A World Apart

The Elencheran Chronicles

by David M. Brown

Demetrius makes his first mistake when he lets his best friend Halcyon marry Eleyna, the love of his life, without saying a word. On the day of the wedding, he walks away from the Elencheran town of Dove's Meadow and joins the army. He makes his second mistake when the pirate Black Iris tricks him into letting dozens of men, women and children die in a fire.

Demetrius is imprisoned in grief and disgrace. But he can atone. The Black Iris is dead. The Ivory Rose has risen to the top of the pirates and is leading brutal raids on the coast. If Demetrius can capture and kill her, he'll win his pardon.

And then Demetrius discovers the Ivory Rose is Eleyna. He must decide which will be his third mistake: losing his last chance at a pardon or destroying the one woman he's ever loved.

Genres: Fantasy

822 pages, Paperback

First published June 11, 2012

About the author

David Brown could be considered a fantasy fanatic, especially since he has spent the last 10 years developing a 47,000-year history for his fictional world of Elenchera. When converting his obsession into literary form, David commits himself to a rigorous writing and editing process before his work can meet his approval. Combined with the critical eye of his wife and a BA Honors in History and English, David's dedication leads him to his goal of inspiring readers through heartfelt stories and characters.

Although David is inspired primarily by fantasy fiction, he also finds his muse in the form of anime, world cinema, history, and biographies. His own books, Fezariu's Epiphany (2011), A World Apart (2012) and Ansel's Remorse (2015) combine aspects from worlds both old and new into compelling tales of a world not soon forgotten.

Away from the welcome escapism of fantasy, David is also the joint owner of six cats whose years of owning him have resulted in Man vs Cat (2012), The Bleaklisted Books (2014) and More Bleaklisted Books (2015) - all collaborations with his wife, Donna Brown.

Donna is also the author of Double-take Tales (2011), Losing Heart (2014), Tuning In (2014) and Playing House.

Reviews

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. It isn't the kind of book I would normally read but I wanted to give it a go and I'm glad I did. It was excellent from cover to cover. I enjoyed David's first book (Fezariu's Epiphany) but this was even better.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘A World Apart’ is a superbly woven fantasy narrative. It centers on the story of three friends, Demetrius, Eleyna, and Halcyon. These three friends share their dreams when young only to have life take them on voyages they could never have imagined. It is a story of love and friendship. The pirate ship, the Aeonian, is so cool with ten cannons and an eclectic crew. It terrorizes all of Elenchera. There is magic at the edge of the world, which you get to stick your hand into along with the crew of the Aeonian. There are many exciting sword fights, and even a few fights using magic conjured in the palm of the characters’ hands. Details such as a card game called Kings and Jesters, which is so neat I want to play it, but I will definitely not place any bets! There are also many secrets to discover, but perhaps none as great as the real identity of the Black Iris. Oh, and be good in Dove’s Meadow or you might be sentenced to the pit! There are many exciting twists and turns in this tale before the story weaves back around to an impressive conclusion.

'A World Apart' is not a quick read, certainly, and not a light read, but if you are willing to make the commitment to this wonderful book, you will be rewarded. The story moves well and the prose is written masterfully. The tale unfolds like a grand map of Elenchera, the land in which it is set. You will come to know the characters, rooting for them, hoping they survive, wanting them to be successful in their quests, which are sometimes for redemption and at other times for vengeance.

David Brown’s gritty style of writing fantasy is unique in many ways. There is solidness to his prose, you feel you are treading the dusty path, or finding your balance on the deck of a tossing ship at sea. The action is swift and often surprising. Get ready for your heart to beat rapidly during many scenes! Some scenes might bring forth a tear or two, but never in an exploitive or cheap way. ‘A World Apart’ is a beautifully crafted story. It progresses on many levels and Mr. Brown does an amazing job of bringing the pieces together. From beginning to end, the reader is part of the journey. You will witness battles and find yourself entwined in the emotional lives of the characters. There is never a dull moment, yet at the same time, the manner in which the characters develop is both insightful and believable.

As a philosopher of sorts, I could not help but notice many subtle observations regarding human nature and motivation. These were worth the read alone! While in the midst of the exciting and mesmerizing text, be sure not to miss them! There are many such gems.

I could not read ‘A World Apart’ fast because I was enjoying each scene too much. Having completed it, I think it was well worth the read and I highly recommend it. This is great writing with a groundbreaking aspect to its vision. I believe ‘A World Apart’ is unique in the fantasy genre. Let it sink into your bones, as a pirate, a soldier, or a lover separated by time and circumstance from your one true love.

This is such a great book. I highly recommend it!

[TC · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second encounter with the Elencheran Chronicles, having read Fezariu's Epiphany last year. The series is set in the same world and features the same places and races but as far as I could see there was no interaction between the characters in the two books. I found this a bit unusual but it actually works well.

In A World Apart we meet Demetrius and his family and friends, from Doves Meadow. While his father is a gentle shepherd Demetrius has a famed soldier for a grandfather, and under Granicus' tutelage his future is shaped. The decisions Demetrius makes as a young man will have profound effects on more than just his immediate acquaintances.

This is part of an epic saga, with tales of magic, piracy and military life, and the book covers Demetrius' lifetime and beyond. As a result of the amount of detail I felt I really got to know Demetrius and those around him, and each time I picked the book up again was like returning to see what old friends were up to. I felt for Demetrius when faced with each of the major trials in his life, yet had moments of hope. I also found myself slightly torn as to whether I should be rooting for Demetrius, staunch defender of the ruling Order, or whether the pirates, seeking to liberate the world from Colonists, were in the right.

Brown has created an interesting world and characters to fill it. However, while I know it's perfectly acceptable for a book of this type to be considerably longer than say a crime thriller (more my normal fare) I felt that this long tale could have been edited more tightly and the length reduced a little. There were places where I felt the author should have given his abilities in drawing the reader to a conclusion, and the reader's ability to draw the right one, more credit. In a number of places rather than leaving the reader to make the jump to the conclusion they should be drawing it was then spelt out plain as day. There were also some recaps of the tale to date that I found unnecessary and diverted the flow of the story somewhat.

Overall I enjoyed my visit to Elenchera and definitely wouldn't be adverse to visiting again in the future.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Demetrius is an old man exiled on Purgatory Island waiting to die, as a last request his grandson is allowed to see and talk to him. Curiosity gets the better of his grandson and he asks how he ended up on the island. We are then taken back to the very beginning as the story of his life unfolds, how the decisions he makes shapes his and his friends future. It follows his childhood, his one and only love, his mistakes and ultimately his generous heart that brings to his current position. Brown’s characters are well developed, all independent and strong, showing that they all have something to say. It’s great that we get a real feel for the characters and you need to understand the depths of their feelings in order to understand the decisions they make.

What I have to say is that the background information is a little too much at times. The first few pages have very little dialogue with details of not Demetrius’ life but how his father was conceived and how his grandfather dealt with the burden of begin a single parent. Although it was nice to see the relationships between the three men I thought it was unnecessary to go into so much detail, the first three chapters concentrate on his grandfather and father and they are not short chapters.

The introduction of the pirates was an interesting one after seeing the controlling Order, they had a definite distinction without painting it as a black and white picture. It was hard to decide who was in the right and it was a good position to be in. It really is an epic with the corrupt government and out of hand revolution, in the guise of the pirates but at times it was just too long. Throughout the whole book it is extremely detailed and not always needed but right at the end when everything is brought together it’s hard not to feel for this frail man who was once a great warrior and I have to admit a lump caught in my throat when he stood waiting in Doves Meadow for his true love.

Copy supplied for review

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Demetrius story, the story of his life. The story of the boy born of a sheppard and a pirate. Now in prison for the crimes he's committed, he retells his story. Life, love, battles and heart breaking decisions unfold before our eyes.

A World Apart contains an intense and complicated plot and at close to 800 pages long it can definitely not be considered easy reading, but so worth the investment. I wholly enjoyed this book from start to finish.

I did find the dialog a bit structured, losing the stories flow but what it lacked in character dialog it made up for in world building. There is no other way to say it than...this books world building was absolutely brilliant. Brown makes us feel like this is truly a world from our past, transporting us in time to watch the story unfold in the marvelous land created by Brown's imagination.

David M. Brown writes a wonderfully gripping fantasy, an utterly vivid story of fates twist and turns in Demetrius's life.

I received this book A World Apart from the David M. Brown in exchange for a honest review.

[S.M. Blooding · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing I absolutely LOVED about this book was the world building! There were so many details without the bog-down affect of info dumps. It was sprinkled throughout the book in such a way that I was able to easily keep up without my brain cramping.

This world is AMAZING! Not because it’s really original, though I think it is, but because Mr. Brown captured it so well. It just comes off as being really crisp! I love, love, LOVE that!! As soon as I was done, I wanted to immediately pick it up and read it again just so I could go back to this world! I love the pirate ship and the feel of being on it! I love the game, though I can’t remember what’s it’s called now to save my life. I would lose my butt off in this game. I would! But I’d be okay with watching other people play! LOL!

The action was so much fun! I loved all the sword fights and battles. It made the book go by very quickly for me. I simply devoured it!

The reason for the four dragons instead of the five is because I felt that Mr. Brown’s prose could have been tighter. With an imagination like this, and the ability to get the reader right in the middle of the action, I think his writing would be off the charts if he just tightened his prose a little more. Some of the dialogue didn’t sound natural and people kept calling others by their name again and again and again. When I’m in a conversation with SistaPITA, for example, I don’t keep repeating her name. Maybe once in a while (like once in a conversation) to get her to understand just how frustrated I am with her. As a writer, using names in conversation is nice because we can get rid of dialogue tags. However, this did jar me enough to pull me out of the scene when it happened. But that’s because I’m a writer first, a reader second. There are issues with that. I know.

Should you read this book? YES! Definitely!! It’s a great experience and a wild ride!

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/bo...

So … wow… this was pretty amazing. From start to finish, it’s just epic — lavish, full of description and history. Reminded me of the fantasies I grew up on thirty years ago.

I admit to being a bit surprised that, aside from a short beginning with Demetrius in his old age, the book spends quite a bit of time on his grandfather, and then his father before Demetrius is even born. I understand that the author wanted to give us some background, but it really slowed the story for me. Truthfully, had I not been reading this for review, I might not have continued. However, I’m glad I did.

Demetrius’ story is … well, I can’t say “wonderful”, because it’s largely heartbreaking, but so rich in texture and living and adventure (good and bad), that it was a joy to read. Once I put aside my romantic heart, and just enjoyed this for the story it was, I was so pleased.

The author has a way with words and certainly has honed his craft. The reader can feel, see, smell, hear everything in great detail. We were right there on the pirate ship, in the pub, herding sheep. Even better, I caught no grammar errors or typos, and for this I’m truly grateful.

Still, in case you didn’t see the number of pages up top of this review, this isn’t a quick or easy read. It’s dark in parts, with heavy messages and difficult times. It’s interesting, edifying and well written, but still quite a workout to read.

If you love real, hard core, epic fantasy, I highly recommend this for you.

[Maggie Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A world apart is an excellent book. It is a story that covers four generations who grew up in Doves Meadow. The majority of the story though, is about three friends, Demetrius, Eleyna and Halcyon. As kids they form their own gang and challenge each other's skills. As teenagers Demetrius and Eleyna have discovered they love each other but cannot find the courage to tell each other. Due to miscommunication and misunderstanding, Eleyna agrees to marry Halcyon. The choices they make change the course of their lives forever. On the day of their marriage Demetrius leaves Doves Meadow to join the Order, the military government that runs Elecheron. Eleyna and Halcyon start their married life but soon find themselves in a circumstance that brands them as outlaws, murderers. They flee for their lives and end up working on a pirate ship. Due to a twist in fate, unbeknownst to Eleyna and Halcyon, they sidetrack Demetrius's career, sentencing him to the Pit, a sewer infested hole, with other thieves. This story has many twists and turns and some things you know are coming but you don't know how. This is not a quick read, but it is a very interesting one. David has created this whole other world, Elecheron and has done an excellent job of doing just that. I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Maggie Thom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A world apart is an excellent book. It is a story that covers four generations, who grew up in Doves Meadow. The majority of the story though, is about three friends, Demetrius, Eleyna and Halcyon. As kids they form their own gang and challenge each other's skills. As teenagers Demetrius and Eleyna have discovered they love each other but cannot find the courage to tell each other. Due to miscommunication and misunderstanding, Eleyna agrees to marry Halcyon. The choices they made change the course of their lives forever. On the day of their marriage Demetrius leaves Dove's Meadow to join the Order, the military government that runs Elecheron. Eleyna and Halcyon find themselves in a circumstance that brands them as outlaws, murderers. They flee for their lives and end up working on a pirate ship. Due to a twist in fate, unbeknownst to Eleyna and Halcyon, they sidetrack Demetrius's career, sentencing him to the Pit, a sewer infested hole, with other thieves. This story has many twists and turns and some things you know are coming but you don't know how. This is not a quick read, but it is a very interesting one. David has created this whole other world, Elecheron and has done an excellent job of doing just that. I look forward to reading more by this author.

[Liviu · Rating 4 out of 5]

unexpectedly good so far - very traditional, once upon a time there was a boy etc and with lots of detail so not for the impatient, but the author is a very good storyteller so far

I finished the novel and I am of two minds of it - great storytelling to the end that kept me turning the pages, but the world building comes up unconvincing (those 20000 years of same are really hard to take as human history tends to move much faster), and the story itself is a a bit meh and pointless.

Overall the author has narrative pull but needs more interesting stories and a more convincing world building to get to the top level of today's fantasy, a place where his strong narrative skills deserve to be if he can come up with memorable characters and more interesting and less predictable stories. Definitely an author to keep an eye on as the potential is there.

[Ryan Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

What stuck out: I really like how the focus of the story changed from character to character throughout the beginning of the story. The first few chapters were solely about Demetrius's grandfather up until his son was born. Then the story followed both the grandfather and the father. After Demetrius is born, the story focuses on all three of them. The story then focuses soley on Demetrius throughout his childhood. When he meets Halcyon and Elyna, the story includes them as well. After that the story alternates between Elyna and Demetrius. I really liked the idea of getting to know each of the characters personally.

While this book is incredibly long, it was an enjoyable fantasy set in an interesting new world. (:

[Auggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Splendid book. Will definitely be reading more by this author in the future. Stay tuned for a full review.

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When diving into a new fantasy saga, I generally look for four things:

1. A solid, subtle sense of world-building
2. An inventive, yet plausible, system of magic
3. A well-rounded cast of characters
4. Narrative development, as opposed to info-dumping

I was pleasantly surprised to find that A World Apart fulfilled all four requirements. David M. Brown has crafted a winning fantasy here, one that is dark and gritty, but not completely bereft of a sense of adventure. Pirate tales are often tricky, at best, but it's the world in which the story is set, the seas upon which they sail, and the magic to be found that really make this work.

This is a relatively long tale, one that passes through multiple generations, with a pace that adds additional weight to the tale. It doesn't drag, not by any means, but it's also not a book to be devoured in a single setting. Brown gives us time to get to know his characters, and develops a strong connection with each of them for the reader. It's hard to pick a 'hero' or a 'favourite' with whom to take sides, they're so evenly matched, but that's part of the charm. Demetrius is definitely an interesting protagonist, as flawed as he is multi-faceted, but in terms of sheer originality, I have to say it was Eleyna who really stole the show.

I'd be remiss not to at least say a few words about the Aeonian, the pirate ship that serves as the stage for so much of the action. As well-stocked as it is well-crewed, this is the fantasy equivalent of a contemporary kick-ass, over-the-top battleship. It feels authentic, and really serves to ground the story.

Despite the slow pacing and often dense narrative, A World Apart is a book of surprising emotional depth. The battle scenes are electric, with equal parts drama and excitement, and the personal confrontations are often as painful as they are heart-breaking. Like I said, Brown makes you care about these characters, and really makes you believe in their conflicts. More importantly, whereas some authors use different narrative points-of-view to either pad a thin tale or take a lazy approach to exposing motivations, Brown subtly changes the story with each narrative shift, creating a layered tale that's as compelling as it is intricate.

If you're looking for a different sort of fantasy, one that isn't afraid to take chances with expectations, this is definitely a solid read that's sure to entertain.


Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins