To Speak with Elders

Protectors of Pretanni #3

by Mike Mollman

Grahme is more powerful - and more volatile - than the Druid Council ever guessed. His nephew, Figol is a Sorim, the druid’s sworn enemy. When Figol attempts to join the order, both are sent on fool’s mission to find new allies.

But who? The Emerald Druids hold them in disdain. The Centaurs shoot humans on sight. The Demon Summoners and their infernal demons are too foul to consider.

Unexpected kindness and cruelty await, but not from whom they expect.

Genres: Fantasy

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 9, 2022

About the author

Mike Mollman is a charming individual graced with good looks, undeniable charisma and humility. These descriptions come straight from his keyboard, so they must be treated as unimpeachable facts. When he’s not self-aggrandizing, Mike lives in the Richmond, Virginia area with his two dogs and the many voices in his head.

Reviews

[Jord MiddleofNowhere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please read my review at the following link:

https://escapistbookcompany.com/2023/...

Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!

[Andrews WizardlyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic sequel!!!

Druid fantasy at its best. A young Druid thrust into a position he isn’t quite ready for. Nevertheless, Grahme is determined to do his best.

I loved continuing Grahme and Figols adventures in the Protectors of Pretanni. It’s fun, fast-paced, and full of heart. Seeing Grahmes coming-of-age story continue is super satisfying, to say the least.

My main critique here is the pacing. There are many moving parts to this story. LOTS OF QUESTS. So when one resolves we immediately move on to the next. This isn’t a bad thing per se. But at times things happen and then get explained right after when we could have just experienced it on the page.

If you love Druids, Quests, Centaurs, Demons, Griffins, and stuck-up royals then you are in for a treat

[T Adventure · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great. It took me longer to get into than Becoming A Druid I think, but by the end, I enjoyed it more. There’s so much more growth for young Grahme, and it has such a great “quest” storyline.

We explore a lot more of the world, and “To Speak With Elders” is such an apt title. I love exploring the various fantasy races like we do here. It’s just a really good series. I don’t know what it is, whether the writing, or the audiobook narration, or a mixture of the two (I think it’s that), but there is just something so, almost… comforting about these books. They’re just easy and fun to listen to. It’s just great.

Anyways, another great book from Mike Mollman.

[Graff Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Protectors of Prianni 03 To Speak with Elders by Mike Mollman

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense

Slow-paced

Plot or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes

4.5 Stars

One of the big things for me...in reading this series...is getting used to a character-driven story. I love intricate character work, but I am also a fan of a solid plot (so as the reader, I know "basically" where they are going, and why they are going there). This is NOT that type of story.

This being the third book in the story, we already understand that...the reader no less (or about the same) as the characters...and the main characters in this story, don't know much (of where they're going...until they get to the next place).

This type of story...is usually a HUGE frustration for me. I have gotten used to it with Joe Abercrombie, and now...I think that my level of enjoyment within the story is satisfied in this book (the third book), since I now know that the author is trustworthy. He's told enough of the story...so that I know it's NOT aimless, but part of the character's growth (along with the reader's growth). Well done, indeed.

Our two protagonists are complicated people. One, Grahame is a druid, even one of the Nine...and even at his young age. The other, is Figol...who's wanting to become a druid in training...though his parentage is harm to his future.

We don't know the WHOLE truth. So as you read the story, we don't know IF this young man...who is UBER talented, and picksup things incredibly easily (for his experience), and does things that even full-fledged druids cannot do. We don't know if he will be the good guy (in the future, or even now). 

On the other hand, a number of the druids that we meet up with within this story...have gone astray, on their own...because of their own innate weaknesses. This shows, that even the Druids has corruption within their midst, even with "fairly" good parentage. So...the druids being wary of Figol is natural.

I was having so much fun in this story, and I cannot wait to pick up Protectors of Pretanni 04 Desperate Dispatches..

[Marilyn]

This is a difficult book for me to review and rate. I will need to have a long think.
For the positives: Graeme and Figol’s characters do grow and mature. There is lots of light-hearted banter between them. Figol desperately wants to become a Druid, but he needs to learn to animorph and control his mind-entering skills. They also meet Bodmin, who is a good character but then he disappears never to be seen again. The last 30 percent has centaurs and griffins, which is a cool addition to other creatures. There are korriks, but I never could really imagine these little hairball beings.
For the negatives: there’s so much modern language and phrases that I’m taken out of the story. Graeme can come off as a blundering, hot-headed man. He’s quick to demand a duel to resolve things and so other Druids aren’t a fan of his hot tempered ways.
We hear about elves and their ways, but alas they aren’t any part of this story. Other events take place and are resolved way to quickly and conveniently. Also the middle of the book is such a hodgepodge of people and immature antics and quarrels. Demons become a part of this plot, and it doesn’t go anywhere. The time in Eriu just doesn’t make much sense to the overall story. I almost stopped reading at this point, but I hoped we would get back on track.
This leads me to all the many quests upon quests that Graeme and Figol must endure in order to stay alive. So then the last 30 percent seems to get back on track. But I was particularly aggrieved at a scene in which the centaurs kill something, but we were told they don’t kill children. I had no sympathy for them here. There are other killings that happen, which changed the atmosphere of the story completely. All along it was more light-hearted with difficult tasks, but then it be came very dark and grim. An opportunity of reconciliation and understanding was missed out here and I couldn’t wrap my mind around these turn of events. Sadly I did not find the ending satisfactory.

[Benghis Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightfully quirky second book this turned out to be. We are following Grahme yet again as our sole POV, but this time he keeps his nephew Figol around for the whole book instead of ditching him part way through. I enjoyed the dynamic between the pair as they faced down one seemingly impossible quest after the next with determination and aplomb.

We get to see many more parts of Mollman's fantastical version of ancient Britain and learn some more of the intriguing history and lore as we travel around and meet some new peoples/races and long-lived beings. Most of the book is spent away from other druids though, and I found myself missing some of those interesting characters and just the Druid culture that we spent more time with in book 1. I wasn't as intrigued by some of the characters Grahme has to engage with on his quests here, but they were all distinctive and full of personality nonetheless. The highlight of the read beyond just spending time with Grahme (whom I've become quite attached to) was the animal transformation magic taking center stage and playing a continual role in the narrative -- I just loved all the fun variety and strategic advantages that come with that magic.

The book does a great job establishing more of the larger political picture at play and setting up what I imagine might be an explosive second half of the series. This series is general is just a bit off the wall and completely unpredictable, so I can't wait to see what comes next!

[Derek Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

TO SPEAK WITH ELDERS didn't live up to all of my hopes/expectations coming out of SINS AND SORROWS, but I still very much enjoyed joining Grahme for another adventure.

PLOT/TONE
Things kick off pretty much immediately after the events of SINS AND SORROWS (perhaps parts of it even overlap, the timeline wasn't completely clear to me). What threw me off the most is how little characters and events from the previous two books played a meaningful role in this story. In some ways, SINS AND SORROWS felt like essential reading prior to TO SPEAK WITH ELDERS, but in others, those events seemed rather inconsequential. Certain details would definitely be confusing without the prior context of Book 1.5, but I was really hoping for more connection points, especially since things seemed to be converging around all the Sorim political intrigue. Grahme's current adventure, instead takes him off in an entirely different direction which introduces brand new characters, takes us to new parts of the world, and even introduces some new types of magic. The longer this book sits with me, the more I think I appreciate all the newness. At the time I read it though, I definitely found myself wishing that there was more follow up on things that had previously been introduced. Some of this is just misaligned expectations and some of it probably had to do with some things I had going on at the time, but I struggled to find get fully engrossed in certain sections of this one.

After joining the rest of the druid council for a summit, Grahme finds himself going on another quest, which then leads to another quest, and then another. Needless to say, the plot took some interesting turns. I appreciated all the layers of this story even though I wasn't always fully invested and definitely felt bad for Grahme as one thing piled on top of another for him. Those who liked the pacing and overall format of BECOMING A DRUID will feel right at home here, but Mollman does enough to play with the adventure-quest formula this time around where this doesn't simply feel like a repeat of the first book. It's also clear to me that the author is building up to something even larger than I'd originally thought this series aspired to. There's a whole world being crafted here and lots of moving parts that will likely only grow in importance later. I've never really been a patient reader who "trusts the process," but now that I have read all the currently available books in this series, I do find myself rather eager to see what will come next.

CHARACTERS
As with the previous two books, the characters are a mix of exceptional and somewhat forgettable. The way that Grahme is handled this time around really impressed me. He's still a somewhat haughty fellow who feels true to the impetuous, young druid-in-training that we met in the first book, but the ways in which he has matured as a person felt quite satisfying. It can be a very difficult thing to balance character growth with who they previously were as a character and I think that is managed brilliantly here. Another huge highlight of the cast is that Figol finally gets to join his uncle for pretty much the entire duration of the journey. Much of the plot centers around Grahme's promise to do everything he can to get Figol admitted into the druids. While I felt like Grahme embraced the stern mentor figure a little too enthusiastically at times, I really enjoyed his relationship with his nephew and their dynamic definitely kept me engaged even during parts of the adventure that didn't capture me as much. I also thought the dilemma surrounding whether Figol should be allowed to become a druid was quite interesting and I constantly found myself questioning where I stood on the issue given his telepathic powers, familial ties to a Sorim royal family, and certain choices he made along the journey that juxtaposed his otherwise calm and caring personality which would seemingly make him an ideal candidate for the order.

The side cast is where things got a little mixed. Characters from previous books don't really show up a whole lot for this story. Even the council of druids mostly only plays a role in the beginning and end chapters. Fortunately, there are some very interesting newcomers. The shapeshifting Bodmin was a particular standout for me as well as other members of his family that I won't spoil. The centaur characters that play a part in the latter half of the book were all fantastic and I found their culture super interesting. On the flipside, there were some that were equally forgettable, in my opinion. There are two women who appear earlier on that I didn't really connect with in any way and I kept literally forgetting their names even when they were still an active part of the story. Some of this may have just been my state of mind while reading these sections, but I think to some extent at least they could have been more interesting and distinct. Similarly, there are some antagonistic characters who are dealt with faster than I would have liked which sort of sullied the sense of triumph in their defeat. I was also surprised that one with particular relevance to Figol did not leave a bigger splash (even though that was kind of explained).

SETTING/WORLD
As I mentioned before, this story is less about revisiting already travelled ground, and much more interested in taking readers to brand new corners of this world. While that may not have been what I was expecting, the journey ventures into some fascinating new locations that I very much enjoyed learning about. The city of the Emerald Druids was maybe my least favorite of them all, but it was still a cool starting place for the quest. I also think the politics of this particular location made up for anything I found uninteresting about it and I found it pretty entertaining that Grahme unwittingly gets himself wrapped up in their war with the demon summoners. The place in which The Nine hold summits was a bit more interesting to me and it almost reminded me of a tranquil shrine or hideaway that one might find in Middle Earth. The bog that Bodmin dwells in had a cool, moody atmosphere and I liked the woodland shack that they travel with him to later in the story. Chief among all the new geography though, has to be the land of the centaurs. There is a vaguely dystopian human kingdom that I found intriguing and then, of course, the sprawling tented metropolis of the half-horse-half-human folk. I loved how the construction of this place fit the tribal nature of the centaur society while also feeling rather civilized in it's own, brutal way.

In addition to some new parts of the world, there are also some new forms of magic. Figol's mental powers are expanded upon in some intriguing ways and we also learn about some deeply disturbing uses of it thanks to some of the mental manipulations his own mother placed on him (which certainly made me see her in a new light). There is also some very creepy demon magic. I don't normally love magic systems that are based around demons, but this one is handled pretty well and there were some surprising rules as well as possibilities defined around it that kept me wanting to learn more. While the centaurs themselves don't seem to wield any magic, I always love when magical creatures are introduced. There is another very popular type of mythological creature that I think people will be happy to see, but I don't want to spoil what that is (the centaurs are on the cover, so I feel pretty comfortable talking about them). All in all, things feel so much bigger and there is a sense of magic beyond just the druidic abilities. I have a feeling that there is even more that Mollman intends to explore in this series and I very much look forward to learning more about Prettani as well as it's neighboring nations in the future.

THE AUDIOBOOK
There isn't a whole ton more to say on the audio performance that I haven't already said. If you liked it in the previous two books, then I think you will find it just as enjoyable this time around (and if you didn't, then I suppose you won't this time either). I do appreciate the consistency of having the same person perform all three of the books and was yet again blown away that he sings us another song in the middle of one of the chapters (and does it quite well). Consuming the story in this format made it a light, easy read for my car rides or walks and I really enjoyed having some clean fantasy to take with me on the move.

CONCLUSION
TO SPEAK WITH ELDERS serves as a worthy successor to the first book in the series. It expands upon some of the series' strengths while still falling to some of it's initial pitfalls and not always meeting my expectations in terms of it's connections to previous books (though, again, some of this might have to do with me not being fully clear on how it fits into the timeline with SINS AND SORROWS). If you've been enjoying the series so far, then you absolutely have to read this one since it expands the world in interesting ways and introduces some great new characters as well.
(+) Interesting expansion on the types of magic in this world
(+) Action and adventure throughout
(+) Compelling lead characters
(+) A handful of spectacular side characters
(+) Exploration of fascinating new regions within the world
(+) Some interesting teases at things to come
(+) Centaurs (need I say more?)
(-) Some side characters that were forgettable and some villains that didn't reach their full potential
(-) Certain parts of the plot that I didn't mesh with as much as I wanted
(-) I'd hoped for more concrete connections with previous books

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - Stars

I've been steadily working to get caught on several series over the last few months and one of them is the Protectors of Pretanni by Mike Mollman. I've previously experienced book one Becoming a Druid and book two Sins and Sorrows. This brings me to book three To Speak with Elders. This was my favorite yet from the series.

I enjoyed the first book but the second took a bit of a dip in that enjoyment for me personally. I think this was due to the format changing a bit where we basically had two novellas combined to tell that story. To Speak with Elders returned to a more traditional storytelling format like the first book.

I just touched on the pacing a bit as again, the format of books one and three are more to my style. I continued to opt for the audio version of this tale which is narrated by James Meunier who does an excellent job in bringing this story to life. There is a lot going in this book with plenty of different characters to keep track of and I never seemed to have gotten lost thanks to the narrator's performance.

I didn't have any issues with names of characters or locations to get lost with either. I can't express enough how much better the flow of this one compared to book two worked for me.

The world building continues to be uniquely amazing in this series. There is plenty of magic to be found along with various fantastical creatures and races to find along the way. With each book in this series the world itself seems to grow deeper and richer.

There is also plenty of political intrigue to be found throughout this series but it really seemed to shine for me in To Speak with Elders. This extends both internally with the council but also with the various villages and towns as well. Lots of layers to this world and it's story.

The character development was also really good in book three here. Grahme has some really good moments in his arc but there are some great supporting characters including other druids, village leaders and family members to join this adventure. I personally really enjoyed the relationship between Grahme and his nephew. He both wants to see the young man succeed but also make sure he follows a solid path getting to that success. I'm sure most of us know that is very rarely a straight path and it's no different for his nephew Figol.

To Speak with Elders got me excited to see what is yet to come in this series. I do believe book four is already out in physical and digital print versions but I am not sure there is an audio available just yet. I will have to see how timing goes. I'm hoping that audio is available when book for hits my monthly TBR. However, if not, I'm sure I can work in a visual read with the digital print copy if I can't wait any longer.

I'd definitely recommend readers of fantasy check out this series. Book one was a solid start to the series. If you have any reservations towards the series after book two like I did, definitely look into the third book. I'm confident it will restore your faith in the series and author.

[emeraldragonlady (Maddie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Figol to join the Druid council Uncle Grohme makes a deal with the newly elected head of the Druid council. She send them on a quest to gain allies that might be able to help aid them in the event that a war breaks out.
Grohme & Figol set out for the Emerald Druids… but quickly find they don’t want anything to do with their rival sister clan. But an unexpected emerald Druid leads them to a possible allie but this alliance will take time & trust. To help build this trust they make a deal to help rid their city of demon summoners.
Next they try their hand with the Centaurs… in which they receive a death sentence with a quest to clear their names. And then accidentally have war breakout with the Centaurs & a nearby city that has the bones of the Centaur ancestors.
Have Grohme & Figol made enough alliances??? Or any alliances??
This was such a good read with so many twists & turns. Highly recommend this series for fantasy & magic lovers.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Jet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second of the Protectors of apretando series. It was absolutely awesome. I enjoyed this book more than the first. There was giants, griffins, centaurs, and demons. So much was happening in the book, it was hard to put down at times. I am definitely excited for the final installment. It should be released sometime next year (hopefully). Go out and support a local author !!

[Jeanette Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have guessed that Grahme would be THIS powerful? Certainly not the other druids or the Nine for that sake.
Now, his nephew, Figol, wishes to join the druids.
The problem? Figol is a Sorim, a sworn enemy to the druids.

This is where the adventures of Grahme continue.
I buckled in, got my tea, and started reading while wondering what in Pretanni will Grahme get himself into this time?

🔹️
"Grahme, no matter what, you will not be your nephew's mentor."
🔹️

On our way on an impossible mission, we learn more about the magic this time. I enjoyed that, almost as much as the animorphing.
I wonder which animal would be my go-to if I could.
The characters are great in this book, too, just like the last. I found that I just adore Figol. He means well, and when he helps solve a little situation from the last book, I adore him even more, and that ability of his... he better not try that on me!😂
Oh, and we can not forget all of the potential allies!
I loved that we got up, close and personal with Bodmin, that we learned his story.

🔹️
"You may make a fine druid after all. Now follow my lead."
🔹️

Ah, the search of allies. The votes that must be swayed. Everything is on the line. Especially with a powerful silvertounge among the druids. It makes me wonder...
Is this the end of the Pretanni Druids?

🔹️
"I am Te'Kuth, annihilator of men."
🔹️

Behold! The demons of Tusci!. They almost had me running scared. 🤭
With no other choice other than to trust the uneasy truces, we leap into battle!

Is this a batte they can win?

Oh, Figol, no!

[Usman Zunnoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong entry in Protectors of Pretanni. So many cool new additions to the world and story!

I’m glad to be back with Grahme on a journey even more epic than the last. I love the expansion of the world and all the new races and characters we meet.
I am becoming quite fond of Mollman’s distinct writing style which reminds me of some of the classics I’ve been reading recently. If you enjoy a series that holds to the tradition of bringing people together through adventure and a story told in its full glory then this is the series for you!

Very excited for the next book!

[Jason Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great sequel to Becoming a Druid. There's a lot action considering the number of Quests Grahme and Figol undertake. Both characters grow so much during the course of the book, I'm looking forward to the next one. The pacing is a bit fast and there are a lot of moving parts to take into consideration. Otherwise a great book.

[K O · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Speak With Elders is great fun and definitely a Goodread!

If you like magic and mayhem, druids, and all sorts of creatures learning to live with and near each other without killing everyone, wonderful characters, and excellent writing give this Mike Mollman series a read. I have thoroughly enjoyed the books.

[E.L. Montague · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mollman has done it again. I still love Grahme. Another story that takes across the mythos of ancient England with druids - of course - but wolfmen, demons, centaurs, witches, and griffins to boot. In his unique style, he carries us along on an adventure with Grahme and nephew Figol.

I'll have another, please.

[Sinna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series.A very powerful Druid with a hair-trigger is exactly my groove. Between the politics and the quests there is little room to breathe but plenty of room to appreciate the author's sense of humor and storytelling skills.

[Phillip Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great adventure with Grahme! His exploits never disappoint. I look forward to the next installment!