Review by Sam Ibeh -- Roan by E. R. Barr

Sam Ibeh · Post by **Sam Ibeh** » 23 Dec 2019, 08:51

[Following is a volunteer review of "Roan" by E. R. Barr.]

4 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

Did you ever have your life set on a particular path only to have it disrupted by a revelation of who you really are? Even if you did not, the story of Conor Archer is one that every lover of urban fantasy will find fascinating.

Roan by E.R. Barr is an urban fantasy and coming of age story of Conor Archer. Conor grew up not knowing the full details of where he came from. His mother did everything in her power to keep these details from him to keep him safe. He wasn’t able to go to college with his mates due to the health condition of his mother. To sustain himself and his mother, he played his tin whistle with a band at a local bar. One night he had an encounter with strangers that gave him an idea of what destiny had in store for him. Coming home that night, his mother died after she revealed to Conor where he was from and the reason behind the encounters he had. Having lost his mother to cancer, Conor went back to Tinker’s Grove to face his destiny. What path will Conor eventually take?

E.R. Barr raised the bar in this fast-paced novel with his exquisite storytelling. He wasted no time in serving it hot from the beginning. The backstory at the beginning of the book was a great way to set the stage for the thrill that riddled this book. Unlike some novels, he quickly connected the backstory to the main story in the first few chapters. This did not affect the suspense that gripped me from the start to the end of this book. It was easy for me to connect the dots without going back to previously read pages. This is a difficult thing for many authors, especially for a book in this genre. Nonetheless, Barr did a fantastic job of closing those gaps. This is what I liked most about this book.

Another thing that stood out in this book was the way Barr weaved in science, mythology, religion, and culture into this epic story. As a matter of fact, the lives of the people of Tinker’s Grove were connected by these phenomena. It was amazing to see how Barr created Tinker’s Grove as a place with vast inclinations and proclivities. Yet, he finds a binding point to make the community they have very relatable. He found a way to simplify the complexities that surrounded their existence. This is something I find mostly in folklore and mythical tales. In doing this, the book did not lose its urban appeal. This is worth commending.

The character development is also something that I couldn’t help but notice. Every young lad in a conflict of what life holds for them would easily relate to Conor’s character. The struggle between who he wanted to be and what he needed to become was real. Other characters were also well-developed. Even Finola Archer that played a somewhat little role at the beginning was present almost throughout the book. Though she died in the first few chapters, her character was kept alive as it was mentioned all through Connor’s journey in this book. This is just an example of how Barr ensured that every character found relevance in this book.

Frankly, there was nothing I disliked about this book. The writing was excellent. The editing was professional. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to all lovers of mythical stories with some urban flavor.

******
Roan
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

That Reviewer · Post by **That Reviewer** » 18 Feb 2020, 11:24

Another thing that stood out in this book was the way Barr weaved in science, mythology, religion, and culture into this epic story.

The author must have done his homework to be able to pull this off. Great work there and an awesome review you have there.

Cynthia_Oluchi · Post by **Cynthia_Oluchi** » 18 Mar 2020, 09:02

This weave of science, mythology, religion and culture must have made a page-turning book. It looks like an awesome read. Thank you for reviewing.

praise+anyi · Post by **praise+anyi** » 20 Mar 2020, 06:36

You talked about the backstory & how the writer was able to connect it to the main story. That's outstanding. With a well developed character & mixture of myth with science, the book will be a great cream to massage our suspense.

Funmilayo2019 · Post by **Funmilayo2019** » 21 Feb 2022, 12:29

The character development is also something that I couldn’t help but notice. Every young lad in a conflict of what life holds for them would easily relate to Conor’s character. Good write up

Umesh Bhatt · Post by **Umesh Bhatt** » 24 Feb 2022, 01:58

The review is indicative of good suspense and thrill in the book. The small part of story mentioned in the review is sufficient to evoke interest and curiosity. Thanks for the nice review.