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The Weapon Takers Saga #1
Toric's Dagger
It takes a gang of thieves to catch a gang of thieves
Toric's Dagger is just another religious relic, until it's stolen. Belwynn and her twin brother, Soren, volunteer to lead a team tasked with its retrieval. Drawn into a world of danger and treachery, they must rely on Soren's magical abilities, and on the telepathic bond they share.
Now, as kingdoms and empires start to fall, the twins confront the dark forces that threaten them. They must not let the Dagger fall into the wrong hands. But when mercenaries, zealots and sorcerers are all hunting for the same weapon, who should they trust?
Book One of The Weapon Takers Saga, an Epic Fantasy Series that readers have compared to Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time. The story is told from multiple points of view, and is perfect for readers who like their fantasy done on a grand scale.
Toric's Dagger is just another religious relic, until it's stolen. Belwynn and her twin brother, Soren, volunteer to lead a team tasked with its retrieval. Drawn into a world of danger and treachery, they must rely on Soren's magical abilities, and on the telepathic bond they share.
Now, as kingdoms and empires start to fall, the twins confront the dark forces that threaten them. They must not let the Dagger fall into the wrong hands. But when mercenaries, zealots and sorcerers are all hunting for the same weapon, who should they trust?
Book One of The Weapon Takers Saga, an Epic Fantasy Series that readers have compared to Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time. The story is told from multiple points of view, and is perfect for readers who like their fantasy done on a grand scale.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2019
222 people are currently reading
854 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Edmundson
26 books228 followersJamie has always loved a good story, whether real or imagined. He grew up in the south of England before moving to the north, where he worked as a history teacher. He still lives there with his wonderful family, but now spends his time writing, mainly about people hitting each other with swords.
You can connect with him at his website, jamieedmundson.com
Join his newsletter and download the short story collection, Mercs & Magi, for free: https://subscribe.jamieedmundson.com
You can connect with him at his website, jamieedmundson.com
Join his newsletter and download the short story collection, Mercs & Magi, for free: https://subscribe.jamieedmundson.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 4, 2023
Fantastic Fantasy Action!
Small backstory:
Belwynn and her twin brother, Soren are sent on a mission to recover a dagger that was stolen as their cousin, Edgar the Prince of South Magnia Leofwin wants the dagger back badly so he gathers companions for his cousins to take on their journey for the recovery of the dagger by any means necessary.
All together with nine companions they set out to track down the thieves but the road will be rough as war is brewing in the country of Dalriya and there could be danger lurking around every corner!
That is about all I can give on a small backstory without giving away spoilers, so if this book sounds intriguing then go grab it and step into this world!
Thoughts:
Wow! Wow! Wow! This story has consumed my time since I stepped into this world of fantasy adventure and danger. This is a big world with lots of characters and factions, but there is also sorcery within the pages too and there were some cool magical fights weaved into the storyline.
The writing style of the author just drew me right into the story line as the story is straight forward story telling that kept me hooked from the first chapter. The visuals of the world as it opened up with what the characters had to go through in pursuit of the dagger and the thieves just kept me turning my kindle pages long into the night. There were many nights I was consumed by this story as I just could not put this book down!
Normally I read two or three books at once but so much was happening within this story that my focus stayed within this book only as I kept wanting to see what would happen next to the characters. I love all the characters too of the companions. Just within this first book I have become attached to them and I am looking forward to continuing on with the series to see what happens next in the world of Dalriya. Giving this book five "Thrilling Adventure" stars!
Highly Recommend!
For digital artwork images and gifs of this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
Small backstory:
Belwynn and her twin brother, Soren are sent on a mission to recover a dagger that was stolen as their cousin, Edgar the Prince of South Magnia Leofwin wants the dagger back badly so he gathers companions for his cousins to take on their journey for the recovery of the dagger by any means necessary.
All together with nine companions they set out to track down the thieves but the road will be rough as war is brewing in the country of Dalriya and there could be danger lurking around every corner!
That is about all I can give on a small backstory without giving away spoilers, so if this book sounds intriguing then go grab it and step into this world!
Thoughts:
Wow! Wow! Wow! This story has consumed my time since I stepped into this world of fantasy adventure and danger. This is a big world with lots of characters and factions, but there is also sorcery within the pages too and there were some cool magical fights weaved into the storyline.
The writing style of the author just drew me right into the story line as the story is straight forward story telling that kept me hooked from the first chapter. The visuals of the world as it opened up with what the characters had to go through in pursuit of the dagger and the thieves just kept me turning my kindle pages long into the night. There were many nights I was consumed by this story as I just could not put this book down!
Normally I read two or three books at once but so much was happening within this story that my focus stayed within this book only as I kept wanting to see what would happen next to the characters. I love all the characters too of the companions. Just within this first book I have become attached to them and I am looking forward to continuing on with the series to see what happens next in the world of Dalriya. Giving this book five "Thrilling Adventure" stars!
Highly Recommend!
For digital artwork images and gifs of this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
June 30, 2018
I listened to Toric’s Dagger as an audiobook. It has two narrators for each of the main characters, one male and one female, which provided a unique listening experience.
Toric’s Dagger was an interesting book, and I really loved the worldbuilding throughout the book. There are some very cool pieces of history around the dagger and the religious and historical importance of it. There are also introductions to very different cultures and how they work.
The two main characters, Belwynn and Soren, had a really interesting relationship with some awesome abilities. The magic system that Soren used had consequences which can be seen frequently when he overdoes himself, however, it is often the saving move which gets them out of a multitude of issues. The rest of the main cast is large, and as such a lot of their motivations aren’t developed as much as I’d like.
The plot flowed well for most of the book with a few red herrings and events linking back to things that happened earlier. I did have a bit of issue with where the book ended, however. In my opinion, it ended right in the middle of the climax without a real ending to wind the tension down. I wasn’t a massive fan of this because it detracts from the feeling of the novel being its own story, and makes it feel more like it’s just trying to wind up to the rest of the series.
I’d recommend Toric’s Dagger to people who enjoy:
* Epic Fantasy
* Young Adult
* Interesting magic
* Quest type fantasy
Toric’s Dagger was an interesting book, and I really loved the worldbuilding throughout the book. There are some very cool pieces of history around the dagger and the religious and historical importance of it. There are also introductions to very different cultures and how they work.
The two main characters, Belwynn and Soren, had a really interesting relationship with some awesome abilities. The magic system that Soren used had consequences which can be seen frequently when he overdoes himself, however, it is often the saving move which gets them out of a multitude of issues. The rest of the main cast is large, and as such a lot of their motivations aren’t developed as much as I’d like.
The plot flowed well for most of the book with a few red herrings and events linking back to things that happened earlier. I did have a bit of issue with where the book ended, however. In my opinion, it ended right in the middle of the climax without a real ending to wind the tension down. I wasn’t a massive fan of this because it detracts from the feeling of the novel being its own story, and makes it feel more like it’s just trying to wind up to the rest of the series.
I’d recommend Toric’s Dagger to people who enjoy:
* Epic Fantasy
* Young Adult
* Interesting magic
* Quest type fantasy
October 9, 2017
This book has been cut from Ventureadlaxre’s grouping, but before that it had been put aside for further consideration for the final, so it was a near miss. I liked this one, overall it was fun and quick at 314 pages on ebook – but being shorter it still had depth and nice world building.
Here’s Venture’s review if you’re interested https://ventureadlaxre.com/2017/09/17...
Plot:
The book starts out with a heist scene and I thought I was in store for a Gentleman Bastards type book – but after that scene the plot shifted to a group of characters taking back Torics Dagger which had been stolen from Torics Temple. The dagger is a holy relic and needs to be taken back because it’s vital to the countries safety.
There are a bunch of POV’s at the beginning but around 14% they start to merge and by 20% they are all pretty much together and you know how their stories are connected.
This story has back stabbery and betrayal and characters with concealed intentions which creates some twists and turns that kept things interesting.
While the main characters are on their mission to find the people who stole Torics Dagger and return the dagger to the temple, neighboring nations are declaring themselves independent from their kingdoms. Rulers/nations who acknowledge these new independent nations or show them support for them make enemies quickly with the Kings they split from. Allegiances and rivalries are being spawned all over the place. Other nations going to war with each other also threatens Magnia’s safety so it’s on the Princes mind a lot ( the country most of this book takes place in)
Magnia suffered a civil war in the last generation, and instead of one side winning and the leader of the victors becoming King of Magnia two Princes emerged instead – the Prince in the South and the Prince in the North.
There’s a lot of stuff going on with the plot and the book isn’t long, it’s 314 on ebooks so it’s a pretty tightly told story.
Characters:
A lot, but here are the main players
Prince Edgar – Prince in the South, fairly likable not too snooty for a prince
Soren and Belwynn – a brother and sister set of twins with telepathic abilities. The book starts with their POV’s telepathically communicating and they stay close throughout the books. Nice to see siblings get along for once.
Herin and Clarin – another set of siblings, these are brothers and Herin is the older brother. He’s smaller in stature and a little more serious, while Clarin is amiable and pretty a pretty big dude
Farred and Gyrmund – two boys raised as brothers, but really Gyrmund is an orphan when his parents died, they worked for Farreds family so they adopted him and raised him.
Elana – a Priestess of Madria, she’s got some cool as shit healing abilities that come in hand through the book.
Dirk – Priest of Toric tags along with the group
Kaved and Rabigar – two Krykker characters which are humanoid like races but have scales across their torso as a kind of armor, pretty badass in a fight. I really liked Rabigar, you learned a bit of their culture through his dialogue
World Building:
There are a bunch of humanoid like races in this world, and some of them didn’t even originate in the world the book is set in. The Isharites transported themselves from another world via magic to this world, and created the Drobox. The Drobox are an artificially created and enslaved race, they aren’t talked about much until the end, but I’d really like to know more about their backstory.
The Vossi are a woodsy race with bark like skin that carry spears and harass you as you go through the woods. The Caladri may live to 150 years, the Isharites came here from another world, the Krykers have abdominal scale armor etc etc
The magic is pretty mysterious and old school wizard kind of stuff. The healing magic that Elana can do is pretty broad sweeping, anything from broken bones and wounds to sore backs can be eased. (She comes in handy frequently and actually is one of my favorite characters.)
Magic also has a cost, Soren has knocked himself out a few times when over expending himself magically.
There’s a few really cool battle scenes with pissed off wizards with red eyes who can open pits to hell in the earth and neat shit like that.
Pacing/Tone/Prose:
Adventurous and fun, I like old school fantasy with wizards and mages and mysterious magic, especially when the story is tightly told with a lot of world building.
The prose was pretty straight forward with mild cursing, no in world cursing that I noted which is always a bonus for me.
Audience:
People who like a lot of characters
People who like a lot of world building with geography and different nations and wars and background
People who like old school mysterious magic
People who like old school wizards and mages
People who like quickly told tight stories
Here’s Venture’s review if you’re interested https://ventureadlaxre.com/2017/09/17...
Plot:
The book starts out with a heist scene and I thought I was in store for a Gentleman Bastards type book – but after that scene the plot shifted to a group of characters taking back Torics Dagger which had been stolen from Torics Temple. The dagger is a holy relic and needs to be taken back because it’s vital to the countries safety.
There are a bunch of POV’s at the beginning but around 14% they start to merge and by 20% they are all pretty much together and you know how their stories are connected.
This story has back stabbery and betrayal and characters with concealed intentions which creates some twists and turns that kept things interesting.
While the main characters are on their mission to find the people who stole Torics Dagger and return the dagger to the temple, neighboring nations are declaring themselves independent from their kingdoms. Rulers/nations who acknowledge these new independent nations or show them support for them make enemies quickly with the Kings they split from. Allegiances and rivalries are being spawned all over the place. Other nations going to war with each other also threatens Magnia’s safety so it’s on the Princes mind a lot ( the country most of this book takes place in)
Magnia suffered a civil war in the last generation, and instead of one side winning and the leader of the victors becoming King of Magnia two Princes emerged instead – the Prince in the South and the Prince in the North.
There’s a lot of stuff going on with the plot and the book isn’t long, it’s 314 on ebooks so it’s a pretty tightly told story.
Characters:
A lot, but here are the main players
Prince Edgar – Prince in the South, fairly likable not too snooty for a prince
Soren and Belwynn – a brother and sister set of twins with telepathic abilities. The book starts with their POV’s telepathically communicating and they stay close throughout the books. Nice to see siblings get along for once.
Herin and Clarin – another set of siblings, these are brothers and Herin is the older brother. He’s smaller in stature and a little more serious, while Clarin is amiable and pretty a pretty big dude
Farred and Gyrmund – two boys raised as brothers, but really Gyrmund is an orphan when his parents died, they worked for Farreds family so they adopted him and raised him.
