The Heater and The Hack — Goodreads Reviews
Pulled on 2026-04-24
Overall rating: 4.21 (39 ratings, 25 reviews)
| Stars | Count | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ★ | 18 | 46% |
| 4 ★ | 15 | 38% |
| 3 ★ | 3 | 7% |
| 2 ★ | 2 | 5% |
| 1 ★ | 1 | 2% |
Reviews (reverse chronological)
Courtney Pityer — February 11, 2026 · Read (unrated)
946 reviews · 60 followers
I won this in a giveaway
AMAO — January 12, 2026 · ★★★★★
2,103 reviews · 44 followers Tags: 2024 own
💯💯💯💯💯
Tony — November 12, 2025 · ★★★★☆
52 reviews
Over all a very good book. I felt it started slow and had some confusion. It was not a book that I felt so involved in that I couldn’t put it down, which is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5. It was an interesting story and I look forward to more.
Brittany Britton — October 10, 2025 · ★★★★★
797 reviews · 4 followers
The Heater and The Hack by Leslie R. Waggoner III is a fantastic adventure coming of age fantasy. The story is entertaining, interesting, engaging, enjoyable, intense, action packed, exciting, brilliant, well written, thoughtful, thrilling, and more. I can’t decide what is the best part of the book because the story is wonderful in every way. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Cathy Buckner — October 7, 2025 · ★★★★☆
1 review
If you’re a fan of world-building fantasy, you’ll enjoy this book. It took me a few chapters to get used to the terms the author uses for timekeeping, but once past that, I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are well developed and written. There were several twists that I didn’t see coming.
Danielle Partusch — October 1, 2025 · ★★☆☆☆
10 reviews
DNF , 49% while the overall story was ok, It was just too slow to finish.
Charles R — September 19, 2025 · ★★★★★
7 reviews
A very good book. Enjoyed the characters quite a bit. Am eagerly awaiting the next two books so I can see how this finishes.
Amanda — September 11, 2025 · ★★★★☆
3 reviews
This book is not for those looking for a quick read. It’s flowery language and world building makes you focus and concentrate on the story. It’s a decent book, just takes a lot of concentration to follow.
Vidhika Yadav — August 30, 2025 · ★★★★★
721 reviews · 34 followers
Book Review : The Heater and the Hack: The Chronicles of the Dance -book 1 by ” Leslie R. Waggoner III “
The Heater and the Hack is not your average fantasy adventure but the groundwork for a monumental mythology. Leslie R. Waggoner III begins with the foreword, which feels far more like a challenge than anything else. Waggoner III urges the reader to think beyond the swords and sorcery, and look to meaning, significance, patterns, and philosophy, and, incredibly, the story delivers.
The novel follows a young man named Emanrasu who is faced with grief, heritage, and a seemingly insurmountable burden of expectations, alongside his greatest friend Rezua who happens to be a giant. Emanrasu’s journey is defined by deep friendship within the epic structure of myth. The prose is poetic and nearly bard-like, taking readers from the smoky aftermath of battle to pensive moments of contemplation surrounding fate and loss. The “Dance” which creates this world is not only metaphorical, but it is also a philosophy that reverberates through every choice, every choice that costs, and every choice to loose.
The most significant aspect of the story is the emotional weight. Characters do not simply experience fights and slay beasts, but they mourn, forged ahead, trip and hesitated, and endure. The battle scenes are clear, vivid, and violent. However, the lingering impressions are the moments of companionship, blame, and resilience.
This is a book that encourages patience. If you do not take the time, and rush through it, you will lose its deeper resonance. But if you are patient, The Heater and the Hack opens up into an emotional, mythic experience – a brave and rewarding beginning to the Chronicles of the Dance.
Jithendra Jithu — August 29, 2025 · ★★★★★
2,430 reviews · 131 followers
Book Review: The Heater and The Hack by Leslie R. Waggoner III
Rating: 5/5
Review:
👉Leslie R. Waggoner III’s The Heater and The Hack is not simply a debut—it’s a statement. Bold, intricate, and deeply ambitious, this opening chapter of The Chronicles of the Dance feels less like the start of a series and more like the uncovering of an ancient manuscript, one that has waited centuries to be read.
👉At its center is Emanrasu, a young man with no desire for adventure. His only intention is to deliver his father’s discarded sword and shield to a grandfather he has never met. Yet, as with all true epic tales, simple tasks rarely remain simple. Shadows stir, whispers of the past resurface, and objects once thought to be mere heirlooms begin to reveal weight far greater than steel. With his towering companion Rezua at his side, Emanrasu is drawn into a world where memory and myth blur, where silence conceals truths, and where his path seems written long before he ever stepped upon it.
👉What makes this novel remarkable is its scope and texture. Waggoner’s world is not built with surface-level detail; it breathes with the kind of depth that recalls the great architects of fantasy—Tolkien’s linguistic layering, Le Guin’s mythic resonance, Wolfe’s subtle puzzles, and Zelazny’s cosmic reach. Every name feels weighted with history. Every symbol echoes with purpose. It is a book that asks its readers to lean in, to listen closely, and to discover meaning hidden between the lines.
👉But beyond its vast worldbuilding lies its philosophical heart. The Heater and The Hack is not a tale of chosen heroes fulfilling destiny—it is a meditation on fate, legacy, and free will. Is the path before us a prison, or can legend be reshaped by those who dare to claim it? Waggoner does not hand out answers; he allows his readers, like Emanrasu, to wrestle with the questions. In this way, the novel is as much an intellectual journey as it is an adventure.
👉The result is a story that lingers. It does not rush. It does not compromise. It rewards patience with richness, rewarding those who love fantasy that challenges as much as it entertains.
Happy reading 😁 😁
#bookreview
S.bookreview — August 24, 2025 · ★★★★★
387 reviews · 29 followers
The Heater and the Hack: The Chronicles of the Dance – RCotD -:- Tome I by Leslie R Waggoner III What hooked me: From the beginning of the first few pages, we meet Emanrasu, a young boy who’s just lost his father. His one plan is to grab his father’s old shield and his father’s old sword as relics of a previous life, and give them to a grandfather he’s never met. For him, it’s a way to rid himself of a burden he never wanted. But the trip isn’t as easy as it seems. What begins for him as a job, however, becomes much more as he is pulled into a legacy, a history, and a dance with the power ⚔️.
At his side looms his best chum, Rezua, whose broad jollity and endless escapades make every page bounce. I love how their friendship shone, especially in downcast moments. Their laughter and small acts of rebellion, even in the midst of grief, felt like those moments when a real friend made the hardest days of my life a bit easier to take 🤝. It’s this bond that drives the story, demonstrating how friendship can be as potent as any sword or shield.
As the story moves forward, new mentors, riddles, and choices appear. Emanrasu has to decide whether to let go of the burden or to carry it forward into a destiny older than himself. The relics are more than just steel—they represent history, loss, and the weight of family. This part of the book touched me deeply, because it made me think about the legacies we all carry from our families and the choice to either walk away or face them 🌌.
I would recommend this book to readers who love fantasy with both adventure and meaning. It has echoes of Le Guin and Guy Gavriel Kay, but it also stands on its own with a heartwarming message about grief, legacy, and friendship. For me, it wasn’t just a story of battles and relics—it was about life itself, and how even heavy burdens can be carried when we have someone to walk beside us ❤️.
Meika — August 18, 2025 · ★★★★★
2 reviews
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Feldon — August 9, 2025 · ★★★★★
1 review Tags: deep-philosophy, epic, immersive
The Heater and The Hack feels like stepping into a space that isn’t in a rush to tell you what it’s about. The early chapters move slow and wide like a landscape shot that lingers longer than you expect and at first it almost feels like nothing is happening. But that quiet pacing works like a fuse burning toward something you can’t see yet. Later on, you start noticing how the little details stack up the way the prose folds back on itself the way the world starts to feel more like a living thing than a backdrop. And the Dance isn’t just an idea floating above the plot. It’s the spine holding the whole story together tying the fate of its characters to something that feels older and bigger than the world they live in.
The languages the symbols the myths that slip in and out of the chapters aren’t just for show and give a subtle hint of Tolkien (I am impressed with the writing style letters/characters, very intricate. And they carry meaning that changes how you read what came before. There’s a sense of being rewarded for paying attention and of missing something important if you don’t. The writing asks more of you than most books but it gives more back too. When the big emotional beats land they feel like the end of a path you’ve been walking since page one.
For me it’s a book that earns its place beside the likes of Tolkien Zelazny and Donaldson not because it imitates them but because it shares that same weight of myth and coherence of vision. It’s demanding sure but it’s also the kind of story that stays with you long after the last page. I literally had to go back and reread the prelude and flipped through the book when I had finished.
All the hints are there, but I missed about 80% of them until I went back and reread some of the passages. It feels like one of the older classics for sure.
MGB — August 7, 2025 · ★★☆☆☆
1,851 reviews · 18 followers Tags: shelved
The author gives away the ending of the book at the very start. The ending will tear your heart out and tell you not to proceed. But proceed I did. It was long, particularly considering that I already knew the ending. I just couldn’t reconcile the story and the ending at the beginning.
Jumping to the end I discovered he lied, and destroyed everything that I was hoping about the book.
Ultimate World — July 31, 2025 · ★★★★★
837 reviews · 52 followers
Book Review: The Heater and the Hack: The Chronicles of the Dance – Tome I by Leslie R. Waggoner
Leslie R. Waggoner’s The Heater and the Hack is not merely a debut novel—it’s a declaration of literary ambition, an epic that confidently strides into the tradition of mythic, philosophical fantasy. From its very first pages, the story signals that it is not here to follow trends, but to weave a deep, resonant legacy of its own. Comparisons to Wolfe, Le Guin, Zelazny, and Tolkien are lofty—but not misplaced. Waggoner crafts a world that pulses with history, shrouded in a fog of memory and prophecy, where even heirlooms might carry the weight of cosmic order or unraveling chaos.
At the center of this sprawling saga is Emanrasu, a reluctant traveler whose seemingly simple mission—to deliver his father’s old weapons to a long-estranged grandfather—spirals into a myth-laden pilgrimage through haunted lands and enigmatic histories. Alongside Rezua, his steadfast and formidable companion, Emanrasu navigates a world thick with hidden meanings, ancient rivalries, and truths that resist revelation. Waggoner does not spoon-feed the reader; his prose demands attention and rewards it richly. Symbols recur like echoes from a forgotten age, and names carry a gravity earned through story, not exposition.
But what makes The Heater and the Hack truly memorable is its philosophical depth. Fate, legacy, and free will are not just narrative devices—they are the very terrain Emanrasu must cross. This is a novel that trusts its readers to explore, to question, and to discover meaning through the slow unfolding of mystery. In doing so, Waggoner resurrects the grand, layered style of epic fantasy while forging something wholly his own: a myth for those who know the cost of mythmaking. With language as carefully tempered as the steel of a named blade, this is a tale that lingers—one that doesn’t merely entertain, but transforms.
Sarah Jensen — July 30, 2025 · ★★★★☆
2,111 reviews · 198 followers Tags: arc-free-books, reviewed
Book Review: The Heater and the Hack by Leslie R. Waggoner III
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.3/5)
Leslie R. Waggoner III’s debut fantasy novel The Heater and the Hack is an ambitious work that blends mythic storytelling with intricate worldbuilding, inviting favorable comparisons to genre masters while carving out its own distinct voice. The story follows Emanrasu, a reluctant protagonist whose simple errand to return family heirlooms unravels into a sweeping tale of legacy, destiny, and the weight of history.
Emotional Resonance & Thematic Depth
What struck me most was how Waggoner makes the personal feel epic and the epic feel personal. Emanrasu’s journey to understand his father’s legacy mirrored my own experiences with family expectations, making his struggles profoundly relatable despite the fantastical setting. The evolving friendship between Emanrasu and the towering Rezua provides the story’s emotional core – their banter and loyalty reminded me of cherished friendships in my own life.
The novel excels at gradual revelation, rewarding patient readers with layers of meaning that unfold naturally. I found myself constantly reevaluating earlier scenes as new context emerged, creating that rare reading experience where the story continues to live in your mind between chapters. The titular artifacts – initially seeming like simple plot devices – transform into powerful symbols that haunted my imagination long after finishing the book.
Constructive Criticism
While the rich worldbuilding is impressive, the opening chapters can feel overwhelming with their barrage of names, places, and historical references. I often wished for a glossary or dramatis personae to keep track of everything (but maybe that’s because my aging mind just can’t keep track like it did when I read these types of books as a youth). The middle section sags slightly under the weight of philosophical dialogues that, while beautifully written, slow the narrative momentum at crucial points.
The prose walks a fine line between poetic and purple – passages describing the whisper of forgotten names in shadowy corners create wonderful atmosphere, but occasionally cross into self-indulgence. A tighter edit could have maintained the lyrical quality while improving readability.
Summary Takeaways:
- A fantasy debut that reads like a discovered classic – where every revelation rewrites what came before.
- For readers who miss the depth of Le Guin and the intrigue of Zelazny – a new voice worth following.
- Proof that epic fantasy can still feel fresh: a labyrinth of legacy that rewards the curious mind.
- At once intimate and cosmic – a story about how we carry our histories, whether we want to or not.
Personal Connection
As someone who grew up immersed in fantasy classics, I approached this read with wistful nostalgia. By the third chapter, I was reminded of times I would chat with friends about passages that gave me chills. There’s a particular scene where Emanrasu confronts his grandfather that articulated something profound about generational responsibility – it resonated so deeply I had to put the book down for a moment. Waggoner has created that rare thing: a fantasy world that feels truly lived-in, where the mythology seems to extend beyond the page.
Final Assessment
The Heater and the Hack is a remarkable debut that announces Waggoner as a fantasy writer to watch. While it occasionally stumbles under its own ambition, these are the kind of flaws that speak to an author reaching for greatness rather than playing it safe. The 4.3 rating reflects its towering achievements with room to grow – I’ll be first in line for the sequel.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the publisher and Goodreads Giveaways for providing a review copy. This is exactly the kind of thoughtful, ambitious fantasy that reminds me why I fell in love with the genre.
Recommended For:
- Fans of mythic fantasy in the tradition of Ursula K. Le Guin
- Readers who enjoy intricate worldbuilding with linguistic depth
- Anyone who appreciates stories about legacy and the weight of history
- Book clubs looking for fantasy with substantial discussion potential
This is a novel that demands and rewards close reading – the kind of book you’ll want to revisit to catch what you missed the first time through. While not perfect, it’s exactly the sort of ambitious debut that makes me excited about the future of fantasy literature.
Marie Cordalis — July 27, 2025 · ★★★☆☆
106 reviews · 4 followers
I received this book as part of a giveaway and I really wanted to like it. Sadly, while it seemed possible it was inspired by some of the epic fantasy I grew up loving and reading it was too much for my taste. It starts out with a heartbreaking scene but it never really takes off from there for me. I felt there were repetitive scenes that weren’t really necessary and I simply couldn’t find a character to root for.
Ben Knapp — July 16, 2025 · ★☆☆☆☆
104 reviews
I won this kindle edition of The Heater and the Hack by Leslie R. Waggoner III through a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you Goodreads for the Giveaway and thank you Leslie R. Waggoner III.
I’m struggling with this one. I’m on page 72 of 582. The Prelude really turned me off from the start. It’s overly flowery and it sounds to me like someone is trying to sound more cerebral than they actually are. Then in the prologue the MC’s love interest is killed in front of his eyes. Then chapter one begins a some indeterminant time earlier before he was a beast on the battlefield leading a group of warriors. Then if not every reference to the MC’s best friend, but every other reference to him, mentions how abnormally large he is. I don’t know very many relationships where that’s the case. It’s annoying. There are quotation marks for every one of the MC’s thoughts as well as his actual speech so that’s confusing.
I don’t want to be mean. There are some interesting things that are starting to happen that I would like to see where they go. I have struggled to pick up the book again after all of this. I’m going on vacation next week soon so maybe I will sit and read some more of it then.
Anthonia — July 14, 2025 · ★★★★★
716 reviews · 16 followers
This book has excellent detailing throughout the book. I enjoyed reading this adventure tale. If you love adventure, then this book is for you. This tale has a great story. A must read for book lovers everywhere.
Angel Tartaglia — July 13, 2025 · ★★★★★
46 reviews · 1 follower
I won the kindle edition in a giveaway.
I feel genuinely lucky to read this and I even read it with my eldest niece who loves Eragon. She genuinely enjoyed it just as much as I did. It was a book that made me want to take some time reading it because of how well it was written. I love the depth of the plot and how descriptive it was. It creates the world that they are in easily. I cannot wait for the next book to be published. I hope I can find the series in my local Barnes and Nobles or a small bookstore. This is a series I would gladly re-read over the years and enjoy.
Otis — June 22, 2025 · ★★★★★
9 reviews
So, I won this book via a GoodReads giveaway, so I do feel like I owe a review of some kind. I don’t write too many book reviews. I honestly find myself at a loss for words. But there are times when you read a book that you find yourself completely surprised at just how great a story was. This is one such time. I am a fan of epic fantasy, and this book, while containing elements contained in all epic fantasies, seemed original in its ideas Sometimes it feels like it’s all been done before, but not so here. The characters, I have come to love during the course of the book, and the world, while familiar, is distinctly its own. The pacing didn’t bother me at all, and I found myself enjoying every minute of it. I for one, am very excited to read the continuation of the story.
Amelia Boring — June 13, 2025 · ★★★★☆
97 reviews · 1 follower
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you to the author and Goodreads for this opportunity!
I will preface this with I was expecting something a little different going into this and that’s my fault. That being said I did find the book enjoyable.
The writing is very descriptive and I am able to visualize exactly what and where the characters are. There is also lessons to be learned throughout and things that make you think and look into yourself for. The quotes before each chapter are beautiful and I looked forward to reading them. Tarlis reminded me a lot of Brom from Eragon. I really liked him and his banter with Eman.
I did find it a bit slow for me. Some of the traveling was a bit repetitive as well as being at the Inn in Bren. Rezua being described as ‘large'(not in a mean way) was also a bit repetitive. There’s a few typos throughout but that’s not a big deal to me. Also, 35% and about 44% there are paragraphs that have been repeated.
I believe this series has potential and if you like fantasy adventure books that don’t give you answers right away this is for you!
Susan Jernigan — June 2, 2025 · Read (unrated)
6 reviews · 2 followers
I enjoyed this book. I really liked the characters in the story. There were a few places where it felt a little repetitive but overall, I enjoyed it a lot.
Nicole Hopkey — June 1, 2025 · ★★★☆☆
222 reviews · 8 followers Tags: fantasy
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
First off, Tarlis is my absolute favorite. May he continue being amazing.
It’s always cool to see when an author finally hits their stride when writing, and you hear their unique voice start to emerge. That really happened in the book. There is much potential in this story, and I’m curious to see where the series will go. My biggest issue with this book is the pacing – especially with certain scenes that maybe developed characters but didn’t necessarily further plot.
If you’re looking to support a new author in the fantasy space, this would be a good place to start!
Carla Black — April 22, 2025 · ★★★★☆
376 reviews · 92 followers Tags: goodreads-giveaway-books
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway for my honest opinion. It’s got a great plot, but it is drawn out and gives away every small detail of every scene, even those that do not pertain to the actual storyline. I kept almost falling asleep. Well written. It just took forever to get through it. I couldn’t wait to start a new book. Emanrasu is our main character. After his father dies he wishes to return The Sheild and Sword to the grandfather he’s never met. So his best friend Rezua supports his decision and goes with Emanrasu on the long hike across country to seek his Grandfather. Little does shy and timid Emanrasu know is he is about to unfold a big destiny that he may not want. The friends meet up with a lot of interesting people along the way. Lots of fighting along the way. A loss of people during battles. You may very well enjoy this book better than I. Read it and you can form your own opinion.