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Progeny of Gods: Vertuém Destiny
Greyson is a green-eyed misfit. Teased all through his childhood for being some sort of demon, the only kid without brown eyes. Now 19, Greyson travels to the Kingdom of Viæden, an ancient and secluded realm where trees grow to be seven miles tall. And there, he discovers his eyes mean that he is a vertui: something more than human, destined to play a major role in the fate of the world. But will it be for good? Or evil?
The truth is never black and white. And on his first day as a Royal Guard, Greyson accidentally releases the kingdom’s most dreaded memory: Stiqula, a monster sealed away by a goddess long ago. Born again, Stiqula strikes a deal with an evil god to end the world, and in return be reunited with his love. But is their reunion worth the world’s destruction? And will Greyson discover his true destiny in time to stop him?
The truth is never black and white. And on his first day as a Royal Guard, Greyson accidentally releases the kingdom’s most dreaded memory: Stiqula, a monster sealed away by a goddess long ago. Born again, Stiqula strikes a deal with an evil god to end the world, and in return be reunited with his love. But is their reunion worth the world’s destruction? And will Greyson discover his true destiny in time to stop him?
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2015
3 people are currently reading
774 people want to read
About the author
Geoffrey Storm
1 book125 followersGeoffrey Storm was born and raised in Michigan, in an old, suburban neighborhood he calls “his Shire.” There are no sidewalks, and no traffic, just endless lawns, ponds, and trees. It’s almost another world entirely. And to him, it is. Inspired by the fantastic worlds seen in Star Wars, Zelda, and Kingdom Hearts, Geoffrey created one of his own in his backyard. An escape from reality. A world he now wishes to share with you.
Geoffrey is a graduate of Michigan State University’s English program, with focusses in Creative Writing, Sociology, and Linguistics. Growing up, he never thought he’d be a writer. Maybe an actor, an artist, or even an architect. But now he’s put all those dreams, all his knowledge, and all his heart into one idea. One world. One story.
Geoffrey is a graduate of Michigan State University’s English program, with focusses in Creative Writing, Sociology, and Linguistics. Growing up, he never thought he’d be a writer. Maybe an actor, an artist, or even an architect. But now he’s put all those dreams, all his knowledge, and all his heart into one idea. One world. One story.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 3, 2015
I enjoyed this but didn't love it! Video review coming soon :)
June 10, 2015
Well, damn, this was a great book. As someone who has worked in publishing, I genuinely saw no point in this book where it seemed self published.
Okay, let me get my thoughts together. This book was spectacular; it sucked me into this amazing world that was high concept fantasy and contemporary at the same time, which is a huge feat for the author. And when I say high concept fantasy I mean it: there are trees that grow seven miles high, demon creatures straight from your nightmares, and a mythos so well crafted, it had me believing it was real. And then at the same time there's fast talking teens wearing high-top sneakers and kids questioning their purpose in life, no different than the questions we've all had at one point or another.
Speaking of the characters, Storm does an amazing job making them 3-dimensional. And while the protagonist Greyson is lovable, the superstar of this cast is the villain, Stiqula. Regardless of all the evil he commits, it's never without reason or understanding. And somehow, even at his lowest, I still found myself hoping for some sort of redemption.
It's not just the Greyson and Stiqula story either. The side characters are all fun here too, the world itself being a side character of its own. There is SO much detail and description that I wasn't left with any blurry areas or questions. Literally, every part of this world is sculpted over the course of the novel. By the time I closed the book I could still see the world so clearly.
Overall, this really is a five star book. It tackles such heavy material, juggling questions of soul and reason, at the same time, a mythology unlike one I've ever seen or read. The author took on these huge tasks and handled them brilliantly.
I really truly hope I get another chance to visit this magnificent world.
Okay, let me get my thoughts together. This book was spectacular; it sucked me into this amazing world that was high concept fantasy and contemporary at the same time, which is a huge feat for the author. And when I say high concept fantasy I mean it: there are trees that grow seven miles high, demon creatures straight from your nightmares, and a mythos so well crafted, it had me believing it was real. And then at the same time there's fast talking teens wearing high-top sneakers and kids questioning their purpose in life, no different than the questions we've all had at one point or another.
Speaking of the characters, Storm does an amazing job making them 3-dimensional. And while the protagonist Greyson is lovable, the superstar of this cast is the villain, Stiqula. Regardless of all the evil he commits, it's never without reason or understanding. And somehow, even at his lowest, I still found myself hoping for some sort of redemption.
It's not just the Greyson and Stiqula story either. The side characters are all fun here too, the world itself being a side character of its own. There is SO much detail and description that I wasn't left with any blurry areas or questions. Literally, every part of this world is sculpted over the course of the novel. By the time I closed the book I could still see the world so clearly.
Overall, this really is a five star book. It tackles such heavy material, juggling questions of soul and reason, at the same time, a mythology unlike one I've ever seen or read. The author took on these huge tasks and handled them brilliantly.
I really truly hope I get another chance to visit this magnificent world.
October 13, 2015
DNF at 41%.
I realize I'm kind of the oddball here. This book is receiving a multitude of 4 and 5 star ratings, people raving about the world and the mix between science fiction and fantasy.
But GOD, I hate it.
It's hard to explain why exactly I don't like it: There's too much detail, and not enough detail. I know to a normal person that sounds ridiculously confusing, so let me elaborate.
There is so much detail about irrelevant nothings that I keep getting confused as to how we progressed from one part of the story to the next. Where did that character come from? How did we get back to the king? I'm sorry, but what exactly is a letride or whatever Stiqula uses for the majority of his fight scenes??? This is what I mean, the story lacks details that explain what the hell we're experiencing, all the while going into lengthy descriptions about Stiqula's inner turmoil.
Oh GOD, Stiqula's inner turmoil.
44% in, approximately 169 pages, and probably half of that is spent watching Stiqula just fight with himself in his head about his past, or remembering weird things with absolutely no context whatsoever. The 20 minute long chapters divulging into the intrapersonal war come off as a bit melodramatic, honestly.
I will give the story one thing - I enjoyed Tay. He is a fun, hotheaded, hopeless character. But other than that, the dialogue between characters was poorly written. The interactions felt forced, as if the author was trying too hard to form relationships with these characters.
One other thing that I couldn't get over was how implausible this story was. I understand fantasy/science fiction is hardly ever realistic, but an author has to work extremely hard to make things plausible within a certain world. I could not for a second believe they could build a high-tech super airship in a week. I could not for a second believe Greyson cared deeply about Ellis and what's his name enough to garner such an emotional reaction. And I could not for a second believe that the King hand selects his own guards - and that there were only 4 applicants! Seriously?
It's a bummer that I didn't enjoy this book. But one of my mottos is "Life is too short to read bad books," so I'm setting this aside and carrying on with something else.
I realize I'm kind of the oddball here. This book is receiving a multitude of 4 and 5 star ratings, people raving about the world and the mix between science fiction and fantasy.
But GOD, I hate it.
It's hard to explain why exactly I don't like it: There's too much detail, and not enough detail. I know to a normal person that sounds ridiculously confusing, so let me elaborate.
There is so much detail about irrelevant nothings that I keep getting confused as to how we progressed from one part of the story to the next. Where did that character come from? How did we get back to the king? I'm sorry, but what exactly is a letride or whatever Stiqula uses for the majority of his fight scenes??? This is what I mean, the story lacks details that explain what the hell we're experiencing, all the while going into lengthy descriptions about Stiqula's inner turmoil.
Oh GOD, Stiqula's inner turmoil.
44% in, approximately 169 pages, and probably half of that is spent watching Stiqula just fight with himself in his head about his past, or remembering weird things with absolutely no context whatsoever. The 20 minute long chapters divulging into the intrapersonal war come off as a bit melodramatic, honestly.
I will give the story one thing - I enjoyed Tay. He is a fun, hotheaded, hopeless character. But other than that, the dialogue between characters was poorly written. The interactions felt forced, as if the author was trying too hard to form relationships with these characters.
One other thing that I couldn't get over was how implausible this story was. I understand fantasy/science fiction is hardly ever realistic, but an author has to work extremely hard to make things plausible within a certain world. I could not for a second believe they could build a high-tech super airship in a week. I could not for a second believe Greyson cared deeply about Ellis and what's his name enough to garner such an emotional reaction. And I could not for a second believe that the King hand selects his own guards - and that there were only 4 applicants! Seriously?
It's a bummer that I didn't enjoy this book. But one of my mottos is "Life is too short to read bad books," so I'm setting this aside and carrying on with something else.
July 18, 2015
I loved this world so effing much!!! <3 woah.
It was portrayed so vividly and seems like such a beautiful world! All the foliage and architecture in the world sounded amazing.
The characters all seemed realistic and so real that I really thought they were real people and could just come right off the page and be in their crew!
Now. The writing. <3 I didn't want the book to end. I loved every bit of this. The plot, the world building, the flashbacks, the action, the ending! The writing was just fantastic.
Definitely can't wait for the sequel! I want more Stiqula<333
It was portrayed so vividly and seems like such a beautiful world! All the foliage and architecture in the world sounded amazing.
The characters all seemed realistic and so real that I really thought they were real people and could just come right off the page and be in their crew!
Now. The writing. <3 I didn't want the book to end. I loved every bit of this. The plot, the world building, the flashbacks, the action, the ending! The writing was just fantastic.
Definitely can't wait for the sequel! I want more Stiqula<333
October 2, 2015
WHAT. WHAT. WHAT.
I went into this book expecting to like it a lot and give it somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but OH MY GOSH IT WAS SO AMAZING AND WONDERFUL AND THE FEELS.
Greyson is a fantastic lead. He's funny and down to earth and his struggle throughout the book is amazing. His character development is incredible. Tay is probably my favorite character. He's absolutely hilarious and he not only brings comic relief but his bravery is so amazing and his character development is on point. I can't stress how much I love fantastic character development and this story has bucketfuls of it. I LOVE SAM. Her character brings so much to the story and she reminds me a little bit of Hermione sometimes with her knowledge but gahh I love her. I want to see more of Megan next book because I want to get to know her character--we didn't really get to see her develop, but I'm looking forward to that! The king was evil. All kings in epic fantasy books are evil I think. And then Kyri--first of all for a three year old she is so badass why wasn't I like that as a three year old? Secondly I can't wait to see her grow up. I love how the author included her because we don't often see children in books and I loved how she had such a big role but wasn't 15 and older. And also Stiqula is my favorite villain--we all still sympathize with him but he's still evil ahh I want more of him.
Secondly, the world in the book was so so cool!!!!! I love love love LOVE the mix between this amazingly fantastic fantasy world and real life clothes and dialect and procedures. Plus all of the ships reminded me of Star Wars (which I'm pretty sure was the authors intention) but I love Star Wars and I've never read a book that has anything like it so I loved it.
I have very very few complaints but I noticed one use of the word "gunna" and also one use of "expecting" instead of when it should have been "accepting" and being a grammar freak this kind of got on my nerves, but it honestly it didn't affect my understanding of the text and my love for it. Also there was probably one too many cuss words for my taste but again it didn't really affect my love or understanding.
Overall I absolutely loved this book and I just have to say that I ship Greysam and Taygan so hard. But now Geoff please write the next book! <3
I went into this book expecting to like it a lot and give it somewhere between 3 and 4 stars but OH MY GOSH IT WAS SO AMAZING AND WONDERFUL AND THE FEELS.
Greyson is a fantastic lead. He's funny and down to earth and his struggle throughout the book is amazing. His character development is incredible. Tay is probably my favorite character. He's absolutely hilarious and he not only brings comic relief but his bravery is so amazing and his character development is on point. I can't stress how much I love fantastic character development and this story has bucketfuls of it. I LOVE SAM. Her character brings so much to the story and she reminds me a little bit of Hermione sometimes with her knowledge but gahh I love her. I want to see more of Megan next book because I want to get to know her character--we didn't really get to see her develop, but I'm looking forward to that! The king was evil. All kings in epic fantasy books are evil I think. And then Kyri--first of all for a three year old she is so badass why wasn't I like that as a three year old? Secondly I can't wait to see her grow up. I love how the author included her because we don't often see children in books and I loved how she had such a big role but wasn't 15 and older. And also Stiqula is my favorite villain--we all still sympathize with him but he's still evil ahh I want more of him.
Secondly, the world in the book was so so cool!!!!! I love love love LOVE the mix between this amazingly fantastic fantasy world and real life clothes and dialect and procedures. Plus all of the ships reminded me of Star Wars (which I'm pretty sure was the authors intention) but I love Star Wars and I've never read a book that has anything like it so I loved it.
I have very very few complaints but I noticed one use of the word "gunna" and also one use of "expecting" instead of when it should have been "accepting" and being a grammar freak this kind of got on my nerves, but it honestly it didn't affect my understanding of the text and my love for it. Also there was probably one too many cuss words for my taste but again it didn't really affect my love or understanding.
Overall I absolutely loved this book and I just have to say that I ship Greysam and Taygan so hard. But now Geoff please write the next book! <3
June 26, 2015
I'd probably round up to 3.5 stars on this one, four if a fairly minor question of mine (see review below) was addressed.
Geoffrey Storm’s Progeny of Gods: Vertuem Destiny is an imaginative fantasy adventure through a world with freshwater oceans and trees that are miles high with whole cities inside of them. Everyone in this world has brown eyes. Well, almost everyone.
Some people, such as Greyson, have green eyes. When Greyson grew up he was teased for being different (poor little outcast hero) but when he arrives in the nation of Viaeden, hoping for a job as a member of the Royal Guard, Greyson learns that here, his eyes are special. They mean something. They mark him as someone with a special destiny. Or at least, they would’ve fifty years ago. The king has outlawed religion and silly superstitions.
The king is also kind of wacky, but he’s the king. Who’s gonna question the king?
“He sat so gently in his chair, gripping its armrests, and breathing easy. The throne was as tall as the king, and looked almost as old as those green doors, made of thick and rigid oak, coated in a gold, which was chipping and peeling at the grains.
‘I understand you boys were amid the best guards in Wellington. And I’m sure it’s no revelation to you, but that was just a small tree-colony. You’ll have your work cut out for you here, I assure you.’ His voice seemed kind of light for someone his age. And he spoke oddly, putting emphasis on all the…big words. Like he was bragging that he knew them.”
As part of the application for the Royal Guard, Greyson and his friend Tay are sent to track down a stolen ship full of explosives. They catch up to it right as it’s about to crash into one of those giant trees I mentioned earlier, and to keep it from colliding with the tree, Greyson fires at it. Unfortunately, the ship still goes ka-boom, and this particular tree is special. It’s being used as a prison for Stiqula, the “man” that brought death and destruction to the kingdom fifty years previously.
When Stiqula is released from his prison, most of his memory is gone. I thought it was really interesting to watch him remember the bad things he’d done, but not remember why he did them. I liked that we get to see inside of Stiqula’s mind too. There were times when I was actually rooting for him. Of course, I immediately went back to rooting for Greyson and Tay.
Geoffrey Storm does a good job of making the book more than a black and white, good vs. evil, light against dark type thing. I hate it when books do that, but Storm obviously realizes that the world isn’t black and white, and so his fantasy world isn’t black and white either (though it takes awhile for the characters to figure that out, and Greyson is still very obviously the “good guy”).
“He looked to the ceiling in search of the right words. Something philosophical that he knew Greyson would like. ‘Sometimes…there isn’t always a right or wrong choice. There’s just the best choice.’”
My only complaint is that I wish there was a little more investigation into who exactly stole the ship full of explosives that released Stiqula in the first place. After his release, there’s so much action (and Geoffrey Storm writes some great fight scenes) trying to catch him that I feel there wasn’t enough investigation into who exactly was trying to let the bad guy out, and why.
Even with that hole, I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing was fun, the characters were well developed, and the pace wasn’t too slow or too fast. Geoffrey Storm is a writer to watch.
Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, however all of the opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by the fact that I received a free copy.
This is a version of a review previously posted to my blog, bookreviews77.com
Geoffrey Storm’s Progeny of Gods: Vertuem Destiny is an imaginative fantasy adventure through a world with freshwater oceans and trees that are miles high with whole cities inside of them. Everyone in this world has brown eyes. Well, almost everyone.
Some people, such as Greyson, have green eyes. When Greyson grew up he was teased for being different (poor little outcast hero) but when he arrives in the nation of Viaeden, hoping for a job as a member of the Royal Guard, Greyson learns that here, his eyes are special. They mean something. They mark him as someone with a special destiny. Or at least, they would’ve fifty years ago. The king has outlawed religion and silly superstitions.
The king is also kind of wacky, but he’s the king. Who’s gonna question the king?
“He sat so gently in his chair, gripping its armrests, and breathing easy. The throne was as tall as the king, and looked almost as old as those green doors, made of thick and rigid oak, coated in a gold, which was chipping and peeling at the grains.
‘I understand you boys were amid the best guards in Wellington. And I’m sure it’s no revelation to you, but that was just a small tree-colony. You’ll have your work cut out for you here, I assure you.’ His voice seemed kind of light for someone his age. And he spoke oddly, putting emphasis on all the…big words. Like he was bragging that he knew them.”
As part of the application for the Royal Guard, Greyson and his friend Tay are sent to track down a stolen ship full of explosives. They catch up to it right as it’s about to crash into one of those giant trees I mentioned earlier, and to keep it from colliding with the tree, Greyson fires at it. Unfortunately, the ship still goes ka-boom, and this particular tree is special. It’s being used as a prison for Stiqula, the “man” that brought death and destruction to the kingdom fifty years previously.
When Stiqula is released from his prison, most of his memory is gone. I thought it was really interesting to watch him remember the bad things he’d done, but not remember why he did them. I liked that we get to see inside of Stiqula’s mind too. There were times when I was actually rooting for him. Of course, I immediately went back to rooting for Greyson and Tay.
Geoffrey Storm does a good job of making the book more than a black and white, good vs. evil, light against dark type thing. I hate it when books do that, but Storm obviously realizes that the world isn’t black and white, and so his fantasy world isn’t black and white either (though it takes awhile for the characters to figure that out, and Greyson is still very obviously the “good guy”).
“He looked to the ceiling in search of the right words. Something philosophical that he knew Greyson would like. ‘Sometimes…there isn’t always a right or wrong choice. There’s just the best choice.’”
My only complaint is that I wish there was a little more investigation into who exactly stole the ship full of explosives that released Stiqula in the first place. After his release, there’s so much action (and Geoffrey Storm writes some great fight scenes) trying to catch him that I feel there wasn’t enough investigation into who exactly was trying to let the bad guy out, and why.
Even with that hole, I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing was fun, the characters were well developed, and the pace wasn’t too slow or too fast. Geoffrey Storm is a writer to watch.
Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, however all of the opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced by the fact that I received a free copy.
This is a version of a review previously posted to my blog, bookreviews77.com
July 1, 2015
So, there’s a planet out there Gran Viaeden. On that planet is a prosperous kingdom called The United Kingdom of Viaeden which is a land of gigantic living beings and normal sized humans. Oh yes, humans have inhabited this planet already and it is the year 1373 in which Greyson Wight and Taymes Hooker are selected and brought to Darakin, a monster of a pine tree which also happens to harbour the whole capital city, by General Theodore Brown for a final round of interview with the King Huey to be his Royal Guards.
Of the two young men, Greyson seems to take everything very seriously and is easily bogged down by his conscience and Taymes is a total badass who doesn’t let his conscience distract him from his goal. They have flying bark ships that dock on gigantic trees that are miles taller than what we have here on earth. When they are assigned an emergency task and screw that up by releasing an evil creature that was confined by a goddess in a humongous tree for more than fifty years, all the hell breaks loose on the kingdom. The story shows Greyson and Taymes trying their best to save their world with help of General Theodore Brown, Samantha O’Nasi and Nash O’Nasi. To add to the chaos, there is vertuém destiny to deal with. What is this vertuém destiny? Does this make good win or the evil? Read Progeny of Gods: Vertuém Destiny by Geoffrey Storm to find out who wins. It is not as obvious as you think.
This book will snap you out of the world of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games and Game of Thrones. You shall reprogram yourself and be in awe just by imagining the United Kingdom of Viaeden. However, due to the swear words used in story, I wouldn’t recommend this book to children, but no hindrance to young adults. It is a good blend of science and magic.
Book releases on 9 July 2015. Go grab it!
Of the two young men, Greyson seems to take everything very seriously and is easily bogged down by his conscience and Taymes is a total badass who doesn’t let his conscience distract him from his goal. They have flying bark ships that dock on gigantic trees that are miles taller than what we have here on earth. When they are assigned an emergency task and screw that up by releasing an evil creature that was confined by a goddess in a humongous tree for more than fifty years, all the hell breaks loose on the kingdom. The story shows Greyson and Taymes trying their best to save their world with help of General Theodore Brown, Samantha O’Nasi and Nash O’Nasi. To add to the chaos, there is vertuém destiny to deal with. What is this vertuém destiny? Does this make good win or the evil? Read Progeny of Gods: Vertuém Destiny by Geoffrey Storm to find out who wins. It is not as obvious as you think.
This book will snap you out of the world of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games and Game of Thrones. You shall reprogram yourself and be in awe just by imagining the United Kingdom of Viaeden. However, due to the swear words used in story, I wouldn’t recommend this book to children, but no hindrance to young adults. It is a good blend of science and magic.
Book releases on 9 July 2015. Go grab it!
February 1, 2016
WHAT!? I NEED MORE!!!! That was such a great book and I can't even explain how enjoyable this was to read.
July 26, 2015
If you want to watch me discuss this book in further detail, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QrxX...
Characters: 20/20 (1 star)- Geoffrey Storm does an amazing job at creating real characters. You really get to know the different characters' personalities and how they interact with each other. Their relationships never really felt rushed which I really liked. You understand why people are doing certain things, and you learn along with Greyson, the main character, what is actually going on.
Plot: 16/20 (3/4 star)- The plot was very unique and interesting. There is the comparison to Star Wars, and while I haven't seen Star Wars (*gasp* I know. I'm planning on seeing it by the end of the year), it really did give me similar vibes from what I know about Star Wars. It was very well done, but one thing I had a bit of a complaint about was how in the beginning you know there are barely any people with green eyes because they're special. But, almost everyone we meet has green eyes (the King, Kyri, Sam, Nash, the prisoners). So, I didn't really see how rare it was (it could just be because we didn't see the true ratio of brown eyed people to green eyed people).
Setting: 18/20 (1 star)- The book was very imaginable in the way that I could picture almost everything that was going on in my head almost perfectly because they were so well described. There were a few scenes that were a bit more difficult to picture but mainly because I didn't really know how to rather than it being explained poorly.
Writing: 17/20 (3/4 star)- The writing, as I said before, was very good at planting the picture in your mind of what was happening. The writing style really fit with the story and made it piece together and flow very well.
Enjoyment: 17/20 (3/4 star)- I really enjoyed reading this story and finding out about the world. I wanted to keep reading, and it was a bummer that I had to put the book down so often because I think I would have liked it even more if I could read it all at once. However, I still really enjoyed the story and really want to find out what happens next (where is book 2?). :)
Overall: 88/100 (4 1/4 stars)
Characters: 20/20 (1 star)- Geoffrey Storm does an amazing job at creating real characters. You really get to know the different characters' personalities and how they interact with each other. Their relationships never really felt rushed which I really liked. You understand why people are doing certain things, and you learn along with Greyson, the main character, what is actually going on.
Plot: 16/20 (3/4 star)- The plot was very unique and interesting. There is the comparison to Star Wars, and while I haven't seen Star Wars (*gasp* I know. I'm planning on seeing it by the end of the year), it really did give me similar vibes from what I know about Star Wars. It was very well done, but one thing I had a bit of a complaint about was how in the beginning you know there are barely any people with green eyes because they're special. But, almost everyone we meet has green eyes (the King, Kyri, Sam, Nash, the prisoners). So, I didn't really see how rare it was (it could just be because we didn't see the true ratio of brown eyed people to green eyed people).
Setting: 18/20 (1 star)- The book was very imaginable in the way that I could picture almost everything that was going on in my head almost perfectly because they were so well described. There were a few scenes that were a bit more difficult to picture but mainly because I didn't really know how to rather than it being explained poorly.
Writing: 17/20 (3/4 star)- The writing, as I said before, was very good at planting the picture in your mind of what was happening. The writing style really fit with the story and made it piece together and flow very well.
Enjoyment: 17/20 (3/4 star)- I really enjoyed reading this story and finding out about the world. I wanted to keep reading, and it was a bummer that I had to put the book down so often because I think I would have liked it even more if I could read it all at once. However, I still really enjoyed the story and really want to find out what happens next (where is book 2?). :)
Overall: 88/100 (4 1/4 stars)
August 17, 2015
FINALLY!
I took forever and a day to finish this. But I finally did!
This was so so good. Geoff did a really good job with this. While the first half of the book was a little on the slow side, the second half really picked up the pace! I really enjoyed the fight scenes. It felt like I was watching a movie through most of this book, which I think is what he wanted!
So... The characters.
Honestly, I really didn't like Greyson for most of the book. I found him to be whiny and a bit on the awkward side. BUT! He did grow into himself and I think he will continue to grow. After all, he's still young.
Tay. Oh Tay. He reminds me of every annoying guy I've ever met, but hey, he does have his good parts. I would just probably wan to smack him every other second of the day if I ever had the chance to meet him in person.
STIQULA! I wanted to hate him, I really did. But, you know what, that's just not possible, is it?
*SPOILERS COMING*
I really liked the parallel between Greyson and Stiqula. Had things been different, Greyson could very well have been Stiqula. They fight for the very same reasons, and I really liked that.
The whole, "There is good and bad in all of us" idea through the whole book was amazing. I really enjoyed that and it is just so true. We can either let the darkness take over, or find a little sliver of light to hold onto.
Overall, I gave this book 4/5 stars because I had a bit of trouble getting into the first half. There were a few things about the writing style that didn't jive with me, and some constant typos that stood out. But really, those don't matter all that much. The story was incredible. The thought and time that I KNOW Geoff put into this story in apparent and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Oh, and please please please, figure out a way to make this a video game. Please? It would be so fun!
I took forever and a day to finish this. But I finally did!
This was so so good. Geoff did a really good job with this. While the first half of the book was a little on the slow side, the second half really picked up the pace! I really enjoyed the fight scenes. It felt like I was watching a movie through most of this book, which I think is what he wanted!
So... The characters.
Honestly, I really didn't like Greyson for most of the book. I found him to be whiny and a bit on the awkward side. BUT! He did grow into himself and I think he will continue to grow. After all, he's still young.
Tay. Oh Tay. He reminds me of every annoying guy I've ever met, but hey, he does have his good parts. I would just probably wan to smack him every other second of the day if I ever had the chance to meet him in person.
STIQULA! I wanted to hate him, I really did. But, you know what, that's just not possible, is it?
*SPOILERS COMING*
I really liked the parallel between Greyson and Stiqula. Had things been different, Greyson could very well have been Stiqula. They fight for the very same reasons, and I really liked that.
The whole, "There is good and bad in all of us" idea through the whole book was amazing. I really enjoyed that and it is just so true. We can either let the darkness take over, or find a little sliver of light to hold onto.
Overall, I gave this book 4/5 stars because I had a bit of trouble getting into the first half. There were a few things about the writing style that didn't jive with me, and some constant typos that stood out. But really, those don't matter all that much. The story was incredible. The thought and time that I KNOW Geoff put into this story in apparent and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Oh, and please please please, figure out a way to make this a video game. Please? It would be so fun!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2015
I could immediately tell that Progeny of gods had a lot of work and thought put into it. I'm sure it's not easy to write a fantasy book because you have to create a whole new world. But Geoffrey Storm did a great job. There was so much more action scenes than I thought! I definitely saw the Kingdom Hearts and Star Wars influence in this book which was pretty awesome. Tay is by far my favorite character. He's hilarious, gutsy, and blunt. Stiqula would be my second choice because he is just one of those misunderstood characters that you can't help but like. Overall, this was a fun and adventurous read. I really enjoyed it! I'm sure there is going to be a second book because it can't end here! Oh, and the cover is the most amazing looking cover I have ever seen! So that's a bonus!
July 2, 2015
Usually with books I the author either has one of three things going for a story: Great characters, a great plot, or a great world. I am very happy to say not only does Progeny of Gods have all of these elements, but Geoffrey Storm excels in each area beyond my expectations for a self-published novel. Usually with books I have to wait as the plot drags or for the world to build before the action begins—Not with Progeny of Gods. This book is very fast paced with brutal action and does not hold up at all. The world building is also very seamless and is unlike any other fantasy world I have read in YA or new adult.
As for the characters: they are all fantastic. Each may fall into a stereotypical category, but Storm fleshes them out in a way where they each are unique and exciting. Especially the villain Stiqula who is a fantastic force to be reckoned with. Also the love interest Sam is a fantastic example of how to do a female character right.
The book also balances themes of Light and Dark in a very interesting and though provoking way, painting each as a complex part of human nature. My only gripe with the book is its flow and writing style. Be sure to be focused when reading because the story takes a lot of concentration and is one I read in short spurts. I thought that the writing style was difficult to get into, but besides that the book was fantastic. Go check it out! Especially if you are a fan of Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy.
As for the characters: they are all fantastic. Each may fall into a stereotypical category, but Storm fleshes them out in a way where they each are unique and exciting. Especially the villain Stiqula who is a fantastic force to be reckoned with. Also the love interest Sam is a fantastic example of how to do a female character right.
The book also balances themes of Light and Dark in a very interesting and though provoking way, painting each as a complex part of human nature. My only gripe with the book is its flow and writing style. Be sure to be focused when reading because the story takes a lot of concentration and is one I read in short spurts. I thought that the writing style was difficult to get into, but besides that the book was fantastic. Go check it out! Especially if you are a fan of Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy.
August 9, 2015
I had a good time with Progeny of Gods. It has riveting action scenes, clever sci-fi tropes and good character development for Greyson. The author does a good job of exploring his struggle with his own darkness and his search for redemption for the many deaths he feels responsible for (which he's not even sure he deserves). You can easily root for this protagonist.
However, a few issues bring down the experience. The first is the author's choppy writing style; sentences start and stop abruptly, and it breaks the flow of the narrative. It comes off as amateurish.
The second issue is the immature dialogue. Character's repeatedly say "gunna" instead of "gonna," and Greyson and Tay's bromance gets annoying as they banter. Tay's not a particularly likable character to begin with, so I really didn't a crap about his relationship with Greyson.
Still, these issues don't hurt the novel too much--they're just mildly annoying. Give Progeny of Gods a try and you might just find a good read.
However, a few issues bring down the experience. The first is the author's choppy writing style; sentences start and stop abruptly, and it breaks the flow of the narrative. It comes off as amateurish.
The second issue is the immature dialogue. Character's repeatedly say "gunna" instead of "gonna," and Greyson and Tay's bromance gets annoying as they banter. Tay's not a particularly likable character to begin with, so I really didn't a crap about his relationship with Greyson.
Still, these issues don't hurt the novel too much--they're just mildly annoying. Give Progeny of Gods a try and you might just find a good read.
February 4, 2016
amazing I loved every second of this book and I just want to read more of this amazing writing and world really looking forward to reading more of this series
if you want to know more I did a review on my booktube enjoy!
No Spoilers
https://youtu.be/hT5bB7c3HSs
Spoilers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT84e...
if you want to know more I did a review on my booktube enjoy!
No Spoilers
https://youtu.be/hT5bB7c3HSs
Spoilers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT84e...
April 24, 2018
Great world building
I love how the author created such an intricate world and made it come to life. I could tell he put a lot of time and effort into the story. The only thing that bothered me was it look a little while for the story to build momentum. Maybe that was by design maybe not. Still a pretty good read overall.
I love how the author created such an intricate world and made it come to life. I could tell he put a lot of time and effort into the story. The only thing that bothered me was it look a little while for the story to build momentum. Maybe that was by design maybe not. Still a pretty good read overall.
January 24, 2023
A very imaginative story with a vivid world, likable characters, and an interesting plot. I had a few nitpicks regarding some contrived moments, some meandering moments revolving around a certain character, and some tonal inconsistencies (especially with the language). I would say that this mostly fits as a YA fantasy, but there are some adult moments sprinkled throughout.
August 21, 2015
Overall I like this book a lot. The wordbuilding is amazing and I can really picture the word as I read. Would love to see the place for myself too, and what an imagination one must have to create such a unique setting with all its history and detail. A truly well written work and the author has a great voice. With a unique world and a struggle between light and dark, between good and evil, this book is a great read.
I liked the different POVs that this book provided, and mostly I liked having the opportunity to follow the villain, Stiqula through his journey. The knowledge of the reasons behind his actions made everything so much more interesting and heartbreaking.
The middle felt a bit dragging for me, but what book doesn't drag in the middle? The first and third part however was fast and truly enjoyable. I would have wanted some more details and answers to my questions regarding Stiqula in the end though, but maybe that's something that will be answered in the sequel.
The points that lowered the rating a bit for me was that I felt there may have been too much detail and too much explanations at times. It made the pacing of an otherwise fast story slow to the brink of struggling to keep track of what was happening. At the same time I loved the detail too, so it's difficult to say anything bad about it. But I do feel like the plot is more important then overly detailed descriptions of every setting, ever feeling, every wound etc. But being the fist book in what I believe will be a series, it probably won't be a need for as much worldbuilding in the next one.
Another point was the sometimes choppy writing. I found that sentences began en ended abruptly making me have to read entire sections multiple times in order to understand what it all meant.
Another thing that stood out was the excessive cursing, more specifically the constant use of the f-word (sometimes present several times within a single sentence). I don't mind cursing at all, but when the f-word is present in every other sentence for the entire 374 pages, it's a bit too much for me.
The last thing I reacted to was the annoyingly juvenile language of Greyson and Tay. I think the juvenile way of speaking added to the characters in a way, but it would have been enough to keep the bad language in the dialog and not let it pour into the rest of the writing. Had it been written in 1st person POV it would have been more appropriate to keep the language consistent throughout the whole thing, but this book isn't a 1st person POV. And I would personally have wanted a more mature language in the narrative. Which the beautiful descriptions of the world shows me the author is capable of.
I do, however, like this book a lot and I wouldn't want to have any of this discourage anyone from picking it up. If you like sci-fi, unique conflicts and amazing new worlds, this is a book you cannot miss.
Read it!
I liked the different POVs that this book provided, and mostly I liked having the opportunity to follow the villain, Stiqula through his journey. The knowledge of the reasons behind his actions made everything so much more interesting and heartbreaking.
The middle felt a bit dragging for me, but what book doesn't drag in the middle? The first and third part however was fast and truly enjoyable. I would have wanted some more details and answers to my questions regarding Stiqula in the end though, but maybe that's something that will be answered in the sequel.
The points that lowered the rating a bit for me was that I felt there may have been too much detail and too much explanations at times. It made the pacing of an otherwise fast story slow to the brink of struggling to keep track of what was happening. At the same time I loved the detail too, so it's difficult to say anything bad about it. But I do feel like the plot is more important then overly detailed descriptions of every setting, ever feeling, every wound etc. But being the fist book in what I believe will be a series, it probably won't be a need for as much worldbuilding in the next one.
Another point was the sometimes choppy writing. I found that sentences began en ended abruptly making me have to read entire sections multiple times in order to understand what it all meant.
Another thing that stood out was the excessive cursing, more specifically the constant use of the f-word (sometimes present several times within a single sentence). I don't mind cursing at all, but when the f-word is present in every other sentence for the entire 374 pages, it's a bit too much for me.
The last thing I reacted to was the annoyingly juvenile language of Greyson and Tay. I think the juvenile way of speaking added to the characters in a way, but it would have been enough to keep the bad language in the dialog and not let it pour into the rest of the writing. Had it been written in 1st person POV it would have been more appropriate to keep the language consistent throughout the whole thing, but this book isn't a 1st person POV. And I would personally have wanted a more mature language in the narrative. Which the beautiful descriptions of the world shows me the author is capable of.
I do, however, like this book a lot and I wouldn't want to have any of this discourage anyone from picking it up. If you like sci-fi, unique conflicts and amazing new worlds, this is a book you cannot miss.
Read it!
July 14, 2015
***I received the eBook free as a review copy from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review***
An interesting book with an occasionally dragging plot.
This fantasy book revolves around the two heroes Greyson and Tay who want to be the Royal Guards to the King of Viaeden. Greyson accidentally releases a monster, Stiqula, that has terrorized the land for a long time. Now Greyson has to step up to his destiny and try to beat the Darkness.
I did enjoy reading this book, some parts were exceptionally well-written but some other parts seemed like a chore to read. This book was divided into three parts. I really liked the last part, but the first part, the beginning, was really confusing at first. I didn't know what was happening and I had a lot of trouble connecting with the characters. I also thought that the talk about light and darkness in Greyson's heart was a bit too excessive and repetitive.All the discussion about that made the plot drag a lot.
The characters had absolutely different personalities, but I couldn't connect to them most of the time. I definitely liked Greyson more than Tay because Greyson was more responsible and not always joking around. Tay hardly ever took anything seriously and acted kind of childish at times but during the last, action-filled part I enjoyed reading from his perspective more. My favourite character was definitely Stiqula. His perspective, his goal in life was so depressing and plus he was the bad-ass villain, which made him awesome. I think, that I could understand his feelings and reasons partially for wanting to destroy the world (but only partially!). When the story was also written partly out of Stiqula's perspective, I absolutely loved reading it. I feel a bit conflicted about the king. Geoffrey Storm made him a very good character with a very distinct personality. But the king is very stubborn and only sees what he wants to see.
The writing style was mostly alright. The best part was when there was a lot of action happening. I found that the second and third parts were alright but I thought that the swearing kind of destroyed the mood and atmosphere. Since this book is taking place in the 14th century with super-technology, I didn't expect the characters to swear because at the beginning I felt a magical and almost ancient atmosphere.
Overall, I did end up enjoying the book after the first part, but it took me way too long to connect to the characters and the atmosphere was kind of destroyed with the swearing. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars!
An interesting book with an occasionally dragging plot.
This fantasy book revolves around the two heroes Greyson and Tay who want to be the Royal Guards to the King of Viaeden. Greyson accidentally releases a monster, Stiqula, that has terrorized the land for a long time. Now Greyson has to step up to his destiny and try to beat the Darkness.
I did enjoy reading this book, some parts were exceptionally well-written but some other parts seemed like a chore to read. This book was divided into three parts. I really liked the last part, but the first part, the beginning, was really confusing at first. I didn't know what was happening and I had a lot of trouble connecting with the characters. I also thought that the talk about light and darkness in Greyson's heart was a bit too excessive and repetitive.All the discussion about that made the plot drag a lot.
The characters had absolutely different personalities, but I couldn't connect to them most of the time. I definitely liked Greyson more than Tay because Greyson was more responsible and not always joking around. Tay hardly ever took anything seriously and acted kind of childish at times but during the last, action-filled part I enjoyed reading from his perspective more. My favourite character was definitely Stiqula. His perspective, his goal in life was so depressing and plus he was the bad-ass villain, which made him awesome. I think, that I could understand his feelings and reasons partially for wanting to destroy the world (but only partially!). When the story was also written partly out of Stiqula's perspective, I absolutely loved reading it. I feel a bit conflicted about the king. Geoffrey Storm made him a very good character with a very distinct personality. But the king is very stubborn and only sees what he wants to see.
The writing style was mostly alright. The best part was when there was a lot of action happening. I found that the second and third parts were alright but I thought that the swearing kind of destroyed the mood and atmosphere. Since this book is taking place in the 14th century with super-technology, I didn't expect the characters to swear because at the beginning I felt a magical and almost ancient atmosphere.
Overall, I did end up enjoying the book after the first part, but it took me way too long to connect to the characters and the atmosphere was kind of destroyed with the swearing. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars!
August 3, 2016
Update 8/3/16: I'm downgrading this to 3.5 stars because I feel with the time I usually read books, this one took abnormally long, and that probably has to do with the pacing of the story, especially in the first half. Also, I don't really remember too much that happened. I still stand by what I said about this book being engaging, however.
Progeny of Gods was an interesting read. I enjoyed the action scenes and the scenes where the story cut to Sam's POV. This book took a little bit for me to get into, but I'm glad I persevered, as the story and writing got stronger the further through the book I went. However, especially at the beginning, some of the word choices were strange to me (ex./ describing a laugh as "farting" out of someone). But the minor inconveniences can be definitely be overlooked in the grand scheme of things. Absolutely loved getting POV from both sides and not just the "good" side.
If you are looking for a well written, engaging self published novel, then try this one. :D
Progeny of Gods was an interesting read. I enjoyed the action scenes and the scenes where the story cut to Sam's POV. This book took a little bit for me to get into, but I'm glad I persevered, as the story and writing got stronger the further through the book I went. However, especially at the beginning, some of the word choices were strange to me (ex./ describing a laugh as "farting" out of someone). But the minor inconveniences can be definitely be overlooked in the grand scheme of things. Absolutely loved getting POV from both sides and not just the "good" side.
If you are looking for a well written, engaging self published novel, then try this one. :D
August 2, 2015
(3.5)
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Storm's world-building and imagery was absolutely stunning. I could tell that he put in a ton of time into making this world and making it all concrete ideas. That's always really admirable to me when I'm reading. I respect that. I also REAALLLY loved the unexpected spirituality of this book and I really connected with it.
His characters were great and totally realistic. I loved Tay and fell in love with Kyri.
One thing I had a problem with in this book was the action sequences. They were hard to follow and most of the times, I felt like I didn't know what was happening. I felt It felt like the action never stopped with this book. For some people, they will LOVE that! Personally, I like to read books with more moments on character development. But that's just my personal preferences. I just kind of wanted to breathe every once in a while.
Overall, if you're a fan of sci-fi/action books you will LOVE this.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Storm's world-building and imagery was absolutely stunning. I could tell that he put in a ton of time into making this world and making it all concrete ideas. That's always really admirable to me when I'm reading. I respect that. I also REAALLLY loved the unexpected spirituality of this book and I really connected with it.
His characters were great and totally realistic. I loved Tay and fell in love with Kyri.
One thing I had a problem with in this book was the action sequences. They were hard to follow and most of the times, I felt like I didn't know what was happening. I felt It felt like the action never stopped with this book. For some people, they will LOVE that! Personally, I like to read books with more moments on character development. But that's just my personal preferences. I just kind of wanted to breathe every once in a while.
Overall, if you're a fan of sci-fi/action books you will LOVE this.
January 24, 2016
I absolutely love Geoff's videos and ever since I was tipped off to his channel I've wanted to read his book. There's just something so special about that. I can't wait to read other Booktube books in the future because I know that more will come.
Now on to the book, I had seen videos of Geoff taking about the series before. So I had an idea of what I was getting into.
I really loved the fantasy world and characters. The world was built well but can still grow. The characters were all complex and had good and bad in each of them. I was very invested in the romance in this book. I really like how Geoff handled it in the book.
My only complaint was how it was paced. It felt like it took forever to get through. That made it really hard to be fully devoted to the book while you're reading it.
Now on to the book, I had seen videos of Geoff taking about the series before. So I had an idea of what I was getting into.
I really loved the fantasy world and characters. The world was built well but can still grow. The characters were all complex and had good and bad in each of them. I was very invested in the romance in this book. I really like how Geoff handled it in the book.
My only complaint was how it was paced. It felt like it took forever to get through. That made it really hard to be fully devoted to the book while you're reading it.
October 6, 2015
I really loved this book. It is my favorite book I've read so far this year. When is book 2 coming out? :P
The setting is beautiful, and the world building doesn't slow you down quite as much as a typical fantasy. (Think Tolkien, but without the 20 pages of describing the forest)
Filled with action and adventure, with lots of friendship and a little bit of romance sprinkled in. It will make you rethink how you view the world.
I love how both of the main characters are fighting both light and darkness within themselves. This book shows how there is always a mix of light and darkness in everyone. It just depends on you to decide which one you let rule you.
The setting is beautiful, and the world building doesn't slow you down quite as much as a typical fantasy. (Think Tolkien, but without the 20 pages of describing the forest)
Filled with action and adventure, with lots of friendship and a little bit of romance sprinkled in. It will make you rethink how you view the world.
I love how both of the main characters are fighting both light and darkness within themselves. This book shows how there is always a mix of light and darkness in everyone. It just depends on you to decide which one you let rule you.
October 28, 2015
FANTASTIC START TO A SERIES!! Geoffrey Storm has put amazing thought into this world and its development and it is absolutely breathtaking. GEOFFREY YOU ARE A LEGEND AND I CANT WAIT FOR THE SECOND ONE
did-not-finish
August 22, 2015It wasn't that this was a bad book, I just had a hard time getting into it and in the end I suppose I wasn't in the mood for anything like this. I might pick it back up another time.
February 7, 2017
Did enjoy this book, had a few issues with it though.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
January 11, 2017
This is a DNF! Im only giving it 2 stars because I only got halfway through before I decided it wasn't for me and that it didnt have any redeeming qualities for me to continue on.
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