Magic. Sailing. A murderer among heroes.Gravedigger Volke Savan wants nothing more than to be like his hero, the legendary magical swashbuckler, Gregory Ruma. First he needs to become an arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic, which requires bonding with a mythical creature. And he’ll take anything—a pegasus, a griffin, a ravenous hydra—maybe even a leviathan, like Ruma.So when Volke … Ruma.
So when Volke stumbles across a knightmare, a creature made of shadow and terror, he has no reservations. But the knightmare knows a terrible secret: Ruma is a murderer out to spread corrupted magic throughout their island nation. He’s already killed a population of phoenixes and he intends to kill even more.
In order to protect his home, his adopted sister, and the girl he admires from afar, Volke will need to confront his hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma.
A fast-paced flintlock fantasy for those who enjoy How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, Unsouled (Cradle Series) by Will Wight, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.
more
This book was everything a fantasy novel should be! I loved how complex all of the characters were – especially as the story progressed. Volke had to question almost everything and everyone that he had believed to be true after he left the Isle of Ruma. I was fascinated how the author was able to make me question everyone’s reactions. It was satisfying that this book was self-contained and that while the series will continue, we got to see the true reason behind the plague be taken down by our heroes.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
A gravedigger turned hero, a cool magic system. A bonding with a knightmare (not your friendliest of magical creatures). These are the makings for a heck of an imaginative tale – and that’s certainly what’s provided in the well written and definitely fun Knightmare Arcanist (Frith Chronicles Book 1) by Shami Stovall. Definitely recommended.
A couple months ago, I had the chance to read and review Shami Stovall’s other book, “The Ethereal Squadron,” and I really enjoyed it. So, I was thrilled to get the chance to read her latest work, “Knightmare Arcanist.”
This book took me on a magical adventure that was filled with innovative, mystical possibilities, clever storylines, and well-developed characters – or technically well-developed creatures!
This book was such a beautiful, intriguing, grim, and fascinating grown-up fairytale!
This book focuses on Volke and his so-called adopted sister, Illia. Volke’s parents are referred to as blackhearts; his mother was a thief, and his father a murderer. After his parents were sentenced, he was sent to live with Gravedigger William and he, like Illia, are both apprentice gravediggers, which are considered to be at the lower end of society. Volke and Illia want more than ever to achieve their dreams of becoming arcanists – someone capable of wielding magic. To become an arcanist it requires bonding with a mythical creature and Volke wants more than ever for that creature to be a Phoenix, which is the top-tiered creature and one of great nobility.
Unfortunately, after failing a publicly embarrassing and rigged trial test Volke is rejected as a candidate to be bonded with a Phoenix. Before his dreams are completely crushed his sister, Illia finds out about a ship that recently crashed nearby that was carrying mythical creatures able for bonding and she and Volke head out to find it. Will Volke and Illia find the ship? Will Volke and Illia find the mythical creatures and be able to bond with them and achieve their dreams?
Volke and Illia also befriend Luthair, a knightmare, who tells them the most shocking news – Volke’s beloved and idolized hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma, the one who the whole town and isle is named after, is actually a secret blackheart who is murdering phoenixes and is bent on destroying the magical community. There is so much going on in this intriguing, creative, and mystifying book! No spoilers here!! But you definitely will want to read this book and find out!!
I got completely lost in the story and felt the words come to life and leap off the page!
I totally loved the main characters – especially Volke! His passion, desire, inspiration, tenacity, and motivation is inspiring! The fact that he came from such a difficult background, was being forced to suffer through a deprived, uneventful life, and being given no advantages never deterred him, was proof that he was already special – arcanist or not.
I absolutely love the level of detail and specificity that the author spent on her world-building. She wrote cohesively and consistently and left no detail unraveled. Every variable always accounted for!
This book has so many important take-away messages that the author skillfully integrated into the storyline and plot points!
This book was truly an entertaining, refreshing, creative, stimulating read! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and could not put the book down!
This book genre is marketed as a young adult/fantasy book and yet the author found a way to throw in adventure, mystery, intrigue, and suspense elements into the book. It definitely added a fascinating extra component to the story!
There are some predictable scenes. However, there are still a few very unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming!
This book is book one of The Frith Chronicles Book Series. This book can absolutely be read as a standalone.
All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it! I think all young adult fantasy readers will like this book too! So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading – you won’t be disappointed!
**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Volke Savan thinks he knows what he wants. The sad part is that he has so much going against him. Our author shows that there is a fine line between our reality and fantasy. She puts in things we may see in our every day life but sets them into a place that doesn’t exist. But even in a world that can in no way actually exist, good and evil are still a possibility.
One thing about fantasy is that it’s a world of possibilities and total imagination. Sometimes what we see only hides what’s really underneath the surface. There are also times when people are “different” but they are not treated the same or can become ostracized. Some people will even go so far as creating lies that just make others angry and treat them in a way that’s not nice. In this mystical world you have to have the creatures to go along with it and that just adds to my fascination with the trip this author is leading me on.
This was a case of not realizing Ms. Stovall was out in the creative world. I had never heard of her before. It shows that I need to delve into the YA world more often. I love to read fantasy because nothing is off limits when creating a world that their characters live in. In this book, our author creates a young man that isn’t going to take no for an answer. He’s willing to do whatever is necessary in order to become what he wants. Volke got me hooked into this series so I’m interested to see where it’s going to take me.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Knightmare Arcanist is the first book in the Frith Chronicles, and not only will it have you engrossed from the first sentence, but it will definitely leave you wanting more. This is described as Flintlock Fantasy, and I think that is perfect.
Ms. Stovall starts with the world-building immediately, as our two main characters are both apprentice grave-diggers. You find out just what this entails, and how it affects their ‘standing’ with the community. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about their world, and the capabilities; what was normal, and what was not.
The pacing is sharp and completely on-point, with no ‘spare’ moments. The storyline is enthralling and smooth. The characters are all fantastic, and I certainly hope to see more of them, as they grow into their powers and become more confident as people.
With corrupt white harts, magical ferrets, and a school on the back of a giant turtle, this held my attention all the way through. A fantastical read that I highly recommend. Absolutely brilliant.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
I found Knightmare Arcanist (Frith Chronicles #1) by Shami Stovall on bragmedallion.com, home of award winning indie books. I read the blurb and was intrigued by the concept. I bought it and added it to my TBR list. Here is my review!
Synopsis (from the author):
Gravedigger Volke Savan wants nothing more than to be like his hero, the legendary magical swashbuckler, Gregory Ruma. First he needs to become an arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic, which requires bonding with a mythical creature. And he’ll take anything—a pegasus, a griffin, a ravenous hydra—maybe even a leviathan, like Ruma.
So when Volke stumbles across a knightmare, a creature made of shadow and terror, he has no reservations. But the knightmare knows a terrible secret: Ruma is a murderer out to spread corrupted magic throughout their island nation. He’s already killed a population of phoenixes and he intends to kill even more.
In order to protect his home, his adopted sister, and the girl he admires from afar, Volke will need to confront his hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma.
What I liked about Knightmare Arcanist:
Aside from the book’s concept of bonding with a mythical creature, I truly enjoyed reading the story. Volke is a nice character, beaten up a little bit by life, but nonetheless loved and cherished by William and his best friend and adopted sister Illia. Illia, too, is an interesting character, with her own challenges. To watch them persevere through their trials was entertaining, as was the growth of their respective eldrin. The supporting cast added tension and conflict to the story and the meeting with Gregory Ruma was a great conclusion to much of it, though it set the stage for much more. Overall, a great read!
What I didn’t like about Knightmare Arcanist:
The repetitive nature of Volke shifting into a combined character with Luthair (his Eldrin) got a little boring. I thought Addy’s character could be developed more. Other than that, no complaints!
Overall impression of Knightmare Arcanist:
The unique concept, intrigue, budding (or not) romances, and the pursuit of Gregory Ruma made for a good story. The character growth and the plot twists and turns added much to the story and kept me turning pages. I’d recommend this one for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read!
My rating:
5 Stars!
4.5
Book source ~ Tour
Volke Savan is the Isle of Ruma’s gravedigger apprentice and so his is adopted sister Illia. Taken in by the Gravekeeper William Savan when they were very young they were destined to dig graves until they died. However, Volke and Illia have other plans. They want to be arcanists, someone who bonds with a magical mystical creature who could then wield magic themselves. Arcanists are looked up to and they are powerful and Volke wants to be powerful. More importantly he wants to be able to help people, people like himself and Illia who were dealt crappy hands in life. When he wasn’t able to bond with one of the only two phoenixes on the island, Illia has an idea. She has heard there are some shipwrecked mystical creatures stuck out in the Endless Mire and she’s going to find one for herself and one for Volke. So, off they go and the adventure begins.
Whew doggie! This is a wonderful exciting tale from beginning to end! Volke is the centerpiece of the story, told entirely from his POV. He’s a flawed, but wonderful character. Stubborn as all get out which is good because he needs all the stubbornness he can manage. Since his eldrin is a knightmare AND he’s second-bonded his magical connection is harder to manage than those who bond for the 1st (and usually only) time. It’s unusual for a mystical creature to bond a 2nd time since they almost always die when their arcanist dies. Or they go mad. But Luthair is determined to kill the arcanist who murdered his arcanist and he chooses to bond with Volke to do it. Secondary characters shine and I couldn’t decide who the actual villain was until nearly the very end. The world is fantastic and full and I can’t wait to join more adventures with Volke, Illia, and their friends. If you like your young adult fantasy to have magic, mystery, danger, and plenty of action then look no further. This is the one for you!
4.25 stars
“Knightmare Arcanist” by Shami Stovall features youngsters who want to be arcanists, but have to pass a stringent test in order to earn a bond with the mystical creature who will confer the magical abilities. Unfortunately, training is reserved for the elite, so Volke Savan, gravedigger, has ambition but very little opportunity until he has the chance to bond with a knightmare—a walking suit of armor made from shadows and terror. The drawback is that this is a second bonding, which will make the connection even more difficult, if the trial itself doesn’t kill him first. And that’s just the beginning of his challenges…
This young adult fantasy is the first book in the ‘Frith Chronicles’ series and introduces a marvelously different world that provides a different spin on magic and the concept of familiars. There are fascinating complications like an occult plague, a mentor who doesn’t want to be bothered with his students, and a competition for fledgling arcanists to join particular guilds. I loved the twists and turns and the unexpected developments, as well as the fact that the budding arcanists are not perfect and have to cope with various handicaps, and the non-stop action kept me invested in the story. I thought things were a little murky around the exciting climax and some things felt very rushed but overall this was a great introduction to the series and I look forward to reading more exciting adventures and learning what new talents these folks develop.
A copy of this title was provided for review
All of this magic and fantasy, bonding with a phoenix, becoming an arcanist…an arcanist is a one of those magical persons we’ve all wished to be…strong, a hero, saving the world. Well that’s how most of them are. I don’t read this stuff BUT, I had a wonderful time with this book. This book has all of the elements a reader wants for a story tale. Good guys, bad guys, action, fantasy, even suspense. It’s all wrapped into a tale we were told in many ways as children but dressed up in a sophisticated way. I enjoyed the storyline. I really like the main character Volke and I of course wanted him to be a hero. Sometime things turn out the way we want and sometimes they don’t. That’s what this magical book is about.
Shami Stovall has created characters and creatures and described them so well, you can almost see them. The scenes and/or descriptions are so vivid it’s like watching a movie. She’s also created words and emotions that make the reader feel. I wanted so much for Volke to win everything. I felt almost passionate about he and his would-be sibling. I hate to reiterate but it’s like a grown-up fairy tale. One I am really glad I read.
I noticed Shami Stovall has several other books published all of which have good reviews.