Oath of the Brotherhood by C. E. Laureano

About the Book:

An island at the edge of the world. An ancient prophecy. A reclusive warrior brotherhood. When evil encroaches, who will find the faith to fight it?

To his clan, Conor Mac Nir is a disappointment—gifted with a harp, but hopeless with a sword. To the beautiful young healer Aine, he’s one whose gift calls out to her own . . . and captures her heart. To the reclusive warrior brotherhood called the Fíréin, he may be the answer to an ancient prophecy

. . . if he can be trained to fight. Can Conor and Aine find their true path as an ancient evil engulfs the isle of Seare? Must Conor sacrifice everything he loves, even Aine, to follow the path God lays out before him?

My Thoughts:

Fantasy fiction isn't my normal 'go-to' genre, but I've heard tons of great things about this debut so I cracked the cover.  Thirty-two hours later, I turned the last page, took a deep breath, and immediately went searching the internet to find out about when another book would be released!

This story has several superb elements: world building, character development, suspenseful story, and satisfying ending.  Prepare to be lost in the ancient Isles of Seare and Amanta, battling the evil Red Druid and uniting the kingdoms once and for all.

A word of advice: flip to the back for the glossary and keep it handy as a reference until you get comfortable with the names of both people and places.  Once you get the hang of pronunciation, the reading goes much more smoothly.

Aine and Conor and SUCH great main characters, and watching them grow and change over the course of the novel was a treat!  Be warned: lovable characters don't always survive...so be prepared to cry!

From the traditions of the order of the kingdom, to the customs and laws of the Brotherhood of Fierin, everything is both believable and fits right in.  C. E. Laureano didn't miss a beat, and "Oath of the Brotherhood" stands with classics such as "The Lord of the Rings", "Chronicles of Narnia", and my current favorite "Blood of Kings" by Jill Williamson.

It was a thrilling journey from the walls of Glenmallaig to the Keep of Faolan, into the heart of the Firein and all across this ancient landscape.  Heroes, traitors, villains and heroines abound...and you'll gasp at who betrays whom.  Oh, yes, this book has it all...every element necessary to craft a superb story of epic fantasy fiction!

"Oath of the Brotherhood" is published by Tyndale (my thanks for my complimentary copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review), and releases THIS MONTH!  Perfect reading once the summer begins!


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