NetGalley pub 9/24/24

I was in the mood for a fun fantasy story and this seemed to fit the bill. I was surprised by the parody of tik Tok and other social media. It makes social media seem pretty silly. The characters were fun as they navigate their world. I liked the side characters and wished we had more of them.

Hilarious yet thrilling! I laughed quite often upon the sarcatical comments yet there was no time to relax with the fast paced action.

Craving of the Sands starts with a bang - Wilhilm has rented a golem to find a gnome and it goes berserk. He is trying to repair his soul - using magic takes pieces of it and he has big holes in his.
This is a fun mix of modern and medieval and you can’t help but root for Wilhilm. It’s very entertaining but there is a dark side. I loved the chapter titles!

This sounded like it would be a funny fantasy quest romp. It sort of was - the first few chapters put me in mind of Piers Anthony and the punny world of Xanth.. Unfortunately it didn't continue to tickle my funny bone.
It's not clear whether our main character is supposed to be a lucky bumbler who happens to do good while creating chaos or an intelligent, capable person whose plans go awry. The difference in outcome is negligible; the difference in my attitude toward him is the difference between 'awww, silly wizard' and 'USE YOUR BRAIN YOU STUPID TWIT'. There was also a lot of backstory that seemed like it might be relevant to how the crew interacted, but we were dropped right in the middle of the adventure.
As a reader, I felt like I was being gaslit because none of the characters seemed to be concerned with the actions or random appearance of the quasi-love-interest, and it seemed like there were parts where it was written as 'look how normal all these definitely not normal interactions are'.
Somewhere in the middle, we have a random perspective change from the wizard to the druid, for no discernable reason. I thought maybe we were switching to a new hero and the beginning had all been leading up to her saving the day, but then poof back to focusing on the wizard.
There were a number of plot lines that were extraneous, or just felt like they never got tied up. Did we really need a lost soul, a demon, and an evil genie in one person? And then there's some logic about his use of genie magic at the end that I won't get into because, spoilers, but it just didn't jibe for me.
Overall, I think this could have benefitted from further editing to enhance consistency in the storyline; there's something here, it just wasn't executed very well. More practice with full-length novels might lead to a better place, but I don't think I'll be waiting for the next book.

Craving of the Sands by Cearnach Grimm

I feel like the story is a little too pat and the references a little too obvious. So while it's not a terrible story it's not really a story for me. The writing is a little juvenile- but not in a YA or children's sort of way- more like somebody trying to put together a buddy cop movie in the 80's (with much less Eddie Murphy). 3 out of 5.


This review is based on an advance copy that I received for free.

This is an adventuring story of a bumbling wizard, dwarf, rogue and druid who are hired by the king to solve the problem of latest gnome money-maker, the EyeStone, which is a parody of Tik-Tok. The description showed promise, but I found the story too wordy, the characters underdeveloped and most of the humor missed its mark. I expected more mayhem since every character remarked on the usually unintended destruction this group caused in the past.

"Craving of the Sands" by Cearnach Grimm is a delightful fantasy romp that combines magic, humor, and a touch of modernity in a medieval setting. This novel stands out not only for its inventive plot but also for its memorable characters and satirical take on contemporary phenomena like social media.

The story kicks off with an eclectic group of adventurers—a wizard, a dwarf, a rogue, and a druid—meeting in a forest after pursuing a gnome. Wilhilm Grindtosser, the wizard, is on a quest to restore his soul, and capturing a gnome is supposedly a step in that direction. However, the gnome, with his knack for storytelling, convinces Wilhilm that he cannot help but offers a peculiar rock called the EchoStone as a consolation. This EchoStone connects to the EyeStone network, a clever medieval analog to the internet, which brings a unique twist to the narrative.

The introduction of the EchoStone leads to a series of hilarious events as Wilhilm and his companions become medieval influencers, discovering ways to get free food and ale by broadcasting their adventures. This satirical element serves as a sharp critique of modern social media culture, highlighting its absurdities in a fantastical context.

Despite their newfound fame, the quest to restore Wilhilm’s soul remains unresolved, propelling them towards a final adventure in the desert in search of a lost city. Grimm’s narrative mirrors the adventurous spirit of "Raiders of the Lost Ark," where every turn is fraught with unexpected challenges and nothing is as simple as it seems.

Grimm excels in world-building, vividly bringing to life a harsh desert environment that feels both fantastical and real. The elemental forces dominating this world add depth and tension to the story, making the setting a character in its own right.

The characters, especially Wilhilm Grindtosser, are well-crafted and engaging. Wilhilm’s ability to bend reality and his desperate quest for soul restoration make him a compelling protagonist. The camaraderie among the misfit team adds warmth to the story, as they navigate both internal conflicts and external threats. Themes of loyalty, survival, and the perils of magic are explored thoughtfully, adding layers to the high-stakes adventure.

Grimm masterfully balances humor with action. The narrative is peppered with comedic moments that provide relief from the intense, magical confrontations. This balance ensures the story remains engaging without becoming overwhelmingly dark.

One of the novel’s strengths is its ability to surprise. Just when the plot seems predictable, Grimm introduces unexpected twists that keep readers on their toes. The fast-paced storytelling, combined with well-drawn characters and relatable struggles, makes for an immersive reading experience.

"Craving of the Sands" is a must-read for fans of fantasy adventures. Cearnach Grimm has crafted a story that is as humorous as it is thrilling, with rich world-building and a unique take on modern technology in a medieval setting. The novel’s inventive plot, memorable characters, and satirical edge make it a standout addition to the genre. Despite a few early-release errors, promptly addressed by the editor, the story's charm and originality shine through, ensuring a fun and satisfying read from start to finish.

A wizard, a dwarf, a rogue and a Druid meet in the forest after chasing down a gnome. Wilhilm the wizard needs to capture a gnome to restore his soul. Of course, Wilhilm falls for the gnome’s fantastic story about not being able to help him, but he has a really great rock that he will give Wilhilm as a quasi-consolation prize.

The rock turns out to be an EchoStone that can connect to the EyeStone network, the medieval version of the internet. Wilhilm and his friends soon find out how to get free food and ale by showing themselves eating and drinking and becoming influencers. Of course this brings them no closer to restoring Wilhilm’s soul until they set off on their final quest to find the lost city in the desert. And in the greatest tradition of all the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” adventures, nothing is ever as easy as it looks.

This is a great thumbing-of-the-nose to social media. It is an hilarious romp through the Middle Ages with an enjoyable team of misfits.

I received this free copy from the author and NetGalley. This was apparently an early release copy and had a number of spelling and syntax errors. The editor replied very promptly to my list to correct them.

Never trust a gnome…

I shouldn't have picked this one up. The blurb gave me little reason to hope that it would be good, and my expectations were not exceeded.

It's wordy, and not because it spends a lot of time on the inner life of the characters or on the setting; the characters are paper-thin, no more than their stereotypes plus (if they're lucky) their role in the plot, and the setting is bland, generic, and barely described. It's wordy because it takes a long time to cover every tiny detail of the mundane and obvious, sometimes repetitiously.

I found it even less funny than most "funny fantasy". There's a broad and obvious parody of Tik-Tok, and that's about it. Most so-called "funny fantasy" consists largely of silly names and fantasy cliches; in this one, even the names aren't particularly silly, and the fantasy cliches don't even seem to be being played for laughs a lot of the time.

Continuity is not a strength either. A red dragon becomes a silver dragon within a couple of pages.

I had a pre-publication ARC via Netgalley, and hope it gets a good deal more editing before publication, by an editor who is good with commas; I saw examples of just about every comma error I've ever come across, and even one or two I think are new, although they weren't in every sentence or even on every page. At the point that I stopped, 16% of the way through, there's an it's/its error, though otherwise it's fairly good with homonyms.

I've read worse books, but it just didn't do anything for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed the satirical fantasy element to this book, it was everything that I wanted from the description. I was engaged with the world and how the characters worked with this. Cearnach Grimm wrote this in a charming way and I was hooked from the first page. I wanted to continue reading this and getting to know the characters, it was everything that I wanted and hope there is more.