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The Redemption Chronicle #1
Children of a Broken Sky
THE PEASANTS CALLED IT "THE STORM."
On a cold autumn morning seven years ago, the sky exploded with silent lightning. In its wake, everything changed.
Now the sun rises in the south, if it rises at all. Animals go mad. Crops ripen and die overnight. The Church - a body of miracle-workers who can heal the sick and walk through fire - warns that God's final judgment is at hand.
THE WORLD WILL SOON END.
Now, stories tell of men that speak with beasts and peasants who work their own miracles. The Church decries these heretics, hunting them like animals and demanding the same of the faithful.
In a remote village, a small group of childhood friends are caught in the crossfire. Accused of heresy by the Church and sentenced to death, they escape their village as it burns behind them.
BUT SOME MAY FIND HOPE.
Their Church hunts them. A cursed world assails them. To survive, one of them will learn the true meaning of her beliefs; another, that some portents can be deceiving. But only one revelation has a chance to save them:
That they are not forsaken. They have each other.
Bestselling Kindle Suspense author Adam J. Nicolai invites you to a land beneath a broken sky, where sorceries clash with miracles, mountains are crowned with lightning, and faith - true faith - can topple empires.
On a cold autumn morning seven years ago, the sky exploded with silent lightning. In its wake, everything changed.
Now the sun rises in the south, if it rises at all. Animals go mad. Crops ripen and die overnight. The Church - a body of miracle-workers who can heal the sick and walk through fire - warns that God's final judgment is at hand.
THE WORLD WILL SOON END.
Now, stories tell of men that speak with beasts and peasants who work their own miracles. The Church decries these heretics, hunting them like animals and demanding the same of the faithful.
In a remote village, a small group of childhood friends are caught in the crossfire. Accused of heresy by the Church and sentenced to death, they escape their village as it burns behind them.
BUT SOME MAY FIND HOPE.
Their Church hunts them. A cursed world assails them. To survive, one of them will learn the true meaning of her beliefs; another, that some portents can be deceiving. But only one revelation has a chance to save them:
That they are not forsaken. They have each other.
Bestselling Kindle Suspense author Adam J. Nicolai invites you to a land beneath a broken sky, where sorceries clash with miracles, mountains are crowned with lightning, and faith - true faith - can topple empires.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2013
189 people are currently reading
290 people want to read
About the author
Adam J. Nicolai
7 books100 followersAdam J Nicolai lives near Minneapolis, MN with his wife, Joy, and their two children, Isaac and Rydia. He is a life-long nerd, game lover, author, Star Wars fan, Dungeon Master, and amateur game designer, as well as a former project manager and policy debate coach.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 18, 2016
Beautifully written, this book fascinated me from the very first page. The world and the story continually unfolded through the eyes of the six individual main characters through the author's skillful talent, seamlessly leading me onward through the pages.
At times, trying to keep up with so many characters got a bit confusing. But I enjoyed getting the individual world views of the characters, of the events that brought them together, the friendships formed despite their differences, and the loyalties which kept them together in the face of disaster and through their dangerous journey which leads not only to a deeper understanding of the world in which they live, but into themselves as well.
A great introduction to what promises to be an extensive and unique young adult fantasy series!
At times, trying to keep up with so many characters got a bit confusing. But I enjoyed getting the individual world views of the characters, of the events that brought them together, the friendships formed despite their differences, and the loyalties which kept them together in the face of disaster and through their dangerous journey which leads not only to a deeper understanding of the world in which they live, but into themselves as well.
A great introduction to what promises to be an extensive and unique young adult fantasy series!
November 18, 2013
Adam J. Nicolai’s Children of a Broken Sky is a fantasy novel that is not only engaging and well written, but it also challenges my preconceptions of the genre.
The besetting sin of a lot of contemporary fantasy is its unoriginality. Much of it seems intent on rehashing Tolkien’s ideas or basing plots on a paint-by-numbers Joseph Campbell hero’s journey. Frankly, I’m bored with a lot of fantasy these days (my true love is science fiction, anyway). I usually read a few fantasy books a year, but I often wonder if the genre is inherently limited in a way that science fiction isn’t.
So what’s so different and original about Children of a Broken Sky? At least two things come to mind.
First, Tolkien’s Middle-Earth is free from religion, and religion is at best a minor issue in most contemporary fantasy such as George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series. In Children of a Broken Sky, however, religion is one of the main issues, and it’s dealt with in a surprisingly nuanced way. One of the main ideas behind the novel is vaguely based on the Protestant Reformation here on Earth, although I do emphasize vaguely - this is by no means historical fiction. While the Church is mainly filled with bad people, there are exceptions, such as a kindly Abbot at the beginning. Also, one of the main protagonists realizes the true power of her deity as she struggles with her faith. While science fiction and fantasy are often bemoaned as escapist garbage, novels like this show that sometimes the best way to deal with real life issues is to engage with them against the backdrop of another world.
Second, instead of the typical young-boy-finds-a-mysterious-artifact-and-goes-on-a-journey-as-directed-by-a-wise-man motif, the plot of Children revolves around a half dozen main characters (both male and female) who don’t have a goal set for them. They have to figure things out for themselves. The events of the novel make for real struggles, but that means it will all be that much more meaningful when they do figure out what they’re doing.
Aside from these two big points of originality, the novel’s structure, which involves frequently going back and forth between the characters as young children and as young adults, helps us get to know the somewhat large cast of characters. It also makes for some fantastic world building. In the hands of a less skilled author, introducing so many characters and a new world simultaneously would have been a disaster, but Nicolai pulls it off.
Lastly, the novel is extremely well written and engaging. It might take a few chapters to get into, but once it grabs you, you won’t want to stop until the end – and then you’ll be left wanting more. Lucky for us, a sequel is due to be released soon. I’m definitely looking forward to it!
The besetting sin of a lot of contemporary fantasy is its unoriginality. Much of it seems intent on rehashing Tolkien’s ideas or basing plots on a paint-by-numbers Joseph Campbell hero’s journey. Frankly, I’m bored with a lot of fantasy these days (my true love is science fiction, anyway). I usually read a few fantasy books a year, but I often wonder if the genre is inherently limited in a way that science fiction isn’t.
So what’s so different and original about Children of a Broken Sky? At least two things come to mind.
First, Tolkien’s Middle-Earth is free from religion, and religion is at best a minor issue in most contemporary fantasy such as George R. R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series. In Children of a Broken Sky, however, religion is one of the main issues, and it’s dealt with in a surprisingly nuanced way. One of the main ideas behind the novel is vaguely based on the Protestant Reformation here on Earth, although I do emphasize vaguely - this is by no means historical fiction. While the Church is mainly filled with bad people, there are exceptions, such as a kindly Abbot at the beginning. Also, one of the main protagonists realizes the true power of her deity as she struggles with her faith. While science fiction and fantasy are often bemoaned as escapist garbage, novels like this show that sometimes the best way to deal with real life issues is to engage with them against the backdrop of another world.
Second, instead of the typical young-boy-finds-a-mysterious-artifact-and-goes-on-a-journey-as-directed-by-a-wise-man motif, the plot of Children revolves around a half dozen main characters (both male and female) who don’t have a goal set for them. They have to figure things out for themselves. The events of the novel make for real struggles, but that means it will all be that much more meaningful when they do figure out what they’re doing.
Aside from these two big points of originality, the novel’s structure, which involves frequently going back and forth between the characters as young children and as young adults, helps us get to know the somewhat large cast of characters. It also makes for some fantastic world building. In the hands of a less skilled author, introducing so many characters and a new world simultaneously would have been a disaster, but Nicolai pulls it off.
Lastly, the novel is extremely well written and engaging. It might take a few chapters to get into, but once it grabs you, you won’t want to stop until the end – and then you’ll be left wanting more. Lucky for us, a sequel is due to be released soon. I’m definitely looking forward to it!
September 10, 2017
Once of the unique aspects of "Children of a Broken Sky" is that it explores religion in a fantasy world. I love fantasy books that do this. Good fantasy will pull tough topics from the real world and explore them with thought-provoking storytelling. Religion is one of the most important aspects of our world. It affects everyone, is a question that everyone asks themselves multiple times throughout their lives, and is the center of many cultures throughout time. It just makes sense that a fantasy world should have a religion to explore and the same difficult questions of how our world was created and what happens to us after we die, as well as how religion is a foundation for so many, and a struggle for others.
I also found the characters full and relatable. The first pages immediately gripped me with emotion and I was very impressed that Adam was able to bring me into the story emotionally very quickly. Excellently done!
I highly recommend "Children of a Broken Sky" for those looking for a truly thought-provoking fantasy read.
I also found the characters full and relatable. The first pages immediately gripped me with emotion and I was very impressed that Adam was able to bring me into the story emotionally very quickly. Excellently done!
I highly recommend "Children of a Broken Sky" for those looking for a truly thought-provoking fantasy read.
January 5, 2019
I'm intrigued...
This story was frustrating at times and yet very addicting. As others have said, the flashbacks were hard to figure out and all the characters kept me paging back and forth. But the story kept calling me... Definitely reading the next! Thanks, Adam! (Can I call you Adam? Mr. Nicolai seems impersonal)
This story was frustrating at times and yet very addicting. As others have said, the flashbacks were hard to figure out and all the characters kept me paging back and forth. But the story kept calling me... Definitely reading the next! Thanks, Adam! (Can I call you Adam? Mr. Nicolai seems impersonal)
May 21, 2019
Too many characters and they were not well delineated. Action was okay but some of the words invented for the society were just too corny. Couldn't get past the first half.
August 12, 2023
Self-published, with a number of issues that come with that, but overall I enjoyed it.
Plot, short version: Church bad. Kids must defeat it and save the world. (Yeah, not exactly the most original idea ever.)
Plot, longer version: Set on a fantasy world, years ago there was a great storm which changed a lot of basic things (such as the direction the sun rose). The church claimed it was the start of the end of the world.
There's magic in the world. If you're a member of the church and use magic, it's good (considered a miracle). If you're not a member and use magic, you're a witch and will be killed.
There are five main characters, four of which have magic, two of which previously were closely associated with the church before both were basically kicked out. While five POV characters were a lot, it did set up interesting intra-group conflict.
Most of the plot was the kids running across their country, trying to escape the church while trying to also get enough food and not freeze to death.
Issues, technical: The biggest issue was that twice in the book there was a production(? right term?) issue. In the first third, almost 50 pages were repeated. In the final third, most of a whole chapter was missing.
Issues, plot: Five POVs were too many, especially since the kids were together nearly the entire book. The story repeatedly moved to the past, before the storm; I would have rather seen that condensed into a brief flashback. The adult characters were too often useless. The bad guys were mustache-twirling bad.
Plot, short version: Church bad. Kids must defeat it and save the world. (Yeah, not exactly the most original idea ever.)
Plot, longer version: Set on a fantasy world, years ago there was a great storm which changed a lot of basic things (such as the direction the sun rose). The church claimed it was the start of the end of the world.
There's magic in the world. If you're a member of the church and use magic, it's good (considered a miracle). If you're not a member and use magic, you're a witch and will be killed.
There are five main characters, four of which have magic, two of which previously were closely associated with the church before both were basically kicked out. While five POV characters were a lot, it did set up interesting intra-group conflict.
Most of the plot was the kids running across their country, trying to escape the church while trying to also get enough food and not freeze to death.
Issues, technical: The biggest issue was that twice in the book there was a production(? right term?) issue. In the first third, almost 50 pages were repeated. In the final third, most of a whole chapter was missing.
Issues, plot: Five POVs were too many, especially since the kids were together nearly the entire book. The story repeatedly moved to the past, before the storm; I would have rather seen that condensed into a brief flashback. The adult characters were too often useless. The bad guys were mustache-twirling bad.
January 7, 2017
Good book. First read for this author and looking forward to reading the sequel when it comes out. I struggled a bit with jumping from present to past with the many character perspectives, but enjoyed the book. I'm interested to see how the author weaves the differences between Syntal, Iggy and Lyseira's (sp?) views on their god and how they maybe be connected. I enjoyed the play on religion and how it can be corrupted - we see it today in many places.
September 1, 2019
Angel/Demon
This was a very thoughtful and poignant story. A take of what a child would think beneath the platitudes from when a parent dies. The blame they assign themselves. The struggles growing up. Also the tight bond of friendship, the need to believe and be believed. I'm so very glad to have read it
This was a very thoughtful and poignant story. A take of what a child would think beneath the platitudes from when a parent dies. The blame they assign themselves. The struggles growing up. Also the tight bond of friendship, the need to believe and be believed. I'm so very glad to have read it
July 27, 2018
Rose
Fun and excitement abound in this read by Adam Nicolai. I enjoyed reading about this world being twisted after an unusual storm which seemed beautiful and frightening at the same time. What an enjoyable book.
Fun and excitement abound in this read by Adam Nicolai. I enjoyed reading about this world being twisted after an unusual storm which seemed beautiful and frightening at the same time. What an enjoyable book.
September 14, 2018
Good begining
Good read, just a few places felt like could have used a bit more detail. I also like a little more character dimensions but it could be coming in later.
Good read, just a few places felt like could have used a bit more detail. I also like a little more character dimensions but it could be coming in later.
February 15, 2019
Wow
I really liked the flashbacks and trying to piece the story together. The author makes you work a bit which I like. Good job!
I really liked the flashbacks and trying to piece the story together. The author makes you work a bit which I like. Good job!
May 7, 2019
Well written.
March 13, 2017
One of the best books I've read.
This book grabbed my imagination immediately. It just flowed as I read it. It was enchanting and I loved every word.
This book grabbed my imagination immediately. It just flowed as I read it. It was enchanting and I loved every word.
March 23, 2014
So I'm a little torn on this.
It was a decent read but felt almost incomplete, though it's not really the fault of where the story ends. While the epilogue makes it clear this isn't a cliffhanger, the denouement only barely averts the sensation of a deliberate lead to a sequel. Still, some themes are only barely explored and the plot doesn't ever quite seem to find its head.
The characters are okay, but Angbar and Helix never felt distinct enough to me, particularly given the way both seemed primarily connected to Syntal. Syntal was my favorite but probably mostly because of a particularly poignant segment where she determines that she is responsible for the deaths of people she loved. That scene stands head and shoulders above the rest in the book, though even that one felt a bit rushed. But I suspect a lot of us have found ourselves in her shoes to one degree or other. She's also the overlooked one, in the shadow of Lyseira, who isn't even really her friend, just someone of commensurate age and gender in a largely male crowd.
It treats religion with a sophisticated view. While one could easily view it as critical of religion and faith, it comes off as more nuanced the longer you let the plot spool out. I think that's a good thing. I want a book to give me things to chew on, not tell me what to think. This one does a decent job of that.
Seth and Lyseira are the more religious characters, and while they can at times feel one-note, there's also an undercurrent of the outsider in them that pushes them away from their church even as they try desperately to cling to their beliefs. It's nice that they haven't fundamentally changed by the end of the book but their inner turmoil and how it affected their relationships deserved more page time, or at least more narrative acknowledgement.
Problematically, the flashbacks are a bit overdone and the dialogue is almost indistinguishable from one time period to another. The characters sound almost the same at 7 or 9 as they do at 17...except for the bizarrely placed mispronunciations at the younger stage. Had the author left those out it would have worked better. Simply reconstructing the sentence structure a little would have served better.
Action scenes feel a bit rote and the tension more tepid than taut, but it's a decent little light fantasy romp that reaches a bit further than most and so I may read the rest once they're all available, just to see where the author really wants to take it.
It was a decent read but felt almost incomplete, though it's not really the fault of where the story ends. While the epilogue makes it clear this isn't a cliffhanger, the denouement only barely averts the sensation of a deliberate lead to a sequel. Still, some themes are only barely explored and the plot doesn't ever quite seem to find its head.
The characters are okay, but Angbar and Helix never felt distinct enough to me, particularly given the way both seemed primarily connected to Syntal. Syntal was my favorite but probably mostly because of a particularly poignant segment where she determines that she is responsible for the deaths of people she loved. That scene stands head and shoulders above the rest in the book, though even that one felt a bit rushed. But I suspect a lot of us have found ourselves in her shoes to one degree or other. She's also the overlooked one, in the shadow of Lyseira, who isn't even really her friend, just someone of commensurate age and gender in a largely male crowd.
It treats religion with a sophisticated view. While one could easily view it as critical of religion and faith, it comes off as more nuanced the longer you let the plot spool out. I think that's a good thing. I want a book to give me things to chew on, not tell me what to think. This one does a decent job of that.
Seth and Lyseira are the more religious characters, and while they can at times feel one-note, there's also an undercurrent of the outsider in them that pushes them away from their church even as they try desperately to cling to their beliefs. It's nice that they haven't fundamentally changed by the end of the book but their inner turmoil and how it affected their relationships deserved more page time, or at least more narrative acknowledgement.
Problematically, the flashbacks are a bit overdone and the dialogue is almost indistinguishable from one time period to another. The characters sound almost the same at 7 or 9 as they do at 17...except for the bizarrely placed mispronunciations at the younger stage. Had the author left those out it would have worked better. Simply reconstructing the sentence structure a little would have served better.
Action scenes feel a bit rote and the tension more tepid than taut, but it's a decent little light fantasy romp that reaches a bit further than most and so I may read the rest once they're all available, just to see where the author really wants to take it.
July 6, 2015
English:
Different kinds of faith.
Different kinds of heroes.
Only one enemy in common.
Children of a Broken Sky is a book that exceeded my expectations. I wasn't sure to read it because the main theme is religion (this one reminds me of Catholic Church -a lot) and I'm not fond of reading something like that... but with Nicolai's book now I'm totally looking forward for the next instance.
I think that what it made it so interesting was the fact that its characters, even that they're friends since childhood, are very different from each other, what makes the situations even more difficult. There's a point that you even think that someone is going to betray the other in some point, that's why I think the book is pretty unpredictable (and more because they actually not have plans, everything is done according to the situation, you even start to think in what would it happen if... I mean, you start to feel that you are in their situation and you need desperately to help them).
This book is definitely worth reading and I'm sure that I won't be the only one praying to Akir for the next one ;)
Español:
Diferentes tipos de fe.
Diferentes tipos de héroes.
Sólo un enemigo en común.
Children of a Broken Sky es un libro que superó mis expectativas. No estaba segura de leerlo porque el tema principal es la religión (la cual me recuerda a la Iglesia Católica –y mucho) y no estoy muy fan de leer algo así… pero con la obra de Nicolai ahora espero con ansias el siguiente libro.
Creo que lo que lo hizo muy interesante fue que sus personajes, que incluso son amigos desde la infancia, son muy diferentes el uno del otro, lo que hace que las situaciones sean incluso más complicadas. Hay algunos momentos que incluso se piensa que se van a traicionarse, , es por eso que el libro es muy impredecible (y más porque ellos no tienen ningún plan, todo se realiza de acuerdo a la situación, incluso llegas a pensar que pasaría si… Me refiero a que empiezas a sentir que estás en su situación y necesitas ayudarlos de manera desesperada).
Definitivamente, vale la pena leerlo y estoy segura que no seré la única que le ruegue a Akir por el siguiente ;)
Different kinds of faith.
Different kinds of heroes.
Only one enemy in common.
Children of a Broken Sky is a book that exceeded my expectations. I wasn't sure to read it because the main theme is religion (this one reminds me of Catholic Church -a lot) and I'm not fond of reading something like that... but with Nicolai's book now I'm totally looking forward for the next instance.
I think that what it made it so interesting was the fact that its characters, even that they're friends since childhood, are very different from each other, what makes the situations even more difficult. There's a point that you even think that someone is going to betray the other in some point, that's why I think the book is pretty unpredictable (and more because they actually not have plans, everything is done according to the situation, you even start to think in what would it happen if... I mean, you start to feel that you are in their situation and you need desperately to help them).
This book is definitely worth reading and I'm sure that I won't be the only one praying to Akir for the next one ;)
Español:
Diferentes tipos de fe.
Diferentes tipos de héroes.
Sólo un enemigo en común.
Children of a Broken Sky es un libro que superó mis expectativas. No estaba segura de leerlo porque el tema principal es la religión (la cual me recuerda a la Iglesia Católica –y mucho) y no estoy muy fan de leer algo así… pero con la obra de Nicolai ahora espero con ansias el siguiente libro.
Creo que lo que lo hizo muy interesante fue que sus personajes, que incluso son amigos desde la infancia, son muy diferentes el uno del otro, lo que hace que las situaciones sean incluso más complicadas. Hay algunos momentos que incluso se piensa que se van a traicionarse, , es por eso que el libro es muy impredecible (y más porque ellos no tienen ningún plan, todo se realiza de acuerdo a la situación, incluso llegas a pensar que pasaría si… Me refiero a que empiezas a sentir que estás en su situación y necesitas ayudarlos de manera desesperada).
Definitivamente, vale la pena leerlo y estoy segura que no seré la única que le ruegue a Akir por el siguiente ;)
March 8, 2014
Great book
Forgive me if I do not write a long review. Could I be notified by email when the sequel is available? I enjoyed this excellent story. Thank you for your hard work which is very obvious.
At location 3788. "The road was thick with dying grass. It wended..... Is this a misspelling?
Forgive me if I do not write a long review. Could I be notified by email when the sequel is available? I enjoyed this excellent story. Thank you for your hard work which is very obvious.
At location 3788. "The road was thick with dying grass. It wended..... Is this a misspelling?
February 19, 2016
This book blew me away and now I am sad I have to wait for the next one. It is fantasy mixed with a dystopian world.
February 29, 2016
Loved this book! Fun fantasy fiction! I can't wait to find out what happens to the characters in the next book!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews