Review: The Unremembered: Author's Definitive Edition

Review: The Unremembered: Author's Definitive Edition
By Peter Orullian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazon Blurb
In a debut that is sure to attract enormous attention, the first novel of The Vault of Heaven takes us to a world of wonders and terrors, where an ancient evil threatens to break out of the bounds that have contained it for generations. When the gods created the world, one created monstrous creatures so powerful that he was doomed to live for eternity in the proscribed Bourne where his most odious creations were to be held, kept from the rest of the world by a magical veil that they could not breach.

Millennia passed, and the veil weakened. The people who inhabit the world know little of the terrible danger that lurks in the Bourne. When creatures begin to escape and prey upon isolated villages, news of their predations is treated as mere rumor. But those who stand against evil have seen the signs of the weakening of the veil and know that only drastic measures will prevent a devastating invasion. Tahn Junell is a hunter blissfully unaware of the dark forces that imperil in the world. Then two strangers - an imperious man who wears the sigil of the feared Order of Sheason and a beautiful woman of the legendary Far - come to the Hollows, urging Tahn, his sister, and his two best friends to leave. They will not say why, but the journey upon which they embark will change Tahn's life...and the world...forever.

The Good
I'm not sure what changed in the Author's Definitive Edition, but I have to say this edition of, The Unremembered, is epic fantasy at its best! The only thing I can possibly imagine is that, as a debut author, Peter Orullian had more awesomeness to put in.

Well, it worked.

The story really drew me in, making a 24 hour audiobook slip-by like I was reading a middle-grade chapter book. The characters and worldbuilding easily rival Patrick Rothfuss and Brandon Sanderson, so much so that I picked up the second book, Trial of Intentions, right after I finished this one. Great attention to detail (in all aspects of the world) and likable characters that were fully engaging.

Like all well crafted stories, when your mind continues chewing on your own imaginings of the fictional world, you know you've hit pay-dirt. I was intrigued by the lore of the world and the various sentient species kept me wondering about deeper aspects of the story.

The Bad
Like most epic fantasy, the first few chapters are a serious chore to chew through. The worldbuilding is rich and intriguing, but takes a bit for your brain to shift into the books world. However, once mine did, I was hooked.

Audio Version
Peter Ganim did the audio narration. His narration is good, but I wasn't blown away.

The Spin
If you like epic fantasy with immersive worlds like Patrick Rothfuss' or Brandon Sanderson's, you'll love The Unremembered. It's a read well worth your time and money.