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Paladin of The Fates
In a land ruled by the powers of magic, faith, and steel; beings are being summoned by forces more ancient than life itself. The parents of Sulvereia are being stripped of what they hold most dear. Their children. At the provincial seat of Beacon Hall, a lone priest named Jaakob Suncloak performs his duty at The Temple of The Fates; wishing for something more. He is about to discover that prophecy doesn't work that way.Lush with dangerous dragons, shape shifting persons of faith, magnificent beasts of companionship, and demonic creatures that feast on a person’s very heart; Paladin of The Fates tells a story of justice, belief, and hope. Bursting with fully three dimensional characters, you are pulled into the world of Sulvereia by your mind, held prisoner by your tears, and wait with bated breath until the powerful climax.Book one of a proposed four book series.
406 pages, Paperback
Published November 28, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 4, 2019
Where to even begin? There is so much I have to say about how great this book was! I suppose I shall start by mentioning that I was very impressed by Mongiovi's skillfully crafted plotline. It wasn't just the storyline I enjoyed, but also how it was written. It was a strong, intricately woven plotline that resembled a puzzle with many yet unforeseen events being set into play. This served to keep the suspense high, making it hard to put down the book when it was time to return to reality. As the novel went on, you never really knew what was going to happen. Sure, I guessed at what I thought was going to happen, but more times than not, I was wrong! The author proves to be very unpredictable and ruthless, as you will no doubt discover simply by reading CHAPTER ONE!!! This story, no this AUTHOR will force out your feelings. Chapter one already had me in tears. This story made me laugh out loud, cry my eyes out, shiver in anticipation and excitement, and curse out Mongiovi MULTIPLE times! To me, that is ultimately the sign of what a good and truly impeccable author is. Someone who forces you to face the feelings of his world and characters. It's not at all an easy task, yet Mongiovi does it and that is something I can truly appreciate.
Yet another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the way in which the author crafted this world. Due to his usage of extraordinary literary skills such as alliteration, similes, personification, and metaphors (to name a FEW), he was able to create a very vivid and descriptive world. It was like we could see everything the characters were seeing. It was as though we were there with them as they picked berries and visited the sick beds of ailing children.
I have to point out how well developed the characters in this story were. The characters continually grew and evolved throughout the novel. Just as the plot grew, so did the characters. They became more multifaceted and real with each problem they encountered and the emotions they simultaneously displayed and faced. One of my absolute favorite characters throughout the entire novel was Colleen! She is one fierce chick and I can't wait to see what becomes of her! I also can't wait to see how Jaakob's character continues to grow and develop. He is, Master Dayne dubs him, "a rash fool". Despite this, or perhaps because of it, we can't help but love him and even relate to him. The characters in this story have very strong ties to each other and I believe that served to help us form even stronger bonds to them. The relationships between the characters themselves were palpable and made them all the more realistic.
I feel it's important to point out that ALL of the characters in this book were interesting, but I especially loved the author's unique take on the specific demons he included in this story. The way he described them made them simultaneously terrifying and magnificent. I was and still am obsessed with the demons! They are so creepy and just plain cool! I loved the author's take on them and creepy and evil though they may be, I am a big fan of those baddies!
While we are on the subject of the characters of this story, let me just caution you all not to get too attached to any one person. The author has an innate ability to continue to surprise us and he isn't shy about killing people off. I won't give any spoilers away, but heed my words travelers, expect the unexpected! You may THINK you know what's going to happen, but trust me, you don't! lol
So clearly, I really enjoyed this story. Why then four starts and not five? Mainly it has to do with the grammatical and spelling errors. There was quite a bit of those throughout the book and they had a tendency to distract me and pull me away from/out of the story. Maybe that's just because I love grammar and am extra sensitive to it... I'm not quite sure, but I had a hard time pulling myself away from them! lol I would have also liked to know what the demons were saying when they spoke to the Paladins. I got so irked when the Paladins could understand them but I couldn't! I'm nosey by nature and would have liked to know what they were saying because it seemed important! Most of the times it was fine because the Paladins translated what the demons said, but this wasn't the case every time and I don't think the demons would have spoken if it wasn't to say something interesting or important. I could be wrong about this, but we will never know because only Mongiovi and the Paladins know what was actually being said! I also worry a tad about the number of characters dying off. I'm not kidding when I say they die indiscriminately and unexpectedly. By the end of the story, I felt a tad weary and yet somewhat hopeful - if that even makes sense? I worry about the killing off of so many beloved characters so quickly...there was a period of time when I felt like my spirit was about to shatter and I questioned what would happen if all the characters continued to DIE OFF! .....I'm still a tad salty about that, but I will say that despite that, Mongiovi was still able to instill some hope that things may not be so set in stone or as bleak as it all appears. We just have to wait and see what happens in the coming books! And how exactly do I know there will be more books in the series? Because the author left us with MULTIPLE major cliffhangers! I seriously cannot be the only one chomping at the bit to see what will happen next!
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and can't wait to see how it progresses! I think this story is a wonderfully strong start to a new engaging, action-packed, fantastical series set in a wholly new world that is brimming with possibilities!
Yet another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the way in which the author crafted this world. Due to his usage of extraordinary literary skills such as alliteration, similes, personification, and metaphors (to name a FEW), he was able to create a very vivid and descriptive world. It was like we could see everything the characters were seeing. It was as though we were there with them as they picked berries and visited the sick beds of ailing children.
I have to point out how well developed the characters in this story were. The characters continually grew and evolved throughout the novel. Just as the plot grew, so did the characters. They became more multifaceted and real with each problem they encountered and the emotions they simultaneously displayed and faced. One of my absolute favorite characters throughout the entire novel was Colleen! She is one fierce chick and I can't wait to see what becomes of her! I also can't wait to see how Jaakob's character continues to grow and develop. He is, Master Dayne dubs him, "a rash fool". Despite this, or perhaps because of it, we can't help but love him and even relate to him. The characters in this story have very strong ties to each other and I believe that served to help us form even stronger bonds to them. The relationships between the characters themselves were palpable and made them all the more realistic.
I feel it's important to point out that ALL of the characters in this book were interesting, but I especially loved the author's unique take on the specific demons he included in this story. The way he described them made them simultaneously terrifying and magnificent. I was and still am obsessed with the demons! They are so creepy and just plain cool! I loved the author's take on them and creepy and evil though they may be, I am a big fan of those baddies!
While we are on the subject of the characters of this story, let me just caution you all not to get too attached to any one person. The author has an innate ability to continue to surprise us and he isn't shy about killing people off. I won't give any spoilers away, but heed my words travelers, expect the unexpected! You may THINK you know what's going to happen, but trust me, you don't! lol
So clearly, I really enjoyed this story. Why then four starts and not five? Mainly it has to do with the grammatical and spelling errors. There was quite a bit of those throughout the book and they had a tendency to distract me and pull me away from/out of the story. Maybe that's just because I love grammar and am extra sensitive to it... I'm not quite sure, but I had a hard time pulling myself away from them! lol I would have also liked to know what the demons were saying when they spoke to the Paladins. I got so irked when the Paladins could understand them but I couldn't! I'm nosey by nature and would have liked to know what they were saying because it seemed important! Most of the times it was fine because the Paladins translated what the demons said, but this wasn't the case every time and I don't think the demons would have spoken if it wasn't to say something interesting or important. I could be wrong about this, but we will never know because only Mongiovi and the Paladins know what was actually being said! I also worry a tad about the number of characters dying off. I'm not kidding when I say they die indiscriminately and unexpectedly. By the end of the story, I felt a tad weary and yet somewhat hopeful - if that even makes sense? I worry about the killing off of so many beloved characters so quickly...there was a period of time when I felt like my spirit was about to shatter and I questioned what would happen if all the characters continued to DIE OFF! .....I'm still a tad salty about that, but I will say that despite that, Mongiovi was still able to instill some hope that things may not be so set in stone or as bleak as it all appears. We just have to wait and see what happens in the coming books! And how exactly do I know there will be more books in the series? Because the author left us with MULTIPLE major cliffhangers! I seriously cannot be the only one chomping at the bit to see what will happen next!
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and can't wait to see how it progresses! I think this story is a wonderfully strong start to a new engaging, action-packed, fantastical series set in a wholly new world that is brimming with possibilities!
December 30, 2016
When first picking up a new book I'm always hesitant. Will I like it? Will I hate it? Will I become obsessed with it? These questions double when I am aware that the book is the start of a series. So, imagine how many questions I had when picking up this book. My reasons for hesitation, despite having come upon it as a former coworker did the cover art and knows of my fantasy obsession, really stemmed from the fact that this book is part of a proposed series. Which means, should I become obsessed, I will need to wait for the next installments. So, while I was hesitating due to my usual "getting involved in a series" questions I decided something: just go for it. I am glad I did. Read on if you want to know more about why you should read this book.
As I said, and as a form of disclaimer, I came upon this book series through personal connections. Let me be clear, though. This is an unbiased review. If it was biased I'd have left the review at "read this book, five stars" and signed off. Now, on to the meat of the review and the reasons to give this book a try.
Fantasy series are always intriguing to me. More often than not they take place in wholly imagined worlds of the author's creation and, therefore, a lot of groundwork must be laid down for the story to not only believable (despite the fantastical themes) but also enjoyable. Jai Mongiovi has done his due diligence in this light at creating a world, characters and a story to get behind.
Setting in a series is important. How you are introduced to it matters as well. While there are a few moments of more "telling" rather than "showing" it is a pitfall of many well known fantasy series. In an effort to make sure the reader understands the world they've stepped in to the author does sometimes give too much description in one go and therefore, for me at least, it was a mini-lull in the the reading. However, those are not too common in this book for which I was grateful. It can also be forgiven due to the fact that this world is entirely new and there are many complexities within it that require explanation.
Equally important to setting and tied intrinsically to it is the culture of the world created. While the world of Sulveria is completely new and created by Mongiovi he succeeded in creating a culture for his characters to navigate. There are hierarchies, customs, detailed ceremonies and a history built into the world here that guided the characters in their actions. Again, while this is not perfect I was pleased to see small tips and mentions of these things throughout the book, especially as it relates to customs. In all fantasy series the customs of people dictate how they react and therefore it is paramount to create. While there could have been more credit has to be given here. Creating an entire world is difficult and daunting and Mongiovi did well in helping me understand his characters through their culture.
Where this book shined for me was with the characters. Whether we are discussing the main character Jaakob (who I will come back to shortly) or more secondary characters such as Teeland, Eduord, etc, the characters are believable, relatable and endearing. Perhaps the most endearing character for me was Edourd who appeared in the early stages of the book and therefore helped hook me into the series. Other characters have their own personalities, histories and motives. Due to this all are easy to connect with or, at the very least, understand their motivations. The decisions made by characters don't feel "out of left field," they follow logic and reason dictated by what we know of them and the world they live in.
Returning to the main character now, Jaakob Suncloak. Firstly, I have to say that Jaakob is not only a great choice to lead the dialogue but utterly perfect in his interactions with others given his personality. Sarcastic and the classic middle child temperament he both undermines his older brother Miikal and playfully teases but is protective of his sister Bekka. Perhaps my favorite thing about Jaakob, other than the on-point sarcasm (which frequently needs to be covered up with apologies to superiors) is his relationships to everyone around him. Jaakob, and everyone around him, has their flaws. Perfect heroes are boring. Perfect people and static characters are boring. You will not find that sort here. The added bonus of harmony between he and his siblings chosen paths (solider, prophetess, paladin) made me believe that the family was as dynamic as all families truly are.
Other fantastic things to be aware of in this book are little hints hidden in the writing. A prime example is the name Mourning Star for the huge predatory bird that accompanies Teeland. (I will not give away the reason for the spelling of the name, I'm sure you can guess, but who it connects to is simultaneously perfect and heartbreaking.) I will say that I'm a sucker for picking apart books for clues and hints, right down to the spelling.
I'll leave the review with these final notes on the characters and their individual journeys. From the existing rivalries of characters that we come to know and understand, to the romances, to the things that the characters feel are beyond their control one thing I always enjoy about epic fantasy novels is how, eventually, all things and people tie together. What happens in one area of the world to one character can, down the line (whether that's a day or years later) can affect another across the world. Especially in cases of epic fantasy where there are wars, rivalries, sword fights and mystical creatures I enjoy when its pieces begin fitting together like a puzzle. As this is a proposed as book one of four in a series I will say that while not everything comes together perfectly and ties off neatly in this first book, realistically everything could not be neatly tucked away as that would leave us with no reason to return to book two. At this time I can safely say I look forward to book two but will definitely re-read this book before that day comes for the pure fact that I'm sure there are Easter eggs hidden in this book that I'll want to remember in book two.
