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Incarn Saga #1
Issaura's Claws
“According to legend, when the world was young, the goddess Issaura appeared among men. Those who treated her with kindness received the gift of the gods—the ability to transform into an animal form. This was a great honor but one that separated this race from other humans. Before Issaura departed the mortal realm, she promised to return if her people were ever at the point of destruction.
“Now a threat is rising from a land across the mists of the ocean, a threat that will push this race to the brink of extinction. Responding to the call to war, seventeen-year-old Lluava heads off to find her destiny, one that will carve her name in history.”
“Now a threat is rising from a land across the mists of the ocean, a threat that will push this race to the brink of extinction. Responding to the call to war, seventeen-year-old Lluava heads off to find her destiny, one that will carve her name in history.”
360 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2016
319 people are currently reading
1073 people want to read
About the author
Katharine E. Wibell
31 books392 followersFrom a very young age, stories and storytelling pursued me like a child’s imaginary friend. I created make-believe characters for every toy that my sister and I owned. Each had an individual personality, back-story, hopes, dreams, and reason for being. The villains were even more intriguing than the heroes and heroines. Why were they so evil? Had something horrible happened to them in their past? How were they connected to their victims? But enough of teddy bears and beanie babies!
Like many children, I was drawn to animals. After my first puppy, I never looked back. My family lived in a rural area and frequently fostered abandoned dogs and orphaned kittens. In time, I learned to care for, show, and judge dairy heifers; raised exotic breeds of chickens; judged poultry; and nurtured injured and abandoned wild animals.
My menagerie of critters grew along with my fascination with all beasts—mythical as well as real. Even now, if you ask which my favorite is, the answer remains a dragon. I read every story and collected every book I could find about them including encyclopedias of mythical beasts and beings. That opened the door to legends, folklore, and world mythologies filled with magic, mystery, and fantasy.
While most of my friends left the world of make-believe behind, I resolutely continued on my path of tom-boyishness and refused to stop believing in the unseen. I imagined worlds intertwined in an immense universe filled with talking animals, unending adventures, and enchanted weapons. My favorite character had twelve special possessions that helped her on her quests. I can still name them all, but that’s for another time. What is important is that I fully embraced her spirit and wanted to do everything that she could do. That included archery. So for six years, I competed in recurve archery tournaments. In 2007, I was honored to represent Georgia at a national tournament in Rapid City, SD. Our team – the only all-female team - placed third, and I was the highest scoring female competitor. The dynamics of competition would give rise to similar situations in Issaura’s Claws.
One other passion came into play. I wanted other people to see what I imagined. Fortunately, I loved to draw. Now, it was time to take my interest in art seriously.
During my college years at Mercer University, these different threads were woven together. I majored in fine art, which gave me the opportunity to hone raw skill and develop my own personal style. However, I also double majored in psychology with an emphasis in animal behavior. My curiosity about animals challenged me to learn how they thought and thus behaved. One result was that I became a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in the state of Georgia. My summers were filled with caring for and raising numerous wild mammals and domestic birds for release into the wild. Finally, I began to work on the characters, ideas, and plots that would become the Incarn Saga.
Shortly after graduation another special animal entered my life: Alli, a rescued American bulldog/pit mix. I had the opportunity to train and work with the sweetest dog ever. In the meantime, I provided marketing services for the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art located in Buckhead, Georgia. When the Ogden Museum in New Orleans had a show of Thomas’s work, I attended the opening reception. I was hooked. Here was a city that had the same eclectic flavor and lust for life as I had. I accepted an internship at the Audubon Zoo and Alli and I relocated to the “Big Easy”.
I am now a full-time writer and artist. Staying true to who I am, my reverse-glass paintings, especially those using recycled windows from Hurricane Katrina, feature an array of domestic and wild animals often with a New Orleans theme. Better yet, check out my website at katharinewibell.wixsite.com/kwibellart or visit Zele on Magazine Street if you visit the Crescent City.
Like many children, I was drawn to animals. After my first puppy, I never looked back. My family lived in a rural area and frequently fostered abandoned dogs and orphaned kittens. In time, I learned to care for, show, and judge dairy heifers; raised exotic breeds of chickens; judged poultry; and nurtured injured and abandoned wild animals.
My menagerie of critters grew along with my fascination with all beasts—mythical as well as real. Even now, if you ask which my favorite is, the answer remains a dragon. I read every story and collected every book I could find about them including encyclopedias of mythical beasts and beings. That opened the door to legends, folklore, and world mythologies filled with magic, mystery, and fantasy.
While most of my friends left the world of make-believe behind, I resolutely continued on my path of tom-boyishness and refused to stop believing in the unseen. I imagined worlds intertwined in an immense universe filled with talking animals, unending adventures, and enchanted weapons. My favorite character had twelve special possessions that helped her on her quests. I can still name them all, but that’s for another time. What is important is that I fully embraced her spirit and wanted to do everything that she could do. That included archery. So for six years, I competed in recurve archery tournaments. In 2007, I was honored to represent Georgia at a national tournament in Rapid City, SD. Our team – the only all-female team - placed third, and I was the highest scoring female competitor. The dynamics of competition would give rise to similar situations in Issaura’s Claws.
One other passion came into play. I wanted other people to see what I imagined. Fortunately, I loved to draw. Now, it was time to take my interest in art seriously.
During my college years at Mercer University, these different threads were woven together. I majored in fine art, which gave me the opportunity to hone raw skill and develop my own personal style. However, I also double majored in psychology with an emphasis in animal behavior. My curiosity about animals challenged me to learn how they thought and thus behaved. One result was that I became a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in the state of Georgia. My summers were filled with caring for and raising numerous wild mammals and domestic birds for release into the wild. Finally, I began to work on the characters, ideas, and plots that would become the Incarn Saga.
Shortly after graduation another special animal entered my life: Alli, a rescued American bulldog/pit mix. I had the opportunity to train and work with the sweetest dog ever. In the meantime, I provided marketing services for the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art located in Buckhead, Georgia. When the Ogden Museum in New Orleans had a show of Thomas’s work, I attended the opening reception. I was hooked. Here was a city that had the same eclectic flavor and lust for life as I had. I accepted an internship at the Audubon Zoo and Alli and I relocated to the “Big Easy”.
I am now a full-time writer and artist. Staying true to who I am, my reverse-glass paintings, especially those using recycled windows from Hurricane Katrina, feature an array of domestic and wild animals often with a New Orleans theme. Better yet, check out my website at katharinewibell.wixsite.com/kwibellart or visit Zele on Magazine Street if you visit the Crescent City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 23, 2017
Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow. This read – just wow. Honestly, it was so much more than I’d anticipated. I was so very close to giving this one a five star rating.
If the truth is to be known, I went into this one not expecting much. The synopsis was interesting, yet I wasn’t one hundred percent sure what I would be receiving. A fantasy novel – yes. Some kind of shifter creatures – yes. A new mythology to wrap my head around – yes. Prejudice against women that would be overcome – yes to the former, hopefully the latter. Information beyond that – not really. Thus, it was more curiosity than anything else that had me reading this one.
As soon as I started reading, though, I was pulled in. My worries vanished extremely quickly. The writing was wonderful, the world building beautiful, and the characters amazing. I was sucked into the world and putting the story down became an impossibility. In fact, I was extremely annoyed when the battery died on my Kindle and I was pulled out of the world for a short period of time – how dare such a menial thing interrupt my enjoyment. I was so sucked into the world that such a basic thing felt like an infringement of my human rights. I needed more of this story, I need to know where things went, and I could not tear my mind away from the amazing tale I was given.
What this amounts to is how you shouldn’t judge a book. People say this all the time, and yet it still happens. I often go into books with some kind of expectation, and this one was no different. Fortunately, this one surpassed all of my expectations, leaving me with fangirl feelings I had never anticipated. Without a doubt, this is a story I’m going to be recommending to friends. If you enjoy an action-packed fantasy read, then this is certainly for you. Although labelled as ‘young adult’, know it’s one of those stories that can be enjoyed by all. Honestly, this one does not feel like a young adult novel at all. Admittedly, it is not as graphic as dark adult fantasy, but there is enough in there for adults to enjoy it – for it to be one of those books that sit on the borderlines of the categorising. Not that you should allow something as simple as a categorisation of genre to influence your decision to read this – it’s well worth it for many reasons.
What are those reasons?
To begin, the world building. As already mentioned, it is beautiful. Throughout you can see how the story has been inspired by ancient myths, by past civilisations, and it truly is a thing of beauty. There are nods to the past without it feeling as though the author is simply regurgitating a history lesson with changed names. This is in relation to both the mythology we’re introduced to and the everyday life of the characters. Both had a certain feel about them that made it very easy for the reader to fall in love with the world. I constantly wanted to know more – more of the myths, more of how the world worked, basically more of everything.
More than that, though, is the building of the creatures of this world. Whilst it seems like a simple tale of shifters, there is so much more to this story. The shifter aspect of life is linked in with the mythology, and whilst I still have many questions, I found I adored the way in which this aspect of the story was told. I would like some more information in the future books, but this is something that hit me after reading. The questions I have are not the kind to prevent enjoyment – they’re simply the kind that will allow me to develop a fuller picture in my mind. The questions I have are a way for me to fall even deeper in love with the world.
As much as I loved the world, I came to find I loved the characters even more. Honestly, they were amazing. We have a truly amazing cast, and watching them develop throughout the story was a thing of beauty. We watch as prejudices are overcome – in terms of both gender and race. We watch as people reach their potential. We watch as secrets are uncovered. The amount of change to be seen with the characters throughout is positively amazing. I could say so much, but all the things I wish to say err on the side of being spoilers. Just know your views will change throughout – there are so many twists added, so many characters surprise you, that you’ll be left with emotional whiplash as everything comes together.
Another thing I wish to give a nod of respect towards is the lack of romance in this one. Whenever I read ‘young adult fantasy’ I fear the story will be consumed by romance. Whilst there is emotion to be seen throughout, whilst you can feel emotions building, nothing is ever overly shoved down your throat. This, I really loved. I hate it when romance dims the rest of the story, and such did not happen with this one. It was really refreshing, and I have so much respect for the author for this choice.
In all honesty, it was just little things that prevented me from giving this one a five star rating. One thing that got me was how at times words that were used didn’t quite seem to fit with the fantasy setting. It was never anything overly large – it wasn’t as though a bus was suddenly driving through the forest – but every so often a word would be used that threatened to pull me out of the magical world. The second thing is that certain events seemed to lack the emotional depth I would have liked – there was so much action that when something big and drastic happened, I felt as though I didn’t quite have time to experience every emotion that was connected to the event. Whilst action is amazing, when dire events happen, negative emotions need to be played with rather than skipped over. These are only little things, and I’m sure others will overlook them, but they prevented me from giving a five star rating. Part of this, though, is a reflection of how hard it is to pull a five star rating from me.
One thing I do believe, though, is that future books will have the potential to pull a five star rating from me. For this first book to be so close, I can only imagine the heights that the future books will reach. Honestly, I cannot wait to get hold of them – I’m super excited to see what the next books brings.
Overall, a truly wonderful read. If you’re looking for your next fantasy hit, you’ve found it with Issaura’s Claws.
If the truth is to be known, I went into this one not expecting much. The synopsis was interesting, yet I wasn’t one hundred percent sure what I would be receiving. A fantasy novel – yes. Some kind of shifter creatures – yes. A new mythology to wrap my head around – yes. Prejudice against women that would be overcome – yes to the former, hopefully the latter. Information beyond that – not really. Thus, it was more curiosity than anything else that had me reading this one.
As soon as I started reading, though, I was pulled in. My worries vanished extremely quickly. The writing was wonderful, the world building beautiful, and the characters amazing. I was sucked into the world and putting the story down became an impossibility. In fact, I was extremely annoyed when the battery died on my Kindle and I was pulled out of the world for a short period of time – how dare such a menial thing interrupt my enjoyment. I was so sucked into the world that such a basic thing felt like an infringement of my human rights. I needed more of this story, I need to know where things went, and I could not tear my mind away from the amazing tale I was given.
What this amounts to is how you shouldn’t judge a book. People say this all the time, and yet it still happens. I often go into books with some kind of expectation, and this one was no different. Fortunately, this one surpassed all of my expectations, leaving me with fangirl feelings I had never anticipated. Without a doubt, this is a story I’m going to be recommending to friends. If you enjoy an action-packed fantasy read, then this is certainly for you. Although labelled as ‘young adult’, know it’s one of those stories that can be enjoyed by all. Honestly, this one does not feel like a young adult novel at all. Admittedly, it is not as graphic as dark adult fantasy, but there is enough in there for adults to enjoy it – for it to be one of those books that sit on the borderlines of the categorising. Not that you should allow something as simple as a categorisation of genre to influence your decision to read this – it’s well worth it for many reasons.
What are those reasons?
To begin, the world building. As already mentioned, it is beautiful. Throughout you can see how the story has been inspired by ancient myths, by past civilisations, and it truly is a thing of beauty. There are nods to the past without it feeling as though the author is simply regurgitating a history lesson with changed names. This is in relation to both the mythology we’re introduced to and the everyday life of the characters. Both had a certain feel about them that made it very easy for the reader to fall in love with the world. I constantly wanted to know more – more of the myths, more of how the world worked, basically more of everything.
More than that, though, is the building of the creatures of this world. Whilst it seems like a simple tale of shifters, there is so much more to this story. The shifter aspect of life is linked in with the mythology, and whilst I still have many questions, I found I adored the way in which this aspect of the story was told. I would like some more information in the future books, but this is something that hit me after reading. The questions I have are not the kind to prevent enjoyment – they’re simply the kind that will allow me to develop a fuller picture in my mind. The questions I have are a way for me to fall even deeper in love with the world.
As much as I loved the world, I came to find I loved the characters even more. Honestly, they were amazing. We have a truly amazing cast, and watching them develop throughout the story was a thing of beauty. We watch as prejudices are overcome – in terms of both gender and race. We watch as people reach their potential. We watch as secrets are uncovered. The amount of change to be seen with the characters throughout is positively amazing. I could say so much, but all the things I wish to say err on the side of being spoilers. Just know your views will change throughout – there are so many twists added, so many characters surprise you, that you’ll be left with emotional whiplash as everything comes together.
Another thing I wish to give a nod of respect towards is the lack of romance in this one. Whenever I read ‘young adult fantasy’ I fear the story will be consumed by romance. Whilst there is emotion to be seen throughout, whilst you can feel emotions building, nothing is ever overly shoved down your throat. This, I really loved. I hate it when romance dims the rest of the story, and such did not happen with this one. It was really refreshing, and I have so much respect for the author for this choice.
In all honesty, it was just little things that prevented me from giving this one a five star rating. One thing that got me was how at times words that were used didn’t quite seem to fit with the fantasy setting. It was never anything overly large – it wasn’t as though a bus was suddenly driving through the forest – but every so often a word would be used that threatened to pull me out of the magical world. The second thing is that certain events seemed to lack the emotional depth I would have liked – there was so much action that when something big and drastic happened, I felt as though I didn’t quite have time to experience every emotion that was connected to the event. Whilst action is amazing, when dire events happen, negative emotions need to be played with rather than skipped over. These are only little things, and I’m sure others will overlook them, but they prevented me from giving a five star rating. Part of this, though, is a reflection of how hard it is to pull a five star rating from me.
One thing I do believe, though, is that future books will have the potential to pull a five star rating from me. For this first book to be so close, I can only imagine the heights that the future books will reach. Honestly, I cannot wait to get hold of them – I’m super excited to see what the next books brings.
Overall, a truly wonderful read. If you’re looking for your next fantasy hit, you’ve found it with Issaura’s Claws.
March 25, 2019
Dnf 50%
Damn this sucks! The idea was really great so I was incredibly disappointed when the execution was terrible.
To sum it up, the entire thing feels cheap and badly constructed, the pacing is AWFUL (and that's something I rarely care about) and none of the characters' actions make sense.
Damn this sucks! The idea was really great so I was incredibly disappointed when the execution was terrible.
To sum it up, the entire thing feels cheap and badly constructed, the pacing is AWFUL (and that's something I rarely care about) and none of the characters' actions make sense.
April 20, 2017
Reviewed By Ankita Shukla for Readers’ Favorite
Issaura's Claws by Katharine E Wibell is an impressive fiction work that focuses on breaking the stereotype of women as a weak gender. Lluava is a headstrong seventeen-year-old girl. She is not a human, though. She is a theriomorph -- a special race that looked like a human but could convert into an animal form. Although the law of Elysia does not divide the humans and theriomorphs, the animosity between these two races is evident on a daily basis. In order to avoid any mistreatment and to fit in with the humans, many theriomorphs -- including Lluava's mother -- have adopted the humans' lifestyle. Lluava, however, does not succumb to these changes. Unfair or not, the lives of Lluava and others were moving at a steady pace before an order from the king turned their worlds upside down. In order to combat an army of raiders and to defend their land, each family of the kingdom -- theriomorph or human -- is required to send one member to the army. These people would be trained to stop the invasion of the raiders. Lluava's family consists of her mother, younger brother, younger sister, and a grandfather -- leaving only Lluava as a suitable choice to be sent to the army. Lluava, whose animal form is a fearsome tigress, hasn't even learned to properly change into her animal form, but now she must train to save the lives in her village.
Issaura's Claws is a story of friendship, courage, loyalty, and gender neutrality. Lluava's struggle, at the time of her training, to accept the pre-decided fate of the girls to be in the healers' category is relatable. Instead of identifying individuals based on their strengths and weaknesses, a general rule was passed to put all girls in the position of healers. Our headstrong protagonist, however, stood her ground and claimed her place among the warriors. Her training days were filled with challenges, more than the others, because she stood her ground and proved her worth to her mentors. Needless to say, she is my favorite character.
The characters of Issaura's Claws are dynamic and full of surprises. Although the leading character is Lluava, other characters managed to leave a mark. Just like its characters, the plot of the book is also far from monotonous. The author has done an incredible job of keeping readers on their toes throughout the story. There are many pearls of wisdom in the book, but my favorite one is that by using the right tools and reason, people of different mindsets can learn to not only work together, but also to care for one another. If you are a fan of fantasy-based books that keep you on the edge of your seat, then Issaura's Claws by Katharine E Wibell is definitely a good choice for you.
Issaura's Claws by Katharine E Wibell is an impressive fiction work that focuses on breaking the stereotype of women as a weak gender. Lluava is a headstrong seventeen-year-old girl. She is not a human, though. She is a theriomorph -- a special race that looked like a human but could convert into an animal form. Although the law of Elysia does not divide the humans and theriomorphs, the animosity between these two races is evident on a daily basis. In order to avoid any mistreatment and to fit in with the humans, many theriomorphs -- including Lluava's mother -- have adopted the humans' lifestyle. Lluava, however, does not succumb to these changes. Unfair or not, the lives of Lluava and others were moving at a steady pace before an order from the king turned their worlds upside down. In order to combat an army of raiders and to defend their land, each family of the kingdom -- theriomorph or human -- is required to send one member to the army. These people would be trained to stop the invasion of the raiders. Lluava's family consists of her mother, younger brother, younger sister, and a grandfather -- leaving only Lluava as a suitable choice to be sent to the army. Lluava, whose animal form is a fearsome tigress, hasn't even learned to properly change into her animal form, but now she must train to save the lives in her village.
Issaura's Claws is a story of friendship, courage, loyalty, and gender neutrality. Lluava's struggle, at the time of her training, to accept the pre-decided fate of the girls to be in the healers' category is relatable. Instead of identifying individuals based on their strengths and weaknesses, a general rule was passed to put all girls in the position of healers. Our headstrong protagonist, however, stood her ground and claimed her place among the warriors. Her training days were filled with challenges, more than the others, because she stood her ground and proved her worth to her mentors. Needless to say, she is my favorite character.
The characters of Issaura's Claws are dynamic and full of surprises. Although the leading character is Lluava, other characters managed to leave a mark. Just like its characters, the plot of the book is also far from monotonous. The author has done an incredible job of keeping readers on their toes throughout the story. There are many pearls of wisdom in the book, but my favorite one is that by using the right tools and reason, people of different mindsets can learn to not only work together, but also to care for one another. If you are a fan of fantasy-based books that keep you on the edge of your seat, then Issaura's Claws by Katharine E Wibell is definitely a good choice for you.
January 27, 2020
4 stars
Well, well, well…. Wasn’t this fantastic. One of my goals for reading in 2020 was to look at genres out of my comfort zone and YA/Fantasy was one of them so when I saw the details of this blog tour I couldn’t wait to get my hands on these books and how often do you get the whole set might I add? I don’t want to say too much on this first book as it will give too much away but just know that this book is worth the read. And the next book and the next book and the last book. It literally has made me want to read more of this genre and honestly that’s hard to do when someone just like a good light hearted rom com now and again. And I literally picked up the 2nd book 5 mins after I had read this one so that’s a good sign as well right?
Well, well, well…. Wasn’t this fantastic. One of my goals for reading in 2020 was to look at genres out of my comfort zone and YA/Fantasy was one of them so when I saw the details of this blog tour I couldn’t wait to get my hands on these books and how often do you get the whole set might I add? I don’t want to say too much on this first book as it will give too much away but just know that this book is worth the read. And the next book and the next book and the last book. It literally has made me want to read more of this genre and honestly that’s hard to do when someone just like a good light hearted rom com now and again. And I literally picked up the 2nd book 5 mins after I had read this one so that’s a good sign as well right?
March 25, 2021
Interesting World Building and Characters
And it does not end with a cliffhanger. I enjoyed the story and the characters. The World Building was pretty good. I liked the varied shifter species. There was plenty of action.
I think my main issue with this book was the sometimes stilted dialogue. It kept the reading from flowing well. And because the writing was sometimes over detailed and flowery, it made it a slower read for me. It was, however, still a decent story for me--and I wouldn't be adverse to reading the next book. 3-1/4 Stars.
And it does not end with a cliffhanger. I enjoyed the story and the characters. The World Building was pretty good. I liked the varied shifter species. There was plenty of action.
I think my main issue with this book was the sometimes stilted dialogue. It kept the reading from flowing well. And because the writing was sometimes over detailed and flowery, it made it a slower read for me. It was, however, still a decent story for me--and I wouldn't be adverse to reading the next book. 3-1/4 Stars.
August 17, 2022
A young farm girl is drafted to fight for her king, excels at her training, and armed with mystical weapons from a bygone age, becomes a warrior to lead her people and earn the love of her prince. Issaura’s Claws is a fast-paced narrative, with an interesting fantasy setting, a wide cast of fascinating characters, and is the first in a series.
Three things I liked about this novel were 1) a strong female character who, over the course of the novel shows emotional and character growth, 2) original world building with a unique twist on “shape-shifters,” and 3) a new take on the military training camp trope. It is primarily a coming-of-age story of the teenaged Lluava, and a “friends to lovers” story foreshadowed throughout the second half of the novel is quickly confirmed to the reader in the final chapters. The plot features many twists and turns which for a young reader will not be too cliche.
Three things that didn’t work for me were 1) an attempt at formal speech that occasionally left character dialogue stilted, and the villains “monologue”—didn’t we learn in ‘The Incredibles’ that monologuing is bad? 2) plot resolutions that seemed contrived, such as when the Roma Grandmother foretells a friend’s death and then the squirrel boy is dead 15 pages later; or when the invaders who hold a key fortress toss our heroine into the dungeon to die, suddenly decide to withdraw and she is rescued to fight her penultimate battle. I really found it difficult to believe unstoppable invaders who decimated defending forces allowed the main characters to miraculously survive battle after battle, and when the invading fleet is destroyed in a daring raid, the massively reduced and stranded marauder force continues to ravage the countryside, destroying villages and overcoming fortresses. And 3) flowery language, such as “All seemed to wear a veil of darkness,” or “the lonely mountain… stood like a sentinel guarding its eternal post,” or “The grass… danced in the wind, seeming to wave her on toward her destiny,” or “averting their eyes from the image already etched into their hearts,” or “Lluava could almost feel him staring through her, into her core.” As an adult reader, purple prose and a liberal use of adverbs made sections of the narrative trite and clearly designed for teenaged readers.
Despite depictions of war, death and mayhem, I believe this work is intended for a Young Adult audience. Because the writing is solid and grammatically sound, and the plot and fantasy world building were well done, I can recommend this book for a YA reader who seeks an exciting adventure story with a strong female lead.
Three things I liked about this novel were 1) a strong female character who, over the course of the novel shows emotional and character growth, 2) original world building with a unique twist on “shape-shifters,” and 3) a new take on the military training camp trope. It is primarily a coming-of-age story of the teenaged Lluava, and a “friends to lovers” story foreshadowed throughout the second half of the novel is quickly confirmed to the reader in the final chapters. The plot features many twists and turns which for a young reader will not be too cliche.
Three things that didn’t work for me were 1) an attempt at formal speech that occasionally left character dialogue stilted, and the villains “monologue”—didn’t we learn in ‘The Incredibles’ that monologuing is bad? 2) plot resolutions that seemed contrived, such as when the Roma Grandmother foretells a friend’s death and then the squirrel boy is dead 15 pages later; or when the invaders who hold a key fortress toss our heroine into the dungeon to die, suddenly decide to withdraw and she is rescued to fight her penultimate battle. I really found it difficult to believe unstoppable invaders who decimated defending forces allowed the main characters to miraculously survive battle after battle, and when the invading fleet is destroyed in a daring raid, the massively reduced and stranded marauder force continues to ravage the countryside, destroying villages and overcoming fortresses. And 3) flowery language, such as “All seemed to wear a veil of darkness,” or “the lonely mountain… stood like a sentinel guarding its eternal post,” or “The grass… danced in the wind, seeming to wave her on toward her destiny,” or “averting their eyes from the image already etched into their hearts,” or “Lluava could almost feel him staring through her, into her core.” As an adult reader, purple prose and a liberal use of adverbs made sections of the narrative trite and clearly designed for teenaged readers.
Despite depictions of war, death and mayhem, I believe this work is intended for a Young Adult audience. Because the writing is solid and grammatically sound, and the plot and fantasy world building were well done, I can recommend this book for a YA reader who seeks an exciting adventure story with a strong female lead.
June 3, 2017
Issaura’s Claws was written by Katharine E. Wibell and published by Phaesporia Press in 2016.
Wibell centers on racism in this story. She tells how the theriomorphs are oppressed by the humans and how, as a result, both groups don’t trust each other. She also tells how the two groups put aside there differences and work together to stop a new threat.
Lluava is the main character in this book. When the king announces a draft she volunteers to go not knowing that as a girl, she will not be trained to fight. She makes lots of friends and soon emerges as a prominent figure in the resistance against the raiders. Some people think that she is the descendant of Issaura, one of their gods.
Varren is Lluava’s partner in the war. That means that they help each other and they fight together. An unusual thing about this pairing is that Varren is the heir to the throne.
Chat is a boy who was sent to war because he was a theriomorph. On the way to the camps he meet Lluava and they become friends.
Rosalyn makes friends with Lluava after Lluava saved her life. She is content with her role as a nurse in the war and is actually very good at it.
This story is set in Theria a mythical world of humans and therians. At the time of this book, Theria is at war with the raiders.
There isn’t really a climax to this book since this whole book is filled with action and you’re always wondering: whats going to happen next?
I really enjoyed this book. It was well-written and had just the right amount of suspense. I would definitely recommend it.
Wibell centers on racism in this story. She tells how the theriomorphs are oppressed by the humans and how, as a result, both groups don’t trust each other. She also tells how the two groups put aside there differences and work together to stop a new threat.
Lluava is the main character in this book. When the king announces a draft she volunteers to go not knowing that as a girl, she will not be trained to fight. She makes lots of friends and soon emerges as a prominent figure in the resistance against the raiders. Some people think that she is the descendant of Issaura, one of their gods.
Varren is Lluava’s partner in the war. That means that they help each other and they fight together. An unusual thing about this pairing is that Varren is the heir to the throne.
Chat is a boy who was sent to war because he was a theriomorph. On the way to the camps he meet Lluava and they become friends.
Rosalyn makes friends with Lluava after Lluava saved her life. She is content with her role as a nurse in the war and is actually very good at it.
This story is set in Theria a mythical world of humans and therians. At the time of this book, Theria is at war with the raiders.
There isn’t really a climax to this book since this whole book is filled with action and you’re always wondering: whats going to happen next?
I really enjoyed this book. It was well-written and had just the right amount of suspense. I would definitely recommend it.
September 14, 2020
This is one of those books where I just don't have a lot to say.
It was straightforward story telling, which is fine.
Lluava is a white tiger shifter who is drafted into war. She starts out at the girl's camp to learn about healing but discovers her talents lay elsewhere. Since she has a predator as a shifter (where the females typically have more docile creatures) she is moved to the men's camp to train during the day.
She struggles at first, is pushed to her limits, and then becomes the best, winning all the competitions. Which, was one part of the story I didn't really get. Rather than being trained for war it felt more like they were just in school. With group projects and games.
There was one particular exercise that bugged me a little. You have the shifters (theriomorphs) and the humans. They don't get a long but there's a bigger threat out there (different humans fighting to take over their shared lands). So, when it's time for the camps to merge there is expected hate and unwillingness to work together. Fights continuously break out.
Lluava and Prince Varren decide to do a trust exercise where one of the partners is blind folded and and the other with their ears plugged. That way they would have to work together to get through the obstacle course. I get the idea. But. The way it was written made it sound like that solved all their problems with the two species not wanting to work together. I just...don't think that's how trust works.
My only other complaint was that despite it being less than 350 pages it felt incredibly long. The story drags without much really happening.
There's an enemy that causes them to go to war early, and scattered battle scenes dominate the later half of the book.
And that's it, really. I wasn't drawn to the characters nor the story line. It just wasn't for me.
It was straightforward story telling, which is fine.
Lluava is a white tiger shifter who is drafted into war. She starts out at the girl's camp to learn about healing but discovers her talents lay elsewhere. Since she has a predator as a shifter (where the females typically have more docile creatures) she is moved to the men's camp to train during the day.
She struggles at first, is pushed to her limits, and then becomes the best, winning all the competitions. Which, was one part of the story I didn't really get. Rather than being trained for war it felt more like they were just in school. With group projects and games.
There was one particular exercise that bugged me a little. You have the shifters (theriomorphs) and the humans. They don't get a long but there's a bigger threat out there (different humans fighting to take over their shared lands). So, when it's time for the camps to merge there is expected hate and unwillingness to work together. Fights continuously break out.
Lluava and Prince Varren decide to do a trust exercise where one of the partners is blind folded and and the other with their ears plugged. That way they would have to work together to get through the obstacle course. I get the idea. But. The way it was written made it sound like that solved all their problems with the two species not wanting to work together. I just...don't think that's how trust works.
My only other complaint was that despite it being less than 350 pages it felt incredibly long. The story drags without much really happening.
There's an enemy that causes them to go to war early, and scattered battle scenes dominate the later half of the book.
And that's it, really. I wasn't drawn to the characters nor the story line. It just wasn't for me.
December 28, 2020
A good introduction to a young woman who is drafted to fight an enemy about to try to invade her country. She is one of the population who is a shape-shifter, and the story deals with the prejudice of humans towards Theriomorphs; her training and maturing as a soldier and her friendships with others in her group; and fighting the enemy. There are descriptions of battles and such but no more violent than those in Harry Potter. Written for the YA market, well done – if I were the right age I would definitely read the rest! I received a review copy and gladly leave this honest review to interest others in this book.
December 15, 2018
SIX STARS
If this book doesn't win the Best Book of the Year, then the judges didn't read it or they are dumb. What character development, I never seen an author do as well as Katharine. The story was outstanding and it kept you turning the pages and be prepared to lose sleep. There are many twist and turns and several surprises. The main characters are just GREAT and you will fall in love with them. Wish I could live in their time, just to see H/h mature. Said this before, but this book is a Must read. You will love it.
If this book doesn't win the Best Book of the Year, then the judges didn't read it or they are dumb. What character development, I never seen an author do as well as Katharine. The story was outstanding and it kept you turning the pages and be prepared to lose sleep. There are many twist and turns and several surprises. The main characters are just GREAT and you will fall in love with them. Wish I could live in their time, just to see H/h mature. Said this before, but this book is a Must read. You will love it.
January 26, 2020
I chose this book based on the plot and book cover but kept reading because of just how good it is! This fast-flowing, well-paced plot kept me spellbound as I read this fantasy saga based around teens yet it is not simply a book for teens. Adults will love it too... so much so that I have purchased the remaining three books! I love the author's imaginative style and would recommend it to any fan of fantasy fiction.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received my copy of Issaura's Claws with thanks from Ms. Wibell and Lola's Blog Tours. I am voluntarily leaving my review and all opinions are my own.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received my copy of Issaura's Claws with thanks from Ms. Wibell and Lola's Blog Tours. I am voluntarily leaving my review and all opinions are my own.
November 29, 2022
Issaura's Claws, the first book of the Incarn Saga series, is an ebook I picked up free on Amazon (four years ago--this is what happens when you lose a book in your library). Wow, I really enjoyed the world this author created. A wonderful story line, combined with strong characters, equals a very satisfying read. A lot of biases weave through the book, but the progression of the attitude changes in humans and Theriomorphs (shapeshifters) who are forced to work together is rewarding. I'll be downloading book two right away.
March 12, 2019
I loved this book! It was exactly what I needed. The writing was so incredible that even the melding of animal and human was completely believeable. I truly felt like I bonded with Lluava and even her "stupid young moments" had me shaking my head but holding my breath for her success too.
I will definitely be continuing this series, in fact I purchased books 2 and 3 before I was even done with this one.
I will definitely be continuing this series, in fact I purchased books 2 and 3 before I was even done with this one.
June 9, 2020
I did not want this book to end. I picked this book because of the cover and prayed that it was a good book. Turns out it is a great book. I am horrible at writing reviews. But this book sucked me in. I found myself talking out loud to the book. Not only did I not see the bad guy coming. But a lot of the twists and turns I never thought would happen. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, Mythology, or YA books.
July 18, 2022
I am working my way through all of Katharine Wibell's books and this is my last series to read! So far it's a lot like her other series.. original, interesting, and has great world building!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lluava's experience going through training and war.. learning how to fight and forming bonds with her friends. I love that her animal form is a white tigress! I already started the second book and can't wait to figure out how the story ends!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lluava's experience going through training and war.. learning how to fight and forming bonds with her friends. I love that her animal form is a white tigress! I already started the second book and can't wait to figure out how the story ends!
December 23, 2018
Never ending
This book had a good story mixed in it in places, but I felt like by the time I got to the 50% mark this story was never going to end.
I felt like the author had random thoughts that needed to be weaved into her tale.
The ending was just tossed out there. I found I finally just wanted this story to end.
Thank you for the book.
This book had a good story mixed in it in places, but I felt like by the time I got to the 50% mark this story was never going to end.
I felt like the author had random thoughts that needed to be weaved into her tale.
The ending was just tossed out there. I found I finally just wanted this story to end.
Thank you for the book.
January 29, 2020
This was a very unique and interesting book. I liked how it had a strong female lead, she’s also different from everyone around her. I was instantly pulled in to this book, the world building and characters are very well written.
I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what will come in the next book.
I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what will come in the next book.
August 14, 2021
Kept me reading all night (and mornings
It has been a long time since I was so engrossed in a book that I stayed up all night reading it. I hated for it to end, at the same time I could I get wait to get to the end to see what happens.
Love the characters and the many surprises that the books brings. An awesome read.
It has been a long time since I was so engrossed in a book that I stayed up all night reading it. I hated for it to end, at the same time I could I get wait to get to the end to see what happens.
Love the characters and the many surprises that the books brings. An awesome read.
October 22, 2019
Four book series.
I picked this up to see if I liked the style then found I kept reading the story. Now its a fantasy saga based around teenagers which concentrates on a fast flowing plot. So good I purchased the other 3 book's in the series. Read and enjoy.
I picked this up to see if I liked the style then found I kept reading the story. Now its a fantasy saga based around teenagers which concentrates on a fast flowing plot. So good I purchased the other 3 book's in the series. Read and enjoy.
March 22, 2020
What a story. I just loved that it had a strong female lead character. I grabbed my place to be the first female to repair weapon systems on attack helicopters. I love finding stories where the female is a hard headed as I am. This book is an awesome read, I highly recommend.
January 1, 2021
I loved this book. The heroine, the world building, the mythology, it was all perfection. Action packed and filled with twists I can't wait to read the rest.
I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
August 3, 2021
Great book! Interesting characters, action, mystery, and even a bit of romance, what more could a reader want? I enjoyed reading this clean read book and definitely recommend it! I can't wait until the next book comes out!
December 2, 2021
A Cut Above
This had the potential to fall into a boring monotone. History lessons, daily routines, and swaying grasses. Somehow, they were woven into a story of pure heart that touches on every emotion possible and thread by thread draws the reader inescapably into it's pages.
This had the potential to fall into a boring monotone. History lessons, daily routines, and swaying grasses. Somehow, they were woven into a story of pure heart that touches on every emotion possible and thread by thread draws the reader inescapably into it's pages.
October 21, 2022
Adventure
Two different races is of people live within a racist society . Invaders come their shores to cause mayhem and havoc and these peoples have to learn to work together, In order to save their way of life.
Two different races is of people live within a racist society . Invaders come their shores to cause mayhem and havoc and these peoples have to learn to work together, In order to save their way of life.
December 16, 2022
Interesting start to a trilogy in a new realm
I enjoyed the book, but then I always enjoy a good strong female lead character. I definitely recommend reading this and then ask what animal form would you want to be and why?
I enjoyed the book, but then I always enjoy a good strong female lead character. I definitely recommend reading this and then ask what animal form would you want to be and why?
December 13, 2018
Great read!
Good plot and character development. Looking forward to reading the next installment and seeing how the story plays out. Would recommend to any fan of fantasy fiction.
Good plot and character development. Looking forward to reading the next installment and seeing how the story plays out. Would recommend to any fan of fantasy fiction.
April 11, 2019
Issaura's Claws is a wonderfully imaginative story from a very talented young author. The story is engaging and well paced.
July 15, 2019
Slow and boring
August 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this one! Starting on book nr 2 now!
August 28, 2021
Loved it!
I loved the whole thing. An original twist to shifting and mesh characters with sub-plots and stories.. Can't wait to start the next book.
I loved the whole thing. An original twist to shifting and mesh characters with sub-plots and stories.. Can't wait to start the next book.
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