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The Book of Deacon #0.5-3
The Book of Deacon Anthology
The Book of Deacon Saga is the epic tale of a world besieged by war and at the mercy of dark forces who would see the land and its people wither and die. First Published in 2010, the story has grown significantly, expanding the story into earlier and later eras, exploring the lives of characters both minor and major.
The Book of Deacon Anthology is a collection of all currently published stories in the setting:
The Book of Deacon - The tale of Myranda Celeste, a young woman orphaned by a century long war, and her chance discovery of a fallen soldier's priceless cargo. The find will change her life, sending her on an adventure of soldiers and rebels, wizards and warriors, and beasts both noble and monstrous. Each step will bring her closer to the truth of her potential, of the war, and of the fate of her world.
The Great Convergence - The second in the Book of Deacon series, The Great Convergence continues the tale of young Myranda Celeste. With fresh knowledge of magic and steadfast resolve to see the end of the war that plagues her land, Myranda sets out to find and unite the five fated heroes, the Chosen. Each new warrior brings her world a step closer to peace, but does she have the strength to survive the trials ahead?
The Battle of Verril - In this, the finale of the Book of Deacon Trilogy, Myranda and the Chosen face their greatest challenges yet. Time is running out, and the Generals are growing desperate. Through victory and defeat, reunion and betrayal, neither the heroes nor their foes will rest until they have seen their task through to the end. The only question is, will it be the end of a war, or the end of times?
Jade - This short novel, set after the events of The Book of Deacon, follows the blessed and cursed life of Jade Rinton. Stripped of her family and kept in a tall tower by a fierce dragon due to the scheming of a mysterious stranger, Jade seems to be living in a twisted fairy tale. She soon learns, though, that fate has its own ideas of who should play each part, and that family is where you find it.
The Rise of the Red Shadow - Before he was a legendary assassin and mythic hero, the creature known as Lain was just a simple malthrope, frightened and alone. The Rise of the Red Shadow tells the story of his tragic youth, beginning with his days on a plantation in Tressor and following him through the painful tragedies and thrilling trials that would one day lead him to greatness in the pages of The Book of Deacon.
Entwell Origins: Ayna - AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME. The story of Ayna, a young fairy who is cruelly taken from her family, yet finds that this tragedy may have given her the opportunity to become more than she'd ever dreamed.
The Stump and the Spire - Previously only available as part of the Neverland's Library anthology, The Stump and the Spire is the story of two children who gain a dark glimpse into the long forgotten past of their world.
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For fans of the series looking to fill in the gaps, or for new readers hoping to gather the whole series, The Book of Deacon Anthology is a great way to catch up on the whole saga. Each book is updated with improved formatting, as well as a brief foreword by Joseph R. Lallo, and even a message from the mysterious curator who collected the stories. Read it now and be ready for The D'Karon Apprentice, a new Book of Deacon story releasing November 12th, 2015.
The Book of Deacon Anthology is a collection of all currently published stories in the setting:
The Book of Deacon - The tale of Myranda Celeste, a young woman orphaned by a century long war, and her chance discovery of a fallen soldier's priceless cargo. The find will change her life, sending her on an adventure of soldiers and rebels, wizards and warriors, and beasts both noble and monstrous. Each step will bring her closer to the truth of her potential, of the war, and of the fate of her world.
The Great Convergence - The second in the Book of Deacon series, The Great Convergence continues the tale of young Myranda Celeste. With fresh knowledge of magic and steadfast resolve to see the end of the war that plagues her land, Myranda sets out to find and unite the five fated heroes, the Chosen. Each new warrior brings her world a step closer to peace, but does she have the strength to survive the trials ahead?
The Battle of Verril - In this, the finale of the Book of Deacon Trilogy, Myranda and the Chosen face their greatest challenges yet. Time is running out, and the Generals are growing desperate. Through victory and defeat, reunion and betrayal, neither the heroes nor their foes will rest until they have seen their task through to the end. The only question is, will it be the end of a war, or the end of times?
Jade - This short novel, set after the events of The Book of Deacon, follows the blessed and cursed life of Jade Rinton. Stripped of her family and kept in a tall tower by a fierce dragon due to the scheming of a mysterious stranger, Jade seems to be living in a twisted fairy tale. She soon learns, though, that fate has its own ideas of who should play each part, and that family is where you find it.
The Rise of the Red Shadow - Before he was a legendary assassin and mythic hero, the creature known as Lain was just a simple malthrope, frightened and alone. The Rise of the Red Shadow tells the story of his tragic youth, beginning with his days on a plantation in Tressor and following him through the painful tragedies and thrilling trials that would one day lead him to greatness in the pages of The Book of Deacon.
Entwell Origins: Ayna - AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME. The story of Ayna, a young fairy who is cruelly taken from her family, yet finds that this tragedy may have given her the opportunity to become more than she'd ever dreamed.
The Stump and the Spire - Previously only available as part of the Neverland's Library anthology, The Stump and the Spire is the story of two children who gain a dark glimpse into the long forgotten past of their world.
---
For fans of the series looking to fill in the gaps, or for new readers hoping to gather the whole series, The Book of Deacon Anthology is a great way to catch up on the whole saga. Each book is updated with improved formatting, as well as a brief foreword by Joseph R. Lallo, and even a message from the mysterious curator who collected the stories. Read it now and be ready for The D'Karon Apprentice, a new Book of Deacon story releasing November 12th, 2015.
2235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2015
87 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 5, 2016
I am not generally a fantasy reader, but I so enjoyed Lallo's Big Sigma series I have collected and read his other books. I enjoyed this more than I expected to. Lallo's strength, from my perspective, is his characters. I love the likeable ones; I love the bad guys. None of his characters are completely good or bad, which makes them even more real, be it a rogue, a dragon, a wizard, or a fairy. The first book in the Deacon series was a little slow reading for me, but as the story progressed I had a difficult time putting it down. This anthology includes several side stories and I especially liked The Red Shadow. He is the character I liked most in the Deacon series so learning his backstory was my favorite add on in this collection.
Now I am hooked, I need to buy book 4
Now I am hooked, I need to buy book 4
September 14, 2015
Story, Pre-story, Post-story...and still, want more!
A wonderful tale of a world badly in need of heroes, the chosen that the gods deemed up to the task, and all that came before and after. Are there questions yet unanswered? Yes. So....Mr.Gallo, looking forward to seeing more from Deacon.
A wonderful tale of a world badly in need of heroes, the chosen that the gods deemed up to the task, and all that came before and after. Are there questions yet unanswered? Yes. So....Mr.Gallo, looking forward to seeing more from Deacon.
December 12, 2015
Enjoyable series
It was different than other adventure stories because it develops characters you immediately like and builds the plot slowly around them as you get to know them. Some parts are drawn out yet I keep reading more and more.
It was different than other adventure stories because it develops characters you immediately like and builds the plot slowly around them as you get to know them. Some parts are drawn out yet I keep reading more and more.
June 26, 2017
I began with the Book of Deacon (first in this series) as a free book which captivated my interest to read more in this series, so I purchased the Book of Deacon Anthology because honestly it was a good deal for all the books at that price. As the books go on, the characters develop into complex characters that many have never been written about before. The books contain some standard creatures and beings found in fantasy novels; however Lallo expands on that with adding his own twist to build his own characters that stand out in the crowd. I can honestly say that I'm not sure I fully enjoyed the ending to the story, or say that it wrapped up the story sufficiently for me.
I will say that I loved the book Rise of the Red Shadow and look forward to reading more books about the complex character Lain. The books on Lain are my favorites of the set, which is unique since you know the ultimate end story of where Lain ends up in the main series, so I applaud Lallo's ability to captivate the audience with an eventful prequel, even if they do get a bit dark. Entwell Origins is another good read for a supporting character in the main series. I would in fact have to say that the spinoff books may be better than the original story. This set is a wise purchase since it not only contains the main series, but expands on the gaps by including the spinoff books.
