Blood of the Sire

by Andrea L. Staum

When Zabond's raiders come to the shores of Kalahtaya, Kitra, the village outcast, is sent to find allies by the village's Elemental Guardians. Forced to travel with the man she accuses of stealing her daughter and a granddaughter she has never known, Kitra soon uncovers the villages long forgotten past, as well as, learns how misguided her own memories have become.

The first book of lore reveals the birth of the Dragonchild and her tie to the Guardians of Kalahtaya.

305 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2013

About the author

Andrea L. Staum is a 2012 NaNoWriMo winner with Blood of the Sire, her first published novel. By day she works in a motorcycle dealership and by night she spends way too much time on her laptop. Andrea lives in south-central Wisconsin with her husband, two cats, and two ornery rabbits

Reviews

[Novel Grounds · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Goodreads|Amazon

Andrea L. Staum is author of 'Blood of the Sire', first in the series that focuses on the Dragonchild Lore. She lives in south-central Wisconsin with her wonderful husband and two cats.
Book Synopsis:
In Blood of the Sire, the first book of lore, the origin of the Dragonchild and her link to the four elemental Guardians of the   fishing village Kalahtaya is revealed. As Kitra gathers the autumn offering she never    expected her village would soon be overtaken or that the granddaughter she has disowned would be the catalyst of war.
 Exclusive Teaser:
            “And the sooner begun, the sooner ended,” Wylyn grated from behind her. He put a hand on the small of her back and pushed her forward.

            Kitra’s voice caught in the back of her throat as she stepped forward. Her feet felt like net weights were tied to them and she found it harder to take each step. Finally she stood beside her granddaughter at the entrance to the rajah’s palace. The carvings of the door were not runes, as they had appeared from a distance, but an intricately engraved battle scene not of human armies fighting one another; instead an army of imps fought great beasts and dragons while a demon smiled down on the battle.

            The demon made the hairs on Kitra’s arms stand up and she could not look upon it long. She could not bring herself to reach for the bronzed handle and waited for Marlea to step inside followed by Joseph. With one final look over her shoulder at the Guardians she stepped in.

My Review:
This book was very original and kept me reading till the end. With the great storyline and the constantly evolving characters you are kept interested in even the low action chapters. I really enjoyed the characters in this book as well. Kitra and Marlea were  of my favorite. You really felt the connection with them and it helped give the story extra depth.

This story follows a small village that is attacked by raiders. You follow a family and their connection to the dragon guardians that protect their small home. Many thing's come to light in the story and you dive deep into the dragons past. Some parts were horrifying, while others had me tearing up. It was a very great plot line. A world and adventure I couldn't compare to any others. You learn of not only the history of the town and its inhabitants, but the origin of the battle that is plaguing them currently.

The mini story lines going in the book also kept me very entertained. Even with the war you were given some light parts in the book and I enjoyed this. You get to know the backgrounds of a few of the supporting characters and it helps you to better understand decisions that are made in the book.

All in all a great read. :)I could have done for a little more insight into the town during the battles, but it all played into the story in the end. Characters are well developed, story line is great, and the writing is attention grabbing. Hope you enjoy it as well!

 

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood of the Sire by Andrea L. Staum

Kitra is the village outcast of Kalahtaya, she is mocked and basically ignored or scorned by the villagers. But when Zabond's raiders come to her village it is up to Kitra to find the allies through the Elemental Guards.

She teams up with a man she believes kidnapped her daughter and grand-daughter, to which she never got to know. Not only is her mission dangerous, but she is about to discover the secrets and hidden past of the village and her own life.

A good story with an original plot. Attention to detail bring you into the story. The characters are well developed, we learn a lot about all of them. Kitra is very likable, she is easy to relate to. At times I did feel bad for the way Kitra was treated, but she is a strong woman and endured so much that I felt a lot of admiration for her.

There is drama, action, and suspense and the story moves at a steady pace. Overall I found Blood of the Sire and enjoyable read and feel those who like fantasy will enjoy it as well.

[Kim Heimbuch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood of the Sire by Andrea L Staun was beautifully written incorporating characters with very defined personalities and a wondrous world reminiscent of a New Zealand landscape. Kitra, a well aged woman who has spent most of her life secluded in the woods outside of town, is still a follower of the Guardians of old. Yearly, she makes the trek into town to round up offerings to provide the Guardians in respect for their service of the elements. Most ignore the old lady or donate waste as if mocking her. She is proud, stubborn, and hiding so many secrets. Marlea is a young girl from the village. It is on this day of offerings that Marlea’s life will change forever and so will the fate her beloved town, Kalahtaya.

Read the entire review at http://www.musingwithcrayolakym.com/3...

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to say I received this book through the goodreads giveaway. The author Andrea L. Staum pulled you into the book as if this was all happening to you. She takes you on an amazing adventure. Her thoughts and imagination are such a gift that make her a great writer. This book was a wonderful, top notch read and has a great story line. The charters are very well portrayed and thought out. This is a most wonderful read . I highly recommend that anyone read this book. The author pulls you into the book from the beginning and you don't want to put the book down. When you are finished you wish you weren't. This is a book that will be read over and over. A must for any ones library. I can not wait to read the next book in this series. I loved this book! Great read!

[Rachel Jaadhav · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this book!

Blood of the sire starts off with the town recluse Kitra (aka the seemingly insane goat lady) collecting her tribute to the guardians. Which have been long forgotten by every one in the town except her and spirals into this great tale about magic, love, faith, hope, healing, and so much more. The characters in this book are developing into people you didn't except when you first meet them and it is exciting to see what they are going to blossom into. At every page turn there is something unexpected happening, and written in such fine detail that you can see the picture of them playing across in your mind. I can not wait to read the next book, and see what kind of magical adventure Andrea Staum is going to take us on.

[Jennifer Smolek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was creative and the story line held my attention to the end. However, it was very heavy on the dialogue, which was tedious. In short, this is no literary masterpiece, but a compelling enough read.