BUAN: The Perfect Mortals

by Reece Bridger

During a ceasefire of a war that has taken more lives than could be considered just, there are shadows of betrayal and deceit lurking in the rays of the morning sun. Something is lingering on the horizon, and it's hell-bent on destruction, despair and death.


Whatever it may be, it's driven the Goddess to some very desperate measures.


Life for the Harmon siblings has been hard enough, but now they face responsibilities that they never asked for. They never asked for power. They never asked for a world of monsters. They never asked to come face-to-face with demons, the corrupted of their own people, or their own mortality.


But that is just what they will have to do. They are the chosen heroes of Cornelia, the final hope for order and sanity, the last line of defence against the darkness.


They are the Buan.

Genres: Fantasy

ebook

First published April 4, 2013

About the author

Reece Eliot Bridger was born in the south of England in September of 1995. During the course of his life, he has devoted four years to writing a single fantasy story, one which started as little more than a pipe-dream and a fanciful idea, but quickly evolved into a fascination that plunged into his dreams, his thoughts, and every microscopic aspect of his life since then.

Reece’s first book of his debut ‘Buan’ trilogy, ‘The Perfect Mortals’, has recently been rewritten from its first draft, formerly named ‘The Tales of Cornelia - The Book of Harmon’. The book has since been published, and will be released to the public in April. Since the first draft was completed, and he decided to rewrite his novel, he has received tutorship from his fellow self-made author, Ben Galley, who has been mentoring him in how to become a successful, self-published author.

Since he was thirteen years of age, Reece has had a story to tell. Over time, this story evolved into an epic tale of horror and magic that he hopes to tell the whole of during the course of his life. This story has invaded his thoughts every minute of every day since it was first imagined, and some amongst his family and friends believe that Reece’s determination in his writing stems from this obsession with the story he has stumbled upon.

When he is not writing, or in college where he studies English, psychology, sociology and art, or busying himself with some of the very few other hobbies and people he devotes himself to, Reece never stops thinking of how to advance the story of the Buan, along with a plethora of other possible future stories and trips through the deepest recesses of his mind, including an economic horror series and a cross-species arranged marriage trilogy, to name a couple.

Aside from his writing, Reece is a talented kayaker and archer, a PADI-qualified diver, and plays the four-string bass guitar, currently playing in a small college rock band with friends. As a secondary career outside of writing, he is a Class-A Dragon Researcher... But he always lets them go when he’s done, of course. When out and about, he usually wears a twin dragon pentagram necklace for good luck. His usual hangouts include his bedroom, lounge, and generally anywhere that sells Diet Coke. His favourite snacks include oranges, red apples, and Doritos. He is a massive fan of heavy metal music, loves sushi, is a wannabe Steampunk (Tinker/Aesthete cross for those who are interested), and is a dog person.

Sorry, kitty.

Reviews

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to say? What is a Buan first? It is an individual who is as perfect as possible, that the Goddess Luxa has deemed worthy of gaining some of her powers. There has only been one before, and he was given his Bua only because there was a force out there strong enough to destroy the world.

This is a story of four siblings who’ve suffered much in their young lives. The kids are as different from each other as night is from day is from dusk is from dawn. They are being reared by their father’s old friend, Orion. The story focus’ on the dynamic between the siblings and their guardian. They meet up with an interesting telekinetic and a bar owner when the town gets attacked by these crowmen monsters. After getting back home, they go to bed and the eldest, Alexander, starts having a nightmare. Upon waking, he finds himself possessing a power that is unlike...(click link for full review! http://textuallove.wordpress.com/2014... )

[Martin Belcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book via another author I love Ben Galley, I thought I'd give this one a try. Wow, this is very original fantasy, quite different to other books out there, it kept me interested and I loved the Harmon siblings, great characters and the very original powers "Buan" that they discover over the course of the book. We find that these powers are not inherited by accident and there are dangers beyond their safe world looked over by their mentor and protector Orion where these powers are needed.

The last few chapters crank up the action and will have you gasping for more! I loved it and certainly can't wait for the second book in the series "company of heroes" I recommend this book, well worth a read from a very young and promising author Reece Bridger with huge talent and destined for great things. I cant wait to see where this series goes!

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect “classic” Fantasy book. The whole time I was reading, I was reminded of some of my favorite RPGs, and I frequently thought that the story could fit perfectly into a D&D or Pathfinder game. If I were to be any character in the book, I would be Fantasia, who has the personality of a grown up Arya Stark. Instead of a sword being her weapon of choice, though, she’s an archer, which happens to be my go to weapon in any RPG.

There is very little to criticize in this book. The only time it got a bit dull was during the chapter when Madame Asra comes into the story, and the only time I had difficulty suspending disbelief was when the siblings’ guardian, Orion, just happens to know all about the Buan. It seemed a little implausible, even by Fantasy standards, but I understand that Alexander, Aurelia, Fantasia, and Weylyn had to get the information about what they were becoming from somewhere, and having it come from the mouth of the one person they’re close to makes sense. I just didn’t see Orion as being the type of character to have a large amount of little known ancient knowledge.

Beyond those two tiny things, I loved this book. I don’t know if I’m going to add it to my all time favorites yet, since it is only the first book in a series, and I tend to only add a series to that list after I’ve finished it and love it as a whole. What I do know is that as soon as I read the last page, I looked up the second book, Company of Heroes, and added it to my wish list on Goodreads. I highly recommend reading this one if you’re just getting into Fantasy, or you love Fantasy (especially “classic” Fantasy), or you love RPGs (especially if you loved Baldur’s Gate, any of the Diablo games, D&D, or Pathfinder).

[Sharon Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for honest review. 'Buan: The Perfect Mortals' is the story of four siblings unprepared for the trials that await them as an impending dark force descends on their world.

The story was slow to begin, but as each character was introduced it became more compulsive, making it extremely difficult to put down. I very much enjoyed the younger siblings interactions - their personalities were so vibrant where the older siblings were more reserved and gave off the impression they were haunted or weighed down by their pasts.

I was really impressed by the originality in this debut novel, as while there was a level of predictability in knowing these four characters are the 'Buan', the twists and turns the story took and the powers they were gifted were satisfyingly surprising. The world Bridger has created was different yet completely believable, brutal and enchanting in equal measure. I was fully immersed by about a quarter of the way through, enjoying the story and marvelling at the creative twists taken. This is a novel that stands out for me as something fresh and original in the genre.

This is the first book in a series I will definitely be following! I encourage any and all fantasy fans to take a look as this is an extremely well told story with some brilliantly original components. Very Highly Recommended!

[Patricia Eddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very pleased with this book. It is part of a series, so it ends on a cliffhanger of sorts so be aware. The author is apparently 17. Some of the characters react like they would when written by a 17 year old, but then again, the characters are all 15-19, so this is completely appropriate. The world that the author created here is so incredibly rich that I could see everything as it unfolded. Excellently crafted story.

[J.N. Bedout · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book very interesting, well-written, and easy to follow. The interactions between the main characters are very realistic. Descriptions are excellent while leaving enough mystery to make you wonder. The progress toward the identity of the villain was well done too, planting doubts, leaving clues, mixing in tall tales and legends, but not revealing too much at once.

I already fetched the second book, which I will start reading shortly! Excellent read!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the book dragged at times and a little wordy in descriptions, it was still a good story. The characters are interesting and have a little mysterious back story. There are some twists and turns here and there. It was a good read. The writing isn't bad, it just needs some polish. If you like fantasy novels read it. It is an entertaining book for the most part.

[Bernard Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been buried for too long in a pile of more than a hundred other to-read books still waiting for their turn. I’m glad I finally read it, even with such a delay. While I’m not too much into fantasy, I’d recommend all fantasy fans (and other readers) to grab The Perfect Mortals by Reece Bridger and enjoy the story and its characters who will win you over at first sight. Reading it is a pleasure, because, like magic, the pages pull you and push you further and further into the world of Buan to the very end. Justice is finally served with five well-deserved stars!

[Tatiana Campos · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really start thoroughly enjoying this read until about 3/4 of the way through it. I would have stopped reading, but I received a free copy of this, so I decided I would soldier through it. It started off moderately entertaining, perhaps dragging on a little bit in some places.

A buan is someone who Luxa (goddess) has chosen to bestow bua (powers of sorts) upon. The Harmon family has been through a lot for teens/young adults of their age. They've lost their parents, and overall they're a solemn bunch. They have very little to be happy about, and when Alexander, the oldest of the four siblings, has a violent/lifelike dream their journey given to them by Luxa begins to unfold.

While I found it hard to get into the story, there were a few characters I did enjoy reading about. The barmaid Elrena is really feisty and doesn't take any crap from anyone, she can take care of herself and it was refreshing to read a female character like her. I also liked Fantasia, she was definitely the most spirited of the Harmon's, and her skills with a bow and arrow were deadly on target.

If you enjoy stories about magic, powers, and sci-fi this would probably appeal to you on some level.

[Hels]

I thoroughly enjoyed this first novel from Reece. It's original storyline was intriguing & the characters believable. I am looking forward to the sequel very much. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long!

[J. Rice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt the author was good, but the story struggled to keep my attention. The introduction to the characters felt wooden and strained. I lost complete interest in the story after the family returned home, the story might later get interesting, but it wasn't enough to keep me reading.

[Brenda Mohammed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really not in my favourite genre so it took me longer to read.
It was very interesting, apart from the swearing.
This young author has great potential.

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The four Harmon siblings have been raised by their guardian, Orion. It seems some of the scaly, people like in habitants attacked their parents and others in a war. The youngest two just remember the evil the older two have a better recollection. Andrew at 18 uses as sword, the oldest girl is sympathetic to all, the next girl is a proficient archer, and the young boy an intellectual good with knives. While the story starts slow, it builds. The nearby town has been attacked by demons and woman carted off to bear more demons. That night the eldest brother is possessed by a dream and becomes endowed with a Bau and becomes a Baum with concrete like skin that can withstand sword blows and demon claws. One by one the other siblings acquire their Bau; one a mage with special blessings, one a magical being that can see through blindfold, and the other with the power to transform into a savage wolf and return to human form. We now have four Baum. These are not perfect mortals, they are actually more like demigods. They are to fight the evil that will be attacking the land. Orion explains more and begins to train them. When the training is complete they are attacked by the Fallen Ones and realize too late this was to divert them while Orion is carried off by a powerful black mage with his own blessings. The finish of this book was a page turning fight, but if you want to know the outcome of good versus evil you will need to read the next two novels.

[Melinda Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Perfect Mortals (Buan Book #1) by Reece Bridger is an interesting tale about two siblings. The story to me was really hard to get into. It took me forever to read this book. The characters don’t seem to come together the way that they should.The plot was ok, but it could have been better. I think this is a great idea for a story, but it needs some work still. Reece has a great concept for a story, but it wasn’t executed the way that he envisioned. The writing for me was lack-luster, and it was hard to get into at times. I believe that with a little more work this story would be a smashing success.
The plot fell short for me because it was so hard to get into the book. The first half of the book is like a prologue to the whole series. The story doesn’t start to grab your attention until the very end. I think if Reece took what he wrote at the end and made the whole book this way it would have been a better read. The characters were a little flat for me because the seemed very one dimensional and not flushed out the way that they could have been. It seems like they need to be thought about in more depth. That all being said the actual idea for the story is a great one, and it could be a great success if done correctly.
For a young author, this story is a very imaginative one. I hope that he continues to write and create this world with the Harmon brothers. It is not easy to create an entire new world and make it believable. I believe that Bridger did give us a story that is amazing, but it fell flat with the arc of the story. The world that he created is a world that I can imagine in my mind and would want to immerse myself in as a reader. If this story was rewritten and more thought out I believe this could become a huge story for Bridger. He could one day be compared to other authors that have succeeded in this genre. The story just needs a little more TLC and it would be something worth reading more than once. I hope that Bridger continues to create and tell stories that will endure a life-time.

[Amie's Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

BUAN: THE PERFECT MORTALS by Reece Bridger.

I received a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is in dire need of a professional proof reader/ editor. I found a multitude of typos and extra words that were unnecessary and distracting.

The story itself is complex and the setting is detailed enough to maintain the reader's interest.

The plot centers around the four Harmon siblings.

Description from Goodreads:

"During a ceasefire of a war that has taken more lives than could be considered just, there are shadows of betrayal and deceit lurking in the rays of the morning sun. Something is lingering on the horizon, and it's hell-bent on destruction, despair and death.

Whatever it may be, it's driven the Goddess to some very desperate measures.

Life for the Harmon siblings has been hard enough, but now they face responsibilities that they never asked for. They never asked for power. They never asked for a world of monsters. They never asked to come face-to-face with demons, the corrupted of their own people, or their own mortality.

But that is just what they will have to do. They are the chosen heroes of Cornelia, the final hope for order and sanity, the last line of defence against the darkness.

They are the Buan."

The description of this book makes it sound much better than it actually is. However the fact that the author is only 20 years old can account for the generic plot.

I did enjoy the idea of the four siblings each receiving powers that coincide with their personalities.

If this book had a better editor and proofreader I would have given it an additional star. However, I found it very distracting that almost every page contains at least one error.

The second book in this series dies sound interesting and perhaps with more experience under his belt, the author will be more concise and careful in his execution of the sequel.

I rate this book as 3 out of 5 stars.

You can view more of my reviews at amiesbookreviews.wordpress.com

[Josiah Hunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book had some fun and interesting characters, as well as one or two surprisingly satisfying plot twists, there were many barriers that prevented me from being able to fully immerse myself in the story. Namely, typos, incorrect grammar and just downright poorly written sentences. It really felt like it needed a thorough dose of EDITTING! Sometimes the choice of words just seemed plain wrong and frequently I found myself performing an imaginary facepalm upon stumbling across a horribly contradictory or repetitive sentence! That being said, I liked the characters. Bridger creates a convincing cast of teens gifted with interesting powers, who are emotionally unstable, confused and scared like any teenager in their position would be! I especially enjoyed the two younger siblings and the jokes/ contests that they constantly shared. The action scenes were actually very well written compared to the dialogue, and it was towards the second half of the book where things really started to get interesting. I felt I could only give this story 2 stars because of the lack of professionalism that really brought it down, and also the fairly generic plotline so far (big evil magical dude trying to destroy the world with 4 Heroes going on a quest to stop him.) I was impressed by the spoiler for the second story: from the sounds of it the writing style was a big step up from this first novel. I would still consider reading the second book just from that, to see how much the author has improved as well as the interest I have just purely in the characters. A respectable debut, and while this certainly isn't the best written story I have read in a while, once Bridger really works out his dialogue and learns to edit his work, I can see him becoming a considerable force in the fantasy genre.

[Nicholas Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Perfect Mortals (Buan Book #1) by Reece Bridger failed to keep me anxiously engaged in the story. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. The plot encompasses four orphaned siblings, raised by a friend of the family, who live in a world of sorcery and monsters. There is chaos throughout the land, and rumors of war threaten to get closer each day. Luxa, their Goddess, bestows powers (Bua) on the siblings; matching their inherent personalities. Once they've mastered their new skills, it falls upon them to confront the villain.

What I liked: The story has some original aspects, and the world-building that takes place throughout the book felt like it was a place the author visited in his dreams many times.

I dread getting poor reviews, so writing them is also difficult. But, here goes:

What I didn't like: The story moved slowly, and I rarely felt like the siblings were in any serious peril or struggle. In all honesty, I put this novel aside a few times to read through other books. However, since I'd received a free copy for review, I felt obligated to finish.

The book had too many grammatical and typographical errors to overlook and is in need of a thorough proofreading and editing session. The saying "Show me, Don't Tell me" came to mind through most of the book. Much of the prose tells the reader what's happening, rather than letting them use their imagination with "showing."

I gave The Perfect Mortals (Buan Book #1) 3 stars because I think this is an excellent debut novel from a young author. I encourage Reece to keep practicing, keep improving, and never stop pursuing his passion for writing.

[J.G. Gatewood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would actually give this 3 1/2 stars, but since there is no half, I rounded up.

What I liked:
The characters, each was unique and I like how they progressed through the story
The world, it was interesting and well setup
The Ending, I think it left off with enough unknowns that I am eager to move on to the next book.

What I didn't like:
Slow start, I found the first 60% to be kind of painful. I know this is the first book in the series and the author was setting everything up for the series, but it just progressed too slowly.
The stakes, along with how slow this started, we don't really have any idea what's at stake until we are 60-70% through this book. You need to grab me from the beginning and layout what is on the line in the beginning of the book.
The language, I really didn't care for the obscenities. Don't get me wrong, I am very foul mouthed most of the time, but I read a lot of fantasy and I don't think our curse words have any place in a made up world. I think the writing would be better off without these, or if the author changed them (even created them) to something that was more fitting with the tone and style of the rest of the world.

All in all, I enjoyed the world and characters, as well as the pacing of the last 1/3 of the book. I'm intrigued enough by the ending that I will more than likely move on to the next book in the series. But if the pacing isn't improved in the next book, I don't know that I will move on.

[Eeva Lancaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. A story of 4 siblings who, after surviving a tragedy, discovered that they were chosen by Luxa (the goddess) for something greater, like saving the world. The pace was a little slow, and only picked up when they started receiving their Buas (powers). But it was fine with me since I read to relax. The author brought me into the story slowly but surely. I would have loved more backstory on the tragedy they survived. Though mentioned here and there, the details were vague.

The best part of the book was when they became Buans, and how they dealt with their new abilities. The siblings struggled with their new fate, each reacting differently to the knowledge that their lives will change... and they were powerless to stop it. I was curious to learn what Bua they will receive, and that made me read on. The characters were ok. Distinct. And their struggle to come to terms with their destinies was nicely written.

All in all, it was a pleasant read. Better than a lot of YA books out there. This is the first book of a series, so expect a kind of cliffhanger. Will I get the next book? Thinking about it. :) Like I said, it was a pleasant read, but not gripping and powerful enough to make me grab the next book with excitement. But maybe it's only because it's too YA for me.

But for YA fantasy readers, definitely recommended. The author was born to write, and I'll read his books for fun any day.

[Ella (The Story Collector) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Buan series, and as such, it is largely setting up the story. In a world of magic and demons, the lives of four siblings change forever as each of them gain magical powers and are sent on a mission to save the world. (That is basically the entire plot so far).

Not much actually happens in The Perfect Mortals. We meet the main characters and see them gain their powers and learn how to use them. It all kicks off in the last chapter when they fight a bunch of monsters and start to really understand the peril that lies before them.

There isn’t a huge amount more to say. Bridger’s writing is good and the plot has the potential to get much better as the books continue. This could turn out to be an epic fantasy series (although, from the pace of the first book, I doubt it will be anywhere near as good as the likes of Eragon or His Dark Materials). I have high hopes for book #2.

[Boyko Ovcharov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Promising!

Interesting, a bit harsh though concerning language, showing strong feelings. Expression of great imagination, otherwise. Style is somewhat YA, riotous in a way. Anyway, it is promising, therefore, 5 stars.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it!

I think it is quite clear the author is still young and his writing style is emerging, but the imagination is spectacular and the story is quite immersive. Loved pouring myself into this new world where so much is possible.