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Chronicles of Aesirium #1
Reaper's Return
What if Death wore a pretty black dress? Everyone in Oldtown had heard talk of the Reapers. Even though nobody had seen one in years, everyone whispered the flying from rooftop to rooftop, stealing the souls of the unwary, letting their undead beasts hunt through the streets for any member of the community too reckless or fearless to heed the nightly curfew ... mysterious and terrifying, most feared to even mention them by name, lest they appear and gather your spirit away. For 11-year-old Romany, her greatest fears were less about the mythological Reapers and more about surviving a miserable life inside of Oldtown's solitary orphanage. Her stark white hair made her an obvious target for the bullies, and the cruel nickname of "Ratgirl" had followed her for years. But if Rom thought her troubles were behind her, being struck dead by a bolt of lightning would only open the door to an entire life of new ones. First on the list? Finding out that she herself...is a Reaper. "Reaper's Return" is book one of the Chronicles of Aesirium, a YA Steampunk fantasy adventure series.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2011
13 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
About the author
Ren Cummins
38 books96 followersBorn in California, Ren lived in three more states and one other country before finally settling down in Seattle, Washington. There with his wife and daughter and their two dogs and one of the heaviest cats in existence, he juggles a love of writing, music, science fiction and the occasional desire to make an honest buck.
After a college professor in his English department took a good look at his work and aspirations, and subsequently challenged him to find his voice out in the world and not in a classroom, Ren decided to interpret this challenge positively (and not in a "why don't you just sod off, you tosser!" sort of way) and has been working to find that very voice ever since.
Along the journey, such relatively mundane occupational interruptions like working as a hotel manager, music studio engineer and middle eastern drummer for belly dancers offered their respective distractions, but only served to diversify his voice, granting new accents and dialects. His life-long studies of philosophy, religion and the evolution of language have also played their part in affecting the development of his writing style.
Along with short stories and a developing anthology of Children's stories, Ren has been writing a series of steampunk-themed novels, collected into the "Aerthos Trilogy", an epic adventure centering around a twelve year old orphan girl who discovers that her own destiny is tied irrevocably to the past and future of their divided world. The first novel, "The Morrow Stone" was nominated for the Steampunk Book of the Year 2010 by Steampunk.com.
When not working on novels, Ren can also be found sipping on a white chocolate mocha, playing RPGs (dice or video games) or trying to teach his dogs not to jump on the couch.
After a college professor in his English department took a good look at his work and aspirations, and subsequently challenged him to find his voice out in the world and not in a classroom, Ren decided to interpret this challenge positively (and not in a "why don't you just sod off, you tosser!" sort of way) and has been working to find that very voice ever since.
Along the journey, such relatively mundane occupational interruptions like working as a hotel manager, music studio engineer and middle eastern drummer for belly dancers offered their respective distractions, but only served to diversify his voice, granting new accents and dialects. His life-long studies of philosophy, religion and the evolution of language have also played their part in affecting the development of his writing style.
Along with short stories and a developing anthology of Children's stories, Ren has been writing a series of steampunk-themed novels, collected into the "Aerthos Trilogy", an epic adventure centering around a twelve year old orphan girl who discovers that her own destiny is tied irrevocably to the past and future of their divided world. The first novel, "The Morrow Stone" was nominated for the Steampunk Book of the Year 2010 by Steampunk.com.
When not working on novels, Ren can also be found sipping on a white chocolate mocha, playing RPGs (dice or video games) or trying to teach his dogs not to jump on the couch.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 22, 2015
Erm, so this book was a bit confusing for many different reasons.
You start, and it's going along and then it's all change and I was confused. Then I got the hang of things and it's going along and then it's all change and I was confused. Then I got the hang of things and it's going along quite nicely 'til the end. But there was no big ending. No real climax, just a couple of what were probably supposed to be hooks to make you read the next book, but by this point I'd already decided it wasn't for me. On occasion, a book's ending can change my mind but not so in this case.
Then there's the target market, because I honestly don't know. With a few not-too-significant changes it could have been a really great kids book. And on the other hand, with a few not-too-significant changes it could have been a really great adult book. Instead, what we've actually got is a weird mixture of the two...
To give him his due, the writing is good and never too difficult, and the world is set up quite nicely without bombarding you with information. Rom is a spunky little kid (think Lyra from His Dark Materials) though the other characters are a bit flat. Still, there are hints of personality there and with some development I think they could be quite good.
Not for me, but probably alright for a younger reader - not a series I'll be continuing with.
You start, and it's going along and then it's all change and I was confused. Then I got the hang of things and it's going along and then it's all change and I was confused. Then I got the hang of things and it's going along quite nicely 'til the end. But there was no big ending. No real climax, just a couple of what were probably supposed to be hooks to make you read the next book, but by this point I'd already decided it wasn't for me. On occasion, a book's ending can change my mind but not so in this case.
Then there's the target market, because I honestly don't know. With a few not-too-significant changes it could have been a really great kids book. And on the other hand, with a few not-too-significant changes it could have been a really great adult book. Instead, what we've actually got is a weird mixture of the two...
To give him his due, the writing is good and never too difficult, and the world is set up quite nicely without bombarding you with information. Rom is a spunky little kid (think Lyra from His Dark Materials) though the other characters are a bit flat. Still, there are hints of personality there and with some development I think they could be quite good.
Not for me, but probably alright for a younger reader - not a series I'll be continuing with.
December 15, 2013
Normally when I read an e-book and listen to an audio book I have a set preference between the two. In this case I enjoyed both equally. The audio book has a brilliant narrator who seamlessly transformed this singularly unique novel. Neither version outshines the other and I was easily able to switch between the two without hesitation. Not to mention the narrator's voice is striking and captivating without being a distraction from what is happening in the story.
I would say this novel can reach out to middle grade through adults with a steampunk flair, compelling story line and a full range of emotions. So many novels have a few emotions surrounding a story line but this fast paced adventure has, well, for lack of a better explanation, "ALL THE FEELZ". This imaginative story features Romany and Kari who both have distinctive personalities that complement one another. They navigate through what must be the most imaginative world I can remember reading about, a unique blend of steampunk and sci-fi that reminded me of my manga/anime days. I could imagine this being turned into an anime. The scenes played out in my mind almost as thought it had been written like an anime; full of action, emotion and of course crazy amazing mech.
Overall, the author still has room to grow but his imagination it's already out of this world! A full 5 stars for enraptured me in this vibrant tale. I would heartily recommend this novel to anyone looking for a step away from the usual. Don't let the summary for this novel fool you, this book is a breed apart.
I would say this novel can reach out to middle grade through adults with a steampunk flair, compelling story line and a full range of emotions. So many novels have a few emotions surrounding a story line but this fast paced adventure has, well, for lack of a better explanation, "ALL THE FEELZ". This imaginative story features Romany and Kari who both have distinctive personalities that complement one another. They navigate through what must be the most imaginative world I can remember reading about, a unique blend of steampunk and sci-fi that reminded me of my manga/anime days. I could imagine this being turned into an anime. The scenes played out in my mind almost as thought it had been written like an anime; full of action, emotion and of course crazy amazing mech.
Overall, the author still has room to grow but his imagination it's already out of this world! A full 5 stars for enraptured me in this vibrant tale. I would heartily recommend this novel to anyone looking for a step away from the usual. Don't let the summary for this novel fool you, this book is a breed apart.
February 27, 2013
Reaper’s Return was both captivating and baffling. While I found the pace of the book exciting, I found the actual action a little melodramatic. Especially when the characters named Inertia, Memory, and Force enter the scene. It seemed both affected and a little bit artificial.
The basic plot was intriguing and held my interest throughout the book. It was interesting to see Romany’s development as a Reaper and to see the others mature on their own paths. I’m curious to see how they’ll develop further.
Ren was an intriguing character with her odd appearance and her even stranger physical capabilities. Yet I wondered at her apparent lack of intelligence and at the way she seemed to accept her athletic abilities without much question. She had confidence though and I did admire that.
Her friend, Kari fit the stereotypical geeky Asian girl which I found rather contrived and forced. But their friendship was a bright spot in the book. The two girls had a bond that helped them through the hardships of the orphanage.
The character I had the hardest time connecting with was Cousins. I felt he was little more then a minor character, even though he was to become an integral part of the book. I didn’t feel there was much depth to him.
Although there were flaws in the book, I still enjoyed it. It was an interesting mix of action and fantasy in the young adult genre.
This review courtesy of The Akamai Reader.
The basic plot was intriguing and held my interest throughout the book. It was interesting to see Romany’s development as a Reaper and to see the others mature on their own paths. I’m curious to see how they’ll develop further.
Ren was an intriguing character with her odd appearance and her even stranger physical capabilities. Yet I wondered at her apparent lack of intelligence and at the way she seemed to accept her athletic abilities without much question. She had confidence though and I did admire that.
Her friend, Kari fit the stereotypical geeky Asian girl which I found rather contrived and forced. But their friendship was a bright spot in the book. The two girls had a bond that helped them through the hardships of the orphanage.
The character I had the hardest time connecting with was Cousins. I felt he was little more then a minor character, even though he was to become an integral part of the book. I didn’t feel there was much depth to him.
Although there were flaws in the book, I still enjoyed it. It was an interesting mix of action and fantasy in the young adult genre.
This review courtesy of The Akamai Reader.
April 10, 2013
Ren Cummins creates a unique world that is a mixture of steampunk, sci-fi and fantasy, combined with an intriguing back story. Definitely intended as the introduction to a larger series, ”Reaper’s Return” reads like a classic anime tale, and as I went through it, I found myself thinking about how well it would adapt itself to that media. I also drank up the hints that the author gives about the greater world beyond Oldtown, and the strange forces that lurk behind the main character and her adventure. Clearly, there is a great deal more waiting for readers like myself as the series progresses, and this will undoubtedly prove to be just as matchless as the beginning was.
August 7, 2018
**Note: the author gifted a signed copy of this book to my daughter, who wrote an honest review, which follows.**
Introducing, a fun, and amazing book by the name of Reaper’s Return. Filled with magic, and some themes of steampunk, which I love. Plus, it had talking animals! Alright!
Rom has a gift for handling animals. And, she’s dead. Kind of. She dies once, and then revives it all over, with the knowledge of what was going to happen. Then she learns that she is the Reaper, a entity that helps creatures move on to death.
But she is being hunted for her ability. It's a really good thing that Rom has good friends.
I loved this book from beginning to cliffhanger end. That’s right, folks, it had a cliffhanger, sort of. But i loved this book. Rom, Kari, Cousins (don’t ask.), and Mully are an amazing team, and work great together.
Introducing, a fun, and amazing book by the name of Reaper’s Return. Filled with magic, and some themes of steampunk, which I love. Plus, it had talking animals! Alright!
Rom has a gift for handling animals. And, she’s dead. Kind of. She dies once, and then revives it all over, with the knowledge of what was going to happen. Then she learns that she is the Reaper, a entity that helps creatures move on to death.
But she is being hunted for her ability. It's a really good thing that Rom has good friends.
I loved this book from beginning to cliffhanger end. That’s right, folks, it had a cliffhanger, sort of. But i loved this book. Rom, Kari, Cousins (don’t ask.), and Mully are an amazing team, and work great together.
February 27, 2018
Really recommend this
It’s a unique story with a great steampunk feel with a great twist of magic as well. Truly a wonderful read . I definitely recommend this to everyone.
It’s a unique story with a great steampunk feel with a great twist of magic as well. Truly a wonderful read . I definitely recommend this to everyone.
August 26, 2012
The first book of the Chronicles of Aesirium does a great job of introducing us to our three protagonist and the world they inhabit. Aesirium itself is an intriguing blend of fantasy-realm magic and Victorian-era steam tech that makes you want to see more.
There are also enough hints dropped of conflicts in the greater world that will undoubtedly draw our young heroes in over the course of the followup books. Not only that, but we get genuinely great female protagonists in the type of book that would usually be dominated by boys.
If you're a fan of Harry Potter or Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson novels, you will absolutely love Rom, Kari, and Cousins' adventures.
There are also enough hints dropped of conflicts in the greater world that will undoubtedly draw our young heroes in over the course of the followup books. Not only that, but we get genuinely great female protagonists in the type of book that would usually be dominated by boys.
If you're a fan of Harry Potter or Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson novels, you will absolutely love Rom, Kari, and Cousins' adventures.
April 21, 2013
OMG. I met Ren Cummins at Seattle ComiCon and he gave me this first volume of his book because he saw me carrying a Buffy comic. I'm so glad he stopped me and did.
He told me it was kind of a Steam Punk version of a slayer and that intrigued me enough to read the book. It was a little rough to get into, with learning about a new place, but it was a fabulous read. This was almost a teaser since things really all start to get into their place at the end of the book, so don't expect to read just one. I'm sure I'll be picking up at least the next one very soon!!
He told me it was kind of a Steam Punk version of a slayer and that intrigued me enough to read the book. It was a little rough to get into, with learning about a new place, but it was a fabulous read. This was almost a teaser since things really all start to get into their place at the end of the book, so don't expect to read just one. I'm sure I'll be picking up at least the next one very soon!!
Want to read
April 16, 2011Thank you Goodreads First Reads for this free book. Looking forward to reading it when I get it. Review to follow.
July 13, 2013
Have given up on this book coz it was confusing me. May have been more to do with reading it while the bairns were running about at gambado than the book actually being confusing.
May 7, 2011
A great start to the Aesirium series. Leaves you questioning what will happen next.
November 25, 2014
Very enjoyable book, but obviously part of a larger series as the ending was thinly veiled as an ending. But that's ok as I bought the three book set and look forward to the next two.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews