The Lords of Valdeon

Heart of the Warrior #1

by C.R. Richards

A new series from award winning Author, C.R. Richards: The epic tale of two men begins. The first - a man of honor trying desperately to turn his country from civil war. The other - a boy struggling to discover his destiny before agents of evil find him first.

Coveted by two ancient enemies of a long forgotten age, the continent of Andara holds the key to victory in an endless struggle for dominance. Eight hundred years have passed since the god-like Jalora struck a bargain with the first King of Valdeon. The Lion Ring, symbol of the covenant and conduit of power, gives its bearer incredible abilities. The ring's borrowed magic protects the people of Andara from covetous evil, but there is a price. As with most predators, the Lion Ring must feed. Only the blood of the D'Antoiné family line will satisfy its hunger.

A rival for Andara's treasures, the Sarcion has waited impatiently for its time upon the land. Whispers of treason in the right ear aid its treachery. The King of Valdeon mysteriously disappears, leaving his lands in danger of a civil war by the hand of a murderous usurper. His Lion Ring is lost and the covenant is broken. The Jalora's power begins to seep away from the land. Evil's foot hold grows stronger. Can the Lords of Valdeon, Sacred Guard of the covenant, stop the tides of war? Or will Andara fall into chaos? The future rests in the blood of a boy...

448 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2015

About the author

Is there anything better than being completely immersed in a thrilling Whodunnit? Or traveling along on an Epic Fantasy adventure with your favorite heroes? I love exploring the possibilities with my characters. Based on "What If" scenarios, my stories take readers along as I journey to uncharted territories.
My literary career began as a part-time columnist for a small entertainment newspaper. I was their food critic, entertainment reviewer and cranky editor. Eventually I decided I was sick of ramen noodles and baked potatoes. I went back to school and jumped into Information Technology. The literary bug, however, had already bitten me. I've co-authored two horror/ dark fantasy books. My first solo novel, Phantom Harvest, won the EPIC 2014 eBook Award for Fantasy Fiction.
Other works include: Lost Man's Parish, Pariah and The Lords of Valdeon (Heart of the Warrior - Book One).

Reviews

[diana]

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This is not my usual cup of tea so yes I was pleasantly surprised when I ended up liking it. It wasn't particularly great but there was a lot going on that would keep anyone reading.

I've never heard of C. R. Richards before this. But after reading the book I have to say she's an amazing storyteller. There was world building, very descriptive sword fights and realistic characters. I admit the book may appeal more to male readers but somehow the author wrote it in such an interesting manner that would appeal to anyone. There was a lot of excitement, action and suspense.

It sounds great doesn't it? It is. So why the average rating you say? Well it took me quite some time to really get into the story. I think it took me almost a week to finish the book because it started out really slow for me and I keep putting it down. It was very fortunate that it picked up pace halfway through because I was thinking of just DNF-ing this.
Also the main characters didn't exactly made much of an impact to me.

I would like to see where the author takes the story next so yes I'll be looking forward to book two!

[Scott Sammons]

Typical tropes, no surprises. Told rather well. Entertaining enough.

As a reader I have become a bit jaded. Stories that are too predictable have lost their luster. This story has the ingredients
of a great epic series,if the author fully exploits the steampunk elements, and avoids deus ex machine solutions, the future tales could be better than this king Arthur wrapped in lion king spin-off. Young morganna le fey, needs real work to be salvaged. In many ways this has many of the hallmarks of poor rpg-lit.

The author does do many things right. Good levels of description,, better than average dialog , reasonable character development. I just demand more of the books that I am willing to download at any price. I will cheerfully screen future books by this author, but will be open to see improvement. There is potential greatness, and sadly probable mediocrity without skilled editors demanding innovation and creativity prior to publication.

[Luanna Helena]

It's always equally thrilling and comforting when you complete a great book like The Lords of Valdeon and realize that the author had the forethought or maybe afterthought to continue with a series. Fortunately, C. R. Richards’ The Lords of Valdeon is Book 1 of the Heart of The Warrior series and is a masterfully crafted tale of Seth McCloud, a seemingly ordinary boy living a simple life on the small island of Marianna.

Seth’s mysterious past, most of which is unknown to him, slowly unfolds at the same time that his life, as he knows it, begins to unravel. He is thrust into the warrior role for which he was born but unfortunately unprepared. The only constant in Seth’s life seems to be his best friend, Riley Logan; their friendship is actually my favorite part of the book. While Riley, like his father and six older brothers, is expected to become a Woolie (sheep) farmer, both best friends dream of leaving their little island home and mundane school and farm activities for the adventure of the mainland of Andara. Instead, however, adventure comes to them, as strangers (some of whom are Seth’s long lost family members) begin to invade their tiny island home. Some of these “visitors” are actually there to protect Seth while others will stop at nothing to harm him, causing Seth to question his identity, as well as who he can truly trust. Through it all, and in the end, however, Riley remains at his side as they face new foes, and embark on adventures greater than they both ever imagined.

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Lords of Valdeon, am thankful that it is only Book 1 of C. R. Richards’ Heart of The Warrior series, and eagerly look forward reading Book 2, The Obsidian Gates.

[Jessica Bronder]

Seth McCloud lives on the Grey Cliff Isles, the furthest he can be from Andara. Seth and his best friend Riley Logan know they are going to grow to up be sheep farmers but they dream of adventures on the main land Andara. Then Seth’s family show up and explain how he is the new ruler of Andara. It seems the last ruler has disappeared along with the Lion Ring. This means the protection of Jalora is fading and it’s up to Seth to fix this. But not everyone that comes to reclaim him want him to succeed.

This is a world ruled by good, Jalora, and evil, Sarcion. Jalora gave the first King of Valdeon The Lion Ring to protect this world with the price being the blood of the D’Antoine family. But the ring has been lost and Sarcion is gaining power. It is going to be up to Seth to save this world. Thankfully Riley is there to help him out along the way.

This is the start to a new epic story. Be warned, the beginning is a little slow but you are building a whole world. Also, you might want to hold off on reading the prologue until you have a couple chapters into the book. I found when reading it first I was confused and lost and didn’t really see how it helped build this world.

Having said that, I really enjoyed this book. There is a lot of weight on Seth’s shoulders but with the help of Riley and others it seems like he may just be able to save everyone. The Lords of Valdeon ends well but does set up the next book nicely. It’s refreshing to not have a huge cliff hanger like so many books in series do.

I received The Lords of Valdeon from Sami at Roger Charlie for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

[Cianna Sunshine & Mountains Book Reviews]

I really enjoyed this book. I think that the only thing that too a .5 away, honestly, parts were a little slow, but that is par for the course in high fantasy. It happens in the best ones, even lord of the rings, so I really think people will enjoy this book, so I was happy to round up.

In this book, we follow two main characters, a man and a boy. The continent is caught up in a massive struggle, and these two people play key roles.

The pros of this series are many. The author does a great job of world-building. As someone who reads a lot of fantasy, building the world is critical. You lose a reader when the world is lacking and CR built a killer world to put her characters in. These characters are well written and feel like real people. I find a lot of fantasy glosses over character flaws in order to make them "heroes" but I think creating real characters with flaws and drama is great.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel. If you like Tolkien, or currently are engrossed in The Witcher TV show, you'll love this high fantasy world that C.R is building!

[The Literary Vixen]

The Lords of Valdeon is an enjoyable fantasy adventure read! The story has legends, oaths, and betrayals. War is coming. Trust no one.

It took some time to fully get into the story. There’s a slow build up but once it gets going, it’s so worth it! It starts to become fast paced. You’re jumping from scene to scene, wondering where it will all lead to. The author did a great job in creating this fantasy world along with these great characters. I look forward to reading more in the series. I give this 4 stars.

[AK]

Overall, I thought this book was good. It wasn’t underwhelming or overwhelming, but it was good.

The prologue was not something I enjoyed reading. It was riddled with repetition and it tried too hard to sound fantastical. It also didn’t really gel with any of the voices in the book. As your first impression of the book, it isn’t a good one. Honestly, if I were you, I’d skim it and then try again after you’ve read at least five chapters of the book. Totally different voice from the rest of the novel, but it is necessary to get a gist of the story’s history.

This book is the first of a series and it was very much a book that sets that stage for something more. The Lords of Valdeon is packed with a lot of description and world/character building. Every chapter contains more and more chunks of the places these characters reside and their situations and it’s definitely interesting getting to know them. Something I really enjoyed was that each character had their own aspect of the world to talk about, and each one generally had their own voice and I also like the women in the story. All of them are quite fierce and strong characters, though I wish they had a larger role in the story itself. With that being said, I felt that within each chapter, the characters voices blurred. All the men and boys sound similar in Seth’s chapters, while all the Lords maintain a formal tone. While these help with world building, and allowing readers to get an idea of the pleasantries and conversations appropriate to each setting, I wish there was more to each character, and not just the plot propelling the story along.

On that note, the plot is quite intricate and interesting. These gods are supposedly cut and dry characters at the beginning, the Jalora seen as good, while the Sarcion is seen as evil. This pretense is tested throughout the novel as each reveals different facets of their own personalities and it really adds colour to the story. It’s interesting to watch each characters’ journey against each other and with one or the other godly being. I particularly like Seth’s thread within all of this, as his character is more exploratory and deals more with self discovery throughout the novel. Although it was slow going at first, the plot really makes the book addicting as the story moves forward and the action begins!

On writing, the author is quite skilled at creating worlds, but I found the most challenging part of this book was the writing. Many aspects just fall short for me. There’s a lot of repetition, and often a lot more telling than showing. Although I really enjoyed the novel as a whole, certain aspects just didn’t do it for me.

Overall, this book is like the Night Circus in its extensive descriptions, mixed with Star Wars’ family feud, with a hint of fantasy and mystery mixed in. I think this is an amazing start to the series, and my expectations are high for the next book!

Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 3.5/5
World Building: 4.5/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Cover: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.25/5

Ebook obtained via Roger Charlie in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary]

The land of Andara seeks its rightful king. Edmund, bearer of the Lion Ring, has gone into hiding to keep his Ring, and therefore his throne, from falling into evil hands. While political intrigues abound on the mainland, a young island boy named Seth daydreams of leaving his small town behind. Seth has always looked and felt different than the rest of the island people, and longs for adventure. Little does he know what destiny has in store for him! Could he be the key to Andara's future?

C.R. Richards is an excellent storyteller. The story carries you along at a good pace, while maximizing suspense and piquing your curiosity. You come to care about the characters in the book, and will find yourself rooting for good to win the day. What I liked best about the book is that the characters in it are realistic . . . the rangers who fight for good are heroes yes, but they are also mortal men who sometimes question their own behavior in order to become better people. I also loved how the farm boy, Riley, youngest of a gaggle of brothers, cannot seem to get the knack of caring for the livestock but eventually finds his true calling as he helps Seth in his journey.

I felt this novel would be appropriate for pre-teens on up. There is one very brief love scene between one ranger and his wife, but it is very discreet. There is a lot of sword fighting within the book, and while that necessitates mention of bloodshed and murder, the descriptions are not gory. There is no bad language to worry about. As an adult, I loved it and I think my teenagers would enjoy it, too. As a lot of the main characters are male, this may appeal more to boys, although again, as a woman I found it to be an excellent choice and I'm eager to see the rest of the series as it is published! The ending of this novel definitely left me curious as to what will happen next!

ISBN 978-0-9906694-3-2. I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This is a book I enjoyed so much I would read it again while I wait for the sequels!

[Bailey Hogan]

For me, this book started out a little slow and it took me a bit to get hooked and interested in the storyline. But to be fair, for me that happens with most fantasy books. It just takes me a while to become familiar with the world and all of the different aspects of it. With that being said, the world that this book takes place in is very well thought out and written. It's almost as if it actually exists in this world, and not just made up out of someone's head.

Because this was the first book in the series, there was a lot of background which probably didn't help with why this book seemed to drag on in the beginning. But after I got to the meat of the book, I was hooked! There is something about these characters that just made me need to know what happens to them all.

The war between good and evil is a tough battle. Is good great enough to hold out, or will the evil side gain a strong enough foothold to push out the good? This is the struggle that takes place throughout the entire book. I enjoyed the way that the stories of both sides were shown throughout the story.

[Arpita Dash]

C.R.Richards is an amazing writer. Though the prologue will leave you in little confusion but after some chapters the story has catches its pace. At first impression it won’t catch your eye but after some chapters it will hook you till the end with its suspense. This book has lots of description and character development. But I think those are necessary elements to grasp a clearer view of every scene. I wished the women characters have more priority in this book because they are strong and standalone.

The author’s writing is promising; some situations are written wonderfully while some with little bewildering. The author hasn’t exaggerated things but I think the prologue was different than the chapters.

The starting of the series (‘Heart of the warrior’) is amazing and my expectations are high for upcoming books in this series. I would recommend it to those, who love to read historical politics intrigue and slide shades of fantasy and action. My rating is 3.75 stars out of 5 for its nice plot and great character development.

[Kristen Chandler]

I don't typically read Fantasy. I do occasionally, but its not my go-to genre. But the blurb on this one sounded interesting enough, so I decided to give it a shot.


I'm glad I did, because I found a new book I liked, as well as a new series and author that I am interested in.


The book does start a little slow, but the reader needs to have the background of the story to fully understand it. This book was an adventure. It was so fun to read. I felt like it was very intense and involved, without being overdone. C.R. Richards is definitely a talented writer, that's very clear. The storyline and plot were great. It was well-written. The characters were also well written and developed, and they each brought a unique style to the story. I definitely enjoyed this book enough to want to continue the series. I look forward to what C.R. Richards comes up with in the future.

[Kristy]

I was intrigued by the idea of this book and veered off my normal path of murderous crimes to try something different. It's a world I don't really dive into so easily so I was a bit skeptical at first. It took some dedication on my part but once I was in it, I was in it. I quickly became engaged with the characters and wanted to know them more.

This is not just your typical evil vs good story. It grips you through the entire journey and has your full attention. This fantasy story has plenty of action and I got way into the idea of the creations and what they stood for. Give it a shot if fantasy is your thing, give it a shot if it's not too, I did and don't regret it. Stick it out if you find the beginning slow, think of it as a roller coaster. Once it starts downhill, you are in for a ride!

[CassandraG]

The story flowed quite nicely even though it kind of took pace in a chaotic and stressful fantasy world. It had complex characters that were something else and there were some you just weren’t sure of, who may or may not have had an ulterior motive that may or may not have been beneficial to them. It also had fantastic creature you didn’t want to encounter on a normal day. You’ll enjoy this fantasy world, so if you get a chance check it out and enjoy.