Daughter of Light

Follower of the Word #1

by Morgan L. Busse

What if with one touch you could see inside the soul?

Rowen Mar finds a strange mark on her hand, and she is banished from her village as a witch. She covers the mark with a leather glove and seeks sanctuary in the White City. She lives in fear that if she touches another person, the power inside her will trigger again, a terrifying power that allows her to see the darkness inside the human heart . . .

But the mark is a summons, and those called cannot hide forever. For the salvation of her people lies within her hand.

Genres: Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Christian, Christian Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult

376 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Morgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series and the award-winning steampunk series, The Soul Chronicles. Her debut novel, Daughter of Light, was a Christy and Carol Award finalist. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel.

Reviews

[Morgan Busse · Rating 5 out of 5]

It does seem odd to rate one's own book. But given how I wrote the book and absolutely love it, thought I should give it a 5 star ;)

[Shantelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful Christian fantasy! Daughter of Light by Morgan L. Busse was definitely a worthwhile read, and I look forward to continuing the series!

When Rowen Mar discovers a strange mark on her hand ... and what it does to people, she is banished from her village - declared a witch. Bewildered and afraid, she travels far away; taking a position to protect a princess. And hopefully forget about her mark.
But with Shadonae invading the west, and war brewing against the White City; Rowen must decide whether to hide in darkness, or embrace what she's called to do.

The allegory. It was incredible! So deep. So soul-touching! Sometimes, after one such powerful scene, I would sit there for a moment, like ... "Wow!" The wretchedness of man. The mightiness of God; yet His unfathomable love! It was so very good! And I love the idea of having people whose touch can show the darkness in a man's (or woman's) heart; but God (the Word) is the only one who can heal them of that darkness.

I enjoyed Rowen's journey! Other POV characters were a little harder to follow; but still, I look forward to seeing more of them all. Daughter of Light had a great fantasy world, and unique fantasy concept and creatures! I really enjoyed it all. The wolves were utterly terrifying, though!! Eek! Not to mention, the Shadonae. I'm really excited to go more in depth into this world!

That being said, sometimes I felt a little bit out of the story. I wished, perhaps, to stop jumping around from one POV character to the next, and just stay and soak up the fantasy world. Learn more. See more. Experience more. I don't know. But I have high hopes that Son of Truth will pull me further into this story! *smiles*

There's a start of what appears will be a nice love story. On a darker note, a few mentions of lust, prostitutes, and men mistreating women. Caution to younger readers on that account; and for some violence. The prologue scene could be particularly frightening, as it involves a woman being chased and then killed by some heinous beasts.

Overall, a powerful fantasy story! I'm excited to read the rest of this series, and other books by Morgan L. Busse! *smiles*

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was one roller coaster of a ride. I haven't read a lot of Christian fantasy, but this was absolutely amazing. I'm still reeling from that ending, and I need the second book now. Full of adventure and action, this story kept me hooked the entire time, and I absolutely devoured it. The main characters were fleshed out incredibly well, and as for me, I liked the fact that there were multiple POV's because it allowed me to know each of the other characters better.

I also really enjoyed how the whole faith aspect was interwoven and it was done in a way that didn't seem forced or preachy. As a reader, I didn't really get to know the other "main characters" Caleb and Neira, but I'm completly looking forward to reading their stories, as I feel the next book will focus on them more. Concerning this novel's main characters Rowena and Lore, I felt that they were realistic portrayed, especially Rowena who had to struggle through a lot. Plus there was a hint of romance, and it was small, but still there nonetheless and I'm totally rooting for them *fingers crossed*.

I mean, I could go on and on, but all I have to say is that this is a must read, due to the adventure, suspense, and the fantastic way faith is interwoven into all aspects of the book. The sooner I can get my hands on the second book, the better it'll be for me, and for those around me who won't have to listen to me whine about not being able to read the next book.

PS. Plus it's free as of the moment! Need I say anymore?

[R.J. Rodda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fantasy series centres around Rowen Mar, a young girl who is outcast from her village because of her unique powers, an upright Captain Lore with wild sea-blood in his veins, a dangerous assassin without a conscience called Caleb and a young scribe called Nierne.

I found these characters hard to connect to at first but stuck with this mainly because it is from Enclave Publishing but also because of the quality of the writing. I would pick it up and put it down but about half way through I really got engaged and this book ended (as much as book one in a trilogy can be said to end) in a moving and satisfying way. This is a thoroughly Christian fantasy with a Jesus type figure offering conversion and redemption in an utterly compelling way. This is a serious tale that is definitely worth reading. I look forward to diving into book two.

I want to add that I consider the rest of the books in this series five star. Overall it is a five star series.

[~Evy's OBSESSED~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

I've read some other books by Ms. Busse and I loved them! And, don't get me wrong I enjoyed this one too, but there's definitely more adult content in it than I first thought (I'll explain more later). On that note, it should also be taken into consideration that this book NEVER goes into too much detail or gets inappropriate...it's just got kinda awkward to read at some parts.

Other than that, it was a great book and I will be continuing the series!!

**

OVERVIEW
"What if with one touch you could see inside the soul?

As the Shadonae rise in the west and war threatens the north, a young woman discovers she is not human . . .

Rowen Mar finds a strange mark on her hand, and she is banished from her village as a witch. She covers the mark with a leather glove and seeks sanctuary in the White City. She lives in fear that if she touches another person, the power inside her will trigger again, a terrifying power that allows her to see the darkness inside the human heart . . .

But the mark is a summons, and those called cannot hide forever. For the salvation of her people lies within her hand."

POSITIVE ELEMENTS
Lots of positive role models and messages about fighting for others and following the Word (God!).

SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS
The Word is a representation of God. The Eldaran are people sent by the Word who have powers of healing and perfection. The Shadonae are kind of like demons. Mentions of praying.

VIOLENCE
There is a war. One character is an assassin. Descriptions of blood and pain. In order for the Eldaran to heal others they must take up the other person's injury or sickness. Mentions of death. Swords and other weapons used.

SEXUAL CONTENT
This is the part I would be most cautious of. Rowen is force-kissed twice (fights off both men). When touching someone with her mark, Rowen sees all the darkness inside of them included their lust and how the man defiled women (non-detailed). Lore feels attracted to Rowen.

LANGUAGE
Clean.

DRUGS/ALCOHOL
Mentions of wine/ale. Mentions of people being drunk.

OTHER NOTES
Aside from the romance, this book is clean and enjoyable.

**

~Happy Reading~

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars ✨

YA Fantasy

Because . . . Nothing worthwhile in life is free,” Balint said. “When it costs something, that item becomes much dearer. Yes, the Word could have saved all of mankind by just His words, but instead He chose to heal mankind in a different way, by taking on the hurt and darkness
Himself. And in doing so, we realize just how dear we are to Him.”

The shadonae rise in the west and war threatens the north, a young woman discovers she is not human. Daughter of Light is about a girl Rowen from a small village, who notices a white patch upon her hand. It came out of nowhere. Unsure of what to think of it, she goes about her daily life, until she is attacked by the blacksmith in the woods. With no way to defend herself, she tries to fight the man off with her bare hands, as she does - a bright light appears and she begins to see visions of darkness inside the blacksmiths heart. He notices the light as she holds on to him and begins to panic. Rowan has no idea what is happening to her. When she returns to the village- the elders accuse her of witchcraft and banish her from her home. Without any place to go , she begins her journey to find her truth.

This book has been on my tbr for a while. The Follower of the Word series is Busses debut, but I could never seem to find it. I’ve read all her other books except these. I finally checked out a new library in the area and was so excited to get my hands on a copy! I thought it was a great story, with fantastic faith elements. I really enjoyed the storyline and characters. I will say it took a while to connect to them at first, but by the half way mark they started to grow on me. I hope they develop more in the next installment. There is also a tiny bit of romance and I look forward to seeing where that goes. Would definitely recommend!

[Sharon Loves to Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

It took me until about 50% to be fully invested, but I ended up really enjoying this story. I loved Lore’s POV and am quite interested to see what part he plays in the next book as he is not in the blurb, and I am not sure how he will…(how to say this without spoilers?)…fulfill both roles. (There. I think that works.🤭)

As is expected in a book by Busse, the spiritual and emotional depth of the characters is well worth the journey. While not as strong in the literary sense as in The Ravenwood Saga, our MCs, especially Rowen and Caleb, have much to overcome, and Caleb’s pov is especially dark and brutal. However, the Word is waiting behind the scenes, and He is with them and He is for them, and He has all things in his hands.

There are a few instances of gaps in the narrative, and it feels a bit too long in the first half, but as debuts go, this is a good one! A lot of us already know Busse’s writing is fabulous in The Ravenwood Saga and The Nordic Wars, so it makes sense that her debut would also be quite good.

Speaking of The Nordic Wars—these books are connected. The Nordic Wars happen 400 years before this series. (A little confusing to me since they aren’t written chronologically, but I am sure that’s a “me thing.”🤦🏽‍♀️)

CW: War related violence, most of which is not gratuitous, save one scene where I grimaced. Caleb is a willing assassin, only interested in his own pleasure. His pov can be quite disturbing for most of the book.

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was enjoyable but it sorta slowed down by the end.

[Kat Heckenbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daughter of Light is the story of Rowen, a girl who was left on the doorstep of her adoptive home when she was a baby. When she reaches adulthood, right after her adoptive father's death, a strange thing happens. A white mark appears on her palm. With it comes power that frightens Rowen and ends in her banishment. She has nowhere to go, and takes her only option: a position as personal guard to a princess in the White City, where she is forced to use her powers and risk discovery when war is waged on her new home.

I will start with the positives:

Morgan has strong building blocks. Good plotting, pacing, world-building, and characterization are all there. The story is told from four points of view: Rowen, Captain Lore (Rowen's commanding officer), Nierne the scribe, and Caleb the assassin. They are interspersed at good intervals and lead the story's pacing well. Description is aplenty, giving a solid picture of every place and person. I felt a connection to the main characters, particularly Caleb. It's traditional fantasy, so there is a certain formality to the dialog, but it's not overdone and works quite well.

I felt the world-building was the best of the book's elements. The landscape and cities, political relationships, races of people...all very rich and complex. I noticed several hat-tips to Lord of the Rings. And I particularly loved the quirks of the Alarian race, such as the eye color that reflects the changes in the sea. Very cool :).

I love that this story is not focused on the budding romance between Rowen and Lore. It is there, and relevant to the well thought-out plot (yay!), but it doesn't overtake the real story!

I also loved that there is plenty of dark material in the book, all handled quite well. One particular scene stood out to me in which Rowen sees into the mind of a rapist--she gives the *perfect* amount of information, showing the atrocity without giving gory details. It wasn't sanitized at all, but it wasn't gratuitous either.

The faith elements are well-woven into the story, and again are relevant (yay!) rather than contrived. Overt, but not preachy. Well-balanced.

But now, the negatives...

Morgan obviously has skill, but it is spattered with an accumulation of "weasel" words and "filter" words that I found distracting and distanced me from the pov--something that should have been caught during the line-edit. (On that note, as I've found in all the MLP books I've read, there were quite a few typos.)

I also personally would have liked to see longer sentences, which would have given the prose more fluidity and eliminated some redundancy. Redundancy showed up in another form, but I hope Morgan sees the compliment in this statement: she states the obvious, "telling" the reader things when she has just done a perfectly good job of "showing" that very thing. Trust your skills, Morgan! If you show us, you don't need to tell us :).

In all honesty, readers who are not writers will likely not notice most, or possibly any, of the things I just pointed out as negatives. But they made my editor hand itch the whole way through.

Despite my nitpicking, I foresee reading the next book in the series. And I have no doubt Morgan will quickly build a fan base with this fantasy tale that is likely to capture readers who might otherwise not read the genre.

[Claire Banschbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I was pretty much hooked from the beginning. I really liked Rowen and was invested in her struggles and fears. I didn't really care for the love interest honestly, but he was a good character.

Really interested in the assassin character and his journey through the book. Based on the ending of this book, I'm going to need to get the second in the series pretty quickly. :)

A fascinating new world with varying cultures and beliefs. This is a terrific Christian fantasy that's a nice change of pace with its more realistic cultures and "gritty" feel. I definitely recommend it!

[Cecily Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't enjoyed a book so much in forever! The battles are epic and the plot is so delicious. The message is powerful and nothing about this book was weak or filler. The characters were well built and you truly felt like you knew them. There was a realistic and refreshing aspect of life and how the world works. I just loved it. I would say it is definitely a thirteen and up book. There is a brutal, sad and realistic vision of war and death.

[Katie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my third time to read this book, and I loved it just as much as the first!! 😍 I hadn't read it in many years so it was like getting to read it for the first time again as I remembered very little of it. This time, though, I decided to write a review for it (as before I didn't really know about reviews 😂). The story, characters, world building, fantasy elements, and beautiful faith messages was all so wonderful! It was a little slower than I remembered, but it was my third time reading it, after all, so it's probably just because of that.

Rowen is such a good protagonist! She's relatable, caring, and is struggling to accept a gift she didn't want and considers a curse. Lore is such a cinnamon roll, I love him! He's a good captain, great man, and loves Rowen so much. Though that realization of love was a little fast in my opinion. You don't see Nierne too much in this, but she's such a cool character! I love her background and story and how it merges with the main storyline with Rowen. 😆 And my dear, assassin Caleb... I don't want to say too much, but let's just say his character arc and what happens at the end is beautiful! The poor guy is so lost and has to deal with a lot of demons from his past. 😭😭

I loved everything about the worldbuilding, with the Word, Eldarans (so cool!!), Shadonae and the Shadows 😱 , the different kingdoms and tension or alliances between them. There's so much history is this world!

This series is Christian fantasy with the Word (God), a Jesus figure, and the Eldarans and Shadonae representing angels and demons. I loved how it was done and how it flows naturally and not too preachy. There's a beautiful message of redemption and salvation. 😍 That being said, the theology is a little off when it comes to the Jesus figure. Jesus sacrificed himself ONCE for all sin, so that we may live in eternity with God. But in this book, the Jesus figure is covered in millions of scars, some small, some big and jagged, and gets a new one every time someone new is "saved." Which would imply that he suffered again and again instead of the one, ultimate sacrifice for all sin. 😅 But besides that, it's all good!

You can tell that this was one of the author's earlier works as there's a lot of typos, but I didn't mind them. It's cool to see that even with some typos, the book is still amazing and Morgan's work only gets better!! I highly recommend this book and the rest of the series!! Seriously so good! 😆

[Mandie Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. Goodness. The first series I read by Morgan L. Busse was The Ravenwood Saga, and I was worried that her first book wouldn't be nearly as good. Long story short. It is just as good, if not better.
What I liked:
~The setting
~The characters
~The plot
~The writing
~The whole thing

What I didn't like:
~The cover.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR OLDER TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS!
CW: blood, mention of rape, heavy topics, death

[Celestria · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ½ stars 🌟

[Ella J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan L. Busse is quickly becoming one of my go to fantasy writers.
I read "Mark of the Raven," a few months ago and knew I needed to read more. I have had "Daughter of Light," on my kindle for years, so I knew it was time to read it.

I pretty much loved everything about this story! The world building, characters, and pacing were pretty much perfect! The world was interesting. I like how each country really did have it's own distinct feel and culture. I connected well with both Rowen and Lore, the two main characters. I was never tempted to skip due to boring scenes.

I think I already mentioned this in my review of "Mark of the Raven," but I will say it again; I like how Morgan L. Busse puts spins on classic fantasy tropes. I have read a LOT, so I know how some fantasy books can be too formulaic. That doesn't happen in "Daughter of Light," however. There are enough unique things to set it apart from others in its genre.

Another thing I really appreciate about Morgan L. Busse's books is her descriptions. Her descriptions are both detailed and easy to understand, so I can easily imagine everything that is going on. Action scenes in books can be hit or miss for me, as they can be either really confusing or not exciting enough to hold my attention. That doesn't happen at all in this book however!

I can't believe it took me this long o read this awesome book!!! I will not wait so long to read the the next story, however, because I can't wait to see what happens to Rowen, Lore, Caleb, and Nierne next!!!

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

[John Otte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great debut novel! Morgan creates a phenomenal world with an interesting backstory that comes to life on the page.

[Victoria Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. It was an interesting read, but I only gave it three stars for content.
The violence felt particularly Gory at times, and there was a few other instances of innuendo.

[MC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you pick up a book for the strangest reason, and then find yourself happy that you did so. This is one such time. I had spoken with Morgan L. Busse online and found the young wife and mother very approachable and kindly. Even though she didn't know me from Adam, she gave some good book recommendations to me, and was simply quite gracious. I found out she had a recently released book and bought it to read via Kindle format. I was initially trying to be nice and see if it was any good. I quickly became quite glad that I did do so, because Busse wrote a terrific page-turner (or is that button-tapper for e-books?).

Busse's novel, Daughter of Light begins with a woman desperately trying to escape pursuit from those sent to kill her. In a bundle around her waist is a tiny infant girl, her daughter. She stumbles upon a small home as evil, gigantic wolves are about to catch up to her. Realizing she can't make it to the White City, where she could perhaps have found safe refuge, she leaves her daughter on the doorstep of the small home and runs off making sure to distract these huge monsters so they follow her. It works, and her daughter is safe, but she is killed.

Fast-forward around twenty years, and the little girl is a grown, beautiful young woman named Rowen Mar. The family she was adopted by (whose house her mother left her on the steps of) has raised her in a loving home. If only the village were more loving, but they hate outsiders, and so they treat her with suspicion. She is sad about this, but generally happy with her father (her mother died a few years earlier) and her few friends in town. But her happiness and simple life there isn't to last.

Two things happen that destroy her reasonably happy world in short order. First of all, she is sick, and the result of her sickness is a mysterious white mark on her hand the presence of which she can't understand. The other event is that her father (a prominent commander in the Army of her country) is killed in battle. These events come together to wreak havoc on Rowen's life when she is accused of witchcraft (due to this strange power that seems to emanate from her new mark/scar), and banished from town due to her father's prestige (they originally were going to execute her).

Rowen fears that she will starve to death in the wild, but then she finds out that the head of her country, Lord Gaynor, has (in thanks to her adopted father who so recently fell in battle) offered her the job of varor (basically a type of bodyguard) for his daughter, the Lady Astrea. Rowen sends word that she gladly accepts, and makes her way to the White City from where Astrea and Gaynor live and rule. She is determined that, once having reached there, she will hide her mark and not allow any more of her power to ever again be used.

Events are not going to help her with that desire, as she finds out she is an Eldaran, a member of a race of beings that originally came from the sky many long centuries before on behalf of the Word (Creator of all things) to battle twisted monsters called the Shadonae. It appears these demonic forces are not all gone, and the Word intends to use Rowen as His human agent to face them...

This novel really was excellent. It's hands-down one of the BEST books I have read in the past few years. I would put Busse right up there with such luminaries as J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, Kathy Tyers, and others. Busse seamlessly combines a fictional religious mythos that is obviously comparable to (and based on) real-life Christianity, while being subtle enough to not take over the plot.

The mythology she thought up was impressive and imaginative. Some of it is based, obviously, on The Lord of the Rings, such as the monstrous wolves being analogous to the Wargs from LOTR, the Eldaran being analogous to traits from the Elves, Maiar and most especially Numenoreans, among other examples. But she managed to put her own spin on these characters and races/species that makes them unique and her very own literary creation.

The Word, the God and Creator of the fictional universe is characterized in such a way that simultaneously points back to the sacrifices of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, while at the same time not automatically having the reader get hit in the head with the similarities. Thus the reader doesn't get pulled out of the story. Indeed, it seems that Busse has done an admirable job in getting the Truth, as C. S. Lewis would put it, past “watchful dragons”.

Busse also portrays characters in a very realistic manner. There isn't one single unrealistically perfect character in the story. The real emotions of joy, hate, happiness, sorrow, triumph, loss, and so on, are present in the narrative. And the characters act as people realistically may if the story were true. Sometimes this means you'll be pleased and cheer them on, for they conquer temptation (as a male character does in relation to Rowen), or you'll want to deck or chew out the characters, as their cruelty and pettiness will be unbelievably painful and infuriating to read. All of this realism fits the plot of the story, and the Truths that Busse wants to communicate to her audience. Therefore, it all fits in perfectly.

There are three other point of view characters, but to explain what they do would be to basically give away the entire plot, and a thorough, informative review shouldn't cross the line into a spoilerific review. Needless to say that the experiences of these three characters, particularly near the end of the story, both explain at least some (though not all) of the reader's questions, while setting up new questions, as well as setting up a brilliant sort of sequel hook.

The only real problem was that the book could be somewhat violent, but thankfully Busse does not spend too much time on this, and is not too graphic, so that the reader can actually skip a paragraph and the violent scene is ended. This effort to be tasteful and keep violence to a minimum is something I truly and sincerely thank her for.

Really, I can't say anymore than just encourage you to read this tale. Buy it and read it. It is truly fantastic. I am glad that I began to read it out of a sense of duty, because I finished it, and look forward to the next book, with great enthusiasm.

Highly Recommended.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't decide between 3.5 and 4 stars, but I really enjoyed this! It took me foreverrr to read because of lack of time and motivation, but I really enjoyed the story.

[Rebecca LuElla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daughter of Light, the first in a series, is a good book, one fantasy readers will enjoy. The story takes some interesting twists. There is a strong Christian message, so readers not looking for truth that supersedes what we see here and now may not care for the story. Those like me who believe truth isn't complete unless it speaks to the imperishable and eternal, will be delighted with it.

Here are my further thoughts about this book, re-posted from my blog.

Daughter of Light, a fantasy novel by Morgan Busse (Marcher Lord Press) has one of the most intriguing point of view characters I’ve read in some time. He isn’t the main character, and you can’t really think of him as the antagonist either. But he and his interests pit him directly against the true main character.

Mind you, I want to tell you about this character without giving too much away (down on spolers!), so if I’m somewhat vague, you’ll know why.

The character I’m talking about is Caleb Tala, second brother to Lord Corin, the power-hungry leader of Temanin. In some ways, Caleb is an uncomplicated person. He wants pleasure and ease, and is willing to pay a high price for both. Not in money but in loyalty and service.

At the same time he’s rather complex–driven by nightmares, haughty toward those who have significant power, kind to the most undeserving. He’s clever to the detriment of the main character, skilled in military strategy, understanding of human nature, but he can’t see his way out of his own political snarl.

In short, he’s a compelling character, someone I found myself cheering for–not that he would succeed, but that he would change. He’s not happy, and I want him to be. I want him to figure things out, to make better choices, to stop what he plans, renounce what he wins.

Ultimately, Morgan made me care for him. It’s a great accomplishment, I think.

Daughter of Light is high fantasy–the kind that feels like it’s set in medieval times. The only “magic” in the story is a big piece of the puzzle–the power that resides in a race of people thought to be extinct.

The premise is unique on its own, but when Caleb’s story and that of Nierne, the young scribe from Thyra, are woven together with the main character’s thread, “the plot thickens,” in a compelling way.

This storytelling is not straight bad guy against good or supernatural evil against supernatural good. There is complacency among the side of right and hope amid despair within the ranks of the defeated. And then there is Caleb.

Why is he, of all people, the focal point of the light coming from the daughter of light?

That question alone generates a great deal of interest in volume two of this fantasy series.

[Soleil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say how much I loved Daughter of Light. The whole time I was glued to the pages. Morgan Busse did a wonderful job creating a new world, full of amazing new characters. I loved how she creatively shared the gospel in her books. Giving a new look on how Jesus sacrificed his life for us, and how much he loves us. I loved all of the characters: Rowen, Lore, Neirne, Caleb, and the others. The story is told from the former four, so you get different experiences throughout the story.



Rowen was a character I could easily relate to. Her hope to fit in with others, but then the rejection of her village after the death of her adopted father leaves her lonely and closed off. She is forced to leave the only home she's ever known and has to travel to the White City to become a varor. With an unknown power that she sees as a curse, she hides her true self, with no hope of real friendship.

The fear and anger she feels starts to take over, but hope and healing is close at hand. After a near death experience, the reason for her power is revealed and the Word helps her use it to save her people.



With the enemy close at hand and no help coming, will followers trust the Word in his plan, or will they give into fear?


Caleb has lived a life of an assassin for many years. But the faces of those he's killed haunt his sleep constantly. He cares only for himself, though at the same time wants a life of peace and healing. With visions of a woman with a mark on her hand, his life changes drastically. But healing cannot be forced, it must be chosen. He will have to chose between his current life, or that of a new one.
I could go on about the book, but I should probably stop now and just say "Read it!" :) For those of you interested, Daughter of Light is free on Kindle. Check out Morgan L Busse's website for more information on her books!


I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book free from the author for an honest review.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! I can see why this book got nominated for a Christy Award last year! It is so very powerful and left me breathless with the allegorical messages that many times I had to reread (they were just that powerful)!

I knew when I started reading “Daughter of Light” that I was in for adventure, but I didn’t realize how much of an adventure I was going to be getting! My heart went out Rowen and the pain she struggled with throughout her journey. At times it was very grievous and even when she does understand the meaning of the mark it was still far from glamorous.

Never was there a dull moment and halfway through I felt the full spiritual impact of many things mentioned earlier in the book! There were many times I had to wipe tears from my eyes because of what Rowen was starting to understand!

The world-building was great and described excellently! It wasn’t overdone nor had too little details! I really enjoyed the majority of the side characters and am looking forward to hearing more of their story in book two!

“Daughter of Light” is definitely a novel I am more than grateful to have read because like I said in the beginning, its powerful! Morgan has such a unique and God-given voice throughout this story that will not only engage and entertain, but leave you really reflecting on God’s light as well as His power! She truly shows that even in darkness there is always God’s light!

*(I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review!)*

[R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of, she had a way of seizing my attention and not letting go. However, she had some rather bloody scenes that I don't think were necessary to describe in accurate detail. She also used many cliches (In just Chapter One: "Forest crept", "a blanket of green", and "the wind whispered", etc.), which really distracted me from the story. At times I felt that the POV switch was confusing, but at other points it heightened suspense (to a cruel level :P) because she switched right THEN.
Anyhow, I enjoyed the book, but I just felt some glaring weaknesses that discouraged me from the second book.

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across Morgan Busse's blog back in mid-2011 and was intrigued by the synopsis for Daughter of Light. The novel's premise sounded so refreshing compared to all the cliched Christian fantasy in the market at the time. I'm happy to say that Busse certainly didn't disappoint.

At it's core, Daughter of Light chronicles the spiritual journey of Rowen Mar, who is clearly destined for larger things than living a small, meaningless life in her village. "The Word," Busse's representation of God throughout the novel, has world-changing plans for Rowen - plans to use her to reveal His love to a world ravaged by war and evil. The truth of "the Word" has fallen into myth and superstition for many.

Rowen's ordinary life is turned upside down when she discovers she is afflicted by an odd, unexplained mark on her hand. It's not until she touches an evil man in her village that she learns the mark gives her the terrifying ability to see inside a person's heart. To pull back the veil and reveal all the sin in a person's life - all their evil secrets and intentions, the hate, greed, lust and all their dark desires. Rowen is terrified and ashamed at her ability, which is dubbed "witchcraft" by her friends and neighbors. Despite being banished and forced to leave her village, she attains a position as a coveted protector (varor) of a princess in the grand and opulent White City, which immediately reminds one of Minas Tirith from the Lord of the Rings books.

This "little fish in a big pond" theme works very well. The manner in which undisciplined and "green" Rowen must learn to fight and adjust to the rules of the palace reminded me of Vin adjusting to a new life in Luthadel from Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy. This is, by all means, high praise and a very positive comparison.

Meanwhile, an evil thought long-destroyed, the Shadonae, has attacked the southern country of Thyra, and has slaughtered much of the population, and imprisoned the rest. A young scribe, Nierne, is among a small group of escapees who travel north to the White City to find the legendary beings known as Eldarans, who are the world's only hope against the deadly Shadonae.

A third major character is Caleb Tala, a bloodthirsty assassin from the country of Temanin. He's a narcissist on a mission to stir up war against Temanin's enemies, in hopes of an attack on the White City. Caleb murders for profit and seems to enjoy it, yet can't escape the dreams and the faces of his victims that haunt him each time he closes his eyes. His character development as a sociopath was expertly crafted; no matter how much evil he commits, he remains charming and likeable. I looked forward to his scenes, and was surprised by the author's plans for him in his seemingly unstoppable collision course with Rowen Mar and her ability.

As one can deduce from early in the story, the action of the novel will culminate at the White City, and with Rowen finally learning who she is and what "the Word" has destined for her to do.

Author Morgan Busse does so many things right. First, she does an excellent job building Rowen's character, and brilliantly leads us along Rowen's painful, but triumphant journey from a lonely, small-town girl into a brave warrior. Rowen is at times naive and complex, but always genuine and empathetic. The reader is swept along Rowen's emotional path as her destiny is slowly revealed to her. Busse also delivers great continuity between Rowen's past and her new life, which makes the book even more compelling.

One of my favorite aspects was the expert pacing and slow-build relationship between Rowen and Captain of the Guard, Lore. Busse doesn't rush the complicated relationship between the two, but demonstrates patience as a writer in letting these two characters deal with their issues and the challenges that may keep them apart. In many other fantasy novels, the author would have these two married by the end of the novel, but Busse focuses her attention on the details of what these two very different individuals must overcome if they are to have a future together.

I was also impressed by the author's choice to not refer to Rowen's ability as "magic." While this is a fantasy novel, it's also Christian fantasy, so her ability is written more of a gift from "the Word" and less about magic and sorcery. It's clear Busse has a solid understanding of her Christian faith, and is confident enough to write about that faith without overwhelming the reader with theological jargon. This will likely reward the author with a wider audience.

Another outstanding quality is Busse's magnificent description of this world she's envisioned. Again, she doesn't rush the action, but takes her time to eloquently paint a lush, detailed picture of the surroundings. She savors her words and appears meticulous in choosing short, concise descriptions of everything. For example, in chapter 25:

"The color of blood tainted the sky. The sun sank in the west, a burning ball of gold and orange behind the smoke. Black smoke belched and swirled above the White City. Fires blazed behind the walls and along the cobblestone streets, consuming wagons, barrels, storefronts.

Shadows spread across the field and surrounding Anwin Forest like long black fingers. Chunks of white stone, broken ladders, and corpses littered the long grass. Small fires burned between the bodies. Long dark streaks of tar stained the once-white walls of the city. Its sickly sweet scent mingled with smoke and blood. Heat blazed across the battlements from the fires and hot summer evening."

One of my favorite themes that Busse explores with Rowen is the responsibility she must exercise with her new-found power. When you have the power to save a life, how do you choose whom to save? Would you choose to save a total stranger in lieu of the one you love? Excellent exploration here on Busse's part.

Despite the excellent read, I noted one missed opportunity. After the female scribe, Nierne, escapes from the Shadonae-occupied city of Thyra, we never hear anything else about Thyra until the next to last chapter, but this scene feels like an after-thought. Very little information is provided as to who the Shadonae are and what they've done. Nierne mentions several times that she’s got to find the Eldarans and bring them back to Thyra, but we never get another glimpse of Thyra or what’s happening to her people.

As a consequence, Nierne and her mission lost my attention, because things must not be all that bad in Thyra if the author never reveals what's happening there. I focused all my attention on Rowen Mar, the action at the White City, and on the assassin Caleb Tala.

It would have been nice to keep Thyra part of the story, that way readers don’t completely forget about the Shadonae, like I did. I think Busse intended for the Shadonae to be considered more of a threat, but they were sort of irrelevant to the story. You could have erased the Shadonae completely from the book and the novel would have read much the same, in my opinion. However, I'm guessing Busse has larger plans for the Shadonae and Thyra in book 2, Son of Truth, which helps explain their low visibility in book 1.

Overall, the book is so strong and well-written that readers will easily overlook this. Daughter of Light is Rowen Mar's story, and Busse did a phenomenal job with the writing, pacing, character development, description and with building believable characters that a reader will enjoy and care about. I can't wait to read more!

[Kysa · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Winter’s Maiden and having to wait before book 2 releases, I knew I had to read the Follower of the Word series. This has been on my TBR for quite a while and it was so satisfying to finally start it. I’m in the interesting place of having read the first book in the “prequel” series (same world but relatively stand alone series) before reading this original series set hundreds of years later. I enjoyed being more in the Ryland Planes after spending so much more time in Nordic in Maiden. The heart of the story that I loved so much in Maiden is present in Daughter of Light. I love the characters of Lore and Rowan especially and am excited to see where the story goes.

This story definitely has some darker themes. Busse doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war, lust, and the general darkness of mankind. But it is handled tactfully and never glorifies evil. And the redemption and forgiveness we have in Christ is beautifully depicted through the Word in the story. All this is done without going into too much detail I found. But I could see some readers being more sensitive to the depiction of battles and various characters’ alluded to evil acts.

[Charity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to put into words a book that has moved me so deeply. It took me a little while to get into this one, but when I did, I was actually highlighting quotes in it. This is categorized as a YA fantasy book, but as I am *much* older than YA, any age would enjoy it.

What strikes me most is how God sees us. Of course the Word in the story (and in the Bible) is Jesus. But He calls the characters as HE sees them; not as they are without Him. I believe that's what He does with us, too. He knows our every fault, failure, weakness, but when we're covered by His blood, He sees us in a way that only He can. It's humbling. It's surprising. It's enlightening. It's breathtaking.

And I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy.

[Nadine Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rowen Mar is an orphan adopted into a village where she's not accepted. Her reputation sinks even deeper when a strange mark brands her as a witch and she's cast out of the only home she's known. She travels to the White City--a place she's never been, but the place her adoptive father has spent most of his life..and he's built a reputation. She arrives with hopes to become the varor to the princess--aka ferocious female bodyguard.


Rowen is haunted by memories of when she accidentally touched a person with her mark, which revealed the evil inside a human's heart. Out of fear, she covers her hand with a glove and attempts to live without anyone knowing she is different, but God made her different for a purpose. War brews in the land and Rowen finds herself drawn to reveal and accept who and what she is, but will that acceptance distance those she loves away from her? Particularly the handsome Captain Lore?


Review:

I enjoyed the fast pace to Morgan Busse's debut novel, Daughter of Light, which kept the story from dragging. There is a wide variety of characters who are more "out-of-the-box" than some of the recent fantasy I've read--a female scribe, woman bodyguard, and a blackmailed assassin. Those characters are an instant handful of gold.

.

I really had to stay on my toes to keep the characters and locations straight. I have difficulty with names in general so this may not apply to all readers, but I mixed up the names of cities quite often through this book. I thought I'd also have a hard time with the characters, but the author does an excellent job reminding the reader in subtle ways who each character is.


Rowen's journey is a great model of an under-qualified person embarking upon God's path of greater things. His calling can be intimidating and seemingly impossible, but it's important for her (and us) to take that tentative step that seems terrifying.


Daughter of Light has a similar feel to Lord of the Rings (only it's easier to read!). For those who enjoy that type of fantasy, this will be right up your alley!


Spiritual Elements:

Just as the book is focused on adventure and quest for one's king/queen and country, it is focused on God's (called the Word) interaction with those He loves and pursues. This is done in a way that doesn't slap the reader across the face with Christian theology or over-the-top Christian fantasy. It touches on the Word's ability to heal and forgive.


The story also enters into the human struggle with faith, instead of thrusting every character into a "believe" moment and be a perfect apostle afterward. Characters pray out of desperation, admitting they have no faith that God will come through. A scribe who's spent her entire life copying and studying the Word's law doesn't understand His choice to allow good people to die and grows angry with Him. These moments just confirm God's faithfulness even when we doubt or don't understand.


Violence:

Many scenes of battle have short graphic images--a dagger to the throat, bones splintering through a person's skin, screams of anguish. These bring the reader into the scenes, but Morgan Busse does an excellent job of giving just enough information to understand and feel what is going on without leaving a bad taste in the reader's mouth.


Sexual Content:

Rowen is a very innocent and genuine person. When her mark leads her to see into the darkness of someone's soul, she is haunted by what she sees. Much of this includes the thoughts, desires, and memories of lust. Rowen is disgusted when she sees into the heart of a rapist. The book does not go into detail, but it informs the reader enough to know what she's seeing.


Negatives:

I had a difficult time relating to the characters, which in turn made me read the story mostly for plot-reasons than character plight. Rowen seemed very soft-hearted through the entire book, even after becoming a bodyguard and swordsman (swordswoman?). I would have liked to see a little more ferocity in her internal character--there were a lot of moments where she had to step up to bravely defend the princess, but I didn't see much confidence or determination grow from those experiences.


There were three point-of-views in this book, but Rowen's seemed to be the main one. I greatly enjoyed the assassin, Caleb's, point-of-view and looked forward to his chapters. The third character, a scribe named Nierne, caught my attention when her city was attacked. I connected with her plight the most--feeling her fear, her dread, her desperation to escape--but after her initial introduction, we only enter her head a couple more times. Not much follow-up comes regarding her city, but the way Daughter of Light ends leaves an opening for a lot more development in Nierne's besieged city. After all, we can't expect all the answers in one book. ;) The second book holds a lot of potential.


Recommendation:

Overall, I recommend this book. It's a decent read and the driving idea is very original (my initial reason for stalking the release of this book). Again, I tip my hat to Marcher Lord Press for producing another inspiring book that touches the often forgotten corners of Christian fantasy. Bravo, Morgan Busse!

[Chloe Hey]

I love reading Busse's work because I truly see God in her books. I feel like she portrays Christianity excellently. I enjoyed this less than her Ravenwood saga, but still ended it in awe of her story.

[Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so book 2 that I've read from Ms. Busse. This one was another amazing ride. Another couple of nights deprived of sleep due to having to know what happens next. I think I should space the books out in order to rest my brain and be able to function at work! Eh, we'll see.
So Rowen (love that this was a girl's name) is one of the last of her kind. Special beings that stayed after the Word essentially saved mankind. She's just coming into her abilities and powers. Being labeled as a witch by her village, she sets off to the White City where her adopted father was a commander in the army. All alone, family and friendless, Rowen accidentally comes into an inkling of her power. She gets to the White City to meet Captain Lore who will be in charge of her training. Lore is a varor and doesn't have time to deal with weaklings trying to become varors. However, he is very impressed with Rowen. One thing leads to another and her secret comes out much to her chagrin. Now she's worried about being labeled a witch again but the people in the White City know what she is and can help her come into her giftings.
Switch over to Caleb an assassin. Now I have a child named Caleb and it took all my willpower to separate the two. Caleb is a dark character filled with the desire to live life to the fullest. His path crosses with a scribe, Nierne who is trying to save her village from an evil creature takeover!
Put these 4 together and who knows what is going to happen!
It is a cliffhanger in every sense of the term. But since the rest of the series is available, I don't have to wait before finding out what happens next!
Seriously have to read this one if you love fantasy! Or if you like thrilling books. Supernatural fantasy thriller is what I would label the genre as!
Another heart racing read from Ms. Busse! On to the next...

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the Shadonae rise in the west and war threatens the north, a young woman discovers she is not human . . .Rowen Mar finds a strange mark on her hand, and she is banished from her village as a witch. She covers the mark with a leather glove and seeks sanctuary in the White City. She lives in fear that if she touches another person, the power inside her will trigger again, a terrifying power that allows her to see the darkness inside the human heart . . .
But the mark is a summons, and those called cannot hide forever. For the salvation of her people lies within her hand.
Yay! I love when I find a new series to read! This book was really friggin good. The first book in a series is so important because the author needs to be able to introduce readers to all the intricacies of a new world without completely overwhelming the reader. This book does a great job of this, You slowly learn all you need to know about the world when you need to know it. The author also did a great job of introducing all the main characters for this book and the other two in the series and to keep things interesting there's the beginnings of some romances sprinkled throughout. This book definitely reminded me of the series and series. If you liked either one of these series than I would recommend this book.