The Summoner: Echoes of the Fallen

By: Ben Krauter

Narrated by: Ben Krauter

Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

After surviving the last great war, Moon Elf Ezekiel Graystone wanders the war-torn remains of Terrial in search of his lost brother. Along the way, he crosses paths with Davis - a young boy threatened by the malevolent church that serves the demon god king. As he tries to protect Davis, Ezekiel must confront the harsh reality of a world dominated by evil, where the wicked reign supreme and the innocent suffer. With the help of old companions and new allies, they must fight back against the church to thwart its twisted designs. Yet even as they battle, the looming presence of Tal'Dar and his forces threatens to destroy all.

The Summoner: Echoes of the Fallen is a thrilling dark fantasy exploring the consequences of what happens after evil triumphs.

©2023 Benjamin Krauter (P)2023 Benjamin Krauter

Great story with characters you grow to care for in a fun world

I really enjoyed the narration as well as all the characters looking forward to the second book it's a very fun and compelling world not super long but enough to keep you going

Great start to a promising story!

Bad ass summoner. Cool companions. Annoying kid. Great start to a very promising series. Cannot wait for the next book.

No Darius?

Well done Ben on both the writing and audio book. I’m looking forward to reading more about the “Broken Shackles”. Book 2 now please!

Hooked and ready for more

Within the dark fantasy world of Terrial, "The Summoner: Echos of the Fallen" takes the reader on a thrilling journey of discovery and magic. The narrative slowly reveals and builds the world of Terrial as well as fleshing out our cast of characters as they embark on their perilous journey of searching for family with a slew of moral decisions.

The author painstakingly crafted a universe and characters that act and feel unique while being bound by their own codes of ethics. Each with varying views of their own world with varying motivations driving them to each of their goals. Each character has a different aspect I can find relatable, including our antagonists. Zeke is tactical and really displays his analytical side to many situations. Both Davis and Drez are such pure souls who you cheer and hope for their continued innocence. Liarra acting as a voice of reason and curiosity, alongside Korlac, the lovable brute who cherishes his friends above all else.

What came to mind while reading some of the dialogue between the characters was visualizing a group of friends engaged in a tabletop role-playing game and bantering and discussing various matters with one another.

In conclusion, "The Summoner: Echoes of the Fallen" is a well crafted dark fantasy novel wanting to tell a story that pulls its audience in with the unknown and builds upon itself, wanting to tell more. I eagerly await for its sequel as to see where our party is led and how they will continue to survive this world dominated by the malevolent church and their Demon God King Tal'Dar.

Terrific world building and compelling characters

Evil forces control the world of Terriel, and our heroes offer the first sparks of hope in a long, long time. The characters and their interactions are a ton of fun, and there are terrific scenes- one of my favorite is in a certain apparently abandoned city. Great book - fans of fantasy parties getting together and facing impossible odds will love this one. Ben Krauter does an excellent job narrating his book, and I am greatly looking forward to the next one.

Worth the read just for the world building and lore.

Really enjoyed this title. The characters had substance and the world was well thought out. I look forward to seeing how the lore develops as the taste we got in this one was really enticing.

Loved the characters

It was a great book. My kids are going to listen to it next! Can’t wait for the next book to come out so we can continue Ezekiel’s journey.

Fun adventure, easy listen

This was a really fun listen. I enjoyed the characters and am eager to find out what happens to them next!

Tons of Fun!

Loved getting to know the characters as the book progressed, it was a fun ride, and I’m ready to see where it goes from here!

Bit of magic, bit of mayhem, all around enjoyable

With carefully crafted characters in an unsettled, yet familiar, fantasy setting, Ben not only offers up a story determination and strength, but also narrates his own words with clarity and cadence appropriate to the scenes. With motivation similar to Fellowship of the Ring, our protagonist Zeke, his companions, and his conjured entities must travel through treacherous lands and combat dangerous foes to rescue young Davis before his newly manifesting powers are used for evil. Each member of the party, and the myriad folk they encounter, has their own flavors and flaws, abilities and annoyances. The story progresses at a comfortable pace with good time spent between thoughtful dialogue and tense action. [disclosure: I received this title for free and listened at 1.85x]