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Imago Dei: Short Stories and Haunting Poetry
“A horn grew from the woman’s forehead—something like a rhino’s, but much smaller and darker in hue.”
Mythical China, 9000 B.C.E. A nameless outcast is summoned by the village priestess to undergo his initiation into the Rik-Sika, a band of hunter-assassins. To earn his place, he must travel with them to the ruins of his people’s stronghold, which sits on a plateau near the roof of the world. On the perilous journey, he encounters restless ghosts, giant man-bears, and the dreaded ogres who rule the mountains. Faced with unimaginable odds, the unnamed discovers his true origins and with it, a powerful secret buried by generations long ago. Armed with dark knowledge, the boy must choose between his life and the fate of his people.
Mythical China, 9000 B.C.E. A nameless outcast is summoned by the village priestess to undergo his initiation into the Rik-Sika, a band of hunter-assassins. To earn his place, he must travel with them to the ruins of his people’s stronghold, which sits on a plateau near the roof of the world. On the perilous journey, he encounters restless ghosts, giant man-bears, and the dreaded ogres who rule the mountains. Faced with unimaginable odds, the unnamed discovers his true origins and with it, a powerful secret buried by generations long ago. Armed with dark knowledge, the boy must choose between his life and the fate of his people.
82 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2019
3 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth O. Smith
6 books1 followerElizabeth O. Smith is an author of young adult and new adult romantic fantasy that blends together science and magic (i.e. arcanepunk). She's also a recovering chocoholic. Elizabeth runs the micro-press Radiant Crown Publishing, LLC as well as the micro-studio Cherubim Scribes, LLC. She currently resides in Louisville, KY with a poodle and a mutt.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 15, 2019
The Unnamed Bears Favor
by J. Lyon Layden
**Disclaimer-I received a free review copy from Netgalley.**
This is the story of an unnamed boy who yearns to be named a man in his stone-age (?) tribe. The story begins when he is chosen to join a group of mystical hunters, who offer him just that chance. However, he must go on a journey fraught with peril and haunted by magic and mystery.
This novella is a lushly worded, tightly paced journey into mystery, in the most traditional sense of the word.
The author evokes the worldview of a paleolithic person in a way that feels authentic, although we can never know what authentic actually means here. The world built in this compact story is unknown and unknowable, dangerous and beautiful and enchanting. I wish there were more.
One of the things that I find most compelling here is the author's reluctance to explain. Things are left unsaid, and things that we, the readers, do not understand are taken for granted. The characters do not explain things that they already know, just as would happen in real life, so the reader is left to wonder. What was real? What was confusion, or hallucination, or actually magic?
The use of language is also well wrought. The differences in dialect, hinting at connections beyond the tribal level, are interesting and fun. I found some parts where the language was perhaps a little too overwrought and got in the way of comprehension in a way that felt unintentional, though, so that line is a fine one.
I also spotted some basic typos, but such things are often unavoidable and so I didn't find them to detract overall from the story.
My only drawback, and the reason I'm not going for 5 stars, is that the ending felt rushed and vaguely flat. I felt that this might actually be enough of a world to merit a full novel, if a short one to maintain that mystery.
Overall, this was a genuine pleasure to read. I am grateful to the author and the publisher, Aurelia Leo, for the review copy on Netgalley.
by J. Lyon Layden
**Disclaimer-I received a free review copy from Netgalley.**
This is the story of an unnamed boy who yearns to be named a man in his stone-age (?) tribe. The story begins when he is chosen to join a group of mystical hunters, who offer him just that chance. However, he must go on a journey fraught with peril and haunted by magic and mystery.
This novella is a lushly worded, tightly paced journey into mystery, in the most traditional sense of the word.
The author evokes the worldview of a paleolithic person in a way that feels authentic, although we can never know what authentic actually means here. The world built in this compact story is unknown and unknowable, dangerous and beautiful and enchanting. I wish there were more.
One of the things that I find most compelling here is the author's reluctance to explain. Things are left unsaid, and things that we, the readers, do not understand are taken for granted. The characters do not explain things that they already know, just as would happen in real life, so the reader is left to wonder. What was real? What was confusion, or hallucination, or actually magic?
The use of language is also well wrought. The differences in dialect, hinting at connections beyond the tribal level, are interesting and fun. I found some parts where the language was perhaps a little too overwrought and got in the way of comprehension in a way that felt unintentional, though, so that line is a fine one.
I also spotted some basic typos, but such things are often unavoidable and so I didn't find them to detract overall from the story.
My only drawback, and the reason I'm not going for 5 stars, is that the ending felt rushed and vaguely flat. I felt that this might actually be enough of a world to merit a full novel, if a short one to maintain that mystery.
Overall, this was a genuine pleasure to read. I am grateful to the author and the publisher, Aurelia Leo, for the review copy on Netgalley.
May 13, 2019
This is a creative story mixing magic with prehistoric history.
I've seen a few people state that this novella does not follow Asian history well, and although I have not been schooled in this topic well, the description at the back seem to verify its close resemblance to the story.
This reads like a prequel to a series in my opinion. Although I enjoyed the storyline, it felt like I should have already known the characters and the magic system. I was missing the connection to our main character, and background information into the world and culture.
I do think this could be a good prequel to a more developed story in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc. As always, all thoughts are my own.
I've seen a few people state that this novella does not follow Asian history well, and although I have not been schooled in this topic well, the description at the back seem to verify its close resemblance to the story.
This reads like a prequel to a series in my opinion. Although I enjoyed the storyline, it felt like I should have already known the characters and the magic system. I was missing the connection to our main character, and background information into the world and culture.
I do think this could be a good prequel to a more developed story in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc. As always, all thoughts are my own.
May 8, 2019
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange of an honest review*
This book is just meh. The setting is marvelous, but the characters are not well developed and the plot is flimsy at best. I think that if this book would have been much, much longer, it would have been more interesting and compelling, but in 77 pages the author doesn't manage to capture your attention. A pity, because the writing style is very good.
This book is just meh. The setting is marvelous, but the characters are not well developed and the plot is flimsy at best. I think that if this book would have been much, much longer, it would have been more interesting and compelling, but in 77 pages the author doesn't manage to capture your attention. A pity, because the writing style is very good.
January 4, 2020
The Unnamed Bears Favor is a well-researched, well-crafted work by the author. Those who are enlightened will reach the depth of his imagination here. The story of an unnamed village outcast started random and slow, but everything made a connection as I flipped through the pages.
It's beautiful to see how this unnamed brave boy walks through an adventurous life journey with his brotherly tribe to try achieving a name that could define his identity and life's purpose. The rich vocab is complemented by dramatic scenes, which I loved most about this book. I almost got immersed in the world of adorned warriors and dreadful ogres.
It's beautiful to see how this unnamed brave boy walks through an adventurous life journey with his brotherly tribe to try achieving a name that could define his identity and life's purpose. The rich vocab is complemented by dramatic scenes, which I loved most about this book. I almost got immersed in the world of adorned warriors and dreadful ogres.
November 26, 2019
I would recommend this book if you are looking for a quick read. The premise is very interesting, though more character development could have made for a better read...but it's a novelette, and a well done one at that.
September 9, 2020
An Expensive, Short, Mystical Coming of Age Romp that's Clan of the Cavebear Lite (3/5)
What Worked for Me: For such a short story, the book does a fantastic job at a lot of world-building. It establishes aspects of culture, history, religion, conflict, and the like with ease in only the first few thousand words. I also really enjoy the overall pacing. Nothing sits still for long enough that you need more prose or description to keep things interesting. In some ways, I like the small links to ancient cultures and creatures, but I have more to say on that below.
What Didn't Work For Me: I think while the story is fun and palatable due to its length, its implied reliance on fantastical historiography weakens it. The mishmash of cultural relevance is hard to juxtapose against the emerging rules. The overall story doesn't need any of the historical backdrops to be interesting. We have a culture that puts itself at odds with creatures we may be familiar with from folklore. There are rites for earning your name (a common trope among tribal and early agrarian cultures). We have the basis for rules of magic, belief, and society. These things are all good. But the language, in trying to shoehorn in a few mentions to ogres, ancient mammals, and whatnot, shows the author trying a bit too hard at times. Also, the climax's pacing is good, but we don't get enough time to demonstrate the protagonist earning their place as the next Sapa. The trials the boy faced until he achieved the heroic name of the folk-hero Shentak don't quite reach the bar we expect given the character's backstory.
The Gist of It: "The Unnamed Bears Favor" is a quick, fun story about a young man becoming a man in a world that requires action to earn your name. It keeps moving. For $2.99, compared to other fantasy stories on Amazon, I find it a bit much. I'd be much happier to just read on KDP Unlimited. For that entry price, along with the weaknesses above, it's hard for me to recommend it much higher than a fun side read over a cup of coffee.
What Worked for Me: For such a short story, the book does a fantastic job at a lot of world-building. It establishes aspects of culture, history, religion, conflict, and the like with ease in only the first few thousand words. I also really enjoy the overall pacing. Nothing sits still for long enough that you need more prose or description to keep things interesting. In some ways, I like the small links to ancient cultures and creatures, but I have more to say on that below.
What Didn't Work For Me: I think while the story is fun and palatable due to its length, its implied reliance on fantastical historiography weakens it. The mishmash of cultural relevance is hard to juxtapose against the emerging rules. The overall story doesn't need any of the historical backdrops to be interesting. We have a culture that puts itself at odds with creatures we may be familiar with from folklore. There are rites for earning your name (a common trope among tribal and early agrarian cultures). We have the basis for rules of magic, belief, and society. These things are all good. But the language, in trying to shoehorn in a few mentions to ogres, ancient mammals, and whatnot, shows the author trying a bit too hard at times. Also, the climax's pacing is good, but we don't get enough time to demonstrate the protagonist earning their place as the next Sapa. The trials the boy faced until he achieved the heroic name of the folk-hero Shentak don't quite reach the bar we expect given the character's backstory.
The Gist of It: "The Unnamed Bears Favor" is a quick, fun story about a young man becoming a man in a world that requires action to earn your name. It keeps moving. For $2.99, compared to other fantasy stories on Amazon, I find it a bit much. I'd be much happier to just read on KDP Unlimited. For that entry price, along with the weaknesses above, it's hard for me to recommend it much higher than a fun side read over a cup of coffee.
May 27, 2019
Varma asked Sapa Mainu if all of them would be saved.
Sapa Mainu, & Bonpo (sorcerer) belonged to a group that was in the cave of corpses.
Mah Kam-Ur participated in the Dance of the Nereid.
Sapa Mainu passed out dried fish, berries, & rice cakes before the participants started their climb.
Master Resak pointed out things as the journey began.
They came to a stone forest. Some seemed to have been carved into the likeness of Bears.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A fairly well written historical fiction book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great fantasy movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. It was just OK for me so I will rate it at 3/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn; MSW)
Sapa Mainu, & Bonpo (sorcerer) belonged to a group that was in the cave of corpses.
Mah Kam-Ur participated in the Dance of the Nereid.
Sapa Mainu passed out dried fish, berries, & rice cakes before the participants started their climb.
Master Resak pointed out things as the journey began.
They came to a stone forest. Some seemed to have been carved into the likeness of Bears.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. A fairly well written historical fiction book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great fantasy movie, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. It was just OK for me so I will rate it at 3/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn; MSW)
May 27, 2024
Back when "The Clan of the Cave Bear" came out (in the '80s?) a new fantasy sub-genre was born, pre-historic fantasy. Books in the genre generally try to adhere reasonably closely to what archaeologists are finding out about our earliest ancestors, with enough admixture of shamans, talismans, and rituals to make it fantasy. This novella is part of that tradition, a story of an unnamed boy (maybe about 14?) who learns warrior ways and earns a name (I won't give away how) while interacting with cave bears, "ogres" (apparently less advanced hominids), and people from another village.
It's a decent Hero's Journey type of story, though I wasn't entirely sure about the pre-historic setting. Yes, Neolithic humans had added early agriculture to hunting and gathering, but not enough to support large villages (as the story suggests) and certainly not enough to call villagers peasants (as they are at one point). The narrator-voice seems to have no problem with the racist attitudes toward the "ogres," who have their own language and material culture. There are an awful lot of names and titles to keep straight, and I never did figure out why the person who tried to betray the boy wanted to do so. (And shouldn't Bears in the title have an apostrophe?)
But it proved an enjoyable alternative to more standard quest-type fantasy.
It's a decent Hero's Journey type of story, though I wasn't entirely sure about the pre-historic setting. Yes, Neolithic humans had added early agriculture to hunting and gathering, but not enough to support large villages (as the story suggests) and certainly not enough to call villagers peasants (as they are at one point). The narrator-voice seems to have no problem with the racist attitudes toward the "ogres," who have their own language and material culture. There are an awful lot of names and titles to keep straight, and I never did figure out why the person who tried to betray the boy wanted to do so. (And shouldn't Bears in the title have an apostrophe?)
But it proved an enjoyable alternative to more standard quest-type fantasy.
December 11, 2019
**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Title The Unnamed Bears Favor
Author J. Lyon Layden
Description from Amazon
Mythical China, 9000 B.C.E. Summoned by the village priestess, a nameless outcast must undergo initiation into the Rik-Sika, a band of hunter-assassins. To earn his place, he must travel with them to the ruins of his people's stronghold, which sits on a plateau near the roof of the world. On the perilous journey, he encounters restless ghosts, monstrous devil-bears, and the dreaded ogres who rule the mountains. Faced with unimaginable odds, the unnamed boy discovers his true name and with it, a powerful secret buried by his ancestors long ago.
Armed with a dark and powerful knowledge but burdened by its weight, the boy must choose between his own life and the fate of the tribe.
Initial Thoughts
I have been reading a lot of books set in Asia recently so "Mythical China" seemed super on theme for me. I was also intrigued by the fact that this book is classified as a "novelette". I do like a good short story.
Cover Art
Since I have an e-book of this, the cover is not super relevant to my review, but I wanted to touch on it a bit. I don't love the artwork. I'm not 100% sure what it is. It might be some kind of animal skeleton with antlers but it's too ambiguous for my taste.
Some Things I Liked
I liked the tribes and the inter-tribe politics described in this book. There were numerous detailed traditions that were both interesting and significant to the story.
I also thought the length of the story was perfect. Not too short where there were not enough details but not to long that it felt dragged out.
Something I Wasn't Crazy About
Relationships - I get the idea that our nameless main character constantly struggles with isolation and loneliness, but he did seem to have some relationships with the other characters. I wanted to see more of his interactions with them, especially Esrin.
China - I know that it's 9000 BCE but why bother to mention specifically China in the dust jacket? Personally, I didn't feel like anything in particular felt like China. The story would have been the same if that detail had been left out. I actually think I would have enjoyed it more if the world was entirely fictional.
Final Thoughts
This story was different from anything else I have read. It had an interesting premise and was very to the point. I didn't dislike it, but I also didn't love it. However, that being said, I could easily see myself loving more stories about these characters in this setting. I think there is a lot of potential here.
⭐⭐⭐
Recommendations for Further Reading
Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean - this story also takes place in an Asian-inspired setting with mythological creatures and traditions. There are similar feelings of leadership, justice, and a lack of romance that made me think of this book after reading The Unnamed Bears Favor.
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson - this is another story of a main character who feels like an invisible outcast and struggles to find their place in the world. Both are stories of survival and leadership.
Title The Unnamed Bears Favor
Author J. Lyon Layden
Description from Amazon
Mythical China, 9000 B.C.E. Summoned by the village priestess, a nameless outcast must undergo initiation into the Rik-Sika, a band of hunter-assassins. To earn his place, he must travel with them to the ruins of his people's stronghold, which sits on a plateau near the roof of the world. On the perilous journey, he encounters restless ghosts, monstrous devil-bears, and the dreaded ogres who rule the mountains. Faced with unimaginable odds, the unnamed boy discovers his true name and with it, a powerful secret buried by his ancestors long ago.
Armed with a dark and powerful knowledge but burdened by its weight, the boy must choose between his own life and the fate of the tribe.
Initial Thoughts
I have been reading a lot of books set in Asia recently so "Mythical China" seemed super on theme for me. I was also intrigued by the fact that this book is classified as a "novelette". I do like a good short story.
Cover Art
Since I have an e-book of this, the cover is not super relevant to my review, but I wanted to touch on it a bit. I don't love the artwork. I'm not 100% sure what it is. It might be some kind of animal skeleton with antlers but it's too ambiguous for my taste.
Some Things I Liked
I liked the tribes and the inter-tribe politics described in this book. There were numerous detailed traditions that were both interesting and significant to the story.
I also thought the length of the story was perfect. Not too short where there were not enough details but not to long that it felt dragged out.
Something I Wasn't Crazy About
Relationships - I get the idea that our nameless main character constantly struggles with isolation and loneliness, but he did seem to have some relationships with the other characters. I wanted to see more of his interactions with them, especially Esrin.
China - I know that it's 9000 BCE but why bother to mention specifically China in the dust jacket? Personally, I didn't feel like anything in particular felt like China. The story would have been the same if that detail had been left out. I actually think I would have enjoyed it more if the world was entirely fictional.
Final Thoughts
This story was different from anything else I have read. It had an interesting premise and was very to the point. I didn't dislike it, but I also didn't love it. However, that being said, I could easily see myself loving more stories about these characters in this setting. I think there is a lot of potential here.
⭐⭐⭐
Recommendations for Further Reading
Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean - this story also takes place in an Asian-inspired setting with mythological creatures and traditions. There are similar feelings of leadership, justice, and a lack of romance that made me think of this book after reading The Unnamed Bears Favor.
The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson - this is another story of a main character who feels like an invisible outcast and struggles to find their place in the world. Both are stories of survival and leadership.
March 4, 2020
This very short Novella is obviously well researched but I kept setting it down and walking away because I was not able to forge an emotional connection to "the boy" as he makes his journey to gain a name. The author provided plenty of vivid description and enough action to warrant a story, but the narrative voice the author used was just too distant/formal for me.
It's a difficult task to bring unknown concepts and distant history to life in the form of storytelling. A good example would be The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. This novella didn't quite reach that level.
It's a difficult task to bring unknown concepts and distant history to life in the form of storytelling. A good example would be The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. This novella didn't quite reach that level.
October 27, 2020
This short story reminded me of Princess Mononoke, Clan of the Cave Bear and the post-apocalyptic era of Cloud Atlas. I did not understand at the time that what I was reading was meant to be early hunter-gatherers in China. The book was very well written and kept a consistent tone, descriptive and vivid with a sense of mysticism. I love ancient cultures, particularly that of Tibet and South-east Asia. After practicing Buddhism for seven years I loved this story right from the beginning, even not understanding that it was meant to be a type of historical fiction. Amazing job!
September 5, 2020
A Meaningful Adventure
The story offers gritty realism as well as thought-provoking questions. It is a coming of age adventure about discovering the meaning in things we take forgranted like a name.
I would recommend it to readers who like campfire tales and quests.
The story offers gritty realism as well as thought-provoking questions. It is a coming of age adventure about discovering the meaning in things we take forgranted like a name.
I would recommend it to readers who like campfire tales and quests.
November 18, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and Aurelia LEO for the ARC!!! #IndigoEmployee
My rating: 2 stars
I found the premise quite interesting, however, I found the execution lacking. I found the build-up to be slow and dragging, to the point that while I wanted to know what was going to happen next, I found it very slow getting there, and I nearly gave up a few times. On the opposite side, when it finally got to the last two chapters where everything was happening, it sped by so fast I almost missed it. I noticed another review mentioned how this felt like an excellent prequel, and I couldn't agree more. I feel like there's so much story that could still be told.
As a Prequel, I would rate it a 3.5-4.
As a stand-alone, it's a 2.
My rating: 2 stars
I found the premise quite interesting, however, I found the execution lacking. I found the build-up to be slow and dragging, to the point that while I wanted to know what was going to happen next, I found it very slow getting there, and I nearly gave up a few times. On the opposite side, when it finally got to the last two chapters where everything was happening, it sped by so fast I almost missed it. I noticed another review mentioned how this felt like an excellent prequel, and I couldn't agree more. I feel like there's so much story that could still be told.
As a Prequel, I would rate it a 3.5-4.
As a stand-alone, it's a 2.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews