The Necromancer's Apprentice by R. M. Prioleau

The Necromancer's Apprentice #1

by R.M. Prioleau

Jasmine Na'Darod lived a simple life with her parents and older sister on the family’s farm. She never strayed far from home until the ill-fated Blood Moon arose, basking the country of Caristan with a terrible, sickening drought.When her mother falls ill, Jasmine and her family are forced to leave home in desperate search of a cure. During their journey, a series of tragic events will change Jasmine's life forever.With her former life shrouded and forgotten, Jasmine embraces a new path granted by an unlikely stranger, who, ironically, practices the Art of death and undeath.As Jasmine is drawn to this enigma of a man, she soon realizes there is more to him than what she initially perceived — his true motives are beyond anything she could ever imagine…Deeply compelling and morbidly intriguing, The Necromancer's Apprentice is a beautifully-narrated gothic fantasy with memorable characters.*A novella by R.M. Prioleau

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Ebooks, Gothic

Paperback

First published March 30, 2011

About the author

R.M. Prioleau is a game developer and artist by day; and a dangerous writer by night. Since childhood, she’s continued exploring new methods of expanding her skills and creativity as she delves into the realm of literary abandon. R.M. is a NaNoWriMo enthusiast, and has been active in the worldwide writing community since 2009.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the synopsis might have made my expectations a little too high for such a short book. The Necromancer's Apprentice is much more of a novella than anything else. Still, I felt like there could have been a lot more character development and a lot less plot holes.

In terms of things I liked, the story did keep me reading. The mystery surrounding Master Dagg and his sinister experiments was intriguing. I can't say that I liked him as a character per say, but he did add a nice element of suspense to everything that was going on. I also liked that Prioleau wasn't afraid to be a little dark in her writing. The experiments definitely aren't pretty.

The biggest thing I didn't like was actually the main character herself. Jasmine is completely flat emotionally. Although she admits that to the reader, it makes it very difficult to care about anything that happens to her. In her mind, she's already dead and nothing is worth fighting for. The other issue I had was in plot holes. I'd love to see more work on getting everything to flow.

I see definite potential in this story. With more editing and polishing I think Jasmine's story will come through better.

[Clare dooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of the "Necromancer's Apprentice " by R.M. Prioleau to review.
By Mousehead & Tales rating this novella gets a perfect score! 5 $, $, $, $, $,! Or 5 stars! Let me tell you why... This book has a glorious cover. The artist who rendered it is a master. I don't believe a human with a pulse could gaze upon it and not NEED to know more. I read the novella in a few hours and was getting a heavy heart that it was going to end soon. I'm still hoping for another chance to enter Jasmine's hauntingly strange and beautiful p.o.v.
So let's get down to the review!

THE PLAYERS:
1.Jasmine - beautiful youngest child, snow white hair, slate gray eyes, has never cried in her entire life, willing test subject, slave, and eventually student
2. Master Dagg/ Daggax'iylion - A master of the "Dark Arts" necromancer and an Arcanist. He also can change his form.. But I don't want to spoil that surprise. Savior of Jasmine as well as her owner and eventually teacher
3. Banin - Knight in Shining Armor , leader of the Hemlock Hunters of Lakis
4. Harpy's, Zombies, and other oddities

Synopsis: The Crimson Moon has risen over the land of Lakis. Along with the odd sight of a blood red moon, there are droughts and no crops. The land is barren and the people of Lakis think that the Goddess Celestra is punishing them for not being devout enough in their prayer's to her.
We see the story through the p.o.v. of Jasmine . Right from the start you can tell she's a unique girl. Jasmine is content living in a manor with a farm that her Grandfather had built. Due to the lack of harvest her family has had to abandon their home and seek out a healer. Jasmine's mother is in a comatose state and nothing has improved her condition.
The family takes what little they have and leave for the city to find a Dr.
Suffice to say that none of Jasmine's family survives the journey.
Oddly this doesn't really seem to traumatize Jasmine. She has never cried in her entire life, and always felt people wasted far to much energy on feelings.
Jasmine survived due to Master Dagg helping her. Not out of kindness . Dagg needed a new "test subject" as his last had died. As Master Dagg experimented on Jasmine she suffered but she also was interested in learning the dark arts. A strange partnership came out of the situation. Though Jasmine was his slave, did his bidding, let him experiment on her with painful and garish outcomes, she never once tried to flee or seek help. She was content living in the swampy cave with the moody necromancer.
After enough trust was built between them Master Dagg would leave all day every day never telling Jasmine what he did all day. She studied his notebooks of past and future experiments and became his apprentice in all things, even if that meant they experimented on her!
One day while Master Dagg was off doing his daily errands Jasmine left the cave to go hunt down some lunch from the swamps. That's when Banin the Knight in shining armor appears to save the damsel in distress.
Things don't turn out as the Knight expects...

So... My first thought was that I wished the book had been longer. I wasn't ready to leave the caves yet. Jasmine was a very different character. She didn't fit into any of the usual categories that beautiful females usually do. I also found it refreshing that there was no love interest or period of hating her Master. This was in all ways one of the most original novella's I've ever read.
I would recommend this book to people who aren't squeamish , enjoy tense, suspenseful , writing. Fans of gothic horror would enjoy this book. Fans of Holly Black, Poppy Z. Brite and authors of that ilk would gobble this up! I'm certainly going to read anything else I can find by this author.
I thought this was a beautiful bit of writing, it may be a partial spoiler but I just can't help myself...sorry!

"He let out a terrifying howl as he broke free of his tattered overcoat, and his body molded into the shape of a Dragon once more. The once beautiful, majestic ebony scales had rotted away to scraps of flesh. His age yellowed bones poked through the scraps of skin. Much of his face was but a skull,where the scaly skin was torn and barely clung to the bone. Two green, glowing orbs had replaced his dragon eyes, and they pulsated with a magic unfamiliar to me. His wings were reduced to bony frames, the webbed membranes replaced by rotting pieces of torn, hanging flesh.
I gazed at him in awe. How hauntingly beautiful he is..."-Jasmine

That is the kind of descriptive and lovely, yet disturbing writing this novella is FULL of, and I loved it!
Like I said, this earned a perfect score. From the cover to the very last word.
Review by Clare / Mousehead & Tales
For more reviews check out http://www.mouseheadandtales@weebly.com

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

ATTENTION: This review might contain some spoilers.
I recieved this book after winning it at a contest, in exchange of my honest review.

Like most of the readers, I was really intrigued by the cover and the synopsis of this novella. We are introduced in the life of Jasmine Na'Darod who is living with her family. At the beginning I found the main character both strong and ignorant at the same time since she does not want to get in contact with her mother who is sick by some unknown disease. Not only is her mother sick but the crops are also affected and Jasmine's father blames it all on the Blood Moon which he finds terrifying.

After deciding to find a cure for his wife, the father leaves with his two daughters and sick wife in search of a healer. Disaster strikes and what the night brings in front of the family can't be explained in words. The appearance of strange creatures makes a radical turn in Jasmine's life. Her family is killed and she ends up to be "saved" by a mad man who hides in a cave with his experiments.

I found the first half of the book just a little bit interesting since the story somehow lacked something. I was about to give the book 3 stars but the second half of the book compensated for the first one. Although I found Jasmine's personality quite strange since she accepted to live with a mad and strange man who only did experiments on her, I kind of understood that every characters is different and her interest in her Master's activity must not be considered a strange one.

The action of the book really becomes interesting when we find out about the existance of some sort of dragon. I won't tell you what the mystery behind the dragon really is so you will have to find out for yourselves!

I liked the fact that this book was different from others that I've read, so that would be a plus. Also, it was nice to read something and not predict the ending right from the start. I found out many things that I would not have even thought of!

When talking about the characters, I think that my favourite one was Jasmine's sister. The main character didn't impress me in a particular way but I like the bond that formed between her and the Master.
Jasmine was really strong along the way since she did not have a family anymore and had to struggle and accommodate with her new life.
The ending of the book was also a nice one and left me with a little question mark since I wanted to find out a few more details.

I would recommend this book for those who like gothic fantasy books and those who would preffer a short read. I think that this book might not be suited for those young of age since it containts some paragraphs that might be too harsh for them.

Quotes:

"Violet watched Father as he handled the horses and guided the hunger-weakened animals down the dirt road.
I stared at Mother in silence. She didn't wake up.
Periwinkle rose from Mother's side and padded over to me, where he curled in my lap, purring contentedly despite the heaviness in the air."

"The swamp was still dark; the morning sun had not yet risen enough to provide its modest light through the overcast sky. The air was moist and thick from the recent rains. I was gradually becoming more proficient at fishing, though I'd soon discovered the efficiency of gathering crabs and shellfish along the banks, which I preffered. The weather conditions were such that I could usually find them washed up in the mud, but that particular morning, they were scarce for some reason."

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Necromancer's Apprentice
by R.M. Prioleau (Goodreads Author)

Synopsis from Goodreads
"Jasmine Na’Darod lived a simple life with her parents and older sister on the family’s farm. She never strayed far from home until the ill-fated Blood Moon arose, basking the country of Caristan with a terrible, sickening drought.

When her mother falls ill, Jasmine and her family are forced to leave home in desperate search of a cure. During their journey, a series of tragic events will change Jasmine’s life forever.

With her former life shrouded and forgotten, Jasmine embraces a new path granted by an unlikely stranger, who, ironically, practices the Art of death and undeath.

As Jasmine is drawn to this enigma of a man, she soon realizes there is more to him than what she initially perceived — his true motives are beyond anything she could ever imagine…

Deeply compelling and morbidly intriguing, The Necromancer’s Apprentice is a beautifully-narrated gothic fantasy with memorable characters."

I love the title of this book, to me it just says magic and when I was given the opportunity to read it I was thrilled. It is a novella and a quick read with a very interesting premise. I started the book and was having a little difficulty getting through the first few pages and found myself thinking some rather snarky thoughts. I felt it was a little over descriptive and there was a little too much detail about the surroundings, although the descriptions were beautifully poetic. I had to stop for a moment and look at the book from a different perspective and not from my own preconceived expectations from the title. I took the time to look up the author and try to understand where she was coming from and it was noted she is also a game designer and artist and this was her first novel. Well the light bulb went on for me and I could now understand what was behind the beginning of the story and perhaps why it was written in the style it was. I went back to the book and I am glad I did. It was still a little overly poetic, for my tastes at the beginning, but I found I had to know what was happening. As the story progressed so did the style of the writing and I found I was enjoying the journey. It was certainly different from anything I have read before and I do love a taste of something different now and again. I cannot say this is a feel good book, but it is definitely an interesting read. I don't know if the main character is intended to go on in other stories or not; however, I do know that by the end of the book I felt I would like to know more about her future. I would certainly read Ms. Prioleau's work again and on a day when I needed a quick read might pick up Necromancer's Apprentice again for a reread. I would recommend this book for someone who wants a quick read that offers something a little different with a very poetically descriptive beginning getting down to the nitty-gritty by the end.
I received this book from the author with a request for my honest review. 

[Stefanie Wille · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover and the synopsis had me really intrigued for the story. Then followed the beautiful and lengthy descriptions at the start of the book and I was hooked. Only to be let down shortly afterwards. Suddenly the beautiful descriptions ended and we were headed into rushed writing without much detail. Though at times it didn’t bother me all that much, most of the time it did. It completely failed to engage my my interest for a huge chunk of the book.

To me it felt like this book was a rough draft more than a finished book. As mentioned above the start was very rich in detail and I really loved that, but that sort of writing only occurred seldomly throughout the book. The largest part of this book was very vague and skipped over many things that could have been very interesting. It spoke of experiments but never gave us more information than that. It said that they grew close, but we never got to be there when it happened. I know this book was a novella but it would have done better to be a full size book with as much description as there was at the start. There is a big chunk of the story left untold, there’s no history of this foreign land or anything!

Characterdevelopment was clearly not a thing to be witnessed in this book. We got told of certain developments, but we never got to see them or even got close to knowing how this happened. This was just such a good concept for a book but it was just executed in a way that left me disconnected with anything and everything in the book. Jasmine was at first pretty unfeeling and barely expressed any emotions. After a while this changed according to the narrative but I still didn’t see much difference. Just mentioning that she is now a lot more emotional does not make it so without proof.

I don’t understand why this story was tried to be told in only some hundred pages. For me it could have been a book of over 300 pages if it was just written in the style of the first few pages. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this book felt more like a rough draft than a completed work. There were some scenes that were nicely laid out and well written. But the other parts of the book felt more like a writer filling up the place in between these finished scenes. It’s as if these f”filler”-parts were still meant to be written out in full but the author just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. And we rarely get any answers to why anything as well! There is a blood red moon hanging in the sky and other than the “it’s because of me” we don’t get an explanation. I’m sorry but I wanted more! I was looking forward to finding out why and how of things.

So in short I was disappointed in this book because there was just so much potential in this book and it just didn’t end up being what it could have been. It’s like a diamond in the rough that has been presented to us without being polished. You can see the value but it’s not what you wanted from it. At least that’s how this felt to me.

[Emi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even after finishing the book, I’m not sure how I feel about it. I don’t think I really liked it, but at the same time, I didn’t hate it, even though at first I know I didn't like it. Jasmine was very apathetic towards everything, which for me was a problem. I have difficulty liking characters that feel like that don’t have anything to live for and are at peace with that, particularly when said character announces this detail about themself at the beginning of the book. In my mind, I immediately question, “Ok, well then where’s the room for growth?” Even if a character finds something to live for, the fact that they don’t even want to try looking to begin with is a sign that I’m not going to like who I’m reading about. But as the story developed, Jasmine’s apathetic nature made it possible for the story to focus on the mystery behind Master Dagg, and more importantly, focus on the nature of death and loyalty. The whole thing kind of reminded me of Rick Yancey’s The Monstrumologist (which I absolutely loved), and appealed to my fascination with the dark and macabre.

However, there were lots of plot holes, unclear character motivations, and lack of developed relationships. I know this was a novella (just a little over 110 pages), and in a novella there’s not a lot of room for long periods of description or investigation, but some more explanation would have been nice. Jasmine goes through a kind of transformation that would have taken years to accomplish, but is accomplished in less than six months. It was unsettling, especially after the horrific events that happen to her and her family in the beginning of the book. I also wanted to know more about the Necromancer, and what kind of magic he was working on down in his tunnels. While the story questions him and his practices, it doesn’t fully explore what exactly was going on and why in a greater context.

But, even with that said, I think this story has potential. It was a quick read, it was a dark read, it was a gruesome read, with poetic writing, interesting fantasy elements and a twist at the end I didn’t see coming. But it also needs a good editor and another draft.

For the full version of this review (and others like it) please visit my blog: http://oktopusink.blogspot.com :)

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Necromancer's Apprentice is a young adult novella by R.M. Prioleau. Jasmine Na’Darod has always considered herself a little different, and has trouble feeling emotions like others. She lived a simple life with her parents and older sister on the family’s farm until the ill-fated Blood Moon arose, basking the country of Caristan with a drought. Her superstitious father decides that the girls' mother is too ill to stay home any longer and the family leaves in an attempt to bring her to aid. Jasmine thinks it is a bad idea, but cannot dissuade the family. However, horrors on the journey bring Jasmine to a new life granted by the most unlikely of strangers. Jasmine is drawn into a life of experiments and practicing the dark arts surrounding life and death with her master only to discover things are even stranger than she imagined.

The Necromancer's Apprentice is a fairly short book with a Gothic fantasy feel. I am not sure how I feel about it quite yet. As a whole I liked the story and it certainly kept me reading, but it felt a little incomplete, almost like this was the outline and the author meant to go back in fill in more back-story, world building, and character development later. There was so much potential, but I felt like I was missing something or had inadvertently skipped something somewhere.The synopsis was more of a set up for the story as a whole rather than and actually synopsis. I liked the idea that Jasmine was different, but that kind of faded away. The mysteries about Master Dagg including his experiments and his very nature seem to come into play despite Jasmine's presence rather than because of her curiosity or even caring. I know there is not a whole lot of room for exploring and exposition in a novella- but if you need that room to make your story complete then keep writing and make it a full length novel instead.

The Necromancer's Apprentice would be a good quick read if you want to think about the darkness and beauty that can be found in both life and death. The story has a definite Gothic feel, but is lacking in character development and substance. There is a lot of potential here and I would be interested in seeing this novella fleshed out more into a full length novel.

[Yzabel Ginsberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story I enjoyed in general, but I think it would've deserved to be a little longer, in order to develop the characters some more, as well as give more details about Jasmine's apprenticeship per se.

The main problem I had with this story was Jasmine's passiveness towards what happened around her. Her shutting off all emotions made her too bland, like a blank slate on which it'd be easy to write. Had she had a little more passion in her, it might have allowed for more development, for explanations about how she came to accept her new life—the latter was an abrupt change, after all, with a lot of disturbing events happening, and she went through those like a breeze. There was an abrupt shift in the middle of the book, that I wasn't sure I really grasped: one moment, she was all resentful towards Dagg, then in the next chapter she talked about him as her beloved Master. This, in my opinion, would have needed more "showing" instead of "telling", for readers to really feel how she went from one side to the other. I would also have liked to see more of the Master's teachings.

On the other hand, I quite enjoyed the second part, and the themes explored through this novella. Necromancy is a fascinating subject in itself, because of the questions it raises. The narrative is often fraught with ambiguity: permeated with a dark, corrupted magic that demands "experiments" to be performed, yet hauntingly beautiful in many ways. Some descriptions may need editing, because they were just a tad too flowery and bordering on purple prose. But some others were strong and to the point, albeit in a gruesome way. Although we're not shown much of the world in which the story unfolds, it's alright, because we don't actually need to know: the secluded cave and marshes are good things, providing readers with a definite focus on the characters. This is why I wished we could see more development on that side, for the setting itself is perfect in that regard.

I still don't know whether I should give this book 2 or 3 stars. However, for now, I'm going to settle on 3 all the same: there's definitely potential in this story.

[Melissa Hayden · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Blood Moon has appeared this year and many believe the Blood Moon is to fault for drought, loss of crops, and several deaths. Later, Jasmine hears people think theirs a dragon who has brought the Blood Moon and death to the land. Jasmine's mother fell deathly sick since swiftly after the appearance of the first Blood Moon. Jasmine's father has become more superstitious with the use of pendants and holy symbols around the house since his wife has fallen so ill. Jasmine does not believe in the superstitions of the Blood Moon like her family, yet she is curious about death and not scared by it. Jasmine's father decides the family needs to leave to head to a village a few days travel to find a healer for her mother. Jasmine doesn't feel comfortable with the trip, but the family goes. The trip will bring more death to her, but yet an unexpected friend in the end. This is where Jasmine realizes her true talents.

This novella was a quick read, at only 113 pages. But one to venture into a world in a dark time, and young girl caught up in it. Death is all around and Jasmine is one who isn't taken in by it's fear. She is curious about it and understands it's a part of life. But Jasmine becomes more curious by the end and losses someone who becomes very close to her as the story goes.

Jasmine was an interesting character, but my favorite was Master Dagg. You can tell when you meet him and read of his actions he isn't completely human. In the end, I loved what I found out about him. He is strange, and dark. One obsessed with death and returning from death, or avoiding it all together. He is a scientist of a sort with the experiments he does in his lab.

The book was a quick read, but had a few small memorable moments for me. One was the creatures that attacked Jasmine and her family on their first night out. Nasty, evil things. Then in the end where we get the whole story on Master Dagg. But other than that it was a quick easy read. This could be a quick hour read for many needing a fantasy fix.

[Ashley Ferguson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The description of this novella sounds fantastic. I mean, who doesn't love a good, mysterious, Gothic fantasy story with a necromancer who saves the living? Unfortunately, I didn't think the story lived up to all of my expectations. I finished it a few days ago, and still am not entirely sure how I feel. I was left wanting more, but at the same time I wasn't really interested in learning anything else. Most of my questions were answered, but it felt like the answers were just thrown together.

I did think that Prioleau's writing and world-building were beautiful though, and that's part of the reason I kept reading even when I was so confused as to what was happening. I never really got used to the dialect and Jasmine's voice, but I blame that more on myself than on the story. It's very old styled, and reminded me of something I might read in an Austen or Bronte novel I also felt like the plot moved too quickly, which might have been because it is only a novella.

I also never really connected with Jasmine. She was just too... weird for my liking. Her relationship with Master Dag is strange and takes a while to develop, but I never could figure out what he thought about her. His secrets were really interesting though, and I did enjoy the spin on a classic mythological creature that Prioleau put into the story.

Overall, this just didn't end up being the story for me. Maybe someone who enjoys dark, Gothic mysteries might enjoy it, but it's just really hard for me to say. I think there's full novel in there somewhere trying to claw its way out. I can only give this a 2.5/5 as is though. I liked parts of it, but most of it was just too confusing and underdeveloped for me.

[Tarl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit, I picked this up because of the title and cover. What I found inside was fairly interesting.
The main character Jasmine in the first half of the story is hard to relate to due to her view on the world around her, including the sickness of her mother and her view of her family. It's only later in the book that her character actually changes and she becomes an interesting person because she actually starts acting like a human being.

That said, from about the mid point of the story onwards this is a wonderful story, and quite an enjoyable read. The characters become believable, the story is interesting, and it all wraps up fairly nicely and leaves you wishing for more. I ended up sympathizing with Jasmine and the necromancer as the story progressed and after spending the first half of the novel disliking Jasmine, I grew to enjoy her company in my head.

The writing has its flaws but overall is fairly strong throughout the story. As mentioned, the first half of the story suffers but Prioleau finds her footing and manages to finish strong. Had the same skill and strength of writing been used in the first half of the story this would have ended up being an even stronger story and one that would have easily pushed 4+ stars.

An easy read, and an enjoyable one in the end, I recommend this to anyone who likes gothic stories and perhaps to YAs who are into the goth scene and fantasy.

[Ange · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this novella via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to be reading when I requested this novella but I really dug the cover and I've read a few good books that involve Necromancers so I figured I'd give it a go.
I'm really glad I did. I had a read of some of the other reviews of it on Goodreads when I was about half way through, and was really disappointed with the One star ratings and their reviews. Did we read the same story? I think not.

I found it intriguing from the get-go. A tragically macabre story followed that I don't know whether to describe as gothic or horror with definite roots in fantasy. I'm pretty sure I've never read anything quite like it.
The telling of the story reminded me a little of Wuthering Heights and was possibly set in the same era but I enjoyed this telling far more than WH!

The negative reviews I read complained of it being too fast paced. I presume because it jumps by months in some chapters but nothing of consequence happens in that time, so in my opinion, why waste words? I liked that it just kind of stuck to the plot, didn't wander, didn't have unnecessary flourishing descriptions. I thoroughly enjoyed it and had I not had motherly responsibilities, I would have finished it in one full swoop! I'd really be interested in reading a sequel.

If you are after something different, a little "out there", then definitely give The Necromancer's Apprentice a go!

[Olivia (Bookcomet) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I just HAVE to mention how in love with the cover I am. It's so pretty! And reading the novella, I was constantly comparing the main character Jasmine to the girl on the cover.

Aside from the cover, the actual story was pretty great. I have never read a novel about dragons before, so the story definitely appealed to me. This was one fast paced novella - I read it in about one sitting!

Even though this was a short book, there was still character development. Majorly on Jasmine's part. She changes a lot from the beginning of the story.

I just wish that there had been more of an introduction, mostly to Jasmine, her family and the world. The little amount of backstory was not sufficient and I was a little confused at the beginning. Also, I think that Jasmine changed her attitude towards the dragon a little too quickly.

This was an awesome novella. Fast paced, unpredictable and enjoyable. I would give this three and a half stars out of five. Had there been more of a backstory, it would certainly have secured a four. I would recommend this to someone who wants a great but short book.

[Andrea Ika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clocking in at just 106 pages, I finished this book aimed at young adults in one sitting. Set in the mythical country of Caristan it follows the exploits of Jasmine Na’Darod, a girl forced to leave home on the search for a cure for her sick mother. After losing her father, sister and then her mother to some gruesome creatures on route to the nearby town she is soon rescued by a dark master of magic.
This man, it turns out, is a Necromancer, who teachers Jasmine the ways of the dark arts. It also turns out he’s a dragon to boot – pretty cool huh!?

The biggest thing I didn't like was actually the main character herself. Jasmine is completely flat emotionally. Although she admits that to the reader, it makes it very difficult to care about anything that happens to her. In her mind, she's already dead and nothing is worth fighting for. The other issue I had was in plot holes. I'd love to see more work on getting everything to flow.

I see definite potential in this story. With more editing and polishing I think Jasmine's story will come through better.i

[Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story from RM Prioleau. It is my second novella to read by this author and find that the writing is very fluid and pulls your right into the world. Jasmine is a very interesting character, although she ends up in a very interesting situation. She makes decisions regarding her future that I did not see coming.

Most characters would jump at the chance to lead a normal life, but she makes alternative choices, which I was both surprised by, and loved.

As a novella it was a very short read, but compelling and I really loved the characters. Even the Necromancer himself was intriguing and unique. As the quote above says, these are memorable characters indeed.

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full, non-spoiler review courtesy at Book & Movie Dimension a Blog

A morbid fantasy that goes into question the unknown of death. Was sort of short but wove a sort of likeable story. It wasn't anything too amazing but a small fantasy tale. I will say this, it had its charismatic moments.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good fast read, done in two hours, characters were well written and draw you in. The only thing wrong with this book was it ended too soon. Hope to see more from this author soon. I won this book from Goodreads and have already passed it on!

[Alexandra Neznamy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was ok, short but interesting aspect on death. Beginning was tough to get through.

[David Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read that left me wanting another installment

[Angela(demonsangel) Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to be posted on Audible

[Julie Witt · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When her mother falls ill, Jasmine and her family are forced to leave home in desperate search of a cure. During their journey, a series of tragic events will change Jasmine’s life forever."

When Jasmine, her older sister, Violet, and her father load their mother into the back of a wagon and head off to find a cure for her mysterious illness, they have no idea what they are heading into. It's not long before they're running for their lives through a forest, heading for the safety of a cave. Unfortunately, the cave isn't safe at all. By the end of the night, Jasmine is the only one left alive, and she's in a very perilous position, shackled to a table in a makeshift laboratory.

This was a very interesting story, about the length of a novella, so it was a quick read. It was definitely unlike anything else I've read recently. It had darker undertones, for one, and an intriguing premise. I would have preferred to have the story more developed, and the characters described in more depth so I could get to know them better. It was hard to connect with Jasmine because she was aloof and distant. I think if the book had been longer and the characters more fleshed out, I would have enjoyed it more than I did. I felt compelled to read it, though, because the story did draw me in and make me want to find out more.

In summary, I liked this book well enough and look forward to reading more from this author.

3.5/5

***I received a copy of this book from NetGalley free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Susi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book in one sitting.
I loved the storyline and the setting, and I found the characters all intriguing.
But ... I can't help feeling that there are parts missing. I want to know more about the characters. I want to delve deeper into their psyche, I want to know more about "the experiments" and I want to know what happens next.
For me, this books feels like a prequel into Jasmine's adventure and I am looking forward to read more of this series.

[Lucy Caruana · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Denise]

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"Jasmine Na’Darod lived a simple life with her parents and older sister on the family’s farm. She never strayed far from home until the ill-fated Blood Moon arose, basking the country of Caristan with a terrible, sickening drought.

When her mother falls ill, Jasmine and her family are forced to leave home in desperate search of a cure. During their journey, a series of tragic events will change Jasmine’s life forever.

With her former life shrouded and forgotten, Jasmine embraces a new path granted by an unlikely stranger, who, ironically, practices the Art of death and undeath.

As Jasmine is drawn to this enigma of a man, she soon realizes there is more to him than what she initially perceived — his true motives are beyond anything she could ever imagine…

Deeply compelling and morbidly intriguing, The Necromancer’s Apprentice is a beautifully-narrated gothic fantasy with memorable characters."

When I was offered the opportunity to read this book for review, I was very excited, as the title hooked me - let alone the beautiful cover.

notes -
have to stop now will finish shortly / finished book 06/27/11

[Suzy Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this novel as part of the NetGalley First Reads program, in exchange for an honest review.

Not sure where to start.

I just couldn't get into this one. I read it, finished every word but .. Meh, I don't know ... It was just not for me. I couldn't engage with the characters or understand the progression of the plot. It felt like the novella just wandered around, the zombies came, the dragon flew, the hunters hunted, and hearts were broken. But no one cared - least of all me!

Not my cup of Irish Breakfast.

[Adam Gutschenritter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing super mind shattering in this YA novel. The story was a simple anti-hero plot, but the world building was some of the best I have read in a novella. The world hooked me in and the plot kept me going. I am glad I picked this up!

[May · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. The only thing I liked about this book is the cover. The writing makes me want to gag, the sequence of the story is too fast-paced, the protagonist is so irritating. I just want to punch her at some points. This is bullshit.

[Vader · Rating 2 out of 5]

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish

[Nicole Johns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a little book but packs a punch. Felt sorry for what Jasmine went through, very strong girl. Jasmins mum is sick and her family has to leave home for a cure- what happens next?