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Sword of the Gods Saga #1
The Chosen One
At the dawn of time, two ancient adversaries clashed over control of Earth. One man rose to stand at humanity's side. A soldier whose name we still remember today...
Angelic Special Forces Colonel Mikha'il Mannuki'ili awakens, mortally wounded, in his crashed ship. The young woman who saves his life has abilities which seem familiar ... if only he could remember who he was! With his ship destroyed, a shattered wing, and no memory of his past, Mikha'il has no choice but to integrate into her village.
Ninsianna's people have prophecies of a winged champion, a sword of the gods, who will raise armies from the dust and defend her people against an Evil One. Mikha'il insists he's no demi-god, but Ninsianna's dark premonitions and his uncanny ability to kill say otherwise. When young women start disappearing, her people are forced to acknowledge the coming storm.
As love blossoms, our hero is forced to choose between Ninsianna and a mission he can't quite remember. Even without the technology destroyed along with his ship, the sword he carries is a weapon-of-mass-destruction to a people who throw sticks and stones. As fault lines appear in the heavens, Mikha'il must teach his adopted people to organize and fight back against an enemy who remains unseen.
The archangel depicted in the Sword of the Gods Saga is a soldier. He loves his empire and his emperor/god. He's an honorable man. He's dropped into a situation not of his making and expected to clean up somebody elses mess the same way modern soldiers are expected to do today. Powerful ... and vulnerable. Superhuman ... and yet amazingly human. He can be hurt. He feels. He loves. And he can hate. He has a dark side that he fights to keep under control. And he makes mistakes. But when the chips are down, he always does what is right. Angels ... or soldiers? The original super-heroes.
(Note: this saga is NOT part of the Forgotten Realms:Abysmal Plague series which has a similar name).
Angelic Special Forces Colonel Mikha'il Mannuki'ili awakens, mortally wounded, in his crashed ship. The young woman who saves his life has abilities which seem familiar ... if only he could remember who he was! With his ship destroyed, a shattered wing, and no memory of his past, Mikha'il has no choice but to integrate into her village.
Ninsianna's people have prophecies of a winged champion, a sword of the gods, who will raise armies from the dust and defend her people against an Evil One. Mikha'il insists he's no demi-god, but Ninsianna's dark premonitions and his uncanny ability to kill say otherwise. When young women start disappearing, her people are forced to acknowledge the coming storm.
As love blossoms, our hero is forced to choose between Ninsianna and a mission he can't quite remember. Even without the technology destroyed along with his ship, the sword he carries is a weapon-of-mass-destruction to a people who throw sticks and stones. As fault lines appear in the heavens, Mikha'il must teach his adopted people to organize and fight back against an enemy who remains unseen.
The archangel depicted in the Sword of the Gods Saga is a soldier. He loves his empire and his emperor/god. He's an honorable man. He's dropped into a situation not of his making and expected to clean up somebody elses mess the same way modern soldiers are expected to do today. Powerful ... and vulnerable. Superhuman ... and yet amazingly human. He can be hurt. He feels. He loves. And he can hate. He has a dark side that he fights to keep under control. And he makes mistakes. But when the chips are down, he always does what is right. Angels ... or soldiers? The original super-heroes.
(Note: this saga is NOT part of the Forgotten Realms:Abysmal Plague series which has a similar name).
458 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2012
169 people are currently reading
934 people want to read
About the author
Anna Erishkigal
115 books196 followersAnna Erishkigal is an attorney who writes fantasy fiction as an alternative to cross-examining her children. She writes under a pen-name so her colleagues don't question whether her legal pleadings are fiction as well. Much of law, it turns out, -is- fantasy fiction. Lawyers just prefer to call it 'zealously representing your client.'
Seeing the dark underbelly of life makes for some interesting fictional characters. The kind you either want to incarcerate, or run home and write about. In fiction, you can fudge facts without worrying too much about the truth. In legal pleadings, if your client lies to you, you look stupid in front of the judge.
At least in fiction, if they become troublesome you can always kill them off.
I moderate two communities, Lovers of Paranormal and also Space Opera Fans. Come and join us! :-)
Seeing the dark underbelly of life makes for some interesting fictional characters. The kind you either want to incarcerate, or run home and write about. In fiction, you can fudge facts without worrying too much about the truth. In legal pleadings, if your client lies to you, you look stupid in front of the judge.
At least in fiction, if they become troublesome you can always kill them off.
I moderate two communities, Lovers of Paranormal and also Space Opera Fans. Come and join us! :-)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 22, 2016
Goodreads encourages authors to rate and review their own books, and then pins it to the top so you know which one belongs to the author. Well ... what am I supposed to say? Hello? I hope you like my book? It's the first book of a series. It seems so mercenary, to be the first to review your own book? So how about I just say ... hi?
Be epic!
Anna
Be epic!
Anna
June 26, 2013
I have just finished your book The "Sword of the Gods: #1 The Chosen", I throughly enjoyed this epic space-opera fantasy.
It is set under the auspices of 2 Old Gods; The Emperor and Hashem who are playing a multi-dimensional chess game, which has always been stalemated. The Emperor Shay-tan is the leader of the white chessmen, the "Angelics". Hashem leads the black Saa'tan Empire and "Father" of Lucifer and his cohorts.
It is a multi-dimensional time and space stamped novel, along the lines of "Battlestar Gallactica", the newer series. Where you go back and forth to get different versions of the same situation. It is one of the different types of books that I absolutely revel in and adore.
This is not your usual good versus evil book, it is a fascinating and completely different timelines and stories. I was captivated by Ms. Erishkigal"s choice of setting: Ancient Mesopotamia the "cradle of earth" between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The village Assur is in fact real (as is Ninevah), where a young woman Nin-Si-Anna lives and has seen a vision of sent by She-Who-Is about something so spectacular that it will not only alter her life but those of her village and far afield.
Nin-Si-Anna's is one of a number of time stamps, hers being in a stone age village by the name of Assur, where a stupendous and epic event takes place with the crash of an "angelic" scout craft... sounds a bit of a coincidence, but the jumping between people and places for the same event is well crafted and works very well.
Mik'hail is an "angelic" trained by the Cherubim never to show emotion, as it was beaten out of him as a child, who crashes where Nin-Si-Anna is first contact. The play between these two throughout the book is enthralling and I loved it. Mik'hail has no memory of his life before but knows instinctively how to do things. Such as the use of a pulse rifle to keep attackers from the village, led by the chief's son Jamin and his elite warriors from killing him, but keeps them at bay!
Nin-Si-Anna is an apprentice healer, being taught by her mother Needa, who is the village healer. She has powerful visions sent to her by She-Who-Is thru the teaching of her father Immanu, the village's shaman, who should not be teaching her his knowledge as it is meant for men, but she far out passes him.
Jamin is another main character of devious and deceptive thinking, he believes that Mik'hail has stolen away both his fiancee (the love of his life). Who up until 3 days before the crash was in love with him and his status in the village. He tries numerous plots to try and win back her affection and return to hium because he has an elevated opinion of himself and standing in Assur. Jamin failed at being the hero, who had told the Halifians how to attack the village, which he thought would happen when he killed or frightened them away thus making him the hero of the hour. Then Mik,hail saves Chief Kiyan while Jamin stands scared while the Halifians try to kill his father and loses face once more. Mik'hail fights with his sword like someone from out of the shamanic tales, killing 46 attackers, losing 11 villagers. Thereby making himself a hero in their eyes and even with all his differences, he is invited to stay in the village, instead of his space craft!
I especially enjoyed the spear throwing contest at the Summer Solstice 3390 BC, before which the two old sisters plied him with mead drunk through river reed straws; he who never liked to be anything but looking his best... ended up getting covered in straw and ocher mud from the obstacle part of the course.
The characters of Jophiel, the commander of the "angelics", her mate Raphael and their baby son Uriel made my life miserable because they took him away to be raised as a warrior in the Emperor's forces. More tears were shed when Uriel was dying and getting weaker and they let his parents see him to say goodbye. Then something wonderful happened... but you will have to read the book first!
The Saa'tan Empire with Lucifer as it's Prime Minister is a very different character than in other previous peoples novels. Ms. Erishkigal's Lucifer suffers from migraines (and has my sympathy for I have them), he also has blackouts and does not wake for longer periods of time as the book progresses. He is still a devious, womanizing drunkard with a largeamount of tricks up his sleeve and he uses them well. His relationship with his "Father" Hashem is a most certainly a remarkable, as it shows a more human side of him. Which also happens when he finds a "root-seed" wife, who gets pregnant, when he has been trying with others and not having offspring for over 200 years, now he is going to bea father himself...
This first novel by Ms. Erishkigal held me spellbound with well crafted characters and enthralling interactions in all time and space stamps, with lots of jumping back and forth which could have become very confusing, but succeeded enormously. I am giving this book "The Sword of the Gods: The Chosen #1" 4 and a half stars out of 5, well done. I think that here is an author who is about to break big on the book scene!
What will happen on earth between the 2 Empires in the second book "The Prince of Tyre" is a mystery and I am looking forward to lots more twisting and turning in the multi-dimensional chess game. With enthralling plots, further development of characters....
It is set under the auspices of 2 Old Gods; The Emperor and Hashem who are playing a multi-dimensional chess game, which has always been stalemated. The Emperor Shay-tan is the leader of the white chessmen, the "Angelics". Hashem leads the black Saa'tan Empire and "Father" of Lucifer and his cohorts.
It is a multi-dimensional time and space stamped novel, along the lines of "Battlestar Gallactica", the newer series. Where you go back and forth to get different versions of the same situation. It is one of the different types of books that I absolutely revel in and adore.
This is not your usual good versus evil book, it is a fascinating and completely different timelines and stories. I was captivated by Ms. Erishkigal"s choice of setting: Ancient Mesopotamia the "cradle of earth" between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The village Assur is in fact real (as is Ninevah), where a young woman Nin-Si-Anna lives and has seen a vision of sent by She-Who-Is about something so spectacular that it will not only alter her life but those of her village and far afield.
Nin-Si-Anna's is one of a number of time stamps, hers being in a stone age village by the name of Assur, where a stupendous and epic event takes place with the crash of an "angelic" scout craft... sounds a bit of a coincidence, but the jumping between people and places for the same event is well crafted and works very well.
Mik'hail is an "angelic" trained by the Cherubim never to show emotion, as it was beaten out of him as a child, who crashes where Nin-Si-Anna is first contact. The play between these two throughout the book is enthralling and I loved it. Mik'hail has no memory of his life before but knows instinctively how to do things. Such as the use of a pulse rifle to keep attackers from the village, led by the chief's son Jamin and his elite warriors from killing him, but keeps them at bay!
Nin-Si-Anna is an apprentice healer, being taught by her mother Needa, who is the village healer. She has powerful visions sent to her by She-Who-Is thru the teaching of her father Immanu, the village's shaman, who should not be teaching her his knowledge as it is meant for men, but she far out passes him.
Jamin is another main character of devious and deceptive thinking, he believes that Mik'hail has stolen away both his fiancee (the love of his life). Who up until 3 days before the crash was in love with him and his status in the village. He tries numerous plots to try and win back her affection and return to hium because he has an elevated opinion of himself and standing in Assur. Jamin failed at being the hero, who had told the Halifians how to attack the village, which he thought would happen when he killed or frightened them away thus making him the hero of the hour. Then Mik,hail saves Chief Kiyan while Jamin stands scared while the Halifians try to kill his father and loses face once more. Mik'hail fights with his sword like someone from out of the shamanic tales, killing 46 attackers, losing 11 villagers. Thereby making himself a hero in their eyes and even with all his differences, he is invited to stay in the village, instead of his space craft!
I especially enjoyed the spear throwing contest at the Summer Solstice 3390 BC, before which the two old sisters plied him with mead drunk through river reed straws; he who never liked to be anything but looking his best... ended up getting covered in straw and ocher mud from the obstacle part of the course.
The characters of Jophiel, the commander of the "angelics", her mate Raphael and their baby son Uriel made my life miserable because they took him away to be raised as a warrior in the Emperor's forces. More tears were shed when Uriel was dying and getting weaker and they let his parents see him to say goodbye. Then something wonderful happened... but you will have to read the book first!
The Saa'tan Empire with Lucifer as it's Prime Minister is a very different character than in other previous peoples novels. Ms. Erishkigal's Lucifer suffers from migraines (and has my sympathy for I have them), he also has blackouts and does not wake for longer periods of time as the book progresses. He is still a devious, womanizing drunkard with a largeamount of tricks up his sleeve and he uses them well. His relationship with his "Father" Hashem is a most certainly a remarkable, as it shows a more human side of him. Which also happens when he finds a "root-seed" wife, who gets pregnant, when he has been trying with others and not having offspring for over 200 years, now he is going to bea father himself...
This first novel by Ms. Erishkigal held me spellbound with well crafted characters and enthralling interactions in all time and space stamps, with lots of jumping back and forth which could have become very confusing, but succeeded enormously. I am giving this book "The Sword of the Gods: The Chosen #1" 4 and a half stars out of 5, well done. I think that here is an author who is about to break big on the book scene!
What will happen on earth between the 2 Empires in the second book "The Prince of Tyre" is a mystery and I am looking forward to lots more twisting and turning in the multi-dimensional chess game. With enthralling plots, further development of characters....
November 3, 2013
I really wanted to like this book. It has elements from my favorite genres and the author's take on the Angels/Devils motif seemed really interesting. Also, there are a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews.
Unfortunately, I could not get past the stilted prose. In all honesty, it could have really benefited from some decent editing and at least another draft or two. The story was predictable, but it was an interesting premise and fairly engaging. But, again, I kept getting distracted by the writing and it could have been so much better.
I honestly have no idea how this book scored so well, both here and on Amazon.
I highlighted some passages on my copy so I could point out specific places where I was jarred out of the story.
pp. 15, iBooks. "She slapped ochre down upon a date plam leaf as though killing a fish speared for supper as she considered her options."
That's a really awkward sentence. It's not too bad, but it's where I first started to notice the writing rather than the story.
pp. 15, iBooks. ". . . they discovered her save rate as a healer . . ."
We're supposedly in a stone age period. So, the use of the phrase "save rate" as well as the implication that this society would notice such things is questionable.
pp. 16, iBooks. ". . . village trallop . . ."
I think the author was going for the word 'trollop'. It's one of many typos. Usually, I let these slide since it's hardly reasonable to expect an editor to catch every misspelled word in a work of 80,000 plus words. But it's not endemic to the piece.
pp. 16, iBooks. ". . . rubinesque . . ."
First of all, it's 'rubenesque' if I'm catching the reference correctly. Second of all, the passage is an internal monologue by one of the characters describing someone else. It's several thousand years too early for this type of reference even if we assume that Peter Paul Rubens actually exists in this timeline.
pp. 29, iBooks. ". . . I had no idea you were being literal."
Stone age society. No evidence of literacy or even a written language to speak of. How does this character know the word literal? Literally.
pp. 30, iBooks. "Blood loss and shock could cause a man with moderate injuries to die where a more critically injured man might survive."
The classification for the medical condition referred to as shock wasn't suggested until 1972. Now, this one I might let slide if it was described as the character, in her job as a healer, had noticed some of the symptoms we now know of as shock and described it as such. But come on.
pp. 40, iBooks. "She clocked him right in the face."
And then she stood over him and said, "You got knocked the f*ck out, homie." But, seriously, we're only getting started on the overuse of cliche.
pp. 50. iBooks. "And now w're going to kick them to the curb because that's their job?"
This is one of the characters addressing parliament thousands of years in the future. This parliament is made up of wildly varying species from across the galaxy. And I'm to assume that they all understand what "kicked to the curb" means? I'm betting the Electrophori translator was typing wtf into his iPhone 50000S and frantically Googling the reference. Assuming Google is still around.
pp. 51. iBooks. "His demeanor changed from sorrow to that of a television preacher."
See kids. Even in the future where angels are present physically, there are still television preachers rallying up support for, um, something.
pp. 52. iBooks. ". . . risk upsetting the apple cart."
You know what, I'm not even going to comment on this one. In fact, at this point in the book I had to force myself to continue. Again, I wanted to give the author the benefit of the doubt, and I really wanted to like this book.
But, in the end, it was a tedious read and that ultimately overshadowed any positive points the story itself might have had.
Unfortunately, I could not get past the stilted prose. In all honesty, it could have really benefited from some decent editing and at least another draft or two. The story was predictable, but it was an interesting premise and fairly engaging. But, again, I kept getting distracted by the writing and it could have been so much better.
I honestly have no idea how this book scored so well, both here and on Amazon.
I highlighted some passages on my copy so I could point out specific places where I was jarred out of the story.
pp. 15, iBooks. "She slapped ochre down upon a date plam leaf as though killing a fish speared for supper as she considered her options."
That's a really awkward sentence. It's not too bad, but it's where I first started to notice the writing rather than the story.
pp. 15, iBooks. ". . . they discovered her save rate as a healer . . ."
We're supposedly in a stone age period. So, the use of the phrase "save rate" as well as the implication that this society would notice such things is questionable.
pp. 16, iBooks. ". . . village trallop . . ."
I think the author was going for the word 'trollop'. It's one of many typos. Usually, I let these slide since it's hardly reasonable to expect an editor to catch every misspelled word in a work of 80,000 plus words. But it's not endemic to the piece.
pp. 16, iBooks. ". . . rubinesque . . ."
First of all, it's 'rubenesque' if I'm catching the reference correctly. Second of all, the passage is an internal monologue by one of the characters describing someone else. It's several thousand years too early for this type of reference even if we assume that Peter Paul Rubens actually exists in this timeline.
pp. 29, iBooks. ". . . I had no idea you were being literal."
Stone age society. No evidence of literacy or even a written language to speak of. How does this character know the word literal? Literally.
pp. 30, iBooks. "Blood loss and shock could cause a man with moderate injuries to die where a more critically injured man might survive."
The classification for the medical condition referred to as shock wasn't suggested until 1972. Now, this one I might let slide if it was described as the character, in her job as a healer, had noticed some of the symptoms we now know of as shock and described it as such. But come on.
pp. 40, iBooks. "She clocked him right in the face."
And then she stood over him and said, "You got knocked the f*ck out, homie." But, seriously, we're only getting started on the overuse of cliche.
pp. 50. iBooks. "And now w're going to kick them to the curb because that's their job?"
This is one of the characters addressing parliament thousands of years in the future. This parliament is made up of wildly varying species from across the galaxy. And I'm to assume that they all understand what "kicked to the curb" means? I'm betting the Electrophori translator was typing wtf into his iPhone 50000S and frantically Googling the reference. Assuming Google is still around.
pp. 51. iBooks. "His demeanor changed from sorrow to that of a television preacher."
See kids. Even in the future where angels are present physically, there are still television preachers rallying up support for, um, something.
pp. 52. iBooks. ". . . risk upsetting the apple cart."
You know what, I'm not even going to comment on this one. In fact, at this point in the book I had to force myself to continue. Again, I wanted to give the author the benefit of the doubt, and I really wanted to like this book.
But, in the end, it was a tedious read and that ultimately overshadowed any positive points the story itself might have had.
July 12, 2013
Anna Erishkigal's Sword of the Gods: The Chosen One is riveting and well-written. It grabbed me from the first page and held me spellbound. It races across centuries, spans cultures and skips among and between angels and humans. And it was one of those books I almost didn't read because it's not in my usual genre. I'm a woman of faith AND a lover of reason, and the very concept of fallen angels challenges many of the fundamental tenets of my beliefs.
Because this first book of the series was free, I decided to try it anyway, and as soon as I met the main character, a strong female protagonist named Ninsianna, who lives in the Stone Ages, I was charmed. I continued reading, and met more characters I adored, like the angel with the broken, busted wing, named Mikhail.
Erishkigal excels at painting complex characters, with believable flaws and lovable quirks. I couldn't even detest her Lucifer, or Ninsianna's scorned prince-lover, Jamin. To me, this is one of the hallmarks of a great writer: can you stand the bad guys without totally worshiping the heroes? As far as Erishkigal is concerned, my answer is a resounding yes.
Although she excels at characterization, Erishkigal also weaves a complicated story with a wide cast of characters who lives worlds apart. Sword of the Gods has epic and saga written all over it.
If you enjoy a well-written story and a damn good yarn, try this book!
E.L. Farris
Author of Ripple and I Run
Because this first book of the series was free, I decided to try it anyway, and as soon as I met the main character, a strong female protagonist named Ninsianna, who lives in the Stone Ages, I was charmed. I continued reading, and met more characters I adored, like the angel with the broken, busted wing, named Mikhail.
Erishkigal excels at painting complex characters, with believable flaws and lovable quirks. I couldn't even detest her Lucifer, or Ninsianna's scorned prince-lover, Jamin. To me, this is one of the hallmarks of a great writer: can you stand the bad guys without totally worshiping the heroes? As far as Erishkigal is concerned, my answer is a resounding yes.
Although she excels at characterization, Erishkigal also weaves a complicated story with a wide cast of characters who lives worlds apart. Sword of the Gods has epic and saga written all over it.
If you enjoy a well-written story and a damn good yarn, try this book!
E.L. Farris
Author of Ripple and I Run
November 16, 2013
When a winged man falls from the sky, what do you do? If you are Ninsianna, first you ask the goddess, "Can I keep him?" Then, you stitch him up and fix him breakfast.
In the tradition of ancient myths, Anna Erishkigal has given us an heroic tale: romance, war, political intrigue, heroes, and gods playing with the lives of mortals. As it should be in any heroic epic, it's difficult at times to figure out who the real villains are. Heroes commit villainous deeds and those we are prepared to despise display a sense of honor--twisted, but a sense of honor nonetheless. Sons betray fathers and fathers betray sons.
Beyond the epic moments, are the sometimes humorous and mundane moments of everyday life: Ninsianna's mother seems unable to cook without burning the breakfast, lunch, or dinner--she is equally capable of destruction, no matter which meal it is. Perhaps, I related to this, because my mother frequently became distracted in those boring moments waiting for the toast to pop, the rice to cook, or the meat to broil. But one becomes used to the taste of charcoal, and I chuckled sympathetically at the memory when Mikhail seemingly oblivious to black ash, ate the fish that Ninsianna, who surely owed her mother an apology for past comments, had cooked.
All in all, the story kept me entertained, but I would caution, as is the case with many of the unabridged Greek heroic epics, some of the subject matter is for mature audiences.
In the tradition of ancient myths, Anna Erishkigal has given us an heroic tale: romance, war, political intrigue, heroes, and gods playing with the lives of mortals. As it should be in any heroic epic, it's difficult at times to figure out who the real villains are. Heroes commit villainous deeds and those we are prepared to despise display a sense of honor--twisted, but a sense of honor nonetheless. Sons betray fathers and fathers betray sons.
Beyond the epic moments, are the sometimes humorous and mundane moments of everyday life: Ninsianna's mother seems unable to cook without burning the breakfast, lunch, or dinner--she is equally capable of destruction, no matter which meal it is. Perhaps, I related to this, because my mother frequently became distracted in those boring moments waiting for the toast to pop, the rice to cook, or the meat to broil. But one becomes used to the taste of charcoal, and I chuckled sympathetically at the memory when Mikhail seemingly oblivious to black ash, ate the fish that Ninsianna, who surely owed her mother an apology for past comments, had cooked.
All in all, the story kept me entertained, but I would caution, as is the case with many of the unabridged Greek heroic epics, some of the subject matter is for mature audiences.
July 22, 2013
I'd like to give my thanks to Anna for having done a great job of creating a great work of art, combining expertly narrations from various angles, different elements from Angels to Humans and a superb plot! Though the book was pretty long in e-version and took me quite a lot of time to finish, I felt the book was definitely worth it. The fantasy world can't be more fantastic! Okay, I do sound pretty lame saying that but yeah, I'm very excited to read the next installment, Prince of Tyre. 5 stars, hands down.
January 16, 2014
For a change a kindle book that was longer than a few pages. Really loved this book, its entertaining, interesting and has a great opening sequence. Loved it so much, i downloaded the next in the series straight away!!
February 10, 2013
Review for Sword Of The Gods: The Chosen One by Anna Erishkigal
The story begins when Mikail, an Angelic, crash lands in 3500bc Mesopotamia. With no memory and life threatening injuries, Mikail is slowly nursed back to health by Ninsianna, a young woman from a nearby tribe. They eventually overcome the language barrier and develop feelings for each other, which is complicated by Jamin, Ninsianna’s jilted ex-fiance, and son of the Chief. As Mikail regains his memory bit by bit, Ninsianna begins to have visions of a great evil coming to threaten her world. Thus Mikail begins to train the village to defend themselves.
The other plot in the story has to do with the Angelics and the other hybrids that make up the armies of the Eternal Emperor facing extinction due to oversights and bad planning of the Eternal Emperor himself! Lucifer, the Galactic Prime Minister races to find a solution to his race’s problems with no help from their creator. When it is discovered that Ninsianna’s world is the last world to host the ‘Root Race’ , Lucifer hatches a plan to save his people and the other hybrids by aligning himself with the Shay’tanic Empire in a desperate bid to avert extinction. But Lucifer has been having blackouts, often lasting weeks at a time, with no recollection as to what he’s been doing during those times.
A great, compelling story that turns the whole Angels, Demons, God, and the Devil idea on its head, but may border on blasphemy to hardcore religious types. You will see many familiar names in a completely different light, and I found the fresh take simply remarkable.
Now for the bad part…
Even though the story takes place in 3500bc Mesopotamia and across the galaxy in the same time period, the characters speak in 21st Century terms and words. It somewhat worked for scenes that didn’t take place on Earth, but doesn’t fit with the Stone Age humans. For me, it took away from the whole experience, but not enough to take me away from an enjoying read. I look forward to seeing where this story goes!
Justin Osborne.
The story begins when Mikail, an Angelic, crash lands in 3500bc Mesopotamia. With no memory and life threatening injuries, Mikail is slowly nursed back to health by Ninsianna, a young woman from a nearby tribe. They eventually overcome the language barrier and develop feelings for each other, which is complicated by Jamin, Ninsianna’s jilted ex-fiance, and son of the Chief. As Mikail regains his memory bit by bit, Ninsianna begins to have visions of a great evil coming to threaten her world. Thus Mikail begins to train the village to defend themselves.
The other plot in the story has to do with the Angelics and the other hybrids that make up the armies of the Eternal Emperor facing extinction due to oversights and bad planning of the Eternal Emperor himself! Lucifer, the Galactic Prime Minister races to find a solution to his race’s problems with no help from their creator. When it is discovered that Ninsianna’s world is the last world to host the ‘Root Race’ , Lucifer hatches a plan to save his people and the other hybrids by aligning himself with the Shay’tanic Empire in a desperate bid to avert extinction. But Lucifer has been having blackouts, often lasting weeks at a time, with no recollection as to what he’s been doing during those times.
A great, compelling story that turns the whole Angels, Demons, God, and the Devil idea on its head, but may border on blasphemy to hardcore religious types. You will see many familiar names in a completely different light, and I found the fresh take simply remarkable.
Now for the bad part…
Even though the story takes place in 3500bc Mesopotamia and across the galaxy in the same time period, the characters speak in 21st Century terms and words. It somewhat worked for scenes that didn’t take place on Earth, but doesn’t fit with the Stone Age humans. For me, it took away from the whole experience, but not enough to take me away from an enjoying read. I look forward to seeing where this story goes!
Justin Osborne.
August 2, 2013
I thought that Swords of the Gods was a well written and thoroughly enjoyable novel. I found it hard to put it down and it’s been a while since that has happened. The premise of using Angels and Demons as the ‘heroes/antiheroes’, while ‘God’ plays chess with ‘Satan’ made the novel feel like an adventure with Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.
Archangel Mikhail crash lands in the ancient setting of 3500BC Mesopotamia and is nursed to health by Ninsiana, an apprentice healer from a local village. His injuries are severe and to make matters worse he has lost his memories. Ninsiana’s father, the local shaman, has oral histories about his species and he is accepted into the village. He spends his time trying to fit in, falling in love, and attempting to regain his memories. His place is cemented when he defends the village against raiders, stealing young women. And of course there must be the anti hero – Jamin, Ninsiana’s ex fiancé. He believes that Ninsiana is his, and his spiral into depression is haunting but also familiar.
Out in the cosmos, Mikhail’s contemporaries a fighting a losing battle with their genetics. Hashem (God) created the military races but the falling birth rates means that they are at the point of extinction. Without genetic material from the Root Race (humans), who are believed to be extinct, there is very little chance of saving them. However, Shay’tan (Satan) has found Ninsiana’s world and is behind the kidnapping. Lucifer (Hashem’s adopted son) is desperate to save the races and starts a covert breeding program, all the while suffering from migraines and blackouts that are lasting longer and longer.
The novel ends as Mikhail regains his memory and manages to send a message to Raphael his best friend and soldier in arms.
I am looking forward to reading Volume 2, The Prince of Tyre.
Thank you to Anna Erishkigal, for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book.
Archangel Mikhail crash lands in the ancient setting of 3500BC Mesopotamia and is nursed to health by Ninsiana, an apprentice healer from a local village. His injuries are severe and to make matters worse he has lost his memories. Ninsiana’s father, the local shaman, has oral histories about his species and he is accepted into the village. He spends his time trying to fit in, falling in love, and attempting to regain his memories. His place is cemented when he defends the village against raiders, stealing young women. And of course there must be the anti hero – Jamin, Ninsiana’s ex fiancé. He believes that Ninsiana is his, and his spiral into depression is haunting but also familiar.
Out in the cosmos, Mikhail’s contemporaries a fighting a losing battle with their genetics. Hashem (God) created the military races but the falling birth rates means that they are at the point of extinction. Without genetic material from the Root Race (humans), who are believed to be extinct, there is very little chance of saving them. However, Shay’tan (Satan) has found Ninsiana’s world and is behind the kidnapping. Lucifer (Hashem’s adopted son) is desperate to save the races and starts a covert breeding program, all the while suffering from migraines and blackouts that are lasting longer and longer.
The novel ends as Mikhail regains his memory and manages to send a message to Raphael his best friend and soldier in arms.
I am looking forward to reading Volume 2, The Prince of Tyre.
Thank you to Anna Erishkigal, for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2013
This was story that took me to an imaginary universe that I actually wanted to physically surround myself in. The mashing of the future and past makes you think what would you do to get a second chance. Mikhail and Ninsianna take a spin on Damsel in distress. You cheer for Raphael & Glicki, while wanting Jophiel to have it all. You are sad for Lucifer....sometimes then get mad you were sad for him in the first place. Everywhere people have status or position but are forgotten that they are living beings.
It's a beginning with much detail to give you a clear picture of the wild ride your being set for. Wonderful beginning to an epic fantasy series. Thank you made a new fan of me.
It's a beginning with much detail to give you a clear picture of the wild ride your being set for. Wonderful beginning to an epic fantasy series. Thank you made a new fan of me.
January 18, 2014
Wow. What a fantastic first novel. Anyone who enjoys a great Sci-Fi Fantasy story should pick this up and read it. You certainly won't be disappointed! I'm looking forward to continuing this series!
October 30, 2012
I loved this book. Once I started it I couldn't put it down. Awesome take on angels.
October 24, 2012
I love this book. It is full of surprises and kept me reading all night long until I finished it. I also love the way it's written, it really gives you a feel of the characters.
November 30, 2012
I loved this book I could not put it down when I started it thank you for picking me to win and read this fantastic book
March 6, 2015
Most awesome book ever. You gotta love it.
August 11, 2013
In The Chosen One Ms. Erishkigal sets a compelling plot within a fascinating universe. Her characters are well defined, and the premise she presents is thought provoking. In the tradition of all good science fiction, this is a “what if...” story. What if the Angels and Demons of Christian mythology were actually space aliens? Or, even better, genetically engineered space aliens. Or, better still, genetically engineered space aliens whose DNA is a mix of human and animal. And, the humans of Earth are the last ones in the galaxy. It is also a gripping political thriller and a touching romance. Unfortunately, this otherwise excellent effort is marred by a distinct lack of polish.
From the first paragraph of the Prologue the reader is caught up in the conflict between the Eternal Emperor and his ancient Adversary. We quickly shift perspectives to the cockpit of a spaceship which has crash landed in the Mesopotamian region of Earth during the year 3390 BC. The story then proceeds to jump back and forth between the political intrigues of galaxy-spanning empires and the more personal struggles of the wounded pilot of that spaceship and the Neolithic humans who heal him and welcome him into their lives. The interweaving of these two stories carry the reader on a path filled with interesting characters, subtle mysteries and sometimes heart wrenching pathos. This book would definitely deserve five stars if the author gave it another pass or two with an editor.
Ms. Erishkigal's cosmology is, for this reviewer, the most fascinating aspect of this saga. She begins with the Ascended Beings, especially the Eternal Emperor, Hashem, and his adversary, Shay'tan, who each rule over vast empires that span most of the Milky Way Galaxy. In their millenia-long contest for dominance of this galaxy each relies on armies comprised of specially dedicated races. The Sata'anic Empire's warriors are a sentient reptilian species that emerged 74,000 years prior to the events of the book. To defend his Galactic Alliance from the Sata'anic Empire, the Eternal Emperor has created four genetically enhanced species, the Angelics, the Leonids, the Centauri and the Merfolk. Hashem created these races by combining the DNA of Humans with that of eagles, lions, horses and dolphins respectively. Unfortunately, due to inbreeding to maintain desired though recessive traits and the attrition of near continuous war these races are dying out. The last known home world of the human root species was destroyed thousands of years ago and with it the solution to the hybrids' dilemma was lost. Or was it?
In the Mesopotamian region of Earth during the year 3390 BC an Angelic Air Force Colonel named Mikhail Mannuki'ili has crashed his scout ship while on a covert mission. As a result of his injuries he has no recollection of the mission or his life prior to the crash. He is nursed to health by Ninsianna, a woman of uncommon beauty and with a unique personal connection to the goddess known simply as She-Who-Is. Mikhail eventually becomes part of the nearby Ubaid tribe who view him as a prophesied winged savior.
One can probably guess where this is all going. Hashem and Shay'tan are stand-ins for the Christian Deity and His Eternal Adversary. Mikhail is this story's stand in for Michael the Arch-Angel. Other similar parallels are seen throughout the book. There are elements of pre-historic Near East shamanic mysticism woven within the framework as well. In this way, Ms. Erishkigal explores primitive faith as well as the nature of myth and legend. The clash of galactic empires serves as a backdrop within which questions of how necessity rather than morality often determines what is good and what is evil.
Despite all of this, however, one might wish the author had taken more care in her craft. As is often the case with self-published or independently published works, Sword of the Gods is in need of some editorial polishing. I noted at least 50 grammatical or spelling missteps, but beyond that there was a certain lack of verisimilitude that detracted from an otherwise delightful read. For instance, early in the story the central human woman, Ninsianna, uses the word “rubinesque” to describe another member of the tribe. It just threw me out of the story. Besides being misspelled, Rubens would not paint his famous nudes from which this term derives for several thousand years after the setting. She could have used the term “curvy” just as easily. At several points the native Ubaid people speak, and think, more like 21st Century Americans. It simply grated a bit to hear the word “technology” coming from the Ubaid Chief's mouth. Or the phrase “fade into the woodwork” used to describe one character's ability to seemingly disappear into thin air. Would a culture that builds its homes from mud bricks really use that phrase? The most egregious example of this sort of anachronism came at what was meant to be the culmination of the romantic sub-plot and really broke me out of the scene. I understand wanting to make the dialog and self-talk seem relateable and understandable to the reader, but there are ways to do this which would have deepened and enriched the sense of a distinct, distant culture (in both time and place) rather than making it feel more like a cheap TV drama that could have taken place anywhere.
Even with this need for further refinement, I still found Sword of the Gods worth the read. I even picked up the sequel, Prince of Tyre, to see where the story goes from here.
From the first paragraph of the Prologue the reader is caught up in the conflict between the Eternal Emperor and his ancient Adversary. We quickly shift perspectives to the cockpit of a spaceship which has crash landed in the Mesopotamian region of Earth during the year 3390 BC. The story then proceeds to jump back and forth between the political intrigues of galaxy-spanning empires and the more personal struggles of the wounded pilot of that spaceship and the Neolithic humans who heal him and welcome him into their lives. The interweaving of these two stories carry the reader on a path filled with interesting characters, subtle mysteries and sometimes heart wrenching pathos. This book would definitely deserve five stars if the author gave it another pass or two with an editor.
Ms. Erishkigal's cosmology is, for this reviewer, the most fascinating aspect of this saga. She begins with the Ascended Beings, especially the Eternal Emperor, Hashem, and his adversary, Shay'tan, who each rule over vast empires that span most of the Milky Way Galaxy. In their millenia-long contest for dominance of this galaxy each relies on armies comprised of specially dedicated races. The Sata'anic Empire's warriors are a sentient reptilian species that emerged 74,000 years prior to the events of the book. To defend his Galactic Alliance from the Sata'anic Empire, the Eternal Emperor has created four genetically enhanced species, the Angelics, the Leonids, the Centauri and the Merfolk. Hashem created these races by combining the DNA of Humans with that of eagles, lions, horses and dolphins respectively. Unfortunately, due to inbreeding to maintain desired though recessive traits and the attrition of near continuous war these races are dying out. The last known home world of the human root species was destroyed thousands of years ago and with it the solution to the hybrids' dilemma was lost. Or was it?
In the Mesopotamian region of Earth during the year 3390 BC an Angelic Air Force Colonel named Mikhail Mannuki'ili has crashed his scout ship while on a covert mission. As a result of his injuries he has no recollection of the mission or his life prior to the crash. He is nursed to health by Ninsianna, a woman of uncommon beauty and with a unique personal connection to the goddess known simply as She-Who-Is. Mikhail eventually becomes part of the nearby Ubaid tribe who view him as a prophesied winged savior.
One can probably guess where this is all going. Hashem and Shay'tan are stand-ins for the Christian Deity and His Eternal Adversary. Mikhail is this story's stand in for Michael the Arch-Angel. Other similar parallels are seen throughout the book. There are elements of pre-historic Near East shamanic mysticism woven within the framework as well. In this way, Ms. Erishkigal explores primitive faith as well as the nature of myth and legend. The clash of galactic empires serves as a backdrop within which questions of how necessity rather than morality often determines what is good and what is evil.
Despite all of this, however, one might wish the author had taken more care in her craft. As is often the case with self-published or independently published works, Sword of the Gods is in need of some editorial polishing. I noted at least 50 grammatical or spelling missteps, but beyond that there was a certain lack of verisimilitude that detracted from an otherwise delightful read. For instance, early in the story the central human woman, Ninsianna, uses the word “rubinesque” to describe another member of the tribe. It just threw me out of the story. Besides being misspelled, Rubens would not paint his famous nudes from which this term derives for several thousand years after the setting. She could have used the term “curvy” just as easily. At several points the native Ubaid people speak, and think, more like 21st Century Americans. It simply grated a bit to hear the word “technology” coming from the Ubaid Chief's mouth. Or the phrase “fade into the woodwork” used to describe one character's ability to seemingly disappear into thin air. Would a culture that builds its homes from mud bricks really use that phrase? The most egregious example of this sort of anachronism came at what was meant to be the culmination of the romantic sub-plot and really broke me out of the scene. I understand wanting to make the dialog and self-talk seem relateable and understandable to the reader, but there are ways to do this which would have deepened and enriched the sense of a distinct, distant culture (in both time and place) rather than making it feel more like a cheap TV drama that could have taken place anywhere.
Even with this need for further refinement, I still found Sword of the Gods worth the read. I even picked up the sequel, Prince of Tyre, to see where the story goes from here.
May 2, 2014
I like the story, Lots of romance, actions and funny scenes. And i really like the combination of almost everything in the book: like mythology, technology, science etc... I really like the way the author made a perfect description of every character's life, showing their good and bad sides. She shows you that even the most detestable character in the book has a good side. The Character that i like the most is Archangel Mikhail, He is more than awesome. He is Gorgeous, a fierce warrior, real, calm, private, courageous, honest, very helpful, mindful, he does not play games and above of all, the greatest lover ever! He's a master in how to treat a woman. But on the other hand i don't like that so-called Ninsianna the chosen one. I liked her at first but through the story, i found myself hating her. I absolutely hate the way she treats Mikhail. She totally threw herself at him, making it a mission to seduce and to have him at all costs. Then when she finally got him, she acted from being madly in love and a little clingy to being cold, careless and distant just because she can't have total control of Mikhail. The guy is not human and he's not used to be expressive like humans, especially when he's a very fierce and emotionless warrior. How do you expect to have absolute control of a man like him? That's beyond Ninsianna! She should consider herself lucky that Mikhail ended up being very expressive in showing his love for her. Lol Mikhail is so private and inexpressive by nature that i was really surprised when Ninsianna managed to turn him into a lovesick puppy. She was so sweet with him before they got married. She does not deserve Mikhail's perfect and unconditional love. She takes Mikhail's affections for granted. Who would act like this toward a perfect and too gorgeous man like she does? The man is perfect in every way imaginable, he has an ethereal beauty, perfect body, very tall and muscular, inhuman strength, beautiful and enormous wings and he's so madly in love with her and ready to do everything that she wants. What else does she want from him? Is she retarded or something? And she almost got herself and their unborn child killed because of that donkey head of hers, she's so selfish and bossy! And oh my God she's so possessive like nobody's business, like Mikhail is her toy. Her jealousy makes her so insecure and childish. No woman is allowed to look at him or talk to him otherwise she'll act like a heartless you know what. I mean the man is beyond beautiful, of course he will have all women at his feet. What she doesn't seem to know is that Mikhail only has eyes for her and is madly in love with her, he doesn't see or care about other women ( even though i don't see and understand why Mikhail is that madly in love with Ninsianna to begin with ) The poor guy deserves someone better in my opinion. Mikhail is just too good for that little selfish Ninsianna, she's too childish and not humble at all as a chosen one. And yes she has a total absence of humility. I cried while reading that part where Ninsianna is treating him like dirt. It's just not fair to me.
April 9, 2018
Fantastic!!!
Read strait through, not able to put it down except for quick emergency breaks!! And coffee!!! This book is a keeper I will enjoy reading over and over!
Read strait through, not able to put it down except for quick emergency breaks!! And coffee!!! This book is a keeper I will enjoy reading over and over!
June 26, 2013
I received this book from the author FOC
The Book
The story begins when Mikail, an Angelic, crash lands in 3500bc, Mesopotamia. He is slowly nursed back to health by Ninsianna, a young woman who has spiritual/supernatural gifts. Ninsianna is also the daughter of the village healer and spiritual leader They eventually overcome the language barrier and fall in love. Their relationship is complicated by Jamin, Ninsianna’s ex-fiance, and son of the village Chief.
Mikail regains his memory bit by bit, Ninsianna begins to have visions of evil coming into their world.
Mikail begins to train the village to defend themselves with Jamin trying to complicate matters.
On the other side, there are the Angelics and other hybrids that make up the armies of the Eternal Emperor. They face extinction due to oversights of the Eternal Emperor(Hasheem).
Lucifer, the Galactic Prime Minister and adopted son of Hasheem races to find a solution when his father refuses to help.
Shay'tan has discovered that Ninsianna’s world is the last world to host the ‘Root Race’ , which is the solution to the problem facing the Angelics.
Lucifer tries to save his people by aligning himself with the Shay’tanic Empire. Lucifer has been having blackouts, often lasting weeks at a time, with no recollection as to what he’s been doing.
What I Think
I usually don't like fantasy but I totally enjoyed it.
A great story that turns the whole concept of God, Satan, Angels, Demons etc. around.
I wouldn't recommend this to hardcore religious types.
The only thing I don't like about the book is the disparity in language. The author tried to combine two different worlds which are different in technological advancement. Although she did a good job, there were still some bumps, but not enough to take away from an enjoying read. I look forward to seeing where this story goes!
The Book
The story begins when Mikail, an Angelic, crash lands in 3500bc, Mesopotamia. He is slowly nursed back to health by Ninsianna, a young woman who has spiritual/supernatural gifts. Ninsianna is also the daughter of the village healer and spiritual leader They eventually overcome the language barrier and fall in love. Their relationship is complicated by Jamin, Ninsianna’s ex-fiance, and son of the village Chief.
Mikail regains his memory bit by bit, Ninsianna begins to have visions of evil coming into their world.
Mikail begins to train the village to defend themselves with Jamin trying to complicate matters.
On the other side, there are the Angelics and other hybrids that make up the armies of the Eternal Emperor. They face extinction due to oversights of the Eternal Emperor(Hasheem).
Lucifer, the Galactic Prime Minister and adopted son of Hasheem races to find a solution when his father refuses to help.
Shay'tan has discovered that Ninsianna’s world is the last world to host the ‘Root Race’ , which is the solution to the problem facing the Angelics.
Lucifer tries to save his people by aligning himself with the Shay’tanic Empire. Lucifer has been having blackouts, often lasting weeks at a time, with no recollection as to what he’s been doing.
What I Think
I usually don't like fantasy but I totally enjoyed it.
A great story that turns the whole concept of God, Satan, Angels, Demons etc. around.
I wouldn't recommend this to hardcore religious types.
The only thing I don't like about the book is the disparity in language. The author tried to combine two different worlds which are different in technological advancement. Although she did a good job, there were still some bumps, but not enough to take away from an enjoying read. I look forward to seeing where this story goes!
November 6, 2012
Mikha'il an Angelic, crash lands on earth and losses his memory and the recollection of an important mission he was on. Hurt and in a new place he is rescued and saved by Ninsianna. Her people have prophecies of a winged soldier that will help her people from an Evil One that is coming. Joining her village he tries to regain his memory and in the process he falls in love with Ninsianna and everything seems to be going great. Except that women start to disappear and the threat that something evil is coming becomes all to real. He takes charge in training his people to fight and defend themselves but they have know idea what great Evil is on the way.
This was an interesting book about Good vs. Evil in an intergalactic setting. Its a twist to the normal religious beliefs turned into an outer space war for control over the earth. You still have your Angelics, Humans, Gods, Seraphim and many other beings. This is a good read that keeps you engaged as the story progresses. It has a good amount of scheming and action that only adds to the mystery and suspense. The different characters and settings are well developed. I like Mikha'il as a character and its great to see the change he goes through emotionally. The relationship between Ninsianna and Mikha'il gives the book a nice romantic side. Overall I did enjoy the book, this was a well written book and had a good reading pace. Well bee looking forward to the next addition.
This was an interesting book about Good vs. Evil in an intergalactic setting. Its a twist to the normal religious beliefs turned into an outer space war for control over the earth. You still have your Angelics, Humans, Gods, Seraphim and many other beings. This is a good read that keeps you engaged as the story progresses. It has a good amount of scheming and action that only adds to the mystery and suspense. The different characters and settings are well developed. I like Mikha'il as a character and its great to see the change he goes through emotionally. The relationship between Ninsianna and Mikha'il gives the book a nice romantic side. Overall I did enjoy the book, this was a well written book and had a good reading pace. Well bee looking forward to the next addition.
July 30, 2015
I love fiction that takes me to another time and another place – somewhere interesting that I haven't been before. The Chosen One pops between ancient Mesopotamia and an intergalactic empire. The details of life in the fertile crescent are so well drawn that I felt like I was there. The intergalactic empire is wonderfully original and unpredictable.
You will want to meet the two central characters: Ninsianna, the healer, and her lover, Mikhail the Angelic. The romance sizzles almost from the first chapter and never lets up. It is rare in science fiction to find compelling love relationships like this.
This book walks the line between science and fantasy, populated as it is with creatures of legend and powerful shamans. But everything is explained in an internally consistent, scientifically-plausible framework. The non-humans were extremely-well characterized, their gestures matching their physiology. I learned what it feels like to have wings. If you want to soar, read The Chosen One.
You will want to meet the two central characters: Ninsianna, the healer, and her lover, Mikhail the Angelic. The romance sizzles almost from the first chapter and never lets up. It is rare in science fiction to find compelling love relationships like this.
This book walks the line between science and fantasy, populated as it is with creatures of legend and powerful shamans. But everything is explained in an internally consistent, scientifically-plausible framework. The non-humans were extremely-well characterized, their gestures matching their physiology. I learned what it feels like to have wings. If you want to soar, read The Chosen One.
August 20, 2013
This was a very fun sci-fi story, with elements of fantasy. I think the author had a genius idea of using sci-fi and genetic engeneering to sort of explain the roots of our culture and religion. The characters are incredible, Lucifer is a complex and interesting character, and I have some serious doubts about Zepar. Mikhail is great, an incredible warrior and his amnesia just helped bring out the wonderful person inside. I love love love Ninsianna, she's a terrific lady, who brought woman power to the stone age. Just, overall great!
Thanks Anna for the free copy, and for whoever else is interested in reading this awesome book, here's the link! :)
http://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/downl...
Have fun! ;)
Thanks Anna for the free copy, and for whoever else is interested in reading this awesome book, here's the link! :)
http://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/downl...
Have fun! ;)
May 2, 2016
I read this many months ago and to my shame forgot to post a rating/review. This first volume is a little rough-and-ready at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. It's a lot of fun - the 'angels are really ancient aliens' trope was old before even von Daniken got hold of it, but this novel somehow makes it seem fresh. There's a huge cast of characters with a heap of flaws, intrigue, conflict, love, hate and everything between. On the subject of love, I thought the main romance worked well. This is space opera on the fantasy end of the scale, so the advanced technology and science was very light-touch. The book ends on a cliff-hangar, which this time I forgive (I rarely do). An entertaining read.
March 20, 2020
The opening saga to Anna Erishkigal's epic 'Sword of the Gods' space opera features world building approaching the level of Frank Herbert's 'Dune.' Augmented by her ability to bring the reader in close to well-developed characters, the story takes us to a universe all her own, in which orders of beings pursue their own agendas, and the consequences emerging from conflict in unseen realms threatens what the less aware consider to be their totality of being.
Overall, the writing earns five stars, driven by an interesting premise and the ability to capture and maintain the reader's interest. No, it's not Christian fiction. This universe belongs to Erishkigal, who is well enough in command of her literary domain for me to continue on into the series.
Overall, the writing earns five stars, driven by an interesting premise and the ability to capture and maintain the reader's interest. No, it's not Christian fiction. This universe belongs to Erishkigal, who is well enough in command of her literary domain for me to continue on into the series.
November 5, 2012
I won this book on Good Reads Book Giveaway......First Reads and am very excited to read it. It arrived in the mail this morning. I will start it after work. Thank you Anna Erishkigal and Seraphim Press.
I really enjoyed the reading this book. The characters are well developed. I feel like I understand their motives and their feelings. The fight scenes and the love scenes were well written, not too graphic.
My only reason for giving four instead of five star is that there were four to five typo/missing words throughout the book. Not a big deal, but they interrupted the flow of the book for me.
I really enjoyed the reading this book. The characters are well developed. I feel like I understand their motives and their feelings. The fight scenes and the love scenes were well written, not too graphic.
My only reason for giving four instead of five star is that there were four to five typo/missing words throughout the book. Not a big deal, but they interrupted the flow of the book for me.
April 16, 2017
When you think about God and creation and the angels and just how humans fit into the picture, this is one book that will take all your old thoughts and turn it on the head. There is a constant struggle between the Eternal Emperor and his biggest rival Shaytan. That its all just a giant game of chess, is so very interestingly portrayed. As familiar names go through a new setting in the future, its more than a fantasy novel that weaves its way through you. You are cheering for the unfortunate beings being played with and feeling bad for characters who are misunderstood. There is just no two ways about how much I loved this book. If you enjoy fantasy based on angels you will LOVE this book
November 29, 2012
I won this book through a Goodreads First reads giveaway. I have to start off by saying that I usually don't pick this as my usual genre to read. That being said I thought I'd give it a try and was very surprised how much I liked this book.
I liked the way it was written and actually had a hard time putting it down. I'm glad I ventured outside my reading comfort zone and had a chance to read this book. Thank you Goodreads , the Author and the Publisher for that chance. It was very good book to read.
I liked the way it was written and actually had a hard time putting it down. I'm glad I ventured outside my reading comfort zone and had a chance to read this book. Thank you Goodreads , the Author and the Publisher for that chance. It was very good book to read.
October 31, 2012
I really enjoyed the way this book was written. It was told from the perspective of many different characters, from Angels and other ascended beings, to Humans, and was constantly changing between them. Their were alot of characters and multiple story lines that were all interwoven. All of the characters felt real and all of their stories felt important.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
December 20, 2012
This was far better than I was expecting. The different perspective on angels, demons, gods and everything in between was very well done. Definitely looking forward to moving onto book 2 and seeing how the story unfolds now that Mikhail has made contact with Raphael, Lucifer finally realises Zepar isn't quite what he seems and Hashem has finally pulled his head out of his ass.
May 18, 2016
Great book
The author refuses to finish this story line. I have read all three books. And for nearly 3 years all of her fans have been hanging on in hopes of completing this wonderful story. The story line is as good as anything written by Tolkien, Jordan, Weber or any other fantasy/syfi authors. So don't purchase this book unless you don't care about closure.
The author refuses to finish this story line. I have read all three books. And for nearly 3 years all of her fans have been hanging on in hopes of completing this wonderful story. The story line is as good as anything written by Tolkien, Jordan, Weber or any other fantasy/syfi authors. So don't purchase this book unless you don't care about closure.
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