Book review: "The Sword of Truth" (Godling Chronicles #1) by Brian D. Anderson

The Sword of Truth review
Author: Brian D. Anderson
4 out of 5 stars

Book Info: Genre: Epic Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Fans of Epic Fantasy, those who enjoyed stories like the Chronicles of Prydain, stories about the fight between good and evil
Trigger Warnings: murder, violence

My Thoughts: I used to read a lot of epic fantasy, sword and sorcery, all that sort of thing, but in recent years my tastes have turned more toward urban fantasy. Still, it's fun to read one of these once in awhile.

The editing was pretty bad, honestly. Lots of the wrong homonyms being used (passed for past, bare for bear and so forth) and extra words, missing words, randomly added or missed punctuation. But if you're willing to look past that, the story is enjoyable enough. It certainly held my attention!

In the end, I found it to be a quick and enjoyable read, and if you're able to ignore the problems with the editing and enjoy epic fantasy, stories about the ultimate fight between good and evil for the ultimate survival of the entire world, you should enjoy this book. I found it somewhat reminiscent of the Chronicles of Prydain, at least at a certain level, with the farm boy going out into the world to fight evil. A lot of fun, and a series I want to finish. I believe I'll be asking if I can't have a review copy of the third book as well!

Series Information: The Sword of Truth is book one in the Godling Chronicles.
Book 2: Of Gods and Elves (or find it on Amazon here), to be reviewed next
Book 3: The Shadow of Gods (or find it on Amazon here), just released, I do not have

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Great Minds Think Aloud Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I am doing the review now in conjunction with a blog tour set up by JKS Communications. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: It has been five hundred years since the Great War between Elf and Human ripped the world apart, and the Dark Knight of Angrääl has stolen the Sword of Truth. With it, he has trapped the Gods in heaven. If left unchallenged he will kill the Gods and reshape the world into an unimaginable hell. The only hope for all of creation is a boy named Gewey Stedding, the only being born from the union of two Gods. Aided by Lee Starfinder, the son of Saraf, God of the Sea, and a mortal woman, he must discover the true nature of his power. However, this will not be easy. He is bound to the earth a mortal man, and in many ways is very human. When Kaylia, a young elf woman, joins their party, Gewey discovers that perils of the heart can be as treacherous as any sword. Gewey, Lee, Kaylia and other friends they meet on their journey, must battle the Dark Knight, find a way to heal the hatred between elf and man, and restore heaven itself.

Guest post from Brian D. Anderson, author of The Godling Chronicles

To kick off my reviews of the Godling Chronicles in this blog tour, hosted by JKS Communications and Great Minds Think Aloud Publishing, today I have a guest post by Brian D. Anderson. Watch this blog for the next three days as I bring you the reviews for the first three books of the Godling Chronicles, The Sword of Truth tomorrow, Of Gods and Elves on Saturday and The Shadow of Gods on Sunday (all links are for Smashwords; you can also find the books on Amazon).

Without further ado, here is Brian!

Why Fantasy?

When I tell people that I write fantasy, often their first question is, “why fantasy?” I suppose I could write suspense, mystery, or even contemporary fiction. It isn’t such a stretch for me to imagine myself seeking a story beyond the fantasy genre. But to me, fantasy brings to light the very things that make us who we are.

The ability to contemplate fantasy, is what makes us human. Even as small children, once we’ve learned who mommy is and how to crawl, we are exposed to the fantastical realm of the imagination. Our first stories are of magical creatures, gallant heroes, beautiful maidens, and far away kingdoms. Through fantasy, we learn honor, perseverance, bravery, and love. The noblest aspects of the human character is taught to us through make-believe and flights of fancy.

As adults, we often times forget these beginnings, and choose to leave “childish” things behind. We ground ourselves in stark reality, and set in our mind the bare facts of day to day living. We no longer believe that Snow White was brought back to life by the kiss of true love. We understand that dragons are not real. We fail see the magic that once was as factual as the air we breathe. 

With fantasy, we can revisit the part of us that still wants to believe. Sure, I could choose a different genre, but for me, the wonder I find in fantasy fills my heart with delight. And when I am able to share it with others, I feel as if I have made the magic of childhood come back to life. For a few hours, I have rendered the wicked world of adulthood powerless, and allowed someone to forget how cruel life can be.

Great Minds Think Aloud Publishing Presents: Book 2 of the Godling Chronicles, "Of Gods and Elves"

Available today, Nov, 1, 2012, the 2nd book in the Godling Chronicles by Brian D. Anderson and Jonathan Anderson, published by Great Minds Think Aloud Publishing, Of Gods and Elves. I had hoped to have been able to read the first book in the series by now, The Sword of Truth, but circumstances have prohibited it. But have no fear! I have them both and you shall eventually see my thoughts about them!

Now, let me give you some information about this book!

Armies gather for war in the frozen land of Angrääl threatening to set the world ablaze. The elves are divided and scattered and humans fall prey to the dark influence of the Reborn King. Now, Gewey is faced with his greatest challenge yet. Unite the world of elf and human before it is too late...



About the Authors:
Brian D. Anderson was born in 1971, and grew up in the small town of Spanish Fort, AL. He attended Fairhope High, then later Springhill College where his love for fantasy grew into a lifelong obsession. His hobbies include chess, history, and spending time with his son.

Jonathan Anderson was born in March of 2003. His creative spirit became evident by the age of three when he told his first original story. In 2010 he came up with the concept for The Godling Chronicles. It grew into an exciting collaboration between father and son. Jonathan enjoys sports, chess, music, games, and of course, telling stories.


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