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Soldier Sons #1
The Ghost of Red Fields
In a blasted land desecrated by the twisted science of a ruthless empire, a hopeful Rebellion has taken root at last under the banner of the Companions. As victory draws near, the true horror of the Athorite empire emerges as monstrous new warriors appear. Known only as the Soldier Sons, they are the vanguard rumored to be the enemy’s invincible weapons. These creatures threaten to undo all that the Companions have achieved. As three of the Companion’s best soldiers struggle to confront these nightmarish demons, they realize their only hope may be a mysterious and vengeful Athorite traitor—their new commander.
135 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2016
1 person is currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Stemler
7 books24 followersBe one of the first readers of the new urban fantasy crime thriller Monster Force: Murder In Metalneck! http://bit.ly/monsterforce
Sam Stemler is an author, blogger and copywriter living in Lansing, Michigan. She published her first fiction novel, a teen romance titled That Freak Kid in 2011 while obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, which later helped to inspire The King of the Sun, published in December, 2013. Her five-book fantasy wartime series, Soldier Sons, was completed in October 2016, drawing in readers from across the world with deep characters and gruesome battles. She has just finished the first book in her next saga, a magic detective series titled Monster Force.
READ Monster Force: Murder In Metalneck
http://bit.ly/monsterforce
READ the Soldier Sons series on Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/Samantha-Steml...
READ The King of the Sun on Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HIVEE7Y
READ That Freak Kid on Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ECU20C
PAPERBACKS on Lulu.com:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SamStemler
Connect with me:
Facebook: facebook.com/S.Stemler
Twitter: @samstemler
Insta: @stemlersam
Google+: +SamStemler
Blog: samstemler.blogspot.com
Sam Stemler is an author, blogger and copywriter living in Lansing, Michigan. She published her first fiction novel, a teen romance titled That Freak Kid in 2011 while obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, which later helped to inspire The King of the Sun, published in December, 2013. Her five-book fantasy wartime series, Soldier Sons, was completed in October 2016, drawing in readers from across the world with deep characters and gruesome battles. She has just finished the first book in her next saga, a magic detective series titled Monster Force.
READ Monster Force: Murder In Metalneck
http://bit.ly/monsterforce
READ the Soldier Sons series on Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/Samantha-Steml...
READ The King of the Sun on Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HIVEE7Y
READ That Freak Kid on Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ECU20C
PAPERBACKS on Lulu.com:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SamStemler
Connect with me:
Facebook: facebook.com/S.Stemler
Twitter: @samstemler
Insta: @stemlersam
Google+: +SamStemler
Blog: samstemler.blogspot.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 1, 2016
With so many reading options and too little time I'm a bit wary of getting into anything that is part of a series just now, but this was definitely worth dipping my toes into and I think it's got me hooked.
The book starts with vivid action. The atmosphere and details made me think of a cutscene in a game, the writing bringing a brief moment to life and twisting time so I envisioned parts of it almost in slow motion. The use of language gave me a good feeling, and still I found myself pleasantly surprised as I pushed on. What follows is impressive.
Stemler has created a superb universe and delivers it well. A dark, war-torn place that unfolds effortlessly as the chapters progress. The descriptions are measured and elegant, the author offering up simple concepts that can be painted with few words and yet are clever enough to add a lot of depth to the world in such a short space.
The characters are given much more room to develop and they do this well. There is an impressive blend of warmth and darkness coursing through those we encounter. Zensor, the main character in this book, has a glorious richness to his darkness. Okay, so this isn't the first story with a troubled hero but he is more interesting than most - he's an inverse of the cliched approach by having his demons near the surface yet keeping them subdued and controlled.
The plot may not offer much in the way of twists or surprises but the writing delivers with aplomb. There's a care here, it feels crafted rather than just written. There's attention to detail in the components of this book (and good proofreading too!) that result in something well worth reading.
This book works well as a standalone, although it does leave a sense of anticipation for what will follow. Let the darkness keep coming!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through First Reads.
The book starts with vivid action. The atmosphere and details made me think of a cutscene in a game, the writing bringing a brief moment to life and twisting time so I envisioned parts of it almost in slow motion. The use of language gave me a good feeling, and still I found myself pleasantly surprised as I pushed on. What follows is impressive.
Stemler has created a superb universe and delivers it well. A dark, war-torn place that unfolds effortlessly as the chapters progress. The descriptions are measured and elegant, the author offering up simple concepts that can be painted with few words and yet are clever enough to add a lot of depth to the world in such a short space.
The characters are given much more room to develop and they do this well. There is an impressive blend of warmth and darkness coursing through those we encounter. Zensor, the main character in this book, has a glorious richness to his darkness. Okay, so this isn't the first story with a troubled hero but he is more interesting than most - he's an inverse of the cliched approach by having his demons near the surface yet keeping them subdued and controlled.
The plot may not offer much in the way of twists or surprises but the writing delivers with aplomb. There's a care here, it feels crafted rather than just written. There's attention to detail in the components of this book (and good proofreading too!) that result in something well worth reading.
This book works well as a standalone, although it does leave a sense of anticipation for what will follow. Let the darkness keep coming!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through First Reads.
September 3, 2016
Gripping. Stemler knows how to pull the reader in & make them beg for more.
November 11, 2016
Good Book. Enjoyable to read. Stemler does a good job describing the scenes and characters. It is obvious there is more story to tell and I am hooked. Get me the next one !
February 25, 2017
This is a terrific book! In the spirit of full disclosure, Sam asked me to read it and give her my notes on edits. I did that, but I found myself highlighted many more phrases I might use in my own writing. This is one talented author.
So, on to the story. Rather than repeat the blurb, I'll just say Sam takes you into this fascinating, dark, and foreign world, and paints it so clearly you know exactly where you are. The brooding main male character slowly emerges over time, and we begin to understand and care about him. But he's fascinating from the get-go. Sam mixes narrative, action, and dialog in just the right proportions to keep the story moving. I often found my jaw drop at her skill. I'm jealous!
If you like a dark fantasy world with lots of action and brilliant writing, this is the book for you.
So, on to the story. Rather than repeat the blurb, I'll just say Sam takes you into this fascinating, dark, and foreign world, and paints it so clearly you know exactly where you are. The brooding main male character slowly emerges over time, and we begin to understand and care about him. But he's fascinating from the get-go. Sam mixes narrative, action, and dialog in just the right proportions to keep the story moving. I often found my jaw drop at her skill. I'm jealous!
If you like a dark fantasy world with lots of action and brilliant writing, this is the book for you.
September 10, 2016
I cannot WAIT to read more in this series!!
There's something about a tough male lead and a tough female lead that just make a story for me. Zensor is the quintessential tough, (sexy) mysterious guy kicking butt and taking names and Salia is the lady warrior that won't take his crap. There's a little bit of romance with Salia and her comrade Lenst, a lot of tension between all the fighters, and a bloody battle capping off the end. Loved it! Well written, well executed, a great find!
There's something about a tough male lead and a tough female lead that just make a story for me. Zensor is the quintessential tough, (sexy) mysterious guy kicking butt and taking names and Salia is the lady warrior that won't take his crap. There's a little bit of romance with Salia and her comrade Lenst, a lot of tension between all the fighters, and a bloody battle capping off the end. Loved it! Well written, well executed, a great find!
September 10, 2016
At .99 cents on Amazon I wasn't expecting much from this book but I was really surprised. This book is a quick and easy read, I read it in one sitting and downloaded the next three once I finished. There was good build-up and a great battle at the end that makes you want more. It's smaller-scale than a lot of fantasy war books, more personal, and it feels like you get into the characters heads more, not just armies vs armies, bombs exploding etc.. I'm excited to see what happens next.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews