Anumal Empire: Lazarball

by David Ayres, Darren Jacobs

Awarded the "Flamingnet Top Choice Award"

The race of man is extinct…
A new breed has risen...
Anumalkind shall inherit the Earth...

After merging human and animal DNA together, the Anumal race turned against their creators…and wiped them out.

Now, millennia later, an ancient pact between warring clans has been broken. Dark powers are surfacing, threatening the survival of this hybrid race…and the fate of the Anumal species lies in the paws of a single lion…Clinton Narfell.

Hailing from the desert village of Wooburn, Clinton’s meager life is catapulted out of control the day he steals food to feed his younger brother. As an extraordinary chain of events begins to unfold, Clinton is forced to use skill and cunning to keep himself alive…and is hurtled towards a destiny he did not realize he was born to fulfill…

Facing savage scavengers, vicious anumal clans, and worse, Clinton soon realizes that power does not come from books or spells, but from something far deeper within us all…

Genres: Fantasy

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 19, 2012

About the author

Reader…writer…rocker…fighter!

This is probably the best way to sum me up. I was born in Ashford, Middlesex, but moved up to Bradford, West Yorkshire at an early age. I have pretty much stayed here since. I have two gorgeous children, and possibly the most amazing and patient wife a man could wish for.

I am one of the authors of Lazarball, which is book one of the Anumal Empire series. Further books in the series are currently in production. Having spent some of my youth on stage and on the TV, I also write television and film scripts. I am due to be awarded my BA Honours in English Language and Literature very soon.

When I am not writing, I am either singing in my metal band Old School Enemy, or practicing a martial art called Krav Maga. Old School Enemy play an energetic set of our own origional material, which is very much akin to the Foo Fighters, and Krav Maga is an Israeli martial art devised in the 70’s. Krav is hailed as one of the most practical forms of self defence created.

Now do you see why my wife is so patient?

When I do finally relax, I love reading, especially fantasy and science fiction, as well as transgressive fiction.

http://www.anumalempire.com
http://www.oldschoolenemy.co.uk

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy kindly provided by co-author and GR friend, Darren Jacobs.

This novel is set in a distant post-apocalyptic future in which Anumals (a genetic mix of human and animal) are the species at the top of the social ladder (if not the food chain) and human beings, now a race extinct, are little more than a myth.

Clinton Narfell, a lion whose father is a whiz at Lazarball (the national sport), is unable to live up to his father's reputation. Though he's about as good at the game as his dad, otherwise he is a bit of a cowardly lion. (That being said, I'd hate to meet this coward in a dark alley.)

The orphaned Clinton resorts to all kinds of means to provide for his younger brother and is constantly finding himself hunted by the long arm of the claw, er, law. While his modus operandi might not be squeaky clean, his heart is in the right place, and he refuses to tolerate the corruption perpetrated by the local gang of thugs, the ambitious mayor and his even more ambitious protegé, the psychopathic tiger, Dallas. Forced to flee in the aftermath of a bizarre confrontation with Dallas, he encounters extreme danger, but also grows in self-knowledge and self-respect.

This novel is written in a vivid style; the action is fast-paced and never lags. There are comic scenes here and there, such as the exchange between Arkie the gecko and Edna the alligator.

But just when you think you're reading a picaresque page-turner, sprinkled with eye-catching illustrations and populated by clearly delineated good guys and bad guys, a pleasant pot-pourri of Harry Potter, Star Wars, Planet of the Apes and The Island of Doctor Moreau, things suddenly become much more complex. The reader is no longer quite so confident as to which characters are on what side, or how they will end up.

Stay tuned for the sequel, said the reviewer hopefully.

Oct. 23, 2014. News flash: Volume 2 is nearly complete!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from 1 of the authors, Darren Jacobs, for an honest review.

I really liked this book. It is well written, with characters you can easily relate to. Its a quick and easy read too.
Its really atmospheric and detailed, making it really easy to imagine the characters, scenery and all the action.
The pace of the story is perfect, as it doesn't seem to drag in places and it doesn't feel rushed, compared to some books in this genre.
I really liked Clinton as a character. He fights for what he believes in, cares for his younger brother and I love his interactions with his brother and Arkie.

Overall, I think the book is a great read with a unique story. I would recommend this to fans of The Hunger Games and those with the love of epic adventure novels. And those who like dystopian themes with a twist.

I'm looking forward to the sequel

Get your copy of this great read:

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anumal-Empire...

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Anumal-Empire-L...

[Bluestocking Maiden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anumal Empire: Lazarball is unlike any other book I have ever read.

The book takes place in a futuristic Earth, only the humans are extinct and Anumals are the reigning species. The story follows Clinton Narfell, a lion, as he fights for survival in this harsh world.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The fantasy world that the authors have created is very vivid and distinct. There were a lot of mysteries, the biggest, probably being Dallas' hatred of Clinton. It is never really explained until the end of the book. While that was a tad bothersome during the beginning of the book, the way in which it is revealed is great. And overall this is the first book in the series, so it really seemed to be setting up the larger plot.

Clinton was a interesting main character, no matter how many times he was pushed down, he stood back up. His devotion to his little brother is also really sweet.

Anumal Empire: Lazarball definitely stands out from the crowd!

~ This review was originally posted on runawaypen.com

[Heather Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book in return for an honest review. When they decided to splice animal and human DNA, perhaps they should have thought again. The experiment was a great success. Think of any animal, but with the human DNA as well, intelligent, able to speak, propensity for violence. Exactly!!! The hybrids kill off all the humans and thus the world is changed and now belongs to the Anumals. They aren't all good or bad, same as humans. Atwon, a lion, human hybrid, is a shining example of the good. He is cought stealing food for his brother who he will do anything for. That is where the story begins. Atwon becomes, what I would consider, a hero type character. He may not do everything right, but he has moral standards that he is unwilling to stray from. The characters and story line are so well developed that it was a super easy read. You won't pick it up and put it down 100 times, once will do. Definately check it out so you are ready for the next one.

[J Kiwibooknerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!!!!

When I first received this book from one of the authors to review, I was slightly sceptical as it seemed to be quite out of my comfort zone (which lately has been paranormal and contemporary romance) However I totally fell in love with it.

It is well written and the main character of Clinton is a likeable, strong, morally great guy who fights for what he believes in.

I now totally look forward to the sequel, plus I have happily discovered that is is a good thing to wander out of ones comfort zone and discover new and wonderful books......

I am totally going to push this book onto all my friends and book clubs to read......

Thank you to Darren Jacobs (one of the brilliant authors) for sending me a copy of the book

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, Anumal Empire was one of the best fantasy novels that I have ever read. Haunting, terrifying, and dangerous; never a boring moment. That, and gorgeous writing, a brilliant unique plot, nicely paced, and the most diverse set of characters. Read full review here

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!!! I thought the story was great!! I thought the characters were great!!! I actually was able to visualize everything I was reading!! The only problem....as I was nearing the end, I found myself wishing there were more pages left!!! I can't wait for the sequel!!!

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across this novel on a fellow blogger's site, The Selkie Reads Stories. I absolutely LOVED the cover, enjoyed the review, added this to my ever growing 'to read' list, and left an excited comment on their post.

David, one of the writers of this novel contacted me asking if I would like to read and review their novel! Heck Ya!!!

I only got to it this month unfortunately, but so glad when I finally did.
This book is a smorgasbord of AWESOMENESS!

I loved that the story didn't really focus a lot about the past, and how the anumals came to be. Humans are extinct and the world is a much changed place. There is a multitude of colorful characters of every type of animal/human mix you can think of. The main character definitely stood out, with his lion features. He falls into the stereotypical underdog category... always beaten down, but always gets up, shakes his mane, and off he goes again. And you want him to succeed.

I couldn't help but envision one of my favorite childhood cartoons.

[image error]

Thundercats!! Heeheee! There were a lot of cat anumals in this book, and that is why I thought of it.

As you read though, you kind of forget that they are DNA mixed. I found myself picturing them as humans in my mind. But that is only because, they are very much human in emotions and behavior, if not necessarily in appearance.

The storyline is very engaging and exciting. A novel, whose type, I have not really read before. I kept thinking... 'Someone please make a cartoon series out of this! Or a movie or something!" because it is SO cinematic.

Though I did not have a lot of trouble visualizing the characters in their described form, the added pleasure of art work in the novel was awesome! I really enjoyed ending a chapter, and coming to another piece of artwork before beginning the next. David and Darren have an amazing site for Anumal Empire which I listed below for you guys to check out, and you should. There is some artwork not included in the novel that is really cool and worth a look.

I would recommend this book for all ages. I can see this novel being really attractive to young male readers or young at heart, but if you have a sense of adventure like I do, you will love the world inside these pages, and the characters that were brought to life in it, regardless of your sex and age.

Really looking forward to the next installment, because (damn you, David & Darren) we are left with a cryptic warning as our main character walks off into the desert towards his next adventure. Even without the cliffhanger, I would be eager to get my hands on the next book of the series.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Darren Jacobs to give an honest review.
This book is set in a very distant post-apocalyptic future, where man-kind are now known as anumal's (yes that is how it is spelled) I thought maybe I had read it wrong but nope. Who are made up of human and animal DNA, they have some human characteristics but are more animal looking.
This book was well-written and you can find yourself really liking or hating the characters,. I can say this book is a very different read than I have read before. Humans are almost extinct and the animals are the only species left.
Anumal Empire follows a lion named Clinton Narfell who had to steal and fight to survive in the harsh world. His parent's are done and he has a little brother to take care of. No matter what Clinton does or where he goes trouble always seems to follow him. Clinton's father was a pro at the national sport Lazarball, and Clinton is just as good as his father. After getting into trouble, that cost him everything, Clinton learns that he has a destiny. Another character that plays a big part is Dallas he has so much hatred toward Clinton but unknown to both himself and Clinton they are connected in some way. I would find myself upset with Dallas and the way he treated Clinton every time he saw him, made me just want to smack him. :d

I enjoyed this fighting scenes as they were so graphic it seemed to come to life. One part that had given me the willies was the whole maggot scene. I won't get into details as I wouldn't want to ruin it. You will just have to read to find out what I mean.

The ending was great as you can definitely tell there will be a book two to this. I do wonder about the badger and his whole role in this series.

Great read for YA and above

[Kyle Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting concept and lots of fun, but unfortunately weighed down by an ending that didn't feel like an ending as well as a few ideas that felt unfinished. A 3.5 star book that I rounded up to 4 stars.

Perhaps I'm just partial to anthropomorphized animals (big Usagi Yojimbo fan here), but I really enjoyed the concept of humans being evolutionarily supplanted by intelligent animals. The mythology of this book is fun and engaging, with interesting characters as well as imaginative "monsters". Anumal Empire had a lot going for it, but I found a few nagging things that weighed down on it.

First of all was the Lazerball aspect. It's a major part of the title and plays a role early on, but quickly falls to the side as the story progresses. I would have liked to see a larger payoff, as the Lazerball aspect builds up as an important element, but fizzles away. Perhaps it will play a more vital role in future books, but I can't help but feel the use of it in the title overstates the role it plays in this book.

The second problem I have is that the resolution to this book feels a bit, well, unresolved. Obviously it's a cliffhanger designed to lead into the next book, but I felt that the conclusion was unsatisfying as an end to this installment. Unlike, say, Harry Potter, where each book has a complete story arc that is a piece of a larger tale, this feels like the arc fell short of a complete story and just left me sort of hanging.

The last issue that led me to mark down my score has to do with the final 20% of the book. I felt that, in a rush to explain some of the mysteries, there was a bit too much exposition by the characters, with the dialog feeling less natural as they explained all sorts of back story. I won't give anything away, but suffice it to say, the overabundance of explanation felt out of place.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book and recommend reading it, but be warned, don't expect a self contained novel that can stand on its own. Anumal Empire: Lazerball needs a sequel before it can be a wholly satisfying work. I for one, look forward to reading the next installment.

[Opal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clinton and his brother have been orphaned and turned out of their homes. The Narfell name is dirt. Clinton is doing all he can to feed the two of them. Yet still he dreams of not only restoring the family name by winning the Lazaraball tournament but winning the prize money.

I was surprised by this book. I thought it would be quite juvenile with animal figures in it and it was a little, but it was much better then I thought it would be. The writing is engaging and smooth. Clinton is easy to like and he’s very appealing. In fact all the “good guys” were very likable. This was a feel good book.

Dallas was a relatively complex antagonist giving the book more depth. The more I found out about him, the more I thought that he could have been saved there or there or there. But that’s not how the story goes. I got shivers reading about the Seeress. She was a very spooky entity.

The dynamics of Wooburn were intriguing. The different anumals all had their place. I especially liked the giraffe court. It was easy to immerse yourself into this world and go along with Clinton on his adventures.

The one flaw this book has was how it ended. There’s a terrible cliffhanger. On one hand, you know it had to end that way. On the other hand, you really wish it had more resolution, you really wish it left you feeling more satisfied. It’s still very much worth the read. I look forward to the next book in the series.

*A free copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.