Vengeance of Hope: Can Freedom Ever Be For All?

Silrith #1

by P.J. Berman

Vengeance of Hope, P.J.Berman’s explosive debut novel, marks the beginning of the Silrith series; a new power in the world of epic fantasy.

This opening book pitches you head first into the intense and unrelentingly dangerous Kingdom of Bennvika, a world of strong, powerful women and ambitious, ruthless men. As a bitter power struggle surges through the land, you are just as likely to die in a devious political plot as you are in the carnage of a great, bloody battle.

Your ears will ring with the clang of steel on steel. Your heart will tremble at the thundering of charging hooves. You will feel the cut and slash of blades as you follow three very different rebels in their desperate fight against a tyrannical King.

Silrith, the exiled Princess of Bennvika, stands shoulder to shoulder with her followers, sword in hand, ready to defend those in need of her protection. Yet she knows that if she falls, thousands more will also perish.

Ezrina, of the Hentani tribe, burns with desire for revenge against those who oppress her people, but more than anything she must fight to protect the woman she could be executed for loving.

Zethun, an ambitious young politician, yearns for a fairer world with a greater voice for the poor. However, for him and his followers, to speak the word ‘republic’, could be a fatally dangerous move in a land ruled by a despot.
Will the rebel factions succeed? Or in the indiscriminate butchery of war, will their disunity prove to be their downfall, bringing about the destruction of their world as they know it?

With vivid imagery, a punchy writing voice, detailed worldbuilding and an unapologetically fast pace, Vengeance of Hope has everything an epic fantasy novel needs.

Genres: Fantasy

388 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2018

About the author

P.J.Berman is the award-winning independent fantasy fiction author behind the 'Silrith' series. His debut novel, 'Vengeance of Hope', has been described by reviewers as 'explosive', 'fast-paced' and a 'work of high political intrigue'.

After growing up in Hertfordshire and later spending an enjoyable but brief stint living in Plymouth, Devon, he has now settled in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Given where he has lived, he is probably one of the few people who is a fan of both Stevenage Football Club and the Scarlets.

Reviews

[NAT.orious reads ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 STARS ★★★✩✩

This book is for you if… fantasy narratives set in the middle ages with lots of characters and scheming are just your thing. You should be able to keep track of a lot of characters, a distinct weakness of mine.

⤐ Overall.
I'm not sure how I know, but I have the peculiar feeling I've not enjoyed this as much as I should or could have. The story is pretty epic and intricate, demanding a lot of attention from its reader/listener. It would have probably been easier for me to follow the many characters and developments had I read this myself instead of listening to the audiobook - whose narrator did an excellent job. I loved his voice and style of narration, I would have gladly listened to another 12 hours of him telling me about the fate of Silrith.
[image error]
[I'm weirdly into The Office gifs although I've never seen a single episode.]

Personally, I was annoyed by the many characters who often bore similar names. It made it difficult for me to follow the story in Vengeance of Hope, causing me to not pay as much attention as I should have. I thus sometimes losing track of the story.

The world(-building) was excellent, I dare say it's your somewhat average medieval universe, spiked with supernatural elements (gods). It's political dynamics were depicted fairly well, which made up a bit for the character-caused confusion.

⤐ What’s happening.

‘Mother of many, Mother of none, a Queen will fall and a Warrior will come.
In a rain of fire and from the ashes of destruction, a daughter shall rise.’

When the princess is framed for the murder of her father, she has to flee, build her forces and form alliances in order to take her kingdom back from the new king and his queen - the actual murderers. This, in turn, kickstarts plenty of scheming and spying on everybody's behalf, making it hard to see who's on whose side.
_____________________
writing quality + easy of reading = 4*

pace = 3*

plot/story in general = 3*

plot development = 3*

characters = 3*

enjoyability = 3*

insightfulness = 2*
_____________________
Many thanks to the author PJ Berman, who provided me with this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Vishnu Chevli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readership of fantasy stories & series cannot be defeated. I am and I will be an ardent lover of this gender, it helps of mind roam out of the real world. These fantasy stories bring novelty to them. Some bring magic and wizardry, while some bring a distant future, while some bring completely dystopian work in front of us. " Vengeance of Hope" brings us one such world.

The book can be called a Middle-Aged World Book. Though it is a fantasy book, you will not find elements of magic or supernatural in the story. Berman has conceptualized the Kingdom of Bennvika where our story is based out. After the death of her father, the previous King, Silrith lost her right to the throne and came face to face with tyranny who took over the Empire with evil intentions. Two more characters that get a good platform throughout the story are Ezrina, a tribal woman fighting for the rights of her clan, and Zen, a noble, who wants to correct things by the novel concept. Some multiple subplots and characters will accompany you throughout the story.

Well, plus point of the book, the variety of characters and places, had also added complexity in grasping story at times and is the prime reason why it took me time to finish the book. The story was also a lengthy one, not a light read. Language usage is easy makes it a smooth read.

Overall a nice read. I would like to thank the author for providing me with the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Fee Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vengeance of Hope by P.J. Berman is the debut novel set in the world of Bennvika. We follow three main characters, Silrith, a princess; Ezrina, a rebel; and a lesser noble, Zethun as they stand up to tyranny and religious persecution. Will they succeed?

I have to say, this is one of the best stories I have read featuring strong female characters. It was refreshing to read about a female character who is actually strong in the ways that women need to be strong. Standing up for what they believe in and fighting for what's right.

Berman doesn't sugarcoat things, and he gets right to the heart of the trials and tribulations that are happening in the world he has created. Berman's writing is such that we see the effects of tyranny and oppression as they happen. Seeing strong characters fighting for what's right had me on the edge of my seat, rooting for the good guys and gals. This is definitely a must read and I highly recommend it. It is not for the faint of heart, though. It takes strong people to fight such actions and these characters definitely do that. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment, 'King of the Republic.'

[Brooke Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Silrith, exiled Princess of Bennvika, stands shoulder to shoulder with her followers, sword in hand, ready to defend her people. But if she falls, thousands more will fall with her. Ezrina of the Hentani tribe burns with revenge against those who repress her people. And Zethun, an ambitious politician, yearns for a fairer world with a greater voice for the poor. Will the rebel factions succeed against their ruthless ruler?

This book is fantasy, but only because it is set in a fictitious world. There is no magic, dragons, etc. Not that those things are required, but I tend to expect some type of different element in a fantasy world.

This book is CONTENT HEAVY. There are SO many characters and places mentioned, it was really hard to keep track. Thankfully Berman put a glossary and map in the front of the book, and although it did help, I still found myself quite overwhelmed despite reading slowly. And adding on the fact that the point of views change within the chapter resulted in me being a bit confused at times.

Despite that, the world Berman built is quite impressive. He created a whole world complete with different houses, realms, and political systems. I liked how it was similar to A Song of Ice and Fire in that many different people were fighting for the throne. But my favorite part was how Berman wrote his females: strong, independent, driven, and shrewd.

I think perhaps the book needs to go through another round of editing as I found some grammatical errors, as well as poorly constructed paragraphs, conversations, etc. And I do wish that the writing felt more emotional at times. Often it felt more like a ‘tell’ instead of a ‘show’, and it sometimes seemed like I was reading a historical textbook with a bit of drama thrown in.

I gave this book 2 stars. And honestly, it’s not because I was disappointed or that the story was bad; I think it just wasn’t for me. While there were battles, this book is mostly thick with politics, strategies, and schemes; and simply put, politics bore me. If this book sounds like something you’d like, definitely give it a go!

Vengeance of Hope was given to me by the author, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Matthew Moss · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of Vengeance of Hope in exchange for an honest review*

I listened to the audiobook version of Vengeance of Hope and I normally review only the book and not the narration, however, there were some serious issues that need to be addressed.

-First, there were several (I believe four) spots where a line was repeated twice back-to-back.
-There was A LOT of inconsistency in volume. Usually, the dip in volume was mild and only momentary, but at other times it would last the rest of the chapter and it would be so quiet that I had to actually turn up the volume just to be able to hear what was being said.
-There were a lot of unnecessary pauses and, likewise, no pauses where there should've been. After a sentence there might be a four or five second pause for no reason, but then there would be no pause between scene breaks, which made following what was going on even harder than it already was (more on that later).

As I said, I normally don't bother with review the narrating because I want to focus on the contents of the book, but the issues I mentioned really lessened my enjoyment of Vengeance of Freedom. Anyway, now onto the actual book portion of the review.

What I did like:

-The worldbuilding. The author had clearly spent quite a bit of time on this and he did a good job. Characters and their relations to each other, countries, people sitting in power, and the history of the world was vast and all well put together.
-I liked the characters for the most part (there were a lot of them, so I won't mention them all). Silrith, the rebel princess/queen, acted like a queen and I liked that. In most stories, the monarch who is loved by the people acted like a normal person. In this book Silrith was that monarch who was loved by the people, but she still acted like royalty and demanded a certain amount of respect. It was much more realistic than the "I'm a good person who cares about the people, so I must act like a normal person despite growing up in a position of royalty."
-I also liked the overall premise of the story. There are a series of people vying for power, all for different reasons. Without giving anything away, I'll say that this came to a head right at the end of the book when characters you had been rooting for get put into positions that just might lead to them fighting each other in the sequel book. It was actually the ending that pushed my rating from 2.5 stars up to 3 stars.

What I didn't like:

-I mentioned that I liked the worldbuilding because it was vast and well put together, and it was, but it failed in the execution. The author had clearly done all his research and put everything together well, but he informed the reader of his world and its rules through info dump after info dump that was just way to hard to follow. Now, the info dumps didn't include rules of magic (as there was no magic), but the reader gets random, but large bits of information about the world and character relationships that really interrupts the flow of the story. Worse yet, most of the information that is dumped on the readers is repeated multiple times and not even necessary to begin with.
-The book was WAY too hard to follow. There were several reasons for this. First, the author changes points of view a lot per chapter. This wouldn't have been so bad, though, if he had started the new point of view in a way that would immediately tell readers the POV changed. Instead I was left wonder what the hell was going on for several sentences until I was able to figure out that the book had changed to another character.
Another reason it was so hard to follow was because of all the info dumping. The reader gets introduced to a character by being given the character's name, the name of the person they are married to, the seat of power they hold, and which country or city that position of power resides in. So, with every introduction we are given four or five names to remember without anything to associate that name to. It becomes nearly impossible to follow. I know some reviews said there is a glossary and it's neat that it was included, but a glossary shouldn't be necessary; the story should introduce the characters and places in a way that makes them much easier to remember and follow, especially since not all versions of the book include the glossary. *cough* audiobook *cough*
-Vengeance of Hope acts like its focus is suppose to be based around political scheming and epic battles, but there wasn't much of either in this book. There was SOME scheming in this book, but not a lot. Even then, most of the characters (particularly the ones doing the scheming) were the "good guys" so there was no clever but morally ambiguous plotting. It was all "do the right thing for the people." As far as battles go, sure there were some large battles, but they weren't described in an epic way. They just felt like battles you'd read about in any other book based in a medieval setting. Having the battling armies number in the range of 40,000 soldiers alone doesn't make the battles epic, they have to FEEL epic (and that is my next point).
-The description was... lackluster I suppose is the best way to put it. I think the author needs to sit down and really look at the differences between saying what items are and describing them. It's not enough to say that the room has a desk with a chair and a large bed with four poles containing curtains for privacy, he needs to describe what those items look like. The only time the author really goes into describing what an item looks like is by giving it a color. I want to know if the bed has a thick, soft mattress and polished wooden poles that reflect the flickering yellow candlelight. Just saying what something is, isn't enough. It seems that the author went more for stating what objects are in the scene, like naming props for a movie rather than describing what the props looks like. I think the author really needs to work on the FEEL of his scenes rather than the look of them.

As I mentioned earlier, I was going to give this book a 2.5 star rating, but the ending really pushed it up to 3 stars. I think the author has a solid foundation for his world and his story, he just needs to work on the presentation of that world and story. That means less info dumps and more description describe the feeling of the scene rather than how it looks.

[Laura R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love an awesome fantasy book, complete with bloody battles and strong females.
��
Princess Silrith was so badass, and honestly?? I really enjoyed following her story.
•
The story itself was intriguing and easy to follow, despite the abundance of characters (thank the literary gods for glossaries) and while it ended on a freaking HUGE cliffhanger, book 2 is coming soon sooooo 🙊
•
If you love gritty fantasy where the author has no problem getting down to business -- with non-stop action right on page 1 -- then Vengeance of Hope is the book for you.
•
4⭐s. I need book 2 now. 🙊

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Vengeance of Hope: Can Freedom Ever Be for All?” adult fantasy

I normally don’t read adult fantasy but P.J Berman writing style had me hook especially with three strong female characters. The book starts off strong and straight to the point, BLOOD. Vengeance of Hope is a fantasy medieval novel that takes place in the kingdom of Bennivika. I really enjoyed how the characters developed and how each character had a purpose. I really loved Ezrina rebel badass, Silrith how isn’t your typical princess, and what can I say about Zethun! The trio is absolutely entertaining. I appreciated all the action because it keeps me flipping pages, but I didn’t like the cliffhanger at the end of the novel! Overall a strong 4.5

[anautumnaldream · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so grateful to the author who sent the copy of the book to me! This does not, in any way, affect my opinion of the book. I read this during the #selfpubfanmonth. I am so glad that I picked up this book during this readathon. I think, overall, I did enjoy this book a lot for its intricate plot and world-building.

However there are a few things I did have a bit of a problem with. I will address them before I get into the good things about this book. I feel like, this book had the perfect idea but some things could not be excused away. Like the fact that the names sounded a bit repetitive and sometimes I had to flip back and forth to check which character was the one talking at the moment. The pace also suffered a bit, it was at times smooth but then, there will be many instances where it felt like things were happening on top of each other but not in a good way. It didn’t leave room for me enjoy all the things that were happening. The basic story had so much potential to become grander than it turned out to be. These are the things that bugged me but there are some great reasons as to why you should definitely give this one a try.

For one, characters. They were well written and they felt real. I liked that there were dynamics between characters from the past and they were conversing in a way that spoke of that. I loved that they felt lived in. The world-building was pretty great too! The politics were great to read about but could have been presented in a better way. Like, more fleshed out and showing us instead of telling how it was. The whole rebellion part of the book, I enjoyed a lot. There’s also ambiguity as to who’s actually supporting who in this weird world and I truly liked that. I hope that it becomes clearer in the later books and we get a realistic reason as why sides were chosen by characters.

I really enjoyed it and I can totally see the potential for it become better. For now, I can say this, if anyone who likes political fantasy then this is a book for you. A princess who’s framed for the murder of her father, who then goes on to start rebellion on behalf of her father and the kingdom. You can see where this story can go.

[Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love the political intrigue of Game of Thrones set in a fantasy world that still has everyone fighting with swords, sieging castles and poisoning each other to get on the throne.

A high fantasy with a princess who is robbed of her power is working to become the new queen outside of her home kingdom. Meanwhile the current usurper who is sitting on the throne will do everything he can to keep his throne. Politics and backstabbing abound.

[Hennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Thank you Mr. Berman for sending me a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review.

The first half of the book got me hooked. The first chapter did it for me. However, later on as I was reading, the POV changing got slightly on my nerves and at times I no longer knew who I was reading as. It just got messy in my head...

That said, I liked the setting I could immerse in it and walk in their shoes, and our main character was great as well. I always liked a strong female character, and guess what? You get it here.
The book is filled with lots of action filled scenes and twists that you will not be expecting!

[Jacqueline Terrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 starsLIONESS
August 13, 2019
Format: Paperback
After the king dies even Silrith battles for her life to freedom, a lioness, and the Hunters became hunted. I loved Silrith the most. Staying strong, even stepping into enemy militia. Blades stuck in torso's, spears, burial swords, kicking and pushing for freedom. Braking fences that collapse to gain more freedom for all. Vikings that save a nation from tyranny in the Kingdom of Bennvika.

[Don Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vengeance of Hope is the explosive debut fantasy novel from P.J. Bernman, and without beating about the bush too much it certainly has a place on your shelves, or at the very least, your Kindle.

The author does not beat about the bush with this book and it starts as it means to go on. There was no settling in. This book is a page turner from the very start to the very end. Our characters are placed in their respective political positions very early on, with the usurper taking power almost immediately, with our rightful Queen pushed aside.

While there are A LOT of characters, this is not unusual for this style of book, so if you are used to fantasy, you should have no problem. If however, the genre is new to you, or if you just want every detail possible, the author includes a handy guide to who is who, and the various factions. A clear indication of how much detail has been put into this book, and the books that are bound to follow.

The characters are fantastically written. Each viewpoint character with their own set of ideas that are brought across brilliantly. The change of viewpoint through the book was never jarring, and was plotted perfectly.

Vengeance of Hope brings us everything that a fantasy novel needs. Our characters experience love (admittedly not in as graphic detail as those in other best-selling fantasy novels), revenge, and perhaps most importantly, and entertainingly, war.

The battle sequences, and planning, are where this book has it's finest moments. The author has a few surprises up his sleeve, none of which I saw coming. I was left on the edge of my seat at various points in the book, and was only disappointed when coming to the end of it, not because it was bad, but just because I was done.

This is the beginning of something truly special. Whether you like fantasy novels or not, I think you might find something to enjoy here. I recommend you get your hands on it now before part 2 lands later this year (assuming the author doesn't pull a George R. R. Martin on us 😉 )

Vengeance of Hope is available now, and can be read free if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited.

[Ve (ve_xo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4stars

I enjoyed this book! I love a good badass warrior princess. No damsels in distress for me and this book delivered. It took me sometime to get use to the system and follow who was who and what was where, but for the most part it’s a great read! I can’t wait for the second book, the story developed wonderfully and left you wanting more!

Awesome job to the author, thank you so much for the copy sent over for review!

[Justine Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vengeance of Hope begins with one of the saddest scenes I’ve read, and the story only accelerates from there!

Readers follow different characters, royalty and rebel alike, as a battle begins after a king dies under mysterious circumstances. These characters are well developed and easily likable (or not, as in the case of the villains), the plot is very fast paced and quickly read, and the political intrigue is fascinating.

Vengeance is a great new read in the fantasy world.

[Munch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for letting me have the audiobook of this for free :)

This is a promising first book, the world building has obviously had a lot of thought and passion put into it. However I found that there was a lot of info dumping and since I was listening to the audiobook I found myself getting confused. I have the arc of the next book in physical form (thanks again to P J Berman!) so I'm hoping that this will make it a bit easier (and there's a map:) ). I also had the same problem with the characters, there are so many of them and except the main 3 and a couple of side characters I found it hard to remember who was who, again the physical book should help with this.

I found the antagonist of the book a bit of the typical power hungry/crazed religious leader. Characters seemed to fall into the good or bad camp and there isn't that many grey characters.

Silrith had to grow on me since I found it hard to connect to her in the beginning since there was a lot of tell not show with her character. I was being reminded how she loved the people and was interested in their welfare but I didn't see anything that really showed me this. I like that she wasn't a legendary leader straight away and she admitted to needing more combat training before she could lead the army (though I would have enjoyed seeing her learn and maybe get to know her better). I also liked that she wasn't a bleeding heart, she made tough decisions and didn't bulk at getting her hands dirty.

Zethun, again I found it hard to connect with him. He's the young politician who has big ideas and a rigid moral code. I found it hard to like him, he's just too good, I haven't seen anything particularly interesting about him. I'm hoping he gets some character development in the next book.

Ezrina is one of the few grey characters. She starts out a bit bland but she develops into quite a ruthless and vengeful women (my favourite type). I would have liked to have found out a bit more about her past and get more of a feel for why she did what she did. I didn't like how rapey she got at one point with another character, it seemed a bit unnecessary and out of character. Her relationship with Jezna could have done with a bit more development but I suppose they were already established lovers so we didn't get to see their relationship grow which makes it harder to root for them as a couple.

There is a lot of action and politics, I feel that these got the main focus and for a reader who needs to feel for the characters to get invested in the plot it's a bit harder for me to really care about the overall story.

Overall this was a good start but not quite what I was expecting, I'm looking forward to seeing how the second book unfolds and I hope to get more invested in the characters as I get to know them better.

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Vengeance of Hope: Can Freedom Ever Be For All?

Author: P.J. Berman

Book Series: Silrith Book 1

Rating: 2/5

Publication Date: November 14, 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed

Publisher: Indie published

Pages: 525

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Vengeance of Hope, P.J.Berman’s explosive debut novel, marks the beginning of the Silrith series; a new power in the world of epic fantasy.

This opening book pitches you head first into the intense and unrelentingly dangerous Kingdom of Bennvika, a world of strong, powerful women and ambitious, ruthless men. As a bitter power struggle surges through the land, you are just as likely to die in a devious political plot as you are in the carnage of a great, bloody battle.

Your ears will ring with the clang of steel on steel. Your heart will tremble at the thundering of charging hooves. You will feel the cut and slash of blades as you follow three very different rebels in their desperate fight against a tyrannical King.

Silrith, the exiled Princess of Bennvika, stands shoulder to shoulder with her followers, sword in hand, ready to defend those in need of her protection. Yet she knows that if she falls, thousands more will also perish.

Ezrina, of the Hentani tribe, burns with desire for revenge against those who oppress her people, but more than anything she must fight to protect the woman she could be executed for loving.

Zethun, an ambitious young politician, yearns for a fairer world with a greater voice for the poor. However, for him and his followers, to speak the word ‘republic’, could be a fatally dangerous move in a land ruled by a despot.
Will the rebel factions succeed? Or in the indiscriminate butchery of war, will their disunity prove to be their downfall, bringing about the destruction of their world as they know it?

With vivid imagery, a punchy writing voice, detailed worldbuilding and an unapologetically fast pace, Vengeance of Hope has everything an epic fantasy novel needs.

Review: I had to DNF this book as well unfortunately. The book is very content heavy and there are so many characters and place that it’s hard to keep track of everything, but I had this same issue with game of thrones as well even with the TV series. While there is a glossary and map I still got super lost constantly. I had to finally give up, because while I was enjoying it I felt like there was a lot of writing issues and confusing structures within the book.

Verdict: It just wasn’t for me.

[Tattooed Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Mother of many, Mother of none, a Queen will fall and a Warrior will come.
In a rain of fire and from the ashes of destruction, a daughter shall rise."

Silrith's father is dead. She didn't kill him, but she was framed by her cousin so that he could take the kingdom, Bennvika, for himself. He plans to convert the entire kingdom to his religion, and murder anyone who will not convert.

Ezrina is a member of the Hentani tribe, who has been oppressed by Bennvika for years, but has been allowed to keep their tribal religion, longs for true freedom for her people. And there is no line she will not cross to get it.

Zethun is a young politician, with hope in his eyes and freedom for all in her heart. A true democratic, he wishes to see Bennvika ruled by the people.

I like to think of "Game of Thrones" as a genre now. There have been many amazing books come out after George R.R. Martin's books were turned into an HBO special. Having read the series when I was in the fifth grade and been an avid Martin fan ever since, I'll read them every time!

This book falls into the GOT category, but does not contain magic. It does share the chessboard theme, with no character being 100% the hero, only regular people who make sometimes good and sometimes bad choices that control the fate of thousands. As a fan of the morally ambiguous character, this is right up my alley.

There are some obvious villains, but even the heroes of this story make bad choices and mistakes. There were times when reading this that I was not sure who I should be pulling for. Silrith, the dethroned heroin, who is young and does not always know how to make the people follow her, but wants the best for them? She sometimes comes across as pretentious and spoiled, but she trains and fights beside her army. Should it be Ezrina, the oppressed and violent? While I understand the plight of her people and want their freedom, she shares Silrith's cousin's view that those who do not convert should be killed. Or should it be Zethun, the man of the people? He is very naive sometimes, but he is one of the only people that truly sees the poor. Silrith may not want her people murdered for the purposes of religious conversion, but she also believes that a young adult woman can heal the wounds of a kingdom. I doubt that she would give that throne up if that were what her people truly needed.

I wanted a plot twist in this book. It was good reading, though I also felt like I wasn't sure what the author wanted me to think of the characters. In addition, it kind of breaks my cardinal rule of books. There was not an obvious goal to the story within these pages. There could have been, there was enough there, but it was not carefully laid out enough to have a true "ending" to this book. A battle ended, but was that what this book was about? Not really. You have to read the next book when you finish this, you don't have another choice if you want an ending.

But if you're in GOT hangover mode and don't mind the lack of magic, this is a good series to pick up.

3 Stars

[Thomas Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action in P.J. Berman’s Vengeance of Hope starts with a royal murder and mounts precipitously from there. Much of the story revolves around Silrith, a princess who proves tougher than her enemies expected. As readers, we watch her learn to be a warrior and learn to command respect from other warriors. Meanwhile, we encounter a variety of other sympathetic characters whose paths cross hers, several of whom, for tragic but frequently laudable reasons, become her enemies. The result is an emotionally complex and frequently brutal drama of war and intrigue in a convincing medieval fantasy setting.

The political elements of this story are particularly well conceived. Berman’s subtitle runs – ‘can freedom ever be for all?’ This is not simply a rallying cry – it is a question which the characters in his novel find themselves forced to confront. Their society – like real-life societies in both the historical middle ages and today – consists of an amalgam of institutions reflecting a variety of political ideas each of which advantages some interests at the expense of others. As Princess Silrith and her diverse supporters fight back against the conspirators who have usurped her father’s throne, they must ask themselves how fundamentally they are willing to challenge the existing order.

There are scenes in which Silrith consults a book by a fictional scholar named Macciomakkia, who presumably wrote five hundred years before this novel takes place. One is free to wonder whether the fictional scholar’s name is an allusion to Niccolo Machiavelli. For five hundred years in our own world, Machiavelli’s notoriety for his willingness to advocate devious tactics has allowed him to escape notice for his more radical call to re-order human society. The characters in Vengeance of Hope are unquestionably Machiavellian according to the commonplace sense of the word, and they may be Machiavellian in a deeper sense as well.

[Portable.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I was introduced to this book by the writer P.J Berman the cover page captured me and I know I needed to add this book to my collection😉

The second thing that got me hooked into reading this book was the quote "Mother of many, mother of none, a Queen will fall, and a warrior will come."

This book is a start of something special and different. It has a wonderful description of each and every character and the scenarios that are being taken place. I actually felt as if I was there present when the war started.

The development of characters and situation were wonderful. It has everything that was needed in a fantasy novel. And the author had many surprises rolled up in his sleeves which I did not see coming.
I was very disappointed when this book was coming to an end because I have to wait for the second book to know what is going happen.
This book is a mesmerizing read for all who have interest in fantasy, rebellion, revenge and urge to fight and discovering new things.

Now waiting impatiently for the second book ♡ P.j Berman ♥️

[Becci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an audio copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.


Overall this was a well thought out, diverse, complex, fantasy with a lot of depth and had good pacing. I really liked how there wasn’t just one reason for the war, not just a good side and a bad side but was much more complex and realistic.

The author has clearly spent a great deal of time on his world building (religion, politics, geography, history etc ) which all showed and its clear he has even mapped out the series in advance as some POV’s were purely setting up the foundations for future books, which Im guessing will mean the storylines in future books will be really good.

Characters were not one dimensional, they all had different personalities and motivations. Thankfully no character is ‘perfect’ even Princess Silrith who is generally very kind and philanthropic still acted like royalty and could be a little unsympathetic at times.


My main gripe is that I found myself very confused by the amount of characters and the changing viewpoints ( I think there were at least 7 different ones), especially when listening to the Audio book. It would take me a few sentences to work out who they were attacking about and where we were in the world. Additionally a new character POV would come in and I was trying to recall if I knew anything about this character at all or if I’d just forgotten them! In hindsight, a POV that was purely setting up for future books could have been left out and the storyline regarding a father and daughter (whose names I can’t remember) could also have been removed and the storyline may have flowed a lot easier. (I have seen that in the physical book a character list, glossary and map are included which would have been very helpful, so may be lesss of an issue if you are reading rather than listening!)

There also may have been a little too much info dumping on the world, religions etc and not enough description on the present. I’m struggling to recall what the characters looked like (except in true Male Author style I do know that Ezrinas breast were considerably larger than Acutinas)


Would recommend this to all fans of Brent Weeks books.

[bongbooksandcoffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vengeance of Hope by P J Berman is an intricate fantasy fiction set in an universe rife with intrigue that mimics the real world and keeps the reader hooked.
True to the narrative of the book, this prophecy gets claimed and interpreted to their advantage by many people. Religion, culture and ethnicity gets politicized. An unresolved sense of being displaced and exploited is capitalized upon by seekers of personal gain. A sense of religious and cultural siege contributes to an atmosphere of panic and intrigue is all pervasive.

The reader is torn between pinning his colours to different characters during different stages of the book. It is easy to judge between good and evil. But Vengeance of Hope gives the reader the difficult proposition of choosing between various shades of grey. To seek validation for their choices, the readers are left in the unenviable position of waiting for the sequels with eager anticipation.

Full review available on my blog HTTPS://bongbooksandcoffee.com

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
"Mother of many, Mother of none, a Queen will fall and a Warrior will come in a rain of fire and from the ashes of destruction, a daughter shall rise."

Vengeance of Hope by P.J. Berman is exceptionally written for a first novel. If you're looking for fierce female characters that are kick*** I definitely recommend this one as Silrith the main pov is the female lead we all need!

I gave Vengeance of Hope a 3/5 star rating. A 3 out of 5 is not a bad rating. I'm excited to see where Berman runs with the next installment in this series King of the Republic I'm not sure when it is set to publish yet.

"A great leader impresses with the eye, as well as the word, but most of all through action."

Silrith is the princess of Bennvika, she has a loving father and the stereo typical evil stepmother that cares nothing for her. Silrith's world is about to be turned upside down. Her beloved father the King dies under suspicious circumstances and Silrith's cousin places the blame on her throwing her into prison. Lord Josten declares himself king. Will Silrith rise to the challange and be able to take back what is rightfully hers?

This book was really enjoyable. It was longer than I expected with it being 525 pages. There were some very intense moments with a ton of strong female leads. I was often surprised by the choices characters made in this book as they tended to do the opposite of what I thought they would do. It was refreshing to see. There was a lot going on in this book including revolt on 3 different sides, and small love stories here and there.
There were some things that I however found confusing such as the often sudden switch of POV within the middle of a chapter and some of the names were hard to keep straight. There is a glossary and character list that was very useful throughout the book. A few sections were hard to follow because it seemed as though they were from the times of gods or goddesses but honestly i'm not entirely sure of that.

The story left you with a huge cliff hanger! I will most definitely have to read the second book to know what happens.

[Ellie Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vengeance of Hope: Can Freedom Ever Be For All?

I would firstly like to thank the author, P J Berman, for providing me with a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Vengeance of Hope is the debut novel from P J Berman and is the first installment in the Silrith series. Set in Bennvika, a land on the verge of war overwhelmed by political unease and carnage, we follow the story of three characters as they navigate through the perils of this world. Silrith, the exiled Princess of Bennvika as she fights to protect her people and country; Ezrina, a woman seeking to protect the woman she loves as well as revenge against those that oppress her people and Zethun, a young politician, who is desperate to create a fairer world for the poor.

This series is the definition of epic adult fantasy. The world building is well crafted and you feel like part of it from very early on. The opening of this book throws you straight into the action of this world and the intensity stays present throughout.

This book is full of incredible characters and Berman’s attention to detail is seen everywhere. His ability to create both major and minor characters that demonstrate strength, depth and growth is refreshing and inspiring. Berman has created characters who fight for their beliefs, their people and their lives. Both Princess Silrith and Ezrina show strength and power in their actions as they strive to protect their people.

This book is action packed and I am trying very hard to not leak any spoilers which is hard because SO MUCH HAPPENS! This book reminds me of Game of Thrones in its style and world but I enjoyed this so much more. I would recommend this book to epic fantasy lovers who enjoy accurate and realistic events and reactions. It was refreshing to read a story that dealt with realistic actions and consequences. I am so glad I have an ARC for the next book in the series: King of the Republic because I need to know what happens next.

I also want to add that I loved this book so much I bought a physical copy to add to my collection. It is amazing!

[Avely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks for the author for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook!

This book got me hooked from the first chapter. How can a book start like that?
It was exiting from the start and the story kept me alert for things that were about to happen.
I enjoyed the fact that all the characters were so different and I actually liked the POV changes in this book.
Lots of action, awesome twists and great/strong/awesome female characters.

[TheReadingCornerforAll Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work of high political intrigue and multifaceted characters marked an excellent close for March.


After the King of Bennvika is poisoned by the hands of treachery and ambition, the blame is cast upon the Princess Silrith. Despite her innocence, Silrith is deemed a traitor to the Kingdom of Bennvika and is cast out of the land she holds dear. Unwilling to yield to injustice, Silrith rallies her spirits along with unexpected allies.



Under the looming threat of despotism, will hope rise like a great phoenix or plummet under the oncoming wave of tyranny?



Vengeance of Hope was comprised of considerable storytelling adroitness where author P.J. Berman heralds a deadly game of power and control. The book is told through various points of view to completely immerse readers in the socio-economic, political, and religious elements fueling the characters' motives. I quite enjoyed Princess Silrith's narrative in particular because she continually proved to be a leader who was unafraid to battle along with her troops for the integrity of the kingdom she would risk her life for. Through P.J. Berman's development of self- reliant characters, the Silrith series promises great potential in the sequel King of the Republic.


I'd recommend Vengeance of Hope for readers who enjoyed The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb and The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potential to be great

There's a lot issues I had with this book. POV changes in the middle of chapters, conversations and scenes that didn't seem relevant to the story. The overall flow of the story wasn't that great. I had more questions than answers. I believe it has good bones but needs to be more polished and put together. It does read more like a rough draft.

[Manon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so enjoyable!

[Annika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vengeance Of Hope is an amazing, fast paced book about politics and about how to play someone's mind. About an 'evil' new king who believes he is the closest thing to his god that exists in the world. About injustice in a world where you are either very rich or very poor. Where politicians try to play people for their own benefit and a world that shows you how important true friends are.

In this story you meet three interesting and very diverse characters. First princess Silrith, who was framed for her father's murder and then exiled. Through Silrith you meet multiple other admirable people who so strongly believe in her they will do anything to project her. A princess, but also an actually strong woman who fights for what she believes in.
Second is Zethun, a young politician who stands up for the common people. Zethun is ambitious, and maybe a bit naïeve, in working towards a fairer world. He sees so much injustice around him and through him you will also want to stand up and fight for equal rights for all citizens.
Last is Ezrine, who we meet later on in the story who is set on taking revenge on the people who oppressed her tribe. But when it comes down to it, she will fight and do anything to protect the people she loves.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, P. J. Berman, for a complimentary copy of the audiobook.

This book reminded me of Priory of the Orange Tree, not because of the plot, but because of the writing style. This book is best read as a buddy read and I recommend not listening to the audio without reading along in the print or ebook version. Just as in Priory of the Orange Tree, there are so many different characters that it is a bit confusing at times. Multiple POVs within the chapters also make it a book that does not allow for any distractions.
Other than that, this book is a great start to a series.

[Frieda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good story, I just couldn't get into it. Maybe with all the stress we are currently under during Covid and lockdown, the continuous fighting was difficult to follow.