Book Review: Chalmach Chronicles – Book One

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The Details

Media Type: Ebook
Title: Chalmach Chronicles – Book One
Author(s): Torbjørn Øverland Amundsen
Publisher: Panic Press
Pages/Length: 249 pages
Release Date: January 1, 2025
Source: Author

Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon

Chalmach.
God’s Seat. The City Ever-Drowning. The Ascended Locus.
The capital is known by many names, some of which are shrouded in mystery. Even in a world full of wonders, Chalmach has no rivals, neither in form, beauty, nor power. For over a thousand years, it has witnessed the best and the worst of humanity. Stories of undying love and unforgivable betrayal, unfathomable power and unyielding sacrifice. Stories that have shaped the world, in every sense of the word.

CHALMACH CHRONICLES takes place in a world saturated with magic. The power of using alhmeir is available to everyone and everything. From a simple straw of grass to the ruler of Chalmach, alhmeir is everywhere and can be utilized by plants, animals, and humans alike. Most people have an affinity for it that translate into their profession, such as calling upon extra strength to lift cargo at the docks, infusing food with extraordinary tastes, or dance with exceptional grace. But a small number are born with the ability to do much more. They are called tal’Vor, and the strongest of them shape the world.

This is the first book of the CHALMACH CHRONICLES. It’s an illustrated collection of short stories, but also something more. Although the stories can be read as stand-alones, giving small glimpses of different lives in Chalmach, they are part of a bigger whole, all linked in ways that will be apparent throughout the series.

The Review

Ah, what a great way to restart my reviews of Indie books! When Amundsen reached out to me with a sample of Chalmach Chronicles, I immediately knew this was something that I would want to dive into. Within these pages lies a series of short stories that all take place in the same beautifully rendered world. Chalmach is a place buzzing with magic, where what we believe to be impossible is commonplace. People can generate fire, can weave magical stories, and even recreate memories. This is a place where nothing at all is quite what it seems. In other words, these are the types of stories that this reader finds utterly fascinating. I couldn’t wait to see what Amundsen had in store for me, and I was not disappointed. Solid four star read right here.

Read on for mini reviews of each story!

The Scent
This was, hands down, my favorite story in this book. Alanaine has the power to create scents that take the user back to memories that felt long forgotten. What a beautiful thing that would be, to have to the ability to go back to specific moment in time with a whiff, don’t you think? For Alanaine’s most loyal customer though, the aim is a little more lofty than just conjuring up a simple memory and she’s coming along for the ride. Alanaine was a lovely character, and her kindness radiated off the page. This story was so warm, and lush. It was so full of emotion. No spoilers here, but you’ll probably tear up. I know that I did.

Once Upon A Story
We meet Silian, whose daily life is sailing the canals and sharing his deep knowledge of Chalmach lore with his riders. When a curious historian asks him to take her on a tour of the “Mother’s Trail” at night, he is a little taken aback. No one asks for that story, and yet he knows that it’s an important part of the old world that he grew up in and so he accepts. What ensues is a journey into uncertainty and admittedly a bit of darkness. I really, really enjoyed this story. Silian’s stories were full of beauty and a deep love for his home. Even he wasn’t ready for where the Mother’s Trail takes them though. Fun fact, the sample that hooked me on wanting to read this book was from this particular story! Trust me, you’ll want to see what happens at the end of this one.

Under the Surface
As a fellow bibliophile, Dendrik immediately stole my heart in this story. Not the best with people, his favorite past time is to sit quietly in his home, admiring the view and reading his beloved books. Unfortunately for him, on this particular day his peaceful plans are upset by a mysterious visitor. Dendrik is thrown into a series of events that both push him out of his comfort zone, and show him how strong of a person that he truly is. I can’t deny, this story made me smile a lot. I felt so sorry for our poor protagonist whenever he was misunderstood, or uncomfortable, but with a bit of unexpected help he kept rising to the occasion. I adore a growth arc!

The Option
In this story, we find Aneea as she is making her way into the Undertow. Here, where the rules can be bent and broken, she hopes to find a man that will help her with her very specific problem. A problem that only a very special item can solve. Oh, friends. This story threw me for a loop in the best way. I can’t say much more because I don’t want to give anything away, but the ending of this one was just stellar. I’m still thinking about it, if I’m being honest. All I’ll say is that I really hope that Aneea found what she was seeking.

Better the Beshrew You Know
Arani and his sister Biun are canal kids. As long as they can remember, they’ve been barely getting by. But now their caretaker is gone, and things are even bleaker than they were before. All Arani wants is to find a way to protect his sister, whatever it takes. Full transparency, this was the story that I liked the least and I’ll explain why as best I can in a short review.

Now the magic in this one was one of the things that I did love. Seeing a bit deeper into how alhmeir was harnessed and used was very cool. Getting to see the darker parts of the city was also very appreciated, because up to this point most of the stories take place in the nicer parts of the city. What didn’t quite work for me though was all the information that was thrown out at once. Gangs, caste systems, magical tenets, dark unknown forces, it all felt like quite a lot to take in at once in such a short story. I wish this one was actually a full novel, so I could have much more backstory and time to get my footing. The ending was so fascinating, but I have so many more questions. I hope they get answered!