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Frostgrave
Frostgrave: Oathgold: A Tale of the Frozen City
Valdomar is a wizard for hire. Thanks to his magical talents, he is a tracker and bounty-hunter without peer, with a reputation for honor and fair-dealing. However, when his reckless apprentice lands him in prison, he must accept a deal with a crime boss in order to obtain his freedom.
Forced to scour the ruins of Frostgrave in search of a young woman who stole an unknown magical treasure, he finds more questions than answers. Who is this young woman? What did she steal? And why did she run? More importantly, why is another famous bounty-hunting wizard also on her trail?
As the chase continues, Valdomar finds that his honor is tested time and time again. Which oaths will be broken and which will remain sacred? In the end, the greatest question Can a wizard keep his word in the ruins of the Frozen City?
Forced to scour the ruins of Frostgrave in search of a young woman who stole an unknown magical treasure, he finds more questions than answers. Who is this young woman? What did she steal? And why did she run? More importantly, why is another famous bounty-hunting wizard also on her trail?
As the chase continues, Valdomar finds that his honor is tested time and time again. Which oaths will be broken and which will remain sacred? In the end, the greatest question Can a wizard keep his word in the ruins of the Frozen City?
336 pages, Paperback
Published June 19, 2018
11 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Ward
58 books432 followersMatthew Ward is a writer, cat-servant and owner of more musical instruments than he can actually play (and considerably more than he can play well). He’s afflicted with an obsession for old places – castles, historic cities and the London Underground chief amongst them – and should probably cultivate more interests to help expand out his author biography.
After a decade serving as a principal architect for Games Workshop’s Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 properties, Matthew embarked on an adventure to tell stories set in worlds of his own design. He lives near Nottingham with his extremely patient wife – as well as a pride of attention-seeking cats – and writes to entertain anyone who feels there’s not enough magic in the world.
After a decade serving as a principal architect for Games Workshop’s Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 properties, Matthew embarked on an adventure to tell stories set in worlds of his own design. He lives near Nottingham with his extremely patient wife – as well as a pride of attention-seeking cats – and writes to entertain anyone who feels there’s not enough magic in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 15, 2020
This is a good book. Not a great one. But one will find few things to complain about in it. Its the perfect kind of swords and sandals fantasy. Interesting chracters thrust itno a world that hates them. Not enough to be grimdark. But enough to cause the kind of conflict that isnt EVIL GODS VS HEROIC HEROS but beaten down flawed humans vs the worst the human condition has to offer. But perhaps amomg the mud and snow empathy and goodness might shine. But at what cost?
The setting of frostgrave is familiar yet unique in its own way. While a frozen wilderness is nothing to writte home about nor is an ancient abandonet city, combining the two somehow makes it new and interesting. You read about the protagonists following a trail and then you realise that the trail is a central avenue. They find a settlement and it used to be an arena and manor house. To trail in city blocks is treacherous but the reward is the city block itself, as it can be carved intoa settlement. Its an interesting idea found more usually in apocalyptic sci fi rather than fantasy and that makes it seem more standout than it outherwise might be, which is a net positive for the book adn series.
Standout were the characters, defined and dogged in the pursuit of their wants and needs. There are no knight in shinning armour to be found here, and those who can be found are, as the book itself puts it, no more merecanary and disgraced than the rest of them. The book pleasantly surpises you by not resorting to the obvious tropes the characters look like they will devolve into. The wise mentor is not wise, the devoted aprentice is not devoted and the jeleous ex lover is not jealous. And the best part is you get to see all of them from every concivable angle, as the naration splits between these three titular characters.
If i could name one solid flaw, it is that the resolution felt a little huried and many issues felt a little too easily resolved, from a narrative and writing prespective speaking. But it is not really enough to detract much from the book and is a genuinely minor issue.
The setting of frostgrave is familiar yet unique in its own way. While a frozen wilderness is nothing to writte home about nor is an ancient abandonet city, combining the two somehow makes it new and interesting. You read about the protagonists following a trail and then you realise that the trail is a central avenue. They find a settlement and it used to be an arena and manor house. To trail in city blocks is treacherous but the reward is the city block itself, as it can be carved intoa settlement. Its an interesting idea found more usually in apocalyptic sci fi rather than fantasy and that makes it seem more standout than it outherwise might be, which is a net positive for the book adn series.
Standout were the characters, defined and dogged in the pursuit of their wants and needs. There are no knight in shinning armour to be found here, and those who can be found are, as the book itself puts it, no more merecanary and disgraced than the rest of them. The book pleasantly surpises you by not resorting to the obvious tropes the characters look like they will devolve into. The wise mentor is not wise, the devoted aprentice is not devoted and the jeleous ex lover is not jealous. And the best part is you get to see all of them from every concivable angle, as the naration splits between these three titular characters.
If i could name one solid flaw, it is that the resolution felt a little huried and many issues felt a little too easily resolved, from a narrative and writing prespective speaking. But it is not really enough to detract much from the book and is a genuinely minor issue.
May 8, 2023
Fiction set inside of a unique gaming rulebook is tricky business. Frostgrave is fantasy, but here are environmental conditions that make it weird and wonderful. Thankfully, Ward weaves a neat narrative into an already neat world. I enjoyed this genre fare enough that I'll pick up his second effort.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews