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The Mordana Chronicles #1
Stormling
In an age when Stormlings have only known peacetime, one man's desperate action threatens not only the stability of the mystical world of Mordana, but Earth as well.
Teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers a jewel that has been lost from its homeworld, and whilst she thinks she can keep it, demonic forces believe otherwise.
She’s not alone, but who can she trust? The head Stormling, Anadyr, hasn’t been to the Earth in 500 years, but go there he must – if the jewel is not returned, it will destroy both Ophelia’s world and his own…
* * *
A Lost Jewel. A World in Chaos. A Quest Unlike Any Other.
When a jewel is lost from the mystical realm of Mordana, and found on Earth, so begins a race against time to ensure the safe return of the jewel to its rightful place.
With news that the jewel has now been located, two warring factions fight for the control of Mordana. Anadyr, the strongest and bravest of the Stormlings, is sent on a quest to retrieve the jewel, as the survival of his race depends on it, but he finds there are some on Earth that are out to stop him as well.
On Earth, teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers the jewel. Anadyr needs to win her trust, but the task is made more difficult as Ophelia finds herself in conflict with dark mages, sorceresses, elves, demons, giant-folk, and more.
However....Evil stirs East of Mordana, with the minions of Andus Rey also working together to release The Fourth – the entity who was a good Stormling at one time, but has since turned to darkness.
Even if Anadyr helps to restore order to Mordana, his quest will not be truly complete until he announces his successor from a group of trusted, but untested Stormlings.
The evil in Mordana knows this too, and is just waiting for the right moment to strike, to set in motion a new and terrifying age of darkness....
Teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers a jewel that has been lost from its homeworld, and whilst she thinks she can keep it, demonic forces believe otherwise.
She’s not alone, but who can she trust? The head Stormling, Anadyr, hasn’t been to the Earth in 500 years, but go there he must – if the jewel is not returned, it will destroy both Ophelia’s world and his own…
* * *
A Lost Jewel. A World in Chaos. A Quest Unlike Any Other.
When a jewel is lost from the mystical realm of Mordana, and found on Earth, so begins a race against time to ensure the safe return of the jewel to its rightful place.
With news that the jewel has now been located, two warring factions fight for the control of Mordana. Anadyr, the strongest and bravest of the Stormlings, is sent on a quest to retrieve the jewel, as the survival of his race depends on it, but he finds there are some on Earth that are out to stop him as well.
On Earth, teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers the jewel. Anadyr needs to win her trust, but the task is made more difficult as Ophelia finds herself in conflict with dark mages, sorceresses, elves, demons, giant-folk, and more.
However....Evil stirs East of Mordana, with the minions of Andus Rey also working together to release The Fourth – the entity who was a good Stormling at one time, but has since turned to darkness.
Even if Anadyr helps to restore order to Mordana, his quest will not be truly complete until he announces his successor from a group of trusted, but untested Stormlings.
The evil in Mordana knows this too, and is just waiting for the right moment to strike, to set in motion a new and terrifying age of darkness....
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
513 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2014
2 people are currently reading
532 people want to read
About the author
John Hennessy
34 books234 followersJohn Hennessy is the British author of paranormal fantasy horror for YA, psychological horror and murder mysteries, plus his own unique take on vampire lore. He has also written ghost stories and delved into high epic fantasy with a hint of romance.
BOOKBUB: Follow the author for Featured Deals and New Releases here
BUSINESS INQUIRIES ONLY VIA CONTACTING
JohnHennessyBooks.com
John is an international best selling author. The Ghost of Normandy Road reached Number One for British Horror Fiction in July 2020 on Amazon.com, Children of the Dark Light also topped the charts for the same category in August 2020.
His 2015 YA Horror novel, The Ghost of Normandy Road: Haunted Minds I won the Silver Award for its category at the 2016 Readers Favourite International Book Contest.
His 2018 Non-fiction work, The Mastery of Martial Arts: End Fights in Seconds, had a featured review in the prestigious and highly respected Wing Chun Illustrated magazine (Issue 53 April 2020 edition)
A TALE OF VAMPIRES: SERIES - for anyone new to the author's series, this is the sugested reading order:-
Prequel: Dawn of the New Breed
I: Murderous Little Darlings
Murderous Little Christmas Darlings (2022)
II: The Blood and the Raven (Free to subscribers)
III: Innocent While She Sleeps
IV: Dream the Crow's Black Dream
V: Reunion of the Blood
VI: Our Hearts Go to Their Graves
To get an email, freebies, giveaways and chapter extras whenever the author releases a new title, sign up for the VIP newsletter
at the official website:-
http://www.johnhennessybooks.com/
at the blog https://authorjohnhennessy.wordpress....
Five Star Seal Awarded to The Ghost of Normandy Road by Readers' Favourite
BOOKBUB: Follow the author for Featured Deals and New Releases here
BUSINESS INQUIRIES ONLY VIA CONTACTING
JohnHennessyBooks.com
John is an international best selling author. The Ghost of Normandy Road reached Number One for British Horror Fiction in July 2020 on Amazon.com, Children of the Dark Light also topped the charts for the same category in August 2020.
His 2015 YA Horror novel, The Ghost of Normandy Road: Haunted Minds I won the Silver Award for its category at the 2016 Readers Favourite International Book Contest.
His 2018 Non-fiction work, The Mastery of Martial Arts: End Fights in Seconds, had a featured review in the prestigious and highly respected Wing Chun Illustrated magazine (Issue 53 April 2020 edition)
A TALE OF VAMPIRES: SERIES - for anyone new to the author's series, this is the sugested reading order:-
Prequel: Dawn of the New Breed
I: Murderous Little Darlings
Murderous Little Christmas Darlings (2022)
II: The Blood and the Raven (Free to subscribers)
III: Innocent While She Sleeps
IV: Dream the Crow's Black Dream
V: Reunion of the Blood
VI: Our Hearts Go to Their Graves
To get an email, freebies, giveaways and chapter extras whenever the author releases a new title, sign up for the VIP newsletter
at the official website:-
http://www.johnhennessybooks.com/
at the blog https://authorjohnhennessy.wordpress....
Five Star Seal Awarded to The Ghost of Normandy Road by Readers' Favourite
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 20, 2015
Stormling is the first book in the Mordana Chronicles, authored by John Hennessy, who is not only a talented and skilled author but also a dear friend. I got accustomed with his work after reading the remarkable and sinister series called the Dark Winter series. After reading Stormling, I swear that I will have to read whatever this author pens down, who has not only an wide imaginative mind but also has quite exquisite taste of drawing his characters which are equally unique, dark and glorious.
Many thanks to the author, John Hennessy, for giving me this opportunity to read and review his book.
My words fall short for appreciating his ingenuous style of narration and unfolding of the tale in Stormling. No I'm not going to compare with any other author, instead his books made me believe in so many tiny little details of the world, and how to bring out appreciation. His characters open a world which makes the impossible sound possible and make us believe the aura of John's make-believe world. This book is not only long but also demands a lot of attention. And with the burst of myriad of unusual characters, John has not only added the glitter with spunk to his tale but also made it incredibly engaging.
From the blurb itself, you can see, that Stormlings are an exquisite species living in the alien land of Mordana, but when their precious jewel on which the fate of Mordana is so much depended, is lost, then a war rages in the very alleys of Mordana itself to retrieve the jewel which has been found on the planet Earth. Warrior Anadyr is all prepared to retrieve the jewel and save the fate of his land, but for that he has to pass a lot of challenges, that not only jeopardizes the future of his homeland, but also the human girl, named, Ophelia, on whom his heart has found a new fondness. With the evolving of the dark warrior from Mordana, it is eventually getting darker and more sinister for Anadyr to capture the jewel.
With too many mystical characters, the book sounds like a story with full of surprises and twists here and there. The characters not only add the glamor to the plot but also peaks the level of interest among the readers with their uniqueness. Everyone is bound to enjoy such a beautiful fantasy, which has little bit of drama, a hint of romance, and a turbulent war that draws the attention of our mind from the very start. I'm sure, after you read this book, you can't let go of those colorful characters that not only awe your mind but also sometimes bring a smile at the corner of your face. John has introduced so many races that are competing against one another and the mystical land, Mordana that he has created is not only compelling but also beautiful. So many legends are foretold with this book, that you're bound to lose yourself in this tale.
Many thanks to the author, John Hennessy, for giving me this opportunity to read and review his book.
My words fall short for appreciating his ingenuous style of narration and unfolding of the tale in Stormling. No I'm not going to compare with any other author, instead his books made me believe in so many tiny little details of the world, and how to bring out appreciation. His characters open a world which makes the impossible sound possible and make us believe the aura of John's make-believe world. This book is not only long but also demands a lot of attention. And with the burst of myriad of unusual characters, John has not only added the glitter with spunk to his tale but also made it incredibly engaging.
From the blurb itself, you can see, that Stormlings are an exquisite species living in the alien land of Mordana, but when their precious jewel on which the fate of Mordana is so much depended, is lost, then a war rages in the very alleys of Mordana itself to retrieve the jewel which has been found on the planet Earth. Warrior Anadyr is all prepared to retrieve the jewel and save the fate of his land, but for that he has to pass a lot of challenges, that not only jeopardizes the future of his homeland, but also the human girl, named, Ophelia, on whom his heart has found a new fondness. With the evolving of the dark warrior from Mordana, it is eventually getting darker and more sinister for Anadyr to capture the jewel.
With too many mystical characters, the book sounds like a story with full of surprises and twists here and there. The characters not only add the glamor to the plot but also peaks the level of interest among the readers with their uniqueness. Everyone is bound to enjoy such a beautiful fantasy, which has little bit of drama, a hint of romance, and a turbulent war that draws the attention of our mind from the very start. I'm sure, after you read this book, you can't let go of those colorful characters that not only awe your mind but also sometimes bring a smile at the corner of your face. John has introduced so many races that are competing against one another and the mystical land, Mordana that he has created is not only compelling but also beautiful. So many legends are foretold with this book, that you're bound to lose yourself in this tale.
kts
March 2, 2015Free on Amazon today!
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LZ51XLO...
US - http://www.amazon.com/Stormling-Book-...
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LZ51XLO...
US - http://www.amazon.com/Stormling-Book-...
January 6, 2015
In a sentence: A really strong and different fantasy offering full of humour, thrills and cool characters.
The synopsis says a lot about where the story is going so I'll speak on my feelings when reading this book.
When I learned that Stormling, and not the sequel to Dark Winter was to be John's next release, I can't contain the feeling of disappointment because I really wanted to know what would happen in that book, because I loved it so much.
John provided me with a copy of Stormling and I have to say thanks to John for sharing your work with me.
I don't think I have read that many books that start like Stormling does. There is a rather long prologue before even the first chapter starts, but I see what John was trying to do here.
The scope and scale of this story are pretty intimadating and you have to get the kind of pace of it. It's not the same intense read from the get go that Dark Winter was and I will say I read Dark Winter twice before reading understanding the layers of it.
So I approached this book with the view that John is a really good writer and tried to be open to the story, even though I wasn't all too sure if I'd like it.
I mentioned the prologue, but there's a shortened prologue even before the main one, where our hero, the immortal Anadyr has a battle which he wins - no, it's not a spoiler to say that, and it sets things up good. The reader is then taken to the main prologue where we meet many of the key people in the story.
Stormling has a big cast of characters. I felt the main ones were there in the prologue so when you read their part in the book, it makes more sense.
The pace is not exactly slow, but with the world building, where action takes part past and present, I think patience is needed with this book.
The action around Stormling is about a jewel of great power and significance which is lost from the mystical world of Mordana. There is a Gap which is the bridge between Mordana and the real world - Earth, although the Stormlings and the other races on that world call it Crith Talun - which I learned means 'the burning earth' or 'scorched earth'.
Three of the bad guys, called Shadow Wraiths penetrate the Gap in the prologue and reach Earth for a very specific mission, before returning quickly to Mordana and I think it was to avoid detection.
There's a lot of smoke and mirrors in this first story. A lot of the powers of the bad guys - The Wraiths, plus the fallen Stormlings - one which is imprisoned in the lost jewel, do what they do under cover, and the good ones - the Stormlings, the sorceress Corianna, the half breed Aynara (part Stormling, part Andurii - the race she stays at the Gap to defend) don't use their extreme powers openly. There's a hint of war throughout the book, but I guess it's like the Cold War..the evil ones get more provoking and they are not happy that in this period of their history, they are not in charge of the world.
I like that Anadyr, the head of the Stormlings, is looking to retire at the start of the story and hand over to a younger, maybe more hungry group.
It's this group that held the magic for me. Jaden is a headstrong, reckless guy, and Jazdyr, his more thoughtful counterpart. Both are great at swords and magic.
There's a possible super-heroine in the book called Kayla. I really connected with her and can't wait to see what she gets up to in future books.
There's a rather sweet relationship between Anadyr and the old and wise Crowlass. He's an Andurii who has seen it all over his time, though he fears for Anadyr greatly, and even if he can't make him retire, does all he can to make him take a day off.
So what's the cover all about? It's the moment on earth when the jewel is found. The earth girl, Ophelia, is a super hero fanatic and dreams of having powers of her own. She has good friends, and the relationship with Melody is the kind of friend I wanna have!
On;y only natural that events on Mordana and Earth have to collide, and if you've the time to find out what it is, you will love it. I certainly appreciate this tale, and going from real concern as to whether I would like it or not, I think there's great writing here.
I know Dark Winter 2 is coming, and I'm beyond myself over that, but I think Stormling 2, as and when it comes will be a book I will look forward to.
I was tempted to give this four stars, but went for five because the read is satisfying and yet leaves you wanting more, a lot more.
It's got magic, sword fights, romance, epic tales, super beings, and humans - or Otherfolk, as they are called in one funny and memorable scene, what more do you want???
The synopsis says a lot about where the story is going so I'll speak on my feelings when reading this book.
When I learned that Stormling, and not the sequel to Dark Winter was to be John's next release, I can't contain the feeling of disappointment because I really wanted to know what would happen in that book, because I loved it so much.
John provided me with a copy of Stormling and I have to say thanks to John for sharing your work with me.
I don't think I have read that many books that start like Stormling does. There is a rather long prologue before even the first chapter starts, but I see what John was trying to do here.
The scope and scale of this story are pretty intimadating and you have to get the kind of pace of it. It's not the same intense read from the get go that Dark Winter was and I will say I read Dark Winter twice before reading understanding the layers of it.
So I approached this book with the view that John is a really good writer and tried to be open to the story, even though I wasn't all too sure if I'd like it.
I mentioned the prologue, but there's a shortened prologue even before the main one, where our hero, the immortal Anadyr has a battle which he wins - no, it's not a spoiler to say that, and it sets things up good. The reader is then taken to the main prologue where we meet many of the key people in the story.
Stormling has a big cast of characters. I felt the main ones were there in the prologue so when you read their part in the book, it makes more sense.
The pace is not exactly slow, but with the world building, where action takes part past and present, I think patience is needed with this book.
The action around Stormling is about a jewel of great power and significance which is lost from the mystical world of Mordana. There is a Gap which is the bridge between Mordana and the real world - Earth, although the Stormlings and the other races on that world call it Crith Talun - which I learned means 'the burning earth' or 'scorched earth'.
Three of the bad guys, called Shadow Wraiths penetrate the Gap in the prologue and reach Earth for a very specific mission, before returning quickly to Mordana and I think it was to avoid detection.
There's a lot of smoke and mirrors in this first story. A lot of the powers of the bad guys - The Wraiths, plus the fallen Stormlings - one which is imprisoned in the lost jewel, do what they do under cover, and the good ones - the Stormlings, the sorceress Corianna, the half breed Aynara (part Stormling, part Andurii - the race she stays at the Gap to defend) don't use their extreme powers openly. There's a hint of war throughout the book, but I guess it's like the Cold War..the evil ones get more provoking and they are not happy that in this period of their history, they are not in charge of the world.
I like that Anadyr, the head of the Stormlings, is looking to retire at the start of the story and hand over to a younger, maybe more hungry group.
It's this group that held the magic for me. Jaden is a headstrong, reckless guy, and Jazdyr, his more thoughtful counterpart. Both are great at swords and magic.
There's a possible super-heroine in the book called Kayla. I really connected with her and can't wait to see what she gets up to in future books.
There's a rather sweet relationship between Anadyr and the old and wise Crowlass. He's an Andurii who has seen it all over his time, though he fears for Anadyr greatly, and even if he can't make him retire, does all he can to make him take a day off.
So what's the cover all about? It's the moment on earth when the jewel is found. The earth girl, Ophelia, is a super hero fanatic and dreams of having powers of her own. She has good friends, and the relationship with Melody is the kind of friend I wanna have!
On;y only natural that events on Mordana and Earth have to collide, and if you've the time to find out what it is, you will love it. I certainly appreciate this tale, and going from real concern as to whether I would like it or not, I think there's great writing here.
I know Dark Winter 2 is coming, and I'm beyond myself over that, but I think Stormling 2, as and when it comes will be a book I will look forward to.
I was tempted to give this four stars, but went for five because the read is satisfying and yet leaves you wanting more, a lot more.
It's got magic, sword fights, romance, epic tales, super beings, and humans - or Otherfolk, as they are called in one funny and memorable scene, what more do you want???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2015
John Hennessy's "Stormling" is like being in a dream and not wanting to wake up from it, for fear of missing all the great parts and there are a lot of great parts. Its the kind of novel you'd want to be turned into one of those huge blockbuster movies right up there with "Hunger Games," "Lord of the Rings Trilogy," or "The Hobbit."
The storyline starts off slow paced giving the reader a snapshot look into the characters, also telling each main characters' own storylines and point of view, without giving their whole life stories away or the story itself away.
Naming the chapters after each of the characters Anadyr, Jayden, Corianna and/or regions added a bit of local color throughout the novel making the storyline, plot and characters believable.
This book could easily be a stand alone despite it being Book One part of a series. Even the characters had stand separate from the other characters as individuals with their own written series. This story is an enigma wrapped up in its characters, when in the moment you think you've scratched the surface you realize you haven't, that you've just begun and the best is yet to come.
The storyline starts off slow paced giving the reader a snapshot look into the characters, also telling each main characters' own storylines and point of view, without giving their whole life stories away or the story itself away.
Naming the chapters after each of the characters Anadyr, Jayden, Corianna and/or regions added a bit of local color throughout the novel making the storyline, plot and characters believable.
This book could easily be a stand alone despite it being Book One part of a series. Even the characters had stand separate from the other characters as individuals with their own written series. This story is an enigma wrapped up in its characters, when in the moment you think you've scratched the surface you realize you haven't, that you've just begun and the best is yet to come.
January 27, 2015
A non scary "John Hennessy" book
First of all a huge thanks to the author for providing me with such a wonderful opportunity to read his works and it has been an amazing experience watching how the author has evolved and developed in his story telling skills.
I have read about four to five of the author's works and that too consecutively and by far this is the only book that has not scared me to my bones. His works especially Dark winter and the vampire stories had literally made me crawl into hiding
Stormling is a pretty intriguing and unique story set in the paranormal world of Mordana and with its share of unique characters and breeds, their world is undoubtedly a beautiful getaway but sadly there are a whole lot of gaps that deny stormling from becoming into a well knit book
(oh man !!! i hate doing this to the author )
Stormling suffers from sketchy outlines of its basic world, Mordana. The basic information or pillars to the world and its basic functioning is not clear enough to make you understand what exactly is going on and how the world of Mordana works.Though i would admit that there are information and structures present but they are not concrete enough to paint you a whole picture of this alien world to you
There were couple of characters who shares similar names except for an alphabet change between them and this for me created a whole lot of turning back pages and head scratching. You have to pay really close attention. Apart from that at the beginning, it was difficult to track the characters and their activities. It was kind of people showing up in the book without proper resume and you have no idea where they came from, why are they here and what are they doing. There is also fluctuating narration during the first half.
By the second half, the book gets better and by now you have much clear picture of which characters are important and what are they doing and what exactly is going around. The characters and events starts coming out of the haze and gives you a better understanding and suddenly the world of Mordana makes sense
The fact is that you should show a bit of patience around the book as it is lengthy for one and the book actually starts picking up towards the second half
Stormling has a pretty interesting and intricate story line with exciting display of characters but sadly opens to a whole lot of chaos in the beginning with so many characters thrown at you without warnings and that too in a completely alien world. However by the second half each characters shapes better and the purpose of their existence is much more vivid. The book completely transitions itself and climbs to much better plains towards the end. You need to hold on to the book to see it growing, evolving and getting sharper.
How was it?
First of all a huge thanks to the author for providing me with such a wonderful opportunity to read his works and it has been an amazing experience watching how the author has evolved and developed in his story telling skills.
I have read about four to five of the author's works and that too consecutively and by far this is the only book that has not scared me to my bones. His works especially Dark winter and the vampire stories had literally made me crawl into hiding
Stormling is a pretty intriguing and unique story set in the paranormal world of Mordana and with its share of unique characters and breeds, their world is undoubtedly a beautiful getaway but sadly there are a whole lot of gaps that deny stormling from becoming into a well knit book
(oh man !!! i hate doing this to the author )
Stormling suffers from sketchy outlines of its basic world, Mordana. The basic information or pillars to the world and its basic functioning is not clear enough to make you understand what exactly is going on and how the world of Mordana works.Though i would admit that there are information and structures present but they are not concrete enough to paint you a whole picture of this alien world to you
There were couple of characters who shares similar names except for an alphabet change between them and this for me created a whole lot of turning back pages and head scratching. You have to pay really close attention. Apart from that at the beginning, it was difficult to track the characters and their activities. It was kind of people showing up in the book without proper resume and you have no idea where they came from, why are they here and what are they doing. There is also fluctuating narration during the first half.
By the second half, the book gets better and by now you have much clear picture of which characters are important and what are they doing and what exactly is going around. The characters and events starts coming out of the haze and gives you a better understanding and suddenly the world of Mordana makes sense
The fact is that you should show a bit of patience around the book as it is lengthy for one and the book actually starts picking up towards the second half
Stormling has a pretty interesting and intricate story line with exciting display of characters but sadly opens to a whole lot of chaos in the beginning with so many characters thrown at you without warnings and that too in a completely alien world. However by the second half each characters shapes better and the purpose of their existence is much more vivid. The book completely transitions itself and climbs to much better plains towards the end. You need to hold on to the book to see it growing, evolving and getting sharper.
How was it?
September 19, 2015
Anadyr has been the leaders of the Stormlings, for thousands of years. He wishes to someday hand the reigns over to Jayden and settle down with the love of his life (whoever she may be). When the precious jewel of Mordana, goes missing, Anadyr must travel to Earth, to retrieve it from a woman named Ophelia, who has found it. But retrieving the jewel is more challenging, since now he is at war with the Wraiths.
Anadyr finds himself falling for Ophelia and now is determined to save not only his people, but to save Ophelia.
There were an extreme amount of characters in this book, more so than I have ever read in a book before. At first I was a little skeptical of all the different characters, because you want those few characters that you can bond with. But John Hennessey did a good job of pointing out the main characters, their flaws, their emotions and their desires. Hat’s off to him, because I, myself could never work with so many characters in a story and achieve what he has. What is so amazing about his writing, is his descriptive way of placing you in each scene. I loved the book, absolutely loved it.
Anadyr finds himself falling for Ophelia and now is determined to save not only his people, but to save Ophelia.
There were an extreme amount of characters in this book, more so than I have ever read in a book before. At first I was a little skeptical of all the different characters, because you want those few characters that you can bond with. But John Hennessey did a good job of pointing out the main characters, their flaws, their emotions and their desires. Hat’s off to him, because I, myself could never work with so many characters in a story and achieve what he has. What is so amazing about his writing, is his descriptive way of placing you in each scene. I loved the book, absolutely loved it.
December 15, 2014
Very strong first book, great main characters with excellent support cast of dwarves, elves....
exciting climax. Happily wait for book two.
exciting climax. Happily wait for book two.
November 29, 2015
Stormling is book one of the series, the Mordana Chronicles. From the page one, the author takes you to the magical land of Mordana, a realm of magic. The land where there is peace during the rule of Stormlord Anadyr, an immortal who has been at the helm of power from the time he was eighteen years old. Now he is over three thousand years old and is facing troubled times. The threat from AnnanGhorst is looming near. The powerful Aynara, the half-breed who protects Mordana has lost a jewel from her magical necklace which if ended up in the wrong hands will spell doom to Mordana.
The author introduces the main characters one by one and through these character introductions we are given a tour of the mystical land of Mordana, the enemies that have been threatening the peace of their land and also the stromlings who are immortals. The real world, our earth, comes into picture when Ophelia a teenager living on earth is introduced. Ophelia, a carefree teenager finds the lost jewel and now has the responsibility of returning the jewel to Aynara. Her committed group friends: Melody, Siobhan and Michael, is by her side in this mission. But their biggest enemy Mindy, their schoolmate, turns up on the wrong side and hinders their mission.
Will Ophelia succeed in the mission?
Will Anadyr win over the dark beings that threaten his land?
Will Aynara, who is half stormling and half Andurii, help Anadyr when darkness threatens to annihilate earth and Mordana?
I won’t tell you that. You have to read the book to know.
The book is a tome, with 495 pages of absolute fantasy. I admire the skill of the author for keeping the pace of the narration uniform and interesting in such a long book. The many side stories during the character introductions are interesting as well. Then there is the romance between the beautiful sorceress Corianna and Anadyr.
The whole book is like watching a fantasy movie where magical creatures like elves, stormlings, Andurii, witches, sorcerers and Shadow wraiths runs the show. This book I hear is the lone book written by John Hennessy which doesn’t have horror/ violence that would give you nightmares, the reason why I picked the book. Yes, it is not dark. It comes in the category of fantasy like the harry potter series, the hobbit and the lord of rings. It is definitely a book which can be made into a movie. Hope one day I will get to watch the Stormling as a movie!
The Cover of the book is very beautiful. So is the book.
Highly recommended if you like reading fantasy that borders with horror.
The author introduces the main characters one by one and through these character introductions we are given a tour of the mystical land of Mordana, the enemies that have been threatening the peace of their land and also the stromlings who are immortals. The real world, our earth, comes into picture when Ophelia a teenager living on earth is introduced. Ophelia, a carefree teenager finds the lost jewel and now has the responsibility of returning the jewel to Aynara. Her committed group friends: Melody, Siobhan and Michael, is by her side in this mission. But their biggest enemy Mindy, their schoolmate, turns up on the wrong side and hinders their mission.
Will Ophelia succeed in the mission?
Will Anadyr win over the dark beings that threaten his land?
Will Aynara, who is half stormling and half Andurii, help Anadyr when darkness threatens to annihilate earth and Mordana?
I won’t tell you that. You have to read the book to know.
The book is a tome, with 495 pages of absolute fantasy. I admire the skill of the author for keeping the pace of the narration uniform and interesting in such a long book. The many side stories during the character introductions are interesting as well. Then there is the romance between the beautiful sorceress Corianna and Anadyr.
The whole book is like watching a fantasy movie where magical creatures like elves, stormlings, Andurii, witches, sorcerers and Shadow wraiths runs the show. This book I hear is the lone book written by John Hennessy which doesn’t have horror/ violence that would give you nightmares, the reason why I picked the book. Yes, it is not dark. It comes in the category of fantasy like the harry potter series, the hobbit and the lord of rings. It is definitely a book which can be made into a movie. Hope one day I will get to watch the Stormling as a movie!
The Cover of the book is very beautiful. So is the book.
Highly recommended if you like reading fantasy that borders with horror.
October 6, 2014
This one is definitely in the epic fantasy side of genres. The writing is definitely done well, though it may take you a bit to unravel the mysteries being fed right into the beginning of the book. But the first thing you get to read is a little bit about our main character, winning a battle, and starting the book with how things are going to happen. It’s a glimpse into what you are going to be seeing and why it was so important for you to know that event, because it’s going to shape the main character. It’s such a unique way of doing things.
At first when I started reading, I was a little confused because a lot of characters were introduced in short bursts. But I see now, that instead of dumping a back story all at once, which would slow the pace down, they were each introduced in the here and now. It made for an interesting start of the book. You see what is happening with them at that moment in time, before a big past is thrown at you. There is a LOT of world building, so be prepared but don’t be discouraged. I actually think it made sense for you to try to understand the things going on.
There’s this jewel of extreme significance, and it was lost from the magical world of Mordana. Most magic isn’t really practiced anymore except for there. And there’s a bridge that separates Earth (aka Crith Talum) from Mordana. And we need to not only keep Mordana safe, but Earth too. And when some bad guys, Wraiths, come to Earth for something, some all kinds of hell starts. :) And the Stormling need to keep the bad guys from destroying everything. Plus, Stormling and some of the other magical races do not use their magic in public, because of some past indiscretions. There’s a war coming and there will be sides.
There are some wonderful characters in here, but a good bit of them, and I think if I started going on about each, we’d be here a good while. And don’t worry, there’s some cool normal people in here too, but the cool characters have the magic, of course :) And again, the writing is actually really well done, it’s just different from what I usually read. And I definitely look forward to the next book, as I’m sure just like this one, will have more magic, and action, and fights with swords, and very complex characters that make the story that much more. A Fantasic 4 PAWS!
At first when I started reading, I was a little confused because a lot of characters were introduced in short bursts. But I see now, that instead of dumping a back story all at once, which would slow the pace down, they were each introduced in the here and now. It made for an interesting start of the book. You see what is happening with them at that moment in time, before a big past is thrown at you. There is a LOT of world building, so be prepared but don’t be discouraged. I actually think it made sense for you to try to understand the things going on.
There’s this jewel of extreme significance, and it was lost from the magical world of Mordana. Most magic isn’t really practiced anymore except for there. And there’s a bridge that separates Earth (aka Crith Talum) from Mordana. And we need to not only keep Mordana safe, but Earth too. And when some bad guys, Wraiths, come to Earth for something, some all kinds of hell starts. :) And the Stormling need to keep the bad guys from destroying everything. Plus, Stormling and some of the other magical races do not use their magic in public, because of some past indiscretions. There’s a war coming and there will be sides.
There are some wonderful characters in here, but a good bit of them, and I think if I started going on about each, we’d be here a good while. And don’t worry, there’s some cool normal people in here too, but the cool characters have the magic, of course :) And again, the writing is actually really well done, it’s just different from what I usually read. And I definitely look forward to the next book, as I’m sure just like this one, will have more magic, and action, and fights with swords, and very complex characters that make the story that much more. A Fantasic 4 PAWS!
August 1, 2014
I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.
Anadyr is a Stormling and lives on Mordanna. Anadyr is the leader of his race the Stormlings. He has been the leader for thousands of years. Anadyr would like to some day pass his leadership on to his right hand man Jayden and then settle down with the love of his life but unfortunately he has not found the right time and is still waiting.
Anadyr has not been to Earth in five hundred years and hoped never to return or at least not under the same circumstances. But when a jewel from Mordana is lost and is found on Earth by teenager, Ophelia Drewe then he must return to find the jewel to not only save his own home Mordana but to save Earth as well.
When Ophelia finds the jewel she knows it is not from Earth and must be returned to its rightful owner but she has no idea how she is going to get it back to its owner until Anadyr shows up. Anadyr takes Ophelia and a couple of her friends to Mordana but when they get there they discover that they have lost Anadyr. But somehow Ophelia knows where they are and where she must go to find the owner of the jewel. Mordana is on the brink of war and the only thing that can save them is the jewel that Ophelia has.
The world of Mordanna has a lot of good characters as well as bad, evil characters too. I liked the characters from both Earth and Mordanna. Anadyr learnt from an early age to love and care for other people unlike some of his friends who cared more for themselves than others. Anadyr will always be the better leader because he cares for other people more than himself. He knows more of what the people need or want because he looks out for his people and he watches them and learns who they are so therefore he makes a better decissions or choices for their needs than someone who only thinks about themselves. He can probably keep his people alive better and longer.
Anadyr is a Stormling and lives on Mordanna. Anadyr is the leader of his race the Stormlings. He has been the leader for thousands of years. Anadyr would like to some day pass his leadership on to his right hand man Jayden and then settle down with the love of his life but unfortunately he has not found the right time and is still waiting.
Anadyr has not been to Earth in five hundred years and hoped never to return or at least not under the same circumstances. But when a jewel from Mordana is lost and is found on Earth by teenager, Ophelia Drewe then he must return to find the jewel to not only save his own home Mordana but to save Earth as well.
When Ophelia finds the jewel she knows it is not from Earth and must be returned to its rightful owner but she has no idea how she is going to get it back to its owner until Anadyr shows up. Anadyr takes Ophelia and a couple of her friends to Mordana but when they get there they discover that they have lost Anadyr. But somehow Ophelia knows where they are and where she must go to find the owner of the jewel. Mordana is on the brink of war and the only thing that can save them is the jewel that Ophelia has.
The world of Mordanna has a lot of good characters as well as bad, evil characters too. I liked the characters from both Earth and Mordanna. Anadyr learnt from an early age to love and care for other people unlike some of his friends who cared more for themselves than others. Anadyr will always be the better leader because he cares for other people more than himself. He knows more of what the people need or want because he looks out for his people and he watches them and learns who they are so therefore he makes a better decissions or choices for their needs than someone who only thinks about themselves. He can probably keep his people alive better and longer.
January 30, 2015
Elves, Fairies, Dwarves, Giants, Stormlings: this book is filled with every mythical being a fantasy fan could want. Stormling hooked me from the very beginning, starting off with a fight between two godlike beings. I love books that are action-packed but also have humor peppered throughout. This story has the perfect balance of action and amusing moments.
There were about ten central characters in the book; my two favorites were Kayla (an Andurii woman) and Ophelia (a human girl). The author writes female characters very well. I've read too many science fiction books that have flat female characters, but Hennessy does a fabulous job of creating three-dimensional women in his book.
Most of the book takes place in a fictional world called Mordana, where an evil being decides to wreak havoc on a mostly peaceful realm. There are magical twin necklaces that fall into the wrong hands, and a teenage girl from earth finds a powerful stone that was separated from one of the necklaces. It turns out the stone is the key to restoring peace in Mordana, and it is up to Ophelia to journey to this unknown world to save several innocent races from an evil being whose aim is to rule over Mordana.
I don't want to give away any of the surprises in the book, but there were many unexpected twists and turns. I love stories that keep me on my toes. I never knew who would make it to the next chapter! Another thing I enjoyed about the story was the author makes the reader feel empathy even for the wicked characters, which is no easy feat. The ending was wrapped up nicely, but it made me want more, and I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the next book in the series. I'll definitely be reading more by this author. John Hennessy has been added to my favorite authors list!
There were about ten central characters in the book; my two favorites were Kayla (an Andurii woman) and Ophelia (a human girl). The author writes female characters very well. I've read too many science fiction books that have flat female characters, but Hennessy does a fabulous job of creating three-dimensional women in his book.
Most of the book takes place in a fictional world called Mordana, where an evil being decides to wreak havoc on a mostly peaceful realm. There are magical twin necklaces that fall into the wrong hands, and a teenage girl from earth finds a powerful stone that was separated from one of the necklaces. It turns out the stone is the key to restoring peace in Mordana, and it is up to Ophelia to journey to this unknown world to save several innocent races from an evil being whose aim is to rule over Mordana.
I don't want to give away any of the surprises in the book, but there were many unexpected twists and turns. I love stories that keep me on my toes. I never knew who would make it to the next chapter! Another thing I enjoyed about the story was the author makes the reader feel empathy even for the wicked characters, which is no easy feat. The ending was wrapped up nicely, but it made me want more, and I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the next book in the series. I'll definitely be reading more by this author. John Hennessy has been added to my favorite authors list!
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October 12, 2016It’s hard to believe that Stormling is John Hennessy’s second fiction book. The book’s scope can compare to that of Tolkien’s books, yet some parts seem even deeper in my opinion. It’s not explicitly religious or preachy the way The Chronicles of Narnia are, but it is equally fascinating.
The author has created an amazing fantasy world full of magical beings I have never hear of. The first part of the book is packed with little stories featuring all kinds of creatures. To a sloppy reader, the presentation may seem a little chaotic since there are more stories and more characters than an average mind may be able to absorb fully while reading. Yet this feature seems to serve a clear purpose. John Hennessy is creating a fantastic world for us, and he is drawing his readers not only into this incredible world but also into the process of its creation.
Many wise men of all religions describe the world as an entity emerging from apparent chaos. John Hennessy’s book seems to mimic this archetypical view. He first pulls us into a totally new world that is so rich that we can only look at it in awe. We may even feel overwhelmed initially, but as we read on, we see the parts of the great puzzle to fit and make more sense than we have expected.
While this is a very complex story which will entertain everyone with its small and big adventures, there also seem to be some pretty deep themes throughout the book.
For example: “When Magden, your husband, stole the necklace from Aynara, he set in motion things that can no longer be stopped. The destruction of your world awaits, and there is nothing we can do to protect you. We tried to give you a perfect world, but with people to have free choice.”
Hennessy’s characters sometimes ask the same questions the wisest philosophers have asked about the Christian view of our own world: ”Why? Because of one fool, should we all be cursed?”
While we sometimes believe that magical beings such as angels are here in order to help us to restore peace in our world, the roles get switched in this book occasionally. A stone of immense importance gets into the hands of a teenage girl Ophelia when it hits her father during a storm. It’s interesting to read an account of our own world seen from a different perspective. Some alien beings call our Earth Crith Talun, which is just an example of the exotic mood present throughout the whole book.
While Stormlings, Andurii and other supernatural beings seem to be more powerful than humans at first glance, it’s Ophelia and her human friends who are dealing with the item that may save the worlds.
The author has created an amazing fantasy world full of magical beings I have never hear of. The first part of the book is packed with little stories featuring all kinds of creatures. To a sloppy reader, the presentation may seem a little chaotic since there are more stories and more characters than an average mind may be able to absorb fully while reading. Yet this feature seems to serve a clear purpose. John Hennessy is creating a fantastic world for us, and he is drawing his readers not only into this incredible world but also into the process of its creation.
Many wise men of all religions describe the world as an entity emerging from apparent chaos. John Hennessy’s book seems to mimic this archetypical view. He first pulls us into a totally new world that is so rich that we can only look at it in awe. We may even feel overwhelmed initially, but as we read on, we see the parts of the great puzzle to fit and make more sense than we have expected.
While this is a very complex story which will entertain everyone with its small and big adventures, there also seem to be some pretty deep themes throughout the book.
For example: “When Magden, your husband, stole the necklace from Aynara, he set in motion things that can no longer be stopped. The destruction of your world awaits, and there is nothing we can do to protect you. We tried to give you a perfect world, but with people to have free choice.”
Hennessy’s characters sometimes ask the same questions the wisest philosophers have asked about the Christian view of our own world: ”Why? Because of one fool, should we all be cursed?”
While we sometimes believe that magical beings such as angels are here in order to help us to restore peace in our world, the roles get switched in this book occasionally. A stone of immense importance gets into the hands of a teenage girl Ophelia when it hits her father during a storm. It’s interesting to read an account of our own world seen from a different perspective. Some alien beings call our Earth Crith Talun, which is just an example of the exotic mood present throughout the whole book.
While Stormlings, Andurii and other supernatural beings seem to be more powerful than humans at first glance, it’s Ophelia and her human friends who are dealing with the item that may save the worlds.
January 28, 2015
First, MY review system:
1 star = A complete book with few errors.
2 stars = A complete book with few errors and a passable plot.
3 stars = A complete book, few errors, good plot, and entertainment value in a particular genre.
4 stars = Complete book, well edited, great plot or story line, thought provoking, immense genre entertainment value.
5 stars = All of the qualities of a 4 star book written in one of MY preferred genres.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and was thrilled to have it as I rarely venture into the unknown land of Epic Fantasy all alone. I have to have a push and a free prize was just the ticket! Well done, Mr. Hennessy. This is well crafted work from a talented author and now that I have wet my toes in this particular pool of talent, I intend to dive in to more of his works.
I admit to being a bit lost at first, trying to build the two worlds and many characters in my head as they were written but the author does an excellent job of pulling them and the reader all together in a way that makes you wonder how you arrived. I truly enjoyed this book!
Now, on to the horror of Dark Winter! (wicked grin!)
1 star = A complete book with few errors.
2 stars = A complete book with few errors and a passable plot.
3 stars = A complete book, few errors, good plot, and entertainment value in a particular genre.
4 stars = Complete book, well edited, great plot or story line, thought provoking, immense genre entertainment value.
5 stars = All of the qualities of a 4 star book written in one of MY preferred genres.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and was thrilled to have it as I rarely venture into the unknown land of Epic Fantasy all alone. I have to have a push and a free prize was just the ticket! Well done, Mr. Hennessy. This is well crafted work from a talented author and now that I have wet my toes in this particular pool of talent, I intend to dive in to more of his works.
I admit to being a bit lost at first, trying to build the two worlds and many characters in my head as they were written but the author does an excellent job of pulling them and the reader all together in a way that makes you wonder how you arrived. I truly enjoyed this book!
Now, on to the horror of Dark Winter! (wicked grin!)
January 14, 2016
Review of STORMLINGS
Over the past few days I was caught up in John Hennessy’s world of Stormlings, Storm Lords, sorceresses, elves, dwarves, giants, stormbirds and other creatures, gem stones, as well as the mystical powers of some beings.
Although Paranormal Fantasy is not my preferred genre, I read the 500 page book to the very end and found it most intriguing.
John is a talented and skilled writer and his writings impressed me.
He deserves full marks for his imagination, creativity, and writing skills, and for putting together such a story filled with so many characters with the strangest of names..
I enjoyed the book and would be reading more of his books.
I must add that I would like to see this book made into a movie. It has good potential for one.
Over the past few days I was caught up in John Hennessy’s world of Stormlings, Storm Lords, sorceresses, elves, dwarves, giants, stormbirds and other creatures, gem stones, as well as the mystical powers of some beings.
Although Paranormal Fantasy is not my preferred genre, I read the 500 page book to the very end and found it most intriguing.
John is a talented and skilled writer and his writings impressed me.
He deserves full marks for his imagination, creativity, and writing skills, and for putting together such a story filled with so many characters with the strangest of names..
I enjoyed the book and would be reading more of his books.
I must add that I would like to see this book made into a movie. It has good potential for one.
March 17, 2017
Couldn't finish
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