The Sword of Truth (Book One) (The Godling Chronicles 1)

After a short introduction this book sucks you deep into the story. Very quickly you find yourself hanging on every word, waiting for the next realization. An amazingly fast-paced page turner with a very strong plot. Gladly anticipating the second book!

This book grabs you from the beginning and drags you to the end! Awesome character development as well as the relationships between them as they journey across their chaotic world. Action and teasing romance has me wanting to read more! Very well written book and cannot wait for its sequel.

I really dislike writting reviews even though some authors are quite inspiring. Reading is one of my favorites forms of entertainment and with the advent ebooks and self published authors, the number of new published books are staggering. It seems the only way to get to the books/authors I like are to leave a review. Most books I read already have well thought out reviews that I generally agree with. In most cases I only leave a review if I either really enjoyed the book or hated it. So, for this particular book I concur with the other five star reviews and leave this review to show support and to encourage timely future books. I thank the author for an affordable good story.

Decent story but it canibalizes so much of the actual good epic stories that have already been written it borders on plagiarism some times. The writing is simple and a bit childish but it moves along. Nice for a quick afternoon read just to escape work or the rain.

really great book. it is really going to kill me to wait for the second in this series. A very fresh take on the "lost child of destiny" idea. Gewey is the perfect good balance between vulnerable youth and the hint of uber power that makes a book enjoyable.

For those of you who think this book is best suited for those from ages 14-17, think again. I am 62 years old and I find this a totally excellent read. It is much the same as other stories in that a young man finds out he is much more than a simple hay farmer, a very capable mentor shows up at just the right time, many faithful allies show up at appropriate intervals..........
But what a well written tale! After being seriously let down by "Fire Mage" by John Forrester, I was hesitant to start another trilogy. Even tho it's not yet a trilogy.
The plot is tightly woven, care is given to introduce you to the characters - finding out who they are and why what's happening to and because of this young man is so important to each one of them. You are happily swept away by the tale as it unfolds and cheer for each member of the quest in their victories and hold your breath when it seems certain that they will fail.
Now for comparisons to Eragon. The young man is named Gewey - sounds an awful lot like the Gedwey Ignasia that makes Eragon more than a dragon rider. Lee Starfinder is Brom, Kaylia is Arya and Dina is Angela. No dwarves yet.
Still, Eragon was a wonderful tale and I've read it more than once. This is a wonderful tale, too and I highly recommend it to all of you who love a good fantasy story.

LOVED IT!!!OK I THINK THIS BOOK NEEDS TO GO ON! -- WAITING FOR THE NEXT ONE TO BE ON SALE, AND HOPE IT COMES SOON. A DIFFERENT SPIN FOR OUR IMAGINATIONS, KEEPS ME GOING BACK TO THEIR ADVENTURE.
IF I CAN FAULT IT AT ALL, IT'S THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK! WANT IT NOW- NOW- NOW!

I have a love/hate relationship with fantasy novels. Once in a while I stumble upon one that will blow my mind away. This is the case with The Godling Chronicles : The Sword of Truth. I knew from the first pages that it would be my kind of fantasy read, one I don't get totally lost and overwhelmed with a different world and its own language. There's no need for a special glossary with this one!

Before going any further, I have to mention that the book is the work of a father and son collaboration. It's safe to say they make an excellent team. Kudos to them!

The book has everything you expect in fantasy : a quest, Gods, elves, danger and of course an unlikely hero. Gewey has always taken care of himself and the farm his father left him after his death. Now he must go on a journey to save the world from the Dark Knight who has stolen the Sword of Truth. Along the way Gewey puts his newly discovered destiny and powers to use but a hero is never alone on his quest. Friends will accompany him on his adventure while enemies are not far behind. Amongst the danger and battles, love will find its way to Gewey and bound his spirit with the one of an unlikely partner. He has his hands full! Oh and did I mention the war and hate between elves and humans? It's far from being an uneventful read!

With characters you're able to connect with and just enough description to paint your very own picture, this first book in the Godling Chronicles series is an entertaining and suspenseful read by a very imaginative author. It left me pleasantly surprised and eagerly anticipating the second book. It even left me wanting to read more fantasy (The Lord of the Rings trilogy is next to me wanting to be read for the first time). The Godling Chronicles promises to be an exciting series for younger readers as well as adults. I encourage you to pick up this book even though it's not your typical read. Like me you might end up enjoying the ride.

4 out of 5 stars

I downloaded this without doing any research other that it was recommended. After a few pages I was wondering if I was reading a children's book; Lo and behold it is a children's book. From my point of view very simplistic with wooden stereotypical characters and settings. I think the book is an adaptation of the beginning of Wheel of Time.

I don't mean to be harsh or unkind. This would be a very good book for kids, tweens, maybe junior-high age peeps. Based on other reviews I bought this for my kindle. It's got very shallow development and is extremely simplistic. I can't find any finer mechanics of plot, story or character development, or even penmanship.

I definitely applaud the young man with whom the story originates, and it's awesome that a father-son team can publish a young person's ideas. Props to them for that. This just wasn't an engaging story for an adult.

This was the first time that I'd brought a book solely based on the reviews on the store.com and but I was sorely disappointed. At first glance it seems like it is going to be a great story. Unfortunately, there is very little character development, any thoughts/feelings that characters have tend to just be blurted out and everything just magically falls into place. I understand that this is a fantasy book but everything happens so easily it is really disappointing. Had it had a tag showing that it was young teen, I would have understood why it was written like this, but to have this as adult epic fiction is a total fallacy.

Brian Anderson is truly a gifted writer! His imagination certainly shines through his words. His descriptions of the characters and their surroundings made me feel as if I were right there tagging along with Gewey, Lee, and Kaylia on their quest. I absolutely could not put the book down! I read it in two days and can't wait for the rest of the series!

Though the basic premise of the story is kind of interesting and a bit new, this is clearly for youths. Everything is black and white, the action and the character development move along at breakneck speed and I don't really feel challenged. I guess I should have read about how this story came to be a bit more carefully. As an adult I'm clearly not the target audience.

I think the story is good, but the telling is pretty brutal primarily because it is just that... telling. Instead of the author painting a picture of how somebody feels he just kind of blurts it out there instead and tells you how the person felt. I.e., if somebody is proud of a student don't just tell us he's proud, tell us a story that shows us he's proud and we'll take the hint. The author also doesn't make the lead character very compelling. The kid is good looking and and faithful, but other than that he tends to be petulant and kind of weird, yet the two women in the story seem to fall in love with him anyway. How do I know this? Not from the story that is being told but because the author tells me that they are falling in love with him. It's pretty lame.

The reality is that I may consider reading another book from this guy because this one seems like a first effort, but I have no idea if that is true and would somebody really use a trilogy as a first effort?? Having said that I won't be buying the 2nd or 3rd books assuming they are as simplistic as this one.

I like the ideas, and enjoy the escape that books like this offer. But it's not very well written, and the characters are all annoying. Their emotions are extreme, and they have no depth to them. The plot itself is equally simple. I cannot recommend this book.

I've never felt the need to comment on a book before, but I found this book was lacking and I was mislead by the reviews. The book comes across as the outline of a good story, but it has no depth. The characters are all one dimensional. There is little character development and everyone is black or white, all good or all bad. Their actions and thoughts are concrete with no nuance. The plot has promise, but everything just falls nicely into place along the way with no great intrigue. It's been a long time since I had to force myself to finish a book just hoping it might surprise me. It didn't even try.

I was blown away by this book. I expected it to be good, after reading the reviews and recommendations. What I didn't expect was the beginning of a series that would rival my lust for Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. This is an extremely well done piece of writing with an inventive plot and an interesting take on what would otherwise be a relatively cliche concept: elves and humans, unlikely hero etc. The dialog is intriguing and the characters are rich. Anderson is a writer to watch.

I want to like this book, I really do.
The storyline is good, with a moderate range of characters. A few plot twists, and ample room for several more installments in the series. But because of all the grammatical errors it comes off as a poor shadow of "professional" writing.
Very disappointed.

I have been reading science fiction and fantasy novels since Tolkien in the 7th grade and this is the only book I have ever picked up that I haven't been able to finish. My tastes run the gambit and I usually finish a book a week; I tried to finish reading this three times and I just can't force myself through the torture.

The characters are one dimensional and the reasons that they give for their actions sound exactly like the reasons a 12 yr old boy would give for doing things. The plot is so thin it's almost non existent. Whichever reviewer compared this to Game of Thrones is either out of their mind or a family member of the author.

Fantast with action, suspense, elven nature "magic", travel across a well imafined and described world.that is comolex but easy to visualize,& for those who want it- even a love story. (Not a/the main storyline) The collaboration of father and aon authors has produced a work that is complex.and involved- not distracted by too many tangents and side stories, but full of depths that increase as the book goes on. The world building and character evolution all make for a cohesive, action packed, interesting read that doea manage twists and aurpriaes that keep the reader engaged.

A HUGE complaint. A central character's name is GEWEY!! I.have to read it ocer and over thonking Gooey. What is this?! Is it really pronounced pronoinced Gooey? If not where is the explanation. There are plenty if ubtereating yet readable names and the most central character has this ridiculoua and annoying name that is everywhere. /ugh. Extremely distracting, silly, and very irritating. Hard to to overlook this disaster.

I recommend this book and series heartily to YA- adult fantasy readers, including milary fantasy wnthusiasta as the books progress. Great characters, action, adventure, conflict, and surprises for the reader- in a well constructed world.

First thoughts about the cover of The Godling Chronicles: The Sword of Truth, Book 1? Dark, ominous, haunting. That horse looks possessed and that rider looks like something out of a nightmare. His armor makes me think of a dark night from days long past. Digging the creepy vibe.

The main character in this book is Dewey Stedding. He’s seventeen, but he looks like he’s in his mid-twenties. He’s also built like a hoss. Big, strong, sturdy. Sometimes he’s impatient and to inquisitive for his own good, but I think that’s a side affect of being a teenager. He’s also a god raised as a man and is earth bound. He didn’t know this till recently though.

This story makes me think of Hercules in a way. Except, Dewey is full god raised as a man rather than a half god. Think of it as if Hades had won already and the world is going dark. Then comes in a teenage Dewey that is supposed to save the world. He’s being trained by half man-god, a servant, and an elf. It’s all very interesting. I dig the fights scenes and when they’re training Dewey. It’s very well read.

The Narrator is Derek Perkins. I enjoyed his natural accent and his accents for the characters helped bring the story to life for me. They were very distinct and different. I didn’t have any confusions of what was going on or who was speaking each time. I did get a huge kick out of how he pronounced different words though. I think that has to do more with his natural accent. The author is Brian D. Anderson. This book is twelve hours and fifty-five minutes long.

Warning – There are a some fight scenes in this book, some death, some blood, and some scenes that are not close to being PG13. Recommended age group, in my opinion, is sixteen and up.

This book left me wondering about people from different cultures and their gods. It makes me curious about their beliefs and their different stories and histories. What makes each of these groups different than those that I know? There are always common things to tie all of them together. Those ties bring us together. They make us who we are, they make us human. What more can we ask for?

Audiobook provided for for review by the publisher.

Please find this complete review and many others at audiobookreviewer dot com

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Gewey has always been a God, only he didn't know it. Found by Lee Starfinder, who is a half-god, when Gewey was only infant; He was raised as a man by a simple farmer. An ominous Enemy known as the Dark Knight has stolen the Sword of Truth, thus putting the world in danger and the young God is the key to victory. Though it's a fairly unoriginal story, it's engaging and the storytelling is very good. I really enjoyed the story and where it was going. It's sort of a blend between Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth, and the Hercules mythos.

I'm a fan of Derek Perkins, the performer for this novel. I've enjoyed all the works I heard by him, his voice fits the genre very well. There's never any echoes or background noise, and he very well spoken and easy to understand. Look very much forward to hearing more from the man.

It's a shame book 2 isn't included in the store Unlimited or their Whispersync service, if it were, I would go on to book 2. However, the ubrupt ending, or lack thereof, ruined what was a great book. I am an avid believer that every book should have a complete story and conclusion. This book left a brutal cliffhanger, leaving me with no satisfaction or closure whatsoever.

I will note, they now have an Omnibus edition on Audible that includes books 1-3 that may be of better value, and with less open ended frustration. If you are a fan of Fantasy, I say grab it if only for Perkins' performance.

This is a plain-text only version of the review, and as such you cannot see the links or formatting. To view the formatted version, please visit my blog, Now is Gone, a link to which is in my profile.

Book Info: Genre: Epic Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Fans of Epic Fantasy, those who enjoyed stories like the Chronicles of Prydain, stories about the fight between good and evil
Trigger Warnings: murder, violence

My Thoughts: I used to read a lot of epic fantasy, sword and sorcery, all that sort of thing, but in recent years my tastes have turned more toward urban fantasy. Still, it's fun to read one of these once in awhile.

The editing was pretty bad, honestly. Lots of the wrong homonyms being used (passed for past, bare for bear and so forth) and extra words, missing words, randomly added or missed punctuation. But if you're willing to look past that, the story is enjoyable enough. It certainly held my attention!

In the end, I found it to be a quick and enjoyable read, and if you're able to ignore the problems with the editing and enjoy epic fantasy, stories about the ultimate fight between good and evil for the ultimate survival of the entire world, you should enjoy this book. I found it somewhat reminiscent of the Chronicles of Prydain, at least at a certain level, with the farm boy going out into the world to fight evil. A lot of fun, and a series I want to finish. I believe I'll be asking if I can't have a review copy of the third book as well!

Series Information: The Sword of Truth is book one in the Godling Chronicles.
Book 2: Of Gods and Elves (or find it on the store here), to be reviewed next
Book 3: The Shadow of Gods (or find it on the store here), just released, I do not have

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Great Minds Think Aloud Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I am doing the review now in conjunction with a blog tour set up by JKS Communications. All opinions are my own.
Also, see this author's guest post on my blog, linked here (where formatting allowed).

Synopsis: It has been five hundred years since the Great War between Elf and Human ripped the world apart, and the Dark Knight of Angrääl has stolen the Sword of Truth. With it, he has trapped the Gods in heaven. If left unchallenged he will kill the Gods and reshape the world into an unimaginable hell. The only hope for all of creation is a boy named Gewey Stedding, the only being born from the union of two Gods. Aided by Lee Starfinder, the son of Saraf, God of the Sea, and a mortal woman, he must discover the true nature of his power. However, this will not be easy. He is bound to the earth a mortal man, and in many ways is very human. When Kaylia, a young elf woman, joins their party, Gewey discovers that perils of the heart can be as treacherous as any sword. Gewey, Lee, Kaylia and other friends they meet on their journey, must battle the Dark Knight, find a way to heal the hatred between elf and man, and restore heaven itself.

I'll start out with mentioning that I will not read any more of this series. There are many flaws with this book but I will focus on the three that can't be forgiven.

First of all, the characters were an utter disaster. There was no steady exploration of who they are, what they believe or any actual attempt to make them real. Instead, we have soulless caricatures of typical idealized fantasy archetypes. Each sudden bit of character development that occurred seemed contradictory and disjointed. I was not impressed, to say the least.

I don't mind simple plots but the revelations that are supposed to bring us into the story or teach us about this world were treated very carelessly. Each new development basically came out of left field with no believability and no adequate treatment.

The writing itself was the worst part. Instead of artistry, it was an onslaught of rapid fire, matter-of-fact monotony. Where one or two sparse sentences were written, an entire page could have been used to properly convey the scene. The dialog lacked depth and realism, harshly reminding me that this is an authored work, not an actual conversation between completely different people. It all felt rushed, poorly executed and unpolished.

Before reading this book, I did not know anything about the author(s). Knowing the son's role in this now, a lot becomes clearer. It really does read like a made-up-as-you-go-along story my kids would come up with. The author and his son probably had a great time working on this together. Unfortunately, I just do not feel there's anything worthwhile in it for anyone else.

This has to be one of the most exciting YA Fantasy novels I've ever read.

It was well paced, action-packed and just an all round delightful read. The characters were all enjoyable and it was fun to see their interaction with each other. I particularly loved Kaylia. She kicks butt while being graceful and beautiful at the same time. I really wanted to learn as much as I could about her elven heritage.

The story revolves around a few brave souls who set out to stop and destroy the darkness that threatens to take over the world after The Sword of Truth falls into the wrong hands. Gewey, the not so obvious hero, given that he's only seventeen and a farm boy, learns that his life is anything but normal and he is anything but a commoner. With the guidance of Lee and his new found friends, Gewey, develops into a mature, strong character. And for all the romantics out there, the beautiful romance that blossoms within the pages of this book gives new meaning to "soul mates".

There are quite a few twists within the plot of this book that kept me enthralled, and when I got to the last page I didn't want it to end, especially with such a cliffhanger! Book two is at the top of my TBR pile as I have to know what happens to Gewey and Kaylia.

Even though this book has been labeled at YA Fantasy, I think it will reach into the soul of readers of all ages, especially readers of Epic Fantasy novels, who will love this book with its mystery and magic.

Read a previous series of books by this author which were very entertaining, so I decided to try another series by the same. Big mistake. I felt I was reading the same series all over again, but with just the characters' names changed and some changes to detail on their back story. Boiler plate. Annoying and disappointing. The author is a good writer. Could have done much better.

This isn’t the worst book in the world. That said, it could be a lot better. The characters lack depth. The come across more as immature adolescents than anything. The continually demonstrate poor judgement and seem to come to the most irrational conclusions when faced with various scenarios. The dialogue is pretty stale as well. All in all interesting story. Just lacks depth.

Brian D. Anderson
The Sword of Truth
The Godling Chronicles #1

A great read, this book is well written and very descriptive. Although not all original concepts, there are enough unique twists that the reader doesn't feel like they've seen it all before. An interesting mix of characters, they blend well together and show great development as the story continues.

Its fast paced, has plenty of action and will keep you gripped as they all come to terms with who they are and what they have to do to save the world.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The main reason I'm continuing to read this series is that I find some of the characters likeable and their adventures intriguing. The story is fast-paced and exciting.
The reason I can't give it a higher rating is the name of the central character. Gewey? The first thing that came to mind when I read this name was 'hick'. It is an awful name with no dignity whatsoever. It is totally inappropriate for a heroic, allegedly divine figure. How do you pronounce it, for one thing? The most natural pronunciation is 'gooey', and that reminds me of a one-year-old child immersing her hands in the chocolate icing of her birthday cake and smearing it all over her face, thereby earning the nickname 'Gooey'. How can anybody take someone so named seriously? I'm surprised that no one else has picked up on this.
Another gripe is that characters or groups of characters are sent off on seemingly irrelevant, random journeys that only serve to endanger their lives and put central mission of the story in jeopardy.
I do admire the author for creating a well-rounded cast of characters that includes young and older people, elf and human, and the respect these characters show for one another, especially the old woman priestess.

Anderson has done a great job creating a setting for the next books in his godling chronicles. I enjoyed the characters and the events through the book. The pace was good, it was a page turner! There are a few surprises along the way and I most enjoyed an different take on elf and human relations from most fantasy worlds.

I really enjoyed this first book. It is a very interesting concept of Gods and Elves. It takes a series like Percy Jackson and mixes it with Lord of the Rings. The concept is great, the main character is a bit dumb, but what main character isn't in Epic Fantasy? The elves are unique and the adventure is fast paced. It is quite a fun read. I recommend for teens to adults.

I've read some good debut fantasy recently and based on the interesting start to this book I was expecting a lot. Unfortunately it failed to live up to my expectations.

The characters are cliched archetypes and all fit into the old school hero or villain camp, there's no subtlety in any of them and there are definitely no interesting anti-heroes. I wondered if this was because the author was writing this for his son and maybe its actually aimed at a young audience.

What plot there is I found plodding and boring. The few bits of action are quickly glossed over as if the author is embarrassed by them, and we then quickly move back onto the slow uninteresting dialogue that makes up the bulk of the book.

It also seems to need a good edit to help improve the writing. I'm not speaking of typos here, its more that the the writing is lumpen and stodgy and so the book doesn't have any real flow. There's also silly things like you have a few characters walking into a room and starting a discussion then suddenly some other characters talking, which just leaves you wondering where they came from.

The overall story also failed to interest me, it was basically just a side quest from some bad RPG computer game, this could just be because its the first book in a series but it was still a let down.

Two final things. The love stories are truly awful and as I got further through the book I skipped those sections. The main characters progression also isn't handled at all well, he seems to progress in fits and starts, without much explanation for why.

There's probably a lot more I could say but I don't know if its worth continuing so I'm going to give up here and say that its not a book I'd recommend.

I generally don't like series with so many books, but once I begin a new book I can't put it down. Mr. Anderson's characters come alive and are so well developed. I'm on my third book and have to force myself to put the book down and get other things done. These books are quite intense and interesting

Lately, I have downloaded several books (many of them on the NY Times Best Seller List) and been so bored that I could not force myself to finish them. In fact, several of them were deleted from my kindle after reading only the first two chapters because I knew I would never take the time to finish them. That was NOT the case with the Godling Chronicles. I admit, I am a bit of an adventure fan whether it is elves or Knights, I am drawn to intriguing covers that pique my interest. Once into the first chapter, I knew I was not going to be able to stop reading. I wanted to take my kindle and read on my lunch and breaks at work. I read it two evenings. Coming from someone who can be easily distracted when the story is lacking, I am here to tell you this did not happen with this book. If you don't read it, you will never know what you are missing, and sadly you would be missing a lot!

The Godling Chronicles - The Sword of Truth; familiar genre, and yes, familiar elements, but put together in a delightful way that means it appeals to a wide range of readers. Too many authors have to compete in this class of story, and many of them resort to over-complicating by overt, and unnecessary sexualisation, or violence which is prolonged, and often sadistic, to draw readers.

In a day and age when our children start acting out their video games, or emulating protagonists in nastier ways, this author hasn't succumbed to cheap artifice to tell his tale. It is told in an engaging way, in which the younger readers can grow and mature with the 'hero', Gewey, and older readers like me can turn the pages without skipping paragraphs, or even chapters, because of undesirable elements.

I am proud to recommend this to friends who want a story told in a traditional sense - for the sheer enjoyment.

Enjoyed the plot, good characterizations. Needs better editing, better grammar, not quite so many words to say the same thing...or just fill up space. Sometimes repetitive, hahaha. Happy it is a series and I dont have to go hunting for something to read.

Super good mix of mythologies, actions and characters. At times it seems too easy for the heroes but I quite enjoyed the whole book and just got the next one. If you want an awesome, easy to read fantasy novel this is it.

Probably more for young adults.
A young farmer finds out he is really a god, meets a half god and is joined by an elf and a half elf/human as they go on a quest to save the world from the dark knight who has stolen the sword of truth....
Their adventures are fun and exciting, but the characters are a bit too one dimensional to make the story truly come alive.
Still, very entertaining!

I liked the first book, though having the title as "The Sword of Truth" made me instantly think about Terry Goodkind's series. The characters and world created are engaging and believable, though the pacing and intensity of the scenes seem a little quick for an epic fantasy quest. Upon completion of this book, I am very tempted to purchase book 2 - but a little hesitant since the author says there will be 4-5 books in the series. I'm not sure I want to have to wait 2-6 years for books 3-5 to get written, because I will have forgotten what happened in the previous books. Maybe I'll wait until book 3 is out, then at least I can read them one after the other.

What a terrific book. And to think there are more, how tantalizing.
Great story,wonderful character & plenty of thrills & surprises.
Good vs evil with Gods,half Gods,Elves, magic & much more!

ok look...im no scholar but this book went far and beyond what i expected! some consider this of the fantasy and magic genre but it reads and flows like something that should have its own genre.
Its overflowing w action-suspense-magic and plot development.
but what sets it apart from so many others is the level of polish of it. its a fine tuned easy read. and for $1!!!
i HAVE to get #2 now....and i mean NOW.

This book is great. It is different than some of the other books I read such as books from R.A Salvatore, it has a bit less violence and combat but makes up for it with more story driven moments and emotional content.

What an amazing tale! After reading the reviews, I kind of expected this book to be good, but I didn't expect it to be THIS good! Anderson and his son have woven a story of suspense, fantasy, and action that kept me turning the pages eagerly!

The characters really captured me from the start. Gewey and his friends each had their own story, their own reasons for being in the group, and they strayed away from the Mary Sues and Gary Stus you see all over the place these days. And I'm kind of a little infatuated with Gewey and Kaylia. :) Love the two of them and how they interact with one another!

The plot got a bit slow in a few places and I need to admit that I kind of got bored with the repetition that came with their journey, but Anderson had a habit of pulling me back in with one little detail that sent my mind reeling in circles. The suspense was perfectly written, giving me enough to suspect treachery, but not so much to give everything away and ruin the surprise.

On top of all this, the world of The Godling Chronicles is so unique! It's all mapped out in a complex universe with several different races of beings - from humans to elves to half-men - and there's still so much about this world I'm yearning to understand!

Can't wait for the second one! :)

As one reviewer stated the first book does end rather abruptly and if I had to wait for book two, I would be very disappointed. However with that said, I find the story very entertaining and will read book two immediately.

the godlings, sword of truth is a promising start to a series i hope to continue reading. the story is an average fantasy series, with a hero and friends go to destroy an evil king, knight, evil creature or whatever the author may dream up. but this story is very well told, and has a nice twist with the characters, and there seems to be much more to build on and more loose ends to connect between all the characters. this book is a great book for fantasy fans, or people interested in reading a book and being immersed in an interesting world.

This is a Great series, I have read hundreds of books, I live reading on my kindle and I can name 4 series that I found to be the best books I have ever read. This is of those books, It is worth more than he is asking, It has a great story and engaging characters. I will continue to support this series. I am now waiting on book 4 and cant wait. Keep Up the great work Mr. Anderson

I read the reviews stating that this book was just another poor farm boy turned supernatural hero, but I think there are several major variations from the norm that make this story stand out. Fans of the Inheritance series will no doubt see many similarities, but ultimately, if you enjoyed that this series you will probably enjoy this one as well. I just finished the second book, and can hardly wait to start the third.

A tale weaved in magic, where light and dark must fight, battling for what they believe in right.

This tale has all the ingredients of a fantasy that hooks the reader from the start, where the reader can revel in the tapestry of enchantment and ride along with the characters in anticipation.

I don't give spoilers, but will say that this book is worth reading, especially for those who enjoy lands of the imagination.

This is a great story, it pulled me in and held me to the end. I could not put it down, I have to finish all the books in this series just got my head stuck the way some people get with movies. I have always been a book person and I couldn't be happier with this story it was definitely not a waste of time or imagination. 10 stars to the author, I look forward to more great reed's from you.

I have read a lot of this author. The stories are interesting and easy to read with relatable characters. This author has easily become one of my favorites. However, it did take a minute to get use to the heroes name!! lol

This debut novel by Brian D. Anderson, which was inspired and conceived by his 8 year old son Jonathan, grabbed me from the beginning and pulled me into a fantastical world populated by elves, humans and gods. I traveled with the main characters Gewey, Lee and the adorably mysterious elf Kaylia on a traveling quest to learn more about the world around them and to develop Gewey's powers, which will be needed to defeat the Dark Knight.

The author's skills at character development, descriptions of place and action scenes parallels and stands up and shines with other stories in this genre. I was most intrigued and very interested in Kaylia's story and the culture of the elves and how for 500 years humans and elves made a decision not to co-exist. In this story the barriers between the humans and elves begins to crumble as they learn more and more about each other and love even begins to blossom between them.

Without giving away too much of the story, when a "declaration" is made to an elfin woman, she becomes devoted and "spiritually bonded" to the one making the declaration. It is more than a conscious decision. It is embedded into who and what they are as elves- but it doesn't always come without peril.

The story is filled with adventure, mystery and love and I highly recommend this book and the ones that will follow Book One.

I would give it five stars, but you can tell the whole book is a lead up to the rest of the series which isn't a bad thing. But to purposefully hold back for later installments doesn't sit well with me.

Normally this is not the genre that I like. Having heard so many wonderful things about it, I decided to read it and see what all the excitement was about. I opened the book at midnight a couple of nights ago, figuring I would read a chapter or two and pick it back up in the morning. Seven hours later I was finished reading and realized that I was completely sucked into the story.

I fell in love with the characters and found myself rooting for Gewey right from the beginning. It is plain to see that Brian and his son are very talented. I look forward to reading the rest of the story in the next book. I found myself aggrivated at the end, because I wanted to know what happened now.

My poor family suffered through my experience as I made sure everyone knew what was happening as I read the story. I felt like I was inside of the story traveling right along with them. Each fight they endured, I suffered the same pain and my whole neighborhood probably knew it. When I first began reading it my husband was just going to bed. He asked me three times, when I would be joining him. Each time I told him, "hang on let me just finish this chapter." Needless to say, I went to bed when he was getting up. Sorry honey!

I loved this book, the friendship that develops between Gewey's party is wonderful. I literally felt like I was walking right along with them. I will be recommending this book to anyone that will listen to me go on and on and on about it.

This was an awesome beginning to what I believe to be an awesome series. The plot, the speed of the story, the development of the characters, everything fit so perfectly I thought I was reading a classical fantasy work. It was an epic book I could not put it down.

Fun read, with the traditional quest to stop the evil overlord from taking over everything, which is on of my favorite types of plots. Mr. Anderson does an admirable job breathing some new life into this type of book, with strong character and world building, good pacing, and some nice plot twists. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good fantasy novel.

"I still don't understand," said Gewey. "If I'm a god, then why do I seem so human?"

This young-adult novel presents the coming of age of Gewey Stedding. Young readers new to the fantasy genre will enjoy the exploits and growth of his character; these "human" readers may even question whether or not they have their own hidden potential (and awesome mentors ready to help them).

Anderson's emphasis on character development keeps this interesting. The pacing is appropriately fast for the intended audience, and readers will experience what has become standard fare in the genre (elves, lots of travelling and inns, spooky forests, etc.).

Veteran readers will shrug at the lack of originality, but the storytelling is done well. The foreshadowing of the Dark Knight's power is effective though sparse; being biased toward liking horror elements, I was left hungry for more raising of the dead! Plenty of conflict keeps Gewey and his party busy, but most is not from the antagonist; with peril at every turn, the primary destination of their travel and the conflict gets obscured. Ultimately, the conflict remains "Gewey vs. Peril." As a leading book in a series, it successfully gets the reader attached to Gewey and anxious to delve into the sequel.

I wasn't impressed when I first started this story. The writing was mediocre and the plot was cheesy. The further along I got the more interested I became. While the writing wasn't amazing, there was nothing blaringly wrong with it. My biggest problem with the writing was that I felt there was too much dialogue.

I liked the overall plot and I'm a bit curious to see where the story will go. There are a few cheesy moments and fantasy clichés, but it was still interesting enough to read. The romance, for example, was so typical and mushy that I'm not sure how I feel about it.

The characters were okay. Most I didn't like and there were many instances when I felt they were too similar. I feel like the characters weren't flushed out enough to stand out or be unique. I was also confused as to why he had unique names like Kaylia, Millet, etc and then had others like the Dark Knight and the Sword of Truth.

I'm not sure if I'll continue the series. I'm curious but I don't feel like the story held my interest enough.

I'm an avid fantasy reader and picked up this book, hoping to discover a new author. I only learned that this book was written by a father expanding the ideas of his son after I finished the book and prepared to write this review. That the original story idea comes from a twelve year old explains much of what I find at fault. It is wonderful when fathers and sons are close, and from the perspective of how to live a good family life the joint writing of father and son is certainly a commendable undertaking. But the love of a father for his son is no reason to overstylize him into a "storytelling genius" and publish his childish fantasies in a professional publication. Reading this book not as a loving father but as a reader expecting a well-crafted book, my experience was that:

The farther I got into this book, the more it annoyed me.

The protagonist, 17 year old Gewey, is suddenly torn from his village life and must learn to be a warrior. Quite obviously he is unskilled and ignorant in this area at the outset of the story. One would expect a somewhat intelligent teenager to understand his own inexperience and defer to his teachers, especially in situations of mortal danger. But Gewey constantly complains that he is "not taken serious" by those with decades of combat esperience. His I-know-better attitude and constant whining make him appear stupid, selfish and unlikeable, and not a protagonist I care about.

Many, many pages of this book are spent detailing Gewey's physical and mental combat training. Unfortunately, the author clearly has no fighting experience, and his idea of how these skills can be acquired are as foolish and simplistic as the self-aggrandization of his protagonist. Writers should write what they know, or research what they don't, not make up knowledge they don't have. Apparently this author chose to employ his (or his son's) creativity, and as a result Gewey's training appears ridiculous and, in its pseudo-wisdom, irritating.

Like Gewey, all other characters are shallow and one-dimensional. They are like personifications of single traits: the honorable and stern warrior, the bickering elder nun, the serious and loyal servant, the distrusting graceful elf, and so on. These aren't characters from a contemporary novel, but figures from a medieval morality play, that churns on with wooden inevitability. As a modern reader I cannot identify with these cardboard cutouts, and their fate does not touch me.

Events seem to follow no discernible inner coherence but happen at random, with no other purpose than to fulfill the fantasy sterotype. For example, [spoiler alert] Lee tells Gewey they must immediately flee from the village, because the Dark Knight might find Gewey there. Shortly after they have left, they notice they are being followed. After a few days of evading this "hunter", they learn that it is in fact Lee's servant Millet. And with that the danger suddenly and completely disappears from the narrative. No one is following them, and the "danger" was nothing but a meaningless narrative device. Where the companions in The Lord of the Rings are hunted from their outset to their story's end by their enemies, Lee and Gewey are in no danger at all, if they don't put themselves in it out of stupidity.

Like for example, when they let Gewey, whom they try everything to protect (this is the premise driving the whole plot, after all!), go on his own with a person they distrust, for no other reason than Gewey (did I mention that he has no experience of the world and is trustful to the point of idiocy?) wants to be allowed to make decisions on his own. Not surprising, that person immediately abducts Gewey and orders his companions to be killed. I mean, really? If that is how they "protect" Gewey, they might as well have stayed in the village right away. And in fact there was no reason to leave, at all.

Because Gewey is in danger from the Dark Knight coming to get him. So all depends on that the Knight does not learn Gewey's whereabouts. He could learn it by entering his mind. How does getting on the road change that? It doesn't. The Knight can or cannot enter Gewey's mind independent of where Gewey is. So Lee could have trained Gewey's mind just as well at home as he does on the road. He could have prepared him for the dangers of the journey and undertaken it once Gewey was ready. And actually Lee could have trained Gewey long before the danger of the Dark Knight learning Gewey's whereabouts even existed. After all he had been living near Gewey and knowing everything about him for 17 years. Why didn't he train him during that long time? Especially since he himself caused the danger by giving Gewey a letter from his father. Lee could have withheld that letter long enought to train Gewey first. They could have even taken the journey to their goal, before Lee gave Gewey that letter and made the dark knight aware of Gewey. In short, there was no danger except that which the characters created for themselves in their stupidity, and that is true for every single event in this book. Where great fantasy novels have an outside force that invades the life of its protagonist(s), this book has protagonists that are too stupid to stay out of danger.

And they bear ridiculous names! Gewey (pronounce "GUI", graphical user interface). The young and beautiful Dina carries a name that where I live feels old-fashioned and is carried by grandmothers. But worst are the elves. Linis reminds me of Linus from the Peanuts, and Prustos sounds like the Greek version of French author Proust. And the names of Santisos and his pals make them feel like Italian renaissance courtiers, which, actually, perfectly fits their club going city life (yes, the elves in this book enjoy the big city night life of designer bars). The urban fantasy elves in this high fantasy novel are at odds with the books premise and setting.

All in all, this novel feels like it was written by a twelve year old. Maybe, like Gewey, this author should have trained a bit more before undertaking the journey. Personally, I won't be reading any other book by him or his father, I was too disappointed by this one.

Book exchanged for an honest review:I wasn't sure what I expected when starting to read this book. Fantasy genre is a favorite of mine and always looking out for new authors that can give me my fantasy fix. I'm completely blown away by this author's first book in a series. The story isn't your typical fantasy epic yet draws you in like one of George R.R. Martin. I don't give this praise lightly either. Quite honestly I can't write my usual kind of review because I'm afraid that I'd give too much to story away and spoil someone else's enjoyment of this book. I don't like it when people do it to me, so I won't do it to someone else. The many things that you find in fantasy epics include great battle between good and evil, unlikely heroes, willingness to help, and finding the power within yourself to move forward. These are the great qualities in an epic fantasy novel that keep me coming back to this genre time and again.

Best part about this book is that it's creation is owed completely to author's son. This became father-son bonding time. What a wonderful way to encourage creativity and make plenty of memories along the way too. I look forward to the next adventure this dynamic duo creates. Until then happy reading.

Brian D. Anderson has created a story that stands firm and resolute on its own. 'The Godling Chronicles' outshines every fantasy novel I've read in a long, long time. Each Character has been superbly crafted that their likeability happens swift in the reader's mind. Great character building, Brian. This is an enduring novel for all ages. I started 'The Godling Chronicles' in the beginning of the week and became so wrapped up in the powerful storytelling that I found I couldn't stop and finished it feeling invigorated by Friday. Suspenseful and full of great imagery, I recommend this read to everyone. It will draw you in as only a few books can.

I heard so much about this book and from the first word or sentence I was hooked as a reader, it had the excitement and suspense etched in the first paragraph about the dark knight and what he was about to face, his worst nightmare. But first he had to go over the obstacles that stood in his way. He is apprehensive but courageous, not letting fear stand in the way and the author had him jumping from column to column to conclude at a mysterious platform with stairs leading up to where? He gathers his wits and ignores his gashes from the journey he travelled to arrive at his destiny and claimed his prize, the valuable Sword of Truth, ready, easy pickings yet there is someone or something thing that stands in his way for the final victory.

It was the White Knight, this reader's heart was racing and laughed for now the story was to become more entertaining as the two dark vs. light fought for the Sword of Truth and so much more.

Two brothers, one of dark and the other of light are in combat fighting for what they believe, one for truth and another for revenge against the light who punished him and stole away what was rightfully his and he was insane with jealous and nothing would stand in his way, even his once beloved brother and the battle had begun.

The author switches back to a village and a young lad bringing hay to a small village, Sharpstone down on their luck and starving. They are relieved to see this lad coming with his goods. Gewey Stedding lost his mother at a young age and then his father at fifteen and left to fend, became a hay merchant and was 17 years and a woman's dream mate, 6' 2' black wavy hair, this reader swoons at his good and handsome nature, helped all villagers for free, since economic times were harsh.
The dark times had invaded the village for 6 plus years and everyone was suffering through it.

Gewey was an orphan and an old friend of his father had a secret and gave it to him when he started on his travels back to his farm. This reader knew from glimpses this was going to be a heart wrenching life transforming secret and now Gewey was faced with his destiny and the events started to get more suspenseful as he is placed in his pre-destined role of being blessed and to become a hero, saving the world from the Dark Knight.

In the author's words: from a letter from his departed father:

"and your mother left the room to put you down, he told me that you were special, and that the gods had blessed you with a great destiny. At first, I thought he was playing a joke, but the look in his eyes told me otherwise. When I asked him how he knew this, he waved me off and said that eventually it would be revealed. The man has always been somewhat of a mystery, but I believe he's right."

The departed father spoke about Lee Starfinder, the story was lee took refuge in a temple with his mother until he became bored with the temple life and was called into service as a Lord Duke's servant and his destiny was to crossed paths with the man who became the baby Gewey adopted father, and the authors goes on with their story about the young man at the age of 17 and his mentor Star Leefinder who came back into the young lad's life and how each crossed paths with other colourful characters as they are running from the Dark Knight and his henchmen.

They journey to temples to locate the answers to defeat the dark knight, locate the Sword of Truth and unraveled the mystery of the secret treasure. Along their journey they met up with friends and foes not certain who to trust, they helped or hinder Gewey and the others along their pre-destined mission as it unfolding and defeating the evil that was claiming the lands and temples. He had conflicting thoughts about the spirits, the supernatural creatures and his purpose of protecting the world.

He and Gewey and the others are the major catalysts in the future destiny of saving humanity and unlocking the doorway to heaven and bring peace back to a broken unity between elves and humanity.

The authors have a poetic style of relating this tale and this reader was enthralled by all the hidden messages woven into this fable. In between tales of how darkness crept across and corrupted the world and The Sword of Truth was the key as was the secret treasure to be taken back from the Dark Knight and replaced back to its rightful position and the treasure unlocked for all to be balance equally in the universe once again.

The tribe of Gewey, Lee and the Elf and the servant Millet and others all travelled to temple to temple to escape their pursuers of the dark, except they are blinded by others deception and placed in tricky situations. They do not know who their friends are and who are the secret agents working for the Dark Knight.

They met some shady characters along the way and were placed into dangerous circumstances and will have to use all their talents and gifts to escape them and be one step ahead of the evil claiming their lives and the world they existed in. Will they survive? Wii they located the Sword of Truth and the secret treasure unlocked and finally defeat the Dark Knight before he claims the earth as his kingdom, you will have to read this suspenseful story by a father and son team. Their creativity of intertwining many fables and faiths together pique this reader's curiosity to continue to read the next book planning to be published in the near future.

The Sword of Truth is the first book of The Godling Chronicles by Brian Anderson. This book has a riveting plot, great character development and beautifully written Fantasy characters.

The story starts out with Gewey Stedding, a boy who was orphaned at the age of 15 when his father passed. Gewey took over the family farm and after some resistance from the community, proved he was man enough to take care of the land. Harvests were impeded by the encroaching darkness that was befalling the land, but Gewey was able to hold his own.

While making the usual delivery into town, Gewey was confronted with a resident claiming to see his dead wife up and walking through the square. After putting the issue to rest as unfounded, the local lord Starfinder presented Gewey with a letter written years ago by his father. After reading it he had a nightmare with two voices trying to convince him what to do next.

Lord Starfinder informed Gewey he was one of the voices, and the other belonged to the Dark Knight, an evil man from a thousand years ago bent on taking over the world with the power from the Sword of Truth. Starfinder convinces Gewey to leave the village and join him on a quest.

During the quest Gewey is hindered with agents of the Dark Knight trying to kidnap him to take him to the Dark Knights land Angrääl, or just to kill him outright. To aid Gewey in staying alive long enough to fulfill the prophesies Lord Starfinder finally convinces Gewey that he is in fact a Godling, the child of two Gods, one being the God of Earth. Gewey starts learning how to access his powers to be able to defend himself.

Gewey is also found by the Order of Amon Dähl, an ancient order sworn to protect the Sword of Truth. Dina, a novice in the Order, helps Gewey escape a kidnap attempt and soon joins the merry band of travelers, convincing them Gewey needs to go to the Temple Valshara, the headquarters of the Order.

This is but a taste of the tale of the Godling. Exciting adventures lie within the pages of this book and promises to enchant the reader with narrowing brushes with death, embarrassing moments of teenage love and thrilling battles between the residents of Earth.

Just finished the 3 books. A very good read. It's getting harder and harder to find good fantasy books, so I snatch up what I can. Luckily for me these were a great find. I would recommend these to any fantasy reader, and especially anyone new to fantasy. I can't wait until book 4! The only negitive thing I would comment on would be Gewey's limited ability. I believe Gewey needs to step it up a bit.

This book was an entertaining read, and I look forward to the sequels. That being said, there is very little that stands out as remarkable in this first book. It's a coming of age story without any significant insight.

My hope is that we will get to see the characters grow in depth and complexity as the adventure continues.

This story is fantastic. I came across it randomly while looking for a new book on my Kindle and I have thoroughly enjoyed it and read it in days. I'm just about to finish the second book, which for a busy Mom of two is some going. My only complaint is that the Kindle versions have the worst editing I've ever known, fortunately the story distracts from this, but so many words are missing, jumbled or incorrectly used that it was tricky to read at times. I'm shocked it's been published with such appalling editing. Someone needs to read it and correct the mistakes. I'll gladly do it if you need someone!

Aside from this, the story is one of the most fabulous fantasy, adventure stories I've read since Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, the detail is fabulous, the characters are charming, endearing, likeable and dislikeable in all the right ways and there's enough intrigue and adventure to keep you turning the page. I was completely lost in their world and am struggling to stay away. A fabulous series of books nd highly recommended. I give it a 5 as despite the editing this book is a must read for those who love this genre.

The underlying story has potential. The book might have been good to very good had it been edited better and the author's character development been a bit more subtle. Still, I read the book and I am thinking about reading the next one. This is the first book I've purchased from the store that has the feel of being self-published. It show the value a publisher brings to the table. While I only give the book 3 stars, I give the authors kudos for their effort...I suspect they will become more polished with practice. Maybe books 2 and 3 will reflect that....

An ok start. A bit frustrating because the same thing happens in every city during their journey. Friend gets kidnapped come alone. And the good guy always does.

Wouldn't pay for the book but for free not bad

The story is not surprising and I found nothing innovative or new. Vanilla fantasy book. Standard coming of age story. The dialogue is flat and predictable. The character motivations are at times contrived and at others inexplicable. The villains are constantly underestimating the heroes, which causes me to never feel a real threat to the main characters., even though the heroes seem extraordinarily easy to lead into simple traps. I'd love to see more of the mechanics of magic, the development of the oracle, and the ways that the gods have influenced the world and perhaps that will be depth developed in the following books.

Who can beat a classic love story where the heroine steps up and wants to destroy anyone and everyone who tries and hurt you? I always tell everyone that the best plot is where the Good Guy wins, kills the Bad Guy, and gets the girl. I know that this is a first of a series and that much more is to come in the books to follow but I don't think that the author would follow the classic Greek Tradigy and keep the character apart.

I must say I did find this a rollicking good read. I am a sucker for quests, knights and fantasy so this suited me down to the ground. I found myself engaged with the characters all epic stuff. I certainly think it merits a good read. Great book, lifts the spirit.

I only made it 2/3 of the way through then gave up. The story line was just too contrived and boring. There was no depth to the characters and nothing in the plot line that kept my interest for long. I put this down many times to read something else. The language and tone brought to mind a young adult novel with simplistic concepts and dialogue. I would definitely not put it in the same class as Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings.