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All the Thrills of the Quest:
Author D. A. Adams has a sure and convincing touch with his world-building, creating a fully-formed fantasy earth for his dwarves and other creatures, complete with history, politics and hope for the future, and he makes me want to read it—no mean feat as I’m usually not keen on overly detailed backstory. I’m not sure how he does it—I wish I knew—but this backstory feeds seamlessly into the coming-of-age tale of a young royal dwarf looking for a magical artifact, or possibly his half-elven roots, or just the truth of his own strengths and weaknesses. I want to know the background because the foreground is so complete and so intriguing. I want to know why and where they are, whose betrayal led to which fractured loyalty, and more. And I want to follow these intriguingly flawed characters, watching them learn and grow.
There’s all the fun of a well-designed game of dungeons and dragons, all the thrills of the quest, all the intrigue of politics and history, and a pleasing recognition of two-sided conflict—no simplistic black and white answers, but rather a landscape where characters and ideas can change and grow. Maybe that’s why I liked the backstories, because they give depth to that landscape, and the characters are truly growing.
If you love intricate world-building, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book. If you like action and adventure, swords and arrows and more, you'll love it too. And if you’re eager to see those working-class dwarves take a stand, this has to be the series for you. It's even got great illustrations that really do complement the story!
Disclosure: I got this ebook on a deal and saved it for a thoroughly enjoyable rainy day’s read.
This book is the first of a fantasy series, and as such starts out at a snail’s pace. However, with that said, this book was one of the most riveting I have read in quite a while.
The flow of the storyline is seamless and after the first chapter of the book, which goes into quite a bit of detail of the Dwarf culture and history, the action starts off with our protagonist being sent on a journey of discovery to follow the hard set traditions.
This first book of the series is a tale of the Dwarf prince Roskin and his rite of passage to take his father’s place as king of the clan. Along his one year trek across the war torn lands, this underground dwelling Dwarf experiences most of what life has to offer packed into the fourteen chapters of the book.
The character development is beautifully written as the coddled prince craving adventure and glory grows into a battle hardened adult. Along the way the half Elf, half Dwarf Roskin meets the banished Human war criminal he’s dreamed of, only to find that he isn’t exactly the fearsome leader everyone dreads. Many of the friends the Dwarf finds have their own inner demons and struggles to overcome.
D.A. Adams uses all of the races that have become staples of the Fantasy genre, but they’re not the same animals you read about in other books. Roskin makes friends with exiled Dwarfs, Ogres, Elves, Humans and a half Elf Wizard to assist him in his travels, some more than others. The Orc’s have developed their own society and nobility class, a far cry from the blood thirsty savages that have become popular in other series. This book will definitely change the way you view these races that have become so popular in Fantasy series.
Nemeses become friends; Friends become enemies; Soldiers kill civilians; Slaves run free – and the wars have only just begun -- again.
Maclen
Posted May 2, 2012
The Brotherhood of Dwarves is an exhilarating, fast-paced fantasy adventure! Fantasy is not really a genre I normally read. Before this book, I didn’t know the difference between orcs, trolls, ogres, or any of the other creatures that inhabit these tales. However, that didn’t matter! Author D. A. Adams has crafted a yarn that is easy to follow for anyone. After a first chapter that sets in place all the exposition, the story explodes into action as you follow the adventure of dwarf named Roskin who yearns for excitement and glory, seeking an ancient relic known as the Brotherhood of Dwarves. As he undertakes this journey of personal discovery, he is joined by a variety of characters that add enjoyable layers to the narrative. The question, as the story reaches its explosive crescendo, is whether Roskin will find this treasure, or discover something of surpassing wealth—something that will make him a better man. Oh! And there’s no “middle-earth” English to slow this story down!
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Posted February 26, 2012
I really liked this book. The book is a fresh take on the fantasy race of dwarves. At first I was lost in the names of people and places but once I was comfortable with the characters and setting I didn't stop reading until the end. My only critism is that the story could be bigger. It seems like there is much more to tell.
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Overview
Roskin, heir to the throne of a remote, peaceful kingdom of dwarves, craves
excitement and adventure. Outside his own kingdom, in search of fortune and
glory, he finds a much ...