Orphan's Quest Book One of The Chronicles of Firma [Paperback]

Pat Nelson Childs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2007 | Series: Chronicles of Firma

Rokey, a poor orphan, has lived his entire life sheltered within the walls of the Noble Contemplative Monastery. Growing up, he never dreamt anything would haunt him more than the riddle of his parents' identity. But at seventeen, Rokey is discovering that while his roommate, Ely, can think only of girls, his own feelings draw him toward other boys instead. Soon the question of whether or not he is a "samer" is occupying his mind to the exclusion of all else. But when a tragedy results in his expulsion from the only home he has ever known, and an unknown enemy begins trying to kill him, Rokey's mind abruptly returns to the mystery of his parentage. Solving that puzzle, he determines, could mean the difference between life and death. On the road, Rokey soon meets up with a charming elf named Flaskamper. Captivated by the handsome young man, the elf promptly volunteers his help, as well as that of his three unlikely companions. Before long, the five become swept up in the effort to solve the riddle of Rokey's origins and to find out who is trying to kill him, and why. Along the way, Rokey endures some harsh lessons about disappointment and betrayal, but also delights in the joy and excitement of first love. Foiled in initial attempts, Rokey's enigmatic foe escalates the attacks. As the young orphan and his new-found friends pursue the trail of clues that leads them across the land of Firma, they find themselves battling an ever-deadlier array of assassins. When they finally do uncover the truth, it is in the last place Rokey had ever expected to find it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

   Truth be told, Orphan's Quest is not the kind of book I normally gravitate towards.  The fantasy genre - with its mythical characters and otherworldly settings - has always been off-putting to a realist like me.

   The first few pages of Orphan's Quest - with its ex-planation of time equivalences and a detailed terrain map - seemed only to confirm my prejudices. 

   And then I began the narrative and a wonderfully surprising thing happened -  I was hooked!   Yes, Orphan's Quest has elves, giants, ratmen and magic pendants, yet what kept the pages turning for me were Pat Nelson Childs' beautifully drawn characters who are so relatable (dare I say, so human?) and whose journeys are so incredibly moving. 

   The gay romance between the book's orphan teen protagonist, Rokey, and the handsome Flaskamper is totally heartwarming and believable - this despite the fact that Flash is an elf!  In one of my favorite tender scenes, Flaskamper's mother tells him, 'Sharing yourself - your true self - is a tremendous risk.'  It's a universal theme, but one especially relevant to the gay reader.

   Rokey and Flash - along with a trio of other outcasts - band together and form a family.  The book is ultimately about the search for our authentic selves and how sometimes we need to leave behind our biological families - and create new ones of our own choosing - in order to discover who we truly are. 

   Orphan's Quest is a magical first novel full of romance, adventure and self-discovery.  Most admirably, though, it forever changed my perception of the genre and demonstrated that a fantasy novel can speak so beautifully to the heart of a die-hard realist like me.

 

- Sal Sapienza, author of Seventy Times Seven

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Pat Nelson Childs was born in 1965 and raised in Rumford, ME . In previous lives, he owned a clothing store in Provincetown, MA and worked as a computer support technician for a large international corporation based in Ann Arbor, MI. Currently, he is living in Seattle, WA with his faithful cat, Raja and writing full time. Orphan s Quest is his first novel. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: Glynworks Publishing (June 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097959121X
• ISBN-13: 978-0979591211
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,335,225 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Pat Nelson Childs was born and raised in Rumford, ME. Prior to becoming a writer, he has been a shop owner in Provincetown, a funding coordinator in Fort Lauderdale, and a computer support technician in Ann Arbor. He currently lives in Michigan with his faithful cat, Raja, and is hard at work on "Numen's Trust", the hotly anticipated finale of his "Chronicles of Firma" trilogy.

The author's future writing plans include a horror novel, an epic sci-fi series, a "historical, romantic thriller with zombies", and more installments of his popular "Firma" series, which its many loyal fans will undoubtedly be happy to learn.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised how much I liked it!, November 1, 2008

By 

Ruth Sims "Ruth" (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Orphan's Quest Book One of The Chronicles of Firma (Paperback)

Orphan's Quest: Book One of the Chronicles of Firma
By
Pat Nelson Childs

I hope the author doesn't mind a comparison. I do this because I am not really a fantasy reader and so am unsure what is more or less standard in the genre and what isn't. I read Tolkien fifty years ago and that was it.

Orphan's Quest is Lord of the Rings for the rest of us, especially for those who think there might have been more between Sam and Frodo than meets the eye. Orphan's Quest is colorful, action-packed, intricately plotted, filled with vivid descriptions of places, weapons, etc. that have the combined flavor of Medieval Europe and Middle Earth.

There is a group of stalwart friends on a dangerous quest; a handsome, swashbuckling elf with magical ability and deadly aim with an arrow; an Elven city, a mysterious and malevolent evil power out to destroy the friends and, indeed, the entire world. There are noxious swamps, trees that communicate, and poisoned weapons; bizarre creatures that fly, swim, and shift shapes; hideous and deadly Harpies. There are wooden ships, arrows and swords galore, even enslavement by a race of warrior women.

Running through the narrative is a gay love story, that of the elf Flaskamper, nicknamed "Flash," and the orphan, Rokey, who is not quite what he seems to be in the beginning. Rokey is not even quite what he, himself, thinks he is. Repeatedly, his life and the lives of his companions and his true love are threatened and, since this is the first in a trilogy, it ends with a cliffhanger. However, I hasten to add that it is also a very well done stand-alone novel, which some series books are not. I would say more about the plot, but I always try to avoid spoilers.

One of the things I, personally, found very appealing about the book is the way Childs handled the love scenes. Did Flaskamper and Rokey have sex? Yes, they did. Was it described in erotic detail? No, it wasn't. They were written in such a way--without silly euphemisms, incidentally--that a younger reader isn't going to be puzzled or shocked, and the reader who is old enough to know the details can use his or her imagination. I like that. Another thing that struck me as especially poignant was Childs' invention of the appellation "samer" for homosexuals, who were accepted in Firma. Isn't "samer" a lovely, evocative term? Much nicer than any of the words used in our world. I wish someone had thought of it a long time ago.

Though I was a tiny bit hesitant in starting the book simply because of the fantasy factor, I'm so glad I read it. I thoroughly enjoyed Orphan's Quest. Childs is an excellent writer with an elegant use of language that I appreciate. I hope someday, when I have waded through my stack of waiting books, to read the rest of the trilogy.

Though this book is an adult story, it is also geared toward young adults. I feel that any reader who likes good writing will enjoy it, even if fantasy is not normally a reading choice. I've never read Harry Potter but I expect Harry Potter fans would like it.

Christmas is coming. This book would be a great gift, and to book lovers there is no better gift than a book.

Also now available: Book Two/ Scion's Blood
Book Three / Numen's Trust is tentatively scheduled for release in late 2009

Ruth Sims

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic fantasy!, November 13, 2007

By 

Jem (MD, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Orphan's Quest Book One of The Chronicles of Firma (Paperback)

There is something primal in a quest story that appeals to readers, over and over again. David Eddings made a quest the keystone for every series he wrote. It is what made The Lord of the Rings and Dragonlance such popular fantasy epics. "Orphan's Quest" has all the necessary ingredients for a great quest - the young male hero, his misfit companions, a shadowy menace, elves, faeries, and the lot. The recipe is complete. So, one might expect this to be the same old story. Thankfully, it is not. Childs has imbued the story with enough originality to give readers something different while satisfying the need for the familiar elements.

Rokey is our young hero, an orphan. He has been raised by the Noble Contemplative, an organization something akin to a monastery where learning and knowledge are held in high regard. When a tragic accident forces him from the only life he's known, Rokey sets out to explore Firma. When brigands try to rob him, the young elf Flaskamper (Flash) comes to his rescue. Flash is immediately smitten with Rokey and convinces his companions to take Rokey into their group. The group is led by Stanford and includes Fia the bard and Lorq the giant. After they are attacked by ratmen, they realize Rokey is being targeted. The quest to uncover his past - nay, his destiny - is on!

Rokey and Flash are well developed characters, and their burgeoning romance is captivating. Much like Mercedes Lackey did with her "Last Herald Mage" series, Childs gives us a same-sex couple that is quite natural for the story. Sex occurs, but is not graphic and that works perfectly for this novel. This is not an M/M romance, this is epic fantasy where the main character is a "samer," as Childs describes him in the novel. M/M fans will certainly enjoy this, but traditional fantasy fans will also. The secondary characters are less developed in the beginning, but this is because readers come to know them as Rokey learns about them.

Firma is a classical setting, a medieval type world with many races, magic, kingdoms, just as you find in LOTR. The companions pass through a variety of societies from "Thieves World"-like cities to "Elfwood" and the realm of the Sidhe. There was only one aspect of this world building that I did not like at all. Toward the end of the book, the companions are captured by the "Saebrilites." They're an Amazonian society that keeps men enslaved for laborers and to breed with when necessary. Warrior women who disdain men are so over done. They crop up in many epic fantasies (such as the Wheel of Time and Valdemar) and I can't say I like them in any story. I think an author would knock me for a loop if they actually created a society where women were equals instead of being either Amazons or second class. Childs uses this conceit to introduce a new character to the companions, but I would have preferred her come to the group another way. That said, this was a small part of the story and did not ruin my overall enjoyment of a great novel.

"Orphan's Quest" is the first in a projected trilogy. The story and dialog are both very well-written. A few minor typos do appear here and there, but no more than what I find in big-house published books. The characters have some stereotypical qualities of fantasy characters. Rokey has a mixed-blood heritage that impacts his destiny, and Flash is an Elven prince. But, our beautiful bard is not all she appears to be, and Lorq the giant really wants a pet bunny! Overall, they are fresh, engaging and realistic. I like these companions. Plus, the book has a lot of action and adventure. The companions flee for their lives, fight in skirmishes, visit oracles and have a grand time. The ending leaves many questions unanswered (it is the first book, after all) but the reader is not left hanging on the proverbial cliff. The sequel, "Scion's Blood," will be available soon and I can't wait to dive in. Very highly recommended!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended., November 4, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Orphan's Quest Book One of The Chronicles of Firma (Paperback)

The debut novel of Pat Nelson Childs and first of a trilogy, Orphan's Quest is unusual among epic high fantasy in that the protagonist happens to be a gay person - or "samer", as the people of the mystic land of Firma would say it. Rokey is an orphan of seventeen, who has spent most of his childhood in a monastery; he is concerned when his awakening desires pull him toward another man, though his roommate Ely assures him that being a samer is nothing to feel alarm about. When an opportunity for Rokey to serve the brotherhood is followed by terrible tragedy, he must learn to uncover the identity of a mysterious enemy that seeks to snuff out his life. Aided by a set of unlikely companions, Rokey's quest will bring them through danger and betrayal to discover the power of friendship, the path to making peace with his sexual identity, and even his first love. Orphan's Quest is a fantasy adventure first and foremost, not an erotic novel; Childs has openly states that his choice to write about a gay protagonist is simply to counter the exclusion of such individuals in the traditionally heterosexual fantasy genre. Highly recommended.