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Legends of the Realm #3
The Golden Vial
Lady Shona, the newly crowned queen of the realm, is a leader without a throne. Pursued relentlessly by a dark force, her small contingent of loyal followers must make a difficult choice--flee or fight. Determined to save her land from nefarious threats, Lady Shona decides that she must seek out the enemy and attack them head on--a strategy that leads back to the region of the Three Valleys where Hyam was born.
Alas, Hyam has been struck by a mysterious illness that is silently sweeping through the realm. Known as the wasting disease, the sickness has no cure. But there is one shred of hope for Lady Shona and the realm--and it comes in the most unlikely of forms. A young orphan, untested and untrained, could well mean the difference between victory and total defeat.
Thomas Locke concludes his epic trilogy with a gripping tale of courage that will inspire readers to persevere even when all seems lost.
Alas, Hyam has been struck by a mysterious illness that is silently sweeping through the realm. Known as the wasting disease, the sickness has no cure. But there is one shred of hope for Lady Shona and the realm--and it comes in the most unlikely of forms. A young orphan, untested and untrained, could well mean the difference between victory and total defeat.
Thomas Locke concludes his epic trilogy with a gripping tale of courage that will inspire readers to persevere even when all seems lost.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2018
25 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Locke
29 books304 followersThomas Locke is an award-winning novelist with total worldwide sales of seven million copies.
His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.
Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.
Thomas's screenplay adaption of EMISSARY is under development as a feature film with a British production company.
Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com
His work has been published in twenty languages, and critical acclaim includes four Christy Awards for excellence in fiction and his 2014 induction into the Christy Hall of Fame.
Thomas divides his time between Florida and England, where he serves as Writer In Residence at Regent's Park College, Oxford University. He holds a lifelong passion for epic fantasy, science fiction and techno-thriller stories.
Thomas's screenplay adaption of EMISSARY is under development as a feature film with a British production company.
Contact Thomas at info@tlocke.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
May 20, 2018
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book.
When first starting this book, I did not realise that it was part of a series that I actually never read. I had no idea what was going on and who the characters were. This could explain my low rating.
I really struggle getting engaged with the story and getting attached to the characters.
I found the plot very slow and it started to drag after a couple of chapters.
The book was also relatively short so it felt really rushed and there was not much room for character development and story building.
When first starting this book, I did not realise that it was part of a series that I actually never read. I had no idea what was going on and who the characters were. This could explain my low rating.
I really struggle getting engaged with the story and getting attached to the characters.
I found the plot very slow and it started to drag after a couple of chapters.
The book was also relatively short so it felt really rushed and there was not much room for character development and story building.
March 8, 2018
Publishing Date: March 2018
Publisher: Revell
ISBN: 9780800723873
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 1.5/5
Publisher’s Description: Lady Shona, the newly crowned queen of the realm, is a leader without a throne. Pursued relentlessly by a dark force, her small contingent of loyal followers must make a difficult choice–flee or fight. Determined to save her land from nefarious threats, Lady Shona decides that she must seek out the enemy and attack them head on–a strategy that leads back to the region of the Three Valleys where Hyam was born.
Review: Another fantasy novel that starts out with a bang and then flounders in it’s own story line. First off, despite the publisher’s description, this is not really about Lady Shona. Sure she gets props for being a newly minted queenie but the most speshully person in the world is a wittle orphan gurl that whives in an animal pen, treated harshly by her wicked mistress and all the towns people. Dally or Asshat, is thrust into super speshul uber land by dint of her ability to do, well any and everything magical. There is no slow buildup in character development with some kind of quest that engenders the reader to care for her plight. Nope, just all of a sudden a super mage with some inner frailty that somehow is supposed to make the reader care for her. Nope.
So now we have a dipshjt mage that all the royalty bows and supports and then…….romance. Fug. Hunky Connell is well, hunky and her heart pitter-pats but “she felt once more this intense bonding. Which caused her to blush.”. Blah, blah, blah. So with all the bonding with everyone she meets (dogs included) all her magic just comes naturally to her and all questions are foretold prior to the event because she is a far-seer or some shjt. Cool way to expedite the story line with ol’ Deus ex.
More than anything I wanted someone to kill her off so that the novel could become a cogent and interesting whole. As characters go, Lady My Sherona was good. She is royal, aloof, has some understated powers , steely in tense situations and can cry over spilt milk. Oh and she’s hotter than a popcorn fart.
At the end of the day the characters were rushed into roles with no formal build up. As a consequence they lacked depth and a believable persona.
You can check out my other reviews here
Publisher: Revell
ISBN: 9780800723873
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 1.5/5
Publisher’s Description: Lady Shona, the newly crowned queen of the realm, is a leader without a throne. Pursued relentlessly by a dark force, her small contingent of loyal followers must make a difficult choice–flee or fight. Determined to save her land from nefarious threats, Lady Shona decides that she must seek out the enemy and attack them head on–a strategy that leads back to the region of the Three Valleys where Hyam was born.
Review: Another fantasy novel that starts out with a bang and then flounders in it’s own story line. First off, despite the publisher’s description, this is not really about Lady Shona. Sure she gets props for being a newly minted queenie but the most speshully person in the world is a wittle orphan gurl that whives in an animal pen, treated harshly by her wicked mistress and all the towns people. Dally or Asshat, is thrust into super speshul uber land by dint of her ability to do, well any and everything magical. There is no slow buildup in character development with some kind of quest that engenders the reader to care for her plight. Nope, just all of a sudden a super mage with some inner frailty that somehow is supposed to make the reader care for her. Nope.
So now we have a dipshjt mage that all the royalty bows and supports and then…….romance. Fug. Hunky Connell is well, hunky and her heart pitter-pats but “she felt once more this intense bonding. Which caused her to blush.”. Blah, blah, blah. So with all the bonding with everyone she meets (dogs included) all her magic just comes naturally to her and all questions are foretold prior to the event because she is a far-seer or some shjt. Cool way to expedite the story line with ol’ Deus ex.
More than anything I wanted someone to kill her off so that the novel could become a cogent and interesting whole. As characters go, Lady My Sherona was good. She is royal, aloof, has some understated powers , steely in tense situations and can cry over spilt milk. Oh and she’s hotter than a popcorn fart.
At the end of the day the characters were rushed into roles with no formal build up. As a consequence they lacked depth and a believable persona.
You can check out my other reviews here
June 29, 2022
3.5 Stars ✨
March 23, 2018
This book definitely satisfies the question of what happens next in the series, as that over-arching plot is decidedly the focus of the book. I just found myself wanting more than the plot had time to allow.
The beginning (really, the whole book) felt very rushed. I think it would have been better to take time to develop the the main character a bit more before thrusting her into the heart of the action. Even though I've read the first two books of the series (absolutely necessary for this one to make sense), I struggled to catch up with Dally's rapidly changing life and to really connect with her. Untrained though she is, everything magical comes to her without effort, and it felt like her greatest struggles happened before the story began. I wish we could have seen her discover her bond with the wolfhounds while under the tyranny of her mistress, how she found the ability to speak telepathically, and what made it so her myriad of other powers don't seem to faze her in the least, all while living in a land where magic had for years been forbidden outside of special enclaves, not to mention the fact she's a pariah in her village. This would have made a great book! Instead, it's all just backstory, dished out amidst the arrival of Queen Shona's army in the first few chapters.
The story is told at a very swift pace, and I wish it could have been slowed down to develop more and make it more dramatic. It all felt just a bit too easy--I wanted to see more struggle, both externally for the characters and internally for Dally. In the end, I feel like I read half a book--as if all the victories and exciting action parts were pulled out and pieced together for this book, and the rest of the story--the struggles, the failures, the mundane aspects of real life--are languishing somewhere with the character-building backstory.
Thank you Revell for the free book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.
The beginning (really, the whole book) felt very rushed. I think it would have been better to take time to develop the the main character a bit more before thrusting her into the heart of the action. Even though I've read the first two books of the series (absolutely necessary for this one to make sense), I struggled to catch up with Dally's rapidly changing life and to really connect with her. Untrained though she is, everything magical comes to her without effort, and it felt like her greatest struggles happened before the story began. I wish we could have seen her discover her bond with the wolfhounds while under the tyranny of her mistress, how she found the ability to speak telepathically, and what made it so her myriad of other powers don't seem to faze her in the least, all while living in a land where magic had for years been forbidden outside of special enclaves, not to mention the fact she's a pariah in her village. This would have made a great book! Instead, it's all just backstory, dished out amidst the arrival of Queen Shona's army in the first few chapters.
The story is told at a very swift pace, and I wish it could have been slowed down to develop more and make it more dramatic. It all felt just a bit too easy--I wanted to see more struggle, both externally for the characters and internally for Dally. In the end, I feel like I read half a book--as if all the victories and exciting action parts were pulled out and pieced together for this book, and the rest of the story--the struggles, the failures, the mundane aspects of real life--are languishing somewhere with the character-building backstory.
Thank you Revell for the free book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.
April 8, 2019
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series, but I have too many issues with this third in the series to rate it as highly as I did the first two. Spoilers ahead.
The book more or less abandons Hyam and never resolves his quest. He sets out at the end of book 2 to approach the witches of Lystra, fully recovered of his mage powers. This book immediately tosses us in with Dally with no explanation of what’s happened to him. Later on, through Dally, we learn that Joelle is dead. WTH?! The entire last book was predicated on Hyam’s quest to save her, and no we find out that she has died anyway, and rather unceremoniously at that. This seemed like lazy writing, and I’m still not certain why it was necessary. We also learn that Hyam is dying of “wasting disease”, but we never find out what happened between his triumphant re-emergence at Lystra and his crippling illness. He remains out of the picture for the majority of the book, and plays only a minor role at the end.
I’m assuming that there will be another book in the series, but if it is not, then this is the worst ending to a trilogy ever. The unknown mystery bad guy is still on the prowl. Hyam failed and his wife died, and then he had to drink her life essence so that he didn’t die himself. (Oh yes, Dally finds the vial that would have saved her, through an all too conveniently easy invasion.). Random new prodigy girl is on the scene and starts a romance. Shona is still not Queen. Literally zero story threads resolve in this book, so I have to assume that this is not meant as the end of the series. If it is, it is an epic fail. I’m hoping for a 4th in the series to redeem all of this.
That being said, it’s still and interesting and enjoyable read. I just very strongly disagreed with killing off Joelle and keeping Hyam silent for most of the book. (FWIW, I feel that the situation that led to Joelle’s plight in book 2 was ridiculously out of character for her - eagerly running into a situation with absolutely no caution, completely ignoring signs of trouble and portents of doom, and then helplessly becoming ensnared. It felt very out of place, like more time should have been spent working out the kinks in the storyline). I didn’t hate it, and enjoyed most of the read, but I found the end to be wholly unsatisfying, and missed the presence of our hero, Hyam.
The book more or less abandons Hyam and never resolves his quest. He sets out at the end of book 2 to approach the witches of Lystra, fully recovered of his mage powers. This book immediately tosses us in with Dally with no explanation of what’s happened to him. Later on, through Dally, we learn that Joelle is dead. WTH?! The entire last book was predicated on Hyam’s quest to save her, and no we find out that she has died anyway, and rather unceremoniously at that. This seemed like lazy writing, and I’m still not certain why it was necessary. We also learn that Hyam is dying of “wasting disease”, but we never find out what happened between his triumphant re-emergence at Lystra and his crippling illness. He remains out of the picture for the majority of the book, and plays only a minor role at the end.
I’m assuming that there will be another book in the series, but if it is not, then this is the worst ending to a trilogy ever. The unknown mystery bad guy is still on the prowl. Hyam failed and his wife died, and then he had to drink her life essence so that he didn’t die himself. (Oh yes, Dally finds the vial that would have saved her, through an all too conveniently easy invasion.). Random new prodigy girl is on the scene and starts a romance. Shona is still not Queen. Literally zero story threads resolve in this book, so I have to assume that this is not meant as the end of the series. If it is, it is an epic fail. I’m hoping for a 4th in the series to redeem all of this.
That being said, it’s still and interesting and enjoyable read. I just very strongly disagreed with killing off Joelle and keeping Hyam silent for most of the book. (FWIW, I feel that the situation that led to Joelle’s plight in book 2 was ridiculously out of character for her - eagerly running into a situation with absolutely no caution, completely ignoring signs of trouble and portents of doom, and then helplessly becoming ensnared. It felt very out of place, like more time should have been spent working out the kinks in the storyline). I didn’t hate it, and enjoyed most of the read, but I found the end to be wholly unsatisfying, and missed the presence of our hero, Hyam.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2018
I am not really much of a fantasy reader. But I have been reading the Legends of the Realm from the first book, so I was interested in how the series would end, especially since the second book left off with a lot unresolved and beloved characters’ lives hanging in the balance. We do get a glimpse of what had happened to Hiram and Shona is communicating with a young orphan girl by the name of Dally. Dally is a special person who lives a sort of Cinderella life, but she keeps her spirits up by remembering the love her family had for her and knowing that she is meant for more.
There are plenty of battles, magic, and character growth as we get to know new and secondary characters. One important lesson I gleamed was how the village people ignored the darkness and danger that was encroaching ever further into their town. They did not want to acknowledge it nor did they want to deal with it so they pretended it did not exist. I thought that was a great lesson for today’s day and age.
I often times get lost in fantasy stories but this one was engaging and simply enough told that it held my interest. I would recommend for older teens and up.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
https://pausefortales.blogspot.com/20...
There are plenty of battles, magic, and character growth as we get to know new and secondary characters. One important lesson I gleamed was how the village people ignored the darkness and danger that was encroaching ever further into their town. They did not want to acknowledge it nor did they want to deal with it so they pretended it did not exist. I thought that was a great lesson for today’s day and age.
I often times get lost in fantasy stories but this one was engaging and simply enough told that it held my interest. I would recommend for older teens and up.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
https://pausefortales.blogspot.com/20...
April 17, 2018
If you enjoy fantasies with elves, humans and dragons you will so enjoy this book. This is Book three in the Legends of the Realm series. You don’t have to read books 1 and 2 to understand this one but if they are as good as this one then you should read them. Dally is a wonderful character who is full of magic that she doesn’t understand. She helps to save this world. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
April 30, 2018
Maybe I'm a little bored with the fantasy genre. Maybe it was the overall pace of the book. I don't know. But for whatever reason, this book was really just OK. It was a good conclusion to the series. But I didn't enjoy it the same way that I did book 1 in the series. Daly was an interesting character though. There were times when I was reading it that I felt her character could have been made a bit more in depth.
Overall, it was ok.
I received a copy from Revell for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Overall, it was ok.
I received a copy from Revell for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 9, 2019
"The Golden Vial" is the third book in Thomas Locke's "Legends of the Realm" series. These books are very closely interconnected, so if you're thinking about reading this book without reading the other two, it probably wouldn't be the best idea. You won't know who half the people are, and you definitely won't understand what's been going on. I will do my best to keep the biggest spoilers for this book's and the previous book's plot secret or in spoiler code, but will still need to discuss *some* things, so read at your own risk.
After the big cliffhanger at the end of Merchant of Alyss I was very much looking forward this book in the hopes there would be an epic ending to this overall epic series. Unfortunately, while I did enjoy reading the book as a whole, when it comes down to it, I am disappointed. As far as I know, this is the last book in the series (correct me if I'm wrong??? I will rewrite this review if I'm wrong, but I checked the author's website and there's no indication that there is.), but it feels unfinished to me. Hyam was the main character of the previous two books, but this book opens with a totally new character, a girl named Dally, because it turns out Hyam is out of commission for reasons explained as the story goes on. Hyam is so out of commission in fact, that instead of saving everyone, he is now the one that needs saving from some kind of affliction that has weakened him to the point he can barely raise his head. Now, I don't mind heroes needing help from other people. The thing is, he was the main character of this series, and all of a sudden, he's not. I kept waiting and waiting for him to be helped so he and the others could team up to give the villain(s) the epic smackdown they deserve. About 9/10th of the way through the book he finally so I'm feeling encouraged, right? But then the book ends, and there is no epic smackdown.
And then there's Dally, our new main character. She's an ordinary girl with extarordinary abilities, and neither she nor the reader knows why she has these abilities. If you've read Emissary, this probably sounds familiar as Hyam was much the same way. The difference is, we at least have a hint at what his heritage might be. With Dally, we have even less of a hint of her background, but still, one expects that if this is the last book we will get an explanation, or at least a partial one, right? But then the book ends, and while I suppose we the readers can make some guesses given the hints, it's still only a guess for us and the characters since we get no solid explanation for her or Hyam.
I mean, I guess it's nice that things are at least left on a positive, hopeful note that things will be better soon, but still... though the book closes on the characters taking steps to hopefully accomplish thoer goal, the villain(s) have not been defeated for a final time and the final conflict is yet to come at some unknown point in the future. Are we just supposed assume that it all turns out okay? I mean, I guess I can make that assumption and maybe some readers are okay being allowed to make that assumption and imagine how things end rather than being told, but the whole reason I picked up this book was because I wanted to see it happen. I didn't even feel like this book had a real climax. There were a couple of little ones, but right when I thought the big one was about to happen it No, seriously, I'm not joking. It was kinda funny at the time, but then it turns out that's the last we see of the bad guy for the rest of the book and it truly feels like there should be a fourth book coming. But there's not. As I turned the final page I found myself feeling like I had received a copy of the book with the final chapter(s) missing. I even flipped through the pages advertising the author's other books trying to figure out if he'd decided to add another book to the series, but there was nothing. *shrugs helplessly*
I want to reiterate that I did enjoy the book up to the ending, which is why I won't lower my rating below 3 stars. The characters are likable enough. Connell and Edlyn were probably my favorites: Connell was funny but kind and I liked his interactions with Dally, and Edlyn was such a fun, sassy, old lady. Dally came off as kind of overpowered at times, but had enough weaknesses to balance it out, so I didn't dislike her in the long run. I mostly just didn't like that she was the main character here rather than Hyam and that I didn't get to know her as well as the characters I've spent that past two books getting to know. I also liked how Shona has grown and matured since the end of the last book. There were actually times in the second book when I got really annoyed with her, but I overall liked her in this one. I'll also note that the story was well written, easy to read, and I often found myself flying through it at a pace that was faster than my normal pace.
Still... in spite of not disliking the story overall and the technical aspects being well done, a weak ending can make it all feel pointless, and I am afraid that's how I feel right now. Like, why did I read this trilogy at all if I'm just going to be left to imagine how things work out? Maybe that sounds harsh, but I'm really struggling to come to terms with the fact that I liked this trilogy only to feel like the ending wasn't enough. My mom read each of the three books before I got around to them and said to tell my review readers that she feels the same way.
To those of you who started this series and are reading this review either just wondering about my opinion or wondering if the series is worth finishing, I'm not telling you not to finish. Go on and read it if you want to. Like I said, the story itself was enjoyable and was worth reading from that perspective. It's possible you'll even feel differently about the ending than I did. All I'm saying with this review is that for me personally it wasn't quite enough. Maybe someday I'll decide I am okay with it. I actually think I will reread the series someday after I've gotten some distance from it and see if my feelings change, and I don't reread things I hated or even severely disliked so that's saying something right there. For right now, though, the ending simply wasn't what I hoped it would be, which is why I give this book 3 stars when I was hoping to give 4 stars if not 5.
Content Advisory:
Language:
None.
Sexual:
None.
Violence:
A few battles occur but they described in a way that is not graphic or even particularly intense. They are simply action-y.
It is mentioned that some dogs died in a battle, but they are not dogs the readers get to know and their deaths occur "off screen".
Brief mentions of blood on weapons after battles and brief mentions of blood on people due to injury. Never graphic. When some large, evil, animal-like creatures are killed in battle it is said their skins are hung up with bloody spears to prove to the doubters that these creatures do exist.
Magic:
Magic is present throughout and follows the same rules as previous books. There are rivers of magic running beneath the earth's surface that are accessible by those humans (called "mages") with the natural ability using orbs, or pieces of broken orbs stuck on the ends of wands. There are also non-human beings with inherent magical abilities. Some characters who appear human but may have ancestry that is non-human have extra abilities that are not fully explained.
Spiritual:
I'm including this section because once again, I see that some users have marked this book as Christian even though it's not. Yes, the author (Davis Bunn writing under the pseudonym Thomas Locke) is a Christian and has written Christian fiction, but he has stated that he is using this pseudonym for the books he writes that are intended for the secular market. There is nothing in this series that is specifically Christian. There are no analogs for the Judeo Christian God. In fact, there are no mentions of deities of any kind, or faith, or afterlife, or other religious beliefs. The closest thing this book in particular comes to anything spiritual is the fact that a certain character's "life breath" was captured in a vial by bad people and seems to keep that character's...the best term I can think of is "essence"...alive and, to a certain extent, able to interact with the good guys even after the character's body physically
After the big cliffhanger at the end of Merchant of Alyss I was very much looking forward this book in the hopes there would be an epic ending to this overall epic series. Unfortunately, while I did enjoy reading the book as a whole, when it comes down to it, I am disappointed. As far as I know, this is the last book in the series (correct me if I'm wrong??? I will rewrite this review if I'm wrong, but I checked the author's website and there's no indication that there is.), but it feels unfinished to me. Hyam was the main character of the previous two books, but this book opens with a totally new character, a girl named Dally, because it turns out Hyam is out of commission for reasons explained as the story goes on. Hyam is so out of commission in fact, that instead of saving everyone, he is now the one that needs saving from some kind of affliction that has weakened him to the point he can barely raise his head. Now, I don't mind heroes needing help from other people. The thing is, he was the main character of this series, and all of a sudden, he's not. I kept waiting and waiting for him to be helped so he and the others could team up to give the villain(s) the epic smackdown they deserve. About 9/10th of the way through the book he finally so I'm feeling encouraged, right? But then the book ends, and there is no epic smackdown.
And then there's Dally, our new main character. She's an ordinary girl with extarordinary abilities, and neither she nor the reader knows why she has these abilities. If you've read Emissary, this probably sounds familiar as Hyam was much the same way. The difference is, we at least have a hint at what his heritage might be. With Dally, we have even less of a hint of her background, but still, one expects that if this is the last book we will get an explanation, or at least a partial one, right? But then the book ends, and while I suppose we the readers can make some guesses given the hints, it's still only a guess for us and the characters since we get no solid explanation for her or Hyam.
I mean, I guess it's nice that things are at least left on a positive, hopeful note that things will be better soon, but still... though the book closes on the characters taking steps to hopefully accomplish thoer goal, the villain(s) have not been defeated for a final time and the final conflict is yet to come at some unknown point in the future. Are we just supposed assume that it all turns out okay? I mean, I guess I can make that assumption and maybe some readers are okay being allowed to make that assumption and imagine how things end rather than being told, but the whole reason I picked up this book was because I wanted to see it happen. I didn't even feel like this book had a real climax. There were a couple of little ones, but right when I thought the big one was about to happen it No, seriously, I'm not joking. It was kinda funny at the time, but then it turns out that's the last we see of the bad guy for the rest of the book and it truly feels like there should be a fourth book coming. But there's not. As I turned the final page I found myself feeling like I had received a copy of the book with the final chapter(s) missing. I even flipped through the pages advertising the author's other books trying to figure out if he'd decided to add another book to the series, but there was nothing. *shrugs helplessly*
I want to reiterate that I did enjoy the book up to the ending, which is why I won't lower my rating below 3 stars. The characters are likable enough. Connell and Edlyn were probably my favorites: Connell was funny but kind and I liked his interactions with Dally, and Edlyn was such a fun, sassy, old lady. Dally came off as kind of overpowered at times, but had enough weaknesses to balance it out, so I didn't dislike her in the long run. I mostly just didn't like that she was the main character here rather than Hyam and that I didn't get to know her as well as the characters I've spent that past two books getting to know. I also liked how Shona has grown and matured since the end of the last book. There were actually times in the second book when I got really annoyed with her, but I overall liked her in this one. I'll also note that the story was well written, easy to read, and I often found myself flying through it at a pace that was faster than my normal pace.
Still... in spite of not disliking the story overall and the technical aspects being well done, a weak ending can make it all feel pointless, and I am afraid that's how I feel right now. Like, why did I read this trilogy at all if I'm just going to be left to imagine how things work out? Maybe that sounds harsh, but I'm really struggling to come to terms with the fact that I liked this trilogy only to feel like the ending wasn't enough. My mom read each of the three books before I got around to them and said to tell my review readers that she feels the same way.
To those of you who started this series and are reading this review either just wondering about my opinion or wondering if the series is worth finishing, I'm not telling you not to finish. Go on and read it if you want to. Like I said, the story itself was enjoyable and was worth reading from that perspective. It's possible you'll even feel differently about the ending than I did. All I'm saying with this review is that for me personally it wasn't quite enough. Maybe someday I'll decide I am okay with it. I actually think I will reread the series someday after I've gotten some distance from it and see if my feelings change, and I don't reread things I hated or even severely disliked so that's saying something right there. For right now, though, the ending simply wasn't what I hoped it would be, which is why I give this book 3 stars when I was hoping to give 4 stars if not 5.
Content Advisory:
Language:
None.
Sexual:
None.
Violence:
A few battles occur but they described in a way that is not graphic or even particularly intense. They are simply action-y.
It is mentioned that some dogs died in a battle, but they are not dogs the readers get to know and their deaths occur "off screen".
Brief mentions of blood on weapons after battles and brief mentions of blood on people due to injury. Never graphic. When some large, evil, animal-like creatures are killed in battle it is said their skins are hung up with bloody spears to prove to the doubters that these creatures do exist.
Magic:
Magic is present throughout and follows the same rules as previous books. There are rivers of magic running beneath the earth's surface that are accessible by those humans (called "mages") with the natural ability using orbs, or pieces of broken orbs stuck on the ends of wands. There are also non-human beings with inherent magical abilities. Some characters who appear human but may have ancestry that is non-human have extra abilities that are not fully explained.
Spiritual:
I'm including this section because once again, I see that some users have marked this book as Christian even though it's not. Yes, the author (Davis Bunn writing under the pseudonym Thomas Locke) is a Christian and has written Christian fiction, but he has stated that he is using this pseudonym for the books he writes that are intended for the secular market. There is nothing in this series that is specifically Christian. There are no analogs for the Judeo Christian God. In fact, there are no mentions of deities of any kind, or faith, or afterlife, or other religious beliefs. The closest thing this book in particular comes to anything spiritual is the fact that a certain character's "life breath" was captured in a vial by bad people and seems to keep that character's...the best term I can think of is "essence"...alive and, to a certain extent, able to interact with the good guys even after the character's body physically
January 7, 2018
I went into this completely blind and also not realizing that it is the third in a series. I received it as an early arc for review. My rating could very well change after I get my hands on the first 2 books. I wish to know more of the characters and because I started in the middle of the story I don't know anything about them. Apart from that the writing us good and the flow is great and I think once i get the other books I will understand the world much better and I feel it will be beautiful.
April 10, 2018
Loved it, loved it so much.
Book 3 in the Legends of the Realm series. I read book 1 in early 2015 and book 2 in early 2016.
I highly recommend you read Thomas Locke's answer to this question. Open this link in a new tab so you don't loose the rest of my review... come back and finish reading here... Where did you get the idea for your most recent book? His most recent book happens to be "The Golden Vial". His answer is the reason why he has had so much success as a writer and especially with his fantasy/Christian fiction under his pseudonym. Oh, My! I love his writing.
Well thought out, well planned. Extremely well written. Creative. Like nothing else I have ever read. Drawing you in. Making the book impossible to put down.
This book continues the series, but starts with an unknown main character, someone knew on the scene. Dally works for the mayor and his wife in the village of Honor. She lost her family in a fire and came to live with the mayor. His wife Krim, however, is impossible to work for. Dally has no choice, she has no family, no money and no where else to go, so she endures the job the best she can and spends a lot of time with the wolfhounds the mayor raises.
I know this series well enough to expect some interesting abilities from the characters in the book. Dally has a secret gift, she can reach out to the wolfhounds and smell what they smell and sense what they sense. She can reach out from her spot in the holding pen with the dogs and tell what is going on in the village. She has also been having dreams, no not really dreams, visitations. She knew Shona was real and that she was coming to Honor. The town had been cut off from the world for almost 2 years. The arrival of an army is alarming and there is not much time, Shona and the army arrive at dawn.
Lady Edlyn, the new Mistress of the Long Hall of the Three Valleys tests Dally's abilities. First she test her with the dogs, she passes that quickly. Then they look for a sign.
"Oh, you mean the candles." (skip down the page)
"Dally went on, 'Then they speak to me.'
Both mages froze. 'I'm sorry. They speak?' Edlyn asked.
'They did. Before these dogs came. Not in words. But...' Dally looked fro one face to the other. 'Did I do something wrong?'
'Lass, let me assure you of this one thing. Whatever events that have filled you with such fear are now behind you.'
Something broke within Dally. She could no more hold back the tears than stop her own breath." (pg 30)
"'Did I draw the beast that killed my family?'
'If you will please straighten up and look at me, I will answer you. Thank you. Dally, I will never lie to you. Even when the truth is at its most painful, you can trust me to be both direct and honest. The answer is, your talents are so remarkable it is possible they were noticeable to our foes. But I very much doubt this. Latent powers are invisible to even our most sensitive adepts." (pg 31)
So, now we find the basic plot of this book. The beasts have been tormenting the surrounding countryside and towns. They are a fierce enemy. The new mistress has come with her army to protect the citizens. Dally and her gifts will have a part in the upcoming battles. But there is more. Hyam, our hero from books one and two, has been struck by a terrible illness and cannot be awakened. Who will help them save him? Does Dally with her untrained talents and powers have what it takes to help the army defeat these gigantic beasts? Will the mages find out what is wrong with Hyam? Can they save him before it is to late?
Battles, powers, gifts, mages, wolfhounds and terrible beasts. Could anything be worse? Yes, but I won't tell you what you will have to read the book to find out the details.
"Who was she really? What did she seek to do with her life? Her past had been stripped away, the prison of her former existence gone. She was free, and yet Dally did not know what the word even meant. What course did she wish to chart for herself? She found herself struggling not to weep, though many of those gathered here bore tear-streaked faces. She was wracked by a sorrow that made no sense. She had a purpose. She had gifts. Her life held meaning. Should she not be thrilled? Where was the joy?
In the silent, sunlit warmth, Dally realized she had no idea what she wanted. The confusion was as powerful as guilt, though she had done nothing wrong. She felt herself being reshaped by the questions as though images that had not yet appeared required her to ask what she had spent years fleeing.
Worst of all was the simple fact that she did not even know her own name." (pg 102-103
Purpose. We all seek a purpose for our lives. Why was I put here, in this time and space? What does God want of me? This we, like Dally, seek to find. Purpose for our lives.
"The longer she focused upon this heart's light, the clearer Dally saw beyond her trapped state. For the first time she glimpsed a realization all her own, a purpose large enough to justify the hard life she had known. Here was an objection so gigantic, it made her years of lonely toil not just bearable, but necessary.
She had never given up. Wept, yes. Ached and sobbed and experienced hardship, most certainly.
All for this moment." (pg 178)
What moment... I can't tell you that it would give away.
Some day I hope to find the same thing Dally did. A purpose for all my suffering... all my families suffering. In the meantime I will continue on. I will not give up. I have wept, many times. I am sure I will weep again. I have ached and sobbed like Dally, but I have not given up, and I will not give up now. It may be I don't know why things happened until heaven. Until then I will keep on and try to serve my Lord, my family and my community.
Do you want to know what happens to Dally? Do they save Hyam? Read and find out.
I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read the series start with book one. This series is great. I am pretty sure I heard that book four is on the way soon.
Note: I was sent this book for free for me to review. My thoughts and review are honest and not influenced by the fact that I received the book for free.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt(s) –
A book that's published in 2018
Book 3 in the Legends of the Realm series. I read book 1 in early 2015 and book 2 in early 2016.
I highly recommend you read Thomas Locke's answer to this question. Open this link in a new tab so you don't loose the rest of my review... come back and finish reading here... Where did you get the idea for your most recent book? His most recent book happens to be "The Golden Vial". His answer is the reason why he has had so much success as a writer and especially with his fantasy/Christian fiction under his pseudonym. Oh, My! I love his writing.
Well thought out, well planned. Extremely well written. Creative. Like nothing else I have ever read. Drawing you in. Making the book impossible to put down.
This book continues the series, but starts with an unknown main character, someone knew on the scene. Dally works for the mayor and his wife in the village of Honor. She lost her family in a fire and came to live with the mayor. His wife Krim, however, is impossible to work for. Dally has no choice, she has no family, no money and no where else to go, so she endures the job the best she can and spends a lot of time with the wolfhounds the mayor raises.
I know this series well enough to expect some interesting abilities from the characters in the book. Dally has a secret gift, she can reach out to the wolfhounds and smell what they smell and sense what they sense. She can reach out from her spot in the holding pen with the dogs and tell what is going on in the village. She has also been having dreams, no not really dreams, visitations. She knew Shona was real and that she was coming to Honor. The town had been cut off from the world for almost 2 years. The arrival of an army is alarming and there is not much time, Shona and the army arrive at dawn.
Lady Edlyn, the new Mistress of the Long Hall of the Three Valleys tests Dally's abilities. First she test her with the dogs, she passes that quickly. Then they look for a sign.
"Oh, you mean the candles." (skip down the page)
"Dally went on, 'Then they speak to me.'
Both mages froze. 'I'm sorry. They speak?' Edlyn asked.
'They did. Before these dogs came. Not in words. But...' Dally looked fro one face to the other. 'Did I do something wrong?'
'Lass, let me assure you of this one thing. Whatever events that have filled you with such fear are now behind you.'
Something broke within Dally. She could no more hold back the tears than stop her own breath." (pg 30)
"'Did I draw the beast that killed my family?'
'If you will please straighten up and look at me, I will answer you. Thank you. Dally, I will never lie to you. Even when the truth is at its most painful, you can trust me to be both direct and honest. The answer is, your talents are so remarkable it is possible they were noticeable to our foes. But I very much doubt this. Latent powers are invisible to even our most sensitive adepts." (pg 31)
So, now we find the basic plot of this book. The beasts have been tormenting the surrounding countryside and towns. They are a fierce enemy. The new mistress has come with her army to protect the citizens. Dally and her gifts will have a part in the upcoming battles. But there is more. Hyam, our hero from books one and two, has been struck by a terrible illness and cannot be awakened. Who will help them save him? Does Dally with her untrained talents and powers have what it takes to help the army defeat these gigantic beasts? Will the mages find out what is wrong with Hyam? Can they save him before it is to late?
Battles, powers, gifts, mages, wolfhounds and terrible beasts. Could anything be worse? Yes, but I won't tell you what you will have to read the book to find out the details.
"Who was she really? What did she seek to do with her life? Her past had been stripped away, the prison of her former existence gone. She was free, and yet Dally did not know what the word even meant. What course did she wish to chart for herself? She found herself struggling not to weep, though many of those gathered here bore tear-streaked faces. She was wracked by a sorrow that made no sense. She had a purpose. She had gifts. Her life held meaning. Should she not be thrilled? Where was the joy?
In the silent, sunlit warmth, Dally realized she had no idea what she wanted. The confusion was as powerful as guilt, though she had done nothing wrong. She felt herself being reshaped by the questions as though images that had not yet appeared required her to ask what she had spent years fleeing.
Worst of all was the simple fact that she did not even know her own name." (pg 102-103
Purpose. We all seek a purpose for our lives. Why was I put here, in this time and space? What does God want of me? This we, like Dally, seek to find. Purpose for our lives.
"The longer she focused upon this heart's light, the clearer Dally saw beyond her trapped state. For the first time she glimpsed a realization all her own, a purpose large enough to justify the hard life she had known. Here was an objection so gigantic, it made her years of lonely toil not just bearable, but necessary.
She had never given up. Wept, yes. Ached and sobbed and experienced hardship, most certainly.
All for this moment." (pg 178)
What moment... I can't tell you that it would give away.
Some day I hope to find the same thing Dally did. A purpose for all my suffering... all my families suffering. In the meantime I will continue on. I will not give up. I have wept, many times. I am sure I will weep again. I have ached and sobbed like Dally, but I have not given up, and I will not give up now. It may be I don't know why things happened until heaven. Until then I will keep on and try to serve my Lord, my family and my community.
Do you want to know what happens to Dally? Do they save Hyam? Read and find out.
I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read the series start with book one. This series is great. I am pretty sure I heard that book four is on the way soon.
Note: I was sent this book for free for me to review. My thoughts and review are honest and not influenced by the fact that I received the book for free.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt(s) –
A book that's published in 2018
June 12, 2018
The Golden Vial is the third installment to the Legends of the Realm series by Thomas Locke. It continues the quest of Hyam and company to rid their land of the evil that has come upon it by adding new characters and letting go of others. While I don’t want to say who, for fear of giving too much of the story away, one main character in particular will be greatly missed, not only by Hyam but by those of us who have read the other two books in this series. I was not expecting this turn of events and would much rather have had a happier outcome than the one given. As it is, Locke’s writing is such that I was able to identify with Hyam and others as they grieved for the physical loss of this significant character. Thankfully, however, the spirit of this character has been found and will no doubt continue on in the fourth book, of which there absolutely must be one.
The newest character presented to us, and the one who will play a vital role in combating the evil that has come upon the land, is Dally. She is also the one who is the focus of this book. Dally is an orphan, just shy of 18, when we are introduced to her. As expected, she has unusual and significant powers that will aid her in her part to rid the world of evil, but oddly enough, she is human. That’s right…just a plain, ordinary human being. The fact that she is human makes her powers even more special. Her young life has been very hard, but it has prepared her for her future role and the difficulties ahead. Because she has grown up humbly, she is initially overwhelmed by the attention given to her as well as the understanding and acceptance of the strangers who have come into her life.
Rather than go into all the details of battles, either physical, emotional, and/or magical, I will leave that to you to discover and enjoy reading. The journey is a quick one and one that I did feel ended much too soon, but that was because I became so involved with the characters and all that was going on in the story. A story so enjoyable and gripping that I didn’t want it to end knowing I’d have to wait another year for the next installment to share in the lives of these new found “friends.” Granted, the book could have been made longer by the addition of more in depth landscape descriptions, descriptions of clothing, houses, villages, etc., but I personally have a well-developed imagination, so I am not in need of all that filler.
Having said that, I find it intriguing that some reviewers have failed to grasp, much less comprehend, the energy of this series and have rated it low because they felt Mr. Locke failed to give them enough information. I have been privileged to read and review all three books in this series. As one who has enjoyed fantasy lit right at 40 years now, I must disagree with some reviewers who say that the characters aren’t developed enough or that there isn’t enough information given about Dally’s abilities and how she came by them. I had no problem identifying with and understanding Dally, or any of the other characters for that matter. I found her to be a hard working, honest, and humble young woman whose gifts were just part of her daily life. She saw them as normal because she knew no different. Her abilities were a part of who she was, and how they came to be did not need to be gone into. Had Mr. Locke done so, he would have robbed the reader of the ability to use their own imagination. Maybe that’s the problem though. It could well be that some of those who have read the book and wanted more descriptions or felt that the characters were underdeveloped are lacking in imagination. How sad. How very sad indeed. To have to have everything spelled out for you in grand detail all the time is a great hindrance. One can only hope that those with stunted imaginations are able to correct that handicap by learning to visualize the words they read, turning them into images in their own mind, as well as finding the ability to empathize with the characters whose lives they have entered by means of the written word.
I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. Those who wish to escape from the troubles of every day life will enter a world that, though imaginary, can teach them so much. They will experience joy through the acceptance found by Dally, grief through the loss of one much respected and loved, frustration due to the stubbornness and narrow mindedness of older folks who should have been wiser, adventure as the story unfolds and risks must be taken, intrigue as stealth is required, and recognition of the need for those who may have once been sworn enemies to lay aside past grievances and come together for the good of the whole. While the book is a work of fiction, it has much to teach those who will take the time and make the effort to learn.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and the author. No request for a review was made nor was one expected.
The newest character presented to us, and the one who will play a vital role in combating the evil that has come upon the land, is Dally. She is also the one who is the focus of this book. Dally is an orphan, just shy of 18, when we are introduced to her. As expected, she has unusual and significant powers that will aid her in her part to rid the world of evil, but oddly enough, she is human. That’s right…just a plain, ordinary human being. The fact that she is human makes her powers even more special. Her young life has been very hard, but it has prepared her for her future role and the difficulties ahead. Because she has grown up humbly, she is initially overwhelmed by the attention given to her as well as the understanding and acceptance of the strangers who have come into her life.
Rather than go into all the details of battles, either physical, emotional, and/or magical, I will leave that to you to discover and enjoy reading. The journey is a quick one and one that I did feel ended much too soon, but that was because I became so involved with the characters and all that was going on in the story. A story so enjoyable and gripping that I didn’t want it to end knowing I’d have to wait another year for the next installment to share in the lives of these new found “friends.” Granted, the book could have been made longer by the addition of more in depth landscape descriptions, descriptions of clothing, houses, villages, etc., but I personally have a well-developed imagination, so I am not in need of all that filler.
Having said that, I find it intriguing that some reviewers have failed to grasp, much less comprehend, the energy of this series and have rated it low because they felt Mr. Locke failed to give them enough information. I have been privileged to read and review all three books in this series. As one who has enjoyed fantasy lit right at 40 years now, I must disagree with some reviewers who say that the characters aren’t developed enough or that there isn’t enough information given about Dally’s abilities and how she came by them. I had no problem identifying with and understanding Dally, or any of the other characters for that matter. I found her to be a hard working, honest, and humble young woman whose gifts were just part of her daily life. She saw them as normal because she knew no different. Her abilities were a part of who she was, and how they came to be did not need to be gone into. Had Mr. Locke done so, he would have robbed the reader of the ability to use their own imagination. Maybe that’s the problem though. It could well be that some of those who have read the book and wanted more descriptions or felt that the characters were underdeveloped are lacking in imagination. How sad. How very sad indeed. To have to have everything spelled out for you in grand detail all the time is a great hindrance. One can only hope that those with stunted imaginations are able to correct that handicap by learning to visualize the words they read, turning them into images in their own mind, as well as finding the ability to empathize with the characters whose lives they have entered by means of the written word.
I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. Those who wish to escape from the troubles of every day life will enter a world that, though imaginary, can teach them so much. They will experience joy through the acceptance found by Dally, grief through the loss of one much respected and loved, frustration due to the stubbornness and narrow mindedness of older folks who should have been wiser, adventure as the story unfolds and risks must be taken, intrigue as stealth is required, and recognition of the need for those who may have once been sworn enemies to lay aside past grievances and come together for the good of the whole. While the book is a work of fiction, it has much to teach those who will take the time and make the effort to learn.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and the author. No request for a review was made nor was one expected.
January 10, 2019
Legends of the Realm by Thomas Locke
My rating is 4.5 Stars
This was my favorite book of the trilogy and had my favorite characters, Dally and Connell.
Dally has a way of communicating with the wolfhounds that her master, the Mayor raises. She also has giftings of magery and “seeing” that have been hidden to those around her. The villagers have always shunned and feared her. Never having seen herself in a mirror and only judging her appearance by the reactions of those around her, she assumes she is homely. Her humility and yet willingness to do whatever she needs to is endearing.
I was captivated by Connell in his cameo in The Merchant of Alyss and had high hopes that he would return. He is a master mage and a favorite instructor among the apprentices. In The Golden Vial, he is a pillar of strength despite the queen passing him over for a great role in the Realm.
"The chief wizard of Emporis was tall and handsome, with the clear blue eyes of a midsummer dawn. He wore his blond hair standing straight up, like a yellow brush. His blond goatee ended in a woven strand as long as his thumb. He did his best to provoke—outrage, humor, attraction—any response would do, Hyam suspected, so long as it was robust. Connell was everything Hyam was not and never would be. Hyam already liked the young man immensely."
From The Merchant of Alyss
While I normally don’t like to read stories that contain witches (shudder!), the ones in this story are more sirens than typical Halloween witches, and though they are by no means nice, it didn’t bother me that they made an appearance.
There were a myriad of creatures I’ve never heard of before, and each one was creatively described in such a way that I could picture it well. Despite the fact that there was a full cast of important characters to keep track of, they were introduced in such a way that when they appeared later, I was not too overwhelmed to be able to know who each one was.
Though the description of this book declares it to be the last of the trilogy, there is unfinished business and hints of more to come. According to author Thomas Locke’s blog, there is a possibility of this series becoming a major motion picture, and if so, there could be more to the stories. I can only hope that is the case.
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
Get a Preview of Legends of the Realm at AmongTheReads.net
I would like to thank Netgalley, Revell for giving me this copy of the book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
My rating is 4.5 Stars
This was my favorite book of the trilogy and had my favorite characters, Dally and Connell.
Dally has a way of communicating with the wolfhounds that her master, the Mayor raises. She also has giftings of magery and “seeing” that have been hidden to those around her. The villagers have always shunned and feared her. Never having seen herself in a mirror and only judging her appearance by the reactions of those around her, she assumes she is homely. Her humility and yet willingness to do whatever she needs to is endearing.
I was captivated by Connell in his cameo in The Merchant of Alyss and had high hopes that he would return. He is a master mage and a favorite instructor among the apprentices. In The Golden Vial, he is a pillar of strength despite the queen passing him over for a great role in the Realm.
"The chief wizard of Emporis was tall and handsome, with the clear blue eyes of a midsummer dawn. He wore his blond hair standing straight up, like a yellow brush. His blond goatee ended in a woven strand as long as his thumb. He did his best to provoke—outrage, humor, attraction—any response would do, Hyam suspected, so long as it was robust. Connell was everything Hyam was not and never would be. Hyam already liked the young man immensely."
From The Merchant of Alyss
While I normally don’t like to read stories that contain witches (shudder!), the ones in this story are more sirens than typical Halloween witches, and though they are by no means nice, it didn’t bother me that they made an appearance.
There were a myriad of creatures I’ve never heard of before, and each one was creatively described in such a way that I could picture it well. Despite the fact that there was a full cast of important characters to keep track of, they were introduced in such a way that when they appeared later, I was not too overwhelmed to be able to know who each one was.
Though the description of this book declares it to be the last of the trilogy, there is unfinished business and hints of more to come. According to author Thomas Locke’s blog, there is a possibility of this series becoming a major motion picture, and if so, there could be more to the stories. I can only hope that is the case.
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
Get a Preview of Legends of the Realm at AmongTheReads.net
I would like to thank Netgalley, Revell for giving me this copy of the book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
October 28, 2019
This was my first in the series and I found it thoroughly enjoyable. This is another ‘quest’ style of novel that is typical in the fantasy genre.
I understand Dally, the main character, is new to the series in this book and Hyam, who I presume is prominent in the first two has been captured and his people seek to get him back, even though they’re unsure whether he is in fact alive. He has been struck down with a mystery illness which has left him near death.
Dally is a delightful creation of Locke’s. She is a teenage orphan who lives like a slave/servant to her human parents. She sleeps in the back shed with the wolfhounds who she has a very special connection with. She possesses the wolfhounds sense of smell and intuition. A wolfhound is a BIG dog and she has many of them. They obey her every command.
But more significantly she has this special power, to communicate with other people from a distance, and people she has never met. When we meet Dally the Queen’s people who have requested her presence as a result of her ‘communication’ with Lady Shona, whom she has never met, visit her. Worryingly for the kingdom, Dally has ‘seen’ the rising of an army against them and it is this that Shona wants to explore.
We are soon thrown into a minor skirmish with Dally effectively providing insight into the whereabouts of the enemy simply through her senses. But there is a greater battle ahead with a more dangerous enemy that Shona engages Dally and her special skills to help in. Plus find Hyam if he is still alive.
Soon we meet all forms of magnificent creatures whom Dally is able to communicate with. A HUGE dragon equips Dally with both knowledge and a tonic to carry into battle. I loved this dragon.
The battle ensues, Dally’s talents keeping Shona and her army one step ahead of the enemy. Locke creates a fantastic visual story world that enables the reader to dive in and see it all.
The story doesn’t really finish well which made it a little unsatisfying as there are a few loose ends that make me wonder if there is another book to come, however, what I’m left most with is the wonderful character of Dally. This young lady is continually unsure of herself and her talents, however to her credit continues forward even faced with the most terrifying of situations. Further, Locke provides a tremendous example of the importance of having others encourage someone in their talents. Connell, a handsome guard-of sorts, plays such a role as do some of Shona’s people like Lady Edlyn. Many of us lack confidence with our special talents, spiritual or otherwise, and often it’s having people alongside us who provide a safe environment for us to engage these talents through their encouragement and support.
Very good novel that I will happily recommend.
I understand Dally, the main character, is new to the series in this book and Hyam, who I presume is prominent in the first two has been captured and his people seek to get him back, even though they’re unsure whether he is in fact alive. He has been struck down with a mystery illness which has left him near death.
Dally is a delightful creation of Locke’s. She is a teenage orphan who lives like a slave/servant to her human parents. She sleeps in the back shed with the wolfhounds who she has a very special connection with. She possesses the wolfhounds sense of smell and intuition. A wolfhound is a BIG dog and she has many of them. They obey her every command.
But more significantly she has this special power, to communicate with other people from a distance, and people she has never met. When we meet Dally the Queen’s people who have requested her presence as a result of her ‘communication’ with Lady Shona, whom she has never met, visit her. Worryingly for the kingdom, Dally has ‘seen’ the rising of an army against them and it is this that Shona wants to explore.
We are soon thrown into a minor skirmish with Dally effectively providing insight into the whereabouts of the enemy simply through her senses. But there is a greater battle ahead with a more dangerous enemy that Shona engages Dally and her special skills to help in. Plus find Hyam if he is still alive.
Soon we meet all forms of magnificent creatures whom Dally is able to communicate with. A HUGE dragon equips Dally with both knowledge and a tonic to carry into battle. I loved this dragon.
The battle ensues, Dally’s talents keeping Shona and her army one step ahead of the enemy. Locke creates a fantastic visual story world that enables the reader to dive in and see it all.
The story doesn’t really finish well which made it a little unsatisfying as there are a few loose ends that make me wonder if there is another book to come, however, what I’m left most with is the wonderful character of Dally. This young lady is continually unsure of herself and her talents, however to her credit continues forward even faced with the most terrifying of situations. Further, Locke provides a tremendous example of the importance of having others encourage someone in their talents. Connell, a handsome guard-of sorts, plays such a role as do some of Shona’s people like Lady Edlyn. Many of us lack confidence with our special talents, spiritual or otherwise, and often it’s having people alongside us who provide a safe environment for us to engage these talents through their encouragement and support.
Very good novel that I will happily recommend.
May 3, 2018
The battle for the realm continues brining in some new characters to freshen up the story.
Darkness has settled over the Three Valleys area, cutting off the towns from the outside world. Little by little the darkness squeezes the area in closer. The townspeople have started to ignore the threat and accepted that it was always this way. There is one that has not. Dally’s entire family was killed by the dark force and she was left orphaned and taken in by the town mayor. She hasn’t gotten along well with people, but she has always had the ability to talk with the mayor’s dogs. When Lady Shona arrives to combat the evil forces, she request the presence of Dally and her ability. It is also discovered the Dally has the power of a great mage, but has never been taught. She joins Lady Shona’s band of faithful followers on her quest to save the realm, with hopes to save Hyam as well.
This series has been my favorite fantasy series in quite some time and I have been looking forward to this book for well over two years. It went in a different direction than what I expected, but it is a transition novel to the next storyline. Locke has done a really good job of weaving everything in the world together, which can be daunting when you have to create the world to begin with. The descriptive nature of the scenery has continued so that it is easy to jump back into the realm at a moment’s notice. The cast of characters continue to be a fun bunch to be around much of the time. As the main character, Dally struggles with confidence much like Hyam did in the first book. Given their similarities, I would not be surprised to find that they are related in some way in the future.
Undoubtedly, this series will not be for everyone; however, I recommend that you give it a try. Each book is serious, but has a lot of humor to keep it a little lighter. This book is a great read for young adults and up. If you haven’t read the first two, I recommended it as there is a lot of back story that needs to fill you in.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
Darkness has settled over the Three Valleys area, cutting off the towns from the outside world. Little by little the darkness squeezes the area in closer. The townspeople have started to ignore the threat and accepted that it was always this way. There is one that has not. Dally’s entire family was killed by the dark force and she was left orphaned and taken in by the town mayor. She hasn’t gotten along well with people, but she has always had the ability to talk with the mayor’s dogs. When Lady Shona arrives to combat the evil forces, she request the presence of Dally and her ability. It is also discovered the Dally has the power of a great mage, but has never been taught. She joins Lady Shona’s band of faithful followers on her quest to save the realm, with hopes to save Hyam as well.
This series has been my favorite fantasy series in quite some time and I have been looking forward to this book for well over two years. It went in a different direction than what I expected, but it is a transition novel to the next storyline. Locke has done a really good job of weaving everything in the world together, which can be daunting when you have to create the world to begin with. The descriptive nature of the scenery has continued so that it is easy to jump back into the realm at a moment’s notice. The cast of characters continue to be a fun bunch to be around much of the time. As the main character, Dally struggles with confidence much like Hyam did in the first book. Given their similarities, I would not be surprised to find that they are related in some way in the future.
Undoubtedly, this series will not be for everyone; however, I recommend that you give it a try. Each book is serious, but has a lot of humor to keep it a little lighter. This book is a great read for young adults and up. If you haven’t read the first two, I recommended it as there is a lot of back story that needs to fill you in.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
June 2, 2022
Hyam has fallen into an illness after the death of his wife Joelle. Shona sets out to find a solution to this strange ailment, only to meet a young woman from Hyam’s home village named Dally. Dally has an unusual talent for magic and a mysterious past, but she longs to use her newfound abilities to aid Shona in her quest. But what can be done when it becomes apparent that Hyam is not the only one suffering from the strange malady?
The Golden Vial is odd as sequels go, in that the entire story is told from the perspective of a brand new character, whereas the previous two installments were mostly Hyam’s story, with a few extra perspectives thrown in. Most of the main characters from the previous books make an appearance or are mentioned, but this is really Dally’s tale. At first, she is an interesting character; but as the story moves along, her personality doesn’t really seem to develop. She doesn’t really work as a character to build a book around. What is more, by this time the reader may have developed an affinity for the characters of Hyam and Shona, and yet they have very little page-time.
[SPOILERS] The story isn’t always entirely clear on the motivations of the characters. It took some time to even realize that Dally had the same affliction that Hyam suffered from. It all seemed somewhat thrown together, as though the author didn’t have a clear plan of execution for the story and just flew by the seat of his pants. In the end, nothing is really resolved, other than we know that Joelle is gone, and Dally is a powerful mage, and Hyam is on his way to recovery. It seems like there may have been plans for another installment, but that remains to be seen. The tale needs another book to wrap things up, but it may not have enough of an audience by this point to warrant the writing of the book from a publisher’s standpoint. It seemed to have some potential, and there are some new things revealed in The Golden Vial. Time will tell if there will be another book or not.
The Golden Vial is odd as sequels go, in that the entire story is told from the perspective of a brand new character, whereas the previous two installments were mostly Hyam’s story, with a few extra perspectives thrown in. Most of the main characters from the previous books make an appearance or are mentioned, but this is really Dally’s tale. At first, she is an interesting character; but as the story moves along, her personality doesn’t really seem to develop. She doesn’t really work as a character to build a book around. What is more, by this time the reader may have developed an affinity for the characters of Hyam and Shona, and yet they have very little page-time.
[SPOILERS] The story isn’t always entirely clear on the motivations of the characters. It took some time to even realize that Dally had the same affliction that Hyam suffered from. It all seemed somewhat thrown together, as though the author didn’t have a clear plan of execution for the story and just flew by the seat of his pants. In the end, nothing is really resolved, other than we know that Joelle is gone, and Dally is a powerful mage, and Hyam is on his way to recovery. It seems like there may have been plans for another installment, but that remains to be seen. The tale needs another book to wrap things up, but it may not have enough of an audience by this point to warrant the writing of the book from a publisher’s standpoint. It seemed to have some potential, and there are some new things revealed in The Golden Vial. Time will tell if there will be another book or not.
March 23, 2018
“What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;”.
William Shakespeare,
Romeo and Juliet
Perhaps that’s a question that one should ask of Dally . . . orphaned by a fire that had robbed her of father, mother, and three brothers; serving in the kitchen of the Mayor of Honor under the cruel ministrations of Krim, his wife; and yet possessed of gifts far beyond the scope of normal humans. Magic came naturally to Dally, and her abilities in far-seeing were kept to herself, for fear of superstitious reprisal. Until the fate of the realm was suddenly laid upon her small soldiers.
Hyam, The Emissary, lay in the elven realm, stricken by a strange malady that threatens to claim his life. In an effort to bring healing to Hyam – and to the realm – Queen Shona risks both life and crown and travels to Honor, Hyam’s hometown. Here, plans will be made that, if successful, will bring hope and healing to The Realm.
If they fail . . . The Realm will be no more.
This is book three in Thomas Locke’s THE LEGENDS OF THE REALM series . . . and one that I felt in my bones must be “just around the corner,” I’ve been waiting for it so long. In fact, 2 days before I received the invitation to review The Golden Vial, I had just finished re-reading both Emissary and The Merchant Of Alyss, so I was more than prepared to “jump in” and finish this series.
But . . . it’s not finished, is it, Mr. Locke?
Rich in stunning visual images, full of complex, well-rounded characters that grow before your very eyes . . .and so full of suspense, intrigue, heart-stopping action and heart-breaking emotion that you will feel as if you are just one more traveller on a journey of a lifetime. You will find yourself
“Rejoicing with them that do rejoice, and weeping with them that weep.”
Romans 12:15 (KJV)
April 2, 2018
The Golden Vial is the latest in the Thomas Locke series Legends of the Realm. Where book one, The Emissary, introduces us to Hyam and his company of friends including his wife, and weaves a continuing story of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice in book two--Merchant of Alyss--we see that book three, Golden Vial focuses solely on a new character.
I may not have said it about book two, Merchant of Alyss, but Lady Shona makes an appearance and she's not yet a queen. But in this latest installment she is "the newly crowned queen of the realm...without a throne." I think the book is an amazing read, one that takes the reader on an amazing journey, and when read with both Emissary, first, and then Merchant, secondly, you'll see what I mean. It tells all of Hyam and Joelle's story.
What I'm not going to do here is to burst the bubble of anticipation for Thomas Locke's latest book. You'll have to pick it up and read that for yourselves. For me, I loved the book, and I'm sorry I waited so long to even post this review up. Suffice it to say that this latest book will either make you want to re-read the whole series over again, or maybe not at all. What I can tell you is that overall I absolutely love the way Thomas Locke writes.
So, who is Thomas Locke? Thomas Locke is the pseudonym for bestselling author T. Davis Bunn who has written books exceeding seven million copies in over twenty languages. He divides his time between Oxford and Florida, holding a lifetime passion for speculative stories. In terms of the stories he writes and tells under Thomas Locke, he has also authored the books Fault Lines, Trial Run and Flash Point; and Recruits and Renegades in the Recruits series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell for my honest opinion and feedback.
I may not have said it about book two, Merchant of Alyss, but Lady Shona makes an appearance and she's not yet a queen. But in this latest installment she is "the newly crowned queen of the realm...without a throne." I think the book is an amazing read, one that takes the reader on an amazing journey, and when read with both Emissary, first, and then Merchant, secondly, you'll see what I mean. It tells all of Hyam and Joelle's story.
What I'm not going to do here is to burst the bubble of anticipation for Thomas Locke's latest book. You'll have to pick it up and read that for yourselves. For me, I loved the book, and I'm sorry I waited so long to even post this review up. Suffice it to say that this latest book will either make you want to re-read the whole series over again, or maybe not at all. What I can tell you is that overall I absolutely love the way Thomas Locke writes.
So, who is Thomas Locke? Thomas Locke is the pseudonym for bestselling author T. Davis Bunn who has written books exceeding seven million copies in over twenty languages. He divides his time between Oxford and Florida, holding a lifetime passion for speculative stories. In terms of the stories he writes and tells under Thomas Locke, he has also authored the books Fault Lines, Trial Run and Flash Point; and Recruits and Renegades in the Recruits series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell for my honest opinion and feedback.
June 19, 2018
I can't recall reading a book by Thomas Locke before, but The Golden Vial gives me a good feel for his work and causes me to want to read more.
I found the Golden Vial to be a book that drew me in. I wanted to know more about Dally and the enemy she and the land faced. BUT I found the book too fast-paced. Let me explain what I mean. The book moved at a good pace but I found that I wanted it to slow down and develop the characters a bit more and answer the questions I had.
It seemed like it was always GO GO GO GO and none of the stop, smell the roses, get healed up, take some time to see your surroundings, catch your bearings, and let's give the reader a breather. Instead, it was "get injured, get up you are needed". "You collapsed.. GET UP YOU ARE NEEDED". Dally was never given the time she needed to truly heal properly and yet she was expected to do great and marvellous things. I suppose by the end of the book I was less amazed at her abilities to keep going and more annoyed with those who SHOULD HAVE taken care of her who didn't really. Does the state of the world truly revolve around a girl that you just discovered five days before?
The annoyance I felt at them took away from my enjoyment of the book as a whole.
Was it a good story? For sure. I wanted to know what was going on.
Would I want to read a second installment? Yes, I'm curious to know more about the enemy.
Do I want more details? YES, the details on the actual people seemed light, it seemed glossed over a bit too much.
Should YOU go read it? If you like fantasy and seeing good triumph over evil because they outsmarted them.. YES. It wasn't a "we are stronger than you scenario" but more of a "can we think smarter than you?" I have a firm appreciation for those types of books. Outsmart others and use the strengths you have.
I found the Golden Vial to be a book that drew me in. I wanted to know more about Dally and the enemy she and the land faced. BUT I found the book too fast-paced. Let me explain what I mean. The book moved at a good pace but I found that I wanted it to slow down and develop the characters a bit more and answer the questions I had.
It seemed like it was always GO GO GO GO and none of the stop, smell the roses, get healed up, take some time to see your surroundings, catch your bearings, and let's give the reader a breather. Instead, it was "get injured, get up you are needed". "You collapsed.. GET UP YOU ARE NEEDED". Dally was never given the time she needed to truly heal properly and yet she was expected to do great and marvellous things. I suppose by the end of the book I was less amazed at her abilities to keep going and more annoyed with those who SHOULD HAVE taken care of her who didn't really. Does the state of the world truly revolve around a girl that you just discovered five days before?
The annoyance I felt at them took away from my enjoyment of the book as a whole.
Was it a good story? For sure. I wanted to know what was going on.
Would I want to read a second installment? Yes, I'm curious to know more about the enemy.
Do I want more details? YES, the details on the actual people seemed light, it seemed glossed over a bit too much.
Should YOU go read it? If you like fantasy and seeing good triumph over evil because they outsmarted them.. YES. It wasn't a "we are stronger than you scenario" but more of a "can we think smarter than you?" I have a firm appreciation for those types of books. Outsmart others and use the strengths you have.
April 10, 2018
The Golden Vial
Legends of the Realm #3
By Thomas Locke
Something is coming to the Three Valleys and Dally is able to sense it. Orphaned when the fiends attacked her home killing her parents and brothers, Dally has always been isolated in her home village. But her long-held secret gift is what may save the realm from the ancient evil that has decided to return.
Hyam has succumbed to an illness that none knows how to treat or even slow. And unless action is soon undertaken Hyam will soon die and the realm will fall. Hoping to stem this tide Queen Shona is lead to travel to the Three Valleys in an attempt to halt the enemies progress.
It is for this time that Dally's gifts are needed and in her untrained state, she needs all the help she can get especially when her gifts seem to be draining her and her own life is in danger.
The Golden Vial is a book one is drawn into from the opening line. Though it is the third book in the series one can easily follow it as this time Dally is the main focus of the story. Hyam is not the main character though his presence is a motivating factor that helps propel the story along. One can easily identify with Dally from the beginning. There are characters from the previous two books who take an active role throughout and it is interesting to see the interaction between them and Dally.
I for one personally hope for many more books in this series that can capture one attention from cover to cover. The Golden Vial most definitely leaves this reader in hope of another book and it can't come too soon.
I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Legends of the Realm #3
By Thomas Locke
Something is coming to the Three Valleys and Dally is able to sense it. Orphaned when the fiends attacked her home killing her parents and brothers, Dally has always been isolated in her home village. But her long-held secret gift is what may save the realm from the ancient evil that has decided to return.
Hyam has succumbed to an illness that none knows how to treat or even slow. And unless action is soon undertaken Hyam will soon die and the realm will fall. Hoping to stem this tide Queen Shona is lead to travel to the Three Valleys in an attempt to halt the enemies progress.
It is for this time that Dally's gifts are needed and in her untrained state, she needs all the help she can get especially when her gifts seem to be draining her and her own life is in danger.
The Golden Vial is a book one is drawn into from the opening line. Though it is the third book in the series one can easily follow it as this time Dally is the main focus of the story. Hyam is not the main character though his presence is a motivating factor that helps propel the story along. One can easily identify with Dally from the beginning. There are characters from the previous two books who take an active role throughout and it is interesting to see the interaction between them and Dally.
I for one personally hope for many more books in this series that can capture one attention from cover to cover. The Golden Vial most definitely leaves this reader in hope of another book and it can't come too soon.
I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 14, 2018
Deb’s Dozen: An untested mage, a new queen, an old evil. Survival in jeopardy.
The Golden Vial, the third book in Thomas Locke’s Legends of the Realm fantasy series demonstrates Locke has his groove back. The first book, Emissary, I loved; the second book, Merchant of Alyss, I hated; this third book, I love.
Evil is still abroad in the land. Hyam is mourning the death of his wife, Noelle, and seems to be afflicted with a wasting sickness. The new queen, Shona, has arrived at the Three Valleys where a dog whisperer, Dally, lives. But Dally is more than that—she is a far-seerer and has spoken with Shona several times in her dreams. In fact, Dally is a powerful mage—but woefully untrained.
In this epic fantasy, book three, Dally and her dogs are able to draw out the beasts of evil, and Shona’s army with the aid of the dogs is able to combat them—this time. How Dally is freed from her servitude with the mayor of Honor and his termagant of a wife is the stuff that keeps me reading fantasy.
Locke’s wonderful fantasy world and adventures come alive in The Golden Vial. Jump from one to three—you’ll catch up quickly and be entranced by Dally’s adventures as I was. Five stars.
Thomas Locke is the pseudonym for Davis Bunn, a much-celebrated and much-awarded author. Name the prize in Christian literature and Davis has won it or finaled. He is the writer in residence at Oxford University in England six months of the year and lives in Florida the balance of the time. He is a frequent and edifying speaker at many writers’ conferences.
Revell, a division of Baker Books, gave me a copy of The Golden Vial, but I was in no way obligated to write a review
The Golden Vial, the third book in Thomas Locke’s Legends of the Realm fantasy series demonstrates Locke has his groove back. The first book, Emissary, I loved; the second book, Merchant of Alyss, I hated; this third book, I love.
Evil is still abroad in the land. Hyam is mourning the death of his wife, Noelle, and seems to be afflicted with a wasting sickness. The new queen, Shona, has arrived at the Three Valleys where a dog whisperer, Dally, lives. But Dally is more than that—she is a far-seerer and has spoken with Shona several times in her dreams. In fact, Dally is a powerful mage—but woefully untrained.
In this epic fantasy, book three, Dally and her dogs are able to draw out the beasts of evil, and Shona’s army with the aid of the dogs is able to combat them—this time. How Dally is freed from her servitude with the mayor of Honor and his termagant of a wife is the stuff that keeps me reading fantasy.
Locke’s wonderful fantasy world and adventures come alive in The Golden Vial. Jump from one to three—you’ll catch up quickly and be entranced by Dally’s adventures as I was. Five stars.
Thomas Locke is the pseudonym for Davis Bunn, a much-celebrated and much-awarded author. Name the prize in Christian literature and Davis has won it or finaled. He is the writer in residence at Oxford University in England six months of the year and lives in Florida the balance of the time. He is a frequent and edifying speaker at many writers’ conferences.
Revell, a division of Baker Books, gave me a copy of The Golden Vial, but I was in no way obligated to write a review
May 17, 2018
I picked up "The Golden Vial" planning to read just a chapter or two to get a foretaste of what was to come, but hours later found myself unmoved from my position on the couch, unable to step away from the tale of Dally and her amazing abilities. Locke's writing is spot-on, immersing you in a world both similar and foreign to our own. Although the characters' magical abilities may only exist in the realm of fantasy, their struggles and doubts and trials will awaken your sympathies as you relate to elements of the difficult path they are walking upon. I love the clear call for the inhabitants of the realm to unite and stand against evil, a call that we can all heed. I'm always amazed when a story that is not overtly Christian nevertheless points readers to the power of love and sacrifice, to unity and oneness, the very nature of God.
All in all, the plot is simply fabulous, the characters utterly intriguing with their unique magical abilities, My only complaint about this story is that it ends too soon, as I simply wasn't ready to step away from Dally's world. I can only hope that this book isn't the end of the road for these characters, that there is a fourth book planned that will see the return of Hyam to the forefront of the story. Locke has succeeded at creating a world so amazing, us readers are left longing for more!
I give this book a high rating of 5 out of 5 stars, and I must insist that anyone who has not yet given Thomas Locke's books a try rush out and buy the whole "Legends of the Realm" series thus far, including this entertaining third installment. You will be glad you did!
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
All in all, the plot is simply fabulous, the characters utterly intriguing with their unique magical abilities, My only complaint about this story is that it ends too soon, as I simply wasn't ready to step away from Dally's world. I can only hope that this book isn't the end of the road for these characters, that there is a fourth book planned that will see the return of Hyam to the forefront of the story. Locke has succeeded at creating a world so amazing, us readers are left longing for more!
I give this book a high rating of 5 out of 5 stars, and I must insist that anyone who has not yet given Thomas Locke's books a try rush out and buy the whole "Legends of the Realm" series thus far, including this entertaining third installment. You will be glad you did!
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
March 19, 2018
Once again Thomas Locke has drawn me into fantasy land with his third book in the Legends of the Realm series. I find it interesting that I can get so caught up in a story like this even though I never recall going into a bookstore or library looking for a fantasy to read. Whether it is a diversion from my normal reading habits or something else altogether, I discover after starting that I don’t want to put the book down. In this case, something about an orphan girl who has a special bond with the wolfhounds bred and raised by her benefactor intrigued me. Dally was an unusual young woman who was human but had special powers. She did not understand them nor did she know how to control them. Within a short time, her life is turned upside down as she quickly advances from having visions in the night to having an audience with Queen Shona who has traveled to meet with her. As Queen Shona is seeking to save the realm, she has learned about Dally and her secret powers. Suddenly Dally is thrust into the limelight, what we would call being given a national platform today. Even though this book is written for a wide, general audience, I think it gives some insight into the effect of evil on modern society. Just as the people in the story who were basically good seemed to think evil would go away if they ignored it, we have many today who want to believe things will get better as long as we refuse to acknowledge that evil exists. But just like the story, we must take a stand against the evil and do our part to push back the darkness. I received a copy of the book from the publisher. This is my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
April 13, 2018
The Golden Vial will devastate and enchant you, and this epic story of good versus evil is absolutely a book worth reading! Thomas Locke's lyrical prose will suck you into this world quicker than you can turn the first page. Trust me.
Something happened... We'll call it an event because I don't want to give away any spoilers. An event occurred in The Golden Vial that devastated me, and I will NEVER get over it!!! Why? I have my reasons. ;-) The story ends with one of the cunningly crafty endings that leaves you with more questions than answers, foaming at the mouth for another book. Alas, I think this is the end of the series... *whimpers*
While Dally's point of view came out of another dimension, I actually rather loved it! Despite the devastation of The Event, Dally proved to be such an awesome character. She suffered great loss and painful trials, and I loved seeing Dally discover her purpose in life as well as a new kind of family in some of our favorite characters from the previous books.
Four Stars ~ The Golden Vial proves once again that the world readers are immersed into in the Legends of the Realm Series is one every fantasy reader should discover. The Golden Vial is the third book in the Legends of the Realm Series, and I'd recommend reading the previous books, Emissary and Merchant of Alyss respectively. Fans of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Donita K. Paul, and Patrick W. Carr would enjoy this series.
Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.
Something happened... We'll call it an event because I don't want to give away any spoilers. An event occurred in The Golden Vial that devastated me, and I will NEVER get over it!!! Why? I have my reasons. ;-) The story ends with one of the cunningly crafty endings that leaves you with more questions than answers, foaming at the mouth for another book. Alas, I think this is the end of the series... *whimpers*
While Dally's point of view came out of another dimension, I actually rather loved it! Despite the devastation of The Event, Dally proved to be such an awesome character. She suffered great loss and painful trials, and I loved seeing Dally discover her purpose in life as well as a new kind of family in some of our favorite characters from the previous books.
Four Stars ~ The Golden Vial proves once again that the world readers are immersed into in the Legends of the Realm Series is one every fantasy reader should discover. The Golden Vial is the third book in the Legends of the Realm Series, and I'd recommend reading the previous books, Emissary and Merchant of Alyss respectively. Fans of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Donita K. Paul, and Patrick W. Carr would enjoy this series.
Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.
May 3, 2024
I'm going to be completely honest, I detested this book to the extreme. There will be spoilers in this review so watch out.
First of all, none of these books are super well written. A lot of things just kinda happen and the magic system is not well explained. It was the story and the starting MCs that were compelling and drew me in. Then that changed with this book. Joelle dying did not serve the purpose of the plot at all. They should have saved her at the end of the second book instead of leaving us to think that saving her was going to be the plot of this book. Instead Locke swapped them needing to save her with Hyam being the one that needs saving. Why? Why not just continue where the second book left off with characters that we know and love?
I did not connect with Dally in the slightest. She was just another underdog character who suffered and was super special. Boring. Why change the main character in the last book? Not having Hyam show up until the very end completely ruined it for me. It felt like an episode of a show where the MC has to be absent because the actor is sick or something and so it focuses on some random story that no one cares about.
Everything that made the other characters special was transferred to Dally thus reducing powerful abilities to cheap and common. I ask again, why? Why not just continue with Hyam? I don't understand it. These are beginner mistakes. Like we're reading a book written by a writer on Wattpad and not by a talented author. The editor either did not do their job or they pushed for the book to be this way. I'm just incredibly disappointed with this series.
First of all, none of these books are super well written. A lot of things just kinda happen and the magic system is not well explained. It was the story and the starting MCs that were compelling and drew me in. Then that changed with this book. Joelle dying did not serve the purpose of the plot at all. They should have saved her at the end of the second book instead of leaving us to think that saving her was going to be the plot of this book. Instead Locke swapped them needing to save her with Hyam being the one that needs saving. Why? Why not just continue where the second book left off with characters that we know and love?
I did not connect with Dally in the slightest. She was just another underdog character who suffered and was super special. Boring. Why change the main character in the last book? Not having Hyam show up until the very end completely ruined it for me. It felt like an episode of a show where the MC has to be absent because the actor is sick or something and so it focuses on some random story that no one cares about.
Everything that made the other characters special was transferred to Dally thus reducing powerful abilities to cheap and common. I ask again, why? Why not just continue with Hyam? I don't understand it. These are beginner mistakes. Like we're reading a book written by a writer on Wattpad and not by a talented author. The editor either did not do their job or they pushed for the book to be this way. I'm just incredibly disappointed with this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2018
The Golden Vial is the third book in the Legends Of The Realm series by Thomas Locke. In this fantasy realm of mages, elves, and dragons, we find a young girl who must learn to trust herself and those around her in order to fight back a vast and unseen evil that is attempting to overtake the realm.
While the story itself is deeply intriguing, I found it hard to keep up with - the story jumps rapidly from one scene to another, without much of an intermission between important events and occurrences. This made it difficult both to see the natural progression during parts of the story and to keep track of a sense of elapsed time during the course of events.
Vivid imagery, solid characters, and a passionate storyline make up for most of the time spent trying to sort out the above referenced story jumps.
Having not read the previous books in this series, I cannot provide an assessment on the overall flow of the series in relation to this book. However, I can offer solace that this book was a good standalone novel and I did not feel as though I was missing any important details by having skipped the first two books.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys clean fantasy novels, including those in the young adult audience. The Golden Vial is suitable for Christians but lacking in Christian-based references, which could be seen as a positive or a negative feature, depending on the audience.
3/5 stars.
*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary print copy of this book from Revell for the purpose of this honest review. All opinions are my own.*
While the story itself is deeply intriguing, I found it hard to keep up with - the story jumps rapidly from one scene to another, without much of an intermission between important events and occurrences. This made it difficult both to see the natural progression during parts of the story and to keep track of a sense of elapsed time during the course of events.
Vivid imagery, solid characters, and a passionate storyline make up for most of the time spent trying to sort out the above referenced story jumps.
Having not read the previous books in this series, I cannot provide an assessment on the overall flow of the series in relation to this book. However, I can offer solace that this book was a good standalone novel and I did not feel as though I was missing any important details by having skipped the first two books.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys clean fantasy novels, including those in the young adult audience. The Golden Vial is suitable for Christians but lacking in Christian-based references, which could be seen as a positive or a negative feature, depending on the audience.
3/5 stars.
*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary print copy of this book from Revell for the purpose of this honest review. All opinions are my own.*
March 14, 2018
Wow, just wow. I read The Golden Vial in one sitting. I admit I got up a few times but what a story. When it came in the mail, I just grinned and couldn't wait to read it. I was not disappointed. Locke does an amazing job of continuing the Legends of the Realm series with descriptive prose, action-packed scenes, compelling characters, and just a hint of a romance too. The story moves quickly with quests and battles, wizards and fiends, a magic dragon and a renegade elf. And most captivating of all, Dally, an orphaned servant girl hidden away in a garden shed with gifts she is only beginning to understand. I loved seeing how she is hesitant and untrained and yet willing to do whatever is necessary to bring unity to the realm, a realm that has been in the enemy's shadow for far too long. She has fears and questions that gnaw at her--just who is she? does she have a place, a future?--and yet perhaps she could learn how to reach inside herself and find a power that could free her from those fears. The book is tagged as #3 of 3 in the series but I am hoping there is a spin-off in the future. I heartily recommend this story of a mystical and magical-filled journey.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
March 18, 2018
If you're like me, and you read the second book in the Legends of the Realm series, The Merchant of Alyss, a whole year ago, then I highly recommend you do as I did – re-read The Merchant of Alyss first before starting in on the Golden Vial. That way you'll remember who the main characters are and what all has happened. (If you've never read the first one, Emissary, or the second, you must read those first to make any sense of the world you've suddenly dropped into. If you did read Emissary before, there's enough references in The Merchant of Alyss to remind you of the salient points.)
It took me a few chapters into The Golden Vial to figure out how long after the end of The Merchant of Alyss this new story begins. There are new characters to get to know, but all the old ones show up eventually as well. There are new threats to be met, new wizardry taking place, new alliances forged, and enough hints of mysteries to come to keep you on the edge of your seat as you read.
It was a very satisfying read, and yes, there will definitely be another book, because all the mysteries are not solved yet!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
It took me a few chapters into The Golden Vial to figure out how long after the end of The Merchant of Alyss this new story begins. There are new characters to get to know, but all the old ones show up eventually as well. There are new threats to be met, new wizardry taking place, new alliances forged, and enough hints of mysteries to come to keep you on the edge of your seat as you read.
It was a very satisfying read, and yes, there will definitely be another book, because all the mysteries are not solved yet!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.
March 21, 2018
After losing her family, all Dally knows is servitude and fear. Then, she is contacted by Queen Shona and given the opportunity to save her hometown, Hyam, and the country. All she has to do is find The Golden Vial.
This is a fantasy book, but there are several points that can be taken from it. Dally must rise above her past and face her calling. This also means that she has to shake off the fear that has been holding her back from using her abilities, and from trusting others. She has to endure physical hardship and tough choices to help others.
Thomas Locke's latest book in the Legends of the Realm series continues the story, and the great writing. The characters are easy to get to know and go through personal struggles that we can relate to. Fear, choosing the right thing even when it is inconvenient, trusting others, these are all things that we experience, and The Golden Vial provides a teaching opportunity because of its subject matter and the appeal it holds for certain readers.
I enjoyed reading this book, and I wasn't ready for it to end. I was able to give my imagination a nice workout with the events in the story.
I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review.
This is a fantasy book, but there are several points that can be taken from it. Dally must rise above her past and face her calling. This also means that she has to shake off the fear that has been holding her back from using her abilities, and from trusting others. She has to endure physical hardship and tough choices to help others.
Thomas Locke's latest book in the Legends of the Realm series continues the story, and the great writing. The characters are easy to get to know and go through personal struggles that we can relate to. Fear, choosing the right thing even when it is inconvenient, trusting others, these are all things that we experience, and The Golden Vial provides a teaching opportunity because of its subject matter and the appeal it holds for certain readers.
I enjoyed reading this book, and I wasn't ready for it to end. I was able to give my imagination a nice workout with the events in the story.
I received a free copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review.
March 24, 2018
WORTH THE WAIT
The third book in the ‘Legends of the Realm’ series by Thomas Locke, ‘The Golden Vial’ was definitely worth the wait. Interestingly the main characters from the previous two books appear more in the role of supporting characters in this one, and a new character, Dally, takes center stage. Nevertheless this story is strongly tied to the previous ones and also brings one of the main characters, Hyam, full circle (in terms of location), back to the place where he started from in the first book, but clearly (for which I am glad even though it means another wait), the story still has some way to go before reaching a final conclusion. This book does not end with a ‘cliff-hanger’ as such, but it certainly gives hints of continuation. I imagine it is possible to read it without having read the previous books, but for greater enjoyment, take the whole journey. I really enjoyed this book, and now I will have to go back and re-read all three to catch up on all the threads as it is a while since I read books one (Emissary) and two (Merchant of Alyss).
Thanks for a great read, and thanks to Revell for giving me the chance to read this. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.
The third book in the ‘Legends of the Realm’ series by Thomas Locke, ‘The Golden Vial’ was definitely worth the wait. Interestingly the main characters from the previous two books appear more in the role of supporting characters in this one, and a new character, Dally, takes center stage. Nevertheless this story is strongly tied to the previous ones and also brings one of the main characters, Hyam, full circle (in terms of location), back to the place where he started from in the first book, but clearly (for which I am glad even though it means another wait), the story still has some way to go before reaching a final conclusion. This book does not end with a ‘cliff-hanger’ as such, but it certainly gives hints of continuation. I imagine it is possible to read it without having read the previous books, but for greater enjoyment, take the whole journey. I really enjoyed this book, and now I will have to go back and re-read all three to catch up on all the threads as it is a while since I read books one (Emissary) and two (Merchant of Alyss).
Thanks for a great read, and thanks to Revell for giving me the chance to read this. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.
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