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Into The East: The Razing
The Razing is a supernatural thriller (part one of three) detailing the adventures of Prince Aaranon - an affluent yet humble nobleman on the forest laden planet of Araz, home of the udame people. Over a thousand years ago, a race of beings known as the Ayim came from an as yet unknown realm by opening a portal into their world, changing their simple agrarian lifestyle into a technological marvel. They abandoned their old gods in exchange for advanced technology that would one day allow them to achieve immortality and to consummate divine singularity. Their quest to traverse the heavens however was impeded by a mysterious group known as the Apostates. After their destruction of over four hundred temples to the Ayim, it was up to Aaranon, leading the most elite fighting force, to finally destroy the last vestiges of these ruthless killers who bitterly cling to an antiquated way of life. It soon however became clear that the true enemy was not the Apostates, but the truth itself. Not only is Aaranon's life about to crumble down around him, but Araz itself is destined for a major cataclysm that will not only impact every Arazian, but will impact every man, woman, and child on the face of the Earth. The milieu of Araz is fraught with age old traditions and new world technology. Along with genetic modification, wireless energy, quantum communications, and anti-gravity flight, the udame continue to practice traditions reminiscent of ancient Rome."
404 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2014
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Davis
3 books7 followersJ.A. Davis is the author of the new science fiction trilogy: Into The East. The Razing is the first book in the series.
Jeff and his wife meet years ago while doing standup comedy in the Indianapolis area. It is that same sense of humor that has carried them along life’s, sometimes, bumpy road.
After attending Rose Hulman Institute of Technology for Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University for Aeronautical Technology, and Liberty University for theological studies, along with currently being employed as a Senior Systems Analyst and IT manager for the world’s largest diesel engine manufacturer, Mr. Davis decided to employ his love of technology and ancient discoveries into his other love of telling stories.
When he is not at work, or spending time homeschooling his two daughters, with most of the burden being shouldered by his lovely wife of eighteen years, Mr. Davis spends time reading through technical journals, ancient archaeological discoveries, biblical texts, or just sits next to his adopted greyhound to watch a few episodes on the SyFy channel.
Jeff and his wife meet years ago while doing standup comedy in the Indianapolis area. It is that same sense of humor that has carried them along life’s, sometimes, bumpy road.
After attending Rose Hulman Institute of Technology for Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University for Aeronautical Technology, and Liberty University for theological studies, along with currently being employed as a Senior Systems Analyst and IT manager for the world’s largest diesel engine manufacturer, Mr. Davis decided to employ his love of technology and ancient discoveries into his other love of telling stories.
When he is not at work, or spending time homeschooling his two daughters, with most of the burden being shouldered by his lovely wife of eighteen years, Mr. Davis spends time reading through technical journals, ancient archaeological discoveries, biblical texts, or just sits next to his adopted greyhound to watch a few episodes on the SyFy channel.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 14, 2019
I seriously cannot wait for the next book! I picked The Razing up at the Indianapolis Comic Con and started reading it as soon as I got home. I love the way the world is laid out and the characters are each very distinct. The conclusion is amazing and sets up the series incredibly. The only downfall is that I have to wait for the next book to come out to continue the adventure.
August 9, 2016
Fans of A.G. Riddle’s The Origin series will be happy to discover J.A. Davis’ engrossing blend of swords and sci-fi.
If the term “ancient alien artifact” piques your interest, then you may want to pick up J.A. Davis’ The Razing, which imagines an ancient civilization in possession of technology that far surpasses our own. The millions who read The Atlantis Gene will find comfort food in Davis’ novel, which begins with a letter from one present-day academic to another detailing the composition of a newly discovered artifact as follows: “I believe the atmospheric conditions required to process the metal do not exist on the earth.”
Check out the rest of my review at BestThrillers.com
If the term “ancient alien artifact” piques your interest, then you may want to pick up J.A. Davis’ The Razing, which imagines an ancient civilization in possession of technology that far surpasses our own. The millions who read The Atlantis Gene will find comfort food in Davis’ novel, which begins with a letter from one present-day academic to another detailing the composition of a newly discovered artifact as follows: “I believe the atmospheric conditions required to process the metal do not exist on the earth.”
Check out the rest of my review at BestThrillers.com
May 5, 2014
The Razing, by J. A. Davis, could be considered a supernatural thriller, a science fiction, a mystery, or a fantasy novel. It has elements from all of them. Personally, I’d consider it a science fiction, but whatever category The Razing is placed in, it’s a good read.
Set in Araz, an alien society where advanced technology is blended with vicious, barbaric customs, ruled by feudal nobility seeming to typify all that is bad in a sentient species; The Razing follows the adventures of Aaranon, a prince who increasingly questions the worth of the culture he is a part of. The clash of right and wrong, good and evil, seems simple enough. The complications come from Aaranon trying to be sure what is right or wrong, who is good or evil, and what he can do about it.
If you like a book with plenty of action, from individual hand-to-hand combat to fairly large battles, you should find The Razing satisfying. The same thing is true if you like a book dealing with the mental workings of the characters and a dark, hidden plot. The physical combats are carefully interwoven with what amounts to a spy story, all set against Davis’s alien society.
Initially, Davis doesn’t seem to attempt subtlety with most of the characters in The Razing. The villains are portrayed as disgustingly villainous, the good guys equally admirable. Painfully obvious if true, but appearances can be deceiving. Characters starting out on one side sometimes change as they develop. Those seeming to have one alignment may secretly be on the other side, and where some major characters stand is not revealed until the last chapters. Even here there are more unrevealed than revealed secrets, because The Razing is the first book of a trilogy. It doesn’t actually end, and little is resolved when the last page is finished. Instead, The Razing leads the reader into the second book.
Aside from not being a stand-alone, are there problems with J. A. Davis’s The Razing? Some, but what one person considers a problem another might consider ideal. The book is largely written in the present tense. It’s an unusual approach and at first I found it jarring. As I continued to read I was drawn into the story and quit noticing it.
There were some details I found annoying, although I think they say more about me than about Davis or The Razing. Things like distances and times are internally consistent and always in terms from Araz. I would have liked to know how far an “ama” was in English or Metric measurements, not in the story itself, but perhaps in an appendix. A number of animals are mentioned, and I would have preferred more detailed descriptions of them. I like such details and the ability to relate things to those I already know. Another reader might well prefer the method Davis uses, staying consistent within the reality he has created in The Razing and not trying to bring our way of thinking into it.
My biggest problem with the book is that the prologue and epilogue don’t seem to have anything to do with The Razing. I’m guessing the connection will be made in one of the other two books, but at this point they seem irrelevant. Considering that they make up about one page out of The Razing’s four hundred and one, it’s easy enough to ignore them until the other books in Davis’s trilogy come out. At least, that’s what I’m going to do.
Set in Araz, an alien society where advanced technology is blended with vicious, barbaric customs, ruled by feudal nobility seeming to typify all that is bad in a sentient species; The Razing follows the adventures of Aaranon, a prince who increasingly questions the worth of the culture he is a part of. The clash of right and wrong, good and evil, seems simple enough. The complications come from Aaranon trying to be sure what is right or wrong, who is good or evil, and what he can do about it.
If you like a book with plenty of action, from individual hand-to-hand combat to fairly large battles, you should find The Razing satisfying. The same thing is true if you like a book dealing with the mental workings of the characters and a dark, hidden plot. The physical combats are carefully interwoven with what amounts to a spy story, all set against Davis’s alien society.
Initially, Davis doesn’t seem to attempt subtlety with most of the characters in The Razing. The villains are portrayed as disgustingly villainous, the good guys equally admirable. Painfully obvious if true, but appearances can be deceiving. Characters starting out on one side sometimes change as they develop. Those seeming to have one alignment may secretly be on the other side, and where some major characters stand is not revealed until the last chapters. Even here there are more unrevealed than revealed secrets, because The Razing is the first book of a trilogy. It doesn’t actually end, and little is resolved when the last page is finished. Instead, The Razing leads the reader into the second book.
Aside from not being a stand-alone, are there problems with J. A. Davis’s The Razing? Some, but what one person considers a problem another might consider ideal. The book is largely written in the present tense. It’s an unusual approach and at first I found it jarring. As I continued to read I was drawn into the story and quit noticing it.
There were some details I found annoying, although I think they say more about me than about Davis or The Razing. Things like distances and times are internally consistent and always in terms from Araz. I would have liked to know how far an “ama” was in English or Metric measurements, not in the story itself, but perhaps in an appendix. A number of animals are mentioned, and I would have preferred more detailed descriptions of them. I like such details and the ability to relate things to those I already know. Another reader might well prefer the method Davis uses, staying consistent within the reality he has created in The Razing and not trying to bring our way of thinking into it.
My biggest problem with the book is that the prologue and epilogue don’t seem to have anything to do with The Razing. I’m guessing the connection will be made in one of the other two books, but at this point they seem irrelevant. Considering that they make up about one page out of The Razing’s four hundred and one, it’s easy enough to ignore them until the other books in Davis’s trilogy come out. At least, that’s what I’m going to do.
December 7, 2014
I love great sci fi books, but I can never find one that keeps my interest. They always seem the same to me. However, this book was genuine and lively.
As a reader I love mixtures of different genres and I have to say this was full of so many twists and interesting events it reminded me of A Song of Ice and Fire, a fantasy series.
The main character reminded me of Aragorn from Lord of The Rings, and his silent companion (sorry the names are slipping my mind. It has been a while since I read it) reminded me of Spock. Not too sure why seeing as Spock is almost void of emotion. Maybe it was just the calm and collected aura of him.
The only problem I had was that it took me a while to get invested in the characters. But I finally did. I love the dynamics of them all.
I really hope this book goes far. I'm even hoping for a movie or a tv series for this. (I can't help it. I'm a big movie fan and I am always willing to watch new things.) Keep writing J.A. Davis!
As a reader I love mixtures of different genres and I have to say this was full of so many twists and interesting events it reminded me of A Song of Ice and Fire, a fantasy series.
The main character reminded me of Aragorn from Lord of The Rings, and his silent companion (sorry the names are slipping my mind. It has been a while since I read it) reminded me of Spock. Not too sure why seeing as Spock is almost void of emotion. Maybe it was just the calm and collected aura of him.
The only problem I had was that it took me a while to get invested in the characters. But I finally did. I love the dynamics of them all.
I really hope this book goes far. I'm even hoping for a movie or a tv series for this. (I can't help it. I'm a big movie fan and I am always willing to watch new things.) Keep writing J.A. Davis!
June 3, 2015
I have a short book-attention span and often start a book only to put it down half finished. I couldn't put this one down. The story and the characters really grabbed me and I can't wait to start the second book!
February 28, 2014
As the author I'm a bit biased so I won't review my own book. I would however, enjoy to hear what others have to say.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews