The First to Forgive

by Daniel Dydek

To get revenge, she’ll have to champion her enemy’s cause…Catie’s first attempt to repay Roth Kamdellan for her husband’s death failed. Thrown out into winter’s night, she expects a swift death—until a piercing orange light and keening wail on the wind stirs in her the irresistible will to go on. Vague, but insistent, it seems to call her northward.Gabriel and Deuel, famous in the mercenary world, have been summoned by Roth to help the revolutionary army advance, and aid in the overthrow of Andelen’s ruler. To do this, they must find the Berkarfor, four hidden goblets that legend says will give the drinker untold power. The mercenary team is accustomed to working alone; but Roth’s protégé, Rodigger, is sent along to ensure the mission’s success—and to be a pain in Gabriel’s side.When Catie convinces the trio to let her join their quest, she believes she has been given one more chance to rid the world of Roth’s vile existence. But long before she can pursue this desperate attempt, she begins to uncover a secret about her own past that could change her perspective about everything.Forced to travel with those she should hate, she may discover the will to forgive.

Genres: Fantasy

335 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2019

About the author

Daniel Dydek is a multi-genre author with his sweeping epic fantasy series The Triumvirs, and his supernatural suspense series, Spirit Wind, has already garnered two Finalist awards from Realm Makers. Besides writing, he also enjoys a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, mountain biking, reading, coffee shops, book stores, and Durango Colorado. He lives in Canton Ohio with his wife and son and two cats.

Reviews

[Erin Dydek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catie is a feisty female character on a quest for revenge. Unlike many protagonists whose motives are pure, Catie is filled with bitter determination to accomplish her mission. Interestingly enough, she must team up with servants of her enemy. The beauty of this story lies in the transformation of Catie’s character as the book progresses. I loved watching her grow and the relationships that developed along the way. The end of the book culminates in an exhilarating turn of events and secrets revealed.

As the second book in this series, it was fun to see the connections and correlations to book one. If you’ve read By Ways Unseen, you’ll get to glimpse those hidden gems along the way. This book also gives more insight into the dragon lore in the land of Oren. It is a unique take that I found thought-provoking and again gives a better understanding of the dragon spotted in book one.

Clean content and well-edited. This book should appeal to those who enjoy epic fantasy adventures with an ensemble cast, magical items, wolves, dragons, and a good bit of humor.