The Seeker is written in a rich period tone of voice reminiscent of some literary greats. From the book description it sounded really interesting and right up my alley. Sadly, I really struggled to finish this book and consistently wanted to DNF it because I found it so boring. This book is incredibly slow, nothing really starts to happen until 85% of the way through, and then it is very short lived. You get two chapters near the end of something actually interesting. This book was an absolute slog and I found myself zoning out while reading, where that older style of writing (while skillfully structured) really failed to keep my attention. It also lost a lot of the important points amongst the rich verbosity of the wording. The main character Shay, is frankly annoying as hell. I couldn't stand her. The author tried to show some character growth but she really didn't have any. She would do something stupid, realize it was stupid afterwards, and then fail to learn anything from that to repeat the same stupid mistakes based on the same childish and selfish thought patterns that never changed. All the other characters were equally flat. The only character I liked was killed off randomly. Penelope held promise, but sadly didn't have as much page time in the book as she should have had given the role she was supposed to play in Shay's life. I really failed to connect with any of the characters and that added to me just not caring about this book. I hate to DNF ARCs, so I did finish it, but if it was not an ARC I would have DNFed at 35% and missed nothing. There was a tease of some sort of magic system, but that was never elaborated on. There was no explanation for what the Bled and the Plenty were, despite them being sort of important, so I was lost. The steam-punk style equipment and tools were kind of cool, and I enjoyed the few illustrations in the book. I really struggled to rate this book, waffling between a 2 and 3 stars. Really its probably a 2.5 stars. I rounded up because the actual wording and sentence structure is better than the last 2 star read I had.

If you like richly worded writing, and very slow building books then you may enjoy this.

I could not finish Seeker. It moved too slow for me and did not pull me into the story. When I wasn't reading it, then went back into the story, I couldn't remember who the characters were. I had no feelings for them.

I gave this four stars simply because I had a hard time getting through the first few chapters. I felt like it picked up towards the middle for me. I took a bit of a break but then glad I came back to finish it! I had to find out what was going to happen to Shay. I’m looking forward to reading the next books in this series!

Wonderful story, excellent world building, lovable characters - I enjoyed this very much!! Wonderful story, excellent world building, lovable characters - I enjoyed this very much!!

Thank you to Panthe Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy. All opinions of this ARC are honest, unfiltered, and solely my own.


As this was my first Flintlock Era book, I was intrigued by the setting. I enjoy historical fiction and this one definitely presented itself with the prose of a story being told from another era. I personally love the decadent feeling I get being immersed in the lyrical countenance of yesteryear. It just makes my little reader heart pitter patter. I would associate the composition as similar with other stories labeled as "Regency Fantasies."

She's a little bit of a slow burn, but I was not at all deterred by the process. Griffin's excellent writing and thorough character building really made the book enjoyable. You're admittedly left with a lot of questions at the end, but this only made it more apparent that Seeker is setting the stage for a major series of books that I have a feeling are going to be Epic. I am extremely excited to see where this story goes and to continue on the journey of Shay's evolution.

P.s. The cover is A+.

This is a world I could dive into time and time again. It's so expansive I'm aware I barely touched the surface. Oh to write like this! Congratulations!

I enjoyed this book a lot. Now. It wasn't perfect but it was very, very good. The quality of the writing was on par with the biggest voices in the genre. It was very imaginative and very immersive. The gadgets and the creatures and the style. I am keen to see what the author does next.

Thank you to Panthe Press for inviting me to leave this review and for showing me to this website. I hope to be able to review more books.

Thank you for the eArc allowing me to read this book early! I had a hard time following the book, but I did appreciate the writing and all of the world building. You can tell a lot of time went into creating this world.

I unfortunately could not get into this book. The writing style wasn’t for me, although the plot sounds interesting from the description.

This book was a masterful debut book for the author with a prose and flow of writing style you see nowadays in the most established of high fantasy authors. We have here a flintlock fantasy, a world of political intrigue and machinations in a prose that is for those who are willing to dedicate the time to reading the long lyrical descriptions of the world build and lore that is throughout the book will greatly enjoy the payoff.

I feel so sorry for Shay, our main character as she is plucked from obscurity and dropped into a world that is so unlike her own that her naivety is prayed on by those who have only their best interests at heart. Her world is slowly expanded with the political machinations of the elite around her and the threat of war, she is forced to grow up quickly and a responsibility is foisted onto her shoulders that she feels nowhere near capable of handling, though she rises to the occasion.

If you have read and enjoyed Stephen Donaldson, Steven Erikson et al. I think you should give Seeker a shot.

Seeker is the story of Shay Bluefaltlow, a girl thrust into a world of ancient leviathans who have long been quiet. When she was moved to the city of Fivedock Shay thought that she would only reside there in servitude, assisting her keeper with their home and work. But she soon discovers she’s been hand picked to become an archivist; one who knows how to hear the leviathans. She discovers that she must learn decades-old knowledge and undergo a horrible transition. And then there’s war…

The language is beautiful in this book. It has such an otherworldly feel as you’re reading each chapter. The book detail and page illustrations are gorgeous, and I like the little extracts that start each chapter. The plot for this had a lot of promise, and I’m sure for most it will tick all of the boxes, but I really struggled to find a connection with this book. There was just something missing for me unfortunately, although I can’t put my finger on what.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

‘Seeker’ plunges you straight into an immersive world of politics, betrayal and strange sentient beings. This book is beautifully and eloquently written! It’s so poetic, I honestly felt like I was inside a Jane Austen novel. While the historical, Victorian style setting and writing might not be for everyone, I personally loved it!

It did take a while to get into due to the slow start. Shay spends the first 150 (ish) pages very confused about what’s going on… and equally I was just as confused. However, that is the nature of the writing and its intent. It’s written in first person from Shay’s POV (like journal entries with breaks in the firth wall) and the reader learns information as Shay herself unravels the world around her. As the story unfolds things become much clearer and everything starts to click into place.

The ending was amazing, the Sentinels are written in such a fascinating way I can’t wait to unravel more of their mysteries in future books.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first Regency-fantasy novel I've read and I discovered Flintlock fantasy. The notes from journals then the story about what happened is a nice set up for each chapter. It reads like the whole story is from Shay's journal. I found it refreshing to read fantasy without any real romance. The politics were a little hard to follow but being from Shay's point of view, it made sense. She was not a very sympathetic character. Selfish as a teenager would be, she refuses to fulfil her abilities for a long time and makes some mistakes that are glaringly obvious to the reader. I'd like to get into those archives and read about the Sentinels! I really enjoyed this with the complex plot and unique setting. It's not a straightforward easy plot though. So, expect to spend some time confused about what is going on, just like Shay!

This is the first publication of author Samuel Griffin (https://samuel-griffin.com/). Seeker was published last May and is the first book in his The Sentinel Archives series. It is the 52nd book I completed reading in 2024.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.

The primary character of this novel is Shay Bluefaltlow. When we first meet her, she is a 15-year-old resident at the Preparatory School for Orphaned War Girls in the Protectorate of Quom. Soon after, a man comes to the school and buys her as an indentured servant. The man is Surgeon Ridley Fassinger. But he is only acting on behalf of other unnamed benefactors.

After acquiring new clothes, she sets sail with Fassinger for her new home in Fivedock. The month at sea is rough on Bluefaltlow. Most of the voyage is spent sea-sick in her hammock.

Her new home in the capital of Concordia was different from what she was used to in Quom. Bluefaltlow had been relatively well educated at the Preparatory school. Once settled in Fivedock, Fassinger assesses Bluefaltlow’s education and fills in the glaring holes. He also adds instruction in new subjects, including navigation.

Bluefaltlow soon learns the identity of one of her benefactors, Penelope Etherington. Etherington is the Archivist to the Great Houses of the Concord. It was up to her to document the music of the Sentinels. Sentinels are ancient leviathans that can and often do pose a threat, though they have been dormant for many years. With the introduction, Bluefaltlow begins her journey to becoming an Assistant Archivist. Etherington believes that significant changes are coming and fears for the worst.

Bluefaltlow suffers through learning the job of Archivist. Not unexpectedly, the young woman makes one mistake after another. Her focus is disrupted by a budding romantic entanglement with the wealthy Fenton, though often his interest in mechanical gadgets overshadows any interest in her.

Bluefaltlow and the office of Archivist must suffer through efforts to see the office disbanded. Concord is at war. There is both scheming and betrayal at work to bring down the government. She must survive verbal and physical assaults and struggles with her own feelings of inadequacy.

I enjoyed the 10.5 hours I spent reading this 353-page fantasy. I liked this novel, but it was a bit confusing at times. It left me feeling like there was potential for this novel that was left untapped. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 3.6 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

In style, this ambitious debut novel reminds me a little of Philip Pullman's Sally Lockhart mysteries (although completely different historical period). However there's a generous dose of fantasy worked into the worldbuiling here as well. This was a great fantasy read. The pacing was a little uneven and the story wobbled a bit but the characters were great. Very much enjoyed this and would recommend it.

You has me at "Ancient leviathans have stirred from their long slumber. " Seeker...but you lost me with the snail like pacing.

Shay Bluefaltlow has the ability to hear where said leviathans might stir. Readers follow her as she hones her skills in the craft. The story itself has all the bones to be a page turning, addictive read, but the choice to write it in a deeply historic regency voice felt rather odd. For me the actual writing style slowed the plot and made the characters less relatable.

"The Seeker" introduces a world where giant behemoths—potentially ancient gods, biblical angels, aliens, or eldritch beings—roam the earth, sometimes visible, sometimes not. Shay, an Archivist, is among the few trained to study these enigmatic creatures by listening to their 'songs' and tracking their movements. Amidst a war where two countries seek to harness the behemoths' power, Shay's focus remains on her research rather than the conflict.

The novel excels in its rich world-building, vividly depicting elements like chocolate making, docks, and weaponry. However, character development is lacking. Shay’s interactions, such as a significant altercation with a mysterious woman, feel underexplored and disconnected. Similarly, other characters appear briefly and vanish, making their roles in Shay's life seem disproportionate.

Shay often seems more like an observer in a larger narrative, her interest narrowly focused on her duties. The diary/memoir format, reflecting her older self's memories, emphasizes select moments but can feel disjointed for readers seeking deeper character engagement. The plot takes a backseat to the detailed setting, which might frustrate those looking for more action and interaction.

The writing, though skillful, sometimes prioritizes style over substance, aiming for a regency period feel that occasionally overshadows the story. The pacing is uneven, with extensive detail given to everyday scenes while the climax is rushed. The behemoths, however, stand out, adding a layer of mythological intrigue and tension.

Shay Bluefaltlow, an orphan of war, is brought to Fivedock by Mr. Ridley to start a new life. Her rebellious actions lead her to uncover her role with the Seekers and Sentinels, forcing her to mature and embrace her destiny.

This debut fantasy set in a flintlock world shows promise but struggles to balance world-building with character development. The Seekers and Sentinels remain abstract for much of the novel, disrupting the narrative flow. Despite these issues, the premise holds potential, and fans of the genre may find future installments more engaging.

Overall, "The Seeker" presents a fascinating concept with detailed world-building but may leave some readers wanting more depth in character and plot. The behemoths are a compelling highlight, and the series offers potential for further exploration.

First of all, thank you to Panthe Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of Seeker!

This book took me a while to get through not due to lack of interest or a unique storyline because it checked all of those boxes, but rather due to the writing style. It felt very Dickens-esque, detailed yet poetic as well. The characters felt well written and complex.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but a quick read it was not (for me, at least)!

This was HIGH EPIC fantasy in all of its glory!
With complex world building this isn’t for the faint hearted but is 100% worth sticking with as this is a fantasy world unlike any I’ve ever read. Written with an incredibly strong and empowered fmc this is such a strong start to a series! I will definitely be waiting patiently for the second book!

This book was so unlike anything I have read before. The language used was complex and not only was the story really creative the writing style felt really unique as well. It was a great story, great world building and characters and an intriguing start to a series. I will absolutely be reading the rest. Thank you so much NetGalley for allowing me to read it!