The Royal Excilers: Dawn of the Rotfather – Book Review
Few things thrill me more as a lifetime epic fantasy fan than finding a new series that has everything I adore: heroic quests, magical relics, ancient gods, and endearing characters. The Royal Excilers: Dawn of the Rotfather by Edison Rodriguez accomplishes all of that and more. From its captivating beginning to its dramatic ending, this novel captivated me and transported me to the troubled world of Eryndor.
Let’s dive into it!
A rogue with secrets as sharp as his daggers, a rookie mage eager to prove herself, a battle-weary knight with haunting scars, and a devoted cleric whose faith is about to be put to the ultimate test are the story’s four unlikely heroes. These excilers, who were brought together by chance or possibly divine intervention, are entrusted with stopping a string of goblin raids in the tiny community of Thornwood. However, what starts off as a simple errand quickly exposes a much more deadly threat: a burgeoning cult worshiping Vyrathis, the Rotfather, a cunning god on the verge of rising.
Rodriguez is a master at combining intense action with realistic world-building. It seems realistically depicted and completely different every time the Excilers travel through a new area, whether it’s a dangerous swamp filled with corrupted monsters, freezing mountain peaks resonating with ancient magic, or jungle ruins overflowing with peril. The settings, which are molded by the creeping darkness of Vyrathis’s influence, are more than just backgrounds; they are personalities in and of themselves.
Each character’s special skills and weaponry are vital in these dramatic and dramatic conflicts. I especially liked how strategy, magic, and unadulterated bravery were all balanced. As the Excilers rushed to remove the three cursed altars that were fueling the Rotfather’s resurrection, the stakes only increased and every confrontation seemed earned.
These characters are not merely clichés; they are actual people with flaws, traumatic histories, and ambitions for atonement. As they experience awful crimes together in ways that appear sincere and worthy, their bonds get stronger.
The cleric’s quiet strength particularly touched me; his periods of uncertainty and faith gave the story genuine spiritual weight.
With its high stakes, emotional rewards, and a climactic showdown that left me speechless, the climax is all I could have imagined. I won’t give anything away, but Rodriguez isn’t afraid to make sacrifices, and the confrontation with Vyrathis at the end is truly spectacular.
You will be at home with The Royal Excilers if you enjoy tales like Dragon Age, The Wheel of Time, or The Witcher. It is a story of friendship, selflessness, and the never-ending struggle against evil, and it is presented with creativity, nuance, and unquestionable flare. I was eagerly awaiting the sequel when I finished this ARC, and I have a feeling that this is just the start of an incredible story.
Rating: 5 stars
One-liner: Pulse-pounding action, rich world-building, dynamic character arcs, and an intensely fulfilling emotional core.
The Royal Excilers releases on June 23, 2025 and will be available in paperback, hardcover and Kindle editions, as well as on Kindle Unlimited.