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goonerette's review against another edition
Writing is very basic and 3 hours in just felt dull & uninteresting. I had no investment in the characters to care what happened to them. It was tough slog for the amount I read.
szeththeassassin's review against another edition
4.0
Please read my review at the link below:
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/08/04/cold-from-the-north-the-onyxborn-chronicles-1-by-d-w-ross/
Thank you for taking the time to read my review! As always happy reading and Stay Great!!
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/08/04/cold-from-the-north-the-onyxborn-chronicles-1-by-d-w-ross/
Thank you for taking the time to read my review! As always happy reading and Stay Great!!
dominish_books's review against another edition
4.0
* You can find my full video review here: https://youtu.be/N5CdrQ-RYvk *
Cold From the North is the debut fantasy novel by DW Ross, it’s the beginning of the self-published Onyxborn Chronicles that continues with the Darkest Dusk and then book three, The Fury of Fate, which is planned for release in June 2022.
In this opening book, we focus on two friends, Ogulf and Melcun, who live in the cold north of Broadheim in a village called Keltbran. Keltbran wasn’t always so cold, it seems that there’s an endless winter at the point that the story takes place.
Their plans to escape to warmer climes are interrupted by the quite sudden invasion of their lands by a great force intent on finding a chosen one to fulfill a prophecy.
Ogulf and Melcun take on a dangerous quest through another country, this one being torn apart by a civil war, in an attempt to seek help and stop the prophecy from being completed.
I liked both the setting and the magic as far as the worldbuilding goes. The writing did a very good job at making me feel the cold North in particular. For the magic, we saw actual consequences rather than just the usual drain on the magic user, so that was a nice touch.
In terms of the characters, I liked both Ogulf and Melcun, as the main heroes of the story. There were also some interesting new additions to the cast as the book went on, and I can’t wait to see what path they take in book two and perhaps beyond.
Overall, I really enjoyed Cold from the North. I would say that some of the writing itself was perhaps a little rough around the edges in parts, and to a degree you might expect that from a debut novel. I definitely found that the combination of setting, story and characters more than made up for this though.
Cold From the North is the debut fantasy novel by DW Ross, it’s the beginning of the self-published Onyxborn Chronicles that continues with the Darkest Dusk and then book three, The Fury of Fate, which is planned for release in June 2022.
In this opening book, we focus on two friends, Ogulf and Melcun, who live in the cold north of Broadheim in a village called Keltbran. Keltbran wasn’t always so cold, it seems that there’s an endless winter at the point that the story takes place.
Their plans to escape to warmer climes are interrupted by the quite sudden invasion of their lands by a great force intent on finding a chosen one to fulfill a prophecy.
Ogulf and Melcun take on a dangerous quest through another country, this one being torn apart by a civil war, in an attempt to seek help and stop the prophecy from being completed.
I liked both the setting and the magic as far as the worldbuilding goes. The writing did a very good job at making me feel the cold North in particular. For the magic, we saw actual consequences rather than just the usual drain on the magic user, so that was a nice touch.
In terms of the characters, I liked both Ogulf and Melcun, as the main heroes of the story. There were also some interesting new additions to the cast as the book went on, and I can’t wait to see what path they take in book two and perhaps beyond.
Overall, I really enjoyed Cold from the North. I would say that some of the writing itself was perhaps a little rough around the edges in parts, and to a degree you might expect that from a debut novel. I definitely found that the combination of setting, story and characters more than made up for this though.
nina_bloodsworn's review against another edition
5.0
4.5*
what an amazing debut by D.W. Ross!! wow just wow.
Worldbuilding, characters, atmosphere, battle-scenes were all pretty amazing. the pacing was phenomenal. The first 230 pages flew by so quickly, I had to restrain myself to do the story and the words justice and immerse myself even more.
The driving plotforce is an acient prophecy which, if fulfilled brings evil into this world and Ogulf is tryin to stop it from happenin to safe his people. There is family, friendship and a big heart.
All the norse-inspired fantasy elements, which I love, are there and refreshingly light written.
A fantasy to love and a newly discovered author to follow.
Can't wait to read the second book: The Darkest Dusk already waiting on my kindle to devour
what an amazing debut by D.W. Ross!! wow just wow.
Worldbuilding, characters, atmosphere, battle-scenes were all pretty amazing. the pacing was phenomenal. The first 230 pages flew by so quickly, I had to restrain myself to do the story and the words justice and immerse myself even more.
The driving plotforce is an acient prophecy which, if fulfilled brings evil into this world and Ogulf is tryin to stop it from happenin to safe his people. There is family, friendship and a big heart.
All the norse-inspired fantasy elements, which I love, are there and refreshingly light written.
A fantasy to love and a newly discovered author to follow.
Can't wait to read the second book: The Darkest Dusk already waiting on my kindle to devour
kayshiddenshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4/5 Stars
A chilling start to the Onyxborn Chronicle! Cold from the North by D.W. Ross is a self-published epic fantasy with Viking influences.
An old prophecy returns, an army swarms the North to return their dark god to the world, and one hope to stop them. Olgulf, son of the cheiftan in the Northern village of Keltbran, learns of the army destroying all who stand in their way. Olgulf and his people must make the treacherous journey South to seek refuge and warn of the impending army. Along his travels, he is tasked with finding the one person who can stop the onslaught and prevent the Onyxborn’s return.
Cold From the North pulls you into a bleak and hopeless land. The North has been cast into perpetual winter for years. While the people of the North are hardy, survival in a barren land becomes increasingly difficult for Olgulf and his people. With the setting of the land and characters established quickly, it was easy to become immersed in the world and its people.
Similarly, I found myself quickly invested in the characters and their circumstances. Throughout this multi-POV story, the characters each had distinct voices and while there were likeable and unlikable characters, D.W. Ross made it easy to fall into the nuances of the characters relationships vs their responsibilities.
While there is magic, it is not widely accepted among all those in the world. This creates tension and intriguing developments throughout the story.
There was also a great balance of suspense and pacing within the story. While the pacing was medium to fast, the added layer of suspense or tension made this hard to put down. Typically, when emotional scenes occur in a book, I put it down to process the scene before continuing. I couldn’t do that with Cold from the North because it was such a compelling read, and easy to get lost in.
This is a harsh world that will draw you in from the start and leave you theorizing.
I read this via eBook and listening to the audiobook, narrated by Matt Coles. Matt did a great job at setting the tone and bringing the characters to life.
I read this via eBook and listening to the audiobook, narrated by Matt Coles. Matt did a great job at setting the tone and bringing the characters to life.
Featuring great characters, action, emotional scenes, magic, foreshadowing, mystery, lore, a prophecy, and quest.
A great start to the series and one I’d recommend for any Fantasy reader out there.
I look forward to continuing the series and seeing how the authors writing grows.
hwright93's review against another edition
5.0
I was kindly given a copy of this book to review by the author. This has not impacted my review in any way. 4.5 *
I really enjoyed Cold From The North. It's a great debut by a self-published author.
The world is almost Viking with the Northern lands being ravaged by a winter that hasn't thawed for years. The Northern people are strong, fighters and fearful of magic. Ogulf, one of the main POV's is the Chieftain's son and has an amazing nack for military strategy. He's an immediately likeable character. He doesn't need to chop peoples heads off to be an exciting character. He's a strong warrior who has just as strong morals. Due to a prophecy (no spoilers), Ogulf and his people have to flee their home. They are chased by a relentless army who will do anything in their power to fulfil the prophecy.
Ogulf's best friend is Melcun who is magical. He has had to hide this due to the fear in the North about magic. He adds a different POV to the story as a more shy, reserved character who has had to hide his true self from his people.
All of the characters feel well written and the world and lore felt real too. The mix of magic, prophecy, viking-esque setting, civil war (oh yes we've got one of those too) and quests makes this a great debut.
I really enjoyed Cold From The North. It's a great debut by a self-published author.
The world is almost Viking with the Northern lands being ravaged by a winter that hasn't thawed for years. The Northern people are strong, fighters and fearful of magic. Ogulf, one of the main POV's is the Chieftain's son and has an amazing nack for military strategy. He's an immediately likeable character. He doesn't need to chop peoples heads off to be an exciting character. He's a strong warrior who has just as strong morals. Due to a prophecy (no spoilers), Ogulf and his people have to flee their home. They are chased by a relentless army who will do anything in their power to fulfil the prophecy.
Ogulf's best friend is Melcun who is magical. He has had to hide this due to the fear in the North about magic. He adds a different POV to the story as a more shy, reserved character who has had to hide his true self from his people.
All of the characters feel well written and the world and lore felt real too. The mix of magic, prophecy, viking-esque setting, civil war (oh yes we've got one of those too) and quests makes this a great debut.
connorjdaley's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This author had been on my radar because I thought their covers were awesome. Then they ran a kindle sale where the books were FREE, and then they offered me the audiobook too! Unbelievable! I can’t wait to read more, but I think I would definitely like to stick with audio?
To be honest I started this one the same exact day I finished listening to Ryan Cahill’s Of Darkness and Light and it definitely threw me off. I don’t mean that there is a difference in quality or anything of that nature, but one is a fantasy tome and the other is shorter. With this one’s shortness the author says, “buckled in? No? Too bad.” I was just a little confused to start off with all the names and change in story. And I did find the opening to be a little more light in description than I expected. It is a shorter fantasy though which I really love.
This novel does a lot of exposition and dialogue throughout. The author does a good job with it though, because the characters are really important. The characters shine here. Another thing I enjoyed is the super fantasy names the author used. Ugolf being my absolutely favorite. Both as a name and character.
Just because this is a shorter fantasy at 365 pages, does not mean that the author doesn’t know how to pack a punch with emotion and action. If anything, the length adds urgency and tension to the pacing. This is one of the things I think the author did really well. And I can’t wait to get into it further with the sequel.
Absolutely worth your time, effort, or money to get this story and read!
To be honest I started this one the same exact day I finished listening to Ryan Cahill’s Of Darkness and Light and it definitely threw me off. I don’t mean that there is a difference in quality or anything of that nature, but one is a fantasy tome and the other is shorter. With this one’s shortness the author says, “buckled in? No? Too bad.” I was just a little confused to start off with all the names and change in story. And I did find the opening to be a little more light in description than I expected. It is a shorter fantasy though which I really love.
This novel does a lot of exposition and dialogue throughout. The author does a good job with it though, because the characters are really important. The characters shine here. Another thing I enjoyed is the super fantasy names the author used. Ugolf being my absolutely favorite. Both as a name and character.
Just because this is a shorter fantasy at 365 pages, does not mean that the author doesn’t know how to pack a punch with emotion and action. If anything, the length adds urgency and tension to the pacing. This is one of the things I think the author did really well. And I can’t wait to get into it further with the sequel.
Absolutely worth your time, effort, or money to get this story and read!
scottsforayintofriction's review against another edition
4.0
Review - Cold From the North
Cold from the North had been on my extended TBR for a very long time.
I’ve been meaning to get to this book for a while but just haven’t started it. Luckily the third and final book in the Onyxborn Chronicles is being released in July 22.
So what better time to jump in and give Cold from the North a go.
We follow the story from the perspective of our main protagonist Ogulf.
We’re first introduced to Ogulf and his friend Melcun is the frozen north of Broadheim, in a village called Keltbran.
Ogulf, Melcun and the village Chieftain are in the initial stages of escaping the cold and heading across the sea to Essalonia.
Unfortunately this plan doesn’t get off the ground when Broadheim is brutally invaded my a massive force intent of fulfilling the prophecy of the Onyxborn.
I really enjoyed the characters of Ogulf and Melcun as the main story evolves around their travels. A great fantasy book should IMHO have a great friendship to rally behind. This is no exception here. D.W Ross managed to build some funny brotherly banter elements between the two even through all the serious challenges our two friend must face.
For me this just adds an additional dynamic to the story.
There are a number of characters introduced as the story’s unfolds and I’m really interested to see what path they taken on in books 2 & 3.
In Cold from the North we were introduced to many of the surrounding towns & Kingdoms and it was really great to see their different approach/views on magic.
From a magic perspective, I enjoyed the fact that this was not at the forefront of the story to start with as we got to learn more about the characters.
I have no doubt the magical elements will drive to the front as progress through the story in books 2 & 3. Particularly as we learn more about the prophecy.
Cold from the North was a great start to what I believe will be an awesome trilogy.
If you love a Nordic setting, plenty of fighting and magic, this will be right up your street.
Rating 8/10 ⭐️
Cold from the North had been on my extended TBR for a very long time.
I’ve been meaning to get to this book for a while but just haven’t started it. Luckily the third and final book in the Onyxborn Chronicles is being released in July 22.
So what better time to jump in and give Cold from the North a go.
We follow the story from the perspective of our main protagonist Ogulf.
We’re first introduced to Ogulf and his friend Melcun is the frozen north of Broadheim, in a village called Keltbran.
Ogulf, Melcun and the village Chieftain are in the initial stages of escaping the cold and heading across the sea to Essalonia.
Unfortunately this plan doesn’t get off the ground when Broadheim is brutally invaded my a massive force intent of fulfilling the prophecy of the Onyxborn.
I really enjoyed the characters of Ogulf and Melcun as the main story evolves around their travels. A great fantasy book should IMHO have a great friendship to rally behind. This is no exception here. D.W Ross managed to build some funny brotherly banter elements between the two even through all the serious challenges our two friend must face.
For me this just adds an additional dynamic to the story.
There are a number of characters introduced as the story’s unfolds and I’m really interested to see what path they taken on in books 2 & 3.
In Cold from the North we were introduced to many of the surrounding towns & Kingdoms and it was really great to see their different approach/views on magic.
From a magic perspective, I enjoyed the fact that this was not at the forefront of the story to start with as we got to learn more about the characters.
I have no doubt the magical elements will drive to the front as progress through the story in books 2 & 3. Particularly as we learn more about the prophecy.
Cold from the North was a great start to what I believe will be an awesome trilogy.
If you love a Nordic setting, plenty of fighting and magic, this will be right up your street.
Rating 8/10 ⭐️