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Descent
Visions of infant twin boys, clouds, a young woman taking her own life, and a collision of space, time, and realms...
On the eve of Summer Solstice in 1844, four men in different areas of the world share an experience that impacts not only their own lives, but those of the future generations. The first man is Nicolae Ganoush, a young Romany fugitive from a slave village in Wallachia. The second is Jonathan Blake, an eighteen-year-old Irishman in the American Midwest who finds himself falling in love with a young woman from a nearby Sioux village. The third is James Livingston, a prominent figure in colonial America, and the fourth is Hector de Fuentes, a sixteen-year-old from Tuxpan, Mexico with special gifts and visions enhanced by a mysterious and wondrous cave. Each man carries his own inner battle, unbelievable ancient truths deep within their lineages, and demons that are much closer to home than any of them would like.
Later in 1931, seventeen-year-old Dorothy Blake, a descendant of Jonathan and his Sioux wife, is living in Plains, New York, the town founded by James Livingston. The notorious Fleming Orphanage has long fallen into disuse but kept by the town as a landmark. The buildings loom high on a hill, overlooking the town, taunting the townsfolk with its lore. On Halloween night, Dorothy ventures up with friends, and the group of six expects nothing more than a good time along with a few laughs. But they fall into a dark, brutal evil; one that extends beyond the orphanage and town of Plains, far back into history. Their descent is only the beginning…
The Birthrite Series is an epic journey into the vast unknown, plunging deep into the dark crevices of the mind, begging the question of what sanity really is and if the insane truly are. Are we really shown the whole truth of what surrounds us or is it an illusion? It also tells of deep-rooted love, planted centuries ago and a story of family, forgiveness, and redemption.
On the eve of Summer Solstice in 1844, four men in different areas of the world share an experience that impacts not only their own lives, but those of the future generations. The first man is Nicolae Ganoush, a young Romany fugitive from a slave village in Wallachia. The second is Jonathan Blake, an eighteen-year-old Irishman in the American Midwest who finds himself falling in love with a young woman from a nearby Sioux village. The third is James Livingston, a prominent figure in colonial America, and the fourth is Hector de Fuentes, a sixteen-year-old from Tuxpan, Mexico with special gifts and visions enhanced by a mysterious and wondrous cave. Each man carries his own inner battle, unbelievable ancient truths deep within their lineages, and demons that are much closer to home than any of them would like.
Later in 1931, seventeen-year-old Dorothy Blake, a descendant of Jonathan and his Sioux wife, is living in Plains, New York, the town founded by James Livingston. The notorious Fleming Orphanage has long fallen into disuse but kept by the town as a landmark. The buildings loom high on a hill, overlooking the town, taunting the townsfolk with its lore. On Halloween night, Dorothy ventures up with friends, and the group of six expects nothing more than a good time along with a few laughs. But they fall into a dark, brutal evil; one that extends beyond the orphanage and town of Plains, far back into history. Their descent is only the beginning…
The Birthrite Series is an epic journey into the vast unknown, plunging deep into the dark crevices of the mind, begging the question of what sanity really is and if the insane truly are. Are we really shown the whole truth of what surrounds us or is it an illusion? It also tells of deep-rooted love, planted centuries ago and a story of family, forgiveness, and redemption.
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First published December 6, 2014
12 people want to read
About the author
Tiffany Apan
11 books43 followersAs a time-traveling, classically trained soprano with a vocal range that spans four octaves and an award-winning songstress and writer, Tiffany started honing her creativity in the thick forests of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Her grandparents were among her first musical influences as she developed a keen interest in history and mythology at a very young age (opting to write poems of Viking sea adventures in her fifth grade writing class!). Such interests carried over into works she continues to create today.
Her music and stories have garnered critical and audience acclaim as her debut album, Poet, has been hailed as 'music of a very high standard' with 'phenomenal classically trained vocals.' Ethereal Gothic and Celtic undertones among the Symphonic Folk Rock have also been noted.
In addition to her own projects, Tiffany serves as a vocalist and percussionist in the Traditional Folk Music group, Wayward Companions and often sits in as a guest vocalist with the Pittsburgh Historical Music Society Orchestra and other musical acts, ranging from Metal to Classical genres.
Not limiting herself to music and writing, Tiffany has worked in theatre (favorite roles include Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Maria in The Sound of Music, and Sally in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and a variety of film projects.
With a passion for the past, she is also making a mark in the Living History world, serving as an executive site director at a historical landmark museum and appearing with her French Unit at French and Indian War reenactment events. Such endeavors now add to the inspiration behind the works she continues to create.
When she's not writing music and stories about the distant past and other worlds, some of her outside interests include fitness, holistic health, antiquing, and making her home look like a vintage/antiquity paradise.
Through music and writing, she enjoys merging the past with the present and is looking forward to releasing new music that will combine history, fantasy, and gothic elements, while serving as a backdrop for her book series, The Birthrite.
AWARDS:
-Best in Open Music Video category for "Scarborough Fair" music video (the adaptation from her album, POET) at the
2010 International Indie Gathering Film Festival
-Best Horror Short Script for "Driving Nowhere" Screenplay at the 2012 International Indie Gathering Film Festival
Her music and stories have garnered critical and audience acclaim as her debut album, Poet, has been hailed as 'music of a very high standard' with 'phenomenal classically trained vocals.' Ethereal Gothic and Celtic undertones among the Symphonic Folk Rock have also been noted.
In addition to her own projects, Tiffany serves as a vocalist and percussionist in the Traditional Folk Music group, Wayward Companions and often sits in as a guest vocalist with the Pittsburgh Historical Music Society Orchestra and other musical acts, ranging from Metal to Classical genres.
Not limiting herself to music and writing, Tiffany has worked in theatre (favorite roles include Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Maria in The Sound of Music, and Sally in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and a variety of film projects.
With a passion for the past, she is also making a mark in the Living History world, serving as an executive site director at a historical landmark museum and appearing with her French Unit at French and Indian War reenactment events. Such endeavors now add to the inspiration behind the works she continues to create.
When she's not writing music and stories about the distant past and other worlds, some of her outside interests include fitness, holistic health, antiquing, and making her home look like a vintage/antiquity paradise.
Through music and writing, she enjoys merging the past with the present and is looking forward to releasing new music that will combine history, fantasy, and gothic elements, while serving as a backdrop for her book series, The Birthrite.
AWARDS:
-Best in Open Music Video category for "Scarborough Fair" music video (the adaptation from her album, POET) at the
2010 International Indie Gathering Film Festival
-Best Horror Short Script for "Driving Nowhere" Screenplay at the 2012 International Indie Gathering Film Festival
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 19, 2017
Tiffany Apan is a phenomenal author, lyricist and poet. The Descent is a prime example of her incredible talent as a writer. A tale of mystery and intrigue with an underlying roman e this story is one that i recommend to anyone looking for a suspenseful read by the lake on a warm spring day. You will get lost in the magic of Ms. Apan's words and I promise you will not regret it! Five stars!
July 30, 2016
So as the author, I can't really "review" the story; therefore I am relaying my experience with writing it (the start and finish date actually indicate when I started writing this up until its official release).
Yes, this book was a fairly long while in the making between the original conception of the idea (which was vastly different from what it ended up becoming), to the research that went into it, the writing and revising, and finally the release. I am heavily influenced by literature that predates WW2, particularly Gothic fiction (Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley). But as for contemporary influences, some of my top picks are Stephen King, Freda Warrington, and Rebekah Armusik. Anyone that can tell a good and highly complex storyline (or even storylineS) that is eventually all woven together and has a connection at the end is okay by me.
Seeing the story of The Birthrite Series evolve (and continuing doing so) has been quite a ride. During the summer that the story REALLY began to take shape into something of a real first draft (summer of 2013), I was actually reading Stephen King's IT for the third time. The overall basic theme of that book loosely influenced Descent, as did The Shining, Salem's Lot, and The Stand. At that time, I was also into the Gothic Vampire Romances of Freda Warrington's A Taste of Blood Wine and Rebekah Armusik's Gothic Memoirs series (both of which are vastly different from the teen vampire romance genre). I love a story with a theme that flirts with the darker side of the world and humanity, along with a tangled web and battles between good and evil. History and Mythology are also great interests of mine and I like longer stories because if I really enjoy a story, I want it to last.
All that takes place in this book builds up to what the rest of the series will bring. Which I look forward to bringing. :)
Yes, this book was a fairly long while in the making between the original conception of the idea (which was vastly different from what it ended up becoming), to the research that went into it, the writing and revising, and finally the release. I am heavily influenced by literature that predates WW2, particularly Gothic fiction (Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley). But as for contemporary influences, some of my top picks are Stephen King, Freda Warrington, and Rebekah Armusik. Anyone that can tell a good and highly complex storyline (or even storylineS) that is eventually all woven together and has a connection at the end is okay by me.
Seeing the story of The Birthrite Series evolve (and continuing doing so) has been quite a ride. During the summer that the story REALLY began to take shape into something of a real first draft (summer of 2013), I was actually reading Stephen King's IT for the third time. The overall basic theme of that book loosely influenced Descent, as did The Shining, Salem's Lot, and The Stand. At that time, I was also into the Gothic Vampire Romances of Freda Warrington's A Taste of Blood Wine and Rebekah Armusik's Gothic Memoirs series (both of which are vastly different from the teen vampire romance genre). I love a story with a theme that flirts with the darker side of the world and humanity, along with a tangled web and battles between good and evil. History and Mythology are also great interests of mine and I like longer stories because if I really enjoy a story, I want it to last.
All that takes place in this book builds up to what the rest of the series will bring. Which I look forward to bringing. :)
Want to read
July 22, 2016I'm not sure when I will get back to this one. The writing is good. There is so much going on, it's exhausting. It's too long. I wanted so much to like this book. I like parts of it a lot, others, not-so-much...mostly, it is just too long, and because of the changing of persons, plots, events, I just get weary. So....who knows? If anyone else has read this, I'd love to hear from you...perhaps I'm missing something great. I think I need to get this off my "Reading," list. Just did.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews