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Ragesong
Awakening
When the peaceful kingdom of Fermicia is enslaved by a power-hungry renegade, its only hope lies in a band of unlikely two children whose musical abilities allow them to harness the power of Ragesong, and their shape-changing guides. Jake starts his first day of junior high completely oblivious to the fact that he has been chosen for something incredible. That same afternoon, he learns that he has been marked as one with the power to save an entire kingdom. Through the course of his journey, Jake discovers that his advanced musical abilities are peculiarly connected to a mysterious power known as Ragesong. Joined by a shy, young girl with similar musical talents and two Changelings that hold a fierce loyalty to their homeland and king, Jake must learn to harness this ability in order to survive the dangers of a hostile new world.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2013
21 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Simmons
9 books15 followersJ.R. Simmons lives in Northern Utah with his wife and 4 boys. He loves spending time with his family and coaching his kids in all of their different sports. He is an avid gamer and is very excited that his boys are picking up on his hobby. J.R. was recently introduced to triathlons and has since found that he loves the sport. Most nights he can be found either sitting down with a good game or hunched over his iPad writing.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 28, 2013
My parents got me this book for Christmas, they even got it signed by the author, I started reading it yesterday and didn't want to but it down, I highly recommend this book if your the fantasy/adventure type :)
May 7, 2017
This is my son's review:
It was very detailed, and he used good words. The story had a good theme: two kids being adopted by shape shifters and they went to go save the kingdom Cardonin. The characters were great.
I liked the cliffhanger at the end.
It was very detailed, and he used good words. The story had a good theme: two kids being adopted by shape shifters and they went to go save the kingdom Cardonin. The characters were great.
I liked the cliffhanger at the end.
September 15, 2021
This book had a good plot. But for some reason I just had a hard time getting into this book.
December 2, 2018
This book is a lot of fun. The changelings are great and I liked the way the author wove all the different characters together into the narrative.
September 30, 2013
I would recommend this book for boys aged 8-11. This is definitely not for young adults (I think they'd be bored), and it's not easily enjoyed by adults unless they have boys in the target audience age range.
The book starts out with an action scene that is quite intriguing. I liked the brief introduction to the opposing forces in Fermicia. After this first action-packed chapter the next third of the book is slow and awkward. The introduction to Jake and his first day of jr. high is dry. The glimpses of the changelings being the only redeeming factor.
Once the main characters all made it to Fermicia, things picked up. Though it seemed a little too easy for Jake to just leave home with barely any explanation as to why he was going and what was in it for him. He wasn't given enough motivation to leave home on an adventure from which he may not return. Joraus guilted him into going, and that's really not a theme (peer pressure, bullying) that I would want to convey as all right to this age group.
We're introduced to the other main character, Sam, upon arrival in Fermicia. She seems quite a bit older than Jake. She has a sad family history which may have helped her grow up fast, but she seems several years older than Jake's 12. Unfortunately, this main character is hardly developed in the story. She feels more like the outline of a character than her own person.
The children progress through their adventure and we seem to lose sight of the fact that they are 12. They're called children often enough, but they're required to make very adult decisions and take very adult actions. I find it a bit appalling that the changelings require Jake and Sam to kill their enemies without a second thought and never seem to have time for any sorrow or loss of innocence. This, in my opinion was a huge failing. It could definitely have been handled more delicately and allowed for awesome character development. Missed opportunity.
I was also disappointed in how easy Ragesong was for the children. They grappled with it some, but I would have liked to have seen more of the struggle. Jake goes from not being able to touch it at all to becoming one of the most fearsome fighters in all of Kardonin. I get that they are talented, and actually loved that their musical abilities were tied to their fighting abilities, but I wanted more growth.
I saw the ending coming way before it did. I wasn't disappointed with it, but it was a little cliche. Unfortunately, I'm not exactly curious to see what happens in subsequent installments.
Overall, I'm not sorry that I read this, but it wasn't the best children's fantasy I've come across. Young boys will probably love this for the action and adventure. Girls will probably have a harder time relating.
The book starts out with an action scene that is quite intriguing. I liked the brief introduction to the opposing forces in Fermicia. After this first action-packed chapter the next third of the book is slow and awkward. The introduction to Jake and his first day of jr. high is dry. The glimpses of the changelings being the only redeeming factor.
Once the main characters all made it to Fermicia, things picked up. Though it seemed a little too easy for Jake to just leave home with barely any explanation as to why he was going and what was in it for him. He wasn't given enough motivation to leave home on an adventure from which he may not return. Joraus guilted him into going, and that's really not a theme (peer pressure, bullying) that I would want to convey as all right to this age group.
We're introduced to the other main character, Sam, upon arrival in Fermicia. She seems quite a bit older than Jake. She has a sad family history which may have helped her grow up fast, but she seems several years older than Jake's 12. Unfortunately, this main character is hardly developed in the story. She feels more like the outline of a character than her own person.
The children progress through their adventure and we seem to lose sight of the fact that they are 12. They're called children often enough, but they're required to make very adult decisions and take very adult actions. I find it a bit appalling that the changelings require Jake and Sam to kill their enemies without a second thought and never seem to have time for any sorrow or loss of innocence. This, in my opinion was a huge failing. It could definitely have been handled more delicately and allowed for awesome character development. Missed opportunity.
I was also disappointed in how easy Ragesong was for the children. They grappled with it some, but I would have liked to have seen more of the struggle. Jake goes from not being able to touch it at all to becoming one of the most fearsome fighters in all of Kardonin. I get that they are talented, and actually loved that their musical abilities were tied to their fighting abilities, but I wanted more growth.
I saw the ending coming way before it did. I wasn't disappointed with it, but it was a little cliche. Unfortunately, I'm not exactly curious to see what happens in subsequent installments.
Overall, I'm not sorry that I read this, but it wasn't the best children's fantasy I've come across. Young boys will probably love this for the action and adventure. Girls will probably have a harder time relating.
October 8, 2013
Book review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
Ragesong: Awakening is the story of Jake and Sam, who get transported to a magical world where they have to learn to use their new, magical abilities. In the style of The Neverending Story and The Wizard of Oz, they must save the kingdom, and meet an entire cast of colorful characters along the way. This book seemed like an excellent read for middle graders and young adults. It was strong of the fantasy part, and the world building was pretty decent as well. The kingdom of Fermicia is ruled by Ragesong, an addictive sort of magic linked to physical abilities and musical instruments.
The characters were okay. Teenage boys can probably relate to Jake. I thought the transition from the regular world to Fermicia was a bit sloppy, and the first chapters a little slow, but once they ended up in Fermicia, the pacing quickened and the story began pulling me in. The plot was all right, even though not always entirely original, it was still intriguing enough to keep me reading.
The writing, however, could’ve used some work. There’s a lot of telling instead of showing, and the book is dominated by adverbs. Like for instance, in the first chapter, we get this:
Klyle did not turn immediately, but continued to gaze somberly at the destruction before him. “Why has it come to this?” he asked quietly, not expecting an answer.
Now, I may be nagging here, but ‘somberly’ and ‘quietely’ really ruin this sentence for me. And it’s like that throughout the entire book. We get this, a page or so later:
Reaching in, he carefully pulled something out before securing the lid and resetting it. Returning to face the humanoid creatures, he eyed them speculatively.
Already, the sentence structure is a little awkward because of the way both these sentences are set up. But then ‘carefully’ and ‘he eyed them speculatively’ really ruin it.
If it wasn’t for this, I would’ve truly enjoyed the book. Now I struggled to keep reading during the first few chapters because of the writing. Once I got pulled into the story though, I began to look past this, but it still bothered me a little.
If you like fantasy, give Ragesong: Awakening a shot, but if you’re allergic to adverbs, you may want to stay away.
Ragesong: Awakening is the story of Jake and Sam, who get transported to a magical world where they have to learn to use their new, magical abilities. In the style of The Neverending Story and The Wizard of Oz, they must save the kingdom, and meet an entire cast of colorful characters along the way. This book seemed like an excellent read for middle graders and young adults. It was strong of the fantasy part, and the world building was pretty decent as well. The kingdom of Fermicia is ruled by Ragesong, an addictive sort of magic linked to physical abilities and musical instruments.
The characters were okay. Teenage boys can probably relate to Jake. I thought the transition from the regular world to Fermicia was a bit sloppy, and the first chapters a little slow, but once they ended up in Fermicia, the pacing quickened and the story began pulling me in. The plot was all right, even though not always entirely original, it was still intriguing enough to keep me reading.
The writing, however, could’ve used some work. There’s a lot of telling instead of showing, and the book is dominated by adverbs. Like for instance, in the first chapter, we get this:
Klyle did not turn immediately, but continued to gaze somberly at the destruction before him. “Why has it come to this?” he asked quietly, not expecting an answer.
Now, I may be nagging here, but ‘somberly’ and ‘quietely’ really ruin this sentence for me. And it’s like that throughout the entire book. We get this, a page or so later:
Reaching in, he carefully pulled something out before securing the lid and resetting it. Returning to face the humanoid creatures, he eyed them speculatively.
Already, the sentence structure is a little awkward because of the way both these sentences are set up. But then ‘carefully’ and ‘he eyed them speculatively’ really ruin it.
If it wasn’t for this, I would’ve truly enjoyed the book. Now I struggled to keep reading during the first few chapters because of the writing. Once I got pulled into the story though, I began to look past this, but it still bothered me a little.
If you like fantasy, give Ragesong: Awakening a shot, but if you’re allergic to adverbs, you may want to stay away.
December 21, 2014
My daughter (11) and I (the Mom) reviewed this book for Mother Daughter Book Reviews. These are excerpts. Visit our website for the full reviews.
DAUGHTER SAYS:
This book is about two kids named Jake and Samantha who are brought to the land of Fermicia by two Changelings, named Joraus and Swyf who have watched over them all their lives. I thought the cover was really cool. I liked the part when they all enter the portal to Fermicia because I like it when people first arrive at a destination that they never even thought existed. I didn’t like how there was a lot of violence and a lot of violent deaths. I thought the cooler Changeling was Swyf because she was fun. I thought the book was really awesome and I couldn’t put it down. Other than the violence it was amazing. I think kids 12 and older would like this book just because it is really violent but it’s a great story.
MOM SAYS:
J.R. Simmons has woven a spell-binding story filled with thrills, suspense, and magic. Ragesong takes place in a parallel world called Fermicia linked to Earth by a portal. The plot is filled with twists and turns and features a diverse well-developed cast of humans as well as magical beings. The story had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, but I must warn readers that there is a high level of violence and death (although this is not dwelt upon nor described in great detail). As such, I would recommend the book to children ages 13 and older who love the fantasy genre. I loved it!
* This book was provided to us by the author free-of-charge in exchange for our honest reviews. All opinions expressed are our own. *
DAUGHTER SAYS:
This book is about two kids named Jake and Samantha who are brought to the land of Fermicia by two Changelings, named Joraus and Swyf who have watched over them all their lives. I thought the cover was really cool. I liked the part when they all enter the portal to Fermicia because I like it when people first arrive at a destination that they never even thought existed. I didn’t like how there was a lot of violence and a lot of violent deaths. I thought the cooler Changeling was Swyf because she was fun. I thought the book was really awesome and I couldn’t put it down. Other than the violence it was amazing. I think kids 12 and older would like this book just because it is really violent but it’s a great story.
MOM SAYS:
J.R. Simmons has woven a spell-binding story filled with thrills, suspense, and magic. Ragesong takes place in a parallel world called Fermicia linked to Earth by a portal. The plot is filled with twists and turns and features a diverse well-developed cast of humans as well as magical beings. The story had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, but I must warn readers that there is a high level of violence and death (although this is not dwelt upon nor described in great detail). As such, I would recommend the book to children ages 13 and older who love the fantasy genre. I loved it!
* This book was provided to us by the author free-of-charge in exchange for our honest reviews. All opinions expressed are our own. *
October 3, 2014
Author J.R. Simmons creates an intriguing landscape of different minds and creatures in Ragesong Awakening, while keeping the story flowing with swift pursuit. Scenes of a real world junior-high and glorious wart-hog mascot are rendered as convincingly as scenes of an alien world at war. If life is better than a video game - "Look around, Jake," says Sam - then this novel just might convince reluctant boy readers that fiction can be too... and that real life doesn't reset when you fail... and that killing is meant to hurt. Nice lessons hide in an exciting tale of strange creatures, great need, and a wonderful quest.
There is a pleasing sense of balance between Jake and Sam, the earthly boy and girl caught up in this adventure, each with their different skills and points of view. One's weakness proves to be the other's strength. And the story reveals a nice growth of character in both. As the book ends, the adventure is done, but there's so much more to come. This will definitely be a series well worth following.
"The more you worry about something, the more you fear it... the more power you allow it to have over you.” A wise lesson indeed, and my only complaint is I wish Jake had agonized longer over his letter to his parents, but then, I’m a parent.
Disclosure: I won a copy in a blog tour and I offer my honest review
There is a pleasing sense of balance between Jake and Sam, the earthly boy and girl caught up in this adventure, each with their different skills and points of view. One's weakness proves to be the other's strength. And the story reveals a nice growth of character in both. As the book ends, the adventure is done, but there's so much more to come. This will definitely be a series well worth following.
"The more you worry about something, the more you fear it... the more power you allow it to have over you.” A wise lesson indeed, and my only complaint is I wish Jake had agonized longer over his letter to his parents, but then, I’m a parent.
Disclosure: I won a copy in a blog tour and I offer my honest review
January 1, 2016
Received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I liked Ragesong: Awakening. I was not too sure what to expect, but I knew that it was going to have adventure and was in the fantasy genre. It also had a realistic setting, a small bit of romance and danger. The main character is Jake. He is amiable and a gamer. There is also Sam (samantha) who is reserved, but later on their adventure in Fermicia she becomes less so and is more mature than Jake. Joraus and Swyf are their guides on their journey. They can be playful and serious given the appropriate situations.
This is the first book in a series. It introduces the antagonist(s), the main characters and the world of Fermicia. There is trouble in Fermicia. Jake and Sam go through some peril, which forces them to act much differently than they would in their own world. Mainly the story is told from Jake's point of view. His feelings were believable to me. He struggles and matures a bit. The reader learns too about Ragesong along the way. I definitely want to know what happens next, in book two.
I liked Ragesong: Awakening. I was not too sure what to expect, but I knew that it was going to have adventure and was in the fantasy genre. It also had a realistic setting, a small bit of romance and danger. The main character is Jake. He is amiable and a gamer. There is also Sam (samantha) who is reserved, but later on their adventure in Fermicia she becomes less so and is more mature than Jake. Joraus and Swyf are their guides on their journey. They can be playful and serious given the appropriate situations.
This is the first book in a series. It introduces the antagonist(s), the main characters and the world of Fermicia. There is trouble in Fermicia. Jake and Sam go through some peril, which forces them to act much differently than they would in their own world. Mainly the story is told from Jake's point of view. His feelings were believable to me. He struggles and matures a bit. The reader learns too about Ragesong along the way. I definitely want to know what happens next, in book two.
January 22, 2014
Ragesong: awakening was a good book but I got kind of bored with it since half the book is about them walking, talking, and maybe 2 or 3 fights with patrols. However, the concept was kind of cool and I thought the author did a good job with the personalities and how their ages fit into the trial set before them.
The ending I'd have to say was my favorite part since it picked up in plot more than it had before, and jake's ragesong abilities were interesting to read about and how the author carried out the details.
I thought it had a lot of blood and violence for a children's book. I mean it doesn't talk about blood except for once but it did contain some violence that I was surprised to find in this kind of book. It seemed to be written as maybe a 4th grade-5th grade level reader.
Don't get me wrong that it was a bad book, it really was a good book and I think I would read the sequel if it fell into my possession, but it wasn't one of my favorites.
The ending I'd have to say was my favorite part since it picked up in plot more than it had before, and jake's ragesong abilities were interesting to read about and how the author carried out the details.
I thought it had a lot of blood and violence for a children's book. I mean it doesn't talk about blood except for once but it did contain some violence that I was surprised to find in this kind of book. It seemed to be written as maybe a 4th grade-5th grade level reader.
Don't get me wrong that it was a bad book, it really was a good book and I think I would read the sequel if it fell into my possession, but it wasn't one of my favorites.
October 7, 2013
Two teens from our world travel to a different world where with two changelings they fight for the kingdom of Fermicia. The beginning of the book is really slow and confusing. There is a lot of world building and it is hard to understand what exactly is going on. There is no sign of the protagonist 13-year-old Jake till Chapter 4 which is confusing, Samantha is introduced in Chapter 5. The book starts out with Swyf and Joraus the changelings. Once I figured that out, I was doing a bit better with the narration but at first I was really confused. The pacing was really slow. Jake plays the flute and Samantha plays the saxophone. Music has magic in the magical kingdom of Fermicia. There is a good king Klyle and bad king Brael. I started liking this story better by Chapter 10. This must be the beginning of a series since this book ends with a cliffhanger. 3.5 stars.
September 15, 2013
4 1/2 stars....
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
When I was approached by the author for a review of this book, I had to jump at the opportunity. A month ago or so when my computer was dead in the water, the tour company I usually review for, Promotional Book Tours, toured this book and I missed out. I was bummed about it, but this was my second chance.
I am so glad I got this second chance too, because this book was so good!
The beginning was a little shaky, because you were being thrown right in the middle of a battle scene without any real foreknowledge. Towards the end though, when you got the whole story, you could go back and put it into context.
Other than that though, this was a great book, and I can't wait to read the next! Just as a personal aside, I'm so glad the author put a boy into a flute section.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
When I was approached by the author for a review of this book, I had to jump at the opportunity. A month ago or so when my computer was dead in the water, the tour company I usually review for, Promotional Book Tours, toured this book and I missed out. I was bummed about it, but this was my second chance.
I am so glad I got this second chance too, because this book was so good!
The beginning was a little shaky, because you were being thrown right in the middle of a battle scene without any real foreknowledge. Towards the end though, when you got the whole story, you could go back and put it into context.
Other than that though, this was a great book, and I can't wait to read the next! Just as a personal aside, I'm so glad the author put a boy into a flute section.
October 16, 2013
I just finished reading this book because I was looking for good young adult fiction...I am 26, an avid reader, and I really enjoyed it. I liked being able to learn about a fascinating world with interesting creatures (kind of reminded me of the creatures from Avatar...which were awesome) but I liked learning about the main character, Jake, the most. He is this nice soft kid at the beginning of the book, he has a great home life, has enough guts to be a boy and play the flute but not super stand out - a little too into video games, a lot like the thirteen year olds I know in my neighborhood. And he turns into a young man who has to make life or death choices about really interesting ethical dilemmas...like how far should the strong go to defend the weak, etc. I especially like how he grows through making difficult choices.
August 20, 2013
I really enjoyed this book! It was very creative and fun. I loved the characters and thought they made the book. I loved the idea of Ragesong and how it connected with their musical instruments and their physical abilities. The story line was fast-paced enough to keep me reading, and yet well thought out. It was definitely a page-turner and I finished it quickly. There is no profanity or intimacy, but it is quite violent. I would recommend it for ages 13 and up. Yay! It is YA approved! You may read my full review on my book blog: www.the-readathon.blogspot.com.
April 15, 2016
Ragesong: Awakening is one of those novels that promises much but doesn’t really deliver and the number one reason is that this book badly needs editorial input. Someone needs to come along with the editing shears and cut out all the excess words and information and deal with all the telling not showing. The dialogue in particular needs a jolly good prune and all the tags or attributions erased.
I can’t face reading book 2, not because I don’t want to know what happens to Jake and Sam, Joraus and Swyf but because the thought of wading through another narrative jungle is too much.
Please Mr Simmons get a professional to look at your book. It’s not cheap but it will be worth it.
I can’t face reading book 2, not because I don’t want to know what happens to Jake and Sam, Joraus and Swyf but because the thought of wading through another narrative jungle is too much.
Please Mr Simmons get a professional to look at your book. It’s not cheap but it will be worth it.
January 3, 2014
I gave this book 5 stars on behalf of my 11 year old daughter. She loved the characters, the writing, the storyline, all of it. She is quite the bookworm and an avid reader. Most books she blows through and sets aside for the next one. I think we're on our third read-through of Ragesong: Awakening. You should know I've read it and really enjoyed it, but it's not classic young adult fantasy. It's much like the early Percy Jackson and Harry Potter books--it's really written for kids 8-16, I think.
October 17, 2016
This book was pretty good
This book was pretty good for a middle grader book. I enjoyed the funny parts and the action parts. I had a harder time believing the kids' dialogue but soon pushed the annoyance away. The last part of the book was my favorite and I think that the next book will be better that this one for my type of reading preference.
This book was pretty good for a middle grader book. I enjoyed the funny parts and the action parts. I had a harder time believing the kids' dialogue but soon pushed the annoyance away. The last part of the book was my favorite and I think that the next book will be better that this one for my type of reading preference.
January 16, 2014
I was thoroughly fascinated by this book. I read it in a day and a half and loved every moment of it. My 11 year old son has loved it as well. I felt that JR really captivated me right from the beginning and adding music to the book took it to a whole other level for me.
August 26, 2014
I didn't love it and didn't hate it. My two oldest children read this pretty quick but I had a hard time getting into it.
December 7, 2016
Review
Loved it! Great characters, good story line and excellent fight sequences. Hope I can get the next book soon. Awesome.
Loved it! Great characters, good story line and excellent fight sequences. Hope I can get the next book soon. Awesome.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews