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The Memoirs of Elikai: The Children of the Solstice
“The Fall of Free Will begins at sundown. The Generals of Destiny will rise at the height of the Winter Solstice. Come, King of Light, to the place where you allowed true love to perish, and bear witness to the end of Free Will.”
Danny Elikai is a teenage boy who lost his family in a devastating car accident. He finds himself in a swirling depression in the mystical city of Grenoff as horrific events begin to unfold. He learns of an ancient conflict between the two philosophies that seek to rule humanity: the individual liberties of Free Will, and the predetermined peace guaranteed by Destiny. The agents of Destiny have risen, and threaten life as we know it. Danny must choose to find the King of Light and to fight for Free Will, or to leave humanity to the iron grip of the Emperor of Darkness. The Final War is coming, and soon we will need to pick a side. Will you fight for the freedom of choice offered by Free Will, or the harmony promised by Destiny?
Danny Elikai is a teenage boy who lost his family in a devastating car accident. He finds himself in a swirling depression in the mystical city of Grenoff as horrific events begin to unfold. He learns of an ancient conflict between the two philosophies that seek to rule humanity: the individual liberties of Free Will, and the predetermined peace guaranteed by Destiny. The agents of Destiny have risen, and threaten life as we know it. Danny must choose to find the King of Light and to fight for Free Will, or to leave humanity to the iron grip of the Emperor of Darkness. The Final War is coming, and soon we will need to pick a side. Will you fight for the freedom of choice offered by Free Will, or the harmony promised by Destiny?
- GenresFantasy
377 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 7, 2018
15 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 18, 2018
Very well written, descriptions are beautiful. The only reason I'm giving it four stars is because sometimes the change of pov's can be a little startling, but the characterization is really good. Very strong Christian themes throughout the whole book, so if that's not your thing you may not like the book. All in all worth the read :)
March 25, 2022
This is such an incredible read! It’s well written and the author did an incredible job with the world building that I felt as though I had been transported there. It’s a story of free will versus destiny, of light versus dark, good versus evil and it’s so so good that I couldn’t put it down. The characters are fantastic, intriguing and likeable and the storyline is exciting, gripping and very emotional and yes tears were shed on more then one occasion. A war is coming and I know who I hope will win the final battle. Bring on book two!!
January 6, 2020
Really fun to read book with well developed characters. Cannot wait for the second book to come out.
June 17, 2023
4.9 Stars
FREAKING HELL...WHAT DID I JUST READ? LIKE ACTUAL FUCK.!!! WRITING REVIEW NOW.
I generally try to write summary for the books but when you come across books like The Memoirs of Elikai: The Children of the Solstice, writing summary seems like the worse thing to do. Like how do you write a paragraph when you can just read this book? When I started this book, I had zero expectations. Like nothing. I had not even read the blurb. This is the impulsive beautiful and sexy cover screaming, come and read me. And so, ever the loyal, I did. And oh boy, oh boy. The Memoirs of Elikai is one of the most thoughtful, beautiful, crazy & freaking amazing book.
Let's start with the theme of the book. Destiny vs Free Will. In simpler terms, a world where they make choices for you, destroy the evil even before it's existence or give people the choice. The choice to chose. I don't know which side will you chose. But when you have freedom to chose, it's pretty great. At the same time, imagine a world. A world where you don't even know what terrorism is or what corruption is. Because it was never allowed. Never given a choice to grow. Think about it, it's pretty interesting topic. And while I know you may feel that there is no need for discussion, may I present to you this book? READ The Memoirs of Elikai: The Children of the Solstice and believe me you'll love it.
The general story and writing. There are a couple of writing errors that I came across which I think should be an editorial error but things after that? AMAZING. I have been reading series a lot. And while most of the times, the first book is slow, at least the first half is. I didn't feel like that. And that surprised me, honestly. I recently had a talk with my friend too about how suddenly, we came across books that felt repetitive in nature and focused on just tropes but not on characters and story. And that is not the case here. We have characters, with whom we can connect. We have characters with whom we can laugh and smile. We have characters with whom we can cry. And I think that is brilliant. The story though confusing at first, is never boring. I freaking loved every minute in this journey. From the first word to the last line, I was hooked. I still have questions and I don't think that the first book in series should ever answer everything. And considering the nature of the book, I am sure the number of questions are going to keep on piling up rather than reducing.
While, this book is dark fantasy and there are way too many triggers, I honestly felt everything is perfectly well crafted. I don't think there is even one scene mentioned where there was no side-reactions. Everything had it's reasons. Books always change your life. There are some that increase pleasure in your life while some make you fall for characters. But books like this, books like The Memoirs of Elikai: The Children of the Solstice, they make you think. They make you question. And sometimes, it's the best gift.
There is one advice, very popular in writing world, you don't have to just make characters just secretive or mysterious and do a big revel what no one expected. It is a good thing to pull off, especially if you do it right. But if you don't pull it off correctly, it is a big big big turn off. And needless to say, the author pulled this one perfectly too. There are hints given to the big revelations and while, I could easily put them together, it was fun to see just how much piece of puzzle I could crack.
In conclusion, I think depending on the social conditions we currently are, it is more than the need of the hour to read this and understand just how easy it is to be manipulated and how each action has a ripple effect. I fell in love with book and the authors writing and I can't wait to see how much magic is being created in following books. I finished reading it just today but I know I am waiting for a chance to sit and re-read this again, once I get hold of physical book and while I am not a big fan of annotations, I want to annotate the hell out of this one.
You can find other reviews on my website here .
FREAKING HELL...WHAT DID I JUST READ? LIKE ACTUAL FUCK.!!! WRITING REVIEW NOW.
I generally try to write summary for the books but when you come across books like The Memoirs of Elikai: The Children of the Solstice, writing summary seems like the worse thing to do. Like how do you write a paragraph when you can just read this book? When I started this book, I had zero expectations. Like nothing. I had not even read the blurb. This is the impulsive beautiful and sexy cover screaming, come and read me. And so, ever the loyal, I did. And oh boy, oh boy. The Memoirs of Elikai is one of the most thoughtful, beautiful, crazy & freaking amazing book.
Let's start with the theme of the book. Destiny vs Free Will. In simpler terms, a world where they make choices for you, destroy the evil even before it's existence or give people the choice. The choice to chose. I don't know which side will you chose. But when you have freedom to chose, it's pretty great. At the same time, imagine a world. A world where you don't even know what terrorism is or what corruption is. Because it was never allowed. Never given a choice to grow. Think about it, it's pretty interesting topic. And while I know you may feel that there is no need for discussion, may I present to you this book? READ The Memoirs of Elikai: The Children of the Solstice and believe me you'll love it.
The general story and writing. There are a couple of writing errors that I came across which I think should be an editorial error but things after that? AMAZING. I have been reading series a lot. And while most of the times, the first book is slow, at least the first half is. I didn't feel like that. And that surprised me, honestly. I recently had a talk with my friend too about how suddenly, we came across books that felt repetitive in nature and focused on just tropes but not on characters and story. And that is not the case here. We have characters, with whom we can connect. We have characters with whom we can laugh and smile. We have characters with whom we can cry. And I think that is brilliant. The story though confusing at first, is never boring. I freaking loved every minute in this journey. From the first word to the last line, I was hooked. I still have questions and I don't think that the first book in series should ever answer everything. And considering the nature of the book, I am sure the number of questions are going to keep on piling up rather than reducing.
While, this book is dark fantasy and there are way too many triggers, I honestly felt everything is perfectly well crafted. I don't think there is even one scene mentioned where there was no side-reactions. Everything had it's reasons. Books always change your life. There are some that increase pleasure in your life while some make you fall for characters. But books like this, books like The Memoirs of Elikai: The Children of the Solstice, they make you think. They make you question. And sometimes, it's the best gift.
There is one advice, very popular in writing world, you don't have to just make characters just secretive or mysterious and do a big revel what no one expected. It is a good thing to pull off, especially if you do it right. But if you don't pull it off correctly, it is a big big big turn off. And needless to say, the author pulled this one perfectly too. There are hints given to the big revelations and while, I could easily put them together, it was fun to see just how much piece of puzzle I could crack.
In conclusion, I think depending on the social conditions we currently are, it is more than the need of the hour to read this and understand just how easy it is to be manipulated and how each action has a ripple effect. I fell in love with book and the authors writing and I can't wait to see how much magic is being created in following books. I finished reading it just today but I know I am waiting for a chance to sit and re-read this again, once I get hold of physical book and while I am not a big fan of annotations, I want to annotate the hell out of this one.
You can find other reviews on my website here .
July 25, 2019
**I received a digital arc in exchange for my honest opinion**
Young adult fantasy is my favorite genre to read, and I’ve read a lot, however I’ve not come across such a unique and creative story. I love the concept of the war between Free Will and Destiny. Hearing the terms Free Will and Destiny, I wouldn’t have known which to class as light or dark, good or evil. The author weaves a story that makes it quite clear which side is good and which is evil though.
What did I like about this book? Well, as a first, it was really refreshing to read a book that did not focus on romance. At all. I’ve got nothing against romance in a book, but it’s a breath of fresh air to read something different. I really liked the portrayal of good and evil, it was very compelling and really made me feel anger towards Destiny. I also was very impressed with how the author represented Danny’s depression. Depression is something that affects so many people to a different degree, and to see it portrayed so accurately really made me empathize with Danny.
What didn’t I like? The first few chapters were quite confusing. With the changes in narrator, I lost track of what was happening. Once we settled with Danny as the narrator and we got a bit of backstory as to what was happening, the book really picked up.
Overall I really enjoyed this, it was very well written and really made me feel for the characters. Would I read the sequel? For sure, I need to know who wins, Destiny or Free Will.
Young adult fantasy is my favorite genre to read, and I’ve read a lot, however I’ve not come across such a unique and creative story. I love the concept of the war between Free Will and Destiny. Hearing the terms Free Will and Destiny, I wouldn’t have known which to class as light or dark, good or evil. The author weaves a story that makes it quite clear which side is good and which is evil though.
What did I like about this book? Well, as a first, it was really refreshing to read a book that did not focus on romance. At all. I’ve got nothing against romance in a book, but it’s a breath of fresh air to read something different. I really liked the portrayal of good and evil, it was very compelling and really made me feel anger towards Destiny. I also was very impressed with how the author represented Danny’s depression. Depression is something that affects so many people to a different degree, and to see it portrayed so accurately really made me empathize with Danny.
What didn’t I like? The first few chapters were quite confusing. With the changes in narrator, I lost track of what was happening. Once we settled with Danny as the narrator and we got a bit of backstory as to what was happening, the book really picked up.
Overall I really enjoyed this, it was very well written and really made me feel for the characters. Would I read the sequel? For sure, I need to know who wins, Destiny or Free Will.
August 26, 2022
I’m going to start with the negatives so I can jump into the positives. I had some trouble getting into the first part of the book, but that was a personal opinion as I struggle with too much world building. I found the pacing a little strange at times when describing the world and emotions of the characters, sometimes a little jarring. There was a fair bit of over description of things for me. I found some of the relationships to be extremely rushed, but as I progressed through the book it becomes clear why everyone feels like “they know each other” immediately and it made more sense, but at first it was odd.
However, once I got to the 60% mark… I couldn’t put it down. Things progressed very quickly and the story became very intricate in the best way possible. Parts began to come together. The characters gained more depth, the story gained more depth and I can see lots and lots of small details coming together both now and further down the track.
The storylines actually have me on the fence of which side to take. On one hand, this is clearly good vs evil, however if we think about the fact this story is revolving around free will vs destiny, the lines become very blurred. Which side is right? Which is wrong? Couldn’t they both coincide together? Why is destiny the bad guy and free will good? So many questions, and honestly is there actually a right answer? I guess we’ll find out!
However, once I got to the 60% mark… I couldn’t put it down. Things progressed very quickly and the story became very intricate in the best way possible. Parts began to come together. The characters gained more depth, the story gained more depth and I can see lots and lots of small details coming together both now and further down the track.
The storylines actually have me on the fence of which side to take. On one hand, this is clearly good vs evil, however if we think about the fact this story is revolving around free will vs destiny, the lines become very blurred. Which side is right? Which is wrong? Couldn’t they both coincide together? Why is destiny the bad guy and free will good? So many questions, and honestly is there actually a right answer? I guess we’ll find out!
November 13, 2018
An unanticipated delight to read from a new author. The fantasy story-line and plot have a strong faith-based theme with clashing roles between Free Will and Destiny. It was clearly well thought out and the story is well developed with in-depth descriptions of characterization, emotional state, and surroundings. The unique story-line and my inability to be able to put it down made the rare missed/wrong word very easy to disregard.
As I dove further into the tale I became particularly attached to Danny Elikai’s character and the emotions his story invoked within me upon completion. I truly had a hard time putting it down and look forward to its sequal.
If I had to list any complaint it would be that the switch between POV can be a little bit jarring at times which is the only reason to I’m giving it four stars. (If Amazon allowed for it I'd give it 4.5 stars!)
As I dove further into the tale I became particularly attached to Danny Elikai’s character and the emotions his story invoked within me upon completion. I truly had a hard time putting it down and look forward to its sequal.
If I had to list any complaint it would be that the switch between POV can be a little bit jarring at times which is the only reason to I’m giving it four stars. (If Amazon allowed for it I'd give it 4.5 stars!)
September 1, 2022
Im sorry, I had more time to think on some things and i have to add on to my initial review. This book definitely has a dark theme and can be very complex and doesnt read like a YA should in my opinion. There definitely needs to be trigger warnings listed as there are quite bit and i believe readers shoukd be warned before going in blind. Saying the book is dark doesnt adequately give the reader the forwarning they need to start this book. Overall i enjoyed the book and it was well written, at some points I could actually see what I was reading and feel like I was there. With the book being the first in its series I understand the slow start and all the world building and its totally normal and necessary. You will better understandsituationsas you progress theough the book. Once you hit that 50% mark of the book you start putting all the puzzle pieces together or so you thought. I hadso many theories while reading this book and they kept changing as the author kept throwing these curveballs at me and no you cannot see them coming! Again it was so well written keeps you on your toes, and I will be reading the rest of the series.
June 26, 2019
I'm a glutton for the dark and supernatural so this book was right up my alley. I found the plot to be unique and immersive, as the character struggles in dealing with a tragedy that happened to he and his family, he is a relateable character with magical skills. I can see why some people would think its too gory for a young adult audience, but I really don't think it is. The author goes into detail with his version of an underworld, or "hell-" if you will, but nothing in the verge of splatter punk in my opinion. Anything less than what the author describes would be lying and untrue to the story. I didn't see anywhere that this book was advertised as "Christian fantasy," so I did not expect it to be. I loved the battle between light and dark, fate and destiny, I think it was very well thought up and well written.
June 28, 2019
From the very moment I picked up this book I was hooked. Before even reading the first page I was sucked in. The author has done a wonderful job of catching the readers attention and keeping it. It’s thrilling and a journey you absolutely won’t regret! Do yourself a favour and pick up this book. I can not praise it enough. It has everything you want in a book, including moments where you have to stop and think on the sentence you’ve just read. Clever and thought provoking is the best way to describe this piece of art.
November 4, 2022
Awesome lore and characters!
I really loved the themes of this book - the battle of light and darkness. The worldbuilding was amazing and I loved how much it draws you in! The characters were heartwarming and you will get easily attached to them. Of course, there’s plenty of emotional scenes to go around, which I also love! I can tell a lot of heart and soul went into this story and I can’t wait to read the next installment!
I really loved the themes of this book - the battle of light and darkness. The worldbuilding was amazing and I loved how much it draws you in! The characters were heartwarming and you will get easily attached to them. Of course, there’s plenty of emotional scenes to go around, which I also love! I can tell a lot of heart and soul went into this story and I can’t wait to read the next installment!
June 30, 2018
I really enjoyed the exploration of the battle if free will and destiny. Alexander did a great job conveying emotional, and building relationships. The world building was exceptional and I can't wait to read the next. If you like lush writing, complicated characters and intricate plots, then this one is for you!
November 14, 2018
An amazing new book from a first-time author! This book talks about overcoming depression, fighting for what you believe in, and being true to yourself. While this book has religious themes (good vs evil, etc), it is not religious fiction. I absolutely can't wait for the next book!
December 6, 2018
I found this book really enjoyable. I liked the plot, the imagery was very realistic, and I experienced the character’s emotions as if they were my own. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes action, adventure, and fantasy.
January 6, 2020
Beautifully written. The characters really come alive in this exciting book. Love the emotional depth and complexity of the characters. A magical story between light and darkness that will pull on your heartstrings.
September 12, 2022
Enjoyed this book.
Good vs. evil and the battle for free will. I like the idea behind this story. Some have called this gory, but it didn’t bother me at all. All-and-all well written, I think there is some opportunity for editing, but I really enjoyed the authors writing style. Great first book!
Good vs. evil and the battle for free will. I like the idea behind this story. Some have called this gory, but it didn’t bother me at all. All-and-all well written, I think there is some opportunity for editing, but I really enjoyed the authors writing style. Great first book!
October 28, 2022
This book is unputdownable! After just reading the proluge I knew I would love the story and that The Memoires Of Elikai would be in my top ten this year!
The woldbuildung was beautifully detailed and the characters were unique.
(I'm really excited ro read the second book soon)
The woldbuildung was beautifully detailed and the characters were unique.
(I'm really excited ro read the second book soon)
January 5, 2023
A Captivating Story
I was sucked into the story from the very beginning, wanting to know more, to solve the mystery of who Danny was and what he had to do. It was a nail-biting story full of surprises and I look forward to seeing how Danny, Michael, and Izzy face what comes next.
I was sucked into the story from the very beginning, wanting to know more, to solve the mystery of who Danny was and what he had to do. It was a nail-biting story full of surprises and I look forward to seeing how Danny, Michael, and Izzy face what comes next.
November 15, 2018
Well Written
This is a unique take on the eternal battle between good and evil. Well worth your time! Waiting for the sequal!
This is a unique take on the eternal battle between good and evil. Well worth your time! Waiting for the sequal!
June 28, 2019
I liked it.
August 1, 2022
Very interesting and I’m looking forward to the audiobook
February 26, 2023
Exciting Adventure
I loved the good verse evil… dark/light contrast. The mystery around Danny is a nice journey to follow.
Ready to move on to the next one
I loved the good verse evil… dark/light contrast. The mystery around Danny is a nice journey to follow.
Ready to move on to the next one
January 5, 2021
Interesting and evocative
Great concept with good execution. Some editing errors but mostly well written. I look forward to reading the next book.
Great concept with good execution. Some editing errors but mostly well written. I look forward to reading the next book.
July 1, 2019
I received a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Instead of a traditional review, I am going to break it down into an interview with myself as a reader. This is simply my opinion on the book and is not influenced by any external factor.
What age group would I recommend this to?
Although the characters were younger (around 15 years old), toward the end especially there is a lot of violence and some gory scenes which might not be appropriate for younger viewers. I would say definitely upper YA.
How did I feel reading this book?
I’m going to be honest, the first half of the book was really slow, and I found myself struggling to continue reading at points. However, once things started to pick up, I was more intrigued and curious, anxiously wanting to know more.
I’ll also note that this was not a religious story in the sense that it did not portray actual religions. However, there was definitely a religious theme in the book, with followers of Destiny and Free Will, and to the King of Light.
It was also a sad story, not sad as in bad or poor, but emotional, really making you feel for the characters in different situations. Especially when it came to funerals.
How were the characters?
Likeable, to say the least. As the story progressed I grew more attached to them, especially Danny and Michael. I wasn’t too crazy about Danny’s aunt and uncle at first, or Izabelle, but warmed up to them, especially after learning their role in the story and in supporting the King of Light. Alvaro was a really interesting character, and I would really love to get a bit more background into his character and his upbringing.
What did I like?
The second half of the story was fast paced and filled with action. While the first part had the intention of finding the King of Light, the second half was devoted to the evils of Pentonix, the overall conflict and the history behind it, and the beginning of the action leading toward a resolution. The climax was shocking and enthralling. I was a little sad to see the story end where it did, but the author has wrapped it up nicely to make way for the second part of Danny’s adventure.
There were also a lot of themes which are relatable to young adult readers – ex, depression, deaths in the family, living with relatives, new school, meeting new friends…you get the picture. But the author has not told a contemporary or worn tale with these elements, he has spun them together to create something unique, a relatable experience all the while combining otherworldly elements for a unique tale of good versus evil, and how people choose who they follow or believe in.
What didn’t I like?
Normally I am a fan of storytelling from different perspectives, however, I was not that impressed with the way the first few chapters progressed, as it seemed there was a different narrator each time who would not narrate again. I also didn’t like how it sometimes changed perspective in the middle of the chapter without any warning; although this is a creative idea, I think it would have been even better if there was some ‘warning’ or something to advise that the perspective was changing.
I think that kind of annoyed me the most was that we went through the first half of the story not knowing anything, but then in the middle of the story get all the information we need for the story to progress…it’s kind of like a really long prologue. Despite this, the author has managed to weave an intricate and interesting storyline which really hooks the reader in and gets them wanting to know more.
Overall rating:
3.5/5 – (rounded to the nearest full star) a really great start to the series. Would definitely read this again and will be looking forward to the sequel or any future installments.
Instead of a traditional review, I am going to break it down into an interview with myself as a reader. This is simply my opinion on the book and is not influenced by any external factor.
What age group would I recommend this to?
Although the characters were younger (around 15 years old), toward the end especially there is a lot of violence and some gory scenes which might not be appropriate for younger viewers. I would say definitely upper YA.
How did I feel reading this book?
I’m going to be honest, the first half of the book was really slow, and I found myself struggling to continue reading at points. However, once things started to pick up, I was more intrigued and curious, anxiously wanting to know more.
I’ll also note that this was not a religious story in the sense that it did not portray actual religions. However, there was definitely a religious theme in the book, with followers of Destiny and Free Will, and to the King of Light.
It was also a sad story, not sad as in bad or poor, but emotional, really making you feel for the characters in different situations. Especially when it came to funerals.
How were the characters?
Likeable, to say the least. As the story progressed I grew more attached to them, especially Danny and Michael. I wasn’t too crazy about Danny’s aunt and uncle at first, or Izabelle, but warmed up to them, especially after learning their role in the story and in supporting the King of Light. Alvaro was a really interesting character, and I would really love to get a bit more background into his character and his upbringing.
What did I like?
The second half of the story was fast paced and filled with action. While the first part had the intention of finding the King of Light, the second half was devoted to the evils of Pentonix, the overall conflict and the history behind it, and the beginning of the action leading toward a resolution. The climax was shocking and enthralling. I was a little sad to see the story end where it did, but the author has wrapped it up nicely to make way for the second part of Danny’s adventure.
There were also a lot of themes which are relatable to young adult readers – ex, depression, deaths in the family, living with relatives, new school, meeting new friends…you get the picture. But the author has not told a contemporary or worn tale with these elements, he has spun them together to create something unique, a relatable experience all the while combining otherworldly elements for a unique tale of good versus evil, and how people choose who they follow or believe in.
What didn’t I like?
Normally I am a fan of storytelling from different perspectives, however, I was not that impressed with the way the first few chapters progressed, as it seemed there was a different narrator each time who would not narrate again. I also didn’t like how it sometimes changed perspective in the middle of the chapter without any warning; although this is a creative idea, I think it would have been even better if there was some ‘warning’ or something to advise that the perspective was changing.
I think that kind of annoyed me the most was that we went through the first half of the story not knowing anything, but then in the middle of the story get all the information we need for the story to progress…it’s kind of like a really long prologue. Despite this, the author has managed to weave an intricate and interesting storyline which really hooks the reader in and gets them wanting to know more.
Overall rating:
3.5/5 – (rounded to the nearest full star) a really great start to the series. Would definitely read this again and will be looking forward to the sequel or any future installments.
January 15, 2020
I could not put this book down! Its been sitting on my shelf for over a year now and this weekend I decided to read it, and I LOVED it. I devoured it in a matter of twelve hours and I am mad I did not start it sooner because it blew me away. I loved the complex issues, the mental health awareness, and the conflict between good and evil! I am team #Freewill #TheKingofLight. A note to the author be more fluid with the POV changes because that did throw me off a bit, but other then that you did a fantastic job and I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SECOND BOOK!
August 10, 2023
Enjoyed this one, the wordlbuilding reminded me a bit of Susan Cooper's mythology-woven modern day Dark is Rising. The characters were well drawn and had great twists. The plot was great and had amazing turns as well. Definitely waiting to find out what happens next!
September 3, 2023
📚 Book Review 📚- “The Memoirs of Elikai: The Children of Solstice”
✨ TW: graphic violence, unaliving, mentions of suicide, mental torture/torment ✨
📖 Genre: Achillean, grimdark, YA fantasy
This tells the story of the final war between Free Will and Creation. And fifteen-year-old Danny Elikai is one of the last people alive who can stop the impending threat of the rise of the Crusaders of Destiny--that might plunge the world into eternal darkness.
This was such a fun read. The writing was rich. The imagery was excellent; the characters were dynamic, and the struggles of Danny are so well portrayed. A character battling depression and his purpose. Dealing with immense grief and trauma. It’s a large-scale book dealing with real scale problems, and those are the most satisfying stories when dealing with elaborate worlds unlike our own.
The world building worked extremely well for me. It’s sprinkled in as the story progresses and Danny learns more. The imagery in the book plays out like a movie, which was just fun to picture.
This has a few bombshell twists towards the second half of the book. One of them I sort of had a feeling was the case, but was still shocked. The other I did not see coming at all. 🤯
You have the side characters struggling with identity and purpose and religious ideology, as this whole story feels like a metaphor for it. Will you follow your heart? Or follow what they indoctrinate in us?
I really enjoyed this story. It had heart. It had humor. It had emotion. It had twists. It’s the first in a twelve-book series. Fans of queer storytelling or dark fantasy will love this. I’d say this is for sure upper-YA with the amount of violence. But still has all the themes at play in most YA these days.
It’s about fighting for what we want and what we believe in. Fighting for the people who love and support us. It’s about realizing that, even in our darkest of moments, there is always a sliver of light to lead us back and embrace us. I highly recommend this book. It’s available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and KU.
Would you follow your heart to Free Will? Or do you believe in the promises of peace and harmony with Destiny?
(This was a 4.5 rounded up to a 5 for me.)
✨ TW: graphic violence, unaliving, mentions of suicide, mental torture/torment ✨
📖 Genre: Achillean, grimdark, YA fantasy
This tells the story of the final war between Free Will and Creation. And fifteen-year-old Danny Elikai is one of the last people alive who can stop the impending threat of the rise of the Crusaders of Destiny--that might plunge the world into eternal darkness.
This was such a fun read. The writing was rich. The imagery was excellent; the characters were dynamic, and the struggles of Danny are so well portrayed. A character battling depression and his purpose. Dealing with immense grief and trauma. It’s a large-scale book dealing with real scale problems, and those are the most satisfying stories when dealing with elaborate worlds unlike our own.
The world building worked extremely well for me. It’s sprinkled in as the story progresses and Danny learns more. The imagery in the book plays out like a movie, which was just fun to picture.
This has a few bombshell twists towards the second half of the book. One of them I sort of had a feeling was the case, but was still shocked. The other I did not see coming at all. 🤯
You have the side characters struggling with identity and purpose and religious ideology, as this whole story feels like a metaphor for it. Will you follow your heart? Or follow what they indoctrinate in us?
I really enjoyed this story. It had heart. It had humor. It had emotion. It had twists. It’s the first in a twelve-book series. Fans of queer storytelling or dark fantasy will love this. I’d say this is for sure upper-YA with the amount of violence. But still has all the themes at play in most YA these days.
It’s about fighting for what we want and what we believe in. Fighting for the people who love and support us. It’s about realizing that, even in our darkest of moments, there is always a sliver of light to lead us back and embrace us. I highly recommend this book. It’s available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and KU.
Would you follow your heart to Free Will? Or do you believe in the promises of peace and harmony with Destiny?
(This was a 4.5 rounded up to a 5 for me.)
April 22, 2023
This is a coming of age dark fantasy centered on what the novel calls the Final War between Free Will and Destiny. It has graphic violence, death, mentions of suicide, homophobia, physical/mental torment, and Christian themes, but if you're good with that, then you might just enjoy it.
The novel opens with an introduction to the primary conflict — free will vs. destiny, a theme I absolutely love and which I also explore in the books I'm writing — but it takes a while before we see the full picture. I certainly had a lot of burning questions, and the list kept getting longer as the chapters progressed... then everything just started to come together. By that point, I couldn't put the book down. Can't wait to read the next installment!
The novel opens with an introduction to the primary conflict — free will vs. destiny, a theme I absolutely love and which I also explore in the books I'm writing — but it takes a while before we see the full picture. I certainly had a lot of burning questions, and the list kept getting longer as the chapters progressed... then everything just started to come together. By that point, I couldn't put the book down. Can't wait to read the next installment!
May 18, 2020
I really liked the premise of this book. The storyline is creative, and the worldbuilding is vivid and beautiful. Unfortunately, I found the sophistication of the writing style to be lacking overall. There were a lot of repetitive phrases and a nearly continuous recitation of the characters' feelings and emotions, which really slowed down the plot. The book was also confusing in many areas.
You can find my full review here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
You can find my full review here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
April 6, 2023
You are thrust into a world of pain and suffering that is also beautifully loving! This book got me back into reading with its colorful world and loving characters. It’s full of honesty and loyalty but also gets you to explore the relationship of the not-so-black-and-white dichotomy between free will and destiny.
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