What do you think?
Rate this book
Avarice
A family facing destitution.
A magnificent tulip.
A name that will be feared for centuries.
When young Willem de Meer is told their last ship has gone down and the family business is on the brink of bankruptcy, it’s still not the worst day of his life. And this time no one can stop him from helping.
Ever loyal to his father he sets out on a venture to save them, a risky deal involving a tulip of renowned beauty.
But fate intervenes with a more beautiful redemption for Willem if he so chooses. The capable and kind Cornelia who has an illuminating secret.
Through her, Willem is introduced to the hidden world of Amsterdam, a world of wonders and violence, of otherworldly and impossible abilities.
And Yorov.
The man who wants to show his powers to the world, not hide from those weaker than him.
How can Willem stand against such forces?
And what is the true worth of a name?
Avarice is a prequel novella to the Ashdale Reaper Series and the Ashdale Mender Series. For centuries the Yorov Corporation has been a dreaded name for those gifted with powerful abilities. Find out how it all began with this gripping story.
A magnificent tulip.
A name that will be feared for centuries.
When young Willem de Meer is told their last ship has gone down and the family business is on the brink of bankruptcy, it’s still not the worst day of his life. And this time no one can stop him from helping.
Ever loyal to his father he sets out on a venture to save them, a risky deal involving a tulip of renowned beauty.
But fate intervenes with a more beautiful redemption for Willem if he so chooses. The capable and kind Cornelia who has an illuminating secret.
Through her, Willem is introduced to the hidden world of Amsterdam, a world of wonders and violence, of otherworldly and impossible abilities.
And Yorov.
The man who wants to show his powers to the world, not hide from those weaker than him.
How can Willem stand against such forces?
And what is the true worth of a name?
Avarice is a prequel novella to the Ashdale Reaper Series and the Ashdale Mender Series. For centuries the Yorov Corporation has been a dreaded name for those gifted with powerful abilities. Find out how it all began with this gripping story.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2018
6 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 19, 2018
Wilem's family fortunes are in peril. Everything now rests upon a deal made by his ailing father. The only thing that can save them is a single, perfect tulip bulb, worth it's weight in gold at least to the frenzied speculators of the Dutch markets. But the journey to collect his prize reveals secrets; about the magic hidden in the world around him, and most importantly about himself.
Wilem is an odd character; driven, but what by is left ambiguous. He seems so neutral, but still waters run deep. He is far more complex then he first appears. Perhaps that's why there's a constant feeling of foreboding while reading this story. It's a cleverly paced tale laced with magic and mystery, slow to unfold but with plenty of little hooks to keep you reading.
Avarice really explores the making of its main character, skillfully weaving elements of the past into his present deeds. It's a novel to make you think that the most cryptic thing is not underground magic or illicit business deals, but human nature.
-I received a free copy of this ebook via an email giveaway-
Wilem is an odd character; driven, but what by is left ambiguous. He seems so neutral, but still waters run deep. He is far more complex then he first appears. Perhaps that's why there's a constant feeling of foreboding while reading this story. It's a cleverly paced tale laced with magic and mystery, slow to unfold but with plenty of little hooks to keep you reading.
Avarice really explores the making of its main character, skillfully weaving elements of the past into his present deeds. It's a novel to make you think that the most cryptic thing is not underground magic or illicit business deals, but human nature.
-I received a free copy of this ebook via an email giveaway-
October 23, 2018
This novella is a prequel to the author's other works. Still, it's written in a way that it works well as a stand-alone piece.
In a fairly short length, the author does an excellent job of creating both an interesting world (based in Holland in the 17th century) and some memorable characters.
Without revealing any spoilers, there is a dramatic development in one of the characters - while this definitely caught me by surprise, I did wish that the transition had more substance to it. The speed at which it took shape, as well as the dramatic nature of this change, didn't really align with my understanding of the character, so, while it was definitely a game-changer, it also didn't really make sense to me.
I really did enjoy the novel - I think a longer treatment would have really enhanced the story by fleshing out the setting a bit further (I am curious) and just allowing the story to unfold more organically. I am very interested to read more from this author - especially longer works.
I received a copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only.
In a fairly short length, the author does an excellent job of creating both an interesting world (based in Holland in the 17th century) and some memorable characters.
Without revealing any spoilers, there is a dramatic development in one of the characters - while this definitely caught me by surprise, I did wish that the transition had more substance to it. The speed at which it took shape, as well as the dramatic nature of this change, didn't really align with my understanding of the character, so, while it was definitely a game-changer, it also didn't really make sense to me.
I really did enjoy the novel - I think a longer treatment would have really enhanced the story by fleshing out the setting a bit further (I am curious) and just allowing the story to unfold more organically. I am very interested to read more from this author - especially longer works.
I received a copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only.
June 7, 2019
The main character Willem weirdly reminds me of Hamlet - a young handsome well-to-do man-about-town who is placed in a difficult personal position due to the actions and expectations of others and who allow those actions and expectations to slowly, subtly move them towards villainous choices and in time to become villains. This story is particular poignant because despite the difficulties, Willem clearly could have chosen love rather than greed. Unfortunately he chose the same path Ebenezer Scrooge chose with the same effect on his love life. I wonder if Willem might make the same choice Ebenezer Scrooge did after meeting the Ghosts?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 10, 2018
Well, a surprisingly nice little historical story about a tulip bulb (Ha!), lots of interesting characters, and a little bit of magic thrown in.
If you've read Dumas's "Black Tulip", this fits nicely into the period.
I have an epub edition kindly supplied by the author.
If you've read Dumas's "Black Tulip", this fits nicely into the period.
I have an epub edition kindly supplied by the author.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews