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Heirs of Vanity #1
Roland's Path
Powerful sorcerers vie for a holy artifact, possibly dooming a nation. A mighty knight is needed, yet a boy undertakes the quest. Is young Roland up to the task? In Stratvs, swords, once pledged to justice, now rust on the altars of the self-righteous. Can one boy's quest for approval restore a peoples' hope? When two spies escape during young Roland’s watch, they begin a chain of events not intended by Fate that may threaten a kingdom. Roland is driven by his shame to take up his axes and track them down. Raised on the rural edges of Gallhallad, can he survive the dangers of the road ahead? Can his ideas of right and wrong weather the complexities of the path before him? With the help of his lifelong friend Eldryn, the Cavalier hopeful, and an uneasy bargain with a dagger wielding cutpurse, Roland pursues a wizard of unknown powers and a woman of uncommon beauty and deadly skill. Will Roland’s vanity not only doom him, but his friends and a king he hoped to one day serve as well? “Hanson’s very visceral writing style captures the breathtaking excitement, terror, and wonder of fantasy adventure…” – Jon Black (award-winning author of the Fairytale Fantasy novel Bel Nemeton)
- GenresFantasy
233 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2019
21 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Hanson
12 books58 followers Just a short Bio here. For more information about us and our stories check out our website at www.bloodlinesreforged.com and sign up for our newsletter for discounts, giveaways, and access to exclusive content.
RJ Hanson has two books on Amazon ranked #1 in epic fantasy and dark fantasy, Roland's Path and Fires that Forge. RJ began developing the epic sword and sorcery saga, Bloodlines Reforged, in 1996. However, it was 2019 before the first book was published. The Bloodlines Reforged Saga tells the tales of a warrior's courage, a scorned sorcerer's revenge, a corrupt church's perversion of faith, a grieving vampire dealing with loss, and a knight's struggle of breaking his oath in order to fulfill it. You will find plenty of magic, monsters, sword fights, and political intrigue in this multi-series adventure.
RJ Hanson began his love for all things fantasy at the age of 5. In 1978, when his mother bought him the Rankin & Bass production of The Hobbit, a 24 page read along with the record children's book, RJ's imagination was opened to a new world. Reading Tolkien, R.A. Salvatore, Terry Brooks, and even Stephen King, RJ began constructing worlds and characters of his own.
RJ began his writing career at forty-five. During the course of his life he accumulated a number of real-world experiences that have served to give him a unique understanding of the human condition and a perspective that gives his writing an honest grit. He has also benefited from years of training ranging from interview and interrogation techniques to hand to hand combat to SWAT tactics. RJ is a certified Firearms Instructor and Linguistic Statement Analyst. He also enjoys the distinction of having scored a touch, or 'touche', against an Olympic fencer during a pickup match in college. He's really too proud of it.
In his youth he worked as a cowboy having grown up on a small ranch in north Texas. At the age of 16 he was selected for the TAMS (Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science) project at the University of North Texas. In his spare time, RJ has studied medieval combat and military tactics as well as arms and armaments of various cultures and times. RJ plays in a weekly pen and paper RPG game (Rolemaster) with some close family and friends and some of the characters played have been around since 1996! His adult children like to joke that some of the characters are older than they are.
RJ and his wife, Michelle, live on a small ranch where they maintain a modest heard of cattle, two dogs, a variety of barn cats, and a peahen named Margaret (aka Ferd).
"Hanson's very visceral writing style captures the breathtaking excitement, terror, and wonder of fantasy adventure that I've found in roleplaying, computer gaming, and classics of the genre...but is so often lacking in contemporary offerings. The mental world inhabited by his characters is very well developed. Combat scenes are invariably creative, well-thought, and realistic in a way that will please purists while remaining fast paced enough to satisfy others. And it is an intriguing blend of high and low fantasy: while inhabiting a gritty world and hardly infallible, the protagonists are high-minded people trying to do the right thing in an often complicated and confusing world. If you're uncertain about your next fantasy read ... just get this one." Award winning author Jon Black
If you enjoyed any of his works, please leave a review on Amazon, Bookbub, or GoodReads.
For more information you can check his website www.bloodlinesreforged.com
You can learn more on Instagram @r.j.hanson or Twitter @rjhanson5
You can also follow him at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/r-j-h...
or
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
By doing so you will get an email notification when new books are released and details about promotional offers.
RJ Hanson has two books on Amazon ranked #1 in epic fantasy and dark fantasy, Roland's Path and Fires that Forge. RJ began developing the epic sword and sorcery saga, Bloodlines Reforged, in 1996. However, it was 2019 before the first book was published. The Bloodlines Reforged Saga tells the tales of a warrior's courage, a scorned sorcerer's revenge, a corrupt church's perversion of faith, a grieving vampire dealing with loss, and a knight's struggle of breaking his oath in order to fulfill it. You will find plenty of magic, monsters, sword fights, and political intrigue in this multi-series adventure.
RJ Hanson began his love for all things fantasy at the age of 5. In 1978, when his mother bought him the Rankin & Bass production of The Hobbit, a 24 page read along with the record children's book, RJ's imagination was opened to a new world. Reading Tolkien, R.A. Salvatore, Terry Brooks, and even Stephen King, RJ began constructing worlds and characters of his own.
RJ began his writing career at forty-five. During the course of his life he accumulated a number of real-world experiences that have served to give him a unique understanding of the human condition and a perspective that gives his writing an honest grit. He has also benefited from years of training ranging from interview and interrogation techniques to hand to hand combat to SWAT tactics. RJ is a certified Firearms Instructor and Linguistic Statement Analyst. He also enjoys the distinction of having scored a touch, or 'touche', against an Olympic fencer during a pickup match in college. He's really too proud of it.
In his youth he worked as a cowboy having grown up on a small ranch in north Texas. At the age of 16 he was selected for the TAMS (Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science) project at the University of North Texas. In his spare time, RJ has studied medieval combat and military tactics as well as arms and armaments of various cultures and times. RJ plays in a weekly pen and paper RPG game (Rolemaster) with some close family and friends and some of the characters played have been around since 1996! His adult children like to joke that some of the characters are older than they are.
RJ and his wife, Michelle, live on a small ranch where they maintain a modest heard of cattle, two dogs, a variety of barn cats, and a peahen named Margaret (aka Ferd).
"Hanson's very visceral writing style captures the breathtaking excitement, terror, and wonder of fantasy adventure that I've found in roleplaying, computer gaming, and classics of the genre...but is so often lacking in contemporary offerings. The mental world inhabited by his characters is very well developed. Combat scenes are invariably creative, well-thought, and realistic in a way that will please purists while remaining fast paced enough to satisfy others. And it is an intriguing blend of high and low fantasy: while inhabiting a gritty world and hardly infallible, the protagonists are high-minded people trying to do the right thing in an often complicated and confusing world. If you're uncertain about your next fantasy read ... just get this one." Award winning author Jon Black
If you enjoyed any of his works, please leave a review on Amazon, Bookbub, or GoodReads.
For more information you can check his website www.bloodlinesreforged.com
You can learn more on Instagram @r.j.hanson or Twitter @rjhanson5
You can also follow him at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/r-j-h...
or
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
By doing so you will get an email notification when new books are released and details about promotional offers.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 16, 2019
Roland's Path is not only a fantastical tale of adventure in fascinating new land, it is also a coming of age story of two friends who capture our hearts. As Author R.J Hanson reveals in the blurb, the tale is woven from his true experiences during years of role play gaming with friends. Many gamers have often thought that our character's experiences would make a great book. From the moment we meet the two main characters Roland and Eldryn we are drawn to their down-to-Earth simplicity as well as their complex internal emotional strife. We can easily identify with Roland's constant desire to impress his father, and Eldryn's acceptance of taking a backseat ride to Roland's adventures. The characters are unapologetically raw and plausible; we all have someone in our lives that we can correlate them with. Hanson has shown his knack for letting the characters develop through their story rather than forcing their traits into wordy paragraphs of description upon our first encounter.
This is the first installment in the Heirs of Vanity series and Hanson has revealed a second and third book that will continue the saga of the life of Roland. Being his debut novel, the prose is understandably unrefined. It would be pleasing to see it elevated in the coming installments to raise it up a level and place it among the ranks of other famous epic fantasy novels. There is a great potential for Hanson to pull a best seller out of this series. Roland's world, the Kingdom of Lethanor, is well thought out and beautifully illustrated at the back of the book but more visual world building throughout the book would give the reader a better sense of the environment. It must be noted that the action/fight scenes in the book are both thrilling and suspenseful. Hanson undoubtedly draws on his real life experiences as a law enforcement officer to drive his impassioned mental illustrations of the scenes. His vivid descriptions of weaponry and armor and the characters riveting emotional responses paint realistic battle scenes. All true lovers of fantasy will appreciate and indulge in this series.
This is the first installment in the Heirs of Vanity series and Hanson has revealed a second and third book that will continue the saga of the life of Roland. Being his debut novel, the prose is understandably unrefined. It would be pleasing to see it elevated in the coming installments to raise it up a level and place it among the ranks of other famous epic fantasy novels. There is a great potential for Hanson to pull a best seller out of this series. Roland's world, the Kingdom of Lethanor, is well thought out and beautifully illustrated at the back of the book but more visual world building throughout the book would give the reader a better sense of the environment. It must be noted that the action/fight scenes in the book are both thrilling and suspenseful. Hanson undoubtedly draws on his real life experiences as a law enforcement officer to drive his impassioned mental illustrations of the scenes. His vivid descriptions of weaponry and armor and the characters riveting emotional responses paint realistic battle scenes. All true lovers of fantasy will appreciate and indulge in this series.
October 8, 2019
Hanson creates a complex and layered world of mighty warriors, fierce gods, dishonorable elves, powerful dwarves, and shadowy wizards in this first installment of Heirs of Vanity series.
Trying to prove himself worthy in his father’s eyes, seventeen-year-old Roland is devastated when two prisoners, the servants of evil, escape from the jail during his watch. With the help of his best friend Eldryn and the third prisoner, a dagger wielding cutpurse, Roland sets on to capture the prisoners. Critical events unfold as the duo makes new allies and battles formidable enemies.
While the story starts on a simple note, momentum and tension build as Hanson introduces a multitude of intriguing characters and a horde of twists. The book is simultaneously a story of self-discovery and adventure fantasy filled with intriguing milieus, action-packed battle scenes, and killings of ferocious beasts; Hanson skillfully blends Roland’s uncertainty and unexpected bravery as the teen conquers his occasional self-doubts and becomes a man; magical forces and fearsome figures lurk throughout the story as it builds in complexity and intensity.
Hanson’s accomplished writing and expertise at creating intense situations is one of his strong points. The satisfying open-ended culmination sets things up nicely for the next installment. With Hanson’s fresh take on the well-worn setting and his knack for creating unceasing twists, this tale makes for a non-stop, entertaining fantasy adventure.
YA fantasy lovers will gobble it up with gratification.
Trying to prove himself worthy in his father’s eyes, seventeen-year-old Roland is devastated when two prisoners, the servants of evil, escape from the jail during his watch. With the help of his best friend Eldryn and the third prisoner, a dagger wielding cutpurse, Roland sets on to capture the prisoners. Critical events unfold as the duo makes new allies and battles formidable enemies.
While the story starts on a simple note, momentum and tension build as Hanson introduces a multitude of intriguing characters and a horde of twists. The book is simultaneously a story of self-discovery and adventure fantasy filled with intriguing milieus, action-packed battle scenes, and killings of ferocious beasts; Hanson skillfully blends Roland’s uncertainty and unexpected bravery as the teen conquers his occasional self-doubts and becomes a man; magical forces and fearsome figures lurk throughout the story as it builds in complexity and intensity.
Hanson’s accomplished writing and expertise at creating intense situations is one of his strong points. The satisfying open-ended culmination sets things up nicely for the next installment. With Hanson’s fresh take on the well-worn setting and his knack for creating unceasing twists, this tale makes for a non-stop, entertaining fantasy adventure.
YA fantasy lovers will gobble it up with gratification.
November 2, 2019
"Roland's Path (Heirs of Vanity #1) by R.J. Hanson is a fantasy adventure novel with exceptional detail to characters.
Two best friends, Roland and Eldryn, battle together in magical adventures. Their inner turmoils derail them, but their opposing strengths and weaknesses prove that together, they can grow up and overcome the adversity of their youth.
The relationship between Roland and Eldryn reminded me of the leader/follower friendship of Jim and Will in Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked this Way Comes." They also make me think of the famous duo, Frodo and Sam, each on their own life path, but getting there together.
The idea of accidentally setting evil free is one that has been explored before, but Hanson has succeeded in creating a new world with unique perspectives. The traumas that befall the main characters in their physical and emotional quest are at once mythical and real.
Hanson's writing style is smooth and detailed. Battles and scenes are described so the reader can "see." He refrains from being too wordy, or too intricate in his depictions.
Fans of YA fantasy, magical realism, fast-paced action, and deep characters will binge-read this book.
Two best friends, Roland and Eldryn, battle together in magical adventures. Their inner turmoils derail them, but their opposing strengths and weaknesses prove that together, they can grow up and overcome the adversity of their youth.
The relationship between Roland and Eldryn reminded me of the leader/follower friendship of Jim and Will in Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked this Way Comes." They also make me think of the famous duo, Frodo and Sam, each on their own life path, but getting there together.
The idea of accidentally setting evil free is one that has been explored before, but Hanson has succeeded in creating a new world with unique perspectives. The traumas that befall the main characters in their physical and emotional quest are at once mythical and real.
Hanson's writing style is smooth and detailed. Battles and scenes are described so the reader can "see." He refrains from being too wordy, or too intricate in his depictions.
Fans of YA fantasy, magical realism, fast-paced action, and deep characters will binge-read this book.
May 24, 2020
Wild West lawman meets the Witcher
A deeply imaginative world, Roland’s Path feels like a young Clint Eastwood tale of a noble youth swept up in simple case of tracking down criminals across a real terrain where fantasy creatures replace the dangers of cougars and bobcats. It’s part adventure and part gauntlet of adulthood that pits Roland against his own youthful limitations as he is force to make the difficult choices and actions that would make him the man, and knight, he aspires to be.
A deeply imaginative world, Roland’s Path feels like a young Clint Eastwood tale of a noble youth swept up in simple case of tracking down criminals across a real terrain where fantasy creatures replace the dangers of cougars and bobcats. It’s part adventure and part gauntlet of adulthood that pits Roland against his own youthful limitations as he is force to make the difficult choices and actions that would make him the man, and knight, he aspires to be.
August 25, 2020
Choc full of adventure
I loved this book. It kind of reminded me of Lord of the rings. The world is absolutely huge, breathtaking, and real. The characters are well thought out and make you feel for them.
If you like hard fantasy, this is your book. I couldn't recommend it enough.
I loved this book. It kind of reminded me of Lord of the rings. The world is absolutely huge, breathtaking, and real. The characters are well thought out and make you feel for them.
If you like hard fantasy, this is your book. I couldn't recommend it enough.
October 25, 2019
Warriors and wizards make for a great fantasy adventure and this one did not disappoint. Excellent start to a series that launches you into a new world filled with adventure. Great character development and world building. I look forward to the next installment and more from this author.
February 5, 2020
Very good story! A mix of Standby Me meets Lord of the Rings. If you like action, adventure, and fantasy, this is a must read
August 18, 2019
Fantastic start to a new series. I love the story and the map at the back of the book was very helpful. I can't wait for the next book.
August 16, 2020
An Adventure!
An adventure with all the ingredients of an epic fantasy. The main characters reminded me of a younger version of Ryria, my favorite dynamic duo. Friends facing impossible odds and getting through them together.
I recommend this to all readers who long for hero’s quest stories with ogres and wizards thrown in for good measure.
An adventure with all the ingredients of an epic fantasy. The main characters reminded me of a younger version of Ryria, my favorite dynamic duo. Friends facing impossible odds and getting through them together.
I recommend this to all readers who long for hero’s quest stories with ogres and wizards thrown in for good measure.
May 15, 2019
Highly recommended for anyone who has played Dungeons & Dragons or a similar role-playing game and thought their adventures would make an excellent book. This guy actually did it! The writing is somewhat raw, as one would expect from a first-time author. But the characters are interesting, and the worldbuilding is solid. The combat scenes were the highlight for me — I could practically see the d20 rolling in my head as I read them!
April 15, 2019
It is a little difficult to believe this is the author’s debut novel. There are so many things to love about this book, especially in a genre often weighed down with clichés. Hanson’s very visceral writing style captures the breathtaking excitement, terror, and wonder of fantasy adventure that I’ve found in roleplaying, computer gaming, and classics of the genre…but is so often lacking in contemporary offerings. The mental world inhabited by his characters is very well developed. Combat scenes are invariably creative, well-thought, and realistic in a way that will please purists while remaining fast paced enough to satisfy others. And it is an intriguing blend of high and low fantasy: while inhabiting a gritty world and hardly infallible, the protagonists are high-minded people trying to do the right thing in an often complicated and confusing world. If you’re uncertain about your next fantasy read … just get this one.
February 24, 2021
Great read! I felt like I was really a part of the story! I couldn't stop reading it!
September 9, 2020
I listened to this after it was advertised to me on facebook. One amazon review saying the characters' relationship reminded them of riyria, but as they spelt riyria wrong, I knew to be skeptical. And it turns out I was right.
The interactions between the two main characters is more like the two from Phoenix Unchained. They already know each other and are comfortable with each other, pretty similar in temper and ideals. This can still work and be interesting, but the author's writing style just didn't work for me.
He would write about how one character knew the other's feelings about a thing, or how they would react, but without showing any significance to the plot, or giving any background. Then just moving on, like it was just a side note. This is a definite tell instead of show writing style. For example, the two are bickering about how weapons sellers overprice their items, and Elrond thinks how he will enjoy debating the topic, only for it to end one sentence later.
The writing also has some major editing issues, like every other sentence starting with "Roland", and distracting POV jumping.
The fight scenes and hunting knowledge was written well, but still nothing memorable.
I was hoping I would like it, but it just didn't catch my interest, and the writing wasn't engaging enough for what plot it had.
The interactions between the two main characters is more like the two from Phoenix Unchained. They already know each other and are comfortable with each other, pretty similar in temper and ideals. This can still work and be interesting, but the author's writing style just didn't work for me.
He would write about how one character knew the other's feelings about a thing, or how they would react, but without showing any significance to the plot, or giving any background. Then just moving on, like it was just a side note. This is a definite tell instead of show writing style. For example, the two are bickering about how weapons sellers overprice their items, and Elrond thinks how he will enjoy debating the topic, only for it to end one sentence later.
The writing also has some major editing issues, like every other sentence starting with "Roland", and distracting POV jumping.
The fight scenes and hunting knowledge was written well, but still nothing memorable.
I was hoping I would like it, but it just didn't catch my interest, and the writing wasn't engaging enough for what plot it had.
November 5, 2019
I love the two main characters in this book! Their personalities and humor kept me reading. I just finished the book today and so after setting it down, I ordered book two on Amazon! I cant wait to find out more about Roland's and Eldryn's adventures! I have 4 children, at different ages/stages in life and I know one day this is a book they will love reading too!
August 3, 2020
Meh.
I got it for free, and it was worth every penny
I didn't get past the first page. It's not awful, awful, but the writing isn't great, and there was just nothing to get me interested in reading further.
I got it for free, and it was worth every penny
I didn't get past the first page. It's not awful, awful, but the writing isn't great, and there was just nothing to get me interested in reading further.
sff-ok-bx
February 15, 2025Bx,Rok
May 2, 2020
Either a draft version was uploaded to Amazon or this wasn't proofread at all. Numerous errors made it difficult to read but I stuck with it. Errors such as alter instead of altar, wondered v wandered, past v passed, were v where, are just a few examples. In some places the narrative seemed to be out of sequence. Emphasis of phrases within sentences could not be determined due to a complete lack of commas or else sentences had too many commas....
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews