Synopsis
Grahme has wanted to be a druid for as long as he can remember. Talented but headstrong, he runs afoul of a despotic, mind-controlling mage during his initiation quest. The price of failure is death. Intrigue and distrust has turns his order against him. Haggard, hunted and without his magic, Grahme must make impossible sacrifices or lose everything, or worse, be banished.
Review
The author very kindly sent me an audible code for this one, and my last year being what it was, it took me longer than I expected. I’m so glad I got to it though. “God this was fantastic,” was my mini review as I clicked 5 stars and that pretty much sums up how I felt the entire read.
In this novel we follow Grahme on his journey to become a druid. Through personality clashes, disagreements and deceptions, as well as some outright tampering, he finds himself filtering through multiple mentors. These clashes get so severe that he is appointed leader of his own quest to prove himself just so the option isn’t taken away from him. He must return with a ghost orchid, a little know flower with heavy implications. Family issues, the druid council on his heels, and a mind-controlling mage in play, this is a multi-layered, coming-of-age, sprawling epic fantasy.
The main character of Grahme was absolutely stellar. His personality feels spot on, and even with all his flaws and mistakes, he still has enough hero built in to carry a story. He shapes up to be a pretty awesome reluctant hero, and as you experience his growth, his power even surprises you. The author gives the reader heavy emotional scenes, tasking revelations and payoffs, and still enough wit and humor to keep the reader grounded. The narration by James Meunier was fantastic, and his portrayal of Grahme gripped me from the jump.
The way the druid magic works felt reminiscent of the Animorphs series, but in a way that tickled nostalgia but also felt like its own thing. It also felt much more adult, and although it’s a fantasy, it felt almost real in its explanation. Grahme and the other druids can take the shape of various animals. All they have to do is know the animal’s shape as well as allowing themselves to truly become them. That’s not to say there aren’t some shocking limitations, but I loved reading through all of their differing choices.
The action sequences are spaced well, with gripping descriptions, and I found that I cared for everyone as I felt for them through Grahme. The scene of the druids holding off the approaching attack until they could escape under the cover of night was so tensely plotted that I had to finish it even though I had made it home…just sat and listened in the parked car. You have to give this one a go
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