Honor's Price

 

It seems that since the creation of the modern fantasy Dwarfs, the idea that they have been driven from their home and yearn to return seems to be a standard part of the story, regardless of the setting.  Telling the story of a clan returning to reclaim their ancestral home from the Abyssal Dwarfs that drove them out years is a great first novel.

Finding a way to keep characters from simply falling into tropes is a challenge, and making these all individuals that have their own strengths, fears and issues keeps it interesting and fresh.  Clan Daamuz is lead by three siblings, Dinnidek (Din) the heir to the clan, his younger brother Daerun (Dare), and their sister Diessa (Deese) the stone priestess of the clan.  Din is not the solid, stoic leader you would expect for a dwarf, instead having real doubts if he has the ability to lead in his father's place.  My favorite is Diessa.  The exploration of what being a stone priest is, summoning earth elementals (including the greater elemental she named Joro) even when it affects here physically and mentally.  

The villains are also fully fleshed out - especially the Abyssal Dwarf brothers Alborz and Zareen that lead the take over of the Clan Daamuz ancestral home ten years prior.  Watching Zareen the ironcaster struggle when Alborz gives him command of the abyssal dwarven forces when he would rather continue to research and experiment in his laboratory makes him both interesting, and even a bit sympathetic.  

The battles are well written, and do a good job of bringing the structure of the game to life without it intruding on the story.

Overall a good stand alone story.

Honor's price is available at Amazon, Winged Hussar Publishing, Mantic Games and your FLGS / FLBS.

Because it is all fun and games . . .