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The Story of Evil #1
Heroes of the Siege
The Story of Evil - Volume I follows Stephen Brightflame, Tyrus Canard, and Kari Quinn during an entertaining jousting tournament when everything turns to chaos. Steve, Ty, and Kari’s city is unexpectedly attacked by a ruthless enemy known only as the Hooded Phantom and his massive army of monsters. The three young adults try to survive as their family and friends are carelessly slaughtered and the city they call home is destroyed. Steve, Ty, and Kari each decide to stand up and fight back against the insurmountable army of evil, despite knowing their slim chances of survival. Through their bravery and courage they become the inspiration and hope of a fallen city. They become Heroes of the Siege. Heroes of the Siege is the first volume in an exciting new series called The Story of Evil. For fans of classic fantasy, this book features intense battles, surprising twists, and shocking revelations as heroes battle villains in an epic tale of good vs. evil.
ebook
First published January 30, 2013
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148 people want to read
About the author
Tony Johnson
9 books38 followersTony Johnson is the author of the The Story of Evil, an epic fantasy saga. Tony is an avid reader. He enjoys fantasy, classics, and Christian literature. He is a fan of movies, television, music, videogames, and sports. From Batavia, NY.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 2, 2024
This is a quaint, yet vivid story!
The characters are wholesome and pure but with spunk!!
The story starts out in the city of Celestial with the days. Events in the jousting competitions.!
You getting introduced to a couple of the main characters right off the bat, with cool names!
Then the unspeakable happens, a threat that will put the Celestial down to her knees!!
The enemy has arrived the enemy that they did not even know they were expecting right through the front door! Let’s be honest the door wasn’t even used when catastrophe hits all leading characters shine!
The good thing is you got to know a little little bit about each of the characters way before all this happens so by time this disaster hits… you get to know the quality in the insight …in the mentality of each of them!
It did say everything started at the jousting competition, but that is not true. It starts with a prologue.
These volumes are called the story of evil. This book is called heroes of the siege.
So would it be fair not to talk about good and evil and in this case they have names: Alazán/Good and Zebulon/ Evil!
I’m taking a queue from the good book
Let the creation begins!
I give this four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I want to thank Tony for sending me this volume set to read and to give an honest review book one is completed on the next!
The characters are wholesome and pure but with spunk!!
The story starts out in the city of Celestial with the days. Events in the jousting competitions.!
You getting introduced to a couple of the main characters right off the bat, with cool names!
Then the unspeakable happens, a threat that will put the Celestial down to her knees!!
The enemy has arrived the enemy that they did not even know they were expecting right through the front door! Let’s be honest the door wasn’t even used when catastrophe hits all leading characters shine!
The good thing is you got to know a little little bit about each of the characters way before all this happens so by time this disaster hits… you get to know the quality in the insight …in the mentality of each of them!
It did say everything started at the jousting competition, but that is not true. It starts with a prologue.
These volumes are called the story of evil. This book is called heroes of the siege.
So would it be fair not to talk about good and evil and in this case they have names: Alazán/Good and Zebulon/ Evil!
I’m taking a queue from the good book
Let the creation begins!
I give this four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I want to thank Tony for sending me this volume set to read and to give an honest review book one is completed on the next!
May 19, 2021
The author was so kind to send me an ebook version (and he was very lovely to talk to) and I hate to give a one star so early into reading, but I can't handle the writing. It starts off with DND style character descriptions (before the prologue) down to height and weight. In the prologue, in the middle of a sentence, there is a pronunciation in parentheses written after the name. But as far as I read, it didn't happen again. All of that could have been left out entirely. Or at most adding in a pronunciation guide in the back of the book.
There seems to be a lot of irrelevant information - like the name and land of origin of Steve's joust opponent. Maybe he comes back later, but it just seemed like additional information that was unnecessary.
Too many things are reiterated too many times. I am not sure why I need to know Steve's horse's favorite snack is carrots, but apparently it was worth mentioning three times within a couple pages. The transitions between moments are also oddly paced. We spend several pages focusing on Ty (Steve's brother) buying cotton candy for a boy and almost no time on the movement from being in the crowd to climbing into the arena to save Steve. It is choppy at best. And I felt like I was told or it was implied a multitude of times that Steve's swordbearer died. And in numerous, again unnecessary, ways.
Maybe the story gets really good as you continue, but based on the first few chapters, I don't believe I will manage more. The whole first two chapters felt like an infodump of needless information being pounded into my head multiple times. The description makes the book sound like it has great potential, and you can tell that the author has a heart for these characters, but it is unfortunately in need of a good editor.
There seems to be a lot of irrelevant information - like the name and land of origin of Steve's joust opponent. Maybe he comes back later, but it just seemed like additional information that was unnecessary.
Too many things are reiterated too many times. I am not sure why I need to know Steve's horse's favorite snack is carrots, but apparently it was worth mentioning three times within a couple pages. The transitions between moments are also oddly paced. We spend several pages focusing on Ty (Steve's brother) buying cotton candy for a boy and almost no time on the movement from being in the crowd to climbing into the arena to save Steve. It is choppy at best. And I felt like I was told or it was implied a multitude of times that Steve's swordbearer died. And in numerous, again unnecessary, ways.
Maybe the story gets really good as you continue, but based on the first few chapters, I don't believe I will manage more. The whole first two chapters felt like an infodump of needless information being pounded into my head multiple times. The description makes the book sound like it has great potential, and you can tell that the author has a heart for these characters, but it is unfortunately in need of a good editor.
August 6, 2016
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
In a world where good and evil have very distinct lines, Celestial is a city firmly rooted in good. Steve, a jouster, is in the middle of a tournament when monsters attack the city. Ty and Kari, two other individuals, save his life and become determined to save their beloved city.
I shall begin by summarizing: This novel receives a one-star rating for me for having two-dimensional characters, an excessive amount of infodump and backstory shoved down my throat, and a weak plot.
PLOT: This book didn’t get to the real conflict until 80% through, after reading about Steve, Ty, and Kari and their histories leading up to the siege. I don’t even know how to summarize it. Ty and Kari save Steve’s life... and that’s about it besides each character’s backstory and general information about Element or the society of Celestial functions. Most of the story is backstory/history/how-to with a smidgen of action, then more backstory/history/how-to to follow it. The plot, when we actually get to it, is continuous fighting, and in fact, the entire novel takes place in one single day. Worldbuilding should be an iceberg, with most of the world hidden beneath the surface. It needs to be there, and well-developed, but we don’t need to see 100% of it. Will there be a test at the end? Tell, tell, TELL! WAY too much telling!
There were holes in the fabric of this world, which I will not go into. It is also riddled with stereotypes. Intelligent people are boring / awkward. Ugly creatures are evil (with one exception: the beautiful Prince who is evil but disguised as good — naturally ). High class people only talk about superficial things and eat only weird gourmet food, like escargot and roe, and are incredibly boring. Etc. I thought, perhaps, it was simply Steve’s perspective, but then we see similar logic from Kate and Ty.
Where is the character growth? The conflict/choice/dilemma leading up to the climax? Essentially I read the same story three times from the points of view of three different characters (in three big chunks), which may have been effective if written a different way and, perhaps, been a neat concept, if each had their own conflicts to overcome and then they all collaborated at the end.
CHARACTERS: Steve, Ty, and Kari (but especially Steve) are two-dimensional. Steve has perfect looks and a perfect personality. Everyone either desires him, or desires to be him. He is an incredible blacksmith and a warrior and is “too good to be true”: impossibly humble, generous, and all-around faultless. His own weapon is the one of the best swords in the world, but of course he never brags about it. His only imperfection is that he initially forgets to kneel before the King. I cannot relate to him whatsoever. He is, through and through, a Gary Stu. Everyone likes him and praises him. He is as interesting and as deep as a cardboard cutout. Steve does little to merit my respect. Things happen to him, but not as consequences of his own actions or decisions.
Ty, too, is a catch (we are told). He is generous, charismatic, and popular. His “fault” is that he’s not wealthy. Except for an unfortunate pattern of early death by murder in his heritage, everything in his life is perfect. We are told he has faults... at least he has them, although naturally it would have been better to show his faults. When we learn about him, we are yanked back in time for 1/3 of the story and force-fed more information about his past and how the world works.
Kari’s story was, perhaps, the most interesting. She was the most developed of the characters, although that’s not saying much. Naturally, she’s infatuated with Steve (and, later, Ty), seeing him for the flawless person he is. She, too, has unnaturally good looks. Men look at her thin-but-curvy (???) figure, and other woman are jealous. She also has the voice of an angel. She was practically born with a bow and arrow in her hands, better than her father (a renowned bowman) as young as five.
HIGHLIGHTS: I did like how the world seemed to be a blend of modern times and medieval times. There are castles and Kings and jousting tournaments, but also terms such as grocery shopping and restaurants with waitresses (not taverns/pubs/inns), and charities. It’s imaginative, and the author’s effort is visible. I’m sure he spent a long time planning out the world, the back stories of the characters, and how everything works, and that he worked *very* hard and put a lot of emotion into his dream. But too much is on the surface, too much is dictated to us readers.
OTHER: I feel like this is meant for a slightly younger audience, given the simpler language, the transparent morals, and the amount of showing vs. telling. I can almost accept the black and white morality (monsters vs. sentient beings), which is common in this type of fantasy story, even if at times the line is needlessly thick; however, statements that monsters are evil an kill for fun (etc.) smash me on the head throughout the story.
“The city wasn’t perfect of course, nothing was. For every eight or nine people, there might be one person who wasn’t a role model citizen, but even gruff people like that contributed in their own way.”
Umm, that sounds pretty perfect to me. It’s not perfect because one out of every eight people is a bit grumpy, and in fact, that actually isn’t a fault because it means they will fight monsters more strongly, actually symbolizing their bravery? Interestingly, I actually sided with the monsters in this story and agreed with much of what the Hooded Phantom said about the discrimination against them. I don’t think it was meant this way, but it would have been a fascinating twist if it had been (and had been developed/built-up to). In fact, Celestial is essentially a utopia.
Am I ripping this novel to pieces? Short answer: yes. It needs to be revamped, since this is not the quality of work you want your merit as an author to be based on. I was asked for my honest opinion, and I have now given it in plenty of depth, more so than I usually do... NOT because I am a cold-hearted, soulless reader with nothing better to do.
Ultimately, I cannot give this book anything higher than 1 star.
In a world where good and evil have very distinct lines, Celestial is a city firmly rooted in good. Steve, a jouster, is in the middle of a tournament when monsters attack the city. Ty and Kari, two other individuals, save his life and become determined to save their beloved city.
I shall begin by summarizing: This novel receives a one-star rating for me for having two-dimensional characters, an excessive amount of infodump and backstory shoved down my throat, and a weak plot.
PLOT: This book didn’t get to the real conflict until 80% through, after reading about Steve, Ty, and Kari and their histories leading up to the siege. I don’t even know how to summarize it. Ty and Kari save Steve’s life... and that’s about it besides each character’s backstory and general information about Element or the society of Celestial functions. Most of the story is backstory/history/how-to with a smidgen of action, then more backstory/history/how-to to follow it. The plot, when we actually get to it, is continuous fighting, and in fact, the entire novel takes place in one single day. Worldbuilding should be an iceberg, with most of the world hidden beneath the surface. It needs to be there, and well-developed, but we don’t need to see 100% of it. Will there be a test at the end? Tell, tell, TELL! WAY too much telling!
There were holes in the fabric of this world, which I will not go into. It is also riddled with stereotypes. Intelligent people are boring / awkward. Ugly creatures are evil (with one exception: the beautiful Prince who is evil but disguised as good — naturally ). High class people only talk about superficial things and eat only weird gourmet food, like escargot and roe, and are incredibly boring. Etc. I thought, perhaps, it was simply Steve’s perspective, but then we see similar logic from Kate and Ty.
Where is the character growth? The conflict/choice/dilemma leading up to the climax? Essentially I read the same story three times from the points of view of three different characters (in three big chunks), which may have been effective if written a different way and, perhaps, been a neat concept, if each had their own conflicts to overcome and then they all collaborated at the end.
CHARACTERS: Steve, Ty, and Kari (but especially Steve) are two-dimensional. Steve has perfect looks and a perfect personality. Everyone either desires him, or desires to be him. He is an incredible blacksmith and a warrior and is “too good to be true”: impossibly humble, generous, and all-around faultless. His own weapon is the one of the best swords in the world, but of course he never brags about it. His only imperfection is that he initially forgets to kneel before the King. I cannot relate to him whatsoever. He is, through and through, a Gary Stu. Everyone likes him and praises him. He is as interesting and as deep as a cardboard cutout. Steve does little to merit my respect. Things happen to him, but not as consequences of his own actions or decisions.
Ty, too, is a catch (we are told). He is generous, charismatic, and popular. His “fault” is that he’s not wealthy. Except for an unfortunate pattern of early death by murder in his heritage, everything in his life is perfect. We are told he has faults... at least he has them, although naturally it would have been better to show his faults. When we learn about him, we are yanked back in time for 1/3 of the story and force-fed more information about his past and how the world works.
Kari’s story was, perhaps, the most interesting. She was the most developed of the characters, although that’s not saying much. Naturally, she’s infatuated with Steve (and, later, Ty), seeing him for the flawless person he is. She, too, has unnaturally good looks. Men look at her thin-but-curvy (???) figure, and other woman are jealous. She also has the voice of an angel. She was practically born with a bow and arrow in her hands, better than her father (a renowned bowman) as young as five.
HIGHLIGHTS: I did like how the world seemed to be a blend of modern times and medieval times. There are castles and Kings and jousting tournaments, but also terms such as grocery shopping and restaurants with waitresses (not taverns/pubs/inns), and charities. It’s imaginative, and the author’s effort is visible. I’m sure he spent a long time planning out the world, the back stories of the characters, and how everything works, and that he worked *very* hard and put a lot of emotion into his dream. But too much is on the surface, too much is dictated to us readers.
OTHER: I feel like this is meant for a slightly younger audience, given the simpler language, the transparent morals, and the amount of showing vs. telling. I can almost accept the black and white morality (monsters vs. sentient beings), which is common in this type of fantasy story, even if at times the line is needlessly thick; however, statements that monsters are evil an kill for fun (etc.) smash me on the head throughout the story.
“The city wasn’t perfect of course, nothing was. For every eight or nine people, there might be one person who wasn’t a role model citizen, but even gruff people like that contributed in their own way.”
Umm, that sounds pretty perfect to me. It’s not perfect because one out of every eight people is a bit grumpy, and in fact, that actually isn’t a fault because it means they will fight monsters more strongly, actually symbolizing their bravery? Interestingly, I actually sided with the monsters in this story and agreed with much of what the Hooded Phantom said about the discrimination against them. I don’t think it was meant this way, but it would have been a fascinating twist if it had been (and had been developed/built-up to). In fact, Celestial is essentially a utopia.
Am I ripping this novel to pieces? Short answer: yes. It needs to be revamped, since this is not the quality of work you want your merit as an author to be based on. I was asked for my honest opinion, and I have now given it in plenty of depth, more so than I usually do... NOT because I am a cold-hearted, soulless reader with nothing better to do.
Ultimately, I cannot give this book anything higher than 1 star.
March 14, 2022
“May the sword I craft be used to protect the people of this city”
One of my (many) favorite quotes from the book.
Lots of world and character building at the start which is not surprising as a whole world and setting needs to be shared. If you are a fantasy reader than you should know not to be surprised by this. Is it worth making it through all the background info… 100%
The twists and surprises in the story line, cliffhanging chapters, sarcastic banter between brothers during intense parts… will leave you reading quickly and laughing to yourself along with you longing for more answers as you read.
I loved the hearts of the characters, their personalities, their stories and the way they interact with each other. They made me laugh, smile and fear for their lives.
The book ended in a very unexpected way and I can’t wait to pick up the second book and dive deeper into the story and read more about Ty, Steve and Kari journey into fighting the good fight.
“As long as there is darkness, there will be light to fight it.”
One of my (many) favorite quotes from the book.
Lots of world and character building at the start which is not surprising as a whole world and setting needs to be shared. If you are a fantasy reader than you should know not to be surprised by this. Is it worth making it through all the background info… 100%
The twists and surprises in the story line, cliffhanging chapters, sarcastic banter between brothers during intense parts… will leave you reading quickly and laughing to yourself along with you longing for more answers as you read.
I loved the hearts of the characters, their personalities, their stories and the way they interact with each other. They made me laugh, smile and fear for their lives.
The book ended in a very unexpected way and I can’t wait to pick up the second book and dive deeper into the story and read more about Ty, Steve and Kari journey into fighting the good fight.
“As long as there is darkness, there will be light to fight it.”
July 9, 2024
An engaging story. Perhaps a bit heavy on the world building and superfluous information, resulting in a pace that is a bit slower than it needs to be, but I enjoyed the setting and Steve, Kari and Ty were fun characters.
May 4, 2020
Very powerful book! The Story of Evil is a book that captured my attention from the first. Even the introduction gave me chill bumps at what was said and what I felt was coming up. It's an amazing story with three main people whose stories are told. It's unforgettable each story that illustrates what's happening in this city called Celestial. The fortified city is attacked by large groups of monsters. It is a nightmare! The descriptions of the monsters and what they do to the civilians are vivid and graphic. The warriors who are the center of the book and the battles are amazingly skilled and so strong in the midst of the worst day in all of their lives. You can't help but catch your breath as each warrior's story stops when they are moments away from death. I read steadily and forgot everything else as I went through each person's battle for life. It's quite a story as the book continues and we find out further what happens. I highly recommend this book and anxiously await the next book in the series to find out what the future holds for the city of Celestial and its warriors.
September 18, 2019
I really really didn't like this book. It had barely any plot, there was a lot of info dumping and telling rather than showing. In fact, the whole book kind of reads like an info dump. And every little thing is spelled out, like the reader can't have a thought for themselves. There are five elements. Sure. Do they really have to be named every single time the five elements are named? I feel like this book is either written for really young children (like just learning to read, but then, it's a bit too gruesome for them) it just assumes everyone reading this is incredibly stupid. The characters are very one-dimensional, they are either super good, never doing anything wrong in their lives or really bad, never doing anything good in their lives, without real reason other than being bad. It was predictable and the main characters suffered from main character syndrome very badly. There was no suspense since they were 1) absolutely amazing (allegedly) and 2) because the scene was filled with unnecessary filler info dumping.
I should have dropped it.
I should have dropped it.
January 26, 2019
This is one of the first fantasy books I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed the departure from my usual genre. Elements of mystery and action kept me very interested and invested in the story. Cliffhanger chapter endings and surprising twists and deaths made it impossible to put down. I also loved getting to know the characters and learning about the world they live within. I’m looking forward to more books to come in this series!
August 5, 2024
3.5 stars!
First of all, I just have to mention that I really like this cover. I really like the colours and I’m not embarrassed to say it was what originally drew me to the book.
The synopsis of this book gave me classic fantasy vibes but I didn’t know what to expect. The beginning for me was a bit slow to get into especially the first couple of chapters, but I’m glad to say it picked up more towards the middle and the ending definitely left off on a cliffhanger. If I wasn’t in the middle of 5 other books, I would of picked up book two straight away!
The characters, Stephen, Ty and Kari where interesting and I liked that we got a different chapter and POV for each of them. Stephen was my favourite character so far but I liked them all and I can’t wait to see them grow throughout the rest of the series.
Overall, a very promising start to a series! If you like fantasy with a classic feel to it, you will like this book!
First of all, I just have to mention that I really like this cover. I really like the colours and I’m not embarrassed to say it was what originally drew me to the book.
The synopsis of this book gave me classic fantasy vibes but I didn’t know what to expect. The beginning for me was a bit slow to get into especially the first couple of chapters, but I’m glad to say it picked up more towards the middle and the ending definitely left off on a cliffhanger. If I wasn’t in the middle of 5 other books, I would of picked up book two straight away!
The characters, Stephen, Ty and Kari where interesting and I liked that we got a different chapter and POV for each of them. Stephen was my favourite character so far but I liked them all and I can’t wait to see them grow throughout the rest of the series.
Overall, a very promising start to a series! If you like fantasy with a classic feel to it, you will like this book!
May 14, 2019
When nineteen-year-old Steve Brightflame headed out to the city of Celestial in the morning to win joust championship, he hardly expected to witness a deadly attack on the city—much less an attack planned by a mysterious figure aided by a deadly army of monsters. After having his life saved by Tyrus Canard and Kari Quinn, he unites forces with the duo as the stakes are running high with a world-alternating war at hand and having a nearly indestructible villain for the enemy.
Starting on somewhat shaky ground (the first few pages are ordinarily written), the narrative becomes sharp and highly absorbing, turning it into a thrilling read. The interesting premise and an open-ended climax will make the reader jump to the second book in the series immediately.
An awesome read!
Starting on somewhat shaky ground (the first few pages are ordinarily written), the narrative becomes sharp and highly absorbing, turning it into a thrilling read. The interesting premise and an open-ended climax will make the reader jump to the second book in the series immediately.
An awesome read!
February 4, 2018
Be warned once you start this book you will not be able to put it down .Firstly i love the name Stephen Brightflame , brilliant name for one of the heroes , after having his life saved by Ty & Kari they unite to try to save their city of Celestial from the hooded phantom . Plenty of action , plenty of supernatural beings from dwarves to dragons there is every element in this story to please any fantasy reader , can't wait for the second book
April 6, 2020
This book had some good ideas, but there were quite alot of fixable issues that prevent me from giving it a higher score. Now I don't often read YA, and it kind of felt like this book was targeted at a younger audience so take this review with a grain of salt.
Pros:
Helpful character sheet in the beginning
Interesting timeline
Stylized cover
Diverse bestiary
Cons:
Grammar mistakes
Lack of Characterization
Info dumps
Anachronisms
My overall issue is that much of the story involves reinforcing character's traits without allowing the reader to discover these things for themselves or allowing the characters to reveal them through action. Much of what we learn about backstory/background is stuffed in at inopportune times that can kill the pacing. All of the characterization we get is told to us and is often thwarted by what we see happen. For example (SPOILERS) - Stephen Brighflame, the protagonist, is talked up to be the most morally upstanding character. It is reiterated multiple times. However, in the opening conflict, one of Stephen's squires is brutally killed and the others put in severe danger. In his internal dialogue, he never refers to any of them by name. Later, when running to the castle, Stephen doesn't help a single person crying out despite doing so when he is near the castle and needs to do a cool thing.
One issue right out of the gate is that the opening conflict is essentially repeated 3 times, but without substantial time having passed for any one of the 3 protagonists so as to get a handle on what's happening or being properly invested. And even though we have multiple perspectives, we also get insight into the minds of other characters without explanation. There are also inconsistencies in the background lore, though this is also easily fixable. Lastly, there are a number of character deaths throughout that occur to characters we have little attachment to and so are kinda wasted. The book could benefit from allowing these characters to be people instead of just a combination of traits. The book should also decide where it wants to be tonally, because many of the deaths are not in keeping with its YA feel.
Some decent potential here, just requires a little bit of work.
Pros:
Helpful character sheet in the beginning
Interesting timeline
Stylized cover
Diverse bestiary
Cons:
Grammar mistakes
Lack of Characterization
Info dumps
Anachronisms
My overall issue is that much of the story involves reinforcing character's traits without allowing the reader to discover these things for themselves or allowing the characters to reveal them through action. Much of what we learn about backstory/background is stuffed in at inopportune times that can kill the pacing. All of the characterization we get is told to us and is often thwarted by what we see happen. For example (SPOILERS) - Stephen Brighflame, the protagonist, is talked up to be the most morally upstanding character. It is reiterated multiple times. However, in the opening conflict, one of Stephen's squires is brutally killed and the others put in severe danger. In his internal dialogue, he never refers to any of them by name. Later, when running to the castle, Stephen doesn't help a single person crying out despite doing so when he is near the castle and needs to do a cool thing.
One issue right out of the gate is that the opening conflict is essentially repeated 3 times, but without substantial time having passed for any one of the 3 protagonists so as to get a handle on what's happening or being properly invested. And even though we have multiple perspectives, we also get insight into the minds of other characters without explanation. There are also inconsistencies in the background lore, though this is also easily fixable. Lastly, there are a number of character deaths throughout that occur to characters we have little attachment to and so are kinda wasted. The book could benefit from allowing these characters to be people instead of just a combination of traits. The book should also decide where it wants to be tonally, because many of the deaths are not in keeping with its YA feel.
Some decent potential here, just requires a little bit of work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2018
The Story of Evil - Volume 1 by Tony Johnson is an engaging fantasy novel that pulls you in from the beginning. This is the first book that I have read by Tony Johnson and I could not put this book down. In this book, we are immediately introduced to a variety of characters and unique world. The author gives us information about how the world came to be, the two gods who created it and the inhabitants of this new world. We quickly learn of the evils that run rampant through the monsters. We are told about an evil five headed dragon who terrorizes the humans, elves, dwarves and other good creatures but also the monsters themselves in its quest for power. In an epic battle, this ferocious dragon is defeated, and a time of peace ensues for the people. Then the author immediately shifts gears into the main story and once again danger has come and the new city that was built faces it's darkest hour.
This book is fantastic in my opinion. The author switches from one character to another in a flawless way. Yes, the changes are a bit unexpected because as one character begins to go dark you want to know what happens with them next. However, the author shifts to another character's perspective and you relive the same events but see things from another angle and direction. It's fascinating and it drives me crazy because I'm eager to get back to who was left behind so that I can learn their fate. For this book is a serious page-turner. I couldn't get enough! If I had to put the book down it was reluctantly, and I'd cast side glances towards my tablet wishing I could be reading it instead of working or doing whatever other tasks I needed to be doing.
There really isn't anything that I don't like about this book. Overall, it has been well edited. I found one spelling error concerning Ty's gryphon. Wildwing is misspelled once in the story. The "w" is left off in "wing." Other than that I feel this story is truly engaging and very well done.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I am eager to read the next book in this series and learn what happens next.
This book is fantastic in my opinion. The author switches from one character to another in a flawless way. Yes, the changes are a bit unexpected because as one character begins to go dark you want to know what happens with them next. However, the author shifts to another character's perspective and you relive the same events but see things from another angle and direction. It's fascinating and it drives me crazy because I'm eager to get back to who was left behind so that I can learn their fate. For this book is a serious page-turner. I couldn't get enough! If I had to put the book down it was reluctantly, and I'd cast side glances towards my tablet wishing I could be reading it instead of working or doing whatever other tasks I needed to be doing.
There really isn't anything that I don't like about this book. Overall, it has been well edited. I found one spelling error concerning Ty's gryphon. Wildwing is misspelled once in the story. The "w" is left off in "wing." Other than that I feel this story is truly engaging and very well done.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I am eager to read the next book in this series and learn what happens next.
July 1, 2024
Heroes of the Siege by Tony Johnson’s the first volume in the epic ‘The Story of Evil Series’ and being the first book, I guess that makes it the most important. If you don’t like book 1, you aren’t going to bother with book 2!
Well, luckily I LOVED book 1 and I intend to read and review more of the series over the coming months.(The author kindly provided the entire saga in digital format).
Firstly I’d like to talk about the writing. It is very easy to get into, almost simplistic(in a good way) the author doesn’t fall into the trap trying to fill every page with wordy, flowery prose that just gets in the way of the narrative, and is something that so many indie authors do. He keeps it simple and tight. And it works.
The prologue gives us a bit of backstory and world building, introducing us to the two main gods, just enough to set the stage, but not too much and not too heavy and then the story begins when we are introduced to Stephen Brightflame as he and his companions try to save Celestial, a true great city of fantasy, populated not just by humans but dwarves, giants, elves and more. Given the sheer size of the series I thought it would be much slower paced than it was. In reality, despite a fair bit of time spent building the world things still move pretty quickly with characters like Stephen, Kari and Tyrus rapidly engrossing you in the story.
You could perhaps argue that the characters are a little one dimensional, but I feel this is more in the mold of older heroic fantasy than the more modern books where every character has to be ‘grey’. All in all a very enjoyable read in my opinion. Thank you to the writereads for bringing this book to my attention
Well, luckily I LOVED book 1 and I intend to read and review more of the series over the coming months.(The author kindly provided the entire saga in digital format).
Firstly I’d like to talk about the writing. It is very easy to get into, almost simplistic(in a good way) the author doesn’t fall into the trap trying to fill every page with wordy, flowery prose that just gets in the way of the narrative, and is something that so many indie authors do. He keeps it simple and tight. And it works.
The prologue gives us a bit of backstory and world building, introducing us to the two main gods, just enough to set the stage, but not too much and not too heavy and then the story begins when we are introduced to Stephen Brightflame as he and his companions try to save Celestial, a true great city of fantasy, populated not just by humans but dwarves, giants, elves and more. Given the sheer size of the series I thought it would be much slower paced than it was. In reality, despite a fair bit of time spent building the world things still move pretty quickly with characters like Stephen, Kari and Tyrus rapidly engrossing you in the story.
You could perhaps argue that the characters are a little one dimensional, but I feel this is more in the mold of older heroic fantasy than the more modern books where every character has to be ‘grey’. All in all a very enjoyable read in my opinion. Thank you to the writereads for bringing this book to my attention
July 22, 2020
How could they be betray by that person?
This is a good fantasy story for young readers. The only warning is that it has violence so some parents may want to make sure they are good with it first. Keep in mind that if you let your kids watch stuff like Lord of the Rings, then this book is fine.
The city of Celestial is a peaceful place. On the day of a jounting tournament chaos happen when monsters attack. The city has never seen such a large scale attack by monsters before.
This book follows the paths of Stephen Brightflame, his brother Tyrus Canard, and Kari Quinn.
Stephen is jousting when a large flaming boulder lands in the stands. He immediately tries to help direct people to safety while also trying to get to his usual weapons so that he can go fight the monsters that are attacking the city and protect the people and the king. Tyrus was sitting in the stands when the attack began. He alao tries to direct people to safety while trying to make sure his brother is okay. Kari is also in the stands when the attack begin and also tries to direct people to safety. She tries to return to her home like all citizens are directed to do during attacks.
They each see a lot of distruction to their beloved city and see many people die during the brutal attack. I believe that the paths that each of them take and the monsters that they fight along the way are written with young readers in mind.
This is just the start of the series. I will be happy to continue with the next book. I think my kids will like this book.
This is a good fantasy story for young readers. The only warning is that it has violence so some parents may want to make sure they are good with it first. Keep in mind that if you let your kids watch stuff like Lord of the Rings, then this book is fine.
The city of Celestial is a peaceful place. On the day of a jounting tournament chaos happen when monsters attack. The city has never seen such a large scale attack by monsters before.
This book follows the paths of Stephen Brightflame, his brother Tyrus Canard, and Kari Quinn.
Stephen is jousting when a large flaming boulder lands in the stands. He immediately tries to help direct people to safety while also trying to get to his usual weapons so that he can go fight the monsters that are attacking the city and protect the people and the king. Tyrus was sitting in the stands when the attack began. He alao tries to direct people to safety while trying to make sure his brother is okay. Kari is also in the stands when the attack begin and also tries to direct people to safety. She tries to return to her home like all citizens are directed to do during attacks.
They each see a lot of distruction to their beloved city and see many people die during the brutal attack. I believe that the paths that each of them take and the monsters that they fight along the way are written with young readers in mind.
This is just the start of the series. I will be happy to continue with the next book. I think my kids will like this book.
December 20, 2018
The author promises an “epic tale of good versus evil” – and he doesn’t disappoint!
I was hooked on this book from the prologue and couldn’t put it down. The book begins by telling the story of the two gods (Alazar and Zebulon). Alazar is good, Zebulon is evil, yet they are forced to work together in order to create a planet and all that reside on it. Alazar populates the new world with humans, dwarves, elves and giants, while Zebulon decides that monsters are the way to go.
It’s quite clever the way the author has used these traits of good and evil in the gods to flow through in the beings the gods create, and you end up with an adventure novel that tells the story of the battle between these beings; which (given the backstory) can be described as quite literally the battle between good and evil.
The novel follows the story of Stephen, Ty and Kari (the three ‘heroes of the siege’), and their attempts to save their city from the evil that’s infiltrated it (the hooded phantom and the monsters). It’s packed full of suspense, adventure and actions and the ending definitely leaves you longing for the next book in the series.
All in all, I found this book to be a great read and I really enjoyed the history/backstory that was included within it.
I was hooked on this book from the prologue and couldn’t put it down. The book begins by telling the story of the two gods (Alazar and Zebulon). Alazar is good, Zebulon is evil, yet they are forced to work together in order to create a planet and all that reside on it. Alazar populates the new world with humans, dwarves, elves and giants, while Zebulon decides that monsters are the way to go.
It’s quite clever the way the author has used these traits of good and evil in the gods to flow through in the beings the gods create, and you end up with an adventure novel that tells the story of the battle between these beings; which (given the backstory) can be described as quite literally the battle between good and evil.
The novel follows the story of Stephen, Ty and Kari (the three ‘heroes of the siege’), and their attempts to save their city from the evil that’s infiltrated it (the hooded phantom and the monsters). It’s packed full of suspense, adventure and actions and the ending definitely leaves you longing for the next book in the series.
All in all, I found this book to be a great read and I really enjoyed the history/backstory that was included within it.
July 27, 2019
The famous jouster Stephen Brightflame, his aerial warrior brother Tyrus Canard, and the fierce ranger Kari Quinn all battle the monsters attempting to take control of Celestial. Each has their own obstacles they must face, and all charge forward into the almost certain death. Will any of them survive this ordeal? Will anyone be able to save the city and its inhabitants from monster control? The mighty King Zoran, he who destroyed the infamous dragon, Draviakhan, now faces both his own grandson Prince Silvanus as well as the dragon’s son, Nightstrike. Who will come out on top?
So, the first thing that struck me about this novel is that it reads almost like a fairy tale. The narration almost recaps the entire story, giving away the endings and hinting at things to come. It was an interesting way to read the novel, however, I think that it took out a bit of the suspense, as I knew what was going to ultimately happen. Consequently, I breezed through many of the parts of the book where there was some sort of struggle, since I knew the end outcome already. It took away a bit of the fun, however it did also add a bit of intrigue to the novel as well, as I tried to figure out how the story could get from one wide perspective and swing all the way to the other side.
Kind of going off of this, deaths within the story were anticlimactic. There was no emotional unpacking of the deaths and how it impacted the other characters, nor was there any pomp or circumstance surrounding the deaths themselves. Characters simply died and the rest moved on immediately. I found it a bit jarring, as I tend to enjoy analyzing things introspectively. I like to get to know my characters, understand their beliefs, desires, and most of all, emotions. I wanted to be slightly more emotionally triggered through my connection with the characters and their plights. But perhaps this is connected to my foreknowledge of what was to come later; I did not forge those connections with some characters, as I knew that they would die sooner rather than later.
It was also interesting how the book was broken up into 4 different sections, one for each of the main characters: Stephen Brightflame, Tyrus Canard, and Kari Quinn, and then the last one for all three: Heroes of the Siege. Each section boasted the unique POV of its star character, and did not quite follow chronologically. As such, some of the events were somewhat redundant as we saw them from multiple characters’ POVs at different times, and here again, suspense was lost as we already knew much of what was to come from a previous POV section. I did like that we were granted glimpses into each individual character’s psyche, however, as it helped me to connect more with each and see events from their unique perspective. It also allowed us to gain insight into each character’s past as there was a scattering of flashback thoughts with each character.
Going along with these 4 sections, the writing style of the entire book was a bit choppy. There was a plethora of short sentences loosely connected within paragraphs, and a lot of factual information simply sitting. The jumping of time for each section also contributed to this choppy feeling. I personally would much rather have preferred to have the book follow its events chronologically, intermingling POVs as it went, switching perhaps each chapter or so. This would have eliminated the redundancy, boosted the suspense, and allowed the story to flow much more naturally, all while still integrating different characters’ unique perspectives.
I feel as though I have been criticizing this novel a bit too harshly, but really, the story itself was amazing. Most of the issues I had were with the writing style, rather than the story itself. The plot was intricate for such a short book, as well as engaging and unpredictable. The worldbuilding was phenomenal, made even more so with the short character bios in the beginning of the book and the chronological history of Element in the back. The story itself ended on a cliffhanger, leaving me wanting for so much more! I will definitely be continuing this saga to see how everything ends up!
So, the first thing that struck me about this novel is that it reads almost like a fairy tale. The narration almost recaps the entire story, giving away the endings and hinting at things to come. It was an interesting way to read the novel, however, I think that it took out a bit of the suspense, as I knew what was going to ultimately happen. Consequently, I breezed through many of the parts of the book where there was some sort of struggle, since I knew the end outcome already. It took away a bit of the fun, however it did also add a bit of intrigue to the novel as well, as I tried to figure out how the story could get from one wide perspective and swing all the way to the other side.
Kind of going off of this, deaths within the story were anticlimactic. There was no emotional unpacking of the deaths and how it impacted the other characters, nor was there any pomp or circumstance surrounding the deaths themselves. Characters simply died and the rest moved on immediately. I found it a bit jarring, as I tend to enjoy analyzing things introspectively. I like to get to know my characters, understand their beliefs, desires, and most of all, emotions. I wanted to be slightly more emotionally triggered through my connection with the characters and their plights. But perhaps this is connected to my foreknowledge of what was to come later; I did not forge those connections with some characters, as I knew that they would die sooner rather than later.
It was also interesting how the book was broken up into 4 different sections, one for each of the main characters: Stephen Brightflame, Tyrus Canard, and Kari Quinn, and then the last one for all three: Heroes of the Siege. Each section boasted the unique POV of its star character, and did not quite follow chronologically. As such, some of the events were somewhat redundant as we saw them from multiple characters’ POVs at different times, and here again, suspense was lost as we already knew much of what was to come from a previous POV section. I did like that we were granted glimpses into each individual character’s psyche, however, as it helped me to connect more with each and see events from their unique perspective. It also allowed us to gain insight into each character’s past as there was a scattering of flashback thoughts with each character.
Going along with these 4 sections, the writing style of the entire book was a bit choppy. There was a plethora of short sentences loosely connected within paragraphs, and a lot of factual information simply sitting. The jumping of time for each section also contributed to this choppy feeling. I personally would much rather have preferred to have the book follow its events chronologically, intermingling POVs as it went, switching perhaps each chapter or so. This would have eliminated the redundancy, boosted the suspense, and allowed the story to flow much more naturally, all while still integrating different characters’ unique perspectives.
I feel as though I have been criticizing this novel a bit too harshly, but really, the story itself was amazing. Most of the issues I had were with the writing style, rather than the story itself. The plot was intricate for such a short book, as well as engaging and unpredictable. The worldbuilding was phenomenal, made even more so with the short character bios in the beginning of the book and the chronological history of Element in the back. The story itself ended on a cliffhanger, leaving me wanting for so much more! I will definitely be continuing this saga to see how everything ends up!
January 12, 2020
This book is a gem. The characters are well developed, the history is well thought out, and you can tell just by reading it how much love the author has poured into this story. One thing I thought was a total hoot were the colloquialisms you’d find every now and then, that one wouldn’t expect to find in a fantasy world, but somehow totally worked. The pacing of the story is perfect, and I like how the author's faith comes up every now and then through the characters. Ty was an absolute ball to read about, and Kari was amazing as well. Steve was a lovely character, but in my mind he was just a little too perfect. Additionally, the characters seemed largely unaffected by seeing people and children brutally murdered in front of them, almost as if they brushed it off immediately. This doesn’t seem realistic to me, considering the kingdom hasn’t seen an onslaught such as this in over a decade and I felt the emotional toll would have been higher than that portrayed. Overall, 9/10!!! Read if you enjoy John Flanagan.
March 2, 2020
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
If you like Lord of the Rings, this is a book to read. Even here and there are small hints and nudges to the epic movie.
This story revolves around three characters, Tyrus Conrad, Kari Quinn and Stephen Brightflame. The opening scene begins with Stephen on a Jouster tournament, when all things go to hell and they are attacked by monsters.
Then with each character, we follow their journey through the city Celestial, trying to escape the destruction the monsters bring. This is an epic battle between good and evil. This book has it all , action, war, friendship and a little bit of romance between the battle of monsters and humans. You are sucked right in, in the personal journeys of Ty, Kari and Steve. And it ends with a big cliffhanger. Will they survive this brutal attack of the monsters? And who is that man sitting on the big black dragon? It raises more questions and questions being answered.
If you like Lord of the Rings, this is a book to read. Even here and there are small hints and nudges to the epic movie.
This story revolves around three characters, Tyrus Conrad, Kari Quinn and Stephen Brightflame. The opening scene begins with Stephen on a Jouster tournament, when all things go to hell and they are attacked by monsters.
Then with each character, we follow their journey through the city Celestial, trying to escape the destruction the monsters bring. This is an epic battle between good and evil. This book has it all , action, war, friendship and a little bit of romance between the battle of monsters and humans. You are sucked right in, in the personal journeys of Ty, Kari and Steve. And it ends with a big cliffhanger. Will they survive this brutal attack of the monsters? And who is that man sitting on the big black dragon? It raises more questions and questions being answered.
July 3, 2024
The first volume in the Story of Evil Series by Tony Johnson is a good heroic fantasy novel, that ticks most of the boxes for an entertaining read. We have an interesting set of characters, deep backstory and dark forces at work.
I don’t think it ever truly hits the highs required to make it a five star read, but it is well written and easy to follow. I did find some aspects a little slow and repetitive and I’d like to have seen the characters grow and develop a bit more, it felt like they were still the same at the end as the start, but I guess it is only the first book in the series.
The best aspects of the book are the amount of time and effort the author clearly put into building the world, which feels rich and solid. A little more work to really make the characters shine and it gets a rating upgrade. Thank you TWR for providing me with a copy
I don’t think it ever truly hits the highs required to make it a five star read, but it is well written and easy to follow. I did find some aspects a little slow and repetitive and I’d like to have seen the characters grow and develop a bit more, it felt like they were still the same at the end as the start, but I guess it is only the first book in the series.
The best aspects of the book are the amount of time and effort the author clearly put into building the world, which feels rich and solid. A little more work to really make the characters shine and it gets a rating upgrade. Thank you TWR for providing me with a copy
October 12, 2019
This is an excellent book and the first in a series that I want to keep reading! I was pulled into the storyline immediately, and the action never ceased from page one to the end. On top of a gripping tale, the characters are wonderfully crafted and I felt as if they were my own family and friends. What I appreciate most though, is the way that the theme of good versus evil is drawn out - in the action, yes, but also very subtly within the hearts and minds of the characters. Its hard nowadays to find a work of fiction that exemplifies real nobility in a tangible way that we can relate to. We need more books like this! I can't wait to delve into the second book in this series. Highly recommended!
July 3, 2024
I received an advanced review copy of this book to review as part of a tour with The Write Reads.
This is the first in a fantasy saga, and when I first started reading, I felt it would be a fun adventure, with plenty for fantasy lovers to sink their bookish teeth into. Soon after I started reading, I felt myself escaping into the world created by the author. It came to life easily for me.
I felt the characters were interesting, and all had their own part to play in the story. This was an exciting read, and I think that in particular, young adult fantasy readers may enjoy it.
Thank you to The Write Reads, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.
This is the first in a fantasy saga, and when I first started reading, I felt it would be a fun adventure, with plenty for fantasy lovers to sink their bookish teeth into. Soon after I started reading, I felt myself escaping into the world created by the author. It came to life easily for me.
I felt the characters were interesting, and all had their own part to play in the story. This was an exciting read, and I think that in particular, young adult fantasy readers may enjoy it.
Thank you to The Write Reads, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.
March 1, 2019
An excellent fast paced saga of evil overtaking the city of Celestrial. The city's inhabitants: humans, elves, giants and dwarves, all that had been creatures created by Good God, Alazar, had learned to co-exist for three generations. The blight was the monsters created by the evil God Zebulon, who killed and destroyed indiscriminately.
This is the day when peace and harmony was wiped away, with death and cruelty.
I believe this a good solid lead into what looks like a very dramatic and thrilling tale.
This is the day when peace and harmony was wiped away, with death and cruelty.
I believe this a good solid lead into what looks like a very dramatic and thrilling tale.
December 15, 2018
I loved how normally narration of the world started, like reading a story from childhood but changes pace and language soon enough. The story of evil gives you twist, adventure and drama filled with action and magic. No one is unnecessarily overpowered, that is one of the best point I found. I highly recommend it to younger reading audience and people who want to get themselves into a world of fantasy.
September 6, 2019
Most enjoyable!
As evil forces of monsters attack the capital city during an annual jousting tournament, 3 people bond together to survive the destruction. The story has an interesting background mythos and the characters are likable and well thought out. Book rapidly becomes a page-turner - you want to find out what happens next. This has all the makings of an outstanding series.
As evil forces of monsters attack the capital city during an annual jousting tournament, 3 people bond together to survive the destruction. The story has an interesting background mythos and the characters are likable and well thought out. Book rapidly becomes a page-turner - you want to find out what happens next. This has all the makings of an outstanding series.
June 3, 2020
I will be honest the first few chapters seemed a bit slow to grab my attention, but as I carried on reading it fulfilled my expectations to the point I couldn’t put it down.
With plenty of action and an emotional rollercoaster it really was worth the recommendation by the author.
With plenty of action and an emotional rollercoaster it really was worth the recommendation by the author.
February 9, 2019
I’ve read all three of the books so far and eagerly waiting for the fourth. Very good books, definitely page turners. If you love fantasy - check them out.
August 25, 2024
Find this review and more on my blog at
Worlds Unlike Our Own
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Thank you to @The_WriteReads and the author for providing me with a copy of this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review!
Aspiring knight Stephen Brightflame is representing his city, Celestial, in the jousting tournament, when right in the middle of his joust, the city is attacked by a mysterious enemy with an army of monsters. The city is quickly overrun by the surprise attack, but Stephen, his brother Tyrus, and Halfling archer Kari fight back to protect their home.
The minute I saw the notice for this blog tour, I knew I had to try it. The premise had an epic fantasy feel to it and I see far too few of those these days.
The list of characters at the beginning was quite helpful, and I always appreciate it when a book starts with the dramatis personae. The book started with a sort of creation myth which also neatly introduced and laid out the different aspects of the world and provided all the details needed to understand the main story. Though this level of detail before the story even begins is uncommon, I think the fast pace necessitated having all the information beforehand. This was a fun adventure with a classic good vs evil premise.
The world building was clearly well thought out and the author has put together an interesting, complex and diverse world. The descriptions were rich and detailed and really brought it all to life, and this was one my favorite parts of the book.
There were three parallel perspectives throughout the book – Stephen, Tyrus and Kari – but they often overlapped timeline wise which made this a confusing read at times. The story also chose to pause and dwell on certain events that so far, seem to have no impact on the greater plot, like Ty buying cotton candy for a kid, and barely any time on more major events. Maybe these things will prove important somehow in the next books?
This first book in the series is set during an enemy assault on the Celestial and shows the effect of the enemy invasion on the city and its denizens. However, this went on for several chapters wherein there was basically just a lot of fighting. You would think so many character deaths in quick succession would make it a rather shocking and emotional read, but with a very few exceptions, this all occurred to characters we barely or never meet, so it was not as impactful as perhaps the author intended. Until the last couple of chapters, even though I was enjoying the plot, it was in a more detached way.
Also, the level of violence surprised me as this is meant to be YA. Though the characters were the right age and the straightforward plot certainly fits the age group, I would suggest caution for any younger readers.
The writing style and narration was the major pain point for me throughout this book. It tells rather than shows which means that many plot points became less impactful, and instead of getting to know the characters as the story progressed, everything was just laid out right there, which made it very difficult to get emotionally invested in the book as a whole. The sentence structure also didn’t flow smoothly in several places.
That said, this was a fast paced read and easy to get through, not to mention action packed from end to end. I actually got several pages into the second book before I noticed because I just kept turning the pages right through the climax of book one.
The characters were likeable and described in great detail but once again, the voice of the narrative threw things off. It felt more like info dumping to me because I prefer to find out things about the characters and especially their personalities as their arcs unfold, and dislike being just handed a pile of facts as was done here as it makes them feel two dimensional.
This was a plot heavy book, and between the fast pace and short length of the narrative, there wasn’t much character development though I hope that will change in the next book. I liked Kari’s character the best as she had a little more backstory.
This city wide conflict was the focus of majority of the book, and events didn’t take a turn until around the 85% mark. There were several interesting reveals to round off the book, and while it didn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, it did raise a lot of intriguing questions.
Overall, I did enjoy this book despite some mixed feelings about the writing and characters. The full series was provided by the author for this blog tour, so I’m definitely looking forward to continuing with the next book! I would recommend this book for epic fantasy fans!
Thank you to @The_WriteReads and the author for providing me with a copy of this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review!
Aspiring knight Stephen Brightflame is representing his city, Celestial, in the jousting tournament, when right in the middle of his joust, the city is attacked by a mysterious enemy with an army of monsters. The city is quickly overrun by the surprise attack, but Stephen, his brother Tyrus, and Halfling archer Kari fight back to protect their home.
The minute I saw the notice for this blog tour, I knew I had to try it. The premise had an epic fantasy feel to it and I see far too few of those these days.
The list of characters at the beginning was quite helpful, and I always appreciate it when a book starts with the dramatis personae. The book started with a sort of creation myth which also neatly introduced and laid out the different aspects of the world and provided all the details needed to understand the main story. Though this level of detail before the story even begins is uncommon, I think the fast pace necessitated having all the information beforehand. This was a fun adventure with a classic good vs evil premise.
The world building was clearly well thought out and the author has put together an interesting, complex and diverse world. The descriptions were rich and detailed and really brought it all to life, and this was one my favorite parts of the book.
There were three parallel perspectives throughout the book – Stephen, Tyrus and Kari – but they often overlapped timeline wise which made this a confusing read at times. The story also chose to pause and dwell on certain events that so far, seem to have no impact on the greater plot, like Ty buying cotton candy for a kid, and barely any time on more major events. Maybe these things will prove important somehow in the next books?
This first book in the series is set during an enemy assault on the Celestial and shows the effect of the enemy invasion on the city and its denizens. However, this went on for several chapters wherein there was basically just a lot of fighting. You would think so many character deaths in quick succession would make it a rather shocking and emotional read, but with a very few exceptions, this all occurred to characters we barely or never meet, so it was not as impactful as perhaps the author intended. Until the last couple of chapters, even though I was enjoying the plot, it was in a more detached way.
Also, the level of violence surprised me as this is meant to be YA. Though the characters were the right age and the straightforward plot certainly fits the age group, I would suggest caution for any younger readers.
The writing style and narration was the major pain point for me throughout this book. It tells rather than shows which means that many plot points became less impactful, and instead of getting to know the characters as the story progressed, everything was just laid out right there, which made it very difficult to get emotionally invested in the book as a whole. The sentence structure also didn’t flow smoothly in several places.
That said, this was a fast paced read and easy to get through, not to mention action packed from end to end. I actually got several pages into the second book before I noticed because I just kept turning the pages right through the climax of book one.
The characters were likeable and described in great detail but once again, the voice of the narrative threw things off. It felt more like info dumping to me because I prefer to find out things about the characters and especially their personalities as their arcs unfold, and dislike being just handed a pile of facts as was done here as it makes them feel two dimensional.
This was a plot heavy book, and between the fast pace and short length of the narrative, there wasn’t much character development though I hope that will change in the next book. I liked Kari’s character the best as she had a little more backstory.
This city wide conflict was the focus of majority of the book, and events didn’t take a turn until around the 85% mark. There were several interesting reveals to round off the book, and while it didn’t end on a cliffhanger per se, it did raise a lot of intriguing questions.
Overall, I did enjoy this book despite some mixed feelings about the writing and characters. The full series was provided by the author for this blog tour, so I’m definitely looking forward to continuing with the next book! I would recommend this book for epic fantasy fans!
January 14, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.
This is a great fantasy novel ending in a good versus evil smackdown cliffhanger. Johnson has done well on his first novel. He has woven the tale of secret identities, a major political coup, action, and love into a fine tapestry of vibrant characters in a realistic world. He's given it an interesting title, too.
The world is standard fantasy fare with knights and dragons, but Johnson has added new elements to the world of Element. He takes the time to explain things, sometimes more than once (but not in a boring way), so that the reader knows what is going on. The world is self-vindicating and internally-consistent, which I appreciate and think you will, too. Realistic (in the sense of believable) settings is important to me as a reader.
As the title implies, the action takes place immediately before and during a war. Hordes of monsters launch a surprise attack on the royal capitol of Celestial culminating in an occupation of the city. The crown prince usurps the throne, killing his noble grandfather to do so. The city is thrown into turmoil. The doomed soldiers of the city fight valiantly, but are outnumbered and surprised, so that the outcome is inevitable. You actually care about the people and the city itself because, due to Johnson's talent for making the setting seem real, you feel as if you know the people at least well enough to empathize with them. You cheer, suffer, and care right along with them. Despite the title, there is no siege as the city is overrun quite quickly. I understand the choice as "Heroes of the Siege" sounds a lot cooler than "Heroes of the Occupation" (Vive le resistance!), but it does make you think the defenders will prevent the monsters from taking over so that a siege can begin. This is my only quibble with the story.
The story is broken into three different storylines focusing on three characters. The first is the human Stephen Brightflame, a warrior of Celestial, knight, and champion jouster. His bravery, loyalty, and charisma is evident. I dare you to read it without thinking of Heath Ledger in the movie, A Knight's Tale. The second is the elf Tyrus Canard, Stephen's adopted brother. Ty, as he is called, is even more charismatic, in a way, than Stephen. He is a ladies man. He is also a warrior of Celestial, a gryphon-rider, at that. The third is the half-elven Kari Quinn. She is an archer of no little skill who encounters Ty as they are both fighting monsters during the invasion. Ty and Kari fall in love rather quickly, which sometimes happens, especially during times of crisis. The storyline follows these three engaging characters as they battle the forces of evil, strive for excellence, and try to keep themselves and their families and friends alive. Johnson begins the book in the middle of action, moves back and forth between the three plots in an interesting way, and interjects enough detail and background to make you care about the people and future impacted by the attack. He ends the book with a cliffhanger: the three main characters surrounded by enemies, with Stephen determining he will kill the usurper before the monsters rip them to shreds. This left me gnawing my fingernails in anticipation of the next book. The Story of Evil Volume I: Heroes of the Siege is a fantasy thrill ride you don't want to miss.
This is a great fantasy novel ending in a good versus evil smackdown cliffhanger. Johnson has done well on his first novel. He has woven the tale of secret identities, a major political coup, action, and love into a fine tapestry of vibrant characters in a realistic world. He's given it an interesting title, too.
The world is standard fantasy fare with knights and dragons, but Johnson has added new elements to the world of Element. He takes the time to explain things, sometimes more than once (but not in a boring way), so that the reader knows what is going on. The world is self-vindicating and internally-consistent, which I appreciate and think you will, too. Realistic (in the sense of believable) settings is important to me as a reader.
As the title implies, the action takes place immediately before and during a war. Hordes of monsters launch a surprise attack on the royal capitol of Celestial culminating in an occupation of the city. The crown prince usurps the throne, killing his noble grandfather to do so. The city is thrown into turmoil. The doomed soldiers of the city fight valiantly, but are outnumbered and surprised, so that the outcome is inevitable. You actually care about the people and the city itself because, due to Johnson's talent for making the setting seem real, you feel as if you know the people at least well enough to empathize with them. You cheer, suffer, and care right along with them. Despite the title, there is no siege as the city is overrun quite quickly. I understand the choice as "Heroes of the Siege" sounds a lot cooler than "Heroes of the Occupation" (Vive le resistance!), but it does make you think the defenders will prevent the monsters from taking over so that a siege can begin. This is my only quibble with the story.
The story is broken into three different storylines focusing on three characters. The first is the human Stephen Brightflame, a warrior of Celestial, knight, and champion jouster. His bravery, loyalty, and charisma is evident. I dare you to read it without thinking of Heath Ledger in the movie, A Knight's Tale. The second is the elf Tyrus Canard, Stephen's adopted brother. Ty, as he is called, is even more charismatic, in a way, than Stephen. He is a ladies man. He is also a warrior of Celestial, a gryphon-rider, at that. The third is the half-elven Kari Quinn. She is an archer of no little skill who encounters Ty as they are both fighting monsters during the invasion. Ty and Kari fall in love rather quickly, which sometimes happens, especially during times of crisis. The storyline follows these three engaging characters as they battle the forces of evil, strive for excellence, and try to keep themselves and their families and friends alive. Johnson begins the book in the middle of action, moves back and forth between the three plots in an interesting way, and interjects enough detail and background to make you care about the people and future impacted by the attack. He ends the book with a cliffhanger: the three main characters surrounded by enemies, with Stephen determining he will kill the usurper before the monsters rip them to shreds. This left me gnawing my fingernails in anticipation of the next book. The Story of Evil Volume I: Heroes of the Siege is a fantasy thrill ride you don't want to miss.
November 12, 2019
I was given a free copy of this book for a honest review.
When I was done reading this book I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The book is full of everything you could want from an adventure type fantasy novel. The happenings of the book were well described and it was easy to imagine the scenery described. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
When I was done reading this book I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The book is full of everything you could want from an adventure type fantasy novel. The happenings of the book were well described and it was easy to imagine the scenery described. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
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