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Song of the Worlds #0.5
Ella Dethroned
An exciting stand-alone science-fantasy adventure. Get the Ebook for free at www.brandonbarr.com
Hunted and desperate, Ella, the former ruler of her Realm, must evade the king's assassins and fulfill a mission given her by the gods.
Ella carries an otherworldly device, the purpose of which she does not know, but if she is to grasp hold of a prophecy spoken over her, she must survive to deliver the item to a mysterious man named Quanthum.
Her only aid is her sharp intelligence and a devoted soldier named Rathan, who has sworn to protect her.
Enter the world of Hearth and read the dramatic tale of Ella and Rathan today!
Hunted and desperate, Ella, the former ruler of her Realm, must evade the king's assassins and fulfill a mission given her by the gods.
Ella carries an otherworldly device, the purpose of which she does not know, but if she is to grasp hold of a prophecy spoken over her, she must survive to deliver the item to a mysterious man named Quanthum.
Her only aid is her sharp intelligence and a devoted soldier named Rathan, who has sworn to protect her.
Enter the world of Hearth and read the dramatic tale of Ella and Rathan today!
60 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2016
48 people are currently reading
693 people want to read
About the author
Brandon Barr
34 books149 followersBrandon Barr is a USA Today bestselling author and is the creator of the Song of the Worlds Series. You can grab a FREE copy of the series prequel, Ella Dethroned, here: http://www.subscribepage.com/brandonbarr
Hailing from California. Brandon Barr writes in the genres of science fiction and fantasy and often combines the two, preferring stories where the science is soft, the fantastic is vivid, and the flesh and soul characters are front and center.
Hailing from California. Brandon Barr writes in the genres of science fiction and fantasy and often combines the two, preferring stories where the science is soft, the fantastic is vivid, and the flesh and soul characters are front and center.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
February 14, 2017
3.5 stars
Really enjoyed reading this novella! I seriously need to start this series ASAP. The characters were really interesting, the story was action-packed and the writing is quite good. This series definitely looks promising. ALSO - THOSE COVERS.
Really enjoyed reading this novella! I seriously need to start this series ASAP. The characters were really interesting, the story was action-packed and the writing is quite good. This series definitely looks promising. ALSO - THOSE COVERS.
December 7, 2018
This was a freebie over at AudFans. It made for a decent two-hour listen, introducing the Song of the Worlds. I'll still want to read the main series, but this was well written if a little romancey in parts. It was meant to be a preview to the audiobook versions of the main books coming out soon. The reader isn't bad, but I'll probably go to the ebook versions that I've already purchased.
I'd review the actual AudFans edition, but the last time I did that it got deleted.
I'd review the actual AudFans edition, but the last time I did that it got deleted.
February 8, 2017
Mystical and magical Monaiella is the Luminess or crowned leader of her world. Strife has ripped it apart and she is fleeing for her life with her most trusted guard Rathan. Like Lancelot, he is sworn to protect her with his life, while remaining pure in mind and body. He is a warrior dedicated delivering her safe to rule again. Ella has other plans. An Old Seer has given her a special object and foretold a different future for her, one that she is more eager to embrace. Barr builds a lyrical and beautiful snow covered landscape, filled with magic and fantastical beasts. An enjoyable tale filled with the stuff of dreams.
August 19, 2019
Ella Dethroned by Brandon Barr is an packed novella with gods and aliens, science fiction and some medieval thrills with characters that gripped me and I felt bad for the ones that didn’t make it…at least some of them. LOL
See more at fundinmental
See more at fundinmental
November 5, 2018
Wow this short story prequel was awesome. Full of action and adventure. Can't wait to read the first book of the series!
dnf
July 24, 2017I won't rate this, as I didn't make it past the sampler. It started of fast paced, but the prose didn't really work for me.
June 11, 2017
Even though I was going into this somewhat blindly, this book was really good. The world is a mix of sci-fi and fantasy, the romance is somewhat sterotypical but sweet and realistic, and there's a lot of action and backstory so that it keeps you entertained.
This does have a little more sensual and blunt thoughts and talks from the characters than I was expecting, but it's never graphic. Also, they really did have a basis for love, when most characters in this trope have more of an infatuation to start their relationships.
Recommended 15+ for violence, a little language (like, four words), and hints of sex between characters (which apparently is how people marry in this world?).
Disclaimer: I received this for free when I was signed up for his newsletter when I entered a giveaway and this doesn't affect my views on this book. (We all know the drill, right?)
This does have a little more sensual and blunt thoughts and talks from the characters than I was expecting, but it's never graphic. Also, they really did have a basis for love, when most characters in this trope have more of an infatuation to start their relationships.
Recommended 15+ for violence, a little language (like, four words), and hints of sex between characters (which apparently is how people marry in this world?).
Disclaimer: I received this for free when I was signed up for his newsletter when I entered a giveaway and this doesn't affect my views on this book. (We all know the drill, right?)
November 23, 2018
Ella Dethroned by Brandon Barr is a prequel novella (though it is stated as to being a stand-alone, this is a story that took place many years before the first book, Rise of the Seer) to the Song of the Worlds series. This is the story of Monaiella, a Luminess who likes to be addressed as Ella, and Rathan, her Life Protector.
Brandon's beautiful prose lured me in and took me on an adventurous tale of determination, strength, and loyalty. I loved learning of a previous Luminess in this ongoing series. This novella gives me an insight of the life as a Luminesses, and what they feared and longed for. This is a wonderful starting point in the series.
Brandon's ability to bring his characters to life and bring out their emotions is what makes Brandon's writing intriguing and addicting. Brandon's ability to create worlds and take us on an engaging adventure is truly remarkable.
Favorite quote/scene:
'She danced skillfully about the courtyard, her sword slashing a song in the air, like deadly poetry.'
Brandon's beautiful prose lured me in and took me on an adventurous tale of determination, strength, and loyalty. I loved learning of a previous Luminess in this ongoing series. This novella gives me an insight of the life as a Luminesses, and what they feared and longed for. This is a wonderful starting point in the series.
Brandon's ability to bring his characters to life and bring out their emotions is what makes Brandon's writing intriguing and addicting. Brandon's ability to create worlds and take us on an engaging adventure is truly remarkable.
Favorite quote/scene:
'She danced skillfully about the courtyard, her sword slashing a song in the air, like deadly poetry.'
November 9, 2016
Just finished reading “Ella Dethroned (Prequel Novella The Boy and the Beast 0.5) by Brandon Barr. Having already read “Her Dangerous Visions”, and given a do over, I may have read this one first but doesn't take away from the story reading it later. This story takes place in the Age of Primacy, several millennia before “Her Dangerous Visions”. It is a standalone novella and a very quick read, but it is action packed and has a lot of story to tell. I think I just may have found another author to add to my favorites list, as I am so enjoying reading this journey thus far and looking forward to much more.
Synopsis: "An exciting stand-alone science-fantasy adventure
Hunted and desperate, Ella, the former Luminess of the Blue Mountain Realm, must evade her pursuers and fulfill a mission given her by the gods. She carries a strange, otherworldly device, the purpose of which she does not know, but if she is to grasp hold of a conditioned prophecy spoken over her, she must survive to deliver the device to a mysterious man named Quanthum.
Her only aid is her sharp intelligence . . . that, and a devoted soldier named Rathan, who has sworn to protect her."
Synopsis: "An exciting stand-alone science-fantasy adventure
Hunted and desperate, Ella, the former Luminess of the Blue Mountain Realm, must evade her pursuers and fulfill a mission given her by the gods. She carries a strange, otherworldly device, the purpose of which she does not know, but if she is to grasp hold of a conditioned prophecy spoken over her, she must survive to deliver the device to a mysterious man named Quanthum.
Her only aid is her sharp intelligence . . . that, and a devoted soldier named Rathan, who has sworn to protect her."
November 11, 2018
I know I stand in an extreme minority, but I was disappointed with this prequel. The writing itself is really pretty good, and there is action, world building, it's fast-paced, and there are foundations for a lot more story, but…
The main character, Ella the Luminess, starts the tale right after she's been kicked off her throne. Right before she escapes, she's visited by a seer who gives her two promises predicated upon a task. So, sure, she's intent on accomplishing that task, but she goes (evidently) straight from a war to protect her people to not caring at all what happens to her throne. This happens over the course of days or weeks. Her lack of concern about losing that throne is sugar-coated in "the will of the gods" and the really good-looking, loyal, awesome guard who whisks her out of harms way and then swears to protect her and restore her to the throne. (Yes, the one she doesn't want anymore.)
One of the promises is that she'll have a baby (apparently not a Thing That Was Done for a Luminess, though it was never explained how her father, the Luminar before her, fathered a child if the position requires chastity…). She picks the guard to be the baby daddy.
And the time she picks for this choice event to happen is while they're literally on the run from people actively trying to kill them. In a merchant's wagon. In a cramped box hidden under the driver's seat. While the driver is sitting there. Really???
While there is a lot of fun magic zinging around, and the introduction of some interesting, genre-bending science fiction, far too much of the story focuses on how the guard looks and smells, and how Ella can get into his pants.
She pretty much says "I am the boss, this is my new plan," and poof—The guard speedily accepts her new plans and his new, erm, position.
And of course, she's instantly pregnant. There's a tingling in her womb. Voila!
When I finished the last page, I found myself wondering what the heck I'd just read…
Is this a general observation of stereotypical men? Role reversal? Is is supposed to be about female empowerment? A religious story twisted and bounced on its head? Or just an almost-good story that was rushed and compressed into too little space?
The main character, Ella the Luminess, starts the tale right after she's been kicked off her throne. Right before she escapes, she's visited by a seer who gives her two promises predicated upon a task. So, sure, she's intent on accomplishing that task, but she goes (evidently) straight from a war to protect her people to not caring at all what happens to her throne. This happens over the course of days or weeks. Her lack of concern about losing that throne is sugar-coated in "the will of the gods" and the really good-looking, loyal, awesome guard who whisks her out of harms way and then swears to protect her and restore her to the throne. (Yes, the one she doesn't want anymore.)
One of the promises is that she'll have a baby (apparently not a Thing That Was Done for a Luminess, though it was never explained how her father, the Luminar before her, fathered a child if the position requires chastity…). She picks the guard to be the baby daddy.
And the time she picks for this choice event to happen is while they're literally on the run from people actively trying to kill them. In a merchant's wagon. In a cramped box hidden under the driver's seat. While the driver is sitting there. Really???
While there is a lot of fun magic zinging around, and the introduction of some interesting, genre-bending science fiction, far too much of the story focuses on how the guard looks and smells, and how Ella can get into his pants.
She pretty much says "I am the boss, this is my new plan," and poof—The guard speedily accepts her new plans and his new, erm, position.
And of course, she's instantly pregnant. There's a tingling in her womb. Voila!
When I finished the last page, I found myself wondering what the heck I'd just read…
Is this a general observation of stereotypical men? Role reversal? Is is supposed to be about female empowerment? A religious story twisted and bounced on its head? Or just an almost-good story that was rushed and compressed into too little space?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2017
What an annoyingly readable book!
Annoying in that I wanted to throttle a few of the characters as they were not shaping up the way I would want them to.
Annoying in that that I wanted to read more to see if the character would turn into the character I wanted them to.
Annoying that its in a medieval setting but then we have some future century dudes appear - I really don't like that mix, however I like the medieval books and I like the future century books .... aargh
The author has me loving things as I like them and wining me up as its not the way I was expecting.
What a ride ... definitely gets your emotions going ... now I want to read more from this author!
Disclosure: I was offered a free copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.
Annoying in that I wanted to throttle a few of the characters as they were not shaping up the way I would want them to.
Annoying in that that I wanted to read more to see if the character would turn into the character I wanted them to.
Annoying that its in a medieval setting but then we have some future century dudes appear - I really don't like that mix, however I like the medieval books and I like the future century books .... aargh
The author has me loving things as I like them and wining me up as its not the way I was expecting.
What a ride ... definitely gets your emotions going ... now I want to read more from this author!
Disclosure: I was offered a free copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.
December 11, 2018
YES!
This, right here, this is what I've been looking for!
Do yourself a favor. Stop whatever you're reading and read this! Right now!
This is the first thing I've read by Brandon Barr and now I cannot wait to dig into Rise of the Seer when the audible version releases tomorrow!
Real characters with motivations and reactions that make sense, dialogue that sounds natural and real, vivid descriptions that evoke a sense of place and scope, excellent pacing that leaves me wanting more (I couldn't wait for my wife and kids to go to bed so I could finish it!), and best of all (because it's so lacking in so many indie books) buttery smooth prose that is a joy to read or listen to!
If Rise of the Seer is just as good (or better!) then I'll be crowning a new best read of the year tomorrow!
This, right here, this is what I've been looking for!
Do yourself a favor. Stop whatever you're reading and read this! Right now!
This is the first thing I've read by Brandon Barr and now I cannot wait to dig into Rise of the Seer when the audible version releases tomorrow!
Real characters with motivations and reactions that make sense, dialogue that sounds natural and real, vivid descriptions that evoke a sense of place and scope, excellent pacing that leaves me wanting more (I couldn't wait for my wife and kids to go to bed so I could finish it!), and best of all (because it's so lacking in so many indie books) buttery smooth prose that is a joy to read or listen to!
If Rise of the Seer is just as good (or better!) then I'll be crowning a new best read of the year tomorrow!
November 12, 2017
I really enjoyed this short novel as a prequel to the series. Ella and Rathan are charismatic characters and i really loved the way Ella adapted to her situation when she was dethroned as Luminess and accepted to carry out the job she was entrusted with ie. meeting up with the hermit Quanthum and handing over the leaf. I also loved the fact that she took to the prophecy and believed that she would birth a son who would be a great healer and decided to marry Rathan her life protector. I do think this is a great start to an even greater series.
March 24, 2017
A wild fantasy journey with Ella Dethroned By Brandon Barr. The battles continue page by page, making a brilliant and action filled adventure to remember. Get your copy today. And yeah I loved it!
September 11, 2017
Ella Dethroned is an excellent read. There are mystery and magic with a twist on normal fairy tales. The story, too, has a twist: the romance proceeds without explicit sex or sexual speech, just like old stories. Hooray! There is no need of them for the story to proceed. I look forward to reading the series now.
March 18, 2017
An excellent piece of fantasy well written. Brandon has a good sense of story, pacing, and character. The story itself was fantastic yet didn't feel unreal or slapped together. His work is well-rounded out and planned, adding to the believability of the tale. Pick up this and his entire series. It is week worth your time.
February 5, 2017
In the end, this novella did take an unexpected turn--but what Fantasy novel doesn't (the bad ones, duh)?
The introduction of a Scifi element was interesting but not as disconcerting as one might foresee. And I'm actually using Scifi loosely here--there is an introduction of space travel and other worlds and space exploration, but it does not overpower the Fantasy of the story.
The only issue I had were with descriptions at times. With every fantasy/scifi story there will always be this issue of strange metaphors or phrases used to describe something fantastical or science-fiction-y, so I wasn't thrown by the occasional brow quirking sentences, but Barr had a handful of them sprinkled throughout that made me do a double take with a "Huh?" After reading those moments several more times I'm confident that I know what he is saying, except for one moment I mentioned in an earlier update--what two mystery travelers is he talking about?! (If you have an answer and see through my mind-block, enlighten me please.)
Overall, I am interested in see where this series goes. It really does remind me of a trilogy I love called Girl of Fire and Thorns--which is also amazing!
*Buys the first book.*
Happy reading!
The introduction of a Scifi element was interesting but not as disconcerting as one might foresee. And I'm actually using Scifi loosely here--there is an introduction of space travel and other worlds and space exploration, but it does not overpower the Fantasy of the story.
The only issue I had were with descriptions at times. With every fantasy/scifi story there will always be this issue of strange metaphors or phrases used to describe something fantastical or science-fiction-y, so I wasn't thrown by the occasional brow quirking sentences, but Barr had a handful of them sprinkled throughout that made me do a double take with a "Huh?" After reading those moments several more times I'm confident that I know what he is saying, except for one moment I mentioned in an earlier update--what two mystery travelers is he talking about?! (If you have an answer and see through my mind-block, enlighten me please.)
Overall, I am interested in see where this series goes. It really does remind me of a trilogy I love called Girl of Fire and Thorns--which is also amazing!
*Buys the first book.*
Happy reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2017
I thought this was an interesting scenario which showed unique world-building. The author did a pretty good job of allowing the reader to figure out what was happening without info-dumping or without having read the books which come after. It is just a tiny story, not sure it's even a full-length novella, but it says what it needs to say, filling in before book one of the series. I would be interested to read this author again, though based on this snippet, I'm not sold on the Boy and the Beast just yet.
November 2, 2016
If the rest of the books are as good as this novella is then we are off to a very good start. This story is set on another planet but in a time period equal to our own medieval era. The plot shows how the main characters got their beginning. If you are looking for something different then I highly recommend this collection.
February 15, 2017
This was a good story overall. I haven't read anything else in the series, but this prequel was descent. I liked the mashup of medieval and futuristic aspects, a sort of sci-fi and fantasy blend.
I have to say the dynamics of Ella's relationship with Rathan were a bit creepy for my taste, but overall the story was interesting.
I have to say the dynamics of Ella's relationship with Rathan were a bit creepy for my taste, but overall the story was interesting.
September 8, 2017
I really enjoyed this novella. It's the prequel to this series of Barr's in the sci-fi fantasy genre. I wasn't exactly sure what it was going to be like, but it was a fun, action, packed adventure with just a bit of romance. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
February 28, 2019
This is a fun adventure with plenty of action and magic and a bit of romance. But it is pretty standard epic fantasy fare. It’s unfair of me to grade this against Lord of the Rings, but yet it did have the epic journey, though without any beings other than human in their own party, and without any interesting sights along the way (just a lot of forest). The villains they ran up against were all human. The main characters are finely crafted and the rules of this intricate world are very creative, though the dialogue is rather stilted. I think the largest problem I had with this is that I don’t care for religion in books. I love the idea of different gods, but this really didn’t get into the origins or beliefs of their gods. It hinged mainly on that a god of theirs had delivered a prophecy, so the rest of the book was centered on fulfilling the prophecy. The fantasy books are overburdened by prophecies and fate. It stifles that the characters don’t even consider free will, even to the point of Ella demanding that Rathan be the one who gives her a child, without even asking if he was interested in her. It made me take a dislike to Ella, who was already rather low in my opinion since she’s the damsel-in-distress type, regardless of the mention that she knows how to use a sword (and she certainly didn’t act like a former leader). I think I might just be too feminist for this book. I’m with Rathan that I didn’t like the idea of her being okay about losing the throne because the gods said she would have a prophesized child. The two don’t have to be exclusive. Was the guy who usurped the throne a virgin? I doubt it considering how old he sounded. The book does flip between the two main characters and Rathan is really the more interesting of the two characters.
February 26, 2019
Book Title: Ella Dethroned
Book Author: Brandon Barr
Rating: 5 stars
I read this book because it was chosen in my Facebook book club group. Our leader chose well. Tamara chose this book because of another author who heard that Brandon, the author has recently lost his battle to cancer and passed away, leaving behind a family. A great thing and an amazing way to choose a book for the month. The world will miss such a talent. I really loved the book. Get this novella and Brandon’s other books.
The cover is gorgeous! I love how the light is placed around Ella. It has an other world feel to it. It’s a fast read with great characters. Ella is running for her life after being dethroned, but she’s not running just to escape but to complete a mission for the gods. Attention grabbing right there.
Tamara through this month asked questions about the story which really made me think. If I could turn into an animal it would be a wolf. There’s shapeshifting in this story. She also made us wonder about a character’s devotion and motivation which helped me like the book even more. Usually, I don’t really think about those when reviewing a book so this helped me gain a perspective for my future reviews. I really liked Rathan’s devotion to Ella.
Recommended for teens and older.
Book Author: Brandon Barr
Rating: 5 stars
I read this book because it was chosen in my Facebook book club group. Our leader chose well. Tamara chose this book because of another author who heard that Brandon, the author has recently lost his battle to cancer and passed away, leaving behind a family. A great thing and an amazing way to choose a book for the month. The world will miss such a talent. I really loved the book. Get this novella and Brandon’s other books.
The cover is gorgeous! I love how the light is placed around Ella. It has an other world feel to it. It’s a fast read with great characters. Ella is running for her life after being dethroned, but she’s not running just to escape but to complete a mission for the gods. Attention grabbing right there.
Tamara through this month asked questions about the story which really made me think. If I could turn into an animal it would be a wolf. There’s shapeshifting in this story. She also made us wonder about a character’s devotion and motivation which helped me like the book even more. Usually, I don’t really think about those when reviewing a book so this helped me gain a perspective for my future reviews. I really liked Rathan’s devotion to Ella.
Recommended for teens and older.
October 30, 2018
This is an incredibly interesting, original, and fast-paced adventure, so full of action that it keeps the reader glued to the pages. This is an origin story of the world of Heart and it occurs quite a while before the beginning of the series.
The main character Ella is a strong believer in the prophecies of the Makers and she will do anything and sacrifice anything, including her life and her throne, to fulfill her role. Rathan, a dedicated soldier, stands by her and protects her with his life, even when it means going against everything he beliefs in, because his belief in Ella is stronger than anything. Quite fascinating really.
The author's writing is beautiful and poetic, even when he describes fights, gore, and death. This was an amazing story and I dived into the series immediately.
The reading order is: Ella Dethroned (Song of the Worlds, #0.5), Rise of the Seer (Song of the Worlds Book 1) (previously published as Her Dangerous Visions, which is not available for purchase any longer), The Bridge Beyond Her World (Song of the Worlds Book 2), and Her Father's Fugitive Throne (Song of the Worlds Book 3), latter two coming soon.
The main character Ella is a strong believer in the prophecies of the Makers and she will do anything and sacrifice anything, including her life and her throne, to fulfill her role. Rathan, a dedicated soldier, stands by her and protects her with his life, even when it means going against everything he beliefs in, because his belief in Ella is stronger than anything. Quite fascinating really.
The author's writing is beautiful and poetic, even when he describes fights, gore, and death. This was an amazing story and I dived into the series immediately.
The reading order is: Ella Dethroned (Song of the Worlds, #0.5), Rise of the Seer (Song of the Worlds Book 1) (previously published as Her Dangerous Visions, which is not available for purchase any longer), The Bridge Beyond Her World (Song of the Worlds Book 2), and Her Father's Fugitive Throne (Song of the Worlds Book 3), latter two coming soon.
January 5, 2018
Although it is a novella, and designed to be short, it felt shorter than it needed to be. I feel that there were many areas that could have been expanded on in this prequel, but I do not know what the restrictions on a novella is as this is my first known one.
The story between the main characters could have been expanded on and more detailed, just as the hunt could have, as well as the lore surrounding the story. The lore was touched on slightly closer to the end of this novella, and it may have been done so to entice readers into reading the novels, but the small amount felt like using a bread crumb to catch a tuna fish, so small that it could have been put in as an after thought and only put there to connect with the main series. I have not, yet, read any of the main series so do not know if my last statement is wrong and could have a larger involvement than I know, but after reading this prequel first, that is how I see it.
Other than the points I have already made, this novella is well written and has a lovely solo story of it's own.
The story between the main characters could have been expanded on and more detailed, just as the hunt could have, as well as the lore surrounding the story. The lore was touched on slightly closer to the end of this novella, and it may have been done so to entice readers into reading the novels, but the small amount felt like using a bread crumb to catch a tuna fish, so small that it could have been put in as an after thought and only put there to connect with the main series. I have not, yet, read any of the main series so do not know if my last statement is wrong and could have a larger involvement than I know, but after reading this prequel first, that is how I see it.
Other than the points I have already made, this novella is well written and has a lovely solo story of it's own.
October 24, 2017
I discovered this book from an Instafreebie group giveaway and liked the cover and blurb well enough to get it. I'm so glad I did. I really enjoyed this story. It's a 90 page prequel to a series that looks to be a blend of fantasy and light science fiction.
In Ella Dethroned, Ella has to flee with her most devoted guard or be killed by the usurper to her throne. Based on a prophecy given to her by an old seer, she must evade capture and give a relic, not of their world, to an old hermit in the next city over. The woods are crawling with the usurper's searchers, and word gets to the city ahead of their arrival which requires a lot of evading, fighting, and crafty plans to fulfill her task.
It's pretty much non-stop adventure with some really vivid prose that does a great job of portraying the world with hints of worlds beyond a gate that are also involved in this whole prophecy thing. Very intriguing, and I recommend checking it out.
In Ella Dethroned, Ella has to flee with her most devoted guard or be killed by the usurper to her throne. Based on a prophecy given to her by an old seer, she must evade capture and give a relic, not of their world, to an old hermit in the next city over. The woods are crawling with the usurper's searchers, and word gets to the city ahead of their arrival which requires a lot of evading, fighting, and crafty plans to fulfill her task.
It's pretty much non-stop adventure with some really vivid prose that does a great job of portraying the world with hints of worlds beyond a gate that are also involved in this whole prophecy thing. Very intriguing, and I recommend checking it out.
October 31, 2018
I must admit that this is the first book of Mr. Barr’s that I have read and it has been on my TBR list for quite some time. Due to recent events in this author’s life I have decided to read all of his books in hopes of giving him and his family some small support from me. However, after reading this novella, I am quite certain that this author will be giving me more by way of enjoying a wonderfully well written story with a great cast of characters. I love the world setting which includes both ancient and futuristic times. The main characters have a compelling desire to follow what their gods have written and foretold regarding their future and their son’s. This novella has definitely peaked my interest and will be reading the next books in this series. Highly recommended.
October 30, 2018
Unexpected
This is a quick and easy read, a prequel that occurs long before book one in time. Ella was thrust into a position of power at a young age upon the death of her father in battle. But her rule is short lived due to opposition from the regents to hard choices she made to bring about peace and save lives, and one of the reagents claiming the position. Fleeing in the middle of the night with only one of her ten protectors, Ella is armed only with prophecies from a mad Seer and her devotion to the people her family has ruled for centuries. Pursued by assassins, they have to evade capture and death while fulfilling an obligation upon which their future rests.
This is a quick and easy read, a prequel that occurs long before book one in time. Ella was thrust into a position of power at a young age upon the death of her father in battle. But her rule is short lived due to opposition from the regents to hard choices she made to bring about peace and save lives, and one of the reagents claiming the position. Fleeing in the middle of the night with only one of her ten protectors, Ella is armed only with prophecies from a mad Seer and her devotion to the people her family has ruled for centuries. Pursued by assassins, they have to evade capture and death while fulfilling an obligation upon which their future rests.
February 9, 2019
A Tale worth savoring. Royalty on the run. Honor at her side.
Young Monaiella has fallen. Her true calling was Luminess of the Hold. Now she runs for her life. From Assassins, Beasts and even Magic. Dark Forces pursue her. Can Rathan save her? Does he even want to? Survival means more than she can imagine. Their flight is not all they share.
Brandon Barr leads us on a frightening chase through freezing forests and deadly encounters. I feel the fear and passion of his two characters. The core of who they are and what they believe speaks volumes. If only we had such honor in our own world. Definitely well written. Definitely worth reading.
December 25, 2020
Lots of arrows, running, intrigue, and promises.
As the title states, Ella has lost her throne and is fleeing the kingdom in fear for her life. With only her trusted knight to help keep her safe, she is also on a quest to fulfill a promise from the Gods if she can deliver an item to some man in another town.
Lots of fighting, confusion between characters, plot line changes and of course running. The question is, will Ella ever be safe? Will her quest be achieved? Will Ella be strong enough to do as her Gods request, even if she must break her vows? Interested--pick up this novella and have a good read.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review
As the title states, Ella has lost her throne and is fleeing the kingdom in fear for her life. With only her trusted knight to help keep her safe, she is also on a quest to fulfill a promise from the Gods if she can deliver an item to some man in another town.
Lots of fighting, confusion between characters, plot line changes and of course running. The question is, will Ella ever be safe? Will her quest be achieved? Will Ella be strong enough to do as her Gods request, even if she must break her vows? Interested--pick up this novella and have a good read.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review
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