The Last Guardian

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Pub Date 15 Aug 2020 | Archive Date 15 Feb 2021

Description

Eli is old. Too old. And he wishes for nothing more than to die. But when he decides to finally fulfill his most precious desire, he is forced to embark on a journey to save his friends, and perhaps the world. But what will he have to sacrifice for it?


"The Tear he bears with solemn heart

Walking endless a life of pain

To find what's lost, his other part

So he treads and treads to find his end

But all his efforts are in vain

For an angel's heart cannot be found again."

Eli is old. Too old. And he wishes for nothing more than to die. But when he decides to finally fulfill his most precious desire, he is forced to embark on a journey to save his friends, and perhaps...


Available Editions

ISBN 9781087013923
PRICE US$13.99 (USD)

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Average rating from 33 members


Featured Reviews

Oh my goodness. This is, I hope, the next big thing in fantasy. The Last Guardian focuses on Eli, the titular guardian, and his quest to finally die. I did not know going into this book I would soon fall head over heels for this world and these characters.

I loved the world-building - how intricate and clever and evidently thought out it was. I loved how encompassing the world was, that it wasn't just confined to one city or kingdom, or even one lineal time. I was originally worried the expansive world and cast would confuse things, but Estrach manages to supply enough information to save from confusion, but not enough to bog the story down with unnecessary detail. The characters were flawed and beautiful and wonderfully real; I laughed with them, cried in some moments, even cursed at them, sometimes.

The plot kept catching me by surprise, shocking me time and time again. As soon as I thought I'd figured out where the story was going, another reveal slammed into me, and I was enthralled. And that ending? I had to put down my laptop to take it all in!

Admittedly, I found that the pacing lagged in certain spots, namely around the middle, but then it soon picked up again, and it didn't greatly impede my reading experience.

Overall, I completely adored this fantasy, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to lovers of fantasy wanting something new and fresh. A huge thank you to Liron D. Estrach for this book, and to Netgalley for the free copy, in exchange for an honest review.

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So much story and feelings in this one. It took me a bit to get into this book but I am so glad I did. The characters were engaging and emotions were realistic. This book abounds in smiles and tears.

I received this book as an ARC and wished to leave a review.

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This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

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Very imaginative story with great potential, however it's not an easy read. The author has a writing style that may not appeal to some. Lengthy, detailed sentences can bog down the momentum 9f the story at times. The main character, Eli, is well developed. I recommend this book to those who are testing the waters of the fantasy genre. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review.

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The Story is about Eli, our protagonist, ten millennia old and only wishes to die to meet the love of his life in the afterlife. He was given a gift by his beloved he did not wish to receive.

While seeking vengeance for the death of Nelliel and searching for a solution to his problem, he met his set of friends. Among his friends, I have a fondness for Nicole. She’s ingenious and exceptional. I love the bond that he had with Nicole, a warlock, whom Eli treated as his daughter and was loyal to him until the end.

The story was narrated in two timelines, the past and the present, which is at times quite a bit frustrating for me because I prefer a continuous progression of the events. I like the world, the supporting characters, the setting, and the story itself is compelling and well written.

I like how our protagonist dealt with the issues of slavery and the treatment of half-bloods among the fables.

There are questions left unanswered for me. Firstly, how was Eli able to acquire a Reaper’s Blood. Second, it would have been good if there were also backstories of how he met the giants and the fishermen. I would like to know more about King Skovald and Queen Calypsara. Third, how were the Shad’Anari coins made? Fourth, what happened to the six angels who left the crown of the Great Tree? Lastly, will there be a sequel to this book because I’m excited to know if Eli will finally destroy the Dark King?

I’m very thankful to the author, to the publisher, and to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this debut novel. I would definitely check out the author’s future works.

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend this to those who love stories about fables and legends.

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The Last Guardian is a very imaginative story.
It's not an easy story to read; at times, it felt like it was going nowhere.
But it's a nice story. And anyone who enjoys high fantasy will love this for sure. But if you are like me and (a little) picky with your fantasy, this isn't an easy read.

In saying that Eli is a great Protagonist, I enjoyed reading along with his journey. And this cover is beautiful!

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It's a spellbinding book. I enjoyed the diversity of characters and species developed in the book. Estrach has created a fast paced novel that you cannot put down.

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This is a book about a man who cannot die thanks to the Tear. While this story was interesting, creative, well-thought-out , and took turns I was not expecting, it was slow. Some of the chapters were way too long, and while the flashbacks were somewhat necessary and were contained in their own chapters, they seemed to weigh down the story instead of push it forward.

Most of the characters were well developed, except for Eli's, (the M.C.) love interest, she was a little flat for a major character, and while it could've been intentional, due to the plot, she was still a disappointing character.

The story was good, and while it did have a few minor graphic parts, I would still think it would be okay for readers 16 and over, but because it was long and a slow read, I give this story three stars.

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The Last Guardian is a really great fantasy story about a guy named Eli who is the last Guardian. The story follows him from his days of slavery to his current status as Guardian. It explains how it came to be and what exactly it is all about. I loved the shifting of time from chapter to chapter, it really works well in this story. I also really enjoyed the setting and the characters. It did get a little confusing near the end with all the characters, I got a bit confused as to who one specific character actually was. However, this is a fantastic book and has such a unique story. I loved it and cannot wait for the second book.

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I am a huge fan of high fantasy and I think this book definitely hit a sweet spot. It's not often that fantasy books are set in the real world much less anywhere in Asia, I thoroughly enjoyed that part of it as well.

I did however felt like the story dragged on at time, and I struggled just a bit to remain interested but in saying that, I still believe Eli was a great protagonist, I enjoyed reading along with his journey.

Liron D. Estrach is an author to watch out for.

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Currently reading, but struggling with this. Writing itself is beautiful, but something about the tone isn't sitting quite right. I am going to continue reading and post a full review when complete. Current rating is based upon the concept.

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I couldn't get through this one. It was just too hard. Of the perhaps 25% that I did read felt like a Studio Ghibli cartoon. I don't know if that was the intention but at least it had that going for it.

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I just couldn't get through this book. I am not exactly sure what it is, but the writing itself I found beautiful.

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Thousands of years being alive won't stop Eli from finding his most precious desire. You really start to believe in soulmates once you pick The Last Guardian up.

The Last Guardian is the story of Eli who can't die. He has been alive for centuries and centuries, witnessed different things, and met different people. He has seen death, birth, wars, and tragedies. Now he wants to rest. Now he wants nothing more than to die. But not before he finds the most desired thing that he has been searching for, for centuries; his soulmate.

I gave The Last Guardian four stars, utterly falling in love by the story. I loved the integration of mythology and fantasy together and found it fascinating how this fantasy story incorporated mythology.

We are given two different timelines, one when Eli is just a teenager, maybe 18 or 19, and one in modern day time when he is thousands and thousands of years old. He's lived for a long time and when we are first introduced to him, he is finally ready to move on. I really enjoyed how we are given much detail on the past and how his actions, having been alive for thousands of years, are reflected in what he did in the past. It's also fascinating how even though he has lived thousands of years, he still cares for so much. In so many stories we find that a person who has lived thousands of years like Eli has, has lost all humanity, nearly given up, but with Eli, he still is looking for his life, which we find out is his strongest desire to find: his soulmate.

I loved that we were shown his actions in both past and present chapters and how we were introduced to his soulmate and how his actions in the past with his soulmate reflect to why he is ready to die and ready to move on in the present day. It was heartbreaking to find out the circumstances and when I least expect it, another thing happens.

The Last Guardian is a fantastic story about soulmates, love, and the combination of myth and fantasy with romance in it.

Thank you again to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

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