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Zepharius: Volume 2
“I’ll give you a few weeks to try to fix that enslaved mentality of yours, but if you don’t show any signs of change…” They step closer to me and glare threateningly into my eyes. I feel my hearts shaking and my fingers go cold. “I will kill you myself,” they threaten me, “to spare you from ending up left for dead elsewhere.” My entire body grows cold now. I had gotten accustomed to Lïtsubavïr’s empty threats, but this feels completely different. Trakyuuserrïa was right. The aura of the community around me and the correlation between the dïfakàténs here have given me a false reassurance. They all get along and have peace because they are already established here in the underground. They all belong here. I don’t. ---------------------- The planet Gisaawek is hiding in a lie, its citizens corrupted by a force unleashed years ago known as the “Repression”. The planet’s drive for power and war is increasing on an unrelenting level. Planets that were once allies have turned against them. Zepharius, now a former soldier of Gisaawek lives as an outsider in her own world. She is one of the dïfakàténs, people whose existence is forbidden by the government. They refer to themselves as “Restored”; people who have overcome the Repression and are seeking to restore Gisaawek. Zepharius sets out to join their movement, tasked with the prospect of leadership and providing aid to a counterattack. With chaos enveloping the planet and the loss of their leader putting them at high alert, the Restored are wary of anyone who enters their domain. Zepharius seems trustworthy, but holds information that could destroy her potential for joining them, being the last person to see their beloved leader alive. With trust becoming the dividing line between life and death, Zepharius struggles to adapt to the new community around her. When an unexpected infiltration puts them on unknown grounds, will she be able to gain their trust and help her people survive?
315 pages, Paperback
Published March 4, 2019
3 people want to read
About the author
Mel Snyder
4 books5 followersI am a new self-published author of a science fiction series titled "Zepharius", which I am working towards making it a trilogy. The book is currently available on Amazon, Kindle, and Google Play.
Book 3 is in the making!
If you want to see updates, you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
You can ask me anything you like!
Book 3 is in the making!
If you want to see updates, you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
You can ask me anything you like!
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 21, 2021
*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Zepharius Vol. 2 picks up right where volume 1 left off, and if you don’t read volume 1 first then very little will make any sense!
This instalment has a much faster pace than the first, and less worldbuilding. Zepharius, the main character, has fallen in with the rebels’ underground faction, and immediately fallen into danger with them as they are swept up for imprisonment in a mining facility on another planet… to be worked to death.
The majority of the action is less focused on the bigger plot of the budding interplanetary wars and is more personal, following Zepharius and her companions as they attempt to escape from their underground prison in order to resume their rebellion.
I really enjoyed the mix of secondary characters in this volume, and that there was more of a group feel to the action, rather than Zepharius continually going solo – it brought more breadth of experience to events to have more than just the competent soldier perspective, and added an undercurrent of mistrust, as it seemed clear that there was a traitor somewhere in the ranks, but not clear who it might be.
The running themes in this series are of power and dominance vs. both individual and community freedoms and I am intrigued to see where the author takes this and how the story arc is eventually resolved. This volume, as with the previous, ends on a cliffhanger in order to lead the reader straight into volume 3 and I am keeping an eye out for its release so that I can find out whether Zepharius manages to expose the usurpers and restore peace – I’ll keep you posted!
'“I’ll give you a few weeks to try to fix that enslaved mentality of yours, but if you don’t show any signs of change…”
They step closer to me and glare threateningly into my eyes. I feel my hearts shaking and my fingers go cold.
“I will kill you myself,” they threaten me, “to spare you from ending up left for dead elsewhere.”
My entire body grows cold now. I had gotten accustomed to Lïtsubavïr’s empty threats, but this feels completely different.
Trakyuuserrïa was right. The aura of the community around me and the correlation between the dïfakàténs here have given me a false reassurance. They all get along and have peace because they are already established here in the underground.
They all belong here.
I don’t.'
– Mel Snyder, Zepharius Vol. 2
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
Zepharius Vol. 2 picks up right where volume 1 left off, and if you don’t read volume 1 first then very little will make any sense!
This instalment has a much faster pace than the first, and less worldbuilding. Zepharius, the main character, has fallen in with the rebels’ underground faction, and immediately fallen into danger with them as they are swept up for imprisonment in a mining facility on another planet… to be worked to death.
The majority of the action is less focused on the bigger plot of the budding interplanetary wars and is more personal, following Zepharius and her companions as they attempt to escape from their underground prison in order to resume their rebellion.
I really enjoyed the mix of secondary characters in this volume, and that there was more of a group feel to the action, rather than Zepharius continually going solo – it brought more breadth of experience to events to have more than just the competent soldier perspective, and added an undercurrent of mistrust, as it seemed clear that there was a traitor somewhere in the ranks, but not clear who it might be.
The running themes in this series are of power and dominance vs. both individual and community freedoms and I am intrigued to see where the author takes this and how the story arc is eventually resolved. This volume, as with the previous, ends on a cliffhanger in order to lead the reader straight into volume 3 and I am keeping an eye out for its release so that I can find out whether Zepharius manages to expose the usurpers and restore peace – I’ll keep you posted!
'“I’ll give you a few weeks to try to fix that enslaved mentality of yours, but if you don’t show any signs of change…”
They step closer to me and glare threateningly into my eyes. I feel my hearts shaking and my fingers go cold.
“I will kill you myself,” they threaten me, “to spare you from ending up left for dead elsewhere.”
My entire body grows cold now. I had gotten accustomed to Lïtsubavïr’s empty threats, but this feels completely different.
Trakyuuserrïa was right. The aura of the community around me and the correlation between the dïfakàténs here have given me a false reassurance. They all get along and have peace because they are already established here in the underground.
They all belong here.
I don’t.'
– Mel Snyder, Zepharius Vol. 2
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
November 8, 2019
The second book in the series was a lot of fun. New characters, new planets and more in depth conflicts were all presented. The author continued with an action packed novel that includes battle scenes and even more development to characters we were already learning about in Volume 1. Allow yourself to be pulled into the story and keep reading to find out how it progresses. Left me ready for the next one to see where our gang of Restored will end up.
March 14, 2020
Life doesn't get any easier for Zepharius in the second volume of this xenophilic political thriller series. After finally finding allies in an undergound rebellion against the Gisaawekian status quo, our resourceful soldier-turned-deserter finds her troubles are far from over.
To her would-be comrades-in-arms, Zepharius is a convenient scapegoat for the recent tragedies befalling the revolutionary movement. Treated with suspicion and hostility by those she's risked so much to find, Zepharius isn't even able to fully speak in her own defense without endangering the important contacts who have gotten her this far. The resulting conflict is rich and complex; as in the first installment, the protagonist's inner turmoil is skillfully unfolded within a larger landscape of external dangers. Paranoia, injury, accusation, and imprisonment all compete to take Zepharius down, showcasing a main character who is determined and strong, but far from invincible.
More alien races are introduced, adding an array of allies and enemies, each with its own background and motivations. Snyder's greatest strength is the rich world-building that brings you these marvelous settings--most of the book takes place on a planet that is essentially a supermax prison with a toxic atmosphere, as its warring natives struggle to exploit their prisoners for mined resources and are in turn exploited by their more powerful planetary neighbors.
The moderate troubles with syntax and grammar mentioned in my review of the first book are still present, so there is no need to belabor this point. It is a shame to let the reader's focus drift from a fascinating central conflict involving trust and desperation, so the book's biggest problem is that style takes a backseat to storytelling instead of complementing it.
By any measure, "Zepharius: Volume Two" is a worthy heir to its prequel. As the title character comes into her own, rising to well-deserved recognition among her peers, so too does her creator.
To her would-be comrades-in-arms, Zepharius is a convenient scapegoat for the recent tragedies befalling the revolutionary movement. Treated with suspicion and hostility by those she's risked so much to find, Zepharius isn't even able to fully speak in her own defense without endangering the important contacts who have gotten her this far. The resulting conflict is rich and complex; as in the first installment, the protagonist's inner turmoil is skillfully unfolded within a larger landscape of external dangers. Paranoia, injury, accusation, and imprisonment all compete to take Zepharius down, showcasing a main character who is determined and strong, but far from invincible.
More alien races are introduced, adding an array of allies and enemies, each with its own background and motivations. Snyder's greatest strength is the rich world-building that brings you these marvelous settings--most of the book takes place on a planet that is essentially a supermax prison with a toxic atmosphere, as its warring natives struggle to exploit their prisoners for mined resources and are in turn exploited by their more powerful planetary neighbors.
The moderate troubles with syntax and grammar mentioned in my review of the first book are still present, so there is no need to belabor this point. It is a shame to let the reader's focus drift from a fascinating central conflict involving trust and desperation, so the book's biggest problem is that style takes a backseat to storytelling instead of complementing it.
By any measure, "Zepharius: Volume Two" is a worthy heir to its prequel. As the title character comes into her own, rising to well-deserved recognition among her peers, so too does her creator.
September 28, 2020
The second book in the series is a xenophilic political thriller continuing what was left from book one. After Zepharius finding allies in the underground of the Gisaawekian, she finds herself endangered again with the added inner turmoil, paranoia, and complications undermining her own strength and presence.
Zepharius’s goal is still the same, to protect her planet, but this time she isn’t alone. However, this time around, friendly planets are now enemies, and on top of things, Zepharius isn’t sure if her newfound group of friends are also trustworthy.
The story really gets you into the depth of its story and plot. Introducing a much broader casting crew and drama to the mix, the author takes you in an adventure the reader finds hard to put down.
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t ignore the editing issues that were present in book two. As a book editor, I can always notice mistakes, which was such a shame since I found the book to be well written.
The pace was fast, and the world-building was minimized. Emphasis was mostly put into action scenes and the relationships between the characters. The fact that the story has a strong female lead is very appealing to me.
I would recommend this story to people who like to read sci-fi, action, suspense, drama, and thriller stories.
Zepharius’s goal is still the same, to protect her planet, but this time she isn’t alone. However, this time around, friendly planets are now enemies, and on top of things, Zepharius isn’t sure if her newfound group of friends are also trustworthy.
The story really gets you into the depth of its story and plot. Introducing a much broader casting crew and drama to the mix, the author takes you in an adventure the reader finds hard to put down.
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t ignore the editing issues that were present in book two. As a book editor, I can always notice mistakes, which was such a shame since I found the book to be well written.
The pace was fast, and the world-building was minimized. Emphasis was mostly put into action scenes and the relationships between the characters. The fact that the story has a strong female lead is very appealing to me.
I would recommend this story to people who like to read sci-fi, action, suspense, drama, and thriller stories.
December 14, 2019
In Zepharius (Volume II), everything is in disarray. Zepharius is still working to protect and serve her planet, and she’s now joined forces with a group in the hope that they will help her. Planets that were once allies have turned against Zepharius and her planet, while apparent enemies have started working with the Gisaaweks. Will Zepharius and her team be able to end the corruption that’s happening on her planet? More importantly, can Zepharius trust this new group she’s joined?
Opinion:
As with Volume I, I found Volume II to be intriguing because of the cover and the synopsis. I was still confused by the names, but the glossary helped. Zepharius is a tough female character, which I liked because this showed that females could be powerful and able to handle their business accordingly. I also appreciated the author’s illustrations because, as a reader, I got to see what the characters looked like as opposed to envisioning them in my mind. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction and thriller novels.
Opinion:
As with Volume I, I found Volume II to be intriguing because of the cover and the synopsis. I was still confused by the names, but the glossary helped. Zepharius is a tough female character, which I liked because this showed that females could be powerful and able to handle their business accordingly. I also appreciated the author’s illustrations because, as a reader, I got to see what the characters looked like as opposed to envisioning them in my mind. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction and thriller novels.
March 15, 2020
About the book: It’s the second novel in the series. The narrative follows Zepharius as she joins forces with a group that doesn’t trust her in order to protect the planet.
I received a free copy of the novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
First impressions: The second volume picks up right where the first book left off. I found the pacing of this novel faster, since there’s less world-building.
Characters: The story mainly revolves around Zepharius, but the secondary characters grew on me as I got to know them better.
“Attachment can cause someone to overlook all sorts of transgressions.”
Writing: It’s not too long or too short at 300 pages. Snyder is quite descriptive, but the chapters are short. The book is independently published, so there are spelling and grammar mistakes scattered throughout. While the book has glossary at the end, I wish some of the made-up words were defined as they appeared.
Final thoughts: Overall, the premise had potential for an interesting read, but it could’ve been written better. That said, I liked the second novel a little more than the first.
I received a free copy of the novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
First impressions: The second volume picks up right where the first book left off. I found the pacing of this novel faster, since there’s less world-building.
Characters: The story mainly revolves around Zepharius, but the secondary characters grew on me as I got to know them better.
“Attachment can cause someone to overlook all sorts of transgressions.”
Writing: It’s not too long or too short at 300 pages. Snyder is quite descriptive, but the chapters are short. The book is independently published, so there are spelling and grammar mistakes scattered throughout. While the book has glossary at the end, I wish some of the made-up words were defined as they appeared.
Final thoughts: Overall, the premise had potential for an interesting read, but it could’ve been written better. That said, I liked the second novel a little more than the first.
April 20, 2020
I love it. The storytelling is amazing and being able to connect with some of the character's internal battles makes it even better.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews