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A review by b00ksandqu0tes
Into the Wildbarrens by Christian Sterling
4.0
A couple weeks ago, @christiansterlingg gifted me a ebook of Into the Wildbarrens. I ended up reading the entire book last night (who needs a bedtime?) and here are my thoughts!
This book tells the story of Falin, a young wizard, questing with his champions to find the Gems of Elsana, which will give him access to his full powers. First of all - if I could get into classical high fantasy the way that I did this one, I'd never leave. This book is a love letter to the high fantasy genre - starting with its tropes all the way down to its map that I had to refer to a million times. What I really appreciated was the approachability of the text as a whole - there is almost a slice of life feel as we travel with the characters. There are cool cultures and history that are complex (especially since the characters are from all different places) and those remain consistent throughout the novel. And it's funny. Like, I chuckled and reread passages and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
My biggest thoughts are around character development. Falin, our wizard, is really interesting in that he is young but destined to be the wise old mentor. Sometimes his decisions match his age and are rash or uncertain and reveal how young he is. Sometimes Falin shows a deeper knowledge and thoughtfulness that reveal how he is growing into that wizarding trope. It's delightful to see, and the dichotomy works well. In terms of the character development for his motley crew, I feel like I know some of them better than others. The group dynamics are hugely important and we learn a lot about how their cultural history affects their relationships, and I feel like I have a good grasp on all of our characters but one - and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get me some more Melquin in book two!
This book is a great intro to a more traditional style fantasy with a modern feel. I also recommend if you enjoy quest stories, origin stories, misfits, friendship and found families. Or, check it out if you're looking for ideas for a kick ass DND campaign!
This book tells the story of Falin, a young wizard, questing with his champions to find the Gems of Elsana, which will give him access to his full powers. First of all - if I could get into classical high fantasy the way that I did this one, I'd never leave. This book is a love letter to the high fantasy genre - starting with its tropes all the way down to its map that I had to refer to a million times. What I really appreciated was the approachability of the text as a whole - there is almost a slice of life feel as we travel with the characters. There are cool cultures and history that are complex (especially since the characters are from all different places) and those remain consistent throughout the novel. And it's funny. Like, I chuckled and reread passages and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
My biggest thoughts are around character development. Falin, our wizard, is really interesting in that he is young but destined to be the wise old mentor. Sometimes his decisions match his age and are rash or uncertain and reveal how young he is. Sometimes Falin shows a deeper knowledge and thoughtfulness that reveal how he is growing into that wizarding trope. It's delightful to see, and the dichotomy works well. In terms of the character development for his motley crew, I feel like I know some of them better than others. The group dynamics are hugely important and we learn a lot about how their cultural history affects their relationships, and I feel like I have a good grasp on all of our characters but one - and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get me some more Melquin in book two!
This book is a great intro to a more traditional style fantasy with a modern feel. I also recommend if you enjoy quest stories, origin stories, misfits, friendship and found families. Or, check it out if you're looking for ideas for a kick ass DND campaign!