Ayxan Solongo reviewed Sunder Vol. 1 by Mark Englert
None
4 stars
An action-packed DnD adventure that actually has a lot going on, and, when looking back at the volume, has filled its pages quite some. Yet, while reading, feels like drinking your morning tea/coffee on the veranda and checking the newspaper. It is quite slow-paced. I personally don’t mind this at all, there are far too few slow life fantasy stories out there. And even though there is action and a few battle scenes, it’s not the main focus. Love some exploration first.
However, even though it is so slow-paced, which would serve as a perfect opportunity to fill the reader in on the different world, it stays very mysterious throughout the whole volume. Instead of giving some info, more and more plots and worlds and characters and the mysteries around them are thrown in.
On one hand, it shows us how our protagonist must feel like – he’s never been …
An action-packed DnD adventure that actually has a lot going on, and, when looking back at the volume, has filled its pages quite some. Yet, while reading, feels like drinking your morning tea/coffee on the veranda and checking the newspaper. It is quite slow-paced. I personally don’t mind this at all, there are far too few slow life fantasy stories out there. And even though there is action and a few battle scenes, it’s not the main focus. Love some exploration first.
However, even though it is so slow-paced, which would serve as a perfect opportunity to fill the reader in on the different world, it stays very mysterious throughout the whole volume. Instead of giving some info, more and more plots and worlds and characters and the mysteries around them are thrown in.
On one hand, it shows us how our protagonist must feel like – he’s never been outside his little town after all. On the other hand, he does know at least a little about the world, such as whether there are humans or whether it’s a KFP-like world. Whether it even plays on earth. There’s interstellar travel and aliens after all.
I’m totally interested in continuing, also because Fantasy x Sci-Fi with a medieval setting and non-human characters is a neat combo. But I can see how too much mystery can throw some readers off. And as much as i like to play detective and uncover riddles myself, it wouldn’t have hurt to answer a few questions.
If not for the plot, a lot may want to read this for the art. It has a sketchy line style, but is very detailed. Perfectly fitting the DnD fantasy genre.
The protagonist is very cute and nice. Not your typical lead, even though he’s not a child. And by that I mostly mean he’s neither lusting after every body nor overpowered with a harem-to-come. Instead, he’s a bookish nerd who always wanted to go on an adventure but because he’s been kept closed off the world, he’s a bit naive. Similar to Disney’s Rapunzel, he’s also very helpful, prefers honesty and even though he attracts trouble by a mile, he’s quick at making friends. Which also comes from his good-hearted nature.
Definitely someone I’d like to follow.
~
Thank you to Mad Cave Studios on Netgalley for an eARC. The book is set to be released on May 6, 2025.
-Ayxan Solongo, 06.05.25
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