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A review by theemptybookshelf
The First Ancestor by J.D.L. Rosell
5.0
Anything and everything that J.D.L. Rosell writes is my comfort food. The First Ancestor is no exception. The follow-up to the absolutely stellar The Last Ranger (Read my review here) builds on the history filled wildland. I picked this up again because the sequel, The Hidden Guardian, releases very soon and I wanted every little detail to be etched in my brain.
‘She would honor the lodgemaster’s philosophy. She would do what she must. She only wondered how deeply duty would cut this time.’
This is a story broken down into eight parts, each of which begins with a glimpse into what made Leiyn into the woman she is today. I loved these flashbacks so much as they added great depth and reason to her choices in the present. I looked forward to each part ending so I could get more backstory. But it was the present timeline that was the most alluring part of The First Ancestor.
This book is the direct continuation of the events displayed in The Last Ranger and it takes all of that knowledge and history we were exposed to and cranks it up to 11. The story is slow and deliberate. There is no explosive action or grand battles for most of the book, unlike what one might expect in their fantasy. Instead we get shown Leiyn under the tutelage of her new gast mentors as we learn a whole lot about the world and its many creatures together. I was enthralled throughout on this re-read and any issues I might have had the first time around were misplaced as I approached this book differently this time around. I expected the slow buildup and the preperation for future books. This isn’t a middle book slump, it is necessary groundwork and exposition for the entirety of the Ranger of the Titan Wilds series.
‘Truth crawls, rumors fly, indeed.’
Once again it’s the idea of Titans that boils below the surface of this series. These giant monsters that come in all shapes and sizes bring so much depth to this story. They add mystery and build-up as we get to explore Leiyn’s ability to communicate with them.
I couldn’t be more excited to get my hands on The Hidden Guardian, the third book in the series, in the coming weeks. I backed the Kickstarter even though I’m an ARC reader, so as soon as it drops into my email I will be putting everything aside to continue Leiyn’s journey. Let’s just hope that like Josiah’s other series, The Runewar Saga, that this one doesn’t end with only three books.
Lastly, the addition of interior artworks by Felix Ortiz is just an incredible delight. As you can see above these illustrations just add so much beauty to a book that already has one of the best covers around. Josiah sure knows how to put together a beautiful looking novel.
Rating: 4.5/5
‘She would honor the lodgemaster’s philosophy. She would do what she must. She only wondered how deeply duty would cut this time.’
This is a story broken down into eight parts, each of which begins with a glimpse into what made Leiyn into the woman she is today. I loved these flashbacks so much as they added great depth and reason to her choices in the present. I looked forward to each part ending so I could get more backstory. But it was the present timeline that was the most alluring part of The First Ancestor.
This book is the direct continuation of the events displayed in The Last Ranger and it takes all of that knowledge and history we were exposed to and cranks it up to 11. The story is slow and deliberate. There is no explosive action or grand battles for most of the book, unlike what one might expect in their fantasy. Instead we get shown Leiyn under the tutelage of her new gast mentors as we learn a whole lot about the world and its many creatures together. I was enthralled throughout on this re-read and any issues I might have had the first time around were misplaced as I approached this book differently this time around. I expected the slow buildup and the preperation for future books. This isn’t a middle book slump, it is necessary groundwork and exposition for the entirety of the Ranger of the Titan Wilds series.
‘Truth crawls, rumors fly, indeed.’
Once again it’s the idea of Titans that boils below the surface of this series. These giant monsters that come in all shapes and sizes bring so much depth to this story. They add mystery and build-up as we get to explore Leiyn’s ability to communicate with them.
I couldn’t be more excited to get my hands on The Hidden Guardian, the third book in the series, in the coming weeks. I backed the Kickstarter even though I’m an ARC reader, so as soon as it drops into my email I will be putting everything aside to continue Leiyn’s journey. Let’s just hope that like Josiah’s other series, The Runewar Saga, that this one doesn’t end with only three books.
Lastly, the addition of interior artworks by Felix Ortiz is just an incredible delight. As you can see above these illustrations just add so much beauty to a book that already has one of the best covers around. Josiah sure knows how to put together a beautiful looking novel.
Rating: 4.5/5