The Antarktos Saga is now complete! All 5 books of this epic series are available in The Last Hunter – Collected Edition for less than the cost of the individual five books. The Collected Edition contains Descent, Pursuit, Ascent, Lament and Onslaught, as well as an exclusive short story and other extras. Antarktos Rising, the novel that inspired this series, is also available. It parallels Ascent and tells the story of Mira and Merrill. Description: I’ve been told that the entire continent of Antarctica groaned at the moment of my birth. The howl tore across glaciers, over mountains and deep into the ice. Everyone says so. Except for my father; all he heard was Mother’s sobs. Not of pain, but of joy, so he says. Other than that, the only verifiable fact about the day I was born is that an iceberg the size of Los Angeles broke free from the ice shelf, a few miles off the coast. Again, some would have me believe the fracture took place as I entered the world. But all that really matters, according to my parents, is that I, Solomon Ull Vincent, the first child born on Antarctica—the first and only Antarctican—was born on September 2nd, 1974. If only someone could have warned me that, upon my return to the continent of my birth thirteen years later, I would be kidnapped, subjected to tortures beyond comprehension and forced to fight...and kill. If only someone had hinted that I’d wind up struggling to survive in a subterranean world full of ancient warriors, strange creatures and supernatural powers. Had I been warned, I might have lived a normal life. The human race might have remained safe. And the fate of the world might not rest on my shoulders. Had I been warned... This is my story—the tale of Solomon Ull Vincent—The Last Hunter.
Jeremy Robinson is the New York Times bestselling author of seventy novels and novellas, including Apocalypse Machine, Island 731, and SecondWorld, as well as the Jack Sigler thriller series and Project Nemesis, the highest selling, original (non-licensed) kaiju novel of all time. He’s known for mixing elements of science, history and mythology, which has earned him the #1 spot in Science Fiction and Action-Adventure, and secured him as the top creature feature author. Many of his novels have been adapted into comic books, optioned for film and TV, and translated into thirteen languages. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife and three children. Visit him at www.bewareofmonsters.com.
THE LAST HUNTER is the first of a six part series based on the world created in ANTARKTOS RISING. The first three books are prequels to Antarktos. The Fourth book parallels Antarktos. And the last two finish both story arcs. This is perhaps my favorite of all my books and is currently available as an e-book exclusive on Amazon, B&N and Smashwords.com. With enough word-spreading and good reviews we'll hopefully see it in print within the year. Thanks for reading!
Pros: - Great narration by R.C. Bray - Interesting Concepts - Goofy but Kind MC - Series Bundle Pack on Audible - Ok action story. Just don't poke at the holes.
Cons: - Poorly constructed thought experiment that tried to pull together a bunch of ideas. - Thought experiments are fine, but the overall story should be able to stand in the spotlight. - I highly doubt that people will get most of the references & the twists on the varied ideas unless they are also interested/studied many religions, mythologies, folklore, etc. The kitchen sink mashup that was cobbled together for the story does not stand well on it's own.
01/24/2021 Notes:
Solid start to a series. Good intro, foggy middle and nice wrap up. Curious to see how this mix of Norse mythology + stuff will work out.
আমি সলোমন-আল ভিনসেন্ট। অ্যান্টার্কটিকায় জন্ম নেওয়া প্রথম মানবশিশু। শুনেছি আমার জন্মের সময় নাকি গুঙিয়ে উঠেছিল পুরো অ্যান্টার্কটিকা মহাদেশ। সেই আর্তনাদ প্রতিধ্বনি তুলেছিল হিমবাহে, সুউচ্চ পর্বতসমূহে ও সুগভীর বরফের মধ্যে। অথচ আমার বাবা-মা কখনোই আমাকে এই অতীত জানতে দেননি। আমার জন্মের ইতিহাস ও আমার মাঝখানে সযত্নে নিরেট একটা দেয়াল তুলে দিয়েছেন।কী এমন লুকিয়ে আছে আমার জন্মের সঙ্গে, যার জন্য তারা এটা লুকিয়ে রাখতে বাধ্য হয়েছেন?
এইটুকু পড়ে শোনালাম আমার সামনে জুবুথুবু হয়ে বসে থাকা কাকতাড়ুয়াটাকে। করোনার সময়ে অফুরন্ত এই সময়ে টুকটাক টিউশনি হাতে নিয়েছি টুকটাক খরচ জুটাতে। এই কাকতাড়ুয়া ব্যাটা তারই একটা। ভীষণ ফাকিবাঁজ। একেবারে আমারই মতোন🙃🙃 কিন্তু সেটা তো আর এই ব্যাটাকে বুঝতে দিতে পারিনা৷ তাই একে পড়ানোর জন্য অন্য এপ্রোচে এগুনোর কথা মাথায় আসে। মাঝেমধ্যে ওরে মুভি দেখতে বলি আর বইও পড়তে বলি। গতরাতে শেষ করা একটা বই নিয়ে এসেছি আজকে ওর জন্য। টেবিলে বইটা রাখতেই ওর আজকে ম্যাথ করার স্পীডও বেড়ে গিয়েছে🗿
"স্যার, বইটা লোকটা মানুষ না হাল্ক! পুরো মহাদেশ লাড়ায়ে ফেলছে", চোখে মুখে নিখাদ বিস্ময় ফুটে উঠছে আমার গুণধর ছাত্রের চোখেমুখে। " শোনো আরো কত কান্ড করেছে জানলে তো…..", ইচ্ছে করেই থেমে গেলাম আমি।
"অ্যান্টার্কটিকা মহাদেশের নাম শুনছো না? চারিদিকে শুধু বরফ আর বরফ। শুভ্র পিঞ্জর বুঝছো।। চারিদিকে শুধু বরফ আর বরফ তাপমাত্রা (-) কযেতে পারে বলতো?" আদর্শ মাস্টারের মতো ঠাস করে প্রশ্ন করে বসলাম বেরসিকের মতোন।" - ১০০ এর মতোন", পট উত্তরটা দিয়ে ফেলল সুবোধ কাকতারুয়ায়া। যেন ঠোঁটের আগায় উত্তরটা বসানোই ছিল।
টুকটাক বই টই পড়লে এর পড়ার প্রতি আগ্রহটা বাড়বে। এইজন্যই ওকে বই পড়াতে উৎসাহ দেই। বয়সটাই যে এমন। আর আমি তো বুড়া বয়সেও ফ্যান্টাসি লাভার। ওর ভালো লাগারই কথা। এখনই তো মনে হচ্ছে হুকড হয়ে গেছে৷ আমি অবশ্য এন্টারটিকার মায়াতে পরে পড়েছিলাম। এর আগে রানার X-15 টা বেশ লেগেছিল শুধুমাত্র বরফের জন্য। আর হ্যাকার বইটার বেস্ট ফাইট সিকোয়েন্স ছিল এন্টারটিকাতেই। যাকগে কাকতারুয়ার কাছে ফিরে যাই🙃।
"শোনো বই দিয়ে যাচ্ছি ৭ দিনের ছুটিতে আস্তেধীরে পড়তে পারো, একেবারে হুরমুর করে একবসায় খেয়ে ফেলবা না বুঝছো? অনুবাদ পড়ার অভ্যেস টা এই বই দিয়েই নাহয় শুরু করলা। অনেক কিছু বুঝতে সুবিধে হবে।", বলে সামনে থাকা চায়ের কাপটা টেনে নিলাম। এই চাটা মিস করা উচিত হবে না। ঠিক যেমন বইটা পড়ার সময় মনে হইছে কাকতারুয়ারও এমন একটা বই মিস করা উচিত না। হ্যারী পটারের মুভিগুলো নাকি দেখে শেষ করছে এইটুকু বয়সেই! ভাবা যায়। এই বই হয়তো অতটা থ্রিল ওরে দিবে না। কিন্তু কল্পনার জগতে যতক্ষণ থাকবে ততক্ষণ এই অসুস্থ দুনিয়া থেকে কিছুক্ষণের জন্য হলেও তো মনটাকে নিয়ে যেতে পারবে ভিনসেন্টের সাথে।
" কনক, আজকে আসি হোমওয়ার্কের ম্যাথ গুলো সব সুন্দর করে করে রাখবা। আর তোমার আব্বু আম্মুকে সালাম দিও",বলে চায়ের কাপ নামিয়ে রেখে উঠে দাড়ালাম আমি। সন্ধে হয়ে গিয়েছে৷ বাসায় ফেরা দরকার। বিরূপ কথা নিয়ে বসতে হবে আজকে।
I normally don't read books like this but a friend recommended it to me and I like talking with him about books. I had a hard time starting this and honestly wasn't sure I was going to read it. But I kept on and became deeply entangled in the story. A young boy Solomon was born on Antarctica and strange things happened when he was born. Flash forward 13 years and he is headed back to Antarctica with his parents and an exploration team. While their he is kidnapped by a creature and is forced to become Ull the Hunter. There are dinosaurs and killing egg monsters and evil gods and it is quite enthralling. I was horrified by the gore and torture he received. I almost threw up at one point. I am squeamish though and the scene was quite revolting. It is in the pit of the egg monsters and it was graphic and twisted. The longer he was down there, the more Ull he became and Solomon disappeared. He is being trained by Ninnis who was a hunter that trained him. He was taken at the beginning of the book during an exploration group disaster. He is old now and he must take Ull on a course of three trials so that he may become a Hunter and lead the attack on the humans someday in the future. Okay that is all I'm going to say about the plot. There are better reviews out there that can tell you more. The other Hunters and Gods and assorted hierarchy in this world below are not good people. They are evil. They take away his human emotions and are forming him into a demon basically. That will destroy the human race. I was captivated by the story at the end and I am going on to read the,rest. I definitely have stepped away from my Normal genre, and embracing a new one. For now at least. Thank you Rick for the rec!
The Last Hunter - Descent by Jeremy Robinson is the first of a series of three young adult books in the Antarktos Saga. I wanted to read The Last Hunter because I enjoyed Antarktos Rising so much. This is a pre-story to Antarktos Rising. In The Last Hunter - Descent thirteen year old Solomon Ull Vincent has always felt different but never knew if it was based on his intelligence and perfect memory, or if it was due to his birth place - Antarctica. He was born on Antarctica in 1974 when his parents were there on an expedition. Now he is returning to Antarctica. Once there, Solomon is kidnapped and forced into a very different, brutal new way of life.
After the opening, The Last Hunter - Descent is written in the first person, through the perspective of Solomon Ull. Although this is an intense book, it is a quick read. As usual Robinson doesn't include a lot of swearing so the only question would be if the young adult reading it can handle some brutal descriptions and violence.
While I enjoyed this first book quite a bit, it felt short - probably due to being the first part of a series. It certainly was an engrossing fast read while traveling. At this point, while I enjoyed it a lot, I'm unsure if I'll purchase the next two in the series or not since I'm not convinced they are going to enhance the Antarktos Rising universe for me.
Highly Recommended, but know that it is an YA book and book one in a series of three. I'd probably give it a very highly recommended if all three parts were included in one volume as it just felt short, as is explained by its equivalent to 282 pages in print.
I didn't know what to expect from this book so I went into it with an open mind. I'm glad I did as this book had the chance to really impress me.
The first thing to like is that there is a genuinely interesting protagonist. From the very start, you can tell that there is hidden potential there or at least some mystery surrounding the character. This makes reading about his journey all the more interesting because you want to know more about him.
The rest of the characters are strong as well. I never felt that any of them were too one dimensional which is quite impressive considering the relatively short length of this book.
Most of all, I am pleased by the massive potential of this story. I felt like we were only scratching the surface in this novel. We are introduced to both a new world and a new magic system that surely has a lot more to offer in future novels.
One downside was that I thought it might feel a little rushed. I wouldn't have minded a few more pages to flesh out side characters, relationships and events a little bit more. This isn't a massive problem as it actually helps propel the story at times. However, there were just a few things I wouldn't have minded looking at a little deeper.
By the end of this novel I was thoroughly enjoying myself and interested in seeing what comes next. I can happily recommend this book, even older readers. Though this has a teenaged protagonist and is at home on the YA shelf, I never felt talked down to as an older (okay, only thirty but that's old enough) reader and I got a lot of enjoyment out of it.
The best part of this novel is that it's only Book One! How things are going to play out, I can't even imagine and can't wait to find out. The subject matter (I won't give ANYTHING away) is one that has always fascinated me and, in fact, has provoked my own storytelling. Robinson's Antarktos Rising set the stage for my coming to The Last Hunter and far exceeded any expectations I might have had. Striking similar veins to Thomas Greanias' Atlantis Rising, Steve Alten's Domain, and such mysteries expectant of Graham Hancock, Book One of the Last Hunter series was so well-paced in the first-person, that every time I put it down to give my eyes a break, I rarely could make it out of the room before the next chapter was holding me captive again. After studying a lot of these themes in research for my own novel, I was impressed beyond measure with Robinson's ability to weave such topics into an intensely engaging, exciting, and fun story. Because we see the story through the eyes of a 13-year old boy growing up in the 80s, we get to see all kinds of references to kid life within that time frame, and, if you're like me - growing up in the same space of time - you'll laugh with memories seemingly long forgotten (like Solomon's TV schedule). I definitely recommend it. Especially if you like.... I said I wouldn't give anything away!
This book was an intense, action filled, dramatic, race car ride I simply didn't want put down. What a ride it was!
Magic, myth, science, religion, the believable & unbelievable unfurled itself from my iPhone, piercing the blackness of our room & whipped me away on a snowflake wind into a world I never would have imagined. Until now. I warn you: grab a cup of tea & snuggle into a thick quilt - it's about to get cold. Really cold...
The pacing is fantastic - not a boring part to this tale. The descriptions fascinating - I felt as if I were accompanying the main character on his painful journey. The language - easy to follow & fun to read.
No, I'm not going to give you a breakdown of what this book's about: that's what the preview is for but I will tell you this: From start to finish, I was completely engaged. No, it is not JUST a children's book - sheer nonsense - it will delight both young & young at heart alike. In fact, I'd peg it as more of a young adult book than children.
I'm anxious to begin reading the sequel. I've read one other book by this author. Robinson's fluid writing style is quickly making him one of my favorite modern day authors. Excellent work & thank you for a wonderful read!
I really liked book 1. We watched a brilliant but scared young boy survive in an extremely tough environment. He had his memories stollen and was mentally broken down and then built back up to be a fierce fighter, but what he was being groomed to fight was the issue. I enjoyed watching Sol become Ull and I wondered how it would all play out.
In book two it all started to fall apart for me. At the end of book 1 and that causes him to run away and hide from what the Nephilim had planned for him. Now we start to see the old Sol show up again... the one who is scared. This book really focuses on forgiveness, mercy and love. Those are all great things in real life, but in this fantasy story I was hoping for more of a kick-ass warrior book. The fact that I didn't like this book because of all the forgiveness, mercy & love stuff speaks more about me than the book itself.
I gave the first book 4 stars because I enjoyed watching Sol become a warrior. I gave the second book 3 stars because it's well written but I didn't care for the softer touch of the story.
What a tale! The first child born on Antarctica is special.. VERY special. He literally remembers the day he was born and every event after that. After a special birthday, Solomon's parents finally take him back to the place of his birth. Odd things start happening the second he gets there..
After his abduction and being left to survive by his own wits.. Solomon slowly evolves into the man he needs to be to lead a forgotten race back to the rest of the planet Earth.
A coming of age story.. where life lessons mean you need to survive on your own to go forward.. or die.. a failure.
Excellent plot and pace! Kudo's to the author.. for the flow of the story.. lots of mystery.. lots of thrills!
To me this is a YA novel that a fair number of other adults can enjoy if they don't mind a lot of fantasy or science fiction in their reads. I liked it, but I have to read a story like this with the right frame of mind. I could not read youth novels like this all the time, for me, it's a less than 10% of all books read kind of event. I'm a Jeremy Robinson fan, so that helped so did the fact that it's heavy in action and adventure. Still "The Last Hunter" is not a book for everyone or even most,with it's share of fantasy including giants, magic and ... well you get the idea. This is the first book in the "The Last Hunter Series" five book series. I liked it, but not sure if I'll read the other four.
I love this story! I thought the character development was wonderful and I am so intrigued with Solomon. It had many twists and unexpected events that kept me plugged in and transported far away. I listened to the audio version of the story, and the narration was amazing. R.C. Bray is one of my favorites, and he does an excellent job with this story. As soon as I finished this story, I started on the next one!
If I am not drawn into a book within the first 75-100 pages, I don't waste my time continuing, hoping it may get better. Such was the case with, "The Last Hunter" by Jeremy Robinson.
The Prologue was about the most exciting part within the first 80 pages I read. Beyond that I found it rather blah. Unnecessary details in casual conversations and about objects and ideas.
I read many YA novels before. But, this one just wasn't for me. I simply couldn't get into it. Moving on.
🍁 বই- দ্য লাস্ট হান্টার: ডিসেন্ট ✒️ লেখক- জেরেমি রবিনসন
বইয়ের প্রোলগ শুরু হয় নিনিসের আর্তনাদ দিয়ে। গভীর থেকে কেউ বলে- নিজভূমে তোমার স্বাগতম, নিনিস। এরপরেই তাকে নিয়ে যায় অতলে।
বইয়ের ন্যারেটর সলোমন আল ভিনসেন্ট নিজেই। বর্তমানে ছেলেটা আহত এবং রহস্যময় কিছু একটার মুখোমুখি হতে যাচ্ছে, আর এই ফাঁকে বিগত কয়েক মাসের স্মৃতি রোমন্থন করছে।
তেরো বছরের সলোমন-আল ভিনসেন্ট, অ্যান্টার্টিকায় জন্ম নেওয়া প্রথম মানবশিশু। ওর জন্মের সময়েই গর্জে উঠেছিল পুরো অ্যান্টার্কটিকা মহাদেশ; তুষারস্রোত, হিমালয় ও সুগভীর বরফের মধ্যেও প্রতিধ্বনিত হয়েছিল সেই আর্তনাদ। কোনো এক রহস্যময় কারণেই সলোমনের বাবা-মা সেই অতীত জানতে দেননি ছেলেকে। কী এমন রহস্য লুকিয়ে আছে সলোমনের জন্মের সঙ্গে, যার জন্য তারা এটা লুকিয়ে রাখতে বাধ্য হয়েছেন? কেনোই-বা সেদিন গর্জে উঠেছিল অ্যান্টার্কটিকা? যাইহোক, তেরো বছর বয়সেই অপ্রত্যাশিতভাবে অ্যান্টার্কটিকায় যাওয়ার সুযোগ হয় সলোমনের। আর শুরু হয় দিন গণনা, এই সময়টুকু লেখক একটা বাচ্চা ছেলের আবেগের সুন্দর বহিঃপ্রকাশ ঘটিয়েছেন। এখানে সলোমন যে একটা বাচ্চা ছেলে তা ভালোভাবেই প্রকাশ পেয়েছে, যদি না ছোটবেলায় কোনো কিছু পাওয়ার অস্থিরতা মনে না থাকে পাঠকের তবে এই অংশটুকু একটু বোরিং লাগবে। একদিকে সলোমন অ্যান্টার্কটিকায় পা রাখে আর অপরদিকে জেগে উঠে দীর্ঘদিন ধরে ঘুমিয়ে থাকা বিভীষিকা.... এরই রেশ ধরে এক রাতে আকস্মিকভাবেই সলোমন অপহৃত হয় এবং মুখোমুখি হতে হয় প্রাচীন সব যোদ্ধা, অদ্ভুত যতসব প্রাণী আর অতিপ্রাকৃতশক্তির। এখানে লেখক টেনে এনেছেন কিংবদন্তি/মিথলজি আর ম্যাজিক। এই অংশই হচ্ছে বইয়ের চুম্বক অংশ। এখানে এসেই সলোমনের ইভ্যুলুশন ঘটে। বাচ্চাটা শিখতে থাকে কিভাবে টিকে থাকতে হয় প্রকৃতির সঙ্গে লড়াই করে। টের পায়, নিজের অজান্তেই সারা পৃথিবীর ভাগ্য গড়ার দায়িত্ব এসে পড়ে ওর কাঁধে। সাথে এটাও বুঝতে পারে যে সমগ্র বিশ্বজগতকে বাঁচাতে হলে আগে ওর নিজেকেই বাঁচাতে হবে গভীর রহস্যের হাত থেকে। শুরু হয় সলোমন আল ভিনসেন্টের বদলে যাওয়া... বদলে যেতে থাকে ভিন্ন কিছ��তে।
এই ছিল প্লট সামারি। রবিনসনের এই বইটা অ্যান্টার্কটকস সাগা সিরিজের ফার্স্ট বই এবং অ্যান্টার্কটকস রাইজিং সিরিজের প্রিকুয়াল। রবিনসনের লেখনশৈলী ভালো, বর্ণনা ভঙ্গিও ভালো। মূলত জনরা ঘটতে গেলে কোনো একক জনরায় এই বইকে ফেলা যাবে না। একই সাথে থ্রিলার, অ্যাডভেঞ্চার আর মিথকে নিয়ে ব্লেন্ডারে ছেড়ে অন বাটন চেপে ধরেছেন লেখক।
আসলে আমি যা বুঝলাম, চারপাশের জেমস রোলিন্স, ম্যাথিউ রাইলি আর উইলবার স্মিথের ভীড়ে যেন রবিনসনকে চেনাই দায়। এদিকে এই বইয়ের মতো কিছু বই যে পাঠকের মনোজগতে পরিবর্তন আনতে পারে বা বিনোদিত করতে পারে সেটা খেয়ালই করি নাই। আশার কথা হচ্ছে, এখন নজরে পড়ছে এবং নিকট ভবিষ্যতে এই লেখকের আরো কাজ আসবে বিবলিওফাইল এবং ভূমিপ্রকাশ থেকে। এই বইটা ভূমিপ্রকাশ থেকে বের হয়েছে, এরই ধারাবাহিকতায় সিরিজের দ্বিতীয় বই খুব শীঘ্রই আসতে যাচ্ছে। এখন অপেক্ষার পালা।
বই- দ্য লাস্ট হান্টার: ডিসেন্ট লেখক- জেরেমি রবিনসন অনুবাদ- রাফায়েত রহমান রাতুল, হিমেল রহমান প্রকাশনী- ভূমিপ্রকাশ মুদ্রিত মূল্য- ৩২০/-
Really really disappointed with this series, and I even had the great R.C. Bray reading it to me. If I knew it would have been more of a kids (teens) book I would have just not wasted a credit. But I’ve listened to many from Jeremy Robinson and I guess thought it would be more like them. The worst part about the series is how the main character has this stupid moral code where he won’t kill a human, regardless of circumstances! He’s going to kill you… nope, not gonna do it. He’s going to kill the people you love… yea but.. it’s another human. He’s going to kill billions of other HUMANS!… no, there just might be a sliver of good in there somewhere. It’s just too much. If you can handle the movies where the victim finally gets the upper hand on the psychotic killer only to then NOT pull the trigger, or even just throw the gun away, maybe you’ll like this book..? The second worst part is just the inconsistencies. The kid has a perfect memory (I won’t even get into how he can, in seconds, know random facts from subjects that a thirteen year old would not have read up on, but he has a perfect working knowledge of, because he read a book on the subject at some point in his THIRTEEN YEARS!) But… just because he spent some time in the dark killing monsters to survive and is treated like a dog, he can’t even remember or recognize his parents?… then it all comes back when he sees a woman that he hardly knows who he remembers from his actual birth….? And his powers. One minute he’s being bested by a monster while trying to fight without powers, then it’s it’s as simple as thinking it dead. At one point he can simply melt the gold band that protects the monsters, and at other points he can’t get them off. At one point he can’t manage to fight the things, but he can, in an instant, create a 200ft hole to fall through to get away, and close it up. But can’t use that same control of the earth to just simply smash the monsters? He is just constantly completely weak and unable, but miraculously pulls himself up and out and is all knowing, all powerful, sometimes “subconsciously” It’s all just too much for me, as an adult. Maybe if I was thirteen… or ten? I don’t know
What lies under the ice in Antartica? Dinosaurs? Large insects? Or giant men, such as the mighty men of renown, relatives of Goliath, Anak, and the Nephilim? In The Last Hunter - Descent (Book 1 of the Antarktos Saga), Solomon Ull Vincent finds out as he is literally dragged away from his family and plunged into an antediluvian world of violence and intrigue.
Solomon (known as Schwartz to his parents) was born in 1974 on the contintent of Antarctica during a scientific expedition his parents were on. They take him home, where he grows up hearing whispers about the strange events surrounding his birth, and he grows more and more curious about his native country. Finally, after his 13th birthday, he returns with his parents to find out for himself. No sooner does he set foot back on the continent, than the strangeness begins again. From that point on the story barrels forward! I can't say much more, or I'll be giving spoilers.
Jeremy Robinson has crafted a terrific and fantastic young adult adventure. It is written with a sense of immediacy, but the characters and dialogue are also enjoyable. I did not feel quite so 'cliffhangered' as I have in other series' first book, but I was so engaged that I purchased the second book in the trilogy before I could stop to write this review!
This book grabbed me from the very beginning, and whisked me along with Solomon on his journey through training to be the last hunter, then reawakening to the reality of his surroundings, and finally taking action to reject the evil which kidnapped him.
Because of the adult themes of brainwashing, spirituality, and violence, this book is best suited for this 14 or 15 and above on the Aardvark scale. The mixture of fantasy and YA adventure will have you breathless from the first sighting of the pale man with red hair ...
I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.
It was an amaze to me when I saw Solomon Ull Vincent saying - "All that really matters, according to my parents, is that I, Solomon Ull Vincent, am the first child born on Antarctica; the first and only Antarctican. I was born on September 2nd, 1974." And, Today it's September 2nd! A total miracle!!! 😲😲
I knew the name of this book from 2 years ago when my brother translated it into Bengali; And still, as I haven't become so much lucky to read it (!) I started reading the series.
This book is a combination of thrilling fantasy; an adventurous book full of science fiction-type things. Solomon Ull Vincent is a young boy at my age. I could feel his miseries while he falls into huge problems. I loved Solomon; the boy with eternal sorrows; the Ull. As I haven't still cleared up with some matters of it, I wish to understand that in the next book. 🙄🥱
Solomon Ull Vincent, the first child born on Antarctica—the first and only Antarctican—was born on September 2nd, 1974. He always knew he would return to the land of his birth and 13 years later, he did. But he could not foresee what would happen next! No one could, but some did! The denizens of Antarctica, deep below the frozen surface, the rocky surface of the real Antarctica harbor a secret Solomon could never imagine. I love the character called Ull. Solomon's middle name becomes something other than a name. Like a brand, Ull is named for his Nephilim master, but I'm getting ahead of myself. The characters are full technicolor, bright and sizzling with energy, lively and boisterous, their lives dripping from the pages, building to an unforeseen climax. Great characters, great storyline and brilliant writing! This is a great read!
Fun and fast read. Interesting mix of genres: scifi, fantasy, horror, mythology, survival thriller, lost world, some Lovecraftian weirdness in there and will probably appeal to fans of these genres who are looking for something fast paced with lots of action. Some reviews here refer to it as a YA novel and it has elements of that, especially in the first third of the novel. Man, does it take a twist though.
The protagonist is a 13 year old boy. Don't let that fool you though, it gets pretty dark. There is some fairly graphic violence. If I had read this at 13 years old it probably would have scared the **** out of me. Overall very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
I picked up this omnibus on Audible due to a recommendation from Audible, and because I love already-completed series that I can eat up in one chunk. Descent is an interesting novel, which honestly failed to grab me in the early part, to the point where I almost gave up, however I'm more than glad I stuck it out. Descent turned from a kind of odd, plodding beginning into a really interesting and rapidly growing bit of worldbuilding, and while it wasn't perfect, it continually built throughout the novel, and by the end I was champing at the bit to get to the next in the series.
So begins the sage of Solomon Ull Vincent, the first and only child born on Antarctica. After a thirteen-year hiatus, Sol returns with his parents for a birthday vacation, and his entire world changes. Kidnapped, memory wiped, he is transformed into someone or something, that no one would have believed to exist. The opening volume is a definite attention-grabber and R.C. Bray delivers a masterful performance.
This is a mid-grade book about a teenage boy who is the only one born in Antarctica. He is taken back to his place of birth for his birthday and is kidnapped and taught to fight the strange creatures that inhabit the land. I found this to be interesting and I felt curious to know about it. The one thing that made me question this was the vocabulary of this 13-14 year old boy. He seemed pretty advanced for his age. Otherwise it was a good book. 3 solid stars.
As science fiction thriller it has some good hooks to old mythology/ religion with the crossbreeding of fallen angels and humans. However, the story style is not quite the type of story or novel that interests me. I did like the short chapters that made it easier to read in short bursts. If I am bored and desperate, I will read the remainder three books of the series as I bought them as a package deal on Audible.
I liked the beginning, young kid kidnapped, survival in some weird environment, but it kind of went down from there - nephilim, Norse gods, it's too much. I'm still reading the series, on book 3 at the moment and it's not getting any better. Also, when you read, it does not sound like a 12-13 year old, sounds like an adult, I kept needing to remind myself it's just a kid.