What do you think?
Rate this book
Among the Mythos #8
The Sundered
(This is an alternate cover edition for The Sundered.)
The world I know is flooded. You don’t go in the water. You don't touch it. If you do, it will get you, drag you down, and you're gone.
Harry Iskinder knows the rules: Don't touch the water, or it will pull you under; conserve food, or you'll run out at the worst time; use Sundered slaves gently, or they die too quickly to be worthwhile.
The Sundered create food. The Sundered create shelter. They're also dying out. In a world lost to deadly flood that kills on contact, Harry thinks he knows the score, but when he claims the magnificent and powerful Sundered One named Aakesh, he quickly finds himself in over his head.
The world I know is flooded. You don’t go in the water. You don't touch it. If you do, it will get you, drag you down, and you're gone.
Harry Iskinder knows the rules: Don't touch the water, or it will pull you under; conserve food, or you'll run out at the worst time; use Sundered slaves gently, or they die too quickly to be worthwhile.
The Sundered create food. The Sundered create shelter. They're also dying out. In a world lost to deadly flood that kills on contact, Harry thinks he knows the score, but when he claims the magnificent and powerful Sundered One named Aakesh, he quickly finds himself in over his head.
Unknown Binding
First published June 22, 2012
51 people are currently reading
1601 people want to read
About the author
Ruthanne Reid
27 books249 followersA bestselling author, Ruthanne Reid has led panels on world-building, taught courses on plot and character development, and been the keynote speaker for the Write Practice Retreat. Author of seven books and dozens of short stories, she creates daily videos to help other creatives get unblocked and into a healthy habit of creation.
Ruthanne has lived in her head since childhood when she used up her mom’s red typewriter ribbon writing a story about a pony princess and a genocidal snake-kingdom. When she isn’t reading, writing, or reading about writing, Ruthanne enjoys old cartoons with her husband and cats, and dreams of living on an island beach far, far away.
P.S. Red is still her favorite color.
Ruthanne has lived in her head since childhood when she used up her mom’s red typewriter ribbon writing a story about a pony princess and a genocidal snake-kingdom. When she isn’t reading, writing, or reading about writing, Ruthanne enjoys old cartoons with her husband and cats, and dreams of living on an island beach far, far away.
P.S. Red is still her favorite color.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
July 10, 2012
Wow. Just ... wow.
I can't remember the last time when a book grabbed me from the very start and wouldn't let go. What's really interesting about that little fact is that I can't really explain what it was that made the story so incredibly appealing.
That sounds like a negative, but it isn't. The author did her job with great skill and was completely unobtrusive. We're plopped down in Harry Iskinder's world with little knowledge of ... anything, really. Yet I never felt lost or frustrated by my lack of knowledge.
This is truly a one-man story, where the secondary characters are a bit fuzzy and out of focus. We see them, know who they are, but really it's all about Harry. Well, and his "first tier" (I feel as though I must add: "He has a name.") Sundered.
To summarize this book would be both difficult and laden with spoilers. But let me say that not one word was wasted, every single page was worthwhile and I'm planning on reading it all over again to see if I missed anything tasty because after a while I was just desperate to know how it was going to end I'm sure I must have skimmed it, at least a little. I loved Harry. I loved his Sundered (both of them). I wanted a happy ending, but was absolutely certain there couldn't be one. The author instead gave me the right ending; an ending that was surprising, ironic and while, not exactly "happy", wasn't sad either -- and I'm a HUGE happy ever after kinda gal. If it satisfied me, it will satisfy anyone.
When I finished the book, I was asked by a relative, "What was it about?" to which I answered, "I can't tell you... not won't, but truly can't." Because, while the book felt simple and basic it was deceptively complex and defies every try I make at explaining its plot.
I will say this: It was good. Amazingly, incredibly, surprisingly good. And if this is a sample of Ruthanne Reid's talent, then I hope she continues on releasing books. I'll be first in line to pick them up, no matter what the blurb or genre. She's gained herself a fan.
If I could, I'd give this a ten ... but since the top of our scale is five, that's what I'll assign it. With bells on.
5/5 flowers
I can't remember the last time when a book grabbed me from the very start and wouldn't let go. What's really interesting about that little fact is that I can't really explain what it was that made the story so incredibly appealing.
That sounds like a negative, but it isn't. The author did her job with great skill and was completely unobtrusive. We're plopped down in Harry Iskinder's world with little knowledge of ... anything, really. Yet I never felt lost or frustrated by my lack of knowledge.
This is truly a one-man story, where the secondary characters are a bit fuzzy and out of focus. We see them, know who they are, but really it's all about Harry. Well, and his "first tier" (I feel as though I must add: "He has a name.") Sundered.
To summarize this book would be both difficult and laden with spoilers. But let me say that not one word was wasted, every single page was worthwhile and I'm planning on reading it all over again to see if I missed anything tasty because after a while I was just desperate to know how it was going to end I'm sure I must have skimmed it, at least a little. I loved Harry. I loved his Sundered (both of them). I wanted a happy ending, but was absolutely certain there couldn't be one. The author instead gave me the right ending; an ending that was surprising, ironic and while, not exactly "happy", wasn't sad either -- and I'm a HUGE happy ever after kinda gal. If it satisfied me, it will satisfy anyone.
When I finished the book, I was asked by a relative, "What was it about?" to which I answered, "I can't tell you... not won't, but truly can't." Because, while the book felt simple and basic it was deceptively complex and defies every try I make at explaining its plot.
I will say this: It was good. Amazingly, incredibly, surprisingly good. And if this is a sample of Ruthanne Reid's talent, then I hope she continues on releasing books. I'll be first in line to pick them up, no matter what the blurb or genre. She's gained herself a fan.
If I could, I'd give this a ten ... but since the top of our scale is five, that's what I'll assign it. With bells on.
5/5 flowers
March 11, 2022
Sometimes we value things based on how much they cost us. We can't really help it, it's simply psychology, or maybe its societal. But that's not always right, and it certainly wasn't when it came to The Sundered. Because I got this book as a freebie or review copy before I even blogged, and let it sit unread on my Kindle for ages. But now I just sort of want to buy everything Ruthanne Reid has ever written. And that says something.
The Sundered completely got me. It's genius. It's unique, it's about huge things. And it draws you in straight away. Read the full review here:
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook through Story Cartel in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Read Post On My Blog | Themed Bookstagram | Quick Update Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
The Sundered completely got me. It's genius. It's unique, it's about huge things. And it draws you in straight away. Read the full review here:
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook through Story Cartel in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Read Post On My Blog | Themed Bookstagram | Quick Update Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
July 31, 2012
I just finished reading this book and it feels broken.
The voice of this book is first person, present tense from the view of a 19 year old boy. That means you don’t get a very elaborate view of this amazingly epic and scarred world. I wanted to know so much more, I wanted to see colors and get to know the characters. Sadly, this never happens.
Harry and his band of Travelers set forth on their journey in very small boats in a world where the water is apparently not only deadly, but vengeful. This alone made me have to suspend belief. It wasn’t until chapter 14 that we even get a vague description of what our protagonist looks like. I end up not caring about his Travelers and even less about Harry since he doesn’t even bother to give them faces. When two of them leave their band of merry men, I don’t care because I never learned anything that would make me care about them.
Harry’s constant use of modern day slang becomes annoying, not endearing. In a world where water hates you, would you really still use the word “douche”? He gives more of a description of Tomas’s erection than to the woman that will bear his heir. Handling his heir like it’s a business exchange may be common for this world, but we are never given enough information to understand it.
You soon become acutely aware that there is no happy ending to this story. I liked the moral dilemma that Harry has thrust upon him, but instead of facing it like the leader he thinks he is, he whines about it and tries to cling to anything or anyone who will tolerate him. Harry has no friends. He has Travelers that allow him false leadership to shut him up, Sundered that are forced to obey him and a mentor who uses him to achieve his own ends.
There was so much potential here if the author had taken the time to flesh out the characters and the world. She failed to make any of the characters likable and painted the world so vaguely that you hardly get a good picture of it. This is clearly a novice effort and I hope the author will continue to bring us fresh new ideas and worlds… but next time, make us care about them.
The voice of this book is first person, present tense from the view of a 19 year old boy. That means you don’t get a very elaborate view of this amazingly epic and scarred world. I wanted to know so much more, I wanted to see colors and get to know the characters. Sadly, this never happens.
Harry and his band of Travelers set forth on their journey in very small boats in a world where the water is apparently not only deadly, but vengeful. This alone made me have to suspend belief. It wasn’t until chapter 14 that we even get a vague description of what our protagonist looks like. I end up not caring about his Travelers and even less about Harry since he doesn’t even bother to give them faces. When two of them leave their band of merry men, I don’t care because I never learned anything that would make me care about them.
Harry’s constant use of modern day slang becomes annoying, not endearing. In a world where water hates you, would you really still use the word “douche”? He gives more of a description of Tomas’s erection than to the woman that will bear his heir. Handling his heir like it’s a business exchange may be common for this world, but we are never given enough information to understand it.
You soon become acutely aware that there is no happy ending to this story. I liked the moral dilemma that Harry has thrust upon him, but instead of facing it like the leader he thinks he is, he whines about it and tries to cling to anything or anyone who will tolerate him. Harry has no friends. He has Travelers that allow him false leadership to shut him up, Sundered that are forced to obey him and a mentor who uses him to achieve his own ends.
There was so much potential here if the author had taken the time to flesh out the characters and the world. She failed to make any of the characters likable and painted the world so vaguely that you hardly get a good picture of it. This is clearly a novice effort and I hope the author will continue to bring us fresh new ideas and worlds… but next time, make us care about them.
September 6, 2012
Kinda blown away right now. More on this later.
OK, it's later. I'm not going to rehash the back cover copy, so I'll just skip straight to the impact this book had on me. There are movies you watch, works of art you see, poems and books you read that you walk away from going "whoa."
This was one of them for me.
Complete gut-punch-powerful ending that reminded me of the experience of walking away from the big reveal in Ender's Game. (Not for any particular similarity between the stories or situations, simply the emotional impact of what just happened.)
But you don't have to wait to the end to love this book. The world is fascinating, the characters believable. In fact, I loved the main character's obliviousness and stubborn refusal to see the obvious because it was so true to this character and it made what happened in the end that much more powerful. I honestly don't remember if the prose was particularly skillful or any more technical aspect. I was too sucked in to notice. (Though that's a vote for pretty-dang-good writing, since this-sucks prose can't accomplish the same thing.)
I'm getting all stirred up again, and it's been a few weeks and several books read between as I write this. I can't recommend this enough to any science fiction or fantasy reader. Great book. I can't wait to see what this author does next.
OK, it's later. I'm not going to rehash the back cover copy, so I'll just skip straight to the impact this book had on me. There are movies you watch, works of art you see, poems and books you read that you walk away from going "whoa."
This was one of them for me.
Complete gut-punch-powerful ending that reminded me of the experience of walking away from the big reveal in Ender's Game. (Not for any particular similarity between the stories or situations, simply the emotional impact of what just happened.)
But you don't have to wait to the end to love this book. The world is fascinating, the characters believable. In fact, I loved the main character's obliviousness and stubborn refusal to see the obvious because it was so true to this character and it made what happened in the end that much more powerful. I honestly don't remember if the prose was particularly skillful or any more technical aspect. I was too sucked in to notice. (Though that's a vote for pretty-dang-good writing, since this-sucks prose can't accomplish the same thing.)
I'm getting all stirred up again, and it's been a few weeks and several books read between as I write this. I can't recommend this enough to any science fiction or fantasy reader. Great book. I can't wait to see what this author does next.
July 14, 2012
I wasn't sure what to expect when I decided to join the tour for this book. Before I read the synopsis, I had visions of a horror strewn blood bath. That was before I looked up the meaning of sundered. (sunder--to separate; part; divide; sever) As I began reading, the name made sense. The Sundered Ones in the story are separate from the humans in physical appearance and in power. And as the author stated in her guest post, Harry doesn't really know what their powers are...no human really does. And not knowing what you're truly dealing with is dangerous.
It would be difficult to go into too much detail about the story because that would give far too much away so I'm going to focus on what I did like. I enjoyed the easy, laid back flow of the characters and their dialogue. There was no stiffness that I have found in other SciFi books I've read. Harry is a riot with his internal monologue. I love when he calls the professor at the Academy a douche (in his head). That's not the only funny thing he says or thinks. Harry is just a riot. His interaction with the Sundered One he claims, Aakesh, is priceless.
Which brings me to the claiming of the Sundered Ones. It seems the humans can "claim" them. To me, it almost seems like slavery. It was never more evident than when Harry is reciting a rhyme they learned to keep track of the tiers of Sundered Ones. It goes like this:
Fifth-tier's strong and lifts big blocks,
not too bright but strong as ox.
Fourth-tier's fine with clever fingers,
painting, sculptures, make good singers.
Third-tier's quiet, good for play,
safe for children every day.
Second-tier's wild, feral, free,
eats everyone, but works for me.
Claim the rest with little work,
but they die soon, so best not shirk.
Aakesh's reaction to this is to say to Harry, "You do not see how degrading it is?" It's obvious that the Sundered Ones do have negative feelings about their place in society, if you can call it that. There really isn't much society in this book because the world has become so surrounded by the black water. Land is few and far between and the cites are brown and dirty. The dystopian elements kept reminding me of that Kevin Costner movie that everyone hated, "Waterworld" (I actually liked it). But it is excellent world building. I could really see in my mind's eye what the author was describing. The black water reminded me of that bog area in Lord of the Rings, I can't remember if it was in The Two Towers or The Return of the King. You know the one with all the dead people in it and it tries to drag Frodo down into it. Creepy.
I am really impressed that this is Reid's first novel. She really knows how to tell a story. I recommend The Sundered to anyone who enjoys the speculative fiction genre.
It would be difficult to go into too much detail about the story because that would give far too much away so I'm going to focus on what I did like. I enjoyed the easy, laid back flow of the characters and their dialogue. There was no stiffness that I have found in other SciFi books I've read. Harry is a riot with his internal monologue. I love when he calls the professor at the Academy a douche (in his head). That's not the only funny thing he says or thinks. Harry is just a riot. His interaction with the Sundered One he claims, Aakesh, is priceless.
Which brings me to the claiming of the Sundered Ones. It seems the humans can "claim" them. To me, it almost seems like slavery. It was never more evident than when Harry is reciting a rhyme they learned to keep track of the tiers of Sundered Ones. It goes like this:
Fifth-tier's strong and lifts big blocks,
not too bright but strong as ox.
Fourth-tier's fine with clever fingers,
painting, sculptures, make good singers.
Third-tier's quiet, good for play,
safe for children every day.
Second-tier's wild, feral, free,
eats everyone, but works for me.
Claim the rest with little work,
but they die soon, so best not shirk.
Aakesh's reaction to this is to say to Harry, "You do not see how degrading it is?" It's obvious that the Sundered Ones do have negative feelings about their place in society, if you can call it that. There really isn't much society in this book because the world has become so surrounded by the black water. Land is few and far between and the cites are brown and dirty. The dystopian elements kept reminding me of that Kevin Costner movie that everyone hated, "Waterworld" (I actually liked it). But it is excellent world building. I could really see in my mind's eye what the author was describing. The black water reminded me of that bog area in Lord of the Rings, I can't remember if it was in The Two Towers or The Return of the King. You know the one with all the dead people in it and it tries to drag Frodo down into it. Creepy.
I am really impressed that this is Reid's first novel. She really knows how to tell a story. I recommend The Sundered to anyone who enjoys the speculative fiction genre.
May 16, 2012
"The Sundered" is a unique, ambitious, thoughtful science fiction that sets up Reid as one of the most unrelenting new writers this year. Reid is a deft hand at dealing with uncomfortable dialogues of survival-versus-morality, and the ethics of owning people.
“The Sundered” is a bold, and courageous first novel – Reid doesn’t back down when the characters get uncomfortable, offering her readers an honest, twisted, and heart-breaking account of the young boy who must decide whether the continued existence of the human race is worth enslaving an entire species, or if, like his ancestors, he is willing to save his own people by turning a blind eye on the misery of another.
Reid’s genre-twisting is par excellence and her characters are wracked with the most delicious moral trials. My heart skips, soars, wrings, laughs, weeps, and breaks for characters on both sides of this conflict, and that is the mark of some superb storytelling.
“The Sundered” is a bold, and courageous first novel – Reid doesn’t back down when the characters get uncomfortable, offering her readers an honest, twisted, and heart-breaking account of the young boy who must decide whether the continued existence of the human race is worth enslaving an entire species, or if, like his ancestors, he is willing to save his own people by turning a blind eye on the misery of another.
Reid’s genre-twisting is par excellence and her characters are wracked with the most delicious moral trials. My heart skips, soars, wrings, laughs, weeps, and breaks for characters on both sides of this conflict, and that is the mark of some superb storytelling.
September 29, 2012
It’s difficult to stun me into silence, but this book did it. After winning this through the Goodreads First Read Program I was all like, cool, another dystopian world with weird creatures that serve humanity, but this is so much more. This dystopian allegoristic chronicle of societal collapse, slavery, environmental disaster, impossible friendships, and suffering with an ending so cool, well, let’s just say, don’t read the end first. To top it all off, this is Ms. Reid’s first novel. Thank you Ms. Reid, I was captivated. I can’t wait for the graphic novel and/or movie.
July 13, 2012
I've been a part of several book touring sites for a while now yet this is the first tour I signed up for. Since I feel the responsibility that comes with being a tour host is great, I was really picky in choosing the book's and authors that I would want to represent so personally. Once I saw the synopsis for The Sundered, I knew that this was the book to break me out of my touring shell. I was wildly interested in the plot and could hardly hold myself back to wait to read it closer to tour.
Even though my expectations were so high along with my excitement levels for this book, I was not disappointed. We jump into the story right away which initially led to a bit of confusion. Thankfully the world and it's customs are explained thoroughly starting almost right away. The mystery along the way is enough to keep anyone interested, but we also get action, suspense, a little romance, and betrayal. And of course let us not forget the ethical questions that are on the shoulders of our main character.
The characters didn't pop out of this book for me, except for a few. I liked our main character Harry, but The Sundered Ones he traveled with overshadowed him. I became much more interested in the storyline than I did in Harry. I did like him though, and that was enough for me. The Sundered Ones that we get to know are so compelling and I loved Harry's conversations with them. The little clues that were given always brought something to light while also causing us to have more questions. I felt like I was alongside Harry, trying to figure everything out and what the solution could be.
The ending of the book was a real shocker and a scary...almost pleasing, turn of events. Usually an ending like this would be my favorite part of the book, but not this time. Instead I loved the questions that this book made me ask myself and the revelations that I've had to make about what the human race is capable of. If this book interests you at all, do not pass it up!
Even though my expectations were so high along with my excitement levels for this book, I was not disappointed. We jump into the story right away which initially led to a bit of confusion. Thankfully the world and it's customs are explained thoroughly starting almost right away. The mystery along the way is enough to keep anyone interested, but we also get action, suspense, a little romance, and betrayal. And of course let us not forget the ethical questions that are on the shoulders of our main character.
The characters didn't pop out of this book for me, except for a few. I liked our main character Harry, but The Sundered Ones he traveled with overshadowed him. I became much more interested in the storyline than I did in Harry. I did like him though, and that was enough for me. The Sundered Ones that we get to know are so compelling and I loved Harry's conversations with them. The little clues that were given always brought something to light while also causing us to have more questions. I felt like I was alongside Harry, trying to figure everything out and what the solution could be.
The ending of the book was a real shocker and a scary...almost pleasing, turn of events. Usually an ending like this would be my favorite part of the book, but not this time. Instead I loved the questions that this book made me ask myself and the revelations that I've had to make about what the human race is capable of. If this book interests you at all, do not pass it up!
August 2, 2013
In all honesty, I have never read a science fiction novel quite like this one. The typical science fiction fantasy that I have been drawn to in recent years, often have a reluctant hero who goes on a mission of self-discovery and at the same time rids the land of some evil and tyrannical figure. This process of purging the evil entity takes place through the use of magic, the use of technology or some combination of the two. The setting is often a dystopian, earth-like planet.
The Sundered follows the same pattern. You have Harry Iskinder the reluctant hero who stumbles into a journey of self-discovery, when he inadvertently claims the mind of a first-tier Sundered One. The Sundered Ones are a race of sentient beings that reside on the planet and posses a number of extraordinary abilities. In a land where resources are being submerged and ravaged by an entity simply referred to as `Dark Water', the abilities of the Sundered Ones are essential for the survival of the human race. As such, humans go around claiming the minds of Sundered Ones and enslaving them in order to survive.
The story is told soley from the point of view of the protagonist, who manages to claim the mind of first-tiered Sundered One, whose abilities exceed that of all other Sundered Ones. What follows is a journey of intrigue and discovery that explains the origins of the Sundered Ones and the entity known as `Dark Water', all while pursuing an ancient artifact simply noted as the 'Hope'. According to the protagonist's knowledge, the Hope will be a panacea used to rid the world of the Dark Water and allow humanity to thrive once again.
Along the way, Harry Iskinder grapples with difficult issues having to do with what is morally right, what it means to belong to a group and possibly most importantly what it means to be human, where humanity extends beyond interactions with fellow humans.
The fascinating twist in `The Sundered' is that though it follows the guide posts of your typical science fiction, it does not end in the usual manner. The day is saved but not by the hero. He does get the girl but then he loses her shortly afterwards and everything else he holds dear. He picks up the necessary valuable lesson, required to bring about change in the world around him, unfortunately his learning is only consolidated at a time when it is least effective.
What I like about the book is that deals with matter of humanity other than how we treat our fellow humans but how we interact with other being with intelligence. Throughout the story, Harry Iskinder and the other humans treat the Sundered Ones as mere tools in a characteristically inhumane fashion. Which is an interesting behavior since we often claim we are better than our fellow animals because of our range of emotional ability.
Take the protagonist for example, he is an arrogant, self-serving entitled young man, whose singular focus is on the artifact described as the Hope. Throughout the journey, he is repeatedly given the opportunity to redeem himself to show that his ability to care about the general welfare of those around him extends beyond whether they are human or not. Rather he obdurately refuses to see beyond his bigoted view of the world until the very end. Throughout the book, he constantly directs statements like, `I own you' and `you are mine' towards the Sundered Ones he has enslaved.
Anyway, in the end it was a deeply satisfying novel for me. The only significant drawback was the narration in the first person. However, after the first few pages I got used to the flow. I would have liked to know in greater depth what happened to the protagonist, but I suppose Ruthanne Reid chose to leave that up to our imagination. The ending is indeed dark, but I suspect it is the authors cautionary tale to us. That is, if we choose to arrogantly declare ourselves to be the ultimate goal of the evolutionary process then we should behave as such.
The Sundered follows the same pattern. You have Harry Iskinder the reluctant hero who stumbles into a journey of self-discovery, when he inadvertently claims the mind of a first-tier Sundered One. The Sundered Ones are a race of sentient beings that reside on the planet and posses a number of extraordinary abilities. In a land where resources are being submerged and ravaged by an entity simply referred to as `Dark Water', the abilities of the Sundered Ones are essential for the survival of the human race. As such, humans go around claiming the minds of Sundered Ones and enslaving them in order to survive.
The story is told soley from the point of view of the protagonist, who manages to claim the mind of first-tiered Sundered One, whose abilities exceed that of all other Sundered Ones. What follows is a journey of intrigue and discovery that explains the origins of the Sundered Ones and the entity known as `Dark Water', all while pursuing an ancient artifact simply noted as the 'Hope'. According to the protagonist's knowledge, the Hope will be a panacea used to rid the world of the Dark Water and allow humanity to thrive once again.
Along the way, Harry Iskinder grapples with difficult issues having to do with what is morally right, what it means to belong to a group and possibly most importantly what it means to be human, where humanity extends beyond interactions with fellow humans.
The fascinating twist in `The Sundered' is that though it follows the guide posts of your typical science fiction, it does not end in the usual manner. The day is saved but not by the hero. He does get the girl but then he loses her shortly afterwards and everything else he holds dear. He picks up the necessary valuable lesson, required to bring about change in the world around him, unfortunately his learning is only consolidated at a time when it is least effective.
What I like about the book is that deals with matter of humanity other than how we treat our fellow humans but how we interact with other being with intelligence. Throughout the story, Harry Iskinder and the other humans treat the Sundered Ones as mere tools in a characteristically inhumane fashion. Which is an interesting behavior since we often claim we are better than our fellow animals because of our range of emotional ability.
Take the protagonist for example, he is an arrogant, self-serving entitled young man, whose singular focus is on the artifact described as the Hope. Throughout the journey, he is repeatedly given the opportunity to redeem himself to show that his ability to care about the general welfare of those around him extends beyond whether they are human or not. Rather he obdurately refuses to see beyond his bigoted view of the world until the very end. Throughout the book, he constantly directs statements like, `I own you' and `you are mine' towards the Sundered Ones he has enslaved.
Anyway, in the end it was a deeply satisfying novel for me. The only significant drawback was the narration in the first person. However, after the first few pages I got used to the flow. I would have liked to know in greater depth what happened to the protagonist, but I suppose Ruthanne Reid chose to leave that up to our imagination. The ending is indeed dark, but I suspect it is the authors cautionary tale to us. That is, if we choose to arrogantly declare ourselves to be the ultimate goal of the evolutionary process then we should behave as such.
January 20, 2013
The world has changed. No longer are there huge land masses but instead landfall, some big enough to house cities, others just tufts of earth. The water has changed. No longer blue, it’s black and thick, it covers the entire planet, and it kills you if you touch it. The population has changed. Mankind now has slaves: strange, alien creatures, none of which look identical, all of whom have mystical powers. These are The Sundered, claimed by human masters.
Harry Iskinder is a scavenger, criss-crossing the globe in a paddle boat along with his followers, known as travelers, collecting what they can to sell at the major cities. He is also searching for the Hope of Humanity, a secret object he believes will turn the Earth back to how it used to be and save mankind. Humans claim their Sundered Ones by telekinesis, and when Harry ensnares a first-tier Sundered it becomes the start of a journey that will lead him once more around the globe, this time in a life-and-death dash to discover the Hope first, and save the human race.
A review of this book, The Sundered, by Ruthanne Reid, would probably need to be about a thousand words long to do the book justice. There’s just so much in this novel, so much back-story and such a detailed world that a short review would be far from sufficient. I normally don’t enjoy reading full-length novels written in first person but this one (told entirely from Harry’s POV) was a delight to read. It was humorous, serious, and compelling. Harry claims two Sundered in the book, Aakesh (who is first-tier) and Gorish (who is fifth-tier), and Harry’s interactions with these two beings make for excellent reading. The connection between them, especially the mind struggles between Harry and Aakesh, are extremely entertaining.
Just for the record, first-tier Sundered are awesome with incredible skills and powers, whereas the fifth-tier beings are lightweight and vulnerable, and usually die quickly (using a Sundered too much wastes them and eventually kills them).
The book’s pacing is spot-on, the plot easy to follow, and the dramatic twist at the end totally unexpected and brilliantly delivered. The characters are engaging, particularly Harry with whom the reader obviously spends all their time. Aakesh reminded me occasionally of one of those blue dudes from Avatar (although Aakesh is ebony-skinned), and Gorish reminded me of Gollum. The bit-part characters, mostly Harry’s companions, offer lots too, and provide a vital sub-plot as the story progresses.
There’s a load to say about this book, and all of it positive. There were one or two small errors, but these are easily overlooked. There aren’t many books that pull me away from what I’m doing just so I can continue reading them—The Sundered was one of them.
Harry Iskinder is a scavenger, criss-crossing the globe in a paddle boat along with his followers, known as travelers, collecting what they can to sell at the major cities. He is also searching for the Hope of Humanity, a secret object he believes will turn the Earth back to how it used to be and save mankind. Humans claim their Sundered Ones by telekinesis, and when Harry ensnares a first-tier Sundered it becomes the start of a journey that will lead him once more around the globe, this time in a life-and-death dash to discover the Hope first, and save the human race.
A review of this book, The Sundered, by Ruthanne Reid, would probably need to be about a thousand words long to do the book justice. There’s just so much in this novel, so much back-story and such a detailed world that a short review would be far from sufficient. I normally don’t enjoy reading full-length novels written in first person but this one (told entirely from Harry’s POV) was a delight to read. It was humorous, serious, and compelling. Harry claims two Sundered in the book, Aakesh (who is first-tier) and Gorish (who is fifth-tier), and Harry’s interactions with these two beings make for excellent reading. The connection between them, especially the mind struggles between Harry and Aakesh, are extremely entertaining.
Just for the record, first-tier Sundered are awesome with incredible skills and powers, whereas the fifth-tier beings are lightweight and vulnerable, and usually die quickly (using a Sundered too much wastes them and eventually kills them).
The book’s pacing is spot-on, the plot easy to follow, and the dramatic twist at the end totally unexpected and brilliantly delivered. The characters are engaging, particularly Harry with whom the reader obviously spends all their time. Aakesh reminded me occasionally of one of those blue dudes from Avatar (although Aakesh is ebony-skinned), and Gorish reminded me of Gollum. The bit-part characters, mostly Harry’s companions, offer lots too, and provide a vital sub-plot as the story progresses.
There’s a load to say about this book, and all of it positive. There were one or two small errors, but these are easily overlooked. There aren’t many books that pull me away from what I’m doing just so I can continue reading them—The Sundered was one of them.
February 11, 2015
I've got a bad habit ... Before I read a book, I have to look at the first and the very last word in it. If they catch me, the book I'm reading gets all my attention. Well, I didn't had the chance to look at the final word of "The Sundered" until I got to its conclusion. The first sentence and the plot caught me first. Once I've started reading I couldn't stop. "The world I know is flooded" says the first line. The water is black, the world is damaged, led by people who needs the help of another kind to survive. The main character, Harry Iskinder, is looking for the Hope, the only thing that could bring the earth back to the way it was. No more afraid of the water, no more need of the Sundered. But when he finds a first - tier he starts questioning the world he knows. Whose the real enemy? What is he fighting for? What's the right thing to do? Harry is just human, he grows so much during the story but he just knows "what is wrong", still unsure about what's right. I think the way the author describes Harry's fears and thoughts is just perfect because it makes us understand the complexity of the human mind without getting dull. The distopian novel has never been so upsetting but still simple to read and understand. It reminds us of all the cruelties of the human being and his need to gain control over others, to claim what's around him. The bottom line is that there will always be a claimer and someone claimed, in wrong ways (with power) or right ones (with mercy and love). I guess this novel totally claimed me in the best way ever.
September 22, 2025
As I read this book, I was oscillating between "THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME" and "still, there are points that feel weird to me" And by the time I finished it, all the weird points were explained and actually made sense so I was just left with this feeling of wonder and couldn't start something else for some days.
The narration is what I enjoyed the most. This is a first-person narration through which we can truly picture everything. We are in the narrator's mind, we see through his eyes and we think like him.
This felt like Harry (the narrator and MC) was relatable - all confused and pressured. And through this and the amazing narration, I became attached to most characters really quickly.
The plot was nicely constructed and held enough for me to hold my breath and fear. I was as involved in the story, totally submerged.
The ending, especially, was so beautiful and I am at a loss for words to really express how much it moved me.
In conclusion: I loved this book and highly recommend it.
The narration is what I enjoyed the most. This is a first-person narration through which we can truly picture everything. We are in the narrator's mind, we see through his eyes and we think like him.
This felt like Harry (the narrator and MC) was relatable - all confused and pressured. And through this and the amazing narration, I became attached to most characters really quickly.
The plot was nicely constructed and held enough for me to hold my breath and fear. I was as involved in the story, totally submerged.
The ending, especially, was so beautiful and I am at a loss for words to really express how much it moved me.
In conclusion: I loved this book and highly recommend it.
September 1, 2014
I wasn't expecting this. The Sundered was one of the best Apocalyptic Sci-Fi novels I've read in a long time.
Earth's water has turned black and flooded everything. [This doesn't obviously seem to be a "global warming" novel. Not "Cli-Fi". That's a good thing.]
If you go into the black water, it pulls you under and you die. There's very little land to grow food on. There's very little land period. Cities are built on what little land there is.
In the black water live creatures called "The Sundered". They provide food, keep things working, heal and repair.
Harry comes from a line of people who maintain a map that provides clues to the Hope of Humanity, something that gives humans control over the Sundered.
Good story and plot. Good characters. This is a book I'll re-read.
Earth's water has turned black and flooded everything. [This doesn't obviously seem to be a "global warming" novel. Not "Cli-Fi". That's a good thing.]
If you go into the black water, it pulls you under and you die. There's very little land to grow food on. There's very little land period. Cities are built on what little land there is.
In the black water live creatures called "The Sundered". They provide food, keep things working, heal and repair.
Harry comes from a line of people who maintain a map that provides clues to the Hope of Humanity, something that gives humans control over the Sundered.
Good story and plot. Good characters. This is a book I'll re-read.
July 21, 2015
This is one of the most entertaining and original books I've read this year. I'm saying nothing about the plot, there's just too much happening and so many mysteries; the ultimate fun is discovering for yourself as the book progresses. The characters were well and appropriately written. I'm really looking forward to the second book. Finally: many thanks to the author for granting such a well-crafted story.
September 25, 2022
This was different than all the other Reid books I've read. I was expecting fae and the mythos not this. Boy was I delightfully surprised. This story was mind blowing. Especially the end. For those who've read it you know what I mean. What a twist! Books like this is what I love to read. Never thought I'd have a favourite author but Ruthanne Reid is my favourite author. It's hard not to like someone who keeps delivering amazing book after amazing book.
August 3, 2012
As a 73 YO who has been a fan of science fiction since reading "Moon Ahead" back in the early 50's I would rate "The Sundered" as a winner and hope that there's more to come from Ruthanne. Very engaging story.
August 12, 2017
A curious tale, which redefined SciFi for me. It's so hard to review this amazing book without giving anything away- so here's some vague reasons why The Sundered gets my 5 stars...
It's not your regular SciFi, the focus isn't techie wow, it's story and character development which makes it so hugely relatable. I cared about them. I needed to know their story.
It's an emotion-bomb. There is heart-twisting slavery and dehumanisation (de-Sunderedisation?) that make you realise how much humans can suck, wherever they are. There's starkly contrasting goodness and heroism from the unlikeliest sources, too.
It's well paced, with a rhythm that rises and falls and builds to a peak you don't anticipate. No predictable resolution here- and when it DOES come, you have emotions to process. Because it's not so clear cut any more. This book made me hate myself for being a human!
It's very easy to see the scenes as Ruthanne describes them- such evocative world building is rare and refreshing!
It demands prequels and sequels. DEMaNDs!!!'
It's appropriately written- no awkward "adult" scenes.
Please give this book a chance and let it redefine SciFi for you too :)
It's not your regular SciFi, the focus isn't techie wow, it's story and character development which makes it so hugely relatable. I cared about them. I needed to know their story.
It's an emotion-bomb. There is heart-twisting slavery and dehumanisation (de-Sunderedisation?) that make you realise how much humans can suck, wherever they are. There's starkly contrasting goodness and heroism from the unlikeliest sources, too.
It's well paced, with a rhythm that rises and falls and builds to a peak you don't anticipate. No predictable resolution here- and when it DOES come, you have emotions to process. Because it's not so clear cut any more. This book made me hate myself for being a human!
It's very easy to see the scenes as Ruthanne describes them- such evocative world building is rare and refreshing!
It demands prequels and sequels. DEMaNDs!!!'
It's appropriately written- no awkward "adult" scenes.
Please give this book a chance and let it redefine SciFi for you too :)
November 19, 2019
It's rare that I feel a book I read should be a movie. This book should be a movie. It's an amazing story with an amazingly complex, yet easy to follow, tale to tell. It's very original and creative. The ending is totally unexpected and although it was shocking it was absolutely amazing. There is an epilogue (19 pages long) after that amazing end. I put off reading it because I wanted to spend a little while basking in the beauty of the finely crafted story and especially the ending first. I just reread this review and it sure contains the word amazing a lot. It is amazing. Anyway, the epilogue was good but not as good as the rest of the book. It did flesh out some information about the background of events and characters that was interesting. The ending of the epilogue was also amazing. The epilogue is worth reading too. I'll be rereading this one at least once.
In reading another review, a while after I wrote this review, I see this is a part of a series. It makes a perfect stand alone novel so don't let that keep you from reading it.
In reading another review, a while after I wrote this review, I see this is a part of a series. It makes a perfect stand alone novel so don't let that keep you from reading it.
February 21, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. I also took the time to check out some of the lower reviews on this book to see what they may have been complaining about. While I do agree with some of their complaints, some of the others I think were nit-picky and were about items that I believe could be in such a world as the one outlined in the story.
The book could use a little bit better editing in parts. Harry did handle the heir-bearing all business like at first which was a bit off putting even for me but the more I thought about it, in the world he lives in and given his role that has been passed down generations why wouldn't he? He has been taught all of his life that the search for hope is pretty much all that matters whether he finds it or someone else such as his heir does. Given some of the events that happens up until then and what he was about to go and do I could see why he would be concerned about the longevity of own life. Not to mention his credibility.
Yeah, Harry was annoying at times but what 19 year old boy isn't? Hell, what human isn't? The slang didn't bother me at all. Especially after finding out you find out in the end.
I loved the twist in the story and how it unfolded, I don't want to give too much away.
The book could use a little bit better editing in parts. Harry did handle the heir-bearing all business like at first which was a bit off putting even for me but the more I thought about it, in the world he lives in and given his role that has been passed down generations why wouldn't he? He has been taught all of his life that the search for hope is pretty much all that matters whether he finds it or someone else such as his heir does. Given some of the events that happens up until then and what he was about to go and do I could see why he would be concerned about the longevity of own life. Not to mention his credibility.
Yeah, Harry was annoying at times but what 19 year old boy isn't? Hell, what human isn't? The slang didn't bother me at all. Especially after finding out you find out in the end.
I loved the twist in the story and how it unfolded, I don't want to give too much away.
April 23, 2018
This is a well-written book, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as the other books in the series.
The world-building aspect of the writing is excellent. The physical world plays as big a role in the story as the characters in this book, and it is nicely fleshed out. The characters are believable, and the story plays out nicely as an adventure with mysteries to solve.
What didn't I like?
For one thing, I couldn't see how it fitted in with the first three books of the series (I read them in order). For me, no matter how well-written a book is, if it is part of a series then I need to see how the pieces fit together.
For another, to my mind the writing lacked the sparkle of the other books. That's not to say that the other books didn't have their grim aspects, but the writing had a joy that infused the work even during the darker parts of the story. On the other hand, perhaps I was simply thrown off by the different style of writing. It certainly struck me as a very different sort of book than the others.
Overall, this is a well-written book that should appeal to anyone looking for an SF adventure story.
The world-building aspect of the writing is excellent. The physical world plays as big a role in the story as the characters in this book, and it is nicely fleshed out. The characters are believable, and the story plays out nicely as an adventure with mysteries to solve.
What didn't I like?
For one thing, I couldn't see how it fitted in with the first three books of the series (I read them in order). For me, no matter how well-written a book is, if it is part of a series then I need to see how the pieces fit together.
For another, to my mind the writing lacked the sparkle of the other books. That's not to say that the other books didn't have their grim aspects, but the writing had a joy that infused the work even during the darker parts of the story. On the other hand, perhaps I was simply thrown off by the different style of writing. It certainly struck me as a very different sort of book than the others.
Overall, this is a well-written book that should appeal to anyone looking for an SF adventure story.
June 24, 2018
Great sci-fi/post-apopcolypse/fantasy story.
I found this book to be very different from similar books that I've read. I won't ruin the ending. Let me just say that you are definitely in for a surprise!
I highly recommend it, and I'm looking forward to reading books by this author. 😊
I found this book to be very different from similar books that I've read. I won't ruin the ending. Let me just say that you are definitely in for a surprise!
I highly recommend it, and I'm looking forward to reading books by this author. 😊
August 10, 2013
O veľkej literárnej duši tu nemožno hovoriť, ale svojím spôsobom to bol osviežujúci počin. Po premyslení spálim.
edit:
To live on the Earth, where even water is hostile and deadly is doomy. Despite that situation the people are supposed to sail across it, well, for the ones who are looking for the Hope it´s inevitable. Harry Iskinder and his Travelers are one of these. And maybe the only one. Or not?
It does not mater if you have turned full age or you are almost dead. Nor Harry had a choice, he WAS the choice itself. Greenie, who will have to gain a respect of bunch of Travelers and meantime will find out if he is capable to claim the Sundered One to serve him. Iskinder is fated to believe in Hope, in something uncertain and questioning by many. Some people laugh down at him and some of them wriggle their head only, but he has a map and he has a faith that deadly surroundings, spoiled cities and dying earth can be saved. He did not expect the complications and he certainly did not expect that besides the Hope he will have to find himself and what it is not so liquet.
Harry is young and strange at the same time. He has conscience which is wasted at the Sundered Ones, the race living amongst us. That makes him someone out of scale, because have a compassion with vassals and take them as equal is „the hell no“ way, which at the end diminish the respect of people. But in every single being, no matter how they look like, he sees piece of himself, humanity and the right for good handling, not misusing. It is kinda amiable from the leader. The thing that the story is completely told by his point of view was then inevitable, more less. Although at first you could miss the mind-blowing descriptions of prompt ambient or even whole world or the things which only narrator could know. And Harry definitely was not the case. We have lived his peregrination, his doubts, his desperate effort to acquire and apply the pomposity in front of his Travelers. He could not manage that despite the arrival of an claimed Aakesh – dangerous, crazy, clever – the highest tier Soundered One. But at that point the story has started sparkling and has gained a absorbing and eery character. Indeed, Aakesh is the only one.
„Fifth-tier´s strong and lifts big blocks,
not too bright but strong as ox.
Fourth-tier´s fine with clever fingers,
painting, sculptures, make good singers.
Third-tier´s quiet, good for play,
safe for children every day.
Second-tier´s wild, feral, free,
eats everyone, but works for me.
Claim the rest with little work,
but they die soon, so best not shirk.“
In her debut, Reid create a consistent plot albeit a little bit simple. Actually, it is not a pity. After reading I have to admit that if it is written another way it definitely would damage the whole sonance. Harry is developing and destroying the inner walls. Aakesh is trying to find a loophole in an master´s orders. It is inept, but most certainly funny, charming and in purpose. This is the way how to make a kookie twosome what is always a catch. In a conditional society always is. Later there is a moment when Iskinder find out a meaning of his path. He stands before a hard decision which cannot be imagined by anybody alive: could he let the race become extinct to kill another or...? The paradox is that the people are depened on the Sundered Ones and there is a weak bond of compulsory symbiosis. Maybe this state makes the story more interesting in order to the final impact could resound.
From all of this come out a big thing. Re-awareness of how a people are arrogant, priggish... that they are not the blessing for the world. Any of them. That image is the most visible in my head. Individualism, which devour the unit. Non-humanity of people who show off the rights for everything and their foolishness re-fuse everything to re-create on their own harmed image. Harry got that. He tastes the betrayal of his own people, he experiences the world, where there is not one, two but more ways how to live. Also the good one. Unconditional by nothing and anything.
„Fate is not simple, Harry. It involves both choice and direction. It is, in fact, largely self-created.“
The whole book is refreshing blend of the good and the bad side of world, where the right ones, maybe heroes, always appear in a acute time. The visionary part of story is already here and that is the scary part. Whether it ends like in The Sundered is still in our hands - (un)fortunately. But if we do not destroy the comfortable wall, the happy end is out of our sight. And we are not lonely for this way... are we?
edit:
To live on the Earth, where even water is hostile and deadly is doomy. Despite that situation the people are supposed to sail across it, well, for the ones who are looking for the Hope it´s inevitable. Harry Iskinder and his Travelers are one of these. And maybe the only one. Or not?
It does not mater if you have turned full age or you are almost dead. Nor Harry had a choice, he WAS the choice itself. Greenie, who will have to gain a respect of bunch of Travelers and meantime will find out if he is capable to claim the Sundered One to serve him. Iskinder is fated to believe in Hope, in something uncertain and questioning by many. Some people laugh down at him and some of them wriggle their head only, but he has a map and he has a faith that deadly surroundings, spoiled cities and dying earth can be saved. He did not expect the complications and he certainly did not expect that besides the Hope he will have to find himself and what it is not so liquet.
Harry is young and strange at the same time. He has conscience which is wasted at the Sundered Ones, the race living amongst us. That makes him someone out of scale, because have a compassion with vassals and take them as equal is „the hell no“ way, which at the end diminish the respect of people. But in every single being, no matter how they look like, he sees piece of himself, humanity and the right for good handling, not misusing. It is kinda amiable from the leader. The thing that the story is completely told by his point of view was then inevitable, more less. Although at first you could miss the mind-blowing descriptions of prompt ambient or even whole world or the things which only narrator could know. And Harry definitely was not the case. We have lived his peregrination, his doubts, his desperate effort to acquire and apply the pomposity in front of his Travelers. He could not manage that despite the arrival of an claimed Aakesh – dangerous, crazy, clever – the highest tier Soundered One. But at that point the story has started sparkling and has gained a absorbing and eery character. Indeed, Aakesh is the only one.
„Fifth-tier´s strong and lifts big blocks,
not too bright but strong as ox.
Fourth-tier´s fine with clever fingers,
painting, sculptures, make good singers.
Third-tier´s quiet, good for play,
safe for children every day.
Second-tier´s wild, feral, free,
eats everyone, but works for me.
Claim the rest with little work,
but they die soon, so best not shirk.“
In her debut, Reid create a consistent plot albeit a little bit simple. Actually, it is not a pity. After reading I have to admit that if it is written another way it definitely would damage the whole sonance. Harry is developing and destroying the inner walls. Aakesh is trying to find a loophole in an master´s orders. It is inept, but most certainly funny, charming and in purpose. This is the way how to make a kookie twosome what is always a catch. In a conditional society always is. Later there is a moment when Iskinder find out a meaning of his path. He stands before a hard decision which cannot be imagined by anybody alive: could he let the race become extinct to kill another or...? The paradox is that the people are depened on the Sundered Ones and there is a weak bond of compulsory symbiosis. Maybe this state makes the story more interesting in order to the final impact could resound.
From all of this come out a big thing. Re-awareness of how a people are arrogant, priggish... that they are not the blessing for the world. Any of them. That image is the most visible in my head. Individualism, which devour the unit. Non-humanity of people who show off the rights for everything and their foolishness re-fuse everything to re-create on their own harmed image. Harry got that. He tastes the betrayal of his own people, he experiences the world, where there is not one, two but more ways how to live. Also the good one. Unconditional by nothing and anything.
„Fate is not simple, Harry. It involves both choice and direction. It is, in fact, largely self-created.“
The whole book is refreshing blend of the good and the bad side of world, where the right ones, maybe heroes, always appear in a acute time. The visionary part of story is already here and that is the scary part. Whether it ends like in The Sundered is still in our hands - (un)fortunately. But if we do not destroy the comfortable wall, the happy end is out of our sight. And we are not lonely for this way... are we?
Read
December 7, 2017I was promised a dark fantasy alien hot mess, and The Sundered delivered. With compelling character dynamics and fascinating world-building, this story creates a tense and immersive atmosphere. Everything builds beautifully without becoming overly complicated. I like the idea of a protagonist who makes mistakes while also clearly trying his best, whose goals are clear but distressingly separate from his dreams. While Harry struggles to figure out what to do with the strange circumstances and questions presented to him, you can see the heart that makes him capable of his task.
Without spoiling anything, I found the ending very satisfying, and I particularly appreciated the bonus material. The journey could be frustrating at times, as it most definitely was for the characters. It's interesting to see the relationships develop as Harry and the Sundered danced around the idea of trusting one another, just as much as was necessary. I also appreciate a story that isn't confusing, but rewards you for paying attention, and I feel like the mythology/world building here accomplished that.
This has definitely piqued my interest in the other books of the Among the Mythos series.
Without spoiling anything, I found the ending very satisfying, and I particularly appreciated the bonus material. The journey could be frustrating at times, as it most definitely was for the characters. It's interesting to see the relationships develop as Harry and the Sundered danced around the idea of trusting one another, just as much as was necessary. I also appreciate a story that isn't confusing, but rewards you for paying attention, and I feel like the mythology/world building here accomplished that.
This has definitely piqued my interest in the other books of the Among the Mythos series.
December 15, 2017
Really interesting premise, great twist at the end too.
September 7, 2012
I won this book in a give away and when the author contacted me asking for my address, I said that since the postage to Australia would be quite a lot of money, I’d be fine with an ebook version, but she said she wanted to send me a paperback. A week or so later, it arrived. I read the blurb, then put the book down, thinking it sounded interesting. I didn’t think I’d get around to reading it for ages, but being a paperback, it sat on the coffee table shouting, read me, read me, so after dinner I picked it up to have a quick perusal of the first few pages and I and didn’t put it down again until I absolutely had to go to bed. You guessed it—I loved it. It grabbed me from page one and held me until the wonderful end.
The Sundered is fabulously different to anything else I’ve ever read—the mark of a strong new voice—and a totally unique story that had me completely enthralled.
The story takes place on a world flooded with black water that is deadly to humans. People share this world with the Sundered, magical creatures humans have enslaved. The Sundered are dying out, but since there is no arable land and they are the only ones who can go into the water, they are the ones that produce food. Once the Sundered are all gone, the humans will eventually die out.
Harry Iskinder is a salvager who paddles around in a small skiff looking for the Hope of humanity, a possibly mythical object that he hopes will save humans from extinction. No one knows what exactly it is or what it does, but Harry discovers that finding it will give him a choice; either the Sundered survive and humanity ends, or humanity lives for a while but the Sundered are wiped out.
The story is written in a snappy way that immediately drew this reader in. Harry is trying to live up to his family heritage of the ones who search for the Hope. He’s tense and terrified of failing to adequately lead his travellers, the gang that travels with him, and when he manages to claim a first tier Sundered, he is as surprised as anyone. Did the Sundered allow himself to be caught? And if so, why? Or does Harry simply have more power than he thought? Either way, Aakesh, his first tier Sundered is an extraordinary being and the conversations between him and Harry are brilliant.
I loved Gorish, the cute little Sundered. His simple ways were endearing and his love and loyalty for Harry, more than anything else, made me empathise with the Sundered. Aakesh was drawn so well, I could almost feel this incredibly powerful, noble and mysterious character. Other than these two, the only other character we really got to know (or needed to know) was Harry, who quickly became out of his depth. Sometimes I wished he would calm down a bit, and it would have been nice to have seen some kind of maturing in his character over the period of the story, some of Aakesh’s calm intelligence could have rubbed off on him. Also, I didn’t quite get why Bek was blowing up cities or how his weapon worked, so maybe that could have been clearer.
I really enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the perception of the Sundered and the concepts behind it, and the interrelational politics between Harry, his friends, his Sundered and his mentor were very well done. All in all an excellent book that I highly recommend to anyone who likes science fiction or fantasy.
The Sundered is fabulously different to anything else I’ve ever read—the mark of a strong new voice—and a totally unique story that had me completely enthralled.
The story takes place on a world flooded with black water that is deadly to humans. People share this world with the Sundered, magical creatures humans have enslaved. The Sundered are dying out, but since there is no arable land and they are the only ones who can go into the water, they are the ones that produce food. Once the Sundered are all gone, the humans will eventually die out.
Harry Iskinder is a salvager who paddles around in a small skiff looking for the Hope of humanity, a possibly mythical object that he hopes will save humans from extinction. No one knows what exactly it is or what it does, but Harry discovers that finding it will give him a choice; either the Sundered survive and humanity ends, or humanity lives for a while but the Sundered are wiped out.
The story is written in a snappy way that immediately drew this reader in. Harry is trying to live up to his family heritage of the ones who search for the Hope. He’s tense and terrified of failing to adequately lead his travellers, the gang that travels with him, and when he manages to claim a first tier Sundered, he is as surprised as anyone. Did the Sundered allow himself to be caught? And if so, why? Or does Harry simply have more power than he thought? Either way, Aakesh, his first tier Sundered is an extraordinary being and the conversations between him and Harry are brilliant.
I loved Gorish, the cute little Sundered. His simple ways were endearing and his love and loyalty for Harry, more than anything else, made me empathise with the Sundered. Aakesh was drawn so well, I could almost feel this incredibly powerful, noble and mysterious character. Other than these two, the only other character we really got to know (or needed to know) was Harry, who quickly became out of his depth. Sometimes I wished he would calm down a bit, and it would have been nice to have seen some kind of maturing in his character over the period of the story, some of Aakesh’s calm intelligence could have rubbed off on him. Also, I didn’t quite get why Bek was blowing up cities or how his weapon worked, so maybe that could have been clearer.
I really enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the perception of the Sundered and the concepts behind it, and the interrelational politics between Harry, his friends, his Sundered and his mentor were very well done. All in all an excellent book that I highly recommend to anyone who likes science fiction or fantasy.
December 14, 2012
In this post-apocalyptic story, humankind finds itself consistently threatened by the same thing that is most critical to their survival -- water. The black water can kill a human on contact, and it's the only water left. For the Sundered Ones, however, the water holds no danger, and this and their other unique abilities has led to humans devising a way to mentally "leash" and enslave them. However the Sundered Ones can be "used up," and when that happens they die. And now even this resource is dying out.
So it is that Harry, like generations of his family before him, searches for the Hope of Humanity, a mythical artifact which supposedly has the power to fix the planet, returning it to the state before the water turned black and perilous. Along his quest, he hears contradictory accounts of the Hope's abilities and consequeces, and he soon finds himself with moral dilemmas on the order of genocide.
Reading about Harry wrestling with these issues was thought-provoking. When it comes down to matters of survival, drastic times call for drastic measures. But when it seems everything must be black or white with no hope of compromise... it could be hard to decide what is the right thing to do.
Besides causing me to wax philosophical, I found Harry to be a likable protagonist and found the plot engaging. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book; my only issues were with a somewhat rushed ending, which I'll elaborate on below (as my discussion contains spoilers).
So it is that Harry, like generations of his family before him, searches for the Hope of Humanity, a mythical artifact which supposedly has the power to fix the planet, returning it to the state before the water turned black and perilous. Along his quest, he hears contradictory accounts of the Hope's abilities and consequeces, and he soon finds himself with moral dilemmas on the order of genocide.
Reading about Harry wrestling with these issues was thought-provoking. When it comes down to matters of survival, drastic times call for drastic measures. But when it seems everything must be black or white with no hope of compromise... it could be hard to decide what is the right thing to do.
Besides causing me to wax philosophical, I found Harry to be a likable protagonist and found the plot engaging. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book; my only issues were with a somewhat rushed ending, which I'll elaborate on below (as my discussion contains spoilers).
April 7, 2014
As a person who doesn’t typically dive into Fantasy novels, I decided after hearing about this book from a friend to give it a try and see how it would go.
Upon reading the beginning, I was immediately interested, captured by the idea of the world that included the Sundered ones being subservient to human beings, being ranked in tiers depending on their lifespan, intelligence, and capabilities. A majority of the water is blackened and hazardous to people. And through the story we follow Harold “Harry” Iskinder, a young adult given the destiny of finding the “Hope of Humanity”. With a group of Travelers under his wing, he leads them on the journey with maps given to him that point to places to go in order to find The Hope. Along with him throughout this journey is a Sundered being named Aakesh, a First-Tier Sundered claimed by Harry, and Gorish, a lowered ranked Sundered one who is sold and then finds his way back to Harry’s group.
I did like the idea of the Sundered World, a world with water that kills humans on contact. I did enjoy a few characters throughout the story as well, such as Aakesh and Dr. Parnum, and I liked the ending a lot! It's easily one of the most twisted ones I've read in any book! The story was very intriguing seeing an immature teenager be given such a serious task to embark on and noticing how events he couldn’t control eventually caused him to break down over time. I do wish, however, that the Travelers had more dimension to them. As characters, they came off flat and uninteresting, and when things happened to them, I didn’t seem to care or I was left confused as to why I should care. I also did not like how loose Harry’s language was. For me personally, he was too informal and sometimes borderline vulgar in his speech, even to his Travelers. For someone with an objective like his, I’d expect him to be more upstanding and carry himself better.
Overall, though, The Sundered is a good story with a great twist at the end (I won’t spoil it here; you have to read for yourself). I would definitely recommend this book to others that are interested in Fiction.
Upon reading the beginning, I was immediately interested, captured by the idea of the world that included the Sundered ones being subservient to human beings, being ranked in tiers depending on their lifespan, intelligence, and capabilities. A majority of the water is blackened and hazardous to people. And through the story we follow Harold “Harry” Iskinder, a young adult given the destiny of finding the “Hope of Humanity”. With a group of Travelers under his wing, he leads them on the journey with maps given to him that point to places to go in order to find The Hope. Along with him throughout this journey is a Sundered being named Aakesh, a First-Tier Sundered claimed by Harry, and Gorish, a lowered ranked Sundered one who is sold and then finds his way back to Harry’s group.
I did like the idea of the Sundered World, a world with water that kills humans on contact. I did enjoy a few characters throughout the story as well, such as Aakesh and Dr. Parnum, and I liked the ending a lot! It's easily one of the most twisted ones I've read in any book! The story was very intriguing seeing an immature teenager be given such a serious task to embark on and noticing how events he couldn’t control eventually caused him to break down over time. I do wish, however, that the Travelers had more dimension to them. As characters, they came off flat and uninteresting, and when things happened to them, I didn’t seem to care or I was left confused as to why I should care. I also did not like how loose Harry’s language was. For me personally, he was too informal and sometimes borderline vulgar in his speech, even to his Travelers. For someone with an objective like his, I’d expect him to be more upstanding and carry himself better.
Overall, though, The Sundered is a good story with a great twist at the end (I won’t spoil it here; you have to read for yourself). I would definitely recommend this book to others that are interested in Fiction.
January 5, 2016
“The Sundered” by Ruthanne Reid is definitely not a typical post-apocalyptic-style novel. The 'bad water' and creative characters are very creative and well-developed. Even without being commonplace in today's world, they easily come to life through the well-written descriptions.
I was apprehensive, at first, when I saw that this book was written in first person, present tense, but it was masterfully done and added an extra layer or two to the story –as well as making the reader/ character bond even stronger. I was thrilled by the absence of tense-slips. I cannot remember once instance in which the tense slipped into the more popular past-tense.
The lack of conveniences and technologies from the modern world is handled in a believable manner when other 'creative forces' are not employed which really drew me into the story. It really came to life.
This book was refreshing from beginning to end in not only its creativity, but also its originality. The mystery and unpredictability of the story kept everything moving right along –I literally did not put it down once I started reading. Aside from the creativity in the main idea and created characters, it is also resoundingly present throughout the story –in the turns, twists, characters, and the situation in which the characters find themselves. There were at least two twists that I really did not see coming which was a very pleasant shock!
The only things that I could point out as areas for improvement would be there were a few minor typos that could be fixed, and I felt like details and memories from the main character's childhood and earlier life could have been introduced earlier in the book. The latter is just personal preference as I always love knowing about a character's history so as to feel more connected to with them as early as possible.
All in all, this book would satisfy book fans from across many genres and, to me, is a must read for any fans of fantasy, horror, sci-fi, mystery, and/or the aforementioned post-apocalyptic-style.
January 30, 2014
I was extremely pleased with this offering from Ruthanne Reid!
Something avid readers have known for quite some time (yet publishers can't quite grasp) is that simply having a teenaged protagonist does NOT automatically make a novel Y.A. Harry Iskinder sounds young because, well he is young. He has all the surety and conviction you would expect from a teen who knows the shape of the world (or thinks he does), and all the insecurities that same young man so desperately tries to hide. There were times I wish he would have said things differently, but then, I can say that about EVERY single teenager I have ever met!
As a reader one of the most important things I look for in a novel is characters that are 3 dimensional "real people". Everyone (who reads often) has come across characters that just lack something vital. Call it what you will. In my opinion Ruthanne delivered very well in the Sundered, and I am very excited to see more stories from this universe.
Without getting spoilery: what I liked best of all in The Sundered was the overarching theme of searching. People everywhere are searching for something which makes their lives bigger/connected/meaningful. It is very energizing to see (anyone) confront preconceived notions of "how things are", and be forced to decide whether they will stay the course with determination (and a hearty dose of willful ignorance) or change. In addition to that I love stories that portray a heart softening in the face of injustice.
This book really delivered for me, and I hope you will give it a chance too! I bet you will be up late turning pages. Who needs to sleep when great stories await?
This review is also posted on Amazon here > http://www.amazon.com/Sundered-Ruthan...
If you enjoyed this book too head over there and "find this review helpful".
Something avid readers have known for quite some time (yet publishers can't quite grasp) is that simply having a teenaged protagonist does NOT automatically make a novel Y.A. Harry Iskinder sounds young because, well he is young. He has all the surety and conviction you would expect from a teen who knows the shape of the world (or thinks he does), and all the insecurities that same young man so desperately tries to hide. There were times I wish he would have said things differently, but then, I can say that about EVERY single teenager I have ever met!
As a reader one of the most important things I look for in a novel is characters that are 3 dimensional "real people". Everyone (who reads often) has come across characters that just lack something vital. Call it what you will. In my opinion Ruthanne delivered very well in the Sundered, and I am very excited to see more stories from this universe.
Without getting spoilery: what I liked best of all in The Sundered was the overarching theme of searching. People everywhere are searching for something which makes their lives bigger/connected/meaningful. It is very energizing to see (anyone) confront preconceived notions of "how things are", and be forced to decide whether they will stay the course with determination (and a hearty dose of willful ignorance) or change. In addition to that I love stories that portray a heart softening in the face of injustice.
This book really delivered for me, and I hope you will give it a chance too! I bet you will be up late turning pages. Who needs to sleep when great stories await?
This review is also posted on Amazon here > http://www.amazon.com/Sundered-Ruthan...
If you enjoyed this book too head over there and "find this review helpful".
July 12, 2012
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book I'm exchange for an honest review.
The Sundered is a surprisingly engaging and complex novel. From the first paragraph you are pulled into a world where Nothing is quite the way it should be. Friends aren't loyal, the water is trying to kill you, and the people, well, the humans are pretty recognizable but the Sundered Ones... they're something you'll never imagine.
Completely original the story line of The Sundered is captivating and engaging. While the book itself was the perfect length for the story I couldn't help but want ,ore and more and more. Completely mesmerizing Reid captures the inner life of the male Mai. Character perfectly. Even his inconsistencies make sense from within his mind
The truly miraculous thing about The Sundered is the manner with which Reid deals with issues of class and the ethics of owning another living creature. Between the Sundered characters of Gorish who is more like a pet than man, and Aakesh who presents as something like a fallen God, we are given the ability to see the innocence with which the humans accept their subjugation of the Sundered. It's been taught to them in schools and as a necessary part of the human Eco system.
The humans are able to somehow take control of the Sundered's minds and mentally leash them and their abilities. This is explained but I don't want to give it away. The Sundered are broken, their minds their souls, their culture, and the humans see nothing wrong with their enslavement. But as Harry, the main character, proceeds on a quest for The Hope for Humanity to try and heal the dying world he lives in he learns more about the Sundered, humans and humanity than he ever expected.
A fantastic, fast, and thought provoking book The Sundered is highly recommended.
The Sundered is a surprisingly engaging and complex novel. From the first paragraph you are pulled into a world where Nothing is quite the way it should be. Friends aren't loyal, the water is trying to kill you, and the people, well, the humans are pretty recognizable but the Sundered Ones... they're something you'll never imagine.
Completely original the story line of The Sundered is captivating and engaging. While the book itself was the perfect length for the story I couldn't help but want ,ore and more and more. Completely mesmerizing Reid captures the inner life of the male Mai. Character perfectly. Even his inconsistencies make sense from within his mind
The truly miraculous thing about The Sundered is the manner with which Reid deals with issues of class and the ethics of owning another living creature. Between the Sundered characters of Gorish who is more like a pet than man, and Aakesh who presents as something like a fallen God, we are given the ability to see the innocence with which the humans accept their subjugation of the Sundered. It's been taught to them in schools and as a necessary part of the human Eco system.
The humans are able to somehow take control of the Sundered's minds and mentally leash them and their abilities. This is explained but I don't want to give it away. The Sundered are broken, their minds their souls, their culture, and the humans see nothing wrong with their enslavement. But as Harry, the main character, proceeds on a quest for The Hope for Humanity to try and heal the dying world he lives in he learns more about the Sundered, humans and humanity than he ever expected.
A fantastic, fast, and thought provoking book The Sundered is highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews