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The Book of Abisan
Do you believe in destiny? When two worlds collide a new hope is born.
Yfrey is lost, alone in a world where her kind is persecuted. She has one hope, to find The Roghnaithe, one who is destined to help save her world from destruction by a tyrannical ruler. The Book of Abisan crosses multiple realities to follow the lives of two very different women, as they come together to battle armies, as well as their own personal demons.
Step into an exciting world of adventure, magic and alternate realities in this fast paced, action packed fantasy.
Yfrey is lost, alone in a world where her kind is persecuted. She has one hope, to find The Roghnaithe, one who is destined to help save her world from destruction by a tyrannical ruler. The Book of Abisan crosses multiple realities to follow the lives of two very different women, as they come together to battle armies, as well as their own personal demons.
Step into an exciting world of adventure, magic and alternate realities in this fast paced, action packed fantasy.
ebook
First published May 26, 2013
3 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
C.H. Clepitt
24 books53 followersC H Clepitt has a Master’s Degree in English Literature from the University of the West of England. As her Bachelor’s Degree was in Drama, and her Master’s Dissertation focused on little known 18th Century playwright Susannah Centlivre, Clepitt’s novels are extremely dialogue driven, and it has often been observed that they would translate well to the screen.
Since graduating in 2007, she gained experience in community and music journalism, before establishing satirical news website, Newsnibbles in 2010. In 2011 she published her book, A Reason to Stay, which follows the adventures of disillusioned retail manager, Stephen, as he is thrust into village life and the world of AmDram. Clepitt’s feminist fantasy, The Book of Abisan not only crosses worlds, but confuses genres, and has been described as a crime drama with magic. She has often said that she doesn’t like the way that choosing a genre forces you to put your book into a specific little box, and instead she prefers to distort the readers’ expectations and keep them guessing. Her 2016 work, I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse does just that, as just like the characters, the readers won’t know what’s going on in this laugh out loud satirical scifi.
Since graduating in 2007, she gained experience in community and music journalism, before establishing satirical news website, Newsnibbles in 2010. In 2011 she published her book, A Reason to Stay, which follows the adventures of disillusioned retail manager, Stephen, as he is thrust into village life and the world of AmDram. Clepitt’s feminist fantasy, The Book of Abisan not only crosses worlds, but confuses genres, and has been described as a crime drama with magic. She has often said that she doesn’t like the way that choosing a genre forces you to put your book into a specific little box, and instead she prefers to distort the readers’ expectations and keep them guessing. Her 2016 work, I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse does just that, as just like the characters, the readers won’t know what’s going on in this laugh out loud satirical scifi.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 13, 2019
Recap: Yfrey is alone in the world, tasked with looking for the Conduit who will help guide the Roghnaithe to save their world. Jacques is attacked by a mysterious priest trying to kill her and receives a magical knife in the post. Then she meets Yfrey.
Review: A dialogue heavy, fast-paced fantasy novel with strong female leads who have no problem kicking ass and taking names.
Review: A dialogue heavy, fast-paced fantasy novel with strong female leads who have no problem kicking ass and taking names.
April 29, 2019
Note: This is a review of the audiobook.
I have never finished an audiobook so quickly - and then been so sad it was over too fast!
This is one of the best fantasy stories I’ve listened to in a long time. I was hooked right from the beginning. Crossovers between a magical universe and our own world are among my favorites, and this one did not disappoint. I’m also a sucker for the exact type of strong women in this story.
Neither Yfrey nor Jaques are perfect, and they aren’t buff women with superpowers, unless you count their ability to use magic to their advantage. They both have a bit of a past, and part of the story is coming to terms with their own histories while attempting to save Yfrey’s world from a tyrant. It’s brilliantly done. There’s enough world building to help us understand how each woman has some degree of culture shock, but it’s not so in depth as to be dull or detract from the storyline.
The narration is brilliant. It’s smooth and clear, and I loved all the different voices of the characters. The narrator and story are an excellent match.
All in all, this is just so well done.
I have never finished an audiobook so quickly - and then been so sad it was over too fast!
This is one of the best fantasy stories I’ve listened to in a long time. I was hooked right from the beginning. Crossovers between a magical universe and our own world are among my favorites, and this one did not disappoint. I’m also a sucker for the exact type of strong women in this story.
Neither Yfrey nor Jaques are perfect, and they aren’t buff women with superpowers, unless you count their ability to use magic to their advantage. They both have a bit of a past, and part of the story is coming to terms with their own histories while attempting to save Yfrey’s world from a tyrant. It’s brilliantly done. There’s enough world building to help us understand how each woman has some degree of culture shock, but it’s not so in depth as to be dull or detract from the storyline.
The narration is brilliant. It’s smooth and clear, and I loved all the different voices of the characters. The narrator and story are an excellent match.
All in all, this is just so well done.
December 20, 2019
The Book of Abisan is an adventurous urban fantasy, where a religious elite that persecutes magic users is extending its activities across alternate realities.
Yfrey is a magic user on the run, her home long since gone and her family and friends dead or imprisoned. Jacques works as an archivist in the UK, keeping people at a distance as much as she can. When a fluke of magic sends Yfrey stumbling into Jacques’s life, neither Jacques nor Yfrey thinks they stand a chance of surviving the pursuit on Yfrey’s trail, never mind fighting back—but the freedom of two worlds is hanging on their success.
The Book of Abisan creates a tantalising cast of relatable characters, with their own traumas and doubts, trying to pull off the impossible. On the one hand the story combines a journey to self-discovery for the protagonists, and on the other the storyline is balanced by violence and danger. As I'm not keen on the fluffy-fluffy approach in my reading, I appreciated author C. H. Clepitt’s ability to inject glimpses of gritty realism into the plot. The book makes good use of the alternate realities theme, building up the antagonists across realities in very different guises.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
Yfrey is a magic user on the run, her home long since gone and her family and friends dead or imprisoned. Jacques works as an archivist in the UK, keeping people at a distance as much as she can. When a fluke of magic sends Yfrey stumbling into Jacques’s life, neither Jacques nor Yfrey thinks they stand a chance of surviving the pursuit on Yfrey’s trail, never mind fighting back—but the freedom of two worlds is hanging on their success.
The Book of Abisan creates a tantalising cast of relatable characters, with their own traumas and doubts, trying to pull off the impossible. On the one hand the story combines a journey to self-discovery for the protagonists, and on the other the storyline is balanced by violence and danger. As I'm not keen on the fluffy-fluffy approach in my reading, I appreciated author C. H. Clepitt’s ability to inject glimpses of gritty realism into the plot. The book makes good use of the alternate realities theme, building up the antagonists across realities in very different guises.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
February 5, 2018
Two strong women are drawn together by an ancient prophecy. Yfrey is a witch living in a world where magic has been outlawed. She is running for her life, clinging to the Book of Abisan, which directs her to find the Roghnaithe, the savior of their world. Jacques lives in a parallel world where magic doesn’t exist. She works with artifacts in the basement of a museum where she finds solace in hiding away from humanity. But soon she has a couple unexplained attempts made on her life. I was drawn into these different women from the first pages. Both have a brother but Yfrey’s brother has abandoned her when she needs him most while Jacques brother in there to support her even when she tries to push him away. Because of past struggles, she needs to feel in control of her life.
Whether it’s destiny, fate, or prophecy, the two women join forces to try to end the reign of terror in Yfrey’s world. During the process, they find allies who should be enemies and enemies where there should be friends. Plenty of action, along with some witty, sarcastic dialogue make this a truly entertaining read.
Whether it’s destiny, fate, or prophecy, the two women join forces to try to end the reign of terror in Yfrey’s world. During the process, they find allies who should be enemies and enemies where there should be friends. Plenty of action, along with some witty, sarcastic dialogue make this a truly entertaining read.
April 12, 2018
“The Book of Abisan” crosses multiple realities to follow two very different young women from different realities as they come together in an unusual friendship to battle an inter-dimensional army set on conquering both of their worlds.
Clepitt’s characters have rich and complex back-stories steeped in the folklore and legend of their worlds. Their storied mythologies lend credence to this impressive fantasy read as the plotline twists and turns with an excitement rarely elicited in such short stories. Although there are formatting and text alignment issues, they detract little from this engaging saga.
High-action, magic, and two strong female leads sweep this adventure forward with force and determination. Clepitt’s heroines know that they are strongest when working together, and they demonstrate that, when two women set their sights on a common goal, nothing can stop them.
Clepitt’s characters have rich and complex back-stories steeped in the folklore and legend of their worlds. Their storied mythologies lend credence to this impressive fantasy read as the plotline twists and turns with an excitement rarely elicited in such short stories. Although there are formatting and text alignment issues, they detract little from this engaging saga.
High-action, magic, and two strong female leads sweep this adventure forward with force and determination. Clepitt’s heroines know that they are strongest when working together, and they demonstrate that, when two women set their sights on a common goal, nothing can stop them.
February 19, 2019
A wonderful fantasy novel with world-shifting and compelling characters. It is difficult to put down! Reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, replete with witty repartee. You will love this book!
March 13, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. it spans three world's including our own and had me hooked straight from the start. the story follows yfrey and Jacques who are from different worlds. Jacques is from ours and yffrey is from a world ruled by a tyrant where magic exists, and together they must help save her world. i found the story really engaging and didn't want to put it down. overall I loved it and would recommend it to any fantasy and magic lovers.
March 13, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. it spans three world's including our own and had me hooked straight from the start. the story follows yfrey and Jacques who are from different worlds. Jacques is from ours and yffrey is from a world ruled by a tyrant where magic exists, and together they must help save her world. i found the story really engaging and didn't want to put it down. overall I loved it and would recommend it to any fantasy and magic lovers.
October 18, 2015
This is one of the many, many books I picked up on a free day. book of abisanI do that on occasion, on a whim, because someone recommends it, because the cover looks nice, or for whatever other random reason. This one, I picked up because someone said it was feminist fantasy and I was curious to find out what the hell feminist fantasy is.
As usual with those free day finds, I went into the book without even reading the blurb. I love doing that, it’s a bit like going to a sneak preview at the movies. So when the first few pages told me there was a prophecy about two chosen heroes whose task it was to save the world, I was a bit disappointed, but ready for the classic fantasy tale.
Ha. Silly me.
It was obvious within seconds who the chosen heroes – heroines, of course, because feminist – would turn out to be, but from there on out, nothing was predictable anymore and the words ‘classic fantasy tale’ stopped applying.
Instead, the characters took over – especially Jacques, a mainly grumpy, sharp-tongued, gothic, tattooed, martial arts enthusiast from our world, who gets tugged into a fantasy realm where something akin to the Spanish inquisition wages war on all practicioners of magic. And it’s up to her and a petite witch named Yfrey to stop it. Along with both their brothers, who are mainly useless and wrong, but for all the right reasons, they stumble through portals, meet people ranging from strong to crazy, and have to come to terms with shadows of abuse from the past.
Apart from the heroes being heroines, the one thing people might call feminist about this book is probably the simple fact that women can do everything a man can do. In my naive little world, we don’t call that feminist. We call that normal.
Occasionally I found myself wishing for a slower pace, not because it read rushed, but because I wanted to spend more time in the worlds the author has created. I would have loved a few more details, history, even descriptions of the landscape, just so I could stay a while longer. There was the odd typo or free-floating speech mark, so another edit wouldn’t harm, but this was one of the few books where I totally read over the minor flaws due to the strength of the author’s voice. What C H Clepitt does best, is dialogue. Every conversation, every tiniest exchange, read completely natural and realistic. It didn’t feel like reading anymore, but like listening in on good friends talking.
I’m seriously hoping there’ll be a sequel.
As usual with those free day finds, I went into the book without even reading the blurb. I love doing that, it’s a bit like going to a sneak preview at the movies. So when the first few pages told me there was a prophecy about two chosen heroes whose task it was to save the world, I was a bit disappointed, but ready for the classic fantasy tale.
Ha. Silly me.
It was obvious within seconds who the chosen heroes – heroines, of course, because feminist – would turn out to be, but from there on out, nothing was predictable anymore and the words ‘classic fantasy tale’ stopped applying.
Instead, the characters took over – especially Jacques, a mainly grumpy, sharp-tongued, gothic, tattooed, martial arts enthusiast from our world, who gets tugged into a fantasy realm where something akin to the Spanish inquisition wages war on all practicioners of magic. And it’s up to her and a petite witch named Yfrey to stop it. Along with both their brothers, who are mainly useless and wrong, but for all the right reasons, they stumble through portals, meet people ranging from strong to crazy, and have to come to terms with shadows of abuse from the past.
Apart from the heroes being heroines, the one thing people might call feminist about this book is probably the simple fact that women can do everything a man can do. In my naive little world, we don’t call that feminist. We call that normal.
Occasionally I found myself wishing for a slower pace, not because it read rushed, but because I wanted to spend more time in the worlds the author has created. I would have loved a few more details, history, even descriptions of the landscape, just so I could stay a while longer. There was the odd typo or free-floating speech mark, so another edit wouldn’t harm, but this was one of the few books where I totally read over the minor flaws due to the strength of the author’s voice. What C H Clepitt does best, is dialogue. Every conversation, every tiniest exchange, read completely natural and realistic. It didn’t feel like reading anymore, but like listening in on good friends talking.
I’m seriously hoping there’ll be a sequel.
March 26, 2019
I was provided a free ebook copy of this book for review. I'm about halfway through it. While I like the story I'm finding the dialog to be very stiff.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews