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Pariahs (Ilings Book 1)

Julia Benally (Goodreads Author)

4.55 · Rating details · 11 ratings · 9 reviews

In a land of monsters and soulless creatures, there is a secluded compound terrorized by a fallen demon-killer, the Grand Apwor. He's claimed its youngest occupant Vijeren as his son. The Grand Apwor can’t be killed, he can’t be escaped, and his punishments are severe and horrific. Somehow, he knows where Vijeren is at all times. When a law enforcer named Zhin appears like ...more

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Kindle Edition, 421 pages

Published November 1st 2018

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· 11 ratings · 9 reviews

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Dec 11, 2019 Christi M rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

In this highly imaginative world, the author creates a story filled with terrific world building. And even though the main characters are what we might classify as monsters, it is also a story about family and knowing where you belong.

Thoughts:
Pariahs is a book like no other that I’ve read in quite a while and to be honest I’m not sure where to start. Sometimes fantasy can take too familiar of a path – stories filled with creatures and races that we’ve known for ages: dwarves, elves, magic syste In this highly imaginative world, the author creates a story filled with terrific world building. And even though the main characters are what we might classify as monsters, it is also a story about family and knowing where you belong.

Thoughts:
Pariahs is a book like no other that I’ve read in quite a while and to be honest I’m not sure where to start. Sometimes fantasy can take too familiar of a path – stories filled with creatures and races that we’ve known for ages: dwarves, elves, magic systems. But this book is filled with a fully-fleshed out world that engages us with new races, lore and societal structure. The author has created creatures we’ve never heard of, a time system using multiple moons, and main characters that each have a unique ability and because they are monsters their physical makeup also becomes part of the action too at times. As I write this I know that I am truly underselling the level of detail to which the author has created the world written about in this book and I wish I had the talent to know how to better describe it. It is complex and deep.

For me, the heart of the story lies with the three brothers and their relationship, although there is a case to be made for parental or father/son relationships to be the core of the story too. We first meet them in the opening chapters as Vijeren the youngest has snuck away to do something he shouldn’t and the other two brothers go to find him before there’s any trouble. The brothers are each adopted or at least something similar to that, and although they have not lived with each other their entire lives it is evident within the first chapter how close they have become. Although Vijeren is the main character, my favorite was really N’Nar who is always looking out for his two brothers. He’s truly the bond that has kept them all together during their years with Kinarrin their adoptive father.

Although I really appreciated the complexity this book brings, I sometimes wondered if it is was overly complex because there was quite a learning curve in new terms, such as Kabrilor, Retheliel, Uveliel, and so forth. In the beginning chapters of the book I took notes on certain terms to help me keep certain things straight, however, there is also a glossary at the end that I didn’t realize immediately. Taking notes or referring to the glossary really helped and I appreciated it was there.

Overall, I definitely recommend it to fans of the fantasy genre who are looking for a more complex story with terrific world-building.

Rating: 4 stars

Thanks to the author for a review copy and the opportunity to provide an honest review. ...more

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Dec 04, 2019 Antara Roy rated it it was amazing

A very engaging read! The world of Vijeren and his brothers is so vividly described, and the scenes of terror made me cringe, and yet I longed to read more. The author creates a complex universe and just as deftly and expertly weaves in the elements of terror and suspense. The fight scenes were amazingly described and what I loved most about this book was the heart and soul of the characters who faced every danger and obstacle with a spirit similar to ours. They may appear to be physically diffe ...more

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Mar 31, 2020 Christine Marshall rated it it was amazing

An action-filled monster adventure with a focus on family! My 15 year old son read the book and had this to say: This book is great, just don’t read it as a bedtime story for your kids! I would have read it sooner if the summary on the back had specified that it was a high-action adventure rather than a horror story that spent lots of time in a compound with a wasteland of monsters everywhere else (no offense to the author, but that’s how I interpreted the summary). The new vocabulary takes some ...more

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Apr 23, 2019 Norma Nikutowski rated it it was amazing

This book transports you to a fantastic world of monsters and creatures. The author masterfully introduces the unique characters and the book also comes with a glossary with the extraordinary creatures and a description. The adventure starts right away with Vijeren who is trying to show his brothers how brave he is. Danger lurks everywhere. This action packed fantasy adventure kept me turning pages to see what was going to happen next.

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Apr 13, 2019 Michelle rated it really liked it

Pariahs is not my normal genre but Ms. Benally wrote a compelling fantasy story. The imagery held my attention as did the characters. The story moved along quite well, with little heart-stopping action. I'll be recommending this read to all fantasy reader. ...more

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Apr 01, 2019 J.M. Brister rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019

A Pariahs Review

Welcome to the world of monsters and soulless creatures. It’s a unique fantasy world with cool races and interesting characters. If you’re looking for an awesome fantasy novel that’s different from the usual fair, I highly recommend reading Pariahs. You will not be disappointed.

Vijeren is a kid just trying to live his life. Unfortunately, he lives in this compound with the Grand Apwor, a villain you just love to hate. He’s a cruel and evil guy, and when Zhin who is a law enforcem ...more

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Apr 05, 2019 E.J. Dawson rated it really liked it

The artful way this book was written, with its unique description, ventures into an fantasical world where fantasy is re-imagined. The story of three boys, trying to prove their worth against a series of politics and social customs that are foreign and odd. Each of the boys has their own unique gifts, and its great to see these unfold. The story's unusual and flowering language can lend itself to repetition and distraction during some points, which I found took away from the author's voice rathe ...more

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Nov 13, 2019 Lee Benally rated it it was amazing

This novel is the most exciting wonderful book that I have read in years. The only thing that could possibly be more so is the sequel coming up in about a year or so!!! The story is unusually family friendly and satisfying. Its setting is on another world which the author has filled with different races and her brand of dinosaurs, demons and flora and fauna. No other world I have ever read can compare. I have reread this over 20 times and each time loses nothing in the telling. You will not regr ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Iseult Murphy rated it liked it

An interesting second world fantasy set in a society where fatherhood is akin to ownership and unclaimed children are vulnerable to predation by a whole host of dangerous beings. Living in the land of Ilo are three foster brothers - 23 year old N’Nar, teenage Sibare and 12 year old Vijeren. Separated and hunted by three unique entities, will the brothers find each other and defeat their foes?
I liked the originality of the world and the creatures that inhabited it. The physical differences and th ...more

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Jan 08, 2019 Julia Benally rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

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About Julia Benally

Julia Benally

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Julia Benally is an American Indian lurking in Arizona with her trusty nunchucks Harley Quinn at her side. When she isn't writing, she's dancing, killing zombies, reading, wandering around in the mountains, and sometimes looking for bears.

Her book "Pariahs" came out in 2018, but in 2020, it went through a revamp in which Julia acquired a pen name, a new book cover, and the series and title names w ...more