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The Book of the Shepherds #1
The Rages
When the dance with death ended, the Wrynd would come for them.
“Have you killed before?” Harley asked.
Quinlan shook his head.
“You’ll have to now.”
Quinlan looked him in the eyes and then looked away. “I’ll try.”
“A steer tries, son,” Harley replied, and Quinlan flinched. “You have to get this done. No hesitation. None. Do you understand? You kill, or you and your little ones die. There’s nothing else. When the time comes, you kill everything in your way, and maybe we can walk away from this.”
In the Seven Realms, wishes comes true with the blink of an eye.
There is no war, no disease, no poverty, and no purpose.
Humanity has achieved its dream of Elysium, casting the Old World aside. Everything beyond the Realms is Wilderness, where the Earth Rages.
From the Wilderness comes the Castaway, Harley Nearwater.
He walks a path of Chaos, a shadow of the Old World. As the sentient Earth threatens to destroy us in her Rage, he seeks only a world where he might find peace and belonging.
The Seven Realms searches for a Leap in human evolution, the one who will guide them through the Dark Seas between planets. They believe the Castaway may be the Leap. If Harley Nearwater is a leap in evolution, it is in the opposite direction.
And one murderous step at a time, he is the harbinger of the destruction of both Old World and new.
The End of Everything is About to Begin.
“Have you killed before?” Harley asked.
Quinlan shook his head.
“You’ll have to now.”
Quinlan looked him in the eyes and then looked away. “I’ll try.”
“A steer tries, son,” Harley replied, and Quinlan flinched. “You have to get this done. No hesitation. None. Do you understand? You kill, or you and your little ones die. There’s nothing else. When the time comes, you kill everything in your way, and maybe we can walk away from this.”
In the Seven Realms, wishes comes true with the blink of an eye.
There is no war, no disease, no poverty, and no purpose.
Humanity has achieved its dream of Elysium, casting the Old World aside. Everything beyond the Realms is Wilderness, where the Earth Rages.
From the Wilderness comes the Castaway, Harley Nearwater.
He walks a path of Chaos, a shadow of the Old World. As the sentient Earth threatens to destroy us in her Rage, he seeks only a world where he might find peace and belonging.
The Seven Realms searches for a Leap in human evolution, the one who will guide them through the Dark Seas between planets. They believe the Castaway may be the Leap. If Harley Nearwater is a leap in evolution, it is in the opposite direction.
And one murderous step at a time, he is the harbinger of the destruction of both Old World and new.
The End of Everything is About to Begin.
Paperback
Published March 3, 2021
115 people are currently reading
1478 people want to read
About the author
James L. Davis
12 books52 followersJames L. Davis lives with his wife in Spanish Fork, Utah, in a home infested with children and animals, where he is very happy and not altogether sane.
The characters in his head, screaming at his brain, keep him up at night. But sometimes they have "intrestin" thoughts.
The characters in his head, screaming at his brain, keep him up at night. But sometimes they have "intrestin" thoughts.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 29, 2020
I originally read this when published as five separate novellas, so I've copied my original reviews here:
Rages #1
I loved Five Days Dead so much that I couldn't wait for the series to begin in earnest! Part One of Castaway is primarily concerned with familiarizing the reader of bad good guy main character, Harley Nearwater, and the screwed up world he lives in. If you've read The Days Dead, much of this is already known to you, but necessary for anyone new to the story. It also gives us some background into several other characters who were introduced in Five Days Dead, letting us know how they all came to be out in the Wilderness, dealing with the Rages. I love how the author gets us into the thoughts and feelings of each character, and how they come to the decisions that they make. This segment of the story lacked the supernatural didn't that really put Five Days Dead over the top for me, but I know that it's coming, and i eagerly look forward to it.
Rages #2
Quest continues the story of Harley Nearwater, our favorite bad "good guy" as he navigates a world where the world has turned on humanity. Animals randomly attack humans, violent storms rage across the planet and drug-addicted fiends hunt in hoards, forcing most of the world's population to live in protected communities called Hubs, where their every need is met, and they pass their time in a virtual reality, fittingly called "the Vale".
The storytelling is simple and straightforward. The world that the author has built is unique and creative, and the main character, Harley, is a complete enigma. He keeps the reader constantly guessing as to what motivates him.
I love the combination of elements that exist in this story. The author has blended post-apocalypse with dystopian fiction, and added a bit of a supernatural element to it all to build a story that is fun to read. Looking forward to Part 3 with much anticipation.
Rages #3
Forsaken is part 3 of the Rages novel, set in an future, post-apocalyptic world where the majority of society lives in protected cities called Hubs. Inside the Hub, most people live out their lives in an online virtual universe called the Vale, rarely venturing out of their homes and living off of their Right To Income subsidy. On the outside, nature has turned against humanity in the form of deadly storms and unforgiving animal attacks, called Rages. The main character, Harley Nearwater, has chosen to live outside the Hubs, in what's left of the countryside, avoiding the Rages and the drug addicted fiends called the Wrynd, while searching for a mysterious character known as The Gray Man.
The world building is great, and the message about closing one's eyes to the real world in front of us are clear. Reminiscent in some ways of The Dark Tower series, but I find this much easier to follow. Harley's duplicitous nature is what his character great. He's got kind of a nasty streak, but he keeps finding himself doing good things for people...unwillingly.
Having read Five Days Dead, which is a bit of a prequel, I was enormously pleased to see the old couple resurface here in Forsaken. I was anxiously waiting to see them again, and I hope to see more of them in the next installment.
Rages #4
Simply incredible! The best portion of The Rages thus far. Within these 70 pages, I must've highlighted 3-4 passages that I really thought were beautifully written or expressed poignant thoughts. I really enjoyed the writing in Spoiler. Everything was described and expressed so well. It felt as if there was not a wasted word here. There were touching and emotional moments mixed in with a LOT of action. Spoiler really brought everything to the table and has me anxious for the next installment.
Rages #5
Simply amazing!
I am absolutely infatuated with this story which, originally released in five installments, is now available as a single work (The Rages. The main character, Harley Nearwatef, continues to drift through a futuristic wasteland that,iterally, has turned on mankind. The wasteland exists outside of enclosed "Hub Cities" where every need is taken care of. In the wasteland, however, exist wild, drug induced, flesh eating maniacs, the leader of which has a personal grudge against Harley. Not to mention an old amn who has very strange supernatural powers, as well as the Grey Walker, another mysterious being with strange powers as well, the source of which is unknown. Harley is it really a good guy but you can't help but root for him as he finds himself mixed up in a power struggle in which he has no interest, in addition to being haunted by the Grey Walker at every turn.
This story blends so many elements and this installment in particular showed a vulnerable side of Harley that was I credibly touching.
I know the author has much more in store for this series and I can only pray that he is able to see it through.
Rages #1
I loved Five Days Dead so much that I couldn't wait for the series to begin in earnest! Part One of Castaway is primarily concerned with familiarizing the reader of bad good guy main character, Harley Nearwater, and the screwed up world he lives in. If you've read The Days Dead, much of this is already known to you, but necessary for anyone new to the story. It also gives us some background into several other characters who were introduced in Five Days Dead, letting us know how they all came to be out in the Wilderness, dealing with the Rages. I love how the author gets us into the thoughts and feelings of each character, and how they come to the decisions that they make. This segment of the story lacked the supernatural didn't that really put Five Days Dead over the top for me, but I know that it's coming, and i eagerly look forward to it.
Rages #2
Quest continues the story of Harley Nearwater, our favorite bad "good guy" as he navigates a world where the world has turned on humanity. Animals randomly attack humans, violent storms rage across the planet and drug-addicted fiends hunt in hoards, forcing most of the world's population to live in protected communities called Hubs, where their every need is met, and they pass their time in a virtual reality, fittingly called "the Vale".
The storytelling is simple and straightforward. The world that the author has built is unique and creative, and the main character, Harley, is a complete enigma. He keeps the reader constantly guessing as to what motivates him.
I love the combination of elements that exist in this story. The author has blended post-apocalypse with dystopian fiction, and added a bit of a supernatural element to it all to build a story that is fun to read. Looking forward to Part 3 with much anticipation.
Rages #3
Forsaken is part 3 of the Rages novel, set in an future, post-apocalyptic world where the majority of society lives in protected cities called Hubs. Inside the Hub, most people live out their lives in an online virtual universe called the Vale, rarely venturing out of their homes and living off of their Right To Income subsidy. On the outside, nature has turned against humanity in the form of deadly storms and unforgiving animal attacks, called Rages. The main character, Harley Nearwater, has chosen to live outside the Hubs, in what's left of the countryside, avoiding the Rages and the drug addicted fiends called the Wrynd, while searching for a mysterious character known as The Gray Man.
The world building is great, and the message about closing one's eyes to the real world in front of us are clear. Reminiscent in some ways of The Dark Tower series, but I find this much easier to follow. Harley's duplicitous nature is what his character great. He's got kind of a nasty streak, but he keeps finding himself doing good things for people...unwillingly.
Having read Five Days Dead, which is a bit of a prequel, I was enormously pleased to see the old couple resurface here in Forsaken. I was anxiously waiting to see them again, and I hope to see more of them in the next installment.
Rages #4
Simply incredible! The best portion of The Rages thus far. Within these 70 pages, I must've highlighted 3-4 passages that I really thought were beautifully written or expressed poignant thoughts. I really enjoyed the writing in Spoiler. Everything was described and expressed so well. It felt as if there was not a wasted word here. There were touching and emotional moments mixed in with a LOT of action. Spoiler really brought everything to the table and has me anxious for the next installment.
Rages #5
Simply amazing!
I am absolutely infatuated with this story which, originally released in five installments, is now available as a single work (The Rages. The main character, Harley Nearwatef, continues to drift through a futuristic wasteland that,iterally, has turned on mankind. The wasteland exists outside of enclosed "Hub Cities" where every need is taken care of. In the wasteland, however, exist wild, drug induced, flesh eating maniacs, the leader of which has a personal grudge against Harley. Not to mention an old amn who has very strange supernatural powers, as well as the Grey Walker, another mysterious being with strange powers as well, the source of which is unknown. Harley is it really a good guy but you can't help but root for him as he finds himself mixed up in a power struggle in which he has no interest, in addition to being haunted by the Grey Walker at every turn.
This story blends so many elements and this installment in particular showed a vulnerable side of Harley that was I credibly touching.
I know the author has much more in store for this series and I can only pray that he is able to see it through.
July 24, 2017
I received a copy of this book for free through a giveaway at Goodreads.com.
This book has left me unhappy for a very unusual reason: I can't go straight on to read the next book in the series!
"The Rages" is a good, solid story that has been crafted with skill. The characters can be a little 2D at times, but they are an "intrestin" bunch (that's not a typo - read the book), and I took an almost instant dislike to Harley (read the book and you'll know why!).
Talking of typos, there are a few (along with minor punctuation gaffs, and one sentence that I just could not make head nor tail of).
Here's hoping that book 2 in the series isn't too far behind.
This book has left me unhappy for a very unusual reason: I can't go straight on to read the next book in the series!
"The Rages" is a good, solid story that has been crafted with skill. The characters can be a little 2D at times, but they are an "intrestin" bunch (that's not a typo - read the book), and I took an almost instant dislike to Harley (read the book and you'll know why!).
Talking of typos, there are a few (along with minor punctuation gaffs, and one sentence that I just could not make head nor tail of).
Here's hoping that book 2 in the series isn't too far behind.
July 27, 2017
This is not really my genre at all, but I could not put it down, made my day!
May 23, 2018
I received a free copy in a Goodreads giveaway. This book was exceptionally well written. It felt very realistic.
November 6, 2017
First time reading from the author James L. Davis. I liked the plot and the characters, but the book was very long winded in details. That it dragged out to long and I almost didn't want to finish the book.
May 22, 2021
A interesting read
Harley is an exceptional anti-hero and the large cast of characters create a story with more twists and turns than most.
Harley is an exceptional anti-hero and the large cast of characters create a story with more twists and turns than most.
July 27, 2021
The Rages
Interesting blend of dystopia, science fiction and wizardry. Very unique story and look forward to vol 2. Har har har
Interesting blend of dystopia, science fiction and wizardry. Very unique story and look forward to vol 2. Har har har
September 1, 2021
Repeating Chapters
This story might be interesting but I couldn’t get into it as every other chapter repeated itself over and over.
This story might be interesting but I couldn’t get into it as every other chapter repeated itself over and over.
June 29, 2022
Wow. Completely new take on the post apocalyptic genre
Ran through this book at top speed. Couldn't put it down. Can't wait to start the second book in the series
Ran through this book at top speed. Couldn't put it down. Can't wait to start the second book in the series
April 14, 2019
Thank you very much to the Author and Goodreads for this review book to read and rate.
Zombies? Even Pseudo-zombies? Too much of that genre floating around and it is definitely not original nor exciting anymore.
The writing was well crafted, as was the character development and structuring; yet, it's those damn zombies that just bit my interest in the butt. Sorry.
Zombies? Even Pseudo-zombies? Too much of that genre floating around and it is definitely not original nor exciting anymore.
The writing was well crafted, as was the character development and structuring; yet, it's those damn zombies that just bit my interest in the butt. Sorry.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews