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The Awakened #1
Prophet of the Badlands
For most twelve year olds, being kidnapped is terrifying. For Althea, it’s just Tuesday.
Her power to heal the wounded and cleanse the sick makes her a hunted commodity in the Badlands, a place devoid of technology where the strong write the law in blood. For as long as she can remember, they always come, they always take her, and she lets them. Passed around in an endless series of abductions, she obeys without question ― mending those who killed to own her.
After three whole months in the same village, the affection of a young warrior makes her feel almost like a member of the tribe rather than a captive. Her brief joy shatters when raiders seize her yet again; for the first time in six years, being stolen hurts.
A reluctant escape sends her wandering, and she realizes her gift is a prize that causes as much death as it prevents. Her attempt to return to the tribe leaves her lost and alone, hounded at every turn. When a family who sees her not as the Prophet ― but as a little girl ― takes her in, she finds the courage to use her power to protect those she loves.
A strange man from a world beyond her imagining tests her newfound resolve, seeking to use her power to further his own agenda. Tired of being property, her freedom boils down to one question: Can Althea balance the sanctity with which she holds all life against the miserable truth that some people deserve to die?
Her power to heal the wounded and cleanse the sick makes her a hunted commodity in the Badlands, a place devoid of technology where the strong write the law in blood. For as long as she can remember, they always come, they always take her, and she lets them. Passed around in an endless series of abductions, she obeys without question ― mending those who killed to own her.
After three whole months in the same village, the affection of a young warrior makes her feel almost like a member of the tribe rather than a captive. Her brief joy shatters when raiders seize her yet again; for the first time in six years, being stolen hurts.
A reluctant escape sends her wandering, and she realizes her gift is a prize that causes as much death as it prevents. Her attempt to return to the tribe leaves her lost and alone, hounded at every turn. When a family who sees her not as the Prophet ― but as a little girl ― takes her in, she finds the courage to use her power to protect those she loves.
A strange man from a world beyond her imagining tests her newfound resolve, seeking to use her power to further his own agenda. Tired of being property, her freedom boils down to one question: Can Althea balance the sanctity with which she holds all life against the miserable truth that some people deserve to die?
350 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2014
88 people are currently reading
991 people want to read
About the author
Matthew S. Cox
181 books265 followersBorn in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 9, 2015
This book should be made into a movie!!!
Do you like reading books with badass heroines in it? What about powers? Maybe you like reading about different places and different types of people? Or maybe you just like the thrill and the action?
It's all here!!!! I promise you!!!
You will not be disappointed!!!!!
*breathes*
Okay... So what is this story all about?
It's all about a twelve year old girl named Althea. In many ways, she's just like a normal girl. She likes simple things like eating, running, having a safe place to sleep, having a family, making her sister brush her hair, talking to nice animals.. things like that. However, in some ways, she's entirely different. You see, Althea has powers. Powers that almost everybody wants to possess and because of that, she is always the hunted. Despite being so kind, she is often tricked, abused and just plain captured. Once she's free... she goes through so many adventures, if you can call them that. She meets so many people that I even thought I would see lots of them again in the end, considering that this book is quite long, but no. The other characters that she meets are with her forever, but some just pass by. One person in particular kept her going. Den. You'd think it's puppy love, what with their ages, but the way I read it... They have a great potential as a couple. :) Looking forward to that! Den is my first fave /other/ character, the second is Shepherd, third would be Karina. Both of the latter characters will have great impacts on Althea's life... but I won't say how. READ IT! ^_^
What I like most about Althea's character is not her ability to influence the mind of other people... instead, I love her ability to always, always, think of the good in them first. It may sound naive, but that's what I like about her. The fact that she is hunted over and over again, but she stays true to her belief that life is precious is actually a gift all on its own.
The plot is very, very, very unique in my opinion. It's set in so many places and so many kinds of people are in it too, so boredom will be a thing of the past for readers. In line with that, I can definitely say that the author can make you imagine what he wants you to see. He's so good at creating a world full of... all things different! I swear! It's amazing how such mismatched places could exist in only one world. You'll feel the need to go back to the stone age then move forward up to the most technological future world that you can think of. It's full of action. One minute she's captured, the next she has escaped and you have to go back to review what happened! Who helped her? What did she do? Gosh! This book needs your focus because every detail counts! This book will be loved by many! I hope it becomes a movie!!!
Read this and watch out for Althea. She will definitely make you want to hug her. She will want to make you be her friend, family etc. Me? I want to be her! I'll take all the danger anytime because man oh man.. She is one great character!
Now I'm not a professional reviewer. I'm just a reader who.. well.. happens to read a lot and embrace different genres. However, even with my lack of professional skills in reviewing, I would definitely say that this book is worth your time, worth your money and worth the emotions!
Now my only problem is I really, really want that next book now! Hah!
Do you like reading books with badass heroines in it? What about powers? Maybe you like reading about different places and different types of people? Or maybe you just like the thrill and the action?
It's all here!!!! I promise you!!!
You will not be disappointed!!!!!
*breathes*
Okay... So what is this story all about?
It's all about a twelve year old girl named Althea. In many ways, she's just like a normal girl. She likes simple things like eating, running, having a safe place to sleep, having a family, making her sister brush her hair, talking to nice animals.. things like that. However, in some ways, she's entirely different. You see, Althea has powers. Powers that almost everybody wants to possess and because of that, she is always the hunted. Despite being so kind, she is often tricked, abused and just plain captured. Once she's free... she goes through so many adventures, if you can call them that. She meets so many people that I even thought I would see lots of them again in the end, considering that this book is quite long, but no. The other characters that she meets are with her forever, but some just pass by. One person in particular kept her going. Den. You'd think it's puppy love, what with their ages, but the way I read it... They have a great potential as a couple. :) Looking forward to that! Den is my first fave /other/ character, the second is Shepherd, third would be Karina. Both of the latter characters will have great impacts on Althea's life... but I won't say how. READ IT! ^_^
What I like most about Althea's character is not her ability to influence the mind of other people... instead, I love her ability to always, always, think of the good in them first. It may sound naive, but that's what I like about her. The fact that she is hunted over and over again, but she stays true to her belief that life is precious is actually a gift all on its own.
The plot is very, very, very unique in my opinion. It's set in so many places and so many kinds of people are in it too, so boredom will be a thing of the past for readers. In line with that, I can definitely say that the author can make you imagine what he wants you to see. He's so good at creating a world full of... all things different! I swear! It's amazing how such mismatched places could exist in only one world. You'll feel the need to go back to the stone age then move forward up to the most technological future world that you can think of. It's full of action. One minute she's captured, the next she has escaped and you have to go back to review what happened! Who helped her? What did she do? Gosh! This book needs your focus because every detail counts! This book will be loved by many! I hope it becomes a movie!!!
Read this and watch out for Althea. She will definitely make you want to hug her. She will want to make you be her friend, family etc. Me? I want to be her! I'll take all the danger anytime because man oh man.. She is one great character!
Now I'm not a professional reviewer. I'm just a reader who.. well.. happens to read a lot and embrace different genres. However, even with my lack of professional skills in reviewing, I would definitely say that this book is worth your time, worth your money and worth the emotions!
Now my only problem is I really, really want that next book now! Hah!
August 2, 2015
Full Disclosure: I chose to read this book just because the main character's name is Althea. I have a great appreciation for my literary name-sisters!
However, I have to admit to also having a great weakness for the genre(s) of this book. Althea is a Mad Max-style feral child, living in a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic world of violence and mutants known as the Badlands.
(Fourth from the left there, that's Althea. Exactly.) She's 10-12, resourceful and capable... but she also has mutant powers. Due to these powers, of which her mysteriously-glowing eyes are a giveaway, she's known as the Prophet.
She doesn't actually have the skill to foretell the future, but she does have the power of psychic healing - which in a land of casual violence is very, very useful. Therefore, for most of her short life, Althea has been repeatedly kidnapped, passed from hand to hand as a possession. Her extreme usefulness has protected her physically, but it's no life for a kid.
As the story begins, Althea has finally found a situation she doesn't mind, and has made a friend - Den's a boy around her age who hopes to marry her. However, once again she is kidnapped, torn away from everything she knows, and thrown in with a group of older women - the harem of a vicious warlord.
This is them. Exactly.
Althea is compelled by her gift and her compassionate instincts to help anyone in need, and she wishes both to help these women and to escape and return to Den and his village.
However, this is just the beginning. Althea's story is a long, episodic saga of adventures throughout the Badlands. Later in the book, she also gets outside the Badlands, where the story takes an abrupt turn toward sci-fi/cyberpunk rather than 'pure' post-apocalyptic/dystopian adventure. That was OK with me, because I like cyberpunk too, and it was nice to put the Badlands in a larger context.
Overall, though, the plot feels a bit rambling, and could've been tightened up quite a lot. The writing serves its purpose, but is nothing special. There were quite a few awkward phrases and misused words throughout, which a good editor should've cleaned up before publication. I also thought that, with a pre-pubescent heroine, the romance aspect (even an innocent, G-rated romance) was completely unnecessary. Friendship (without romance) would've rung more true. Lastly, I would've liked more exploration of the fact that Althea is clearly an emotion-starved child with a tendency to grab on desperately to anyone who is willing to show her the slightest shred of kindness. The book pretty much acknowledges that but then the plot gives far too much weight to first, Den's village, and later, Althea's insta-adopted 'family.' I would've liked to see Althea learning to judge what might be best for herself, rather than simply clinging to those who have showed her kindness. The amount of 'judginess' the plot gives to the values of the society outside the Badlands also felt unfair: too much "big cities are pits of sin and simple village life is better" there for me.
Overall though - I have to admit enjoying the book for what it was. Good fun, with enough of the Things I'm A Sucker For in there to make up for any of its weaknesses.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own
However, I have to admit to also having a great weakness for the genre(s) of this book. Althea is a Mad Max-style feral child, living in a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic world of violence and mutants known as the Badlands.
(Fourth from the left there, that's Althea. Exactly.) She's 10-12, resourceful and capable... but she also has mutant powers. Due to these powers, of which her mysteriously-glowing eyes are a giveaway, she's known as the Prophet.
She doesn't actually have the skill to foretell the future, but she does have the power of psychic healing - which in a land of casual violence is very, very useful. Therefore, for most of her short life, Althea has been repeatedly kidnapped, passed from hand to hand as a possession. Her extreme usefulness has protected her physically, but it's no life for a kid.
As the story begins, Althea has finally found a situation she doesn't mind, and has made a friend - Den's a boy around her age who hopes to marry her. However, once again she is kidnapped, torn away from everything she knows, and thrown in with a group of older women - the harem of a vicious warlord.
This is them. Exactly.
Althea is compelled by her gift and her compassionate instincts to help anyone in need, and she wishes both to help these women and to escape and return to Den and his village.
However, this is just the beginning. Althea's story is a long, episodic saga of adventures throughout the Badlands. Later in the book, she also gets outside the Badlands, where the story takes an abrupt turn toward sci-fi/cyberpunk rather than 'pure' post-apocalyptic/dystopian adventure. That was OK with me, because I like cyberpunk too, and it was nice to put the Badlands in a larger context.
Overall, though, the plot feels a bit rambling, and could've been tightened up quite a lot. The writing serves its purpose, but is nothing special. There were quite a few awkward phrases and misused words throughout, which a good editor should've cleaned up before publication. I also thought that, with a pre-pubescent heroine, the romance aspect (even an innocent, G-rated romance) was completely unnecessary. Friendship (without romance) would've rung more true. Lastly, I would've liked more exploration of the fact that Althea is clearly an emotion-starved child with a tendency to grab on desperately to anyone who is willing to show her the slightest shred of kindness. The book pretty much acknowledges that but then the plot gives far too much weight to first, Den's village, and later, Althea's insta-adopted 'family.' I would've liked to see Althea learning to judge what might be best for herself, rather than simply clinging to those who have showed her kindness. The amount of 'judginess' the plot gives to the values of the society outside the Badlands also felt unfair: too much "big cities are pits of sin and simple village life is better" there for me.
Overall though - I have to admit enjoying the book for what it was. Good fun, with enough of the Things I'm A Sucker For in there to make up for any of its weaknesses.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are solely my own
April 11, 2017
Thanks to Curiosity Quills Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Althea is not like most 12 year olds... her eyes glow in the dark, she can read people's minds and influence them and she can heal the sick in a person whatever it may be. She is the prophet of the badlands and raiders trade, kill and steal her until she finds her way to a small village where she meets Den. He challenges her acceptance of being treated like a commodity... until she finds the courage to use her power to protect those she loves.
When I read the premise for book #4 in the series, Daughter of Ash, I had an inkling I would fall in love with this series. So I started at book #1 and I was not disappointed!!
I was caught up in this story right off. I really liked Althea's narrative style. Her philosophy to just go with the flow makes total sense to me. I really liked Den too and his simple love for Althea. The lover's situation is quickly setup and the big question: will she be able to get back to Den? was burning a fire in me the entire time I read. This setup would not have been enough to support me reading non-stop if it hadn't been followed by some really great plot that arose through a masterful weaving of character and plot. I'm talking about a hidden secret, a crazy female phantasm and the necklace vision just to give you a few clues! I loved how she would eat whatever she could find and that she was so proud of the leather strip skirt she made for herself.
As Althea moved through this world we got exposed to some masterful world building that really made Althea shine. Paired with varied battles and moments of extreme survival and you were kept on the edge of your seat! We are essentially following Althea through the Badlands as she does everything to survive. As we do this Althea is slowly changed by every interaction she has with the denizens of the world around her. Althea made a perfect foil to these characters whatever their motivations she had a unique take on them and how to interact. The flow of the story was quite well done as Althea made choices that separated her or brought her together with people/creatures that she felt strongly about. You got a very real sense of being this 12 year old girl even if you totally disagreed with the choices she made...
Part of what makes Althea's story so entrancing is how firmly she narrates the story. The subtle change in terms like for sex = wife her really helped establish her character. The way thing are described is very detailed, for the most part in a good way if a touch dense. The pacing was a little plodding at times as the story started to feel repetitive, especially once we left the Badlands.
Althea was not the only bad ass character, I also adored Karina and Father. I was sad about the dog man and Shepard. The twists with Rachel, Aurora and Mike the cop were startling. The villains were crazy, like totally unequivocally crazy! Things shifted and changed with every interaction. At one point you think Althea will surely slip out of this one due to "this" but then she surprised you and it was through another way! I loved how nothing is repeated as we followed Althea through this world!
This story could quickly get distasteful if not for the juxtaposition of Althea's disposition to the hardness of the world. The switches in setting and the constantly changing survival situations were spot on. The end and the end end and the end end end were all so cool to me!!
BOTTOM LINE: Perfect balance of a hard apocalyptic world against the innocence of a child.
Althea is not like most 12 year olds... her eyes glow in the dark, she can read people's minds and influence them and she can heal the sick in a person whatever it may be. She is the prophet of the badlands and raiders trade, kill and steal her until she finds her way to a small village where she meets Den. He challenges her acceptance of being treated like a commodity... until she finds the courage to use her power to protect those she loves.
When I read the premise for book #4 in the series, Daughter of Ash, I had an inkling I would fall in love with this series. So I started at book #1 and I was not disappointed!!
I was caught up in this story right off. I really liked Althea's narrative style. Her philosophy to just go with the flow makes total sense to me. I really liked Den too and his simple love for Althea. The lover's situation is quickly setup and the big question: will she be able to get back to Den? was burning a fire in me the entire time I read. This setup would not have been enough to support me reading non-stop if it hadn't been followed by some really great plot that arose through a masterful weaving of character and plot. I'm talking about a hidden secret, a crazy female phantasm and the necklace vision just to give you a few clues! I loved how she would eat whatever she could find and that she was so proud of the leather strip skirt she made for herself.
