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The Gems of Elsana #1
Into the Wildbarrens
Gandalf. Dumbledore. Merlin. We all love the legendary wizards who mentored the heroes of our favorite tales.
It’s time we add a new wizard to that list. This is his origin story.
Join Falin and his honorable (and not-so-honorable) Champions on his journey for the Gems of Elsana. Dragons, monsters, and even the dreaded Wildbarrens can’t deter this motley bunch of adventurers as they embark on one of the greatest quests Elsana has ever known. Into the Wildbarrens is filled with comedy, action, romance, and thrills making it the perfect read for those seeking a feel-good fantasy!
It’s time we add a new wizard to that list. This is his origin story.
Join Falin and his honorable (and not-so-honorable) Champions on his journey for the Gems of Elsana. Dragons, monsters, and even the dreaded Wildbarrens can’t deter this motley bunch of adventurers as they embark on one of the greatest quests Elsana has ever known. Into the Wildbarrens is filled with comedy, action, romance, and thrills making it the perfect read for those seeking a feel-good fantasy!
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2019
178 people are currently reading
643 people want to read
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August 21, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
The Buzz
This summer I jumped on board an indie fantasy reader challenge. Into the Wildbarrens and Quests and Quandaries were two author requested reads that totally fit the requirements. They are both road trip stories set in epic fantasy worlds... They aren't your traditional fantasy reads and are perfect for readers who love something a little different!
As a graphic designer I can't say that either of these covers are even decent. I loathe them. However, I know how hard it is for indie authors to find talented cover artists. I highly suggest it, but it can cost a pretty penny. I do however find the titles both decent in their own ways... If a little vague.
A few suggestions cover design wise... One thing both Into the Wildbarrens and Quests and Quandaries have in common is an ugly green for their cover color. A cream color cover with a dark green type would show up sooooooooo much better! Think about it. Go to your cover and shrink it down and imagine scrolling through Amazon... hard to read, right? Nothing to drawn you in, yeah? Text only covers are fine, but make them readable, noticeable and reducible.
The Premise
I was really jazzed to get into Into the Wildbarrens. Why? Because I expected this to be an amalgamation of all the things I love from epic fantasy. I figured an author would only choose such an old fashioned premise because he totally fanboys over the genre! That he can't help but share his own version of the stories he adores. Instead I found myself in something a little different. A slower paced story than I expected to be sure. One with some adventure but also a lot of safe harbors.
Falin is a 20 year old who grew up on the wizard's island learning to harness magic. Now he's been sent out into the world to gather gems that will give him control over his power. Falin felt a lot of responsibility toward his champions and he started to see them like his charges. I found this perspective a little bizarre. Not much happened to bond them and its not like he knew them growing up. And he is the youngest... So I didn't really understand his perspective or where these emotions stemmed from.
He's accompanied by four champions from each kingdom within the The Crown of Elsana. And the wizards give him two additional guides for when they enter the Wildbarrens. I really, really, really loved Red and Skully!! They made the entire journey worth the read. Red for his irreverent mouth. And Skully for being such a creative little adventurer. I love the fruit he uses that grows out of his staff. And their friendship was dynamite! They rather eclipsed the champions but I did come to appreciate the others contributions the farther into the story we got.
My Experience
I will admit Into the Wildbarrens wasn't what I expected... so I really hated the beginning. There is a lot of pages dedicated to conversations between the travelers. And much of it didn't really pertain to the current story. It certainly gives Into the Wildbarrens a slice of life feel. Like the story is about MORE than Falin collecting his gems to come into his full power. It's also about exploring the world and meeting different characters that are allies. So while there were a couple epic battles and a handful of fun "villain" takedowns for the most part Falin and his companions were living life.
Once we arrived at the first gem the pace picked up. I finally understood what kind of story I was in for and so enjoyed it a lot more. While we didn't get to the Wildbarrens until 75% I found the plot in this part of the story the most exciting. I do wish that we'd spent at least 50% of the book in the Wildbarrens, but at least our adventurers finally got to flex their champion chops.
Into the Wildbarrens, the first book of The Gems of Elsana immerses you in this new fantasy world! You get to know Falin and his companions and get a sense of how it would feel to live there day to day. Literally. If this sounds like something you would enjoy then Into the Wildbarrens is for you!
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ Plot & Pacing
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⭐ World Building
D Cover & Title grade
Thank you to the indie author for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. Read my special perspective under the typewriter on my reviews...
Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
February 5, 2020
4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of Into The Wildbarrens (The Gems Of Elsana) in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever wondered how the wizard that mentors your beloved chosen one got to where they are today? If you're curious about the sort of shenanigan's a wizard and their companions get up to on their quest for greatness- this might be the book for you!
This book has straight up been giving me the side-eye for a couple of months now- and I'm so glad that I finally took the time to read it! Falin and his champions have cemented their place on my list of favourite friendships/found families in literature. I loved every second of the journey that this book took me on-and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of Into The Wildbarrens (The Gems Of Elsana) in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever wondered how the wizard that mentors your beloved chosen one got to where they are today? If you're curious about the sort of shenanigan's a wizard and their companions get up to on their quest for greatness- this might be the book for you!
This book has straight up been giving me the side-eye for a couple of months now- and I'm so glad that I finally took the time to read it! Falin and his champions have cemented their place on my list of favourite friendships/found families in literature. I loved every second of the journey that this book took me on-and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.
June 15, 2019
4/5 ⭐
First of all, I would like to thank the author, Christian Sterling, for sending me an ARC of his book to review. All opinions are my own.
"Only a fool demeans the character of an entire race based on the reputation of its minority.
Throughout this book, we follow Falin, a young wizard, who is on a quest to gather the Gems of Elsana. To accompany him, a group of six champions will go with him on his journey to help him and protect him. I liked most of the characters in this book but my favorite has to be Red the Freelander. He's witty and sarcastic. I love that. This book also had a The Hobbit kind of vibes and it was really entertaining to say the least.
I also liked the writing style. It is clear and easy to read with lots of memorable quotes and passages (I'm thinking about the princess and the dragon moment). There's also a lot of humor and banter between the characters, which reinforces the fun in the story. There are serious moments too, but I found myself laughing more than once.
However, I felt like another round of editing would help make the book better. It's only an ARC so typos are bound to exist still, but there is still room for enhancement in my opinion.
As a conclusion, if you are looking for a fun book about friendship and adventure, this might be the one for you! It is a great first installment and it is quite promising for the future of the series!
First of all, I would like to thank the author, Christian Sterling, for sending me an ARC of his book to review. All opinions are my own.
"Only a fool demeans the character of an entire race based on the reputation of its minority.
Throughout this book, we follow Falin, a young wizard, who is on a quest to gather the Gems of Elsana. To accompany him, a group of six champions will go with him on his journey to help him and protect him. I liked most of the characters in this book but my favorite has to be Red the Freelander. He's witty and sarcastic. I love that. This book also had a The Hobbit kind of vibes and it was really entertaining to say the least.
I also liked the writing style. It is clear and easy to read with lots of memorable quotes and passages (I'm thinking about the princess and the dragon moment). There's also a lot of humor and banter between the characters, which reinforces the fun in the story. There are serious moments too, but I found myself laughing more than once.
However, I felt like another round of editing would help make the book better. It's only an ARC so typos are bound to exist still, but there is still room for enhancement in my opinion.
As a conclusion, if you are looking for a fun book about friendship and adventure, this might be the one for you! It is a great first installment and it is quite promising for the future of the series!
July 26, 2019
First of all, I would like to thank the author for providing me with an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
At the beginning of the book, we meet Falin, the young wizard who takes us on the adventure together with him. He sets off to find the Gems of Elsana in order to gain his power. Falin needs to collect these four stones that are hidden throughout the world. Together with his chosen company, Falin experiences new things that will chance everything.
I loved this book so much because I am a super huge fan of this type of fantasy. The book contains all elements that are necessary to bild a coherent story. It was so easy to follow the plot that I fell in love with it.
Moreover, I loved the relationship between certain characters, it has brought so many feelings for me ❤ I highly recommend this book to all fantasy/adventure lovers out there. You are going to love it
At the beginning of the book, we meet Falin, the young wizard who takes us on the adventure together with him. He sets off to find the Gems of Elsana in order to gain his power. Falin needs to collect these four stones that are hidden throughout the world. Together with his chosen company, Falin experiences new things that will chance everything.
I loved this book so much because I am a super huge fan of this type of fantasy. The book contains all elements that are necessary to bild a coherent story. It was so easy to follow the plot that I fell in love with it.
Moreover, I loved the relationship between certain characters, it has brought so many feelings for me ❤ I highly recommend this book to all fantasy/adventure lovers out there. You are going to love it
July 4, 2019
If you are looking for a great epic fantasy to read this summer I highly recommend picking this one up!
July 21, 2019
Welcome to my review for Into the Wildbarrens by Christian Sterling!
The non-spoiler review:
We all know the about the chosen hero that needs to save the world, and we all know about the wizard that guides the hero.
Into the Wildbarrens tells the wizards story and it’s about time we learn more about the secretive mentors of heroes.
We follow Falin as he and his 6 champions journey across the land in search for the Gems of Elsana. Falin needs these gems to fully take control of his power and help aid the other wizards against evil.
Overall, I think this was just was just such a pleasant and refreshing read. I forgot how much I missed inherently good characters who have no desire to turn evil.
There was peril, and I think there is so much more evil coming that I’m ready to read the next book. I felt like we only got a glimpse of that in this book.
The characters together were hilarious! I laughed out loud a few times, too. Their conversations and attitudes weren’t boring and they worked well together.
The world-building was amazing and the plot was simple yet it took a long time to get to the end.
There were quite a few spelling and grammar errors but since this is an arc, I’ll excuse those errors. (Also because I’m an unrelenting grammar-nazi😬 I always look specifically for mistakes)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m very excited for the next one!
The review full of spoilers:
You have been warned.
The non-spoiler review:
We all know the about the chosen hero that needs to save the world, and we all know about the wizard that guides the hero.
Into the Wildbarrens tells the wizards story and it’s about time we learn more about the secretive mentors of heroes.
We follow Falin as he and his 6 champions journey across the land in search for the Gems of Elsana. Falin needs these gems to fully take control of his power and help aid the other wizards against evil.
Overall, I think this was just was just such a pleasant and refreshing read. I forgot how much I missed inherently good characters who have no desire to turn evil.
There was peril, and I think there is so much more evil coming that I’m ready to read the next book. I felt like we only got a glimpse of that in this book.
The characters together were hilarious! I laughed out loud a few times, too. Their conversations and attitudes weren’t boring and they worked well together.
The world-building was amazing and the plot was simple yet it took a long time to get to the end.
There were quite a few spelling and grammar errors but since this is an arc, I’ll excuse those errors. (Also because I’m an unrelenting grammar-nazi😬 I always look specifically for mistakes)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m very excited for the next one!
The review full of spoilers:
You have been warned.
June 6, 2019
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
Where to even start.
Do you know that feeling? Wherein you had so many hopes for a book. So much excitement because the synopsis sounded great? Sad to say that this book was the complete opposite of what I’ve hoped for—and I just hoped for a decent read.
Let’s start with the characters.
We have our main character, Falin, who is a wizard in the land of Elsana. He is thrust with the task of collecting all the elemental Gems of Elsana to put on his staff so that he can harness the elements of Elsana. Sounds cool right? Like a quest that’s just dying to happen. He is accompanied by six champions who will go on his journey. And they are, Melquin the Healer, Carthon the Warrior, Nym the Assassin, and Bossador the Prince of Madorians, Red the Freelander, and Jimmy the Skully, the last two were ex-prisoners of Madoria.
Falin
“A wizard is only born every hundred years."
Let’s start with our main character, Falin. Our wizard, the leader of the quest, the Father to his Champions, the future harnesser of all the four elements of Elsana.
I kid you not; he is the worst character of the story. And this is my honest to God opinion on this main character. Never in my life have I read such a bland, one-dimensional, useless, pampered character in all my years of reading fantasy books. And yes these are bold claims, but 9/10, Falin has acted that way in the book.
A quest is like a journey. It’s an act of discovery, of making mistakes, of learning, because a quest isn’t something pre-made. It isn’t an easy task to complete. A quest can go wrong in so many different ways, and that is why it’s so satisfying when a main character and their posse survive a quest. Because we know the odds are stacked against them and somehow, through wit and courage, they were able to come out strong.
But Falin’s quest? It’s almost laughable to call it a quest.
The map to find the gems? It was handed to him by his mentor as easily as someone would hand a donut to a child. A map that doesn’t get wet even when submerged in water, and has miraculously never gotten lost ever throughout their journey. Pretty convenient right?
Was there an arduous journey? 7-8/10, they were hosted by kings in their homes with minimal requirements. Falin just had to say that he was the wizard of Elsana and that he was with his Champions, and then poof! Here you go—a day’s worth of food, water, and oh a place to sleep too! That was the description of their quest until the latter 20% of the book.
Falin also has no personality whatsoever. Imagine reading a character who only does these three things: 1) get mad when his Champions bicker with each other, 2) say “I agree,” “All right,” “You’re right” all the time whenever someone would make a suggestion (not even bothering to add his insight on the matter), 3) wield his magic.
That’s all he does. The thing about the main character is that you’re supposed to root for them. You’re supposed to wish for the character to somehow end up okay in the end despite the odds stacked against them. But Falin? He could’ve fallen off a cliff, and I would’ve snorted. His “all knowing” kind of character (being the newest wizard and all) got bored after the first few pages. Lording his status over and over and over and over again in every damn kingdom, to every single one, gets old. This is coupled with the fact that he has magic.
Oh, do I have a bone to pick on with this. He has magic, yes, but he isn’t powerful enough like his predecessors. For that, he feels like he needs all four gems to be more “powerful.” And right then and there, I stopped liking him. Why?
Because a leader, a wizard who supposedly claims to love all creatures of the Light in Elsana, wouldn’t ever rely on external objects to make him feel powerful and wouldn’t mope around about not being powerful enough until he gets his four gems. All my respect for him just went out the window. Look, buddy, I know you need the gems. But really?? Only showing that you’re dominant in the latter half of the book because you got 2/4 gems on your wizard staff?? Only then do you show your fierceness? Your bravery? Your courage?
By then, it was laughable. It was crystal clear he only gained confidence from having his magical gems. He just showed the readers he had the tenacity to find them, but somehow no self-confidence in not having them.
So all in all, Falin, to me, wasn’t a good character. He was dull, his motivations sounded unrealistic and impersonal, and he was forgettable. Honestly, the most interesting character was the villain.
“Mulgus looked to Falin as if he were stupid.”
Honestly, same Mulgus. Same.
Champions
The champions were bearable. Just like Falin, they were one-dimensional. I mean you’ve got the soft-hearted healer (Melquin), the playful trickster (Nym), the brooding, emo guy (Carthon), the jock prince (Bossador), the Han Solo and Chewbacca couple (Red and Skully). Just use minimal imagination, and you would get their characterization just right. Maybe it was because of the sheer size of the cast that it was difficult for all of them to develop? Because they all feel underdeveloped to me. They, like Falin, had weak motivations. Why did Melquin pledge herself to be a Champion? To protect Falin? She says time and time again, it’s because she swore an oath. And that reason to me doesn’t come across as sacred—it comes across as lazy writing. Why? Because it takes time to build a solid background as to why anyone would pledge their life to protect someone they barely even know. The conflict between Bossador and Carthon was laughable as well—imagine two immature children squabbling because their pride was hurt. No, it’s not quirky. It’s annoying. The only bearable characters were Nym, Red, and Skully. And even the Han Solo and Chewbacca trope get tiresome in some chapters.
Plot/Story
The plot itself is boring. How else to describe it? All they do is sleep, eat, walk. Sleep, eat, walk. Get attacked, find the gem, get attacked, and then go back to sleep, eat, walk. I swear, there were too many “waking up” scenes. The latter 20% of the story is where it picks up, but really? Are they expecting a reader to power through 80% of a tedious quest? I’m not sure every person who picks up this book would do it.
Not to mention, the group at one point faced their enemies, and what did the enemy do?
They let Falin and the Champions walk away. Without so much as a scuffle.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Where to even start.
Do you know that feeling? Wherein you had so many hopes for a book. So much excitement because the synopsis sounded great? Sad to say that this book was the complete opposite of what I’ve hoped for—and I just hoped for a decent read.
Let’s start with the characters.
We have our main character, Falin, who is a wizard in the land of Elsana. He is thrust with the task of collecting all the elemental Gems of Elsana to put on his staff so that he can harness the elements of Elsana. Sounds cool right? Like a quest that’s just dying to happen. He is accompanied by six champions who will go on his journey. And they are, Melquin the Healer, Carthon the Warrior, Nym the Assassin, and Bossador the Prince of Madorians, Red the Freelander, and Jimmy the Skully, the last two were ex-prisoners of Madoria.
Falin
“A wizard is only born every hundred years."
Let’s start with our main character, Falin. Our wizard, the leader of the quest, the Father to his Champions, the future harnesser of all the four elements of Elsana.
I kid you not; he is the worst character of the story. And this is my honest to God opinion on this main character. Never in my life have I read such a bland, one-dimensional, useless, pampered character in all my years of reading fantasy books. And yes these are bold claims, but 9/10, Falin has acted that way in the book.
A quest is like a journey. It’s an act of discovery, of making mistakes, of learning, because a quest isn’t something pre-made. It isn’t an easy task to complete. A quest can go wrong in so many different ways, and that is why it’s so satisfying when a main character and their posse survive a quest. Because we know the odds are stacked against them and somehow, through wit and courage, they were able to come out strong.
But Falin’s quest? It’s almost laughable to call it a quest.
The map to find the gems? It was handed to him by his mentor as easily as someone would hand a donut to a child. A map that doesn’t get wet even when submerged in water, and has miraculously never gotten lost ever throughout their journey. Pretty convenient right?
Was there an arduous journey? 7-8/10, they were hosted by kings in their homes with minimal requirements. Falin just had to say that he was the wizard of Elsana and that he was with his Champions, and then poof! Here you go—a day’s worth of food, water, and oh a place to sleep too! That was the description of their quest until the latter 20% of the book.
Falin also has no personality whatsoever. Imagine reading a character who only does these three things: 1) get mad when his Champions bicker with each other, 2) say “I agree,” “All right,” “You’re right” all the time whenever someone would make a suggestion (not even bothering to add his insight on the matter), 3) wield his magic.
That’s all he does. The thing about the main character is that you’re supposed to root for them. You’re supposed to wish for the character to somehow end up okay in the end despite the odds stacked against them. But Falin? He could’ve fallen off a cliff, and I would’ve snorted. His “all knowing” kind of character (being the newest wizard and all) got bored after the first few pages. Lording his status over and over and over and over again in every damn kingdom, to every single one, gets old. This is coupled with the fact that he has magic.
Oh, do I have a bone to pick on with this. He has magic, yes, but he isn’t powerful enough like his predecessors. For that, he feels like he needs all four gems to be more “powerful.” And right then and there, I stopped liking him. Why?
Because a leader, a wizard who supposedly claims to love all creatures of the Light in Elsana, wouldn’t ever rely on external objects to make him feel powerful and wouldn’t mope around about not being powerful enough until he gets his four gems. All my respect for him just went out the window. Look, buddy, I know you need the gems. But really?? Only showing that you’re dominant in the latter half of the book because you got 2/4 gems on your wizard staff?? Only then do you show your fierceness? Your bravery? Your courage?
By then, it was laughable. It was crystal clear he only gained confidence from having his magical gems. He just showed the readers he had the tenacity to find them, but somehow no self-confidence in not having them.
So all in all, Falin, to me, wasn’t a good character. He was dull, his motivations sounded unrealistic and impersonal, and he was forgettable. Honestly, the most interesting character was the villain.
“Mulgus looked to Falin as if he were stupid.”
Honestly, same Mulgus. Same.
Champions
The champions were bearable. Just like Falin, they were one-dimensional. I mean you’ve got the soft-hearted healer (Melquin), the playful trickster (Nym), the brooding, emo guy (Carthon), the jock prince (Bossador), the Han Solo and Chewbacca couple (Red and Skully). Just use minimal imagination, and you would get their characterization just right. Maybe it was because of the sheer size of the cast that it was difficult for all of them to develop? Because they all feel underdeveloped to me. They, like Falin, had weak motivations. Why did Melquin pledge herself to be a Champion? To protect Falin? She says time and time again, it’s because she swore an oath. And that reason to me doesn’t come across as sacred—it comes across as lazy writing. Why? Because it takes time to build a solid background as to why anyone would pledge their life to protect someone they barely even know. The conflict between Bossador and Carthon was laughable as well—imagine two immature children squabbling because their pride was hurt. No, it’s not quirky. It’s annoying. The only bearable characters were Nym, Red, and Skully. And even the Han Solo and Chewbacca trope get tiresome in some chapters.
Plot/Story
The plot itself is boring. How else to describe it? All they do is sleep, eat, walk. Sleep, eat, walk. Get attacked, find the gem, get attacked, and then go back to sleep, eat, walk. I swear, there were too many “waking up” scenes. The latter 20% of the story is where it picks up, but really? Are they expecting a reader to power through 80% of a tedious quest? I’m not sure every person who picks up this book would do it.
Not to mention, the group at one point faced their enemies, and what did the enemy do?
They let Falin and the Champions walk away. Without so much as a scuffle.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2020
“No journey spent has ever gone without stumbles.” -Into the Wildbarrens
Into the Wildbarrens is literally, exactly what the synopsis says! It’s the story of that wise wizard that we look to for guidance in other stories, and oh my goodness, it was done so well!
Falin is a young wizard, but as he embarks on this journey to find the Gems of Elsana, we see snippets of that old, wise mentor we know that he will become. The transition is not immediate, but gradual, as he and his Champions make mistakes, overcome trials, and learn so much about one another and the kingdom around them.
I rarely discuss each character individually in my reviews, but Into The Wildbarrens is about the characters more than it is plot. I mean, yes, the quest for the gems was fabulous, and the trials were endearing, but without these amazing characters, I doubt I’d have loved this book as much as I did. So, I’m going to highlight them briefly (And yes, I’m saving the best for last!).
Bossador the Prince. He is charming, noble, and quick to prove himself worthy of trust and responsibility. I love Bossador because, though all of the aforementioned is generally seen as strength, his struggles lie in acting with too much haste, focusing on himself being capable to help others (rather than seeing what actually might be best for the other person), and a natural tendency to want to take charge. Bossador wasn’t my favorite character, but his development from young prince yearning to prove himself, to the desired personality of a future king made me certainly appreciate him in the end.
Melquin the Sage. When I read about Mel, I often imagined the personality and charisma of Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy 2. I’m not sure if that is what the author intended, but that’s how I pictured her. Mel is soft, quiet, and not always in the limelight as far as the action goes. But when her time comes to shine, she isn’t easily forgotten and her choices to act in ways the others wouldn’t normally, often save them with better outcomes.
Nym the Assassin. Nym is playful, spunky, and a deadly aim. I really, really liked having Nym in the group because she added a flare. Her contributions during fights were abstract and her personality kept them all on their toes. Nym wasn’t in the spotlight quite as much as I would’ve liked, but I loved her nonetheless.
Carthon the Drak. Carthon is easily one of my favorites. I have a thing for redeemed characters and their struggles of past grievances so Carthon and his past intrigued me. Carthon has all of the dynamics to both challenge the group and to help them thrive at their absolute best. He has a wall built up around his feelings, but I loved watching him bond with the others and slowly break that wall down.
And the best for last: Redrick “Red” and Jimbuah “Jimmy”. Y’all. These two alone had me rolling. I was laughing so hard at their antics, conversations, smart remarks, everything! Into the Wildbarrens has such a memorable adventure because of these two, and I mean it when I say that Red and Jimmy alone is reason enough to pick this book up!
Overall, I give Into The Wildbarrens 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it wholeheartedly! It does have magic, some mildly detailed action/gore, and some mild cursing.
I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.
This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.
Into the Wildbarrens is literally, exactly what the synopsis says! It’s the story of that wise wizard that we look to for guidance in other stories, and oh my goodness, it was done so well!
Falin is a young wizard, but as he embarks on this journey to find the Gems of Elsana, we see snippets of that old, wise mentor we know that he will become. The transition is not immediate, but gradual, as he and his Champions make mistakes, overcome trials, and learn so much about one another and the kingdom around them.
I rarely discuss each character individually in my reviews, but Into The Wildbarrens is about the characters more than it is plot. I mean, yes, the quest for the gems was fabulous, and the trials were endearing, but without these amazing characters, I doubt I’d have loved this book as much as I did. So, I’m going to highlight them briefly (And yes, I’m saving the best for last!).
Bossador the Prince. He is charming, noble, and quick to prove himself worthy of trust and responsibility. I love Bossador because, though all of the aforementioned is generally seen as strength, his struggles lie in acting with too much haste, focusing on himself being capable to help others (rather than seeing what actually might be best for the other person), and a natural tendency to want to take charge. Bossador wasn’t my favorite character, but his development from young prince yearning to prove himself, to the desired personality of a future king made me certainly appreciate him in the end.
Melquin the Sage. When I read about Mel, I often imagined the personality and charisma of Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy 2. I’m not sure if that is what the author intended, but that’s how I pictured her. Mel is soft, quiet, and not always in the limelight as far as the action goes. But when her time comes to shine, she isn’t easily forgotten and her choices to act in ways the others wouldn’t normally, often save them with better outcomes.
Nym the Assassin. Nym is playful, spunky, and a deadly aim. I really, really liked having Nym in the group because she added a flare. Her contributions during fights were abstract and her personality kept them all on their toes. Nym wasn’t in the spotlight quite as much as I would’ve liked, but I loved her nonetheless.
Carthon the Drak. Carthon is easily one of my favorites. I have a thing for redeemed characters and their struggles of past grievances so Carthon and his past intrigued me. Carthon has all of the dynamics to both challenge the group and to help them thrive at their absolute best. He has a wall built up around his feelings, but I loved watching him bond with the others and slowly break that wall down.
And the best for last: Redrick “Red” and Jimbuah “Jimmy”. Y’all. These two alone had me rolling. I was laughing so hard at their antics, conversations, smart remarks, everything! Into the Wildbarrens has such a memorable adventure because of these two, and I mean it when I say that Red and Jimmy alone is reason enough to pick this book up!
Overall, I give Into The Wildbarrens 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it wholeheartedly! It does have magic, some mildly detailed action/gore, and some mild cursing.
I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.
This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.
July 26, 2019
Thank you so much Christian for reaching out and sending me your book!
I absolutely adored reading it.
In my opinion, some of the things that make up an especially great book are the quotable, almost hidden, messages throughout. Into the Wilderbarrens was packed full of said quotable moments and relevant life lessons. One, I remember being:
Only a fool demeans the character of an entire race based on the reputation of its minority.
As well as the last few paragraphs in chapter 9 when Falin calms a dispute between the outlaws and his other companions. The messages shine with wisdom that can be applied to current real-world problems and people. Wise words and great reminders.
Speaking of outlaws, aka, my favorite character JIMBUAH! I adored the creativity of his fruit staff, as well as the construction of his language. While different from the rest, you can still make out most of what he is saying without Red having to translate everything. For example; “Dujimo-fukijo!” I laughed at that for a solid 5 minutes.
I admit, in the beginning, the story seemed a tad too similar to The Hobbit, but as the story progressed It, and Christian’s writing itself, evolved. Becoming more unique, enjoyable, and all-around fun and loveable. I admire the diverse amount of imaginative creatures and religious aspects of the world. Both were diverse and well thought out.
The characters themselves are well developed and written with clear personality traits and quirks. It is difficult not to love them all, especially with the blooming romances. Also, I was extremely excited about Melquin being vegetarian! There doesn't seem to be much vegan/vegetarian representation in fiction so I was extremely happy about that.
Christian’s sense of humor peppered throughout caused many giggling fits, and the Banter between characters was delightful and fun to read, making everyone feel like family.
It is so difficult for me to criticize such a loveable book but I found there was a noticeable lack of portrayal of facial emotions. Like, “His face twisted in pain.” or, “Falin’s eyes filled with light and admiration as he looked upon his group of companions.” You know? Something like that to let me visualize more what the characters’ faces look like, and are thinking and feeling without literally saying “he was in pain.” or, “he looked at his companions with admiration.” (these are rough examples of course) Things like that just seem to add more depth and visualization.
The land descriptions were vivid and wonderfully built, readers are whisked off to many unique settings, both charming and frightening. But again, my only criticism would be that I wish there were more sensory depictions added. That would really be the icing on the cake. I want to FEEL the surroundings, I want to SMELL what they smell. (Can you tell I'm a sucker for good descriptions? haha.) Chapter 6 did an excellent job in this, when they were entering the charred remains of the castle on their hunt for the dragon-YES there are dragons- the sensory description was present. I could almost smell the smokey air. More of that would be amazing and there are so many settings in the story this could benefit. Also, it would help readers to feel present in the story and perceive the settings better. Those two things are honestly the only constructive criticisms I have, so nothing major of course, and it definitely did not take too much away from his great writing.
Overall, The Gems Of Elsana was pleasant, exciting, and a wonderful read! For anyone who adores Tolkien's work, especially if you enjoy tales of adventurous wizards and other creatures, this is clearly the next book to add to your TBR.
I am excited about Falin and Company’s continued adventures and look forward to future novels! (:
I absolutely adored reading it.
In my opinion, some of the things that make up an especially great book are the quotable, almost hidden, messages throughout. Into the Wilderbarrens was packed full of said quotable moments and relevant life lessons. One, I remember being:
Only a fool demeans the character of an entire race based on the reputation of its minority.
As well as the last few paragraphs in chapter 9 when Falin calms a dispute between the outlaws and his other companions. The messages shine with wisdom that can be applied to current real-world problems and people. Wise words and great reminders.
Speaking of outlaws, aka, my favorite character JIMBUAH! I adored the creativity of his fruit staff, as well as the construction of his language. While different from the rest, you can still make out most of what he is saying without Red having to translate everything. For example; “Dujimo-fukijo!” I laughed at that for a solid 5 minutes.
I admit, in the beginning, the story seemed a tad too similar to The Hobbit, but as the story progressed It, and Christian’s writing itself, evolved. Becoming more unique, enjoyable, and all-around fun and loveable. I admire the diverse amount of imaginative creatures and religious aspects of the world. Both were diverse and well thought out.
The characters themselves are well developed and written with clear personality traits and quirks. It is difficult not to love them all, especially with the blooming romances. Also, I was extremely excited about Melquin being vegetarian! There doesn't seem to be much vegan/vegetarian representation in fiction so I was extremely happy about that.
Christian’s sense of humor peppered throughout caused many giggling fits, and the Banter between characters was delightful and fun to read, making everyone feel like family.
It is so difficult for me to criticize such a loveable book but I found there was a noticeable lack of portrayal of facial emotions. Like, “His face twisted in pain.” or, “Falin’s eyes filled with light and admiration as he looked upon his group of companions.” You know? Something like that to let me visualize more what the characters’ faces look like, and are thinking and feeling without literally saying “he was in pain.” or, “he looked at his companions with admiration.” (these are rough examples of course) Things like that just seem to add more depth and visualization.
The land descriptions were vivid and wonderfully built, readers are whisked off to many unique settings, both charming and frightening. But again, my only criticism would be that I wish there were more sensory depictions added. That would really be the icing on the cake. I want to FEEL the surroundings, I want to SMELL what they smell. (Can you tell I'm a sucker for good descriptions? haha.) Chapter 6 did an excellent job in this, when they were entering the charred remains of the castle on their hunt for the dragon-YES there are dragons- the sensory description was present. I could almost smell the smokey air. More of that would be amazing and there are so many settings in the story this could benefit. Also, it would help readers to feel present in the story and perceive the settings better. Those two things are honestly the only constructive criticisms I have, so nothing major of course, and it definitely did not take too much away from his great writing.
Overall, The Gems Of Elsana was pleasant, exciting, and a wonderful read! For anyone who adores Tolkien's work, especially if you enjoy tales of adventurous wizards and other creatures, this is clearly the next book to add to your TBR.
I am excited about Falin and Company’s continued adventures and look forward to future novels! (:
June 5, 2019
Sometimes reading a new high fantasy book can be a huge gamble. There are so many tropes and cliches when it comes to characters and story-lines that make books far too similar to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. There are a wide variety of other good fantasy books out there that are fun and inventive. It's just those that bear any similarity to Lord of the Rings that end up being way too similar in my opinion! And while you could draw some connections to Frodo and his Fellowship, I feel that this book stands as a high fantasy book in its own right.
This book is literally my worst nightmare--AN AMAZING FANTASY SERIES that is just barely starting. Into the Wildbarrens is the first book of Christian Sterling's The Gems of Elsana series. Since I read this as an ARC, it isn't out until July 17th! And then I'm going to be waiting FOREVER for the next book!! It is torture!
Into the Wildbarrens introduces us to Falin, a wizard who has only lived for 20 of his 1000 years. It is his turn to go on a quest to retrieve the four gems--each representing one of the four elements--that will adorn his staff. Once he has the four gems, he will be a full wizard, able to master all his powers to their fullest. As tradition mandates, he is granted four champions, one from the four races that belong to the Crown. However, as Falin and his Champions are about to embark, the other wizards urge him to take two more people, outlaws, with his small group. A vision reveals that Falin's quest for his gems will take him into the Wildbarrens, an extremely dangerous and dark land from which few have returned alive. However, these two prisoners managed to escape this place. They are granted their freedom in return for their aid in the wizard's quest.
On this journey, the bond grows between Falin and his companions--a sage healer, elven assassin, drakkish warrior, a madorian prince, a skully, and a freelander--as they fight the powers of darkness and seek the gems that will bring light to the land. They come across many dangers but also many friends of all types of creatures that aid them in their travels.
I was concerned by how original this book could really be...but it is! I absolutely loved it. There was humor, romance, magic. I felt like by the end of the book I had really gotten to know the characters and their relationships with each other.
Falin is a very likable protagonist. Since he has been working his whole life to become a wizard, Falin will sometimes demonstrate the wisdom of a wise old sage. Other times he resorts to the naive, rash decision making of a youth closer to his 20 years. He truly cares for his champions and wants to do good as they travel the world.
It's a little difficult to understand what the audience for this book might be. I feel like for the most part, this book could be a YA, or even a middle grade fantasy book. However, at times, the violence and death can be frequent and mentioned pretty casually which makes it seem more like an adult book. So I'm still not really sure what to call it.
But I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a well-written fantasy book with enjoyable characters, new ideas, and a great story!
This book is literally my worst nightmare--AN AMAZING FANTASY SERIES that is just barely starting. Into the Wildbarrens is the first book of Christian Sterling's The Gems of Elsana series. Since I read this as an ARC, it isn't out until July 17th! And then I'm going to be waiting FOREVER for the next book!! It is torture!
Into the Wildbarrens introduces us to Falin, a wizard who has only lived for 20 of his 1000 years. It is his turn to go on a quest to retrieve the four gems--each representing one of the four elements--that will adorn his staff. Once he has the four gems, he will be a full wizard, able to master all his powers to their fullest. As tradition mandates, he is granted four champions, one from the four races that belong to the Crown. However, as Falin and his Champions are about to embark, the other wizards urge him to take two more people, outlaws, with his small group. A vision reveals that Falin's quest for his gems will take him into the Wildbarrens, an extremely dangerous and dark land from which few have returned alive. However, these two prisoners managed to escape this place. They are granted their freedom in return for their aid in the wizard's quest.
On this journey, the bond grows between Falin and his companions--a sage healer, elven assassin, drakkish warrior, a madorian prince, a skully, and a freelander--as they fight the powers of darkness and seek the gems that will bring light to the land. They come across many dangers but also many friends of all types of creatures that aid them in their travels.
I was concerned by how original this book could really be...but it is! I absolutely loved it. There was humor, romance, magic. I felt like by the end of the book I had really gotten to know the characters and their relationships with each other.
Falin is a very likable protagonist. Since he has been working his whole life to become a wizard, Falin will sometimes demonstrate the wisdom of a wise old sage. Other times he resorts to the naive, rash decision making of a youth closer to his 20 years. He truly cares for his champions and wants to do good as they travel the world.
It's a little difficult to understand what the audience for this book might be. I feel like for the most part, this book could be a YA, or even a middle grade fantasy book. However, at times, the violence and death can be frequent and mentioned pretty casually which makes it seem more like an adult book. So I'm still not really sure what to call it.
But I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a well-written fantasy book with enjoyable characters, new ideas, and a great story!
April 8, 2020
I would like to say a huge thank you to Christian Sterling for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
What did I think?
I very much enjoyed reading this book and it somewhat reminded me of when I read The Edge Chronicles. The many vivid descriptions transported the reader into the book and made the reader feel as if they were on the quest with them. I loved how every character was portrayed uniquely and Sterling was able to incorporate humour, romance as well as fantasy and action.
Head over to my blog to read the rest of my review on Into the Wildbarrens (The Gems of Elsana)!
https://secretsofabookworm.home.blog/...
What did I think?
I very much enjoyed reading this book and it somewhat reminded me of when I read The Edge Chronicles. The many vivid descriptions transported the reader into the book and made the reader feel as if they were on the quest with them. I loved how every character was portrayed uniquely and Sterling was able to incorporate humour, romance as well as fantasy and action.
Head over to my blog to read the rest of my review on Into the Wildbarrens (The Gems of Elsana)!
https://secretsofabookworm.home.blog/...
January 4, 2020
First of all, a huge thanks to the amazing author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!! I was so stoked to receive this one, it sounded right up my alley.
It took me a while to get into it, but that was due to my own stuff going on and by no means the book itself. This was an absolute treasure to read and I honestly loved every page!
There’s such a rich backstory to the world and the characters themselves and they’re all so unique and individualistic and it made for SUCH a good read! I’m a sucker for fantasy stories, especially those that involve magic and the whole concept behind the training that goes into becoming the wizards we all know and love was so intriguing.
Sterling created such a beautiful world and fantastically entertaining and epic adventure story and I loved seeing how things unfolded. I will definitely be reading this book again in the future and cannot recommend it enough!! Do yourself a favor if you’re a fan of stories like Lord of the Rings and read this one!
It took me a while to get into it, but that was due to my own stuff going on and by no means the book itself. This was an absolute treasure to read and I honestly loved every page!
There’s such a rich backstory to the world and the characters themselves and they’re all so unique and individualistic and it made for SUCH a good read! I’m a sucker for fantasy stories, especially those that involve magic and the whole concept behind the training that goes into becoming the wizards we all know and love was so intriguing.
Sterling created such a beautiful world and fantastically entertaining and epic adventure story and I loved seeing how things unfolded. I will definitely be reading this book again in the future and cannot recommend it enough!! Do yourself a favor if you’re a fan of stories like Lord of the Rings and read this one!
June 24, 2019
Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 17 July 2017.
This is the tale of the kind Wizard figure who, after appearing in countless stories, finally gets his own. Falin is said wizard and is about to embark on a quest to discover the Gems of Elsana. But what once seemed like an easy task soon becomes more difficult than Falin expected.
I was given an eARC copy of this by the author, Christian Sterling, in exchange for an honest review. I’ll start by saying that ‘Into the Wildbarrens’ is the story I never knew I wanted or needed in my life. The whole concept of taking this typical wizard figure and developing him as his own person is such a fantastic idea! Sterling’s writing style flows nicely and is easy to follow. The humour and banter between the characters is honestly so much fun! And to top it off, the creatures are so diverse so the world never feels old or like it’s being reused (if that makes sense?). Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely be getting myself a physical copy upon release!
“No journey well spent has ever gone without stumbles.”
“Spend too much time worrying about how you will be remembered and you will forget to do anything memorable at all.”
“Only a fool demeans the character of an entire race based on the reputation of its minority.”
Release Date: 17 July 2017.
This is the tale of the kind Wizard figure who, after appearing in countless stories, finally gets his own. Falin is said wizard and is about to embark on a quest to discover the Gems of Elsana. But what once seemed like an easy task soon becomes more difficult than Falin expected.
I was given an eARC copy of this by the author, Christian Sterling, in exchange for an honest review. I’ll start by saying that ‘Into the Wildbarrens’ is the story I never knew I wanted or needed in my life. The whole concept of taking this typical wizard figure and developing him as his own person is such a fantastic idea! Sterling’s writing style flows nicely and is easy to follow. The humour and banter between the characters is honestly so much fun! And to top it off, the creatures are so diverse so the world never feels old or like it’s being reused (if that makes sense?). Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely be getting myself a physical copy upon release!
“No journey well spent has ever gone without stumbles.”
“Spend too much time worrying about how you will be remembered and you will forget to do anything memorable at all.”
“Only a fool demeans the character of an entire race based on the reputation of its minority.”
June 19, 2019
I wanted to thank the amazing author Christian sterling for sending me on ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In the book we see Falin as a young wizard.
But before a wizard may depart into the world as a grinding force they most collect the four Gems of Elsana; to be placed into the head of their staff .
One champion from every kingdom in the Crown of Elsana will accompany the young Wizard as he begins his quest. But with the six champions he will start his journey who will be there to protect him. I love writing and the way the author wrote.It is definitely a wonderful book📚📚
In the book we see Falin as a young wizard.
But before a wizard may depart into the world as a grinding force they most collect the four Gems of Elsana; to be placed into the head of their staff .
One champion from every kingdom in the Crown of Elsana will accompany the young Wizard as he begins his quest. But with the six champions he will start his journey who will be there to protect him. I love writing and the way the author wrote.It is definitely a wonderful book📚📚
June 17, 2019
The gems of Elsana tells the story of a young wizard on his quest to find the four elemental gems to strenghten his power. On his quest, the wizard, Falin, gets help by his Champions. These Champions are the best warriors from their kind.
Of course no quest will go as planned and Falin gets thrown from one problem into the next.
It is a story that talks about friendship and accepting one another. We follow a group of strangers who are forced to go on a journey for weeks and this, of course, creates friction. Nonetheless Falin manages to keep his group together and cheerful (or as cheerful as one can be while hiking through fields and woods).
Not only is this a story of friendship within their group, they also encounter many others who help them and others they try to help as best as possible.
For a first book in a series this book was really well written and fast paced. The characters go through an evolution not only within themselves but also as a group. If you are in need of a book that is fast paced and has likeable characters I feel like this is a book for you.
Of course no quest will go as planned and Falin gets thrown from one problem into the next.
It is a story that talks about friendship and accepting one another. We follow a group of strangers who are forced to go on a journey for weeks and this, of course, creates friction. Nonetheless Falin manages to keep his group together and cheerful (or as cheerful as one can be while hiking through fields and woods).
Not only is this a story of friendship within their group, they also encounter many others who help them and others they try to help as best as possible.
For a first book in a series this book was really well written and fast paced. The characters go through an evolution not only within themselves but also as a group. If you are in need of a book that is fast paced and has likeable characters I feel like this is a book for you.
July 21, 2019
This is an amazing book and one of my favorites for the year, but probably the series I am looking forward to the most moving forward. It’s Tolkien reminiscent written with a more modern language. I loved the humor and adventure. The author has wonderful character development and has created an enchanting world full of unique creatures as well as reimagined creatures. My favorite part was the author’s effort of weaving in life lessons and lessons of humanity throughout the book. I did not want to put this book down to go to work this week and since I finished the book last night I have been deeply missing the characters I came to love through the first legs of this journey. I absolutely can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2019
Firstly I’d like to say that I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am leaving a review as an impartial reader.
Firstly, I enjoyed the beginning of this book until I realised that this author seemed to have a few set pieces he had for this book and not a lot of filler. About half way through the book I began to realise that none of the characters really had any depth and the whole thing seemed a bit one dimensional, it was at this point that I put the book down and had to have a bit of a break.
It wasn’t that I wasn’t enjoying the story but I just wasn’t enjoying the telling. The write up held such promise and when you break it down it sounds really exciting; wizards, warlocks, good, bad, dragons, ghouls, sirens, talking monkeys, giant wolves.... all sorts! There should be something for every fantasy lover but the pages just didn’t turn as they should have, it was walk, eat, sleep, repeat then there was a bit of excitement. The pacing was all off.
The book has ended with it to become a series and I’m sorry to say that I won’t be continuing the journey.
Firstly, I enjoyed the beginning of this book until I realised that this author seemed to have a few set pieces he had for this book and not a lot of filler. About half way through the book I began to realise that none of the characters really had any depth and the whole thing seemed a bit one dimensional, it was at this point that I put the book down and had to have a bit of a break.
It wasn’t that I wasn’t enjoying the story but I just wasn’t enjoying the telling. The write up held such promise and when you break it down it sounds really exciting; wizards, warlocks, good, bad, dragons, ghouls, sirens, talking monkeys, giant wolves.... all sorts! There should be something for every fantasy lover but the pages just didn’t turn as they should have, it was walk, eat, sleep, repeat then there was a bit of excitement. The pacing was all off.
The book has ended with it to become a series and I’m sorry to say that I won’t be continuing the journey.
July 10, 2019
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange of an honest review. And unfortunately at 30% of the book I left it as DNF. I got my copie back at the end of May and I started reading it at the beginning of June, and even though I tried for more that an month, the story wasn’t attractive to me.
I felt that the developing of the story was really slow and it had a lot of holes in it... It’s like that characters where walking for days, then they camp and that was the point where they finally start speaking, and it doesn’t happen a couple times, it happens a lot.
I have seen a lot of people making good comments of the book, but for me, let say it didn't captivate me.
I felt that the developing of the story was really slow and it had a lot of holes in it... It’s like that characters where walking for days, then they camp and that was the point where they finally start speaking, and it doesn’t happen a couple times, it happens a lot.
I have seen a lot of people making good comments of the book, but for me, let say it didn't captivate me.
May 27, 2019
First off, I wanted to thank the author, Christian Sterling, for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you are looking for a beautiful fantasy story, this book is for you, especially if you are starting out in the genre. I felt so nostalgic reading this book! It's Deltora Quest mets the Shannara Chronicles and growing up, those were my favourite books.
What I loved about the book:
*SO. MUCH. ACTION: I'm not a fan of slow books, generally speaking, and this book had action in almost every single chapter. I loved it.
*The strangers to family trope: the characters in this book started off as strangers and developed into friends. By the time the book ended, they were one united family and it was honestly so beautiful to read.
*The diversity in the book: while this book is not set in modern day, the characters in the book didn't come from one place, they came from all over the lands of Elsana, each a different race. This representation is sooo important and I'm glad Christian included it.
*Romance: CARTHON AND NYM!!!! I was rooting for them from the beginning! I was ecstatic about that!
What I didn't like:
* The book does need a little more editing. This didn't bother me, but it's definitely something to consider for the future.
*The relationship between Red and Bossador, especially in the beginning. I felt that they went enemies to friends real quick. I would've loved to see more development there.
*The fact that this book only showed us one gem! Don't get me wrong, it was an adventurous book but I did feel as though it was stretched out.
Overall, this book is an amazing start to a series I definitely want to continue reading it. It has sooo much potential and I'm excited to see where the journey takes us. Thanks again Christian!!
If you are looking for a beautiful fantasy story, this book is for you, especially if you are starting out in the genre. I felt so nostalgic reading this book! It's Deltora Quest mets the Shannara Chronicles and growing up, those were my favourite books.
What I loved about the book:
*SO. MUCH. ACTION: I'm not a fan of slow books, generally speaking, and this book had action in almost every single chapter. I loved it.
*The strangers to family trope: the characters in this book started off as strangers and developed into friends. By the time the book ended, they were one united family and it was honestly so beautiful to read.
*The diversity in the book: while this book is not set in modern day, the characters in the book didn't come from one place, they came from all over the lands of Elsana, each a different race. This representation is sooo important and I'm glad Christian included it.
*Romance: CARTHON AND NYM!!!! I was rooting for them from the beginning! I was ecstatic about that!
What I didn't like:
* The book does need a little more editing. This didn't bother me, but it's definitely something to consider for the future.
*The relationship between Red and Bossador, especially in the beginning. I felt that they went enemies to friends real quick. I would've loved to see more development there.
*The fact that this book only showed us one gem! Don't get me wrong, it was an adventurous book but I did feel as though it was stretched out.
Overall, this book is an amazing start to a series I definitely want to continue reading it. It has sooo much potential and I'm excited to see where the journey takes us. Thanks again Christian!!
June 10, 2019
Once in a century Elsana is blessed with a wizard and when he comes of age, he must go in his quest for the Gems of Elsana. This is the story of twenty years old wizard, Falin, and he’s ready to gather the four Gems; Water, Air, Earth and Fire. The tradition is, the wizard sets out on his quest, accompanied by four Champions from each kingdom within the The Crown of Elsana and Fallin couldn’t have better Champions, Melquin the Healer, Sage of Mystica, Carthon, Warrior to the Drakkish Senate of Vartulis, Nym the Assassin, Defender of Lelyalis and Bossador, son of Dothmer, Prince of Rodrellan.
But when Queen Martana announces that there is a change in the tradition and that instead of four champions Fallin' will have six, because he will have to go to The Wildbarrens, all are surprised when a pair of outlaws that claimed to have traveled through the Wildbarrens are to accompany them, Redrick of the Freelands and Jimbuah the Skully.
First, I want to thank the author, Christian Sterling, for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mr Sterling what an adventure!! I love it! I love it!.... I mean if you like magic, dragons, fights and adventures like me, this is your book……..you don’t know how much I enjoyed this adventure accompanying Fallin' and his Champions in search of the gems, I loved all of them but my favorite was Jimbuah, I love that skully!!... And as he would say Boo yattah!! I’m so excited to read the next book to find the other gems. The chapter I suffered the most was when they were in the Canyon of Idolum, because I read it at night so I had goosebumps in my arms with the whispers and the faces of the Bujijis.
But when Queen Martana announces that there is a change in the tradition and that instead of four champions Fallin' will have six, because he will have to go to The Wildbarrens, all are surprised when a pair of outlaws that claimed to have traveled through the Wildbarrens are to accompany them, Redrick of the Freelands and Jimbuah the Skully.
First, I want to thank the author, Christian Sterling, for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mr Sterling what an adventure!! I love it! I love it!.... I mean if you like magic, dragons, fights and adventures like me, this is your book……..you don’t know how much I enjoyed this adventure accompanying Fallin' and his Champions in search of the gems, I loved all of them but my favorite was Jimbuah, I love that skully!!... And as he would say Boo yattah!! I’m so excited to read the next book to find the other gems. The chapter I suffered the most was when they were in the Canyon of Idolum, because I read it at night so I had goosebumps in my arms with the whispers and the faces of the Bujijis.
June 18, 2019
What a great story!! Christian has a unique writing style that makes the words flow off the pages. A fast paced original story that follows a group of champions set out to aid a wizard in finding the four gems of Elsana to strengthen his magic. On the way epic battles of The Light against The Dark ensue. The characters are so likeable, especially the skully, Jimbuah! He even has his own language! But all have a special place in the story with unique backstories that make you fall for all of them. The descriptions of the woods and mountains they journey too are vivid without bogging you down with too much detail. A great epic fantasy read for all lovers of adventure! I can't wait for the story to continue!
July 5, 2019
“Spend too much time worrying about how you will be remembered and you will forget to do anything memorable at all.”
Falin the Wizard has finally reached the age where he must journey throughout the Kingdoms to track down the 4 Gems that will help him reach his full powers. Luckily for Falin he has a band of champions to help him achieve his goal; an Elf, a Prince, a Warrior and a Healer along with two criminals that might not be criminals at all.
I can’t say I’ve read too many books about Wizards being the main focus but I really enjoyed this story. I was fascinated by the Wizards history and the purpose of the Gems. I adored each character that was introduced to aid Falin and although I had a few favorites, I genuinely liked each and every one of them. Their banter brought lightness to the plot when it was needed and to see their friendships (and sometimes love) develop was a treat. I look forward to seeing where the story goes especially with that ending. 4 Stars!
Falin the Wizard has finally reached the age where he must journey throughout the Kingdoms to track down the 4 Gems that will help him reach his full powers. Luckily for Falin he has a band of champions to help him achieve his goal; an Elf, a Prince, a Warrior and a Healer along with two criminals that might not be criminals at all.
I can’t say I’ve read too many books about Wizards being the main focus but I really enjoyed this story. I was fascinated by the Wizards history and the purpose of the Gems. I adored each character that was introduced to aid Falin and although I had a few favorites, I genuinely liked each and every one of them. Their banter brought lightness to the plot when it was needed and to see their friendships (and sometimes love) develop was a treat. I look forward to seeing where the story goes especially with that ending. 4 Stars!
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May 12, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/12/2020)! 🎁
July 5, 2019
I struggled a lot with the beginning of this book. I was not very big on the writing style, but I did enjoy the characters and storyline a lot!! As the story went on and the characters became friends, they started feeling like friends to me!
June 21, 2019
This is a rich and captivating world of fantasy and friendship, bravery and backgrounds of difference, champions and creatures of darkness. it has elements that remind of Tolkien's world or Brooks' Shannara and it was a great pleasure to be a part of it for a while.
The wizard's journey that included companions of different experience was just at the beginning in the book but still, there was a lot of action, turns and twists.
The characters were really likable and diverse. I liked that the author tried to give them unique voices and challenges. They were simply a group at the beginning but soon the ties turned into friendship and respect.
I also liked the style - easy to read and follow. There were a lot of memorable sayings and good humor as well as vivid descriptions.
I recommend the book to any fan of fantasy worlds and adventures.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
The wizard's journey that included companions of different experience was just at the beginning in the book but still, there was a lot of action, turns and twists.
The characters were really likable and diverse. I liked that the author tried to give them unique voices and challenges. They were simply a group at the beginning but soon the ties turned into friendship and respect.
I also liked the style - easy to read and follow. There were a lot of memorable sayings and good humor as well as vivid descriptions.
I recommend the book to any fan of fantasy worlds and adventures.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 24, 2019
This book was amazing. I loved the story and was quickly hooked. I barely put the book down as I was reading it. I loved the story and the characters. The character dynamics were really good. I am not a huge fan of romance, especially when it is a main feature in a story so I was happy that the romance in the book didn’t overpower the story. Overall it was a great read and I would recommend reading it. I received an advanced review copy for free and am reviewing it voluntarily
June 10, 2019
I was sent a free arc of this book by the author in exchange for a honest review:
This book is phenomenal! It has a ton of action, a great rag tag group of characters, and a brilliant fantasy world! This book is also funny, which I really appreciated.
If you love books with strong friend groups you will love this! Each of the characters is a different species (creating diversity) and they all have their own powers/strengths that they bring to the group. I love how each character has a very unique personality & the growth in their group dynamic is really cute to see as the story progresses!
They journey throughout their world searching for gems that the main character Falin needs in order to become a full wizard. The action filled plot of this book is similar to lord of the rings. Overall, one of my fav reads of the year! Pleaseeee give me the sequel! I don't want to say to much because nobody should be spoiled for this, but I highly recommend fantasy lovers pick this one up!
This book is phenomenal! It has a ton of action, a great rag tag group of characters, and a brilliant fantasy world! This book is also funny, which I really appreciated.
If you love books with strong friend groups you will love this! Each of the characters is a different species (creating diversity) and they all have their own powers/strengths that they bring to the group. I love how each character has a very unique personality & the growth in their group dynamic is really cute to see as the story progresses!
They journey throughout their world searching for gems that the main character Falin needs in order to become a full wizard. The action filled plot of this book is similar to lord of the rings. Overall, one of my fav reads of the year! Pleaseeee give me the sequel! I don't want to say to much because nobody should be spoiled for this, but I highly recommend fantasy lovers pick this one up!
May 29, 2019
The Gems of Elsana: Into the Wildbarrens
Before my review, I'd like to thank the author Christian Sterling for sending me an ARC of this book.
Firstly, Sterling has created a beautiful, intricate and captivating world and filled it with a whole host of equally compelling and nuanced races and characters.
The world building that has gone into creating the land of Elsana is incredible. Along with old favourites such as Elves and Wizards, there are several new and exciting races such as Draks and Skullies, each with their own histories and mythologies.
Now on to our main characters.
The story follows Falin, one of ten wizards charged with keeping the balance between light and dark, and his champions as they journey to find the four gems of Elsana. With these gems, Falin will come to his full power as a wizard.
Joining Falin on his quest are six champions of various races. The champions are there to assist and protect Falin on his quest, even at the loss of their own lives. His champions include
A sage; Melquin the Healer,
A drak; Carton the Warrior,
An elf; Nym the Assassin,
Bossador, Prince of the Madorians
And two prisoners; Redrick of the Freelands and Jimbuah the skully.
The story itself starts a little slowly. This worked really well as it allows the reader to get to know the world of Elsana. The reader is also able to get to know Falin and his Champions as they get to know each other.
In my opinion, Falin is definitely a Hufflepuff. He's loyal and kind and would do anything to protect his champions.
This book sees the group through the beginning stage of their journey, including a trip to the Wildbarrens. At its close, Falin and company have acquired 2 gems and encountered much both good and bad.
I loved every second of this book and cannot recommend it enough.
I eagerly await the next book in the series and the continuation of Falin's quest for the gems of Elsana. No doubt there will be more dangers and struggles but this Hufflepuff hero is in good company with his ragtag crew of champions.
Before my review, I'd like to thank the author Christian Sterling for sending me an ARC of this book.
Firstly, Sterling has created a beautiful, intricate and captivating world and filled it with a whole host of equally compelling and nuanced races and characters.
The world building that has gone into creating the land of Elsana is incredible. Along with old favourites such as Elves and Wizards, there are several new and exciting races such as Draks and Skullies, each with their own histories and mythologies.
Now on to our main characters.
The story follows Falin, one of ten wizards charged with keeping the balance between light and dark, and his champions as they journey to find the four gems of Elsana. With these gems, Falin will come to his full power as a wizard.
Joining Falin on his quest are six champions of various races. The champions are there to assist and protect Falin on his quest, even at the loss of their own lives. His champions include
A sage; Melquin the Healer,
A drak; Carton the Warrior,
An elf; Nym the Assassin,
Bossador, Prince of the Madorians
And two prisoners; Redrick of the Freelands and Jimbuah the skully.
The story itself starts a little slowly. This worked really well as it allows the reader to get to know the world of Elsana. The reader is also able to get to know Falin and his Champions as they get to know each other.
In my opinion, Falin is definitely a Hufflepuff. He's loyal and kind and would do anything to protect his champions.
This book sees the group through the beginning stage of their journey, including a trip to the Wildbarrens. At its close, Falin and company have acquired 2 gems and encountered much both good and bad.
I loved every second of this book and cannot recommend it enough.
I eagerly await the next book in the series and the continuation of Falin's quest for the gems of Elsana. No doubt there will be more dangers and struggles but this Hufflepuff hero is in good company with his ragtag crew of champions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2019
4.5/5
I cannot stress this enough, but this book may possibly be one of the MOST FUN books I’ve ever read. I loved the pacing of the story since it was neither too slow nor extremely fast. The writing style did not bore me, it was neither too descriptive nor lacking. I also loved the world-building,especially the history of the creatures of the light and dark, the thorough descriptions of the diverse kingdoms, the never-ending adventure, and the diversity of the characters. Probably, the aspect that I adored the most was the intricacy of the characters’ relationships throughout the entirety of their journey. The author really made me care for these fictional adventurers. (I’m a very big fan of adventure/fantasy books that are focused on a gang/group) As the story progressed, I saw this book as a mixture of TLOTR and Six of Crows. It was ACTION-PACKED, humorous, and unique. Truly a gem.💎 And by the way, have I mentioned that it also has Dragons?? 🐉
I cannot stress this enough, but this book may possibly be one of the MOST FUN books I’ve ever read. I loved the pacing of the story since it was neither too slow nor extremely fast. The writing style did not bore me, it was neither too descriptive nor lacking. I also loved the world-building,especially the history of the creatures of the light and dark, the thorough descriptions of the diverse kingdoms, the never-ending adventure, and the diversity of the characters. Probably, the aspect that I adored the most was the intricacy of the characters’ relationships throughout the entirety of their journey. The author really made me care for these fictional adventurers. (I’m a very big fan of adventure/fantasy books that are focused on a gang/group) As the story progressed, I saw this book as a mixture of TLOTR and Six of Crows. It was ACTION-PACKED, humorous, and unique. Truly a gem.💎 And by the way, have I mentioned that it also has Dragons?? 🐉
January 29, 2020
I’d like to thank Christian Sterling for providing me with a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.
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Falin is one of the ten wizards keeping peace in the lands of Elsana. As an unseasoned wizard, he must to set out on a journey to gather the four Gems that will help him come into his full power. But this quest will take him and his crew into a dangerous and desolate land called the Wildbarrens. With a ragtag group of chosen champions from all corners of Elsana, and a couple of outlaws thrown in the mix, Falin faces his biggest challenges yet; all while uncovering a plot to throw into chaos the lands he’s sworn to protect.
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“Into the Wildbarrens: The Gems of Elsana” is an origin story to one of the wise, wizened wizards of all the great fantasy stories we know and love. The book jumps straight into the story and the action, without compromising character development and backstory, which was a really pleasant surprise. It gave me a lot of Hobbit/Fellowship vibes, but with its own unique flair.
•
I really enjoyed following the character on this journey, who were all well-rounded and brought some interesting backstories with them. I especially liked the two outlaws that were tagging along. They had me laughing out loud with their colorful commentary and always kept the group on their toes, including Falin.
•
Christian Sterling imagined for us a world that felt familiar but was still surprising and interesting. The descriptions were vivid, but didn’t bog down the story, which kept a nice pace throughout the book. And even though he presented some classic fantasy elements, he managed to keep everything fresh and different.
•
If you’re looking for an adventure story, full of fun quests and characters you can root for, I’d definitely recommend this book to you. It was a great fantasy read and a nice nod to all the things we love about this genre.
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Falin is one of the ten wizards keeping peace in the lands of Elsana. As an unseasoned wizard, he must to set out on a journey to gather the four Gems that will help him come into his full power. But this quest will take him and his crew into a dangerous and desolate land called the Wildbarrens. With a ragtag group of chosen champions from all corners of Elsana, and a couple of outlaws thrown in the mix, Falin faces his biggest challenges yet; all while uncovering a plot to throw into chaos the lands he’s sworn to protect.
↠
“Into the Wildbarrens: The Gems of Elsana” is an origin story to one of the wise, wizened wizards of all the great fantasy stories we know and love. The book jumps straight into the story and the action, without compromising character development and backstory, which was a really pleasant surprise. It gave me a lot of Hobbit/Fellowship vibes, but with its own unique flair.
•
I really enjoyed following the character on this journey, who were all well-rounded and brought some interesting backstories with them. I especially liked the two outlaws that were tagging along. They had me laughing out loud with their colorful commentary and always kept the group on their toes, including Falin.
•
Christian Sterling imagined for us a world that felt familiar but was still surprising and interesting. The descriptions were vivid, but didn’t bog down the story, which kept a nice pace throughout the book. And even though he presented some classic fantasy elements, he managed to keep everything fresh and different.
•
If you’re looking for an adventure story, full of fun quests and characters you can root for, I’d definitely recommend this book to you. It was a great fantasy read and a nice nod to all the things we love about this genre.
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