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Tree of Life (Tree of Life #1)

by Elita Daniels (Goodreads Author), Blair Kenny (Editor)

3.37 of 5 stars 3.37 · rating details · 35 ratings · 19 reviews

Wrath, vengeance, hatred, cannot breathe the same atmosphere as love. And so it was that love began to wither and withdraw... Among the ageless quietude of the elves, Deacon, a mortal, suffers the inescapable awareness of mortality. He lived in what many deemed perfection, but a dark uncertainty plagued him that there lay treachery in it all. When secrets of his mysterious...more

Paperback, 380 pages

Published June 1st 2010 by P.L.Daniels Pty. Ltd.

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Oct 28, 2010 The Chaotic Reader rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

My review of Tree of Life is posted on The Chaotic Reader.

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Nov 02, 2011 Miranda Wheeler rated it 5 of 5 stars

View the Original Review here: http://ricochetreviews.blogspot.com/2...

Tree of Life is unlike anything I've ever read. Ever.

Firstly, this cover is absolutely beautiful. Both versions - the print edition is gorgeous too, but the e-book cover is stunning! I'm pretty sure the same artist that did Fate Fixed by Bonnie Erina Wheeler (another gorgeous cover!) had something to do with it. In short, the piece is beautiful.

Speaking of beautiful pieces... wow.

I restate: Tree of Life is unlike anything I...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Robert Duperre rated it 2 of 5 stars

Rating: 1.9 out of 5

The older you get, the faster life moves. Yes, that’s a cliché, but most times clichés have their roots in aspects of the truth. Days and weeks fly by, and before you know it you’re looking at the past saying, “Maybe I should’ve stopped for a minute to appreciate the passage of time.” When I find myself thinking this, and the limited time I have to do what I need to do, I abhor the things around me that waste my time, things that steal from me precious moments with which I co...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Alice Yeh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hide-and-read-reviews

The story begins not with the main character of this tale, Deacon, but rather with the people and the betrayal that would guide the journey occupying the bulk of this book. Though initially a bit disappointed at the brevity of the first adventure, I was quickly placated by the realization that it was only the backdrop to a more involved production.

Daniels proves herself as one with a good understanding of human nature. Her characterizations are consistent, even with the transformations and matur...more The story begins not with the main character of this tale, Deacon, but rather with the people and the betrayal that would guide the journey occupying the bulk of this book. Though initially a bit disappointed at the brevity of the first adventure, I was quickly placated by the realization that it was only the backdrop to a more involved production.

Daniels proves herself as one with a good understanding of human nature. Her characterizations are consistent, even with the transformations and maturation of personalities. Deacon himself displays aspects of the Byronic hero, a man whose inner darkness drives a self-destructive attitude towards those who surround him. We are slowly drawn into his inner turmoil, and while much of this is elicited through his scenes with Magenta, the interest gave purpose to the otherwise overly-romantic sections. With that being said, there were still moments when I wanted to knock him upside the head for being so slow to make up his mind.

Many of the names, as well as the fantasy realm itself, seem to draw heavily from Tolkein. The similarity of elven attributes was difficult to ignore, and while this facilitated the process of picturing an ethereal race, it took away from the mysticism of it all as my mind started drawing parallels between Tree of Life and Lord of the Rings. Fortunately, the creativity of the plot, as well as the well-paced storyline, maintained my interest in the reading at hand. Daniels displays a firm understanding of "show, not tell," as she introduces the reader to concepts and characters without giving excessive background information. We learn the details as we would in real life — through conversation, action, and events.

For the most part, the text flowed quite readily. The author's sense of rhythm and sentence structure is well-developed, and complex ideas are conveyed in lyrical prose without becoming cumbersome in their dense verbiage. Even so, there were some paragraphs where unintended redundancy marred the effect. If something is described as shocking, for example, then we need not to be told that the character was shocked. Appalled, or amazed, perhaps, but certainly not a word that was already used. Additionally, the overuse of variations of the word "caress" began to wear at me by the end of the book.

With its complex, carefully planned storyline; its believable characters; and the promise of intrigue yet to come, Tree of Life is a novel that propels the reader headfirst into hours of pleasant reading and goads him into swimming frantically towards the final destination: the last page. The ending left me itching for the next installment in this series, and I look forward to finding out the fate of characters that have become dear to me over the course of two days.(less)

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Nov 26, 2010 Eleanor rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book took me so very long to read. The descriptions weighed the book down heavily and at times I felt as though I had to push them aside to locate the storyline. This was often difficult as the punctuation wasn't always correct; one sentence ran for six lines! I persevered however, and found myself asking a whole lot of questions...none of which have yet been answered.

One thing the author managed to do was make me feel an extremely strong emotion: hate! I really don't like using that word,...more This book took me so very long to read. The descriptions weighed the book down heavily and at times I felt as though I had to push them aside to locate the storyline. This was often difficult as the punctuation wasn't always correct; one sentence ran for six lines! I persevered however, and found myself asking a whole lot of questions...none of which have yet been answered.

One thing the author managed to do was make me feel an extremely strong emotion: hate! I really don't like using that word, but the protagonist of this story: Deacon made me so very angry. I wanted to grab him and shake his stupidity out of him. The term 'spoiled brat' comes to mind! You do find yourself looking for a reason to like him...some redeeming quality...a shred of humanity...Who on earth would tell the woman they love that their beauty fades before them???

I also at times found the characters lacking depth and I often questioned why they did the things they did. Of all the characters in the book, surprisingly, I found the most emotion and justifiable action in Fraomar; not a major character. The author has very skillfully portrayed this one particular character so well, that even though his actions are not kind, you find yourself sympathising with him. This surprised me greatly as I could never condone what he has done, but the author seems to have gone to so much trouble with him that I find myself wondering what his significance is...In this way the author has skilfully demonstrated how a perfectly good and decent person can seek retribution in such crafty ways as a result of being rejected by someone they love.

I also found myself often asking where is this going? When is something going to happen? It does tend to drag on a little in places and a lot of characters are introduced and discarded quickly which created some confusion. It was also frustrating that the protagonists' love interest was introduced so late in the book - I found myself looking for her...I mean everyone knows it takes a good woman to sort out a man!

Although there were times I had to put the book down due to adjective fatigue, I am intrigued as to how the second book will resolve all the issues that have been raised. How will Deacon redeem himself? - If it is even possible. What is it about the Elves that Deakin detests? Will we see more of Magenta? In spite of everything, I do want to know...I don't know if that is the skill of the author or my need for resolution.

Thanks,
Elly
(less)

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Dec 23, 2010 Rosemary Danielis rated it 5 of 5 stars

An old world fantasy brimming with romance, mystery and adventure.

If you are looking for a story brimming with romance, mystery and adventure, you must read "The Tree of Life" by Elita Daniels. The rich fantasy tale has a delicious old world charm and the quality of the prose is intricate and designed to be savoured. I especially enjoyed the full descriptions of the main characters and the love, hate and anguish they feel as the tale unwinds. The story explores the multifaceted nature of love an...more

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Mar 10, 2011 Jennifer Hudock rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fantasy fans, fans of Tolkien

Revenge... it incurs bitterness and motivation unlike any other emotion, settling deep into the soul like a festering pustule until the seeker is completely consumed.

This is Deacon--the protagonist in Elita Daniels' debut fantasy novel, Tree of Life Part One. Abducted and scarred by his cruel and power-hungry father as a child, Deacon's mother risked life and limb to save him from the cruel fate his father planned for him. The bond between mother and son becomes even stronger as they survive the...more Revenge... it incurs bitterness and motivation unlike any other emotion, settling deep into the soul like a festering pustule until the seeker is completely consumed.

This is Deacon--the protagonist in Elita Daniels' debut fantasy novel, Tree of Life Part One. Abducted and scarred by his cruel and power-hungry father as a child, Deacon's mother risked life and limb to save him from the cruel fate his father planned for him. The bond between mother and son becomes even stronger as they survive the terrifying ordeal, but when Deacon's mother falls in love with the elven man who helps her save her son, her frail, human mortality is only enhanced by the everlasting elven world they live in.

Both set free and ensnared by his mother's death, Deacon embarks on a quest to avenge her and punish his wicked father. Accompanied by his cousins, despite his pleas for solitude, Deacon, Cedrik and Derek find themselves caught up in a strange plot involving a beautiful young priestess-in-training named Magenta. Despite his unwillingness to let himself fall in love, Deacon is enamored with Magenta, and discovers that sharing his vengeance with her is both liberating and dangerous.

There is something about Deacon's inner turmoil that appeals to the soul. As a reader I found myself frustrated and enamored with his struggle to love and be loved. A struggle that continually leaves him feeling empty and enraged, this presents a powerful lesson about the dangers of self-loathing.

For a debut novel from a first-time author, Daniels captures the otherworldly essence often found in works by master storytellers like Tolkien. Tree of Life is both character and plot driven, urging readers to embrace the struggling enigma that is Deacon in hopes that he can be saved--more than anything from himself.

Overall, I give Tree of Life Part One 4 out of 5 stars, and recommend it to fantasy lovers who relish in conflicted characters on a quest to quell their vengeance and discover who they really are at heart. I'm anxiously awaiting the second installment, as Daniels split the novel at the perfect cliffhanger. (less)

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Sep 10, 2010 Joanne Valiukas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tree of life is a High Fantasy novel that in its descriptive, colourful prose sits amongst those works in the manner of Tolkien and Paolini. The book from the first page to the last is shrouded in darkness as Ms Daniels weaves a tale surrounding a protagonist that is thoroughly unlikeable though deep down inside, you look for a reason to find redemption within him. The writer skillfully skates a knifes edge with how she handles both the deepening plot and the development of her characters. I am...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Carey rated it 1 of 5 stars

I couldn't read this book. I doubt I made it a hundred pages in before I set it aside.

The writing is technically okay (grammar and spelling were fine), but the style was almost unreadable. It's written in a very detached third-person narrative, and glosses over a lot of character interactions with summaries. Dialogue is almost non-existent, or is used as awkward exposition.

Perhaps most awkward, though, was the mood. The only emotions expressed in the part of the book I read were negative: fear,...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am so anxious to read this amazing looking book! It is on my top five books to read in 2011 list!
__________________________________________________________________________________
Author Elita Faith Daniels was kind enough to offer me an e version of this book!
Which, by the way, is also the reason it took me so long to read it. I still have not made the full commit to switch from paper books to kindle books, so I usually forget when I have books on my kindle app!

That being said, this book was...more

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Dec 19, 2010 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out added it

Shelves: blog-reviews

The Tree of Life is a epic fantasy novel that combines adventure, romance and magic.
There were many aspects of this novel that I found appealing. I thought the world building creative and original with its mix of mages, sorceres, elves and other creatures. I thought the imagery and description exquisite and the language stunningly lyrical.
With so much going for it, I find it frustratingly difficult to articulate why I lost interest. I began to struggle about half way through and I have to admi...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Maaike rated it 3 of 5 stars

I agree with a lot of the reviews- it seems wordy, drags on and has a dreary non-resolving sort of feel to it. Took me longer than I like to get through it. Not all bad but certainly not gripping or fascinating. Tantalizing beginning but nothing really comes of it.

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Aug 13, 2011 Bonnie Wheeler rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a lush, dream swept tale. I loved Daniel's prose and rich detail and the dreamy fantasy she wove. I anxiously await Part 2!

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Nov 02, 2010 LeiAnn marked it as to-read

Reminescent of Lord of the Rings, according to Dan. Part of a series.

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Jun 12, 2012 Monique rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, own

I gave up reading this one. I may go back to it, but I doubt it.

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Dec 15, 2012 Michelle Mesics rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book, even though it is not something I would usually read !! Really looking forward to reading the next chapter :)

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Oct 01, 2010 Robert marked it as to-read

Shelves: elves, tree-of-life

Ah, a subject very close to my heart.

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Sep 15, 2011 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads-giveaway-s

I've had the book on my shelf for a while, took a me a little bit to get to it. I finally did read it, and though it was a decent story, it really wasn't my favorite genre. I prefer paranormal romance to fantasy. This was just a little out there for me.

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Mar 01, 2012 James Harris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-fantasy

interesting book

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May 23, 2013 Olivia Munro is currently reading it

May 22, 2013 Roxy marked it as to-read

May 06, 2013 Elyse marked it as to-read

Shelves: want-to-read

May 03, 2013 Adriana marked it as purchased · review of another edition

May 03, 2013 Denise Denis marked it as to-read

Apr 22, 2013 Becci marked it as to-read

Apr 21, 2013 Misty marked it as to-read

Apr 12, 2013 Book Worm marked it as to-read

Shelves: fantasy-books-to-read, romance-books-to-read, should-i-read-this-or-not

Apr 10, 2013 Jenn marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

Apr 06, 2013 Joni marked it as to-read

Apr 08, 2013 Kristinajean is currently reading it

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About Elita Daniels

Elita Daniels was born in the early 1980's in North Queensland, and was raised (and still lives) in the historical gold city of Charters Towers. She started writing at age twenty-five, writing late at night when the house was quiet.

She aspires to move with her husband to a nice sized property located in a cooler climate, get a couple of dogs, and see "Tree of Life" made into a movie.

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Quotes from Tree of Life

“Don't speak to me about nature. I have no love for her. I feel and see only death. Even your beauty wilts and perishes before my eyes with the decay of time. I feel it building in momentum each passing day with sickening acceleration. It will not slow, and everything is lost within its great hunger. It makes all that is now a pleasure a bitter pain, knowing it is all to be lost in the end.” — 5 people liked it

“I am one of them, said Magenta. "Their poison went deep into my body. Sometimes I feel so contaminated, I feel I am not born to this world.” — 1 person liked it

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title link	preview: Tree of Life
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Tree of Life (Tree of Life #1)

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