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The Feud Trilogy #1
The Sparks
One teen assassin-in-training must unite three warring supernatural dynasties before death comes to them all…
Find out why USA Today calls The Sparks “a crackling read” that “builds a vivid world (both) otherworldly and relatable.”
Neil Vapros just wants to make his father proud. The sixteen-year-old aspires to serve his family as an assassin, but he nearly dies in the process. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Neil’s family, as well as two rival dynasties, have abandoned an ancient promise to protect their city. An unknown evil has begun hunting all three houses from the shadows…
As Neil’s relatives fall one-by-one, he attempts to unite the three supernatural families against a common enemy. But earning trust after years of assassination attempts could prove impossible. Neil’s fight may involve more than a bloodthirsty empire, as betrayal rears its ugly head…
The Sparks is the first book in the award-winning Epic Feud trilogy of young adult fantasy novels. If you like captivating characters, inventive world building, and supernatural battles, then you’ll love Kyle Prue’s action-packed coming-of-age tale.
Buy The Sparks today to ignite your thirst for adventure!
Find out why USA Today calls The Sparks “a crackling read” that “builds a vivid world (both) otherworldly and relatable.”
Neil Vapros just wants to make his father proud. The sixteen-year-old aspires to serve his family as an assassin, but he nearly dies in the process. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Neil’s family, as well as two rival dynasties, have abandoned an ancient promise to protect their city. An unknown evil has begun hunting all three houses from the shadows…
As Neil’s relatives fall one-by-one, he attempts to unite the three supernatural families against a common enemy. But earning trust after years of assassination attempts could prove impossible. Neil’s fight may involve more than a bloodthirsty empire, as betrayal rears its ugly head…
The Sparks is the first book in the award-winning Epic Feud trilogy of young adult fantasy novels. If you like captivating characters, inventive world building, and supernatural battles, then you’ll love Kyle Prue’s action-packed coming-of-age tale.
Buy The Sparks today to ignite your thirst for adventure!
300 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2017
292 people are currently reading
2886 people want to read
About the author
Kyle Prue
6 books593 followersKyle Prue is an award winning author, actor and comedian. Kyle wrote The Sparks: Book One of the Feud Trilogy when he was just 16 years old. Kyle spent a gap year before college on a national book tour visiting over 100 middle and high schools and meeting over 80,000 students. Kyle is now a student at the University of Michigan, studying acting and creative writing. He still visits schools and is a keynote speaker for conferences.
Kyle is the founder of Sparking Literacy, a non-profit dedicated to lowering the high school dropout rate by inspiring teens to read, write and follow their dreams. An actor and comedian, Kyle trained at Second City Comedy Club in Chicago, where a number of SNL actors have gotten their start.
The Sparks has won numerous national awards including Best Book and Best Fiction for Young Adults 2015. The Sparks was runner up for Best Young Adult Fiction at the Florida Book Festival and won Honorable Mentions at the New England Book Festival, Midwest Book Festival, Southern California Book Festival, the International London Book Festival and won a prestigious Indie Fab award. Kyle also won an International Moonbeam Award for Best Young Author. The Flames won the FAPA Presidentiial Gold Medais for Best Fiction and Best Fantasy 2017.
Learn more at www.kyleprue.com and www.sparkingliteracy.org. Follow Kyle:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Kyle Prue
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@KylePrue
Instagram: www.instagram.com/KylePrue
A note from Kyle: If you enjoyed the book, I really appreciate your help in spreading the word about my books. Please leave reviews on Amazon and here on Goodreads. Thank you so much!
Kyle is the founder of Sparking Literacy, a non-profit dedicated to lowering the high school dropout rate by inspiring teens to read, write and follow their dreams. An actor and comedian, Kyle trained at Second City Comedy Club in Chicago, where a number of SNL actors have gotten their start.
The Sparks has won numerous national awards including Best Book and Best Fiction for Young Adults 2015. The Sparks was runner up for Best Young Adult Fiction at the Florida Book Festival and won Honorable Mentions at the New England Book Festival, Midwest Book Festival, Southern California Book Festival, the International London Book Festival and won a prestigious Indie Fab award. Kyle also won an International Moonbeam Award for Best Young Author. The Flames won the FAPA Presidentiial Gold Medais for Best Fiction and Best Fantasy 2017.
Learn more at www.kyleprue.com and www.sparkingliteracy.org. Follow Kyle:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Kyle Prue
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@KylePrue
Instagram: www.instagram.com/KylePrue
A note from Kyle: If you enjoyed the book, I really appreciate your help in spreading the word about my books. Please leave reviews on Amazon and here on Goodreads. Thank you so much!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
May 12, 2020
That was... 😬 interesting.
Before we begin, let it be known that the very first thing about this book that caught my attention was its cover (the second book's, to be precise). They're gorgeous. And because of how beautiful it was, and because Grace gave this book a good rating, I just had to check it out, you know?
The concept worked for me. Three families in a city, gifted long ago with superhuman abilities to protect their people, now caught in an age of turmoil while three of their young heirs make it their mission to unite them once again? Sure, why not. I read the prequel novella (a freebie! Yay!) and liked it enough to give this series a try.
😱😱😱 WhydidIevermakethatmistake.
But I did, and, well, I'm here now. To give you my honest opinions.
*while everyone in the background screams at Merie to get on with it already; they don't have all day*
THE WORLDBUILDING was great. The city of Altryon itself isn't very unique, in terms of what you see in most high fantasies these days, but one thing that set it apart? Kyle Prue expounded on it. He actually dug deep into the wheels of society and what these three families did that made them so big in it (other than having superhuman abilities, of course). It was... refreshing. It was real. It was something every spec fic world needs very badly. 😊
THE CHARACTERS... 😬🤯😱
Neil: He was pretty good for a main character. He was actually realistic. I just didn't love him all that much, most likely because he was the mainest main character and I have a thing against that. (don't ask) But his family... and everything he goes through... 😭
Darius: 😭 One of my two favorites in this series. He is such a big, brutal, tough cinnamon roll and I love him so much 😭 Okay, I definitely could care less if I had the Taurlum ability (Vapros and Celerius on the other hand? ... Gimme), but he was just so perfect for his role. Almost nobody writes about the big tough guys with the heart of gold anymore. And what he goes through in this novel alone... 😭
(And I mean big tough guys, not dark brooding guys. As in, actually intimidating in their size and strength and weight of four hundred pounds. Get it, YA?)
Lilly: She's my other favorite character. She was also the amazing warrior-lady female MC everyone asks for but nobody writes! I don't know how, but Prue managed to equally balance her Celerius honor (*smirk*) with Celerius ferocity. Without making her the type of annoying, petty, pigheaded heroines that overpopulate YA these days. *slow clap* Also Jonathan 😂🤣😭 Also I died with her when *THAT* happened (if you read this, you'll know exactly what *THAT* is). Although she does have a habit of stitching herself back together. 🙃
Rhys: Okay, so while Darius and Lilly made it to the very top, Rhys ain't far behind 'em. He is such a cinnamon roll and should be protected at all costs. Forever.
Carlin needs to die
Okay guys, but this book had funny parts. I LOVE HUMOR IN BOOKS. It's just not enough of a thing in genres outside of comedy (and I'm not a comedy person!). I like clean humor and witty banter and ironic situations. The plot, too, it wasn't very twisty, but it was so well done. In my humble little opinion.
Okay, so now that we've reached the... Midway point of my review? Looks like I'm gonna dig into the content portion of it. I've never done a content review in my life before, but today I'm gonna take responsibility and be helpful. *pats you on the shoulder*
VIOLENCE: Whew, there was a lot of it. It's not graphic, thank goodness, but there is killing, fighting, falling out of windows and off of rooftops (not intentionally, mind you), throwing sharp pointy objects around, fires, gas masks, at one point there were grenades, and... you get the gist of it, I imagine. As far as content goes in that direction, there were scenes where 1) people are run through, 2) decapitation or dismemberment of certain limbs occur, 3) a character gets their throat cut (but survives), 4) scary abilities that include turning people into ash are put into use, 5) scary abilities that include burning people to death are put into use, and 6) a character wants to become an assassin, and knows a lot of people who are assassins. This is an assassin book. You may be expecting this.
So yes, blood there is.
LANGUAGE: I'm more sensitive to language than violence, as it happens, so some who are not bothered by mild language (think PG-13 or Marvel) may be disturbed by the violence instead.
D**n was used quite a number of times, along with h***. Bast**d and a** as well. That was it. Offensive to my eyes, personally, but mild.
ROMANCE: ha. One kiss, y'all (maybe two? Wasn't counting xD). Attraction between two characters. That's all.
INNUENDOS: One off-page scene was alluded to but never described. Several characters are known for "forcing himself upon women." Seduction is mentioned but not described.
ALCOHOL: There is drinking, bars, mentions of bars and drinking, and getting drunk, which all of the main characters happen to experience at some point or another. One character becomes pretty much a drunkard for a short period of time that isn't described in much detail. However, drunkenness is cast under a disapproving light (for the most part? I guess? At least that's what I got reading it) and in more than one situation proves to be detrimental.
RELIGION: I don't know what kind of purpose the whole origin story and the Man with Golden Light thing serves. I don't believe the author intends it as an allegory, but there are some... connotations one might find quite familiar. There's a church and there are preachers, but that's about as far as it goes.
And that concludes my long, lengthy content review! I recommend this series to anyone who loves a good, unique young-adult fantasy, and who wouldn't be bothered by a little content.
Always be a happy camper!
Before we begin, let it be known that the very first thing about this book that caught my attention was its cover (the second book's, to be precise). They're gorgeous. And because of how beautiful it was, and because Grace gave this book a good rating, I just had to check it out, you know?
The concept worked for me. Three families in a city, gifted long ago with superhuman abilities to protect their people, now caught in an age of turmoil while three of their young heirs make it their mission to unite them once again? Sure, why not. I read the prequel novella (a freebie! Yay!) and liked it enough to give this series a try.
😱😱😱 WhydidIevermakethatmistake.
But I did, and, well, I'm here now. To give you my honest opinions.
*while everyone in the background screams at Merie to get on with it already; they don't have all day*
THE WORLDBUILDING was great. The city of Altryon itself isn't very unique, in terms of what you see in most high fantasies these days, but one thing that set it apart? Kyle Prue expounded on it. He actually dug deep into the wheels of society and what these three families did that made them so big in it (other than having superhuman abilities, of course). It was... refreshing. It was real. It was something every spec fic world needs very badly. 😊
THE CHARACTERS... 😬🤯😱
Neil: He was pretty good for a main character. He was actually realistic. I just didn't love him all that much, most likely because he was the mainest main character and I have a thing against that. (don't ask) But his family... and everything he goes through... 😭
Darius: 😭 One of my two favorites in this series. He is such a big, brutal, tough cinnamon roll and I love him so much 😭 Okay, I definitely could care less if I had the Taurlum ability (Vapros and Celerius on the other hand? ... Gimme), but he was just so perfect for his role. Almost nobody writes about the big tough guys with the heart of gold anymore. And what he goes through in this novel alone... 😭
(And I mean big tough guys, not dark brooding guys. As in, actually intimidating in their size and strength and weight of four hundred pounds. Get it, YA?)
Lilly: She's my other favorite character. She was also the amazing warrior-lady female MC everyone asks for but nobody writes! I don't know how, but Prue managed to equally balance her Celerius honor (*smirk*) with Celerius ferocity. Without making her the type of annoying, petty, pigheaded heroines that overpopulate YA these days. *slow clap* Also Jonathan 😂🤣😭 Also I died with her when *THAT* happened (if you read this, you'll know exactly what *THAT* is). Although she does have a habit of stitching herself back together. 🙃
Rhys: Okay, so while Darius and Lilly made it to the very top, Rhys ain't far behind 'em. He is such a cinnamon roll and should be protected at all costs. Forever.
Carlin needs to die
Okay guys, but this book had funny parts. I LOVE HUMOR IN BOOKS. It's just not enough of a thing in genres outside of comedy (and I'm not a comedy person!). I like clean humor and witty banter and ironic situations. The plot, too, it wasn't very twisty, but it was so well done. In my humble little opinion.
Okay, so now that we've reached the... Midway point of my review? Looks like I'm gonna dig into the content portion of it. I've never done a content review in my life before, but today I'm gonna take responsibility and be helpful. *pats you on the shoulder*
VIOLENCE: Whew, there was a lot of it. It's not graphic, thank goodness, but there is killing, fighting, falling out of windows and off of rooftops (not intentionally, mind you), throwing sharp pointy objects around, fires, gas masks, at one point there were grenades, and... you get the gist of it, I imagine. As far as content goes in that direction, there were scenes where 1) people are run through, 2) decapitation or dismemberment of certain limbs occur, 3) a character gets their throat cut (but survives), 4) scary abilities that include turning people into ash are put into use, 5) scary abilities that include burning people to death are put into use, and 6) a character wants to become an assassin, and knows a lot of people who are assassins. This is an assassin book. You may be expecting this.
So yes, blood there is.
LANGUAGE: I'm more sensitive to language than violence, as it happens, so some who are not bothered by mild language (think PG-13 or Marvel) may be disturbed by the violence instead.
D**n was used quite a number of times, along with h***. Bast**d and a** as well. That was it. Offensive to my eyes, personally, but mild.
ROMANCE: ha. One kiss, y'all (maybe two? Wasn't counting xD). Attraction between two characters. That's all.
INNUENDOS: One off-page scene was alluded to but never described. Several characters are known for "forcing himself upon women." Seduction is mentioned but not described.
ALCOHOL: There is drinking, bars, mentions of bars and drinking, and getting drunk, which all of the main characters happen to experience at some point or another. One character becomes pretty much a drunkard for a short period of time that isn't described in much detail. However, drunkenness is cast under a disapproving light (for the most part? I guess? At least that's what I got reading it) and in more than one situation proves to be detrimental.
RELIGION: I don't know what kind of purpose the whole origin story and the Man with Golden Light thing serves. I don't believe the author intends it as an allegory, but there are some... connotations one might find quite familiar. There's a church and there are preachers, but that's about as far as it goes.
And that concludes my long, lengthy content review! I recommend this series to anyone who loves a good, unique young-adult fantasy, and who wouldn't be bothered by a little content.
Always be a happy camper!
March 29, 2017
My original The Sparks audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Three families were given superhuman powers to protect the city of Altryon from the dangers beyond its walls. Over the years, a blood feud ensues forcing the families to fight and become sworn enemies of one another. Like all families, the children have different ideas, wants and desires; it is this that ensures the families might survive the evil emperor and his friend who is a new superhuman.
Joining forces, the surviving Vapros (assassins that teleport and turn people into ash), The Taurlum (steel like skin and godlike strength) and the Celerius (super speed and self-healing powers), they hope to free their families from the dungeons and expel the evil emperor. For some that is not enough, they want to end the blood feud forever but freeing their families may prevent this for each family holds true to their version of honor, will, and what constitutes victory.
I enjoyed this book very much. It was easy to see how an entire town could be fooled into believing they were the only ones on the planet; anything outside their walls were savages and deadly based on a highly and effectively promoted idea.
Isolating people is the number one way a leader can step into position and abuse their power. The emperor did this effectively. The manner in which the remaining families came together was well done and realistic. I am looking forward to books 2 and 3.
The author, Kyle Prue did an excellent job of crafting the story line and developing the characters. I enjoyed the bantering back and forth and the final scene of the remaining survivors coming together. The character’s behaviors as each hurdle was discovered and faced was realistic demonstrating clearly how difficult egos can be and what it takes to get past them.
The narrator, Jon Eric Preston performed the book very well. His does not do female voices well but they were different enough that they were acceptable. I thought he spoke clearly and inferred excitement, loss, sorrow, love, hate, and other emotions very well through the tone inflections. His voice was calming and soft which was pleasant.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, adventure and action packed stories.
There were no issues around the audible production or quality of this book.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
Three families were given superhuman powers to protect the city of Altryon from the dangers beyond its walls. Over the years, a blood feud ensues forcing the families to fight and become sworn enemies of one another. Like all families, the children have different ideas, wants and desires; it is this that ensures the families might survive the evil emperor and his friend who is a new superhuman.
Joining forces, the surviving Vapros (assassins that teleport and turn people into ash), The Taurlum (steel like skin and godlike strength) and the Celerius (super speed and self-healing powers), they hope to free their families from the dungeons and expel the evil emperor. For some that is not enough, they want to end the blood feud forever but freeing their families may prevent this for each family holds true to their version of honor, will, and what constitutes victory.
I enjoyed this book very much. It was easy to see how an entire town could be fooled into believing they were the only ones on the planet; anything outside their walls were savages and deadly based on a highly and effectively promoted idea.
Isolating people is the number one way a leader can step into position and abuse their power. The emperor did this effectively. The manner in which the remaining families came together was well done and realistic. I am looking forward to books 2 and 3.
The author, Kyle Prue did an excellent job of crafting the story line and developing the characters. I enjoyed the bantering back and forth and the final scene of the remaining survivors coming together. The character’s behaviors as each hurdle was discovered and faced was realistic demonstrating clearly how difficult egos can be and what it takes to get past them.
The narrator, Jon Eric Preston performed the book very well. His does not do female voices well but they were different enough that they were acceptable. I thought he spoke clearly and inferred excitement, loss, sorrow, love, hate, and other emotions very well through the tone inflections. His voice was calming and soft which was pleasant.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, adventure and action packed stories.
There were no issues around the audible production or quality of this book.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
February 27, 2015
From the minute I read the very first line of the story: “Slide the knife between the third and fourth rib.”
I knew this was going to be a great book. I was right. You have three families who were given special powers to help protect the city of Altiyon from attack both within and without. Unfortunately, as happens so often, the three families bound by an ancient promise got greedy. Each wanted more. Each wanted to be the most important and rule. So they started fighting each other. This is how the feud began. This is why they were given an emperor to rule over them. This story is not just about the three families It is the story of three teens trying to find their place within their own families and in their society. This is a society that they are learning has some problems. Is it possible the emperor is behind it all? I loved that this was a great fantasy with great lessons. These teens were prejudiced toward each other because their families had trained them to be that way with no valid reasons. They had to learn to put aside their differences and work together. I look forward to the second book in the series when he finishes it.
I knew this was going to be a great book. I was right. You have three families who were given special powers to help protect the city of Altiyon from attack both within and without. Unfortunately, as happens so often, the three families bound by an ancient promise got greedy. Each wanted more. Each wanted to be the most important and rule. So they started fighting each other. This is how the feud began. This is why they were given an emperor to rule over them. This story is not just about the three families It is the story of three teens trying to find their place within their own families and in their society. This is a society that they are learning has some problems. Is it possible the emperor is behind it all? I loved that this was a great fantasy with great lessons. These teens were prejudiced toward each other because their families had trained them to be that way with no valid reasons. They had to learn to put aside their differences and work together. I look forward to the second book in the series when he finishes it.
September 9, 2018
I really enjoyed this book a lot. I thought it was well-written with interesting characters and a good story. I didn't know until I had finished the book that the author was only 16 when he wrote it. I'm pretty impressed! I look forward to reading the other books in the series.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Lit Ring.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Lit Ring.
March 5, 2015
Amazingly written! I loved this book - only downside is now I have to be patient for the second one!! I looked up the author for other works and found out he is a SENIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL!! He has such a unique style and commands the readers attention so well, you feel like you are reading a seasoned authors work. Can't wait to read the second book!
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
October 3, 2020
An immersive and entertaining fantasy, The Sparks is a fantastic introduction to The Feud trilogy! I loved the characters, the amazing world-building, the intrigue, and more.
Three families – the Vapros, the Taurlum, and the Celerius- were chosen long ago and given superhuman powers with the task of protecting the city of Altryon from the dangers that lurk beyond their wall. Now, the three families are embroiled in a bitter feud, each determined to undermine and assassinate the others. However, when an even greater threat comes after the families, will they change their feuding ways and work together to defeat the enemy?
The story primarily follows several teenagers from the three feuding families, including Neil and Rhys Vapros, Darius Taurlum, and Lilly Celerius. The narration is told from several perspectives, so you really get to see the world from different points of view. I liked this, as you understand the thoughts and feelings of a variety of people, good and bad, which immersed me even more into the story. They are so many richly developed characters with unique and distinct personalities, many of whom face tremendous pressure to fight the other families and maintain their family’s reputation. Neil, Darius, and Lilly have slightly larger roles than the rest, and I loved each of them!
Neil Vapros is determined to become an assassin and make his disapproving and critical father proud. I love his determination and charisma. He lives in an abusive home with almost impossible expectations put on him. However, he never gives up. He is strong, determined, and brave. Like his Taurlum and Celerius counter-parts, Neil is a leader among his people, although he seems to be working harder than the others to prove himself to his family. Lilly is strength personified and seems to have the best support system of the bunch. She’s a fierce warrior and loyal to her family. Darius is confident, aggressive, and often brutal, but there is so much depth underneath all of his bravado.
I also like the moral greyness to some of the characters and their actions. It is unclear for most of the story who is honorable and trustworthy and who is treacherous, and just when I thought I had certain characters figured out, something would happen in the story that made me reevaluate my assertions. There are characters that I definitely rooted for and others that I loved to hate, but the moral ambiguity fascinated me.
Another aspect of the characters that I love is the cool powers that the families possess. The Vapros can teleport and turn people into ash, the Celerius have fast self-healing powers and super speed, and the Taurlum have skin of steel and superhuman strength. Several characters have added abilities beyond the traditional inherited powers, and they hone their skills and use them to their advantage, especially when their lives are threatened. Prue did an amazing job in describing the powers and the imagery is fantastic!
The author is also skilled in describing the intricacies of the families and the world without turning it into a big info dump. Altryon has a long history, as do the feuding families, and the progression and changes of the society are woven into the story quite naturally. Strong messages of family, trust, faith, finding oneself, and resilience are also at the forefront of this engrossing story.
A wonderful and vivid young adult fantasy with tons of action, political intrigue, and surprising twists, The Sparks will appeal to readers who like immersive, well-developed stories. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Three families – the Vapros, the Taurlum, and the Celerius- were chosen long ago and given superhuman powers with the task of protecting the city of Altryon from the dangers that lurk beyond their wall. Now, the three families are embroiled in a bitter feud, each determined to undermine and assassinate the others. However, when an even greater threat comes after the families, will they change their feuding ways and work together to defeat the enemy?
The story primarily follows several teenagers from the three feuding families, including Neil and Rhys Vapros, Darius Taurlum, and Lilly Celerius. The narration is told from several perspectives, so you really get to see the world from different points of view. I liked this, as you understand the thoughts and feelings of a variety of people, good and bad, which immersed me even more into the story. They are so many richly developed characters with unique and distinct personalities, many of whom face tremendous pressure to fight the other families and maintain their family’s reputation. Neil, Darius, and Lilly have slightly larger roles than the rest, and I loved each of them!
Neil Vapros is determined to become an assassin and make his disapproving and critical father proud. I love his determination and charisma. He lives in an abusive home with almost impossible expectations put on him. However, he never gives up. He is strong, determined, and brave. Like his Taurlum and Celerius counter-parts, Neil is a leader among his people, although he seems to be working harder than the others to prove himself to his family. Lilly is strength personified and seems to have the best support system of the bunch. She’s a fierce warrior and loyal to her family. Darius is confident, aggressive, and often brutal, but there is so much depth underneath all of his bravado.
I also like the moral greyness to some of the characters and their actions. It is unclear for most of the story who is honorable and trustworthy and who is treacherous, and just when I thought I had certain characters figured out, something would happen in the story that made me reevaluate my assertions. There are characters that I definitely rooted for and others that I loved to hate, but the moral ambiguity fascinated me.
Another aspect of the characters that I love is the cool powers that the families possess. The Vapros can teleport and turn people into ash, the Celerius have fast self-healing powers and super speed, and the Taurlum have skin of steel and superhuman strength. Several characters have added abilities beyond the traditional inherited powers, and they hone their skills and use them to their advantage, especially when their lives are threatened. Prue did an amazing job in describing the powers and the imagery is fantastic!
The author is also skilled in describing the intricacies of the families and the world without turning it into a big info dump. Altryon has a long history, as do the feuding families, and the progression and changes of the society are woven into the story quite naturally. Strong messages of family, trust, faith, finding oneself, and resilience are also at the forefront of this engrossing story.
A wonderful and vivid young adult fantasy with tons of action, political intrigue, and surprising twists, The Sparks will appeal to readers who like immersive, well-developed stories. Thanks so much to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
February 5, 2020
I won a copy from a giveaway on Goodreads. The author or the people running the giveaway did not pay me for a review and all the thoughts here are my own honest opinion.
What I Liked:
The world building in the story is fantastic! The author took time to explain how the superpowers work, to how each one of the three houses affected the state of the city. It was very realistic and interesting to read about.
The powers that each of the three houses had was just, YES!!! Teleportation, super strength, and super healing. And that's just my very vague description of it. The book does a great job at showing us how these people live, how each one is different from each other. Ahh! It was just pure genius! I also love how they have to learn how to advance their powers and that they will gain special powers when they encounter an extreme situation.
The writing in the story is also very good. The descriptions really make you see what is going on. And though the descriptions show you what's happening and never goes into too much detail with violence or sex.
The Characters:
Neil! I loved him. He was the main character, which made me a little sad as the other characters didn't get much book time. But Neil is great. His story is heartbreaking, and how he is always trying to please his father (by becoming the greatest assassin ever). I love his power the best. How he can teleport and everything. It was just cool!
Bianca! I loved her! I love how she is with Neil and I ship these two together. Though I did wish that she had more book time considering how much of a friend she is supposed to be with Neil (they spent time with each other since young children). She had a hard life but was just full of piss and vinegar and she was a sweetheart (sometimes) and I just love that. She didn't have any powers, but she was great with her knives.
Rhys! HE MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COST!!!! I LOVED HIM SO MUCH!!! HE NEEDED MORE TIME IN THE BOOK!!! HE WAS A CINNAMON ROLL AND WAS SO SMART!!!
Jennifer. Ugh, I don't know about her.
Victoria. I didn't like her at all in the beginning of the story. But she did grow on me. But I still didn't like her that much.
Lilly grated on me a little because of her military/feisty/better-than-everyone attitude and she seemed a little spoiled. Though she did grow on me, mainly because of her servant Jonathan.
Jonathan! I LOVED HIM!!! *Cries*
Darius. I actually thought that he was a bad guy in the beginning because of Neil's reaction to him and the way Darius's brother is with women. While really in reality, Darius is a big, giant, strong, teddy bear warrior. And while he isn't at my most favorite character, I did end up loving him, alright?
Carlin. Nope. He was a bad guy. I didn't like him, which I wasn't supposed too, so the book did good. *Grins*
What I Didn't Like:
The first thing that I didn't like is more of a me thing than a book thing, but, okay, I wasn't in the mood for a dystopian. I thought that this book was going to be about assassins or something. Which it is. But the main plot had to do with these three houses and this corrupt government. This plot line did grow on me, and it did up being very well written.
Not Spending Enough Time with Certain Characters:
This book is told with three main POV's. Though we mainly get Neil's POV. Which I love Neil, okay? But this made me not like the other characters as much.
I had a few questions about the emperor's servant, but due to spoilers I won't ask them here. ;)
Content in Book:
1. Violence. (Disassembling someone's body parts to kill them. Assassins. Stabbing people with swords, with blood and gore. Stabbing people with knives. Arrows. Fire. Burning people. Turning people to ash. With hammers. Hand-to-hand combat. People getting killed. Bombs/grenades. Etc. The violence can be a little bloody and gory but never overly so, only semi-descriptive. Perfect for a YA novel.)
2. Sex. (Men having sex with as many women as possible to keep their bloodline alive, only implied, never shown. A man known to not to treat women nicely, implied that he had sex with them, never shown. There is a woman sleeping with this one guy, they don't have sex and is not really descriptive. Wanting to keep this woman alive to have sex with her, never happens. Etc., The details are never really given to any sex scenes, pretty clean.)
3. Drinking alcohol. Getting drunk. Alcoholics.
4. Minor swear words.
5. A religion to this person known as "The Man with the Golden Light".
6. Stealing. (Where people sometimes get hurt.)
7. Spreading gossip about others.
8. A guy who is rumored to have cheated on his wife.
9. Servants/slavery.
10. Dungeons. And the cruelty that is done to the prisoners there. (Including hanging them on the wall with chains and putting on a mask so is hard for them to breathe).
11. Magic.
Will I Continue With The Next Book in the Series???
YES!!! I am really curious to see what happens next in the second book, The Flames.
Who I Would Recommend This Book Too:
Those who like assassin stories. Those who like dystopian's. Those who like reading about people with superpowers. Those who like books with great world building and good writing. READ IT!!! =)
What I Liked:
The world building in the story is fantastic! The author took time to explain how the superpowers work, to how each one of the three houses affected the state of the city. It was very realistic and interesting to read about.
The powers that each of the three houses had was just, YES!!! Teleportation, super strength, and super healing. And that's just my very vague description of it. The book does a great job at showing us how these people live, how each one is different from each other. Ahh! It was just pure genius! I also love how they have to learn how to advance their powers and that they will gain special powers when they encounter an extreme situation.
The writing in the story is also very good. The descriptions really make you see what is going on. And though the descriptions show you what's happening and never goes into too much detail with violence or sex.
The Characters:
Neil! I loved him. He was the main character, which made me a little sad as the other characters didn't get much book time. But Neil is great. His story is heartbreaking, and how he is always trying to please his father (by becoming the greatest assassin ever). I love his power the best. How he can teleport and everything. It was just cool!
Bianca! I loved her! I love how she is with Neil and I ship these two together. Though I did wish that she had more book time considering how much of a friend she is supposed to be with Neil (they spent time with each other since young children). She had a hard life but was just full of piss and vinegar and she was a sweetheart (sometimes) and I just love that. She didn't have any powers, but she was great with her knives.
Rhys! HE MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COST!!!! I LOVED HIM SO MUCH!!! HE NEEDED MORE TIME IN THE BOOK!!! HE WAS A CINNAMON ROLL AND WAS SO SMART!!!
Jennifer. Ugh, I don't know about her.
Victoria. I didn't like her at all in the beginning of the story. But she did grow on me. But I still didn't like her that much.
Lilly grated on me a little because of her military/feisty/better-than-everyone attitude and she seemed a little spoiled. Though she did grow on me, mainly because of her servant Jonathan.
Jonathan! I LOVED HIM!!! *Cries*
Darius. I actually thought that he was a bad guy in the beginning because of Neil's reaction to him and the way Darius's brother is with women. While really in reality, Darius is a big, giant, strong, teddy bear warrior. And while he isn't at my most favorite character, I did end up loving him, alright?
Carlin. Nope. He was a bad guy. I didn't like him, which I wasn't supposed too, so the book did good. *Grins*
What I Didn't Like:
The first thing that I didn't like is more of a me thing than a book thing, but, okay, I wasn't in the mood for a dystopian. I thought that this book was going to be about assassins or something. Which it is. But the main plot had to do with these three houses and this corrupt government. This plot line did grow on me, and it did up being very well written.
Not Spending Enough Time with Certain Characters:
This book is told with three main POV's. Though we mainly get Neil's POV. Which I love Neil, okay? But this made me not like the other characters as much.
I had a few questions about the emperor's servant, but due to spoilers I won't ask them here. ;)
Content in Book:
1. Violence. (Disassembling someone's body parts to kill them. Assassins. Stabbing people with swords, with blood and gore. Stabbing people with knives. Arrows. Fire. Burning people. Turning people to ash. With hammers. Hand-to-hand combat. People getting killed. Bombs/grenades. Etc. The violence can be a little bloody and gory but never overly so, only semi-descriptive. Perfect for a YA novel.)
2. Sex. (Men having sex with as many women as possible to keep their bloodline alive, only implied, never shown. A man known to not to treat women nicely, implied that he had sex with them, never shown. There is a woman sleeping with this one guy, they don't have sex and is not really descriptive. Wanting to keep this woman alive to have sex with her, never happens. Etc., The details are never really given to any sex scenes, pretty clean.)
3. Drinking alcohol. Getting drunk. Alcoholics.
4. Minor swear words.
5. A religion to this person known as "The Man with the Golden Light".
6. Stealing. (Where people sometimes get hurt.)
7. Spreading gossip about others.
8. A guy who is rumored to have cheated on his wife.
9. Servants/slavery.
10. Dungeons. And the cruelty that is done to the prisoners there. (Including hanging them on the wall with chains and putting on a mask so is hard for them to breathe).
11. Magic.
Will I Continue With The Next Book in the Series???
YES!!! I am really curious to see what happens next in the second book, The Flames.
Who I Would Recommend This Book Too:
Those who like assassin stories. Those who like dystopian's. Those who like reading about people with superpowers. Those who like books with great world building and good writing. READ IT!!! =)
December 28, 2020
*I received an ARC from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review*
I actually liked this a lot better than I thought I would!
The Sparks is a story about three families who have a centuries-old feud. Each family has a specific power the members share, and most individual family member has their own unique power.
I loved the world building, characters, and plot. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for each family in the sequel!
I actually liked this a lot better than I thought I would!
The Sparks is a story about three families who have a centuries-old feud. Each family has a specific power the members share, and most individual family member has their own unique power.
I loved the world building, characters, and plot. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for each family in the sequel!
February 26, 2015
About the Book:
The Vapros, the Taurlum, and the Celerius: three dynasties bound by an ancient promise, and given superhuman abilities to protect the city of Altryon from the dangerous world beyond its walls. Centuries of fighting, however, have turned the families against each other. A powerful emperor now rules and each family has suffered heavy casualties in the feud.
Sixteen-year-old, Neil Vapros desperately wants to become an assassin in order to impress his overly critical father. Despite a failed mission, Neil learns that a new sinister threat has awakened. This mysterious new power will shatter the established order and threaten not only the very lives of these powerful families, but also the once great city of Altryon.
Everything can change with a single “Spark”...
My Review:
The Vapros, the Taurlum, and the Celerius are three families that have super human abilities bound to an ancient promise. Their main objective is to protect the city Altryon, against the evils outside the walls of the land.Although they are all bound by the same promise, it seems that they have all turned against one another.
Neil Vapros, is sixteen years old and willing to do anything to make his father proud. His ultimate dream is to become an assassin, but after he fails a mission, that dream may not come true. He uncovers a weighty truth that will seemingly in one fail swoop change everything. It is of utmost importance that he gets to the bottom of this big secret and quickly because their are lives at stake.
Lilly Celerius, 17 years old, discovers everything is not as it seems. After visiting her brother at the military outpost, she discovers that her family is in trouble and the king has turned against them. What a happy birthday this is going to be!
Darius Taurlum, was outdone by by one of the Vapros and a common girl and their is no way he will allow that to happen again. He soon learns that all three families are in danger and because of this fact alone, he has to rethink his agenda and strategy.
With everyone around them in danger, will these three families come together setting aside all differences or will they stick to their own agenda while everyone around them dies?
With a story similar to many I have heard recently, the authors debut novel, seem very solid with its very strong characters and plot line. I am anxious to find out what happens in the rest of the series. Kyle Prue, although being a first-time author and the fact that he is young did nothing to harm his story telling capabilities in the least. I liked his writing and look forward to reading more written by him.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the publisher.
The Vapros, the Taurlum, and the Celerius: three dynasties bound by an ancient promise, and given superhuman abilities to protect the city of Altryon from the dangerous world beyond its walls. Centuries of fighting, however, have turned the families against each other. A powerful emperor now rules and each family has suffered heavy casualties in the feud.
Sixteen-year-old, Neil Vapros desperately wants to become an assassin in order to impress his overly critical father. Despite a failed mission, Neil learns that a new sinister threat has awakened. This mysterious new power will shatter the established order and threaten not only the very lives of these powerful families, but also the once great city of Altryon.
Everything can change with a single “Spark”...
My Review:
The Vapros, the Taurlum, and the Celerius are three families that have super human abilities bound to an ancient promise. Their main objective is to protect the city Altryon, against the evils outside the walls of the land.Although they are all bound by the same promise, it seems that they have all turned against one another.
Neil Vapros, is sixteen years old and willing to do anything to make his father proud. His ultimate dream is to become an assassin, but after he fails a mission, that dream may not come true. He uncovers a weighty truth that will seemingly in one fail swoop change everything. It is of utmost importance that he gets to the bottom of this big secret and quickly because their are lives at stake.
Lilly Celerius, 17 years old, discovers everything is not as it seems. After visiting her brother at the military outpost, she discovers that her family is in trouble and the king has turned against them. What a happy birthday this is going to be!
Darius Taurlum, was outdone by by one of the Vapros and a common girl and their is no way he will allow that to happen again. He soon learns that all three families are in danger and because of this fact alone, he has to rethink his agenda and strategy.
With everyone around them in danger, will these three families come together setting aside all differences or will they stick to their own agenda while everyone around them dies?
With a story similar to many I have heard recently, the authors debut novel, seem very solid with its very strong characters and plot line. I am anxious to find out what happens in the rest of the series. Kyle Prue, although being a first-time author and the fact that he is young did nothing to harm his story telling capabilities in the least. I liked his writing and look forward to reading more written by him.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the publisher.
July 16, 2017
**I have received this audio book for free from Audiobook Jukebox, and ACX for a honest review.**
Title: The Sparks
Author: Kyle Prue
Narrator: Jon Eric Preston
Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
Publisher: Cartwright Publishing
Date: 2-24-2017
The Sparks is the first book in the award-winning Epic Feud trilogy of young adult fantasy novels. Neil Vapros just wants to make his father proud. The sixteen-year-old aspires to serve his family as an assassin, but he nearly dies in the process. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Neil’s family, as well as two rival dynasties, have abandoned an ancient promise to protect their city. An unknown evil has begun hunting all three houses from the shadows…
Oh my god! Let me say that again, OH MY GOD! I love trilogies and young adult novels. I love fantasy. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS SERIES! This is by far the best beginning to a set of novels I have listened too, since Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I haven't wanted to run to the bookstore to pick up the next book in a series this much in years! Kyle Prue paints such a vivid world, full of rich detail without making you drown in the words. I know this series is a rather new addition to the publishing world, but if any series is deserving of a movie or tv deal, then this one should be at the top. Filled with fantasy, magic, strength, family, personal growth and loss, The Sparks makes you care about the journey that each character is facing. You can almost relate on some small scale with each trouble they face.
Jon Eric Preston was an outstanding fit for this audio book. I only hope that he continues to narrate the other two books as well. He does an amazing job at making each character unique and full of emotion that you want to feel the same ways. I'm not going to lie, there were moments in this audio book that Preston did such an amazing job at expressing grief that I couldn't help but to cry. When at work and having to explain that your audio book is making you go from angry to crying like a child, you know the narrator has done their job successfully.
Everything about The Sparks makes me want to listen to it over again already. It's the perfect mix of several series over the last few years. From The Kingkiller Chronicles to Game of Thrones. From The Mortal Instruments to Divergent. From The Hunger Games to Harry Potter. There is something from each in this first novel. If you need something new to listen too, please consider Kyle Prue's The Sparks! You can easily listen to this in one day, but the story won't leave you for many after!
Title: The Sparks
Author: Kyle Prue
Narrator: Jon Eric Preston
Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
Publisher: Cartwright Publishing
Date: 2-24-2017
The Sparks is the first book in the award-winning Epic Feud trilogy of young adult fantasy novels. Neil Vapros just wants to make his father proud. The sixteen-year-old aspires to serve his family as an assassin, but he nearly dies in the process. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Neil’s family, as well as two rival dynasties, have abandoned an ancient promise to protect their city. An unknown evil has begun hunting all three houses from the shadows…
Oh my god! Let me say that again, OH MY GOD! I love trilogies and young adult novels. I love fantasy. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS SERIES! This is by far the best beginning to a set of novels I have listened too, since Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I haven't wanted to run to the bookstore to pick up the next book in a series this much in years! Kyle Prue paints such a vivid world, full of rich detail without making you drown in the words. I know this series is a rather new addition to the publishing world, but if any series is deserving of a movie or tv deal, then this one should be at the top. Filled with fantasy, magic, strength, family, personal growth and loss, The Sparks makes you care about the journey that each character is facing. You can almost relate on some small scale with each trouble they face.
Jon Eric Preston was an outstanding fit for this audio book. I only hope that he continues to narrate the other two books as well. He does an amazing job at making each character unique and full of emotion that you want to feel the same ways. I'm not going to lie, there were moments in this audio book that Preston did such an amazing job at expressing grief that I couldn't help but to cry. When at work and having to explain that your audio book is making you go from angry to crying like a child, you know the narrator has done their job successfully.
Everything about The Sparks makes me want to listen to it over again already. It's the perfect mix of several series over the last few years. From The Kingkiller Chronicles to Game of Thrones. From The Mortal Instruments to Divergent. From The Hunger Games to Harry Potter. There is something from each in this first novel. If you need something new to listen too, please consider Kyle Prue's The Sparks! You can easily listen to this in one day, but the story won't leave you for many after!
February 25, 2015
Altryon is a city within a wall that protects it from the outside. The creator of the city then bestowed one three families powers of beyond regular citizens. The families then decide to fight each other to try and control Altryon. After nearly destroying everything the power is taken away from them and an emperor is elected to run Altryon. The families are given different areas of the city for territory. But they are always fighting, whether it is out in the open with innocents being hurt or killed or through political conniving and rumors trying to destroy each other and the continuous fight for power. But they are all ruled over by the emperor.
The story follows along with several teenagers from all of the families. Neil is a Vapros and trying to be an assassin, Lily is a Celerius and trying to uphold her families name, and Darius is a Taurlum that has hit rock bottom and seems to be stuck there. All of them have been fed several stories of how they have to fight the other families to uphold there names and power but none of them really know what they are fighting for. But after a meeting with the emperor, Neil thinks something is going on. When the families are all attacked and members killed they will all have to ask themselves what they are willing to do to fight the evil emperor and what they will do with the truth of the world outside the city walls.
This is a great story. I got sucked in with everyone’s stories. I couldn’t help sympathizing with them all as they are trying to uphold each of their families legacies. But when they realize that there is than just your family duties but that they would have to work together, I was cheering. There is a lot going on with this story and I loved how this one ended. I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next story.
Kyle Prue is a young author but he is one that you don’t want miss. His writing just draws you in and keeps you wanting more. There is a great story that is well developed and very descriptive. I will be making sure to keep my eyes out for all of his books.
The story follows along with several teenagers from all of the families. Neil is a Vapros and trying to be an assassin, Lily is a Celerius and trying to uphold her families name, and Darius is a Taurlum that has hit rock bottom and seems to be stuck there. All of them have been fed several stories of how they have to fight the other families to uphold there names and power but none of them really know what they are fighting for. But after a meeting with the emperor, Neil thinks something is going on. When the families are all attacked and members killed they will all have to ask themselves what they are willing to do to fight the evil emperor and what they will do with the truth of the world outside the city walls.
This is a great story. I got sucked in with everyone’s stories. I couldn’t help sympathizing with them all as they are trying to uphold each of their families legacies. But when they realize that there is than just your family duties but that they would have to work together, I was cheering. There is a lot going on with this story and I loved how this one ended. I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next story.
Kyle Prue is a young author but he is one that you don’t want miss. His writing just draws you in and keeps you wanting more. There is a great story that is well developed and very descriptive. I will be making sure to keep my eyes out for all of his books.
April 20, 2024
so many puncuation errors, common mistakes, and rushed plot. the premise of this book was very unique and thats why i liked it in middle school but the lack of construction makes it hard to focus.
i'm not gonna pick apart every problem cause this guy was a teenager when he wrote this. but i think there is a reason why authors wait years to publish books. maturity and intellect is what makes a decent story into a great book.
i'm not gonna pick apart every problem cause this guy was a teenager when he wrote this. but i think there is a reason why authors wait years to publish books. maturity and intellect is what makes a decent story into a great book.
August 19, 2020
I got a free copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked:
- The story was great, fast-paced, and well-written
- Amazing world building
- I loved all the characters
What I didn't like:
I seriously can't think of anything right now but if anything should come up, I'll add it later.
What I liked:
- The story was great, fast-paced, and well-written
- Amazing world building
- I loved all the characters
What I didn't like:
I seriously can't think of anything right now but if anything should come up, I'll add it later.
February 23, 2024
I enjoyed this a lot and I'm very impressed that the author wrote this so young! Some of it felt quite teenage, but that worked well since the main characters were all teens themselves. The worldbuilding was good, the characters were all well developed, and the plot unfolded nicely. I look forward to the next one.
February 23, 2020
What a beginning to an amazing trilogy. All Neil wants is to make his father proud of him. Almost dying was not part of the bargain. Once I started , I couldn’t stop. Can’t wait for the next one.
Want to read
December 16, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (12/16/2020)! 🎁
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December 15, 2020Freebie on amazon 15/12/2020
March 16, 2018
Review:
Protagonists: While a majority of this story is told from the point of view of Neil Vapros, a boy who wants nothing more than the respect of his family, this story has many points of view and while not all of them are the protagonists of this story, a great deal of them are. What I love about all of the protagonists is that they aren't these paragons of goodness that you can easily take the side of, they are flawed and their logic of this ridiculous feud between their families is warped beyond comprehension. Each of the protagonists grows in some way or another over the course of this story, it's a growth that's easily seen but not in your face and obvious. I really liked each character who has a POV in this story, while not all the POV characters are good, they are still well layered and it's easy to see their logic, even if it's not something I personally agree with.
World Building: One of my biggest problems with this story, I almost feel too embarrassed to share. This book takes a long time to get fully set up, and while, once it's done, it's a really fantastic world that I'm totally sucked into now and I can't wait to see what happens in it, it was hard to get into at first because there was still a lot of set up. However, once a certain event occurs things speed up and kick into high gear. There's a lot to this world, and while it takes a while to set up it's quite a sight to behold. I mean the synopsis for the story sets it up a bit, but as you dive into this story the backstory for not only the characters but the families as well are incredible. Even after all this story has to offer in terms of set up there are still mysteries it hides and I just want to know more and to follow these characters as they hopefully discover more about the world they live in and the feud between their families that has consumed their entire lives.
Predictability: Other than one very large twist that I was able to figure out from the synopsis alone, this book does a spectacular job at keeping the twists of this book under wraps. If you're worried about reading the synopsis and getting spoiled on something big, don't worry there's enough foreshadowing for that twist that even without the synopsis you'd still see it coming a long time before it's actually revealed. As for the other twists in this story, I'm sure there might have been some foreshadowing for the larger twists, but I can't seem to remember all that much. For the smaller stuff, there wasn't all that much that felt like and intentional twist, but more like a part of the plot to move things along.
Ending: If I didn't know this book was part of a series going in, I would have known it by that ending. While this story doesn't end with a heart stopping cliffhanger or game changing twist, there is a lot that happens towards the end of this story. There are still a great many mysteries in this world and I just loved that the author used what I like to refer to as the "cooldown" period of this book, after the final climax, to remind readers that there's still more that won't be revealed until at least the sequel. The actual final climax of this story was incredible. Since there are multiple perspectives we got to see what was going down from multiple angles and through the lenses of different characters.
Audiobook Notes: As I've said in past Audiobook Reviews, I don't really have a great talent for articulating my thoughts about an audiobook unless it's something special and the creators and producers go above and beyond or the narration was so monotonously boring that I couldn't help but shut it off. While there wasn't anything in the production of the audiobook, such as ambient sounds, music, etc. that heightened the experience, the narrator does a spectacular job at bringing the characters in this story to life. His narration is anything but boring as he does good voices, and really adds a lot of great depth and emotion into his performance. When characters cry it really sounds like the narrator is crying, or when characters have to cover their mouths while talking in a certain scene, that comes through in the narration. Overall, this was a spectacular book to listen to.
Rating:
While this story does take quite a while to get fully set up, and the story can seem to drag in certain parts until then, once things start going they don't stop and I can't wait to find out what happens next in this intricately designed fantasy world.
Protagonists: While a majority of this story is told from the point of view of Neil Vapros, a boy who wants nothing more than the respect of his family, this story has many points of view and while not all of them are the protagonists of this story, a great deal of them are. What I love about all of the protagonists is that they aren't these paragons of goodness that you can easily take the side of, they are flawed and their logic of this ridiculous feud between their families is warped beyond comprehension. Each of the protagonists grows in some way or another over the course of this story, it's a growth that's easily seen but not in your face and obvious. I really liked each character who has a POV in this story, while not all the POV characters are good, they are still well layered and it's easy to see their logic, even if it's not something I personally agree with.
World Building: One of my biggest problems with this story, I almost feel too embarrassed to share. This book takes a long time to get fully set up, and while, once it's done, it's a really fantastic world that I'm totally sucked into now and I can't wait to see what happens in it, it was hard to get into at first because there was still a lot of set up. However, once a certain event occurs things speed up and kick into high gear. There's a lot to this world, and while it takes a while to set up it's quite a sight to behold. I mean the synopsis for the story sets it up a bit, but as you dive into this story the backstory for not only the characters but the families as well are incredible. Even after all this story has to offer in terms of set up there are still mysteries it hides and I just want to know more and to follow these characters as they hopefully discover more about the world they live in and the feud between their families that has consumed their entire lives.
Predictability: Other than one very large twist that I was able to figure out from the synopsis alone, this book does a spectacular job at keeping the twists of this book under wraps. If you're worried about reading the synopsis and getting spoiled on something big, don't worry there's enough foreshadowing for that twist that even without the synopsis you'd still see it coming a long time before it's actually revealed. As for the other twists in this story, I'm sure there might have been some foreshadowing for the larger twists, but I can't seem to remember all that much. For the smaller stuff, there wasn't all that much that felt like and intentional twist, but more like a part of the plot to move things along.
Ending: If I didn't know this book was part of a series going in, I would have known it by that ending. While this story doesn't end with a heart stopping cliffhanger or game changing twist, there is a lot that happens towards the end of this story. There are still a great many mysteries in this world and I just loved that the author used what I like to refer to as the "cooldown" period of this book, after the final climax, to remind readers that there's still more that won't be revealed until at least the sequel. The actual final climax of this story was incredible. Since there are multiple perspectives we got to see what was going down from multiple angles and through the lenses of different characters.
Audiobook Notes: As I've said in past Audiobook Reviews, I don't really have a great talent for articulating my thoughts about an audiobook unless it's something special and the creators and producers go above and beyond or the narration was so monotonously boring that I couldn't help but shut it off. While there wasn't anything in the production of the audiobook, such as ambient sounds, music, etc. that heightened the experience, the narrator does a spectacular job at bringing the characters in this story to life. His narration is anything but boring as he does good voices, and really adds a lot of great depth and emotion into his performance. When characters cry it really sounds like the narrator is crying, or when characters have to cover their mouths while talking in a certain scene, that comes through in the narration. Overall, this was a spectacular book to listen to.
Rating:
While this story does take quite a while to get fully set up, and the story can seem to drag in certain parts until then, once things start going they don't stop and I can't wait to find out what happens next in this intricately designed fantasy world.
June 28, 2015
One of the best parts of a convention is sitting across from an author and being able to purchase a book from him, get an autograph, and start reading in the afternoon. Just finished the book this morning and felt like a fan for this trilogy.
Three feuding families rule the city of Altyron\ -- the Vapros, the Taurlum and the Celerius-- under the rule of a mysterious emperor. They make the Capulets and Montagues look tame in the face of assassinating each other, kicking each other's butts at the opera house, and . Neil is a Vapros, and he aspires to be an assassin to impress his father, who's never impressed. His failed mission not only sparks an attack on his family's Opera House (a scene that seems almost ripped from the Colorado shootings in a medieval world), but also violent interest in his family's affairs. Quite soon Neil's world falls apart and he has to figure out how to survive and avenge the destruction of his old life. So do the other feuding families, as their worlds similar disintegrate.
This book will break your heart; while doing the heartbreak, however, author Kyle Prue tempers grief with the hope for justice and victory against unwinnable odds. (Pay attention to that, George R.R. Martin.) There's hope for a better world, and while grief overwhelms the reader and Neil at times, they push against it to survive and remember what's important. I was pleased to find that the book did NOT end on a massive cliffhanger but resolved the conflict established at the beginning, while promising further adventures and battles.
One thing though that was predictable was . That kinda broke the spell of grief, but other than that the book was near perfect. I highly recommend it for those that want adventure, fantasy, and hope for a happier family.
Three feuding families rule the city of Altyron\ -- the Vapros, the Taurlum and the Celerius-- under the rule of a mysterious emperor. They make the Capulets and Montagues look tame in the face of assassinating each other, kicking each other's butts at the opera house, and . Neil is a Vapros, and he aspires to be an assassin to impress his father, who's never impressed. His failed mission not only sparks an attack on his family's Opera House (a scene that seems almost ripped from the Colorado shootings in a medieval world), but also violent interest in his family's affairs. Quite soon Neil's world falls apart and he has to figure out how to survive and avenge the destruction of his old life. So do the other feuding families, as their worlds similar disintegrate.
This book will break your heart; while doing the heartbreak, however, author Kyle Prue tempers grief with the hope for justice and victory against unwinnable odds. (Pay attention to that, George R.R. Martin.) There's hope for a better world, and while grief overwhelms the reader and Neil at times, they push against it to survive and remember what's important. I was pleased to find that the book did NOT end on a massive cliffhanger but resolved the conflict established at the beginning, while promising further adventures and battles.
One thing though that was predictable was . That kinda broke the spell of grief, but other than that the book was near perfect. I highly recommend it for those that want adventure, fantasy, and hope for a happier family.
June 21, 2016
I won a copy of this book through a First Reads giveaway.
I was hooked after the first line. I was quickly caught up in the story. This does not read like it was written by a high school senior, it ha a feel of someone who has written many works like this.
The way each chapter takes you to a different character from the three families is a great way of advancing the story lines. Other authors have written through one set of eyes for multiple chapters then switched points of view and then you go over what just happened but from a different perspective.
From the start Neil Vapros feels like a bit of an underdog but that quickly changes. You might start out disliking Darius but chances are by the end you soften a bit. Lilly has elements of a kick ass warrior woman, this is always great to see.
None of the female characters seem to fade into the background, they stand front and center not allowing the males to protect them.
The way the families are betrayed and the way their children eventually decide to call an uneasy truce is played out wonderfully. I really want to know who the man in the mask is with the bow and arrows! Also I was sad to read the loss of Jonathan but thought it was absolutely fitting in the way it was done. Could not have asked for a better send off for such a wonderfully comical character.
I cannot wait to read the subsequent books in this series.
I was hooked after the first line. I was quickly caught up in the story. This does not read like it was written by a high school senior, it ha a feel of someone who has written many works like this.
The way each chapter takes you to a different character from the three families is a great way of advancing the story lines. Other authors have written through one set of eyes for multiple chapters then switched points of view and then you go over what just happened but from a different perspective.
From the start Neil Vapros feels like a bit of an underdog but that quickly changes. You might start out disliking Darius but chances are by the end you soften a bit. Lilly has elements of a kick ass warrior woman, this is always great to see.
None of the female characters seem to fade into the background, they stand front and center not allowing the males to protect them.
The way the families are betrayed and the way their children eventually decide to call an uneasy truce is played out wonderfully. I really want to know who the man in the mask is with the bow and arrows! Also I was sad to read the loss of Jonathan but thought it was absolutely fitting in the way it was done. Could not have asked for a better send off for such a wonderfully comical character.
I cannot wait to read the subsequent books in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2015
A Fast Paced Fantasy Adventure
Neil Vapros, a member of the powerful Vapros family, wants to be an assassin to impress his father. He is assigned to kill the grandfather, titular head of the Taurlum clan. Once in the Taurlum mansion, he looks for the grandfather, but instead runs into two young Tarulum brothers, Darius and Michael. They give chase and Neil is barely able to escape.
The three primary families of Altryon: Vapros, Taurlum, and Celerium, have been given special powers designed to help protect the city from the dangers of the world outside the city walls, but for years they have been fighting each other using their powers to kill each other. Now there is a powerful emperor, but instead of fostering peace among the families, he appears to be encouraging the feud.
Young adults, teens and preteens, should enjoy this book. It's filled with action, battles, and magical encounters where young people fight to protect their families. The book focuses on plot and action and does it well. However, there is little character development. Neil does grow as he faces the forces arrayed against him, but the other characters remain static.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys fast paced action with a touch of magic.
I reviewed this book for PR by the Book.
Neil Vapros, a member of the powerful Vapros family, wants to be an assassin to impress his father. He is assigned to kill the grandfather, titular head of the Taurlum clan. Once in the Taurlum mansion, he looks for the grandfather, but instead runs into two young Tarulum brothers, Darius and Michael. They give chase and Neil is barely able to escape.
The three primary families of Altryon: Vapros, Taurlum, and Celerium, have been given special powers designed to help protect the city from the dangers of the world outside the city walls, but for years they have been fighting each other using their powers to kill each other. Now there is a powerful emperor, but instead of fostering peace among the families, he appears to be encouraging the feud.
Young adults, teens and preteens, should enjoy this book. It's filled with action, battles, and magical encounters where young people fight to protect their families. The book focuses on plot and action and does it well. However, there is little character development. Neil does grow as he faces the forces arrayed against him, but the other characters remain static.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys fast paced action with a touch of magic.
I reviewed this book for PR by the Book.
November 25, 2018
I find YA fantasy usually too shallow, and while I couldn't call The Sparks shallow in terms of plotting, it certainly needed much more work in its actual story-telling. The concept of warring families was interesting and the somewhat complex relationship was actually much simpler than the first few pages might suggest. For me, though, it wasn't about the plot or how characters related to one another. It was Prue's writing, which was simple yet too expository. Facts were given so much more often than they were shown, well except the fight scenes which repeated the same actions over and over again.
I did like the ending, but overall, I think that perhaps I've grown out of reading stories about little boys (teenagers) changing the world. And, I do realise that Prue was only 15 when he wrote the story, which is indeed impressive. But the moment the story is published, it joins the fierce competition of every other published book. And, unfortunately, The Sparks does not shine among the battlefield.
I did like the ending, but overall, I think that perhaps I've grown out of reading stories about little boys (teenagers) changing the world. And, I do realise that Prue was only 15 when he wrote the story, which is indeed impressive. But the moment the story is published, it joins the fierce competition of every other published book. And, unfortunately, The Sparks does not shine among the battlefield.
March 12, 2015
I love how Kyle immediate throws you into the action! Every minute with Neil,Lilly, daruis and the families is incredible. The feud between the families is centuries old but with this new threat coming forward will the feud last between the families or will a new sun come over the horizon? In this action packed book Kyle keeps you on the edge of your seat. I can't wait for THE FLAMES. Kyle please please let me be a winner for your book if you have a giveaway!!!
April 15, 2015
+ I was given this book through first reads in exchange for an honest review.
It was ok. It didn't really get good to where I wanted to keep reading until close to the end. It was a little confusing because there were so many different characters in the different families, sometimes it was confusing. Like I said, the book was ok but it did end good and I would most likely continue reading the series.
It was ok. It didn't really get good to where I wanted to keep reading until close to the end. It was a little confusing because there were so many different characters in the different families, sometimes it was confusing. Like I said, the book was ok but it did end good and I would most likely continue reading the series.
March 2, 2015
**Full review PLUS giveaway! http://bookhabitue.blogspot.com/2015/...**
3 1/2 stars
Copy received for review.
Not a bad story, fairly compelling.
Needed tightening, for sure. You can kind of tell the author's young. One entire chapter in particular seemed to serve no purpose at all.
3 1/2 stars
Copy received for review.
Not a bad story, fairly compelling.
Needed tightening, for sure. You can kind of tell the author's young. One entire chapter in particular seemed to serve no purpose at all.
April 18, 2017
Fun & exciting
Great read! I became attached to the characters right away. The young people thrown into adversity seemed real to me in a very supernatural world. Loved that they each had different super powers. I highly recommend it.
Great read! I became attached to the characters right away. The young people thrown into adversity seemed real to me in a very supernatural world. Loved that they each had different super powers. I highly recommend it.
March 11, 2015
Mr. Prue is a talented young man. I see awards in his future. He has a fertile imagination and the talent to put it into a gripping story. As my 16 year ild said when I asked him what he thought of the book, : "I can't wait for the next one!"
April 26, 2015
This was a great fantasy. It had characters I could really get into. The story line kept you interested. I am looking forward to reading the next book. I won this book on goodreads.
November 19, 2015
Well written, an excellent read. Not the sort of book I would normally have read, but I'm really glad I did. Look forward to reading the other two in the series.
May 31, 2017
The Houses have been warring for generations. Each House has it’s warriors and assassins along with their special abilities. Now something has taken aim at the major Houses and old feuds may have to be set aside in order for the remnants of these Houses to survive. Building trust enough to mount a strategic attack may be impossible.
Set in the fictional city of Altryon, Neil Vapros is an assassin in training. He desperately wants his father’s approval but gaining that may be impossible. The Vapros are currently targeting the senior members of House Taurlum but taking one out is harder than Neil expected. In fact, if it wasn’t for Neil’s street-wise commoner friend Bianca, his role in this tale may have ended quite early on.
Even as Neil tries to come up with new ways to prove himself worthy of the Vapros House, something starts targeting the three ruling Houses. Despite their special powers, they die or disappear one after the other. The steel skin and incredible strength of the Taurlum House doesn’t keep them safe. For each incredible power, there is a weakness and the Taurlum weakness is not a secret. Members of the Vapros House can teleport and also turn human bodies into ash. House Celerius (the ability to heal quickly coupled with super speed) comes into it a bit later but also plays a significant role. Myth holds that these Houses were given special abilities in order to protect the people of Altryon. Outside there city-wide walls lies only rumors and guesses.
This rich, deadly world that Prue created is the thing that I loved most about this book. These long-feuding Houses and the kids growing up in this culture where they are expected to kill members of the other Houses whenever they get the chance is a great setting. When major changes start happening to this status quo, it gets really interesting. Now the main characters no longer have this family script on how to behave and they have to start thinking and acting for themselves and the ones they truly care about. For instance. Neil’s sisters (Jennifer and Victoria) aren’t particularly loving towards him. Once his family comes under attack, things shift.
Michael of House Tarlum experiences a character shift as well once he loses most of his family. I was particularly intrigued by this character because he seems so rough and bull-like at the beginning. He’s a big ball of anger and perhaps lust (lust for power, life, the ladies). Losing the comforts and prestige he grew up with changes him.
I also enjoyed the glimpses we get into the Emperor’s life and those closest to him. He’s a force to be reckoned with and he isn’t playing fair. Then there’s also the hints that there’s a bigger world outside of Altryon. I hope the author explores this possibility in later books.
There was one small weakness that stood out to me. There’s a point where these remnants of the great Houses plan to meet to discuss where to go from here. They set a time and location and share that around. It was painfully obvious that somehow their foe would get hold of this info and they would be attacked. It was a predictable plot point that was delivered without subtlety.
Despite that one little criticism, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was trying to describe this book to my husband and I went with ‘imagine Scott Lynch’s Gentlemen Bastards without all the creative cussing mashed up with Red Rising without Mars and you got something like The Sparks‘. Now he wants to give it a read as well and he’s not particularly into YA books. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via The Audiobookworm.
The Narration: Jon Eric Preston was a really good pick for this book. While is female character voices could use a bit more femininity, he kept all the characters distinct. He had a variety of voices for all the male characters. What he excelled at were the numerous emotions. He was great at getting the characters’s anger, grief, frustration, joy, triumph, surprise, and more across to the listener.
Set in the fictional city of Altryon, Neil Vapros is an assassin in training. He desperately wants his father’s approval but gaining that may be impossible. The Vapros are currently targeting the senior members of House Taurlum but taking one out is harder than Neil expected. In fact, if it wasn’t for Neil’s street-wise commoner friend Bianca, his role in this tale may have ended quite early on.
Even as Neil tries to come up with new ways to prove himself worthy of the Vapros House, something starts targeting the three ruling Houses. Despite their special powers, they die or disappear one after the other. The steel skin and incredible strength of the Taurlum House doesn’t keep them safe. For each incredible power, there is a weakness and the Taurlum weakness is not a secret. Members of the Vapros House can teleport and also turn human bodies into ash. House Celerius (the ability to heal quickly coupled with super speed) comes into it a bit later but also plays a significant role. Myth holds that these Houses were given special abilities in order to protect the people of Altryon. Outside there city-wide walls lies only rumors and guesses.
This rich, deadly world that Prue created is the thing that I loved most about this book. These long-feuding Houses and the kids growing up in this culture where they are expected to kill members of the other Houses whenever they get the chance is a great setting. When major changes start happening to this status quo, it gets really interesting. Now the main characters no longer have this family script on how to behave and they have to start thinking and acting for themselves and the ones they truly care about. For instance. Neil’s sisters (Jennifer and Victoria) aren’t particularly loving towards him. Once his family comes under attack, things shift.
Michael of House Tarlum experiences a character shift as well once he loses most of his family. I was particularly intrigued by this character because he seems so rough and bull-like at the beginning. He’s a big ball of anger and perhaps lust (lust for power, life, the ladies). Losing the comforts and prestige he grew up with changes him.
I also enjoyed the glimpses we get into the Emperor’s life and those closest to him. He’s a force to be reckoned with and he isn’t playing fair. Then there’s also the hints that there’s a bigger world outside of Altryon. I hope the author explores this possibility in later books.
There was one small weakness that stood out to me. There’s a point where these remnants of the great Houses plan to meet to discuss where to go from here. They set a time and location and share that around. It was painfully obvious that somehow their foe would get hold of this info and they would be attacked. It was a predictable plot point that was delivered without subtlety.
Despite that one little criticism, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was trying to describe this book to my husband and I went with ‘imagine Scott Lynch’s Gentlemen Bastards without all the creative cussing mashed up with Red Rising without Mars and you got something like The Sparks‘. Now he wants to give it a read as well and he’s not particularly into YA books. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via The Audiobookworm.
The Narration: Jon Eric Preston was a really good pick for this book. While is female character voices could use a bit more femininity, he kept all the characters distinct. He had a variety of voices for all the male characters. What he excelled at were the numerous emotions. He was great at getting the characters’s anger, grief, frustration, joy, triumph, surprise, and more across to the listener.
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