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Trinity of Mind #1
Fire Light
Jake is a jeek—part jock, part geek—who finds out he’s an unwitting target of genocide against a secret society known as the Druids—a society he didn’t even know he belonged to.
O’Brien, one of the last druids, is his mentor. Unfortunately, he is a dud when it comes to magic, but at least he is ex-military.
As for picking his girlfriend . . . well, that’s a split decision. Alexis and Kendra are opposites in almost every way.
Now, if he can just survive the nightwalker—an obsidian-skinned creature with a thirst for blood and a banshee’s mind-destroying scream, who wears a cloak black enough to make the grim reaper jealous—then he might have a chance.
Ultimately, protecting his loved ones, and himself if possible, becomes his priority.
O’Brien, one of the last druids, is his mentor. Unfortunately, he is a dud when it comes to magic, but at least he is ex-military.
As for picking his girlfriend . . . well, that’s a split decision. Alexis and Kendra are opposites in almost every way.
Now, if he can just survive the nightwalker—an obsidian-skinned creature with a thirst for blood and a banshee’s mind-destroying scream, who wears a cloak black enough to make the grim reaper jealous—then he might have a chance.
Ultimately, protecting his loved ones, and himself if possible, becomes his priority.
437 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
17 people are currently reading
1493 people want to read
About the author
J. Abram Barneck
5 books30 followersYou can read about me at http://www.jabrambarneck.com/about.
Fire Light
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January 30, 2014
I received an eBook of “Fire Light” from the author in exchange for an honest review.
First Impression: Banshees, grim reapers, and football? This should be interesting…
Characters: Jake is a self-proclaimed “jeek” – a jock geek. He lives with his mom, stepdad, and sis Justine. The first few chapters reveal Jake to be an all-American sweetheart of a boy, who would do anything to help his sister and friends. Starting off slow, the story roars to life at a pivotal moment – Jake is shot. He then learns he is secretly a druid; the whole world is out to get him; he can’t tell his new girlfriend, sister, or best friend because he’s supposed to be dead. Oh yeah, and he’s on the run with a guy named O’Brian who is more than he appears…
In walks Alexis – half dhampir and all attitude. I’m not a big fan of her character, as I feel it was a bit overdone on the sexual side. However, towards the end of the book I came to understand her and hope to see her character develop in upcoming installments. Supporting character Luiz is Jake’s best friend. His Spanglish adds character depth and realistic elements to such fictional events.
World Building: Funny pop culture references make the story relevant, which I appreciate in good fiction works. The reader is treated to references such as Paranormal, King Arthur, and Star Wars. There’s even a hidden Princess Bride reference (see if you can find it!) The Disney history tie-in is fabulously whimsical. Other interesting points lay waiting in twists on the popular ideas of vampires and other supernatural creatures. I especially liked the twist on vampires!
Writing Style: Author J. Abram Barneck has a witty and arresting attention to detail – that answers almost every question the reader might pose. This is especially apparent when Jake and his friends are on the run / off the grid. An important aspect of writing displayed throughout was Barneck using action instead of feeling to describe what happens to a character.
What I Enjoyed: Right off the bat, I want to agree with two things. Some states such as Utah (and MN!) have two seasons – winter and construction. The other is oatmeal cookies should not have raisins. Thank you.
I found some possibly unintentional Christian themes in “Fire Light”, which was nice in my interpretation. Jake and crew go through elements of faith and prayer, and there is even a possible Bible reference - Matthew 6:24 talks about serving two masters. Intentional or not, it adds to the believability factor.
Deal Benders: Sometimes story details were repeated, such as when describing Jake’s home. I also found the intensity of feelings between Jake and Alexis a bit ridiculous. I can accept they are teenagers attracted to each other, but let’s not say they are already in love. With a bit of this sexual tension left out, this would be an appropriate YA read. However, I could only recommend it to adults in this case.
Overall Rating: I gave this book 5 stars because it wowed me enough to remember all the details days later. A book doesn’t have to be Shakespeare to be wonderful, and I believe we need to give more credit to today’s talented authors from genres outside classic.
Author’s Website: http://jabrambarneck.com/
Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Purchase on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Light-Trin...
First Impression: Banshees, grim reapers, and football? This should be interesting…
Characters: Jake is a self-proclaimed “jeek” – a jock geek. He lives with his mom, stepdad, and sis Justine. The first few chapters reveal Jake to be an all-American sweetheart of a boy, who would do anything to help his sister and friends. Starting off slow, the story roars to life at a pivotal moment – Jake is shot. He then learns he is secretly a druid; the whole world is out to get him; he can’t tell his new girlfriend, sister, or best friend because he’s supposed to be dead. Oh yeah, and he’s on the run with a guy named O’Brian who is more than he appears…
In walks Alexis – half dhampir and all attitude. I’m not a big fan of her character, as I feel it was a bit overdone on the sexual side. However, towards the end of the book I came to understand her and hope to see her character develop in upcoming installments. Supporting character Luiz is Jake’s best friend. His Spanglish adds character depth and realistic elements to such fictional events.
World Building: Funny pop culture references make the story relevant, which I appreciate in good fiction works. The reader is treated to references such as Paranormal, King Arthur, and Star Wars. There’s even a hidden Princess Bride reference (see if you can find it!) The Disney history tie-in is fabulously whimsical. Other interesting points lay waiting in twists on the popular ideas of vampires and other supernatural creatures. I especially liked the twist on vampires!
Writing Style: Author J. Abram Barneck has a witty and arresting attention to detail – that answers almost every question the reader might pose. This is especially apparent when Jake and his friends are on the run / off the grid. An important aspect of writing displayed throughout was Barneck using action instead of feeling to describe what happens to a character.
What I Enjoyed: Right off the bat, I want to agree with two things. Some states such as Utah (and MN!) have two seasons – winter and construction. The other is oatmeal cookies should not have raisins. Thank you.
I found some possibly unintentional Christian themes in “Fire Light”, which was nice in my interpretation. Jake and crew go through elements of faith and prayer, and there is even a possible Bible reference - Matthew 6:24 talks about serving two masters. Intentional or not, it adds to the believability factor.
Deal Benders: Sometimes story details were repeated, such as when describing Jake’s home. I also found the intensity of feelings between Jake and Alexis a bit ridiculous. I can accept they are teenagers attracted to each other, but let’s not say they are already in love. With a bit of this sexual tension left out, this would be an appropriate YA read. However, I could only recommend it to adults in this case.
Overall Rating: I gave this book 5 stars because it wowed me enough to remember all the details days later. A book doesn’t have to be Shakespeare to be wonderful, and I believe we need to give more credit to today’s talented authors from genres outside classic.
Author’s Website: http://jabrambarneck.com/
Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
Purchase on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Light-Trin...
September 2, 2016
Well that was terrible, let's not do that again. It's kind of sad because the book does have bright moments and even ends with an interesting hook for a sequel - but it's all drowning in sophomore writing at best and an overall feel of silliness and tedium.
You know the saying, how good literature is like life with all the dull bits left out? This book is like life with all the dull bits highlighted and drawn out. Think an entire chapter on Jake, the main character, feeling hungry. Or a long passage showing him mopping a floor clear of blood after a battle. Who cares?
The other problem is the level of silliness and implausible convenience in the book. I know this is YA, but it's as if the author thinks ~ "Hey, our target audience are kids. Who needs plausibility? Kids don't care. We can get away with nonsense." This book will have you slapping your forehead with "did he really write that" every couple of pages.
And then there is the hero himself. Ugh. This cross of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Stephen Hawking. I've never seen a more annoying character. Ever. The way he labels everything. I am a jeek (his term for a geek/jock cross). You're a pissant. Annoying. The way he explains absolutely everything, as if talking to a diwmit cousin. Annoying. And he talks all the time. Doesn't matter what's going on around him, he's talking to himself. There is a full blown jealousy scene in the middle of the final battle...
Speaking of jealousy, this book is way obsessed with women and sex for a YA. Almost every female character in the book is hot and either in love with the hero or his ex. The way he misses his girlfriend of like 6 hours. Sickening. Never mind all of her allure consisted of breathing some lavender from her hair and seeing her in bikini. Never mind that the moment he sees another pretty thing in leather pants, his attention is elsewhere. Yes, it's a vampire. Yes, it's a she. Yes, she is hot and wearing a sports bra. Yes, you are seventeen. We get it already. Move on with the story, we don't need to hear about your hard on again.
You know the saying, how good literature is like life with all the dull bits left out? This book is like life with all the dull bits highlighted and drawn out. Think an entire chapter on Jake, the main character, feeling hungry. Or a long passage showing him mopping a floor clear of blood after a battle. Who cares?
The other problem is the level of silliness and implausible convenience in the book. I know this is YA, but it's as if the author thinks ~ "Hey, our target audience are kids. Who needs plausibility? Kids don't care. We can get away with nonsense." This book will have you slapping your forehead with "did he really write that" every couple of pages.
And then there is the hero himself. Ugh. This cross of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Stephen Hawking. I've never seen a more annoying character. Ever. The way he labels everything. I am a jeek (his term for a geek/jock cross). You're a pissant. Annoying. The way he explains absolutely everything, as if talking to a diwmit cousin. Annoying. And he talks all the time. Doesn't matter what's going on around him, he's talking to himself. There is a full blown jealousy scene in the middle of the final battle...
Speaking of jealousy, this book is way obsessed with women and sex for a YA. Almost every female character in the book is hot and either in love with the hero or his ex. The way he misses his girlfriend of like 6 hours. Sickening. Never mind all of her allure consisted of breathing some lavender from her hair and seeing her in bikini. Never mind that the moment he sees another pretty thing in leather pants, his attention is elsewhere. Yes, it's a vampire. Yes, it's a she. Yes, she is hot and wearing a sports bra. Yes, you are seventeen. We get it already. Move on with the story, we don't need to hear about your hard on again.
December 5, 2013
When I first started reading Fire Light, I groaned, it was SUPER slow the first few chapters, as in eat, exercise, sleep 4 hours, rinse and repeat, I actually doubted I was going to be able to finish the book if it kept going the way it was. Then...Jake, the 17 year old main character, got shot and it all went up hill from there. It became so fast paced, that I didn't want to put it down, I would read for hours at a time; it took me 3 days to finish this 437 page book.
There was danger everywhere the reader was taken, peace would only come to the characters in couple hour spurts, then it would be all vampires, snipers, nightwalkers, o, my! It is honestly one of the better books I've read in a while.
If I were to categorize this book I would say that it was young adult, modern, paranormal, action? There was zero swearing and zero sex, a few kisses here and there, but for the most part it was clean (although there is a love triangle between Jake, Kendra, and Alexis)...and a lot of violence, I mean the characters are fighting for their lives.
The ending is left very open for another book because well, there are going to be 3 other books with the same characters written (or that's the plan) and I can't wait!
I would HIGHLY recommend this book, I mean I'm planning on giving this 5 stars on Amazon and I don't give high ratings if the book is crap. Don't let the young adult part put you off either, it's very well written, as I said earlier it's fast paced, and the characters are very likeable even though there is betrayal at every turn.
There was danger everywhere the reader was taken, peace would only come to the characters in couple hour spurts, then it would be all vampires, snipers, nightwalkers, o, my! It is honestly one of the better books I've read in a while.
If I were to categorize this book I would say that it was young adult, modern, paranormal, action? There was zero swearing and zero sex, a few kisses here and there, but for the most part it was clean (although there is a love triangle between Jake, Kendra, and Alexis)...and a lot of violence, I mean the characters are fighting for their lives.
The ending is left very open for another book because well, there are going to be 3 other books with the same characters written (or that's the plan) and I can't wait!
I would HIGHLY recommend this book, I mean I'm planning on giving this 5 stars on Amazon and I don't give high ratings if the book is crap. Don't let the young adult part put you off either, it's very well written, as I said earlier it's fast paced, and the characters are very likeable even though there is betrayal at every turn.
December 5, 2013
I love to run a bath, tell my hubby he's in charge of the kids for a bit and hiding away with a good book a glass of wine and some bubbles. Taking some "me" time is important to my sanity and I was delighted to be able to sneak away and spend the time by reading "Fire Light"(Trinity of the Mind) by J. Abram Barneck.
Jake knows he is different. He only needs 4 hours of sleep and can workout an never get sore or tired. When he discovers that there is a secret society out to kill him and his loved ones he does everything in his power to protect them...the power that he never knew he possessed.
I loved this story from beginning to end. It starts of slowly, taking the time to develop the main character Jake. Then the action begins and the story is hard to put down. All to often when I read a fantasy story I get bogged down by names I can't pronounce and descriptions I can't understand. Mr. Barneck uses everyday language to describe the setting and uses character names that we can all say in plain English. He does use some current references that may not make sense to the reader 10 years down the road.
I was able to ask the author a question. It was so hard to settle on just one. I chose to ask...
How has your "real world" experiences impacted your writing of Fire Light?
His response:
"In creating Jake, I took some of the people, like my brother Jacob and my best friend Kevan Stevens, and quite a few others (myself included) and created a character who embodied everything good from my best friends. At the end of my freshman year (his Sophmore year) we were in a car accident and my brother lost most the use of his legs, but now lives a happy life. Six weeks after the accident, I lost a girl I had a crush on after we went to a dance together. She slipped out and promised to be back for the last dance. She never came back. She was run over in the parking lot and I watched her die. From those tragedies, I met my Kevan Stevens, who saved me. We were best friends throughout the rest of high school. Throughout Fire Light, you see similar swings from tragedy to happiness.
I also didn't originally have Jake's sister named Justine. That changed because, beyond the tragedy in my youth, I lost my sister Justine to a freak accident in 2011. Renaming Sis to Justine completely changed her character from a good girl that was going to fall, to the good girl that represents all that is right in the world."
After reading his answer to my question, I began to figure out just why Jake is such a likeable character. He the embodiment of everything good from some "real world" friends. Throughout the story he becomes your friend and you want to see him succeed and do the right thing.
This book will have you run a gamut of emotions. I found myself sharing in Jake's joy, confusion and frustrations. While the story completes itself it leaves the end open for another book. I can't wait to read the next in the series.
If you are looking for a great story with druids, vampires and magic, "Fire Light" is the perfect book for you!
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.
Jake knows he is different. He only needs 4 hours of sleep and can workout an never get sore or tired. When he discovers that there is a secret society out to kill him and his loved ones he does everything in his power to protect them...the power that he never knew he possessed.
I loved this story from beginning to end. It starts of slowly, taking the time to develop the main character Jake. Then the action begins and the story is hard to put down. All to often when I read a fantasy story I get bogged down by names I can't pronounce and descriptions I can't understand. Mr. Barneck uses everyday language to describe the setting and uses character names that we can all say in plain English. He does use some current references that may not make sense to the reader 10 years down the road.
I was able to ask the author a question. It was so hard to settle on just one. I chose to ask...
How has your "real world" experiences impacted your writing of Fire Light?
His response:
"In creating Jake, I took some of the people, like my brother Jacob and my best friend Kevan Stevens, and quite a few others (myself included) and created a character who embodied everything good from my best friends. At the end of my freshman year (his Sophmore year) we were in a car accident and my brother lost most the use of his legs, but now lives a happy life. Six weeks after the accident, I lost a girl I had a crush on after we went to a dance together. She slipped out and promised to be back for the last dance. She never came back. She was run over in the parking lot and I watched her die. From those tragedies, I met my Kevan Stevens, who saved me. We were best friends throughout the rest of high school. Throughout Fire Light, you see similar swings from tragedy to happiness.
I also didn't originally have Jake's sister named Justine. That changed because, beyond the tragedy in my youth, I lost my sister Justine to a freak accident in 2011. Renaming Sis to Justine completely changed her character from a good girl that was going to fall, to the good girl that represents all that is right in the world."
After reading his answer to my question, I began to figure out just why Jake is such a likeable character. He the embodiment of everything good from some "real world" friends. Throughout the story he becomes your friend and you want to see him succeed and do the right thing.
This book will have you run a gamut of emotions. I found myself sharing in Jake's joy, confusion and frustrations. While the story completes itself it leaves the end open for another book. I can't wait to read the next in the series.
If you are looking for a great story with druids, vampires and magic, "Fire Light" is the perfect book for you!
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 25, 2013
I got to read it before it came out which was really cool. The whole thing is well written and I loved the characters and storyline. It reads quick (I finished in 3 days), and had great pace and action throughout. It's the first part of a trilogy. I loved the ending of the book - it answered a lot of questions and set up the future books really well. I definitely will be reading the next two.
March 4, 2014
J. Abram Barneck's "Fire Light" is a unique YA Urban Fantasy set in the Great Salt Lake Valley. The protagonist, Jacob Stevens, is a seventeen-year-old geek turned jock who will do anything to seem normal, although he's anything but. Then one day he meets Charles O'Brien, an FBI agent who brings with him an ancient magical textbook and some bad news for Jake: someone is trying to kill him.Why? Because it turns out Jake is a Druid. Some mysterious organization has been hunting down all the Druids, even the potential ones, like Jake, with the intent to exterminate the ancient society. Running for his life, Jake is torn away from his family and the life he took for granted. Helping O'Brien uncover the identity of the ones responsible for this genocide, Jake is thrust into a dangerous world filled with magic, Nightwalkers, and even a Vampire King! Sounds exciting right? Well, it is and it isn't. Although the writing was excellent throughout the book, and the plot was very well thought out, for me "Fire Light" had a few weaknesses.
1) The inciting incident doesn't happen until chapter twelve. For those of you who don't know what an inciting incident is here's the definition. When an event happens to the protagonist forcing their lives to change from the norm to adapt to the story's plot. Pretty much it's the part that kicks the story off and gets the ball rolling. Most writing gurus and creative writing courses teach that an inciting incident should happen in the first act, within the first few chapters in a novel or the first ten pages in a screenplay. If this was a typical epic Fantasy novel like Robert Jordan's "The Eye of the World" the reader would expect this kind of build up because the writer is introducing them to a whole new world. However, the author of "Fire Light" spends the first twelve chapters of the book just getting us acquainted with Jake. We learn about his parentage, his sister, his geek lifestyle and we meet his friends and other supporting characters. All good things to learn as this helps to establish Jake's character, but it drags on a bit. Had I been a beta reader for this book I would've suggested condensing this whole segment to help the story move along more quickly.
2) Just before the story finally picks up, the author forces a love connection between Jake and his sister's best friend Kendra. At this point it was the last thing I wanted to read, I just wanted the fantasy element to happen already. Also, I found Kendra's character weak and inconsistent. She's described as confident but then goes on to do things that make her seem insecure, childish, and desperate. I found it hard to care about her and was relieved when the inciting incident finally arrived and Jake was taken away into another world. I found myself hoping we'd never see Kendra again.
However, once the story took off, it kept on going! The pacing from chapter twelve on was fantastic, keeping you interested and wanting more. Later, another female character was introduced, Alexis, who didn't annoy me and I found I suddenly needed to finish the book more because of her than anything else. The author managed to surprise me in some places and that's not easily done. The author didn't shy away from darker subjects yet kept things somewhat PG-13 with which I was impressed. He kept the dark fantasy world realistic without getting too morbid for young adult readers to enjoy. The ending was action packed and exciting without being too over-the-top or unbelievable. The big climax did not disappoint as many YA books do, and kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. When it was all said and done I found myself eager to read the next book! Which unfortunately does not yet have a release date set.
Is "Fire Light" a worth while read? Yes. Will I be reading the next book in the series? You betcha! Does it take a while to get going? Sure, but the pay off makes it's well worth the wait. So, overall I'd give "Fire Light" Four stars only cause goodreads won't let your give half stars! Over all great read.
1) The inciting incident doesn't happen until chapter twelve. For those of you who don't know what an inciting incident is here's the definition. When an event happens to the protagonist forcing their lives to change from the norm to adapt to the story's plot. Pretty much it's the part that kicks the story off and gets the ball rolling. Most writing gurus and creative writing courses teach that an inciting incident should happen in the first act, within the first few chapters in a novel or the first ten pages in a screenplay. If this was a typical epic Fantasy novel like Robert Jordan's "The Eye of the World" the reader would expect this kind of build up because the writer is introducing them to a whole new world. However, the author of "Fire Light" spends the first twelve chapters of the book just getting us acquainted with Jake. We learn about his parentage, his sister, his geek lifestyle and we meet his friends and other supporting characters. All good things to learn as this helps to establish Jake's character, but it drags on a bit. Had I been a beta reader for this book I would've suggested condensing this whole segment to help the story move along more quickly.
2) Just before the story finally picks up, the author forces a love connection between Jake and his sister's best friend Kendra. At this point it was the last thing I wanted to read, I just wanted the fantasy element to happen already. Also, I found Kendra's character weak and inconsistent. She's described as confident but then goes on to do things that make her seem insecure, childish, and desperate. I found it hard to care about her and was relieved when the inciting incident finally arrived and Jake was taken away into another world. I found myself hoping we'd never see Kendra again.
However, once the story took off, it kept on going! The pacing from chapter twelve on was fantastic, keeping you interested and wanting more. Later, another female character was introduced, Alexis, who didn't annoy me and I found I suddenly needed to finish the book more because of her than anything else. The author managed to surprise me in some places and that's not easily done. The author didn't shy away from darker subjects yet kept things somewhat PG-13 with which I was impressed. He kept the dark fantasy world realistic without getting too morbid for young adult readers to enjoy. The ending was action packed and exciting without being too over-the-top or unbelievable. The big climax did not disappoint as many YA books do, and kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. When it was all said and done I found myself eager to read the next book! Which unfortunately does not yet have a release date set.
Is "Fire Light" a worth while read? Yes. Will I be reading the next book in the series? You betcha! Does it take a while to get going? Sure, but the pay off makes it's well worth the wait. So, overall I'd give "Fire Light" Four stars only cause goodreads won't let your give half stars! Over all great read.
July 8, 2014
Jacob Stevens is a self-proclaimed geek-turned-jock, who appears to have everything going his way. He works out with his best friend, Luiz, catches the attention of the high school girls, and watches out for his sweet little sister, Justine. But life at home is a challenge with an indifferent mother and a creep of a stepfather and all he really wants to do is get away.
Even worse, a dark stranger is watching Jake, tracking his every move.
Soon, Jake is on the run with a former military sniper named O'Brien, a man he barely trusts. Even crazier is O'Brien's story: Jake is a druid, one of the last of his kind. Jake's powers are the reason he heals so quickly and needs so little sleep. Now he'll need to use his formidable powers to save his sister and his friends from evil forces--but he doesn't know how. With nightmare creatures and a knife-wielding girl in black leather closing in, Jake better learn fast or he and everyone he cares about will be dead.
In Fire Light J. Abram Barneck has produced a well-crafted--and crafty--tale that injects a fresh pint of blood into the vampire mythos along with mysterious druids, a beautiful dhampir, and some truly horrifying creatures called nightwalkers. The story possesses a growing a sense of dread from the beginning even as we get to know Jake and his family and friends. By the time Jake finds himself in the hospital I was completely ready to take the ride to the end and hoping Jake would be able to overcome the significant challenges he was facing. I admired Jake for his unwavering sense of right and wrong and his willingness to protect the people close to him, regardless of the odds--or consequences.
The book is a fresh blend of urban fantasy, teen-age romance, pop culture, and a whole lot of magic. As a newly-minted druid, Jake's powers are substantial but the learning curve is steep and there's always some suspense when Jake needs to charge up to cast a spell. Along the way there are epic fights, startling revelations, and heart-breaking reversals that test the depths of Jake's character. I laughed out loud at times but I was also moved by the struggles of the characters as they were now my friends too. The book tested my pop culture savviness too, which was fun. I devoured chapter after chapter on my smartphone, leaving my games unplayed and my movies on pause just so I could read a few more pages. I liked the tidy way the tale is resolved, with all the important questions answered and all the loose ends tied up. Barneck already has a sequel in the works and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
Fire Light is available electronically from your favorite online book source, including the Google Play, Amazon and iTunes. It is suitable for both young adult and adult readers.
Even worse, a dark stranger is watching Jake, tracking his every move.
Soon, Jake is on the run with a former military sniper named O'Brien, a man he barely trusts. Even crazier is O'Brien's story: Jake is a druid, one of the last of his kind. Jake's powers are the reason he heals so quickly and needs so little sleep. Now he'll need to use his formidable powers to save his sister and his friends from evil forces--but he doesn't know how. With nightmare creatures and a knife-wielding girl in black leather closing in, Jake better learn fast or he and everyone he cares about will be dead.
In Fire Light J. Abram Barneck has produced a well-crafted--and crafty--tale that injects a fresh pint of blood into the vampire mythos along with mysterious druids, a beautiful dhampir, and some truly horrifying creatures called nightwalkers. The story possesses a growing a sense of dread from the beginning even as we get to know Jake and his family and friends. By the time Jake finds himself in the hospital I was completely ready to take the ride to the end and hoping Jake would be able to overcome the significant challenges he was facing. I admired Jake for his unwavering sense of right and wrong and his willingness to protect the people close to him, regardless of the odds--or consequences.
The book is a fresh blend of urban fantasy, teen-age romance, pop culture, and a whole lot of magic. As a newly-minted druid, Jake's powers are substantial but the learning curve is steep and there's always some suspense when Jake needs to charge up to cast a spell. Along the way there are epic fights, startling revelations, and heart-breaking reversals that test the depths of Jake's character. I laughed out loud at times but I was also moved by the struggles of the characters as they were now my friends too. The book tested my pop culture savviness too, which was fun. I devoured chapter after chapter on my smartphone, leaving my games unplayed and my movies on pause just so I could read a few more pages. I liked the tidy way the tale is resolved, with all the important questions answered and all the loose ends tied up. Barneck already has a sequel in the works and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
Fire Light is available electronically from your favorite online book source, including the Google Play, Amazon and iTunes. It is suitable for both young adult and adult readers.
March 28, 2014
Druid Mormons, vampires, and a secret society operating underground in Salt Lake City? The premise alone was interesting enough to justify the $2.99 Kindle version.
The main character, seventeen-year-old Jacob Stevens has always felt a little strange, not just because his mother flinches every time she sees him (Jacob’s a product of rape). He heals to fast, only requires four hours of sleep and never gets sore. Strange dreams and an overwhelming urge to protect the innocent are a constant irritation. Jake just wants to be normal, but when he discovers his druid lineage, he realizes he will never be a regular teenager.
Fire Light is a New Adult, James Bond kind of fantasy mixed with magical elements. You have the love triangle between Jacob, the druid dhampir, Alexis, who is always scandalously clad in skin-tight leather, and sweet little girl-next-door, Kendra. Through the course of the plot, there was plenty of fighting, action, disappearing clothing, and even some real life issues plaguing some youth.
Please understand, I’m not a teenage boy. Since I’m raising a sixteen-year-old daughter, I’d rather not know how the opposite sex thinks at this age for fear of wanting to lock my little girl away until she’s thirty. Clearly, I was not the intended audience, so I’m not going to focus on the male hormones, and in fairness base my rating off of the parts I liked.
Barneck did an amazing job of describing magic in tangible terms. I was able to experience the feel, understand the science behind the art of casting, and predict the consequences of the characters using spells. Living in Utah myself, I had fun to following the chases and fights through neighborhoods that I’m familiar with. I loved the Nightwalker scene on Bangeter highway. The tension and mood was set with supreme skill, and knowing the terrain made the experience much more vivid.
The main character, seventeen-year-old Jacob Stevens has always felt a little strange, not just because his mother flinches every time she sees him (Jacob’s a product of rape). He heals to fast, only requires four hours of sleep and never gets sore. Strange dreams and an overwhelming urge to protect the innocent are a constant irritation. Jake just wants to be normal, but when he discovers his druid lineage, he realizes he will never be a regular teenager.
Fire Light is a New Adult, James Bond kind of fantasy mixed with magical elements. You have the love triangle between Jacob, the druid dhampir, Alexis, who is always scandalously clad in skin-tight leather, and sweet little girl-next-door, Kendra. Through the course of the plot, there was plenty of fighting, action, disappearing clothing, and even some real life issues plaguing some youth.
Please understand, I’m not a teenage boy. Since I’m raising a sixteen-year-old daughter, I’d rather not know how the opposite sex thinks at this age for fear of wanting to lock my little girl away until she’s thirty. Clearly, I was not the intended audience, so I’m not going to focus on the male hormones, and in fairness base my rating off of the parts I liked.
Barneck did an amazing job of describing magic in tangible terms. I was able to experience the feel, understand the science behind the art of casting, and predict the consequences of the characters using spells. Living in Utah myself, I had fun to following the chases and fights through neighborhoods that I’m familiar with. I loved the Nightwalker scene on Bangeter highway. The tension and mood was set with supreme skill, and knowing the terrain made the experience much more vivid.
May 13, 2014
Fire Light (Trinity of Mind)
This review is from: Fire Light (Trinity of Mind) (Kindle Edition)
Hey, why NOT Mormon Druids...and Vampires and Dhampir's and other icky creatures that go bump in the night?
No, they aren't all really Mormons, but two of the main characters are and they are the last of the Druids...or at least we think they are the last. After reading this whole book I can't be too sure about that. And don't beleive for one second that Jake is 'just' a Druid...there is something more to Jake than meets the eye!
This was an interesting mix of different styles that you may have seen in other popular authors. Certainly a very interesting one a la Laurell K. Hamilton.(you will understand that if you have read her books and then read this one!) This book is going to be (or at least should be) a hit for adolescent boys and young adult males. It shouldn't be a dud for the females of the crowd too since we are treated to many observations of Jake's fine physique at various points in this book. The female readers will like the kick-butt and take no prisoners style of one of the main female characters, Alexis.
This was a fairy slow book to start with large info dumps through-out the novel, but coming in at over 400 pages made these dumps understandable.
Mr. Barneck did a fine job at building his world, moving his characters around like chess pieces ;-) and creating a fairly believable world/plot-line.
A very minimum on the swearing, no sex and only the mildest of a teen-ages boys semi-dirty thoughts makes this a book that I could recommend for ages 14 on up. Very clean, but very bloody.
For an independently published book, the formatting and lack of grammar issues made this a pleasure to read.
February 17, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fire Light is an urban fantasy that is predominantly a YA book. As several reviewers stated, the beginning is a bit slower than the rest of the book, but that didn't bother me a bit. I enjoy seeing characters develop and seeing why they are who they are and do what they do. So, the lack of a frantic pace early on worked as the author introduced Jake, a jeek (combo jock and geek), and his circle of friends. Then, when Jake's murder is faked (through no doing of his own) he discovers he is a druid, learns to do magic from a Druid who can't, and tries to find out who, or what, is trying to kill him and why. On the way, he encounters several magical beings and creatures and it appears that he starts to learn a little more about himself and some of the people close to him. He also finds betrayal, which leads to an unexpected result.
I really enjoyed this book and hope in the next one we learn a little more about the leader of the Druids, Caradoc Rhys, as well as further explore the somewhat awkward situation Jake found himself in at the end of this book. I recommend it and am greatly looking forward to the next in the series.
Fire Light is an urban fantasy that is predominantly a YA book. As several reviewers stated, the beginning is a bit slower than the rest of the book, but that didn't bother me a bit. I enjoy seeing characters develop and seeing why they are who they are and do what they do. So, the lack of a frantic pace early on worked as the author introduced Jake, a jeek (combo jock and geek), and his circle of friends. Then, when Jake's murder is faked (through no doing of his own) he discovers he is a druid, learns to do magic from a Druid who can't, and tries to find out who, or what, is trying to kill him and why. On the way, he encounters several magical beings and creatures and it appears that he starts to learn a little more about himself and some of the people close to him. He also finds betrayal, which leads to an unexpected result.
I really enjoyed this book and hope in the next one we learn a little more about the leader of the Druids, Caradoc Rhys, as well as further explore the somewhat awkward situation Jake found himself in at the end of this book. I recommend it and am greatly looking forward to the next in the series.
October 23, 2015
First of it is hard to write a book that satisfies me.
You can have a great book but at some point, mostly at the beginning there are a lot of flaws in the plot or characters.
Here the only two flaws I could detect were the extremely popularity of the main character compared to the fact that it has not "corrupted" him or that he seems to be completely oblivious of it and that term "druid" seems to be used for the common description of a "mage".
Other than that this book self-displays with a very good logical flaw and the decision of the main characters are good to understand.
Over all I can just recommend to read it, the first few chapters are a bit hard but you will agree with me alter on that they were indeed boring but necessary for the story.
A really exciting and solid story with extremely minor flaws and a nice ending with a minor cliffhanger.
You can have a great book but at some point, mostly at the beginning there are a lot of flaws in the plot or characters.
Here the only two flaws I could detect were the extremely popularity of the main character compared to the fact that it has not "corrupted" him or that he seems to be completely oblivious of it and that term "druid" seems to be used for the common description of a "mage".
Other than that this book self-displays with a very good logical flaw and the decision of the main characters are good to understand.
Over all I can just recommend to read it, the first few chapters are a bit hard but you will agree with me alter on that they were indeed boring but necessary for the story.
A really exciting and solid story with extremely minor flaws and a nice ending with a minor cliffhanger.
January 6, 2014
I started reading this book with the intent to just love it, and then i read the first few chapters which were fine, but nothing just grabbed me and sucked me in, so you can imagine my surprise when a few chapters later I almost gave myself whiplash, from doing a double take and finding myself so engrossed in the book that I literally could not put it down. Just when I thought I knew what was happening, the author would catch you off guard and l found myself saying "well, I didn't see that one coming!"
There obviously were a few bumps along the way, but this being a first book I would expect nothing less. Overall I would recommend this book, once it captures your attention you are a goner, and then once it ends you want more, and that to me qualifies as a great read!!
Can't wait for the next one!!
There obviously were a few bumps along the way, but this being a first book I would expect nothing less. Overall I would recommend this book, once it captures your attention you are a goner, and then once it ends you want more, and that to me qualifies as a great read!!
Can't wait for the next one!!
March 20, 2017
This is a unique, very original urban fantasy. It was completely enjoyable.
The beginning establishes Jake's home life. It's a very realistic, everyday setting; it takes a little while for the weird things to start happening. Jake has magical powers that awaken, which draws the attention of mean, nasty creatures, including the Vampire King. There is action, romance, betrayal -- pretty much everything.
It takes place in the Salt Lake Valley and Bountiful. It was fun to read about streets and places I know very well and was able to picture perfectly. While there is humor, the story also gets a bit dark at times, although it does not get very graphic. If you want to support small, indie authors, this one is a gem.
There are kind of a lot of copy editing errors, which is an invitation to contact me for help next time (wink wink), since I'm rather OCD when it comes to editing.
The beginning establishes Jake's home life. It's a very realistic, everyday setting; it takes a little while for the weird things to start happening. Jake has magical powers that awaken, which draws the attention of mean, nasty creatures, including the Vampire King. There is action, romance, betrayal -- pretty much everything.
It takes place in the Salt Lake Valley and Bountiful. It was fun to read about streets and places I know very well and was able to picture perfectly. While there is humor, the story also gets a bit dark at times, although it does not get very graphic. If you want to support small, indie authors, this one is a gem.
There are kind of a lot of copy editing errors, which is an invitation to contact me for help next time (wink wink), since I'm rather OCD when it comes to editing.
February 9, 2014
It took me only two days to finish this fantastic book, once I started I was hooked and could not put it down. Had a few complaints from the family about getting dinner ready on time.
It has everything you can ask for in a book from intriguing twists and turns to romance in an exciting but also scary world filled with druids,dhampirs, nightwalkers, vampires and transients.
J Abraham Barneck has done a fine job and I can't wait to read the next one to find out what happens to all the brilliant and complex characters he created in this book.
I highly recommend this book to adults and teenagers, you will not be disappointed.
- Lucky winner of Goodreads giveaway -
It has everything you can ask for in a book from intriguing twists and turns to romance in an exciting but also scary world filled with druids,dhampirs, nightwalkers, vampires and transients.
J Abraham Barneck has done a fine job and I can't wait to read the next one to find out what happens to all the brilliant and complex characters he created in this book.
I highly recommend this book to adults and teenagers, you will not be disappointed.
- Lucky winner of Goodreads giveaway -
June 28, 2014
A very enjoyable book. Enough interest to keep you wanting to read more and more. I felt it was a younger Iron Druid, albeit with powers coming in a lot faster. The magic systems was pretty good too.
I'm eagerly awaiting the next one.
I'm eagerly awaiting the next one.
July 18, 2023
I don't think I've ever read an Urban Fantasy before where I actually recognized the street names, so that was a fun and repeated surprise in this story that's heavily set in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Starting in West Jordan, Jacob (Jake) is a geeky football star for his high school (jeek), enjoying his summer break before Senior year with his biggest worries involving his creepy peeper stepdad and his biological dad haunting his dreams because he heals unnaturally fast, never tires from workouts, and only needs 4 hours of sleep. His worries double as he falls for his sister's best-friend and has a sudden near-death-experience that results in a new friend telling him he's a druid.
The magic system isn't too complex (matter = energy = magic), which keeps the entry level for this story fairly low. I'd rate it PG-13 for its amount of teenage boy hormones, limited swearing, lots of nudity, and sexual references. Since it's Utah, there are brief (non-preachy) references to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Fire Light" has a good balance between a love-triangle romance and supernatural action and was written well enough to keep me up till 2:30AM to finish. Then, I immediately looked up book 2, because a lot of plots were resolved, but there were also many plots left open.
Starting in West Jordan, Jacob (Jake) is a geeky football star for his high school (jeek), enjoying his summer break before Senior year with his biggest worries involving his creepy peeper stepdad and his biological dad haunting his dreams because he heals unnaturally fast, never tires from workouts, and only needs 4 hours of sleep. His worries double as he falls for his sister's best-friend and has a sudden near-death-experience that results in a new friend telling him he's a druid.
The magic system isn't too complex (matter = energy = magic), which keeps the entry level for this story fairly low. I'd rate it PG-13 for its amount of teenage boy hormones, limited swearing, lots of nudity, and sexual references. Since it's Utah, there are brief (non-preachy) references to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"Fire Light" has a good balance between a love-triangle romance and supernatural action and was written well enough to keep me up till 2:30AM to finish. Then, I immediately looked up book 2, because a lot of plots were resolved, but there were also many plots left open.
July 23, 2022
The book is a roller coaster, but unfortunately not one that you want. Not a roller coaster of emotions, but of quality.
The first third of the book is very generic. Jock + Geek main character with plenty of cliche wish fulfillment (typical highschool stuff). Then the book takes a very interesting turn when he comes into his power, and the second third when he goes on the run was definitely the highlight of the book. Unexpected and exiting without being overly convoluted, it kept me guessing and engaged.
But the ending was just... a mess. That's the best way to describe it. Usually fantasy books have a climax around the 90% point mark where all the tension leads up to, ending with an exciting bang. In this book the "final battle" comes out of nowhere (first issue), but the author manages to draw it out way too long throughout several chapters (second, bigger issue), and these two things entirely remove any sort of tension the plot held. A jumble of things happen that feel confusing and unsatisfying with no payoff.
I still enjoyed the book all in all, but the quality drop during the last third was a big disappointment.
The first third of the book is very generic. Jock + Geek main character with plenty of cliche wish fulfillment (typical highschool stuff). Then the book takes a very interesting turn when he comes into his power, and the second third when he goes on the run was definitely the highlight of the book. Unexpected and exiting without being overly convoluted, it kept me guessing and engaged.
But the ending was just... a mess. That's the best way to describe it. Usually fantasy books have a climax around the 90% point mark where all the tension leads up to, ending with an exciting bang. In this book the "final battle" comes out of nowhere (first issue), but the author manages to draw it out way too long throughout several chapters (second, bigger issue), and these two things entirely remove any sort of tension the plot held. A jumble of things happen that feel confusing and unsatisfying with no payoff.
I still enjoyed the book all in all, but the quality drop during the last third was a big disappointment.
October 25, 2021
If you're a YA urban fantasy/paranormal romance (vampires) type of person, then this book will check your boxes. The leading lad is (mostly) sweet, sentimental, protective, sexy, smart, and prodigiously talented. However, if you do not like the tropes of YA, then the "I'm a sexy guy with no flaws" bit gets a little grating. Suffers from "sins of the father" but not that of his own, which I hope book 2 will rectify this.
The book runs long for the first and second acts and probably could do with a trim. However, the author does a great job of feeding to reader curiosity and intrigue. They're good at teasing the reader into continuing which is a challenge regardless how short or long a book is. Writing style is solid and I can see merits in their execution.
The book runs long for the first and second acts and probably could do with a trim. However, the author does a great job of feeding to reader curiosity and intrigue. They're good at teasing the reader into continuing which is a challenge regardless how short or long a book is. Writing style is solid and I can see merits in their execution.
November 30, 2017
Pretty interesting and intriguing story line. Parts of the book became extremely redundant when it came to reminding us that the main character is a teenaged boy who is extremely attracted to one of the other main characters. But the story kept moving at a good pace.
February 17, 2020
Excellent read
Occasionally I find a book that rekindles that old desire to stay up all night and read, this is one that I’d just that.
Thank you Jacob
Glad to have played dodgeball with you as well.
Vernie, not Jennifer.
Occasionally I find a book that rekindles that old desire to stay up all night and read, this is one that I’d just that.
Thank you Jacob
Glad to have played dodgeball with you as well.
Vernie, not Jennifer.
November 4, 2017
This was very excited book
November 2, 2015
My biases: I'm not an urban fantasy man. I learned that I do not like urban fantasy based around where I live. (I spent way too much time finding out if that Taco Time and high school in West Jordan exist. They do. The Taco Time doesn't currently have good reviews....) I also don't like first-person stories. It's nothing major, just not my preference.
Be it known: I'm about 25% of the way done. The "Big Event" of the book occurred, and I think it's gotten worse.
My thoughts: Doing my best to take my biases out of it, this book wasn't very good. I don't normally write reviews, but I feel like the author wants feedback.
He tries to write this book from the eyes of a 17 year old. He also tries writing it as the character would speak, leading to an overall feeling of the book being poorly written. Written word is just formatted differently than spoken word. But to his credit, Barneck makes a valiant effort. My feelings about this are also probably due somewhat to my biases.
Jake, the main character, is a jeek (part jock, part geek) and a rape baby. If you missed it the first time, don't worry, he'll remind you frequently. I believe the phrase "as a jeek" is written at least once every chapter. This is worse than it sounds because the chapters are usually around four pages along.
One last point. I don't think this book would travel well. If you're not from Utah, you'll miss 60% of what Barneck is talking about. If you're unfamiliar with Mormonism, you'll miss another 10%. (Example: A guy walks into the Salt Lake Temple to get rid of a curse. The main character is shocked. Without a little prior knowledge of Temples, this would confuse the reader.) Also, (paraphrasing) from the book, there's this line. "I laughed at the thought of being nearly dead." That's a reference to The Princess Bride. However, if you've never seen/read The Princess Bride, that would be the most awkward phrase ever. I think my point here is that he assumes that his audience has a certain knowledge that limits the size of his audience. If Barneck's intention was to write a niche fantasy, than he succeeded.
All in all, I'm about 25% of the way done, not enjoying myself, but will probably suffer through because I'm stubborn.
Note: Didn't make it
Be it known: I'm about 25% of the way done. The "Big Event" of the book occurred, and I think it's gotten worse.
My thoughts: Doing my best to take my biases out of it, this book wasn't very good. I don't normally write reviews, but I feel like the author wants feedback.
He tries to write this book from the eyes of a 17 year old. He also tries writing it as the character would speak, leading to an overall feeling of the book being poorly written. Written word is just formatted differently than spoken word. But to his credit, Barneck makes a valiant effort. My feelings about this are also probably due somewhat to my biases.
Jake, the main character, is a jeek (part jock, part geek) and a rape baby. If you missed it the first time, don't worry, he'll remind you frequently. I believe the phrase "as a jeek" is written at least once every chapter. This is worse than it sounds because the chapters are usually around four pages along.
One last point. I don't think this book would travel well. If you're not from Utah, you'll miss 60% of what Barneck is talking about. If you're unfamiliar with Mormonism, you'll miss another 10%. (Example: A guy walks into the Salt Lake Temple to get rid of a curse. The main character is shocked. Without a little prior knowledge of Temples, this would confuse the reader.) Also, (paraphrasing) from the book, there's this line. "I laughed at the thought of being nearly dead." That's a reference to The Princess Bride. However, if you've never seen/read The Princess Bride, that would be the most awkward phrase ever. I think my point here is that he assumes that his audience has a certain knowledge that limits the size of his audience. If Barneck's intention was to write a niche fantasy, than he succeeded.
All in all, I'm about 25% of the way done, not enjoying myself, but will probably suffer through because I'm stubborn.
Note: Didn't make it
May 12, 2014
~This book was won from a Goodreads Giveaway~
Alright. This book.
So, to start off with a brief summary - Jake has always been different; he only needs four hours of sleep, he heals quickly, and he never is sore from exercising. One day, he's shot, his death is faked, and he is brought into a world of druids, vampires, nightwalkers, and other interesting things.
That doesn't really do the book justice, because the way things escalate in this book really goes far beyond it. The pacing was excellent, and probably one of my favorite things about the book, as well as the great writing and, for the most part, good characters. (The only character I really had a problem with was the main character, but I did grow to like him.)
There are only a few bad things about this book - the main character I didn't really like for the first hundred or so pages, though as the story went on I did like him more. And while this isn't so much a bad thing as a warning, the story did deal with rape and other things, and I did think that it was dealt with well.
One thing I really liked were the supernatural elements of the book - the book gave enough information so that it was interesting, and even the huge dumps of information were interesting and informative. I loved the technical way of explaining magic, and the supernatural was definitely one of the best parts of the book.
Overall, it's an interesting novel with a fantastic world, decent characters, and great pacing! I don't read very much urban fantasy, but this was most definitely a good one.
Alright. This book.
So, to start off with a brief summary - Jake has always been different; he only needs four hours of sleep, he heals quickly, and he never is sore from exercising. One day, he's shot, his death is faked, and he is brought into a world of druids, vampires, nightwalkers, and other interesting things.
That doesn't really do the book justice, because the way things escalate in this book really goes far beyond it. The pacing was excellent, and probably one of my favorite things about the book, as well as the great writing and, for the most part, good characters. (The only character I really had a problem with was the main character, but I did grow to like him.)
There are only a few bad things about this book - the main character I didn't really like for the first hundred or so pages, though as the story went on I did like him more. And while this isn't so much a bad thing as a warning, the story did deal with rape and other things, and I did think that it was dealt with well.
One thing I really liked were the supernatural elements of the book - the book gave enough information so that it was interesting, and even the huge dumps of information were interesting and informative. I loved the technical way of explaining magic, and the supernatural was definitely one of the best parts of the book.
Overall, it's an interesting novel with a fantastic world, decent characters, and great pacing! I don't read very much urban fantasy, but this was most definitely a good one.
June 13, 2014
I received this book free through goodreads 1st reads, and couldn't wait to start reading. I think this story is pretty original, though I almost gave up in the beginning because it was a little slow starting.. but whoa!! once it started I did NOT put it down until I was done. The author did a great job of setting up the story, and I cannot wait for the next one..hurry hurry!! Thank you for the opportunity.
June 30, 2015
This book reads as if it was a teenagers wet dream or what a high-school kid daydreams he is like. Oh hot beautiful girl 1 just happens to fall in love with the main character who is a "hunk" who is good at everything and super popular. Then SPOILER hot girl 2 in the story just irrationally also falls in love with the main character. The plot is thin, predictable and boring and almost comical. Did not finish the novel just moved on.
November 4, 2015
The author is a friend of mine from college. I remember he could play basketball really well. He'd drive to the hoop in heavy traffic, get knocked down to his knees and lob it up and it'd go in. We had a pretty good intramural team. What I mean to say is he's talented. In writing and in basketball. It was almost as if he magically willed that basketball to go through... hey... wait a sec... hey Barneck was this an autobiography??
Read
December 22, 2013Yeah, this read isn't for me. Lots of teenage issues and randomness and I'm struggling to read it. There are quite a few repetitions of words and situations that should have been caught.
I'm 20% done with Fire Light which I think is far enough in the story to know when to give it up.
I don't think this story is moving at a rate to keep my interest. Lots of minute by minute descriptions~
I'm 20% done with Fire Light which I think is far enough in the story to know when to give it up.
I don't think this story is moving at a rate to keep my interest. Lots of minute by minute descriptions~
Read
February 14, 2014Did not finish but not against giving it another chance just not right now.
Read
April 28, 2014One of the coolest books I have ever read!!! I could not put it down after the main character was shot, so very cool.
April 18, 2015
I won this through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
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