Thran Reborn: Book One of the Thran Chronicles
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Thran Reborn: Book One of the Thran Chronicles |
Karri Watson, Curled up with a Good Book
"Although a good read, Thran Reborn gets bogged down in the fictitious language, and that takes away from the story. The pacing drags in a few places but overall is good. The characters are convincing and the dialogue is well-crafted."
Paul Lappen, Dead Trees Review
"Fans of Robert E. Howard will love this book, for his influence is all over it. Otherwise, it�s a really good dark fantasy story (the first of a series). It has good characters, elves and dwarves, a bit of blood, ancient forces best left alone; in short, it�s got everything a reader needs. Keep an eye on this series; it�s really worth reading."
E. Newman, Kerlak Enterprises
"Thran Reborn is that rare type of story that you can read now, put it away for a while, pull it out later, and read it again just for fun. Solid characters and an easy to follow main story line makes this an excellent read for both novice and experienced fantasy fans. Andalarn Tharn is trying to recover his family's fortunes and positions 500 years after his ancestor Pentar Thran had sacrificed them fulfilling a promise to Telmet allies against the Emperor's wishes. While the saga is rich with new races, magic, and battle scenes, it never loses its main themes of honor regained and political intrigue.
H. David Blalock's well seasoned writing style is thankfully short on filler and rich in content and action. The story pulls you along and leaves you waiting impatiently for the next book in the series. "
Barry Hunter, Baryon Online Magazine
"...Blalock has written an interesting tale of political intrigue, uneasy alliances, and character growth as he lays the framework for future tales in this series... I would compare it to the works of David Eddings and Robert Jordan. It�s well told and enjoyable and I�m looking forward to the next volume of the series"
Pam Bless, Roundtable Reviews
"H. David Blalock has a great story to tell. He is very descriptive and detailed. ...I found it a compelling read and HAD to read to the end to discover the outcome. If you are an avid science fiction and fantasy reader then THRAN REBORN is a book you won't want to miss."
David Hart, SFReader.com
"For a first novel, the writing is very reasonable. Blalock occasionally tries too hard in descriptive paragraphs, but dialogue is fine and the book reads perfectly well. For the most part, characterisation is good; though the actions of some characters are occasionally inconsistent, and the Elder Races possess little sense of 'otherness'. The setting is good, with a reasonable amount of magic and a good selection of geography (which would have benefited from a map). The plot of this book is adequate though far from complex, and has a first-of-several feel. The book could stand alone, but there is clearly more action to come.
Is now the right time to buy this book? That depends in part on your feelings about incomplete series; I'm sure you too have been caught out by potential series that abort, or which fizzle out for one reason or another. Overall though it's a promising first effort."
T.G. Browning, Dark Moon Rising
"...akin to the Riftwar Saga by Feist, mixed up with a little Tolkien, a little Elric perhaps, and quite a bit of something that has to be considered Blalock�s own invention...If you like broad scale action, multiple threads in a plot, and the exploration of a new and different universe, I suggest you consider Thran Reborn and the subsequent books that are in the offing."
Dan Hollifield, Aphelion Webzine
"David has created a great, sweeping history to flesh out the people- both human and non-human -and their cultures in this series of novels. The depth and breadth if his vision is a joy to behold. A truely fun read, with the story compelling, exciting, and full of great characters."
Bill Pottle, author of DreamQuest
"If you are looking for a simple, predictable fantasy book with clear lines between good and evil, go read something else. If you�re looking for a tale of shifting allegiances, veiled motivations, characters that are both good and evil at the same time, and multiple, yet coherent, plotlines, Thran Reborn is a good choice...a powerful debut...definitely an author to watch out for in the future."
Paul Perry, author of A Room in Ueno, Street People, Lost People, and The Ontiveros Street Trilogy
"This fantasy novel is fully deserving of being on the shelves in Barnes and Noble, Borders, and other major bookstores...There�s a degree of professionalism in the writing that only comes from considerable experience, as well as a love of the genre."
Erika Raymer, author of The Mahr, (Dragonrok Comics)
"The most refreshing aspect of Thran Reborn is the reason behind the Kel (elves) and Telmet (dwarves). Though each is preferred in fantasy novels, they seem to serve no other purpose than to remind the reader of the mystical quality of the world they are reading... However, in Thran Reborn the Kel and the Telmet are as much a part of the world as the humans... Non-humans, magic items, and even dragons, or great wurms, all have purpose in Thran Reborn."