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Grandelyn
Set in a fantasy world that is both harsh and beautiful, Grandelyn follows the journey to freedom of an enslaved group of people. Oppressed by an evil dictator, the slaves appear doomed to a lifetime of torture and servitude. But an unlikely leader rises among them and offers a chance for freedom. Ariyah, the beautiful young daughter of a rebellious slave, grows to become a fierce warrior and a reluctant leader in the eyes of the people. Ariyah attempts to lead the slaves out of bondage and into a new life – in a beautiful yet mysterious land called Grandelyn. After years of pain and suffering, Ariyah and her people find that Grandelyn offers the potential for peace and happiness. But Grandelyn has dark secrets that are about to be revealed. Those secrets, and a dictator who is unwilling to relinquish his grip, threaten everything that Ariyah and the others have fought so hard to attain. In effect, Grandelyn is the story of two journeys, and two transformations. One is the journey of an enslaved people struggling to transform themselves to a free people. The other is the journey of a young girl struggling to quickly transform from a child slave to a leader. Both journeys have unexpected and dangerous consequences. All journeys must end. Will both of these journeys end in the peace and prosperity of Grandelyn, or in a dark new world?
404 pages, Paperback
First published November 23, 2012
2 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 13, 2013
Let me just start by saying: This book was awesome!
I am an avid reader of both the sci-fi and fantasy genres and I know very well that sometimes it takes quite some time to get sucked into the story. With Grandelyn I did not have this problem. I was hooked by page 3. This almost never happens!
The characters, and their world are described in such vibrant detail that as you read, you feel as if you are mentally surrounded by this exotic place. The sights, the smells the sounds appear and you are there.
It's exciting, it's emotional and it's convictions are relevant to here and now. Is it a good fantasy story? Yes. But, it is so much more. The lessons about life and inner strength are so empowering. It made me feel hopeful and not much does that for me these days. I enjoyed and approved of this book so much that when I was done, I handed it off to my 11 year old daughter and asked her to read it. She read it and loved it and when I asked her what she thought she said "I wanna be as confident as Ariyah." I just smiled knowing the message that got through to me, also got through to her.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy world, also women, young girls and just basically anyone who likes stories of empowerment and people overcoming the obstacles of life.
5 big bright shining stars for this one.
I am an avid reader of both the sci-fi and fantasy genres and I know very well that sometimes it takes quite some time to get sucked into the story. With Grandelyn I did not have this problem. I was hooked by page 3. This almost never happens!
The characters, and their world are described in such vibrant detail that as you read, you feel as if you are mentally surrounded by this exotic place. The sights, the smells the sounds appear and you are there.
It's exciting, it's emotional and it's convictions are relevant to here and now. Is it a good fantasy story? Yes. But, it is so much more. The lessons about life and inner strength are so empowering. It made me feel hopeful and not much does that for me these days. I enjoyed and approved of this book so much that when I was done, I handed it off to my 11 year old daughter and asked her to read it. She read it and loved it and when I asked her what she thought she said "I wanna be as confident as Ariyah." I just smiled knowing the message that got through to me, also got through to her.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy world, also women, young girls and just basically anyone who likes stories of empowerment and people overcoming the obstacles of life.
5 big bright shining stars for this one.
September 30, 2013
Kalos is an evil dictator who rules Ferocities. He has enslaved people and tortures them if they don't do exactly as he says. There is one slave who stands up to him and does not fear him the way the others do. She trains her daughter Ariyah and her fellow slaves to fight. When the time comes, the slaves band together and attempt to escape to a magical place called Grandelyn. Ariyah transforms from an enslaved child to a strong and wonderful leader. Will they be free to live in peace in Grandelyn or will they be forced to return to Ferocities and its dark ruler?
I am going to start off by saying that I really liked this book. It's a wonderful and extremely interesting story. You can easily imagine what everything would look, feel, smell and taste like. The author does a wonderful job of describing this world and everything in it. Ariyah's story is empowering and inspiring. It takes a very strong woman (or even man) to accomplish what she has, especially considering the life she has had. That being said, there were quite a few mistakes in the book and at times the writing seemed amateurish. It wasn't BAD writing, it just seemed like someone without a ton of experience wrote it. I don't know how else to describe it but if it wasn't for this it would be perfect! This however, does not change my mind about wanting to read a sequel. I would absolutely love to find out what happens next in the world of Grandelyn.
I am going to start off by saying that I really liked this book. It's a wonderful and extremely interesting story. You can easily imagine what everything would look, feel, smell and taste like. The author does a wonderful job of describing this world and everything in it. Ariyah's story is empowering and inspiring. It takes a very strong woman (or even man) to accomplish what she has, especially considering the life she has had. That being said, there were quite a few mistakes in the book and at times the writing seemed amateurish. It wasn't BAD writing, it just seemed like someone without a ton of experience wrote it. I don't know how else to describe it but if it wasn't for this it would be perfect! This however, does not change my mind about wanting to read a sequel. I would absolutely love to find out what happens next in the world of Grandelyn.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews