The Grey Warden: A Fantasy Progression Adventure

Sixth Kingdom, Book 1

By: A. F. Kay

Narrated by: Michael Crouch

Every year, the five kingdoms send their finest magic users to the Ink Academy to learn the sacred art of ink manipulation and create intricate tattoos of great power.

Ry knows this because he sits in their classrooms, his inkless condition so awful even the vachi, tiny flying lizards attracted to the ink, can't stand to come near him. His grey eyes mark him a Repeller, and his only value to society is keeping the vachi away from his betters.

Ironically, Ry's only friend, Thelt, is one of these vachi. For as long as Ry can remember, he and Thelt could speak to each other without talking. A secret no one else knows.

Ry didn't think his job could get any worse until speaking his mind during a class caught the ire of an important student who punishes Ry for stating the truth. Ry's brush with death awakens a power inside himself, but before he can explore it, Thelt lands in a deathly situation of his own.

Determined to save Thelt at any cost, Ry makes matters worse, starting a chain of events that could destroy himself, Thelt, and every Repeller in the city.

To fix this catastrophe Ry must find allies, explore his new terrible abilities, and face the secrets and lies of his parents.

Opposing Ry are the keepers of an ancient wrong that shackles Ry and his people. These guardians of oppression are intent on a single task: killing Ry.

If Ry, and everyone he loves, are to survive, he must embrace the dreadful power growing within him and accept the mantle of the Grey Warden.

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Author's Note: This book was a passion project created for my children before I started the Divine Apostasy series. It has a younger MC and a simple, straightforward plot. It is suitable for young readers but enjoyable by adults.

AFK

©2022 A. F. Kay (P)2022 A. F. Kay

Good, but a bit of whiplash from the other series

I just binged 1-6 of Divine Apostasy (which was good) and just auto-bought this, leading to a bit of Young Adult whiplash. The world building is good but seemingly intentionally vague—there’s a lot of room to grow. The magic system is interesting, but vague, again. Calling this a progression novel, though, is just a flat out lie. This is bog standard fantasy, and that’s fine, but it’s a total bait a switch.

The other series started with the main character being very angst and anxious, but then showed the character develop over time. Hopefully that will happen here because the angsty young adult tropes are turned up to 11. The narration just empathizes it, and makes it worse. I’m sure a younger sounding voice is good for the target audience, but man I had a hard time getting through this. I didn’t have Travis Baldree carrying me through this one.

Anyway, this would’ve been my favorite book for a couple weeks about 25 years ago.

Bland in every way.

I really like The Divine Apostasy, but this was nothing like it. I had no emotion or connection to the characters or story.

OK story not good narration

The story is OK, but the narration is extremely whiny. You really need a better narrator to drag you through this thing.

Great Story

AF Kay is a top tier writer. Personally I like Divine Apostasy better than this one. And really it came down to predictability and a different narrator. The story did a really good job with foreshadowing and clues, so it was actually really well written but I think it was hard not to see some things coming. It did have on twist which really redeemed all the other stuff so came in clutch there at the end. with the narrator, he just read this story in a very desperate maudlin tone. And I immediately dropped the book after the first chapter. and ever time I'd come back, I'd struggle with the narrator. It just has this weird whimpering whine to his voice. Eventually I got over it and finished the book. I've read other books from this narrator that were great so don't write him off. Just listen to a sample or whatever and make your own mind up.

Fantastic powers, spells, and character progression

This was an excellent start to a new progression series! The story starts quickly and maintains suspense throughout. There are progression advancement elements sprinkled in, complimenting story rather than distracting from it.

In this world nearly everyone is an elemental manipulator with ink that grants them extraordinary power.

We follow a character and his family that cannot absorb the ink. They are seen as outcasts, but outcasts who provides a needed service.