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After Life
~Dark Age Fantasy shrouded in mystery and horror~
Fear erupts in the nation of Gaescea when Seer Mecas returns heralding a cryptic doom, and Kaemen and his fellow warrior-elites, the Wolfhounds, make ready for war.
But Kaemen discovers that the kingdom’s preparations were for naught when he awakes in a realm far more harrowing than the battlefield, for they have crossed over into the Land of the Dead.
Now Kaemen must fight for the salvation of Gaescea, knowing all the while that he is being hunted by damnation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kindle-readers-- Feel free to message me to request a free Kindle version.
Fear erupts in the nation of Gaescea when Seer Mecas returns heralding a cryptic doom, and Kaemen and his fellow warrior-elites, the Wolfhounds, make ready for war.
But Kaemen discovers that the kingdom’s preparations were for naught when he awakes in a realm far more harrowing than the battlefield, for they have crossed over into the Land of the Dead.
Now Kaemen must fight for the salvation of Gaescea, knowing all the while that he is being hunted by damnation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kindle-readers-- Feel free to message me to request a free Kindle version.
- GenresFantasy
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2014
3 people are currently reading
2455 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Ionson
3 books120 followersI live in forest-filled southern Indiana. I publish my medieval Fantasy under
Daniel Ionson
and my philosophy (etc.) under
Daniel Jones
.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
October 21, 2016
Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. You are NOT prepared for this! And I need to make sure you still won't be after reading this review. Actually, if you have any possible plans to read this book, you probably shouldn't even read the synopsis of it. Trust me, it will be totally worth it to go into it blind, with the exception of knowing it falls into the Dark Age Fantasy category. Sorta.
Did you skip the synopsis? If so, it means you're going to read this book.
After Life starts off in a medieval fantasy kind of setting. There are kings, warriors, farmers, and magic! I guess if you want something to compare it to, I'll pick a popular tag and say Game of Thrones. Except, this is nothing like Game of Thrones.
The world building is su-fucking-perb (I honestly hope Perb isn't an existing first name [maybe a Swedish Per B., though, but I'm digressing horribly now]). I actually couldn't read this before going to bed because the scenery was depicted so vividly that I was bound to having some bad nightmares about it.
The characters initially had a bit of a rough startup but, in the end, they were exactly what Fantasy characters are supposed to be, except way more brutal and raw. I think I loved Breoch the most because he's a bit of a rebel when it comes to behaving the way he's supposed to behave.
Now, I will keep this review fairly short because I really don't want to risk giving away any spoilers. I will tell you this: it's dark, it's heartbreaking and utterly scary at times. There are a few plot twists that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I already used this one in one of my Goodreads' statuses, but it sums it up the feeling perfectly:
Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore...
This was done brilliantly and gives you a high WTF-state of mind for quite a while (I'm still pondering over certain things as I'm typing this). Everything will be explained in the end, though. No loose threads or crappy cliffhangers.
The writing was great, the grammar was good, and thank the gods, there were no typos! You can definitely see that this was professionally edited. There were some deeper philosophical thoughts behind this story as well, which isn't strange regarding the fact that the author is a philosopher as well. A few of the sentences I highlighted:
"All evil men were once innocent babes, once lovable children. Men make choices, some consistently bad. But those who choose the worst kinds of evil were typically guided into it."
"It is hard to explain," her daughter answered gently. "We are within your soul. My soul is residing in yours for a time, in the same way that I reside in your body. I am dwelling within you, and so may communicate with you while we yet live."
(the last one being said by an unborn child)
The reason why it's not getting the full 5 brownies on my blog is that this book involves a lot of rape. Thankfully, it's not depicted in a detailed kind of way, but still, it was just a bit too much for me to take in. I do understand the purpose of it being in there, though. I mean, what kind of überevil beings would make an exception for women and treat them with respect? They have an evil reputation to uphold!
Another minor point of critique is that there were so many names in the first part of the book, that I sometimes lost track of who was who again, partly also due to those characters largely feeling like one and the same person. Later on in the story, this is totally not an issue anymore. It's why After Life will get 5 stars from me on Goodreads and retailer sites. This is truly a book I want to reread again and pester people with when it comes to recommending it. Starting now: READ THIS BOOK! Except when you're under 18 and or don't have a strong stomach cause I'm telling ya, it can get pretty gross and intense...
A big thank you to Daniel Ionson for providing me with a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review!
Did you skip the synopsis? If so, it means you're going to read this book.
After Life starts off in a medieval fantasy kind of setting. There are kings, warriors, farmers, and magic! I guess if you want something to compare it to, I'll pick a popular tag and say Game of Thrones. Except, this is nothing like Game of Thrones.
The world building is su-fucking-perb (I honestly hope Perb isn't an existing first name [maybe a Swedish Per B., though, but I'm digressing horribly now]). I actually couldn't read this before going to bed because the scenery was depicted so vividly that I was bound to having some bad nightmares about it.
The characters initially had a bit of a rough startup but, in the end, they were exactly what Fantasy characters are supposed to be, except way more brutal and raw. I think I loved Breoch the most because he's a bit of a rebel when it comes to behaving the way he's supposed to behave.
Now, I will keep this review fairly short because I really don't want to risk giving away any spoilers. I will tell you this: it's dark, it's heartbreaking and utterly scary at times. There are a few plot twists that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I already used this one in one of my Goodreads' statuses, but it sums it up the feeling perfectly:
Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore...
This was done brilliantly and gives you a high WTF-state of mind for quite a while (I'm still pondering over certain things as I'm typing this). Everything will be explained in the end, though. No loose threads or crappy cliffhangers.
The writing was great, the grammar was good, and thank the gods, there were no typos! You can definitely see that this was professionally edited. There were some deeper philosophical thoughts behind this story as well, which isn't strange regarding the fact that the author is a philosopher as well. A few of the sentences I highlighted:
"All evil men were once innocent babes, once lovable children. Men make choices, some consistently bad. But those who choose the worst kinds of evil were typically guided into it."
"It is hard to explain," her daughter answered gently. "We are within your soul. My soul is residing in yours for a time, in the same way that I reside in your body. I am dwelling within you, and so may communicate with you while we yet live."
(the last one being said by an unborn child)
The reason why it's not getting the full 5 brownies on my blog is that this book involves a lot of rape. Thankfully, it's not depicted in a detailed kind of way, but still, it was just a bit too much for me to take in. I do understand the purpose of it being in there, though. I mean, what kind of überevil beings would make an exception for women and treat them with respect? They have an evil reputation to uphold!
Another minor point of critique is that there were so many names in the first part of the book, that I sometimes lost track of who was who again, partly also due to those characters largely feeling like one and the same person. Later on in the story, this is totally not an issue anymore. It's why After Life will get 5 stars from me on Goodreads and retailer sites. This is truly a book I want to reread again and pester people with when it comes to recommending it. Starting now: READ THIS BOOK! Except when you're under 18 and or don't have a strong stomach cause I'm telling ya, it can get pretty gross and intense...
A big thank you to Daniel Ionson for providing me with a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review!
December 23, 2015
Let's start off this review by throwing some words at the book.
Unique.
Original.
Different.
Complex.
And, boy it is hard to say those words towards most of books. I had figured "original" was dead and gone... under a thick layer of dust, but gladly, I am proven wrong. I don't know if I have been reading different kinds of books, or what is it- but "After Life" has opened a totally new and unexpected world to me. There is so much happening, so many characters are involved and I feel like I am reading a movie. Not in the sense of "Oh my gawd, this needs to be a movie!" (even though it would probably be cool)- I mean it in the sense of- the way everything is written plays perfectly in my head. I can see places, I can visualize characters and situations and feelings.
The storyline wraps around you as soon as you start reading. I found the beginning a bit overwhelming what with a lot of new characters being introduced with each paragraph but they all work out into a clear picture seamlessly.I am amazed at the character and place names. I mean- have you ever tried to write a story and give your characters and places names? It ain't easy. Try! So for this reason the complexity of names in "After Life" makes me want to tip my hat to Daniel. Well done!
Interesting fact- the place of After Life itself as being called "Tuonel". It just stuck me, on page half-ways-in-the-book. In Estonian the otherside of life is called "Toonela". Hmm, coincidence? Daniel? I'm a bit creeped by the book and it's awesome that I am!
*
While you read, you'll find out that nothing is what it seems and every event takes a turn down a different path. Surprises are many to be had, because as soon as you think you have an inkling where the story is going- you're wrong... because...
"Hell is believing that you are beyond all pain, only to discover it anew, and so feel it redoubled." (quote from the book)
This book is a true work of the best literature you will find on any bookstore, library or virtual shelf. A complex work of beauty and pain. Of love and camaraderie. Of life and death.
Unique.
Original.
Different.
Complex.
And, boy it is hard to say those words towards most of books. I had figured "original" was dead and gone... under a thick layer of dust, but gladly, I am proven wrong. I don't know if I have been reading different kinds of books, or what is it- but "After Life" has opened a totally new and unexpected world to me. There is so much happening, so many characters are involved and I feel like I am reading a movie. Not in the sense of "Oh my gawd, this needs to be a movie!" (even though it would probably be cool)- I mean it in the sense of- the way everything is written plays perfectly in my head. I can see places, I can visualize characters and situations and feelings.
The storyline wraps around you as soon as you start reading. I found the beginning a bit overwhelming what with a lot of new characters being introduced with each paragraph but they all work out into a clear picture seamlessly.I am amazed at the character and place names. I mean- have you ever tried to write a story and give your characters and places names? It ain't easy. Try! So for this reason the complexity of names in "After Life" makes me want to tip my hat to Daniel. Well done!
Interesting fact- the place of After Life itself as being called "Tuonel". It just stuck me, on page half-ways-in-the-book. In Estonian the otherside of life is called "Toonela". Hmm, coincidence? Daniel? I'm a bit creeped by the book and it's awesome that I am!
*
While you read, you'll find out that nothing is what it seems and every event takes a turn down a different path. Surprises are many to be had, because as soon as you think you have an inkling where the story is going- you're wrong... because...
"Hell is believing that you are beyond all pain, only to discover it anew, and so feel it redoubled." (quote from the book)
This book is a true work of the best literature you will find on any bookstore, library or virtual shelf. A complex work of beauty and pain. Of love and camaraderie. Of life and death.
September 30, 2015
3.5 stars/5 stars
The author provided me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
The Skinny:
Kaemen, a wolfhound in the nation of Gaescea, is spirited with a difficult task; he and his fellow wolfhounds must protect their land from a mysterious threat. Mecas, the Gaescea seer, has predicted that a horrible darkness is coming. Commander Dagoran, Kaemen, and Breoch set forth, gathering an army that they hope will defeat whatever is to come. But little is as it seems, and the trio abruptly awakens in the Land of the Dead, also known as Tuonel. Desperate with the desire to find out how they came to be in Tuonel, Kaemen and his allies must work together to try to not only unravel the puzzle their lives have become, but to also save Gaescea from afar.
The Review:
The good:
*The melding of horror and fantasy was what I found most captivating. I can’t recall reading a book that had quite the same fusion of genres that this story contained. This combination made the story seem very unique and fresh. Many novels unfortunately end up relying on tropes and stock characters to move the story along, but I can say that this wasn’t the case with After Life.
*Many of the characters were interesting, albeit a little flat. One of the more captivating characters was Skotein, the villain. His background story lent him an intriguing air, and gave a darker and more psychotic feel to his actions. Being an unstable character, it was hard to determine what he was going to do next. I would have liked to been privy to even more of Skotein’s thoughts and actions, and to have learned even more about his past.
*The landscape/world of Tuonel cannot go without mention. Imagine a world where you are so hungry, and so parched, that you virtually lose your mind trying to obtain food and drink. Envision a place where the wildlife that you believe will sustain you is full of dust. Think of a place where the stream that should provide you with water instead accosts your ears with a scraping sound as ash meanders its way where the water should be. How creepy, upsetting, and dark is that? How COOL is that?
Also, the ? Friggin creepy as all get out.
*The main reveal in this book was a biggie. I can honestly say that I was not expecting it in the slightest, which was both good and bad. Because this is the ‘good’ section of my review, I will tell you why this reveal was pretty sweet. First, like I said, I had no clue it was coming. Second, it made total sense when I really thought about it (although it took me a bit to come to this conclusion). Third, it was pretty spooky and badass, which I like.
The meh:
*The middle of this story was just okay. There was far too much marching and being hungry, and not enough fuckery and intrigue. While the ending more than made up for it, I felt that the middle dragged.
*The major reveal was a little out of left field. It made sense after it was discussed in full, yet when it was initially disclosed, it felt very sudden. I ended up liking and appreciating the twist, but it did take some time.
*The ‘good’ characters were a little stagnant. Several of these characters met with , yet I wasn’t overly moved. When you aren’t moved by a then something needs a little tweaking. I feel that two of the characters in particular would have benefited from a little more depth and focus (Breoch and Dagoran). I felt as if I was a smidgen away from truly caring about them. Perhaps further background information would have elevated these characters to a higher level of importance for me.
Overall:
While the pacing of After Life was a little off and some of the characters were a tad too shallow, I liked reading this novel. There were several times that I questioned whether I was really enjoying myself, yet I kept returning to read on (quite eagerly, in fact). I feel that a large part of this can be attributed to the unique premise of the story, because it kept me guessing to the very end.
While After Life could have done with some tightening up, I feel that overall it was a well written read. I will be looking forward to reading further works by this author.
P.S. Thanks for the help, Sean. -_-
The author provided me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
The Skinny:
Kaemen, a wolfhound in the nation of Gaescea, is spirited with a difficult task; he and his fellow wolfhounds must protect their land from a mysterious threat. Mecas, the Gaescea seer, has predicted that a horrible darkness is coming. Commander Dagoran, Kaemen, and Breoch set forth, gathering an army that they hope will defeat whatever is to come. But little is as it seems, and the trio abruptly awakens in the Land of the Dead, also known as Tuonel. Desperate with the desire to find out how they came to be in Tuonel, Kaemen and his allies must work together to try to not only unravel the puzzle their lives have become, but to also save Gaescea from afar.
The Review:
The good:
*The melding of horror and fantasy was what I found most captivating. I can’t recall reading a book that had quite the same fusion of genres that this story contained. This combination made the story seem very unique and fresh. Many novels unfortunately end up relying on tropes and stock characters to move the story along, but I can say that this wasn’t the case with After Life.
*Many of the characters were interesting, albeit a little flat. One of the more captivating characters was Skotein, the villain. His background story lent him an intriguing air, and gave a darker and more psychotic feel to his actions. Being an unstable character, it was hard to determine what he was going to do next. I would have liked to been privy to even more of Skotein’s thoughts and actions, and to have learned even more about his past.
*The landscape/world of Tuonel cannot go without mention. Imagine a world where you are so hungry, and so parched, that you virtually lose your mind trying to obtain food and drink. Envision a place where the wildlife that you believe will sustain you is full of dust. Think of a place where the stream that should provide you with water instead accosts your ears with a scraping sound as ash meanders its way where the water should be. How creepy, upsetting, and dark is that? How COOL is that?
Also, the ? Friggin creepy as all get out.
*The main reveal in this book was a biggie. I can honestly say that I was not expecting it in the slightest, which was both good and bad. Because this is the ‘good’ section of my review, I will tell you why this reveal was pretty sweet. First, like I said, I had no clue it was coming. Second, it made total sense when I really thought about it (although it took me a bit to come to this conclusion). Third, it was pretty spooky and badass, which I like.
The meh:
*The middle of this story was just okay. There was far too much marching and being hungry, and not enough fuckery and intrigue. While the ending more than made up for it, I felt that the middle dragged.
*The major reveal was a little out of left field. It made sense after it was discussed in full, yet when it was initially disclosed, it felt very sudden. I ended up liking and appreciating the twist, but it did take some time.
*The ‘good’ characters were a little stagnant. Several of these characters met with , yet I wasn’t overly moved. When you aren’t moved by a then something needs a little tweaking. I feel that two of the characters in particular would have benefited from a little more depth and focus (Breoch and Dagoran). I felt as if I was a smidgen away from truly caring about them. Perhaps further background information would have elevated these characters to a higher level of importance for me.
Overall:
While the pacing of After Life was a little off and some of the characters were a tad too shallow, I liked reading this novel. There were several times that I questioned whether I was really enjoying myself, yet I kept returning to read on (quite eagerly, in fact). I feel that a large part of this can be attributed to the unique premise of the story, because it kept me guessing to the very end.
While After Life could have done with some tightening up, I feel that overall it was a well written read. I will be looking forward to reading further works by this author.
P.S. Thanks for the help, Sean. -_-
September 28, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review, and I could not be happier that I accepted.
After Life is the story of Kaemen and his band of Wolfhounds, trained warriors who keep the nation of Gaescea safe. But when he and his friends wake up in a tomb in the middle of what appears to be the Land of the Dead they must find a way to save their nation and themselves from a threat that no one saw coming.
The story is interesting and well written, and the author tackles a legendary creature that many have done, but few have done well in my opinion. His unique take on it was refreshing and I thoroughly enjoyed the twists that I never saw coming. I was kept engrossed from the prologue to the very last page. The pace was perfect, and it didn't drag at all.
I really liked the world building, although I would have liked to see a little more about the character backgrounds, but there were a lot of them. I also feel that while the descriptions were very good and allowed me to adequately envision the scene, it could have done with a little polishing.
But all in all I will definitely keep any eye out for anything else by this author. This was only his debut and I have no doubt that it will only get better from here on out. He is one to watch!
Cross posted at Kaora's Corner.
After Life is the story of Kaemen and his band of Wolfhounds, trained warriors who keep the nation of Gaescea safe. But when he and his friends wake up in a tomb in the middle of what appears to be the Land of the Dead they must find a way to save their nation and themselves from a threat that no one saw coming.
The story is interesting and well written, and the author tackles a legendary creature that many have done, but few have done well in my opinion. His unique take on it was refreshing and I thoroughly enjoyed the twists that I never saw coming. I was kept engrossed from the prologue to the very last page. The pace was perfect, and it didn't drag at all.
I really liked the world building, although I would have liked to see a little more about the character backgrounds, but there were a lot of them. I also feel that while the descriptions were very good and allowed me to adequately envision the scene, it could have done with a little polishing.
But all in all I will definitely keep any eye out for anything else by this author. This was only his debut and I have no doubt that it will only get better from here on out. He is one to watch!
Cross posted at Kaora's Corner.
September 27, 2014
Entertaining and clever fantasy worth reading.
The real kudos here is the clever twist(s) the author takes with this book. If we had just stuck to the epic/high fantasy -- heroes in an elite military unit setting I would have been happy as it was done well. The author takes the aforementioned and adds some major plot twists and a novel-unique storylines.
If you want a fantasy with a twist and/or you are open to a little change of pace, this book is definitely worth a read. Myself, I will often read fantasy novels back-back and have seen the many familiar "high/epic fantasy novel" tropes; here, the storyline expands upon your typical fantasy in a clever and well written way.
The real kudos here is the clever twist(s) the author takes with this book. If we had just stuck to the epic/high fantasy -- heroes in an elite military unit setting I would have been happy as it was done well. The author takes the aforementioned and adds some major plot twists and a novel-unique storylines.
If you want a fantasy with a twist and/or you are open to a little change of pace, this book is definitely worth a read. Myself, I will often read fantasy novels back-back and have seen the many familiar "high/epic fantasy novel" tropes; here, the storyline expands upon your typical fantasy in a clever and well written way.
August 22, 2014
As his kingdom faces grave danger, Kaeman and his men find themselves mysteriously trapped in the Land of the Dead while an evil sorcerer wreaks havoc on the real world.
I enjoyed reading this story very much, and I wish I had had the time to read it in one sitting. It is gripping and highly descriptive, with a lot of imagination and surprises thrown in. I found myself thoroughly engaged, and I could not guess what was going to happen next. The twists and turns in the land of the dead kept me on the edge of my seat.
I must say that Skotein is just the kind of villain I love to hate. He has a well written backstory, and it's quite believable why he turned out the way he did. I love an evil sorcerer, and this guy doesn't disappoint. I know you're supposed to root for the hero, and I can't say I actually wanted this guy to win, but I do love to hate a good villain. Skotein is vicious and heartless, everything a good villain should be.
As far as the good guys go, I enjoyed Mallea most of all. She is a heroine who is strong and tough without being over the top. Too often fantasy books depict an overly antagonistic female who is determined to prove her strength to the world. Mallea isn't like that. She demonstrates her strength mentally and emotionally as well as physically without being overbearing. I appreciated that very much.
There is some strong language and graphic violence, so this book won't be for everyone. Consider yourself warned if you are easily offended by such things. It seems today that most fantasy is geared to young adults, but this one is more suitable for a slightly older crowd.
I enjoyed reading this story very much, and I wish I had had the time to read it in one sitting. It is gripping and highly descriptive, with a lot of imagination and surprises thrown in. I found myself thoroughly engaged, and I could not guess what was going to happen next. The twists and turns in the land of the dead kept me on the edge of my seat.
I must say that Skotein is just the kind of villain I love to hate. He has a well written backstory, and it's quite believable why he turned out the way he did. I love an evil sorcerer, and this guy doesn't disappoint. I know you're supposed to root for the hero, and I can't say I actually wanted this guy to win, but I do love to hate a good villain. Skotein is vicious and heartless, everything a good villain should be.
As far as the good guys go, I enjoyed Mallea most of all. She is a heroine who is strong and tough without being over the top. Too often fantasy books depict an overly antagonistic female who is determined to prove her strength to the world. Mallea isn't like that. She demonstrates her strength mentally and emotionally as well as physically without being overbearing. I appreciated that very much.
There is some strong language and graphic violence, so this book won't be for everyone. Consider yourself warned if you are easily offended by such things. It seems today that most fantasy is geared to young adults, but this one is more suitable for a slightly older crowd.
September 24, 2014
I often times have difficulty when starting a new novel, fantasy novel's most of all. There has been so many that follow a path a (meet the hero) if you will.
This is one of the few that when started I felt like I was just dropped in a world and carried away "stranger in a strange land indeed"
In my review's I mostly speak of my enjoyment as everyone has different interest's and what they might find offensive or boring, or the been there done that'
This novel has none of the previous... ok well maybe the offensive part, when you first start this story you are quickly involved in what is happening in the world, this writing style I have really enjoyed finding, there is no "sometimes" messy world-building, the character's find there own way as you are drawn along with the story from the first few pages, the beauty of this, is a novel that slow's down not at all!
There certainly is no pattern that has been copied here (as far as I know) and there is a turn in this novel that keeps you reading to try and move further along.
Author did a great job with everything he tried to tell in this story, I was very surprised and entertained ... I had to sleep and go to work but other than that I did not want to put the story on hold'
I also want to thank the author for the chance to be introduced to his work, and will look for further novels: Another interesting read that lets me enjoy whats in the story as well as enjoy an experience that is mine alone. (I dont need nor' want everything explained to me, I enjoy a world that has me think of other part's ' of the world as well as other races and land's far away... as well as the story I am told)
Very good book! Great start/great ending hmmm and enough confusion to keep me happy'
This is one of the few that when started I felt like I was just dropped in a world and carried away "stranger in a strange land indeed"
In my review's I mostly speak of my enjoyment as everyone has different interest's and what they might find offensive or boring, or the been there done that'
This novel has none of the previous... ok well maybe the offensive part, when you first start this story you are quickly involved in what is happening in the world, this writing style I have really enjoyed finding, there is no "sometimes" messy world-building, the character's find there own way as you are drawn along with the story from the first few pages, the beauty of this, is a novel that slow's down not at all!
There certainly is no pattern that has been copied here (as far as I know) and there is a turn in this novel that keeps you reading to try and move further along.
Author did a great job with everything he tried to tell in this story, I was very surprised and entertained ... I had to sleep and go to work but other than that I did not want to put the story on hold'
I also want to thank the author for the chance to be introduced to his work, and will look for further novels: Another interesting read that lets me enjoy whats in the story as well as enjoy an experience that is mine alone. (I dont need nor' want everything explained to me, I enjoy a world that has me think of other part's ' of the world as well as other races and land's far away... as well as the story I am told)
Very good book! Great start/great ending hmmm and enough confusion to keep me happy'
June 24, 2015
First of all, I'd like to thank Daniel Ionson for giving me the opportunity to read After Life by sending me a free eBook version several months ago. Second, I don't do well with eBooks. I only really read them on rare occasions when I don't have an actual book with me. My avoidance of eBooks made it difficult for me to really get into the story early on, but once I was able to get about halfway in, I finished the second half in only 2 sittings. (the pages building up to the major plot twist up until the end kept me intrigued enough to continue to read off of an electronic screen for hours at a time, which is no easy feat for me.)
A mysterious evil appears and sows chaos across the land. A small band of warriors wake up in the world of the dead and are faced with some unexpected obstacles that seemed kinda odd to me at first. Then there is a major plot twist and those obstacles make a lot more sense. When the plot twist was first revealed, I was actually a little disappointed, but a little further on, things began to fall into place and everything fit together really nicely. For me, things really began to pick up right before the twist was revealed.
After life is a good example of how our perception of good and evil is heavily influenced by our perspective, and that sometimes, major sacrifices need to be made for the greater good.
All in all, a really good read, I just wish I could have focused more on reading off a screen so I could have finished it in a timely manner.
A mysterious evil appears and sows chaos across the land. A small band of warriors wake up in the world of the dead and are faced with some unexpected obstacles that seemed kinda odd to me at first. Then there is a major plot twist and those obstacles make a lot more sense. When the plot twist was first revealed, I was actually a little disappointed, but a little further on, things began to fall into place and everything fit together really nicely. For me, things really began to pick up right before the twist was revealed.
After life is a good example of how our perception of good and evil is heavily influenced by our perspective, and that sometimes, major sacrifices need to be made for the greater good.
All in all, a really good read, I just wish I could have focused more on reading off a screen so I could have finished it in a timely manner.
August 24, 2017
If you like fantasy fiction then this is the story for you. This is very well written and follows Dagoran, Kaemen, and Breoth who are part of the wolfhounds of the nation of Gaescea. Dagoran is the high commander of the wolfhounds and Kaemen is his second in command. They get trapped in the After Life and they have to figure out how to defeat a horrible demon who is killing off their fellow citizens and trying to destroy their world.
The book jumps around from the underworld to Gaescea in present time to flashbacks. Sometimes I could follow along and sometimes I was slightly confused at what timeline I was currently reading. But the book has some sad points and some amusing points. But overall I really enjoyed it.
I would like to thank the author for the electronic copy he sent me.
The book jumps around from the underworld to Gaescea in present time to flashbacks. Sometimes I could follow along and sometimes I was slightly confused at what timeline I was currently reading. But the book has some sad points and some amusing points. But overall I really enjoyed it.
I would like to thank the author for the electronic copy he sent me.
Read
July 31, 2018I received a free physical copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This will appeal to people who like darker fantasy that features the after life.
r/fantasy Bingo
Self Published Fantasy Novel
Novel with Fewer than 2500 Goodreads Ratings
Novel Featuring the Fae
Stand Alone Fantasy Novel
Plot:
The prologue is short, about 3 pages, and it’s about a Seer who’s having terrible visions. He sees his own death and the deaths of thousands in the world.
Kaemen and his group, the Wolfhounds, come across a village where 23 people have been murdered, and about a dozen have been captured. The villages on the border have been ransacked repeatedly over the last five years, but the King has done nothing about it which is causing frustration and anger in the common folk. Kaeman and crew manage to steal back the kidnapped people and return them to their village, becoming overnight heroes.
The Seer from the prologue comes back and reaches the city where the King resides, and he starts spouting on about “The Darkness” and how it’s coming to take over the world again. Long ago, there was a race called the Nevaelen’s who helped rid the world of darkness, but they’ve since retreated into their own realm and haven’t been heard of in a long time. The King is anxious about these proclamations from the Seer, and sends letters to his friends asking for them to come and aid him – multiple POV’s set out to go join the King, but something strange happens not long after they arrive.
Kaeman and a group of other POV’s find themselves in a strange place, where it looks like you’re viewing the world through blue glass. They have no idea where they got there, they don’t know what’s going on, and they all have different memories of what day it was last, they struggle for a while trying to put the pieces together, and their best guess is that they are all dead, and heading down The Last Road in the afterlife.
On another plotline, there’s a woman named Mallea who was happily involved with a man named Evan. Mallea catches the attention of Skotein, an entity that has been trapped in the Netherworld for centuries. Skotein has been praying to the Unnamed One to help him escape from his hell, and believes he’s been answered when the Seer awakens him unintentionally. After putting up a fight for some time, the Seer eventually succumbs to Skotein, and Skotein takes possession of his body. After Skotein sees Mallea in the town square, he puts a glamor over himself to disguise himself as Evan, and gets her pregnant. Mallea realizes too late that Evan isn’t her husband anymore, and has a strange vision of a young girl talking to her. It turns out to be her unborn daughter and tells her that death is coming for them both.
Final Score: 12/15
Characters:
Kaeman is a warrior in the Wolfhounds, he’s genuinely moved by the atrocities he sees, not yet jaded or desensitized to the violence he witnesses. He wants justice for people he’s never met and tries his best to seek vengeance on the raider who’ve murdered innocent people. He’s married to a woman named Gwynn, and they have a happy healthy relationship, it’s obvious they care about each other quite a bit.
Dagoran, High Commander of Gaesca, is very good friends with Kaemen, he’s related to him through his marriage with Gwynn – she and Dagoran are cousins.
Lord Alkinan of Aerelia, is pretty easy going for a noble, he takes it to heart when Keamen starts calling him by his first name and gets along with people easily.
Skotein, an evil mage/sorcerer who had been defeated by the Novlealen many centuries before, but he’s been awoken and getting stronger. He prayed to “The Unnamed One” to raise him to power again, and it looks like his prayers were answered.
There are a lot of characters that come and go very quickly, so this is just a short list of who got the most page time.
Final Score: 10.5/15
World Building:
This is a medieval setting in a secondary world, with a 9 story castle made of stone is considered to be the high end of things. Lord Alkinan refers to it as ‘cloud reaching heights’ and looks down on the commoner district with its wooden buildings. The nobles all have finished stone houses with gardens, and his city, Callost, is considered to be the most advanced, safest, and cleanest in the world.
The Novlaelen are a race of people who created the Golden Days, protecting the Aerelians from “The Darkness”- but they’ve since retreated into their forests and no one has heard of them in a long time. The last remnants of their lore and technology are left in the city of Callost.
Seers are introduced in the prologue, with mages and the undead being introduced not long after it, so I consider this a high magic world.
The place Kaemen and his allies were transported to is very surreal, there’s no animal sounds coming from the woods – no bugs, no bird calls, no life that they can see. There are rivers of ash that flow and the entire landscape looks tinted blue and otherworldly. They come across men with no faces, just skin stretched over the front of their heads with no eyes, mouth or nose. While there, the characters can feel an intense hatred coming from their surroundings, like the land itself was angry at their presence.
Vampyres come into the story later on, but it would get kind of spoilery to go into it.
Final Score: 12/15
Writing/Tone:
There’s a short prologue at the beginning that’s only about 3 pages long, even if you don’t like prologues it’s there and gone quickly.
The first chapter opens with a character walking amongst the corpses of a dead family, it sort of sets the tone for the whole book. It’s a darker book with a lot of violence towards the innocents, children being killed, there’s rape as well – so this isn’t a book for people who don’t like that kind of thing.
The writing was pretty straightforward, this definitely wasn’t a flowery book – the prose really got out of the way of the story. I didn’t notice too many spelling or grammar errors, so overall it was well written.
Final Score: 11/15
Pacing:
It was hard to know where the story was going during the first 20% or so, there were a ton of characters introduced, some of them there and gone within a few pages, so it was slower going in the beginning. Once I hit about 30% things started to pick up a lot with the group getting transported to some strange land without knowing how. There were still POV’s being introduced all the way to the end of the book, so that kind of slowed me down when I hit a new POV. When I was reading from Kaemen’s POV or one of his group things went very quickly.
Final Score: 10.5/15
Originality:
There are a lot of books that talk about the afterlife, or have ghosts or things like that, but it’s not that often that characters go and explore the after life. I had a good time with this one.
Final Score: 11/15
Personal Enjoyment:
I liked how in depth the world building was in this one, there were a lot of different kingdoms, ancient wars, old lore, prophecy and that kind of thing, that’s usually my kind of deal and that’s true for this book as well. The characters left me wanting a little more, some of them were so brief I didn’t get to know them at all. This was definitely a plot-driven story, and I usually prefer at least equal time spent on plot and characters. I did like it though, it had a lot of neat ideas, there were some interesting scenes, and the world building was well done.
Final Score: 73.75/100 (3.68/5 on Goodreads)
Audience:
Multi POV
Darker fantasy
mages, wizards, and sorcerers
dark lords/entities
after life
vampires
Not For people who don’t like to read about sexual assault or
cursing
r/fantasy Bingo
Self Published Fantasy Novel
Novel with Fewer than 2500 Goodreads Ratings
Novel Featuring the Fae
Stand Alone Fantasy Novel
Plot:
The prologue is short, about 3 pages, and it’s about a Seer who’s having terrible visions. He sees his own death and the deaths of thousands in the world.
Kaemen and his group, the Wolfhounds, come across a village where 23 people have been murdered, and about a dozen have been captured. The villages on the border have been ransacked repeatedly over the last five years, but the King has done nothing about it which is causing frustration and anger in the common folk. Kaeman and crew manage to steal back the kidnapped people and return them to their village, becoming overnight heroes.
The Seer from the prologue comes back and reaches the city where the King resides, and he starts spouting on about “The Darkness” and how it’s coming to take over the world again. Long ago, there was a race called the Nevaelen’s who helped rid the world of darkness, but they’ve since retreated into their own realm and haven’t been heard of in a long time. The King is anxious about these proclamations from the Seer, and sends letters to his friends asking for them to come and aid him – multiple POV’s set out to go join the King, but something strange happens not long after they arrive.
Kaeman and a group of other POV’s find themselves in a strange place, where it looks like you’re viewing the world through blue glass. They have no idea where they got there, they don’t know what’s going on, and they all have different memories of what day it was last, they struggle for a while trying to put the pieces together, and their best guess is that they are all dead, and heading down The Last Road in the afterlife.
On another plotline, there’s a woman named Mallea who was happily involved with a man named Evan. Mallea catches the attention of Skotein, an entity that has been trapped in the Netherworld for centuries. Skotein has been praying to the Unnamed One to help him escape from his hell, and believes he’s been answered when the Seer awakens him unintentionally. After putting up a fight for some time, the Seer eventually succumbs to Skotein, and Skotein takes possession of his body. After Skotein sees Mallea in the town square, he puts a glamor over himself to disguise himself as Evan, and gets her pregnant. Mallea realizes too late that Evan isn’t her husband anymore, and has a strange vision of a young girl talking to her. It turns out to be her unborn daughter and tells her that death is coming for them both.
Final Score: 12/15
Characters:
Kaeman is a warrior in the Wolfhounds, he’s genuinely moved by the atrocities he sees, not yet jaded or desensitized to the violence he witnesses. He wants justice for people he’s never met and tries his best to seek vengeance on the raider who’ve murdered innocent people. He’s married to a woman named Gwynn, and they have a happy healthy relationship, it’s obvious they care about each other quite a bit.
Dagoran, High Commander of Gaesca, is very good friends with Kaemen, he’s related to him through his marriage with Gwynn – she and Dagoran are cousins.
Lord Alkinan of Aerelia, is pretty easy going for a noble, he takes it to heart when Keamen starts calling him by his first name and gets along with people easily.
Skotein, an evil mage/sorcerer who had been defeated by the Novlealen many centuries before, but he’s been awoken and getting stronger. He prayed to “The Unnamed One” to raise him to power again, and it looks like his prayers were answered.
There are a lot of characters that come and go very quickly, so this is just a short list of who got the most page time.
Final Score: 10.5/15
World Building:
This is a medieval setting in a secondary world, with a 9 story castle made of stone is considered to be the high end of things. Lord Alkinan refers to it as ‘cloud reaching heights’ and looks down on the commoner district with its wooden buildings. The nobles all have finished stone houses with gardens, and his city, Callost, is considered to be the most advanced, safest, and cleanest in the world.
The Novlaelen are a race of people who created the Golden Days, protecting the Aerelians from “The Darkness”- but they’ve since retreated into their forests and no one has heard of them in a long time. The last remnants of their lore and technology are left in the city of Callost.
Seers are introduced in the prologue, with mages and the undead being introduced not long after it, so I consider this a high magic world.
The place Kaemen and his allies were transported to is very surreal, there’s no animal sounds coming from the woods – no bugs, no bird calls, no life that they can see. There are rivers of ash that flow and the entire landscape looks tinted blue and otherworldly. They come across men with no faces, just skin stretched over the front of their heads with no eyes, mouth or nose. While there, the characters can feel an intense hatred coming from their surroundings, like the land itself was angry at their presence.
Vampyres come into the story later on, but it would get kind of spoilery to go into it.
Final Score: 12/15
Writing/Tone:
There’s a short prologue at the beginning that’s only about 3 pages long, even if you don’t like prologues it’s there and gone quickly.
The first chapter opens with a character walking amongst the corpses of a dead family, it sort of sets the tone for the whole book. It’s a darker book with a lot of violence towards the innocents, children being killed, there’s rape as well – so this isn’t a book for people who don’t like that kind of thing.
The writing was pretty straightforward, this definitely wasn’t a flowery book – the prose really got out of the way of the story. I didn’t notice too many spelling or grammar errors, so overall it was well written.
Final Score: 11/15
Pacing:
It was hard to know where the story was going during the first 20% or so, there were a ton of characters introduced, some of them there and gone within a few pages, so it was slower going in the beginning. Once I hit about 30% things started to pick up a lot with the group getting transported to some strange land without knowing how. There were still POV’s being introduced all the way to the end of the book, so that kind of slowed me down when I hit a new POV. When I was reading from Kaemen’s POV or one of his group things went very quickly.
Final Score: 10.5/15
Originality:
There are a lot of books that talk about the afterlife, or have ghosts or things like that, but it’s not that often that characters go and explore the after life. I had a good time with this one.
Final Score: 11/15
Personal Enjoyment:
I liked how in depth the world building was in this one, there were a lot of different kingdoms, ancient wars, old lore, prophecy and that kind of thing, that’s usually my kind of deal and that’s true for this book as well. The characters left me wanting a little more, some of them were so brief I didn’t get to know them at all. This was definitely a plot-driven story, and I usually prefer at least equal time spent on plot and characters. I did like it though, it had a lot of neat ideas, there were some interesting scenes, and the world building was well done.
Final Score: 73.75/100 (3.68/5 on Goodreads)
Audience:
Multi POV
Darker fantasy
mages, wizards, and sorcerers
dark lords/entities
after life
vampires
Not For people who don’t like to read about sexual assault or
cursing
October 24, 2014
After Life was an odd read for me. It wasn’t clean and polished like the traditional works of fantasy I’m used to reading but it didn’t suffer as a result. It didn’t follow the expected format of traditional fantasy, either, and it didn’t have to. At the same time, I found it a bit awkward and tedious at times. Being new to Daniel Ionson’s writing, I didn’t go in with any expectations beyond my prejudices for what “good” fantasy should feel like. After Life broke that mold and blazed its own trail through the tropes of the fantasy genre.
After Life is the story of a small fledgling kingdom dealing with the early skirmishes of an escalating border war. The protagonists are fellow soldiers sworn to defend their homes against the enemy raiders who are ransacking their outlying villages. And . . . beyond that, I really don’t want to say much because the best thing about After Life is its plot twists and its story reveals. Suffice to say that there is a mystery behind the story and the revelation might be kind of surprising.
I’m going to start my review with what I thought Daniel Ionson did well with his novel. Building a mystery which grabs the reader’s attention is a difficult thing to do but Daniel was able to accomplish that very well in After Life. After the first quarter of the book, I was genuinely curious to see where this story was headed. Now, fulfilling the reader’s expectations with the payoff of your reveal is even more difficult but Daniel intrigued me with his first plot twist and then figuratively blew me away with his second. Not too shabby, in my humble opinion.
However, there were many things in After Life which I thought could use some polishing. Starting off, I found the dialog in the beginning of the novel to be extremely wooden and “campy”. This almost turned me off to the story altogether, but I stuck with it and about halfway through, the dialog began to get more natural and smooth and, by the end, wasn’t an issue for me. I also had trouble relating to a few of the character’s motivations and relationships; but this was never enough to make me toss the novel aside. I found a handful of editing errors – flip-flopped words, spelling issues, etc. – but none of these were a game stopper either and are, pretty much, par for the course in modern self-publishing for some reason.
Hm. Let me put it this way. I was extremely ambiguous toward After Life in the beginning. I wasn’t sold on the characters, I wasn’t sold on the premise and the dialog bothered me quite a bit. Then came Daniel’s first plot twist that intrigued me and got my attention and by the second plot twist about three fourths of the way through, I completely changed my attitude toward After Life. My 2 star review jumped to a 4 star review within the turn of a page. Alas, After Life’s too-soon (and sort of anti-climactic) climax followed by an awkward and somewhat bizarre wind-down left me a little deflated. I settled on a 3 star review to assuage my judgmental conscience.
All in all, the plot twists and story reveals are where Daniel Ionson excelled in After Life. Everything else just seemed like background baggage in service to those elements. However, they were some really cool plot twists and reveals, so I found it worth the read and am glad I stuck with it. 3 stars for After Life just for the cool feels I got from the twisty twists.
After Life is the story of a small fledgling kingdom dealing with the early skirmishes of an escalating border war. The protagonists are fellow soldiers sworn to defend their homes against the enemy raiders who are ransacking their outlying villages. And . . . beyond that, I really don’t want to say much because the best thing about After Life is its plot twists and its story reveals. Suffice to say that there is a mystery behind the story and the revelation might be kind of surprising.
I’m going to start my review with what I thought Daniel Ionson did well with his novel. Building a mystery which grabs the reader’s attention is a difficult thing to do but Daniel was able to accomplish that very well in After Life. After the first quarter of the book, I was genuinely curious to see where this story was headed. Now, fulfilling the reader’s expectations with the payoff of your reveal is even more difficult but Daniel intrigued me with his first plot twist and then figuratively blew me away with his second. Not too shabby, in my humble opinion.
However, there were many things in After Life which I thought could use some polishing. Starting off, I found the dialog in the beginning of the novel to be extremely wooden and “campy”. This almost turned me off to the story altogether, but I stuck with it and about halfway through, the dialog began to get more natural and smooth and, by the end, wasn’t an issue for me. I also had trouble relating to a few of the character’s motivations and relationships; but this was never enough to make me toss the novel aside. I found a handful of editing errors – flip-flopped words, spelling issues, etc. – but none of these were a game stopper either and are, pretty much, par for the course in modern self-publishing for some reason.
Hm. Let me put it this way. I was extremely ambiguous toward After Life in the beginning. I wasn’t sold on the characters, I wasn’t sold on the premise and the dialog bothered me quite a bit. Then came Daniel’s first plot twist that intrigued me and got my attention and by the second plot twist about three fourths of the way through, I completely changed my attitude toward After Life. My 2 star review jumped to a 4 star review within the turn of a page. Alas, After Life’s too-soon (and sort of anti-climactic) climax followed by an awkward and somewhat bizarre wind-down left me a little deflated. I settled on a 3 star review to assuage my judgmental conscience.
All in all, the plot twists and story reveals are where Daniel Ionson excelled in After Life. Everything else just seemed like background baggage in service to those elements. However, they were some really cool plot twists and reveals, so I found it worth the read and am glad I stuck with it. 3 stars for After Life just for the cool feels I got from the twisty twists.
November 25, 2015
“Dead, starving and lost,” grumbled Breoch. “Just perfect.”
In After Life we read of the small Dark Age /Medieval kingdom of Gaesce which is under threat both from a larger aggressive kingdom and the machinations of an evil, immortal sorcerer. Gaesce has allies in the strong magical kingdom of Aerelia overseas; whilst defending the kingdom is the small elite unit known as the Wolfhounds. Within their ranks is the main POV character Kaeman, with his powerfully built warrior friend Breoch and his Commander Dagoran. When the Gaescaen Seer, Mecas, returns predicting an impending threat, the three, accompanied by the Aerelian mage Alkinan, are commanded to set out and counter it. All standard fantasy fare I hear you say? No, After Life is far from that, it is an extraordinary work of fantasy.
As Kaeman and his companions prepare to set forth we suddenly find them waking up to find that they are in a tomb, with no memory of how they got there. Breaking out of the mausoleum they face the uncomfortable reality that they are in fact dead and are trapped in a cursed, deathly land between life and paradise.
After Life is a masterfully woven tapestry of different threads, including different POVs and flashbacks between chapters. Sometimes these have a jarring effect and the reader is left a little confused, before the following chapter picks up with the main storyline once more. It soon becomes clear however that Mr Ionson has purposefully done this; he is actively keeping the reader on their toes as the story twists and turns, as the main thread continues drawing the reader in. Nothing is quite what it seems in After Life as the characters struggle to find purpose and release from their strange reality. There is layer upon layer of magical illusion that they must find their way through They are dead and yet consumed by hunger and tempted by deceivers. When the truth of their situation becomes apparent it really is shocking, a plot twist that will leave you stunned, but at the same time making everything clear. All seems truly lost and yet there is a tantalising faint glimmer of hope.
The necessary world building, history and mythos is dealt with within the dialogue; it’s all too easy for works of fantasy to get a little clumsy dealing with this aspect but the author only rations this out as the story progresses. The villain is suitably evil and yet we are afforded a glimpse into his genesis from childhood into malignant, insane spirit, a puppeteer of flesh living and dead, revelling in the horror of his works. The magic felt believable, the sorcery only coming with a price and names holding power; it reminded me somewhat of Le Guin’s Earthsea series.
After Life isn’t happy ever after (the author kills his main characters early in the story, after all!) but it is grown up, dark, highly enjoyable fantasy.
In After Life we read of the small Dark Age /Medieval kingdom of Gaesce which is under threat both from a larger aggressive kingdom and the machinations of an evil, immortal sorcerer. Gaesce has allies in the strong magical kingdom of Aerelia overseas; whilst defending the kingdom is the small elite unit known as the Wolfhounds. Within their ranks is the main POV character Kaeman, with his powerfully built warrior friend Breoch and his Commander Dagoran. When the Gaescaen Seer, Mecas, returns predicting an impending threat, the three, accompanied by the Aerelian mage Alkinan, are commanded to set out and counter it. All standard fantasy fare I hear you say? No, After Life is far from that, it is an extraordinary work of fantasy.
As Kaeman and his companions prepare to set forth we suddenly find them waking up to find that they are in a tomb, with no memory of how they got there. Breaking out of the mausoleum they face the uncomfortable reality that they are in fact dead and are trapped in a cursed, deathly land between life and paradise.
After Life is a masterfully woven tapestry of different threads, including different POVs and flashbacks between chapters. Sometimes these have a jarring effect and the reader is left a little confused, before the following chapter picks up with the main storyline once more. It soon becomes clear however that Mr Ionson has purposefully done this; he is actively keeping the reader on their toes as the story twists and turns, as the main thread continues drawing the reader in. Nothing is quite what it seems in After Life as the characters struggle to find purpose and release from their strange reality. There is layer upon layer of magical illusion that they must find their way through They are dead and yet consumed by hunger and tempted by deceivers. When the truth of their situation becomes apparent it really is shocking, a plot twist that will leave you stunned, but at the same time making everything clear. All seems truly lost and yet there is a tantalising faint glimmer of hope.
The necessary world building, history and mythos is dealt with within the dialogue; it’s all too easy for works of fantasy to get a little clumsy dealing with this aspect but the author only rations this out as the story progresses. The villain is suitably evil and yet we are afforded a glimpse into his genesis from childhood into malignant, insane spirit, a puppeteer of flesh living and dead, revelling in the horror of his works. The magic felt believable, the sorcery only coming with a price and names holding power; it reminded me somewhat of Le Guin’s Earthsea series.
After Life isn’t happy ever after (the author kills his main characters early in the story, after all!) but it is grown up, dark, highly enjoyable fantasy.
February 11, 2015
I received a free copy from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for a honest review.
First i have to say that i'm glad that i won a copy of this book because honestly i don't know if i would have read it otherwise. I really enjoyed reading this. At first i thought "ok i know where this is going" but was i ever wrong. Although there was one or two spots that i found a little slow, the many twists and turns kept me moving forward. Especially towards the last quarter of the book when i was caught completely off guard by a twist i never would have guessed. This is a well written story with characters that are well developed and scenes that are so descriptive that you just might feel like you are right there within the pages of the book.
I will definitely be eagerly awaiting Daniel Ionson's next book
First i have to say that i'm glad that i won a copy of this book because honestly i don't know if i would have read it otherwise. I really enjoyed reading this. At first i thought "ok i know where this is going" but was i ever wrong. Although there was one or two spots that i found a little slow, the many twists and turns kept me moving forward. Especially towards the last quarter of the book when i was caught completely off guard by a twist i never would have guessed. This is a well written story with characters that are well developed and scenes that are so descriptive that you just might feel like you are right there within the pages of the book.
I will definitely be eagerly awaiting Daniel Ionson's next book
January 18, 2015
Unexpected, original, dark, oppressive but also full of love, friendship, loyalty and full of twists that no-one can see coming. I also fought against a tear or two...
If you think that you have understood what is happening (before you reach around 80% of the book), think again.
Well, a very good read that I recommend.
If you think that you have understood what is happening (before you reach around 80% of the book), think again.
Well, a very good read that I recommend.
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September 12, 2013Blatant plug: read my buddies book. Went to college with this guy, he's a clever dude. This is what Brooks, Jordan or Eddings would have written if they had been psychopaths. What could be more fun than that?
January 7, 2015
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I was very excited to read After Life after I was asked by the author to read and review it for him. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to other books by Daniel Ionson.
The book follows Kamen (A Wolfhound), Dagoran (Captain of the Wolfhounds), Breoch (lifelong friend of Kamen and fellow Wolfhound), and Lord Alkinan of Aerelia (A Cialwahr, or mage), as they travel through the world of the dead and attempt to rid the living of the evil mage Stokein.
Although the story was engaging throughout, it did however take me awhile to connect with the characters, who were not terribly well fleshed-out early in the story. I felt that they could have been developed a little more at the beginning before they all died (Yes, they all die!) However, I did come to enjoy Breoch because he was hilarious, and I became more attached to Kamen as the story progressed. I just enjoy books more when I can really get into the characters from the very beginning. It is important for this story to really like and connect with the characters at the beginning because of all the traumatic things that happens to them. Also, the better developed the characters, the more of an impact the ending of the story would have had. I did shed some tears at the end, but it would have been more impactful if I would have gotten to know the characters a little more. I felt like I knew more about Stokein, the villan, because we get a flashback to his childhood and learn a lot about him than any of the other characters.
Despite the issues with the character development, I really enjoyed the plot of the book. The first few chapters were a little slow, but as the story progressed I had a hard time putting it down. By chapter 5, I decided that this was a fantastic read, I was hooked! Some of the chapters could have been taken out or rewritten for better character development, but it picked up as soon as I found out that all the characters I was reading about suddenly died! I have never read a book where the main characters died and then I followed them through the after life. It was a good twist and it kept me interested trying to figure out why/how they died. I was shocked when the big twist was revealed towards the end! Let's just say the book isn't about what I thought it was. That's about all I can say about it without giving anything away. Oh! and the ending was amazing! It was so sad I shed some tears! Just fantastic!
The story was great, and for the most part the book was well written. There were sections where some words were over used or where the style was a little inconsistent. I would read longer more complex sentences, and then it switched to more simple sentences but nothing that ended up distracting me from reading.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I was glad to read something a little different for a change. I really recommend reading this book if you enjoy fantasy, and I am sure the author would appreciate some more reviews for his first book. Also, I would only recommend this book to adults because there are some instances of rape and other graphic scenes that would be inappropriate for anyone under 18.
I was very excited to read After Life after I was asked by the author to read and review it for him. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to other books by Daniel Ionson.
The book follows Kamen (A Wolfhound), Dagoran (Captain of the Wolfhounds), Breoch (lifelong friend of Kamen and fellow Wolfhound), and Lord Alkinan of Aerelia (A Cialwahr, or mage), as they travel through the world of the dead and attempt to rid the living of the evil mage Stokein.
Although the story was engaging throughout, it did however take me awhile to connect with the characters, who were not terribly well fleshed-out early in the story. I felt that they could have been developed a little more at the beginning before they all died (Yes, they all die!) However, I did come to enjoy Breoch because he was hilarious, and I became more attached to Kamen as the story progressed. I just enjoy books more when I can really get into the characters from the very beginning. It is important for this story to really like and connect with the characters at the beginning because of all the traumatic things that happens to them. Also, the better developed the characters, the more of an impact the ending of the story would have had. I did shed some tears at the end, but it would have been more impactful if I would have gotten to know the characters a little more. I felt like I knew more about Stokein, the villan, because we get a flashback to his childhood and learn a lot about him than any of the other characters.
Despite the issues with the character development, I really enjoyed the plot of the book. The first few chapters were a little slow, but as the story progressed I had a hard time putting it down. By chapter 5, I decided that this was a fantastic read, I was hooked! Some of the chapters could have been taken out or rewritten for better character development, but it picked up as soon as I found out that all the characters I was reading about suddenly died! I have never read a book where the main characters died and then I followed them through the after life. It was a good twist and it kept me interested trying to figure out why/how they died. I was shocked when the big twist was revealed towards the end! Let's just say the book isn't about what I thought it was. That's about all I can say about it without giving anything away. Oh! and the ending was amazing! It was so sad I shed some tears! Just fantastic!
The story was great, and for the most part the book was well written. There were sections where some words were over used or where the style was a little inconsistent. I would read longer more complex sentences, and then it switched to more simple sentences but nothing that ended up distracting me from reading.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I was glad to read something a little different for a change. I really recommend reading this book if you enjoy fantasy, and I am sure the author would appreciate some more reviews for his first book. Also, I would only recommend this book to adults because there are some instances of rape and other graphic scenes that would be inappropriate for anyone under 18.
October 20, 2014
Note: rating is 3.5 stars.
Here is my second book review of authors who follow me and/or reach out to me. Fyi, if you contact me directly rather than passively follow me, you are bumped up in the priority list. On to the review.
What I enjoyed the most about After Life was definitely the world building. There are hints at other languages and cultures, possibly even races that you don’t get a full look at in the course of the book. This is good for a few reasons. First, it gives Ionson plenty of room to explore his world if he sets another book here. Secondly, and possibly more importantly, it gives the reader what I’m going to call “the illusion of depth”. This means that you get the impression that there are whole histories that you are not privy to which the characters are. It lends intrigue and mystic to a world.
It is obvious in reading After Life that Ionson is a fantasy fan. Not only is his world building good. He’s made some interesting choices plot wise. I thought the plot was fairly nuanced with a good use of foreshadowing for the various plot twists. More on the twists later; I promise not to get too spoilery. For now, I’ll just say that the more convoluted it becomes, the more you can look back and think “oh, THAT’s why that weird comment was made!”
I have two critiques to the book. First, the smaller of the two. While the world building is good, the characters struck me as slightly two dimensional. I think this was mostly to do with Ionson’s mild tendency to tell rather than show. This tendency faded over the course of the book. The end result was that the characters’ introductions lacked the nuance of the world building. All of the illusion of depth that exists in the world building simply isn’t there when the protagonist comes on the scene. Again, this problem largely resolves itself by about 25% through the book, so it’s a small critique.
The main problem I have with the book is the monster motif. Ionson created what could easily been seen as an original monster type. Unfortunately, he then uses a common term for his monster rather than inventing a name. This term has a lot of preconceptions associated with it. I found this use to be counter-productive to his overall plot, because my own preconceptions about this monster type jolted out of my suspension of disbelief. He would have been better served creating his own term rather than attempting to work in existing monster motifs. If he had done that, he’d have gotten a full four stars rather than 3.5.
Over all, I would recommend this book. It is a fun, enjoyable read. I look forward to Ionson’s future offerings to the world of fiction.
Here is my second book review of authors who follow me and/or reach out to me. Fyi, if you contact me directly rather than passively follow me, you are bumped up in the priority list. On to the review.
What I enjoyed the most about After Life was definitely the world building. There are hints at other languages and cultures, possibly even races that you don’t get a full look at in the course of the book. This is good for a few reasons. First, it gives Ionson plenty of room to explore his world if he sets another book here. Secondly, and possibly more importantly, it gives the reader what I’m going to call “the illusion of depth”. This means that you get the impression that there are whole histories that you are not privy to which the characters are. It lends intrigue and mystic to a world.
It is obvious in reading After Life that Ionson is a fantasy fan. Not only is his world building good. He’s made some interesting choices plot wise. I thought the plot was fairly nuanced with a good use of foreshadowing for the various plot twists. More on the twists later; I promise not to get too spoilery. For now, I’ll just say that the more convoluted it becomes, the more you can look back and think “oh, THAT’s why that weird comment was made!”
I have two critiques to the book. First, the smaller of the two. While the world building is good, the characters struck me as slightly two dimensional. I think this was mostly to do with Ionson’s mild tendency to tell rather than show. This tendency faded over the course of the book. The end result was that the characters’ introductions lacked the nuance of the world building. All of the illusion of depth that exists in the world building simply isn’t there when the protagonist comes on the scene. Again, this problem largely resolves itself by about 25% through the book, so it’s a small critique.
The main problem I have with the book is the monster motif. Ionson created what could easily been seen as an original monster type. Unfortunately, he then uses a common term for his monster rather than inventing a name. This term has a lot of preconceptions associated with it. I found this use to be counter-productive to his overall plot, because my own preconceptions about this monster type jolted out of my suspension of disbelief. He would have been better served creating his own term rather than attempting to work in existing monster motifs. If he had done that, he’d have gotten a full four stars rather than 3.5.
Over all, I would recommend this book. It is a fun, enjoyable read. I look forward to Ionson’s future offerings to the world of fiction.
December 7, 2014
AFTERLIFE by Daniel Ionson
I received a free eBook copy of AFTERLIFE from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is a Fantasy novel. I have found that generally these type of novels fall into three categories: Good books, horrible books or truly amazing books. This one falls into the latter category. It is AN AMAZING READ.
Unique is a word that is thrown around quite often in book reviews. However, there are not many books that are truly unique. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but when a reader does come across a book that actually earns the title of "Unique" it is a rare and rewarding occasion. AFTERLIFE is just such a book.
The author has created a vivid and richly imagined world. The details of which are thoroughly thought out. He has created an entire civilization with separate countries and religions. Each region has it's own distinct past and is governed in it's own unique way. As J.R.R. Tolkein did in "Lord of the Rings" the world in AFTERLIFE is so vivid that the reader can easily picture it's existence.
The story begins with Kaemen standing amongst the butchered bodies of a farmer and his family. The father and his three adult sons had been "ridden down and hacked with sword and axe."
Kaemen is a "Wolfhound" under the authority of his cousin, Captain Dagoran.
So far, they have discovered twenty three people killed by Nalforian raiders. These atrocities have been happening for the past five years and the pattern was always the same. The raiders killed the men and took the women and children captive to be sold into slavery and bondage. The Wolfhounds are fed up and frustrated. Their King, Jeramnus, has no idea what to do.
Just when the reader thinks they know what direction this book is going in, there is a massive twist in the plot.
When Kaemen and some others awake, they find that they are in a strange land. Even the sky is different then what they are used to. Where are they? What is happening to them? And, why?
Once again, the reader believes they now know how that twist came about and what direction the story will take. Then... It happens again. Another plot twist that will shock and thrill readers arises.
I absolutely love the fact that this book was so complex and unique. Readers who enjoy the fantasy genre will want to read this book.
I give this book a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
If you want to know more about the author of AFTER LIFE, you can visit his website at www.danielionson.com
If you enjoyed this review and want to read more, visit my blog at http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
I received a free eBook copy of AFTERLIFE from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is a Fantasy novel. I have found that generally these type of novels fall into three categories: Good books, horrible books or truly amazing books. This one falls into the latter category. It is AN AMAZING READ.
Unique is a word that is thrown around quite often in book reviews. However, there are not many books that are truly unique. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but when a reader does come across a book that actually earns the title of "Unique" it is a rare and rewarding occasion. AFTERLIFE is just such a book.
The author has created a vivid and richly imagined world. The details of which are thoroughly thought out. He has created an entire civilization with separate countries and religions. Each region has it's own distinct past and is governed in it's own unique way. As J.R.R. Tolkein did in "Lord of the Rings" the world in AFTERLIFE is so vivid that the reader can easily picture it's existence.
The story begins with Kaemen standing amongst the butchered bodies of a farmer and his family. The father and his three adult sons had been "ridden down and hacked with sword and axe."
Kaemen is a "Wolfhound" under the authority of his cousin, Captain Dagoran.
So far, they have discovered twenty three people killed by Nalforian raiders. These atrocities have been happening for the past five years and the pattern was always the same. The raiders killed the men and took the women and children captive to be sold into slavery and bondage. The Wolfhounds are fed up and frustrated. Their King, Jeramnus, has no idea what to do.
Just when the reader thinks they know what direction this book is going in, there is a massive twist in the plot.
When Kaemen and some others awake, they find that they are in a strange land. Even the sky is different then what they are used to. Where are they? What is happening to them? And, why?
Once again, the reader believes they now know how that twist came about and what direction the story will take. Then... It happens again. Another plot twist that will shock and thrill readers arises.
I absolutely love the fact that this book was so complex and unique. Readers who enjoy the fantasy genre will want to read this book.
I give this book a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
If you want to know more about the author of AFTER LIFE, you can visit his website at www.danielionson.com
If you enjoyed this review and want to read more, visit my blog at http://amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com
December 24, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Daniel Ionson is an author to watch. This is a really well-done work of fantasy. The descriptions are vivid and transport the reader into the world along with the well-defined and interesting characters. I will be honest, I was so taken by the characters that I teared up a little at the end. While romance is not a large part of this story, the romantic relationships are true and characters, whether friends, cousins, or lovers, are dedicated to each other in such a way that is rarely seen, especially in fantasy novels.
The story starts strong, following the Wolfhounds as they try to keep the lands of Gaescea safe. The warriors are genuinely concerned about the safety of the men, women and children of the land, and feel for those they could not protect. Just as the reader is getting to know the main characters, the story changed and the main characters find themselves in the afterlife. While reading, I thought perhaps the author had lost the plot, but the story comes together wonderfully, bringing together all of the loose ends to an exciting and emotional climax.
I look forward to reading more by this author. If this is his first novel, then I expect great works of fantasy as he continues to improve his writing.
Daniel Ionson is an author to watch. This is a really well-done work of fantasy. The descriptions are vivid and transport the reader into the world along with the well-defined and interesting characters. I will be honest, I was so taken by the characters that I teared up a little at the end. While romance is not a large part of this story, the romantic relationships are true and characters, whether friends, cousins, or lovers, are dedicated to each other in such a way that is rarely seen, especially in fantasy novels.
The story starts strong, following the Wolfhounds as they try to keep the lands of Gaescea safe. The warriors are genuinely concerned about the safety of the men, women and children of the land, and feel for those they could not protect. Just as the reader is getting to know the main characters, the story changed and the main characters find themselves in the afterlife. While reading, I thought perhaps the author had lost the plot, but the story comes together wonderfully, bringing together all of the loose ends to an exciting and emotional climax.
I look forward to reading more by this author. If this is his first novel, then I expect great works of fantasy as he continues to improve his writing.
February 22, 2015
Reading this novel reminds me of a line from an old 1980's song by Delbert McClintock - "I'm standing on shaky ground".
In Daniel Ionson's "After Life" world you never feel as though you're on firm footing. Don't get me wrong - this is a good, solid story. The fun part is, just when you think you've got things figured out, the plot beneath your feet starts to shake and another situational tremor causing change happens. But, you know what? It works. It works fantastically to keep the reader immersed in the story until the end.
World building? This author exceeds that - he's successfully built an entire universe. One which is easily supported by a myriad of very unique twists, plot choices and characters which magically draw you in to the happenings of their roles in the story. The characters start to feel like old friends (or enemies) right after meeting them.
This is the treasure you've been searching for in your fantasy novels. Come along on the journey, live the story, delve in for adventure. You won't be disappointed.
I highly recommend this novel and hope to see more from Daniel Ionson.
Thank you Daniel for the opportunity to read your novel.
(An e-copy of the book was provided by the author for an honest review.)
In Daniel Ionson's "After Life" world you never feel as though you're on firm footing. Don't get me wrong - this is a good, solid story. The fun part is, just when you think you've got things figured out, the plot beneath your feet starts to shake and another situational tremor causing change happens. But, you know what? It works. It works fantastically to keep the reader immersed in the story until the end.
World building? This author exceeds that - he's successfully built an entire universe. One which is easily supported by a myriad of very unique twists, plot choices and characters which magically draw you in to the happenings of their roles in the story. The characters start to feel like old friends (or enemies) right after meeting them.
This is the treasure you've been searching for in your fantasy novels. Come along on the journey, live the story, delve in for adventure. You won't be disappointed.
I highly recommend this novel and hope to see more from Daniel Ionson.
Thank you Daniel for the opportunity to read your novel.
(An e-copy of the book was provided by the author for an honest review.)
September 5, 2017
I don't normally read much fantasy, but this book blew my mind. I'm notorious for predicting what most people consider twists, but I did NOT see this one coming! The first half was good, but the second half had me ravenously devouring each page, forgoing sleep, until the last.
As if the entertainment value hadn't been enough, I was REALLY impressed with the author's ability to imagine and describe alternative points of view well enough to give us such an unique perspective. I'm in love, and pining for more!
As if the entertainment value hadn't been enough, I was REALLY impressed with the author's ability to imagine and describe alternative points of view well enough to give us such an unique perspective. I'm in love, and pining for more!
July 14, 2014
Well-planned, a thoroughly thought out tale of adventure, selfless acts of courage and heroics by characters the reader grows to understand along the way. The attachment to each heightens exponentially as the plot unfolds and refolds into a story line that cannot be determined until their journey is revealed struggle by struggle. However, just when there is certainty, the unforeseen happens, leading to yet another edge of the seat twist. There are moments that are so real; one forgets the plot lies completely within the pages of a fantasy. As the plight of the core group of protagonists builds, there are vast ranges of emotions that completely engulf one’s mind. The moral fortitude of every individual is portrayed so sensitively. Feeling compelled to root for the good guys, then asking, who are the good guys…and what outcome is being rooted for, all the while beginning to understand the bad guys and questioning a belief system about what truly makes villains behave in villainous ways. The reader is asked to dig deep and question personal thoughts on what is right, does the end justify the means? What is the end? What happens in the end? Who is the winner? Who is the loser? What does the winner gain by winning? Being truly captivating, there is an impossibility of setting this down until the very last page. It is not until the valiant conclusion that the reader is released from the grips of the writer as it is becomes inherently evident what is won when seemingly all is lost.
July 12, 2014
While fantasy is not one of my normal genres (at least not this style-other worlds, baldric wearing, sword wielding, mage chasing heroes thing), I found myself fully engrossed. Ionson's world draws you in while at the same time leaving you slightly on edge and unsure of what is about to take place.
Without giving much away, the story follows a group of warriors who wake to find themselves in the afterlife with no memory of how they came to be there. They must blindly navigate this strange world with no inkling of how or when their journey will end.
As a reader I was just as in the dark as the characters through portions of the book. It was unsettling at first but helped me further understand the characters behavior and thought processes.
It took me a while to get the large list of characters straight and arrange everyone in their proper places, but it wasn't a daunting or unpleasant task.
This book was not at all what I expected and I think that's why I enjoyed it as much as I did.
Disclaimer: I received this e-book free from the author for review....and I still loved it.
Without giving much away, the story follows a group of warriors who wake to find themselves in the afterlife with no memory of how they came to be there. They must blindly navigate this strange world with no inkling of how or when their journey will end.
As a reader I was just as in the dark as the characters through portions of the book. It was unsettling at first but helped me further understand the characters behavior and thought processes.
It took me a while to get the large list of characters straight and arrange everyone in their proper places, but it wasn't a daunting or unpleasant task.
This book was not at all what I expected and I think that's why I enjoyed it as much as I did.
Disclaimer: I received this e-book free from the author for review....and I still loved it.
November 26, 2014
https://geekheaven87.wordpress.com/20...
I got a copy of After Life sent to me through a giveaway here on Goodreads.
Thank you, Daniel :-)
The After Life is an amazing story and Daniels’s writing took a hold of me and did not let go until the very last page.
I’ve been through my share of fantasy that was just too obvious or cliché, but After Life is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. And the plot twist!! I never saw that coming! And the way he made it work in a very unique way was refreshing!
I loved the story and loved the writing! Look forward to reading more of Daniel’s work!
After Life was very close to getting a five star rating. I would have loved to have gotten to know the characters a bit more. With so many characters and places I struggled a bit with all the names, but that could just be me. It got easier as the story progressed :-)
If you like yourself some exciting dark fantasy then I definitely recommend that you give After Life a try!
I got a copy of After Life sent to me through a giveaway here on Goodreads.
Thank you, Daniel :-)
The After Life is an amazing story and Daniels’s writing took a hold of me and did not let go until the very last page.
I’ve been through my share of fantasy that was just too obvious or cliché, but After Life is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. And the plot twist!! I never saw that coming! And the way he made it work in a very unique way was refreshing!
I loved the story and loved the writing! Look forward to reading more of Daniel’s work!
After Life was very close to getting a five star rating. I would have loved to have gotten to know the characters a bit more. With so many characters and places I struggled a bit with all the names, but that could just be me. It got easier as the story progressed :-)
If you like yourself some exciting dark fantasy then I definitely recommend that you give After Life a try!
January 17, 2015
From the Description:
~Dark Age fantasy shrouded in mystery and horror~ Fear erupts in the nation of Gaescea when Seer Mecas returns heralding a cryptic doom, and Kaemen and his fellow warrior-elites, the Wolfhounds, make ready for war. But Kaemen discovers that the kingdom’s preparations were for naught when he awakes in a realm far more harrowing than the battlefield, for they have crossed over into the Land of the Dead. Now Kaemen must fight for the salvation of Gaescea, knowing all the while that he is being hunted by damnation.
This novel started out so slowly for me. I thought I would be giving it a much lower star rating than I ended up giving it. Not because it wasn't well written but because I felt very disconnected from both the storyline and the characters for the first half of the book. At the halfway mark the story picked up and at about 70% I was hooked. The ending was really great, if only the beginning had been. 3 stars.
~Dark Age fantasy shrouded in mystery and horror~ Fear erupts in the nation of Gaescea when Seer Mecas returns heralding a cryptic doom, and Kaemen and his fellow warrior-elites, the Wolfhounds, make ready for war. But Kaemen discovers that the kingdom’s preparations were for naught when he awakes in a realm far more harrowing than the battlefield, for they have crossed over into the Land of the Dead. Now Kaemen must fight for the salvation of Gaescea, knowing all the while that he is being hunted by damnation.
This novel started out so slowly for me. I thought I would be giving it a much lower star rating than I ended up giving it. Not because it wasn't well written but because I felt very disconnected from both the storyline and the characters for the first half of the book. At the halfway mark the story picked up and at about 70% I was hooked. The ending was really great, if only the beginning had been. 3 stars.
July 24, 2015
No Spoilers
At first glance, I did not know what to expect… exactly. Fact, I knew After Life was a dark fantasy. Fact, I was aware that I was going to read about the afterlife, hence the title. What I did not expect was a major twist in the story. To be honest, as the plot progressed I had a feeling something was going to happen, that something was going to change, however not to this extent. After Life by Daniel Ionson is a well written Dark Fantasy with a twist, filled with heroic characters that you want to see succeed and a demented over the top villain you want to kill yourself. This is an essential read for any Dark Fantasy fan, pick yourself up a copy you will not regret it.
I receive a free eBook by the author for my honest review.
At first glance, I did not know what to expect… exactly. Fact, I knew After Life was a dark fantasy. Fact, I was aware that I was going to read about the afterlife, hence the title. What I did not expect was a major twist in the story. To be honest, as the plot progressed I had a feeling something was going to happen, that something was going to change, however not to this extent. After Life by Daniel Ionson is a well written Dark Fantasy with a twist, filled with heroic characters that you want to see succeed and a demented over the top villain you want to kill yourself. This is an essential read for any Dark Fantasy fan, pick yourself up a copy you will not regret it.
I receive a free eBook by the author for my honest review.
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Ideal Age: 18+
Content: Violence & Gore, Sexual Situations
Page Count: 420
November 8, 2014
Loved This story! It was full of well developed characters,vivid scenes described well not over the top just right to pull you make you think you are there. It has a well paced and evenly planned plot that does not take 4 million years to get there and it does not make you wait til the last chapter for that either. It unravels at a steady speed. I can not find anything the writer should change it anything my question is "When is the next Book?"
Daniel Ionson is one to watch he has something rare special it was a mental journey I thank you for Sir I will not soon forget! *****I was given this book free in exchange for a honest and true review and I am speechless it was amazingly...rare.... good!
Daniel Ionson is one to watch he has something rare special it was a mental journey I thank you for Sir I will not soon forget! *****I was given this book free in exchange for a honest and true review and I am speechless it was amazingly...rare.... good!
December 26, 2014
Disclaimer: I received this book from a first-read giveaway.
You might think you know what to expect based on the blurb above, but you will not see everything Daniel has in store for you. And holy crap, I loved the world-building! The number of parallel subplots can be a little overwhelming, but you will soon find yourself eagerly awaiting the conclusion of each.
Really, the only complaint I have is that the first couple of chapters introduced everyone so quickly that it took a couple of passes to make sure I understood who did what. You get a lot more familiar with the characters over the course of the book, so this problem didn't last long at all.
I'm happily giving this book a 4.5 (rounded to a 5), and am eagerly awaiting more by Daniel!
You might think you know what to expect based on the blurb above, but you will not see everything Daniel has in store for you. And holy crap, I loved the world-building! The number of parallel subplots can be a little overwhelming, but you will soon find yourself eagerly awaiting the conclusion of each.
Really, the only complaint I have is that the first couple of chapters introduced everyone so quickly that it took a couple of passes to make sure I understood who did what. You get a lot more familiar with the characters over the course of the book, so this problem didn't last long at all.
I'm happily giving this book a 4.5 (rounded to a 5), and am eagerly awaiting more by Daniel!
July 29, 2015
Full Disclosure Stuff: I received an e-book copy from the author.
Well, this book was definitely different, and in a good way. It's probably the first effective mix of Fantasy and Horror I've come across, with tension and uncertainty being far more prevalent than sword fights or sorcery.
I didn't feel particularly attached to any characters, but I also didn't end up disliking any of them. They were effective for the telling of the story. On the topic of the story, I love it when a plot twists are as unexpected as these. Definitely taken by surprised at some points of the story, and that was a treat :)
Well, this book was definitely different, and in a good way. It's probably the first effective mix of Fantasy and Horror I've come across, with tension and uncertainty being far more prevalent than sword fights or sorcery.
I didn't feel particularly attached to any characters, but I also didn't end up disliking any of them. They were effective for the telling of the story. On the topic of the story, I love it when a plot twists are as unexpected as these. Definitely taken by surprised at some points of the story, and that was a treat :)
October 26, 2014
I started reading this book thinking it was about time I had another healthy dose of fantasy in my reading diet - what I got was so much more.
Daniel Ionson's writing is warm, natural, and changes pace flawlessly to match the situation.
The story itself is gripping, with a couple of twists I can honestly say I didn't see coming! There were a few things I thought wouldn't be explained, but everything was tied up nicely at the end.
The characters were introduced so well that they seemed real right from the start. There was no "warming up" period to decide who I liked and who I hated, which is unusual for me.
A perfect read for fans of Robin Hobb.
Daniel Ionson's writing is warm, natural, and changes pace flawlessly to match the situation.
The story itself is gripping, with a couple of twists I can honestly say I didn't see coming! There were a few things I thought wouldn't be explained, but everything was tied up nicely at the end.
The characters were introduced so well that they seemed real right from the start. There was no "warming up" period to decide who I liked and who I hated, which is unusual for me.
A perfect read for fans of Robin Hobb.
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