Soulkeepers

by Steve Dean

In a world where souls are stolen at birth, two children and their primate friend stand ready to fight for the freedom of emotion. Full of adventurous dreams, Garen is unaware of the future the mysterious Brotherhood have laid out for him. One of only a few Teff left that is not bound by slavery, Sciel is an ape-like creature who’s loyal to his friend and always hungry. An orphan hidden from the Brotherhood, Kymar vows that someone is going to pay for her loss. Are they ready to face their destiny?

Genres: Fantasy

134 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

About the author

Steve Dean was born and still lives in the city of Nottingham in the UK. He began to read at a very early age and soon became an avid consumer of genre fiction. Over the years, he tried several jobs before ending up in IT support. During this time, Steve began writing his own fiction, eventually becoming a full-time freelancer. In the last twenty-five years, Steve has created a wide range of works, including science fiction and fantasy novels, short stories, and material for a variety of tabletop and video games.

Inspired by many of the top names in genre fiction, his stories are filled with action and adventure but are always told through the eyes of fully-rounded and deep characters. Humour is also important to Steve, whether in his full-on and more adult comedies, or just the occasional lighter moments in the darkest of tales.

When not dreaming up strange monsters and robots, Steve plays tabletop and video role-playing games far too much, watches science fiction as well as science and technology documentaries, and reads from his ever-growing library of genre novels. Just for a change, he also grows cacti and house plants, makes furniture, and tinkers with computers and other technology.

Reviews

[By Book and Bone (Sally) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
This is a fantastic little novella that's packed with originality.

I enjoyed the structure and found the villains interesting. The main characters are pretty well rounded for a short book.

However, I really feel that Soulkeepers suffered from being too short. It simply needed more pages to build a fully immersive world and to give a more satisfying set up. The story just sort of immediately happens and you have to figure out how everything works while everything is happening and there's no audience stand in so it gets a bit rough.

I reckon this would be a 5 star easy if it was a middle-grade epic. I'd love to see that.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cat Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a truly alluring and interesting concept! I am always searching for stories that explore magic and fantasy in a new way and this one certainly fulfills it! The main characters are fun to follow and the setting allows for some great surprises.

One complaint is that I had a little trouble keeping the characters straight at first. We are introduced to a lot of characters seemingly different from one another and it can be a bit overwhelming at times. This gets resolved over time.

The prospect of morality and free will get tackled here in a very intriguing manner. It’s not completely up front nor in your face but I’d rather woven into the text which is the perfect way to invoke a theme. It comes through naturally.

Definitely a great fantasy for any kind of reader interested in the human aspect of the genre!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was such a simple, yet thrilling read. The characters were well thought out and likeable, and you ended up silently rooting for them.

I loved the idea of this book, it really was different and quite interesting.

If you enjoy fantasy that is not all about knights and dragons and the sort, then this is a fresh read, suitable for the target audience.

One of the few young adult books that I have read that I personally think is suited for the target audience.

Well worth reading!

[Samuel Alexander · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story started off interestingly. The prologue is titled preface but that’s nothing major. It was actually good in the sense that it sets up the idea of taking souls and basically leaving the populace as mindless, submissive drones. It’s after this that the story starts to dip a bit.

Firstly the intros were off. The scene with Kymar and her mother didn’t really divulge much and when we meet Kymar again a whole lot of time has passed but it isn’t mentioned. I read the whole thing thinking did this happen months, years later? And it isn’t told from her point of view even though she is the main character. So the author keeps referring to her mom as the woman, instead of her mom.

The other main characters intro was much the same. You kind of get a feel for who Garen is in relation to his friend Sciel but nothing really concrete about who he is in relation to the story. That and he calls his friend Sky sometimes. I left the chapter convinced there were three people in this scene because he also called his friend Sciel by his actual name. This made me believe Sky, and Sciel were indeed two different people.

The world and the plot are easy to understand and get but the execution was off. Garen seems to just think he can walk up to people and join their ranks cause humans are just out there trusting strangers. He has the exact same plan about evading the city to release the souls. And he somehow thought that he could do this without being able to read. Like how was he planning to understand how the soul jars work or conduct research once inside the city walls and... well there are just so many things writing would be needed to do. And this naivety keeps up through the entire novel as he spends most of the second half not thinking before he speaks and just shouting all the time.

As far as Kymar is concerned she was okay but it was hard to get on board with someone I am guessing is sixteen who has never held a weapon who is magically proficient right outside the door. And I actually found she wasn’t stubborn although apparently, Garen found her to be but that was just him saying so. He actually turned out to be the more stubborn ‘we must free the souls’ one-track-minded ‘don’t think through things’ character.

The following might contain a few spoilers.

Back to the point of execution. There is a lot that I could say but I’m going to skip to them getting captured in the castle. Without knowing where the room they need is, the layout of the castle, or even who the major players are, both the main characters decide that running away instead of getting intel is the smarter thing to do. No pretending to go along with the enemy. No asking about or if they could see each other as they had gotten separated during capture. Instead of adding a few more pages of them coming together and trying to formulate a plan, it turns into a big mess of them running amok without a real plan leading to chaos and confusion instead of the plot calculatedly moving forward. There’s no real plot, just ‘free the souls’ and that’s it.

Also, throughout the book there is a fair bit of POV shifts/head jumping and they tend to be quick so as soon as they happen you return back to the focus of the main character’s pov and it’s a bit jarring. And on a few occasions the next scene just sort of happens in the next paragraph without a page break. I had to reread a paragraph or two because it was in a different scene with a different character literally right after the present scene.

I really wanted to enjoy this, but the only movement was the scenes changing and the two main leads didn’t actually have character growth. Kymar was tolerable but didn’t change much and Garen remained naive and annoying right through to the end. In a world where most people have no free will and are basically nullified, he came across as less of instead of better than because of it.

This was a quick read and the idea behind it, was interesting enough to keep me reading but it never really lifted off the page and the ending seemed like it was leading to this big climax and then it just ended. I reread it a few times to see if I missed something, but it was indeed over. This story could’ve been great but, unfortunately, it gave me an underdeveloped feeling preventing me from enjoying it.

[Sarah Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what to make of this book. Originally I intended to give it 3 stars but this would be a rating that is lower than the writing itself deserves. I finally felt I couldn't really remove another star when it was only my expectations that were disappointed.
Basically, this is published as being book 1 in a series but that's not entirely true. The 'series' is a collection of books connected by a theme rather than a storyline. It means that Soulkeepers is essentially a stand-alone, and this is where my disappointment occurs.
The storyline wasn't exactly what I was expecting but that's no real criticism. It's definitely an engaging tale with some interesting ideas and well constructed characters. It's certainly an enjoyable read. Steve Dean has created an unusual and fascinating world where souls are removed at birth, resulting in a very compliant (if not particularly 'awake') population. I found it intriguing to read this interpretation of how a soul adds to the whole of a person's character and identity.
The story is really an adventure rather than anything cerebral though. It has an appropriate pace with only a few parts feeling somewhat rushed. I was a little disappointed that the 'backstory' felt not held a lot more promise than what was actually explored and is partly why I was expecting this to turn into a series where more could be done with these elements. I did enjoy the determination of the main characters and the dramatic events as they fought to change the world in which they live, especially with the overtones of good-conquers-evil/unlikely-heroes-fight-to-save-a-population.
It's in the ending of the book that I really felt let-down though. Again, because I believed this was a series (my own error in not investigating prior to reading) I forgave the lack of a true ending. It feels like the first episode and I really wanted to find out what happened next. Even as a book in a series, I would have been a bit disappointed by where the ending occurred but it could perhaps have been forgiven.
Basically, this is a good piece of writing, an interesting story, and an enjoyable few hours exploring a really imaginative world. It's just that, for me, it was let down by feeling very incomplete both in terms of the ending itself and the numerous introduced elements that didn't feel properly included. I would probably read more by Steve Dean (and may well take a look at the other books in this 'series') but I would read with different expectations.

I did receive this book as a review copy and then chose to write a review here to help other people looking for their next read. I hope you found it useful!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a medieval land, a group of warlocks, known as the Brotherhood, have created a utopian society by removing a portion of all newborn souls. In this way, the person becomes “lifeless” as far as having emotions or the ability to go against what they are told to do. There are rare occasions when a parent manages to prevent this from happening and, also rare, when it fails to work.

Garen and Kymar are two of the lucky ones. Content, for a time, to live in their worlds of hiding who they truly are, they each experience something that moves them to rebellion. They are brought together by fate, along with Garen’s companion, Sciel, a talking primate, and make the decision to free the stolen souls at any cost.

Initially, I struggled with trying to place the time period Soulkeepers was set in. Steve Dean did a good job of painting a picture of the town of Huclan in my head, but the combination of the cover illustration and the existence of Sciel, gave me more of a “Planet of the Apes” futuristic feel than a medieval one at first. I also had an issue with what age range this book was meant for. Again, the cover photo comes into play here. It has a very Junior Fiction appearance, but the age of Garen and Kymar, and the graphic nature of some of the violence made it lean more toward Young Adult.

The story itself, however, I very much enjoyed right from the first page. I loved the premise and the fact that the market is not overly saturated with the concept. This had the makings of a great series that could have started out with the city before the Brotherhood took over, moved through how and why they did, then taken us to Garen and Kymar’s rebellion and its aftermath. Soulkeepers is, actually, the first book in a series called Bright Spirits, but they are standalone books, seemingly unrelated to each other. Because of this, I won’t seek out the other books to read. I will be wanting to look for some signs of this world in them, and I know it isn’t there to be found.

I was provided with a free ARC of Soulkeepers to give my honest opinion of. Thank you to Steve Dean, BookSirens and Dayreads for this opportunity.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a ARC copy of Soulkeepers, and now it's time I leave my review :)

Huclan is at peace. There is no war, starvation, or violence. Huclan retains its peace through the work of the Brotherhood, an order of warlocks who stride into town every time a child is born. Their mission? Retain peace. Their method? Steal the soul.

A very interesting premise. And as I am a sucker for 'brotherhoods' or religious orders, I found this novella to be fun. Soulkeepers was a simple, short story in its most basic elements. I found it pleasant and quick to read.

My Thoughts:

Aside from formatting errors in the text, the story did its part. I rarely read novellas so a part of me wondered could this story be fully told in such a short length? Yes, it can. And it did. It succeeded through its simplicity. Two youngsters, both spared the ritual, both unite to end the soul capturing and free the spirits.

I appreciate the author not jamming in a convoluted subplot. The characters were simple, their motives also simple. This could serve well as a full novel, if fleshing out were ever to be done. But as a novella, its (as they say) 'short and to the point'.

Of the characters, I found Parasathan, the head priest, the most enjoyable. His fondness for bees won me over. In reality, I think it was the combination of his serious personality and his interest in plants/gardening that seemed to go together to characterize the 'unpersonable authority that might have a hidden soft spot.'

The other characters were simply alright. They had some charm but I found them generic but not uninteresting enough to tire of them.

Lastly, the prose is clear and easy to follow. I appreciated that. I would have appreciated more visual/auditory/textural descriptions but I suppose it reminds me of fairy-tales in the way it doesn't always give those details but still works.

[angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5⭐

This is a short story about an island called Huclan where a certain Brotherhood reigns supreme. On this island, everythings seems perfect. There's no crime, no poverty, no fight, no hunger and no danger. But in exchange for this seemingly perfect situation is someone's soul.

So with a premise like this, I was very intrigued. We have three main characters: Garen, Kymar and Sciel. I had high expectation diving in and was a bit disappointed when I finished the book.🙁

I feel like the concept of the book is very complex but it was somehow simplified. For a short book, the middle part is quite slow. There are lots of too convenient things that happened which doesn't make sense to me.

World building is a bit lacking. I wish it was longer to know more of the world and the characters. The characters are okay but they did a lot of st*pid things in the book. I'm not sure if that's given since they are very young but I was close to pulling my hair with all the impulsive things they did on the latter part.

All in all, there are parts that I like and some parts that didn't make sense to me. It was okay I guess for a short fantasy read.

***Thanks to the publisher and author for granting me access of this book via BookSirens for an honest review.***

[A Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a pretty solid work of fantasy. The concept for the story was quite interesting, as was the worldbuilding. I enjoyed the way the warlocks worked and how they maintained control of the world around them. The characters were pretty interesting in general, though I felt that they were a little lacking in the development/emotional connection area. This could be partly due to the way their dialogue was written - it was made up largely of run-on sentences. There were other run-on sentences throughout the work, as well as errors in spacing throughout the work (paragraphs would begin in the middle of a sentence) and sentence fragments. With a good editing, all of these errors could be fixed, and they would likely fix the seeming lack of emotion in the dialogue.
Overall it was an interesting read with some cool concepts and ideas.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Liesbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It is a super simple and adventures/action story that reads very quick. Even though it was a nice story it didn't actually appeal to me. It wasn't going enough into depth, it just was superficial and way to short story. I think it could have been written with more soul.

The story is about a society ruled by the Brotherhood that steals a part of you soul so that the people would be compliant. Some people react bad to it and on some people it doesn't have an effect. It seems to be the case with Garen , after repeatedly bestowing the gift, Garen is still himself. On his journey to the find the freedom fighters he stumbles on Kymar. And together with Garen's monkey-like friend Sciel, they go on a quest to save the souls.

[Natalie Esperanza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soulkeepers has a very intriguing concept in regards to our souls and what makes us who we are. I found the book interesting but felt myself losing a bit of interest while reading do to the story line jumping around a bit and different character views being narrated. I like a challenging book that pushes the reader so I do appreciate having several characters being introduced into the story, I just felt that it slowed down the pace a little bit. The tempo was lost for me here and there and I had to push myself a little to finish. Overall it was an enjoyable read, I just had some small issues with keeping interest.

I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Soulkeepers is a lot of fun! The characters are compelling, the villains are interesting, and the world-building is very intriguing. I loved getting to learn about this world, and wished the story was longer so I could linger there for more time. I liked the characters; they were very different, but complemented each other well. The villains were also very interesting in a Thanos kind of way-I could see where they were coming from.

This feels like the first book in a series, because there is clearly more to learn and uncover. But it certainly draws you in and makes you want to read more tales in this world! If it is not the start of a series, it should be!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story for kids of all ages. Strong main characters that you can feel for and root for. I look forward to seeing how the author develops the series. In this first book he hints that Kymar might not be like other people, possibly due to who her father was. Interesting to see where the author goes with this and how the three friends continue on their adventures. The story moves along at a great pace and keeps you wanting to turn pages.
I would like to thank BookSirens for this free advanced copy.
#booksirens #indigoemployee

[Tracy Pitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a for great book for the age it is aimed at.

I enjoyed it but to me the idea of a world with no emotion or free thought at all seems really boring but at the same time really safe. I don’t want to give anything away so this may seem rather cryptic.

This book you get to go on an adventure with 2 kids that it didn’t work on and their thoughts and feeling and adventurous ideas have a great result or does it?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Inger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a neat little story. Very unique with fantastic characters. Especially the monkey. Great plot and well written. Very enjoyable. No sexual content with only a little violence. This book does deserves a 5 star rating but 4 stars is the highest I give for short stories. I recommend it for young teens and up. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amy Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very unique and entertaining story! The book gives one look into what a society without emotions could look like. I would have liked more about the emotionless people. I do wish an editor had been employed as errors became more common as the book went on.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as a review copy, this is an honest review. A fiery and haunting journey finds Garen and Kymar taking on a dark system where taking of souls of children can lead to distressing results. Captivating and thought provoking and leaves the reader questioning the world they're thrown into. Highly recommended.

[Leanne Pert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author, and ill be keeping an eye out for future books. Well written with great character development. I look forward to having a read of the next book in the series

[Deborah Bridegum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very captivating story that kept you reading until the end. And exciting fantasy that will pull you in for both older readers and young adults.

A very entertaining novella. This would be great if it was longer or maybe there is more to come


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.