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The Chosen #1
The Mountain of Souls
Only the strong survive!
When Malina is sold at an auction block, she fears life will take a turn for the worse.
But even her darkest nightmares are nothing compared to the reality of what she faces when she's delivered to the Mountain of Souls.
Thrust into a brutal selection process where failure means death, Malina must train and fight not only to survive but to prove herself worthy to serve.
The risks are deadly, but if she succeeds, the rewards are beyond measure, and a destiny unlike any other awaits as one of The Chosen.
The Chosen. A thrilling and intricately spun Epic Fantasy that weaves a relentless fight for survival into a tapestry full of conquest, deception, magic, and an ancient prophecy that will determine the fate of the human race.
When Malina is sold at an auction block, she fears life will take a turn for the worse.
But even her darkest nightmares are nothing compared to the reality of what she faces when she's delivered to the Mountain of Souls.
Thrust into a brutal selection process where failure means death, Malina must train and fight not only to survive but to prove herself worthy to serve.
The risks are deadly, but if she succeeds, the rewards are beyond measure, and a destiny unlike any other awaits as one of The Chosen.
The Chosen. A thrilling and intricately spun Epic Fantasy that weaves a relentless fight for survival into a tapestry full of conquest, deception, magic, and an ancient prophecy that will determine the fate of the human race.
450 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 20, 2023
2860 people are currently reading
5054 people want to read
About the author
Marcus Lee
8 books85 followersMarcus Lee is a bestselling author of Fantasy novels full of magic, conquest, darkness vs light, and Machiavellian plot twists that you won't see coming.
Born and living in London, he has been a lover of fantasy since reading Homer the Odyssey and The Iliad as a seven year old. Now, as a father of one, he seeks to create worlds and stories that capture the imagination of a new generation of readers, to give back some of the magic he has so happily immersed himself in over the years.
Whenever Marcus' quill is at rest, he can be found wandering enchanted forests, or engaging in a variety of sports/playing computer games with his son.
Marcus can be contacted via his website: www.marcusleebooks.com
Born and living in London, he has been a lover of fantasy since reading Homer the Odyssey and The Iliad as a seven year old. Now, as a father of one, he seeks to create worlds and stories that capture the imagination of a new generation of readers, to give back some of the magic he has so happily immersed himself in over the years.
Whenever Marcus' quill is at rest, he can be found wandering enchanted forests, or engaging in a variety of sports/playing computer games with his son.
Marcus can be contacted via his website: www.marcusleebooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
March 5, 2023
3.5 solid writing skills/ book length
Storyline/ plot certainly was something that had epic “written” all over it. I truly appreciate the talented skills that went into grammatical and flawless use of language, and the length of the book.
However, for me, at a certain point, (and I am being somewhat vague without giving away spoilers, because how fair is that ?) the sheer dreariness, the nonstop non redemption, the no hope, the endless death and propaganda- I began skipping towards the end hoping for some kind of glimmer, some kind of possibility that just maybe …. Throw me a bone?
But no. So I read the synopsis for the next two. And I decided to stop at this one. As a death metal and Nordic noir fan, even this epic apocalyptic? Futuristic? Cult? Very well written saga?was just too damn dreary and depressing to keep even me anxiously awake at night to finish. Solid 3.5 for great writing skills.
Storyline/ plot certainly was something that had epic “written” all over it. I truly appreciate the talented skills that went into grammatical and flawless use of language, and the length of the book.
However, for me, at a certain point, (and I am being somewhat vague without giving away spoilers, because how fair is that ?) the sheer dreariness, the nonstop non redemption, the no hope, the endless death and propaganda- I began skipping towards the end hoping for some kind of glimmer, some kind of possibility that just maybe …. Throw me a bone?
But no. So I read the synopsis for the next two. And I decided to stop at this one. As a death metal and Nordic noir fan, even this epic apocalyptic? Futuristic? Cult? Very well written saga?was just too damn dreary and depressing to keep even me anxiously awake at night to finish. Solid 3.5 for great writing skills.
January 18, 2025
This is one of those books that starts off ok, keeps you interested, which is why I'm not beginning the review with the words 'utter garbage', which it certainly descends into. It's like the author had what he thought to be a good idea to start with but no idea where it was going; you know, to quote monty python 'he's making it up as he goes along', you have that awful feeling of hope fading away that it's going to get better. Some reviews have mentioned the quality of the writing and grammar , well if that's quality so is a rustlers burger. Try peake or kay.
March 6, 2023
The Mountain of Souls is the start of the gripping new trilogy by Marcus Lee.
Now as soon as I heard about this one, I had to read it as I really enjoyed Marcus Lee's previous trilogy.
The story centres around a young girl Malina who is thrust into the world of a secret cult that foretells the return of The Once and Future King. In preparation for the return of this mysterious figure, the cult is building an army of assassins.
This book surprised me. From the moment the story begins, this book is brutal. When we originally meet Malina, we meet her after she has been sold into a harsh and disorientating situation which leads to only the strongest surviving the disorientation of the Saw like opening.
The children are then conditioned and brainwashed to accept their roles as elite killers, paving the way for the Once and Future King.
The story told through Malina's eyes brings the violence and the disorientation of the situation up close and as we move through the story we learn the intentions of the cult.
I have to say that there were many times this book did actually surprise me, and I have to be quite frank I was surprised at the places that it goes to. There were a few times I was thinking there's no way he's going to go there. And lo and behold, he does!
The story asks some interesting questions, particularly around the use of child soldiers in war and their indoctrination into regimes to be used as weapons. The process of depersonalisation and conditioning of the children is pretty horrifying, and how the children accept brutality as an everyday occurrence kinda got under my skin a little if I am honest.
However, whilst being quite dark in its content, the book is written really well. You are never sure which side Malina is on and whether her and her compatriots are working for light or for dark as Marcus Lee keeps this hidden.
For most of the story, the setting is quite claustrophobic as the main bulk of the book takes place in a single setting. However, the story gradually opens up as we see more of the island and more of the world.
This is where the story starts to take off as we see more of the plans and aims of the secret group actually are.
Now, I have tried to keep plot points a little vague as the best way of going into this book is going in blind and letting the story unfold as things become clearer.
The rest of the trilogy has been released shortly after the initial book and I will definitely read the rest as I want to see where the story leads next.
Now as soon as I heard about this one, I had to read it as I really enjoyed Marcus Lee's previous trilogy.
The story centres around a young girl Malina who is thrust into the world of a secret cult that foretells the return of The Once and Future King. In preparation for the return of this mysterious figure, the cult is building an army of assassins.
This book surprised me. From the moment the story begins, this book is brutal. When we originally meet Malina, we meet her after she has been sold into a harsh and disorientating situation which leads to only the strongest surviving the disorientation of the Saw like opening.
The children are then conditioned and brainwashed to accept their roles as elite killers, paving the way for the Once and Future King.
The story told through Malina's eyes brings the violence and the disorientation of the situation up close and as we move through the story we learn the intentions of the cult.
I have to say that there were many times this book did actually surprise me, and I have to be quite frank I was surprised at the places that it goes to. There were a few times I was thinking there's no way he's going to go there. And lo and behold, he does!
The story asks some interesting questions, particularly around the use of child soldiers in war and their indoctrination into regimes to be used as weapons. The process of depersonalisation and conditioning of the children is pretty horrifying, and how the children accept brutality as an everyday occurrence kinda got under my skin a little if I am honest.
However, whilst being quite dark in its content, the book is written really well. You are never sure which side Malina is on and whether her and her compatriots are working for light or for dark as Marcus Lee keeps this hidden.
For most of the story, the setting is quite claustrophobic as the main bulk of the book takes place in a single setting. However, the story gradually opens up as we see more of the island and more of the world.
This is where the story starts to take off as we see more of the plans and aims of the secret group actually are.
Now, I have tried to keep plot points a little vague as the best way of going into this book is going in blind and letting the story unfold as things become clearer.
The rest of the trilogy has been released shortly after the initial book and I will definitely read the rest as I want to see where the story leads next.
May 10, 2025
Malina is an orphan with a harsh life behind her. As the story opens, she is thrown into a brutal life-and-death struggle. She and a group of young people have been bought as slaves or otherwise acquired and taken to a remote island. They are immediately faced with the necessity of saving their lives in a scenario where only a few can survive. Malina makes a connection with a young man - silently as they are all gagged to begin with - and he helps her get through. Subsequently she has to fight through many more contests where the rate of attrition is high. For a long while, the motive of their captors is hidden, but eventually it is revealed that they are being prepared to be the Chosen, to serve a certain person and help bring about a glorious future for humanity. In the meantime, it becomes clear that they are also undergoing brainwashing.
As their numbers become very small, the group develops a closeness which results in male-female pairings, and Malina loves the young man who helped her. He reciprocates, but it isn't till late in their training that they feel safe to reveal their feelings. And there's an undercurrent of doubt as Malina does come to understand that this is also a part of their conditioning.
The book is well-written on the whole, but the unremitting violence is quite harrowing. Eventually, Malina and the others develop 'magical' powers and I found it a bit of a Mary Sue that she is able to absorb more than her comrades and suffers only tiredness whereas they endure pain to exercise their single ability. They are sent on missions that build up to a major one where Malina commits a certain act (no spoilers) which she has been brainwashed into believing is right despite it being obvious to me as a reader that it is quite the opposite. I'm sure that eventually it will be revealed that the one they serve is not what they think, but that is something that occurs in a later book. On the whole I would rate this at 3 stars and I'm not sure I will continue with it.
As their numbers become very small, the group develops a closeness which results in male-female pairings, and Malina loves the young man who helped her. He reciprocates, but it isn't till late in their training that they feel safe to reveal their feelings. And there's an undercurrent of doubt as Malina does come to understand that this is also a part of their conditioning.
The book is well-written on the whole, but the unremitting violence is quite harrowing. Eventually, Malina and the others develop 'magical' powers and I found it a bit of a Mary Sue that she is able to absorb more than her comrades and suffers only tiredness whereas they endure pain to exercise their single ability. They are sent on missions that build up to a major one where Malina commits a certain act (no spoilers) which she has been brainwashed into believing is right despite it being obvious to me as a reader that it is quite the opposite. I'm sure that eventually it will be revealed that the one they serve is not what they think, but that is something that occurs in a later book. On the whole I would rate this at 3 stars and I'm not sure I will continue with it.
March 13, 2023
“It’s the first time in two weeks that I’ve been allowed out of a small crate that confined me like a caged animal. Two weeks in a box stinking of panic, fear, and claustrophobia, my only company the desperate voices and tears of unseen others.”
Wow! The beginning is so atmospheric that I began feeling the claustrophobia that Malina was feeling. It was such an explosive start and you can tell that Lee has really sharpened his writing skills over the years. He just keeps getting better.
The Mountain of Souls starts out as a sad tale and Malina has lived a very rough life. I had to take a break after getting introduced to her past because I was so affected by all she had endured. Things do not get easier for Malina, but she becomes more powerful throughout her journey.
This book started out feeling like if you took out the Sci-Fi aspects of Red Rising and had Joe Abercrombie write it. It’s brutal and so addictive. There’s a soldier-assassin school type of setting that felt very fresh even though it borrows on elements that have long been beloved in fantasy and dystopia style reads. Though I mentioned that the intensity would make me pause while reading it, I always wanted to pick it right back up. Lee holds back nothing when it comes to what Malina has to do to get through the process to become a student of this school and it’s brilliant. I was truly unprepared for what he had in store for us.
“‘In a world where we all serve, it’s who we serve that matters,’ she begins earnestly, ‘for they have the power to either give our life meaning and a sense of fulfilment or strip everything away from us entirely.'”
There’s a bit of romance that helps cut the tension. I enjoy it when there’s a relationship to root for in even the darkest of books. It’s a reminder that whenever humanity hits new depths of depravity, love exists and offers hope. I am left wondering where this relationship will go. I don’t want to go too heavily into the reasons why, because I think it would spoil the stories for others.
Lee unwinds the secrets of this world expertly. The way we navigate through his world and learn in time as his characters are learning was thrilling. I am a big fan of where this series is going and I cannot wait to read more. Malina is at a crossroads between the good, evil, and morally grey aspects of the world she lives in and I’m quite excited to see where her choices will lead her and who will be on her side or against her.
This book was very close to a 9/10 for me and I’m not quite sure what exactly it is that kept me from giving it that mark. It was fast paced and I loved how we followed Malina through her schooling within the span of one book. I think maybe the only thing that knocked it down was that as the story went, I wanted to feel a little more depth from the characters, but there’s also a plot point behind why these characters act a little mechanically, so I am not entirely holding that as a negative. I will absolutely reevaluate once I read the next installments and see if these characters give us more emotion if/when they start making choices for themselves instead of the people who are in control.
“‘Every action you ever make, even one as small as a laugh or a smile, can have consequences far beyond what you might believe possible. You won’t always get a second chance to remedy a mistake. Do things right the first time, every time.'”
Thanks to Marcus for taking me on another journey with him and offering me The Mountain of Souls in exchange for an honest review. Until the next one!
Wow! The beginning is so atmospheric that I began feeling the claustrophobia that Malina was feeling. It was such an explosive start and you can tell that Lee has really sharpened his writing skills over the years. He just keeps getting better.
The Mountain of Souls starts out as a sad tale and Malina has lived a very rough life. I had to take a break after getting introduced to her past because I was so affected by all she had endured. Things do not get easier for Malina, but she becomes more powerful throughout her journey.
This book started out feeling like if you took out the Sci-Fi aspects of Red Rising and had Joe Abercrombie write it. It’s brutal and so addictive. There’s a soldier-assassin school type of setting that felt very fresh even though it borrows on elements that have long been beloved in fantasy and dystopia style reads. Though I mentioned that the intensity would make me pause while reading it, I always wanted to pick it right back up. Lee holds back nothing when it comes to what Malina has to do to get through the process to become a student of this school and it’s brilliant. I was truly unprepared for what he had in store for us.
“‘In a world where we all serve, it’s who we serve that matters,’ she begins earnestly, ‘for they have the power to either give our life meaning and a sense of fulfilment or strip everything away from us entirely.'”
There’s a bit of romance that helps cut the tension. I enjoy it when there’s a relationship to root for in even the darkest of books. It’s a reminder that whenever humanity hits new depths of depravity, love exists and offers hope. I am left wondering where this relationship will go. I don’t want to go too heavily into the reasons why, because I think it would spoil the stories for others.
Lee unwinds the secrets of this world expertly. The way we navigate through his world and learn in time as his characters are learning was thrilling. I am a big fan of where this series is going and I cannot wait to read more. Malina is at a crossroads between the good, evil, and morally grey aspects of the world she lives in and I’m quite excited to see where her choices will lead her and who will be on her side or against her.
This book was very close to a 9/10 for me and I’m not quite sure what exactly it is that kept me from giving it that mark. It was fast paced and I loved how we followed Malina through her schooling within the span of one book. I think maybe the only thing that knocked it down was that as the story went, I wanted to feel a little more depth from the characters, but there’s also a plot point behind why these characters act a little mechanically, so I am not entirely holding that as a negative. I will absolutely reevaluate once I read the next installments and see if these characters give us more emotion if/when they start making choices for themselves instead of the people who are in control.
“‘Every action you ever make, even one as small as a laugh or a smile, can have consequences far beyond what you might believe possible. You won’t always get a second chance to remedy a mistake. Do things right the first time, every time.'”
Thanks to Marcus for taking me on another journey with him and offering me The Mountain of Souls in exchange for an honest review. Until the next one!
March 12, 2023
4 stars
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
Oh my gosh, you guys. This book!!! If you like dark fantasies that have mysterious sects with secret agendas, a questionable king, a brutal training process, and a strong female lead, pick this book up right now. It’s rare that a book grabs me from page 1, but this one did.
The brutality and ruthlessness of the training regiment is intense and I don’t even know where Malina, the female MC, gets her strength. Some of the training methods used were cunning and creepy and I’m dying to find out what the real story is, because the Chosen, as the remaining candidates are called, are definitely not told what’s really up.
The blurb says "When Malina is sold at an auction block, she fears life will take a turn for the worse. But even her darkest nightmares are nothing compared to the reality of what she faces when she's delivered to the Mountain of Souls. Thrust into a brutal selection process where failure means death, Malina must train and fight not only to survive but to prove herself worthy to serve." As Malina gets further into the selection process, the ghost of her dead brother haunts her, urging her to reject the teachings of her masters and follow her heart to do the right thing. These visits make Malina temporarily question her purpose and her role in the acts she's tasked to commit, but her ruthless training quickly squashes these thoughts and Malina is jerked back to her training.
This book was enthralling and I couldn't read it fast enough. It ended on a shocking cliff-hanger and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Love Book Tours and the author. All opinions are my own.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
Oh my gosh, you guys. This book!!! If you like dark fantasies that have mysterious sects with secret agendas, a questionable king, a brutal training process, and a strong female lead, pick this book up right now. It’s rare that a book grabs me from page 1, but this one did.
The brutality and ruthlessness of the training regiment is intense and I don’t even know where Malina, the female MC, gets her strength. Some of the training methods used were cunning and creepy and I’m dying to find out what the real story is, because the Chosen, as the remaining candidates are called, are definitely not told what’s really up.
The blurb says "When Malina is sold at an auction block, she fears life will take a turn for the worse. But even her darkest nightmares are nothing compared to the reality of what she faces when she's delivered to the Mountain of Souls. Thrust into a brutal selection process where failure means death, Malina must train and fight not only to survive but to prove herself worthy to serve." As Malina gets further into the selection process, the ghost of her dead brother haunts her, urging her to reject the teachings of her masters and follow her heart to do the right thing. These visits make Malina temporarily question her purpose and her role in the acts she's tasked to commit, but her ruthless training quickly squashes these thoughts and Malina is jerked back to her training.
This book was enthralling and I couldn't read it fast enough. It ended on a shocking cliff-hanger and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Love Book Tours and the author. All opinions are my own.
February 20, 2023
I was given a copy to review as part of a book tour. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #LoveBookTours #TheMountainofSouls #MarcusLee #TheChoosenBookOne #BookTour #LBTCrew #BookReview
The Mountain of Souls was a wonderful starter to a trilogy. An epic fantasy that hooks you from the very start and doesn’t let go. While there are a number of characters we focus on Malina who was a brilliant protagonist. Sold at an auction block Malina believes her life will take a turn for the worse but that is nothing compared to the reality she faces when she is delivered to the Mountain of Souls.
If Malina hopes to survive she must train and fight not only to just survive but prove herself worthy to serve. The life is far from perfect with deadly risks around every corner but if she survives and more so succeed the rewards are beyond her wildest dreams.
It is clear that Lee knows what story he wanted to tell and has the skill to do it. I want to say that first of all the writing was perfectly matched to the setting and really kept me engaged. It was also easy to read which was great because I couldn’t put it down. The characters, in my opinion, were well rounded and also enjoyable. The narrative is clearly thought out and paced in such a way you never get bored or have too much happening at once – in short perfect.
I am definitely going to be reading the other books in the trilogy and can’t wait to see what happens next. If you love epic fantasy with hints of conquest, deception, magic and of course a good ancient prophecy then this is for you. I will also be checking out Lee’s other work as well.
The Mountain of Souls was a wonderful starter to a trilogy. An epic fantasy that hooks you from the very start and doesn’t let go. While there are a number of characters we focus on Malina who was a brilliant protagonist. Sold at an auction block Malina believes her life will take a turn for the worse but that is nothing compared to the reality she faces when she is delivered to the Mountain of Souls.
If Malina hopes to survive she must train and fight not only to just survive but prove herself worthy to serve. The life is far from perfect with deadly risks around every corner but if she survives and more so succeed the rewards are beyond her wildest dreams.
It is clear that Lee knows what story he wanted to tell and has the skill to do it. I want to say that first of all the writing was perfectly matched to the setting and really kept me engaged. It was also easy to read which was great because I couldn’t put it down. The characters, in my opinion, were well rounded and also enjoyable. The narrative is clearly thought out and paced in such a way you never get bored or have too much happening at once – in short perfect.
I am definitely going to be reading the other books in the trilogy and can’t wait to see what happens next. If you love epic fantasy with hints of conquest, deception, magic and of course a good ancient prophecy then this is for you. I will also be checking out Lee’s other work as well.
July 29, 2024
With an opening like this has, this book should have been amazing. But for me, it just wasn't. There are these moments of excitement and it's pretty easy to imagine the scenes in your head, but there's absolutely no world building at all. I had no idea of the world this is set in. At times it felt like some strange sailor type setting in middle times or whatever you call that random time they set books in with docks and boats and inns and brothels, and then at other times it's meant to be otherworldly and cult like. And the characters, well I never really worked out who the different sides were and quite honestly, beyond the randomly staged buts where Malina looks at her friends and describes them, I knew little about them. As a result, I really didn't care about them. None of them had that spark. There was one bit about 70% in were Malina is ambushed in a library and she severs a head and has a one line like who wants to play or something clichéd like that, and that was the but I went, oh, I like this. But then she woke up again and was having dinner with her friends and all was boring and normal again.
And that's possibly the biggest problem. The sudden I went to sleep and woke up 2 weeks later. Oh it's been a year, now 2 oh yep 3 years, where does the time go. I swear at this point I wondered too as it felt I was wasting time reading this.
I just didn't get it. It was strangely written, lacked character development t and the world building was non existent. It felt like a mismatch of ideas at times and a bit like the kind if thing I'd imagined writing when I was a kid. I won't be reading any more as I have to be honest, I founf myself skipping pages after 60%. And the fact that I could skip a chapter and still know exactly what was going on, is not a good thing. Sorry but no, not for me. Malina, listen to your brother and do something. He was the best character and he was dead all the way through!
And that's possibly the biggest problem. The sudden I went to sleep and woke up 2 weeks later. Oh it's been a year, now 2 oh yep 3 years, where does the time go. I swear at this point I wondered too as it felt I was wasting time reading this.
I just didn't get it. It was strangely written, lacked character development t and the world building was non existent. It felt like a mismatch of ideas at times and a bit like the kind if thing I'd imagined writing when I was a kid. I won't be reading any more as I have to be honest, I founf myself skipping pages after 60%. And the fact that I could skip a chapter and still know exactly what was going on, is not a good thing. Sorry but no, not for me. Malina, listen to your brother and do something. He was the best character and he was dead all the way through!
November 11, 2024
This book was awful. The premise was super interesting and the first chapter hooked me when it popped up on Facebook, but that’s where it all went downhill. I have DNFd 2 books ever and I was very close to not finishing this one. I should have. It was a waste of my time. I kept thinking it would get better. It did not. The writing was bad and very quickly I was able to sort out how book one would end. I did not continue to the next book in the series because I couldn’t put myself through another book
October 8, 2024
This book started out very promising but then somewhere in the middle of seemed to lose focus and just meander and plod through the storyline. The ending was very anticlimactic I think in part because by the time it came I had lost quite a bit of interest in the story and the characters. But overall a decent book, intriguing and different, but not sure if I'll complete the series.
September 21, 2024
The plot was intriguing, but after spending 36% in and still in the same, boring place, I had to give it up. I really tried, but the pile of depression and amateurish writing just became too much to overcome, and one final nail in the coffin did it for me. Spoilers below up to the 36% mark.
For those that don’t want to read this lengthy review, this book barely squeaked by with a 1.8/5 stars, rounding up to 2.
Main Character: 1/10
Malina- Boring, that’s about as deep as her character goes.
She gets everything handed to her because the plot demanded it to be so, not because she deserved it in any way. We learn about her past in an exposition dump, and it gets repeated over and over and over again, which is a common theme among everything in this book. I don’t care about her past at the orphanage, I want to know how she’s going to deal with things right now.
“What does she look like?” you may ask. I don’t know. She has red hair and is thin, but toned, and somehow stronger than most of the kids. She even kills the strongest kid by…tripping him.
Her brother becomes a sort of “guiding light” during all the depressing moments of the book, but the author didn’t do a good job of even setting their relationship up, so I have zero feelings for any of their moments together.
She has this sort of budding relationship with Lotane, which again isn’t set up in any meaningful ways besides glances and brushing up against each other. They do kiss but again it feels meaningless and rushed.
The final straw for me was her being able to control all 5 magic powers in the book at once, when nobody was ever able to do it; not even the snake people that can control magic. I hate this title, but she became the classic Mary Sue that everyone hates. Zero personality, doesn’t push the plot forward in any meaningful way, and gets everything handed to them on a silver platter.
Grammar: 1/10
Atrocious. While there were only the few misspelled words or wrong words here and there, the sentence structure of this entire book was absolutely horrendous. Try reading it out loud to yourself and you will see. I felt like Yoda was narrating this entire thing in my head.
The constant repetition in this book was starting to drive me insane. Repeating things about the orphanage, repeating character descriptions over and over, using repeating unnatural words that nobody ever uses. Everything gets told to you over and over again.
Over 100 pages in and we were still getting character descriptions we should’ve had a long time ago. At that point, just don’t even do it, because I have an idea in my head by then and now it’s all thrown out of whack.
I’ve never seen the word filthy used so often, and the constant use of “irrespective” wanted me to pull my hair out. Nobody uses that word in real life. Nobody. Especially children, and this being in first-person, neither do children’s thoughts.
The constant description of urine and feces was just disgusting and unnecessary, and happened way too often that it became weird. Once was enough, twice was gross, and more than three times we need to find a therapist for you.
The most egregious error by this author: everything is told to you, nothing is shown. It’s like reading a manual. Someone does something, or acts some way, and the author must explain exactly how they’re feeling. FIrst person narrative? Who cares. Malina telepathically knows and says “She must be feeling this way” or “They must be feeling like this.” It’s bad. Really bad.
Punctuation: 1/10
Some misplaced commas. Some missing commas. Some questions asked with no question marks.
The exclamation points were seemingly used at random. Characters yelling for no apparent reason. Placed in odd areas. I think the first time they were used was when they were supposed to be whispering. Just weird.
The scene breaks were also seemingly placed at random. Sometimes it’d skip time for days, sometimes weeks, sometimes even years. Other times, the scene continued on as if the scene break shouldn’t have even been there at all.
Maybe this should be under Grammar, but the author seems to be allergic to the word “said”. Everything is hissed, growled, exclaimed, yelled, observed, murmured, etc etc etc. 80-90% of your dialogue tags should be “said” or “asked”. That’s it. All we need to know is who’s speaking, and our brains filter those two words out because it’s so common. When you change that, now I have to restructure what they said to follow your tag. Someone made a joke then growled? Or making an insult and hissing? It ruins the flow completely, and a lot of the time didn’t even make sense.
Plot: 8/10
The only reason I continued to push through. The plot was actually good! It’s such a shame that everything else around it was bad.
Children get taken and sold at auction to this island, where they have to fight to survive. At first they’re almost Saw-like traps. Then over time they start learning skills to become apparent assassins of some kind.
While a somewhat minor gripe, why waste all their money on so many children that they’ll just kill off anyway? Why not train them all and make use of them elsewhere or they die on one of their missions? Why put them through trials at their weakest points? And what makes that even when some could be at a lower point than others? The more you think about it, the worse it gets.
While dark and depressing, the book didn’t really have any real grittiness to it. At some points it went all out with the gore. At others it’s like the author censored himself which made me question, who is this even for? It’s like he’s trying to toe the line between YA and Adult, and missed the mark on both.
The entire scene where they had to survive in the woods was my favorite part. I read it in one sitting because I was so engaged in what was going on.
The author sells this book off of advertising the very beginning of the story. It was…meh. Children fall into a pit of darkness for those that don’t hold on. If anything, it makes the MC look stupid. “Hold on and don’t let go” is literally told to her. She sees ropes dangling from the ceiling, and it takes her a fortnight to figure out what to do. Again you have a potentially intense moment ruined by YA censorship.
Setting/Worldbuilding: 7/10
The mountain is described fairly well. I was able to visualize the location, albeit not really varied. While simple, it did the job, and was not really the main focus with everything else going on.
The worldbuilding has about the same visualization as the setting. Simple fantasy tropes. But it’s too simple. No maps. Locations are thrown at you with no sense of direction. The ssythlans are described as basic snake people. Maybe the magic would’ve been intriguing if I went a little further, but it felt one-dimensional right off the bat. This assassin group was the most intriguing part, but there’s not much further to discuss that I haven’t already.
Dialogue: 3/10
My favorite part of the book was the part with no dialogue, if that says anything. There’s no feeling behind any of it. Everything is told to you, once again. Nobody “says” anything outright. The romance stuff was cheesy. The arguments were childish.
Another big factor in why I feel this story was dark and depressing to most negative reviewers, is the fact that the moments of levity just don’t land. Moments of happiness are brief. The humor in this story was like watching a comedian bomb on stage, cringy and embarassing. There was no single humorous character in the story. I think the author tried to make Lotane that way? But if that was the case, it was a huge swing and a miss. The funny side character is a trope for a reason, and a trope that works when done properly. It wasn’t done at all here, and the story was worse for it.
Side Characters: 4/10
I’m just going to lump all the surviving children into one group, because nobody stood out as interesting at all. Fianna was the sweet one, because we were told that, and she held the MC’s hand a lot, but not because of anything she specifically did. Lotane was the love interest because they brushed up against each other, and he kept giving her looks. There’s like four or five more of them but I don’t care about any of them. I barely cared about the MC. All of them were shallow.
Lystra was the only reason this score isn’t also a 1. While extremely cruel, her blind zealotry has almost a hint of sadness behind it. She’s a surviving child from one of these previous trials, and you almost feel bad for her following this group so blindly. It’s a messy situation, because obviously she’s doing the same to others, but this group also kept her alive and made her stronger than ever before. This character has *gasp* depth! Was this depth spawned by the plot of the story, or was this intentional by the author? I’ll let you be the judge.
Overall: 25/70 or 36/100
While the plot of this story was a highlight for me, the shallow characters, poor story structure, terrible dialogue, and an MC that gets pushed along by the plot slowly chipped my hope away. Seeing that this book ends in a cliffhanger makes me even more sad, because this wasn’t even good enough to warrant a second one, let alone a whole series. I doubt I’ll ever read another story by this author, and my sanity will thank me for it.
For those that don’t want to read this lengthy review, this book barely squeaked by with a 1.8/5 stars, rounding up to 2.
Main Character: 1/10
Malina- Boring, that’s about as deep as her character goes.
She gets everything handed to her because the plot demanded it to be so, not because she deserved it in any way. We learn about her past in an exposition dump, and it gets repeated over and over and over again, which is a common theme among everything in this book. I don’t care about her past at the orphanage, I want to know how she’s going to deal with things right now.
“What does she look like?” you may ask. I don’t know. She has red hair and is thin, but toned, and somehow stronger than most of the kids. She even kills the strongest kid by…tripping him.
Her brother becomes a sort of “guiding light” during all the depressing moments of the book, but the author didn’t do a good job of even setting their relationship up, so I have zero feelings for any of their moments together.
She has this sort of budding relationship with Lotane, which again isn’t set up in any meaningful ways besides glances and brushing up against each other. They do kiss but again it feels meaningless and rushed.
The final straw for me was her being able to control all 5 magic powers in the book at once, when nobody was ever able to do it; not even the snake people that can control magic. I hate this title, but she became the classic Mary Sue that everyone hates. Zero personality, doesn’t push the plot forward in any meaningful way, and gets everything handed to them on a silver platter.
Grammar: 1/10
Atrocious. While there were only the few misspelled words or wrong words here and there, the sentence structure of this entire book was absolutely horrendous. Try reading it out loud to yourself and you will see. I felt like Yoda was narrating this entire thing in my head.
The constant repetition in this book was starting to drive me insane. Repeating things about the orphanage, repeating character descriptions over and over, using repeating unnatural words that nobody ever uses. Everything gets told to you over and over again.
Over 100 pages in and we were still getting character descriptions we should’ve had a long time ago. At that point, just don’t even do it, because I have an idea in my head by then and now it’s all thrown out of whack.
I’ve never seen the word filthy used so often, and the constant use of “irrespective” wanted me to pull my hair out. Nobody uses that word in real life. Nobody. Especially children, and this being in first-person, neither do children’s thoughts.
The constant description of urine and feces was just disgusting and unnecessary, and happened way too often that it became weird. Once was enough, twice was gross, and more than three times we need to find a therapist for you.
The most egregious error by this author: everything is told to you, nothing is shown. It’s like reading a manual. Someone does something, or acts some way, and the author must explain exactly how they’re feeling. FIrst person narrative? Who cares. Malina telepathically knows and says “She must be feeling this way” or “They must be feeling like this.” It’s bad. Really bad.
Punctuation: 1/10
Some misplaced commas. Some missing commas. Some questions asked with no question marks.
The exclamation points were seemingly used at random. Characters yelling for no apparent reason. Placed in odd areas. I think the first time they were used was when they were supposed to be whispering. Just weird.
The scene breaks were also seemingly placed at random. Sometimes it’d skip time for days, sometimes weeks, sometimes even years. Other times, the scene continued on as if the scene break shouldn’t have even been there at all.
Maybe this should be under Grammar, but the author seems to be allergic to the word “said”. Everything is hissed, growled, exclaimed, yelled, observed, murmured, etc etc etc. 80-90% of your dialogue tags should be “said” or “asked”. That’s it. All we need to know is who’s speaking, and our brains filter those two words out because it’s so common. When you change that, now I have to restructure what they said to follow your tag. Someone made a joke then growled? Or making an insult and hissing? It ruins the flow completely, and a lot of the time didn’t even make sense.
Plot: 8/10
The only reason I continued to push through. The plot was actually good! It’s such a shame that everything else around it was bad.
Children get taken and sold at auction to this island, where they have to fight to survive. At first they’re almost Saw-like traps. Then over time they start learning skills to become apparent assassins of some kind.
While a somewhat minor gripe, why waste all their money on so many children that they’ll just kill off anyway? Why not train them all and make use of them elsewhere or they die on one of their missions? Why put them through trials at their weakest points? And what makes that even when some could be at a lower point than others? The more you think about it, the worse it gets.
While dark and depressing, the book didn’t really have any real grittiness to it. At some points it went all out with the gore. At others it’s like the author censored himself which made me question, who is this even for? It’s like he’s trying to toe the line between YA and Adult, and missed the mark on both.
The entire scene where they had to survive in the woods was my favorite part. I read it in one sitting because I was so engaged in what was going on.
The author sells this book off of advertising the very beginning of the story. It was…meh. Children fall into a pit of darkness for those that don’t hold on. If anything, it makes the MC look stupid. “Hold on and don’t let go” is literally told to her. She sees ropes dangling from the ceiling, and it takes her a fortnight to figure out what to do. Again you have a potentially intense moment ruined by YA censorship.
Setting/Worldbuilding: 7/10
The mountain is described fairly well. I was able to visualize the location, albeit not really varied. While simple, it did the job, and was not really the main focus with everything else going on.
The worldbuilding has about the same visualization as the setting. Simple fantasy tropes. But it’s too simple. No maps. Locations are thrown at you with no sense of direction. The ssythlans are described as basic snake people. Maybe the magic would’ve been intriguing if I went a little further, but it felt one-dimensional right off the bat. This assassin group was the most intriguing part, but there’s not much further to discuss that I haven’t already.
Dialogue: 3/10
My favorite part of the book was the part with no dialogue, if that says anything. There’s no feeling behind any of it. Everything is told to you, once again. Nobody “says” anything outright. The romance stuff was cheesy. The arguments were childish.
Another big factor in why I feel this story was dark and depressing to most negative reviewers, is the fact that the moments of levity just don’t land. Moments of happiness are brief. The humor in this story was like watching a comedian bomb on stage, cringy and embarassing. There was no single humorous character in the story. I think the author tried to make Lotane that way? But if that was the case, it was a huge swing and a miss. The funny side character is a trope for a reason, and a trope that works when done properly. It wasn’t done at all here, and the story was worse for it.
Side Characters: 4/10
I’m just going to lump all the surviving children into one group, because nobody stood out as interesting at all. Fianna was the sweet one, because we were told that, and she held the MC’s hand a lot, but not because of anything she specifically did. Lotane was the love interest because they brushed up against each other, and he kept giving her looks. There’s like four or five more of them but I don’t care about any of them. I barely cared about the MC. All of them were shallow.
Lystra was the only reason this score isn’t also a 1. While extremely cruel, her blind zealotry has almost a hint of sadness behind it. She’s a surviving child from one of these previous trials, and you almost feel bad for her following this group so blindly. It’s a messy situation, because obviously she’s doing the same to others, but this group also kept her alive and made her stronger than ever before. This character has *gasp* depth! Was this depth spawned by the plot of the story, or was this intentional by the author? I’ll let you be the judge.
Overall: 25/70 or 36/100
While the plot of this story was a highlight for me, the shallow characters, poor story structure, terrible dialogue, and an MC that gets pushed along by the plot slowly chipped my hope away. Seeing that this book ends in a cliffhanger makes me even more sad, because this wasn’t even good enough to warrant a second one, let alone a whole series. I doubt I’ll ever read another story by this author, and my sanity will thank me for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2025
This is the first instalment in a four part series and, if this is any indication of what the rest of this story is about, it is going to be EPIC!.
I mean this book was GOT worthy.
The struggle and desperation of the rag tag bunch of orphans sold to a ruthless group of military minded assassins, who’s only purpose in life is to put them through a series of horrible tasks leaving the survivors to serve “The Once and Future King” is heartbreaking ( and gruesome )as their numbers dwindle until, only ten remain to become “The Chosen”
These remaining ten, now teenagers allow themselves to finally form a bond with each other
A bond, akin to the family they have all had to grow up without.
Under the watchful eyes of their predecessors, they are themselves turned into warriors, killing machines, as they wait to serve their King.
However, soon doubt begins to creep into their thought as one of their fellow trainees stumbles upon a secret that proves so shocking, his mentors believe they have been successful in wiping it from his memory.
And, at this same time Malina, the young orphan girl who has survived all the barbaric trails and tests flung at her, to become one of the fearsome groups best.
Begins to question… for the first time who, or what the King they are begin trained to protect and serve is, and what his end game is.
After the groups final graduation, she doesn’t have to wait long as the group are all introduced to Norgarth their King
His image appears through an elaborate mirror from the land he is currently presiding over through some kind of time slip
And for Malina he is everything she had imagined.
Tall, strong, handsome, God like with violet eyes.
She is mesmerised!!!
And.
Yet!
There are still questions that need answers.
Can she uncover the answers to the questions she seeks without falling under the Kings spell?
And when she does, what will she do with this new found knowledge?
Because NOW she understands.
NOW! the rose coloured glass have been removed.
And what she learns ?
Well.
You’ll have to read to find out
I have said before, I’m not the biggest reader of fantasy.
It’s not my preferred genre.
But every now and then I’ll dip my toe into a story, and this one…
While yes, a fantasy in parts ( fae, trolls, orges, wolfed creatures etc ) ,
It’s focus is mainly around The Chosen
And their friendship/ love forged through violent means
Battles ?
Yes! There are battles
.
EPIC battles
!
Beautifully written to the point that, you feel like you are there.
Covered in sweat, blood and gore ( nursing an injury…Or two )
Suffice to say…
I LOVED IT!!!
There you go.
It had the right mix of fear, friendship, romance, betrayal, forbidden relationships, and above all,,,a devastating secret.
I mean this book was GOT worthy.
The struggle and desperation of the rag tag bunch of orphans sold to a ruthless group of military minded assassins, who’s only purpose in life is to put them through a series of horrible tasks leaving the survivors to serve “The Once and Future King” is heartbreaking ( and gruesome )as their numbers dwindle until, only ten remain to become “The Chosen”
These remaining ten, now teenagers allow themselves to finally form a bond with each other
A bond, akin to the family they have all had to grow up without.
Under the watchful eyes of their predecessors, they are themselves turned into warriors, killing machines, as they wait to serve their King.
However, soon doubt begins to creep into their thought as one of their fellow trainees stumbles upon a secret that proves so shocking, his mentors believe they have been successful in wiping it from his memory.
And, at this same time Malina, the young orphan girl who has survived all the barbaric trails and tests flung at her, to become one of the fearsome groups best.
Begins to question… for the first time who, or what the King they are begin trained to protect and serve is, and what his end game is.
After the groups final graduation, she doesn’t have to wait long as the group are all introduced to Norgarth their King
His image appears through an elaborate mirror from the land he is currently presiding over through some kind of time slip
And for Malina he is everything she had imagined.
Tall, strong, handsome, God like with violet eyes.
She is mesmerised!!!
And.
Yet!
There are still questions that need answers.
Can she uncover the answers to the questions she seeks without falling under the Kings spell?
And when she does, what will she do with this new found knowledge?
Because NOW she understands.
NOW! the rose coloured glass have been removed.
And what she learns ?
Well.
You’ll have to read to find out
I have said before, I’m not the biggest reader of fantasy.
It’s not my preferred genre.
But every now and then I’ll dip my toe into a story, and this one…
While yes, a fantasy in parts ( fae, trolls, orges, wolfed creatures etc ) ,
It’s focus is mainly around The Chosen
And their friendship/ love forged through violent means
Battles ?
Yes! There are battles
.
EPIC battles
!
Beautifully written to the point that, you feel like you are there.
Covered in sweat, blood and gore ( nursing an injury…Or two )
Suffice to say…
I LOVED IT!!!
There you go.
It had the right mix of fear, friendship, romance, betrayal, forbidden relationships, and above all,,,a devastating secret.
March 13, 2023
This first installment of The Chosen trilogy starts off with a heck of an intro feeling very Hunger Games-y… except all the contestants are children of 14 years old and were more or less brainwashed into conscription to service the Once and Future King. Despite being incredibly well written, this did not sit well with me as child abuse, fiction or otherwise, is a trigger for me. These scenes were graphic to say the least. That being said, I did still enjoy the plot immensely. It’s been a minute since a story has had me so engrossed from the beginning and did not let up once throughout its entirety. The elemental magic system was enthralling. What I really found captivating was the fact that the more I kept reading the more I questioned who the good guy was and who was the bad guy. Were these kids being raised to be villains or heroes? I DON’T KNOW! These characters were well developed and grew to be fun to really get to know. Found family trope! Yay!
This was a hard book for me to review simply because it’s so well written, but I do not condone with brainwashing, abusing, or killing children. As the characters got older it became easier to endure, yet I still couldn’t get past those things. Although (and, yes, I’m aware of how contradictory this will sound) I’m pretty good at separating fiction from reality and therefore could still appreciate the literature as it was presented for the talent that goes into it. This one in particular was just a little more gray than it was black or white for me.
Long story short: yes, I recommend this book!
My rating: 3.75 but I'm rounding up to 4/5 for the sake of even numbers.
This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for my honest review. These thoughts are my own.
This was a hard book for me to review simply because it’s so well written, but I do not condone with brainwashing, abusing, or killing children. As the characters got older it became easier to endure, yet I still couldn’t get past those things. Although (and, yes, I’m aware of how contradictory this will sound) I’m pretty good at separating fiction from reality and therefore could still appreciate the literature as it was presented for the talent that goes into it. This one in particular was just a little more gray than it was black or white for me.
Long story short: yes, I recommend this book!
My rating: 3.75 but I'm rounding up to 4/5 for the sake of even numbers.
This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for my honest review. These thoughts are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2024
Thoroughly gripping dark fantasy.
An intriguing cover and synopsis drew me into trying this book and I have to say it did not disappoint. A thoroughly engrossing dark fantasy that captures you from the first page, what a great opening to a story.
The initial part of the book had a fantasy Hunger Games vibe to it with the survival and competition elements that our protagonist, Malina finds herself in. No fluff, no disposition or build-up to what is about to transpire but straight into do-or-die where the only rule is to survive.
Our tale is told from the perspective of Malina, an Orphan girl who we learn over the opening few chapters was sold on the auction blocks and bought by a clandestine organisation with a hidden agenda.
Malina was a wonderful character, the dreams she has with her younger, dead brother Karston add a nice, mystical element to it. The story is action-packed and moves at a great pace and all the characters in it are uniquely distinct and interesting. There are some dark moments in the book and throughout it carries a sinister undertone, like death wrapped in Christmas paper.
The world-building is subtle and grows with the story and the human depiction through the soul gaze is morbidly grotesque and imaginative. Honestly, what a wonderful read. Just try the sample, the first chapter, and if that doesn’t grab your attention then I don’t know what will.
An intriguing cover and synopsis drew me into trying this book and I have to say it did not disappoint. A thoroughly engrossing dark fantasy that captures you from the first page, what a great opening to a story.
The initial part of the book had a fantasy Hunger Games vibe to it with the survival and competition elements that our protagonist, Malina finds herself in. No fluff, no disposition or build-up to what is about to transpire but straight into do-or-die where the only rule is to survive.
Our tale is told from the perspective of Malina, an Orphan girl who we learn over the opening few chapters was sold on the auction blocks and bought by a clandestine organisation with a hidden agenda.
Malina was a wonderful character, the dreams she has with her younger, dead brother Karston add a nice, mystical element to it. The story is action-packed and moves at a great pace and all the characters in it are uniquely distinct and interesting. There are some dark moments in the book and throughout it carries a sinister undertone, like death wrapped in Christmas paper.
The world-building is subtle and grows with the story and the human depiction through the soul gaze is morbidly grotesque and imaginative. Honestly, what a wonderful read. Just try the sample, the first chapter, and if that doesn’t grab your attention then I don’t know what will.
March 24, 2023
I was gifted an audiobook of The Mountain of Souls in exchange for an honest review. I will honestly say that I absolutely loved this book! The author, Marcus Lee, did a fabulous job at world building, actions scenes, and there's a sense of anxiousness as I kept listening.
At every chapter I was scared something bad was going to happen to some of the characters (especially the ones that I was rooting for!). The writing and plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Some of my favorite things about this book--there are many--are Malina's internal struggle, the bit of romance, the action, and of course the cliff hanger at the end of the book.
I haven't had a five star rating in a while, and am so glad that this story broke that stretch. I am definitely a fan! The other two books in this series are on my tbr list, and I can't wait to read them:)
At every chapter I was scared something bad was going to happen to some of the characters (especially the ones that I was rooting for!). The writing and plot kept me on the edge of my seat. Some of my favorite things about this book--there are many--are Malina's internal struggle, the bit of romance, the action, and of course the cliff hanger at the end of the book.
I haven't had a five star rating in a while, and am so glad that this story broke that stretch. I am definitely a fan! The other two books in this series are on my tbr list, and I can't wait to read them:)
March 27, 2023
A fantastic and chilling opening to Marcus Lee’s new trilogy, gripping the attention from the very first, shocking page. Lee has the knack of mixing the brutal and dark with insights into the mind of the FMC which allow readers to align their sympathies with Malina from the beginning. The FP narration gives readers a crucially intimate understanding of her reasons, her motivations and the level of indoctrination she suffers from the moment she is bought as a young child. Malina’s need to survive the brutal regime she must conform to, excel in, or die, is brought into further perspective with the way she “hears” the voice of Karson, her dead brother, who acts as the moral touchstone as the story progresses. I won’t say more about the plot, since it needs to unfold at its own compelling pace. This is an absolute ‘must-read’ for lovers of epic fantasy.
April 7, 2025
First off, this book is much more brutal and dark than I expected, so be fair warned. That being said, I did like it more than I initially thought I would as the characters are well developed and the world building continues throughout the story. It does have a strong FMC but her trajectory isn't unbelievable and the other main characters (there are several) also have their own strengths and play an integral part in the plot. The story also evolves at a decent pace. What I liked most was that the plot was not just a carbon copy of the atmosphere of so many other fantasy novels, which leaves me wanting to see how it progresses in the next book.
July 25, 2025
Survival with a dragging pace
The Mountain of Souls by Marcus Lee reminded me a lot of The Hunger Games, with its concept of individuals being chosen to fight for survival. I was drawn to the story and initially intrigued by the world building and the stakes involved. But, the pacing was a challenge for me. Some parts felt long and drawn out, and I found myself losing interest toward the end. The story had potential, and I appreciated the concept, but it didn’t fully hold my attention all the way through. It was an okay read worth exploring if you enjoy dystopian survival themes, but be prepared for a slower pace.
The Mountain of Souls by Marcus Lee reminded me a lot of The Hunger Games, with its concept of individuals being chosen to fight for survival. I was drawn to the story and initially intrigued by the world building and the stakes involved. But, the pacing was a challenge for me. Some parts felt long and drawn out, and I found myself losing interest toward the end. The story had potential, and I appreciated the concept, but it didn’t fully hold my attention all the way through. It was an okay read worth exploring if you enjoy dystopian survival themes, but be prepared for a slower pace.
March 6, 2025
A strange read. Felt like the book wasn’t edited, so many exclamation marks in dialogue it read like a teenager wrote the book at times. None of the characters knew how to have a conversation. The lore & story were ok enough to make me finish the book but not sure I want to read the next one in the series…
September 23, 2024
I liked the beginning of this book but then I just lost all interest. It’s pretty long and I couldn’t get into it, I tried to pick it back up a couple different times but.. I stopped reading at 76% complete.
March 25, 2023
And done! Reminds me of Red Sister by Mark Lawrence in a way. Definitely a story to check out. Full review to come.
Want to read
January 20, 2024🌑🖤 .99 now, on Amazon. January 20, 2024 🖤🌑
March 2, 2025
A great story
Well written and never boring, this story kept me wondering what would happen next. The pace is fast, the story enchanting.
Well written and never boring, this story kept me wondering what would happen next. The pace is fast, the story enchanting.
Read
May 24, 2025Good book but slow as molasses. DNF
September 18, 2025
Pretty gruesome and yet slow moving in plot development. Not sure I’m going to read anymore from the Chosen Series😞
December 15, 2025
A refreshingly gritty fantasy
This was such a good read and Im really enjoying how the characters are developing along with the world. I cant wait to find out what Malina does next!
This was such a good read and Im really enjoying how the characters are developing along with the world. I cant wait to find out what Malina does next!
March 6, 2023
From the very first page the author takes into Malinas current situation. She was just sold and is on her way to her new life. As soon as she arrives to her destination it's a fight against others to stay alive or be killed. Malinas character is very well written and she does everything she can to stay alive, including killing others.
The author does a great job with every description and you feel you're there with Malina and the others going thru trainings and tests. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next books on the series.
If you're looking for a dark fantasy this is the story for you.
The author does a great job with every description and you feel you're there with Malina and the others going thru trainings and tests. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the next books on the series.
If you're looking for a dark fantasy this is the story for you.
April 10, 2023
‘However, dark forces stand in the way of this happening. From the lowliest cutpurse to the self-proclaimed noble families, evil infests this world. By his will, your task is to lance this festering boil that blights humanity.
How do you survive in a world of absolutes? Of black and white.
Where you are strong, or you die.
Where you obey or you die.
Where everything you have been taught, and led to believe (coerced or otherwise) says one thing, but your heart, and encounters with the world beyond hint at more?
The Mountain of Souls not only asks these questions, but it dives into all the nuances that trying to answer those questions throws up. It stands between that black and white, never truly letting us see which is which, and instead guides us through the grey alongside the characters. It looks at humanity in all it’s form, from the beautiful seeming perfection of the Chosen, to the good men and women trying to do their best in a world and situation that demands them to take actions and make choices they would love nothing more to leave behind, to those who are corrupted whether by their emotions or their actions and choices (or all of them).
‘There’d been no glory, no honour, just two days of slaughter, the ground soaked in blood, tears and shit.’
There is no way to beat around the bush with this book. It is a dark story from start to finish, and it should be noted that particularly in the first half of the book it deals with the frequent and often violent death of young teens; and death and violence is prevalent throughout. As a result this will not be the book for everyone, but what I will say is that these elements are fully integrated into the world and the plot. It is done to ask questions, some less obvious than the others, about child soldiers, about choice when it is between your death and another, about what it can take to make brutality a normality; and what people can accept when everything is done to shape you into accepting something horrific as ‘normal.’ Lee does not shy away from the brutality and the darkness, or the moral questions and debates that are raised – even in this story, where we witness the characters being conditioned in multiple ways to bend into that brutality – we see them question it, the conflict, the stubbornness of goodness and humanity in the face of surging darkness.
‘Hold on to that humanity, Malina, for once lost, it can never be found again. Also, remember that to be wise, you must admit there’s a lot you can learn, as only a fool believes they know everything.’
In so many ways The Mountain of Souls is such a fitting name. From the use of souls through the soul knives to travel back and forth between the Mountain and the locations in the wider world, and the fact that The Chosen are leaving their souls behind when they travel; to the fact that from the very beginning this mountain has been a testing ground for souls. One that is soaked with the souls that failed, and with those that have succeeded by locking away those bits of their souls that still doubt, that ask questions that there might not be answers to, and most likely not answers that they want.
All these elements work so well, and hit home as deeply as they do, through Lee’s choice to have us follow one main POV. Malina is our eyes, our doorway to this world, and of all the characters that we’ve met so far, she is also the most conflicted and because we spend all our time with her, in her thoughts, in her doubts and questions, that adds an additional layer to how we are seeing the world. This is a character who has already survived a fair bit, and we can see how that foundation influences her in this new situation, and because we are so close to her POV, we get to see each and every aspect of the situation on a personal level. We can see how fear shapes a choice, how knowledge gleaned from that early survival helps in the early purges and lessons, we can see the scales that are being balanced every time she is forced to face the situation she is. To escape or not to escape? To help another or not? To ask questions or voice doubts, or remain quiet?
Malina is very much the heart – and soul – of this book. Through her we get to see the appalling events that she endures, and that she participates in, but we also get to see that goodness (whether that be the ability to see in shades of grey against a back drop of black and white, to show compassion, to hope for something more…to love) can endure even beneath such pressures as she and the other Chosen face.
Interestingly, much of the characterisation and character work in this book comes into play when the characters are being pushed against the sharp edge of compliance. The Chosens’ compliance is not taken for granted, despite the situation and what not obeying, or failure would mean for them, and instead we see them being indoctrinated with mantras and orders through what is essentially magical hypnosis, and bound to each other and others through blood magic. It shows an awareness of just how strong humanity – and all that entails – can be, even when caught beneath the crushing weight of what they are being forced to endure. Yet, we get precious moments of questioning, of doubts – and while they don’t linger, and there is an awareness of the conditioning and that they are choosing to listen to it, those moments add a lot to each character.
I do wish we’d got to see a little more of that conflict in the others, although there were hints and moments where the questions and doubts slipped through. However, there were reasons why we didn’t get to see that depth that absolutely made sense to the world and the story, and Malina gave us so much – and it will be interesting to see how that unfolds and whether it unfolds in the other characters in the following two books. There is so much potential, and Lee has shown great skill in characterisation in his previous series so I am content to see where this goes.
Even without that conflict though, we do get a clear sense of the other Chosen both as individuals but also in terms of a group. And I think that is part of why this book does not fall prey to it’s own grim darkness, because we have moments with these characters where they get to act their age, to tease one another and make jokes, to find bright spots against everything they have endured and had to do. Each of our main group were well established, as was Lystra – and I found her changing role with the group another interesting exploration of humanity, from her coldness at the beginning, to the pride and disapproval, to the reaching out later in the book and I was delighted when we got to learn more about her own experiences (it also added to the depth of the world, as it is clear this has been a plan and process in the works for a long time, machinations that run far deeper than one might expect).
The worldbuilding is solid. For much of the book, our setting is limited geographically to the mountain and the islands around it where the Chosen train. This creates a slightly claustrophobic feeling at times but works perfectly with what is happening here – even the world is being used to condition the characters. They are confined to this place in the world, to this safe haven (if you ignore how dangerous the training is), it is their home, their shelter, a place where they can belong with everything they have witnessed and done. So, it is fitting that we spend so much time there. Yet, at no point do we forget that there is a world beyond, events and situations that are developing beyond those shores that are shaping the story, and Lee weaves that it in through a combination of the Chosen learning about their purpose and being taught what they need about the wider world and the ‘goal’, and through having tendrils of the outer world spill into this sanctuary – through battling ships and crews coming ashore, to outsiders being brought in for them to fight.
In the latter part of the book though we see this world opening up like a flower, and even here we see that idea of the mountain and everything about it being a sanctuary being reinforced. I loved the idea of using mirrors and souls to travel great distances, and that the Chosen remained bound to the Mountain by leaving their souls behind and having to gather souls to pay for their return – although I have some questions, about what happens with multiple souls gathered and what else lies in that space between mirrors. But, the idea of having to visualise where you’re travelling too, and having to plan a way out, as well as adapting to life soulless in a world without colour is endlessly fascinating to me, and the scenes where we got to see Malina and the other Chosen in action in that world were some of my favourite in the entire book.
This is dark fantasy against an epic backdrop, and in the latter part of the book we really get to see this come into play, as we get to see more of the ongoing conflict that had been hinted at playing out, and see the Chosen exploring more of the world. Here the black and white is not as clear as it once had, and I particularly enjoyed the sequence with Malina leading the Chosen in helping soldiers who are also good men; and the questioning of whether killing is necessary or whether there is a possibility for another path. In the Mountain of Souls it was easy to contain such thoughts, but it felt very organic to see that disintegrate a little with the meeting of reality – and I have a feeling that will come into play further in the series.
‘Whilst amazing and useful, no elemental mage, through magic alone, can conquer realms or slay heroes and monsters if there are such things. The gods have decisively ensured that no one can challenge them in their halls of plenty.’
The magic in The Mountain of Souls is well done, and Lee has done it in one of my favourite ways – where magic is not a fix-all but a tool, and where there is a cost and limit to it. I would love to have see more of the Ssythlan’s using their magic, but again this is something I feel could come more into play later in the books. However, the sheer variety of uses, even within the limitations of the elements at play that the Chosen could access was brilliant, and such a fantastic tool to give warriors – especially those who were moving between hunting, direct fights and assassination. Malina’s relationship with her magic was unique and fascinating, and did not end up feeling overpowered which had been a concern when it was first introduced, but I liked the idea of the magic having some degree of sentience and her acknowledgement of that.
The ending was interesting. I had half-expected a cliff-hanger of some sort, as Malina was being pushed and pulled in so many directions, dancing along the edge of the grey zone between what she had been trained to do, what she believed in, and what her heart was telling her. I was right in one sense, but as with so many aspects of this book, Lee brought it to a crescendo that caught me by surprise even though in retrospect it makes perfect sense considering where Malina’s path had been taking her – and has left me needing to get to the second book asap.
Lee’s writing is as compelling as the story itself, and he does a fantastic job of weaving together all the different elements and giving the feeling of a boulder racing down the hill and gathering moss, as this is a book that hits the ground running and doesn’t stop. Everything is brought together, as the tension and momentum build – whether in the moments of action, or the quieter character moments – and it created a book that was incredibly difficult to put down. There were a couple of transitions, particularly with the second to last purge that threw me a little. I can understand why they were done that way, especially when it has already been built into the narrative that these characters lose time as they are trained and conditioned in their sleep, but it pulled me briefly out the story on a couple of occasions. However, given the speed at which I was always pulled back into the flow of the story it is a minor gripe at best.
The Mountain of Souls is not always an easy read, and with the topics that it covers it will not be for anyone. However, in this book, Lee has crafted an incredibly compelling story and a surprising exploration of humanity. An incredible start, to what promises to be a favourite series.
How do you survive in a world of absolutes? Of black and white.
Where you are strong, or you die.
Where you obey or you die.
Where everything you have been taught, and led to believe (coerced or otherwise) says one thing, but your heart, and encounters with the world beyond hint at more?
The Mountain of Souls not only asks these questions, but it dives into all the nuances that trying to answer those questions throws up. It stands between that black and white, never truly letting us see which is which, and instead guides us through the grey alongside the characters. It looks at humanity in all it’s form, from the beautiful seeming perfection of the Chosen, to the good men and women trying to do their best in a world and situation that demands them to take actions and make choices they would love nothing more to leave behind, to those who are corrupted whether by their emotions or their actions and choices (or all of them).
‘There’d been no glory, no honour, just two days of slaughter, the ground soaked in blood, tears and shit.’
There is no way to beat around the bush with this book. It is a dark story from start to finish, and it should be noted that particularly in the first half of the book it deals with the frequent and often violent death of young teens; and death and violence is prevalent throughout. As a result this will not be the book for everyone, but what I will say is that these elements are fully integrated into the world and the plot. It is done to ask questions, some less obvious than the others, about child soldiers, about choice when it is between your death and another, about what it can take to make brutality a normality; and what people can accept when everything is done to shape you into accepting something horrific as ‘normal.’ Lee does not shy away from the brutality and the darkness, or the moral questions and debates that are raised – even in this story, where we witness the characters being conditioned in multiple ways to bend into that brutality – we see them question it, the conflict, the stubbornness of goodness and humanity in the face of surging darkness.
‘Hold on to that humanity, Malina, for once lost, it can never be found again. Also, remember that to be wise, you must admit there’s a lot you can learn, as only a fool believes they know everything.’
In so many ways The Mountain of Souls is such a fitting name. From the use of souls through the soul knives to travel back and forth between the Mountain and the locations in the wider world, and the fact that The Chosen are leaving their souls behind when they travel; to the fact that from the very beginning this mountain has been a testing ground for souls. One that is soaked with the souls that failed, and with those that have succeeded by locking away those bits of their souls that still doubt, that ask questions that there might not be answers to, and most likely not answers that they want.
All these elements work so well, and hit home as deeply as they do, through Lee’s choice to have us follow one main POV. Malina is our eyes, our doorway to this world, and of all the characters that we’ve met so far, she is also the most conflicted and because we spend all our time with her, in her thoughts, in her doubts and questions, that adds an additional layer to how we are seeing the world. This is a character who has already survived a fair bit, and we can see how that foundation influences her in this new situation, and because we are so close to her POV, we get to see each and every aspect of the situation on a personal level. We can see how fear shapes a choice, how knowledge gleaned from that early survival helps in the early purges and lessons, we can see the scales that are being balanced every time she is forced to face the situation she is. To escape or not to escape? To help another or not? To ask questions or voice doubts, or remain quiet?
Malina is very much the heart – and soul – of this book. Through her we get to see the appalling events that she endures, and that she participates in, but we also get to see that goodness (whether that be the ability to see in shades of grey against a back drop of black and white, to show compassion, to hope for something more…to love) can endure even beneath such pressures as she and the other Chosen face.
Interestingly, much of the characterisation and character work in this book comes into play when the characters are being pushed against the sharp edge of compliance. The Chosens’ compliance is not taken for granted, despite the situation and what not obeying, or failure would mean for them, and instead we see them being indoctrinated with mantras and orders through what is essentially magical hypnosis, and bound to each other and others through blood magic. It shows an awareness of just how strong humanity – and all that entails – can be, even when caught beneath the crushing weight of what they are being forced to endure. Yet, we get precious moments of questioning, of doubts – and while they don’t linger, and there is an awareness of the conditioning and that they are choosing to listen to it, those moments add a lot to each character.
I do wish we’d got to see a little more of that conflict in the others, although there were hints and moments where the questions and doubts slipped through. However, there were reasons why we didn’t get to see that depth that absolutely made sense to the world and the story, and Malina gave us so much – and it will be interesting to see how that unfolds and whether it unfolds in the other characters in the following two books. There is so much potential, and Lee has shown great skill in characterisation in his previous series so I am content to see where this goes.
Even without that conflict though, we do get a clear sense of the other Chosen both as individuals but also in terms of a group. And I think that is part of why this book does not fall prey to it’s own grim darkness, because we have moments with these characters where they get to act their age, to tease one another and make jokes, to find bright spots against everything they have endured and had to do. Each of our main group were well established, as was Lystra – and I found her changing role with the group another interesting exploration of humanity, from her coldness at the beginning, to the pride and disapproval, to the reaching out later in the book and I was delighted when we got to learn more about her own experiences (it also added to the depth of the world, as it is clear this has been a plan and process in the works for a long time, machinations that run far deeper than one might expect).
The worldbuilding is solid. For much of the book, our setting is limited geographically to the mountain and the islands around it where the Chosen train. This creates a slightly claustrophobic feeling at times but works perfectly with what is happening here – even the world is being used to condition the characters. They are confined to this place in the world, to this safe haven (if you ignore how dangerous the training is), it is their home, their shelter, a place where they can belong with everything they have witnessed and done. So, it is fitting that we spend so much time there. Yet, at no point do we forget that there is a world beyond, events and situations that are developing beyond those shores that are shaping the story, and Lee weaves that it in through a combination of the Chosen learning about their purpose and being taught what they need about the wider world and the ‘goal’, and through having tendrils of the outer world spill into this sanctuary – through battling ships and crews coming ashore, to outsiders being brought in for them to fight.
In the latter part of the book though we see this world opening up like a flower, and even here we see that idea of the mountain and everything about it being a sanctuary being reinforced. I loved the idea of using mirrors and souls to travel great distances, and that the Chosen remained bound to the Mountain by leaving their souls behind and having to gather souls to pay for their return – although I have some questions, about what happens with multiple souls gathered and what else lies in that space between mirrors. But, the idea of having to visualise where you’re travelling too, and having to plan a way out, as well as adapting to life soulless in a world without colour is endlessly fascinating to me, and the scenes where we got to see Malina and the other Chosen in action in that world were some of my favourite in the entire book.
This is dark fantasy against an epic backdrop, and in the latter part of the book we really get to see this come into play, as we get to see more of the ongoing conflict that had been hinted at playing out, and see the Chosen exploring more of the world. Here the black and white is not as clear as it once had, and I particularly enjoyed the sequence with Malina leading the Chosen in helping soldiers who are also good men; and the questioning of whether killing is necessary or whether there is a possibility for another path. In the Mountain of Souls it was easy to contain such thoughts, but it felt very organic to see that disintegrate a little with the meeting of reality – and I have a feeling that will come into play further in the series.
‘Whilst amazing and useful, no elemental mage, through magic alone, can conquer realms or slay heroes and monsters if there are such things. The gods have decisively ensured that no one can challenge them in their halls of plenty.’
The magic in The Mountain of Souls is well done, and Lee has done it in one of my favourite ways – where magic is not a fix-all but a tool, and where there is a cost and limit to it. I would love to have see more of the Ssythlan’s using their magic, but again this is something I feel could come more into play later in the books. However, the sheer variety of uses, even within the limitations of the elements at play that the Chosen could access was brilliant, and such a fantastic tool to give warriors – especially those who were moving between hunting, direct fights and assassination. Malina’s relationship with her magic was unique and fascinating, and did not end up feeling overpowered which had been a concern when it was first introduced, but I liked the idea of the magic having some degree of sentience and her acknowledgement of that.
The ending was interesting. I had half-expected a cliff-hanger of some sort, as Malina was being pushed and pulled in so many directions, dancing along the edge of the grey zone between what she had been trained to do, what she believed in, and what her heart was telling her. I was right in one sense, but as with so many aspects of this book, Lee brought it to a crescendo that caught me by surprise even though in retrospect it makes perfect sense considering where Malina’s path had been taking her – and has left me needing to get to the second book asap.
Lee’s writing is as compelling as the story itself, and he does a fantastic job of weaving together all the different elements and giving the feeling of a boulder racing down the hill and gathering moss, as this is a book that hits the ground running and doesn’t stop. Everything is brought together, as the tension and momentum build – whether in the moments of action, or the quieter character moments – and it created a book that was incredibly difficult to put down. There were a couple of transitions, particularly with the second to last purge that threw me a little. I can understand why they were done that way, especially when it has already been built into the narrative that these characters lose time as they are trained and conditioned in their sleep, but it pulled me briefly out the story on a couple of occasions. However, given the speed at which I was always pulled back into the flow of the story it is a minor gripe at best.
The Mountain of Souls is not always an easy read, and with the topics that it covers it will not be for anyone. However, in this book, Lee has crafted an incredibly compelling story and a surprising exploration of humanity. An incredible start, to what promises to be a favourite series.
April 24, 2023
I received this book in a giveaway.
I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this series. The world is interesting, the characters have depth and lots of life experiences, the plot moves along, and the story seems well written and fleshed out. If you enjoy fighting and an exploration of psychological conditioning, I think this might be a read you'd enjoy.
I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this series. The world is interesting, the characters have depth and lots of life experiences, the plot moves along, and the story seems well written and fleshed out. If you enjoy fighting and an exploration of psychological conditioning, I think this might be a read you'd enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2025
this book is amazing,mix between mistborn and hunger games,loved it
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