Blood of the Falcon

The Falcons Saga #1

by Court Ellyn

The kingdoms of the Northwest were once unified under a single crown, but treachery split ancient Westervael in twain. Now, in a land long-divided by war, two kings chase different dreams for their people. The Black Falcon seeks compromise, independence, and loyalty to tradition. The White Falcon longs for reunification of the Brother Realms, no matter the cost. An attack by assassins shatters a fragile peace, and caught up in the maelstrom are twin awkward, absentminded, bookish. When voices in his head begin to whisper of murder, Kieryn fears he’s going mad. He soon discovers, however, that he is a vessel for powers that have lain dormant in his family for generations. While his family marches to war, Kieryn must turn his back on those he loves and muster the courage to enter a forbidden world. Crossing beyond the Veil, he encounters the Elarion, the Goddess’s proud, enigmatic First Children. Among them, Kieryn is a spark that awakens ancient memory and smoldering hatred. Yet only the Elarion can help him uncover his family’s past and his hidden gift, though his efforts may cost him his sanity and his a charming knight-in-training and his father’s ideal. Yearning to follow in his father’s footsteps, Kelyn is put to the test when war breaks between the Brother Realms. He soon finds himself an invader on foreign soil, where his preternatural foresight in battle earns him the king’s favor and a reputation as the Swiftblade. But a knight’s vows are easier spoken than kept. As the armies of the Falcon Kings meet blade to blade, lines blur between courage and madness, honor and self-delusion. In this war-torn realm where bard song seals a man’s reputation for all time, Kelyn must choose between personal glory and the lives of his countrymen. Can he become the knight his father hopes he can be, or will his actions threaten his family’s honor and the lives of thousands?

Genres: Fantasy

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

A dreamer, a cynic, a klutz who loves cats, a homebody who roams, an artist, a writer. Strong coffee is the elixir that keeps the dragon at bay. My basement is full of them.

I started writing historical fiction when I was 14, but that slowly gravitated toward the fantastical. My epic fantasy series, The Falcons Saga, is available at Amazon.

Website: http://www.courtellyn.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CourtEllynAu...

Reviews

[C. Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent story. The first two thirds are more medieval fiction than fantasy. In that portion the character development and world building are first rate! The character building is so good it actually slows the pacing. Knowing this is the first book of a series, I made allowances for this. When the fantasy elements began to develop, they are well thought out and developed giving credibility to each. That's a big deal for me as I have read a lot of fantasy that was ruined by lack of credibility. Once you've invested in reading two thirds the way into this, you realize what a fantastic foundation it's established. This is the sort of series that I will want to read through.
Highly recommended.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start to a series

Wasn't sure what to expect since I'm reading this author for the first time. Pleasantly surprised though! Looking forward to the next installment. Just a few grammatical and spelling errors, which made foe a smoother read.

[Michael Conway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this book and the second one up on Amazon during one of my bargain hunts. Both were surprisingly good. The end of volume 2 seems to leave room for a continuation, so I'm hopeful a third book will be released in the future.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised that I liked this book. It is head and shoulders above most of the indie fantasy out there. It's a good story and I found myself interested throughout the whole book. I would recommend it to fans of epic fantasy.

[Stellita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard to put down novel that makes you laugh and cry and stunned...the basics of the story appeared simple, but the characters are all well developed and so human and I find myself relating to each, totally worth reading. An easy, enjoyable read.

[Elena Boughey · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a great Fantasy series to read, this one is AWESOME! I can't wait until the next book comes out. This has Volume 1 and Volume 2 then Sons of the Falcon. Fury of the Falcon is in the works now...

[Pauline Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This being only the first half of the book, split for technical reasons, I will rate and review both halves when I've finished the second volume.

[Kati · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a lot of feelings about this book, most of them negative.

[The Jokester · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written story, I'm enjoying it

[Andru · Rating 3 out of 5]

The kingdoms of the Northwest were once unified under a single crown, but treachery split ancient Westervael in twain. Now, in a land long-divided by war, two kings chase different dreams for their people. The Black Falcon seeks compromise, independence, and loyalty to tradition. The White Falcon longs for reunification of the Brother Realms, no matter the cost.

An attack by assassins shatters a fragile peace, and caught up in the maelstrom are twin brothers:

Kieryn: awkward, absentminded, bookish. When voices in his head begin to whisper of murder, Kieryn fears he’s going mad. He soon discovers, however, that he is a vessel for powers that have lain dormant in his family for generations. While his family marches to war, Kieryn must turn his back on those he loves and muster the courage to enter a forbidden world. Crossing beyond the Veil, he encounters the Elarion, the Goddess’s proud, enigmatic First Children. Among them, Kieryn is a spark that awakens ancient memory and smoldering hatred. Yet only the Elarion can help him uncover his family’s past and his hidden gift, though his efforts may cost him his sanity and his soul.

Kelyn: a charming knight-in-training and his father’s ideal. Yearning to follow in his father’s footsteps, Kelyn is put to the test when war breaks between the Brother Realms. He soon finds himself an invader on foreign soil, where his preternatural foresight in battle earns him the king’s favor and a reputation as the Swiftblade. But a knight’s vows are easier spoken than kept. As the armies of the Falcon Kings meet blade to blade, lines blur between courage and madness, honor and self-delusion. In this war-torn realm where bard song seals a man’s reputation for all time, Kelyn must choose between personal glory and the lives of his countrymen. Can he become the knight his father hopes he can be, or will his actions threaten his family’s honor and the lives of thousands?