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H. A. Titus
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Forged Steel: The Crucible, Book 1 Paperback – July 14, 2015

by H A titus (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars 31 ratings
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Downtown. Coffee shop. 2 AM. One minute, Josh is firing off sarcastic remarks at his best friend Marc – the next, they’re running from shape-shifters. Apparently, even best friends don’t share all their secrets. Now Josh is in danger. He can see the monsters among the humans. When Marc is kidnapped, Josh finds himself pulled into the schemes of the fae courts, and throws in his lot with Marc’s allies: the lovely Larae, a human named David, and the fighter, Eliaster. But what began as a rescue mission becomes something much more involved… And all Josh wants to do is get out before it’s too late.
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  1. Book 1 of 2
    The Crucible
  2. Print length
    294 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    July 14, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.74 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0996525602
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0996525602
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

H. A. Titus is usually found with her nose in a book or spinning story-worlds in her head. Her love affair with fantasy began at age twelve, when her dad handed her The Lord of the Rings after listening to it on tape during a family vacation. Her stories have been published in several magazines and anthologies, including Splickety Prime's Crime Time issue and Different Dragons Volume II. She lives on the shores of Lake Superior with her meteorologist husband and young son, who do their best to ensure she occasionally emerges into the real world, usually for some kind of adventure. When she's not writing, she can be found rock-climbing, mountain biking, or skiing.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Creative Hat (July 14, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 294 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0996525602
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0996525602
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.74 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 31 ratings

About the author

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H. A. Titus

H. A. Titus

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H. A. Titus can usually be found with her nose in a book or spinning storyworlds in her head.

She loves mythology, RPGs, and a good cup of coffee or tea. She lives in the Midwest with her weather-mage husband and two super-villain sons (don’t mind the robotic dinosaurs, they’re friendly) who enjoy dragging her into real-life adventures.

Some claim she is half-fae, but that’s just unfounded rumor.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
31 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's plot fun and engaging, with exciting fight scenes and great characters. The pacing is fast, with one customer noting they read through it quickly.

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11 customers mention "Story quality"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story's fun and engaging plot with exciting fight scenes, and one customer notes it has more twists and turns.

"...The story is enchantingly unique, from the way the fae interact with technology to the Underworld they scrape for a living in...." Read more

"...There are so many fun ideas and interesting twists, potential, tension, and unanswered questions, that I read through quickly and with nary a break..." Read more

"...Lots of action and engaging characters. Has the makings of a great series! Well done H. A. Titus." Read more

"...You get all the fun of 'traditional' fantasy, but none of the cliched settings, food, etc. There's several fun things about this book...." Read more

8 customers mention "Character development"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"...Positives: - Great characters–they’re very realistic...." Read more

"...The characters are likable and engaging...." Read more

"...Lots of action and engaging characters. Has the makings of a great series! Well done H. A. Titus." Read more

"...The other characters are well done too. Eliaster is the 'white-knight' type, but he's also secretive...." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fast-paced, with one mentioning they read through it quickly.

"...twists, potential, tension, and unanswered questions, that I read through quickly and with nary a break (which is unusual for me)...." Read more

"Quick, fun Celtic-inspired urban fantasy. Lots of snark, adventure, and a little mystery and conspiracies. Cool worldbuilding and mythology...." Read more

"This was fun! Fast paced, intriguing, enjoyable characters. I caught onto one twist in the plot--and had another slip by me...." Read more

Josh stumbled into the Underworld–rife with backstabbing fae and ancient powers–and he can’t get out.
5 out of 5 stars
Josh stumbled into the Underworld–rife with backstabbing fae and ancient powers–and he can’t get out.
Jamie’s rating: 4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this Celtic-inspired tale of the fae and their shenanigans. The story is enchantingly unique, from the way the fae interact with technology to the Underworld they scrape for a living in. Positives: - Great characters–they’re very realistic. Girls, I saw Eliaster first, mkay? - Juicy plot line with ancient cyphers, legends, and betrayal. Who can you trust? - Exciting fight scenes and an awesome slew of baddies to cut through with epic magic swords. Need I say more? - Fun dialogue that had me laughing out loud more than once. These people just can’t get along! (Everyone always gets along in my books… *cough* Ahem.) Negatives: - A couple sections dragged for me a little bit, but I’m an adrenaline junkie, so take that with a grain of salt. - I think it could use a tad more editing, but I personally know the author is working on it, so by the time you read this, this note will probably be moot. :) If you love Celtic folklore and Indiana Jones, you’ll love this book. Grab it! ------ - Offensive language: Extremely mild – nothing worse than ‘crap’ or ‘dang.’ - Sexual content: No explicit content. Brief mentions of a female character who uses her good looks to her advantage, but the storyline does not feature a primary romance at all. - Violence: Mild. There are plenty of intense fight scenes, but no unnecessary gore. Recommended for all audiences 12+ due to the fight scenes and scary situations. Like, don’t get your soul sucked away by the void-eyed demon. O.O’
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Jamie Foley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Josh stumbled into the Underworld–rife with backstabbing fae and ancient powers–and he can’t get out.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Jamie’s rating: 4.5 stars!

    I really enjoyed this Celtic-inspired tale of the fae and their shenanigans. The story is enchantingly unique, from the way the fae interact with technology to the Underworld they scrape for a living in.

    Positives:
    - Great characters–they’re very realistic. Girls, I saw Eliaster first, mkay?
    - Juicy plot line with ancient cyphers, legends, and betrayal. Who can you trust?
    - Exciting fight scenes and an awesome slew of baddies to cut through with epic magic swords. Need I say more?
    - Fun dialogue that had me laughing out loud more than once. These people just can’t get along! (Everyone always gets along in my books… *cough* Ahem.)

    Negatives:
    - A couple sections dragged for me a little bit, but I’m an adrenaline junkie, so take that with a grain of salt.
    - I think it could use a tad more editing, but I personally know the author is working on it, so by the time you read this, this note will probably be moot. :)

    If you love Celtic folklore and Indiana Jones, you’ll love this book. Grab it!

    ------

    - Offensive language: Extremely mild – nothing worse than ‘crap’ or ‘dang.’
    - Sexual content: No explicit content. Brief mentions of a female character who uses her good looks to her advantage, but the storyline does not feature a primary romance at all.
    - Violence: Mild. There are plenty of intense fight scenes, but no unnecessary gore.

    Recommended for all audiences 12+ due to the fight scenes and scary situations. Like, don’t get your soul sucked away by the void-eyed demon. O.O’
    Customer image
    Jamie Foley
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Josh stumbled into the Underworld–rife with backstabbing fae and ancient powers–and he can’t get out.

    Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2017
    Jamie’s rating: 4.5 stars!

    I really enjoyed this Celtic-inspired tale of the fae and their shenanigans. The story is enchantingly unique, from the way the fae interact with technology to the Underworld they scrape for a living in.

    Positives:
    - Great characters–they’re very realistic. Girls, I saw Eliaster first, mkay?
    - Juicy plot line with ancient cyphers, legends, and betrayal. Who can you trust?
    - Exciting fight scenes and an awesome slew of baddies to cut through with epic magic swords. Need I say more?
    - Fun dialogue that had me laughing out loud more than once. These people just can’t get along! (Everyone always gets along in my books… *cough* Ahem.)

    Negatives:
    - A couple sections dragged for me a little bit, but I’m an adrenaline junkie, so take that with a grain of salt.
    - I think it could use a tad more editing, but I personally know the author is working on it, so by the time you read this, this note will probably be moot. :)

    If you love Celtic folklore and Indiana Jones, you’ll love this book. Grab it!

    ------

    - Offensive language: Extremely mild – nothing worse than ‘crap’ or ‘dang.’
    - Sexual content: No explicit content. Brief mentions of a female character who uses her good looks to her advantage, but the storyline does not feature a primary romance at all.
    - Violence: Mild. There are plenty of intense fight scenes, but no unnecessary gore.

    Recommended for all audiences 12+ due to the fight scenes and scary situations. Like, don’t get your soul sucked away by the void-eyed demon. O.O’
    Images in this review
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  • Abigail Falanga
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Guilty Pleasure Urban Fantasy
    Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This one might qualify as a guilty pleasure...!

    Disclaimer: This is the first Urban Fantasy I've read (though I'm familiar with the genre on TV), so my perspective is somewhat skewed. I had no idea what to expect or what to compare it to.

    Highly un-motivated college student Josh is drawn into a world he never suspected when he and his best friend Marc are kidnapped and the kidnappers demand Marc solve an impossible cypher to repay a debt. But the kidnappers - and Marc - are fae.

    When he is rescued, and Marc isn't, Josh joins forces with Eliaster, Larea, and David (two fae and an in-the-know human) to solve the cypher and then track down the artefact it was designed to conceal. Dark forces are at play in a dangerous bid to control the human world and the (surprisingly literal*) underworld of the fae.

    *I mean, most fae literally live in subterranean caverns beneath major cities. Awkward and apparently unnecessary, but kinda cool.

    Criticisms:
    Several plot holes, character inconsistencies, and sometimes spotty dialog.
    Specifically, Josh is a strong character but sometimes mishandled. He's supposed to be genius-level smart to an arrogant degree, but is more often self-effacing. Also, he slips far too quickly into an us-vs.-them mentality, especially for someone whose best friend is (half-) "them."
    In fact, the fae overall didn't seem "alien" enough to me. They were very human in their behavior and society, and even appearance. The differences, while significant both in world-building and to the story, seemed more tacked-on than an essential part of them. (As the first book in a series, this issue may be resolved later.
    The story, ironically, lacked urgency - especially as the protagonist team gets captured, escapes or negotiates a release, do a thing, and then gets captured again several times. Though the primary quest advances, this cycle robs the momentum.
    A few other problems (that much skill after only one sword-fighting lesson? shallow character development? a "big secret" that really, REALLY isn't either big or a secret?...) make this a not-spectacular book.

    BUT!
    I found it compulsively readable.
    There are so many fun ideas and interesting twists, potential, tension, and unanswered questions, that I read through quickly and with nary a break (which is unusual for me). The characters are likable and engaging. The action and action scenes are thrilling and well-done, and the quest itself has much promise for the rest of the series.
    There are also occasionally inspired descriptions, taking scenes beyond merely engaging the six senses (or seven, if you count balance) and into vividly evoking an expression or feeling through clever wordplay.
    The twist finally revealing the major villains? Um... kinda obvious, but still enjoyable.
    All this lands the book in guilty pleasure territory, where I think about aspects sorta obsessively and can't wait to read more.
    But I'll give this one a generous 4 stars, because it is also (fairly) well edited and clean of grammar and spelling errors.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun ride
    Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I would recommend this book to all fantasy and fae enthusiasts.
    Lots of action and engaging characters.
    Has the makings of a great series!
    Well done H. A. Titus.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Aaron DeMott
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Urban Fantasy
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I haven't read much urban fantasy, but what I have read, I like. You get all the fun of 'traditional' fantasy, but none of the cliched settings, food, etc.

    There's several fun things about this book. For one, instead of the usual Brittish/German fairy-world most fantasies draw from, the world of Forged Steel is influenced by Irish folklore. This mixes things up a little and adds a lot of flavor. Another thing is Josh's reactions. In most stories, the main character just up and joins in on the adventure. The main way authors like to mix this up is to have him not want to go at all. Josh's reaction is to freak out. Hey, no matter how cool you think you are, if you saw people using movie-style magic for real right in front of you, you'd freak out too. After that, he tries his best to do the right thing.

    The other characters are well done too. Eliaster is the 'white-knight' type, but he's also secretive. Larae comes across as part love interest role, part sidekick, yet right from the start you get the feeling that something's not quite right about her, but you can't quite put a finger on what.

    The plot is fun and engaging, Josh gets pulled in and has to help his friend/flee for his life. As stated above, I really like how this is done. Josh joining the fae to help Marc feels natural and not forced. He's neither too reluctant, nor too gung-ho about the situation. It's balanced just right so it sucks you in and immerses you in the story.

    The only complaints I have are minor technical things. In one scene, Josh writes a computer program. No problem. He's a computer geek, and it's established he has experience doing this. My problem is two-fold. 1. He writes the computer program in a word processor. This is laughable. 2. He writes the program because they need to desperately get buried information off a hard drive. Okay, there are programs that do this.... and that's the problem. There are programs that do this. Any self-respecting geek keeps a USB full of handy utilities with them. There's no need to write a program from scratch when you can just go download one. Especially when you're in a hurry. And/or when the information is critical. You don't want to be finding and fixing bugs when the data you're working on is real and important. You use test data you don't care about for that.

    But, it's a minor issue, and bugs me 'cause I've spent ten years in tech support. Most people won't notice it, and it doesn't break the story.

    The other issue I have is that Josh learns to use a sword because it's fantasy, and swords are cool. I don't have a problem with that either. Swords are cool. The issue comes in because they have guns. A guy with a sword knocks a gun out of Josh's hand when Josh freezes and can't shoot him. I don't have experience here, but I've read that most people do freeze when facing the possibility of killing someone when they've never killed before. This scene is nicely done, and adds to the realism of the story. The problem is that another character tells him that guns are no good for close-range fighting and swords are loads better. That just isn't true. There's a reason that guns replaced swords.

    Still, minor problems.

    I really liked the book, and can't wait for the next installment. Four stars!
    2 people found this helpful
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