Long before the dawn of man, peace reigned in the world. True evil did not exist. Or so it was thought, for the ancient evil had been defeated long before. But even the wisest can make mistakes. For a new darkness from the north began to spread across the land, insidiously, secretly, a dark leader rising from the ashes.
Gondell Lenzen had never considered himself special or important, an ordinary Gnome, leading an ordinary life. Yet a hidden and long forgotten family heritage drew young Gondell into a chain of events that would bring the free world to the brink of disaster. As the forces of darkness massed against the armies of the Guild, only the legendary Keeper could bring certain victory, a fact that both sides knew well.
The Keeper became the key.
A small team of misfits may prove to be the free worlds only hope as they struggle against the greatest odds to snatch Gondell, the Keeper of legend, from the clutches of the Dark Lord and his minions. An unlikely group. Elf, Ogre, Dwarf and Nymph partner with a Ghul, a desert demon in a desperate race, a race that they cannot afford to lose.
Gondell's Quest, an epic adventure into the world as it was before the rise of man, a titanic struggle between the forces of good and evil. A story of friendships forged, loyalty won, strategies revealed, deception, fear and doom.
Andy Lang was born in the north west of England in 1965 and worked in the early years as an engineer in an agricultural manufacturing company, moving from the United Kingdom in the late 1990's he subsequently spent many years in the entertainment industry in Cataluña, Northern Spain and property sales in Andalucia, Southern Spain, he is currently an Independent Financial Advisor in East Africa. Over the years he has travelled extensively and has lived in Spain, the west of France, Brazil, Kenya and South Africa.
He currently lives with his wife and their young sons in Uganda.
When in the mood for an epic fantasy read, I expect to be taken away, absorbing every detail as if I were there. I love a lengthy well-written adventure, the kind that you simply can't put down even though you have things you should be doing. Everyone loves a good adventure and Gondell's Quest delivered and then some.
First, I love Gondell. He is a predictable little gnome,content to go about his life fishing and living a quiet life, never expecting his existence to be of importance to anyone. It is his desire for fish that leads him down a path he didn't expect. Gondell is surprised to learn, via a naughty little fairy, that he is the keeper--the key to winning an impending war.
It was nice that the hero in this story is a gnome and not the usual elf or fairy and there were several different creatures that were new to me. The Guild, an unlikely combination of Elf, Ogre, Dwarf and Nymph partner with a Ghul, and race to rescue Gondell from the clutches of the dark Lord as they struggle to maintain good over evil.
The character development is impeccable and gives the reader insight into the characters intentions, emotions and thoughts. You won't get spoilers from me...you just have to read to find out.
Overall I give this book an easy five stars, for many reasons: the story and character development were on par with what I expect from an epic fantasy--to be engrossed in every aspect of the adventure, the story-line was extremely well-written and professionally presented, and even though it was a long read, the mystery kept me turning the page and left me wanting for more. This book had me from the second I previewed it and it is representative of such great adventures as what Tolkien brought to us. It is exactly the type of read you would snuggle up with on a cold winter night and I will most likely read this book again and again. I look forward to reading the second part of Gondell's Quest and learning how it all plays out.
As a rule, I usually tend to judge all epic fantasy type books against the lord of the rings, which is really quite unfair I know, but thats just me. Sometimes I'm surprised, but more often disappointed! Gondells Quest is certainly no disappointment, the exact opposite. Yes it's a long book, and this is only half of the story! But once you start, you find yourself carried to another world, a world before mankind screwed things up so effectively. The character selection is wonderful, usually it's just elves and dwarves, not the case in this book. I really love the nymph Fiorina... and after reading this, I really wish that they actually existed haha.
I don't intend to give too much away, all that I will say is this, if you have read and enjoyed the lord of the rings books, then you have to try Gondells Quest.
The thing I loved about this book was that despite of it's size, it kept me fully engaged till the very end. To be very honest, I am not very good with the books that goes beyond 300 pages - but this one was a different experience - i couldn't put it down until it was finished.
Gondell, an ordinary gnome, at least he thought so, had no clue that he was a keeper. In the most wonderful way, the story unveiled many other interesting characters, and took me to a completely different world. The story was so fresh, yet I couldn't stop myself from comparing it with few of the best fantasy books, and found the book at par in terms of the scenes, the characters, and the quests of the characters, their conflicts, and the never-ending thrill.
An unexpected hero on a long journey, Gondell's Quest: Destiny is a really good first book in what seems to be a running series by Andy Lang. The characters are clever and different for a high fantasy novel, and the storyline while being a little cliche is actually a lot of fun. I came to really like the characters by the end of the book and am looking forward to following their journey in the sequel. The author does an amazing job of presenting their emotions and delving into their lives.
First the obvious: Gondell's quest, like most contemporary fantasy, is highly derivative of Tolkien. Rather than shy from this, however, or try vainly to conceal it, Lang seems to wear this inspiration on his wide and wizardly sleeve, and uses it to spell-binding effect.
The story's characters are deep, thoughtful and complex, and the eponymous Gondell is particularly lovable. The arc is grand and sweeping, stretching from the humblest beginnings across an epic expanse. The locales are gritty and real, sometimes homely and comforting, sometimes chilling and lonely.
All in all, this is just a truly wonderful read and a pleasure to devour. If you're a fan of epic fantasy, and are in search of a new saga, look no further. This first instalment is a colossal piece of literary art, and great things are sure to follow.