When The Redemption of Erâth: Consolation was published in 2014, it was to little fanfare or announcement. As such, it took quite some time for reviews to start trickling in. Having said that, most reviews have so far been positive, and even those that were unfavorable explained their reasoning, and why it wasn't for them.

Below are excerpts from some of these reviews; scroll down for full-length reviews.

I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed this novel!

The world-building is fantastic and immersive.

The characters feel very real because they have both flaws and redeeming traits, which are evident to the reader.

The story itself is a very interesting start to what is, presumably, an epic adventure.

The author has created a world where the rules are fairly easy to grasp while leaving some pretty big questions yet to be explored. I particularly like that there is a spiritual/mythical component to this world. While this wasn’t a primary focus in this novel, I have high hopes that it will come to bear more heavily in future installments.

The writing is very engaging with plenty of description. The action sequences are well-created and easy to follow. The author uses dialogue very well.

My favorite element of this novel is that the readers don’t learn more than the main characters know - and they are smart enough to have plenty of doubts about their choices. They also have regrets, when that is an appropriate reaction to the consequences they may not have foreseen.

There were a few typos (and similar errors) throughout, but not so many that it was a distraction from the flow of the novel.

I am eagerly anticipating the next installment in this series. It ranks very highly for me.

★★★★★

— Goodreads Review, June 2018

Rich and evocative high fantasy novel

A rich and evocative high fantasy novel about a boy who, unlike in Faust, is always willing good but keeps doing evil. Brandye is orphaned as a baby and raised by his grandfather, one of the few who has ever ventured outside the land of Consolation. Brandye finds he doesn't fit in amongst the others in his village, and is distressed by the oppression of the ruling family. However, when he joins a group to fight against them, things go badly. The novel breaks off just as things might be about to take a turn, although whether for the better or the worse is left for the next book to reveal.

The world- and mood-building are excellent, and set the somber tone for the book. This is not a quick read, but it is a detailed and atmospheric one, and Brandye's encounters with the enormous wolves that stalk him both in his dreams and in real life are quite spine-chilling! An intriguing beginning to a promising high fantasy series, and well worth checking out by readers who enjoy psychological fiction.

★★★★★

— E.P. Clark, October 2016

A deeply imagined world

Epic in scale and epic in style, The Redemption of Erâth series by Satis is the story of Brandyé Dui-Erâth. Born in fire, orphaned, raised by his reclusive and private grandfather, Brandyé is not truly accepted in his village. He learns to accept his unchosen outsider status, tempered by his two good friends, Elven, a boy of his own age, and Elven's sister Sonora.

But there is a locked room in Brandyé's grandfather's house … and there are Brandyé's dreams. Slowly it becomes evident that there is more to Brandyé—and to his grandfather, Reuel Tolkaï. Creatures from myth begin to menace; powerful tools of war come to Brandyé, to be used for good or evil. Rebellion simmers and flares, with unintended consequences. Darkness threatens all Brandyé knows, and Brandyé himself, sending him into exile.

Brandyé's story is compelling, although the telling of it is detailed and slow-paced. And I use the word 'telling' intentionally: the author definitely tells this story; he does not, for the most part, show us it through Brandyé's thoughts, emotions, or reactions. The voice is usually passive; the action recounted to us. It reminded me—in stylistic terms only—of an old book of Grimm's Fairy Tales I had a child, which used the same passive voice for most of its re-tellings. The language is mannered and slightly archaic, bordering on the style of Lord Dunsany in his classic epic fantasies. While this almost bardic telling of the story is interspersed with conversations and scenes written in an active voice, the overall feel of the books is detached, the reader distanced from the characters by the stylistic choice. I almost think The Redemption of Erâth would benefit from being read out loud; the language deserves to be heard.

While the plot—that of the magic child with a difficult road to walk in the saving of his/her world—is a classic fantasy plot, Satis does not flinch from making difficult choices for his characters. The world-building is extremely detailed. Satis is building a complex and finely-drawn world, more finely-drawn than some readers will be happy with, especially when combined with the slow-moving action. (There is also a companion volume, The History of Erâth, which I have not read.) Influences from classic fantasy, especially Tolkein (the name of Brandyé grandfather clearly an homage) are obvious.

I found these two books—Volume 1: Consolation and Volume 2: Exile—difficult to rate. The story is compelling if slow in the telling; the style will deter some readers, especially those used to action-based, fast-paced dystopian fantasy. But this is a deeply imagined world, and I will continue to read the next books in this series. Three stars.

★★★

— Marian Thorpe, July 2016

A great teen read

After Brandyé was found exiled from his hometown of [Consolation], he managed to survive. With nothing but the tales his grandfather had left him with, he set out to survive against all odds. At first he found comfort with bears before he was captured and forced to be a slave. It was not until later on did he find he friend and the two of them were left with a task. They had to figure out the darkness and try to bring back the light.

I have to say this book is a really great teen read. It is very captivating and has a way of rewarding the reader in. On the one hand the reader feels bad for the situation Branydé is in, but on the other hand, seeing how he strives to find his way and bring back the light adds a sense of hope.

Every character he meets along the way is filled with lots of different layers and emotions. While Brandyé has not hope, they encourage him and help him through the next part of his journey is some way or another. A really good book. The ending leaves the reader wanting home. I am hoping to one day read a third book of Erâth.

★★★★★

—Little Lady Plays, April 2016

A solid continuation of a promising fantasy epic; briefly stutters and then accelerates.

Satis (The Redemption of Erâth: History of Erâth, 2015, etc.) continues the epic tale of darkness and death, evil magic and betrayal and ventures further into forgotten lands, among strange peoples.

Brandyé Dui-Erâth has been exiled from his native land, Consolation, one of the last realms not subjugated by evil creatures or dark magic. At first, it’s a struggle merely to survive. After much wandering, however, Brandyé again discovers civilization—such as it is—and cruelty and bondage. He also finds allies, like the kind Khana, and, eventually, in another land, his old friend Elven. The duo is joined by Elyn, a woman he had before seen only in dreams. Together, they must journey to yet another land in hopes of defeating the Duithèn, embodiments of Darkness, before the last of Elyn’s people, embodiments of Light, fade away. It may be that to stop the darkness, Brandyé must find the legendary weapon Namrâth, or it may be some secret power locked within himself. Whichever it is, knowledge and potential allies lie in other, further lands, perhaps in the Kingdom of Erârün, the lands of the Dragon Lords, or beyond. If he can find them. The various lands and beings Brandyé encounters are worldbuilding at full throttle. The different set pieces of history and myth enrich the story, almost to the point of distracting from the plot, which hovers in place during hefty infodumps. It’s a welcome change from the previous book, which skimped on background detail. The inclusion of Elven is welcome; it propels the dramatic thrust of the last book (amid yet more new information) and acts as an interesting counterpoint to Elyn, whose mysterious connection to Brandyé only deepens.

A solid continuation of a promising fantasy epic; briefly stutters and then accelerates.

—Kirkus Reviews, March 2016

A slow-moving saga about a beleaguered hero that has yet to catch fire, but shows glimmers of the rip-roaring yarn it could be.

Satis’ debut fantasy epic offers a multifaceted tale of darkness and flame, forgotten lands and vanished peoples, corrupt nobles and determined rebels.

The night that Brandyé Dui-Erâth was born, his home burned to the ground around him, killing his parents but leaving him mysteriously unharmed. Growing up with his grandfather Reuel Tolkaï, Brandyé becomes a village outcast, with a boy named Elven Dottery his only friend. As the two boys mature, they discover the vanity and dishonesty of the local nobles, and find themselves caught up in a growing rebellion. At one point, Brandyé observes: “I had no idea our world was one of such terrifying corruption. My grandfather has always spoken of terrible things outside of Consolation, but right here people are dying for nothing but greed!” But dissent is dangerous, doubly so when magical forces and prophetic dreams are involved. When a rescue plan goes horribly awry, Brandyé finds himself alone, without friends or allies. Because the powerful ruler Lord Garâth remains a ruthless and unforgiving man, Brandyé will need more than luck if he is to retain his freedom. He will face even more trouble if, as he suspects, the vengeful lord embraces the dark forces that are slowly encroaching on Consolation. To survive, will Brandyé have to journey beyond the borders of Consolation, into the wild lands ruled by Darkness and strange beasts? Brandyé is the sort of protagonist who is well drawn and competent, while still making understandable mistakes that drive the plot and his development. Unfortunately, that’s not always enough to propel the plot swiftly. Brandyé takes a very long time growing up. That said, Reuel and Elven and their relationships to Brandyé significantly enhance the long beginning of the novel, the first of a projected series. Reuel proves especially intriguing, for it is his stories and writings that sketch in the majority of the wider landscapes beyond their village. And the worldbuilding remains compelling enough to make one wish for more than the bits and bobs that come through, although it seems likely that a great deal more will be revealed about this wondrous realm in future installments.

A slow-moving saga about a beleaguered hero that has yet to catch fire, but shows glimmers of the rip-roaring yarn it could be.

—Kirkus Reviews, February 2016

An intricate backstory, but you decide

I have just done what I swore I’d never do; which is post a 2-star review. I normally keep these silent and contact the author directly. However, this is a different case entirely. The story itself is well-written and there are almost no errors in the manuscript itself. That is impressive. And for many, this book may be great. I read all 250+ pages of it just fine.

As a writer, I’m well aware of the need to create an elaborate back story for characters, especially the main character, in order to be able to show a rich and complete character to the reader. Unfortunately, in my opinion, that’s all this book was. It was the intricate back story that tells us what made Brandyé what he is. I kept waiting for the story to fully develop and things to happen. While there are great scenes in the book where I thought, “Here we go, there’s the story,” it would fall short and back up a bit. Those great areas could easily have been worked into a different book as flashbacks, or something similar, so we could see what happened to make Brandyé the way he was. When this book ended, I thought, “Now we reach what should have been the first book.”

Do not get me wrong. This entire book was well-written. That is the reason why I’m leaving a 2-star review for the first time. There are plenty of people out there that may very well disagree with me and believe this made a terrific first book to what appears will be a great series. I will admit that I’m intrigued and would be willing to read the second book to see what happens next. There are so many ways this could go from the end point that I’m fascinated to see what will happen.

★★

— A Drop of Ink Reviews, June 2015