The Gatherers and the Illness of the Isle

The Tales of the Gatherers, Book 1

By: Alex Eiseman

Narrated by: Allan Macleod

A gripping epic fantasy adventure inspired by stories like Harry Potter, A Song of Ice and Fire, Dune, and The Handmaid's Tale series.

There is hope...

Under the rule of the Isle’s Voice, the people of Aeris suffer from a jarring divide between the wealthy and impoverished. The Isle’s Voice controls the distribution of immersia, a magic that keeps bloodthirsty monsters known as the vayle away from Aeris’s people. Laborers slave to do the jobs allotted to them, while privileged families remain in control.

When young Aselle Attete, a laborer in the great city of Aurora, hears a mysterious song in the desert that surrounds her city, a series of events unfolds that proves there is hope of salvaging Aeris. With the help of a group calling themselves the Gatherers, Aselle embarks on a journey to level Aeris’s class system, bring equality to the rich and poor alike, and build a new world free of the vayle’s presence.

In the process, Aselle chases a destiny that has been waiting for her since her birth. Along the way, she will uncover secrets about her past and her future...if the many dangers that pursue her do not kill her first.

©2021 Alex J. Eiseman (P)2021 Alex J. Eiseman

A promising debut from a new author to watch!

This is Mr. Eisman's debut novel, and it is a promising start. We follow a diverse cast of characters, each with their own personalities and complex journeys. Not every character is good or talented or likable, and that is a wonderful thing. From the tenacious yet naive Aselle, to the world-weary egotist Ezra, there is someone for every fantasy fan to love. Yet what makes this novel truly stand out is its world building. Mr. Eisman gives us a world that is richly developed, with complex politics, unique mythology, and even detailed linguistics. Fans of "Dune" and "Malazan Book of the Fallen" will find joy immersing themselves in the world of Aeris and meeting all its wondrous inhabitants. Through all this, the novel does not lose focus, and each chapter builds on clear central themes. Readers will feel the inequality running rampant throughout Aeris, and find themselves pondering if the ends truly do justify the means.

As for the audiobook itself, the narration is well done, and each character is distinct if sometimes verging on cartoony. Overall it does what any good audiobook should, and helps to elevate the work.

However, the novel's strengths often become its handicaps, and it stumbles on accessibility. The Gatherers and the Illness of the Isle has a steep learning curve, and immersion can become confusion. While some terms are easy to grasp - such as the sun being called "the Harbinger" - the amount of dialect is distracting. Mr. Eisman has provided a dictionary of terms to help readers, but having to continually reference this page can drag. As well, nouns are often similar in the aerisian language, and if you are listening to the audiobook it is easy to confuse them. Readers new to fantasy or looking for something easy to digest might be quickly turned off. But if you are willing to put in the effort, this is a rewarding novel from an exciting new author.

Exceptional narration. Vibrant storytelling

I left a review on the Kindle version of this novel as well because i started out buying the readable version but due to time constraints, l switched to the audiobook. I'm glad i did. Allan MacLeod's narration is captivating, enthralling and expressive. He takes time to bring the different characters to life in a way that made the already great story come alive in my mind. My daily commute was made much easier with this book in my ear. Allan's tone is consistent, the voice acting is superb and i kinda wish he could narrate my life.
As for the novel itself, well, I'm definitely here for the world-building and rich lore. I need the second book immediately Alex, if you see this review, i NEED it. I know it'll be worth the wait though. I rather enjoy immersive worlds that are different but similar to our own and Aeris is just that.

Excellent debut author and narrator

This book can be a little difficult to get into at first for a couple chapters. It throws a lot at you and it can be tough to follow along for a bit. But once the plot picks up in chapter 3, it gets really fun. The author has helpfully provided a small useful glossary on his website to help keep some of the names and concepts straight if you get a little lost at first.

It features an interesting setting and a storyline that does some pretty unique things.

I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next from this author.

The narrator is excellent. I’d gladly listen to more of him.