join Will Arbor as he awakens his

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Kindle Edition, 300 pages

Published June 19th 2015 by Donald D. Allan

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Nov 17, 2016 P.S. Winn rated it really liked it

Welcome to a different world where readers get to meet Will Arbor. The special abilities Will has come from being a druid, perhaps the last of his kind, but will they be enough to save him when The Church of The new World order comes after him. This is an intriguing story and readers will find they love following Will on his grand adventure. The writer of this novel knows what readers like and has added all they love into this novel.

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Nov 15, 2017 C.E. Clayton rated it liked it

Shelves: book-review-requests, fantasy, young-adult

“Duilleog” dives right in to a story that's about to take flight, tossing the reader into a first person point of view from the young Will Arbor’s eyes, just as he’s about to have his throat cut. Yeah, I know, a crazy start right out of the gates! I was immediately intrigued by this as, what is usually customary for the first books in a new series where a great deal of world building needs to be established, there’s a bit more of an explanation of where we are as the reader, and what’s going on. “Duilleog” dives right in to a story that's about to take flight, tossing the reader into a first person point of view from the young Will Arbor’s eyes, just as he’s about to have his throat cut. Yeah, I know, a crazy start right out of the gates! I was immediately intrigued by this as, what is usually customary for the first books in a new series where a great deal of world building needs to be established, there’s a bit more of an explanation of where we are as the reader, and what’s going on. Not so in Allan’s tale where we follow Will (mostly) on an accidental journey of self-discovery that promises to upend the entire (newly) established order of a tyrannical and wealth hungry ruler, and a blood thirsty church determined that no other way of thinking or belief should be allowed to flourish. Unfortunately, that’s all this first book is, a promise.

It’s an intriguing concept, it’s not often that fantasy writers hearken back to the time of druids for their inspiration, so I really enjoyed that and think that the story has great potential for longevity given it’s unique premise and the nature based magic system that Allan has created. I was never confused by how the druid's powers worked, though I would have liked to know more about how a druid is “made” so to speak, as not everyone can be a druid, and sometimes those who do have the connection to Gaea that would allow them to use nature in this fantastic way, believe they are hearing an evil “god” entity and therefore use their powers for selfish, and murderous, reasons. So while I enjoyed being plopped into the story amidst the action, it soon became apparent that, while Allan may know his world down to a fine art if the glossary at the back of the book is to be believed, the reader was not going to get that. We would bumble alongside Will as this whole new world of druids and conspiracies is opened up to him.

I might have been fine with that except for the split about half way through, where suddenly we are no longer experiencing the story through a first person narrative told by Will, but a third person narrative from the various men (for they are all men, there was a suspicious lack of women in this book…) who sparked the conspiracy, who were around for the rebellion, and a bit from the mad king prior that started it all. A good 40% of the book became a flashback that I found rather jarring and confusing given its placement within the story, though I will say I think Allan is much stronger writing in the 3rd person than the 1st. It is here that we see the magnitude of Will’s quest, and even more promises are made of what is to come based on what has already passed.

Then we are thrust back to the present in 1st person with Will once more, who is still ignorant of everything the reader now knows, leaving Will in the path of a bunch of trouble that he is oblivious towards, but the reader can see coming from a mile away. Perhaps if the structure had been a bit different, where the long stretch of a flashback had been interspersed in small chapters throughout Will’s story to make the timeline more streamlined and add a bit of suspense back into the book after that tense first moment, it would have left me feeling a bit less frustrated and make the characters (outside of Will) that are introduced feel more real. As it is, these other characters don’t feel grounded to Will or the world at large as their motivations for doing, well, anything makes very little sense. In my opinion, I think giving the reader a bit more world building outside of those flashbacks would have gone a long way towards character development (I still don’t get the Lord Protector’s motivations for being a tyrant to be honest).

The book is not very action packed, so know that going in, and while that wasn’t bad, it does make the book a bit slower to get through. But honestly, with how the switch from 1st to the 3rd person narrative was used and how it muddled the world building, the confusing motivations of the druids and the church plus the rulers of this land, I have a hard time loving this story. I know where it’s going, and it looks like its heading towards something really fun and epic, but I could never get immersed in the book. It’s not a bad story in the slightest, and if you like more of the steady fantasy books that don’t have a lot of fighting or that kind of action (but there is bad language), then I think you’ll enjoy it far more. But personally, while this book isn’t really a 3 star, it’s not a 4 star either, so 3.25 it is, and thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for review! ...more

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Mar 20, 2018 Marion Campbell rated it really liked it

Loved this book - quite detailed but no doubt setting up for the next in the series. Interesting characters, a few evil characters to thwart the good guys, some magic, action, and a quest... what more can one ask for?! Looking forward to finding out what happens to the main character! This is one of the series I plan on reading to the end.

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Nov 15, 2016 Nicole Lopez rated it it was amazing

Intriguing world

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. It's obvious that the author has this world for my in his mind and with his words he takes us there. Will is a young druid however be has no memories of his life before the wilderness and does not realize how special his gift with plants is. He enjoys healing people and a asks for nothing in return. He is the last of the order of druids. The Church hunted down all of disorders and exterminated ...more

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May 01, 2018 Lana rated it it was amazing

Duilleog is Donald D. Allan’s very first book, and what a wonderful book this is. I do believe that Donald used his pen like a paintbrush depicting such beautiful descriptive scenes it took us, the readers right there with Will, experiencing and seeing through his eyes the beauty he so loved in nature. This is the story of Will Arbor, a humble young man who preferred to live out in the woods and sleep on the soil, close to the earth rather than in the town and who considered himself to be a ...more

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Nov 25, 2019 Keith Jahans rated it really liked it

A well told tale which kept me reading right to the end. By "the end" here I mean the end of the first book in a series as there is clearly more to read in future volumes. I am not sure that the structure, particularly the changing points of view, really works but it is such a fascinating tale this is just a minor point.

The story starts in the first person with Will who has been living in the wild and has special healing powers. He survives a murderous attack and discovers a gold coin which ...more

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Mar 31, 2018 Dinees Ponton rated it it was amazing

William Arbor is a very interesting character. The book starts off with him at knife point. The suspense and action continue from there. It has magic and intrigue. The book travels back and forth in time. Thankfully, the chapters start with a date so we don't have to try and guess while reading it. Will is a druid. Will is coming into his powers. His friends must suspect what he is because one of them does some research on his abilities. He seems to be a natural healer and very good at making ...more

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Apr 05, 2018 Dale rated it it was amazing

A good story. Just the right mix of mystery, intrigue, and drama. The characters are well described and allowed me to see them in my mind as I read. That is what I look for to keep me entertained and to make me want to keep on reading. I am looking forward to the next in the series because I want to know how Will's story progresses.

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Jun 16, 2018 Deborah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a full length book mostly focused on Will but splitting off to focus on other characters point of view later in the story.

An interesting tale with a bit of religious debate included but a bit frustrating that The revolution is constantly mentioned but not explained until right near the end.
Unsure if I will get book 2 or not.

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Jul 28, 2015 T. Bakutis rated it really liked it

In the world of Duilleog from Donald D Allan, the common people are dealing with the aftermath of a messy civil uprising. The prior king, who went mad and slaughtered his subjects, was deposed by his own soldiers, and there are now strong hints his replacement, the Lord Protector, is just as corrupt and violent. In addition, a now severely weakened church seeks to regain the power it lost in the uprising and regain the worshipers it lost.

Our protagonist, a young healer named Will, is living on In the world of Duilleog from Donald D Allan, the common people are dealing with the aftermath of a messy civil uprising. The prior king, who went mad and slaughtered his subjects, was deposed by his own soldiers, and there are now strong hints his replacement, the Lord Protector, is just as corrupt and violent. In addition, a now severely weakened church seeks to regain the power it lost in the uprising and regain the worshipers it lost.

Our protagonist, a young healer named Will, is living on the edge of settled society, safely unaware of these conflicts. All he wants to do is live with nature, collecting herbs and making trips to a local town from time to time. A wanderer at heart, he only stays in town long enough to re-provision as needed and help people with their ills.

One night, Will is taken hostage by a dangerous assassin and only survives when the local Reeve (essentially, the town sheriff) rescues him. An unexpected discovery in the dead assassin's boots puts Will on a dangerous road to discover the origins of his otherworldly connection with nature and his gift with herbs. For the first half of the book (written from Will's first person POV) we join him on that journey.

The second half of the book shifts us into multiple third-person POVs within the government, revealing a simmering theological conflict between the Word (practical uses of magic and science) and the Church (adherence to unquestioned rules and culling of any magic or people deemed unholy). We see various leaders within the military, church, and monarchy as they scheme to increase their power, and this helps us understand some of the mysteries presented earlier during Will's journey.

I found Allan's presentation of druidic magic fascinating and enjoyed learning, along with Will, how his powers work. The mundane world is richly detailed and it was obvious Allan did his research about how early cultures worked and lived. Finally, I enjoyed the reveals later in the book that answer some of the questions about how Will ended up living alone.

There are areas where I feel the author could improve. Although Allan's prose is well-written, I often felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of details he included about the world, the town, and its people. I would have preferred to learn a few key details and then watched the plot move forward. The book often felt slow to me simply because much of what I read was information about the background of the world or its people, rather than action or dialogue which advanced the story.

In addition, while the book presented two interesting stories (Will's journey of discovery, followed by the world's political machinations) it felt like it ended too early. It seemed like a three act play where the third act had yet to occur. While I'm certain the author will pick up these threads in the second book, I prefer for the first book in a series to stand alone, even if subsequent books set up more story. This is subjective, however, and as this is the first book in a planned trilogy, this ending may work fine for others.

In summary, Duilleog presents what I felt was a refreshing and novel take on the traditional "healer" character, avoiding common tropes. Allan's first book sets up an interesting conflict both within the political power structure as well as a dangerous conspiracy targeting Will himself. It will be interesting to see how this all manifests in the sequel. ...more

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Feb 04, 2017 Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Jenn Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Schu rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: indie-published

I read this for a book review and what an interesting story filled with magical healing and colorful characters and well described settings. I'll be curious to read the second book as the author reminds me of Christopher Paolini and J.R.R. Tolkien style of writing.

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Jan 13, 2017 Kaila rated it really liked it

I will admit in some spots I got a bit confused. I think it switched persons in some areas.. but overall this was a really fun story to read. I am not the biggest fantasy person but the characters in this made me smile.. they were interesting and I enjoyed the storyline as well. I am glad i got to review it

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Shamelessly Promo...: The New Druids Epic Fantasy Series	1	4	Aug 26, 2018 08:07AM
Books, Blogs, Aut...: Donald D. Allan, Author Blog	1	4	Jun 29, 2015 12:14PM
Books, Blogs, Aut...: Duilleog, A New Druids Novel, Volume One	1	4	Jun 29, 2015 12:09PM

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About Donald D. Allan

Donald D. Allan

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DONALD D. ALLAN is an award-winning author for the New Druids epic fantasy series. He is best known for his knowledge of just about everything – just ask him, he’ll tell you. He takes being a geek to massively huge geek levels – like level twelve. That’s pretty high. Mostly, he’s an introvert pretending to be an extrovert and so far, he’s fooling everybody. Wine helps.

He loves lying around and ...more