What do you think?
Rate this book
The Rhythm of Rivalry #1
Bastial Energy
By using the energy of the land, some humans have found they can develop extraordinary abilities. At the age of seventeen, these warriors, magicians, chemists, and psychics are allowed the opportunity to train at the Academy, increasing their opportunity for a well-paying career. But there’s a catch. They must fight beside the Army if requested by their king. Most aren’t concerned by this, as the current treaty has prevented battle for nearly seventy years…but that’s about to change.
Of four roommates with interwoven stories, Cleve Polken takes focus as a hostile warrior who feels more comfortable in a duel than a conversation. Never getting past his parents’ death, Cleve has developed a crippling fear of psychics, for some may have the power to resurface the torment he buried within himself upon his parents’ passing. Cleve’s forced to face this fear head-on when he discovers that not only is one of his roommates a psychic, but that he has an overwhelming attraction to her, which he quickly attributes to a psychic spell, nothing more.
By the time an army of savage, reptilian men called Krepps become involved in the war, all hope of resolution without battle is shattered. In this powerful army, one born with the inability to smell doesn’t have the same feeding urges as his fellow Krepps and is outcast because of it. He finds himself with an unlikely ally in the middle of a crossroad, trying to find a way to reunite with his sister. Little does he know how much his choices will twist the fate of the war and alter the lives of the four human roommates forever.
Of four roommates with interwoven stories, Cleve Polken takes focus as a hostile warrior who feels more comfortable in a duel than a conversation. Never getting past his parents’ death, Cleve has developed a crippling fear of psychics, for some may have the power to resurface the torment he buried within himself upon his parents’ passing. Cleve’s forced to face this fear head-on when he discovers that not only is one of his roommates a psychic, but that he has an overwhelming attraction to her, which he quickly attributes to a psychic spell, nothing more.
By the time an army of savage, reptilian men called Krepps become involved in the war, all hope of resolution without battle is shattered. In this powerful army, one born with the inability to smell doesn’t have the same feeding urges as his fellow Krepps and is outcast because of it. He finds himself with an unlikely ally in the middle of a crossroad, trying to find a way to reunite with his sister. Little does he know how much his choices will twist the fate of the war and alter the lives of the four human roommates forever.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 28, 2013
406 people are currently reading
1328 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 12, 2013
I enjoyed reading Bastial Energy but it's one of those books that makes me wish Goodreads had a 3.5 star option because at 4 stars I feel like I rounded up.
What I liked
- Strong character work.(Cleve and Effie in particular)
- The start of what seems like an interesting fantasy story.
What I didn't like
- Too many perspectives for my tastes.
- The Zoke character was a weak point.
It's a good character driven fantasy read that does a great job creating characters that feel distinct and interesting but unfortunately spread the story out a little too widely and unevenly across it's cast for my tastes. Of it's 5 character perspectives only 3(Cleve, Effie, and Steffen) were able to draw my interest the other 2(Zoke and Zeti) felt like more of a chore I had to get through so I could get back to the good parts. In Zoke's case it was because he came across as too human to be an interesting non-human and too bland and humorless to be an interesting human. In Zeti's it was because her chapters were always more about Zoke than her, which didn't really give me the opportunity to invest emotionally.
The story itself was interesting, especially due to the way it seems to connect all it's characters through one family, but is also one of those stories that's so much more a part of a series than it is an individual story that it's almost episodic. In other words an interesting story that doesn't seem to come to any major conclusions in this installment.
What I liked
- Strong character work.(Cleve and Effie in particular)
- The start of what seems like an interesting fantasy story.
What I didn't like
- Too many perspectives for my tastes.
- The Zoke character was a weak point.
It's a good character driven fantasy read that does a great job creating characters that feel distinct and interesting but unfortunately spread the story out a little too widely and unevenly across it's cast for my tastes. Of it's 5 character perspectives only 3(Cleve, Effie, and Steffen) were able to draw my interest the other 2(Zoke and Zeti) felt like more of a chore I had to get through so I could get back to the good parts. In Zoke's case it was because he came across as too human to be an interesting non-human and too bland and humorless to be an interesting human. In Zeti's it was because her chapters were always more about Zoke than her, which didn't really give me the opportunity to invest emotionally.
The story itself was interesting, especially due to the way it seems to connect all it's characters through one family, but is also one of those stories that's so much more a part of a series than it is an individual story that it's almost episodic. In other words an interesting story that doesn't seem to come to any major conclusions in this installment.
March 7, 2017
Interesting plot and world. The magic is an energy that can be applied to a variety of skills, from enhancing physical abilities for warriors to making chemical compounds for scientists.
But the characters were simplisticly written. The non-human races were humans with different bodies (same thinking, culture, etc). The romances were childish/melodramatic.
Not awful, just not good, either.
But the characters were simplisticly written. The non-human races were humans with different bodies (same thinking, culture, etc). The romances were childish/melodramatic.
Not awful, just not good, either.
February 16, 2014
This book has something going for it, but I can't quite nail down what it is. The writing doesn't stand out, the characters are average bordering on dull, and setting is pretty much a JRPG in novel form, and yet I kept reading.
Not sure I could recommend this one exactly, but that fact hasn't stopped me from reading further entries.
Not sure I could recommend this one exactly, but that fact hasn't stopped me from reading further entries.
December 27, 2013
Unbalanced with the chapters.
It started out focusing on Cleve and then virtually left him to focus on Zoke and other characters. The whol time I was wondering what happened to the main character.
It took a while to finish the book because of this.
It started out focusing on Cleve and then virtually left him to focus on Zoke and other characters. The whol time I was wondering what happened to the main character.
It took a while to finish the book because of this.
March 27, 2020
Start of a possibly superior story arc.
This first book certainly set up the main cast of characters (perhaps too much) and established the direction that the story is to follow. The writing is crisp and the character development has depth so a lot of the elements have a positive impact to this reader. I'm a bit confused by the different characters, primarily because there are several and it is hard (for me) to keep it straight. Still, I'm hooked enough to want to continue!
This first book certainly set up the main cast of characters (perhaps too much) and established the direction that the story is to follow. The writing is crisp and the character development has depth so a lot of the elements have a positive impact to this reader. I'm a bit confused by the different characters, primarily because there are several and it is hard (for me) to keep it straight. Still, I'm hooked enough to want to continue!
March 5, 2018
Refreshing fantasy
The Rhythm of Rivalry's first book reveals an elaborate society of humans and, much more spectacularly, non-humans like elves, reptilian humanoids and giant slugs. Complete with a dazzling, exotic ecosystem and shifting political alliances, the plot follows characters from each of the races. The writing feels fresh and exciting. This book is a treat, especially for avid readers who will appreciate a well-thought-out magical world delivered with ease.
The Rhythm of Rivalry's first book reveals an elaborate society of humans and, much more spectacularly, non-humans like elves, reptilian humanoids and giant slugs. Complete with a dazzling, exotic ecosystem and shifting political alliances, the plot follows characters from each of the races. The writing feels fresh and exciting. This book is a treat, especially for avid readers who will appreciate a well-thought-out magical world delivered with ease.
August 25, 2017
The book was fun in the end....the end as of it self-was lame, it just finished in a spot so that you read the next one. The book dragged a lot in the middle. Also despite the different perspectives, half the book was from Zoke. Zoke was the least likable character in my opinion. The chapters were just boring and too much.
July 14, 2023
Great!
This is my second read through of this book and I still find myself not wanting to put it down. I thoroughly enjoy getting to know the characters and that we have a chance to meet them all. Switching between the characters really gives the story a 3D feel rather than from one perspective!
This is my second read through of this book and I still find myself not wanting to put it down. I thoroughly enjoy getting to know the characters and that we have a chance to meet them all. Switching between the characters really gives the story a 3D feel rather than from one perspective!
December 17, 2013
Review of Bastial Energy
I have mixed feelings about this book, some parts were excellent but there were some disappointing things too. It’s one of those books I wish I could give a half star rating to because three seems too low, but four is too high.
Initially I didn’t like the main characters in the story. For most of the main characters, we are shown fairly negative traits such as recklessly putting another in danger to get what they wanted, uncaring of others and being anti-social, killing of an animal because it was a ‘failed’ experiment, and teenage drinking (although in their world you are considered an adult at fourteen). The only character who has shown to have positive traits was Zoke, who is a member of the race of antagonists in the story.
While it is generally a great idea to give the ‘good’ characters negative traits in a story, having most of the cast behave in this way at the start of the book didn’t work for me as it put me off them for quite a bit of the book. Fortunately as we get to see more of them, we get to see the good in them and I found myself supporting them, but this took longer than it should have due to how they started out.
I did think the start of the story was rushed and that some of the characters built up relationships too quickly, not necessarily romantic relationships, but ones where people were prepared to risk their lives or freedom, for someone they had only just met.
The thoughts and feelings of the characters were really well explained and detailed. I really felt I was in their head and could hear what they were thinking. As well as being well explained, they also seemed to have believable emotions behind them, such as self-doubt, attraction to others, fear, and worry whether they are being influenced by Psyches.
The rest of the descriptions were also well written and for the most part it was easy to follow what was happening and feel like you were in the world. Only a couple of times did I find myself having to reread a paragraph to understand what was happening.
Some of the time I did think that things were over-explained. This would often manifest when we are told something for the first time, I found the explanation went on for several paragraphs too long in an attempt to really make sure the reader ‘got it’. Other times the problem was when something was re-explained, the reminder could go on for quite a few paragraphs when only one or two would have done. Whenever this happened it broke up the flow of the story.
Conversely some things are either not explained enough or not until much later in the story. For example an important plot point is that bows are illegal, we are told in the first couple of pages that they are illegal and one of the main characters owns one, but we are not told why until later in the story. I found this frustrating as I felt this should have been explained much earlier.
Some of the conversations characters had were unnatural and seemed to only be there to explain a plot point or perform some world building. This often takes the form of one character telling something that realistically they should already know or was written in a way it felt the author was speaking to the reader rather than one character to another. This clunkiness pulled me out of the story and didn’t feel right.
One particularly bad example of these was when one of the main characters has been arrested and being brought before the king for a crime that could give life imprisonment. While being taken through the castle the guard is giving our character a guided tour and telling him about how various things worked. As well as being unnatural it took away the dramatic tension as it felt if the guard is telling him all these things, then our character can’t be in trouble.
There were some inconsistencies in the story, the worst examples were centered around the psyches whose abilities seemed to vary greatly, even within the same character. Sometimes they would be able to do something psychically with ease and other times they wouldn’t be able to do a similar action at all. This seemed to be plot driven rather than follow any believable pattern. These inconsistencies made it harder to find the story realistic in its own universe.
Some of the timelines also didn’t seem to fit and it seemed a lot more time passed for some characters compared to what happened with others.
The choice of sending our main characters (who are first years at the academy) on a dangerous and important mission didn’t seem right. The explanation given, that the rulers wanted to save all the older students and graduates for battle just didn’t seem right. Removing around five people from the army wouldn’t make a difference to a battle, but it could make a big difference to the outcome of such an important mission.
Due to some scenes of a sexual nature and some swearing the book is really only suitable for an adult audience (18+).
Overall I would rate this book 3 ½ stars. The story was good but let down by inconsistencies within it own rules, some over explaining, or things occurring that didn’t seem natural. The characters were good, despite my initial dislike of them.
In full disclosure I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I have mixed feelings about this book, some parts were excellent but there were some disappointing things too. It’s one of those books I wish I could give a half star rating to because three seems too low, but four is too high.
Initially I didn’t like the main characters in the story. For most of the main characters, we are shown fairly negative traits such as recklessly putting another in danger to get what they wanted, uncaring of others and being anti-social, killing of an animal because it was a ‘failed’ experiment, and teenage drinking (although in their world you are considered an adult at fourteen). The only character who has shown to have positive traits was Zoke, who is a member of the race of antagonists in the story.
While it is generally a great idea to give the ‘good’ characters negative traits in a story, having most of the cast behave in this way at the start of the book didn’t work for me as it put me off them for quite a bit of the book. Fortunately as we get to see more of them, we get to see the good in them and I found myself supporting them, but this took longer than it should have due to how they started out.
I did think the start of the story was rushed and that some of the characters built up relationships too quickly, not necessarily romantic relationships, but ones where people were prepared to risk their lives or freedom, for someone they had only just met.
The thoughts and feelings of the characters were really well explained and detailed. I really felt I was in their head and could hear what they were thinking. As well as being well explained, they also seemed to have believable emotions behind them, such as self-doubt, attraction to others, fear, and worry whether they are being influenced by Psyches.
The rest of the descriptions were also well written and for the most part it was easy to follow what was happening and feel like you were in the world. Only a couple of times did I find myself having to reread a paragraph to understand what was happening.
Some of the time I did think that things were over-explained. This would often manifest when we are told something for the first time, I found the explanation went on for several paragraphs too long in an attempt to really make sure the reader ‘got it’. Other times the problem was when something was re-explained, the reminder could go on for quite a few paragraphs when only one or two would have done. Whenever this happened it broke up the flow of the story.
Conversely some things are either not explained enough or not until much later in the story. For example an important plot point is that bows are illegal, we are told in the first couple of pages that they are illegal and one of the main characters owns one, but we are not told why until later in the story. I found this frustrating as I felt this should have been explained much earlier.
Some of the conversations characters had were unnatural and seemed to only be there to explain a plot point or perform some world building. This often takes the form of one character telling something that realistically they should already know or was written in a way it felt the author was speaking to the reader rather than one character to another. This clunkiness pulled me out of the story and didn’t feel right.
One particularly bad example of these was when one of the main characters has been arrested and being brought before the king for a crime that could give life imprisonment. While being taken through the castle the guard is giving our character a guided tour and telling him about how various things worked. As well as being unnatural it took away the dramatic tension as it felt if the guard is telling him all these things, then our character can’t be in trouble.
There were some inconsistencies in the story, the worst examples were centered around the psyches whose abilities seemed to vary greatly, even within the same character. Sometimes they would be able to do something psychically with ease and other times they wouldn’t be able to do a similar action at all. This seemed to be plot driven rather than follow any believable pattern. These inconsistencies made it harder to find the story realistic in its own universe.
Some of the timelines also didn’t seem to fit and it seemed a lot more time passed for some characters compared to what happened with others.
The choice of sending our main characters (who are first years at the academy) on a dangerous and important mission didn’t seem right. The explanation given, that the rulers wanted to save all the older students and graduates for battle just didn’t seem right. Removing around five people from the army wouldn’t make a difference to a battle, but it could make a big difference to the outcome of such an important mission.
Due to some scenes of a sexual nature and some swearing the book is really only suitable for an adult audience (18+).
Overall I would rate this book 3 ½ stars. The story was good but let down by inconsistencies within it own rules, some over explaining, or things occurring that didn’t seem natural. The characters were good, despite my initial dislike of them.
In full disclosure I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
October 3, 2017
Interesting and Diverse Characters
I truly enjoy the character's individuality, humor (or lack thereof), and epiphanies. I find myself highlighting many thought-provoking quotes; something I rarely take the time to do when reading.
I truly enjoy the character's individuality, humor (or lack thereof), and epiphanies. I find myself highlighting many thought-provoking quotes; something I rarely take the time to do when reading.
January 17, 2018
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
February 27, 2018
Standard fantasy novel
May 5, 2019
Jesus christ, seriously? you start a book like that? what a pile of monkey's dung, i can't believe how holy the premiss is.
May 17, 2020
Solid fun and an easy read, nice for a bit of escapism without having to think too hard
Read
February 11, 2021I don't know about you but this book didn't appeal to me that much hence the one star.
September 27, 2022
Good, but missing something.
The story line is good and characters interesting, but it is missing something. I can’t put my finger on it, but it makes the book less engaging.
The story line is good and characters interesting, but it is missing something. I can’t put my finger on it, but it makes the book less engaging.
December 11, 2013
Holly Cow! FINALLY finished this book!! i dont think i have ever taken so long to finish a book, dont get me wrong it wasnt bad, actually i rather enjoyed it. not sure why it seemed to take so long - life got in the way i suppose.
there was some fantastic scene's and lines throughout this book that had me cracking up laughing in public places around the city. which i always find amusing.
“I do, but only because their company would be comforting, not valuable. With more people around, we’ll stand out like prostitutes in a training center.”
The characters where pretty fantastic, and i loved how the book was told from so many different POV's and they where NEVER confusing! which is something i really appreciate.
i doubt i could pick out a favorite character they where all pretty amazing and all of them could do incredible things. but i think Effie's POV stood out to me the most, i like the way she saw life.
"She tried to think of a more realistic setting, and to her surprise it came easily. She pictured Cleve and Reela. Sharing a sheet as they spooned after a fiercely passionate tumble of enjoying the pleasures of each other’s body. His arm encircled her like a child tightly holding his blanket in fear of it slipping away. They whispered secrets to each other with their bodies intertwined, and a layer keeping their heart protected was peeled away gently. More layers peeled away the more secrets they shared. Soon there were no layers left— nothing to hide behind. As they clung tightly to each other, they shared their deepest secrets of all, as if it was the only chance they would ever have. When they finally left the bed to dress, all the layers returned, including a new one— containing the love they shared. It was stronger than all the other layers combined and squeezed so tightly around their hearts it would be impossible to remove without ripping it apart."
im not usually the romantic type, and i suppose in her won way neither is she. but her way of looking at life just.... spoke to me.
i cant WAIT to read the next book in this series which i believe is The Sartious Mage. Cleve and Rek have gotten themselves into an interesting situation which i cant wait to see how it pans out.
there was some fantastic scene's and lines throughout this book that had me cracking up laughing in public places around the city. which i always find amusing.
“I do, but only because their company would be comforting, not valuable. With more people around, we’ll stand out like prostitutes in a training center.”
The characters where pretty fantastic, and i loved how the book was told from so many different POV's and they where NEVER confusing! which is something i really appreciate.
i doubt i could pick out a favorite character they where all pretty amazing and all of them could do incredible things. but i think Effie's POV stood out to me the most, i like the way she saw life.
"She tried to think of a more realistic setting, and to her surprise it came easily. She pictured Cleve and Reela. Sharing a sheet as they spooned after a fiercely passionate tumble of enjoying the pleasures of each other’s body. His arm encircled her like a child tightly holding his blanket in fear of it slipping away. They whispered secrets to each other with their bodies intertwined, and a layer keeping their heart protected was peeled away gently. More layers peeled away the more secrets they shared. Soon there were no layers left— nothing to hide behind. As they clung tightly to each other, they shared their deepest secrets of all, as if it was the only chance they would ever have. When they finally left the bed to dress, all the layers returned, including a new one— containing the love they shared. It was stronger than all the other layers combined and squeezed so tightly around their hearts it would be impossible to remove without ripping it apart."
im not usually the romantic type, and i suppose in her won way neither is she. but her way of looking at life just.... spoke to me.
i cant WAIT to read the next book in this series which i believe is The Sartious Mage. Cleve and Rek have gotten themselves into an interesting situation which i cant wait to see how it pans out.
September 20, 2014
This book was interesting. Narro's use of his imagination really enraptured me to the point that I put all other books I was reading at the time to the side. He created a world that laid separate from other epic fantasies. One that felt so human, despite the fact that it had races like Slugari and Krepps roaming around. The landscape was so descriptive, and the use of maps tied the world building together very well. I give Narro five stars for being such a worldsmith.
However, plotting and magic systems really decreased the appeal. The plot felt very iffy. I didn't like how long Zoke's POV was. At some point there was a string of at least 15 Zoke chapters, all right after the other. I feel that Narro could have at least separated them so that I as a reader wouldn't have be ambushed by such a different society from Kyrro. I also disliked how vague he was with Bastial and Sartious Energy. One of his Main Characters were a mage. Effie was already said to have a talent with Sartious Energy. Why not describe more about the magic while she was at class? There were many chances to give us a better look at how things were affected by this magic system, yet he chose to focus on other things that didn't matter as much. His plot was very well thought out, yet had an odd pace. I suppose that Narro might have gotten excited, or felt that this information would be better in later books. If that was his thinking, I can easily agree.
In the end, I loved this book. The characters were spectacular, and I could see their growth as if they were my closest friends. Cleve's evolution from being closed off from everyone (even himself), was very curious to see. I absolutely understood each internal conflict, and could relate with ease. Narro is a mage of his own when it comes to characterization. In the end, my favorite character was honestly Vithos. An odd choice, in my eyes, but also very honest. Vithos was so realistic, with so many personal struggles. His sacrifice at the end told me how much better he was than the elf that pass judgement for two twisted slugs in the beginning of the story. I'm eager to read the second story. If Bastial Energy was this good, then The Sartious Mage must be better.
However, plotting and magic systems really decreased the appeal. The plot felt very iffy. I didn't like how long Zoke's POV was. At some point there was a string of at least 15 Zoke chapters, all right after the other. I feel that Narro could have at least separated them so that I as a reader wouldn't have be ambushed by such a different society from Kyrro. I also disliked how vague he was with Bastial and Sartious Energy. One of his Main Characters were a mage. Effie was already said to have a talent with Sartious Energy. Why not describe more about the magic while she was at class? There were many chances to give us a better look at how things were affected by this magic system, yet he chose to focus on other things that didn't matter as much. His plot was very well thought out, yet had an odd pace. I suppose that Narro might have gotten excited, or felt that this information would be better in later books. If that was his thinking, I can easily agree.
In the end, I loved this book. The characters were spectacular, and I could see their growth as if they were my closest friends. Cleve's evolution from being closed off from everyone (even himself), was very curious to see. I absolutely understood each internal conflict, and could relate with ease. Narro is a mage of his own when it comes to characterization. In the end, my favorite character was honestly Vithos. An odd choice, in my eyes, but also very honest. Vithos was so realistic, with so many personal struggles. His sacrifice at the end told me how much better he was than the elf that pass judgement for two twisted slugs in the beginning of the story. I'm eager to read the second story. If Bastial Energy was this good, then The Sartious Mage must be better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2016
I might be a little stingy with my 5 -stars; I wish I could have given this book a 4.5, at least. It isn't the best writing I've come across, but it was in the upper tiers at least. The book also dragged on in the early beginning, with lots of shifting between characters and locations that wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't seem to happen so arbitrarily that it created more annoyance than tension at times. That said, I enjoyed the book enough as I was reading it to purchase books 1.5, 3, 4, and 5 ( my fiance had already purchased 2) before I had finished Bastial Energy.
Good Points
The characters are archetyped nicely by their classes (imagine standard RPG classes, it's just what you think), but they aren't stereotypes or pigeonholed; in fact, their depth is refreshing for the amount of characters that take roles as protagonists. The world itself also has a few interesting quirks, like a character of its own, and the addition of a not - quite - magic not - quite - superpower psychic class was interesting to see.
Not So Good Points
I wish there had been more covered on magic and psyche and how they work, but I'll hold out for the rest of the books. More of a personal preference than anything, I also wished I could have seen more of certain characters and less of others, and that the character/location switching between chapters had felt necessary and not just random. And, as I said, it dragged a little, but hey, it's the first in a five (six?) book series, so...show me what you've got, B.T. Narro.
Good Points
The characters are archetyped nicely by their classes (imagine standard RPG classes, it's just what you think), but they aren't stereotypes or pigeonholed; in fact, their depth is refreshing for the amount of characters that take roles as protagonists. The world itself also has a few interesting quirks, like a character of its own, and the addition of a not - quite - magic not - quite - superpower psychic class was interesting to see.
Not So Good Points
I wish there had been more covered on magic and psyche and how they work, but I'll hold out for the rest of the books. More of a personal preference than anything, I also wished I could have seen more of certain characters and less of others, and that the character/location switching between chapters had felt necessary and not just random. And, as I said, it dragged a little, but hey, it's the first in a five (six?) book series, so...show me what you've got, B.T. Narro.
March 30, 2015
Interesting plot. not so cliché for me. I thought the story would be very focused on Cleve and his past. I'm glad the book proved me wrong. it was good that the other characters were given importance as well not just by having their own POVs but also by sharing some of their pasts.
I especially liked Effie. Such a strong but funny character. Not a goody-two-shoes. She doesn't act to cool to laugh out loud or cry either. She takes people's words to heart and use them to grow and improve. In fact I like her for Cleve but I don't see that happening. The least I can do is wish her happiness I guess.
Reela is a fine character but didn't really stand out in the story. I didn't see her as someone important. Maybe because she wasn't given her own POV. I'd like to know what goes on inside that psychic's mind. I'd rather read her POV instead of Steffen's.
I don't have much opinion about Steffen though. There's almost always someone who knows almost everything in every series like this one to explain things to readers.
I didn't find the necessity for Zoke and Zeti's POV though. It didnt have much impact on the story.
But over all it's an interesting start of a series.
I like their "handshake" :)
It was corny so I'm srsly buffled why I found it funny. but I did. :D maybe because everyone just went along with it. haha
I especially liked Effie. Such a strong but funny character. Not a goody-two-shoes. She doesn't act to cool to laugh out loud or cry either. She takes people's words to heart and use them to grow and improve. In fact I like her for Cleve but I don't see that happening. The least I can do is wish her happiness I guess.
Reela is a fine character but didn't really stand out in the story. I didn't see her as someone important. Maybe because she wasn't given her own POV. I'd like to know what goes on inside that psychic's mind. I'd rather read her POV instead of Steffen's.
I don't have much opinion about Steffen though. There's almost always someone who knows almost everything in every series like this one to explain things to readers.
I didn't find the necessity for Zoke and Zeti's POV though. It didnt have much impact on the story.
But over all it's an interesting start of a series.
I like their "handshake" :)
It was corny so I'm srsly buffled why I found it funny. but I did. :D maybe because everyone just went along with it. haha
April 2, 2019
Of four roommates with interwoven stories, Cleve Polken takes focus as a hostile warrior who feels more comfortable in a duel than a conversation. Never getting past his parents’ death, Cleve has developed a crippling fear of psychics, for some may have the power to resurface the torment he buried within himself upon his parents’ passing. Cleve’s forced to face this fear head-on when he discovers that not only is one of his roommates a psychic, but that he has an overwhelming attraction to her, which he quickly attributes to a psychic spell, nothing more. By the time an army of savage, reptilian men called Krepps become involved in the war, all hope of resolution without battle is shattered. In this powerful army, one born with the inability to smell doesn’t have the same feeding urges as his fellow Krepps and is outcast because of it. He finds himself with an unlikely ally in the middle of a crossroad, trying to find a way to reunite with his sister. Little does he know how much his choices will twist the fate of the war and alter the lives of the four human roommates forever.
I have read the other series and enjoyed the characters greatly along with thier stories. I was pleased that I found them again in these books showing how they became to what they are in the other series. You want a good read? Well here it is!
I have read the other series and enjoyed the characters greatly along with thier stories. I was pleased that I found them again in these books showing how they became to what they are in the other series. You want a good read? Well here it is!
September 15, 2013
B.T. Narro's Bastial Energy is unlike a book I've ever read before. At first, the mix of psychics, chemists, warriors, elves, and lizard-like beings made me wonder exactly what kind of book this was going to be. My first thought was weird or bad.
Totally wrong!!
The character development was perfect, with pasts, desires, and fears. The stakes were well laid out for each character, and the descriptive writing was alluring. I found myself drawn to every character and anticipating what would happen. My doubts before were erased within the opening chapters, that's how good the writing and story are. Not to mention the humor. One of my favorite things were the Krepps spitting (even though that is a sign of disgust among them, I still thought it funny), the crush between warrior Cleve and Psychic Reela, Effie's drinking problem, and the silly crush between Steffen and Effie's little sister.
For anyone looking for a novel full of action, fantasy, tangled love, friendship, beautiful writing, and good vs. evil, I'd immediately say Bastial Energy!
Bastial Energy is definitely unique, but in a way that will surprise and satisfy readers. B.T. Narro is a very imaginative and talented author who will definitely have a strong career ahead.
Totally wrong!!
The character development was perfect, with pasts, desires, and fears. The stakes were well laid out for each character, and the descriptive writing was alluring. I found myself drawn to every character and anticipating what would happen. My doubts before were erased within the opening chapters, that's how good the writing and story are. Not to mention the humor. One of my favorite things were the Krepps spitting (even though that is a sign of disgust among them, I still thought it funny), the crush between warrior Cleve and Psychic Reela, Effie's drinking problem, and the silly crush between Steffen and Effie's little sister.
For anyone looking for a novel full of action, fantasy, tangled love, friendship, beautiful writing, and good vs. evil, I'd immediately say Bastial Energy!
Bastial Energy is definitely unique, but in a way that will surprise and satisfy readers. B.T. Narro is a very imaginative and talented author who will definitely have a strong career ahead.
September 9, 2013
This book was given to me through Goodreads First Reads.
Bastial Energy by B.T. Narro His writing is great taking you through different parts as in chapters to bring the story all together.So many characters and some many unusual tales in this book it became as I read hard to put down wanting to know what will happen to them next in a world that is make of magic and strange creatures. An elf named Vithos stolen from his parents as an infant by the leaders of the Krepps. Doe and Haemon no longer trust his Physic ability sends him and Zoke a krepp to a strange mission. Then here comes four new students to the Academy to learn spell casting. potions. physic and warrior training.The become friends and war is close they are chosen to stop it by finding friends and alias. Relaying on each other to help things get complicated and friends are lost and friends are made. The four from the Academy fight and learn how to use there abilities well.
Bastial Energy by B.T. Narro His writing is great taking you through different parts as in chapters to bring the story all together.So many characters and some many unusual tales in this book it became as I read hard to put down wanting to know what will happen to them next in a world that is make of magic and strange creatures. An elf named Vithos stolen from his parents as an infant by the leaders of the Krepps. Doe and Haemon no longer trust his Physic ability sends him and Zoke a krepp to a strange mission. Then here comes four new students to the Academy to learn spell casting. potions. physic and warrior training.The become friends and war is close they are chosen to stop it by finding friends and alias. Relaying on each other to help things get complicated and friends are lost and friends are made. The four from the Academy fight and learn how to use there abilities well.
September 5, 2013
If you are a fantasy reader you are going to love Bastial Energy by B.T. Narro. This is one of the best fantasy books I have read in a long time. The action and adventure will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The author’s story telling style kept the story moving and the plot twisting. I really like the way he developed the storyline, it was both exciting and believable. With each new plot twist I could hardly wait to see how it would all came together.
I really liked each of the characters B.T. Narro created for this story. They were both real and easy to identify with. I like the way I could get lost is the story and follow each character as an unseen companion.
Bastial Energy by B.T. Narro is an excellent fantasy novel and I highly recommend it to all readers.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
The author’s story telling style kept the story moving and the plot twisting. I really like the way he developed the storyline, it was both exciting and believable. With each new plot twist I could hardly wait to see how it would all came together.
I really liked each of the characters B.T. Narro created for this story. They were both real and easy to identify with. I like the way I could get lost is the story and follow each character as an unseen companion.
Bastial Energy by B.T. Narro is an excellent fantasy novel and I highly recommend it to all readers.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
August 15, 2015
One story doesn't require so many points of view. It was a little annoying that the author felt the need to follow every character under the sun.
Otherwise the writing style felt bland, and the characters were dull and felt forced. Like he was trying so hard to make Cleve this sour BAMF by making Steffan this wimpy geek in comparison. There were so many things in the narrative I really didn't care about at all.
The book wasn't *BAD* though, and I can definitely see how it could appeal to other people.
It was. You know. It was alright.
Otherwise the writing style felt bland, and the characters were dull and felt forced. Like he was trying so hard to make Cleve this sour BAMF by making Steffan this wimpy geek in comparison. There were so many things in the narrative I really didn't care about at all.
The book wasn't *BAD* though, and I can definitely see how it could appeal to other people.
It was. You know. It was alright.
July 26, 2013
B.T. Narro has created a world of intrigue, danger, discovery, magic and a touch of romance ...in this first book in a new series. The engaging characters are fully formed and their worlds creatively presented. There's action, adventure and a little humor, too, as some characters come of age and all face life-altering challenges. You don't have to be a fan of fantasy stories to enjoy this one, and the ending will leave you eager to find out what happens next.
April 30, 2015
Bastial Energy creates a fantastic fantasy world for the reader to meet the characters and watch them grow and relationships develop. The plot involves conflict at personal and global levels, roommates to a war with the Krepps give the story action, friendship and characters with real feelings. Bastial Energy offers good character development, an interesting plot plus a great start to a new series The Rhythm of Rivalry. I look forward to reading more of this series in the near future.
May 7, 2015
Like a few other reviews I saw, a three seems too low and a four too high a rating. I thought the writing and editing were solid, though some of the storytelling seemed plot driven. Unlike many recent attempts, which I have put down almost as soon as I picked up or didn't return to after the first sitting, this was good enough to come back to and read through. I did not, however, form enough of an attachment to the story or any of the character to read on.
September 1, 2013
It starts with a very good premise, but feels very rushed through some stages. Characters spend some time at school learning the arts and then get separated. I think this book should have focused more on the school aspect and developing a better link with each character.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews