Torn

The Dothan Chronicles #1

by Charissa Dufour

King Wolfric Eberhand battles the last nation to stand against his raging armies. With help from the deadly knight, Sir Erin Caldry, he hopes to conquer the land of Dothan once and for all. Using his wealth and power, he has formulated the perfect plan to finally take their rich land. What he doesn't realize, is the youngest Dothan princess is currently a slave within his very own castle walls.
While out visiting the remote estate of a relative, Princess Bethany Kavadh is kidnapped by slavers. Bedraggled and weary, she finds herself sold into slavery. To her horror, she soon discovers that her new owner is none other than her family’s worst enemy, King Wolfric. To fight her rising despair and to keep what little sanity she possess, Princess Bethany begins to fight back, sabotaging the efficient running of the House and function of their Armies.
But what happens when they realize her true identity?
Will they ransom her for the wealth of her nation?
Will they keep her as a slave? Or will they inflict an even crueler punishment?
The only things for certain are: The war between two nations will escalate, and one young princess's life shall forever be TORN.


Due to scenes of intense violence, reader discretion is advised.

Genres: Fantasy, Amazon, Medieval, Historical Romance, Epic Fantasy, Young Adult

323 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 20, 2014

About the author

My journey to become a writer began in 8th grade, when I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and pulled from school to recover. During this time, I was left alone for hours on end and it was then that I discovered new friends within the pages of books. I also learned the blessing of creating my own friends by writing down the stories that plagued my lonely mind—as demented as that sounds. Therefore at the ripe age of fourteen, I wrote my first novel. It sucked! But I kept going and now I am finalizing my first indie novel, with sequels to come, and two other series along with a fiction based blog. I never imagined that first horrible novel about a man who crash landed on his long lost home world would turn into a lifelong passion.
I now live in the

Reviews

[ZARIA (Sheldon Cooper lover) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

"The first time he'd expected her to help him dress, she had flat out refused. Bethany bore the marks across her back from many blows with a lash. The next time she'd tried to get out of it, the slave master had caught her and added to the scars."

"She obeyed in body only. It was all they required, the appearance of obedience. Inside, though, Bethany railed against their strict rules and high expectations. In her life of freedom, the only rules she was expected to follow were those that would help her attain a husband—be demure, elegant, and not too terribly smart, and these she obeyed with her whole heart."

“Damn wench,” Féderic shrieked, striking her with the back of his hand.
She flew off her knees and landed hard against the stone hearth, where she remained still.
“She dead?” the prince asked after a silent moment.
Sir Caldry crossed the room and placed his hand in front of her nose, feeling a gentle whisper of air move. “No. She's breathing.”
“Get her out of here. I'll finish dressing myself and meet you in the hall.”
Caldry lifted the limp woman in his arms, but as he reached the hallway he felt her tense slightly before relaxing again into his grasp. In a sudden movement, Sir Caldry dropped her. Though the slave girl ended up landing on her face, one hand shot out in an attempt to catch herself, which confirmed his suspicions—she hadn't actually been knocked unconscious.
Granted, it had cost her. He could see another angry bruise forming across her cheek from the most recent collision with the floor. She probably also had a large lump where her head had hit the stone hearth."


can't take more of this bullshit so i quit!!!!

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75🌟

[Julie Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the beginning of this story until the end...so good that I had to buy the rest.

Bethany is a captured princess whose pampered life turns into one of a wretched slave. The scarred knight battles his own demons. King Wolfric is both cruel and power hungry and the crown prince is an arrogant bully...just some of the interesting and believable characters that make this tale a compelling read.

It is well-written (despite the typos), with a beautiful flow and fast pace. It is imaginative and has a brilliant sense of place, in addition to great character development and plot.

However, I found the majority of the people of this world to be cruel, arrogant and unforgiving; completely lacking in kindness and compassion - none were likeable, although Bethany learned harsh lessons due to her captivity. Yes, she was amazingly resilient and I did like her fight, but at the same time is spoilt, foolish and weak, especially when...oh, no spoilers from me.

Who knows what will happen next...maybe my opinions will change?

A brilliant and recommended read.

[Bill Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What a great book! I love stores of Knights with damsels in distress and boy is this damsel in trouble! The book starts by introducing us to Bethany, who is a rebellious slave and no wonder she is, because in truth she is a princess and has ended up as a slave in the court of her enemy.
This is a brilliant, page turning fantasy I have been unable to put down. The author creates such vivid characters and there is a huge range of emotions that pull on your heart strings as Bethany faces all types of danger at the hands of her enemies. Fortunately, help comes from an unlikely source in the shape of one of her captors, a Knight who is both honorable and a great warrior. There are exciting action scenes and you can't help but root for Bethany to escape.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

[S.K. Wee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warring nations, bitter enemies, and an innocent princess is caught in the middle. Bethany’s caravan is waylaid near the border after a mandated visit with her uncle. She is told to run into the forest to hide but gets completely turned around and ends up in the waiting arms of slavers. Bethany is soon bought as property for an enemy prince, Frederic. His father King Wolfric is a land grabbing warmonger who would use her existence for further gain, so Bethany keeps her identity a secret. Life as a slave to a spoiled prince can become dangerous, but she continually attempts to make small problems for the royal household whenever she gets the chance. One of the knights, Sir Erin Caldry, at first seems as vicious as the scars that mar his face but soon he seems to soften his attitude, though Bethany can’t trust a soul with knowledge of who she is.
The story is a true page-turner as the author describes some of the terrible trials of life as a house-slave. Bethany’s small tricks may catch up with her and it's quite possible innocent lives may be ruined due to her antics. Lots of action in this fast-paced adventure and I enjoyed getting to know all the well-drawn characters. Highly Recommended!

[Llaph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this story. It was a bit rough in places, but for the most part I rather enjoyed it. I particularly liked how she got back at the king and his awful family. I read this book a while ago and was just now able to read the whole trilogy and find that I like it just as much, if not more, than I did the first time I read it.
11/21
I *really* liked this book and eagerly look forward to finishing the series. I can't put my thoughts into legible words sooooo... this will just have to do.
This was a really intriguing fantasy romance and I appreciated the characters and expressive descriptions for both the character emotions and events in the story. Yes, some of the characters were predictable, but they were well done and still had their own touch of originality to them. The bad king was a bad king, the crown prince was a self absorbed butt face, the queen was conniving and also self absorbed, but they were still very much distinct in their own ways.
One thing that I thought very well done was Ann’s personal journey from pampered princess to a slave and watching her “grow up
“ and start to take the reins of her own life and decide to actually do something rather than just pine and toll away as a lowly slave. Her tricks and tampering of things was clever, but there were a few times she acted and I thought to myself … omg why is she doing that right now???

[Sarah Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Torn opens dramatically with Bethany, a slave, in solitary confinement for running away from her master. Féderic, the son of an enemy king, has no idea that she was born a princess. Bethany is no timid maiden; she finds ways to torment her captors as often as possible. The descriptions in Torn are so vivid, fantasy seems like reality, and it’s intense, with none of the violence glossed over. I was disappointed by the end, which isn't tied up that well.

[William Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to get back to fantasy books and picked Torn (The Dothan Chronicles #1) by Charissa Dufour. It’s nice to come back to my favorite genre. Read on for my thoughts! Note that the author advises the following: Due to scenes of intense violence, reader discretion is advised.

Synopsis (from the author):
King Wolfric Eberhand battles the last nation to stand against his raging armies. With help from the deadly knight, Sir Erin Caldry, he hopes to conquer the land of Dothan once and for all. Using his wealth and power, he has formulated the perfect plan to finally take their rich land. What he doesn't realize, is the youngest Dothan princess is currently a slave within his very own castle walls.
While out visiting the remote estate of a relative, Princess Bethany Kavadh is kidnapped by slavers. Bedraggled and weary, she finds herself sold into slavery. To her horror, she soon discovers that her new owner is none other than her family’s worst enemy, King Wolfric. To fight her rising despair and to keep what little sanity she possess, Princess Bethany begins to fight back, sabotaging the efficient running of the House and function of their Armies.
But what happens when they realize her true identity?
Will they ransom her for the wealth of her nation?
Will they keep her as a slave? Or will they inflict an even crueler punishment?
The only things for certain are: The war between two nations will escalate, and one young princess's life shall forever be TORN.

What I liked:
I liked Bethany’s toughness, resilience, and her attempts to sabotage her captors. I also liked that her actions had consequences - both good and bad. Caldry was a good character. The family of the King was perfectly despicable in their treatment of each other and others. The story itself intrigued me and kept me involved in the tale. The harsh treatment of the slaves and the indifference of the slaveholders was intense at times, so be prepared. Overall, though, Torn was a good read!

What I didn’t like:
The biggest complaint I have about Torn was that it was much more of a romance than a fantasy novel. Not in a bad way, but it didn’t have the fantasy elements I hoped for in the book.

Overall impression:
Torn (The Dothan Chronicles #1) by Charissa Dufour was a good read! Bethany’s trials as a slave and her efforts to impede the King’s military conquests made for an entertaining novel. I thought it was more romance than fantasy, and the treatment of Bethany was difficult to read at times, but I truly enjoyed it. Read it and let me know what you thought!

My rating:
4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Princess is abducted by slavers when traveling home from a relatives. No one realized she was a princess and was bought as a slave by a Crown Prince whose family and hers were arch enemies. As a slave in this household to the Crown Prince life was horrendous to say the least. Slaves were not treated very well and were beaten for any minor infraction--and sometimes thrown into a pit for days. But Bethany refuses to let them know who she really is---and manages to upset the household. Once caught--well I can't even describe what they did to her. Only one man, a freed slave who had become a Knight sensed something was different about her. How could she sew better then the seamstress, know about healing--and she could read?

Eventually the truth comes out when her signet ring is discovered-----suddenly she is a captive and not a slave, She still tries to cause mischief--and then gets caught--The King could not tell who started this bit and had them both thrown into the dungeon to be beheaded the next day. The Crown Prince who has expected to marry her-frees her so he can at least have his marriage night. The Knight manages to escape and is about to take off but can't just leave the woman behind---they make their escape after causing deadly harm to the Crown Prince---they get out into the town---and the story ends! What a cliff hanger--there are 2 more books in this series--guess who will have to grab them and read them to find out what happens to these two.

As it states below-this is not a book for the faint of heart or those who can not take reading about torture and degradation. If you can get past all of that--this has a story line which should keep you captivated.

[Caprice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story but needs editor

This story was a good read. The main characters, Bethany and Cal, were nicely developed and the story was well thought out, with many twists I didn't see coming.

The thing that was most disappointing was the number of places that had fairly incomprehensible sentences, punctuation problems, and errors in verb usage. The book just really needed an editor to go through it and make corrections.

I would read the second book in the series, but I would be leery of spending much money for it, because I would be concerned about whether it had as many errors as this book.

[T R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Bethany ordered to visit her uncle is stopped on her way back. Taking a wrong turn in the forest she ran into, she is captured and sold as property to an enemy prince. Fearing for the outcome if she reveals her identity, she hides it. Scenes strewn with violence and our heroine being flawed holds the story together as the reader navigates through nations at war. The horrible nature of battling enemies is a dark subject brought home vividly by the author. No spoilers here. It was a fast, easy, gripping read. Now onto more from this author.

[Ian Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Born a princess and then enslaved, this is a coming of age story for a young woman who starts out very entitled, but through her suffering discovers her humanity. It should appeal to fans of fantasy romance. Both those aspects of the story are well-rendered, though there are some story clichés a little too heavily leaned on and some stock-and-trade characters. All the same, I found it easy to get lost in the story.

[C.A. King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning not appropriate for all ages - scenes of violence, torture and rape.

The main character Bethany is a slave. Unbeknownst to her owner, a Prince, she is also a rival kingdom's Princess. She deals with beatings and punishments for her actions, but remains strong - that is until bad news from her homeland reaches her ears. In a moment of weakness, her true identity is revealed. That changes everything.

This is a dark, high fantasy tale in every way. I thoroughly enjoyed the story!

[Rick Yvanovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once started it was very hard to put this book down. Not sure what it was about it as its not my usual genre to read, but it did end up with some late nights for sure and not many books do that for me.
So its definitely worth a read even if you think its not your usual choice of genre.

To make it worse its a trilogy so I ended up getting book #2 the day I finished Torn

Disclosure: I was offered a free copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.

[Abigail Wilkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught me attention from the start! I loved it, and I had to rate it 4 stars due to 2 things 1: there are some immodest places but that's just me I'm not comfortable with that part of it 2: it was going so well till the curse words were brought it! They dont seem to fit (even tho they're only used a handful of time s)
I feel that without the immodesty and curse words this would be even better book. Can't wait to read the next one

[Leasa G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

I am so impressed with the authors ability to transport the reader through the intricate veil of time and events so vividly. The dynamics of Bethany and Eric's position within the social community casts them in constant peril. This is an amazing story of inner strength, perseverance and survival under the most challenging conditions. Remarkably well written. Looking forward to book 2 & 3.

[E.M. McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gobbled up Torn by Charissa Dufour. This well written, fast-paced fantasy is full of complicated and believable characters. Though I did want to smack Bethany (Ann) several times for her poor choices, her plight kept me turning pages. There is a bit of intense violence, so if you can't handle that, this may not be the story for you, but if you don't have a problem with it and want a great read, look no further. Huge thumbs up.

[Ju Ephraime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and though I’m not a huge fan of fantasy, I found the characters interesting and well developed. The writing and the pacing of the plot were good and easy to follow. I especially like the character of Bethany, who refuses to give in and accept the card that fate had dealt her.

[Johanna Craven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love strong female characters and Bethany certainly was one! This is a dark, atmospheric adventure with plenty of twists and turns, driven by Bethany's refusal to accept her fate. The writing is smooth and evocative and the characters richly drawn. An engaging and addictive opening to the series. Highly recommended.

[BobA707 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Interesting setting, the characters didn't seem quite real and a lot of things were over simplified. But I've started reading book 2 so I must like it really

Plotline: Convoluted, not really believable

Premise: Yes, ok. No magic, just a dark medieval type setting

Writing: Fairly engaging, simple

Ending: Well she escaped ...

Pace: Never a dull moment!

[Kat Drennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great kickoff to the Dothan Chronicles series. Love the spunky, strong heroine, Bethany and how she manages to vex and seduce her captors at the same time. Great worldbuilding with rich, layered characterization.

[Deedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible UK:While this is well written and the story is good,the human violence was not for me. Jim Harbourne was a fine narrator. I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.

[Gina Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.....

Just my kind of book, medieval times, castles, knight's, kings and queens and of course slaves and dungeons. This is a page turner, will definitely be reading the rest of the series for sure. I know who I want Bethany to end up with, we shall see...

[Volpot · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Started OK but devolved into a mess. MC became uninspiring shallow character with her romantic feelings for her abuser distasteful.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

Awesome first book ! Mystery, murder, romance? Everything you need or want from a wonderful series. Couldn't put it down!

[°мαggιє° (っ⚈ᴥ⚈)っ™ · Rating 2 out of 5]

too much bloody beating

[David Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read well worth the time. It and the sequels are great - good idea to read whilst waiting for a plane at the airport it will make the time fly before you do.

[Scott Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an incredible story. Little did I know the gem I'd picked up when I stumbled across this book. Action packed on every page, this novel will keep you reading well past your bedtime. I was picking my kindle up at every opportunity. 5 minutes waiting for the train? I can read a few more pages. I found the characters very well developed and believable. I loved some characters and was disgusted by others. I rooted for her every step of the way, crashing with her as she stumbled along the way. The pacing was perfect, treading that fine line between wold building and action sequences. I'm hooked, and can't wait to dive into book two to find out where the Dothan world will take me next.

[Cynthia Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is powerful, poignant fantasy expressed through many voices. Turbulent and intense, I found myself voraciously devouring page after page; hour after hour. Filled with emotion, compelling characters you easily connect with and an edge of your seat plot; I found myself yearning with the main character, Bethany, for more. Her situation prompted me to tears as well as spurring anger and despair; which I am assuming is just what the author intends. There is quite a bit of violence, which doesn’t appeal or seem to suit the otherwise YA feel of the story, but Dyfor has set the stage for a sweeping saga and will draw you in with this one.

[Fiona Cooke Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started I couldn't put this book down. A terrific read! Charissa Dufour knows how to draw the reader in from the first page and hold him captive along with the protagonist- Bethany. Told through the eyes of the princess now slave we feel her injustice in every blow, every lash of the whip on her back. A thrilling book. Looking forward to the rest of the series.