The Sword Chronicles: Child of the Empire by Michaelbrent Collings - Review

The Sword Chronicles: 

Child of the Empire

by

Michaelbrent Collings

She is a Dog - one of the many children and teens across the empire of Ansborn who have been sentenced to fight in the arenas. There they fight in battle after battle until they die for the sport of the people of Ansborn - an empire built atop the peaks of five mountains. 

But one day she picks up a knife... and everything changes. 

She discovers she is a Greater Gift - one of a handful of magic users with powers so great they have only two choices: to join the Empire as one of its premier assassins, or die as a threat to the Empire itself. 

She is no longer a Dog. Now, she is Sword. And she will soon realize that in this Empire, not all is what it seems. Good and evil collide, and she can never be sure whom to trust - not even herself. 

She holds life in her hands for some. Brings death by her blade to others. 

She is a killer. 
She is a savior. 

She is Sword.

My Thoughts: There are always these wonderful moments when I find a book that is so perfectly long and detailed and adventurous that I know I will love it every single time I read it. I can without a doubt say that Child of the Empire is one of those books. I could open it back up right now and read it all over again and enjoy it just as much as the first time. In fact, I know when I re-read it I will still be left loving it and wanting more. 

Child of the Empire takes place in a world sat upon five mountains. The mystery surrounding even that aspect of the story was amazing. I was constantly wondering what could be below the clouds, and how this empire came to be. Then there was the empire itself. Ansborn is a complex empire, with a lot of shady dealings and unanswered questions. 

The characters that Michaelbrent Collings created are amazing. They are a complex cast, each bringing something important to the story. Sword is a survivor and I loved her. She was clever and learned quickly. She was blunt and asked questions that many would probably avoid. Her personal journey from a Dog to Sword and everything she does as Sword is impressive. Other characters throughout the story pull everything along and add so much. I fell in love with so many of them. I was surprised by them, grieved for their troubles, and was excited by their triumphs. 

I loved this book so much. It is an epic fantasy that will intrigue readers. I wish they could make a movie that could do it justice. Now I am left, as it always seems when I find a new series to love, waiting for another book. I think it will be well worth the wait. 

Rating:

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About the Author:

Michaelbrent Collings is a #1 bestselling novelist and screenwriter. He has written numerous bestsellers, including Darkbound, Apparition, The Haunted, The Loon, Rising Fears, and the bestselling YA fantasy series The Billy Saga, beginning with Billy: Messenger of Powers.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that's a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.

Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC...and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!

I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

Legend of the Spider-Prince: Rebel by Margo Ander - Review

Legend of the Spider-Prince: REBEL

Wyl is a young rebel whose life of dangerous lies and hidden truths has cost him his childhood and his ability to trust. He is fanatically loyal to the rebel leader, a woman embroiled in a blood-feud with Trascolm's ruling clan. When he’s not away spying, he’s her secret bodyguard—she needs protection from her army of renegades and outlaws as much as from bounty-hunters and assassins sent by her archenemy. But when the rebellion meets with disaster, the rebel leader's strategy changes. Wyl is thrust into a hostile royal court of underage teens—mere children, to his mind. He’s expected to embrace this more civilized way of life, but his brutally-honed instincts betray him, and he makes enemies instead of friends. Wyl—a boy raised by outlaws—is in over his head and must somehow master the subtleties of court intrigue well enough to keep the rebel leader and her rebellion alive, despite the treacherous machinations of her enemies, and do it without getting himself killed. About the Legend of the Spider-Prince series In a war-torn land where men have unbridled influence, but women hold the reins of power, a young rebel becomes entangled in a deadly web of magic, court intrigue, and revenge amid an escalating wave of events that will ultimately destroy magic, overturn governments, cause the near-collapse of civilization, even threaten the very existence of life on Eryth—and make him a legend.

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My Review: I just keep getting to read amazing fantasy novels lately. I am so happy that Legend of the Spider-Prince: Rebel was one of them. I loved the idea of a world governed by women, although men may play more of a role than they are given credit. I loved the fighting, but I also really enjoyed the scenes in court. The plot was fast paced and entertaining. I hated to stop reading even for a moment.

I think Wyl is a very interesting character. He seems to full of so many dimensions. He is an outlaw, a minion, a courtly prince, and so many other things. I wish I could elaborate more, but I don’t want to have any spoilers if I can help it. I enjoyed his attitude. For someone so young he is scarily brave and almost flippant with his own life. He is so dedicated to Helgurdda’s cause. Another character I loved, maybe a bit more than Wyl, was Princess Kotakei. She is clever, and seems to see more than others. I can’t wait for the second book to see where it takes them both.

I think that Legend of Spider-Prince: Rebel will appeal to people who enjoy fantasy. I found myself wrapped up in the story. The descriptions were amazing, the characters were interesting, and the action was exciting.  

Rating:

About the Author

I loved fairy tales as a child, but could never get enough of them until I learned to read for myself. I spent my formative years with my nose in a book or playing dungeon master for my sisters long before there were actual games requiring one. Our Barbies fought Klingons, conquered the galaxy—and always had room on their spaceship for horses. I am a horsewoman, an archer, a fencer, a former military officer, and a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism—all useful skills and experiences for a fantasy novelist. I am currently holding down a day job in Mississippi, USA, where I live with my husband and two daughters, and am presently down to one horse, one cat, and one dog—and ‘way too many books. Visit me on the web at www.margoander.com My Facebook author page is at www.facebook.com/AuthorMargoAnder I have a blog, www.margoander.wordpress.com, where I review books I like by other indie authors. I have another blog, marguerot.wordpress.com, where I blog about writing. Follow the Tour

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I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Keeper of Reign by Emma Right - Review

Keeper of Reign

Books written in blood. Most are lost, their Keepers with them. A curse that befell a people. A Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Or could it?
For Jules, the heir of a Keeper, no less, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. It was bad enough that his people, the Elfies of Reign, triggered a curse which reduced the entire inhabitants to a mere inch centuries ago. All because of one Keeper who failed his purpose. Even the King’s Ancient Books, did not help ward off that anathema.
Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth. Truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse. Provided Jules doesn’t get himself killed first. Purchase - Amazon e-book / paperback

My Review: Keeper of Reign is a twisting and turning fantasy that never quite lets you catch up with it. Every time I expected one thing to happen, something else did instead. The plot is exciting, fast paced, and believable. At least if there were such a world as Reign.

This is one of those books where the setting takes as much precedence as the characters for me.  The beautiful little world of Reign was told in a perfect way. I could quite easily imagine the “giant” trees that surrounded the homes, the enormous Brooke Beginning, the many huge creatures. I loved all the descriptions. It was one of my favorite things, and it is something that I think helps to make a fantasy novel good.

I enjoyed reading about all the Blaze children. They were fun and exciting. The each had their own little quirks. At times I would be troubled with how some of them acted, but typically I enjoyed their interactions and getting to know them all through their personalities. Jules could be a bit spacey, but for the most part he was a good leader, and he was very brave. I liked his character, and I can’t wait to see what he will do in the next book.

As much as I enjoyed the Blaze children, I think I loved the secondary characters more. On their travels the children meet so many people and connect with others they already have a past with. I liked Holden’s character a lot. By far my favorites were Hooks, Abel, and Tennesson. I think that each of these secondary characters added so much to who the children were and the story.

Keeper of Reign is full of adventure. There were tons of little separate adventures that the children and other characters were taking. I loved the wildness of it all. I think lovers of fantasy books will truly enjoy reading Keeper of Reign. I am ready to read the next book, just waiting for the release date. 

Rating:

About Emma:

Emma Right is a happy wife and homeschool mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves reading, and when she doesn’t have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one.

Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before children came along.

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5. August 21st - Literary Addicts (Interview)	6. August 22nd - Adventures of Frugal Mom (Review)
7. August 22nd - The Mama Chronicles	8. August 23rd - 31 Days Early I Rise (Review)
9. August 23rd- Delphina Reads Too Much (Excerpt)	10. August 26th - deal sharing aunt (Review)
11. August 26th - Two Ends of the Pen (Interview)	12. August 27th - Manic Mama of 2 (Review)
13. August 27th - Mamas Got Flair (Excerpt)	14. August 28th - Nikis book Corner (Review)
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17. August 29th - Intriguing Reads (Excerpt)	18. September 3rd - Mommy Reads Too Much (Review)
19. August 30th - Coreys Book Reviews (Interview)	20. September 3rd- Snifferwalk Books (Excerpt)
21. September 3rd - Reviewing in Chaos (excerpt)	22. September 4th - Reading It All (Review)
23. September 4th - The Crafty Cauldron (Review)	24. September 5th - Identity Discovery (review)
25. September 5th - Thoughts on the Matter (review)	26. September 6th - Divine Books (Review)

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I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Cephrael's Hand by Melissa McPhail - Review and Author Interview

Title: Cephrael's Hand
Author: Melissa McPhail
Series: A Pattern of Shadow & Light Book One
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.
Publish Date: September 22, 2010

Synopsis: "All things are composed of patterns..." And within the pattern of the realm of Alorin, three strands must cross:

In Alorin...three hundred years after the genocidal Adept Wars, the realm is dying, and the blessed Adept race dies with it. One man holds the secret to reverting this decline: Bjorn van Gelderan, a dangerous and enigmatic man whose shocking betrayal three centuries past earned him a traitor's brand. It is the Adept Vestal Raine D'Lacourte's mission to learn what Bjorn knows in the hope of salvaging his race. But first he'll have to find him...

In the kingdom of Dannym...the young Prince Ean val Lorian faces a tenuous future as the last living heir to the coveted Eagle Throne. When his blood-brother is slain during a failed assassination, Ean embarks on a desperate hunt for the man

responsible. Yet his advisors have their own agendas, and his quest for vengeance leads him ever deeper into a sinuous plot masterminded by a mysterious and powerful man, the one they call First Lord...

In the Nadori desert...tormented by the missing pieces of his life, a soldier named Trell heads off to uncover the truth of his shadowed past. But when disaster places him in the debt of Wildlings sworn to the First Lord, Trell begins to suspect a deadlier, darker secret motivating them.

My Thoughts: I enjoy reading so many kinds of books. Epic Fantasies usually only make up a small part of my reading. I don't venture into that genre often. Still I was very interested to read Cephrael's Hand when I was asked. I like to branch out, and the synopsis of this book is intriguing. I was not disappointed at all.

Melissa McPhail has a gorgeous writing style that flows easily. She easily told this story from many points of view without it becoming confusing to the reader. She did an amazing job of tying all the characters' stories together. I found myself loving every moment. When one characters point of view would end I would be dying to know what would happen to them next.

The world of Alorin was beautifully written. McPhail's descriptions of all the different magical beings was amazing. I was so engrossed in what was going on. I could imagine this gorgeous world full of sun dragons and whisper lords. I had no troubles picturing what they must all look like. All the places that they were traveling were described so perfect. McPhail has a wonderful imagination and she knew exactly how to let her readers into it.

I would suggest this book to everyone. I am completely in love with it and all the characters. I am waiting, not so patiently, for the next book to be released. I'm also waiting to hear that it will be made into a movie. Put the right director with McPhail and Cephrael's Hand and it could be an absolute success. It makes me wish I had a six star rating.

Rating:

I was really excited to get an interview with Melissa McPhail. 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I'm a mother to nine-year-old twins and two very large cats, as well as a host of teenagers who live at the boarding school where I work.  I'm also a yoga instructor, a musician-composer and a closet nerd (along with my husband).  Our house is filled with LOTR memorabilia commingling with Warhammer 40K figurines, collector's editions of Talisman and Space Hulk board games, musical instruments and yoga mats, and books, books, books.    

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book? 

I started writing as a child, but the bug really hit me in high school.  I could often be found on my computer at strange hours of the day and night - or all day and long into the night - when my friends were involved in other activities.  I feel very blessed to have found a cathartic outlet for the angst most of us endure during those teenage years.  Like composing music and reading, writing became a critical means of escape what felt to me as an often sharply indifferent reality. 

How did you choose the genre you write in? 

Fantasy has always spoken to me.  Ever since reading The Chronicles of Narnia with my grandmother as a child, I've been drawn to seek the magical and extraordinary.  As an adult, I'm drawn to fantasy for the unlimited opportunities it provides to writers--opportunities to explore viewpoints, philosophical ideals, religion, nobility and honor, shades of good and evil, and a host of other themes, all within the context of fantastical settings, sword fights and epic battles.  The fantasy genre is an endless canvas upon which to play.  

Do you work with an outline, or just write? 

I tend to write toward scenes that I've envisioned and let the story unfold organically toward that end, but my series is an epic fantasy, so it is outlined with broad strokes across the canvas I mentioned before. I know in general terms what needs to occur in each book, and I plan the story arcs of each character in that same broad sense, plotting major scenes before I head into writing their story line.  I recently wrote a scene that I initially envisioned over two years ago.  That was fun.  

If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your book or getting it published that you would change? 

I finished my novel in the age of self-publishing, and I never made much effort in the 'traditional' direction - but I am generally non-traditional about a lot of things.  I think it's the influence of Aquarius in my sign. ;)

I decided to self-publish for two reasons.  First and foremost, I wanted to share this story with the world, and after spending over a decade in constructing it, I felt the sharing part was overdue.  Secondly, it was important to me to maintain creative control over my story.  Can you imagine a painter pouring every ounce of creative energy and emotion into a painting he adored as a reflection of his soul and then turning it in to someone else to alter as they deemed fit?  I didn't want to cut huge pieces out of this tale because of an arbitrary word-count limit based on the cost of paper, and I wasn't keen on ingratiating myself to people I'd never met in order to convince them my life's work was worth their time.  

Ultimately, I wanted to be able to share this story with others in a way that maintains its integrity and my own.  My novel has won three awards, it's selling consistently, and fantasy fans are giving me amazing feedback on it. I believe I've accomplished those goals, and I'm very happy with the path I've taken to get there.  

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write in your book and why? 

My favorite parts of the story are with the pirate Carian vran Lea, who is irreverent, brazen and utterly irrepressible.  He provides much-needed levity to the story as he consistently finds his way into ridiculously dangerous situations.  

I am also very fond of the drachwyr.  Their immortal take on the world, mankind and existence in general is compelling and at times infuriating, and I really enjoyed exploring their viewpoints and interactions with my character Trell. 

How did you come up with the title? 

Cephrael's Hand is the name of a constellation seen throughout the story.  It is named after the Maker's blessed son, Cephrael, who is said to act as the hand of Fate in wielding the Maker's justice upon mankind.  Superstition about the constellation abounds, and many are said to die beneath its seven stars.

What project are you working on now? 

I just completed book two in the series.  The Dagger of Adendigaeth is due out in October, and I'm working with a cover artist, a cartographer (who is designing new maps for me), and of course my editors to ready the manuscript for publication.   

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers? 

The best advice I ever received about writing is simply: "A writer writes."  I spent over ten years perfecting the manuscript for Cephrael's Hand.  Each time I completed it, I would head back out into the world and read more books and realize it could be better - it had to be better.  I scrapped the entire 300,000 word manuscript numerous times and started over.  I've written  close to 2 million words in pursuit of a story worthy of a fantasy fan's discerning attention. 

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult? 

I was profoundly influenced as a child by The Chronicles of Narnia and The Dark is Rising series, by Susan Cooper.  These two series awakened an enduring love of fantasy and a belief in the real magic to be found in our everyday lives: the magic inherent in creativity, in love, in belief.  In my teens, I was greatly influenced by Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, and I set out with my own series to craft characters who I hoped could be as compelling, as winsome and as vital as hers.

Author Bio:

Melissa McPhail is a classically trained pianist, violinist and composer, a Vinyasa yoga instructor, and an avid Fantasy reader. With a background in philosophy and comparative religion, she is passionate about the Fantasy genre because of its inherent philosophical explorations.

Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, their twin daughters and two very large cats. Cephrael's Hand is the first novel in her series A Pattern of Shadow and Light.  Book Two, The Dagger of Adendigaeth, is scheduled for release in October 2012.

Purchase Links:
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I received this e-book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.