Prophecies Awakening (Legends of Marithia, #1)

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Prophecies Awakening (Legends of Marithia #1)

by Peter Koevari (Goodreads Author)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 91 ratings · 76 reviews

When her sorceress mother and vampire king father are brutally murdered, Kassina makes a pact with Shindar, the Demon of Darkness. In exchange for her soul, Kassina obtains power to become the most feared sorceress in all the lands, and vows to exact her revenge on the people for the deaths of her parents. Granted eternal life, Kassina and her evil are never far away.
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Paperback, Uncut and Extended Second Edition, 210 pages

Published May 23rd 2012 by Createspace (first published November 24th 2009)

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May 13, 2013 Peter Koevari added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: fantasy

Legends of Marithia: prophecies awakening is my debut novel in the Legends of Marithia series. I want to take this opportunity to give all readers some insights that they may not be aware of, and some fair warning of the content inside the book.

Let me start with the most important point for anyone wanting to read my books, the "controversial" content:

*Content Warning* Legends of Marithia is a different fantasy series, which is written for an adult audience, and contains scenes and themes which s...more

16 likes · like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-review-requested, fantasy, dark-fantasy, elves, dragons, vampires, aliens

Legends of Marithia is a vividly depicted tale of the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. Very entertaining and hits all the mark making it any fantasy reader's dream. It had vampires, demons, unicorns, golem, elves, humans, aliens (other worldly creatures) and dragons. The world built by Peter Koevari is fabulous and pulls you right into the story. I did wish there was a little more development between some of the character’s relationships. Legends of Marithia is also not for the young reader, so...more

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 01, 2012 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: to-review

2.5/5

The book really starts with a bang and dives straight into the story, while giving you a history of Marithia and how it became to be in its current predicament. I never felt out of the loop, even with the numerous characters and species, as the author gave a useful list at the beginning with the characters and their roles. This is the first book I've read that incorporated almost every mystical/fantastical creature there is. I enjoyed that, and think the relationships and interactions betwe...more 2.5/5

The book really starts with a bang and dives straight into the story, while giving you a history of Marithia and how it became to be in its current predicament. I never felt out of the loop, even with the numerous characters and species, as the author gave a useful list at the beginning with the characters and their roles. This is the first book I've read that incorporated almost every mystical/fantastical creature there is. I enjoyed that, and think the relationships and interactions between the different 'species' were well executed. However, there were aspects I found weren't well executed.

Firstly, for me there wasn't enough character development. I felt almost all the characters were 2D in the fact that they were either 'good' or 'evil'. I wasn't shocked by anything, I wasn't engrossed by any of them, for quite a few of them I couldn't pick out discerning characteristics that made them stand out. I also felt the dialogue in the book was lacking. I couldn't recognise any distinct voice for each character, and this may be because most of the time the characters were only talking about vengeance, taking revenge and/or killing the dark forces. I wanted them to have more heart felt conversations so you could really see their personalities and personal histories. However, this was partially remedied by the paragraph (like a soliloquy) at the beginning of chapters, which were spoken by different characters. That gave me more of an insight into their views, and I would've liked to have seen more of that in the book. I also felt that some of the dialogue wasn't plausible with the characters' ages.

There were illustrations in the book which I didn't feel were necessary; with enough description I prefer to imagine the characters myself.

I liked the fast-paced nature of this book, and the action sequences were well described, without going on too long and making me lose interest. I do feel however that the fast pace may have resulted in less character development.

I kept on reading because I wanted to find out what will happen to Marithia! I liked the ending, as it actually surprised me, and is a good segue to the second instalment. (less)

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Nov 20, 2012 Michelle Sim rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. It started with a bang and had me hooked in the first couple of paragraphs. The story continued on a rollercoaster of action to the very end. Peter takes you on a ride where you don’t know what’s going to happen next, it twists and turns at such a pace you don’t know who’s the hero and who’s not, and just as you start to like a character there is a possibly that they may turn up dead further into the story.

This is a book of Good versus Evil, and Peter has delivered a b...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Leonor (Ner) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenge, given-by-author, fantasy, magic, paranormal, young-adult, ebook, review

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Also published in "A Cup of Coffee and a Book"

I received a copy of this book for free from the author, Peter Koevari, in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say that this was the very first time an author sent me a copy of his book to review. I was so overwhelmed when I saw Peter Koevari's message I almost wrote the reply in Portuguese.

So Prophecies Awakening is the first part of Legends of Marithia and this book has everything I love: raw fantasy. There's dragons, elves, demons, vampires, w...more

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Aug 13, 2012 dsneaks rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received Legends of Marithia: Book 1 - Prophecies Awakening: Uncut and Extended Second Edition by Peter Koevari for free in exchange for an honest review.

First off this book from the start really catches your attention and starts off with a BANG. If a book is ever going to catch your attention from the first page, it definitely would be this book. Though the prologue of this book threw me off, I was expecting this book to be following Kassina as the main character, the Prologue really makes...more I received Legends of Marithia: Book 1 - Prophecies Awakening: Uncut and Extended Second Edition by Peter Koevari for free in exchange for an honest review.

First off this book from the start really catches your attention and starts off with a BANG. If a book is ever going to catch your attention from the first page, it definitely would be this book. Though the prologue of this book threw me off, I was expecting this book to be following Kassina as the main character, the Prologue really makes you feel for Kassina and want to know what happened to her while she was with Shindar. Though these feelings I developed for Kassina in the prologue soon disappeared once she appears in the story. She is a character that is really hard to feel sympathy for.
Second, the only thing going through my head for the majority of this book, was something from The Princess Bride by William Goldman. In the beginning of the Princess Bride, the Grandfather is going through a laundry list of things that are in the story. That part really reminded me of this book, because I really felt that this story had everything in it, something for everyone. I mean, this story has vampires, dragons, magic, fairies, sword fights and love. There really isn't much else this book could have fit in there.
Another thing I really liked about this story was the integration of different fantasy creatures into one. Many books focus in on one creature for example a vampire and they might bring in werewolves, or they might just focus in on fairies. This book looks at the "magical world" as a whole and how they all fit together. A book where humans, elves, dragons and fairies are working together and fighting alongside is a really cool concept.
I personally suggest this book if you are into fantasy books and are really sick of reading the same old stories told the same way over and over again just with different names. This book is one of those books you really cannot put down and want to know what's going to happen next. It is wonderfully told full of detail and very well written. I highly suggest this book. I personally thought it was an amazing tale that I have never read anything similar to it in the past, totally original and creative.
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May 01, 2013 Eydís rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: to-review, vampires

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Prophecies Awakening is an adult fantasy that centres around two opposing prophecies – or so it would seem. The forces of Good battle the forces of Evil while the gods watch, and the fate of the world hangs on a rickety thread of balance. That being said, it would have been nice if the prophecies would have been written out in full extent.

The plot is interesting and the world building detailed. The reader is given some back story to...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Amy_Read to My Heart's Content rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog

My full review is coming soon!
I got started on this book and had a very hard time putting it down. So engrossed was I, that I completely forgot to change my shelf from "to read" to "reading". Oh well. It happens.

Review at: http://readtomyhearts.blogspot.com/20...

This is one of those stories where I found myself knowing the antagonist was evil and horrible but...I felt for the losses she occurred before she became the evil sorceress and destroyer.
Yes. I pitied Kassina. And yes I also know of th...more My full review is coming soon!
I got started on this book and had a very hard time putting it down. So engrossed was I, that I completely forgot to change my shelf from "to read" to "reading". Oh well. It happens.

Review at: http://readtomyhearts.blogspot.com/20...

This is one of those stories where I found myself knowing the antagonist was evil and horrible but...I felt for the losses she occurred before she became the evil sorceress and destroyer.
Yes. I pitied Kassina. And yes I also know of the terrible things that she does. But hey remember there is gray areas.
Legends of Marithia is a high fantasy with elves, dragons, knights, and then...wait for it....vampires. I know right?!!
Mr. Koevari takes two genres, horror and fantasy, and combines them to create this awesome novel!
I have to admit the Prologue was one of my favorite parts of the story because it shows us the how and why everything started. So we get that peek into why Kassina decided to be the most powerful and evil vampire of all time. Basically one action by some dumb idiotic fake king (I guess I was affected a little) set this war in motion.
There is a little bit of romance in this, just a little bit. That isn't really the important part in this story, though it is the binding emotion in the background, love for your family, for you people, and love for chosen one. I think loyalty is the emotion that I found to be the strong suit for many of these characters.
You have to give props to some of these people that gave their lives for those faiths that they believe in, including the royal family.
The plot was complex and had many different strands that connected everything together but still left questions unanswered.
The characters are pretty interesting to me. Most of the time, elves are the ones I automatically find myself drawn to, but not in this story. In this fantasy, I fell in love with the Dragons. They are such noble, proud and smart creatures and they do not disappoint in this story.
Vartan, one of our protagonists, is a true knight in every sense of the word. He grows as a character and I really liked the fact that he plays such a huge part in the story.
There are many other characters that are important and I am sure you will find one to fall in love with too.
All in all, this is a great mix of epic fantasy with horror sprinkled throughout that could satisfy fans of both genres.
I gave Legends of Marithia: Prophecies Awakening four hearts!
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May 24, 2012 David Greenlees rated it 5 of 5 stars

As with Book 2 in the awesome LOM series I was lucky enough to be a part of the review team for this extended and uncut edition of the story that began it all. If you liked the original, you'll love this one. Also, you'll need to read it. Just because you've read the original, doesn't mean you won't find gems in this latest edition.

The original was Peter's first novel, and as with any first novel there were some feelings of missing elements and possible depth (from some critics). The uncut and e...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Rosemarie Herbert rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been reposted from my blog, www.thecosydragon.com

The prophesy is arising, and the dark witch is on the loose. Two opposing prophesies are at odds, and it is not yet clear whether the balance will tip in favour of the light or the darkness.

Although I was reading on a Kobo, and it's purely black and white, I really enjoyed the pictures of the various characters that were interspersed in the text. It's nice to get a view of how I should be imagining the characters in my mind, and i...more This review has been reposted from my blog, www.thecosydragon.com

The prophesy is arising, and the dark witch is on the loose. Two opposing prophesies are at odds, and it is not yet clear whether the balance will tip in favour of the light or the darkness.

Although I was reading on a Kobo, and it's purely black and white, I really enjoyed the pictures of the various characters that were interspersed in the text. It's nice to get a view of how I should be imagining the characters in my mind, and it adds more reality to the read.

Dragons! It's been far too long since I read a book with dragons in it. This novel has dragons. Several of them. In fact, they are invisible dragons most of the time, but they are still there! I think this is another story point that could have been made more of, coupled with more details on Varten's training, and a bit more of Kassina's history. Although the prologue covers that, I couldn't really understand why Kassina had gone bad so quickly. I can understand how seeing her parents killed like that was traumatic, but not so bad that she feels the need to laugh manically at every human ideal and set fire to things after draining the blood of innocents.

This novel reminds me a fair bit of Mercedes Lackey's Obsidian Mountain trilogy. The elves and their forest, the dark demons who feed from the living, and the man who must save them all against the odds. The notion of the special device is different though, and I wouldn't say the styles of writing were at all the same.

This novel does sentences/paragraphs at the start of the novel in the right way. They add something to the story that you wouldn't otherwise realise from the point of view. Often they highlight a character's perspective that you don't actually get in the rest of the text.

Ah! There was one point where I was sure they were about to be uncovered, and then bam! It was something else! Koevari really sprung it on me, and I was really unable to put the book down in anticipation. he does this cliff-hanger technique in such a sneaky way lots of times, and it really gets things going.

Sadly, I wasn't at all convinced by the dialogue or scenery in this novel. The dialogue again felt a bit stilted to me (although I know that getting dialogue right is really very difficult) and I felt like occasionally the characters were having monologues. The scenery was often described in similes, and it was just too much detail. For example, the elven forest is guarded by faeries and special elven guards. And this is stated basically like that, with a bit more detail. I feel that a better way of doing it would have been to have the queen and her daughter enter the forest and come across each of these things. Perhaps it would have used up some more words, but I feel like it would have been really valuable. Another thing was the epithet of 'hot spurting blood', it just came up so many times!

I found it interesting to read, and I certainly wouldn't say no if I won the second book in this series from Goodreads this time around. I likely wouldn't buy it for myself though, simply because I don't think it's a reread, and also because I have so many other novels on my to-read list.

I'd recommend this novel for adults only due to the erotic mixed with horror content of Kassina's rituals - a particular episode with a virgin still sticks in my mind uncomfortably. A decent read, quite compelling towards the end. I only had those minor complaints, and it certainly wasn't a trial to read the novel - I enjoyed it. Probably three stars from me.

I received this ebook free after missing out on a hard copy through Goodreads: First Reads. This did not influence my opinion in any way.(less)

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Sep 14, 2012 Nathalia rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you're a fan of traditional fantasy, then you'll definitely enjoy this novel. The author incorporates races and mystical animals that we're used to seeing in traditional fantasy (e.g. unicorns, dragons, demons, elves and humans), but throws them all into a refreshing twist involving vampires.

The author also has a lovely way with words. The visuals are absolutely fantastic, in fact, they're one of the best that I've read in a novel this year. I also loved that the author took the time to expla...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Kelly/yllektra rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit that I have only read a limited number of books that are purely fantasy and not mainly paranormal romance, so I was both excited and nervous to read the book.

Don't get me wrong, I love reading about battles with magical creatures and heroes that can make you faint in battle, but swoon outside of it, but usually in order to endure harsh realms and long descriptions of perilous journeys, I need me some romance to hold on to(unless I'm reading a thriller or a horror novel in which c...more I have to admit that I have only read a limited number of books that are purely fantasy and not mainly paranormal romance, so I was both excited and nervous to read the book.

Don't get me wrong, I love reading about battles with magical creatures and heroes that can make you faint in battle, but swoon outside of it, but usually in order to endure harsh realms and long descriptions of perilous journeys, I need me some romance to hold on to(unless I'm reading a thriller or a horror novel in which case romance is irrelevant)! lol

Prophecies Awakening started quite aggressively with the king of Marithia sentencing to a cruel death a whole "family" because the woman dared to fall in love with a vampire descendant of the past vampire king and bear his child, which they call an abomination. This abomination is Kassina, daughter of a witch and a vampire and her only sin as far as we know as the novel starts is the mere fact that she was born. This family are not being condemned because they hurt someone or killed someone, but simply because their relationship is deemed treason.

In order to save herself, Kassina is somehow coerced into promising her soul to Shindar, the lord of darkness, who corrupts her and twists everything she ever believed in into evil and malice. It wasn't that hard since she was only a little girl when he got her.

Fast forward a few centuries and Kassina as a vampire is still out there, intent on revenge against all descendants of those who hurt her family and bent on destroying Marithia, the city in which now humans and elves co-reside.

It seems though that Kassina has a person inside. The king's son who wants his throne a little prematurely and is willing to sacrifice his sister for it. After killing the king in order to organize some kind of resistance and taking over the city with Kassina, Helenia - the princess- and her mother flee to the Elves, while a (disgraced due to the king's son) knight, Vartan tries to save them all.

I have to say that even though it is not a very distinctively descriptive novel, the characters are quite defined, and even though the author doesn't spend a lot of time describing how they look or how they feel, their actions speak for themselves and there's a lot of action.

In reality, the whole book is a rollercoaster of action and it really takes you by surprise, not only because there are twists and turns, but also because just when you are about to truly care for a character...he or she might turn up dead in a matter of a paragraph or two.

I really loved how Kassina was so evil and manipulative, that every time she did something I really got mad and wished her dead. :P

I also found very interesting the whole mythology and idea behind dragons, i.e. how they can be invisible and that there's a limit to their magic and strength, that they are not these endless creatures of evil and fire.

Overall I immensely enjoyed the story and the idea and I'm truly looking forward to reading the second installment!!

P.S.: And even though the start to every chapter with a paragraph of inner thoughts of some character, irked me a bit and sounded cheesy (like the interviews they do for reality shows lol), as the novel progresses I was really anxious to read about what each person thought. I thought it was a nice addition.(less)

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Apr 13, 2010 Author Anna del C. Dye rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Legends of Marithia
Book 1 — Prophecies Awakening
Peter Koevari
A review for ReadersFavorite.com
No cover
This is a very interesting and fast paced tale about good versus evil. The writing is fluid and keeps you going.
The story is that of a young girl that had to witness the horrible death of her parents at the hands of the king. The mother was a trusted sorcerer in the king’s court and the father a vampire. The king wants to kill the girl, too, but a powerful demon saved her life in exchange for he...more Legends of Marithia
Book 1 — Prophecies Awakening
Peter Koevari
A review for ReadersFavorite.com
No cover
This is a very interesting and fast paced tale about good versus evil. The writing is fluid and keeps you going.
The story is that of a young girl that had to witness the horrible death of her parents at the hands of the king. The mother was a trusted sorcerer in the king’s court and the father a vampire. The king wants to kill the girl, too, but a powerful demon saved her life in exchange for her services.
Many centuries later the girl is now a powerful dark sorceress charged with finding a contraption that could ruin the dark lord’s chance to return from the depths of darkness if she doesn’t destroy it.
To oppose them, there is a handful of knights loyal to the elfin queen, dragons, and a mixed array of mankind, fairies and elfs.
Above them all is a man born from the blood of dragons. He is the only one who can activate the contraption and banish the dark lord forever. Yet, it will cost him dearly.
But what choice do you have against the undead and how else can you defeat such a powerful dark sorceress?
It is an entertaining tale that leaves you wanting the second book. If you like the Eragon series, you will love this book.

Merged review:

No cover
This is a very interesting and fast paced tale about good versus evil. The writing is fluid and keeps you going.
The story is that of a young girl that had to witness the horrible death of her parents at the hands of the king. The mother was a trusted sorcerer in the king’s court and the father a vampire. The king wants to kill the girl, too, but a powerful demon saved her life in exchange for her services.
Many centuries later the girl is now a powerful dark sorceress charged with finding a contraption that could ruin the dark lord’s chance to return from the depths of darkness if she doesn’t destroy it.
To oppose them, there is a handful of knights loyal to the elfin queen, dragons, and a mixed array of mankind, fairies and elfs.
Above them all is a man born from the blood of dragons. He is the only one who can activate the contraption and banish the dark lord forever. Yet, it will cost him dearly.
But what choice do you have against the undead and how else can you defeat such a powerful dark sorceress?
It is an entertaining tale that leaves you wanting the second book. If you like the Eragon series, you will like this book.(less)

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Oct 05, 2012 J.V.K. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I received Prophecies Awakening (Legends of Marithia, #1) by the lovely Peter Koevari for FREE in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Prophecies Awakening. I have to say that I was pulled in right away from the begging itself. When I picked it up and started reading I was really amazed by the detail placement, what really intrigued me was how skillful everything was written. I was there in the book, imagining everything from the first word.

Prophecies Awakening gives you an unique world of mys...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Sam Atkinson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction

Prophecies Awakening is a unique type of fantasy that draws from traditional "middle earth" type characters and blends in a modern, dark, sadistic undead twist by including truly evil undead characters too. The novel is fast paced, action packed, and leaves you wanting more. I found the writing style easy to read and very enjoyable. The world that was created in the story is interesting and danced in tune with my imagination to great effect. I am left with a desire to know more about the world a...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Fergus rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I first attacked this book, I was a little worried when it appeared quite short as the fantasy books I generally read are quite long (Wheel of Time, Song of Fire and Ice, Etc.). Happily, I found that the character development is not lacking, there is a rich and vibrant history constructed and the world of Marithia comes alive within the pages. I was very impressed at the ability of the author to draw you into the story and provide insight into the background into the 'lore' of Marithia, wit...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Legends of Marithia: Prophecies Awakening has all the hallmarks of epic fantasy -- distinct lines between good and evil (sometimes too distinct, shades of grey would have been appreciated), great battles, powerful magic, elves, dragons, and humans. Plus vampires and demons. It's rather as if the author took the tropes of every major fantasy sub-genre, mixed them all together, and then pulled a book out of the mix. Bu...more I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Legends of Marithia: Prophecies Awakening has all the hallmarks of epic fantasy -- distinct lines between good and evil (sometimes too distinct, shades of grey would have been appreciated), great battles, powerful magic, elves, dragons, and humans. Plus vampires and demons. It's rather as if the author took the tropes of every major fantasy sub-genre, mixed them all together, and then pulled a book out of the mix. Buyers should be aware that this is not intended as a children's book. There are graphic descriptions of violence and sex.

Mr. Koevari has written that it is a dream of his to see the story adapted into a movie, and it shows: as the plot moves very quickly from beat to beat, often with little context in time or space. If we were viewing the story on the screen, I'd expect captions or a training montage (We as readers know that apprentices need time to train, but acknowledgement of this is still needed from the author when the former apprentice appears on the next page as a full-fledged master.)

These quick scene changes also mean that there is very little time for character development or dialogue. What dialogue we do get is usually stilted, leaving us with flat characters that seem pretty interchangeable. (There are one or two exceptions, but one or two distinct characters does not make an entire book, and certainly not when the genre includes the word "epic.")

Despite these negatives, the writing is excellent when it comes to the action sequences. Here, Mr. Koevari shines. The action takes center stage, and we barely notice that it's on the page instead of right in front of us. The prologue is simply brilliant as is the description of the trade town of She’Ma’Ryn. I am left wishing for a co-author who can do more in character development or (better) an experienced editor who could help Mr. Koevari improve.

I have not yet read the second book in this intended series, but I will be looking forward to it.(less)

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Aug 23, 2012 Alice Yeh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: hide-and-read-reviews

Nine hundred years ago, a cursory act of questionable justice turned a young half vampire into a dark sorceress and renewed an ancient war. She is the fulfillment of one dire prophecy, and yet there is another, a prognostication that centers around the savior of Marithia. Vampires, faeries, elves, dragons, and humans find themselves caught in this epic battle that will decide the fate of their world.

Book One of Legends of Marithia is your standard tale of good versus evil, though it is a little...more Nine hundred years ago, a cursory act of questionable justice turned a young half vampire into a dark sorceress and renewed an ancient war. She is the fulfillment of one dire prophecy, and yet there is another, a prognostication that centers around the savior of Marithia. Vampires, faeries, elves, dragons, and humans find themselves caught in this epic battle that will decide the fate of their world.

Book One of Legends of Marithia is your standard tale of good versus evil, though it is a little more graphic and dark than many other epic fantasy novels (read: sex and violence). The story moves at a quick pace, and readers are quickly sucked into the fight. Admittedly, there aren't too many surprises when it comes to the plot. Even so, it manages to feel fresh and interesting, and I was eager to see how everything would turn out. What I discovered was that the author tends to kill off characters just as they start to pique my interest.

In general, I had some trouble connecting with individual characters. Part of the issue is that there were many opportunities to show character development, but they were skipped over in favor of moving the plot along. For instance, Vartan's training with the dragons could have been fascinating. Equally interesting would have been Kassina's descent into darkness, or an expansion upon Tusdor's turn from thievery. I liked these characters well enough, but it was hard to invest in them on a deeper emotional level. Perhaps it would have been easier had the line between good and evil not been so cleanly drawn.

The writing itself was, for the most part, good. It successfully faded into the background, giving center stage to the story that it was meant to convey. There were several short, descriptive passages that were lovely. With that said, some of the sentences were stilted, awkward, or grammatically flawed. I had to read through them several times to discern the author's intent.

Overall, Legends of Marithia: Prophecies Awakening is an entertaining read for more mature audiences. I look forward to seeing what happens in Book Two.

Hide and Read
(Review copy provided by the author)(less)

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Aug 12, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dragons, medieval-fantasy, vampires, first-reads-free-for-review

I received a free copy from the author in return for a review, so here it is! :)

What do you get when you add magic, dragons, treason, prophecies, and (surprisingly) vampires? A enjoyable and fresh fantasy world. The dragon lore and world-building was well-done, although sometimes the jumps to different scenes (flashbacks, visions/"spying", etc.) was a bit disorienting, and I found the prophecies a touch on the cheesy/obvious side. I like my prophecies cryptic, with multiple meanings, so that I c...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Linda Bsss rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kassinia, half soceress and half vampire, vowed to kill everyone in Maritha as she watched her parents die at the command of a selfish king. At twelve years old she was imprisoned in a cage where the guards tormented her before a invusble being wished that he would save her if she pledge her soul to him and he would make her immortal. As the guards reached for her to kil her, she quickly agreed and Shindar, an ancient dark demon who knew she was the chosen female to usher in the blood red moon...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Megan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-requested

**Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the author to read and review.**

Prophecies Awakening is a great start to at least a duet of books. It had its ups and downs, but overall was an entertaining read.

There were some high points, such as the character of Tusdar. He provided the few moments of comic relief, which were welcome among such dark scenes and ideas. I also appreciated Vartan's character development, but wish there had been more to it. There is mention of him training with the...more **Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the author to read and review.**

Prophecies Awakening is a great start to at least a duet of books. It had its ups and downs, but overall was an entertaining read.

There were some high points, such as the character of Tusdar. He provided the few moments of comic relief, which were welcome among such dark scenes and ideas. I also appreciated Vartan's character development, but wish there had been more to it. There is mention of him training with the dragons, but no expansion of it. In one chapter he is clueless to magic, in the next he knows how to do a ton of stuff. Magic is awesome, but how did he learn it?

Many such instances of skipping-over happened in the book, which I minded but not *too* much. A scene between the Elven Queen and one of her soldiers, in which she kisses him and then apologizes for it, struck me as odd considering she had just lost her husband, whom she had seemed to love so much. More interaction and development between the two characters would have been welcome there. Also, many things seemed to happen very quickly. I'm left wondering just how long it was between the night the prince killed the king, to the night of the climax battle. There was mention at one point that Kassina was days away from the elves' home, and yet it seems like only hours later her army is at their doorstep. Some time context would have been helpful. Dialogue was also a bit stilted and formal for some of the situations the characters were in. Just loosen up the tongues a little bit (use more contractions, add in some dialect) and it would have had a much better flow.

Sorry to start with the negatives - overall, I am left with a pretty positive feeling on the book. I enjoyed some of the character development but feel like I wasn't given enough time to "bond" with Aidan and Tusdar. The world building was pretty interesting and I'd like to see more of it in the next book. I wish I had a better picture of the cities in my head, though, because I'm left with images from Lord of the Rings movies to fill in the blanks, and they don't seem right. I also saw some parallels to Star Wars (at least with the market full of off-worlders - just rang bells in my head), and even to Katharine Kerr's Deverry series (considering how dragons can turn human and vice versa - in her books humans can turn into dragons through a very old and difficult spell). I could definitely tell that Mr. Koevari has thoroughly immersed himself into the fantasy genre in his reading, and that is appreciated.

This book was a quick read (I finished in one day) and, while it wasn't perfect (so little fantasy is these days), it was a good story, had a good amount of action, and kept me interested until the end. It also sets up very nicely for the sequel. Although I'm not usually interested in vampire fiction, this wasn't quite that. There was enough other fantasy that I could believe the vampires fit in it, and it was worked in in an interesting way. I would recommend this to other fantasy readers who aren't looking for high fantasy, but instead a good battle story with interesting characters and a complex world.

(On Goodreads I gave this 3 stars out of 5, because that is what "I liked it" represented. On Amazon, it gets 4 stars out of 5, because that is the equivalent of "I liked it.")(less)

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Nov 20, 2011 David Greenlees rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've never been a strong reader. I've never really 'enjoyed' it as such, so it takes a special story to capture my attention. I have a certain way of choosing a book... I read the first few pages and if it doesn't grab me, then it goes back on the shelf (or wherever it lives). Needless to say, I read this in a week!

From the opening few pages I just had to know what was going to happen next! Some people have mentioned they weren't too sure about the way the book 'jumps' from present to past, pas...more

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May 21, 2013 Jeraviz rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I'll be honest because I've received a free copy of this book in exchange for a sincere review. So here it is.
There is a great story in this book. The problem is that it doesn't appear. It starts with a shocking prologue and the only thing you want is to read what happen with the poor Kassina and what the hell is that Shindar demon. And then, the plot moves fast and you see in two pages what happened in Marithia in the years after that prologue. I want a book about that prologue. Just about it.
A...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Camille Veronica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay. Finished the book in 2 days. I received a free e-book in exchange for an honest review. I love the book. I actually skipped playing my favorite MMORPGs to just finish it, because I really like it. Yeah, I cannot imagine not playing games for a day, which I have done for the love of good books like this one.

First, I like that it was written vividly. It is direct, bold and very easy to understand. If I am reading a book and I kind of realized that what I am reading is just going in circles,...more

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Aug 22, 2012 David Caldwell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: series

Growing up I loved fantasy movies like Willow, Kull, Conan the Barbarian, Labyrinth, Dragonslayer, Beastmaster and many others.Some were better than others but I loved them all.One thing they all had in common was that the good guys were good and the bad guys were evil.No gray hats in the bunch.
They all also shared a dose of cheesy when you thought about them.Don't get me wrong, that isn't an insult.It is just when the sides are so clearly divided and bigger than life, it can get a little cheesy...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Jordan Erika rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-copy

I have to say I absolutely adored the story itself. It was filled with magic, elves, dragons, vampires, minions of the darkness, a fantastical city of other-worldliness, and pretty much everything a proper fantasy should have; and all of it with an appropriate amount of complexity and twists to make it utterly entertaining.

Each chapter starts off with a quote from various characters, some known, some unknown until they appear later, and sometimes simply "unknown". Each one is interesting. It do...more I have to say I absolutely adored the story itself. It was filled with magic, elves, dragons, vampires, minions of the darkness, a fantastical city of other-worldliness, and pretty much everything a proper fantasy should have; and all of it with an appropriate amount of complexity and twists to make it utterly entertaining.

Each chapter starts off with a quote from various characters, some known, some unknown until they appear later, and sometimes simply "unknown". Each one is interesting. It doesn't really have to relate to anything in particular of the chapter, more to the story itself. I really loved each quote and got excited everytime a chapter ended just because I knew I'd be getting a new quote!

Which brings me to the things I don't like. The biggest reason I love the quotes is because it's the one time when characters seem to speak with their own voice. If I wasn't told who was talking, I'd have no clue. There a few moments here and there where it seems like a character might finally be developing, and then it disappears again. It's a major disappointment.

Another is that there isn't much flow to the writing. It's like chapters, or even just scenes (since it's more of a subjective POV with different characters being the point of interest at that moment), are all written seperately and then thrown together to make a book. There is hardly any transition. There are a few instances where it does flow from one event to the next, but it's rare.

Even more confusing with the lack of flow is how the scenes/chapters are thrown together. I wondered for half the book if they were simply put out of sequence. It feels like it. It goes from present day to a childhood memory back to the present and back to the past. Finally we discover that they're all visions later when a "future" scene is thrown in, but there isn't any explanation at all and it all feels wrong when it happens. Even finally finding out what's going on doesn't help how confusing going from one thing to the next without any indication makes you feel.

Despite it's problems with writing, it was amazingly creative and thoroughly interesting. I'd recommend reading it just for the story itself if you adore fantasy. This is one of those instances where the story more than makes up for suffering through not so great writing.

*Received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review*(less)

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May 03, 2013 Carol rated it 3 of 5 stars

Anyone who enjoyed fantasy movies from the late 80's/ early 90's or has ever played a Role Playing Game will find themselves comfortable in Marithia. This was an interesting fantasy with a few nice twists on the old staple. Along with the usual dragons, elves and humans this book roles in vampire bad guys and demons for our hero to face off against. On top of this there is the magical city of She'Ma'Ryn which brought in an unusual but interesting aspect of aliens and interplanetary travel. ( Als...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Craig rated it 3 of 5 stars

*free ebook version from author for honest review*

I found Prophecies Awakening to remind me a lot of Dungeons and Dragons stories, especially Ravenloft, though not quite as detailed. The author does create his own world. The characters, at least to my view, were underdeveloped. The way they spoke to each other and interacted seemed off as well.

As for the story itself, I found it a bit difficult to follow. There was no clear chronological order. The story seemed to often jump back in time when c...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Elaine Cristina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Prophecies Awakening is the first installment of a new fantasy series that combine the classic archetypes to the newer and currently more popular ones.

On a distant past, the land of Marithia fought to overcome Shindar, an evil demon and ruler of the Underworld. Centuries have passed, but the people still fear for their safety. Greenhaven is the centre of the kingdom, offering a sense of security against rogue vampires and shadow demons who still roam the land. When Greenhaven’s king is murdered...more

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May 05, 2013 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a plot / storyline that I LOVE! It is a new take on fantasy, and I enjoy reading about all the different fantasy creatures tied up in one epic story. I hoewever, am a bit disappointed in the fact that the book feels a bit disjointed as a result of so many different sections in the book. I also feel that in some places there is not enough written about some of the characters, thus it feels as if they are simply there to fill up some word space instead of fulfilling a specific purpose. And...more

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About Peter Koevari

Peter Koevari is a writer that holds fantasy dearly close to his heart. From an early age, he was immersed in all media of fantasy that he could get his hands on. Memories of movies such as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Star Wars, Conan, The Last Starfighter, The Princess Bride, and many more are cherished memories of fantasy nostalgia.

Peter’s hunger for storytelling was growing from a young age. F...more

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Darkness Rising (Legends of Marithia, #2)

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Quotes from Prophecies Awakening

“True evil can indeed be defeated, but it can never be completely eradicated. Even if you destroy every dark soul that comes your way, others will rise up to replace them.” — 5 people liked it

“You can’t expect to conquer the world in one day, you know. All good things will come in time.” — 5 people liked it

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Prophecies Awakening (Legends of Marithia #1)

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