I will say that I loved the book Rise of the Red Shadow and look forward to reading more books about the complex character Lain. The books on Lain are my favorites of the set, which is unique since you know the ultimate end story of where Lain ends up in the main series, so I applaud Lallo's ability to captivate the audience with an eventful prequel, even if they do get a bit dark. Entwell Origins is another good read for a supporting character in the main series. I would in fact have to say that the spinoff books may be better than the original story. This set is a wise purchase since it not only contains the main series, but expands on the gaps by including the spinoff books.
dnf
June 7, 2024I'm going to have to leave this one unfinished for now, so no rating.
This isn't an anthology, it's a collection of three volumes of a storyline by Lallo. The first story was fairly decent with an interesting magic system that balanced well with the story.
The second part took off into juvenile comic land, with actions that didn't make sense, unless you visualized it like frames in a comic, complete with a scattering of frames with nothing in them but (BAM!) (POW!).
At that point I quit, and haven't been able to get interested in going back in.
This isn't an anthology, it's a collection of three volumes of a storyline by Lallo. The first story was fairly decent with an interesting magic system that balanced well with the story.
The second part took off into juvenile comic land, with actions that didn't make sense, unless you visualized it like frames in a comic, complete with a scattering of frames with nothing in them but (BAM!) (POW!).
At that point I quit, and haven't been able to get interested in going back in.
June 11, 2017
I don't know why this series isn't more famous but it's absolutely amazing. I don't think I've loved a fantasy world so much since the first time I read Harry Potter as a child. I read it on my kindle (I think I got it for free?) But I will definitely be getting a 'real' copy of all of them.
Long but 100% worth it.
Long but 100% worth it.
August 15, 2018
This is one of my favorite series... everything about this book is great...the story moves along so easy that it was all I could do to stop reading and get some sleep...the main characters easily make you worry about them you become vested in the story...so in case you haven't guessed I'd highly recommend this series....you will definitely not be disappointed...🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
May 9, 2017
Wonderful fantasy anthology. It's a little slow to start but keep with it. It's filled with magic, and creatures of all types including dragons, love, and friendship. I couldn't recommend this series any more highly!
July 10, 2017
Excellent read the workmanship of this book is outstanding. This book will keep you turning page after page until you get to the end, my rating on this book would be a six star but they only have five. Thank you Joseph Lallo for the wonderful adventure.
February 7, 2022
This was one of the first fantasy series I read. I was engrossed by it, and find myself still thinking about parts of the story and the characters years after I read it. I am glad to find the anthology at such a good price and intend to read it again and enjoy it just as much.
February 24, 2022
What an entangled web woven
The characters are very intriguing and eventually warrant their own stories. I stuck with this. Good description s of scenery , struggles and Interactions
The characters are very intriguing and eventually warrant their own stories. I stuck with this. Good description s of scenery , struggles and Interactions
January 21, 2023
A great storyline, but needs proofreading...
October 19, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
March 4, 2017
I picked up this eBook on the back of Between by the same author. I am so glad I did. the anthology comprises 6 novels, a novella and a short story. It's been a while since I gave 5 stars to an epic fantasy but this is deserving.
well developed characters for you to invest in. Fast paced storyline that encourages you to read further into the night than you planned. Original well constructed plot. I could go on but hey just Read it!
well developed characters for you to invest in. Fast paced storyline that encourages you to read further into the night than you planned. Original well constructed plot. I could go on but hey just Read it!
September 21, 2024
Absolutely a brilliant story, well written and full of action from start to finish
Read
April 11, 2016I had previously read “The Book of Deacon” and “Jade” in other book bundles I had – I read them again and enjoyed them as much as the first time I read. Having all the first 3 books together in this Anthology, helped make the story of Jade clearer. And the story of Anya showed how she developed into the fairy she was in The Book of Deacon. I do hope this author continues the story of the “Red Shadow” up until he meets Myranda in The Book of Deacon (would like to know what happened to Sorrel and children). I will look forward to stories about Ivy, Myn and Ether as well as more with Deacon and Myranda. And how did Desmeres turn out to be the hero?
July 2, 2016
I wasn't sure how to rate this. There were many stories within this Anthology - all centered around the setting or story of The Book of Deacon. The main Book of Deacon was an enjoyable book, although there was a bit too much Mary Sue or Deus Ex Machina going on at times. I really enjoyed the short story concerning the origins of Lain. My main problem, however, was spelling and grammar errors. I feel like some time spent proofreading this anthology would be well spent. It was still enjoyable, though, despite the errors.
May 7, 2019
There's so much more of this story to read... 'The Book of Deacon' series.
March 25, 2017
I received The Book of Deacon Anthology as a bonus associated with the Leading Ladies bundle at storybundle.com.
The anthology consists of an epic fantasy trilogy (The Book of Deacon, The Great Convergence, The Battle of Verril) about 5 unlikely heroes in a world torn apart by unending war, along with a pair of shorter stories (Jade, The Stump and the Spire) set much later in the same world and backstories for one of the main characters (The Rise of the Red Shadow) and a minor character (Entwell Origins: Ayna)
The trilogy has an entertaining plot line with plenty of dramatic twists and turns, an enemy with mysterious motivations and tactics, some interesting themes (patriotism and responsibility in times of war) and one morally complex protagonist. Unfortunately, Mr. Lallo is self-published and the lack of an editor shows. The main protagonist is blandly nice (with hints of a moral compromise which are never really developed), and apart from the one complex character, the rest are one-dimensional, ranging from childish to not very memorable to annoying. The antagonists are a bit better, each having his or her own motivation and personality.
Long segments of the story drag as the protagonists slowly gain knowledge or key bits of self-awareness. Also, Lallo often shifts between perspectives of different characters between paragraphs without any indication to the reader. These issues do seem to be less problematic in the later volumes of the main plot and in The Rise of the Red Shadow, and I found the characters and story in Jade quite amusing.
Mr. Lallo's interesting ideas and his one complex character do show some potential, and many of the flaws in the Book of Deacon could be fixed with a little editing and cutting, so I would encourage Mr. Lallo to seek out some feedback (whether from professional editors or not). I was engaged enough to finish the anthology, and as I write, the first volume (The Book of Deacon itself) is available as a free promo, so I wouldn't discourage anyone who is interested from trying it, but cannot recommend it without reservations.
The anthology consists of an epic fantasy trilogy (The Book of Deacon, The Great Convergence, The Battle of Verril) about 5 unlikely heroes in a world torn apart by unending war, along with a pair of shorter stories (Jade, The Stump and the Spire) set much later in the same world and backstories for one of the main characters (The Rise of the Red Shadow) and a minor character (Entwell Origins: Ayna)
The trilogy has an entertaining plot line with plenty of dramatic twists and turns, an enemy with mysterious motivations and tactics, some interesting themes (patriotism and responsibility in times of war) and one morally complex protagonist. Unfortunately, Mr. Lallo is self-published and the lack of an editor shows. The main protagonist is blandly nice (with hints of a moral compromise which are never really developed), and apart from the one complex character, the rest are one-dimensional, ranging from childish to not very memorable to annoying. The antagonists are a bit better, each having his or her own motivation and personality.
Long segments of the story drag as the protagonists slowly gain knowledge or key bits of self-awareness. Also, Lallo often shifts between perspectives of different characters between paragraphs without any indication to the reader. These issues do seem to be less problematic in the later volumes of the main plot and in The Rise of the Red Shadow, and I found the characters and story in Jade quite amusing.
Mr. Lallo's interesting ideas and his one complex character do show some potential, and many of the flaws in the Book of Deacon could be fixed with a little editing and cutting, so I would encourage Mr. Lallo to seek out some feedback (whether from professional editors or not). I was engaged enough to finish the anthology, and as I write, the first volume (The Book of Deacon itself) is available as a free promo, so I wouldn't discourage anyone who is interested from trying it, but cannot recommend it without reservations.
April 13, 2017
3.5 stars I want to give this series a higher rating but I was ready for it to be over long before the ending actually arrived. I really liked the characters in the story. My experience is that Lallo creates strong characters. They are engaging and well developed. The problem I had with the story was the amount of time the heros spent fighting. I got bogged down by the violence of the battles and the last book in particular felt like one long fight.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews