Hunted

Seventeen #1

by A.D. Starrling

Formerly published as "Soul Meaning".



"They call me the half-breed.

The first time they killed me, I was ten.

They’ve been hunting me all my life.

It’s time I stopped running."

Born of a Bastian mother and a Crovir father, a half-breed who is abhorred by the two Immortal races, Lucas Soul spends the first three hundred and fifty years of his existence being chased and killed by the Hunters.

One fall night in Boston, the Hunt starts again, resulting in Soul's fifteenth death and triggering a chain of events that sends him on the run with Reid Hasley, a former US Marine and his human business partner. From Paris to Prague, their search for answers leads them deep into the Immortal societies and brings them face to face with someone from Soul’s past. Shocking secrets are revealed and fresh allies come to the fore as they uncover a new and terrifying threat to both immortals and humans.

To defeat his enemies, Soul must embrace his tortured fate and become the Hunter. But time is running out. Can he protect the ones he loves and prevent another Immortal War before his seventeenth and final death?

Hunted is the first installment in AD Starrling’s bestselling supernatural thriller series Seventeen. If you like high-octane, fast-paced adventures that combine science and fantasy then you’ll love the world of Seventeen.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Ebooks, Action

400 pages, Unknown Binding

First published February 5, 2012

About the author

A.D. Starrling is a bestselling author renowned for her pulse-pounding fusion of urban fantasy, action, adventure, and supernatural suspense. With a passion for history and a gift for intricate plotting, she crafts captivating narratives that transport readers across time and continents. Her Seventeen series, featuring immortal warriors with extraordinary abilities, has garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated global following. Her authentic research and skillful character development keep readers hooked, while her love for action movies infuses her work with electrifying combat sequences and story lines.

When she’s not busy writing, A.D. can be found eating Thai food, being tortured by her back therapists, working part-time as a doctor on a Neonatal Intensive Care unit somewhere in the UK, reading manga, and watching anime. She has occasionally been accused of committing art with a charcoal stick and some drawing paper.

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Reviews

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

Short review - Holy shit

Longer review - okay so I read the three free shorts (try saying that after two glasses of wine) before starting this. So I had the background on Lucas.
He’s the immortal son of two immortals.

Born of a Bastian mother and a Crovir father, a half-breed who is abhorred by the two Immortal races, Lucas Soul spends the first three hundred and fifty years of his existence being chased and killed by the Hunters.

At this point I need to point out that when I say immortal. What I actually mean is they each have seventeen lives. On their seventeenth death they stay dead.

There’s lots going on here. And while it’s true I struggled with the first person. There was enough to keep me reading.

To say this book was action packed would be an understatement. I mean seriously it never lets up. And that was one of the problems. Too much of anything bores me after a while. And I found myself skimming. Also there’s a lot of deaths in this book. As you can imagine since most of the characters have seventeen lives. Again it became too much.

I liked the story and the characters especially Reid. And I will be continuing on to the next book.

It was just a little too full throttle for me. I needed everyone to take a breath if only for a second.

Rating this is harder. Despite its faults I did enjoy it and I am continuing on with the series. So I’m giving 3.5* at the moment...

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunted
By A.D. Starrling
This is book #1 in the Seventeen series. I went into this blind and I am glad I did. I loved the unique plot and great characters. Lots of action, suspense, and even a touch of romance. I definitely want to continue this series.

[Pippa DaCosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soul Meaning is high-octane novel filled with guns, explosions, car chases, rocket launchers, and awesomeness.



And swords. Because who doesn’t like swords?



Fans of Highlander (more the TV series than the films) will enjoy this.

Two immortal families have been battling for centuries. Lucas Soul is caught between them. As a half-breed (born of both families. Immortal. With a curious gift for being able to kill his own immortal brethren), he keeps to himself and tries to stay out of their way. But when he’s stabbed through the chest and pushed off a building, staying off their radar is no longer an option.

Here begineth crazy action and mayhem.



I love the relationship between Soul and his ‘partner’ Reid.

‘I met up with our new client.’
‘And?’ said Reid.
‘He wasn’t happy to see me.’ Something in my voice made him stiffen.
‘How unhappy are we talking here?’
I sighed. ‘Well, he stuck a sword through my heart and pushed me off the top of the Cramer building. I’d say he was pretty pissed.’

Reid is an ex-marine, and Soul’s business partner at the detective agency they run together. His dry wit and human/mortal perspective make for great banter. I warmed to Reid from the first word!

Beautifully written with non-stop action from practically page one. My only quibble, and just my personal opinion, is that Soul was almost too perfect, and I struggled to really feel for him. He’s a font of knowledge (perhaps sometimes a little too much knowledge) as an immortal would be, but I felt I never really cared enough about his plight. I’d like to have seen more of an emotional reaction from him. Maybe see him screw up once in a while.

But, that minor quibble aside, this is a really cool book that would make a great movie!

(Currently free on Amazon)

[Jola · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book. The reader is hooked from the start as A.D. Starrling don't hesitate to drop us in the middle of action.
The supernatural world created is one that you will not forget easily. An idea of immortals that can die after they experienced their seventeenth death is fascinating.
The mystery of the book also keeps you on the edge of your seat, as we slowly uncover why the Hunters want to kill Lucas Soul, the main character. Most of the plot twists were done so well that I hadn't anticipated them.
Soul Meaning reminds me a little of The Da Vinci Code in the way that characters are constantly on the move and in search for clues.
I feel the author put a lot of research in her story: the description of all the cities the characters visited, the technology and scientific facts made the story even better and more realistic.
I can't wait to put my hands on the next installment.

Thanks to A.D. Starrling for sending me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice little gem. Reminds me a lot of Highlander in a good way, but has a different edge to it. I wish the action scenes were less repetitive and more detail with the sword-fighting, but otherwise a good action/adventure novel.

Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.

[Julius Slighterman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of the story is compelling, it grabbed my attention. A book about immortals? Count me in for reading. The way these people are immortal is awesome. They can die, but they resurrect and their wounds heal quickly. (Though, it bugged me why exactly sixteen times. Why was it the seventeenth death that was fatal? But it's just me, taunting.) It made me think what would be the life like if I knew I can survive my death.

The plot was well crafted. Lucas Soul got in the crossfire of two immortal Houses' conflict and in the way of the cruel Crovir leader who was seeking revenge on the opposite immortal family and the mortal society. The breaking out of the war was imminent.

The books is really fast paced, actually too fast for my liking. I could hardly catch my breath between action scenes. There is a certain dynamics to action books, after a fighting scene there must be a time for the reader to calm down. For me the action fas too tightly packed together.

There was another point I had problem with: too many deaths. If there is one death in a book it has a huge impact. The whole story can be built around it, this is what crime books are about. Every further death have less and less impact. In Soul meaning people died like flies. After a certain point I stopped caring about them, moreover, I started to skip paragraphs in fighting scenes. This was the main reason I gave only three stars.

However, I liked the author's voice, and I found the book well edited. I think the biggest problem with indie books is that many of them are poorly edited. The author made the effort to polish the story and it paid back.

I would love to see more character development, though. I'm not talking about showing emotional reactions in situations, that was OK, but the character arc throughout the story. I suppose the many actions didn't leave enough room for that.

Soul meaning is an enjoyable book if you are into urban fantasy and immortals.

[Anachronist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:

Lucas Soul…an immortal like no other. He’s been hunted and despised for centuries just because he is a ‘half-breed’ – born of a Bastian mother and a Crovir father, apparently a major boo-boo among both immortal factions. He’s been shunned and forgotten – mostly. His seventeen shots at death have been serving him well enough to keep him alive and kicking unitl modern times. Now the years of relative peace and quiet are coming to an end.

All of a sudden Lucas finds herself mercilessly chased by the Hunters – elite Crovir killers- and dies twice during one week, kind of grim record for him. Being on your last life is no fun – Lucas and his completely human partner, Reid Hasley, must find out why the Crovir decided to change their policy so abruptly and discover many other secrets while touring Europe in a truly extreme style.

My impressions:

It was one of those stories you can enjoy while being in an appropriate set of mind. It reminded me of Indiana Jones movies – full of action, with a dash of info about this or that, a whiff of romance and a lot of running, shooting, killing and escaping while the characters were trying to save the world and their hides. Don’t take them too seriously and you’ll be fine – entertained, amused, even distracted from the ugly reality for an hour or so. Did this book managed to work its magic? Partially.

My first general remark – the author knows a lot about different machines and she loves describing them. Cars, motorcycles, helicopters, guns, computers and such seemed to play an important role in the adventures of Lucas & co. Apart from that she knows biology, chemistry and human anatomy quite well (yes, her background shows).

My second remark: there were many historical events and figures mentioned in this one, among them Miyamoto Musashi, one of the most famous samurai of Japan and Jan Sobieski, a Polish hetman and then the king of Poland who saved Vienna from the Turks in the 17th century. Despite the fact that those tidbits were sometimes presented in the form of small infodumps I was more than ready to forgive it just because they existed. I also liked the fact that the majority the book were set in different European countries.

Of course there were things I didn’t like.

What made Indiana Jones movies so popular and watchable? After all they were pretty stupid productions which you could easily accuse of different transgressions against the laws of physics, common logic and history. However one thing made them stand out – the fact that the protagonist and also some supportive characters, e.g. Indiana’s father, were as three-dimensional and funny as it was only possible in such films. What about Lucas Soul?

I do hope deep down he is one nice guy but I think in this book he simply didn’t have time to present his colourful personality. In other words for me it was too much action too little character development. I liked Reid and Lucas' banter, they added the much needed comic relief between all the fighting and dying that was going on but it was too little. Our poor immortal had to slash and duck and shoot and run and give chase with little or no respite from the beginning to the very end - I felt tired just reading about it. A HALO jump? No problem. Shooting grenade launchers in the middle of a university campus in broad daylight ? What fun! Jumping from burning helicopters onto skyscraper roofs? A piece of cake! Slaughtering a bunch of Hunters? Give me a minute or two and it is done...

I understand it is an action-driven novel but still I think a bit more balance in the narration would make it better. What’s more, Agatha Vellacrus and Felix Thorne, the two main baddies, were as thin as cardboard – you could count their lines using only your fingers and they existed solely to be vanquished. Ok, it is just the first installment, perhaps it will be better. To tell you the truth I prefer a weaker first part and stronger rest than the other way round – it is really painful to watch a series going downwards.

My other carpings?

Let me start with a direct quote:

“I left the car, crossed the shallow fore garden and knocked on the front door. It was opened by an elderly gentleman.‘Je peux vous aider?’ said the man in a frail voice, blinking in the porch light.”

‘Je peux vous aider?” Hmm…very informal bordering incorrect. I think in the context (an old man inquiring a complete stranger of the purpose of his visit) it was a mistake. It should be „Puis-je vous aider?” Or if you wanted to avoid a bit dated and stiff verb form (but hey, it was un vielliard speaking!) he could say: “Pourrais-je/ Est-ce que je peux vous aider ?“or simply “Que’est-ce que vous souhetez ici, Monsieur?”

It would be also nice if different characters, Lucas among them, could restrain themselves from saying or commenting something ‘drily’ or ‘wryly’ throughout the narration – if I drank a shot every time they did it I would get completely sozzled after the first half of the book.

One more thing and a serious spoiler, highlight to read or skip:

Anna Godard and Lucas Soul are each other’s love interest. They also happen to be close cousins – as close as you can get. Their mothers were sisters and their fathers were brothers. I know they are immortals and soul mates so perhaps different rules apply here but…ick.

Final verdict:

Not bad for a debut novel, a high-octane paranormal thriller to boot. The epilogue really made me curious about the whole immortal business but the lack of proper character building kind of ruined this one for me. I do hope the next installment will be slower and better. Because it can be slower and better. I think the author has a lot of potential for that. :)

[Meigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, this was one of those books where I started it, set it aside without finishing, formed my opinion on how I thought it was going to be. I then got the idea to buy it for my husband since it has many things he likes from movies - cars, action, international intrigue and espionage. Now, my husband isn't an avid reader. He's got many a hobby, books are probably the last thing on his list of "fun things" (he's slowly crossing over to the good side, though). For him to pick it up and do a marathon reading of it, and then to encourage me to finish it made me think I was too hasty to set it aside. At his urging, I started it again and have never been more surprised. This book was definitely worlds better than the preconceived notions I had for it. I normally don't fancy books with non-stop action and stories where the characters jump continents on what seems like a never-ending chase. Now I can throw that idea out the window and expand my horizons because it turns out I do like them :)

Lucas Soul is an immortal, a half-breed. A product of his parents' forbidden relationship. His father descends from the Crovirs, his mother from the Bastians. The Crovirs and the Bastians are the only immortals on earth, and they have been fighting for millennia. Hunters are tasked with finding the half-breeds and killing them. Most of them don't last long, Lucas being the exception. He's also hunted for another reason - he is feared because of a certain "gift" he possesses. Lucas now resides in Boston, running a PI company with his partner, Reid. Reid is a former Marine and a former cop, and one of the few humans who know truly what Lucas is.

The story starts immediately with action. Lucas dies his 15th death, which isn't a good thing. The immortals aren't completely immortal after all. They can only survive up to 17 deaths before they are gone for good. Lucas and Reid now embark on an international chase, running from both hunters and dangerous men who are also after the same thing they are.

I loved the idea of immortals actually having a mortal side. I suppose that as long as they're careful, they can live long and prosper. Lucas isn't careful. I also love the bits of history woven into the story. Starrling based many of her events on factual historical events, and you can tell she took great care to properly research different aspects and pull together a great story. I also loved the action. In the beginning, I found the action to be a bit tedious. It seemed like Lucas and Reid were running for no purpose. Had I initially continued just a bit further, I would have learned a bit more of the how's and why's they are on an wild goose chase that leads them from several cities in the US over to Europe.

I really enjoyed this story after giving it a second chance. I would have surely been missing out if I went with my initial thoughts on the book and decided not to finish it at all. I will now be on the lookout for anything else Ms. Starrling publishes.

**Book received on behalf of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Ronie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whole world in one book. Shoot half of this should have been in a second book. Breaking up the drama. This was an Acton pack read.

[Lisa Traasdahl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would make a much better movie than book. The descriptions of action scenes were exhausting and hard to follow. Reminded me a little of A Discovery of Witches plot. Eh…..

[Kriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

What? Died? Part immortal? Half Breed? Man-hunt, a threat to millions… wait a gosh darn minute! This reads like a bloody season of 24 but with a supernatural twist… no no no not Supernatural, well not really, these guys are not angels, vampires or zombies.. of course there is a character that reminds me of Cas and also one that reminds me of Crowley but only because of the snark and attitude.

But let’s get down to why everyone I know should seriously pick this puppy up and read it! Well, all of those without heart conditions that is. Why you ask?

INTENSE, NON-STOP ACTION - You know the movie Speed? Reading this book is like being on the bus, and you know if the bus stops something bad is going to happen, as in BOOM. You do not know if the bus can be stopped safety so you don’t want the bus to stop, you want it to keep going while Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock can manage to keep the bus from slowing down, the stars from freaking out and everyone else in line till he can figure out what to do. Starrling is our Keanu here, she is not letting anything slow the bus story down. Not one step or breath in the wrong direction. (I seriously found myself gasping because I had been holding my breath for oh…. the chapter I just finished.)

Our main protagonist, Lucas Soul, is sickeningly rich (duh, been around for centuries), incredibly well learned and smart (see former duh), and is about as perfect as can be, sort of… he still has a bit of a broken soul, a heart that needs mending, his second half found. And he finds her amidst the smoking guns, 15th & 16th deaths and beyond seventeen… (wicked grin). Who it ends up being may shock many but Starrling, again, pulls this off splendidly.

SMART & WELL RESEARCHED STORY-LINE - The story is full of all sorts of procedural geeky science stuff that makes the nerd smart chick in me go ooohh! The Immortals are wealthy and have had years to research and work with the science of biology and genetics. They happen to be Immortal-ish. Well that is they can die seventeen times and still live to talk about it. You have to take a leap of faith into the realm of the supernatural and accept them for what they are. Don’t worry it is explained, enough to give you a basic understanding. To say more would be spoiling it.

This is where certain aspects of 24 comes in for me. How many times did you roll your eyes when Jack Bauer actually managed to get cell service in some dank underground sewage tunnel? Without giving Sprint kudos, it is actually possible for a signal to work far down underground. Starrling has the characters getting one and even goes into explaining how. I looked it up, and when you get to the point in the novel I think you will agree the way she does this small info dump is just right. Not to much to make you go COME ON, move along, I get it already! He can talk underground because … and … and…! My point is, there is a lot of technical things happening in the book but Miss Starrling brings it to a readability level which most should be able to grasp without dumbing it down to .. well dumb. It is a smart read, she treats her readers with respect and knows she is giving just the right enough information not to make their eyes glaze over and start craving a PBR while scratching their crotch.

Villains and Heroes to love- Two families who treat each other like two different races. Lucas is the son of a daughter of one and son of the other family and yet belongs to neither. To the point of possible genocide this is part of the whole threat! The whole “cast” is lovable even if it is a love hate relationship. I want to choke the shit out of many of the asshats which basically are reminiscent to Nazi Germany, but justly so. It is totally necessary to set up the back story. Am I making any sense? Well I am to me, go read the book, it is that complex yet not overwhelmingly so!

The characters are thick and real, I can see each of them in my minds-eye The Hunters hunting, the hunted hunting back, its a swirling pot of awesomesauce. Lucas Soul is like a brooding Cas (yes now you can think Supernatural) blended with the hardass Bauer and wrapped up in a smart-ass-humor bow. Not obnoxious, just right. He has the shrug the shoulders and move along kind of attitude. Reid, his partner in “crime” is a human who has absolutely the best freaking luck I have ever seen. There is more than meets the eye with this guy and he goes with the flow. Anna comes in a bit later and we do not get to know her as well, but we all feel for her and by the end know we will learn even more in the next book.

The list goes on seriously, but this review needs to wrap up! The one other character whom I have fallen in love with, as in I want him in my basement to be used at my disposal, is Anatole. I like him so very much. What’s not to like about a guy who is able to move past the ingrained bigotry and support the cause and the people. Who is able to tell everyone to get out while they can and look back at the amassing enemies and face one of his deaths with a shout ”Hey assholes! We’re right here!“

You won’t be be able to put this one down. You will need to write your self a note reminding yourself to breath, you will want to take blood pressure and anti-seizure medicine prior to starting because you are in for an amazing and exciting ride. This one is getting 5 out of 5 lives, and in the of the fifth star, is just not the final star! Because this story is one to hit the immortal and classic spot on the bookshelves. It is so promising there is no where but up to go!

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The opening prologue;
My name is Lucas Soul. Today I died again. This is my fifteenth death in the last four hundred and fifty years.

Lucas Soul is an immortal halfbreed and with his human partner Reid they run an investigation agency. But somebody wants Lucas dead for good, and will stop at nothing until the job is done.

Wow! If you want swords, guns, car chases and explosive action then read this.
There are six books in this series and I'll definitely be reading them all.

[Andreea Pausan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, cinematic quality, mystery and a man who cannot die. Good book.

[Trish R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read/listen..

Let me start by saying it’s unusual for me to read/listen to any book written in the first person. Really? I, I, I, I, I? How boring is that through a whole story? But I decided to give this a try since it’s sounded good. It’s about an Immortal and a human who are partners in an investigations company but they don’t have any investigations because someone is trying to kill the hero. After leaving the United States they end up going to Paris where there was waaaay to many loooong street names spelled out in French, they also went to Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany, only to end up back in the US, then to an island in the Mediterranean Sea, always chasing the bad guys. Anyway, this will be my last book written in the first person for a long time, and I especially won’t read another book about an Immortal written this way. To me, something that doesn’t exist should not be written in the first person: Immortal, any kind of shifter, Fae, and like that. It doesn’t make any sense to me. But, that’s just me.

Anyway, this was a good story and it kept you guessing as to why they wanted Lucas Soul dead so badly. AND there were soooo many battles between the good and bad Immortals. That being said, I can tell you this didn’t need to be a 420 page book. Besides all the battles there were ridiculously long descriptions going on, i.e. He walked to the car, unlocked it, got in, put the key into the ignition, started it, and eased out into traffic. Really? Is all that kind of crap necessary? You write a good book then put all that crazy shit in it and ruin it? I did find myself skimming a lot, just to get to the good parts. Even though the 2nd book is actually written in the 3rd person I can’t see myself reading it. It’s another 400 page book and I just know there will be all kinds of nonsensical descriptions to muddle through.

I did liked Reid, though. He was an awesome partner. There were a lot of good characters but sometimes I felt there were a little too many, too many Crovir Immortals and too many Bastian Immortals you had to remember. I picked 4 or 5 names and that’s whose names I remembered: Anna, Tomas, Bruno and Anatole, Victor, besides Lucas and Reid, I mean. However there was Costas, Roman, Felix, Benisek, Pierre, Solange, Vellacrus, Grigoryie, Reznak, Pinchter, Friedrich, Burnstein, McCabe, Lacroix, Solito, Carlo, Sylviana, and I have no idea how many others I've forgotten that you needed to keep track of, and remember if they were good or bad or human.

Their battles took them to all the countries I mentioned earlier, and there wasn’t a country they missed killing in. Well, killed for a minute before the Immortals got back up. Overall, a good and bad book.

There was no swearing and not enough romance to even mention.

As to the narrator: He was OK. His characters had their own voices. The women were alright and his emotions were good but still he was still just OK for me. His reading was rather boring, really. He wasn't the worst I've ever heard so I would definitely listen to him again.

[Yzabel Ginsberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I got an ARC of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Since this was an ARC, please note that it might still undergo a few changes before publication.)

One thing I should say from the start is that Soul Meaning would probably make a terrific movie: packed with action, flying bullets, underground treads in secret passageways, a conspiracy that could have a horrible impact on the whole world... A real page-turner.

I especially liked the setting. From what I could see, and as far as I know, real-world locations were well-documented, and I could feel the author researched those, and didn't only made up stuff on the spot. Bonus points for proper use of French language, which isn't such a given considering how many novels come up with mangled sentences in that regard. I also liked the way the immortals' society worked, with two factions technically at peace, yet always seeming like they were on the brink of reigniting the conflict. Last but not least, the stakes were exactly of the kind I like to read about, and here, too, it was obvious things were researched beforehand.

Make it a (solid) 3.5 stars and not a 5, though, because of two things that didn't really work out for me (unfortunately):

1) The action itself: I liked a fast-paced read, but this one was so fast-paced it made me feel tired. As in, physically tired, just like the characters could only be after so many days living on the edge. On the one hand, it is a positive point: any author can be proud when his/her books elicit responses from the readers. On the other hand, well... there were moments when I wanted to keep on reading, yet had to take a break nonetheless. In the end, it detracted from my enjoyment, even though it wasn't a breaker either.
(Minor sidenote about suppressors, too: if I'm not mistaken, you'd still hear the gun shot, and it might still attract attention in enclosed spaces, if only the way a strange muffled sound where there isn't supposed to be any would. Granted, this is nitpicking on my part.)

2) Because the story unfolds so quickly, and the protagonists are so often on the run, I felt there wasn't enough room for character development. We get to see them react, made plans, devise means of escape, fight, piece hints together... but I didn't get a complete feeling for them as people. I think they are deeper than that; their depth just couldn't shine through as much as it would have in different circumstances.

Still, I liked this book (as said, I would easily envision it as a movie or an episode in a TV series), and will keep an eye out for more from this authir. It's mostly those two specific aspects that didn't agree with me—and may not be such a problem for another reader.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Avid Reviews:
http://avidfantasyreviews.wordpress.c...


Soul Meaning is a paranormal thriller that feels more like an action movie than an urban fantasy. In fact, I would be hesitant to classify this novel as fantasy, even though the main character and many of the secondary characters are immortals.
The story is from the point of view of Lucas Soul, an immortal who is a half-breed between the two different types of immortals. He is the product of ill-fated star-crossed lovers, and this has somehow given him powers that are slightly superior to that of regular mortals. He is also incredibly well learned, highly skilled, and extremely rich. All immortals are given only 17 deaths, and as the this story begins as Lucas dies for the 15th and 16th time. He and his mortal friend Reid are being hunted by immortal assassins and they flee from the east coast of the U.S. to Europe in search of an answer to a mystery that may explain the sudden targets on their backs, and will also hopefully be able to save both their lives.
I can say with some confidence that this is the most fast-paced and action packed novel that I have ever read. The first half of the book is virtually all close getaways and gunfights, and even though the plot slows down a little bit in the book's second half, I still felt like there was too much plot and not enough character development. I tend to enjoy books with a slower paced plot, so I am sure that this book will appeal to those that love action packed novel, and perhaps even fans of crime thrillers like those written by James Patterson.
As for the quality if the author's writing, I thought it was pretty good. Even though this novel is not filled with beautiful or lyrical prose, it does have good dialogue between its characters. Also, it seems like the author did her research rather well, from making sure her writing was historically accurate, to the function of a variety of different weapons.
Overall, I would rate this book a 6.5/10 because it was not my kind of novel. This book does have potential though, and I am sure a lot of people will love it. If you do read and enjoy this novel, it is only the first of a series, and I think you will have a lot more to look forward to from this author.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Jade Kerrion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soul Meaning, A.D. Starrling's debut novel, launches a high-octane paranormal thriller. The protagonist is immortal, Lucas Soul, the offspring of two warring immortal races, the Bastians and the Crovirs. who have spent the last several centuries in an uneasy truce. Immortality, however comes with caveats. Lucas is only immortal until his seventeenth death and he does tend to attract trouble--the type of trouble that carries guns and a grudge.

Together with his human chain-smoking partner, Reid, Lucas must figure out why he is hunted, preferably before he dies for the seventeenth time...

I loved this novel. Let me count the ways...

1. It involves biology. Biology major and closet science geek that I am, I adore novels that involve the boundaries of what we know and understand about science, most especially biology. However, for the people who don't speak Biology-ese, rest assured, Starrling has a gentle touch and you won't even notice that you've been hit with science...

2. It successfully dances along the fine line of managing backstory and leading you along while peeling back the layers of the onion. A fair chunk of context is offered up in the first 5-10% of the novel, and the rest, you discover along the way, together with Lucas Soul as he digs into the ever deepening mystery of why the Bastians and Crovirs are reigniting their feud.

3. Lucas is awesome, and to be clear, I rarely offer this compliment to protagonists. Yes, he is fantastically accomplished and rich to boot (and while some people might roll their eyes at so "perfect" a person, let's clarify that he's had several hundred years to get good at what he does, so "near-perfection" is theoretically possible.) What I loved most about him, however, is his quiet, wry humor and attitude. It made him seem down to earth and easy to relate with (his immortality notwithstanding.) He really is the kind of guy I'd like to hang out with; low key and (seemingly) easy going with an undercurrent of pure steel.

I'll confess to skipping through the detailed car chase scenes and even some of the fight scenes. I found some of them a little drawn out; I was looking for the REAL action (which for me usually involves finding out something as opposed to shooting something), but all in all, the book was outstanding--a page-turner, literally.

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Lis Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucas Soul has a problem. There are people who are trying to kill him, and they've just succeeded--for the fifteenth time.

There are two immortal races, the Crovirs and the Bastians, who share Earth with humans. They were at war with each other for millennia, until an uneasy truce was reached at the time of the Black Death. But one thing is still absolutely taboo: intermarriage, or more specifically breeding, between Crovir and Bastian.

Lucas Soul is the son of a Crovir father and a Bastian mother. His mother and father were murdered when he was a small boy, and he was killed for the first time. For centuries they hunted him, and killed him another thirteen times.

Immortals can only survive sixteen deaths; the seventeenth is fatal. For the last century, they seem to have lost interest, perhaps finally convinced he has no intention of using the one ability that makes him a really dreadful danger to them.

But now they're after him again, and he has no idea why. And with only one more death left before the final one, he needs to find out. Soon he and his human friend and business partner, ex-Marine and ex-cop Reid Hasley, are off on a hair-raising chase from Boston to Washington to much of Europe, finding unexpected allies and enemies, and unsuspected secrets about Soul's family history.

Also, of course, uncovering a very dangerous conspiracy.

The story is fast-paced, exciting, and interesting. Starrling has built a fascinating history and culture for the immortals, and some real character development has gone into any character who has more than a line or two.

This is the first of a series, which always makes me wary, but it's a solid start, and I look forward to seeing more.

Minor oddity: The excellent narrator's voice is American, or at least North American, but Soul's vocabulary is often distinctly British. I have no idea if the combination of a British vocabulary with an American accent was intentional or accidental.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Judy Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A popular trend for indie writers is to offer the first book of a series free, as a way to hopefully draw readers in. I picked up this book because of the premise and the first line, “My name is Lucas Soul. Today I died again. This is my fifteenth death in the last four hundred fifty years.”

So that’s a great opening set of lines. Totally hooked me.

As I read deeper into this very long (420) page book, however, I found it harder and harder to continue. There was plenty of action. Actually, there was nothing *but* action. And that was my main issue. I never felt like I got to know any of the characters, and therefore I really didn’t care what happened to them. So many of the so-called immortals died, it was like watching a movie. Whoops, another one died? Oh well.

I actually think that if the writer had reduced some of the many fight scenes and expanded backstory and interactions between Lucas, his pal Reid, and the woman he loves, this would have been a better story. But apparently others love the action, by the many four and five star ratings the book has received. So if you love nonstop action, this is your book.

I just found it ironic that the book was titled “Soul Meaning.” To me, it didn’t have much meaning. Or much soul. Just a lot of Lucas Soul, kicking butt.

[Shelley Fletcher]

it took my awhile to read and write a review. ... wished I would've done sooner. ... this book captured me from the 1st chapter. ... if you had used 16 lives and you had one more...how would we live. ..hmmmm... and the crows I really wanted there to be a real twist to them and there was. .. why would crows come at time of death and where do they take you. ...I know...this book was very fast paced but there was a lot of unanswered questions hopefully to be answered in book 2 of the series. To describe the genre of the book id say crime slash paranormal. ..

[Johnathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-stop action!! A thrilling ride with well drawn-out characters and a fascinating plot! I cannot wait for the next book in the series!!!

Won this off of goodreads first reads.

[Blake Billings · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book. Super entertaining. I saw someone else comment that it felt like a not-so-cheesy Highlander and I completely agree. I found myself describing this as "Highlander meets Blade meets a sequel to Romeo and Juliet (assuming they didn't die at the end)" to a friend earlier today.

I loved the action, the story, and the characters among others. Where this loses a star for me, and this may be solely because I listened to the audiobook, is the number of characters and just how difficult is was for me to keep track of who was who.

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At the end when you find out who betrayed them to the Crovirs, my initial was though was, "wait...who is that guy?" I left this book feeling like I really only knew a handful of characters, but I should've had a better grip on more of them.

I also didn't think the Mikael bit was done as well as I would've liked. Mikaels betrayal didn't hit hard enough for how close their relationship was built up to be. And then once we found that Mikael was truly alive and that he was now a Corvir Hunter of sorts, we really weren't given a reason why he faked his death in the first place. Was it just because he learned that Lucas was a "halfbreed"? My point is, this relationship fell a bit flat for me.

And lastly, at the end when Lucas's cousin was in danger, it seemed odd that he was so concerned for her safety. Not because he didn't care for her or that that relationship hadn't been fleshed out enough, not at all. In fact, I think their chemistry was very well written. The reason why this didn't make sense was because it didn't seem to me like she was in any real danger. Right? I mean if she was an early entrant to the field of medicine and then followed up as a scientific researcher, it seems to me she was no where near her 17th life. As such, so what if she lost one life. I would think Lucas would've seen this and not been quite so concerned on saving her from one single death.

All of that to say, I really enjoyed the book, but those are the reasons why I didn't give it 5 stars.

[Nic Ojo (bujos_n_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stumbled upon this book when searching for another. This author is highly underrated. Unsure of why Tor Books or Red Tower Publishing have not scooped this series up.

[Ornella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This book was...intense. So intense I ended up exhausted and just wanted it to end. Even though I did want it to be over already I keept getting sucked in at every action scene, which is like 90% of the book, so that was probably a good thing.

This was one hell of a book. There was so much action it was ridiculous. I don't think anyone in the book slept for more than 2 hours straight. Good thing they are immortals cause I don't know how they would have managed all that. Speaking of which Reid deserved a freaking medal for keeping up with all the mortals and managing to survive through it all with a little help.

There was so much betrayal, inner fighting, and secrets that it took a while for it to all really make sense. The evil plan that the good guys were trying to stop was one hell of a plan. Genius really. Have to give the old lady props for organizing all that. Once the plan was figured out, the rest of the plot was pretty straightforward, even some last minute secrets weren't really that hard to guess, but in this case none of that mattered cause the action just dwarfed it all.

Now I am always happy when there are lots of action scenes but there were almost too many here. It was action scene after action scene and it started getting more and more blown out of proportion. They were shooting grenade launchers in the middle of a university campus in broad daylight for god's sake! To say they were getting bold was an understatement. There was jumping from burning helicopters onto skyscraper roofs. There was HALO jumping. It was insane.

At first I loved all the action. It would be Lucas and Reid following clues going from country to country and the bad guys right behind them with shoot outs, car chases, grenades, some old school Japanese sword fighting thrown in for good measure as well. But it all just got be too much. Lucas kept getting opportunities to kill major players halfway into the book and he never took them. He kept them alive intentionally. Now I understand he wanted information to figure out the plan so there fore keep them alive. But dude, take them with you then! Don't just leave them there and walk out...How else are you supposed to get the info?

The romance was just weird, between cousins too. I could overlook that but the romance was just strange. I don't get why they were exchanging I love you's so quickly. Then again Lucas did keep going into fights so I guess there is that. Speaking of which at the last big fight scene Lucas is going all panicky cause they are going to kill Anna, but she is an immortal..and it isn't her last death....so why the huge deal? It would probably be best if she stayed dead for awhile so she wasn't a distraction, but that's just me I guess.

There were so many characters here and they were all really well done. I loved Reid and Lucas' banter, they added the much needed comic relief between all the fighting and dying that was going on. This was also the biggest dysfunctional family I have ever read about.

And finally we have the epilogue, which I didn't understand what so ever. The author is setting up the story line for the next book, but I didn't get it. Can't really elaborate more than that cause then I would be spoiling it, but it just didn't make any sense to me at all.

With all that said I'm not sure if I'll be picking up the next book. I might, just to see if I can figure out what they meant with the epilogue, but somehow I doubt it. If you like action with some paranormal stuff thrown in then you should give this one a try. You might like it more than me.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Supernatural, or Grimm, Person of Interest, Nikita or anything of the sort, you will LOVE this book. The book started like no other. It completely captivated me; imagine sneaky little arms coming out of the book and pull you into the book...yup. I felt I was thrown into a live action film with bullets flying right past me. My sympathetic nervous system was going crazy.

But really, I haven't felt this attached to a book from the very beginning since I read Hunted by Cheryl Rainfield. I literally had trouble breathing. It was almost like a very vivid dream, you know the ones that sends shivers down you body long after you woke up? The story wasn't scary but it felt so real!

AD painted this beautiful, dark, and powerful setting. It was so realistic, that even someone who has a limited imagination can picture the details. And what else I liked about AD's writing was that she spend just enough words on description so it doesn't feel like a whole paragraph of description but it was just enough for you to get what she meant. So basically she threw hints at you but left you rooms to imagine the rest as your brain starts to form the images and places. Beautiful! Also! I couldn't help but to fangirl over Lucas. This fangirling was different, not the "swoon" love, but the star-struck love. I just admired him. Every time he just doesn't stop surprising me. I had my jaws wide open most of the time. Gosh, he was like Harvey Specter from Suits, ADMIRATION THROUGH THE ROOF! But he was not flashy like Harvey. He was the type of guy that you kind of miss and will forget if you pass him by on the road. The was like a "phantom" ;). Gosh I wish I can tell you some of the specifics but I can't (that will just ruin the whole ":O awesome!" for you guys). So mouth shut.
I liked Reid too, he was different. I can't really pin-point the specifics but he didn't felt like the nerd sidesick nor the fat dumb friend. He was just "normal" but still badass.

And the plot, what an adventure! I don't think I have read something quite like it in a while! I mean going to a biotech company?! That is soooo coool! The science geek in me was thrashing. The little intricate detail was a little heaven more me. It reminded me of reading Kathy Reich's books, hmmmmm, Ashley happy. :) But don't get me wrong, I am not THAT crazy for science. I just like to learn new stuff (so I googled a lot of the stuff in the book). And you don't have to be a scientist to read this book. It was just like an added bonus for geeks like me. Like you know, that little inside joke? And my lord! Europe! Paris, Prague, everything, like I want a trip around Europe now. I wish I can tell you the adventure they did but hello spoilers. *sigh*

So final thought? I really want this book to get adapted to a show or something. I mean I started this review listing the shows that this book is similar to, (which I forgot to mention, this book, very 007 action-like, with The Da Vinci Code mystery and adventure), I just would love to see a movie to show out of this book!

[Carrie Mansfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

*An E-Arc was provided through Net Galley for fair review*

http://gildedlady.wordpress.com/2014/...

If The Wizard and the Rat typifies the kinds of problems that make people wary of self-published titles, than Soul Meaning is a good example of how self-published fare can and should be given a look by the broader reading audience.

Soul Meaning is an action-thriller with urban fantasy elements. Lucas Soul is immortal, and his fellow immortal brethren are trying to kill him and the central mystery of this book is why. As the summary implies, there are terms and conditions to this immortality. In this case, the first sixteen deaths are free; but number seventeen is permanent. I think the author does a good job not over-explaining how the immortality works. We know what we need to know to follow the plot and to tell that she put some thought into it, but no so much that it causes it to fall apart. Likewise, when the story does bring some science into it, she goes just far enough that you can buy into it, but not so far as to want to yell at your book/reader that science doesn't work that way.

This book isn't trying to be transcendent. It knows what it wants to do and does it well. The author clearly knows her tropes: an early scene has the broke private detective taking on a missing cat case. The author is also clever enough to find a way to weave that scene into the larger plot so it doesn't feel tacked on and instead it makes sense. Plus, it's well written enough that it gives us some insight into Soul's personality and makes us invested in the character. It's what establishing scenes like this should be doing.

On a technical level, this book is polished and the author is dedicated to cleaning up errant errors (I believe the copy I read was a 2nd edition.) I still found one or two tiny errors in this version of the text, but nothing outside of what even slips by traditionally published authors. She cared enough about her text to get a real editor and you can see the quality in the text.

Overall, this book isn't trying to be the next big thing, it's trying to be the best damn version of this genre that it can be and I think it largely succeeds. It may not have a ton of originality to it, but it's likable, it's fun and if I get a chance, I may even check out the sequel that is due out shortly. Fans of the genre should definitely give it a look.

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

READ IN ENGLISH

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

I received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


Soul Meaning, the first book in the new Seventeen series, starts of intriguing...

‘My name is Lucas Soul.

Today, I died again.

This is my fifteenth death in the last four hundred and fifty years.’

Sounds good. What follows is an action packed urban fantasy with some sightseeing in Europe on the side.

I quite enjoyed this debut, the writing is very fast and I was immediately pulled into the story. There were enough questions to keep me guessing for some time, and it was a nice read.

There is not too much world building in this book. There are two races of 'immortals' (they are not really immortal, but can survive up to sixteen deaths), but what the differences are between the two is never fully explained. Also, there is a lot of talking about the nobility of these races, but not once is a peasant named. What use is a title if we all have one? Exactly how much immortals are we talking about and how have they managed to keep their existence a secret from us plain humans? We never get to know the answers.

The main character, Lucas Soul, is your good, old, special snowflake. Born the child of a mixed-race love affair between the two immortal-races (though that apparently happens from time to time, no matter the war they're fighting with each other) he's blessed with some extra special skills, how convenient. He's also accompanied by his partner-in-crime Reid, a human ex-cop, who apparently has, although he's mortal, nine lives, as the bullets just keep missing him.

And there are a lot of bullets. And swords, for that matter. As Lucas is being hunted down by Hunters, I don't think there are twenty pages without a lot of gunfire, fighting and life endangering situations. This is something you have to like, but if you don't mind it, you'll most likely enjoy this book. You also get a trip to Europa, as in a murderous pace France, Swiss, Austria, the Czech republic and Germany are visited. It's like a tour trough mid-Europe.

So far, I was really enjoying this book, although it has some flaws. But the epilogue felt unnecessary to me, and weird in comparison to the rest of the novel. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book.

[Ashley Tomlinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced, thrilling ride. It was an amazing read that captured my attention from the very beginning. It was filled with immortals, violence, mystery and science all wrapped up with a pretty bow on it.

Lucas is an immortal, a half breed immortal. He is being hunted but he doesn't know why but when escaping from being killed lands him on FBI's wanted list, he begins to look into it. Along with his friend Reid, they have to travel the world searching for the answer behind all these attempted murders. Can they do it before Lucas is killed again?

I loved how it began with him waking up from being dead. It was different and I really liked it because it just pulled me right into the story. I thought the concept of immortals having seventeen lives was pretty unique. That means they can die sixteen times and be fine but if they die that seventeenth time, they're screwed. Since Lucas is a half breed, (meaning he is a mix of two different kinds of immortals) he can kill any immortal for good with a special sword he has. No matter what death it is for them if he stabs them with that sword they won't come back. It was cool that he was different from all the other immortals and could kill them, it made him dangerous.

Reid was great! He was a chain smoker and that ended up being funny a few times. But no matter what situation he was thrown in he still didn't stop smoking. It was nice to see such a friendship between Lucas and Reid. He refused to leave Lucas no matter what, even when there were bullets flying at him he still stayed and fought. FYI, Reid was not immortal so bullets kind of a big deal for him. That makes it even better that he didn't leave Lucas.

I actually enjoyed the science aspect in the book. I loved reading all the biology, it was like a refresher coarse from school. But more entertaining. Though science in a fiction book can make it a little dull (to me) I never got that in this. I was very invested in the biology part as well as all the action scenes. And there were plenty of action scenes!

This is a great book for everyone! It has mystery that keeps you on your toes trying to solve. It has plot twists that made me gasp, car chases during shooting matches, science, and a sword wielding immortal badass.

[Marci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this first installment of this series. I didn’t quite get the feeling other reviewers have stated that too much action happened. Every time we had action it was immediately followed by our characters learning more information to further our plot. What I did feel was lacking was seeing our characters build their relationships. I mean, I felt like it was easy to believe there were strong bonds between some of our characters due to being around each other for hundred of years, but the new relationships of people who just met just were not as easily believed. The reader is supposed to accept them because the author said so. I feel like it’s unreasonable to think that traumatic events forge unwavering and immediate bonds that will stand the test of time in everyday life. It’s just not enough for me to understand how our couple in this book just happened when we only saw them together alone for like one scene.

Speaking of our couple in the book. I get they are immortals and supposedly have soulmates or something, but I didn’t think the author went into enough detail about that really to justify the outcome here. Especially the familial link. I mean, even the author had Lucas ask Reid if he thought it was gross or something like that, just to explain it away by basically saying there must be some immortal exception or something like royals. But….hello, we’re dealing with a plot that uses a lot of genetic information as its main focus, but aren’t royal or ancient families known for marrying close relatives and that doesn’t always go well (google Habsburg royals and you’ll see what I mean, heck even Queen Victoria married her cousin. For that matter go back to King Tut with what they’ve learned in the past 20 years or so with DNA). With Anna and Lucas we learn that each of their mothers were sisters and their fathers were brothers, I think I read it’s called double 1st cousins. What could possibly go wrong here?

I still enjoyed the story, and I know mythology has relations procreating, so I’ll just go along with the idea this is an urban fantasy and genetics does yet does not necessarily mean anything ultimately. Lol

[Layna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted on Ctrl, Alt, Books!

Soul Meaning is a supernatural thriller that is jammed packed for of non-stop action. From the very first page, it draws the reader in. It immediately grabbed my attention and it continued till the very end. I was really surprised by how amazing Soul Meaning was.

This book is about Lucas Soul who is an immortal half-breed. His parents were murdered before his very eyes just for having him and being traders to the Crovirs and Bastians. Soul is a private detective along side his mortal friend, Reid. After a century of peace, the Hunters are after Soul yet again. Soul and Reid take on a case that a client had called in and when Soul goes to meet the client, he is killed, this being his fifteenth death. After this, Soul and Reid hunt down the man who had killed Soul and rather than finding answers, they find themselves with more questions.

I don't want to go into a lot of detail because this book is packed full of plot twists and spoilers. I guess to find out more, you will just have to read the book. I was really pleased with how much this book surprised me and really drew me in. This isn't a book that I would normally pick up and read, but I am glad that I did! Soul Meaning not only has action, but it also has a bit of romance in the book later on. I recommend it to those readers looking for a change of pace and tons of actions with an awesome plot and a few twists here and there. Soul Meaning is the first book in the Seventeen series and I can not wait for the second to come out! Not to mention that I am super excited about hosting the cover reveal for book two on April 22nd!

I would like to thank A.D. Starrling for writing such an amazing read and allowing me the chance to host Soul Meaning! I look forward to hosting you again and continuing with the Seventeen series!


4/5
~Layna