The Fields

by Sammi Leigh Melville

They all came from the mud. The people of the Southern Village fulfill their duty to the field of mud at the village’s center, helping unearth people just like someone once unearthed them. But Mukisa is not mud-born, and for that she is scorned. Her sister has fallen under the mud, and the tension is rising between neighboring villages. When a threat is discovered under the mud, Mukisa must rally the villagers to defend themselves and save her sister — and the village.

275 pages, ebook

Published December 30, 2018

About the author

Sammi Leigh Melville lives in Harrisburg, PA with her cats, Loren, Charlie, and Billy. She is the author of Tween and The Fields, writes film reviews for The Burg, and has written and directed several short films through her production company, Screaming Pictures, in an attempt to work storytelling into every aspect of her life (except for the cats. Okay, maybe she tells stories to her cats).

Reviews

[Robin Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn in by the blurb. I thought 'what an intriguing idea, I bet it doesn't get any play.' I was wrong. It's a fascinating concept, and it's central to everything in the book.

Having said that, this is a character driven story, and the characters and beautifully flawed, readable, entities with voices and lives that make sense and interact in believable ways.

There is an issue with head hopping, to the point that it threw me out of the narrative, and even made me back track a few times to figure out who I was, how I got there, and what I was meat to be feeling.
I wish there was more world building. I kept waiting for some history, politics, or ecology, anything that would give me a feel for the world outside of this immediate event.
It also ends a little unsatisfactorily. The ultimate conflict is powerful, but the wrap up is a bit 'happily ever after', and there are loose ends left to dangle.

Overall, I recommend it, it is well worth the read, but it feels more like a short story than a finished book.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only. Many thanks.

[Mc Chanster · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty interesting read! When I first saw the blurb, I thought the idea was quite creative with a great twist on human origin.

There are couple of interweaving stories in The Fields, and thankfully, they aren’t overly complicated. They fit together well and author did a great job creating this world. I thought the characters were well fleshed out, though I do have to admit I found Mukisa rather frustrating. I love a strong female main, but for me, her stubbornness was almost too much.

The build up to the climax was crafted well and I appreciated the delicate balance between the varying types of tension. I did think the ending was a little rushed – a lot seems to have happened in the final few pages and the resolutions didn’t quite equal the questions. Still, this was a solid read and I enjoyed it.

Thank you Voracious Readers and Sammi Melville for my copy! I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mabearbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An original, engaging and thought provoking novel that is filled with scorn and regret but also love. A well driven plot and characters that are engaging and relatable makes the reader keep turning the pages to hoping to find out what happens to Makisa and her family. Is there a sequel coming to this story soon? I hope so!

[Sonja Ton · Rating 4 out of 5]

So strange and wonderful

This world is full of strange creatures and universal truths all revolving around the fields where life is made.
It’s about life, love, struggle, grief, hope and perspective.

It’s a captivating story and I highly recommend it to anyone.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through Voraciousreadersonly and found it to be well developed with different arcs for different characters. It was very smooth and easy to follow.
I did enjoy reading it and became very engrossed in the storyline.

[Elizabeth Campbell-Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy from Voracious Readers Only and this is my unbiased review.

I felt like this novel would be better suited to a short story format. I felt like time dragged, and we got to know the characters too slowly, but it was definitely a unique plot.

[Helena Handbasket · Rating 5 out of 5]

From mud we came

Interesting but of world building, with characters that still manage to be very human despite inhuman origins. Family remains family.

[Zane Cray · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise was interesting and innovative, but the interpersonal relationships bogged the story down for me.

[John S. Jones]

Intriguing idea with people rising up out of the mud but sometimes falling back. Characters are well built and believable and the story is fascinating. The ending was a bit of a surprise.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel had me gripped from the start. I found it very interesting and would read more by this author.

[Ashleigh Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, different premise. The downside is that I'm still not entirely sure of what was going on. There wasn't a lot of world building or explanation of what the fields are or were. Just that people came out of them when they found them and somehow they were unharmed. If I had a better understanding, I would rate it higher. Otherwise, it was actually interesting and kept moving.

[Tabatha Shipley · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I Did Like:
-The concept. Original and fresh, the idea of pulling bodies out of the mud hits right in that first chapter and gets you hooked. There’s complexities here that are left to the imagination, but it’s a cool concept.
-Mukisa. We already know I like the characters who are hard-headed and strong, so she was a favorite pretty quickly. I liked her focus and dedication. I liked her attitude. Really, I just liked her.
-Relationships take the focus. It’s interesting to see that all kinds of relationships ruled this fantasy story that could’ve easily been dominated by the fantasy elements. Mother-daughter, Husband-wife, Father-daughter, Newly engaged couple, friends … These relationships really form this story. There’s a lesson in there and you know I love my lessons!

Who Should Read This One:
-If you’re a fan of stories that continue to get deeper as you read, you’ll enjoy this one. It gave me Village vibes in that way.
-If you like stories that don’t give you all the answers and leave you something to ponder and think about, you may like this one!

My Rating: 3 Stars. This is a good fantasy story for the right reader.

For full review (including what I didn’t like): https://youtu.be/oYwk5QI7wvI