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Spiral of Deception #1
Spiral of Deception
Ryo goes by his days living with his adoptive parents in the small town of Lemuris. Nearing the date of his eighteenth birthday he meets a new girl in town. Eventually, her openhearted personality overcomes Ryo’s defensive perspective on his surroundings and he discovers love, but it is short-lived. A dark, unwelcome and unavoidable destiny hangs on Ryo’s shoulders; one which will change his own world as much as it will scar humanity’s history forever.
A world of fantasy, where celestial beings battle fallen angels and humanity is caught in the crossfire. A story of the real world, of the fears, the desires and the ambition that exist within each and every one of us, and of how far we can go, given the right push.
The barrier that separates right from wrong is shown not to be a thin line between black and white, as most mainstream religions paint it to be, but instead a black hole that sucks everything around it into a gray plane of uncertainty and unimaginably tough decisions.
A world of fantasy, where celestial beings battle fallen angels and humanity is caught in the crossfire. A story of the real world, of the fears, the desires and the ambition that exist within each and every one of us, and of how far we can go, given the right push.
The barrier that separates right from wrong is shown not to be a thin line between black and white, as most mainstream religions paint it to be, but instead a black hole that sucks everything around it into a gray plane of uncertainty and unimaginably tough decisions.
- GenresFantasy
415 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2011
4 people are currently reading
524 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 25, 2016
I was lucky to win this book as a GR giveaway. To be honest, this book covered the whole range: I hated it, I loved it, and everything in between...
After reading the first few pages I was irritated and annoyed - the story did not (yet?) make sense to me, I was confused by a possibly chronological error, and reading felt completely awkward thanks to the author's preference for using dots. Almost every dialogue contains more "..." than sentences, which like a series of dams slowed down any fluent reading. Using said dots a lot myself, I understand the author's intention to convey hesitation, breaks in speech, etc., but less would definitely have been more in this case...
But, never judging a book before its final page, I continued reading, hoping to understand the story better and getting attuned to the writing style. This time my patience was rewarded and I am glad I did not give up early - even a blind hen...
The middle part felt too long, as I could have done with one less description of a training fight - why does he sheath and unsheathe his sword all the time during fights, which imo seems completely inefficient?! Never mind: the story gradually became better, and my motives for reaching the end of the book changed drastically - from a grudging "get it over with asap" to a page-turning "what will happen next?".
I loved how each deception and intrigue was revealed step by step, how the characters discovered they were used as mere tools, manipulated into doing things they deeply regret afterwards. I also relished the role reversal between demons and angels, finding good and bad guys on both - and unexpected - sides.
The last 100 pages or so were a real treat. Somehow a switch had been moved: reading was no longer a stuttering effort, but a smooth affair. Also, the at first abstruse complexity of the story suddenly made sense as all puzzle pieces fell into place.
Not bad at all for a first book, Spiral of Deception shows a lot of raw potential that has to be honed carefully.
After reading the first few pages I was irritated and annoyed - the story did not (yet?) make sense to me, I was confused by a possibly chronological error, and reading felt completely awkward thanks to the author's preference for using dots. Almost every dialogue contains more "..." than sentences, which like a series of dams slowed down any fluent reading. Using said dots a lot myself, I understand the author's intention to convey hesitation, breaks in speech, etc., but less would definitely have been more in this case...
But, never judging a book before its final page, I continued reading, hoping to understand the story better and getting attuned to the writing style. This time my patience was rewarded and I am glad I did not give up early - even a blind hen...
The middle part felt too long, as I could have done with one less description of a training fight - why does he sheath and unsheathe his sword all the time during fights, which imo seems completely inefficient?! Never mind: the story gradually became better, and my motives for reaching the end of the book changed drastically - from a grudging "get it over with asap" to a page-turning "what will happen next?".
I loved how each deception and intrigue was revealed step by step, how the characters discovered they were used as mere tools, manipulated into doing things they deeply regret afterwards. I also relished the role reversal between demons and angels, finding good and bad guys on both - and unexpected - sides.
The last 100 pages or so were a real treat. Somehow a switch had been moved: reading was no longer a stuttering effort, but a smooth affair. Also, the at first abstruse complexity of the story suddenly made sense as all puzzle pieces fell into place.
Not bad at all for a first book, Spiral of Deception shows a lot of raw potential that has to be honed carefully.
April 9, 2018
What I really liked about this book was how the action scenes reminded me of anime and the typical anime plot, but it actually went through that. The battle scenes were very despicted so it was easy to imagine them in my mind.
Moving on, we can witness the evolution of the main characters and realize they are as flawed as normal people, and even though they went through hardships they design clear goals to help them move on. The characters are easily relatable, we can imagine their struggles and how they let their emotions sometimes get the best of them. At first the story seems kinda slow but it's needed so the plot doesn't start so suddenly and without a firm base. I was surprised with the way the book ended because I was expecting the more common endings or even clihés.
Also, although it envolved angels and demons, there wasn't a true conflict of good vs evil, each side trying to survive or at least to have the upperhand against their enemy. Although there isn't a lot of information regarding their creation or the full details of their conflict, the whole plot seemed new and I hope to see more backstory to each race.
I also wish to congratulate the author on his hard work and I hope to see how the story will evolve in the next book.
Moving on, we can witness the evolution of the main characters and realize they are as flawed as normal people, and even though they went through hardships they design clear goals to help them move on. The characters are easily relatable, we can imagine their struggles and how they let their emotions sometimes get the best of them. At first the story seems kinda slow but it's needed so the plot doesn't start so suddenly and without a firm base. I was surprised with the way the book ended because I was expecting the more common endings or even clihés.
Also, although it envolved angels and demons, there wasn't a true conflict of good vs evil, each side trying to survive or at least to have the upperhand against their enemy. Although there isn't a lot of information regarding their creation or the full details of their conflict, the whole plot seemed new and I hope to see more backstory to each race.
I also wish to congratulate the author on his hard work and I hope to see how the story will evolve in the next book.
August 25, 2016
A few weeks ago I got this book and the desire to read it was born of a myriad of reasons, none of them being a special interest in stories of fantasy. I read through it, then, thinking of having a nice time and rapidly putting it away for good, without further thought. I was wrong.
Demon’s Blood starts by presenting the reality with which the main characters live, so that we can later understand their motivations, doubts and fears. Everything seems like just another young adults story until, from one page to the next, the world they thought they knew (and was presented to us) is drastically changed and becomes something manifestly more interesting.
Demon’s Blood destroyed the preconceived notions I had about books focused on angels and demons.
These creatures were, for me, easily distinguishable beings for their exclusively good or evil nature. This book proves me wrong, achieving the prowess of making the reader rethink these creatures entirely. Without realizing it, I started looking at those entities as regular people, as normal as they can be. No one and nothing is plain black or white in Demon’s Blood, a world where grey is the dominant color.
The characters and their development are the heart of this story, focused on deception and manipulation, on the act of doing good for the wrong reasons and doing evil for the right ones. Highlighted should be how the details of each and every plot twist are cautiously kept from the reader and revealed just enough that he or she will thirst for turning each page as fast as possible.
Chapter after chapter our connection to the characters is strengthened as we gradually get to know more of their world, so real and filled with the mundane which lives with us and those around us.
A big plus, for me, was the multiplicity of main characters, which makes the read all the more dynamic. The story has rythm from beginning to end as the author alternates between the most diverse subplots, at times from more than one point of view, while keeping the chapters relatively short.
The book is structured so that it never becomes boring and so that it’s always possible to take a break without ever losing the thread of the story.
The least enjoyable aspect of the book, for me, would be the description of the two huge battle scenes. These become rather repetitive: as soon as one creature is killed, the fight with the remaining ones seems, for someone whose literary tastes did not until recently include fantasy, like it’s more of the same. Nonetheless, I recognize that these chapters are probably a delight for aficionados of high fantasy who can really appreciate the supernatural capabilities of these warriors battling each other in such a spectacular way.
Demon’s Blood – Spiral of Deception ends precisely how the first book in a series should, but even so this was, for an impacient person like me, nerveracking. The story arc reaches its conclusion when the reader most wants to devour the second volume, which is still unpublished as of the moment.
Demon’s Blood starts by presenting the reality with which the main characters live, so that we can later understand their motivations, doubts and fears. Everything seems like just another young adults story until, from one page to the next, the world they thought they knew (and was presented to us) is drastically changed and becomes something manifestly more interesting.
Demon’s Blood destroyed the preconceived notions I had about books focused on angels and demons.
These creatures were, for me, easily distinguishable beings for their exclusively good or evil nature. This book proves me wrong, achieving the prowess of making the reader rethink these creatures entirely. Without realizing it, I started looking at those entities as regular people, as normal as they can be. No one and nothing is plain black or white in Demon’s Blood, a world where grey is the dominant color.
The characters and their development are the heart of this story, focused on deception and manipulation, on the act of doing good for the wrong reasons and doing evil for the right ones. Highlighted should be how the details of each and every plot twist are cautiously kept from the reader and revealed just enough that he or she will thirst for turning each page as fast as possible.
Chapter after chapter our connection to the characters is strengthened as we gradually get to know more of their world, so real and filled with the mundane which lives with us and those around us.
A big plus, for me, was the multiplicity of main characters, which makes the read all the more dynamic. The story has rythm from beginning to end as the author alternates between the most diverse subplots, at times from more than one point of view, while keeping the chapters relatively short.
The book is structured so that it never becomes boring and so that it’s always possible to take a break without ever losing the thread of the story.
The least enjoyable aspect of the book, for me, would be the description of the two huge battle scenes. These become rather repetitive: as soon as one creature is killed, the fight with the remaining ones seems, for someone whose literary tastes did not until recently include fantasy, like it’s more of the same. Nonetheless, I recognize that these chapters are probably a delight for aficionados of high fantasy who can really appreciate the supernatural capabilities of these warriors battling each other in such a spectacular way.
Demon’s Blood – Spiral of Deception ends precisely how the first book in a series should, but even so this was, for an impacient person like me, nerveracking. The story arc reaches its conclusion when the reader most wants to devour the second volume, which is still unpublished as of the moment.
February 4, 2017
This book was strange. It was strange in the way I found it, it was strange the way I read it and the feeling I got from it. And I usually don't write reviews but I promised a certain person that I would do it for this book so here it goes.
When I read the title I thought "interesting" and then the synopsis, it was like "this has potential, let's give it a try". I confess demons and angels and humans in between are not my favorite thing and I'm always careful with this kind of fantasy, but this one surprised me.
The story is well build and easy to follow and, as some other reviews said, the development of the characters is remarkable. The story is interesting and I'm curious to know what happens next.
This book is very good, actually, a surprise even. However, the feeling that I always got when I read it was that this book could reach higher... I mean... it's a rough diamond and it needs polishing to be perfect. The idea is brilliant, the writing enjoyable but I feel an inner potential yet to be revealed. Just like Ryo before "the awakening".
Let's see if book 2 will surprise me too and if the potential I saw developed in the meantime.
When I read the title I thought "interesting" and then the synopsis, it was like "this has potential, let's give it a try". I confess demons and angels and humans in between are not my favorite thing and I'm always careful with this kind of fantasy, but this one surprised me.
The story is well build and easy to follow and, as some other reviews said, the development of the characters is remarkable. The story is interesting and I'm curious to know what happens next.
This book is very good, actually, a surprise even. However, the feeling that I always got when I read it was that this book could reach higher... I mean... it's a rough diamond and it needs polishing to be perfect. The idea is brilliant, the writing enjoyable but I feel an inner potential yet to be revealed. Just like Ryo before "the awakening".
Let's see if book 2 will surprise me too and if the potential I saw developed in the meantime.
August 18, 2018
For his first time, Emanuel wrote a good book, full of demons, angels, inner and outside fights, love, friendship. Unexpected story.
Good written.
Can't wait for the next one.
Good written.
Can't wait for the next one.
February 19, 2012
A really promising start, I’m looking forward to the next books in the series. Demon’s blood has a new take on angels and demons that a found very refreshing in the fantasy books world, I never saw demons portrayed as they are in this book. I really like the character development along the book, especially of the main character. Can´t wait to know more about all the history behind angels and demons war. My least favourite aspects in this book are the fighting scenes, they are not very easy to follow and I got a little lost in the action, there are also some characters that I strongly dislike because I have not be capable of understand them yet.
Gave it 4/5 but I think the series have the potential to became a 5.
Gave it 4/5 but I think the series have the potential to became a 5.
April 8, 2016
I really enjoyed the book, I finished it in about a month.
The book is really well writen with an interesting premisse that kept me interested and kept the suspense going, it starts out a bit slow but as I kept reading the main story it quickly picks up.
I really enjoy books that deal with the duality of human actions, good and bad and in that particular aspect the book is wonderfully constructed, where the author tests the reader with many of those situations.
Can´t wait for the sequel, Emanuel Silva is definitely on my watching writer to look for in the future, and I am really interested in how will the story unfolds.
The book is really well writen with an interesting premisse that kept me interested and kept the suspense going, it starts out a bit slow but as I kept reading the main story it quickly picks up.
I really enjoy books that deal with the duality of human actions, good and bad and in that particular aspect the book is wonderfully constructed, where the author tests the reader with many of those situations.
Can´t wait for the sequel, Emanuel Silva is definitely on my watching writer to look for in the future, and I am really interested in how will the story unfolds.
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April 20, 2013Let me start off by saying that I will not rate this book, just because I have a very bad sense of how to do that.
since this is not really the type of book I would usually choose in a library, I had a hard time reading and comprehending some of the parts in it where fantasy and imagination had to be used. Plus, the long and confusing battle-descriptions did not help me at all in some parts of the book. Which were actually the parts that I disliked the most, due to the lack of clarity and simplesness in them.
The rest of the overall descriptions in the book were very much ok, specially when it came down to the characters' feelings. It was very easy for me to create a bond with each and every one of them, and it was also very easy for me to despise a few.
The plot in general was very insteresting, and the way good and evil were portrayed in it was actually a breath of fresh air, after years of stories about glowing and flawless vampires and hairless werewolfs. It was nice to read something that was a bit more closer to "reality".
I do think that the story, since there will be a sequel to it, needs a little improvement, with more historical and defining events.
Now, about the author's writing:
the enumerous dots didn't actually bother me. what bothered me the most was the fact that he tried too hard to make the dialogues and characters' thoughts stand out so much. I really think that plainly telling the reader the character is screaming like this or like that is better than putting an "AAAAHHHHHH!!!" in there. The author should be able to let the reader decide how the character is reacting, because if he is good at it, the reader will capture it exactly the way he wants him to. but except from a few other writing "malfunctions", I found it very pleasant to read. I really enjoyed his choice of words and the way each and every word connected with the next one.
Like I said, it was one of the few fantasy books I have actually read, and I think that with a few corrections here and there, the sequel could be a lot better than this one and also contain a lot of potential.
since this is not really the type of book I would usually choose in a library, I had a hard time reading and comprehending some of the parts in it where fantasy and imagination had to be used. Plus, the long and confusing battle-descriptions did not help me at all in some parts of the book. Which were actually the parts that I disliked the most, due to the lack of clarity and simplesness in them.
The rest of the overall descriptions in the book were very much ok, specially when it came down to the characters' feelings. It was very easy for me to create a bond with each and every one of them, and it was also very easy for me to despise a few.
The plot in general was very insteresting, and the way good and evil were portrayed in it was actually a breath of fresh air, after years of stories about glowing and flawless vampires and hairless werewolfs. It was nice to read something that was a bit more closer to "reality".
I do think that the story, since there will be a sequel to it, needs a little improvement, with more historical and defining events.
Now, about the author's writing:
the enumerous dots didn't actually bother me. what bothered me the most was the fact that he tried too hard to make the dialogues and characters' thoughts stand out so much. I really think that plainly telling the reader the character is screaming like this or like that is better than putting an "AAAAHHHHHH!!!" in there. The author should be able to let the reader decide how the character is reacting, because if he is good at it, the reader will capture it exactly the way he wants him to. but except from a few other writing "malfunctions", I found it very pleasant to read. I really enjoyed his choice of words and the way each and every word connected with the next one.
Like I said, it was one of the few fantasy books I have actually read, and I think that with a few corrections here and there, the sequel could be a lot better than this one and also contain a lot of potential.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews