The Call of Agon

I must applaud Wilson on the tone he accomplishes in The Call of Agon: Book One of The Children of Telm. There is a hopelessness and fear that frequently shines through the story-line which causes the reader to wonder if any of the characters will get out alive. That sense of suspense is invaluable and often lost in modern fiction. Action scenes are described with a deft hand. There is a separation between the action and the narrative that is chilling and further adds to the sense of urgency within the story.

The Call of Agon: Book One of The Children of Telm is not for everyone. The novel is especially well-crafted and detailed. If you're looking for things you might recognize you would be disappointed. This is an incredibly detailed world like none I've seen before with that medieval bent that these sort of novels often have. If you like novels like "The Lord of the Rings" this novel is probably for you. Wilson builds a unique mythology, religion, eco-structure and world and his construct is flawless. He embeds poetry into his culture and story-line that are complex and show an author who didn't just sit down one day and decide to write a book. The Call of Agon: Book One of The Children of Telm took a great deal of planning and likely checking as the story progressed.

This book was a joy to read. It was engaging, exciting and the poetry, which weaves throughout the story, adds to the telling. And this is just book one of this magical fantasy. I look forward to the next in the series. Mr. Wilson is an amazing story-teller, and I highly recommend this book.

The Call of Agon is a perfect read for those fantasy lovers who enjoy reading about fictional/mythical locations with a medieval feel to it.

The book starts off with our main character, Ifferon, as he is conversing with the head cleric, Teron. Ifferon is the last child of the dead god Telm and has been in hiding, with what I like to consider monks, for the last 10 years.

Right off, The Call of Agon starts with action. The monastery and the nearest town are about to be attacked by The King who wishes to rid the world to those with Telm's blood.

In the beginning our main character is a bit of a coward. He contemplates running and leaving everyone behind instead of standing and fighting.

But soon he is off on his quest, guided by the scroll left by Telm asking him to make sure the beast Agon stays banished in the dark underworld. Agon is, for all intents and purposes, the evil god. After he can hide no longer, Iffereon must journey through the land of Iraldas to stop the Call of Agon.

Overall this book earned four stars from me. At first it was a little hard to get into and it was hard to keep track of the different names, god and places. But once I got in to it, I really like it. It was nicely written and easy to follow even with all the complex names.

It also read very well for me. I'm one of those people who can't stand certain books because they don't read easy - the language is too complex, chapters are 80 pages long and it just doesn't flow as well as it should.

This wasn't the case for The Call of Agon the language was easy to read, the chapters were a bit longer but broken up in certain points and everything flowed nicely. Looking forward to book two.

The Call of Agon – Book One of the Children of Telm
Dean F. Wilson
The hurdle that every writer of fantasy fiction must face is that of being compared with the master of the genre - J.R.R. Tolkien. As soon as wizardry, dark forces or a pedigree of ancestors is detected, a disparaging cry will go up from some quarter. Dean F. Wilson need have no anxieties on this score. At no point in his first novel, ‘The Call of Agon’, must we endure hearing about some mediocre Middle Earth. This is an original, gripping saga with, above all, deep insights into human motives and desires. Warriors - like the battle-scarred Herr’Don - contrast tellingly with characters who are not born to combat, like the poet Yavun. Iffeln is by far the most enigmatic figure, and it would not be fair to reveal too much of his pivotal role in the tale.
An air of fear often dominates the story, and Wilson depicts this debilitating emotion masterfully. The Shadowspirits drive men to madness, and they are never far away. But this is not a depressing tale, love that once shone in the Past is rekindled, faith is transformed into hope through courage. Lyrical songs are dispersed throughout the text and serve to lighten the mood. When magic appears, it is introduced subtly and unexpectedly, thus it is all the more marvellous
‘The Call of Agon’ tells us that dreams and reality are interchangeable, if not inseparable. The major riddle of the tale, ‘In whose veins does the sacred blood run?’ is answered, partly with scholarly reasoning, but mostly through the logic of its own myths. Even in the midst of battle - scenes described with a skilful and dispassionate touch - profound moral questions always remain. The most powerful symbol appears at the conclusion of the tale, most fitting as the excitement does not let up until the final page...and this is only Book One!

~o00o~

A great fantasy debut. The names and places were somewhat difficult at first, but while reading this book they become second nature to the reader.

Ifferon is a wonderful character. He starts as somewhat of a coward but rises to the occasion when his hand is forced. He is a descendant of the God Telm. He is given the task of maintaining the safety of his people from the beast Agon.

This book is full of action, suspense and adventure. It has a wonderful mythological feel to it, not in the Greek-like manner. Reminded me more of the wild Vikings and Norse mythology. It has a Tolkien feel to it. As a reader, knowing this is the first in a series, I had an idea how it would end. The ride to the finish was fun and adventurous.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves action and adventure with a flair.

Yet another book sent to me by the author for a review :) If you couldn't tell, it always makes me feel a little more special when people want to know my opinion on something. Anyway, this time around it's the first book in the Children of Telm series, The Call of Agon. Part fantasy, part mythology, and bearing a slight resemblance to many different classic novels, TCOA is very well written and I give it 4 out of 5 stars, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series when Wilson finishes them up.

At first, I was very confused with the story. I couldn't figure out who was who, what was happening, and the main plot line was lost in the early chapters. That being said, the action and the mystery behind who Ifferon is, and why he is being hunted, add a strong element of intrigue and don't give the reader an opportunity to put this book down and forget about it. Ifferon meets an assorted crew, nay, a FELLOWHIP, on his quest to use the god Telm's final words to vanquish Agon back to the Underworld. Wilson does a great job making these characters fun to read about, and likable (even if you dislike a character, you still love to hate him as you read). Not only, by the way, is Ifferon's quest very comparable to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, but other details also bring the epic fantasy to mind. For example, Oelinor cannot die by natural means, but he is still fallible in battle (elves, anyone?) It was pretty fun to read this story, and think of where the inspiration for Wilson's characters and world came from.

As I said above, the beginning chapters can be confusing and hard to get into, partly owing to the fast pace and lack of explanation (which is mostly remedied throughout the story), but is also due to the difficult and somewhat similar names. I know enough mythology to know that this is to be expected, and also makes this story seem so much more similar to ancient stories. Many aspects of life and nature were humanized and deified by ancient civilizations, and it's interesting that the personification used in TCOA speaks to Wilson's ability to make the story and words themselves reference the world of mythology.

Overall, the combination of mythology, fantasy, and adventure makes The Call of Agon a great story to read, and I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys ancient mythology, epic novels such as LOTR, or who's looking for a good new book to read :)

I really enjoyed this book. Had a little trouble at first with all the strange names and words but you quickly get into the flow of it. The author has a way of describing places and things so you can just picture it in your mind and you feel transported there. The characters are well written and Ifferon's adventure is exciting. If there is a book 2 then I will certainly be reading it. I received this book from the author for an honest review. I highly recommend this book.