Fable

The Lorn Prophecy #1

by Lisa Fender, Toni Burns

An ancient discovery. A perilous journey. A borne legend.

Stevie Barrett has no idea she is the key to an ancient prophecy—one that endangers her world. Right before her graduation, men with glowing eyes attack her mom. A strange being watches her in shadow. An archaic people haunt her in waking visions. When she unknowingly heals a stranger with a touch, it is the final crack in her reality. Driven to save her sanity, Stevie plunges into her own investigation. As the bizarre events mount, a formidable Warrior - Colton - enters her life. Despite his dark and fearsome exterior, Stevie is inexplicably drawn to him. Her practical side knows she should not trust him, yet he proves his worth. His warning that she is being hunted solidifies her fears. With the enemy at their heels, she and Colton race to locate a relic - the key to the prophecy. As the quest unfolds, it alters everything Stevie believes, about herself and about the life she thought she knew.

Fable is the first installment in a series of new adult fantasy fiction.

Genres: Fantasy

442 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2013

Reviews

[Jola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also on www.jolasbookshelf.wordpress.com.

'Fable' is a good fantasy novel targeted at teenagers, but I enjoyed the story too. I love stories about parallel universes, so it had me hooked. The action scenes were nicely written and the main character, Stevie, has a lot of interesting powers that I would like to know even more about. I'm looking forward to book 2!

Thanks to Lisa Fender for sending me an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharon Ledwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fender and Burns don’t disappoint with their first book Fable: Book 1 of the Lorn Prophecy. What an adventure these collaborative authors have magically spun in their first YA fantasy combining old myths with new thought. A cross between Avatar and the Princess Diaries, the main character, Stevie must make the ultimate choice to leave the world she grew up in to take her rightful place as Guardian in another dimension. Packed with romance, excitement, and intrigue Fable is a fantastic read, and a fantasy you’ll find hard to put down in any dimension!

[J.E. Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fable, Book 1 of the Lorn Prophecy, is a wonderful book that combines, fantasy, with young adult romance. Lisa Fender, and Toni Burns, have deftly created a new world, another dimension. This well written fantasy will take its readers on an exhilarating ride to this other dimension. It is another world that young people will easily identify with, and enjoy.

Stevie, our young heroine, will discover that her world is connected to another dimension, and that the survival of the two worlds will depend on her abilities to accept and recognize her role as daughter in one, and her role as powerful 'guardian' in the other. When the new world collides with Stevie's world, magic and excitement happen.

There is also a subtle environmental message in the story that I truly appreciated, and I believe young people will 'get' it.

This is a terrific book for young adults, and I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to more from these talented authors.

[Edythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A journey that will alter everything she (Stevie Barrett) believes and propel her into another world and into another life.” This is what authors Lisa Fender and Toni Burns proclaim will happen in Fable, Book 1 of the Lorn Prophecy. Lisa and Toni do not disappoint in this interesting novel of paranormal.

A Nepalese Shaman left Stevie with the adoption agency with a message for her adoptive parents that she needed protection because she is a “unique child with peculiar talents.” Stevie has been adopted and is now a senior high school student waiting anxiously for graduation day when one day she looks into a tree in her backyard and sees someone with glowing blue eyes, while at the same time of Stevie’s sighting her mother is attacked at work by two men with glowing gold eyes.

Stevie has recurring dreams of an ancient world, where she sees through the eyes of her birth mother unknowingly, and as her Stevie’s dreams become frequent and unmistaken reality, so does the watchful eye of her protector, Colton of Djen. Colton makes himself known to Stevie and the ancestry from which she comes. Stevie tells friends about the man from the tree with blue eyes, and together with the police detective in charge of the investigation of her mom’s attack, who suspects something from the unknown is responsible, commence on a journey to find a missing Orb to restore peace, and stop the rebellion in her alternate world.

The major theme of this book is Stevie’s strength training for battle, and the development of extrasensory perception to guide her people of Djen, a parallel city of another dimension. I found the storyline to be plausible and interesting paranormal with mystery, suspense, humor, wit, and nice descriptive scene narration. I felt as though I was in the actual woods with everyone preparing for battle and weaponry training. I recommend this book to avid readers of paranormal themes who like not only mystery and suspense, but also a little humor and wit as well in their tales.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fable is a story about a teenage girl, Stevie, who was brought to earth from a parallel world to protect her from a growing rebellion. As she graduates high school she discovers that she is actually a Djen from Djenrye and is thrown into a whole new adventure. Along the way friendships are tested and true love found.
I really liked the premise of Fable and how it dealt with parallel worlds. I also enjoyed learning about Djenrye and the culture. Jack and Marise were my two favorite characters in this book, they had a lot of personality (especially Jack!). Colton was nice eye candy ;)
I give this book big points on creative language. You know how some fantasy books never have a different language or it's just automatically translated into English? Well, I like how Fable had both English and bits of the Djenrye language, and a character, Eli, that didn't fully understand both!
At first I didn't see how detective Drake and Wood really fit into the story but it became clearer about halfway through. I was a little disappointed they get to Djenrye in this book.

*SPOILERS*
REALLY liked the ending of this book. I love books that don't necessarily let the good guys win in the end, it just feels more realist to me.
Personally, I'm not a fan of insta-love stories and the relationship between Stevie and Colton seemed EXTREMELY insta-love. (Don't get me wrong, it's a good romance, it was just sudden.) I understand that they are soulmates from birth, but then shouldn't Marise also have a soulmate? (or maybe she's not old enough yet? Or only the Guardian has a soulmate?)
When Stevie is disembodied by Esalon, I feel like that should've been dragged out a bit more. It was a really interesting concept and I wish the author would have expanded a little more on it. :)

All in all I did love this book and can't wait for Lore! I REALLY want to see what Djenrye is like!

[Angela Meas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An action packed, teenage romance where the main character doesn't give 'it' up the first chance she gets. (Hallelujah)

Stevie is a teen fully expecting her life to change after graduation, but she did not see this coming. She was adopted as an infant and when her mother is attacked by men with glowing eyes, her mother reveals the strangeness of Stevie's adoption. Stevie is coming of age causing her birthmark to enlighten and reveal her true identity as one of the Djen race. With her protector and the love of her life, Colton, to guide her, she grows into maturity and her Djen abilities faster than she realizes. Her duty? To save her native people from evil reign.

Her human friends stick by her side proving friendship is a stronger bond than our troubles. Her mother, Jan is a strong character that supports Stevie while keeping a cautious head on her shoulders. One thing I enjoyed about this book is that Jan had reason to let Stevie go. Stevie is now an adult that has to make her own decisions, but not only that, her mother doesn't simply give in and disappear to make room for the story line. Her reasoning in letting her go makes sense, if I'm making any sense in explaining this.
Also, the language and behavior of the teens is a very real portrayal of young adults. There's good dialogue between characters.

This is book one of a series and Stevie's story does take place in the human realm, but her Djen protector does allow us a glimpse of what is to come in book two when Stevie will be reunited with her people.

I enjoyed reading Fable and would love to keep reading about Stevie's journeys.

I won this book as a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book for review is “Fable: Book 1 of the Lorn Prophecy (Volume 1)” by Lisa Fender.

I would place the genre as fantasy and YA.

Meet our main character Stevie, a young woman who is soon to graduate from high school. What her plans after that, well she is not certain unlike her friends who are going to this college or that college.

Everything about Stevie screams of typical, normal, everyday American girl and she would agree. But someone is watching her and knows Stevie is anything but normal. This watcher is not of this world or of this dimension. He is her soul mate who has been waiting for her to mature on this planet. On his world, she is the guardian of their land. She was born to be one that would save her homeland. But nothing is ever that simple, is it?

The Rebellion are trying to find her to hunt her down before her true purpose comes to fruition.

I am not a reader of fantasy. Most of the time I am reading this genre to give a review that the author has asked of me. This book had a pace that worked well for me which is important considering the genre. I did enjoy it, the author wrote it in such a way I did not get lost with the jargons that one sometimes sees in books of fantasy. The characters were delightful in some spots, frustrating in other but it blended well together. A good read for anyone who loves this genre.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a FirstReads giveaway. I put off reading it because I was in the middle of another book. When I finally started reading it, it took me a little bit to get into it because the first couple of pages felt pretty slow. However, on about the third page, I realized I was not going to be able to put it down! This book has a fantastic plot, lovable characters, and plenty of action. I wasn't too happy about some of the language (no f-words -- thankfully), and of course there were parts that I felt left in the dark in. Most of it is explained by the end of the book, but there were some parts I didn't understand the protagonist has a lot of special powers, and there were two or three that were never fully explained, like the glowing eyes and trances that the Djen can have. , so that took away from the experience for me. Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed it, although it isn't one of the best I have ever read.

[Annah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I think this was a nice fantasy adventure. The idea behind the parallel worlds was interesting enough to capture my attention. There was a lot of really good backstory, especially the beginning scene, that I think helped to really set the mood of the book. The writing is done very well, which I greatly appreciate. There are a handful of main characters that flow together well. I would have preferred some of them to be more fleshed out. Everyone was pretty quick to believe in the fable of Stevie's real history and world. I thought Stevie was not quite deep enough for being the main protagonist of the story. I appreciated the addition of Colton's sister into the mix. While I liked Wood's attitude, his speech made me cringe. I understand he's a New Yorker, but it was painful to read his "accent". I am curious to find out what happens when the group returns to Djenrye. I was hoping for more placement in the parallel world.

[Annie Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Won on Goodreads
Fable Book 1 of The Lorn Prophecy by Lisa Fender and Toni Burns
Great storytelling writing of a fantasy story. I complement them for doing a wonderful story of fantasy. Great fight scenes Stevie a girl adopted by a great family and

watched over by a a guy from her other dimension from afar named Colton from the Djen dimension for 18 years waiting for her powers to show. Stevie

mother is attacked but by the ones wanting to gain the power of the orb to destroy the human world . Stevie A Guardian , Coulton a warrior,Marise his sister ,
a police officer Wood and two of Stevie friends set out to train for a fight with Torren a evil man and his followers to the orb and return it to the other 4 orbs

of elements to save all. Only the Guardian can join them.

[Lisa Landreth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Lisa Fender and Toni Burns first novel and let me tell you, they don't disappoint. It's about a girl, Stevie, who is your typical ordinary teenager, but then her world is turned upside down when she discovers she's a guardian from another land. She must become what she was born for, find and return one of the Orbs all the while trying to stay alive from the Rebellion which are trying to hunt her down. The book is filled with fast paced action and characters you'll love. I really enjoyed the novel and I want to see what adventures Stevie will have in Djenrye. I am so glad they didn't kill off Woods by the way, that would have been just too sad. :) All in all, an excellent read and this fan will be buying the next novel for sure.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had fun reading this fantasy story about a young girl, Stevie, who was hidden on Earth because she was the last guardian from another world. This story is the evil rebels trying to destroy the Djen guardian and their power. The Djen guardian Colton was on Earth protecting the guardian as she grew up until she became 18 when her powers started to show.

They treked across the upper northwest to try and get to an orb which was hidden on Earth before the rebels. This book detailed out the training Stevie took to find her Djen self and her capabilities. It also covers the relationship she has with some of her friends from Earth and the support they give her. Along the way they had challenges and met the rebels on the way. The book ends as they are going through the portal to their world.

[Terese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, great read. I was intrigued and didn't want to put the book down. Whenever I couldn't read, my mind kept wandering back to the book and heartwarming characters.
The beginning of the books starts in a parallel world. I have to admit, it threw me off a bit and made me put down the book for a month or two. Finally pushing past my confusion, we have a mundane chapter or two to follow our parallel world perspective. The slow bits at the beginning are the only drawback, and why my rating was 4 stars.
This isn't the type of book to sweep its readers away into a land of daydreams and nonsense, but a practical and refreshing story about real (and sometimes cliché) characters.
I loved it and definitely want to read more.

[Brandie Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors worked hard to create a believable fantasy world based in current times. I enjoyed the development of all the characters and found it very easy to jump into Stevie's world. I recommend this novel to young adults as well as any lover of fantasy! I cannot wait until the remaining books are published in this action packed series!

[Kas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal! The world building is excellent and the insertion of the fables and stories flows well. I was hesitant with all of the travel that it would become a "training montage" but it was executed well. The characters are all well fleshed out and believable (despite several being from another dimension)

I cannot wait for the story to continue. 5 stars. I highly recommend it!

[Ken Weinert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice YA fiction. A story that holds your attention and it's obvious the authors have thought about what they're writing and where they want to go in the future.

[Lore Nusser · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. So descriptive it's like you're right there. Awesome!

[Janice Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a variation on the secret princess theme, wherein a young girl discovers that she's from another world (another dimension, actually) and is destined to do great things (save the world?) as her latent powers begin to emerge. Naturally no one had told her about any of this stuff in advance, so she's totally blindsided, but manages to cope. Raging teenage hormones add a complication.

The author obviously put a lot of work into the book, creating a belief system and even a language. Sadly, for me, the interjection of comments in this language were more an irritant and a break in the narrative than an aid to credibility.

Fantasy works require a "suspension of disbelief" on the part of the reader, a willingness to accept the rules of another world, if only for the duration of the story. I really wanted to just relax and enjoy the adventure, but my logical mind kept raising objections. Maybe that's just me, and my difficulty in relating to teenagers who suddenly discover they have super powers. I don't plan to buy the next book.

[Lora Shouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fable begins well. The prologue hints at an exciting world of mages and warriors and an impending battle for control of Djenrye. Attacking warriors disrupt the peace of a quiet night, and Raynok, the last Guardian, and his wife, Carlynn, are forced to flee for their lives.

Then, splatt! We suddenly find ourselves eighteen years later in the everyday world of the present day with a bunch of not-always-serious teenagers centering on a young lady named Stevie. She comes home from school to find herself alone in the house. Her dog alerts her to someone outside in the trees with blue-glowing eyes like flashlights. Then she receives a call that her mother has been attacked by somebody at work and is in the hospital. You begin to think horror movie material.

It takes about half the book to get back around to where you really have a good idea just what all this has to do with the scene in the prologue. Initially, there is a lot of anxiety about love triangles between Stevie, her best friend Jack, and Colton, the guy from Djenrye with the blue-flashlight eyes. Also, there is drama with Stevie’s mom, and with two police officers who are investigating the attack on Stevie’s mom and who can’t be allowed to find out the truth.

Once everybody is in on the secret, after all, things begin to get interesting again as Colton explains how Stevie, whose real name turns out to by Shylae, is actually the daughter of Raynok and Carlynn and is now the new Guardian. It appears that the Rebels from eighteen years earlier are now making a renewed attack. There is a magical artifact they want to retrieve. They also want to retrieve Stevie and use her blood for some kind of magical ritual that will destroy both Djenrye and Terra-Hun, which is the world as we know it.

Evidently, we are being set up for a long journey and at least one other book, as nothing is really resolved by the end of this one.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacie Haden · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a good story here, if you can get past unrealistic responses to events and extremely inconsistent language. I could list about 50 examples. If you're going to read Fable, just do your best to turn a blind eye to it, and focus on the overall "fable".