What are Reviews?

This post is part of a series to augment the Book Reviews by D.N.Frost available for free download.

This and other reviewed content is gathered in my Book Reviews Directory for you to explore.

Find more post tag introductions in my Spark Directory.

I only review books I like. If I'm not recommending a book, I'm not going to waste time talking about it. I would definitely watch the movie version of every single book I review.

They're all good books. But most people tend to give everything five stars, which skews the ratings and damages reviewer credibility over time. So this is how I apply star ratings to my book reviews:

★★★

Three stars! This is a good story, well-crafted and entertaining.

Three stars is the basement floor, good books that I honestly enjoyed.

These are books that I think other people might like.

I found them fun, interesting, and entertaining, and I want other people to read them.

★★★★★

Five stars! This great story delivered something I've never seen before.

Five stars is the ceiling, reserved for amazing excellence that really blew me away.

These are books I devoured and would read again this year.

I've never seen anything like them, and I was really impressed with the whole experience.

★★★★

Four stars! This great story revealed something I didn't see coming.

Four stars is the middle ground, great stories that surprised me with engaging twists and turns.

These are books I loved reading.

I would read more by these authors, and I might even sign up for updates.

Check out these Book Reviews by D.N.Frost for more story ratings!

Given only three ratings to work with, I wanted to add in some extra layers. My five star rating is pretty rare, so my four star rating covers practically all the great books I've read. Some of them aren't even the genres or subject matter I like best.

So instead of adding layers via half stars (and coming up with new critera for each rating), I settled on using a visual way to differentiate book genres within each rating:

Three Copper Stars

Good story! I don't tend to read
this type of book, but I liked it.

Four Silver Stars

Great story! I don't tend to read
this type of book, but I loved it.

Though I might award the rare five star rating to a book outside of what I would normally read, it felt silly to divide them into two categories.

I want my five star rating to shine on its own, reserved solely for books that I'd heartily recommend to any reader, regardless of subject matter. To preserve this quality of endorsement, I opted against creating a five star variant with silver stars.


That's it for this post! Check out the latest book reviews for more.

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The Apprentice Cartographer of Awakening: a mapping resource

This post is Part 3 of a series to augment the Codex of the Known World available for free download. Start with Part 1 here.

This and other mapping resources are gathered in my Cartography Directory for you to explore.

Find more maps and atlas content in my Map Directory.

In Part 1 of this series, I began planning the 19 maps for my first book. I wanted my maps to look authentic, so for every Photoshop technique I employed, I envisioned how an old-world cartographer would produce the same visual result. This guidance helped me keep my style on point, and the idea of this old-world cartographer took on a life of its own.

As I used Photoshop to fade the lines and colors behind text labels, I considered how an old-world cartographer would have had to plan the whole map ahead of time, reserving space for each label before even inking the map's coastlines. I contemplated more old-world analogues for my Photoshop techniques, and I started thinking about how ancient artists would have benefited from the sort of magic I envisioned for the Known World.

Check out the Codex of the Known World for more resources!

While painting my maps in digital watercolor, I thought about how an Known World cartographer could have known a bit of water magic, allowing him to better control the flow of color onto paper. Other old-world mapping techniques became easier through magic, and magic also allowed for entirely new mapping techniques only possible for cartographers in the Known World.

I continued my map-making adventure, creating a total of 19 maps for my first book. As I mapped, I kept notes on my techniques and their applications, codifying my approach so that all 19 maps employed the same techniques and Photoshop settings. During this studious phase, I found more inspiration for my old-world cartographer - instead of a master of his craft, this map-making character was actually an apprentice.

Just as his old-world techniques mirrored the visual results of my digital techniques, his development as a cartographer mirrored my own development. When I had to go back through a number of maps in my Tales of the Known World saga to make updates and adjustments, I envisioned this apprentice cartographer remaking a number of his maps to correct mistakes and hone his artistry.

I came to imagine this apprentice cartographer mixing paints, creating rough map drafts, and agonizing over the painstaking details of his finished maps. Of course, this apprentice needed a master cartographer to study under, and I began wondering about the master's story. Where had he learned his mapping skills? What drove him to take on an apprentice? Slowly, a character emerged for the master, and his story filled in.

I envisioned my first book, Awakening, as a legend in the future Known World, with the actual text of the book written by the wise and well-traveled master cartographer. For his apprentice to hone and demonstrate his skills, the master assigned him the task of illustrating the Awakening story with 19 maps of the lands where the tale took place.

But Awakening is just one of many books, so my master cartographer must be training a number of cartography apprentices. Each book in the saga is the work of a particular apprentice, so the maps of each book are internally consistent but differ from other books in style and technique.

Update: In the prologue Scribe Ascribed, Farwen is just one of many apprentices to this old master cartographer.

When his master invites him to scribe the myriad tales of the Known World, young Farwen eagerly sets aside his studies in favor of their new project.

As the initial tale draws to a close, Farwen faces a life-changing decision: resign from the project to create the maps for the story, or abandon his apprenticeship to become a dedicated scribe.


That's it for this series! Check out the latest cartography resources for more.

Download the Codex of the Known World here, or start your adventure below.

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Rework Your Flashbacks: a storycraft workshop

This post is part of a series to augment the Tips for Writing Fiction available for free download.

This and other writing workshops are gathered in my Workshops Directory for you to explore.

Find my world workshops in the Worldbuilding Directory.

Flashbacks are pretty common in visual media like TV and movies, but how well do they work for written books and stories? If you have a strong central character and a single storyline, flashbacks can be a useful way of revealing exposition without explaining it all in real time. But I find flashbacks pretty awkward.

Flashbacks create breaks in your storytelling, where you jump back to an important point before the story started in order for the current story to make more sense. Why not just weave the prior information into the current plot? Try to find a way to tell all a flashback's relevant details in real time. This is less jostling to your readers, who are already following all your different characters as the story unfolds.

I figure that any time a character reflects on past events, there should always be fresh details revealed. Your readers want a fresh take on the event, not a rehash. This is especially important if you're referencing events from stories you've already written (and therefore, your most devoted readers have already read). Include some new information that will keep it exciting for them!

Check these Tips for Writing Fiction to see more workshops!

Also remember that every person (fictional or otherwise) grows and changes over time. You aren't the same person you were last year. Your opinions have evolved, and your perspective has shifted, if only slightly. When reflecting on a past event in your story, bear in mind that your character is not the same person who experienced the event. The character has evolved by some measure since the time the event occurred.

Human memories are quite fallible. People remember incorrect details all the time. Details like the color of a sweater, the logo on a hat, which hand held the gun - these shift and amend themselves within your brain, leaving you convinced things went a certain way when others who were also there will swear by other details. Of course, don't riddle your exposition with false details, unless it's relevant to the story somehow. But keep in mind that memories are ever-changing, and that the character reflecting on those memories is ever-changing as well.

So how do you relate your flashback in real time? Let your characters reminisce about the past event, and reflect an elegant evolution in their perspectives due to the wisdom of hindsight. Your character is older now, wiser, and reflects on his younger and more foolish days. Or your character is forever changed by some event, and he uses it as a crutch to justify his failings ever since.

However you frame it, allow the reflection to add to the character's personality, and allow the character to add (or remove) details based on how he's grown and changed since the event. Then you're killing more birds with less stones - your character is better developed, the reader has a better sense of the personal growth of the character in the interim, and the reflections still impart the necessary information for the current plotline. In my Tales of the Known World saga, I strive to deliver all my exposition in a way that builds the character up rather than boring the reader with rehash, or worse, confusing the reader by jumping through time.

As for the pre-story story that you're tempted to tell via flashback...why not write it as a supplemental piece? Some stories are best told separately, so instead of bogging down your current manuscript with an extra storyline, offer it up as a related one-shot to your main tale. Or, compile a series of flashbacks for a related anthology or long-term periodical, which you can use to boost visibility when you launch your main story.


That's it for this post! Check out the latest writing workshops for more.

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Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner: a book review ★★★★

This post is Part 7 of a series to augment the Book Reviews by D.N.Frost available for free download. Start with Part 1 here.

This and other reviewed content is gathered in my Book Reviews Directory for you to explore.

Find more guest-inspired content in my Guest Directory.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

★★★★

Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner

Four stars! This great story revealed something I didn't see coming.

★★★★

An epic tale of honor, intrigue, and Celtic mysticism.

Apollo's Raven evokes the tempestuous political climate of Celtic kingdoms, the unpredictable nature of young love, and the little-understood powers of the ancient Druids.

Tanner's grasp of Celtic shamanism is deft and imaginative, bringing to life an ancient pagan tradition and contrasting it with ancient Rome. This amazing foray into the world of the ancient Celts is

exciting, romantic, and laudable in its rich details of daily life.

- D.N.Frost, author of Tales of the Known World ★★★★

Want to read this novel?
Buy your copy now.

★★★★

Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner is Book One of the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series, a Celtic historical fantasy set during the first century C.E. when Tiberius ruled the ancient Roman Empire.

This book was originally published with a different cover, and I received this book as an advanced reading copy. I first connected with Linnea Tanner in Part 1 of this guest series, when I submitted a guest post for her blog.

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Check out these Book Reviews by D.N.Frost for more story ratings!

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This well-crafted story evokes the tempestuous political climate of Celtic kingdoms, the unpredictable nature of young love, and the little-understood powers of the ancient Druids.

Meet young Catrin, a Celtic princess and spirit warrior. When Roman troops land on her shores, Catrin falls haplessly in love with the son of the Roman ambassador, and their star-crossed romance fans the flames of an epic tale of honor, intrigue, and Celtic mysticism.

Tanner's love for history shines through in the details she has diligently researched. Her grasp of Celtic shamanism is deft and imaginative, bringing to life an ancient pagan tradition and contrasting it with that of ancient Rome.

This amazing foray into the world of the ancient Celts is exciting, romantic, and laudable in its rich details of daily life.

Please buy your copy of
Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner here.

Have you read this novel? Help the author and write your own review.

That's it for this post! Up Next: My detailed report on Tanner's writing craft...

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Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner: a style analysis

This post is part of a series to augment the Tips for Writing Fiction available for free download.

This and other writing workshops are gathered in my Workshops Directory for you to explore.

This post is also Part 8 of a series about Linnea Tanner. Start with Part 1 here.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I first connceted with Linnea Tanner in Part 1 of this guest series, and in Part 7 of this guest series, I provide the actual book review! The long-form style analysis below goes into much greater detail, diving into many aspects of storycraft, worldbuilding, and wordsmith techniques.

Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner is Book One of the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series, a Celtic historical fantasy set during the first century C.E. when Tiberius ruled the ancient Roman Empire. This book was originally published with a different cover, and I received this book as an advanced reading copy.

★★★★

Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner

Four stars! This great story revealed something I didn't see coming.

★★★★

The main character of this story is a fair maiden, Celtic princess, and spirit warrior named Catrin. Her strange powers allow her to commune with ravens, an animal considered very wise in the Celtic tradition.

Though forbidden by her father to explore her dangerous powers, Catrin foresees the destruction of her kingdom and turns to her raven spirit for help.

When troops from the aggressive Roman Empire land on her shores, Catrin and her family struggle to maintain peace and prevent her vision from coming true.

But Catrin falls haplessly in love with the son of the Roman ambassador. Their star-crossed romance fans the flames of an epic tale of honor, intrigue, and Celtic mysticism inspired by an ancient era of Roman conquest.

Tanner writes in a declarative, factual style that is nonetheless well-described and engaging. For me, her sentences sometimes felt a little long, but this is mostly a matter of personal taste.

I'm not usually drawn to books written in this style, and in places, the story had the feel of an engaging history textbook. But this actually heightened the air of historical significance within Apollo's Raven, and I admire Tanner for leveraging her writing style in this skillful way.

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Check these Tips for Writing Fiction to see more workshops!

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Her love for history shines through this novel in all the rich details Tanner has diligently researched; her painstaking efforts brought the world of the ancient Celts to life. Her grasp of Celtic mysticism was deft and imaginative, and she contrasted this ancient pagan tradition with the more well-known paganism of ancient Rome.

Tanner also intertwined the mysterious workings of Catrin's raven spirit with the Roman sun god Apollo and his raven messenger of legend. Though this story takes place entirely in ancient Britannia, this overlay of Celtic and Roman mythology gave rise to the name Apollo's Raven for the novel.

Beyond the amazing (and historically accurate) foray into the world of the ancient Celts, Tanner's well-crafted story kept me guessing. Between Tanner's myriad character motivations and the mystic nuances of Celtic shamanism, Apollo's Raven delivered the unexpected in a highly satisfying way.

I loved how Tanner revealed one piece of the puzzle at a time, sometimes through a chapter following a specific character, other times through dialogue about offstage events.

I also liked the fast-paced chapters, and at the beginning of each chapter, Tanner placed an intriguing quote from the manuscript to come. I found that this "preview" enhanced my anticipation of the unfolding story, and it made the book quite hard to put down. I read three quarters of it in one sitting.

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Check these Tips for Writing Fiction to see more workshops!

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Tanner's book involved many dynamic elements, from the tempestuous political climate of Britannia, to the unpredictable nature of young love, and the dangerous, little-understood powers of the Druids.

My favorite of the story's many factors involved a curse placed on the royal family well before Catrin's birth. The determined princess might use her raven's powers to alter the curse and change the future, but her powers themselves are part of the curse.

With little wisdom outside the raven to guide her and time running out for her Roman love, Catrin must immerse herself in the ancient magic of the Druids and fight to remain unscathed.

Overall, I found Apollo's Raven exciting, romantic, and laudable in its rich details of Celtic life. I am definitely reading her next book in the series! And I look forward to reviewing Book Two.

Please buy your copy of
Apollo's Raven by Linnea Tanner here.

Have you read this novel? Help the author and write your own review.

That's it for this series! Check out the latest writing workshops for more.

Want a review of your own book? Check out my Services for Authors.
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Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost: a map commission directory

This post is part of a series to augment the Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost available for free download.

The best and latest map commissions are gathered in my Portfolio Directory for you to explore.

Find more guest-inspired content in my Guest Directory.

Hello, there! Thanks for your interest in my maps for fellow authors. My name is D.N.Frost, and I'm a fantasy author, fictional cartographer, and detailed world-builder. I made 19 maps for Book One in my Tales of the Known World saga, and another 25 maps for the sequel.

Why buy a publishable map from me? I know how the mapping process makes a huge impact on the story, the storyteller, and the world being mapped. To get a sense of my process, please enjoy this collection of short testimonials and mapping memoirs.

Download your map guide Fictional Cartography by D.N.Frost here.

These are map-making collaborations with other authors, writers, and gamers. Every world is unique, every map project is different, and this guide shares my versatile mapping process, teaching you how to use map-making as a tool to improve your own stories. Whether you are a map fan or a writer with your own world, these stories will reveal amazing world-building and inspire your own creativity.

This resource directory also links to a number of map commissions and longer blog posts, so you can delve deep into your favorite maps and worlds. I'm proud to offer you this compilation of map-making stories, and I hope you use this resource to enhance your own world-building.


That's it for this post! Check out the latest map commissions for more.

Want to bring your own world to life? We can map your world.
You deserve a professional map you can be proud to share.

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Your Language Cycle: a linguistic workshop

This post is part of a series to augment The Worldbuilder's Handbook available for free download.

This and other world workshops are gathered in my Worldbuilding Directory for you to explore.

Find more linguistic content in my Language Directory.

Inventing a language for your novel adds depth and nuance (and it's fun), but is also a big pain. That's because language is not a static thing. Languages, like cultures, grow and change over time. Some languages are young and limited in terms of vocabulary. Some languages are old and steeped in rich history and tradition. But most languages seem to go through the same cycles over and over again:

Stage 1: The writing system develops (or is modified) to match modern speech. Whatever your language, at this stage the written language seems to perfectly represent the oral language. Words are written phonetically, and speakers have no difficulty pronouncing or spelling new words.

Stage 2: Modern speech continues to evolve, while the writing system remains as it was in Stage 1. Spelling becomes complex and archaic, and the writing system as a whole grows more burdensome and difficult to master. Children take longer to learn to read and write, and adult learners have difficulty converting between spoken and written formats.

Check out The Worldbuilder's Handbook for more free resources!

Stage 3: The general populace starts to unofficially amend the writing system (provided you have a literate public). Spelling, syntax, and grammar are adjusted to more communicative, phonetic modes. Scholars, however, maintain the original writing system as the "correct" means of written communication, and the unofficial modes of writing are scorned as "ignorant" and "uneducated."

Stage 4: Future generations of scholars begin adding exceptions and adjustments to the writing standard. In an effort to maintain clarity, they adopt some of the most prevalent writing modes from the general population. Dictionaries start listing alternate spellings and slang definitions of words, and schools begin accepting modified syntactical constructions.

Stage 5: Scholars grow frustrated with the complexities of the writing system, and they set out to codify it. New grammar is officialized, simpler spellings are adopted, and exceptions are embraced as new rules. Overall, a new writing standard is established, and the old one is now perceived as "obsolete" or "archaic". (This matches Stage 1, where the writing system is modified to reflect modern speech.)

Generally, as a language evolves, not every cumbersome writing tradition is abandoned, but the language does make progress. In the Language of the Known World, you can see how certain facets of my languages are centuries old, and other facets are newer inventions of each language's native speakers.

Remember that the general public is always more informal and agrammatical than the scholars of your world. With this workshop, you'll be able to add nuance and realism to your world, giving your invented language a stage in its evolution and better cementing your language in its time and place.


That's it for this post! Check out the latest worldbuilding workshops for more.

Download The Worldbuilder's Handbook here, or start your adventure below.

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Book Reviews by D.N.Frost: a review directory

This post is part of a series to augment the Book Reviews by D.N.Frost available for free download.

This and other reviewed content is gathered in my Book Reviews Directory for you to explore.

Find more guest-inspired content in my Guest Directory.

Hello, there! Thanks for your interest in my reviews of other books. My name is D.N.Frost, and I'm a fantasy author, editor, and avid reader. But most of all, I'm a storyteller. I love stories, and I love analyzing their workmanship. My own Tales of the Known World saga has earned five star reviews, and I pride myself on discerning just what makes a story tick.

But why should my opinion matter to you? My gift for enjoying a good book is not rare, but my gift for communicating what I liked about a story might be. I assess the vehicles of story and style, discuss specific aspects that I liked, and critique other elements that I found wanting. To pick out your next read, please enjoy this collection of short ratings and in-depth book reviews.

Download your story ratings guide Book Reviews by D.N.Frost here.

These are ratings of great fantasy and other indie books on a three to five star scale. Find out what books make this very selective cut and what I think it takes to make a story great. With this convenient in-depth guide, avid readers and fantasy fans can discover the most engaging books I've read lately, and indie authors can learn what story and style features are earning top reviews.

This resource directory also links to a number of in-depth reviews and longer blog posts, so you can delve deep into your favorite books and authors. I'm proud to offer you this compilation of review blurbs and book reports, and I hope you use this resource to enhance your reading list.


That's it for this post! Check out the latest book reviews for more.

Want a review of your own book? Check out my Services for Authors.
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The Once and Future Nerd: a podcast review ★★★★★

This post is Part 3 of a series to augment the Book Reviews by D.N.Frost available for free download. Start with Part 1 here.

This and other reviewed content is gathered in my Book Reviews Directory for you to explore.

Find more guest-inspired content in my Guest Directory.

★★★★★

The Once and Future Nerd podcast

Five stars! This great story delivered something I've never seen before.

★★★★★

A daring story podcast of intrigue, comedy, and magic.

You won't find a higher caliber of storytelling or execution than this. Grab some extra socks for when they get knocked off repeatedly.

The Once and Future Nerd probes facets of our human existence that aren't often deeply explored, and even minor characters swell into complex tangles of human traits in the writers' competent hands.

Breaks the fantasy mold in refreshing and masterful ways!

- D.N.Frost, author of Tales of the Known World ★★★★★

Want to hear this podcast?
Listen free now.

★★★★★

The Once and Future Nerd is an epic fantasy podcast written by Christian Madera and Zachary Glass, recorded by professional voice actors, and empowered by its own original score.

This review is for the episodes in Book One of the podcast, and I first connected with Madera and Glass in Part 1 of this guest series, when we mapped their world of Iorden.

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Check out these Book Reviews by D.N.Frost for more story ratings!

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In this epic fantasy podcast, three high school students get embroiled in a daring storyline of intrigue, comedy, and magic. Each character's unique personality shines through the dialogue, and immersive sound effects add depth and nuance to the story.

You won't find a higher caliber of storytelling or execution than this. It's a bold project, a huge workload, and a labor of love by Madera and Glass, who break the tired old fantasy mold in refreshing and masterful ways.

The story itself probes facets of our human existence that aren't often deeply explored, and even minor characters swell into complex tangles of human traits in the writers' competent hands.

In short, this story is great. Really great. Grab some extra socks for when they get knocked off repeatedly, then binge the whole season and tell your friends.

Start listening to
The Once and Future Nerd podcast here.

Have you heard this podcast? Help the creators and write your own review.

That's it for this post! Up Next: My detailed report on TOAFN's writing craft...

Want a review of your own book? Check out my Services for Authors.
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The Once and Future Nerd: a style analysis

This post is part of a series to augment the Tips for Writing Fiction available for free download.

This and other writing workshops are gathered in my Workshops Directory for you to explore.

This post is also Part 4 of a series about The Once and Future Nerd. Start with Part 1 here.

I first connected with Madera and Glass in Part 1 of this guest series, and in Part 3 of this guest series, I provide the actual podcast review! The long-form style analysis below goes into much greater detail, diving into many aspects of storycraft, worldbuilding, and wordsmith techniques.

The Once and Future Nerd is an epic fantasy podcast written by Christian Madera and Zachary Glass, recorded by professional voice actors, and empowered by its own original score. This report pertains to the episodes in Book One of the podcast.

★★★★★

The Once and Future Nerd podcast

Five stars! This great story delivered something I've never seen before.

★★★★★

In this multi-faceted fantasy adventure, three high school students are transported to the fantasy realms of Iorden, teetering on the brink of war.

The old king has no legitimate heir, and treachery has replaced loyalty as order of the day.

Unable to return home, the students quickly get embroiled in a daring storyline of intrigue, comedy, and magic in this epic fantasy podcast.

The script for this story is immaculate. The voice actors breathe life into their roles, and witty narration ties the whole story together. I love how each character's unique personality shines through the dialogue; even the narrator's personality shines with sardonic dry wit.

The podcast's original score is engaging and heightens the story even further. As a purely audio story, this podcast hearkens back to the time of episodic radio stories, where whole families would gather around and listen to the latest adventures of their beloved characters.

Also, I loved the sound effects! The clop-clop and creak of a horse-drawn cart, the ringing of swords, and the haunting echo of insidious footsteps add depth and nuance to this storyline. I'm delighted at how vibrant and rife with detail the world of Iorden became thanks to these well-used and immersive sound effects.

Madera and Glass went above and beyond to include all these extra noises in their podcast script, a deft expression of imagery in their audio medium. At one point, the moans of a doomed man with his tongue cut out actually turned my stomach; the memory of the sound still haunts me. Well played!

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Check these Tips for Writing Fiction to see more workshops!

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The Once and Future Nerd might not be the first podcast out there to tell a fantasy story, but I am sure you won't find one with a higher caliber of storytelling or execution.

The concept itself is novel -- write an incredible story for an audio-only medium, hire professional voice actors to record the story, hire a professional orchestra to record an original score, and edit all the recordings together into thrilling episodes to be released for free every other Sunday.

It's a bold project, a huge workload, and a labor of love by Madera and Glass.

Aside from the unusual format and high-quality execution of this fantasy podcast, the story itself probed numerous facets of our human existence that aren't often deeply explored. Themes like intrigue and betrayal are fantasy staples; heroes being afraid of their own powers are not.

But it wasn't so much that the podcast explored these less-plumbed realms of human personality; it was how many characters presented such depths. Even minor characters swelled into complex tangles of human traits.

Beyond the well-crafted characters and the themes of humanity that Madera and Glass have explored through them all, The Once and Future Nerd also breaks the tired old fantasy mold in refreshing and masterful ways.

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Check these Tips for Writing Fiction to see more workshops!

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Common fantasy tropes often dictate unfolding storylines, and fantasy fans can often use these well-known guidelines to guess what is going to happen next. But not so with The Once and Future Nerd.

Madera and Glass call practically everything into question, from re-casting the immortal elves into aristocrats with southern accents, to leaning on the fourth wall as the transported students insist that the Cairn of Evil Untold will definitely have zombies.

And of course, let us not forget the F**k-Up-Your-Plans sprites that may or may not wreak havoc when novice characters discuss the dire state of their vehicles.

Overall, I devoured this podcast in a matter of days, and I'm so excited for their launch of the Book Two storyline! Every TOAFN episode asks listeners to leave a review on iTunes, so after I finalized my review, I did just that.

Start listening to
The Once and Future Nerd podcast here.

Have you heard this podcast? Help the creators and write your own review.

That's it for this series! Check out the latest writing workshops for more.

Want a review of your own book? Check out my Services for Authors.
You deserve a mindful reader and an honest book review.

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Portent X of Broken: a riddle in rhyme

In the novel Broken, there are 24 portents fortelling the events of the unfolding saga.

Start with Portent I here.

These and other riddles in rhyme are gathered in the Portents Directory for you to explore.

Enjoy!

Corrupted fate compels the voice
Beyond the sphere of prince's choice
By sea to land where daemons roar
To find his woman over shore

Her life he takes, her love she leaves
Her land is lost and master grieves
While shadow all the land bereaves
And timeless all the land deceives

The prince awaiting voice and gate
With potion seeks to satiate
His yearning long to time implore
The truth embrace and false ignore.


Can you decode the future Tales of the Known World?

Share your interpretation!
Comment below with your take on this portent.

This is a lost prophesy, foretold in Broken without a scribe to record it. The portent is eventually documented, and it comes to pass a mere six days later.

Who is this prince awaiting voice and gate, and what do you think he seeks to satiate?

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Download the Prophesy Appendix:

The merfolk culture is built on the prophetic Gift. Nearly all men produce a portent every twenty days, and they devote their lives to interpretation. For more about the role and inner workings of prophesy, check out the Prophesy Appendix above.

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Alongside every prophesy is an attribution block. This block contains a byline giving the name of the person who said the prophesy, and a dateline giving the day the prophesy was first said. Here is the attribution for this portent:

Ansoh Njyae Dynde IV
L 2:2:2:5/5, III:IX
L 3:1:3:2/5, III:IX

The portent attributed here has not been interpreted, and is considered a lost prophesy. It was not recorded when it was first said, and a lost dateline is used instead of a standard dateline to note each time the portent was repeated without being recorded.


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Life is an adventure.
Are You Ready?

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