Regent Brian Rathbone Regent is the much anticipated continuation of the World of Godsland fantasy series, which began with The Dawning of Power trilogy. In the years since the end of The Herald War, the world has become complacent despite Catrin Volker's warnings. When the darkness of her visions comes to pass, no one is prepared, and the fate of humanity will rest in her hands. Lure Brian Rathbone Warning: This title contains sexual content, bad behavior, mild profanity and immature characters.
What readers are saying: Off-duty, she's been known to cause her own trouble, but when she drives into the side of an ambulance after seeing a ghost, her career in law enforcement meets its end. Determined to find answers, she forms a paranormal investigation agency with her capable but sometimes annoying friend, Shells. Though they are perhaps the world's worst paranormal investigators, they find something beyond their wildest imaginings.
Dragon Ore Brian Rathbone Clinging to life, Catrin Volker struggles to regain her strength as her foes go in search of even greater power. Ancient enemies threaten and forgotten alliances emerge in the exciting conclusion of The Dawning of Power trilogy. Dragon Airways Brian Rathbone Lured by ancient magic, a boy with special needs and unusual talents becomes valuable to both sides of the war.
Inherited Danger
Fleeing those sent to capture him, he and his sister board Dragon Airways. Looking for a fun bedtime story filled with silliness and love to share with your kids? The Silliest Dragon has a message for you. Redtooth Brian Rathbone Bob needs a new headset. In this humorous short story, a trip to the pawn shop sends Bob Hanks on an unexpected adventure.
This children's picture book tells the story of two young dragons trying to keep their color. Parts 1, 2 and 3 are also available in a single book, The Lost Dragons. No one is prepared The Dawning of Power includes three books: In times such as these, ordinary people have the power to save the world. Cometas aparecieron en los cielos nocturnos, anunciando el regreso de una diosa. Delle comete appaiono nel cielo di notte, annunciando il ritorno di una dea.
While trying to save her friend from bullies, Catrin unknowingly triggers powerful, ancient magic. Her quest for peace captures the imagination with fantastical landscapes, magic, and dragons. The Dawning of Power trilogy: Onin never dared imagine such a life for himself, even after distinguishing himself in battle. When offered a rare opportunity to train within the Heights, he must balance honor, duty, and family.
Haunted by persistent dreams and lured by the possibility of becoming a member of the guard, Onin leaves his home and the last vestiges of childhood behind. The Fifth Magic Dragonhold The Seventh Magic The stars have gone… Long dormant relics bask in the light of a hundred comets, restoring magics of a previous age. Objects inert for eons become dangers and tools no one can ignore. 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. But I couldn't finish. Feb 27, N. Light rated it really liked it Shelves: 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.
You can work a series, especially in fantasy, without massive cliffhangers. A good start to the series, though. 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. May 01, Heather Williams rated it it was ok. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
The story was intriguing, but details left me annoyed. It should have been midday!! Hail from the previous night was grapefruit sized, but no one was hurt by any hail during the storm. He is the guy that always gets beat up or injured. It is like his character wa The story was intriguing, but details left me annoyed. 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.
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 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. 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? Her travel companions, sorry, guardians are all male.
Could there not be another girl that was also strong? Is Catrin even strong? I know this is a series of books, but the ending of this first one was lame.
Oh, another ship is coming Am I being overly harsh? Again, the story itself was not bad. It was the details especially toward the end of the book that were eye-roll inducing. Jan 21, Benjamin Spurlock rated it it was amazing Shelves: 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. 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, t Full disclosure: 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! Jan 30, Scott Gray rated it really liked it. 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 w 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. 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. Aug 07, Evgeny rated it liked it Shelves: This is an entertaining enough book considering its price free on Amazon. My biggest problem with it: May 12, Bob Clarkson rated it really liked it.
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. Evidently, I didn't read the same book. All you have to do is to back to the early 's This book was recommended by a friend and when I looked for it on Amazon, I found it free.
All you have to do is to back to the early 's to early 's for a clear example.
- The Black Hills.
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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. 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. Oct 15, Erica rated it liked it. 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 ne Seventeen year old farm girl Catrin was just an ordinary student. 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. Catrin is an interesting girl and someone who I think young readers can relate to. The story seems to move too quickly in some spots.
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. All in all, young fans of fantasy will enjoy this tale. I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. Aug 24, J. Begley rated it liked it. Overall, I liked this story. If it would allow it I'd give it 3. I'd give it a 7 on a scale of 1 to 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. The other things that bothered me Overall, I liked this story. 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 year old prophesy without skepticism. Magic in this world follows the interesting premise of only being available for years between year stretches. Okay, fair enough, but in the 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 years. One may point to China, but China was really a long series of different kingdoms and empires.
In 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. May 29, Patricia Hamill rated it really liked it Shelves: Catrin is a girl caught up in events beyond her control. 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.
I always enjoy a good coming into powers story, and this one was no disappointment Catrin is a girl caught up in events beyond her control. 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. Still, it was well-executed and fit into the story. As for the action and the pacing, this story does both exceedingly well. Overall, I enjoyed this story.
I would recommend it to folks who enjoy fantasy with a good mix of action and banter. Feb 24, Robert Rumble rated it really liked it. 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. Apr 04, Andrew Ferrell rated it really liked it. 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, b 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. 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? Sep 14, TDCbookreviews rated it it was amazing.
Author Brian Rathbone: Epic Fantasy Series
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. Rathbone has woven a beautifully detailed w 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. 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! Jul 28, Ashley rated it liked it.
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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. Aug 25, Flora Viggiano rated it it was amazing. 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.
Call of the Herald
I look forward to reading more about this young girl and the perils that await her. Very vivid yet not over the The book has a strong female heroine. 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.
Jul 27, Peter Plantec rated it it was amazing. 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. 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 t It's been a while since a book has grabbed me. 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. Oct 10, Kitty Austin rated it it was amazing. 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. Jul 21, Karen rated it did not like it. Mar 10, Bill Tillman rated it it was amazing Shelves: A Very inventive tale, full of unusual characters, magic powers, and differing world views. Looking forward to reading Inherited Danger Godsland Series: Jan 23, Jinx: Also, I must point out, that as a FREE book it was really a gem, with hardly any note worthy errors, grammatical or otherwise.
It could have perhaps used a bit of editing, as there was quite a bit of filler material there, but even that added to the dimension of the world, and gave it some realism, so I was not bothered by the extra details as other reviewers have been. It definitely slowed down the overall pacing, however.
It truly felt alive and scenes were vividly shaped and crafted. In that sense, not much was left for imagination. The plot itself felt, at times, recycled and yet somehow original by its own strength. Rathbone writes clearly and compellingly enough to carry the reader into his words, however, as interesting as the world and premise were there are some deep flaws that I must point out My only real qualm with this book was the lack of individual character depth, portrayal, and visual descriptions.
Many of them seemed to blend in together after a while. Rathbone is great with others kinds of descriptions, landscapes and scenery, daily activities, chores and survival details, exciting events and adventure, but when it comes to characters sometimes they just feel flat. However, the recycled plot elements did not bother me nearly so much as did the flatness of the characters.
It was very hard to connect with Catrin and being the main character I found that aspect greatly problematic. Also, there were hardly any mention of physical characteristics of any of the characters, if any. The author did little to describe the features, attributes, ethnicity, or even basic character quirks to distinguish them from one another. It was hard to even visualize them, in all honestly. So that was a big put off for me. Another perhaps note worthy issue was the lack of any real sense of danger, evil, or any clear villain etc. While we, the reader, are informed early on that there are cultish pursuers of the Herald, I never really sensed this as a peril so much as the every day survival dangers the party came across, such as the boar attack etc.
Aside from that bothersome aspect though, Call of the Herald was a very fine read and I will be attempting to read the next in the series. Although a bit on the slow side, it was well worth the read in my opinion.