Fantasy Book Reviews

Ranger of Path

Author: JordenLeonard
Title: Ranger of Path
Link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/63025722-ranger-of-path-rewrite

Ranger of Path explores a side of Fantasy that is not often talked about. Instead of a dragon, our hero rides a griffin. We have druids, gremlins, orcs, and more! The concept of avatars and summoning is a major part of the story. And instead of kingdoms and royalty, the focus is on the common folk and thugs. This is a welcome change, which alone deserves attention.

Our protagonist, Ishkur, is a half-elf / half-druid who rides a griffin and wields a polearm (and not a sword, wow!). His body is a vessel for these supernatural mythical beings called "avatars" (although I feel it'd be more accurate to call Ishkur the avatar, but I digress), one of which has "claimed" him as its host after he was orphaned. During a routine mission, Ishkur loses communication with his avatar, is unable to summon it, and finds himself stranded without his mount and gear. Clearly something has gone wrong, but what? You'll have to read to find out!

I'm always amazed when I come across a book with a writing style I've never seen before. Sure, every writer is unique and has their own flavor, but Ranger of Path feels extra different. It's so poetic that it feels like you're reading a classic. Now, this might be a turn off for some readers but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There needs to be more books like this on Wattpad! Did I mention there's a good deal of sexual and raunchy humor? Some may find it offensive, but I personally think it's genius as it goes so well with the characters and their story.

The plot itself has some minor pacing issues, which often arises from lengthy dialogue scenes followed by quick action sequences. The author obviously enjoys crafting conflict between characters via their interactions, and he excels at it! We are rewarded with well-defined and extremely interesting characters that pretty much make the story. Outside of these interactions is where the story becomes bland and lacking. There needed to be a little more variety in the exposition; plot progression is often done via lists of actions (i.e. he did this, then this, and then that), which becomes tiresome.

To be fair, the story world itself is quite elaborate and intriguing. Some readers might feel overwhelmed by the amount of information provided in the first few chapters, but it was just enough to keep me interested. The author goes all out with his use of imagery and metaphors, further adding to the old school vibe of the story.

Ranger of Path is a refreshing change amongst the books I've read on Wattpad lately. If you're looking for a Fantasy story that's not your typical knights and princess, dragons and sorcery, this book is for you. Go check it out, even just to see how well-done dialogue looks like.