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Feyland #0.5
The First Adventure
High-tech gaming and ancient magic collide when a computer game opens a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie.
Jennet Carter never thought hacking into her dad's new epic-fantasy sim-game would be so exciting... or dangerous. Behind the interface, dark forces lie in wait, leading her toward a battle that will test her to her limits and cost her more than she ever imagined.
Jennet Carter never thought hacking into her dad's new epic-fantasy sim-game would be so exciting... or dangerous. Behind the interface, dark forces lie in wait, leading her toward a battle that will test her to her limits and cost her more than she ever imagined.
56 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2013
178 people are currently reading
2584 people want to read
About the author
Anthea Sharp
125 books1,293 followersGrowing up, Anthea Sharp spent her summers raiding the library shelves and reading, especially fantasy. She now makes her home in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes, plays the fiddle, hangs out in virtual worlds, and spends time with her small-but-good family. Contact her at antheasharp@hotmail.com, follow her on twitter, find her on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AntheaSharp), and visit her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
July 30, 2018
Jennet lives with her video game producing Dad. She's largely on her own as her Dad is often working, but he let's her beta test the games he's working on. Unbeknownst to him, Jennet has his account passwords and is able to access all the games he's working on. Including one that's more than it seems. That game is Feyland.
The First Adventure was largely an introduction to the Feyland world. Jennet stumbled in and doesn't realize Feyland is basically a digital portal into the faerie realm. Since she's a teen it's obvious she gets hooked on the game and sneaks on whenever she has the opportunity.
The story being told isn't one I found compelling. It immediately let's the reader know that Feyland is real despite the fact Jennet doesn't know. There's a lot of implications regarding the world and what's going on, but nothing is explained or explicitly said. Jennet could be any teen as she has no overly distinctive traits other than she's a girl who plays video games and looks down on her peers she seems unworthy of her time.
The First Adventure didn't do enough to make me interested in learning more about the Feyland series.
The First Adventure was largely an introduction to the Feyland world. Jennet stumbled in and doesn't realize Feyland is basically a digital portal into the faerie realm. Since she's a teen it's obvious she gets hooked on the game and sneaks on whenever she has the opportunity.
The story being told isn't one I found compelling. It immediately let's the reader know that Feyland is real despite the fact Jennet doesn't know. There's a lot of implications regarding the world and what's going on, but nothing is explained or explicitly said. Jennet could be any teen as she has no overly distinctive traits other than she's a girl who plays video games and looks down on her peers she seems unworthy of her time.
The First Adventure didn't do enough to make me interested in learning more about the Feyland series.
June 7, 2015
Magical
This was a detailed well written world of the fae. With an entirely new spin on the fae mythology. The author manages to spin computer tech with a epic fantasy environment that is commendable. Highly recommend this fast paced action adventure!
This was a detailed well written world of the fae. With an entirely new spin on the fae mythology. The author manages to spin computer tech with a epic fantasy environment that is commendable. Highly recommend this fast paced action adventure!
July 22, 2017
Loved this short tale about the dark realm and Jennett, who plays a beta version of a game her father is developing. It described things so intricately and took you there into the story. Loved the ending, quite unexpected. I can't wait to read more of this series, it sounds amazing.
July 23, 2014
There was nothing actually bad about this book, but there was also nothing fresh, hence the three-star rating.
The premise (a virtual-reality game gives access to the Faerie Realms) has been done before, notably by Clive Barker. The prose is mostly competent - I only spotted a couple of minor errors - and the descriptions are multisensory, but to me it seemed conventional and predictable in its imagery.
The heroine is a rich girl whose worst problem (outside being targeted by the Fairy Queen) is that she might have to leave her expensive private school and go to an ordinary high school with no choir, because her father is being transferred for work. (Her father is obviously extraordinarily well-paid for an IT project manager, or else has inherited money; they have at least three staff.) That doesn't make her any kind of underdog, so it's harder to root for her success.
She's also, partly by her own choice, socially isolated. She's had a falling-out with her best friend because of too much honesty about the friend's boyfriend, her crush hardly notices her, she pushes other people away and hides things from her father. This isn't conducive to character development through interaction and dialogue.
The real-world part of the setting is generic, with made-up cities in an unnamed country, which served, for me, to diminish the story's grounding in reality and thus the contrast between the real world and the virtual/fey world.
The plot is linear and unsurprising, and, in this short prequel story, ends up introducing a lot and developing very little. There's one moment of forced character development as the main character realises a very obvious parallel between the two worlds and her actions in both, but otherwise, she doesn't grow or change.
Finally, characters named Jennet, Thomas Rimer, and Tam Lin are just a bit unsubtle.
If you love this kind of thing and want more of the same, or if you've never read anything like it before, it's a perfectly OK book, though the plot is nothing special. But if you're looking for something fresh and original, I wouldn't look for it here.
I got a free copy of this book from the Digital Book Day promotion.
The premise (a virtual-reality game gives access to the Faerie Realms) has been done before, notably by Clive Barker. The prose is mostly competent - I only spotted a couple of minor errors - and the descriptions are multisensory, but to me it seemed conventional and predictable in its imagery.
The heroine is a rich girl whose worst problem (outside being targeted by the Fairy Queen) is that she might have to leave her expensive private school and go to an ordinary high school with no choir, because her father is being transferred for work. (Her father is obviously extraordinarily well-paid for an IT project manager, or else has inherited money; they have at least three staff.) That doesn't make her any kind of underdog, so it's harder to root for her success.
She's also, partly by her own choice, socially isolated. She's had a falling-out with her best friend because of too much honesty about the friend's boyfriend, her crush hardly notices her, she pushes other people away and hides things from her father. This isn't conducive to character development through interaction and dialogue.
The real-world part of the setting is generic, with made-up cities in an unnamed country, which served, for me, to diminish the story's grounding in reality and thus the contrast between the real world and the virtual/fey world.
The plot is linear and unsurprising, and, in this short prequel story, ends up introducing a lot and developing very little. There's one moment of forced character development as the main character realises a very obvious parallel between the two worlds and her actions in both, but otherwise, she doesn't grow or change.
Finally, characters named Jennet, Thomas Rimer, and Tam Lin are just a bit unsubtle.
If you love this kind of thing and want more of the same, or if you've never read anything like it before, it's a perfectly OK book, though the plot is nothing special. But if you're looking for something fresh and original, I wouldn't look for it here.
I got a free copy of this book from the Digital Book Day promotion.
April 5, 2023
Very good story, but the pacing felt very fast. I would have liked it better if it was longer. Also was confused because it is just called the prologue in the audio book version and was an hour forty which is too long for a prologue.
July 27, 2015
I really enjoyed reading this adventure that teases the reader with an introduction to the intriguing world of Feyland. I now have questions that need answering and my appetite to explore this world further has been whetted. I look forward to delving more deeply into this series in the future!
April 15, 2017
Jennet looks on the outside to be a spoilt little girl - she has a huge house, her dad has a very well paid job, she has a chauffeur, house manager and butler, but money isn't everything and Jennet spends most of her time alone. Her mother ran off when she was younger and her workaholic father and lack of friends mean she spends most of her days playing by herself on her dad's gaming systems. There she discovers a new game, Feyland, and enters the world of faerie to complete some adventure quests, but unbeknown to Jennet, this is not just a game, this is real life and she has just entered the real world of Feyland and Jennet now has to battle the Queen for her life!
A great, fun start to this world of Feyland and I can't wait to read the next book to see what Jennet does next.
A great, fun start to this world of Feyland and I can't wait to read the next book to see what Jennet does next.
April 25, 2014
This is a short read but a good one, definitely worth it. I actually read this after reading the Feyland trilogy but really should/could be read before the trilogy but even if you're already read the trilogy I still recommend reading it. I also just re-read it as part of the Faery Realms collection and found just as good the second time around.
Feyland is a magical realm that is accessed through a SIM computer game. Jennet, the main character and a top gamer, sneeks on to the new FullD sim system her dad is working on developing and plays the new top secret game (Feyland) that her "uncle" is the lead game designer for. Instead of playing a full emersion game like she expected instead she's transported into the Fey world where losing a battle may have more dire outcomes than she ever imagined.
If you've already read the triology I still recommend reading this novella. It gives us more information about the Queen's plot to bring Jennet to her as well as how Jennet became the person we see in the later books in the triology. Overall, it gives a good introduction to the events and adventures that lead up to the start of the trilogy and gives you good background info. If you haven't read the Feyland triology this is a great jumping off story that will definitely get you hooked in the cool world Anthea has created with some great characters and that puts a different spin on the stories about the fey world. I definitely recommend this book as well as the rest of the Feyland trilogy and the spin-off series the Feyguard.
Feyland is a magical realm that is accessed through a SIM computer game. Jennet, the main character and a top gamer, sneeks on to the new FullD sim system her dad is working on developing and plays the new top secret game (Feyland) that her "uncle" is the lead game designer for. Instead of playing a full emersion game like she expected instead she's transported into the Fey world where losing a battle may have more dire outcomes than she ever imagined.
If you've already read the triology I still recommend reading this novella. It gives us more information about the Queen's plot to bring Jennet to her as well as how Jennet became the person we see in the later books in the triology. Overall, it gives a good introduction to the events and adventures that lead up to the start of the trilogy and gives you good background info. If you haven't read the Feyland triology this is a great jumping off story that will definitely get you hooked in the cool world Anthea has created with some great characters and that puts a different spin on the stories about the fey world. I definitely recommend this book as well as the rest of the Feyland trilogy and the spin-off series the Feyguard.
February 10, 2014
[Full disclosure: Unlike with her other works, I was not provided this short story by Anthea Sharp. I downloaded it for free off Amazon so (as usual) my review is completely honest.]
While we caught flashes of Jennet’s first forays into Feyland in The Dark Realm, we never really saw the level of detail that’s revealed in this short story. We learn a little more about the Queen’s plot to bring Jennet to her, Jennet’s first quests and her character flaws. After meeting the selfless person Jennet became in The Twilight Realm it’s a little hard going back to her old spoiled self, but it makes perfect sense.
A lot of prequels don’t really add anything to the established universe but this one does. It’s not necessary for understanding the story, but it gives you a much clearer picture of the events leading up to Jennet asking Tam Lin to be her champion. There’s also a little more detail about Jennet’s life and her rather rocky relationship with her single father.
The plot was fast-paced and interesting even though I knew what was going to happen. The characters were believable and I loved the dynamic between Jennet and her father that explains a lot of her actions later on in the series. So overall, The First Adventure is a pretty good short story. If you read it and like it (it’s free on all major ebook platforms) I can’t recommend the rest of the trilogy enough.
I give this short story 5/5 stars.
While we caught flashes of Jennet’s first forays into Feyland in The Dark Realm, we never really saw the level of detail that’s revealed in this short story. We learn a little more about the Queen’s plot to bring Jennet to her, Jennet’s first quests and her character flaws. After meeting the selfless person Jennet became in The Twilight Realm it’s a little hard going back to her old spoiled self, but it makes perfect sense.
A lot of prequels don’t really add anything to the established universe but this one does. It’s not necessary for understanding the story, but it gives you a much clearer picture of the events leading up to Jennet asking Tam Lin to be her champion. There’s also a little more detail about Jennet’s life and her rather rocky relationship with her single father.
The plot was fast-paced and interesting even though I knew what was going to happen. The characters were believable and I loved the dynamic between Jennet and her father that explains a lot of her actions later on in the series. So overall, The First Adventure is a pretty good short story. If you read it and like it (it’s free on all major ebook platforms) I can’t recommend the rest of the trilogy enough.
I give this short story 5/5 stars.
December 3, 2016
(I read this as included in The Faery Realms collection). This is a cute straight-forward adventure where a young girl goes into a World-of-Warcraft style VR video game. There wasn’t much to it beyond that. There are a couple of scenes of drama outside of the game with her arguing with her dad, and her not fitting in at school (which made it seem like she was at the age before girls discover boys). While the world of the game was beautifully done, it didn’t have the imagination of World-of-Warcraft (not to mention that the girl herself seemed rather bored with the game just going from mission quest to mission quest). It just had the usual cast of mythological characters of Fae lore, and they all looked and acted standardly without any surprises, even the fairy world looked like the basic forest. Honestly, this short didn’t entice me to continue on with the series, especially when it felt like it was aimed for a pre-teen audience (age 12 or 13) which felt too young for my tastes (looking at other reviews who’ve said they’ve read other books in the series first, they mostly agree the other books are better, so it looks like I’ll probably try some of the others since I do have others on my kindle and looking at the descriptions of the other books, they are indeed aimed for an older audience).
May 4, 2014
This is a nice introduction to the Feyland trilogy, showing Jennet's first encounter with the realm and ending with the beginning of the first book in the trilogy.
I basically read this out of curiousity after reading the first book in the trilogy. I would say it's not necessary to read this to understand or enjoy the other books but it gives a nice bit of background to Jennet.
If you enjoy YA Paranormal or have read and enjoyed the Feyland trilogy this short read should satisfy you.Enjoyable prequel about a portal opened between the fantasy world of Feyland and the mortal world via hi-tech immersion simulation (avatars). Has well-developed characters, a novel storyline and great description of the faerie environment.I have read the other books in the series and am a fan of the author's works so I read this.A nice and enjoyable read.So overall 4.5 stars.
I basically read this out of curiousity after reading the first book in the trilogy. I would say it's not necessary to read this to understand or enjoy the other books but it gives a nice bit of background to Jennet.
If you enjoy YA Paranormal or have read and enjoyed the Feyland trilogy this short read should satisfy you.Enjoyable prequel about a portal opened between the fantasy world of Feyland and the mortal world via hi-tech immersion simulation (avatars). Has well-developed characters, a novel storyline and great description of the faerie environment.I have read the other books in the series and am a fan of the author's works so I read this.A nice and enjoyable read.So overall 4.5 stars.
December 30, 2013
'Feyland: The First Adventure' is a nice introduction to the Feyland trilogy, showing Jennet's first encounter with the realm and ending with the beginning of the first book in the trilogy.
I basically read this out of curiousity after reading the first book in the trilogy. I would say it's not necessary to read this to understand or enjoy the other books but it gives a nice bit of background to Jennet. If you're a fan of the trilogy you'll want to read it, or if you've not read any of the books yet and aren't sure about them then I'd advise you pick this up first as it's a fairly short read and you'll know if it's your thing or not pretty quickly.
If you enjoy YA Paranormal or have read and enjoyed the Feyland trilogy this short read should satisfy.
I basically read this out of curiousity after reading the first book in the trilogy. I would say it's not necessary to read this to understand or enjoy the other books but it gives a nice bit of background to Jennet. If you're a fan of the trilogy you'll want to read it, or if you've not read any of the books yet and aren't sure about them then I'd advise you pick this up first as it's a fairly short read and you'll know if it's your thing or not pretty quickly.
If you enjoy YA Paranormal or have read and enjoyed the Feyland trilogy this short read should satisfy.
November 19, 2014
When you can't get enough of a tale, these short stories are just the thing! Anthea Sharp takes us to the creation of the ultimate gaming system and the game as well. Jennet is a very different girl from the one she becomes, and this story shares where she has been. I always enjoy prequels because they are very important in fully understanding the characters and give insight into things that are suggested at in the other books of the series. They also can determine whether or not you read on in a series. Once you read this book you will surely want to venture farther into the realm of Feyland.
September 16, 2013
First thing first I recieved this novel trough goodreads first reads.
And I would like to say how happy I am the first time to win something . so yeey .
Now about the novel. To put it simple I realy like this novel.
It's a good way to make people want to read more about feyland.
more about what is going to happen. ( I, for one, certainly want to know)
So the next thing I do is go and buy me some feyland books :)
The novel was very wel written. with a lot of twists in it building up until the endig.
just lovely .And for me a new serie to discover.
And I would like to say how happy I am the first time to win something . so yeey .
Now about the novel. To put it simple I realy like this novel.
It's a good way to make people want to read more about feyland.
more about what is going to happen. ( I, for one, certainly want to know)
So the next thing I do is go and buy me some feyland books :)
The novel was very wel written. with a lot of twists in it building up until the endig.
just lovely .And for me a new serie to discover.
October 11, 2014
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads. It is a short story about a girl who sneaks into her dads computer room to play a prototype game. She gets addicted to it pretty fast but little does she know that she is actually entering Feyland and that her life is in danger.
I liked this short story a lot. With it's fast pace and easy writing style Anthea Sharp succeeded in making me curious about the actual Feyland trilogy.
Very enjoyable and definitely worth reading!
I liked this short story a lot. With it's fast pace and easy writing style Anthea Sharp succeeded in making me curious about the actual Feyland trilogy.
Very enjoyable and definitely worth reading!
October 21, 2013
As a prequel to the adventures, this book gave us a little more of the background...although a good portion is already part of the first book. I think this would be better served moving this novella and combining it with the first book. Or letting readers know of the novella at the beginning of the first book not at the end of the third. Still, I enjoyed it...mostly because I knew what was coming.
August 17, 2013
It wasn't bad but I read the first book in this series before I read this prequel. So I was prepared for what was going to happen since the first book explained the ending of what happened in this prequel. There wasn't any new information that I gained from reading this prequel that I didn't already know form the first book ( Feyland: The Dark Realm).
September 9, 2013
OMG!!! I am a gamer, and this book pulled me in right from the beginning. WOW what a story. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. It was fantastic and I can't tell you how fast I read the book. I couldn't put it down. I kept wanting to see what was next. Two very enthusiastic thumbs way up :) Keep them coming Anthea...they are fantastic.
September 10, 2015
Jennet a gamer and someone who goes into a world she was not meant to go into ,. what she finds is so much more she learns a lesson and finds out about someone she cares for who also warns her but never heeds their warning . find this in more when you buy this i got this a while back ago and now am reading the Feyland series . love fae a mystery .
March 19, 2014
Not my usual read but I am so glad I tried this one by Ms. Sharp! I love her historicals (written as Anthea Lawson) so I'm not surprised she sucked me right into this fantasy short. She is one of the best authors I know of for setting the scene and immediately connecting you to the characters.
February 9, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this well-written story. It was very descriptive and I could actually imagine it really being a game. Although this is my first faerie fantasy read, I was so engrossed in the story, I read it within a few hours. I look forward to reading the entire series ♥
June 2, 2014
Really enjoy this prequel to the Feyland Trilogies. The writer has made the sort short & sharp & wanting more. I did want to know more about Thomas & about the book given by him. Will be watching the trilogy for purchase once through my long list of books I have
May 23, 2013
So glad to be able to go back to this world for a bit.
August 17, 2013
Short but enjoyable. It makes me want to read the Feyland trilogy. I would also like to play the game.
January 15, 2014
I loved this. Diving into the first book ASAP.
December 24, 2024
in my “it’s okay to read for fun” era
November 19, 2025
The First Adventure by Anthea Sharp was a magical experience for me from the very first page to the last. The book is incredibly original — the idea of a game that live a life of its own completely mesmerized me. It’s a world that feels so vivid, enchanting, and breathtaking that I wanted to step into it and never come back out.
The author writes with beautiful, poetic elegance. Some phrases were so stunning that I had to stop and read them again. The one that struck me the most was “the scent of roses and blood” — dark, tender, and magical all at once. Moments like these give the story an unforgettable atmosphere.
I also loved how many creatures and elements from my childhood dreams appeared in the book. The whole world feels as if it were created for those who long for adventure, for magic, for something greater than ordinary life. On every page, I kept thinking: Please, someone take me there — I want to experience this too.
I will definitely remember this book. It’s not just a story; it’s a feeling. I know I’ll read it again someday, and I’m already looking forward to the moment when I’ll read it to my children so they can feel the same magic I felt.
If you’re looking for a magical adventure that will capture you with its beauty and imagination, The First Adventure is exactly that.
The author writes with beautiful, poetic elegance. Some phrases were so stunning that I had to stop and read them again. The one that struck me the most was “the scent of roses and blood” — dark, tender, and magical all at once. Moments like these give the story an unforgettable atmosphere.
I also loved how many creatures and elements from my childhood dreams appeared in the book. The whole world feels as if it were created for those who long for adventure, for magic, for something greater than ordinary life. On every page, I kept thinking: Please, someone take me there — I want to experience this too.
I will definitely remember this book. It’s not just a story; it’s a feeling. I know I’ll read it again someday, and I’m already looking forward to the moment when I’ll read it to my children so they can feel the same magic I felt.
If you’re looking for a magical adventure that will capture you with its beauty and imagination, The First Adventure is exactly that.
June 10, 2017
It’s not a new idea to wish your game was reality - arguably that’s why some people keep playing - but it’s somewhat easier to imagine when that VR world is faerie. We already know the stories and the tropes: black knights, pixies, maidens, evil queens, and quests.
Jennet is a typical YA heroine: rich, friendless, keen on an older boy who ignores her, followed by another boy she ignores, with one missing parent and one absent one. Her father is a game developer and she plays it to beta test it for him. She is not a hacker as it says in the summary. *frowns*
It seems to be set in the near future. Some things are familiar, some are not.
This was part of a book bundle.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
And it seems I have book one in another bundle. Might go check that out.
3 stars
She picked up her comb again, and the green glow surrounding her faded. Her part was clearly done—though Jennet didn’t think too highly of the programmer who made a character that sat around on rocks and did her personal grooming while her home was being attacked. (Kindle Locations 34258-34260).
Jennet is a typical YA heroine: rich, friendless, keen on an older boy who ignores her, followed by another boy she ignores, with one missing parent and one absent one. Her father is a game developer and she plays it to beta test it for him. She is not a hacker as it says in the summary. *frowns*
It seems to be set in the near future. Some things are familiar, some are not.
This was part of a book bundle.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
And it seems I have book one in another bundle. Might go check that out.
3 stars
April 28, 2018
Jennet, a spoiled rich girl, discovers her father's latest VR gaming project: Feyland. It's immersive, it's fascinating, it's compelling... and just a tiny bit weird. There's something almost too real about the feel of the breeze or the smell of the forest. And then there's the Black Knight and his dark Mistress that just seem a little bit much to have just been a boss battle. But it's just a VR game, right?
An interesting premise, but perhaps spread a bit thinly in this prequel. There are a lot of references to events and characters that feel glossed over. It comes across more as a supplemental story for those who have already read some of the series rather than being an introduction to the world.
Regardless, it's a simple, quick read that gives an idea of what the Feyland series is about. It should be an interesting YA read for anyone who needs a shot of fae-meets-RPG crossover.
-Review from the Amazon free ebook-
An interesting premise, but perhaps spread a bit thinly in this prequel. There are a lot of references to events and characters that feel glossed over. It comes across more as a supplemental story for those who have already read some of the series rather than being an introduction to the world.
Regardless, it's a simple, quick read that gives an idea of what the Feyland series is about. It should be an interesting YA read for anyone who needs a shot of fae-meets-RPG crossover.
-Review from the Amazon free ebook-
March 17, 2018
An interesting concept. The world of gaming meets the world of Fey. To begin with I felt I was learning a lot about gaming and how it works. In some respects this was fascinating as it’s something I’ve never really been in to as I was not a computer generation kid. The introduction to the character of Jennet and her motivations is sound. The description of the setting at the beginning made me think of Lucy’s first steps into Narnia. While the rest is well written it does feel like the skeleton of the story to come. One section lingered too long on re-enactment of Jennet’s tasks inside the game. Another spent to long explaining why she didn’t play the game for several days. For me, to read the rest of the series, I would need more of a hook. But for anyone wanting a quick fantasy read to while away some time, then this is the one for you.
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