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The Life & Death Cycle #1
The Mist Keeper's Apprentice
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781734367010
Storytelling was outlawed. Magic had all but vanished.
That all changed when the woman in black came to town.
Branded with the black stamp at a young age, Brent thought he would end up a vagrant like his father. His craft was telling stories, but the Order had long forbidden any weaving of tales. When Brent sees the woman in black, she leads him into a menagerie of tunnels beneath the earth where his life falls into the nauseating, but beautiful, mist of the dead.
He finds friendship in Rho, a young woman who hides her face with a tree branch while roots and vines bow to her every whim. Together, they embark on a journey to explore the world, escape the watchful eyes of the Order, and discover the woman in black's secrets.
For thousands of years, the mist and the tunnels were under the sole guardianship of the Council of Mist Keepers. But as new monsters enter the mist, and magic is forced out of the shadows, the Council searches for young blood to join their ranks and Brent's next in line.
Storytelling was outlawed. Magic had all but vanished.
That all changed when the woman in black came to town.
Branded with the black stamp at a young age, Brent thought he would end up a vagrant like his father. His craft was telling stories, but the Order had long forbidden any weaving of tales. When Brent sees the woman in black, she leads him into a menagerie of tunnels beneath the earth where his life falls into the nauseating, but beautiful, mist of the dead.
He finds friendship in Rho, a young woman who hides her face with a tree branch while roots and vines bow to her every whim. Together, they embark on a journey to explore the world, escape the watchful eyes of the Order, and discover the woman in black's secrets.
For thousands of years, the mist and the tunnels were under the sole guardianship of the Council of Mist Keepers. But as new monsters enter the mist, and magic is forced out of the shadows, the Council searches for young blood to join their ranks and Brent's next in line.
- GenresFantasy
442 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2020
20 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
E.S. Barrison
21 books105 followersE.S. Barrison has been writing and creating stories for as long as she can remember. After graduating from the University of Florida, she has spent the past few years wrangling her experiences to compose unique worlds with diverse characters. Currently, E.S. lives in Orlando, Florida with her family. The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
December 20, 2020
The world building is spectacular!
I could picture the towns and divides more and more with each word.
The storyline is interesting and weirdly relevant (I hear this took many many moons for her to finish).
I did find myself annoyed with Brenton more than I prefer with a MC.
All the side dish characters made up for his lack of diversity at least.
I am really looking forward to when the author releases more in this series.
Thanks a bunches to E.S. Barrison and Booksprout for my DRC.
❤️After posting my review I won a paperback copy from the author's twitter giveaway❤️
I could picture the towns and divides more and more with each word.
The storyline is interesting and weirdly relevant (I hear this took many many moons for her to finish).
I did find myself annoyed with Brenton more than I prefer with a MC.
All the side dish characters made up for his lack of diversity at least.
I am really looking forward to when the author releases more in this series.
Thanks a bunches to E.S. Barrison and Booksprout for my DRC.
❤️After posting my review I won a paperback copy from the author's twitter giveaway❤️
June 10, 2020
The Mistkeeper's Apprentice, the debut novel of E.S. Barrison, introduces us to two unforgettable characters as they journey to learn the reasons behind their unique gifts and where their place in the world is. Brent has the powerful gift of storytelling in a world where stories are outlawed and treated as contrary to the beliefs of those around him. Branded, he walks the thin line between being accepted into society, or being tossed into the pit with the other undesirables. Two strange women enter his life within a short timeframe and upend his world in ways he never thought possible considering the down-trodden, black and white life he is accustomed to under the heal of the Order.
The characters in this novel come to life as you read with strong and unique voices all their own. It was easy to keep the characters apart, as you learned about them at a pace that was perfect for how this story is put together.
The world-building is creative, with each detail revealed in an order that left you interested and entertained, but was never an info dump. As a writer myself, this is how world-building done properly looks. Each location used was as unique as the characters, however clever dialogue and pieces of information snuck into the main text clearly allow us to imagine the world shared by those trying to survive the Order, a group who holds religious sway within the world of this book.
The plot flows nicely and at a rapid pace that is masterfully done purposefully, a pace that the main character Brent is all too aware of as he grumbles about it within the book to himself and to some of his new allies. This was a pleasant source of comedy amongst the seriousness of the world, which pared quite nicely with the first mistkeeper he happens across.
Overall, it was a solid book, easy to pick up and read. It sets up the story in a manner that is easy to digest, and gives a highly imaginative world that you cannot help but give voice to in your thoughts while reading. It invests you in the characters, and leaves you with questions that you actually want answered. If I were to have a complaint, it would be that it is a series and that I must wait to find out how Brent adapts to his newfound future and destiny. I can only hope that it will be as entertaining and fun a read as the first book has proven to be.
If you are a fan of the style and prose of Piers Anthony, this is a book you will certainly be interested in. And any others who just enjoy a good fantasy book that is easy to pick up and difficult to put back down...you will love The Mistkeeper's Apprentice.
I was provided an ARC copy of this novel by the author, E.S. Barrison. It was a delight to read, and I sincerely appreciated it.
The characters in this novel come to life as you read with strong and unique voices all their own. It was easy to keep the characters apart, as you learned about them at a pace that was perfect for how this story is put together.
The world-building is creative, with each detail revealed in an order that left you interested and entertained, but was never an info dump. As a writer myself, this is how world-building done properly looks. Each location used was as unique as the characters, however clever dialogue and pieces of information snuck into the main text clearly allow us to imagine the world shared by those trying to survive the Order, a group who holds religious sway within the world of this book.
The plot flows nicely and at a rapid pace that is masterfully done purposefully, a pace that the main character Brent is all too aware of as he grumbles about it within the book to himself and to some of his new allies. This was a pleasant source of comedy amongst the seriousness of the world, which pared quite nicely with the first mistkeeper he happens across.
"What's so-why are you laughing? Your name is Caroline!"
"At least it has multiple syllables. Brent."
Overall, it was a solid book, easy to pick up and read. It sets up the story in a manner that is easy to digest, and gives a highly imaginative world that you cannot help but give voice to in your thoughts while reading. It invests you in the characters, and leaves you with questions that you actually want answered. If I were to have a complaint, it would be that it is a series and that I must wait to find out how Brent adapts to his newfound future and destiny. I can only hope that it will be as entertaining and fun a read as the first book has proven to be.
If you are a fan of the style and prose of Piers Anthony, this is a book you will certainly be interested in. And any others who just enjoy a good fantasy book that is easy to pick up and difficult to put back down...you will love The Mistkeeper's Apprentice.
I was provided an ARC copy of this novel by the author, E.S. Barrison. It was a delight to read, and I sincerely appreciated it.
June 9, 2020
The Mistkeeper's Apprentice is a fantastically whimsical tale about a girl who can control the plants and a boy who is a whizz at storytelling.
The novel is beautifully written and very engaging. If you're struggling to find something to take you away from the world right now, pick this up! The characters pop, the worldbuilding is terrific, and the plot is well-written with no inconsistencies.
Another thing I love about this book is that the ending is satisfying. There are too many unfinished stories out (looking at you Netflix), and I want some properly finished tales to enjoy. The Mistkeeper's Apprentice gave me that.
The novel is beautifully written and very engaging. If you're struggling to find something to take you away from the world right now, pick this up! The characters pop, the worldbuilding is terrific, and the plot is well-written with no inconsistencies.
Another thing I love about this book is that the ending is satisfying. There are too many unfinished stories out (looking at you Netflix), and I want some properly finished tales to enjoy. The Mistkeeper's Apprentice gave me that.
June 20, 2020
I definitely enjoyed reading this book. It's always exciting to follow along on a debut author's journey, and I've eagerly soaked up the excerpts and illustrations Barrison has been generous enough to share as part of her pre-publication process.
Funnily enough, while I initially fell for Brent from the snippets posted on tumblr, when I actually started reading, I found I really connected with Rho. She's quite intriguing, and has both an inner and outer strength that is perfectly tempered with her gentle and kind character. Rho was really the highlight of this novel for me, and she is a wonderful complement to Brent, who is determined to give up on himself from the very first chapter.
The prose was easy reading, which sucked me right into the world of the book, and I was never bored at any point. The novel moves along at quite a fast clip, allowing some down time here and there, but never lingering in any one place for too long, moving the reader along with the characters through each next adventure (some rather more bizarre than others!)
I did find the worldbuilding to be a bit confusing at first, but the more I read, the more was revealed, until I felt—for a time—that I also lived in Rosada, and understand this strange, and yet oddly familiar, world. There are a lot of characters and places, but the only ones I really struggled to remember were the Council—and I think that's because of how sinister most of them seemed, blending together as a sort of faceless “bad.”
And speaking of the Council—while the Order were ostensibly the “villains” of the novel, lurking in the background, and pulling the shady strings of Brent and Rho's lives, I found the Council—with their contradictory and obsfucatory ways—to be just as, if not more, unsettling. I felt terribly for Brent through much of the book, running from one bad situation headlong into another, all the while surrounded by people who professed a desire to help him, and never quite sure who to trust.
Brent's powers were pretty cool, his abilities regarding stories something I think any storyteller can relate to, and the way the novel ended—wow! I'm highly intrigued about where his path will take him next.
Overall, I had quite the entertaining time reading this novel, and I think other fans of fantasy will have a wonderful lark indeed in this strange little world Barrison has created.
Funnily enough, while I initially fell for Brent from the snippets posted on tumblr, when I actually started reading, I found I really connected with Rho. She's quite intriguing, and has both an inner and outer strength that is perfectly tempered with her gentle and kind character. Rho was really the highlight of this novel for me, and she is a wonderful complement to Brent, who is determined to give up on himself from the very first chapter.
The prose was easy reading, which sucked me right into the world of the book, and I was never bored at any point. The novel moves along at quite a fast clip, allowing some down time here and there, but never lingering in any one place for too long, moving the reader along with the characters through each next adventure (some rather more bizarre than others!)
I did find the worldbuilding to be a bit confusing at first, but the more I read, the more was revealed, until I felt—for a time—that I also lived in Rosada, and understand this strange, and yet oddly familiar, world. There are a lot of characters and places, but the only ones I really struggled to remember were the Council—and I think that's because of how sinister most of them seemed, blending together as a sort of faceless “bad.”
And speaking of the Council—while the Order were ostensibly the “villains” of the novel, lurking in the background, and pulling the shady strings of Brent and Rho's lives, I found the Council—with their contradictory and obsfucatory ways—to be just as, if not more, unsettling. I felt terribly for Brent through much of the book, running from one bad situation headlong into another, all the while surrounded by people who professed a desire to help him, and never quite sure who to trust.
Brent's powers were pretty cool, his abilities regarding stories something I think any storyteller can relate to, and the way the novel ended—wow! I'm highly intrigued about where his path will take him next.
Overall, I had quite the entertaining time reading this novel, and I think other fans of fantasy will have a wonderful lark indeed in this strange little world Barrison has created.
May 26, 2020
A Mist Keeper is Death.
Not the type from our horror stories that kills people off a list or a whim, but the kind version that helps the dead move on to the afterlife. A distinction which Brent, the protagonist, misses when he first meets the titular Mist Keeper.
You can’t blame Brent for getting it wrong. Born with silver eyes and having a penchant for telling stories, Brent was literally branded by the local religion as a potential host for demons, something which has left him with no real prospects in life. He can’t get a job, gets treated poorly by most of the town, and gets pushed into an arranged marriage because it might save his soul and keep him out of the pit, which is where most of the branded people end up. So of course he doesn’t think anything good is going to come from him meeting Death herself.
But she needs an apprentice, and fate has chosen him.
The Mist Keepers Apprentice is E.S. Barrison’s first novel, and works well as a stand alone story while also introducing the larger series, The Life & Death cycle. It’s easy to read and entertaining, and I found i was continually saying ‘just one more chapter’ to myself when reading it at night.
E.S. Barrison weaves magic with her words, setting up the rules of the world in a way that doesn’t seem forced or like an info dump, and writes characters who are all so varied and unique. Like Brent, who is kindhearted and selfless even though his poor treatment by the townsfolk could have easily left him bitter and jaded, but who’s also tough in a way not normally given to male protagonists. Brent definitely isn’t the muscle or a fighter - that’s Rho, the mysterious girl with a flower growing behind her ear who lives in the tunnels under the town and can command plants with a thought - but that doesn’t mean he isn’t strong, as he faces down multiple obstacles with sheer determination alone.
I did find myself skimming some of the poetry, and there were a few words I had to look up, but despite that this is a solid start to what is shaping up to be and entertaining and thoroughly gripping series.
The end of this book had me screaming for more. Can’t wait for the sequel!
Note: I was given an Advanced Reader Copy of The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice in exchange for an honest review.
Not the type from our horror stories that kills people off a list or a whim, but the kind version that helps the dead move on to the afterlife. A distinction which Brent, the protagonist, misses when he first meets the titular Mist Keeper.
You can’t blame Brent for getting it wrong. Born with silver eyes and having a penchant for telling stories, Brent was literally branded by the local religion as a potential host for demons, something which has left him with no real prospects in life. He can’t get a job, gets treated poorly by most of the town, and gets pushed into an arranged marriage because it might save his soul and keep him out of the pit, which is where most of the branded people end up. So of course he doesn’t think anything good is going to come from him meeting Death herself.
But she needs an apprentice, and fate has chosen him.
The Mist Keepers Apprentice is E.S. Barrison’s first novel, and works well as a stand alone story while also introducing the larger series, The Life & Death cycle. It’s easy to read and entertaining, and I found i was continually saying ‘just one more chapter’ to myself when reading it at night.
E.S. Barrison weaves magic with her words, setting up the rules of the world in a way that doesn’t seem forced or like an info dump, and writes characters who are all so varied and unique. Like Brent, who is kindhearted and selfless even though his poor treatment by the townsfolk could have easily left him bitter and jaded, but who’s also tough in a way not normally given to male protagonists. Brent definitely isn’t the muscle or a fighter - that’s Rho, the mysterious girl with a flower growing behind her ear who lives in the tunnels under the town and can command plants with a thought - but that doesn’t mean he isn’t strong, as he faces down multiple obstacles with sheer determination alone.
I did find myself skimming some of the poetry, and there were a few words I had to look up, but despite that this is a solid start to what is shaping up to be and entertaining and thoroughly gripping series.
The end of this book had me screaming for more. Can’t wait for the sequel!
Note: I was given an Advanced Reader Copy of The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice in exchange for an honest review.
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March 28, 2021March 27, 2021
A quick update from the author:
I just finished reviewing The Mist Keeper's Apprentice for small grammatical and formatting errors. While my editor did a fantastic job cleaning up 95% of the book, there were a few small things we missed that readers have pointed out. If you have a copy of the book that you purchased before this update, you may come across these errors.
Thanks!
E.S. Barrison
---
September 8th, 2020
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for your review and feedback on my debut novel. I am so happy so many people have enjoyed it.
It has come to my attention though that a scene was not received how I intended. As of September 8th, 2020, this scene has been updated very slightly.
After spending so much time trying to get it right, to see it not work, left me feeling uneasy.
While I hold strong convictions over the rest of my story, this scene was enough to keep me up at night. I am doing this only for my peace of mind. It produced way too much anxiety that this moment in the story was interpreted a certain way by some of my readers. I never intended for that.
After a discussion with my editor, we decided it was probably best to change the scene slightly. A few words was all it took.
If you purchased or read the book before September 8th, 2020, it will have the original scene. If you want to read the updated scene, or would like an updated digital copy, please let me know.
Thank you again for all your kind words.
Author E.S. Barrison
A quick update from the author:
I just finished reviewing The Mist Keeper's Apprentice for small grammatical and formatting errors. While my editor did a fantastic job cleaning up 95% of the book, there were a few small things we missed that readers have pointed out. If you have a copy of the book that you purchased before this update, you may come across these errors.
Thanks!
E.S. Barrison
---
September 8th, 2020
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for your review and feedback on my debut novel. I am so happy so many people have enjoyed it.
It has come to my attention though that a scene was not received how I intended. As of September 8th, 2020, this scene has been updated very slightly.
After spending so much time trying to get it right, to see it not work, left me feeling uneasy.
While I hold strong convictions over the rest of my story, this scene was enough to keep me up at night. I am doing this only for my peace of mind. It produced way too much anxiety that this moment in the story was interpreted a certain way by some of my readers. I never intended for that.
After a discussion with my editor, we decided it was probably best to change the scene slightly. A few words was all it took.
If you purchased or read the book before September 8th, 2020, it will have the original scene. If you want to read the updated scene, or would like an updated digital copy, please let me know.
Thank you again for all your kind words.
Author E.S. Barrison
July 30, 2020
Woah. This was really good. A nice steady pace. Great plot, and a writing style that really worked well with me. Plus, Rho has cool plant powers and that just proves that nature is just as powerful as intense fire balls or whatever kind of magic people have these days (Yay team nature!!! 🌿). This book also shows how people judge others based on superficial stuff and how those judgements can affect them. Sure, sometimes the main characters did some dumb things, and I guess it a took them a while to improve themselves, but other that, there weren’t much issues with the book.
July 30, 2020
I usually don't read books in this particular genre, but found this one to be a fascinating read. It was initially a challenge for me to grasp the subtleties and nuances of the places, characters, and overall storyline, but once I became fully-immersed in the world of Brent and Rho/Bria, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Overall, a really well-done first novel -- I look forward to the next book in the series.
September 6, 2020
This tale was woven with such care the whole way through. The characters and scenery are described so vividly, making the journey so immersive. The twists and delightful surprises sprinkled throughout the story keeps you on your toes! I would recommend this story to anyone in need of a new fantasy adventure story to add to their collection.
June 28, 2020
What a story
Wow this book starts in a world that the reader can’t understand but as the characters take shape and the story develops there is mystery and suspense, sadness and joy and love there is evil and beauty and somehow you realize half way through that it all makes sense and then you can’t put the book down. This book is rich with details, fantastic worlds with monsters and queens and magic. I can SEE the towns and the tunnels and the camellias as if I had actually travelled there. Just one problem: what happens next? The author ends with a bang and we all want to know more!Now I can’t wait for the sequel! What an amazing first novel by E.S. Barrison!
Wow this book starts in a world that the reader can’t understand but as the characters take shape and the story develops there is mystery and suspense, sadness and joy and love there is evil and beauty and somehow you realize half way through that it all makes sense and then you can’t put the book down. This book is rich with details, fantastic worlds with monsters and queens and magic. I can SEE the towns and the tunnels and the camellias as if I had actually travelled there. Just one problem: what happens next? The author ends with a bang and we all want to know more!Now I can’t wait for the sequel! What an amazing first novel by E.S. Barrison!
March 1, 2022
This is a very unique story and it was more than I was expecting it would be. From beginning to end, this was (is) such an amazing and fun read! I ended up reading from 10 PM to 2 AM because I kept telling myself "just one more chapter then bed" ... Then I noticed that I had just under 100 pages left of the book, so obviously I said "Abandon sleep and finish the book!!" ..which I did and regret absolutely nothing.
Negative feedback:
First I would like to cover the really bad part which include trigger warnings-->
Condoning and normalizing sexism, sexual assault, rape, insults and name flinging as a form of showing love or jest.
First I'll cover the former.
I really didn't like that the grandmother kept telling Bria that sexual harassment, almost rapes and sexual assaults were her fault and it is because she is drawing attention to herself that these things keep happening. That is bullshit.
Now for the latter.
There are constant name callings toward people that aren't "normal", mostly towards the main character Brent. He is called idiot, dolt and all sorts of rude names.
Finally, it was a bit annoying that 2 of the characters kept repeating that everything was their fault.
I was provided with an eARC of The Mist Keeper's Apprentice by the author E.S. Barrison for my honest opinion and review. Thank you for the opportunity.
Negative feedback:
First I would like to cover the really bad part which include trigger warnings-->
Condoning and normalizing sexism, sexual assault, rape, insults and name flinging as a form of showing love or jest.
First I'll cover the former.
I really didn't like that the grandmother kept telling Bria that sexual harassment, almost rapes and sexual assaults were her fault and it is because she is drawing attention to herself that these things keep happening. That is bullshit.
Now for the latter.
There are constant name callings toward people that aren't "normal", mostly towards the main character Brent. He is called idiot, dolt and all sorts of rude names.
Finally, it was a bit annoying that 2 of the characters kept repeating that everything was their fault.
I was provided with an eARC of The Mist Keeper's Apprentice by the author E.S. Barrison for my honest opinion and review. Thank you for the opportunity.
June 13, 2020
I think what made me love this book was the whimsical feeling and the way the authors writing flows makes it a pretty easy read.
July 31, 2020
The Mist Keeper's Apprentice follows two young adults, Brent and Rho, as they struggle against the oppressive society that seeks to define them and stamp out their magic. Brent is an imaginative storyteller whose tales are, quite literally, magic; Rho can control plants and was nearly killed for it at birth.
What I liked most about this story is that there don't appear to be any easy answers or ways out for Brent and Rho. They have to take charge of their situation and are happiest when they make choices for themselves without any outside help. I think this is a good message and one that will resonate with a lot of readers.
Although I adored Brent, Rho is definitely my favorite character in the book. She stood her ground so many times against very real threats and impossible odds in order to live life on her own terms, and that's something I find very admirable. I can't wait for the continuation of the series to see more of her and the adventures she'll have!
The true rating is 3.5 due to some plot complications at around the 2/3 mark that I had a hard time following, but I don't mind bumping it up to 4 at all.
What I liked most about this story is that there don't appear to be any easy answers or ways out for Brent and Rho. They have to take charge of their situation and are happiest when they make choices for themselves without any outside help. I think this is a good message and one that will resonate with a lot of readers.
Although I adored Brent, Rho is definitely my favorite character in the book. She stood her ground so many times against very real threats and impossible odds in order to live life on her own terms, and that's something I find very admirable. I can't wait for the continuation of the series to see more of her and the adventures she'll have!
The true rating is 3.5 due to some plot complications at around the 2/3 mark that I had a hard time following, but I don't mind bumping it up to 4 at all.
September 19, 2020
ARC copy received for review. 3.75* Spectacular and interesting world-building, well-rounded characters, vivid imagery, and interesting plot. Looking back, the story seems reminiscent of a Hades and Persephone retelling.
Overall, I enjoyed this read very much, though there were a number of typos to look past and the poetry was a bit distracting the first time I came across it. I loved all the Mist Keepers (especially Caroline!) and the library; the concept of death is unique and interesting. Brent and Bria seem like interesting characters, and I enjoyed meeting them, but I felt like they were more helpless victims of the plot rather than active participants as some of the side characters, like Jem, seemed.
The "story-telling is illegal but the main character tells stories" angle was a little cliche, but I honestly enjoyed it. I loved the "black market" area.
The ending really felt like a let down after everything, but I'm hoping it was left open for a sequel. 9/10 would read a sequel.
Overall, I enjoyed this read very much, though there were a number of typos to look past and the poetry was a bit distracting the first time I came across it. I loved all the Mist Keepers (especially Caroline!) and the library; the concept of death is unique and interesting. Brent and Bria seem like interesting characters, and I enjoyed meeting them, but I felt like they were more helpless victims of the plot rather than active participants as some of the side characters, like Jem, seemed.
The "story-telling is illegal but the main character tells stories" angle was a little cliche, but I honestly enjoyed it. I loved the "black market" area.
The ending really felt like a let down after everything, but I'm hoping it was left open for a sequel. 9/10 would read a sequel.
July 20, 2020
Bear with me, this is going to get complicated and go to some uncomfortable places, but there are good things along the way, too.
A few months back I came to the realization that in a lot of cases I don't like what seems to be a "good" story because its priorities don't match mine. This story has good bones. This story as a debut makes me think this author is going places, because the concept and world-building feel fresh in recombining ideas I've seen before (and in some cases, that I love) into something original.
But the text itself prioritizes plot over character over lore. That doesn't match my priorities, and that's certainly not the author's fault. But I also don't believe it's the right balance for this story.
Massive, massive spoilers ahead, and I'm not going to mark them all because it would look like I'm trying to leak a classified document. Stop here if that's not what you want from a review, and take away from this that the book is good enough that I wished it were also better than it is.
HERE THERE BE SPOILERS
I love that the core of this story is about the love between two people becoming the strength they need to defy a world order that would stifle them both into nothing. Sign me up, I am on board. What I don't love is that Brent and Bria love each other because. There's no romance, there's no growth of their relationship. They were in kiddie love before the story starts, then circumstance and a few poor choices separated them, then they were in love again; it's all tell and no show.
I love that Brent is an atypical, clumsy, bumbling, endearing protagonist. He is a disaster and I want good things for him. But I don't love that he never finishes his sentences because of an overuse of ellipses in dialogue (not limited to him but worst with him.) I love that the story puts his mind and identity at risk, because that's an interesting type of danger, but I don't love that it means Bria has to keep dragging him back to reality (constant emotional support) when I don't see evidence she gets equal support from Brent.
That leads to my next issue: just how often is it really necessary to have Bria nearly raped? I'm not opposed to sexual violence being included in a story, but this casual and repeated treatment of it just hurt to read. I have actually lost count of how often it happens, and in nearly every case, she's pretty much fine in the next scene--no one does much to acknowledge what has happened to her (aside from Caroline remarking that one of her assailants deserved his fate, I did appreciate that.) The story moves on as if it weren't a traumatic event. This is in pretty marked contrast to the treatment of the little girl's soul that Brent releases--she was molested, and when Brent loses his identity in hers, he experiences some of that horror, and it's taken seriously. It's just not a good look that rape matters when the male suffers it vicariously, when the female lead can't take ten steps without somebody trying to assault her, but don't worry, she's fine. (This is, by far, my biggest complaint about the book.)
As for the relative lack of attention to world-building, that's really an odd choice here, because there's plenty of magic, and it gets explained and structured well enough I could mostly follow it, yet there's very little sense of place. The settings for scenes rarely get described beyond the most basic, and since the tunnels can take B+B anywhere, distance doesn't matter and nothing feels grounded. So that's weak, but on the other hand, I love that the structure of the world is "here's these two apparently opposed systems, the Order and the Mist Keepers" and you're meant to think Brent should be a Mist Keeper, except they're actually both bad? The Mist Keepers are actually sort of awful people who hate magic that isn't like theirs? I love it! I love that the whole system of Brent's world is "evil" and he and Bria escape for a while to a distant city where magic is accepted and they can live peacefully for a bit! I love that Brent reinvolves himself in his former world because he feels responsible for the monster he accidentally let loose! I love that he (apparently) sacrificed himself to defeat it! It's a solid cliffhanger ending. What I don't love is that I could rarely "see" the story in my head because it took place in settings given only the most generic of descriptions.
So to bring it back to my original hierarchy, this book is plot-based, and a lot about the plot is solid and interesting. But by focusing on moving the action briskly from one point to the next, we lose out on character development and sense of place, both of which I think would enrich this story more than having some of the subplots or minor characters that are squeezed in.
I do want to know what happens, though. Cautiously optimistic for the eventual sequel.
A few months back I came to the realization that in a lot of cases I don't like what seems to be a "good" story because its priorities don't match mine. This story has good bones. This story as a debut makes me think this author is going places, because the concept and world-building feel fresh in recombining ideas I've seen before (and in some cases, that I love) into something original.
But the text itself prioritizes plot over character over lore. That doesn't match my priorities, and that's certainly not the author's fault. But I also don't believe it's the right balance for this story.
Massive, massive spoilers ahead, and I'm not going to mark them all because it would look like I'm trying to leak a classified document. Stop here if that's not what you want from a review, and take away from this that the book is good enough that I wished it were also better than it is.
HERE THERE BE SPOILERS
I love that the core of this story is about the love between two people becoming the strength they need to defy a world order that would stifle them both into nothing. Sign me up, I am on board. What I don't love is that Brent and Bria love each other because. There's no romance, there's no growth of their relationship. They were in kiddie love before the story starts, then circumstance and a few poor choices separated them, then they were in love again; it's all tell and no show.
I love that Brent is an atypical, clumsy, bumbling, endearing protagonist. He is a disaster and I want good things for him. But I don't love that he never finishes his sentences because of an overuse of ellipses in dialogue (not limited to him but worst with him.) I love that the story puts his mind and identity at risk, because that's an interesting type of danger, but I don't love that it means Bria has to keep dragging him back to reality (constant emotional support) when I don't see evidence she gets equal support from Brent.
That leads to my next issue: just how often is it really necessary to have Bria nearly raped? I'm not opposed to sexual violence being included in a story, but this casual and repeated treatment of it just hurt to read. I have actually lost count of how often it happens, and in nearly every case, she's pretty much fine in the next scene--no one does much to acknowledge what has happened to her (aside from Caroline remarking that one of her assailants deserved his fate, I did appreciate that.) The story moves on as if it weren't a traumatic event. This is in pretty marked contrast to the treatment of the little girl's soul that Brent releases--she was molested, and when Brent loses his identity in hers, he experiences some of that horror, and it's taken seriously. It's just not a good look that rape matters when the male suffers it vicariously, when the female lead can't take ten steps without somebody trying to assault her, but don't worry, she's fine. (This is, by far, my biggest complaint about the book.)
As for the relative lack of attention to world-building, that's really an odd choice here, because there's plenty of magic, and it gets explained and structured well enough I could mostly follow it, yet there's very little sense of place. The settings for scenes rarely get described beyond the most basic, and since the tunnels can take B+B anywhere, distance doesn't matter and nothing feels grounded. So that's weak, but on the other hand, I love that the structure of the world is "here's these two apparently opposed systems, the Order and the Mist Keepers" and you're meant to think Brent should be a Mist Keeper, except they're actually both bad? The Mist Keepers are actually sort of awful people who hate magic that isn't like theirs? I love it! I love that the whole system of Brent's world is "evil" and he and Bria escape for a while to a distant city where magic is accepted and they can live peacefully for a bit! I love that Brent reinvolves himself in his former world because he feels responsible for the monster he accidentally let loose! I love that he (apparently) sacrificed himself to defeat it! It's a solid cliffhanger ending. What I don't love is that I could rarely "see" the story in my head because it took place in settings given only the most generic of descriptions.
So to bring it back to my original hierarchy, this book is plot-based, and a lot about the plot is solid and interesting. But by focusing on moving the action briskly from one point to the next, we lose out on character development and sense of place, both of which I think would enrich this story more than having some of the subplots or minor characters that are squeezed in.
I do want to know what happens, though. Cautiously optimistic for the eventual sequel.
September 11, 2020
I loved this book, and the ending had me floored! I can’t wait for more, and I highly recommend! The world building is amazing, and I love the characters! I need more, and I can’t get over this ending! Omg!
August 25, 2023
Storytelling is illegal, magic is gone, and Brent wants both. He finds a friend in Rho, who plants obey. When Brent finds himself trapped by the Council of the Mist Keeper's and magical creatures find their way into the real world, what must Brent and Rho do to find freedom?
I absolutely adored this book!!! The first thing I noticed was how the world hooked me within the first 20 pages. I just wanted to know so much more about it and I absolutely did not want to put the book down. The world-building was so well done that I immediately felt immersed and wanted to understand everything about it. I really felt like Brent and Rho as they tried to figure out the mysteries of the world they had stumbled into.
I also felt as though the characters themselves were so relatable and connected to each other in such a deep way that I didn't want to be ripped away from them. I loved Brent and Rho's story for freedom and finding acceptance. It really immersed me in the story and helped me find myself within it.
This book was action and emotion packed, and I loved every page of it! I cannot wait to see where this series goes from here!
I absolutely adored this book!!! The first thing I noticed was how the world hooked me within the first 20 pages. I just wanted to know so much more about it and I absolutely did not want to put the book down. The world-building was so well done that I immediately felt immersed and wanted to understand everything about it. I really felt like Brent and Rho as they tried to figure out the mysteries of the world they had stumbled into.
I also felt as though the characters themselves were so relatable and connected to each other in such a deep way that I didn't want to be ripped away from them. I loved Brent and Rho's story for freedom and finding acceptance. It really immersed me in the story and helped me find myself within it.
This book was action and emotion packed, and I loved every page of it! I cannot wait to see where this series goes from here!
September 15, 2020
The Mist Keeper's Apprentice by E.S.Barrison is an interesting tale about Brent - a hapless, clumsy vagabond/storyteller who finds himself apprenticed to Death (aka Caroline). I found myself very quickly drawn into the unique world that the author has created, its intriguing and refreshingly unusual. I also found myself drawn to Brent as the Main Character. He's had a bit of tough life having been 'marked' (and consequently persecuted) because of his silver-coloured eyes. However, his speech pattern drove me insane! He never finishes a sentence (and sometimes an explanation along the lines of 'you don't mean?' would have come in handy) and I didn't like the repeated use of 'a'ight' and 'shite'. Putting those things to one side though, the author has done a good job of weaving a tale that is both fantastical and mystical, the secondary characters were charming and overall I enjoyed it. Boy did it finish on a cliffhanger though... Here's hoping book 2 is in the pipeline.
June 12, 2020
In the interest of transparency, the author sent me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted so desperately to like this book, to give the author two shining, enthusiastic thumbs up.
And I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.
The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice is an adult (?) fantasy that focuses on plot at the detriment of everything else. Plot is probably the greatest strength of the novel, and it kept me hooked enough to finish the entire thing, but as I mentioned, it felt like plot was so strengthened that the rest of the essential parts of the story fell by the wayside. And even then, we are left with - what I felt was - a dissatisfactory ending.
Dialogue waffled between interesting and ineffective. The characters had brief moments of voice and personality in the dialogue, but at other times it felt like the dialogue sagged under the weight of everyone’s accents and filler words.
The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice takes place in a strange world where everything above-ground is interconnected by a network of tunnels - one town is a bayou, the neighboring one is a towering, electric cityscape, and the main town setting has a market square and a caged area where they keep the bad guys (and that’s all we really get besides some farms and a garden, but we don’t really know how these places connect, what they look like, or why this town looks like this when there are these bustling, elaborate cities in other parts of the country). Descriptions of the settings are lackluster, and the one place that is best described (the bayou/swamp) is only visited once, which overemphasizes its importance and undercuts the rest of the places visited. I kept waiting for the characters to head back there for something important, because it had been so well-described, and they never did.
Along this same vein, the characters were all underdeveloped and flat, save for Bria. Honestly, Bria should be the main character of the story because she had the most agency and the best backstory of anyone in the novel. (But I get that the book is about the Mist Keepers and whatever.) My second runner-up for new main character would be Caroline, who had some personality and humor to her and got a decent backstory.
My favorite part of the story was when Bria and Brent took a moment to go on a date – dinner, dancing, the works – and it was such a nice, sweet moment for the two of them. Even then, it was short and every other happy-ish moment in the novel had an undercurrent of stress and anxiety and panic. There was not enough to balance out all of the darkness.
In conclusion, it felt like The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice needed another draft or two before it got published. The pieces of the puzzle are all there, but they are not quite fitting together. Not for me.
I wanted so desperately to like this book, to give the author two shining, enthusiastic thumbs up.
And I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.
The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice is an adult (?) fantasy that focuses on plot at the detriment of everything else. Plot is probably the greatest strength of the novel, and it kept me hooked enough to finish the entire thing, but as I mentioned, it felt like plot was so strengthened that the rest of the essential parts of the story fell by the wayside. And even then, we are left with - what I felt was - a dissatisfactory ending.
Dialogue waffled between interesting and ineffective. The characters had brief moments of voice and personality in the dialogue, but at other times it felt like the dialogue sagged under the weight of everyone’s accents and filler words.
The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice takes place in a strange world where everything above-ground is interconnected by a network of tunnels - one town is a bayou, the neighboring one is a towering, electric cityscape, and the main town setting has a market square and a caged area where they keep the bad guys (and that’s all we really get besides some farms and a garden, but we don’t really know how these places connect, what they look like, or why this town looks like this when there are these bustling, elaborate cities in other parts of the country). Descriptions of the settings are lackluster, and the one place that is best described (the bayou/swamp) is only visited once, which overemphasizes its importance and undercuts the rest of the places visited. I kept waiting for the characters to head back there for something important, because it had been so well-described, and they never did.
Along this same vein, the characters were all underdeveloped and flat, save for Bria. Honestly, Bria should be the main character of the story because she had the most agency and the best backstory of anyone in the novel. (But I get that the book is about the Mist Keepers and whatever.) My second runner-up for new main character would be Caroline, who had some personality and humor to her and got a decent backstory.
My favorite part of the story was when Bria and Brent took a moment to go on a date – dinner, dancing, the works – and it was such a nice, sweet moment for the two of them. Even then, it was short and every other happy-ish moment in the novel had an undercurrent of stress and anxiety and panic. There was not enough to balance out all of the darkness.
In conclusion, it felt like The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice needed another draft or two before it got published. The pieces of the puzzle are all there, but they are not quite fitting together. Not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2020
I received a copy of The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice by E.S. Barrison in exchange for an honest review. You can read my full review: https://geekherring.com/mist-keepers-...
E.S. Barrison thrusts you into a world full of order, rules, and distrust.
Everything is happening and there is so much already at stake. As a reader, it takes a few chapters to catch up. Barrison’s writing is captivating and takes hold of you strong enough to bridge the knowledge gap that I definitely felt here. You’re urged to keep reading for more explanation and story.
Honestly, I’ve been sitting with this review for a couple of weeks now because I don’t know what to say about The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice. Words actually feel an inadequate way for me to talk about how much I loved this story, this world, the characters, and the writing.
I went into this book, as described above, completely lost. I had no idea what was going on, felt confused, and like I’d never latch onto what the story was about.
But this was all part of the journey!
The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice is about a storyteller in a world where telling stories is outlawed. Outlawed? Right!? How that’s even a thing first of all.
Combine this element with magic, death, religion gone (way) wrong, a senator too enthralled living a lavish life to care about what’s going on back at her town, what happens when evil men gain power, and, of course, love, and you have a book that you devour, wishing only that you could read it again for the first time and waiting rather impatiently for the follow-up.
If loving yourself, sticking it to the man, ruffling a few feathers, and standing up for what you believe in is your cup of tea, so is this book.
I honestly cannot wait for the sequel. It’s the type of story and the type of writing that I abso-fucking-lutely live for. Go on and get sucked into the world of magic, wonder, corruption, and fighting back.
E.S. Barrison thrusts you into a world full of order, rules, and distrust.
Everything is happening and there is so much already at stake. As a reader, it takes a few chapters to catch up. Barrison’s writing is captivating and takes hold of you strong enough to bridge the knowledge gap that I definitely felt here. You’re urged to keep reading for more explanation and story.
Honestly, I’ve been sitting with this review for a couple of weeks now because I don’t know what to say about The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice. Words actually feel an inadequate way for me to talk about how much I loved this story, this world, the characters, and the writing.
I went into this book, as described above, completely lost. I had no idea what was going on, felt confused, and like I’d never latch onto what the story was about.
But this was all part of the journey!
The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice is about a storyteller in a world where telling stories is outlawed. Outlawed? Right!? How that’s even a thing first of all.
Combine this element with magic, death, religion gone (way) wrong, a senator too enthralled living a lavish life to care about what’s going on back at her town, what happens when evil men gain power, and, of course, love, and you have a book that you devour, wishing only that you could read it again for the first time and waiting rather impatiently for the follow-up.
If loving yourself, sticking it to the man, ruffling a few feathers, and standing up for what you believe in is your cup of tea, so is this book.
I honestly cannot wait for the sequel. It’s the type of story and the type of writing that I abso-fucking-lutely live for. Go on and get sucked into the world of magic, wonder, corruption, and fighting back.
June 15, 2020
Digital Arc was given in exchange for an honest review***
So this book was very middle of the road for me. There were things I liked, and things I didn't. The main characters had an interesting dynamic, but I wasn't fond of the main guy. Every time it went to him I wished it would change to Rho. He grew on me a bit towards the end, but not enough to make the story more enjoyable. Sometimes other characters were annoying, but in a way that made me frustrated on behalf of the main characters.
However I enjoyed the world and all of the work put into. It obviously has a history that was barely uncovered, and I think finding out more about it could be a lot of fun.
The plot and story could feel a bit all over the place at times, but it wrapped up nicely. A lot of plot was driven by the fact that a lot of characters seemed bent on making the worst decisions, but hey, don't we all. The pacing could have been better. Overall I didn't mind the plot though, and everything made sense.
Unfortunately my issues with Brent as a main character knocked this story down two stars. This was mostly preferential, though I do think too much time was spent on his sob story. I understand having a tragic background because of baseless persecution, but he wallowed a lot. Though I do think there are people out there who will enjoy his character more than I did. I recommend giving the book a try, especially if you're looking for an indie novel to get into.
So this book was very middle of the road for me. There were things I liked, and things I didn't. The main characters had an interesting dynamic, but I wasn't fond of the main guy. Every time it went to him I wished it would change to Rho. He grew on me a bit towards the end, but not enough to make the story more enjoyable. Sometimes other characters were annoying, but in a way that made me frustrated on behalf of the main characters.
However I enjoyed the world and all of the work put into. It obviously has a history that was barely uncovered, and I think finding out more about it could be a lot of fun.
The plot and story could feel a bit all over the place at times, but it wrapped up nicely. A lot of plot was driven by the fact that a lot of characters seemed bent on making the worst decisions, but hey, don't we all. The pacing could have been better. Overall I didn't mind the plot though, and everything made sense.
Unfortunately my issues with Brent as a main character knocked this story down two stars. This was mostly preferential, though I do think too much time was spent on his sob story. I understand having a tragic background because of baseless persecution, but he wallowed a lot. Though I do think there are people out there who will enjoy his character more than I did. I recommend giving the book a try, especially if you're looking for an indie novel to get into.
June 7, 2021
When I first started reading this, I had a bit of a hard time getting into it. It is a bit different than the genre I have been currently reading. As I read further though it pulled me into the story. I absolutely loved it, and couldn’t believe when I finished it! All of a sudden it was the last page, that
made me so sad.
made me so sad.
Read
June 30, 2020I really, really wanted to like this book.
After seeing it on tumblr, I loved the cover, I loved the summary and I was desperate to love the book... But sadly, it wasn't meant to be.
I believe you may still enjoy it - many people do, as can be seen from the other reviews, - but I, personally, did not. I managed to get up to 30% the first time I started it. Currently, I'm at 72%, and I do not believe I will be able to finish it.
Thoughts?
*Spoilers*
I now loathe with all of my heart the words "a'ight" and "shite".
I found Brent to be too whiney of a protagonist to enjoy. His actions were incomprehensible to me. He had claimed to love his family, and yet his actions did not show it. Most of the time, I've forgotten his sister even existed.
And Bria, well. I detested the constant sexual attacks on her. Why, why were they necessary? The constant derision grated on my nerves as well.
As for Rho - honestly, not much of a twist, that. The second she appeared on the screen, what went through my head was "Alright, she can be either Bria or Jenn. Jenn would be fun, since clearly Rho and Brent will end up together, and it could show the "arranged marriage changed to marriage of love as they actually got to know each other"... But no, Bria is more likely. Works in the Gardens vs power over flowers, her POV keeps shoving at us that she's friends with Brent, and, of course, she was present in the first scene when Brent told the Rhonda story."
So, yes, the big mystery was only |when will Brent finally get a clue that the girl he supposedly loves and had loved for a long while now is the same girl he met in the Tunnels", and considering the only difference between them was that he couldn't see her face when she was Rho... Doesn't speak well of him.
And the answer is Chapter 23 if you were curious. 23 out of 44 chapters he spent clueless, and the only way he found out the truth was because the Council told him.
That would be another thing, the Council. When I heard "The Mist Keeper's Apprentice", I though it was going to get bigger focus. But instead there was a council of eight... And more Mist Keepers? That was also confusing to me. It started off simple enough, if a little weird - there is a chain of command. The First Mist Keeper took an apprentice when they grew too tired of handling Hell on their own, that Apprentice did the same once they reached that stage, then again, until we've gotten up to Alojzy, Caroline, and finally, Brent.
And then, halfway through, when Brent took Bria to the Library, apparently that was not how the system worked at all? There were Mist Keepers whom he had not meet yet, and they had their own Apprentices? And there was that slightly off-kilter woman who could erase memories? Where did she come from? She appeared in the council meeting after the Yellow Mist beast, after Brent's cleansing iirc, and was met with no fanfare and I was just so confused. And she kept calling Brent by some different name - "Milano" or something? It was all very confusing.
Then there was the small matter of Alojzy, which, as a Pole AND a Silesian, I found infuriating. Alojzy is a - perhaps not popular, but definitely often heard Polish/Silesian name. I kept expecting some cleverly thrown in reference, perhaps a "do licha!" spilled among other swears, perhaps a mention of mines, anything really. Perhaps it was, somewhere there in the last 28%, but I doubt that. It just kept keeping me on my toes.
So, to sum it up. This is a story with a great potential and a spectacular premise - the summary is proof enough of that. It just could've stood a few more revisions and perhaps a number of beta readers/sensitivity readers before getting published. I don't believe I've seen ANY warning regarding the sexual assaultS which happened within the story. Furthermore, the style of writing was not one I've enjoyed, but that's entirely my personal opinion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
After seeing it on tumblr, I loved the cover, I loved the summary and I was desperate to love the book... But sadly, it wasn't meant to be.
I believe you may still enjoy it - many people do, as can be seen from the other reviews, - but I, personally, did not. I managed to get up to 30% the first time I started it. Currently, I'm at 72%, and I do not believe I will be able to finish it.
Thoughts?
*Spoilers*
I now loathe with all of my heart the words "a'ight" and "shite".
I found Brent to be too whiney of a protagonist to enjoy. His actions were incomprehensible to me. He had claimed to love his family, and yet his actions did not show it. Most of the time, I've forgotten his sister even existed.
And Bria, well. I detested the constant sexual attacks on her. Why, why were they necessary? The constant derision grated on my nerves as well.
As for Rho - honestly, not much of a twist, that. The second she appeared on the screen, what went through my head was "Alright, she can be either Bria or Jenn. Jenn would be fun, since clearly Rho and Brent will end up together, and it could show the "arranged marriage changed to marriage of love as they actually got to know each other"... But no, Bria is more likely. Works in the Gardens vs power over flowers, her POV keeps shoving at us that she's friends with Brent, and, of course, she was present in the first scene when Brent told the Rhonda story."
So, yes, the big mystery was only |when will Brent finally get a clue that the girl he supposedly loves and had loved for a long while now is the same girl he met in the Tunnels", and considering the only difference between them was that he couldn't see her face when she was Rho... Doesn't speak well of him.
And the answer is Chapter 23 if you were curious. 23 out of 44 chapters he spent clueless, and the only way he found out the truth was because the Council told him.
That would be another thing, the Council. When I heard "The Mist Keeper's Apprentice", I though it was going to get bigger focus. But instead there was a council of eight... And more Mist Keepers? That was also confusing to me. It started off simple enough, if a little weird - there is a chain of command. The First Mist Keeper took an apprentice when they grew too tired of handling Hell on their own, that Apprentice did the same once they reached that stage, then again, until we've gotten up to Alojzy, Caroline, and finally, Brent.
And then, halfway through, when Brent took Bria to the Library, apparently that was not how the system worked at all? There were Mist Keepers whom he had not meet yet, and they had their own Apprentices? And there was that slightly off-kilter woman who could erase memories? Where did she come from? She appeared in the council meeting after the Yellow Mist beast, after Brent's cleansing iirc, and was met with no fanfare and I was just so confused. And she kept calling Brent by some different name - "Milano" or something? It was all very confusing.
Then there was the small matter of Alojzy, which, as a Pole AND a Silesian, I found infuriating. Alojzy is a - perhaps not popular, but definitely often heard Polish/Silesian name. I kept expecting some cleverly thrown in reference, perhaps a "do licha!" spilled among other swears, perhaps a mention of mines, anything really. Perhaps it was, somewhere there in the last 28%, but I doubt that. It just kept keeping me on my toes.
So, to sum it up. This is a story with a great potential and a spectacular premise - the summary is proof enough of that. It just could've stood a few more revisions and perhaps a number of beta readers/sensitivity readers before getting published. I don't believe I've seen ANY warning regarding the sexual assaultS which happened within the story. Furthermore, the style of writing was not one I've enjoyed, but that's entirely my personal opinion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2020
This book... What a ride! The characters, the world, all of it is just... wow. Miss Barrison is highly gifted at expressing emotion - be it chills, thrills, heartbreak, joy, and many more. I'm thoroughly invested in this universe! The only negative thing about this book is how much I want, yet have to wait for, the sequel. If you haven't already, grab yourself a copy now! You won't be disappointed! E.S. Barrison is definitely an indie author to keep your eye on in the future. This is just her debut novel & I'm feverishly anticipating what comes next. GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!!!
October 9, 2020
I'm a big fan of this book! I recieved an eARC several months ago but never got around to reading it because of life stuff, but I'm super glad I finally did!
What jumps out to me the most is the world building which is absolutely to die for. Every place that was visited by the main characters hooked me right away and I was always happy to spend time in many locations. A lot of the descriptions in the book are gorgeously written, and there were a few moments of cleverly written description that made me smile (I loved the candles waning/sleep waxing line!)
Bria/Rho was my favorite character by far (and I'm not just saying that because I'm a fan of plant powers)! I really enjoyed learning more about her when I only knew her as Rho, and the revelation that she is Bria really endeared her to me.
The only negatives are ones that I know are very subjective for me. I am not a fan of reading about sexual assault, even in a dramatic setting, and having that present here brought the book down a bit. However, everything else was so well done that it's still a solid 3 to 3.5 stars for me!
What jumps out to me the most is the world building which is absolutely to die for. Every place that was visited by the main characters hooked me right away and I was always happy to spend time in many locations. A lot of the descriptions in the book are gorgeously written, and there were a few moments of cleverly written description that made me smile (I loved the candles waning/sleep waxing line!)
Bria/Rho was my favorite character by far (and I'm not just saying that because I'm a fan of plant powers)! I really enjoyed learning more about her when I only knew her as Rho, and the revelation that she is Bria really endeared her to me.
The only negatives are ones that I know are very subjective for me. I am not a fan of reading about sexual assault, even in a dramatic setting, and having that present here brought the book down a bit. However, everything else was so well done that it's still a solid 3 to 3.5 stars for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2020
I love this book so much, the characters are so wonderful and the story is amazing! Forever proud to have this in my bookshelf.
August 26, 2020
The Mist Keeper’s Apprentice is the first book of The Life and Death Chronoicles series. It the story of Brent, a hapless, mistreated man in a village controlled by a repressive government which predetermines its inhabitants’ futures, and outlaws magic and storytelling. Forbidden to practice his narrative talent, his life seems aimless until he is led by a mysterious woman into a series of tunnels. Here he learns of his destiny as a future “Mist Keeper,” a kind of grim reaper. He soon becomes involved with Rho, a woman who inhabits the tunnels, and keeps a secret identity.
The world building in this book is tremendous. The mythology is rich, imaginative, extensive, and surprising. There is a great deal in this world to see, and it’s a lot of fun to explore it. Considering all of the death involved, it was also nowhere near as dark as might be expected.
The most important characters were generally well drawn, though Brent could be a little too bumbling for my taste, especially in the early chapters.
The plot did meander a bit. There were occasional chapters that seemed to do little but delay the climax. But what was most frustrating to me a detour not taken. Considering how often we hear about Brent’s talent for storytelling, it seems a shame that we never hear him telling an entire story. There are brief mentions of stories he tells, but these seem like items on a list. Where was this gift we’re told about?
It certainly isn’t due to any lack of storytelling prowess on Barrison’s part. Her style is rich and detailed, bringing even the impossible to life. There is to enjoy here, and I am glad that it is only beginning.
The world building in this book is tremendous. The mythology is rich, imaginative, extensive, and surprising. There is a great deal in this world to see, and it’s a lot of fun to explore it. Considering all of the death involved, it was also nowhere near as dark as might be expected.
The most important characters were generally well drawn, though Brent could be a little too bumbling for my taste, especially in the early chapters.
The plot did meander a bit. There were occasional chapters that seemed to do little but delay the climax. But what was most frustrating to me a detour not taken. Considering how often we hear about Brent’s talent for storytelling, it seems a shame that we never hear him telling an entire story. There are brief mentions of stories he tells, but these seem like items on a list. Where was this gift we’re told about?
It certainly isn’t due to any lack of storytelling prowess on Barrison’s part. Her style is rich and detailed, bringing even the impossible to life. There is to enjoy here, and I am glad that it is only beginning.
July 4, 2021
The first chapter didn't grip me but from there I struggled to put this book down. It was like a Dystopian fantasy, you had a strict regime people had to follow to suppress magic under The Order and when the Mist Keeper's came in I was thoroughly intrigued and invested in the story. Multiple plot twists kept the pages flying well into the night. The world building takes a while to wrap your head around but it was highly immersive. Was not expecting a cliff hanger and need book two!
My only negative was Brent's stutter, it got quite jarring towards the end and took me out of the story but I understand this is an accurate portrayal.
My only negative was Brent's stutter, it got quite jarring towards the end and took me out of the story but I understand this is an accurate portrayal.
May 12, 2021
YOOOO THIS BOOK!!! I absolutely loved it. This is one of the most unique fantasy worlds I’ve ever read about. I loved the story teller taverns, I loved Caroline’s obsession with fishing, I loved that Brent could see stories in the most. I loved the romance between Bria and Brent. It’s probably one of the few times I’ve enjoyed a romance in fantasy.
There’s too many things I loved about it and I’ve never been good at writing reviews. I read this book amidst an entire month of doctors appointments and hospital visitations. It made getting through all the needles and tests much easier. (It also helps that this book is like 500 pages. I love big books so much)
I’m absolutely enthralled with this series and with Barrison’s style. I can’t wait for book two. When I get out of my art slump, I’m gonna go through my favorite quotes and make some art.
Anyways 10/10 do recommend!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2021
In the town of Newbird's Arm, magic and storytelling are banned. If he doesn't stop spinning tales, Brent Harley, a boy marked by the state, is in danger of being thrown into a work camp and reeducation center called The Pit when he turns twenty-one. But fate has other plans: he encounters a mysterious plant-controlling girl who calls herself Rho beneath the city in tunnels that allow for an escape from the town, and swift travel to other places. He *also* encounters Caroline, a member of an order of mist-keepers, who take souls after their deaths to help them move on into the Effluvium (the magical mist that permeates the world). Brent is manifesting powers over the Effluvium, in a way that is very, very illegal to the Order, i.e. the town guards, the clergy, and everybody else who runs the city.
But Brent can't stop, and there's his biggest problem. Sure, he has other problems, like being betrothed to a girl he doesn't love, but the big one is that when he touches a soul like the Mist-Keepers do, the souls touch back. When that happens, he finds it hard to remember his own memories and not someone else's. Going rapidly crazy, he's sure to be dead within a year... if the Diabolo, a monster made up of memories, doesn't kill him first.
(It's on the rampage. Brent's fault. Long story.)
How Brent and Rho get out of this mess is a pretty entertaining yarn, and it kept me going until the big action climax. (Extra points for no cliffhanger ending or mandatory sequel!) The world feels original, leaning more towards the trains and cigarettes of 19th-century London rather than the more common medieval-era high fantasy. The travel-into-the-tunnels-via-roots-dragging-you-down happened a lot, and I imagine if it were ever on film, it'd look pretty cool. For now, you'll have to use your imagination.
A few minor things threw me off – one was the protagonist's use of "a'ight" as slang, which is probably a perfectly legit pre-modern contraction but I find impossible to separate from 21st-century America. The second was an interrogation scene questioning how many lights were in the room that I couldn't read without thinking of That Particular Star Trek Episode. Lastly, there are typos, usually homophones or missing words. The good news is, none of this stopped me from enjoying the book. "The Mist-Keeper's Apprentice" is a notch above most of the indie/self-published crowd. I'm giving this one a 4 out of 5.
But Brent can't stop, and there's his biggest problem. Sure, he has other problems, like being betrothed to a girl he doesn't love, but the big one is that when he touches a soul like the Mist-Keepers do, the souls touch back. When that happens, he finds it hard to remember his own memories and not someone else's. Going rapidly crazy, he's sure to be dead within a year... if the Diabolo, a monster made up of memories, doesn't kill him first.
(It's on the rampage. Brent's fault. Long story.)
How Brent and Rho get out of this mess is a pretty entertaining yarn, and it kept me going until the big action climax. (Extra points for no cliffhanger ending or mandatory sequel!) The world feels original, leaning more towards the trains and cigarettes of 19th-century London rather than the more common medieval-era high fantasy. The travel-into-the-tunnels-via-roots-dragging-you-down happened a lot, and I imagine if it were ever on film, it'd look pretty cool. For now, you'll have to use your imagination.
A few minor things threw me off – one was the protagonist's use of "a'ight" as slang, which is probably a perfectly legit pre-modern contraction but I find impossible to separate from 21st-century America. The second was an interrogation scene questioning how many lights were in the room that I couldn't read without thinking of That Particular Star Trek Episode. Lastly, there are typos, usually homophones or missing words. The good news is, none of this stopped me from enjoying the book. "The Mist-Keeper's Apprentice" is a notch above most of the indie/self-published crowd. I'm giving this one a 4 out of 5.
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