Matthew

Would be five stars but The Sun Dog brought it down.

I didn't know what to expect when I purchased this book. The Broken Binding had a special edition of the Quest for Heroes Duology and I love their special editions so I decided to pick this up. I'm really glad I did because not only does the book look fantastic but it also delivers a pretty good time.

This book is all about the characters, PTSD from war and battles, and what it means to be a coward and a hero. As each character gets introduced, I really didn't know what to think and expect about them. But man, the character development and the bond that this group slowly creates is good stuff.

This is a very slowly developing book. There's not a lot of action until near the end as the majority of the book is spent on the journey to their destination. There's some mystery as well that slowly gets revealed by the end. But this one is all about the characters.

There's also a set up for the second book that has me excited to spend more time in this world and with these characters.

This is the first book by David Dalglish that I've ever read and going in I didn't know what to expect. The little blurb on the back sounded interesting enough and I've always liked books and characters that deal with religion (as I am a Christian myself). But after reading this book, David Dalglish is an author to watch.

Sure, this book deals with religion and monsters and the discovery of a long lost ‘world' but this book is all about the characters. I absolutely fell in love with all of them. The way they come together, find each other, and interact with each other is just great. The dialogue between the group of friends is what blew me away. It's believable and it's also down right hilarious. Devin in one my favorite literary characters and the afterword made the character even more special.

This book is dark. There are tons of deaths and many of them are extremely gory. It's probably the most gore I've ever read. Some might feel that the book is dark enough to make it Grim Dark but I don't. At it's core, it's about friendships, relationships, and hope. There is so much love and hope and humor that shines beyond the gore. I mean, I literally laughed and cried while reading this book!

I devoured this book in six days (I have a full time job and then spend several hours with my Granny after work). I just couldn't get enough of it! I can't wait to see where the next book goes but if it continues on the same path, this Trilogy will become one of my all time favorites.

Sometimes the right book comes along at the right time.

The last couple of books I've read tended to be on the Grim Dark side of Fantasy. I'm quickly becoming burned out on that genre. Thankfully, Paladin Unbound saved me from the dark side.

It's odd that it is now refreshing to have characters that aren't all morally gray. That is just purely heroic and good. We get that a lot in half-Orc Umhra the Peacebreaker and the rest of the Barrow's Pact. I loved each character and rooted for them all.

This is a fast-paced book. Nothing is wasted. The author quickly gets to the point without bogging the story down. The prose won't win any awards but it isn't trying to. It quickly tells the tale it intends to but leaves you wanting more. The world-building is fantastic and there are tons left to be told. Magic is magic and thankfully doesn't need to be fully explained. It's just there and sometimes, like this time, it works.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It turned out to be the perfect book at the perfect time for me. It's fun, quick, and full of great characters and heroism (oh, and tons of devilish creatures as well). I've never played Dungeons and Dragons before but I felt like this book perfectly represented it.

I know there is a sequel already out and I can't wait to get into it. I don't know how many books the author has planned for this series but I hope it's many more!

I do not have the words for how amazing this book is! Wow!