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The Blood of Nerys
After a crusade against technology wipes out every last remnant of science, a horrific blood plague devastates mankind. In the wake of such despair, the desperate survive by capitalizing upon the misfortune of others.
Nerys Raphaen, an optimistic flower artist in a broken city, is an anomaly. But she is cruelly abducted, her blood harvested and inexplicably sold for prices that ruin lives, threatening to break her spirit. Then her enigmatic captor reveals that in her veins flows the key to their survival. He tells her she can save anyone. Given the chance at last to bring hope to an otherwise dark era, she never even considers questioning his method.
But because of Nerys...he does.
Nerys Raphaen, an optimistic flower artist in a broken city, is an anomaly. But she is cruelly abducted, her blood harvested and inexplicably sold for prices that ruin lives, threatening to break her spirit. Then her enigmatic captor reveals that in her veins flows the key to their survival. He tells her she can save anyone. Given the chance at last to bring hope to an otherwise dark era, she never even considers questioning his method.
But because of Nerys...he does.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2016
13 people want to read
About the author
S.K. Balk
2 books8 followersS. K. Balk lives in the frozen wastelands of Northern Michigan with her husband, roommate, and two dogs. As a career, she works in blood banking as a coordinator and in the laboratory, and writes in her spare time.
Other than writing, she has far too many hobbies to occupy her time, including hunting, fishing, sewing, reading, playing video games, orchestrating Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, and doing whatever she can to save the world.
Her first novel, THE BLOOD OF NERYS, was published February 26, 2016.
Join her mailing list if you dare to fraternize with madness (or if you just want a first look at all of her books).
https://tinyletter.com/SKBalk
Other than writing, she has far too many hobbies to occupy her time, including hunting, fishing, sewing, reading, playing video games, orchestrating Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, and doing whatever she can to save the world.
Her first novel, THE BLOOD OF NERYS, was published February 26, 2016.
Join her mailing list if you dare to fraternize with madness (or if you just want a first look at all of her books).
https://tinyletter.com/SKBalk
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 9, 2016
I initially reviewed this book on Amazon while still pretty sick and even though I was loopy and didn't feel very eloquent I'm not sure fussing with it would be an improvement. I would reiterate just how great the animals are in the book, and clarify that I meant deliciously creepy characters as well as charmingly naive characters, not characters that are both at once. :P
Review posted on Amazon:
This book is a delightful little blend of fantasy and sci fi that sucked me in right from the start. In a world where science has been abandoned and virtually everyone now uses magic (with varying degrees of skill), a nasty plague is ravaging humanity. I imagined it rather Ebola-like, since it mostly involves a lot of bleeding. Anyhow, a small core cast of quite varied characters works and sacrifices to survive and cure others, some from altruistic motives and some not so much, and some of them find their motives aren't truly so easily understood even to themselves.
S.K. writes both deliciously creepy and charmingly naive people that you can't help wanting to know more about. Frankly I wish this was longer and explored more of everyone's background. The portrayal of animal companions is great too, Berge and his weasel remind me a bit of Dustfinger and his marten from Inkheart.
Another aspect I enjoy is the whole "rediscovering lost knowledge" idea, I love story lines where humanity has lost technology or skills and has to relearn or re-engineer things.
This was an entertaining read that I ate up pretty quick and it distracted me from being sick because hey, at least I don't have the Red Death.
Review posted on Amazon:
This book is a delightful little blend of fantasy and sci fi that sucked me in right from the start. In a world where science has been abandoned and virtually everyone now uses magic (with varying degrees of skill), a nasty plague is ravaging humanity. I imagined it rather Ebola-like, since it mostly involves a lot of bleeding. Anyhow, a small core cast of quite varied characters works and sacrifices to survive and cure others, some from altruistic motives and some not so much, and some of them find their motives aren't truly so easily understood even to themselves.
S.K. writes both deliciously creepy and charmingly naive people that you can't help wanting to know more about. Frankly I wish this was longer and explored more of everyone's background. The portrayal of animal companions is great too, Berge and his weasel remind me a bit of Dustfinger and his marten from Inkheart.
Another aspect I enjoy is the whole "rediscovering lost knowledge" idea, I love story lines where humanity has lost technology or skills and has to relearn or re-engineer things.
This was an entertaining read that I ate up pretty quick and it distracted me from being sick because hey, at least I don't have the Red Death.
February 5, 2018
Fabulous book by a new author. Nerys is full of naive optimism when she is taken by the semi-evil Bergeron Nacht. We know that he is only semi-evil because he saves the life of a man named Wex who he doesn't know and who cannot pay for the expensive treatment for the Red Death Plague that has been ravaging the world. Berge's boss, the totally evil witch Zanje, is the only person with the cure to this dread malaise. But she will only sell it to the highest bidder. The fact that Wex can't pay makes him beholden to Zanje who at once begins to give him orders, and forces him to do her bidding. Wex is an inventor, something that would normally get him killed in this backward society if the fact were widely known.
What Nerys doesn't know until it's too late, is that she and a small group of other people are immune to the disease and her blood is the cure. Berge tells her that because she is a Null, she can save anybody, and that's what makes her so special.
Nerys believes him, and through her love and friendship, she believes she can save even Berge.
This book had me going to the very last page, Truly a great read. Get past the label genre of "Grimdark Fantasy" and just enjoy it for what it is, a story of love and redemption!
What Nerys doesn't know until it's too late, is that she and a small group of other people are immune to the disease and her blood is the cure. Berge tells her that because she is a Null, she can save anybody, and that's what makes her so special.
Nerys believes him, and through her love and friendship, she believes she can save even Berge.
This book had me going to the very last page, Truly a great read. Get past the label genre of "Grimdark Fantasy" and just enjoy it for what it is, a story of love and redemption!
December 9, 2018
This story is not for the faint of heart. You are about to enter a world where Zanje and Berge are out for blood literally. After a blood plague takes hold of the world, these two begin to use it for their benefit only helping those who can pay. Each person they take in holds what they need to save others. But are they genuinely saving them? And when Berge is asked to find a null everything changes. It spirals him into something he thought he could never be.
(I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone younger than 16.)
(I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone younger than 16.)
July 28, 2023
It was a great book, and not a boring read. I enjoyed reading it when I had time on my hands to sit down to read. If y’all are reading this I would get it to read again.
September 16, 2016
Loved this book! The characters really had life to them and I felt I could relate to all of them, though sometimes I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I love all the little quirks the characters had including the animals. Berge and Ashes had to be my favorites and I would totally read this book again just for them. I would love to have an Ashes of my own one day, jsut so cute and loveable. I found it hard to put this book down, as I always wanted t know what happened and it took me way too long to finish because of real life circumstance. S.K. Balk is a fabulous writer and really makes you feel like you're in the scene and you know exactly what's going on. Would totally recommend this book to all my friends and family!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews