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Trinal Academy: Ancient Blood Ties
Deeply rooted in ancient Egyptian mythology, Trinal Academy is a tale of hidden secrets passed down through the blood of afflicted children. It explores the internal struggle of finding oneself, whilst fighting for love amidst an attack from the oldest of evils.
In the unassuming town of Ely, there are bizarre traditions and things hidden within the shadows shrouded in myth and folklore. Things that no high school freshman should ever be exposed to. But unfortunately for Elek Barington, not long after his enrollment into Trinal Academy, myth becomes reality, and old tales become his lessons for surviving it.
At the start of the semester, Elek meets Lucinda Nadir and Sahara Clarice, two female students that are as ravishingly beautiful as they are mysterious. They are polar opposites of each other, but there is a magnetizing quality they share that Elek is drawn to from the very beginning.
Shortly following, high profile senior and sorority captain, Rachel Fergusson, is viciously murdered. Prompting a widespread investigation and generating Elek’s intrigue in the three illusive peer clubs offered at Trinal Academy. He keeps hearing about them, but the way that they’re talked about, makes them sound like an Elitist Cult, rather than the ordinary precollege associations that they are marketed as. Elek doesn’t fully understand why they are so highly regarded in the city of Ely, or why every single member brandishes a very large ostentatious ring on their middle finger, but he’s about to. Because Sahara is driven beyond reason to join the very sorority that Rachel belonged to.
This sets a chain of events in motion, and before he can even process it, Elek is thrust into a dark underworld brewing beneath the perfect exterior of his high school. A world where an ancient supernatural quarrel rages on behind the scenes, and Trinal Academy is at the very epicenter of it all. As Elek ventures deeper into the rabbit hole, he discovers things about his family and the history of mother earth, so shocking, that it permanently alters the coarse of his outlook and his future. But Elek isn’t the only one with family secrets, as he discovers that Lucinda and Sahara are much more than meets the eye. And he learns that his destiny is intertwined with theirs in ways that he could never imagine.
RUNNING TIME => 15hrs. and 2mins.
©2020 Erick Phillips (P)2020 Erick Phillips
In the unassuming town of Ely, there are bizarre traditions and things hidden within the shadows shrouded in myth and folklore. Things that no high school freshman should ever be exposed to. But unfortunately for Elek Barington, not long after his enrollment into Trinal Academy, myth becomes reality, and old tales become his lessons for surviving it.
At the start of the semester, Elek meets Lucinda Nadir and Sahara Clarice, two female students that are as ravishingly beautiful as they are mysterious. They are polar opposites of each other, but there is a magnetizing quality they share that Elek is drawn to from the very beginning.
Shortly following, high profile senior and sorority captain, Rachel Fergusson, is viciously murdered. Prompting a widespread investigation and generating Elek’s intrigue in the three illusive peer clubs offered at Trinal Academy. He keeps hearing about them, but the way that they’re talked about, makes them sound like an Elitist Cult, rather than the ordinary precollege associations that they are marketed as. Elek doesn’t fully understand why they are so highly regarded in the city of Ely, or why every single member brandishes a very large ostentatious ring on their middle finger, but he’s about to. Because Sahara is driven beyond reason to join the very sorority that Rachel belonged to.
This sets a chain of events in motion, and before he can even process it, Elek is thrust into a dark underworld brewing beneath the perfect exterior of his high school. A world where an ancient supernatural quarrel rages on behind the scenes, and Trinal Academy is at the very epicenter of it all. As Elek ventures deeper into the rabbit hole, he discovers things about his family and the history of mother earth, so shocking, that it permanently alters the coarse of his outlook and his future. But Elek isn’t the only one with family secrets, as he discovers that Lucinda and Sahara are much more than meets the eye. And he learns that his destiny is intertwined with theirs in ways that he could never imagine.
RUNNING TIME => 15hrs. and 2mins.
©2020 Erick Phillips (P)2020 Erick Phillips
- GenresFantasy
Audible Audio
First published May 23, 2020
13 people are currently reading
2480 people want to read
About the author
Erick Phillips
3 books38 followersWhat Inspired You to Write Trinal Academy?
I wrote Trinal Academy: Ancient Blood Ties, because I wanted to explore the difficult—and sometimes daunting—challenge of coming of age. Throughout the story, characters learn a great deal about themselves and make crucial decisions that define them as a person amidst young adulthood. It explores concepts of disunity, and encourages the disruption of traditional conventions for the betterment of mankind.
How did you come up with your characters for Trinal Academy?
The characters in Trinal Academy are powerful, and they have compelling backgrounds. They are a combination of people and personalities that I have come in contact with throughout my life. They are not perfect, they make mistakes, but there is a moral compass that drives MOST of them! It was very important to me to have strong characters of both genders and from different walks of life.
I wrote Trinal Academy: Ancient Blood Ties, because I wanted to explore the difficult—and sometimes daunting—challenge of coming of age. Throughout the story, characters learn a great deal about themselves and make crucial decisions that define them as a person amidst young adulthood. It explores concepts of disunity, and encourages the disruption of traditional conventions for the betterment of mankind.
How did you come up with your characters for Trinal Academy?
The characters in Trinal Academy are powerful, and they have compelling backgrounds. They are a combination of people and personalities that I have come in contact with throughout my life. They are not perfect, they make mistakes, but there is a moral compass that drives MOST of them! It was very important to me to have strong characters of both genders and from different walks of life.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 25, 2020
TRINAL ACADEMY: ANCIENT BLOOD TIES by Erick Phillips is the first book is the first book that I have read by this author. The story is set in Ely, Minnesota. This is a rural city in northern Minnesota that is historically home to several iron ore mines and is known for its beautiful scenery, wildlife, hiking, and is close to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. All of these items play a role in one way or another in this coming-of-age young adult paranormal suspense novel.
Elek Barington and his best friend Jake have been accepted to Trinal Academy in Ely as freshmen and had a good reputation for grooming students for college. It even has student housing and offers fraternity and sorority club programs. However, things are not always uneventful and clear-cut. Themes include myths, folklore, death, grief, family, young love, making decisions on what is right and wrong and much more.
Elek was definitely a character that you could root for. He had a distinct voice with flaws, virtues and insecurities. His goal was not always clear since at times he did not know which direction was best. I did not feel that he questioned the adults and other students enough. The secondary characters enhanced the story and had varying degrees of depth.
Overall, the premise brought a fresh perspective to a coming-of-age story if you are willing to suspend belief and go with the paranormal fantasy scenario. The version that I read could use a good proofreading and editing. The ending opened up a large thread for the next book in the series.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Goodreads and Erick Phillips for the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
Elek Barington and his best friend Jake have been accepted to Trinal Academy in Ely as freshmen and had a good reputation for grooming students for college. It even has student housing and offers fraternity and sorority club programs. However, things are not always uneventful and clear-cut. Themes include myths, folklore, death, grief, family, young love, making decisions on what is right and wrong and much more.
Elek was definitely a character that you could root for. He had a distinct voice with flaws, virtues and insecurities. His goal was not always clear since at times he did not know which direction was best. I did not feel that he questioned the adults and other students enough. The secondary characters enhanced the story and had varying degrees of depth.
Overall, the premise brought a fresh perspective to a coming-of-age story if you are willing to suspend belief and go with the paranormal fantasy scenario. The version that I read could use a good proofreading and editing. The ending opened up a large thread for the next book in the series.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks go to Goodreads and Erick Phillips for the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
November 16, 2020
Trinal Academy: Ancient Blood Ties by Erick Phillips
I received this e-book. by the author for a honest review. I had a hard time getting into the story, tried to read it a couple of times. I do read young adult books but this story just didn't pull me in. This book would be good for YA's.
I received this e-book. by the author for a honest review. I had a hard time getting into the story, tried to read it a couple of times. I do read young adult books but this story just didn't pull me in. This book would be good for YA's.
November 29, 2020
Big thanks to the author for sending me a copy!
This was a very unique, gripping and enjoyable book! The whole premise was fresh and new. It’s an entertaining, fast, and easy read. I really liked the academic like setting. I thought it was amazing and added a lot of personality to the book. The exploration of coming of age was excellent. Even though this book is obviously for entertainment, there are some lessons that can be dissected from this book.
This book was imaginative, suspenseful, and intriguing. It’s filled with emotion and keeps you engaged.
I also really appreciated the reality of the characters. They felt real and they were diverse, strong characters. They were riveting and you could support them. I felt like we were going through the events with the characters. The variety of character types and depth added to the overall development. I loved the courageousness of the characters. They encouraged the sentiment to find a person’s own path. We got to see the characters learn and grow, which I enjoyed.
The only problem I had with this book was that there were some things that were blown out of proportion so as to create a dramatic effect. But I don’t think it detracted from the overall foundation of the book. Definitely still worth it for fantasy lovers.
Of course, I won’t say much about plot events or anything like that so as to not spoil anyone, but the ending definitely left an opening for the next book in the series.
This was a very unique, gripping and enjoyable book! The whole premise was fresh and new. It’s an entertaining, fast, and easy read. I really liked the academic like setting. I thought it was amazing and added a lot of personality to the book. The exploration of coming of age was excellent. Even though this book is obviously for entertainment, there are some lessons that can be dissected from this book.
This book was imaginative, suspenseful, and intriguing. It’s filled with emotion and keeps you engaged.
I also really appreciated the reality of the characters. They felt real and they were diverse, strong characters. They were riveting and you could support them. I felt like we were going through the events with the characters. The variety of character types and depth added to the overall development. I loved the courageousness of the characters. They encouraged the sentiment to find a person’s own path. We got to see the characters learn and grow, which I enjoyed.
The only problem I had with this book was that there were some things that were blown out of proportion so as to create a dramatic effect. But I don’t think it detracted from the overall foundation of the book. Definitely still worth it for fantasy lovers.
Of course, I won’t say much about plot events or anything like that so as to not spoil anyone, but the ending definitely left an opening for the next book in the series.
December 4, 2020
Thank you to Goodreads and the author for providing me with a free Kindle copy of the book via giveaway!
DNF @ 2 chapters.
I don't think this book is for me. I gave it a try, but I just couldn't get into it. It reads like a second draft - the glaring errors maybe scrubbed from the first draft, but the writing still riddled with typos, spelling errors, and poor grammar. 'Alter' instead of 'altar', missing commas and capitalization, plentiful sentence fragments beginning with 'and' - this book could really use a professional copy editor before being released into the wild. I'm too exacting of a reader and I found the errors too distracting to continue.
Generally, I found the narrator to be overly dramatic, and his voice did not sound like that of a sixteen year-old boy. He sounded like a middle-aged man trying to sound like a sixteen year-old boy. Just in the two chapters I read, there were a lot of info dumps - "I look like this, my friend X looks like this, the town is in proximity to Y and Z" - and teenage boys saying things like "I just had the darnedest idea" apparently without a hint of irony. Their apartment is three blocks from campus, but evidently they need a car for the commute (and evidently this school is okay with underage students living in off-campus apartments without RAs or any sort of supervision). His friend is a ladies' man, but one glib shutdown from a new student renders him speechless. Many things just didn't seem to be well thought-out or tidied up via editing.
It's a shame - Phillips is not untalented, and there is potential here. I would be curious to find out what happens with the murdered student and the urban legend about the mysterious plague; however, the book needs a lot of polish before it can shine.
DNF @ 2 chapters.
I don't think this book is for me. I gave it a try, but I just couldn't get into it. It reads like a second draft - the glaring errors maybe scrubbed from the first draft, but the writing still riddled with typos, spelling errors, and poor grammar. 'Alter' instead of 'altar', missing commas and capitalization, plentiful sentence fragments beginning with 'and' - this book could really use a professional copy editor before being released into the wild. I'm too exacting of a reader and I found the errors too distracting to continue.
Generally, I found the narrator to be overly dramatic, and his voice did not sound like that of a sixteen year-old boy. He sounded like a middle-aged man trying to sound like a sixteen year-old boy. Just in the two chapters I read, there were a lot of info dumps - "I look like this, my friend X looks like this, the town is in proximity to Y and Z" - and teenage boys saying things like "I just had the darnedest idea" apparently without a hint of irony. Their apartment is three blocks from campus, but evidently they need a car for the commute (and evidently this school is okay with underage students living in off-campus apartments without RAs or any sort of supervision). His friend is a ladies' man, but one glib shutdown from a new student renders him speechless. Many things just didn't seem to be well thought-out or tidied up via editing.
It's a shame - Phillips is not untalented, and there is potential here. I would be curious to find out what happens with the murdered student and the urban legend about the mysterious plague; however, the book needs a lot of polish before it can shine.
January 15, 2021
Story and plot were ok, but the execution left much to be desired.
It almost seems like the book was written using voice-to-text. So many grammatical issues, wrong words, etc., that it was tough to get through at times. Reframe rather than refrain, sighting rather than citing are two big examples. A good copy editor could make a huge difference in the book. I could see the author was making an effort to not be repetitive, but at times it seemed as though a thesaurus was sitting open next to him while righting. There was some vocabulary that was a significant departure from the general tone of the book, and it seemed really out of place.
I wouldn't say it's a complete lost cause, and as a draft it's a decent effort. As a final version, it suffers.
It almost seems like the book was written using voice-to-text. So many grammatical issues, wrong words, etc., that it was tough to get through at times. Reframe rather than refrain, sighting rather than citing are two big examples. A good copy editor could make a huge difference in the book. I could see the author was making an effort to not be repetitive, but at times it seemed as though a thesaurus was sitting open next to him while righting. There was some vocabulary that was a significant departure from the general tone of the book, and it seemed really out of place.
I wouldn't say it's a complete lost cause, and as a draft it's a decent effort. As a final version, it suffers.
July 9, 2020
A well-written story, it was entertaining and an enjoyable read.
Read
April 17, 2021I have to break this review into parts. The story and the editing (or lack thereof). Story gets a 4-star; editing gets no stars (it is that heinous, folks).
The story is great. The ideas and follow-through and historical references are intriguing and not at all old hat (to this reader, at least). I love the supernatural best when steeped in mythological history, so I'm excited by this. Actually, this is why I wanted to read the book. And I am glad I did. I am also looking forward to the story continuing as the ending definitely makes it seem like there will be a second book. By the way, I also could TOTALLY see this as a TV series; but alas, all my favorite series of this genre never catch on (I miss you, Dresden Files).
But here's where the catch is: I will only read the next book if Mr. Phillips PROMISES to get an editor. At the very least, a proofreader. Go to your local college English department. I want you to succeed! And you cannot with a book in the state of this one. Had I not fought so hard to get this book, I wouldn't have powered through. I am someone who deals with grammar and punctuation and the like as part of my job and was absolutely mortified by what I saw - and on nearly every page! I do also believe the story would be served by a tight editing.
But the story here is great, if you can get past the issues. I want to urge Mr. Phillips here to keep writing! He's got great ideas.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
The story is great. The ideas and follow-through and historical references are intriguing and not at all old hat (to this reader, at least). I love the supernatural best when steeped in mythological history, so I'm excited by this. Actually, this is why I wanted to read the book. And I am glad I did. I am also looking forward to the story continuing as the ending definitely makes it seem like there will be a second book. By the way, I also could TOTALLY see this as a TV series; but alas, all my favorite series of this genre never catch on (I miss you, Dresden Files).
But here's where the catch is: I will only read the next book if Mr. Phillips PROMISES to get an editor. At the very least, a proofreader. Go to your local college English department. I want you to succeed! And you cannot with a book in the state of this one. Had I not fought so hard to get this book, I wouldn't have powered through. I am someone who deals with grammar and punctuation and the like as part of my job and was absolutely mortified by what I saw - and on nearly every page! I do also believe the story would be served by a tight editing.
But the story here is great, if you can get past the issues. I want to urge Mr. Phillips here to keep writing! He's got great ideas.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
did-not-finish
November 6, 2025I received my copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway, which has no bearing on my review.
I was unable to finish this book due to the amount of errors in the first chapter. One was a student saying Aristotle lived over 700 years, and the teacher didn't correct her. Pretty sure that's not going to be the school to attend if you want a good education.
There were also formatting errors (random words italicized in a sentence), punctuation errors (my kingdom for a comma!), capitalization errors (Converse is a shoe brand), and a lot of repetition. You can just tell me a supporting character is a ladies' man. You don't need to follow up with 4 more sentences about how he was born that way, had always been that way, but wasn't that way in a bad way.
Also, I have never heard of a freshman year in junior high. That threw me completely out of the story. Maybe not quite so much as Aristotle's 702 years of life, but pretty close.
DNFed at 3%.
I was unable to finish this book due to the amount of errors in the first chapter. One was a student saying Aristotle lived over 700 years, and the teacher didn't correct her. Pretty sure that's not going to be the school to attend if you want a good education.
There were also formatting errors (random words italicized in a sentence), punctuation errors (my kingdom for a comma!), capitalization errors (Converse is a shoe brand), and a lot of repetition. You can just tell me a supporting character is a ladies' man. You don't need to follow up with 4 more sentences about how he was born that way, had always been that way, but wasn't that way in a bad way.
Also, I have never heard of a freshman year in junior high. That threw me completely out of the story. Maybe not quite so much as Aristotle's 702 years of life, but pretty close.
DNFed at 3%.
January 24, 2021
Elek Barington can't wait to start his freshman year of high school at Trinal Academy. Better yet, his best friend, Jake, will be joining him as his roommate in their own apartment just off campus. The school has two fraternities and 1 sorority on campus. After the death of a fellow classmate Elek decides to pledge a fraternity in hopes of getting some answers. He never expects what he finds.
I enjoyed the storyline, meeting and getting to know the characters and all of their secrets and histories. All of the characters had a secret and I was not expecting most of them. A lot of them are tied to each other and have to work together in unexpected ways. This book was a quick and easy read for anyone that likes suspenseful coming of age stories.
I enjoyed the storyline, meeting and getting to know the characters and all of their secrets and histories. All of the characters had a secret and I was not expecting most of them. A lot of them are tied to each other and have to work together in unexpected ways. This book was a quick and easy read for anyone that likes suspenseful coming of age stories.
July 2, 2020
There's plenty to like in this book, but I found it didn't quite know how to allocate the drama factor -- too much was made of things that were very mundane and ultimately not really important, which both was a little off-putting in itself, and made actually important things seem a little less climactic than they could've been. Still, it's definitely worth a read.
December 5, 2020
I was very intrigued on the the story line. Although I struggled to get through the first 100 pages, it finally captured my attention. Great storyline & introduction to this gendre of reading. I am positive young adults will enjoy it. Thank you Goodreads!
January 11, 2021
I was intrigued with the plot. Was well written. A fast wash read. The setting added a lot of personality to the book.
March 21, 2021
Great story
September 20, 2022
This is a wonderful paranormal story set in a small town. I feel book is a good read if you are into paranormal or sci-fi style books. The characters are great, ones that you can really connect with and they go through great coming of age journey. I do feel the digital copy I received could go through another round of proof reading but overall I truly enjoyed this book. I hope that more will follow, the ending left a great Segway.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks to Goodreads and Erick Phillips for the opportunity to read this marvelous book.
I won a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thanks to Goodreads and Erick Phillips for the opportunity to read this marvelous book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews