Review for "Noble Fool"

"Noble Fool" is the first book in Heath Pfaff's trilogy 'The Hungering Saga.'

A tall creature with wolfish legs and ears stands in the snow a tattered cloak billowing out behind him in the chill wind. A sword sticks out from his side, his stance betraying his eager readiness.
Lowin Fenly is naught but a simple scribe when a Black-eyed Devil, a monster of myth, walks into his library and asks for him by name. Snatched from the safe and comfortable environs of his youth Lowin is thrust into a magical bloodthirsty world he didn't even know existed. He is given the opportunity to become a powerful knight, a force for good, but is he willing to pay the terrible price that goes along with the title?

What I liked:

• Lowin Fenly is an admirable character if a little slow and too easy to trust. His loyalty to the people in his life and the characteristics he values makes him a good hero.
• The premise of the how the Knights of Ethan are made is unique and interesting.
• The inner struggle between Lowin's humanity and the percieved monster he is becoming is poignant.

What I disliked:

• They were countless spelling and proofreading errors scattered throughout the book. The mistakes were easily found and would have been easily correctable by anyone paying attention.
• The writing style consists of methodic and bland statements.
• The pacing is at times entirely too slow and the action lacks excitement.
• While I found the premise of the construction of the Knights of Ethan original there were no surprises in the plot. As such it was hard to get behind Lowin as he blindly stumbled through his world even as I sat at the sidelines going 'Why can't you see, its so easy!'
• There is very little mention of the enemies/creatures for which the entire saga is named after.

I read 'Noble Fool' as part of an omnibus version of 'The Hungering Saga'. I debated for a few days on whether or not to do the review as a singular entry for the entire series or as individuals. As the books are on sale individually, I decided to go the latter route. 'Noble Fool' is available for the Kindle for $3.99. The second and third books in the series are also available for $3.99 each. If you are going to take a chance on this series I would recommend the omnibus version of all three for $6.49. It'll save you some money in the long run which you'll be grateful for. I personally wouldn't have continued the series if it hadn't all been lumped in together and free at the time. You can find out more about the author and his books at www.offoxsmind.com

3 of 5 crowns

Recommended for mature fantasy readers only due to sexual themes and graphic violence.







Synopsis: "A man is not great because he is a good man. A great man can be good, evil, or any shade of gray in between. A great man is a man who sees the world around him, and changes it to suit him, instead of letting it change him to suit itself. Lowin Fenly didn't want to be a hero, and he never thought of being a villain, but sometimes the path that must be walked by great men leads to dark places. Body twisted by dark magic, the scribe-turned-Knight must learn to control the beast he is becoming, or risk losing the few remnants of humanity he clings to."