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The Books of Ezekiel #1-2
Ghosts of Koa: The First Book of Ezekiel, Volumes I and II: The Given and The Taken
BOTH EXCITING VOLUMES of Ghosts of Koa, The First Book of Ezekiel! (Includes “THE GIVEN” and “THE TAKEN”)
For over one hundred years, Azures and Civilians have held a shaky truce, peppered by violence and mistrust. Both seek to lay claim to the world's oldest and most powerful art— the high art of Alchemy— by any means necessary.
The problem is, Azures now have the upper hand.
They have marshaled themselves into the unstoppable Alchemic Order, a mating ground of magic and science, guilds and vassals, clans and kings. Worse yet, they are stripping the Civic Order and its Civilian territories of their resources, claiming rights to all that Civilians have ever owned, alchemical or not. Now, only the Articles39— a truce of thirty-nine codes of humane conduct during wartime— stand between the Civilians and extinction.
This is the world that sixteen-year-old Zeika Anon was born into: the alchemic apartheid, a world of fear and doubt where Azures reign supreme, the Civilian practice of Alchemy means a death sentence, and where Zeika, for the sake of her family, must walk the thin line of oppression and peace. But when KOA, a Civilian-born insurgency, bombs an Azure summit, the shaky truce between the two Orders is shattered. Now, KOA is rising. War is coming. And Zeika finds herself in the crosshairs of fate. Now, she must walk a different line: the one between survival and rebellion against the Alchemists. On one side of the line awaits death. On the other, the betrayal of her civilization, her loyalties, and herself.
For over one hundred years, Azures and Civilians have held a shaky truce, peppered by violence and mistrust. Both seek to lay claim to the world's oldest and most powerful art— the high art of Alchemy— by any means necessary.
The problem is, Azures now have the upper hand.
They have marshaled themselves into the unstoppable Alchemic Order, a mating ground of magic and science, guilds and vassals, clans and kings. Worse yet, they are stripping the Civic Order and its Civilian territories of their resources, claiming rights to all that Civilians have ever owned, alchemical or not. Now, only the Articles39— a truce of thirty-nine codes of humane conduct during wartime— stand between the Civilians and extinction.
This is the world that sixteen-year-old Zeika Anon was born into: the alchemic apartheid, a world of fear and doubt where Azures reign supreme, the Civilian practice of Alchemy means a death sentence, and where Zeika, for the sake of her family, must walk the thin line of oppression and peace. But when KOA, a Civilian-born insurgency, bombs an Azure summit, the shaky truce between the two Orders is shattered. Now, KOA is rising. War is coming. And Zeika finds herself in the crosshairs of fate. Now, she must walk a different line: the one between survival and rebellion against the Alchemists. On one side of the line awaits death. On the other, the betrayal of her civilization, her loyalties, and herself.
- GenresScience Fiction
512 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2013
4 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Colby R. Rice
27 books71 followersLet's start this party off right... I'd love to send you a free starter set of my books! Just click the link to grab your free novels: http://colbyrrice.com
Now an intro! ;-)
Sci-fi, Fantasy, & Thriller Novelist. Screenwriter. Film Producer. Globetrotter. Action Junkie. Rebel Ragdoll.
A shameless nerd and bookworm since the age of five, Colby R Rice is the author of Ghosts of Koa, the first novel in The Books of Ezekiel, a dystopian-urban fantasy decalogy. She was an Air Force BRAT born in Bitburg Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany and came to the States at the age of one. Colby bounced around a lot, but finally settled in Los Angeles, where she could at last deal with her addictions to creative entrepreneurship, motorcycles, and traveling.
Now, armed with a mound of animal crackers and gallons of Coca-Cola, Colby takes on fiction writing in a fight to the death!
Current projects include: the second novel in the Books of Ezekiel series, the first novel in a middle grade SFF detective series, the first novel in an adult sci-fi thriller series, development of her first sci-fi thriller film, and the growth of her production house, Rebel Ragdoll. Stay tuned at colbyrrice.com!
Now an intro! ;-)
Sci-fi, Fantasy, & Thriller Novelist. Screenwriter. Film Producer. Globetrotter. Action Junkie. Rebel Ragdoll.
A shameless nerd and bookworm since the age of five, Colby R Rice is the author of Ghosts of Koa, the first novel in The Books of Ezekiel, a dystopian-urban fantasy decalogy. She was an Air Force BRAT born in Bitburg Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany and came to the States at the age of one. Colby bounced around a lot, but finally settled in Los Angeles, where she could at last deal with her addictions to creative entrepreneurship, motorcycles, and traveling.
Now, armed with a mound of animal crackers and gallons of Coca-Cola, Colby takes on fiction writing in a fight to the death!
Current projects include: the second novel in the Books of Ezekiel series, the first novel in a middle grade SFF detective series, the first novel in an adult sci-fi thriller series, development of her first sci-fi thriller film, and the growth of her production house, Rebel Ragdoll. Stay tuned at colbyrrice.com!
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 30, 2014
An excellent first book by author Colby Rice. A mixture of dystopian fantasy with a dash of detective novel. Rice builds a multi-faceted future society and draws her characters from all levels of it. The system of otherworldly power is intriguing, though not well fleshed out in this book. I picked it up and couldn't put it down till I had finished. A definite must-read.
August 2, 2018
A century of an uneasy peace has held between two factions, Civilians and Azures, but that truce is about to come to an end. Civilians are not allowed to practice the highest magical art…that of alchemy…and the Azures are slowly taking control of the world. In response, the Civilians have started the Knights of Alamut…KOA for short…and have begun an insurgent movement against the Alchemic Order. This is the precariously perched world that a young woman named Ezekiel, or Zeika for short, lives in and is about to find herself thrust into the middle of the growing conflict known as the Alchemic Apartheid.
Honestly, I found that there is a LOT going on in this book. There are complex textures drawn from different cultures that are woven into this world that Colby R. Rice has created. I have no doubt that this is a well-crafted and ornate world…but it was hard for me to make sense of all of it early on. Still, there is richness in this work that I have rarely seen in the created universes of other series, and I found myself drawn to it even as I was trying to make sense of everything.
This attraction also has to do with the strong characters we are given and the movement of the action…which I thought went just at the right speed. I could feel things building in the tension of the Demenses, and the various groups within. Overall, I really have to recommend this book…it’s not a quick read by any means, but I love its individuality. Readers who want something to seek their teeth into should give this work the attention it is due.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Romance Authors That Rock. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Honestly, I found that there is a LOT going on in this book. There are complex textures drawn from different cultures that are woven into this world that Colby R. Rice has created. I have no doubt that this is a well-crafted and ornate world…but it was hard for me to make sense of all of it early on. Still, there is richness in this work that I have rarely seen in the created universes of other series, and I found myself drawn to it even as I was trying to make sense of everything.
This attraction also has to do with the strong characters we are given and the movement of the action…which I thought went just at the right speed. I could feel things building in the tension of the Demenses, and the various groups within. Overall, I really have to recommend this book…it’s not a quick read by any means, but I love its individuality. Readers who want something to seek their teeth into should give this work the attention it is due.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Romance Authors That Rock. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
April 25, 2014
I didn't see what this book was going to be about, so when I started reading it I was very surprised to find that is wasn't about any normal sci-fi topics. The theme of this book was very unique and I loved it.
The main female character Zeika was very determined and closed minded about what she had to do: the one thing she had ( or told herself she had) to do was keep her younger sister Manja safe. I thought this character was very inspirational she went through a lot of ups and downs throughout this book and still survived (I'm looking forward to finding out what she does next)
The main male character Caleb was an Azure detective that frequently crossed paths with Zeika and Manja, he soon became every protective of them and risked his job and reputation. At one point at the book (the most thrilling) he was given an ultimatum; disgrace his family name and forever be known as an Azure betrayer or kill Zeika and Manja (who were suspected as being Ghosts Of Koa, child terrorists) I was disappointed with his decision.
By the end of volume 2 I was still waiting for Zeika and Caleb to be reunited this never happened but there's always book 2!
The main female character Zeika was very determined and closed minded about what she had to do: the one thing she had ( or told herself she had) to do was keep her younger sister Manja safe. I thought this character was very inspirational she went through a lot of ups and downs throughout this book and still survived (I'm looking forward to finding out what she does next)
The main male character Caleb was an Azure detective that frequently crossed paths with Zeika and Manja, he soon became every protective of them and risked his job and reputation. At one point at the book (the most thrilling) he was given an ultimatum; disgrace his family name and forever be known as an Azure betrayer or kill Zeika and Manja (who were suspected as being Ghosts Of Koa, child terrorists) I was disappointed with his decision.
By the end of volume 2 I was still waiting for Zeika and Caleb to be reunited this never happened but there's always book 2!
September 4, 2018
These books will throw you immediately into the heart of the action. These books had me gripped from start to finish.
July 26, 2014
Ghosts of Koa is utterly enthralling, go read it!
There are so many layers and agendas to pull you through the pages. Whether the manipulative Azures, the terrifying creatures called the Ninkashi, the appalling tactics used by the Koan (terrorists? freedom fighters? I'm undecided) --I can go on. It's refreshing to see an author unleash her creativity, instead of relying on tropes we've all seen before.
Balancing over this boiling stew is our hero Zeika. She's a feisty young whip constantly doing whatever it takes to keep her family from drowning in a society that's splintering under the weight of war and magic. Her activities--gun running, among other things--play a pivotal role in this mess. I can't wait to see if Zeika's somehow going to pull it all together or toss gas on the fire. This story gets dark, but Rice renders a beautiful counterpoint in Zeika's tender vigilance over her adorable baby sister, Manja.
The world building really shines in Rice's work. How she blends this post-dystopia with full tilt magic users, demons, and the nuanced political landscape of the Demesnes and Civic and Alchemic orders, I have no clue. I urge you to just sit back and drink it in. This surreal place rests quietly on the bones of what once was, and Rice allows a few hints of the past to trickle through--you'll greedily file them away and keep reading. This is the kind of story where you need to pay attention. It's fresh ground and delectably unpredictable. You'll be rewarded when those quiet clues you've been hoarding come back to be of major importance.
So I won't just endlessly gush. Be ready for some POV shifts --you know the ones!-- where you're excited to flip to the next chapter for what's next and the story jumps to a different character's eyes. Then you settle into THAT character's story, and the author switches gears again. I love/hate that. Thanks, Rice! But the stories around Caleb, the Azure cop who takes an interest in Zeika's welfare; and Xakiah, the lunatic mercenary with a freaky pet shadow (aka an "Echo," I desperately want one) will pull you in just as quickly. Rice has thrown the rule book out, and I could care less. I'm hooked, and eager to read the next installment.
There are so many layers and agendas to pull you through the pages. Whether the manipulative Azures, the terrifying creatures called the Ninkashi, the appalling tactics used by the Koan (terrorists? freedom fighters? I'm undecided) --I can go on. It's refreshing to see an author unleash her creativity, instead of relying on tropes we've all seen before.
Balancing over this boiling stew is our hero Zeika. She's a feisty young whip constantly doing whatever it takes to keep her family from drowning in a society that's splintering under the weight of war and magic. Her activities--gun running, among other things--play a pivotal role in this mess. I can't wait to see if Zeika's somehow going to pull it all together or toss gas on the fire. This story gets dark, but Rice renders a beautiful counterpoint in Zeika's tender vigilance over her adorable baby sister, Manja.
The world building really shines in Rice's work. How she blends this post-dystopia with full tilt magic users, demons, and the nuanced political landscape of the Demesnes and Civic and Alchemic orders, I have no clue. I urge you to just sit back and drink it in. This surreal place rests quietly on the bones of what once was, and Rice allows a few hints of the past to trickle through--you'll greedily file them away and keep reading. This is the kind of story where you need to pay attention. It's fresh ground and delectably unpredictable. You'll be rewarded when those quiet clues you've been hoarding come back to be of major importance.
So I won't just endlessly gush. Be ready for some POV shifts --you know the ones!-- where you're excited to flip to the next chapter for what's next and the story jumps to a different character's eyes. Then you settle into THAT character's story, and the author switches gears again. I love/hate that. Thanks, Rice! But the stories around Caleb, the Azure cop who takes an interest in Zeika's welfare; and Xakiah, the lunatic mercenary with a freaky pet shadow (aka an "Echo," I desperately want one) will pull you in just as quickly. Rice has thrown the rule book out, and I could care less. I'm hooked, and eager to read the next installment.
February 9, 2014
Exciting, fast moving, action from start to finish. Colby R. Rice’s approach to fantasy science fiction is a modern well written book that will hold your attention. Once the reading begins, putting it down becomes difficult. I found myself reading it whenever I could.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for something exciting to read. I surely look forward to any other writings from this author.The entertainment factor is a 10!
I recommend this book to anyone looking for something exciting to read. I surely look forward to any other writings from this author.The entertainment factor is a 10!
September 12, 2014
Good read! The story doesn't feel old, the relationships are authentically real, the writing is colorful. I recommend it!
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March 9, 2017* ebook provided via instafreebie *
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews