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The Nightpath Trilogy #1
Entromancy
2076 is not a good year to be a special agent. A quarter of the world's power runs on ceridium, a newly discovered element that has had the unintended consequence of spawning a new race of people, and several forms of magic that were once thought to have been forgotten. Eskander Aradowsi is an agent of NIGHT, a paramilitary force created to contain and control this new perceived threat, but he soon learns that not all within his organization is as it seems. A botched mission turns out to be the least of his troubles, when he unearths a plot that threatens the uneasy truce between the aurics and humans of San Francisco, and centers on a form of magic that toys with the very fabric of the universe: Entromancy.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2015
58 people are currently reading
702 people want to read
About the author
M.S. Farzan
5 books93 followersM. S. Farzan was born in London, UK and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has a Ph.D. in Cultural and Historical Studies of Religions, and enjoys soccer, baseball, martial arts, and games of all kinds.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 24, 2017
Title: Entromancy: Book One of the Nightpath Trilogy
Author: M.S. Farzan
Excerpt: I fought to stay calm. I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears, matching the drumming in my temple, and I kept forgetting to breathe. I hedged, knowing that I could leave, taking the auric with me for questioning, but I wouldn’t have time to evacuate the people upstairs. I wasn’t familiar with being unsure of my next course of action, and I didn’t care for the feeling.
I had neither the time to give the defuse protocol another tries nor the skillset to hack into the device and do it the hard way. I synced the timer with my digitab and saw the countdown appear in my lenses. Pocketing the digitab, I released my knee from the auric’s throat and grabbed him by the collar.
“What’s the code?” I snarled at him.
“What?” he said thickly. I could see the blood staining his white teeth.
“Don’t play stupid with me,” I said, shaking him. “What’s the code?”
“The hell, man? What code?”
I could see that he had no idea what I was talking about. I glanced back at the bomb and up at the time display. 21:27:24, three minutes and thirty-six seconds.
The auric craned his neck to follow my gaze, then looked at me. I could see understanding register in his eyes.
“We’re dead?” he queried.
I nodded absently, reaching for another ceridium capsule. Prying off a glove with my teeth, I reached out towards the device.
The auric’s hand shot up and grabbed weakly at my wrist. “You’re going to kill us, man!” he protested.
“Probably!” I looked back towards a side entrance next to the counter. “Can you open that?”
He hesitated, then nodded slightly.
“Do it,” I said. He got up slowly and trotted over to the door.
Summary: 2076 is not a good year to be a special agent. A quarter of the world's power runs on ceridium, a newly discovered element that has had the unintended consequence of spawning a new race of people, and several forms of magic that were once thought to have been forgotten. Eskander Aradowsi is an agent of NIGHT, a paramilitary force created to contain and control this new perceived threat, but he soon learns that not all within his organization is as it seems. A botched mission turns out to be the least of his troubles, when he unearths a plot that threatens the uneasy truce between the aurics and humans of San Francisco, and centers on a form of magic that toys with the very fabric of the universe: Entromancy.
I’m giving this book 4 stars. It would have been higher but the beginning of the book was confusing as magic and the new breeds of humans were suddenly shown up and no explanation on what they were and how it works.
But further on in the book things get explained and we learn about the plot of the auric king to take oveerre city and the double crossing of the agency the main character works for.
I love all the characters in the book, they each have their different personalities and back stories. I love the little hint of romance that floats in the plot while everyone get shot at. I really couldn’t put this book down once it got started. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the story, as it promises to be a good one.
*The author is The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
.
Bio:
M. S. Farzan was born in London, UK and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has a B.A. in Integrative Biology, M.A. in Religious Leadership for Social Change, and Ph.D. in Cultural and Historical Studies of Religions. He has written and worked for high-profile video game companies and editorial websites such as Electronic Arts, Perfect World Entertainment, and MMORPG.com, and has trained in and taught Japanese martial arts for over ten years. He also enjo
Author: M.S. Farzan
Excerpt: I fought to stay calm. I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears, matching the drumming in my temple, and I kept forgetting to breathe. I hedged, knowing that I could leave, taking the auric with me for questioning, but I wouldn’t have time to evacuate the people upstairs. I wasn’t familiar with being unsure of my next course of action, and I didn’t care for the feeling.
I had neither the time to give the defuse protocol another tries nor the skillset to hack into the device and do it the hard way. I synced the timer with my digitab and saw the countdown appear in my lenses. Pocketing the digitab, I released my knee from the auric’s throat and grabbed him by the collar.
“What’s the code?” I snarled at him.
“What?” he said thickly. I could see the blood staining his white teeth.
“Don’t play stupid with me,” I said, shaking him. “What’s the code?”
“The hell, man? What code?”
I could see that he had no idea what I was talking about. I glanced back at the bomb and up at the time display. 21:27:24, three minutes and thirty-six seconds.
The auric craned his neck to follow my gaze, then looked at me. I could see understanding register in his eyes.
“We’re dead?” he queried.
I nodded absently, reaching for another ceridium capsule. Prying off a glove with my teeth, I reached out towards the device.
The auric’s hand shot up and grabbed weakly at my wrist. “You’re going to kill us, man!” he protested.
“Probably!” I looked back towards a side entrance next to the counter. “Can you open that?”
He hesitated, then nodded slightly.
“Do it,” I said. He got up slowly and trotted over to the door.
Summary: 2076 is not a good year to be a special agent. A quarter of the world's power runs on ceridium, a newly discovered element that has had the unintended consequence of spawning a new race of people, and several forms of magic that were once thought to have been forgotten. Eskander Aradowsi is an agent of NIGHT, a paramilitary force created to contain and control this new perceived threat, but he soon learns that not all within his organization is as it seems. A botched mission turns out to be the least of his troubles, when he unearths a plot that threatens the uneasy truce between the aurics and humans of San Francisco, and centers on a form of magic that toys with the very fabric of the universe: Entromancy.
I’m giving this book 4 stars. It would have been higher but the beginning of the book was confusing as magic and the new breeds of humans were suddenly shown up and no explanation on what they were and how it works.
But further on in the book things get explained and we learn about the plot of the auric king to take oveerre city and the double crossing of the agency the main character works for.
I love all the characters in the book, they each have their different personalities and back stories. I love the little hint of romance that floats in the plot while everyone get shot at. I really couldn’t put this book down once it got started. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the story, as it promises to be a good one.
*The author is The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
.
Bio:
M. S. Farzan was born in London, UK and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has a B.A. in Integrative Biology, M.A. in Religious Leadership for Social Change, and Ph.D. in Cultural and Historical Studies of Religions. He has written and worked for high-profile video game companies and editorial websites such as Electronic Arts, Perfect World Entertainment, and MMORPG.com, and has trained in and taught Japanese martial arts for over ten years. He also enjo
November 8, 2017
I am in love with the worldbuilding on this one. Seriously, it’s amazing. It’s hard to write science fiction with fantasy races and have it make sense, but by jove, I have now seen it done. The book is almost worth it just for that aspect.
Luckily, it’s also good in other ways. The writing is good, the characterization is good, the plot is slightly predictable but still eminently readable, and, seriously, A+ on the worldbuilding. There are some infodumps throughout that could have been shortened or spread out better, and there is a FAIRLY MAJOR piece of information about the main character that’s not revealed til about halfway through that I’m a bit annoyed about, but overall, I really enjoyed reading this one.
I’d recommend picking this up if you like a good mix of science fiction and fantasy.
Luckily, it’s also good in other ways. The writing is good, the characterization is good, the plot is slightly predictable but still eminently readable, and, seriously, A+ on the worldbuilding. There are some infodumps throughout that could have been shortened or spread out better, and there is a FAIRLY MAJOR piece of information about the main character that’s not revealed til about halfway through that I’m a bit annoyed about, but overall, I really enjoyed reading this one.
I’d recommend picking this up if you like a good mix of science fiction and fantasy.
October 30, 2017
Set about sixty years in our future this sci-fi adventure was fascinating. Eskander worked for the good guys, that is he thought he did until they set him up as a fall guy in an underhanded power-grab. He enters into an uneasy alliance with some members of the opposing coalition in an attempt to bring the injustice and the well-choreographed scheming to light. In the process, Eskander discovers a monstrous hidden plot with tentacles reaching the highest echelons of government.
This book was a fun to read story that centered on several important issues concerning diversity, differences, and deeply-held fears. I read mostly to be entertained, but I couldn’t help but think about some of problems in terms of today’s political climate.
An attention-grabbing tale of conspiracy, hatred, and misconceptions that was easy to read, fresh, and frightening, my reading time was well-spent with this book.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
October 31, 2017
This is the first book by M.S. Farzan that I have read. If you count Hunger Games, this is the second science fiction book I have read.
This was a quick and easy book to read.
Each chapter had a quote at the beginning. I believe the quote made the chapter easier to follow.
The book also contained clever dialogue, use of magic and a character from Michigan. All of which made the book interesting.
I would like to read the next two books in this trilogy.
This was a quick and easy book to read.
Each chapter had a quote at the beginning. I believe the quote made the chapter easier to follow.
The book also contained clever dialogue, use of magic and a character from Michigan. All of which made the book interesting.
I would like to read the next two books in this trilogy.
October 19, 2017
A group of misfits team up to save the world. The misfits have their own special magical abilities. They become a team when an agent of NIGHT, Eskander Aradowsi comes into their presents for the first time and everywhere Eskander ends up someone is shooting at him and whoever just happens to be as they say in the wrong place at the wrong time sort of thing. So his fight kind of becomes their fight I other words.
Entromancy or should I say Eskander takes us on a wild ride through the city fighting to just stay alive. Entromancy is filled with lots of fighting not only with hand to hand but with magic, and ceridium assault rifles with unlimited ammo as well. I really liked this ceridium, it would be an amazing thing to have with all the things you can make from it. So cool.
I liked the ragers they reminded me of zombies. Ragers are people that are infected with the rage plague; they are fast and will tear someone a part within seconds. So if you come in contact with them you better run and hope you make it out alive. They are fast and furious.
Entromancy has been an amazing journey on in which I think I would like to take again in the next book of the Nightpath Trilogy. The world building is out of this world no pun intended. If you like a lot of action, fighting and guns a blazing then you are going to fall in love with this series.
Entromancy or should I say Eskander takes us on a wild ride through the city fighting to just stay alive. Entromancy is filled with lots of fighting not only with hand to hand but with magic, and ceridium assault rifles with unlimited ammo as well. I really liked this ceridium, it would be an amazing thing to have with all the things you can make from it. So cool.
I liked the ragers they reminded me of zombies. Ragers are people that are infected with the rage plague; they are fast and will tear someone a part within seconds. So if you come in contact with them you better run and hope you make it out alive. They are fast and furious.
Entromancy has been an amazing journey on in which I think I would like to take again in the next book of the Nightpath Trilogy. The world building is out of this world no pun intended. If you like a lot of action, fighting and guns a blazing then you are going to fall in love with this series.
October 1, 2017
Great story has a shadownrun feel to it, interesting mix of fantasy and science fiction. I would recommend to all to read it and I am sure you will enjoy it!
November 10, 2019
I received this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
ENTROMANCY has one of the coolest speculative fiction worlds I’ve encountered in a while. The mix of magic and technology is an amazing blend that results in all kind of badassery from the characters. Backdropped against a sort of dystopian/Philip Marlow-ian cityscape, it felt like an epic D&D slipstream universe, complete with gnomes. I would have gladly taken the chance to explore this place in more depth. That is, if I could be safe from said badassery. If not, I would have created a stealth archer of sorts to do the exploring for me.
I would also not want to be in Eskander Arandowsi’s (the protagonist) situation. Every time he turns around, someone’s shooting at him or blowing something near him up. ENTROMANCY does not fail to deliver in the action department. That said, I sometimes felt a bit bogged down in the action, but I was always able to keep track of who was shooting at whom.
All in all, ENTROMANCY isn’t my usual reading stomping grounds, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to get lost in an awesome world and/or anyone who grew up on table-top role-playing games. The group dynamic among the main characters brought me fondly back to my days of dice rolling, banter, and grid-map combat.
Read an excerpt and follow the Goddess Fish book tour here.
ENTROMANCY has one of the coolest speculative fiction worlds I’ve encountered in a while. The mix of magic and technology is an amazing blend that results in all kind of badassery from the characters. Backdropped against a sort of dystopian/Philip Marlow-ian cityscape, it felt like an epic D&D slipstream universe, complete with gnomes. I would have gladly taken the chance to explore this place in more depth. That is, if I could be safe from said badassery. If not, I would have created a stealth archer of sorts to do the exploring for me.
I would also not want to be in Eskander Arandowsi’s (the protagonist) situation. Every time he turns around, someone’s shooting at him or blowing something near him up. ENTROMANCY does not fail to deliver in the action department. That said, I sometimes felt a bit bogged down in the action, but I was always able to keep track of who was shooting at whom.
All in all, ENTROMANCY isn’t my usual reading stomping grounds, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to get lost in an awesome world and/or anyone who grew up on table-top role-playing games. The group dynamic among the main characters brought me fondly back to my days of dice rolling, banter, and grid-map combat.
March 18, 2016
Entromancy: Books One of the Nightpath Trilogy is a delight to read. Will it change your life? No, but it is fun, the characters are like friends and the plot is entertaining. I wanted to keep reading, I wanted to learn more, I believe that the next book will even be better than this one and I am looking forward to reading it.
August 1, 2017
Interesting read. Concept that an element causes trolls, gnomes...etc. that they existed in Medieval times because of this element is a new thought. The story spends most of its in action with moments of introspection to fill in the details. Time worn underlying theme of different is "racially" dangerous. All differences are dangerous!
June 17, 2018
Set in Future San Francisco area this tale is about the conflicts between normal humans and those that have been altered due to a drug interaction. Magic assisted by a newly found element and the strife between cultures. A some what confusing tale due to sketchy base of information on these new elements and the variety of powers they enable. Din't think I will go on to Nos. 2 & 3.
March 16, 2018
I enjoyed this book too much!
I started reading in the afternoon and now it’s 3 am and I still haven’t had dinner! It’s good that I only got the first one since I actually have to work tomorrow. Great premise and an all around wonderful escape.
I started reading in the afternoon and now it’s 3 am and I still haven’t had dinner! It’s good that I only got the first one since I actually have to work tomorrow. Great premise and an all around wonderful escape.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews