Forged in Fire by Fraser Scott

Forged in Fire is Book 1 of The Godewyne Chronicles created by Fraser Scott.

Rollie, the grandson of the elusive Ranulf, the only blacksmith in the village of Wickenshire, is hiding something in his pocket. A mysterious stranger commissions him to forge a Druid token out of a mysterious metal. Believing it to be a nice break from his usual job of forging nails, he accepts the commission and now keeps it a secret from his grandfather. But Rollie is not the only one with a secret. His grandfather, Ranulf, himself is not being completely truthful.

Meanwhile, the court jester is serving time in the dungeons and while he is contemplating on his precarious situation, Lord Aderland Maculinus is rounding up the nobles against King Godebert.

This is a fast-paced, intriguing and exciting first installment of a promising fantasy book series. The language used, though informal for its medieval setting, makes for easy reading. Narration and descriptions of scenes are vividly done with a touch of both wit and sarcasm and dialogues are fitting for each character. The author successfully builds up intrigue and mystery to keep the readers hooked.

However, for readers like myself who prefer standalone books whether part of a series or not, the ending of this book might be taken as less satisfying than it should be. Without resolution to any of the conflict presented or answer to any of the questions, it gives an incomplete feeling. Moreover, I find it difficult to connect with any of the characters, probably brought about by reservation because of the secrecy and mystery surrounding the characters.

Still, I enjoyed this book a lot and I believe other readers will enjoy it as well.

Congratulations to Fraser Scott on such a great book!