R. T. KaelinRecensioni

See full review @ The Indigo Quill: http://theindigoquill.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-prophecy-children-of-white-lio...

Yet another spellbinding installment from someone who is slowly becoming one of my favored authors, R.T. Kaelin! In case you missed it, I did a review on his first book in the series, Progeny, plus an interview. You can see the review here and the interview here. Be sure to check them out!

The more I delve into this series, the more I feel like I'm reading a contemporary rendering of Lord of the Rings. This book didn't quite move at the same pace as Progeny, but I did really enjoy seeing the characters grow. Kaelin's style of writing is like a breath of fresh air every time; smooth and detailed. He clearly thinks through his characters, settings, and storyline rather than simply scratching the surface.

Like previously stated, Prophecy moved a bit slower for me (as 'middle' books of a series usually do). I love that Kaelin has developed a world of his own with many different species and mythology. However, there was a point that became a little overwhelming. Thank his gods in the back of the books for those references, because without them I would have gotten very lost! That being said, I would advise readers to look those over before starting the first page, they are very helpful and actually interesting to read.

The things I really enjoyed about this installment: The character development. Nikalys, Kenders, and Jak are all having to face situations that call for a certain maturity that is still coming to surface for them. Here we get to watch them grow.
A lot of questions were beginning to be answered. We learned a lot more about the history of the White Lions, the 'who' and 'whys.'
We discover there is a prophecy that gives us a glimpse of the future, setting the stage for the rest of the series.
We are also introduced to more characters, which, as long as you keep up with it, is an extra feat to the work.

Although at times it was a little harder to get through the extreme detail in this book, I'm finding myself falling in love with this series. One day, when it's finished in its entirety and is available as a set, I'll be one of the first to get it for my bookshelf. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Lord of the Rings or Eragon. I've even been pushing for my husband to read these novels because I think he'd really like them, too.

As always, I'm looking forward to book 3 to see what happens with our beloved heroes and the future of the Oaken Dutchies. Also, be sure to grab your copies of The Terrene Chronicles that accompany this series (I actually still need to read these...)!

A good fantasy offering which should be enjoyed by readers who liked Edding's Malloreon/Belgariad or Jordan's Wheel of Time, with better portrayal of females than the latter and a fairly intriguing magic system.

Note that I am not invoking them here as the pinnacle of Fantasy (which indeed they are not, at least for my tastes), but as examples of stories that can be read and enjoyed by a very broad audience including quite young readers assuming they are not afraid of long books with a fairly staid pacing. Generally optimistic, with virtuous protagonists and quite obviously villainous villains who are evil just because, rather than the grittier and more ambiguous fare that has become common and sometime decried in the genre over the last couple decades.

This black and white morality and attendant relative lack of suspense was however the major flaw in my eye. There's the dastardly irredeemable puppy-kicking villains, the good heroes, and anything in between seems more or less destined to be freed/swayed/won over by the latter.

Some editing oversights here and there, not that many but frequent enough that I couldn't just forget them.
The version reviewed here was the one offered in celebration by the author on the Green Dragon discussion group, revised but about to be worked on by a traditional publisher, so this is most likely no longer relevant in any newer and more polished version of the work.½

Progeny is one of those books you see made into a movie. It's a story that captures the reader and doesn't let them go, not even at the final page. If you enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia or the works of Paolini then you will most definitely enjoy Progeny. As YA Fantasy novels go, this is one of those that leaves me impressed and wanting for more. You can tell that R.T. Kaelin took his time to develop his story and characters to give them dimension and bring them to life.

A quality I find that good authors share is the ability to make their stories come alive, where it becomes so real to them they offer the reader more to explore outside of their book (i.e. J.K. Rowling writing "Quidditch Through The Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them or J.R. Tolkein's Middle Earth). Kaelin does exactly this. Not only has he written a hefty book full of depth and plot, but from exploring his website and receiving sources from him myself, I see that he has taken his story and breathed life into it.

So if you couldn't tell, I loved this book. I loved the magic, the drama, the characters, the twists and the mystery. It has all of those elements in one. Usually when I start a book I have to keep telling myself, "just get through the first few chapters, they always get better after that." Not here. I loved that you hit the ground running on the very first page. As you travel through the story with the main characters, you find yourself searching for answers along with them, turning the pages so you can journey onto the next moment with them.

5 stars, and I can't wait to read the next installment!

Prophecy is the 2nd book in The Children of the White Lions series. Once again Kaelin has a winner on his hands. This book continues a couple months after the end of the last book. The progeny have a adapted to the routine of the Shadow Manes training. Kenders is finding her training to be very tedious and Nikalys is finding his training to come naturally.

Brody and Nundle travel to visit Nelnorna and try to get some answers. Along the way they meet Toby, an old friend of Brody's who can help them speed their trip. One thing Nelnorna does tell them is where to find one of the White Lions who's been missing for a while. Lots of stuff happens and everyone is trying to get into place to stop the advance of the armies of chaos.

I think Kaelin is telling a great story and he fills out each person we follow so well. I really enjoy reading these books for the depth and breadth of the world he created. While I think the story in this one could have used a little more tightening, it is only in relation to an ideal, not to disparage the wonderfully crafted story we have here. For anyone who likes epic fantasy in the veins of Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson etc. you really need to try The Children of the White Lions.

A little over 2 years ago I finished reading the first edition of Progeny. I was very impressed with the story, I loved it. The book did however need a bit of editing to smooth out the telling and tighten things up. I just recently finished the 2nd edition and I must say the rewrite did wonders! I've read plenty of books from big publishers that don't come close to this story or it's telling. I hope to get to read the 2nd book in the series soon.

Kenders and Nikalys are on their way to the lake to cool down on this hot day in the middle of summer when they witness the impossible, a huge water creature is unleashed on their hometown and destroys it and everything in it, leaving them orphans. Being the only survivors of a magical attack in a country that has outlawed magic of any kind.

What they don't know is that they were the target of the attack. A prophecy was spoken hundreds of years earlier about them being crucial in the fight between good and evil, and evil doesn't want them to fulfill their destiny. Life has not only dealt them remorse, they have been given a large helping of danger as well.

Progeny is the first chapter in what could easily become one of the great high fantasy stories of our time. Plainly said, Progeny is just a lot of fun! This novel sets up a backdrop for a much greater tale than is portrayed in the book – this is not to say the picture painted by this book is not great in and of itself! I can easily see this series becoming a trilogy, tetralogy or more.

Terrene, the world in which this story takes place, is rife with elves, men, halflings, giants, orcs, demons, etc. – all the goodies and baddies that make up high fantasy. They all have their own racial tendencies already familiar to the reader, but the author has not locked his individual characters into these pre-established racial roles. For instance, one of the main bad guys is what I would equate to a “high elf” – a race almost always portrayed as the embodiment of goodness – and he is a real baddie!

The world that has been created by Kaelin feels very “clean” to me. There is a highly ordered calendar complete with evenly spaced lunar cycles and seasons. An established pantheon of gods and goddesses walks the world it shares with its followers – remaining withdrawn from society for the most part, but acting in ways unseen until after the effects of its transgressions have passed. Add to this, a logical and beautiful magic system based off of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series and made original by the author, you have a clean canvas for great works of art to be produced.

The story itself is written very well – especially considering this is the author’s own first novel. Sure there are some minor grammatical errors not caught before publishing, however these are few and he does not even have an established publishing house proofing his work before it goes to release. Kaelin is a self published, Indie author! Considering this I give the author a lot of credit for doing such a good job with both the writing and editing before it got to my hands!

Multiple plotlines intertwine to develop a rich story that is both enjoyable and quick reading. It was fun to see how the different characters came together and I appreciated the lack of “soap opera tactics” I find in so many books (i.e. characters somehow neglecting to share crucial details with their companions to further a specific bizarre story line that otherwise would have fallen apart before progressing far enough to matter). Instead, Kaelin builds the story in a manner with which real people might react if they were put in a similar situation.

All of the characters have their own unique personalities that you will fall in love with and they remain true to their idiosyncrasies throughout the book. You really get a feeling you know a character soon after he or she is introduced to you. You will find yourself associating with their different aspects as the plots develop and come to a harmonious conclusion.

I am pleased to give this book five stars and I look forward to the next novel in what I anticipate will be a series on the same level as the Wheel of Time series, The Inheritance Cycle, and the Shannara series.

Okay, I am biased but I will write as much of an unbiased review that I can. In the sense of disclosure, I have been one of Ryan’s part time/freelance editors for about a year now. I loved Progeny and when I had the opportunity to help tidy up Prophecy I felt honored and excited. I will do my best to write a spoiler free review so you need not fear reading on!

War has overtaken the Oaken duchies and it falls to our heroes to prepare defenses against the advancing horde of Sudashians. Shaped by battles and diplomacy Nik, Jak and Kenders aren’t mere children anymore. Nik has grown into his powers and Kenders has been honing her own control over magic by apprenticing under one of Terrene’s most powerful mages. Jak has been making great strides of his own while training with the Shadow Manes soldiers. In this newest book, they all face trials of the mind, heart, and arms as the tale weaves about multiple plots.

Prophecy is more complex than Progeny was in so many ways. The stage has shifted from a single duchy to all of them and more. Our heroes we fell in love with in Progeny are all back with a couple new ones thrown in for good measure. Within Prophecy, a clever reader is made more aware of what motivates the “evil” gods of the Cabal and their plans to return. We also become cognizant of the ulterior motives of the “good” and neutral gods and begin to question everyone’s goals. There are even a few new races we meet throughout the adventures within Prophecy’s pages. And for Kaelin’s biggest fans, Prophecy is loaded with references to the short stories Ryan has written and given away for free on his website.

Prophecy was a lot of fun to read and continues the epic tale set forth by Progeny. One of the things I loved about both Progeny and Prophecy was that none of the characters were predefined by the sides they belong to or their races – there were even parts in Prophecy where I came to sympathize with the ultimate bad guy. For you romantics, you will watch as a couple relationships blossom within Prophecy and a couple others come to an end. The slow buildup approach Ryan takes leaves the tale believable and the amount of backstory is enough to give any epic fantasy reader the sense that his (or her) money was well spent. But mostly it is Ryan’s characters that make both Progeny and Prophecy such great books.

For those who haven’t read Progeny, of all the fantasy series I’ve read (more than a few) Progeny and Prophecy remind me most of the Inheritance Cycle (Eragon) by Christopher Paolini. They are not the same tales, but the elegances found in those books are found in these ones too. The cleanliness of the worlds and the use of typical fantasy tropes in original ways make both worlds comfortable and fresh to any reader, new or old.

I am pleased to give this book five stars and I look forward to reading the next novel in this epic fantasy series. Ryan is destined for greatness, so do yourself a favor and pick up both Progeny and Prophecy now so you can look back one day and say “I knew him when …”.

Over a year ago I wrote a review for a New Author named RT Kaelin. I was very interested in reviewing his book Progeny which is the first book in a series of fantasy books about a world named Terrene and two young people, brother and sister, who discover that their lives are not what they seem.

I loved Progeny due to the level of writing (very smooth, easy to read, very descriptive) and because I "connected" to the characters in the book. Kenders & Nikalys both seemed like great kids, full of mischief, personality and potential.

When I was approached about doing a review of Prophecy I jumped at the chance even though I am absolutely swamped (I've read 5 full length books in addition to Prophecy (600+ pages) in the last 2 weeks). I wanted to know what the next book would tell us about the fight between good & evil, the growth of Kenders, Nikalys and Jak their brother. It wasn't quite what I expected.

Prophecy has the same high quality writing, the scenes are well thought out and each character is well rounded. Many of the vague details and events mentioned in Progeny are described more thoroughly and you will meet new characters (Khin, Rhohn, Wren, Tobias and my favorite Okollu & Broedi who is from Book 1) from many different races and species. I loved to see the maturity of Nikalys grow from boy to man by the end of the book. Kenders still has a ways to go - and I'm sure we'll see her maturity come out in book 3. We also learn about the history of the White Lions and why they were formed as well as learn of a Prophecy that provides clues to events to come. Book 2 sets up the foundation of the rest of the series by giving us the background and a peek at the future of the World of Terrene.

That being said, I struggled some with this book. It didn't reach out and grab me like Progeny did (I had the same problem with The Two Towers (Tolkien) also so don't let that scare you away) - I'm sure that Book 3 will give me some of the closure and connection that Prophecy didn't. There is just so much detail, so many locations and so many new characters that I had some trouble keeping up with it ~ add in the meddling of the various gods & goddesses in the book, the huge war scenes that are very well thought out and the powers that Kenders is becoming aware of (and some she's not aware of yet) that seem to take control of her and you'll get what I mean.

My plan this winter is to return to Progeny and read straight through Books 1 and 2 ~ so be watching for an updated review of the series probably in February sometime. The cliff hanger at the end of Prophecy means that I will definitely be looking for Book 3 ~ get the series and join me in February and let me know what you thought!

I have had an early peek at this book, being one of the many beta readers. I've seen the author progress in his writing style and am very excited to see him continue, much like his characters, to master the great talent of story he has within.

This continues the saga of the Progeny of the White Lions. We find the brother and sister, Nikalys and Kenders, ensconced in a secret enclave of those committed to the White Lions. Here they and their companions are learning to perfect their talents and skills as quickly as possible because evil is rising. Soon we are introduced to many new inhabitants of this world as the Progeny are sent their separate ways, opposing the evil forces which are arrayed for battle.

I am intentionally vague in my descriptions, as I hate having stories spoiled by knowing too much from a review. This world grows and grows, the characters are imaginative and endearing (unless they are horrifying), and surprises come along frequently making you rethink your suppositions. Each drama plays out and you feel that you are there with them on the journey or in the midst of the battle. Kaelin is at his best when writing battles.

These books are great for family reading, escape reading or for whisking a youth, teen or adult away into a far and distant land. They will reside on my fantasy shelves between A Wrinkle in Time and the Chronicles of Narnia, and that is saying something.½

I really enjoyed this fantasy read. I'm intrigued as to what we will find out about the history of the "white lions" in the next edition.

I liked the way the main family group of Nikalys, Kenders and Jak interact together. Having Nundle and Broedi around as the "gandalfs" to help them develop over the early stages of their powers and journey worked for me. I will follow this series and look forward to the next book coming out.

Without a doubt, R. T. Kaelin’s Progeny goes on my list of high fantasy to be re-read. With the number of books currently competing for my attention, that is saying a lot.

At first glance, it seems that Kaelin has written a formulaic quest-type fantasy story. He has elves, mages, orcs and Halflings, a sword and magic. I’ve seen all of these elements appear in stories before. The thing is, I still read many of them, because I’m always looking for one thing I want above all else when I read fantasy. That one thing is story – and without a doubt, Kaelin delivers.

Teenagers Nikalys and his sister Kenders live in a country where magic is outlawed and viewed as something to be feared. When they witness an act of magic that ultimately destroys their tiny village, along with their parents and all the people they know and love, they are forced to leave the only home they’ve ever known.

Along with their older brother Jak, they undertake a journey that begins with the intention of finding the elf responsible for the destruction of their home. Meetings with several different persons, almost from the start cause Nikalys and Kenders to find out more about a destiny that had been hidden from them. Much more is at stake than they could ever have believed. Progeny is the story of the first step to them becoming who they were meant to be.

Let me backtrack a little however. I have actually read two different versions of this book. The first version (which I received from the author) was longer, but had fewer chapters. There was more setup before the action, and a somewhat slower pacing. The second version I read is the one that’s now available for purchase (in e-book format). It has an entirely different prologue, almost twice as many chapters … but is actually a shorter book.

I was so impressed with the level of storytelling in the original version that I simply had to have the new version, even if it meant that I was basically reading the same book again. I wanted not only to see what had changed, but to know whether Kaelin actually did a better job on the story than the first time around. The changes made the story move along much more quickly. The shorter chapters in particular added a welcome level of tension that resulted in a tighter, more exciting book.

I became quickly caught up in the characters’ lives – not only Nikalys and Kenders, but also Broedi, Zecus and especially Nundle – and with each page, wanted to know what was happening with them next. By the ending, I was satisfied with where the story had gone and how the first level of resolution had taken place.

This is an excellent fantasy that you will find yourself wanting to share when you’re done. Like me, I think you’ll be anxiously awaiting the second book in the series. In the meantime, however, Kaelin also has a series of four collections of short stories which expand on the world created in Progeny. These are also an excellent read, and helped feed the addiction just a little.

This is one of the better reads that I've had the pleasure of getting my hands on. We follow Nikalys, Kenders and Jak as they try to make reason of the horrible tragedy that happened to their village, and the journey that is growing up, discovering new sides of oneself, as well as those close to you. I particularly loved how the author set up the magic to work - The Strands. You notice the author has put a lot of work in the book, both with lore, history and geography. There is a lot of material to base further work on, which I find exciting.

There were a few flaws in the book, but all in all, this is a promising author, and I can't wait to see what happens with the three siblings, and their companions, in their path towards greatness.½

I don’t normally read and review self-published books, but when Mr. Kaelin contacted me with the pitch for Progeny (and after seeing numerous five star reviews – and a few one star) I decided to give this one a go. My package arrived complete with Progeny bookmark and business cards and a bright, shiny, HUGE book.

Overall, I was not disappointed by Progeny. On a scale of 1-5 I’d give it a solid 3 1/2 stars. There were things that needed fixing, but there were some masterful parts of the story as well and, let’s face it, it’s hard work writing a high fantasy novel the size and length of this one.

In a way, Kaelin’s magic system reminded me of Brandon Sanderson. It was thrilling, unique and very interesting and came across as well thought out. A thorough explanation provided in the story, as well as an Appendix, helped with grasping its intricacies as well as made certain parts of the story even more astounding. I think that the magic system was the best part of this book and will be enough to keep me reading to see if Kaelin has made improvements to the style of the story in Book 2.

So what needed improvements? The length. It was much too long, and much of that was travel time, endless repeating of the background of the characters (we know most of it, we don’t need to hear it retold), some editing errors here and there (pg 627, second to last paragraph for example), and the pace was just too slow. It is possible to give the illusion of time passing without spelling out the endless meals, talks and flirting? of the characters with one another. I felt as if there was this huge story just simmering beneath, this massive conflict, but the book gave me 500 pages of set-up with very little actual action that fit with the storyline.

And I don’t even want to talk about the history that came with the introduction of the character Nundle (whom I loved, the history lesson.. I did not). That soon into the story, when the reader is so overwhelmed with everything, it just induces yawns and made me want to skip over the whole thing.

But I did love the characters! I found Nundle to be perfectly cast, given that he’s a halfling. I found Broedi to be intimidating and comforting at the same time. I’m harboring a bit of a crush on Sargeant Trell, and I loved seeing Zecus come into his own. Sabine was a bit of an annoying distraction, I have to admit, but the addition of Helene made for some great comedic moments.

And most of all, the siblings. I found the bond between Jak, Nik and Kenders to be tightly woven and I admit to even shedding a tear now and then when circumstances and fate seemed to want to play with them more than was necessary.

Overall, Progeny is a promising beginning for R.T. Kaelin, and I’ll be looking for his second book, with the hopes that some of the things I’ve talked about here will be addressed. I’m sure he’s heard them from more than me – and as this was his first venture, it shows great promise!

Nine short stories in three sets of three describing some of the events leading up to the author's first Novel - Progeny. Each set takes three snapshots of a time from the character's life. Almost no world or character building is done so the novel very much ought to be read first, however the stories are somewhat superior in writing quality and provide a better indicator of the future potential of the series. Of the set, the last trilogy featuring the orcs and razorfiends is by far the most enjoyable.

The initial set features the halfling Nundle, and his rise from lowly merchant to reasonable mage through the abuse of his powers of Will. Unfortunately any interesting point about the ethics of the use of magic are completely lost in the somewhat predicable life event that lead the halfling to his final destination in the Academy. Even the chance for a slightly interesting diversion into the other Stands of magic is bypassed. Much is the same with 2nd set following the life of the novel's heroes parents. Some small descriptions of life in a village are the only interesting features, although the characters are more engagingly drawn than with the Halfling. Again this brings very little extra information about the world the novel is set in, and lacks the narrative hook that marks a short story as special.

The last set is much more entertaining and informative, as well as slightly longer. The Orcs and Razorfiends are little more than bullyboy thugs in the Novel. This set of stories shows a bit of their tribal structures and personal habits. We follow a two contrasting young potential leaders on their respective rises to chieftain-hood, and how they manage when they meet each other. Without a clear good and evil a lot more subtly was used in the plotting, and the consequences of actions explored in greater detail, without reliance on Fate. Although even here there was little personal accountability for the lives that were effected by their decisions.This made the tales more believable, and the characters more empathic. I don't know that I liked them as such, but I preferred to read about their fates, than those of the far too predictable "good" guys. Hopefully more such interactions will feature in the later novels of the series.

Although much much better than the opening portions of Progeny there were still a few lapses in sentence construction and grammar, that occasionally obscured the clear comprehension of the prose. This was not aided by some abysmal formatting in the .pdf file, with fonts changing at random all over the place.

Could be better. Not bad for a debut novel, but still needs quite a bit more work to develop into something thoroughly excellent. There is promise for that development, although my expectations are not that high. Basically a fairly standard light fantasy trek through the countryside as our heroes discover they are not the simple village children they've always thought, but are instead fated to become saviours of the world. And here already, we're facing one of the usual problems in the genre, that of proportionality and scale. the Bad Guys are a bunch of malevolent gods. GODS: with huge godlike powers, facing in effect a couple of kids. So what do the gods do? they use their vast godlike powers ..... to persuade a couple of minor border lords to sneakily start a minor border incursion of a tiny fragment of a country, using only normal troops. Right. Equally the 300 ft water monster is out of believability too, 30' fine; 100' well if you must; 300' nope, no chance, water pulls apart under its own weight at that sort of size. Magic only gets you so far.

The first section maybe not even a quarter of the book is particularly bad. The rest improves significantly and is worth persevering with, however I suspect many casual readers will not make it that far. This is one of the problems indie authors have to contend with: not only does their writing have to be as good as a published author, it has to be better. The opening section is not, it is instead everything you expect when you hear 'independently published author'. Very clunky descriptions, and frequent grammar/editing mistakes. When you've described a place as 'barely a village' (the correct word here is hamlet), to then spend the next few chapters randomly switching between 'town' and 'village' is confusing. Characters in the middle of dramatically fleeing for their lives, suddenly stop and spend several paragraphs gazing back over their town, describing how it used to be, what the people looked like, and how the crops grew ... no they run for their lives, maybe once they're safe around a campfire, only then might they allow such reminiscences to form.

Once we're all introduced to the world and the characters the story picks up a bit and the grand Quest gets underway. The world itself is quite good; a wide variety of terrains; some sensible thought about how it all operates, and a nicely inventive magic system, with enough limitations to keep things honest, but enough power to make a difference. What at first pass seems to be the usual DnD races - elves, halflings and Orcs, and expanded by the addition of razorfiends and a few other inventive details.

The characters themselves start to grow on you a bit, I'm never that taken by the two heroic children, but their overlooked elder brother Jak, and a few of the other incidental characters are quite well crafted. You can see signs of the standard DnD Adventure party forming, but it is mostly quite well done. The rather abrupt introduction of what turns out to be another two main characters some 500 pages into the book comes across very disconcertingly, but once their tale begins to obviously integrate with the main storyline, they work quite well, even if they'd have been better introduced much earlier on. The multi-characters jumping points of view, continues to annoy me throughout the book, but it is just an authorial style I've never really liked, and hasn't been too badly done. As usual with authors who use this style, there is too much foreshadowing of events by giving short cut aways to the bad guys planning their actions. This is unnecessary, the characters should be surprised by events, let the readers be so too.

Perhaps my biggest complaint is that there is far too clear a division between the 'Good' and the 'Bad' characters, with little or no moral ambiguity between them. There are no greys in this world, no difficult choices without a right answer. OK a couple of times the children are regretful about the first lives they take, but there was never any doubt that they are on the right course. All 100 soldiers agree to desert their sworn oaths on little more than circumstantial evidence, no-one has nay doubts at all. This is perhaps the key dividing line between light fantasy like this, and the much more gritty realistic and heavy Epic fantasy that can be so much more enthralling. The only tensions that ever arises is over which brother will end up with the pretty girl, there's not even a competition of guys for the heroine to chose between.

Light but fun, once the clunky initial section has been struggled through the rest of it becomes engaging enough and with luck the sequels will develop into truly breathtaking tales that this well imagined world could become.

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Review Discussion thread½

In Progeny: The Children of the White Lions author R.T. Kaelin created the world of Terrene, a richly detailed land populated with a host of heroes and villains ripe for adventuring. However, the history and culture of the landscape in Progeny - as expansive as it was - hinted at the tip of an iceberg. Readers were keen to point out that there seemed much more to the world; and the short story collection Merchant is the first episode in The Terrene Chronicles to provide readers with a glimpse beneath Progeny's surface.

Merchant is a collection of three stories ("Market", "Festival", and "Journey") which relate the early experiences of the hero Nundle Babblebrook. In Progeny the witty halfling is introduced as a merchant turned magic user and Merchant is the engaging tale of his history. As in Kaelin's full length work, the setting shines, the secondary characters are full of charm, and Nundle himself is a delight.

Equally enjoyable as a prequel or postscript to Progeny, this companion piece could be appreciated by fans of Kaelin's writing or those sampling it for the first time. Humorously nicknamed "The Nundle Bundle" (on the author's website), Merchant is a great addition to the ever expanding world of R.T. Kaelin's Terrene.½

Kaelin's Progeny isn't ground-breaking fantasy. Most of the elements pulled together to make the story are familiar from other authors. For me, that's the appeal of Progeny - it's familiar territory done really well. Kaelin's obviously got a background in epic fantasy, and reminds me of both Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series and Raymond Feist's Magician: Apprentice/Master. His world is well-thought out and avoids one of my bugaboos with fantasy - there's a whole world here, not just a little corner where world-shaking events take place. The characters are well-fleshed out and quite solid, and Kaelin's got a decent sense of pacing and plot. He drew the threads of this widespread story together for a nicely dramatic conclusion. I just hope the sequel doesn't take too long to appear!

Highly recommended for fans of epic fantasy a la 1980s and 90s.½

A new fantasy series and I think it is going to be great. The world Kaelin has built is not simplistic, and does not rely on merely tweaking medieval themes. Of course, Good and Evil are having a contest and there are frail and foolish folks caught in the upheavals but Kaelin has made some very interesting characters with inventive skills and talents. The characters most like humans are also fleshed out with personalities, strengths and weaknesses, friendships and loves. I, as the reader, found I liked and identified with more than one person in this book and I liked that a good deal. Just like Life!

Progeny is the debut novel of a brand new author who visions that this story will take place in a series of books (he's thinking 5 at this time). Fast moving, engrossing and action packed you will find yourself feeling like you are part of the landscape as you follow the characters through a story with much depth.

This is story of a planet (Terrene), several different races, magic, the paranormal and a prophecy by the "gods" involving young adults Nikalys, Kenders and Jak and the race to save and make the world a better place. The story opens with a cataclysmic event that starts our 3 main characters on the journey of a lifetime. As that journey continues we meet many different characters that play a specific purpose throughout the story and have a strong influence on the decisions that Nikalys, Kenders and Jak make.

RT Kaelin has taken the time to think through his storyline, he has created a history and personality for each of the characters and I'm sure as the books are published we will find that each has their own individual story "behind the main story". I found the book to immediately capture my attention since as you know I am a BIG Lord of the Rings fan. I found the author carefully planned out the topography, the language, the poetry, the events and the battles just like Tolkien did and I think that is partly why I loved the book so much - the nice thing about RT Kaelin's writing though is that I didn't have to concentrate as much to keep the events straight, the language used by the writer made it very easy to follow along and wasn't "difficult" like Tolkien's was.

You will find the elves, the dwarves, the longlegs (the race of men), there are the magician's (I took them as warlocks almost), the orcs and the halflings. In addition, Kaelin has added the soulwraiths (similar to the black wraiths mentioned in LOTR), the razor fiends, the demons and bullockboars, One thing that caught my attention is the choices that those on the wrong side and those on the good side make that has an effect on future events for themselves and the world.

I would give this book 5 stars! I personally would suggest this book for young adults 15/16 on up due to the dark nature of the magic and feeling I got of the soulwraiths, demons and warlocks being possessed (you'll see what I mean when you read the book). I am definitely looking forward to Book 2!

I was fortunate to win this book in a first-reads giveaway. Very entertaining epic fantasy. The world-building and system of magic are impressive. The heroes are easy to root for and identify with.

After seeing their village destroyed by an evil mage in a land where magic is outlawed, brother and sister Nikalys and Kenders flee, leaving behind the only life they have known. As they journey towards a fate greater than either of them imagined lay in store for them, they assembly a group of allies to help them avenge what they have lost and begin to prepare for the battle that lies in front of them. Along the way they discover that much of what they thought they knew about their world is wrong and that they have a great destiny.

The siblings and their friends are well written characters that you want to watch grow. Nundle in particular is a highly entertaining individual that I'm looking forward to seeing more of. The world is expansive and lends itself to much further exploration.

The villain of the story is written a little thinly. Openly and exaggeratedly cruel, he simply doesn't have the same character depth as the heroes. Sometimes his over-the-top actions were a little too much to believe and jarred you out of the story for a bit. I have higher hopes, though, for some of the villains that were introduced in this book but that I expect will have a greater role in subsequent novels.

All in all, a very good story that is entertaining in its own right and will leave you curious as to what happens next.

R.T. Kaelin has begun a new phenomenon with his debut book, Progeny. Rarely do we see such work come from a new author. The first in a new series, Progeny promises an exhilirating ride.

After watching the destruction of their entire village, siblings Jak, Nikalys, and Kenders, soon learn that little they accepted as fact was true while myths turn out to be real. Faced with a new reality and a challenge to fulfill their role in a prophecy, the siblings begin a coming of age journey of self-realization.

Kaelin's characters are beautifully rich and well developed, as is the history behind the story and the world which he eloquently creates. The use of magic as energy work brings another dimension to the book, accompanied by subtle nuances and deeper underlying topics. Readers will not be disappointed.

Fans of Tolkien and Paolini will see a wonderful new spin on a fantastical world which leaves the reader anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. While the copy I read still needed some light editing, that fact couldn't detract from the wonderful writing and story woven within.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy was provided by the author.

I very much enjoyed this book. I was interested in the characters, and their plight. Their were moments of intense tension, as well as some giggly silly moments, which were needed for balance. Overall, I would recommend this book to others.

Nikalys and Kenders Isaac have lived a simple life as children of a farmer in the town of Yellow Mud. When a summer day leads them away from their village, they never predicted that it would also save their lives. From a distance, the two witness the magical destruction of their town - including their friends and family - by a mysterious elf and several robed figures. After watching the terrifying encounter, the two siblings flee. Magic has always been outlawed in their home, but even more startling than seeing it destroy their lives is the discovery of unique powers within themselves. Setting out to notify the authorities, Kenders and Nikalys soon cross paths with a giant of a man named Broedi. Possessing the rare talent of shapeshifting, he is a fortunate ally who holds the secrets to their past - as well as their future.

Progeny by R.T. Kaelin is a stunning work of epic fantasy. The story is wonderfully told and full of action and adventure. Along with the Isaac siblings and their large companion, the book is populated with well-developed characters. The story lines are beautifully woven together and each new multi-dimensional hero or villain that is introduced adds a new layer of perspective to the tale. These characters flourish in the the expansive fantasy landscape that Kaelin has created. A single village or kingdom is not enough to contain the story, so the setting is an entire nation with multiple terrains, laws, races, and cultures. Along with a pantheon of gods - good, neutral, and evil - the story refers to seasons, history, education, politics, ancient prophecy, customs, and legends of the land, all of which contribute to bringing the world to life. The universe also contains a richly detailed and unique system of magic. The system is built upon the concept of Strands - nine of them, each with a unique color and property - and those with a gift for magic wield it by weaving together the types of Strands they are able to use. Some users can control multiple types such as fire, air, water; some can only touch a few; others have no knowledge of magic at all; while some can sense it but not use it.

Cleverly conceived and expertly crafted, Kaelin demonstrates great talent as a writer with this work. The grand scale world-building, rarely seen in a debut novel, is on par with current greats of the genre such as Brandon Sanderson and Jim Butcher. Though it nears seven hundred pages long, the epilogue comes far too soon; but the story holds great promise for future adventures in the series. Overall, Progeny is a fantastic book! It is appropriate for young adults or fans of high fantasy of any age. While it does tell a succinct story, it will definitely leave readers eagerly anticipating its sequel!½

This is the coming of age story for Nikalys, Kenders and Jak. Their home and village has been devastatingly ripped apart by an unknown elf, causing them to be orphans. Now they must figure out how to bring this elf to justice, as well as cope with who they are. Kenders discovers that she is capable of using the magic strands, only, that is against the law in their land. They must find help soon, or be caught and possibly accused of the devastation in their village. When they meet a silent and powerful stranger on their journey they must decide whether or not to trust him with their lives. It soon becomes apparent that the evil elf is only the tip of the iceberg and that their whole world is in danger.
That is a short encapsulation of a wonderful tale. R. T. Kaelin has created some of the best characters I've read in a long time. Even the evil beings are well rounded and interesting to read about. His world has depth and history and great creativity. Though he uses some of the standard fantasy population, elves, hobbits and orcs, they quickly have a story of their own, becoming unique to this tale.
The one criticism I have is that the characters spend too much time retelling their story as they meet with new people in the book, but that is easily skimmed. I am in wonder that this is the author's first novel, and I eagerly look forward to the next part of the tale.

The cover on this symbolizes the essence of the story, the White Lions, a select few originally chosen by the gods to defend and maintain balance, fighting evil in its many guises, including those that incarnate (e.g. God of Deception), among many.

From the first chapter I was completely hooked. I was drawn into a community where magic is outlawed, and had just met Nikalys and his sister Kenders, before being immersed into an utterly devastating event for their community, which sees their village being destroyed and the probability of their family having died as a result. Nikalys and Kenders are hurtled into an unknown fate, as they put distance between themselves and the incredibly powerful (but outlawed) magic which they were the witnesses and survivors of.

This novel is a fantasy about family, legacies, strengths, coming of age and also magical powers..."the strands". Anyone who enjoys adventure stories or magical and paranormal I would suggest you give this a try. For me, Progeny is in league with both The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings and far better than Harry Potter - Progeny has a wealth of depth to it that I haven't seen in many books.

Progeny has many layers of stories within its pages, and I found it totally awe inspiring as a read, with each character that is developed really coming to life and adding weight to the story telling. It's hard for me to pick a favorite character to be honest, as they were all of a fantastic quality. We get to see flaws, weaknesses and the loathsomeness in the most evil characters of the plot. The Sun Elf is exceptionally evil and self centered, leaving both chaos and death in his wake, I loved some of his creations which added to his dastardly deeds. Broedi is a strong, relaxed and fairly easy going character who oozes control with a mindset of a protector and true friend. Nundle the Halfling is a joy to read about. I loved the way a character of such small stature could make such a big difference - not only do we get to see him as he rises from being under the thumb of a horrible teacher, we see him in a setting which he deserves to be part of with his magical talents. The progressions of both Nikalys and Kenders if fascinating, alongside that of their friends.

There's also a wealth of villages and backdrops which characters are either from, pass through or end up at, all of which have their own story which we also see and become part of as the story continues. Progeny is well paced, and seamlessly weaves lots of stories and characters without effort or flaw.

My favorite quote from Progeny:
"I feel like an arrow. For thirty-six years, I remained inside a quiver. Now suddenly, I've been shot and am flying through the air, trying to glimpse and grasp everything as it all rushes past."

I thoroughly enjoyed the build up to the last couple of chapters. We are left knowing that there is more to come, so I hope Sabine makes her mind up, and that it's clarified in the next book if Eliza and Aryn Atticus are no longer living - this was hinted at, but not confirmed. I loved the idea of the gods aiding and making pacts behind closed doors on either sides, and I also loved the use of "the strands"...the use of magic...for me reminiscent of a dvd which I adore for its use of T'ai Chi & energy working -The Last Airbender.

For all of its 650+ pages, Progeny is the biggest book I've read for a while - however it is also substantial in content and storyline. I've enjoyed it immensely from start to finish and am really looking forward to whatever happens next - it's sure to be good after the high bar R.T. Kaelin has made with Progeny. A highly recommended read, this is a great story of epic proportions, which I would love to see this as a film. My only question now is...when can we expect the next one?!