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Ephaidria
Tahani, Nicole, Josh, and Suki all come from very different spheres on Earth, but each has a unique gift. From being able to see the future and read other people’s minds to healing the body, their abilities are beyond their understanding.
Following a cryptic shared dream, these four young heroes are led by mysterious spirits on a voyage to EPHAIDRIA, where their strength, will, and clairvoyant powers are put to the ultimate test.
A community of humans, abducted long ago by an alien race, are in desperate need of their assistance. Dark entities have invaded, infiltrating their nightmares and consuming the negative energy created by their fear.
They call themselves the Drarbune.
In a race against time, the Earthling quartet must master their paranormal abilities and defeat the Drarbune before they condemn EPHAIDRIA to its ultimate destruction.
If you're a lover of sci-fi fantasy, then prepare to be transported . . . EPHAIDRIA awaits.
Following a cryptic shared dream, these four young heroes are led by mysterious spirits on a voyage to EPHAIDRIA, where their strength, will, and clairvoyant powers are put to the ultimate test.
A community of humans, abducted long ago by an alien race, are in desperate need of their assistance. Dark entities have invaded, infiltrating their nightmares and consuming the negative energy created by their fear.
They call themselves the Drarbune.
In a race against time, the Earthling quartet must master their paranormal abilities and defeat the Drarbune before they condemn EPHAIDRIA to its ultimate destruction.
If you're a lover of sci-fi fantasy, then prepare to be transported . . . EPHAIDRIA awaits.
261 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 14, 2017
6 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Jim Grieco
1 book12 followersJim Grieco entered the world of entertainment back in the 1990’s.
In and around Manhattan, he worked his way up the television production ladder, becoming an Emmy award-winning Director of Photography.
His dedication to artistic expression has inspired his outstanding achievements in not only camera work, but writing and music as well.
Over the past three decades, Jim has contributed to a wide variety of creative projects, including his award-winning horror screenplay "Five Thousand Years" and his science fiction/fantasy novel "EPHAIDRIA".
In all Jim's efforts, his tireless work ethic has defined his undying commitment to excellence.
In and around Manhattan, he worked his way up the television production ladder, becoming an Emmy award-winning Director of Photography.
His dedication to artistic expression has inspired his outstanding achievements in not only camera work, but writing and music as well.
Over the past three decades, Jim has contributed to a wide variety of creative projects, including his award-winning horror screenplay "Five Thousand Years" and his science fiction/fantasy novel "EPHAIDRIA".
In all Jim's efforts, his tireless work ethic has defined his undying commitment to excellence.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 27, 2017
Disclaimer: The author provided me a copy of this novel in exchange for a review.
So, I bet this is the only time Jim Grieco, who is a great guy, from everything I can gather, has his rating start with "I was at church this morning and...."
I was at church this morning and a friend remarked, "There you are. Always with a book." And I made some remark about, "Yeah, I'm behind." Which led to a discussion about my annual reading goals and then, without really thinking about it, I was telling the story of reading Ephaidria and how it set me back. Because if I finished it, I would have to review. And I wasn't going to be able to give the glowing review I know every author is hoping for.
Ephaidria is the story of four young people, from early adolescence through early adulthood, who are specially gifted to save Earth and other extra-terrestrial places. It starts as a refreshing sort of extraordinarily talented kids do extraordinary things YA piece, which is refreshing. Nobody has to get sorted and no one is suffering through a dystopia. Characterization is Grieco's stong suit. His overly serious young Astrophysicist from South Africa was my favorite.
But aside from characterization and the sweeping scope of the novel, there were a number of technical missteps that made it difficult for me to read and so I more or less set it aside in favor of reruns of Archer because I didn't want to write a review that wasn't glowing. The novel is written in third-person present, which is just painful and unnatural to read. A vast majority of the story is info dumping. This civilization on this planet and that civilization on that planet and then some insect guys and octagapods, which I want to be a sly reference to Heinlein, but I can't be sure. Tell, tell, tell and very little show. The characters only get to act at the beginning at the end. And there's a serious level of repetition. I skimmed a few pages until Nicki stopped squeezing her eyes shut because... why narrate via a character who is not actually looking at the amazing approaching planet?
And there were a number of missteps that are absolutely avoidable given a good editor. Things like "mid-evil" where medieval was clearly indicated. One of the characters drives a classic sports car, but it's described as a "coup" instead of "coupe," and I don't really think we're supposed to conflate her sports car with a violent overthrow of the government. And I'm not even going to tell you how long it took me to realize that Kali Ilak is just the same name, backwards.
Overall, lots of potential here. A good editor and commitment to world-building will open up the nugget of really cool ideas that is Ephaidria.
So, I bet this is the only time Jim Grieco, who is a great guy, from everything I can gather, has his rating start with "I was at church this morning and...."
I was at church this morning and a friend remarked, "There you are. Always with a book." And I made some remark about, "Yeah, I'm behind." Which led to a discussion about my annual reading goals and then, without really thinking about it, I was telling the story of reading Ephaidria and how it set me back. Because if I finished it, I would have to review. And I wasn't going to be able to give the glowing review I know every author is hoping for.
Ephaidria is the story of four young people, from early adolescence through early adulthood, who are specially gifted to save Earth and other extra-terrestrial places. It starts as a refreshing sort of extraordinarily talented kids do extraordinary things YA piece, which is refreshing. Nobody has to get sorted and no one is suffering through a dystopia. Characterization is Grieco's stong suit. His overly serious young Astrophysicist from South Africa was my favorite.
But aside from characterization and the sweeping scope of the novel, there were a number of technical missteps that made it difficult for me to read and so I more or less set it aside in favor of reruns of Archer because I didn't want to write a review that wasn't glowing. The novel is written in third-person present, which is just painful and unnatural to read. A vast majority of the story is info dumping. This civilization on this planet and that civilization on that planet and then some insect guys and octagapods, which I want to be a sly reference to Heinlein, but I can't be sure. Tell, tell, tell and very little show. The characters only get to act at the beginning at the end. And there's a serious level of repetition. I skimmed a few pages until Nicki stopped squeezing her eyes shut because... why narrate via a character who is not actually looking at the amazing approaching planet?
And there were a number of missteps that are absolutely avoidable given a good editor. Things like "mid-evil" where medieval was clearly indicated. One of the characters drives a classic sports car, but it's described as a "coup" instead of "coupe," and I don't really think we're supposed to conflate her sports car with a violent overthrow of the government. And I'm not even going to tell you how long it took me to realize that Kali Ilak is just the same name, backwards.
Overall, lots of potential here. A good editor and commitment to world-building will open up the nugget of really cool ideas that is Ephaidria.
August 4, 2017
Ephaidria takes on the ambitious task of detailing the lives of four protagonists, each of which is a supremely gifted child, and their interactions with an intergalactic villain. The four are dragged into a laudably creative maelstrom of visions and time-dilution, all while trying to get to understand exactly why they are being brought together. This is where the story becomes a bit of a difficult read. Juggling four perspectives alone is difficult, but juggling those four perspectives while also exploring non-linear time, flashbacks, supernatural events, and dream sequences is an incredible task. Unfortunately, a few pins are dropped as a result. The beginning of the book rushes through the stunning supernatural occurrences including the arrival of alien races, the appearance of ghosts, and the subsequent use of telephones by said ghosts. While this could work in a more absurd setting, it clashes tonally with the everyday, real-world that makes up the backdrop of the story.
From what I see as a result of the need to consolidate four different perspectives across flashbacks, dream sequences, and the like, an unfortunate feeling of haste arises. Characters mete out their disbelief in the supremely extraordinary events they are faced with in just a few lines of dialogue. There isn’t enough time to connect with the characters’ surprise, and as a result the characters simply don't seem all that surprised. The four main characters come off as undeniable all-stars who are unfazed by the sudden and unprecedented supernatural events unfolding upon them. Additionally, many of the characters, primarily the female characters, are described thoroughly in their physical appearance, but the core of their personality is much less deeply explored. I personally found this regrettable, as the character concepts seemed very solid. Along this same line, certain characters come off as stereotypes or caricatures (the best example of this being the “gamer” characters, mashing lingo and concepts from the last three decades into a comical simplification of gamer stereotypes.)
While Ephaidria quickly establishes a cosmic backdrop that is clearly and beautifully described, and offers a tempting mystery, it seems to lose itself in its ambition, missing the galaxy for the stars. All in all, Ephaidria just didn’t manage to come together in a way that was personally satisfying for me, and the haste at which the events needed to be brought together took away from a potentially interesting universe.
From what I see as a result of the need to consolidate four different perspectives across flashbacks, dream sequences, and the like, an unfortunate feeling of haste arises. Characters mete out their disbelief in the supremely extraordinary events they are faced with in just a few lines of dialogue. There isn’t enough time to connect with the characters’ surprise, and as a result the characters simply don't seem all that surprised. The four main characters come off as undeniable all-stars who are unfazed by the sudden and unprecedented supernatural events unfolding upon them. Additionally, many of the characters, primarily the female characters, are described thoroughly in their physical appearance, but the core of their personality is much less deeply explored. I personally found this regrettable, as the character concepts seemed very solid. Along this same line, certain characters come off as stereotypes or caricatures (the best example of this being the “gamer” characters, mashing lingo and concepts from the last three decades into a comical simplification of gamer stereotypes.)
While Ephaidria quickly establishes a cosmic backdrop that is clearly and beautifully described, and offers a tempting mystery, it seems to lose itself in its ambition, missing the galaxy for the stars. All in all, Ephaidria just didn’t manage to come together in a way that was personally satisfying for me, and the haste at which the events needed to be brought together took away from a potentially interesting universe.
July 11, 2017
I'm so glad I read this. Right from the start, the lead character's lovable personalities grab you and never let go. They are ordinary teenagers with extraordinary powers. Each of them has a paranormal ability that defines them. Tahani is super-smart and can listen to people’s thoughts, Nicki is an unbelievable violinist and sees the future in her dreams, Josh (my favorite) is unbeatable at video games and can sense an upcoming moment, and last (but not least) Suki is a world-class gymnast who can heal people with her touch. First, you travel with them across the country to Kansas City, where they discover a shining archway of light in Roanoke Park. As it turns out, the archway is a portal through spacetime. The four teens pass through and are transported to Ephaidria, a tri-star solar system in another galaxy. Once there, they learn they must save a population of abducted humans from an attacking army of "dream-invading" entities. While on their quest, they visit four living worlds, Mylaya, Enos, Eethros and Visbris. Each of these worlds are populated by a wide variety of aliens. There are cat people, angel-like flying creatures, giant brutes, and an advanced race of scholarly beings with telepathic powers. So… the bad guy, Saghaan Zang (who leads the dream-invading warriors) is super-creepy. His soul escaped from the underworld and possessed a goblin-like creature, and now he’s out to get revenge against Reena, the Yellow Sun Queen. The reason for this is because back when Zang was alive, Reena killed him when he tried to take over Ephaidria. (Reena is the leader of the human civilization that was brought to Ephaidria in ancient times). When Reena killed Zang, his dark spirit was condemned to Drar (which is pretty much what we call Hell). To defeat Zang’s resurrected soul, the heroes must receive four enchanted Starband crowns from the Sibyl of Enos, a clairvoyant priestess whose sanctuary is hidden away in the mountains. Tahani, Nicki, Josh, and Suki are guided to the Sibyl’s sanctum by four riddles that were given to them back on Earth by their spirit guides. This all leads up to a final climatic battle… Zang versus the four human heroes on Visbris. There's so much to tell, I can't possibly put it all into words, so, to put a cap on this... it's an amazing adventure, filled with mystery, action, and excitement. Give it a read and you'll see what I mean!
November 9, 2017
Ephaidria written by Jim Grieco isn’t your typical good versus evil story. Ephaidria is a star system with intelligent inhabitants, that are about to be overthrown by dark entities. Ephaidria needs the help of four human Earth dwellers, each with their own special and unique ability, such as healing and clairvoyance. This novel is wonderfully written, full of great descriptions and adventure. The storyline is well thought out, and although there are a lot of characters, places and themes, they all come together to ensure the reader is enthralled from the first page until the very last. I really enjoyed this story and fell in-love with the four main characters and their personalities. The writer has a tremendous writing ability, which shows in the characters coming to life in the reader’s mind. They are believable and well worth rooting for throughout the book. This is highly Science Fiction with a fantasy twist to it. I highly recommend this book to all those who love science fiction, fantasy, or who are looking for something different.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2017
Oh, wow. This is a great sci-fi/fantast novel to add to your collection! The author doesn’t skimp on vivid descriptions or a thick, interesting plot. This one really kept my attention so I read it rather quickly. Just a quick-side note that everything was solid until he used the word “hottie” to describe a cute guy and the outdated slang threw me for a small loop. (Sorry, I can be a bit particular!)
Anyway, so even though we’re going through a lot of unusual places and so many things are happening, it all pieces together and flows nicely, which I appreciate! I also love the 4 main characters, especially Nicki. For me, it’s important to any story that you resonate with these characters, or at least one or two. And, there’s a lot of action, a bit of head-spinning in a good way, and a good versus evil dynamic.
Ephaidria takes you on a really cool journey so I would definitely recommend it. Especially if you’re not entirely into the sci-fi genre, this is a great one to start!
Anyway, so even though we’re going through a lot of unusual places and so many things are happening, it all pieces together and flows nicely, which I appreciate! I also love the 4 main characters, especially Nicki. For me, it’s important to any story that you resonate with these characters, or at least one or two. And, there’s a lot of action, a bit of head-spinning in a good way, and a good versus evil dynamic.
Ephaidria takes you on a really cool journey so I would definitely recommend it. Especially if you’re not entirely into the sci-fi genre, this is a great one to start!
June 20, 2017
Really cool book! I love the characters and the story is really fast paced. I couldn't even put it down once I started to read! If you love sci-fi and great adventure stories in general, this is a must-read. Loved it!
June 30, 2017
What a fun read! In a nice mix of sci-fi and adventure, four young adult protagonists fight for the fate of the world. There is a strong current of imagination that runs deep through this book. Great read for a young sci-fi fan!
July 16, 2017
Very original concept that took you to not only one world but several worlds. Characters are bold and exciting showing multiple sides of their personalities. Story line very strong with thrilling battles and a reprehensible antagonist.
Although this book is geared towards young adults, I as a mature woman found it to be a really thrilling story for all ages.
Although this book is geared towards young adults, I as a mature woman found it to be a really thrilling story for all ages.
July 11, 2017
Ephaidria is full of rich world-building, fantastic imagery and a deep, detailed sci-fi mythology that will keep the reader rapt and at attention. The story’s collection of teens shine with intrinsic talents they have yet to learn the true purpose of. Yet we learn how the powers of Suki, Josh, Tahani, and Nicole decide the fate of a generation of beings light-years away, connected to the human race of our current Earth through heart and heritage… yet separated by galaxies. Their ability to gain mastery over their gifts and answer their mystical calling will hook you. Take a read and be transported.
June 17, 2017
This a good book The four main characters are young adults drawn into the alien world of Ephadria to save it from its doom Normal everyday kids they are hesitant but excited by the adventure and challenge A fun read
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews