The Coward
Ratings21
Average rating3.6
Who will take up the mantle and slay the evil in the Frozen North, saving all from death and destruction? Not Kell Kressia, he's done his part... Kell Kressia is a legend, a celebrity, a hero. Aged just seventeen he set out on an epic quest with a band of wizened fighters to slay the Ice Lich and save the world, but only he returned victorious. The Lich was dead, the ice receded and the Five Kingdoms were safe. Ten years have passed Kell lives a quiet farmer's life, while stories about his heroism are told in every tavern across the length and breadth of the land. But now a new terror has arisen in the north. Beyond the frozen circle, north of the Frostrunner clans, something has taken up residence in the Lich's abandoned castle. And the ice is beginning to creep south once more. For the second time, Kell is called upon to take up his famous sword, Slayer, and battle the forces of darkness. But he has a terrible secret that nobody knows. He's not a hero - he was just lucky. Everyone puts their faith in Kell the Legend, but he's a coward who has no intention of risking his life for anyone...
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Series
2 primary booksQuest for Heroes
Quest for Heroes is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2021 with contributions by Stephen Aryan.
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What if the first quest you go on leaves you as the soul survivor? What if you are left emotional scarred? What if you then are forced into a second quest, retreading your first and reliving your fears?
A reluctant hero taking on a quest is a fairly standard Fantasy trope, but this story manages to twist it in an interesting way with this basic premise. Kell Kessia has no interest in being a hero. Having quested to the far North and returned successful, but the only survivor he is content to live out the rest of his life as an anonymous farmer. When the threat he encountered on his first quest re-emerges however, he is brought out of retirement by the King and manipulated into returning to the North. Along the way he picks up various companions who have their own motivations.
The Coward is a fun and lively read, and I devoured it easily. The characters are flawed but generally likeable. The stakes are high enough to keep you engaged. The monsters original enough as well. I am not sure if the side story of what was going on back home added hugely to the story but I kind of get the need to explain some of the quest conclusion. An enjoyable light fantasy read for the most part.
I didn't know what to expect when I purchased this book. The Broken Binding had a special edition of the Quest for Heroes Duology and I love their special editions so I decided to pick this up. I'm really glad I did because not only does the book look fantastic but it also delivers a pretty good time.
This book is all about the characters, PTSD from war and battles, and what it means to be a coward and a hero. As each character gets introduced, I really didn't know what to think and expect about them. But man, the character development and the bond that this group slowly creates is good stuff.
This is a very slowly developing book. There's not a lot of action until near the end as the majority of the book is spent on the journey to their destination. There's some mystery as well that slowly gets revealed by the end. But this one is all about the characters.
There's also a set up for the second book that has me excited to spend more time in this world and with these characters.
