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The Chronicles of the Troop #1
Resthaven
Aeons ago an ancient war ravaged the land, though no one knows why.
The Endless Plains were one site of that ancient battle. Utterly devastated, they have now recovered, and are once again at peace. But as the seasons turned and the years passed by, rumors grew. Rumors of the destruction of villages and the slaughtering of innocents. And those rumors are proving true.
Along the banks of the Serensea, Tommy grew into manhood knowing none of this. Living his life fishing the sea with his father, his home was far away from any happenings in the world. But when he is forced to escape the destruction of his village he finds that not all is as it seems.
And what happens to him and his family will change them all, and reshape the lives of those around them.
Forever.
A note to readers: Violence through fantasy combat, Minor swearing, Adult themes, No sex.
The Endless Plains were one site of that ancient battle. Utterly devastated, they have now recovered, and are once again at peace. But as the seasons turned and the years passed by, rumors grew. Rumors of the destruction of villages and the slaughtering of innocents. And those rumors are proving true.
Along the banks of the Serensea, Tommy grew into manhood knowing none of this. Living his life fishing the sea with his father, his home was far away from any happenings in the world. But when he is forced to escape the destruction of his village he finds that not all is as it seems.
And what happens to him and his family will change them all, and reshape the lives of those around them.
Forever.
A note to readers: Violence through fantasy combat, Minor swearing, Adult themes, No sex.
- GenresFantasy
551 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2022
117 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Colin Darney
7 books66 followersIn a world where gods are silent and magic is feared, Colin Darney writes stories about people who still fight forward. A veteran, trauma nurse, and lifelong student of human resilience, Colin’s fantasy series—The Chronicles of the Troop and The Book of Ghaan—explore what it means to survive, to love, and to hold on to hope when the world says you shouldn’t.
Known for gritty realism, emotionally layered characters, and the kind of dialogue you'd actually hear in a bar full of off-duty soldiers, Colin blends classic epic fantasy with raw, lived experience. His readers often say the world feels real, the characters feel familiar—and that once they start reading, they can’t put it down.
The Book of Ghaan, Part Two is currently in editing, with release planned for summer 2025.
Known for gritty realism, emotionally layered characters, and the kind of dialogue you'd actually hear in a bar full of off-duty soldiers, Colin blends classic epic fantasy with raw, lived experience. His readers often say the world feels real, the characters feel familiar—and that once they start reading, they can’t put it down.
The Book of Ghaan, Part Two is currently in editing, with release planned for summer 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 18, 2022
This book was a fun read and at its best when the tone was light-hearted. There are too many tomes of fantasy novels that take themselves too seriously, and this book is not one of them. Each touch of self-deprecating humor made me grin and root for the characters even more.
The story was rewarding, the characters authentic, and the adventure spine-tingling. I am glad there are hints of a second book because I look forward to reading more. Actually, I demand a book zero ASAP because I want to know Donnor's origin story!
Despite my overall glowing review, I held back my 5th star for one minor annoyance: IMO, the book started out with unnecessary gore in the prologue and to a lesser extent the first chapter. Gore's not really my thing, and I almost quit there. Even so, I was reading a much anticipated ARC copy of the book (thanks, author!) and I knew there were going to be parts of the story I didn't want to miss. So if you are having similar qualms, READ ON! You will be glad you did.
The story was rewarding, the characters authentic, and the adventure spine-tingling. I am glad there are hints of a second book because I look forward to reading more. Actually, I demand a book zero ASAP because I want to know Donnor's origin story!
Despite my overall glowing review, I held back my 5th star for one minor annoyance: IMO, the book started out with unnecessary gore in the prologue and to a lesser extent the first chapter. Gore's not really my thing, and I almost quit there. Even so, I was reading a much anticipated ARC copy of the book (thanks, author!) and I knew there were going to be parts of the story I didn't want to miss. So if you are having similar qualms, READ ON! You will be glad you did.
February 19, 2022
Resthaven follows a group of survivors after their village has been attacked by Odilaan, a group of humanoid monsters that feast on the flesh of those towns and villages they invade. The humans need to work together with other humanoid creatures to fight off this common threat.
At first the story comes across as a typical fantasy where men, elves, and dwarves fight off a beast race in a high fantasy setting, but the story also establishes that some of the humanoids work fairly well together, while for others the differences are so different that it makes day to day living with each other impossible.
One of the major characters, Tommy, is revealed to be half-elven and is initially devastated, as half-breeds are generally outcast from both societies. He thinks nothing of his dad not aging like his mom (part of the elven bond with his forbidden love) and he’s thrown for a loop when he finds out the woman he’s been calling mother all these years isn’t a blood relation.
All in all, a lot of the story is spent building up the battle sequences, which in my opinion were the best parts of the book. The writing could be tightened up here or there in other parts, but I doubt many non-writers will be as nitpicky as me. I think the only real nitpick I had was that the scope of the story the author was trying to tell was huge – that this book was likely set up for other tales, so he’s laying down foundation for a series. It does hold well enough on its own, so really it’s a matter of preference.
At first the story comes across as a typical fantasy where men, elves, and dwarves fight off a beast race in a high fantasy setting, but the story also establishes that some of the humanoids work fairly well together, while for others the differences are so different that it makes day to day living with each other impossible.
One of the major characters, Tommy, is revealed to be half-elven and is initially devastated, as half-breeds are generally outcast from both societies. He thinks nothing of his dad not aging like his mom (part of the elven bond with his forbidden love) and he’s thrown for a loop when he finds out the woman he’s been calling mother all these years isn’t a blood relation.
All in all, a lot of the story is spent building up the battle sequences, which in my opinion were the best parts of the book. The writing could be tightened up here or there in other parts, but I doubt many non-writers will be as nitpicky as me. I think the only real nitpick I had was that the scope of the story the author was trying to tell was huge – that this book was likely set up for other tales, so he’s laying down foundation for a series. It does hold well enough on its own, so really it’s a matter of preference.
October 20, 2023
Tol
This book was so good! I loved every bit of it. Great world-building, multi-povs, magical system/lore is original and easy to understand, various "races" are represented (i.e. elves, dwarves, sprites, gnomes, humans, so many more and etc..) - which was a nice surprise - awesome battle scenes, and overall just well written - you know it'll continue, but it satisfies without a cliffhanger. A lot of character building and set up well done for a continuing series (there are 2 more books!!) and I really must know more. Colin has done a great job in varying the personalities of the characters, even side characters and I really appreciate his attention and detail in layout of formation and ranks so you can really visualize what is happening (esp for the battle scenes)!
Colin has also gone out of his way to include a pronunciation guide along with a character guide even! I look forward to completing this series!
This book was so good! I loved every bit of it. Great world-building, multi-povs, magical system/lore is original and easy to understand, various "races" are represented (i.e. elves, dwarves, sprites, gnomes, humans, so many more and etc..) - which was a nice surprise - awesome battle scenes, and overall just well written - you know it'll continue, but it satisfies without a cliffhanger. A lot of character building and set up well done for a continuing series (there are 2 more books!!) and I really must know more. Colin has done a great job in varying the personalities of the characters, even side characters and I really appreciate his attention and detail in layout of formation and ranks so you can really visualize what is happening (esp for the battle scenes)!
Colin has also gone out of his way to include a pronunciation guide along with a character guide even! I look forward to completing this series!
March 22, 2022
First, I’d like to thank Mr. Darney for the advance copy. My wife bought a paper copy though and it had such a great design (and cover art!) that I ended up reading it instead.
As a longtime reader (and re-reader) of Tolkien and Moorcock, this fantasy novel was right up my alley. The first chapter grabbed my attention and make me think, “Oh, so it’s going to be one of THESE” before quickly going off in another direction. I felt flummoxed at first by the introduction of so many names, but after I identified the main characters I was able to follow along. I liked how everyone spoke in a modern manner despite the quasi-medieval setting. I also liked that there was plenty of dry humor throughout.
The characters developed in a natural way, and it was interesting to see the relationships between them change as their situation changed. There is quite a bit left for the reader to learn about this world though, and about one character in particular, but I suspect the the author is setting us up for a prequel, or possibly flashbacks presented in a sequel, which a little bird told me is already underway.
I learned more about military training and tactics than I would have expected from a novel. I enjoyed that material, just as I enjoy Tom Clancy’s rabbit-holes into submarine tactics or spy craft, but have to admit it slowed the plot a bit.
The ending was suspenseful and made me want to hurry to find out what happened. Overall, I enjoyed Resthaven as a modern take on a classic form. I look forward to future installments.
As a longtime reader (and re-reader) of Tolkien and Moorcock, this fantasy novel was right up my alley. The first chapter grabbed my attention and make me think, “Oh, so it’s going to be one of THESE” before quickly going off in another direction. I felt flummoxed at first by the introduction of so many names, but after I identified the main characters I was able to follow along. I liked how everyone spoke in a modern manner despite the quasi-medieval setting. I also liked that there was plenty of dry humor throughout.
The characters developed in a natural way, and it was interesting to see the relationships between them change as their situation changed. There is quite a bit left for the reader to learn about this world though, and about one character in particular, but I suspect the the author is setting us up for a prequel, or possibly flashbacks presented in a sequel, which a little bird told me is already underway.
I learned more about military training and tactics than I would have expected from a novel. I enjoyed that material, just as I enjoy Tom Clancy’s rabbit-holes into submarine tactics or spy craft, but have to admit it slowed the plot a bit.
The ending was suspenseful and made me want to hurry to find out what happened. Overall, I enjoyed Resthaven as a modern take on a classic form. I look forward to future installments.
February 17, 2022
Resthaven follows the story of Tommy as he is forced to flee from his destroyed home, and uncover truths that he would've otherwise never known.
This is the type of fantasy book I love. It's not deadly serious the entire time with characters strictly focused on a mission. There's some humor mixed in, albeit self depreciating with the main character, but it broke up the monotony of world building and story telling.
The book did become repetitive multiple times throughout the story. This was largely due to the multiple POVs from the other characters telling their portion of events. On top of that, the pacing was slow and there was a lot of build up for events that seemed fairly minor in the grand scheme of things.
This is the type of fantasy book I love. It's not deadly serious the entire time with characters strictly focused on a mission. There's some humor mixed in, albeit self depreciating with the main character, but it broke up the monotony of world building and story telling.
The book did become repetitive multiple times throughout the story. This was largely due to the multiple POVs from the other characters telling their portion of events. On top of that, the pacing was slow and there was a lot of build up for events that seemed fairly minor in the grand scheme of things.
February 1, 2022
3.9 rounded up to 4 stars
First of all Thank you to the author for providing ARC in exchange of honest review.
I like the book although the story development is slow. Also, some of the scenes are repetitive that is just in different POVs. Donnor, Tommy, Ari, Saress and Mikus are all interesting characters and I love how they play their role excellently. There are a lot of races and combats involved in this bthat is intriguing. There are dwarf, human, elf, askilat and a lot more. We get to know the history of each races. Most of the creatures fear magic which the elf wielded. The existence of Donnor is still mystery though he is a capable commander and powerful warrior. I love Ari and Saress! They are both powerful. The book is full of of journey, combats and interesting characters!
First of all Thank you to the author for providing ARC in exchange of honest review.
I like the book although the story development is slow. Also, some of the scenes are repetitive that is just in different POVs. Donnor, Tommy, Ari, Saress and Mikus are all interesting characters and I love how they play their role excellently. There are a lot of races and combats involved in this bthat is intriguing. There are dwarf, human, elf, askilat and a lot more. We get to know the history of each races. Most of the creatures fear magic which the elf wielded. The existence of Donnor is still mystery though he is a capable commander and powerful warrior. I love Ari and Saress! They are both powerful. The book is full of of journey, combats and interesting characters!
January 10, 2022
First of all I would like to thank the author for the arc copy of this book... I liked this book and probably would have given it 5 stars but I have given it a 4, because at the start the world building and character's secret revelations etc. which constitutes the first half of the book is a bit too slow for my liking it was a bit difficult for me to go through all that and that was probably why reading the first 50% took a bit long for me.... BUT the second half of the book is awesome with all the action, tension and magic... I loved it and went through it in a single night 😁.... Now I want MORE.... More of Tommy, more of Mikus(He reminds me so much of Gimli from LOTR) , more of Saress and definitely more of Ari and Donnor..... So all in all in my opinion its an awesome start to an amazing story which I'll definitely be reading more of 😁.
April 10, 2022
I dont generally take the time to do reviews. I have a few on here but considering those vs what I've read, it is rare. I see some of the reviews on here giving this a 4 and praising it. This book is a 5. Giving a book on here a 4 or on amazon is essentially saying you probably shouldnt waste your time. It is the simple truth.
That being said I would still give this a 5 because I loved it and had trouble putting it down. To me thats what a 5 is. It does not mean it is the number one greatest piece of literature of all time.
But this is pretty damn great. When you feel at a loss because there is no more to read and all you wish for is to still be in that world... that is a 5. So with that being said. This is a 5.
There are some seriously great characters in this story, and there is an incredible foundation for the books to come. The magic is wonderfully done, the interactions and heart warming moments are well executed, the banter is excellent. Book 2 is nearly done according to their facebook page, and if they gave me and ARC I'd probably get no sleep tonight. I'm not sure what else to say other than I hope i have convinced atleast a few of you to try this.
That being said I would still give this a 5 because I loved it and had trouble putting it down. To me thats what a 5 is. It does not mean it is the number one greatest piece of literature of all time.
But this is pretty damn great. When you feel at a loss because there is no more to read and all you wish for is to still be in that world... that is a 5. So with that being said. This is a 5.
There are some seriously great characters in this story, and there is an incredible foundation for the books to come. The magic is wonderfully done, the interactions and heart warming moments are well executed, the banter is excellent. Book 2 is nearly done according to their facebook page, and if they gave me and ARC I'd probably get no sleep tonight. I'm not sure what else to say other than I hope i have convinced atleast a few of you to try this.
October 26, 2023
The book has some excellent storytelling parts that really shines and makes the book a worthwhile experience but it also has a few inconsistency that affect the overall performance.
What I really liked was the gradual way of how the characters tell the story and nothing seems out of place, I can believe that events happens that way and it makes sense, didn't find any fault with descriptions, background stories and most of the character actions.
Part of the action is good, is clear that the author studied a bit the art of medieval warfare, soldiers are using the spear and shield, lack of armor, few swords on the battlefield, lots of bows and using the high ground. But there are also some flaws that I will highlight next.
One of the main characters, Donnor, should have a vast history of warfare but sometimes behave as a recruit
- makes the troop call him by name sometimes other times want to be called 'commander' and nobody is clear how they should call him(is evident in the book as well)
- decides to to a practice battle in the middle of enemy territory knowing full well the sound will attract them
- faced with an enemy with superior number instead of fortifying an area that he can protect he splits his forces without explaining it and without an magical interference from another character he would had lost in the first battle in the village
- how he can differentiate between female and male the enemy (ondilaans) is beyond me as they are all using armor and most of the features would be hidden by it
Another character, Ari, her entire motivation is finding and protecting her child but a lot of her action actually endanger him a lot, definitely not a mother material
- keeps drawing power from him to save a few villagers that she does not even know, knowing full well that she or her son could die because of that
- practices a form of magic forbidden of 1000 years on her son without knowing the consequences again to save the life's of a few villagers
Ondilaans, behave weird sometimes brilliant and other times dumb, like their commander has split personalities
- in the opening chapter they clearly use bows to support their infantry but in all the siege parts they never use them, probably because they would have won easily (the humans lack of true fortifications, mostly some wooden building)
- they are called savages and that they fight without formations just rushing down, but they are using tactics like feinting, psychological warfare (keeping the enemy up all day and nigh with just a few growls), they apparent all have armor (most of the human forces doesn't), coordinate their attack to strike at multiple targets at once, it's a peculiar mix of viking combat and horde that is not that believable. They should be either one or another not both.
Overall the book was good and I do hope the next one will improve a bit.
What I really liked was the gradual way of how the characters tell the story and nothing seems out of place, I can believe that events happens that way and it makes sense, didn't find any fault with descriptions, background stories and most of the character actions.
Part of the action is good, is clear that the author studied a bit the art of medieval warfare, soldiers are using the spear and shield, lack of armor, few swords on the battlefield, lots of bows and using the high ground. But there are also some flaws that I will highlight next.
One of the main characters, Donnor, should have a vast history of warfare but sometimes behave as a recruit
- makes the troop call him by name sometimes other times want to be called 'commander' and nobody is clear how they should call him(is evident in the book as well)
- decides to to a practice battle in the middle of enemy territory knowing full well the sound will attract them
- faced with an enemy with superior number instead of fortifying an area that he can protect he splits his forces without explaining it and without an magical interference from another character he would had lost in the first battle in the village
- how he can differentiate between female and male the enemy (ondilaans) is beyond me as they are all using armor and most of the features would be hidden by it
Another character, Ari, her entire motivation is finding and protecting her child but a lot of her action actually endanger him a lot, definitely not a mother material
- keeps drawing power from him to save a few villagers that she does not even know, knowing full well that she or her son could die because of that
- practices a form of magic forbidden of 1000 years on her son without knowing the consequences again to save the life's of a few villagers
Ondilaans, behave weird sometimes brilliant and other times dumb, like their commander has split personalities
- in the opening chapter they clearly use bows to support their infantry but in all the siege parts they never use them, probably because they would have won easily (the humans lack of true fortifications, mostly some wooden building)
- they are called savages and that they fight without formations just rushing down, but they are using tactics like feinting, psychological warfare (keeping the enemy up all day and nigh with just a few growls), they apparent all have armor (most of the human forces doesn't), coordinate their attack to strike at multiple targets at once, it's a peculiar mix of viking combat and horde that is not that believable. They should be either one or another not both.
Overall the book was good and I do hope the next one will improve a bit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2023
3.5⭐ rounded up to 4.
Resthaven is the first book in the epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of the Troop. It has all the markers of an epic fantasy- multiple fantasy races (Elves, Humans, Gnomes, Dwarves... Etc), politics, war, and magic. "Old school" fantasy lovers will definitely find this series to be along those same veins. The story itself was wonderfully crafted and rich in world building.
Ultimately though my rating is lower than I would have otherwise liked to be able to give, had I been rating based on the story alone. This comes from some issues with the technicality of the writing itself. POVs often changed in the middle of a chapter with no noticeable transition. There were also times where the same scenes were presented from multiple characters POV, also without transition- while I understood why the author did this- a transition would have made this easier to digest. The lack of transitions in instances like described above caused me to spend a significant amount of time doing back reading to make sure I hadn't missed something important- which ultimately took me out of the story.
If you're a fan of Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan and other similar authors you may find this right up your alley. Settle in for an epic fantasy series that spans approximately 1500 pages from the beginning of book 1, down to the end of book 3!
Resthaven is the first book in the epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of the Troop. It has all the markers of an epic fantasy- multiple fantasy races (Elves, Humans, Gnomes, Dwarves... Etc), politics, war, and magic. "Old school" fantasy lovers will definitely find this series to be along those same veins. The story itself was wonderfully crafted and rich in world building.
Ultimately though my rating is lower than I would have otherwise liked to be able to give, had I been rating based on the story alone. This comes from some issues with the technicality of the writing itself. POVs often changed in the middle of a chapter with no noticeable transition. There were also times where the same scenes were presented from multiple characters POV, also without transition- while I understood why the author did this- a transition would have made this easier to digest. The lack of transitions in instances like described above caused me to spend a significant amount of time doing back reading to make sure I hadn't missed something important- which ultimately took me out of the story.
If you're a fan of Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan and other similar authors you may find this right up your alley. Settle in for an epic fantasy series that spans approximately 1500 pages from the beginning of book 1, down to the end of book 3!
November 21, 2023
I love these sort of adventure stories, the only thing I really read is fantasy with elves and dragons and things like that so this was right up my alley.
It was a good book to read I did get a bit overwhelmed with the introduction of so many characters but I loved the twists.
I like that the book wasn't too serious throughout and there was bits of humour added.
There was a lot in this book and it feels like it was building for future books so I hope that's the case but it would work as stand alone as well. Unfortunately due to the multiple POV there were bits that became repetitive.
Some events did seem to have more build up than I think was necessary.
(Thank you very much to the author for my early copy of the book)(A review had been written previously but problems caused me to lose it)
It was a good book to read I did get a bit overwhelmed with the introduction of so many characters but I loved the twists.
I like that the book wasn't too serious throughout and there was bits of humour added.
There was a lot in this book and it feels like it was building for future books so I hope that's the case but it would work as stand alone as well. Unfortunately due to the multiple POV there were bits that became repetitive.
Some events did seem to have more build up than I think was necessary.
(Thank you very much to the author for my early copy of the book)(A review had been written previously but problems caused me to lose it)
June 5, 2023
Fantastic! My 65th book for the year and the best one by far! Although some reviewers have said the first half is a little slow, I didn't think so. I found it set the scene and tone of the story, and introduced the characters really well in much the same way as Tolkein did in LoTR. The world building is clear, the characters well defined and the descriptions of the land so well described that you can see it! A strong sense of family and camaraderie throughout the story. I enjoyed every minute of Resthaven and I can't wait to start Silverlake, which I've already purchased. Looking forward to book 3 as well which should be out later this year.
May 15, 2023
And the battle begins!
When I 1st started reading this book I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But as I got into the book my interest was peaked. I enjoyed the magical portions of the book and the battles that begin. The description of the battles and the magic kept my interest in and of course .I was intrigued by the characters themselves. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy people. I had great visual of the description of the creatures in the book and the description of the characters.
When I 1st started reading this book I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But as I got into the book my interest was peaked. I enjoyed the magical portions of the book and the battles that begin. The description of the battles and the magic kept my interest in and of course .I was intrigued by the characters themselves. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy people. I had great visual of the description of the creatures in the book and the description of the characters.
November 17, 2022
I LOVE the accents! They lend the characters so much personality and it’s easier to keep track when there are so many.
Sad that there is racism even in fantasies. But if the mystical creatures can work with humans against a common enemy, just imagine what we humans can do together in the real world.
Fave quotes:
‘Oh, damn it to the hells of the lost gods.’
‘Get off yer’ arses an’ stop yer’ bitchin’
‘That’s not a club; that’s a tree!’
LOOKING FORWARD TO SILVERLAKE!
Sad that there is racism even in fantasies. But if the mystical creatures can work with humans against a common enemy, just imagine what we humans can do together in the real world.
Fave quotes:
‘Oh, damn it to the hells of the lost gods.’
‘Get off yer’ arses an’ stop yer’ bitchin’
‘That’s not a club; that’s a tree!’
LOOKING FORWARD TO SILVERLAKE!
October 16, 2023
This book was not my usual type of read, but I’m so glad I chose to read it. It had action, adventure, great dialogue, and awesome characters of different races! The descriptions were great, theres a map and we all love maps don’t we? The humour was a nice comic relief from all the more serious topics. It was a bit slow but all in all it’s a great fantasy read and I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy, I’m so glad there’s more.
May 30, 2023
5☆☆☆☆☆
Amazing world building with very intriguing characters. High fantasy with magic. Book is filled with dwarves, elves, half -lings and more. Loved the concept of the story...looking forward to book 2.
Amazing world building with very intriguing characters. High fantasy with magic. Book is filled with dwarves, elves, half -lings and more. Loved the concept of the story...looking forward to book 2.
October 27, 2024
good series.
Good series so far. On to book two. Hopefully it doesn’t fizzle out. It was slow to start but picked up about mid way.
Good series so far. On to book two. Hopefully it doesn’t fizzle out. It was slow to start but picked up about mid way.
April 20, 2022
Resthaven is an epic adventure set in a rich and fascinating fantasy world. The story opens right in the middle of action, as the village of Lakeside is under attack, and its inhabitants have to work together to save as many people as they can. Right before that, the prologue shows us the point of view of their attackers, the ondilaan, a race of vicious warriors that expertly wield weapons in addition to their terrifying jaws and claws. The strategy of showing us what our characters have to contend with early on is really attention-grabbing and puts many things into perspective. As readers, we can side with the protagonists quite quickly and share the emotions of the adrenaline-packed opening. We follow and get to know the human Donnor and his son Tommy, the dwarf Mikus, and the elf Arisaylia, as they are reeling from the ondilaan attack. All four of them are exceptionally well fleshed-out characters, whose thoughts and internal monologue help shape our initial impression of the world we’ve found ourselves in.
Besides the very real threat of the ondilaan that hangs over the lands far beyond Lakeside, our characters have to navigate their interpersonal relationships and the secrets some of them are hiding. A lot of the story is focused on Donnor’s son Tommy, his coming of age and learning about his unique heritage and place in the world. What makes the storytelling extremely dynamic are the fast but smooth POV changes that show the depth of the characters. This balance is mirrored in the choice of actions to portray: we follow everything the characters go through, from strategizing to combat training to magical training (magic is real and is portrayed fantastically) to eating and marching. This grit makes for a lot of the story’s charm, as all the parts are equally enjoyable to read about.
The worldbuilding takes place at a slow, but steady pace, organically, through conversations, inner monologues, and the necessary descriptions of the characters’ surroundings at the appropriate places. The information given does not overwhelm and is soundly incorporated into the story, which gives the reader the impression of living the story along with the characters. It is evident that the details are crafted carefully and lovingly, but revealing them piece by piece as necessitated by the story is a winning strategy that will surely have readers hooked.
The dialogues flow naturally and further the characterization, and each of the different races speaks a different language in addition to the common tongue. The snippets of Elvish are most common, and they, too, fit masterfully into the whole and enrich the reading experience. There are no distracting translations of the non-English phrases and sentences, and yet they can always be effortlessly understood from the context. Darney definitely does not underestimate his readers, instead offering them an intricate, credible, tangible world full of wonder and potential.
Resthaven comes complete with maps, a detailed pronunciation guide, lots of stunning action, strong emotion, and all the makings of an outstanding fantasy series for a broad audience.
We can expect the next book in the series, Silverlake, in the late summer of 2022.
Besides the very real threat of the ondilaan that hangs over the lands far beyond Lakeside, our characters have to navigate their interpersonal relationships and the secrets some of them are hiding. A lot of the story is focused on Donnor’s son Tommy, his coming of age and learning about his unique heritage and place in the world. What makes the storytelling extremely dynamic are the fast but smooth POV changes that show the depth of the characters. This balance is mirrored in the choice of actions to portray: we follow everything the characters go through, from strategizing to combat training to magical training (magic is real and is portrayed fantastically) to eating and marching. This grit makes for a lot of the story’s charm, as all the parts are equally enjoyable to read about.
The worldbuilding takes place at a slow, but steady pace, organically, through conversations, inner monologues, and the necessary descriptions of the characters’ surroundings at the appropriate places. The information given does not overwhelm and is soundly incorporated into the story, which gives the reader the impression of living the story along with the characters. It is evident that the details are crafted carefully and lovingly, but revealing them piece by piece as necessitated by the story is a winning strategy that will surely have readers hooked.
The dialogues flow naturally and further the characterization, and each of the different races speaks a different language in addition to the common tongue. The snippets of Elvish are most common, and they, too, fit masterfully into the whole and enrich the reading experience. There are no distracting translations of the non-English phrases and sentences, and yet they can always be effortlessly understood from the context. Darney definitely does not underestimate his readers, instead offering them an intricate, credible, tangible world full of wonder and potential.
Resthaven comes complete with maps, a detailed pronunciation guide, lots of stunning action, strong emotion, and all the makings of an outstanding fantasy series for a broad audience.
We can expect the next book in the series, Silverlake, in the late summer of 2022.
June 3, 2024
#BookLoungeReviewTeam
Book: Resthaven
Author: Colin Darney
Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: Fantasy
✨️✨️✨️ BLURB: ✨️✨️✨️
Aeons ago an ancient war ravaged the land, though no one knows why.
The Endless Plains were one site of that ancient battle. Utterly devastated, they have now recovered, and are once again at peace. But as the seasons turned and the years passed by, rumors grew. Rumors of the destruction of villages and the slaughtering of innocents. And those rumors are proving true.
Along the banks of the Serensea, Tommy grew into manhood knowing none of this. Living his life fishing the sea with his father, his home was far away from any happenings in the world. But when he is forced to escape the destruction of his village he finds that not all is as it seems.
And what happens to him and his family will change them all, and reshape the lives of those around them.
Forever.
A note to readers: Violence through fantasy combat, Minor swearing, Adult themes, No sex.
✨️✨️✨️ REVIEW: ✨️✨️✨️
To me, the blurb didn't sound all that interesting, I'm not gonna lie... 🙈 BUT I was curious anyway and it really did NOT do this book justice. This is a GREAT fantasy story. Elves, dwarves, human, ondilaan (reminded me of a more animalistic version of the LoTR Orcs), and more! The character relationships and different points of view were very well written and believable.
Chapter one starts out from the antagonist POV, which I kind of loved and hope we get another taste of. The rest of the book alternates POV between the four main characters. I adore the characters and I loved the writing style; the author really has a way with words, world building, and completely pulling me in to the story. The earlier chapters were a little slower as the plot was built up and characters were introduced, but once the ball got rolling I didn't want to put it down. Normally, I only read for a (distracted) hour or so here and there, my attention span is POOR, okay... but listen to me when I say I sat for FOUR hours tonight (as uninterrupted and undistracted as someone with a terrible attention span and two crybaby dogs can be in the few hours surrounding their dinner time) becaaaaaaause I HAD to finish this book. It was too good to put off another day... eyes wide, shallow breathing, "what's going to happen next" sort of good.
It's book one in a series and I was about 200 pages from the end when I hopped on Amazon and grabbed the next two. 😅 There IS love between two characters, but they were separated for a looooooong time and are just recently reacquainted, so this is definitely NOT a romance (and I gobble up romantasy, so don't you think for a moment I'm a romance hater.) There was battle and war and action and magic and it was all so well done. There's different languages like Elvish and Dwarvish and Mikus has a wonderfully thick accent that's written in... it all really helps bring the characters to life. The author also included a Pronunciation Guide at the end which was very helpful, so take a peek at that beforehand to acquaint yourself, if necessary.
Overall, 5 stars, easily. As long as the next books keep me this invested, I see this being a story that sticks in my mind and draws me back to read it again and again. #TheChronicalsoftheTroop
Book: Resthaven
Author: Colin Darney
Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: Fantasy
✨️✨️✨️ BLURB: ✨️✨️✨️
Aeons ago an ancient war ravaged the land, though no one knows why.
The Endless Plains were one site of that ancient battle. Utterly devastated, they have now recovered, and are once again at peace. But as the seasons turned and the years passed by, rumors grew. Rumors of the destruction of villages and the slaughtering of innocents. And those rumors are proving true.
Along the banks of the Serensea, Tommy grew into manhood knowing none of this. Living his life fishing the sea with his father, his home was far away from any happenings in the world. But when he is forced to escape the destruction of his village he finds that not all is as it seems.
And what happens to him and his family will change them all, and reshape the lives of those around them.
Forever.
A note to readers: Violence through fantasy combat, Minor swearing, Adult themes, No sex.
✨️✨️✨️ REVIEW: ✨️✨️✨️
To me, the blurb didn't sound all that interesting, I'm not gonna lie... 🙈 BUT I was curious anyway and it really did NOT do this book justice. This is a GREAT fantasy story. Elves, dwarves, human, ondilaan (reminded me of a more animalistic version of the LoTR Orcs), and more! The character relationships and different points of view were very well written and believable.
Chapter one starts out from the antagonist POV, which I kind of loved and hope we get another taste of. The rest of the book alternates POV between the four main characters. I adore the characters and I loved the writing style; the author really has a way with words, world building, and completely pulling me in to the story. The earlier chapters were a little slower as the plot was built up and characters were introduced, but once the ball got rolling I didn't want to put it down. Normally, I only read for a (distracted) hour or so here and there, my attention span is POOR, okay... but listen to me when I say I sat for FOUR hours tonight (as uninterrupted and undistracted as someone with a terrible attention span and two crybaby dogs can be in the few hours surrounding their dinner time) becaaaaaaause I HAD to finish this book. It was too good to put off another day... eyes wide, shallow breathing, "what's going to happen next" sort of good.
It's book one in a series and I was about 200 pages from the end when I hopped on Amazon and grabbed the next two. 😅 There IS love between two characters, but they were separated for a looooooong time and are just recently reacquainted, so this is definitely NOT a romance (and I gobble up romantasy, so don't you think for a moment I'm a romance hater.) There was battle and war and action and magic and it was all so well done. There's different languages like Elvish and Dwarvish and Mikus has a wonderfully thick accent that's written in... it all really helps bring the characters to life. The author also included a Pronunciation Guide at the end which was very helpful, so take a peek at that beforehand to acquaint yourself, if necessary.
Overall, 5 stars, easily. As long as the next books keep me this invested, I see this being a story that sticks in my mind and draws me back to read it again and again. #TheChronicalsoftheTroop
April 20, 2023
Resthaven is book one in The Chronicles of the Troop fantasy series centering on young Tommy who lives with his father Donner in the village of Silverlake on the edge of the Serensea. Tommy and Donner live a peaceful and simple life along with the others in their small fishing village until one day, the vicious and barbaric Ondilaani tribe attacks and Donner, Tommy, Ari the village seamstress and Mikus Donner's best friend, along with 9 other villagers manage to escape on a boat along the Serensea. The rest of the village falls to the attack of the Ondilaani tribe. No one knows why the Ondilaani attack village after village with their single minded rage and destruction.
Donner and his group head to Redtail Hold where they assume they will find shelter, they find that they are not the only refugees fleeing from the deadly attacks of the Ondilaani. Once there Donner finds that you cannot escape your past and he must become the person he thought he left behind in order to keep those he loves safe from more attacks and he and his party are sent to the village of Resthaven to scout for more Ondillani tribesmen and help prevent further attacks.
I loved this book, it was fantasy at it's finest. There were humans co-exsisting with Sprites, Dwarves, Elves, Halflings, and many other magical creatures. They must learn to work together and trust one another if they are to survive this whole horrible ordeal they find themselves faced with and have a future that isn't marked with constant bloodshed. The book drew me in from the start of the prologue and and held my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last sentence!
If you are looking for a fast-paced story to escape into, then look no further! I can't wait to read the next chapter in the lives of Tommy, Donner, Ari, and Mikus in Silverlake, and I hope that Colin Darney plans on writing more novels to entertain us with!
I received this book from the author and this is my honest review.
Donner and his group head to Redtail Hold where they assume they will find shelter, they find that they are not the only refugees fleeing from the deadly attacks of the Ondilaani. Once there Donner finds that you cannot escape your past and he must become the person he thought he left behind in order to keep those he loves safe from more attacks and he and his party are sent to the village of Resthaven to scout for more Ondillani tribesmen and help prevent further attacks.
I loved this book, it was fantasy at it's finest. There were humans co-exsisting with Sprites, Dwarves, Elves, Halflings, and many other magical creatures. They must learn to work together and trust one another if they are to survive this whole horrible ordeal they find themselves faced with and have a future that isn't marked with constant bloodshed. The book drew me in from the start of the prologue and and held my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last sentence!
If you are looking for a fast-paced story to escape into, then look no further! I can't wait to read the next chapter in the lives of Tommy, Donner, Ari, and Mikus in Silverlake, and I hope that Colin Darney plans on writing more novels to entertain us with!
I received this book from the author and this is my honest review.
December 7, 2023
Resthaven by Colin Darney is an action-packed fantasy with compelling characters that hook you from the start, and keep you turning the pages until the epic conclusion! It tells the story of Donnor, his son Tommy, their friends Mikus and Ari, and how their lives are forever changed by the brutal attacks of the ondilaani warriors who destroy their village and everyone they held dear. You experience the journey of Tommy as he has a passage into manhood that was unlike anything that he had ever anticipated. The author does a great job of showing the gritty realities of training on the march, for brutal battle in a life or death campaign against superior numbers, and he doesn't shy away from hard topics, but instead allows you to truly feel for the characters in a way that respects what they go through. This was the first book in a series, and I for one cannot wait to read the next book, as I want to learn more about the characters I have met, and really enjoyed. If you love fantasy that is more combat oriented, and not romance oriented, with a great cast of characters ranging from Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Sprites, Gnomes, Halflings, Sprites and not to mention the savage Ondilaani, that does a great job of world building with amazing character development, then you will love Resthaven! I definitely recommend it for all fans of high fantasy!
July 9, 2024
I'm wasn't ready for this book.
whooOOP, whooOOP, whooOOP. Deafening explosions in the distance growing closer and closer until... you are consumed. Only 4 chapters in and, already, I'm body slammed over and over (in a good way) by everything that's happened.
At its heart, I think Resthaven is about family, the struggles of regaining what was lost, and hope. The rekindled relationship between Donnor and Arisaylia is breathtaking and the budding relationship between a Ari and her son might be one of the most delightful things I've had the pleasure of witnessing.
"Ilari, nos tairi yandun..."
"... yandun nos tairi, Ilari."
There are a few twists and turns and, while I am only slightly susceptible to having the wool pulled over my eyes, I was truly surprised at events here and there. The combat and battle scenes are brutal but also have moments that made me chuckle.
This book isn't without flaws, no book is. Here and there are a few grammatical errors or interruptions in the flow of narrative. But what makes this book great far outweighs those flaws.
10/10
whooOOP, whooOOP, whooOOP. Deafening explosions in the distance growing closer and closer until... you are consumed. Only 4 chapters in and, already, I'm body slammed over and over (in a good way) by everything that's happened.
At its heart, I think Resthaven is about family, the struggles of regaining what was lost, and hope. The rekindled relationship between Donnor and Arisaylia is breathtaking and the budding relationship between a Ari and her son might be one of the most delightful things I've had the pleasure of witnessing.
"Ilari, nos tairi yandun..."
"... yandun nos tairi, Ilari."
There are a few twists and turns and, while I am only slightly susceptible to having the wool pulled over my eyes, I was truly surprised at events here and there. The combat and battle scenes are brutal but also have moments that made me chuckle.
This book isn't without flaws, no book is. Here and there are a few grammatical errors or interruptions in the flow of narrative. But what makes this book great far outweighs those flaws.
10/10
February 18, 2025
Ohh, what a gem I found!
I loved this book, it's a really great start of a series.
Never read this author before, I wasn't expecting too much, so I got the best surprise when I found something I adored. Amazing work, Colin Darney, you're on my 'to read author' list from now on.
There's great worldbuilding at play here and the characters are exactly the type I could fall in love with. Fast-paced story and interesting plot, exactly what I'm looking for in a HF.
Definitely worth giving this series a try!
I loved this book, it's a really great start of a series.
Never read this author before, I wasn't expecting too much, so I got the best surprise when I found something I adored. Amazing work, Colin Darney, you're on my 'to read author' list from now on.
There's great worldbuilding at play here and the characters are exactly the type I could fall in love with. Fast-paced story and interesting plot, exactly what I'm looking for in a HF.
Definitely worth giving this series a try!
January 30, 2022
Resthaven was a change from what I am used to reading, actually a big change, at first it was a bit difficult to get into reading but not because it was a bad read, but because as I said, it was different, that said, I am so glad I pushed on through chapter 1 after that I started to get more and more interested in what was happening. At first I didn’t care for all the different characters forms, human, elf, dwarf, etc. but actually it all became neat and normal to picture. I really enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it, one thing I kind of wished for more of a struggle or even preferred a main person or 2 would have been killed or permanently injured just because I felt the wars always seemed to be in Donnors team favor. Other than that it was a great read and looking forward to the next book. Great job Collin and thank you for writing an awesome book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2024
Ah, a fantasy book with a classic feel from a newer author! Just what I love to discover! This one reminded me a bit of Wheel of Time on a smaller scale (thunk villagers and Trollocs) and without the chosen one vs evil one trope. My favorite part was the characters! Every single one no matter how little or much page time they got seemed like a fully formed person with a distinct personality which was amazing! I wouldn't say the pace is slow per say (it does speed up a lot at the end) but it is thorough and deliberate.
Favorite quote: "I’m expecting an attack, and it’s more than likely going to be a restless night.” With that bit of wonderful news, he returned to the men and began helping set up camp.
Favorite scene: whenever Ari healed someone, particularly Moran's healing
Favorite character: Tommy
Favorite quote: "I’m expecting an attack, and it’s more than likely going to be a restless night.” With that bit of wonderful news, he returned to the men and began helping set up camp.
Favorite scene: whenever Ari healed someone, particularly Moran's healing
Favorite character: Tommy
June 10, 2024
Excellent world building, character development and plot. The story follows the survivors of Lakeside, told primarily by young adult Tommy.
The story includes inner conflict, racial tensions, and a group of baddies. It was engaging, fast paced and a true high fantasy novel. The reader uncovers different hisotrical pieces and identities as the protagonist Tommy does. This creates some mystery and intrigue and really sets up the underdog elements we love to root for!
Overall a solid epic fantasy novel with a vocabulary that doesn’t read young, like some novels do when tackling similar themes.
The story includes inner conflict, racial tensions, and a group of baddies. It was engaging, fast paced and a true high fantasy novel. The reader uncovers different hisotrical pieces and identities as the protagonist Tommy does. This creates some mystery and intrigue and really sets up the underdog elements we love to root for!
Overall a solid epic fantasy novel with a vocabulary that doesn’t read young, like some novels do when tackling similar themes.
February 13, 2022
Deserving of a sequel, and sounds like there's going to be one. Overall, this was an epic story with a good-natured vibe. A touch of terror, a spark of romance, scenic terrain that we get to explore, magic unfolding throughout, and great character development. And there remains wonder yet to be explored. It was a tad heavy in militaristic training and development, but it served a purpose, and I would guess offers insight into the author's history. Pretty cool. I'll be waiting for the next one.
February 25, 2022
Resthaven is a MUST Read
Based upon this one book Colin Carney may well turn out to belong alongside authors such as. Anne McCaffery, David Weber, Paul J Bennett and Katherine Kurtz. It is rare to find such a page turner for an author's first release. I highly recommend this book, it is a MUST read, with everything a great fantasy book needs.. Except for dragons, but book two is being written now. I am eagerly waiting for more books from this author.
Based upon this one book Colin Carney may well turn out to belong alongside authors such as. Anne McCaffery, David Weber, Paul J Bennett and Katherine Kurtz. It is rare to find such a page turner for an author's first release. I highly recommend this book, it is a MUST read, with everything a great fantasy book needs.. Except for dragons, but book two is being written now. I am eagerly waiting for more books from this author.
August 29, 2025
I found the book disorganized and not a full story I know it’s the first in a series but it didn’t feel like a complete story. I found the writing to be somewhat juvenile. The characters fell flat for me. There was a lot of detail of things that didn’t need detail but the things that needed detail didn’t have it. I found the book pretty boring. I didn’t like this book and will not be continuing the series.
July 20, 2024
A very good book! I was hooked from the first page. The story starts with gripping action right from the start. There is some humor. Donnor, Tommy, Ari, and Mikus are the 4 main characters. They are all very engaging. And Colin Darney definitely has a talent for world building. I can't wait to get started on the next book.
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