The premise of a coward hero was the reason to pick up this book. But in the end, the MC isn't a coward, more like a reluctant hero trope. So in that prospect, I think I expected something else from the story based on the summary and I only had an okay feeling.

I absolutely loved this book! It was such a captivating read! I couldn’t stop reading! I loved the characters and the story! Highly recommend!

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"Kell Kressia is a legend, a celebrity, a hero. Aged just seventeen he set out on an epic quest with a band of grizzled fighters to slay the Ice Lich and save the world, but only he returned victorious. The Lich was dead, the ice receded and the Five Kingdoms were safe."

The promise of the book sounded really interesting, but as I started reading it and got to know the MC more, I found it him to be a bit bland, and I couldn't get into his motivations nor root for him.

Not an enjoyable time for me, unfortunately.

Thanks to publisher and Netgalley for sending me an e-arc of this book!!

Kell Kressia is a living legend. A hero about whom tales are told. This stems from an incident when Kell joined a band of rugged warriors to slay the Ice Lich. The Ice Lich was killed, thereby saving the world, according to legend, but Kell was the only human to return. Since then, he's tried to maintain a low profile, embarrassed by any fawning attention, and prefers to work the fields as a farmer.

But a new terror has come to light. Up north, taking residence in the Ice Lich's lair, is something possibly far worse than the Ice Lich. The frozen land is spreading south and the clans of the area are calling for men to gather and save the region once again, and the man they want to lead them is the legend himself, Kell Kressia.

What Kell has never told anyone, is that he is no hero. He was lucky the first time and in truth, he's a coward who wants only to be left alone.

So... this is a 'reluctant hero' story, taken to the extreme. Not just reluctant, but a coward. Such an extreme that the book is titled for him .... The Coward. He's a coward. Coward, coward, coward. The word is there to make sure you know ... Kell is a coward.

Except, well, he's not. Something happened once and he got lucky and now he doesn't want to have to go through that again. That makes him a coward? No. He's a reluctant hero, and reluctant heroes are a dime a dozen in fantasy these days, so of course the author (and publisher?) are trying to make him stand out by being different. But again, he's not. He's not different. And that's one of the biggest problems with the book - there's nothing about Kell or any of the other characters to make them stand out or rise above all the other reluctant heroes on the bookshelves.

The Reverend Mother Britak is memorable (in a good way) but terribly under-utilized and disappears quite suddenly from the book. (I would suspect she'll make more of an appearance in the second volume of this duology, but I won't be reading it myself.)

One of the other problems with the book is that nothing unique happens. There is one storyline, centered around Kell being a coward and even if you can accept the idea that he's less coward and more 'reluctant hero' - well, what happens to reluctant heroes? They eventually follow through and take on the mantle of hero that everyone hopes or expects of them. Just exactly the way it happens here. There's no surprise. No thrill. From the moment we learn he's a coward (reading the title of the book) we can pretty much assume he's going to turn out to be the hero, and yup... there it is.

A fantasy actually about a coward (someone who avoids the danger at all costs but somehow, accidentally manages to save the day) would have been vastly more interesting than this book. I was bored. I lost interest in the characters (and it seems the author may have as well because many of them just pass right through for no reason, never to be seen again). And for a book as straight-forward as this one, it was a long, forceful read.

--later--

Since writing this, I've seen both the author and some of the other reviewers compare this book (and/or the author's writing style) with David Gemmell. I've never read Gemmell (and now probably never will) but if you're a fan, perhaps this will appeal to you.

Looking for a good book? Stephen Aryan's The Coward is a singular-focused story of a reluctant hero who gives us no reason to want to see him achieve something.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first instalment to the Quest for Heroes series.

Kell Kressida is a renowned hero of his kingdom. Wherever he ventures, stories of his conquests and insights to the heroes he adventured alongside are requested. Kell reluctantly shares his secrets. Or, at least some of them. The truth about what these heroes were truly like or the part he played in these much shared stories he keeps to himself. But now an old threat has returned and this secret coward must decide if he can finally face all of his fears, or be outed for his past mistakes instead.

This proved a fun fantasy adventure with a mostly lovable cast and high political stakes. I loved learning about Kell's character and his past battles, but I was mostly invested in the two other perspectives that were also included here.

One of these revealed insights to those ruling this kingdom and the truth about the threats Kell was continually facing. The other provided a better understanding for Kell's character as he was placed alongside and yet remained disenchanted with this legendary hero's status. The combination of all three ensured this a thrilling and immersive read, despite it being a little more of a straightforward tale than the one I was anticipating. I definitely had fun and will be returning for the sequel.

Another new series of fantasy world!
The plot is good and super brilliant and I like the characters! Enjoy it just fine and I hope the next book can be better!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this start to the Quest for Heroes series, I had enjoyed the previous books by the author. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. It was a really well done read.

The premise of this book sounded interesting. A "coward" hero is forced to go on a mission to defeat this dangerous evil. The execution, though? Not so much. I'm not a fast reader but this book took me weeks to finish (and even 1000+ pages books never take me that long). I wasn't even remotely interested in the events going on and I found myself pushing through reading this book only because it's an arc. This resulted in a lot of wasted time. You see, I was very busy at the time and only had a few precious reading moments each day, which I mostly ended up wasting away on social media because I wasn't invested in my current read.

The main character, who was supposed to be a coward, turns up to be only a reluctant hero (and that was kinda a relief since I discovered no, I don't like coward heroes). The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any true color. We also had a secondary character who had several chapters (and I can't for the life of me remember his name, I read this book months ago. He's the young boy) that were completely useless and didn't add anything to the story in my opinion. Willow was more interesting than most because of the "mystery" surrounding her. As for Brytak, you can think of her as head of the local religion, I was intrigued but sadly she didn't live up to her full potential and again, didn't see the need for her chapters. She'll probably play a bigger role in the next book and the Coward was more of an introduction, I still think however that her story could've played out differently.

The plot played out to be your very typical (and hence, predictable) fantasy and didn't offer anything new to the genre. While I don’t mind simplistic plots from time to time, Aryan didn’t add anything to grab me to the story. As I already mentioned, this book was a snore (sorry but I could've read 4 books at least during the time I wasted trying to read this novel) and I wouldn't recommend it (unless you tried the author's other books and liked them, this is my first book by Aryan but probably my last, for now at least). But check other reviews, this book might be your cup of tea after all.

Due to the linear plotline, I believe this book could've been shorter but also a standalone. I don't see the need for a sequel but I'll guess it'll be more political where Reverand Mother Brytak will be more important since her part wasn't wrapped up nor fully explored (nor smoothly developed, mind you). Briefly said, while the premise was interesting, the story itself was underwhelming and boring. Since I'm writing this not very comprehensible review months after finishing the book, I can't remember for the life of me any positives I might have to say about this novel, sadly. All I know is that if you're looking for a fully engaging and entertaining read with relatable characters and world-building, this book isn't for you.

I remeber reading Stephen Aryan's previous works a fex years ago and liking the concept but not fully loving the story. Here it's completely gone, i loved it ! I loved the concept, the writing style, the pacing... everything !

This book follows the former "hero" of the kingdoms as he is dragged back into adventuring. 10 years ago Kell saved the realm by killing the Ice Lich and was the sole survivor of a group of heroes he tagged along with. Now he just wants to left alone, but unfortunately the world needs their hero again.

Reasons to read:
-Recalcitrant protagonist who really doesn't want to be there
-I enjoyed that the world building was done more from the antagonist's POV, and boy do I not like them.
-Religious order doing some sus stuff, which I enjoy if they get dismantled later
-The side characters are so damn interesting and I want to know more about them
-I think I know who a spy is and I can't wait for their reveal.
-Dog Sledding

Cons:
-Series just started so you will have to wait for more after finishing.

I liked the premise of this book, the idea of pulling apart a hero trope and doing something new and interesting with it. I liked Kell as a character and the world building was rich and detailed. I also enjoyed many of the side characters; particularly the way that they were used to explore people's assumptions about those who are different.

I think my problem was it was a little too gory. and little too dark and had a little bit too much swearing in it for my taste. I wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get into it.

Kell Kressia's story is told in a ballad that everyone knows. Ten years ago as a young, untried youth of seventeen, he rode north with eleven heroes to slay the Ice Lich. All the heroes perished, Kell killed the Ice Lich and returned home determined never to do anything as stupid as that again. He knows what heroes are really like, and he's got a helping of PTSD to top it all off. Things happened that are not in the song. He's become a farmer and that's all he wants from life. But the weather is getting colder. There's a new danger in the north and Kell is recalled to service by the king. Unable to talk his way out of it, he commandeers a nice, steady horse and heads north, planning to be seen in towns and villages along the way and then making a run for it before he reaches the ice. Unfortunately his plans are foiled when he acquires a follower – Gerren – a young untried youth, just as Kell had once been. He ends up with a bunch of followers who join his quest for reasons of their own, and from that point Kell is stuck with the quest. As the journey progresses we find out what happened on the previous quest and how the heroes died. There's a second strand to the story in which Reverend Mother Britak sends forces against Kell for her own religious reasons, leading to confrontations with humans and creatures along the way. Kell is an excellent antihero, backed up by a rag-tag bunch of good characters. Excellent worldbuilding. This book is complete in itself, but is the first of two paired books.

4 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2021/07/20/the-coward-by-stephen-aryan-review/

I first read Battlemage half a decade past—my introduction to Stephen Aryan—and immediately fell in love with the world he’d created. Now, six books and 5 years later, The Coward takes us outside of that original world that Aryan had created and on to a new one. And a new adventure.

A decade ago Kell Kressia set out with the greatest heroes of his generation to stop the Ice Lich and save the world. They succeeded, but the cost was great. He returned alone, scarred and broken, haunted by the things that he had seen and had done. Now, ten years later Kell lives as a simple farmer, hidden in the corner of Algany with only his horse Droga for company. But recently even he has heard tell of stirrings in the frozen north, and a rumor that something has taken up residence in the Ice Lich's old castle.

It’s not long before the King sends envoys to summon Kell to the capital. They want him to return to the north and defeat this evil once again. The first journey nearly broke him. Only after ten years and hundreds of miles separating him from it has Kell managed to recover—though the horrors he faced continue to haunt his dreams. Another journey would destroy him. Even still, a shadow stirs in the north. And it’s up to Kell Kressia to stop it.

The Coward includes a pair of quest lines, drawn out across multiple POVs. One involves the legend that is Kell Kressia as he makes his way north once again. The other, Mother Britak in the city of Lorzi. Now the one with Kell is quite obvious. The title character upon his titular quest. It is this quest line that the story lives and dies on. Mother Britak however…

I mean, I know what her POV is for. It’s in there to set up Book #2. But has fuck all to do with #1. I mean that literally—apart from a few details of note, mostly in Part 1 (there are 3 Parts to the book; Part 1 takes about 120 pages)—Britak’s storyline has nothing to do with Kell’s own quest, and doesn’t even have the decency to resolve itself by book’s end. And it’s got one of those “One True Faith” tropes, where the church ends up being completely wrong and borderline evil, which I find overused nowadays. As I said, I’m sure it’s setting up the second half of this duology, but in terms of the here and now: it really doesn’t have much to do with the story.

In the last twenty years there had been a steady decline in the number of faithful. People were busier than ever with family and other commitments. That was the reason he’d heard most often but those were just excuses. The truth was, believing in something abstract was difficult.

Luckily, the Coward isn’t about Mother Britak. It’s about Kell Kressia, and Kell’s story kills. It’s quite enjoyable. I really liked it. The world, the characters, their motivations and intentions—it’d be a borderline 5 / 5 from me without all that Britak nonsense. Honestly I have no notes regarding Kell’s storyline. None. Outstanding fantasy. A bit dark, a bit epic—and a whole lot of adventure!

