Blurb:
George is a legendary hero… wait, no. George is an incredibly powerful sorcerer…also no? Okay, fine. George is an unremarkable human bard who made a promise a long time ago. A promise that set him on a path to find the remains of Simantiar, the greatest wizard who ever lived. Though all that was left were bones, Simantiar was still very much alive and quite…underwhelming. This is their story:
The Fantastically Underwhelming Epic of a dead wizard and an average bard.
Review:
There are a lot of things that I really enjoyed with this book. There are times that I was laughing with some of the comments and then holding my breath with the action scenes that made the characters feel real peril. It hits a lot of the classical fantasy feels as the story progresses but throws in a lot of unique monsters and a thoughtful approach to magic. It is the debut novel of the author, and he definitely impresses with the way that he manages the characters and overall story. It definitely is an epic story full of heart, adventure, mystery, and fun.
The strength of this novel is easily the characters that are within the pages. Each are unique and have their own story to tell, all of which makes them interesting to read. They will continually pull you in, each having their own moment to shine. The pacing can be interrupted a bit by the flashbacks of some of the characters, but these still remain an important and integral part of the story. I did enjoy most of them but there were a few times I was anxious to jump back into the main story.
This is definitely a story that will fit for those who want a deep story with some moments of humor. It also shows that it possible to take traditional fantasy themes and tell them in a new and modern take that will keep a reader returning for more. The monsters within the pages are also creatures that will stick with you, maybe even haunting the dreams of the reader. This was a stellar debut novel and launches Kian Ardalan to the list of authors to watch!
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
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