What do you think?
Rate this book
The Delphi Trilogy #2.5
The Abandoned
Leah Pfeifer has spent two years in an isolated cabin in Colorado with her almost three-year-old daughter, Anna, trying to protect the girl both from her inherited psychic ability and from the government organization that would be happy to exploit it.
Trouble seems to find them anyway, and a panicked phone call from Leah's younger sister, Rowena, prompts Leah to leave in search of treatment for Anna and to rescue Rowena from the cycle of abuse that Leah herself narrowly escaped years ago.
But when a twist of fate leaves Anna in her care, Rowena may have no choice but to return to the community that she was so desperate to escape.
152 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 21, 2018
105 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Rysa Walker
70 books1,522 followersRYSA WALKER is the author of the bestselling CHRONOS Files series. Timebound, the first book in the series, was the Young Adult and Grand Prize winner in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. The CHRONOS Files has sold nearly half a million copies since 2013 and has been translated into fourteen languages.
In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.
Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.
If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.
For updates, check her website: www.rysa.com.
In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.
Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.
If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.
For updates, check her website: www.rysa.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 26, 2018
This prequel novella in The Delphi Trilogy gives us the heartbreaking backstory of Anna as a little girl. I thought it gave us great insight as to Anna's origins and where her gift (curse?) of her ability to pick up random ghosts who hitch rides came from.
I'm hoping that one of the characters in The Abandoned will make an appearance in the final book of the series, The Delphi Revolution.
As always, Rysa gives us wonderful, caring characters, as well as the horrid ones. She's really good at bringing out all kinds of emotions in me. And yes, there may have been some tears.
I can't wait for the release of the final book in October of 2018!
*Thank you to the author for the advance copy!*
I'm hoping that one of the characters in The Abandoned will make an appearance in the final book of the series, The Delphi Revolution.
As always, Rysa gives us wonderful, caring characters, as well as the horrid ones. She's really good at bringing out all kinds of emotions in me. And yes, there may have been some tears.
I can't wait for the release of the final book in October of 2018!
*Thank you to the author for the advance copy!*
August 10, 2018
Too short
Yes I know it's a novella, but since this is one of Rysa's best yet, and they're all terrific, I hated for it to end. It is a brave book with a plot that could be developed into a full length novel. Complex characters and perfect pacing make this a can't put down read.
Yes I know it's a novella, but since this is one of Rysa's best yet, and they're all terrific, I hated for it to end. It is a brave book with a plot that could be developed into a full length novel. Complex characters and perfect pacing make this a can't put down read.
March 18, 2020
Check out my blog, One Man Book Club
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
A note about this prequel novella. I consider it required reading to get the full experience, but technically it can be skipped. I hope you won't though. It adds some valuable depth to Anna's backstory you won't get anywhere else. It should be read between books 2 and 3. Highly recommend.
Here's X-Men, 2020.
True story: In 1978, the US Military sponsored a program that investigated the potential for psychic phenomena in military and domestic intelligence applications. It was discontinued in 1995 because it was--stupid.
What if: It worked?
In The Delphi Trilogy, the children of the participants of this doomed program are now manifesting psychic powers. Remote viewing, glimpses of the future, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, sharing your mind with the spirits of dead people, stuff like that. Would that be awesome?
Or awful?
If you're baby suddenly started talking like an adult who just died in a car wreck or your toddler could explode all the windows in your house with his mind every time he got angry, you'd probably vote awful.
These kids are hunted, both to be exploited or to be extinguished. Until they decide to fight back.
Rysa Walker is reliable. Her characters are great, and her writing is smooth. I had fun reading The Delphi Trilogy. I thought the last couple of books were longer than they needed to be. There is some PG language and some PG-13 sex between teenagers.
16 and up.
Happy reading!
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
A note about this prequel novella. I consider it required reading to get the full experience, but technically it can be skipped. I hope you won't though. It adds some valuable depth to Anna's backstory you won't get anywhere else. It should be read between books 2 and 3. Highly recommend.
Here's X-Men, 2020.
True story: In 1978, the US Military sponsored a program that investigated the potential for psychic phenomena in military and domestic intelligence applications. It was discontinued in 1995 because it was--stupid.
What if: It worked?
In The Delphi Trilogy, the children of the participants of this doomed program are now manifesting psychic powers. Remote viewing, glimpses of the future, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, sharing your mind with the spirits of dead people, stuff like that. Would that be awesome?
Or awful?
If you're baby suddenly started talking like an adult who just died in a car wreck or your toddler could explode all the windows in your house with his mind every time he got angry, you'd probably vote awful.
These kids are hunted, both to be exploited or to be extinguished. Until they decide to fight back.
Rysa Walker is reliable. Her characters are great, and her writing is smooth. I had fun reading The Delphi Trilogy. I thought the last couple of books were longer than they needed to be. There is some PG language and some PG-13 sex between teenagers.
16 and up.
Happy reading!
July 14, 2020
This "before the fact" prequel made me cry. I wish I had started reading the trilogy first, then went back to this prequel. The thing about that is, now the reader can see what transpired before we meet Anna in the Delphi Effect and know what happened as to why she ended up in "Foster Care" to begin with. All I can say is Cinderella's wicked step-mother had nothing on poor Anna's Grandparents. I can not imagine how a Grandparent, knowing the child has lost her parents could possible do what they did. Well, guess I have spoiled this book, sorry, like I said it made me cry.
Rysa Walker, your books are wonderful, and I am not a Young Adult reader, I am an old lady of 72, and have a hard time putting your books down, but alas there are some other things I must do, then it's back to the book.
I try and hold off now, knowing this is a trilogy, to get all the books lined up before I start, then I can go from one to two to three................I've held off on this set long enough, I'm enthralled with Anna, and, by the way, love that your back into Chronos Time Travel books once again. Keep writing!!!
Rysa Walker, your books are wonderful, and I am not a Young Adult reader, I am an old lady of 72, and have a hard time putting your books down, but alas there are some other things I must do, then it's back to the book.
I try and hold off now, knowing this is a trilogy, to get all the books lined up before I start, then I can go from one to two to three................I've held off on this set long enough, I'm enthralled with Anna, and, by the way, love that your back into Chronos Time Travel books once again. Keep writing!!!
October 24, 2018
Spoilers for The Abandoned
This was a very solid vignette between the second and third books in the trilogy. I'm embarrassed to say that I missed its release so put off my reading of the third book long enough to enjoy it.
Like Chronos novellas that gave us deeper look at characters beyond Kate, this gives us a lot of background detail on Anna's parents, and Aunt Ro. Ro was teased in the second book so I'm curious how much we'll see of her in the final chapter. There's a really interesting comparison between Anna's life in foster care and the option of being raised by Rowena. If things had gone in that direction, it may have complicated Rowena's liberation as her father would have gone after the money, but there's a certain tragedy to the way it panned out.
Very excited for Book 3!
This was a very solid vignette between the second and third books in the trilogy. I'm embarrassed to say that I missed its release so put off my reading of the third book long enough to enjoy it.
Like Chronos novellas that gave us deeper look at characters beyond Kate, this gives us a lot of background detail on Anna's parents, and Aunt Ro. Ro was teased in the second book so I'm curious how much we'll see of her in the final chapter. There's a really interesting comparison between Anna's life in foster care and the option of being raised by Rowena. If things had gone in that direction, it may have complicated Rowena's liberation as her father would have gone after the money, but there's a certain tragedy to the way it panned out.
Very excited for Book 3!
July 30, 2018
The Abandoned is a heartbreaking and raw look into the beginning of Anna's story. I loved reading from the perspective of her mother, Leah, as well as uncovering the truth as to her end. I believe that a sign of a good writer is when you loathe one or more of the characters that they have created, and that is definitely the case in this short book.
November 19, 2018
Both sad and refreshing to finally know
It was both sad and refreshing to finally know where Anna came from and how she ended up abandoned. My heart breaks for Anna, but also for Leah, Scott and Rowena. I am so excited for the next book to come out in a few days! I hope we learn more about Rowena!
It was both sad and refreshing to finally know where Anna came from and how she ended up abandoned. My heart breaks for Anna, but also for Leah, Scott and Rowena. I am so excited for the next book to come out in a few days! I hope we learn more about Rowena!
August 21, 2018
I really enjoyed this novella explaining how Anna came to be in the foster care system. It really gave a lot of great background information though some of it is disturbing. I'm really looking forward to the third book in the series.
September 1, 2018
This was such a great novella and is making me even more excited for the final book. I’m hoping we get to see more of Rowena and Scott! The only thing was I wished we could have gotten more of Leah in this book, specifically her time in the military and then with the Delphi project and Scott.
October 25, 2018
Helps to complete Anna's life in the actual series.
As Russ said, this story is sad, but also needed to be told. We readers enjoy knowing as much as we can find out about characters we actually like, and Anna is certainly that!
As Russ said, this story is sad, but also needed to be told. We readers enjoy knowing as much as we can find out about characters we actually like, and Anna is certainly that!
December 31, 2018
I loved learning more about Anna's story
This was a good novella and I wish I was aware of it before I read the last book. It was a good lead in for the things that happened. I really love this series overall and I am sad it's over.
This was a good novella and I wish I was aware of it before I read the last book. It was a good lead in for the things that happened. I really love this series overall and I am sad it's over.
January 23, 2019
Sad and sweet
I liked this little novella. It is sweet and sad at the same time. I read the first two books in the series quite a while ago so it took some time to catch up but now it's on to the next one.
I liked this little novella. It is sweet and sad at the same time. I read the first two books in the series quite a while ago so it took some time to catch up but now it's on to the next one.
March 21, 2019
Great back story.
This novella tells the story of how Anna came to be abandoned and of the fate of her parents and aunt Weena. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and much appreciated.
This novella tells the story of how Anna came to be abandoned and of the fate of her parents and aunt Weena. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and much appreciated.
November 28, 2023
Interestingly, I think I enjoyed this the most so far of this series. The different perspective probably has a lot to do with it and I think it is well placed between book 2 and 3, as it adds the most there.
October 23, 2018
Overall a great book. Just too short to be five stars. Hoping we hear more about Rowena!
March 30, 2020
The back ground of how Anna became an orphan and what happened to her parents.
July 28, 2020
That was a sad story. Nothing but sad and even sadder knowing that Anna never got adopted. I hope we see aunt Rowena in the last book. It would make me happy to see them both getting a family.
May 29, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It was my first book read by this author. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
January 3, 2024
I just wasn’t interested in this and decided to DNF.
February 19, 2021
Glad to get the backstory. It filled in a lot of gaps.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews