Tears of Eternity Book I: Foresight, by A.M. Steele
Publication Date: March 21st 2025
ARC by LoveReading
Keywords: fantasy, adventure, quest, prophecy, riddles, D&D, elfs, wizards, political drama, gods, religion, LGBTQ+, romance, mystery.
This book follows the adventures of four characters who were thrown together by sudden cataclysmic events: Lee, the naïve human who grew up in a small community within secluded woods, Ostara the mysterious elvish bard, Arthur the wizard with something to prove and Rejnar the rogue elf with a heavy conscience. These four meet under mysterious circumstances and decide to travel together back to safety. But, while they each hold a piece of the puzzle that forms the answer to their questions, they will also need to figure out if they can trust each other enough to reveal everything they know. They become a strange party, fighting together against the dangers in their path but unsure of how much faith they should place on one another.
I loved how well written everything is: the world, the politics, the characters, their relationships, the dialogs, the fights, the songs, the languages, and so on. The author brings a fantasy world to life right before our eyes, with the right combination of explanation and familiarity. We get to know each character as they get to know to each other. The story may become increasingly complex, but we’re taken through everything slowly and carefully. The answers are presented slowly, one by one, but without ever losing the mystery that keeps you hooked. If anything, new information sometimes creates more questions. The characters are fleshed out, three-dimensional and likeable (some perhaps not at first), and their relationships develop gradually and masterfully. There is mystery, humour, action, romance and adventure. The only thing I can point out is that the change between situations and perspectives could be more properly marked at times. But I assume this is probably going to be fixed until publication.
For those into Dungeons and Dragons, this story will make you feel right at home. The writing itself feels like a combination of The Witcher and The Hobbit: a pleasant, fun adventure with party members who don’t really know each other, but with some of the darkness, foreboding and mystery of a grittier variety.
It was a marvellous read, with a captivating story, fascinating characters and a world that draws you in and makes you want to stay. I would be very surprised if this book doesn’t become a bestseller. Is it too soon to be asking when book II comes out?
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