Elana – a Priestess of Madria, she’s got some cool as shit healing abilities that come in hand through the book.
Dirk – Priest of Toric tags along with the group
Kaved and Rabigar – two Krykker characters which are humanoid like races but have scales across their torso as a kind of armor, pretty badass in a fight. I really liked Rabigar, you learned a bit of their culture through his dialogue
World Building:
There are a bunch of humanoid like races in this world, and some of them didn’t even originate in the world the book is set in. The Isharites transported themselves from another world via magic to this world, and created the Drobox. The Drobox are an artificially created and enslaved race, they aren’t talked about much until the end, but I’d really like to know more about their backstory.
The Vossi are a woodsy race with bark like skin that carry spears and harass you as you go through the woods. The Caladri may live to 150 years, the Isharites came here from another world, the Krykers have abdominal scale armor etc etc
The magic is pretty mysterious and old school wizard kind of stuff. The healing magic that Elana can do is pretty broad sweeping, anything from broken bones and wounds to sore backs can be eased. (She comes in handy frequently and actually is one of my favorite characters.)
Magic also has a cost, Soren has knocked himself out a few times when over expending himself magically.
There’s a few really cool battle scenes with pissed off wizards with red eyes who can open pits to hell in the earth and neat shit like that.
Pacing/Tone/Prose:
Adventurous and fun, I like old school fantasy with wizards and mages and mysterious magic, especially when the story is tightly told with a lot of world building.
The prose was pretty straight forward with mild cursing, no in world cursing that I noted which is always a bonus for me.
Audience:
People who like a lot of characters
People who like a lot of world building with geography and different nations and wars and background
People who like old school mysterious magic
People who like old school wizards and mages
People who like quickly told tight stories
March 8, 2022
I have to thank the author for giving me some great female leads instead of the whiny damsel in distress types which in my opinion is hard to come by. Also, that their bodies, mainly breasts weren’t constantly being commented on or described throughout the book. Sorry, I just get so tired of that in every book I read. 🤷🏻♀️ This was action packed and fast paced that I flew through it and the characters are well developed and likable. I’m anxious to begin the next installment.
June 27, 2017
3.5 Stars
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
I've read some high fantasy, enough to have gotten used to the concept of entirely different lands and countries and all that, but those were mostly about romance or focused tightly on one or two characters. This was the first book I've read that I would call epic fantasy, one with a quest (or maybe a journey?), a lot of characters, and a more all-encompassing story. But when you want to branch out to new genres, you gotta start somewhere, right? And it was the twins mentioned in the blurb that caught my interest because I've been wanting books about close or interesting family relationships. I was also in the mood for something without romance. Plus I needed a break from urban fantasy. So this book fit all those requirements nicely.
I think though that epic fantasy may not be quite for me. I couldn't keep up with, and honestly wasn't that interested in, all the lands and relations among them and politics and rebellions and wars and leaders and trading and geography and history and descriptions of places. However, I do respect that the author clearly put A LOT of thought and detail into this world and how it all works.
I also prefer a closer third person POV. It wasn't omniscient, but it wasn't super deep in the characters' minds either. So I felt like I never really got much emotion from Belwynn (there were lots of POVs, but hers was used most often), and I didn't get as much from the twin relationship as I had wanted.
What I did enjoy though was the motley crew of characters who went on the quest to get Toric's Dagger back. Each character had a unique personality, and they felt believable. My favorites were Herin, Clarin, and Soren. Herin was not the most likeable per se since he was hot-headed and impatient, but he got things done and was kind of entertaining to me, and he was still not a bad person. (Well, good and bad are very relative terms here since I'm not sure anyone in the group, except maybe one or two of them, were "good" considering most of them were thieves or mercenaries or murderers. But my point is, Herin seemed no worse a person than the others in the group.) Clarin, on the other hand, was generally good-natured and unflappable---nothing ever seemed to worry or bother him---but he was this massive guy who everyone [who didn't know him] was afraid of (albeit rightly so since he used to a mercenary and could fight). And Soren was just... interesting. Skilled with magic, intelligent, ambitious, able to think quickly, and, it turns out, maybe a little obsessive, as well as ruthless when he wanted to be. And each character in the group had their own motives, desires, inner demons, etc.
There was even a bit of humor included in a way that flowed naturally from the characters and their actions, dialogue, and thoughts. There were also some intense and disturbing and gritty moments though. And there was a mix of both fast-paced action scenes and slower-paced sections of travel and politics.
So overall, I don't think epic fantasy is ever going to be my favorite genre since I wasn't very into the politics, geography, etc., but I'm tempted to continue this series because I liked the developed, flawed, interesting characters!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes epic fantasy, intricate fantasy worlds, magic, and motley crews.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
First Thoughts:
I think maybe epic fantasy isn't quite my genre since I wasn't very into the politics, geography, etc., but I liked the motley crew of characters! 3.5 stars, I think. Full review soon.
Review:
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
I've read some high fantasy, enough to have gotten used to the concept of entirely different lands and countries and all that, but those were mostly about romance or focused tightly on one or two characters. This was the first book I've read that I would call epic fantasy, one with a quest (or maybe a journey?), a lot of characters, and a more all-encompassing story. But when you want to branch out to new genres, you gotta start somewhere, right? And it was the twins mentioned in the blurb that caught my interest because I've been wanting books about close or interesting family relationships. I was also in the mood for something without romance. Plus I needed a break from urban fantasy. So this book fit all those requirements nicely.
I think though that epic fantasy may not be quite for me. I couldn't keep up with, and honestly wasn't that interested in, all the lands and relations among them and politics and rebellions and wars and leaders and trading and geography and history and descriptions of places. However, I do respect that the author clearly put A LOT of thought and detail into this world and how it all works.
I also prefer a closer third person POV. It wasn't omniscient, but it wasn't super deep in the characters' minds either. So I felt like I never really got much emotion from Belwynn (there were lots of POVs, but hers was used most often), and I didn't get as much from the twin relationship as I had wanted.
What I did enjoy though was the motley crew of characters who went on the quest to get Toric's Dagger back. Each character had a unique personality, and they felt believable. My favorites were Herin, Clarin, and Soren. Herin was not the most likeable per se since he was hot-headed and impatient, but he got things done and was kind of entertaining to me, and he was still not a bad person. (Well, good and bad are very relative terms here since I'm not sure anyone in the group, except maybe one or two of them, were "good" considering most of them were thieves or mercenaries or murderers. But my point is, Herin seemed no worse a person than the others in the group.) Clarin, on the other hand, was generally good-natured and unflappable---nothing ever seemed to worry or bother him---but he was this massive guy who everyone [who didn't know him] was afraid of (albeit rightly so since he used to a mercenary and could fight). And Soren was just... interesting. Skilled with magic, intelligent, ambitious, able to think quickly, and, it turns out, maybe a little obsessive, as well as ruthless when he wanted to be. And each character in the group had their own motives, desires, inner demons, etc.
The fact that Clarin never seemed to experience anxiety of any kind annoyed Belwynn, who often found herself worrying twice as hard about things in order to make up for it.
There was even a bit of humor included in a way that flowed naturally from the characters and their actions, dialogue, and thoughts. There were also some intense and disturbing and gritty moments though. And there was a mix of both fast-paced action scenes and slower-paced sections of travel and politics.
So overall, I don't think epic fantasy is ever going to be my favorite genre since I wasn't very into the politics, geography, etc., but I'm tempted to continue this series because I liked the developed, flawed, interesting characters!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes epic fantasy, intricate fantasy worlds, magic, and motley crews.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
---------------------
First Thoughts:
I think maybe epic fantasy isn't quite my genre since I wasn't very into the politics, geography, etc., but I liked the motley crew of characters! 3.5 stars, I think. Full review soon.
June 28, 2017
TORICS DAGGER is an amusing heist story about a brother and sister pair of thieves who, after a disastous attempt to rob a slaver, end up being dragooned into a quest to recover a holy relic that is just part of one larger quest to find the ones necessary to save the world.
While the main quest was certainly interesting, I felt the opening robbery at the beginning was the story at its best with poor Belwyn and Soren's attempts to get away with their loot going diastrously wrong in an Ocean's 11 style comedy turned deadly.
I think the characters and how they bounce off one another is the best part of this story with the Prince, Priestess, and Thieves forming an interesting dynamic among one another. The interactions between the various lands, religions, and politics was also well thought through.
Ultimately, my biggest complaint about the book is that it suddenly drops off at the end with little resolution and requires you to purchase the next book in the series that hasn't come out yet. Shame-shame Jamie Edmundson.
While the main quest was certainly interesting, I felt the opening robbery at the beginning was the story at its best with poor Belwyn and Soren's attempts to get away with their loot going diastrously wrong in an Ocean's 11 style comedy turned deadly.
I think the characters and how they bounce off one another is the best part of this story with the Prince, Priestess, and Thieves forming an interesting dynamic among one another. The interactions between the various lands, religions, and politics was also well thought through.
Ultimately, my biggest complaint about the book is that it suddenly drops off at the end with little resolution and requires you to purchase the next book in the series that hasn't come out yet. Shame-shame Jamie Edmundson.
August 12, 2017
7/10 therefore 3.5 stars.
This is a fantasy story that I would have enjoyed more when I was younger. Not because it is in any way immature but simply because I hadn’t read as many fantasy novels then as I have now. I quite enjoyed Toric’s Dagger but the problem I have with it is that it is a ‘Quest’ plot line. I’ve read my fill of quest plot lines and there would have to be something truly exceptional about a story that followed that well-trodden path for me to get excited about it. On to the analysis, because without it, you’ll think I’m damning this book with faint praise and that is not the intention of this review.
Setting
The strong point of the book. Obvious care has gone into what I think of as ‘doing an Eddings’ which is to say avoiding familiar creatures of Fantasy while still keeping a familiar world. It therefore is accessible without being samey-samey. A very good thing. Not wonderfully fresh but not in any sense stale either. I felt that there were some elements of the world that I would have wanted to know about earlier in the book but again, it’s a question of how much an author can shoehorn in to the front end without excessive exposition. If the author develops this world further and does so with a more engaging plot then this could be an extremely good fantasy setting.
8/10
Characters
A fair sized cast. Most of them seem clearly defined and well realised but for me they did not possess that life of their own which would make them ‘rounded’ characters in the Forster sense. Perhaps not the most important part of a fantasy adventure, many of the big names in fantasy write ‘flat’ characters. For comparison’s sake, GRRM’s cast of characters are mostly flat (Ramsay Bolton and most of the Starks) with some exceptions (Theon Greyjoy, Samwell Tarly). It’s not a bad thing but it turns the focus of a story more on the overall plot and/or setting. This is therefore not a character driven book, but a plot driven one.
7/10
Plot
In retrospect, the issue I have with this is given away by the title of the book. It’s a quest to retrieve a stolen religious relic, the eponymous Toric’s Dagger. Which came as a big disappointment. Why? It’s because of the prologue - an excellent heist scenario gone wrong. I had visions of a book that would echo Scott Lynch (Lies of Locke Lamora et al). It was not to be. After the promise of the prologue we get that dusty old plotline of ‘group of heroes/anti-heroes/hobbits or whatever gathers to journey across the land in pursuit of an object/person/beastie that threatens the land/could save the land.’ I went through the book with the nagging thought, ‘Why didn’t the author just stick to the heist angle?’ He clearly has the authorial chops for it. I’ve seen other reviews that complain about the way the book ends without a resolution meaning you need the sequel. I don’t have a problem with that as long as the author signposts nice and early that the book is part of a series (which he has) what can you have to complain about? I’ve always found the ‘1st book as a standalone but really it’s part of a series’ trick rather pathetic and obvious. If book 2, 3, 4 … 12 all need each other to make sense, why is there a problem with doing the same with book 1? Matter of personal taste, like most things.
6/10
Prose
Easy to sum up - solid and professional writing. There is a tendency towards what I call ‘saidphobia’ where a new author obsesses about avoiding using ‘he/she/it said’ and instead opts for ‘exclaimed’ etc. etc. or tells you what the character is doing while speaking. That seemed to ease off or at least become less noticeable as I got further into the story and it was the only issue that I had. So nothing wrong with the writing itself but on the other hand nothing about it stood out for me.
7/10
Overall
Wrapping this up you’ll think I’ve given the book a bit of a hammering. Well, yes I have BUT this is a good example of fantasy in the traditional vein with a healthy dash of originality in the setting. I think most fantasy fans who read this will enjoy it (I DID enjoy it) and go away thinking of it fondly though with the feeling that the author could do so much more - the heist prologue shows this very clearly. For me, Toric’s Dagger puts Jamie Edmundson on my watch-list of fantasy authors. He has serious potential - let’s hope he lives up to it.
7/10 or 3.5 stars. Mathematics should favour the author so rounding up to 4 stars.
This is a fantasy story that I would have enjoyed more when I was younger. Not because it is in any way immature but simply because I hadn’t read as many fantasy novels then as I have now. I quite enjoyed Toric’s Dagger but the problem I have with it is that it is a ‘Quest’ plot line. I’ve read my fill of quest plot lines and there would have to be something truly exceptional about a story that followed that well-trodden path for me to get excited about it. On to the analysis, because without it, you’ll think I’m damning this book with faint praise and that is not the intention of this review.
Setting
The strong point of the book. Obvious care has gone into what I think of as ‘doing an Eddings’ which is to say avoiding familiar creatures of Fantasy while still keeping a familiar world. It therefore is accessible without being samey-samey. A very good thing. Not wonderfully fresh but not in any sense stale either. I felt that there were some elements of the world that I would have wanted to know about earlier in the book but again, it’s a question of how much an author can shoehorn in to the front end without excessive exposition. If the author develops this world further and does so with a more engaging plot then this could be an extremely good fantasy setting.
8/10
Characters
A fair sized cast. Most of them seem clearly defined and well realised but for me they did not possess that life of their own which would make them ‘rounded’ characters in the Forster sense. Perhaps not the most important part of a fantasy adventure, many of the big names in fantasy write ‘flat’ characters. For comparison’s sake, GRRM’s cast of characters are mostly flat (Ramsay Bolton and most of the Starks) with some exceptions (Theon Greyjoy, Samwell Tarly). It’s not a bad thing but it turns the focus of a story more on the overall plot and/or setting. This is therefore not a character driven book, but a plot driven one.
7/10
Plot
In retrospect, the issue I have with this is given away by the title of the book. It’s a quest to retrieve a stolen religious relic, the eponymous Toric’s Dagger. Which came as a big disappointment. Why? It’s because of the prologue - an excellent heist scenario gone wrong. I had visions of a book that would echo Scott Lynch (Lies of Locke Lamora et al). It was not to be. After the promise of the prologue we get that dusty old plotline of ‘group of heroes/anti-heroes/hobbits or whatever gathers to journey across the land in pursuit of an object/person/beastie that threatens the land/could save the land.’ I went through the book with the nagging thought, ‘Why didn’t the author just stick to the heist angle?’ He clearly has the authorial chops for it. I’ve seen other reviews that complain about the way the book ends without a resolution meaning you need the sequel. I don’t have a problem with that as long as the author signposts nice and early that the book is part of a series (which he has) what can you have to complain about? I’ve always found the ‘1st book as a standalone but really it’s part of a series’ trick rather pathetic and obvious. If book 2, 3, 4 … 12 all need each other to make sense, why is there a problem with doing the same with book 1? Matter of personal taste, like most things.
6/10
Prose
Easy to sum up - solid and professional writing. There is a tendency towards what I call ‘saidphobia’ where a new author obsesses about avoiding using ‘he/she/it said’ and instead opts for ‘exclaimed’ etc. etc. or tells you what the character is doing while speaking. That seemed to ease off or at least become less noticeable as I got further into the story and it was the only issue that I had. So nothing wrong with the writing itself but on the other hand nothing about it stood out for me.
7/10
Overall
Wrapping this up you’ll think I’ve given the book a bit of a hammering. Well, yes I have BUT this is a good example of fantasy in the traditional vein with a healthy dash of originality in the setting. I think most fantasy fans who read this will enjoy it (I DID enjoy it) and go away thinking of it fondly though with the feeling that the author could do so much more - the heist prologue shows this very clearly. For me, Toric’s Dagger puts Jamie Edmundson on my watch-list of fantasy authors. He has serious potential - let’s hope he lives up to it.
7/10 or 3.5 stars. Mathematics should favour the author so rounding up to 4 stars.
May 10, 2021
This book had a good pace and felt fresh in terms of some of the world building. Edmundson really made it his own from the magic system to a few different races such as Drobax, Caladri, and Krykker. There was a nice host of characters and the writing was solid. The only hitch for me in the book was I felt a little overwhelmed at times with the number of different kingdoms/fiefdoms and their rulers. But other than that a good read.
March 16, 2021
Great start to the series. Epic fantasy story with a cliffhanger of an ending. 2 different narrators. I actually love that idea of 2 narrators. Makes me definitely want to hear more.
July 10, 2019
This is a action packed story.
The friendships and betrayal keeps you wanting more.
Can't wait to see what happens next.
The friendships and betrayal keeps you wanting more.
Can't wait to see what happens next.
September 4, 2021
Absolutely fantastic, the first book in the series did not disappoint, a nicely fast paced book that will hold your attention right to the end, after meeting Moneva and Herin in a previous short story, I knew I was going to love this, we follow some new characters, Belwin and her twin brother Soren who is a magician, when a holy relic Toric's Dagger is stolen, the twins put a team together to help retrieve it back, but it won't be easy, when communicating with each other, they use their telepathic ability, they must use Soren's magic to stay one step ahead of danger, but with all sort of unruly characters looking for the dagger, they are being heavily persued and must not let the dagger fall into the wrong hands, with murder and war on the horizon, they face certain tests that will either break them or make them, great read with lots of actions, magic and characters you will be cheering for from start to finish, the narration by the deadly duo Greg Patmore and Brigid Thomas bring this book to a whole other level, highly recommended...😁
June 7, 2017
Toric’s Dagger is book one of the Weapon Takers Saga, which is a fantasy series. The story is written about this religious relic being stolen. Soren and Belwynn are twin brother and sister. They are the ones seeking the dagger. The twins have telepathic ways of communicating between each other. Soren has magic abilities that assist them in dealing with all the danger and threat they face while being on their mission.
Once they find the dagger, it appears that the problem is still not resolved. They then have to protect it from the sorcerers, mercenaries and every other person that wishes to use the dagger, to do wrong.
The fantasy world created by the author is superbly done. The troubles and tricky situations, which the twins faced does make you feel for them. I loved the relationship between the siblings and the interconnected storylines within the content of the book. The literary standard was truly admirable. I believe this author has a strong potential in becoming one of the best in its genre.
There were times that I felt a little lost while reading, but then I would pick up fast and the pace would compensate the confusion. I also would like to congratulate the author for such a beautiful cover. If I had seen this book in a bookstore, I would have picked it up.
I recommend this book to fantasy readers.
Once they find the dagger, it appears that the problem is still not resolved. They then have to protect it from the sorcerers, mercenaries and every other person that wishes to use the dagger, to do wrong.
The fantasy world created by the author is superbly done. The troubles and tricky situations, which the twins faced does make you feel for them. I loved the relationship between the siblings and the interconnected storylines within the content of the book. The literary standard was truly admirable. I believe this author has a strong potential in becoming one of the best in its genre.
There were times that I felt a little lost while reading, but then I would pick up fast and the pace would compensate the confusion. I also would like to congratulate the author for such a beautiful cover. If I had seen this book in a bookstore, I would have picked it up.
I recommend this book to fantasy readers.
May 24, 2019
I found this book a little difficult to read. The plot moved along slowly, and never really seemed to jell. Although the title is Toric's Dagger and you realize the dagger was stolen, Edmundson never let's on what the Dagger's power is other than toward the end of the book you find out it is one of seven weapons needed to destroy the horde getting ready to take over their world. There were a number of grammatical errors that should have been caught and a few typos. I did finish it so it gets at least a three star for the authors effort. I won't continue the series though.
September 28, 2020
I was provided with the opportunity to listen and review this title and was very pleased.
Narrations were great and story line was fantastic. Lots of history and cultures and Magic’s
I am looking forward to the remaining books!
Narrations were great and story line was fantastic. Lots of history and cultures and Magic’s
I am looking forward to the remaining books!
June 16, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Toric's Dagger starts off with a bang. Or rather, a heist. It introduces us to Belwynn and Soren, two twins who have the ability to communicate telepathically, and the group of people they work with. The opening chapters also serve to familiarize the reader with the group's dynamics and their roles.
Be warned though: the first chapters are nothing like the rest of the book. By the time the heist arc is finished, the rest of the story unfolds and becomes more epic in scope. We are introduced to princes, would-be-kings, kings, and even an emperor. The politics that come in later were a nice surprise, and I really enjoyed how all the plot elements were introduced.
Because the main plot revolves around the retrieval of a dagger, there is a lot of traveling in this book. While traveling in a lot of fantasy books can be tedious if not done well, I didn't have a problem here as the story is pretty action-packed. There are no long scenes full of navel-gazing, but there are dangerous road encounters and enemies lurking around every corner. The main plot reminds me of an RPG fetch quest- if said fetch quest features a lot of twists you didn't see coming. This isn't a straightforward story in which a dagger is taken and must be retrieved. There will be surprises.
The writing is fast-paced and conveys the action very well. However, there were some typos and possible grammatical errors. Those are far and few in between, however, and didn't impact my reading too much. While there, the prose and dialogue are pretty okay and does its job well.
As much as I enjoyed the plot and the twists, the main thing I liked was the characters. I loved Soren and Belwynn and the rest of their motley crew also intrigued me. The characters have some interesting backstories that I want to see explored more and I also want to see where each character's arc would take them. One more thing is that this book features a lot of women characters. There are women who are heroes, women who are villains, and those who lie in a somewhat gray area. I really liked how they were portrayed and how they seemed to be believable characters.
All in all, I really liked Toric's Dagger. I think it can be a good gateway to high fantasy considering its shorter length at 321 pages.
This review can also be found on The Bookworm Daydreamer
Toric's Dagger starts off with a bang. Or rather, a heist. It introduces us to Belwynn and Soren, two twins who have the ability to communicate telepathically, and the group of people they work with. The opening chapters also serve to familiarize the reader with the group's dynamics and their roles.
Be warned though: the first chapters are nothing like the rest of the book. By the time the heist arc is finished, the rest of the story unfolds and becomes more epic in scope. We are introduced to princes, would-be-kings, kings, and even an emperor. The politics that come in later were a nice surprise, and I really enjoyed how all the plot elements were introduced.
Because the main plot revolves around the retrieval of a dagger, there is a lot of traveling in this book. While traveling in a lot of fantasy books can be tedious if not done well, I didn't have a problem here as the story is pretty action-packed. There are no long scenes full of navel-gazing, but there are dangerous road encounters and enemies lurking around every corner. The main plot reminds me of an RPG fetch quest- if said fetch quest features a lot of twists you didn't see coming. This isn't a straightforward story in which a dagger is taken and must be retrieved. There will be surprises.
The writing is fast-paced and conveys the action very well. However, there were some typos and possible grammatical errors. Those are far and few in between, however, and didn't impact my reading too much. While there, the prose and dialogue are pretty okay and does its job well.
As much as I enjoyed the plot and the twists, the main thing I liked was the characters. I loved Soren and Belwynn and the rest of their motley crew also intrigued me. The characters have some interesting backstories that I want to see explored more and I also want to see where each character's arc would take them. One more thing is that this book features a lot of women characters. There are women who are heroes, women who are villains, and those who lie in a somewhat gray area. I really liked how they were portrayed and how they seemed to be believable characters.
All in all, I really liked Toric's Dagger. I think it can be a good gateway to high fantasy considering its shorter length at 321 pages.
This review can also be found on The Bookworm Daydreamer
March 17, 2022
I was not familiar with Jamie Edmonson's work, other than the blurb, but The Weapon Taker's Saga sounded very interesting.
The story slowly unfolds in perhaps the first third to half of the book, with the opening of the story highlighting a small band of adventurers. Soren, a sorcerer still learning to control his use of magic. His twin sister, the lovely troubadour Belwyn, puts crowds into a trance-like state as she sings. A couple of exiled Kreekers, one of which is a smithy, good with weaponry, both with hard scaly skin. Add in a couple of mercenaries, a guide/tracker, a healing priestess who claims to speak with the gods, & her new acolyte, who carries secret, this is the group who ultimately is sent on a quest to retrieve a holy relic, Toric's Dagger. The characters aren't really developed, not the main focus of the story, but along the way, some of their backstories are revealed. As they travel, they cross into various cultures and lands, running into obstacles and other sorcerers with nefarious plans. Meanwhile, the politics of the lands they travel through are introduced. Princes, kings, an emperor, dukes, wardens, mages, etc. are introduced as a war is threatening to break out. Treason, double-crossing, spies, & shifting loyalties are revealed. Some of this was a bit boring to me, I'm not a fan of politics & with that much political detail, I do better physically reading to keep track of who is who. However, I knew it had to be important groundwork for what was to come. (Again, I was thinking of the scope of Tolkien in the back of my mind.) The groundwork is intertwined with the rich scenery and cultures that did hold my attention, and the world building was wonderful.
The book gained momentum just after halfway, and continued as more information was discovered about the importance of the dagger to the world, not just one country. Alliances are made, and enemies revealed, showing the group what possibly will be required for an epic battle, as they go off to collect more holy relics from various cultures. Edmonson lays groundwork for a series of books focusing on humanity vs an ancient evil that's building in power, and only retrieving the various holy relics from separate cultures will give them a chance at defeating the building evil. Once past the politics, which I'm not fond of in real life, I really enjoyed the story! It's well-written, richly described, and I'll be going to find the second in the Weapon Takers Saga, Bolivar's Sword!
I received an ARC from the author and chose to leave an honest review without compensation. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
The story slowly unfolds in perhaps the first third to half of the book, with the opening of the story highlighting a small band of adventurers. Soren, a sorcerer still learning to control his use of magic. His twin sister, the lovely troubadour Belwyn, puts crowds into a trance-like state as she sings. A couple of exiled Kreekers, one of which is a smithy, good with weaponry, both with hard scaly skin. Add in a couple of mercenaries, a guide/tracker, a healing priestess who claims to speak with the gods, & her new acolyte, who carries secret, this is the group who ultimately is sent on a quest to retrieve a holy relic, Toric's Dagger. The characters aren't really developed, not the main focus of the story, but along the way, some of their backstories are revealed. As they travel, they cross into various cultures and lands, running into obstacles and other sorcerers with nefarious plans. Meanwhile, the politics of the lands they travel through are introduced. Princes, kings, an emperor, dukes, wardens, mages, etc. are introduced as a war is threatening to break out. Treason, double-crossing, spies, & shifting loyalties are revealed. Some of this was a bit boring to me, I'm not a fan of politics & with that much political detail, I do better physically reading to keep track of who is who. However, I knew it had to be important groundwork for what was to come. (Again, I was thinking of the scope of Tolkien in the back of my mind.) The groundwork is intertwined with the rich scenery and cultures that did hold my attention, and the world building was wonderful.
The book gained momentum just after halfway, and continued as more information was discovered about the importance of the dagger to the world, not just one country. Alliances are made, and enemies revealed, showing the group what possibly will be required for an epic battle, as they go off to collect more holy relics from various cultures. Edmonson lays groundwork for a series of books focusing on humanity vs an ancient evil that's building in power, and only retrieving the various holy relics from separate cultures will give them a chance at defeating the building evil. Once past the politics, which I'm not fond of in real life, I really enjoyed the story! It's well-written, richly described, and I'll be going to find the second in the Weapon Takers Saga, Bolivar's Sword!
I received an ARC from the author and chose to leave an honest review without compensation. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
August 11, 2017
First time reading from the author.
The book was well written. I have always liked stories like this.
Full of action, fantasy with sorcery, adventure or journey, and a touch of mystery to it. Never a dull moment, with the twist, turns, and info coming our way, as things unfold. The author made a great kingdom or world for their characters. Who is the enemy and who is the ally? We get introduced to so many different characters, who can be trusted and who can not be trusted on their journey?
The story jumps us couple of times to another character to catch us up on things that are going on from different point of view. It was not overly done at all, I thought it was just right to keep the info flowing nicely, to keep me up with the story.
I loved Soren and Belwynn characters as I followed them through the story. I liked others in the story and some not so much. I can’t wait to read what happens next in the second book.
The author did a great job pulling me in and making me want to know all that was going on. I hope to stalk and read more from the authors book shelf.
Got ARC for an honest review.
Thank you for sharing your book with me.
The book was well written. I have always liked stories like this.
Full of action, fantasy with sorcery, adventure or journey, and a touch of mystery to it. Never a dull moment, with the twist, turns, and info coming our way, as things unfold. The author made a great kingdom or world for their characters. Who is the enemy and who is the ally? We get introduced to so many different characters, who can be trusted and who can not be trusted on their journey?
The story jumps us couple of times to another character to catch us up on things that are going on from different point of view. It was not overly done at all, I thought it was just right to keep the info flowing nicely, to keep me up with the story.
I loved Soren and Belwynn characters as I followed them through the story. I liked others in the story and some not so much. I can’t wait to read what happens next in the second book.
The author did a great job pulling me in and making me want to know all that was going on. I hope to stalk and read more from the authors book shelf.
Got ARC for an honest review.
Thank you for sharing your book with me.
December 12, 2018
Okay, I've got to admit, I didn't give this book a fair crack of the whip. I've had other stuff going on that was somewhat distracting, and I was also reading Chasing Graves and We Ride the Storm in the same period.
On to Toric's Dagger. The story tells of twins Belwynn and Soren, who take on the job of retrieving an ancient religious relic,that doesn't seem to have any real value. They were wrong. Their road leads the twins and their merry band down a twisting path that leads to a war that could end all wars. Can they hang onto the dagger, or will one of the other "interested parties" steal it for their own nefarious means?
I liked what I heard of this book. The story was good, the characters were likeable and funny, and it had a dark touch that always puts a smile on my face. The two narrators was an interesting idea. Normally it would be mostly redundant, but the twins could communicate telepathically,so the having a female voice for Soren made a lot of sense when trying to figure out who was talking.
I am going to get back to this, probably give it a reread/listen in a couple of months. Well worth checking out for fans of dark or epic fantasy. 4/5 stars.
On to Toric's Dagger. The story tells of twins Belwynn and Soren, who take on the job of retrieving an ancient religious relic,that doesn't seem to have any real value. They were wrong. Their road leads the twins and their merry band down a twisting path that leads to a war that could end all wars. Can they hang onto the dagger, or will one of the other "interested parties" steal it for their own nefarious means?
I liked what I heard of this book. The story was good, the characters were likeable and funny, and it had a dark touch that always puts a smile on my face. The two narrators was an interesting idea. Normally it would be mostly redundant, but the twins could communicate telepathically,so the having a female voice for Soren made a lot of sense when trying to figure out who was talking.
I am going to get back to this, probably give it a reread/listen in a couple of months. Well worth checking out for fans of dark or epic fantasy. 4/5 stars.
Want to read
April 6, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/6/2019)! 🎁
Blurb:
It takes a gang of thieves to catch a gang of thieves
Toric's Dagger is just another religious relic, until it's stolen. Belwynn and her twin brother, Soren, volunteer to lead a team tasked with its retrieval. Drawn into a world of danger and treachery, they must rely on Soren's magical abilities, and on the telepathic bond they share.
Now, as kingdoms and empires start to fall, the twins confront the dark forces that threaten them. They must not let the Dagger fall into the wrong hands. But when mercenaries, zealots and sorcerers are all hunting for the same weapon, who should they trust?
Book One of The Weapon Takers Saga, an Epic Fantasy Series that readers have compared to Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time. The story is told from multiple points of view, and is perfect for readers who like their fantasy done on a grand scale.
Blurb:
It takes a gang of thieves to catch a gang of thieves
Toric's Dagger is just another religious relic, until it's stolen. Belwynn and her twin brother, Soren, volunteer to lead a team tasked with its retrieval. Drawn into a world of danger and treachery, they must rely on Soren's magical abilities, and on the telepathic bond they share.
Now, as kingdoms and empires start to fall, the twins confront the dark forces that threaten them. They must not let the Dagger fall into the wrong hands. But when mercenaries, zealots and sorcerers are all hunting for the same weapon, who should they trust?
Book One of The Weapon Takers Saga, an Epic Fantasy Series that readers have compared to Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time. The story is told from multiple points of view, and is perfect for readers who like their fantasy done on a grand scale.
September 20, 2024
Toric's Dagger by Jamie Edmundson works probably have worked a lot better for me some years ago.
Having read as many fantasy books as I have, it just felt a bit too stereotypical, and predictable.
I did like the tone and voice of the two main characters, but some of the side characters felt a bit too two dimensional to me, as well as fulfilling the typical tropes.
Some scenes just felt weird and disjointed, like they had been stuck in there with sticky tape, instead of an organic part of the story, like I've specific scene meeting two wizards.
I found the start of the story intriguing, but sadly lost interest the farther i read, and by the end I wasn't interested enough anymore to pick up any sequels, despite owning the whole omnibus.
Overall it might well appeal to those looking for an easier epic read, with a familiar cast on a quest.
Having read as many fantasy books as I have, it just felt a bit too stereotypical, and predictable.
I did like the tone and voice of the two main characters, but some of the side characters felt a bit too two dimensional to me, as well as fulfilling the typical tropes.
Some scenes just felt weird and disjointed, like they had been stuck in there with sticky tape, instead of an organic part of the story, like I've specific scene meeting two wizards.
I found the start of the story intriguing, but sadly lost interest the farther i read, and by the end I wasn't interested enough anymore to pick up any sequels, despite owning the whole omnibus.
Overall it might well appeal to those looking for an easier epic read, with a familiar cast on a quest.
August 26, 2019
This quest to retrieve a stolen religious relic ticked so many of the boxes that got me into fantasy in the first place: an epic quest, a cast of diverse characters, swords and sorcery, otherworldly landscapes, strange creatures. Couple all this with a world which has a detailed history replete with political rifts, feuds and machinations, there is a lot going on. I especially liked the mix of characters, each bring their own skills and personalities to the party and the banter between them. Looking forward to seeing how this all plays out!
June 19, 2020
Action-packed, fast-paced fantasy. I have never read anything by this author, so I was unsure of how much I would enjoy this novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the world-building and characters, as well as the plot. I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrators were great. There were a few instances that my American ears found British pronunciations odd, but I didn’t mind it at all because the narration was pleasant to listen to, and the storyline sucked me in.
September 21, 2020
Excellent!
Very engaging read. The characters are well drawn out as if they are friends. Their struggles are intense and their results are what can bring hope in dark times. I look forward to continued reading till whatever conclusion awaits them.
Very engaging read. The characters are well drawn out as if they are friends. Their struggles are intense and their results are what can bring hope in dark times. I look forward to continued reading till whatever conclusion awaits them.
April 10, 2021
Wonderful, captivating story!
I really enjoyed this book. It had lots of adventure, swordfights, magic, and intrigue. It brought back memories of fantasy novels I read as a teenager.
I really enjoyed this book. It had lots of adventure, swordfights, magic, and intrigue. It brought back memories of fantasy novels I read as a teenager.
July 28, 2019
I enjoyed this book. It reminds me of the older fantasy books. Quests, friendships, evil, battles strange creatures. Great story
September 2, 2020
This is a great beginning in what is sure to be a superb epic fantasy series. It has everything you could want, a group of travelers, interesting humanoid races, and fantastic world building. Pick this one up if you want a travelling story with a montley crew .
I listened to the audiobook and it was well narrated.
I listened to the audiobook and it was well narrated.
March 6, 2022
An amusing heist story, no Oceans Eleven, but a pair of siblings who are forced to recover a holy relic. I quite enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone who likes a good YA fantasy.
August 15, 2017
Toric’s Dagger is a perfectly serviceable old-school quest fantasy which I enjoyed reading. There are all the classic ingredients of non-human races, prophecies, evil sorcerers and magical objects. I would have to say that for modern tastes there is rather more quest than action – the fast-moving opening chapters of a heist gone wrong are at somewhat of a disconnect from the rest of the book in this respect. The relationship between the two telepathically characters, magician Soren and his sister Bellwyn, is well-established, but some of the secondary characters could be better developed. By the end of the Toric’s Dagger it is clear it has become a classic ‘collect the quest objects to defeat the bad guys’ story. The book ends with no resolution of any plot arcs and the story is very clearly ‘to be continued’.
August 12, 2017
This had the makings of being a great new series, though I felt that there were several instances where the narrative got bogged down in the details. I want to read more as this series progresses and find out how all of the ancient weapons are assembled. I just hope that now that all of the basic groundwork has been laid, that the rest of the books will be focused more on the story, and the adventurers rather than the world building that happened in this book.
I vouluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I vouluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
October 10, 2019
Evil is trying to take over their world, and a relic from the past may be necessary to defeat the enemies. Unfortunately, Toric's Dagger has been stolen. Belwynn and Soren are twins, and they are leading a team that is determined to find the thieves and return the dagger. But there are many others who want the dagger, and would like to use it for personal gain.
Wow, great world building. The beginning of an epic fantasy with action, adventure, and magic. Well written and complex characters. Great book.
Wow, great world building. The beginning of an epic fantasy with action, adventure, and magic. Well written and complex characters. Great book.
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