Remnant

The Palimar Saga, Book One

De: K. R. Solberg, C. R. Jacobson

Narrado por: Michael Kramer, Kate Reading

Immortals rule unquestioned. A family of smugglers gets in the way.

The shocking death of an immortal sends a master of shadows on a quest for the killer. Jon Therman and his family of sunrock smugglers stumble into this manhunt. A former slave, he only desires to live unnoticed and to avoid the corruption of the world. But when an immortal pursues his children, Jon retaliates.

His daughter, Ella, attempts to rescue her friend from a ritual sacrifice. To do so, she must defy the commands of her fellow smugglers. Jaded spy Shane zem’Arta searches for his missing commander. His orders complicate Ella’s effort to save her friend and Jon’s mission to protect his family, leading these old friends on a perilous adventure.

Smugglers, rogues, and lords clamber to stand against a powerful cult of immortals. Can these fragile factions set aside their mistrust to survive a burgeoning war, or will they fall divided?

WHEN AN IMMORTAL DIES, NO ONE MOURNS BUT PEOPLE NOTICE.———————

Remnant, the first installment of the epic flintlock fantasy series, The Palimar Saga, introduces a world of magic, trolls, shapeshifters, and guns. Embark on this gripping gaslamp adventure filled with magic, intrigue, and battle. With a richly detailed world reminiscent of works like The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss and The Powder Mage Trilogy by Brian McClellan, Remnant presents a realm where immortals walk among us, and every action carries weighty consequences.

©2021 K R Solberg, C R Jacobson (P)2024 K R Solberg, C R Jacobson

Immortals reimagined

I thought this was a fresh take on classic fantasy. Especially the way the author describes and uses immortals in her book. The characters, while there are many, are each unique in their own way and deliver fun bits of lore throughout... especially things concerning Jon Therman. My favorite characters were Nate, Ella, and Sean. I felt their pov chapters offered the most juice and I look forward to their growth. The villains in the book are also intriguing. Good things are definitely waiting in book 2 and I will certainly be back.

The narration was solid and it didn't put me to sleep. To me that's a win. Bravo!

Lost in the World

Some of the best portions of this book were when the world building and different groups came together. Some of the slowest and hardest portions to get though are the establishment of the characters that make up the different groups involved in the story.

The first few chapters set up what I thought was going to be a very interesting story about a smuggler setting up a new home for an outcast nation without a country. Then the story started jumping around.

At points this book was hard to follow and I didn’t feel like I had a cohesive story until 2/3rds through the book. At that point I felt like I was finally able to understand what was going on.

I am looking forward to the next part of this story, now that I feel I understand what is going on.

A great story, awesomely narrated!

Massive fan of narrator couple Michael Kramer and Kate Reading, Loved the story and characters too, big focus on family which is not that common in the fantasy genre, I liked that one of the main characters was a father and family man.

An Adventure filled with Rebellion against Evil

This is a great story about Jon Therman and his family who smuggle sunrocks to earn money in order to live in a Drawlen controlled city since the Drawls control everything in their country. When an evil immortal named Selvator Kane invades their town in order to hunt down Jon’s children who are in the bloodline that he needs, Jon’s wife Ruth and son Jeb are captured and transported through a wraith gate. Then Jon and his son Nate battle against Drawlen with the help of the Red Watch and the Ruvian people. A favorite character is Nate who is a good sniper, and he is a Ruvian scout helping the Ruvians make a new city so that they can stay hidden from Drawlen. When Nate tells the Ruvians about the wraith gait, they unite to fight against the Drawls. Another favorite character is Rodden known as the Arch Traitor who was once of Drawlen but now he is part of the Red Watch, a spy network working for the Freelands. Rodden is an immortal skin changer with yellow eyes who has two forms: an alley cat and a hell cat. The Battle of Sentinel Ridge at the end of the book is very exciting because it involves a godkiller who is able to kill several immortals, but he goes rogue and attempts to kill the good immortals, but Nate and his dad Jon are able to stop him. I can’t wait for book two to find out what happens to Jeb and Ruth and whether or not Ella meets Liiesh Romanus. I am also eager to find out if Jeb is a ralenta or what other powers he might have that Selvator Kane wants him.

The types of weapons that were used.

I liked near the end of the book how the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

A Page-Turner Delightful Fantasy

The duo voice actors for this novel were fantastic. This male/female team for this weighty novel made it easy and enjoyable to follow the multi-POV. Every chapter begins with naming the POV character and sometimes a new POV is named at chapter breaks. So, pay attention to these details, especially at the chapter beginnings when the dates and locations are also given.

The writing style of this novel is tight and action driven, filled with punchy verbs. Each chapter ends with a gripper that is often either a surprise, a shock, or a punch line. I loved the dialogue. It is often pithy, humorous, insightful, or haunting. Humor is threaded through this intense battle-driven story that kept me on my toes and delighted me with surprise.

I loved that the main characters grow into their strengths or powers through training, hard work, determination, or difficult circumstances, rather than the overdone pattern of characters inheriting powers that they can instantly wield after being clueless and resistant. The main characters are varied but all are interesting, complex, and honorable.

The expansive world unfolds through the action that follows the story line of several characters who merge about halfway through the novel. Since the core of the story is a family saga, it’s appropriate for a mature, well-read child who loves fantasy adventure. FYI: there are a few swear words, but if your kids have read Harry Potter (which includes them a few times) they’ll be able to handle this story and its level of evil, darkness, and battles.

It’s an intense, thrilling read that drew me into a world where I cared deeply about the outcome of the main characters. I highly anticipate book two.

FYI: the Palimar Saga author website gives detailed information, such as a map of Palimar and a complete glossary of terms. This was helpful to consult while listening to the story.

I’d sit this one out

The story meandered I couldn’t care or hold my attention to it for very long. If it weren’t for the narrators, keeping me company, I wouldn’t of bothered listening through it. It was really disappointing.

Hard to follow

Hard to follow who was who and their purpose. Usually like this type of story, may have to listen to it again