Starless

by Evan S. Sullivan

The beating at the gate is endless. Storm and nightmare wait without. We gave so much in the hopes of avoiding bloodshed with the North; my father knelt when he knew he should fight, all to save our people from those who fly their banners above our castle's walls. We feared the North for so long. But our fear was misplaced. Our doom came from elsewhere; from a place we could not have seen. And now, our city is red and the sky is starless.
Excerpt from the beginning of the novella.

ebook

Published August 31, 2017

Reviews

[Adam JW · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a first published novella, Evan has set a high standard for fantasy that left me wanting more with every word. The characters and setting are intricately crafted and have a lot of care put into them, allowing one to get instantly caught up in the politics and scope of the plot. I'm looking forward to reading more from him and seeing where his writing career goes

[Karly Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starless is an amazing debut novella and it introduces Evan S. Sullivan's talent to the literary world. The author creates a rich setting in which to bring his characters to life. The characters have depth and the dialogue is believable. The reader is easily transported into the fantasy world created by the author. This novella left me wanting more and I can't wait to read more from this author!

[Micheal Bogensberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun short read!

[Laurana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to read more of this. It's like it's a prologue for an even bigger story

[Terry Doiron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good short book. Leaves you wanting more.

[Roy Sidders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling plot and unique approach to the novel- chapters are current and future and keep getting closer until equal at the last chapter.
Vivid use of descriptive words for actions and scenery. Captivating character development - a very topical storyline, interesting to all.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent choice for both fantasy lovers and scholars. I look forward to seeing more works from him!

[Andrena Toth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I’ve never read anything quite like it; it’s amazing how quickly and deeply I became involved in the story and characters in so few pages.

[Siddhi Palande · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel revolves around an episode from the life of Calan, who belongs to the royalty. He aims to be a celebrated knight. However, the gruesome reality doesn't go down well with him. We see two sides of Calan in this novella - an innocent child with dreams and a grown-up who is dealing with the crassness of knight life.

In a short span, Evan establishes the characters and the storyline effortlessly. He makes it a point to retain the child-like innocence while discussing Calan's growing up years and voices Calan's dilemmas in the later section of his life. There are multiple characters in the novella and despite being brief, their characteristics are spelled deftly by the author. Yes, the character descriptions is from Calan's point of view who happens to be an unreliable narrator and so it is bound to be biased.

Talking about the plot, it is a well-knit drama. It is more like Calan's monologue with the readers, albeit quit engaging. However, towards the climax one does yearn for more.

Overall, the novella involves drama, chase, mystical elements and a war that is more evolving and engaging with every page.

[SLS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starless is a dramatic story about two warring families from Santyr , the Lanceleans in the north and the Nelvorians in the south. The story is told through the eyes of Calan in two timelines - “then” when he is a young boy and “now” when he is put on a ship with Lanceleans to supposedly fight a common enemy. But who should they really fear? The short story is well written and touches on many current themes like racism and prejudice. I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to Calan and his people! This is a great first book by Evan Sullivan and I look forward to seeing more books from this teriffic author.