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Silverlands #1
Argenterra
Argenterra (Silverlands Book 1)
For lovers of epic fantasy…
In a land where oaths can’t be broken, be careful what promises you make.
To break the binding oath is to risk the very magic of Argenterra.
Best friends, Sophy and Aria, are on a family trip in Scotland when they find themselves swept away to another world.
The lush land of Argenterra is imbued heavily with a magic known as the GIVEN – but while Aria adapts quickly, able to use and recognize the magic as naturally as if she’d been born in this world, Sophy struggles to find her place. Far from discovering her own magical gifts, Sophy is unable to feel the GIVEN at all. Something about the magic has warped and changed her appearance and she’s lost her vibrancy, becoming a mere shadow of her former self. Previously the attractive, outgoing one, now she is ugly and unable to fit in, whereas Aria has grown in confidence.
As Aria thrives, quickly falling in love with a dashing prince, Sophy fights to survive in an increasingly hostile and deadly realm. She pairs up with Oakheart, ambassador to the king, on a quest to discover her true purpose in the kingdom, but soon the darker side of Argenterra and its people becomes apparent to both women.
The GIVEN is not without cost – the laws of this magic dictate that oaths are bound with the GIVEN and the inhabitants of Argenterra bear the mark of the original, ancestral oath to the land. Every promise must be kept or the land’s magic will compel its completion. Only murder can sunder a binding oath and then magic will wane and Argenterra will become the Ungiven Land – but no native Argenterran has that power.
Now trapped by binding promises of their own, Sophy and Aria’s friendship will test oaths and Sophy’s very presence will pose a true threat to Argenterra...
For lovers of epic fantasy…
In a land where oaths can’t be broken, be careful what promises you make.
To break the binding oath is to risk the very magic of Argenterra.
Best friends, Sophy and Aria, are on a family trip in Scotland when they find themselves swept away to another world.
The lush land of Argenterra is imbued heavily with a magic known as the GIVEN – but while Aria adapts quickly, able to use and recognize the magic as naturally as if she’d been born in this world, Sophy struggles to find her place. Far from discovering her own magical gifts, Sophy is unable to feel the GIVEN at all. Something about the magic has warped and changed her appearance and she’s lost her vibrancy, becoming a mere shadow of her former self. Previously the attractive, outgoing one, now she is ugly and unable to fit in, whereas Aria has grown in confidence.
As Aria thrives, quickly falling in love with a dashing prince, Sophy fights to survive in an increasingly hostile and deadly realm. She pairs up with Oakheart, ambassador to the king, on a quest to discover her true purpose in the kingdom, but soon the darker side of Argenterra and its people becomes apparent to both women.
The GIVEN is not without cost – the laws of this magic dictate that oaths are bound with the GIVEN and the inhabitants of Argenterra bear the mark of the original, ancestral oath to the land. Every promise must be kept or the land’s magic will compel its completion. Only murder can sunder a binding oath and then magic will wane and Argenterra will become the Ungiven Land – but no native Argenterran has that power.
Now trapped by binding promises of their own, Sophy and Aria’s friendship will test oaths and Sophy’s very presence will pose a true threat to Argenterra...
- GenresFantasy
492 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2016
About the author
Donna Maree Hanson
57 books47 followersDonna Maree Hanson is a Canberra-based writer of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and under the pseudonym (Dani Kristoff) paranormal romance.
Her dark fantasy series (which some reviewers have called ‘grim dark’), Dragon Wine, is published by Momentum Books (Pan Macmillan digital imprint). Book 1: Shatterwing and Book 2: Skywatcher are out now in digital and print on demand.
In April 2015, she was awarded the A. Bertram Chandler Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Australian Science Fiction’ for her work in running science fiction conventions, publishing and broader SF community contribution.
Donna also writes young adult science fiction, with Rayessa and the Space Pirates and Rae and Essa’s Space Adventures out with Escape Publishing. Look out for Opi Battles the Space Pirates coming soon.
In 2016, Donna commenced her PhD candidature researching Feminism in Popular Romance. Also her first Indie published book, Argenterra, was publishing in late April 2016. Argenterra is the first in an epic fantasy series (the Silverlands) suitable for adult and young adult readers. The final two books are due out in early 2017.
Donna grew up in New South Wales mostly, but was living in Bondi when she gave up school at aged 15 without any qualifications. She did a stint as a hairdressing apprentice and then worked for a stockbroker. After running off to New Zealand for a man, she started studying again, gaining her year 10 school certificate and later University Entrance.
Once back in Australia as a single mum with three kids to support, Donna eventually started studying again, finishing a degree in Economics at the Uni of Sydney, majoring in accounting. She worked in the Australian Public Service as an auditor, leaving that job in 2016. While working she did a certificate in professional writing (editing) and a Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Canberra. Looking back over her life, she is proud to be undertaking a PhD in Creative Writing.
Her dark fantasy series (which some reviewers have called ‘grim dark’), Dragon Wine, is published by Momentum Books (Pan Macmillan digital imprint). Book 1: Shatterwing and Book 2: Skywatcher are out now in digital and print on demand.
In April 2015, she was awarded the A. Bertram Chandler Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Australian Science Fiction’ for her work in running science fiction conventions, publishing and broader SF community contribution.
Donna also writes young adult science fiction, with Rayessa and the Space Pirates and Rae and Essa’s Space Adventures out with Escape Publishing. Look out for Opi Battles the Space Pirates coming soon.
In 2016, Donna commenced her PhD candidature researching Feminism in Popular Romance. Also her first Indie published book, Argenterra, was publishing in late April 2016. Argenterra is the first in an epic fantasy series (the Silverlands) suitable for adult and young adult readers. The final two books are due out in early 2017.
Donna grew up in New South Wales mostly, but was living in Bondi when she gave up school at aged 15 without any qualifications. She did a stint as a hairdressing apprentice and then worked for a stockbroker. After running off to New Zealand for a man, she started studying again, gaining her year 10 school certificate and later University Entrance.
Once back in Australia as a single mum with three kids to support, Donna eventually started studying again, finishing a degree in Economics at the Uni of Sydney, majoring in accounting. She worked in the Australian Public Service as an auditor, leaving that job in 2016. While working she did a certificate in professional writing (editing) and a Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Canberra. Looking back over her life, she is proud to be undertaking a PhD in Creative Writing.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 2, 2017
The story is written in a YA style but there is fairly explicit sex and some gore, so I don't know. If it's meant to be YA I don't think it's suitable, if it's meant to be adult the style is too juvenile. Having said that, the characters and plot held my interest and made me read all the way to the end to find out what happened. Reaching the end I was disappointed to find a cliffhanger. While I appreciate the author wants readers to buy the next book, there should be a resolution at the end of each book in a series. For me this book should have stopped before the last peril and moved that to the next book.
April 12, 2016
Originally reviewed at West Coast Book Reviews
Argenterra is the first in Donna Maree Hanson's new series, Silverlands. It brings an alternate fantasy world which is both unforgiving in its beauty and pure in its treachery and dangers together with a solid friendship story as we follow Sophy and Aria through their combined and individual challenges with their new lives in Argenterra.
Argenterra's magic, the given, permeates everyone and everything in the land. It's used in everything from building and cooking to healing and holding the people to their oaths. I liked how the given not only weaves through the lives of the characters but through the story itself. The given has its own history, champions and enemies. The given lives through the story as a character in its own right, complete with unique relationships with other characters and a life changing challenge.
For me, characters and their fellowships (among other things) bring Argenterra to life.
I appreciated and felt how close Sophy and Aria were. It didn't matter what else was going on, I could always count on solid affection and support between the two. *Sucker for buddy stories here* There relationship was well put together and supported and left me genuinely anxious when they weren't together.
My favourite character, besides Sophy/Aria is Oakheart (in spite of my Kindle text to speech calling him Oh-Eckhart, silly Kindle.) As much as Dellbright came off as too good to be true (which he was), Oakheart is *that good.* For me, he is the pure hero of Argenterra.
I also liked how each castle and land was distinct and appreciated the care Hanson took hi-lighting both their faults and reasons to shine. Loved the forest people and Lillia and the screavers (scary, scary, scary.)
Hanson reveals Argenterra to us through her characters' experiences, particularly those of Sophy and Aria which I enjoyed because I felt like I experienced Argenterra first hand through their adventure.
And I'm very grateful for the sample of book two, The Crystal Gate. Not only did it reassure and soothe my delicious worry at the end of book one, it also twisted my engagement to the story up several notches and I'm very eager to move in to book two.
You can also read my interview with Donna Maree Hanson here. I also recommend her dark fantasy Dragonwine series, Shatterwing and Skywatcher and her fun science fiction Rayessa and the Space Pirates.
Argenterra is the first in Donna Maree Hanson's new series, Silverlands. It brings an alternate fantasy world which is both unforgiving in its beauty and pure in its treachery and dangers together with a solid friendship story as we follow Sophy and Aria through their combined and individual challenges with their new lives in Argenterra.
Argenterra's magic, the given, permeates everyone and everything in the land. It's used in everything from building and cooking to healing and holding the people to their oaths. I liked how the given not only weaves through the lives of the characters but through the story itself. The given has its own history, champions and enemies. The given lives through the story as a character in its own right, complete with unique relationships with other characters and a life changing challenge.
For me, characters and their fellowships (among other things) bring Argenterra to life.
I appreciated and felt how close Sophy and Aria were. It didn't matter what else was going on, I could always count on solid affection and support between the two. *Sucker for buddy stories here* There relationship was well put together and supported and left me genuinely anxious when they weren't together.
My favourite character, besides Sophy/Aria is Oakheart (in spite of my Kindle text to speech calling him Oh-Eckhart, silly Kindle.) As much as Dellbright came off as too good to be true (which he was), Oakheart is *that good.* For me, he is the pure hero of Argenterra.
I also liked how each castle and land was distinct and appreciated the care Hanson took hi-lighting both their faults and reasons to shine. Loved the forest people and Lillia and the screavers (scary, scary, scary.)
Hanson reveals Argenterra to us through her characters' experiences, particularly those of Sophy and Aria which I enjoyed because I felt like I experienced Argenterra first hand through their adventure.
And I'm very grateful for the sample of book two, The Crystal Gate. Not only did it reassure and soothe my delicious worry at the end of book one, it also twisted my engagement to the story up several notches and I'm very eager to move in to book two.
You can also read my interview with Donna Maree Hanson here. I also recommend her dark fantasy Dragonwine series, Shatterwing and Skywatcher and her fun science fiction Rayessa and the Space Pirates.
August 12, 2019
This book fooled me and I almost gave up and put it down as a romantic fairy story when I started. However the author very cleverly and subtly starts weaving through hints and undertones that something is not quite right which keeps your interest and the real evil is eventually revealed . . .
March 19, 2022
What a great story! I hated for it to end! Oakheart and Sophy make an interesting pairing. Rufus is a strange being whose origins make you think he came through a doorway from Earth to Argenterra. If you want a compelling read, pick this book up.
March 30, 2020
The only spoiler is … a slow' start! Don't give up, once I got a bit further in, I couldn't put it down.
great read and looking forward to the next one.
great read and looking forward to the next one.
August 23, 2016
Dystopian worlds from Star Wars to Hunger Games and beyond have given us a defined group of tropes. There will be a Chosen One, a prophecy, a love triangle, a quest. But what happens when the Chosen One is supposed to arrive but two girls show up? That’s the question asked in the YA fantasy Argenterra.
When Sophy and her foster sister Aria, two young girls on a castle tour, stumble through a portal to another world, neither they nor the ones on the other side get anything they could have expected. Prince Dellbright and High King’s Ambassador Oakheart are expecting the “Gift of the Crystal Tree”, a woman sent as part of the promise of land magic known as the Given.
Sophy, who has always been considered the more beautiful of the two, finds her appearance dulled and plain in the new world. Even worse, because the inhabitants can’t see their land magic (the Given) in her, they fear and distrust her. Her friend Aria, however, is radiantly beautiful in the new world, plus she has a definite flair for using the Given.
Soon Aria is in love with and married to Prince Dellbright. But Sophy can’t seem to find her place within the restrictive medieval confines of Argenterra, and is sent away with the reluctant Oakheart. Something malevolent is stalking Sophy, and her life is threatened on several occasions. As her assigned protector, Oakheart struggles to balance his instinctive distrust with his chivalrous duty.
While Sophy and Oakheart slowly learn to look past their physical appearances, Aria is doing the same as her fairy tale prince, Dellbright, is not living up to the Disney happily-ever-after scenario. With a baby’s life in the balance, the question of which woman is the true Gift of the Crystal Woods remains unclear.
There were so many things I liked about this book. The medieval-type world of Argenterra is beautifully constructed and easy to picture. The writing is descriptive and the pace builds steadily.
But I have some issues as well. Sophy and Aria were supposed to be eighteen, but somehow they seemed much older. I would have loved to see them think and behave like teenagers, and then see their characters and emotions mature. Also, they are both products of a much more modern era, but each young woman (Aria in particular) seems perfectly willing to surrender her concept of a woman’s rights and independence. In particular, I found it troubling that Aria sees herself as completely in love with her husband, despite his behavior which includes claiming control over her thoughts and friendships, and even his right to rape or assault her. Frankly, I couldn’t see much point in having modern young women show up in a medieval society if they then don’t assert their more modern thoughts or behavior, if only to recognize internally when something has gone very wrong.
And then there’s that cliffhanger. Now, I like a good series as much as anyone else. It’s fun to get to know the characters and setting, and to see the story develop. BUT…each book in the series needs to have it’s own story arc that gets resolved. Sure Voldemort is still out there. Luke still has those Daddy-Darth issues to resolve. But each book or movie resolves its main storyline each time. Leaving every member of the cast in fairly dire peril is just annoying. And unnecessary.
Overall, Argenterra is still a book I’d recommend. I like the way the usual tropes are turned on their side. The ‘ordinary-looking’ heroine is used to being considered the pretty one in her own world. The ‘love triangle’ includes a being capable of manipulating feelings and emotions. And the ‘Chosen One’ might be two—or neither. Plus the writing is descriptive and colorful, and the world of Argenterra is beautifully built and cohesive. If you like portal SciFi fantasy with plenty of action and light romance, you might enjoy Argenterra.
***I received this book for free from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
When Sophy and her foster sister Aria, two young girls on a castle tour, stumble through a portal to another world, neither they nor the ones on the other side get anything they could have expected. Prince Dellbright and High King’s Ambassador Oakheart are expecting the “Gift of the Crystal Tree”, a woman sent as part of the promise of land magic known as the Given.
Sophy, who has always been considered the more beautiful of the two, finds her appearance dulled and plain in the new world. Even worse, because the inhabitants can’t see their land magic (the Given) in her, they fear and distrust her. Her friend Aria, however, is radiantly beautiful in the new world, plus she has a definite flair for using the Given.
Soon Aria is in love with and married to Prince Dellbright. But Sophy can’t seem to find her place within the restrictive medieval confines of Argenterra, and is sent away with the reluctant Oakheart. Something malevolent is stalking Sophy, and her life is threatened on several occasions. As her assigned protector, Oakheart struggles to balance his instinctive distrust with his chivalrous duty.
While Sophy and Oakheart slowly learn to look past their physical appearances, Aria is doing the same as her fairy tale prince, Dellbright, is not living up to the Disney happily-ever-after scenario. With a baby’s life in the balance, the question of which woman is the true Gift of the Crystal Woods remains unclear.
There were so many things I liked about this book. The medieval-type world of Argenterra is beautifully constructed and easy to picture. The writing is descriptive and the pace builds steadily.
But I have some issues as well. Sophy and Aria were supposed to be eighteen, but somehow they seemed much older. I would have loved to see them think and behave like teenagers, and then see their characters and emotions mature. Also, they are both products of a much more modern era, but each young woman (Aria in particular) seems perfectly willing to surrender her concept of a woman’s rights and independence. In particular, I found it troubling that Aria sees herself as completely in love with her husband, despite his behavior which includes claiming control over her thoughts and friendships, and even his right to rape or assault her. Frankly, I couldn’t see much point in having modern young women show up in a medieval society if they then don’t assert their more modern thoughts or behavior, if only to recognize internally when something has gone very wrong.
And then there’s that cliffhanger. Now, I like a good series as much as anyone else. It’s fun to get to know the characters and setting, and to see the story develop. BUT…each book in the series needs to have it’s own story arc that gets resolved. Sure Voldemort is still out there. Luke still has those Daddy-Darth issues to resolve. But each book or movie resolves its main storyline each time. Leaving every member of the cast in fairly dire peril is just annoying. And unnecessary.
Overall, Argenterra is still a book I’d recommend. I like the way the usual tropes are turned on their side. The ‘ordinary-looking’ heroine is used to being considered the pretty one in her own world. The ‘love triangle’ includes a being capable of manipulating feelings and emotions. And the ‘Chosen One’ might be two—or neither. Plus the writing is descriptive and colorful, and the world of Argenterra is beautifully built and cohesive. If you like portal SciFi fantasy with plenty of action and light romance, you might enjoy Argenterra.
***I received this book for free from the publisher or author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
July 11, 2016
Even since I started reading fantasy books I have loved portal stories. The idea of being transported to a new and magical land has always fascinated me so I was excited to read Argenterra and was pleased I did. I really enjoyed the story of the two girls and how their experiences were so different, one welcomed with open arms and the other greeted with suspicion. I got mad on Sophy's behalf as she was treated badly by those around her, and waited for Aria's rose coloured view of their new home to be shattered.
There are twists and turns, romance, action and suspense, making this a story I could not put down. It has a lot of heart and would resonate with anyone who has ever had trouble fitting in. I did not want it to end and am looking forward to finding out what happens next. Hurry up and bring on the next book.
There are twists and turns, romance, action and suspense, making this a story I could not put down. It has a lot of heart and would resonate with anyone who has ever had trouble fitting in. I did not want it to end and am looking forward to finding out what happens next. Hurry up and bring on the next book.
October 23, 2016
This story started in a way that led me to believe it was going to be a lot simpler than it was. A time slip adventure, I decided. However as it went on, the story became a lot more complex. Things that seemed one thing, slowly evolved into something else, with a lot of questions and doubts in between. The worlds became multi-layered and the characters' motivations similarly so. The prose also gained momentum and power as the story progressed, and really hit its stride. By the time I reached the end of Book 1, I was reading a complex fantasy story up there with the best.
May 9, 2020
I liked how you started with Aria & Sophy in the real world. The descriptions like the fabrics & dresses are so beautiful & vivid.
The characters of Aria & Sophy are opposite & real. They did lack some depth & seemed too willing to obey or accept. Although if I had been taken to a castle by a Prince, I would be overwhelmed!
If this is YA, should be 18 & over. The love scenes are too explicit for young teens - well
done for adults.
Read this from BookFunnel & is the first of this author's novels I've read. Can't wait for #2
The characters of Aria & Sophy are opposite & real. They did lack some depth & seemed too willing to obey or accept. Although if I had been taken to a castle by a Prince, I would be overwhelmed!
If this is YA, should be 18 & over. The love scenes are too explicit for young teens - well
done for adults.
Read this from BookFunnel & is the first of this author's novels I've read. Can't wait for #2
Read
July 9, 2016An imaginative and original fantasy that begins with two young women from our world being signed into another, strange and dangerous world.
Read
January 23, 2017This book is an entry in the Aurealis Awards for 2016, for which I am a judge. Any review will be withheld until the results of the awards are announced.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews