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The Goddess Prophecies #1
Dark Moon Rising
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B00J7SXLXO
Desolation. Magic. Destiny.
What would you do if the goddess started speaking to you?
Issa didn’t know she was hunted until dread dragons destroy her home and brutally murder everyone she loves. Led by a raven to the safety of a sacred grove, she meets a goddess robed in the stars and discovers her past has been a lie, her destiny is entwined with ancient prophecy, and she has magical powers beyond her wildest imaginations… or worst nightmares.
Asaph, exiled prince and last of the mighty shape-shifting Dragon Lords, has dreamt of Issa his whole life. When the Night Goddess comes to him, he realises the woman in his dreams is real, and he alone has the power to find her. He must enter the Shadowlands and save her from those who would destroy her before it‘s too late.
The Dark Rift of oblivion draws near, but the Night Goddess’ moon of change is rising – holding the world between the darkness and the light. Can Issa forget her past and find enough faith to believe in the goddess who speaks to her? Does she have the courage to become the greatest warrior the world has ever known? If she does not embrace the Raven Queen of prophecy, then all is lost.
Described by readers as “Robert Jordan’s Wheel Of Time series with a female Chosen One.” “Addictive,” “beautifully wrought” adult epic fantasy about a heroine, sweeping worlds, dragons and magic that is “impossible to put down!”
***Night Goddess previously published as Dark Moon Rising***
CAUTION: A. Evermore's The Prophecies Of Zanufey are for those of heart and soul who enjoy strong female protagonists, moralistic and vulnerable characters, magic and epic adventures set in a vast, richly detailed fantasy world. If you are searching for soulful fantasy about heroines then look no further.
Desolation. Magic. Destiny.
What would you do if the goddess started speaking to you?
Issa didn’t know she was hunted until dread dragons destroy her home and brutally murder everyone she loves. Led by a raven to the safety of a sacred grove, she meets a goddess robed in the stars and discovers her past has been a lie, her destiny is entwined with ancient prophecy, and she has magical powers beyond her wildest imaginations… or worst nightmares.
Asaph, exiled prince and last of the mighty shape-shifting Dragon Lords, has dreamt of Issa his whole life. When the Night Goddess comes to him, he realises the woman in his dreams is real, and he alone has the power to find her. He must enter the Shadowlands and save her from those who would destroy her before it‘s too late.
The Dark Rift of oblivion draws near, but the Night Goddess’ moon of change is rising – holding the world between the darkness and the light. Can Issa forget her past and find enough faith to believe in the goddess who speaks to her? Does she have the courage to become the greatest warrior the world has ever known? If she does not embrace the Raven Queen of prophecy, then all is lost.
Described by readers as “Robert Jordan’s Wheel Of Time series with a female Chosen One.” “Addictive,” “beautifully wrought” adult epic fantasy about a heroine, sweeping worlds, dragons and magic that is “impossible to put down!”
***Night Goddess previously published as Dark Moon Rising***
CAUTION: A. Evermore's The Prophecies Of Zanufey are for those of heart and soul who enjoy strong female protagonists, moralistic and vulnerable characters, magic and epic adventures set in a vast, richly detailed fantasy world. If you are searching for soulful fantasy about heroines then look no further.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2014
320 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Araya Evermore
13 books48 followersFind more about me and my books here: www.arayaevermore.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 25, 2014
The cover caught my eye to begin with, and I was soon drawn into the writer's fantastic magical world. So much fantasy seems to be dark and depressing these days, with characters lacking any honour or redeeming features, but in this book the hero and heroine are more like those of old - something you can admire and look up to.
A very well written and refreshing read - A Evermore is destined for greatness!
Looking forward to the next book in the series!!
A very well written and refreshing read - A Evermore is destined for greatness!
Looking forward to the next book in the series!!
d-n-f
January 7, 2019Middle school writing.
April 7, 2017
Wow a magical book to my liking, a heroine is born who knows nothing of her magical powers until her town is razed to the ground by the dark forces she is meant to overcome!! she is called by the goddess and starts to come into her own through her very tough experiences, she is the raven queen and chosen by the night goddess, and she is Issa! on the other hand there is Asaph the shapeshifting dragon lord who also has no clue of his powers, he is the light bringer and the opposite to Issa but he compliments her, he has dreamt of Issa all his life and finally they meet and save one another from the great white beast who lives under the sea - Kethet. The writer writes beautifully of the earth and the goddesses and her female hero and that we are all one with the universe and that the goddess is in all of us same as the magic if only we take time to listen and look within and find the strength to embrace who we are!! a great trilogy, cannot wait to start the next book in the series!!! well done Araya Evermore!!
December 2, 2014
In the known world of Maioria the Dragons say that the raven came with Zanufey’s dark moon. There is a prophecy that tells of the dark moon rise and the evil that would consume the world if it fell into darkness – a prophecy known and hoped for by Baelthrom, the Immortal Lord.
A.Evermore takes us into the heart of Maioria on the wings of a raven sent from the Moon, a portent of darkness sent on a mission in “Dark Moon Rising” book one of The Prophecies of Zanufrey. Issa is a young woman, a good girl by all definition, a healer with her hands and soft of heart. Her intent is to marry a young man and live her life; a simple fate that is tossed aside when her entire world shatters from revelation…. And one black raven.
A beautifully wrought fantasy with every element you could ever crave in the genre. Heroines, Heroes, A dark lord, dragons, elves, magic aplenty. A wonderful introduction to a promising new series.
A.Evermore takes us into the heart of Maioria on the wings of a raven sent from the Moon, a portent of darkness sent on a mission in “Dark Moon Rising” book one of The Prophecies of Zanufrey. Issa is a young woman, a good girl by all definition, a healer with her hands and soft of heart. Her intent is to marry a young man and live her life; a simple fate that is tossed aside when her entire world shatters from revelation…. And one black raven.
A beautifully wrought fantasy with every element you could ever crave in the genre. Heroines, Heroes, A dark lord, dragons, elves, magic aplenty. A wonderful introduction to a promising new series.
November 11, 2015
Who am I?
Issa has the gift of healing, but, she couldn't heal her mother. Rather than go on to study, she remained home helping her mother. After finding out that Freya was not her mother, her life is changed forever. Zanufey sends the raven, from the dark moon, to find the one she searched for. When Issa sees the raven, he urges her to follow him to a hidden glade. Hidden glades were thought to be Fairy pockets, places where the veil between worlds were the thinnest. Where will magic take Issa? Her journey will be fraught with darkness, but, she must go on to fulfill her destiny. Little does she know that she is the Child of the Raven and the prophecy is set in motion. Not only a book that will keep you reading, but will want to read again.
Issa has the gift of healing, but, she couldn't heal her mother. Rather than go on to study, she remained home helping her mother. After finding out that Freya was not her mother, her life is changed forever. Zanufey sends the raven, from the dark moon, to find the one she searched for. When Issa sees the raven, he urges her to follow him to a hidden glade. Hidden glades were thought to be Fairy pockets, places where the veil between worlds were the thinnest. Where will magic take Issa? Her journey will be fraught with darkness, but, she must go on to fulfill her destiny. Little does she know that she is the Child of the Raven and the prophecy is set in motion. Not only a book that will keep you reading, but will want to read again.
Want to read
February 12, 2015Have not read yet but THAT COVER MAKES ME WANT TO SQUEAL WITH JOY, so deal with it !!!!!!!
November 10, 2015
Very good book,
This was a good book very interesting and I had a hard time putting it down. It has some minor grammatical errors but overall I think it was a very good story. I also really enjoyed the characters.
This was a good book very interesting and I had a hard time putting it down. It has some minor grammatical errors but overall I think it was a very good story. I also really enjoyed the characters.
November 12, 2015
Brilliant
Superbly written epic fantasy. Great characters and plot, interesting twists. A new and intriguing series that grabs you from the first page, can't wait to continue the quest of the Raven Queen. Couldn't put it down, highly recommended.
Superbly written epic fantasy. Great characters and plot, interesting twists. A new and intriguing series that grabs you from the first page, can't wait to continue the quest of the Raven Queen. Couldn't put it down, highly recommended.
May 9, 2014
Loved it. Can't wait for the next one in the series.
January 22, 2016
Is a great book to read
February 7, 2017
Great Book
I really want the rest of this series. It was an awesome story and I want to continue to follow this series out
I really want the rest of this series. It was an awesome story and I want to continue to follow this series out
July 3, 2018
DNF - 5%
Well I made it about 5% before the errors in grammar, unreasonably odd names and narrative of this Kindle Unlimited freebie that was suggested to me by BookBub drove me away. Not for me.
Well I made it about 5% before the errors in grammar, unreasonably odd names and narrative of this Kindle Unlimited freebie that was suggested to me by BookBub drove me away. Not for me.
August 4, 2019
It takes a lot of work to write a story, which is why I hate giving bad reviews. This is someone's pride and joy, their baby, they have spent a good deal of time on it, which should be praised, but sometimes, despite wanting to cheer, you just have to be honest.
Though the premise was intriguing, this book just didn't have it for me. It felt like a chore to read, and I absolutely hate that feeling. I had no desire to come back to it, but I did because I hate Not finishing a book. The actual story could have fit within a third of the book. There was so much telling, pages and pages filled with unnecessary facts that bogged down the story. Creating a world is amazing, but this one was just not quite there.
I didn't care for the main characters.
Neither one of them seem likeable, and together they are even less likeable. I felt absolutely no connection with them.
Issa is like a child, vapid though innocent, selfish, yet giving. She has zero direction, is ruled by fear, and is, of course, like many stereotypical heroines, gorgeous. She gives up too easily, daydreams constantly, and acts like an airhead. I can understand why the priestess would treat her with such derision, seeing as she never really listens. Plus, she chooses to hide away with the horse rather than train. It's annoying, at some point she has to have training, as she is constantly losing or dying until someone helps her. Without training, the idea of her becoming a hero insanely unbelievable. She has no development, no real growth, and needs a good smack upside the head.
And what about Asaph? Issa conveniently forgets about him, though she is binded to him through his ring. She has more of a connection with Rance than she does with Asaph, which is silly because you know the author is pushing for her to be with Asaph. It's just that in this book their relationship falls utterly flat, like two strangers who are just there. No real interaction, just the idea that they have something special. Which again falls under the category of no development. Maybe there will be greater development in the next book, but I won't be reading it.
Asaph is a tiny bit more interesting, though he is also lacking in character. I do like that he has a good relationship with his guardian calling him his father and such, but it feels off that he would hide the "big" secret from him. Does he not trust him? There never seems to be a real reason why he didn't tell him. It's just strange.
Now, I believe industry standard is one mistake per 10,000 words, but this one has far more than that. Every chapter was filled with mixed up homonyms, was lacking in commas, and was riddled with awkward sentences. Not to mention a lack of quotation marks. It irritated me that apostrophes were used instead.
Also, the constant misuse of towards instead of toward was a minor annoyance at first, but became so common, I had to force myself to ignore it in order to read on.
It was a chore to drudge through this. The writing needs a strong clean up. There is far too much "telling" and not enough showing. Probably half the book could be tossed out without being detrimental to the plot.
I really wanted to like and enjoy it, but I just couldn't. Thus, this one goes in the rubbish pile for me until it gets a good editor to help save the story.
For my clean readers:
Occasional language, but no f-bomb. Violence, magic, and witchcraft.
Though the premise was intriguing, this book just didn't have it for me. It felt like a chore to read, and I absolutely hate that feeling. I had no desire to come back to it, but I did because I hate Not finishing a book. The actual story could have fit within a third of the book. There was so much telling, pages and pages filled with unnecessary facts that bogged down the story. Creating a world is amazing, but this one was just not quite there.
I didn't care for the main characters.
Neither one of them seem likeable, and together they are even less likeable. I felt absolutely no connection with them.
Issa is like a child, vapid though innocent, selfish, yet giving. She has zero direction, is ruled by fear, and is, of course, like many stereotypical heroines, gorgeous. She gives up too easily, daydreams constantly, and acts like an airhead. I can understand why the priestess would treat her with such derision, seeing as she never really listens. Plus, she chooses to hide away with the horse rather than train. It's annoying, at some point she has to have training, as she is constantly losing or dying until someone helps her. Without training, the idea of her becoming a hero insanely unbelievable. She has no development, no real growth, and needs a good smack upside the head.
And what about Asaph? Issa conveniently forgets about him, though she is binded to him through his ring. She has more of a connection with Rance than she does with Asaph, which is silly because you know the author is pushing for her to be with Asaph. It's just that in this book their relationship falls utterly flat, like two strangers who are just there. No real interaction, just the idea that they have something special. Which again falls under the category of no development. Maybe there will be greater development in the next book, but I won't be reading it.
Asaph is a tiny bit more interesting, though he is also lacking in character. I do like that he has a good relationship with his guardian calling him his father and such, but it feels off that he would hide the "big" secret from him. Does he not trust him? There never seems to be a real reason why he didn't tell him. It's just strange.
Now, I believe industry standard is one mistake per 10,000 words, but this one has far more than that. Every chapter was filled with mixed up homonyms, was lacking in commas, and was riddled with awkward sentences. Not to mention a lack of quotation marks. It irritated me that apostrophes were used instead.
Also, the constant misuse of towards instead of toward was a minor annoyance at first, but became so common, I had to force myself to ignore it in order to read on.
It was a chore to drudge through this. The writing needs a strong clean up. There is far too much "telling" and not enough showing. Probably half the book could be tossed out without being detrimental to the plot.
I really wanted to like and enjoy it, but I just couldn't. Thus, this one goes in the rubbish pile for me until it gets a good editor to help save the story.
For my clean readers:
Occasional language, but no f-bomb. Violence, magic, and witchcraft.
October 31, 2017
I really wanted to like this book. I really wanted to support an author who doesn’t have many reviews on Goodreads. I just never got absorbed by the characters or the story. There is enough there that I finished it. It starts out sub-2 stars with somewhat cliched writing. Moves through goddesses and prophecy and girl who thinks she’s nothing into a few interesting characters and history but then moves to settings where there is no character interaction, which is hard to keep engaging. Another person of prophecy who does a bit this book but has too much setup for what he does, so that’s mostly setup for the series. A bit of confusing melodrama and we’re done. So slips into my typical 3 star for a few chapters, and finishes back at 2.
Whilst the author was on a single-minded quest to resurrect the word “whilst”, the editors were doing a good job at proofreading. And it was a relief to finally see “subconscious” in place of what is becoming the commonplace but nonsensical “unconscious”. So thanks for that.
Will not read the next.
Whilst the author was on a single-minded quest to resurrect the word “whilst”, the editors were doing a good job at proofreading. And it was a relief to finally see “subconscious” in place of what is becoming the commonplace but nonsensical “unconscious”. So thanks for that.
Will not read the next.
November 6, 2017
I bought this book a while ago and hadn't got round to reading it until my friend started raving about it. I promptly started the book and from the very first page I was enthralled. An amazing world . Lovely believable characters. The heroine Issa...thrown in at the deep end and not knowing how to cope slowly comes into her own. Loved the book from start to finish, and had to buy the rest of the available books in the series immediately.
November 5, 2017
A Magical land, a beautiful, courageous Heroine, a handsome Hero, who can turn himself into a Dragon, and a cast of magical characters locked in a battle between good and evil! What's not to love? Fantasy at it's best from Araya Evermore. Five Stars! I can't wait to dive into 'The Fall of Celene', the next instalment of this wonderful, epic tale
August 17, 2019
A Good startook
An interesting premise, a new world with a wealth of characters. Shares of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.with the wealth of races and characters, but dragons and Dragon lords, symbiotic relationships, a world in peril, a female main character, a positive image for a raven, etc. Looking forward to book 2.
An interesting premise, a new world with a wealth of characters. Shares of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.with the wealth of races and characters, but dragons and Dragon lords, symbiotic relationships, a world in peril, a female main character, a positive image for a raven, etc. Looking forward to book 2.
December 9, 2017
I was excited to find this book as it sounded exactly like my kind of book. I loved the idea of the story but I really disliked how it was written. I struggled to complete the book. Even now I want to know what happens but I just can not stand to read another page.
November 10, 2018
I have never read a fantasy book that has a true heroine.
I have never read a fantasy book that has a true heroine, until now!! This book has been written well and Araya really transports you to a new world. After reading this book i have now bought the entire series.
I have never read a fantasy book that has a true heroine, until now!! This book has been written well and Araya really transports you to a new world. After reading this book i have now bought the entire series.
November 5, 2017
Highly recommended
Wonderful fantasy story with a world rich in people, magic, and darkness. Araya Evermore is now among my favorite authors.
Wonderful fantasy story with a world rich in people, magic, and darkness. Araya Evermore is now among my favorite authors.
March 3, 2018
I just finished it & OMG i loved it.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series.
July 5, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed Dark Moon Rising. It didn't spare the main characters but also didn't torture then needlessly.
August 6, 2018
😻
Very interesting but kinda of dry. The storyline is actually pretty riveting. But for some reason I still struggled to read the book. I'm hoping it was just me.
Very interesting but kinda of dry. The storyline is actually pretty riveting. But for some reason I still struggled to read the book. I'm hoping it was just me.
August 28, 2018
Read this series of you love Tolkien you will love Araya Evermore's series.
March 2, 2019
I thought the plot and characters were not very engaging. I know I won't be reading the 2nd book.
December 3, 2019
Boring
June 27, 2022
Fantastic!
Oh my - this story leaves you breathless. You don't want to put it down but then you don't want it to end.
Oh my - this story leaves you breathless. You don't want to put it down but then you don't want it to end.
Read
May 10, 2025This book wasn't terribly interesting, and I won't be reading the rest of the series, but somehow a part of me couldn't help but root for the book and its author. The prose was stilted, the character development shallow, and the plot unimaginative, but a reader who enjoys classic fantasy like LotR or The Chronicles of Narnia could potentially really enjoy this book. Night Goddess probably wouldn't hold up in comparison to modern fantasy, but all the aspects of this story which might make some readers cringe may make this a solid choice for others looking for a straightforward successor to classic fantasy. And while the plot is overly simplistic (unremarkable girl is plucked from obscurity and prophesied to save the world from a malevolent evil lord), there are some aspects of traditional Tolkienesque world-building that were tweaked enough to add interest.
While the prose showcased an impersonal omniscient writing style, it's clear this is done by design to emulate the writers of old. A few modernisms felt anachronistic where they were thrown in, but it didn't take too many chapters to get used to the story's unique rhythm. And for an indie book, there were remarkably few spelling and grammatical typos, with one major exception: The author used commas as stand-ins for a wide variety of punctuation. This constant misuse was surprising in a book which otherwise executed grammar well and is the only aspect which holds Night Goddess back from being one of the better indie books from a technical-writing perspective.
Who should read this? Fantasy fans of all ages who are yearning for a return to simpler times, or anyone who's just come off of reading a bit of early-20th century fantasy and is actively looking for more of the same.
While the prose showcased an impersonal omniscient writing style, it's clear this is done by design to emulate the writers of old. A few modernisms felt anachronistic where they were thrown in, but it didn't take too many chapters to get used to the story's unique rhythm. And for an indie book, there were remarkably few spelling and grammatical typos, with one major exception: The author used commas as stand-ins for a wide variety of punctuation. This constant misuse was surprising in a book which otherwise executed grammar well and is the only aspect which holds Night Goddess back from being one of the better indie books from a technical-writing perspective.
Who should read this? Fantasy fans of all ages who are yearning for a return to simpler times, or anyone who's just come off of reading a bit of early-20th century fantasy and is actively looking for more of the same.
August 2, 2016
This could have been a gripping fantasy... just, it isn't.
It takes too long to say a short tale, often resorting to unnecessary repetition to lenghten the story. I fail to understand why. Looks like a daily soap script, adding episodes just to get advertisement revenue. Only, this is a book and readers usually aren't avid watchers.
The author might have thought that giving a lot of detail and elaborately narrating the various emotions, settings and internal conflicts might make the reader connect and feel for the actors here, but, sadly, it only made me impatient. So many times I groaned inwardly, wanting the author to just get on with it!
Somehow, I just couldn't get involved with the players here.
The book also tries to give a philosophical message (s) here. But, again, it was nothing new. Gave a feeling of been there done that. No originality.
It takes too long to say a short tale, often resorting to unnecessary repetition to lenghten the story. I fail to understand why. Looks like a daily soap script, adding episodes just to get advertisement revenue. Only, this is a book and readers usually aren't avid watchers.
The author might have thought that giving a lot of detail and elaborately narrating the various emotions, settings and internal conflicts might make the reader connect and feel for the actors here, but, sadly, it only made me impatient. So many times I groaned inwardly, wanting the author to just get on with it!
Somehow, I just couldn't get involved with the players here.
The book also tries to give a philosophical message (s) here. But, again, it was nothing new. Gave a feeling of been there done that. No originality.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews