The Key of Kilenya

Kilenya #1

by Andrea Pearson

We all have a choice—but we can’t choose the consequences.

Jacob Clark is chased down a path that takes him to another world—a world where he is a wanted young man. The Lorkon want to control him and the special powers he possesses. The people of the new world want him to save them from the destruction of the Lorkon. All Jacob wants is to go home, but even that choice has consequences. If he waits too long to decide, the new world and the one he came from will be destroyed.

As Jacob looks for people he can trust, he finds himself in the center of a fight for freedom—both for himself and the people he’s come to know. And when he meets a pretty girl named Aloren, everything he understands about his role on Eklaron is challenged.

Jacob has no idea where the path he chooses will take him, but once the choice has been made—bring on the consequences.

If you'd like to receive The Ember Gods (Kilenya Series Book Two) for free as well, you can grab a copy at the author's website here: http://kilenyaseriesnewsletter.blogsp.... Enjoy!

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Amazon, Magic, Middle Grade, Young Adult Fantasy

302 pages, Paperback

First published June 23, 2011

About the author

Andrea, a Brigham Young University graduate, is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast (hiking, fishing, boating, biking, spending time in the Rocky Mountains, and taking walks). She spent a year and a half serving the Spanish speaking community in Toronto, Canada, and fluently speaks 2 ½ languages. She plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them.

Andrea is always in the mood for a good movie with close friends and family (especially her husband and mom), with a large glass of milk and a bowl of overly buttered popcorn nearby. She also enjoys oil painting, making earrings, squeezing every bit of oxygen out of Ziploc bags, and she hopes to someday travel to Italy and Alaska.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Key of Kilenya (Kilenya #1) by Andrea Pearson is a wonderful fantasy for middle grade to teens (and adults too!). It is fast moving and filled with strange creatures and magic. Jacob finds himself in a new world fighting for his life, other people's lives, and their whole world. There are surprises, surprises, surprises! Lots of action, emotions, great dialogue, and humor. A fun and enjoyable read. Can't say more, hate spoiler reviews. Great job!

[Andrea Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book, I'd better like it! :-)

[J. Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit this is a book I've been looking forward to read. I've gotten to know Andrea Pearson some over the last little while as she reviewed the first edition of The Hidden Sun and then later, she was at the August Authorama where I launched the second edition of my first novel. She's a very nice person who always seems to have a smile on her face.

The Key of Kilenya is a fantasy book that centers around 14 year-old Jacob Clark. The challenge in writing any fantasy book is setting up the rules for which the characters act. In other words, what can they or can't they do in the realm of the story. Often authors explain the differences through the eyes of someone we can related with, like with the Harry Potter books. As Harry discovers about magic, so do we as the readers. Now, I'm not saying that this book is a clone of Harry Potter--far from it. It is certainly has its own feel and distinct setting.

Because we are told the story through a 14 year-old boy's eyes, it may seem at first that he was accepting the changes around him a bit too easily. That was my first impression until I remembered what it was like to be that age. I wasn't as jaded or skeptical as I am now. Once I realized that, Jacob's reactions seemed much more rational.

So, what is this story about? Well, here is the blurb from the back of the book which sums it up quite nicely:

"When two vicious wolves chase fourteen-year-old Jacob Clark down a path from our world into another, his life is forever changed. He has no idea they have been sent by the Lorkon—evil, immortal beings who are jealous of powers he doesn’t know he possesses—powers they desire to control.

The inhabitants of the new world desperately need Jacob's help in recovering a magical key that was stolen by the Lorkon and is somehow linked to him. If he helps them, his life will be at risk. But if he chooses not to help them, both our world and theirs will be in danger. The Lorkon will stop at nothing to unleash the power of the key—and Jacob's special abilities."

The book borders on the edge of being a fun fantasy and being downright spooky. There are a lot of fun moments, especially with the Minyas. And then there are times when I found myself engrossed in the scarier scenes. Even then, it's not too graphic as to be inappropriate for teenagers.

I enjoyed the device of starting most chapters as entries from someone's journal. (I won't say who--I don't want to spoil things) It was like there were two parallel stories running that join up toward the end. There is a different tone between the two stories which showed me that Pearson's narrative of Jacob was designed and executed well.

I had a chat with her a little before I got the book and she kept gushing about the follow up to The Key of Kilenya. I'm most certainly happy there is one written. The book left me wanting more and though it didn't really end in a cliff hanger, it did leave several questions unanswered.

As for who would like this book? I'd say teenagers and up who enjoy fantasy books. There are some scary moments, but there isn't any swearing or adult situations.

Overall, I would most certainly say this book is worth a read, or two, or three. . .

[Jenni James · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 14 year old son and I LOVED this book! We both found Key of Kilenya gripping from the start. Dalen, especially couldn't stop once he'd started. It was hilarious to watch him do his chores with one hand, while reading from the kindle with the other. He'd even walk slowly up and down the stairs while reading it. Any book that he finds that fascinating deserves a five star review.

You will be blown away through the unique twists and turns of Andrea Pearson's new world. Where fierce unimaginable creatures roam and excitement and adventure await at every turn. Dalen says, "It's clearly one of the most addicting books I've ever read, now where's the sequel? There better be a sequel!" Yes, he's already offered to be her beta reader. Lol! Isn't he sweet?

No, really. We were both amazed at the talent and ingenuity Andrea possesses.

I personally found Andrea's descriptive imagery to have just the right touch. Engrossing and magical, yet, not too bogged down. We had just enough facts to create the world within our own minds... beautiful and just enough action to keep us on the edge of our seats... or in Dalen's case, the kindle at the edge of our fingertips!

For a debut novel, I'm impressed. If you'd like a great read this summer, or know of a boy who seems a little bored. Order it and pass over your kindle! You'll be glad you did. :)

[Karen Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first met Andrea, she had just signed on with my publisher. We were at a writing conference together and I looked at her and went, "now that is what an author is supposed to look like." She was stunning. Beautiful.

I was immediately intimidated.

Now, it's not that I'm ugly. At least I don't think I am. But I'm short and wide and . . . well, you get the picture. She was tall and slender with curly brown hair and I immediately thought she would make an awesome character in one of my books.

What I didn't know, was that she was as kind and non-judgmental as she was beautiful. I love people like that. Once Andrea and I got to know each other we immediately hit it off. Now, I tell you this, so that you know the truth. Andrea is awesome. She is as beautiful inside as out. And that makes what I'm about to admit that much more awful.

I really wanted to hate her book. I did! When I found out that my publisher had signed another YA fantasy author who had wolves in her book, I wanted to hate it. How dare she! How dare my publisher! That's how I felt then.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

Though the wolves in her story are integral to the plot, they are not primary characters. Her wolves are black and an apparent enemy to the protagonist. Mine are white and in one case IS the protagonist. Our books are nothing alike, and to top it off, Andrea is an incredible writer, with a depth of detail that is lacking in so many books. She balances excitement with thought, external conflict with inner, and adds just the right mix of mystery and realism. It is a very well written and enjoyable book, and I can hardly wait to share it with my sons.

It's one I know will become a favorite.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Jacob, a human from earth, was led to Eklaron (somewhere in the universe) to help retrieve a magical Key that only a human can get. Why HIM, of all humans, is not explained. The information is intentionally withheld for a "later" time (in this case, it means book 2), when the little people of this world called the Makalos have convened with other beings to determine whether they should tell Jacob the truth. Huh?!
I am so disappointed at how Jacob isn't really determined to whittle all the information he could get on WHY he has this powers. I am a person motivated to do things when I understand it, and thus by understanding I have more purpose and conviction in my actions. Not knowing is simply frustrating and doesn't give me the urgency to move. Why 14 year old Jacob did all he was asked to do without insisting on the real score is beyond me, especially when his life will be in danger. Reading about him following orders simply because he has "no other choice" is lame. It makes him appear like a puppet--no brain of his own, powerful or not. It doesn't justify what he himself believes in--he would rather know and be in danger, than be ignorant and still be in danger.
The main character's sound judgment has been sacrificed here by withholding relevant facts just to hook readers to read the next book. The stingy ration of information and puzzling revelations didn't convince me to like the characters so much so I guess this will be the end of Jacob for me.

[The Phoenix · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish the book. It didn't capture my interest. It is aimed more towards my daughter's age group, so she has it downloaded to read.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. I found Andrea Pearson through her other series, specifically Discern, and fell in love with her world building skills. The Key of Kilenya doesn't disappoint either.

The first book in this new series is about Jacob, who is transported to another world and discovers that he has magical abilities. It's not the most unique of lead ins when it comes to plot points, but Pearson is a master of taking the same old plot and making it something new. I loved watching Jacob fight through to find his destiny and reach his objective.

I can't wait to read the next one, so I'm starting now!

[Ctrain79 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short answer for my rating is that I will not be continuing this series, but I will check out future series by Pearson. I would recommend this story for a family with kids to read it together, or a child of 8--12 to read on their own. Any younger and the gross stuff that happens might be a bit much for them, and any older the story might not be interesting enough.


What I liked about The Key of Kilenya:

The voice of the main character, Jacob, was a good fit. He gets irritated easily, and that's not something usually seen in protagonists.

A large variety of magic, characters, monsters, and ideas. Pearson has an extensive imagination, with some nuggets of interesting things that fill out the setting. The Minyas were fun to imagine.

The beginning of each chapter has a journal entry that is an attempt at some nice prose. It set the book apart from other stories I've read.


What I didn't like:

The main dilemma is resolved in an unsatisfying way. Jacob discovers something---I'm trying to avoid spoilers here---and uses it to save the group. This discovery happens way too late in my opinion and makes it seem out of place for the plot. It's too much of a convenience for the plot, and previous hints of it leave the reader confused rather than curious.

The voice of characters other than Jacob are not developed enough and seem out of place. They're in another world, but they all either speak colloquial teen English, or in inconsistent awkward ways. This makes it a constant mental effort to keep straight which character is which during scenes where more than three characters are present, as opposed to language that makes me forget that I even have to try because it is so entertaining.

There's no theme tying everything together. Each element of the story on its own has merits of interest, but any pair of them seem like a mismatched juxtaposition. Everything in the plot is totally random.

*******


In conclusion, I've read some pretty stupid ebooks, but at least The Key of Kilenya doesn't deserve insults due to wasting my time. You can tell Pearson cares about giving a good story---it's just clearly the first one she's written, so it might not be fair to critique attributes of an author that are developed over practice and time. There's apparently eight books in this series? That shows dedication. This is also evident in the acknowledgements at the end of the book. This is why I would give Pearson second and third chances with her other series.

[Candice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually like young fantasy, but I really didn't enjoy this book. The writing felt amateurish, though I guess that's not surprising from a first-time author who appears to be self-published. The plot is your stereotypical "chosen one goes on quest to retrieve magical item from villainous group," but I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the villains were thoroughly uninteresting. With the exception of the few who travel with Jacob, all the characters are lacking in personality and exist solely to provide exposition. The Makalos who explain the quest to Jacob are indistinguishable from each other and leave out way too much. And Jacob just accepts their teaser-answers as if they make perfect sense, and doesn't ask the obvious questions such as "WHY have you been watching me since my birth?"

On the flipside, characters who don't know Jacob is not from their world don't really question the fact that he clearly knows nothing about it. One man says he's surprised Jacob doesn't know, but otherwise doesn't show it. But hey, he's an exposition character, he doesn't need a personality, right?

Characters also have a frustrating tendency to not give information when it makes sense to do so, instead waiting for the crisis point to try and explain. Non-spoiler example: Let's send Jacob on a quest to steal a key from Lorkons, but wait until he's encountered one to actually tell him what a Lorkon is.

There were other things that I found either illogical or inconsistent (three Lorkons can tear apart an army but Jacob can knock one down with a candlestick?) that also made it difficult to get immersed in the story.

To the author's credit, some of the creatures were quite creative (though they often suffered from the illogical problem), and the obstacles were interesting, and the Minyas (essentially fairies) were fun. The chapter leads from the journal were a nice touch, and the writing did seem to improve a little in the second half. Andrea Pearson may have potential to be a decent author in the future, but I was unimpressed with this book, and I'm pretty sure I know what the unanswered "secrets" are so I'll rest pretty easy not knowing where the series goes from here.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I did use the word "fantastical" correctly. I know, because I looked it up. Not only am I referring to the fact that The Key of Kilenya is a fantastic read, but I'm also referring to the fantasy element. This applies to the "as if conceived by an unrestrained imagination" portion of the definition. (quoted from Dictionary.com)

As is always the case when I read a YA book, I started off not really thinking I was going to like it. The reason I always start this way is because the book is written for someone younger than me, so I have a harder time getting connected with the characters. However, if the author is good at what they do (writing) then they will draw me in regardless of the character's age. Andrea Pearson does just that.

I was so engrossed in Jacob's travel through a gateway to another world that I actually read this story in one sitting. As with all worlds there's a history here that ultimately leads to Jacob's arrival. The Key of Kilenya is a story that will have you asking questions all the way through it. What happened to the people from before? Where did they go? What powers does Jacob hold? How exactly does this key work? Who are "the humans" that come and stay in the tree from time to time? Is there a connection between the people from before and Jacob's family?

I grew frustrated towards the end of the story as I was made to remember that, while I would have a conclusion of sorts, this is the first book in a series. Therefore some of Jacob's story is still left to be told, not all of my questions got answered. Argh! However, I was very happy to note that book two is already available. Oh yeah, it was that good that I immediately searched for the next one in the series. And yes, I am buying it!

My recommendation is to go get yourself both books, The Key of Kilenya and The Ember Gods, and keep reading!

*Disclosure: I received this book for free in exchange for a review*

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

While outside with his brother and younger sister at night fourteen year old Jacob sees a hulking shadow in the forest and then suddenly Jacob and Matt hear their young sister screaming from the backyard. When they go to investigate they find wolves standing over her. As Matt, the older brother takes Amberly inside the wolves lunge for Jacob. As Jacob runs into the familiar forest he suddenly comes upon a part of it he's never seen. Is he still in the forest he knows or has Jacob stumbled into a whole other world?

This young adult novel is also well suited for adult reading... it takes the reader on an adventure of good versus evil and quite an adventure it is. From the first few pages, I didn't feel like I was reading the book I felt like I WAS a character in the book. And what interesting, engaging characters they are. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of Andrea's works.

Rating: 4 stars

And you dear readers have a chance to win your very own copy! The contest starts today and will end on January 24th- so you have two weeks to enter. The winners will be chose by random drawing. To enter, just leave your name and e-mail address in a comment on this post...or you can enter by visiting Andrea's sites:

Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrea...

Blog: http://andreapearsonbooks.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/andreapearson2
Join her Email List: http://andreapearsonbooks.com/contact...

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've just spent every spare moment in the last two days finishing this book. I'm not really sure what I think. I really, really liked the story, but there are so many questions that I had when I was finished reading. There is a second book so I'm going to assume the answers will be in that one. I hope they are.

Other than being left with questions, which most books should leave you with a few anyways, if they are a series, I really enjoyed reading this book and it jumped right into the action. You follow Jacob as he recovers the Key and meets many new friends and gets past the many obstacles along the way. With nothing really to help him but the people he meets and the journal from the past he was given to read, he sets out and discovers hidden powers as well as himself.

My favorite characters are Early and September, their personalities are great. The story is really great, and you definitely want to read more when you've finished. The world Andrea Pearson has created is amazing and a place that you just want to keep reading about. I'm looking forward to getting the second book and seeing if Jacob is able to rescue Aloren, I was sad to finish and not know what was going to be happening to her.

All around, this is a great little read, and if you are looking for something fun, I would definitely recommend it.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me less than two days to read this book. I started it in the morning and read all day, then into the night. It completely enthralled me, and this is even the second time I've read it, the first being online, a couple months ago.

From the first page, this book drew me into it and kept me in Eklaron with the main character, Jacob. The action just kept coming, sending new twists and challenges that had to be faced. If Jacob wasn't dealing with one thing, he was trying to escape from something else.

When explaining the book to my sister, I said it was a classic fantasy adventure; a seemingly normal boy with a fairly normal life gets pulled into some different place and goes on a quest that changes a lot of things. However, this is far more than that. The challenges that the main character, Jacob, faces are original. The creatures he has to live among and fight against are new, fresh, and creative compared to other similar novels I've read. There aren't orcs, vampires, or elves. Instead, there are Makalos, Molgs, and Eetus.

Beyond the plot and the creative new creatures, the characters themselves were lovable. Throughout the book, new characters were being introduced, and all of them had a distinct personality that made them memorable.

All in all, this book was one I was glad to add to my bookshelf, and I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series.

[Betsy Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you get when a 14 year old boy, whose only goal in life is to make the basketball team, is chased into the woods by two giant wolves? You get a fantasy story about a boy who encounters a realm with as many diverse characters as Harry Potter. Andrea Pearson does an amazing job of setting up the rules for her urban/epic fantasy, The Key of Kilenya. She creates a strong character in Jacob Clark.


Picture this: It's the day before tryouts, and Jacob is certain he will make the team. After being chased into the woods he discovers that he is no longer on earth, but has entered a new world full of creatures who want something from Jacob. The Lorkon want his magic, the Makalos are a race of people who want Jacob to get the key.


Jacob and his new friend, Akeno journey through many lands and exciting adventures. I could hardly wait to see what would happen next. Pearson does a great job of creating believable characters and gripping suspense.


Pearson left the story wide open for a series. There were many questions left unanswered. I can hardly wait to read the next book. Nice work Andrea! I highly recommend this book to teens and anyone who enjoys reading young adult fantasy. I can hardly wait to read the next book!

[Donna Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Jacob. He's minding his own business, practicing for what he hopes will be the start of a pathway leading to future basketball stardom and instead he ends up in an alien world with strange peoples and even stranger creatures. And no basketball!

But there is magic, and they tell him can learn to do it, too. Well, he'll need to if he hopes to survive during his quest to find the missing key. The key, he's told, only he can retrieve.

Something I particularly enjoyed was the heading at the beginning of each chapter as they were parts of a journal of someone who'd made a similar journey several years before. These little snippets from the past foretold things that Jacob and his company would also face as followed a similar path.

Not all story lines are tied up at the end, so Jacob's adventure isn't finished yet.

[Millie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Cousin wrote this book and I am reading it. My 10 year old is also reading it. It is quite good. I read it before the publishers got hold of it, and can't wait to read it again. For sale in E-book form on smashwords.com (only $0.99!)

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story, characters, and the direction of the book. But something is missing, I can't put my finger on it, but as much as I liked the book I wanted something more as I was reading it. It was a bit juvenile for my taste.... maybe that was it. Still a fun read.

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is clearly aimed at the middle school YA audience. I'd love to say that I bought it to test it out before giving it to my son, but as he's now a freshman in high school and (sadly) more interested in video games than books, that would be a fib. The truth is that I loved Andrea Pearson's Mosaic Chronicles series (highly recommended) and after gobbling them up I was looking for anything related from her to feed my addiction.

Having said all that, despite not being the appropriate age group (by several decades) I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it's perfectly appropriate for the middle school audience, but older folks of any age will also enjoy it (my 18 year old book-buddy daughter liked it as much as me).

If you like the Percy Jackson or Harry Potter stories (the standard for high praise in my opinion) then I'm sure you'll enjoy this. It's easy to recommend.

[Julian White · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a change from the previous (Mosaic) series - this is a YA(is) book: the protagonist is a new highschool boy who discovers abilities when he stumbles into a different world, herded by a pair of large wolves. With an amazingly sanguine family who do not blink an eye at his disappearing for several days (or even when he - Jacob - sends a message home via what can most easily (and inaccurately) be described as a fairy of the Tinkerbell variety...

Jake himself is of the leap first persuasion, at least some of the time... He appears from hints dropped to be a Hero/Saviour figure, long-foretold... Several more volumes to come!

[Ying_ko · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story of fantasy and adventure.

Imagine finding out that your life is a deep cover to protect you. Nothing is as it seems and a fight will start for the future of a world. Nicely plotted, well-defined characters, and great world building make the story worth reading.

[Marzena · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's perfectly appropriate for the middle school audience. This is creative, interesting story. A fun and enjoyable read.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written book and a good start to the series. Jacob achieved his goal, but with enough loose ends that he has to go back and solve them.

[Bill Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

See Box Set

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just another great about Jacob who lands in another world somehow. Only here he’s a wanted man. Kept me reading until the end.

[Elaine Chiu · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the beginning it was boring and almost lost hope, but that was when things started to turn around for the story and I started really enjoying it.

[Karen Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book. Couldn't put it down. So far I have read the first three. Can't wait to get the fourth one.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a kid's book, but it was still fun to read. There is some violence and bad actors but still appropriate for most 6th-12th graders I would think.

[Bobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantasy book about a young teen Jacob who's around fourteen years old. It is well written with an intriguing plot and complex characters. It's a thrilling adventure that i'm sure you will enjoy. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to the reading community.