Featured Review: Roan: The Tales Of Conor Archer

[markodim721]

I like that the book, in addition to being an urban fantasy, is also an epic, it has elements of a saga, but also good old campfire stories. The author very skilfully weaved elements of Native American folklore, Celtic mythology and Christian tradition into the story.

[Edet Joy]

An exceptional fantasy in it's peak. I hope Conor can rise and accept his position as the warrior of the light. Intriguing and engaging review with an excellent storyline suitable best for all fantasy readers. I would definitely love to get into this!

[Zulaykha_001]

I love fantasy novels especially the ones that have to do with magic, the description and summary of the book gives the impression that sooner or later it will become a saga. The description was epic and I'd love to read it during my free time. Congratulations on BOTD

[Themmie10]

This book sounds like a good read. I’ve always loved fantasy especially the ones that had to do with myth and saving the world, I hope this won’t disappoint .

Thanks for the great review!

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

Roan sounds like an amazing urban fantasy novel with incredible world-building and character development. I'm excited to know more about the
mysterious Tinker's Grove and its residents.

[Chinazo Anozie]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Roan: The Tales Of Conor Archer" by E. R. Barr.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Roan: The Tales of Conor Archer, by debut author E.R. Barr, is classified as an Urban Fantasy. While I agree with that notion, I contend that the novel is so much more. This tale is epic in scope, destined to become a saga. Despite the story’s magnitude, however, it takes the life of a classic campfire story. Barr’s writing style is at once fast-paced, richly complex, and intensely engaging. Not to play my hand too quickly, but I thoroughly enjoyed Roan. If the author made a mistake with this novel, it can only be that he set an extremely high bar for his future writing. This book is a perfect read for Urban Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, and Dark Fantasy enthusiasts alike.

Roan, as implied by its full title, centers on Conor Archer, a Chicago teen who learns of his mysterious Celtic ancestry in the midst of a family tragedy. Whisked away to a rural village in Wisconsin, Conor begins to unravel the puzzle of his bloodline even as he learns that some of the residents of Tinker’s Grove share a common heritage and even darker secrets. Moreover, Conor soon realizes that his new home is a convergence of Christian tradition, Celtic myth, and Native American folklore. In Tinker’s Grove, legends are not only a reality, but Conor Archer is actually a part of the town's mythology! The prophecies aren’t complete, however, and if Conor can’t accept his place as a warrior of Light, then he is destined to be the harbinger of Darkness. An engrossing novel that deluges the present day with the legends of a time before time, once Roan has you in its clutches, it will refuse to let go, even long after the last page has been read.

I award Roan 4 out of 4 Stars. There’s honestly no other rating to bestow upon this novel, as E.R. Barr delivered so much more than I was expecting. Because of the genre’s ever deepening talent pool, Urban Fantasy is simply not an easy genre to break into; direct competitors include Jim Butcher, Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, and Lilith Saintcrow, just to name a few. Barr, however, jumps in feet first with this novel and doesn’t look back. The world of Conor Archer is carefully crafted to include real history and incorporate cross-cultural legends and lore in a manner that allows the book to be complex and multi-faceted yet easy to follow. World-building is such a crucial element to fantasy fiction, and the failure of authors to define real rules for supernatural beings or powers often leads poor storytelling. E.R. Barr does not make this mistake; as a result, the story is allowed to grow and build upon itself in a reasonable manner.

In addition to world-building, the author performs superlatively in character development. A character is but a useless plot element if the reader feels no emotion toward it. There are no useless plot elements to be found here, though. The sordid history of the town’s outcasts, the dark ones, is painful to uncover. Conor’s passion to make his own destiny is real in all of us. The reader can’t help but feel the evil dripping from the veins of the McNabb boys and their mother, Cate. It’s impossible not to have a vested interest in the people of Tinker’s Grove as the story progresses.

Finally, the story itself is original and compelling. On the surface, Roan is a coming-of-age tale about a boy caught between making his own way and evolving into a destiny that was spoken over him thousands of years before his birth. However, it is also a tale of the battle between Good and Evil, both in flesh and spirit. Mythical heroes and legendary creatures are given a little insight as to what it means to be human. What is the ultimate Good, service or sacrifice? What is the ultimate Evil, the devil you see or the devil in your mind? Every character, from the wicked water beast Piasa to the great Roan Prince Madoc, will have to answer these questions before the final chapter is concluded.

If you like fantasy, or even if you don’t mind a little magic and mysticism in an otherwise excellent story, then Roan: The Tales of Conor Archer is for you. There’s not much negative to say about this first work from E.R. Barr. He has his own narrative style, which was sometimes off-putting as he likes to begin his sentences with verbs, but it’s easy to get used to. All in all, Roan is one of the better books I’ve read this year, and I’m highly anticipating a sequel. E.R. Barr has definitely made an impact on me as a reader. This is a book you need to read.

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Roan: The Tales Of Conor Archer
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Like jacnthabox's review? Post a comment saying so!

This was an amazing review, and this sounds like it'll be a good read. Fantasies are one of my favorites genres. Can't wait to read!

[Bertha Jackson]

Celtic mythology is one of my favorite topics. This is one book I need to read. Thank you for your review.

[Ntombifuthi Londi]

Not only does this fantasy novel have excellent character development, but the plot also appears to be engaging. Congratulations on winning #BOTD!

[Guda Lydia]

Urban fantasy is not my typical genre, however, I like the premise - Roan is a coming-of-age tale about a boy caught between making his own way and evolving into a destiny that was spoken over him thousands of years before his birth. - and the fight between good and evil. Congratulations on the BOTD.

[Adaeze Joan]

Wow, a tale of the battle between good and evil. This sounds like an interesting book with a unique plot. I love reading coming of age stories. Thanks for the detailed review.

[Kirsi Cultrera]

I haven’t read too many urban fantasies, and this genre piques my interest. I like that the book mixes ancient mythology to modern times. In addition, Celtic mythology is my soft spot. This author’s writing style sounds promising, and I am already dying to find out if Conor chose the good or the bad…

Thank you for the interesting review!

[nishureading]

I liked the review by jacnthabox's because it is simple and explained the story without spoiling it for readers. Looking forward to read it.

[Maroy Gloria Ailly]

A book with mysterious events unfolding around urban fantasy. I've never really read a book with such a theme, but maybe I should give it a try. Thank you for the review.

[Iva Stoyanova]

Sounds very engaging and enjoyable. I haven't read urban fantasy yet so this one seems like a good start. Thanks for the insightful and well-written review!

[Gabriela Contreras]

I actually enjoy the fact that the reviewer claims that the only mistake in this book is that Barr set an extremely high bar for his future writing.
I like the character of Conor Archer, I enjoy stories about Celtic culture and I think he has a big challenge ahead in rural Wisconsin, a place with not much Celtic information, the main difficulty to understand how to embrace light or darkness.
While I do not know what "Urban Fantasy" means exactly I believe as a fantasy reader I would enjoy this book, as the plot seems captivating.