4.45/5 Stars Great Start to an Epic Fantasy

Summary: Searon and Starlyn and company go on an epic quest to save Calthoria from all kinds of evil.


Additional Comments:

- I heard the audiobook version, so forgive me if spellings are a tad off. First, let me say this is a great start to an epic fantasy series and I did enjoy listening to it. Want to make that clear in case some of the rest seems nitpicky.

- Characters 4/5 stars – The main characters are pretty well defined and, for the most part, likeable. The wizard is characterized as annoying and he definitely lives up to that. While good characterization, it still irritated me. Searon’s a tad overpowered like a video game character somebody obsessed over for a few decades and just kept leveling up skills. (He’s good with every kind of weapon he lays his hands on, but then again, so are most of the main characters.)

- Character development 4/5 – Searon does develop a little emotionally throughout the story. He at least learns to let go of the main driving force behind his bloodthirsty rage against the drayaks. Not many others change.

- World-building (4/5) – Starlyn’s race is essentially elves. They’re cool. Pretty in tune with nature. I like how she breaks out of that mold. There are a number of different, terrifying races. Their motivations are murky, and they seem to be controlled by humans or dark wizards or something with a big chip on its shoulder.

The difference between mage, wizard, necrowhatevers, witches, and whatnot got tedious, but I think it would click better if I was wider read in this particular genre.

- Plot (4/5) – While action-packed, it doesn’t really seem like there’s much rhyme or reason to much of the quest. Simply put, bad guys are attacking and good guys have to unite to fight them off. Pretty sure that’s the plot of most epic fantasy stories, yet it still works here.

- Fight scenes (5/5) – many and awesome. Perhaps even overdone in the sense that even if there’s not a wider battle going on, there’s usually a sparring match of some sort.

- Confusing: Not sure why the title centers on Searon’s weapon. It’s a cool weapon, but it’s not immediately apparent in the first story why the crimson claymore matters. I’m assuming it’ll have greater meaning later in the series, but the weapon’s importance seems a minor point compared to the war arising between the various races on this world.


Conclusion:

Fun, relatively clean (I mean there are a LOT of fight scenes) epic fantasy story. It’s a series worth checking out. Audiobook version is definitely recommended.

*I received a free copy of the audio. I have freely chosen to share my thoughts on the work.

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This is going to be a good series

This is the second series I have listened to by Craig Price and I very much enjoy his stories. I can see why he is a best selling author.

"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

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Great ya book

Found this book to be a good fit for young adults. Battle scenes not too graphic or too much adult things going on. The story seems easy to enjoy though I hated the abrupt ending that left me hanging. I received this book at no change in exchange for an honest review. 👍🏻

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I'm ready for the next book!

This is truthfully, now one of my favorite books. The characters quickly capture your heart and you're enthralled in the progression of the story. Also, the author does a fantastic job with battle scenes and giving the listener/reader plenty to convert words to images.

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A Long Journey

I've been wanting to read this book since I heard about it several years ago. I loved the prequel, Chronicles of Starlyn as it introduced both Starlyn and Arria, respective hero and villain of The Crimson Claymore. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I found myself disappointed.

The story began with Searon, a seasoned warrior who is seeking revenge on the dragonesque creatures who killed his wife and child. He soon crosses path with Karceoles, a wizard who is talented but completely obnoxious (and if you are waiting to see if he improves over time, he doesn't), and Starlyn, a Kheshlar who is also trying to defeat the draeyks and find her sister who happens to lead the draeyks in their fight against humanity. The three of them are together for the majority of the story, sometimes splitting up to gather information or recruit help from different cities and they gather various traveling companions along the way. There are many battles as well, some won by a greater margin than others, and cities they pass through (as well as friends and family they seek) that have been devastated by the draeyks. Other than the battles, the story is the journey and the conversations (which include backstories) of the traveling companions.

I liked the idea of this story. You didn't need to read the Chronicles of Starlyn to understand The Crimson Claymore, but I began the story remembering Starlyn as pretty awesome, if a little goody-goody. Not anymore. In this book, she is still awesome, but her attraction is primarily her gorgeous appearance that everyone oogles over when they first meet her. Actually, the function of nearly all the women in the story is to be beautiful. Searon's now-deceased wife, Victoria, caused him to walk away from war and live a life of peace because he was so drawn to her beauty. At one point, Starlyn was advised to dress in a certain way in order to draw the eyes of the men she was trying to win over to her point of view. Near the end of the story both Searon and Starlyn fall in love (with different people), but this deep connection begins with and is mostly focused on the women's great physical beauty. It's unfortunate because to survive in this world, women had to be strong, resourceful, creative, gifted and so many other things that weren't explored as they could have been.

While the treatment of women was my major complaint, I also grew incredibly frustrated with the wizard. He could have been introduced at the beginning as the means of getting Searon to think differently about his quest and then left the story, but no, we were endlessly subjected to his wearying presence. Another small thing (which does not affect my rating) was the way the characters were constantly smirking at each other. Too much! Stop!

I believe this is one of Craig's earlier books and I've heard good things about his other series, so this wasn't enough to deter me from reading other books of his. I did really enjoy the Chronicles of Starlyn. The narrator was also fabulous. I'm crossing my fingers that the female characters will enjoy expanded and much less stereotypical roles in the future.

I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author but the opinions expressed are all my own.

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A caustic cavalier and his quest for revenge

This books has a lot of ups, and one little down, but it sure as hell entertains you. The story is well paced for the most part, but there is a bit in the middle where you feel like a ship caught in the doldrums. The story slows to a standstill while we get some new characters, and some slight character development. But, gee whiz, when this thing picks back up in the last 1/3rd of the book it is like going down a mountain in a rocket slide on a greased track. Like I said, that is the only negative I could find, but it was noticeable to warrant the loss of a star. Pacing is important. The only other bone that I have, and it really isn't anything major is that the book is titled after a sword that really isn't spotlighted a lot. Maybe in the next book.

And I will be reading the next book. The characters draw you in, from the annoying as crap wizard who you will just want to punch in the face, to the hero who seeks a Kill Bill styled reckoning with the race of beings that killed his lady and son. He is on a mission of utter destruction, and he doesn't care if it is his destruction or that of the monsters he seeks. Blood will rain down like a thunderstorm over the ocean.

I found the world, and the various races to be interesting and a good spot of realm creation on Price's part. You get a feel that this is someplace new, and it really draws you in. I will talk about the book cover. I think it is important to do so. I do not take or add stars for covers, but covers are what pulls a reader in, and in this case I don't think much of it. You get a good shot of the titular blade, but there is literally no action, no movement, no danger, no magic; you just see some guy in armor staring off into the distance. That is not captivating, and that hurts sales. I'd love to see a more action filled cover on the next book, maybe show Searon (sp?) fighting a Drayeck. That might work.

The narration is really good, McEuon manages to pull off all the various characters, and keep the story interesting even in the slow spot. He is crisp and clear and fun to listen to, I hope to hear more from him in the future.

This actually looks to be shaping up to be a great series, and I appreciate that it is a trilogy. Nowadays, it seems that everyone wants to write a never ending series. The way book one ends makes for a great starting place for the next book, and I cannot wait for it! Don't miss out, the adventure is just beginning! Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.

If this review helped, please press the YES below. Thank you immensely!!!

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5 people found this helpful

Nothing special

Ah, The Crimson Claymore. A fine alliterative title. But was it any good?

I listened to the audiobook version, and there was a lot to like about the story. The MC, Searon, had an interesting back story, living a life eking out revenge against the reptilian draeyks who killed his wife and child. A "chance" meeting with a wizard changes his path as Searon sets forth to raise an army to slaughter the draeyks when he discovers they have bigger plans than just raiding villages.

So far, so good, <i>albeit</i> familiar. Here's the rub - the story is pretty good, the world is interesting (if not particularly new), but at times the story is just plain boring. I'm not sure if it's narrator, the dialogue between the characters or just me, but I'd often drift away while listening. The conversations at times seem too forced, too earnest to be real, and it was just too distracting.

The narrator was pretty good, with diverse voice, although the female characters seemed a bit stiff (not entirely his fault).

It's not bad, but it didn't do it for me.

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A good book.

This is a book I can listen to again. I received this audio book for free at my request and voluntarily reviewed

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Humorous quips with lots of action

“The Crimson Claymore” is the first book in the “Claymore of Calthoria” series written by USA Today’s bestselling author Craig A. Price Jr.; known for his “Dragonia Empire” book series. The audiobook edition is quite well narrated and performed by Ian McEuen who receives rather high ratings for this other works. The story is set in a fantasy world and it centers around a man who is out for revenge. He will do almost anything to see those who hurt his family either come to justice through the hands of the law or by his own hands; or blade. In some ways the story felt more like a LitRPG than a standard fantasy tale and is not a bad thing. It is more about the progression of the character and not the experience and leveling parts. We have the classic man vs. man (revenge style) tale, but this one also takes a few surprise twists and turns along the way. There is plenty of mystery, suspense, and wit making it a well-rounded adventure. If you are one who enjoys a well-written and narrated fantasy exploration piece, I recommend you pick up this book and give it a listen.

I like that the author included a prologue chapter giving the listener some insight and background before dropping you right in the world. What is not to like about a revenge story? As you listen to the story, you can feel that the main character oozes with hatred and the desire to seek revenge no matter the cost. There is almost a heightened level of despair throughout the story and one wonders if he will ever be satisfied. The author includes flashbacks giving the listener more details on who our main character is and why he is what he is. I like the addition of the characters having familiars. The main character had his trusty steed while another character a jaguar. The story flowed in a very vibrant and colorful way. It is as if one started with a black canvas and as the story unfolds, we begin to see the splashes of color building a scene. Not only the setting, but the characters were multidimensional, and each had a personality and skills that complemented one another; except for that annoying wizard. One is able to see that the main character needed to depend on his companions for help in achieving his goals. For me, the story felt well planned and executed from both the writing and narration. Good job.

Although the story was quite complex, at times it felt more Young Adult (YA) than I would have expected from our characters. I think some of it feels this way due to some of the character interactions and conversations. The story has a more traditional fantasy world along with the expected classes and creatures; many our party discovers along their travels. We are presented with mages, wizards, warlocks, magic, and plenty of fighting. I even liked how the author wrapped in some humor with the subtle events like the discovery of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. There are a number of other humorous quips and pokes that pop-up and surprise you while listening. I found the game within a game an interesting component and brought me back to my childhood some. Our main character plays a strategy game, like Stratego, which they played as youths growing up. If he wins, he gets to control an army. If he loses, revenge may have to wait for another time.

The audiobook’s narration was solid and performed professionally. Each of the characters voices felt unique and distinct. There is even a point where the narrator sings, and he does a decent job here as well. Although I was not a fan of the Wizards voice, I think that was both the author’s and narrator’s intentions. He was intended to be an annoying character, and this was done well. I do not recall any issues with audio artifacts (swallows, background noise, etc.). The pace of reading and audio volumes remained consistent throughout the book.

For parents or younger readers, there is some light romance between characters and I do not recall any vulgar language being used. I feel it would be a good story for a pre-teen and up. The writing style was not overly complex and the narration clear and well-paced. However, younger readers may not fully grasp some of the sarcasm and snarky comments thrown around in this book.

In summary, the book had a fair amount of mystery and suspense while wanting to find out what happens with our main character. Revenge is a powerful motivator, but one has to be reminded that actions have consequences. Sometimes, these consequences can be deadly. If you are looking for a new fantasy series to listen too, I can say that I think you will enjoy this one; apart from the wizard that is. I look forward to listening to “The Obsidian Arrow” which is the title of book two in the series when it is released.

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2 people found this helpful

Solid start to a new fantasy series

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

First of all, I have to say how much I loved the sarcastic and witty dialog in this book. I'm a big fan of snark. That aside, I also liked the story and characters in this book. The overall fantasy world concepts used in the book are nothing new to the genre, but I thought it was well executed. The narration is good, too, so I will definitely be interested in contunuing the series.

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