The Orb of Truth

The Horn King #1

by Brae Wyckoff

In the hundreds of years since the Holy City disappeared, darkness has fallen over the land. Human kingdoms have seized control of the realm, scattering the other races into hiding.

Bridazak, a skilled thief, and his friends, a Dwarf and a fellow Ordakian, have dared to remain within the human communities and live relatively quiet lives, until they discover a mysterious, magical artifact. The three friends are thrust into an adventure that will challenge their faith, their purpose, and their destiny as they chase a forgotten and lost prophecy across the realm of Ruauck-El, where they hope to discover the origins of the strange item and their place in its history.

An ancient, unknown enemy threatens the completion of their journey at every turn. Bridazak is about to face the biggest adventure of his life, one that may change the known realm, and answer the questions he has carried all his life. Will they unlock the truth?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Christian, High Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

242 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2012

About the author

Director of Kingdom Writers Association
http://kingdomwritersassociation.com/

Author website
http://www.braewyckoff.com

The Embalmer (horror-thriller) endorsed by several people in Hollywood and including PopHorror. Release date 8/3/21

AWARD-WINNING book: (movie rights offer pending)
Demons & Thieves (Historical Fiction)

Demons & Thieves is a fast-paced, riveting tale of demonic powers that bring destruction, of unconditional love that brings restoration, and of man’s ultimate choice toward one or the other. In this brilliantly crafted historical novel, master storyteller, Brae Wyckoff, weaves together the account of the two thieves on the cross and the Gerasene demoniacs in an action-packed, epic adventure that progresses across a span of twenty years against the backdrop of ancient Israel.

Radio Show Host of Broadcast Muse
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/braewyckoff

***My books are for the young at heart who long for adventure! My style of writing comes from years of gaming, writing short stories and reading fantasy adventure novels. My novels are considered Young Adult but all ages enjoy a good adventure!

The Orb of Truth voted Best Christian Book of 2013 (presented by The Writing World)

Orb of Truth Audiobook:
http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fant...
Also available on Amazon and iTunes

The Orb of Truth (Book #1 of the Horn King Series):
Voted #1 Best Fantasy Book Under the Radar!
Voted #1 Best Christian Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book!
Voted #1 Best Indie Fantasy Book!
Voted #1 Best World Building!
Voted #1 Epic Fantasy Worth Your Time!
Voted #1 Awesome Action!
Voted #1 Best Supporting Characters!
Voted #1 Fantasy Book Everyone Should Read!

The Dragon God (Book #2 of The Horn King Series)
Voted "BEST New Epic Fantasy"
Rated "TOP Fantasy Book" for a series

"With magic rocks and dwarf slaves, this is a cross between Temple of Doom and Lord of the Rings." - Raven Reviewer

The Vampire King (Book #3 of The Horn King Series) is now available and getting 5 star reviews.

The Unfriendly Dragon is the debut children's book for ages 2 and up. Teachers are giving it 5 stars! It is now available. Disney artist, Seth Weinberg.

Mountain of Gold is sequel to children's book. Same characters, different adventure. Ages 2 and up.

Brae Wyckoff is an award-winning and internationally acclaimed author, born and raised in San Diego, CA. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Jill, for over 20 years, and they have three children. He has a beautiful grandson named Avery. Brae has been an avid RPG gamer since 1985. His passion for mysterious realms and the supernatural inspired him to write The Orb of Truth, the first in a series of fantasy action adventures.

Reviews

[Tyler · Rating 1 out of 5]

First off... STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK!

To say the good reviews here are suspicious is one of the biggest understatements you will hear all year. I'd highly suggest reading through the other reviews and see if anything odd pops up before you even consider purchasing this book. On top of that I'd love to know who voted the book all these things (and what "epic fantasy" book barely reaches 200 pages)?

This book is at the very best heavy-handed, mediocre and derivative. To compare it to Tolkein (as so many of the reviews did) is laughable. The author seemed to throw every descriptive word he can think of at you in the hopes something works. The grammar is terrible and the characters are one dimensional. On top of that the use of pronouns seemed to be missing. It is always "the Dwarf" said, "the Dwarf" did, etc. (the capitalization is the author's). Aforementioned dwarf also apparently feels it is necessary to constantly add the word "Dwarven" to much of what he does. He won't just give you a beating, he will give you a Dwarven beating! (said the Dwarf).

Stay. Away.

As well, I believe it is important to note that the author is the president of the company that published this book.

[Alfaniel Aldavan]

Paid Reviews and Non-Disclosure
I don't have a black-or-white opinion about a review that is paid, per se, but I consider utterly dishonest to hide that.

I've been initially torn about this particular case, of Brae Wyckoff's LRP Book Reviews site. Let me come in the open with the facts I know about, here. Make up your own mind.

Summary
I think it's a good thing that people try new ways to assist indie authors, because there is a need, these years, to create new business models, new ways to tackle the complexity created by the multitude of books being published today, by the advent of the internet, by the technology creating ebooks so easily.

But, in the end, I don't think we have anything new in LRP business. It's as known and old as paid reviews under the guise of dishonest lack of disclosure. Your opinion may vary, let me know of your arguments then.

The backstory
LRP Book Reviews belongs to the publisher of this book, and it's run by the author of this book, Brae Wyckoff. The site offers, apparently, a service to authors: for like 20 bucks per review, LRP finds a reviewer for your book. The author's money are money for the reviewer to BUY the book (like a "standard" customer...), plus 10 bucks extra for writing a review.

LRP intermediates the exchange and take its cut; it assures that the author doesn't know his/her reviewers beforehand. Authors know the text of the review, and refuse to have it posted on their book if they don't like it.

Function of your optimism for the human race (also known as naivete), you might want to believe the practice can be honest so far, if all stars align right. I did want to see all sides here. Although, the refusal of the review is tying the hands of the reviewer. I assume they promise contractually that they'll never post the review. With all good intentions, I think they'll feel pressured if they review badly more than once.

The core problem
Unfortunately, there is more to this.
LRP Book Reviews has no policy of disclosure to readers that the reviews are paid for.
The reviewers for LRP will NOT disclose that they're paid for their review.

I've checked the website, there is no information about a policy on disclosure. It could be easy, just say that they've worked with LRP and paid for writing their reviews.

But then, I found out that GoodReads and Amazon don't allow paid reviews on their sites.
From the LRP website:

the review will be posted on Amazon and Goodreads.

My conclusion: the reviewers via LRP will pose in normal customers/readers of the book (!), and don't disclose they receive their money back for the book, and monetary compensation for writing their review.

Honesty and legality
I think the ethical issue here is the main problem. But, as far as I know, this is not only an ethical problem. Non-disclosure of monetary benefits contravenes FCC guidelines.

That's why we see reviews here, on GoodReads, state if the book was received for free for an honest review. The reviewer discloses that information. The reason is common sense: readers have to be informed.

Speaking for myself, I do not believe LRP and their reviewing contractors disclose *THIS*: their affiliation with LRP, and monetary compensation received for writing the review. I would be happy to be proven wrong, but I don't see how: they couldn't "offer" packages for reviews on Amazon and GoodReads if their reviewing freelancers would disclose honestly their monetary benefits.

What do you think?

In the media...
I've recently seen this article on paid reviews:
http://spinsucks.com/communication/fa...

My personal suggestion for LRP is to make a clear policy on disclosure, and post the contracted reviews on their own site, not on GoodReads.

I believe that if you're honest to your readers, they will make their own mind about this situation, and that's fair. A disclosure would be for example, like "look, our reviewers have been paid for my time to write this review, no matter what they write in it". Explain all you want, why you think it's "good". Convince people, if you can; but be open about it.

Let the community around you decide. In an informed way.

Note to GR/Amazon: this is in relation with the book
Frankly, I've been asking myself what I believe, knowing the background of LRP and Brae Wyckoff, about the reviews for this book. I've looked over the reviews, to figure out if they sound canned or not. The result is, I haven't seen any that seems illegitimate. They are a diverse collection of opinions.

I think LRP may have been created after most of these reviews have been posted, both here and on Amazon, so they have no connection with the (newer) paid reviews business.

I have started to read the book, but I've been put off by the use of the language. I was thinking to come back to it some other time.

Though, I don't know if I will come back. I support self-publishing, independent publishing, small publishing houses at most, and I'd love to have time to read and in particular take time to review in depth self-pub works, to find the gems in the sea, the well written, well edited, worthy of a try.

Random, independent, community readers and reviewers, are the next gateway between authors and readers. Which is why I don't know if I'll come back to this book.

I think the unethical side of the LRP business attacks the very foundation of community reviews.



This work by Alfaniel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

[Sarit Ghosh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book after the excellent Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. I chose it as it ranked above Blood song and top of the list for fantasy books under the radar. Rarely have I been so disappointed in a book. Yes I get its high fantasy and perhaps aimed at a young adult audience and the style is different but all the characters were excruciatingly one dimensional. There was no world building and no part of me cared a whit for the cliched Interactions. I just about finished it hoping that there would be something separating it from the host of Tolkien copies around but no cigar. I'm sorry to say that's 2 hours of my life I won't get back. The book has a lot of positive reviews including it's author ( I'm not a fan of people who vote for their own work) so I guess there are people who like this sort of superficial fast paced formulaic romp. Sadly, I'm not one of them. My apologies for the harsh nature of the review.

[Constance · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book reads like a Saturday morning cartoon written by a D&D Dungeon Master with a thesaurus fixation. There is a villain (cue: evil laugh) who says things like "I'm coming for you, Halfling!" The evil laugh takes a whole paragraph of adverbs. And you just know the villain's going to fail and be left by the side of the road like Dick Dastardly in the Wacky Races, the literary antecedent he most resembles in my mind.

Certain types of fantasy geeks might groove on the familiar good vs. evil D&D-inspired quest theme, others might find the story and characters one-dimensional and derivative, others (like me) might be put off by the adverb-heavy, thesaurus-driven writing. No one ever "says" anything in this book: they quip and whisper and retort and respond and question and suggest, sarcastically, softly, harshly, snidely, etc, etc, etc. All this corner-of-the-mouth sneering does not make me like our heroes; it makes me wish they would quit bickering and shut the hell up before an orc eats them. People who enjoy the beauty of a well-spun phrase should stay far from this awkward entry in the fantasy quest genre.

I can't fathom who wrote the reviews on this site comparing this to Tolkien. No. Just no. I don't think I can finish it.

[Tony Breeden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Orb of Truth is a wild romp of a read, full of epic drama, humor and high adventure. It is one part Christian allegory, one part fantasy adventure.

One thing that became obvious as I read this book is that author Brae Wyckoff is both a fan of fantasy adventures and a man dedicated to using his writing craft to convey Biblical truth.

The story centers on the friendship and adventures of thieving halflings Bridazak and Spilf and their dwarf friend, Dulgin. In the grand spirit of most role playing games, they pick up an odd assortment of travelling companions along the way. I had a rollicking good time reading this book because I was, once upon a time, a DM [dungeon master, to the uninitiated non-geek]. As turned the pages of first book in Wyckoff’s Four Horns series, I encountered many, many details I’d forgotten from those old campaigns: portal hopping wizards, terrifying bone dragons, armies of undead, wild dwarves, thieving halflings, surly dwarves, magical weapons and… well, I could go on and on! The very idea of a mega-dwarf had me howling [a giant dwarf is just seriously wrong and comically inspired]! Fans of fantasy adventure series like Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance will love the world of Ruauck-El as much as I did.

Christian readers, especially those who enjoy apologetics fiction or speculative faith novels, will enjoy the adventure for its own sake, but will appreciate the deeper allegory the author has woven into this tale. The Orb of Truth does a wonderful job of retelling the gospel from Creation to Christ. There’s even an imaginative nod at the translation of Enoch on page 111.

There were only two things I did not like.

On page 110, a character named Xan tells of Ruauck-El’s version of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, saying, “The Tree was a gift that has now turned into a curse. It was never meant for mankind to touch, because it was pure and holy.” This is a partial allusion to Eve’s response to the Serpent in Genesis 3:3 where she says that God has forbidden them to eat of or even touch the Tree; that’s not what God said. Eve’s zeal is to be commended, but she religiously added that “do not touch” to God’s simple prohibition against eating from the tree [Genesis 2:17]. This oversight doesn’t really do damage to the plot or to doctrine; Wyckoff simply stumbled onto one of my pet peeves. On the other hand, there’s a good re-affirmation of Romans 2:15 on the very same page.

The second thing I did not like is probably more of a sticky point for Wyckoff’s Christian and teen readers. There’s a good bit of cussing in this novel. Most of it is what I term pulpit cussing: words you generally find unacceptable unless your preacher uses them from the pulpit. There’s also several references to, well, poop by any other name. I normally don’t care if obviously unsaved characters curse – and most of it comes from the dwarf Dulgin [because why should we expect unsaved characters to act like evangelical Christians or whatever?] – but The Orb of Truth definitely has appeal for young adult readers, so I feel the need to give parents a heads-up. Also, I’m not really sure why the dwarf calls out his own race when he cusses (eg., dwarven h*ll, dwarf poop, etc]; it would make more sense to call out another race/species when cussing [ie., “Oh, orc turds!”] and leave your own race unmentioned as the standard assumption, so to speak [“Oh, turds!”]. Maybe I’ve overthought this… ;]

Nitpicking aside, The Orb of Truth is epicly entertaining, well-paced and thoughtfully written. I definitely recommend it and I’m looking forward to the next book in the Four Horn series.

You can find out more about the The Orb of Truth at http://braewyckoff.com.

-Rev Tony Breeden
From the Bookwyrm’s Lair

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Penelope Bartotto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes finding the words to best describe a book are difficult, and before you go thinking this is an issue of me not liking the book... let me remind you of that little issue about making assumptions.
Wyckoff has done something many authors could only dream of accomplishing, he has created a unique story that also encapsulates a myriad of fandoms into one glorious adventure. From Tolkien, to Baum, to C.S. Lewis, to Lewis Carroll. Honestly I was even brought back to this hilarious movie called Time Bandits, as our cast of characters traveled. The author who tends to only refer to a couple of them, just may be selling himself short, he can stand with the classics.
The Orb of Truth is an adventure of epic proportions. A cast of motley, but highly intriguing characters come together to answer a riddle. This riddle leads both to a quest, and a race against a danger that they do not truly comprehend. Wyckoff has masterfully crafted a cast of characters that one can develop within their mind, and bond with. From Bridazak, the unlikely hero of the story, who has been captured by artist Mad Scientist, to Spilf his Ordakian sidekick, and the gruff, but lovable Dulgin, you have a starter cast that knocks it out of the fantasy realm within chapter one. This is only the beginning of a powerful cast of creatures and humans that are developed so well, you would think you had known them forever.
Good versus Evil, is ultimately the core of this tale. The one that is meant for you to see clearly and without doubt. Ultimate Good versus the ultimate evil. Like Tolkien and Lewis before him, Wyckoff has crafted an allegory for the beliefs of Christianity.
So, theme of the book = Good vs. Evil, that's the easy one to spot. The other important theme within this book is the power of friendship and love. We start with a trio of characters, two Ordakians and a dwarf. They have a bond that surpasses the fact they travel together as a rogue troop of thieves. They are friends, as unlikely as it may seem. The dynamics with the trio are so strong though, you feel as if you are part of the group. They are only the beginning of many relationships, both friends and foes that you get to experience through the writings of Wyckoff. He has a way with a pen that brings the words to life.
My examples are going to be a trio of characters that I will say stand out as my favorites...
Dulgin the dwarf. He's grumpy, he likes his ale, he is easily irritated, and yet when push comes to shove... get out of his way! He will fight to the ends of the lands as he knows it and beyond to help a friend. He is a loyal friend, and a mighty foe. I was immediately drawn to him, and found his acerbic wit to be completely appealing. Next up are maybe the smallest duo in the entire tale, but they are not to be overlooked at all... Lester and Ross. To most people they are nothing more than a pair of rusty lock-picks, because a magical spell protects their true identities... magical lock-picks able to deal with any spell and any lock placed before them, but only for the one that controls them, their master. Originally owned by Spilf, they become the property of Bridazak after Spilf gifts them to his friend. The delightful banter betwixt these two is hilarious, and their personalities shine beyond the rusty exterior.
Without the finely crafted characters I do not know if the adventure would be as grand as it is, but this is a tale of greatness with the characters. There are no slow spots, no drops in the action, the plot moves with ease to meet the destiny of the tale unfolding. Something that, Tolkien, though a great author, had in his epic adventures. I'll admit it, I know very few people who read Tolkien's works all the way through the first time. Wyckoff, grabbed me in with his characters and then led me on a quest that I could not get enough of, I literally read this book in three hours, with a few breaks to rest my eyes. I guess it is a very good thing that there are books to come in The Horn King Series.

[James Maloney · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there's "nothing new under the sun" as Solomon proclaimed, where does an aspiring author take the fantasy genre? We've met vampires and werewolves, wizards and elves. What dank dungeons or misty forests are there left to explore?

But Brae Wyckoff has done a great job personalizing this question by writing an engaging story centered around Halflings, Humans and the quintessential Dark Lord. The Orb of Truth is a high-adventure "good versus evil" tale that blessedly stays away from serious allegory, while still weaving enough depth and meaning to keep the reader turning pages until the end. I see a solid fantasy series in the making!

The characters, while familiar, are unique enough to stand on their own amongst the Frodos and the Voldemorts. I found myself caring about their next step in an unraveling adventure that's much grander than the reader realizes at first.

Sure, there's obvious comparisons to Lord of the Rings, perhaps even a splash of Eragon for good measure. That's not a bad thing! Brae has fulfilled Tolkien's lofty demand in world-creation, and the author's passion for his characters and storyline bleed through nicely in a well-crafted epic.

Well worth your time and money, and I think you'll be eager for the next installment.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received The Orb of Truth as a prize from a contest the author held...I was not obligated to review it, but after reading it I wanted to review it and let other people know what a great book it is.
The Orb of Truth is a wonderful fantasy adventure and is appropriate for children and adults. The characters are very likeable and endearing. I like that the characters that were chosen to hold the Orb of Turth (God's voice) were a little flawed but genuinely good people.
Other reviewers have compared this book to the Lord of the Rings and I have to say that I agree with that comparison. The Orb of Truth has magic, adventure, good vs. evil, a quest, and a wonderful cast of characters...just like Lord of The Rings. So if you liked LOTR, then I would suggest you give The Orb of Truth a try.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series when it comes out. I'm definitely a fan of Brae Wyckoff and this series.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

As a big fan of middle earth sagas where halflings, dragons and dwarves live, I couldn't wait to get started with this book! The story starts out a bit slower as characters are introduced and the story line unfolds. By the middle you will be so entranced into this world and lives of the characters you won't want to put it down. And the ending is so action packed it is like the movie is playing in your head and you can visualize the scenes as they play out. The imagination of the author is amazing and how he can so skillfully put it into words just shows what a gifted story teller he is! Touching on mysticism, lore and Christianity, this will engage readers of all ages. It is not a hard read and I think fans of Tolkien would enjoy this book as much as I did. I guess the only part that stumped me was what happened to the Yeshi? Maybe we will find out in book 2.. A definite great read!

[Jim Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brae Wyckoff is a fresh voice in the fantasy genre. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

Jim Henry

[Kitty Muse Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Arise and return to Me what was never lost, only waiting."

Those words transform the fates of two Ordakians, Bridazek and Spilf, thieves and fighters. With their Dwarf "associate", Dulgin, they set off on a quest--to find the source of a mysterious box.

This box literally lands in Bridazek's lap; the culmination of a dream he has had nearly every night of his life. This last had a different ending, though: the words "It is time". He wakes to find the box where nothing had been before, and starts a journey that will take him through mysterious realms and terrifying foes, constantly pursued by the forces of darkness. His band of adventurers grows, with the help and friendship from a human nomad by the name of Abawken and an elf called Xan.

Only when he finds the Key to unlock the box, and discovers the Orb of Truth, with its commanding yet love-filled Presence, does he begin to understand his calling. The words uttered by Xan are what drive the adventurers to their goal, even beyond the realm of mortality: "I tend to think of risk as faith".



Imagine what the end product would be if J R R Tolkien and C S Lewis were to collaborate on a book. I am pretty sure "The Orb of Truth" would be very much like what they would come up with. An adventure that mingles Old and New Testament beliefs with the world of mythological creatures, Mr. Wyckoff deftly weaves Scripture into the dialogue, making this book very readable and absorbing. His descriptions are fantastic (the wild forest of Everwood is described as "an orchestra without a conductor"), and the characters are well fleshed-out. He even has some comedy relief, in the form of two animated lock picks that are in the possession of the Ordakian Spilf.

The ending was satisfying, yet it made me want to read more of their adventures. Fortunately, Mr. Wyckoff has a second book coming out soon, "The Dragon God". I can hardly wait!

[K.C. Sprayberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Holy City disappeared hundreds of years in the past, and now mankind wallows in greed, corruption, and dissolute behavior. Into this venality comes an unlikely trio of heroes, Bridazak, an Ordakian, Dulgin, a Dwarf, and Spilfer Teehle, another Ordakian. These three embark upon a difficult journey, knowing little but what they hear from an orb. They gather other followers as they journey to the stronghold of King Manasseh to overcome what they believe is the source of what is destroying their world.

This story is possibly one of the best of fantasy I have read in recent years. It embodies the masters such as J.R.R. Tolkein, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind. Welcome to this group, Brae Wyckoff, as he presents the first of his four novels of Christian fantasy.
This tale begins in an ordinary manner, enough so the reader wonders if they might not close the book on its promise prior to experiencing the wonder Bridazak feels upon receiving the Orb of Truth in a dream. Thus begins a journey for this Ordakian and his brethren. They gain others to their cause along the way, each bringing special talents that aid them in their quest. The introduction of each individual is handled with care, allowing the reader to accept their skills without jaded disdain. Wyckoff handles each step of the journey in such a way, one is drawn into each stumbling block, into each moment with their heart in their throat. Losses are normal in such stories, but none are gratuitous, each member lost leaves with grace, knowing they have done all they can.
This tale of greed and revenge on humanity's part, of bigotry and desire for of acceptance, and a journey begun manages to mimic real life. The heroes stand against the accepted rigors of their life, drive forward with a position to bring light back to a world reeling in darkness.
The Orb of Truth left me wanting more, and I look forward to the release of the second book in this series.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the author to give an honest review.

Where do I start with this book? It is magical, fantastic all wrapped into one!
Fantasy books like this normally take me a while to get into but The Orb of Truth had me pretty much from the first chapter. I found myself wanting to stay up a bit later than normal as so I could read more about the adventure.
The Orb of Truth is action packed! You will encounter halflings, dwarfs, elfs, wizards, dragons! Even talking objects. There was humor at times throughout the book that had me giggling to myself. Especially towards the end with Lester and Ross and their tiny adventure.

I have to say my favorite character though-out the book was Bridazak's best friend Dulgin. He gave me a chuckle every time he opened his mouth to say something smart-alack. He is a dwarf filled with pizzazz and hot air at times. My truly favorite part was the action packed battle! Everyone involved gave their everything and I found myself hooked into each page wanting to see and read the outcome.

Bridazak and his friends are put on an adventure and will experience heart-ache, loss, new friends, battles against evil, and love for new people. As they travel with The Orb of Truth (God's voice) they are all flawed but are chosen for this adventure as they will all learn a life lesson.

This book is suitable for adults and I would say young adult! If you think or you do like fantasy adventure that will in a way at times remind you of the Lord of the Rings then this book is for you.

[J. A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers of Tolkien, Feist, Lewis, Eddings, etc. will find this at first familiar, like bumping into an old friend, and then realize quite quickly that it is entertainingly unique. The world of The Orb of Truth is full of the themes we love as fantasy readers, but chases after deeper pursuits than first are apparent. At times filled with blunt, bold, page-turning action, the interludes are filled with solid story telling at a graceful pace that finally embraces core spiritual themes. Without spoiling the ending, several adroitly-timed twists in this book may leave you in tears, as they did me.

Well-worth the read, the book will transport you into lost woods and glowing magical mountainscapes painted clearly in the reader's mind, and the well-paced, epic struggle that begins to unfold will certainly leave you as it did me... wanting to run back to/log onto our book purveyor and order any other volumes in this series. Anticipation for the forthcoming installments will certainly keep me waiting for as long as the author takes to lovingly tell us the rest of the story (though I hope it isn't long!).

[Cheree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written story by Brae! The Orb of Truth is an Epic Adventure of three guys trying to find there way to fulfilling a prophecy. Through heart ache, loss, battles against evil, sacrifice, new friends and love they prove that nothing worth fighting for is easily attained. With lots of action at every turn, I watched as Bridazak and his friends learn many life lessons and even though this is a fantasy similar to the Lord of the Rings; I feel many people can learn something from it. This isn't just a battle of good vs evil with fairies, unicorns, gnomes, dwarfs and halflings; it teaches that there is a reason for everything and though we may not like what is put before us someone is always there to help us along the way if you put in the effort to make it happen. The Orb of Truth is a wonderful book for preteens and up. I can't wait for my son to read it as I know he will enjoy it as much as I have. I will be impatiently awaiting the next book! Thank you Brae for a wonderful story for all to enjoy!

[Esther Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

I downloaded this book because I heard that it was similar to The Hobbit. Well, it does have Elves and Dwarves, and the main character is a halfling. And they go on some kind of quest. I guess that's similar. But J.R.R. Tolkien was a good writer. Brae Wyckoff, unfortunately, isn't.

I couldn't finish this book. It was painful to read. It really needs a professional editor. The grammar is so wrong I cannot help but wonder if English is Mr. Wyckoff's second language. If so, it is understandable, but I still need some serious editing before I will be able to force myself to read this.

[Eric Dontigney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brae has achieved one of the harder things to do in modern literature. He has written an epic fantasy that is fast paced, action packed and family friendly. The novel unabashedly embraces a Christian ethos without the beating the reader over the head with the message. In short, the story comes first, as it always should in a good novel. Brae excels at a world building and painted a compelling picture in my mind of a land torn apart by ancient powers of darkness and war. Where Brae stumbles a bit is with dialogue. At times, it comes off a bit stiff and formal between characters that are fast friends, but this is a minor complaint about an otherwise very entertaining book. I give it a solid four stars and commend it to anyone with a taste for epic fantasy.

[Amanda Orick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would never have picked this book for myself if not for reccomendations of others. I love fantasy and books with adventure and have read many. However, I have never read one quite like this. Throughout the book i am reminded of The Lord of the Rings and The Dungeons and Dragons game and the book The Oath by Frank Peretti. However even with all these infuences it still has it's own unique story line as it weaves in a religious element without being preachy. Adventure found me on every page and i found myself not wanting to put it down even when i was getting to sleepy to read the words. I can't wait to read more about these characters in the next book and see what new adventures they take me on.

[Terry Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The love that Brae Wyckoff has for the world he's created shows through in this first installment of a new fantasy-adventure series. His plot keeps moving as the characters find themselves gradually learning that they must deal with greater and greater challenges. The book shares some of the standard fantasy characters, dwarves, elves, dragons, and more. But, it also brings in new characters that will set readers' imaginations in flight. I'm confident that readers in this genre will not be disappointed by the world the author has created and that they'll eagerly await the next installment.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was funny and adventurous! I adored the love the main characters had for each other and loved the storyline. I really enjoyed the fact that God was a big part of the story. I thought Lester and Ross were a riot! Brea was masterful in creating this exciting story. He sucked me in like a moth to flame! But instead of it devouring me I devoured it!! And I particular loved the Great Oculus' riddle "Rigid but born to perfection"........ beautiful. All I have left to say is; It Is Time, for the Dragon God! (Can't wait!!!)

[Deborah Dorchak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by Brae Wyckoff's Orb of Truth.It was a nice, light read. The characters were believable and their adventures reminded me of many a dungeon crawl from back in my gaming days.

This book is definitely family friendly with an inspiring, overreaching message, that tweens, teens, young adults and parents will enjoy.

[Tiffeny Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so here is my honest review, this book was a great book it had a great plot and kept you enthralled. Now this book wasn't exactly my type of book but it was still beautifully written and kept me wanting to finish it. i would recommend this book to everyone to read. thank you Brae Wyckoff for sharing your great book with me :).

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I do believe that other reviews I have read have gone overboard with likening the book to others, this is a very good read. If you have ever been a D&D fan, most of this book comes right out of a dungeon. I enjoyed the various doors and locks.
The pace of the book is excellent. I would recommend it for all game aficionados and anyone who likes high fantasy.

[M.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Magical!" Great description. Lots of action. In his debut novel, the first of a series of promising adventure novels, Brae Wyckoff has created an epic fantasy world that is at once magical and entertaining.

[Kurt Springs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.

Synopsis:

Bridazak is an Ordakian and a skilled thief. He and his friends Dulgin the Dwarf and Spilf, a fellow Ordakian, are some of the few nonhumans that dare live openly. One hundred years ago, the Holy City disappeared and plunged the world into darkness. Human kingdoms have taken control, sending the other races into hiding. The three friends live relatively quiet lives until they discover a mysterious artifact. This thrusts them into an adventure that test their courage and their faith as they pursue the threads of an ancient prophesy.

Evil forces seek to stop them, and they find unexpected friends along the way.

Review:

Brae Wyckoff has created a world similar in nature to many of the realms of Dungeons & Dragons, with similar settings, races and monsters. A major difference is the Christian nature of the book. My experience with the Christianization of the fantasy genre has been that the authors often fall into the trap of Deus Ex Machina, which translates “the god out of the machine.” This is a device authors use to save the day for the heroes with some kind of divine intervention without adequate preparation of the audience. In other words, the author hands the protagonist an unearned victory, often leaving his or her audience feeling cheated. Brae Wyckoff does come close, but manages to stay just inside the line. The result is an intriguing tale of faith and heroism. People who do not enjoy religious themes may not enjoy the book. However, those who don’t mind religious themes may find it enjoyable.

[Heather Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge paranormal fan and don't read a whole lot of sci-fi/fantasy. Having said that, this was a fantastic book. I have read the Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia and this stands up to them or perhaps with them. Bridazak is a thief who lives in the human realm as his realm was taken over by the humans. Most from his realm have fled, but him and some pals have stayed and quietly gone on. When a magical artifact is discovered and a prophecy comes to light, Bridazak and his pals go on an epic quest across their realm to try to find the answers that could fix everything. Along the way they will encounter an enemy that will try to stop them at all costs. Can a supposed "bad" guy, a thief, and his band of oddball pals, be the one to save everything? This book is a mixture of sci-fi, fantasy, spirituality, adventure, and friendship. You will, like I did, fall in love with the oddball group of pals and their personalities. They are just such great characters and such a great storyline that you will get sucked in and not want to stop until the end of the book. I also got quite a few laughs out of their banter. I definitely recommend this book to anyone, even if you aren't normally into fantasy

[Brian Bigelow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't say I've seen a more skillful mixing of some of the elements that you would find in epic fantasy by the masters Tolkien and CS Lewis with various Christian beliefs. It's a very well written book and I wish it had been out back when I was in high school which is now beginning to be many years ago. I would have definitely torn through this book many times. This author is quite talented and imaginative.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as a Goodreads First Read. Thank you!

Great story, likable characters, fun entertaining read.

Look forward to more by Mr. Wyckoff.

[Ben Stahl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Initially I tried to tell the author (Brae Wyckoff) that I did not think I was the best person to review his work. However he was adamant in his pursuit of getting me to review the book, and requested I read and review his work despite my reservations. I respect his desire for an honest, frank review from a third party and agreed.

The TL;DR:

The Orb of Truth by Brae Wyckoff is a fantasy novel that draws very heavily on Christian themes and various other sources of fantasy lore. Dungeons & Dragons as well and Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings series were the two most prevalent. To be very blunt, I did not enjoy this book. I felt like Mr. Wyckoff frequently struggled with word choices and the editing was poor. The dialogue was often awkward and was reminiscent of the dialogue from a Syfy Original Movie. It was filled with danger, but there was never any peril. It drew upon other established works so heavily that I did not feel like I was reading an original work of fantasy so much as I was reading some kind of frantic fanfic mash-up. Ultimately, this is not a book I would recommend.

The Good:

1. The story, while not very deep, is simple and easy to follow.


The Bad:

1. While I understand that most stories are derivative of other stories we’ve experienced, and there will almost always be threads of commonality between every story, I really felt like the creativity in this book was largely lacking. The story follows a hairy footed halfling called an Ordakian that is destined to save the world by carrying a magical artifact (Lord of the Rings) A great deal of the world’s denizens and lore are pulled directly from their source material (King Manasseh). Our intrepid adventurers encounter a Beholder (it even shoots lasers out of its eyes). One of the characters even plays out a situation that almost perfectly mirrors the binding of Isaac. The author even uses some token phrases and laws from Dungeons and Dragons to govern his world and it’s magic. Dragons’ breath is referred to as a “breath weapon” and one of the characters in the story has a magical sword which has a set amount of elementals it can summon on a daily basis.

2. The book is full of danger without peril. Nearly every time the heroes encounter a threat or problem, they were conveniently handed the solution the night before. Surrounded by a group of the evil king’s men while at an inn? No big deal, we just got this magical key that can open portals last night (That we’ll never use or speak of again). A member of our party has been attacked by water trolls? No sweat, this guy who just joined our group has a sword that lets him breath water and move through it as if he were flying through air. You’re in the middle of nowhere and your dwarf friend is going to die without a healer? Oh look, a convenient traveling caravan with a healer!

3. The writing itself would have greatly benefited from some polishing and editing. Several times throughout the book, words are used incorrectly, such as in the phrase “A sense of relief purged through her body.” There are plenty of words and phrases that I found odd in regards to application in a fantasy world. They enter a castle and instead of it being made of stone and mortar, it’s made of cement. The word “magic” or “magical” is used so frequently to describe things it becomes annoying. “My magical dagger.” “The magical darkness.” “My sword is magical”. A search on my Kindle app finds the word “magic” 100 times. The book is 242 pages long, meaning roughly every 2.5 pages, you read about something being magic or magical.

4. The characters were boring and quite cliched. You have your token rough and tumble fighter in the dwarf and the man driven by faith who is extremely polite and correct in Abawken. The hero who cares deeply for his friends in Birdizak. The brooding lone-survivor-of-his-kind in Xan. The power mad evil king who has turned to darkness in an effort to obtain more power is there as well. None of the characters struck me as particularly organic or real. While they do have a few moments of depth, it isn’t regular enough to make the characters feel genuinely organic.

5. Half the dialogue in the book feels forced and unnatural. On top of that it’s filled with lines that I’d expect to hear in a bad movie . “Bad dog, now I have to put you down.” “They’ve messed with the wrong dwarf.” “You are a good thief because you stole my heart.”

The Meh:

1. Not much meh in this book. I suppose you could consider the things that are pulled directly from Dungeons and Dragons a bit meh as they probably wouldn’t bother someone who isn’t familiar with D&D.


Synopsis:

Centuries ago the Holy City was lost and destroyed, heralding in the dark age of man. The other races of Ruauck-El have been scattered and spend their lives hidden in forests and mountains in an effort to avoid the humans. But some still remain in human settlements. Birdazak, Spilf, and Dulgin are among the few who remain. Until one night in a dream Birdazak is gifted a mysterious box in a dream. This box prompts the trio to leave their shared home and head off in search of answers. Over the course of their adventure they will fight magical beasts, enter long forgotten temples, and find items of great magical, perhaps even divine, strength. But in the end, will it all be enough to defeat the Horn King Manasseh?

[Raven Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridazak is an Ordakian who has the most vivid recurring dreams about a light. One night, the dream changes and he receives a box. When he wakes up, the box is still there. He endeavors to find a way to open the box and find out what is inside. And so he and his two friends embark on a journey.

What’s an Ordakian, you say? A Halfling. Yes, this book takes place in a world with halflings, dwarves, and elves. Trolls, gnomes, unicorns and even pet dragons also make an appearance. This world is so detailed, there are not only made up places and names, but made up words and languages reminiscent of Star Wars or Star Trek. Having the main characters, a couple of Ordakians and a dwarf, on a quest reminds me of the Lord of the Rings, too. Items have magical properties like Harry Potter. This rivals any mainstream sci-fi fantasy, yet stands on its own two feet and creates something wholly new.

It is complicated, beautiful, and layered with mystery. Full of riddles and prophesies, sacrifices of innocent blood to restore the world, faith and the whole idea of being “called”, mortal tests, notions of good and evil, light and darkness, this book will have literary types talking and deciphering all of the symbolism for years to come.

The characters have depth. I love the dwarf. He is funny as all get-out. Abawken has some cool stuff. If I were Sookie Stackhouse, I might want his pocket protector. Bridazak seems to have realistic, believable reactions to some pretty incredible situations and keeps us grounded.

I would like to point out something regarding the bows and arrows to readers and authors alike. Having to be properly sized, bows and arrows do not come one-size-fits-all. Think of them like wearing shoes. Instead of measuring your feet, you are measuring your “wing span” so-to-speak. I would suspect the bow Bridazak found perfectly fit him though this fact was not explicitly stated. It was simply omitted. I do chalk up a lot to a writer’s license and tend to give them the benefit of the doubt more often than not. This was a detail I wondered while reading. So, my suggestion would be to just keep in mind that bows are a weapon which must fit.

I need to talk a little bit about the writing. There’s no way I could write a proper review without mentioning the writing. This is the very first thing I noticed about this book. For most authors, the goal is to tell a story that’s “an easy read”. This is, in fact, difficult to achieve. It’s a book in which the writer has gone over and over his work, eradicating the story of errors, simplifying word choices, and polishing it to a point where it simply flows. It’s counterintuitive because you think an easy read would be a book with a lower reading level and therefore possibly lower education level of the writer. This is simply untrue. An “easy read” typically means a boatload of work. I would not say that this book is the opposite of an easy read, rather it is one step above that. The level here is something to admire. The style reminds me of George R.R. Martin. If you are a fan of Martin’s novels, you know what I am talking about. It is one of those that just seems that the author is not only interested in telling a story, but is also very interested in the way the story is told. It’s as though he is in love with words themselves. There are books you read that make you think you should sit down and write that novel you have been kicking around in your head. Then, there are books written by professional writers that blow that out of the water. Like this one.

So, when you see the following, know that it is well-deserved:

Voted #1 Best Fantasy Book Under the Radar!
Voted #1 Best Christian Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book!
Voted #1 Best Indie Fantasy Book!
Voted #1 Best World Building!
Voted #1 Epic Fantasy Worth Your Time!
Voted #1 Awesome Action!
Voted #1 Best Supporting Characters!
Voted #1 Fantasy Book Everyone Should Read!

If I had to give a criticism, I would have little, if nothing to say.

This is a book for all ages. It is definitely family-friendly, action-packed and lets your imagination run wild. There is a lot here to discuss afterward. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who can read. The best thing I can say about this book is that there is a sequel. I, for one, can’t wait! Bring it on!

For more reviews such as this one, please visit my blog at http://ravenreviewer.tumblr.com