Crystal Awakening

An Epic Fantasy Adventure

By: Andrew Rowe, Kayleigh Nicol

Narrated by: Travis Baldree, Emily Lawrence

A team of adventurers enters an epic trial of wits, magic, and monsters in this thrilling new fantasy series set within the Arcane Ascension universe.

Parties attempting to claim the treasures of the Tortoise Spire of Dalenos are usually composed of six professional climbers. But following a near-disastrous climb, Team Guiding Star Legacy finds itself two challengers short. With Nieve as the frontline fighter, Sage as the strategist, Lani as the healer, and Emiko as the spellcaster, they need a couple powerful allies to round out the squad.

The first new recruit, Hane, is a fighting and stealth specialist, while the second, Aldis, has quite the talent for teleportation magic. Though their individual reasons for scaling the spire vary—wealth, fame, favor—the team’s shared goal is thus: fight, win, ascend, and repeat. All in the hopes of one day making it to the top, where the goddess awaits to grant them the objects of their deepest desires.

To achieve this goal, they must master escalating levels of fire and ice, dangerous creatures, and confounding illusions. Whether facing a threat to their bodies, their magic, or their minds, each of the climbers accepts the risks. And bending the rules is part of the challenge. Some call this cheating; others call it winning.

But no test is ever straightforward. Because Guiding Star Legacy is being judged, and their next contest is one they aren’t meant to survive. Ascend or fall, the quest is only just beginning.

©2022 Andrew Rowe (P)2022 Podium Audio

Critic reviews

"Nicol’s fantasy novel offers a promising start to a new spinoff series, set in former role-playing game designer Rowe’s popular Arcane Ascension world...surprising elements and shocking twists [lead] to a harrowing final life-and-death battle and [set] up an intriguing premise for a continuing series....Fans of anime, RPGs, and the authors’ previous work will be eager to follow Guiding Star Legacy’s further adventures." —Kirkus Reviews

Interesting end point, slog to get there.

Ends up in an interesting enough place, but it was a real slog to get through. As a big fan of the other work set in this world, it was a bit disappointing. Worth it only for a completionist, at least until we see where this is going.

Climbers gonna chime

It's fun and exciting to see this side of the universe. Great story and told very well.

adequate entry to the Arcane Ascension universe

A pretty good entry into the universe. it’s neat to see how sunstone and citrine operators delve into the spires.

I think this is the first book that truly passes the Bechdel Test. Fully fleshed out female characters who have their own stories and personalities that weren’t just side pieces for the male protagonist. The fact that I hated how annoying Nieve was, but could also relate, shows how well women are represented in this book.

Now for the non-binary elephant in the room. representation is important, but every time a nonbinary person was talked to or about by a non-primary character, they had to have this sudo-surprise / hard time believing they were not male or female presenting….. in a world with Wydd? I do not feel like having to explain nonbinary aspects to every side character was necessary. it kinda broke my immersion. I think there are better formats for advocacy of marginalized real world groups.

voice actors changed the pronunciations of countries and the goddess from the established vocal performance. i kept having to translate in my mental voice :(

WOKE again

The story is somewhat loose and ambiguous, and yet the WOKE messaging is crystal clear.

Unexpected

I can't say much about this story without spoiling it. However, I can say that it was an unexpected pleasure.