Such A Clever Deception

The Chosen #0.5

by Cortney Pearson

Doing the right thing means turning his back on everything he knows.

Talon Haraway was born to be a leader. Strong, confident, and skilled, at seventeen he commands the Arcaian army without thought, expecting results and getting them. When a new set of recruits arrives in Valadir, the last thing Talon expects is to have one of them redefine what he always thought he wanted. Now with pressure from his Arcaian leader and surrogate father, Tyrus Blinnsdale, Talon must decide who he wants to be and where his loyalty lies before it’s too late.

Genres: Fantasy

78 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2015

About the author

Cortney Pearson is the USA Today bestselling author of The Chosen Series, Curse of the Pirate Series, and The Chuzzlewit Chronicles. She writes fantasy worlds brimming with adventure, loyalty, and romance, from wizards, to steampunk, to pirates. She is the mom of four cuties, loves classical music, chocolate, slow-burn kissing scenes, and sparkles.

Don't miss a thing regarding Cortney's books. Sign up for her newsletter! www.cortneypearson.com

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Reviews

[Ayşe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little read about a young man and soldier called Talon Haraway.

I may increase my rating after reading Book 1.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rating.
An interesting start to a new magical journey. I'm on the fence about how I feel about Talon's character. I was hoping for more and perhaps we'll see him grow more in the next book. For me, the story didn't suck me in and I wished for more action but my curiosity is peeked. The series was set up nicely and I look forward to where Talon's journey goes.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the title and how it fit in at the end.

[Topsues · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all the books in this series and this prequel is another good addition. It answered a lot of the undercurrent questions about how Talon came to fruition. Again with the skilled writing abilities of Cortney Pearson if the book is a novella or a full one, she carry’s her gripping aptitude in everything she writes. It was good to see the other side of the coin for a while, allowing you to build an understanding about how Talon not only fights against Tyrus in the rest of the series, but also allows you to see why sometimes his feelings are conflicted, and why he try’s desperately to bury them. This is the story of how he becomes the man he is at the start of the Stolen Tears series, it shows how from a child his feelings became regimented. It shows how the realisation of betrayal becomes such a easy option for Tyrus. It shows why Talon is a man of duty first, feelings second, if at all. He thinks he deserves his punishment. Read the rest of the series to find out if it’s received or deserved.

[Promisary · Rating 5 out of 5]

O.M.G.
This book was AMAZING from the very beginning & I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.
( Also, can we talk about how GORGEOUS that new cover is ? like... omg <3 )
Anyway, the world & the way that it is built up throughout the story sparkles with Cortney's originality & I am looking forward to knowing more about both the world & the main protagonist, Talon . A twisty , grabbing story that I will definitely be picking up over and over again.

[Michelle Fritz PA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one fast paced read. We get the backstory on several key characters and that just deepens the plot of the entire series. It's a harsh world and having your beliefs upended absolutely breaks Talon's heart and kinda messes with his mind. I wasn't sure where this novella would begin or end and it was extremely entertaining and enjoyable. If you love this series, you're going to want to read this!!

[Sairaika · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deceptive read!

Before he heard of an enchanted vial of tears, he was training the enemy...

Loved getting into the hero's head and seeing the beginning from his point of view before meeting the heroine in the first book. Loved seeing from his perspective how he realised he was being manipulated and his growth.

Well written. Compelling.

Full of deception, manipulation, secrets, magic, war and conflict.

Perfect for readers of fantasy romances.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Such a Clever Deception. Great explanation of what makes Talon who he is and why he does what he does. Definitely adds depth to his character. Cortney Pearson does a fabulous job of drawing you into the story. Her characters are very well-thought-out and interesting. I look forward to reading more of her work and finding out what happens next!

[Mackenzie Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about Talon who is a commander of the Arcaian army. He is fearless, strong leader. He is faced with family issues and he must decide what he wants to be and wants to do.

I thought this book was okay. I feel that Talon's character wasn't as good as it could have been. I did like that this book was a fast read.

Content Warnings:
none

[Donamarie Fournier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I had read this first. I have already read books 1 & 2 and now I find this gem. It pulls a lot of pieces together for the story. I love the background on Talon and why he is the way he is. This is another chapter in this great series.

[Sherry Haynes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very quick read that has me interested but yet still felt like it is missing something. From what I understand this is the back story for Talon so I am looking forward in seeing where it goes from here.

[Geo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy for an honest review. I liked having more insight into how Talon came to be how he is and what led him on his path to meet Ambry.

[Sea · Rating 2 out of 5]

His magic releases almost instantly, thrilling at the discharge, answering the call to action and rocketing up the handle to glisten and illuminate the blade.

With descriptions like that right out of the gate, I was feeling pretty optimistic.



I haven't read any of the other books in the series (and I'm not sure if I was supposed to), so I went into this with a very open mind. I wasn't disappointed, really. I just didn't find myself terribly impressed by anything.

Writing: Solid, descriptive imagery. Not a whole lot of world-building, but enough that I wasn't totally lost. I appreciated the linear plot which made the story really easy to follow. A couple aspects of the story seemed a little bit far-fetched and made it hard to really sink into (especially the illogical "equality" argument).

Characters: I'm going to give this novella the benefit of the doubt for a second. I genuinely believe this book was meant as background and character development for Talon because I'm pretty sure he's one of the main characters and love interest in the next book. For that reason, I'm going to brush past the cardboard cutout stereotypes that all the other characters fell into (Tyrus, the deceptive mentor; Kade, the weak and bullied youth; Ripkin, the sneering bad guy; Adam and Miles, the "friendly" peer pressure; Aria, the sweet and innocent victim).

But Talon, now he was an alright guy. I liked that we got to see a reconstruction in his moral compass. That he goes from passively watching cruelty to actively disapproving showed a maturing of character that the author wanted to highlight. The one thing I didn't really like about him was his initial ambitions to... to lead? That's it? He was in it for the glory? He was selling his secrets and tolerated the subjugation of other because he really wanted to be #2?



I just didn't buy it. It didn't fit his character and it seemed like a bad excuse for such a good guy to do some questionable things.

Quote-worthy Quotes:
"There's no way to be equal by putting others below yourself!"

"I wanted to know you," he says to her. "To dance with you. I'm sorry."

TL;DR: This is a decent preface to a series. I'm not sold, but I can't say I won't read the next one.

Received for free on Netgalley. Honestly reviewed.

Also see my review here.

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talon love love love him. I loved how we see him struggle with himself. He struggles to find balance and truth. He is grateful for being saved but was he really saved or being used. This is one of the issues he is facing? Is he shaming his heritage? Is he breaking what he believes because he wants to make the man he thought treated him like a son worth the sacrifice? These are questions Talon is grappling with. All the while becoming more attune to human emotion and feeling. How he wants to see emotion in others. It is one girl though that changes him. She in the end has him see the truth and reality was a blow for Talon. A great story of a man who is struggling to please, struggling to keep his values in a place that doesn’t have many and struggling to find who he really is. this is well written and Talon will captivate you from the beginning with his struggle. The ending will have you smile and cry. I so feel for Talon and I am already gearing up for the next book so I can see what is next for this brave young man.

[Charity · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world-building in this story is rich and sparkling with originality. I love the mix of magic and technology, and how it all plays into the culture and politics of the world. There is just enough in this short novella that leaves me itching to read the rest of the series and dive deeper into the world of the Arcaians, Feihrians, and Itharians.
Cortney Pearson's writing is almost poetic, with dazzling imagery that pulls you in and makes you feel as if you were right there with Talon. Each moment is vivid and intense, all leading to a climax I won't soon forget.
Talon is at a crossroads, a time in his life when he has to make a choice of which path he will follow, and there are no easy answers. The choices he's faced with, and the one he ultimately makes, are what make him a character that will stick with me for a long time, and one that I'm eager to read more about.

[Bethany Swafford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such A Clever Deception is a clever twist between the modern world we live in: with trucks and houses like we have; and fantasy: abilities and magic. Being set in a pre-established world, it gives a a glimpse into the rest of the series and the characters that play an important part. Not having read any of the series, I found myself intrigued by the world created by Cortney Pearson.

Talon was a protagonist is one I really felt for and how he comes to realize the deception that has been played against him is heartrending.

I highly recommend it to any fantasy fans out there!

I was provided a free copy for LovingtheBook Blog Tour in exchange for a review.

[Maari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting.. I wouldn't mind seeing where this goes.
I understand that this is just an introduction to Talon but.. I would have liked to see more of him and where things were going. This novella just didn't hold my attention much and honestly, I had to work to finish it, in hopes of having more happen. That is not to say that I wouldn't read more of this series, just would like a bit more action, more 'grab'.
I was gifted this ebook in exchange for my honest review. Opinions in this review are my own.

[Giovanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arrgghhh just when I was eager to know what would happen next... there's no more to read! xD
Nice short story about Talon!