What do you think?
Rate this book
The Book of Deacon #1
The Book of Deacon
The tale of Myranda Celeste, a young woman orphaned by a century long war, and her chance discovery of a fallen soldier's priceless cargo. The find will change her life, sending her on an adventure of soldiers and rebels, wizards and warriors, and beasts both noble and monstrous. Each step will bring her closer to the truth of her potential, of the war, and of the fate of her world.
322 pages, Paperback
First published January 28, 2010
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 768 reviews
February 1, 2014
Well, this is the second fantasy I've rated the "dreaded" three(3) stars in a row.
The three star rating is one that on it's own probably doesn't help much when someone wants a recommendation. I try to give few 5 star ratings. If a book gets a 5 from me it's either on or almost on my favorites list. That means a 4 star rating goes to some excellent books. Good books that I enjoy a lot get a 4 and books that are verging being disliked get a 2. Of course a 1 is reserved for books I truly dislike-hate-or can't even finish.
That leaves poor 3 as a catch all for everything from, "yeah I like it but it's nothing special" to "Well it's not a 2 but almost".
This 3 star book is a little better than the last 3 star book. Let's call it a "high 3".
You don't get something never done before here. This book falls well within the traditional epic fantasy stereotype borders. There are several schools of magic, you've seen them before. We start with a young protagonist, Myranda as she stumbles into an "EPIC" tale. There are elves, dwarves, dragons, fairies, mere-people, wizards, and other fantasy creatures.
This is not in itself a problem. I doubt there are a lot of truly original story basics left unused and a lot of good, even great traditional fantasies show up every day. I mean yeah it's the same idea but it can be used a different way as in you can have the same dish prepared with different recipes. You can have the same flavor in different applications. If you like chocolate and you enjoy say...a Hershey bar, chocolate cake and chocolate milk chances are you'll like chocolate ice cream.
Same here. it's a good idea, and the story gets set up and spun out pretty well.
Okay there's the molasses now for the sulfur. This is a book that shows some, roughness in the writing. I always go slow here as I haven't published anything I've written so it's a sensitive thing to criticize someone else's work. Still, here we go.
The dialogue here is often very...stilted. We have a lot of what used to be called "Tom Swift dialogue". In other words:
"Blah, blah" he said.
"Blah, blah" she answered.
"Blah, blah" he asked.
"Blah, blah" she answered.
The conversations get choppy after a while and finally it starts to grate on "some readers" (me for one).
Also about halfway through the book something happens and the story gets very, tedious. This begins the part of the book where our young protagonist begins the training portion of her quest.
Our protagonist...Myranda. Myranda gets, after a while, very annoying herself. She's somewhat....what's the word? Whiny? Dense? Maybe immature? One problem is that throughout the book Myranda "changes" but she doesn't develop. She becomes almost a "Mary Sue" in some ways but never grows beyond the immature character she begins as.
One problem is that the book is trying to (sort of in the background) deal with complex subjects but doing it in simplistic ways with simplistic reasoning.
Okay, enough. It's a pretty good read though I think it shows the need for a bit more development. I do plan to follow the series (though I don't plan to rush right out (on line) and snap up the next.
Three pretty good stars...call this one as noted, a high 3. It's an enjoyable read just go in knowing there are going to be some dry spots but stick with it. Nice story.
The three star rating is one that on it's own probably doesn't help much when someone wants a recommendation. I try to give few 5 star ratings. If a book gets a 5 from me it's either on or almost on my favorites list. That means a 4 star rating goes to some excellent books. Good books that I enjoy a lot get a 4 and books that are verging being disliked get a 2. Of course a 1 is reserved for books I truly dislike-hate-or can't even finish.
That leaves poor 3 as a catch all for everything from, "yeah I like it but it's nothing special" to "Well it's not a 2 but almost".
This 3 star book is a little better than the last 3 star book. Let's call it a "high 3".
You don't get something never done before here. This book falls well within the traditional epic fantasy stereotype borders. There are several schools of magic, you've seen them before. We start with a young protagonist, Myranda as she stumbles into an "EPIC" tale. There are elves, dwarves, dragons, fairies, mere-people, wizards, and other fantasy creatures.
This is not in itself a problem. I doubt there are a lot of truly original story basics left unused and a lot of good, even great traditional fantasies show up every day. I mean yeah it's the same idea but it can be used a different way as in you can have the same dish prepared with different recipes. You can have the same flavor in different applications. If you like chocolate and you enjoy say...a Hershey bar, chocolate cake and chocolate milk chances are you'll like chocolate ice cream.
Same here. it's a good idea, and the story gets set up and spun out pretty well.
Okay there's the molasses now for the sulfur. This is a book that shows some, roughness in the writing. I always go slow here as I haven't published anything I've written so it's a sensitive thing to criticize someone else's work. Still, here we go.
The dialogue here is often very...stilted. We have a lot of what used to be called "Tom Swift dialogue". In other words:
"Blah, blah" he said.
"Blah, blah" she answered.
"Blah, blah" he asked.
"Blah, blah" she answered.
The conversations get choppy after a while and finally it starts to grate on "some readers" (me for one).
Also about halfway through the book something happens and the story gets very, tedious. This begins the part of the book where our young protagonist begins the training portion of her quest.
Our protagonist...Myranda. Myranda gets, after a while, very annoying herself. She's somewhat....what's the word? Whiny? Dense? Maybe immature? One problem is that throughout the book Myranda "changes" but she doesn't develop. She becomes almost a "Mary Sue" in some ways but never grows beyond the immature character she begins as.
One problem is that the book is trying to (sort of in the background) deal with complex subjects but doing it in simplistic ways with simplistic reasoning.
Okay, enough. It's a pretty good read though I think it shows the need for a bit more development. I do plan to follow the series (though I don't plan to rush right out (on line) and snap up the next.
Three pretty good stars...call this one as noted, a high 3. It's an enjoyable read just go in knowing there are going to be some dry spots but stick with it. Nice story.
June 22, 2012
Genre: fantastical. Orphan and sword.
Wizard in tower and hundred-year war.
Underground fighters, utopian school.
Evil kings, ghost soldiers, dragons (so kewl!)
Daring escapes in the depths of the night.
Mermaid and fairy and fox-man, unite!
Pop-up protagonist, no show - just tell.
Action on action, until the falls swell.
Then it's a case of 'Myranda Sublime' -
She bests the masters in just 4 months' time!
Overall, entertaining.
However, like many self-published works (including the above), I found it to be suffering from First-Draft Syndrome. The whole thing read like the author gave it a once-over and that was it. Sometimes clunky; flat dialogue; wrong words in places. The world building was ok, the descriptions were tight and illustrative, but the characterization was almost non-existent. When it came to how the characters were feeling, it was "tell, not show" on an epic scale. Because of this, I never really got invested in any of the characters, and although I was entertained, I never once forgot that I was reading a book.
Wizard in tower and hundred-year war.
Underground fighters, utopian school.
Evil kings, ghost soldiers, dragons (so kewl!)
Daring escapes in the depths of the night.
Mermaid and fairy and fox-man, unite!
Pop-up protagonist, no show - just tell.
Action on action, until the falls swell.
Then it's a case of 'Myranda Sublime' -
She bests the masters in just 4 months' time!
Overall, entertaining.
However, like many self-published works (including the above), I found it to be suffering from First-Draft Syndrome. The whole thing read like the author gave it a once-over and that was it. Sometimes clunky; flat dialogue; wrong words in places. The world building was ok, the descriptions were tight and illustrative, but the characterization was almost non-existent. When it came to how the characters were feeling, it was "tell, not show" on an epic scale. Because of this, I never really got invested in any of the characters, and although I was entertained, I never once forgot that I was reading a book.
June 15, 2011
I plodded through the beginning of this book, bored to tears at times, fighting the urge to compulsively pound the NEXT button on my Kindle, only to end up spellbound once the story took off. There's magic! And dragons! And fairies! And mermaids! And some weird fox man, whose name MAY or MAY NOT be Lain, or it could be something else, and REALLY WHAT IS HIS DEAL? And Deacon, oh Deacon, never change. Go on with your nerdy self.
I fought sometimes with Myranda, the main character who may or may not be one of the Chosen, a group of people (beings?) prophesied to end The War, being a little Mary Sue-ish, what with her flair for all things magics and setting records left and right, but once I decided to roll with it, I kinda fell in love with her character. Okay, maybe her DRAGON sidekick, Myn, had something to do with it. Seriously. She has a dragon sidekick. It's like all the things I loved in my childhood coming together for a book of complete awesome.
My only complaint is the cliffhanger-type ending. The falls, separating Entwell, a little piece of Utopia tucked away in a war-ridden world, has ceased and Lain, the weird foxman, also probably a Chosen, has left. And Myranda, bless her heart, is after him to FORCE HIM TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, YOU UNDERSTAND? So, she leaves, taking her awesome dragon sidekick with her, out unto the great unknown, taking poor Deacon's (seriously, Deacon? Best friends? Me & you? Think about it.) heart with her.
And...fade to black. Pick up the next book if you want to know what happens? Deacon's hand is tired, he can't possibly write anymore right now!
Well played, Lallo. I don't like it, but well played.
I fought sometimes with Myranda, the main character who may or may not be one of the Chosen, a group of people (beings?) prophesied to end The War, being a little Mary Sue-ish, what with her flair for all things magics and setting records left and right, but once I decided to roll with it, I kinda fell in love with her character. Okay, maybe her DRAGON sidekick, Myn, had something to do with it. Seriously. She has a dragon sidekick. It's like all the things I loved in my childhood coming together for a book of complete awesome.
My only complaint is the cliffhanger-type ending. The falls, separating Entwell, a little piece of Utopia tucked away in a war-ridden world, has ceased and Lain, the weird foxman, also probably a Chosen, has left. And Myranda, bless her heart, is after him to FORCE HIM TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, YOU UNDERSTAND? So, she leaves, taking her awesome dragon sidekick with her, out unto the great unknown, taking poor Deacon's (seriously, Deacon? Best friends? Me & you? Think about it.) heart with her.
And...fade to black. Pick up the next book if you want to know what happens? Deacon's hand is tired, he can't possibly write anymore right now!
Well played, Lallo. I don't like it, but well played.
September 10, 2013
This book is mildly bad. Unfortunately, it is mildly bad in a whole lot of ways and there isn't anything offsetting the mildly bad to make me want to proceed past the 35% I managed. Myranda is a limp noodle drifting from place to place and activity to activity with little motivation and less sense. Some of this is the fault of poor writing (seriously, only in bad comedies does someone drop their only weapon when their foe shrieks at them) and some of it is that the character is designed to be a limp noodle (with reflexive anti-violence sentiments that have little thought and less depth).
The few passages from the perspective of what seem to be the bad guys (they certainly act like bad guys) were really poorly thought out, with motivations that amount to "we're in charge and must control everything because we are in charge!" Fortunately for them, they have perfect propaganda and, apparently, mind control, so that an entire nation still blindly supports a war that has dragged on over a century with zero progress and enough casualties to pull women into conscription (gah! It's like the author wants it to be horrible but never bothered to think through the consequences of all the horrible).
There are also random strangers who help or hinder based on, well, authorial whim, I suppose. Which wouldn't be that terrible if they made a little bit of sense, but they just don't. An assassin whose only kills we see are of his putative employers, for example. And don't get me started about the dragon. Uh. Any of the dragons, actually, now I think on it.
All the bad bits kept piling up and I eventually just couldn't find any reason to continue. Add in fairly poor editing and a few expositive info-dumps and the whole thing is just one big mess.
The few passages from the perspective of what seem to be the bad guys (they certainly act like bad guys) were really poorly thought out, with motivations that amount to "we're in charge and must control everything because we are in charge!" Fortunately for them, they have perfect propaganda and, apparently, mind control, so that an entire nation still blindly supports a war that has dragged on over a century with zero progress and enough casualties to pull women into conscription (gah! It's like the author wants it to be horrible but never bothered to think through the consequences of all the horrible).
There are also random strangers who help or hinder based on, well, authorial whim, I suppose. Which wouldn't be that terrible if they made a little bit of sense, but they just don't. An assassin whose only kills we see are of his putative employers, for example. And don't get me started about the dragon. Uh. Any of the dragons, actually, now I think on it.
All the bad bits kept piling up and I eventually just couldn't find any reason to continue. Add in fairly poor editing and a few expositive info-dumps and the whole thing is just one big mess.
September 17, 2013
I struggled between three and two stars. I settled on two because, although I didn't think it was terrible, I wasn't left feeling much of anything.
First of all, this is a solid effort and I applaud that. The writing is competent, the characters are serviceable, and the setting is interesting. Perhaps the biggest problem I felt this book suffered from is its tendency to meander. For far too long, the book featured Myranda, our main character, wandering from place to place without a particularly pressing or compelling goal. The places were imaginative, sure, but I typically don't read epic fantasy for a travelogue. I admit, there were times when I found myself nodding off due to the lack of forward plot movement.
Like other reviewers, I was left with the distinct impression that this was a first draft. There were many instances where I thought scenes (there are no chapters) could be cut or trimmed. There were also plenty of interactions with side characters that, while enjoyable to read, took too long or did not advance the plot in a significant way.
I did greatly appreciate Myranda's presence, however. I didn't find her memorable but I liked how she and the other female characters were physically capable and did not fall into the standard fantasy tropes, which I was anticipating.
I would say go ahead and pick it up since it's free on the Kindle (at least at the time of writing this). If you like it, yay! If not, then no loss to you.
First of all, this is a solid effort and I applaud that. The writing is competent, the characters are serviceable, and the setting is interesting. Perhaps the biggest problem I felt this book suffered from is its tendency to meander. For far too long, the book featured Myranda, our main character, wandering from place to place without a particularly pressing or compelling goal. The places were imaginative, sure, but I typically don't read epic fantasy for a travelogue. I admit, there were times when I found myself nodding off due to the lack of forward plot movement.
Like other reviewers, I was left with the distinct impression that this was a first draft. There were many instances where I thought scenes (there are no chapters) could be cut or trimmed. There were also plenty of interactions with side characters that, while enjoyable to read, took too long or did not advance the plot in a significant way.
I did greatly appreciate Myranda's presence, however. I didn't find her memorable but I liked how she and the other female characters were physically capable and did not fall into the standard fantasy tropes, which I was anticipating.
I would say go ahead and pick it up since it's free on the Kindle (at least at the time of writing this). If you like it, yay! If not, then no loss to you.
May 6, 2012
To say that this book was not what I expected from the reviews is an understatemant. Like most epic fantasy, this is a coming of age tale - but that's where it's turned on it's head. Myranda, our heroine is a pacifist who just wants the war to end. She feels the unfortunate loss of humanity on both sides of the war, and if she could figure out any way to speed both sides to peace negotiations, she would do it. But, she is only a girl and an outcast for not fighting on the side of the Northern Alliance. She moves from town to town hiding her true feelings which would brand her a traitor. After slipping up in a village she is given bad directions. These directions don't lead her the nearest town, but into a frozen wasteland. She has to find wood for a fire or she'll surely freeze to death, when she spies a flash of light through the blizzard in the distance. Having no other options, she heads for that light, and what she finds there determines her fate for the rest of the book and beyond.
At this point in the story we realy start rolling. Myranda experiences adventures that mystify her and that she is ill prepared for. She gains help from some unlikely places, a half man/half fox, the Undermine, a group fighting against the war, a white wizard who teaches her healing, a baby dragon who latches onto her and becomes her protector, a grey wizard, an Earth wizard, a water wizard, an air wizard, and fire wizard who happens to be another dragon.
Because of what happened in that frozen wasteland, the Elite of the Northern Alliance has orders to capture her alive. They have already captured everybody that came in contact with her after she left the wasteland. So, what is so bloody important about what she found that the the North Alliance that they would go to so much trouble over one little girl and the half man/half fox (malthrope) that helped her? The plot twists and turns like a hedge maze as we follow our heroine in her journeys through the North trying to evade capture. And one other thing, some of the people in the Northern Alliance don't seem to be quite human. If they're not human, what are they? What do they have to do with a human war? And what is their interest in Myranda? Are they evil?
All these and more will be answered in the final two books of the series - The Battle of Verrill and The Great Convergence. While many questions weren't answered in the first book, the ending was still masterfully done. The characterizations in this book are impressive, going out of their way to present shades of grey to each character, more like real life than most others - making them leap off the page unlike most authors. Constantly questioning herself about the right thing to do, Myranda grows throughout the book, the more she finds out about what has happened in the world, as well as being the Mother to a Dragon. By the end of the book she has a purpose that she would give her life for. The other characters such as Deacon and Lain change too through their interactions with Myranda. It is quite a big cast and some are from different races: elves, dwarves, mermaids, malthropes and dragons and yet each has a distinct personality that leaps off the page fully formed.
The pacing in the book is swift - grabbing you from the very beginning and not letting go until the final words. The transitions in the book from the characters POV to another are silky smooth, there is no jarring, no stopping, no confusion. The ending in the book is neither too slow, nor too rushed. It answers the earliest questions, but leaves others quite open for book 2, which is already out. (So is book 3).
I would whole heartledly recommend this book to people who like epic fantasty. I would also recommend it to those who like books on magic - because Lallo's take on magic is a combination of historical accuracy and imagination. I would also recommend this book to people who like to read historical war fantasy. While there are not a lot of battles in the first book, more are coming in the Battle of Verrill. I realy think you'll like this. And last but not least, I recommend this book to students of human nature. When you fight a war for decades there will always be dissenting opinions, disillusioned soldiers, burned out high command. At this point, you're just fighting to fight, not getting the best possible outcome for the people. This book is a thumping good read by any definition. Don't let the whinging from other reviews put you off. (PICKY! PICKY! PICKY!) You can't beat the price and I promise your time won't be wasted. Just download it and give it a chance - it's free! I'm on to book two. I can't wait.
At this point in the story we realy start rolling. Myranda experiences adventures that mystify her and that she is ill prepared for. She gains help from some unlikely places, a half man/half fox, the Undermine, a group fighting against the war, a white wizard who teaches her healing, a baby dragon who latches onto her and becomes her protector, a grey wizard, an Earth wizard, a water wizard, an air wizard, and fire wizard who happens to be another dragon.
Because of what happened in that frozen wasteland, the Elite of the Northern Alliance has orders to capture her alive. They have already captured everybody that came in contact with her after she left the wasteland. So, what is so bloody important about what she found that the the North Alliance that they would go to so much trouble over one little girl and the half man/half fox (malthrope) that helped her? The plot twists and turns like a hedge maze as we follow our heroine in her journeys through the North trying to evade capture. And one other thing, some of the people in the Northern Alliance don't seem to be quite human. If they're not human, what are they? What do they have to do with a human war? And what is their interest in Myranda? Are they evil?
All these and more will be answered in the final two books of the series - The Battle of Verrill and The Great Convergence. While many questions weren't answered in the first book, the ending was still masterfully done. The characterizations in this book are impressive, going out of their way to present shades of grey to each character, more like real life than most others - making them leap off the page unlike most authors. Constantly questioning herself about the right thing to do, Myranda grows throughout the book, the more she finds out about what has happened in the world, as well as being the Mother to a Dragon. By the end of the book she has a purpose that she would give her life for. The other characters such as Deacon and Lain change too through their interactions with Myranda. It is quite a big cast and some are from different races: elves, dwarves, mermaids, malthropes and dragons and yet each has a distinct personality that leaps off the page fully formed.
The pacing in the book is swift - grabbing you from the very beginning and not letting go until the final words. The transitions in the book from the characters POV to another are silky smooth, there is no jarring, no stopping, no confusion. The ending in the book is neither too slow, nor too rushed. It answers the earliest questions, but leaves others quite open for book 2, which is already out. (So is book 3).
I would whole heartledly recommend this book to people who like epic fantasty. I would also recommend it to those who like books on magic - because Lallo's take on magic is a combination of historical accuracy and imagination. I would also recommend this book to people who like to read historical war fantasy. While there are not a lot of battles in the first book, more are coming in the Battle of Verrill. I realy think you'll like this. And last but not least, I recommend this book to students of human nature. When you fight a war for decades there will always be dissenting opinions, disillusioned soldiers, burned out high command. At this point, you're just fighting to fight, not getting the best possible outcome for the people. This book is a thumping good read by any definition. Don't let the whinging from other reviews put you off. (PICKY! PICKY! PICKY!) You can't beat the price and I promise your time won't be wasted. Just download it and give it a chance - it's free! I'm on to book two. I can't wait.
September 6, 2012
This novel was a huge disappointment. The plot was intriguing and the first half or so of the book maintained my attention. However, the book quickly devolved into something that I couldn't wait to finish because I was tired of the problems I found with it. Let me provide some constructive criticism for the author in the hopes that he will improve for future endeavors.
First of all, there were no chapters. The novel was divided up into sections that were marked off by hashtags. Where I may see the purpose of this, it can make it difficult for navigating. Also, some of the sections were extremely long and probably should have been broken up a bit.
Second, I didn't see much character development. In fact, the characters actually changed personalities so drastically it was like they were different people and were difficult to recognize--I ended up hating individuals I initially really liked. It was as if they had devolved instead of developed.
Third, parts of the book were rather confusing. The imagery was difficult to grasp (it seems that sometimes the author had some difficulty in conveying the pictures in his head); sometimes a "he" or "she" was ambiguous and the reader couldn't tell to whom that referred in a scene that had more than one male or female; and so on.
Fourth, the book needs a thorough editing. There were excessive spelling ("though" for "through", for example) and grammar issues that made the text difficult to read at times. In addition to that, a good editor would be able to identify aspects of the novel that may seem confusing to a reader.
Fifth, there was so much repetition. For example, many of the sections end with one of the characters heading off to bed or going to sleep. That got annoying. There are lots of ways to close a scene without having a character literally close the scene with their eyes. Please use some imagination.
I can only hope that some of these issues will be fixed in the second installment of this trilogy.
First of all, there were no chapters. The novel was divided up into sections that were marked off by hashtags. Where I may see the purpose of this, it can make it difficult for navigating. Also, some of the sections were extremely long and probably should have been broken up a bit.
Second, I didn't see much character development. In fact, the characters actually changed personalities so drastically it was like they were different people and were difficult to recognize--I ended up hating individuals I initially really liked. It was as if they had devolved instead of developed.
Third, parts of the book were rather confusing. The imagery was difficult to grasp (it seems that sometimes the author had some difficulty in conveying the pictures in his head); sometimes a "he" or "she" was ambiguous and the reader couldn't tell to whom that referred in a scene that had more than one male or female; and so on.
Fourth, the book needs a thorough editing. There were excessive spelling ("though" for "through", for example) and grammar issues that made the text difficult to read at times. In addition to that, a good editor would be able to identify aspects of the novel that may seem confusing to a reader.
Fifth, there was so much repetition. For example, many of the sections end with one of the characters heading off to bed or going to sleep. That got annoying. There are lots of ways to close a scene without having a character literally close the scene with their eyes. Please use some imagination.
I can only hope that some of these issues will be fixed in the second installment of this trilogy.
October 10, 2022
I didn't finish it this time around, but it's a really good book. I plan on reading the next in the series. If you enjoy adventure fantasy, I would recommend it. There's a world with war, magic, secrets, creatures, prophecies, etc...
December 2, 2012
Wow, just wow. I didn't really have any expectations about this book except that I hope the heroine is as cool as she looks she is. And she truly was amazing albeit incredibly stubborn. I can't believe she's been living the life of a nomad in such frigid and dangerous weathers; I felt sympathy for her when she met Leo and didn't want to part ways. Now, Leo is definitely an intriguing character, a hooded figure in the corner of a bar approaching you and saving the day? It almost seems as if he was seeking her out, and maybe he was but not for the reasons I might have in mind. But nevertheless the things you learn about the characters in this book are just surprising. But in a good way of course, I loved all the twists and turns and all the unanswered questions; the story is just full of so many great story elements. And I especially love Myn, she is just adorable and the perfect companion for Myranda. My favorite part of the book has to be when the trio goes to the belly of the beast and there Myranda begins her training and just owns every element. I was a little sad when they had to leave & and at the time I didn't know the book was part of a series so at some point I was expecting a resolution but it never came. Nonetheless, I was excited that Myranda & Leo's journey didn't end there.
I have a nagging feeling I'll have to reread the story again since I know who the narrator is now. I can't believe I didn't realize it when Deacon was first introduced in the story!
I definitely recommend this book to those looking for something interesting to read.
I have a nagging feeling I'll have to reread the story again since I know who the narrator is now. I can't believe I didn't realize it when Deacon was first introduced in the story!
I definitely recommend this book to those looking for something interesting to read.
June 8, 2012
While I enjoyed this book and may eventually pick up the next one, there were enough problems to keep me from truly getting hooked. In particular, the characters' motivations weren't always clear, and they were often clumsily characterized. The dialog often felt stilted, and I found that I often enjoyed myself more when the characters weren't talking!
Pros:
* Likable, if flat, characters
* Interesting magic system
* World I want to explore more
* I want to know what happens next!
Cons:
* Lacking solid character motivations and development
* Editing problems
* Inconsistent pacing
Overall, I'd recommend this book if you can overlook what I listed as the cons, because the pros are definitely there under all the problems.
Pros:
* Likable, if flat, characters
* Interesting magic system
* World I want to explore more
* I want to know what happens next!
Cons:
* Lacking solid character motivations and development
* Editing problems
* Inconsistent pacing
Overall, I'd recommend this book if you can overlook what I listed as the cons, because the pros are definitely there under all the problems.
December 14, 2017
I read this book from iBooks, and I thought it was a fun read! It was easy to follow along with, and I was excited to keep reading it. I'm looking forward to reading second book in the trilogy to find out what happens next on the journey. (:
February 21, 2013
I feel a bit mean only giving this 2 stars, but I finished this book yesterday and still can't decide whether or not I liked it. There are flashes of what promises to be an engaging story and writing style, just persistent enough to keep you going, but I also had some real problems with it.
When I read a really good book, I forget I'm reading - the fourth wall is gone and I'm *in* the book. There are a few reasons why I had difficulty feeling that with The Book of Deacon.
1) The author might want to use a thesaurus and go through and audit all the times they use the word 'simple' as a descriptor. Sometimes it's more than once in the same paragraph! Yes, I get that you're trying to say that they don't live in luxury, but there are other words you can use: rustic, adequate, unpretentious, rough hewn, basic, spare to name a few!
2) I know this is part of a series and so you need to lay some ground for what's going to happen in later books, but the cut away scenes to other characters aren't working for me. They're too short to really get involved in, and a lot of the space within them is taken up describing what the characters are doing sequentially on what feels like a day to day basis - I'm not feeling that they're moving the story onwards, but they also aren't really engaging with the feelings of the characters in the subplot either.
3) Some of the characters in the main thread seem to go through dramatic changes in outlook and emotion quite suddenly, and I don't think that these are given enough time or space to make sense. I know that a book full of feelings rather than actions can be irritating too, but I'd like to see the characters build up to a change and then for the aftermath to play out, rather than them being so binary.
Now that said, there are some good points to the book too - which kept me reading on:
1) The surroundings and the physical world are quite immersive (apart from where the author refers to freezing cold 'fields' - as a Brit when I think of a field, I think of fences or hedges around it - do they mean steppes/plains instead?) Where the story moves to different locations, each place does have a definite character and feel, it doesn't feel like the same stage with some minor window dressing.
2) I do like that there are prominent, physically able female characters that so far don't seem to fall into any typical fantasy stereotypes. I like that there seems to be a reasonable balance between male and female characters and the girls aren't all pushed into minor healers roles (Yes, Narnia, I'm looking at you!)
3) Supernatural/non-human characters are integrated very sensibly into the storyline, with none of the 'ooh look there's a terribly ethereal and delicate elf/big scary evil dragon/mindless slavering orc' cliches that you see so often. And joy of all joys, the non-human characters actually have distince personalities and aren't all dumped into a generic racial hive mind!
So, on balance, I do think the author could do with having another look over this one and tweaking a few things, but it's certainly no worse than, say, David Eddings for all that.
When I read a really good book, I forget I'm reading - the fourth wall is gone and I'm *in* the book. There are a few reasons why I had difficulty feeling that with The Book of Deacon.
1) The author might want to use a thesaurus and go through and audit all the times they use the word 'simple' as a descriptor. Sometimes it's more than once in the same paragraph! Yes, I get that you're trying to say that they don't live in luxury, but there are other words you can use: rustic, adequate, unpretentious, rough hewn, basic, spare to name a few!
2) I know this is part of a series and so you need to lay some ground for what's going to happen in later books, but the cut away scenes to other characters aren't working for me. They're too short to really get involved in, and a lot of the space within them is taken up describing what the characters are doing sequentially on what feels like a day to day basis - I'm not feeling that they're moving the story onwards, but they also aren't really engaging with the feelings of the characters in the subplot either.
3) Some of the characters in the main thread seem to go through dramatic changes in outlook and emotion quite suddenly, and I don't think that these are given enough time or space to make sense. I know that a book full of feelings rather than actions can be irritating too, but I'd like to see the characters build up to a change and then for the aftermath to play out, rather than them being so binary.
Now that said, there are some good points to the book too - which kept me reading on:
1) The surroundings and the physical world are quite immersive (apart from where the author refers to freezing cold 'fields' - as a Brit when I think of a field, I think of fences or hedges around it - do they mean steppes/plains instead?) Where the story moves to different locations, each place does have a definite character and feel, it doesn't feel like the same stage with some minor window dressing.
2) I do like that there are prominent, physically able female characters that so far don't seem to fall into any typical fantasy stereotypes. I like that there seems to be a reasonable balance between male and female characters and the girls aren't all pushed into minor healers roles (Yes, Narnia, I'm looking at you!)
3) Supernatural/non-human characters are integrated very sensibly into the storyline, with none of the 'ooh look there's a terribly ethereal and delicate elf/big scary evil dragon/mindless slavering orc' cliches that you see so often. And joy of all joys, the non-human characters actually have distince personalities and aren't all dumped into a generic racial hive mind!
So, on balance, I do think the author could do with having another look over this one and tweaking a few things, but it's certainly no worse than, say, David Eddings for all that.
May 11, 2017
This review will apply to all three in the series.
The quality of writing is about average for an Indie author. There are not enough grammatical errors to distract significantly from the story, but I did find myself frequently correcting things as I read.
There are several interesting characters that are fleshed out over the course of the three books. Myranda and Deacon were the most sympathetic for me. The interactions among Ivy, Myn, and the elemental were interesting and entertaining. The bad guys were truly horrible and hate-worthy.
What I didn't like about the story was the ever-growing overpowered bad guys. No sooner did the protagonists work their way up to being able to cope than the bad guys revealed more overwhelming powers. This led to a series of good guys being captured and tortured. One spell of being totally controlled by the enemy is acceptable to me in a story, but I really don't like it to happen over and over again.
A personal quirk of mine is that I dislike excessive action in a story. This series had so much action that there wasn't time to slow down and think about things. I doubt that many readers would agree with my feeling about that, so those who like non-stop action will appreciate this.
The quality of writing is about average for an Indie author. There are not enough grammatical errors to distract significantly from the story, but I did find myself frequently correcting things as I read.
There are several interesting characters that are fleshed out over the course of the three books. Myranda and Deacon were the most sympathetic for me. The interactions among Ivy, Myn, and the elemental were interesting and entertaining. The bad guys were truly horrible and hate-worthy.
What I didn't like about the story was the ever-growing overpowered bad guys. No sooner did the protagonists work their way up to being able to cope than the bad guys revealed more overwhelming powers. This led to a series of good guys being captured and tortured. One spell of being totally controlled by the enemy is acceptable to me in a story, but I really don't like it to happen over and over again.
A personal quirk of mine is that I dislike excessive action in a story. This series had so much action that there wasn't time to slow down and think about things. I doubt that many readers would agree with my feeling about that, so those who like non-stop action will appreciate this.
October 23, 2012
This is by I think a self published or new author (sure someone will set me straight on that) and it was free on kindle so I was not expecting much.
It is a story about two warring nations and a very long war which is killing off said nations. The main character is Myranda. She is a young woman who has lost her family and hates the war so is known as a sympathiser. Hence she travels constantly and obviously gets into trouble. She is a likeable character if not the deepest. On her travels she meets Leo/Lain a misanthrope, half man half fox and finds a sword.
It is not the best fantasy I have ever read but it is interesting and pretty well written considering the author is not well known. It is a damn sight better than most of the YA fantasy that most people are cooing about at present. So much so that I am moving on to the next in the trilogy.
Overall if you like traditional fantasy with dragons, magic and different races and you don't enjoy sex, violence and swearing in your books then give it a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
It is a story about two warring nations and a very long war which is killing off said nations. The main character is Myranda. She is a young woman who has lost her family and hates the war so is known as a sympathiser. Hence she travels constantly and obviously gets into trouble. She is a likeable character if not the deepest. On her travels she meets Leo/Lain a misanthrope, half man half fox and finds a sword.
It is not the best fantasy I have ever read but it is interesting and pretty well written considering the author is not well known. It is a damn sight better than most of the YA fantasy that most people are cooing about at present. So much so that I am moving on to the next in the trilogy.
Overall if you like traditional fantasy with dragons, magic and different races and you don't enjoy sex, violence and swearing in your books then give it a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
November 30, 2011
Free Kindle Download. Only 50% completed before stopping. It was boring, dialogue was lame (all characters sound alike!), and the only redeeming feature (aside from being free) was a cute baby dragon sidekick.
May 12, 2013
Took a chance on this first of a trilogy. Was pleasantly surprised at its depth and breadth. Couldn't put it down and immediately bought book 2 and 3. I enjoyed watching the protagonist Myranda grow through the book.
first sentences
The end of the fall had only just come, and already the air could chill one to the bone. Of course, this far north, one could seldom expect anything else. It was not the cold that bothered her, though. She'd dealt with that all of her life. Pulling the tattered remnants of her uncle's old cloak closer about her, she pressed on. As Myranda strained her eyes against the blistering wind, she saw nothing more than horizon. It would likely be another full day of walking before she saw anything but the unbroken field ahead of her. She shook her head, a faint frown cracking her dry lips. "I should have known," she said aloud to herself. "He seemed a shade too eager to give me directions." Myranda had taken to talking to herself to fill the long, lonely, and all too frequent trips like these. With no companion, the only thing likely to interrupt the ceaseless howl of the wind was the periodic noisy complaints from her stomach. That much concerned her. She could afford to buy no supplies in the last town, and no tavern or inn had been willing to serve her thanks to a simple yet disastrous slip of the tongue. Anyone could have made the same mistake. In another time, it might have gone unnoticed--or, at least, unchallenged--but in the world of her birth it was inexcusable. Two older women had been standing in the street, discussing the most recent news of the war. These days one would be hard-pressed to find a different topic of discussion. In this instance, it seemed that the Northern Alliance had pushed back a rather sizable advance. After three long, bloody days of battle, the Alliance troops had managed to take back the very same piece of land that they had started on. The cost of this maintenance of status quo was the lives of the better half of the troops in the area. In and of itself, such a tale was anything but notable. Indeed, a day without such a battle was rarer than a day with one. The difference on this day was that the Tresson army had lost even more.
Lallo, Joseph (2010-01-28). The Book of Deacon (p. 4). . Kindle Edition.
first sentences
The end of the fall had only just come, and already the air could chill one to the bone. Of course, this far north, one could seldom expect anything else. It was not the cold that bothered her, though. She'd dealt with that all of her life. Pulling the tattered remnants of her uncle's old cloak closer about her, she pressed on. As Myranda strained her eyes against the blistering wind, she saw nothing more than horizon. It would likely be another full day of walking before she saw anything but the unbroken field ahead of her. She shook her head, a faint frown cracking her dry lips. "I should have known," she said aloud to herself. "He seemed a shade too eager to give me directions." Myranda had taken to talking to herself to fill the long, lonely, and all too frequent trips like these. With no companion, the only thing likely to interrupt the ceaseless howl of the wind was the periodic noisy complaints from her stomach. That much concerned her. She could afford to buy no supplies in the last town, and no tavern or inn had been willing to serve her thanks to a simple yet disastrous slip of the tongue. Anyone could have made the same mistake. In another time, it might have gone unnoticed--or, at least, unchallenged--but in the world of her birth it was inexcusable. Two older women had been standing in the street, discussing the most recent news of the war. These days one would be hard-pressed to find a different topic of discussion. In this instance, it seemed that the Northern Alliance had pushed back a rather sizable advance. After three long, bloody days of battle, the Alliance troops had managed to take back the very same piece of land that they had started on. The cost of this maintenance of status quo was the lives of the better half of the troops in the area. In and of itself, such a tale was anything but notable. Indeed, a day without such a battle was rarer than a day with one. The difference on this day was that the Tresson army had lost even more.
Lallo, Joseph (2010-01-28). The Book of Deacon (p. 4). . Kindle Edition.
March 2, 2019
The Book of Deacon is Joseph R. Lallo's debut fantasy novel. I hadn't read anything from him before, and I grabbed this novel because it was discounted (I believe it's currently free).
The Book of Deacon follows Myranda Celeste—a young woman driven into a life of isolation due to a society intolerant of her objection a long-running war between the northern and southern regions of her world. This High Fantasy novel delivers on many of the expectations of the genre. The protagonist, Myranda, is sympathetic and her backstory immediately makes you invested in her endeavor to survive a world that has rejected her. What's even more enjoyable than the protagonist herself are the characters she encounters on her journey. Most of these characters don't appear until the second half of the novel, and I really wish the story was paced in such a way that I got to experience them a bit earlier.
The primary driver of the story was the aspect of wonder. The magic system of the story was developed to a satisfactory extent during the course of the story as Myranda learns about her talents. This is the primary success of the story in my opinion. Additionally, the author gave me something I'm a sucker for: Myn, Myranda's faithful companion. Myranda and Myn's relationship was really enjoyable.
Lallo's introduction to this series gave just enough to tempt me to read Book 2. Because this story feels like the first act of a much larger story, I almost wish the trilogy was one novel instead of being cut into a trilogy. I can't complain as much. I got the first act for free. Had I paid full price for it, I would have felt cheated out of a full experience.
If you're looking for a Fantasy novel with a determined and principled female lead, this one could be for you. However, I'd probably recommend grabbing the boxset with the full trilogy if you want to get a complete experience.
The Book of Deacon follows Myranda Celeste—a young woman driven into a life of isolation due to a society intolerant of her objection a long-running war between the northern and southern regions of her world. This High Fantasy novel delivers on many of the expectations of the genre. The protagonist, Myranda, is sympathetic and her backstory immediately makes you invested in her endeavor to survive a world that has rejected her. What's even more enjoyable than the protagonist herself are the characters she encounters on her journey. Most of these characters don't appear until the second half of the novel, and I really wish the story was paced in such a way that I got to experience them a bit earlier.
The primary driver of the story was the aspect of wonder. The magic system of the story was developed to a satisfactory extent during the course of the story as Myranda learns about her talents. This is the primary success of the story in my opinion. Additionally, the author gave me something I'm a sucker for: Myn, Myranda's faithful companion. Myranda and Myn's relationship was really enjoyable.
Lallo's introduction to this series gave just enough to tempt me to read Book 2. Because this story feels like the first act of a much larger story, I almost wish the trilogy was one novel instead of being cut into a trilogy. I can't complain as much. I got the first act for free. Had I paid full price for it, I would have felt cheated out of a full experience.
If you're looking for a Fantasy novel with a determined and principled female lead, this one could be for you. However, I'd probably recommend grabbing the boxset with the full trilogy if you want to get a complete experience.
December 25, 2011
I got a kindle for Christmas and I noticed this book was free on amazon, so I went ahead and downloaded it. Once I started reading it I could not put it down. My sleep schedule is officially messed up because of The Book of Deacon Trilogy! (Staying up until 4 a.m reading)
Anyway, if you're looking for a new fantasy book to read that doesn't involve a vampire or a werewolf- and that is actually good- READ THIS! I usually don't review books because I never know what to say about them without spoilers. But I will try. Wizards, Magic, war, action, characters with actual personalities (who are not always human)! Myranda is a young girl who is not well liked by basically everyone she meets because of..a reason. But she soon discovers that she is destined for much more and everyone she meets and everything that happens eventually falls into place! Set in a time where survival skills are a definite plus.
I am one of those people who, after reading a great epic book or series or whatever, feels sad about it ending because...will there ever be another book to look forward to? Luckily, I always stumble upon one of those books that makes me feel differently and this is one of them! I really enjoyed the way this book was written. I'm not just talking about the story, but the style and the way the words came together was great.
