It takes great courage to stand against a ferocious mythic monster.
It takes far greater to stand WITH one who’s at her most vulnerable.
Tremors rock the land. Wild magic and creatures from the abyss ravage a formerly bountiful forest, while a creeping magic ailment spreads among the harpies. A fragile peace between harpy and human teeters on the brink.
Darin and Rinloh, oddest couple in all the land. They must become the oddest of heroes to save the land.
Book source ~ TWR Tour
12 May 2023
Fantasy | Humor
359 Pages
My Rating ~ 4 bites
Rinloh is a harpy in Arvia. Darin is a human in Arvia, but his former address is Earth. I’m not sure how he came to be in Arvia or how their unlikely friendship started, but they are an odd couple who must try to save the world. Tall goals considering Rinloh is the smallest of the harpies and Darin is just a weak human. Although he does have a bit of magic called auralocation, as does Rinloh and some of the other harpies. They will need all the skills they can pool together to save their world from what is about to happen.
This is a solid humorous fantasy set in a world rich with creatures big and small. There’s not a lot of background pertaining to the previous books, but I don’t really need it other than for my own curiosity’s sake. I will pick those books up at some point though because this book is so entertaining that I just have a feeling the others are also. Darin and Rinloh are the main stars of this tale, but there are plenty of cast members to keep things interesting. The harpies are especially funny and Darin has learned how to communicate with them in such a way as to not get eaten. Rinloh, as the smallest harpy, is both confident and uncertain when it comes to the flock. She has a hard time finding her place in the pecking order. Though they don’t actually peck. Hehe Darin thinks he is just a regular human with a small magical skill - no one special really -, but he undersells himself. He’s a great negotiator and is good at problem solving. Good thing, too because he’ll need all that and more in this crisis.
If you’re looking for entertainment in a different sort of world then look no further. Spend some time in Arvia and you’ll not be disappointed.
I need to read the first two books!
Also set in Arvia.
I want to read them all.
D.H. Willison is a reader, writer, game enthusiast and developer, engineer, and history buff. He’s lived or worked in over a dozen countries, learning different cultures, viewpoints, and attitudes, which have influenced his writing, contributing to one of his major themes: alternate and creative conflict resolution. The same situations can be viewed by different cultures quite differently. Sometimes it leads to conflict, sometimes to hilarity. Both make for a great story.
He’s also never missed a chance to visit historic sites, from castle dungeons, to catacombs, to the holds of tall ships, to the tunnels of the Maginot Line. It might be considered research, except for the minor fact that his tales are all set on the whimsical and terrifying world of Arvia. Where giant mythic monsters are often more easily overcome with empathy than explosions.
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