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Threadlight #1
Voice of War
Indies Today 2020 Best Fantasy Award
THEIR CHILD WILL SAVE THE WORLD, IF THEY CAN KEEP THE DAMN KID ALIVE.
While preparing for the birth of his first child, Chrys Valerian is tasked with uncovering the group responsible for a series of missing threadweavers—those able to see and manipulate threadlight. With each failure, the dark voice in his head grows louder, begging to be released.
A young girl from a secret city in the center of the Fairenwild veers off course to explore the streets of Alchea, never expecting that her journey would end in chains.
Far in the deserts to the south, a young man's life changes after he dies.
When Chrys learns who is responsible for the missing threadweavers, they come for him and his family. He must do everything in his power to protect those he loves, even if it means trusting strangers or, worse, the growing voice in his mind.
Together, these three will change the world—whether they intend to or not.
Voice of War begins the award-winning Threadlight series, filled with unique magic, exotic creatures, and a diverse cast of characters you'll love and hate.
THEIR CHILD WILL SAVE THE WORLD, IF THEY CAN KEEP THE DAMN KID ALIVE.
While preparing for the birth of his first child, Chrys Valerian is tasked with uncovering the group responsible for a series of missing threadweavers—those able to see and manipulate threadlight. With each failure, the dark voice in his head grows louder, begging to be released.
A young girl from a secret city in the center of the Fairenwild veers off course to explore the streets of Alchea, never expecting that her journey would end in chains.
Far in the deserts to the south, a young man's life changes after he dies.
When Chrys learns who is responsible for the missing threadweavers, they come for him and his family. He must do everything in his power to protect those he loves, even if it means trusting strangers or, worse, the growing voice in his mind.
Together, these three will change the world—whether they intend to or not.
Voice of War begins the award-winning Threadlight series, filled with unique magic, exotic creatures, and a diverse cast of characters you'll love and hate.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2020
472 people are currently reading
8937 people want to read
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February 24, 2024
Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Promising beginning. Readers weren’t exaggerating when they said Voice of War by Zack Argyle is a great Sanderson-lite fantasy novel.
Voice of War is the first book in Threadlight by Zack Argyle, and the trilogy is one of my priority series to start and finish this year. Honestly, though, it is true the trilogy became a priority series for me this year, but I’ve had my eyes on Voice of War since it became a finalist (ranking fourth place) in SPFBO year 2020. And since I finished reading The Five Silver Rings short story by Zack Argyle two years ago, I’ve patiently waited two years before I started my journey in the Threadlight trilogy by Zack Argyle. Why? I have only one reason, and it all boils down to the fact that I was waiting on the completion of Threadlight Deluxe Edition Omnibus production. The edition I am reading Threadlight trilogy from. When Argyle mentioned the Kickstarter idea to me and asked me whether I would be willing to help him by sharing the news regarding his Kickstarter campaign, I immediately said yes without seeing what he had in mind. There is no regret, only a feeling of gratefulness. The result of the production, which I will talk about more later, made Threadlight trilogy omnibus the most beautifully produced indie fantasy hardcover I own right now. Not only do I believe its success is responsible for making a wave in the surge of Indie fantasy Kickstarter campaigns, but more importantly, the story inside is good.
How good is that quote? I loved it. Voice of War takes place in the land of Arasin, and it is a story of reluctant heroes, animal companionship, and generational family relationships with an integral focus on parenthood and family. The narrative is told—mostly—from the perspective of three main characters. Let's tackle this review by discussing each main POV character.
Picture: The Continent of Arasin by Joan Belda
First, we have Chrys Valerian the Apogee, a thirty-year-old veteran promoted to the highest command after turning the tide of a war five years back. While preparing for the birth of his first child, Chrys Valerian is tasked with uncovering the group responsible for a series of missing threadweavers—those able to see and manipulate threadlight. With each failure, the dark voice in his head grows louder, begging to be released. If you have heard about Threadlight trilogy, then you might have heard about it as a series inspired by Sanderson’s books. As a fan of Sanderson’s books, I agree with this sentiment. Without giving spoilers, Chrys Valerian's background, in particular, is incredibly reminiscent of Dalinar Blackthorn from The Stormlight Archive. And there is also the world-building and magic system, which I will touch upon later. But honestly, even though Argyle wears his inspirations on his sleeve, the entire story is still distinctly his. Chrys was my favorite POV character to read in Voice of War. Sure, he has the most spotlight and POV chapters in Voice of War, but his determination to protect his family no matter what felt genuine and palpable to me. The themes of parenthood shine most in his POV chapters and the people around him. Based on how the story ended, I have a good feeling the rest of Threadlight trilogy will start to move away from its inspirations more.
Contrary to Chrys, the second POV character, Laurel, took me a bit of time to feel completely immersed in. Laurel is a seventeen-year-old member of the Zeda, a secretive people living in a treetop metropolis hidden in the Fairenwild who veers off course to explore the nearby city recklessly. She yearns for freedom and to get away from her controlling surroundings. Although her story converged with Chrys the soonest, due to her comparatively shorter number of POV chapters, Laurel did not feel as intriguing as Chrys, not yet anyway, not yet anyway. I am excited to read the next chapters of her story in Stones of Light.
Picture: Voice of War chapter icons by Joan Belda
Finally, far in the deserts to the south, we have Alverax Brightwood, a nineteen-year-old son of a thief living in a desert city filled with all manner of unsavory people. When he wakes up after his death in a pit of bones with powers that he most unediably did not have yesterday—powers that should not be possible—he decides to get revenge on the man who killed his father. Personally, I found Alverax and his abilities to be incredibly interesting. Right from his first chapter, I was compelled to read through all of his chapters. Chrys, Laurel, and Alverax's story (as you can probably guess) eventually all converged. Whether they intend to or not, their actions will change the world.
Assuming that you click with Argyle’s simplistic prose, I think we can agree that his efficiency AND effectiveness in his storytelling is something that other fantasy authors can emulate. Not every fantasy book needs to be a gigantic doorstopper. If you can tell your story more efficiently without losing the impact, then do it. Another thing you might have heard about Threadlight trilogy is the relatively small scope and word count of the series for a trilogy of epic fantasy novels. Voice of War, on the omnibus edition, is 280 pages long. Obviously, I cannot say anything regarding Stones of Light and Bonds of Chaos yet, but Voice of War unquestionably felt smaller in scope and cast of characters compared to tons of first installment in epic fantasy series I have read. And yet, it worked. Mostly because of the characters and the magic system. Can it perform better with a bigger page count? Probably. But this is what we have.
The magic system in Threadlight trilogy felt like a mix of Allomancy in Mistborn Saga by Brandon Sanderson and Chromaturgy in Lightbringers by Brent Weeks. Fortunately, I am not fussy about soft or hard magic systems as long that it is executed well, and I am a fan of Allomancy and Chromaturgy. So this and the investable characters bode well for me. As I have mentioned repeatedly throughout my many reviews, when you love and feel invested in the characters, many forms of story in the fantasy genre can work; Voice of War is a good example. Voice of War is inherently a foundational novel with an exciting action sequence at the end of the novel. But thanks to the relatable themes and understandable main and supporting characters' motivations, even if a few characters still need more exposition or page count, reading Voice of War felt like a needed breath of fresh air in the middle of reading my usual (in the majority) massive SFF novels. It was engaging and page-turning. And Voice of War succeeds at screaming at its readers: "If you continue with the series, I promise the story will get better." I am undoubtedly eager to find out.
Lastly, I would be doing a disservice to the carefully-produced Threadlight trilogy deluxe omnibus edition I read if I didn't share my brief review of the edition. Note that this review is based on my experience of reading the first book in the omnibus and browsing through the illustrations. The production value of the deluxe omnibus edition of Threadlight trilogy is magnificent for its price. In the Kickstarter price, the entire omnibus costs $85. That’s all three books in one stunning hardcover edition. And it has everything you want in a special edition. New custom cover art and design, chapter icons, post-credit scene, shiny sprayed edges and a bookmark, newly commissioned illustrated endpapers and fully-colored interior artworks, and then Smyth-sewn binding and acid-free paper. Plus, you can get a slipcase by paying an extra $1. So... you could get three books combined in one terrific production and a slipcase for $86. Even though the quality of the slipcase is inferior compared to, for example, the slipcase produced by Grim Oak Press, I do not want to pay an extra $40-60 to get a slipcase. That's how much some fine press publishing is charging for a slipcase. Admittedly, the thickness of the paper is still thinner than I expected, too. But for its physical volume and relatively affordable price, it is not feasible for Argyle to increase the weight of the paper without losing more profit than he already did. Overall, this is a superb value. Reading the book using this edition was worth the wait, and I look forward to reading the remaining two books in the trilogy the same way.
Picture: The Heart of Cynosure by Andrew Maleski
Well, this review of a somewhat short novel ended up being longer than I thought. Apparently, I have plenty of things to say. In conclusion, if you are a fantasy reader who likes reading an epic fantasy novel with well-written and relatable characters and a hard-magic system, I believe Voice of War is worth a try. The themes of parenthood and family were so well done as well. And Voice of War is a fantasy novel suitable for those who love reading Sanderson’s books and want a lite or smaller version of them while retaining many of the good parts. The epic fantasy genre is understandably flooded with doorstoppers because they often need the extra word count for a more complex and intricate world-building, characterizations, plotting, and more. Voice of War gets to the meat swiftly, and this decision might not work for everyone. It usually doesn't for me. But as a foundational installment, Voice of War was engaging to read. It hints potential that Stones of Light and Bonds of Chaos will be superior, and I am excited to find out soon.
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe.
Promising beginning. Readers weren’t exaggerating when they said Voice of War by Zack Argyle is a great Sanderson-lite fantasy novel.
“The Rite of Revelation was such an important event for a parent, but would a parent really love their child less based on the color of their eyes? Love is not a calculated result of features and faults. Love is the unseen thread binding two souls together no matter the externalities.”
Voice of War is the first book in Threadlight by Zack Argyle, and the trilogy is one of my priority series to start and finish this year. Honestly, though, it is true the trilogy became a priority series for me this year, but I’ve had my eyes on Voice of War since it became a finalist (ranking fourth place) in SPFBO year 2020. And since I finished reading The Five Silver Rings short story by Zack Argyle two years ago, I’ve patiently waited two years before I started my journey in the Threadlight trilogy by Zack Argyle. Why? I have only one reason, and it all boils down to the fact that I was waiting on the completion of Threadlight Deluxe Edition Omnibus production. The edition I am reading Threadlight trilogy from. When Argyle mentioned the Kickstarter idea to me and asked me whether I would be willing to help him by sharing the news regarding his Kickstarter campaign, I immediately said yes without seeing what he had in mind. There is no regret, only a feeling of gratefulness. The result of the production, which I will talk about more later, made Threadlight trilogy omnibus the most beautifully produced indie fantasy hardcover I own right now. Not only do I believe its success is responsible for making a wave in the surge of Indie fantasy Kickstarter campaigns, but more importantly, the story inside is good.
“It doesn’t matter how beautiful the wall is if the garden inside is dying. No one can live like that forever.”
How good is that quote? I loved it. Voice of War takes place in the land of Arasin, and it is a story of reluctant heroes, animal companionship, and generational family relationships with an integral focus on parenthood and family. The narrative is told—mostly—from the perspective of three main characters. Let's tackle this review by discussing each main POV character.
Picture: The Continent of Arasin by Joan Belda
First, we have Chrys Valerian the Apogee, a thirty-year-old veteran promoted to the highest command after turning the tide of a war five years back. While preparing for the birth of his first child, Chrys Valerian is tasked with uncovering the group responsible for a series of missing threadweavers—those able to see and manipulate threadlight. With each failure, the dark voice in his head grows louder, begging to be released. If you have heard about Threadlight trilogy, then you might have heard about it as a series inspired by Sanderson’s books. As a fan of Sanderson’s books, I agree with this sentiment. Without giving spoilers, Chrys Valerian's background, in particular, is incredibly reminiscent of Dalinar Blackthorn from The Stormlight Archive. And there is also the world-building and magic system, which I will touch upon later. But honestly, even though Argyle wears his inspirations on his sleeve, the entire story is still distinctly his. Chrys was my favorite POV character to read in Voice of War. Sure, he has the most spotlight and POV chapters in Voice of War, but his determination to protect his family no matter what felt genuine and palpable to me. The themes of parenthood shine most in his POV chapters and the people around him. Based on how the story ended, I have a good feeling the rest of Threadlight trilogy will start to move away from its inspirations more.
"Sacrifice is core of parenthood. But while others were sacrificing time or wealth, Chrys had sacrificed a memory. An irreconcilable sacrifice. And, somehow, Chrys knew deep in his heart that it was nothing compared to the sacrifices he would have to make in the future."
Contrary to Chrys, the second POV character, Laurel, took me a bit of time to feel completely immersed in. Laurel is a seventeen-year-old member of the Zeda, a secretive people living in a treetop metropolis hidden in the Fairenwild who veers off course to explore the nearby city recklessly. She yearns for freedom and to get away from her controlling surroundings. Although her story converged with Chrys the soonest, due to her comparatively shorter number of POV chapters, Laurel did not feel as intriguing as Chrys, not yet anyway, not yet anyway. I am excited to read the next chapters of her story in Stones of Light.
Picture: Voice of War chapter icons by Joan Belda
Finally, far in the deserts to the south, we have Alverax Brightwood, a nineteen-year-old son of a thief living in a desert city filled with all manner of unsavory people. When he wakes up after his death in a pit of bones with powers that he most unediably did not have yesterday—powers that should not be possible—he decides to get revenge on the man who killed his father. Personally, I found Alverax and his abilities to be incredibly interesting. Right from his first chapter, I was compelled to read through all of his chapters. Chrys, Laurel, and Alverax's story (as you can probably guess) eventually all converged. Whether they intend to or not, their actions will change the world.
“Good men do what must be done, even if it is dark.”
Assuming that you click with Argyle’s simplistic prose, I think we can agree that his efficiency AND effectiveness in his storytelling is something that other fantasy authors can emulate. Not every fantasy book needs to be a gigantic doorstopper. If you can tell your story more efficiently without losing the impact, then do it. Another thing you might have heard about Threadlight trilogy is the relatively small scope and word count of the series for a trilogy of epic fantasy novels. Voice of War, on the omnibus edition, is 280 pages long. Obviously, I cannot say anything regarding Stones of Light and Bonds of Chaos yet, but Voice of War unquestionably felt smaller in scope and cast of characters compared to tons of first installment in epic fantasy series I have read. And yet, it worked. Mostly because of the characters and the magic system. Can it perform better with a bigger page count? Probably. But this is what we have.
“Friends do things they don’t have to all the time. It is the gulf that divides acquaintance and friendship.”
The magic system in Threadlight trilogy felt like a mix of Allomancy in Mistborn Saga by Brandon Sanderson and Chromaturgy in Lightbringers by Brent Weeks. Fortunately, I am not fussy about soft or hard magic systems as long that it is executed well, and I am a fan of Allomancy and Chromaturgy. So this and the investable characters bode well for me. As I have mentioned repeatedly throughout my many reviews, when you love and feel invested in the characters, many forms of story in the fantasy genre can work; Voice of War is a good example. Voice of War is inherently a foundational novel with an exciting action sequence at the end of the novel. But thanks to the relatable themes and understandable main and supporting characters' motivations, even if a few characters still need more exposition or page count, reading Voice of War felt like a needed breath of fresh air in the middle of reading my usual (in the majority) massive SFF novels. It was engaging and page-turning. And Voice of War succeeds at screaming at its readers: "If you continue with the series, I promise the story will get better." I am undoubtedly eager to find out.
“The only flames that are remembered are the one that burn the world.”
Lastly, I would be doing a disservice to the carefully-produced Threadlight trilogy deluxe omnibus edition I read if I didn't share my brief review of the edition. Note that this review is based on my experience of reading the first book in the omnibus and browsing through the illustrations. The production value of the deluxe omnibus edition of Threadlight trilogy is magnificent for its price. In the Kickstarter price, the entire omnibus costs $85. That’s all three books in one stunning hardcover edition. And it has everything you want in a special edition. New custom cover art and design, chapter icons, post-credit scene, shiny sprayed edges and a bookmark, newly commissioned illustrated endpapers and fully-colored interior artworks, and then Smyth-sewn binding and acid-free paper. Plus, you can get a slipcase by paying an extra $1. So... you could get three books combined in one terrific production and a slipcase for $86. Even though the quality of the slipcase is inferior compared to, for example, the slipcase produced by Grim Oak Press, I do not want to pay an extra $40-60 to get a slipcase. That's how much some fine press publishing is charging for a slipcase. Admittedly, the thickness of the paper is still thinner than I expected, too. But for its physical volume and relatively affordable price, it is not feasible for Argyle to increase the weight of the paper without losing more profit than he already did. Overall, this is a superb value. Reading the book using this edition was worth the wait, and I look forward to reading the remaining two books in the trilogy the same way.
Picture: The Heart of Cynosure by Andrew Maleski
Well, this review of a somewhat short novel ended up being longer than I thought. Apparently, I have plenty of things to say. In conclusion, if you are a fantasy reader who likes reading an epic fantasy novel with well-written and relatable characters and a hard-magic system, I believe Voice of War is worth a try. The themes of parenthood and family were so well done as well. And Voice of War is a fantasy novel suitable for those who love reading Sanderson’s books and want a lite or smaller version of them while retaining many of the good parts. The epic fantasy genre is understandably flooded with doorstoppers because they often need the extra word count for a more complex and intricate world-building, characterizations, plotting, and more. Voice of War gets to the meat swiftly, and this decision might not work for everyone. It usually doesn't for me. But as a foundational installment, Voice of War was engaging to read. It hints potential that Stones of Light and Bonds of Chaos will be superior, and I am excited to find out soon.
“Wishing. Hoping. They are dangerous words. If you hope for something to be true and it is not, that realization can break you. But until then, while that belief runs warm in your blood, it can drive you to do amazing things.”
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Allana, Ambrosius, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Bev, Cade, Chris, Christopher, Cullen, Dan, David, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Joie, Jonathan, Jordan, Katrina, Kristina, Lara, Lourdes, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Redmischief, Rue, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Steph, Stephanie, Tiffany, Tracy, Trish, TS, Wendy, Wick, Woodman, Xero, Yosi, Yuri, Zoe.
March 6, 2021
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I am always saying that adult fantasy authors are falling into the trap of complex and huge books. Zack’s debut is a living proof that there is beauty in simple books too.
Let’s discuss a couple of numbers just because I am a big nerd when it comes to numbers. The book is a finalist in Mark Lawrence’s prestigious SPFBO 2020 book award. That means it made it to the top 10 books out of 300 books. It currently has a 3.97 rating on GR and 7.9/10 in the contest. If my hunch is true I think it has a good chance to finish in the top three books. And personally, I am giving it a very solid 4 stars rating.
I got interested in this book even before it became a finalist and before it got a cover change. The synopsis sounded cool, the author seemed nice and it is a self published book so I had to read it. But then it started getting more attention and I knew I can’t procrastinate more so I got a copy and as you guessed, I did read it.
Before jumping into the content, I have to mention that I did not feel it was self published, and although I have a kindle version of the book the quality was high. The new cover is certainly an improvement and it made imagining the protagonist a lot easier. There is a map and the MS was clean from grammatical errors and typos so it is really a job well done.
So what is the story about?
The story follows three main characters who live in a world where threadweavers exist, those who can see and manipulate the threadlight. Each character comes from a different back ground and have their own struggles.
💉 Chrys: The guy you see on the cover, he is a high general with a lot on his plate: From his duty as high general and the task to uncover the secret behind the lost threadweavers. His pregnant wife and the oncoming birth and also controlling the voice he hears in his head. I liked that Chrys is someone who thinks before taking action and that he is willing to sacrifice everything for his family.
💉 Laurel: A young girl that lives with her grandfather and younger brother. She is a messenger for the elders – Those who are in charge of everything- and she finds herself entangled in a mess she was not prepared for. Laurel is kind of hot headed and she likes to be free. But beneath the hard exterior, you can tell she’s a kind person who also loves her family.
💉 Alverax: The third protagonist, a poor guy that just came back from death and he’s shrouded in mystery.
And because I am mentioning the characters, I should mention that family is a very central theme to the story. There is not much romance but I think the author is a family guy because I really felt that in the writing.
The world-building was great, the magic system is cool but very simple. Basically people go into three categories depending on their abilities to see threadlight and control it (Sapphires, Emeralds and Achroamtics). The magic system is reminiscent of Sanderson’s allomancy specially that the words pushing and pulling were used. But to be fair, it is kind of different and the more you advance in the story, the more unique it gets. What I liked more are the details and how vibrant the story was with the photospores and Chromawolves. It was so colorful in my imagination and that is not as easy task!
The book has also a prominent mystery element. The author asks the reader to be patient and promises answer before the story is begun. As a reader, there were always questions coming into my mind and as soon as I got answers, it only lead to more questions being asked and that is a good thing because it kept me hook till the end.
I don’t have much criticism for the story, maybe I would have made one of the protagonists and Emerald and one a Sapphire instead of having two as Sapphires. Some of the humor did not click for me but that is not a big part of the book anyways so not a major problem. The third protagonist appears around 50% of the story which usually does not work for me because it makes one character pales in comparison to the others but it was not really a problem here because this character had the appropriate page time after that. The plot twists were kind of predictable for me but the aforementioned thriller part made up for that.
Summary: Voice of War is a simple and light (see what I did there) read but is awesome at the same time. The characters were well written and the different POVs were distinct enough. The world-building is very cool and colorful. The writing is simple yet beautiful. This book certainly deserves being an SPFBO finalist! I am looking forward to book 2 specially with that beautiful cover!
“Love is not a calculated result of features and faults. Love is the unseen thread binding two souls together no matter the externalities.”
I am always saying that adult fantasy authors are falling into the trap of complex and huge books. Zack’s debut is a living proof that there is beauty in simple books too.
Let’s discuss a couple of numbers just because I am a big nerd when it comes to numbers. The book is a finalist in Mark Lawrence’s prestigious SPFBO 2020 book award. That means it made it to the top 10 books out of 300 books. It currently has a 3.97 rating on GR and 7.9/10 in the contest. If my hunch is true I think it has a good chance to finish in the top three books. And personally, I am giving it a very solid 4 stars rating.
I got interested in this book even before it became a finalist and before it got a cover change. The synopsis sounded cool, the author seemed nice and it is a self published book so I had to read it. But then it started getting more attention and I knew I can’t procrastinate more so I got a copy and as you guessed, I did read it.
Before jumping into the content, I have to mention that I did not feel it was self published, and although I have a kindle version of the book the quality was high. The new cover is certainly an improvement and it made imagining the protagonist a lot easier. There is a map and the MS was clean from grammatical errors and typos so it is really a job well done.
“Chrys, it doesn’t matter how beautiful the wall is if the garden inside is dying. No one can live like that forever.”
So what is the story about?
The story follows three main characters who live in a world where threadweavers exist, those who can see and manipulate the threadlight. Each character comes from a different back ground and have their own struggles.
💉 Chrys: The guy you see on the cover, he is a high general with a lot on his plate: From his duty as high general and the task to uncover the secret behind the lost threadweavers. His pregnant wife and the oncoming birth and also controlling the voice he hears in his head. I liked that Chrys is someone who thinks before taking action and that he is willing to sacrifice everything for his family.
💉 Laurel: A young girl that lives with her grandfather and younger brother. She is a messenger for the elders – Those who are in charge of everything- and she finds herself entangled in a mess she was not prepared for. Laurel is kind of hot headed and she likes to be free. But beneath the hard exterior, you can tell she’s a kind person who also loves her family.
💉 Alverax: The third protagonist, a poor guy that just came back from death and he’s shrouded in mystery.
And because I am mentioning the characters, I should mention that family is a very central theme to the story. There is not much romance but I think the author is a family guy because I really felt that in the writing.
“Some wives are trophies, some are burdens, but others are the very heartbeat of a man, so beautifully harmonized that without her the man would fade to naught.”
The world-building was great, the magic system is cool but very simple. Basically people go into three categories depending on their abilities to see threadlight and control it (Sapphires, Emeralds and Achroamtics). The magic system is reminiscent of Sanderson’s allomancy specially that the words pushing and pulling were used. But to be fair, it is kind of different and the more you advance in the story, the more unique it gets. What I liked more are the details and how vibrant the story was with the photospores and Chromawolves. It was so colorful in my imagination and that is not as easy task!
The book has also a prominent mystery element. The author asks the reader to be patient and promises answer before the story is begun. As a reader, there were always questions coming into my mind and as soon as I got answers, it only lead to more questions being asked and that is a good thing because it kept me hook till the end.
I don’t have much criticism for the story, maybe I would have made one of the protagonists and Emerald and one a Sapphire instead of having two as Sapphires. Some of the humor did not click for me but that is not a big part of the book anyways so not a major problem. The third protagonist appears around 50% of the story which usually does not work for me because it makes one character pales in comparison to the others but it was not really a problem here because this character had the appropriate page time after that. The plot twists were kind of predictable for me but the aforementioned thriller part made up for that.
“Life itself is a flame. Fickle as any. Some burn brightly and die swiftly. Some burn dimly and live far past their need. In the end, all flames die.”
Summary: Voice of War is a simple and light (see what I did there) read but is awesome at the same time. The characters were well written and the different POVs were distinct enough. The world-building is very cool and colorful. The writing is simple yet beautiful. This book certainly deserves being an SPFBO finalist! I am looking forward to book 2 specially with that beautiful cover!
January 8, 2022
“Wishing. Hoping. They are dangerous words. If you hope for something to be true and it is not, that realisation can break you. But until then, while that belief runs warm in your blood, it can drive you to do amazing things.”
I have had Voice of War on my tbr for such a long time! I first heard about it after it became an SPFBO finalist in 2020. The synopsis and the cover instantly grabbed my attention and made me interested in reading it. Moreover, reviewer’s that I trust have praised this book which made me even more excited to read it! I was fortunate to win a paperback of Voice of War earlier this year, leaving me with no excuses not to read it anymore. So what did I think?
Firstly, I was impressed by Argyle’s characterisations. The story follows three main characters: Chrys Valerian, a high general and soon to be father, Laurel, a threadweaver from Fairenwild, and Alverax, who is killed and then reborn. While all the three main characters are interesting for different reasons, I was especially drawn to Chrys Valerian, because Argyle uses this character to focuse on the value of family, parenthood and loyalty; which I found refreshing. Fantasy books rarely focus on parenthood, so I appreciate Argyle having these themes prevalent in Voice of War!
The magic system plays a crucial role in Voice of War and reminded me of Sanderson’s magic systems. There is a lot of pushing and pulling, similar to Allomancy. If you enjoy a complex magic system, then it is worth checking out this series!
The world-building was also great, especially considering Voice of War is only 366 pages. However, I hope that Argyle expands more on the magic system and the world in the sequel since I didn’t feel like the world was explored enough. That being said, I appreciate Voice of War not being another 1000-page fantasy tome. It was really nice to read a relatively short fantasy novel.
While I rarely criticise book titles, I believe this book would have benefited from having a different title. The title ‘Voice of War’ gave me the impression that this would be a story, with lots of action scenes or epic battles. While there is action in this book, there are no epic battles or armies going to war.
In conclusion, Voice of War is an impressive indie debut. Argyle successfully made me care about the characters and this world in only 300+ pages. If you are looking for a fantasy book that focuses on parenthood, has an interesting magic system and has excellent characters, check out Voice of War. I will definitely be continuing this series in 2022!
4 / 5 stars
I have had Voice of War on my tbr for such a long time! I first heard about it after it became an SPFBO finalist in 2020. The synopsis and the cover instantly grabbed my attention and made me interested in reading it. Moreover, reviewer’s that I trust have praised this book which made me even more excited to read it! I was fortunate to win a paperback of Voice of War earlier this year, leaving me with no excuses not to read it anymore. So what did I think?
Firstly, I was impressed by Argyle’s characterisations. The story follows three main characters: Chrys Valerian, a high general and soon to be father, Laurel, a threadweaver from Fairenwild, and Alverax, who is killed and then reborn. While all the three main characters are interesting for different reasons, I was especially drawn to Chrys Valerian, because Argyle uses this character to focuse on the value of family, parenthood and loyalty; which I found refreshing. Fantasy books rarely focus on parenthood, so I appreciate Argyle having these themes prevalent in Voice of War!
The magic system plays a crucial role in Voice of War and reminded me of Sanderson’s magic systems. There is a lot of pushing and pulling, similar to Allomancy. If you enjoy a complex magic system, then it is worth checking out this series!
The world-building was also great, especially considering Voice of War is only 366 pages. However, I hope that Argyle expands more on the magic system and the world in the sequel since I didn’t feel like the world was explored enough. That being said, I appreciate Voice of War not being another 1000-page fantasy tome. It was really nice to read a relatively short fantasy novel.
While I rarely criticise book titles, I believe this book would have benefited from having a different title. The title ‘Voice of War’ gave me the impression that this would be a story, with lots of action scenes or epic battles. While there is action in this book, there are no epic battles or armies going to war.
In conclusion, Voice of War is an impressive indie debut. Argyle successfully made me care about the characters and this world in only 300+ pages. If you are looking for a fantasy book that focuses on parenthood, has an interesting magic system and has excellent characters, check out Voice of War. I will definitely be continuing this series in 2022!
4 / 5 stars
March 24, 2022
Voice of War was just one of those books that rolled like a snowball down a hill. The further I got into the book, the faster everything moved, the more intense the action, the higher the stakes.
Much like most debuts the writing grew from the first page, evolving and developing as I read. There were a few clunky pieces of dialogue here and there, but even that was almost totally absent by the end of the book. The characters were complex and rich, and their motives were clear. I think, much like everyone, Chrys was my favourite. I'm just a sucker for that noble character who will give everything for the ones they love. When written well, those characters just make me feel 'all the things', and let me tell you - Zack writes them well.
I did get a little lost during Alverax's introduction, leading me to question it at first, but after a little while Alverax grew on me and his last few scenes really lifted him into the main cast.
The ending of this book was brilliant. Genuinely. I really loved everything Zack did. The endings for Chrys and Laurel were both so satisfying. I was taken off guard with both of them, but then as soon as they happened I was able to connect the dots back to see all the foreshadowing. In my mind, that is the mark of a great twist - something you maybe didn't see coming but is as clear as glass once you look back.
All in all, this was a tremendous debut by a great author. Judging by the growth that was evident even within this book, I'm expecting the second book to be phenomenal.
For pure enjoyment, this book gets the stars. It's raining stars, Zack. It's raining stars.
Note: I listened to the audio and Adam Gold has the single best range of voices I have ever heard. His narrative voice is a bit intense, but his range of voices... sweet jesus, he is incredible.
Much like most debuts the writing grew from the first page, evolving and developing as I read. There were a few clunky pieces of dialogue here and there, but even that was almost totally absent by the end of the book. The characters were complex and rich, and their motives were clear. I think, much like everyone, Chrys was my favourite. I'm just a sucker for that noble character who will give everything for the ones they love. When written well, those characters just make me feel 'all the things', and let me tell you - Zack writes them well.
I did get a little lost during Alverax's introduction, leading me to question it at first, but after a little while Alverax grew on me and his last few scenes really lifted him into the main cast.
The ending of this book was brilliant. Genuinely. I really loved everything Zack did. The endings for Chrys and Laurel were both so satisfying. I was taken off guard with both of them, but then as soon as they happened I was able to connect the dots back to see all the foreshadowing. In my mind, that is the mark of a great twist - something you maybe didn't see coming but is as clear as glass once you look back.
All in all, this was a tremendous debut by a great author. Judging by the growth that was evident even within this book, I'm expecting the second book to be phenomenal.
For pure enjoyment, this book gets the stars. It's raining stars, Zack. It's raining stars.
Note: I listened to the audio and Adam Gold has the single best range of voices I have ever heard. His narrative voice is a bit intense, but his range of voices... sweet jesus, he is incredible.
September 30, 2022
I have heard great things about Voice of War, a self-published fantasy book, and I really wanted to enjoy this one but for me it felt generic, simple and bogged down with parts / POVs that could have been cut out. Chrys is a solid main character and he had enough about him that made him stand out with his backstory and personality but everything else unfortunately, for me, felt a little lacklustre. I may pick up the next one in the future as the narration was great and I hope the pacing will be stronger.
April 6, 2023
6.43 on CAWPILE
July 19, 2023
I was unsure at first about this book but it grew on me. I ended up loving it.
First Act: Interesting world building. Engaging writing style. Strong characters. There are a lot of people in this world with anger management issues and poor impulse control.
Second Act: They are still angry and impulsive but with a cute baby! Time for a road trip. Well, several road trips by different people.
Third Act: WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?! Zack Argyle, what kind of monster ends a book like that????
Epilogue: I immediately bought Book Two because I have to know what happens next.
First Act: Interesting world building. Engaging writing style. Strong characters. There are a lot of people in this world with anger management issues and poor impulse control.
Second Act: They are still angry and impulsive but with a cute baby! Time for a road trip. Well, several road trips by different people.
Third Act: WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?! Zack Argyle, what kind of monster ends a book like that????
Epilogue: I immediately bought Book Two because I have to know what happens next.
September 23, 2024
I finally read Zack Argyle's first book in his Threadlight trilogy and I was not disappointed. It took about half of the (blessedly short) length to really put its hooks into me, but by halfway through, I realized I was invested in these three characters and where their story was going to go. The battles are exciting and Alvarax's character and locales are particularly well-done, especially given the comparatively little pagetime he's given. The baddies are competent and their end goal thus far is interesting, a blessed relief from lame villains I've been encoutering in books and video games recently.
The magic system is neat, even if I don't quite understand all of its eccentricities and each main character feels different enough to spark different reactions in me. Laurel is awful, Chrys is cool, Alvarax is da bomb. There's a couple of times I wondered why person X didn't do action Y, but nothing so ridiculous as to raise my hackles (there aren't A MILLION TROOPS, Taniel), and some of the culture, city life, and things like that, especially in the main city I would have liked more of, but that would have required more pages which I'm not sure would be worth the tradeoff. I've heard nothing but improvements for the second books, so I'm eagerly awaiting it!
The magic system is neat, even if I don't quite understand all of its eccentricities and each main character feels different enough to spark different reactions in me. Laurel is awful, Chrys is cool, Alvarax is da bomb. There's a couple of times I wondered why person X didn't do action Y, but nothing so ridiculous as to raise my hackles (there aren't A MILLION TROOPS, Taniel), and some of the culture, city life, and things like that, especially in the main city I would have liked more of, but that would have required more pages which I'm not sure would be worth the tradeoff. I've heard nothing but improvements for the second books, so I'm eagerly awaiting it!
Read
October 28, 2020I haven't read this book, yet, but it's a finalist in this year's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off, so it must be good!
See the finalist board here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
See the finalist board here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
September 23, 2021
Okay, I've got to tell you- the audio narration for this book was PHENOMENAL! The narrator did an amazing job and definitely added to my experience with the book. Thanks you to the author for providing an audio copy for review. All opinions are my own.
If you're looking for multi-POV fantasy with plenty of magic, strong world-building, characters you will have a reaction to (both good and bad), and a cast with several strong, interesting female characters, Voice of War is one to check out. It's a very solid indie debut that weaves a tale that will suck you in.
We follow a general and war hero named Chrys who is about to have a baby with his wife and must keep his family safe. A reckless teen girl. And an immature young man who suddenly finds himself with unexpected power. It's an interesting story of power, rebellion, addiction, and family. The characters could be frustrating at times, but in ways that fit who they were. And there are some beautiful moments with Chrys and his wife.
Set in a world where eye color reveals whether you have magic and what sort it is, people are used to only two types of power. But others exist in a prophecy and are now being seen in the world. There are also mundane people who kidnap magic users for their blood, drinking it in order to experience the world through their eyes.
This is definitely a story I got caught up with and had a good time with. I do wish we got a bit more information about this prophecy, especially since it's referenced in the book synopsis. It felt like information was being withheld more than necessary.
One other thing worth talking about, which you will see in other reviews as well, is that one of the character POV's uses quite a bit of intensely fatphobic language to describe a villainous city leader. When the author reached out to me about reviewing Voice of War, I mentioned my concern with this element of the story and he responded as follows:
"As far as the fatphobic comments go. It's true. There is a fairly childish 19 y/o later in the book whose father was killed by a man who happens to be quite large. His POV chapters have a lot of disdain for the man, which often manifests in childish comments about the man's weight. In the second book, Stones of Light, he actually gets called out on it..."
He also included an excerpt from book 2 where he's basically told that mocking someone's body is a base form of humor and he should be better that that. I appreciated the clarification before I agreed to read the book. I know for some readers the inclusion of such language might be a deal breaker for them which is valid. Personally I do think it was a bit excessive and because it's written in third person, it doesn't come across as clearly just the thoughts of the POV character. That said, I appreciate that it's being addressed in book 2 and given that this POV was a relatively minor one for much of the book it didn't ruin the experience for me. Just something to know going in.
Overall, I enjoyed Voice of War and am curious to see how things continue in book 2. It's a fun fantasy that has a lot going for it.
If you're looking for multi-POV fantasy with plenty of magic, strong world-building, characters you will have a reaction to (both good and bad), and a cast with several strong, interesting female characters, Voice of War is one to check out. It's a very solid indie debut that weaves a tale that will suck you in.
We follow a general and war hero named Chrys who is about to have a baby with his wife and must keep his family safe. A reckless teen girl. And an immature young man who suddenly finds himself with unexpected power. It's an interesting story of power, rebellion, addiction, and family. The characters could be frustrating at times, but in ways that fit who they were. And there are some beautiful moments with Chrys and his wife.
Set in a world where eye color reveals whether you have magic and what sort it is, people are used to only two types of power. But others exist in a prophecy and are now being seen in the world. There are also mundane people who kidnap magic users for their blood, drinking it in order to experience the world through their eyes.
This is definitely a story I got caught up with and had a good time with. I do wish we got a bit more information about this prophecy, especially since it's referenced in the book synopsis. It felt like information was being withheld more than necessary.
One other thing worth talking about, which you will see in other reviews as well, is that one of the character POV's uses quite a bit of intensely fatphobic language to describe a villainous city leader. When the author reached out to me about reviewing Voice of War, I mentioned my concern with this element of the story and he responded as follows:
"As far as the fatphobic comments go. It's true. There is a fairly childish 19 y/o later in the book whose father was killed by a man who happens to be quite large. His POV chapters have a lot of disdain for the man, which often manifests in childish comments about the man's weight. In the second book, Stones of Light, he actually gets called out on it..."
He also included an excerpt from book 2 where he's basically told that mocking someone's body is a base form of humor and he should be better that that. I appreciated the clarification before I agreed to read the book. I know for some readers the inclusion of such language might be a deal breaker for them which is valid. Personally I do think it was a bit excessive and because it's written in third person, it doesn't come across as clearly just the thoughts of the POV character. That said, I appreciate that it's being addressed in book 2 and given that this POV was a relatively minor one for much of the book it didn't ruin the experience for me. Just something to know going in.
Overall, I enjoyed Voice of War and am curious to see how things continue in book 2. It's a fun fantasy that has a lot going for it.
May 16, 2023
It was the cover that caught my attention at first, but after reading the synopsis and learning it was self-published my interest was more than piqued. I've been trying to read more indie books this year and I'm really glad I picked this one up because of that. Voice of War is a very solid debut and a great start to a new fantasy series.
The story focuses mainly on 3 characters, and what I liked most is that in this book we are not following the chosen one but actually his parents. I don't think this is something I've encountered before, and it was a very interesting perspective to get - it made the plot feel refreshing. I also loved how most of the storylines were centered around family and familial bonds. The magic system was well thought out, and while it is reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson's Allomancy, it does feel like its own thing. An interesting aspect is definitely that people can become dependent on Threadlight, which is why it has to be used with caution.
There are some plot conveniences, and I am still wondering how a whole civilization living in the treetops of a forest not too far from the city could've gone undiscovered for so long, but that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. I just hope we learn more about Fairenwild in the next book. Also, there's some potential for an animal companion ... definitely wanna see more of that!!
Voice of War is a quick & fast-paced read, with just enough world-building and character development to keep you engaged, the plot is on the simpler side and easy to follow along. I had a great time listening to the audiobook which I can whole-heartedly recommend - the narrator did a fantastic job bringing the story and characters to life. I will definitely pick up the audiobook for the sequel, and after how the first book ended I can't wait to see what comes next!
The story focuses mainly on 3 characters, and what I liked most is that in this book we are not following the chosen one but actually his parents. I don't think this is something I've encountered before, and it was a very interesting perspective to get - it made the plot feel refreshing. I also loved how most of the storylines were centered around family and familial bonds. The magic system was well thought out, and while it is reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson's Allomancy, it does feel like its own thing. An interesting aspect is definitely that people can become dependent on Threadlight, which is why it has to be used with caution.
There are some plot conveniences, and I am still wondering how a whole civilization living in the treetops of a forest not too far from the city could've gone undiscovered for so long, but that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. I just hope we learn more about Fairenwild in the next book. Also, there's some potential for an animal companion ... definitely wanna see more of that!!
Voice of War is a quick & fast-paced read, with just enough world-building and character development to keep you engaged, the plot is on the simpler side and easy to follow along. I had a great time listening to the audiobook which I can whole-heartedly recommend - the narrator did a fantastic job bringing the story and characters to life. I will definitely pick up the audiobook for the sequel, and after how the first book ended I can't wait to see what comes next!
November 23, 2022
I would have liked to like this novel just because the author is a strong supporter of his fellow indie fantasy authors to the point of putting up cash for and running the Indie Fantasy Fund (https://www.indiefantasyfund.com/) along with booktuber Bookborn (https://www.youtube.com/c/bookborn). That, and the prospect of being motivated to reach that giant dire silverback on the cover of book three.
But despite the high production value and SPFBO finalist status, this felt like a practice novel rather than a fulfilling fantasy epic. All the basic elements of a modern fantasy epic are present, and technically the book checks off all the necessary boxes. What's missing is somewhat ephemeral and I hope I explain it well enough below. It's like the science of producing high fantasy was applied, but without the art needed to bring it to life.
The book suffers from what I might call spotlight syndrome. You can see what's highlighted on stage at the moment, but outside of that all is dark and merely waiting for its cue. The book failed to paint a picture of a living, believable world in which things happen outside the immediate experience of the story's characters. With the epic fantasies I love, there is a clear sense of an authentic world, with politics, economics, geography, culture, and more interacting in complex and realistic ways, even when not explicit on the page. That's missing here. There are no signs of life outside the story's events; no large or diverse population, no government activity, no economic actvity, no rich culture. Without that, the setting exists solely to serve the plot; it doesn't have any weight otherwise. The same goes for the magic system, made out as the heart of the book: Threadlight. I have no appreciation for its impact in this world beyond the confines of this specific story's events. And since the "science" of high fantasy demands that the magic system be broken, it feels like this is the only reason it exists. The book tells me all in one breath: "This is how magic works. Oh no the rules are broken. Isn't that shocking?"
The quality of the writing didn't help matters. It's well-edited, but that can't fix how it's often cheesy and cliche, so cliche especially during emotional moments. Dialogue universally felt highly unnatural, again serving the plot without having any life outside of it. The Fairenwild parts of the story (and I could not avoid thinking of "Buy n Large" everytime I read the name of that place) have a strong YA feel to them, a young YA even, almost MG-to-YA in maturity with Laurel as the "what do elders even know, no one can tell me what to do" character, and the fanciful chromawolves, and photospores, and glowmoths, and darkenbears and what not. The first presented setting tries to be gritty and is awkwardly offset by the glowy treetop place the story ends up in.
And now for some specific irritants.
That voice of war from the title? This is what it has to say:
And best of all, I now have a new cursed word. It's not the first time the word has irked me; it's one of those writerly words that no one ever uses in real life, like "undulate". I have been noticing it more lately, particularly in beginner fiction. Usually it's used technically correctly, but almost always another word could have been used that wouldn't draw attention to itself and the author's hand. See if you can suss out what my new cursed word is:
That is all.
But despite the high production value and SPFBO finalist status, this felt like a practice novel rather than a fulfilling fantasy epic. All the basic elements of a modern fantasy epic are present, and technically the book checks off all the necessary boxes. What's missing is somewhat ephemeral and I hope I explain it well enough below. It's like the science of producing high fantasy was applied, but without the art needed to bring it to life.
The book suffers from what I might call spotlight syndrome. You can see what's highlighted on stage at the moment, but outside of that all is dark and merely waiting for its cue. The book failed to paint a picture of a living, believable world in which things happen outside the immediate experience of the story's characters. With the epic fantasies I love, there is a clear sense of an authentic world, with politics, economics, geography, culture, and more interacting in complex and realistic ways, even when not explicit on the page. That's missing here. There are no signs of life outside the story's events; no large or diverse population, no government activity, no economic actvity, no rich culture. Without that, the setting exists solely to serve the plot; it doesn't have any weight otherwise. The same goes for the magic system, made out as the heart of the book: Threadlight. I have no appreciation for its impact in this world beyond the confines of this specific story's events. And since the "science" of high fantasy demands that the magic system be broken, it feels like this is the only reason it exists. The book tells me all in one breath: "This is how magic works. Oh no the rules are broken. Isn't that shocking?"
The quality of the writing didn't help matters. It's well-edited, but that can't fix how it's often cheesy and cliche, so cliche especially during emotional moments. Dialogue universally felt highly unnatural, again serving the plot without having any life outside of it. The Fairenwild parts of the story (and I could not avoid thinking of "Buy n Large" everytime I read the name of that place) have a strong YA feel to them, a young YA even, almost MG-to-YA in maturity with Laurel as the "what do elders even know, no one can tell me what to do" character, and the fanciful chromawolves, and photospores, and glowmoths, and darkenbears and what not. The first presented setting tries to be gritty and is awkwardly offset by the glowy treetop place the story ends up in.
And now for some specific irritants.
That voice of war from the title? This is what it has to say:
Mmmm.
Mmmm, the voice spoke to him.
Mmmm.
Mmmm.
Mmmm.
Mmmm.
Mmmm, it said.
Mmmm.
Mmmm. He will lead you to her. Let me out and I will kill them all.
Mmmm. Let me out! I can protect you!
Mmmm.
Mmmm, the Apogee whispered.
Mmmm. Let me help!
Mmmm.
Mmmm. I can be quite convincing. Let me speak to her.
Mmmm. I can help.
Mmmm.
Mmmm.
Mmmm. You remember.
Mmmm. You are not alone.
Mmmm.
Mmmm.
And best of all, I now have a new cursed word. It's not the first time the word has irked me; it's one of those writerly words that no one ever uses in real life, like "undulate". I have been noticing it more lately, particularly in beginner fiction. Usually it's used technically correctly, but almost always another word could have been used that wouldn't draw attention to itself and the author's hand. See if you can suss out what my new cursed word is:
They had information about when and where they were born, relatives, education, jobs, likes and dislikes, and myriad other seemingly mundane notes about their life.
. . .
Limbs sprouted forth every which way, fighting and clashing with their myriad neighbors, creating a curtain of darkness overhead that draped the ground in shadow.
. . .
He stood with his hands behind his back, straight-backed and strong, despite the myriad bruises.
. . .
The structure was large and white with a myriad of pink and red flowers blooming across its surface.
. . .
Chrys’ eyes were cold, a myriad of emotions stewing in their depths.
. . .
He stopped filtering out the myriad threads and stood in awe at the beauty of it.
. . .
Alverax looked around at each of the faces in the crowd and cowered as he saw the myriad forms of evil garnishing their faces.
That is all.
December 27, 2020
3.5/5
Voice of War does most of the things right and keeps the stakes high throughout the narrative. Magic users, known as Threadweavers, disappear. Chrys Valerian tries to uncover the truth behind it, and he doesn’t like the answers he gets. Not only does he have to fight for the safety of his family, but he also has to deal with his inner demons. Add a disturbing prophecy about his child to the mix, and you'll understand his tense mental state.
The story follows three POV characters. The author adds one of them later in the story, and I’m not sure if it works well. Happily, Chrys, with his distinct voice, fast-paced and exciting arc, makes up for it. The second one, Laurel, didn’t win me over. I can’t say I’m a fan of feisty sixteen-year-old girls. Those who are, though, will easily relate to her.
Fans of cool magic systems will find plenty to enjoy here - Threadwavers can push or pull on threads of light associated with people and objects, and the extent of their abilities depends on the color of their eyes. The system feels consistent, exciting, and well thought out.
Argyle uses simple, streamlined prose that’s easy to follow and invisible most of the time. He doesn’t try to impress readers with stylistic skill; he has the story to tell and tells it using simple (but not simplistic) language.
While VoW doesn’t break new ground, it's enjoyable throughout. Also, the audiobook’s narrator does a stellar job to bring the story to life. So, if you have a dilemma about which format to pick, pick audio. It's great.
Voice of War does most of the things right and keeps the stakes high throughout the narrative. Magic users, known as Threadweavers, disappear. Chrys Valerian tries to uncover the truth behind it, and he doesn’t like the answers he gets. Not only does he have to fight for the safety of his family, but he also has to deal with his inner demons. Add a disturbing prophecy about his child to the mix, and you'll understand his tense mental state.
The story follows three POV characters. The author adds one of them later in the story, and I’m not sure if it works well. Happily, Chrys, with his distinct voice, fast-paced and exciting arc, makes up for it. The second one, Laurel, didn’t win me over. I can’t say I’m a fan of feisty sixteen-year-old girls. Those who are, though, will easily relate to her.
Fans of cool magic systems will find plenty to enjoy here - Threadwavers can push or pull on threads of light associated with people and objects, and the extent of their abilities depends on the color of their eyes. The system feels consistent, exciting, and well thought out.
Argyle uses simple, streamlined prose that’s easy to follow and invisible most of the time. He doesn’t try to impress readers with stylistic skill; he has the story to tell and tells it using simple (but not simplistic) language.
While VoW doesn’t break new ground, it's enjoyable throughout. Also, the audiobook’s narrator does a stellar job to bring the story to life. So, if you have a dilemma about which format to pick, pick audio. It's great.
February 12, 2023
Initially I did like this. Especially in the first half I didn’t have massive problems, but thought it a quick and easy read. Yes, some dodgy dialogue that had me roll my eyes every so often and a few things that just didn’t make sense aside from getting the plot where it was supposed to go.
But overall it was interesting and I liked the characters enough to breeze through the story. Did I mention there is a very well narrated audio version of this? No? Then let me do so here!
I liked Laurels backstory and surroundings most – but I didn’t like her as a character. A bit too juvenile for her age, and just too sure of herself on top.
The others I mostly liked well enough. Yes, the banter was cringeworthy at best in some parts, but it wasn’t so much that it would actually have hampered my overall enjoyment.
What did – especially later in the book – is the sheer incompetence and absolutely nonsensical decisions and actions there are. I can’t respect people who are supposed to be good at their job and have at least some common sense who just, I don’t know, forget how to use a brain cell? I quite enjoyed 50-70% or so, despite the flaws, but the end definitely was the weakest part for me.
Overall the world building was well enough for me. Nothing overly special, but understandable and entertaining enough.
Now, the forest part I absolutely loved at first! The city in the treetops was so fascinating, and the woods around it were something I enjoyed to discover! Sadly all the discovering seemed to have been done within a few pages, and then it was just a static backdrop. I would have loved to see more of it, and thought there was so much potential!
I enjoyed the first half a lot more than the ending. There’s a lot of promise here, and I will happily try the second book too, to see how the author progressed in his writing.
I missed information that I would have liked to know. Or rather, there were a few scenes that seem to have had more or less no further consequences (at least in book one) when they definitely felt like the set-up to more. If it is meant to be important in book two, then it didn’t really work for me, because it just left me unsatisfied and feeling like there were bits and pieces missing. And not in the good jigsaw puzzle mystery way, when I love to piece them together. Instead more in a “that piece has fallen out of the box and now there’s a big hole in the puzzle” sort of way…
Combine that with the strange decisions and incompetence of characters, and this didn’t feel nearly as good to me as it could have with some more smoothing out.
But overall it was interesting and I liked the characters enough to breeze through the story. Did I mention there is a very well narrated audio version of this? No? Then let me do so here!
I liked Laurels backstory and surroundings most – but I didn’t like her as a character. A bit too juvenile for her age, and just too sure of herself on top.
The others I mostly liked well enough. Yes, the banter was cringeworthy at best in some parts, but it wasn’t so much that it would actually have hampered my overall enjoyment.
What did – especially later in the book – is the sheer incompetence and absolutely nonsensical decisions and actions there are. I can’t respect people who are supposed to be good at their job and have at least some common sense who just, I don’t know, forget how to use a brain cell? I quite enjoyed 50-70% or so, despite the flaws, but the end definitely was the weakest part for me.
Overall the world building was well enough for me. Nothing overly special, but understandable and entertaining enough.
Now, the forest part I absolutely loved at first! The city in the treetops was so fascinating, and the woods around it were something I enjoyed to discover! Sadly all the discovering seemed to have been done within a few pages, and then it was just a static backdrop. I would have loved to see more of it, and thought there was so much potential!
I enjoyed the first half a lot more than the ending. There’s a lot of promise here, and I will happily try the second book too, to see how the author progressed in his writing.
I missed information that I would have liked to know. Or rather, there were a few scenes that seem to have had more or less no further consequences (at least in book one) when they definitely felt like the set-up to more. If it is meant to be important in book two, then it didn’t really work for me, because it just left me unsatisfied and feeling like there were bits and pieces missing. And not in the good jigsaw puzzle mystery way, when I love to piece them together. Instead more in a “that piece has fallen out of the box and now there’s a big hole in the puzzle” sort of way…
Combine that with the strange decisions and incompetence of characters, and this didn’t feel nearly as good to me as it could have with some more smoothing out.
June 8, 2021
Voice of War is the first book in a new series by self pubbed author Zark Argyle. I heard about it over on the Shelf Published Inn discord as it was the book club pick of the month for June and what a fantastic choice it turned out to be! (At least for me)
This book was right up my alley in terms of enjoyment: great character development meaning I was able to relate/form attachments to several characters (good AND bad alike, which is a bonus), the world building was just stellar, the main plot and subplots had me on the edge of my seat - there weren't any battles, per se, but there was a lot of heart pounding fighting and action - and the magic system was SO FUN! Guys - we even have an animal companion that is just....purrfect. (I'm sorry, lol)
BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE: I listened to the audiobook for a large portion of the book (read the rest on my Kindle since the books for this series are included in my Kindle Unlimited subscription) and Adam Gold is TOP NOTCH. He added to my overall reading experience in the best of ways - he even did the female characters in a way that I loved. I just....I literally can't wait to continue in this series. It was so good. So good! I read a lot of indie and self pub authors and I just was not expecting this caliber of plot maneuvering.
Loved it. LOVED IT. There was one character, the Apogee, that I did have a bit of an issue with - probably because I just recently read The First Law trilogy - so I felt the Apogee was a little too closely similar to the Bloody Nine, so it did detract just a touch for me there. HOWEVER - the Apogee was not fully realized to his full potential in this one, so once we get more of him in the sequel - if he does turn out to be something completely different - that will totally change that feeling for me and I will run screaming back over here to change my rating to a 5 star rating.
This book was right up my alley in terms of enjoyment: great character development meaning I was able to relate/form attachments to several characters (good AND bad alike, which is a bonus), the world building was just stellar, the main plot and subplots had me on the edge of my seat - there weren't any battles, per se, but there was a lot of heart pounding fighting and action - and the magic system was SO FUN! Guys - we even have an animal companion that is just....purrfect. (I'm sorry, lol)
BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE: I listened to the audiobook for a large portion of the book (read the rest on my Kindle since the books for this series are included in my Kindle Unlimited subscription) and Adam Gold is TOP NOTCH. He added to my overall reading experience in the best of ways - he even did the female characters in a way that I loved. I just....I literally can't wait to continue in this series. It was so good. So good! I read a lot of indie and self pub authors and I just was not expecting this caliber of plot maneuvering.
Loved it. LOVED IT. There was one character, the Apogee, that I did have a bit of an issue with - probably because I just recently read The First Law trilogy - so I felt the Apogee was a little too closely similar to the Bloody Nine, so it did detract just a touch for me there. HOWEVER - the Apogee was not fully realized to his full potential in this one, so once we get more of him in the sequel - if he does turn out to be something completely different - that will totally change that feeling for me and I will run screaming back over here to change my rating to a 5 star rating.
November 2, 2021
Amazing book.
September 21, 2021
This book was an SPFBO finalist last year and has been on my radar since then. I decided to give the audiobook a try, which was a great choice because Adam Gold did a phenomenal job.
I really enjoyed this book. High fantasy books tend to be dense, or large- and this one is neither. You follow three main POVs- Chrys, Laurel, and Alverax. Each character is distinct and nuanced. Chrys is a general and is about to be a father for the first time. The theme of familial ties and what you'd do for family is very strong throughout the novel. I enjoyed his story the most, plus it's rare to see a story with married protagonists where one of them (always the wife) is not immediately killed/captured/attacked/leaves. The concept of the story is essentially "the Chosen One's parents" and that's an interesting angle to explore. Parenthood, especially new Parenthood, is not explored as much as you think it would be in fantasy, and it's well done here, although not delved into as much as it could have been.
The world and magic were also well done, and reminded me a ton of Sanderson (which I'm sure was intentional). There is a creature called Chronawolves that are pretty cool that are essentially "Chekov's Chronawolves" for the next book, haha. No complaints with that! My one issue with the book was structural/pace related. The third POV comes in quite late and dominates much of the second half. I understand why that happened, but it was a bit jarring. The book was pretty short, another 50 pages or so to flesh this out a bit more or introducing the character earlier would have been great. But the ending of this book is explosive and pretty much demands you to pick up book two, which I will be reading soon!
I really enjoyed this book. High fantasy books tend to be dense, or large- and this one is neither. You follow three main POVs- Chrys, Laurel, and Alverax. Each character is distinct and nuanced. Chrys is a general and is about to be a father for the first time. The theme of familial ties and what you'd do for family is very strong throughout the novel. I enjoyed his story the most, plus it's rare to see a story with married protagonists where one of them (always the wife) is not immediately killed/captured/attacked/leaves. The concept of the story is essentially "the Chosen One's parents" and that's an interesting angle to explore. Parenthood, especially new Parenthood, is not explored as much as you think it would be in fantasy, and it's well done here, although not delved into as much as it could have been.
The world and magic were also well done, and reminded me a ton of Sanderson (which I'm sure was intentional). There is a creature called Chronawolves that are pretty cool that are essentially "Chekov's Chronawolves" for the next book, haha. No complaints with that! My one issue with the book was structural/pace related. The third POV comes in quite late and dominates much of the second half. I understand why that happened, but it was a bit jarring. The book was pretty short, another 50 pages or so to flesh this out a bit more or introducing the character earlier would have been great. But the ending of this book is explosive and pretty much demands you to pick up book two, which I will be reading soon!
May 25, 2022
Voice of War
This was a fun read! I listened to the audio of Voice of War - almost in its entirety - on a single, long drive. It was fabulous company for that journey!
We have three main characters: Chrys (the “good” guy), Laurel (a teen out of her depth), and Alverax (sometimes loveable rogue, sometimes very dark character), who together “weave” this narrative.
Get it?
I’m sorry, I’ll stop.
Threadweaving is the magic system of this world. Those born with green eyes (Emeralds) or blue eyes (Sapphires) can push or pull the “threads” of the world - people, objects etc. To start, it sounded pretty…basic? But as the story unfolds, you get to see just how complex this is, and what people can do with their gifts.
I love the idea that they need to see threads to tap into their magic, so blindfolding a thread weaver will prevent them from using their powers.
There are also a super uncommon/almost mythical “amber” weavers, as well as “obsidian” weavers. Much like green and blue, these two are opposites - amber can create threads, and obsidian can destroy them.
It’s a nice, simple system that is easy to understand, but expands as the story progresses and we get to meet more characters - some of whom have many years of experience in certain thread weaving abilities, and others who are just coming into their power.
That makes for some great character dynamics and struggles, and I’m super curious to see where thread weaving goes in future books!
Chrys was a solid main character. It’s great to read about someone who is family-oriented, and he deeply cares for his mother, wife, and unborn child. Most of what he does is motivated by them in some way (for good or bad), and it’s nice not to have everyone murdered in ch1 and the rest of the book be a standard revenge plot.
He’s high general and held in good regard, but a lot of that gets shaken up pretty early on. It’s more than simple power play between his colleagues, and hints at a much bigger picture that’s going on with the world. He does come across as a bit naive at points, but it makes him quite endearing to read about.
I will say that I am almost more interested in Chrys before this book. He took part in some wars and was granted title of “apogee” for various victories in battle. It’s no spoiler to say that this apogee is more of a character on its own. The “voice inside” a character is a trope I *LOVE*, so I am super keen to find out more about this dynamic, how it came to pass, and what might happen in the future.
Laurel I didn’t super strongly for to begin with. She’s young (sixteen or seventeen), and very much out of her depth in a lot of ways - her power, her knowledge, the way she deals with her situations. She seems to have a huge amount of power within her that she taps into frequently, but doesn’t have much in the way of a support system aside from the wolves in the forest she lives in. And that has some interesting consequences for her arc. She is naive but in her own way, and by the end of the book, I really sympathised with her.
The elders of Laurel’s home (in the treetops away from the main city where the story is set) are guarding secrets and not particularly forthcoming with communication (aren’t they always!), so she’s left to fend for herself a lot. I would have liked to see more of her relationship with her brother and grandfather, and how the family dynamic works there. She doesn’t seem to have many friends or anyone she is close to, which makes it difficult for her to understand how to behave in some situations - often relying on “teenage attitude” and being obnoxious. She does have a good heart, and clearly wants to do the right thing for her people, but she very much is aware there is a lot more to the world than the place she was born, which was a very refreshing difference to Chrys.
The third main character was definitely the most interesting, although he could be unlikeable at times. I really sympathised with his situation - Alverax has very much been thrown in the deep end, and is making the best he can with what he has. Some of his decisions were…unpleasant, but he does have a big redeeming element towards the end of the book! I can see there is a huge amount of darkness in him (either it has always been there or it was put in there…), and I am beyond curious to see what ends up happening with him.
Worldbuilding in this was absolutely beautiful, particularly the flora and fauna. It was so much more than “forest with a fantasy name” - you get a real sense there’s a full and flourishing ecosystem that people are in tune with, there are plants and poisons, drugs and flowers, and I would love to read a whole compendium on it!
As with many first books in fantasy series, we only get shown a handful of locations, and I hope we get to explore and discover new places in the sequels!
The narration for the audiobook was pretty good, too!
Recommend if you want more family-based fantasy, interesting magic systems, and fabulous world building!
This was a fun read! I listened to the audio of Voice of War - almost in its entirety - on a single, long drive. It was fabulous company for that journey!
We have three main characters: Chrys (the “good” guy), Laurel (a teen out of her depth), and Alverax (sometimes loveable rogue, sometimes very dark character), who together “weave” this narrative.
Get it?
I’m sorry, I’ll stop.
Threadweaving is the magic system of this world. Those born with green eyes (Emeralds) or blue eyes (Sapphires) can push or pull the “threads” of the world - people, objects etc. To start, it sounded pretty…basic? But as the story unfolds, you get to see just how complex this is, and what people can do with their gifts.
I love the idea that they need to see threads to tap into their magic, so blindfolding a thread weaver will prevent them from using their powers.
There are also a super uncommon/almost mythical “amber” weavers, as well as “obsidian” weavers. Much like green and blue, these two are opposites - amber can create threads, and obsidian can destroy them.
It’s a nice, simple system that is easy to understand, but expands as the story progresses and we get to meet more characters - some of whom have many years of experience in certain thread weaving abilities, and others who are just coming into their power.
That makes for some great character dynamics and struggles, and I’m super curious to see where thread weaving goes in future books!
Chrys was a solid main character. It’s great to read about someone who is family-oriented, and he deeply cares for his mother, wife, and unborn child. Most of what he does is motivated by them in some way (for good or bad), and it’s nice not to have everyone murdered in ch1 and the rest of the book be a standard revenge plot.
He’s high general and held in good regard, but a lot of that gets shaken up pretty early on. It’s more than simple power play between his colleagues, and hints at a much bigger picture that’s going on with the world. He does come across as a bit naive at points, but it makes him quite endearing to read about.
I will say that I am almost more interested in Chrys before this book. He took part in some wars and was granted title of “apogee” for various victories in battle. It’s no spoiler to say that this apogee is more of a character on its own. The “voice inside” a character is a trope I *LOVE*, so I am super keen to find out more about this dynamic, how it came to pass, and what might happen in the future.
Laurel I didn’t super strongly for to begin with. She’s young (sixteen or seventeen), and very much out of her depth in a lot of ways - her power, her knowledge, the way she deals with her situations. She seems to have a huge amount of power within her that she taps into frequently, but doesn’t have much in the way of a support system aside from the wolves in the forest she lives in. And that has some interesting consequences for her arc. She is naive but in her own way, and by the end of the book, I really sympathised with her.
The elders of Laurel’s home (in the treetops away from the main city where the story is set) are guarding secrets and not particularly forthcoming with communication (aren’t they always!), so she’s left to fend for herself a lot. I would have liked to see more of her relationship with her brother and grandfather, and how the family dynamic works there. She doesn’t seem to have many friends or anyone she is close to, which makes it difficult for her to understand how to behave in some situations - often relying on “teenage attitude” and being obnoxious. She does have a good heart, and clearly wants to do the right thing for her people, but she very much is aware there is a lot more to the world than the place she was born, which was a very refreshing difference to Chrys.
The third main character was definitely the most interesting, although he could be unlikeable at times. I really sympathised with his situation - Alverax has very much been thrown in the deep end, and is making the best he can with what he has. Some of his decisions were…unpleasant, but he does have a big redeeming element towards the end of the book! I can see there is a huge amount of darkness in him (either it has always been there or it was put in there…), and I am beyond curious to see what ends up happening with him.
Worldbuilding in this was absolutely beautiful, particularly the flora and fauna. It was so much more than “forest with a fantasy name” - you get a real sense there’s a full and flourishing ecosystem that people are in tune with, there are plants and poisons, drugs and flowers, and I would love to read a whole compendium on it!
As with many first books in fantasy series, we only get shown a handful of locations, and I hope we get to explore and discover new places in the sequels!
The narration for the audiobook was pretty good, too!
Recommend if you want more family-based fantasy, interesting magic systems, and fabulous world building!
November 27, 2020
By now, "Voice of War", Book #1 in "Threadlight" by Zack Argyle, is just about the worst-kept secret in fantasy circles. This novel, an Indie publication, is a currently a finalist for the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO), perhaps the most prestigious Indie fantasy award going. While fans of "Voice of War" anxiously await to see if their favorite book earns top honours in this notable contest - overseen and sponsored by fantasy royalty, none other than the esteemed Mark Lawrence of "Broken Empire" fame himself - I believe it's an ideal time to add to the praise for this wonderful book, for my review here is nothing but positive.
Let's talk about aesthetics for a moment - something I don't normally address at all in reviews - before we proceed into the actual plot. As many are aware, Indie novels who succeed, not just in SPFBO, but in general terms, must be professionally edited, free of too many grammatical / spelling / layout errors, and must have a pleasing and eye-catching cover. While of course this is true for all books to generate sales and verify the author's credibility, "Voice of War" looks and feels great! The cover art is amazing, and it's a clean and well-composed book, with a great map adorning the interior.
While the book does not introduce too many characters at too rapid a pace that it is difficult to keep up, nor are the ensemble characters presented too numerous, I always prefer a list of characters to refer to in the book, and there is not one in "Voice of War", but that's just my quibble. It does not detract at all from the overall highly professional image of the book. If Indie and self-published authors suffer because people believe their books are of a lesser quality than traditionally published writers in terms of how they are put together, then "Voice of War" certainly defies that theory. It looks awesome!
Voice of War is a standout among some fantastic recent Indie masterpieces. The plot centres primarily on Chrys - an honourable senior military leader, along his immediate family - and Laurel, a young woman. Laurel is seeking her place in the world, and wants to escape the boundaries of her reclusive home and the limitations placed by her society on travel to other parts of the world. Meanwhile Chrys is haunted by his own capabilities, and previous deeds, trying to protect his family, which includes his wife who is a warrior herself, however is pregnant at the commencement of the novel.
The plot weaves along at an excellent pace, with just enough backstory, immediate action, world-building, and compelling characters to keep the reader engaged. And if as a reader you require a magic system that is extremely well thought out and not derivate of any you have seen before, then "Voice of War" is your book! I give Argyle high praise for his unique use of magic in the book, of which is "threadlight" is at the heart of said magic system.
Fans of the genre will love the fighting scenes, which are woven with the right touch of magic deployed versus non-magical weaponry. And the reader will wait on edge to see if the eponymous "Voice of War" emerges to play a role in the battles - can't say more than that without spoiling.
If you have read my previous reviews, you know it's all about the characters for me, and whether I find them interesting, believable and relatable. I am pleased to say I definitely found all three elements in Argyle's protagonists! The realistic way in which Argyle portrayed them, I became involved in their fates, and found myself rooting for them. Once I reached that point, I was hooked!
"Voice of War" is a simply fantastic book and I wait with eagerness to read the next chapter in the "Threadlight" series. I wish Zack Argyle best of luck in the SPFBO finals, and even amongst such outstanding competition I would not be surprised if "Voice of War" earns first prize - it is a great read! The hype is real - highly, highly recommended!
Let's talk about aesthetics for a moment - something I don't normally address at all in reviews - before we proceed into the actual plot. As many are aware, Indie novels who succeed, not just in SPFBO, but in general terms, must be professionally edited, free of too many grammatical / spelling / layout errors, and must have a pleasing and eye-catching cover. While of course this is true for all books to generate sales and verify the author's credibility, "Voice of War" looks and feels great! The cover art is amazing, and it's a clean and well-composed book, with a great map adorning the interior.
While the book does not introduce too many characters at too rapid a pace that it is difficult to keep up, nor are the ensemble characters presented too numerous, I always prefer a list of characters to refer to in the book, and there is not one in "Voice of War", but that's just my quibble. It does not detract at all from the overall highly professional image of the book. If Indie and self-published authors suffer because people believe their books are of a lesser quality than traditionally published writers in terms of how they are put together, then "Voice of War" certainly defies that theory. It looks awesome!
Voice of War is a standout among some fantastic recent Indie masterpieces. The plot centres primarily on Chrys - an honourable senior military leader, along his immediate family - and Laurel, a young woman. Laurel is seeking her place in the world, and wants to escape the boundaries of her reclusive home and the limitations placed by her society on travel to other parts of the world. Meanwhile Chrys is haunted by his own capabilities, and previous deeds, trying to protect his family, which includes his wife who is a warrior herself, however is pregnant at the commencement of the novel.
The plot weaves along at an excellent pace, with just enough backstory, immediate action, world-building, and compelling characters to keep the reader engaged. And if as a reader you require a magic system that is extremely well thought out and not derivate of any you have seen before, then "Voice of War" is your book! I give Argyle high praise for his unique use of magic in the book, of which is "threadlight" is at the heart of said magic system.
Fans of the genre will love the fighting scenes, which are woven with the right touch of magic deployed versus non-magical weaponry. And the reader will wait on edge to see if the eponymous "Voice of War" emerges to play a role in the battles - can't say more than that without spoiling.
If you have read my previous reviews, you know it's all about the characters for me, and whether I find them interesting, believable and relatable. I am pleased to say I definitely found all three elements in Argyle's protagonists! The realistic way in which Argyle portrayed them, I became involved in their fates, and found myself rooting for them. Once I reached that point, I was hooked!
"Voice of War" is a simply fantastic book and I wait with eagerness to read the next chapter in the "Threadlight" series. I wish Zack Argyle best of luck in the SPFBO finals, and even amongst such outstanding competition I would not be surprised if "Voice of War" earns first prize - it is a great read! The hype is real - highly, highly recommended!
July 17, 2020
Ok so phew we have a lot going on in this one. Voice of War is an epic fantasy with a wide cast and interesting magic system. I use the term magic lightly as in it's not wizards and spells. Threadweaving is an ability where if a person is born with Emerald or Sapphire eyes they can control the threadlight to move around ie jump great hights, pull things to them. In that sense it was reminding me of Mistborne by Brandon Sanderson. (Which I love so that's a ++)
The world building is top notch, Zack Argyle paints a vivid picture taking the reader further into this brilliant and interesting world. I could see the world in my mind and there is place that just sounds like it would be magical to visit..I can't tell you where you reader must visit for yourself.
The story it's self is told from the point of view of a handful of a characters, even though the main storylines center on 3 specific characters. The first of which is the main, Chrys. He is also the only one in which I will speak about as to not spoil the story. Chrys is a high general to Great Lord, he is a threadweaver with Sapphire eyes and is working to find the missing threadweavers. They have been taken by the bloodtheives to drain them of their blood. After an investigation goes not the way it was planed, he discovers a betrayal and now is in danger himself.
Like I said so much going on in this book and I am soo happy to know that there is going to be more books because I got questions. Fantastic, a solid 4 stars.
Thank you Storytellers On Tour for this epic book. Thank you Zack for writing it
Blog: https://icanhasbooks.blogspot.com/202...
The world building is top notch, Zack Argyle paints a vivid picture taking the reader further into this brilliant and interesting world. I could see the world in my mind and there is place that just sounds like it would be magical to visit..I can't tell you where you reader must visit for yourself.
The story it's self is told from the point of view of a handful of a characters, even though the main storylines center on 3 specific characters. The first of which is the main, Chrys. He is also the only one in which I will speak about as to not spoil the story. Chrys is a high general to Great Lord, he is a threadweaver with Sapphire eyes and is working to find the missing threadweavers. They have been taken by the bloodtheives to drain them of their blood. After an investigation goes not the way it was planed, he discovers a betrayal and now is in danger himself.
Like I said so much going on in this book and I am soo happy to know that there is going to be more books because I got questions. Fantastic, a solid 4 stars.
Thank you Storytellers On Tour for this epic book. Thank you Zack for writing it
Blog: https://icanhasbooks.blogspot.com/202...
August 1, 2023
For several years, I’d heard great things about Zack Argyle’s Threadlight series and felt like I must be one of the few people who hadn’t read it.
So, when I decided that 2023 was going to be the “year of the indie” for my reading, it was an easy decision to bump Voice Of War up the TBR.
I listened to the audiobook while also reading the ebook and it made for a very immersive and enjoyable experience, thanks to Adam Gold’s excellent narration.
Voice Of War is classic epic fantasy fayre, with multiple third person POV perspectives and a multi-faceted plot involving different settings and diverse cultures.
The main characters were well developed, thanks to lots of page time for two of the three in particular, and also because the author doesn’t sacrifice emotional depth in the pursuit of a fast pace.
The focus on characters’ thoughts and emotions - their hopes and fears, inner turmoil and angst - resulted in me being invested in their stories and I truly cared about their fates.
Each of them had a distinctive voice and displayed different qualities, flaws and weaknesses and I enjoyed their chapters equally, which can be a rarity in multiple POV books.
I love the complexity of the MCs and the fact they’re not straightforward heroes in a clash of good versus evil. There are clear antagonists in the book but our MCs aren’t without their faults and failings either.
Chrys is a well-intentioned general and father-to-be with an alter ego which threatens his morals and sanity. Young rebel Laurel is an adventurous and feisty orphan, with little respect for her elders. And Alverax is a jack-the-lad who provides a few laughs as well as surprises.
As I mentioned, the book is fairly fast-paced, with lots of action, but not so frantic that we don’t experience the consequences of the characters’ decisions and actions. There is a lot of soul-searching in this book and I appreciated that element of it.
There is lots of internal and external conflict and the plot involves personal high stakes for the characters as well as power plays on a much wider scale.
It also has some superb reveals and twists, and I enjoyed trying to pick up on the various foreshadowing among all the mystery and intrigue.
The action is intense, often brutal, and even the non-combat conflict has an intensity which imbues the storylines with so much tension throughout the book.
A lot of that action involves magic, and what a magic system it is. It’s clever, fascinating and has a clear and important role in all the cultures.
Threadlight, as in the name of the series, enables threadweavers to manipulate their own movement or that of objects, with their abilities linked to the colour of their eyes. It’s a powerful force and makes for exciting scenes throughout.
Another thing I particularly liked about the book was its nice spin on the chosen one trope and a very strong theme of family and the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones.
Through the characters, we also explore issues of trust, commitment, and sacrifice, resulting in some deeply emotional moments.
I felt the tone of the book was perfect for its content mix of high drama, gripping action, humour, and relationship inter-actions.
The prose was excellent, except for a few parts where the dialogue jarred a bit and didn't seem natural or authentic to the characters, but it's a minor quibble.
I’ve seen reviews which say the series gets even better with books 2 and 3, so I’m expecting great things as Threadlight continues to weave an epic and exciting yarn.
So, when I decided that 2023 was going to be the “year of the indie” for my reading, it was an easy decision to bump Voice Of War up the TBR.
I listened to the audiobook while also reading the ebook and it made for a very immersive and enjoyable experience, thanks to Adam Gold’s excellent narration.
Voice Of War is classic epic fantasy fayre, with multiple third person POV perspectives and a multi-faceted plot involving different settings and diverse cultures.
The main characters were well developed, thanks to lots of page time for two of the three in particular, and also because the author doesn’t sacrifice emotional depth in the pursuit of a fast pace.
The focus on characters’ thoughts and emotions - their hopes and fears, inner turmoil and angst - resulted in me being invested in their stories and I truly cared about their fates.
Each of them had a distinctive voice and displayed different qualities, flaws and weaknesses and I enjoyed their chapters equally, which can be a rarity in multiple POV books.
I love the complexity of the MCs and the fact they’re not straightforward heroes in a clash of good versus evil. There are clear antagonists in the book but our MCs aren’t without their faults and failings either.
Chrys is a well-intentioned general and father-to-be with an alter ego which threatens his morals and sanity. Young rebel Laurel is an adventurous and feisty orphan, with little respect for her elders. And Alverax is a jack-the-lad who provides a few laughs as well as surprises.
As I mentioned, the book is fairly fast-paced, with lots of action, but not so frantic that we don’t experience the consequences of the characters’ decisions and actions. There is a lot of soul-searching in this book and I appreciated that element of it.
There is lots of internal and external conflict and the plot involves personal high stakes for the characters as well as power plays on a much wider scale.
It also has some superb reveals and twists, and I enjoyed trying to pick up on the various foreshadowing among all the mystery and intrigue.
The action is intense, often brutal, and even the non-combat conflict has an intensity which imbues the storylines with so much tension throughout the book.
A lot of that action involves magic, and what a magic system it is. It’s clever, fascinating and has a clear and important role in all the cultures.
Threadlight, as in the name of the series, enables threadweavers to manipulate their own movement or that of objects, with their abilities linked to the colour of their eyes. It’s a powerful force and makes for exciting scenes throughout.
Another thing I particularly liked about the book was its nice spin on the chosen one trope and a very strong theme of family and the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones.
Through the characters, we also explore issues of trust, commitment, and sacrifice, resulting in some deeply emotional moments.
I felt the tone of the book was perfect for its content mix of high drama, gripping action, humour, and relationship inter-actions.
The prose was excellent, except for a few parts where the dialogue jarred a bit and didn't seem natural or authentic to the characters, but it's a minor quibble.
I’ve seen reviews which say the series gets even better with books 2 and 3, so I’m expecting great things as Threadlight continues to weave an epic and exciting yarn.
August 28, 2022
A rip-roaring debut from an exciting voice in modern fantasy.
This has been on my TBR for a while, and I so glad I finally picked it up. Voice of War is brilliant debut, filled with engaging characters, a new and interesting magic system and a story that yanks at the heart-strings with stakes that will twist you inside out.
I enjoyed my time in VoW and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
If you are a fan of Sanderson, Staveley or Brett, then you should definitely be giving Zack Argyle a try. You won't be disappointed.
This has been on my TBR for a while, and I so glad I finally picked it up. Voice of War is brilliant debut, filled with engaging characters, a new and interesting magic system and a story that yanks at the heart-strings with stakes that will twist you inside out.
I enjoyed my time in VoW and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
If you are a fan of Sanderson, Staveley or Brett, then you should definitely be giving Zack Argyle a try. You won't be disappointed.
November 12, 2020
Full review: https://youtu.be/tLXWADcbkHw
3.5*s so 7/10 for #SPFBO
3.5*s so 7/10 for #SPFBO
November 28, 2020
Good Afternoon Bookish Folk! I hope you are all having a good weekend.
This week I am in a bid to get up to date with some of my reviews so here is another, and today I am super happy to talk to you about Zack Argyle’s book Voice of War.
I would firstly like to thank Zack for sending me a copy of this book. We partnered up for a giveaway and not only did Zack gift more than one copy in celebration of me reaching 1,000 followers on Twitter he sent me a copy too! So a HUGE thank you!
Here are a few things you can expect from Voice of War :
Epic fantasy;
A stunning and imaginative magic system;
An amazing world;
Loveable characters; and
A self published gem!
The Audiobook…
While I did read some of this book, I consumed most of it by way of audiobook and what an audio narration it is. I knew instantly I loved the sounds of Adam Gold’s voice and bought the eBook a few seconds into the sample! Though, once I listened to the whole sample I got a little worried, I thought ‘ahhh everything this guy is saying sounds like its a question’. So I was going to just read it instead and maybe tackle some audio when I was running out of reading time!
I’m so glad I opted to go the opposite way.
Adam Gold gave a stellar performance, his characters are distinctive and he doesn’t sound like everything was a question as I worried! So if you get that same feeling worry not, it is not an issue.
Gold has such a seductive voice, it is deep and a little husky and really worked with this book. He really brought the characters and the world to life.
I would STRONGLY recommend you get this audiobook, it is phenomenal!
On to the full review…
I think I will start this review with the magic in Voice of War, I found the magic in this to be really refreshing. It stays clear of your spell based magic and to me felt more natural, or as natural as the manipulation of gravity determined by ones eyes colour can be! I have heard a few people mentioned its likeness to Sanderson’s works, but I haven’t read them so I cant comment. To me, it was a wholly new magic system and one I loved. It is so well integrated into the life of these characters and it truly added something special to this story!
Straight of the bat I loved the characters in this book, I started this book with the intention of getting a bit of a feel for it and when I stopped I was over 30% of the way through it! The characters, in my opinion, are solid. I wanted to keep reading and reading and reading because of them, and I did…each chance I got.
Zack gave each of his characters a distinctive and well rounded feel, each one had their own motivations for their actions and I really enjoyed experiencing the characters individual journey. Even better is each character is from fairly different worlds. Zack does incredibly well at really drawing you into this world. We see its underbelly, its lush forests and also its main city! Each world you visit it so well written and filled with amazing things from the amazing chromawolf, photospores, necrolytes and so much more!
I think one of the reasons this book is so easy to read and listen to is that it is really well paced and coherent, it smoothly moves along in its plot making it really easy to progress.
Now, this next point is not something I think I have ever mentioned before in a review, but I have found myself picking up on it more and more lately. I don’t know what changed or if I am just seeing a broader spectrum of it in my recent reads and that is dialogue! Voice of War has no issue with this though, its actually quite a strength in this book! I laughed at some, I felt saddened by some and all the conversations and bits of dialogue all fit. The tone of the characters is consistent too and I didn’t feel at any point that the characters veered away from themselves for the sake of progressing the story.
Zack is a great writer and I really enjoyed his writing style, I especially enjoyed the battle scenes. They had just enough action woven in with the use of magic, it was great to see the way in which such a cool magic system could be used in a fight. I also really want to talk about the Apogee but that walks into spoiler territory and I’m not about that life, yanno?! So, just know it is a fantastic element to an already incredibly book!
Voice of War is, as I said above, a self published gem. It is epic fantasy and one I am so glad I read. Voice of War is such a good start to the Threadlight series and leaves you wanting the next book!
ALSO! It is currently a finalist for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off and boy does this book deserve a place there!!
On to the rating…
THE RANKS:
BUY THE HARDBACK | BUY THE PAPERBACK | BUY THE EBOOK | LIBRARY RENTAL OR SALE PURCHASE
Voice of War is a great book and I would definitely pick up a physical copy. I would BUY THE PAPERBACK! Though, I will say GRAB THE AUDIOBOOK! It is so good.
This is such a good book, I really enjoyed it and I will read this again. I will definitely listen to it again Adam Gold’s voice is great.
This is one of those books that as you review it you realise how much more you liked it, it has so much going for it while staying so well glance and utterly enjoyable.
This week I am in a bid to get up to date with some of my reviews so here is another, and today I am super happy to talk to you about Zack Argyle’s book Voice of War.
I would firstly like to thank Zack for sending me a copy of this book. We partnered up for a giveaway and not only did Zack gift more than one copy in celebration of me reaching 1,000 followers on Twitter he sent me a copy too! So a HUGE thank you!
Here are a few things you can expect from Voice of War :
Epic fantasy;
A stunning and imaginative magic system;
An amazing world;
Loveable characters; and
A self published gem!
The Audiobook…
While I did read some of this book, I consumed most of it by way of audiobook and what an audio narration it is. I knew instantly I loved the sounds of Adam Gold’s voice and bought the eBook a few seconds into the sample! Though, once I listened to the whole sample I got a little worried, I thought ‘ahhh everything this guy is saying sounds like its a question’. So I was going to just read it instead and maybe tackle some audio when I was running out of reading time!
I’m so glad I opted to go the opposite way.
Adam Gold gave a stellar performance, his characters are distinctive and he doesn’t sound like everything was a question as I worried! So if you get that same feeling worry not, it is not an issue.
Gold has such a seductive voice, it is deep and a little husky and really worked with this book. He really brought the characters and the world to life.
I would STRONGLY recommend you get this audiobook, it is phenomenal!
On to the full review…
I think I will start this review with the magic in Voice of War, I found the magic in this to be really refreshing. It stays clear of your spell based magic and to me felt more natural, or as natural as the manipulation of gravity determined by ones eyes colour can be! I have heard a few people mentioned its likeness to Sanderson’s works, but I haven’t read them so I cant comment. To me, it was a wholly new magic system and one I loved. It is so well integrated into the life of these characters and it truly added something special to this story!
Straight of the bat I loved the characters in this book, I started this book with the intention of getting a bit of a feel for it and when I stopped I was over 30% of the way through it! The characters, in my opinion, are solid. I wanted to keep reading and reading and reading because of them, and I did…each chance I got.
Zack gave each of his characters a distinctive and well rounded feel, each one had their own motivations for their actions and I really enjoyed experiencing the characters individual journey. Even better is each character is from fairly different worlds. Zack does incredibly well at really drawing you into this world. We see its underbelly, its lush forests and also its main city! Each world you visit it so well written and filled with amazing things from the amazing chromawolf, photospores, necrolytes and so much more!
I think one of the reasons this book is so easy to read and listen to is that it is really well paced and coherent, it smoothly moves along in its plot making it really easy to progress.
Now, this next point is not something I think I have ever mentioned before in a review, but I have found myself picking up on it more and more lately. I don’t know what changed or if I am just seeing a broader spectrum of it in my recent reads and that is dialogue! Voice of War has no issue with this though, its actually quite a strength in this book! I laughed at some, I felt saddened by some and all the conversations and bits of dialogue all fit. The tone of the characters is consistent too and I didn’t feel at any point that the characters veered away from themselves for the sake of progressing the story.
Zack is a great writer and I really enjoyed his writing style, I especially enjoyed the battle scenes. They had just enough action woven in with the use of magic, it was great to see the way in which such a cool magic system could be used in a fight. I also really want to talk about the Apogee but that walks into spoiler territory and I’m not about that life, yanno?! So, just know it is a fantastic element to an already incredibly book!
Voice of War is, as I said above, a self published gem. It is epic fantasy and one I am so glad I read. Voice of War is such a good start to the Threadlight series and leaves you wanting the next book!
ALSO! It is currently a finalist for the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off and boy does this book deserve a place there!!
On to the rating…
THE RANKS:
BUY THE HARDBACK | BUY THE PAPERBACK | BUY THE EBOOK | LIBRARY RENTAL OR SALE PURCHASE
Voice of War is a great book and I would definitely pick up a physical copy. I would BUY THE PAPERBACK! Though, I will say GRAB THE AUDIOBOOK! It is so good.
This is such a good book, I really enjoyed it and I will read this again. I will definitely listen to it again Adam Gold’s voice is great.
This is one of those books that as you review it you realise how much more you liked it, it has so much going for it while staying so well glance and utterly enjoyable.
January 27, 2021
The magic system in this story pulled (heh) elements from Brandon Sanderson's 'Mistborn' and Melissa McPhail's 'A Pattern of Shadow and Light' while still creating something new and interesting: an energy core exists in all humans, but only a select few can tap into it and manipulate the 'threads' of its existence. These threadweavers are a powerful bunch, and the greatest weavers are employed in the highest military roles of the kingdom. Well, the known kingdom, as there's another hidden kingdom in the nearby forest, with its own history and secrets and an ultracool location.
One of our main POVs originate from the kingdom capital city. Chrys is a threadweaving general who attained rank at early age and is scorned by his elders for it. While his battlefield prowess against invading forces has earned him this rank, he is haunted by an internal voice.. OF WAR... (ok, now I get it)... that is eager to take over Chrys's consciousness and wreak hell.
Laurel hails from the forest kingdom, a young messenger girl who is sick of tradition and eager to carve her way in the world. Her latest trip into town lands her in a bloodbath of trouble, and she crosses paths with some other major players that will shake up what's been held sacred for centuries. Oozing snark and gusto on the exterior but fighting loneliness and depression on the inside, she became my favorite character to follow.
The third MC, Alvarex, enters the book so late in the game, it felt like an odd choice considering how pivotal a role he plays. I found myself wishing we had met him earlier on and spent a bit more time with him throughout the story, though I can see why the author chose to wait due to the surprising nature of his character. Still, it was a bit jarring to suddenly be yanked into a new, unrelated story thread so deep into the book. It all... wove (ugh, sorry) together in the end, but the execution could have been less clunky.
Voice of War was engaging and it was a pretty fast read. There are some interesting wrinkles in the story, such as how someone leans on threadweaving like an opiate addiction, and how there is a heavy emphasis on a strong, united, and supportive family unit. But there are also a couple of instances where I felt that there were missed opportunities and out-of-character decisions that brought me out of the story. A couple of "how come they...?" and "well why didn't he just...?" popped up a few times. But overall, this is a good start to a trilogy with strong world-building and a tantalizing finale. Argyle has left enough clues throughout the story to let the reader know that he has a grand plan for it all, so I'm interested in seeing what he has in store for us in the sequel.
7.5 / 10
One of our main POVs originate from the kingdom capital city. Chrys is a threadweaving general who attained rank at early age and is scorned by his elders for it. While his battlefield prowess against invading forces has earned him this rank, he is haunted by an internal voice.. OF WAR... (ok, now I get it)... that is eager to take over Chrys's consciousness and wreak hell.
Laurel hails from the forest kingdom, a young messenger girl who is sick of tradition and eager to carve her way in the world. Her latest trip into town lands her in a bloodbath of trouble, and she crosses paths with some other major players that will shake up what's been held sacred for centuries. Oozing snark and gusto on the exterior but fighting loneliness and depression on the inside, she became my favorite character to follow.
The third MC, Alvarex, enters the book so late in the game, it felt like an odd choice considering how pivotal a role he plays. I found myself wishing we had met him earlier on and spent a bit more time with him throughout the story, though I can see why the author chose to wait due to the surprising nature of his character. Still, it was a bit jarring to suddenly be yanked into a new, unrelated story thread so deep into the book. It all... wove (ugh, sorry) together in the end, but the execution could have been less clunky.
Voice of War was engaging and it was a pretty fast read. There are some interesting wrinkles in the story, such as how someone leans on threadweaving like an opiate addiction, and how there is a heavy emphasis on a strong, united, and supportive family unit. But there are also a couple of instances where I felt that there were missed opportunities and out-of-character decisions that brought me out of the story. A couple of "how come they...?" and "well why didn't he just...?" popped up a few times. But overall, this is a good start to a trilogy with strong world-building and a tantalizing finale. Argyle has left enough clues throughout the story to let the reader know that he has a grand plan for it all, so I'm interested in seeing what he has in store for us in the sequel.
7.5 / 10
February 26, 2025
4 Stars - Fun, interesting premise with immense potential
For the full review, check out: medium.com/hooked-on-books/book-revie...
What's the story about: Voice of War's premise is unique in that the first and primary storyline follows the parents of a very special child. A three person multiple POV story of progressively interconnected stories. The first being about the father and mother of a newly born child that could change the world, the second is about a freedom loving forest dweller who longs for more than her life promises and must come to terms with an addiction she faces, and the final POV introduced late, is about a man who also wants to be more than his destiny demands based on newly discovered powers.
Voice of War is a breath of fresh air for the fantasy genre that gets too easily stuck in slow-moving and drawn out stories. This story moves fast, hits hard, and is just a lot of fun. The characters will bring you in close and grip you without you realizing it. The plot is intriguing and fascinating as it reveals information about the world that surrounds it. And last but not least, the ending is dynamic, impactful, and is definitely climactic. While this story is not perfect, showcasing a newness in the realm of storytelling, it is still a very well told story that hits all the essential beats for an exciting and engrossing story! I would recommend checking this one out!
For the full review, check out: medium.com/hooked-on-books/book-revie...
What's the story about: Voice of War's premise is unique in that the first and primary storyline follows the parents of a very special child. A three person multiple POV story of progressively interconnected stories. The first being about the father and mother of a newly born child that could change the world, the second is about a freedom loving forest dweller who longs for more than her life promises and must come to terms with an addiction she faces, and the final POV introduced late, is about a man who also wants to be more than his destiny demands based on newly discovered powers.
Voice of War is a breath of fresh air for the fantasy genre that gets too easily stuck in slow-moving and drawn out stories. This story moves fast, hits hard, and is just a lot of fun. The characters will bring you in close and grip you without you realizing it. The plot is intriguing and fascinating as it reveals information about the world that surrounds it. And last but not least, the ending is dynamic, impactful, and is definitely climactic. While this story is not perfect, showcasing a newness in the realm of storytelling, it is still a very well told story that hits all the essential beats for an exciting and engrossing story! I would recommend checking this one out!
April 2, 2021
Voice of War is the first installment in the Threadlight series and Zack Argyle’s debut novel. It is a very well-written story with boatloads of intrigue built in, fascinating characters, and an interesting and unique magic system. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Starting with the narrative, Argyle does a really nice job of describing the different threads from varying perspectives. While there are many characters to follow, the reader gets three main viewpoints: that of Chrys, Lauren, and Alverax. This, to me, is where the author’s writing really shines as we have three different people with completely misaligned motivations, goals, and experiences; yet, the story interchanges between the three of them effortlessly. They are all relatable, their journeys emotional, all with really interesting pasts.
Good men do what must be done, even if it is dark.
This quote sums it up for a lot of the characters in this book as many are forced to do dark things in order to accomplish what each thinks is right, but amongst the many characters, Chrys gets the majority of words dedicated to his portion of the story. He is also a bit of a classic reluctant hero, in that he is not really morally ambiguous. Not of his own volition, at least, but you will have to read the book to decipher that cryptic wording! Really, though, Chrys is just a good guy. Full stop. And I like that.
Courage is the core, but humility is the foundation.
I love how Argyle took all of these interesting characters and gave them storylines that interconnect, eventually. That does not necessarily mean they all end up in the same place, but I get big butterfly effects vibes from the story. What one does throws off the balance for another, and when that one makes a move to equalize things, it throws off another. And so on. That should not be surprising, as the world the author has created is not a very big one, so small ripples cause big waves. What that means to the reader is that there is constant drama and suspense. The tension spring is constantly being coiled and released, keeping the reader’s attention on what turned out to be a story full of intrigue.
The magic system plays into the plot a lot, too, and it is really unique, as well, the basic idea being the existence of threads of magic that some few chosen are able to push off of or pull, with different causes and effects. Of course, there is more to this than meets the eye, and things do get much more complicated. I do not want to get into too much detail about this part of the book because it would not be fair to spoil some of the surprises that come along in the latter part of the story. Just know it gets INTERESTING.
Laurel was… captivated with the idea of coincidence. Was there such a thing?
I chose to highlight this quote because it was one of the biggest pieces of the book that took me out of the story a few times as I read. There were a couple big coincidences that were chosen to move the story along, and I am not a huge fan of that as a catalyst in writing. In my opinion, the same plot points can be reached with a more deliberate, storyboarding approach. This did affect how I rated the book, but not enough to make it not worth reading.
And if there is any one reason to continue reading, it is that ending. Wow! Luckily, I had book 2 (Stones of Light) on hand, because I would not have wanted to wait to see what happens. Argyle leaves the doors completely open as to where to take the story next, and I am excited about the direction.
Overall, I really liked Voice of War. There is so much to like: deep, flawed characters; a plot bursting with intrigue, and a unique magic system that fits right in with this complex world that Argyle created. I am really looking forward to Stones of Light and continuing this story. This book gets my recommendation for fans of fantasy.
Starting with the narrative, Argyle does a really nice job of describing the different threads from varying perspectives. While there are many characters to follow, the reader gets three main viewpoints: that of Chrys, Lauren, and Alverax. This, to me, is where the author’s writing really shines as we have three different people with completely misaligned motivations, goals, and experiences; yet, the story interchanges between the three of them effortlessly. They are all relatable, their journeys emotional, all with really interesting pasts.
Good men do what must be done, even if it is dark.
This quote sums it up for a lot of the characters in this book as many are forced to do dark things in order to accomplish what each thinks is right, but amongst the many characters, Chrys gets the majority of words dedicated to his portion of the story. He is also a bit of a classic reluctant hero, in that he is not really morally ambiguous. Not of his own volition, at least, but you will have to read the book to decipher that cryptic wording! Really, though, Chrys is just a good guy. Full stop. And I like that.
Courage is the core, but humility is the foundation.
I love how Argyle took all of these interesting characters and gave them storylines that interconnect, eventually. That does not necessarily mean they all end up in the same place, but I get big butterfly effects vibes from the story. What one does throws off the balance for another, and when that one makes a move to equalize things, it throws off another. And so on. That should not be surprising, as the world the author has created is not a very big one, so small ripples cause big waves. What that means to the reader is that there is constant drama and suspense. The tension spring is constantly being coiled and released, keeping the reader’s attention on what turned out to be a story full of intrigue.
The magic system plays into the plot a lot, too, and it is really unique, as well, the basic idea being the existence of threads of magic that some few chosen are able to push off of or pull, with different causes and effects. Of course, there is more to this than meets the eye, and things do get much more complicated. I do not want to get into too much detail about this part of the book because it would not be fair to spoil some of the surprises that come along in the latter part of the story. Just know it gets INTERESTING.
Laurel was… captivated with the idea of coincidence. Was there such a thing?
I chose to highlight this quote because it was one of the biggest pieces of the book that took me out of the story a few times as I read. There were a couple big coincidences that were chosen to move the story along, and I am not a huge fan of that as a catalyst in writing. In my opinion, the same plot points can be reached with a more deliberate, storyboarding approach. This did affect how I rated the book, but not enough to make it not worth reading.
And if there is any one reason to continue reading, it is that ending. Wow! Luckily, I had book 2 (Stones of Light) on hand, because I would not have wanted to wait to see what happens. Argyle leaves the doors completely open as to where to take the story next, and I am excited about the direction.
Overall, I really liked Voice of War. There is so much to like: deep, flawed characters; a plot bursting with intrigue, and a unique magic system that fits right in with this complex world that Argyle created. I am really looking forward to Stones of Light and continuing this story. This book gets my recommendation for fans of fantasy.
January 29, 2022
Ahoy there me mateys! I don't read a ton of self-published novels but have been interested in the SPFBO ever since I started blogging. One of me crew, Matey Lynn is a judge in the contest. Every year I make a list of those nominees that interest me, based on her reviews, and I am slowly working through them. This book was a finalist in the 2020 contest.
This is a fantasy where a person's eye color determines whether they can use magic or not. Blue or green is good. Brown is normal. Ye follow three main characters though the division of page time varies. Chrys is a general who has a monster in his head that only he knows about. It is, of course, constantly trying to escape. Laurel is a forest dweller who has teen angst and a relationship with a cool wolf. Alverax appears later in the book having died and came back to life. The conflict is that magic users are being kidnapped for their blood. Chrys' investigation causes a ruckus and he has to protect his wife and unborn child.
I enjoyed the magic system even if it seemed simplistic. I really liked Chrys and the creepy voice in his noggin. Alverax was the character I was most sympathetic to even though he didn't get a lot of page time in this book. I loved the forest life. But ultimately this book was just okay. The plot was the weak link for me and truly fell apart after the halfway mark. The good vs evil conflict lacked nuance. The story flow seemed a bit choppy. The humor elements, especially when used in the dialogue, didn't work for me. As the book progressed I found a lot of the choices made to be either nonsensical or too easy. And I didn't like the ending.
I have no regrets about reading this one but will not be reading more of the series. Arrrr!
This is a fantasy where a person's eye color determines whether they can use magic or not. Blue or green is good. Brown is normal. Ye follow three main characters though the division of page time varies. Chrys is a general who has a monster in his head that only he knows about. It is, of course, constantly trying to escape. Laurel is a forest dweller who has teen angst and a relationship with a cool wolf. Alverax appears later in the book having died and came back to life. The conflict is that magic users are being kidnapped for their blood. Chrys' investigation causes a ruckus and he has to protect his wife and unborn child.
I enjoyed the magic system even if it seemed simplistic. I really liked Chrys and the creepy voice in his noggin. Alverax was the character I was most sympathetic to even though he didn't get a lot of page time in this book. I loved the forest life. But ultimately this book was just okay. The plot was the weak link for me and truly fell apart after the halfway mark. The good vs evil conflict lacked nuance. The story flow seemed a bit choppy. The humor elements, especially when used in the dialogue, didn't work for me. As the book progressed I found a lot of the choices made to be either nonsensical or too easy. And I didn't like the ending.
I have no regrets about reading this one but will not be reading more of the series. Arrrr!
July 30, 2021
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2021/07...
I’ve followed Zack Argyle online for a while. He seems like a nice guy, and he puts out some interesting content. I honestly kind of avoided reading his books for a while because I knew so many people were lavishing them with praise, and I get nervous at times like that. What if I’m the one person who reads this thing and doesn’t like it? Then I feel like a terrible person and it’s a whole thing.
So, with some trepidation, I picked up Voice of War.
I’ve been on a bit of a kick recently wherein I’ve been actively searching out books that more or less remind me of classic fantasy, the stuff I read when I was falling in love with the genre. Groups of people pitted against big odds, with magic systems that are cunningly crafted, and huge battles looming on the horizon. I have been wanting to read fantasy with a lot of soul. Books that remind me why I love the genre.
And I’ve been finding them. I have been lucky enough to edit a few of them, but I’ve also been lucky in finding books like Voice of War, wherein these elements are all present, and yet different, as well. Twisted just enough to make this book feel fresh and new, and completely Zack Argyle’s own.
I have seen a lot of comparisons between Argyle’s books and Brandon Sanderson, and I do feel like there are some threads there. There are similarities in the manner of storytelling and specifically some elements of the magic system, but I think we devalue Argyle’s work as a whole if we compare it to Sanderson too much. I feel, almost, like some of the elements of this book were put there as homage to authors and stories Argyle admires, and I found this to be both touching and extremely well done. I love trying to pick out author’s influences, and I got a real kick out of finding some perfume in these pages, Eau de Sanderson with notes of Brent Weeks and a few others as well.
It was obvious to me from the start that Argyle wrote this book with a lot of passion and a whole lot of his soul was poured into this. The worldbuilding, in my estimation, was one of the places where the author’s love for his subject really shone. Crafted with care and put together with a lot of thought and attention to detail, his world is dynamic and multi-facetted with peoples and creatures that are as complex and layered as our own. I love a world steeped in a variety of cultures, and I love when authors show how these cultures coexist, both in harmony and not, and Argyle did this well. There are points of peace, but under all of this, is a feeling of tension. And these textures in his worldbuilding, this attention to detail and the diversity of the places and cultures we are introduced to go a long way toward building up the atmosphere, tension, and stakes in the book as a whole.
His world interested me, his story gripped me.
The characters are all well done, though perhaps a bit weaker in development than the worldbuilding. Flawed and complex, they are captivating, each in their own way. We have the brutal wartime hero, Chrys. Laurel, who is a messenger, and Alverax, who was dead and now very much is not. The characters were an interesting but mixed bag. I loved Chrys, and the weight of his legacy. Laurel felt like the best crafted of the characters. Alverax was a bit weaker (due largely, I think, to his shorter amount of stage time than the other two), but his voice was the most memorable. Regardless, I think Argyle laid a good foundation for the next book in the series, and I cannot wait to see what he does with the character development he’s established in Voices of War.
With unexpected twists and turns, this book is a fraction of a length of a lot of the epic fantasy out there. Yet due to careful pacing, attention to detail, and plenty of surprises, it proves that a book does not need to be 1,000 pages long to be a sweeping epic.
The magic system was just as interesting as the world building, though this is probably where the author will see the most comparisons to Sanderson and Weeks, and yeah, I see those similarities there, but this is also where Argyle shines. Complex and layered, this magic system truly is all Argyle’s own. I’d go into the details, but I don’t really want to give anything away. Suffice it to say, I loved it. I loved not just how magic was used and how threadlight was manipulated, but I loved how it impacted society as a whole, taking this already complex world Argyle has created, and dividing it even more. Status and station are pretty big deals in this book, though often subtly so, and Argyle deals with a lot of nuance and implication deftly which could have huge ramifications in the rest of the series.
So, where does that leave us?
This was one of those books I went into not knowing what to expect and left absurdly glad I’d read it. The world building and magic systems shine, and some of the character work is just stunning. The book isn’t overly long, and yet I felt like Argyle packed every page to the brim with memorable moments and interesting developments.
Voices of War was both a love letter to fantasy, and remarkable story unlike anything else out there. This was extremely strong start to a series I cannot wait to read more of. Argyle is an author to watch.
I’ve followed Zack Argyle online for a while. He seems like a nice guy, and he puts out some interesting content. I honestly kind of avoided reading his books for a while because I knew so many people were lavishing them with praise, and I get nervous at times like that. What if I’m the one person who reads this thing and doesn’t like it? Then I feel like a terrible person and it’s a whole thing.
So, with some trepidation, I picked up Voice of War.
I’ve been on a bit of a kick recently wherein I’ve been actively searching out books that more or less remind me of classic fantasy, the stuff I read when I was falling in love with the genre. Groups of people pitted against big odds, with magic systems that are cunningly crafted, and huge battles looming on the horizon. I have been wanting to read fantasy with a lot of soul. Books that remind me why I love the genre.
And I’ve been finding them. I have been lucky enough to edit a few of them, but I’ve also been lucky in finding books like Voice of War, wherein these elements are all present, and yet different, as well. Twisted just enough to make this book feel fresh and new, and completely Zack Argyle’s own.
I have seen a lot of comparisons between Argyle’s books and Brandon Sanderson, and I do feel like there are some threads there. There are similarities in the manner of storytelling and specifically some elements of the magic system, but I think we devalue Argyle’s work as a whole if we compare it to Sanderson too much. I feel, almost, like some of the elements of this book were put there as homage to authors and stories Argyle admires, and I found this to be both touching and extremely well done. I love trying to pick out author’s influences, and I got a real kick out of finding some perfume in these pages, Eau de Sanderson with notes of Brent Weeks and a few others as well.
It was obvious to me from the start that Argyle wrote this book with a lot of passion and a whole lot of his soul was poured into this. The worldbuilding, in my estimation, was one of the places where the author’s love for his subject really shone. Crafted with care and put together with a lot of thought and attention to detail, his world is dynamic and multi-facetted with peoples and creatures that are as complex and layered as our own. I love a world steeped in a variety of cultures, and I love when authors show how these cultures coexist, both in harmony and not, and Argyle did this well. There are points of peace, but under all of this, is a feeling of tension. And these textures in his worldbuilding, this attention to detail and the diversity of the places and cultures we are introduced to go a long way toward building up the atmosphere, tension, and stakes in the book as a whole.
His world interested me, his story gripped me.
The characters are all well done, though perhaps a bit weaker in development than the worldbuilding. Flawed and complex, they are captivating, each in their own way. We have the brutal wartime hero, Chrys. Laurel, who is a messenger, and Alverax, who was dead and now very much is not. The characters were an interesting but mixed bag. I loved Chrys, and the weight of his legacy. Laurel felt like the best crafted of the characters. Alverax was a bit weaker (due largely, I think, to his shorter amount of stage time than the other two), but his voice was the most memorable. Regardless, I think Argyle laid a good foundation for the next book in the series, and I cannot wait to see what he does with the character development he’s established in Voices of War.
With unexpected twists and turns, this book is a fraction of a length of a lot of the epic fantasy out there. Yet due to careful pacing, attention to detail, and plenty of surprises, it proves that a book does not need to be 1,000 pages long to be a sweeping epic.
The magic system was just as interesting as the world building, though this is probably where the author will see the most comparisons to Sanderson and Weeks, and yeah, I see those similarities there, but this is also where Argyle shines. Complex and layered, this magic system truly is all Argyle’s own. I’d go into the details, but I don’t really want to give anything away. Suffice it to say, I loved it. I loved not just how magic was used and how threadlight was manipulated, but I loved how it impacted society as a whole, taking this already complex world Argyle has created, and dividing it even more. Status and station are pretty big deals in this book, though often subtly so, and Argyle deals with a lot of nuance and implication deftly which could have huge ramifications in the rest of the series.
So, where does that leave us?
This was one of those books I went into not knowing what to expect and left absurdly glad I’d read it. The world building and magic systems shine, and some of the character work is just stunning. The book isn’t overly long, and yet I felt like Argyle packed every page to the brim with memorable moments and interesting developments.
Voices of War was both a love letter to fantasy, and remarkable story unlike anything else out there. This was extremely strong start to a series I cannot wait to read more of. Argyle is an author to watch.
April 2, 2021
Voice of War is the self-published, debut fantasy novel from Zack Argyle. I was initially turned on to it a while ago when its cover art was updated to the current masterpiece that you see above. When an opportunity to review its forthcoming sequel, Stones of Light, presented itself then I knew that it was time to jump into this series headlong. And, boy am I glad that I did. With a new cover and a comfortable standing in second place (so far) in this years SPFBO contest, I am hoping that this book and its sequel will finally get the recognition that they deserve.
It doesn’t matter how beautiful the wall is if the garden inside is dying. No one can live like that forever.
Voice of War does so many things right and in a period where I have been reading books that drift farther and farther away from the classics of the genre, this was a refreshing return to home for me. Much like a Brandon Sanderson book, it reads like an heir to classic fantasy, playing to the expectations that we have and using them to its full advantage. Case in point is the worldbuilding. The world that Argyle has created is highly imaginative with several cultures, races and mythical creatures. Each of the countries that you visit throughout the length of the novel are distinctive in the peoples, cultures, religions, and traditions that are on display, from Alchea, which is nestled up against the mountains, to the desert city of Cynosure and beyond, Arasin is a believable world. I was especially taken by the glimpses into the Fairenwild, an ancient forest where all manner of deadly creatures lie around each corner. The chromawolves were equal parts cool and terrifying and I loved getting to see them in action.
For the most part, Argyle did a great job creating believable, flawed characters. Chrys is the Apogee, a wartime hero both lauded and feared for the brutality that he displayed in the War of the Wastelands. While this is something that has elevated his status to that of one of the three high generals to the Great Lord, it is also a badge of shame for him. Chrys not only single-handedly killed hundreds of the wastelanders, he also killed many of his own men in the ensuing carnage. This is a man struggling with the ghosts of the past deeds that have rewarded him most in life. Also, the banter between Chrys’ team was one of the highlights of the book, even though they were only present for a short time. Our other two PoVs are Laurel, a messenger for Zedalum, the hidden city in the Fairenwild, and Alverax, the poor sot who has just came back from death under very mysterious circumstances. I felt that Laurel was the better of the secondary PoVs, with Alverax being the weakest. Although, Alverax’s POV had some of the funniest, laugh out loud moments in the book. Imagine waking up from death, naked and surrounded by corpses, and then having to convince the city watch to let you back in the gates. The issue with his portion of the story stems from the fact that he only appears in the back half of the novel so there wasn’t as much time to build a satisfying character arc.
Better to be naked and mad than dead.
The magic system is an easy standout aspect of Voice of War for me. The basic premise is very reminiscent, again, of Brandon Sanderson’s Allomancy in his Mistborn series, with a little bit of Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer mixed in for good measure. Essentially, children who are born with either blue or green eyes are able to see and control Threadlight, a type of energy that interconnects everything in the world. Sapphire Threadweavers are able to pull on the threadlight connecting an object to the world, while the Emeralds can push it, thereby manipulating the gravity exerted on it. Think telekinesis, but you have to be able to see and manipulate the energy that connects any given object to the world. Threadweavers can even manipulate their own corethreads, giving blues superhuman agility and turning greens into immovable juggernauts. Threadweaving isn’t without its downsides though, as each color has the inherent weakness of only being able to either push or pull on things, thus making blue/green teams necessary. So, you may be wondering what happens to those born with brown eyes. Well, nothing really. They’re just not afforded the elevated status that Threadweavers are given, except in circumstances where a couple have already birthed two children. If a third is born and it’s achromic and unable to wield threadlight, they are ritually blinded and given to the priesthood. Brutal.
I have read some really fantastic books this year and nearly all of them have been by self published authors. The fact that Voice of War can hold its own against my most recent reads is really saying something. I was thoroughly engrossed in the worldbuilding that Argyle managed to fit in Voice of War‘s trim >400 pages and a lot of the character work was handled exceptionally well. While one of the PoVs fell a little flat for me, I greatly enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery at the core of the novel. It would also be very remiss to not mention the whiplash inducing speed at which the climax ran over the last 15% of the book. I’ve never been so happy to have a book 2 immediately available as I was upon finishing this one.
“Some fires burn so bright you spend years finding unbridled coals. One of these days, if you’re not careful one of them will catch fire.”
It doesn’t matter how beautiful the wall is if the garden inside is dying. No one can live like that forever.
Voice of War does so many things right and in a period where I have been reading books that drift farther and farther away from the classics of the genre, this was a refreshing return to home for me. Much like a Brandon Sanderson book, it reads like an heir to classic fantasy, playing to the expectations that we have and using them to its full advantage. Case in point is the worldbuilding. The world that Argyle has created is highly imaginative with several cultures, races and mythical creatures. Each of the countries that you visit throughout the length of the novel are distinctive in the peoples, cultures, religions, and traditions that are on display, from Alchea, which is nestled up against the mountains, to the desert city of Cynosure and beyond, Arasin is a believable world. I was especially taken by the glimpses into the Fairenwild, an ancient forest where all manner of deadly creatures lie around each corner. The chromawolves were equal parts cool and terrifying and I loved getting to see them in action.
For the most part, Argyle did a great job creating believable, flawed characters. Chrys is the Apogee, a wartime hero both lauded and feared for the brutality that he displayed in the War of the Wastelands. While this is something that has elevated his status to that of one of the three high generals to the Great Lord, it is also a badge of shame for him. Chrys not only single-handedly killed hundreds of the wastelanders, he also killed many of his own men in the ensuing carnage. This is a man struggling with the ghosts of the past deeds that have rewarded him most in life. Also, the banter between Chrys’ team was one of the highlights of the book, even though they were only present for a short time. Our other two PoVs are Laurel, a messenger for Zedalum, the hidden city in the Fairenwild, and Alverax, the poor sot who has just came back from death under very mysterious circumstances. I felt that Laurel was the better of the secondary PoVs, with Alverax being the weakest. Although, Alverax’s POV had some of the funniest, laugh out loud moments in the book. Imagine waking up from death, naked and surrounded by corpses, and then having to convince the city watch to let you back in the gates. The issue with his portion of the story stems from the fact that he only appears in the back half of the novel so there wasn’t as much time to build a satisfying character arc.
Better to be naked and mad than dead.
The magic system is an easy standout aspect of Voice of War for me. The basic premise is very reminiscent, again, of Brandon Sanderson’s Allomancy in his Mistborn series, with a little bit of Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer mixed in for good measure. Essentially, children who are born with either blue or green eyes are able to see and control Threadlight, a type of energy that interconnects everything in the world. Sapphire Threadweavers are able to pull on the threadlight connecting an object to the world, while the Emeralds can push it, thereby manipulating the gravity exerted on it. Think telekinesis, but you have to be able to see and manipulate the energy that connects any given object to the world. Threadweavers can even manipulate their own corethreads, giving blues superhuman agility and turning greens into immovable juggernauts. Threadweaving isn’t without its downsides though, as each color has the inherent weakness of only being able to either push or pull on things, thus making blue/green teams necessary. So, you may be wondering what happens to those born with brown eyes. Well, nothing really. They’re just not afforded the elevated status that Threadweavers are given, except in circumstances where a couple have already birthed two children. If a third is born and it’s achromic and unable to wield threadlight, they are ritually blinded and given to the priesthood. Brutal.
I have read some really fantastic books this year and nearly all of them have been by self published authors. The fact that Voice of War can hold its own against my most recent reads is really saying something. I was thoroughly engrossed in the worldbuilding that Argyle managed to fit in Voice of War‘s trim >400 pages and a lot of the character work was handled exceptionally well. While one of the PoVs fell a little flat for me, I greatly enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery at the core of the novel. It would also be very remiss to not mention the whiplash inducing speed at which the climax ran over the last 15% of the book. I’ve never been so happy to have a book 2 immediately available as I was upon finishing this one.
“Some fires burn so bright you spend years finding unbridled coals. One of these days, if you’re not careful one of them will catch fire.”
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