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Red Leaves and the Living Token
Doctors tell Raj that his son Emret won't survive his illness. As Raj struggles to prepare himself and Emret for the inevitable, he's confronted by Moslin, his son's nurse, who’s been filling Emret’s head with fairytales about heroic quests and powerful disease curing miracles. Emret now thinks that all he has to do is find the mythical Red Tree from the nurse's stories, and he'll live.
In an attempt to protect his son from further emotional damage, Raj asks Moslin to stay away from Emret. He returns hours later to find them both missing.
He searches the fairytales for clues to where they may have gone and stumbles upon stories that, strangely, he already knows. He saw them in a vision just before his son disappeared.
In an attempt to protect his son from further emotional damage, Raj asks Moslin to stay away from Emret. He returns hours later to find them both missing.
He searches the fairytales for clues to where they may have gone and stumbles upon stories that, strangely, he already knows. He saw them in a vision just before his son disappeared.
- GenresFantasyMiddle Grade
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2012
3 people are currently reading
481 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin David Burrell
4 books14 followersBenjamin Burrell graduated from film school a little over a decade ago and has been writing scripts ever since. He produced and directed of few of his stories into short films and won a handful of awards in film festivals across the country.
"Red Leaves and the Living Token" is his debut Novel.
He currently lives in South Jordan, Utah, with his beautiful wife and three perfectly behaved children.
"Red Leaves and the Living Token" is his debut Novel.
He currently lives in South Jordan, Utah, with his beautiful wife and three perfectly behaved children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 29, 2012
There is a lot of originality in this dark tale. Burrell writes very well, and with a great deal of invention. I can only find any significant fault any in the concentration demanded of the reader. A little more description of each character on first appearance, or an index of characters profiles and key locations, would have helped me. My poor memory, alongside my tendency to skim read, are certainly much of my problem and so I really don't wish to labour the point.
This nice mix of quirky new and well-worn fantasy elements gives plenty of scope to build for ourselves onto the scenery of Burrell’s adventure. In my mind, the story emerged as a sort of future-time "scripture" story written in contemporary style. Indeed we have distant absent “gods” or, even if not, certainly their disciples. The "Reds", or rather their legends, are clear reflections of higher power. There are big evil spirits, we never quite know, casting "devil" shadows over the remaining influences of the arborescent Reds. Might the evil be human?
Much of the story suggests that we are reading an epic from a dystopian age, a time of decay from former more civilised times. Some of this strange world’s locations seem almost medieval in design, evocative of a new dark age. The token, the sought object of the quest, is in my mind a mystical artefact left over from a more advanced past. I guess a sequel will answer more questions. I will be disappointed if it isn’t soon forthcoming.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the almost complete absence of humans. We are replaced by three completely different and equally as intelligent species, none of which has any lasting dominion. At first I had the School Master and Lord Valance as human, but once I had read the book I concluded that they were Zo. There are other shadowy entities that just might be human, but we are left guessing. The only definitely familiar creatures seemed to be bears and horses. The horse sometimes with carriage or cart, is the familiar form of transport. We are in civilisations existing without electrical power generation, well at least within the confines of the story as we are so far guided.
As I’ve said, I’m eager for the sequel. Having taken the time to learn the ropes in this strange imagined place I am reluctant to let my new knowledge go. I am particularly fond of one in particular of Burrell’s species of intelligent beings, the Petra. These creatures look like solid blocks of stone. I imagine them as hearty creatures with silicate exoskeletons.
There are several principle characters, and many important secondary figures. This is a multi-layered, multi-dimensional story. Arguably the pivotal personality, the one that is painted in the greatest detail, is a crippled boy who is on a quest in his wheelchair to find the magical “elixir” of health. It is around him that the various threads of the adventure knot together.
I can recommend this book to those that like reading epic fantasy, and are looking for something with a real touch of creativity. This is inventive, even speculative material that those with wider interests in science fiction, fairy-tales or existential thought will also all enjoy.
I can recommend this book to those that like reading epic fantasy, and are looking for something with a real touch of originality. The quest, the journey certainly has plenty of familiar elements, built into a unique, restless landscape.
This nice mix of quirky new and well-worn fantasy elements gives plenty of scope to build for ourselves onto the scenery of Burrell’s adventure. In my mind, the story emerged as a sort of future-time "scripture" story written in contemporary style. Indeed we have distant absent “gods” or, even if not, certainly their disciples. The "Reds", or rather their legends, are clear reflections of higher power. There are big evil spirits, we never quite know, casting "devil" shadows over the remaining influences of the arborescent Reds. Might the evil be human?
Much of the story suggests that we are reading an epic from a dystopian age, a time of decay from former more civilised times. Some of this strange world’s locations seem almost medieval in design, evocative of a new dark age. The token, the sought object of the quest, is in my mind a mystical artefact left over from a more advanced past. I guess a sequel will answer more questions. I will be disappointed if it isn’t soon forthcoming.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the almost complete absence of humans. We are replaced by three completely different and equally as intelligent species, none of which has any lasting dominion. At first I had the School Master and Lord Valance as human, but once I had read the book I concluded that they were Zo. There are other shadowy entities that just might be human, but we are left guessing. The only definitely familiar creatures seemed to be bears and horses. The horse sometimes with carriage or cart, is the familiar form of transport. We are in civilisations existing without electrical power generation, well at least within the confines of the story as we are so far guided.
As I’ve said, I’m eager for the sequel. Having taken the time to learn the ropes in this strange imagined place I am reluctant to let my new knowledge go. I am particularly fond of one in particular of Burrell’s species of intelligent beings, the Petra. These creatures look like solid blocks of stone. I imagine them as hearty creatures with silicate exoskeletons.
There are several principle characters, and many important secondary figures. This is a multi-layered, multi-dimensional story. Arguably the pivotal personality, the one that is painted in the greatest detail, is a crippled boy who is on a quest in his wheelchair to find the magical “elixir” of health. It is around him that the various threads of the adventure knot together.
I can recommend this book to those that like reading epic fantasy, and are looking for something with a real touch of creativity. This is inventive, even speculative material that those with wider interests in science fiction, fairy-tales or existential thought will also all enjoy.
I can recommend this book to those that like reading epic fantasy, and are looking for something with a real touch of originality. The quest, the journey certainly has plenty of familiar elements, built into a unique, restless landscape.
March 20, 2012
This is a delightfully honest and refreshing tale of a determined and bright boy, "Emret", who wants nothing more than to live and experience life as he ought. I was charmed, entranced by his exploits to find a cure for himself. And I really enjoyed the adventures of his desperate father, Raj, the lessons he was inevitably taught on his journey to find his son. This story has excellent humor, brilliant suspense and wonderful characters that grip the reader and beg that each page be read.
I read this book right after reading The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins and I was amazed at the clever way the author, Ben Burrell, hooked me into the story. And the action/adventure that follows was as engrossing as The Hunger Games saga. I (the reader) felt compelled by the (honest) emotions of the characters and their stories. I could hardly set the book down and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!
This is a fantastic book for young teenagers struggling with their own sense of themselves and the world about them. It shows the world in a different light and tells a universal story of the desire for acceptance, the desire for life. It is absolutely an amazing read!
I read this book right after reading The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins and I was amazed at the clever way the author, Ben Burrell, hooked me into the story. And the action/adventure that follows was as engrossing as The Hunger Games saga. I (the reader) felt compelled by the (honest) emotions of the characters and their stories. I could hardly set the book down and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!
This is a fantastic book for young teenagers struggling with their own sense of themselves and the world about them. It shows the world in a different light and tells a universal story of the desire for acceptance, the desire for life. It is absolutely an amazing read!
November 18, 2012
This same review is also available in the following link:---------->>
http://bookunderthesun.blogspot.sg/20...
-------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This is a book review based on a free copy from the author. Many thanks go to the author for this generosity.
Although the beginning was quite uneventful, the story's introduction of all new races made this an original work by itself.
One-liner intro: An epic in the making, with all new races and a heart racing momentum pushing past the pages.
Best part: A cliffhanger at the end which draw me to wait for the sequel; a twist in which the main protagonist was not the hero, but the protector to the hero; a good build of momentum which held me glued to the pages; an epic quest facing mythical forces.
Not-so-best part: Races were not dressed with more detail; races were too alien with very little human reference.
The Living Token
Raj was devastated when the doctors, after months long treatment and observation of his son, Emret, told him to brace for the worst. His son was plagued by a mysterious illness which will kill him, and after a series of misfortunes in his life, he just wasn't ready to accept this latest disastrous news.
To make matter worse, Moslin, Emret's nurse who took care of his son dutifully and with all the love she could muster, spent time reading to her patient heroic stories and fantastic miracles from a fairy tale despite Raj's opposition. He was worried that Emret would harbor false hope after listening to those fantasies and be devastated when he learned that these were no more than just stories.
He did not dislike Moslin, and was even grateful that she was willing to do more than her duty towards the dying Emret despite them being from different races. But when his son believed so strongly that the mythical Red Tree could cure him and was willing to seek it out, Raj's anxiety overcame his gratitude. Moslin was dismissed but he returned to only see that both the nurse and the patient were gone.
Raj had lost a lot in his life, and he wasn't going to lose his son's final moments. Along with his reluctant Petra butler, Rinacht, they embarked upon a blind journey which none of them prepared much for. Raj was little aware of the grand scheme of things unraveling around him, including a mysterious Lord Valance's interest in his journey, but he was only determined towards one goal: to get his son back.
And his only help lied in the mysterious little white emblem he found on the night he prayed for a miracle and help for his son to be cured.
The Lord of the Reds
I am fond of comparing new works against popular literature, so that it will be obvious what's the difference and what one could expect from the new book. And I pick The Lord of the Rings to reflect this story. The initial buildup to the story was quite slow, bordering on uneventful. Once the momentum was built up though, it was quite hard to put it down as it drew me in to the unfolding danger around the protagonists.
The fight near the end along with the myth of the Three Reds was quite epic, introducing a story which was quite original by itself. The only downside was the slow build up of the story at the beginning, as well as a slight confusion with the races.
When it usually was the younger protagonist who usually stole the limelight, this time it was the father who did so. What's more was that the father had a chance to do the right thing, yet failed to do so and the responsibility passed down to the son. And so the story became a story of fatherly love, of how Raj wanted to save and protect his son, only to pass an even greater burden to him, potentially losing his life in the process. This strikes me as a novel idea which most stories did not exploit.
The Races of the Reds
Although the introduction of all new races lent Red Leaves and the Living Token its own sense of originality, much like The Lord of the Rings did when elves and dwarfs were first introduced to the fantasy world, it would have been better if more about these races were elaborated in the story.
From the bits and pieces dropped like bread crumbs in the story, some light was shed on the three races. The protagonists were Zoen, people of Zo, which resembled humanoid beasts with fur to match. Moslin, nurse to Emret, was a Bota, from a land with the same name. The Bota resembled a fusion between plants and human, representing the green side of the world. Petra was the same name given to the land as well as its people, which resembled animated walking rocks. The three lands were not officially on good terms but neither were they at war with each other.
The introduction of these three races made me reflect on how our world operates. Although the nations were wary of each other, the people got along just fine with each other. Most of the times, citizens were like children, playing well along with each other regardless of the difference in their race and culture, until the leaders of the nations declared war on each other, denouncing the others as below themselves. And thus, the citizens were drawn into the war of hatred, forgetting why they were at war with each other.
Of course, not to be forgotten were the mythical races of Keepers, in which glimpses into their descriptions showed them to be like human. Maybe in this world, Burrell chose to keep human involvement as little as possible, letting the story run with all 3 of his fantasized races.
All three races of the story were thrown immediately to the reader as soon as the story starts, allowing no time for the reader to first familiarize with one race before being introduced to another. With the races being so alien, as opposed to the tall elves and short dwarfs of The Lord of the Rings which still resemble humans barring the pointed ears and short stature, I was initially confused as to how each race looked like, or what their abilities were.
Concluding the Reds
Most satisfying was the ending of the story. At the end of an epic battle, there lies a cliffhanger which just made me looking forward to the sequel to the story. All in all, this was a quite satisfying read, worthy of its share of stars.
http://bookunderthesun.blogspot.sg/20...
-------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This is a book review based on a free copy from the author. Many thanks go to the author for this generosity.
Although the beginning was quite uneventful, the story's introduction of all new races made this an original work by itself.
One-liner intro: An epic in the making, with all new races and a heart racing momentum pushing past the pages.
Best part: A cliffhanger at the end which draw me to wait for the sequel; a twist in which the main protagonist was not the hero, but the protector to the hero; a good build of momentum which held me glued to the pages; an epic quest facing mythical forces.
Not-so-best part: Races were not dressed with more detail; races were too alien with very little human reference.
The Living Token
Raj was devastated when the doctors, after months long treatment and observation of his son, Emret, told him to brace for the worst. His son was plagued by a mysterious illness which will kill him, and after a series of misfortunes in his life, he just wasn't ready to accept this latest disastrous news.
To make matter worse, Moslin, Emret's nurse who took care of his son dutifully and with all the love she could muster, spent time reading to her patient heroic stories and fantastic miracles from a fairy tale despite Raj's opposition. He was worried that Emret would harbor false hope after listening to those fantasies and be devastated when he learned that these were no more than just stories.
He did not dislike Moslin, and was even grateful that she was willing to do more than her duty towards the dying Emret despite them being from different races. But when his son believed so strongly that the mythical Red Tree could cure him and was willing to seek it out, Raj's anxiety overcame his gratitude. Moslin was dismissed but he returned to only see that both the nurse and the patient were gone.
Raj had lost a lot in his life, and he wasn't going to lose his son's final moments. Along with his reluctant Petra butler, Rinacht, they embarked upon a blind journey which none of them prepared much for. Raj was little aware of the grand scheme of things unraveling around him, including a mysterious Lord Valance's interest in his journey, but he was only determined towards one goal: to get his son back.
And his only help lied in the mysterious little white emblem he found on the night he prayed for a miracle and help for his son to be cured.
The Lord of the Reds
I am fond of comparing new works against popular literature, so that it will be obvious what's the difference and what one could expect from the new book. And I pick The Lord of the Rings to reflect this story. The initial buildup to the story was quite slow, bordering on uneventful. Once the momentum was built up though, it was quite hard to put it down as it drew me in to the unfolding danger around the protagonists.
The fight near the end along with the myth of the Three Reds was quite epic, introducing a story which was quite original by itself. The only downside was the slow build up of the story at the beginning, as well as a slight confusion with the races.
When it usually was the younger protagonist who usually stole the limelight, this time it was the father who did so. What's more was that the father had a chance to do the right thing, yet failed to do so and the responsibility passed down to the son. And so the story became a story of fatherly love, of how Raj wanted to save and protect his son, only to pass an even greater burden to him, potentially losing his life in the process. This strikes me as a novel idea which most stories did not exploit.
The Races of the Reds
Although the introduction of all new races lent Red Leaves and the Living Token its own sense of originality, much like The Lord of the Rings did when elves and dwarfs were first introduced to the fantasy world, it would have been better if more about these races were elaborated in the story.
From the bits and pieces dropped like bread crumbs in the story, some light was shed on the three races. The protagonists were Zoen, people of Zo, which resembled humanoid beasts with fur to match. Moslin, nurse to Emret, was a Bota, from a land with the same name. The Bota resembled a fusion between plants and human, representing the green side of the world. Petra was the same name given to the land as well as its people, which resembled animated walking rocks. The three lands were not officially on good terms but neither were they at war with each other.
The introduction of these three races made me reflect on how our world operates. Although the nations were wary of each other, the people got along just fine with each other. Most of the times, citizens were like children, playing well along with each other regardless of the difference in their race and culture, until the leaders of the nations declared war on each other, denouncing the others as below themselves. And thus, the citizens were drawn into the war of hatred, forgetting why they were at war with each other.
Of course, not to be forgotten were the mythical races of Keepers, in which glimpses into their descriptions showed them to be like human. Maybe in this world, Burrell chose to keep human involvement as little as possible, letting the story run with all 3 of his fantasized races.
All three races of the story were thrown immediately to the reader as soon as the story starts, allowing no time for the reader to first familiarize with one race before being introduced to another. With the races being so alien, as opposed to the tall elves and short dwarfs of The Lord of the Rings which still resemble humans barring the pointed ears and short stature, I was initially confused as to how each race looked like, or what their abilities were.
Concluding the Reds
Most satisfying was the ending of the story. At the end of an epic battle, there lies a cliffhanger which just made me looking forward to the sequel to the story. All in all, this was a quite satisfying read, worthy of its share of stars.
September 13, 2012
"Red Leaves and the Living Token" by Benjamin David Burrell is a riveting Fantasy featuring multiple interwoven sub-plots, with a captivating over-arching theme. Three distinct "species" of characters are the primary personalities in this story: Bota, Zo, and Petra. The Bota are a BOTAnical species, the Zo are a ZOoligical species, and the Petra are a rock species. It took me more than half the book to recognize the relationship between their names and their composition, but thereafter it was quite helpful in keeping track of who was what.
The three kingdoms maintained an uncomfortable détente, and generally kept to themselves. Long before the story began, the magical "Reds" were destroyed, and the "Token" was lost. A long-believed prophecy held that someone would come to restore the Reds, with the help of the Token. The Reds, no doubt reflecting a time of greater inter-kingdom cooperation, consisted of a bird (zoological), a bush (botanical) and a stone (rock), each of which was red in color, and each of which possessed magical healing powers. The Token was a memento containing each of these three symbols.
This story was very absorbing. Several parties were seeking the token, in the belief that some remnant of the Reds still remained, but could only be found with the help of the token. Much distrustful cooperation between and within the kingdoms factored into the search for the ancient artifact, largely fueled by the disappearance of a sick 13-year old boy believed to possess some knowledge the others wanted.
The story contained a great deal of action, and would really make an intriguing movie, in my opinion. I not only recommend this book; I URGE you to read it. Without spoiling it for you, I think I can disclose that one of the three Reds was found, leaving open the way for the two sequels which follow!
One additional comment - even before I read the previous review, I, too, had thought that a table up front, listing the names of the characters along with the roles they played in the story, would have been a nice helpful component. However, I, too, have a gradually declining memory, so it's certainly not a detrimental remark against the author! He did a superb job developing this story, and I can't wait to see the movie. (Is anybody in Hollywood paying attention?)
The three kingdoms maintained an uncomfortable détente, and generally kept to themselves. Long before the story began, the magical "Reds" were destroyed, and the "Token" was lost. A long-believed prophecy held that someone would come to restore the Reds, with the help of the Token. The Reds, no doubt reflecting a time of greater inter-kingdom cooperation, consisted of a bird (zoological), a bush (botanical) and a stone (rock), each of which was red in color, and each of which possessed magical healing powers. The Token was a memento containing each of these three symbols.
This story was very absorbing. Several parties were seeking the token, in the belief that some remnant of the Reds still remained, but could only be found with the help of the token. Much distrustful cooperation between and within the kingdoms factored into the search for the ancient artifact, largely fueled by the disappearance of a sick 13-year old boy believed to possess some knowledge the others wanted.
The story contained a great deal of action, and would really make an intriguing movie, in my opinion. I not only recommend this book; I URGE you to read it. Without spoiling it for you, I think I can disclose that one of the three Reds was found, leaving open the way for the two sequels which follow!
One additional comment - even before I read the previous review, I, too, had thought that a table up front, listing the names of the characters along with the roles they played in the story, would have been a nice helpful component. However, I, too, have a gradually declining memory, so it's certainly not a detrimental remark against the author! He did a superb job developing this story, and I can't wait to see the movie. (Is anybody in Hollywood paying attention?)
July 10, 2012
I received this through the GoodReads Giveaway.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a gorgeous tale and gave me the same stirrings that I felt when I first read Tolkien. I can't wait to read the future books!
Emret is very ill and is compelled to make an arduous journey with his nurse, Moslin. He is only a boy, but his determination and fervor help him every turn of the journey. Moslin has her own troubles to contend with and hopefully the journey wll answer some questions for her.
Raj, Emret's father, is naturally enraged when he discovers his son and nurse are missing from the hosptal. Just the day before, he had dismissed Moslin in the heat of the moment because she continued to read Emret fairy tales of a religious nature.
Raj must try to find Emret and soon both are embroiled in a perilous journey that will challenge them physically, mentally and emotionally.
In the bigger scope of the tale, the three nations are very suspicious of each other and there is a crisis brewing. Something very vital to every being has quit producing and this triggers some moral and military questions.
I did not find the storyline hard to follow at all and it was fairly easy for to keep straight who was what nation/race. As perspective shifts, it becomes harder to take sides and indeed, everyone has a point and is missing the point.
I put this book in my journal to remind me to watch for the next books because it really gained my interest. There are no vampires, werewolves or gratuitious grindng. There is an abundance of interesting characters, emotional turmoil, objects of magic and a quest!
The cover is terrific, I love the artistic quality of it and this tale definitely is worthy of an exqusite cover.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a gorgeous tale and gave me the same stirrings that I felt when I first read Tolkien. I can't wait to read the future books!
Emret is very ill and is compelled to make an arduous journey with his nurse, Moslin. He is only a boy, but his determination and fervor help him every turn of the journey. Moslin has her own troubles to contend with and hopefully the journey wll answer some questions for her.
Raj, Emret's father, is naturally enraged when he discovers his son and nurse are missing from the hosptal. Just the day before, he had dismissed Moslin in the heat of the moment because she continued to read Emret fairy tales of a religious nature.
Raj must try to find Emret and soon both are embroiled in a perilous journey that will challenge them physically, mentally and emotionally.
In the bigger scope of the tale, the three nations are very suspicious of each other and there is a crisis brewing. Something very vital to every being has quit producing and this triggers some moral and military questions.
I did not find the storyline hard to follow at all and it was fairly easy for to keep straight who was what nation/race. As perspective shifts, it becomes harder to take sides and indeed, everyone has a point and is missing the point.
I put this book in my journal to remind me to watch for the next books because it really gained my interest. There are no vampires, werewolves or gratuitious grindng. There is an abundance of interesting characters, emotional turmoil, objects of magic and a quest!
The cover is terrific, I love the artistic quality of it and this tale definitely is worthy of an exqusite cover.
June 25, 2012
I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.
This was a wonderfully original story created in a different world inhabited by three types of beings that represent three types of nature. The Zoen are furry creatures that are very animalistic looking. The petra have a very rocklike look about them. The Botann are green and very plantlike in appearance. The greatest difficulty for me was keeping straight which characters were which. It would have been helpful if at the front or the back there would have been a guide to the three types of creatures and which characters were which. A map of the area would have also been helpful.
Emret is a Zoen boy who has been struck by an illness. The nature of this illness is never really explained. It just said his binding is failing, I had many questions about what exactly that meant, but I understoon that he was dying. Confined to a wheelchair, Emret is fighting for a way to survive when he is drawn by stories of his nurse to find the Red. His father, in the meantime, doesn't believe these stories and tells her to stop giving his son false hope. Finding the living Token on the beach, Raj, Emret's father, comes to believe the stories true after all. However, his son and nurse have already disappeared.
This is a wonderful story, a wonderful adventure, filled with hope and struggle and about family learning to trust and believe in something bigger than themselves. The ending was a definite cliff hanger and left us definitely looking forward to the next book. I would recommend this to anyone that loves a good YA fantasy and looking for something original.
This was a wonderfully original story created in a different world inhabited by three types of beings that represent three types of nature. The Zoen are furry creatures that are very animalistic looking. The petra have a very rocklike look about them. The Botann are green and very plantlike in appearance. The greatest difficulty for me was keeping straight which characters were which. It would have been helpful if at the front or the back there would have been a guide to the three types of creatures and which characters were which. A map of the area would have also been helpful.
Emret is a Zoen boy who has been struck by an illness. The nature of this illness is never really explained. It just said his binding is failing, I had many questions about what exactly that meant, but I understoon that he was dying. Confined to a wheelchair, Emret is fighting for a way to survive when he is drawn by stories of his nurse to find the Red. His father, in the meantime, doesn't believe these stories and tells her to stop giving his son false hope. Finding the living Token on the beach, Raj, Emret's father, comes to believe the stories true after all. However, his son and nurse have already disappeared.
This is a wonderful story, a wonderful adventure, filled with hope and struggle and about family learning to trust and believe in something bigger than themselves. The ending was a definite cliff hanger and left us definitely looking forward to the next book. I would recommend this to anyone that loves a good YA fantasy and looking for something original.
December 27, 2015
**4 Stars**
MY OVERVIEW: This is one of those books that you don’t want to judge by the cover. Honestly, the cover freaks me out and I almost didn’t read the book because of it. But I am glad that the author provided a copy for me to review – otherwise I would have never read this great book!
PROS: Emret! I love him. He is such a stubborn and determined young boy. The author did a fantastic job creating three different races of “people” and a wonderful new world. I could picture everything perfectly.
CONS: There are still a few places that need a little editing, but it isn’t that bad. Raj was pretty annoying at points. It seemed like all he wanted was his son back no matter what it did to Emret. He would rather have a son back who died in a few days than help Emret find the Reds and be healed.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: An enjoyable read and one that I will continue reading when the next in the series comes out.
MY OVERVIEW: This is one of those books that you don’t want to judge by the cover. Honestly, the cover freaks me out and I almost didn’t read the book because of it. But I am glad that the author provided a copy for me to review – otherwise I would have never read this great book!
PROS: Emret! I love him. He is such a stubborn and determined young boy. The author did a fantastic job creating three different races of “people” and a wonderful new world. I could picture everything perfectly.
CONS: There are still a few places that need a little editing, but it isn’t that bad. Raj was pretty annoying at points. It seemed like all he wanted was his son back no matter what it did to Emret. He would rather have a son back who died in a few days than help Emret find the Reds and be healed.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: An enjoyable read and one that I will continue reading when the next in the series comes out.
June 6, 2012
Seriously? This book is a literal cliffhanger. The book just stops. Obviously leaving the possibility for more, which is a FAB idea, since the characters and story are definitely worth pursuing. But to get to the last sentence and realize there is no more is an insanely adept way to hook readers for the next book. Bravo, Mr. Burrell, bravo. Now when will the next one be out?
October 10, 2012
I won this in a First Reads Giveaway.
I liked this book. I enjoyed it. The story is intriguing, the characters are dynamic, and the world is creative. I'm interested to see where this series is going. The characters are indeed very well done and finding out more information as the story went on really helped with understanding and caring about the characters. Switching perspectives kept the suspense and tension up. The story might follow general over-arching guidelines in the fantasy genre but it didn't drag anything out. It moved much quicker than usual and got to the action, to the point, in good time. It twisted a couple things on its head. I really like how that worked out. I didn't really expect what was coming, though looking back I should have seen it. I can't really say you will be surprised by the turn of events since I wasn't trying to figure out what would happen next; I was focused on trying to picture what was going on in the scene now. This is a good book and doesn't hold to the typical 'drag everything out and take forever building' style. Funnily enough, I wish there was a bit more of the building going on though. I'm going to put the next book on my to-read list when it is listed and am looking forward to reading it. Yet it felt like I was missing something. Something important. It's a good solid book yet I wasn't fully engaged. I could easily put the book down and walk away. I plan on reading more of the series yet I don't have a burning need to continue. I do recommend this book though to fantasy readers. I'm not sure what my problem is or why this book feels average to me exactly, but I don't want that to scare away people from reading this book. I'm just be trying to be honest and thorough.
I've been trying to figure out what is keeping this book from being good to being great. I have thoughts on that later, but indeed it might just be me. I don't have anything bad to say about the book or faults. It's bugging me because really I should be love this book. It's what I look for, what I want but I'm not satisfied. I should be and it's irritating to not understand why I'm feeling this way. I really don't have any problem with this book, besides minor things regarding the cover and map. So while I'm giving this book 3 stars, it's entirely possible I'm just in a funk and that my inability to become fully immersed in this book's world might be my own issue. I'm thinking it's because I had such a hard time visualizing the story and building mental pictures throughout the entire book, though it did get easier at the end. Without being able to build a proper picture or having to correct my ideas on how things looked often was distracting for me.
Glossary & Map:
The glossary in the back was immensely helpful. Props for including that after other reviewers suggested it! It's a small thing but it makes a big difference It makes it easier to find your place if you get confused or lost. I think making the map and labels on the map bigger would have made the map more useful. As it was in my copy, I couldn't tell anything about the left side of Petra, it was colored so dark. I'm grateful a map was included though, it helped me quite a bit in it's current form.
Covers:
Am I the only one having trouble finding the bird in the token pictures online or on covers? The bird is suppose to wrap around the tree but I don't see it. This might be on purpose but it's puzzling to me. I keep trying to find it.
For covers, my copy of the book as the cover for the Kindle addition. The size of Raj's head confuses me greatly. At least, I'm guessing it's Raj's head by his son, Emet, and Moslin. There's red and black on this character in both covers, the characters are just such different sizes so that's part of why I'm guessing that it's Raj.
Sizes and proportions was hard for me to get a grip on during the whole book. Mostly it's things like massively tall, taller than the average Zo, smaller than the average Petra is how things are described. But how am I suppose to understand that when I don't know the averages? When there's no base to start from? I like the cover with the black and the picture in the circle. The clothes have changed but now I see what Raj was wearing at least. Clothes in this world remain a mystery to me. Besides the armor, weapons and the rare robe of new mysterious important people, I have no idea what anyone was wearing. My book cover show the Petra as just humanoid rock beings with no clothes but nothing was mentioned in the book. I mean with all the running, action, and fighting I'd wish there were descriptions of all the clothes being torn to shreds. Just general "my sleeve ripped" kind of thing. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but it feels like these little, helpful details were missing.
My Missing Piece? Visualization & Culture:
I had issues with visualizing through out the whole book. It was a stuggle to build a complete mental picture with the little but vivid information given. What I did come up with was often re-edited due to new information given later, especially with proportions. I still had to correct my visual image that the characters weren't human through to the end of the book.
Human is the default assumption so it's a massive task for an author to establish their own races of creatures. There's plenty here that shows the work Mr. Burrell has put into this endeavor. The races are indeed distinct and creative. However, after the first introduction to the races the reminders of the differences were sparse until half the book was over. Once the Botans started using their vines, Petrans started acting like boulders and the Zo...Well, the only thing remarkable about the Zo were the select Zo who had special armor and weapons. Mentions of their green skin and long snouts was about it for them. Looking back after finishing the book, it certainly seems like there's more references to their differences that I noticed. Yet why did I have such a problem with keeping them distinct in my mind? It might have been just the struggle against the human assumption but I think it's more than that.
This is three completely different and new races. There's no history like when someone uses elves or dwarves. Sure, you can make those races your own but they've been around awhile. Everyone has ideas, thoughts and images that come to mind when someone says "Elves", or "Dwarves". Zo, Petra and Botans though are a complete blank slate. In this book there was hardly any history, background or nitty gritty information. What we learn is through the current characters due to the plot and clearly we're kept in the dark for suspense. With a cast of characters from three new races in a whole new land with no clue as to how this all came to be, or how it works left me feeling adrift. There's no anchorage.
There's horse and carriages, yet seemingly state of the art hospitals. There's a Zo senate, and a pope Botan. There's no description of clothes so we can't gauge time period from that. There's no talk of food or music or paintings or TV. There's no culture. Culture is such a huge part of who someone is yet there's little to nothing to go on here. I think that's what I'm missing here, that anchorage, that dimension to the characters. After all, nothing happens in a vacuum. It's just the focus in this book is so narrow to the current events, yet without context it feels...incomplete to me. I like details, little detail, background, and history. It helps me get into and understand the characters and story more.
Even just bring up current styles and such would have been a nice detail for me. I think as the series progresses I'm going to get a better big full picture. I know the past wasn't clarified to keep the current story rolling with suspense, which is why I think I won't have such a problem in the next books. Once I get more information I'm hopeful I won't feel so disconnected from this world. It's not that it's too different or new for me to handle, I just don't have much to grasp onto. It just feels like there's something missing from making this world feel solid to me. My guess it's this absent culture and details that I'm needing here.
Though this is my problem with the first book, I believe it's going to get better as the series goes on. With continuing I will get more information on the past as things unfold and every little detail is going to help me more. This is quite possibly just growing pains for a first book in the series, which is known for having problems with lack of world building or progression. There's no problem with progression in the Red Leaves story at all.
Again, I want to stress this, it could just be me. It could be just the kind of reader I am or how I'm feeling lately. I know I've repeated this again and again. I'm doing this because I don't want to scare people away from reading this book. It is good. I'm just trying to be detailed. I'm working this out for myself, keeping a record of how I felt about the book and trying to explain why I only gave 3 stars. It's not a slight against the author. It sounds like a slight against the book and it's indeed the reason I only gave 3 stars but I hate that I'm giving an average rating. It's an average good book to me and I want to explain why I feel this way because I want to like this book so much. I want to give more stars, yet I can't.
I hope that all makes sense.
Quotes & Notes
I liked this book. I enjoyed it. The story is intriguing, the characters are dynamic, and the world is creative. I'm interested to see where this series is going. The characters are indeed very well done and finding out more information as the story went on really helped with understanding and caring about the characters. Switching perspectives kept the suspense and tension up. The story might follow general over-arching guidelines in the fantasy genre but it didn't drag anything out. It moved much quicker than usual and got to the action, to the point, in good time. It twisted a couple things on its head. I really like how that worked out. I didn't really expect what was coming, though looking back I should have seen it. I can't really say you will be surprised by the turn of events since I wasn't trying to figure out what would happen next; I was focused on trying to picture what was going on in the scene now. This is a good book and doesn't hold to the typical 'drag everything out and take forever building' style. Funnily enough, I wish there was a bit more of the building going on though. I'm going to put the next book on my to-read list when it is listed and am looking forward to reading it. Yet it felt like I was missing something. Something important. It's a good solid book yet I wasn't fully engaged. I could easily put the book down and walk away. I plan on reading more of the series yet I don't have a burning need to continue. I do recommend this book though to fantasy readers. I'm not sure what my problem is or why this book feels average to me exactly, but I don't want that to scare away people from reading this book. I'm just be trying to be honest and thorough.
I've been trying to figure out what is keeping this book from being good to being great. I have thoughts on that later, but indeed it might just be me. I don't have anything bad to say about the book or faults. It's bugging me because really I should be love this book. It's what I look for, what I want but I'm not satisfied. I should be and it's irritating to not understand why I'm feeling this way. I really don't have any problem with this book, besides minor things regarding the cover and map. So while I'm giving this book 3 stars, it's entirely possible I'm just in a funk and that my inability to become fully immersed in this book's world might be my own issue. I'm thinking it's because I had such a hard time visualizing the story and building mental pictures throughout the entire book, though it did get easier at the end. Without being able to build a proper picture or having to correct my ideas on how things looked often was distracting for me.
Glossary & Map:
The glossary in the back was immensely helpful. Props for including that after other reviewers suggested it! It's a small thing but it makes a big difference It makes it easier to find your place if you get confused or lost. I think making the map and labels on the map bigger would have made the map more useful. As it was in my copy, I couldn't tell anything about the left side of Petra, it was colored so dark. I'm grateful a map was included though, it helped me quite a bit in it's current form.
Covers:
Am I the only one having trouble finding the bird in the token pictures online or on covers? The bird is suppose to wrap around the tree but I don't see it. This might be on purpose but it's puzzling to me. I keep trying to find it.
For covers, my copy of the book as the cover for the Kindle addition. The size of Raj's head confuses me greatly. At least, I'm guessing it's Raj's head by his son, Emet, and Moslin. There's red and black on this character in both covers, the characters are just such different sizes so that's part of why I'm guessing that it's Raj.
Sizes and proportions was hard for me to get a grip on during the whole book. Mostly it's things like massively tall, taller than the average Zo, smaller than the average Petra is how things are described. But how am I suppose to understand that when I don't know the averages? When there's no base to start from? I like the cover with the black and the picture in the circle. The clothes have changed but now I see what Raj was wearing at least. Clothes in this world remain a mystery to me. Besides the armor, weapons and the rare robe of new mysterious important people, I have no idea what anyone was wearing. My book cover show the Petra as just humanoid rock beings with no clothes but nothing was mentioned in the book. I mean with all the running, action, and fighting I'd wish there were descriptions of all the clothes being torn to shreds. Just general "my sleeve ripped" kind of thing. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but it feels like these little, helpful details were missing.
My Missing Piece? Visualization & Culture:
I had issues with visualizing through out the whole book. It was a stuggle to build a complete mental picture with the little but vivid information given. What I did come up with was often re-edited due to new information given later, especially with proportions. I still had to correct my visual image that the characters weren't human through to the end of the book.
Human is the default assumption so it's a massive task for an author to establish their own races of creatures. There's plenty here that shows the work Mr. Burrell has put into this endeavor. The races are indeed distinct and creative. However, after the first introduction to the races the reminders of the differences were sparse until half the book was over. Once the Botans started using their vines, Petrans started acting like boulders and the Zo...Well, the only thing remarkable about the Zo were the select Zo who had special armor and weapons. Mentions of their green skin and long snouts was about it for them. Looking back after finishing the book, it certainly seems like there's more references to their differences that I noticed. Yet why did I have such a problem with keeping them distinct in my mind? It might have been just the struggle against the human assumption but I think it's more than that.
This is three completely different and new races. There's no history like when someone uses elves or dwarves. Sure, you can make those races your own but they've been around awhile. Everyone has ideas, thoughts and images that come to mind when someone says "Elves", or "Dwarves". Zo, Petra and Botans though are a complete blank slate. In this book there was hardly any history, background or nitty gritty information. What we learn is through the current characters due to the plot and clearly we're kept in the dark for suspense. With a cast of characters from three new races in a whole new land with no clue as to how this all came to be, or how it works left me feeling adrift. There's no anchorage.
There's horse and carriages, yet seemingly state of the art hospitals. There's a Zo senate, and a pope Botan. There's no description of clothes so we can't gauge time period from that. There's no talk of food or music or paintings or TV. There's no culture. Culture is such a huge part of who someone is yet there's little to nothing to go on here. I think that's what I'm missing here, that anchorage, that dimension to the characters. After all, nothing happens in a vacuum. It's just the focus in this book is so narrow to the current events, yet without context it feels...incomplete to me. I like details, little detail, background, and history. It helps me get into and understand the characters and story more.
Even just bring up current styles and such would have been a nice detail for me. I think as the series progresses I'm going to get a better big full picture. I know the past wasn't clarified to keep the current story rolling with suspense, which is why I think I won't have such a problem in the next books. Once I get more information I'm hopeful I won't feel so disconnected from this world. It's not that it's too different or new for me to handle, I just don't have much to grasp onto. It just feels like there's something missing from making this world feel solid to me. My guess it's this absent culture and details that I'm needing here.
Though this is my problem with the first book, I believe it's going to get better as the series goes on. With continuing I will get more information on the past as things unfold and every little detail is going to help me more. This is quite possibly just growing pains for a first book in the series, which is known for having problems with lack of world building or progression. There's no problem with progression in the Red Leaves story at all.
Again, I want to stress this, it could just be me. It could be just the kind of reader I am or how I'm feeling lately. I know I've repeated this again and again. I'm doing this because I don't want to scare people away from reading this book. It is good. I'm just trying to be detailed. I'm working this out for myself, keeping a record of how I felt about the book and trying to explain why I only gave 3 stars. It's not a slight against the author. It sounds like a slight against the book and it's indeed the reason I only gave 3 stars but I hate that I'm giving an average rating. It's an average good book to me and I want to explain why I feel this way because I want to like this book so much. I want to give more stars, yet I can't.
I hope that all makes sense.
Quotes & Notes
August 11, 2012
The description of this book says everything that you need to know as a reader. I couldn’t possibly add to it, so I won’t try. Emret is a sick little boy and most likely going to die. In a desperate attempt to get a miracle, he goes on the run with his nurse and without his father’s knowledge. Raj is frantic to find his son missing and follows them but finds himself on a much more complicated journey than he first expected. I really enjoyed this book, it intrigued me and kept me entertained at every page. With that said, I must point out a few things that prevented this from being a five-star review.
There is some editing issues with this book. As far as I am aware, I received a final copy of this book, but it could use another read through from an editing perspective. There is nothing too egregious but the minor problems were so frequent that I have to comment on it. For example, on nearly every page I could find things such as: “I’m am” or sentences that seemed to be missing words or had a plural form of the word when the sentence called for singular. Ultimately, the editing issues weren’t bad enough to affect my enjoyment of the story but it was impossible not to notice.
My only other complaint would be that I felt as if not very much was explained to me. It wasn’t explained very well what the Token is, or why it’s important. You get a vague sense of why it matters, but the full story is a mystery. It’s also not clear exactly why everyone wants the Token, other than to find the Red…but we don’t really know why they are all that vital either. What does Emret’s illness mean? What is “losing his binding”? What’s a binding, why does it get lost? I don’t know any of those things either, and I wanted to. I still enjoyed the story immensely, but I would have preferred getting a more complete history and explanation of a few things.
But enough with the minor issues this book had, because the rest was simply fabulous. I loved the story! Emret was such a great character and was very relatable and likeable. He believes in miracles and is determined to find his miracle. No matter how many times he ended up being disappointed and Moslin lost faith, he never did. I liked that about him and I found myself rooting for him to find his cure because he worked more than hard enough to get it. Raj was also a really likeable characters. He’s not a perfect man but he’s trying to be the best father he can be for his son and protect him from some of the more unpleasant realities of his situation. But when it all comes down to it, he will cross nations to find and protect his son, and he does just that. His journey isn’t perfect. He makes a lot of wrong decisions that ultimately make it harder for him, but he never gives up. I get so used to reading characters that are perfect in every way that I found Raj to be very refreshing. He’s not a perfect guy, but he tries his damnedest to make it right anyway. Great, great cast of characters.
The imagery in the plot is also fantastic. Some authors have a hard time conveying action scenes, because these scenes rely so heavily on what is happening and not what is being said. But Ben Burrell does this in a very vivid and engrossing manner. Every aspect of the scenes was something I could see playing out in my head because it was described that well. I couldn’t have been happier with this since I love reading a book that I can see in my head. To me, that is the mark of a good storyteller. I find it interesting that this author got his start in script writing, since I have found that script writers often have a hard time making the transition to full length fiction. Nothing could be further from the case for this book. This holds true for the different races that are present in the book. Each is different and you can tell has their own motivation, but all of them seem to center around finding this Token.
I highly recommend this book. It’s a quick, fun, interesting read that will have you fervently turning the pages until the very end. And even after it’s over, you’ll find yourself thinking about the story a few days later and wondering what happens next. Hopefully you won’t have to wait very long…I hear there are at least a few other books planned as follow-ups to this one. I know that I will be reading it, because I want to know what happens next. And I want to know if the beings mentioned at the temple are humans, I really just have to know.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for a honest, fair review. No payment or promise of a positive review was given.
See this and other great reviews at Stefani's World of Words
There is some editing issues with this book. As far as I am aware, I received a final copy of this book, but it could use another read through from an editing perspective. There is nothing too egregious but the minor problems were so frequent that I have to comment on it. For example, on nearly every page I could find things such as: “I’m am” or sentences that seemed to be missing words or had a plural form of the word when the sentence called for singular. Ultimately, the editing issues weren’t bad enough to affect my enjoyment of the story but it was impossible not to notice.
My only other complaint would be that I felt as if not very much was explained to me. It wasn’t explained very well what the Token is, or why it’s important. You get a vague sense of why it matters, but the full story is a mystery. It’s also not clear exactly why everyone wants the Token, other than to find the Red…but we don’t really know why they are all that vital either. What does Emret’s illness mean? What is “losing his binding”? What’s a binding, why does it get lost? I don’t know any of those things either, and I wanted to. I still enjoyed the story immensely, but I would have preferred getting a more complete history and explanation of a few things.
But enough with the minor issues this book had, because the rest was simply fabulous. I loved the story! Emret was such a great character and was very relatable and likeable. He believes in miracles and is determined to find his miracle. No matter how many times he ended up being disappointed and Moslin lost faith, he never did. I liked that about him and I found myself rooting for him to find his cure because he worked more than hard enough to get it. Raj was also a really likeable characters. He’s not a perfect man but he’s trying to be the best father he can be for his son and protect him from some of the more unpleasant realities of his situation. But when it all comes down to it, he will cross nations to find and protect his son, and he does just that. His journey isn’t perfect. He makes a lot of wrong decisions that ultimately make it harder for him, but he never gives up. I get so used to reading characters that are perfect in every way that I found Raj to be very refreshing. He’s not a perfect guy, but he tries his damnedest to make it right anyway. Great, great cast of characters.
The imagery in the plot is also fantastic. Some authors have a hard time conveying action scenes, because these scenes rely so heavily on what is happening and not what is being said. But Ben Burrell does this in a very vivid and engrossing manner. Every aspect of the scenes was something I could see playing out in my head because it was described that well. I couldn’t have been happier with this since I love reading a book that I can see in my head. To me, that is the mark of a good storyteller. I find it interesting that this author got his start in script writing, since I have found that script writers often have a hard time making the transition to full length fiction. Nothing could be further from the case for this book. This holds true for the different races that are present in the book. Each is different and you can tell has their own motivation, but all of them seem to center around finding this Token.
I highly recommend this book. It’s a quick, fun, interesting read that will have you fervently turning the pages until the very end. And even after it’s over, you’ll find yourself thinking about the story a few days later and wondering what happens next. Hopefully you won’t have to wait very long…I hear there are at least a few other books planned as follow-ups to this one. I know that I will be reading it, because I want to know what happens next. And I want to know if the beings mentioned at the temple are humans, I really just have to know.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for a honest, fair review. No payment or promise of a positive review was given.
See this and other great reviews at Stefani's World of Words
August 6, 2012
This book deserves something between four and five stars.
For me it is a kind of a refreshing dark fantasy tale which is well executed.
This is the first of six planned books.
The end of the novel is like a rest on a long journey and I must say I lookforward to continue the journey.
MY REVIEW
My Expectations
Based on the blurb I expected a coming of age story mixed with myths and magic including twists and turns. The cover promise a lot of non human characters.
The Delivery
The 200 pages of the story are divided into a prologue and thirteen numbered chapters.
Without any judgement let me say, that this is short compared to most of the books I read.So I could read the book in just two sessions.
I will not give any more detailed information about the story itself because the blurb above delivers enough about the plot.
But do not think it delivers all aspects of the story. There is more behind the story as you may think after reading the blurb. And the revelation of information about characters and especially about the past is well dosed and intertwined with current development. There is much more to unveil in the following books.
Benjamin David Burrell knows to tell a story. The mix of action, inner thoughts, descriptions, dialogue and information from the past has been varied in a manner that keeps the pace steady.
Remember I mentioned the non humans on the cover. And indeed I could not detect one human being. There are three main races of people:
- the zo with their hunched over furry animal like bodies
- the botann with their bodies of branches and leaves
- the petra with their bodies of stone
Each of them inhabitat specific areas of the world and do not allow others to pass them. There is always the danger of conflicts. Beside that there are also areas where the three races intermingle.
But as ancient journals show there has been another, superior race called the Reds. They disappeared with the murder of the last living Red which lead to a disastrous war. Until today the past in form of the Reds has an impact on the daily life. With every page the urge to get more information about the Red rises. A hunger which will hopefully satisfied in the following books.
It is not difficult to connect with the main characters. Fortunately there are characters who are neither black nor white and what you always hope and not always get there are characters which follow their very own plans.
The description of the landscape is well done and transport enough information to create images in your head.
All in all this is a well done debut novel with a lot of potential and a minor flaw. To have a cast of characters at hand in the beginning would have been helpful. Thanks to the notes I took while reading it was not necessary for me to page back and forth.
I know there will be people complain about the cliffhanger like end of the book. Let me tell you that the end of Red Leaves and the Living Token looks much more like a rest on a long journey and I must say I lookforward to continue the journey.
All in all is fantasy novel which delivers more as you may assume at first sight. It is a good start into a world full of mysteries interesting characters and races. it has the potential to be a series beyond the well-trodden path of coming of age stories. The heyday lies ahead.
For me it is a kind of a refreshing dark fantasy tale which is well executed.
This is the first of six planned books.
The end of the novel is like a rest on a long journey and I must say I lookforward to continue the journey.
MY REVIEW
My Expectations
Based on the blurb I expected a coming of age story mixed with myths and magic including twists and turns. The cover promise a lot of non human characters.
The Delivery
The 200 pages of the story are divided into a prologue and thirteen numbered chapters.
Without any judgement let me say, that this is short compared to most of the books I read.So I could read the book in just two sessions.
I will not give any more detailed information about the story itself because the blurb above delivers enough about the plot.
But do not think it delivers all aspects of the story. There is more behind the story as you may think after reading the blurb. And the revelation of information about characters and especially about the past is well dosed and intertwined with current development. There is much more to unveil in the following books.
Benjamin David Burrell knows to tell a story. The mix of action, inner thoughts, descriptions, dialogue and information from the past has been varied in a manner that keeps the pace steady.
Remember I mentioned the non humans on the cover. And indeed I could not detect one human being. There are three main races of people:
- the zo with their hunched over furry animal like bodies
- the botann with their bodies of branches and leaves
- the petra with their bodies of stone
Each of them inhabitat specific areas of the world and do not allow others to pass them. There is always the danger of conflicts. Beside that there are also areas where the three races intermingle.
But as ancient journals show there has been another, superior race called the Reds. They disappeared with the murder of the last living Red which lead to a disastrous war. Until today the past in form of the Reds has an impact on the daily life. With every page the urge to get more information about the Red rises. A hunger which will hopefully satisfied in the following books.
It is not difficult to connect with the main characters. Fortunately there are characters who are neither black nor white and what you always hope and not always get there are characters which follow their very own plans.
The description of the landscape is well done and transport enough information to create images in your head.
All in all this is a well done debut novel with a lot of potential and a minor flaw. To have a cast of characters at hand in the beginning would have been helpful. Thanks to the notes I took while reading it was not necessary for me to page back and forth.
I know there will be people complain about the cliffhanger like end of the book. Let me tell you that the end of Red Leaves and the Living Token looks much more like a rest on a long journey and I must say I lookforward to continue the journey.
All in all is fantasy novel which delivers more as you may assume at first sight. It is a good start into a world full of mysteries interesting characters and races. it has the potential to be a series beyond the well-trodden path of coming of age stories. The heyday lies ahead.
August 6, 2012
The story is a about a man named Raj, and his son, Emret, who is in a hospital for a disease that is threatening his life. It's much like you would see with young cancer patients in our world. In this world, there are three main races of people, the Petra, Zo, and the Botan. It seems to be like our modern world in many ways. Then again it seems old fashioned at times as well. Emret is desperate to find a cure, and will do anything to find it. Raj, on the other hand, is a very protective parent in hopes of a medical breakthrough. When Emret disappears from the hospital with his favorite nurse in search of a legendary cure, Raj is out of his mind in order to get his dying son back safely. In the interest of not spoiling the story, I will stop there.
As I said before, this story has a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to it. From a fantasy aspect, it's nothing I would call typical, which is a good thing. The bad thing was how underdeveloped the setting was and the background aspect of things. I'm not sure if that is coming across correctly. What I mean is how the three main races were never really described at all, and I felt as if I was imagining the characters incorrectly. Correction, I was. I found myself picturing them as regular humans. A little more background information and/or description of them would have helped considerably.
Another detriment to the book was the obvious lack of editing. I often found spelling and grammar mistakes. Some were so obvious that I wasn't sure if it was edited at all. I find this to be a common theme among indie authors, and I assume it's mostly caused by financial restraint or just knowing someone who is qualified to lend a hand in proofreading. However, there is no need for it to be as bad as it was in this story. I can understand some things being overlooked, but contend that standards still need to be met by indie authors.
What the author did do very well was getting into the emotions of the main characters, especially Raj, Emret, and Rinacht. There were some points in the story where I expected him to delve a little deeper and he didn't, yet then he would go further in unexpected spots which rounded it out nicely. To me this is one of the author's stronger aspects in his writing, and that kept me going through the book.
Overall, I am giving Red Leaves and the Living Token 3 stars. I found the story to be 'ok', everything considered. I am still undecided on whether or not to continue reading this series. However, if I do, it will be because of my curiosity about the fantasy aspect of the story, and whether or not the author improves on it.
As I said before, this story has a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to it. From a fantasy aspect, it's nothing I would call typical, which is a good thing. The bad thing was how underdeveloped the setting was and the background aspect of things. I'm not sure if that is coming across correctly. What I mean is how the three main races were never really described at all, and I felt as if I was imagining the characters incorrectly. Correction, I was. I found myself picturing them as regular humans. A little more background information and/or description of them would have helped considerably.
Another detriment to the book was the obvious lack of editing. I often found spelling and grammar mistakes. Some were so obvious that I wasn't sure if it was edited at all. I find this to be a common theme among indie authors, and I assume it's mostly caused by financial restraint or just knowing someone who is qualified to lend a hand in proofreading. However, there is no need for it to be as bad as it was in this story. I can understand some things being overlooked, but contend that standards still need to be met by indie authors.
What the author did do very well was getting into the emotions of the main characters, especially Raj, Emret, and Rinacht. There were some points in the story where I expected him to delve a little deeper and he didn't, yet then he would go further in unexpected spots which rounded it out nicely. To me this is one of the author's stronger aspects in his writing, and that kept me going through the book.
Overall, I am giving Red Leaves and the Living Token 3 stars. I found the story to be 'ok', everything considered. I am still undecided on whether or not to continue reading this series. However, if I do, it will be because of my curiosity about the fantasy aspect of the story, and whether or not the author improves on it.
August 6, 2014
Rieth is a land filled with three creatures: Zo, Bota, and Petra. The Zo are furry, mammal like creatures, bota are plant like creatures, and the Petra are similar to rocks. In Rieth, there used to be Reds, who are one of each creature that is red, has magical healing powers, and helps guide the others and the token they held we lost. Without the guidance of the Reds, the different leaders of the Zo, Bota, and Petra are barely keeping the peace and starting fights with one of the other groups.
This story starts out with Raj, a Zo, who has a thirteen year old son, Emret. Something is wrong with Emret and the doctors say that he is not expected to live much longer. Emret’s nurse, Moslin is a Bota and has been telling fairytales to Emret. Raj doesn’t want Moslin to give Emret false hope but fires her when he learns that Emret wants to go on a quest to find the token to heal himself. But the next day Emret and Moslin are gone. Raj is desperate trying to find his son before he dies.
This is a great story, very original and darker than most. Raj cares for Emret but he is resigned to his fate instead of, for better terms, thinking outside the box. Raj just things the fairytales are stories but just before Emret and Moslin disappear he has a vision of the same stories and he finds a strange object when he starts looking for Emret.
I loved Emret. Although he is sick, he is a strong kid and just knows that there are other things in the world that can help him. It’s too bad how his father’s actions have lead to him paying the price.
I did have a tough time getting everything straight when I started to read the story. There were a lot of people/creatures that I didn’t initially figure out until I got into the story a little. I also was a little lost trying to figure out what kind of setting this took place in. It seemed really similar to our world today yet had a fantasy/medieval twist that had me confused.
This is a really good book. It’s so original and has a great cliffhanger for an ending. I will definitely be getting the next books in this series.
I received this book for free from the Book Rooster Review Program in exchange for an honest review.
This story starts out with Raj, a Zo, who has a thirteen year old son, Emret. Something is wrong with Emret and the doctors say that he is not expected to live much longer. Emret’s nurse, Moslin is a Bota and has been telling fairytales to Emret. Raj doesn’t want Moslin to give Emret false hope but fires her when he learns that Emret wants to go on a quest to find the token to heal himself. But the next day Emret and Moslin are gone. Raj is desperate trying to find his son before he dies.
This is a great story, very original and darker than most. Raj cares for Emret but he is resigned to his fate instead of, for better terms, thinking outside the box. Raj just things the fairytales are stories but just before Emret and Moslin disappear he has a vision of the same stories and he finds a strange object when he starts looking for Emret.
I loved Emret. Although he is sick, he is a strong kid and just knows that there are other things in the world that can help him. It’s too bad how his father’s actions have lead to him paying the price.
I did have a tough time getting everything straight when I started to read the story. There were a lot of people/creatures that I didn’t initially figure out until I got into the story a little. I also was a little lost trying to figure out what kind of setting this took place in. It seemed really similar to our world today yet had a fantasy/medieval twist that had me confused.
This is a really good book. It’s so original and has a great cliffhanger for an ending. I will definitely be getting the next books in this series.
I received this book for free from the Book Rooster Review Program in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2012
The blurb for this book describes the essence of the story perfectly, so there's no need to elaborate on that aspect. But what the blurb doesn't cover, is the amazing fantasy world Burrell has created. He's crafted fantastic imagery, as I read I envisioned a cross between modern world and...think Lord of the Rings perhaps. The amount of detail, sheer imagination, and talent to bring such a world to life through words is truly impressive. Normally this genre of book is one I might skim over, but never read. But I'm glad to have agreed to read the first of this series, because it's one amazing tale!
The characters were well thought out, realistic, and touching to get to know. I do wish perhaps that there was some sort of reference key in the beginning of the book to help keep track of them. Not that it was terribly confusing, but I'm a busy mom - constant interruptions while I read, so while the story was very interesting, it sometimes took a minute to remember who was who. But I don't fault the author for my distracted memory.
The plot pace also was very well done. I would think a book of this style/genre, that it would be hard to nail down the right mix of description and detail, with dialogue and action - but Burrell did a wonderful job here. The action kept it's pace nicely, while still giving beautiful descriptions of the scene. And what descriptions in deed. Really, just beautifully worded, bravo to Burrell.
This is the first book of a series, I won't give any spoilers, but Burrell did a great job at the cliffhanger. Overall this was a surprisingly good book. Coming from a girl who normally wouldn't stray to this genre, it says a lot that I would gladly read the next book in the series. Burrell is clearly a very talented writer, with many great works yet to come. Keep an eye on this guy, he's going places.
**I was provided a free copy for review.
The characters were well thought out, realistic, and touching to get to know. I do wish perhaps that there was some sort of reference key in the beginning of the book to help keep track of them. Not that it was terribly confusing, but I'm a busy mom - constant interruptions while I read, so while the story was very interesting, it sometimes took a minute to remember who was who. But I don't fault the author for my distracted memory.
The plot pace also was very well done. I would think a book of this style/genre, that it would be hard to nail down the right mix of description and detail, with dialogue and action - but Burrell did a wonderful job here. The action kept it's pace nicely, while still giving beautiful descriptions of the scene. And what descriptions in deed. Really, just beautifully worded, bravo to Burrell.
This is the first book of a series, I won't give any spoilers, but Burrell did a great job at the cliffhanger. Overall this was a surprisingly good book. Coming from a girl who normally wouldn't stray to this genre, it says a lot that I would gladly read the next book in the series. Burrell is clearly a very talented writer, with many great works yet to come. Keep an eye on this guy, he's going places.
**I was provided a free copy for review.
July 25, 2012
Red Leaves and the Living Token by Benjamin David Burrell is a well-written, fast-paced adventure that takes place in a fantasy realm. The book is descriptive and easy to read, which is fitting for readers of various backgrounds. The characters are optimistic, compassionate, and strong-willed.
The story is about a world where the beings are unique species. There is the botann - who are made of trees, the petra - who are made of rocks, and the zo - who are hunched-over furry animals. The botann, petra, and zo have conflicts with each other because of their differences (but occasionally they intermingle). They each have their own areas of the world and do not allow trespassing by other species.
Emret, who is a young zo boy, has a terrible illness and will die if he doesn’t get cured soon. His father, Raj, doesn’t know what to do, but needs to do something soon. Emret’s nurse, Moslin, a female botann, takes good care of Emret, and they think highly of each other.
Emret likes it when Moslin reads to him. One book in particular inspires the two of them to go on an adventure to the other side of the world, which encourages Raj, and others, to follow. Emret is in search of a cure for his illness. Their travels become a wild adventure in which their inner strength and dedication to each other will be tested. Will Emret find what he seeks?
Burrell has a talent for creating lively characters that his readers will grow to care for and love. His book demonstrates his skill of knowing what will satisfy readers’ needs for plot description and clarity of storyline.
I greatly enjoyed this book. The ending left me hungry for more. There is a sequel that will be released in the near future. I recommend this book to readers of fantasy and adventure books. You will not be disappointed!
The story is about a world where the beings are unique species. There is the botann - who are made of trees, the petra - who are made of rocks, and the zo - who are hunched-over furry animals. The botann, petra, and zo have conflicts with each other because of their differences (but occasionally they intermingle). They each have their own areas of the world and do not allow trespassing by other species.
Emret, who is a young zo boy, has a terrible illness and will die if he doesn’t get cured soon. His father, Raj, doesn’t know what to do, but needs to do something soon. Emret’s nurse, Moslin, a female botann, takes good care of Emret, and they think highly of each other.
Emret likes it when Moslin reads to him. One book in particular inspires the two of them to go on an adventure to the other side of the world, which encourages Raj, and others, to follow. Emret is in search of a cure for his illness. Their travels become a wild adventure in which their inner strength and dedication to each other will be tested. Will Emret find what he seeks?
Burrell has a talent for creating lively characters that his readers will grow to care for and love. His book demonstrates his skill of knowing what will satisfy readers’ needs for plot description and clarity of storyline.
I greatly enjoyed this book. The ending left me hungry for more. There is a sequel that will be released in the near future. I recommend this book to readers of fantasy and adventure books. You will not be disappointed!
July 13, 2012
One quick note before I get into the meat of my review, I received an early edition of this book before it had been seen by a professional editor (I have since received an edited copy but don't have time to reread the book in it's entirety). As such I will be reviewing on characters, story, etc, ignoring any of the editing issues I saw within.
Red Leaves was originally written as a screenplay with the goal of a CG production in mind. The cover shows off the skill that the characters can be rendered in and if it ever happens I will be eager to see it. The story follows the journey of a young man, who is terminally ill, seeking a cure for his condition. When his nurse takes him to find the mythical Red for a cure without his father's permission a journey with far reaching consequences is begun.
The characters were interesting, but an index would have been helpful at the beginning. I had trouble keeping the races straight at first, having to flip to the beginning to keep things straight. Honestly that is not an uncommon experience for me when starting a new series with original species. I really liked the young boy's father and his dedication to finding his son, the abilities he develops are also fantastic.
The whole story following the Token and the temple that can be reached using it has a ton of potential. The only issue is the sudden stop at the end of this book. There is obviously more to come, but there was very little resolution for the book. I really am not a fan of cliffhanger endings so that was a bit of a negative for me, but not something that deducts from the story overall. I believe the second book should be out soon and hopefully it will continue to keep the strength of the story going.
Review copy received from the author.
Red Leaves was originally written as a screenplay with the goal of a CG production in mind. The cover shows off the skill that the characters can be rendered in and if it ever happens I will be eager to see it. The story follows the journey of a young man, who is terminally ill, seeking a cure for his condition. When his nurse takes him to find the mythical Red for a cure without his father's permission a journey with far reaching consequences is begun.
The characters were interesting, but an index would have been helpful at the beginning. I had trouble keeping the races straight at first, having to flip to the beginning to keep things straight. Honestly that is not an uncommon experience for me when starting a new series with original species. I really liked the young boy's father and his dedication to finding his son, the abilities he develops are also fantastic.
The whole story following the Token and the temple that can be reached using it has a ton of potential. The only issue is the sudden stop at the end of this book. There is obviously more to come, but there was very little resolution for the book. I really am not a fan of cliffhanger endings so that was a bit of a negative for me, but not something that deducts from the story overall. I believe the second book should be out soon and hopefully it will continue to keep the strength of the story going.
Review copy received from the author.
December 11, 2012
Emret, thirteen, is terminally ill. Confined to a wheelchair and in the hospital for what will be his final care, he is hardly the archetype of a superhero. His father, Raj, is desperate for a cure and willing for the doctors to try their best. Emret's nurse, Moslin, has been sent away. Raj believes she is not good for Emret as she fills his head with visions of the old stories, of magic and visions and things far beyond the ken of men.
Then the impossible happens. Raj arrives at the hospital room to find Emret gone along with Moslin. She has taken him from the hospital in an attempt to find the miraculous cure they believe awaits them in the land of the Red Leaves. Of course, the Red Leaves are just a fairy tale....or are they?
Raj immediately starts his journey to find them. Although he doesn't believe in magic, he is having dreams that seem like prophecies. The dreams seem tied to a strange stone figurine he found right before discovering Emret's disappearance. He doesn't know what the purpose of this figurine is, but it becomes clear that three different tribes of creatures are determined to take it from him for their own purposes. Can Raj find Emret and Moslin? Can Emret's belief in magic find a cure for his illness?
Ben Burrell has written an engaging first book in a new fantasy series. The path ahead is unclear at times but more and more of the storyline becomes clear as Raj and Emret are reunited in the land where the Token and the Red Leaves exist. There are three books planned for this series. This book is recommended for fantasy readers.
Then the impossible happens. Raj arrives at the hospital room to find Emret gone along with Moslin. She has taken him from the hospital in an attempt to find the miraculous cure they believe awaits them in the land of the Red Leaves. Of course, the Red Leaves are just a fairy tale....or are they?
Raj immediately starts his journey to find them. Although he doesn't believe in magic, he is having dreams that seem like prophecies. The dreams seem tied to a strange stone figurine he found right before discovering Emret's disappearance. He doesn't know what the purpose of this figurine is, but it becomes clear that three different tribes of creatures are determined to take it from him for their own purposes. Can Raj find Emret and Moslin? Can Emret's belief in magic find a cure for his illness?
Ben Burrell has written an engaging first book in a new fantasy series. The path ahead is unclear at times but more and more of the storyline becomes clear as Raj and Emret are reunited in the land where the Token and the Red Leaves exist. There are three books planned for this series. This book is recommended for fantasy readers.
June 25, 2012
Now, this was different! I almost put it down several times. I just couldn't get into it. That is where text-to-speech helps the most. I let it continue to read to me while I did other things and suddenly I was into it. I thought I would never be able to keep track of the cast of characters. I didn't like that it seemed about power, men and wars. But suddenly there is the father by his son's bedside in a hospital. The son is dying. That's when the story became interesting.
I thought at first that the author was taking the story back and forward in time. But then I realized that it was just different fronts that will merge toward the end.
This is a good book for older children on up. Boys would particularly like it, I would assume. As a female I was offended that the females didn't play more than minor roles. I think I can count two females in the whole story. I did like them though. One risked everything to follow her conscience and her daughter was braver than everyone else in the book.
What an interesting planet! And the cast of beings was marvelous! And I loved how the author addressed the situation of future famine and how the rich shouldn't be selected or all would parish.
I am glad I got the opportunity to read this complimentary copy to review from BookRooster dot com. I would never had picked it up on my own. Though the cover picture is interesting, it still wouldn't have been enough to grab me. But I am glad I got the chance to read something a little out of my comfort zone.
I thought at first that the author was taking the story back and forward in time. But then I realized that it was just different fronts that will merge toward the end.
This is a good book for older children on up. Boys would particularly like it, I would assume. As a female I was offended that the females didn't play more than minor roles. I think I can count two females in the whole story. I did like them though. One risked everything to follow her conscience and her daughter was braver than everyone else in the book.
What an interesting planet! And the cast of beings was marvelous! And I loved how the author addressed the situation of future famine and how the rich shouldn't be selected or all would parish.
I am glad I got the opportunity to read this complimentary copy to review from BookRooster dot com. I would never had picked it up on my own. Though the cover picture is interesting, it still wouldn't have been enough to grab me. But I am glad I got the chance to read something a little out of my comfort zone.
December 1, 2012
Red Leaves and The Living Token it may be just another fantasy book but it has some things on its favor. A story about a father and his dying son on the quest for find a miracle cure.
After a hard start where I didn’t feel very related to the story and I didn’t understand where everything was going, things changed for the better. Once the magic and the fantasy were involved the true action began.
A book faithful to the fantasy genre, Red Leaves creates a world where this three kinds of beings live and where magic is possible.
Ben has a beautiful writing skill, describing the surroundings and the character’s feelings in a lovely way. Even there wasn’t a particular description on each one you can get to know their motivations and beliefs as the story moves on.
My favorite part was the behavior of the Red Leaves the idea that not everybody can see them, for me it was like only the kind hearts have the chance to see them.
Raj is an interesting character, a father willing to do everything for his son. A person that has to accept that sometimes magic is real and to trust his son in order to help him with his burden.
The book ends with a great hook and leaves you waiting for the sequel. In my opinion the series has potential to be amazing.
A recommendable book for all the fantasy lovers.
(I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review).
After a hard start where I didn’t feel very related to the story and I didn’t understand where everything was going, things changed for the better. Once the magic and the fantasy were involved the true action began.
A book faithful to the fantasy genre, Red Leaves creates a world where this three kinds of beings live and where magic is possible.
Ben has a beautiful writing skill, describing the surroundings and the character’s feelings in a lovely way. Even there wasn’t a particular description on each one you can get to know their motivations and beliefs as the story moves on.
My favorite part was the behavior of the Red Leaves the idea that not everybody can see them, for me it was like only the kind hearts have the chance to see them.
Raj is an interesting character, a father willing to do everything for his son. A person that has to accept that sometimes magic is real and to trust his son in order to help him with his burden.
The book ends with a great hook and leaves you waiting for the sequel. In my opinion the series has potential to be amazing.
A recommendable book for all the fantasy lovers.
(I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review).
August 17, 2012
Burrell creates a wonderful fantasy world in Red Leaves and The Living Token. There are three distinct races and interesting characters within each race. I love the parent/child family dynamic which infuses the narrative. The relationship between Raj and his son Emret makes this novel worthwhile. As does the relationship between the Master Cleric Bedic, his daughter Moslin (who is Emret’s nurse) and her daughter Sinesh. There is true sweetness radiating between them which I found very appealing.
The action is good and the tension rises throughout the novel as more and more people become aware of the token. Lord Valance is an interesting villain. He has good and negative qualities and I found myself wonderfully surprised at his intelligence and nuance.
I enjoyed Red Leaves and the Living Token very much but there were a few things which bothered me. Burell used the same descriptive words within close proximity to each other and so I sometimes found myself confused about who was doing what.
Emret is driving the action but it is Raj who truly seems to be the protagonist. Indeed it seems Emret is not in charge of his own destiny until closer to the end and then it feels Raj is being pulled along. This also gets a tad confusing.
My only final comment was I thought it would have more closure at the end so I guess now I will have to look forward to the sequel.
The action is good and the tension rises throughout the novel as more and more people become aware of the token. Lord Valance is an interesting villain. He has good and negative qualities and I found myself wonderfully surprised at his intelligence and nuance.
I enjoyed Red Leaves and the Living Token very much but there were a few things which bothered me. Burell used the same descriptive words within close proximity to each other and so I sometimes found myself confused about who was doing what.
Emret is driving the action but it is Raj who truly seems to be the protagonist. Indeed it seems Emret is not in charge of his own destiny until closer to the end and then it feels Raj is being pulled along. This also gets a tad confusing.
My only final comment was I thought it would have more closure at the end so I guess now I will have to look forward to the sequel.
December 8, 2012
I used to be an avid reader of Fantasy and Science Fiction but have moved away from the genre in more recent decades. When Ben’s book was given to me to review, the thing I noticed first was that it didn’t follow any standard formulas for the genre, it was refreshingly different. The characters are well drawn and believable, facing similar issues that many people face in the ‘real’ world today; however, it creates a number of what could be conflicting parallels – for instance, there are state-of-the-art medical facilities but they use horse and carts; in some ways this could create an element of unreality to whole story but the plot develops quite nicely and finishes on a cliff-hanger. There are a few grammatical, editing and spelling mistakes which could be annoying to the more pedantic among us.
October 17, 2012
it was amazing. i loved the story of finding the red leaves to save his son, if only it can be in real life.
the theme of fatherhood was great painted in my opinion, and it is one of the most important themes in books in general.
the characters are well painted too. i loved the hero "Raj" with his actions that spray comic on the novel.i loved the weird names of the characters although it was hard for me to memorize.
the plot is coherent. AND it is very exciting. i loved the conflict.
i gave 5 stars to this book.
I'm looking forward reading the second part.
I would like to thank Benjamin Burrell for the free copy.
i really enjoyed reading the book
the theme of fatherhood was great painted in my opinion, and it is one of the most important themes in books in general.
the characters are well painted too. i loved the hero "Raj" with his actions that spray comic on the novel.i loved the weird names of the characters although it was hard for me to memorize.
the plot is coherent. AND it is very exciting. i loved the conflict.
i gave 5 stars to this book.
I'm looking forward reading the second part.
I would like to thank Benjamin Burrell for the free copy.
i really enjoyed reading the book
August 5, 2016
I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it. I assume the final edition had much better editing.
I found many things to like about the fantasy world Benjamin Burrell has created; such as the three races, the mystical Token, and some of the landscape descriptions. Except for the children, the characters did not come alive for me. I found much of the plot confusing, perhaps due to the switching from viewpoint to viewpoint. Many of the character's actions made no sense to me until later in the book, which at times was frustrating. All in all, I found Red Leaves and the Living Token to have only moments of brilliance in an otherwise average book.
I found many things to like about the fantasy world Benjamin Burrell has created; such as the three races, the mystical Token, and some of the landscape descriptions. Except for the children, the characters did not come alive for me. I found much of the plot confusing, perhaps due to the switching from viewpoint to viewpoint. Many of the character's actions made no sense to me until later in the book, which at times was frustrating. All in all, I found Red Leaves and the Living Token to have only moments of brilliance in an otherwise average book.
August 3, 2012
Red Leaves and the Living Token is based in a fantasy world where the main character Emret sets out to have an adventure whilst searching for a cure for his illness. Along the way the adventure becomes character building giving each strength and determination to reach their goal.
The world that has been created by Burrell consists of different types of species that either don’t get on with one another or they tolerate each other. Following Emret on his journey, we are introduced to many likeable characters which makes this is an enjoyable read for anyone who loves fantasy adventures.
The world that has been created by Burrell consists of different types of species that either don’t get on with one another or they tolerate each other. Following Emret on his journey, we are introduced to many likeable characters which makes this is an enjoyable read for anyone who loves fantasy adventures.
March 29, 2013
I agree with Richard...I would have liked a bit more description of the characters. I kind of felt like you do when you have something on the tip of your tongue, you almost know it, but not quite. This being said, I really enjoyed it. I did not know it was a Part 1, but now I will be trying to read part 2. I am really rooting for the little guy! It was written in a way that made me feel as if this was a real place that I just didn't know much about. Just under 200 pages on my Nook.
Read
December 18, 2014Jumped around a lot in time, place and character and had a number of editing issues, so I didn't get far into it. Consider these sentences: "Clansman this is Doctor Bihinlem. She's been heading our alternatives research. Go ahead doctor." If you can't tell what's wrong with them, this book may be for you.
September 4, 2013
Interesting but at times a bit confusing. The copy I read had a lot of errors in the grammar, spelling etc. It might have been an advance copy as it was signed by the author and donated to recycling library. Not sure if I want to continue the series, but probably would if I'm done with other books I really want to read.
August 29, 2014
Despite multiple attempts, I just couldn't get into this novel. I really tried but the beginning is a bit confusing. From what I could tell, the world seems well developed and I'm sure a different reader would enjoy this. The synopsis sounds intriguing but it just isn't for me I suppose.
Want to read
July 1, 2012This is my brother's book. I am hoping he will give me a hard copy (hint hint) so that I can read it.
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