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The First
An ancient secret could hold the key to their salvation . . . or their destruction.
Rinni and her brother Mori have been raised by their grandmother ever since the violent death of their parents. The Shadows, creatures who lurk beyond the walls of their village, kill anyone who attempts to leave.
But the biggest threat lies within their own village. Everyone and everything is dying, slowly and without hope of salvation.
The most vital beliefs of her people begin to unravel, the threads hopelessly bound up with the fate of those who left the village long ago.
Rinni discovers that those beliefs are based on a deception that will rock the foundation of her entire people. To save them, she must learn to open her heart and sacrifice . . . everything.
A standalone novel for lovers of mythic and dystopian fantasy.
Rinni and her brother Mori have been raised by their grandmother ever since the violent death of their parents. The Shadows, creatures who lurk beyond the walls of their village, kill anyone who attempts to leave.
But the biggest threat lies within their own village. Everyone and everything is dying, slowly and without hope of salvation.
The most vital beliefs of her people begin to unravel, the threads hopelessly bound up with the fate of those who left the village long ago.
Rinni discovers that those beliefs are based on a deception that will rock the foundation of her entire people. To save them, she must learn to open her heart and sacrifice . . . everything.
A standalone novel for lovers of mythic and dystopian fantasy.
332 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2014
16 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Lisa M. Green
5 books360 followersLisa M. Green writes stories of myth and magic, weaving fairy tales into fantasy. Lisa began writing at a very young age and even considered a career in screenwriting or journalism. Throughout her childhood, she drove everyone insane with her constant stories and plays. Lisa enjoys reading, writing, cooking, traveling, hiking, and playing video games that girls aren’t supposed to like. Visit lisamgreen.com for more information about the author and her books.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR: linktr.ee/lisamgreen
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 22, 2014
What an honest-to-God beautiful read!
The survivors are safe, but only within the walls. This nugget of an idea has formed the basis of many sci-fi, fantasy, or post-apocalyptic novels, but I can honestly say I have never enjoyed the way this concept was treated more than in this book.
What do you do when the trusted elders who are there to guide you turn out to be your guards? When you discovered you’re not merely being protected, but held prisoner?
This is a beautifully written novel, original, and a very enjoyable read. I loved the narrator’s voice – that of Corinne, a young girl who notices far more than she is expected to, and really far more than it’s good for her. The familiarity and ease of address certainly counts for half the fun because, let’s face it, which young girl’s thoughts are straight-flowing and completely logical? But the other half – the quest, the other characters, the plot twists – all blended superbly well to make a very satisfying read.
Absolutely, truly, hugely loved this book. The five stars I award it are fully deserved. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone, any age. It will bring you hours of fun and enjoyment. I’m certainly glad I found a new author voice to follow. Well done, Lisa M. Green.
The survivors are safe, but only within the walls. This nugget of an idea has formed the basis of many sci-fi, fantasy, or post-apocalyptic novels, but I can honestly say I have never enjoyed the way this concept was treated more than in this book.
What do you do when the trusted elders who are there to guide you turn out to be your guards? When you discovered you’re not merely being protected, but held prisoner?
This is a beautifully written novel, original, and a very enjoyable read. I loved the narrator’s voice – that of Corinne, a young girl who notices far more than she is expected to, and really far more than it’s good for her. The familiarity and ease of address certainly counts for half the fun because, let’s face it, which young girl’s thoughts are straight-flowing and completely logical? But the other half – the quest, the other characters, the plot twists – all blended superbly well to make a very satisfying read.
Absolutely, truly, hugely loved this book. The five stars I award it are fully deserved. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone, any age. It will bring you hours of fun and enjoyment. I’m certainly glad I found a new author voice to follow. Well done, Lisa M. Green.
August 8, 2016
I'm not entirely sure what to say about this book. It might be just me, it probably is just me, but I was confused by this book. With a lot of books that are set in a different world with different laws and ways of living, the authors at least explain a little what the world is like and how the world works. Not with this book. With this book. I was very confused about how the world Ms. Green created worked. I was confused on who the Shadows were, on how their marriage practices worked, and especially on how their hierarchy worked. I understood that the Primaries were in charge, but there were so many of them that I wondered how they came to any sort of decision. It was several chapters into the book before I finally started to understand how the world worked at all.
From the very beginning of the book, you knew that something was wrong, that there was a lot going on in their little village that didn't usually happen. The people's acceptance of their leaders, the Primaries, insistence that nothing was wrong, that everything was just fine, angered me. In a world where it seemed survival alone was extremely difficult, these things that were happening, and they were very large, very important things, would have made me question everything and everyone. I don't think that I could have stood by and just believed what the Primaries said just because they had never led us astray before. There's a first time for everything. And who knows, they could have been lying about everything for a very long time; they were just very good at covering it up.
I did like the protagonist, Rinni, and I very much liked her great-mother (grandmother) Ganni and her mate, Brahdon. They reacted much the same way that I would have. Her twin brother was a little hesitant, but I think that it was because he was just more cautious and he wanted to think things through before he just believed whatever anyone told him. Even if the person telling him these things was his twin sister. I did like that about Jim very much.
Overall, I found many parts of this book slow, tedious and very confusing, it is definitely the kind of book that you need to read all the way through in order to understand everything that was happening. It's not the kind of book that I normally would read, although the description made it sound like it was exactly the kind of book I would read. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It was far too slow and confusing for most of the book. But like I said, maybe it was just me.
From the very beginning of the book, you knew that something was wrong, that there was a lot going on in their little village that didn't usually happen. The people's acceptance of their leaders, the Primaries, insistence that nothing was wrong, that everything was just fine, angered me. In a world where it seemed survival alone was extremely difficult, these things that were happening, and they were very large, very important things, would have made me question everything and everyone. I don't think that I could have stood by and just believed what the Primaries said just because they had never led us astray before. There's a first time for everything. And who knows, they could have been lying about everything for a very long time; they were just very good at covering it up.
I did like the protagonist, Rinni, and I very much liked her great-mother (grandmother) Ganni and her mate, Brahdon. They reacted much the same way that I would have. Her twin brother was a little hesitant, but I think that it was because he was just more cautious and he wanted to think things through before he just believed whatever anyone told him. Even if the person telling him these things was his twin sister. I did like that about Jim very much.
Overall, I found many parts of this book slow, tedious and very confusing, it is definitely the kind of book that you need to read all the way through in order to understand everything that was happening. It's not the kind of book that I normally would read, although the description made it sound like it was exactly the kind of book I would read. Unfortunately, it wasn't. It was far too slow and confusing for most of the book. But like I said, maybe it was just me.
March 1, 2015
Verdict: Wait until a redrafted version is released.
The Rating Breakdown
Enjoyment: 3 I had to read most of it twice, but it was a good read.
Writing Style: 1 Verbose, vague, and too many questions.
Plot: 2 Good but hard to follow. Then it got weird...
World & Concepts: 2 Mostly underdeveloped.
Characters: 2 Good main character with strong voice. The rest didn’t stand out to me.
Finish: 5 No typos. The cover looks amazing and well-suited to the novel.
Strengths: The pacing and the potential.
Weakness: The prose. Nearly everything about the prose.
I’ve spent a lot of time with this novel, which isn’t something I would do if it was beyond hope. More than anything, I tried to like it. In it's current state, it's just a mess.
Concepts are underdeveloped, the prose is poor, and only Rinni (main character) felt fleshed out. Events happened spontaneously, characters referred to things that hadn't been introduced, and other lines waffled on until I lost the point. At first I blamed myself, but the more I read – and reread – it started to become clear that this book need a good edit both developmentally and by line. Not proofing though. It's exceptionally well-proofed.
Here are three examples that struck me as particularly bad:
I had barely heard her words from further down the path as I had never stopped my forward motion, having quickly picked up a sprint again without missing more than a stride or two.
I can't remember how many times I've read that sentence, but I still struggle with it even now.
I indulge in a moment of aromatic ecstasy as my olfactory nerves register the intense sensory experience.
Jesus. She’s just smelling a pie. Plus, for a society that doesn't seem to know how to start a fire from scratch, how on earth do they know about olfactory nerves?
My voice is a throaty whisper in the darkness, the pregnant words hanging in the air, floating among the tendrils of mist and spray, defying gravity with their weight implications.
I can't believe the author thought that line was okay. All I'll say is that sometimes fewer words can say more. Similarly, more words can tie the scene into the very noose that hangs the book.
For every 10 sentences that were confusing, verbose, or irrelevant, I read a phrase that was excellent or made me smile. What this novel has is potential. I felt like the author should consider scraping away all the unnecessary text, replacing words which sound like they’ve been thesaurus-ed back to their simple forms, and tweaking the deictic wording with specifics. It would make a huge difference in my opinion.
Rinni is a great main character with personality. She is also an anxious person. It was an unusual trait that worked well because Rinni’s anxiety made me very nervous in turn. Even when I didn’t know what was happening, I fed off of her tension. Other times, Rinni’s voice was too flustered and melodramatic. The author needed to let the scenes speak for themselves. One time Rinni goes on and on about how she’s the bigger person and how their empathy will ‘go a long way’. It made it sound disingenuous.
I noticed that most of the characters sounded similar, including an extract from an old journal. Bhrandon intrigued me because he was around a lot, but he didn’t say much. Most of what I know about him is what Rinni told me to think.
I got a tired of being told what to think.
The prose is so stuffed with every question possible that I started to become confused about what I was supposed to be questioning. Why did we even go down there?/ Who ask you to follow us down there, dear?/ Who invited you anyways? And while we’re at it, how did you manage.... It goes on. I’ve only omitted a few lines from that section. My boyfriend peered over my shoulder once and commented on the sheer amount of question marks on the page. The question never stopped and sometimes a few sarcastic ones were thrown in which just made things more confusing.
When the narration was more concise, the pacing was actually quite good. Lot’s happened... Things were revealed... I can’t be more specific because I didn’t always fully understand.
Most chapters ended on a dramatic note that lacked the proper context. One ended with Rinni stating that she already knew the answer to something! That’s great for her, but I wasn’t sure whether or not I was supposed to know the answer too. I didn’t. And I didn’t pick it up for quite some time, either. It prompted rereading...
I couldn’t picture the village. I didn’t understand how it worked. Could they go outside the village boundaries? Did they go outside the village boundaries for any reasons, or was it completely bounded off? If so, by what? And how does it keep the Shadows out? That’s just my questions about the boundaries.
I didn’t understand what or who the Shadows were, either. Humans? Zombies? Ethereal? I just knew they were bad. I still don’t know why they couldn’t get into the villages and it took 95% to finally get a satisfactory description of them. At this point, it reminded me how pointless they were anyway.
Two clear facts about this novel are that the healing tree is dying and the fire is dying. I couldn’t work out why either mattered. Surely the fire can be restarted. Surely they could plant seeds or rely on the other trees and food sources. It’s not enough for our main character to call it ‘Our only hope of survival’. I needed to know why in order to care.
At 40% in, I finally learned that the fire powers some mills (there are mills?) and allows them to cook, but I still didn’t know how the fire began nor why these humans are incapable of restarting it. I also discovered that the healing tree is one of the only trees in the village. I don’t consider these spoilers or plot twists – I consider them necessary facts. If I had known about the tree in the first few chapters, I might have cared more that it was dying.
That was another main problem. Vital information was withheld past the point of caring.
I’m reluctant to mention the ending, because I’m still utterly perplexed by it. Was it a different novel? A lot of stuff suddenly came in to play, new conflicts arose, and old themes and questions were disregarded to make room for a rush of action that had little continuity to the rest of the book. It was entertaining, but as a reader I felt it made no sense. By that point, I expected aliens to wake up and think it was all just a dream... The ending can go under the rug for now though, because there’s a much more pressing issue.
That prose...
Prose should flow. It should provide the right amount of information at the right time. The story should feel logical, even if there are gaps in our understanding. The question should be ‘what will happen next’ rather than just ‘what the-?’ before flicking back and rereading. At the moment, this just doesn’t feel ready to be published.
Source: Direct from author.
Blog:ScookieReviews
The Rating Breakdown
Enjoyment: 3 I had to read most of it twice, but it was a good read.
Writing Style: 1 Verbose, vague, and too many questions.
Plot: 2 Good but hard to follow. Then it got weird...
World & Concepts: 2 Mostly underdeveloped.
Characters: 2 Good main character with strong voice. The rest didn’t stand out to me.
Finish: 5 No typos. The cover looks amazing and well-suited to the novel.
Strengths: The pacing and the potential.
Weakness: The prose. Nearly everything about the prose.
I’ve spent a lot of time with this novel, which isn’t something I would do if it was beyond hope. More than anything, I tried to like it. In it's current state, it's just a mess.
Concepts are underdeveloped, the prose is poor, and only Rinni (main character) felt fleshed out. Events happened spontaneously, characters referred to things that hadn't been introduced, and other lines waffled on until I lost the point. At first I blamed myself, but the more I read – and reread – it started to become clear that this book need a good edit both developmentally and by line. Not proofing though. It's exceptionally well-proofed.
Here are three examples that struck me as particularly bad:
I had barely heard her words from further down the path as I had never stopped my forward motion, having quickly picked up a sprint again without missing more than a stride or two.
I can't remember how many times I've read that sentence, but I still struggle with it even now.
I indulge in a moment of aromatic ecstasy as my olfactory nerves register the intense sensory experience.
Jesus. She’s just smelling a pie. Plus, for a society that doesn't seem to know how to start a fire from scratch, how on earth do they know about olfactory nerves?
My voice is a throaty whisper in the darkness, the pregnant words hanging in the air, floating among the tendrils of mist and spray, defying gravity with their weight implications.
I can't believe the author thought that line was okay. All I'll say is that sometimes fewer words can say more. Similarly, more words can tie the scene into the very noose that hangs the book.
For every 10 sentences that were confusing, verbose, or irrelevant, I read a phrase that was excellent or made me smile. What this novel has is potential. I felt like the author should consider scraping away all the unnecessary text, replacing words which sound like they’ve been thesaurus-ed back to their simple forms, and tweaking the deictic wording with specifics. It would make a huge difference in my opinion.
Rinni is a great main character with personality. She is also an anxious person. It was an unusual trait that worked well because Rinni’s anxiety made me very nervous in turn. Even when I didn’t know what was happening, I fed off of her tension. Other times, Rinni’s voice was too flustered and melodramatic. The author needed to let the scenes speak for themselves. One time Rinni goes on and on about how she’s the bigger person and how their empathy will ‘go a long way’. It made it sound disingenuous.
I noticed that most of the characters sounded similar, including an extract from an old journal. Bhrandon intrigued me because he was around a lot, but he didn’t say much. Most of what I know about him is what Rinni told me to think.
I got a tired of being told what to think.
The prose is so stuffed with every question possible that I started to become confused about what I was supposed to be questioning. Why did we even go down there?/ Who ask you to follow us down there, dear?/ Who invited you anyways? And while we’re at it, how did you manage.... It goes on. I’ve only omitted a few lines from that section. My boyfriend peered over my shoulder once and commented on the sheer amount of question marks on the page. The question never stopped and sometimes a few sarcastic ones were thrown in which just made things more confusing.
When the narration was more concise, the pacing was actually quite good. Lot’s happened... Things were revealed... I can’t be more specific because I didn’t always fully understand.
Most chapters ended on a dramatic note that lacked the proper context. One ended with Rinni stating that she already knew the answer to something! That’s great for her, but I wasn’t sure whether or not I was supposed to know the answer too. I didn’t. And I didn’t pick it up for quite some time, either. It prompted rereading...
I couldn’t picture the village. I didn’t understand how it worked. Could they go outside the village boundaries? Did they go outside the village boundaries for any reasons, or was it completely bounded off? If so, by what? And how does it keep the Shadows out? That’s just my questions about the boundaries.
I didn’t understand what or who the Shadows were, either. Humans? Zombies? Ethereal? I just knew they were bad. I still don’t know why they couldn’t get into the villages and it took 95% to finally get a satisfactory description of them. At this point, it reminded me how pointless they were anyway.
Two clear facts about this novel are that the healing tree is dying and the fire is dying. I couldn’t work out why either mattered. Surely the fire can be restarted. Surely they could plant seeds or rely on the other trees and food sources. It’s not enough for our main character to call it ‘Our only hope of survival’. I needed to know why in order to care.
At 40% in, I finally learned that the fire powers some mills (there are mills?) and allows them to cook, but I still didn’t know how the fire began nor why these humans are incapable of restarting it. I also discovered that the healing tree is one of the only trees in the village. I don’t consider these spoilers or plot twists – I consider them necessary facts. If I had known about the tree in the first few chapters, I might have cared more that it was dying.
That was another main problem. Vital information was withheld past the point of caring.
I’m reluctant to mention the ending, because I’m still utterly perplexed by it. Was it a different novel? A lot of stuff suddenly came in to play, new conflicts arose, and old themes and questions were disregarded to make room for a rush of action that had little continuity to the rest of the book. It was entertaining, but as a reader I felt it made no sense. By that point, I expected aliens to wake up and think it was all just a dream... The ending can go under the rug for now though, because there’s a much more pressing issue.
That prose...
Prose should flow. It should provide the right amount of information at the right time. The story should feel logical, even if there are gaps in our understanding. The question should be ‘what will happen next’ rather than just ‘what the-?’ before flicking back and rereading. At the moment, this just doesn’t feel ready to be published.
Source: Direct from author.
Blog:ScookieReviews
November 5, 2014
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review :) Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review your book miss Lisa M. Green :D
First of all, I finished reading it for some time now but I wanted to gather my thoughts before rushing and giving a half baked review. (Plus I have been debating on what rating I'll be giving)
Let's talk about the thing that really caught my attention. The cover! I really love the cover! It is so captivating. It made me want to know more about the story! Seeing the cover, I figured that this beautiful tree would be vital in the plot. Plus those eyes, I want to know who owns them and how will they fit in the story.
This book starts off with the protagonist Rinni who, together with her twin brother, tends to the fire. This fire is essential because it keeps shadows at bay and keeps their village safe. This story somehow feels like it is set in a post-apocalyptic world but is not quite dystopian. The writing style is very interesting and the themes underlying the story are great. I found this book unlike any I have ever read before and I am glad I was able to read something like this. Rinni's village is built around a tree that provides them with the things they need. This tree kind of reminds me of Yggdrasil from the Norse mythology and I would love to have read more details on it throughout the story. I have so many questions but I wouldn't want to spoil you guys who haven't read this book yet. I just think that one book wasn't enough to fully explore this world. I would love to read a prequel or a novella if there will ever be one in the future. The plot twists in this book really did shock me and at times confused me because I really didn't expect any of those things to enter the story and be connected somehow. When I first read it, I somehow sensed the path on where it will progress to and I expected and guessed along the way but then it took a new road and continued to journey there. Since starting the book, I was waiting for the introduction on the meaning of the title of the book. I was really curious on what is "the first". I did have trouble getting into the world at first and seeing everything from Rinni's perspective. I find that the story progressed at a normal setting until the last few chapters where I felt like the events were so fast paced and abrupt leaving me with so many questions. As for the characters, I wanted more time with them. I wanted to get to know more about them, to look into their past. Nevertheless, I did enjoy reading this book.
All in all, this book is good and I recommend that you pick this up and read for yourself.
3.5 M. stars!!! *wink*
First of all, I finished reading it for some time now but I wanted to gather my thoughts before rushing and giving a half baked review. (Plus I have been debating on what rating I'll be giving)
Let's talk about the thing that really caught my attention. The cover! I really love the cover! It is so captivating. It made me want to know more about the story! Seeing the cover, I figured that this beautiful tree would be vital in the plot. Plus those eyes, I want to know who owns them and how will they fit in the story.
This book starts off with the protagonist Rinni who, together with her twin brother, tends to the fire. This fire is essential because it keeps shadows at bay and keeps their village safe. This story somehow feels like it is set in a post-apocalyptic world but is not quite dystopian. The writing style is very interesting and the themes underlying the story are great. I found this book unlike any I have ever read before and I am glad I was able to read something like this. Rinni's village is built around a tree that provides them with the things they need. This tree kind of reminds me of Yggdrasil from the Norse mythology and I would love to have read more details on it throughout the story. I have so many questions but I wouldn't want to spoil you guys who haven't read this book yet. I just think that one book wasn't enough to fully explore this world. I would love to read a prequel or a novella if there will ever be one in the future. The plot twists in this book really did shock me and at times confused me because I really didn't expect any of those things to enter the story and be connected somehow. When I first read it, I somehow sensed the path on where it will progress to and I expected and guessed along the way but then it took a new road and continued to journey there. Since starting the book, I was waiting for the introduction on the meaning of the title of the book. I was really curious on what is "the first". I did have trouble getting into the world at first and seeing everything from Rinni's perspective. I find that the story progressed at a normal setting until the last few chapters where I felt like the events were so fast paced and abrupt leaving me with so many questions. As for the characters, I wanted more time with them. I wanted to get to know more about them, to look into their past. Nevertheless, I did enjoy reading this book.
All in all, this book is good and I recommend that you pick this up and read for yourself.
3.5 M. stars!!! *wink*
March 3, 2014
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
In a world where almost nothing is truth and isolation is the purest form of self-deception, the possibility of hope exists only in the heart and mind of a young woman who chooses to follow an unknown path in order to save everyone she knows and loves. Before long, she discovers that her most vital beliefs are based on a deception that will rock the foundation of her entire people. To save them, she must learn to open her heart and sacrifice…everything.
A strange one this for me because it wasnt QUITE what I was expecting ultimately, it was something very different and yet quite beautiful.
We meet a girl, her brother and her family – in the village where she lives they are part of a group responsible for keeping the fire burning at all times. Using the bark from the Sacred Tree that grows at the heart of the community and provides them with everything they need, it is imperative that it never goes out, so the “shadows” are kept at bay. Through a series of events, she becomes mistrustful of her elders and realises that there are hidden secrets. Bound and determined to ensure the safety of herself and those around her she embarks on an epic journey of discovery.
The underlying themes about belief systems, faith, the real meaning of truth and how accepting we are of what we are taught, are extremely well done here. I am not a spiritual person generally but in a lot of ways this is a very spiritual book – as we take this journey with our main protagonist it evokes a sense of something more and leads to questions of faith v reality and what that can mean.
It has a Post Apocalyptic feel to it, I believe that each reader will take something very different from it and the ultimate resolution will provoke discussion. Before that there is a great adventure to be had here – It is an easy flowing read, the characters are compelling and overall it is a fascinating, well imagined story with a possibly controversial but certainly thought provoking premise.
Kudos to the author for taking a well known genre and giving it a simple twist of fate.
Happy Reading Folks!
In a world where almost nothing is truth and isolation is the purest form of self-deception, the possibility of hope exists only in the heart and mind of a young woman who chooses to follow an unknown path in order to save everyone she knows and loves. Before long, she discovers that her most vital beliefs are based on a deception that will rock the foundation of her entire people. To save them, she must learn to open her heart and sacrifice…everything.
A strange one this for me because it wasnt QUITE what I was expecting ultimately, it was something very different and yet quite beautiful.
We meet a girl, her brother and her family – in the village where she lives they are part of a group responsible for keeping the fire burning at all times. Using the bark from the Sacred Tree that grows at the heart of the community and provides them with everything they need, it is imperative that it never goes out, so the “shadows” are kept at bay. Through a series of events, she becomes mistrustful of her elders and realises that there are hidden secrets. Bound and determined to ensure the safety of herself and those around her she embarks on an epic journey of discovery.
The underlying themes about belief systems, faith, the real meaning of truth and how accepting we are of what we are taught, are extremely well done here. I am not a spiritual person generally but in a lot of ways this is a very spiritual book – as we take this journey with our main protagonist it evokes a sense of something more and leads to questions of faith v reality and what that can mean.
It has a Post Apocalyptic feel to it, I believe that each reader will take something very different from it and the ultimate resolution will provoke discussion. Before that there is a great adventure to be had here – It is an easy flowing read, the characters are compelling and overall it is a fascinating, well imagined story with a possibly controversial but certainly thought provoking premise.
Kudos to the author for taking a well known genre and giving it a simple twist of fate.
Happy Reading Folks!
June 14, 2017
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Can I just start by saying I think I’m in love with that cover – I love the ones that have that sort of reflection style but with different images in them. Unfortunately though that is about as far as my love for this book goes.
My mind has been thoroughly boggled by this book. It started off well enough; although talking about some things that didn’t get explained until at least halfway through the book, it got straight into the action and I was enjoying it. I’d thought this book to be a YA dystopian about the end of the world and having to deal with perhaps a supernatural threat and it started out that way, but then things started to get strange...
This is a very confused book I think in terms of what it is about, I don’t want to give any spoilers as to what other themes were suddenly introduced near the end of the book in case anyone actually reads it but it felt like the author had a whole bunch of ideas and stuffed them all into this book; I could deal with this if it had been done a little more craftily and if there was at least a second book. There was so much going on that everything happened so quick there was no time to process anything.
In terms of character things didn’t get much better. They were all very boring and didn’t have much development throughout the book. I also had a big issue with the ages, Corinne was apparently 32, that really shocked me at first as I thought she was really quite childish yet at the same time everyone spoke in the most ridiculously formal way, even in conversations that were supposed to be casual – even while arguing. I found that funny at first but it really annoyed me by the end.
Oh I almost forgot about the end of the book. I can’t remember ever ready such a sudden ending, it appeared like there was so much left to happen and then the book just ended, there was about a page and half sum up that made no sense and I was left there thinking ‘what just happened?!’
Can I just start by saying I think I’m in love with that cover – I love the ones that have that sort of reflection style but with different images in them. Unfortunately though that is about as far as my love for this book goes.
My mind has been thoroughly boggled by this book. It started off well enough; although talking about some things that didn’t get explained until at least halfway through the book, it got straight into the action and I was enjoying it. I’d thought this book to be a YA dystopian about the end of the world and having to deal with perhaps a supernatural threat and it started out that way, but then things started to get strange...
This is a very confused book I think in terms of what it is about, I don’t want to give any spoilers as to what other themes were suddenly introduced near the end of the book in case anyone actually reads it but it felt like the author had a whole bunch of ideas and stuffed them all into this book; I could deal with this if it had been done a little more craftily and if there was at least a second book. There was so much going on that everything happened so quick there was no time to process anything.
In terms of character things didn’t get much better. They were all very boring and didn’t have much development throughout the book. I also had a big issue with the ages, Corinne was apparently 32, that really shocked me at first as I thought she was really quite childish yet at the same time everyone spoke in the most ridiculously formal way, even in conversations that were supposed to be casual – even while arguing. I found that funny at first but it really annoyed me by the end.
Oh I almost forgot about the end of the book. I can’t remember ever ready such a sudden ending, it appeared like there was so much left to happen and then the book just ended, there was about a page and half sum up that made no sense and I was left there thinking ‘what just happened?!’
March 22, 2014
For several months, I’d waited for The First to be released, truly tempted to read the sample chapters from Lisa’s website, but knew I’d much rather wait for the full version on my Kindle so I could take in the story as a whole . . . and the wait was very worth it.
Lisa takes her readers on an fantastic journey straight from the inside out, fairly turning the main character (Rinni) on her head with startling revelations about herself, her people, and the lifestyle and world she once took for granted and thought she understood, with a wholly unexpected ending that’s sure to make readers think. It sparked my want to read the story again, not only because it’s a well-written book, but also to see with more clarity and foresight how connections are made from start to finish.
Certainly Lisa has taken great pains to polish the prose in The First to a near-perfect shine, and has created a world with characters so very much alive, they practically grab you by the hand and immerse you into the unfolding tale—everything a great book should be and should do for a reader.
Did I have a couple of niggles? Sure I did. But even though the main character voiced her direct thoughts immediately after (which, to my editor’s mind, lent itself to repetition), and Rinni’s reaction to a handful of situations bordered slightly on melodramatic, neither of these detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story.
The First is a solid, well-written novel, all round. Truth be told, and in my humble opinion, it’s a sumptuous blend of some familiar books—it has the feel of The Giver, plus a bit of Wool, all tied up with a very slight smidgen of the Hunger Games—yet in the end, Lisa’s debut novel is an entity all its own, and a book I highly recommend for those looking to read a truly entertaining tale.
Lisa takes her readers on an fantastic journey straight from the inside out, fairly turning the main character (Rinni) on her head with startling revelations about herself, her people, and the lifestyle and world she once took for granted and thought she understood, with a wholly unexpected ending that’s sure to make readers think. It sparked my want to read the story again, not only because it’s a well-written book, but also to see with more clarity and foresight how connections are made from start to finish.
Certainly Lisa has taken great pains to polish the prose in The First to a near-perfect shine, and has created a world with characters so very much alive, they practically grab you by the hand and immerse you into the unfolding tale—everything a great book should be and should do for a reader.
Did I have a couple of niggles? Sure I did. But even though the main character voiced her direct thoughts immediately after (which, to my editor’s mind, lent itself to repetition), and Rinni’s reaction to a handful of situations bordered slightly on melodramatic, neither of these detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story.
The First is a solid, well-written novel, all round. Truth be told, and in my humble opinion, it’s a sumptuous blend of some familiar books—it has the feel of The Giver, plus a bit of Wool, all tied up with a very slight smidgen of the Hunger Games—yet in the end, Lisa’s debut novel is an entity all its own, and a book I highly recommend for those looking to read a truly entertaining tale.
November 5, 2014
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest, I was really confused by this book. I really WANTED to like it, it had a lot going for it, a dystopian setting, a fun protagonist, and an interesting premise, that something was being hidden from the entire village by the people in charge and . But I just couldn't get into it. It was, frankly, boring. Nothing happened for pages and pages, and then something big and important would happen, but it wasn't explained well, so I had to read it twice to understand what was so important.
I did like the part about the extended lifespans, so that even though it's YA, and about a young adult, the character was actually in her 30s, but barely out of her teenagehood by her society's standards.That could have been a really interesting theme to explore, but it was just tossed out there and ignored for the rest of the book, until the very end. I also liked the sense of fear created by The Fire going out. I wish this had been explained a bit further. I wanted to know HOW the fire was keeping the village alive.
And about that ending. All I can say is WTF? I have no idea where all this came from? I don't want to give anything away, but I was seriously confused by all the new themes introduced right at the end. Nothing like it had even remotely happened through the rest of the book.
I tried explaining what was going on in this book to my husband, in the hopes that it would help me understand it a bit better before I wrote my review, but he was as confused as I was.
So in conclusion, this book seemed like it could have been really interesting at fun, but it fell flat, and it made me kinda sad.
To be honest, I was really confused by this book. I really WANTED to like it, it had a lot going for it, a dystopian setting, a fun protagonist, and an interesting premise, that something was being hidden from the entire village by the people in charge and . But I just couldn't get into it. It was, frankly, boring. Nothing happened for pages and pages, and then something big and important would happen, but it wasn't explained well, so I had to read it twice to understand what was so important.
I did like the part about the extended lifespans, so that even though it's YA, and about a young adult, the character was actually in her 30s, but barely out of her teenagehood by her society's standards.That could have been a really interesting theme to explore, but it was just tossed out there and ignored for the rest of the book, until the very end. I also liked the sense of fear created by The Fire going out. I wish this had been explained a bit further. I wanted to know HOW the fire was keeping the village alive.
And about that ending. All I can say is WTF? I have no idea where all this came from? I don't want to give anything away, but I was seriously confused by all the new themes introduced right at the end. Nothing like it had even remotely happened through the rest of the book.
I tried explaining what was going on in this book to my husband, in the hopes that it would help me understand it a bit better before I wrote my review, but he was as confused as I was.
So in conclusion, this book seemed like it could have been really interesting at fun, but it fell flat, and it made me kinda sad.
November 8, 2014
The First is an intense and intriguing book. And one that is a little hard for me to write about. I am going to try and wrap my thoughts around what I feel about this wonderful and disturbing book. Part mystery, part dystopian future, part philosophical fiction as one reviewer mentioned this book doesn’t always know what it wants to be. To me this isn’t a bad thing. In a way it lets us go on this amazing journey that is constantly changing, constantly becoming something else. And this book does that - the first half is completely different from the middle and the middle is completely different from the end. Both in style and in the mysteries that unfold throughout. The tone of the first half is incredibly slow but I think that makes sense when you find out where the first half is set, don’t worry there aren’t going to be any spoilers here I just want to say it makes sense. That does not take away from the fact that it takes us a while to get to this point. But I think what saves the pace for me is the way this is written, there are some really beautiful moments throughout. There is this wandering and wondering style of writing that is so unique and yet so familiar. You feel like you know these characters. Like they are old friends or family members. And you are intrigued by them and worried for them. As slow as this is I wish it had gone on quite a bit longer, that we could have explored more with these characters. Having just finished this is something that I need to go back and read again to really start to get some of the nuances - and I cannot wait!
August 10, 2014
I loved this book! The First is beautifully written, fast paced and a very enjoyable book. It is an original tale on a very old story. Corrine notices much more than she should and questions everything. She's one of the keepers of the flame, charged with keeping the fire burning at all time. When the fire begins to die without explanation, she seeks to uncover the truth, starting with what the Elders are hiding. With an odd assortment of companions, she leaves the safety of her village in search of a way to save all that is dear to her.
I can't say enough good things about this book!
I can't say enough good things about this book!
January 10, 2018
This was a really good story, but way too long. If it were condensed a bit, especially the first half or two-thirds, it would have been great. I did enjoy the way things turned out.
April 25, 2018
What an amazing story from a first time author for me. Suspense, and intriguing that kept my interest. Loved reading it.
February 26, 2014
There is a village where the people live long lives, everyone has a role to play in their community and everyone knows everyone else's business. A sacred tree grows in the center of the village, which provides the people with everything they need to keep things running, especially the fire made from its bark that keeps the Shadows at bay. Only, now the Healing Tree seems to be dying, and the protecting fire dies with it.
Corrine and her twin-brother, Mori, were orphaned as young children, when their parents were killed by the Shadows whilst rescuing two boys who slipped out of the village unnoticed. Now, years later, they have been tasked with keeping the fire burning. Three things happen that change their reality radically; the fire dies out twice, one of the village guards is taken by the Shadows (not killed) and, as a result, they discover that the Tree is dying. Corrine is adamant in wanting to find out what is going on. Her suspicions of foul play are stoked when she learns that the village leaders, the Primaries, are keeping secrets from the others and are holding one of the villagers prisoner. Corrine's search for answers leads her to discovering a journal written by a group of people known as The First. Going against everything that she has been taught to believe, Corrine leads her twin and her mate out beyond the Village walls, into lands haunted by the Shadows, to discover the truth of her people's origins, ultimately to save the Healing Tree and her people. But what she learns will eclipse even her worst nightmares.
The story is told in the first-person, from the perspective of Corrin. She is an interesting lead character, willful, pushy and inquisitive to the point that she is constantly endangering herself and the lives of her loved ones. Indeed, her characteristics are omens for what is to come in the story, and therefore a very clever mechanic employed by Green, regardless of whether it was by design or not. In comparison, the other characters only seem to be there to fulfill particular roles, to be called on when needed for the plot. Mori is the shy twin, often dragged into the path of trouble by his sister; Bharadon is Corrine's mate, a strong and gruff type that is there to provide her with a protective cocoon when things backfire. One other interesting character crops up in the form of Allysar, one of the young men that Corrine's parents rescued. It turns out that Allysar had made similar discoveries to Corrine and had been slipping out of the village to follow up his theories when the tragedy occurred. Allysar comes across as a paranoid sneak, who would have made an interesting character for Corrine to play-off, but sadly he only gets limited page time.
The world of The First, is a post-apocalyptic one set so far in the future the people of the village have regressed to a basic steam-powered age. What little knowledge of our world there is exists only in the pages of books, but with little to differentiate between fact and fiction. The Village is actually large enough to be a town and has a complete eco-system for the survival of the people, but beyond the walls nature has reasserted its dominance and the modern cities are crumbly relics of what once was. Green has managed to come up with an interesting mythology for her world and this is central to the plot and reflected on through the inner-dialogue of the central character.
Overall, this is an interesting and original novel, despite early similarities to M Night Shymalan's film The Village, Lisa M Green manages to give us something better and beyond a simplistic twist. Not everyone will like the pacing of the novel and the conclusion may also spark discussion, but overall this is a really well-written novel that reflects on humanity's relationship with God and Nature; a novel that will leave you thinking. I score this 3.5.
Corrine and her twin-brother, Mori, were orphaned as young children, when their parents were killed by the Shadows whilst rescuing two boys who slipped out of the village unnoticed. Now, years later, they have been tasked with keeping the fire burning. Three things happen that change their reality radically; the fire dies out twice, one of the village guards is taken by the Shadows (not killed) and, as a result, they discover that the Tree is dying. Corrine is adamant in wanting to find out what is going on. Her suspicions of foul play are stoked when she learns that the village leaders, the Primaries, are keeping secrets from the others and are holding one of the villagers prisoner. Corrine's search for answers leads her to discovering a journal written by a group of people known as The First. Going against everything that she has been taught to believe, Corrine leads her twin and her mate out beyond the Village walls, into lands haunted by the Shadows, to discover the truth of her people's origins, ultimately to save the Healing Tree and her people. But what she learns will eclipse even her worst nightmares.
The story is told in the first-person, from the perspective of Corrin. She is an interesting lead character, willful, pushy and inquisitive to the point that she is constantly endangering herself and the lives of her loved ones. Indeed, her characteristics are omens for what is to come in the story, and therefore a very clever mechanic employed by Green, regardless of whether it was by design or not. In comparison, the other characters only seem to be there to fulfill particular roles, to be called on when needed for the plot. Mori is the shy twin, often dragged into the path of trouble by his sister; Bharadon is Corrine's mate, a strong and gruff type that is there to provide her with a protective cocoon when things backfire. One other interesting character crops up in the form of Allysar, one of the young men that Corrine's parents rescued. It turns out that Allysar had made similar discoveries to Corrine and had been slipping out of the village to follow up his theories when the tragedy occurred. Allysar comes across as a paranoid sneak, who would have made an interesting character for Corrine to play-off, but sadly he only gets limited page time.
The world of The First, is a post-apocalyptic one set so far in the future the people of the village have regressed to a basic steam-powered age. What little knowledge of our world there is exists only in the pages of books, but with little to differentiate between fact and fiction. The Village is actually large enough to be a town and has a complete eco-system for the survival of the people, but beyond the walls nature has reasserted its dominance and the modern cities are crumbly relics of what once was. Green has managed to come up with an interesting mythology for her world and this is central to the plot and reflected on through the inner-dialogue of the central character.
Overall, this is an interesting and original novel, despite early similarities to M Night Shymalan's film The Village, Lisa M Green manages to give us something better and beyond a simplistic twist. Not everyone will like the pacing of the novel and the conclusion may also spark discussion, but overall this is a really well-written novel that reflects on humanity's relationship with God and Nature; a novel that will leave you thinking. I score this 3.5.
March 4, 2014
Rinni’s inquisitive nature follows her into adulthood and is perhaps why she is still viewed as a ‘child’ by the elders in her community – the Primaries. But without her innate curiosity and drive for understanding, no one in the colony would realize how their lives were not just threatened by the Shadows, but by the lies they’ve held dear for so long. In her search for truth, Rinni defies her past in order to save her community and give them a future. Will she make the right choice when life, love, and family weigh in the balance?
The core elements in Green’s novel are truly remarkable. The notion of a giant tree that is able to sustain an entire village with the use of any and all of its elements is fantastic at best and more than a little ingenious. Immediately, the reader is drawn in by the majesty and power of this natural element that replenishes its losses at an incredible rate. The intrinsic link this tree has with the inhabitants of the community builds a solid base around the notion of balance and harmony in life and death.
The contrast of the unknown enemy, the Shadows, makes real just how delicate that life balance is. When this evil suddenly act out of character and no one wants to admit the seriousness of the event, it is a call-to-action that the main characters cannot ignore. As Rinni and her friends search for the truth, more secrets are revealed – dangerous secrets.
With the fast pace of the plot and the intrigue that is built as Rinni and her friends discover and uncover inconsistencies about the past and the present, the reader cannot help but worry about the future. Green’s ability to use detailed descriptions of place impact a reader’s understanding of life in an alternate reality to our own with clarity and purpose. There were moments in the story when the light bulb went on that excited me as I too began to solve various mysteries that even the characters wouldn’t fully come to understand.
Green’s use of first person, present tense narration is less well-known in the adult fantasy or myth genre and readers may find it difficult to empathize and bond with the cast of characters as a result. Rinni, whose eyes readers see through, is somewhat flippant and cocky. While this attitude, coupled with her more endearing qualities, should make her more three-dimensional to readers, it threatens to do the opposite. There is a distance, and arm’s length she holds the world at where the commentary in her head reads more like someone telling a story than actually living it.
What also may distract readers is Green’s abundant use of literary language throughout the telling of her story. The intellectual choices made with much of her vocabulary would fit well in a more formal piece of writing, but distances and alienates readers who are perhaps looking for a simpler, more guttural and honest language to help them fall in love with the characters and the ideas.
Lastly, readers may be momentarily disappointed with which myth Green chooses to embellish in this tale. However, once I allowed myself to accept what I was reading, I thoroughly enjoyed her interpretation and the subtleties with which she weaves a forgotten past into a realized present.
Many great novelists have delved into parallels of myth in works of fantasy, and Green should be commended for creating a tale worthy of telling around any campfire or with any flashlight under the covers.
Review by M.J. Moores, OCT. Author. Editor. Freelance Writer.
The core elements in Green’s novel are truly remarkable. The notion of a giant tree that is able to sustain an entire village with the use of any and all of its elements is fantastic at best and more than a little ingenious. Immediately, the reader is drawn in by the majesty and power of this natural element that replenishes its losses at an incredible rate. The intrinsic link this tree has with the inhabitants of the community builds a solid base around the notion of balance and harmony in life and death.
The contrast of the unknown enemy, the Shadows, makes real just how delicate that life balance is. When this evil suddenly act out of character and no one wants to admit the seriousness of the event, it is a call-to-action that the main characters cannot ignore. As Rinni and her friends search for the truth, more secrets are revealed – dangerous secrets.
With the fast pace of the plot and the intrigue that is built as Rinni and her friends discover and uncover inconsistencies about the past and the present, the reader cannot help but worry about the future. Green’s ability to use detailed descriptions of place impact a reader’s understanding of life in an alternate reality to our own with clarity and purpose. There were moments in the story when the light bulb went on that excited me as I too began to solve various mysteries that even the characters wouldn’t fully come to understand.
Green’s use of first person, present tense narration is less well-known in the adult fantasy or myth genre and readers may find it difficult to empathize and bond with the cast of characters as a result. Rinni, whose eyes readers see through, is somewhat flippant and cocky. While this attitude, coupled with her more endearing qualities, should make her more three-dimensional to readers, it threatens to do the opposite. There is a distance, and arm’s length she holds the world at where the commentary in her head reads more like someone telling a story than actually living it.
What also may distract readers is Green’s abundant use of literary language throughout the telling of her story. The intellectual choices made with much of her vocabulary would fit well in a more formal piece of writing, but distances and alienates readers who are perhaps looking for a simpler, more guttural and honest language to help them fall in love with the characters and the ideas.
Lastly, readers may be momentarily disappointed with which myth Green chooses to embellish in this tale. However, once I allowed myself to accept what I was reading, I thoroughly enjoyed her interpretation and the subtleties with which she weaves a forgotten past into a realized present.
Many great novelists have delved into parallels of myth in works of fantasy, and Green should be commended for creating a tale worthy of telling around any campfire or with any flashlight under the covers.
Review by M.J. Moores, OCT. Author. Editor. Freelance Writer.
November 10, 2014
I generally don’t have high expectations when reading authors’ debut novels. However, I found myself wrapped up in the story rather quickly. Personally, I enjoyed the slow build-up of the mystery, the careful development of the environment and the issue at hand in the story. I wouldn’t describe the pacing as “slow” but more “setting the scene” for the reader. As an avid reader of fantasy novels, this is an aspect that piques my interest more than anything else. You get a real in-depth look at the problems, the mystery, and all that is at stake for the main character.
The first-person narrator isn’t something I encounter often in the books I read, but it worked well for this novel. You could really get a feel for what the main character is thinking and feeling at every point in the story. This helped in the build-up to the big reveal at the end. The way that the author uses this to give clues and link back to their past helped to draw me into the story even more.
My favorite character by far was actually the antagonist, and the author does an excellent job of making the bad guy interesting and much more than one-dimensional like some books do. I would’ve liked to see more though. Though the author does a good job of bringing some realism to this character in terms of human emotions, a little more humanity would have been more interesting in my opinion, a more in-depth look.
The first three-quarters of the book were very enjoyable for me. The last part was a bit difficult for me at first, but that is only because of specific aspects that I can’t discuss without giving away spoilers. However, I surprised myself by how much I ended enjoying the end despite my reservations. Interestingly, I found myself looking at these things in a new light and appreciating them for the rich story and mythological elements I’ve never seen explored before. Now that I can look at it from this perspective, I realize that the author is presenting something that can appeal to all readers despite their beliefs.
This debut novel was a pleasant surprise, and I’m recommending it to all of my friends.
The first-person narrator isn’t something I encounter often in the books I read, but it worked well for this novel. You could really get a feel for what the main character is thinking and feeling at every point in the story. This helped in the build-up to the big reveal at the end. The way that the author uses this to give clues and link back to their past helped to draw me into the story even more.
My favorite character by far was actually the antagonist, and the author does an excellent job of making the bad guy interesting and much more than one-dimensional like some books do. I would’ve liked to see more though. Though the author does a good job of bringing some realism to this character in terms of human emotions, a little more humanity would have been more interesting in my opinion, a more in-depth look.
The first three-quarters of the book were very enjoyable for me. The last part was a bit difficult for me at first, but that is only because of specific aspects that I can’t discuss without giving away spoilers. However, I surprised myself by how much I ended enjoying the end despite my reservations. Interestingly, I found myself looking at these things in a new light and appreciating them for the rich story and mythological elements I’ve never seen explored before. Now that I can look at it from this perspective, I realize that the author is presenting something that can appeal to all readers despite their beliefs.
This debut novel was a pleasant surprise, and I’m recommending it to all of my friends.
November 10, 2014
@AuthorLMGreen
@readwomen2014
#thefirst
I would like to first thank Lisa M. Green for providing me with a copy of her first novel and will provide here an honest review.
The story follows a young woman named Corinne who has to question the life she knows after discovering she has been deceived by her elders and that the source of her village survival is threatened.
Together with her brother and the love of her life Bhradon, she embarks on a journey to discover her truth and a way to save her village.
My overall opinion is that the piece has it is, is a good read.
My rating is however reflecting my feeling of having started reading one story and ended up with another.
I feel there is a missed opportunity here, to have had 2 pretty damn good books rather than 1 good one:
One with a plot focusing on a village fighting against a threat of extinction and another plot seeing a people struggling to rid themselves of an uninvited evil.
Those two story lines are very distinct throughout the book however an attempt to marry them in one piece did not make it come quite together.
That said, this book was beautifully written and I loved the Corinne and Bhradon's relationship, so defiant to the "establishment".
@readwomen2014
#thefirst
I would like to first thank Lisa M. Green for providing me with a copy of her first novel and will provide here an honest review.
The story follows a young woman named Corinne who has to question the life she knows after discovering she has been deceived by her elders and that the source of her village survival is threatened.
Together with her brother and the love of her life Bhradon, she embarks on a journey to discover her truth and a way to save her village.
My overall opinion is that the piece has it is, is a good read.
My rating is however reflecting my feeling of having started reading one story and ended up with another.
I feel there is a missed opportunity here, to have had 2 pretty damn good books rather than 1 good one:
One with a plot focusing on a village fighting against a threat of extinction and another plot seeing a people struggling to rid themselves of an uninvited evil.
Those two story lines are very distinct throughout the book however an attempt to marry them in one piece did not make it come quite together.
That said, this book was beautifully written and I loved the Corinne and Bhradon's relationship, so defiant to the "establishment".
November 1, 2014
I received this book – The First from the author Lisa M. Green in exchange for my honest review.
The story starts in this village that is run by the Primaries – They decide how the villagers should live and think. As the years go by, people are dying and their biggest source of survival is the big tree who is slowly getting worse.
They cannot leave the village because their biggest threat are the Shadows lurking near. When one of them dies by the hands of the Shadows, in need of answers and provisions for the village, Corrine wants to explore outside and take the risk to save all of them. With her twin Mori, her mate Brahdon and the sister of the murdered villager Cyndene along with her, they march through the unknown and discover more than they bargained for.
The concept of the story was well built. Good writing from the author. The good vs evil was a great touch from her.
I did enjoy the book, the beginning was a little too slow for my taste but in overall it was good.
A great first book from the author.
I give it 3 stars.
The story starts in this village that is run by the Primaries – They decide how the villagers should live and think. As the years go by, people are dying and their biggest source of survival is the big tree who is slowly getting worse.
They cannot leave the village because their biggest threat are the Shadows lurking near. When one of them dies by the hands of the Shadows, in need of answers and provisions for the village, Corrine wants to explore outside and take the risk to save all of them. With her twin Mori, her mate Brahdon and the sister of the murdered villager Cyndene along with her, they march through the unknown and discover more than they bargained for.
The concept of the story was well built. Good writing from the author. The good vs evil was a great touch from her.
I did enjoy the book, the beginning was a little too slow for my taste but in overall it was good.
A great first book from the author.
I give it 3 stars.
March 4, 2014
I was given this book by the author Lisa M. Green for an honest review. This is the first book by this author and I feel Lisa will be an author to watch in the future.
What do you do when you find out that you have not been told the truth about your village that you live in? For Corinne, her brother Mori, her boyfriend Bhradon their lives are turned upside down looking for the truth behind lies and half truths as they take a journey to find out what the secrets are that people are hiding.
This book is not for everyone and those that do not like fantasy book will not really enjoy this book but those of us who enjoy this type of book is will be a very good read.
Every now and then there was a bump in the story line that I was not sure of but for a first book it was not bad, all in all the characters and story line flow was very good.
For any fantasy reader of any age this should be on your list of "to read" shelf.
What do you do when you find out that you have not been told the truth about your village that you live in? For Corinne, her brother Mori, her boyfriend Bhradon their lives are turned upside down looking for the truth behind lies and half truths as they take a journey to find out what the secrets are that people are hiding.
This book is not for everyone and those that do not like fantasy book will not really enjoy this book but those of us who enjoy this type of book is will be a very good read.
Every now and then there was a bump in the story line that I was not sure of but for a first book it was not bad, all in all the characters and story line flow was very good.
For any fantasy reader of any age this should be on your list of "to read" shelf.
November 9, 2014
*I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I felt that this was a well-written book, especially if you're looking to be captivated by winding prose and a steady awakening to the troubles at hand.
But personally, it was too slow for me. It dawdles along with every one of Rinni's thoughts and actions. It's almost too much show, not enough tell. Not much happens at first, the village lives in fear of the Shadows and Rinni starts to think that the Primaries aren't being completely honest with the rest of the villagers. There's a good build of suspense and questioning of beliefs at this point. But it lingers a little too long.
Rinni and her friends set off on a quest to find help and answers for their village, and their adventure ambles along nicely. It is only in the last 15% of the book that the pace picks up, as everything comes together and Rinni faces off with the threat to her people.
I felt that this was a well-written book, especially if you're looking to be captivated by winding prose and a steady awakening to the troubles at hand.
But personally, it was too slow for me. It dawdles along with every one of Rinni's thoughts and actions. It's almost too much show, not enough tell. Not much happens at first, the village lives in fear of the Shadows and Rinni starts to think that the Primaries aren't being completely honest with the rest of the villagers. There's a good build of suspense and questioning of beliefs at this point. But it lingers a little too long.
Rinni and her friends set off on a quest to find help and answers for their village, and their adventure ambles along nicely. It is only in the last 15% of the book that the pace picks up, as everything comes together and Rinni faces off with the threat to her people.
February 24, 2014
The 'fantasy' genre is not my normal read; although, I have read a few that I really really like. The First is solidly on that short list. I am going to recommend this book to a few friends of mine, who I know love fantasy books. Without giving the book away, it deals with questions all of us have at one time or other in our lives. The First is set as fantasy, but is it really? Take into account the way you were raised. What is fantasy, and what is reality? Do we really know? That is for you to decide as you read this book. It is a 'page turner' as I call it....one of those books that I just can't stop reading....up til all hours of the night reading, and still not want to stop until I get to the end, or until my eyes close from lack of sleep, whichever comes first. If you love a good fantasy book and a page turner to boot, you will love this book.
November 14, 2014
Lisa M. Green creates an entire fantasy culture in a stand-alone novel. The story begins with a maze of seemingly unconnected mysteries and proceeds to weave them all together into a solid, beautiful, and captivating tale. It is not a relaxing read – it will stretch your mind a bit. It’s worth it, because once the groundwork for the mysteries is laid, you’ll go for a breath-taking ride! And I hope you like surprises.
The style is both superb and unique. It doesn’t remind me of anything I’ve read. But the characters are as playful and colorful as those of Lewis while the theme can at times be as dark as MacDonald’s “Lilith”. If you like your entertainment with a side of challenge, read this book.
The style is both superb and unique. It doesn’t remind me of anything I’ve read. But the characters are as playful and colorful as those of Lewis while the theme can at times be as dark as MacDonald’s “Lilith”. If you like your entertainment with a side of challenge, read this book.
April 9, 2015
The First by Lisa M. Green
The two were trained to keep the flame burning for the village. There were others as well that took turns with them yet for Corrine and her brother it is their task that we follow. They have grown into their place and know what they are supposed to do. Corrine listens to what is told to her, she knows she is supposed to follow and believe but she sees what she sees and it gives her questions and being who she is she must have answers. Her visions and dreams lead her to find more answers and discover a secret that has been hidden in the ages. Lisa M. Green weaves a tale that has you on a journey with the main characters as you join them in their quest for truth and faith.
Bella Doerres Ma/Ed
The two were trained to keep the flame burning for the village. There were others as well that took turns with them yet for Corrine and her brother it is their task that we follow. They have grown into their place and know what they are supposed to do. Corrine listens to what is told to her, she knows she is supposed to follow and believe but she sees what she sees and it gives her questions and being who she is she must have answers. Her visions and dreams lead her to find more answers and discover a secret that has been hidden in the ages. Lisa M. Green weaves a tale that has you on a journey with the main characters as you join them in their quest for truth and faith.
Bella Doerres Ma/Ed
November 1, 2014
I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR FREE IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
Wow.....Ok well at first I struggled to get through this book. I am an action girl, I ove my angst, banter, and action so to me the first half or so of tis book was slow and I had to force myself to pick it up. But am I oh so glad I kept going. The last 100 pages of this book had me hooked and I seriously have to give the author props for the beauty in this story. The writting style might not have spoke to me but I know others will feel right at home with it. Thank you for sharing this beauty with us. Well played Mrs. Green, Well played.
Wow.....Ok well at first I struggled to get through this book. I am an action girl, I ove my angst, banter, and action so to me the first half or so of tis book was slow and I had to force myself to pick it up. But am I oh so glad I kept going. The last 100 pages of this book had me hooked and I seriously have to give the author props for the beauty in this story. The writting style might not have spoke to me but I know others will feel right at home with it. Thank you for sharing this beauty with us. Well played Mrs. Green, Well played.
August 28, 2014
This book is like nothing else I've ever read although it does, at times remind me of 'The Village', just in the way the town all works together and tends to not venture 'outside' because of the Shadows. It took some time to get interesting for me though, the action did start right away as did the mystery and mischief. I enjoyed the lifestyles of the main characters - nothing wasted but still they have plenty of life's pleasures, and the side of drama with a certain couple... this book really does have something for everyone and is very well written.
October 28, 2014
The village lives in constant fear of the shadows outside the wall. But they need to face the fear because their village in dying.
Corinne, her twin Mori, Bhradon, and Cyndene set out on a journey to find others to help their village. Along the way they find out about their creation.
The storyline flowed smoothly but I felt it moved to slowly then at the end was more of a frantic pace. It is a book that will make you think about creation. This book is fantasy and reality all in one.
I receive a gift copy in exchange for an honest review for PotLuck Reviews.
Corinne, her twin Mori, Bhradon, and Cyndene set out on a journey to find others to help their village. Along the way they find out about their creation.
The storyline flowed smoothly but I felt it moved to slowly then at the end was more of a frantic pace. It is a book that will make you think about creation. This book is fantasy and reality all in one.
I receive a gift copy in exchange for an honest review for PotLuck Reviews.
October 31, 2014
I received this book as part of Potluck Reviews. Let's see if I can make this stick this time.
I enjoyed the main character being a female and how she lead the charge throughout the book. It was a great twist on the creation story.
Lisa has a great use of words to paint beautiful and detailed pictures in your head. She is a very gifted writer and I really enjoyed this story. I will definitely read more from her and hopefully soon.
Lisa, thank you for sharing this story.
I enjoyed the main character being a female and how she lead the charge throughout the book. It was a great twist on the creation story.
Lisa has a great use of words to paint beautiful and detailed pictures in your head. She is a very gifted writer and I really enjoyed this story. I will definitely read more from her and hopefully soon.
Lisa, thank you for sharing this story.
August 25, 2014
I was given this book as a gift from the author. What a great read!!! I was enthralled from the first page. Rinni is such a strong character as she ventured out to find out what was going on with her village and its people. I love the concept of the Healing Tree and what it symbolized to the village. I highly recommend this book!!! Kudos to Lisa M. Green on her first book and a promising career as a writer!!!
April 13, 2015
This book was a bit hard to get into.
It was strange and hard to follow at times. I get the overall premise but I feel like parts were rushed, especially the ending. Only a handful of chapters were dedicated to the big reveals and she came up with her master plan after like two seconds.
I would have liked to read more about their journey to the new place and I wish other characters (like Mori for example) had been more developed and gotten more page time.
Overall it was just okay.
It was strange and hard to follow at times. I get the overall premise but I feel like parts were rushed, especially the ending. Only a handful of chapters were dedicated to the big reveals and she came up with her master plan after like two seconds.
I would have liked to read more about their journey to the new place and I wish other characters (like Mori for example) had been more developed and gotten more page time.
Overall it was just okay.
January 22, 2016
This book was really a great read for me. I very much enjoyed the concept of it, I've never encountered anything quite like it. I wasn't expecting the ending, and I believe it leaves it open for a level of interpretation, which is nice in this instance. Lisa Green is a fantastic writer, and I enjoyed this book. It has its flaws, as books do, but I would definitely recommend this book to a friend and I don't regret spending time adventuring with Rinni.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2014
What an amazing book. Twists and turns that help make the book. It's well written and the story line is complete. Who knew that the story could change the way you think. I won't give any details to give away the book but I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I can't give enough praise to the author for this book. I will recommend to others.
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