Soul Script: Book One of the Shodin Chronicles

by A.V. Ray

What if you could change anything about yourself with the stroke of a pen? In the last city of Valmaron, people have learned how to do just that. At a price. Magic has replaced machines. Men have become monsters. And a deity controls who wields power, and who serves it. The time of Atonement approaches. Now that he has come of age, Jaron Spellcraft knows that he must bear the burden of those who remain. What he doesn't know, is that his first choice as an adult will affect the lives of everyone in the entire kingdom. And beyond. He didn't ask for the world’s most powerful artifact to bond itself to him. He didn't ask to be personally contacted by the deity of his religion. Jaron doesn't care about politics, or what it's going to take to fulfill his mission. All he wants to do is marry his best friend. And it just so happens that she's the Princess in a city where your life path is pre-determined...Unless you can change the Script.

479 pages, Paperback

Published January 2, 2023

Reviews

[Cory Lienke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, with flaws

Overall a good story, 5 stars for encouragement. My only complaint, and something I am finding to be true with this author's works in general, is that many things are mentioned and talked about out of nowhere and the reader gets little explanation, like it should be common sense. For example, the magic system is referred to a lot, but even by the end of the book I'm not sure what the limits are, all I know is that the different colors relate to different emotions and have different (unexplained for the most part) functions. The same issue arises with his crystal sword thing. We only get details about it in random bits and pieces throughout the story.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall not bad, but the MC was lacking. He started well, a capable fighter with useful magic, but lost all of his usefulness after that until the very end of the book. There was plenty of space for other characters without nerfing the MC for most of the book. That was bad enough that I almost gave up halfway through.

It ended ok, so I'll check out book 2 and see if the character balance is better.

[Dp2k · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but not good either. I couldn't understand what was happening half the time, and the other half had very little explanation. No idea how the magic or technology worked but it's all magical somehow. Makes it unpredictable at least.

[Joshua Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Childish

Pray juvenile not very compelling shallow characters poor world building written like you've never actually been in any kind of relationship never even been on a date I kept reading with the hope that we would get better and got worse Don't bother

[Nick Massey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody awesome

Outstanding work in every facet. I do love your work AV. I can't wait to start the next work of yours.