fantasy novel | The Worn Bookmark

The Fateful Force #1

Published April 6, 2022

Summary: Ancient evils stir. Deals must be brokered. But who can be trusted?

On the fringes of civilization, the town of Sanctuary embarks on a mission to legitimize its existence and that of its half-breed inhabitants.

Tasked with helping secure the future of the town, four young adventurers soon discover that armies of orcs and hobgoblins are far from the only threats to peace on the frontier.
Dragons are rumored to once again fly, and an imprisoned god returns to plague the world.
What hopes do they have in the face of such foes?

Unlikely alliances must be forged and rivalries put aside. But not all friends are what they seem …

Review: The Tome of Syyx is the first book in The Fateful Force series by debut author Stavros Saristavros. From the moment I read the synopsis I knew this was a book I wanted to dive into. I am a huge fantasy fan and while the fantasy I normally read isn’t quite as battle heavy as this was, I was instantly taken in by the setting and characters. One thing that comes through really well throughout the novel is the author’s passion for D&D aka Dungeons and Dragons. That was something I never quite got into growing up so there were a few moments where I was a bit lost and overwhelmed but thanks to a little help from Google on some of the weaponry involved I was able to keep up.

The prologue opens up with immediate action where a book known as the Tome of Syyx was taken from the ziggurat where it was kept. After that, I knew I was going to be in for a wild ride. We then are introduced to four characters, Zom, Akke, Ailuros, and Osho who are given several different quests together throughout the story. Throughout the book I grew very attached to these characters, especially Akke. Zom is a half-Orc, Akke is a half-elf, Ailuros is a Panthor, and Osho is human. One of the great things about this book is the amount of diversity between all manner of fantastical creatures, many of them working towards equality for all. Through these four unique characters we are taken on an epic adventure that is both awe inspiring and heart pounding.

One thing I thoroughly enjoyed was the map at the beginning of the book and the illustrations throughout the book that were at the end of many of the chapters. Another really cool thing that I’ve never quite encountered until now is the extensive free resource the author provides on his website (https://thefatefulforce.com) . You can tell how passionate Saristavros is about this new series from this site. There is so much information about the world and different creatures among other things. I also highly recommend checking out the free battle maps sections to see more of the locations from the book including Ziggurat, and one of my favorite spots – The Smiling Orc! Even if you’re not into D&D these images and maps are really cool and very well done. To see a great illustration Akke, Osho, Ailuros, and Zom hover over The World and click on Notable Inhabitants. The artwork is beautiful and fun to compare them to the way I saw them in my head. It is such a cool site to browse while reading the book and after finishing it. I am very much looking forward to the second installment in The Fateful Force!

4.25 Stars

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.