TL;DR

The Coward is an outstanding adventure fantasy following hero of the land, Kell Kressia, on his return voyage to the north. He will save the world, or die trying. Or, alternatively, he’ll just piss off and let the kingdom solve it themselves. I really have no issues with the storyline revolving around Kell. A little darkness, a wee bit of danger, a pinch of epicness—and one borderline worthless POV following Mother Britak. Her story rarely intersects with Kell’s, and can only be setting the table for the followup plot in Book #2. As good as I found Kell’s story, her’s was simply pointless. I mean, it’s written well and she’s interesting enough—but it barely connects and it’s Kell’s that steals the show. Luckily, it’s Kell’s that takes up the overwhelming majority of the novel. Still, there’s more than enough here for me to heartily recommend the Coward. A great adventure with excellent characters, heroes, action, and adventure. The one misstep that is Britak is not enough to ruin the good time.

Kell Kressia is a hero. When the Five Kingdoms were threatened, he set off to help slay the beast. Of the whole group that began the quest together, only Kell returned alive. Ten years later, it seems that the kingdoms are being threatened yet again, and who better to save the world than the man who saved it last? The only problem is that Kell has no interest in saving anything or anyone a second time.

I'll be honest--I misunderstood what this book was about. I thought it would be about a man who had pretended to be a hero when given the opportunity and then ended up in a pickle when his services were called upon again. The actual story was deeper, but also darker than anticipated. Kell was an actual hero, but his first experience was so traumatic that when asked to help again, he considers running instead. It was interesting to read a story about a hero who suffers from PTSD, and I think that part is unique.

Unfortunately, the story wasn't executed well overall. The grammar was sloppy to the point where it was jarring to read at times. I didn't care for many of the characters. They felt flat and one-dimensional, but I struggled the most with the villain. That part of the story didn't seem to connect well with the rest of the story. The plot was also slow. Nobody seemed to go anywhere quickly, and while that gave time to develop Kell's character better, it made it more of a struggle to continue reading.

This was a miss for me, but I did appreciate a unique take on a 'hero's quest' story.

Thank you to Stephen Aryan, Angry Robot, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.

God I love this book. Bought a physical copy immediately. If you like D&D or a somewhat dark adventure, this is the book for you.

Full review to come

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

As someone who has read all of Stephen Aryan's work, I knew this would be a win for me. Kell is a very relatable character who had the power to make me both laugh and cry within the same chapter.

The plot was incredibly interesting and had elements that I was not expecting and I cannot wait for the next book.

Thank you to Angry Robot, for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to participate in this blog tour. Special thank you to Caroline Lamb and Sam McQueen at Angry Robot as well. All thoughts are mine and I really enjoyed this story. Thank you to the Broken Binding as well for the copy that I ordered and the signed map plate. Maps have a purpose in fantasy novels and I want to see more of this in the future.

This is one of the most amazing titles I have read in the fantasy genre. It is a story that keeps you on the edge, a story that keeps you wanting to read more, and a story that you wish it does not end. Because I didn’t want it either. Every single moment of this story had its special feeling, every scene felt unique, and I am mind blown. I have to say this, my mind is in the fourth dimension. It feels like I’ve uncovered a deeper plot, like a Christopher Nolan film, and there’s more to this story. There’s more to Kell and this journey, much more. This story to me is like a glimpse of something deeper and darker. Yes, it was an epic journey. Yes, some characters faced destinies I think could have been better (without wanting to spoil the story this will be the only clue you will get). Stephen has created an intriguing story that made me want to read more. Dear reader, I tell you now, I still do not want this story to end. There is a secret, a confounding secret that makes me want to discover more, a mystery that must be uncovered!

The Coward is an apt title for this book, for it delivers an epic story that is the equivalent of an epic video game story, and has multiple comparisons with many TV shows. Most often, I was often reminded of Game of Thrones in many respects. After reading this book, I felt as if I had entered another universe. Another parallel universe with multiple layers of complexity and intrigue. That’s all I will say for now. It is that good. This book is that good. It has an amazing story, well-written dialogue and easily likeable characters. The journey is simple. Kell once journeyed with a bunch of glorious heroes to kill the Lich Queen. They didn’t return, and only Kell did. He’s been having nightmares and wishes to forget about it, that it even happened. He’s a man hiding his deepest fears in the corner of his soul, wishing to never even relive it again.

Then, a letter arrives from the King of Algany, requesting that he take up the mantle as the Lich has once again returned. Taking his famous sword, he battles the forces of darkness, shark horned beasts, wolves and horrible creatures, all the while collecting a bunch of companions that he never even wanted. This novel should be named the Tavern. Because I should be a tavern inn-keeper and open one up. It’s very profitable. Without spoiling the plot, let me summarize it to keep it simple: Kell’s journey to the castle of the Lich in the North complicates politics for everyone. Kings rival each other against King. The Shepard, who is our monotheistic God of this world shall we say, now has followers who are devout and fanatical, trying to spread the word of the true God. Of the true Divine. And then comes Princess Sigrid and her manipulation of Kell, in some sense, along with Lukas, who I believe is the steward. There’s also a dangerous priestess, known as the Mother Reverend, who is determined to eliminate him. The politics of the Five Kingdoms revolve around Kell’s journey simply because they forced him to do something he didn’t.

The Kell that starts from the book, emerges a different Kell at the very end. A transition of the truth, a search for the question of life itself, and the machinations of lies and deceit that everyone tells each other. There was Gerran, one of the best characters in this story, and I felt a lot of sympathy for him. There was Willow, a mysterious figure who is secretive and has layers upon layers of untold lore and stories. There is Vahli, who was the definition of the loyal warrior, a bard, and a humble noble. A man that fought for everything he wanted. This is almost like the fantasy version of The Expanse. Characters that I can relate to and get along with. There are many untold characters in this book. All amazing.

And what I’ve told you is barely a glimpse. This story has so many amazing secrets I want to read book 2 already. I already want to read it. I need to know more. I need the story. I need it. This is an amazing story, and I for one loved every second. This is the book you need in 2021 to read. Amazing! The cover designer Kieryn Tyler did an excellent job with interpreting the way the novel cover came out, and did a great job of understanding the story. The cover is one of the BEST and I love PURPLE in fantasy covers. Angry Robot have gotten a knocker here. A fantastic, whopping knocker of a novel that has some mind-blowing concepts. This is great. I loved every second. A shoutout to the cartographer who did an amazing job with the map design. I loved it!

I have submitted my amazon review as well!

~ Thanks to NetGalley and Angry Roboto for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review ~

My experience with "The Coward" was a bit bumpy at the beginning, but by the end I could honestly say that I had a good time. Towards the start of the book, Aryan's writing feels like he's telling us rather than showing us, and it took a handful of attempts to get past the first 2 pages because of how impersonal it felt. The beginning is also rather crude so if you're expecting something noble like The Lord of the Rings, this isn't for you. Something I've noticed about many modern fantasty books is that you'll usually find a lot of sex, gore, and/or poop, and the beginning of "The Coward" mentions the latter a fair bit. But funnily enough, this whole book is about getting past that noble surface we often associate with heroes and fantasy settings, so for once it felt appropriate.

I will say that if this book wasn't part of a series, I would rate it lower because there's so many questions I still have after finishing it. But since we can expect more from Aryan in this universe, I'm content to wait. I didn't get entirely attached to the characters, and I think that might be because of Aryan's slightly detached style of writing, but I liked them enough to hope they'd get through unscathed. What Aryan's writing style highlighted best though was the fight scenes. These were fantastic, and I had a lot of fun with them. In terms of the plot itself, I really enjoyed watching it all unfold. I do wish we'd found out a bit more about the "heroes" themselves in a small cluster when the adventure began, with more details sprinkled throughout, but I'll take what we got without too much complaint.

Over all, this is not necessarily the best fantasy book I've ever read, but I really enjoyed it and appreciated the realistic take of what it means to be a hero.

Genre: new adult, epic fantasy, high fantasy, quest, political/ religious intrigue
Age range: 17+

Overall: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Writing and Setting: 4-5/5

Content warning: *swearing, gore, violence, use of weapons, underage drinking, flagellation, death, injury, mental illness: PTSD, Anxiety, Depression.

The gist of my review:

With epic battles, a seemingly impossible quest, and cast of misfit heroes, ‘The Coward’ by Stephen Aryan is a great read for fans of ‘The Lord of The Rings’.

On top of this, Aryan did an incredible job of combining this really interesting magic system, elements of political/religious intrigue, and developing a diverse and in- depth world.

I’m under the impression that this book has one of the greatest first sentences of all time.
“Kell Kressia, slayer of the Ice Lich and saviour of the Five Kingdoms, tripped on a rake and fell into a pile of horse shit.”

I really enjoyed this book. The reason as to why I didn’t give it a 5/5 was because there was a very obvious lull in the middle of the book. During this, there was a lot of battles for Kell and the crew but they all seemed to resemble each other slightly which then became a little repetitive. Alongside this, there were scenes throughout the book that were trying to invoke some very profound emotions, however I found that I wasn’t overly moved.

Characters: 4.5/5
The supporting characters were fantastic. Normally I would break each character down and talk about them individually, however there is a number of very distinct voices in this story, and to do them all justice, this review would be very long. For now I’m only going to talk about the two main and their very polarising characters.

Kell Kressia:
Kell is a really interesting character. This book provides a lot of insight about his past and how he previously made the journey to slay the Ice Lich alongside a crew of eleven heroes. At the time he had been a young, naive seventeen year old and had come back as the lucky sole survivor from beyond the frozen circle.

In the present timeline he’s ten years older and has lived an unforgiving life. Initially he runs from the call to slay another threat, but a young man, Garren, challenges Kell’s legacy, coerces him into making the journey north and demands that he joins Kell on his quest.

Kell is a strong willed, brave, and insightful character. He cringes at the idea of being a leader, but he cares for his crew and respects the fact that he’s not the strongest or most ambitious in his quest. He’s very accepting of the differences between his crew members and we see new developments in Kell’s character as he interacts with each individual.

Throughout the story we are given a unique perspective between Kell from the past and Kell from the present, and so we are able to see how far he’s come as a person and in his personal growth.

Reverend Mother Britak :
The Reverend Mother is the holy leader of the religious group who follow The Shepard. She is a harsh, strict yet faithful leader to her religion and is striving to spread the word of the Shepard throughout The Five Kingdoms through any means necessary. She has some very ‘questionable’ ways of ensuring that the 12 pillars (kind of like the 12 commandments) are followed and her intentions are to increase her zealot followers.

According to her religion, magic and magical beings are against the word of the Shepard, and therefore Kell, his legacy and his current journey are a distractor to the public and towards her campaign.

Although Kell and Britak don’t cross paths in this book, Britak’s narrative sets her up to be a very compelling and lethal enemy in the sequel.

A special mention to Vahli and Willow because they were both fantastic characters.

Plot: 4/5
Admittedly, I didn’t have high hopes for the plot of this book. I usually don’t enjoy when the plot is centralised around a main quest, and this is one of those books, however when I reached the last couple of chapters, things started to unveil that gave hints towards the nature of the sequel and I can’t express how much those details changed my mind about this book. In my opinion, the last couple of chapters are what gave it an extra 1.5 stars and made me immediately excited for the release of the sequel.

Writing and Setting: 4-5/ 5
We see multiple perspectives throughout the book, however our main characters are Kell and Britak. The writing is in third person which allows for some very interesting perspectives.

As previously mentioned, there were parts in the book that were trying to evoke a lot of emotion and I didn’t really connect with them. These scenes were fairly early on in the timeline so I’ve put it down to not knowing the characters all that well in comparison to the emotions I felt towards the end of the book.

Without a doubt, the world building must be praised. We see a vast array of kingdoms, races, creatures, towns and locations that were fascinating to read about that is unique to this story and incredibly creative.