“Strikingly intense … immersive and thoroughly compelling.” SFX“Compelling and entertaining … inventive and fun.” SciFiNowThe war is over, but something is rotten in the state of Eidyn.With a ragged peace in place, demons burn farmlands, violent Reivers roam the wilds and plague has spread beyond the Black Meadows. The country is on its knees.In a society that fears and shuns him, Aranok is the … knees.
In a society that fears and shuns him, Aranok is the first magically-skilled draoidh to be named King’s Envoy.
Now, charged with restoring an exiled foreign queen to her throne, he leads a group of strangers across the ravaged country. But at every step, a new mystery complicates their mission.
As bodies drop around them, new threats emerge and lies are revealed, can Aranok bring his companions together and uncover the conspiracy that threatens the kingdom?
Strap in for this twisted fantasy road trip from award-winning author Justin Lee Anderson.
Praise for The Lost War:
“Genuinely surprised and delighted me. Bravo!” Anna Stephens, author of Godblind
“A blistering tale packed with action and adventure.” Evening News
“Outstanding … The Lost War is easily one of the biggest surprises of the year.” Novel Notions
“This book is a roller coaster. When you get off it your legs might be shaky. Don’t worry. It’s normal. Read the book. Take the ride.” EsmeWeatherwax
“This book has a perfect blend of everything. A very strong 5 stars.” Spells and Spaceships
“Earth-shakingly fabulous. The last few chapters made me laugh with glee at the pure wickedness of Justin’s writing. Simply awesome!!” Shalini’s Books & Reviews
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Winner of SPFBO 2020, this book had a lot to live up to. Fortunately, it did not disappoint! I was engrossed in the story from the outset. The narration flicks constantly between several povs, but it all felt necessary and seamless. The disparate characters draw and bounce off one another as they go from one dire situation to the next. There are some cool set pieces, some feels, and some neat ideas (I loved the story behind a certain relic). Overall I felt it to be a tale of friendship. Will be reading on for sure!!
The war for Eidyn may be over, but the horrors that follow are just beginning. Locked away in his prison of a castle, Mynygogg is a looming threat to the countryside. The King’s council has been sent to rescue a hidden queen to protect what territory they have stolen from Mynygogg. Among them is Aranok, the king’s advisor and a magic casting draoidh. As they venture towards the queen, Aranok learns that his hometown has been taken over by the blackened. Horrific creatures that spread disease and death by a simple touch. Aranok has the choice to follow his king’s orders or find his family. Heart wins over duty, and Aranok plunges into a journey that will him down a dark road. As the party divides, they will each encounter horrors leftover from the war and none will be the same as they were by the time their journeys end.
When you step into the world of The Lost War, you are enveloped in a rich high fantasy filled with magic, demons, and fantastic storytelling. I was worried at first with the number of main characters in the traveling party, but Justin Lee Anderson gives everyone their time to shine. As the characters struggle to understand the war-torn country, the reader will delve into the mistakes and horror the aftermath of war brings. The past for each character will be split wide open to show what they’ve experienced while fighting for their country, or simply trying to survive.
As I immersed myself in this book, I felt nostalgia at how much the novel felt like the Dragonlance Chronicles. A well-balanced party venturing out to do what they think is right, and never giving up even if there are difficult choices to make. And while there might not be dragons, there are plenty of demons and mutations the characters must face.
I want more of this world. I tore through this novel. Every spare moment I had, I read. There was never a dull moment, never a part where I felt the need to skim because it was useless information. Every word sinks you deeper into Eidyn and its heroes. You laugh, you cry, and you hold your breath as they battle for their belief in a better world.
This isn’t usually my sort of fantasy (too gritty) but I read it because it won the last Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO). Sometimes there were too many characters but that’s probably me. I can see why it won. I can’t explain why in this review as it would spoil the story. Recommended.
video review : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgXzmYP_RYs&t=595s
This was a lovely read for those who like classic fantasy. It was a great mix of dark without being grimdark with a surprise twist at the end. Well worth reading.
This was the first book I had read by this author but it certainly won’t be the last.
I loved the world building, the characters and the way the story progressed. It’s definitely set the scene for more to come in the future.
It was gritty and meaty and full of adventure and from the first page i was drawn in and went willingly into another world.
It actually reminded me of playing a video game, I could actually see this being turned into one and had a very dungeons and dragons feel to it. There was a plethora of monsters and other worldly creatures for lovers of this trope.
Highly recommend!