The Soul of Chaos

Exiled from his home and his noble heritage in disgrace, Rurik toils in the mines of an ancient, underground ruin as foreman to a group of prisoners, cutthroats, and dregs of society forced into indentured servitude

Excellent fantasy, I can't wait for more.

A brilliant debut novel from a new high fantasy authour I'm genuinely excited to see more of. Taking point of views from mainly two characters, Rurik and Kali are struggling with two very different problems that culminate with a miasma of events and excitement I cannot truly put into words. I very rarely seek out fantasy books, especially the high fantasy genre, but I'm glad I did. This authour has a very unique style to his writing and it captivated me entirely. I think I could read just about anything from them. They're incredibly descriptive without giving me exposition for days. I'm tired of being treated as stupid when viewing things as an audience, whether in movies or books. I WANT to learn things when I'm reading, even if it's just a new word. But it also didn't feel preachy or inaccessible or even bogged down by lore dropping (but I did love the tidbits at the beginnings of the chapters that gave me some if I wanted). Did I get smarter reading this while on a wild ride filled with magic and swords?? I got an entirely original world that didn't just mimic the greats *cough* Tolkien *cough* and got characters that were dynamic, complicated, and wholly themselves. Luc is a standout favourite of mine and Arkalis as a main character was just refreshing. She wasn't put through the male lense at all and was allowed to be who she is without fitting into a Mary Sue box or being overtly aggravating. I really hope there's more to come and he expands on Luc and gives me even more Kali. There are a slew of characters to pick from to relate to and even the ones I'm not particularly attached to, I was still intrigued and ready for more of their storylines. I'm pleasantly surprised by this debut and will keep an eye out for more.

The writer does an amazing job gripping you into the world and story of its characters right from the start. You can't wait to see what happens next and how things will go from page to page. There is a playful balance of action, comedy, and suspense that teases you further and further into their story.

A great read for anyone looking to get into fantasy or is already a lover of the genre. I hope to see the next book before too long so I can continue the adventure with these captivating characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Black Rose Writing, & to Gregory Wunderlin for this ARC of The Soul of Chaos! I really enjoyed this book! I believe this is a debut novel, but if that makes you nervous let me assuage any concerns. This is a well crafted fantasy adventure that I definitely recommend! I didn't want to put this book down, especially the more I got into the story.

Sometimes authors struggle to explain the worlds & characters they've created and it creates a confusing story. Other times authors barely seem to try in hopes that readers won't experience that potential confusion, leaving their stories lacking. I didn't find either to be the case here at all! There is a perfect balance between the two that Gregory Wunderlin seems to have found. He's created a world that is rich enough to fully immerse yourself in and he did a great job introducing it to readers. It helps bring the actual plot of the book and the characters who exist in this world to life! That's my opinion, and to be fair I do have a good head for keeping names and places straight. Still, I will say for my part I was really impressed and I really appreciate the talent and effort that went into doing this.

The Soul of Chaos did a good job with characters as well, which is a really important aspect of any book. Rurik and his sister Kali are really strong main characters. I loved Kali right away. I found myself really invested in her story! Luc is someone else who really grew on me! Overall, I think there's a pretty solid group of characters that everyone will find someone they connect to!

This was a fun experience for me! I feel like this book was different from other fantasy books I've read in a really original way. If you read the description and you think you might be interested, I promise you that you definitely are. This is a good choice for high fantasy fans, especially if you're looking for an original captivating tale! I'm looking forward to more books both in this Litanies of the Lost Star series, and just by Gregory Wunderlin in general!