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Success In Life Is A Team Effort
The King’s Bloodhound: Bald Foot Curse Book 2 is an intriguing fantasy novel. Why was it important for you to write this book?
The first novel, The Bald Foot Curse (TBFC), ended on a cliffhanger. The Sheriff caught some of the minor villains, but the Baron got away. My protagonist, Rinad, was still grieving the loss of his best friend, Spencer, and Squire Stroud went missing. I felt I needed to continue Rinad’s story to give closure and satisfy fans from the first novel.
Rinad struggles to overcome his own self-doubts and value in order to help his kingdom. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Being a forgiving person was one idea that drove this story. Another is not letting others define who you are because that is something one should do themselves. Rinad experienced some traumatic events in his youth and in TBFC. As an adult, he learns to let go of old grudges, face his grief, and ultimately find his self-confidence.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Faith has always been a foundational part of Rinad’s story. He has to rely on his friends, his deity, and his employer to succeed. He isn’t super powerful, but he is talented, resourceful, and surrounded by friends. But the main focus of this story was that Rinad needed to learn to have faith in himself. I think it is an important message that people need to hear. We aren’t alone in the world. We all need one another and sometimes a little help from a higher power makes all the difference. Success in life is a team effort.
Where does the next book in the series take the characters?
Underground. Rinad’s next story is going to be an effort to break up the human/Demi human trafficking ring that is powering the evil Farin empire. Stroud will be back as a knight this time using his particular talent to help stop the smugglers in route. Rinad as a lifelong woodsman will be dealing with a different problem. Exploring the mines beneath Farin is not his cup of tea. And we will learn more about Rinad’s people, a whole tribe of halflings with bald feet.
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The King’s Bloodhound
The King’s Bloodhound by Michael Sauls chronicles the escapades of Rinad, a cursed halfling blessed with remarkable tracking skills who is recently appointed as the King’s huntsman. Despite his abilities, Rinad is burdened with self-doubt and fear of failure, which hinder his performance as he navigates his way through a series of challenges to prove his worth. This captivating novel follows Rinad and his allies’ quest to foil the malevolent forces threatening their kingdom. As evil spreads and the misdeeds of Baron Castaro grow, the huntsmen will have to rely on each other and some divine intervention to defeat the darkness that is spreading.
Author Michael Sauls is a gifted wordsmith, and his prowess with language permeates the novel, manifesting in vivid descriptions and savory prose. The character introductions are particularly striking, as Sauls masterfully delineates their physical features, personalities, and even their fragrances. Even though there is an abundance of characters that may seem overwhelming at times, every character is endowed with a rich inner life, enabling readers to form deeper connections with them.
The world-building is robust and imbued with vitality, while the dialogue is straightforward and engaging. The world-building is detailed and intriguing, making readers eager to explore every corner of the kingdom. Sauls’ writing is not for the faint of heart, as he unflinchingly portrays the brutal action scenes and unforgettable plot twists that stay with readers long after they finish the book.
The King’s Bloodhound is a gripping dark fantasy with compelling characters and thrilling action. Sauls’ writing is masterful, and the story he weaves is engaging and satisfying. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting adventure in a vividly imagined world.
Pages: 323 | ASIN : B0BYRL2VHP
Some Larger Destiny At Play
Heart of the Rose follows a silver elf and a sea captain as they navigate their love for each other as well as the trouble a stolen jewelry box brings. What were some new ideas you wanted to introduce in this book that was different from book one?
Book one focused on the characters finding three very powerful magical artifacts. In this second novel, I aimed to demonstrate what these powerful items are capable of. This novel showed two of the items in action from the first book. I plan to feature the third in book three when it comes out. I also wanted to create an impression that there is some larger destiny at play here. The characters start off as mercenaries driven by self-interest but they are growing and their motivations are evolving. Lorena with her sketchy femme fatale past is getting in touch with her feelings. Thorne is becoming a capable leader who cares about his crew, his girlfriend, and the world.
What were some obstacles you felt were important to testing Lorena and Thorne’s relationship?
Lorena’s biggest obstacle to their relationship is herself. She has worked as a thief and a con artist for so long that seeing Thorne as a real romantic interest instead of a mark was hard for her. She blamed her hesitation on the ghost that haunts her but is just an excuse to avoid dealing with her budding feelings. Being manipulated and facing the fact that she is wanted by the law in her homeland were actually minor factors in comparison to that. Thorne is really perfect for Lorena because he is just as jaded and untrusting as her for different reasons. Being a sea captain and a lifetime soldier has made Thorne into a man devoted to his occupation, but his experiences have shown him the depravity humanity is capable of.
This seemed like a fun story to write. What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
That is kind of a tough call. I really enjoyed the scene when, Lorena, friend-zoned her companion Chetaak and he tries to make her jealous. That scene was inspired by some real-world stuff happening to a young acquaintance that was struggling with dating. I also enjoy writing fight scenes. I have some personal experience with medieval reenactments so I get to draw on my knowledge of melee and hand-to-hand combat as a resource. The scene where Killikuuk fought the giant air elemental was fun for me. The folktale I made about the four winds meeting at a house was inspired by a dream which gave me the idea for the scene.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book will be called The King’s Bloodhound and should be available by Jan. of 2023. I am almost done with the first draft now. It is a story about Rinad, a halfling with PTSD that takes a job working for the sheriff as a tracker to help find a necromancer who is trying to start a war. Rinad must learn to rise above the trauma of his past to find the strength to defeat the necromancer.
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HEART OF THE ROSE
Heart of the Rose, by Michael Sauls, is the second book in his Chronicles of the Rose series. This exciting book picks up on the adventure of Thorne and Lorena. Thorne goes from a simple mercenary ship captain to a pirate hunter with a larger destiny of breaking curses. Lorena is an elf with a haunted box and a shady past who works for a mage. But as Thorne and Lorena’s relationship deepens, readers are left wondering if Thorne will be able to break Lorena’s connection to the haunted box.
The author provides enough background details and information about the characters so that even if readers have not read book one, they can pick up this book and easily follow along. This character-driven story provides distinct personalities and unique characteristics, so all the characters are easy to tell apart. In addition, the author expertly intertwines the voices of each character so that readers can hear their voices and point of view without being muddled and confusing.
I enjoyed the fantasy aspect of the story, filled with elves, dragons, and wizards, allowing my imagination to run wild. There are also some unexpected characters in the story that are a pleasant surprise and show the author’s distinct writing style. Sauls’s attention to detail shows through his world-building skills that will transport readers into the story, and they will feel they are right there with Lorena and Thorne.
Throughout the novel, the author provides readers with the necessary information, such as descriptions of the settings and the differences between the elves. While this is essential information, I feel it would have been presented better if the author had incorporated that information into the story rather than telling it to readers. However, when the author showed rather than told information in the story, his talent shined.
Heart of the Rose is a well-conceived novel with plenty of action and adventure for readers to follow. This fantasy novel will engage readers with new strong and interesting characters and an imaginative world to explore.
Pages: 314 | ASIN : B09P21D8XR
LITERARY TITAN 