Paladin Unbound by Jeffrey Speight

Superbly imagined and skillfully executed.

Umhra the Peacebreaker may be half-Orc, but is wholly ostracized by many Eveliumians, particularly those of Anaris. Despite the general dislike of so-called mongrels like himself, Umhra has become a rather civilized adult, known for both his decency and his love of kingdom. The City of Anaris has a troubling problem where a growing number of its citizens have gone missing. Umhra and his crew are awarded the coveted contract to fix the problem, but this noble assignment is not as straightforward as anyone thought it would be. Though he suffered a painful loss during childhood and has a surprising past he would prefer to keep hidden, Umhra may have to come face to face with his own history in order to save the future.

If books were table games, Paladin Unbound would be Dungeons and Dragons when everything else is simply Chutes and Ladders! This bright action-fantasy book is superbly imagined and skillfully executed, particularly with its evocative and immersive imagery. The worldbuilding is astounding, barely kissed by the map inside the cover. Speight has clearly spent some quality time dreaming up the fantastic places and creatures inhabiting Evelium, especially with the complex big-picture aspects involving battles between the gods themselves. As for characters, the list of allies and enemies grows by the page, slowly helping Umhra unlock his true potential, his true destiny. Even the dialogue among the characters is markedly elevated, adding a regal feel to an already impressive story. For fantasy purists, you won’t find a better place to visit than Evelium in Paladin Unbound.

Amazon

Amazon