The Game of War

The Trials of Dantess, Warrior Priest

By: Glen Dahlgren

Narrated by: Glen Dahlgren

Never meet your heroes—especially if they’re dead.

Years before the Child of Chaos makes their fateful choice, young Dantess faces his own reckoning.

Dantess wants to follow in the footsteps of his dead grandfather—a legendary priest of War—but his father forbids it. In fact, his father’s hatred of war lands him in a cell within the god’s temple.

The only way to free him is from the inside, so Dantess must choose: let his father die or defy his upbringing, become a priest, and win his father’s freedom in the temple’s deadly Game of War.

Torn between the legacies of his father and grandfather, Dantess finds that both paths hide secrets that threaten to destroy everything he cares about, including his sanity.

Dantess must decide who he wants to be—but if he’s wrong, everyone will pay the price.

The Game of War is a stand-alone, full-size prequel novel to the Chronicles of Chaos.

©2021 Glen Dahlgren (P)2021 Glen Dahlgren

Critic reviews

"Game of War, like its predecessor, Child of Chaos, is riveting and compelling. Introducing new, fascinating characters, adventures and relationships, Glen Dahlgren weaves another magical book that is a must-read for any fan of fantasy literature." (Barbara Blackburn, Knights of the Dinner Table)

"The Game of War is one hell of an action-packed thrill ride.... It's a heartfelt origin story, a gut-wrenching coming of age, and an exceptional character-driven epic fantasy which in many ways surpasses The Child of Chaos. I loved this book." (Cully Mack, author of A Voice That Thunders)

"[The Game of War] is an exciting and fast-paced story packed with extended sequences that would be right at home in a Steven Spielberg movie. At the end, I was left wanting more, much more." (Josh Mandel, award-winning designer of Spider Robinson's Callahan's Crosstime Saloon)

Great story and characters

Ok. I am a type of person that can get frustrated with books that take forever to get to a place you know about a few chapters a go. Author does a fantastic job of creating a story and develop characters while still moving forward. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

Met the Author at Barns and Noble

Met the author today by happenstance at Barns and Nobel in Northern California. It was so cool to meet him and be introduced to the series. I’ve never been one to have the stamina to sit and read a paper copy. When I asked if he was on audible he exclaimed he was and that he narrates his own books. I love when authors narrate. Started listening today and after the first few hours of listening I’m hooked. Can’t wait to listen to the whole series!

Excellent Epic Fantasy

This is the second fantasy book that Glen Dahlgren has written and it is awesome! Glen wrote the back story of one of the side characters found in his first book "The Child Of Chaos". This story is like a roller coaster with the many twists and turns and ongoing action that occur within the pages. I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to more creative works by Glen Dahlgren. I recommend this book without any hesitation. Glen was the narrator to his own story and he does a fantastic job with his portrayal. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily left this review.

Fantastic

Writing and narrating this story by an author that is extremely talented . I was totally hooked from the beginning and can’t wait fir the next

An exciting and emotional ride.

The Game of War, is a prequel novel to Child of Chaos. it stands on it's own well and no prior knowledge is needed.

In this book we follow Dauntes. He is a young man caught in the ultimate moral battle, family or religion.

Glen Dahlgren creates a deep and believable world full of Gods who give power to the powerful. More often than not the corrupt use this power to suppress the weak.

This story will really make you think about right and wrong. It's an intense listen that will constantly make you question who the good guys are.

It is narrated by the author, and he does a fantastic job. He gives each character a unique voice and he also reads with emotion and passion.

*My thanks to the author for providing me with a free reviewer cor for this audiobook. My opinions are my own and are given here honestly.*

A Fantastic World, With Heart wrenching Moments

Dantess is a guy who just can't seem to win. He has big shoes to fill and a mind full of glory and honor. Pasts and futures collide in this fantastic story of pain, vengeance, war, and hate. The actual Game of War is really clever and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I loved the magic system and artifacts.
The author does a great job narrating his story, giving life and vibrance to the world he crafted.
If you love fantasy and YA, give this a shot, though it does get a little dark (which I absolutely enjoyed!).

Vivid, thoughtful, and exciting

First off I will say that this was the very first audio book I've listened to, so I wasn't sure what to expect and I don't have anything to compare it to. I really enjoyed it! The author does a great job with voices and effects that really bring it to life. This was a pretty revelatory experience for me, though- I would put on my headphones, kick back, and "watch the movie". The vividness of Dahlgren's descriptions just set my imagination free. This was a very cool first time audiobook experience!

So, what about the book? It's fantastic, and a worthy addition to the world. It's intense and moves at a breakneck pace. It's full of many great characters and twists. It's also fascinating where Dahlgren has gone in his exploration of War's gifts- it's a lot deeper than I imagined and lead to some very surprising and gripping scenes. There is a lot here: explorations of family, legend, leadership, failure, betrayal, politics, racism, and a lot more!
That brings along my only real criticism- the story moves at a breakneck pace. That's exciting and never boring, but it didn't leave a ton of room to breathe. I want to know what happened during those two years and I would have liked to see more of the background & training and get to know "the squad" a bit better as people. There is so much that happens, it feels ridiculous to be asking for more, but... I guess I'm saying, "There was so much delicious ice cream, but I still could have eaten more!" Of course, that means I was loving the ice cream!
Also, omfg there are some truly incredible moments (and monsters)

Would I recommend this? Absolutely, 5 stars, I loved it!

Great Epic Fantasy

The author has outdone himself in this prequel novel to his Chronicles of Chaos series. This book was a delight to listen to from start to finish, as I quickly became captivated by the characters and was fully invested in finding out what happened to them. Dantess, the protagonist, grew from an impulsive boy to an honorable warrior, surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast of characters. While I enjoyed the first book in the series, this one made me a fan. The story, the worldbuilding, the magic, topped off by an impressive narration by the author made this audiobook a joy to listen to. I’m looking forward to more from this author.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook by the author, and this is my honest review.

An Entertainment Treasure

I thoroughly listening to Game of War as I drove to work daily and found myself taking longer routes on my commute extending my hour drive so I could listen more. The characters came alive through the author’s many voices adding clarity and suspense throughout the story. I don’t usually read/or listen to fantasy books but I found this one to be exceptional in the depths of the characters and in the creativity of the story. I was left wanting to learn more and am looking forward to the next chapter in the series. I highly recommend it.

Great story read by the author!

I’m normally cautious when I hear that an author recorded his own work, but Glen did a surprisingly great job, both with his writing and audio work.

Dantess is a fun, likable character who makes you pull for him. If you like coming of age stories with magic and an academy-like setting, you’ll love this audio!