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Odessa (Seraphym Wars #1)

by Rebecca Ryals Russell (Goodreads Author)

3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 · rating details · 14 ratings · 12 reviews

Myrna Ashlin Watts is a high school Senior in Jacksonville, Fl when she is transported to a bizarre and primal planet corrupted by demon-dragons. And they want her dead. Her problem is, she has been recruited to kill them, too.
Reluctantly, and knowing it is her only way to get back home, she agrees to lead an army of six teens called The Vigorios (demon-hunters) all the wh...more Myrna Ashlin Watts is a high school Senior in Jacksonville, Fl when she is transported to a bizarre and primal planet corrupted by demon-dragons. And they want her dead. Her problem is, she has been recruited to kill them, too.
Reluctantly, and knowing it is her only way to get back home, she agrees to lead an army of six teens called The Vigorios (demon-hunters) all the while battling dragons and monsters as they cross swamps and mountains, forests and seas. She wrangles with mental scars of a demon attack when she was fifteen and a vision of those same demons killing her brother two years later.
Three very different men join her quest—a seasoned demon/dragon-slayer who irritates but beguiles her, a tender and sweet mentor in whom she trusts completely and a roguishly handsome Scientist who sets her senses aflame. How is she expected to lead the others and keep everyone safe with so much inner turmoil? Whom can she trust, if anyone, even herself? How can anyone expect her, a kid in high school to be a leader? Much less one who leads an army of kids in a Holy battle?
Will love and lust, jealousy, greed, deceit and distrust break the delicate tie that binds these teen warriors called The Vigorios? Can a troupe of teens help the Seraphym finally defeat the massive empire of evil dominated for eons by the demon-dragons of Dracwald?

17-year-old Myrna is drawn into the middle of an epic battle between Seraphym and Demons. An average High School student from Florida, struggling with inner demons resulting from an attack when she was 15, she wakes one morning on the Steampunk planet of Dracwald, home of the demon-dragons responsible for her brother’s recent murder as well as many other atrocities in the news. She meets sweet and sensitive Michael, who explains that according to prophecy, Myrna must gather the remaining six Vigorios (teen warriors with special talents) then train with the Majikals on an enchanted island. He accompanies her on the quest, but harbors a secret past that ironically would destroy all the faith she has placed in him. A handsomely roguish Scientist with suspect motives haunts her dreams and makes sudden appearances in unlikely places, while a sensual dragon warrior defends her against her will.
Will love and lust, jealousy, greed, deceit and distrust break the delicate tie that binds these teen warriors called The Vigorios? Can a troupe of teens help the Seraphym finally defeat the massive empire of evil dominated for eons by the demon-dragons of Dracwald?(less)

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Published (first published March 29th 2011)

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Jul 07, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steampunk, ya

Reviewed by Lisa
Book provided by author for review

Grab a seat and hold on tight, you are about to enter Dracwald. Confused and alone, Myrna Watts finds herself on the Steampunk planet of Dracwald. Myrna must gather six other teens called Vigorios to assist the Seraphym in defeating the dragon-demons.

Rebecca Ryals Russell's descriptions of the swamps, forests, mountains, cities, demon-dragons and other majikal creatures of Dracwald are rich and vivid. It is easy to get caught up in Myrna’s travel...more

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Jun 22, 2011 C.K. Volnek rated it 4 of 5 stars

My first thoughts as I dove deep into the book Odessa, The Seraphym Wars, was to marvel at the comparison between this and C.S. Lewis’ Adventures in Narnia. I always loved Narnia’s new worlds and fast-paced adventures and to read Odessa did not disappoint with much the same amount of excitement, adventure and pace.

Eighteen-year-old Myrna has just recently graduated and is dealing with her own demons when she is mysteriously transported to another world haunted with real demon-dragons. A homesick...more

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May 14, 2011 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

When recent high school graduate, Myrna is suddenly swept out of her ordinary life in Florida and finds herself on a dangerous and backward planet where evil abounds and is told that she is to lead a team of children in accordance with an ancient prophecy, Myrna is skeptical. As she spends more time on Dracwald, Myrna begins to believe the prophecy and sets off on an adventure filled with danger and possible romance.

Odessa is the first book in the Seraphim Wars Series and it takes a little time...more
When recent high school graduate, Myrna is suddenly swept out of her ordinary life in Florida and finds herself on a dangerous and backward planet where evil abounds and is told that she is to lead a team of children in accordance with an ancient prophecy, Myrna is skeptical. As she spends more time on Dracwald, Myrna begins to believe the prophecy and sets off on an adventure filled with danger and possible romance.

Odessa is the first book in the Seraphim Wars Series and it takes a little time to get used to. You are plopped into Dracwald with no explanations and very little introduction, and find yourself struggling to figure out what is going on and where the book is going. As to figuring out where the book is going, don’t try it is impossible. Just sit back and enjoy the ride, because this book is utterly unpredictable.

In the beginning you are told that Myrna was specially trained for this task in the past, and though she doesn’t remember it right away, bits and pieces of her training comes back to her. She was selected to fulfill the prophecy and lead six other special children, Vigorios on the quest. As I said above, the beginning is a little disorienting, but since most of the story is told from Myrna’s point of view that is appropriate, she herself is disoriented to find herself on Dracwald.

Odessa is an ambitious tale set in a foreign and mysterious world. There are definitely Christian fantasy elements in the plot that will attract readers who enjoy Christian fiction, but can’t seem to find Christian fantasy—definitely a genre we need to hear more from. In Dracwald, Russel has created a dark and disturbing world where the worst of humanity is visible around every turn. Horrors are present in every town and everyone wants to harm or kill Myrna and her friends.

Overall, this book is an imaginative and creative adventure story that is wonderful for those readers looking for Christian fantasy. It may be a little hard to figure out at the beginning, but those who stick with it will find an unpredictable adventure like no other.

I LOVE THE COVER ART!!!

Cautions for sensitive readers: There is no foul language in this book although the reader may find many disturbing scenes of violence.
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May 18, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I was first asked to review the first installment in The Seraphym Wars series, I was more than happy to accept! Fantasy, as you probably well know, is my favorite genre of all time. Add in the battle between Seraphym and Demons, and the addition of Steampunk elements, and you have a book that firmly holds my interest. I desperately hoped that this would be a book that was as good as it sounded. I opened to the first page and was immediately immersed in Myrna's journey. I will admit that the...more When I was first asked to review the first installment in The Seraphym Wars series, I was more than happy to accept! Fantasy, as you probably well know, is my favorite genre of all time. Add in the battle between Seraphym and Demons, and the addition of Steampunk elements, and you have a book that firmly holds my interest. I desperately hoped that this would be a book that was as good as it sounded. I opened to the first page and was immediately immersed in Myrna's journey. I will admit that the beginning of this story is a little confusing. However keep in mind that Myrna is thrown onto a planet that she has no recollection of, and so she is a little confused as well. Keep reading and you won't be sorry!

Told in third person, and mostly from Myrna's point of view, Odessa is a rollicking adventure and fantasy novel that has a little bit of something for everyone. Complete with Christian undertones, you'll notice that the battle between Seraphym here doesn't disappoint. Mentions of Tartarus, evil shape-shifting dragons, snippets of Fey and other mythical creatures, it's all there in lovely detail. I'll admit that there were times when the third person point of view threw me off slightly, since sometimes I wasn't entirely sure at first who was talking. Once I got to know the characters better however, I was able to distinguish them much easier.

Lovers of fantasy are generally big on whether or not the world that is built in a new story is vivid and sticks to its own rules. Rebecca Ryals Russell definitely fills those two requirements! Dracwald has an amazing back story that emerges as you read on, and the landscape that is shared with the reader is written in gorgeous detail. As the entourage make their way across thick, dark jungles and bleak, desolate plains, the world of Dracwald opens up beautifully. The darkness that has surrounded the land oozes off the page. I was so happy! A new fictional place to fall in love with.

Story wise, the plot moves along at a rather nice pace. Since there is a lot of travelling going on in this first book, there are points in which things may seem a little slow. The banter between the characters eases this somewhat, and Russell seems to know just when to throw in a new twist, or a terrifying chase scene to keep the reader on their toes. As beautifully written as the world of Dracwald is, I must warn you that it is also a rather violent place. Readers who have an issue with that may find themselves a little squeamish. It isn't anything garish or gory, but rather Russell uses it as an opportunity to show, in sharp contrast, what the world once was compared to what it has become. Dracwald is mirrored with our world, and if you read carefully you may see a deeper message there.

This is all I can really share without giving too much away. Dracwald is a place that you need to experience for yourself to truly appreciate it. I'd love to delve more into the characters too, but that would take eons and by then you might disappear! I'd rather leave you to meet them on your own.

If you are a lover of fantasy, or even looking for more Christian fiction in your life, this is a great place to start! Be warned, the ending is a bit of a slight cliffhanger. I cannot wait for the next installment to see what happens with Myrna and her friends.
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Mar 30, 2012 Tayla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very interesting and original ideas. GREAT READ!!

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Aug 02, 2012 Katy marked it as to-read

Hmmm... Seems interesting.

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Sep 29, 2011 Lis added it

Shelves: ya-books

-- Review coming soon --

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May 17, 2011 Lexie added it

DNF: I did not finish this book. I only read about 25% of it before stopping. I'll revisit this review and the book itself at a later date.

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Jul 03, 2011 Rebecca Russell rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Written with Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Narnia in mind, hopefully this epic quest tale can live up to the mentors.

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Mar 24, 2013 Ralph Hartman rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Shelves: classic-fantasy

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About Rebecca Ryals Russell

An avid reader of anything Fantasy from the time she could read, Rebecca Ryals Russell now writes MG and YA Dark Fantasy and Horror plus some Picture Books, while living with her family in a Victorian house on five acres of North Florida countryside. Her favorite series being Lord of the Rings, she kept Tolkien’s writing in mind while writing her series The Seraphym Wars. She also kept Rawling’s s...more An avid reader of anything Fantasy from the time she could read, Rebecca Ryals Russell now writes MG and YA Dark Fantasy and Horror plus some Picture Books, while living with her family in a Victorian house on five acres of North Florida countryside. Her favorite series being Lord of the Rings, she kept Tolkien’s writing in mind while writing her series The Seraphym Wars. She also kept Rawling’s series, Harry Potter, in mind as far as character development and use of evil elements. But her all-time favorite writer is Ray Bradbury because of his twist-endings and multiple plot points you don’t see coming. Her second favorite writer is Stephen King because of his prolific writing and varied style.
When not writing, and sometimes while she is, she also runs a Vacation Rental Log House on her property: Florida Black Bear Cabin http://flablackbearcabin.com from which she wrote the first two books in the Seraphym Wars Series before it took off as a weekend rental business. The warmly decorated log house proved a perfect setting for designing the monster and dragon-filled world of Dracwald.
She is a fourth generation Floridian, born in Gainesville while her father attended U of F, where her second daughter is now studying Psychology. She grew up in Sunrise, just a few miles from where Johnny Depp lived at the same time. She next lived in Orlando for a few years before moving to Jacksonville where she and her husband raised their family. When her mother died suddenly of a brain aneurism, the family moved to Wellborn, outside Lake City to care for her dad, who then died three and half years later. The family now wishes to return to Jacksonville, which is why the house is for sale. It can be seen at http://mcleranhouse.com
The daughter of an Elementary-school principal and secretary, for fourteen years she taught Middle Grades fifth through seventh all subjects, preferring English and Creative Writing. She had several students’ works published in anthologies as well as her own poetry, photography and stories.
Her main interests are her four children ages 22, 19, 16, 11 and Irish hubby of 35 years. She enjoys spending her time writing (and lately doing a lot of promo and marketing), drawing, going to movies with her oldest daughter every Tuesday night and sharing a popcorn, reading YA Fantasy and getting jealous of all the excellent new authors on the bookshelves, discussing philosophy, world culture, religion and Classic Literature with her 16-year-old son over Pizza, or sitting on the porch wicker swings while eating peanuts and drinking a beer with her husband and whichever kid is around.
Over the course of the next few years she has several books being published.
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Odessa (Seraphym Wars #1)

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