Rating: 3.5-4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

I thought this book was a great YA fantasy book for someone who doesn’t know if they like that genre.

I liked this book but at the same time I thought there were some parts that were missing from it.

I really liked coming of age and finding oneself in this book. I thought the magic system was interesting, but I had a hard time understanding it. I also felt that there was an overall feeling of what is going on in the book and not really understanding the Light-Twister system that well at first but after getting through some of the book it did start making some sense to me. I do have to say that this magic/light-twister system was very unique, and I did enjoy getting to know the characters throughout the book. I thought the plot was well done for being a debut. I liked the author’s way of using words and the flow was overall done well, there were a few times I had a hard time understanding though. However, I liked his writing style. I liked the action and the questioning/wondering what is going to happen next for the characters was what I liked the most.

The characters were easy to relate to in some parts, but overall, I did have a hard time connecting with them. I did enjoy getting to know Jaren a little more as the book went on and getting to see his character growth throughout the book. I did enjoy getting to see how he treated his foster family and his siblings that were living there. I felt that with Jaren he had a lot of feelings about the sudden change in his life and having to learn about himself and what he can do now was relatable. I know with any teen, heck even adults, we are still learning about ourselves. What we like, what we want, who we like and so forth.

I can’t wait to see what else this author will come up with.

I want to thank Michael Richards for the opportunity to review this book.

The Peace of Freysdal is well written but not holding my interest. I'm having difficulty understanding exactly what it means to be a Light-Twister; I can't really picture what Jaren and Joans are doing. At 30% I'm still not sure why Jaren is being trained (are they all getting ready for a fight? and if so, then from whom?).

In general, the world building is good. There's more showing than telling and most of it makes sense. But there's something about the radiant energy manipulation that is not working for me.

Maybe I'll pick it up again and give it another go, but for now I need to put it aside.

The author reached out to me on insta and asked me if I'd like to read and review his YA fantasy arc. I love supporting indie authors, so ofc I couldn't refuse!

Overall, I loved that the magic system is really unique. At the very end, the author talked about how the magic is based on his science background and you can clearly tell that he took the time to really figure out its nuances.

I love the MC, Jaren. He's a perfect Middle Grade/very young YA character. (Although I think he could've been aged down from 15 to maybe 12 or 13.) His character arc really shows his growth from a traumatized thrall who's extremely wary of light-twisting (aka magic) to the archetypal MG/YA hero.

I like how his relationships with the other characters are realistic. His attitude towards his foster brother is antagonistic at first, but it eventually develops into friendship and brotherhood. He has so many complicated feelings towards his instructor/mentor, Joans, that anyone can (partially) relate to. His relationships with his sisters are another example of how the author excels with characterization and character growth.

Unfortunately though, it's difficult for me to give this novel a high rating. The novel needs several more passes with a copy editor and a proofreader.

There were grammatical mistakes that took me out of the story numerous times to the point where I thought about DNF the book. The dialogue is really awkward and clunky due to the lack of contractions, which made conversations sound and feel unnatural. All of these issues made me wonder if I received an early draft instead of a proper arc.

The writing itself is very subpar. Even though this is MG/young YA, young readers still deserve a well-written novel. As it stands, I can't really recommend this novel. But maybe the writing will improve as the series continues. Who knows?

Thank you to Lodestone Books and NetGalley for this arc.

Fantasy is a newish thing for me. I haven't read this genre in a long time but I haven't had a reason to not read it.

Michael Richards caught my attention right from the get fo. I liked his style of writing. He has a great voice.

I liked the idea of the magic system, but if I hadn't understood it better before reading it, I may have been quite lost. Diving deeper into the magic system would have been helpful.

This story starts off with a bang, quite literally. It picks up and you can get sucked into the story so fast.

Enjoyed seeing this get published. Can't wait to see what else Michael Richards does.

I received an arc on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I did learn of this author first on Instagram and have been following the updates, eager to get my hands on a copy. When the author reached out, mentioning the arc available I bounced right on it.

I enjoyed it! It did take me a couple chapters to grasp and form a coherent idea of what was going on, because it jumps right in, but in retrospect I think it worked really well and immersed you into the plot immediately instead of dragging a bit. So I did like that initial push at first.

This was a bit of a coming-of-age story in a way, Jaren learning of his powers and rolling with it, learning about it, and is set on a personal mission to end Thralldom in his world.

I liked the way it's written and would serve as a great introductory fantasy for young readers, and for those who are avid fantasy readers like myself, I think anyone can appreciate where the story is going and be on the edge of their seats for more.

This was an excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Straight away I was intrigued by the world, magic system, chatacters and story.

It is beautifully written with the perfect amount of description to fuel your mind but not lose track of track of the story.

It has an intriguing magic system due to it being science/radiation based, which is enhanced due to the author drawing on his own scientific background and experience. It was fun to see the different ways that this could be manipulated by the characters.

I felt like it had a feel of "The Way of Kings", but with a single POV, which I later found another review had likened it to as well.

I like the balance of the action with the cosiness of the "found family" aspect.

Highly recommended and I will be looking out for more from Michael Richards

Been working on giving this one a shot, But there is no world introduction in this book. It just jumps right in with the main character who is a Thrall. We also have no clue about how the society works. Or the magic system. So I have no idea what is going on, why it's ( some mystical weirdness) working like that, or why he suddenly is apprenticed to the head wizard like person. This lack of background makes it impossible to even figure out where the plot is going. This is going to be a DNF for me. Thank you for the ARC, sorry this review is negative but it is honest.

This is a book about a society with a caste structure and people who can harness energy. Jaren is the protagonist and most of the first half of the book details how he went from a slave like existence to a manipulator of energy. There is a lot of physics based concepts used in creating the world Jaren lives in.

I found the book slow and a little plodding. Although I read the entire book, I almost gave up on it a few times. I found the content interesting but not gripping. My taste in science fiction veers more towards fantasy and the tone of this book is a little too dark for me. It may be right for those who want a heavy lean on the science aspect of science fiction.

"The Peace of Freysdal" is a captivating young adult fantasy novel that introduces readers to the enchanting world of Freysdal, where magic, politics, and the fight against oppression converge. The story follows the journey of Jaren, a young protagonist who discovers his latent magical abilities and becomes entangled in a dangerous quest to liberate his city from the clutches of Thralldom.

The book's strength lies in its ability to engage younger readers who are new to the fantasy genre. The gradual development of the plot allows for a well-paced coming-of-age story, where Jaren navigates the challenges of honing his magical skills while forging connections with other characters. This slow burn approach provides a solid foundation for readers to grow alongside the protagonist, making it an ideal introduction to the genre.

As the story progresses, the pace picks up, leading to more action-packed scenes that add excitement and tension to the narrative. The author's ability to create suspense keeps readers invested, eager to discover how Jaren's journey unfolds. The book's ending, while slightly rushed for some readers, manages to provide a satisfying conclusion while hinting at potential sequels, leaving readers intrigued and eager for more.

While the book has several positive aspects, there are a few areas that could have been improved. The initial understanding of the magic system might pose some difficulty for readers, requiring a few chapters to fully grasp its intricacies. Additionally, the character development could have been further strengthened to enhance emotional connections with the characters. However, given the target audience and the book's focus on plot and action, these shortcomings do not detract significantly from the overall reading experience.

In summary, "The Peace of Freysdal" is an engaging young adult fantasy that successfully introduces readers to a world of magic, adventure, and the fight against oppression. With its well-paced plot, gradual character development, and hints of a broader story to come, the book holds great potential for young readers venturing into the fantasy genre. Despite some challenges in understanding the magic system and fostering emotional connections, the book remains an enjoyable read that sets the stage for future sequels.