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Frayle searches through time for a way to save his best friend. After witnessing Relek Paladere's murder, the rogue Frayle is thrust twenty years into the past and meets Nova Avery, a Time-Jumper. She wanders the thin lines of fragmented memories and sends Frayle through the windows of the Phantasm. Together, they seek to save his friend, and unearth the mystery of the Guardians heading his world and the origin of one known only as the Creator.
282 pages, Paperback
Published June 13, 2016
5 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
Shakyra Dunn
10 books111 followersShakyra Dunn can't stray away from the impression that there is always an adventure around every corner! When she isn’t playing the role of the Creator, she is marching through the worlds of her favorite video game characters or taking drives around her city to see the sights. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she currently resides in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, striving to experience more than the little town.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 1, 2016
Long ago, the Guardians created the world of Nimestria, a place of power that invited enemies to attempt to destroy them. It is said that the Creator would be coming in a time of great need, but how is that need determined? Enter Shakyra Dunn’s epic fantasy world, The One Left Behind: Magic, written to enthrall teens and young adults with brilliant characters, free use of relatable dialogue and twists and turns through time. Ms. Dunn’s greatest strengths are divided between her creative genius and her daring in blazing a fresh trail in the epic fantasy world far from the dark and ominous atmosphere of more adult reads while never losing sight of the entertainment factor she excels at.
They came from the realm of Fracturis, a disjointed world where two friends seek answers and guidance to a quest that will grow exponentially. The great church they seek has fallen from splendor, a shamble of its once great glory. When disaster strikes, Frayle will enter the ruins and bear witness to the horrors of the past, where hidden truths lay, legends and tales become a reality and a horrible wrong must be righted, bringing his own timeline into alignment. The scenes from twenty years prior are the chink in time where the deepest secrets have been held. Will the long awaited Creator be found? With the aid of a Time-Jumper, the fragmented timelines of past, present and future will tell the tale of the mysterious Guardians. But what can Frayle do in a world where he is but small grain of sand on the beach of eternity? First he must believe in himself, his truths and his role in the circle of life.
Character driven, this tale is also filled with atmosphere and the magic of a talented author’s hand. A book to savor over the hours of escape into another realm where seven moons keep watch over a magical land and a simple quest becomes a turning point of epic proportions. This is the kind of storytelling that brings the magic of books to life for all readers.
I received this copy from Shakyra Dunn in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: July 18, 2016
Publisher: Shakyra Dunn
ISBN-10: 1533690448
ISBN-13: 978-1533690449
Genre: YA Epic Fantasy | Coming of Age
Print Length: 361 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
They came from the realm of Fracturis, a disjointed world where two friends seek answers and guidance to a quest that will grow exponentially. The great church they seek has fallen from splendor, a shamble of its once great glory. When disaster strikes, Frayle will enter the ruins and bear witness to the horrors of the past, where hidden truths lay, legends and tales become a reality and a horrible wrong must be righted, bringing his own timeline into alignment. The scenes from twenty years prior are the chink in time where the deepest secrets have been held. Will the long awaited Creator be found? With the aid of a Time-Jumper, the fragmented timelines of past, present and future will tell the tale of the mysterious Guardians. But what can Frayle do in a world where he is but small grain of sand on the beach of eternity? First he must believe in himself, his truths and his role in the circle of life.
Character driven, this tale is also filled with atmosphere and the magic of a talented author’s hand. A book to savor over the hours of escape into another realm where seven moons keep watch over a magical land and a simple quest becomes a turning point of epic proportions. This is the kind of storytelling that brings the magic of books to life for all readers.
I received this copy from Shakyra Dunn in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: July 18, 2016
Publisher: Shakyra Dunn
ISBN-10: 1533690448
ISBN-13: 978-1533690449
Genre: YA Epic Fantasy | Coming of Age
Print Length: 361 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
August 11, 2016
I initially had a bit of trouble getting into the story at first because I found it hard to place people and events and how they fit together. That is often the case with fantasy novels, though. They are so different that you need to stick with it a bit for it all to come together and I am very glad that I did because it turns out to be an interesting book.
I don't want to say too much about the storyline as I hate spoilers but I can say that after Frayle and his friend Relek are attacked with a tragic outcome; Frayle is thrust into time travel in an attempt to change what happened. This is a nice beginning to a new series and I hope to learn more about the main characters and their gifts.
I don't want to say too much about the storyline as I hate spoilers but I can say that after Frayle and his friend Relek are attacked with a tragic outcome; Frayle is thrust into time travel in an attempt to change what happened. This is a nice beginning to a new series and I hope to learn more about the main characters and their gifts.
August 25, 2016
....I'll, uh, delete my rating when I earn more. ^_^"
May 1, 2018
This story begins with a bang as Frayle loses his best friend, Relek through treachery. He finds an ally in Nova who can manipulate time and bring them back to an earlier date to avert the catastrophe. The story jumps to different times and the group encounters one problem after another. Sometimes Frayle finds it difficult to tell friend from foe and he usually suffers because of that. The tale is very fast paced, with lots of frantic action scenes and a few quiet, compassionate moments. This would certainly entertain Young/New Adult readers.
February 8, 2017
1.5/5.0
The story has a fun concept, well written action scenes, and characters that are distinctly personable.
Read full review in the 2017 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
The story has a fun concept, well written action scenes, and characters that are distinctly personable.
Read full review in the 2017 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
September 7, 2016
As someone who's had a hand in proofreading, editing, as well as consulting on the third act of the book, I've seen "Left Behind" by rising indie star Shakyra Dunn grow as both an intro project and as a work of passion. The characters aren't your run-of-the-mill JRPG protagonists - they have depth and pathos, as I know for a fact that the author takes pride in making sure her characters carry the story, instead of them being slaves to the plot. I was never one for a time-travel plot due to its innate complications but Shakyra manages to make it work, Chrono Trigger style, which I really respect. I'm on my second read-through of the finished product and I'm just as enchanted by the characters as I was when she told me about their plight and plot.
Keep rockin', Shakyra.
Keep rockin', Shakyra.
March 12, 2017
“The desolate area, empty of all cries … even the heavens seemed to lament the fallen, retaining a shade of grey that sunshine could never reach.” Moments of brilliance pepper Author Shakyra Dunn’s fantasy adventure novel, “The One Left Behind: Magic”, about a time-traveler on a quest to save his best friend, and in the process, his world. But, which world? As any experienced time-traveler knows, there are countless variants of events that result in either grandiose or subtle changes when an altered timeline and History collide—think “The Butterfly Effect”—and Frayle Mathur, Dunn’s main protagonist, is responsible for many fluctuations as this story progresses.
Frayle is a savior in the dark about his true identity, and he’s rather slow at sighting clues as to his true purpose in life. When his best friend, Relek Paladere, is murdered, Frayle begins a quest to change the past and thereby bring Relek back from the dead. Every good savior needs a sidekick, and Nova Avery more than fits the bill. An experienced Time-Jumper, Nova is a dynamo in a tiny package; a petite heroine who happens to be an expert in archery and subterfuge. She acts as Frayle’s conscience and guides him through the past as they each fight their own demons, along with a race of supposedly superior beings known as the Guardians and the lowly Savages. Besides these enemies, there are a few other critical issues facing Frayle and Nova; no time that they enter is constant, and they can never return to their own time. Characters are constantly assuming new identities and purposes as Frayle and Nova try to work out the chain of events in each new reality they encounter.
As is often the case when a reader is confronted with alternate dimensions of time, changing scenarios, and characters that seem to morph into other beings at the drop of a hat, it can be quite confusing wading through this novel. The grammatical structure of the novel does show several inconsistencies. The author seemingly employs the use of adjectives and adverbs without understanding their true meaning. In many cases, it appears as though she extracted an incorrect term from a Thesaurus, rather than choosing a simpler, more appropriate word that would help the novel flow better. For example: in the midst of a blizzard, the author chooses to describe the cold, rushing wind as “sweltering”—a term better suited to a tropical jungle environment; a character is described as alleviating “suffrage” instead of “suffering”; and, in yet another sentence … “The boy rolled over on his side ‘blenching’, rather than ‘belching’. There are also a few sudden shifts between third-person past-tense and present-tense (“She says …” as opposed to “She said …”) that throw the reading off-kilter in a few spots. These issues caused me to drop one-star from the final rating of the novel.
All in all, the author provides plenty of action and adventure as the mind of the reader strives to keep up with the plot. But make no mistake … this is not a your standard fairy tale! Evil is true to its form in Dunn’s tale, and there is plenty of vivid imagery in the form of bloody one-on-one battles and gory scenes to go around, especially when the story shifts focus upon the beastly Savages as they consume everyone in their path—men, women, children, and even newborn babes! In the end, “The One Left Behind: Magic” is a fast-paced, wild adventure that any thrill-seeker with an iron stomach will enjoy!
Frayle is a savior in the dark about his true identity, and he’s rather slow at sighting clues as to his true purpose in life. When his best friend, Relek Paladere, is murdered, Frayle begins a quest to change the past and thereby bring Relek back from the dead. Every good savior needs a sidekick, and Nova Avery more than fits the bill. An experienced Time-Jumper, Nova is a dynamo in a tiny package; a petite heroine who happens to be an expert in archery and subterfuge. She acts as Frayle’s conscience and guides him through the past as they each fight their own demons, along with a race of supposedly superior beings known as the Guardians and the lowly Savages. Besides these enemies, there are a few other critical issues facing Frayle and Nova; no time that they enter is constant, and they can never return to their own time. Characters are constantly assuming new identities and purposes as Frayle and Nova try to work out the chain of events in each new reality they encounter.
As is often the case when a reader is confronted with alternate dimensions of time, changing scenarios, and characters that seem to morph into other beings at the drop of a hat, it can be quite confusing wading through this novel. The grammatical structure of the novel does show several inconsistencies. The author seemingly employs the use of adjectives and adverbs without understanding their true meaning. In many cases, it appears as though she extracted an incorrect term from a Thesaurus, rather than choosing a simpler, more appropriate word that would help the novel flow better. For example: in the midst of a blizzard, the author chooses to describe the cold, rushing wind as “sweltering”—a term better suited to a tropical jungle environment; a character is described as alleviating “suffrage” instead of “suffering”; and, in yet another sentence … “The boy rolled over on his side ‘blenching’, rather than ‘belching’. There are also a few sudden shifts between third-person past-tense and present-tense (“She says …” as opposed to “She said …”) that throw the reading off-kilter in a few spots. These issues caused me to drop one-star from the final rating of the novel.
All in all, the author provides plenty of action and adventure as the mind of the reader strives to keep up with the plot. But make no mistake … this is not a your standard fairy tale! Evil is true to its form in Dunn’s tale, and there is plenty of vivid imagery in the form of bloody one-on-one battles and gory scenes to go around, especially when the story shifts focus upon the beastly Savages as they consume everyone in their path—men, women, children, and even newborn babes! In the end, “The One Left Behind: Magic” is a fast-paced, wild adventure that any thrill-seeker with an iron stomach will enjoy!
June 30, 2017
The synopsis of this book pulled me in and I was glad to read it. I'm not one for fantasy usually but in the last few weeks have started to branch out into the genre. The book starts with the death of Relek and Frayle's journey begins to undo that death and to once again be reunited with his friend. Along the way you meet a host of delightful characters, including Nova who sticks close to Frayle and guides him through the past and the life of a Time-Jumper. I loved the book and found myself losing hours as I sat down to read. My only reason for the 4 stars rather than 5 was it took me a while to get into it in the beginning, but once I did, I was on for the ride! Recommend to those who love a good fantasy and mysterious story!
August 25, 2016
Much of the book is reminiscent of RPGs. The heroes leave on a quest, only to encounter something greater and find themselves swept up in something bigger. I enjoyed reading as they encountered new characters, developed camaraderie, and even visited new lands to assist the locals.
The book really picked up once they visited Belone. Snow! Bringing it back to the video game influence (or so I assume?), snowy locations in video games are my faaaavorite! ♥ Our heroes meet some shady characters who unravel before them, and try to regain order before moving on to experience another land.
The characters made the book for me, and I loved seeing their relationships develop. Frayle and Relek reminded me a lot of Sora and Riku (especially with a certain scene that happened on a beach). Nova warming up to Frayle and transforming from a mere companion to a dear friend was especially enjoyable. There’s even a little romance—just a touch, enough to show how they’ve grown together. However, the romance did NOT take over the story, so THANK YOU, SHAKYRA. Bless you!
At the beginning of the book, there were some scene transitions that seemed abrupt. One moment, the characters seemed to be perfectly fine and traveling along to their next destination, when suddenly, they found themselves in mortal peril and are incapacitated. It momentarily pulled me out of the story, but I accepted it and kept reading.
Despite some of the earlier influences that I mentioned, the story doesn’t follow a particular formula, which is just fine and dandy because I didn’t know what to expect. An unpredictable, enjoyable adventure.
The book really picked up once they visited Belone. Snow! Bringing it back to the video game influence (or so I assume?), snowy locations in video games are my faaaavorite! ♥ Our heroes meet some shady characters who unravel before them, and try to regain order before moving on to experience another land.
The characters made the book for me, and I loved seeing their relationships develop. Frayle and Relek reminded me a lot of Sora and Riku (especially with a certain scene that happened on a beach). Nova warming up to Frayle and transforming from a mere companion to a dear friend was especially enjoyable. There’s even a little romance—just a touch, enough to show how they’ve grown together. However, the romance did NOT take over the story, so THANK YOU, SHAKYRA. Bless you!
At the beginning of the book, there were some scene transitions that seemed abrupt. One moment, the characters seemed to be perfectly fine and traveling along to their next destination, when suddenly, they found themselves in mortal peril and are incapacitated. It momentarily pulled me out of the story, but I accepted it and kept reading.
Despite some of the earlier influences that I mentioned, the story doesn’t follow a particular formula, which is just fine and dandy because I didn’t know what to expect. An unpredictable, enjoyable adventure.
January 25, 2026
Loved it!
Time well-spent! Rush imagery and heart-pounding, action-packed scenes drive this story forward with a fierceness! Recca is my favorite... Love the attitude! Buy it. Read it. You'll thank me if you ever make it back to reality.
Time well-spent! Rush imagery and heart-pounding, action-packed scenes drive this story forward with a fierceness! Recca is my favorite... Love the attitude! Buy it. Read it. You'll thank me if you ever make it back to reality.
April 1, 2017
I want to start out by saying that this story was good! Not great, but good. Frayle and his motley crue of companions have a good story behind them. The character building was done rather well. The ending it makes it obvious that this is part of a series. I'm glad for that. I want to read more about Frayle, Nova, Recca, and Relek and how they deal with the Guardians and all that goes along with that.
BUT...I have to put my editor's hat on for a little while. I'm wondering if I didn't get a copy of the beta read. Ms. Dunn did send her book to me as a giveaway in an author takeover. Entirely possible. What I read had a lot of errors that would have been easily caught by a beta read, or failing that, a good editor. Not holes in the story. Far from. Just grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors. We're all guilty of those from time to time. Made things a little difficult to read, but once I got over that, I devoured the book.
Like I said, a good read with a good story and characters, just needed a better edit.... And from what I understand, Ms. Dunn is doing a re-edit of this book!
BUT...I have to put my editor's hat on for a little while. I'm wondering if I didn't get a copy of the beta read. Ms. Dunn did send her book to me as a giveaway in an author takeover. Entirely possible. What I read had a lot of errors that would have been easily caught by a beta read, or failing that, a good editor. Not holes in the story. Far from. Just grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors. We're all guilty of those from time to time. Made things a little difficult to read, but once I got over that, I devoured the book.
Like I said, a good read with a good story and characters, just needed a better edit.... And from what I understand, Ms. Dunn is doing a re-edit of this book!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews