by Jasmyn | Jan 29, 2019 | Book Reviews, Readers, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Heart of Destiny introduced me to a very interesting and new world. A world that has been split into separate realms by a magical wall where they only meet in the middle at the Citadel. This was supposed to bring peace, but it seems to have only brought about petty squabbles instead, especially with a corrupt emperor ruling them all.
When children begin to disappear – everyone wants to blame their neighboring realm. And here is where I wish there had been more to the story than a novella can hold. Being introduced to so many characters – one from each realm – was a bit confusing, and I still wasn’t sure who was who and where they came from by the end of the book. I’m hoping they separate themselves a little more in future books of the series, because I see a lot of good possibilities ahead.
The djinn and the dragons were a great spin on more traditional creatures, and the concept of them having a triad merger of beings with girls that were taken was a fun new element.
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Title: Heart of Destiny (Heart of the Citadel #1)
Author: Susan Faw
Genre: Fantasy
Content Rating: PG-13
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Magic suppressed. Magic exiled. Magic murdered.
During the Great Purge, all magic was destroyed and those who could wield it were driven into exile. From that time on, the world of Gaia churned on in relative peace and prosperity.
When the emperor of the central Citadel suddenly dies, his apprentice takes his place. Benevolent and loved, the new emperor is a benign ruler, bridging the age-old conflicts between the provinces. The citadel is a symbolic as well as a physical barrier to maintaining the fragile peace.
However, the brazen kidnapping of ten young women shatters the accord, and the councillors of the provinces gather at the Citadel to demand that justice be served. It is a flame dropped into dry tinder. Rife with suspicion and hatred, each province accuses its neighbour of treachery.
But the emperor has other plans. He alone knows who is responsible for the kidnapping of the young women, and he has no intention of sharing that knowledge. Where magic is involved, there can only be one conqueror. The fight for ultimate control of magic has begun.
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by Jasmyn | Jan 11, 2019 | Book Reviews, Readers, Science Fiction, Fantasy
TS901: Anomaly was an amazing start to a series and the beginning a beautiful, if very flawed and post-apocalyptic, world. When a chemical intended to help humanity was introduced into the water, it had some surprising results. Individuals with certain DNA were mutated and forced into the Hive – picture detainment camp.
Thia makes it her mission to escape the Hive and expose the truth behind the TS901 chemical and how the government has been using the people mutated by it. There are a lot of twists and turns as the escape progresses and Thia and crew attempt to infiltrate a government facility to free the people held there.
Thia was an intriguing character that really draws the spotlight in the story. Even though surrounded by strong males and females she managed to shine, but somehow without taking away from the other characters. I can’t wait to get started on the rest of the series.
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Title: TS901: Anomaly: Rise of the Rebels (TS901 Chrinicles #1
Author: Stacey Rourke and Tish Thawer
Genre: Dystopia
Content Rating: PG-13
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Tainted water for the good of the people. Fluoride and vitamins to sustain the health of the human race. Added ingredients to extend and elevate the quality of life. All good things, right?
Wrong.
Thia Kelly has been changed by the TS901 chemical in the world’s water supply. Now, forced into hiding with the other inflicted outcasts, she struggles to survive as her powers emerge.
Evan Daniels hunted for others like himself, and finding Thia suddenly brought meaning back into his life. Love blossomed between the strange couple while they searched for a way to reverse the effects. Unfortunately, the Government had something else in mind.
Super-soldier creation on a mass scale was their end goal, and thanks to an unfortunate family tie, Evan became Patient #1.
Good-guy? Bad-guy? The world isn’t sure, but Thia is left with only one choice––save the ass of the world’s first Anomaly who just happens to be her boyfriend.
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by Jasmyn | Jan 10, 2019 | Book Reviews, Readers, Science Fiction, Fantasy
I am a big fan of the Shannara world by Terry Brooks. And Grainne Ohmsford is one of the most intriguing characters I’ve run into in this epic fantasy series. Tanequil continues the story of her involuntarily journey into the Forbidding, a land full of demons and other nasty evil things, and her nephew Penderrin’s search for a way to bring her back.
Penderrin finds himself searching for a magical talisman that will allow him to enter the Forbidding, find his aunt, and bring her back. But as any reader of epic fantasy well knows, magical talismans come with a very high price. Terry Brooks does an excellent job of showing that payment isn’t always a physical sacrifice, sometimes it’s emotional as well. Penderrin’s experiences as he obtains the Tanequil were some of my favorite of the book.
Meanwhile, Grainne finds out the same thing in a slightly different way. Not all punishment is physical, and she begins to lose herself to the magic of the Forbidding. Enemies and allies in unexpected places really brought this realm to life. It truly is another world within Shannara, and I can see why the elves first sealed it away. I can’t wait to find out if she will be the same person or something completely different by the end of the series.
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Title: Tanequil (High Druid of Shannara #2
Author: Terry Brooks
Genre: High Fantasy
Content Rating: PG-13
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Dark magic has opened a gateway to the Forbidding and trapped within it Grianne Ohmsford, rightful High Druid of Shannara. Rescuing Grianne will be merely the beginning of the effort to return the Four Lands to some semblance of peace. Only her young nephew, Penderrin, has any hope of returning her to power. But to breach the Forbidding and bring Grianne back to the natural world, Pen must find the fabled Tanequil . . . and the talisman it alone can provide. That means journeying into the Inkrim-a dreaded region thick with shadows and haunted by harrowing legends. And there, Pen will strike a bargain more dire than he could ever imagine.
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