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Shatter (The Children of Man #1)

by Elizabeth C. Mock (Goodreads Author)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 872 ratings · 156 reviews

"Growing up during the chaos of the Nabosian War, Faela Durante and her entire generation never knew what it meant to live in a time of peace. Though the war ended years ago, the devastation has not. Every decision, no matter how seemingly insignificant, has a consequence and some consequences can never be predicted. But some are foretold.

Less than a year ago, Faela, the f...more

Paperback, 446 pages

Published May 3rd 2010 by Createspace

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Jul 10, 2010 Elizabeth Mock rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author) Recommends it for: fantasy fans who like David Eddings, Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory

Shelves: adventure, comedy, fantasy, tragedy, recommended

But of course, I'm biased. I wrote the book...

25 likes · like · see review

Feb 13, 2013 Ratchet Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, reviewed-on-blog

3.5 out of 5 Stars

Shatter is the first book in "The Children of Man" series. I started this book unfortunately under the assumption that it was a duology and that it was a completely published one at that >.<

Oh ho ho I was wrong. I should probably do a little better with my research next time...

Alas, what can you do. Except not to read this series unless your aware of the fact that the third book is still unpublished (the 2nd was published in Nov. '11) and the author has stated on her we...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 14, 2013 Miranda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books, fantasy, magic

Good book with a slow start

I picked this book up as a freebie for amazon kindle. I probably wouldn't have picked it up if it weren't for that. The first few chapters were a bit of a struggle to get through. Lots of set up, lots of character introduction and development...a bit of a slog I'll admit. It paid off though. Once the story picked up, I was quite hooked and easily stuck with it through the end, which came so abruptly that I was startled and seriously tried to keep flipping pages for mor...more

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May 14, 2012 Mickolus Sundquist rated it 4 of 5 stars

I probably would never have read this book or even heard of it, but it was a freebie on amazon kindle a while ago. I've had it on my kindle un-read for months, but finally decided to read it.
Wow, there's a lot going on in this book. Lots of main characters. I would compare the book slightly to how Game of Thrones is (the show, I've never read the books). There are a lot of main characters in Game of Thrones and a lot of things to keep track of. Same with this book, lots of main characters, a lot...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Jennie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

2.5 stars, really. And if I were rating on concept I would go with 3.5. However, there are lots of problems with the actualization of this book. The first and foremost is that this novel is drudgery for the first several chapters. Actually, its ponderous through the first 20% of the book. I had to force myself to stick with it due to weird pacing, constantly changing point of view and general confusion about the damn plot. Admittedly, I'm glad I stuck it out as Mock seems to find her footing a...more 2.5 stars, really. And if I were rating on concept I would go with 3.5. However, there are lots of problems with the actualization of this book. The first and foremost is that this novel is drudgery for the first several chapters. Actually, its ponderous through the first 20% of the book. I had to force myself to stick with it due to weird pacing, constantly changing point of view and general confusion about the damn plot. Admittedly, I'm glad I stuck it out as Mock seems to find her footing after that point.

Not that this isn't rife with problems. It is. There are more typos and wrong word choices than I care to bring up (affect for effect, breath for breathe, etc.) and while I can overlook a lot, it was distracting. Mock needs a better editor. Actually several of my complaints might have been resolved that way.

Beyond the editorial nightmare there are problems with the introduction of new information. If this is going to be a Robert Jordan-esque series (and it certainly feels like it is), then please don't torture me. It's going to be long so just give me the information I need to understand this damn world. There are so many cities, factions, orders and races that it is impossible to make any sense of them in the first novel. What's worse is that they are brought up, not explained and then never referenced again. Or brought up like you have a clue what the characters are talking about. It's maddening! Further, the kindle version of this has no maps or glossary (I don't know about the print version) and we could use both of them, thanks! And at the beginning, please.

