Customer Reviews

Keeper Martin's Tale (Ruin Mist Chronicles, Book 1)

5 star:		(183)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

This self-published book is perhaps the most over-rated drivel available on Amazon. The writing style is similar to what one expects from grade school students, typos abound throughout, the plot is juvenile, and the characters so cliched and vapid as to be useless. Even the binding is terrible, as mine began to fall apart after I drudged through the first few pages.

All these glowing 5-star ratings are difficult to explain or understand. Otherwise, how is it possible to rationalize a higher rating for this book, as well as the others produced by this author, than for works by JRR Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, or George R R Martin? If it were possible, I would give this book a -5 rating. Alas, all I can do is WARN you not to bother even checking this horrible book out from your local library (which is unlikely to carry such terrible works), let alone paying for such a terrible piece of work. STAY AWAY!

I finished Keeper Martin's Tale about an hour ago, and I've been sitting here in my chair pondering one question since I turned over the last page: "have I ever read a worse book?"

The answer is "no." I've been reading fantasy for thirty years, and I've seen it all. I've never read a more inept work. The story makes no sense, the plot and character development are non-existent, and the writing is simply terrible. I rarely give anything a poor review (see my other reviews as support for this assertion). But this book absolutely deserves a one-star excoriation.

I bought this book on the strength of the positive reviews, thinking I had found an obscure gem. Now I'm left wondering whether I'm the victim of some sort of review-fraud. How can any serious reader of fantasy enjoy this book?

My only comfort is that I bought my copy used, for peanuts.

Kudos to all the one star reviewers. I, too, was fooled into buying the book by the positive reviews and I was horribly disappointed. What really got me was that I had just finished graduate school and couldn't remember the last time I'd purchased a book for pleasure. I just didn't have the money. But those reviews were so positive. We couldn't be reading the same books! I felt so deceived and cheated that I posted my first (and only, I believe) book review. Imagine my surprise when my negative, but honest, review was deleted by Amazon because I had violated the terms! The author must have someone on the inside because my review did not violate the terms. It was the most poorly edited book I had ever read and a huge chunk of Keeper Martin's Tale was reprinted VERBATIM in Elf Queen's Quest. I begged Amazon to read it for themselves but, getting nowhere, I requested and received a full refund, including the cost of shipping. There's a good reason why you won't find it at your local library. Even if I were inclined to donate it, no librarian would allow it. It's an inappropriate book for children - and not because of the subject matter! It's so poorly written and edited it should be held up as an example of what NOT to do! Wonder how long it will take for "someone" to find this review offensive and request it be deleted?

I, too, bought the Keeper Martin tales (books 1-4) based upon raving reviews. My adult daughter and I like to read books aloud to each other and got started on Book 1. There was just enough of a catch in the story line to force us to keep reading, in spite of the fact that the writing was terrible - bad grammar, senseless sentences, typographical errors, and a story that jumps around so much you frequently think you must have fazed-out and missed something. The title character, Keeper Martin, rarely even appears in the books - at least in Books 1 to 3 - nor is there any indication of why these are his tales.

Only because we wanted to have some resolution, we kept reading through book 3, complaining all the time about how badly written it was. Finally, I commented that it seemed like the books had had no professional editor, and I wondered if the books were self-published. And then, we read some of the reviews/comments printed on the back and in the front of the books that gave no credit to whose comments they were, not even any credits to some book critic/reviewer that might be known to anyone. One comment even sounded like it might have been lifted from a publisher's rejection letter: "The fantasy world you have created is truly wonderful and rich. Your characters seem real and full of life." The maps don't make a lot of sense, either, and there's no way to tell how "The Reaches" and "The Kingdoms" relate to each other geographically. One of the main characters, Adrina, is a self-centered airhead. How in the world would a fan think "my heart went out to Princess Adrina almost immediately"?

And, so, I did a little internet research and found lots of references to the fact that Reagent Press is owned by the author, Robert Stanek, and there were many additional claims that he shamelessly posted his own (disguised) raving reviews and a number of Amazon listmania recommendations. I really feel duped.

Because Book 1 was so difficult to read aloud, I thought perhaps it would be easier to listen to an audiobook. I purchased it through Audible, a version read by the author himself, and even his own narration was terrible. Also, initially I expected 4 books to complete the series, but now see that there are others, so I'm wondering if the storyline is ever resolved. I won't be reading any more of Robert Stanek's works, and I strongly recommend that you do not purchase any of his books. I've read better stuff written by a 5th grader.

Robert Stanek's world he creates in KMT is defiantly unforgettable. I loved all the characters in the book. They all fit into place perfectly! Robert provides a good balance of description, history and action. The detail he uses definitely makes the book come to life. I would extremely recommend this novel to anyone who loves a great fantasy adventure with an immense world and characters that you feel like you know in person. This is a great start of one of the best series I have ever read. Once you start reading it, you just can't stop.

The first book in RUin Mist Chronicles, "Keeper Martin's Tale", begins in the kingdom capital of Imtal. In the distance are rolling foothills and great mountains and mystical lands. Stanek is a rare author that is capable of handling with detail and class many characters without losing track of their individual personalities. The most notable characters in Imtal are Adrina, EMel, Keeper Martin and Father Jacob. Stanek is also great at foreshadowing upcoming events. The progression is logical and the action is solidly intertwined with several mysteries. Best of all every one of Stanek's chapters contains large plot developments, so there is never a dull moment.

Stumbling onto something that's really great is rare, it's definitely a WOW moment when you do. That's definitely the case here. Robert Stanek introduces the mesmorizing world of Ruin Mist, characters that quickly become friends and a wonderful story. I kept turning page after page. If you're looking for a good fantasy with atmosphere and character, don't look any further. Robert Stanek's awesome books will do. You get real heroes and heroines, not all powerful cartoon cutouts. Adrina, grieving over the tragic loss of her mother. Vilmos, a troubled youth who carries a forbidden power that could bring death to everyone around him. Valam, fierce yet gentle, a prince in all senses of the word. Xith, mysterious, dark, powerful, supernatural. Seth with psychic powers and the moves of a first-class ninja warrior. Emel, the bumbling young sergeant who rides a black stallion called Ebony Lightning. The charactres alone make this a worthwhile read.

Under the surface, there's a great deal of complexity--more than you might expect in a first book. This is epic fantasy in the truest sense. It's really three stories intertwined:

. Adrina's story, the story of a princess in a dying kingdom. Her truest companion is Emel. They share a secretive past that is hinted it.

. Vilmos's story, the story of a boy of 12 who has dark dreams.

. Seth and Galan's story, the story of the elves of the reaches who must begin a desperate journey to the world of men.

I LOVE this fantasy series! I enjoyed reading the book immensely. The plot is intriguing and fascinating and keeps you guessing. You don't always have everything you need to know who is who and what is what. There's a bit of mystery and subtelty. Robert Stanek did an amazing job with this, especially when it comes to plot, pace and structure. Everything unfolds smoothly. It is a good strong start to something wonderful. I would agree with other reviews, this is not a clear straightforward journey. You have to think and you have to be patient. Scenes change, things go back and forth, but trust me it all closes wonderfully! No doubts about it, it also sets the stage brilliantly for what's to come.

To those who say the writing is simple, I say this. Great writers make their work seem effortless. There is an intricate and complex story here. It all that flows beautifully, events sweep characters along, Stanek works details with wonderful skill. When I finished, I truly believed this was a "tale". The tale is in the telling. If you are looking for an engrossing read, buy this and Stanek's other books. You won't be disappointed!

I agree with the many reviews who have said this is the start of something special. Like many series openers, The Keeper Martin's Tale introduces the fantastic world and the people who live there. This is a fantastic book. I loved the story, and I couldn't wait to read more each day.

Beyond the many characters, the author does well with describing it all. There's not too much detail, but enough so you can get a sense of the world and its many places. The world itslef is as interesting as the characters, and I can't think of another book or movie where I thought that except maybe lord of the rings. This isn't lord of the rings, but it is just as magical.

"Keeper Martin's Tale" is a wonderful start to an awesome series! Robert Stanek brings his fantasy world alive with loveable characters, a well developed plot and magic. You really feel everything the characters do, often you worry about whether they are making the right choices, and you love them despite their less than perfect personalities.

A good author helps you identify with and care about the characters. But getting to know the characters can often take a whole book or a whole series to accomplish. Robert makes you care for the characters from the first chapter on. You feel horrible when Vilmos succumbs to the dark magic and must flee. You feel frustrated for Adrina and sad for her. You feel Seth's anxiety at the onset of the journey.

Robert doesn't make his characters all powerful or perfect or completely evil. While there are characters who have better motives than others, they are all very human, and make human mistakes. They have real flaws, worries, concerns, dreams and aspirations.

The book starts out tell you the story of Princess Adrina of Great Kingdom and how there's a great change coming to the dying land. Her story is intertwined with the stories of a boy from the minor kingdoms and the elves of the reaches. When Vilmos is chased from his home, you are petrified for him, especially when you meet the wolmerrelle. The wolmerrelle are beasts of Robert's imagining. They are shape-changing, 1/2 human, 1/2 wolf. They can have multiple heads and seem to be the darkest of creatures in the lands.

This book flows and the writing is solid. Robert's world building skills are top-notch. He manages to take an innovative fantasy setting in the middle ages and gives new twists. The books hint at several different magic systems, will vs. magic, and different groups of power: keepers, priets of the dark flame, priestesses of the mother and others.

While I could go on and on, I won't. I will say that it you are a reader of fantasy and haven't read this book yet, you should. I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, or just a good story. The next book is just as good, if not better than the first.

A very good book, and it can be so difficult to find a good quality fantasy. Stanek is telling powerful epic fantasy complete with a large cast of characters, extensive backstory, great world setting, terrific action. I noticed that reviewers seem to give either 5 stars or 1 stars. I have read several books recently with stellar reviews that were absolutely terrible: spelling errors, grammar problems, no plot, etc. This is not one of them. The book has no editing or grammar mistakes and the author's writing style is truly exceptional.

How deep you get hooked will depend on how much you like the characters, and care about their lives. Stanek has a rotating point-of-view where each section is told through different characters. It works really well. Each chapter gives you a peice of the story, everything starts to come together. The events are masterfully done. Most of the characters are compelling, some aren't so likeable but still genuine. Adrina - the heart-broken princess. Seth, the clever elf. Vilmos the troubled boy with a dark past, deeply conflicted.

Keeper Martin's Tal largely concerns the power plays between King Jarom, the king of a southern kingdom, and Alder family, the ruling family of Great Kingdom. The king, Andrew Alder is old, not in as great a favor as he once was. The death of the queen changed everything, including the lives of everyone in his family. As you might expect, it all ends up in a war, but it's all well-crafted and meaningful.

I have not read the other books in the series yet, however, I plan to. It's a series I want to read to the end. It seems there are much worse dangers ahead: The dark lord who's returned to the elvish lands, the breaking of the alliance, the whole issue of elves and men being mortal enemies.

Having read all four books so far written, I believe it is impossible not to consider this series as one of the best offerings in fantasy. This particular book is as exciting as any of the others, but this first book in the series deserves a lot of credit for setting the groundwork for the other books. The basic premise of this series is revolves around a world undergoing a great change and the people caught up in what's happening. I don't want to ruin the story, but the story probably isn't what you think it is. It seems to be about one thing (several things really) but it is about something entirely different. Over the course of the books the story increases quickly and progresses into something that really makes you think and start to question what could happen next. The truth of the story is undeniable. Stanek has created a world that is unforgettable, with a cast as equally varied and diverse, and a story that is unique. Certainly, Stanek's writing occasionally has its flaws, but it is hard to deny this is a great story. I actually find this first book in the series to be the weakest, mostly due to the slow buildup at the beginning. Fortunately this failing is not repeated in the books that follow. This series is huge and there's a lot to like. I love the seeming simplicity of the first book, and the underlying complexity. Anything and everything has meaning in the story, connecting all the dots and hidden meanings isn't necessary to understand the story but it adds great depth. This is true of the Robert Stanek Series and its one of the only series I've read twice back to back. There are things that happen in this book (Keeper Martin's Tale) that do not actually make sense until later in the series. I am amazed that simple references made early in the series, completely forgotten about by the reader until their true meaning is revealed later in the series. Having re-read the series, I am frequently saying ah and oh because he's forshadowing an event that won't happen for several books. If you have a great imagination, I think you'll like this.