As I said, and as a form of disclaimer, I came upon this book series through personal connections. Let me be clear, though. This is an unbiased review. If it was biased I'd have left the review at "read this book, five stars" and signed off. Now, on to the meat of the review and the reasons to give this book a try.
Fantasy series are always intriguing to me. More often than not they take place in wholly imagined worlds of the author's creation and, therefore, a lot of groundwork must be laid down for the story to not only believable (despite the fantastical themes) but also enjoyable. Jai Mongiovi has done his due diligence in this light at creating a world, characters and a story to get behind.
Setting in a series is important. How you are introduced to it matters as well. While there are a few moments of more "telling" rather than "showing" it is a pitfall of many well known fantasy series. In an effort to make sure the reader understands the world they've stepped in to the author does sometimes give too much description in one go and therefore, for me at least, it was a mini-lull in the the reading. However, those are not too common in this book for which I was grateful. It can also be forgiven due to the fact that this world is entirely new and there are many complexities within it that require explanation.
Equally important to setting and tied intrinsically to it is the culture of the world created. While the world of Sulveria is completely new and created by Mongiovi he succeeded in creating a culture for his characters to navigate. There are hierarchies, customs, detailed ceremonies and a history built into the world here that guided the characters in their actions. Again, while this is not perfect I was pleased to see small tips and mentions of these things throughout the book, especially as it relates to customs. In all fantasy series the customs of people dictate how they react and therefore it is paramount to create. While there could have been more credit has to be given here. Creating an entire world is difficult and daunting and Mongiovi did well in helping me understand his characters through their culture.
Where this book shined for me was with the characters. Whether we are discussing the main character Jaakob (who I will come back to shortly) or more secondary characters such as Teeland, Eduord, etc, the characters are believable, relatable and endearing. Perhaps the most endearing character for me was Edourd who appeared in the early stages of the book and therefore helped hook me into the series. Other characters have their own personalities, histories and motives. Due to this all are easy to connect with or, at the very least, understand their motivations. The decisions made by characters don't feel "out of left field," they follow logic and reason dictated by what we know of them and the world they live in.
Returning to the main character now, Jaakob Suncloak. Firstly, I have to say that Jaakob is not only a great choice to lead the dialogue but utterly perfect in his interactions with others given his personality. Sarcastic and the classic middle child temperament he both undermines his older brother Miikal and playfully teases but is protective of his sister Bekka. Perhaps my favorite thing about Jaakob, other than the on-point sarcasm (which frequently needs to be covered up with apologies to superiors) is his relationships to everyone around him. Jaakob, and everyone around him, has their flaws. Perfect heroes are boring. Perfect people and static characters are boring. You will not find that sort here. The added bonus of harmony between he and his siblings chosen paths (solider, prophetess, paladin) made me believe that the family was as dynamic as all families truly are.
Other fantastic things to be aware of in this book are little hints hidden in the writing. A prime example is the name Mourning Star for the huge predatory bird that accompanies Teeland. (I will not give away the reason for the spelling of the name, I'm sure you can guess, but who it connects to is simultaneously perfect and heartbreaking.) I will say that I'm a sucker for picking apart books for clues and hints, right down to the spelling.
I'll leave the review with these final notes on the characters and their individual journeys. From the existing rivalries of characters that we come to know and understand, to the romances, to the things that the characters feel are beyond their control one thing I always enjoy about epic fantasy novels is how, eventually, all things and people tie together. What happens in one area of the world to one character can, down the line (whether that's a day or years later) can affect another across the world. Especially in cases of epic fantasy where there are wars, rivalries, sword fights and mystical creatures I enjoy when its pieces begin fitting together like a puzzle. As this is a proposed as book one of four in a series I will say that while not everything comes together perfectly and ties off neatly in this first book, realistically everything could not be neatly tucked away as that would leave us with no reason to return to book two. At this time I can safely say I look forward to book two but will definitely re-read this book before that day comes for the pure fact that I'm sure there are Easter eggs hidden in this book that I'll want to remember in book two.
December 30, 2016
I never thought I was a fan of the fantasy genre until I found that book. I just could not stop reading...one more page....another page...it made me want to read more and more...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews