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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 1, 2022
One Hell of a Prequel!
Leo is a prequel in the 13th Zodiac series. Highlighting the events of Jase Raion’s past, we get to see what events mold and shape him into the hero we have grown to know and love.
This said, Krauch pulls no punches. The hardships a very young Jase had to endure continue to haunt him even throughout his teenage years and beyond. He quickly learns who he can and cannot trust, but only after being burned. But that’s what makes a hero, right? Giving something your all — no matter what — as long as it was the right thing to do.
As rough as some parts are, Leo also introduces many new characters, including my favorite: Corvus. All the new faces we meet fill in the missing bits of Jase’s background and connect several dots in the later books.
I am very much a reader who enjoys people stories, so getting to know more about our broken hero just made me love Jase more.
Leo is a prequel in the 13th Zodiac series. Highlighting the events of Jase Raion’s past, we get to see what events mold and shape him into the hero we have grown to know and love.
This said, Krauch pulls no punches. The hardships a very young Jase had to endure continue to haunt him even throughout his teenage years and beyond. He quickly learns who he can and cannot trust, but only after being burned. But that’s what makes a hero, right? Giving something your all — no matter what — as long as it was the right thing to do.
As rough as some parts are, Leo also introduces many new characters, including my favorite: Corvus. All the new faces we meet fill in the missing bits of Jase’s background and connect several dots in the later books.
I am very much a reader who enjoys people stories, so getting to know more about our broken hero just made me love Jase more.
June 27, 2022
"He had overheard the old priest call the boy - Jase. It was an unusual name. Derived from Jason. Soren decided he would keep it . . . And twist it to his own design."
Leo, the prequel to the 13th Zodiac trilogy by L Krauch, focuses on the life of the boy with the unusual name - from age four until we first meet him in the pages of The 13th Zodiac. Krauch does a terrific job of showing us Jase's formative years so we better understand the man in 13th Zodiac.
I believe prequels to be difficult to do well. It is hard to tell a story that can keep a reader's interest when we know going into it certain things must happen. Or alternatively, things are added or omitted that contradict future events. Krauch is able to thread the narrative needle by hitting the beats she needs to in a very entertaining way. Even though we know "x" must happen, learning the reasons why was very compelling. And the pieces from this book fit seemlessly with what we learn in future installments.
So when is the best time for a reader to read this? The author has written that reading it right after the first book is a good place (and I believe it may have been written right after the first book). I would agree that this would fit best in your reading order between books one and two!
I would lean toward giving this book 4.5 stars and will happily round that up to 5! I can't wait to visit this world again.
Leo, the prequel to the 13th Zodiac trilogy by L Krauch, focuses on the life of the boy with the unusual name - from age four until we first meet him in the pages of The 13th Zodiac. Krauch does a terrific job of showing us Jase's formative years so we better understand the man in 13th Zodiac.
I believe prequels to be difficult to do well. It is hard to tell a story that can keep a reader's interest when we know going into it certain things must happen. Or alternatively, things are added or omitted that contradict future events. Krauch is able to thread the narrative needle by hitting the beats she needs to in a very entertaining way. Even though we know "x" must happen, learning the reasons why was very compelling. And the pieces from this book fit seemlessly with what we learn in future installments.
So when is the best time for a reader to read this? The author has written that reading it right after the first book is a good place (and I believe it may have been written right after the first book). I would agree that this would fit best in your reading order between books one and two!
I would lean toward giving this book 4.5 stars and will happily round that up to 5! I can't wait to visit this world again.
April 20, 2022
Author L. Krauch's visceral writing features front and center in this prequel to the series. This book explores Jase's past and really fleshes out his future. The emotional scenes are raw, real and riveting; the action scenes are still written in her visual style akin to movie making. While more dark than the original and less dark than Dreamtaker, this book evokes a sense of pride in what Jase eventually comes to be.
Friendship, betrayal, first loves and torment abound. Yet another book in a series that is not to be missed, nor trifled with. It will play your heartstrings like a banjo in a honkey-tonk; both in a good and a bad way. This book is an easy 5-stars and yet another grand slam for L. I am anxious to see what else this writing phenomenon is dishing out next.
While I would not recommend reading this series in a chronological order because of spoilers, I’m sure that some inevitably will. I promise it will not take away from the journey that Jase is to experience and the feelings you will have along the way.
Friendship, betrayal, first loves and torment abound. Yet another book in a series that is not to be missed, nor trifled with. It will play your heartstrings like a banjo in a honkey-tonk; both in a good and a bad way. This book is an easy 5-stars and yet another grand slam for L. I am anxious to see what else this writing phenomenon is dishing out next.
While I would not recommend reading this series in a chronological order because of spoilers, I’m sure that some inevitably will. I promise it will not take away from the journey that Jase is to experience and the feelings you will have along the way.
July 1, 2022
After reading the first 2 books in this FANTASTIC series, I could not wait to get my hands on this prequel. The author takes us back to the beginning of the main characters lives and travels through their lives to where it meets up with the beginning of the first book. We see more about Fate, Time, the zodiac, Liyas parents, Jases sister, Chall, Aria and SO much more!
I love all of the wonderful characters and find myself living in their world with them as I read any of these books. The authors vivid descriptions make me see, feel and smell everything, taking me on a truly wonderful adventure. I have absolutely fallen in love with Jase, he will forever be my favorite, so this was such a treat for me. My heart has only grown in love for Jase, seeing just what he has had to endure to get where he is in the later books. On that same note, my dislike for many others has grown in equal measure!
While I thought this would really be mostly about Jase, we also get to go back and see the beginnings and life of Liya and Jemi. Seeing their life early on, through when they end up with their surrogate family, giving us a very clear picture of how it all came to be. Getting this full background really helped put all the pieces together and bring the story full circle. It's a dark, bloody, difficult time for them all, however you get to witness the brighter moments as well, which really helps solidify why they are each the way they are.
My heart took a beating for sure. There are several points of time that are just brutal and painful to read, I wanted to climb in the book and help! I shed tears for them and I cheered for them. I am so happy to have found this author and these books. I NEVER want this world to end!!! Do yourself a favor and read this series, you won't regret it!
I love all of the wonderful characters and find myself living in their world with them as I read any of these books. The authors vivid descriptions make me see, feel and smell everything, taking me on a truly wonderful adventure. I have absolutely fallen in love with Jase, he will forever be my favorite, so this was such a treat for me. My heart has only grown in love for Jase, seeing just what he has had to endure to get where he is in the later books. On that same note, my dislike for many others has grown in equal measure!
While I thought this would really be mostly about Jase, we also get to go back and see the beginnings and life of Liya and Jemi. Seeing their life early on, through when they end up with their surrogate family, giving us a very clear picture of how it all came to be. Getting this full background really helped put all the pieces together and bring the story full circle. It's a dark, bloody, difficult time for them all, however you get to witness the brighter moments as well, which really helps solidify why they are each the way they are.
My heart took a beating for sure. There are several points of time that are just brutal and painful to read, I wanted to climb in the book and help! I shed tears for them and I cheered for them. I am so happy to have found this author and these books. I NEVER want this world to end!!! Do yourself a favor and read this series, you won't regret it!
August 21, 2022
This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of launching my blog, www.bookpicksandpics.com. I’m celebrating with a review of the latest book by one of my favorite indie authors, L. Krauch!
Krauch is the author of The 13th Zodiac, an anime-inspired high fantasy series with a touch of romance. Her newly released book, Leo, is a prequel to the 13th Zodiac and Dreamtaker.
While Leo has many of the characters from the other books, it is primarily Jase Raion’s origin story. Jase is one of the main protagonists in the series and a not-so-secret favorite of the authors.
In Leo, readers learn many things about the gunblade-wielding Jase, including where his name and his fondness for apples come from. We also find out about horrific and violent events during his formative years that shaped who he is in the remainder of the series.
I’m always surprised when an author can make a prequel as interesting as the first book in a series, and Krauch achieves this goal. Reading Leo makes me want to re-visit the other books in the series to see how I would experience it differently. This is very telling because, generally, once I’ve read a book, I am not usually interested in re-reading it, no matter how much I loved it the first time.
With series, especially those with prequels, there’s always a debate about the ideal reading order. I am partial to the order I read the series in, which was 13th Z, Dreamtaker, and then Leo. I think it would also work to read Leo first and then the 13th Z.
However, whatever order you decide to read the series in, the important thing is that you read it!!!! You will not regret one minute you spend indulging in the high fantasy, character-driven world Krauch has created. I know I haven’t!
Thank you to L. Krauch for providing a free e-review copy. This review reflects my honest, unbiased opinion.
Krauch is the author of The 13th Zodiac, an anime-inspired high fantasy series with a touch of romance. Her newly released book, Leo, is a prequel to the 13th Zodiac and Dreamtaker.
While Leo has many of the characters from the other books, it is primarily Jase Raion’s origin story. Jase is one of the main protagonists in the series and a not-so-secret favorite of the authors.
In Leo, readers learn many things about the gunblade-wielding Jase, including where his name and his fondness for apples come from. We also find out about horrific and violent events during his formative years that shaped who he is in the remainder of the series.
I’m always surprised when an author can make a prequel as interesting as the first book in a series, and Krauch achieves this goal. Reading Leo makes me want to re-visit the other books in the series to see how I would experience it differently. This is very telling because, generally, once I’ve read a book, I am not usually interested in re-reading it, no matter how much I loved it the first time.
With series, especially those with prequels, there’s always a debate about the ideal reading order. I am partial to the order I read the series in, which was 13th Z, Dreamtaker, and then Leo. I think it would also work to read Leo first and then the 13th Z.
However, whatever order you decide to read the series in, the important thing is that you read it!!!! You will not regret one minute you spend indulging in the high fantasy, character-driven world Krauch has created. I know I haven’t!
Thank you to L. Krauch for providing a free e-review copy. This review reflects my honest, unbiased opinion.
June 24, 2022
Great prequel that answers so many questions about Jase's past along with an amazing ending that lines up so well with the events of the first book. Definitely a must read in this series!
January 4, 2022
I was lucky enough to have an advanced copy of Leo, and I loved it! This story was more Jase-centered. I felt like I got to really understand why Jase was the way he was. My heart was broken again for him.
Down with the Wicked King!
Down with the Wicked King!
July 26, 2022
I have made it very public how much I love this series, which includes this wonderful book, Leo.
Jase is my favorite character in the series, so I loved reading the (somewhat painful) details of his back story and the obstacles he faced to become the person he is in future books. Excellent writing. Excellent story. Five easy stars!!!!!!!
Jase is my favorite character in the series, so I loved reading the (somewhat painful) details of his back story and the obstacles he faced to become the person he is in future books. Excellent writing. Excellent story. Five easy stars!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews