The 13th Paladin Boxed Set

Books 1-3

De: Torsten Weitze, Tim Casey - translator

Narrado por: Gildart Jackson

Ahren: Ahren's life consists of being beaten up by his drunkard father or bullied by the village lads. But at the annual suitability tests for apprenticeships, the young boy finds himself selected by Falk, the guardian of the forest, to be his apprentice and his world is turned upside down.

From his new master, he learns the skills of archery and how to fight the Dark Ones. And then, on the day of the Spring Ceremony, there is another unexpected turn of events. He touches the Stone of the Gods and it illuminates for the first time ever. It isn't long before a cantankerous wizard turns up and urges Falk and Ahren into action.

The Naming: Two Einhans have been found but the third is still at large. Time is of the essence. Ahren's Appointment as the 13th Paladin - assisted by the three Einhans - must occur by the winter solstice. If not, He, Who Forces will awaken before his time and plunge the unprepared peoples of Jorath into the depths of darkness.

The Brazen City: The saga of the 13th Paladin continues. Join him and his friends on their adventures in the Sunplains and enjoy meeting his old friends in Deepstone again.

Note: This audiobook includes Books 1-3 in the 13th Paladin series.

©2017 Torsten Weitze (P)2022 Tantor

Exceptionally entertaining.

I loved it from start to finish. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I grew to enjoy this cast of characters. At times they annoy and other times make you laugh. Without giving anything away I just want to say if you are slightly interested in this book series give it a chance as it is definitely worth it. I bought the audio version then the paperback to give to a friend to share the journey. I rarely leave lengthy reviews but thought this definitely merited it. A true joy and a story I look forward to continuing.

Every RPG DM (and players) should read these books... as well as all who love fantasy

Weitze has a unique ability to expertly incorporate the value of training and combat strategy. His stories explain in masterful detail how training, background and character relationships enhance the power, backstories and depth of fantasy characters that easily translate into D&D (any edition), Pathfinder or other RPGs. All of Weitze's characters train, cooperate and strategize throughout the story.

The physical, intellectual, emotional, constitutional and simple experiential limitations of characters play out, in both combat and non-combat encounters, in ways that other authors (and in my experience, DMs) gloss over or dismiss as unimportant fodder to a story or campaign. But Weitze's persistent attention to these details lend a quantitative and emotional depth and attachment to his characters as they struggle to overcome their own flaws and grow not only in spite of but because of these limitations. The training and growth of characters ARE the story. It's a deeply visceral journey because of his attention to these details.

The young apprentice trains relentlessly throughout the story, as do all tertiary characters (what RPGs call NPCs). The rarity of highly skilled craftsmen, weapon masters, and mages plays out in ways that may smack DMs in the face; insisting that they grow their own backstories and incorporate fewer "deus ex machina" into their campaigns. The true rarity of "masters" and raw materials needed to train characters and craft items is expertly explained in plot. Weitze shows how one area may have a plethora of master NPCs in one specific skill, but a dearth of others. One fighting style or weapon may be common in one region, but barely extant in another. Even the most advanced characters, who have lived for hundreds of years, and are the most powerful characters in Weitze's entire world, find they struggle with skills left unused over time and admit they have gotten rusty.

He became a campaign muse for me through storytelling that inspired in game solutions for how to most realistically incorporate weapon training, rest, healing, study, strategy, and spell recovery. He leverages NPC character flaws in both non-combat and combat strategies and often rewards strategic insight and negotiation over a more direct approach. It inspired ways I could better reward players for using these attributes. The totality of his character growth and campaign strategies showed me ways I could penalize fighting with new weapons beyond simple hit and damage penalties, better limit or expand a players response options (despite their instincts or desires to react outside of a characters abilities or tendencies), create combat and non-combat rewards beyond treasure, and even set realistic longer term penalties to PCs for encounter failures or simple out of character actions that would have real consequences to a character's psyche or other abilities. I am a decades experienced (and players said excellent) DM, but inspirations from these stories enriched my campaigns, breathing in a life that players deeply love!

good story and good world building

I enjoyed this story enough to follow the writer. Good world building and the narrator was also good.

EPIC adventure

I've read or listened to all the classics. Torsten Weitze has created a real world with characters that come alive!

You must listen to this box set, but beware, I'm now in book 8 and can't stop! We have a new Tolkien or George RR Martin with this epic story!

It's PG 13 which frankly I appreciate. This needs, no begs to be made into movies!!!

Kept my attention

I enjoyed these books, but why does everyone pick on the teenage boy who has been thrown into it with no choice. He didn't ask for it, and he was struggling to do the best he could in the situation, but everyone around him gave him an unnecessarily hard time through it all.

world building

this author delves into his world and really comes up with believable characters and cultures. I really enjoyed the stories. As for the performer, he's awesome! those are the voices I hear when I imagine Ahren and all the rest. great job!

Fascinating stories!

If you enjoyed Harry Potter or Rangers Apprentice, you would love this series. it's hard to put down once you started listening.

I love this series!

Action Packed yet intricate. There isn't a single part of the book that I felt was slow or dragged. It was a good read all the way through.

Amazing Listen

Well performed and easy to listen! I enjoy the characters and stories, as well as the humor and action! Enjoyable !

I love well built characters with both flaws and strengths to be discovered.

This book is fanciful with excellent foundations in character traits that leave you cheering for much more than the power found in magic.