This review is for the second book in the series; you can read my review of the first book “Initiate” if you like. (The first book is free for all ereaders!)

“A DEVASTATING SETBACK
Enemy tribesmen attacked during the Initiation. Dindi used the magic of the corn cob doll to protect herself and others but at a terrible price. Now her dreams are in shambles. In despair, she decides to step into the forbidden faery ring, and dance herself to death with the fae. Then she discovers another choice that saves her life…but breaks the ultimate taboo.

A DESPERATE OUTREACH
After being unfairly exiled from his own people, Kavio may have found a new home, but only if he can protect it from another attack by the enemy. He gathers a small group to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory in search of the ultimate prize…peace.

But by the harsh laws of their land, they cannot both break taboos and keep the peace. They will each have to choose, what, or whom, to betray.”

Taboo begins shortly after the first novel, Initiate. The book is a great length, not endlessly long, but it definitely has enough girth to satisfy!

If you read my review of Initiate, you will know that I really enjoyed the story; amazingly enough, I liked this one even more. It is fast paced from the very first page; there is no delay while you learn about the world because you already know it!

You can’t help but cheer for Dindi, the main character, you want so badly for things to turn out right for her, especially as circumstances turn more dour. You just ‘know’ she has the right of it…

Initiate was definitely adult due to the violence and graphic imagery; Taboo adds ‘scenes of a sexual nature’ into the mix to bump up the rating just a little more.

When I first read the synopsis for these books I was mildly concerned about the fact that the books were about the same characters; this doesn’t worry me any more. There is so much going on in the world above and beyond the trials of the main characters I doubt they will become repetitive or boring — there is just waaay too much story to be told. I think there is a good chance I will enjoy each novel!

Taboo continues to switch between the POV of several characters and the transitions seem to happen a little more smoothly. By the beginning of this book you’re familiar with all the characters so I didn’t find it at all hard to follow.

My only negative comment about this book would be the fact that there are some typos, but none were detrimental to the health, or my rating, of the book.

The description of the book (at the top of this post) doesn’t seem to do it justice – there is so much more going on in the world and so much detail in this story, that brief description just isn’t enough! 

If you are intrigued by this story and haven’t read the prequel; don’t hesitate! It’s free!

/5

Find this ebook:
Kobobooks.com (Kobo)
Amazon (Kindle)
Smashwords (Multiple ereader formats)
– It doesn’t currently seem to be available on Barnes & Noble

Thanks for stopping by!

This is the first short story collection that has ever made its way onto the Ebook Apothecary. There are a total of five stories in this book, all of which take place in the same world.

“Changes – After three decades of painstaking research Dr. Richard O’Brian has decoded the genetic structure of mammals and can change one mammal into another while making their immune system invulnerable to all disease. The discovery seems well timed when an outbreak of a deadly recombinant strain of H1N1 is discovered in India. But is it?

The Bottle – Grendal finds himself marooned on a small deserted island and discovers a note in a bottle. The note makes no sense, instructing him to destroy his only chance of rescue in order to be rescued. Does he have faith in the note or rely on common sense?”

When I initially started reading this I was I expecting to find something more or less fantasy, but the first story is undeniably science fiction. The first story, Changes, sets the stage for the rest of them, creating a world that is completely unique. It is more of a novella than a short story and takes up about 50% of the book.

The remaining stories have more of a fantasy bent to them and take place in the all-new world that is revealed in Changes. They are also a completely different style; they reminded me of folk tales, but more for grown-ups than the whole family. Some are more serious, like Karma, and some like Challenge are brief entertaining episodes that reveal a small fragment of the dynamics between the rather one-of-a-kind characters that Gene Wolf has created.

Even though short stories aren’t usually my first choice to sit down and read I found myself enjoying them regardless. There are a few typos here and there, mostly in the form of a letter missing or something like that.

/5

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, this ebook can only be downloaded on Amazon.

I hope you enjoyed this review and I shall see you Tuesday; I’ll be bringing a book trailer with me!

“DEADLY INITIATION

A DETERMINED GIRL…
Dindi can’t do anything right, maybe because she spends more time dancing with pixies than doing her chores. Her clan hopes to marry her off and settle her down, but she dreams of becoming a Tavaedi, one of the powerful warrior-dancers whose secret magics are revealed only to those who pass a mysterious Test during the Initiation ceremony. The problem? No-one in Dindi’s clan has ever passed the Test. Her grandmother died trying. But Dindi has a plan.

AN EXILED WARRIOR…

Kavio is the most powerful warrior-dancer in Faearth, but when he is exiled from the tribehold for a crime he didn’t commit, he decides to shed his old life. If roving cannibals and hexers don’t kill him first, this is his chance to escape the shadow of his father’s wars and his mother’s curse. But when he rescues a young Initiate girl, he finds himself drawn into as deadly a plot as any he left behind. He must decide whether to walk away or fight for her… assuming she would even accept the help of an exile.”

When I first looked at this book I assumed, for some reason, that it was romance. Not being in the mood for Love Potion No. 9, I didn’t read it right away. When I finally sat down to test it out I was extremely surprised when I discovered a rather different tale from what I had expected!

What I should have done is read this book months ago when I first downloaded it to my kindle.

The story I uncovered was a detailed tapestry in a world I never thought I would find. It is unequivocally fantasy, through and through; though it isn’t your usual medieval tale with dragons, castles, knights and princesses. I’m not sure that I have ever read any fantasy that had a Neolithic setting before — it was much more primal than what I am used to.

I was also surprised to discover that I not only liked the ‘dance’ aspect of their magic but it added something totally new to the story. It wasn’t cheesy and it fit like a glove!

The beginning of the story was a little slow, there is a lot you need to learn about the world that Tara Maya is creating. Since it isn’t just castles and monarchies, you need to learn their system of government, their way of life and who these people are exactly. It seems like too much at first, and I was a little worried that the rest of the book would continue on in the same vein.

It didn’t.

About a third of the way through I suddenly found myself speeding through the novel and completely lost within it.

Nothing in this book is quite as it seems; there are many examples of duality within the characters and their world. There are extremes in beauty and what I fondly like to call… “blegh”. There is some pretty dark content in this novel, but you should keep in mind that the people it portrays aren’t exactly what we would consider ‘civilized’. There is gore, war crimes, and general unpleasant behaviour. In my opinion, it definitely falls under adult books.

There are quite a few characters to keep track of, and the story jumps between them, occasionally telling the same or a similar piece of story from more than one POV. It sounds unpleasant, but it wasn’t. It really helps you see the world from the eyes of the characters. By the time I figured out all the characters I was pretty much used to the style of writing. Since this is the beginning of what looks to be a rather lengthy series, taking a little while to get to know the ins and outs certainly doesn’t hurt. (Just don’t read it while trying to fall asleep at night, it deserves your concentration!)

One of my few complaints would be the fact that there are some typos; not a ton, and you could work around them, but they’re there.

I had a bit of difficulty determining the exact ages of some of the characters but it didn’t detract from the story.

There is a lot of detail and many odds and ends that I hope will be explained in the sequel, but due to the fact that it is the beginning of a series — that is to be expected!!

The ending was a cliffhanger but since I have the sequel juuuuust waiting for me… I didn’t mind! (Definitely the key to making cliffhangers bearable.)

My last suggestion would be to read the Author’s Note at the end; it really is quite enlightening.

So there you have it. My opinion! Now go forth and download this book. It’s free and fabulous — you can’t possibly ask for more!

/5

This ebook can be picked up at all of the following locations:
Kobobooks.com (Kobo)**FREE
Amazon (Kindle) **FREE
Smashwords (Multiple eFormats including Nook) **FREE

Before you read this review, keep in mind that it is for a sequel and thus will likely contain spoilers from the first book. You have been warned.

You can read the review of Book 1: Draykon if you so desire. 

“The long-vanished draykon race has been restored to the Seven Realms, and the mystery of the istore stone is resolved. But Lady Eva Glostrum returns to Glour City with many questions unanswered. Who are the enigmatic sorcerers who woke the draykon? Their powers are beyond anything she has ever known. With one dead and one vanished – literally – Eva has little to go on save a book taken from a mysterious tower in the Lowers, its cover marked with the strange word “Lokant.”

Llandry Sanfaer is anxious to learn more about the glorious draykoni, whose story is so inexplicably bound up with her own. But when she brings another draykon back from the Long Sleep, she finds she has made a grave mistake. Worse, a white-haired sorcerer with a talent for mind control is stalking her across the Worlds…

As war builds between humankind and draykoni, Eva must uncover the identities of the sinister white-haired practitioners – and come to terms with the truth of her own heritage.

And Llandry must learn why she appears to be their primary target…”

I‘ve always been rather drawn to character interaction; the light, often vaguely sarcastic/humorous tone of the conversation in Lokant, especially in the most unlikely of circumstances, continuously made me smile. Something I greatly appreciate in books that I’m reading. (There is no such thing as smiling too often.)

The books have a faint steampunk vibe to them; it’s meshed in with the rest of the story quite well, but I think that any fans of steampunk would be rather drawn to this particular story. I see the technology being elegant yet unpolished; gears and magic, metal and will.

Perhaps the main reason I like Draykon/Lokant is because they have a slightly different flavor than many books I’ve read lately. The worlds are different, the characters are different, the creatures are different… it really is a nice change.

I like the first book a bit more, mostly because it seemed to focus on Landry and Eva. They haven’t disappeared from the story-line in this one, but there are so many others that are begging for attention that the story is split up a bit more. I wish I got to spend more time with each of them individually.

I am happy to report however that a third book is in fact in the works, so we certainly haven’t seen the last of them!

Lokant was less beautiful; the tone was more serious, more political than Draykon. You begin to be immersed in the how’s and why’s and the mystery is slowly revealed.

In the first book, even though I didn’t know exactly what was going on, I was pretty sure I knew who was going to end up with whom. By the end of this book not only did I not know, but I wasn’t even sure who I was rooting for anymore! (And I’m usually pretty loyal when it comes to my preferred love interests!)

And boys, before you start to worry, any romance is far from the focal point!

So did I like it? Yes. I think that Charlotte will simply keep improving as she writes more books and I look forward to finding out where her imagination takes her.
 

/5

Before you run off you should know that you currently have a chance to win “Lokant” and its prequel “Draykon”.  Entering is easy, comes with no pesky obligations and who knows… you might get lucky!! Head on over to this blog post to find out how to enter! (Contest closes Saturday, December 17th, 2011.)

Find Lokant on:
Amazon (Kindle)
Smashwords (multiple formats)

Today’s post is a double feature of fantastical proportions! I have for you, not only a look into the conception of Draykon; a superbly entertaining fantasy, but also a chance to win Draykon and its newly released sequel Lokant.

Whether you have a kindle, nook, kobo… or just read on your tablet/cell phone/computer… it doesn’t matter! We’ll make sure the winners receive copies of the books in the format of their choice.

In case you missed it, you can read my review of Draykon.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

“Shy jeweller Llandry Sanfaer finds herself at the centre of a sensation when she discovers a new and mesmerising gemstone. When some of her customers are killed for their coveted istore jewellery, Llandry is propelled into danger herself. As her mother’s friend Eva Glostrum races to unmask the murderer, Llandry must uncover the true nature of the stone before she too becomes a victim. 

a guest post by Charlotte E. English (author)

Charlotte E. English

It has been almost exactly a year since I began working on the book that eventually became my high fantasy mystery story, Draykon. I’ve always wanted to be a novelist, but it wasn’t until late December, 2010, that I wrote the first words of the story that would become my first completed, published novel.

At the time, I wasn’t aware of the building e-book revolution, as it’s now being called. I’d only just purchased a Kindle in the previous month, and I hadn’t got to grips with all the possibilities that it opened up to me. At that time, then, creating a novel still meant that I was facing the long drudgery of submitting the manuscript to agents and hoping really hard to get a publishing deal. Someday.

That prospect has always been a check on my creativity. I positively dreaded the endless round of trying to write the perfect query letter for each agent, sending off my novel again and again and counting up the rejection letters. Even if I was very lucky and got an agent and subsequently a publisher, I knew it could take years before my first book reached bookstores, and I couldn’t expect to be paid anything worthwhile. Not an attractive prospect, is it?

So I started writing that novel just as a hobby. It didn’t even have a title until about six months later. I spent an hour or so on it every evening, curled up under my duvet with a notebook and pen, writing purely for my own entertainment and fun. I didn’t think about what might be popular or what might sell. I certainly didn’t think about what agents or publishers might be interested in. I just wrote what I wanted.

The result, then, was something of a surprise. I instinctively took the essences of my two favourite genres – fantasy and mystery – and threw them into the pot. In went some nuggets of English social history, another strong interest of mine, to flavour and colour the worlds I was building. I mixed all of that up with a bottle of whimsy, a pinch of romance, and a measure or two of humour.

That colourful mixture spent nine months bubbling in the writing cauldron. Draykon was the concoction that emerged: a fast-paced mystery story set against a backdrop of fairytale beauty, and powered by two very different female characters. It’s a very personal story. If I had to sell the concept to an agent, I expect the attempt would fall completely flat; there are no current trends I could relate it to, no major author (that I know of) with whose work I could draw clear comparisons.

Which brings me back to the question of publishing in general. How did I end up self-publishing? Around springtime of 2011 the world in general realised that indie authors could actually make a living. This was a huge revelation to me. I could finish my novel, and potentially gain an audience for it without having to subject myself to the soul-destroying, time-consuming, labour-intensive and essentially humiliating experience of querying agents. I’ve always preferred to be in charge of my own destiny, so the prospect of having to do all the work myself was no barrier for me; on the contrary it was more of an attraction.

And indie publishing really is a lot of work. Editing, proofreading, cover art, formatting, book blurbs, promotion and so on… all these things are solely the responsibility of the author and it is a huge burden. If we aim to produce a fully professional product then none of these things can be omitted or skimped on. But it’s worth it, a hundred times over. And much of it can be more fun that one might think.

The prospect of indie publishing gave me the drive to finish Draykon. I’m still at the beginning of the self-publishing journey, and building an audience by slow degrees; but it’s happening. I’ve now added a second novel to my list of titles, and just looking at that achievement and knowing that readers are enjoying my work makes it all worthwhile.

Thank you for reading about the Draykon process. If you’d like to get in touch with me, feel free to visit my blog at http://www.charlotteenglish.com/, add @charlottenglish on Twitter or look me up on Goodreads!

To celebrate the release of Lokant, the second book in the series, Charlotte is giving away three sets of the books. This means you have three chances to win the set of two books. (The books will be in the ebook format of your choice.)

The Contest

The contest will be open until 11:59AM MDT, December 17th, 2011. At which point three winners will be chosen.   

How to Enter

GOOD LUCK!

“When shy and retiring Llandry Sanfaer discovers a mesmerising new gemstone, she suddenly becomes the most famous jeweller across the Seven Realms. Demand for the coveted stone escalates fast; when people begin dying for it, Llandry finds that she herself has become a target.

The emergence of the stone is causing chaos across the Seven. Gates between the worlds are opening at will, pulling hordes of creatures through from the shadowy Lower Realm and the glittering Uppers. As Eva works to discover the culprit behind the spreading disorder, Llandry must learn the truth about her precious istore stone – before she herself becomes a victim.” 

The problem with reading as many books as I do is this; you tend to run across many that are virtual copies of one another with storylines you can predict from the beginning.

On the flip side of the coin, the great thing about reading and reviewing so many books is the chance to discover new and brilliant stories; often before the rest of the world! To my delight ‘Draykon‘ falls into the latter category.

This book was, if you’ll pardon my humor, an absolute gem. The writing was excellent, the descriptions of the worlds were so vivid I could see them and the characters were each unique and fit well into the story.

I was concerned at first that it was going to be more of a murder mystery than anything, with never-ending descriptions of the victims and such, but it was nothing of the sort. There is certainly the mystery aspect to the novel, which is very engaging, but the story goes far beyond any typical ‘murder mystery’.

The cover. Of course I’m going to mention it! It is exquisite, and if you take the time to click on it and view it larger you’ll see just how stunning it is. Love it.

There is going to be a sequel to this novel, which I believe will be coming out shortly and which I have already decided to read.

So. Should you read this book? … Are you grown up? Do you like fantasy? If the answer to both those questions is yes then there is no reason for you not to click on one of the handy links below and go get it right now. (It’s $0.99 for hours of entertainment. How can you go wrong?)

If you do happen to pick up a copy of this book, remember to stop by and leave a review!

/5

Find this ebook on:
Amazon
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
Kobo Books

Charlotte has also written a collection of short stories featuring characters from ‘Draykon‘. It is called ‘Leximandra Reports, and other tales’ and can be downloaded as a free ebook on Smashwords.

Other links you may be interested in include:
The author’s website
The book’s Goodreads page

See you Saturday!

“What if? Why not? Could it be?

When a fortune teller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchenne knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortune teller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead you there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, here is a dreamlike and captivating tale that could only be told by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes the largest of themes; hope and belonging, desire and compassion, with the lightness of a magician’s touch.”

I had originally purchased this book for my nephew’s birthday, and somehow ended up reading it before I even gave it to him. Poor kid ended up with a lightly used novel, I look all the crispness right out of it. (Obviously we’re talking about a paperback here… just to clarify.)

It is not a particularly long story, ideal for the kid who enjoys a mystical aspect in their books. It’s also… different. Not quite your ‘cut and dry’ type of kids book. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who prefers things straightforward and direct.

/5

“The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again.

But one truth yet remains, and what mortal men forgot, the Aes Sedai do not …

What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.”

 When it comes to epic fantasy of truly, well… epic proportions; The Wheel of Time series reigns supreme. If you are hankering for a tale that could never be considered brief, regardless of your standards, one that is flavoured with a Tolkien-esque flair and a lot of creativity; this is the one.

The brilliant thing about buying these books for an ereader? Your hands won’t cramp up after 20 minutes of wielding the 800+ page tomes.

All true fantasy lovers should test out The Eye of the World, a tale that begins in a small and peaceful village, where darkness, war, and the evils of the world, are nothing more than a gleeman’s tale. Let the novels take you on a well-written and world-revealing journey of adventure and discovery. Good vs Evil. Fear against Will… and discover the secrets within… The Wheel of Time.

/5

The current novels in The Wheel of Time saga:

There is also a prequel – 20 years before it all (which I have yet to read): New Spring: The Novel (Wheel of Time), though I would suggest reading it after the series as I don’t know how much it reveals. There is also another installment in the series due out next year.

See what I mean when I say it is Epic?

Buy The Eye of the World ebook:
Amazon Kindle
Barns & Noble Nook

While I had every intention of not starting another writing project until my novel was complete, it didn’t really work out that way.

I’ve had this story idea rolling around in my head for months and originally I had planned to write it as a novel, or perhaps novella. About a week or so ago I realized that to convey the story I wanted to, I only needed a short story.

Giving in to my impulses and the fact that I could use a brief break from my current novel; I wrote it.

It is untitled, approximately 5,500 words and in its second round of proofing. I’m pretty ok with how it is turning out, and as such I’m going to do something I have never done before. I’m going to share with you a brief synopsis (very brief!) of a story that I have written. 

“She lived a broken life, consumed by the fear of things she could not see; taunted by a dream that was everything her reality could never be. 

Until now.”

When I’ve decided what I’m going to do with the finished product, you’ll be the first to know!