Children of Kathaldi

The Kathaldi Chronicles, Book 1

By: Ron L. Lahr

Narrated by: Alan Adelberg

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

"Look, I’m not writing this to feed my ego. Or to get free drinks, or have ladies throw themselves at me. I’m sure that will all happen, but it’s not why I am doing this." (Dirk  in chapter one)

“The hero is a sarcastic, anti-social jerk, which is why he’s perfect." (Dan Gookin, international best-selling author) 

The Kathaldi Chronicles are an epic tale of a long forgotten evil that has returned to conquer the world.

The Kathaldi hate the gods. The gods are afraid of the Kathaldi. The last time they tangled, most of the world was destroyed.

The only hope is a small group of friends. Join Dirk as he tells their story. Who is Dirk? He's a thief. And a scoundrel. Now he needs to help his boyhood friend save the world.

Some wonder why Dirk would help. Look, he’s a jerk, not a monster.

And if the world is destroyed, who would Dirk steal from?

Does that make him a hero? Hopefully the ladies will think so.

There is adventure, heroes aplenty, magic, monsters, evil deeds, and lots of laughs as Dirk tells how he saved the world while his friends were nearby.

©2020 Ron Lahr (P)2020 Spectrum Audiobooks

Fun story lacking a true sense of peril

I was gifted a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

*3ish stars - good but not great*

This is a difficult review for me as I'm not totally sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, I very much enjoyed the protagonist and writing style (which was really highlighted by the fantastic narration by Alan Adelberg!), but on the other hand...I just wasn't invested in the plot. There is plenty of fighting and dying (kudos to the author for not falling into the plot-armor trap) as the not-quite-Lord-of-the-Ring-esque party makes their way through hostile lands in the hopes of telling [someone important] about the [possible end of the world], and yet none of it really felt dire.

In the end, I have to say I enjoyed the journey despite not connecting with the driving force, making it 3 stars for me. The most I can say is that I won't mind spending money on the next installment in the series, hoping that the sense of peril will get kicked up a notch.

Interesting POV

The 1st person perspective of the book was a lot of fun especially considering that the protagonist is definitely a character. The book is light hearted and fun with a lot of adventure. The narrator does a fantastic job with all the characters.

Creative storytelling, great narration!

I enjoyed the way the story is told. It's like the protagonist is reading the book that he himself wrote about it. The narrator did a great job of encapsulating the essence of Dirk. I liked imagining that the way the narrator was reading as the different characters, was the way Dirk would retell their parts if he was reading his own book out loud.

No one is omniscient, and likewise the protagonist isn't, either. It lends to the credibility of the telling. It's literally what happened as he saw it. It's a fun way to approach it. Right out the gate, Dirk is clearly portrayed as a self admitted jerk. And true to form, he showcases this throughout the book. But like, he also doesn't want the world to end... who would? So sometimes, I like to think begrudgingly, he does the right thing.

Great book, fun read, can't wait for the next one!

not my cup of coffee

while I enjoyed the narrator I just couldn't get into the story I didn't like how the writer kept breaking that 3rd wall to talk to the reader. I'm sure if he left that out it would be a good story. if that doesn't bother you give it a listen.

Good opening to a saga

I am not usually a fan of fantasy novels but I was given this in exchange for a unbiased review. It has a David Eddings sort of feel but written in a modern style. The main character/narrator is interesting and funny in places. The story moves along at a nice pace but I feel it lacked some depth. It could do with more worldbuilding to go with the plot. It is obviously the start of a longer saga. Overall I enjoyed it.