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Orb and Arrow #1
Orb and Arrow: Exploration
Brillar was expected to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a healer but she had other plans. Now a highly skilled archer, she has been forced to kill to release a bound mage. It may have been self-defense, but that is no excuse for a healer.
Releasing such a skilled War mage from bondage could get you killed…or apprenticed. When she chooses the latter, Brillar finds herself on a desperate journey to stop the rising tide of Darkness.
Her decision to apprentice herself to Elden, the man she rescued, sets her further from the healer’s calling. Still, her healing spells serve them both well as they face the dangers of a world often torn between the Light and Darkness.
Releasing such a skilled War mage from bondage could get you killed…or apprenticed. When she chooses the latter, Brillar finds herself on a desperate journey to stop the rising tide of Darkness.
Her decision to apprentice herself to Elden, the man she rescued, sets her further from the healer’s calling. Still, her healing spells serve them both well as they face the dangers of a world often torn between the Light and Darkness.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 7, 2019
21 people are currently reading
367 people want to read
About the author
V.L. Stuart
4 books7 followersIt started with reading. Then winning an award for an essay in eighth grade.
Then it was poetry and writing a column in a student newspaper. Then a college newspaper as assistant editor, and editor of a literary magazine.
Life got complicated but I never stopped creating, never stopped writing. Now I write a column for a local newspaper and have three published novels with more in the works.
Facebook has been an opportunity to connect with other authors and to host a page called Marketing for Indies. The page is new and is being well received.
Life is odd - I never thought I would live in Costa Rica yet here we are.
Odd.
Then it was poetry and writing a column in a student newspaper. Then a college newspaper as assistant editor, and editor of a literary magazine.
Life got complicated but I never stopped creating, never stopped writing. Now I write a column for a local newspaper and have three published novels with more in the works.
Facebook has been an opportunity to connect with other authors and to host a page called Marketing for Indies. The page is new and is being well received.
Life is odd - I never thought I would live in Costa Rica yet here we are.
Odd.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 14, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
An archer rescues a mage. The two travel around and meet a lot of people. I'd call it picaresque, except the journey is more of a wandering.
An archer rescues a mage. The two travel around and meet a lot of people. I'd call it picaresque, except the journey is more of a wandering.
July 8, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and author V.L. Stuart for the chance to review this advanced reader's copy of the book.
I will definitely be buying the books in this series!
The book focuses on two primary characters, the elder male Garnelden of Torennwood, who is a middle aged male mage, and Brillar of Laurenfell, a young adult female noblewoman novice healer and mage. After Brillar saves Garnelden's life in the opening of the book, she nurses him back to health, and then agrees to apprentice with him for a year. The author presents the relationship as evolving over time, with the reader left with the impression that they will become a couple, but are starting as a teacher and student. While I have concerns about this theme, especially in this era of concern of power relationships over women, I think the author makes a save in the way she introduces the pair. Brillar is a powerful and confident individual, who meets Garnelden at his nadir and in need of rescue. So, while she can learn from him, she is not without her ability apart from him and she is not reliant upon him for identity, purpose, and validation. The author nailed it, as far as I am concerned. The book then follows as Garnelden takes care of some unfinished business, they save each other, and then upon their respective recoveries, they enter the Wild for training Brillar specifically requested.
While the book is clearly part of a multibook series, the author found a good stopping point. The story can continue with separate books, but no serious plot points are left unresolved at the end of the book. While there are topics including romantic content and violence, there is neither sexual content nor gratuitous violence. While there are scenes of violence described, the violence is not graphically described such that it would warrant a "trigger warning" or withholding from adolescents, in my opinion. This is written such that an adolescent through an adult can read and enjoy the book.
V.L. Stuart - you have a new fan : )
I will definitely be buying the books in this series!
The book focuses on two primary characters, the elder male Garnelden of Torennwood, who is a middle aged male mage, and Brillar of Laurenfell, a young adult female noblewoman novice healer and mage. After Brillar saves Garnelden's life in the opening of the book, she nurses him back to health, and then agrees to apprentice with him for a year. The author presents the relationship as evolving over time, with the reader left with the impression that they will become a couple, but are starting as a teacher and student. While I have concerns about this theme, especially in this era of concern of power relationships over women, I think the author makes a save in the way she introduces the pair. Brillar is a powerful and confident individual, who meets Garnelden at his nadir and in need of rescue. So, while she can learn from him, she is not without her ability apart from him and she is not reliant upon him for identity, purpose, and validation. The author nailed it, as far as I am concerned. The book then follows as Garnelden takes care of some unfinished business, they save each other, and then upon their respective recoveries, they enter the Wild for training Brillar specifically requested.
While the book is clearly part of a multibook series, the author found a good stopping point. The story can continue with separate books, but no serious plot points are left unresolved at the end of the book. While there are topics including romantic content and violence, there is neither sexual content nor gratuitous violence. While there are scenes of violence described, the violence is not graphically described such that it would warrant a "trigger warning" or withholding from adolescents, in my opinion. This is written such that an adolescent through an adult can read and enjoy the book.
V.L. Stuart - you have a new fan : )
December 2, 2019
An interesting story concerning a captured mage and the archer/healer who rescues him. There are slow spots in which not much happens, or descriptions of scenes as they travel take up the pages. There were 2 things that bothered me about this book 1) they had no purpose except exploring and 2) the lack of proofreading all through the book. They were rich, they met a lot of people both good and bad and they traveled a lot. It ended at a reasonable place, no cliffhanger. How can you tell if they have achieved their purpose when they don't really have one.
I received this book from NetGalley and thank all involved.
I received this book from NetGalley and thank all involved.
July 4, 2020
Tolkienesque, indeed! Orb and Arrow, Book I was such an enjoyable read, I could not put it down and consumed it with fervid abandon. The worldbuilding is filled with diverse locale, varying trades, guild-like orders, a plethora of fantasy races and creatures, and an interesting magic system.
The book begins with an overview of fantasy terms accompanied by their definitions and pronunciations, which was so thoughtful to even consider providing the readers. At first I was speculative that I would enjoy this book assuming it may be riddled with an overabundance of confusing naming schemes, but that wasn't the case at all, the prose wonderful and fluid.
Perspective is split between our two main characters: Brillar of Laurenfell, a fiery Archer / Healer Mage of the Life Sisterhood, and Garnelden of Torennwood, Mage of the Four Powers of the Brotherhood. I had little issue with this, only that there were times where perspectives momentarily jumped mid-paragraph with no indication very suddenly, such as when the other character had a strong reaction, and I had to re-read some passages.
I love the characters, and the slow-burn maybe-romance. Brill is 22 or so in years, and Elden perhaps almost double her age, so for much of the story they keep up the pretense that they are "niece" and "uncle" while traveling together in spontaneous apprenticeship, which at times came off as kinda gross and is really the only issue I had with their dynamic. Where Brill is passionate and willful, Elden is calculative and sharp-eyed, both matching in wit and charm. I am shipping them so hard. Note that .
Side note: If I could cast a VA for Elden, it'd be Jay Hickman (specifically, Jouichirou Yukihira) hands down.
Their adventure went about rather slowly, and the plot(???) dragged. In honesty, I'm unsure of what the plot even is, simply feeling that it's more so about the MC's attraction and need to be near the other, which isn't awful as I adore their complimentary personalities and connection to the other but I wanted more. There are moments where both MC's pasts come into play, though encounters were rather brief which utterly killed any and all suspense and in that they seemed disjointed from the story, especially in regards to Elden.
One thing that really bothered me is the few sexual scenarios scattered throughout. First, . I found that fairly problematic. Then there's this situation later on which wasn't handled very well, the whole ordeal detracting from the story and simply remaining uncomfortable besides. Despite that, I did take notice and appreciate how Brill was never written in any over-sexualized manner.
The back of the book held some information overviewing the Sisterhood and the Brotherhood, which was a really nice supplement that helped flesh out these orders and hint towards certain aspects of the MC's and the worldbuilding, though it would probably have been wiser to have this in the beginning of the book so as to keep the information in mind while reading.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment to see what kinds of shenanigans this mage-ic duo get themselves into next.
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for providing me with a free eARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings for torture, gore, animal cruelty, mention of rape, alluding of attempted rape, questionable sexual scenarios, themes involving forced prostitution, near death experiences, poisonings, starvation, mutilation (scars), stalking, abduction, violence, animal attacks. ♡
The book begins with an overview of fantasy terms accompanied by their definitions and pronunciations, which was so thoughtful to even consider providing the readers. At first I was speculative that I would enjoy this book assuming it may be riddled with an overabundance of confusing naming schemes, but that wasn't the case at all, the prose wonderful and fluid.
Perspective is split between our two main characters: Brillar of Laurenfell, a fiery Archer / Healer Mage of the Life Sisterhood, and Garnelden of Torennwood, Mage of the Four Powers of the Brotherhood. I had little issue with this, only that there were times where perspectives momentarily jumped mid-paragraph with no indication very suddenly, such as when the other character had a strong reaction, and I had to re-read some passages.
I love the characters, and the slow-burn maybe-romance. Brill is 22 or so in years, and Elden perhaps almost double her age, so for much of the story they keep up the pretense that they are "niece" and "uncle" while traveling together in spontaneous apprenticeship, which at times came off as kinda gross and is really the only issue I had with their dynamic. Where Brill is passionate and willful, Elden is calculative and sharp-eyed, both matching in wit and charm. I am shipping them so hard. Note that .
Side note: If I could cast a VA for Elden, it'd be Jay Hickman (specifically, Jouichirou Yukihira) hands down.
Their adventure went about rather slowly, and the plot(???) dragged. In honesty, I'm unsure of what the plot even is, simply feeling that it's more so about the MC's attraction and need to be near the other, which isn't awful as I adore their complimentary personalities and connection to the other but I wanted more. There are moments where both MC's pasts come into play, though encounters were rather brief which utterly killed any and all suspense and in that they seemed disjointed from the story, especially in regards to Elden.
One thing that really bothered me is the few sexual scenarios scattered throughout. First, . I found that fairly problematic. Then there's this situation later on which wasn't handled very well, the whole ordeal detracting from the story and simply remaining uncomfortable besides. Despite that, I did take notice and appreciate how Brill was never written in any over-sexualized manner.
The back of the book held some information overviewing the Sisterhood and the Brotherhood, which was a really nice supplement that helped flesh out these orders and hint towards certain aspects of the MC's and the worldbuilding, though it would probably have been wiser to have this in the beginning of the book so as to keep the information in mind while reading.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment to see what kinds of shenanigans this mage-ic duo get themselves into next.
Thank you to BooksGoSocial for providing me with a free eARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings for torture, gore, animal cruelty, mention of rape, alluding of attempted rape, questionable sexual scenarios, themes involving forced prostitution, near death experiences, poisonings, starvation, mutilation (scars), stalking, abduction, violence, animal attacks. ♡
July 29, 2020
I am not being paid to review this book and what I write here is my own opinion. My rating scale is below.
At twenty two, Brillar has all the skills ever: she’s an amazing shot with a bow, quick with a knife, clever with locks, and not unskilled in minor magics. She frees a bound mage named Garnelden (called Elden) and he decides to make her his apprentice as thanks. They end up taking a long road trip to confront the man who had him bound in the first place. After more than half a book, they finally enter the Wild, which seems to be like stepping out of training mode in a roleplaying game. There are golems that drop gems and giant rats that hoard treasure...it sounds like the beginning of a tabletop session.
Mutual attraction appears about as soon as Elden is able to sit a horse. Interestingly, this is despite him having a beard coming in and a mustache that nearly covers his teeth. He decides not to do anything about it, however, since Brillar seems only interested in having him in her life as a teacher. He is, apparently, a very good teacher and she learns more from a few weeks with him than she did in years of training with the Sisterhood. Of course, Brillar is pretty special herself. She’s the only person in the history of ever to remove a certain kind of magical binding, and she did it without guidance. (I told you she had all the skills ever.)
The book falls heavily into some typical fantasy tropes: everyone drinks stew and inns are ubiquitous and unnamed herbs can take care of everything from cooking and healing to destroying evil magical artifacts. There are simple folks with simple speech who have misogynistic cultures that the heroes instantly recognize as backward and work to upend. That said, it is nice that the time required for items of clothing to be manufactured is taken into account during inn stays, as well as the time it takes to travel from one place to another, and to recover from injuries without magical aid (although that last is discarded as soon as the author can get our main characters using magic).
The language is occasionally confusing because the author’s word choice sometimes doesn’t match with what’s actually going on, and it is unclear whether they actually used the word they meant to use, or if they used the word they meant to use, but are using it incorrectly. The typos, which turn up as frequently as every few pages, are similarly distracting, and since I am reading the published version, not an ARC as I usually do for NetGalley, I must assume they are there to stay. Equally off-putting are the author’s choices for indicating emphasis. A man who is introduced as a murderous madman speaks sometimes in ALL CAPS, sometimes in Italics, sometimes in bold, sometimes underlined, and sometimes in a combination of the styles. It reads as overkill and looks amateurish on the page.
On the subject of language, for all that there is in the beginning a (largely unnecessary) primer on Aelfain forms of address and a pronunciation key, it is clear that no thought went into linguistic consistency for the rest of the names, except that minor characters’ names tend to sound like someone with something caught in their throat: Trog, Ruggle, Enk, Berl, Morglain, Hebrel. On a related note, there are lots of compound words to describe things, like “foldbox,” which I’m imagining as a sort of Attache case or a travelling jewelry case.
Ultimately, this is a book for fans of the Dragonlance Chronicles who are not terribly concerned with a polished product, and just want a familiar setting with new characters. It’s forgettable.
rating scale
1 star - I was barely able to finish it. I didn't like it.
2 stars - It was okay. I didn't dislike it.
3 stars - It was interesting. I liked it.
4 stars - It was excellent. I really liked it.
5 stars - It was extraordinary. I really hope the author wrote more things.
At twenty two, Brillar has all the skills ever: she’s an amazing shot with a bow, quick with a knife, clever with locks, and not unskilled in minor magics. She frees a bound mage named Garnelden (called Elden) and he decides to make her his apprentice as thanks. They end up taking a long road trip to confront the man who had him bound in the first place. After more than half a book, they finally enter the Wild, which seems to be like stepping out of training mode in a roleplaying game. There are golems that drop gems and giant rats that hoard treasure...it sounds like the beginning of a tabletop session.
Mutual attraction appears about as soon as Elden is able to sit a horse. Interestingly, this is despite him having a beard coming in and a mustache that nearly covers his teeth. He decides not to do anything about it, however, since Brillar seems only interested in having him in her life as a teacher. He is, apparently, a very good teacher and she learns more from a few weeks with him than she did in years of training with the Sisterhood. Of course, Brillar is pretty special herself. She’s the only person in the history of ever to remove a certain kind of magical binding, and she did it without guidance. (I told you she had all the skills ever.)
The book falls heavily into some typical fantasy tropes: everyone drinks stew and inns are ubiquitous and unnamed herbs can take care of everything from cooking and healing to destroying evil magical artifacts. There are simple folks with simple speech who have misogynistic cultures that the heroes instantly recognize as backward and work to upend. That said, it is nice that the time required for items of clothing to be manufactured is taken into account during inn stays, as well as the time it takes to travel from one place to another, and to recover from injuries without magical aid (although that last is discarded as soon as the author can get our main characters using magic).
The language is occasionally confusing because the author’s word choice sometimes doesn’t match with what’s actually going on, and it is unclear whether they actually used the word they meant to use, or if they used the word they meant to use, but are using it incorrectly. The typos, which turn up as frequently as every few pages, are similarly distracting, and since I am reading the published version, not an ARC as I usually do for NetGalley, I must assume they are there to stay. Equally off-putting are the author’s choices for indicating emphasis. A man who is introduced as a murderous madman speaks sometimes in ALL CAPS, sometimes in Italics, sometimes in bold, sometimes underlined, and sometimes in a combination of the styles. It reads as overkill and looks amateurish on the page.
On the subject of language, for all that there is in the beginning a (largely unnecessary) primer on Aelfain forms of address and a pronunciation key, it is clear that no thought went into linguistic consistency for the rest of the names, except that minor characters’ names tend to sound like someone with something caught in their throat: Trog, Ruggle, Enk, Berl, Morglain, Hebrel. On a related note, there are lots of compound words to describe things, like “foldbox,” which I’m imagining as a sort of Attache case or a travelling jewelry case.
Ultimately, this is a book for fans of the Dragonlance Chronicles who are not terribly concerned with a polished product, and just want a familiar setting with new characters. It’s forgettable.
rating scale
1 star - I was barely able to finish it. I didn't like it.
2 stars - It was okay. I didn't dislike it.
3 stars - It was interesting. I liked it.
4 stars - It was excellent. I really liked it.
5 stars - It was extraordinary. I really hope the author wrote more things.
July 8, 2020
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Reseña en español: https://unalectorasalvaje.blogspot.co...
2.5/5
Orb and Arrow: Exploration is the first book in an epic fantasy series that focuses on a healer called Brillar that decides to leave her home to live adventures and a mage that is being kept captive. When Brillar finds him, she has to kill a man in order to save the mage and killing is something forbidden for healers. Brillar decides to become Elden’s apprentice and they start a journey in which they have to face several obstacles
I decided to read this book first of all because it has such a beautiful cover that really caught my attention. Also, the premise sounds pretty interesting and it seemed like the type of story that I usually enjoy so I started it with an approximate idea of what I was going to find inside this book. The thing is that I didn’t find what I was expecting. That doesn’t have to be something bad but in this case it kind of was.
My main problem with this book was that, from my point of view, it doesn’t have a specific plot. Basically the characters go through the woods hunting, healing their wounds and learning magic and on their way they sometimes find these situations that they have to overcome. I never felt that there was an actual plot so I was always I little lost not knowing were the story was going.
As a consequence of what I’ve just mentioned, I felt that the pacing was pretty slow and it was kind of boring at some point. I think that the book starts great with some really interesting scenes but then I kind of lost my interest because of the repetitive scenes. It gets better again at the last 15% of the book which I read almost on a row because I was enjoying it a lot but the middle part of the book is the one that I struggled a little bit to read.
Moving on I loved the world in which the story takes place and I think that the author gives the reader enough descriptions and references to the places that the characters visit so it’s easy to imagine them and to be transported to them. I especially liked the Wild and the secrets inside this huge forest. In addition, the magic is also great. I would have liked to know more about it because I feel like we didn’t get an explanation about the different types of magic but we do get information about the Brotherhood and the Sisterhood that I found really interesting.
Brillar and Elden are the main characters of this story. I have the feeling that we get to know more of Brillar than of Elden because the story is told mostly from her perspective and Elden kind of stays as a mystery. We don’t get to see his feelings and his thoughts, we only know things about him because he tells them in conversations with other characters and I would have loved to get to know him better. This kept me from connecting with him as I connected with Brillar.
Talking about side characters, I have to say none of them really stood out to me. They serve as a tool for the story to go forward so they don’t have a complexity within them. If I had to mention one of them, there was this man that I thought was super interesting because of the intrigues around him. The thing is that he disappeared pretty early in the book and I wish the author had explored him more, he had a lot of potential.
To finish this review, I wanted to mention that the ending is pretty open because this is the first part on a series but it didn’t make me want to continue reading the next book so I don’t think I will. I enjoyed this reading if I forget about the boring scenes but that’s it, it didn’t move me and I love to be moved by the stories I read.
Reseña en español: https://unalectorasalvaje.blogspot.co...
2.5/5
Orb and Arrow: Exploration is the first book in an epic fantasy series that focuses on a healer called Brillar that decides to leave her home to live adventures and a mage that is being kept captive. When Brillar finds him, she has to kill a man in order to save the mage and killing is something forbidden for healers. Brillar decides to become Elden’s apprentice and they start a journey in which they have to face several obstacles
I decided to read this book first of all because it has such a beautiful cover that really caught my attention. Also, the premise sounds pretty interesting and it seemed like the type of story that I usually enjoy so I started it with an approximate idea of what I was going to find inside this book. The thing is that I didn’t find what I was expecting. That doesn’t have to be something bad but in this case it kind of was.
My main problem with this book was that, from my point of view, it doesn’t have a specific plot. Basically the characters go through the woods hunting, healing their wounds and learning magic and on their way they sometimes find these situations that they have to overcome. I never felt that there was an actual plot so I was always I little lost not knowing were the story was going.
As a consequence of what I’ve just mentioned, I felt that the pacing was pretty slow and it was kind of boring at some point. I think that the book starts great with some really interesting scenes but then I kind of lost my interest because of the repetitive scenes. It gets better again at the last 15% of the book which I read almost on a row because I was enjoying it a lot but the middle part of the book is the one that I struggled a little bit to read.
Moving on I loved the world in which the story takes place and I think that the author gives the reader enough descriptions and references to the places that the characters visit so it’s easy to imagine them and to be transported to them. I especially liked the Wild and the secrets inside this huge forest. In addition, the magic is also great. I would have liked to know more about it because I feel like we didn’t get an explanation about the different types of magic but we do get information about the Brotherhood and the Sisterhood that I found really interesting.
Brillar and Elden are the main characters of this story. I have the feeling that we get to know more of Brillar than of Elden because the story is told mostly from her perspective and Elden kind of stays as a mystery. We don’t get to see his feelings and his thoughts, we only know things about him because he tells them in conversations with other characters and I would have loved to get to know him better. This kept me from connecting with him as I connected with Brillar.
Talking about side characters, I have to say none of them really stood out to me. They serve as a tool for the story to go forward so they don’t have a complexity within them. If I had to mention one of them, there was this man that I thought was super interesting because of the intrigues around him. The thing is that he disappeared pretty early in the book and I wish the author had explored him more, he had a lot of potential.
To finish this review, I wanted to mention that the ending is pretty open because this is the first part on a series but it didn’t make me want to continue reading the next book so I don’t think I will. I enjoyed this reading if I forget about the boring scenes but that’s it, it didn’t move me and I love to be moved by the stories I read.
June 22, 2020
2.5 stars
Interesting idea but just overall boring.
Like first is the main character running away from her sisterhood to live alone in the wild to then come across the mage enslaved and dying because of the pendant on him. The people who control him attack her she kills one and can take off the pendant after tedious work. Because it was so taking on her healing and she was close to death before he was saved just a big portion is camping in the woods as he heals and then a few stops at inns.
He orders her to be his apprentice but she declines until she agrees to a trial year under his mentorship.
She is eventually hurt and they need to return home so she can heal and then her training eventually starts.
This book's biggest plot is that the main characters need to have lengthy healing periods due to injuries and magic is eventually taught.
This book does not have the excitement of a good adventure story. There is no high stakes feel. IT WAS BORING. I do not necessarily have anything against boring or slow books but in those books, the author needs to make up with grand aspects in other things. The writing style, vocabulary, characterization, etc. and this book just does not achieve that. Everything in this book is very simplistic. The writing and wording are easy. I read it in a couple of hours. Characters though do have sparks of interest that are not going to be memorable. And biggest of all for me as a reader is just the lackluster plot outline.
Interesting idea but just overall boring.
Like first is the main character running away from her sisterhood to live alone in the wild to then come across the mage enslaved and dying because of the pendant on him. The people who control him attack her she kills one and can take off the pendant after tedious work. Because it was so taking on her healing and she was close to death before he was saved just a big portion is camping in the woods as he heals and then a few stops at inns.
He orders her to be his apprentice but she declines until she agrees to a trial year under his mentorship.
She is eventually hurt and they need to return home so she can heal and then her training eventually starts.
This book's biggest plot is that the main characters need to have lengthy healing periods due to injuries and magic is eventually taught.
This book does not have the excitement of a good adventure story. There is no high stakes feel. IT WAS BORING. I do not necessarily have anything against boring or slow books but in those books, the author needs to make up with grand aspects in other things. The writing style, vocabulary, characterization, etc. and this book just does not achieve that. Everything in this book is very simplistic. The writing and wording are easy. I read it in a couple of hours. Characters though do have sparks of interest that are not going to be memorable. And biggest of all for me as a reader is just the lackluster plot outline.
July 6, 2020
Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of ORB AND ARROW (Book 1) by V.L. Stuart in exchange for an honest review. Brillar has escaped her elite school, family, and all of the expectations of her school and family. Brillar wants to explore the world, meet other species, and see all the sights. In her travels, she comes across a pair of kidnappers who attack her at first sight. After successfully defending herself, she finds an ensnared mage among their belongings. Removing the magical snare is tricky and results in her travels being slowed as she is now responsible for the mage’s recovery. The mage is Elden, a war mage skilled in four powers and a person being hunted by an unknown party. Elden further entangles Brillar in his drama by forcing her to become his apprentice. Together, Elden and Brillar will have to confront their individual pasts before being able to move on to the future.
I really liked this story and the new world built by this first book. I went ahead and bought the next two books. I recommend this book to fans of high fantasy.
#OrbandArrow #NetGalle
I really liked this story and the new world built by this first book. I went ahead and bought the next two books. I recommend this book to fans of high fantasy.
#OrbandArrow #NetGalle
August 3, 2020
An action packed prologue leads to action 14 years later. Elden, a war mage, is bound in a magical chain that keeps him from casting spells. Beaten, exhausted by starvation by his captors, he is released by the healer/archer Brillar. He rewards her with an apprenticeship and they set off to find the man who ordered him captured. There is danger everywhere, Elden is hunted, and danger for her as his companion. After she is taken, he has to face the man who wants him dead.
This is a Tolkienesque novel that doesn't end there. Elden takes her to the Sisterhood for healing and then they set off on a series of explorations that bring them in contact with Rovers, orcs, blood kites and more.
An exciting read and hard to put down!
This is a Tolkienesque novel that doesn't end there. Elden takes her to the Sisterhood for healing and then they set off on a series of explorations that bring them in contact with Rovers, orcs, blood kites and more.
An exciting read and hard to put down!
September 19, 2020
ARC from NetGalley
Well. Honestly, I'm not really sure what to say. The magic system is very interesting. The settings were done very well. The characters were a bit bland. The plot was.. what was the plot? Yeah I don't know. Essentially we spend an entire book getting to know Brillar and Eldon. Nothing major really happens. I mean, things happen, but I have no idea what the overarching plot was. I was walking on this trail and found myself at the end. It was a nice enough walk, but I kind of wanted to go somewhere, you know? The writing wasn't amazing. It could use some work, but it was by no means bad. I don't regret spending my time reading this book, but I haven't been given a good enough reason to read the next one.
Well. Honestly, I'm not really sure what to say. The magic system is very interesting. The settings were done very well. The characters were a bit bland. The plot was.. what was the plot? Yeah I don't know. Essentially we spend an entire book getting to know Brillar and Eldon. Nothing major really happens. I mean, things happen, but I have no idea what the overarching plot was. I was walking on this trail and found myself at the end. It was a nice enough walk, but I kind of wanted to go somewhere, you know? The writing wasn't amazing. It could use some work, but it was by no means bad. I don't regret spending my time reading this book, but I haven't been given a good enough reason to read the next one.
March 2, 2020
This book is the beginning of a journey into the mind , while slightly different than many that is the uniqueness of the author , Imagination will only go as far as one allows it to take them , Having been an avid fan of this genre of books for over 40 years I can truly say it will develop into a masterpiece , I have series of books from the masters like brooks eddings goodkind modesitt mercedes-lackey john marco davidb coe and many more and this will rank right on up there with the best of them and am greatly looking forward to books 2 and 3 in this series and hopefully many more , well worth the read !!
March 31, 2020
Orb and Arrow is classic fantasy, with a refreshing dose of (can we use the word feminism with its true meaning?). Although strong and confident, our young protagonist struggles with many realistic issues of right vocation, family and mentor relationships along with her "hero's journey". V.L. Stuart knows how to do her World Building as well, transporting one right into imagined-yet-realistic scenes with detailed descriptions of landscapes, customs and characters, all magical. I look forward to the plots she hints at in future books.
June 21, 2020
This book was an interesting read. The heroine was strong and fierce and the world the author has built is magical and unique. I was reminded of old fantasy storytellers like Eddings and Tolkien. The magic lore was also very well written and I enjoyed the adventure the author took you on. There were times where the story seemed to meander when I would have preferred it to sprint but then I’m a very impatient reader sometimes, but some might agree and find it slow in parts.
Otherwise a very enjoyable story with a solid base in fantasy and a good selection of supporting characters.
Otherwise a very enjoyable story with a solid base in fantasy and a good selection of supporting characters.
July 22, 2020
Orb and Arrow: Book 1: Exploration, is the first book in a new fantasy series by V.L. Stuart. The book has two very likeable main characters, middle-aged mage Garnelden, and a young female healer, Brillar of Laurenfell. Both characters are strong and intelligent, and work well together. The story focuses on their journey into and the exploration of the Wild, a dangerous land with terrifying beings and landscapes.
I fell in love with Brillar and Garnelden from the beginning. I recommend this novel to lovers of fantasy, and look forward to additional books in this series. I thank the author and publisher for the Kindle copy that I received on Goodreads Giveaways.
I fell in love with Brillar and Garnelden from the beginning. I recommend this novel to lovers of fantasy, and look forward to additional books in this series. I thank the author and publisher for the Kindle copy that I received on Goodreads Giveaways.
October 20, 2020
For those who enjoy exploring new worlds, this is a great adventure! Any good fantasy needs a rich, unique world. This book delivers that in spades. It left me wanting more, in all the best ways. So many points of interest that I look forward to learning more about over the next books. Lore, villains, allies, and the dimlock kept me turning page after page. Wild landscapes, interesting and dangerous creatures, a well thought out system of magic... what more could a reader want? I loved Brillar and Elden, and am looking forward to seeing much more of these two characters.
January 2, 2021
Upfront I will say I've never read a fantasy novel....at least completely. I've started a few but stopped reading because I simply did not find the story or characters that interesting. However, Stuart's "Orb and Arrow" held my attention throughout the book. I was interested in discovering where the story would lead, and was not disappointed. I felt the story was compelling and the characters relatable, inasmuch as one can relate to those with magic powers. All in all I felt this was a read worthy of my time. I do plan to continue the story with the followup books.
June 29, 2020
There is a lot going on in the book but for me it never went anywhere. It is exploration and our two main characters do a lot of that. Along the way. there is danger and adventure but I never saw a goal. They just wandered and met different people. Entertaining but no incentive to read the next book in the series.
October 9, 2022
Brillar, a young women removed a dim lock from around the neck of a seriously injured man laying imprisoned in the back of a cart. A dim lock is used to bind and punish a mage called Elden. What next unfolds is an excellent fantasy tale filled with mystical stories of adventure. An excellent read!! Enjoyed immensely 11
August 15, 2022
I really wanted to like this book... unfortunately I didn't. It felt like the two main characters were just wandering... I was 35%done with the book before I thought I knew who or what the bad guy was... it seemed like it counts have ended abut the 45% mark. #OrbandArrow #NetGalley
July 18, 2019
Wonderful read full of adventure! It’s quick to start, has lots of action, a strong heroine, and humor. I highly recommend! I can’t wait for the next book!
July 29, 2020
Great start to a new fantasy series! Looking forward to more.
August 12, 2020
This has potential, but just never felt engaging at all. The writing felt a little lifeless, and I never really got to the point of being invested in the characters or anything.
July 6, 2024
Always enjoy this set of reading. Cant put book down till finished. Forget food. This is way better
January 11, 2021
Full Review Here
Orb and Arrow sat on my Netgalley shelf for a while after I thought the synopsis sounded great: archer + magic = dream combination.
I may have set my sights a little high.
Or the synopsis wasn’t the clearest.
The story is sold to us as being about an archer freeing a mage from a device that restricts their ability to use magic. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was for that part of the story to be over within the first chapter.
I also wasn’t expecting an anti-climax showdown with the character set up as the villain less than a third into the book. I sat there, blinking, totally bemused by what was going on.
The rest of the book is separated into two parts. The middle part consists of our characters healing from their ordeals, and that is it. It didn’t hold my attention – or theirs, it seems, as they spent most of those pages’ unconscious, asleep, or thinking about food.
By this point, I was disappointed. It was flat, the characters shallow and who even knows what was going on with the pacing.
Then comes the final section of the book – which worked! You learn more about the magic, see the characters developing and events take place at a good pace, with some added tension to raise the stakes. If the entire book could have been like this, it would have been a decent read.
The plot isn’t the only thing that left me confused though. The characters did as well.
Brillar is a young archer, schooled to some degree in the magic arts. She longs to explore the world but isn’t as prepared as she should be. Brillar had potential, and you see her learn and grow. But from the very start, her arrogance makes it hard to connect to her.
Elden does have depth, and you get more of a feel of his long life and backstory. But he switches from being concerned about Brillar and wanting to train her, to eyeing her up as something more. It’s hard to identify what their relationship should be, and there isn’t enough chemistry either way to make firm decisions.
There are several secondary characters that come and go throughout the book: inn-keepers, family, small villages etc. You get to know some, but no one sticks around to make an impression.
The world-building is full of exotic creatures and intriguing landscapes. The settings were well-established. But the magic was not. Despite Brillar needing instruction – normally the excuse for some exposition – the rules of magic are never set. It seemed every problem could be overcome by magic, with no hint as to what overstepped the boundaries or where the lines are. It’s hard to immerse yourself in a world you don’t understand.
I read this in a day, so it’s not a long book. Enough worked that I was intrigued enough to keep going, but with the pacing, the characters and the magic all leaving me baffled, it disappointed me.
Orb and Arrow sat on my Netgalley shelf for a while after I thought the synopsis sounded great: archer + magic = dream combination.
I may have set my sights a little high.
Or the synopsis wasn’t the clearest.
The story is sold to us as being about an archer freeing a mage from a device that restricts their ability to use magic. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was for that part of the story to be over within the first chapter.
I also wasn’t expecting an anti-climax showdown with the character set up as the villain less than a third into the book. I sat there, blinking, totally bemused by what was going on.
The rest of the book is separated into two parts. The middle part consists of our characters healing from their ordeals, and that is it. It didn’t hold my attention – or theirs, it seems, as they spent most of those pages’ unconscious, asleep, or thinking about food.
By this point, I was disappointed. It was flat, the characters shallow and who even knows what was going on with the pacing.
Then comes the final section of the book – which worked! You learn more about the magic, see the characters developing and events take place at a good pace, with some added tension to raise the stakes. If the entire book could have been like this, it would have been a decent read.
The plot isn’t the only thing that left me confused though. The characters did as well.
Brillar is a young archer, schooled to some degree in the magic arts. She longs to explore the world but isn’t as prepared as she should be. Brillar had potential, and you see her learn and grow. But from the very start, her arrogance makes it hard to connect to her.
Elden does have depth, and you get more of a feel of his long life and backstory. But he switches from being concerned about Brillar and wanting to train her, to eyeing her up as something more. It’s hard to identify what their relationship should be, and there isn’t enough chemistry either way to make firm decisions.
There are several secondary characters that come and go throughout the book: inn-keepers, family, small villages etc. You get to know some, but no one sticks around to make an impression.
The world-building is full of exotic creatures and intriguing landscapes. The settings were well-established. But the magic was not. Despite Brillar needing instruction – normally the excuse for some exposition – the rules of magic are never set. It seemed every problem could be overcome by magic, with no hint as to what overstepped the boundaries or where the lines are. It’s hard to immerse yourself in a world you don’t understand.
I read this in a day, so it’s not a long book. Enough worked that I was intrigued enough to keep going, but with the pacing, the characters and the magic all leaving me baffled, it disappointed me.
May 9, 2020
Brillar was expected to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a healer but she had other plans. Now a highly skilled archer, she has been forced to kill to release a bound mage. It may have been self-defense, but that is no excuse for a healer.
Releasing such a skilled War mage from bondage could get you killed…or apprenticed. When she chooses the latter, Brillar finds herself on a desperate journey to stop the rising tide of Darkness.
Her decision to apprentice herself to Elden, the man she rescued, sets her further from the healer’s calling. Still, her healing spells serve them both well as they face the dangers of a world often torn between the Light and Darkness.
Releasing such a skilled War mage from bondage could get you killed…or apprenticed. When she chooses the latter, Brillar finds herself on a desperate journey to stop the rising tide of Darkness.
Her decision to apprentice herself to Elden, the man she rescued, sets her further from the healer’s calling. Still, her healing spells serve them both well as they face the dangers of a world often torn between the Light and Darkness.
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