As Althea moved through this world we got exposed to some masterful world building that really made Althea shine. Paired with varied battles and moments of extreme survival and you were kept on the edge of your seat! We are essentially following Althea through the Badlands as she does everything to survive. As we do this Althea is slowly changed by every interaction she has with the denizens of the world around her. Althea made a perfect foil to these characters whatever their motivations she had a unique take on them and how to interact. The flow of the story was quite well done as Althea made choices that separated her or brought her together with people/creatures that she felt strongly about. You got a very real sense of being this 12 year old girl even if you totally disagreed with the choices she made...
Part of what makes Althea's story so entrancing is how firmly she narrates the story. The subtle change in terms like for sex = wife her really helped establish her character. The way thing are described is very detailed, for the most part in a good way if a touch dense. The pacing was a little plodding at times as the story started to feel repetitive, especially once we left the Badlands.
Althea was not the only bad ass character, I also adored Karina and Father. I was sad about the dog man and Shepard. The twists with Rachel, Aurora and Mike the cop were startling. The villains were crazy, like totally unequivocally crazy! Things shifted and changed with every interaction. At one point you think Althea will surely slip out of this one due to "this" but then she surprised you and it was through another way! I loved how nothing is repeated as we followed Althea through this world!
This story could quickly get distasteful if not for the juxtaposition of Althea's disposition to the hardness of the world. The switches in setting and the constantly changing survival situations were spot on. The end and the end end and the end end end were all so cool to me!!
BOTTOM LINE: Perfect balance of a hard apocalyptic world against the innocence of a child.
May 28, 2015
I admittedly approached Prophet of the Badlands with some trepidation, because I've read a mountain of Dystopian novels, and I wasn't sure if I could stomach another one. The words Cyberpunk and scifi did pique my interest, however, and having read Caller 107 by Matthew Cox previously, I decided to simply dive right in.
Turns out Prophet of the Badlands is by far one of the best novels of 2015 for me--easily in the top 5--and Althea is a character you want to comfort but are in awe of her tremendous raw power. Her ability to heal even the most horrible injuries makes her a coveted asset in the Badlands where weakness and inattentiveness means death and there are plenty of mutated creatures lying in wait to snatch you up as a quick meal or raiders to enslave you into work or a harem. The common "things that go bump in the night" pale in comparison to all of these beasts.
Until Althea and Prophet of the Badlands, I wasn't familiar with the concept of psionics, or superhuman abilities, and while touted to be a "gamer" thing, it has been studied since 1889. I just know I'd like to have some of those abilities. It's heartbreaking when Althea is kidnapped repeatedly, and when taken from Den (her true love) after three months of feeling like she almost belonged, it's nearly unbearable. However it's necessary for her to be taken so readers get to embark on her adventures to understand the Badlands and places which are not as primitive but equally awful in their own right. Through it all, Althea is able to maintain her purity and innocence--no easy feat in a cruel world like the Badlands and beyond--but she finally does come into her own without losing the qualities which endear me most to her. I enjoyed colorful characters like Rachel, Karina, and The Waterman along the way, but you'll have to read the book to know them more intimately. A few points in the novels gave me serious feels with tissues, and I'm only this way when deeply invested in an excellent story.
Book logistics: Regardless of its lengthiness, Prophet of the Badlands boasts a tightly woven plot with no holes, I didn't spy one imperfection in grammar, there was consistent character conflict and surprises at every turn, a fantastic climax, and the perfect ending. I look forward to reading all six books in the Awakened series and especially meeting Althea again. Prophet of the Badlands is completely worth 5 stars and then some. Read it without regret, I promise. Matthew Cox is a superb storyteller.
Turns out Prophet of the Badlands is by far one of the best novels of 2015 for me--easily in the top 5--and Althea is a character you want to comfort but are in awe of her tremendous raw power. Her ability to heal even the most horrible injuries makes her a coveted asset in the Badlands where weakness and inattentiveness means death and there are plenty of mutated creatures lying in wait to snatch you up as a quick meal or raiders to enslave you into work or a harem. The common "things that go bump in the night" pale in comparison to all of these beasts.
Until Althea and Prophet of the Badlands, I wasn't familiar with the concept of psionics, or superhuman abilities, and while touted to be a "gamer" thing, it has been studied since 1889. I just know I'd like to have some of those abilities. It's heartbreaking when Althea is kidnapped repeatedly, and when taken from Den (her true love) after three months of feeling like she almost belonged, it's nearly unbearable. However it's necessary for her to be taken so readers get to embark on her adventures to understand the Badlands and places which are not as primitive but equally awful in their own right. Through it all, Althea is able to maintain her purity and innocence--no easy feat in a cruel world like the Badlands and beyond--but she finally does come into her own without losing the qualities which endear me most to her. I enjoyed colorful characters like Rachel, Karina, and The Waterman along the way, but you'll have to read the book to know them more intimately. A few points in the novels gave me serious feels with tissues, and I'm only this way when deeply invested in an excellent story.
Book logistics: Regardless of its lengthiness, Prophet of the Badlands boasts a tightly woven plot with no holes, I didn't spy one imperfection in grammar, there was consistent character conflict and surprises at every turn, a fantastic climax, and the perfect ending. I look forward to reading all six books in the Awakened series and especially meeting Althea again. Prophet of the Badlands is completely worth 5 stars and then some. Read it without regret, I promise. Matthew Cox is a superb storyteller.
January 25, 2016
Finally, a 5 star read for me!!!! This book was like a breath of fresh air. I was worried it would become repetitive because the same thing seems to happen to our heroine....... She is kidnapped, stays with that group, then is kidnapped again, so on etc. I was so pleased that each kidnapping was like a whole new world this girl was subjected to and it made for such an interesting read. It almost felt as if each kidnapping resulting into her waking up in a whole new era and time frame. Truly a unique and fast paced read. The character development was incredible. It was almost as if this book covered every genre possible at each turn. We had horror, a touch of romance, dystopia, sci-fi, fantasy, coming of age, etc.
My only slight complaint, is that our heroine went through so very much, and yet she seemed unchanged. She matured mentally, but never physically and it was as if all these events happened to her, but she remained a 12 year old little girl. It felt like a lot of time passed during her journey and yet she didn't age. I think I would have found the read more enjoyable had the heroine been a bit older, say 14-16. I get that her being young helped make her innocence and good heart more believable but it just didn’t settle well for me. Especially when she was talking about loving a boy and planning to marry this boy from the first group she was with. I get this was a unique world etc. but come on. 12 years old was just too young for me personally regardless if it's in the stone ago or futuristic.
Overall, I am still incredibly impressed with this book and can't wait to jump into book 2. I also appreciate it being offered as a kindleunlimited.
My only slight complaint, is that our heroine went through so very much, and yet she seemed unchanged. She matured mentally, but never physically and it was as if all these events happened to her, but she remained a 12 year old little girl. It felt like a lot of time passed during her journey and yet she didn't age. I think I would have found the read more enjoyable had the heroine been a bit older, say 14-16. I get that her being young helped make her innocence and good heart more believable but it just didn’t settle well for me. Especially when she was talking about loving a boy and planning to marry this boy from the first group she was with. I get this was a unique world etc. but come on. 12 years old was just too young for me personally regardless if it's in the stone ago or futuristic.
Overall, I am still incredibly impressed with this book and can't wait to jump into book 2. I also appreciate it being offered as a kindleunlimited.
August 16, 2016
Me, basically:
May 8, 2015
INITIAL THOUGHTS
Post Apocalyptic has to be one of my favourite genres alongside dystopian, so i was already interested in this book prior to reading the blurb. Then when I read about Althea and her power/gift of healing, it added another dimension to the book and encouraged me to read this book.
MY REVIEW
I was given a free e-copy of this book by the publishers Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for my honest review.
The cover features a young bedraggled girl, who looks very small, afraid and maybe a little unwanted. We learn from reading the book that this is Althea, the Prophet. The back ground surrounding Althea is of mangled cars, rusted steel and broken down buildings, which adds to the post apocalyptic feel of the cover.
Would the cover make me want to pick this book up from a book store shelf? Yes, if I am totally honest it was the cover that initially caught my eye and influenced my decision to read the blurb when Clare from Curiosity Quills sent me information about this book and others that had been released in April.
The main character is Althea a young child, whose best guess is that she is about 12 years old. She can't remember her real age or even her parents as she has been moved around and swapped between different "owners" for all of her life. Althea is no ordinary young child, though the only real clue to her powers are her bright blue eyes, that glow in the dark. Althea is known in the Badlands as "The Prophet" though she has many powers, the one people fight over to possess her is her power of healing.
Althea cannot refuse to heal, it causes her pain if she see's someone in the need of healing and she is not allowed to help. Althea is a powerful and valuable commodity in world where fights and injuries are a daily occurrence. As the reader we travel along with Althea as she is stolen from one set of people in the Badlands to another, never once getting a choice in where or when she goes. We join Althea when she has been with a tribe in the badlands for two months, she is mistrusted by all except for one seeker (hunter) Den. In fact they are in love and plan to become joined (married). There is a jealousy of Althea from a female member of the tribe who was originally to be joined with Den. Althea manages to sneak off to follow the seekers, her intention to protect them as she has a "bad feeling" about their trip. She is right to fear something happening, she ends up being kidnapped and taken back to Vakkar's home in the badlands, their she is kept in a cage next to another cage which contains Vakkar's harem of stolen women.
At one point in the book Althea truly thinks she is with friends and that her days of being kidnapped are over, only to overhear someone whom she thought a friend discussing the great prize and riches that she will receive when she turns up with the Prophet. Althea actually runs away herself, but once again ends up trapped and mistreated, held against her own will.
Althea is at her happiest when she is with Karina, and Karina's father, they treat her as a "normal" child and she feels part of the family rather than an outsider. However her simple happiness is not to be and she is once again taken.
The presentation of this e-book is really good, as I said above I do like the cover, it is a very good likeness to the imagery I have in my mind from the authors descriptions of Althea. Althea has more gifts than just her healing gifts, such as, she can touch an item or building and know it's history, that is also described well.
So I suppose I have given you a fairly spoiler free plot summary, now the more difficult part explaining how I felt about the book and what I honestly thought about the book. I did enjoy most parts of the book, however if I am totally honest I did not enjoy all facets of the book.
I enjoyed the post apocalyptic aspects of the book, the descriptions of the surroundings, the way people live. I did enjoy the book, I just felt at times like the author was trying to introduce a few too many genres. I wanted the book to remain within the post apocalyptic genre more, and perhaps leave out some of the more sci-fi/fantasy threads of the plot. I was not keen on the introduction of the harem woman Rachel, and the fact she was from the future and had been in a stasis bed/container. The character of Rachel, and her being part of the military was in keeping with the plot, it was just a step too far for her to have traveled from the future for my taste. Whilst I liked the idea and character of Aurora, I also wasn't so keen on the sci-fi element of how Aurora would randomly emerge from someone else's body. I loved the first part of the book and then at almost two thirds of the way through the book meandered off somewhat becoming more sci-fi led, then at the end it came back to the things in the book that I had enjoyed in the first two thirds of the book, and the conclusion is one of hope for Althea and those she genuinely cares about, but in addition to the hope there is also a hint at a shadow of more harshness and terror to come for her, in the shape of Archon and his followers. Althea may end this book in safety but will she remain in that level of security for very long?
So did I enjoy the book? To be totally honest, my feelings and opinion on this book was mixed. Considering all I'd say yes.
Would I recommend it? Yes, though I would point out it is not solely a post apocalyptic plot.
Would I want to read another book in this series? I'm not wholly sure, it would depend on which genre was more prominent. If it's predominantly post apocalyptic then that's an easy yes. If it's more Sci-Fi/Fantasy I'm not so sure. I'll have to read the blurb to decide.
Would I read another title by this author? That would depend on the individual title but I would certainly checkout any title by this author.
Post Apocalyptic has to be one of my favourite genres alongside dystopian, so i was already interested in this book prior to reading the blurb. Then when I read about Althea and her power/gift of healing, it added another dimension to the book and encouraged me to read this book.
MY REVIEW
I was given a free e-copy of this book by the publishers Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for my honest review.
The cover features a young bedraggled girl, who looks very small, afraid and maybe a little unwanted. We learn from reading the book that this is Althea, the Prophet. The back ground surrounding Althea is of mangled cars, rusted steel and broken down buildings, which adds to the post apocalyptic feel of the cover.
Would the cover make me want to pick this book up from a book store shelf? Yes, if I am totally honest it was the cover that initially caught my eye and influenced my decision to read the blurb when Clare from Curiosity Quills sent me information about this book and others that had been released in April.
The main character is Althea a young child, whose best guess is that she is about 12 years old. She can't remember her real age or even her parents as she has been moved around and swapped between different "owners" for all of her life. Althea is no ordinary young child, though the only real clue to her powers are her bright blue eyes, that glow in the dark. Althea is known in the Badlands as "The Prophet" though she has many powers, the one people fight over to possess her is her power of healing.
Althea cannot refuse to heal, it causes her pain if she see's someone in the need of healing and she is not allowed to help. Althea is a powerful and valuable commodity in world where fights and injuries are a daily occurrence. As the reader we travel along with Althea as she is stolen from one set of people in the Badlands to another, never once getting a choice in where or when she goes. We join Althea when she has been with a tribe in the badlands for two months, she is mistrusted by all except for one seeker (hunter) Den. In fact they are in love and plan to become joined (married). There is a jealousy of Althea from a female member of the tribe who was originally to be joined with Den. Althea manages to sneak off to follow the seekers, her intention to protect them as she has a "bad feeling" about their trip. She is right to fear something happening, she ends up being kidnapped and taken back to Vakkar's home in the badlands, their she is kept in a cage next to another cage which contains Vakkar's harem of stolen women.
At one point in the book Althea truly thinks she is with friends and that her days of being kidnapped are over, only to overhear someone whom she thought a friend discussing the great prize and riches that she will receive when she turns up with the Prophet. Althea actually runs away herself, but once again ends up trapped and mistreated, held against her own will.
Althea is at her happiest when she is with Karina, and Karina's father, they treat her as a "normal" child and she feels part of the family rather than an outsider. However her simple happiness is not to be and she is once again taken.
The presentation of this e-book is really good, as I said above I do like the cover, it is a very good likeness to the imagery I have in my mind from the authors descriptions of Althea. Althea has more gifts than just her healing gifts, such as, she can touch an item or building and know it's history, that is also described well.
So I suppose I have given you a fairly spoiler free plot summary, now the more difficult part explaining how I felt about the book and what I honestly thought about the book. I did enjoy most parts of the book, however if I am totally honest I did not enjoy all facets of the book.
I enjoyed the post apocalyptic aspects of the book, the descriptions of the surroundings, the way people live. I did enjoy the book, I just felt at times like the author was trying to introduce a few too many genres. I wanted the book to remain within the post apocalyptic genre more, and perhaps leave out some of the more sci-fi/fantasy threads of the plot. I was not keen on the introduction of the harem woman Rachel, and the fact she was from the future and had been in a stasis bed/container. The character of Rachel, and her being part of the military was in keeping with the plot, it was just a step too far for her to have traveled from the future for my taste. Whilst I liked the idea and character of Aurora, I also wasn't so keen on the sci-fi element of how Aurora would randomly emerge from someone else's body. I loved the first part of the book and then at almost two thirds of the way through the book meandered off somewhat becoming more sci-fi led, then at the end it came back to the things in the book that I had enjoyed in the first two thirds of the book, and the conclusion is one of hope for Althea and those she genuinely cares about, but in addition to the hope there is also a hint at a shadow of more harshness and terror to come for her, in the shape of Archon and his followers. Althea may end this book in safety but will she remain in that level of security for very long?
So did I enjoy the book? To be totally honest, my feelings and opinion on this book was mixed. Considering all I'd say yes.
Would I recommend it? Yes, though I would point out it is not solely a post apocalyptic plot.
Would I want to read another book in this series? I'm not wholly sure, it would depend on which genre was more prominent. If it's predominantly post apocalyptic then that's an easy yes. If it's more Sci-Fi/Fantasy I'm not so sure. I'll have to read the blurb to decide.
Would I read another title by this author? That would depend on the individual title but I would certainly checkout any title by this author.
May 14, 2015
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
This review is part of the April Books Blog Tour (ironically in May) from Curiosity Quills Press. I'd like to thank them for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
I really quite liked this one. For me it was a refreshing post-apocalyptic novel. Althea has the power to heal the wounded. Very useful in every situation but especially so when it's to kill or be killed. And living in the Badlands is, as the name suggests, quite bad.
Although the world is interesting, many questions remain unanswered. I suppose more answers will be given in a next book, as this one starts out with Althea not knowing anything either.
But my only real problem with the book is that so much is happening. Althea is kidnapped a number of times, and even then a lot happens in between those moments. In a 420 pages novel it's nice to sometimes have a moment of rest. I liked the part in Querq best, but like all the other parts, it was rather short.
I'm very curious towards the next book and definitely plan to read it. :)
Prophet of the Badlands is the first book in the new Awakened series. The next books are called Archon's Queen and Grey Ronin, but they are not published yet.
This review is part of the April Books Blog Tour (ironically in May) from Curiosity Quills Press. I'd like to thank them for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
I really quite liked this one. For me it was a refreshing post-apocalyptic novel. Althea has the power to heal the wounded. Very useful in every situation but especially so when it's to kill or be killed. And living in the Badlands is, as the name suggests, quite bad.
Although the world is interesting, many questions remain unanswered. I suppose more answers will be given in a next book, as this one starts out with Althea not knowing anything either.
But my only real problem with the book is that so much is happening. Althea is kidnapped a number of times, and even then a lot happens in between those moments. In a 420 pages novel it's nice to sometimes have a moment of rest. I liked the part in Querq best, but like all the other parts, it was rather short.
I'm very curious towards the next book and definitely plan to read it. :)
Prophet of the Badlands is the first book in the new Awakened series. The next books are called Archon's Queen and Grey Ronin, but they are not published yet.
April 27, 2015
The Prophet of the Badlands is an epic adventure that occurs in a world I can only describe as a Mad Maxx meets The Fifth Element, but kicked up a notch. Cox does a magnificent job with his well-developed setting and the main character Althea, who is an uneducated twelve-year-old with psionic abilities. The struggle of good versus evil and intelligence versus intention create tension that propels the action and keeps the reader engaged. I look forward to the future installments of the Awakened series.
January 5, 2016
It was really really really excellent. At times the "voice" of the character was disjointed, but considering her upbringing, I found it characteristic, however, I dunno if it's as internally consistent as it could have been... STILL LOVED IT.
April 25, 2018
I love post apocalyptic books. The author can really get original and creative in these types of stories. Poor Althea is a 12 year old girl with strange abilities. Her whole life, people have been using her for her powers but she has accepted her fate and follows along. However, living in The Tribe has opened her up to other possibilities. I can't wait to read the next book. You definitely have to read these in order, and make sure you have plenty of time in your hands, I did not want to put this down!!!
Want to read
April 5, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/5/2020)! 🎁
August 15, 2017
Let me begin by saying that I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Curiosity Quills Press. It is for an honest review.
Now that's out of the way, I need to say that Prophet of the Badlands was a book I had to put down on numerous occasions. There could be many reasons why I would do this. Maybe I had a busy family life, time constraints on other books, the book may have been terrible, or perhaps parts of the story were too upsetting to be taken in large doses. For me, this book was more of the last reason and a bit of the first (family issues aren't for a review, but they were there).
The first thing that came to my mind was: Mad Max. The Badlands and the people residing in them were very much like the bullet holed cars and bald headed creepers that the Mad Max movies comprise of. These bad guys don't hold back in their actions. Their evil is commonplace, but doesn't make them any less evil.
That said, as the story progressed, there was more to it than men in torn clothes stealing a little girl for profit (no pun intended on the title). The world has a history that, if you are new to, you learn through minor things gathered from an illiterate innocent child. I still don't know the full story about the world, but I am more than intrigued. I would come back to this world. There are cities very similar to Fifth Element meeting Bladerunner bordered by a world likening to Mad Max. What made this world come to be? What kind of war could do this? You get some answers, but you are left wanting more (in a fun way, not in a "I need to know to understand the story" way).
Althea, our twelve year old main character, is a special child. She's pale with blonde hair and unusual eyes. They glow. She is a commodity in the Badlands. Throughout the tribes and raiders, she is known as the Prophet. She can heal people, speak through the mind, and can make a person feel something they never had before. To the civilized world, we find out who she is, but for the Badlands, Althea is a rare being.
The first thirty percent was a bit slow for me. We aren't introduced to the family the blurb suggests right away. Instead, we are met with Althea's first love and her abduction away from him. This abduction leads to new people who introduce her to new thoughts and emotions. Something inside her is stirring.
After that thirty percent, the book gets fast. Althea grows and makes decisions that had me at the edge of my seat. I wanted her to pull through. I had to set aside the book each time her life seemed just too bleak, but couldn't leave the world because I needed to know that she would survive. Her innocence and need to take care of people resonated in me. Yes, she was innocent, but she wasn't the kind of innocence that you'd want to smack. Althea chose to be innocent. She chose to help people even if they were evil to her. She chose to value life over anything else. Qualities that I have to applaud.
By the time I reached the fifty mark, Althea's life makes yet another turn. In that moment, most of my questions were answered. A new world was introduced. A new life as well. However, I kept wanting Althea to have something more. I wanted her to be happy.
The book ended beautifully. Since this is in a series, I can be sure that the questions I have or even the excitement of the world will continue. What I've also noticed is that this world is the setting in other books by Matthew Cox. I may need to read those in the future as well.
This is a must read for Sci-Fi/dystopian lovers. It has everything I could want in a book of that genre. I loved every bit of it. I loved the strong emotions it gave me. I loved the attatchment I had for Althea. I loved the inventiveness of the world and the hints at what made the world come to be. I loved it from the beginning to the end.
Now that's out of the way, I need to say that Prophet of the Badlands was a book I had to put down on numerous occasions. There could be many reasons why I would do this. Maybe I had a busy family life, time constraints on other books, the book may have been terrible, or perhaps parts of the story were too upsetting to be taken in large doses. For me, this book was more of the last reason and a bit of the first (family issues aren't for a review, but they were there).
The first thing that came to my mind was: Mad Max. The Badlands and the people residing in them were very much like the bullet holed cars and bald headed creepers that the Mad Max movies comprise of. These bad guys don't hold back in their actions. Their evil is commonplace, but doesn't make them any less evil.
That said, as the story progressed, there was more to it than men in torn clothes stealing a little girl for profit (no pun intended on the title). The world has a history that, if you are new to, you learn through minor things gathered from an illiterate innocent child. I still don't know the full story about the world, but I am more than intrigued. I would come back to this world. There are cities very similar to Fifth Element meeting Bladerunner bordered by a world likening to Mad Max. What made this world come to be? What kind of war could do this? You get some answers, but you are left wanting more (in a fun way, not in a "I need to know to understand the story" way).
Althea, our twelve year old main character, is a special child. She's pale with blonde hair and unusual eyes. They glow. She is a commodity in the Badlands. Throughout the tribes and raiders, she is known as the Prophet. She can heal people, speak through the mind, and can make a person feel something they never had before. To the civilized world, we find out who she is, but for the Badlands, Althea is a rare being.
The first thirty percent was a bit slow for me. We aren't introduced to the family the blurb suggests right away. Instead, we are met with Althea's first love and her abduction away from him. This abduction leads to new people who introduce her to new thoughts and emotions. Something inside her is stirring.
After that thirty percent, the book gets fast. Althea grows and makes decisions that had me at the edge of my seat. I wanted her to pull through. I had to set aside the book each time her life seemed just too bleak, but couldn't leave the world because I needed to know that she would survive. Her innocence and need to take care of people resonated in me. Yes, she was innocent, but she wasn't the kind of innocence that you'd want to smack. Althea chose to be innocent. She chose to help people even if they were evil to her. She chose to value life over anything else. Qualities that I have to applaud.
By the time I reached the fifty mark, Althea's life makes yet another turn. In that moment, most of my questions were answered. A new world was introduced. A new life as well. However, I kept wanting Althea to have something more. I wanted her to be happy.
The book ended beautifully. Since this is in a series, I can be sure that the questions I have or even the excitement of the world will continue. What I've also noticed is that this world is the setting in other books by Matthew Cox. I may need to read those in the future as well.
This is a must read for Sci-Fi/dystopian lovers. It has everything I could want in a book of that genre. I loved every bit of it. I loved the strong emotions it gave me. I loved the attatchment I had for Althea. I loved the inventiveness of the world and the hints at what made the world come to be. I loved it from the beginning to the end.
April 27, 2015
Prophet of the Badlands is the story of Althea, a young girl with extraordinary powers. Among her growing powers, she possesses the ability to heal herself and others and is willing to use the talent to save even her enemies. She learns early and often than it’s difficult to be kind to everyone, especially when most everyone wants to hold her captive and use her powers for their own nefarious benefit.
Cox manages to bring in a wide variety of elements— sci-fi, dystopian, thriller, mystery, horror— while never straying too far from the action/adventure of Althea’s quest to find a safe home and protect those she loves. Facing constant and increasingly perilous obstacles, innocent Althea tries to balance self-preservation and defending her friends with her belief that all life is sacred. Easier said than done.
The world is marvelously realized from the post-war badlands filled with raiders and tribal cultures to a congested city of futuristic technology. Althea’s journey is peopled with an ever-changing collection of well-defined, colorful characters. Some who help her along the way, but most menacing her every step.
The story itself is fast paced, never letting up on the excitement. Each chapter makes you wonder how the author can top this, but without fail, the thrills keep escalating to a stirring finish. The first of a series, Prophet of the Badlands provides a satisfying conclusion to this first installment while offering ominous portents of things to come. Highly recommended.
Cox manages to bring in a wide variety of elements— sci-fi, dystopian, thriller, mystery, horror— while never straying too far from the action/adventure of Althea’s quest to find a safe home and protect those she loves. Facing constant and increasingly perilous obstacles, innocent Althea tries to balance self-preservation and defending her friends with her belief that all life is sacred. Easier said than done.
The world is marvelously realized from the post-war badlands filled with raiders and tribal cultures to a congested city of futuristic technology. Althea’s journey is peopled with an ever-changing collection of well-defined, colorful characters. Some who help her along the way, but most menacing her every step.
The story itself is fast paced, never letting up on the excitement. Each chapter makes you wonder how the author can top this, but without fail, the thrills keep escalating to a stirring finish. The first of a series, Prophet of the Badlands provides a satisfying conclusion to this first installment while offering ominous portents of things to come. Highly recommended.
May 2, 2016
This book was amazing. I got it on sale from Amazon for 99¢ and even though the price was very attractive, the cover art is what really pulled me in. That poor waif just begged me to read her story. The story is post apocalyptic dystopian with shades of Mad Max and Water World. It is about a 12 year old girl named Althea, who has been living in the "badlands" somewhere in what used to be the U.S. in the year 2451. She has supernatural abilities, healing being one of them. Her powers are highly coveted and she has been a slave because of this since she was 6 years old. The story is about her escapes from "owners" and slave traders and her search for love and a family. For some readers, her continual fight to be free and survive may be a grueling read, but I found it fascinating. The descriptions of what society would be like and the kind of abandoned and current technology the author imagined piqued my interest. The story setting is in the southwest corner of the U.S. Althea travels from the wilderness to the seedy underbelly of a big city and places in between and around. The pace is a little slow but steady. Character development is strong. This is the first book in a series but has a satisfying conclusion, not a cliffhanger. It's also a good sized book.
December 9, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review
This book drew me in the moment I started reading it and didn't let me go until i finished it. The book had a brilliant blend of settings from post-apocalypse type setting to an almost present time setting to a futuristic setting with hover cars flying about.
I love how the main character, Althea, manages to keep her innocence through all the kidnappings she has been through and all the deaths she has seen and gains strength and family and friends through her journey. She also manages to keep her philosophy in place where she try to help anyone no matter if they are friend or foe.
Matthew Cox has a talented way with words as I imagined myself in the story going on the journey with Althea and figuring out what the remnants of the old world that Althea had no clue about were and being immersed it the world.
I cant wait to read the 2nd book of the series.
This book drew me in the moment I started reading it and didn't let me go until i finished it. The book had a brilliant blend of settings from post-apocalypse type setting to an almost present time setting to a futuristic setting with hover cars flying about.
I love how the main character, Althea, manages to keep her innocence through all the kidnappings she has been through and all the deaths she has seen and gains strength and family and friends through her journey. She also manages to keep her philosophy in place where she try to help anyone no matter if they are friend or foe.
Matthew Cox has a talented way with words as I imagined myself in the story going on the journey with Althea and figuring out what the remnants of the old world that Althea had no clue about were and being immersed it the world.
I cant wait to read the 2nd book of the series.
December 4, 2019
Wonderful.
This book has everything I love to read about in a novel. A main character with a strong moral core who has to find her strength, magically healing, connecting with life energy and minds, animals, action, adventure, horror. A wonderful book. Althea is such a fantastic character. I can’t wait to read what happens next.
This book has everything I love to read about in a novel. A main character with a strong moral core who has to find her strength, magically healing, connecting with life energy and minds, animals, action, adventure, horror. A wonderful book. Althea is such a fantastic character. I can’t wait to read what happens next.
April 27, 2015
Sometimes power can be a curse. The harsh reality of this child is at times heartbreaking, but even in the Badlands there are good people. Cox does an amazing job of painting the innocence of youth against the harsh backdrop of horrible people. You'll cry and cheer, but never be disappointed.
April 23, 2019
Surprisingly good
I don't really enjoy YA or books with kids as the main protagonists but I really enjoyed it! The story moved at a good pace, fast in some parts and slower in others. It's a full novel that leaves you satisfied but also pleasantly curious to more.
I don't really enjoy YA or books with kids as the main protagonists but I really enjoyed it! The story moved at a good pace, fast in some parts and slower in others. It's a full novel that leaves you satisfied but also pleasantly curious to more.
May 12, 2018
This book definitely shows the delicate balance between moral and immoral choices.
Such streangth and wisdom required from one so young. The circumstances faced are more than most adults could survive. Yet such beauty in her perseverance and steadfast moral values. Amazing world building and character depths.
Such streangth and wisdom required from one so young. The circumstances faced are more than most adults could survive. Yet such beauty in her perseverance and steadfast moral values. Amazing world building and character depths.
December 31, 2015
I was quite excited for this novel because I’ve lately found an interest in post-apocalyptic worlds and this one was definitely set in that genre. Unfortunately this book took me way too long to get into. The wordings, the tone of the book, the pace, everything just seemed off somehow in the beginning so it took me a really long time to get into the rhythm of Althea’s thoughts and her blundering experiences. In fact, there were a few times when I considered putting the book down because I just didn’t want to continue anymore. The only thing that kept me going was my review for the book.
Althea is a twelve year old girl who has some amazing powers and the one most commonly mentioned and abused by her captors was her ability to heal others. While I found her fascinating, I also found her naiveté and innocence dumbfounding and frustrating. It was incredibly difficult for me to relate to a twelve year old and understand her innocence in a lot of things. I can overlook her inability to figure out what certain modern luxuries we have now due to the post-apocalyptic nature of the book; however, I was unable to see why she would do certain things or should I say, lack thereof. There were so many times when I found her simply pathetic especially with her lack of courage or whatnot to simply run away or say no. I mean, she had the power to order people to do certain things so why not use it? And it wasn’t until she got taken away from her somewhat boyfriend and later from her sister that she really started to stand up for herself and develop some personality. What I did admire about her was her capability to still heal others even after they had hurt her – she still maintained a forgiving nature despite everything that had happened to her. In a way, yes, that was frustrating because she healed people who had not only hurt her but her friends or loved ones but at the same time, it was admirable.
The one thing I really did not like in this book was the writing style. I found it really confusing and somewhat choppy, to be perfectly honest. There were many instances where I found myself reading certain pages and then all of a sudden, I don’t know what happened – usually it was Althea being captured. Again. But regardless, I always found myself rereading certain passages again and after a while of doing the same thing over and over again, when I got lost again, I just gave up and plowed on through. I just feel that it didn’t flow well and the pacing of the book simply did not capture me. There are some books that even though the plot is very simple or that the particular scene is very mundane but the way how the author wrote the book made you enraptured. This book was not like that at all. I felt like I had to work to simply read the book.
There were also a lot of seemingly important secondary characters such as Den, Karina and Rachel; however, because the book flowed so fast and because Althea kept finding herself either captured yet again by a new band of raiders or trying to escape, those secondary characters were only around for a few short chapters and then disappeared. Den, the boy whom Althea regretted leaving behind for the first time since ever because she was captured again, was only there for about 2-3 chapters in the really beginning and then was only mildly referenced to by Althea later on. The same went for the other characters. They seemed important but the author also made them seem somewhat unimportant. It was quite disappointing because I thought that the secondary characters had some real potential and hoped to draw on them on some more.
Overall, it was a decent book but there were a lot of questions unanswered, a lot of plot holes, choppy writing and storyline, and a frustrating main character that I can honestly say that I will not be picking up the second book. I did waver for a little bit though because of literally the last two pages of the book created a cliffhanger but then I thought to myself, do I really want to read yet again another choppy 400+ page book? And the answer was a resounding no. As much as I would like to recommend this book, I really cannot. But at the same time, it seems to me that most of the reviews on Goodreads right now are positive so maybe it was just me who didn’t enjoy this book. I suppose it’ll be up to you to decide if this book is for you or not.
Althea is a twelve year old girl who has some amazing powers and the one most commonly mentioned and abused by her captors was her ability to heal others. While I found her fascinating, I also found her naiveté and innocence dumbfounding and frustrating. It was incredibly difficult for me to relate to a twelve year old and understand her innocence in a lot of things. I can overlook her inability to figure out what certain modern luxuries we have now due to the post-apocalyptic nature of the book; however, I was unable to see why she would do certain things or should I say, lack thereof. There were so many times when I found her simply pathetic especially with her lack of courage or whatnot to simply run away or say no. I mean, she had the power to order people to do certain things so why not use it? And it wasn’t until she got taken away from her somewhat boyfriend and later from her sister that she really started to stand up for herself and develop some personality. What I did admire about her was her capability to still heal others even after they had hurt her – she still maintained a forgiving nature despite everything that had happened to her. In a way, yes, that was frustrating because she healed people who had not only hurt her but her friends or loved ones but at the same time, it was admirable.
The one thing I really did not like in this book was the writing style. I found it really confusing and somewhat choppy, to be perfectly honest. There were many instances where I found myself reading certain pages and then all of a sudden, I don’t know what happened – usually it was Althea being captured. Again. But regardless, I always found myself rereading certain passages again and after a while of doing the same thing over and over again, when I got lost again, I just gave up and plowed on through. I just feel that it didn’t flow well and the pacing of the book simply did not capture me. There are some books that even though the plot is very simple or that the particular scene is very mundane but the way how the author wrote the book made you enraptured. This book was not like that at all. I felt like I had to work to simply read the book.
There were also a lot of seemingly important secondary characters such as Den, Karina and Rachel; however, because the book flowed so fast and because Althea kept finding herself either captured yet again by a new band of raiders or trying to escape, those secondary characters were only around for a few short chapters and then disappeared. Den, the boy whom Althea regretted leaving behind for the first time since ever because she was captured again, was only there for about 2-3 chapters in the really beginning and then was only mildly referenced to by Althea later on. The same went for the other characters. They seemed important but the author also made them seem somewhat unimportant. It was quite disappointing because I thought that the secondary characters had some real potential and hoped to draw on them on some more.
Overall, it was a decent book but there were a lot of questions unanswered, a lot of plot holes, choppy writing and storyline, and a frustrating main character that I can honestly say that I will not be picking up the second book. I did waver for a little bit though because of literally the last two pages of the book created a cliffhanger but then I thought to myself, do I really want to read yet again another choppy 400+ page book? And the answer was a resounding no. As much as I would like to recommend this book, I really cannot. But at the same time, it seems to me that most of the reviews on Goodreads right now are positive so maybe it was just me who didn’t enjoy this book. I suppose it’ll be up to you to decide if this book is for you or not.
April 28, 2021
Love divergent fates
What a great universe to play in! Well done with great characters a great story. You will fall in love with Althea.
What a great universe to play in! Well done with great characters a great story. You will fall in love with Althea.
May 12, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I felt like I was drawn into the world of this book very quickly. Althea was a character I was able to empathise with as the story progressed. I felt that her attitudes and feelings came across very well, especially when she was in an environment that was entirely new to her.
The world of the Badlands was one I found especially horrifying to read about, particularly in view of the fact that Althea was treated like a possession… even by the people who were supposed to be the good guys. I felt that the different ways the characters talked came across really well. I could differentiate between the different places due to their dialects and cultures.
I felt that Althea came across really well as a mixture of adult and child. While in the Badlands, she’s a survivor. She knows where she is and she knows what’s expected of her. But when she’s out of her comfort zone, she’s a scared child… and I found myself wanting to give her a hug.
I was particularly intrigued by the character of Rachel. It was interesting to see a strong female character in a world and time completely out of her comfort zone. It was also interesting to see evidence of other abilities; not just of Althea’s.
I felt it came across really well that, to Althea, all life was sacred. It was also good to see that she didn’t have unlimited energy resources… that she could and did tire herself out; and that she couldn’t work her abilities perfectly all the time.
I liked the parts when the other characters treated Althea as a member of the family and not as a tool to be used. Seeing the other places through her eyes made me able to connect with her more, too, as she struggled to understand what she’d never experienced in her life.
I think I would read a sequel to this book at some point in the future. There seems to be some connection to the world in other series by this author and I’m eager to see if that’s actually the case.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I felt like I was drawn into the world of this book very quickly. Althea was a character I was able to empathise with as the story progressed. I felt that her attitudes and feelings came across very well, especially when she was in an environment that was entirely new to her.
The world of the Badlands was one I found especially horrifying to read about, particularly in view of the fact that Althea was treated like a possession… even by the people who were supposed to be the good guys. I felt that the different ways the characters talked came across really well. I could differentiate between the different places due to their dialects and cultures.
I felt that Althea came across really well as a mixture of adult and child. While in the Badlands, she’s a survivor. She knows where she is and she knows what’s expected of her. But when she’s out of her comfort zone, she’s a scared child… and I found myself wanting to give her a hug.
I was particularly intrigued by the character of Rachel. It was interesting to see a strong female character in a world and time completely out of her comfort zone. It was also interesting to see evidence of other abilities; not just of Althea’s.
I felt it came across really well that, to Althea, all life was sacred. It was also good to see that she didn’t have unlimited energy resources… that she could and did tire herself out; and that she couldn’t work her abilities perfectly all the time.
I liked the parts when the other characters treated Althea as a member of the family and not as a tool to be used. Seeing the other places through her eyes made me able to connect with her more, too, as she struggled to understand what she’d never experienced in her life.
I think I would read a sequel to this book at some point in the future. There seems to be some connection to the world in other series by this author and I’m eager to see if that’s actually the case.
June 5, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is a post apocalyptic coming of age story about a girl whose special healing abilities make her a precious commodity in a dangerous world. This is a book you read for characters and setting. There is plenty of action, but the point is really how Althea, the protagonist, must find her place in the world now that she is actually old enough to see it for what it is - a pretty horrible place with very few soft spots to land. Frankly, it quickly felt like a gauntlet of misery that Althea might never finish running. While each conflict offers something to Althea's development and growth, her path could have been more compactly plotted. Most readers will be glad they stuck out this seemingly neverending journey of horror because the resolution is satisfying, but it takes a long time to get to that elusive ending. As a character, Althea's biggest hurdle is the one she herself sees - she is too good and kind, no matter how awful her adversary or situation. There was a clear purpose in the lack of dimension, and most of the secondary characters do have shades of gray, but I think her Pollyanna nature will drive some readers crazy, especially those who equate kindness with weakness. The setting was what I probably enjoyed the most about this book. It begins with a very Mad Max feel, peopled by primitive tribes and brimming with images of barren desolation. About halfway through, the desert gives way to a gritty and unfeeling city that evokes Blade Runner. While those worlds have been done before, I enjoyed the extensive detail that the author incorporates to make them vividly real for me as a reader. Ultimately, I found this pretty compelling, and it was an intriguing take on the Bildungsroman. It was too long. Language and situations are appropriate for high school readers, but this is marketed as an adult read.
September 23, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review over on my blog -- Pretty Little Book Blog.
Wow! What can I say about this book? I have been reading more and more fantasy type books lately and this one is truly unique! I found this book by chance when I saw book 2's cover (Yep, I'm sucked in by a good cover!) and started reading this after finishing a Steampunk novel.
Huge genre change! But not unpleasant. This book deals with Althea's journey of life in this Dystopian world where people are basically back to a hunter gatherer society and a new mythology is present. Althea is supposed to be the prophet and this part of the story is the driving force. She has extraordinary healing powers and that combined with the fact that she is the prophet make people wary of being close to her. It makes her feel alone and lost and she is striving to find a place where she belongs.
After the Seekers lose Althea to a tribe of Raiders her journey gets more and more complicated. And throughout the rest of the book we see more and more that things aren't always what they seem, as Althea learns more about her backstory it gives her a strength that is pretty inspiring. the ending of the book does kind of just drops off What I love most about this book was how all encompassing this world with all of its different tribes and cultures is. It is a master class in world building and I can see how it gives this series wings. There is nothing that can stop the stories that can come from this world.
Wow! What can I say about this book? I have been reading more and more fantasy type books lately and this one is truly unique! I found this book by chance when I saw book 2's cover (Yep, I'm sucked in by a good cover!) and started reading this after finishing a Steampunk novel.
Huge genre change! But not unpleasant. This book deals with Althea's journey of life in this Dystopian world where people are basically back to a hunter gatherer society and a new mythology is present. Althea is supposed to be the prophet and this part of the story is the driving force. She has extraordinary healing powers and that combined with the fact that she is the prophet make people wary of being close to her. It makes her feel alone and lost and she is striving to find a place where she belongs.
After the Seekers lose Althea to a tribe of Raiders her journey gets more and more complicated. And throughout the rest of the book we see more and more that things aren't always what they seem, as Althea learns more about her backstory it gives her a strength that is pretty inspiring. the ending of the book does kind of just drops off What I love most about this book was how all encompassing this world with all of its different tribes and cultures is. It is a master class in world building and I can see how it gives this series wings. There is nothing that can stop the stories that can come from this world.
May 13, 2021
This book was amazing. I got it on sale from Amazon for 99¢ and even though the price was very attractive, the cover art is what really pulled me in. That poor waif just begged me to read her story. The story is post apocalyptic dystopian with shades of Mad Max and Water World. It is about a 12 year old girl named Althea, who has been living in the "badlands" somewhere in what used to be the U.S. in the year 2451. She has supernatural abilities, healing being one of them. Her powers are highly coveted and she has been a slave because of this since she was 6 years old. The story is about her escapes from "owners" and slave traders and her search for love and a family. For some readers, her continual fight to be free and survive may be a grueling read, but I found it fascinating. The descriptions of what society would be like and the kind of abandoned and current technology the author imagined piqued my interest. The story setting is in the southwest corner of the U.S. Althea travels from the wilderness to the seedy underbelly of a big city and places in between and around. The pace is a little slow but steady. Character development is strong. This is the first book in a series but has a satisfying conclusion, not a cliffhanger. It's also a good sized book.
January 4, 2016
Absolutely unable to put down
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author, ChoosyBookWorm and Curiosity Quills Press for providing it.
Absolutely fascinated with this book and looking forward to the next in the series. Not my usual style of read but I couldn't put it down. The author has created the character of a very young heroine (10-12) years old who whined and pouts her way to a more mature state. Her background explains her behavior but I had to keep reminding myself of her age as the number of whines and pouts mounted. However the world and characters were so compelling I was never tempted to stop reading.
I liked the storyline, found the repeated theft of Althea as an object of power completely reasonable and the world created was fantastic. The devastated Badlands contrasted so starkly with other areas - the robots and modern conveniences of one place against the bare feet and spears of another. One world wrecked by war where mutants are created, some accepted, some horrors.
The only irritant was the constant use of the words whine and pout. I wanted other adjectives even as I reminded self - 10-12 years, OK.
The ending definitely says next book and I look forward to it.
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author, ChoosyBookWorm and Curiosity Quills Press for providing it.
Absolutely fascinated with this book and looking forward to the next in the series. Not my usual style of read but I couldn't put it down. The author has created the character of a very young heroine (10-12) years old who whined and pouts her way to a more mature state. Her background explains her behavior but I had to keep reminding myself of her age as the number of whines and pouts mounted. However the world and characters were so compelling I was never tempted to stop reading.
I liked the storyline, found the repeated theft of Althea as an object of power completely reasonable and the world created was fantastic. The devastated Badlands contrasted so starkly with other areas - the robots and modern conveniences of one place against the bare feet and spears of another. One world wrecked by war where mutants are created, some accepted, some horrors.
The only irritant was the constant use of the words whine and pout. I wanted other adjectives even as I reminded self - 10-12 years, OK.
The ending definitely says next book and I look forward to it.
June 10, 2016
Althea is a young girl between the age of ten or twelve as she's not sure of the correct age. She has special powers that can be considered either a gift or a curse. She can heal people who are sick or even badly injured so of course there are people who want to use and control her. This book takes us on her many journeys of being captured over and over and then escaping and trying to find a home with some kind of family unit. The characters are well developed and the steady pace of the story telling moves us further into her travels. The description of the many places she wanders through are so well written you can see them in your mind. Well done Matthew Cox. I'm really looking forward to reading the next books in this very satisfying series.
Read
September 14, 2015A little slow at the beginning but ------
The beginning actually sets the background for the rest of the book, which becomes another Matthew S. Cox book that is impossible to put down.
I admit to having trouble getting into this book, til about 25 - 30% (via kindle fire) thru. To the point that when book 2 of the Awakened series was released, Archon's Queen (which is fantastic btw), that I read that one first. The ending of Archon's Queen left me with questions regarding one character. Archon's Queen was set 5 years before Prophet of the Badlands, and Phophet did answer some of my questions, confirmed some suspicions, and left me with a few, as yet, unanswered questions.
The beginning actually sets the background for the rest of the book, which becomes another Matthew S. Cox book that is impossible to put down.
I admit to having trouble getting into this book, til about 25 - 30% (via kindle fire) thru. To the point that when book 2 of the Awakened series was released, Archon's Queen (which is fantastic btw), that I read that one first. The ending of Archon's Queen left me with questions regarding one character. Archon's Queen was set 5 years before Prophet of the Badlands, and Phophet did answer some of my questions, confirmed some suspicions, and left me with a few, as yet, unanswered questions.
August 2, 2015
Another OUTSTANDING book by Matt Cox
I received this book free in exchange for my honest review. This book was awesome! The author takes the time necessary to truly allow the reader to understand the characters completely as well as visualize their surroundings with his gift of descriptive writing. The story revolves around a 12 year old but it is so much more with its paranormal,dystopian and its mechanically enchanted hero's . Trust me read this one you'll be a Cox fan!
I received this book free in exchange for my honest review. This book was awesome! The author takes the time necessary to truly allow the reader to understand the characters completely as well as visualize their surroundings with his gift of descriptive writing. The story revolves around a 12 year old but it is so much more with its paranormal,dystopian and its mechanically enchanted hero's . Trust me read this one you'll be a Cox fan!
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