- Title: Adventures in Amarant: Short Stories Collection Vol. 1
- Author: J.D. Bowens
- Series: Adventures in Amarant, Prequel
- Genre: Epic Fantasy, Short Stories
- Publishing Date: February 8th, 2019
- Publishing Co.: Indie
- Length: 64 pages
- Format: Kindle Unlimited, Paperback
- Acquired: Given free digital copy in exchange for an honest review
- Amazon Link: Adventures in Amarant
Wielding magic is a rare and special talent. However, talent alone does not put bread on the table. That’s why Altin Edderick, a young mage, is working at a local tavern. It’s his job to keep the cellar rat free.
Rats aren’t the only thing he needs to worry about. An entity of great evil dwells beneath the city. Unaware, Altin descends into the bowels of the city and trudge through its sewers. Will his magical gifts and spells be enough save him?
Read this short story and discover more in Adventures in Amarant: Short Stories Collection Vol 1.
*I will not be doing a first chapter challenge since this is a collection of short stories*
Final Judgment: 5 Stars out of 5
In this fantastically written collection of epic fantasy short stories by J.D. Bowens, we readers embark on several exciting–if quite brief–adventures with the Edderick brothers. We travel with them as two work as hired swords to protect a false priest, we follow two other brothers into dank sewers to rid a tavern of a rat infestation (and maybe more!), and we finally see all four brothers together as they save a group of halflings from bandits. In this prequel to the The Adventures of Amarant trilogy, we get a good feel for both the world that the Edderick brothers occupy, as well as the brothers themselves!
Something violent was clawing its way up the cliff face. It was as though an army of pickaxes were racing up the rocks. All the while the screams drew closer and the erratic clawing, louder. (Loc 262)
Each short story was artfully crafted, long enough to pique my interest and make me want more, yet short enough that the excitement and adventure never waned as I read. Each could be read as a standalone, but they are also connected by common experiences and are occasionally referenced as a past job. I love this connection, as it makes the book read more as a novel rather than a collection of short stories.
The worldbuilding is absolutely phenomenal, considering how long each of these stories are. It took me about an hour to read this entire collection, and yet I know so much about this new fantasy world. There are multiple races, magic, unique religions, horrifying creatures… Everything that I could want in a fantasy novel! There is not so much front-loading of information as in a traditional fantasy novel, but rather the information is interspersed throughout, so that we can more naturally be exposed to this new world. I definitely dig it.
“It is reas- reas- responsible. Especially, after the city was burned down a thousand years ago for the third time.” He flashed an innocent look at Consus. “I swear it wasn’t me.”
Consus rolled his eyes. “I know it wasn’t you. That was a thousand years ago.”
Altin was aghast. “How did you know that?”
“You just told me, brother.” (Loc 737)
As for the Edderick brothers themselves, I love that they are each unique. Though 3 are warriors, they all have their own personalities and beliefs. They also seem to have a pretty rich backstory, as glimpsed in the last short story in this collection. I honestly cannot wait to get to know each brother better as their stories unfold! I think Consus or Altin may be my favorite, the former for his heart and the latter for his humor. But perhaps this will change! Kyran is definitely the leader of this band, and Ewan has his own humor as well. I will have to read the trilogy to find out!
The Book Dragon 