If you're considering reading this, I definitely would. If you do you'll have two more books to look forward to. (And if it helps, I will hint that the rest of the books are not disappointing either.)
Anyway, if you're looking for a new fantasy book to read that doesn't involve a vampire or a werewolf- and that is actually good- READ THIS! I usually don't review books because I never know what to say about them without spoilers. But I will try. Wizards, Magic, war, action, characters with actual personalities (who are not always human)! Myranda is a young girl who is not well liked by basically everyone she meets because of..a reason. But she soon discovers that she is destined for much more and everyone she meets and everything that happens eventually falls into place! Set in a time where survival skills are a definite plus.
I am one of those people who, after reading a great epic book or series or whatever, feels sad about it ending because...will there ever be another book to look forward to? Luckily, I always stumble upon one of those books that makes me feel differently and this is one of them! I really enjoyed the way this book was written. I'm not just talking about the story, but the style and the way the words came together was great.
If you're considering reading this, I definitely would. If you do you'll have two more books to look forward to. (And if it helps, I will hint that the rest of the books are not disappointing either.)
February 27, 2012
As an avid reader of fantasy, sometimes it's hard to try someone new rather than re-reading books I love, but I'm so glad I opened this book.
It didn't take long to get involved in Myranda's fate. I found myself nervewracked by what could happen next and had a hard time putting the book down. The characters Myranda meets are fascinating and easy to like. I feel so bad for Deacon though and hope things work out for him.
My only two critisms are the lack of chapters, which makes finding my place hard if I swipe up or down on my Kindle instead of sideways, and a few instances of head jumping between characters. These are not enough to truly detract from the story though. :)
I've picked up the next two and am halfway through the second. I can't wait to get back to it. :)
It didn't take long to get involved in Myranda's fate. I found myself nervewracked by what could happen next and had a hard time putting the book down. The characters Myranda meets are fascinating and easy to like. I feel so bad for Deacon though and hope things work out for him.
My only two critisms are the lack of chapters, which makes finding my place hard if I swipe up or down on my Kindle instead of sideways, and a few instances of head jumping between characters. These are not enough to truly detract from the story though. :)
I've picked up the next two and am halfway through the second. I can't wait to get back to it. :)
March 26, 2017
Excellent book for fantasy lovers
Good book a little slow at first, but perfect for anyone who lives fantasy, dragons, battles, and witches! The characters development is well done!
Good book a little slow at first, but perfect for anyone who lives fantasy, dragons, battles, and witches! The characters development is well done!
October 11, 2018
It was a good book but I did not enjoyed it that much... Don't know if I am going to read the next in the series...
August 16, 2018
[This is an older review I'm just now adding to GR. I had noticed this was still on my "planning to read" shelf even though I'd already read it.]
Myranda is alone, the last surviving member of her village, and a pacifist in a world that seems bent on rejecting peace. In the Northern Alliance, her home, speaking out against the Perpetual War can get a person ostracized or worse. Myranda finds herself constantly on the move, and it is during her aimless travels that she comes across a dead soldier and his beautiful jeweled sword. That sword lands Myranda in an enormous amount of trouble, bringing her to the attention of the Northern Alliance's elite soldiers, a rebel group known as Undermine, and a deadly and mysterious assassin known as the Red Shadow.
I downloaded this for free about three years ago and finally decided to read it when I saw that the author's other books were part of the current month-long Smashwords sale. I was particularly interested in The Rise of the Red Shadow, because I'm a sucker for gorgeous cover art and anthropomorphic foxes.
The Book of Deacon did a pretty good job of killing my interest in getting more of this series. It may have a pretty cover, but the text itself read like an early draft rather than a polished and complete work. There were typos, incorrectly used words, sentences that used the wrong verb tense, and way too many instances of the words “rather” and “quite,” but the real problem was the work as a whole.
Yeah, I know that sounds harsh. I do think that there was a decent story in here, but it was buried under plodding pacing, ridiculous, incorrect, or confusing details, and a lack of decent focus. It needed somebody to go through the whole thing and ask questions like “Does this make sense?”, “Is this section necessary?” and “Is there a better way to communicate this information?” At the very least.
One of many examples: women didn't traditionally become soldiers, but the war had been going on for so long that there simply weren't enough men anymore. Women had started to go off to war rather than stay at home and raise families. You'd think that this would lead to things like a steadily shrinking population, a healthy respect for anyone that might be considered this world's equivalent of a doctor, and maybe protests against the war. Instead, people attacked or shunned anyone who was against the war. On the one hand, it was made illegal for white magic practitioners to practice white magic (healing, among other things) in the service of anyone but the Northern Alliance Army. On the other hand, many white magic practitioners were let go from the army because it was supposedly easier to just replace fallen soldiers than heal them. Which directly contradicted the detail about the lack of men leading to more women becoming soldiers. None of it made any sense.
There was some evidence, later on in the book, that the Northern Alliance had been infiltrated by the series' true bad guys, a group of inhuman beings. Maybe they were using the war to slowly destroy the Northern Alliance from within, but that didn't explain the shocking way Myranda was treated. People who should have been at least a little interested in her continued survival seemed determined to kill her with apathy.
The rebel group that found Myranda knew her shoulder was wounded but hadn't even planned to look at it, much less do anything about it. When they realized it was infected, they let her have a night's rest, gave her some food and water, and sent her on a multi-day journey to a wizard. Granted, Myranda herself didn't seem to think her injury was worth much concern either, because she didn't immediately tell the wizard about it. When she finally mentioned it, he removed the bit of wood that led to the infection and then told her she'd better learn white magic quickly, because he was going to expect her to heal herself. He didn't mention that it should have taken her 3+ weeks to learn everything she needed to know. Luckily, she was super special and learned fast.
Like I said, I don't think anyone read this book through prior to its publication and asked whether everything made sense. I kept reading, though, because I'm bad at DNFing books and because there were occasional good bits. I liked Leo, who reminded me a little of Disney's Robin Hood, and the baby dragon was kind of cute.
The last third of the book made me regret my decision to continue on. Myranda ended up in a hidden village filled with what were essentially academics. Literally everyone studied simply for the sake of studying – practical work, like food growing, could be quickly taken care of via magic. For absolutely no reason, all of the village's Master-level magic users fought to be the first to train Myranda their variety of magic, and, although she'd only just started to learn magic, she was instantly put in expert-level training sessions. She took days or weeks to learn what should have taken her months or years. Meanwhile Deacon, an actual magical genius who'd been studying for years, worried that he'd only hold Myranda back if he spent too much time with her.
(Yes, there was a hint of romance, but only a hint, because they were both too socially awkward to make much progress in that area. It went something like this: Master magic user: "Psst! Tell her she's pretty." Deacon: "I'm sure you already know this, Myranda, but you're lovely. *blush*" Myranda: "Oh! *blush* Thank you. You're a really nice friend.")
I honestly don't think it was necessary for readers to see every detail of Myranda learning to master first fire, then air, then earth, and then water. It was excruciating and often ridiculous. Also, I found myself becoming more and more frustrated with Myranda. She got angry at Leo/Lain for not doing what he could to stop the war, but she should really have directed her anger at the entire village. Everyone there was a powerful magic user and/or warrior, and not one of them had even tried to leave the village, much less lifted a finger to stop the war. They were all content with their petty rivalries, meaningless squabbles, and neverending research.
Although this ended on a cliffhanger, I have no desire to find out what happens next.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
Myranda is alone, the last surviving member of her village, and a pacifist in a world that seems bent on rejecting peace. In the Northern Alliance, her home, speaking out against the Perpetual War can get a person ostracized or worse. Myranda finds herself constantly on the move, and it is during her aimless travels that she comes across a dead soldier and his beautiful jeweled sword. That sword lands Myranda in an enormous amount of trouble, bringing her to the attention of the Northern Alliance's elite soldiers, a rebel group known as Undermine, and a deadly and mysterious assassin known as the Red Shadow.
I downloaded this for free about three years ago and finally decided to read it when I saw that the author's other books were part of the current month-long Smashwords sale. I was particularly interested in The Rise of the Red Shadow, because I'm a sucker for gorgeous cover art and anthropomorphic foxes.
The Book of Deacon did a pretty good job of killing my interest in getting more of this series. It may have a pretty cover, but the text itself read like an early draft rather than a polished and complete work. There were typos, incorrectly used words, sentences that used the wrong verb tense, and way too many instances of the words “rather” and “quite,” but the real problem was the work as a whole.
Yeah, I know that sounds harsh. I do think that there was a decent story in here, but it was buried under plodding pacing, ridiculous, incorrect, or confusing details, and a lack of decent focus. It needed somebody to go through the whole thing and ask questions like “Does this make sense?”, “Is this section necessary?” and “Is there a better way to communicate this information?” At the very least.
One of many examples: women didn't traditionally become soldiers, but the war had been going on for so long that there simply weren't enough men anymore. Women had started to go off to war rather than stay at home and raise families. You'd think that this would lead to things like a steadily shrinking population, a healthy respect for anyone that might be considered this world's equivalent of a doctor, and maybe protests against the war. Instead, people attacked or shunned anyone who was against the war. On the one hand, it was made illegal for white magic practitioners to practice white magic (healing, among other things) in the service of anyone but the Northern Alliance Army. On the other hand, many white magic practitioners were let go from the army because it was supposedly easier to just replace fallen soldiers than heal them. Which directly contradicted the detail about the lack of men leading to more women becoming soldiers. None of it made any sense.
There was some evidence, later on in the book, that the Northern Alliance had been infiltrated by the series' true bad guys, a group of inhuman beings. Maybe they were using the war to slowly destroy the Northern Alliance from within, but that didn't explain the shocking way Myranda was treated. People who should have been at least a little interested in her continued survival seemed determined to kill her with apathy.
The rebel group that found Myranda knew her shoulder was wounded but hadn't even planned to look at it, much less do anything about it. When they realized it was infected, they let her have a night's rest, gave her some food and water, and sent her on a multi-day journey to a wizard. Granted, Myranda herself didn't seem to think her injury was worth much concern either, because she didn't immediately tell the wizard about it. When she finally mentioned it, he removed the bit of wood that led to the infection and then told her she'd better learn white magic quickly, because he was going to expect her to heal herself. He didn't mention that it should have taken her 3+ weeks to learn everything she needed to know. Luckily, she was super special and learned fast.
Like I said, I don't think anyone read this book through prior to its publication and asked whether everything made sense. I kept reading, though, because I'm bad at DNFing books and because there were occasional good bits. I liked Leo, who reminded me a little of Disney's Robin Hood, and the baby dragon was kind of cute.
The last third of the book made me regret my decision to continue on. Myranda ended up in a hidden village filled with what were essentially academics. Literally everyone studied simply for the sake of studying – practical work, like food growing, could be quickly taken care of via magic. For absolutely no reason, all of the village's Master-level magic users fought to be the first to train Myranda their variety of magic, and, although she'd only just started to learn magic, she was instantly put in expert-level training sessions. She took days or weeks to learn what should have taken her months or years. Meanwhile Deacon, an actual magical genius who'd been studying for years, worried that he'd only hold Myranda back if he spent too much time with her.
(Yes, there was a hint of romance, but only a hint, because they were both too socially awkward to make much progress in that area. It went something like this: Master magic user: "Psst! Tell her she's pretty." Deacon: "I'm sure you already know this, Myranda, but you're lovely. *blush*" Myranda: "Oh! *blush* Thank you. You're a really nice friend.")
I honestly don't think it was necessary for readers to see every detail of Myranda learning to master first fire, then air, then earth, and then water. It was excruciating and often ridiculous. Also, I found myself becoming more and more frustrated with Myranda. She got angry at Leo/Lain for not doing what he could to stop the war, but she should really have directed her anger at the entire village. Everyone there was a powerful magic user and/or warrior, and not one of them had even tried to leave the village, much less lifted a finger to stop the war. They were all content with their petty rivalries, meaningless squabbles, and neverending research.
Although this ended on a cliffhanger, I have no desire to find out what happens next.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
March 21, 2017
Captivating and Breathtaking
I'm not going to give a rehash of the plot in this review. There are enough reviewers who have done that. Instead, I will explain, to the best of my ability, why I gave this book five stars.
I don't usually care for fantasy as much as I do hard science fiction. However, the world that the author has created is so captivating and fully formed that I became totally immersed within the first few pages. This is well and truly a fantasy book, and this first installment was so good that I went ahead and purchased the entire series on the assumption that the rest of the series would be this engrossing.
I found the characters to be complete, detailed, and believable. I cared about them, even those on opposing sides of the war that is consuming the world in which the story takes place. The action pulled me forward through the story and so fully involved me that many times I found that my whole body was tensed during the periods of tension within the story.
It is a world populated by wizards and witches, dragons and mermaids, and all manner of mythical beasties. All of which are 100% fully formed characters down to the last hair and scale.
This was a totally captivating and breathtaking read and I hated reaching its last page. It's a good thing there are more books in the series to enjoy.
(P.S. In that I'm also an author and editor, I truly appreciate the attention that was paid to the proofreading of this book. There were surprisingly few errors. The few I noticed were of the type that cannot be caught by a spellchecker. For example, the word "though“ instead of “through“ wouldn't be caught because it's a correctly spelled word, it's just the wrong word. Thank you and kudos to the proofreader.)
I'm not going to give a rehash of the plot in this review. There are enough reviewers who have done that. Instead, I will explain, to the best of my ability, why I gave this book five stars.
I don't usually care for fantasy as much as I do hard science fiction. However, the world that the author has created is so captivating and fully formed that I became totally immersed within the first few pages. This is well and truly a fantasy book, and this first installment was so good that I went ahead and purchased the entire series on the assumption that the rest of the series would be this engrossing.
I found the characters to be complete, detailed, and believable. I cared about them, even those on opposing sides of the war that is consuming the world in which the story takes place. The action pulled me forward through the story and so fully involved me that many times I found that my whole body was tensed during the periods of tension within the story.
It is a world populated by wizards and witches, dragons and mermaids, and all manner of mythical beasties. All of which are 100% fully formed characters down to the last hair and scale.
This was a totally captivating and breathtaking read and I hated reaching its last page. It's a good thing there are more books in the series to enjoy.
(P.S. In that I'm also an author and editor, I truly appreciate the attention that was paid to the proofreading of this book. There were surprisingly few errors. The few I noticed were of the type that cannot be caught by a spellchecker. For example, the word "though“ instead of “through“ wouldn't be caught because it's a correctly spelled word, it's just the wrong word. Thank you and kudos to the proofreader.)
August 15, 2013
In Book of Deacon, Joseph Lallo tells the story of Myranda, a vagabond sentenced to a life of loneliness because of her views against a war that everyone else fully supports.
Why to buy this book: The story is coherent and readable. By the end, the author manages to make you care, at least somewhat, about what happens to the characters.
Why not to buy the book: I downloaded this book because I read and enjoyed another novel produced by this author. This appears to be his first effort, and, wow, is his inexperience on display. All the issues that became minor annoyances in the book I enjoyed combine to make this one much less enjoyable. To begin with, the pace is glacial, especially at the beginning. I kept turning pages hoping that something, anything would happen, even a conversation. Maybe, if you’re gonna start out with a character on a solitary journey, you shouldn’t show as much of the journeying? The other major problem was the plot contrivances. Those were so bad that I noticed, and I don’t usually care much about that kind of thing.
Bottom Line: This book highlights the dangers of putting out a product that isn’t ready. Prior to reading this, I was enthusiastic to buy more of this author’s books. Now, though this book wasn’t horrible by any means and I understand that he has gotten better, I’m much less motivated to search out his work. I may get around to reading the rest of this series at some point, but it’s definitely not a priority. 3 Stars.
Why to buy this book: The story is coherent and readable. By the end, the author manages to make you care, at least somewhat, about what happens to the characters.
Why not to buy the book: I downloaded this book because I read and enjoyed another novel produced by this author. This appears to be his first effort, and, wow, is his inexperience on display. All the issues that became minor annoyances in the book I enjoyed combine to make this one much less enjoyable. To begin with, the pace is glacial, especially at the beginning. I kept turning pages hoping that something, anything would happen, even a conversation. Maybe, if you’re gonna start out with a character on a solitary journey, you shouldn’t show as much of the journeying? The other major problem was the plot contrivances. Those were so bad that I noticed, and I don’t usually care much about that kind of thing.
Bottom Line: This book highlights the dangers of putting out a product that isn’t ready. Prior to reading this, I was enthusiastic to buy more of this author’s books. Now, though this book wasn’t horrible by any means and I understand that he has gotten better, I’m much less motivated to search out his work. I may get around to reading the rest of this series at some point, but it’s definitely not a priority. 3 Stars.
November 5, 2011
The Book of Deacon is a good book indeed.
I really enjoyed this tale. It is quite long but well worth the read. Joseph Lallo has a really unique way of telling a story. Those who love fantasy will really enjoy this story as well.
I could tell you the details about this story but I refuse to give any spoilers. Instead I will only quote the author by telling you the given synopsis describing the book.
"Product Description
Myranda is a young woman more interested in staying alive than being a hero. Orphaned by a continent-spanning war that has gone on for decades too long and shunned for failing to support it, she has been on the move since she was only a child. One can hardly blame her when she thinks that the chance discovery of a fallen soldier's priceless cargo is the moment that will change her life. No one could predict just how great that change would be. It will lead her through an adventure of rebels and generals, of wizards and warriors, and of beasts both noble and monstrous. Each step of the way will take her closer to the truth of her potential, of the war, and of the fate of her world."
You got to read this book is all I can say from here!
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this tale. It is quite long but well worth the read. Joseph Lallo has a really unique way of telling a story. Those who love fantasy will really enjoy this story as well.
I could tell you the details about this story but I refuse to give any spoilers. Instead I will only quote the author by telling you the given synopsis describing the book.
"Product Description
Myranda is a young woman more interested in staying alive than being a hero. Orphaned by a continent-spanning war that has gone on for decades too long and shunned for failing to support it, she has been on the move since she was only a child. One can hardly blame her when she thinks that the chance discovery of a fallen soldier's priceless cargo is the moment that will change her life. No one could predict just how great that change would be. It will lead her through an adventure of rebels and generals, of wizards and warriors, and of beasts both noble and monstrous. Each step of the way will take her closer to the truth of her potential, of the war, and of the fate of her world."
You got to read this book is all I can say from here!
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.
April 29, 2012
I've said it before and I will say it again... I'm a sucker for fantasy. I liked this book. Joseph Lallo has a nice writing style and the story flows really well. I do have to admit, I saw a lot of typos, grammatical errors and repetitiveness. Those are probably the worst comments you'll see from me about this book. However, these are critiquing comments.
The story of Myranda and her faithful reptilian companion is a very good one. It is the first in a series and I am looking forward to the next two books. There are some interesting creatures in this story, different views on magic and how the characters utilize it. I also have to say, that while this is fantasy, the story may be long, but it keeps going and only slows down ever so slightly. Not enough to bore you, though. I've read some books that you just wish they would get on with it, but this story is one that delivers just the right amount of information as it goes along. The information given paints the picture of the world that Myranda lives in and even though it is in some pretty heavy turmoil, there are areas I would love to see in real life, of course.
The story of Myranda and her faithful reptilian companion is a very good one. It is the first in a series and I am looking forward to the next two books. There are some interesting creatures in this story, different views on magic and how the characters utilize it. I also have to say, that while this is fantasy, the story may be long, but it keeps going and only slows down ever so slightly. Not enough to bore you, though. I've read some books that you just wish they would get on with it, but this story is one that delivers just the right amount of information as it goes along. The information given paints the picture of the world that Myranda lives in and even though it is in some pretty heavy turmoil, there are areas I would love to see in real life, of course.
May 23, 2016
When I spot free books on my nook, I'm not expecting much but I was greatly surprised by this book. The faults:It is lacking an intensity and urgency on the antagonist side of things though. I don't really see a definite villain to our hero. This is a trilogy though, so I might find it in the next one. Also, the lack of actual chapter breaks is a little annoying. It makes it feel like the story is being told all in one breath.The good stuff:The characters are what carries this book. I was sucked into this book and couldn't wait to read the next part every time I put it down, which was nice. The descriptions and time taken to develop the character and her abilities is nice. She doesn't just suddenly have all this knowledge and power, she has to earn it through hard work. I wish that the legend that the book is based around had been presented at the beginning of the book, so that I had some idea of why the main character mixes it up. I'm glad I came across this book though, and hope that my friends will take a chance on it as well.
October 22, 2012
A fun fantasy adventure. Almost believable protagonist. Revealed the other-ness of the world gradually. Good foreshadowing of events even beyond this volume, the first of a series.
But . . . some glitches. First and foremost, we're told about Myranda's struggles, but we don't feel them. Emotionally flat. Quibbles: As the local topography is described, the great waterfall at Entwell doesn't work. And you'd think a group of three "creatures" would leave a unique enough scent that following them through a maze of tunnels would be easy.
Too much time--literally and figuratively--spent at Hogwarts. Oops, I mean Entwell. What's with these fantasy series which grind to a halt went the protag, who of course trues out to be the brightest student in history, wanders into the local school of magic? (One of the few criticisms of Rothfuss's series I agree with is the disproportion of time Kvothe spent at the university.)
This book didn't end, it stopped. Very unsatisfying. Didn't hook me enough to want to read more.
But . . . some glitches. First and foremost, we're told about Myranda's struggles, but we don't feel them. Emotionally flat. Quibbles: As the local topography is described, the great waterfall at Entwell doesn't work. And you'd think a group of three "creatures" would leave a unique enough scent that following them through a maze of tunnels would be easy.
Too much time--literally and figuratively--spent at Hogwarts. Oops, I mean Entwell. What's with these fantasy series which grind to a halt went the protag, who of course trues out to be the brightest student in history, wanders into the local school of magic? (One of the few criticisms of Rothfuss's series I agree with is the disproportion of time Kvothe spent at the university.)
This book didn't end, it stopped. Very unsatisfying. Didn't hook me enough to want to read more.
July 2, 2019
I'm quite partial to a plotless book now and again but not when it comes to fantasy.
The story starts out quite promising. There's a lot of hooks in the beginning but they don't seem to go anywhere and if they do (by mere millimetres) it's pointless. The main character Myranda doesn't develop, there is no point to any of her actions and I don't get the side story with the elf woman weaved into it. There is no turning point, reason to do something or any point to this story. I think I would have preferred a cliche filled fantasy with the regular sexism and cliche romance than getting literally nothing from a book.
I think because this is part of a trilogy, a plot will eventually develop in the other two books but after this I have zero motivation to read them. The general formatting wasn't great and if it was done correctly the chapter structure was just wrong.
The only redeeming quality was the cute baby dragon which I now know to be my Achilles heel because a cute baby dragon should not warrant a whole star added to a rating. (Which I totally did
The story starts out quite promising. There's a lot of hooks in the beginning but they don't seem to go anywhere and if they do (by mere millimetres) it's pointless. The main character Myranda doesn't develop, there is no point to any of her actions and I don't get the side story with the elf woman weaved into it. There is no turning point, reason to do something or any point to this story. I think I would have preferred a cliche filled fantasy with the regular sexism and cliche romance than getting literally nothing from a book.
I think because this is part of a trilogy, a plot will eventually develop in the other two books but after this I have zero motivation to read them. The general formatting wasn't great and if it was done correctly the chapter structure was just wrong.
The only redeeming quality was the cute baby dragon which I now know to be my Achilles heel because a cute baby dragon should not warrant a whole star added to a rating. (Which I totally did
January 22, 2017
Overall, I thought this was solid. I was interested in the story for the most part, and I see potential for the series to develop into something very good. However, I felt this one suffered from a few too many slow parts, as well as a main character who happened to be great at just about everything. It felt like things came too easily for her, which detracted from the story for me.
Lallo also had a strange way of structuring dialogue where he'd have a long chunk of dialogue and put the dialogue tag way at the end. By the time you get to the dialogue tag, it becomes useless.
There were some great sections in this book, though, and I came close to giving it four stars. In the end, though, I have to go with three.
Rating: 6.5/10
Lallo also had a strange way of structuring dialogue where he'd have a long chunk of dialogue and put the dialogue tag way at the end. By the time you get to the dialogue tag, it becomes useless.
There were some great sections in this book, though, and I came close to giving it four stars. In the end, though, I have to go with three.
Rating: 6.5/10
Displaying 1 - 30 of 768 reviews