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Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof
#1 New York Times Bestseller
From the mind of basketball legend, Academy Award-winning, and New York Times-bestselling storyteller Kobe Bryant comes a new tale of finding your strength against all odds.
Set in an alternate classical world dominated by sports and a magical power called grana, The Tree of Ecrof is the story of two the lowly born Rovi and the crown princess Pretia who uncover and battle terrible evil and discover their inner strength along the way.
The Tree of Ecrof takes place at the most elite sports academy in the land, where the best child-athletes are sent to hone their skills. When Rovi and Pretia arrive, each harboring a secret about themselves, they begin to suspect that something evil is at play at the school. In the course of their first year, they must learn to master their grana in order to save the world from dark forces that are rising.
From the mind of basketball legend, Academy Award-winning, and New York Times-bestselling storyteller Kobe Bryant comes a new tale of finding your strength against all odds.
Set in an alternate classical world dominated by sports and a magical power called grana, The Tree of Ecrof is the story of two the lowly born Rovi and the crown princess Pretia who uncover and battle terrible evil and discover their inner strength along the way.
The Tree of Ecrof takes place at the most elite sports academy in the land, where the best child-athletes are sent to hone their skills. When Rovi and Pretia arrive, each harboring a secret about themselves, they begin to suspect that something evil is at play at the school. In the course of their first year, they must learn to master their grana in order to save the world from dark forces that are rising.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2019
85 people are currently reading
2670 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
December 26, 2019
Kobe Bryant and Ivy Claire have crafted another sports-centered magical fantasy, this time involving “grana,” a magical power that can do much more than help you win a game of sports. Rovi and Pretia’s stories are inspiring, and I think everyone from middle grade to adult will find something to love in this magical sports story.
I received a complimentary copy from Granity Studios.
Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.insagram.com/tarheelreader
I received a complimentary copy from Granity Studios.
Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.insagram.com/tarheelreader
October 23, 2022
5 Stars for Epoca (audiobook) by Kobe Bryant and Ivy Claire read by Phylicia Rashad.
I’m so glad I found this book. I think this is perfect book for any young person that’s interested in sports. And old people too. This is my first book inspired by Kobe Bryant that I’ve read and I’m really impressed. I knew that Kobe was on GR but I didn’t know that he was creating books. Ive Claire did a great job writing this story and it was a wonderful treat getting to hear Phylicia Rashad read this.
I’m so glad I found this book. I think this is perfect book for any young person that’s interested in sports. And old people too. This is my first book inspired by Kobe Bryant that I’ve read and I’m really impressed. I knew that Kobe was on GR but I didn’t know that he was creating books. Ive Claire did a great job writing this story and it was a wonderful treat getting to hear Phylicia Rashad read this.
September 18, 2019
Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "EPOCA: The Tree of Ecroff" Created by Kobe Bryant, Written by Ivy Claire, Granity Studios, November 12, 2019
"EPOCA: The tree of Ecrof" Created by Kobe Bryant, and Written by Ivy Claire is a magical, mesmerizing, captivating, entertaining, suspenseful and intense novel full of adventure. The Genres for this Book are Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, Sports, Fiction, and Suspense. This is a coming of age novel. From Goodreads, "comes a tale of finding your strength against all odds." This is also a tale of good vs. evil and wealth vs. poverty. The dramatic characters in this story are creative, complex, complicated and competitive. The story takes place in a time where there are castles, palaces, Queens, Kings, Princesses, and Princes. The themes of this story are also sports and "grana". "Grana" is a magical power that each child and adult is supposed to have to succeed. This is a late middle school to adult novel. While I was reading this, I was thinking of "The Hunger Games".
Princess Pretia has had every advantage that one can possibly have. Pretia's parents are King and Queen from two different Kingdoms. One is a Dreamer and One is a Thinker. Now they rule together. Pretia will become Queen of the Land if she can find her special super strength or "Grana". After her tenth birthday, she will be sent to a special island to compete and learn skills for sports.
Rovi, is now an orphan, due to complicated circumstances. He has lived in poverty and has learned to steal to survive. Rovi can run extremely fast, and he winds up being chosen to have a chance to go to this school and the land of magic and sports.
There are twists and turns, danger and some evil and strange occurrences at the school. I highly recommend this intense, engaging, suspenseful and magical story.
"EPOCA: The tree of Ecrof" Created by Kobe Bryant, and Written by Ivy Claire is a magical, mesmerizing, captivating, entertaining, suspenseful and intense novel full of adventure. The Genres for this Book are Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, Sports, Fiction, and Suspense. This is a coming of age novel. From Goodreads, "comes a tale of finding your strength against all odds." This is also a tale of good vs. evil and wealth vs. poverty. The dramatic characters in this story are creative, complex, complicated and competitive. The story takes place in a time where there are castles, palaces, Queens, Kings, Princesses, and Princes. The themes of this story are also sports and "grana". "Grana" is a magical power that each child and adult is supposed to have to succeed. This is a late middle school to adult novel. While I was reading this, I was thinking of "The Hunger Games".
Princess Pretia has had every advantage that one can possibly have. Pretia's parents are King and Queen from two different Kingdoms. One is a Dreamer and One is a Thinker. Now they rule together. Pretia will become Queen of the Land if she can find her special super strength or "Grana". After her tenth birthday, she will be sent to a special island to compete and learn skills for sports.
Rovi, is now an orphan, due to complicated circumstances. He has lived in poverty and has learned to steal to survive. Rovi can run extremely fast, and he winds up being chosen to have a chance to go to this school and the land of magic and sports.
There are twists and turns, danger and some evil and strange occurrences at the school. I highly recommend this intense, engaging, suspenseful and magical story.
November 3, 2019
An interesting premise with the inclusion of the sports theme. I can think of a specific audience of kids, the sports fan who would rather be at practice than doing their assigned reading, that might really get into this and I'm completely here for it. I'm a firm believer that every kid can grow into a reader, it's 100% about finding the genre that fits them and I think this fills the gap we have in some areas.
I'm not generally a fan of fantasy, but I really liked these characters and the overall story. I thought the characters had interesting backgrounds/home lives that a lot of kids can relate to, and I thought how they navigated that and rise above them was really great and a positive example for readers. Overall, I thought this was good and while I wouldn't run for a sequel, I do appreciate the niche the author and Kobe Bryant are trying to fill in.
I'm not generally a fan of fantasy, but I really liked these characters and the overall story. I thought the characters had interesting backgrounds/home lives that a lot of kids can relate to, and I thought how they navigated that and rise above them was really great and a positive example for readers. Overall, I thought this was good and while I wouldn't run for a sequel, I do appreciate the niche the author and Kobe Bryant are trying to fill in.
December 1, 2019
I have to say... the concept is really interesting and the plot really sets the book up to be a series with a treasure trove of world building and adventure. The characters seem to be decently developed over time as well. I didn't realize when first selecting the book that it was more of a teen novel, but an adult can also easily get into it if you don't mind a simple read.
The cover art is amazing and the drawings in the chapters are pretty good as well.
Some of my main criticisms:
1. It's hard to figure out the time period and overall setting. It's an odd mixture of modern technology and seemingly ancient practices and setting. Kings, queens, princess Pretia, castles, old buildings mixed with modern sports technology, modern sports, vending machines and other things that only exist in the current era. I guess this would work more if there was more explanation for this mix, but there's not.
2. Way too many parallels to Harry Potter. Honestly the first half of the book seemed like a huge rip off that series. 7 years in a special school where kids are recruited based on magic at age 10, sorted into houses based on a principle that can't lie, there are other schools they compete against, there's a seemingly magic abundance of food, there are magical shifts in the grounds of the school, etc. I get the feeling that the execution of the story borrowed way too much from the Harry Potter series because they're wanting to turn it into a similar empire of books, movies and merch, but it had so much potential to be radically different.
3. So far I've seen a grammatical error or two...please copy edit the book if you're going to self publish. "There are going to consequences." Was the major one. Cmon guys.
If they end up turning this into a series, I'd suggest getting away from the heavy borrowing from Harry Potter and spending more time on detail and really building a brand new world that makes more sense.
The cover art is amazing and the drawings in the chapters are pretty good as well.
Some of my main criticisms:
1. It's hard to figure out the time period and overall setting. It's an odd mixture of modern technology and seemingly ancient practices and setting. Kings, queens, princess Pretia, castles, old buildings mixed with modern sports technology, modern sports, vending machines and other things that only exist in the current era. I guess this would work more if there was more explanation for this mix, but there's not.
2. Way too many parallels to Harry Potter. Honestly the first half of the book seemed like a huge rip off that series. 7 years in a special school where kids are recruited based on magic at age 10, sorted into houses based on a principle that can't lie, there are other schools they compete against, there's a seemingly magic abundance of food, there are magical shifts in the grounds of the school, etc. I get the feeling that the execution of the story borrowed way too much from the Harry Potter series because they're wanting to turn it into a similar empire of books, movies and merch, but it had so much potential to be radically different.
3. So far I've seen a grammatical error or two...please copy edit the book if you're going to self publish. "There are going to consequences." Was the major one. Cmon guys.
If they end up turning this into a series, I'd suggest getting away from the heavy borrowing from Harry Potter and spending more time on detail and really building a brand new world that makes more sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2019
AGAINST ALL ODDS.
December 2, 2019
***Won from a Goodreads.com Giveaway***
I have to start with that cover! Wow! It is absolutely gorgeous visually and physically. The cover is a pebbled, deep purple with gold font. The smooth picture is a treat for the eyes with the Tree of Ecrof in full color and the mirror image below of a dark twisted tree! There is no dust jacket so you can enjoy the look and feel of this book right from the get-go! I give it 5 stars. Heck, I'd give it all the stars if I could. And the accompanying font inside and out was well chosen. I don't think any expense was spared in the creation of this book. It has a built-in ribbon bookmark and the pages are a subtle tie-dye that changes minutely with each turn of the page. I'm in love with it! Granity Studios and all those involved did a stellar job! But I would have loved to have seen a map of this world.
The story itself has a lot of familiar elements, many borrowed from the Greek and Roman lands and mythology. And many familiar fantasy tropes including a boarding school. But the story is still unique with the boarding school being centered on sports. There really is not much else taught there that is not sports, sports related, or touches on their special god-given grana skills. So, not much of a well-rounded school for 10-year-olds to attend. That is the age of new recruits to the school and they continue their sports education for 7 years. This wouldn't be too bad but some will need something else to fall back on and several students are from royal families and other well-off citizens, including the future heir to the throne. I think she'd need to learn more than just sports. Yes, she will learn teamwork and maybe some diplomacy, but is she supposed to learn everything else during her summers away from the school?
The author and creator of the novel, Kobe Bryant and Ivy Claire, still created a fun and entertaining world. I had to stop myself from trying to see it as an adult book and look at it instead as a book for pre-teens - early teens. That is not the book's fault, that is my fault. It is a hefty one at around 350 pages. (I think there was too much description.)
They created a somewhat modern world with some fantasy elements. I did have a hard time seeing it as a modern world with Gods, royal families, talents from the gods, etc. So, it threw me when there's mention of sneakers, cars, vending machines, etc. Especially with the cars as they seem to randomly pop up only a few times and the kids are not all that obsessed with tech in this world. The modern elements felt out-of-place.
I feel like I'm only mentioning the negative. :( And there is one other nitpick that I have. The people's belief and non-belief of the gods. It seems a given fact that people's talent, or grana, comes directly from the gods. But at other times people are saying how that there were never any gods that it's just a way to explain the grana. I know we are getting our info from mainly 10-year-olds but it could have been explained better. I felt more that the gods are believed in so it felt weird when a character would mention the gods not being real.
Ok, I think I'm done with the nitpicking. Because I did enjoy the story and following along with Princess Pretia and Star Stealer Rovi (Star Stealer is such an excellent label/description) as they navigate their new school and learn more about themselves and what they can truly do. I love the theme of teamwork being stressed, instead of the typical trope of a lone character saving the day. Even though it was fantasy, it came across as more realistic with Pretia, Rovi, and Vera working together instead of one outsider, loner student saving the day.
I enjoyed this book so much that I couldn't wait to pick it up each day and had a hard time setting it aside when I had something else that needed my attention. I will definitely seek out the sequel!
I have to start with that cover! Wow! It is absolutely gorgeous visually and physically. The cover is a pebbled, deep purple with gold font. The smooth picture is a treat for the eyes with the Tree of Ecrof in full color and the mirror image below of a dark twisted tree! There is no dust jacket so you can enjoy the look and feel of this book right from the get-go! I give it 5 stars. Heck, I'd give it all the stars if I could. And the accompanying font inside and out was well chosen. I don't think any expense was spared in the creation of this book. It has a built-in ribbon bookmark and the pages are a subtle tie-dye that changes minutely with each turn of the page. I'm in love with it! Granity Studios and all those involved did a stellar job! But I would have loved to have seen a map of this world.
The story itself has a lot of familiar elements, many borrowed from the Greek and Roman lands and mythology. And many familiar fantasy tropes including a boarding school. But the story is still unique with the boarding school being centered on sports. There really is not much else taught there that is not sports, sports related, or touches on their special god-given grana skills. So, not much of a well-rounded school for 10-year-olds to attend. That is the age of new recruits to the school and they continue their sports education for 7 years. This wouldn't be too bad but some will need something else to fall back on and several students are from royal families and other well-off citizens, including the future heir to the throne. I think she'd need to learn more than just sports. Yes, she will learn teamwork and maybe some diplomacy, but is she supposed to learn everything else during her summers away from the school?
The author and creator of the novel, Kobe Bryant and Ivy Claire, still created a fun and entertaining world. I had to stop myself from trying to see it as an adult book and look at it instead as a book for pre-teens - early teens. That is not the book's fault, that is my fault. It is a hefty one at around 350 pages. (I think there was too much description.)
They created a somewhat modern world with some fantasy elements. I did have a hard time seeing it as a modern world with Gods, royal families, talents from the gods, etc. So, it threw me when there's mention of sneakers, cars, vending machines, etc. Especially with the cars as they seem to randomly pop up only a few times and the kids are not all that obsessed with tech in this world. The modern elements felt out-of-place.
I feel like I'm only mentioning the negative. :( And there is one other nitpick that I have. The people's belief and non-belief of the gods. It seems a given fact that people's talent, or grana, comes directly from the gods. But at other times people are saying how that there were never any gods that it's just a way to explain the grana. I know we are getting our info from mainly 10-year-olds but it could have been explained better. I felt more that the gods are believed in so it felt weird when a character would mention the gods not being real.
Ok, I think I'm done with the nitpicking. Because I did enjoy the story and following along with Princess Pretia and Star Stealer Rovi (Star Stealer is such an excellent label/description) as they navigate their new school and learn more about themselves and what they can truly do. I love the theme of teamwork being stressed, instead of the typical trope of a lone character saving the day. Even though it was fantasy, it came across as more realistic with Pretia, Rovi, and Vera working together instead of one outsider, loner student saving the day.
I enjoyed this book so much that I couldn't wait to pick it up each day and had a hard time setting it aside when I had something else that needed my attention. I will definitely seek out the sequel!
June 1, 2022
This is yet another book "created by Kobe Bryant" that hits it out of the ballpark, or clears the high jump bar, in this case! I'm totally on a roll with Bryant's sports fantasy series for middle grade.
The Tree of Ecrof (force spelled backward ;-) is another tactile and visual reading experience, with exquisite care taken in designing the deep rich purple, textured cover, and the gold lettering, track and tree roots. There's a white book ribbon, kind of like a lace on sports gear, not silky or satiny, more grainy to the touch. Even the pages are printed on gorgeous paper in a blend of rainbow colors.
Pretia is the princess in line to rule Epoca. She's the daughter of a marriage between the two ruling houses. Now, if only her grana, or magical ability manifested through a sport, would come in! She prays to the gods for her grana, even lighting a fire to the forbidden god Hurell.
When her grana manifests, however, it takes her right out of herself and before she knows it she's hurt a boy -- knocked him off a cliff. He's only saved by the fact that the cliff isn't a steep drop and he's stopped mid-way, breaking an arm. But Pretia is convinced her grana was granted by Hurell, and it's bad.
She vows not to use it again, not if it means hurting any of her subjects. Suddenly, going off to the Ecrof Academy to train in using her grana in sports is not at all what she'd hoped. It's a sort of sports grana Hogwarts, and all first year students have to start off in track events and don't get to specialize in basketball or tennis or the other sports until later.
Rovi is living on the streets, orphaned, hungry, with memories of living with his father, a respected inventor and teacher at Ecrof Academy. He's on his own now, reduced to stealing a pair of Grana Gleams, shiny gold sneakers, for his birthday. An older man doesn't exactly help him steal the shoes, but he facilitates Rovi's escape, and later catches up to Rovi. Does Rovi want to come to Ecrof Academy, where he belongs, and can train -- and perhaps learn more about what happened to his father, why he was turned out of Ecrof? Of course!
Rovi and Pretia form an unlikely alliance. Rovi learns his father was expelled from the Academy after ranting about killing its tree, the Tree of Ecrof. The tree is clearly rotten now, and he wants to steer clear of it. But he's also curious to explore his father's old workshop and his inventions. Pretia must endure her obnoxious cousin Castor's taunts and put-downs, unwilling to use her Hurell-tainted grana to prove him wrong, no matter how it gathers around her, screaming to be used.
Together, with their friend and competitor Vera, they discover what's strangling the Tree and it's not what anyone could have imagined. There may have been some truth to Rovi's father's rantings, and Pretia's grana did have a purpose -- a good purpose -- in coming to Ecrof. Can they save the tree, the heart of Ecrof, by working as a team?
I won't spoil the ending; enjoy the twists!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
The Tree of Ecrof (force spelled backward ;-) is another tactile and visual reading experience, with exquisite care taken in designing the deep rich purple, textured cover, and the gold lettering, track and tree roots. There's a white book ribbon, kind of like a lace on sports gear, not silky or satiny, more grainy to the touch. Even the pages are printed on gorgeous paper in a blend of rainbow colors.
Pretia is the princess in line to rule Epoca. She's the daughter of a marriage between the two ruling houses. Now, if only her grana, or magical ability manifested through a sport, would come in! She prays to the gods for her grana, even lighting a fire to the forbidden god Hurell.
When her grana manifests, however, it takes her right out of herself and before she knows it she's hurt a boy -- knocked him off a cliff. He's only saved by the fact that the cliff isn't a steep drop and he's stopped mid-way, breaking an arm. But Pretia is convinced her grana was granted by Hurell, and it's bad.
She vows not to use it again, not if it means hurting any of her subjects. Suddenly, going off to the Ecrof Academy to train in using her grana in sports is not at all what she'd hoped. It's a sort of sports grana Hogwarts, and all first year students have to start off in track events and don't get to specialize in basketball or tennis or the other sports until later.
Rovi is living on the streets, orphaned, hungry, with memories of living with his father, a respected inventor and teacher at Ecrof Academy. He's on his own now, reduced to stealing a pair of Grana Gleams, shiny gold sneakers, for his birthday. An older man doesn't exactly help him steal the shoes, but he facilitates Rovi's escape, and later catches up to Rovi. Does Rovi want to come to Ecrof Academy, where he belongs, and can train -- and perhaps learn more about what happened to his father, why he was turned out of Ecrof? Of course!
Rovi and Pretia form an unlikely alliance. Rovi learns his father was expelled from the Academy after ranting about killing its tree, the Tree of Ecrof. The tree is clearly rotten now, and he wants to steer clear of it. But he's also curious to explore his father's old workshop and his inventions. Pretia must endure her obnoxious cousin Castor's taunts and put-downs, unwilling to use her Hurell-tainted grana to prove him wrong, no matter how it gathers around her, screaming to be used.
Together, with their friend and competitor Vera, they discover what's strangling the Tree and it's not what anyone could have imagined. There may have been some truth to Rovi's father's rantings, and Pretia's grana did have a purpose -- a good purpose -- in coming to Ecrof. Can they save the tree, the heart of Ecrof, by working as a team?
I won't spoil the ending; enjoy the twists!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
November 12, 2019
Epoca is the story of two children: Pretia, the Child of Hope and future ruler of Epoca, and Rovi, an orphan and Star Stealer known as Swiftfoot. When they both are chosen to attend Ecrof Academy, an elite sports academy, strange things start happening, mostly centered around the Tree of Ecrof. Can Pretia and Rovi, with some help from some friends, save not only Ecrof Academy but the world?
Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof is a book aimed at middle school children, and has a lot of great lessons for children of that age, including lessons about teamwork, hard work, believing in yourself and recognizing that winning isn’t everything. The main characters, who are ten years old, are relatable to young readers while still having that bit of magic in the story. It reminded me a lot of Harry Potter, but with a sports twist. I feel that this is a great book for middle school-aged children, and a book that parents might enjoy reading with their child(ren).
Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof is a book aimed at middle school children, and has a lot of great lessons for children of that age, including lessons about teamwork, hard work, believing in yourself and recognizing that winning isn’t everything. The main characters, who are ten years old, are relatable to young readers while still having that bit of magic in the story. It reminded me a lot of Harry Potter, but with a sports twist. I feel that this is a great book for middle school-aged children, and a book that parents might enjoy reading with their child(ren).
Want to read
February 1, 2020This is how fast things hit you. In December,I saw this book at Wal mart and of course what immediately grab my attention was Kobe’s name on the front. I knew he had a very creative mind anyway and have created books before . So I flipped through it and realize how pretty the book is with all the different color pages and the premise of it is really interesting.I decided not to get it that day because I already had two books I was going to get anyway. So fast forward to January the 15th where I’m back at Wal Mart and saw it was still there which I immediately decided to get it. Didn’t know 11 days later that he would be gone. So it’s on my tbr list and I will get to it. RIP Kobe
December 6, 2019
Fun and exciting story centered around sports that many students will enjoy!
October 9, 2022
These remarkable Kobe Bryant books were enthusiastically recommended to me by students, and I have enjoyed each one: not only for the stories, which are, at turns, whimsical, dark, and full of magic focusing on themes like belonging, friendship, confidence, injustice, and defying expectations, but also for the books themselves. The books are so beautifully designed and produced; this book features metallic lettering and designs with colored gradient pages, textured covers, and more. It is such a pleasure reading these, on every level.
January 18, 2020
I've been reading this book to my little brother, he really looks up to Kobe Bryant because he's a black athlete and author and we don't get to see that everyday. It's nice for that representation. My little brother plays baseball but he also loves to read, so the concept of this story was amazing for him. I personally (while reading this aloud), loved the mystery of the setting. It was modern but in the past at the same time. It kept me guessing and I loved that. Me and my brother say 5/5!!
October 22, 2020
I really really really liked Epoca! I liked how they put together fantasy and sports, but also mystery and lot and lots of suspense. The story for each of the characters and both Pretia and Rovi’s secrets and problems were really interesting to read about. 10/10 recommended
April 11, 2024
It was a really good book probably 4.5/5
January 27, 2020
I haven’t started it yet, but I’m sure it will be good. Cause Kobe wrote this. I can’t wait to get this book. Prayers for Kobe. #godblesskobe
June 17, 2022
This story comes from a completely different world full of sports and royalty. In this story there is supposed to be a magically powerful thing called grana which helps you exceed in sports by doing incredible things. Princess Pretia Praxis Onera, the crown heir to the throne,, prays to the forbidden god of suffering, Hurell for her grana as she received it late. Bu what she gets in return is an uncontrollable grana which she thinks is really bad and dangerous. Pretia, Rovi (a star stealer) and a few others get admitted to the best sports academy there could be, Ecrof. Ecrof is known for the gigantic olive tree which stands in the middle of the stadium. After this follows a lot of training and practice and a lot of competion. Pretia tries to save the tree of Ecrof from dying from a strange sickness with her two friends, Rovi and Vera while trying to hide her unnatural grana. I think this book is good for 10+ and for people who love sports. The sequel of this book is even more exiting as the "once in 4 years" junior epic games occurs!
July 17, 2020
I read this book with a small bookclub of an 8, 9 and 10 year old. They advised this book is a 5/5. I recommend this book to read with the kids. The plot is interesting enough to follow along as an adult and the kids stay interested as well.
April 26, 2020
Visualize the goal.
November 26, 2021
🎄🌿🌲🌈EPOCA: THE TREE OF ECROF🌈🌲🌿🎄
3.5
When Pretia accidently prays to Hurrell and gets her grana she worries that it is cursed, and is sent to Ecrof a school for those who have extremely powerful grana. Rovi a thief part of a gang, has a mysterious and hard past, when he gets admission to Ecrof, the two meet both harboring secrets, as their fates are entwined with the Tree of Ecrof.
Pretia accidently prays to Hurrell, one day after a accident she has promised to never use her grana again. Grana gives you athletic powers, and helps enhance your capabilities. Rovi gets a invitation, as soon as he boards the ship toward Ecrof he keeps to himself. This book reminds me of Harry Potter meets Wilderlore, this book was way better then I thought it would be. The idea by Kobe, was so imaginative and unique. This was very interesting to read especially because of grana and how this world revolves around sports. One of my best friends recommended this book, I speed through it pretty quickly. The whole premise of this book was interesting about a world where there are Dreamers and Realists, and Pretia is both. Rovi's father was labeled as a madman and was later exiled and killed, Rovi wants nothing to do with Ecrof, or to be back again he must face the secrets. The world building was next-level, it wasn't the best world building as Forest Of Souls and Broken Web still hold that spot, but the world-building and effort put into structuring and building this world was amazing. The writing was nice-the book was face paced, and interesting. Rovi and Pretia where okay characters. I love how the past ties in with the future. The plot twist for me at least, where precursory quite early in the story so that you already have a feeling what it is. This book was absolutely beautiful and turning each page was so surprising and delightful with each gradient the pages were. My favorite part of this book was the premise, it was innovative, imaginative, and unique.
🆗CHARACTERS
🆗PLOT TWISTS
✅PLOT
🎄🌿🌲🌈CHARACTERS🌈🌲🌿🎄
✅ROVI
🆗PRETIA
🆗VERA
🎄🌿🌲🌈CONLCUSION🌈🌲🌿🎄
Very smart twists and plot!
3.5
When Pretia accidently prays to Hurrell and gets her grana she worries that it is cursed, and is sent to Ecrof a school for those who have extremely powerful grana. Rovi a thief part of a gang, has a mysterious and hard past, when he gets admission to Ecrof, the two meet both harboring secrets, as their fates are entwined with the Tree of Ecrof.
Pretia accidently prays to Hurrell, one day after a accident she has promised to never use her grana again. Grana gives you athletic powers, and helps enhance your capabilities. Rovi gets a invitation, as soon as he boards the ship toward Ecrof he keeps to himself. This book reminds me of Harry Potter meets Wilderlore, this book was way better then I thought it would be. The idea by Kobe, was so imaginative and unique. This was very interesting to read especially because of grana and how this world revolves around sports. One of my best friends recommended this book, I speed through it pretty quickly. The whole premise of this book was interesting about a world where there are Dreamers and Realists, and Pretia is both. Rovi's father was labeled as a madman and was later exiled and killed, Rovi wants nothing to do with Ecrof, or to be back again he must face the secrets. The world building was next-level, it wasn't the best world building as Forest Of Souls and Broken Web still hold that spot, but the world-building and effort put into structuring and building this world was amazing. The writing was nice-the book was face paced, and interesting. Rovi and Pretia where okay characters. I love how the past ties in with the future. The plot twist for me at least, where precursory quite early in the story so that you already have a feeling what it is. This book was absolutely beautiful and turning each page was so surprising and delightful with each gradient the pages were. My favorite part of this book was the premise, it was innovative, imaginative, and unique.
🆗CHARACTERS
🆗PLOT TWISTS
✅PLOT
🎄🌿🌲🌈CHARACTERS🌈🌲🌿🎄
✅ROVI
🆗PRETIA
🆗VERA
🎄🌿🌲🌈CONLCUSION🌈🌲🌿🎄
Very smart twists and plot!
June 30, 2020
Pretia is a princess that is the result of two houses coming together. Her parents are the rulers of their country and she is the heir apparent as long as she has grana. But she denied her grana after she accidentally hurt a kid that lived at the castle. Rovi was a kid that lived on the streets but he was the son of a leading teacher of Ecrof. He manages to come back to the island because his name comes up on the rolls and his grana book is found by another teacher at the school. Rovi and Pretia meet each other for the first time on the boat to Ecrof. These two young people learn a lot during their year at Ecrof some of them life changing. They make a friend out of another student whose brother is an epic athlete. The three of them save the island in an epic ending you would never believe cane from ten year olds. I just hope there are more books to follow this one cause there is so much more story to write.
May 22, 2023
Not what I was expecting but....Good 👍
While the kids in this book did have to participate in sports activities, it was actually more about a mystery behind a magical tree and why it seemed to be rotting.
It is completely a fantasy book, not sportish book. The kids spend time learning things like entering each other's "visions" and learning to use their powers. But, I'm not mad about it. I love a good mystery!
And while the Princess's refusal to use her power frustrated me, it showed her growth as she slowly learned to use, control and not fear it. She also made friends and all three misfits learned to both respect and rely on each other! Which is necessary in team sports.
Fun fantasy story! Big cliffhanger though as we don't know the gods plans for the Princess or if her uncle is for or against her 🙊
While the kids in this book did have to participate in sports activities, it was actually more about a mystery behind a magical tree and why it seemed to be rotting.
It is completely a fantasy book, not sportish book. The kids spend time learning things like entering each other's "visions" and learning to use their powers. But, I'm not mad about it. I love a good mystery!
And while the Princess's refusal to use her power frustrated me, it showed her growth as she slowly learned to use, control and not fear it. She also made friends and all three misfits learned to both respect and rely on each other! Which is necessary in team sports.
Fun fantasy story! Big cliffhanger though as we don't know the gods plans for the Princess or if her uncle is for or against her 🙊
March 19, 2025
The biggest problem with this book is that it is over designed. It feels like everything and the kitchen sink was thrown at it. The rainbow pages might look cool on the shelf, but they make reading this book a chore, doubally so as each page has slightly different colouration. A lot of breaks are needed just to rest your eyes.
Apart from that, there are some nice ideas in here. It's a good cast of characters and some interesting storylines, but nothing feels cohesive. It often feels like a lot of competing ideas that don't really have anything to do with each other.
The world building in particular leaves much to be desired. It is largely underdeveloped and big cultural things like the gods are just thrown in when it suits the plot and have very little presence elsewhere.
There is an interesting middle grade novel in here, it just hasn't quite made it out.
Apart from that, there are some nice ideas in here. It's a good cast of characters and some interesting storylines, but nothing feels cohesive. It often feels like a lot of competing ideas that don't really have anything to do with each other.
The world building in particular leaves much to be desired. It is largely underdeveloped and big cultural things like the gods are just thrown in when it suits the plot and have very little presence elsewhere.
There is an interesting middle grade novel in here, it just hasn't quite made it out.
January 15, 2021
I bought this series for my pre-teen godson, per a recommendation from his mom. I hadn't heard of the series before, but when I saw Kobe Bryant's name attached to it, I became very interested. I borrowed it from my library and loved holding and reading a book. The pages are a beautiful rainbow color. I found myself carrying the book around the house with me waiting for a few moments that I could read a bit more. It captured my attention and I loved the fantasy and imagination of the story. I think adult readers will like this book as well. It's a nice escape from reality. Youth readers I can see really loving this book as well. The themes of self-esteem/doubt, friendship, teamwork, competition, family, culture, etc. are all wonderfully present. I look forward to reading the second book!
July 8, 2021
I absolutely loved this book! It had a total Harry Potter feel but with a really unique spin combining sports with an inner power called grana. I'm glad I read the hardcover instead of an ebook version. The book itself is sumptuous. A lovely, velvety feeling cover, beautiful coloured pages, divine illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. It made for such a wonderful reading experience. The story itself was excellent, well-written. It only took a chapter for me to realize I needed the second book. I went back to the bookstore the next day for the second in the series. Well done, Kobe Bryant and Ivy Claire. This book made me appreciate sports and what goes on in an athlete's mind more than ever.
September 16, 2024
3.5 stars - I liked the story, it just moved a little slow for me. The writing is very descriptive and detailed and just took a bit to develop for me. HOWEVER, I liked the story!
Kids within this world are given a special book on their 10th birthday and hopefully receive an invitation to compete at Ecrof. Ecrof is also where they learn to control/use their grana which is their special power that comes around their 10th birthday as well. Pretia is a princess, born to parents of each class. Rovi is an orphan and part of the group accepted this year. Both have secrets they don't want revealed and both are trying to figure out what is going on at Ecrof that seems to be harming students.
Kids within this world are given a special book on their 10th birthday and hopefully receive an invitation to compete at Ecrof. Ecrof is also where they learn to control/use their grana which is their special power that comes around their 10th birthday as well. Pretia is a princess, born to parents of each class. Rovi is an orphan and part of the group accepted this year. Both have secrets they don't want revealed and both are trying to figure out what is going on at Ecrof that seems to be harming students.
Read
July 5, 2020I started reading this book right around the time that Kobe Bryant passed away. I found the unique appeal for sporty and fantasy readers simultaneously to be very interesting. Rovi is a character who was homeless and full of guilt about his father falling out of favor with the magical athletic community. Pretia is an under confident princess harboring her own guilt. Castor is a typical bully who plays upon the doubts of each of these characters. I found myself "rooting" ( pun intended.. another main character in the book is a tree) for Rovis and Pretia who were both so likable. I think this could be a nice series.
November 16, 2020
4 stars for the story, 5 stars given for the overall design of the book, which is just beautiful and like nothing I've seen in published form before.
I had difficulty pinpointing what audience this might appeal to most, but I found it enjoyable and engaging all the way through and thought the translation of typical themes, struggles, and challenges young athletes face (both physically and mentally) in this alternate magical universe worked. This is also the second book I've read recently in a children/teen category that focuses on a female character who feels her innate power must be suppressed.
I had difficulty pinpointing what audience this might appeal to most, but I found it enjoyable and engaging all the way through and thought the translation of typical themes, struggles, and challenges young athletes face (both physically and mentally) in this alternate magical universe worked. This is also the second book I've read recently in a children/teen category that focuses on a female character who feels her innate power must be suppressed.
June 13, 2021
Okay, before I write the actual review, I must mention that the cover felt all bumpy and cool and the pages are rainbow-colored. This is the first time I have ever seen this and I hope that more books will be made with multi-colored pages and snakeskin-feeling covers.
Anyways, Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof was a good book. Not amazing, but not terrible either. Some parts dragged a bit, and sometimes I was a little confused. I did get through the entire thing, and even though it isn't likely that I'll be reading the sequel anytime soon, I would definitely recommend this to anybody who likes sports and/or fantasy.
Anyways, Epoca: The Tree of Ecrof was a good book. Not amazing, but not terrible either. Some parts dragged a bit, and sometimes I was a little confused. I did get through the entire thing, and even though it isn't likely that I'll be reading the sequel anytime soon, I would definitely recommend this to anybody who likes sports and/or fantasy.
July 21, 2022
As a whole, this book was absolutely magnificent. I loved the magic and felt it was well explained, as well as having Pretia and Rovi being both main characters added a lot to the book. Gives me mythology vibes which I absolutely love, and the characters are likable. My only issue is that the strangler fig tree scene at the end of the book should have been a bit longer, i feel like that was a big part of the story and it should have been explored a little more. Then again, this book is fast paced anyway. Also I loved the plot twist at the end.
Overall a very solid and great book! Would read again.
Overall a very solid and great book! Would read again.
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