The Warrior's Bane: War for the Quarterstar Shards: Book One
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $0.99
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- $0.99
Publisher Description
"A promising start to an epic, mythical adventure, with great characters and solid world building." –Rosemary's Books Brisbane
Alaezdar thought he had found a perfect home in a small farming community of Valewood. Here he hoped he could bury his past and hide from his mercenary guild that has a death price on his head. His hopes are shattered when an evil sorceress, a wizard, and his goblin-like bloodthirsty followers raid the village and kidnap a teenage girl and take her deep into the goblin tribes forest for a sacrifice. During the raid, the villagers see Alaezdar's skills with his magic sword, Bloodseeker.
In desperation to save the girl, the villagers convince Alaezdar to attempt a rescue so dangerous that they will all most likely die. Before the ordeal is over, he will also learn much more about his role in an ancient elven prophecy where he is the catalyst to the realm's destruction, and where his death is imminent if he is to turn the prophecy around.
Customer Reviews
Gripping intrigue
This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.
Synopsis:
The former mercenary just wanted to leave his past behind. Alaezdar had become a man with a price on his head and wanted nothing more than a place to call home. He thought he’d found it when he stumbled into the farming community of Valewood. As a festival starts, an evil sorceress, a wizard, and goblin-like gronts attack Valewood, shattering his hopes for peace. The point of the attack is to kidnap a teenage girl and draw Alaezdar into the open. Forced to assist his newfound home, he takes up his magic sword, Bloodseeker, and wades into the battle.
The enemy kidnaps the girl, and the desperate villagers turn to Alaezdar for help. While he is sure this quest is a suicide mission, Alaezdar sets off with a small band to save the girl. Before they reach the journey’s end, Alaezdar will learn more than he cares to of an ancient Elven prophecy, setting him up as the catalyst to the realm’s destruction or salvation.
Review:
Warrior’s Bane is the first book of the War for the Quarterstar Shards series. It follows the story of Alaezdar as he starts out to save a young friend from being sacrificed to a goblin god, only to find himself part of a larger plan. His old mercenary company hunts him. The book had several twists and turns and mostly kept control of the various threads.
The author does show a weakness for long exposition that he might have dealt with as dialog. However, David L. McDaniel tells an interesting story. The battle scenes were good, and the intrigue was gripping.
I’m looking forward to the second book in the series.