I liked The Seer by JD Stanley. It was, in many ways, a typical sword and sorcery tale and I like those. But a few things made it a little different too. It was a little wittier than the usual tale in this genre. I felt the wit helped move the reading along and made it funny. I appreciated that. The Seer has a serious, complicated plot, but it is not mind-numbingly dramatic. JD Stanley handles telling the story by using a deft sense of balance. I like that. He tells a good story because he writes very well. The story appealed to me because I like action. I like adventure. I like stories set in feudal societies. They appeal to me for reasons I haven’t examined too closely. They appeal to a lot of people and, if you are one of those people, you will love The Seer.

In any story like this, two elements either make it good or bad. The first is character. I liked the characters in The Seer. Princess Briget, Bronan, even Barry, all were made more believable by JD Stanley’s expert way of using wit and irony to tell a story. It made all the characters more well-rounded, in my opinion. The second element that a writer needs to master to make a great story in this genre is plot. The Seer is plotted well. I don’t see how the story could have been moved along any better. I like magic and mayhem. I like characters who are complicated. That is why I loved The Seer.

The Seer by JD Stanley is an epic fantasy novel with plenty of action, drama and suspense to keep the reader interested. It has been 13 years since good King Manfred passed away and his brother ascended the throne. Barry may be king of the lands, but he is not loved by his people. Ruthless and merciless, he aims to take it all and stand against anything that gets in his way. In the midst of all this, the young Princess Brigit is heavily watched over and guarded by Bronan, a good friend of her late father, and a Seer and Druid Counselor. While the princess is learning to become a lady and a fighter, Bronan is trying to protect the throne and the people. He is gathering the evidence to remove Barry from the throne, but in doing so, he will have to reveal a secret that he has kept secret for years. While trying to save the future of the people, he also has to protect the princess from Barry and ensure that he gets the job done in time, or else it will be too late to save anyone. Can he do it?

The Seer by JD Stanley was unexpectedly immersive. I had no idea that this book would be such a gem. The narrative style is very unique; the author has a flair with words that becomes apparent as you read on. The characters and their development were on point, the author gave the characters a lot of room to grow and show their potential. Nothing was rushed, everything was paced just right and the plot moved smoothly for me to stay invested in the story. I enjoyed the suspense; I enjoyed how Bronan worked as a guardian angel for not only Brigit but everyone. I usually don’t enjoy epic fantasies much, but this is definitely a brilliant novel! Pure entertainment. The cover is beautiful too.

The Seer by JD Stanley is the first book in the Bronan the Druid series, taking readers back dozens of centuries and into the folds of legend and folklore. A fantasy epic, The Seer brings magic to the forefront of a tale about power, but not so much that the main characters become secondary to what the Seer is able to visualize...which isn't really good for any of them. The King of Edenshire is dead and his heir, his daughter, Princess Brigit, was given to the care of the Druid Bronan moments before his demise. It is now Barry who is King, uncle to Brigit and tyrant of Barrymore Castle. Brigit's future—and her life—are in peril with Barry on the throne, and while it may take an entire village to raise a child, it takes an entire kingdom, all who protect and serve it, and whatever magic can be mustered to raise a Queen.

JD Stanley does an excellent job of building a bygone world and those we like to imagine inhabiting it in The Seer. The characters are extraordinarily well developed, with emphasis on Princess Brigit, Bronan, and the realistic portrayal of Sir William Robert. Despite this, I actually found the deplorable and grotesque King Barry to be the most fascinating, but I suppose any antagonist worth his sage and salt must be. The writing itself is clean and the story moves at a quick pace, although I did find some of the dialogue (just tiny sprinklings) to be a bit stilted. This is made right by the narrative, which pushes through with descriptions and arcs that are totally engrossing. There's an ambitious series in play here but, having thoroughly enjoyed this book, I have no doubt that it will delight those who love the genre.