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Untold Deception
I looked up. The executioner pulled the lever, her body fell, and the crowd cheered. I couldn’t watch the rest, so I lowered my eyes to the ground.
‘I think I understand now. I get it, Mom, I now know what it means to grow up.’
Salan, born an Abomination, a societal term referring to a mixed-race person. Salan is half human and half Felis (cat-like). Being an Abomination, Salan is discriminated against and treated as a social outcast. He lives in the slums with only his mom. Due to Salan's genetics, he can control aura. This aura has an external smoke-like appearance that can morph into dangerous weapons. After the first day of high school, Salan makes his first friend, Seraculus. Her dominant gene being Minyades, a bat-like race of people. She is the only other Abomination. After school, the landlord asks for an outrageous amount of money for rent that his mother cannot afford. Salan kills and sells an endangered species pelt illegally to pay rent. The royal guards find out about the pelt and torture Salan in the town square. This cruelty sparks a revolution.
‘I think I understand now. I get it, Mom, I now know what it means to grow up.’
Salan, born an Abomination, a societal term referring to a mixed-race person. Salan is half human and half Felis (cat-like). Being an Abomination, Salan is discriminated against and treated as a social outcast. He lives in the slums with only his mom. Due to Salan's genetics, he can control aura. This aura has an external smoke-like appearance that can morph into dangerous weapons. After the first day of high school, Salan makes his first friend, Seraculus. Her dominant gene being Minyades, a bat-like race of people. She is the only other Abomination. After school, the landlord asks for an outrageous amount of money for rent that his mother cannot afford. Salan kills and sells an endangered species pelt illegally to pay rent. The royal guards find out about the pelt and torture Salan in the town square. This cruelty sparks a revolution.
304 pages, ebook
Published July 10, 2018
6 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
William Staikos
1 book4 followersI am a Canadian 23-year-old writer that is constantly trying to develop new concepts for stories.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 12, 2020
Untold Deception by William Staikos is a Young Adult Fantasy novel.
First, let me thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Sorry for the delay in reviewing William!
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
16-year old Salan Alkacheta is an Abomination, only allowed to live so that the government can use him in their military when he is old enough. He is half human and half Felis (cat-like), and he is just coming into his gifts. He can create a smoke-like aura that can be used as almost anything he needs. Abominations are treated as social outcasts, and Salan and his mother live in the slums, and try to make ends meet, but due to the prejudices he faces, they aren't succeeding.
Salan meets Seraculus on his first day of high school. She too is an Abomination. She is a Minyades, a bat-like race of people. Seraculus is his first friend.
While hunting to put food on their table, and to get pelts to trade for money, Salan mistakenly kills an endangered species. His mother is out-raged and insists he get rid of the evidence. However, Salan knows that he can get a lot of money for those pelts, and they are in desperate need.
It isn't long before his deed is discovered, and he is called to the Town Square to be tortured. Soon he is running for his life, running from one country on the verge of a war, to another.
My Opinions:
This is a wonderful coming-of-age fantasy story, and was quite enjoyable (even for someone as old as I am). It centered on the topic of race discrimination, and the unfair treatment of those that are not "the norm".
It was well-written, and well-paced, with plenty of action, and a good plot.
The characters and races are well-defined, and the imagery is good. It is quite easy to picture the different races whether they are Cyclops, or Felis, or the colour changing Hymers.
I liked how the author started each new chapter with a quote from people ranging from Albert Einstein to Elvis Presley.
Although the copy I received had a number of grammatical errors in it which were quite annoying, the book was quite an enjoyable read!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
April 7, 2020
After the Great war, the human race allied with the Cyclops and Caltron races, took over the world. The Tranvesus race was smart enough unlike the Manyades race that fell. The Felis race was subdued into slavery and made to give up their homeland.
Salan Alkacheta, a sixteen-year-old teenager, lost his mother to the cruelty of their world and the discrimination of his kind. Salan is seen as an abomination, a cross between the Felis and the human race. After the public display of his mother's death, he's on the run from the royal guards. He is trained to become a strong soldier and hone his abilities by a secret facility that captured him. Following the events of his life, he discovers shocking revelations about his father and how his existence is intertwined between the races. He embarks on a mission to stop another Great War from happening but time is not on his side.
Untold Deception is a 302-page Coming of age fantasy book written by William Staikos and published on July 10th, 2018. I enjoyed every bit of the story. It is such an entertaining and engaging read, consisting of 21 chapters that would leave a reader wanting more. A little bit of humor and romance was added for good measure which made it all the more interesting. The author's writing style was outstanding. His ability to paint a character's emotions in a vivid and convincing way is impeccable. The character development is also solid.
The story is fast-paced and well-written. However, it doesn't seem to be professionally edited. I noticed quite a few errors including misplaced commas, missing quotation marks and words in the narrative. Another round of editing will go a long way to correct those errors. Themes of isolation, survival, friendship and death were observed as the story progressed.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to lovers of dark fantasy and youth of all ages. I'm pleased to rate this amazing work, four out of five stars. I hope this becomes the start of a fantastic series from William Staikos.
Salan Alkacheta, a sixteen-year-old teenager, lost his mother to the cruelty of their world and the discrimination of his kind. Salan is seen as an abomination, a cross between the Felis and the human race. After the public display of his mother's death, he's on the run from the royal guards. He is trained to become a strong soldier and hone his abilities by a secret facility that captured him. Following the events of his life, he discovers shocking revelations about his father and how his existence is intertwined between the races. He embarks on a mission to stop another Great War from happening but time is not on his side.
Untold Deception is a 302-page Coming of age fantasy book written by William Staikos and published on July 10th, 2018. I enjoyed every bit of the story. It is such an entertaining and engaging read, consisting of 21 chapters that would leave a reader wanting more. A little bit of humor and romance was added for good measure which made it all the more interesting. The author's writing style was outstanding. His ability to paint a character's emotions in a vivid and convincing way is impeccable. The character development is also solid.
The story is fast-paced and well-written. However, it doesn't seem to be professionally edited. I noticed quite a few errors including misplaced commas, missing quotation marks and words in the narrative. Another round of editing will go a long way to correct those errors. Themes of isolation, survival, friendship and death were observed as the story progressed.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to lovers of dark fantasy and youth of all ages. I'm pleased to rate this amazing work, four out of five stars. I hope this becomes the start of a fantastic series from William Staikos.
March 23, 2020
Untold Deception is truly a remarkable installment consisting of 21 chapters that has a proper balance in its continuous development between the narrative and its protagonist. In this coming of age read, Staikos focuses on pain, isolation, and death from a different degree. He captures and presents human emotions in a dynamic, multi-dimensional way. He explores and processes on the areas of bullying, discrimination, abuse, and false accusations evident through his characters.
As a reader, you wish to read a book that would engross you in such a way that makes you never forget what it feels like being in the story and feeling the character. Not all the books have the ability to leave a mark in their reader's mind, but when they do: never let go. William Staikos may not be as famous as one would anticipate, but I assure you he is an author you would never forget.
As a reader, you wish to read a book that would engross you in such a way that makes you never forget what it feels like being in the story and feeling the character. Not all the books have the ability to leave a mark in their reader's mind, but when they do: never let go. William Staikos may not be as famous as one would anticipate, but I assure you he is an author you would never forget.
February 20, 2020
Untold Deception by William Staikos
Story starts out with a court trial and he has no say in the matter. He's found guilty and he confessed
and while the whip with spikes strikes him he learns his mother will be hung right next to him. She has some positive words for him and that it's not his fault.
Story goes back in time so we can find out more about the different species and their abilities.
He's a mixed breed and used to sitting in the back of the bus, classroom etc. He trains with the military and he's advanced so much in so little time.
He is pursued by the guards and he hides out in a city but is kidnapped after being drugged. They use him as an experiment and he is taken to a location where there are others going through experiments also.
Lots of workouts and the names of people are confusing. It's like a contest to see who can do the best at the tasks they are given.
They learn of how they can escape with help of the doctor but they will only have a small timeframe to do so....
Like learning about the robotics and aura that he can create and especially the healing powers and how it's done.
He has nightmares where his mother is asking why did you kill us and then they turn into creatures attacking him...
Like quotes at the start of a new chapter, most fitting!
Like how this all comes together at the end.
Story starts out with a court trial and he has no say in the matter. He's found guilty and he confessed
and while the whip with spikes strikes him he learns his mother will be hung right next to him. She has some positive words for him and that it's not his fault.
Story goes back in time so we can find out more about the different species and their abilities.
He's a mixed breed and used to sitting in the back of the bus, classroom etc. He trains with the military and he's advanced so much in so little time.
He is pursued by the guards and he hides out in a city but is kidnapped after being drugged. They use him as an experiment and he is taken to a location where there are others going through experiments also.
Lots of workouts and the names of people are confusing. It's like a contest to see who can do the best at the tasks they are given.
They learn of how they can escape with help of the doctor but they will only have a small timeframe to do so....
Like learning about the robotics and aura that he can create and especially the healing powers and how it's done.
He has nightmares where his mother is asking why did you kill us and then they turn into creatures attacking him...
Like quotes at the start of a new chapter, most fitting!
Like how this all comes together at the end.
February 13, 2020
A well-crafted sci-fi fantasy...
Author William Staikos weaves an exceptional Coming of Age Fantasy that will captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a compelling and intriguing story involving pain, isolation and death in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a relatively fast paced novel that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last
The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘People are like coal the pressure of pain, isolation, and death can crush them into dust or can form them into diamonds. This is the pressure that sixteen-year-old Salan must face. Salan is a mixed-race child, half-cat and half-human, and as such his society regards him as a dangerous Abomination. But it’s the execution of his own mother in the town square that forces Salan to run from the law. As it turns out, rather than being the lowest of the low, Salan is worth more to his country than he know.’
Now, if that’s not enough to grab your attention, I don’t know what will. But if you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! However, I will say it was well worth the read. It’s my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed.
The contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors. Staikos pays as much attention to his sentences as he does to his plots, shifting or consolidating meaning with the use of a single word. His writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that helps to create an atmosphere that will leave you wanting more.
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class sci-fi fantasy with perfect pacing.
Untold Deception had every element a good story should have. An interesting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book. It’s one of those stories that come along once in a while that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.
I’ll be looking forward to reading more from William Staikos in the future. I would highly recommend this book. A well-deserved five stars from me.
Author William Staikos weaves an exceptional Coming of Age Fantasy that will captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a compelling and intriguing story involving pain, isolation and death in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a relatively fast paced novel that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last
The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘People are like coal the pressure of pain, isolation, and death can crush them into dust or can form them into diamonds. This is the pressure that sixteen-year-old Salan must face. Salan is a mixed-race child, half-cat and half-human, and as such his society regards him as a dangerous Abomination. But it’s the execution of his own mother in the town square that forces Salan to run from the law. As it turns out, rather than being the lowest of the low, Salan is worth more to his country than he know.’
Now, if that’s not enough to grab your attention, I don’t know what will. But if you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! However, I will say it was well worth the read. It’s my first time reading this author and I must say I was very impressed.
The contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors. Staikos pays as much attention to his sentences as he does to his plots, shifting or consolidating meaning with the use of a single word. His writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that helps to create an atmosphere that will leave you wanting more.
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class sci-fi fantasy with perfect pacing.
Untold Deception had every element a good story should have. An interesting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book. It’s one of those stories that come along once in a while that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.
I’ll be looking forward to reading more from William Staikos in the future. I would highly recommend this book. A well-deserved five stars from me.
November 1, 2023
Untold Deception by William Staikos is an exciting coming of age, fantasy, adventure. The main character, Salan, is of mixed heritage and considered an abomination. His mixed-race means his mother must pay a higher rent-tax, and that sets a tragedy in motion, causing Salan’s to flee.
Populating the fantasy world of Faslow and surrounding territories are Humans, Cyclops, Minyades (bat type people), Felis (cat type people) and the Red and Blue gangs plus various wildlife.
Salan has two encounters with the rare Macrovinae animals. The first cost him dearly. It was pleasing to see that second meeting bringing us full circle. During his travels, he befriends a Bastil, a type of cat that is dangerous and banned in most areas. The Bastil, Sanoj (an anagram of significance) has a bond with Salan who is part Felis.
Salan suffers greatly and looses much but never his sense of justice. One line from Salan’s POV was, “Just because someone has a greater amount of power doesn’t mean they have a higher sense of morality.” This theme threaded through the novel and drove Salan to be the man he became.
He keeps his mother’s flute with him and treasures it. In a way, it is the living proof that her wisdom is with him always, as his spirit guide.
Haunted by incidents from the past, and not knowing his father’s identity fueled the boy’s right of passage. Both Salan and the reader are surprised when information about his father is revealed. I found that most enjoyable.
Salan is an Abundan as well as an Abomination. Abundans, possess many special gifts and a unique aura. He starts out the book a boy and ends a man of stature and worth. This transformation is very true to the fantasy genre, where boys become men. What a man he becomes, ascending to a new level of social responsibility— a true hero.
He goes through many rights of passage, at one time a captive, but I will leave you to discover that on your own.
I recommend this story that while mostly geared to teens, I a senior enjoyed. The quotes by famous people heading each chapter gave the reader a hint at what the pages might contain.
This book could have benefited from more thorough editing, but that did not deter from the storyline. I give Untold Deception four out of five stars. Taking one-off for the editing, so the story itself holds firm and is a good read
Populating the fantasy world of Faslow and surrounding territories are Humans, Cyclops, Minyades (bat type people), Felis (cat type people) and the Red and Blue gangs plus various wildlife.
Salan has two encounters with the rare Macrovinae animals. The first cost him dearly. It was pleasing to see that second meeting bringing us full circle. During his travels, he befriends a Bastil, a type of cat that is dangerous and banned in most areas. The Bastil, Sanoj (an anagram of significance) has a bond with Salan who is part Felis.
Salan suffers greatly and looses much but never his sense of justice. One line from Salan’s POV was, “Just because someone has a greater amount of power doesn’t mean they have a higher sense of morality.” This theme threaded through the novel and drove Salan to be the man he became.
He keeps his mother’s flute with him and treasures it. In a way, it is the living proof that her wisdom is with him always, as his spirit guide.
Haunted by incidents from the past, and not knowing his father’s identity fueled the boy’s right of passage. Both Salan and the reader are surprised when information about his father is revealed. I found that most enjoyable.
Salan is an Abundan as well as an Abomination. Abundans, possess many special gifts and a unique aura. He starts out the book a boy and ends a man of stature and worth. This transformation is very true to the fantasy genre, where boys become men. What a man he becomes, ascending to a new level of social responsibility— a true hero.
He goes through many rights of passage, at one time a captive, but I will leave you to discover that on your own.
I recommend this story that while mostly geared to teens, I a senior enjoyed. The quotes by famous people heading each chapter gave the reader a hint at what the pages might contain.
This book could have benefited from more thorough editing, but that did not deter from the storyline. I give Untold Deception four out of five stars. Taking one-off for the editing, so the story itself holds firm and is a good read
April 22, 2021
Untold Deception tells a story of a teenage boy, Salan, who lives in a political society of Faslow, whose justice system is blinded by hatred, prejudice, and racism.
Salan is of mixed heritage and his mixed-race is considered an abomination to the Faslow society . His unique physical appearance and special abilities that come with being a mixer of Felis (cat-like people) and human have been the talk and whisper of everyone who encounters him. When he is accused of a crime, he along with his mother is judged and punished in public. He has to forcefully witness the public assassination of his mother.
Upon realizing the hatred that the Faslow society has upon the people of his kind, Salan tries to run from the law and escape the country. Unfortunately, he is caught and locked up in a facility that trains young people with similar special abilities as his own. What follows is a narration of how he learns to cope with the new place, the training, the new people, and the gruesome recurring nightmares of witnessing his mother’s public assassination.
In the end, he is faced with making the toughest and most important decision of his life: Will he fulfill his dream of finding a new place to stay, and leave behind the country and corrupt society that has cost him so much pain and heartache, or will he find the courage to go back to Faslow, confront the tormenting demons of his past in order to help fight for peace, harmony, and equality of a country that is still home to the friends and loved ones he has left behind?
Readers of this captivating story will experience the love, the joy, the pain, the anguish, the sorrow, and the isolation of a teenage boy who has to survive the cruelty of a harsh society. It highlights the importance of family, friends, obligations, and the importance of never letting go of one’s personal ethics and values, no matter what one encounters in life.
I thoroughly enjoy reading this captivating fantasy. I especially enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter that prepare the reader for what to expect in each chapter. I believe Untold Deception is suitable for young adults, but grown-ups might also enjoy it since Staikos creatively crafted its plot so well.
The one downside I have found about this book is that it is not thoroughly edited. But this will in no way prevent anyone from enjoying the book. Another downside of this book is that the narration at the beginning of the book is dull. I had a hard time connecting with the protagonist at the beginning of the story. The assassination scene in the Townsquare felt like it was being narrated by a third person instead of the first. The flow of scenes or events in the first chapter is also jumpy. For example, the scenes where Salan and his mother were talking in the bedroom about him screaming in his sleep, then the preparation of breakfast in the kitchen, and suddenly, the royal guard barging into the house. It was a bit confusing.
Other than that, this is an exceptional book. I will definitely look forward to what William Staikos comes up with next.
Salan is of mixed heritage and his mixed-race is considered an abomination to the Faslow society . His unique physical appearance and special abilities that come with being a mixer of Felis (cat-like people) and human have been the talk and whisper of everyone who encounters him. When he is accused of a crime, he along with his mother is judged and punished in public. He has to forcefully witness the public assassination of his mother.
Upon realizing the hatred that the Faslow society has upon the people of his kind, Salan tries to run from the law and escape the country. Unfortunately, he is caught and locked up in a facility that trains young people with similar special abilities as his own. What follows is a narration of how he learns to cope with the new place, the training, the new people, and the gruesome recurring nightmares of witnessing his mother’s public assassination.
In the end, he is faced with making the toughest and most important decision of his life: Will he fulfill his dream of finding a new place to stay, and leave behind the country and corrupt society that has cost him so much pain and heartache, or will he find the courage to go back to Faslow, confront the tormenting demons of his past in order to help fight for peace, harmony, and equality of a country that is still home to the friends and loved ones he has left behind?
Readers of this captivating story will experience the love, the joy, the pain, the anguish, the sorrow, and the isolation of a teenage boy who has to survive the cruelty of a harsh society. It highlights the importance of family, friends, obligations, and the importance of never letting go of one’s personal ethics and values, no matter what one encounters in life.
I thoroughly enjoy reading this captivating fantasy. I especially enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter that prepare the reader for what to expect in each chapter. I believe Untold Deception is suitable for young adults, but grown-ups might also enjoy it since Staikos creatively crafted its plot so well.
The one downside I have found about this book is that it is not thoroughly edited. But this will in no way prevent anyone from enjoying the book. Another downside of this book is that the narration at the beginning of the book is dull. I had a hard time connecting with the protagonist at the beginning of the story. The assassination scene in the Townsquare felt like it was being narrated by a third person instead of the first. The flow of scenes or events in the first chapter is also jumpy. For example, the scenes where Salan and his mother were talking in the bedroom about him screaming in his sleep, then the preparation of breakfast in the kitchen, and suddenly, the royal guard barging into the house. It was a bit confusing.
Other than that, this is an exceptional book. I will definitely look forward to what William Staikos comes up with next.
December 11, 2018
The story and concept are great but as I was reading I found that it was hard to get through as the writing wasn't cleaned-up as well as it could have been. Some of the spoken parts seemed to be stiff or too formal while at other times it was very relaxed. Very hopeful that the author will continue writing and improving, and hopefully continue with this story as well as I'd like to know what happens with the characters.
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February 14, 2020The story was a bit all over the place I wasn't sure about the setting either. I felt like the writer was holding back or maybe trying too hard to stick the story to the present . I would completely have done away with any typical name and go with made up names for creativity sake. And also a little more research on language would have done wonders, in relation to the time period.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews