Review of The Tome of Syyx

[joshfee77]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Tome of Syyx" by Stavros Saristavros.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Tome of Syyx by Stavros Saristavros is a fantasy novel, Book 1 of The Fateful Force. The book opens with an assault on the ziggurat fortress of Lord Aramon by Vydiliar and his goblin forces. Aramon's servant Regnab narrowly escapes with a bag containing the Tome of Syyx, a magical book, after he forgets to place it in a sarcophagus where his master has been interred for safety.

We next meet a band of four fighters led by Zom (a half-orc), with Akke (a half-elf), Osho (a human), and Ailuros (a panthor: a combined human and big cat). They are initially assigned to protect a wagon train of dwarven miners. After successfully defeating a half-dozen attacking orcs, Zom realises one of the dead attackers has not bled, suggesting magical intervention and possible ties to Eurynomos, the demon god of disease. They later reach Sanctuary, a riverside town devoted to unity between races, for some rest and relaxation. They are soon enlisted to assassinate the Blue Skull orcs who serve Vlak, a warlord alleged to control a hobgoblin army. However, there is also serious concern about Immortuos, the god of undeath, and war seems inevitable...

The Tome of Syyx starts with an exciting battle scene, dropping us straight into the action. The descriptive writing is terrific: "Fissures appeared, leaking cloying white smoke as the stone on the other side of the wall bubbled and hissed." The highly readable prose does not dwell in lengthy descriptions of physical settings or characters, instead including them naturally in the story. The editing is also excellent, with only around 15 minor typographical errors in a novel of almost 700 pages. The author's world is excellent and completely immersive, akin to those in all great fantasy stories. The details that emerge throughout the book always seem complete and consistent. I did not notice any plot holes while reading.

Saristavros' character development is solid, with character traits and histories introduced organically throughout the book. His adherence to a character's viewpoint is also admirable, such as Zom's attraction to Jarra, a female half-orc and half-dwarf he runs into at Sanctuary. After running a "calloused hand" along his arm, her "yellowed teeth" flash under her beard. Now, calloused hands, yellowed teeth, and beards are not generally considered the most attractive features of a human woman, but since orcs are attracted to strength over form, this makes sense.

I could find only minor negatives about this book. Occasional sentences could be trimmed or simplified a little for readability. I rate The Tome of Syyx 4 out of 4 stars. It is an excellent fantasy novel that should appeal to all fans of the genre. It contains only minor profanity and no overt sexual content beyond kissing.

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The Tome of Syyx
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[LORDSHIP ALEX]

Wow! A storyline combining a human and a big cat, orcs and a half-elf, now that's a unique combination. I would eagerly read this book.

[Lawrence+2]

Would definitely read this book. Nice story line. Good review.

[Fearnia Laurel]

This book sounds like a great fantasy. The only thing that makes me a bit apprehensive on picking up this book is the names sound complicated and would make me confused. Besides that, the story sounds solid, exciting story line, immersive settings, great character development. Thank you for the review.

[Shelby Ayres]

This cover is very stunning. The cover and the title fit seamlessly together. I think the plot is pretty unique. The descriptions of a woman are slightly off-putting.

[abstactlemon]

This sounds like something out of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Following a band of people in a fantasy novel is always fun. Especially if they all have unique personalities.

[joshfee77]

Wow! A storyline combining a human and a big cat, orcs and a half-elf, now that's a unique combination. I would eagerly read this book.

An excellent fantasy novel. If you enjoy fantasy, I can't imagine you wouldn't enjoy this one. Thanks for commenting!

[joshfee77]

Would definitely read this book. Nice story line. Good review.

Thanks! At the risk of sounding repetitive, this is fantastic fantasy for any fan of the fantastic.

[joshfee77]

This book sounds like a great fantasy. The only thing that makes me a bit apprehensive on picking up this book is the names sound complicated and would make me confused. Besides that, the story sounds solid, exciting story line, immersive settings, great character development. Thank you for the review.

Thanks! The names do take a bit of getting used to, but it doesn't take long. The great thing about well-written fantasy is that it's so immersive, all of the world-building elements quickly cement themselves in your mind and it just becomes effortless to read. Brilliant stuff.

[joshfee77]

This cover is very stunning. The cover and the title fit seamlessly together. I think the plot is pretty unique. The descriptions of a woman are slightly off-putting.

Great cover, great plot, great book. And the "woman" in question is a female orc, so... let's just say they have different ideas than us about what is attractive. But it works beautifully to add realism to the book. Thanks for commenting!

[joshfee77]

This sounds like something out of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Following a band of people in a fantasy novel is always fun. Especially if they all have unique personalities.

Spot on! The author grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons and still plays it to this day. His passion for his world and his characters is clearly evident, which makes the reading experience an absolute pleasure. Thanks!

[NetMassimo]

This seems like an engaging fantasy novel with a Dungeon & Dragons flavor involving beings of different species. I'll look into this series. Thank you for your great review!

[joshfee77]

This seems like an engaging fantasy novel with a Dungeon & Dragons flavor involving beings of different species. I'll look into this series. Thank you for your great review!

Thanks! It certainly is an engaging novel, highly immersive, with some great conflict and world-building from a talented author.