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The Realmers #1
A Darker Shade of Sorcery
The lonely and grieving Evan Umbra is the newest Venator to enter Veneseron, the school for demon hunters.
A Venator is a wizard, a spy and a demon hunter rolled into one. They’re taught how to wield their sorcery and enchanted weaponry by orcs, elfpires and aliens alike.
Their missions range from battling monsters and saving countless lives in the multiple worlds, to the more peculiar, like wrangling killer unicorns and calming down drunken yetis. In their free time Venators enjoy goblin soap-operas and underwater bubble travel, but they also understand that every new mission they’re given could be their last.
Whilst learning how to manipulate the elements, summon creatures to fight for him and shoot Spellzookas, Evan encounters a dangerous rival and meets a girl who makes him feel nauseous; but in a good way. He makes the first friends he’s ever had in the carefree Jed and the reckless Brooke. Whilst Jed gets on the wrong side of a rival Venator, Brooke finds herself falling for the enigmatic demon hunter who brought her to Veneseron, not knowing he isn't quite human. But it soon becomes apparent that Evan is more than just a Venator. Everyone wants to kill or capture him, from demons to Dark-Venators and even people he’s supposed to be able to trust.
Evan reckons he probably won’t survive his first year at Veneseron.
A Venator is a wizard, a spy and a demon hunter rolled into one. They’re taught how to wield their sorcery and enchanted weaponry by orcs, elfpires and aliens alike.
Their missions range from battling monsters and saving countless lives in the multiple worlds, to the more peculiar, like wrangling killer unicorns and calming down drunken yetis. In their free time Venators enjoy goblin soap-operas and underwater bubble travel, but they also understand that every new mission they’re given could be their last.
Whilst learning how to manipulate the elements, summon creatures to fight for him and shoot Spellzookas, Evan encounters a dangerous rival and meets a girl who makes him feel nauseous; but in a good way. He makes the first friends he’s ever had in the carefree Jed and the reckless Brooke. Whilst Jed gets on the wrong side of a rival Venator, Brooke finds herself falling for the enigmatic demon hunter who brought her to Veneseron, not knowing he isn't quite human. But it soon becomes apparent that Evan is more than just a Venator. Everyone wants to kill or capture him, from demons to Dark-Venators and even people he’s supposed to be able to trust.
Evan reckons he probably won’t survive his first year at Veneseron.
350 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
310 people are currently reading
1382 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
August 23, 2017
*** 2.5 stars ***
*Thanks again to the author for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
When the author approached me and asked me if I was interested in reviewing his book, I was very intrigued by the synopsis of it and felt like ‘A Darker Shade of Sorcery’ would be a book that would absorb me and keep me on the edge of my seat. I continued thinking that at the beginning of it because it started out being really interesting. You get to read about the world he created in these books and I felt like the idea of this book has a lot of potential. Overall, it’s also very well written and I really enjoyed Will Collins’ writing style.
But those are the only positive things I can actually say about this book. I soon got a little bored with it because the first 80% of the book are only world building. He almost solely described the demon hunter school the main characters went to, which generally wasn’t a bad thing because I liked the idea of the school. But at some point, it just started being too much and I could barely remember all the information that was given in the books.
Every day he wrote about new classes the characters took, new things they had to learn and new places they went to in the castles and I just couldn’t remember all of it. Due to all the descriptions, there also weren’t many moments that gave the reader the chance to start feeling connected with the characters which is why I also wouldn’t really care if anything would happen to them. I must admit that I was a little fond of Brooke but I think it was mainly due to the fact that she was a teenage girl just like I’ve once been. Evan on the other hand, who I think was supposed to be the actual main character, was a character I felt absolutely no connection to and I sadly didn’t care about him at all.
There were also a few things that didn’t really make sense. For example, at one point they’re told that they’ll soon take their ‘apprentice trials’. Brooke is supposed to take them 2 weeks from that day and Evan another week later. But at the beginning of the next chapter it is said that a month had gone by and I thought they had just taken their trials during that time. But instead they were still a couple of weeks from their trials which would’ve been fine if there had been an explanation as to why their trials had been postponed but instead the story just continued as if nothing had changed. Once the trials then took place, I must also say that I was a little disappointed by them. More than half of the books was just about them working towards those trials and then they were done with them within three or four pages and I also didn’t really understand how they were supposed to work or what their actual tasks in the trials were.
Due to all the things I unfortunately didn’t like about this book, I also started losing interest in it the closer I got to the end of it. That also didn’t change when things started to get a little more action-packed during the last 10% of the book even though there were a couple of interesting things happening then that I didn’t expect to happen.
All in all, I would describe ‘A Darker Shade of Sorcery’ as a mixture of Harry Potter and The Mortal Instruments. It’s a book that generally has a lot of potential but in my opinion, it would’ve been a lot better if there had been less world building and more moments during which the reader would’ve been able to build up a connection with the characters. That’s why I can only give 2.5 out of 5 stars to this book and I don’t think I will pick up the next book in the series.
*Thanks again to the author for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
When the author approached me and asked me if I was interested in reviewing his book, I was very intrigued by the synopsis of it and felt like ‘A Darker Shade of Sorcery’ would be a book that would absorb me and keep me on the edge of my seat. I continued thinking that at the beginning of it because it started out being really interesting. You get to read about the world he created in these books and I felt like the idea of this book has a lot of potential. Overall, it’s also very well written and I really enjoyed Will Collins’ writing style.
But those are the only positive things I can actually say about this book. I soon got a little bored with it because the first 80% of the book are only world building. He almost solely described the demon hunter school the main characters went to, which generally wasn’t a bad thing because I liked the idea of the school. But at some point, it just started being too much and I could barely remember all the information that was given in the books.
Every day he wrote about new classes the characters took, new things they had to learn and new places they went to in the castles and I just couldn’t remember all of it. Due to all the descriptions, there also weren’t many moments that gave the reader the chance to start feeling connected with the characters which is why I also wouldn’t really care if anything would happen to them. I must admit that I was a little fond of Brooke but I think it was mainly due to the fact that she was a teenage girl just like I’ve once been. Evan on the other hand, who I think was supposed to be the actual main character, was a character I felt absolutely no connection to and I sadly didn’t care about him at all.
There were also a few things that didn’t really make sense. For example, at one point they’re told that they’ll soon take their ‘apprentice trials’. Brooke is supposed to take them 2 weeks from that day and Evan another week later. But at the beginning of the next chapter it is said that a month had gone by and I thought they had just taken their trials during that time. But instead they were still a couple of weeks from their trials which would’ve been fine if there had been an explanation as to why their trials had been postponed but instead the story just continued as if nothing had changed. Once the trials then took place, I must also say that I was a little disappointed by them. More than half of the books was just about them working towards those trials and then they were done with them within three or four pages and I also didn’t really understand how they were supposed to work or what their actual tasks in the trials were.
Due to all the things I unfortunately didn’t like about this book, I also started losing interest in it the closer I got to the end of it. That also didn’t change when things started to get a little more action-packed during the last 10% of the book even though there were a couple of interesting things happening then that I didn’t expect to happen.
All in all, I would describe ‘A Darker Shade of Sorcery’ as a mixture of Harry Potter and The Mortal Instruments. It’s a book that generally has a lot of potential but in my opinion, it would’ve been a lot better if there had been less world building and more moments during which the reader would’ve been able to build up a connection with the characters. That’s why I can only give 2.5 out of 5 stars to this book and I don’t think I will pick up the next book in the series.
May 16, 2016
Downloaded for free from Amazon.co.uk
This was a YA paranormal/fantasy story, about a kid training to hunt demons.
Evan and Brooke were both okay characters, although I felt more for Brooke than I did for Evan. Not really sure why. I did feel sorry for Evan when he was being victimised by bullies though.
The storyline in this was about Evan and Brooke going to this school for demon hunters, and it did remind me a bit of Harry Potter at points. I found this story quite hard to get into though, and I kept wanting to put this one down and read something else. I don’t know why this was, but this book just didn’t click for me unfortunately, most likely just a case of wrong-person, wrong book.
6 out of 10
This was a YA paranormal/fantasy story, about a kid training to hunt demons.
Evan and Brooke were both okay characters, although I felt more for Brooke than I did for Evan. Not really sure why. I did feel sorry for Evan when he was being victimised by bullies though.
The storyline in this was about Evan and Brooke going to this school for demon hunters, and it did remind me a bit of Harry Potter at points. I found this story quite hard to get into though, and I kept wanting to put this one down and read something else. I don’t know why this was, but this book just didn’t click for me unfortunately, most likely just a case of wrong-person, wrong book.
6 out of 10
May 2, 2016
Review posted on Fafa's Book Corner !
Beware spoilers ahead!
DNF
I received this E-ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review.
When I got the email from Collins asking me to read A Darker Shade of Sorcery I immediately said yes! I love fantasy and paranormal books! This sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this.
The book begins with Evan mentioning that his grandmother recently passed away. He is constantly haunted by her death and has nightmares about her. It doesn't help that he has bullies bothering him everywhere he goes.
While trying yet again to outrun the bullies a monster appears. At first Evan doesn't notice anything as his back is toward the monster. But the bullies faces go pale and one of them is murdered by the monster. Then Evan turns around and finds himself face-to-face with a horrifying monster. The monster speaks to him and kidnaps him.
This was a case of 'It's not you but me.' As I continued to read I felt no connection to the story. While the pace was fast and it was engaging I felt nothing. I should've felt really bad for Evan but even when he mentioned his grandmother it didn't pull on my heart strings. I have given this book a two star because the premise sounds interesting.
Overall this book was not for me. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good fantasy series.
Beware spoilers ahead!
DNF
I received this E-ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review.
When I got the email from Collins asking me to read A Darker Shade of Sorcery I immediately said yes! I love fantasy and paranormal books! This sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this.
The book begins with Evan mentioning that his grandmother recently passed away. He is constantly haunted by her death and has nightmares about her. It doesn't help that he has bullies bothering him everywhere he goes.
While trying yet again to outrun the bullies a monster appears. At first Evan doesn't notice anything as his back is toward the monster. But the bullies faces go pale and one of them is murdered by the monster. Then Evan turns around and finds himself face-to-face with a horrifying monster. The monster speaks to him and kidnaps him.
This was a case of 'It's not you but me.' As I continued to read I felt no connection to the story. While the pace was fast and it was engaging I felt nothing. I should've felt really bad for Evan but even when he mentioned his grandmother it didn't pull on my heart strings. I have given this book a two star because the premise sounds interesting.
Overall this book was not for me. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good fantasy series.
August 6, 2017
This novel was provided free of charge by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Despite its parallels with Harry Potter, it was worth the read.
Students going to a school to learn magic only this time to fight demons. The plot was entertaining right from the beginning and, although there were a few slow spots that had to be pushed through, was fun throughout. The struggle I found was when the action ended for the description of environments or monsters or whatever. It's the great author that can do all that and continue the action uninterrupted.
I found all the characters interesting and well developed. Evan was most definitely my favorite. They all behaved as you would expect them to. Teenagers behaving as teenagers and so forth. Although the quick acceptance at being kidnapped from family and friends to learn magic to kill demons was a bit hard to believe.
I think it was a really great first novel. Well worth a read.Just barely rises to the level of four stars.
March 4, 2023
Hey everyone,
This is an awesome community, I’m glad to be a part of it. :)
Also, only the Amazon UK link seems to be above. Here’s the US one.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A...
Thank you.
This is an awesome community, I’m glad to be a part of it. :)
Also, only the Amazon UK link seems to be above. Here’s the US one.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01A...
Thank you.
January 13, 2021
Upon further reflection I would give this book a 3.5/5 instead of a 3, just because there is a lot in here to love!
I enjoyed the story definitely. It has the usual boarding at a magical school type vibes without feeling like Harry Potter and I really liked the plot and story. The writing was fast paced and easy to read.
I also love that from literally page one we are thrown into the action! The world building is quick and entertaining, not drawn out, and the world itself is very intriguing!
My minor issues stemmed from wishing that the book was only in one character's POV and a personal preference that I am not always a huge fan when days/weeks go by in a couple pages as I feel I am missing things and live for the details!
I am in the process of rereading this though just to see if reading it quicker would help. I spaced this out a lot since it took me 3-4 months to read and wonder if that affected my view of both of those things.
But I do definitely recommend it as a fast paced story!
I enjoyed the story definitely. It has the usual boarding at a magical school type vibes without feeling like Harry Potter and I really liked the plot and story. The writing was fast paced and easy to read.
I also love that from literally page one we are thrown into the action! The world building is quick and entertaining, not drawn out, and the world itself is very intriguing!
My minor issues stemmed from wishing that the book was only in one character's POV and a personal preference that I am not always a huge fan when days/weeks go by in a couple pages as I feel I am missing things and live for the details!
I am in the process of rereading this though just to see if reading it quicker would help. I spaced this out a lot since it took me 3-4 months to read and wonder if that affected my view of both of those things.
But I do definitely recommend it as a fast paced story!
December 4, 2017
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I have mixed feelings about this book, although this felt like a mix between Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments, and the Elder Scrolls (Xbox game) two series and a game I have really enjoyed, I am torn between what I should rate this. On one hand, there were a lot of things I liked and enjoyed, on the other, I struggled to get through some parts of it and then the ending had me like 'WHAAAAT!?' making me want the next book asap.
This review will probably be all over the place, but as always my opinion is my own but don't let me deter you from giving this book a go if it sounds like something you might really enjoy to read.
Evan has recently lost his 'grandmother', and by grandmother, I mean elderly women who found him in the woods and took it upon herself to raise him. Now living in an orphanage, still dealing with the death of the only person who loved him, Evan is being bullied daily. When one attack goes too far and Evan begins seeing black smoke rise from within him, he is unsure if what he is seeing is real, or the results of his mind playing tricks on him.
Brooke, on the other hand, leads a pretty average life, her family has too many issues to concentrate on her and she often feels forgotten, without any rules or guidance at all.
When things start taking a turn for the weird for both Evan and Brooke, they are taken to the hidden school known as Veneseron, a school for demon hunting and sorcery. To become a Venator, each student must distinguish their magic/skills, fighting strength/strategy, and knowledge to make their way up the ranks, eventually going on missions such as demon hunting, undercover work, saving realms and always protecting humans and other races in need, over many worlds.
Evan and Brooke must make a decision whether to stay at Veneseron and forget the life they knew before, or return to the life they knew and have every knowledge of Veneseron's existence erased from their minds.
First, I'll start by saying the start of this book was epic, it had everything I love in a good book; fast pace, a little bit of mystery, danger/action and interesting characters. Even once Evan and Brooke get to Veneseron the plot is still quite strong and I cannot wait to see what happens, where the book will lead and what secrets there are to uncover.
I don't know at what point I felt myself losing interest in what was happening, but it felt like a lot had changed since the beginning. The pacing felt slow, the book felt like it took a different feel/turn completely! Honestly, it could have just been them settling into school, their classes, their friends, school politics and the hierarchy of things, because don't get me wrong, there still were some action packed parts in between all this had held my interest. Maybe it was just the worldbuilding that I struggled with because I do like these characters and the storyline.
MAGIC! Seriously, I love almost anything with magic/sorcery and this didn't disappoint.
There were so many different kinds of magic the students could wield that I wanted to see everything from your normal Earth, Water, Air and Fire, to Healing, Transmutation, Enchantment, to Astral Projection and Dream wielding, plus many more. This is where the Elder Scrolls came to mind because I played the shit out of that game, the way the Venator's fight too, with magic and with weapons, yep definitely had some Elder Scrolls vibes going on.
In all honesty, I thought I would feel more connected to Brooke than Evan at the beginning, but as time went one, this isn't the way it went down here. Evan's character just drew me more too him, there is more mystery surrounding him and honestly, I felt more for him than Brooke, which I think is the biggest reason why I enjoyed his character more. I felt bad for this kid, on a really deep level. Maybe because my brother was bullied at school and I've seen the effect that has had on him?
Now, by saying this that doesn't mean I didn't like Brooke because I do but part of me felt like the most interesting thing about her was how she came to be in Veneseron and Arantay.
Arantay, would have to be my favorite, his backstory, his appearance, his 'secret'. Literally, everything about him intrigued me, I was literally like YEEEEES! everytime his name came up on the page and I knew we would be interacting with him again.
Also we have some f/f,m/m relationships here so that's a plus in my book, I would have like a little more on it but I dont think a lot of these types of novels includes different sexualities, so I didn't expect it but I did like that we have more than the m/f thing going on.
The ending was one of those that makes me want to read the next book ASAP, which I have a feeling will be even more action-packed and suspenseful than this one. This could be one of those things where the first book is the weaker of the two, this generally happening because so much needs to be added to build the world and the characters for the rest of the series, and there is only so much that can be included in one book. Plus if this is the first novel by Will Collins, this could also have something to do with it. I never expect anyone's first book to be 100% perfect, as writing does improve and that is generally the way it goes. I will say that the storyline was awesome, the middle bragged but the ending was once again amazing and left me wanting more.
Take from this review as you will, this book has some major strong points but to me, there were a few parts that were a little slow for my liking, making it drag a little.
The characters were all unique, besides maybe Evans life feeling a little Harry Potter at times, but then we have the ending and it totally changes the opinion on that.
The magic was awesome, as it always is and I liked Veneseron as a whole, its the kind of magic demon school I'd love to attend!.. well, if it actually existed.
My rating is based on the fact, I liked this novel but didn't love it, mainly because I did struggle through some of it, so there is room for improvement there. But in saying this, I'm interested in reading the second book, especially because of THAT ENDING and I need to know what happens to Evan, Brooke, and Arantay, like right now.
Recommended for: Fantasy/YA/Suspense/Paranormal/Romance
I have mixed feelings about this book, although this felt like a mix between Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments, and the Elder Scrolls (Xbox game) two series and a game I have really enjoyed, I am torn between what I should rate this. On one hand, there were a lot of things I liked and enjoyed, on the other, I struggled to get through some parts of it and then the ending had me like 'WHAAAAT!?' making me want the next book asap.
This review will probably be all over the place, but as always my opinion is my own but don't let me deter you from giving this book a go if it sounds like something you might really enjoy to read.
Evan has recently lost his 'grandmother', and by grandmother, I mean elderly women who found him in the woods and took it upon herself to raise him. Now living in an orphanage, still dealing with the death of the only person who loved him, Evan is being bullied daily. When one attack goes too far and Evan begins seeing black smoke rise from within him, he is unsure if what he is seeing is real, or the results of his mind playing tricks on him.
Brooke, on the other hand, leads a pretty average life, her family has too many issues to concentrate on her and she often feels forgotten, without any rules or guidance at all.
When things start taking a turn for the weird for both Evan and Brooke, they are taken to the hidden school known as Veneseron, a school for demon hunting and sorcery. To become a Venator, each student must distinguish their magic/skills, fighting strength/strategy, and knowledge to make their way up the ranks, eventually going on missions such as demon hunting, undercover work, saving realms and always protecting humans and other races in need, over many worlds.
Evan and Brooke must make a decision whether to stay at Veneseron and forget the life they knew before, or return to the life they knew and have every knowledge of Veneseron's existence erased from their minds.
First, I'll start by saying the start of this book was epic, it had everything I love in a good book; fast pace, a little bit of mystery, danger/action and interesting characters. Even once Evan and Brooke get to Veneseron the plot is still quite strong and I cannot wait to see what happens, where the book will lead and what secrets there are to uncover.
I don't know at what point I felt myself losing interest in what was happening, but it felt like a lot had changed since the beginning. The pacing felt slow, the book felt like it took a different feel/turn completely! Honestly, it could have just been them settling into school, their classes, their friends, school politics and the hierarchy of things, because don't get me wrong, there still were some action packed parts in between all this had held my interest. Maybe it was just the worldbuilding that I struggled with because I do like these characters and the storyline.
MAGIC! Seriously, I love almost anything with magic/sorcery and this didn't disappoint.
There were so many different kinds of magic the students could wield that I wanted to see everything from your normal Earth, Water, Air and Fire, to Healing, Transmutation, Enchantment, to Astral Projection and Dream wielding, plus many more. This is where the Elder Scrolls came to mind because I played the shit out of that game, the way the Venator's fight too, with magic and with weapons, yep definitely had some Elder Scrolls vibes going on.
In all honesty, I thought I would feel more connected to Brooke than Evan at the beginning, but as time went one, this isn't the way it went down here. Evan's character just drew me more too him, there is more mystery surrounding him and honestly, I felt more for him than Brooke, which I think is the biggest reason why I enjoyed his character more. I felt bad for this kid, on a really deep level. Maybe because my brother was bullied at school and I've seen the effect that has had on him?
Now, by saying this that doesn't mean I didn't like Brooke because I do but part of me felt like the most interesting thing about her was how she came to be in Veneseron and Arantay.
Arantay, would have to be my favorite, his backstory, his appearance, his 'secret'. Literally, everything about him intrigued me, I was literally like YEEEEES! everytime his name came up on the page and I knew we would be interacting with him again.
Also we have some f/f,m/m relationships here so that's a plus in my book, I would have like a little more on it but I dont think a lot of these types of novels includes different sexualities, so I didn't expect it but I did like that we have more than the m/f thing going on.
The ending was one of those that makes me want to read the next book ASAP, which I have a feeling will be even more action-packed and suspenseful than this one. This could be one of those things where the first book is the weaker of the two, this generally happening because so much needs to be added to build the world and the characters for the rest of the series, and there is only so much that can be included in one book. Plus if this is the first novel by Will Collins, this could also have something to do with it. I never expect anyone's first book to be 100% perfect, as writing does improve and that is generally the way it goes. I will say that the storyline was awesome, the middle bragged but the ending was once again amazing and left me wanting more.
Take from this review as you will, this book has some major strong points but to me, there were a few parts that were a little slow for my liking, making it drag a little.
The characters were all unique, besides maybe Evans life feeling a little Harry Potter at times, but then we have the ending and it totally changes the opinion on that.
The magic was awesome, as it always is and I liked Veneseron as a whole, its the kind of magic demon school I'd love to attend!.. well, if it actually existed.
My rating is based on the fact, I liked this novel but didn't love it, mainly because I did struggle through some of it, so there is room for improvement there. But in saying this, I'm interested in reading the second book, especially because of THAT ENDING and I need to know what happens to Evan, Brooke, and Arantay, like right now.
Recommended for: Fantasy/YA/Suspense/Paranormal/Romance
April 20, 2018
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
OK want to start off by saying that this was a book that I had to literally force myself to put down so I could get some sleep. I started this book around 5pm yesterday read till about 1am, then woke up and immediately set about reading again and finished it a few minutes ago. This book has a few imperfections, none of which lessen the pleasure of reading it. I thoroughly loved this book. I thought the people are wonderfully complex, most were likable, some more than others and it was nice to see that even those who weren't likable had good reason for being so. Of course the evil characters were truly evil and since they did not have the largest part in this first book they were less real feeling than the rest. I think the 2 MCs were well done... Brooke and Even felt very real to me and the fact that they are flawed and need to work to be good was great. As far as worldbuilding, at the beginning the immensity of it was a bit daunting. At times it felt like the author created it as an amalgam of every fantasy world ever created. As the story progressed however, the world gained cohesion and began to stand on its own uniqueness. I truly loved this book and will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
OK want to start off by saying that this was a book that I had to literally force myself to put down so I could get some sleep. I started this book around 5pm yesterday read till about 1am, then woke up and immediately set about reading again and finished it a few minutes ago. This book has a few imperfections, none of which lessen the pleasure of reading it. I thoroughly loved this book. I thought the people are wonderfully complex, most were likable, some more than others and it was nice to see that even those who weren't likable had good reason for being so. Of course the evil characters were truly evil and since they did not have the largest part in this first book they were less real feeling than the rest. I think the 2 MCs were well done... Brooke and Even felt very real to me and the fact that they are flawed and need to work to be good was great. As far as worldbuilding, at the beginning the immensity of it was a bit daunting. At times it felt like the author created it as an amalgam of every fantasy world ever created. As the story progressed however, the world gained cohesion and began to stand on its own uniqueness. I truly loved this book and will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
December 17, 2018
This is simply a fantastic read. Evander and Brooke are abducted from their ordinary human lives on earth and taken through portals into another realm in order to protect them from evil demons and dark realmers. (And can I just say I was a Brooke and Arantay shipper from that first entrancement scene? Yes, please.)
Collins’ world-building is top-notch. You get a universe packed with supernaturals of every sort, the evil, the ones fighting evil, and the lovely gray area in between. Every realm is wickedly creative, deadly and completely un-earthlike. As Evan and Brooke work to develop their magical powers at demon-fighting school (this book will appeal to anyone who loves boarding school-type series like Harry Potter and always wanted more fight scenes and awesome weaponry—the action scenes are amazing) they develop new friendships and potential romances. And as I write that, it’s easy to make a comparison and say “oh this has similarities to (blank) but really, it’s a completely original, fully-fleshed world that feels like you could open your eyes and picture it swirling all around you. The author does a great job in vivid descriptions, world-building and detail. One of the best-described fantasy worlds I’ve read this year.
There’s everything you would expect in a fortress filled with teen supernaturals learning to use their powers for the first time—including power struggles, friend groups, and drama. Classes and weapons/magic training all have a completely new spin. The whispers about “what is Arantay, really?” and wistful, slightly creepy dreams were snuck in nicely. You would think in a school filled with vamps, zombies and demons, whatever he was couldn’t be THAT big a deal, so that they were all freaked out really amped up the tension in addition to Brooke’s attraction. But all may not be well. Evan still seems to be in danger, from forces that no one can explain, and as the attacks continue, will they be able to identify who is behind them before he is abducted or killed?
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Collins’ world-building is top-notch. You get a universe packed with supernaturals of every sort, the evil, the ones fighting evil, and the lovely gray area in between. Every realm is wickedly creative, deadly and completely un-earthlike. As Evan and Brooke work to develop their magical powers at demon-fighting school (this book will appeal to anyone who loves boarding school-type series like Harry Potter and always wanted more fight scenes and awesome weaponry—the action scenes are amazing) they develop new friendships and potential romances. And as I write that, it’s easy to make a comparison and say “oh this has similarities to (blank) but really, it’s a completely original, fully-fleshed world that feels like you could open your eyes and picture it swirling all around you. The author does a great job in vivid descriptions, world-building and detail. One of the best-described fantasy worlds I’ve read this year.
There’s everything you would expect in a fortress filled with teen supernaturals learning to use their powers for the first time—including power struggles, friend groups, and drama. Classes and weapons/magic training all have a completely new spin. The whispers about “what is Arantay, really?” and wistful, slightly creepy dreams were snuck in nicely. You would think in a school filled with vamps, zombies and demons, whatever he was couldn’t be THAT big a deal, so that they were all freaked out really amped up the tension in addition to Brooke’s attraction. But all may not be well. Evan still seems to be in danger, from forces that no one can explain, and as the attacks continue, will they be able to identify who is behind them before he is abducted or killed?
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
May 1, 2016
Do you remember your first day at a new school? Will the kids like you, will they be smarter than you, will you find new friends? Evan has been selected to enter Veneseron, the school for demon hunters. Not just anyone can go there, one must have what it takes to become a Venator, a demon hunting, secret spy, wizard who can be trained to use enchanted weapons to protect all of the worlds from dark and evil danger. Welcome to the magical world of A Darker Shade of Sorcery by William Collins, where life is filled with unknown dangers, hidden secrets, unusual creatures and crazy-mad feats of sorcery! While it may sound fun to live in a place where you can conjure up just about anything, it is also a world where young warriors are trained and every mission they go on could be their last.
Evan has a painful past, but finds the camaraderie of other students a balm to his pain. Bonds are formed, individual strengths are discovered and even a young romance or two are formed. Someone is gunning for the Venators and they are on a mission to succeed, at any cost. When Evan finds himself locked in a battle of magic with a disturbed young Venator, he discovers the truth of his parentage and that he could be the destruction of all those he loves. How can he ask his friends to risk their lives for him?
William Collins creates a world full of magical creatures, fierce battles and a place where trust becomes a commodity whose value will fluxuate one mistake at a time. Fast action follows great details with characters that feel like the teens we see every day. Don’t be surprised by the twists and turns, sit back and hang on tight as the Venators’ world comes crumbling down around them and their meddle will be tested to the limits when evil comes to claim what is theirs. Give a child a fantasy world and watch as their eyes light up when they become part of the story, magic and all.
I received this copy from William Collins in exchange for my honest review.
Series - The Realmers - Book 1
Publication Date: January 1, 2016
Publisher: William Collins
Genre: Fantasy | Ages 9 & up
Print Length: 371 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Evan has a painful past, but finds the camaraderie of other students a balm to his pain. Bonds are formed, individual strengths are discovered and even a young romance or two are formed. Someone is gunning for the Venators and they are on a mission to succeed, at any cost. When Evan finds himself locked in a battle of magic with a disturbed young Venator, he discovers the truth of his parentage and that he could be the destruction of all those he loves. How can he ask his friends to risk their lives for him?
William Collins creates a world full of magical creatures, fierce battles and a place where trust becomes a commodity whose value will fluxuate one mistake at a time. Fast action follows great details with characters that feel like the teens we see every day. Don’t be surprised by the twists and turns, sit back and hang on tight as the Venators’ world comes crumbling down around them and their meddle will be tested to the limits when evil comes to claim what is theirs. Give a child a fantasy world and watch as their eyes light up when they become part of the story, magic and all.
I received this copy from William Collins in exchange for my honest review.
Series - The Realmers - Book 1
Publication Date: January 1, 2016
Publisher: William Collins
Genre: Fantasy | Ages 9 & up
Print Length: 371 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
March 17, 2018
A Darker Shade of Sorcery was a pretty interesting read for me. I liked how it reminded me of some of my favorite books, like Harry Potter and like a mixture of other books all wrapped into one.
So Brooke and Evan, who are the two main characters, go to school to become demon hunters. Now at first, you definitely feel really bad for them. They were both taken from Earth all the way to Venerson on the same freaking day. Now what are the odds of that ever happening people? Well throughout their time spent at this school, they learn to develop their "powers" and explore their new world.
Now everything is happy go lucky, cool and awesome at this point. I'm enjoying the book and meeting the other characters and such but the one thing that kind of annoyed me was how quickly Evan learned his powers. Or I guess how quickly he could control them in a way? I don't know I hope I'm making sense but either way he learned them way too quickly for someone who was seen as "weak".
Other than that I really enjoyed the book. I could totally see myself diving into the second book. It was enjoyable, even thought there were some slow and kind of predictable parts in the book. I want to know what's going to happen next for everyone as soon as possible!
So Brooke and Evan, who are the two main characters, go to school to become demon hunters. Now at first, you definitely feel really bad for them. They were both taken from Earth all the way to Venerson on the same freaking day. Now what are the odds of that ever happening people? Well throughout their time spent at this school, they learn to develop their "powers" and explore their new world.
Now everything is happy go lucky, cool and awesome at this point. I'm enjoying the book and meeting the other characters and such but the one thing that kind of annoyed me was how quickly Evan learned his powers. Or I guess how quickly he could control them in a way? I don't know I hope I'm making sense but either way he learned them way too quickly for someone who was seen as "weak".
Other than that I really enjoyed the book. I could totally see myself diving into the second book. It was enjoyable, even thought there were some slow and kind of predictable parts in the book. I want to know what's going to happen next for everyone as soon as possible!
June 9, 2016
A Fantastical World of Demon Hunters...
I really enjoyed the opening of this book. It reeled me in so that I wanted to hear more. I also think the premise and the world building have a lot of potential. Once I got about midway through though, the story became weighted down with a lot of unnecessary filler and I started losing interest.
I recently read a book where the writing didn't align with the projected audience and I think this is another book that fits that bill. The characters, the fantastical elements, the plot and the simplistic writing style are all more appropriate for the children's middle grade genre but the length of the book, a lot of the dialogue, the cursing and the violence are all geared toward older teens and young adults. So I honestly just think this book would benefit tremendously from an editing overhaul and alignment toward the targeted audience.
*I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!
I really enjoyed the opening of this book. It reeled me in so that I wanted to hear more. I also think the premise and the world building have a lot of potential. Once I got about midway through though, the story became weighted down with a lot of unnecessary filler and I started losing interest.
I recently read a book where the writing didn't align with the projected audience and I think this is another book that fits that bill. The characters, the fantastical elements, the plot and the simplistic writing style are all more appropriate for the children's middle grade genre but the length of the book, a lot of the dialogue, the cursing and the violence are all geared toward older teens and young adults. So I honestly just think this book would benefit tremendously from an editing overhaul and alignment toward the targeted audience.
*I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!
lost-interest
July 4, 2017No Rating
I'm going to be blunt and say: This was not a book for me. It didn't grab my attention from the beginning and it pretty much stayed that way the rest of the novel - I kind of felt like I was trudging through snow: tired and bored. Quite honestly, I'm not into stories that move at such a quick pace and have ample gory scenes throughout - it's just not for me, unfortunately.
All right, so a big thing that bothered me was how quickly Evan obtained his power. It was like one moment he was a "weakling" and then the next he was shooting fire through his hands? (What's going on here?) I just thought that was such a sudden shift in the novel, leaving me to feel horribly disorientated for the remainder of the story. And it really didn't help that it happened around page 30 - the rest of the novel just felt wrong to me afterwards.
Overall, I felt detached nearly the entirety of the novel - I never could picture anything going on! All I saw were words, words, words, trying to force an image into my mind. Well. It didn't work. Honestly, I'm not rating this because I also realized that I wasn't in the mood to read this sort of novel, so that could've heavily factored into my opinion. Who knows.
**Thank you to Will Collins for sending me the pdf copy of this, in exchange for an honest review.**
I'm going to be blunt and say: This was not a book for me. It didn't grab my attention from the beginning and it pretty much stayed that way the rest of the novel - I kind of felt like I was trudging through snow: tired and bored. Quite honestly, I'm not into stories that move at such a quick pace and have ample gory scenes throughout - it's just not for me, unfortunately.
All right, so a big thing that bothered me was how quickly Evan obtained his power. It was like one moment he was a "weakling" and then the next he was shooting fire through his hands? (What's going on here?) I just thought that was such a sudden shift in the novel, leaving me to feel horribly disorientated for the remainder of the story. And it really didn't help that it happened around page 30 - the rest of the novel just felt wrong to me afterwards.
Overall, I felt detached nearly the entirety of the novel - I never could picture anything going on! All I saw were words, words, words, trying to force an image into my mind. Well. It didn't work. Honestly, I'm not rating this because I also realized that I wasn't in the mood to read this sort of novel, so that could've heavily factored into my opinion. Who knows.
**Thank you to Will Collins for sending me the pdf copy of this, in exchange for an honest review.**
April 26, 2016
2.5 Stars
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review by the author (Thank you!).
As a disclaimer, I’d just like to say that my review is based on my opinion, and I do not mean offence to anyone.
A Darker Shade of Sorcery follows the story of Evander Umbra (I thought that was a really cool name!) and Brooke, as they are plucked out of their home planet (Earth) and taken to Veneseron, where they learn they are Venators (demon hunters). Along the way, they make friends, learn how to become a pro Venator, and explore their new world.
It took me a little while to get into this book. I found at the beginning, it started off really quickly and it was a bit confusing for me to follow. In the first twenty pages, I didn't feel like there was enough description about what the characters were doing and where they were, things just kind of seemed to jump around too much and I couldn't really follow what was going on (that may have just been me). However, in saying that, those first twenty pages drew me in and I wanted to read more.
But then once I got further into the book, things got a little dull. As much as I enjoyed the world building and reading about what they did in class, I felt like the writing was focussing too much on these aspects instead of building upon the characters themselves, to the point where they kind of felt like strangers to me. In these instances I felt like I was being told what was happening, rather than being shown (with the exception of the descriptions used for world building – which were beautiful). There was way too much description put into areas that weren’t necessarily needed – for example, the amount of times we were told what they were learning in class on different days could have been cut down, and more depth and description could have been focussed on character building.
From what I read about the world, it did sound pretty cool. The mixture of futuristic and historical aspects were really well done, and I enjoyed reading about all the creatures and different types of demons that were in the various realms. I liked how the castle played tricks on the characters and I felt like it gave a fun aspect to the story!
The plot didn't even really form until the last 120 pages or so. The rest of the book just kind of went about telling me what Evan, Brooke and co. were up to and their daily activities, which kind of annoyed me considering I enjoy books with a solid plot to follow! Though once I actually got to the parts where things actually started happening, I began to enjoy the book a lot more.
All up, I did enjoy this book. It was a fun story that kept me reading and gave me some laughs along the way. I would recommend it for younger teens.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review by the author (Thank you!).
As a disclaimer, I’d just like to say that my review is based on my opinion, and I do not mean offence to anyone.
A Darker Shade of Sorcery follows the story of Evander Umbra (I thought that was a really cool name!) and Brooke, as they are plucked out of their home planet (Earth) and taken to Veneseron, where they learn they are Venators (demon hunters). Along the way, they make friends, learn how to become a pro Venator, and explore their new world.
It took me a little while to get into this book. I found at the beginning, it started off really quickly and it was a bit confusing for me to follow. In the first twenty pages, I didn't feel like there was enough description about what the characters were doing and where they were, things just kind of seemed to jump around too much and I couldn't really follow what was going on (that may have just been me). However, in saying that, those first twenty pages drew me in and I wanted to read more.
But then once I got further into the book, things got a little dull. As much as I enjoyed the world building and reading about what they did in class, I felt like the writing was focussing too much on these aspects instead of building upon the characters themselves, to the point where they kind of felt like strangers to me. In these instances I felt like I was being told what was happening, rather than being shown (with the exception of the descriptions used for world building – which were beautiful). There was way too much description put into areas that weren’t necessarily needed – for example, the amount of times we were told what they were learning in class on different days could have been cut down, and more depth and description could have been focussed on character building.
From what I read about the world, it did sound pretty cool. The mixture of futuristic and historical aspects were really well done, and I enjoyed reading about all the creatures and different types of demons that were in the various realms. I liked how the castle played tricks on the characters and I felt like it gave a fun aspect to the story!
The plot didn't even really form until the last 120 pages or so. The rest of the book just kind of went about telling me what Evan, Brooke and co. were up to and their daily activities, which kind of annoyed me considering I enjoy books with a solid plot to follow! Though once I actually got to the parts where things actually started happening, I began to enjoy the book a lot more.
All up, I did enjoy this book. It was a fun story that kept me reading and gave me some laughs along the way. I would recommend it for younger teens.
April 9, 2016
http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2016/04...
Thank you to the author for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinions on the novel.
I had a hard time at first getting into A Darker Shade of Sorcery. At first I wasn't feeling any connection to the story or the characters. There was a lot going on and it was a little all over the place. For me it was just a matter of too much going on too soon. Luckily once I got a few chapters or so in it started to get into a good rhythm and the book got much better from there. Once it started flowing better I was able to get that connection to the story and the characters. After that the book really started to kick butt!
I really like how there are all kinds of shifters and demons in A Darker Shade of Sorcery. There are a lot of really cool and unique ones and even some that I had never read about before! That really caught me by surprise. While I liked Evan and Brooke a lot, I was most fascinated by Arantay and what he is. I thought his...condition (read the book and see what his condition is!) was different and very well done. Also, I have to say that the part where Evan and Jed pretended to be gay had me DYING with laughter. I am glad there was that touch of humor here and there in the book. I really enjoyed the darker aspects of the book and the bit of romance as well.
Overall A Darker Shade of Sorcery was pretty darn good! I think there needed to be a little bit more time spent in the beginning on the world building. There were a few other minor issues as well, such as formatting. However, that wasn't anything too bad and had nothing to do with the quality of the story. This was a VERY entertaining book and well worth the read. Once I got a few chapters in the book just flew by. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
I recommend A Darker Shade of Sorcery for dark fantasy lovers and for anyone interested in a story that is reminiscent of Harry Potter, but darker, and with Demon Hunting!
Thank you to the author for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my opinions on the novel.
I had a hard time at first getting into A Darker Shade of Sorcery. At first I wasn't feeling any connection to the story or the characters. There was a lot going on and it was a little all over the place. For me it was just a matter of too much going on too soon. Luckily once I got a few chapters or so in it started to get into a good rhythm and the book got much better from there. Once it started flowing better I was able to get that connection to the story and the characters. After that the book really started to kick butt!
I really like how there are all kinds of shifters and demons in A Darker Shade of Sorcery. There are a lot of really cool and unique ones and even some that I had never read about before! That really caught me by surprise. While I liked Evan and Brooke a lot, I was most fascinated by Arantay and what he is. I thought his...condition (read the book and see what his condition is!) was different and very well done. Also, I have to say that the part where Evan and Jed pretended to be gay had me DYING with laughter. I am glad there was that touch of humor here and there in the book. I really enjoyed the darker aspects of the book and the bit of romance as well.
Overall A Darker Shade of Sorcery was pretty darn good! I think there needed to be a little bit more time spent in the beginning on the world building. There were a few other minor issues as well, such as formatting. However, that wasn't anything too bad and had nothing to do with the quality of the story. This was a VERY entertaining book and well worth the read. Once I got a few chapters in the book just flew by. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
I recommend A Darker Shade of Sorcery for dark fantasy lovers and for anyone interested in a story that is reminiscent of Harry Potter, but darker, and with Demon Hunting!
April 30, 2016
I received this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The idea for this book reminded me of a mix of Harry Potter (I love!) and The Mortal Instruments (I don’t like), so I thought it might be a good middle ground. I ended up being pretty disappointed. I don’t think it’s a bad book, it just might not be for me.
The Darker Shade Of Sorcery is a story about Evan and Brooke, two novices in a Veneseron, a school for demon hunters. They go through training, make friendships and potentially fall in love (not with each others).
I didn’t really have a problem with writing, but I found a few editing faults (or maybe that’s just something that personally bothers me), for example: constant repetition of names (Evan did this, Evan did that… ect.).
Evan was just an ‘ok’ main character. I liked that he didn’t let other people bully him. That’s something that happens a lot in YA, so it was really refreshing to see a character who actually fights back. Other than that he didn’t stand out to me.
Brooke on the other hand I liked a lot more. She was pretty reckless, but for some reason I connected with her. Her love interest was very interesting, but their relationship kind of reminded me of a mix of Rose & Dimitri (I love!) and Bella & Edward (I don’t like), so it wasn’t a fully satisfying romance.
My biggest problem was the way this book was put together. I would prefer to have one chapter about Brooke and then the second about Evan, other than just mixing them together. Also, I wasn’t a huge fan of the plot (you could skip 60-70% of it and not miss anything), I found myself being bored multiple times.
The amount of characters were pretty overwhelming, especially at the beginning. All of the different names plus the way that the world was set up made me confused a couple of times. It was very uneven. There were parts I was super invested in, but ultimately the whole didn't keep my interest.
This book felt more middle grade than young adult, and I’m not really into that genre anymore. The Darker Shade Of Sorcery contains a lot of tropes I don’t like, so most of the time I just ended up being either bored or annoyed. Saying that, I can see other people like it a lot more than I did. I wasn’t the right target for it.
The idea for this book reminded me of a mix of Harry Potter (I love!) and The Mortal Instruments (I don’t like), so I thought it might be a good middle ground. I ended up being pretty disappointed. I don’t think it’s a bad book, it just might not be for me.
The Darker Shade Of Sorcery is a story about Evan and Brooke, two novices in a Veneseron, a school for demon hunters. They go through training, make friendships and potentially fall in love (not with each others).
I didn’t really have a problem with writing, but I found a few editing faults (or maybe that’s just something that personally bothers me), for example: constant repetition of names (Evan did this, Evan did that… ect.).
Evan was just an ‘ok’ main character. I liked that he didn’t let other people bully him. That’s something that happens a lot in YA, so it was really refreshing to see a character who actually fights back. Other than that he didn’t stand out to me.
Brooke on the other hand I liked a lot more. She was pretty reckless, but for some reason I connected with her. Her love interest was very interesting, but their relationship kind of reminded me of a mix of Rose & Dimitri (I love!) and Bella & Edward (I don’t like), so it wasn’t a fully satisfying romance.
My biggest problem was the way this book was put together. I would prefer to have one chapter about Brooke and then the second about Evan, other than just mixing them together. Also, I wasn’t a huge fan of the plot (you could skip 60-70% of it and not miss anything), I found myself being bored multiple times.
The amount of characters were pretty overwhelming, especially at the beginning. All of the different names plus the way that the world was set up made me confused a couple of times. It was very uneven. There were parts I was super invested in, but ultimately the whole didn't keep my interest.
This book felt more middle grade than young adult, and I’m not really into that genre anymore. The Darker Shade Of Sorcery contains a lot of tropes I don’t like, so most of the time I just ended up being either bored or annoyed. Saying that, I can see other people like it a lot more than I did. I wasn’t the right target for it.
June 22, 2017
This is post originally on Vivian's Book Pavilion
After reading so many negative reviews about this book…I almost give up on reading it. However, surprisingly, The Darker Shade of Sorcery isn’t that bad. Moreover, it’s sort of good in some way. So? I’m glad that I didn’t abandon it although I receive this book from the author. And I must apologize for taking it so long without giving a review…I’m kind of busy…and…I don’t particularly like to read e-book. So, I printed it out.
Since I only gave it three stars, I think I’ll start with the part that I’m not so satisfied with. The Romance…oh come on! The romance is horrible. Really really horrible. I was particularly rolling my eyes all the time whenever there is a romance happening in front of me. I really like Brooke and Arantay…but come on!!! They are the copy of Twilight!!!!! An innocence, pure girl not afraid of a vampire…or should I called…elfpire? You all know I hate Twilight romance…please…thing between Brooke and Arantay definitely need to be sorted out. I was originally looking really forward to see Brooke transform into a strong and fearsome female figure…but then I was totally disappointed. There is no doubt that she is powerful, and skilled with magic…however, can you please stop screaming every time? Whenever there is something happening…her first reaction is “SCREAM!!!!!” SCREAM SCREAM SCREAM AND SCREAM. How disappointed. Really? That’s the best female character you can create? A screaming girl and an idiot?
The other thing is about the similarity between this book and the others. I definitely see all the resemblance between this book and Percy Jackson. Hogwarts, Star War (Although I didn’t read it yet) and Twilight. The beginning of the book is quite similar to Percy Jackson about how the demigods are found in the human world. Venators come to the earth and recruit…or kidnap the potential teenagers to become one of them. And the academy…the stairs and rooms of the fortress moves! Sound familiar? And all the sic-fi scenes…so similar to the movie! And yes, I mentioned the horrible romance. I don’t mind an innovative similarity…as long as there is something new…but this is just too much! Besides the similarity…oh gosh…as usual, I guess who is the traitor from the beginning of this book. Yes, I know who he/she is. Although there are other false guesses as well…but when the characters first appeared…my sixth sense kept shouting “It’s her!!!! It’s her!!! Get away from her!!!!!” And of course…who can refuse a beautiful figure? Boys…
Fine, enough of the complaint…otherwise you’ll start to wonder why I gave it three stars. Except all those…things above…I did enjoy the plot setting and some of the scenes and story lines. I love the details of this new planet and new worlds, it sort of remind me Ender Game…wait…it is Ender Game. However, well…other than the giant alien dominating part…I really love all those different portals and magic. It combines fantasy and sci-fi, which is pretty awesome. And the best part of this book is the actions. All the battle scenes are excellent. The moves, the motions…umm…forgot the romance part. I love how those scenes are describe and written. I wasn’t that into the entire story, but I enjoy every moment of the battle scenes and training sessions. And I love the ending twist. When I was reading, I was like “FINALLY!!!! WE HAVE SOMETHING INTERESTING HERE!!!! Something that makes me want to keep reading the sequel!!!!!” And I can see a great potential for the next two books. Will I kept reading? I will keep reading if I receive the books from either the publisher or the author…but I won’t buy it. But that is because it’s a kindle…so…I don’t buy e-books. But, if you are looking for a good, thrilling sci-fi fantasy, I’ll recommend this one. It’s not too expensive on Amazon and a good read to pass you time. Oh! And it’s free on Amazon now.
I received the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
After reading so many negative reviews about this book…I almost give up on reading it. However, surprisingly, The Darker Shade of Sorcery isn’t that bad. Moreover, it’s sort of good in some way. So? I’m glad that I didn’t abandon it although I receive this book from the author. And I must apologize for taking it so long without giving a review…I’m kind of busy…and…I don’t particularly like to read e-book. So, I printed it out.
Since I only gave it three stars, I think I’ll start with the part that I’m not so satisfied with. The Romance…oh come on! The romance is horrible. Really really horrible. I was particularly rolling my eyes all the time whenever there is a romance happening in front of me. I really like Brooke and Arantay…but come on!!! They are the copy of Twilight!!!!! An innocence, pure girl not afraid of a vampire…or should I called…elfpire? You all know I hate Twilight romance…please…thing between Brooke and Arantay definitely need to be sorted out. I was originally looking really forward to see Brooke transform into a strong and fearsome female figure…but then I was totally disappointed. There is no doubt that she is powerful, and skilled with magic…however, can you please stop screaming every time? Whenever there is something happening…her first reaction is “SCREAM!!!!!” SCREAM SCREAM SCREAM AND SCREAM. How disappointed. Really? That’s the best female character you can create? A screaming girl and an idiot?
The other thing is about the similarity between this book and the others. I definitely see all the resemblance between this book and Percy Jackson. Hogwarts, Star War (Although I didn’t read it yet) and Twilight. The beginning of the book is quite similar to Percy Jackson about how the demigods are found in the human world. Venators come to the earth and recruit…or kidnap the potential teenagers to become one of them. And the academy…the stairs and rooms of the fortress moves! Sound familiar? And all the sic-fi scenes…so similar to the movie! And yes, I mentioned the horrible romance. I don’t mind an innovative similarity…as long as there is something new…but this is just too much! Besides the similarity…oh gosh…as usual, I guess who is the traitor from the beginning of this book. Yes, I know who he/she is. Although there are other false guesses as well…but when the characters first appeared…my sixth sense kept shouting “It’s her!!!! It’s her!!! Get away from her!!!!!” And of course…who can refuse a beautiful figure? Boys…
"After many missions in a plethora of peculiar realms, he’d managed to keep the fear of monsters locked away, but his own evil terrified him more than any demon.
Snow fell hard, bodies fell harder.
The snow was blue here, a shade lighter than the crystalline trees surrounding them. They were in the ice jungle of Eltika, where the undergrowth was littered with a thousand ice shards and the tree vines emitted vapour cold enough to cause frostbite.
Arantay took time to survey the battle before his next opponent.”
Fine, enough of the complaint…otherwise you’ll start to wonder why I gave it three stars. Except all those…things above…I did enjoy the plot setting and some of the scenes and story lines. I love the details of this new planet and new worlds, it sort of remind me Ender Game…wait…it is Ender Game. However, well…other than the giant alien dominating part…I really love all those different portals and magic. It combines fantasy and sci-fi, which is pretty awesome. And the best part of this book is the actions. All the battle scenes are excellent. The moves, the motions…umm…forgot the romance part. I love how those scenes are describe and written. I wasn’t that into the entire story, but I enjoy every moment of the battle scenes and training sessions. And I love the ending twist. When I was reading, I was like “FINALLY!!!! WE HAVE SOMETHING INTERESTING HERE!!!! Something that makes me want to keep reading the sequel!!!!!” And I can see a great potential for the next two books. Will I kept reading? I will keep reading if I receive the books from either the publisher or the author…but I won’t buy it. But that is because it’s a kindle…so…I don’t buy e-books. But, if you are looking for a good, thrilling sci-fi fantasy, I’ll recommend this one. It’s not too expensive on Amazon and a good read to pass you time. Oh! And it’s free on Amazon now.
I received the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
January 29, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/29/2020)! 🎁
March 12, 2016
This book was given to me by the author in an exchange for an honest review and I never felt so lucky in my life after reading the book because it was so great and amazing!
The book was about a guy named Evan who grew up with with his Gran whom he knew as his only family. He was being bullied by his school mates and was being plagued by his nightmares. And a girl named Brooke who felt unloved by her family. Both of them felt they don't belong on Earth which was proven correct because there was magic living inside them. They found out they were special. They were brought to Veneseron, a realm where they belong, like how Harry was brought to Hogwarts. There, they learned about magic and how to use it with the goal of saving innocent lives of humans and other creatures from the demons, like how the Shadowhunters fought demons in The Mortal Instruments.
The book was like Harry Potter and The Mortal Instruments and a little bit Percy Jacksonish combined. It's like I'm reading all my favorite books in one! I loved it so much! The action, the adventures, it was awesome! It's not that it was really the same with the three, it's just that sometimes I found myself comparing it to them. But I mean it in a good way, it's like reading the whole Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments and Percy Jackson series in just one book. Can you imagine how perfect was that? I was so happy after reading it and I am anticipating the next book of the series!
I was known as a reviewer by feelings and emotions and not by the technicality of the story. Like the pacing, the way the author writes, the spelling and grammar or even the use of words. I findi it hard to describe, eh? But the pacing was great, not fast, not slow, just steady and straight. I like the way the author created the world of Veneseron, and the other realms. The way the author writes, it's descriptive and I like how he use such strong words so he can describe accordingly what he wanted the readers to conjure in their imaginations.
I swear in Rueda's sake, this is such a great book, a great story. Give it a try, pkease! I love it and I'm adding it to my all time favorites! I highly recommend!
The book was about a guy named Evan who grew up with with his Gran whom he knew as his only family. He was being bullied by his school mates and was being plagued by his nightmares. And a girl named Brooke who felt unloved by her family. Both of them felt they don't belong on Earth which was proven correct because there was magic living inside them. They found out they were special. They were brought to Veneseron, a realm where they belong, like how Harry was brought to Hogwarts. There, they learned about magic and how to use it with the goal of saving innocent lives of humans and other creatures from the demons, like how the Shadowhunters fought demons in The Mortal Instruments.
The book was like Harry Potter and The Mortal Instruments and a little bit Percy Jacksonish combined. It's like I'm reading all my favorite books in one! I loved it so much! The action, the adventures, it was awesome! It's not that it was really the same with the three, it's just that sometimes I found myself comparing it to them. But I mean it in a good way, it's like reading the whole Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments and Percy Jackson series in just one book. Can you imagine how perfect was that? I was so happy after reading it and I am anticipating the next book of the series!
I was known as a reviewer by feelings and emotions and not by the technicality of the story. Like the pacing, the way the author writes, the spelling and grammar or even the use of words. I findi it hard to describe, eh? But the pacing was great, not fast, not slow, just steady and straight. I like the way the author created the world of Veneseron, and the other realms. The way the author writes, it's descriptive and I like how he use such strong words so he can describe accordingly what he wanted the readers to conjure in their imaginations.
I swear in Rueda's sake, this is such a great book, a great story. Give it a try, pkease! I love it and I'm adding it to my all time favorites! I highly recommend!
May 30, 2016
Note: I received a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I liked this book at first. I was like, "Woah, this would be pretty nice!" There were a lot of action-packed scenes during the first few chapters which really excites me. (Yes, I am a heavy fan of fantasy with lots of action scenes.) Though it really feels like I was reading a mixed version of Percy Jackson, The Mortal Instruments and Harry Potter. Yes, there were a lot of monster, and a girl and boy protagonists blah blah blah. Like you all know, usual stuffs. With that given, it'not really hard to identify the book as a middle grade book than a young adult.
Also, in the middle part of the story, it became too overwhelming. There were immense number of characters introduced. Yes, there were a lot especially on the first few chapters! And I did not remember anyone. Why in hell were the names so hard to pronounce?
Anyway, it was an okay story. I did skipped a lot of chapters. Yes, it was chapters that I skipped. But you know what? I still do understand the plot even if I skipped a huge chunk of pages of the book. But sure, it really did have a lot of potential. Maybe we just need to clean it more to make it more attractive and unique on in it's own.
Final rating: 3 stars
I liked this book at first. I was like, "Woah, this would be pretty nice!" There were a lot of action-packed scenes during the first few chapters which really excites me. (Yes, I am a heavy fan of fantasy with lots of action scenes.) Though it really feels like I was reading a mixed version of Percy Jackson, The Mortal Instruments and Harry Potter. Yes, there were a lot of monster, and a girl and boy protagonists blah blah blah. Like you all know, usual stuffs. With that given, it'not really hard to identify the book as a middle grade book than a young adult.
Also, in the middle part of the story, it became too overwhelming. There were immense number of characters introduced. Yes, there were a lot especially on the first few chapters! And I did not remember anyone. Why in hell were the names so hard to pronounce?
Anyway, it was an okay story. I did skipped a lot of chapters. Yes, it was chapters that I skipped. But you know what? I still do understand the plot even if I skipped a huge chunk of pages of the book. But sure, it really did have a lot of potential. Maybe we just need to clean it more to make it more attractive and unique on in it's own.
Final rating: 3 stars
May 16, 2016
(I received a copy from the author, In exchange for an honest review.)
I struggled to get into this one unfortunately, so it wasn't a book that I can say I really enjoyed. I felt a bit bored at points, as it just couldn't gain my interest fully. It wasn't bad though.
Overall, Not a bad read, but it wasn't one for me.
I struggled to get into this one unfortunately, so it wasn't a book that I can say I really enjoyed. I felt a bit bored at points, as it just couldn't gain my interest fully. It wasn't bad though.
Overall, Not a bad read, but it wasn't one for me.
February 18, 2019
To be honest, the book picks up in the final few chapters but overall it simply left me uninterested and bored. The whole thing felt rather didactic though from beginning to end, with a huge amount of time spent describing numerous lessons to you, without ever really giving you a feel of what they are really about. I've heard this compared to Harry Potter and let me just say, not on this side of hell. It's nowhere near as immersive and generally less magical. Instead it felt as though characters were neglected in favour of information dumps, whilst key aspects of world building outside the lessons - of which there are so many - are completely neglected.
You then get the big bang at the end, which just felt unprepared. It was as though something had to happen but there wasn't really any decent build up to it, at least not from the main characters perspective. The blinders seem to be on all the way through the novel and it's only in the final hurrah that you get a semblance of a clue what has been going on. Either way, I don't find myself interested enough to pick up the next in the series and I didn't get a great deal out of this one. The entire thing just came across as bland and uninspiring to me.
You then get the big bang at the end, which just felt unprepared. It was as though something had to happen but there wasn't really any decent build up to it, at least not from the main characters perspective. The blinders seem to be on all the way through the novel and it's only in the final hurrah that you get a semblance of a clue what has been going on. Either way, I don't find myself interested enough to pick up the next in the series and I didn't get a great deal out of this one. The entire thing just came across as bland and uninspiring to me.
February 20, 2020
A surprising plot and compelling characters.
Veneseron is a school for demon hunters. Only youngsters with the potential for wizardry and survival in the magical world can attend. Their mission is to hunt demons and protect worlds for all sorts of nasties.
A surprising plot and compelling characters. Evan Umbra, the MC is a likeable character plunged into a world of strange creatures, sorcery and aliens. While experiencing all the wonders, the kids still go through the usual teenage dramas and I think that’s what really pulled me into to this story. Not to mention the twists and general entertainment that comes with a terrific adventure story.
Collins is a great writer and an expert at world-building. This book is perfect for fans hungry for wizardry and magical worlds.
Highly recommend.
Veneseron is a school for demon hunters. Only youngsters with the potential for wizardry and survival in the magical world can attend. Their mission is to hunt demons and protect worlds for all sorts of nasties.
A surprising plot and compelling characters. Evan Umbra, the MC is a likeable character plunged into a world of strange creatures, sorcery and aliens. While experiencing all the wonders, the kids still go through the usual teenage dramas and I think that’s what really pulled me into to this story. Not to mention the twists and general entertainment that comes with a terrific adventure story.
Collins is a great writer and an expert at world-building. This book is perfect for fans hungry for wizardry and magical worlds.
Highly recommend.
January 6, 2024
Excellent Read
Brooke and Evan are snatched by monsters on Earth and taken to another world, Veneseron, to learn to be demon hunters. After an eye-spinning introduction, it turns out that Evan is in danger, being hunted rather than being a hunter. Why do the demons want him, and who can he trust?
I loved this story. It reminded me of Harry Potter, but it’s a little gorier and the world-building is very unique. There are mainly two viewpoints – Brooke, an American girl, and Evan, a British boy – both are very likeable. The supporting cast are great; Sintian, Jed, Lok, and Tay in particular are fabulous. The school is really exciting and well developed. My only criticism is there are too many words starting with ‘v’ (Venator, Veneseron, Velkarath, Vanderain), I struggled to remember if people were goodies or baddies at times. The book builds up nicely to the big finale, and the ending doesn’t disappoint.
I’ve already recommended this book to a few people, and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Brooke and Evan are snatched by monsters on Earth and taken to another world, Veneseron, to learn to be demon hunters. After an eye-spinning introduction, it turns out that Evan is in danger, being hunted rather than being a hunter. Why do the demons want him, and who can he trust?
I loved this story. It reminded me of Harry Potter, but it’s a little gorier and the world-building is very unique. There are mainly two viewpoints – Brooke, an American girl, and Evan, a British boy – both are very likeable. The supporting cast are great; Sintian, Jed, Lok, and Tay in particular are fabulous. The school is really exciting and well developed. My only criticism is there are too many words starting with ‘v’ (Venator, Veneseron, Velkarath, Vanderain), I struggled to remember if people were goodies or baddies at times. The book builds up nicely to the big finale, and the ending doesn’t disappoint.
I’ve already recommended this book to a few people, and I can’t wait to read the next one.
October 24, 2016
I was offered an eARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.
And trust me when I say that this book did not let me down at all.
Albeit, in the beginning, it was a slow read for me, given all the descriptions and details, however, as the plot began to unravel itself, I was hooked.
According to me, the book deserves no less than 4.5 stars and then some. No matter how many books I have read about demons and demon-hunters, I loved the world created in this book by William Collins.
If we talk about the characters first, Evan, one of our MCs, is an extremely relatable character since the very beginning. He's not someone who suddenly gets bravery surging through him and then he's leading everyone. Instead, he takes his time to adapt and even though he has the potential of being one of the best in his class, he's not proud, like ever.
Brooke was a little weird, according to me, because of the way she goes drooling over Arantay on merely meeting him. I agree he's hot and I would have wished to be in Brooke's place more than once, but falling in love so easily is just not believable to me at least. Her character, other than that, was very empowering. Reminded me of Hermione Granger at some times.
Other characters were like glue, binding the act and the people together. To me, Elijah, Jed, Emilia, Xavier, and Zeke were the best kind of friends one could ever ask for. So easy going were the scenes that included the squad. Other than them, Lok, Tyrell, and Tarensen were the very best. Cera, I had seen that coming from a mile back.
The best part about the book was that despite being the main characters, Brooke and Evan didn't have any "romantic" feelings for each other, which is rarely found in YA Novels.
The writing used for describing the new world was commendable, to say the least. It had me wanting to leap out of my seat, conjure a portal and visit Veneseron.
Going into the plot, I think it could have been better. For example, the time when Brooke and Evan first saw each other, they thought that they looked familiar. But that was it. After that, till the revelation of their origin, nothing was talked about that fact, even though they had become best of friends.While Evan's truth of origin was way predictable, Brooke's revelation had me shocked and so had that of Arantay's. Since when were Elves that tall? That was refreshing, though. The details mentioned about the classes was a little too much, I felt it was unrequired.
The concept of Demons, Dread Lords, and Gods hadn't been as clear as I would have liked it to be. I would have liked to know more about Adena and Akirandon. Well, I guess I will, in the next book.
There were some stupid moments and some out of the box kind. For instance, the news reporter saying that Vampires are sucking high cholesterol blood and all, that was funny. Nevertheless, after such a strong build-up leading to the Dread Lord Kurlan, his end was a little too easy, I think. I expected much more fight but it was disappointing to see that he was only bark, not bite.
The little sneak peak into Velkarath was chilling. I wanted to kill Akirandon at the moment I read how they treated their students.
All in all, I fell in love with Veneseron and I can't wait to read the second installment of this series.
I recommend this book to each and every one of those who are looking for something extraordinary but simple in its own way.
Thank you, William, once again, for the eARC.
And trust me when I say that this book did not let me down at all.
Albeit, in the beginning, it was a slow read for me, given all the descriptions and details, however, as the plot began to unravel itself, I was hooked.
According to me, the book deserves no less than 4.5 stars and then some. No matter how many books I have read about demons and demon-hunters, I loved the world created in this book by William Collins.
If we talk about the characters first, Evan, one of our MCs, is an extremely relatable character since the very beginning. He's not someone who suddenly gets bravery surging through him and then he's leading everyone. Instead, he takes his time to adapt and even though he has the potential of being one of the best in his class, he's not proud, like ever.
Brooke was a little weird, according to me, because of the way she goes drooling over Arantay on merely meeting him. I agree he's hot and I would have wished to be in Brooke's place more than once, but falling in love so easily is just not believable to me at least. Her character, other than that, was very empowering. Reminded me of Hermione Granger at some times.
Other characters were like glue, binding the act and the people together. To me, Elijah, Jed, Emilia, Xavier, and Zeke were the best kind of friends one could ever ask for. So easy going were the scenes that included the squad. Other than them, Lok, Tyrell, and Tarensen were the very best. Cera, I had seen that coming from a mile back.
The best part about the book was that despite being the main characters, Brooke and Evan didn't have any "romantic" feelings for each other, which is rarely found in YA Novels.
The writing used for describing the new world was commendable, to say the least. It had me wanting to leap out of my seat, conjure a portal and visit Veneseron.
Going into the plot, I think it could have been better. For example, the time when Brooke and Evan first saw each other, they thought that they looked familiar. But that was it. After that, till the revelation of their origin, nothing was talked about that fact, even though they had become best of friends.While Evan's truth of origin was way predictable, Brooke's revelation had me shocked and so had that of Arantay's. Since when were Elves that tall? That was refreshing, though. The details mentioned about the classes was a little too much, I felt it was unrequired.
The concept of Demons, Dread Lords, and Gods hadn't been as clear as I would have liked it to be. I would have liked to know more about Adena and Akirandon. Well, I guess I will, in the next book.
There were some stupid moments and some out of the box kind. For instance, the news reporter saying that Vampires are sucking high cholesterol blood and all, that was funny. Nevertheless, after such a strong build-up leading to the Dread Lord Kurlan, his end was a little too easy, I think. I expected much more fight but it was disappointing to see that he was only bark, not bite.
The little sneak peak into Velkarath was chilling. I wanted to kill Akirandon at the moment I read how they treated their students.
All in all, I fell in love with Veneseron and I can't wait to read the second installment of this series.
I recommend this book to each and every one of those who are looking for something extraordinary but simple in its own way.
Thank you, William, once again, for the eARC.
April 18, 2016
I received a copy from NetGalley, and was very intrigued by the genre and the potential. I was, however, massively disappointed.
Firstly, it is marketed incorrectly as YA/Teen - it's much more middle grade fiction, not unalike Robert Muchamore's CHERUB series or Artemis Fowl. The vocabulary and writing style is simplistic, and there are said-isms and comma splices everywhere. Seriously, all the comma splices.
Secondly, Science Fantasy is a difficult genre to meld, and unfortunately this book was just disappointing. The blurb mentioned spellzookas, like spell-bazookas. That would have been awesome! Instead, we get pages and pages of how the castles are like Hogwarts on speed.
Thirdly, the plot is very thin. You could skip the entire middle half of the book and still get the whole plot. Literally 80% of the book is mindless info dumping and it's not even important info dumping, it's just worldbuilding info dumping wherein the author describes how wacky and imaginative this world is, and all the different things that the protagonist has never seen before. It's also repetitive, as there are several occasions where the protagonist has something described to him that he's already encountered before.
Lastly, and my least favourite - the characterisation was weak. The point of view goes between Evan and Brooke, but occasionally flops into Jeb's or Cera's in the middle of a scene. The villains are cardboard cutouts, sitting in their lairs of evil minions roaring, "DO NOT FAIL ME AGAIN!" The minor antagonist at the school is nonsensical - I don't mean he's silly, I mean that he literally makes no sense. He attacks other students for no reason. Everyone has overly dramatic backstory, which is almost understandable, but worse, everyone stands around telling each other their tragic pasts and then says, "Oh, I don't know why I told you that."
The love story between Brooke and Tay is pretty much Bella and Edward's from Twilight ("Oh, I am a monstrous cursed being! And immortal!" "Oh, I love you anyway and I lose 40 IQ points and behave like a limp fish when you are around!"), and Tay's 'reveal' would have been more emotionally effective if I gave two beans about his character. Seriously, his dragon had more personality than him.
And now I've ripped the book to shreds, you're probably wondering why it even has two stars - firstly, it really did have a lot of potential. The premise looked so interesting and it gets a star considering I managed to finish the book. And secondly, it has LGBT+ characters in.
Firstly, it is marketed incorrectly as YA/Teen - it's much more middle grade fiction, not unalike Robert Muchamore's CHERUB series or Artemis Fowl. The vocabulary and writing style is simplistic, and there are said-isms and comma splices everywhere. Seriously, all the comma splices.
Secondly, Science Fantasy is a difficult genre to meld, and unfortunately this book was just disappointing. The blurb mentioned spellzookas, like spell-bazookas. That would have been awesome! Instead, we get pages and pages of how the castles are like Hogwarts on speed.
Thirdly, the plot is very thin. You could skip the entire middle half of the book and still get the whole plot. Literally 80% of the book is mindless info dumping and it's not even important info dumping, it's just worldbuilding info dumping wherein the author describes how wacky and imaginative this world is, and all the different things that the protagonist has never seen before. It's also repetitive, as there are several occasions where the protagonist has something described to him that he's already encountered before.
Lastly, and my least favourite - the characterisation was weak. The point of view goes between Evan and Brooke, but occasionally flops into Jeb's or Cera's in the middle of a scene. The villains are cardboard cutouts, sitting in their lairs of evil minions roaring, "DO NOT FAIL ME AGAIN!" The minor antagonist at the school is nonsensical - I don't mean he's silly, I mean that he literally makes no sense. He attacks other students for no reason. Everyone has overly dramatic backstory, which is almost understandable, but worse, everyone stands around telling each other their tragic pasts and then says, "Oh, I don't know why I told you that."
The love story between Brooke and Tay is pretty much Bella and Edward's from Twilight ("Oh, I am a monstrous cursed being! And immortal!" "Oh, I love you anyway and I lose 40 IQ points and behave like a limp fish when you are around!"), and Tay's 'reveal' would have been more emotionally effective if I gave two beans about his character. Seriously, his dragon had more personality than him.
And now I've ripped the book to shreds, you're probably wondering why it even has two stars - firstly, it really did have a lot of potential. The premise looked so interesting and it gets a star considering I managed to finish the book. And secondly, it has LGBT+ characters in.
partly-read
July 16, 2017DNF at 30%.
Has clearly never known the loving touch of a competent copy editor. Most of the classic errors, especially in punctuation (many, many comma splices, hardly any cases where the required comma before a term of address is present, misplaced apostrophes, dialog tags punctuated as separate sentences, commas before parentheses...), but a couple of homonym errors as well, and distinctively British phrases used by non-British characters. About twelve times as many errors as I see in the average book.
As far as I got, the main characters were the usual generic Chosen Ones, and didn't yet have anything much they were striving for; they were still being introduced to the setting in big expository lumps.
Has clearly never known the loving touch of a competent copy editor. Most of the classic errors, especially in punctuation (many, many comma splices, hardly any cases where the required comma before a term of address is present, misplaced apostrophes, dialog tags punctuated as separate sentences, commas before parentheses...), but a couple of homonym errors as well, and distinctively British phrases used by non-British characters. About twelve times as many errors as I see in the average book.
As far as I got, the main characters were the usual generic Chosen Ones, and didn't yet have anything much they were striving for; they were still being introduced to the setting in big expository lumps.
June 8, 2019
As the name suggests, this novel is full of magic, dark powers and demons. In a world where magic and world-hopping are commonplace, two teenagers are about to be thrown in the deep end. The main characters Brooke and Evan are both from Earth who unknowingly have magic abilities.
Brooke is ‘kidnapped’ by three handsome young men and is instantly drawn to Arantay, a handsome man with red hair and red eyes. As they try to calm her, they are attacked by a group of creatures, were-animals who can shift into a variety of animals. I loved the different types of were-animals from the standard wolf to the enormous lizard, and I would like to see more of these in the future. After destroying the shifters, the three haul Brooke away to another world. Her reaction was believable, trying to fight off these strange men, but was also amusing with Brooke throwing in sarcastic comments while the boys bantered.
Unfortunately for Evan, he isn’t found by anyone quite as friendly. While standing up to bullies, and suffering a beating for it, he is captured by a spider humanoid demon who drags him through a portal to a hell dimension. As he is offered as a tasty snack to a spider queen, Evan unleashes a powerful fire blast, severely injuring the demons. But they still won’t die! Luckily a man arrives, rescues Evan and spirits him away to Veneseron. It was one hell of a bad introduction to magic for poor Evan.
The two learn that magic and other realms exist, from pits of hell full of demons to Veneseron where people from all races are trained to harness their magic and defend the realms against evil. These protectors are called Venators or Realmers. Dark-Realmers, their dark counterparts, serve demon masters and create chaos. Sadly, an unimaginative name.
While the two are trained, Brooke specialising in healing while Evan is talented in sword fighting and fire magic, strange events keep occurring. The demons clearly want Evan, but no one knew how much. Over numerous incidents Evan is attacked by demons, barely managing to survive each time. The Masters are stumped, unlike with Brooke they can’t sense a high level of magical ability. In fact, they can hardly detect anything, yet still, every time he is under threat, he unleashes a powerful blast of fire magic.
The extensive list of sorcery types was intriguing, from the standard elemental magic to anatomy magic which lets you transform sections of your body. It was exciting and helps this novel stand out from the hundreds of other ‘schools for magic’ genre. Ethanc’s bar would have been awesome to visit after an exhausting day of training, with the aquarium, exotic drinks and the complete glass furnishings.
The side characters were entertaining, as well. From Lok flirting with anything that moves, to Zeke and Xavia, the gay couple who aren’t overly camp like many characters. Jed the Australian was hilarious (as an Australian myself he was amusing) he was distinctly Australian with common slang but wasn’t overly stereotypical. Lyella, the resident mean girl, was unique. Unlike most mean girls who merely insult what you wear or your interests, Lyella was a legitimate threat and actually attacked Brooke. Sintian was a horrible bully, truly sadistic with his ‘pranks’ and torments. Every time he talked, I wanted Evan to punch him in the mouth.
The central love story revolved around Brooke and Arantay. She’s drawn to him, despite his cold exterior. She is assigned to train under Arantay, much to her delight, and the two grow closer. He even reveals his difficult life story to her. Their relationship was full of angst, mostly on Brooke’s part, and thoroughly entertaining. There was also a slight love triangle for Brooke, (more like a love square really) with both Elijah and Lok interested in her. It can be hard to tell with these two since they’re both naturally flirtatious, but the repeated moments they shared with Brooke made their feelings evident, much to Lyella’s, Lok’s sometimes girlfriend, dismay. There was also a love interest for Evan, the beautiful and kind Cera. Their relationship was much less angst-ridden, a standard High School crush forming into something more.
In Harry Potter the students were trained in Defence Against the Dark Arts, enabling them to defend themselves if they attacked. In this world the students are taught as demon hunters, going on the offensive against demons and helping protect every realm. It was entertaining that they weren’t just passively sitting back, only defending themselves when necessary, but were taking classes to hunt demons through every realm. It made for plenty of action and life-threatening dangers.
Various names and terms began with a ‘v’. It made it hard to discern who was who, especially in the beginning. The main problems being Veneseron (home of the Venators), Vanderain (the god who runs Veneseron) and Velkarath (home of the Dark-Realmers). A simple letter change would have solved this problem as well as making it appear more professional. A great story like this deserves some decent names.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but the twists were unexpected and entertaining. The pacing was fast but with plenty of character growth and world-building to keep everyone happy. Right from the start, I was drawn in, eager to read about this magical world full of demons, sorcerers and elves. The combination of fantasy and paranormal creatures made for a standout world that was thoroughly entertaining. As it progressed, I found myself unable to sleep, desperate to find out why the demons where after Evan and if Brooke finally got to kiss Arantay. I really, really enjoyed this book and am very keen to read the next in the series. I give it 5/5.
Brooke is ‘kidnapped’ by three handsome young men and is instantly drawn to Arantay, a handsome man with red hair and red eyes. As they try to calm her, they are attacked by a group of creatures, were-animals who can shift into a variety of animals. I loved the different types of were-animals from the standard wolf to the enormous lizard, and I would like to see more of these in the future. After destroying the shifters, the three haul Brooke away to another world. Her reaction was believable, trying to fight off these strange men, but was also amusing with Brooke throwing in sarcastic comments while the boys bantered.
Unfortunately for Evan, he isn’t found by anyone quite as friendly. While standing up to bullies, and suffering a beating for it, he is captured by a spider humanoid demon who drags him through a portal to a hell dimension. As he is offered as a tasty snack to a spider queen, Evan unleashes a powerful fire blast, severely injuring the demons. But they still won’t die! Luckily a man arrives, rescues Evan and spirits him away to Veneseron. It was one hell of a bad introduction to magic for poor Evan.
The two learn that magic and other realms exist, from pits of hell full of demons to Veneseron where people from all races are trained to harness their magic and defend the realms against evil. These protectors are called Venators or Realmers. Dark-Realmers, their dark counterparts, serve demon masters and create chaos. Sadly, an unimaginative name.
While the two are trained, Brooke specialising in healing while Evan is talented in sword fighting and fire magic, strange events keep occurring. The demons clearly want Evan, but no one knew how much. Over numerous incidents Evan is attacked by demons, barely managing to survive each time. The Masters are stumped, unlike with Brooke they can’t sense a high level of magical ability. In fact, they can hardly detect anything, yet still, every time he is under threat, he unleashes a powerful blast of fire magic.
The extensive list of sorcery types was intriguing, from the standard elemental magic to anatomy magic which lets you transform sections of your body. It was exciting and helps this novel stand out from the hundreds of other ‘schools for magic’ genre. Ethanc’s bar would have been awesome to visit after an exhausting day of training, with the aquarium, exotic drinks and the complete glass furnishings.
The side characters were entertaining, as well. From Lok flirting with anything that moves, to Zeke and Xavia, the gay couple who aren’t overly camp like many characters. Jed the Australian was hilarious (as an Australian myself he was amusing) he was distinctly Australian with common slang but wasn’t overly stereotypical. Lyella, the resident mean girl, was unique. Unlike most mean girls who merely insult what you wear or your interests, Lyella was a legitimate threat and actually attacked Brooke. Sintian was a horrible bully, truly sadistic with his ‘pranks’ and torments. Every time he talked, I wanted Evan to punch him in the mouth.
The central love story revolved around Brooke and Arantay. She’s drawn to him, despite his cold exterior. She is assigned to train under Arantay, much to her delight, and the two grow closer. He even reveals his difficult life story to her. Their relationship was full of angst, mostly on Brooke’s part, and thoroughly entertaining. There was also a slight love triangle for Brooke, (more like a love square really) with both Elijah and Lok interested in her. It can be hard to tell with these two since they’re both naturally flirtatious, but the repeated moments they shared with Brooke made their feelings evident, much to Lyella’s, Lok’s sometimes girlfriend, dismay. There was also a love interest for Evan, the beautiful and kind Cera. Their relationship was much less angst-ridden, a standard High School crush forming into something more.
In Harry Potter the students were trained in Defence Against the Dark Arts, enabling them to defend themselves if they attacked. In this world the students are taught as demon hunters, going on the offensive against demons and helping protect every realm. It was entertaining that they weren’t just passively sitting back, only defending themselves when necessary, but were taking classes to hunt demons through every realm. It made for plenty of action and life-threatening dangers.
Various names and terms began with a ‘v’. It made it hard to discern who was who, especially in the beginning. The main problems being Veneseron (home of the Venators), Vanderain (the god who runs Veneseron) and Velkarath (home of the Dark-Realmers). A simple letter change would have solved this problem as well as making it appear more professional. A great story like this deserves some decent names.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but the twists were unexpected and entertaining. The pacing was fast but with plenty of character growth and world-building to keep everyone happy. Right from the start, I was drawn in, eager to read about this magical world full of demons, sorcerers and elves. The combination of fantasy and paranormal creatures made for a standout world that was thoroughly entertaining. As it progressed, I found myself unable to sleep, desperate to find out why the demons where after Evan and if Brooke finally got to kiss Arantay. I really, really enjoyed this book and am very keen to read the next in the series. I give it 5/5.
December 22, 2017
Rating: 3/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 378
Amazon
I was provided a free copy of this book by the author. Thank you so much! All opinions are my own.
Evan Umbra is the newest Venator to enter Veneseron, the school for demon hunters, only demons are the ones hunting him.
A Venator is a wizard, a spy and a demon hunter rolled into one. They’re taught how to wield their sorcery and enchanted weaponry by orcs, elfpires and aliens alike. Their missions range from battling monsters and saving countless lives in the multiple worlds, to wrangling killer unicorns and calming down drunken yetis. Being a Venator is perilous and every new mission could be their last.
Whilst learning how to manipulate the elements, summon magical creatures and shoot Spellzookas, Evan encounters a dangerous rival and meets a girl who makes him feel nauseous; but in a good way. He makes the first friends he’s ever had in the carefree Jed and the reckless Brooke. Whilst Jed gets on the wrong side of a rival Venator, Brooke finds herself falling for the enigmatic demon hunter who brought her to Veneseron, not knowing he isn't quite human. But it soon becomes apparent that Evan is more than just a Venator. Everyone wants to kill or capture him, from demons to Dark-Venators and even people he’s supposed to be able to trust.
Evan reckons he probably won’t survive his first year at Veneseron. - Amazon.com
Yet another book with magic and teens. Honestly, I think I'm going to burn out on these because they start seeming the same after awhile. But more on that later, here are the good parts of this book: The book is really engaging and fast paced. The plot is intriguing and the book is well written overall. The characters also seem very well developed. Unfortunately while that all sounds good there are some issues.
The book didn't click with me and I felt that it tried too hard to be like Harry Potter or The Mortal Insturments or any popular book like those. I felt that because it felt so familiar to me that was why my interest waned: I had already read those book and don't feel like reading them again. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters and while the world building is fantastic I feel that if the author had a conversation with the characters or had little moments between them that weren't essential to the plot overall then I would have liked the book better. I also think there are some continuity errors in the book, especially with the timeline.
Verdict: If you're a huge fan of books like Harry Potter this book is for you! If you're looking for something a bit more unique then this might not be the read for you, but give it a try and see if you like it or not first =).
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 378
Amazon
I was provided a free copy of this book by the author. Thank you so much! All opinions are my own.
Evan Umbra is the newest Venator to enter Veneseron, the school for demon hunters, only demons are the ones hunting him.
A Venator is a wizard, a spy and a demon hunter rolled into one. They’re taught how to wield their sorcery and enchanted weaponry by orcs, elfpires and aliens alike. Their missions range from battling monsters and saving countless lives in the multiple worlds, to wrangling killer unicorns and calming down drunken yetis. Being a Venator is perilous and every new mission could be their last.
Whilst learning how to manipulate the elements, summon magical creatures and shoot Spellzookas, Evan encounters a dangerous rival and meets a girl who makes him feel nauseous; but in a good way. He makes the first friends he’s ever had in the carefree Jed and the reckless Brooke. Whilst Jed gets on the wrong side of a rival Venator, Brooke finds herself falling for the enigmatic demon hunter who brought her to Veneseron, not knowing he isn't quite human. But it soon becomes apparent that Evan is more than just a Venator. Everyone wants to kill or capture him, from demons to Dark-Venators and even people he’s supposed to be able to trust.
Evan reckons he probably won’t survive his first year at Veneseron. - Amazon.com
Yet another book with magic and teens. Honestly, I think I'm going to burn out on these because they start seeming the same after awhile. But more on that later, here are the good parts of this book: The book is really engaging and fast paced. The plot is intriguing and the book is well written overall. The characters also seem very well developed. Unfortunately while that all sounds good there are some issues.
The book didn't click with me and I felt that it tried too hard to be like Harry Potter or The Mortal Insturments or any popular book like those. I felt that because it felt so familiar to me that was why my interest waned: I had already read those book and don't feel like reading them again. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters and while the world building is fantastic I feel that if the author had a conversation with the characters or had little moments between them that weren't essential to the plot overall then I would have liked the book better. I also think there are some continuity errors in the book, especially with the timeline.
Verdict: If you're a huge fan of books like Harry Potter this book is for you! If you're looking for something a bit more unique then this might not be the read for you, but give it a try and see if you like it or not first =).
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