What do you think?
Rate this book
Shapeshifter Dragons #1
Aranya
Now also available in Chinese language!
Chained to a rock and tossed off a cliff by her boyfriend, Aranya is executed for high treason against the Sylakian Empire. Falling a league into the deadly Cloudlands is not a fate she ever envisaged. But what if she did not die? What if she could spread her wings and fly?
Long ago, Dragons ruled the Island-World above the Cloudlands. But their Human slaves cast off the chains of Dragonish tyranny. Humans spread across the Islands in their flying Dragonships, colonising, building and warring. Now, the all-conquering Sylakians have defeated the last bastion of freedom–the Island-Kingdom of Immadia.
Evil has a new enemy. Aranya, Princess of Immadia. Dragon Shapeshifter.
Chained to a rock and tossed off a cliff by her boyfriend, Aranya is executed for high treason against the Sylakian Empire. Falling a league into the deadly Cloudlands is not a fate she ever envisaged. But what if she did not die? What if she could spread her wings and fly?
Long ago, Dragons ruled the Island-World above the Cloudlands. But their Human slaves cast off the chains of Dragonish tyranny. Humans spread across the Islands in their flying Dragonships, colonising, building and warring. Now, the all-conquering Sylakians have defeated the last bastion of freedom–the Island-Kingdom of Immadia.
Evil has a new enemy. Aranya, Princess of Immadia. Dragon Shapeshifter.
454 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 2014
316 people are currently reading
3141 people want to read
About the author
Marc Secchia
63 books574 followersMarc is a South African-born dragon masquerading as an author, who loves writing about dragons and Africa, preferably both at the same time. He's the author of over 40 fantasy books in 5 languages including 10 rip-roaring dragon fantasy bestsellers.
His latest releases are Khyrial and the King, an absorbing Fantasy Romance and the hilarious epic fantasy Call me Dragon which won gold in the 2021 IPPY Book Awards for best Fantasy novel.
When he's not writing about Africa or dragons Marc can be found travelling to remote locations. He thinks there's nothing better than standing on a mountaintop wondering what lies over the next horizon.
His latest releases are Khyrial and the King, an absorbing Fantasy Romance and the hilarious epic fantasy Call me Dragon which won gold in the 2021 IPPY Book Awards for best Fantasy novel.
When he's not writing about Africa or dragons Marc can be found travelling to remote locations. He thinks there's nothing better than standing on a mountaintop wondering what lies over the next horizon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
September 1, 2014
Magic, technology and lots of humor.
Aranya is the story of a young princess who must face a terrible fate. In the Island-World, one country has been systematically taking over island countries, and now it is Aranya of Immadia's turn. Her father wisely decides to surrender rather than face the sure slaughter of his entire kingdom, but Aranya must pay the price. She becomes yet another hostage of the Sylakian Empire. Her entire life to be locked away in a tower with other royal hostages, like herself. Then again, there is the magic and dreams of a black dragon.
There are so many things I love about this story. It was easy to fall into this world, to be engrossed and absorbed by it. I loved the dirigibles, the cloudscape that separates the islands, the technology (and lack thereof), and, of course, the magic. Everything comes together so well and so naturally, even in such a large body of work.
I am a big fan of the epic fantasy genre, and I definitely feel this one counts, but unlike some in that category, this one doesn't plod on or focus too much on details. Yes, there are details and there are elements of history and political intrigue, like in any good epic fantasy, but they are sprinkled in only when needed and in efficient packages that don't detract from the action. And, yes, there is quite a lot of action. I found it incredibly difficult to put this book down, though it's size made that necessary.
I also loved the witty banter between the characters and the way relationships developed. Then again, some of the banter lost me. There were at times too many comebacks, and I didn't always realize immediately why the characters thought them funny. Most of this abated by the end of the book. I think upon another reading, I'd probably get more of the jokes. Still, what I got, I loved. I also liked the nicknames. I won't go into those for fear of spoilers.
Overall, this is epic fantasy at its finest. I think that even folks who are intimidated by long stories might find this one manageable because of its quick pace, action focus, and compelling plot line. As the first book in the series, it ends with more story left to tell, but not in a cliffhanger. I do want to read the next, but I feel like I can wait for it. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy fantasy, particularly of the epic variety. This is definitely one of my favorites this year.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest non-reciprocal review.
Aranya is the story of a young princess who must face a terrible fate. In the Island-World, one country has been systematically taking over island countries, and now it is Aranya of Immadia's turn. Her father wisely decides to surrender rather than face the sure slaughter of his entire kingdom, but Aranya must pay the price. She becomes yet another hostage of the Sylakian Empire. Her entire life to be locked away in a tower with other royal hostages, like herself. Then again, there is the magic and dreams of a black dragon.
There are so many things I love about this story. It was easy to fall into this world, to be engrossed and absorbed by it. I loved the dirigibles, the cloudscape that separates the islands, the technology (and lack thereof), and, of course, the magic. Everything comes together so well and so naturally, even in such a large body of work.
I am a big fan of the epic fantasy genre, and I definitely feel this one counts, but unlike some in that category, this one doesn't plod on or focus too much on details. Yes, there are details and there are elements of history and political intrigue, like in any good epic fantasy, but they are sprinkled in only when needed and in efficient packages that don't detract from the action. And, yes, there is quite a lot of action. I found it incredibly difficult to put this book down, though it's size made that necessary.
I also loved the witty banter between the characters and the way relationships developed. Then again, some of the banter lost me. There were at times too many comebacks, and I didn't always realize immediately why the characters thought them funny. Most of this abated by the end of the book. I think upon another reading, I'd probably get more of the jokes. Still, what I got, I loved. I also liked the nicknames. I won't go into those for fear of spoilers.
Overall, this is epic fantasy at its finest. I think that even folks who are intimidated by long stories might find this one manageable because of its quick pace, action focus, and compelling plot line. As the first book in the series, it ends with more story left to tell, but not in a cliffhanger. I do want to read the next, but I feel like I can wait for it. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy fantasy, particularly of the epic variety. This is definitely one of my favorites this year.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest non-reciprocal review.
March 14, 2015
3.5 STARS
***I received the ebook free as a review copy from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review***
Marc Secchia definitely has an eye for imagery. All the locations and battles you journey through in this book are portrayed so vividly that you could reach out and touch the stormy clouds. There was also a great amount of world building - at appropriate times (rather than in big chunks at the beginning) which meant you knew the world as well as being able to see it.
Admittedly this meant that parts did drag, particularly the scenes in between battles/events where it wasn’t filled with dialogue. Being such a long book already, this meant I grew tired on occasion and wanted to put it down: then again I didn’t, because I wanted to know what happens next already!
It was definitely the characters that won me over, with two fierce princesses and their interesting companions. Aranya was such a strong person/dragon/whatever you want to call her (so long as it isn’t “beast” or she will burn your ass) and was never willing to just sit on the side-lines when she could be making a difference. What’s more is that she needed no man to do this. There was a love interest, but after his and Aranya’s instant connection at the start they spent the majority of time at a distance and that’s where possible love blossomed which I thought worked well!
This book also delved heavily into different types of relationships – not just romantic. You see the importance of friends, family as well as the more unusual beauty of dragon & rider. This is something I often miss in YA novels, and the witty banter made it all the more enjoyable to read about.
Now then, the ending concluded everything beautifully, and that’s where my trepidation to pick up the next book lies… I’m satisfied with leaving it as it stays and it’s now been a while since I read this first book so I’m not sure how easy it will be to jump back into the world. Nevertheless I enjoyed this book, and whether you read it as a standalone or the start to a series I’d recommend you check it out.
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
***I received the ebook free as a review copy from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review***
Marc Secchia definitely has an eye for imagery. All the locations and battles you journey through in this book are portrayed so vividly that you could reach out and touch the stormy clouds. There was also a great amount of world building - at appropriate times (rather than in big chunks at the beginning) which meant you knew the world as well as being able to see it.
Admittedly this meant that parts did drag, particularly the scenes in between battles/events where it wasn’t filled with dialogue. Being such a long book already, this meant I grew tired on occasion and wanted to put it down: then again I didn’t, because I wanted to know what happens next already!
It was definitely the characters that won me over, with two fierce princesses and their interesting companions. Aranya was such a strong person/dragon/whatever you want to call her (so long as it isn’t “beast” or she will burn your ass) and was never willing to just sit on the side-lines when she could be making a difference. What’s more is that she needed no man to do this. There was a love interest, but after his and Aranya’s instant connection at the start they spent the majority of time at a distance and that’s where possible love blossomed which I thought worked well!
This book also delved heavily into different types of relationships – not just romantic. You see the importance of friends, family as well as the more unusual beauty of dragon & rider. This is something I often miss in YA novels, and the witty banter made it all the more enjoyable to read about.
Now then, the ending concluded everything beautifully, and that’s where my trepidation to pick up the next book lies… I’m satisfied with leaving it as it stays and it’s now been a while since I read this first book so I’m not sure how easy it will be to jump back into the world. Nevertheless I enjoyed this book, and whether you read it as a standalone or the start to a series I’d recommend you check it out.
Posted on: http://enchantedbyya.blogspot.co.uk/
June 13, 2015
What can I say about this to do it justice!! I think I'll start by saying that between it's wonderful characters and magical story this was an incredibly entertaining read! I loved everything about it.
Aranya was an amazing heroine. She was strong, tough, brave and well able to look after herself. She resigns herself to being a slave to the Sylakian king and intends to stay true to herself, which she does. She stays her plucky no nonsense self which gets her branded a traitor and thrown off a cliff to her death. But even that won't stop her!! She becomes her true self at her time of need and we get to see the real Arayna!
Zip is another hostage of war and while at start she battles Arayna, they soon become fast friends. I loved her spirit too! She goes through a lot while being a hostage but remains strong and steadfast. I loved her friendship with Arayna, which was solid.
Then we have the war hammer Yolathion, who is the right hand man of the Sylakian king. He is charged with conquering all nations, which he is more than willing and able to do. He captures Aranya and while transporting her to the king, develops a bond with her. He starts questioning himself about his duty or love but when his king demands he throw Aranya to her death, he does. Can Aranya forgive him?
This book grabbed me right from the start. The characters were the first thing I fell in love with but what really drew me in was the incredible world building. The lore and vivid writing made for an unforgettable world and one I will gladly jump right back into. The Dragon ships, the different nations, the different customs and the dragons themselves made me love the book even more. It was amazing.
Anyway, as I said, this was such an incredible read. It was extremely well written and imagined and filled with twists, turns, suspense and action that I flew through it. Once I pluged in my headphones, I couldn't stop listening!! The vivid descriptions and attention to detail was exceptional and it's well worth the credit!!
Shiromi Arserio made for an amazing narrator because with the number of characters in this, I never got confused of who she was trying to portray. She gave a great performance and I will definitely check out more by her.
*I received a copy of this for review from AudioBookBlast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Aranya was an amazing heroine. She was strong, tough, brave and well able to look after herself. She resigns herself to being a slave to the Sylakian king and intends to stay true to herself, which she does. She stays her plucky no nonsense self which gets her branded a traitor and thrown off a cliff to her death. But even that won't stop her!! She becomes her true self at her time of need and we get to see the real Arayna!
Zip is another hostage of war and while at start she battles Arayna, they soon become fast friends. I loved her spirit too! She goes through a lot while being a hostage but remains strong and steadfast. I loved her friendship with Arayna, which was solid.
Then we have the war hammer Yolathion, who is the right hand man of the Sylakian king. He is charged with conquering all nations, which he is more than willing and able to do. He captures Aranya and while transporting her to the king, develops a bond with her. He starts questioning himself about his duty or love but when his king demands he throw Aranya to her death, he does. Can Aranya forgive him?
This book grabbed me right from the start. The characters were the first thing I fell in love with but what really drew me in was the incredible world building. The lore and vivid writing made for an unforgettable world and one I will gladly jump right back into. The Dragon ships, the different nations, the different customs and the dragons themselves made me love the book even more. It was amazing.
Anyway, as I said, this was such an incredible read. It was extremely well written and imagined and filled with twists, turns, suspense and action that I flew through it. Once I pluged in my headphones, I couldn't stop listening!! The vivid descriptions and attention to detail was exceptional and it's well worth the credit!!
Shiromi Arserio made for an amazing narrator because with the number of characters in this, I never got confused of who she was trying to portray. She gave a great performance and I will definitely check out more by her.
*I received a copy of this for review from AudioBookBlast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
July 8, 2014
Aranya is a girl, plucked by circumstances out of her control, into the machinations of a kingdom and king intent on subjugating all of the other kingdoms under one tight-fisted rule. In isolation, she meets Zip, a fiery little thing with more than a little chip on her shoulder, Nak, a lecherous, wily old man that will make you laugh, enemies aplenty, Dragonships that I pictured as the old style Zephyrs that flew the skies, adventure, intrigue, and even a little romance.
Through all of the twists and turns of the story, Aranya handles herself as a girl of strength and courage. Someone that goes out and fights against the injustices that befall her and her friends and family, rather than someone that sits idly on the sidelines hoping some dashing prince will come to her rescue. Don't get me wrong, princes are great, but this girl is a take-charge, kick-butt kind of girl, and she stole my heart because of that.
The actions sequences are unbelievably real, the characters so life-like they seem to spring off of every page, and the imagery and world building just phenomenal. At nearly every turn and page in the book I was astounded at the world that Mr. Secchia has created. It's a very lush, vibrant, REAL world. One that you can see, hear, and almost reach out and touch.
I give Aranya a hearty and well-deserved five stars, and I can't wait to read more of this author's works.
Through all of the twists and turns of the story, Aranya handles herself as a girl of strength and courage. Someone that goes out and fights against the injustices that befall her and her friends and family, rather than someone that sits idly on the sidelines hoping some dashing prince will come to her rescue. Don't get me wrong, princes are great, but this girl is a take-charge, kick-butt kind of girl, and she stole my heart because of that.
The actions sequences are unbelievably real, the characters so life-like they seem to spring off of every page, and the imagery and world building just phenomenal. At nearly every turn and page in the book I was astounded at the world that Mr. Secchia has created. It's a very lush, vibrant, REAL world. One that you can see, hear, and almost reach out and touch.
I give Aranya a hearty and well-deserved five stars, and I can't wait to read more of this author's works.
December 9, 2015
3.8
Aranya is a fun and well written book. The world building is unique and very creative. I like the main characters, Aranya and Zip, they are 2 fierce princess who really kick-ass. There's a lot of action through Aranya and Zip's adventure and journey sprinkle with romance. Overall the book is good but just too young for my liking.
Aranya is a fun and well written book. The world building is unique and very creative. I like the main characters, Aranya and Zip, they are 2 fierce princess who really kick-ass. There's a lot of action through Aranya and Zip's adventure and journey sprinkle with romance. Overall the book is good but just too young for my liking.
July 11, 2015
Reviewing Marc Secchia’s first installment in the Shapeshifter Dragons series, feels a lot like retelling a beautiful dream and it was a true pleasure reading this gem of a fantasy story.
The story follows a young princess’s brave decision to shoulder the burden of exile for the safety of her family and kingdom. Yet Aranya proves an unwilling prisoner to circumstance. There is a fire within her, both a latent power and an unconquerable spirit, which is admirable and intriguing. This is first glimpsed in her courageous fight with the mighty windroc, where she holds her own with the ferocity of a seasoned warrior.
Aranya is as equally gifted with her wit as she is with her twin daggers. This is seen early on in her initially frosty treatment toward Zuziana. However, therein lies another facet to this gem of a tale. The relationship between these two exiled princesses begins with a heated animosity but this is eclipsed by the kindness Aranya shows Zuziana when she is an inch from a broken soul. And from that act of kindness, a friendship develops that you know no conflict can shatter. I especially enjoyed that as their friendship matured with a deepening trust and love through the story, sharing many battles and near death experiences, they retain their witty banter which adds a spice of humor to otherwise dark times as war looms ever closer.
As with any great protagonist the tragedy and conflict they face either makes them or breaks them. Aranya, having been thrown into the great unknown chose to release herself of constraints and relished who she became because of it. However, it was a journey made all the better because of a great ensemble of supporting characters.
Despite Aranya being the main character, the feisty pint sized Remoyan princess Zuziana shines just as brightly. As Aranya eloquently explains, “Being Dragon-sized doesn’t guarantee courage,” and this was shown continuously by Zuziana’s livewire energy that she brings to the story, spear heading the duo in their escapades with a bravado and wit that elevates her to stand beside her friend until her fate takes an unexpected twist and she comes to realize a great many mysteries about herself.
At its heart I feel this story tells the tale of love and friendship and the magic they have in getting us through the trials of life. There are many types of love expressed and they are all heartwarming, from the complex romantic love that Aranya grapples with, the easier accepting and unrequited romance afforded to Zuziana, the surrogate parent love and mentoring provided by Nak and Odya and the willingly sacrificial love of family that cannot be compared. Countless moments shared between Dragon and rider, father and daughter, friends and lovers alike tug at the heart strings and add an emotional depth to this fantasy epic that makes you care for the outcome of the characters. I found myself cheering, cursing and experiencing palpitations as Zuziana and Aranya flouted the Sylakian Empire across the Island Worlds. Personally I feel that this is what made Aranya stand out for me, the fact that Marc Secchia created characters I connected with and I cared what happened to them.
The most fascinating concept in this story was the shapeshifting into a dragon. At the outset I felt this would be one of those ideas which would either fall flat on its face or soar on the wings of a well-crafted experienced, and Secchia surpassed all expectations as he favored the latter. Each transformation, every initial intrepid thought and all the majesty of flying with such powerful grace is so well conveyed that as a reader I felt I was able to spread my wings and fly alongside Aranya as she soared over the magnificent Cloudlands. Secchia builds his readers experience of dragon flight so well that even when Aranya is weathered, broken by battle and flying on the last threads of spirit with only the need to protect her loved ones as motivation, I could feel her exhaustion, desperation and determination. Again exemplifying her willing nature to tussle with adversity and emerge victorious.
With regards to fascinating magic in the story a shape shifting dragon does tend to steal the spotlight, however, I was equally enchanted by the world building. A reader experiences the world of the story through the eyes of the protagonist, and Aranya’s wide eyed wonder as she experienced the vast expanses of the Island World added to the mythical scope that Secchia reaches for and obtains in his story. Each island is unique in culture, topography and a masterpiece in itself reminiscent of the beauty of worlds seen in the Final Fantasy series.
My only criticism of this story was that during some battle scenes, I felt the detailed prose tended to distract from the urgency of the battle at hand but it did not detract from an extraordinary tale.
I also particularly enjoyed the intrigue of the last chapters as they concluded the battle but left several mysteries about the origins of the world, the dragon shape shifters and the relationships Aranya and Zuziana would share. A beautiful ending and an enticing lead into the series.
If you are a lover of fantasy worlds, magic and realistic emotions with strong female characters all woven together by expert storytelling, then Aranya is for you.
“Go burn the heavens!”
The story follows a young princess’s brave decision to shoulder the burden of exile for the safety of her family and kingdom. Yet Aranya proves an unwilling prisoner to circumstance. There is a fire within her, both a latent power and an unconquerable spirit, which is admirable and intriguing. This is first glimpsed in her courageous fight with the mighty windroc, where she holds her own with the ferocity of a seasoned warrior.
Aranya is as equally gifted with her wit as she is with her twin daggers. This is seen early on in her initially frosty treatment toward Zuziana. However, therein lies another facet to this gem of a tale. The relationship between these two exiled princesses begins with a heated animosity but this is eclipsed by the kindness Aranya shows Zuziana when she is an inch from a broken soul. And from that act of kindness, a friendship develops that you know no conflict can shatter. I especially enjoyed that as their friendship matured with a deepening trust and love through the story, sharing many battles and near death experiences, they retain their witty banter which adds a spice of humor to otherwise dark times as war looms ever closer.
As with any great protagonist the tragedy and conflict they face either makes them or breaks them. Aranya, having been thrown into the great unknown chose to release herself of constraints and relished who she became because of it. However, it was a journey made all the better because of a great ensemble of supporting characters.
Despite Aranya being the main character, the feisty pint sized Remoyan princess Zuziana shines just as brightly. As Aranya eloquently explains, “Being Dragon-sized doesn’t guarantee courage,” and this was shown continuously by Zuziana’s livewire energy that she brings to the story, spear heading the duo in their escapades with a bravado and wit that elevates her to stand beside her friend until her fate takes an unexpected twist and she comes to realize a great many mysteries about herself.
At its heart I feel this story tells the tale of love and friendship and the magic they have in getting us through the trials of life. There are many types of love expressed and they are all heartwarming, from the complex romantic love that Aranya grapples with, the easier accepting and unrequited romance afforded to Zuziana, the surrogate parent love and mentoring provided by Nak and Odya and the willingly sacrificial love of family that cannot be compared. Countless moments shared between Dragon and rider, father and daughter, friends and lovers alike tug at the heart strings and add an emotional depth to this fantasy epic that makes you care for the outcome of the characters. I found myself cheering, cursing and experiencing palpitations as Zuziana and Aranya flouted the Sylakian Empire across the Island Worlds. Personally I feel that this is what made Aranya stand out for me, the fact that Marc Secchia created characters I connected with and I cared what happened to them.
The most fascinating concept in this story was the shapeshifting into a dragon. At the outset I felt this would be one of those ideas which would either fall flat on its face or soar on the wings of a well-crafted experienced, and Secchia surpassed all expectations as he favored the latter. Each transformation, every initial intrepid thought and all the majesty of flying with such powerful grace is so well conveyed that as a reader I felt I was able to spread my wings and fly alongside Aranya as she soared over the magnificent Cloudlands. Secchia builds his readers experience of dragon flight so well that even when Aranya is weathered, broken by battle and flying on the last threads of spirit with only the need to protect her loved ones as motivation, I could feel her exhaustion, desperation and determination. Again exemplifying her willing nature to tussle with adversity and emerge victorious.
With regards to fascinating magic in the story a shape shifting dragon does tend to steal the spotlight, however, I was equally enchanted by the world building. A reader experiences the world of the story through the eyes of the protagonist, and Aranya’s wide eyed wonder as she experienced the vast expanses of the Island World added to the mythical scope that Secchia reaches for and obtains in his story. Each island is unique in culture, topography and a masterpiece in itself reminiscent of the beauty of worlds seen in the Final Fantasy series.
My only criticism of this story was that during some battle scenes, I felt the detailed prose tended to distract from the urgency of the battle at hand but it did not detract from an extraordinary tale.
I also particularly enjoyed the intrigue of the last chapters as they concluded the battle but left several mysteries about the origins of the world, the dragon shape shifters and the relationships Aranya and Zuziana would share. A beautiful ending and an enticing lead into the series.
If you are a lover of fantasy worlds, magic and realistic emotions with strong female characters all woven together by expert storytelling, then Aranya is for you.
“Go burn the heavens!”
June 10, 2016
Title: Aranya (Shapeshifter Dragon #1) Author: Marc Secchia
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent
Review Cross-posted on Amazon,Goodreads and personal blog @ http://nihilsedtempus.wordpress.com
Amazon
Author Website: @marcsechhia
Goodreads:
Type of Book: Fantasy
Book Summary: Aranya is to be executed for high treason against the Sylakians Empire. Her sentence: falling to her death into the deadly Cloudlands. It’s not the fate she ever envisioned, neither was her rescue. Evil has a new enemy…Aranya, Princess of Immadia.
First off this story has dragons, an evil empire and kick-ass princesses. So once I knew those things it was love at first read. Second, it has dragons. Say it with me DRA-GONS! If you can’t tell I really love stories with dragons. The piece de resistance is shape shifting princess dragons. Secchia is on my list of authors to watch for this! I was enthralled from the minute we meet Aranya.
This story is good book to get lost in. Secchia entwines enough world building and back story so intricately into the fast paced present. He does it so you stay informed and intrigued. Each Floating island had its own culture, history, and of course alliances.
Not to mention Secchia can write some really awesome princesses. They are strong, capable and definitely my type of princess. No hero needed, these princess will not only rescue themselves but also will take on the injustices of the world. In this story the Sylakians’ are a slowly taking control of the islands and forcing complacency. They do this by taking the island’s princess and locking them up in a tower. Yup you read that right; there are princesses in a well-guarded tower. Lots of them, some giving into their fate and others like Aranya and Zip railing against it. Which is how Aranya and Zuziana (Zip) meet and it is dislike at first sight. But soon they are close friends after a few thrilling adventures. After an incident, Aranya is sentenced to death for treason. Plunging many leagues into the cloudlands, dense clouds of deadly gases, she changes…literally into a fire breathing flying dragon. Although Aranya is going to have to work on that. When she crash lands on a nearby island she meets a former dragon rider. They help her learn how to be a dragon and to come to terms with her dragonequese figure… Once she has that down it’s off to take up the fight and protect the islands from a coming evil and against the Sylakians Empire. She just needs to go rescue her rider. Because a princess dragon needs a princess rider.
I love that each new character that is introduced is well fleshed out and makes them leap off the page. This fantastically created world that you can see and almost feel! I am also glad that while there is a bit of romance, it’s not the main plot. There wasn’t much that I didn't love. The only thing that comes to mind is I would have liked more information of regarding the Sylakians Empire. I like to know about the so-called enemy.
All in All, I give this 5 princess out of 5. Aranya put Marc Secchia on my Author Map and once I had finished I promptly went out and got the others that he has written. If you like dragons, awesome princesses you will like this book! Try it for yourself and let me know what you think. This book released on June 13, 2014. You can order on Amazon for kindle edition ($3.99us) or check the publisher site for other stores to obtain this book! Aranya is 454 pages, and it took me (an avid reader) approximately 4 hours. Depending on your reading speed that time will vary.
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent
Review Cross-posted on Amazon,Goodreads and personal blog @ http://nihilsedtempus.wordpress.com
Amazon
Author Website: @marcsechhia
Goodreads:
Type of Book: Fantasy
Book Summary: Aranya is to be executed for high treason against the Sylakians Empire. Her sentence: falling to her death into the deadly Cloudlands. It’s not the fate she ever envisioned, neither was her rescue. Evil has a new enemy…Aranya, Princess of Immadia.
First off this story has dragons, an evil empire and kick-ass princesses. So once I knew those things it was love at first read. Second, it has dragons. Say it with me DRA-GONS! If you can’t tell I really love stories with dragons. The piece de resistance is shape shifting princess dragons. Secchia is on my list of authors to watch for this! I was enthralled from the minute we meet Aranya.
This story is good book to get lost in. Secchia entwines enough world building and back story so intricately into the fast paced present. He does it so you stay informed and intrigued. Each Floating island had its own culture, history, and of course alliances.
Not to mention Secchia can write some really awesome princesses. They are strong, capable and definitely my type of princess. No hero needed, these princess will not only rescue themselves but also will take on the injustices of the world. In this story the Sylakians’ are a slowly taking control of the islands and forcing complacency. They do this by taking the island’s princess and locking them up in a tower. Yup you read that right; there are princesses in a well-guarded tower. Lots of them, some giving into their fate and others like Aranya and Zip railing against it. Which is how Aranya and Zuziana (Zip) meet and it is dislike at first sight. But soon they are close friends after a few thrilling adventures. After an incident, Aranya is sentenced to death for treason. Plunging many leagues into the cloudlands, dense clouds of deadly gases, she changes…literally into a fire breathing flying dragon. Although Aranya is going to have to work on that. When she crash lands on a nearby island she meets a former dragon rider. They help her learn how to be a dragon and to come to terms with her dragonequese figure… Once she has that down it’s off to take up the fight and protect the islands from a coming evil and against the Sylakians Empire. She just needs to go rescue her rider. Because a princess dragon needs a princess rider.
I love that each new character that is introduced is well fleshed out and makes them leap off the page. This fantastically created world that you can see and almost feel! I am also glad that while there is a bit of romance, it’s not the main plot. There wasn’t much that I didn't love. The only thing that comes to mind is I would have liked more information of regarding the Sylakians Empire. I like to know about the so-called enemy.
All in All, I give this 5 princess out of 5. Aranya put Marc Secchia on my Author Map and once I had finished I promptly went out and got the others that he has written. If you like dragons, awesome princesses you will like this book! Try it for yourself and let me know what you think. This book released on June 13, 2014. You can order on Amazon for kindle edition ($3.99us) or check the publisher site for other stores to obtain this book! Aranya is 454 pages, and it took me (an avid reader) approximately 4 hours. Depending on your reading speed that time will vary.
May 26, 2015
My favorite part of this first book is the unique and new world Marc created for his characters. There's interesting customs, fashions, technologies and histories to bring the setting to life without being overwhelmingly detailed.
I was further impressed that Aranya is not the typical "I'm so small, I hate how tiny I am!" heroine that is always described as and perceived by other characters as adorable and petite. (Although, in all fairness, the character of Zip falls into this category, and to further the spirit of fairness, Zip *is* freaking adorable.) Aranya is tall and athletic, usually taller than most of the other female characters around her. Aranya also has a temper and there's actual negative repercussions to her losing her cool.
Aranya grows (oddly enough, not referring to the fact that she turns into a dragon) as a person throughout the story, as do other characters. I loved the relationship between dragon and rider and all the discoveries that go went along with it.
I loved this story, it was full of a new take on shapeshifting, had realistic friendships and memorable characters as well as tons of adventure. My one hang-up with the story overall was the romance aspects. It was a little like a Disney movie, one chance meeting and it's a true love to pine and obsess over. But that is a small complaint when put in the light of how entertained I was by this book.
Last but certainly not least was Shiromi's performance. The accents were delightful and she did incredibly well switching back and forth quickly between them. She added an incredible amount of charm to the book that makes me very happy to have experienced Aranya in the audio book format.
--I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.--
I was further impressed that Aranya is not the typical "I'm so small, I hate how tiny I am!" heroine that is always described as and perceived by other characters as adorable and petite. (Although, in all fairness, the character of Zip falls into this category, and to further the spirit of fairness, Zip *is* freaking adorable.) Aranya is tall and athletic, usually taller than most of the other female characters around her. Aranya also has a temper and there's actual negative repercussions to her losing her cool.
Aranya grows (oddly enough, not referring to the fact that she turns into a dragon) as a person throughout the story, as do other characters. I loved the relationship between dragon and rider and all the discoveries that go went along with it.
I loved this story, it was full of a new take on shapeshifting, had realistic friendships and memorable characters as well as tons of adventure. My one hang-up with the story overall was the romance aspects. It was a little like a Disney movie, one chance meeting and it's a true love to pine and obsess over. But that is a small complaint when put in the light of how entertained I was by this book.
Last but certainly not least was Shiromi's performance. The accents were delightful and she did incredibly well switching back and forth quickly between them. She added an incredible amount of charm to the book that makes me very happy to have experienced Aranya in the audio book format.
--I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.--
March 10, 2015
Aranya by Marc Secchia is an epic adventure that begins with an exquisite map, matching the realistic detail in this unique world of islands with two suns and three moons. Aranya is a fantasy to get lost in with a beautifully imagined world, compelling characters, and a riveting story. It’s the type of story where you have to turn the page to learn what happens next.
Princess Aranya of Immadia watches her people surrender to the overwhelming Sylakian army, knowing she will be offered to Sylakia as the ritual royal hostage of war. Her island is the last to succumb, and now Sylakia rules the world with a cruel fist. Aranya is a fearless fighter, gifted artist, and secret enchantress. Her forbidden powers grow and she struggles to control them, trying to hide the spontaneous fires and use her healing magic to save the people she loves. Aranya is immensely likable as she matures, finding friends amidst terrible adversity while adapting to her constantly-changing self and environment.
Princess Zuziana, or Zip, is a fellow hostage in the Sylakian tower. Zip is equally fearless but more spontaneous, living in the moment; a deep friendship develops between these dynamic women, with wonderful banter. Yolathion is a Sylakian warrior who begins to question duty versus honor. This is a world of ancient legends, different cultures, deadly creatures, and many kinds of dragons. Rebellion against the Sylakians is inevitable, and the adventure soars on dragon wings. Highly recommended!
Princess Aranya of Immadia watches her people surrender to the overwhelming Sylakian army, knowing she will be offered to Sylakia as the ritual royal hostage of war. Her island is the last to succumb, and now Sylakia rules the world with a cruel fist. Aranya is a fearless fighter, gifted artist, and secret enchantress. Her forbidden powers grow and she struggles to control them, trying to hide the spontaneous fires and use her healing magic to save the people she loves. Aranya is immensely likable as she matures, finding friends amidst terrible adversity while adapting to her constantly-changing self and environment.
Princess Zuziana, or Zip, is a fellow hostage in the Sylakian tower. Zip is equally fearless but more spontaneous, living in the moment; a deep friendship develops between these dynamic women, with wonderful banter. Yolathion is a Sylakian warrior who begins to question duty versus honor. This is a world of ancient legends, different cultures, deadly creatures, and many kinds of dragons. Rebellion against the Sylakians is inevitable, and the adventure soars on dragon wings. Highly recommended!
November 30, 2015
I had read and enjoyed the Pygmy Dragon so much that the author very kindly gifted me a copy of this book. I enjoyed it just as much, and for many of the same reasons. First of all, the world building in both books is superb. The author creates his own world, complete with geographic features, civilizations, and history. it all works together to enmesh and then captivate the reader. Yes, one can trace certain inspirations back to the Earth we know, but those inspirations are merely jumping off points, and by the time the author is finished with them, they are creative and entirely his own, fitting perfectly into his world.
Next, there is the writing, which is vivid and engaging. The author’s use of language is admirable, and he weaves his tale with a light but firm hand.
I had noticed, before, the deft way the author has with portraying young people, and that definitely carries on in this book as well. His teens are just that, whatever world they live in. they laugh and play (not always at appropriate times), tease one another, and have the same doubts and fears anyone approaching adulthood have, and they deal with them, with a minimum of angst, which I, frankly, appreciate. These young people are far too busy living to dither and agonize, let alone be self indulgent or self absorbed.
The story is exciting, complicated, filled with lots of action, including some incredible aerael battles, the politics of diplomacy, and yes, romance. This is a marvelous fantasy series, and a delight to revisit through the pages of this book.
Next, there is the writing, which is vivid and engaging. The author’s use of language is admirable, and he weaves his tale with a light but firm hand.
I had noticed, before, the deft way the author has with portraying young people, and that definitely carries on in this book as well. His teens are just that, whatever world they live in. they laugh and play (not always at appropriate times), tease one another, and have the same doubts and fears anyone approaching adulthood have, and they deal with them, with a minimum of angst, which I, frankly, appreciate. These young people are far too busy living to dither and agonize, let alone be self indulgent or self absorbed.
The story is exciting, complicated, filled with lots of action, including some incredible aerael battles, the politics of diplomacy, and yes, romance. This is a marvelous fantasy series, and a delight to revisit through the pages of this book.
January 2, 2015
Aranya (Shapeshifter Dragons Book 1) was a very enjoyable read. Aranya is the Princess of Immadia. As the story begins she is taken as a hostage by the Sylakians who have conquered most of the known world. Right from the beginning you know that there is something special about this Princess. Aranya is not a sit in the castle and wait to be rescued by Prince Charming kind of Princess. Aranya is a Princess more than willing to fight her own battles, but more than that she is willing to fight on behalf of the oppressed and those that the Sylakians plan to crush and destroy. When the Sylarkians attempt to execute Aranya all they do is provide the key that unlocks some of the mystery of who she really is.
The world building in this book is very good. The characters and creatures you meet along the way are great. The plot is excellent. I loved some of the deeper themes like the importance of knowing who you really are and the value of living a life you can be proud of. I was also very taken by a dialogue around the scars that we carry and the value they can have in making us who we are. One of my favorite things about this book was that it was complete in itself while laying some good groundwork for a sequel which I look forward to reading sometime in the future.
The world building in this book is very good. The characters and creatures you meet along the way are great. The plot is excellent. I loved some of the deeper themes like the importance of knowing who you really are and the value of living a life you can be proud of. I was also very taken by a dialogue around the scars that we carry and the value they can have in making us who we are. One of my favorite things about this book was that it was complete in itself while laying some good groundwork for a sequel which I look forward to reading sometime in the future.
July 8, 2014
Read this book as a lover of dragons but had not yet found anyone who was able to combine humans and dragons with shapeshifting (that I liked). I found this book combined the changes well and kept the personality aspects in identifiable contexts. It was fast paced, with the story continually advancing. At no time did I find there was a slow period in the story line and the best part was that there were unpredictable moments where I was surprised by what transpired. This is becoming a more rare thing after years of reading books and especially dragon books.
November 22, 2014
Aranya (Shapeshifter Dragons Book 1)
I read The Pygmy Dragon and became hooked on Marc Secchia's Island World. Atlanta takes place a number of years after Pygmy and even has a few carry over characters which is great. This tale has two very different princesses from very different cultures. A wonderful amount of world building has gone into this tale, truly a treasure of dragon lore.
I read The Pygmy Dragon and became hooked on Marc Secchia's Island World. Atlanta takes place a number of years after Pygmy and even has a few carry over characters which is great. This tale has two very different princesses from very different cultures. A wonderful amount of world building has gone into this tale, truly a treasure of dragon lore.
March 12, 2020
Thank you so much to Audiobookworm Promotions for allowing me to review this novel by receiving a free copy. This in no way changes my thoughts on this novel.
Yay for another dragon shapeshifter novel! These are so underrated and wow, I don’t think I would have found this novel if it wasn’t for Audiobookworm. I think the entire series is on Audible too so if I ever end up getting through more series, I’ll have to check it out.
Oh my gosh I forgot how prisoners of war in these medieval types of worlds can be pretty harsh. Oh my gosh.
Arayna and Zip are my favorite girl friends ever. Are they even just friends or nah? I hope they can be more?
I’m actually really liking this story!
Female friendships are really crucial and some of the best relationships ever
Like, I’m telling you. My absolute favorite part about this novel which I think I’n really going to focus on for this review was that Aranya and Zip just had this really free flowing and easy-going type of banter during the novel that made me feel like even though their relationship did NOT start off on the right foot, they were just able to bond and become amazing partners in this journey. It only makes sense that they end up becoming dragon and rider, and I love that riders aren’t born but can be made, because that would have seriously been a shame if that wasn’t the case.
I was also really surprised at how Mecchia wrote the dialogue between Aranya and Zip. I don’t know if that’s just me being biased or something because I mostly read books from female authors – it just happens that way? – but I guess I haven’t really had much success in seeing a really good relationship between two girls written by a male author that just seems so real and relatable. Despite being in a fantasy world with dragons and all that, I still felt like I could have been best friends with both Aranya and Zip, and just hearing them joke around with one another was absolutely heart-warming.
Finally a shapeshifting rule that doesn’t make a dragon invincible
One of the things that I really liked about this novel was that – while I wish Aranya was invincible and invulnerable to pain – she wasn’t. Not even in her dragon form. That was one of the first rules that she learned from Nac and Oida – and bare with me if I’m spelling their names wrong since I’m listening to the audiobook – when she first learned what she was. If she were to get mortally wounded as a dragon, she would die almost instantly if she shifted back into her human form. While Nac didn’t really know why, he attributed it to the volume difference / more like mass difference between the dragon form and the human form. Since humans can’t tolerate as much pain nor deal with the same level of wounds that a dragon would, it would make more sense this way that just shifting back and forth would not be an easy way to avoid dealing with the aftermath of any battles. I just feel like this little fact really made this world even more realistic and gave almost a vulnerability to the shapeshifters in this world that isn’t always shown in other novels.
Aranya and Zip really grew into their roles as dragon and rider. Aranya had to learn that even though she was a prisoner of war in the beginning, she was not going to let that time define her future. Same thing with Zip. Both of them were taken from their kingdoms when the Sylakians invaded and conquered their homes. Both of their fathers knew that with the rules of war, they had to give up their princess daughters to the enemy in order to surrender without much bloodshed. In turn, that meant that they had to be separated from their families and learn how to survive as a prisoner of war… yes I know I said that in about the same kind of words, but that’s basically what they had to do.
And they stayed strong during their entire time in captivity, and stayed true to themselves as well. They were able to remember who they were before they lost their old lives, and never forgot where they came from. They maintained their personalities of being snarky and intelligent as well. So by the time they were able to get out of their prison, they just became even stronger and knew what they wanted to do to save their kingdoms and others that were under the tyrannical rule of the Sylakians.
Well of course, I was very upset about Aranya and Zip being separated near the beginning, and I honestly wasn’t sure if they were going to ever see each other again. I mean, like the synopsis said, Aranya was put to death and literally thrown off a cliff. She wasn’t supposed to survive that fall, obviously. In fact, the fall was long enough that Aranya wasn’t even sure if she was going to pass out before she ended up hitting the bottom, and had enough time to think about the things that she never got to do, the conversations she wish she had with her mom and dad, etc. It was an interesting scene actually.
Then I was excited because Aranya found out that she was actually a dragon shapeshifter and then ended up being reunited with Zip. I was really excited about the journey that they were going to embark on to change the world, and I was just so happy to hear their little banter and conversations. So all in all, my emotions were pretty all over the place but it worked out with the way the book was playing out. And it was just great.
For me, everything was freaking amazing. I just… yeah I loved it all. I think the pacing worked out really well for me because we didn’t spend too much time following Aranya’s journey on learning how to be a sufficient dragon, but we still had a sense of how that process went. We also didn’t feel really cheated on anything that really happened. Again, I just really enjoyed this novel and had very little – if any – issues with this novel that would have prevented my enjoyment.
Ugh wow, I’m just soooooooo glad that I got to read this novel, okay? Well, listen to it I mean. I absolutely adored the narrator as well, and I really need to add her to my list of favorite narrators to listen to from now on. I definitely need to find out if there are any other novels that I would listen/read to that she ends up narrating, and hopefully I would end up enjoying the plot and writing of those novels. I really loved Aranya and Zip, and seriously I think that is just one of my favorite friendships now and I’m so glad I was able to enjoy this story.
Yay for another dragon shapeshifter novel! These are so underrated and wow, I don’t think I would have found this novel if it wasn’t for Audiobookworm. I think the entire series is on Audible too so if I ever end up getting through more series, I’ll have to check it out.
Oh my gosh I forgot how prisoners of war in these medieval types of worlds can be pretty harsh. Oh my gosh.
Arayna and Zip are my favorite girl friends ever. Are they even just friends or nah? I hope they can be more?
I’m actually really liking this story!
Female friendships are really crucial and some of the best relationships ever
Like, I’m telling you. My absolute favorite part about this novel which I think I’n really going to focus on for this review was that Aranya and Zip just had this really free flowing and easy-going type of banter during the novel that made me feel like even though their relationship did NOT start off on the right foot, they were just able to bond and become amazing partners in this journey. It only makes sense that they end up becoming dragon and rider, and I love that riders aren’t born but can be made, because that would have seriously been a shame if that wasn’t the case.
I was also really surprised at how Mecchia wrote the dialogue between Aranya and Zip. I don’t know if that’s just me being biased or something because I mostly read books from female authors – it just happens that way? – but I guess I haven’t really had much success in seeing a really good relationship between two girls written by a male author that just seems so real and relatable. Despite being in a fantasy world with dragons and all that, I still felt like I could have been best friends with both Aranya and Zip, and just hearing them joke around with one another was absolutely heart-warming.
Finally a shapeshifting rule that doesn’t make a dragon invincible
One of the things that I really liked about this novel was that – while I wish Aranya was invincible and invulnerable to pain – she wasn’t. Not even in her dragon form. That was one of the first rules that she learned from Nac and Oida – and bare with me if I’m spelling their names wrong since I’m listening to the audiobook – when she first learned what she was. If she were to get mortally wounded as a dragon, she would die almost instantly if she shifted back into her human form. While Nac didn’t really know why, he attributed it to the volume difference / more like mass difference between the dragon form and the human form. Since humans can’t tolerate as much pain nor deal with the same level of wounds that a dragon would, it would make more sense this way that just shifting back and forth would not be an easy way to avoid dealing with the aftermath of any battles. I just feel like this little fact really made this world even more realistic and gave almost a vulnerability to the shapeshifters in this world that isn’t always shown in other novels.
Aranya and Zip really grew into their roles as dragon and rider. Aranya had to learn that even though she was a prisoner of war in the beginning, she was not going to let that time define her future. Same thing with Zip. Both of them were taken from their kingdoms when the Sylakians invaded and conquered their homes. Both of their fathers knew that with the rules of war, they had to give up their princess daughters to the enemy in order to surrender without much bloodshed. In turn, that meant that they had to be separated from their families and learn how to survive as a prisoner of war… yes I know I said that in about the same kind of words, but that’s basically what they had to do.
And they stayed strong during their entire time in captivity, and stayed true to themselves as well. They were able to remember who they were before they lost their old lives, and never forgot where they came from. They maintained their personalities of being snarky and intelligent as well. So by the time they were able to get out of their prison, they just became even stronger and knew what they wanted to do to save their kingdoms and others that were under the tyrannical rule of the Sylakians.
Well of course, I was very upset about Aranya and Zip being separated near the beginning, and I honestly wasn’t sure if they were going to ever see each other again. I mean, like the synopsis said, Aranya was put to death and literally thrown off a cliff. She wasn’t supposed to survive that fall, obviously. In fact, the fall was long enough that Aranya wasn’t even sure if she was going to pass out before she ended up hitting the bottom, and had enough time to think about the things that she never got to do, the conversations she wish she had with her mom and dad, etc. It was an interesting scene actually.
Then I was excited because Aranya found out that she was actually a dragon shapeshifter and then ended up being reunited with Zip. I was really excited about the journey that they were going to embark on to change the world, and I was just so happy to hear their little banter and conversations. So all in all, my emotions were pretty all over the place but it worked out with the way the book was playing out. And it was just great.
For me, everything was freaking amazing. I just… yeah I loved it all. I think the pacing worked out really well for me because we didn’t spend too much time following Aranya’s journey on learning how to be a sufficient dragon, but we still had a sense of how that process went. We also didn’t feel really cheated on anything that really happened. Again, I just really enjoyed this novel and had very little – if any – issues with this novel that would have prevented my enjoyment.
Ugh wow, I’m just soooooooo glad that I got to read this novel, okay? Well, listen to it I mean. I absolutely adored the narrator as well, and I really need to add her to my list of favorite narrators to listen to from now on. I definitely need to find out if there are any other novels that I would listen/read to that she ends up narrating, and hopefully I would end up enjoying the plot and writing of those novels. I really loved Aranya and Zip, and seriously I think that is just one of my favorite friendships now and I’m so glad I was able to enjoy this story.
October 21, 2014
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook in conjunction with the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.]
As with a lot of books I seem to read, I was a little skeptical about this one from the blurb. It had the potential to be either a totally awesome book or really suck. Good thing for me it was the former and not the latter, right?
I am just blown away by Aranya. The plot, the world-building, Marc Secchia’s incomparable writing and the vivid characters all come together to make this book one of the best I’ve read in quite literally years. Considering the fact that I read around 200 books per year, that’s no small feat either. Sometimes books take the words quite literally out of my mouth and this is one of those instances (which is why I had to write this review hours after finishing the book, just to process it).
I’ll start off with the world-building, which was fabulous. Here we have a complex geo-political situation within an epic fantasy world! There are various alliances and rivalries and each little island on this world has its own distinct culture and history. Its ruling families are all different, as are their customs and languages. At the same time, for those of you worrying that this just becomes a political thriller, don’t worry. Marc Secchia walks the fine line between political thriller and awesome world that has complicated politics (but ones that are not the main focus of the story). So while his world is excellently built, we never get the backstory dump that sometimes happens in similar works.
And the dragons? Wow. I like that despite the impossibility of somehow having more matter when you shapeshift from human to dragon, the overall concept is very well thought out. There are limitations for people like Aranya in both forms and her dragon form is far from invincible like it is in so many other stories. She actually has to work at developing her powers, with the help of an incurable old letch, Nak. And her limitations as a new dragon do significantly hinder her as she goes about her journey to save Immadia and her friends/family. It’s very well done in my opinion.
As I said, Marc Secchia’s writing is incomparable. He can not only describe action sequences with the ease of a writer with 50+ years of experience, but can also slow down and write heartbreakingly tender moments. At the same time, the plot never really slows down. There’s always something going on, a hint of background tension that forces you to keep reading in order to find out what happens next. I was sucked into the world of Aranya, feeling everything from the humidity in the jungles of the Pygmy and the cool volcanic climate where Aranya gets kidnapped inadvertently.
Last but certainly not least are the characters. Aranya and Zip are certainly some of the more memorable characters I’ve ever read about and they defy gender stereotypes left, right and centre. How many female characters have a serious duel nearly to the death and then become the best of friends? Not as many as male characters, I can tell you that much. Both of them are well-rounded and three dimensional characters, but Aranya will always hold a special place in my heart. She’s willing to leave her family and Immadia behind in order to secure the future of her country, even if it means living in obscure exile for the rest of her natural life. And she does it with minimal whining as well, accepting her duty to her country. Does that mean she’ll go down without a fight? Certainly not! But she also doesn’t spend all her time pining after every attractive guy who crosses her path and whining about how awful her lot in life is. It’s quite a novel concept after the many, many YA novels I’ve read with similar concepts that were far less well carried out.
I just can’t recommend Aranya enough. Even if you’re not big into epic fantasy, I think you can still enjoy this book. Not only are the characters some of the most memorable I’ve ever encountered, the plot was amazing and Marc Secchia’s writing is always superb. I just don’t have anything to say but this: buy the book already!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
As with a lot of books I seem to read, I was a little skeptical about this one from the blurb. It had the potential to be either a totally awesome book or really suck. Good thing for me it was the former and not the latter, right?
I am just blown away by Aranya. The plot, the world-building, Marc Secchia’s incomparable writing and the vivid characters all come together to make this book one of the best I’ve read in quite literally years. Considering the fact that I read around 200 books per year, that’s no small feat either. Sometimes books take the words quite literally out of my mouth and this is one of those instances (which is why I had to write this review hours after finishing the book, just to process it).
I’ll start off with the world-building, which was fabulous. Here we have a complex geo-political situation within an epic fantasy world! There are various alliances and rivalries and each little island on this world has its own distinct culture and history. Its ruling families are all different, as are their customs and languages. At the same time, for those of you worrying that this just becomes a political thriller, don’t worry. Marc Secchia walks the fine line between political thriller and awesome world that has complicated politics (but ones that are not the main focus of the story). So while his world is excellently built, we never get the backstory dump that sometimes happens in similar works.
And the dragons? Wow. I like that despite the impossibility of somehow having more matter when you shapeshift from human to dragon, the overall concept is very well thought out. There are limitations for people like Aranya in both forms and her dragon form is far from invincible like it is in so many other stories. She actually has to work at developing her powers, with the help of an incurable old letch, Nak. And her limitations as a new dragon do significantly hinder her as she goes about her journey to save Immadia and her friends/family. It’s very well done in my opinion.
As I said, Marc Secchia’s writing is incomparable. He can not only describe action sequences with the ease of a writer with 50+ years of experience, but can also slow down and write heartbreakingly tender moments. At the same time, the plot never really slows down. There’s always something going on, a hint of background tension that forces you to keep reading in order to find out what happens next. I was sucked into the world of Aranya, feeling everything from the humidity in the jungles of the Pygmy and the cool volcanic climate where Aranya gets kidnapped inadvertently.
Last but certainly not least are the characters. Aranya and Zip are certainly some of the more memorable characters I’ve ever read about and they defy gender stereotypes left, right and centre. How many female characters have a serious duel nearly to the death and then become the best of friends? Not as many as male characters, I can tell you that much. Both of them are well-rounded and three dimensional characters, but Aranya will always hold a special place in my heart. She’s willing to leave her family and Immadia behind in order to secure the future of her country, even if it means living in obscure exile for the rest of her natural life. And she does it with minimal whining as well, accepting her duty to her country. Does that mean she’ll go down without a fight? Certainly not! But she also doesn’t spend all her time pining after every attractive guy who crosses her path and whining about how awful her lot in life is. It’s quite a novel concept after the many, many YA novels I’ve read with similar concepts that were far less well carried out.
I just can’t recommend Aranya enough. Even if you’re not big into epic fantasy, I think you can still enjoy this book. Not only are the characters some of the most memorable I’ve ever encountered, the plot was amazing and Marc Secchia’s writing is always superb. I just don’t have anything to say but this: buy the book already!
I give this book 5/5 stars.
July 22, 2015
The beginning of Aranya is slow but the story does pick up. The beginning of the story starts with Aranya being sacrificed to protect her father, the King of Immadia and her people from the Sylakian invasion. The story picks up when Aranya discovered that she can changed into a dragon. From this point, Aranya defied the Sylakian Empire for Immadia's freedom with the help of her friends.
What the story did cover is 1) the Island World and the inhabitants that live on each of the islands that Aranya has visited or seek refuge with her friend Izz (who is also a princess), 2) The mystery of the disappearance of the dragons, 3) raises the question if there are dragon-shifters hiding.
In some way, the Sylakian Empire resembles the Roman Empire at its height and remains unchallenged until Aranya fought back and to protect her beloved island of Immadia.
Readers/Listeners are going to have to bear the first chapter of the book until they reach where Aranya is throw off the cliff into the Cloudlands. Aranya could have remained in hiding twice in the story but her courage and bravery to her friend Izz and to save Immadia keep her on Sylakian's radar.
If I was reading the book, I would have took forever to get through the first chapter. I was already having problem listening to the audiobook. After the first chapter, the story starts to get interesting with, as Aranya started to learn and develop her dragon powers. The best part was toward the end of the book when the Sylakian Empire decided to lay seige of Immadia and sparing no survivors.
The narrator, Shiromi Arserio did a very good narration for Aranya. The story is quite long but the narrator was able to keep the voices for each of the characters unique so that the listeners will recognize who is who. She has a voice that listeners can really get into the story.
It does have a surprise element during the siege which makes me want to see what next. The Sylakian may have sent their fleet of dragonships to attack Immadia but I don't think they will give up that easily despite Aranya is a dragon.
I was given this audiobook by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated or influence in any way for writing the review.
What the story did cover is 1) the Island World and the inhabitants that live on each of the islands that Aranya has visited or seek refuge with her friend Izz (who is also a princess), 2) The mystery of the disappearance of the dragons, 3) raises the question if there are dragon-shifters hiding.
In some way, the Sylakian Empire resembles the Roman Empire at its height and remains unchallenged until Aranya fought back and to protect her beloved island of Immadia.
Readers/Listeners are going to have to bear the first chapter of the book until they reach where Aranya is throw off the cliff into the Cloudlands. Aranya could have remained in hiding twice in the story but her courage and bravery to her friend Izz and to save Immadia keep her on Sylakian's radar.
If I was reading the book, I would have took forever to get through the first chapter. I was already having problem listening to the audiobook. After the first chapter, the story starts to get interesting with, as Aranya started to learn and develop her dragon powers. The best part was toward the end of the book when the Sylakian Empire decided to lay seige of Immadia and sparing no survivors.
The narrator, Shiromi Arserio did a very good narration for Aranya. The story is quite long but the narrator was able to keep the voices for each of the characters unique so that the listeners will recognize who is who. She has a voice that listeners can really get into the story.
It does have a surprise element during the siege which makes me want to see what next. The Sylakian may have sent their fleet of dragonships to attack Immadia but I don't think they will give up that easily despite Aranya is a dragon.
I was given this audiobook by the author in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated or influence in any way for writing the review.
June 26, 2017
The heroine is a dragon shapeshifter. Right from that point, the book is already halfway to my heart, because dragon shifter heroines are rare, at least compared to the uncountable legion of dragon shifter heroes.
But that's not all this book has to offer. It's one of the better-written Kindle reads I've enjoyed, with a solidly readable style and an interesting protagonist who must learn over the course of the novel, through the various adventures she undergoes, to be her true self. Plus, unlike at least 90% of the epic fantasy out there today, its relationship focus is on an enduring friendship between two female characters. The bond between the dragon shifter Aranya and her rider Zuziana claims more page space than any other character interaction. Big fans of romance may find this disappointing, but I relished it. It's a female-buddy adventure! Honestly, how many of those have we seen, outside of The Steerswoman and The Stepsister Scheme?
For me, the central romance was the story's biggest weakness. The "beta" romance between Zuziana and the monk Ri'arion actually worked much, much better than the supposed love connection between Aranya and Yolathion. Aranya, I like and admire you, but when the man you have a crush on throws you off the side of a cliff to your death (you survive, but that's not his fault) in revenge for attacking his psychotic girl-abusing bro, it's time to stop thinking of him romantically. For good. An attempt to sell me on a love story between a heroine and her would-be murderer bothered me in the otherwise brilliant Cold Magic, and it bothers me here. In neither case do I completely buy into the would-be murderer's supposed redemption.
But I am up for more adventures with Aranya and Zuziana, particularly now that Zuziana has some unexpected powers.
But that's not all this book has to offer. It's one of the better-written Kindle reads I've enjoyed, with a solidly readable style and an interesting protagonist who must learn over the course of the novel, through the various adventures she undergoes, to be her true self. Plus, unlike at least 90% of the epic fantasy out there today, its relationship focus is on an enduring friendship between two female characters. The bond between the dragon shifter Aranya and her rider Zuziana claims more page space than any other character interaction. Big fans of romance may find this disappointing, but I relished it. It's a female-buddy adventure! Honestly, how many of those have we seen, outside of The Steerswoman and The Stepsister Scheme?
For me, the central romance was the story's biggest weakness. The "beta" romance between Zuziana and the monk Ri'arion actually worked much, much better than the supposed love connection between Aranya and Yolathion. Aranya, I like and admire you, but when the man you have a crush on throws you off the side of a cliff to your death (you survive, but that's not his fault) in revenge for attacking his psychotic girl-abusing bro, it's time to stop thinking of him romantically. For good. An attempt to sell me on a love story between a heroine and her would-be murderer bothered me in the otherwise brilliant Cold Magic, and it bothers me here. In neither case do I completely buy into the would-be murderer's supposed redemption.
But I am up for more adventures with Aranya and Zuziana, particularly now that Zuziana has some unexpected powers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2014
When Aranya is traded to the Sylakians as a condition of her people's surrender to the conquering nation, she believes her fate is set in stone. Little does she know what future lies in wait for her.
Dragon shape shifters. Fierce princesses. Evil Princes. Magic. Fate. Hidden destinies revealed. Epic battles. Pygmies. Romance. Betrayal. All this and so much more can be found within the pages of this sweeping fantasy tale. Once you start, you won't want to stop.
I love all of the characters in this book. I love the way Aranya struggled to learn how to be a dragon after the first time she shifted. I love the fierce and yet fragile Zuziana. I love conflicted Yolathion, struggling between duty and honor and matters of the heart. I love the warrior monk Ri'arion, who starts out as one kind of man, only to reveal many deep layers beneath his stoic exterior. I even love the endlessly beautiful and terrible and fascinating world of islands and mountains and the vaporous cloudlands. I love dragonshifter books and this is one of the best I've read in a long time.
My only complaint is that the story drags a bit in the middle. I think it could have been well served to have certain parts removed to make it a tighter story. But aside from that mid-story slump, Aranya is a novel full of passion and adventure. The battles between dragon and dragonships are particularly breathtaking and told in perfect detail.
This is an excellent book. If you love dragons and dragonshifters as much as I do, and if you want to be swept away on an epic fantasy adventure, then I would highly recommend Aranya.
Dragon shape shifters. Fierce princesses. Evil Princes. Magic. Fate. Hidden destinies revealed. Epic battles. Pygmies. Romance. Betrayal. All this and so much more can be found within the pages of this sweeping fantasy tale. Once you start, you won't want to stop.
I love all of the characters in this book. I love the way Aranya struggled to learn how to be a dragon after the first time she shifted. I love the fierce and yet fragile Zuziana. I love conflicted Yolathion, struggling between duty and honor and matters of the heart. I love the warrior monk Ri'arion, who starts out as one kind of man, only to reveal many deep layers beneath his stoic exterior. I even love the endlessly beautiful and terrible and fascinating world of islands and mountains and the vaporous cloudlands. I love dragonshifter books and this is one of the best I've read in a long time.
My only complaint is that the story drags a bit in the middle. I think it could have been well served to have certain parts removed to make it a tighter story. But aside from that mid-story slump, Aranya is a novel full of passion and adventure. The battles between dragon and dragonships are particularly breathtaking and told in perfect detail.
This is an excellent book. If you love dragons and dragonshifters as much as I do, and if you want to be swept away on an epic fantasy adventure, then I would highly recommend Aranya.
September 26, 2015
Thank you Mark for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review to get him known in the UK.
I had neither heard of this book or the author but the book cover and the synopsis really grabbed me. This is why I was so pleased when the author sent me a copy of the book. This is the first book in a Young adult Fantasy Series and I feel that the language that is used in it is aimed at the YA audience.
Plot/ Storyline:
This was a easy read although it was slow going to begin with but I loved it though. The story was about a young princess from Immedia called Aranya who finds out that she is a dragon shape shifter as she's falling through the cloudlands after being executed for being an enchantress by her captors.It also told the story of the Island world in which Aranya lives.
Character (s):
The three main characters in this book are Aranya, Primcess of Immedia, Zuzziana the princess of Rhemony and Yoliathon a Sylakian 3rd Warhammer. All of these characters were really well written and believable which meant that I was able to connect with each of them on different levels and for different reasons.
Summary:
The world building that Marc did in this book was amazing and made me as the reader feel like I was seeing the places for my self. This was a grate start to what I am sure will be an fantastic series which I will thoroughly enjoy reading. I loved this book so much that I know I read it again as well as recommend it to others or buy it as a gift for anyone who I think will enjoy reading it.
All the things mentioned above are why I gave a five star rating.
I had neither heard of this book or the author but the book cover and the synopsis really grabbed me. This is why I was so pleased when the author sent me a copy of the book. This is the first book in a Young adult Fantasy Series and I feel that the language that is used in it is aimed at the YA audience.
Plot/ Storyline:
This was a easy read although it was slow going to begin with but I loved it though. The story was about a young princess from Immedia called Aranya who finds out that she is a dragon shape shifter as she's falling through the cloudlands after being executed for being an enchantress by her captors.It also told the story of the Island world in which Aranya lives.
Character (s):
The three main characters in this book are Aranya, Primcess of Immedia, Zuzziana the princess of Rhemony and Yoliathon a Sylakian 3rd Warhammer. All of these characters were really well written and believable which meant that I was able to connect with each of them on different levels and for different reasons.
Summary:
The world building that Marc did in this book was amazing and made me as the reader feel like I was seeing the places for my self. This was a grate start to what I am sure will be an fantastic series which I will thoroughly enjoy reading. I loved this book so much that I know I read it again as well as recommend it to others or buy it as a gift for anyone who I think will enjoy reading it.
All the things mentioned above are why I gave a five star rating.
February 13, 2024
Aranya is the first book in the Shapeshifter Dragons series. In it, we meet the lead character Aranya as she prepares to become a hostage due to her island's surrender to the Sylakians. Aranya is tall, athletic, and strong-willed. Although she succumbs to a small pity party, she is soon pulled out of it by her servant, Beri. She makes the best of the situation she can, and actually saves the life of her captor. Once she makes it to the tower, her life changes completely. After a very rocky start, Aranya becomes friends with Zip, who is physically the opposite of Aranya. However, things take a turn for the worse and Aranya's life may soon be over at sixteen.
Of course, this is an epic fantasy, and I've really only detailed the first few chapters, so trust me when I say that her life isn't over, and there is still so much more to read! Aranya and Zip make a wonderful partnership, their verbal swordplay a delight to read. The addition of Oyda and Nak, from The Pygmy Dragon, helps Aranya come to terms with her new life. It was wonderful to read about them again, although heartbreaking to hear about Emblazon and Shimmerith. Once again, Marc Secchia has given us a host of magnificent characters - whether you like or loathe them. Aranya's relationship with Yolathion was topsy-turvy, to say the least! And I loved it!!
Excellently written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow, this is quite simply an amazing read. This is an epic fantasy of the highest calibre, and definitely recommended by me.
* Verified Purchase - October 2016 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 19, 2016
Of course, this is an epic fantasy, and I've really only detailed the first few chapters, so trust me when I say that her life isn't over, and there is still so much more to read! Aranya and Zip make a wonderful partnership, their verbal swordplay a delight to read. The addition of Oyda and Nak, from The Pygmy Dragon, helps Aranya come to terms with her new life. It was wonderful to read about them again, although heartbreaking to hear about Emblazon and Shimmerith. Once again, Marc Secchia has given us a host of magnificent characters - whether you like or loathe them. Aranya's relationship with Yolathion was topsy-turvy, to say the least! And I loved it!!
Excellently written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt the reading flow, this is quite simply an amazing read. This is an epic fantasy of the highest calibre, and definitely recommended by me.
* Verified Purchase - October 2016 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 19, 2016
October 21, 2017
Could the day get any worse than being tied to a rock and thrown from a great height? Maybe not worse but most certainly more interesting. Aranya finds that life for her had just gotten a lot more interesting. She gains so much more than internal freedom and self-awareness and insight. The sacrifice that were made by her people will fall on her hands to atone for and make all the wrongs right at the least better.
There were rich, intriguing, involving, well-developed characters. The content and dialogue truly carried the story on to a realm that wheeled you in and kept you on the edge of the clouds. This was one epic fantasy that had me hooked and wanting more before I even finished. There are friends, enemies, allies, family and so much more. There were so many things to get lost in and just draw vivid imagery.
Shapeshifter Dragons series:
Aranya – Shapeshifter Dragons, #1
Shadow Dragon – Shapeshifter Dragons, #2
Song of the Storm Dragon – Shapeshifter Dragons, #3
Narrator Review of . . . ARANYA (Shapeshifter Dragons, #1) . . . Shiromi does a beautiful job drawing me in with her intonations and dictions and all place perfectly. The story in itself was captivating. Her voice gave life and complete immersion within in this fantasy. The audio was smooth and complete. The quality of the sound was pleasing. The melody of Shiromi's voice carried over very well through the various speed changes. The was a beauty to her voice that gave me trust and assurance in her ability. Her voice smoothed the way for me to completely get lost in the visions her voice and Marc's words were creating.
There were rich, intriguing, involving, well-developed characters. The content and dialogue truly carried the story on to a realm that wheeled you in and kept you on the edge of the clouds. This was one epic fantasy that had me hooked and wanting more before I even finished. There are friends, enemies, allies, family and so much more. There were so many things to get lost in and just draw vivid imagery.
Shapeshifter Dragons series:
Aranya – Shapeshifter Dragons, #1
Shadow Dragon – Shapeshifter Dragons, #2
Song of the Storm Dragon – Shapeshifter Dragons, #3
Narrator Review of . . . ARANYA (Shapeshifter Dragons, #1) . . . Shiromi does a beautiful job drawing me in with her intonations and dictions and all place perfectly. The story in itself was captivating. Her voice gave life and complete immersion within in this fantasy. The audio was smooth and complete. The quality of the sound was pleasing. The melody of Shiromi's voice carried over very well through the various speed changes. The was a beauty to her voice that gave me trust and assurance in her ability. Her voice smoothed the way for me to completely get lost in the visions her voice and Marc's words were creating.
May 27, 2015
Aranya was very entertaining. I started out feeling so sorry for the poor little princess that had been traded to save her kingdom. Than as the storyline progress's. She gets to be a stronger and stronger character in the book. Until you can't recognize the poor little traded princess anymore. She becomes a larger than life heroine.
The author takes us to a land that has been at war. I keep thinking it was something like the middle ages type land. She has been taken to the king that has conquered most of the lands and taken wards in to keep the other kings in line.
I do have to say this I really felt I had listened to book 1 and 2 as the complete storyline developed. I really liked that young adults would be able to enjoy the book also.
I did think it was funny Aranya was having a knock down drag out fight with a girl that became as important to her as the air she flew through.
The two girls go to war as a team with the bad Sylakians. The storyline becomes a nail bitter at this point. Because they are the only dragon and dragon rider team still alive in all the lands that we know of so far. I liked this part of the book because they become so close almost like sisters.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
Shiromi Arserio the narrator really helped bring out the emotions of the books. I found her voice pleasant to listen too.
I received the audio book in exchange for a review.
The author takes us to a land that has been at war. I keep thinking it was something like the middle ages type land. She has been taken to the king that has conquered most of the lands and taken wards in to keep the other kings in line.
I do have to say this I really felt I had listened to book 1 and 2 as the complete storyline developed. I really liked that young adults would be able to enjoy the book also.
I did think it was funny Aranya was having a knock down drag out fight with a girl that became as important to her as the air she flew through.
The two girls go to war as a team with the bad Sylakians. The storyline becomes a nail bitter at this point. Because they are the only dragon and dragon rider team still alive in all the lands that we know of so far. I liked this part of the book because they become so close almost like sisters.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
Shiromi Arserio the narrator really helped bring out the emotions of the books. I found her voice pleasant to listen too.
I received the audio book in exchange for a review.
September 12, 2015
first things first this author doesn't mess about when it comes to description, he makes sure that everything is spot on and that we are there with aranya and zip, I felt the love, friendship, hurt, betrayal, pain and joy of this journey, Mr Secchia definitely has a gift when it comes to imagination.
from picking up this book I was automatically pulled in, I loved the first few pages when aranya and her father are having a moment and are accepting of the situation that's about to unfold even though it's the last thing they want. Only just meeting these characters and already I'm with them, wanting more about them, following their journey.
don't get me wrong I loved Aranya but holy hell do I love Zip, at first of course we don't like her think her spiteful but once things happen ( no spoilers) we see a different Zip.
I absolutely loved the friendship between Aranya and Zip, I loved watching it blossom and the bond between Dragon and rider form.
there are quite a few times I was chuckling to myself after reading the banter between the pair.
Nak is a also another brilliant character in this book, I couldn't help myself laughing at the things he's said and how blunt he is.
A magical story of a Dragon shapeshifter and her rider as they take on the enemy but also a coming of age tale that will have you falling in love, hating characters with vengeance, friendships becoming and blossoming and also it shows the importance of family, trust and of course love.
from picking up this book I was automatically pulled in, I loved the first few pages when aranya and her father are having a moment and are accepting of the situation that's about to unfold even though it's the last thing they want. Only just meeting these characters and already I'm with them, wanting more about them, following their journey.
don't get me wrong I loved Aranya but holy hell do I love Zip, at first of course we don't like her think her spiteful but once things happen ( no spoilers) we see a different Zip.
I absolutely loved the friendship between Aranya and Zip, I loved watching it blossom and the bond between Dragon and rider form.
there are quite a few times I was chuckling to myself after reading the banter between the pair.
Nak is a also another brilliant character in this book, I couldn't help myself laughing at the things he's said and how blunt he is.
A magical story of a Dragon shapeshifter and her rider as they take on the enemy but also a coming of age tale that will have you falling in love, hating characters with vengeance, friendships becoming and blossoming and also it shows the importance of family, trust and of course love.
June 21, 2014
‘Aranya’, the first book in the Shapeshifter Dragons series is an imaginative tale, full of battle and heroism, romance and betrayal. Set on a world of Sky Islands, it tells the story of a princess given up as hostage in surrender. Sent to the Sylakian prison tower, she meets Zip, a Remoyan princess who is also a prison hostage. The two forge a friendship that transforms themselves and the world around them.
I found the story to be well written and conceived, with enough twists in the plot to keep you guessing where the author is going with the story. Aranya and Zip are enthralling as main characters and the dialogue between them, which forms a large part of the story, is excellent, witty and intelligent as the author explores how two former enemies can become the best of friends.
Throw in the minor characters who help them along the way, the main villain in the plot who is suitably evil and the romantic interest for Aranya, who is a commander in the Sylakian army but is torn between his duty and his honour.
Overall, I found this difficult to put down, wanting to carry on reading even when I had prior engagements to go to and I will certainly be putting book two on my wish list.
I received a review copy of the book for my honest opinion, and I am very happy that I did.
I found the story to be well written and conceived, with enough twists in the plot to keep you guessing where the author is going with the story. Aranya and Zip are enthralling as main characters and the dialogue between them, which forms a large part of the story, is excellent, witty and intelligent as the author explores how two former enemies can become the best of friends.
Throw in the minor characters who help them along the way, the main villain in the plot who is suitably evil and the romantic interest for Aranya, who is a commander in the Sylakian army but is torn between his duty and his honour.
Overall, I found this difficult to put down, wanting to carry on reading even when I had prior engagements to go to and I will certainly be putting book two on my wish list.
I received a review copy of the book for my honest opinion, and I am very happy that I did.
Read
September 23, 2014"The fight that this book closes with will both knock your socks off and get you salivating for the next book." - An Amazon reviewer
An intriguing new paranormal fantasy, Aranya, by author Marc Secchia is the first book in the Shapeshifter Dragons series and one that may well capture your imagination. It’s a popular genre with a host of new releases readily filling the shelves, but Secchia certainly seems ready to make his mark. With rarely a dull moment, he spins a mythical yarn, achieving a notable balance between luxurious detail and intense action, which fans of the high fantasy genre will certainly applaud, but it’s Secchia’s world building prowess that really sets this tale apart. With a host of colourful and many original character incarnations, the time honoured theme of good versus evil takes on a refreshingly unfamiliar dimension.
Excerpted review from Stephan J Myers, author of The Prayer: A haunting children's Christmas tale that captures the true spirit of Christmas
"If you are like me and love all things Dragon then this is a must have book." - Carli
An intriguing new paranormal fantasy, Aranya, by author Marc Secchia is the first book in the Shapeshifter Dragons series and one that may well capture your imagination. It’s a popular genre with a host of new releases readily filling the shelves, but Secchia certainly seems ready to make his mark. With rarely a dull moment, he spins a mythical yarn, achieving a notable balance between luxurious detail and intense action, which fans of the high fantasy genre will certainly applaud, but it’s Secchia’s world building prowess that really sets this tale apart. With a host of colourful and many original character incarnations, the time honoured theme of good versus evil takes on a refreshingly unfamiliar dimension.
Excerpted review from Stephan J Myers, author of The Prayer: A haunting children's Christmas tale that captures the true spirit of Christmas
"If you are like me and love all things Dragon then this is a must have book." - Carli
October 17, 2014
Aranya by Marc Secchia is an epic fantasy adventure and coming of age story about a shapeshifting dragon-princess named Aranya. She is a teenage girl forced from her home kingdom by the Sylakian empire under a ruler intent on controlling all of the other kingdoms. She befriends Zip, a fiery little princess, Nak, a former dragon rider who will make you laugh, and others. There is plenty of adventure, action, intrigue, and even a little romance. I am not an avid reader of fantasy but this story and its characters are so well crafted that it drew me in. The book is well written, the characters are engaging and their relationships are believable. If you are a dragon lover, this book is for you as it contains plenty of detailed and interesting dragon lore. The dragon elements are the strength of this one. Secchia is a master world-builder who balances action and rich visuals skillfully.
The book is appropriate for teenage readers as it does not contain sexual content or coarse language and the violence is acceptable (speaking as a parent).
I give this a 4.5/5, and round it up to 5 stars.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest non-reciprocal review.
The book is appropriate for teenage readers as it does not contain sexual content or coarse language and the violence is acceptable (speaking as a parent).
I give this a 4.5/5, and round it up to 5 stars.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest non-reciprocal review.
February 1, 2015
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**
This is the 1st of my "Free for Review" books so there was a little trepidation as I was quite literally picking books by their covers. But seriously, there's a dragon, how can anything with dragons go wrong? I'm happy to review that it can't and having read quite a few different author's books,series, and trilogies with dragons, I was quite surprised at the different angle the author, Marc Secchia, took! I would say I was about halfway through the book before I realized the sun was coming up and I had done it again. "Just one more chapter.." I love it when a book grabs you and you don't even realize you've been grabbed! Absolutely LOVED how book 1 ended! You get an actual ending to that part of the story AND you get enough of a teaser that the 1st thing you want to do is click the "1 click buy" button! Luckily this is also my 1st eBook ever and I just got my niece's old tablet set up just so I could participate in these read and reviews, so that feature is so not set up yet. I really enjoyed this book, enough to go by the next in the series and if there are more after #2, those too! And after those I'll have to see what else this author has up his sleeve!
This is the 1st of my "Free for Review" books so there was a little trepidation as I was quite literally picking books by their covers. But seriously, there's a dragon, how can anything with dragons go wrong? I'm happy to review that it can't and having read quite a few different author's books,series, and trilogies with dragons, I was quite surprised at the different angle the author, Marc Secchia, took! I would say I was about halfway through the book before I realized the sun was coming up and I had done it again. "Just one more chapter.." I love it when a book grabs you and you don't even realize you've been grabbed! Absolutely LOVED how book 1 ended! You get an actual ending to that part of the story AND you get enough of a teaser that the 1st thing you want to do is click the "1 click buy" button! Luckily this is also my 1st eBook ever and I just got my niece's old tablet set up just so I could participate in these read and reviews, so that feature is so not set up yet. I really enjoyed this book, enough to go by the next in the series and if there are more after #2, those too! And after those I'll have to see what else this author has up his sleeve!
August 10, 2017
I received a free copy of this audio form of this book in exchange for a review.
I love dragons, but I haven’t read many books with dragons. When I saw this one I knew it was a book I would enjoy. Yes, I know we shouldn’t judge books based on covers, but look at the cover! It’s beautiful. This story is as beautiful as the cover. The author created a completely new world with such detailed description I wanted to book a vacation to this mysterious land. His combination of Victorian, steampunk, and fantasy images brought the setting alive to the reader. The action was developed in such a way that sometimes I felt like I was watching a movie and not listening to a book.
One of the things that impressed me was his description of Dragon Aranya. I think of dragons as being very masculine. Secchia created a fierce dragon that was very feminine but just as strong as any warrior. All of his characters were such real people I wanted to meet them.
The narrator does a fantastic job with the various voices. Each character had a unique voice and it was always easy to determine the different people. I think her interpretations only added to the richness of this great story. She even did a good job with the sound of arrows and fires.
I love dragons, but I haven’t read many books with dragons. When I saw this one I knew it was a book I would enjoy. Yes, I know we shouldn’t judge books based on covers, but look at the cover! It’s beautiful. This story is as beautiful as the cover. The author created a completely new world with such detailed description I wanted to book a vacation to this mysterious land. His combination of Victorian, steampunk, and fantasy images brought the setting alive to the reader. The action was developed in such a way that sometimes I felt like I was watching a movie and not listening to a book.
One of the things that impressed me was his description of Dragon Aranya. I think of dragons as being very masculine. Secchia created a fierce dragon that was very feminine but just as strong as any warrior. All of his characters were such real people I wanted to meet them.
The narrator does a fantastic job with the various voices. Each character had a unique voice and it was always easy to determine the different people. I think her interpretations only added to the richness of this great story. She even did a good job with the sound of arrows and fires.
July 15, 2016
Liked the overall story but got bored out of my mind with the fancy words and the romance. I'm not very picky with said romances, which means a lot, so you have to know how "bad" it was that I'm complaining. I mean, I expect basic things out of my romances. Respect, kindness...not trying to kill each other. Twice. Him mostly trying to kill her really. Not much, right? You'd think so but apparently, if the guy gives you some pretty verses in the form of a rather deploring request for forgiveness afterwards, all is indeed forgiven. I really did not get that so it was amazingly frustrating for me. Add a lot of "o thy sweetness" or something along those lines every couple paragraphs and I was kind of out of my element. Darn. Now I remember why I shy away from high fantasy (not that this is classified as HF anywhere). Hindsight is b*tch. The story was engaging though. I pretty much love everything to do with dragons and dainty princesses who turn into awesome dragons is even better. I am, however, unsure if I want to read the sequel. I'd like to know how it ends but the prose is really something I'm not looking forward to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2015
Rarely do I read every book an author publish. Not only does not every genre and heroine/hero blend well with my flavour, but well. not all books are that well written. Having read Pygmy Dragon, and earlier on read Aranya. I desided to reread Aranyas story. And damn, this book just gave a whole new perspective of both author and storytelling.
This book will suite you just perfectly if your fan of dragons, character development, betrayal, strength of both body and character, well written world building and a superb blend of everything I desire in a well written fantasy book.
Our hero Aranya story flows, dips, drops, jumps, and are sometimes expected, and sometimes so unexpected, the whole rereading it were like reading it for the first time. After also reading the pygmy dragon, the comments made also sense.
Now, having some serious issues with not every book in every series not being finished/published, I am now having a slight depression of having to find other books.
Did I mention, Ive read almost every book this author have published. Yeah, he's that good. jees.
This book will suite you just perfectly if your fan of dragons, character development, betrayal, strength of both body and character, well written world building and a superb blend of everything I desire in a well written fantasy book.
Our hero Aranya story flows, dips, drops, jumps, and are sometimes expected, and sometimes so unexpected, the whole rereading it were like reading it for the first time. After also reading the pygmy dragon, the comments made also sense.
Now, having some serious issues with not every book in every series not being finished/published, I am now having a slight depression of having to find other books.
Did I mention, Ive read almost every book this author have published. Yeah, he's that good. jees.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews