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Frith Chronicles #3
Coliseum Arcanist
Adventure. Competition. A duel to the death.
While on a journey to the famous city of Thronehold, Volke Savan learns of the Sovereign Dragon Tournament. The massive celebration involves hundreds of arcanists competing for fame and glory, and Volke is determined to win.
Dark forces dwell in the city, however, and rumors of the legendary world serpent spread amongst the shadows. Whoever bonds with a god-like mystical creature will gain magic beyond compare, and the queen’s guards suspect cutthroats will use the chaos of the tournament to hide their plotting.
Unsure of who to trust, Volke investigates the terrible rumors while advancing in the ranks of the tournament. Unfortunately, the true villain may be closer than he realizes…
Continue the Frith Chronicles with the third book, Coliseum Arcanist!
While on a journey to the famous city of Thronehold, Volke Savan learns of the Sovereign Dragon Tournament. The massive celebration involves hundreds of arcanists competing for fame and glory, and Volke is determined to win.
Dark forces dwell in the city, however, and rumors of the legendary world serpent spread amongst the shadows. Whoever bonds with a god-like mystical creature will gain magic beyond compare, and the queen’s guards suspect cutthroats will use the chaos of the tournament to hide their plotting.
Unsure of who to trust, Volke investigates the terrible rumors while advancing in the ranks of the tournament. Unfortunately, the true villain may be closer than he realizes…
Continue the Frith Chronicles with the third book, Coliseum Arcanist!
660 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 17, 2020
424 people are currently reading
532 people want to read
About the author
Shami Stovall
45 books827 followersShami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction. Before that, she taught history and criminal law at the college level, and loved every second. When she’s not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators.
If you want to contact her, you can do so at the following locations:
Website: https://sastovallauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GameOverStation/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAStovall/
Email: s.adelle.s@gmail.com
If you want to contact her, you can do so at the following locations:
Website: https://sastovallauthor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GameOverStation/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAStovall/
Email: s.adelle.s@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
February 5, 2020
Stovall returns with another endlessly inventive plot as she continues the Frith Chronicles with this marvelous third installment.
For Volke Savan and his fellow arcanists, the journey to the famous city of Thronehold becomes highly anticipatory after they learn of the Sovereign Dragon Tournament which involves hundreds of arcanists competing for fame and glory. But the rumors of the birth of the legendary world serpent brings dark forces to the city, forcing Frith arcanists to face the evil firsthand.
Stovall effortlessly accomplishes plenty in the book without wasting much time on set-up. Old characters return, intriguing new characters make their entry, love interests unfold, and deep friendships are formed. There are plentiful of creepy characters and magic along with suspense and danger galore.
The heartbreaking cliff-hanger finale will leave readers impatient for the next installment.
Not the one to be missed if you are a die-hard Harry Potter fan.
For Volke Savan and his fellow arcanists, the journey to the famous city of Thronehold becomes highly anticipatory after they learn of the Sovereign Dragon Tournament which involves hundreds of arcanists competing for fame and glory. But the rumors of the birth of the legendary world serpent brings dark forces to the city, forcing Frith arcanists to face the evil firsthand.
Stovall effortlessly accomplishes plenty in the book without wasting much time on set-up. Old characters return, intriguing new characters make their entry, love interests unfold, and deep friendships are formed. There are plentiful of creepy characters and magic along with suspense and danger galore.
The heartbreaking cliff-hanger finale will leave readers impatient for the next installment.
Not the one to be missed if you are a die-hard Harry Potter fan.
April 24, 2021
The Grand Apothecary of Fortuna, Gillie, has developed a way to guard against the Arcane Plague. In order to get the resources needed to put the defense into place, members of the Frith Guild head to Thronehold. Their goal is to beseech the Queen of Thronehold for resources. Unfortunate timing finds that a new sovereign dragon has hatched, which complicates matters for the guild. People flock to Thronehold for the bonding ceremony and a grand tournament that is taking place. Strange events are happening and Volke Savan has taken it upon himself to investigate.
Coliseum Arcanist almost feels like a response to anyone who might have said the first two books in the series felt like young adult. The tone grew darker and the stakes become deadly. While that happened Volke remains the same overly chivalrous individual, doing anything to uphold his values and protect others. I really appreciated the way the world is growing and how the danger is increasing.
Coliseum Arcanist is a true world builder of a book. Volke finds a guide to Eldrin that Adelgis's father wrote. It was a subtle way to expand the knowledge of the world while not feeling like a simple information dump. The tournament and the new environment introduced the reader to different Eldrin and also showed greater details of the strength of familiar ones.
There is so much more I'd like to say about the Coliseum Arcanist, but it feels too spoiler like for my tastes. I'm quite excited to see where the story heads next.
Coliseum Arcanist almost feels like a response to anyone who might have said the first two books in the series felt like young adult. The tone grew darker and the stakes become deadly. While that happened Volke remains the same overly chivalrous individual, doing anything to uphold his values and protect others. I really appreciated the way the world is growing and how the danger is increasing.
Coliseum Arcanist is a true world builder of a book. Volke finds a guide to Eldrin that Adelgis's father wrote. It was a subtle way to expand the knowledge of the world while not feeling like a simple information dump. The tournament and the new environment introduced the reader to different Eldrin and also showed greater details of the strength of familiar ones.
There is so much more I'd like to say about the Coliseum Arcanist, but it feels too spoiler like for my tastes. I'm quite excited to see where the story heads next.
February 17, 2020
This is the best book in the series so far. I find that most fantasy series start with a little bit of information, and drip-feed it to readers as necessary. However, eventually there comes a book in the series that blows the top off the things that the reader thinks they know and really shows how the world itself works more deeply. This is that book. It is bigger, better, and more interesting than any of the previous in the series. And it should be known that I am a massive fan of the other books in the series. Still, this has so many interesting characters, cool new creatures, and new information about the world itself that it blows the previous books away. I can NOT wait for the next in the series.
February 18, 2020
There is excitement buzzing in the air as the start of the Sovereign Dragon Tournament is drawing near. Volke and his friends are excited to compete in the tournament, however… they are on a mission… to find the amulet of the World Serpent in order to get it to bond with someone before it is too late. But when all seems swell, a new problem arises. The occult plague is drawing closer and closer, infecting arcanists and their eldrin, No one is safe unless it is stopped.
With a book filled with action, mysteries, secrets, lies, and an odd sense of humor along with a teleporting weasel thing, it’s going to be hard to not like this book. Be careful when you are reading it though… you never know when the occult plague will strike. And with the plague comes the laughter of the insane.
With a book filled with action, mysteries, secrets, lies, and an odd sense of humor along with a teleporting weasel thing, it’s going to be hard to not like this book. Be careful when you are reading it though… you never know when the occult plague will strike. And with the plague comes the laughter of the insane.
July 26, 2022
Tercer volumen de la serie Frith Chronicles, donde tenemos a Volke, arcanista caballero, viajando a la ciudad de Thronehold junto a sus compañeros y maestros. La misión, entrevistarse con la reina para comunicarle el descubrimiento de una protección para la plaga arcana, que vuelve locos tanto a los eldrin como a los humanos con los que se vinculan, llegando incluso a terribles mutaciones. Además, se va a celebrar el Torneo del Dragón Soberano, que llevaba décadas sin celebrarse, y que enfrentará a los arcanistas por categorías. Esto sirve de aliciente para Volke y sus amigos. Pero algo oscuro se está tramando en la ciudad.
Impresionante continuación de la saga, llegan de ritmo y acción, y un final trepidante. Me gustan mucho los personajes y su historia, y he conectado muy bien con este universo.
Impresionante continuación de la saga, llegan de ritmo y acción, y un final trepidante. Me gustan mucho los personajes y su historia, y he conectado muy bien con este universo.
February 17, 2020
Oh. My. God. This book is amazing. If you thought the first two were fantastic, prepare to be blown away by Coliseum Arcanist. Seriously, I'm an emotional wreck after reading this.
In Coliseum Arcanist, Volke and the other members of the Frith Guild are traveling to Thronehold to speak to the Queen. While there, Volke learns about the Sovereign Tournament. Hexa and Zaxis are adamant about joining (and winning), so Volke and Illia decide to compete as well.
But the tournament is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There's so much going on in this book. I don't really know what to say without spoiling anything or giving too much away, but just know that the tournament is basically a pebble causing a ripple in a puddle, and everything else that's going on is a giant boulder crashing into a lake with a huge splash. Everyone is on edge (including the reader). I can say, without a doubt, that I was so stressed out reading this book because I kept anticipating the worst, and I had no idea what might happen next.
I love the world-building in this series. There's so much more to Thronehold than anywhere else the guild has been so far, and it's fascinating to discover the different locations dotted throughout the city. Each district is named, and the characters visit quite a few of them while there. The Moonlight District is definitely the most intriguing.
Also, new human characters and eldrin. I loved that! Mythical creatures fascinate me, and seeing all the amazing additions to the story made me ridiculously happy. There's one arcanist who is bonded to a creature, and the only reason I knew what that creature was is because of the author I sometimes work for. He wrote a Peter Pan retelling and had one of those creatures in his book, so I was excited to see it mentioned in my new favorite series.
I think my favorite new character is Karna. She's super neat, and I'd love to know more about her. And my favorite character overall now is Fain. Why, I won't say (no spoilers!), but I adore him so much now.
Also, as much as I find Adelgis's father to be an awful person, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's going to prove me wrong, and that he might end up being the hero we (the readers) never knew we needed.
Coliseum Arcanist is a large, long read (700 pages!), but every page counts. There's no lag in the pacing of the plot. There's action, adventure, romance, a thrilling competition, an undercurrent of terrible things to come, and so much more. It's well worth the read, and I'm beyond excited for book four.
5 (but realistically 10) very well-deserved stars from me!
In Coliseum Arcanist, Volke and the other members of the Frith Guild are traveling to Thronehold to speak to the Queen. While there, Volke learns about the Sovereign Tournament. Hexa and Zaxis are adamant about joining (and winning), so Volke and Illia decide to compete as well.
But the tournament is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There's so much going on in this book. I don't really know what to say without spoiling anything or giving too much away, but just know that the tournament is basically a pebble causing a ripple in a puddle, and everything else that's going on is a giant boulder crashing into a lake with a huge splash. Everyone is on edge (including the reader). I can say, without a doubt, that I was so stressed out reading this book because I kept anticipating the worst, and I had no idea what might happen next.
I love the world-building in this series. There's so much more to Thronehold than anywhere else the guild has been so far, and it's fascinating to discover the different locations dotted throughout the city. Each district is named, and the characters visit quite a few of them while there. The Moonlight District is definitely the most intriguing.
Also, new human characters and eldrin. I loved that! Mythical creatures fascinate me, and seeing all the amazing additions to the story made me ridiculously happy. There's one arcanist who is bonded to a creature, and the only reason I knew what that creature was is because of the author I sometimes work for. He wrote a Peter Pan retelling and had one of those creatures in his book, so I was excited to see it mentioned in my new favorite series.
I think my favorite new character is Karna. She's super neat, and I'd love to know more about her. And my favorite character overall now is Fain. Why, I won't say (no spoilers!), but I adore him so much now.
Also, as much as I find Adelgis's father to be an awful person, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's going to prove me wrong, and that he might end up being the hero we (the readers) never knew we needed.
Coliseum Arcanist is a large, long read (700 pages!), but every page counts. There's no lag in the pacing of the plot. There's action, adventure, romance, a thrilling competition, an undercurrent of terrible things to come, and so much more. It's well worth the read, and I'm beyond excited for book four.
5 (but realistically 10) very well-deserved stars from me!
February 17, 2020
This book is an amazing continuation of the Frith chronicles and Volke's story; it is easily the best in the series so far.
The book is nearly twice as long as the previous two, and it packs an incredible amount into it. If the first two books introduced mostly the characters and the magic, this book introduces the world. It has an entire kingdom, multiple new characters with interesting new personalities, a huge amount of world building, a further dive into the specifics of the magic, and even further character growth.
Shami Stovall writes characters extraordinarily well, and the new characters make me extremely excited, as do characters returning that were bit players before. I can't wait to see the roles the characters perform in future books based on how they did here.
Also, the ending is both epic and extremely emotionally powerful.
Overall, an absolutely epic continuation of the series and an extremely good book.
The book is nearly twice as long as the previous two, and it packs an incredible amount into it. If the first two books introduced mostly the characters and the magic, this book introduces the world. It has an entire kingdom, multiple new characters with interesting new personalities, a huge amount of world building, a further dive into the specifics of the magic, and even further character growth.
Shami Stovall writes characters extraordinarily well, and the new characters make me extremely excited, as do characters returning that were bit players before. I can't wait to see the roles the characters perform in future books based on how they did here.
Also, the ending is both epic and extremely emotionally powerful.
Overall, an absolutely epic continuation of the series and an extremely good book.
February 19, 2020
"Dark times are coming, and we will only survive the changes of our era if we unite our strength against common evils..."
If greatness was forged in the flames of adversity, then the arcanists of The Frith Guild were indeed, great, for their adversities were many, as was, it seemed, their enemies. And now, there was a rumour that a World Serpent, a legendary eldrin, a god-like creature, had spawned, which meant that a fundamental change to magic had transpired. It was feared that the Second Ascension was close at hand.
This was a dangerous time, not only because of the plague that drove both the eldron and their arcanists insane but also because whoever bonded with the World Serpent would have unimaginable power — he would become God-like. It would also signal the end of everything they knew. The Frith Guild had to find the World Serpent before it fell into the wrong hands.
Apprenticed to the infamous Master Zelfree, sixteen-year-old, Volke Savan's life had been dramatically changed when he had bonded with Luthair, a dark and seemingly sinister sentient creature known as a Knightmare. Volke had grown up with stories of the arcanists, and he had dreamt of becoming one. However, he was no longer that naive young man who dealt in dreams. The plague had utterly vanquished Volke's boyhood hero, Gregory Ruma, and Volke had also come face-to-face with his adopted sister's adversary — Dread Pirate Calisto. And now there was this new and terrible threat. If the World Serpent bonded with the wrong person, then this life would be over, forever, for everyone. Volke and his fellow apprentice would travel with The Frith Guild to Thronehold, the capital of the Argo Empire, in search of answers.
But when The Frith Guild finally arrived at Thornehold, they discovered that a new Sovereign Dragon had been born, and the city was preparing for The Sovereign Dragon Tournament. With so many arcanists drawn to the tournament with its promises of prestige and riches, tracking down those who were responsible for the terrible plague and the birth of the World Serpent would be near on impossible. The members of The Frith Guild feared that there would be nothing they could do to stop the Second Ascension.
There is magic. There is adventure. There is romance. Coliseum Arcanist (Frith Chronicles #3) by Shami Stovall is a Young Adult Fantasy triumph in every way. The narrative is mesmerising. The prose is enchanting. Having read the first two books in this series, I was expecting something very magical in this, the third book. Stovall has nailed it. This novel is spellbinding. Once I started, I knew there was no way I was going to put this book down. It is utterly enthralling from start to finish.
As with the other books, this story is told from Volke's perspective. We see everything that he sees. We are privy to his emotions, which gave this book a lovely intimate feel. Volke is a wonderful protagonist who is not only honourable and kind, but he is also very principled. He is not swayed from the path that he has chosen, and nor will his mind be turned against those he admires because of whispered rumours and murmured accusations. Volke is also always willing to give people a chance. His treatment of Fain, a reformed pirate, is a classic example of how he embraces those who others shy away from. Volke doesn't like the idea of someone feeling like they don't belong, and he goes out of his way to help Fain find a place for himself within The Frith Guild. Volke is in all ways, a very admirable, protagonists, and also one that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about.
The Sovereign Dragon Tournament is a once in a lifetime tournament, and Stovall has given her readers front row seats to this wondrous, violent, magical event. And because of this tournament, Stovall introduces her readers to a vast array of sentient creatures, each one with unique characteristics and abilities. I thought the way Stovall chose to approach how she described all these creatures was incredibly clever. Volke borrows a book from his dear friend, Adelgis', father. This book is an encyclopedia of knowledge in regards to these creatures, and it holds just the right information, to give the reader an idea of the creature that Volke is studying. This approach worked really well, and it certainly made imagining these creatures almost effortless.
I have to mention Adelgis Venrover. Adelgis is a very gentle, very empathetic soul who has spent his life trying to make his father proud. His father is in all ways a narcissist — he is a cold, single-minded academic who will happily experiment on his children. Stovall has introduced her readers to some terrible psychopathic characters in this series, but for me, Theasin Venrover is the one character that I despised the most. The way he treated Adelgis was truly horrendous, and I just wanted to wrap my arms around Adelgish and give him a great big hug, because he is such a deserving character and one so immensely likeable. I was so relieved that he had Volke in his corner because he desperately needed that sort of friend.
Coliseum Arcanist answers so many of the questions that arose in the previous two books, but it also poses a few more, the most pressing one being, what will become of Volke and this wonderfully magical world now that evil has been let loose?
I really hope that Stovall does not stop the adventure with this book because I am not quite ready to walk away from these characters just yet.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
January 3, 2022
Each book in this series gets better
This is easily the best yet - and that’s not to say the rest were bad: far from it. The first one was a bit slow and predictable at the start, but really began to take off from about half way through. The second built on the characters and created a good, satisfyingly complex world with an ingenious magic, not all-powerful, but enough to be challenging for those who carried it.
And this one really moves into another league: the challenges are bigger and the characters grow bigger to face them. The ending is a cracking cliff-hanger and I’m really glad the next one in the series is here. If they keep on improving like this, they’ll be one of the must-reads of the year. Good young adult, coming of age novels with a wide cast of sexualities and instincts. Beautiful.
This is easily the best yet - and that’s not to say the rest were bad: far from it. The first one was a bit slow and predictable at the start, but really began to take off from about half way through. The second built on the characters and created a good, satisfyingly complex world with an ingenious magic, not all-powerful, but enough to be challenging for those who carried it.
And this one really moves into another league: the challenges are bigger and the characters grow bigger to face them. The ending is a cracking cliff-hanger and I’m really glad the next one in the series is here. If they keep on improving like this, they’ll be one of the must-reads of the year. Good young adult, coming of age novels with a wide cast of sexualities and instincts. Beautiful.
March 1, 2020
A fantastic read
The book was such a fun read where the world itself was so intriguing and the magic so unique that I just lived learning more and more. The characters have grown a lot since book one and I honestly love that they are gradually growing not just powering up ever 30 pages. This was so fun and can’t wait for the next book
The book was such a fun read where the world itself was so intriguing and the magic so unique that I just lived learning more and more. The characters have grown a lot since book one and I honestly love that they are gradually growing not just powering up ever 30 pages. This was so fun and can’t wait for the next book
February 24, 2020
Astonishingly good new entry in a series which keeps on getting better and better. Story gets deeper, worldbuilding becomes more intricate, the stakes get raised, attractions flare and there's even a little humour in there.
Recommended. Heavily
Recommended. Heavily
May 5, 2021
Find my reviews at Feminist Quill
Synopsis: Volke and his fellow apprentices participate in a kingdom-wide tournament in honour of the bonding ceremony of a hatchling Sovereign Dragon, while they secretly continue their search for the world serpent.
There’s something to be said for the potential of a story when it can keep things interesting despite how irritating the prose is. Somehow, this series has done it again. Despite cringeworthy sentence structure, awkward use of dialogue, and some glaring missteps in terms of forgetting what was said in the same book just a few pages ago, Shami Stovall has once again provided an absorbing and imaginative adventure in Coliseum Arcanist.
Most of the book is wasted in pointless dialogue and awkward bantering. Some of it is repetitive – Volke seems to forget that he’s already known something (or that he doesn’t know something) and his trains of thoughts run out of sync with the facts he has in his possession.
A lot of the distraction involves women throwing themselves at Volke despite the fact that everything he says sounds like a robot taught itself to speak from an encyclopaedia. Many of these storylines go nowhere – such as the ones involving Evianna and Livia. That is to say, even if these events are connected in some way to where the plot is headed, they did not need to be there.
Main characters like Atty, Hexa and Illia get no development whatsoever in Coliseum Arcanist. While Illia had a big portion of Dread Pirate Arcanist to herself, the other girls are vague mysteries, with Volke telling us random things about them rather than their personalities being shown on the page.
All of the focus is on the boys – Zaxis and Adelgis. Even out of the two, Adelgis is the only one that anything actually happens to. Zaxis continues to be a puffed up popinjay, learning absolutely nothing about how to interact with people and spouting ridiculous lines at the most inopportune times. (In fact, of all the characters, he is the only one who seems to match the awkward writing, because he has absolutely no idea how to talk to other people.)
The Tournament itself is slightly interesting, and the fight scenes are well scripted. But having read of the Uncrowned Tournament from Will Wight’s Cradle series, this one doesn’t even begin to measure up.
It may have been a lot cooler if we got to see the Master Arcanists fight, but the only matches described in the book are those of the apprentice arcanists.
~ Volke Savan, Master and Commander of Language
Two point five stars for an interesting read despite being riddled with faults.
Review of Book 1: Knightmare Arcanist
Review of Book 2: Dread Pirate Arcanist
Synopsis: Volke and his fellow apprentices participate in a kingdom-wide tournament in honour of the bonding ceremony of a hatchling Sovereign Dragon, while they secretly continue their search for the world serpent.
His bicep had felt firmer than mine. Which bothered me.
~ Volke Savan
There’s something to be said for the potential of a story when it can keep things interesting despite how irritating the prose is. Somehow, this series has done it again. Despite cringeworthy sentence structure, awkward use of dialogue, and some glaring missteps in terms of forgetting what was said in the same book just a few pages ago, Shami Stovall has once again provided an absorbing and imaginative adventure in Coliseum Arcanist.
Most of the book is wasted in pointless dialogue and awkward bantering. Some of it is repetitive – Volke seems to forget that he’s already known something (or that he doesn’t know something) and his trains of thoughts run out of sync with the facts he has in his possession.
A lot of the distraction involves women throwing themselves at Volke despite the fact that everything he says sounds like a robot taught itself to speak from an encyclopaedia. Many of these storylines go nowhere – such as the ones involving Evianna and Livia. That is to say, even if these events are connected in some way to where the plot is headed, they did not need to be there.
“Volke told me all about your preferences. I can do my training shirtless for a few days, if you’ll consider that thanks.”
~ Zaxis Ren, King of Foot in Mouth Disease
Main characters like Atty, Hexa and Illia get no development whatsoever in Coliseum Arcanist. While Illia had a big portion of Dread Pirate Arcanist to herself, the other girls are vague mysteries, with Volke telling us random things about them rather than their personalities being shown on the page.
All of the focus is on the boys – Zaxis and Adelgis. Even out of the two, Adelgis is the only one that anything actually happens to. Zaxis continues to be a puffed up popinjay, learning absolutely nothing about how to interact with people and spouting ridiculous lines at the most inopportune times. (In fact, of all the characters, he is the only one who seems to match the awkward writing, because he has absolutely no idea how to talk to other people.)
The Tournament itself is slightly interesting, and the fight scenes are well scripted. But having read of the Uncrowned Tournament from Will Wight’s Cradle series, this one doesn’t even begin to measure up.
It may have been a lot cooler if we got to see the Master Arcanists fight, but the only matches described in the book are those of the apprentice arcanists.
“Who is this Rishan man?” I asked. Lyvia and Evianna exchanged glances, like they couldn’t believe I would ask.
~ Volke Savan, Master and Commander of Language
Two point five stars for an interesting read despite being riddled with faults.
Review of Book 1: Knightmare Arcanist
Review of Book 2: Dread Pirate Arcanist
September 5, 2023
Okay, so this book has the capability to break me! Coliseum Arcanist is the third book in the Frith Chronicles and we return once more to Volke, Illia, and the rest.
Gille is working hard to find a cure for the plague and is accompanied by the Frith Guild to see the queen. Only, they get more excitement than they bargained for when they find out there will be a tournament for a new sovereign dragon arcanist. Illia is still dead set on revenge on Calisto but the others are excited to participate.
Wow, so much happens here! This is a long book, but not a single word is wasted. So many new characters to meet and old ones to reacquaint with. Volke is, of course, the star of the show, but he doesn't hog all the limelight. Through his eyes, you see the others and how they change and grow. Zaxis is still obnoxious, but I'm also hoping he will calm down and become a better man. He is still young after all.
The ending of this book, the last few chapters, is absolutely action-packed. There is never a dull moment and I will admit to my eyes leaking too. I had a suspicion about the outcome of the last match when I read the description given in Volke's book, but how it was written was just amazing. The rest of it came as a surprise and I couldn't read fast enough to find out what happened next.
With a cliffhanger you have to read to believe, I seriously can NOT wait for the next book in the series. You definitely have to read all of them in order to get the full experience but what an experience it is. I really can't recommend this series, or this book, highly enough.
* 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!
Mar 2, 2020
Gille is working hard to find a cure for the plague and is accompanied by the Frith Guild to see the queen. Only, they get more excitement than they bargained for when they find out there will be a tournament for a new sovereign dragon arcanist. Illia is still dead set on revenge on Calisto but the others are excited to participate.
Wow, so much happens here! This is a long book, but not a single word is wasted. So many new characters to meet and old ones to reacquaint with. Volke is, of course, the star of the show, but he doesn't hog all the limelight. Through his eyes, you see the others and how they change and grow. Zaxis is still obnoxious, but I'm also hoping he will calm down and become a better man. He is still young after all.
The ending of this book, the last few chapters, is absolutely action-packed. There is never a dull moment and I will admit to my eyes leaking too. I had a suspicion about the outcome of the last match when I read the description given in Volke's book, but how it was written was just amazing. The rest of it came as a surprise and I couldn't read fast enough to find out what happened next.
With a cliffhanger you have to read to believe, I seriously can NOT wait for the next book in the series. You definitely have to read all of them in order to get the full experience but what an experience it is. I really can't recommend this series, or this book, highly enough.
* 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!
Mar 2, 2020
February 11, 2021
The Frith Guild is back for another adventure. They travel to the famous city of Thronehold where the Sovereign Dragon Tournament takes place. They are not just there to compete though, they have a mission (that includes bonding with the world serpent).
There is plenty of good old action, so here we see fantasy at its best.
I loved Volke Savan’s character and the way he made decisions. Stovall does a great way of bringing life to each and every character.
The plot was epic and intense! Every minute in this book either made me shudder or smile. Whatever I felt, I was certainly flipping through the pages to find out more.
The competition was indeed compelling as the battles were edge-of-your-seat dramatic. The plot is certainly creative and strong, for new/old readers alike.
The only issue with this book is trust. In my opinion, Volke trusts a lot. A little too much if you ask me. This is probably the reason why he gets in a lot of trouble and why he’s the most reliable. He observes and understands. So, I guess, it’s not that bad. But, I needed to point out the flaw.
All in all, a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed the duels, the chaos, the glory, etc. Even if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series, you’re still good to go! The author catches you up with quick, detailed summaries of the past. This made it easy to follow through instead of guessing the way out (the ending is amaze-balls by the way).
Thanks for reading my review!
My rating is 5 stars.
There is plenty of good old action, so here we see fantasy at its best.
I loved Volke Savan’s character and the way he made decisions. Stovall does a great way of bringing life to each and every character.
The plot was epic and intense! Every minute in this book either made me shudder or smile. Whatever I felt, I was certainly flipping through the pages to find out more.
The competition was indeed compelling as the battles were edge-of-your-seat dramatic. The plot is certainly creative and strong, for new/old readers alike.
The only issue with this book is trust. In my opinion, Volke trusts a lot. A little too much if you ask me. This is probably the reason why he gets in a lot of trouble and why he’s the most reliable. He observes and understands. So, I guess, it’s not that bad. But, I needed to point out the flaw.
All in all, a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed the duels, the chaos, the glory, etc. Even if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series, you’re still good to go! The author catches you up with quick, detailed summaries of the past. This made it easy to follow through instead of guessing the way out (the ending is amaze-balls by the way).
Thanks for reading my review!
My rating is 5 stars.
February 21, 2020
ONE OF THE BEST SERIES EVER!!!
First off, I want to state this book is amazing and well worth the read. The Stovall does an incredible job in fleshing out the characters and creating dynamics between the characters. I love how much detail Stovall puts into the world and the mechanics of magic.
I am interested in seeing what the next book entails for Volke with having the plague. I know the cure has to take place within the timeframe of 6 months before the plague side effects become permanent for the arcanist. Unless the cure fixes even the side effects after 6 months. I hope the cure is found in time. Before Luthair kills himself to save Volke. I feel like Karna will make this time period interesting. I am also curious as to why the blacksmith and captain were invested in Volke pass the tournament. Perhaps Volke’s mother and/or father?!?!
I feel like Fain and Adelgis have come a long way in their development. Fain has begun to reach out and overcome being a past pirate. Adelgis is starting to get past his family problems and finally that leech is out of him.
I am also interested in how the rest of the frith apprentices react and handle Volke leaving and having the plague. Will Illia breakdown or get stronger? Will her feelings get stronger for Volke or Zaxis? How will Zaxis handle Illia worrying about Volke? Will he continue seeing Volke as a rival or will he put those feelings aside and help Illia? Will Atty be able to come out of her shell and become stronger in order to help Volke? Will she finally be able to advance her magic? Does her feelings for Volke get stronger or will they dim? (Honestly I think she needs to be given more attention!!!! In this book she did not appear that often.) Now Hexa I feel like will be the most stable one during this trying time. But who knows if she will be especially vulnerable during this time.
I know Master Zelfree will not take Volke being in infected and leaving them well. I hope he just does not break down and return to what he was for the majority of the first book.
Lastly I cannot wait for the next book to come out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I hope Stovall will give an update on this soon!!!!!
First off, I want to state this book is amazing and well worth the read. The Stovall does an incredible job in fleshing out the characters and creating dynamics between the characters. I love how much detail Stovall puts into the world and the mechanics of magic.
I am interested in seeing what the next book entails for Volke with having the plague. I know the cure has to take place within the timeframe of 6 months before the plague side effects become permanent for the arcanist. Unless the cure fixes even the side effects after 6 months. I hope the cure is found in time. Before Luthair kills himself to save Volke. I feel like Karna will make this time period interesting. I am also curious as to why the blacksmith and captain were invested in Volke pass the tournament. Perhaps Volke’s mother and/or father?!?!
I feel like Fain and Adelgis have come a long way in their development. Fain has begun to reach out and overcome being a past pirate. Adelgis is starting to get past his family problems and finally that leech is out of him.
I am also interested in how the rest of the frith apprentices react and handle Volke leaving and having the plague. Will Illia breakdown or get stronger? Will her feelings get stronger for Volke or Zaxis? How will Zaxis handle Illia worrying about Volke? Will he continue seeing Volke as a rival or will he put those feelings aside and help Illia? Will Atty be able to come out of her shell and become stronger in order to help Volke? Will she finally be able to advance her magic? Does her feelings for Volke get stronger or will they dim? (Honestly I think she needs to be given more attention!!!! In this book she did not appear that often.) Now Hexa I feel like will be the most stable one during this trying time. But who knows if she will be especially vulnerable during this time.
I know Master Zelfree will not take Volke being in infected and leaving them well. I hope he just does not break down and return to what he was for the majority of the first book.
Lastly I cannot wait for the next book to come out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I hope Stovall will give an update on this soon!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2020
The series continues to improve
The author has accomplished a difficult thing for this day and age. Her protagonist, Volke, is unironically noble in a dark world, and he is completely believable. This is a wonderful thing. Volke makes the people around him want to be better, and he will make you want to be better, too. He is a call back to a time when we cared about others, and honor meant something. We need more of that. Highly recommended.
The author has accomplished a difficult thing for this day and age. Her protagonist, Volke, is unironically noble in a dark world, and he is completely believable. This is a wonderful thing. Volke makes the people around him want to be better, and he will make you want to be better, too. He is a call back to a time when we cared about others, and honor meant something. We need more of that. Highly recommended.
March 10, 2020
A great series
I read all three books in a week and I can't wait for the fourth installment. The series is well thought out, the magic system is engaging and interesting, the world keeps getting more life breathed into it with every book. The MC actually thinks things through and is generally pretty cool if somewhat lack luster in some of his romantic relations. This is a great series and you should definitely pick it up.
I read all three books in a week and I can't wait for the fourth installment. The series is well thought out, the magic system is engaging and interesting, the world keeps getting more life breathed into it with every book. The MC actually thinks things through and is generally pretty cool if somewhat lack luster in some of his romantic relations. This is a great series and you should definitely pick it up.
February 23, 2020
The journey of frith apprentices continues in this third book. New characters are added while existing ones go from strength to strength. Some dark moments as few major characters die or are plague ridden. Can’t wait for the next book
March 2, 2020
Absolutely amazing
I can’t tell you enough about how interesting and varied this world is. I am dying for the next one but will wait patiently if that means they can all be this good!
I can’t tell you enough about how interesting and varied this world is. I am dying for the next one but will wait patiently if that means they can all be this good!
March 30, 2020
Κάθε βιβλίο αυτής τη σειράς είναι και καλύτερο από το προηγούμενο. Όλοι οι χαρακτήρες είναι καλογραμμένοι και η δράση σωστά ενορχηστρωμένη. Ποτέ δεν πίστευα ότι θα μπορούσα να συμπαθήσω τα wendigo, τα τερατάκια που τρώνε ανθρώπινο κρέας, αλλά σε αυτή τη σειρά έγινε κι αυτό.
April 11, 2020
Read as slowly as possible ...
Its such a unique story. I read many series some long and some short to the point where i can predict what will happen next or what the character will do. But not this time, I read this novel with anxiety constantly looking at how many pages were left, hoping it wouldn't end too fast. I'm very happy to see a fourth book coming out, cannot wait to read it as slowly as possible, like I did with this one.
Its such a unique story. I read many series some long and some short to the point where i can predict what will happen next or what the character will do. But not this time, I read this novel with anxiety constantly looking at how many pages were left, hoping it wouldn't end too fast. I'm very happy to see a fourth book coming out, cannot wait to read it as slowly as possible, like I did with this one.
February 23, 2020
Wow
Volke’s adventures are most definitely the stuff of legend. I was so looking forward to this book and I was not disappointed.
Volke’s adventures are most definitely the stuff of legend. I was so looking forward to this book and I was not disappointed.
February 25, 2020
Fantastic
The story is more interesting with each addition. Turning into one of my favorite series. I can’t wait until the next!
The story is more interesting with each addition. Turning into one of my favorite series. I can’t wait until the next!
April 2, 2020
Great Book
I’m looking forward to Book 4, as Coliseum Arcanist has a cliffhanger ending, which I hate. Book 4 is scheduled out on May 26, 2020, I have already placed it on pre-order.
I’m looking forward to Book 4, as Coliseum Arcanist has a cliffhanger ending, which I hate. Book 4 is scheduled out on May 26, 2020, I have already placed it on pre-order.
October 24, 2020
Definitely my favourite in the series so far!
February 13, 2024
Mn jaar doel gaat wel erg snel wel, maar wat een goede boeken :') het verhaal is wat makkelijk, maar het einde was wel cool.
July 30, 2024
Oh, come on! A cliffhanger like that?!?!?! *deep breath* it's fine.. I have the next book to start immediately.
March 3, 2025
Volke è sopportabile solo se è insieme a Zaxis, per quanto l'autore cerchi di negarlo.
June 1, 2020
Such a fascinating story..
I have read the three books of this series in four days. The characters are so well written and the plotline is just fascinating..
I have read the three books of this series in four days. The characters are so well written and the plotline is just fascinating..
September 19, 2023
This book was faster moving than the previous, especially in the second half. Cliff hanger ending.
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