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Assassin #1
Assassin: The Killing Grounds
“Move and you die.”
Alara gasped for breath as the Assassin tightened his grip on her throat. She thrashed around trying to loosen his hold.
“Be still, girl!”
She relaxed as the Assassin dragged her to her feet and threw her onto a stool.
“Arian?”
Nodding, she opened her mouth to speak, but the Assassin’s hand hovered over the hilt of a black blade, warning her to keep silent.
“You know how I feel about magic users?”
“I do, Sir.”
“That’s Lord, not Sir!”
“Yes, my Lord.”
And so a relationship begins between a seasoned Assassin and a young girl destined to be his apprentice.
Alara Du Preeze finds herself in a viper’s nest with one decision to make, kill or be killed. Only five apprentices will make the grade and join the Guild; the rest will be retired by the sharp edge of a blade.
Assassins have no friends, so the saying goes. But how is she going to survive when the one man she respects is kidnapped and the enemy draws closer?
One girl, two brothers and three powerful families, the perfect recipe for deception and intrigue. An adventure like no other that starts and ends in the most deadly building in the city: The Killing Grounds.
Alara gasped for breath as the Assassin tightened his grip on her throat. She thrashed around trying to loosen his hold.
“Be still, girl!”
She relaxed as the Assassin dragged her to her feet and threw her onto a stool.
“Arian?”
Nodding, she opened her mouth to speak, but the Assassin’s hand hovered over the hilt of a black blade, warning her to keep silent.
“You know how I feel about magic users?”
“I do, Sir.”
“That’s Lord, not Sir!”
“Yes, my Lord.”
And so a relationship begins between a seasoned Assassin and a young girl destined to be his apprentice.
Alara Du Preeze finds herself in a viper’s nest with one decision to make, kill or be killed. Only five apprentices will make the grade and join the Guild; the rest will be retired by the sharp edge of a blade.
Assassins have no friends, so the saying goes. But how is she going to survive when the one man she respects is kidnapped and the enemy draws closer?
One girl, two brothers and three powerful families, the perfect recipe for deception and intrigue. An adventure like no other that starts and ends in the most deadly building in the city: The Killing Grounds.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2016
15 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Simon Corn
7 books3 followersHi all
I'm an old dude that loves writing, reading and MMO's.
You can find out more about me here -
https://simoncornblog.wordpress.com/
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/simon...
https://www.instagram.com/simon_corn_...
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07194PSPR
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
Si
I'm an old dude that loves writing, reading and MMO's.
You can find out more about me here -
https://simoncornblog.wordpress.com/
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/simon...
https://www.instagram.com/simon_corn_...
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B07194PSPR
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
Si
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 29, 2019
This is not a book I would typically pick for myself so I am glad it was suggested by QUIRKY BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK.
This is an incredibly well developed story that has lots of characters that were relatively easy to keep track of.
The story was very visually detailed and I was able to "watch" it as I read. Twists and turns and exciting adventures had me turning pages in such a way that I ended up reading this all on one sitting.
This is definitely a book i would recommend
This is an incredibly well developed story that has lots of characters that were relatively easy to keep track of.
The story was very visually detailed and I was able to "watch" it as I read. Twists and turns and exciting adventures had me turning pages in such a way that I ended up reading this all on one sitting.
This is definitely a book i would recommend
June 16, 2017
Becoming an assassin on the Killing Grounds isn't easy. It's merciless. Not just the training. Everything is a competition to be the best. Alara's come to train with the best. Except--oops. The best goes missing.
The author did a wonderful job with the presentation of the Assassin's Guild. In many ways, it felt different than traditional portrayal. While many stories tend to put emphasis on the importance of the Guild, lots of them fail to elevate that fact. Not so much this Guild. It serves many important purposes. They range from a setting, to a character itself.
There's a few different story lines present. They're unique to the characters, even though they're intertwined. All of them are necessary to the plot and serve to push it forward. Alara, I'm very pleased to announce, managed to be female lead without an actual love story. She was fairly well-written, too. The fact that powerful women had positions of power, without being one extreme stereotype or another was awesome.
Action scenes weren't bad. They weren't wordy and flowy. Nor were they super-technical and dry. A nice medium existed between the two. Character motions and actions did get a little repetitive on occasion. I liked the way the character development played out, for the most part. There were times I felt things were a little too on the easy side for Alara. The ending certainly wasn't what I was expecting. I liked the twists, but one of them came out of left field. A little foreshadowing would have helped the build-up and make the resolution a little cleaner.
Killing Grounds did a lot right in terms of story, development, and characters. There's some polishing needed regarding the more technical aspects. Paragraphs felt clumped together weird and too long in certain areas. A lot of information came with those paragraphs, so breaking them up would make things easier to read. Sentences, especially towards the end, felt much the same as the paragraphs. The closer it got to the end, the more rushed things felt. There's a lot happening at once, and some of it feels like chaos.
Sequels and follow-ups for the characters are in the works. I'm kind of excited for that. Even the supporting characters were interesting enough that I want to read their personal stories. Whether or not they follow the main plot of Killing Grounds remains to be seen. This has serious potential to be an excellent series.
The author did a wonderful job with the presentation of the Assassin's Guild. In many ways, it felt different than traditional portrayal. While many stories tend to put emphasis on the importance of the Guild, lots of them fail to elevate that fact. Not so much this Guild. It serves many important purposes. They range from a setting, to a character itself.
There's a few different story lines present. They're unique to the characters, even though they're intertwined. All of them are necessary to the plot and serve to push it forward. Alara, I'm very pleased to announce, managed to be female lead without an actual love story. She was fairly well-written, too. The fact that powerful women had positions of power, without being one extreme stereotype or another was awesome.
Action scenes weren't bad. They weren't wordy and flowy. Nor were they super-technical and dry. A nice medium existed between the two. Character motions and actions did get a little repetitive on occasion. I liked the way the character development played out, for the most part. There were times I felt things were a little too on the easy side for Alara. The ending certainly wasn't what I was expecting. I liked the twists, but one of them came out of left field. A little foreshadowing would have helped the build-up and make the resolution a little cleaner.
Killing Grounds did a lot right in terms of story, development, and characters. There's some polishing needed regarding the more technical aspects. Paragraphs felt clumped together weird and too long in certain areas. A lot of information came with those paragraphs, so breaking them up would make things easier to read. Sentences, especially towards the end, felt much the same as the paragraphs. The closer it got to the end, the more rushed things felt. There's a lot happening at once, and some of it feels like chaos.
Sequels and follow-ups for the characters are in the works. I'm kind of excited for that. Even the supporting characters were interesting enough that I want to read their personal stories. Whether or not they follow the main plot of Killing Grounds remains to be seen. This has serious potential to be an excellent series.
July 15, 2019
Fantastic original and gritty fast paced read
Within a half hour of starting this read I just knew; this is my cup of tea, and I started to get excited. Simon Corn, you did not disappoint. I am so glad to have stumbled across Alara's story but, although I have just purchased the second installment of the series, I am already dreading finishing the series as I will have to begin my search for original caracters, intrigue, humor and grit anew.
I would describe this book as light fantasy, suitable for readers who enjoy the style of authors such as Joe Abercrombie but also suited to YA readers.
Within a half hour of starting this read I just knew; this is my cup of tea, and I started to get excited. Simon Corn, you did not disappoint. I am so glad to have stumbled across Alara's story but, although I have just purchased the second installment of the series, I am already dreading finishing the series as I will have to begin my search for original caracters, intrigue, humor and grit anew.
I would describe this book as light fantasy, suitable for readers who enjoy the style of authors such as Joe Abercrombie but also suited to YA readers.
May 29, 2019
This is not my usual read but I found myself really enjoying the book. I would definitely read more.
October 9, 2018
An interesting fantasy thriller read that is going to keep you guessing throughout, especially when it throws in a few twists and turns along the way.
The world changed after the ABC wars, which affected the Poles, shifting them so it changed how the world, and everything in it, worked. Holes in ozone layers appeared, magnetic waves started altering satellites, TV, Internet, radio and even animal populations who used them to survive suffered. Everything was thrown into chaos. These changes however brought with them gifts, something happened to the people who survived – they started to get powers, magic – they became Artists. A gift or a curse? There are always two sides to everything.
Now in this new world if you do something wrong you are retired to the mines. Retired as in dead to be brought back to work. Well for some anyway, others I’m guessing would just stay dead. This would be the job of an Assassin. Osari, a high level Guild Assassin, knows trouble is brewing and it starts with the arrival of Alara, his new spotter – someone who has to see the kill so he can get paid. She might have gone to him to be his new spotter but it seems he wants her to be his apprentice instead. Something to do with a tale long told to him about how he may have to rely on a stranger with certain gifts. Training begins at the Killing Grounds, where not everything is as it seems.
Now the Quartermaster at the Killing Grounds is someone you don’t want to mess with. He is the person that bounties of people to be taken out go to, all having committed a crime of some sort. He also seems to be a powerful Artist – side note mind tricks can be painful so Alara better watch out. He has some sound advice for when she starts training, inside the walls she’s safe but out she’s fair game. Every other apprentice in the Killing Grounds is an enemy and would try to kill her first chance they get. She needs to watch her back with the path she has chosen. This training school is a bit different with how you pass. It’s large at 32 and with the instructors wanting it to be cut down quick things are about to get dicey. Only top 5 will go into the Guild to become Assassins, so to get there a lot of others are going to need to go and by go I mean gone for good.
Now this is one class you don’t really want to be making friends. Gideon seems pleasant enough but whether he’s friend or foe only time will tell. He is the A1 for the group, top of the class. Black, A2, is very standoffish but could come in handy when trouble arises. They definitely have a bit of a rivalry complex with each other. There are only 3 other girls for Alara to contend with, Lucinda being the only one of note to worry about.
Training is hard enough but when word comes of Lord Osari’s early retirement Alara she knows she needs to watch her back, as danger might be coming from more than just her classmates. She might be catching up in the credits to go up in rankings but still has a way to go. When the council send members to ask questions about who could have retired Lord Osari, as it might be someone from her class, she knows she needs to find out too. She starts by finding his death stone within the Assassins vault. Each apprentice gets one, half to stay with you and the other for the vault, and only when you have been retired will it die. When she sees his still have life in it she knows he has been taken. She just needs to figure out by whom, how to get him back and how it’s linked to her. Is there anyone she can trust to help? Something has been set in motion; she just needs to figure out what before the danger gets too close.
Alara, Black and Lucinda are a team to be reckoned with. But are they really ready? Graduation is deadly but what follows is about to get worse. A twist at the end you won’t see coming. Whose side will our 3 assassins fall on and who really has Lord Osari? Answers entwined in this fast paced thriller read.
I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.
https://readingnook84.wordpress.com/2...
The world changed after the ABC wars, which affected the Poles, shifting them so it changed how the world, and everything in it, worked. Holes in ozone layers appeared, magnetic waves started altering satellites, TV, Internet, radio and even animal populations who used them to survive suffered. Everything was thrown into chaos. These changes however brought with them gifts, something happened to the people who survived – they started to get powers, magic – they became Artists. A gift or a curse? There are always two sides to everything.
Now in this new world if you do something wrong you are retired to the mines. Retired as in dead to be brought back to work. Well for some anyway, others I’m guessing would just stay dead. This would be the job of an Assassin. Osari, a high level Guild Assassin, knows trouble is brewing and it starts with the arrival of Alara, his new spotter – someone who has to see the kill so he can get paid. She might have gone to him to be his new spotter but it seems he wants her to be his apprentice instead. Something to do with a tale long told to him about how he may have to rely on a stranger with certain gifts. Training begins at the Killing Grounds, where not everything is as it seems.
Now the Quartermaster at the Killing Grounds is someone you don’t want to mess with. He is the person that bounties of people to be taken out go to, all having committed a crime of some sort. He also seems to be a powerful Artist – side note mind tricks can be painful so Alara better watch out. He has some sound advice for when she starts training, inside the walls she’s safe but out she’s fair game. Every other apprentice in the Killing Grounds is an enemy and would try to kill her first chance they get. She needs to watch her back with the path she has chosen. This training school is a bit different with how you pass. It’s large at 32 and with the instructors wanting it to be cut down quick things are about to get dicey. Only top 5 will go into the Guild to become Assassins, so to get there a lot of others are going to need to go and by go I mean gone for good.
Now this is one class you don’t really want to be making friends. Gideon seems pleasant enough but whether he’s friend or foe only time will tell. He is the A1 for the group, top of the class. Black, A2, is very standoffish but could come in handy when trouble arises. They definitely have a bit of a rivalry complex with each other. There are only 3 other girls for Alara to contend with, Lucinda being the only one of note to worry about.
Training is hard enough but when word comes of Lord Osari’s early retirement Alara she knows she needs to watch her back, as danger might be coming from more than just her classmates. She might be catching up in the credits to go up in rankings but still has a way to go. When the council send members to ask questions about who could have retired Lord Osari, as it might be someone from her class, she knows she needs to find out too. She starts by finding his death stone within the Assassins vault. Each apprentice gets one, half to stay with you and the other for the vault, and only when you have been retired will it die. When she sees his still have life in it she knows he has been taken. She just needs to figure out by whom, how to get him back and how it’s linked to her. Is there anyone she can trust to help? Something has been set in motion; she just needs to figure out what before the danger gets too close.
Alara, Black and Lucinda are a team to be reckoned with. But are they really ready? Graduation is deadly but what follows is about to get worse. A twist at the end you won’t see coming. Whose side will our 3 assassins fall on and who really has Lord Osari? Answers entwined in this fast paced thriller read.
I received a copy of this book from the author for my honest review.
https://readingnook84.wordpress.com/2...
December 29, 2017
This is a fantasy thriller suitable for mature young adults and up.
Alara set out to be Lord Osari's spotter: one who verifies an assassin's kills. Instead she finds herself fast tracked in the final year of an assassin school as an apprentice. This is a school like no other; not everyone gets to graduate as it is up to the students to whittle down numbers to find the best of the best. As always politics and founding families have a hand in the selections and when Lord Osari goes missing she needs to find allies to help her figure out which major family house was behind it all. She is stuck in a nest of vipers so who can she trust? And are the dragon statues that weave the houses together just that: statues? It's kill or be killed in her life.
Even though I edited the book, in my opinion it is a really good book. A very interesting idea for a storyline that gives you a little taster of the books to come. Alara is a strong female character and holds her own against some of the more dominant male characters. The concept of the pupils having to eliminate class members, not just with sheer brutal force but with magical artistic abilities, is well portrayed and the action sequences exhilarating. Alliances are quickly created and as quickly destroyed and placing loyalty in someone might not be the best thing. The dragon statues play a big part in the story and I'm curious to see where this goes. I liked the idea of commerce versus old money, with rival families unearthing secrets that could destroy years of hiding indiscretions. The places are based on real towns in and around Portsmouth so a number of the forts and areas can be seen on the net.
I loved the story and can't wait for the next one!
Alara set out to be Lord Osari's spotter: one who verifies an assassin's kills. Instead she finds herself fast tracked in the final year of an assassin school as an apprentice. This is a school like no other; not everyone gets to graduate as it is up to the students to whittle down numbers to find the best of the best. As always politics and founding families have a hand in the selections and when Lord Osari goes missing she needs to find allies to help her figure out which major family house was behind it all. She is stuck in a nest of vipers so who can she trust? And are the dragon statues that weave the houses together just that: statues? It's kill or be killed in her life.
Even though I edited the book, in my opinion it is a really good book. A very interesting idea for a storyline that gives you a little taster of the books to come. Alara is a strong female character and holds her own against some of the more dominant male characters. The concept of the pupils having to eliminate class members, not just with sheer brutal force but with magical artistic abilities, is well portrayed and the action sequences exhilarating. Alliances are quickly created and as quickly destroyed and placing loyalty in someone might not be the best thing. The dragon statues play a big part in the story and I'm curious to see where this goes. I liked the idea of commerce versus old money, with rival families unearthing secrets that could destroy years of hiding indiscretions. The places are based on real towns in and around Portsmouth so a number of the forts and areas can be seen on the net.
I loved the story and can't wait for the next one!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews