Trinity: A Heroic Fantasy Novel

by Clare Davidson

Kiana longs to walk through a forest and feel grass between her toes. But she is the living embodiment of a goddess and has enemies who wish to murder her. Her death will curse the whole of Gettryne. Locked away for protection, she dreams of freedom.

Her wish comes true in the worst possible way, when her home and defenders are destroyed.

Along with an inexperienced guard and a hunted outcast, Kiana flees the ravages of battle to search for a solution to the madness that has gripped Gettryne for a thousand years. Pursued by the vicious and unrelenting Wolves, their journey will take them far beyond their limits, to a secret that will shake the world.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

279 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 12, 2012

About the author

Clare Davidson is a character driven fantasy writer, teacher and mother, from the UK. Clare was born in Northampton and lived in Malaysia for four and a half years as a child, before returning to the UK to settle in Leeds with her family. Whilst attending Lancaster University, Clare met her future husband and never left. They now share their lives with their young daughter and a cranky grey cat, called Ash. Clare juggles family life with writing, teaching and a variety of fibre craft hobbies.

Reviews

[Natasha McNeely · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked up Trinity, I didn't know what to expect. Normally I stay away from epic fantasy, but after reading this, I must say that I don't regret it.

The world is vivid and its characters and history detailed and intriguing. As soon as I began reading, I succumbed to the story and when the action picked up only moments later, I was hooked. The trio of characters was unique and their dialogue and relationships real and heart-wrenching.

The characters struggle through cities filled with people who oppose one of the main characters, and others who would drag Kiana back to safety. Instead of taking that route, she pushes forward with the help of her guardian and new friend, intent on righting the wrongs of the past.

The journey is perilous and odds are stacked against them and still they push their way onward.

If you're not sure whether you should pick up this book or not, let me assure you that it is worth every penny. I fell in love with the characters and the way Clare Davidson portrayed them. I adored the world and how as the story went along, more and more answers and questions were revealed.

Read this if you like fantasy. Read it if you don't. It's an excellent book and I recommend it to all.

[J.L. Mbewe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an adventure!

I truly enjoyed reading Trinity. It is the story of Kiana, a young woman, who has been locked away all her life because she is a goddess reincarnated, and there are those who will stop at nothing to see her destroyed. Then her tower is attacked. It happened so suddenly, it took me by surprise. I was like, whoa, what just happened. So I reread, and the whole place just exploded. Kiana is now on the run, and she decides she's going to find peace between her people and her enemies. The back cover mentions she's accompanied by an inexperienced guard and a hunted outcast. Let's just say, "hunted outcast" is an understatement. Wow.

Where to begin? The story world is rich and complex. We have conflicting cultures and beliefs, embodied in the characters themselves. Loved the characters. How they changed and grew, the love that slowly blossomed between two of the characters. I'll let you read the book to find out who the lucky guy was. The ending was stunning, complicated, but beautifully worked.


I will be looking for more books from this author.

[Jenn Morris-duffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. One I got into the book I got pulled into the story. It is a great book and I recommend it to anyone who likes historical and fantasy. Now I know people don't like this but it does leave you hanging at the end.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good fast paced fantasy story with everything a good fantasy needs: a mystery, a lovestory, magic and betrail.

I loved it.

[Caedy Eries · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY OH MY GOD!!!!!! I WANT MORE!!!!!!! Loved this book.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's say that's a 3.5 stars...

It was an interesting read for me. I admit, I read books very differently since I took up writing myself, so it can make it harder to review.
This one was particularly interesting because it is Epic Fantasy, and yet manages to be character-driven. There is a "bigger picture" going on, but there were points in there when I really started to root for the characters.
That being said, there were other times when I was thrown out of the characters and knew I was reading a book. And Kiana cries a lot. I'm not big on crying in books. It's just not my thing. So, it took me awhile to settle into the book, because right from the get-go, Kiana's world is turned upside down and she is crying. Understandable, yes. But, if I'd just met her, I would have been politely hugging her and patting her back and looking around for someone who actually knew her to palm her off to... Call me insensitive... Go on.
I suppose I would have liked a few pages to get to know her first.
That being said, about 10-15% in I was away. I was starting to care about Kiana and Skaric in particular and things were good. There was action, drama, and developing emotions.
However, somewhere in there I got a little lost. I think I didn't quite understand all the magic that was happening, and I didn't quite understand some of the character reactions to things (like the emerging truths about their gods). This may come down to my background versus the characters' backgrounds. They feel things that I wouldn't, and so it felt a little melodramatic at times... to me... not to say it will to everyone.
I didn't like much of the text in italics.
I liked the fire magic and its consequences. I almost felt like that could have been explored more deeply, and pretty much driven a novel of its own. Really cool concept.
Anyway, I do look forward to reading more from Clare.

[Yiota · Rating 3 out of 5]

First let's take some minutes and admire the cover. This is what i'm talking about! Beautiful and original!

Now let's get on to the story...In general i can say it's a quite captivating story. Lots of action, magic and mystery and completely adventurous. From the first pages to the last ones it keeps you at the edge of your sit. And not only that but it's original too. Completely different than what i've read so far which it was a nice surprise. Who doesn't love to read something different?

The least that i can say for the characters are that they are interesting. Each one of them is unique with their own ideas and views. Unfortunately, the biggest problem for me with the book were also the characters. While they seem to have such a colorful background, you barely get to know them. I couldn't really connect with them and the "bonding" scenes were either too fast or they didn't exist. You could see the characters grow and change, but you didn't really get the process of it. I always felt like something was missing. The fact that also sometimes, was confused on who character i was following wasn't good either. There were times that i felt like you follow 2 different POVs combined. Which is not something uncommon, it's just didn't work out for me here.

Still, it was a great read and the story is that strong that makes you to wanna finish the book.

[Ruth Parlour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trinity captured me from the first draft. I was drawn into the story immediately and was thrown into riveting action when the Wolves attack. Clare has an amazing gift for writing characters and driving emotion into the story. I fell in love with all the characters and rooted them throughout the novel. I love the tension and conflict between the two male characters and the naïve, empathetic female who stood between them. Every character has demons they had to face and it was a delight to watch them grow and develop their relationship through the course of the novel.

I enjoyed the tense mystery towards the end of the novel and the wondrous world of magic Clare built up around her characters. The way she describes the otherworldly aspect really brought it to life. Through the characters Clare manipulated my emotions to make me feel empathy towards the suffering of characters both major and minor. She has a great gift for storytelling and I look forward to reading her future works.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the concept of the broken triad in this story. The idea of a god reincarnated in a person and another god being dead was fascinating. I would love to be able to create worlds like this in my mind. The creativity and detail was amazing.

Kiana is innocence and purity incarnate, and her guardian Nidan has the healing strength of the God of body inside him. Skaric comes from those out to avenge the death of the God of souls by killing Kiana the incarnate of the God of the mind. Needless to say, Nidan and Skaric hate each other on sight.. and on principle. Can they overcome their hatred to save their world? And what will it cost them if they do?... Not telling, you have to read the book. I wouldn’t want to give the best part away.

I give this story 4.5 out of 5 clouds.

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

[G.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story!

A vivid and tactile read. Trinity grabs you and won't let go! Outstanding scenery and ambiance painted expertly to hold a very appealing set of characters traversing a life changing set of events. Though life did not allow me the luxury this time through, Trinity is a book that most readers will find themselves blazing through all of it's 269 pages (paperback) in one sitting. Clare proves her talent for plucking the reader from this world and thrusting them into the reality she has embedded in the pages.

I'm thrilled to know that we can expect more from this story and from Clare Davidson. You can bet I'll be setting aside time for future Clare Davidson releases!

[Paul Tokarski · Rating 4 out of 5]

reading through the eyes of Kianna, her relationship with the guardian and wolve

[Daevone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trinity by Clare Davidson is a unique and touching tale full of mystique, three ancient gods, and a special girl with big dreams.

This story is always a treat to read, in fact, I just finished reading it for the third time, although I kept forgetting to leave a review until now. The author does a number of things right that leave the reader sucked in and engaged in the action on every page.

First off, the land of Gettryne is a unique place with people who believe in three ancient gods, although one god is hated by most, but adored by the Wolves. Most of Gettryne's people despise the Wolves and the Wolves in turn despise them, which leads to fighting, ill feelings, and tension between the two groups. The lands are lush and the architecture of the villages are inviting to the imagination. The desolate setting of Orholt and its ash coated streets radiates a sacred energy from the moment the reader is introduced to the setting and was my favorite by far. I would definitely love to read more about Gettryne, maybe in a possible spin-off novel, who knows?

The characters stand out most of all in the novel with their realistic qualities and everyday quirks and habits. Kiana, the main character is in her teens, but showcases maturity and wisdom that's ahead of her time.

Continuing with the characters, I can't stress enough how much attention the author pays to small details. Clare Davidson does an extraordinary job with revealing characterization through her characters' actions. For example, there were many instances in which Skaric literally turned his back on his companions, signalizing his initially distant nature. Davidson does an EXCELLENT job showing Nidan's initial hostility towards Skaric, a Wolf, through his actions and hesitations. We also get a few glimpses into each character's thoughts and the mental tug-o-wars as they tried to decide what was right in the heat of the moment. I had no trouble understanding how every character felt, since their thoughts and personalities were woven seamlessly into the prose.

The Wolves have their own unique structure and belief systems and we can see that from the first few pages. Weakness is intolerable to the wolves, as well as cowardice. They are clearly prideful people with strong internal values who will do whatever it takes to display their mental and physical strength.

The writing is crisp, free flowing, and easy on the eye, as well as the tongue. Clare Davidson makes use of an active writing style, as opposed to the passive style which I've seen quite often, to keep the reader awake and engaged from start to finish. There were many suspenseful moments where my breath caught in my chest and I couldn't stop turning the pages, hungry to see what would happen next.

I refrained from mentioning the plot too much in this review because it's something that should be experienced first hand. This is the kind of story that shouldn't be spoiled for anyone under any circumstances. Magic is abundant as the reader always feels there is something going on that is bigger than the story. All in all, Trinity is a tale of friendship and accepting someone for who they are on the inside. I just read this novel for the third time and it certainly won't be the last. It's a tale of love and sacrifice and unity that we as humans can learn a lot from. And for that, Trinity will always have a special place on my bookshelf.

[Catling · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't understand why this book has such good ratings. I was so excited about it, and then I actually read it and let me just tell you, I'm disappointed.
There is one thing I can't overlook when reading: the characters (and that's why I have so much trouble reading anything besides novels). In this book, the characters felt lifeless - especially Kiana. We are given close to no insight into their thoughts, feelings, hopes or whatever, which makes it hard to relate to them. They also get hurt an awful lot (especially Skaric) and although it usually doesn't bother me (I'll even confess to enjoying it when characters suffer, I'm an awful reader and and awful human being) it was a little too much.
The world building is lacking too. We actually know more (though not much) about their religion than the actual world. The three main characters spend almost all their time with each other because, well, every time they come across someone else, that person tries to kill one of them, so obvioulsy...
To be honest, what I hate the most is that I feel like a lot of my questions have been left unanswered, and yet I can't remember which ones. Not big questions, but still. I'd probably be okay with it if this book was the first of a series, but from what I know it's not?
So yeah, it's not such a bad book, but I don't think it deserves more than 3 stars, and I certainly regret getting all excited about it.

[Sharon Sant · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was some fantastic world building here and an incredibly visual style of writing which I very much enjoyed. Skaric was an amazingly complex character but I never felt like I got to know Kiana or Nidan that well. Yet again, a highly original and interesting premise, Clare seems to have a knack for spotting them.

I'd like to point out that I know Clare from Twitter, but I purchased the book like everyone else and reviewed it without being asked to.