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The Awakened (Book 1)

4.29 · Rating details · 24 ratings · 7 reviews

You just turned nineteen. Do you feel... different? Is strange magic happening all around you? Are you suddenly mindspeaking with a sentient animal? In "The Awakened", this could be you.

Sixteen exciting stories pull you into the diverse and unusual world of Grimaton, where the twin moons above might mean a lifetime of change. Join our celebrated authors as they explore the ...more

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Paperback, 304 pages

Published October 31st 2013 by Dark Quest Books (first published January 1st 2013)

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Jan 17, 2014 Mi Chelle rated it it was amazing

Very fun read indeed!

If you have a love for fantasy & science fiction, then this is a great addition to your collection. Each story gives you a different perspective, and the alien atmosphere of the two moons will add to the mental imagery to be sure. It's a breath of fresh air from new names to add to the arsenal of literary creators. Story #1 really moved me, I thought, "This is going to be my favourite story." but as it went on, I found myself intrigued to read further. This is what my ...more

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Nov 25, 2013 Kevin Glusing rated it it was amazing

This collection of stories brings the world of Grimaton to life in remarkable ways. Each of the authors sheds light on a different piece of the world that leaves you wanting to read more about their characters.

In the world of Grimaton, 19-year-old men and women are sometimes gifted with unimaginable talents. Some of these gifts take the form of a bond to an unsuspecting animal. Others manifest as the ability to change the world in a small way.

But not all of these stories are centered on ...more

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May 22, 2014 Cape Rust rated it really liked it

The Awakened
The Awakened is a fantasy fiction anthology edited by Hal Greenberg and Neal Levin and published by Samurai Sheepdog.
By Cape Rust

Learn more about The Awakened here
Purchase The Awakened

Sixteen authors playing in the same sandbox, what could possibly go wrong? Actually very little, The Awakened is a collection of stories set in a world where some people gain amazing powers on their 19th birthday. Some of these powers involve the acquisition of an animal companion who behaves more like The Awakened
The Awakened is a fantasy fiction anthology edited by Hal Greenberg and Neal Levin and published by Samurai Sheepdog.
By Cape Rust

Learn more about The Awakened here
Purchase The Awakened

Sixteen authors playing in the same sandbox, what could possibly go wrong? Actually very little, The Awakened is a collection of stories set in a world where some people gain amazing powers on their 19th birthday. Some of these powers involve the acquisition of an animal companion who behaves more like a familiar would in a typical Roleplaying Game (Like there is such a thing as a typical RPG) while others gain powers that allow them to control the weather or elements, or to remain unseen, even while in plain sight. Most of the Awakened are welcomed in their towns and villages, but some are outcast. To complicate matters there is a king trying to muster and army of the Awakened to drive his enemies before him and hear the lamentations of their women.

Hal Greenberg, and Neal Levin have put together a mixed bag of really, really well known authors and some “new kids on the block” to complete this collection of Awakened stories. I was very pleased with the amount of art in this book. I have reviewed several books that included art, to cover up for poor writing; in this case all of the art enhances the already quality writing in The Awakened. The list of the artists’ past credits is almost as impressive as the art they produced for this book. Like the authors, there are plenty of “been there, done that” artists contributing to this book. The cover looks great, I think some might think The Awakened is a core RPG rulebook rather than a collection of short stories, which as a gamer is just fine with me. The beginning page of each new story was done in the style of classic illumination, with intricate starting letters and page borders. Some of the opening pages had illustrations as well, but most of those were reserved for the end of the stories. Some of the art was very blatantly RPG, while a few pieces were a little more circumspect. No matter what the artist’s intent, I didn’t dislike any of the art or the choices the editors made in the use or placement of that art.

Individually all of the stories were successful, but it was the sum of their whole that made me pause. It is hard to go wrong with the quality of authors that were included in this collection, however towards the end of the book I felt like I was experiencing a strange sort of Déjà vu. Most of the stories were about different and compelling characters experiencing their awakening on their 19th birthdays. In most cases their awakenings ended up with them being bonded to an interesting animal, and their loved ones being killed and their village being attacked. There is much more to these stories than that, but there was enough of those things for a knuckle dragger like me to see the pattern. I was glad to see that not all of the Awakened’s powers dealt with bonding with animals, but most of them did. I enjoyed Ed Greenwood’s Her Scaly Bits and his take on the Awakened animal/human relationship, I appreciated that he left the alligator’s Lizard Brain in place.

This is a collection that I recommend you read in several sittings. I make this recommendation not because it is so hard to get through, but because I fear you may get that same sense of déjà vu that I did, stop reading it, and miss out on some really good and interesting stories. There are some stories that deviate from the, ‘I bonded with an animal and my village just got attacked or destroyed’ theme. A few of these stories are actually written from the perspective of the “Bad guys” and there is a wonderfully subtle thread that runs through each of the stories. This writing team is building something amazing and is establishing characters that you want to learn more about, just not in one sitting. If you enjoy fantasy, or are looking for some great game ideas, The Awakened should be just what you need.

This review was posted @ www.roleplayerschronicle.com ...more

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Apr 15, 2015 Theresa Needham fehse rated it really liked it

Free book for honest review. juliesbookreview.blogpsot.com

You just turned nineteen. Do you feel... different? Is strange magic happening all around you? Are you suddenly mindspeaking with a sentient animal? In "The Awakened", this could be you.

Sixteen exciting stories pull you into the diverse and unusual world of Grimaton, where the twin moons above might mean a lifetime of change. Join our celebrated authors as they explore the world of The Awakened and spotlight the heroes, the villains, and ...more

flag Like · see review

Mar 20, 2015 Jennifer rated it liked it

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Nov 24, 2013 Pam Peterson rated it it was amazing

Great read! All the stories were interesting, some exceptionally so, in particular I really liked Litha Mabon by Rai Smith. It was a nice change of pace to see the main character in her story to be, shall we say aggressive? Litha's ability is near terrifying in it's complexity. Can't wait for the sequel! Hunger by Jaleigh Johnson is a good read as well, I love the mind speak between Avara and her bear!

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Apr 26, 2014 Hal Greenberg rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

I read the other stories and loved them, here is a review of the book from a role player's perspective: http://roleplayerschronicle.com/?p=41593

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About Hal Greenberg

Hal Greenberg

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Hal Greenberg is a five-time ENnie nominated game designer who is VP, AD, designer and writer for Samurai Sheepdog. It can be found at http://samuraisheepdog.com.
Hal has been a guest speaker at Necronomicon, Salty Bay Con and GenCon and has been honored to work with many of today’s leading writers and designers, including but not limited to: Monte Cook, Todd Lockwood, Ed Greenwood, Richard Lee ...more