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A review by marianc6f98
A Noble's Quest by Harvey Bunda, Ryan Toxopeus
4.0
Elves and dwarves, men and halflings, gnomes and orcs...this is a high fantasy story in the tradition of Terry Brooks, with gaming influences also apparent. Fast paced, and with a unexpected twist towards the end, The Noble's Quest suitably entertained me. The gaming influences, I think, are most apparent in the pace of the story, and the characters' self-awareness, tending towards 'kill now, think about it later' rather than the more reflective nature of some fantasies.
But if it is adventure you are after, The Noble's Quest has it in spades. Thomas and Sarentha, the two protagonists, are peasants working as lumberjacks until Thomas accidentally kills the boss's son. Forced to flee, they are caught up in a quest that involves an ancient map, the branch of a magical tree, and silver dragons that breath frost, not fire. (I liked that dragon, a neat inversion of the usual.)
There's a bit of a fan fiction feel to parts of the world Ryan Toxopeus has created, strengthened by his use of the terms orcs and mithril, but to some extent Middle-Earth belongs to the generations now, part of a shared consciousness and the foundation of much of high fantasy, whether the authors realize that or not. The characters are a bit predictable (well, most of them – no spoilers!), but that's less important in a story shaped by the adventure, not by the personalities. Sometimes the solutions to problems seemed a bit 'deux ex machina', especially towards the end, again reflecting (in my opinion) the influences of gaming.
The Noble's Quest is followed by its sequel, A Wizard's Gambit, which I will be reading as soon as I get through my backlist! Overall, 3.5 stars from me for The Noble's Quest, which translates to 4 on Goodreads and Amazon.
I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
But if it is adventure you are after, The Noble's Quest has it in spades. Thomas and Sarentha, the two protagonists, are peasants working as lumberjacks until Thomas accidentally kills the boss's son. Forced to flee, they are caught up in a quest that involves an ancient map, the branch of a magical tree, and silver dragons that breath frost, not fire. (I liked that dragon, a neat inversion of the usual.)
There's a bit of a fan fiction feel to parts of the world Ryan Toxopeus has created, strengthened by his use of the terms orcs and mithril, but to some extent Middle-Earth belongs to the generations now, part of a shared consciousness and the foundation of much of high fantasy, whether the authors realize that or not. The characters are a bit predictable (well, most of them – no spoilers!), but that's less important in a story shaped by the adventure, not by the personalities. Sometimes the solutions to problems seemed a bit 'deux ex machina', especially towards the end, again reflecting (in my opinion) the influences of gaming.
The Noble's Quest is followed by its sequel, A Wizard's Gambit, which I will be reading as soon as I get through my backlist! Overall, 3.5 stars from me for The Noble's Quest, which translates to 4 on Goodreads and Amazon.
I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.