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The Zarryiostrom Series #1
Powerborn
2500 Years ago, a race of immortal Powerborn known as the Lyx dominated the world, enslaving all of the lesser races and pushing the world itself to the breaking point. At the height of the Lyx’s power, Fate intervened and unleashed the most dangerous weapon in its arsenal: the force of nature known as the Harbinger.
Though its power is nearly limitless, the Harbinger is purely a weapon of last resort, and once it has been released it cannot be controlled--it can only be destroyed. Furthermore, there is only a single opportunity to stop it before it completes its destiny and destroys the world, and that opportunity is granted to only one being: the Champion.
In the Valley of Fire, the legendary battle in which the Lyx were consumed in the fires of the Harbinger, the Champion struck down his foe and saved the world from destruction, but not before it could set into motion a new cycle of destruction which will lead to the rise of the next Harbinger.
In the years since the fall of the Lyx, an empire built by Zarryiosiad, the Powerborn who successfully led humanity in a 400 year-long war against the Lyx, has splintered into warring countries. The island nation of Illymar, wealthiest of the countries and the one-time home of Zarryiosiad herself, has seen its fortunes decline and its position weaken to complacency and corruption within.
Ambitious and warlike Dakkadia wants to capitalize upon Illymar’s weakness to expand its territory and influence using their new weapons of war, but standing in their way are the Ferralin Empire, and the Mage Guard of Ithram, an army of Powerborn sworn to uphold peace on behalf of the Zarryiostrom, the church formed in the name of humanity’s greatest heroine.
And watching from the shadows is an ancient race of immortals who quietly shape events, working toward a purpose all their own as a threat more terrifying than the Lyx lies in wait.
POWERBORN is the first book of “The Zarryiostrom” an ambitious new series written and illustrated by fantasy artist Nene Tina Thomas, and her husband Steven C. Plagman.
Though its power is nearly limitless, the Harbinger is purely a weapon of last resort, and once it has been released it cannot be controlled--it can only be destroyed. Furthermore, there is only a single opportunity to stop it before it completes its destiny and destroys the world, and that opportunity is granted to only one being: the Champion.
In the Valley of Fire, the legendary battle in which the Lyx were consumed in the fires of the Harbinger, the Champion struck down his foe and saved the world from destruction, but not before it could set into motion a new cycle of destruction which will lead to the rise of the next Harbinger.
In the years since the fall of the Lyx, an empire built by Zarryiosiad, the Powerborn who successfully led humanity in a 400 year-long war against the Lyx, has splintered into warring countries. The island nation of Illymar, wealthiest of the countries and the one-time home of Zarryiosiad herself, has seen its fortunes decline and its position weaken to complacency and corruption within.
Ambitious and warlike Dakkadia wants to capitalize upon Illymar’s weakness to expand its territory and influence using their new weapons of war, but standing in their way are the Ferralin Empire, and the Mage Guard of Ithram, an army of Powerborn sworn to uphold peace on behalf of the Zarryiostrom, the church formed in the name of humanity’s greatest heroine.
And watching from the shadows is an ancient race of immortals who quietly shape events, working toward a purpose all their own as a threat more terrifying than the Lyx lies in wait.
POWERBORN is the first book of “The Zarryiostrom” an ambitious new series written and illustrated by fantasy artist Nene Tina Thomas, and her husband Steven C. Plagman.
504 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
24 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Nene Thomas
15 books39 followersNene hase been drawing and painting for most of her life. She began her professional career in 1994 when she was approached by a company called Wizards of the Coast to contribute work to the popular Collectible Card Game called “Magic: the Gathering.”
She worked with WotC for a few years, as well as several other CCG companies, but eventually grew tired of working for other people and decided to try doing her own thing. In particular, she wanted to paint the characters from a story that she'd been working on since high school, and felt she needed to hone her skills to be able to truly ‘capture’ them.
It is called “The Zarryiostrom”, and will be a multi-part fantasy novel featuring many of the characters that Nene has painted over the years. Last year her husband started writing the first novel, and she started painting images to go with it. The first book, is entitled Powerborn
She worked with WotC for a few years, as well as several other CCG companies, but eventually grew tired of working for other people and decided to try doing her own thing. In particular, she wanted to paint the characters from a story that she'd been working on since high school, and felt she needed to hone her skills to be able to truly ‘capture’ them.
It is called “The Zarryiostrom”, and will be a multi-part fantasy novel featuring many of the characters that Nene has painted over the years. Last year her husband started writing the first novel, and she started painting images to go with it. The first book, is entitled Powerborn
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 3, 2017
This book starts out incredibly slowly. It took me weeks just to get through the first fifty pages. But once it got going, which for me was about the time Lady Prudence Daemira (an absolute badass lady pirate/privateer) was introduced, I really enjoyed it!
Pretty much all of my high fantasy catnip is here: dragons, magic, different humanoid races, dramatic historical battles, and boatloads of political intrigue. There's mystery, humor, and a bit of romance to even out the drama. This is the first in a series, so of course it's setting up the world and gradually putting all the pieces in place for the Grand Conflict.
A bare bones plot summary doesn't make it sound all that interesting, because essentially all that's going on is various factions jockeying for power, but I had a lot of fun reading it. There are three countries poised in a very precarious sort of "peace" when the book begins: Ferralin, which feels a bit like a fantastical version of ancient China; Illymar, an island nation that is by far the wealthiest but has grown fat and lazy with corruption; and Dakkadia, which has been stirring the pot by conquering its neighbors at an alarming rate. Between all of them lies Ithram, a nation of mages that holds itself above politics and claims neutrality, and the Zarryiostrom, a church established thousands of years ago. The leaders of all these nations are meeting in an uneasy alliance for the Convocation, a sort of religious celebration presided over by the Zarryiostrom. Naturally, the peace is strained at best and we get to see how the powder keg eventually erupts.
The strength of this book is its characters - they are fantastic! The variety is just awesome, with no two characters alike and none strictly 'good' or 'evil'. Just when I started to think that someone was an irredeemable asshole, we would get a section from his or her point of view and I found myself understanding or even sympathizing with him/her. There are kings and queens, mages and priests, warriors and scholars, short-lived humans and nearly immortal elves and fae. The cast of characters is truly huge, but I never had a problem telling them apart because they are so nicely developed. I also loved the fact that there are just as many female characters as male, and they are every bit as complex.
The downside for me was the writing style. It felt awkward and uneven, too dry and removed in some places, and too over the top in others. It's pretty easy to see that the authors were still trying to find the right 'voice'. There were also a good bit of typos in the ebook version that I read. By the end, though, the writing felt much tighter and I was pulled out of the story by awkward or cheesy dialogue a lot less. Overall, I loved the vibrant characters and world enough to make up for the rough writing.
If you're patient enough to wait for things to get moving, can follow a large cast of wonderfully different characters, and aren't scared off by long and complicated exotic names (in short, if you like high fantasy - and yes, there's a helpful glossary in the back), then give this novel a try. I'm definitely continuing to the next book, I can't wait to see the fallout from what happened in this one!
Side note - the character portraits by Nene Thomas are absolutely gorgeous! If you haven't seen her work yet, look her up and prepare to be amazed. I have been a fan of her art for years. :)
Pretty much all of my high fantasy catnip is here: dragons, magic, different humanoid races, dramatic historical battles, and boatloads of political intrigue. There's mystery, humor, and a bit of romance to even out the drama. This is the first in a series, so of course it's setting up the world and gradually putting all the pieces in place for the Grand Conflict.
A bare bones plot summary doesn't make it sound all that interesting, because essentially all that's going on is various factions jockeying for power, but I had a lot of fun reading it. There are three countries poised in a very precarious sort of "peace" when the book begins: Ferralin, which feels a bit like a fantastical version of ancient China; Illymar, an island nation that is by far the wealthiest but has grown fat and lazy with corruption; and Dakkadia, which has been stirring the pot by conquering its neighbors at an alarming rate. Between all of them lies Ithram, a nation of mages that holds itself above politics and claims neutrality, and the Zarryiostrom, a church established thousands of years ago. The leaders of all these nations are meeting in an uneasy alliance for the Convocation, a sort of religious celebration presided over by the Zarryiostrom. Naturally, the peace is strained at best and we get to see how the powder keg eventually erupts.
The strength of this book is its characters - they are fantastic! The variety is just awesome, with no two characters alike and none strictly 'good' or 'evil'. Just when I started to think that someone was an irredeemable asshole, we would get a section from his or her point of view and I found myself understanding or even sympathizing with him/her. There are kings and queens, mages and priests, warriors and scholars, short-lived humans and nearly immortal elves and fae. The cast of characters is truly huge, but I never had a problem telling them apart because they are so nicely developed. I also loved the fact that there are just as many female characters as male, and they are every bit as complex.
The downside for me was the writing style. It felt awkward and uneven, too dry and removed in some places, and too over the top in others. It's pretty easy to see that the authors were still trying to find the right 'voice'. There were also a good bit of typos in the ebook version that I read. By the end, though, the writing felt much tighter and I was pulled out of the story by awkward or cheesy dialogue a lot less. Overall, I loved the vibrant characters and world enough to make up for the rough writing.
If you're patient enough to wait for things to get moving, can follow a large cast of wonderfully different characters, and aren't scared off by long and complicated exotic names (in short, if you like high fantasy - and yes, there's a helpful glossary in the back), then give this novel a try. I'm definitely continuing to the next book, I can't wait to see the fallout from what happened in this one!
Side note - the character portraits by Nene Thomas are absolutely gorgeous! If you haven't seen her work yet, look her up and prepare to be amazed. I have been a fan of her art for years. :)
August 5, 2012
I absolutely LOVE this book. Ok I have to admit something, I have been following the development of this book very closely. Nene Thomas is one of my all time favorite artists and thanks to my slightly stalker like behaviors I have the honor of counting Nene and Steven as friends. That being said I still frackin love this book.
I really am impressed with the quality and beauty of this first book from Nene and Steven. When I got it in the mail I spent days sticking it under the nose of every person that came in the house, thankfully my friends are used to my excitement about books but even they were impressed. And they didn’t even read the book, Yet!.
Powerborn is filled with fantastic characters that though they start out well developed you still get to watch as their lives progress and their personalities change according to the situations they are in. The scenes are well written with great flow and vivid descriptions of the environment.
One of the neatest parts of the book (To me at least) is the 20 full color illustrations that Nene created for the book. I love being able to read about the characters then flip back to see what they look like. It gives the story an added dimension in my opinion, and it is something you don’t see very often.
My favorite character in Powerborn is definitely Countess Thorn Demestira. She is truly a woman after my own heart in so many ways. I think Thorn adds just a hint of spice and fire to this story. Her skills are fantastic and her attitude is one I love to see. Strong – Intelligent – Independent and loyal to those she considers family to almost a fault. Not to mention the fact that she is painfully… persistent.
IF you are a fan of great fantasy stories filled with political intrigue, great characters and interesting drama then Powerborn is one book “You Gotta Read”.
I really am impressed with the quality and beauty of this first book from Nene and Steven. When I got it in the mail I spent days sticking it under the nose of every person that came in the house, thankfully my friends are used to my excitement about books but even they were impressed. And they didn’t even read the book, Yet!.
Powerborn is filled with fantastic characters that though they start out well developed you still get to watch as their lives progress and their personalities change according to the situations they are in. The scenes are well written with great flow and vivid descriptions of the environment.
One of the neatest parts of the book (To me at least) is the 20 full color illustrations that Nene created for the book. I love being able to read about the characters then flip back to see what they look like. It gives the story an added dimension in my opinion, and it is something you don’t see very often.
My favorite character in Powerborn is definitely Countess Thorn Demestira. She is truly a woman after my own heart in so many ways. I think Thorn adds just a hint of spice and fire to this story. Her skills are fantastic and her attitude is one I love to see. Strong – Intelligent – Independent and loyal to those she considers family to almost a fault. Not to mention the fact that she is painfully… persistent.
IF you are a fan of great fantasy stories filled with political intrigue, great characters and interesting drama then Powerborn is one book “You Gotta Read”.
October 15, 2011
Wow! What a fantastic beginning to a great new series. Powerborn is the first book in the Zarryiostrom series by Nene Thomas and Steven Plagman.
I absolutely loved this book! The characters are endearing and well developed, and the scenes are vividly described and seem to leap off the page. The story flows well and keeps the readers attention throughout.
Warning: Powerborn is such a good read that you may find yourself looking at the clock at 3 am and having to make yourself go to bed.
My favorite character from Powerborn has to be Pirncess Deirdre of Dakkadia. Although her father the king is quite a warmonger, she is an adorable imp of a child who observes more than the adults around her realize. She also has the voice of an angel and a tenacity that is truly delightful.
One of the things I truly love about this book (Well I love everything about it but..) is the group of 20 full color illustrations depicting characters in the book. There is something I find so much fun about reading about a character as they come into the story and being able to look at their actual portrait. It is just that much more of a boost to my already overactive imagination.
Bravo Steve and Nene. I am waiting anxiously for the next installment of the Zarryostrom. (Crap yet another series I am now addicted to!)
http://hampton-networks.com/book-revi...
I absolutely loved this book! The characters are endearing and well developed, and the scenes are vividly described and seem to leap off the page. The story flows well and keeps the readers attention throughout.
Warning: Powerborn is such a good read that you may find yourself looking at the clock at 3 am and having to make yourself go to bed.
My favorite character from Powerborn has to be Pirncess Deirdre of Dakkadia. Although her father the king is quite a warmonger, she is an adorable imp of a child who observes more than the adults around her realize. She also has the voice of an angel and a tenacity that is truly delightful.
One of the things I truly love about this book (Well I love everything about it but..) is the group of 20 full color illustrations depicting characters in the book. There is something I find so much fun about reading about a character as they come into the story and being able to look at their actual portrait. It is just that much more of a boost to my already overactive imagination.
Bravo Steve and Nene. I am waiting anxiously for the next installment of the Zarryostrom. (Crap yet another series I am now addicted to!)
http://hampton-networks.com/book-revi...
October 30, 2012
I had a proper love/hate relationship with this book. I've followed Nene Thomas' visual work for a long time and absolutely love being able to connect characters in her paintings with talking people on the page — the sheer variety of characters is impressive, and it's very hard to pick who is a 'villain' and who a 'hero' because everyone has their good moments and bad moments (to my own surprise, I found myself loving Morvandis and Enaria very much).
On the other hand, the writing style is quite cliched and I did find myself itching for a red pen to remove particularly bad sections of description or dialogue. The physical size of the book means you do have to trawl through a lot of this, and I'm torn as to whether I want to read the next one or not, simply because I don't know how much more of the flat, overly detailed and really quite painful prose I can take.
Having said that, the story itself is excellent and complicated and puzzling and it's very hard not to want to know what happens next. And, as I said, the characters are compelling and I'm already very attached to many of them!
Oh, the deliberation...
On the other hand, the writing style is quite cliched and I did find myself itching for a red pen to remove particularly bad sections of description or dialogue. The physical size of the book means you do have to trawl through a lot of this, and I'm torn as to whether I want to read the next one or not, simply because I don't know how much more of the flat, overly detailed and really quite painful prose I can take.
Having said that, the story itself is excellent and complicated and puzzling and it's very hard not to want to know what happens next. And, as I said, the characters are compelling and I'm already very attached to many of them!
Oh, the deliberation...
August 17, 2012
This book was AMAZING! I couldn't put it down at all. Took me a month to read it, but the story is great, full of adventure, passion, love, action, and drama. The illustrations are breathtaking and to die for! The beauty of the characters are certainly captured in the illustrations. It is very easy to imagine each scene you read throughout the book. I cannot wait to read Usuper and see what happens next. I have read Powerborn twice so I could keep my mind fresh lol.
Awesome job by Steve and Nene!
Awesome job by Steve and Nene!
February 8, 2021
While this book definitely needed an additional editor to trim a lot of the fat and tighten the dialogue, this was an enjoyable read! The majority of the characters are interesting in unique ways and I am glad I finally picked this book up. I'm excited to move on to book 2. 💛
As for more specifics - Madari was the most interesting until he [redacted.] Morvandis, Thorn, & Enaria are fascinating. Valeriad is cool in spite of his insta love with pick-me Lyrahe. I'm sorry but I don't give a fuck about Prudence, & Phaedron has promise so I hope he gets more interesting. Lyrahe is an absolute ninny, & Deirdre is annoying. I know this all sounds negative BUT their sections are still interesting and I'm invested in the story, except for freaking Pru-dense. I just have to vent a little. 😅
As for more specifics - Madari was the most interesting until he [redacted.] Morvandis, Thorn, & Enaria are fascinating. Valeriad is cool in spite of his insta love with pick-me Lyrahe. I'm sorry but I don't give a fuck about Prudence, & Phaedron has promise so I hope he gets more interesting. Lyrahe is an absolute ninny, & Deirdre is annoying. I know this all sounds negative BUT their sections are still interesting and I'm invested in the story, except for freaking Pru-dense. I just have to vent a little. 😅
July 3, 2020
Slow and methodical, the first book takes its time to set up intense world building. It is not an intense instance of sucking you in but rather slowly building up brick by brick a world around you until you realize you desire to read more. Very good for anyone who likes rich world building and a solid setup of a series. Only rated four stars because it’s intricacies also occasionally impede enjoyment by requiring patience and a slow plod through the web of enmeshed characters.
May 21, 2020
the artwork is beautiful, as expected
February 13, 2025
Plagman has crafted an exquisite masterpiece. Thomas' artwork is STUNNING. I was immediately immersed into the drama. Twists and turns kept me turning the pages. This novel is hard to put down. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.
Recommend to readers who enjoy epic fantasy.
I borrowed a copy from a friend. I have expressed my honest view.
Recommend to readers who enjoy epic fantasy.
I borrowed a copy from a friend. I have expressed my honest view.
October 22, 2012
I'll give it a 2.5. The story is complex and provides a delicious new world. The characters are well thought out and the magic is the standard element-based system and works well within the world, though it is not featured in a prominent way. Many of the scenes are either gut-gripping or intellectually/emotionally fascinating, allowing the story to progress while still allowing characters to introduce themselves and develop. This story has a truly excellent foundation and could easily have been the new ultimate epic fantasy ... if not for it's crippling short-comings.
There were multiple minor handicaps which combined to undermine the overall work. Character names were over-the -top in many cases and some of the pronunciations provided in the appendix made no sense with the spellings. All of the women and almost all of the men are drop-dead gorgeous, which isn't necessarily a story flaw, but it makes the cast fairly static and unoriginal. The PoV was passed around to too many different characters, inhibiting the flow of the story ...... The greatest issue is the quality of the writing. I know that this was really a labor of love and that Nene's husband worked hard to bring his wife's world to life. I greatly admire what they accomplished and that they did it at all, but the unprofessional grade of the writing is a serious detriment. The continuous use of tired cliches and key phrases, the poorly-executed attempt to match the type of descriptiveness Robert Jordan is famous for, and the generally unsophisticated style made it almost painful to read.
I hate to give such an unpleasant review, but I will say again that the story itself is very good and the world is a delight to explore.
There were multiple minor handicaps which combined to undermine the overall work. Character names were over-the -top in many cases and some of the pronunciations provided in the appendix made no sense with the spellings. All of the women and almost all of the men are drop-dead gorgeous, which isn't necessarily a story flaw, but it makes the cast fairly static and unoriginal. The PoV was passed around to too many different characters, inhibiting the flow of the story ...... The greatest issue is the quality of the writing. I know that this was really a labor of love and that Nene's husband worked hard to bring his wife's world to life. I greatly admire what they accomplished and that they did it at all, but the unprofessional grade of the writing is a serious detriment. The continuous use of tired cliches and key phrases, the poorly-executed attempt to match the type of descriptiveness Robert Jordan is famous for, and the generally unsophisticated style made it almost painful to read.
I hate to give such an unpleasant review, but I will say again that the story itself is very good and the world is a delight to explore.
October 18, 2011
Disclaimer:
At Gen Con this past year, I got to meet Nene Thomas and Steven Plagman and bought a signed copy of this book. I've been a fan of Nene Thomas for a while now. So, my judgement may be a touch clouded because of this.
This is a political intrigue/romantic-ish novel wrapped in a fantasy setting. It works. The book starts off very slow while introducing a plethora of characters and relationships (both between characters and kingdoms). The early chapters were hard to get through due to the overbearing political aspect, but after the chapter three or four I couldn't put it down.
It does get better though. I am quite pleased with story a whole and am looking forward to the next book. Because of the book's subject matter, it needs to have great character development and it does. I found myself caring about individuals pretty early on.
Something I think could have been improved is the humor. It definitely did not work this time around... it felt forced almost every time. The humorous parts that could have lasted a couple of sentences were drawn out in a skit-like fashion for sometimes two to three paragraphs. They very easily pulled me out of the story and I had to work to get my mind back into it.
There were also several spelling and grammar problems. The editing should have been quite a bit tighter.
At Gen Con this past year, I got to meet Nene Thomas and Steven Plagman and bought a signed copy of this book. I've been a fan of Nene Thomas for a while now. So, my judgement may be a touch clouded because of this.
This is a political intrigue/romantic-ish novel wrapped in a fantasy setting. It works. The book starts off very slow while introducing a plethora of characters and relationships (both between characters and kingdoms). The early chapters were hard to get through due to the overbearing political aspect, but after the chapter three or four I couldn't put it down.
It does get better though. I am quite pleased with story a whole and am looking forward to the next book. Because of the book's subject matter, it needs to have great character development and it does. I found myself caring about individuals pretty early on.
Something I think could have been improved is the humor. It definitely did not work this time around... it felt forced almost every time. The humorous parts that could have lasted a couple of sentences were drawn out in a skit-like fashion for sometimes two to three paragraphs. They very easily pulled me out of the story and I had to work to get my mind back into it.
There were also several spelling and grammar problems. The editing should have been quite a bit tighter.
February 21, 2015
Once I got past the first thirty pages (which took me months to wade through), I read the other 510 pages in a day. The illustrations within the book added a bit of flare to it. It's neat to learn the history of some of my favorite characters! I'm ready to read the next book! Once I was introduced to the main characters and their political intrigue and mastery of their elemental powers I was drawn in. Though I don't care for the second daughter of the island nation -- she's pretty, but empty headed and silly. She reminds me of Jane Austin Jane, the older sister in Pride and Prejudice. She's not nearly as interesting as her older and younger sisters and yet the hottest guy in the book is in love with her? It lessens my opinion of him. Though, the musical connection between Lain and Dierdre was beautiful and I believe they became my favorite couple to root for!
The Queen of Shadows is AWESOME!
The Queen of Shadows is AWESOME!
August 25, 2012
Really fantastic book, I found it original and extroadinary in it's genre. Really loved it and loved how it got better the more I read of it. So many stories all spiralling into a naughty and classic masterpiece ;P, if I may say so ;P There is the preliminary history about the book in the first few chapters, which is absolutely necessary to the whole of the book and makes everything fit tight to the story. Then the book gets even better in the coming chapters to a very exciting end and makes me want the next book straight away! I loved it, it is very intriguing. If you love fantasy and magic, pirates, fairies, mages, kings and queens, and surprises, you'll get a kick out of this book. So well written. Loved it and I'm a fussy reader. I am so looking forward to the next book. Definitely worth reading and getting inspired by these other worlds ;)
May 21, 2015
Fans of Game of Thrones will love this exciting and fantastical series by Nene Thomas. While I admit I was a little skeptical at how the quality would be, after all how can one be both and artist and an author, I quickly found this was one of the most intriguing and well-done books I've ever read. The characters are complex, perfectly set for development, and the plot is well-woven creation of conflict, hope, angst, and political intrigue. There is a lot of romance without focusing to heavily on it, and every thing that happens does so for a reason with its own motives and consequences. Easily one of my favorite books, and I can't wait to order and read the next one in the series.
May 7, 2015
Absolutely loved this book. Powerborn is the first installment of the Zarryiostrom novels, introducing readers to the world of dragon witches, powerborns, the fae, and the realms of three different yet intriguing kingdoms. All the while between the bickering and plots to conquer one another's territories, an old yet historic event is doomed to repeat again. Cannot wait to read the next one as well as to continue seeing the beautiful artwork!
July 31, 2017
ReadHarder 2017 Challenge #12: Read a fantasy novel, and January 2017 Literati Book Club Choice. Slow start, but I did really start to enjoy the book, and get invested with the characters after the first fourth of the novel. One thing though, did every character have to be beautiful and have long hair? Will probably check out the next in the series.
September 8, 2020
Amazing and Top Notch storytelling
The entire book is interesting and the romances and relationships are entertaining while not being too cringy. Excellent humor abound and unique concepts. A new favorite.
The entire book is interesting and the romances and relationships are entertaining while not being too cringy. Excellent humor abound and unique concepts. A new favorite.
May 7, 2013
Nicely complex world, great to put names and personalities with all the lovely paintings. Even if they are ridiculously complicated names. They grow on you though!
August 25, 2015
A very interesting read, it seem a little short but maybe that was because I was reading it on my nook and I don't have pages. But I can't wait for book two.
December 10, 2013
Game of thrones with Elves and more than one type of mage, it was fantastic.
November 7, 2014
I LOVED it! Yes it had a few first novel problems...but it was compelling and captivating and I read book 2 & 3 right after.
Anticipating the next installment in the series.
Anticipating the next installment in the series.
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November 29, 2016An interesting classic fantasy story. Love Thomas' illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews