A Demon Sleek disguised as Mordeana's trusted servant, infiltrates the Gold Tower. The infamous Witch Queen, Mordeana Never Dead, disappears. Leaving her sisters and her island, Koura Pourewa vulnerable to attack by the minions of the Dark Flame.
Her husband Crann Og Raimh and her son Athas Orga send her apprentice, a boy they fondly call Snot to get help from Mordeana's sister, the Witch Queen, Marama Rawa. Catapulting the boy and his fellow travellers, Silas Al Seamist a covetous Galanglas pirate, and his shipmate, the dour Moema cat, Atarangi Hiriwa, along the mysterious, and dangerous, Dagger Path.
Their quest is to find Silver Tower and the legendary Eye of Hiriwa Pourewa, the mad Fae seer, Cassandra Novantae. Silas accuses her of talking with two-tongues and he is proven correct when she walks the paths inside the mind of Time, to seek Mordeana for them, but her help comes at a price, higher than the travellers dare pay. A price that drags them further along the Dagger Path, and embroils them in the plots and schemes of Witch Queen and The Lords of The Dark Flame. Every action they take is one step closer to the prophesised Eve of Destruction as they hurtle towards their fate, destiny, and death.
Book One of Gaiadon Lore, Dagger Path, is a deliciously dark treat, and the entry point story to the Gaiadon Universe.
Occult and metaphysical themes are played out by characters, who live their lives under the curse of a cosmological war between the Lords of the Light and Dark Flames.
Compelling characters survive against a backdrop of fourth dimensional life, on a planet under siege by forces who are sworn to the Dark Flame.
The world building is well crafted, with robust magic and power systems that really define the milieu and the elements of Gaiadon Lore on this breath-taking, but tainted world.
Industry Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing beginning of an epic series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 June 2020
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Dagger Path is a beautifully told and well written fantasy debut. What an incredible world Gaiadon is... this is going to be one of those series where you'll crow about finding it first, after the rest of the reading public catch up.
Once I got into it, (there are a few characters to remember) the story took me by surprise, it started off as this sort of lovely adventure a young boy goes on, that got progressively darker, the plot twists were unexpected, but bitter sweet and without giving away spoilers, I was close to tears at one point.
Daniel Kelly
5.0 out of 5 stars
Poetry in novel form
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 July 2020
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I feel slightly cheated, as I got to 93% and suddenly the story is over for this book, the rest being glossary, though for a lot of people, it will need the glossary as this is a story of huge scope, not just of a new world but of the creation of galaxies and God... And gods enslaved. There is beautiful use of old Gaelic among other languages, including Maori I think, which is used as the old languages, the languages of magic and power which is a great idea. Too long have the sacred rituals been written in Latin, when Latin speakers in the real world didn't believe in magic, they brought religion and a belief that all magic was evil. Old Gaelic tribes believed in the power of magic and the land, having druids long after other cultures abandoned them so it is the more logical language for magic.
Beautifully descriptive.
Robert Ullrich
4.0 out of 5 stars
Only the Beginning
Reviewed in the United States on 13 July 2020
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Gaiadon Lore is but the first leg of a fantastical journey in a new world. The author goes to great lengths to paint mental pictures of the characters, mystical creatures and a world unlike any other, and does a very good job. I won't mention the main character's name, it's unique is all I have to say about it.
One recommendation to all who embark upon the Dagger's Path; Do NOT bypass the prologue! It is very much an integral part of the story. And, one tip. There is a glossary at the end of the novel which was very useful to me.
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