“All the Best Tropes”: A Review of The Anvil's Whisper by Jaime Rodríguez

 (Jr Publishing, 2025). ISBN: 9798992173307

I received this book as an ARC and first reviewed it for Reedsy Discovery.

The Anvil's Whisper is the story of a humble blacksmith and swordsmith named Yordan whose life is turned upside down through a serious of visions and mysterious encounters that lead him into exploration of his spiritual beliefs as mirrored and amplified by myriad religions and spiritual systems that come into conflict in the world in which he lives. The book employs all of the best fantasy tropes, from the blacksmith as metaphor to symbolic beasts, to ideas of fate and destiny and the juxtaposition of authoritarian rule and the life of the simple farmer and artisan in traditional fantasy times. There’s a spoiled prince, alluring peasant girls and warrior women, and a cast of interesting characters from a broad economic and cultural spectrum. There are scenes of violence and torture and moments of deep philosophy and contemplation and plenty of symbolism enriching and diversifying the narrative.

What I enjoyed most about The Anvil's Whisper’s is its use of the Hero’s Journey in an innovative way that is closer to the truth of Joseph Campbell’s work than is normally manifested by fiction, especially fantasy, writers. Over the course of 466 pages, Yordan takes a series of Hero’s Journeys, each more expansive in its Separation, Initiation, and Return, with broader Allies and Enemies, Magical Assistance, and the rest of the phases of moving from the Ordinary to Non-Ordinary worlds. Yordan initially refuses the Call to Adventure, being just a humble blacksmith (another beautiful trope), and each new cycle puts him in greater doubt. Yordan’s best friend, Sam, echoes Frodo’s boon companion in Tolkien’s famous trilogy, but Rodriguez adds an extra element that renders this Sam unique.

Rodríguez is a talented writer who plumbs the depths of his central character’s psychology and emerging passions. Yordan has three encounters with women who embody his Hero’s Journey cycles. The love scenes are substantial, detailed, and probably not for everyone (as some reviewers have expressed). The writing is never lurid or out of tone with the rest of the book and the expression of engagement with each woman tells us what we need to know about Yordan’s progress as he engages with Prophecy and subsequent levels of Initiation.

Readers who enjoy the fantasy genre will get plenty that is new from The Anvil's Whisper while enjoying all of the beautiful tropes that make this genre so resonant.