That being said, I really enjoyed the actual story. I like Faela well enough, she has an interesting story. I actually like most of the characters well enough, but the only one I REALLY enjoyed was Jair. For me at least, his enthusiasm and happy-go-lucky nature make the first book. I liked the concept of magic being colored (although I KNOW I've encountered it before). This is really a very typical fantasy novel, nothing feels new but it does feel like a well-loved article of clothing. Nothing surprising, but comfortable and enjoyable.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 26, 2011 Cherrie Redd rated it 5 of 5 stars

As many people have experienced in the past few years, coming off the Harry Potter series has left much to be desired regarding many of the other fantasy books out there. I have had a very difficult time finding something that gives me that fix of excitement, intrigue and character likability that HP did. I hate comparing, but what else is one to do when you know the feeling you get from a great series and nothing else you've read comes close? I actually got Shatter for my NooK because it was ei...more

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May 21, 2011 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: adults, fantasy fans, magic related

Recommended to Jane by: free Kindle find

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, favorites

Loved this, eagerly awaiting the next one in the series. The world building in this book is amazing and consistent. Magic system is intriguing without all the details being tediously hashed out. Inter-group politics are covered well without seeming far-fetched (a relief, some books tend towards overblown conflict without solid motivation, imnsho). Only gripe is that the perspective shifts drastically between chapters and sometimes the transition to other groups of characters is lacking (leading...more

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May 18, 2011 Sondra rated it 4 of 5 stars

So I finally started going through all those free Kindle books I downloaded around Christmas time, and Shatter was the first I picked up.
First of all, thanks to Ms. Mock for making it free. I wouldn't have downloaded it otherwise and I would have totally missed out on a good story and a good author to watch.
There are really great things about the Children of Man universe. The set up for the magic is imaginative without being ridiculous--lots of diversity, great history, cool abilities. With the...more

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May 03, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm giving this four stars because there were several things I loved about the book and only a couple of things I didn't like.

First the good: The author creates a rich cast of characters. She skillfully immerses you in their world so that by the end of the book, you feel attached to them. The use of magic in the book is imaginative and entertaining- I loved that there were different kinds of magic represented by different colors (although they were confusing at first). The plot line was engagin...more

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May 24, 2010 Jessica Johnston rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fantasy fans

Recommended to Jessica by: Elizabeth Mock

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

Nov 03, 2012 Merissa Sheppard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

What .... a .... book!!! To use some cooking analogy's, this book is hot! It's a slow burner but will keep you simmering all the way through. I stayed up very late to finish this, which is rare for me as I have two young girls that get me up at the crack of dawn!

Even though I read through the synopsis what the book delivers is so much more. The characters are flawed but so well rounded. They all have their strengths and weaknesses which makes them likeable. There is humour in this book, as well...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Aeterna Nox rated it 5 of 5 stars

Often I find that in a book that follows many plot threads, divides it's focus between a handful of characters, and also tries to create its own world geography, society, and political climate, there are often rough edges where the one aspect overwhelms the others. In Shatter, Elizabeth C. Mock manages to juggle every task she undertakes. The depths to which she explores the multi-faceted characters makes me wish I could sit down at one of their campfires and enjoy their company for a few hours,...more

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Dec 13, 2010 Kay rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This was a free Kindle book that I got from Amazon. It is a fantasy novel and the plot sounded interesting and it had good reviews so I decided to give it a try. This book was a wonderful surprise. From the get go the story grabbed me and kept me reading. I liked the characters and especially loved Faela. I found the world and the magic system interesting and liked how it was not all explained at once and instead I was able to learn about it as I read. One of the odd parts of the book is that it...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

c2010. Well, being a cynic, I figured that as this was a free download from Amazon that it would probably be a dud. I was quite wrong. It was a cracking read that I thoroughly enjoyed and can not wait for the next one. I felt there were a few problems with the editing or rather the lack thereof and the spelling errors were noticeable. I was a bit confused for the first couple of chapters as it felt as if there had been a previous book that I wasn't privy to. However, the characters soon grabbed...more

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Jan 15, 2011 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Things I liked: Initially, I quite liked the book, the characters, and the "magical world" in which they live. I liked the magical system and the way the politics of the world/countries are structured. It reminded me a lot of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, although not as good of writing or character development. Worth reading since it was free Kindle download.

Things I didn't like or started getting annoyed with further into the story: It's almost like the author tried to go for the Wheel...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Noor Jahangir rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Shatter is the first book in the trilogy, The Children of Man. When magic of Light was misused by the sorcerers, in order to safeguard it from being abused again, magic was split into different colours and each colour became championed by colleges and each college led by a Scion. Over the years, people have manifested various talents but some have become rarer than others. Now there is one that possess the power of a mind healer, but Faela is running away from more than just the past that haunts...more Shatter is the first book in the trilogy, The Children of Man. When magic of Light was misused by the sorcerers, in order to safeguard it from being abused again, magic was split into different colours and each colour became championed by colleges and each college led by a Scion. Over the years, people have manifested various talents but some have become rarer than others. Now there is one that possess the power of a mind healer, but Faela is running away from more than just the past that haunts her, for she is at the heart of a prophecy that will change the world.
The book cover features a head and shoulders image of a young, red-headed woman, whom I assume to be Faela, and is well-drawn and finished in an attractive colour palette.
The book opens with a prologue that meanders for a few pages with some character building before hitting the reader with the prophecy. The first chapter then introduces the main character Faela, who then bumps into Kade and Jair, both of whom are also running away from their past. The prologue confused me in that we don’t learn or hear about the girl who made the prophecy until much later in the book. A few chapters later and the story shifts to another lady’s perspective, Sheridan. The characters are well-rounded and fleshed out with enough foibles and background to make them distinctive, but there are so many perspectives here that I struggled to work out who the main character was. It’s a mistake I’ve made with my first novel too, in retrospect. As a writer, it’s difficult to pick up on these things without the right feedback from proofreaders.
The plot and the story-telling aspires to that of David Eddings and Mercedes Lackey, but isn’t quite there yet. That said, its one of the best written self-published books I’ve read, and I’ve read a few. As mentioned above, characterisation is done well and some of the characters are very likeable. The one annoying thing about this book is the banter between characters. Mock attempts to achieve the jibing and ribbing that David Eddings makes look easy, but instead it gets annoying, in fact much of this could have been edited out to make the novel shorter and sharper. Also, there are elements of steampunk here, e.g. steam boats, trains and pistols, but these only make a very brief appearance. They didn't really add much to the world-building and weren't really missed later on, so why have them at all? But by the end of the book I found myself thinking that I wouldn’t mind reading more of Mock’s work. If you’re into Indi authors then Elizabeth C Mock is well-worth a look in.
(less)

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Sep 09, 2011 Mari Mann rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was drawn into this book very quickly, mostly because of the idea that magic comes in different colors- we all know about black magic, of course, but did you know that healing magic, and artist magic, and singing magic have colors as well? And that those colors will reveal themselves in your eyes, and eventually on your body? This is the premise behind Shatter, and along with it's very strong characters, there is a whole world of magic to be discovered, a sense of place that seems as real as i...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Liza rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, fantasy

I'm really torn with this book. I liked the storyline, but the writing got in the way. Which isn't to say it was a badly written book. It wasn't. It was readable. There were just entire chunks of conversation that felt off, like they were being written by a giggling schoolgirl, acting out her fantasy. I guess that's what writing is all about, yeah? But it felt trite. Thankfully, that portion of the book was small enough to look past (it started at about 47% of the way through) and got back to no...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

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Aug 28, 2012 Carla Soares rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Li este livro no kindle - foi o primeiro - e sem ter lido a sinopse, pelo que nas primeiras páginas, andei confusa. Por ser um livro de fantasia, não tinha realidade, nem sequer lugares reais para ancorar-me, pelo que de início acompanhei as personagens um pouco ao sabor do vento. Mas acompanhei com muito gosto, e fui descobrindo aos poucos um mundo interessante, com o habitual sabor a antigamente, mas uma conceito de magia que, sem ser novo, funciona muito bem: as diferentes capacidades mágica,...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 19, 2011 Stuart Aken rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this on my Kindle and enjoyed the experience. The story, with its weaving of different coloured threads of magic into an illuminating fabric, deals largely with human relations. A fantasy, it demonstrates how this sometimes maligned genre can make serious points under guise of entertainment. The characters, an aspect of supreme importance to me in reading, shine and live, because Elizabeth C. Mock has invested them all with credible motivations and human emotions. There is much intrigue a...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Alec rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Hmmm.

Overall an interesting story arc is present, but it started out a little confusing, with clunky world-building and rapid changes between too many character viewpoints. (Suddenly in the middle of the book railway trains get mentioned, yet everything else is pretty much medieval? The trains don't get used in any sense at any time so why bother even mentioning them? It just throws a wrench in the imagination gearbox - is this meant to be a world of steam-punk or magic?).

The reader's viewpoint...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Maribeth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3 stars? 4? I'm conflicted. I just finished Shatter... or did I? It just. Ended. Things finally got exciting, and it ended.

Let me start again. I grabbed Shatter off of Amazon for free. It sat on my Kindle untouched for months until I chanced into it and quickly got hooked. I stayed hooked for quite a few chapters, then slowly became unhooked. The middle of the book is sooooo slooooow. I almost gave up - almost. I literally put it down and exclaimed, "I give up!" Fortunately I caved and gave it j...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

No spoilers. This is really for both books, Shatter and Render. Wonderful to read! Strong characters, lots of action. I loved the "believable" world and the characters were people I could buy into. I love it when the fantasy seems believable. It is an both an exciting and heartbreaking story.

Why did I not give it 5 stars? The one issue I had with this book is a problem I have with a lot of fantasy. The banter. Every two characters engage in playful banter with each other in ways that seem too c...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Teri rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ok, first off, it had a very slow start. Then once the author hit her stride with the story the book abruptly ends. A rude, nothing is resolved, what the hell kind of abrupt ending. I don't think I will be giving her a second chance to capture my interest. Although this book had some cute moments and a bit of intrigue that began to properly simmer in the second half of the book, it would benefit seriously from the efforts of a skilled editor. I strongly suspect it would make a better first part...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Quigui rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-free-stuff

Growing up during the chaos of the Nabosian War, Faela Durante and her entire generation never knew what it meant to live in a time of peace. Though the war ended years ago, the devastation has not. Every decision, no matter how seemingly insignificant, has a consequence and some consequences can never be predicted. But some are foretold.

Less than a year ago, Faela, the first Tereskan mind healer in generations, disappeared from her family home in Finalaran scared and pregnant. Hunted and livin...more Growing up during the chaos of the Nabosian War, Faela Durante and her entire generation never knew what it meant to live in a time of peace. Though the war ended years ago, the devastation has not. Every decision, no matter how seemingly insignificant, has a consequence and some consequences can never be predicted. But some are foretold.

Less than a year ago, Faela, the first Tereskan mind healer in generations, disappeared from her family home in Finalaran scared and pregnant. Hunted and living as an outcast, Faela searches for a legend that might be her only hope of gaining atonement and returning to her son. When her journey collides with two strangers and a prophecy, she must choose between trusting those around her or endangering her mission. With her past refusing to stay behind her, the consequences of Faela's choices will risk more than her own fate.

With such a synopsis, I would have expected this book to be pretty much about Faela. There was a lot that was about her in the story, but there were also a lot of others characters that interacted with Faela, and travelled with her, each with their own motivations.

Let's start with the two strangers mentioned on the back cover. One uses her as a human shield against the other, and being the good person she is, she decides to play judge and settle their differences. She ends up with a boy in her debt, Jair (the Destroyer), and this means trailing along with her through the forest to an uncertain destination.

What about the other stranger? He goes away for a bit (he is in need of some shopping) but he returns, intent on having his revenge on Jair, because he stole a bit more than just his boots. But on finding our party of two again, he ends up saving the day – for they are in trouble. But just barely, as he, Kade, comes very close to dying. And so Faela in now in debt to him (although not really, she managed to stop his certain death), and since they are all in pretty bad shape they have to rest until they can go on their way. But some bounty hunters appear! They are looking for Jair, and Kade is looking for them, and Faela is related to them. Isn't it a small world?

But these bounty hunters don't join the gang (of three, so far). Who joins is a couple that has been looking for Faela, Mireya a young girl that is something like an oracle and her husband Dathien who is her protector. Mireya had spoken a prophecy about Faela, and decided she needed to help her. And they are not the only ones who join up. The twins Eve and Sheridan come looking for Kade, as he is their prime suspect for a heinous crime, and Eve brings along a bard that hides who he is.

So, with our party of 8 (sometimes 10 for the brief periods the bounty hunters join in), we travelled through the kingdom of Nabos, trying to find the answers Faela is looking for. Why the others go with her? One, because she is kind of an anathema when it comes to magic. Two, because she is searching for something that is only a legend, and that no one believes is real. Well, no one apart from Mireya. And three, because there is like a web of people that want to get other people and have promised to care of other that makes disentangling the group kind of hard.

So, what did I think of it. The short version is I liked it. I did, there was a really nice set of magic, divided into colours, that made it easy to understand what everyone did. And the story of Faela is sad but I loved to find out about it. What I really did like was the banter between characters. Not all of them, but Sheridan and Jair were really funny (together or with anyone else). And the dynamic of Kade and Faela was also very good.

To tell the truth, I liked Faela. She wasn't a teenager bent on adventure and excitement. She was a grown woman, who had made something really bad, and was trying to fix it the best way she could, not for her, but for her son, who she had to leave behind, but was never far from her thoughts. She liked solitude and calm, and sometimes the big group got too much for her, and that is something I can relate to.

The ending was a cliffhanger, not a very mean one, but still, it was heart-wrenching because of the tragedy of it. And now I want to know what happens next.

Also at Spoilers and Nuts (less)

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Jun 02, 2010 Tyler rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: LOTR fans, Fantasy fans,

Recommended to Tyler by: Elizabeth Mock

Shelves: drama, fantasy, mystery, thriller

I really enjoyed this book!
It has a lot of different threads, which draw together to form a tightly woven narrative with a rich mythology--leaving the author room to expand on in some prequels...
There is a complex magic system which is handled very well. This is one of the points I look for when reading fantasy (obviously...), because if it's done poorly the suspension of disbelief can fall through.
Moreover, it helps to take a look at the maps which come with the book, as the world is a key elem...more

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May 08, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, kindle

The beginning of this book was a bit hard to follow. I liked the characters and the storyline but the way the characters were introduced was hard to follow. Where did they come from? was a thought that I had a couple of times. I originally got this book as it was free through amazon.com and I'm glad I did as the author was self published at the time. I've already read the 2nd book in the series and I'm looking forward to the next books as well. I've heard that the author now has a publisher and...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Elisa Nuckle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars-or-better

First off, Miss Author, and this might seem like a bizarre and puny nitpick, but please, please rename Kimiko the horse to something less Japanese and more fantasy. Every time that name came along it drop-kicked me out of the story.

End nitpick

So the story was really good. I got this as a free ebook, and I have to admit I wasn't expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised. I stayed up til 3 in the morning because I HAD to know the ending. Felt good to experience that. It's been a while (book muscl...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Erica rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm not normally big on fantasy writing as detailed as this, as I find myself lost within the first chapter of the book. However, Ms. Mock kept me intrigued right up to the cliff-hanger of an ending in her first book in the Children of Man Series. She weaves a deep and enticing tale full of magic and Scions, while still creating a vibrant fantasy world so well described that I could probably navigate on my own. Every one of her characters are enchanting, intense and easy to love. And that's sayi...more

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About Elizabeth C. Mock

Elizabeth C. Mock grew up with a passion for stories and writing as well as exploring wardrobes. She and her husband live in Cincinnati, OH, where they watch too many movies and plot their next culinary adventure. She currently teaches philosophy, spends too much time on social networking sites, and continues writing The Children of Man series and working on other projects. From time to time, she...more

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“Rafaela, we all hurt people." Tobias’ voice was sharp. "That’s universal. We’re all broken and those shards will cut those around us.” — 12 people liked it

“Information is not understanding,” Tobias replied, his light-hearted tone replaced with sobriety. “You can give information, but you can never give understanding.” — 10 people liked it

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