Broken Banners

A Reaper of Stone #2

by Mark Gelineau, Joe King

Slaughtered and left for crows, soldiers of the King’s Army lay dead in a field. A grim reminder: the king’s law ends at the gates of the capital.

Elinor fought for what she believed and now she is an outcast. No soldier will follow her. No officer will stand with her. Yet when she finds her brothers and sisters slaughtered, she cannot turn her back on them.

Long ago, they swore an oath. Not to the king, but to each other.

And woe to those who break that bond.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, High Fantasy, Novella, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction, Short Stories

102 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2016

About the author

Ever since the day he discovered his grandfather's stacks of pulps,comics, and sci-fi and fantasy novels, Mark was fascinated. When he saw his first movie, Star Wars, he was hooked. Stories of adventure and far off worlds thrilled him then and inspire him now. It was this passion for imaginative storytelling that led him to writing and education. In addition to his own writing work, Mark has taught middle school English for the last thirteen years, and is excited to share his stories with his young son, Bryce.
Mark has partnered with Joe King, and the two have formed Gelineau and King, in order to bring an exciting new approach to the genre fiction that inspired him as a kid

Reviews

[Norah Una Sumner · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I didn't like this one as much as the first one but it was enjoyable nevertheless. I love Elinor and Aldis seems like a great addition to the story. I'm also glad we got to see Con again, he's a really great character. The story was okay and I love how, even though they made some mistakes in the past, they are still willing to risk their lives for their friends. I'm not going to say more because this is a very short novella and I don't want to spoil anything. I am looking forward to the third book.

[Bookwraiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.

Broken Banners continues the story of Elinor, King’s Reaper, and her loyal friend and royal engineer Conbert which began in A Reaper of Stone . But before they make their appearance, a new character (but an old friend of theirs) makes a rather dramatic introduction. Aldis finding himself in a very precarious situation; his plan of drugging a rival reaper and then besting him in a duel to obtain a lucrative “reaping” contract going awry, as his competition lies dead at his feet. The mysterious circumstances of the death leading to Aldis winding up before a Warden, where he expects jail time and the lose of all he was worked, schemed, and cajoled for. Then a new lease on life is extended to him — if he is willing to trade what little honor he has left to obtain it.

Flash forward in time. Elinor and Conbert remain in the wilds. Their current mission sending them to Heights Ward Keep, not to reap the magical edifice but to transfer all their engineers to the Aldis’ Ninety-Fifth Pioneers.

The friends realize what this means: they are out of favor. Probably due to the events which transpired at Timberline. Elinor’s idealistic and righteous actions leading to more bad blood between her and the royals who rule the kingdom. And while she attempts to put an optimistic spin on their circumstances, Con will have none of it, seeing an ever worsening of their fortunes. Little do they know they are both correct.

Almost immediately, Elinor and Con ride into a scene of horror. Dozens of men and women of the Ninety-Fifth cut down and left to rot in the forests just beyond Height’s Ward Keep. All signs pointing to someone or something riding them down as they were attempting to flee. The who and why not clear. The fact that Aldis and over half his company are not accounted for among the bodies demanding that Elinor look for survivors, braving an unknown danger which she and her company are not prepared for!

The story which spirals out from this beginning is filled with classic Gelineau and King tension, mystery, daring do, and subtle world building. At its heart, though, Broken Banners is really a tale about friendship, redemption, and becoming the person you could have been.

Whenever I sample another Echo of the Ascended story, what always amazes me is how well-developed and distinctively real the world feels. The fact the authors are able to accomplish so much world building in such concise novellas is a true testament to their storytelling skill. And with Broken Banners, this is front and center, as they add new nuances to this amazing place.

The other highlight here are the characters themselves (just as it should be). Elinor has already become a favorite of mine, but she grows even more so; her desire to make the world a better place no matter the personal cost a wonderful break from the grimdark heroes of most modern fantasy. Meanwhile, Conbert definitely proves he has the Samwise steadiness to compliment Elinor’s rashness, and the addition of the complex, conflicted Aldis only adds to the fantastic mix of this growing group.

I really can’t hide the fact that I love Gelineau and King’s Echo of the Ascended series. Every novella of each series I have read has been an entertaining and uniquely emotional experience, one which brought to mind the great, classic fantasy of other authors. You might have even read some of these serious yet fun stories. Books penned by fantasy greats such as David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, Robert Jordan and more recently Michael Sullivan. And if you enjoy that “type” of epic adventure, then you really should pick this and the other Gelineau and King stories up today.

I received this novella for free from the authors and Netgalley in return for a honest and unbiased review. The opinion you have read is mine alone and was not influenced by anyone else.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Words: Perfect length for a cuppa.

This was a fantastic continuation to this series of novellas.

Again, this packs a punch and was hard to put down. I really enjoy reading about Elinor and Con (but especially Elinor) and I liked the added narrative Aldis and the different perspective.

I will absolutely be reading on in this series and reading more by these authors.

I was the provided with a copy for review via Net Galley.

[Terence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aldis, a friend from Elinor's time in the academy, has gotten himself and the men he leads into trouble. Many of them lay dead in the field and others are locked in cages. Elinor cannot stand to see the King's soldiers and her brethren in such a state.

Broken Banners is similar to A Reaper of Stone as it centers around the greed of nobility and sees Elinor and her forces up against much stronger forces. Elinor is still determined to set things right even when it isn't easy.

While I enjoyed Broken Banners the novella format of the series is getting frustrating. This is the second story featuring Elinor and yet it hasn't even hit the 200 page mark. More questions have arisen yet a date for an answer isn't in sight. Even when it is, will the follow-up be another 70-80 page novella. It's hard to be patient for books as they come out slowly at times.

Broken Banners was a solid addition to the Echoes of Ascended series. I hope the next stories are either longer or come out much closer together. In the meantime I'll be waiting to see how Elinor's story continues.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sve sto sam rekao i za prethodni deo mogu ponoviti i ovde: kratka prica koja drzi paznju, jaki likovi i interesantan svet sa puno mitologije i to sve razradjeno bez neke prevelike ekspozicije.

Ovog puta imamo malo manje akcije ali se povecao nivo tenzije posto u neku ruku i sami ulozi su veci.

I naravno ostaje osecaj da je ovo u sustini drugi chapter neke daleko vece knjige.

[Mitticus · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Digital ARC courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **

2.75 ★

Maybe because is a novella I feel the lack of some deep thoughts from the main character (Elinor), however, the change of 3 different POV could be part of the reason.

Aldis is asigned to a task. Elinor make it happen. The open end. Well , in fact is a tbc.

Aldis is a douchebag , coward, and selfish.
Elinor gives -strangely- some Joan de Arc vibes (bad feelings in there). Empowered by strange powers, naive, and reticent to let go of her dreams.
I like Con.

No more different of other hundreds of fantasy books. It didn't get to cultivate enough curiosity from me to continue pursuing the rest of the novellas.

All the covers are beautiful.

[Joe King]

Hey all. We're back and we're excited to talk about our latest novella as well as share some amazing concept art from it!



Broken Banners is book #2 of the series A Reaper of Stone. It continues Elinor’s journey, as she and Con reunite with an old friend. But like all friends who’ve been apart, there’s still much there that was once treasured, and much that’s changed.

In the first story, we had Elinor remembering the person she once was. Broken Banners gets the story moving faster, jumping us into the action as she faces new dangers and new enemies, and pushing things further after her encounter in book 1.

The series A Reaper of Stone is an epic tale about a young hero on a grand quest. There are great myths and legends, fantastic monsters, old magic, ancient wonders, magically gifted duelists, and dark secrets that begin emerging from the shadows. But at its heart, it’s a personal story about friendship, love, and loss. A story about three friends who once believed in each other above all else.

The complete story is told through a series of novellas. Think of it like your favorite episode-based TV show. Each novella can stand on its own, but when read together, it tells the fuller story.

A Reaper of Stone is one of the four series in Echoes of the Ascended.

Echoes of the Ascended is a series of series.

It follows the lives of five orphans. Each series features different characters. Each is a different kind of tale.

Read one, two, three, or all the series to customize your own unique, personal experience into the grander story of Aedaron.

Be sure to check out more information about all the other series, us, and our mailing list at our webpage: www.gelineauandking.com

This is the first of our books #2 for all the series in Echoes of the Ascended, and we’ll be releasing a new book #2 every month before heading onto books #3.

Thank you to everyone who’s still on this journey with us. We wouldn’t have made it this far without you!

Mark & Joe

[Madi ~☆TheBookNerdDiaries☆~ · Rating 1 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and this has in no way affected my review.*

DNF at 20% (or somewhere around there. The novella is only 75% of my copy and the rest is previews.)

I'm so behind on reviewing so I thought I'd pick up the shortest one on my list and start from there. A majority of what I read was basically a war story and I'm not a huge fan of those. Like the last one, I skimmed, looking for something to keep me going but I just couldn't.

I think I keep requesting these because they are short and sound somewhat interesting but every time I'm disappointed or DNF it. I think I've learned my lesson on these. Maybe if one that sounds super interesting comes along, I might request it but I think I'm going to stay away from these from now on.

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[proxyfish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed on my blog - Books by Proxy

4 Stars

This book was received from Netgalley in return for an honest review

Mark Gelineau and Joe King continue on their quest to bring bitesize fantasy to the masses with the fifth novella in their Echoes of the Ascended series. Broken Banners, which continues the story of Elinor following the events in A Reaper of Stone, is an engaging and beautifully written fantasy epic which captures the spirit of its predecessor whilst introducing new characters and themes to this increasingly diverse series.

Gelineau and King have proven themselves to be masters of deception as the captivating world of Aedaron is once again brought to life in surprisingly short format. This is a world which becomes ever more substantial with each addition and which consistently leaves you hanging on for more. And with this latest novella, these authors look set to start a tradition of successful and thoroughly engaging successors to their varied sub-series of novellas.

-

Saved from prison by the machinations of powerful men, Lieutenant Aldis Janen, Reaper of the King and leader of the company of the Ninety-Fifth, must make his way to Cragswatch March on a mission of importance; a mission which could mean elevation in the ranks for Aldis and glory for the men and women of the Ninety-Fifth.

But when Elinor, Conbert, and their contingent of Engineers attempt to assist Aldis in the Reaping at Height’s Ward Keep, they soon realise all is not as it should be. Half the Ninety-Fifth lie dead, and the other half are missing – of Aldis no sign remains.

Finding themselves embroiled in a war of succession, Elinor and Con must fight their way to the usurper and his pack of turncoat Razors; but can they rescue Aldis and the remainder of the Ninety-Fifth before it’s too late? In this battle of wills and arms, a Reaper’s work is never simple.

-

From the outset it is clear that this will be a story of both discovery and adventure, a story where Elinor and Aldis, past friends and compatriots, will be reacquainted as the battle lines are drawn. However, Con’s obvious dislike of the Lieutenant shows that his reputation as a rogue and troublemaker extend far beyond his current situation and into the mystery of their combined past – a mystery which runs a line of intrigue throughout the novella. Often finding himself in situations unbefitting of his station, and from which he often must beg, bribe or cheat his way out, Aldis Janen brings both drama and humorous relief to the narrative, giving this second Elinor novella a distinctive modern fantasy flavour.

Broken Banners continues in the same vein as A Reaper of Stone with Elinor’s passages marked by their beautiful and atmospheric descriptions, a quality that lends itself to the vivid depiction of a darkly alluring fantasy world which resonates with the tradition that so clearly marks this series. In addition to this, Broken Banners builds on the success of its predecessor by splitting its perspective between Elinor’s observations and Con’s practical realism, along with the introduction of Aldis’ roguish verve and humour; a tactic which adds a refreshing tone to an already impressive sub-series.

Janen is a reactionary character who inspires love, loathing and despair in equal measure to those who cross his path and who, despite good intentions, manages to break Elinor’s calm serenity on more than one occasion. Elinor, whilst accepting of Aldis, is able to show her strength of personality by insisting that he face the consequences of his actions with the firm resolve which she consistently displays throughout the narrative. An excellent addition to this small cast of characters, Aldis Janen gives Elinor’s Echoes a certain flair and sense of unpredictability which consistently builds tension and excitement and which looks set to continue in the Elinor novellas to come.

From an amusing introduction, to a dramatic core, Broken Banners is a thoroughly exciting novella from start to finish. The narrative and its alternating perspectives give a wide view of Aedaron from a varied, if small, cast of characters. With a touch of conspiracy and a good dose of humour, this second Elinor novella showcases the varied skillset of these talented authors and left me in no doubt of the quality of this beautiful, if dangerous, fantasy series.

-

With delicious hints of strange powers, a narrative which is at all times beautiful and compelling, and fantastic battles which are more than worthy of a mention, Broken Banners is a wonderful addition to this addictive fantasy series. Fans of the Echoes of the Ascended will not be disappointed by this latest Elinor novella and, for those who have yet to discover the writing of Gelineau and King, surely you can spare an hour to become submerged in this dark, dangerous and beautifully imagined world.

[Stacey Kym · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC kindly provided by Gelineau and King via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review

‘Broken Banners’ caught me up immediately. It starts months after the end of 'A Reaper of Stone'. It is the second novella in the 'A Reaper of Stone' series and the fifth in the 'Echoes of the Ascended'. 'A Reaper of Stone' series follows the adventures of Elinor, a soldier in the King's army. The 'Echoes of the Ascended' series is the banner series that takes place in the world of Aedaron. It encompasses the following series: 'A Reaper of Stone', 'Rend the Dark', 'Best Left in the Shadows' and 'Faith and Moonlight'. They follow Elinor, Ferran, Alys, Roan and Kay, respectively.
The novella is told in third person narration by three main-characters: Aldis, Elinor and Conbert. Aldis is an old friend of Elinor, from her youth at the Academy – a school for fighters – who has always been kind to her when others rejected her for her orphanhood. Conbert is her other friend from school days, but one who has stood beside her through their lives in the Academy and later as part of the King's Army.
Many diverse characters were in this novella; all were dynamic and unique. Great character development occurred despite the short length of the novella and I found all heroines completely realistic and loveable. They weren't too perfect or stilted, instead each had vitality and depth to them that made reading about them an absolute pleasure. Villains were also portrayed cleverly and in great detail by the authors. They made great enemies; ones a reader can easily dislike. It added to the story and made it that much more exciting.
The setting was breathtaking, too! The authors wrote with such vivid imagery that I would often get so caught up that tearing my eyes away from the page was like torture. I would FEEL like I was right there; I could hear, see, touch and smell EVERYTHING that Aldis, Elinor and Conbert experieced. The world these authors created is unbelievably tangible.
There was also great chemistry between Elinor and Aldis. Unspoken truth about feelings hung in the air between them and created an irresistible tension that enhanced the potency of the story. Conbert's affections for Elinor also proved dramatic. I sensed a love triangle between the three but, shockingly, I enjoyed reading about it rather than dislike it as I so often do. I’ll have to see what develops between the three in later novellas.
Please, do not let the length of this novella put you off! It is too good to be ignored and if you're a reluctant reader of just plain reluctant, don't be. This novella is like a short epic, full of hope and victory where none can be found. To simply put it: It is a MASTERPIECE.
Beautiful writing and prose once again; I really couldn't expect less from the wonderful authors duo, Joe King and Mark Gelineau. It was atmospheric and captivating. Emotionally charged, there was no way that I could put it down.
Congratulations to Joe King and Mark Gelineau on the successful publication of their fifth novella! I'm on the edge of my seat for more!

Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!

[Magda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theis review is for both stories of the "Reaper of Stone" cycle.


These two stories I'm about to present you were my first meeting with authors Mark Gelineau and Joe King and oh, how good a meeting it was! They are creating a fantastic world closed in seemingly too little pages. It's fascinating how much goodness can be presented in such short stories.

A Reaper of Stone

The first story of the series and the first one that shows us Elinor with all her might. She's a fascinating character. Strong minded, loyal and good with her sword. The first time we meet her she does the impossible - kills two of the creatures everyone's so afraid of. What's the better way to present a heroine, right?

From that point on the story only gets better.

Elinor will have some hard decisions to make. Some of them will change her life. Some will almost kill her.

Broken Banners

After what happened in Timberline, Elinor and Con find themselves without a team. They wonder through the kingdom until they find their slaughtered brothers and sisters. What else could they do, but to find out what happened and avenge them?

This time, we're introduced to a new character - Aldis. A former friend of Elinor from the academy days. He's supposed to be leading the 95th regiment to deal with yet another keep that's supposed to be destroyed. It so happened the keep was taken by a new ruler - a bandit leader and his hoard.

Elinor seems to be unstoppable when it goes to bringing justice and saving people. No matter the consequences she's willing to do the right thing. Even if the situation seems hopeless. But is it really? Her reputation surely is on her side. And the people she's with won't leave her either.


Both of the stories have a proper amount of world building that will help you understand how it all works, why everything is happening and what would happen otherwise. I'm really surprised how great job was done here to keep a balance between the action and the world building. And let's not forget about the characters. Each of them has their place and meaning. Obviously, Elinor is the most important person in both stories, but we have

And let's not forget about the characters. Each of them has their place and meaning. Obviously, Elinor is the most important person in both stories, but we have a chance to observe the world from other points of view too. It might be bothersome to some, but I think it was a good solution to reveal some parts of the story and to show how others see Elinor. Oh, and you know what? No romance! It's extremely refreshing to find a story where main characters can be just friends.

I wish I could already read the next installment of these stories. There's a hint at the end of what might come. Can't wait!


I received a copy of both books from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Find more of my reviews at https://maginibooks.wordpress.com

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“So you want to end up a martyr, Elinor?” At that, she smiled for the first time since she had stepped inside. “There are worse ends and, besides, they have to kill me first.”

Second Novella!!! I kind of liked this one better than the first, to be quite honest! I found it more enjoyable and the writing seemed very much improved! It was great! The world that this takes placed in seemed a little more palpable and the characters seemed a lot more fluid. Especially as we were loaned more information on their backstories and where they came from! Definitely worthy of a good days read!

"There was something about her, something powerful. Something that made her words ring like truth."

Elinor is back! I seriously cannot get enough of her character! She's cutthroat and addictive! If you're a fan of Throne of Glass I would definitely recommend picking up these two novellas! The characters are similar but also different! It's refreshing!
Elinor and her army of engineers are on their way to aid in a taking of another kingdom that was stolen from an illegitimate heir. As she finds the whole army has been slaughtered in an ambush, she decides to stay and fight to save the remaining army. Not knowing whether she'll die or live, she decides to take her chances.

"Good ones, bad ones, murderous ones, take your pick, but trouble is gonna find you, no matter what you do. So you don’t pick who to follow based on who will avoid trouble. You pick your poison on their ability to weather trouble when it comes and, the boss, she’s tough."

Like I said, these novellas are a highly addictive/fantasy/action type and they are soooo worth it! I am so so pleased and can't wait for the next one! Love the cliffhangers!

[Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com

All four storylines in The Echoes of the Ascended have been introduced and now it is time for the second round of stories, of which Broken Banners is the first. As I overall really liked the first four novellas, I was looking forward to the new batch.

Elinor returns and finds a field full of slaughtered soldiers. As she investigates, she finds that maybe she can't trust her own friends...

I enjoyed this novella slightly better than the first Reaper of Stone novella. She wasn't my favourite character in the first novellas. It might be that I've gotten better used to Elinor, but perhaps also the fact that there are starting to be more and more links between the stories, which I think will be a lot of fun to follow through the stories. I'm wondering if at some point the stories will merge together (and how that would happen, as the authors state that anyone can just follow the stories they think are interesting, and thus they may not know certain characters).

As these are published once a month, I'm already looking forward to the next!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the authors for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Full review can also be found on: Paein and Ms4Tune’s Book Blog

We have a problem here at P&M, we're both reading these series, no, that bit's not the problem, what is the problem is that we're both wanting to read them at the same time, which would make for some very repetitive blogging. So Ms4tune's been reading them in advance and I've been reading them after publication. Not to long after you understand, because I need to know! Despite it being only a few months since I read Reaper of stone, I had to recap - which is good because I thought we'd left a cliff hanger - literally - for some reason. But it's good I recapped and then I went right into Broken banners.

While this is #2 of the Reaper of Stone series, it's also #5 of the An Echo of the Ascended series and it's advisable to read them in An Echo of the Ascended order so that you understand references like Ruin (not a run-down place) and Alys (a person).

And oh boy! I don't care who I said was my favourite before, scratch all of that, because Elinor is definitely my favourite!! This book has three points of view, we have another lead character, but I don't think much of Aldis at all - which we aren't supposed to I guess. He trained with Elinor, but unlike her, he's easily persuaded. Even, it seems, when he's decided he wont be. He doesn't seem to be a strong personality type - he's easily lead and unlike Elinor he lets his doubts interfere. He's a man with a job, where as it's Elinor's life.

I was a little confused about the fact it seemed her soldiers had abandoned her? Either I misunderstood, or I'm just not fully briefed on how this world works yet - because usually abandoning your Lieutenant gets you in trouble. But this world is still a mystery, so I'm guessing this is all something we'll learn later.

I love Elinor. She is just one of my favourite character types. She's assessed the world, decided what's right and where she stands and she's not going to be shifted. She's one of those guys bad guys hate because they can't bribe them. She's honourable and brave and if you stick around long enough she'll make you that way too, because you just can't help but wanting to be like her. Then there's the added involvement of the 'Other'. Not bad other, but great other. She's getting to live her legends and it's fantastic, if bloody.

One complaint I have is that these stories just aren't long enough. Oh, all the important things are there, a 'start' a 'middle' and an 'end', there's a situation and it's resolved, there's character development and we learn about things. And I also understand that they're designed that way and it's a clever way to get those that struggle to read large books into the reading game, but they end just as I'm getting into them and I'm left flapping about. This is perhaps not as much of an exaggeration as it should be.

If you've tried and liked the Greatcoats series by Sebastien de Castell, you may just like these too! (Or, if you liked this, you may just like the Greatcoats...)

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Banners
Mark Gelineau and Joe King
Slaughtered and left for crows, soldiers of the King’s Army lay dead in a field. A grim reminder: the king’s law ends at the gates of the capital.
Elinor fought for what she believed and now she is an outcast. No soldier will follow her. No officer will stand with her. Yet when she finds her brothers and sisters slaughtered, she cannot turn her back on them.
Long ago, they swore an oath. Not to the king, but to each other.
And woe to those who break that bond.
I received this ebook in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
I did a thing! I have been catching up on my reviews and I am pretty proud of myself.
I finished A Reaper of Stone and I thought I would look and see if they had any other books available for review on NetGalley. Now I have about 4 or 5 of their books I think? I am drowning in NetGalley reviews but I also want to read what I want and I get in a funk after a while on being forced to read them even though I want to read them....Yeah that doesn't really make sense. Like at all.
These are short and really good and hold my attention and are a breeze to go through. It gives me the feeling of Middle- Earth which I love. I am 100% a geek. Someone said the other day, is this when Han Solo gets put in the stone? I was like stone? what stone? Do you mean carbonite? That is the correct term ma'am.
I get that look a lot. Well this book picks up not long after A Reaper of Stone (totally check out my review on it, and check them out on Amazon!) but we start out from Aldris' perspective. He is a character we have not met yet, He was apparently a bully and easy influenced I would say. He is easily swayed by power and money unfortunately. I personally didn't like him....
I really did not like his character. I really like these books but I feel like a love triangle is unnecessary. Aldis is, I am guessing, the bad boy character. Personally, I like Con better. Yes Aldis was nice to Elinor but he wasn't nice to anyone else in school and it was just because he had a crush on her.
I seriously do not feel like the love triangle was necessary but hey they are still good books. Some of my favorite books are love triangles. (Hello The Dark Elements series!)
Anyways....Let me continue on. They add Aldris into the mix and we switch to Elinor and Con's perspective. They are following a few weeks behind Aldris because they have been ordered to join their company because of what happened at Timberline. Elinor is fine with this because she seems at peace after her experience there but Con is not happy because he does not like Aldris at all.
Well Aldris has got himself in a big pile of crap and now Elinor and Con have to save him and his men from the baddie. Again Gelineau and King deliver an addicting fantasy tale filled with action and character growth throughout the book. I for one will be reading all of their books I can get my hands on and would highly recommend this to fantasy lovers and Lord of the Rings junkies. Just take a page from me and dive on in. It is worth a try and you definitely won't regret it.
I give Broken Banners a 5 out of 5 stars.

[Rachel (aka Ms4Tune) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!



My review can also be found on our blog Paein and Ms4Tune

I really love this series! and the knowledge that I can get my hands on a new instalment every month is thoroughly exciting! I really needed Broken Banner this month. Thanks to a mix of work stress and disappointing book choices, I was in need of a book I could completely lose myself in and this, with its wonderful fantasy world, characters that I could really care about, and plot about loyalty, friendship and honor, was the perfect remedy.

Broken Banner maybe the fifth book in the series, An Echo of the Ascended, but it actually continues on from A Reaper of the Stone (book 1 – which is actually the title of this miniseries within An Echo of the Ascended). We are reunited with the strong and confident Elinor and her loyal friend and advisor Con, as they arrive at a new keep. This time, they are hoping for a less hectic mission, one where they join up with another regiment, the Ninety-Fifth Pioneers, to complete a transfer of power. But nothings ever easy for Elinor, and we soon get to see her back on the front line, fighting for what is right. As well as these familiar faces we are also introduced to a new character Aldis. Aldis grew up and trained with Elinor. They were friends and as we know Elinor does have many of those. Unlike Elinor, Aldis is easily manipulated, especially with the promise of money and soon gets himself into trouble.

I find myself completely smitten with Elinor. She is confident and loyal and basically everything you could want in a lead female character. She has doubts but only about herself, and she never let’s them get in the way, especially if someone else’s safety relies on it. I was happy to see more of Con. He has a much more cautious approach to everything and I think I can relate to him the most. Aldis was a great addition, you want to believe he can change but everything is screaming at you not to trust him. I think it’s going to take me a while to figure him out.

I find it amazing how balanced these novellas are. They may be short but they still give you everything! I never feel like I’ve been cheated out of anything. I’d go as far as to say that they have a classic quality to them. This one especially reminded me at times of The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien, especially when they were severally out numbered and yet still willing to fight in order to give their friends more time. It was wonderful. I really can’t wait to see what they have to face next.

[Tracey the Lizard Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A decent follow up to A Reaper of Stone. While not quite as good plot wise, the characters as always with these series is fantastic. I have said it before and I will say it again, 'How do they fit so much into so few pages?'

Now if we had a few more pages the plot would be just as good as the character development. At times I felt things were just a bit too convenient for Elinor, perhaps even easy. I'm all for an asskicking heroine, but I like it to be a bit more subtle. This is one of my biggest issues with novellas and short stories. I hope this series will prove me wrong. I can't wait to see the bigger picture.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Banners by Mark Gelineau and Joe King is book two in the series but can be read as a stand alone. It is a wonderful short fantasy novel of a hard as nails female soldier in the Kings army. She has a reputation and others know her name for a few astounding things she has done. Now she is faced with another feat in which she faces magic, outnumbered odds, and more battles. The plot is awesome, characters are true from the last book, and so much is packed in a small novel. I really enjoy how these books are written with so much in so little space. Great job! I was given this book to read by NetGalley for a honest review and it in no way effects my review or rating.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting sequel, the world is so interesting, the descriptions are still great, and the ending leaves me desperate for more.

[Nynniaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, before I get into this review, I have a confession to make: Despite this being the second entry in a series, I haven't actually read A Reaper of Stone yet. In some ways, this makes for an unfair review, but as the story is also rather self-contained, with but a few hints of what comes next to wet one's curiosity, it does not matter too terribly much, I think.

Prose: 3/5
As far as prose goes, I think it was solid, if not particularly inspiring. For the most part it was good enough to tell the story it wanted to tell without drawing too much attention to itself, but there were a few places where it felt a little drab and lacking. Somewhat cut and dry. The best that it could be said is that it certainly matched the snowy, mountainus setting.

Pacing: 3/5
This, too, felt solid. However, I find there really wasn't enough difference between some of the viewpoint character to warrant going from the head of one to the head of another when they were both in the same place. I honestly think the novel could have done completely without Con, as Aldis and the female lead were clearly the more interesting characters, and more time in their head-space (specially Aldis') could only have been a good thing

Plot: 3/5
While the plot in itself was interesting enough (specially with that first Aldis chapter and the subsequent drive to know what happened to him), I think the previously-described drabness of the prose sabotaged just how much more impact it could have had if things had been better described and we had been allowed to dwell just a little longer in the world, seeing things just as the characters saw them, instead of getting what felt like a skimmed-through version. Also, the resolution felt a little cheap and anti-climatic. Perhaps my opinion is skewed because of not having read the first instalment like I said (and perhaps after I read it I will feel better about this) but the mountain-power thing feel ridiculously deux ex machina-ish.

Characterisation: 3/5
Aldis and the female lead were nice enough, but the rest of the cast was just barely there. However, the one reason I give this a three instead of a four is merely because of how much of a disappointment the main villain was.

World-building: 2/3
Something else that is probably also being affected from me not reading the first instalment. However, I believe there could have been explanations, at the very least, for what Razors are. I mean, sure, you might have explained that in the first book, but even an oblique, passing half-reference to the nature of their powers or something to that effect could have helped.

Overall: 3/5
I feel like I said a lot of negative things with very few nice ones, however I think this series has promise, if the authors can polish their style a little more. The book was definitely an entertaining read, specially since it was so short, but part of me can't help but feel I would have enjoyed it even more if it had been longer and more thoroughly explored in all the right ways.

[Daniel Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Slaughtered and left for crows, soldiers of the King’s Army lay dead in a field. A grim reminder: the king’s law ends at the gates of the capital.

Elinor fought for what she believed and now she is an outcast. No soldier will follow her. No officer will stand with her. Yet when she finds her brothers and sisters slaughtered, she cannot turn her back on them.

Long ago, they swore an oath. Not to the king, but to each other.

And woe to those who break that bond.’


I loved ‘A Reaper of Stone’, the characters, the plot and the action really appealed to me. That coupled with Gelineau and King’s fluid writing style led me to recommend this book to a lot of people. I could not wait to pick up ‘Broken Banners’. It did not disappoint.
Elinor’s back!!

In ‘Broken Banners’ we meet Elinor again following the events at Timberline. She has been judged for her actions and thus has lost her command; she is considered as poisoned fruit.
Elinor encounters a company of soldiers that have been slaughtered in a village now bordering on hysteria; bodies hang from trees and corpses litter the roads. There are surviving soldiers locked in the keep and Elinor vows to rescue them.

We are intially introduced to a new character ‘Aldis’, a misanthrope with charm and wit aplenty. I really like Aldis’ personality and is characters flaws; not always wanting to do the right thing. Within this we see more of a grey area in regards to a character’s morality. This is what separates this novella from A Reaper of stone where the characters were very black and white in their beliefs. I like this internal conflict and seeing characters having to choose between what they want to do and what they should do as it is something that every reader can identify with.

Elinor is now recognised throughout the army and her deeds at Timberline have spread to the outlying villages and this causes her to be assured in her actions; she has the knowledge that what she is doing is ‘the right thing’. Here we are starting to see a true leader who will sacrifice herself for her fellow soldier and her people. Gelineau and King have given us a strong female character with enough vulnerability for the reader to identify with and to champion.

This novella is full of action, twists and turns and hard choices. The action is thorough and consistent throughout the story and the scenes themselves have been given more detail and transport us into the battles. You feel tired, you feel beat up and as a reader that is what you really want; to be there in the story.

The world of ‘Aederon’ in which the story takes place is also being given a stronger identity through the progression of the novellas. We are starting to see the depth of the corruption and lack of regard that the nobility have for the common folk; there is a struggle here between those who have and those who do not. Elinor is our link between society’s factions, and knows firmly which side she is on.

Rating: 4/5. I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys heroic fantasy.
My blog: https://dancrossbookblog.wordpress.com

[Lindsey Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Here

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first novella in the Reaper of Stones series, I was really looking forward to the second and I certainly enjoyed it more. Although new characters were introduced, I already knew what sort of world I was getting into. There is precious little time for adjustment in such a confined form of writing and it was enjoyable to sink straight back into it. Although it has been a while since I read the first one and couldn’t remember how exactly magic worked, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.

I also felt like I understood the plot more this time as well. Not that the previous one was confusing, but there wasn’t the same focus on magic this time, potentially because the world didn’t need to be built. It was a straightforward hostage situation and you got to know Elinor’s character more because you were witnessing her reaction to a situation that us some the readers understood clearer. You can appreciate her bravery in a straight-up fight compared to a magical battle that the reader can’t truly follow.

The new characters were interesting. Aldis was annoying but because he recognised that character flaw in himself, it didn’t distract from the story. The engineers were all worth their time on the page, an aspect I think is highly important in the novella. Con too had just about enough – I would like to see what he is truly capable of though rather than being in Elinor’s shadow and playing a supportive role. The fact he survived this story gives me hope he will be the lead in one soon.

Despite saying the plot was easier to understand, there was an incident at the end that threw me – again, this is where magic played a part and it didn’t feel like either enough happened or that I understood what did happen. In fairness, the characters didn’t truly understand either, but it did feel a little rushed and just like in the first book, magic being used as a means to an end. In this case, the end was how to get the characters through it alive.

I feel like this world has more to give and will certainly carry on reading. Although it goes against the idea of a novella, I want something a little longer, where unexplained magic is not the answer to the unsolvable dilemma.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Banners is the sequel to A Reaper of Stone in the Echoes of the Ascended Books. They have done an excellent job once again with this book. We are reunited with Elinor and Con after the events at Timberline. But we are also introduced to a new character: the ambitions Aldis. In essence though a new character to us he is a familiar in the sense that is ambitious, has debts to pay off and wishes to have money, power and recognition. So the question is…how far will he go to achieve these things? Who and what will he sacrifice to obtain his end?
A keep has not been dismantled that was set to have been done so for over a month ago, the King’s men lay two days dead in the snow…cut down from behind as they fled and a Lord is missing who never took the keep that was now his to claim. Instead…the village people live in fear of one who has come and Aldis and more of his people are missing. Can Elinor discover what happened to them?
This book is engaging very quickly and immediately grabs you once Elinor steps in. Her bravery and honor make her a truly fascinating and engaging character that you just want to see succeed at everything that she does. I love the fact that even though she does bold and seemingly reckless acts that she has many who stand not only behind her but with her.
Broken Banners is such an engaging read and of course leaves you on a cliff hanger wanting to know more about what has happened to Elinor and what Aldis and the warden have planned next. Joe King and Mark Gelineau have definitely created an engaging and riveting world that draws you back every time that you hear that they have a new book out. You immediately will want to go and snap it up to learn more and continue your journey into this new world of unseen and seen monsters. If you’re not reading these books you are mostly definitely missing out.
I give Broken Banners by Mark Gelineau and Joe King 4.5 and 5 stars. Well written and can’t wait for more. Hopefully we wont have to wait too long. ;-)
***I received a free copy of this book (ARC) in return for my unbiased review of it. The opinions stated are solely my own.***

[Diesel Reads Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me be totally honest with you book land. I got this from Netgalley and at first I really didn't like this book. I was flabbergasted by it. Why was it so short? Why was there no world building? Why am I meant to care about these characters I know nothing about.
And then I realized, literally about 2 minutes ago while I was searching goodreads....it's a novella...for a series. Well that explains that.
Which really means I don't know if I can give it a fair review. All of my points still stand, because I've never read the series but you might not think them valid because of that fact.
However since we are here, I will give you my points of what I do know.
There are so many characters in this novella, it is hard to keep up. (Questionably I might have if I'd read the series) The book is decently written, but the main character was...a mixed feeling to me.
On one hand, she is badass af. Like really, she leads rebellions, and wars, and epic battles. She's an awesome fighter, she's a legend for her skill. And she's a girl. A badass sword fighting, legend, brave, strong, girl. All the things I can get down with.
However (and it may be because I haven't read the series) her weird insta love with the traitor, was frankly wreaking my buzz, especially with all the tears every time she touched him, and how she went from arresting him to well...not being able to work without him
Con was my favorite character. He was delightfully cynical and also mistrusting of traitor, which I loved. Their banter together was great.
I don't know if I can give this book a fair review, based on the fact that if I read the series, I might change my mind on my points but it didn't inspire me to want to read the series, nor did I have a particularly enjoyable time reading it, therefore will be awarding it three stars and a good luck send off.

[Leah (White Sky Project) · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the events at Timberline, Elinor is ordered to turn over what’s left of her group to Aldis, her friend from the Academy and leader of another reclamation group, the Ninety-Fifth Pioneers. But when then they find men and women of the Ninety-Fifth dead in a field not far from Height’s Ward Keep, the keep that Aldis was assigned to reap, Elinor decides to find out what happened and find justice for the slain soldiers.

Broken Banners is a great follow-up to A Reaper of Stone. In Banners, we see Elinor shine even more as the strong heroine that she is. We also see a little more about her backstory and get to know her more as a person. She’s still the tough and honorable leader that many are willing to follow, but we see a softer side to her as well.

Like all the Ascended books, Banners is an easy read. The characters – both old (Elinor and Con from Reaper) and new (Aldis) – are great together. The pace also picks up right away and the story just pulls you in and takes you through a lot of action-packed scenes. The battles are written well and realistic in the sense that the good guys are not indestructible and can get hurt as well – but of course they fight on through the pain. There’s also a hint of magic in the story that I think fellow fantasy lovers will love.

I really enjoyed reading this novella and I’m looking forward to the next one!

I received a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligations. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[Sam Sigelakis-Minski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing novella! Thank you, Netgalley and Joe King for reaching out and sending me yet another awesome work by the dynamic duo.

Broken Banners brings us back to Elinor and Con on their next great mission: to meet up with the Ninety-Fifth Pioneers at Height's Ward Keep to transfer their engineers to Aldis, another one of their old classmates who was friends with Elinor. When they get there, Con and Elinor something has gone terribly wrong as they discover the bodies of fellow men at arms, slaughtered from behind. Has a once close friend turned to the dark? Will he help Elinor and Con right the wrongs that have been committed, or will they all fall fighting for what is just?

Broken Banners is an example of writing fantasy done to perfection. King and Galineau's novella series Echoes of the Ascended as written in such a way that it creates a more compelling story and better world-build than most full-length novels of the same genre. Here is a world where the officials are corrupt, where fighters who manipulate the elements are treated little better than mercenaries, and there are so few people left practicing the old ways and fighting the good fight. My only complaint is that we don't get a full novel, jam-packed with the adventures of Elinor and Con as she fulfills a destiny that she doesn't quite understand yet and he helps her along the way.

Can't wait for the next installment!

[Viking Jam · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://koeur.wordpress.com/2016/02/0...

Publisher: King

Publishing Date: February 2016

ISBN: 9781944015084

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2.4/5

Publishers Description: Slaughtered and left for crows, soldiers of the King’s Army lay dead in a field. A grim reminder: the king’s law ends at the gates of the capital. Elinor fought for what she believed and now she is an outcast. No soldier will follow her. No officer will stand with her. Yet when she finds her brothers and sisters slaughtered, she cannot turn her back on them.



Review: Bandits have taken over a keep that was to be taken down for reasons that are still unclear. Elinor is willing to fight all the raiders on her own, and even though hopelessly outmatched, her retinue follow her knowing death is nigh. Wow, not bad for being so young but she is speshul and everyone talks about how speshul she is. She takes a knife to the stomach (which is usually a slow death) but seems to recover just fine. Providence? A Miracle? In the first novella a similar action happens to a young girl, only its a sword running through her stomach. She survives, the end.

As these novellas unfold, they get less believable and the characters never develop with the movement. Getting mad and feeling enraged at the injustice of the world does not a character make. These novellas had promise but are wending their way onto my DNR list in the future.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

After her disregard to kneel at Timberline and her insistence to do what was right, damn the cost, Elinor is punished and stripped of her command. She is to turn her command over to her Academy friend, Aldis, Lieutenant of the Ninety-Fifth. Aldis and his engineers should have stripped Height's Ward Keep by the time Elinor's rag-tag band of what's left of her engineers get there, but in the field not far from the keep Elinor and her Journeyman Engineer Conbert ran upon bodies from the Ninety-fifth. Elinor and Con slowly approach the village while they leave the rest of their men in hiding. Elinor is able to find out that the new Lord of the Keep did come to take possession, but the outcast son came to stake his claim as well. He was the one that currently locked in the Keep and had run out the engineers of the Ninety-Fifth and slaughtered them in the field. They slaughtered all the villagers who opposed the new Lord. By the number of the bodies, Elinor knows that some of the Ninety-Fifth are still in prison as well as Aldis. Elinor needs to figure out what's going on and who was playing on who's team. Can she and the few men she has left take over the Keep and these rebels?
This was yet another good story from the Ascended. Layer by layer Genlineau and King are building a fantastic and very real world.

***Reviewer for Romance Authors That Rock.****

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elinor has been ordered to take her engineers to join the 95th Pioneers at Height's Ward Keep. She expects to find power transferred and the keep demolished when she arrives, but instead she finds soldiers slaughtered and left unburied. The keep still stands and is held by the disinherited son of the old line along with a large band of fighters.

"Broken Banners" is a heroic fantasy novella. It's the second story in a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. It referred to several events in the first story, but it didn't spoil the details. I'd still recommend reading "A Reaper of Stone" before this one, though, because knowing what happened adds depth to this story.

Elinor is idealistic and courageous, and her friend Con fully believes in her ability to pull off her crazy, heroic schemes. Another old friend shows up in this story, and he's more complicated. Aldis' plans don't tend to turn out so well, and he's more interested in his own advancement than noble causes. He added a bit of uncertainty and intrigue to the story. The action was mainly a fight against impossible odds using cleverness, courage, and a bit of humor. Very satisfying.

There was a fair amount of bad language (cursing words). There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this story to fans of heroic fantasy.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Precious-Books.blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pages: 90

Cover: ★★★★


My Review:

An unfortunate decision. A life altering consequence. In this story you follow Aldis and Elinor, two leaders of the kings regiment’s in their struggle to lead and maintain honor (or in some cases what’s left of it). The cover is eye catching, and I really enjoyed con’s character. The main drawback being that as soon as I really got into the story it was over and I have to wait for the next one. I would post a longer review, but as this is a novella any more and it would give away the entire story.



**An advance readers copy of this book was provided for review, This book will be published 2/15/16**

About the Author:

Joe King spent most of his childhood doing what he loved most – building things with his friends. He built friendships, stories, worlds, games, imagination, and everything in between.

Joe believes in the power of stories, dreams, family, friendship, and getting your ass kicked every once in a while.

More than anything, he wants to tell a good story, and, for him, Gelineau & King is the constant reminder that it’s never too late to start building the things you love.