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The Dawning of Power #1
Call of the Herald
Reviews
"...kind of like a cross between The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter...I honestly could not stop reading this book. I completed it in two days, it was that good." Cheryl's Book Nook - March 2009 review of The Dawning of Power trilogy
"...a bit like Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Terry Brooks' Shannara series, and Paolini's Eragon saga rolled into one." Melissa's Bookshelf April, 2009 review of The Dawning of Power trilogy
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book for all ages."
Linda Weaver Clarke, author of the new mystery series "The Adventures of John and Julia Evans."
Product Description
Book One of The Dawning of Power trilogy. Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war.
"...kind of like a cross between The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter...I honestly could not stop reading this book. I completed it in two days, it was that good." Cheryl's Book Nook - March 2009 review of The Dawning of Power trilogy
"...a bit like Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Terry Brooks' Shannara series, and Paolini's Eragon saga rolled into one." Melissa's Bookshelf April, 2009 review of The Dawning of Power trilogy
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book for all ages."
Linda Weaver Clarke, author of the new mystery series "The Adventures of John and Julia Evans."
Product Description
Book One of The Dawning of Power trilogy. Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
1150 people are currently reading
4633 people want to read
About the author
Brian Rathbone
44 books1,592 followers
A former horse trainer and computer programmer, Brian Rathbone used his old world knowledge and love of fantasy fiction to create The World of Godsland fantasy series, which begins with The Dawning of Power trilogy.
The World of Godsland fantasy series includes:
Call of the Herald
Inherited Danger
Dragon Ore
Regent
Feral
Regal
The Fifth Magic
Dragonhold
The Seventh Magic
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
May 7, 2011
This book was a free ebook -- and for good reason.
I didn't have high hopes for a book that's provided for free (i.e. a free one that's not a special promotion or a classic), but I have to say, this book fell short of even my low expectations.
The main problem with this book was that it was simply boring. Terribly terribly boring. The entire premise of the book could easily be summarized in one or two sentences. Here we go, I'll give it a shot..."A girl from a small village discovers that she is the "chosen one/savior" of her people as a force from another continent invades. She escapes from them with a few of her friends."
That's it. Seriously. All of the rest of the book is devoted to either the main character whining and/or trying to make a courageous stand (which ends up being a little cheesy), and the secondary characters either do nothing/say nothing or play the overdramatic "wise one" type. There is no sense of real (i.e. meaningful struggle). All of the obstacles the characters face are superficial at best where there could have been so much more. The author tends to focus his attention on the wrong kinds of things. So much time is spent talking about the details of actually washing a piece of clothing, or what the characters had for breakfast, or how we found a fish, or the blisters on my heel, etc.
There is no real depth to any struggle. This is also complicated by the fact that there is no villain. The prologue gives a "hint" of a villain, but in the actual pages of the book, the main struggle of the characters is not against a person/people, but rather more a struggle of getting from one place to the other. It's like the author's main goal in writing the book was a study in logistics. It would be just as intriguing if I detailed my hiking trip to the top of a moutain. Every good book has an antagonist. This one does not. There's no one to hate or struggle against (just a very vague notion of an invading force without a face or a meaningful motivation behind it), and that makes this novel suffer. Badly.
There's also a surprising lack of character development. Some characters just seem to disappear and they're not even mentioned later on in the book, even though they were still with the group. Others are stagnate, and still others have sudden unrealistic changes, most notably the main character who suddenly without warning turns from a whiny cry baby into the all powerful Herald. Bow down before me!
Overall, a poor effort but worth the price I paid for it :)
I didn't have high hopes for a book that's provided for free (i.e. a free one that's not a special promotion or a classic), but I have to say, this book fell short of even my low expectations.
The main problem with this book was that it was simply boring. Terribly terribly boring. The entire premise of the book could easily be summarized in one or two sentences. Here we go, I'll give it a shot..."A girl from a small village discovers that she is the "chosen one/savior" of her people as a force from another continent invades. She escapes from them with a few of her friends."
That's it. Seriously. All of the rest of the book is devoted to either the main character whining and/or trying to make a courageous stand (which ends up being a little cheesy), and the secondary characters either do nothing/say nothing or play the overdramatic "wise one" type. There is no sense of real (i.e. meaningful struggle). All of the obstacles the characters face are superficial at best where there could have been so much more. The author tends to focus his attention on the wrong kinds of things. So much time is spent talking about the details of actually washing a piece of clothing, or what the characters had for breakfast, or how we found a fish, or the blisters on my heel, etc.
There is no real depth to any struggle. This is also complicated by the fact that there is no villain. The prologue gives a "hint" of a villain, but in the actual pages of the book, the main struggle of the characters is not against a person/people, but rather more a struggle of getting from one place to the other. It's like the author's main goal in writing the book was a study in logistics. It would be just as intriguing if I detailed my hiking trip to the top of a moutain. Every good book has an antagonist. This one does not. There's no one to hate or struggle against (just a very vague notion of an invading force without a face or a meaningful motivation behind it), and that makes this novel suffer. Badly.
There's also a surprising lack of character development. Some characters just seem to disappear and they're not even mentioned later on in the book, even though they were still with the group. Others are stagnate, and still others have sudden unrealistic changes, most notably the main character who suddenly without warning turns from a whiny cry baby into the all powerful Herald. Bow down before me!
Overall, a poor effort but worth the price I paid for it :)
July 4, 2016
I was disappointed that this didn't live up to the reviews comparing it to the Lord of the Rings or the worlds of Shannara and Harry Potter. Instead, this book taught me to be more careful in what I buy, especially if it's self-published and free on Amazon and has under 50 reviews that are all extremely enthusiastic. I think there's something about free that affects how people judge these books. My craze of buying free books came to an end with this. I'd rather pay for something of higher quality and wait to see if the freebies get picked up by a publisher, in which case they might get a little editing. Anyway, moving on.
There is potential in the story, but the writing is mediocre. I felt like I was observing at a polite and rather bored distance. The world was fuzzy, only coming into focus where characters were. Events jumped suddenly forward without the feeling of passing time - or distance. Characters were mostly two dimensional, and when they changed, it was sudden and drastic. It read like a creative writing project that needs a lot of work and some serious peer reviewing.
There is potential in the story, but the writing is mediocre. I felt like I was observing at a polite and rather bored distance. The world was fuzzy, only coming into focus where characters were. Events jumped suddenly forward without the feeling of passing time - or distance. Characters were mostly two dimensional, and when they changed, it was sudden and drastic. It read like a creative writing project that needs a lot of work and some serious peer reviewing.
March 17, 2012
This book was another surprise for me.
Yet another free ebook that i picked up off amazon and i thoroughly enjoyed it.
First the Bad:
1. Catrin moved from a scared little farm girl to a leader just a little to quick for me.
2. I wish we could have seen Chase, Strom and Osbourne deveoped just a little bit more.
3. I thought the General could also have been developed a little, let us see just a little more inside his head.
The good
1. The story is solid, great plotline, lots of potential for future books
2. No love story, far to much "Love at first sight" nonsense in fantasy lately.
3. I enjoyed that Rathbone explained things from both points of view, showing that the crux of the problem is the difference in beliefs.
This story is strong and i have already started the second in this series.
For a free ebook you can not go wrong, definitely add it to your reading list.
Yet another free ebook that i picked up off amazon and i thoroughly enjoyed it.
First the Bad:
1. Catrin moved from a scared little farm girl to a leader just a little to quick for me.
2. I wish we could have seen Chase, Strom and Osbourne deveoped just a little bit more.
3. I thought the General could also have been developed a little, let us see just a little more inside his head.
The good
1. The story is solid, great plotline, lots of potential for future books
2. No love story, far to much "Love at first sight" nonsense in fantasy lately.
3. I enjoyed that Rathbone explained things from both points of view, showing that the crux of the problem is the difference in beliefs.
This story is strong and i have already started the second in this series.
For a free ebook you can not go wrong, definitely add it to your reading list.
January 11, 2012
So - there's a prophecy, and a farmboy, sorry, farmgirl, with unexpected talents, and a holy war... Stop me if any of this sounds familiar. Well, nothing wrong with the traditional storylines, if they're done well, and the author makes a reasonable show with this one. There's a prologue, which sets the scene and gives a bit of useful background, and then there's a comet, and then straight to our heroine, sweeping out the barn and away we go, with the unexpected outbreaks of power, and the hasty escape from trouble.
I like to know what sort of a world the author has created for the story, and this one is in many ways fairly conventional - low technology agricultural. However, this is not the usual European medieval setting with mud-splattered peasants and castles and knights. It feels to me like a western - everyone rides horses into town, leaving them at the stables, women are called Miss so-and-so, there's a more stratified society (poorer but hardworking country folk, richer town folk with fancy clothing, nobles) and children are educated until adulthood. It takes quite a sophisticated society to value education for everyone, that is, an extensive bureaucracy that requires even ordinary workers to keep records, more usually associated with industrialisation. And how come even the poor farm kids can afford horses to ride? I'm curious, too, about what sort of society allows a teenage girl and three teenage boys to go camping together - a very trusting one, I suppose. But it's just conceivable that I'm overthinking this :-)
There doesn't seem to be anything very much to distinguish this world from our own, at some time and place. The birds, animals, plants and tools all seem very familiar, which is a little disappointing. It seems a little unambitious in a fantasy book not to throw in at least a few little touches that make the setting seem more alien, although I liked the cave which had signs of a former civilisation inside it, and the circle of very ancient trees. The magic, too, is a rather generic some-kind-of-power affair at the moment, with unknown capabilities, but the author has a whole trilogy to develop that aspect.
The characters are rather poorly defined at present. Catrin, the lead character, is quite meek to start with, and spends a great deal of time weeping over something or other, and although she is very capable, has little self-confidence (but she is only a teenager, so that's to be expected). Her sudden change to assertive I'm-taking-control mode felt a bit abrupt to me, although I suppose the signs were there. The three boys are not well-differentiated - I could have done with some clues about physical differences, or behavioural quirks, perhaps. The most interesting characters, to me, are the two older men, Benjin and Wendel, who obviously have some history behind them. But generally the characters feel believably ordinary, no wizards or kickass warriors here.
The plot is the usual thing - farmgirl revealed as a person of power, has to escape from bad guys who want to kill her. That's about it, really. So there's a lot of trudging through the scenery, interspersed with close encounters, and fraught escapes. But to be honest, most of the tension of the journey came from the natural hazards - the wild boar, the hornets' nest, the swamp, and so on. There is also a lot of detailed description of fishing and hunting expeditions, which the author is obviously quite knowledgeable about, and so will the reader be by the end of the book. For anyone who enjoys battles and hand to hand combat, this is probably not the book for you. There is a certain amount of fighting towards the end, and we are left in suspense as to the fate of several characters. However, there is never any doubt about Catrin's survival, so although the final scenes were quite dramatic, there wasn't a great deal of tension in them.
There's nothing actually wrong with this book. On the plus side, it's well thought out, the pacing is good, there are no typos. I liked that there are multiple point of view characters, even quite minor ones, and often quite brief, to keep us updated on other parts of the plot. But on the other hand, the plot is familiar and predictable, the characters are not especially interesting, and the world is nothing very special. The magic is a bit vague, but I assume more will be revealed in the rest of the series. It's just that nothing about the book really stands out. It's a workmanlike effort, and perfectly readable, but it never quite came alive for me and it's not intriguing enough to make me want to read the rest of the series. Three stars.
I like to know what sort of a world the author has created for the story, and this one is in many ways fairly conventional - low technology agricultural. However, this is not the usual European medieval setting with mud-splattered peasants and castles and knights. It feels to me like a western - everyone rides horses into town, leaving them at the stables, women are called Miss so-and-so, there's a more stratified society (poorer but hardworking country folk, richer town folk with fancy clothing, nobles) and children are educated until adulthood. It takes quite a sophisticated society to value education for everyone, that is, an extensive bureaucracy that requires even ordinary workers to keep records, more usually associated with industrialisation. And how come even the poor farm kids can afford horses to ride? I'm curious, too, about what sort of society allows a teenage girl and three teenage boys to go camping together - a very trusting one, I suppose. But it's just conceivable that I'm overthinking this :-)
There doesn't seem to be anything very much to distinguish this world from our own, at some time and place. The birds, animals, plants and tools all seem very familiar, which is a little disappointing. It seems a little unambitious in a fantasy book not to throw in at least a few little touches that make the setting seem more alien, although I liked the cave which had signs of a former civilisation inside it, and the circle of very ancient trees. The magic, too, is a rather generic some-kind-of-power affair at the moment, with unknown capabilities, but the author has a whole trilogy to develop that aspect.
The characters are rather poorly defined at present. Catrin, the lead character, is quite meek to start with, and spends a great deal of time weeping over something or other, and although she is very capable, has little self-confidence (but she is only a teenager, so that's to be expected). Her sudden change to assertive I'm-taking-control mode felt a bit abrupt to me, although I suppose the signs were there. The three boys are not well-differentiated - I could have done with some clues about physical differences, or behavioural quirks, perhaps. The most interesting characters, to me, are the two older men, Benjin and Wendel, who obviously have some history behind them. But generally the characters feel believably ordinary, no wizards or kickass warriors here.
The plot is the usual thing - farmgirl revealed as a person of power, has to escape from bad guys who want to kill her. That's about it, really. So there's a lot of trudging through the scenery, interspersed with close encounters, and fraught escapes. But to be honest, most of the tension of the journey came from the natural hazards - the wild boar, the hornets' nest, the swamp, and so on. There is also a lot of detailed description of fishing and hunting expeditions, which the author is obviously quite knowledgeable about, and so will the reader be by the end of the book. For anyone who enjoys battles and hand to hand combat, this is probably not the book for you. There is a certain amount of fighting towards the end, and we are left in suspense as to the fate of several characters. However, there is never any doubt about Catrin's survival, so although the final scenes were quite dramatic, there wasn't a great deal of tension in them.
There's nothing actually wrong with this book. On the plus side, it's well thought out, the pacing is good, there are no typos. I liked that there are multiple point of view characters, even quite minor ones, and often quite brief, to keep us updated on other parts of the plot. But on the other hand, the plot is familiar and predictable, the characters are not especially interesting, and the world is nothing very special. The magic is a bit vague, but I assume more will be revealed in the rest of the series. It's just that nothing about the book really stands out. It's a workmanlike effort, and perfectly readable, but it never quite came alive for me and it's not intriguing enough to make me want to read the rest of the series. Three stars.
March 24, 2014
4 Stars
Call of the Herald by Brian Rathbone has been on my to read fantasy list for a long time. This is a traditional fantasy with a coming of age story at its center. The writing and the world building made this book a real page turner and the short length did not hurt either. I enjoyed this book as it fits right into my personal taste but it really did not offer much in originality.
That being said this book was a page turner for me. I devoured it in a sitting and didn't mind because I knew that book two was waiting for me. The adventure was fun. Catrin is your typical heroine these days and I did enjoy her coming to accept her power. Her magic is the heart of this series and it works. I loved all of the scenes involving her pushing herself as the Herald, especially the one out at sea. Benjin, Catrin’s mentor to me was the surprise fully rounded character that grounded this fantasy.
The plot is straight forward and the book comes to a good conclusion for the start of a series.
I am a lover of fantasy so my review is biased but this was a fun start to a series. I recommend it to all ages of fans of the genre.
Call of the Herald by Brian Rathbone has been on my to read fantasy list for a long time. This is a traditional fantasy with a coming of age story at its center. The writing and the world building made this book a real page turner and the short length did not hurt either. I enjoyed this book as it fits right into my personal taste but it really did not offer much in originality.
That being said this book was a page turner for me. I devoured it in a sitting and didn't mind because I knew that book two was waiting for me. The adventure was fun. Catrin is your typical heroine these days and I did enjoy her coming to accept her power. Her magic is the heart of this series and it works. I loved all of the scenes involving her pushing herself as the Herald, especially the one out at sea. Benjin, Catrin’s mentor to me was the surprise fully rounded character that grounded this fantasy.
The plot is straight forward and the book comes to a good conclusion for the start of a series.
I am a lover of fantasy so my review is biased but this was a fun start to a series. I recommend it to all ages of fans of the genre.
December 5, 2014
Though it is almost 200 pages (according to my e-reader), it felt too short. This was because of how well written the story was.
Believable development for the main character - from no one to someone with a TON of power and has to figure out what to do with it. The supporting characters are also well written. One or two may be a tad on the shallow side, but this only mirrors how some people are a tad shallower than others.
The story itself sucked me in quickly, kept me pinned within the world that is vibrantly developed, and gave me enough substance that I was happy to keep chewing on it.
I am a voracious reader once I get started on a book, and though I had to read this one in fits and starts, I still felt like I had hit a mountain side when I came to the end of it. The pace is fast enough to keep you interested, yet slow enough to let you absorb the small details - like the attitudes of the horses who are present.
The work itself has enough layers that I look forward to reading it many, many more times to discover what all is hidden within the story itself. The first layer is written simply enough to entertain any one capable of understanding the words - such as a late grade schooler or early middle schooler, without being condescending. A very fine line to walk, and Brian does this with an ease I envy. But, there are also other elements that will make an adult reader stop and ponder their meanings. And, while this is not pointed at any particular group, the other wonderfully refreshing discovery was that this book also is not EXCLUSIVE of any particular group. The language is naturally clean, and where I would have expected a modern book to dive into graphic detail, these scenes are depicted with a much gentler light. Again, suitable for all audiences, particularly the younger ones.
Well deserved 5 stars, and I wish I could give it more!
Believable development for the main character - from no one to someone with a TON of power and has to figure out what to do with it. The supporting characters are also well written. One or two may be a tad on the shallow side, but this only mirrors how some people are a tad shallower than others.
The story itself sucked me in quickly, kept me pinned within the world that is vibrantly developed, and gave me enough substance that I was happy to keep chewing on it.
I am a voracious reader once I get started on a book, and though I had to read this one in fits and starts, I still felt like I had hit a mountain side when I came to the end of it. The pace is fast enough to keep you interested, yet slow enough to let you absorb the small details - like the attitudes of the horses who are present.
The work itself has enough layers that I look forward to reading it many, many more times to discover what all is hidden within the story itself. The first layer is written simply enough to entertain any one capable of understanding the words - such as a late grade schooler or early middle schooler, without being condescending. A very fine line to walk, and Brian does this with an ease I envy. But, there are also other elements that will make an adult reader stop and ponder their meanings. And, while this is not pointed at any particular group, the other wonderfully refreshing discovery was that this book also is not EXCLUSIVE of any particular group. The language is naturally clean, and where I would have expected a modern book to dive into graphic detail, these scenes are depicted with a much gentler light. Again, suitable for all audiences, particularly the younger ones.
Well deserved 5 stars, and I wish I could give it more!
September 7, 2011
Well, this was a free eBook from Kindle and the blurb had me intrigued. It has been a while since I have read a truly fantasy type novel, one involving Gods and powers and a totally different world to ours. I was excited to get started, but that excitement was soon lost, in amongst the pages of this book.
But, it was free. So, I read on. And although I was tempted to leave the book at several times, it did somehow manage to pull me back in. How, I'm not quite sure, but I read it until the end so something must have worked.
If you know anything about me, then you'd know I don't waste my time reading boring and uninspiring books. I tend to give them a good go and if they fail to impress me, ditch 'em. And although this book, in the end, did fail to impress me, it did, just, manage to keep me reading until the end.
So congratulations Mr Rathbone, you must have done something right.
What was it all about? From Goodreads: "Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war. In times such as these, ordinary people have the power to save the world . . . or destroy it."
Sounds intriguing, huh? Yeah, that's what I thought, but I now realise that the synopsis was more exciting than the actual story.
There were moments of excitement, especially when Catrin used her powers, or was battling for her survival, but they were interspersed with long periods of dull monotony and tedious dialogue. It didn't half go on, this book.
But I kept reading. And I made it to the end. Which again was a let down. The second book in the series is also available free of charge for Kindle eReaders and Apps, but although I have downloaded it, I have absolutely no intention at this time to read it. I don't think I could suffer through another mediocre book.
And that word sums up my feeling for this story. Mediocre. Not so bad that I gave it away part way through, but not good enough to make me want to read on in the series. Despite the ending being left in mid-flow, which normally would lure you in for the second to find out what happens.
There just wasn't enough suspense, intrigue, thrills or mystery to make this worthwhile of further pursuit. Sorry, but that's it in a nutshell.
Mediocre.
So, what score does this Fantasy Novel get on my Nici Book Review Scale?
4/10: "Finished the book and it was OK."
Let-down, I must say. But hey, it was free, so you get what you pay for I suppose. (However, I have read some great free eBooks in the past, so don't be put off by this one, I'm not).
But, it was free. So, I read on. And although I was tempted to leave the book at several times, it did somehow manage to pull me back in. How, I'm not quite sure, but I read it until the end so something must have worked.
If you know anything about me, then you'd know I don't waste my time reading boring and uninspiring books. I tend to give them a good go and if they fail to impress me, ditch 'em. And although this book, in the end, did fail to impress me, it did, just, manage to keep me reading until the end.
So congratulations Mr Rathbone, you must have done something right.
What was it all about? From Goodreads: "Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war. In times such as these, ordinary people have the power to save the world . . . or destroy it."
Sounds intriguing, huh? Yeah, that's what I thought, but I now realise that the synopsis was more exciting than the actual story.
There were moments of excitement, especially when Catrin used her powers, or was battling for her survival, but they were interspersed with long periods of dull monotony and tedious dialogue. It didn't half go on, this book.
But I kept reading. And I made it to the end. Which again was a let down. The second book in the series is also available free of charge for Kindle eReaders and Apps, but although I have downloaded it, I have absolutely no intention at this time to read it. I don't think I could suffer through another mediocre book.
And that word sums up my feeling for this story. Mediocre. Not so bad that I gave it away part way through, but not good enough to make me want to read on in the series. Despite the ending being left in mid-flow, which normally would lure you in for the second to find out what happens.
There just wasn't enough suspense, intrigue, thrills or mystery to make this worthwhile of further pursuit. Sorry, but that's it in a nutshell.
Mediocre.
So, what score does this Fantasy Novel get on my Nici Book Review Scale?
4/10: "Finished the book and it was OK."
Let-down, I must say. But hey, it was free, so you get what you pay for I suppose. (However, I have read some great free eBooks in the past, so don't be put off by this one, I'm not).
December 12, 2012
I've only recently found the self-published fantasy section of Amazon, but overall I've been impressed with the quantity of works, diversity of storyline, and the quality of the writing. I've read the Muirwood Trilogy, Blood Song, The Mageborn Trilogy, and Garden of Almhain. When I encountered mostly positive reviews for 'The Call of the Herald,' I was pleased to one-click whisper yet another book over to my Droid.
Like a cheap pair of skinny jeans, I struggled to force myself into this book before admitting disappointment. There were times I went back to reread a section, confused as to how I missed a character getting from A to B. In one moment we're dealing with a farm girl of indeterminate age, and the next thing we know she's hurling knives accurately (at a hornet's nest) and unerringly shooting arrows from the deck of a moving ship at another moving target (no small feat indeed!). I understand she learned to hunt while living on the farm, but for someone who has never been on a moving ship to be so accurate? Back to her enigmatic age, I feel that while spelling out the precise number might have been overkill, I was hoping for a vague idea. She's had a first kiss, so a pre-adolescent? She's physically able to easily pull a bowstring, so older? Yet there is never any awkwardness during the camping trips with a bunch of unrelated boys (only Chase is related). I was a bit of a late bloomer, and grew up with a brother, but young teen boys and girls living together invites a blundering embarrassment or two. While traveling and living together, there's never a moment when she has to go off by herself for a bathroom break, or to bath alone? The only mention of bathing modesty is after she's proven her powers for the desert people. And how did Catrin know how strongly the desert people feel about their horses ("the bond shared by the Arghast and their horses was like mated souls, and it grieved Catrin to witness the scene.")? She's never met them before recent events, and certainly didn't appear to study their culture while in school. I don't recall her asking anyone, "so, how would you describe your relationship with your horse?"
Perhaps I quibble.
Still, the uninspiring religious concepts were nebulous at best. The half-mad prophet needs some additional information to create a more compelling character. I adore a book incorporating religion and all it entails, but this tome felt lackluster. I believe that if the author gets a good editor, or places the book on the shelf and returns to it in a few months to fix problematic areas, I think this book would be much improved. This is not the worst thing I've read (I couldn't even finish the first Twilight); this book merely needs some work.
Like a cheap pair of skinny jeans, I struggled to force myself into this book before admitting disappointment. There were times I went back to reread a section, confused as to how I missed a character getting from A to B. In one moment we're dealing with a farm girl of indeterminate age, and the next thing we know she's hurling knives accurately (at a hornet's nest) and unerringly shooting arrows from the deck of a moving ship at another moving target (no small feat indeed!). I understand she learned to hunt while living on the farm, but for someone who has never been on a moving ship to be so accurate? Back to her enigmatic age, I feel that while spelling out the precise number might have been overkill, I was hoping for a vague idea. She's had a first kiss, so a pre-adolescent? She's physically able to easily pull a bowstring, so older? Yet there is never any awkwardness during the camping trips with a bunch of unrelated boys (only Chase is related). I was a bit of a late bloomer, and grew up with a brother, but young teen boys and girls living together invites a blundering embarrassment or two. While traveling and living together, there's never a moment when she has to go off by herself for a bathroom break, or to bath alone? The only mention of bathing modesty is after she's proven her powers for the desert people. And how did Catrin know how strongly the desert people feel about their horses ("the bond shared by the Arghast and their horses was like mated souls, and it grieved Catrin to witness the scene.")? She's never met them before recent events, and certainly didn't appear to study their culture while in school. I don't recall her asking anyone, "so, how would you describe your relationship with your horse?"
Perhaps I quibble.
Still, the uninspiring religious concepts were nebulous at best. The half-mad prophet needs some additional information to create a more compelling character. I adore a book incorporating religion and all it entails, but this tome felt lackluster. I believe that if the author gets a good editor, or places the book on the shelf and returns to it in a few months to fix problematic areas, I think this book would be much improved. This is not the worst thing I've read (I couldn't even finish the first Twilight); this book merely needs some work.
July 16, 2014
I quit reading at 45% done. It was SLOW. There are many, many scenes that do nothing but provide a sample of their daily life--but nothing changes at all. The heroine goes fishing and catches two fish. That's all. The father wakes up nervous in the middle of the night, but all is well and he goes back to sleep. And on and on. The initial magical moment happens, but then we go thirty or forty pages before another happens--no explanation given on what happened or why. They just try to go back to normal life.
On top of that, the teenagers (the main characters) aren't realistic. A girl goes camping with three boys and no one considers the gender issue, not them or their parents, but it's supposed to be a conservative farming community.
I really tried. But I couldn't finish.
On top of that, the teenagers (the main characters) aren't realistic. A girl goes camping with three boys and no one considers the gender issue, not them or their parents, but it's supposed to be a conservative farming community.
I really tried. But I couldn't finish.
February 27, 2018
I'm a huge fantasy fan and was so excited to read this. Although it was very, very long, Rathbone kept me interested through strong plot progression and an intriguing heroine. What I H-A-T-E-D was the cliffhanger ending. UGH! Stop, just stop! You can work a series, especially in fantasy, without massive cliffhangers. A good start to the series, though.
My Rating: 4 stars
My Rating: 4 stars
November 25, 2024
The story was intriguing, but details left me annoyed.
*****SPOILERS*****
Trees that were so big 20 people, arms outstretched, could not circumference it; a half day’s hike that started before the sun rose ended in building a fire, eating dinner, and looking at the stars. It should have been midday!! Hail from the previous night was grapefruit sized, but no one was hurt by any hail during the storm.
Also, poor Osbourne. He is the guy that always gets beat up or injured. It is like his character was created solely for this purpose. From the townies practically killing him to the swarm of hornets to the ..... I felt bad for him. Honestly, half way through the book I decided that he was going to be the character to die at the end. He may have. I’m not sure.
So, then we get to Catrin’s new “sense” of being able to read the energies of everything. You cannot tell me that it is only now in life that she realizes that when leaves fall from trees and decompose on the ground that it is part of the life cycle of the forest. If she has lived in the mountains all of her life and works on a farm and attends school... not believable. Even if she never learned it from a mentor or school, isn’t this something explored as a child? I lived in the woods for only some of my childhood and I saw what happened to leaves over time.
They could find no water when they were skirting the desert, but Catrin has this amazing sense to see everything now. But, then they had to be wary of bumping into the cacti. If Catrin has this ability, wouldn’t she see the water waiting to be tapped in the plants? And what do I say about the desert tribe? It pained me to see their lines written as old west, stereotypical, Native American broken English. Do other non-native speakers have this broken English? Yes, but the “tribe” thing really made it seem like they were stereotypical “Indians”.
Setting that all aside, let’s get to something else. Why is Catrin the only woman in this story except for the snobby (and let’s assume pretty) girl at school? Her travel companions, sorry, guardians are all male. Could there not be another girl that was also strong? Is Catrin even strong?
Sigh. I know this is a series of books, but the ending of this first one was lame. Oh, another ship is coming ... I think I’ll go to sleep.
Am I being overly harsh? Maybe, but I’m also being honest.
Again, the story itself was not bad. It was the details (especially toward the end of the book) that were eye-roll inducing.
*****SPOILERS*****
Trees that were so big 20 people, arms outstretched, could not circumference it; a half day’s hike that started before the sun rose ended in building a fire, eating dinner, and looking at the stars. It should have been midday!! Hail from the previous night was grapefruit sized, but no one was hurt by any hail during the storm.
Also, poor Osbourne. He is the guy that always gets beat up or injured. It is like his character was created solely for this purpose. From the townies practically killing him to the swarm of hornets to the ..... I felt bad for him. Honestly, half way through the book I decided that he was going to be the character to die at the end. He may have. I’m not sure.
So, then we get to Catrin’s new “sense” of being able to read the energies of everything. You cannot tell me that it is only now in life that she realizes that when leaves fall from trees and decompose on the ground that it is part of the life cycle of the forest. If she has lived in the mountains all of her life and works on a farm and attends school... not believable. Even if she never learned it from a mentor or school, isn’t this something explored as a child? I lived in the woods for only some of my childhood and I saw what happened to leaves over time.
They could find no water when they were skirting the desert, but Catrin has this amazing sense to see everything now. But, then they had to be wary of bumping into the cacti. If Catrin has this ability, wouldn’t she see the water waiting to be tapped in the plants? And what do I say about the desert tribe? It pained me to see their lines written as old west, stereotypical, Native American broken English. Do other non-native speakers have this broken English? Yes, but the “tribe” thing really made it seem like they were stereotypical “Indians”.
Setting that all aside, let’s get to something else. Why is Catrin the only woman in this story except for the snobby (and let’s assume pretty) girl at school? Her travel companions, sorry, guardians are all male. Could there not be another girl that was also strong? Is Catrin even strong?
Sigh. I know this is a series of books, but the ending of this first one was lame. Oh, another ship is coming ... I think I’ll go to sleep.
Am I being overly harsh? Maybe, but I’m also being honest.
Again, the story itself was not bad. It was the details (especially toward the end of the book) that were eye-roll inducing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2014
(Full disclosure: My copy of this book was a gift of the author, and he and I communicate on Twitter.)
Call of the Herald is a perfect example of an axiom I learned from a writer much further along than I am. "If you tell the same story three different ways, you have three different stories."
That is to say, this is not the work of an iconoclast. Brian Rathbone doesn't try any avant-garde storytelling techniques, nor is the plot so complex that one needs a flowchart to keep it straight. Rather, this is a fantasy novel that takes many of the threads that readers are familiar with- an evil empire, a prophecy, an unlikely heroine, magic powers, the sacrifice of others to save the chosen one- and weaves them together in a new way.
Catrin is, and is not, your typical fantasy heroine. She has the typical start, and in many regards goes through the typical Hero's Journey, but the steps that she takes along the way are unique to her. Her self-discovery is without the benefit of a mentor who directly knows what she's going through, her prophecy is not a pleasant one, and her powers are not at all a blessing to her in this first story.
The Zjhon are, and are not, your typical evil empire. The combination of religious fanaticism and expansionistic ambitions is nothing unusual. But the reality of their concerns, and the strain of history that they labor under, adds a refreshing feel to what normally would be a bland, monolithic enemy.
Lastly, the magic in this setting is, and is not, the typical magic. The effects are similar to what's seen in other novels. However, the fact that it comes and go in phases, that it deliberately seems to interact with known physical laws instead of making them out of whole cloth, and that Catrin has to work the magic in combination with clear thinking and hard work, does make it different.
All of those examples to say this. Don't read Call of the Herald because you're looking for something revolutionary, because that's not what you'll find. Instead, you should read it because it strikes the right balance between the comfortable familiarity of the genre and the novelty of a new combination. That, and because it's just plain an enjoyable read!
Call of the Herald is a perfect example of an axiom I learned from a writer much further along than I am. "If you tell the same story three different ways, you have three different stories."
That is to say, this is not the work of an iconoclast. Brian Rathbone doesn't try any avant-garde storytelling techniques, nor is the plot so complex that one needs a flowchart to keep it straight. Rather, this is a fantasy novel that takes many of the threads that readers are familiar with- an evil empire, a prophecy, an unlikely heroine, magic powers, the sacrifice of others to save the chosen one- and weaves them together in a new way.
Catrin is, and is not, your typical fantasy heroine. She has the typical start, and in many regards goes through the typical Hero's Journey, but the steps that she takes along the way are unique to her. Her self-discovery is without the benefit of a mentor who directly knows what she's going through, her prophecy is not a pleasant one, and her powers are not at all a blessing to her in this first story.
The Zjhon are, and are not, your typical evil empire. The combination of religious fanaticism and expansionistic ambitions is nothing unusual. But the reality of their concerns, and the strain of history that they labor under, adds a refreshing feel to what normally would be a bland, monolithic enemy.
Lastly, the magic in this setting is, and is not, the typical magic. The effects are similar to what's seen in other novels. However, the fact that it comes and go in phases, that it deliberately seems to interact with known physical laws instead of making them out of whole cloth, and that Catrin has to work the magic in combination with clear thinking and hard work, does make it different.
All of those examples to say this. Don't read Call of the Herald because you're looking for something revolutionary, because that's not what you'll find. Instead, you should read it because it strikes the right balance between the comfortable familiarity of the genre and the novelty of a new combination. That, and because it's just plain an enjoyable read!
December 13, 2013
Seventeen year old farm girl Catrin was just an ordinary student. That is, before her powers began to awaken. In an effort to save a classmate from harm, she unleashes her magic on the bullies, creating an explosion. She has no idea why she suddenly has these powers, and she must embark on a journey to save her homeland from evil.
I had a hard time getting into this book. There is a lot of prose, some of it rather nice. It just seems to move too slowly, and I get a little more description than necessary of unimportant things. There is a well developed history to this fantasy world, which I appreciated. Much of it is presented in the beginning in the form of a lesson, which is a fine choice. I would have like to see it woven in a bit more with the story’s narrative.
Catrin is an interesting girl and someone who I think young readers can relate to. The other kids her age are not so well developed, at least in this installment of the series, so they are not as interesting since we don’t get to know them well.
The story seems to move too quickly in some spots. Catrin goes from not knowing what she’s doing to seeming to have full control of her powers. The separations within chapters switch between characters or time of day and I really felt there were just too many of them. Maybe I have a preference for shorter chapters, but it seemed like sometimes there was too much in one chapter, and breaking it up more would have helped. There were a few of those breaks that didn’t seem to add much to the plot, and those could easily have been left out.
All in all, young fans of fantasy will enjoy this tale. It isn’t difficult to follow, but it does take a while to get into the story. I believe this is permanently free on Amazon, and it’s certainly worth a try.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
I had a hard time getting into this book. There is a lot of prose, some of it rather nice. It just seems to move too slowly, and I get a little more description than necessary of unimportant things. There is a well developed history to this fantasy world, which I appreciated. Much of it is presented in the beginning in the form of a lesson, which is a fine choice. I would have like to see it woven in a bit more with the story’s narrative.
Catrin is an interesting girl and someone who I think young readers can relate to. The other kids her age are not so well developed, at least in this installment of the series, so they are not as interesting since we don’t get to know them well.
The story seems to move too quickly in some spots. Catrin goes from not knowing what she’s doing to seeming to have full control of her powers. The separations within chapters switch between characters or time of day and I really felt there were just too many of them. Maybe I have a preference for shorter chapters, but it seemed like sometimes there was too much in one chapter, and breaking it up more would have helped. There were a few of those breaks that didn’t seem to add much to the plot, and those could easily have been left out.
All in all, young fans of fantasy will enjoy this tale. It isn’t difficult to follow, but it does take a while to get into the story. I believe this is permanently free on Amazon, and it’s certainly worth a try.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2012
In "Call of the Herald," Brian Rathbone undertakes a challenging -- but ultimately successful -- balancing act as he uses a straightforward narrative style to create a complex fantasy world. In doing so, he's crafted a story that should appeal to a broad age-range of readers, as a teenage girl named Catrin discovers that she is the heir to a power long thought lost -- and that she has become the singular target of an invading army that threatens her homeland in order to destroy that power. The writing in "Call of the Herald" is clean and straightforward, and to my mind, the few readers whose reviews are complaining about the writing are ignoring the compelling character story it renders. Rathbone avoids a heavily nuanced style in favor of a shifting point-of-view that paints his world through the eyes and impressions of a host of disparate characters. In doing so, even as he avoids an overly poetic tone, he manages to find the requisite amount of narrative power in his words, and the result nicely sets up the struggles of Catlin, her friends, and protectors.
July 21, 2012
If i could give it less than 1 star I would - god damn it was bad - the writing awful, heroine - well more person discussed most - it very much was a drag to finish - thank god it was a freebie - only sucky I brought the third book as the second was also free (which I've just given up on less than 5% of the way in - just could not bear it anymore so not ever going to get to the third - ick waste of money. well one more book to add to the list of less than 5 that i haven't finished
June 26, 2022
This is a typical fantasy for me, slow starting but does eventually grab you so you want to know what happens next.
I did this as an audiobook and fantasy is always harder to get into when it is an Epic Fantasy like this one, but I got there!
There are lots of things going on and done as an audiobook was hard for me to keep track of them. But from what I got I feel it mixes lots of fantasy eliminates. I feel like we have the a bit of the YA Spooks apprentice, a little bit of The wheel of Time, a little bit of the classics from Tolkien and Lewis all meshed into this book to make a YA Epic Fantasy.
I give this 3, since I am interested in the next book and I didn't quite get the best experience from audiobook. If I reread this as an ebook or paperback it may change.
I did this as an audiobook and fantasy is always harder to get into when it is an Epic Fantasy like this one, but I got there!
There are lots of things going on and done as an audiobook was hard for me to keep track of them. But from what I got I feel it mixes lots of fantasy eliminates. I feel like we have the a bit of the YA Spooks apprentice, a little bit of The wheel of Time, a little bit of the classics from Tolkien and Lewis all meshed into this book to make a YA Epic Fantasy.
I give this 3, since I am interested in the next book and I didn't quite get the best experience from audiobook. If I reread this as an ebook or paperback it may change.
September 9, 2018
Better than I expected!
Over the last few years, I've read many SF books and been unimpressed. For the first time in years I actually want to finish a SF series. I can't wait to get the rest of this series and read it.
Over the last few years, I've read many SF books and been unimpressed. For the first time in years I actually want to finish a SF series. I can't wait to get the rest of this series and read it.
May 12, 2015
This book was recommended by a friend and when I looked for it on Amazon, I found it free. I didn't think twice about dowloading it.
But then, I jumped to Goodreads to check the reviews and thought, "Old boy, this may be one you can't finish the fourth chapter and will confine it to electronic Hell.
Some reviewers claimed Cat was a whiney fearful chíd who suddenly developed super power and a kick ass attitude.
Evidently, I didn't read the same book. All you have to do is to back to the early 1800's to early 1900's for a clear example. A girl child raised on a farm was taught to be meek, but meek does not mean fearful or weak. I spent a chunk of my early years on a farm and vividly remember how my girl cousins acted. In front of strangers they were meek, very well mannered and cautious. I can remember my thoughts the first time I saw and realized they were completely different from MY cousins. MY cousins climbed tree's, rode horses, fished and hunted with my brother and me. They helped at harvst time (the cousin who was the same age as me was taller and stronger until we were 15), wrestled hay bales and then helped our Mom's put the meals on the table while the menfolk rested.
I felt Cat was that kind of person.
Though the discovery of "strange new powers" was shocking, I thought Cat's reaction was appropriate. I would have probably been at least as upset if a strong explosion had knocked me on my buttocks and did the damage the first evidencing of her coming powers displayed.
A small community's reaction to something strange is well documented (you might rember Salem). Some of the later parts of the book dragged in spots, but never enough for me to consider abandoning the book.
I strongly recommend this book for someone wanting a fun read. Strongly, with no hesitation.
Forgot. Though this was Indie published, it didn't suffer from bad grammer; to, two and too were correctly used; shudder was not spelled shutter, and Caps were used appropriatly. He probably had both his spell check and grammer check turned on.
But then, I jumped to Goodreads to check the reviews and thought, "Old boy, this may be one you can't finish the fourth chapter and will confine it to electronic Hell.
Some reviewers claimed Cat was a whiney fearful chíd who suddenly developed super power and a kick ass attitude.
Evidently, I didn't read the same book. All you have to do is to back to the early 1800's to early 1900's for a clear example. A girl child raised on a farm was taught to be meek, but meek does not mean fearful or weak. I spent a chunk of my early years on a farm and vividly remember how my girl cousins acted. In front of strangers they were meek, very well mannered and cautious. I can remember my thoughts the first time I saw and realized they were completely different from MY cousins. MY cousins climbed tree's, rode horses, fished and hunted with my brother and me. They helped at harvst time (the cousin who was the same age as me was taller and stronger until we were 15), wrestled hay bales and then helped our Mom's put the meals on the table while the menfolk rested.
I felt Cat was that kind of person.
Though the discovery of "strange new powers" was shocking, I thought Cat's reaction was appropriate. I would have probably been at least as upset if a strong explosion had knocked me on my buttocks and did the damage the first evidencing of her coming powers displayed.
A small community's reaction to something strange is well documented (you might rember Salem). Some of the later parts of the book dragged in spots, but never enough for me to consider abandoning the book.
I strongly recommend this book for someone wanting a fun read. Strongly, with no hesitation.
Forgot. Though this was Indie published, it didn't suffer from bad grammer; to, two and too were correctly used; shudder was not spelled shutter, and Caps were used appropriatly. He probably had both his spell check and grammer check turned on.
October 3, 2015
Overall, I liked this story. If it would allow it I'd give it 3.5 stars. I'd give it a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. The author made the protagonist a likable character. She truly cared about her friends and family and had a good work ethic.
What I didn't like about this story is the author sometimes got a little overly descriptive about some things that shouldn't matter. Partially because of this, it wasn't util 30% into the book that anything really began to happen.
The other things that bothered me were a few logic holes. The author went out of his way to make sure we knew one of the characters thought that belief in a god was once necessary for explaining what couldn't be understood, but 'enlightened', 'modern' people had no such needs for belief in a deity. And yet, these same people accept a 3000 year old prophesy without skepticism.
Magic in this world follows the interesting premise of only being available for 150 years between 3000 year stretches. Okay, fair enough, but in the 3000 years since the last magic cycle it seems very little has changed. The same religious empire that dominated the world back then not only still existed, but the religion hasn't seemed to change much either. In three thousand years of our own history, you'll be hard pressed to find a nation that lasts for 1000 years. One may point to China, but China was really a long series of different kingdoms and empires. In 3000 years, nations rise and fall, religions will go from small to big to small again and languages will become unrecognizable from an earlier version.
Otherwise, this was a fairly good story.
What I didn't like about this story is the author sometimes got a little overly descriptive about some things that shouldn't matter. Partially because of this, it wasn't util 30% into the book that anything really began to happen.
The other things that bothered me were a few logic holes. The author went out of his way to make sure we knew one of the characters thought that belief in a god was once necessary for explaining what couldn't be understood, but 'enlightened', 'modern' people had no such needs for belief in a deity. And yet, these same people accept a 3000 year old prophesy without skepticism.
Magic in this world follows the interesting premise of only being available for 150 years between 3000 year stretches. Okay, fair enough, but in the 3000 years since the last magic cycle it seems very little has changed. The same religious empire that dominated the world back then not only still existed, but the religion hasn't seemed to change much either. In three thousand years of our own history, you'll be hard pressed to find a nation that lasts for 1000 years. One may point to China, but China was really a long series of different kingdoms and empires. In 3000 years, nations rise and fall, religions will go from small to big to small again and languages will become unrecognizable from an earlier version.
Otherwise, this was a fairly good story.
June 7, 2015
Catrin is a girl caught up in events beyond her control. Her simple existence as a farmer’s daughter and a student at the local school is uprooted when she defends herself with a power she never suspected she had. A power granted by the mysterious Istra and its companion comets, which are fast approaching the world of Godsland and bringing with it an age of power and strife.
As fantasies go, this one’s pretty good. I always enjoy a good coming into powers story, and this one was no disappointment. I also found the rapport between Catrin and her companions natural and entertaining. The relationships are believable. Unlike many books in this genre, I didn’t notice any love interests forming. It’s purely a fantasy adventure.
Then again, there was a point where something happens that basically throws away the emotional investment I was feeling in Catrin’s companions. I can’t go into details, but it was a bit disheartening. Still, it was well-executed and fit into the story.
As for the action and the pacing, this story does both exceedingly well. There’s an excellent balance between the action and the non-action scenes. I also like the revelation of Catrin’s growing powers, though it did seem at times that she was learning them a bit too readily and easily, particularly near the end.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I would recommend it to folks who enjoy fantasy with a good mix of action and banter.
As fantasies go, this one’s pretty good. I always enjoy a good coming into powers story, and this one was no disappointment. I also found the rapport between Catrin and her companions natural and entertaining. The relationships are believable. Unlike many books in this genre, I didn’t notice any love interests forming. It’s purely a fantasy adventure.
Then again, there was a point where something happens that basically throws away the emotional investment I was feeling in Catrin’s companions. I can’t go into details, but it was a bit disheartening. Still, it was well-executed and fit into the story.
As for the action and the pacing, this story does both exceedingly well. There’s an excellent balance between the action and the non-action scenes. I also like the revelation of Catrin’s growing powers, though it did seem at times that she was learning them a bit too readily and easily, particularly near the end.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I would recommend it to folks who enjoy fantasy with a good mix of action and banter.
February 26, 2014
Call of the Herald
Book One of The Dawning of Power trilogy
By Brian Rathbone
An entertaining, adventurous fantasy novel.
When I stared reading the book I had no idea of the adventure that I would take. Journey with Catrin a teenage farm girl that suddenly develops strong magical powers. Shortly after first time her powers manifest, her country is invaded and she must learn to cope with her new found powers while staying one step ahead of the invading army looking for her.
Catrin and a few friends must leave their homes and travel across the land of Godfist as they struggle to survive while deciding their next course of action. Rathbone does a good job of moving the story along while adding some good imagery. “Fierce gusts drove stinging rain into her eyes, and she could barely see the Masterhouse huddled against the mountains” I enjoyed the storyline and the adventure, however I thought that Catrin learned how to command her new powers a little to fast.
If you are looking for book to curl up by the fire and just let your mind enter into another world I would recommend “The Call of the Herald” by Brian Rathbone.
Book One of The Dawning of Power trilogy
By Brian Rathbone
An entertaining, adventurous fantasy novel.
When I stared reading the book I had no idea of the adventure that I would take. Journey with Catrin a teenage farm girl that suddenly develops strong magical powers. Shortly after first time her powers manifest, her country is invaded and she must learn to cope with her new found powers while staying one step ahead of the invading army looking for her.
Catrin and a few friends must leave their homes and travel across the land of Godfist as they struggle to survive while deciding their next course of action. Rathbone does a good job of moving the story along while adding some good imagery. “Fierce gusts drove stinging rain into her eyes, and she could barely see the Masterhouse huddled against the mountains” I enjoyed the storyline and the adventure, however I thought that Catrin learned how to command her new powers a little to fast.
If you are looking for book to curl up by the fire and just let your mind enter into another world I would recommend “The Call of the Herald” by Brian Rathbone.
April 4, 2015
Took me some time to finally get to this one on my to be read list, but once I did I found myself stealing a minute whenever I could. Even if I only had time to read a page or two, I was taking it. I was sucked in from the first few pages right to the end.
Brian creates a believable fantasy world complete with religion and a rich history. The main focus of the story is a young girl named Catrin caught in the trap of prophecy. Catrin is a simple country girl with a lot of heart and common sense, beloved by her friends and despised by the more "aristocratic" members of her small town. When the bullies attack one of her friends, prophecy becomes reality. Catrin and her friends are sent on a harrowing expedition to find somewhere, anywhere that Catrin will be safe from those who seek the Herald of prophecy. Friends turn into foes and foes into friends. Who will answer the Call of the Herald?
Brian creates a believable fantasy world complete with religion and a rich history. The main focus of the story is a young girl named Catrin caught in the trap of prophecy. Catrin is a simple country girl with a lot of heart and common sense, beloved by her friends and despised by the more "aristocratic" members of her small town. When the bullies attack one of her friends, prophecy becomes reality. Catrin and her friends are sent on a harrowing expedition to find somewhere, anywhere that Catrin will be safe from those who seek the Herald of prophecy. Friends turn into foes and foes into friends. Who will answer the Call of the Herald?
March 7, 2012
I’m giving this book three stars because it really kept my attention throughout. It was enjoyable and painted great mental pictures, which only added to the experience.
While I had no problem with the writing per se, I did have some issues with the plot and character development. Our main character, a farm girl, becomes a leader with very little in between. The transition and the shift in her personality was a major bump in an otherwise seamless story. Bumps like these make me snap out of the books trance. It almost felt like two different people were writing, one for the first half and another for the second. Very distracting.
If you’re looking for a good, quick, and entertaining read that doesn’t require much thinking, this is a very well written book. I might read the next in the series but I’m in no hurry, which is disappointing.
While I had no problem with the writing per se, I did have some issues with the plot and character development. Our main character, a farm girl, becomes a leader with very little in between. The transition and the shift in her personality was a major bump in an otherwise seamless story. Bumps like these make me snap out of the books trance. It almost felt like two different people were writing, one for the first half and another for the second. Very distracting.
If you’re looking for a good, quick, and entertaining read that doesn’t require much thinking, this is a very well written book. I might read the next in the series but I’m in no hurry, which is disappointing.
September 15, 2015
Catrin, a young woman who lived a quiet life is put into an extremely dangerous situation when one fateful night throws her onto a path she never asked for. Powers she never even knew she had causes her to be declared the Herald of Istra. A prophesied being who will destroy the world as her people know it. Forced to go on the run will Catrin be able to harness her powers and save everyone she holds dear?
This book is a must read for any fantasy fan. Mr. Rathbone has woven a beautifully detailed world. He draws you in with the mystery of Catrin and holds you entranced with the non-stop action! The characters are brought to life and I loved the fact that it was multiple views. It gives a depth to the world and shows how the actions of the few key players can have a ripple effect. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
This book is a must read for any fantasy fan. Mr. Rathbone has woven a beautifully detailed world. He draws you in with the mystery of Catrin and holds you entranced with the non-stop action! The characters are brought to life and I loved the fact that it was multiple views. It gives a depth to the world and shows how the actions of the few key players can have a ripple effect. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
July 27, 2014
It's been a while since a book has grabbed me. I didn't expect much from this one but i was desperate and it was free on Amazon. What the hell...right? So,I started reading it. Other's have given a synopsis of the story this is about my experience. I started reading, got hooked and this isn't even a genre I usually explore. I'm now on Book five in the second trilogy of the series. It is addicting as one gets comfortable in this alternate universe. Book one sets the stage for many adventures of the Heroine and her loyal friends. If you like adventure, female leads, and a hero's mourney. Give Rathbone's series a shot.
August 25, 2015
The book has a strong female heroine. Catrin is an amazing young girl who sticks up for her friends even if it puts her in harms way. The small provincial town she is from is full of legends and myths about an ominous comet. When it arrives Catrin and her friends learn just what they are made of. It is an action adventure and mystery that will keep you turning the pages. I look forward to reading more about this young girl and the perils that await her. Nicely worded. Very vivid yet not over the top. I would think a young adult of ten to thirteen who likes fantasy and action genre would really relate to the characters. Read for The Book Curmudgeon and gave it five stars.
October 10, 2011
Being a true lover of fantasy I was a little disappointed in this book. It fell somewhat short of what I expected and I had a time getting into it. I would still recommend it to those out there that like fantasy because this is my own opinion and others should always be allowed to judge for themselves. I think the author has great ability to write well but for some reason in this particular book it just didn't make the grade for me.
Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud / http://www.greatmindsliterarycommunit...
Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud / http://www.greatmindsliterarycommunit...
October 5, 2018
First time reader of this author and now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative series. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
March 11, 2013
A Very inventive tale, full of unusual characters, magic powers, and differing world views. ALL I could wish for in a new fantastic Fantasy Tale. Looking forward to reading Inherited Danger (Godsland Series: Book Two).
December 18, 2019
Entertaining enough that I wanted to keep reading, but there were some things that just didn't ring true and made for a slightly above mediocre read.
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