The Road to Kalbakar is first in Horsman’s Wyrms of Pasandir series. Eskander is a young ship’s boy on the naval ship Tipred, a boring task since nothing ever happens. That all changes when a passing coaler gets attacked by a massive sea monster called an octicalvo. Parasitic flying fish then attack the Tipred, forcing Eskander’s hand. Thanks to the mysterious voice with the name Teodar that has guided him since he was young, Eskander knows more than a thing or two about magic. After the fierce fight Kellani, the Tipred’s broomer, or battlemage, is going to take the newly revealed magic-user to the broomers HQ.

Things don’t go quite as planned, and the pair crash in the desert. A Reclaimer site is nearby, and the reclaimers bring the pair in. Yet another attack decimates the tiny encampment. Strange creatures hunt Eskander, and he has no idea why. He gets the chance to learn when a teleport spell to take them to Seatome diverts to drop them smack in the Pasandir Peaks, and into the hands of more enemies. Here Eskander will find his past, his legacy, and his future. With the help of Kellani, and her cousin Naudin, along with the cursed princess Jem, and grudging allies Amaj, and Mazuun, Eskander will help take back his ancestral home from those seeking his death.

This is a fairly short read, which I mostly enjoyed. My biggest disgruntlement with it was the dialogue. It felt way too dissonant to the setting, and that kept kicking me out of the story world. Like, often. With frequent use of ‘guy’ and ‘girl’ as appellations, and use of the word ‘darn’, the language would have fit better with a middle grade urban fantasy set in our modern world. I found some difficulty with certain people and place names. Now, I love language, and unusual names and words, so for me to say I was stumbling over names says something. Some I had no clue how to pronounce, like Ozoezd the jinni also known as the Lord of the Seven Caves. There were some consonant clusters that just don’t go together in Latin-based languages, the big one being ‘zd’. Just whaaa? Others sounded rough and clumsy, like Arrangh or Nanstalgarod. A pronunciation guide would be great.

It should also be noted that POV perspective flips between chapters. If it is Eskander’s POV, then its first person. Naudin and Kellani’s are done in third. Chapters focusing on different characters’ perspectives I have no problem with, but I think the flow would have been better if Eskander’s hadn’t been in first person.

Language issues aside, I enjoyed the story itself. Eskander is a cool main character, and Kellani and Naudin are great supports. The worldbuilding was rich, and detailed. The reader is given enough information as they go along, but aren’t inundated with info dumps. I love that these various peoples have skin tones quite unlike any we have, being in shades of gray. They made me think of the drow from Forgotten Realms. You know, save the bloodthirstiness. (Except Drizzt!)

There are different types of magic. The three primary characters have different skills, and it’s unclear yet just how much magic Eskander really knows. Teodar has given him lots of knowledge, but part of Eskander’s mind is shuttered. He’s constantly experimenting, and learning new things about his ability and limits. Kellani uses battle magic, and Naudin has a focus in mental magics, like weaving illusions.

Then there are the dragons! From the descriptions, they are probably more aptly wyvern- dragons with two wings, and two hind legs. Other descriptions call to mind winged serpents, with no limbs serving as legs only. Still, dragons! My favourite mythic beastie, in all its many manifestations. Eskander rescues a baby wyrm, and she seems rather attached to him now, so I’m guessing we get to see her grow up. Little Lothi-Mo is intelligent, but her great kin are losing that intelligence. Either they are all sick with a dementia, or they are being magically influenced. I really hope Lothi-Mo doesn’t succumb, and that we learn what is causing the wyrms such distress.

This is a great read for young adult readers who love magic and fantasy. It’s perfect for any who love dragons!

***Many thanks to Silver Dagger Blog Tours & the author for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

 

***Addendum re: language- I went investigating, and learned the author is Dutch. (I mean, I only had to go one post over 😆)  Now, spellings make more sense, and I can keep this cultural difference in mind reading the rest of the books.