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Isle of Wysteria #1
Seeds in the Wind
The day has finally arrived. After years of scheming, Athel is finally ready to sneak away from her island to join the federal navy. But before her feet hit the deck her mother arrives with the worst condition possible. She can only leave if she takes her new fiancé with her.
Alder is everything she didn't want in a house-husband. Short and pale, and infuriatingly formal, his presence sabotages every chance she gets to wallow in her new found freedom. And yet, he seems to understand her in a way no one else ever has. While having a personal chef who knows what you want before you want it is certainly flattering, how could she ever accept someone who is so different from what she imagined she wanted in a man?
The world they explore together is vast and magical, just filled with people waiting to be offended. In giant airships the federal navy patrols the skies above the wild acidic seas. Each island is home to a different race, each of whom specialize in their own unique kind of magic.
But after centuries of peace, the world is changing, and when Athel's island mysteriously withdraws itself from the League, she becomes the target of kidnappers, pirates, and a shape-shifting assassin. Even the crew of her own ship are tempted by the price on her head.
As the world of Aetria teeters on the brink of war, it is going to take a lot more than luck to get her and her bony fiancé out of this one.
Previously titled: "Isle of Wysteria: Make Like a Tree and Leaf"
Alder is everything she didn't want in a house-husband. Short and pale, and infuriatingly formal, his presence sabotages every chance she gets to wallow in her new found freedom. And yet, he seems to understand her in a way no one else ever has. While having a personal chef who knows what you want before you want it is certainly flattering, how could she ever accept someone who is so different from what she imagined she wanted in a man?
The world they explore together is vast and magical, just filled with people waiting to be offended. In giant airships the federal navy patrols the skies above the wild acidic seas. Each island is home to a different race, each of whom specialize in their own unique kind of magic.
But after centuries of peace, the world is changing, and when Athel's island mysteriously withdraws itself from the League, she becomes the target of kidnappers, pirates, and a shape-shifting assassin. Even the crew of her own ship are tempted by the price on her head.
As the world of Aetria teeters on the brink of war, it is going to take a lot more than luck to get her and her bony fiancé out of this one.
Previously titled: "Isle of Wysteria: Make Like a Tree and Leaf"
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2012
14 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Lee Yeager
11 books47 followersI am a dedicated and devoted housewife, who just happens to be a guy.
I come from a family of ballet dancers. (I know, right?) My parents actually met dancing at Ballet West together. So, the first few years of my life were spent backstage at productions like CATS, Dreamgirls, and A Chorus Line, where I developed a lifelong aversion to stage makeup. My parents even appeared in a few movies and TV shows, like Girls Just Wanna have fun, and the Tracy Ullman show, but that is about as much name-dropping as I can currently muster. I spent two years living in Argentina as a missionary, where I became addicted to mayonnaise, and developed a crippling fear of small dogs. In college I studied aviation, and was well on my way to becoming a commercial airline pilot when I suddenly developed a rare illness that left me with severe heart damage. Bed-ridden for about a year, I began writing, as it was one of the few things I could do. I spent the next decade writing books and taking care of my kids while my wife worked, waiting for that letter to come in the mail which never came. (Should have written about sparkly vampires instead) When my son Stephen passed away in July of 2012, I decided that I was going to dedicate my first book to him, and I wasn't going to wait for anyone's permission to be published anymore. I was going to do it myself.
I am not one of those Ivory Tower Authors. Cold, and distant, with snooty brass buttons, and a pompous red sash, wearing a cape shaped like a fancy degree, and a saber made of pretense. (Sounds like a good antagonist, though, doesn't it?) No, I'm the kind of author who likes to sit down on a tree stump with the fans and share a good plate of chow after a hard days work, swapping stories and jokes around a good roaring fire.
My children have given me many hand-drawn awards which I proudly display on my refrigerator. I also have somehow managed to hang onto a basketball participation trophy I got when I was, like, nine years old. The funny thing is I don't even like basketball, but it makes for a good keepsake of my youth.
I've always been a tall guy, but I don't really think of myself as being tall. I think of myself as being average height, and it is just normal for other people to be down around me at elbow level. For some reason people think it is socially acceptable to ask me to help them reach things when I am at the grocery store. "Excuse me, sir, but you are very tall, can you grab that thing for me on the top shelf?" It happens at least twice a month. I always feel like saying "You realize I don't work here, don't you?" but I never do. If it seems strange that it bugs me, just think of the reverse situation: "Excuse me, ma'am, you are very short, could you reach that box for me on the bottom shelf?" See what I mean? Not so cool now, huh?
I come from a family of ballet dancers. (I know, right?) My parents actually met dancing at Ballet West together. So, the first few years of my life were spent backstage at productions like CATS, Dreamgirls, and A Chorus Line, where I developed a lifelong aversion to stage makeup. My parents even appeared in a few movies and TV shows, like Girls Just Wanna have fun, and the Tracy Ullman show, but that is about as much name-dropping as I can currently muster. I spent two years living in Argentina as a missionary, where I became addicted to mayonnaise, and developed a crippling fear of small dogs. In college I studied aviation, and was well on my way to becoming a commercial airline pilot when I suddenly developed a rare illness that left me with severe heart damage. Bed-ridden for about a year, I began writing, as it was one of the few things I could do. I spent the next decade writing books and taking care of my kids while my wife worked, waiting for that letter to come in the mail which never came. (Should have written about sparkly vampires instead) When my son Stephen passed away in July of 2012, I decided that I was going to dedicate my first book to him, and I wasn't going to wait for anyone's permission to be published anymore. I was going to do it myself.
I am not one of those Ivory Tower Authors. Cold, and distant, with snooty brass buttons, and a pompous red sash, wearing a cape shaped like a fancy degree, and a saber made of pretense. (Sounds like a good antagonist, though, doesn't it?) No, I'm the kind of author who likes to sit down on a tree stump with the fans and share a good plate of chow after a hard days work, swapping stories and jokes around a good roaring fire.
My children have given me many hand-drawn awards which I proudly display on my refrigerator. I also have somehow managed to hang onto a basketball participation trophy I got when I was, like, nine years old. The funny thing is I don't even like basketball, but it makes for a good keepsake of my youth.
I've always been a tall guy, but I don't really think of myself as being tall. I think of myself as being average height, and it is just normal for other people to be down around me at elbow level. For some reason people think it is socially acceptable to ask me to help them reach things when I am at the grocery store. "Excuse me, sir, but you are very tall, can you grab that thing for me on the top shelf?" It happens at least twice a month. I always feel like saying "You realize I don't work here, don't you?" but I never do. If it seems strange that it bugs me, just think of the reverse situation: "Excuse me, ma'am, you are very short, could you reach that box for me on the bottom shelf?" See what I mean? Not so cool now, huh?
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 7, 2013
I am beginning to suspect that the most original and enjoyable new authors are self-published. This book is a good example. Yeager’s writing is lighthearted, his characters are quirky and enjoyable, and his magic system is imaginative. This character driven fantasy is unlike most I have seen recently, although parts of it remind me a bit of Terry Pratchett’s young adult books about Tiffany Aching. This isn’t specifically a Young Adult book, though. I would put it in the category of being suitable for all ages.
On the world in which Wysteria resides, there are a number of island nations, each with its own race and magic. Wysteria commands plant magic. The plants on this planet, however, are not like those of Earth. In this fantasy world, the plants have various levels of awareness, with trees being the most sentient, and they have a special symbiotic relationship with the women of Wysteria. The relatively short-lived men of this island do not share this ability. They have little social status and seem to be regarded as property. This does not mean they are uninteresting. Two male Wysterians play a major role in this book. One is typical of his race, a bony-shouldered, domestic engineer by the name of Alder. He plays the unlikely role of a true hero. The other is a soldier named Privet. He’s the opposite of Alder in many ways, but he also has admirable traits and some emotional depth.
They are not the main characters, though. That role belongs to the Wysterian princess Athel. Like her two male countrymen, she is not content with the role her society has placed on her, and she has chosen to take a short hiatus by joining the Federal Navy, a force of magically levitated airships supported by all nations. Its mission is to protect the islands from sky pirates and similar threats.
The story follows Athel’s adventures as a crewmember on the Dreadnaught, a misnamed naval vessel with an atypical captain and a small crew of quirky characters. In their battle against pirate guilds, they stumble upon an implied threat that may be greater than any pirates and which may be the reason that Athel’s mother has decided to break Wysteria away from the Federation. This, I assume, will be the story of a following book.
I enjoyed reading Isle of Wysteria. The characters are charming, the setting is creative, and the prose is well above average. I recommend this story for readers who enjoy lighthearted books with goodhearted characters.
On the world in which Wysteria resides, there are a number of island nations, each with its own race and magic. Wysteria commands plant magic. The plants on this planet, however, are not like those of Earth. In this fantasy world, the plants have various levels of awareness, with trees being the most sentient, and they have a special symbiotic relationship with the women of Wysteria. The relatively short-lived men of this island do not share this ability. They have little social status and seem to be regarded as property. This does not mean they are uninteresting. Two male Wysterians play a major role in this book. One is typical of his race, a bony-shouldered, domestic engineer by the name of Alder. He plays the unlikely role of a true hero. The other is a soldier named Privet. He’s the opposite of Alder in many ways, but he also has admirable traits and some emotional depth.
They are not the main characters, though. That role belongs to the Wysterian princess Athel. Like her two male countrymen, she is not content with the role her society has placed on her, and she has chosen to take a short hiatus by joining the Federal Navy, a force of magically levitated airships supported by all nations. Its mission is to protect the islands from sky pirates and similar threats.
The story follows Athel’s adventures as a crewmember on the Dreadnaught, a misnamed naval vessel with an atypical captain and a small crew of quirky characters. In their battle against pirate guilds, they stumble upon an implied threat that may be greater than any pirates and which may be the reason that Athel’s mother has decided to break Wysteria away from the Federation. This, I assume, will be the story of a following book.
I enjoyed reading Isle of Wysteria. The characters are charming, the setting is creative, and the prose is well above average. I recommend this story for readers who enjoy lighthearted books with goodhearted characters.
May 15, 2013
Let me preface this by saying that this is a book full of interesting ideas and a world that really deserves to be written. Most of the primary characters are better than average in concept, and a fairly compelling picture is painted of what the world is like.
Now, on to the novel itself. It's so tempting to enjoy the book on the merits above alone. The beginning has much to recommend it, and aside from some minor details, seems to be off to a great start. Before long, however, the characters begin to suffer from weak presentation, with dialogue, fanservice, cultural lapses, and misadventures that remind me distinctly of a lot of tabletop roleplaying games from my teenage years. Particularly from days when the GM was either ill-prepared or when the characters decided to go irreparably off the track of the GM's plans and has to improvise. A lot.
As a piece for nostalgic tabletop roleplaying veterans who enjoyed the games in their angsty, hormone-driven, and often erratic and impulsive teenage years, it has its appeal. As a novel in general for wider consumption, though, I wouldn't recommend it. Much of its appeal seems to be in its relatability, much like the Dead Alewives' Watchtower skits about Dungeons and Dragons.
Now, on to the novel itself. It's so tempting to enjoy the book on the merits above alone. The beginning has much to recommend it, and aside from some minor details, seems to be off to a great start. Before long, however, the characters begin to suffer from weak presentation, with dialogue, fanservice, cultural lapses, and misadventures that remind me distinctly of a lot of tabletop roleplaying games from my teenage years. Particularly from days when the GM was either ill-prepared or when the characters decided to go irreparably off the track of the GM's plans and has to improvise. A lot.
As a piece for nostalgic tabletop roleplaying veterans who enjoyed the games in their angsty, hormone-driven, and often erratic and impulsive teenage years, it has its appeal. As a novel in general for wider consumption, though, I wouldn't recommend it. Much of its appeal seems to be in its relatability, much like the Dead Alewives' Watchtower skits about Dungeons and Dragons.
March 20, 2017
This book is also known by the title "Make Like a Tree and Leaf," in case you're wondering. I think I got this book for free, but I can't really remember anymore.
A lot happens in this books, so I had to skim it again after I'd finished. The story is kind of odd, but it's my kind of odd, and it was fun. I guess you could call it science fantasy for its mix of magic and high-tech stuff.
A princess leaves home to join the Navy because she wants to be free from her mother. Her mother lets her go but sticks her with a fiance of sorts. He's a nice guy, but the princess treats him poorly at first. Also joining her is a fugitive from her family's arch enemy. These three join a crew on a Navy airship that flies from island to island on a world covered with oceans of boiling acid. First they have to rescue their captain from pirates ... Well, it just stays strange and crazy.
There is quirky, goofy humor throughout. Sometimes whole scenes or dialogue sequences are there just to set up a pun. The characters are weird and their situations are convoluted and the action is constant.
There was a lot of editing errors, mostly in punctuation, especially with missing or misplaced quote marks. I have an earlier edition, so maybe it's been fixed a bit since then. I will let myself believe that.
A lot happens in this books, so I had to skim it again after I'd finished. The story is kind of odd, but it's my kind of odd, and it was fun. I guess you could call it science fantasy for its mix of magic and high-tech stuff.
A princess leaves home to join the Navy because she wants to be free from her mother. Her mother lets her go but sticks her with a fiance of sorts. He's a nice guy, but the princess treats him poorly at first. Also joining her is a fugitive from her family's arch enemy. These three join a crew on a Navy airship that flies from island to island on a world covered with oceans of boiling acid. First they have to rescue their captain from pirates ... Well, it just stays strange and crazy.
There is quirky, goofy humor throughout. Sometimes whole scenes or dialogue sequences are there just to set up a pun. The characters are weird and their situations are convoluted and the action is constant.
There was a lot of editing errors, mostly in punctuation, especially with missing or misplaced quote marks. I have an earlier edition, so maybe it's been fixed a bit since then. I will let myself believe that.
August 4, 2013
I feel so lucky lately. . .I have had such a great run on amazing books. I have to admit though that I really didn't think I would like this one, and only downloaded it because I like the title. . .Make Like a Tree and Leaf, ha!
Athel wants nothing more then to free herself from the constraints of being a princess and see the world. She joins with a Navel fleet but before she can make her escape the Queen, better know as her mother, shows up with her new husband Alder. He is everything she never wanted in a man, and she lets him know. Together they will have amazing adventures on the Dreadnaught and its very unique crew.
I feel like I have been repeating myself a lot in my last few reviews, but it goes to say that once again I have found a book that is like nothing I have ever come across. Everything about it is unique, sure there is magic just never in a way I have read before. It was so weirdly amusing, that seems like the best way I can describe it, and I would like to say I'm very happy that it wasn't written about sparky vampires. . .I've had enough of that to last a life time.
With all the different races of people I thought it would be hard to keep track of everything, but it was surprisingly easy to know who did what and all. Each and everything character was amazing, they all had their own quirky personalities and everyone fit in with each other great.
One of the first things I did was check to see if the next book was out. Not because it left off in a cliffhanger, because it didn't, but because I really wanted to keep reading about everyone. I'm happy to add Aaron Yeager to my list of authors I keep a eye out for new works.
Would I recommend this book? Oh yeah, and I can't wait to find out what will happen next!
http://zephyrbookreviews.blogspot.com/
Athel wants nothing more then to free herself from the constraints of being a princess and see the world. She joins with a Navel fleet but before she can make her escape the Queen, better know as her mother, shows up with her new husband Alder. He is everything she never wanted in a man, and she lets him know. Together they will have amazing adventures on the Dreadnaught and its very unique crew.
I feel like I have been repeating myself a lot in my last few reviews, but it goes to say that once again I have found a book that is like nothing I have ever come across. Everything about it is unique, sure there is magic just never in a way I have read before. It was so weirdly amusing, that seems like the best way I can describe it, and I would like to say I'm very happy that it wasn't written about sparky vampires. . .I've had enough of that to last a life time.
With all the different races of people I thought it would be hard to keep track of everything, but it was surprisingly easy to know who did what and all. Each and everything character was amazing, they all had their own quirky personalities and everyone fit in with each other great.
One of the first things I did was check to see if the next book was out. Not because it left off in a cliffhanger, because it didn't, but because I really wanted to keep reading about everyone. I'm happy to add Aaron Yeager to my list of authors I keep a eye out for new works.
Would I recommend this book? Oh yeah, and I can't wait to find out what will happen next!
http://zephyrbookreviews.blogspot.com/
March 8, 2015
This book has so much going on , and a lot of it had me feeling completely lost. I feel like I picked up book 5 of a 7 book series. Two of the girls are tree people where women rule and men are servants. They give birth to sons but their trees give birth to daughters. Say what?? Yeah and they have tree friends that they talk to and after they get married apparently that tee gives them daughters.
One of the characters looks like a fox. Why? I don't know.
One of them is a man pregnant with his baby cause in his part of the world the men get pregnant. ok. How does the baby come out? Doesn't explain that.
The rest of the people of this strange world seem like everyday humans on Earth kinda. Ya know men who like curvy scantily clan woman and have all of the power but not always enough brains. Course the ship's Captain has weird black spheres for his eyes so, I guess not exactly normal.
This book has too many characters to keep up with. I'm completely serious. I gave up after awhile and just went with it.
But there was Alder. Alder was what kept me reading. He was a fully rounded character with beauty in every sentence. Sadness, love, loyalty, and even sarcasm. I loved how he always knew what Athel wanted. I loved that he alone wanted to save Spirea. There were times that I truly wanted to quit this book, but I had to see it to the end because I wanted to see Alder get the happy ending he deserved. Alder is a 5 star. The rest of the book maybe a three, but I wouldn't let him languish in the three star spot.
One of the characters looks like a fox. Why? I don't know.
One of them is a man pregnant with his baby cause in his part of the world the men get pregnant. ok. How does the baby come out? Doesn't explain that.
The rest of the people of this strange world seem like everyday humans on Earth kinda. Ya know men who like curvy scantily clan woman and have all of the power but not always enough brains. Course the ship's Captain has weird black spheres for his eyes so, I guess not exactly normal.
This book has too many characters to keep up with. I'm completely serious. I gave up after awhile and just went with it.
But there was Alder. Alder was what kept me reading. He was a fully rounded character with beauty in every sentence. Sadness, love, loyalty, and even sarcasm. I loved how he always knew what Athel wanted. I loved that he alone wanted to save Spirea. There were times that I truly wanted to quit this book, but I had to see it to the end because I wanted to see Alder get the happy ending he deserved. Alder is a 5 star. The rest of the book maybe a three, but I wouldn't let him languish in the three star spot.
January 2, 2014
a surprisingly good and entertaining book, The story caught my interest early on and I could barely put it down through the first parts. Then life intruded and I had a hard time getting back into it. Then after reading a few more pages I was hooked again and read excitedly to the end. If I was to find anything I didn't like about this story is that its ending is obviously leading on into the next story. Its a personal preference that I usually read multi part stories only after the author has finished all of them. I hate waiting for the author to finish the next story. This is not to fault the author in anyway just a personal preference for stories that are 100% complete on there own, or waiting until the whole series is done before starting.
January 10, 2013
a surprisingly good and entertaining book, The story caught my interest early on and I could barely put it down through the first parts. Then life intruded and I had a hard time getting back into it. Then after reading a few more pages I was hooked again and read excitedly to the end. If I was to find anything I didn't like about this story is that its ending is obviously leading on into the next story. Its a personal preference that I usually read multi part stories only after the author has finished all of them. I hate waiting for the author to finish the next story. This is not to fault the author in anyway just a personal preference for stories that are 100% complete on there own, or waiting until the whole series is done before starting.
February 10, 2013
I liked the story. It is more fantasy than I usually like. The characters were believable and insightful. At the beginning I felt like I was getting a new view of *Treasure Planet* - the film. But the story progressed and became fuller than a kids show can cover.
I was distracted from the story line by the constant change of perspective - the author perhaps gave too much insight for so many characters.
On the whole, I was impressed by the detailed descriptions and the characters that were full of grey areas - not much black and white - and therefor they felt real. I am looking forward to reading the next books, and to see the author develop and seize his own style of writing.
I was distracted from the story line by the constant change of perspective - the author perhaps gave too much insight for so many characters.
On the whole, I was impressed by the detailed descriptions and the characters that were full of grey areas - not much black and white - and therefor they felt real. I am looking forward to reading the next books, and to see the author develop and seize his own style of writing.
November 12, 2014
I got this book for free as an ebook. As far as the writing goes it wasn't too bad and kept my interest initially. My main issue with the book is how the author portrays men. I don't know what he has against them but it was really bad....(Although if you read his bio I guess this makes more sense?) All the men acted like beaten down puppies, in a world where women reign supreme. When I got to the part where one of the male characters in his book was pregnant I had to stop. I deleted both books off my Kindle, and I will not be looking for anything else by this author.
March 13, 2013
The only reason I give it 4 and not 5, is mainly because . Maybe that's just because I have other preferences, but I do applaud making me care enough about Athel, Alder and Privet and the relationships.
The action, the ship crew and the world was captivating, pulling me in to know more of all the different races and their specific abilities and attributes.
A very humorous and delightful read!
The action, the ship crew and the world was captivating, pulling me in to know more of all the different races and their specific abilities and attributes.
A very humorous and delightful read!
March 27, 2016
More fun than a barrel of flying monkeys. Love the topsy turvy world, purchased and read all three books and found them delightful with lots of LOL moments.
Note: the typos number in the hundreds for the trilogy; I found myself so distracted by page after page after page of errors and misuse of words. I really hope Mr Yeager will keep writing, and will re-release these books after a thorough housekeeping so I can recommend them to my friends.
Note: the typos number in the hundreds for the trilogy; I found myself so distracted by page after page after page of errors and misuse of words. I really hope Mr Yeager will keep writing, and will re-release these books after a thorough housekeeping so I can recommend them to my friends.
March 22, 2013
This is a self published, first book, and is quite charming. The author has great potential as an up and coming fantasy author. I'm excited to see his future endeavors, for he is a great storyteller.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews