The first thing that struck me about this book was that it was written in a tense that I don’t normally see. That’s not to say there aren’t books out there written in the present tense, it’s just I don’t recall coming across one. I will be completely truthful and say the tense took some getting used to for me, meaning it took me longer to get into the book than normal. That however does not in any way state it was a bad story or poorly written, quite the contrary.
The story itself follows the protagonist, Luke Callindor, the youngest of the Callindor generations as he sets off on a mission to earn the respect that comes with his family name. His family are renowned heroes, as such Luke struggles against the assumed pressure of already being hero, and seeks a means to earn his name and the people’s respect. Of course, destiny plays a guiding hand in the life of heroes, and the challenge before him is a test worthy of those bearing his name.
Throughout the story Luke befriends and gathers a group of unlikely allies in his attempt to fulfil the mission thrust on him by fate. But such things themselves are not without a challenge. The information he was given was incomplete, and now he must fill in the missing pieces before it is too late, or a great and unimaginable terror will befall the world.
As a gamer, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn this author had, or does, indulge in either table-top, or console/pc rpg gaming. There are aspects to the story which remind me of those gripping adventures, something as simple as a yellow potion, or the design of the traps which the hero face, sing of both an amazing imagination and perhaps an area of interest to draw upon.
The interaction between the characters is brilliantly portrayed, making them not only believable, but also flawed. You will find no squeaky clean, turn the other cheek, holier than thou, hero here, well maybe one, but what do you expect from a priest? Yet still, each of the characters have their own vices, their own flaws and secrets.
All in all, I found the plot very interesting, in fact, despite my initial difficulty adapting to the tense, I am now on my way to buy the second instalment of this book and add it to my reading list.
This book is a fun and enjoyable read, and contains a wide assortment of characters, all of which bring something to the story. I would recommend this book to any fan of fantasy.
Piqued you interest? Here are the Amazon links:
US – Beginning of a Hero (Legends of Windemere Book 1)
UK – Beginning of a Hero (Legends of Windemere Book 1)
K.J's Athenaeum 