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Three Threads
War with the humans was inevitable.It was as certain as if the cadence of a hundred thousand human feet already trampled the forest's undergrowth, axe-felled and torch-burned trees marking their passage. And still the elves of Aer'ferala remained divided; the pacifist ice elves unwilling to leave their hidden villages in the frozen north, the exiled moon elves showing no interest in burying their long-festering grudge against their sun elf cousins. Only the wild elves stand against the rising tide of humanity, and when their thin wall of resistance collapses, the rest will be swept away one by one.Into this fractured political landscape is born a curiously blue-eyed moon elf girl named Silvantana, whose death is prophesized by her own mother to be the catalyst for reunification. Now nearing her Coming of Age day, the sheltered academic finds herself the focus of converging forces, some seeking her preservation, but many more seeking her destruction. As her life explodes around her, Silvantana learns that there yet remains hope for her people along a path long thought lost.Fleeing from assassination, driven to the lands of peoples that would slay her on sight, relentlessly pursued by her own kin, Silvantana must survive long enough to rise from prisoner to commander, gather allies from among enemies and save her people from a war they cannot win.... and die trying.
- GenresFantasy
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2013
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16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 27, 2013
Clarke's law states: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
It's inverse states: Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
Both have a large amount of truth in them.
The author has really taken Clarke's law and its inverse to heart and made a world with both magic and technology being interchangeable. Go further, add characters, imagine them living in such a place, and stories start to emerge. This series follows a race of elves trying to cope with a hostile environment and an emerging human threat to their much longer lived and less prolific people. The story is such that it really grabs your attention at the start, making you curious as to what more is going on. Follow Silvantana as she is forced to change from a sheltered college life, mostly underground, to people actively trying to assassinate her on the surface.
I've read the first works of various major authors, and this starts out as good or better than many of those. I wholeheartedly give it five stars for a first release because it doesn't really feel like a first release to me.
The author does his own internal artwork and it really adds to the understanding of the characters. In spite of being an alien technology and land, the characters are the story and are what's written about. Descriptions are concise and well placed.
FYI, I'm one of those people who expressed interest in fantasy, was given The Hobbit to read, and didn't touch the fantasy genre again for years afterwards. I finally got hooked on it by other authors where things were kept much more interesting. This story starts off with a bang, and so far seems to be paced well for my taste. I'm very much looking forward to more.
It's inverse states: Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
Both have a large amount of truth in them.
The author has really taken Clarke's law and its inverse to heart and made a world with both magic and technology being interchangeable. Go further, add characters, imagine them living in such a place, and stories start to emerge. This series follows a race of elves trying to cope with a hostile environment and an emerging human threat to their much longer lived and less prolific people. The story is such that it really grabs your attention at the start, making you curious as to what more is going on. Follow Silvantana as she is forced to change from a sheltered college life, mostly underground, to people actively trying to assassinate her on the surface.
I've read the first works of various major authors, and this starts out as good or better than many of those. I wholeheartedly give it five stars for a first release because it doesn't really feel like a first release to me.
The author does his own internal artwork and it really adds to the understanding of the characters. In spite of being an alien technology and land, the characters are the story and are what's written about. Descriptions are concise and well placed.
FYI, I'm one of those people who expressed interest in fantasy, was given The Hobbit to read, and didn't touch the fantasy genre again for years afterwards. I finally got hooked on it by other authors where things were kept much more interesting. This story starts off with a bang, and so far seems to be paced well for my taste. I'm very much looking forward to more.
December 29, 2013
I had the great pleasure of reading Gary's book 'Three Threads' and it was easily in my top three favorite books I've read this year, which says a lot as I read quite a bit.
Immediately you are engaged with fun and interesting characters and got a sense of the scope of the story that would unfold. Normally I hate reading through the layout of the world in most fantasy novels, but we are immediately taken into the world and told to experience it from the various characters perspectives. Learning the world, the politics and important figures was done in a cool and refreshing way I hadn't really seen in a lot of modern fiction. I even flinch whenever I hear mention of dwarves and felt uneasy around the politicians... I easily connected with both Silvantana and Finerelace as the story unfolded.
This is a fantastic read and you can expect me to pick up the second book in the series, I'm excited to see what happens!
Immediately you are engaged with fun and interesting characters and got a sense of the scope of the story that would unfold. Normally I hate reading through the layout of the world in most fantasy novels, but we are immediately taken into the world and told to experience it from the various characters perspectives. Learning the world, the politics and important figures was done in a cool and refreshing way I hadn't really seen in a lot of modern fiction. I even flinch whenever I hear mention of dwarves and felt uneasy around the politicians... I easily connected with both Silvantana and Finerelace as the story unfolded.
This is a fantastic read and you can expect me to pick up the second book in the series, I'm excited to see what happens!
November 30, 2013
I started in on this book expected "the usual" fantasy novel. Instead I found characters with depth, surprising plot twists and some rather GOOD writing. It did not take long for the story to pull me in, after a bit it felt like I was sitting with an old friend; that comfortable ease.
I have to warn that is is part of a series; you will keenly feel "end of book" shock as it feels like a chapter end because you know more is coming (know, and hunger for it).
I have to warn that is is part of a series; you will keenly feel "end of book" shock as it feels like a chapter end because you know more is coming (know, and hunger for it).
December 26, 2013
If you are expecting a typical,run of the mill fantasy with predictable and overly used plot lines, be prepared to be surprised. Intriguing and dynamic characters will pull you into this fresh new complex culture that Gary has woven into this masterful tale. I can't wait to read the next.
February 15, 2014
The first part of the Aer'feralen series is a delight for any fantasy fan who enjoys fascinating worldbuilding, a multitude of interesting characters and a story filled with magic, prophecies and intrigue. A promising beginning for a series I'm looking forward to reading more from.
March 5, 2014
Great start to an interesting story. The characters develop nicely, and the book is paced very well.
February 7, 2018
This is actually my second time through. I’m re reading them in anticipation for the release of the next book. This is a great first book in a series. I love the characters, the world that he’s created around them, and the mixture of both science and fantasy elements you don’t really find in similar books.
December 27, 2013
This is a well imagined, but a little bit less well told fantasy tale. It is well imagined because the author mixes an interesting blend of fantasy with some hints of science fiction. As it is the start of a series, this idea may soar or may spectacularly fail, it's a bit too early to tell. Being the start of a series, this book has no real end, readers who like standalone novels should know.
The tale is a little less well told, because, for example, there are a lot of "human modernisms" in the story: the young moon elves are more like human female teenagers then fantasy creatures of any kind. They have an obsession with fashion and hairstyles and boys - that strikes me as rather odd in a world of conflict and war - and a matriarchal society. This is a kind of "young adult" fiction that does not appeal to me... but that's personal taste.
There's also some very good writing - I especially loved the scene with the dwarf king's brother flying... very funny and poignantly written.
All in all, there's potential here for a very good fantasy series, if the author succeeds in polishing his storytelling a little more. And sugars it a little less with hair&beauty remarks.
The tale is a little less well told, because, for example, there are a lot of "human modernisms" in the story: the young moon elves are more like human female teenagers then fantasy creatures of any kind. They have an obsession with fashion and hairstyles and boys - that strikes me as rather odd in a world of conflict and war - and a matriarchal society. This is a kind of "young adult" fiction that does not appeal to me... but that's personal taste.
There's also some very good writing - I especially loved the scene with the dwarf king's brother flying... very funny and poignantly written.
All in all, there's potential here for a very good fantasy series, if the author succeeds in polishing his storytelling a little more. And sugars it a little less with hair&beauty remarks.
April 19, 2014
At the beginning I really liked this book, I thought I could give it 4 or maybe even 5 stars.
The world is unique and fascinating. It's really different from the run-of-the-mill grade fantasy that dominates the market lately. I even think it is really well thought out, but unfortunately the author doesn't share a lot of it. You get that sense that there is a lot more than is being said and I always thought it would be revealed as the story progressed, but no such luck...
There are a lot of interwoven story threads there. Only most of the stories are only touched upon and you can't even get a good sense of what this particular episode is about.
I get that it is supposed to be a pentalogy, but I think this is just because the author can release more books like that. In my opinion it would make a lot more sense if it was a trilogy.
Which leads me to my most important point. I would say the ending sucked, but actually it can't. There isn't even one! You turn a page and discover the book is over. And you think "what?! Where did the rest go?"
So only 3 stars...
The world is unique and fascinating. It's really different from the run-of-the-mill grade fantasy that dominates the market lately. I even think it is really well thought out, but unfortunately the author doesn't share a lot of it. You get that sense that there is a lot more than is being said and I always thought it would be revealed as the story progressed, but no such luck...
There are a lot of interwoven story threads there. Only most of the stories are only touched upon and you can't even get a good sense of what this particular episode is about.
I get that it is supposed to be a pentalogy, but I think this is just because the author can release more books like that. In my opinion it would make a lot more sense if it was a trilogy.
Which leads me to my most important point. I would say the ending sucked, but actually it can't. There isn't even one! You turn a page and discover the book is over. And you think "what?! Where did the rest go?"
So only 3 stars...
July 1, 2014
The beginning took me a little bit to get immersed in, but that can happen for me. The fully imagined world and developing lore pulled me in. I'm also a sucker for maps and pictures in books. The beautiful drawings were a very nice touch. The buildup made the ending a perfect cliffhanger! A great read I would recommend to anyone that loves fantasy adventures and a story that has more to it than meets the eye.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews