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Book Title: Gol
Series: The Legends of Ansu
Author Name: J.W. Webb
Author Website: Legendsofansu.com
Purchase from Amazon: Gol (Legends of Ansu) (Volume 1)
Book Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis of Book: Gol. A continent on the brink of destruction. Once a mighty kingdom, now six provinces torn apart by treacherous barons. In one province two young lovers strive to stay together when all else prises them apart. Lissane and Erun must survive to guide their people through the coming storm. The odds are stacked against them. Erun, dreamer and fool, is chosen for a dark path. Whilst Lissane is given away by her father
the baron to wed the brutal son of a rival ruler.
Meanwhile, at the far side of the world a sorcerer has freed the fire demon, Ashmali, setting off a chain of events that could ultimately bring about Gol’s long foretold ruin. Caught between rising seas, civil war, and approaching fire the continent’s time is fast running out. Gol features beautiful sketches and maps by Tolkien illustrator, Roger Garland. It opens the doors on a new epic fantasy series titled Legends of Ansu. Within its content lies an sweeping tale of love, hatred, vengeance and destruction. In Gol the high courage of a few individuals is all that stands against the will of fickle gods and treachery of men.
Reviews:
“I read a lot of fantasy and mythology books, so this is a genre I’m familiar with. Having read another of J.W. Webb’s books recently – “The Haven” and really enjoying it, I was curious to see how he would deliver in this one “Gol – The Legends of Ansu”. Mr. Webb is unarguably a very talented writer, but more than that he genuinely impressed me with his thorough world-building and sheer creativeness on many levels. All too often I read works that feel clearly derivative of other books, and although I appreciate literary influences (as is felt here as well), when something this original comes along it is a refreshing change of pace! Some of the writing was downright lyrical in the simple elegance of the prose, and other times I was nearly breathless from the intensity and violent passion. For such a long book I finished it in less than a week, and went through so many highs and lows, it felt like a rollercoaster. I was hoping for a different ending, but it was bittersweet (and more powerful this way) nonetheless. A must read for fans of high fantasy. (5 stars)”
“I really enjoyed “Gol” by author J.W. Webb, even though “epic” fantasy isn’t usually one of my more preferred genres (don’t dislike it, just don’t generally gravitate). But I recently read another book by this author, “the Haven” , and I like watching “Game of Thrones” so I gave it a shot. I was really impressed! I really liked the drawings (and the map), and thought that Mr. Webb did such a wonderful job with the descriptions of the world and the different characters. There are SO many of them it’s hard to keep track (there is a useful guide at the end), but I did fall in love with Lissane and Erun and was so shocked at some things that happened. Emotionally engaging and with lots of action. Some language, especially towards the last half (book 2) but other than that it feels pretty suitable for mature teens on up. I had a great time reading this! (5 stars)”
“This book was great… lots of fun to read and very creative. Describing it is a hard task! All sorts of interesting characters, creatures, humans, and non-humans, and a terrific mix of
fantasy, adventure, and danger and magic. Although I did think the beginning started off kind of slow until I got more of a feel about this new world and the characters and their backgrounds, once things got moving along I really got hooked. I liked that it was so descriptive that we can really put ourselves inside Gol and the various character’s perspectives. Fabulous narrative prose and the language was very authentic. Recommend for fantasy fans who want a fun, literary read. Looking forward to the next one of the Legends of Ansu!”
“Fast-paced, well written and creative, “Gol” (Legends of Ansu book 1) from J.W. Webb is an absolute must-read for fans of novels such as Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Merlin, Mists of Avalon, etc. “Gol” holds its own with the top-notch writing and plot structure, and an exciting, varied cast of colorful characters and plenty of magic and thrills to go around. There are some familiar tropes here (as with most fantasy), however, I feel Mr. Webb did a great job of bringing in a unique voice and making the story wholly his own, and giving it a fresh feel. I didn’t feel like I’ve read this million times before. A few things, I thought at times there was way too much “telling” instead of showing. Not too bad, but some parts dragged toward the middle. But an engrossing story with near perfect editing, and I’m ready for the next one! (4-5 stars)”
