The beginning of the novel is very captivating. The characters are presented well, and what is not said about them the reader thinks will be explained later. Unfortunately, this is only partly the case, because the author, apparently very engrossed in giving the story more and more wicked twists, forgets bits and pieces behind, many more than are allowed to leave to the reader's imagination. Thus, the book ends with a few more questions than when it started, a somewhat frustrating feeling.

It is a great first-novel for a fantasy writer. Has some interesting perspectives with lots of rich descriptions and vivid language. A nice book to grab for fans of fantasy. Those who like societal commentary and lean toward conservative ideology will likely enjoy this type of book.

An dark, eerie, and at times horrifying adventure through dreadful landscapes. Power is like a drug and those with just a taste will do anything to get more. This fell more into the fantasy genre for me than horror but it was really good for what it was. Superb writing combined with some really awesome characters. Pruitt knows how to spin a dreadfully good yarn.

It took me a couple of chapters to get going with this, but I put that down to it being a) a new author to me, and b) a new book to me. The characters are well developed and believable and the plot line is too. I look forward to reading more of Jonathan Pruitt's materials. I would recommend this to anyone who loves to read and become immersed in the storyline.

Unlike many Kindle editions I didn't notice to many spelling or other errors except the Header typeface sizing.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for providing this ebook in exchange for an honest review!

This novel was such a great DARK FANTASY book!!! I was positively hooked from the first chapter.
I fully appreciated was the character development and the story.
This was an incredible epic adventure that will take you a wild ride, go for it!!!!

I am ABSOLUTELY recommending this book, to you and to everyone I know!

"The Amber Menhir" by Jonathan Pruitt is a gripping and imaginative fantasy novel that takes readers on an extraordinary journey through a world of magic, mystery, and ancient secrets. Pruitt's storytelling is nothing short of enchanting, as he weaves a tale filled with well-crafted characters and a richly detailed setting that transports readers to a realm unlike any other.
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"The Amber Menhir" is a spellbinding fantasy novel that captivates with its intricate world-building, engaging characters, and a plot filled with twists and turns. Jonathan Pruitt's storytelling prowess shines through in this enchanting tale of magic and discovery. Whether you're a fan of fantasy or simply love a good adventure, The Amber Menhir is a must-read that will leave you eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

I was intrigued by the description of this book: a brand new fantasy world! I unfortunately found that the writing style and storytelling were not exactly my preference, which made the book a little hard to get into. The writing is very flowery with many flourishes and extra details which sometimes take away from the meaning. The characters, on the other hand, are compellingly written, although some do fall into stereotypes/tropes at times.

I enjoyed the world-building but I found it a little hard to follow at first as we are thrown into the story immediately, with many new characters all at once.

The story proceeds with many twists and turns. Past a certain point in the book the plot moves very quickly, and becomes very exciting! I won’t go into any spoilers but if you enjoy a book with an elaborate set-up and large cast of characters that builds into a lot of excitement and action, this is possibly for you!

It was definitely not my typical book but I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who wants to go on an adventure. I just opened the first page and jumped into the story. I just don’t want to say more for fear of spoiling anything but I just think that it is very good and I liked it a lot.

"The Amber Menhir" by Jonathan N. Pruitt is an exhilarating and mind-bending journey that seamlessly blends reality and fantasy. This novel takes readers on a wild ride, part epic adventure and part soul-searching quest, making it an unforgettable literary experience.

One of the standout features of this book is its cast of relatable, flawed, and incredibly engaging characters. The author skillfully crafts characters that feel like your best friends, and you can't help but become emotionally invested in their struggles and triumphs. The range of emotions you'll experience while reading, from laughter to empathy, is a testament to Pruitt's storytelling prowess.

The world-building in "The Amber Menhir" is nothing short of extraordinary. The author has a remarkable ability to breathe life into the fantastical elements of the story, making it feel like he plucked them from your own imagination and brought them to vivid reality. The fusion of science and storytelling is executed brilliantly, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative.

One of the most compelling aspects of the book is the exploration of complex themes, including the nature of good and evil. Pruitt delves deep into the gray areas between these concepts, prompting readers to question their own beliefs and perspectives.

In summary, "The Amber Menhir" is a roller-coaster of emotions, a thought-provoking journey, and an all-around awesome read. If you're looking for an exhilarating escape that challenges your perception of reality and immerses you in a fantastic world, don't hesitate to pick up this book. It's a literary adventure you won't want to miss.

Thank you to Net Galley and Spinner Loom Press for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available October 1,2023!

This is a high octane dark fantasy with a fully realized world of deadly power politics, a magic system that is unique and lots of corruption. It was a thrilling read that made me pause and think.

As you journey through the pages of "Amber Menhir," you'll find yourself not only invested in the characters' fates but also reflecting on the blurred lines between right and wrong, making it a truly thought-provoking book.

"The Amber Menhir" is not merely a story; it's an experience. Pruitt's exploration of the human connection to politics, fantasy, and the passage of time invites readers to ponder their own place in the grand tapestry of existence. As the story progresses, it challenges conventional notions of reality and encourages readers to embrace the unexplainable.

The novel really won me over, and as it barreled its way into a climax I found myself unable to put it down. As far as fantasy goes it is not doing anything remarkably new—essentially, young adults go to magic school only to find things are as they seem, with a handful of other fantasy tropes along the way. But that is all mixed with a heavy dose of political and class commentary, and plays out in a great world with interesting magic systems. There was a good combination of the genre tropes holding my hand, doing what I expected, and then swerving down an unexpected trail to go somewhere else. Characters are usually my way into a novel, and while our various protagonists are interesting, I hope they are more developed in future books. They do fit into somewhat expected categories—I really don’t need another overweight, stuttering, loyal, kind-of-simple-but-maybe-also-really-smart-in-his-own-way friend. This character, while I really enjoyed him, felt like a combination of all of the most tired traits given to the lumbering oaf with a heart of gold that is constantly underestimated. He has a little more depth here, but not a lot. Luckily, he is left with room to grow, as are all the characters. There are hints of interesting and intriguing histories to each, and they are definitely distinct, but the story ends with them still being more mystery than fully fleshed out. Plus some of the character growth, if we can call it that, feels incredibly rushed and unearned, for at least one of the characters.

But, here’s the thing—that didn’t bother me. Because they do all have enough interesting things going on that there is space for them to grow. And the world is so interesting that I was okay with them fitting into somewhat expected roles. The magic system is only slowly explained, and even by the end there is still some vagueness about just what are the abilities of the different magic groups, and that is on purpose, not all of our characters know either, and that is great. It can turn into a deus-ex-machina system if the author isn’t careful, inventing new strands or possibilities in the magic systems to jump over plot holes if they’re not careful, but that didn’t feel like it happened here, not yet, anyway. It is a novel magic system that has a lot of depth and I felt excited to be in the world. The political realities, both within the magic school and outside of it, play a very interesting dynamic in the story. Like other aspects of the story these were both critical to the plot but only just barely touched on, leaving a wide-open world to explore in future installments. Yet, for as much setting up as this novel did for the future of the series, it felt complete and whole. While the character growth didn’t always track, the overall story felt satisfying, and it managed to weave a delicate balance of telling something complete while still teasing that we only are seeing the tip of the iceberg. The writing and pacing helped with that, staying mostly with one character’s perspective but jumping around to a few others here and there, enough to keep things interesting and keep things moving. This did make it hard to track how much time passed in the story, and it is one of the things that made character growth and development a little more difficult… Like I said, there seems a lot of abrupt and unearned growth at the end, but as a stylistic choice it did serve the narrative well. The dialogue felt mostly genuine and the writing flowed smoothly, pulling me into the next chapter again and again, not letting me put the story down. There were a few clunky bits of writing, but never so much as to pull me out of the story. It sunk its claws in deep, with interesting world-building, smart pacing, a great central plot/mystery that had a twist I didn’t see coming, and a few really horrific and exciting action set pieces. And maybe most importantly, it made me actively excited to keep reading the series, which is a big hurdle that many new fantasy stories don’t cross nearly as easily.

If you like the magic-school flavor of fantasy, you will definitely have fun here. If (magical) political intrigue and machinations, as well as revolution, rebellion, and serious considerations of power, class, and social hierarchies are more your style, well you will find yourself in luck here, too. I had a lot of fun with this story, and I am excited to return to this world and see how it opens up and grows from here.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Spinner Loom Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Let me tell you about "The Amber Menhir" – it's like a wild ride through a mind-bending mix of reality and fantasy. Jonathan N. Pruitt takes you on a trip that's part epic adventure, part soul-searching journey. The characters? are like your best buds – relatable, flawed, and totally engaging. You'll laugh, you'll feel the weight of their struggles, and you'll root for them like crazy. Pruitt's world-building is off the charts. Seriously, it's like he reached into your imagination and brought it to life. The way he blends science and storytelling. Mind-blowing. And don't even get me started on the themes he tackles – good, evil, and everything in between. If you're up for an exhilarating escape that'll make you question reality and embrace the fantastic, grab "The Amber Menhir." It's a roller-coaster of emotions, a thought-provoking journey, and one heck of an awesome read.

With each new dawn, the celestial body known only as 'Calamity' draws closer - and with it the end of the world. Humanity's only hope from oblivion rests in the menhirs, towering bastions of scholarship and imagination which cast long shadows across the lands

Could use a little more world-building and character development, but I didn't hate it. The core concept was interesting. Would like to see a second pass at it or another installment.

I enjoyed reading this book. I enjoyed the world that the author built. I enjoyed the main characters and the differences between them. Sometimes the quick changes between the people who the author was following through perspective could be confusing but overall it was a good read.

I was really looking forward to reading this book and this new world the author created. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make sense of some things in the book. I understand it’s a new world the author has made up, but maybe develop more before jumping into the story immediately. I couldn’t make sense of all the new characters that legitimately were thrown at us across 5-6 pages. I was so confused on who was what and with what group. I’m so sad I couldn’t get into this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spinner Loom Press for an ARC of this book.

The Amber Menhir is the first installment of a new fantasy series. In it we follow multiple people: some belonging to the top echelon of society and some belonging to the opposite.
Jonathan N Pruitt has managed to create a vast and immersive world with a very clear chasm between its social layers, which does wonders for his world-building.

Even though this is a dark fantasy, there are certain topics that it shy away from. It will allude to them and mention them, but it does not descripe them. Nor do they happen on page. So, while yes, it’s dark, it is on the lighter side of dark- more like greyish.

That being said, Delver Nash is a truly despicaple character, who never failed to make my skin crawl (my kudos to the author).

I don’t want to get too into the plot out of fear of spoiling it. Suffice to say A LOT happens. I was HOOKED from start to finish, and I cant wait for the second book.

There was however one thing that dissapointed me.
It was clear almost from the get go that Peone is a special character. And in many other books, she would have been our sole protagonist.
I adored that for most of the book, we didn’t hear anything from her perspective. We only saw her through the eyes of the people around her.
It was such a breath of fresh air! And then in a very few specifik chapters, we focused on her perspective of events.
This feels like such a missed opportunity to do something different with the storytelling (what a shame).

Despite this, The Amber Menhir is an excellent book that bears re-reading more than once.