Dark Djinn

The Darkness of Djinn #1

by Tia Reed

Duplicity and aid from a djinn is a curse under any guise. Betrothed to a cruel lord, Princess Kordahla dreams of fleeing to her decadent neighbour, a journey fraught with danger, and no promise of sanctuary at its end. Her one hope is to offer the southern shah a prize so valuable he cannot refuse to harbour the secret of the mahktashaan, the soldier-magicians sworn to protect her father’s court. But the mahktashaan guard their magic with blooded sword, and in stealing one of their powerful crystals she will risk her life. Unless she accepts the help of a treacherous djinn intent on tricking her into a deal. It is a compact which threatens to shatter the fragile peace in the Three Realms. A gripping tale of realms besieged and honour lost, of blood-ties severed and romance dreamed, Dark Djinn begins an epic quest to save mortals from the schemes of djinn.

570 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2017

Reviews

[Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Oh no, my wicked wife. You are coming with me to Verdaan. Your father has agreed. We are to wed without delay.”

Australian author/teacher Tia Reed has lived in England and Malta and now lives in Adelaide, Australia, where she works with overseas students. Her debut novel from 2015 was THE GROTESQUES and introduced an author of rich imagination and fantasy. Now she has a series THE DARKNESS OF DJINN of which DARK DJINN is Book 1. For those who are captivated with this first installment, Book 2 GRAVE GHOST will soon follow.

Tia greets the reader with a map of the locale of her story – the three realms of Verdann, Myklaan, and Terlaan – and as is always a possibility that strange names in science fiction fantasy epics will distance the reader, Tia introduces the names at a pace that makes her story accessible.

From the opening page the tone for the novel is set – ‘Princess Kordahla thought it best not to confide she found the ragged vendors selling battered pans scoured clean of burned rice bemusing. More bemusing than the tedious Verdaani guest they were riding through Tarana to meet, anyway. Her brothers had affected an air of tolerance for those downtrodden men, and for the tawdry merchants touting the virtues of tasseled kilims as vibrant as their kurtas. In their misguided wisdom, they might have decided the sweat-and-fish stink of the waterfront souk had affected her senses, and sent her straight back to the shackles of the palace. If only she could have spent the entire sunny afternoon perusing the bewildering wares. Her freedom would have been perfect. The bloated pots fashioned in the likeness of the fearsome, swamp-dwelling bazwaeel were a novelty she would never tire of admiring – as she, the Terlaani orchid Father rarely permitted to bloom in public, was a delight to the cheering crowd. Not even her sombre escort, the black-robed, hooded mahktashaan, the soldier-magicians of her father’s realm, could dowse her enthusiasm for the cloying bustle and persistent sell. Since they were enduring the onslaught with silent, good grace, she slid her veil onto her shoulders and tossed her walnut hair loose. The gesture set a skinny youth with narrow-set eyes to jumping as he waved a copper bracelet set with a green stone over his head. “How much is that?” she asked the nearest mahktashaan. Her guard needed only a pointed finger to part the throng from his midnight mount. The wide-eyed youth stilled his grubby hand in mid-air as he gabbled something to the mahktashaan before passing the trinket over with a vigorous nod of his head.‘

No fear: the strange words are gradually explained as the synopsis offers – ‘Duplicity and deception: aid from a djinn is a curse under any guise. Betrothed to a cruel lord, Princess Kordahla dreams of fleeing to her decadent neighbour, a journey fraught with danger, and no promise of sanctuary at its end. Her one hope is to offer the southern shah a prize so valuable he cannot refuse to harbour her: the secret of the mahktashaan, the soldier-magicians sworn to protect her father’s court. But the mahktashaan guard their magic with blooded sword, and in stealing one of their powerful crystals she will risk her life. Unless she accepts the help of a treacherous djinn intent on tricking her into a deal. It is a compact which threatens to shatter the fragile peace in the Three Realms. A gripping tale of realms besieged and honour lost, of blood-ties severed and romance dreamed, Dark Djinn begins an epic quest to save mortals from the schemes of djinn.’

Settle in for a long song – one that gradually blossoms with mastery and fantasy that will satisfy particularly the Young Adult audience. And the segue into Book 2 is magnetic

[Chelseyam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young adults will fall in love with this novel that is rich in descriptions and wonder. The author went the extra mile to make such a fictional place seem even more real with rich text that describes exactly what the reader should be picturing in their mind. Luckily, there is also a map included to help readers get the layout of the land. I find this to be a particularly important part of reading stories such as this, as it really does make the world seem like a part of something the reader can fully experience.
The story itself shows great strength in the female main character. She, like many princesses, has been married off to someone that is less than desirable. I can’t give too many details here as it is really best to buckle down and read the story for yourself. It might take you a bit longer to get through this fantasy, but the escapism and strength the book provides will make you ready for book two.

[Katrin Schäfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Djinn
von Tia Reed
BooksGoSocial
Cover:
beautiful fantasycover
Review:
"Duplicity and deception: aid from a djinn is a curse under any guise.
Betrothed to a cruel lord, Princess Kordahla dreams of fleeing to her decadent neighbour, a journey fraught with danger, and no promise of sanctuary at its end. Her one hope is to offer the southern shah a prize so valuable he cannot refuse to harbour her: the secret of the mahktashaan, the soldier-magicians sworn to protect her father's court. But the mahktashaan guard their magic with blooded sword, and in stealing one of their powerful crystals she will risk her life. Unless she accepts the help of a treacherous djinn intent on tricking her into a deal. It is a compact which threatens to shatter the fragile peace in the Three Realms. A gripping tale of realms besieged and honour lost, of blood-ties severed and romance dreamed, Dark Djinn begins an epic quest to save mortals from the schemes of djinn."
This wonderful book is the prelude to a trilogy and takes the reader into a magical world of the Orient. Right at the beginning, the reader is greeted by a map that really makes it easier for him to understand the individual places on the journey. Even the strange words and concepts are explained to us gradually and you will be gently and slowly introduced as a reader in this new world. The story is basically about the journey of young adults where they encounter dangers of all kinds of poisons and drugs about a Djjin who makes promises to them and power struggles. The reader has to get an idea of themselves, whether they will succeed in finding their own way or if they succumb to the temptations. It's a brutal and cruel society that preys on its innocents. This story may not be for every reader what he expects, but I found it wonderful, especially because of the harshness that prevails in this society and what it can do to make innocent people. On balance, Tia Reed has carefully and skillfully crafted a vivid and detailed world that will likely consume the attention of any young adult who enjoys fantasy. 4/5 stars
Many thanks to Netgalley and Booksgosocial Publishing for the free review copy.

[Camille Marino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is adept at creating words that flow into a fantastic realm of adventure and fantasy.

I was initially endeared to the simple family dynamic of siblings taunting and jesting with one another. But in this world of magic and wonder, the reader is rapidly introduced to an array of characters, mostly powerful and malevolent. There were parts where it was confusing to follow the foreign names and exactly what role each served.

At it's core, this is a story about the adventures of young adults in a land of danger and violence, where poisons (or drugs) are part of the landscape. From young men enslaved by the malicious to a princess promised to an evil djinn by virtue of fish falling from the sky, it is fair to say that life seems to be dictated by superstitions and fate. Or can the will of the protagonists prevail? Readers will need to envelope themselves in this story to find the answer.

On balance, Tia Reed has carefully and skillfully crafted a vivid and detailed world that will likely consume the attention of any young adult who enjoys fantasy.

[Destiny Bridwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this for a fair and honest review. I have read many legend of making deals with Djinn. They can't be trusted and they always play dark games. This story is no exception to the rules. It is one of the dangerous things a person can do, but sometimes there is no choice in the matter. Princess has to do something to change her fate regardless of the outcome. But I can't give away too much. I did like that there was a map include in the story. It gave more detail then just the description. I can't wait for the next one. 

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

A interesting idea, unfortunately it did not hold my attention. The world building was fine, the characters were fine. That was my issue, everything was just fine. I felt too neutral while reading it, which made me feel bored. I won't be continuing with this series.

[The Endless Unread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many points of view and descriptiveness done to death. It was really hard to stay focused. An okay storyline but personally not for me.

[Naomi Moramarco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non quello che mi aspettavo, ma in senso buono! La sinossi mi aveva fatto pensare ci fosse un solo punto di vista, quindi il fatto di trovarne diversi in un primo momento mi aveva mandato in confusione ma poi mi abituata. Mi aspettavo una lettura semplice e veloce, invece il libro si è rivelato più complesso e violento del previsto. È ricco di descrizioni ma senza essere inutilmente prolisso e i regni sono quasi tutti ben descritti (tranne forse Vardaan di cui sappiamo ancora molto poco). La linea narrativa sulla droga, sul diverso valore che assume per i personaggi e per i regni è stata una bella trovata e mi ha molto intrigata. C'è un'unica cosa che non mi ha soddisfatta, cioè il fatto che non fosse dato lo stesso spazio ai punti di vista dei diversi protagonisti. Ad esempio: abbiamo spesso il punto di vista della principessa mentre il punto di vista di Timak è poco presente nella seconda parte; non abbiamo affatto i pensieri di Matisse mentre abbiamo quelli di suo zio e di sua sorella. Avrei preferito che avessero tutti uguale importanza così da poter vedere l‘intera storia dal punto di vista di tutti. Il libro è autopubblica, cosa che mi ha fatto piacere perchè secondo do me l‘editoria non tradizionale andrebbe supportata e questa storia è la dimostrazione che possono uscire storie valide anche dall‘auto pubblicazione. Faccio però notare che mi sembra di aver visto degli errori grammaticali, frutto forse di un editing poco attento; ovviamente non essendo l‘inglese la mia lingua madre potenzialmente potrei essermi sbagliata, ma ne sono abbastanza sicura.
Comunque non vedo l‘ora di leggere il seguito!
Ps. Ho avuto questo libro su NeGalley in cambio di una recensione onesta. Le opinioni sono interamente mie!

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is not short, but the plot moves quickly enough that the reader doesn't really notice any lag. It's rich in descriptive worldbuilding, but not unnecessarily so---I've seen so many books whose authors clearly fell in love with their thesaurus, and this doesn't fall into that particular trap---though I didn't think it necessarily did anything new with the 'djinn' idea.

Recommended.

[Cherry London · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had an interesting storyline with characters that did it justice, this tale tells of an addiction that is ruining its citizens and the other border countries. The ones fighting to eradicate it, are corrupted by their politics and desires, bringing about a very violent and volatile situation. The innocents were being destroyed by depraved and perverted men and women in power with their sickening cravings. They force these innocent individuals into these dirty and unthinkable acts through fear. It's a brutal and cruel society that preys on its innocents. This book has been quite an eye-opener for me, although there are those out there who are drawn to these type of stories, this one is not my thing, I didn’t like the suffering and the cruelty that was meshed out to the innocent like Timak, so sad.

[Katrin Schäfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Djinn
von Tia Reed
BooksGoSocial
Cover:
beautiful fantasycover
Review:
"Duplicity and deception: aid from a djinn is a curse under any guise.
Betrothed to a cruel lord, Princess Kordahla dreams of fleeing to her decadent neighbour, a journey fraught with danger, and no promise of sanctuary at its end. Her one hope is to offer the southern shah a prize so valuable he cannot refuse to harbour her: the secret of the mahktashaan, the soldier-magicians sworn to protect her father's court. But the mahktashaan guard their magic with blooded sword, and in stealing one of their powerful crystals she will risk her life. Unless she accepts the help of a treacherous djinn intent on tricking her into a deal. It is a compact which threatens to shatter the fragile peace in the Three Realms. A gripping tale of realms besieged and honour lost, of blood-ties severed and romance dreamed, Dark Djinn begins an epic quest to save mortals from the schemes of djinn."
This wonderful book is the prelude to a trilogy and takes the reader into a magical world of the Orient. Right at the beginning, the reader is greeted by a map that really makes it easier for him to understand the individual places on the journey. Even the strange words and concepts are explained to us gradually and you will be gently and slowly introduced as a reader in this new world. The story is basically about the journey of young adults where they encounter dangers of all kinds of poisons and drugs about a Djjin who makes promises to them and power struggles. The reader has to get an idea of themselves, whether they will succeed in finding their own way or if they succumb to the temptations. It's a brutal and cruel society that preys on its innocents. This story may not be for every reader what he expects, but I found it wonderful, especially because of the harshness that prevails in this society and what it can do to make innocent people. On balance, Tia Reed has carefully and skillfully crafted a vivid and detailed world that will likely consume the attention of any young adult who enjoys fantasy. 4/5 stars
Many thanks to Netgalley and Booksgosocial Publishing for the free review copy.

[Nadia Norin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First and foremost, the description is very misleading -it is quite different than the story itself. To be honest, I tried putting off reading this book for weeks, because I hated the concept of djinn. Almost all of the djinn centered stories I read are very dark and thrillers. And I'm not fond of them. However, Dark Djinn is not as intimidating as other books in its genre. 

The Mahktashaan are the soldiers who got their power from djinns through their crystal. They are the main reason why djinns roam the land, as they open a gateway for djinns to enter their land each time they use their gifts. I'm not sure if the Gods and Goddess in the series are made up or real. But I do love their names. 

There are few main characters in this story, which have their own chapters in the beginning and later on their path intersect with each other. This setting is very confusing to read like almost every new chapter a new character will be introduced. I do like how when their paths crossed, it doesn't appear forced -it is as if fate was behind it all. 

There are 3 countries, two of the countries are considered conservative and patriarchal controlled. The other one is free and considered liberal. The countries concept exist in real life, which made me hated the world even more. I dislike how women have to obey their husband/father in whatever is decided. As if they are an object, not a human being. 

There is also a very triggering theme in this story, rape, pedophile, and maybe addiction? I hated reading about the rape and pedophile. I really do. 

This book is well written but it's not my cup of tea. The settings and theme are an eye opener but I hate the plot and how it is told. I am sure there are a lot of people who like this book but it is just not for me.