Into the Rain

Phantasia #1

by M.U. Riyadad

Enter a world unlike any other. A world teeming with creatures the size of planets, parasites that can lay waste to entire civilizations, and mysterious energy sources that can decay the life force of stars. Across glacial swamps, cloud cities, and ages past – The Evil Eye continues to seek its possessor. What starts as only a whisper in the darkness, grows into a tale of epic proportions.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Amazon, Ebooks, Fiction

462 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 2015

Reviews

[Gergana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This "review" includes random images that have questionable reasons for existing.

~~~~~~~PLOT ~~~~~~~~

...if someone tried to explain the plot for Phantasia to me before I started reading it...





Oooooookeeeeey...Let's try a simpler version:

Phantasia follows the story of Red, a young man, specializing in channeling fire energy, who is just about to graduate the academy (a school where humans learn how to fight the alien invaders) and is looking forward to furthering his career by becoming a Weapon (a title(?) you receive if you defeat/kill opposing team from a different race in an official contest). Thankfully, his teammates happen to be some powerful and important persons, including a planetary prince, a healer, a guy with a rare familiar and the strongest human of his generation - Raven - the overly protective, mysterious, quiet and all-powerful leader of the group and Red's best friend. (Raven is a girl - think Mikasa from Attack on Titan).

Things start going south when our protagonist becomes the center of attention for several political, religious and alien groups (Xenosites included), each one of them believing he is the prophesied messiah who will save/destroy everything. Red thought that life is simple and linear, but the more attainable his goal of becoming a Weapon gets, the more he begins to question everyone's reasoning, including his own. He doesn't know who to trust and, worst of all, if he can trust himself.

~~~~~~~MY OPINION ~~~~~~~~

Now this book...IS A COMPLETE MESS! A huge mess of creativity and imagination that I find absolutely brilliant despite getting a massive headache from trying to follow the complex and seemingly endless world-building. Oh, and just when you think you finally have a good grasp of how this world operates and you expect calmer waters from here on out...BOOM! Nope, doesn't matter you're half way through, here is a juicy flashback of even more world-building, prophecies, mythical creatures and HORROR!!! MUAHAHAH!

... I honestly think the author was laughing maniacally when writing this book.

Did I mention the spiritual stuff? ...No? Nevermind...you don't want me going all "New-Age-ey" on you, do you? Thought so.

If there is one place where Phantasia truly shines, it's with some of the most AWESOME descriptions I've ever read - I've never been so engrossed and fascinated by every single setting in a book. Not only is the world truly imaginative and exciting, but the way each place is described... why on earth is this book not super popular again?

~~~~~~~Audiobook and Cover~~~~~~~~

And BY THE WAY, the audiobook narrator is totally worth it! Nick Podehl has already impressed me in the past with his work on Free the Darkness and he continues to do so here.

The Cover and typography are beautiful, but not sure if they fit a book as action-packed as Phantasia (says the self-nominated "cover-expert" person).

~~~~~~~FINAL VERDICT ~~~~~~~~

I cannot write a serious review for Phantasia, I cannot tell you if you should read it or not and I definitely cannot tell you whether it's a good or bad book, mainly because it's really unique. And by unique I mean: I've never seen a book that tries to be so many many MANY MAAAANNNNNNYYYYYYYYY things at the same time, completely f**k with my mind and get away with it. Did I mention that some times characters make absolutely no logical sense?

However, if you just accept it all, if you stop trying to find the limitations and categories we are so used to seeing in most fantasies, if you ignore the characters stupid decisions ( that was the hardest part for me) and be mentally prepared for a world that will continue to be revealed to you until the very end, you might find that your bar for a great book has just been raised by the time you finish.


And yes, I even ended up loving each one of the characters...(the blood elf with the unpronounceable name is the best though!)

Phantasia might not get pure 5 stars from me (more like...4.51), but this is the second time this month I stumble upon an author with a massive amount of talent and courage who definitely deserves more exposure. It's great to see writers experimenting and trying new things, mixing genres, letting their imagination run wild and gifting us with one of the most impressive and fathomless fictional worlds I've ever been to.

I can't guarantee that you won't feel overwhelmed by it all, I can't guarantee that you would fall in love with Phantasia and its characters, but I CAN promise you that this book has guts! And I'm definitely checking out the sequel.




~~~~~~~Recommendations ~~~~~~~~

Similar-ish books you might enjoy:


Cloud Roads - you want imaginative, unique and absolutely mind-blowing world with super cool races, rich cultures and awesome fight-scenes (in the SSSSSky!). Cload Roads is one of my top 5 favorite book series of all time (that I have yet to review properly).


Elantra - You want more overly complicated and WTF-is-going-on worlds with cool magic system, numerous amazing races (including overly-aggressive elf-like immortals, even crazier and more blood-thirsty dragon-sifters who rule the world, lion lycanthropes and so on) and a rather...bizarre plot that I still have trouble understanding (but love it regardless)? Then The Elantra series (another one of my top 5...that I need to review) is the one for you.


Foreigner - My Favorite Sci-fi series (and one of my top 10, and I've actually reviewed this one). It's very different from Phantasia, with the main focus being on politics, diplomacy and character study.

A few awesome self-published authors:
- The Rise of Renegade X
-Nice Dragons finish last

And before I forget:

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FELLOW BOOK LOVERS! Wish you the most wondrous, magical and peaceful 2017! May the next 12 months be the best ones our planet has had so far, may we discover even more awesome stories that inspire us to be better and allow us to connect with each other regardless the distances.

[Florian Armas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantasy novel without proper world building is like food without salt. Phantasia passes the building test with brio in order to persuade the readers to suspend their disbelief in magic, fantastical beasts and many other implausible elements being presented to them. The level of detail is so deep and imaginative that, in an interesting way, the world itself becomes the main character of the book. From Titanamedusae to Cron, from Xenosites and Aeyz Cat to Emerald Thornback, from flou to Cinamic Jungle, from mawth to flazb, and other hundreds of never heard things, the reader is fully immersed from the first page. I still wonder how the author kept trace of all the elements he created.
The second best thing in the book is the action itself; it starts in the beginning and keeps a fast pace up to the end, preparing the reader for the next step: What will happen between Red and the blood elf. Will the faadh be completed? Will Arkan be stopped?
In the end, the only thing failing in the book are the dialogues between the main characters (the secondary ones like the Baron or Arkan present a different story, they have many interesting things to tell), they never match the imagination that fills everything else.

I received the book from the author

[Mark McKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic fantasy

When I started this book I wasn’t sure I would like it too much. The world described in its pages is made up of so many fantastical ‘critters’, people, elves and mythical beings, that the mind is forced to take a grand leap of imagination simply to keep up. The initial effort, though, is definitely worth it.

The story revolves around a combat team of five humans and one Linx cat, who visit the city of Areopa to take part in a qualifying contest that, if successful, will enable them to join an elite group of warriors who should be instrumental in defeating an invasion of horrific alien creatures, known as the Xenosite. The ‘qualifiers’ sets the stage for a more complex story, including re-incarnation, shared dreamscapes, manipulation of life forms, and a plot to gain ultimate dominion of the universe itself. All of this takes place in a fantastical world of energies, creatures and settings, all of which is described in intimate detail. There is also the odd philosophical reflection on the mysteries of life and death, which lends an existential mood to the story.

I found myself becoming drawn in despite my initial misgivings (it’s a long time since I read anything Sci-fi fantasy on this scale, which is strongly reminiscent of ‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert). The author’s stand out character for my money was the girl blood-elf, terrifying and beautiful in equal measure. My kind of woman. She got into my head, as did many of the settings in this book.

At the conclusion I felt a little disappointed at the lack of resolution in such an epic story, though this obviously leaves the door open for the next book. At the end of it all I can say I found this book to be much more stimulating than expected. I salute the author’s creativity and imagination, and his ability to transfer it to the page to create a book endowed with sometimes disturbing and often magical qualities. I look forward to his next one.

[Scott Spotson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What imagination! What world building! What masterful prose!

The writing is superlative, you wonder how this author can conjure it all. I think it’s safe to say that he has natural talent, and that is his actual output as he writes, so it is an innate talent that he has, and one that sadly (but fairly) most of us do not have. The imagery is rich and multi-layered. Above all, it is unique. I’m always a supporter of unique talent that really doesn’t draw on any previous work of fiction. Rather than improve upon works of classics, the true author blazes his own path.

At the same time, the talented author must temper himself to make his work widely accessible to a broad readership, so that many may appreciate his work. It’s not, as many may lead us to believe, blurring one’s own vision for the sake of mediocrity. Rather, it is the successful author meeting halfway with the inspired reader for a true and lasting partnership.

With that in mind, I was spellbound by many of the scenes and the overall complex structure of the novel. Yet, there were times when I was overwhelmed, so I put the book down and was able to spend days not motivated to return to the book, but was glad that I did. Now that I’ve read the entire book, if I were the author, I would perhaps reinforce some of the names and remind the reader of what the driving plot line was. Readers are fallible, they need a little help. It’s not dumbing down, it’s simply smart reinforcement. I had forgotten sometimes what the creatures were or the fact they were seen or mentioned before, especially if several chapters intervened without mention. For example, the Titanmedusae. For example, that Areopa was the capital of Avalonia, which is Magnus’ planet.

I think I would have been less overwhelmed by the book if some long sections (which do not require all such detail to feed into the rest of the plot to make the book work) would be to shorten the first assignment, in the Twilight Caverns, and the stay in Areopa. In fact, I found the main rhythm of the book to be on the dead star, when they battle the blood elves. This was the main rallying point for me. I think the first trial should be treated accordingly, i.e. more short, more of a prelude, more of a taste of what was to come, to excite the reader rather than commit his resources. Similarly, the stay in Areopa should be a sense they’re just visiting, they’re on the way to a strategically important qualifying competition. I think that would sweep up the excitement and tie it into a neat package, so to speak.

Be warned; the book is quite bizarre, and there are some plot points I did not understand, and that’s okay, although perhaps some important points could be clarified up, like who the MegaCORP is, who is The Light, and more back story on the Mouth of the Void, and so on. Again, it is more for connecting to the reader, not dumbing it down.

I loved the battles with the blood elves (although I scratched my head a bit when the most ferocious one turns out to be quite friendly later on) and the visit to the Library. It reminded me of the Doctor Who episode Silence in the Library, although of course the author’s take is so original that no comparison can be made. THAT was the core of the book to me, and I think events before and after could be more tied in.

I highly recommend this book, which is unlike any other fantasy today. And yes, I do think it is much more fantasy than science fiction.

[Jo Sparkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red is one of a team of students about to graduate an academy. He watches a rare classroom demonstration of the ‘infection’ of a simple creature by a Xenosite – creatures threatening their very existence. It’s a gruesome sight, and shows the enemy they are all working to defeat.

Impressed, Red and his friends prepare to face the Field Test, a hazardous multi-day event that determines placement upon graduation. They all want to go to a different planet to compete in the qualifiers for WEAPON, a secretive project for MegaCORP that no one really knows anything about. More than anything they want to join the battle against the Xenosites, and WEAPON looks to be the key to winning this battle.

Red's oldest friend is Raven, an orphan like himself whose talent so far exceeds all the others that she’s classified as Prometheus, a very rare thing. Red himself is a fire starter, with the ability to create and throw fire.
We will discover some wonderful ideas in this, such as the culture of the Blood Elves.

I found myself rapidly reading this at night, sometimes staying up later than I should. That’s a great sign. Fantasy often conjures up visions of Middle Ages or middle earth, so be advised that Phantasia is in some ways closer to a Sci-Fi. Even the ‘magic’ feels more tech than magic.

Amazingly for a novel this length I found only 2 actual typos. Early on there were a few too many ‘screams’, where other dialogue descriptions should have been used. Still, these either disappeared or I was too caught up in the tale to notice.

I must complain, however, that this book didn’t end at all – which struck me as most unfair. First, nowhere was it mentioned this is a series, so finding myself left hanging was frustrating.

Even in a series there ought to be some payoffs for the reader. In any Star Wars film, for example, there may be things left unanswered, but most current problems are resolved. Han Solo maybe encased in carbonite, but Luke and Leia escape Darth Vader’s trap and can now regroup to rescue their friend. Here we’re left, to all intents and purposes, in the pit of despair.

In all, this is a very promising start from a very promising writer. But for heaven’s sake, fulfill your promise and write the conclusion.

[Josh S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing and vast world with some great writing to draw you into it. The story is fairly complex. It starts off very simple as a fight against the Xenosite, parasitic creatures that can combine with other creatures to create more powerful hybrids, kind of like an ALIEN from the movie, but then it expands into a story with a much, much larger scope. Very epic in feel, although I think having a tighter story line would have helped. Either ways, I still didn’t have a problem following it, and I enjoyed everything from their journey through Sanguine City to their initial foray into the desert. The concepts presented are very interesting, I can’t say I’ve ever read anything similar. Glacial swamps, alcoholic jungles, dead stars. Some of the places were better described than others. My favorite by far was Sanguine City, a kind of victorian home for the blood elves, but with fantasy elements (the streets are lit by balloons with fire flies in them that can hypnotize people who look at them). Worth the read just to explore these concepts.

Some of the characters are very well done, especially for a genre that suffers from weak female characters. I can’t honestly think of a better female character than Raven, I totally fell in love with her from the moment she appears in chapter 2, all the way to the last scene. I don’t want to add any spoilers, but my heart was thumping out of my chest waiting to see if she was going to be turned into a WEAPON. With this being said, some of the other characters like Magnus and S are very lacking. I think the story would have been better with Butz, Red, and Raven as just a trio. 4 stars for this & because the plot could have been a bit tighter — but still an amazing and unique read.

[Lore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phantasia takes place in a fascinating world that uses multiple, unique races, a core magic
system based on people's life-force, and creatures that evolve over time. The book is worth the
read just to immerse yourself into the world. The characters are fantastic, Raven is by far my
favorite female character in any fantasy I've ever read. I'm actually kind of depressed now that
the book is over, and I feel incredibly attached to her, Red, and Butz. The writing is phenomenal,
I was always reaching for a pen to jot down some of the quotes in this book. There are too many
to list here but here are 2 of my favorites: ! !
"There mere shadow of such creatures crowned his race with an epithet of insignificance. They
were tyrants of creation, forces of entity and matter that could bury entire worlds in deluges of
destruction. He had heard that when The Leviathan takes breath, the whole of Eaut gasps from
the sudden shortage of air." ! !
"He thought maybe it wasn't even the past that he longed for, but the vague impression of a
limitless future. There was no doubt that he liked where he was more than where he had been -
but time had robbed his imagination of its wonder.” ! !
Highly recommended!!

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m still trying to wrap my head around this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read a sci-fi/fantasy that goes into as much depth as this one does.
The main character, Red, is a student of Crest Academy. He’s a dreamer, but he’s very bright. He’s mentality is to learn from experience rather than academic curriculum.
In the beginning we’re introduced to these alien parasites known as Xenosites. These things literally sent chills crawling up my skin. I’m squeamish when it comes to parasites, so to say it was a challenge to read is an understatement. These creatures have the ability to grow to gargantuan feet. In their last invasion they wiped out one of the major planets in the Metroid Belt.
Red and his friend Raven, and a few others in their group, travel to the sky city of Areopa to compete as qualifiers for WEAPON, a secretive experiment for MegaCORP – which I’m guessing is the government of Avalonia. The book didn’t really clarify. When a participant shows exceptional skill they are chosen as a WEAPON. Supposedly The WEAPON supplements soldiers with new genes to make them more powerful. These WEAPONS are used in case of another Xenosite invasion.
From the start, we see that Red has a certain connection with these creatures. He begins to have visions of being chased by an eye. This was where things got a little complicated for me. (I’m not giving anything away, the blurb mentions something about it already) Supposedly Red is the reincarnation of The Shepard of Oblivion, or Ikb’Sept, this deceased prophet, and Ikb’Sept’s spirit is trying to possess him. If I’m not mistaken, the eye and Ikb’Sept come together as one entity, but I was confused as to why Ikb’Sept was trying to possess Red’s body, because I was under the impression that Red and Ikb’Sept were one and the same spirit.
Moving on, of all the characters I felt like Raven was the most confident. She’s a skilled fighter with no classification because of her versatility, and she has this selfless love for Red. Kind of like an in it together forever attitude. In a way I think she felt responsible for him. Red feels the same way for her, but he doesn’t want her to hold back on her skills for him.
I was immersed in this book. The concept is fantastic. I could tell that the author is very in tune with the world he created, which isn’t a bad thing, but I think with a story this complex you have to remember that some readers appreciate simplicity. I know I do, but I had to give the book five stars because of how detailed it was. The author has one incredible imagination.

[Kim Marino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was left quite speechless at the end of the book. I honestly didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I was incredibly wrapped up with all of the characters and in this world in general, and I really wished I could have just stayed in that world. Let’s start with the characters. Raven is by far the most amazing female character I’ve ever seen in fantasy. An unsung hero for Red, she is a badass promethean fighter adept at all sorts of combat and has a dark psychological edge to her. Butz is witty, sometimes absolutely hilarious, and an absolute joy to read whenever he shows up. Arkan is brilliant, and makes for an excellent eccentric-genius type character. The side cast, like the baron and the elf, really get into your head, sometimes inspiring awe, sometimes fear, sometimes wonder. And finally, Red. I absolutely fell in love with him as the novel progressed. He starts off as a typical coming-of-age character, but has both a darker side, and a sensitive side you can sympathize for.

The world is incredible, with places and ideas that are unique and exhilarating. I loved the way Riyadad weaves an underlying tone of philosophy underneath it all; the novel really makes you think sometimes and doesn’t just read like a plain go-here-go-there fantasy adventure book. Some of the scenes can be breath-taking, I feel like this book should really be a movie one day. I’m really looking forward to book 2 and to getting lost in this world again. Phantasia is a phenomenal, beautiful work of art.

[Jason Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure; I received this copy for free in exchange for a fair, honest review. Phantasia is a story all about world building and action. And to that end it does a great job. It's imaginative, well paced, well conceived and thoroughly enjoyable. As a writer I really respect how much work and craftsmanship it takes to create something so detailed yet so easy to comprehend. It's a skill I don't have and I am constantly amazed when I see a writer how does and this author has it. Though, I would be rebuffed not to mention that the ending leaves a lot to be desired. I wasn't really given the impression that this story was one book within a larger series so when the ending came I felt pretty let down. As a part of a series I could see the ending working a bit better but even still each story within a series still needs some closure for the reader.

The story is wildly entertaining and clearly shows that the writer is quite good at what he does and, if I'm honest, I haven't much else to add. This is a great story for people who prefer world-building, fast pacing and an entertaining read.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very different. My rating does not mean this is not a good book...it just means that I had trouble reading it. The characters were fleshed-out on the go, which was fine. The worlds were extreme, the different life-forms wildly imaginative. I just had trouble keeping up with the plot and it seemed that things changed so fast from one situation to another, and sometimes they appeared to blend together. It is SciFi/Fantasy in my opinion, which is not a bad thing.

[Evida Suntoyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really solid fantasy novel with amazing dialogue and lines. Hard to put down once you get into it. It’s a mix between science fiction and fantasy, so I’d say read the first few chapters to make sure it’s for you. I had no problem with it, but it’s certainly not traditional fantasy or sci-fi.

[Carol Jayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. The protagonist Red is very likable and the world building itself is quite amazing! I was quite wrapped up in this amazing world and with all of the characters and I was sad when the book ended.Definitely top marks.

[Kitty Smeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written book I must say! It's imaginative, beautifully paced and quite enjoyable.I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Matt Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot to like in M. U. Riyadad's PHANTASIA. The world-building is deep and imaginative; the action scenes are over-the-top and genuinely exciting; the monsters are satisfyingly awe-inspiring, the villain satisfyingly mysterious. The book unapologetically mixes space opera, kaiju horror, and epic fantasy into a story that reads a bit as though the cast of Harry Potter found themselves thrown into a lost chapter in the Final Fantasy series.

I've put my share of hours into Harry Potter and Final Fantasy, but they each have their weaknesses, and PHANTASIA shares some of them. The characters are a bit schematic, defined principally by their roles in combat and secondarily by broad-brush elements of personal history (the aristocrat, the refugee). The action is often interrupted for long passages of exposition about the story world's history, politics, or metaphysics -- which can be done well, but here it tends to take on the feel of a role-playing game supplement, filling in vital statistics rather than advancing the narrative or kindling questions that keep the reader moving forward. Ideas from gaming seem to be imported more or less unquestioningly -- it's taken for granted that monster-killing is a useful yardstick of combat prowess, that monsters come in discrete "stages" corresponding to their power, that monster-killers come in bundles of shared powers called "classes," and so on.

Fundamentally, I think I'm not the ideal audience for this book. I personally prefer books that are more focused on language, where the world-building emerges organically from events and dialogue rather than through authorial exposition. But if you're looking for a book that is, first and foremost, about heart-pounding action and epic wonder, you'll enjoy PHANTASIA.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well-written. The prologue sets a tone which is consistent throughout, and the overall mood is well-maintained. There is some great descriptive work throughout which add a lot of texture to the setting. Despite the mix of fantasy and science fiction elements, I did find the world - and particularly the place names - a little generic, but they are perfectly fit for purpose and I'm sure a lot of readers will disagree with me. The characters are likeable and consistent, and the author manages to weave in some philosophical elements without being too heavy-handed. Overall, it follows a set formula a little too closely for my personal tastes and I would have liked to have seen something a little more idiosyncratic, but it's nevertheless a fantasy/science fiction novel of high quality.

[Valo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best thing I have read lately, hooked since very first chapter. I'm very impatient and easily bored reader but Phantasia never gave me a single dull moment, nor the characters caused me turn off my kindle in aggressive manner because of their idiocy - which often occurs even with the books I pretty much like. Brilliant worldbuilding and this book really lets you to sink into its exciting world full of interesting things to explore. I also love the way you can feel the fun the author had writing.

If you're up to adventure, you should read this. If not, you should read this anyway and join me in wait of sequel. And honestly I write bad reviews and fail expressing all the good things this novel contains, but it is so good I had to try at least.

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this dark book through good reads first reads.

I just can't read this book. The writing is amazing but every chapter touches on a personal phobia of mine - from spiders to little grubby things that take over other things bodies and makes them scarier. The premise is amazingly cool, I just couldn't take it. It sucks that I couldn't because I have a feeling that this book would be awesome and inspiring through its darkness - I just can't take that right now. I'm going to keep it and maybe try to read it again at a later date.

[Kyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

Though the story starts out a little slow, it definitely picks up speed. I like the characters and it was a pretty decent story line. I'm reserving the last star for the rest of the books in the series. Hopefully they are as good as this one.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

This needs to be made into a full length anime movie. The book is amazing and beautiful and captivating. It's like halo, Hogwarts, starship troopers, and Vampire Hunter D all rolled into one. This kid will give all other fantasy writers a run for their money.

[Susan Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty good work of Science Fiction. The characters are well written and the story will keep you interested.

[Jusnaturae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awsome!

I loved this book , I couldn't put it down and I can't wait to read the next one. I

[BookzBookzBookz]

Review to come.

[Mutated Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads Synopsis:
Enter a world unlike any other. A world teeming with creatures the size of planets, parasites that can lay waste to entire civilizations, and mysterious energy sources that can decay the life force of stars. Across glacial swamps, cloud cities, and ages past – The Evil Eye continues to seek its possessor. What starts as only a whisper in the darkness, grows into a tale of epic proportions

My Review:
I loved this book from the moment I started it. The world itself that the story is set in just seems really ell thought out and diverse. Spanning across an entire solar system, there are TONS of different species and worlds and I love to just imagine what being in a world like this book, a mix of fantasy and science fiction, where there's two suns and underwater civilizations and creatures that evolve before your eyes. The characters are great, following an entire team with the main character being a man named Red, they seem like people you might know in real life. They have ambitions and aside from being able to wield energy and being different species seem lifelike. The story itself is exciting and I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. Although the chapters and the book in general are really long, I gladly would sit and read a chapter for twenty minutes at a time. I love the characters, the world they're in, and just the book in general. I got it for free on amazon.ca and I'm glad I picked it to read next. It's unlike anything I've read lately, and half way through the book I was already wondering what would happen in the next book. Red is a soldier. In the beginning of the book, he went to an academy with his team and spent all his time training to be better. That all changes, however, after his field test. They go down onto a planet during the solstice, when the two suns that sustain their solar system are nowhere to be seen for a week, plunging the planet into perpetual darkness for that week. From that point on was when I really got sucked into the story, more so than I was already. Honestly I just wanted to know more and more from even just reading the first chapter. It's action packed, exciting, and I love learning about this world so unlike our own,. It's really hard to explain the entire plot of the book without giving away too much, however I definitely recommend you check it out if you haven't already!
Thanks for reading! Check out this review and more at my blog.
(Radioactivebookreviews.wordpress.com)

[BookzBookzBookz · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy science fiction with a heavy technological, yet magical feel- Phantasia, by M. U. Riyadad is for you!

I found this book on Goodreads and thought I'd go for it. He sent it out like, the very next day! I was so excited- especially since I LOVE big books. Stuffed with near 500-pages, this book takes you on a journey like no other.

Phantasia Book one: Into the Rain is about a young man and his friends who are faced with a life of aliens. The world is nothing like before, where you're pretty much raised to fight. Red, the main character wants to go to specialized training with his friends. This training: WEAPON, is for the elite, which Red and his team feels they're made for. But there's so much more! Especially when it comes to the Xenocites- I offer up no SPOILERS! If you want more on that, you'll have to get your own copy. I promise you, you won't feel cheated. This is an epic story.
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I enjoyed this book and will consider purchasing the rest of the books in the series (The Rising Tide and Eyes of Light). The story is very well written and you won't be bored at all. The characters are perfectly developed, the story feels...

*For full review: http://bit.ly/PhantasiaNovel
**Book published by Mohammed Ullah.

[Anthony Messina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing first novel

After learning that the author just started writing, I am immensely impressed. I don't know if it will find a popularity to rival many of the greats that influenced the author, but it's definitely a fun read and a great escape. Definitely looking forward to a book 2.

[Maria Loeber · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a whole new world... forget that.. a whole new Universe! And the author makes a great work at creating it. It has parts a little too dark for my personal taste, and I'm still deciding if I want to read the second book of the series, but don´t let my personal taste to keep you from discovering this new universe and the story that the author creates on your mind... It is a really good book.

[Jody Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, kept my interest

I enjoyed the book hard to put down. Enjoy reading something different. Cliff hanger warning. Worth reading , look forward to the next book

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

God I love this book and am devastated it's not being continued

[Julie Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An imaginative fantasy novel that could be seen more as science fiction.

The world created was very good, while the action and plot were entertaining. Some good character development and intriguing ideas.

Great use of the imagination.