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Terra Incognita #1
The Abyss
Benjamin was an unremarkable teenager, a nobody with few meaningful ties in his life. Keeping to himself, he found a life of vicarious adventure in his books. This worked out well until he found a different type of book; one filled with stories of demons and dark magic. Before he knew it, this powerful tome had pulled him into another world. It isn’t long before Ben was thrust on a quest for a set of magical items that would help him get home. Journey by his side on this whirlwind trip as he travels to Eden and Atlantis; scraping and scrounging to survive long enough to save this unfamiliar world from an awakening evil that’s older than the stars themselves.
137 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 29, 2012
Definitely for the YA market -- and mostly the male one at that -- and that's good. Those guys read. We meet our leading character, an earnest teen named Ben who returns from being away at school to find himself completely alone in a huge house during the holidays, his parents apparently off doing something far more important with their new found wealth than welcoming home their only son. Boredom and frustration get the best of him and after an ill-fated plunge through a rotten stairwell, the boy finds himself in possession of a book -- an evil book that someone has taken great pains to secret away forever -- a book that promises to bring destruction upon any and all who dare to open it. Naturally, curiosity and skepticism lead to Ben doing the unthinkable, which is to open the book. A dark and terrifying adventure ensues, with one unintended consequence after another that Ben finds himself in some way responsible for -- responsible and guilty and and without a means of making it right -- each trial eats away at a little bit more of the goodness that makes Ben who he is. This book is the first in what is meant to be a collection. The first one ends quite abruptly with no warning and with no apparent resolution in sight for Ben. As a reader, we are left with our own kind of Abyss, which is frustrating, but might be intentional on the part of the writer. Definitely for the youth market, this book is sure to spark some imaginations.
April 17, 2013
Great fantasy
May 8, 2020
This was not my cup of tea. I really tried to power through it but couldn't. I DNF'd the book at 70%.
The story started off fine but then took a left hook into kooky land. It just seemed very disjointed and took me beyond the realm of suspension of disbelief.
It really felt like this was a series of nightmares that the author had and wrote down to remember and then smashed them together to form a book.
The story started off fine but then took a left hook into kooky land. It just seemed very disjointed and took me beyond the realm of suspension of disbelief.
It really felt like this was a series of nightmares that the author had and wrote down to remember and then smashed them together to form a book.
September 4, 2013
Interesting ideas and there's some neat metaphors/similes here that I haven't seen a thousand times. I enjoyed how several mythologies crept into the story.
The biggest obstacle for me was the narrative, written third person limited. It slows down the pace with unnecessary words. I wish the story was written in first person narrative because so many aspects of the book reminded me of a video game and first person narrative could have played up that aspect of the book and made the story-telling truly unique.
Also, I wish the book had page numbers because it's hard to keep place in a book without numbers.
The biggest obstacle for me was the narrative, written third person limited. It slows down the pace with unnecessary words. I wish the story was written in first person narrative because so many aspects of the book reminded me of a video game and first person narrative could have played up that aspect of the book and made the story-telling truly unique.
Also, I wish the book had page numbers because it's hard to keep place in a book without numbers.
June 2, 2013
Not a terrible book for an author just starting out. The fantasy aspect was actually not bad...I just found the book to be a bit disjointed, and I didn't feel like it flowed as well as it could have. It is also difficult to get past the first 10-15% of the book. I felt like it started slowly and got better as more fantasy aspects were added to the book-and there are all kinds of creatures...referrals to a phoenix, wyverns, a Sphinx...a lot of imagination. With some professional editing and polish, the book has good potential.
December 7, 2012
Interesting read, has a bit of everything in it. very unique. Might have to get book 2.
February 4, 2015
Could not pull me in
It was slow and very stilted dialogue. I didn't connect with the main characters or like them very much. The story line did not feel very fleshed out.
It was slow and very stilted dialogue. I didn't connect with the main characters or like them very much. The story line did not feel very fleshed out.
August 8, 2012
It started out good. I liked the premise and all, but it went downhill all the way to the end.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews