Holtgart

Harkentale Saga, Book 1

By: Jeremy James Smith

Narrated by: Dustin Sipes

Angus Redbeard was nobody until a fateful mistake made him one of the most famous dwarves in history. Now he has a year to prove himself worthy of his new title - and become a hero. Like ripples from a skipping stone on a still lake, Angus’ exploits reverberate, triggering dormant entities. Before long, fights become battles and battles become wars, and Angus finds himself defending people he never expected to know from long-latent threats roused by his own escapades.

Follow Angus on his quest to find elves, outwit politicians, survive goblins, orcs, and trolls, and discover what he’s really made of. Holtgart begins the epic fantasy series The Harkentale Saga, a comedic romp forged from equal parts action and adventure, with a dash of world-saving, and a hearty side of diverse new friends.

©2020 Jeremy James Smith (P)2023 Jeremy James Smith

Book 1

Jeremy’s lovely storytelling weaves an enchanting dwarven tale, brimming with humor and charm, that sets the perfect tone for an unforgettable fantasy saga! The first book in this series strikes a delightful balance between lighthearted comedy and epic adventure, leaving you eager to dive into the next chapter…

Fantastical Adventure and More!

Angus Redbeard is either accident-prone, extremely lucky, or a true hero. Regardless, he has a year to prove his worthiness! His journey to prove himself triggers many incidents and wakes many entities thus creating battles that soon escalate into wars! Throughout Angus’ adventurous journey, he encounters many with their agenda including elves, politicians, goblins, orcs, and trolls. All guarantee an adventure worth experiencing!

The author, Jeremy James Smith, weaves a fantastical narrative that is rich with action, and adventure, and peppered with moral decisions. Smith is deliberate in his world and character building providing a strong narrative that immerses the listener completely. Each plot twist is well executed and moves the story forward in a logical manner. I thoroughly enjoyed his building of the character Angus which emphasizes not only luck and hard work but also that sometimes things just happen because they are meant to. The dialogue was strong and kept the story moving forward at a steady pace.

The narrator, Dustin Sipes, vividly brings each character to life using distinct accents and rich tones. His consistency in voices and deliberate cadence further enrich the narrative. With epic-length audiobooks, a solid and entertaining narrator is necessary to keep the audience focused and entertained. Dustin Sipes delivers!

This is a highly entertaining novel that draws in the listener, keeping them immersed until the end. I look forward to hearing what Angus Redbeard does next!

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Classic adventure fun

Angus is the kind of dwarf that says “yes” to things and lets adventure flow freely. This was such a fun story with classic fantasy element wrapped in dry humor. All the characters are likable, the world building is well crafted. The villain introduced near the book’s conclusion is intriguing and a promise of more good questing to follow. The narrator’s performance and production was immersive and excellent!

Smart, endearing, and hilarious

I've read the paperback version of Holtgart, but when I saw that I could listen to it with characters having unique accents and voices, I jumped on it. This audiobook version did not disappoint. The skills of the narrator combined with the author's already smart humor took it over the top for me. If you want an experience that will make you laugh out loud, you need to download Holtgart and listen right now.

Angus, a young dwarf at 90, makes a huge mistake. In order to prove to his Holt that it was unintentional and to live up to his new name, Angus must traverse their world to tell of his deed and rekindle ancient alliances with elves, humans, and other Holts. His young nature combined with Dwarven pride and brandy, lead him to make political and social, if unintentional, mistakes that only add to a brewing war. He must decide which side he will take and how involved he and his Holt will be.

Angus takes you for a ride. You'll be embarrassed for him in one scene, laughing at him in another, and ready to rally at his side when he stands for what is right in a third. The author's humor is meant for adults, but is light and positive. There are hints of a theme surrounding leadership and whether it should be based on experience or other qualifiers, but those themes are deeply embedded in an epic fantasy that leans on fun world building and relatable, diverse characters. A must listen for anyone that loves fantasy.

Story and Narration both A+

This is delightful story of a dwarf who consistently fails upwards in a comedy of errors that never gets old. Both earnest and tongue-in-cheek, this light-hearted romp will have you laughing and on the edge of your seat in equal measure. 10/10 will listen again.