I got an ARC of this book from the author, as he saw me asking for books with Archery in a group.

I'm so glad I took him up on the offer, as it's *finally* the one fantasy book that really scratched my itch for bow and arrows! The archery in here was very realistic and well described, and I can't even tell you how much I enjoyed that.

Aside from my personal pet topic, I also loved the characters. The main character is a headstrong woman, who grew up hating a certain group of people. She struggles with the prejudice she grew up with, the different opinions she encounters in her training, and new information that comes to light. Her inner turmoil and development was well done, and I really enjoyed spending my time with both her, and her best friend Isla.

We get to meet more characters along the way, and I loved the classical old "fantasy quest party" feeling I got. I'm always a sucker for a good friendship and interactions that aren't just rooted in romance, and Ranger of the Titan Wilds had plenty of that for me. Along with different character types, cultures, loyalties, distrust and betrayal, it was a good balance.

The world building was utterly fascinating. I not only loved all the outdoorsy skills (give me more!), but also the magic and wonder in here. We don't just have "magic" but different sorts of creatures, myths, religions and more. The world felt big and deep, and I enjoyed learning more about it. I can't wait to explore even more in later sequels!

An intriguing plot with a mystery at the heart, well done fight scenes that kept me on the edge of my seat, along with actual high stakes kept me glued to the pages.

There's a lot of death (of humans and animals alike), so it's not for the faint of heart. But it's not a especially gruesome Grimdark tale with a lot of gore. It's just a dark, though mostly classic feeling fantasy.

This definitely won't be my last book by the author!

On reading the description of this book, I clicked with it immediately - having read Wranglestone by Darren Charlton and also played Firewatch last year, the vibes of national parks, wide spaces, and adventure with a side dish of threat appealed.

The first part of the book gave off cosy tones. I looked forward to reading it, it was warm and inviting, drawing me back. It was the high fantasy novel I didn’t realize I was hungering for. There were strong relationships, camaraderie, exploration…

Then stuff went down and there was bloodshed.

We follow Leiyn, the last ranger, as she strives to find and bring justice for all she has known as they seemingly suffer horrific deaths at the hands of the Gast, indigenous tribes that have been displaced by the colonization of the Veiled Lands. She travels with a mismatched group, all with similar objectives, seeking the truth and allies. Consumed by a prejudice towards the Gast, she finds herself questioning her perception of reality - can the Gast be trusted, and are they truly to blame for the loss of everything she holds dear?

I can’t recall experiencing a protagonist who is so strongly antagonistic. I really felt for the supporting characters, dealing with the brunt of Leiyn’s immediate loathing of the Gast. This just made her character development arc so much more clear and a relief to experience, showcasing how damaging the spread of misinformation can be in spreading hate and fear.

There are eight parts - each part typically starts with a flashback chapter of Leiyn as a child, bereft initially from the loss of her mother and then her father, dealing with surviving as an orphan and the circumstances that lead her to becoming a ranger. Each part is heralded by a stunning illustration, an extra delight that I wasn’t expecting, helping to solidify the characters and creatures in the reader's mind.

The only criticism I have about the book, not even about the narrative so I’m not impacting the overall star rating for it, is the clarity of the map at the front of the book. I love a good map, especially for fantasy stories where we have whole new worlds to explore - these really help understand the terrain, distances and geography. I struggled to read some of the names on the map and I think the illustrated font style means it hasn’t printed particularly clearly. All illustrations are however on the author’s website so you can check the map there and zoom in.

Signing up to the author’s newsletter gives you four taster stories for free so you can experience each of his worlds before committing. I’ve got that downloaded and I’ll definitely be diving in to another story while I wait for the release of Leiyn’s sequel - which I've now backed on Kickstarter!

Thanks so much to the author for considering the impact international shipping has in his campaign and providing additional options so those in other countries can get the book!

The last ranger is the first book in what is looking to be a brilliant new fantasy series: Ranger of the Titan Wilds.

As is the norm with the first in a series, there is a lot of character and world building so I really liked to see the appendices at the end which I was able to quickly remind myself of the characters and places within.

I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

Leiyn encounters lots of different titans, which could be good or bad. When Leiyn returns to the lodge things turn for the worst. The lodge is lost, and friends are missing. She needs to find out what happen and who or how they were betrayed, so with her best friend Isla and two other companions a Gast and a Shaman which she doesn't have much trust in because of what she was told when she was younger, have to get Southport to tell Lord Mauricio what has taken place and who is responsible for the destruction and the deaths. The trip to Southport is treacherous. They will encounter lots of trials and have to band together to get through it. Leiyn life will change now that she has another challenge set before her. Very intense at times and will take you on a great adventure.