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Conquering the Divide: The Legend of Barsicon
WILL SHE MAKE IT OVER THE WALL?
Barsicon is a war-torn world divided. A towering wall separates Light City from The Darkness; metropolis from countryside, rich from poor, saints from sinners.
There are seven steps at the wall's main gates. Once a week, a brave Light Seeker emerges from The Darkness and attempts to scale these seven levels as they endure formidable tests of physical, mental and spiritual strength. Success means a better life for them and their family in glorious Light City. Failure equals instant death.
Sixteen year old Seneca Ellis-Brant is the youngest Light Seeker in Barsicon history. Saturday night, she will put a lifetime of training to the penultimate test. But is life on the other side of the wall worth fighting for? Seneca hopes she lives long enough to find out.
Barsicon is a war-torn world divided. A towering wall separates Light City from The Darkness; metropolis from countryside, rich from poor, saints from sinners.
There are seven steps at the wall's main gates. Once a week, a brave Light Seeker emerges from The Darkness and attempts to scale these seven levels as they endure formidable tests of physical, mental and spiritual strength. Success means a better life for them and their family in glorious Light City. Failure equals instant death.
Sixteen year old Seneca Ellis-Brant is the youngest Light Seeker in Barsicon history. Saturday night, she will put a lifetime of training to the penultimate test. But is life on the other side of the wall worth fighting for? Seneca hopes she lives long enough to find out.
- GenresFantasy
284 pages, Paperback
Published October 30, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 10, 2022
Conquering the Divide: The Legend of Barsicon is new, young adult, LGBTQ-friendly fantasy/dystopian science-fiction for the 21st-century by well-known Kingston, Ontario radio host, Angela Stever. The book's hero, Seneca Ellis-Brant, is a girl just turning 16 years old, and she's the youngest Light Seeker in Barsicon history. Seneca has been training her whole life to be a Light Seeker with the help of her two moms, Ma Marie and Mama C (Catherine), and her combat instructor, JD, a diminutive warrior with a neon-coloured mohawk.
In July 2022, two days before the Light Ceremony she believes it is her destiny to conquer, Seneca meets Alex, JD’s cousin, who is referred to using the pronouns they/them. Alex is the first stranger Seneca has ever met, a popular singer in Light City, and sexual-spiritual fireworks ensue.
Seneca has trained diligently for the Light Ceremony, believing that she will complete it and be able to move her family from The Darkness, the land to the east of Light City, inhabited by the 1% elite of Barsicon on the shores of West Ocean. To gain the privilege of living in Light City, Light Seekers must successfully complete Seven Steps into the Light, Steps that amount to a battle to the death. But has Seneca been brainwashed? Is the story she has been told about her miraculous birth true? Is she simply a pawn in a very toxic game?
Light City is ruled by President Barbara Crow, an angry woman with daddy issues whose father, General Walter Crow (a comic book buffoon of a bullying leader, with no real backbone), demanded the construction of a wall between Light City and The Darkness following the Battle of Barsicon in 1972. Northern Warriors erected the barrier which runs parallel to the coastline, two miles inland from the West Ocean. Only the wealthy live along the West Ocean, its residents made up of people who sleep until noon and feast until midnight, playing games and dancing all day. The wall offers them protection from the ‘unworthy.’
While reading this book—which could arguably be a parable—during the middle of the umpteenth lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, one cannot help but recognize the parallels in the world in which we live and the authors’ world of Barsicon, a simply constructed, dystopian fantasy world. Many of us are seeking a higher spiritual path in light of the darkness we have found ourselves in for the past two years. The 1% elite who govern us and decide upon how we will conduct ourselves and live our lives, have divided us with vaccine mandates, passports, and other draconian restrictions. In today’s world, there is a divide between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, people who are described by the media and even our own Prime Minister, as unworthy to live in regular society. It may only be a matter of time before we are physically segregated from each other, even though many of us can see that our leaders’ plan to deal with the pandemic is not working. Right now, most of our lives are about survival and not thriving, just like the citizens of Barsicon who live in The Darkness.
There are psychopaths and unexpected twists and turns in Conquering the Divide, and a little bit of magic, lots of mystery, and plenty of heart-centered heroes to cheer for. If you loved The Hunger Games or The Mortal Instruments, you’ll want to join Seneca as she discovers her new normal and realizes her true destiny, moving out of The Darkness and into the light. This fast-paced, exciting adventure is filled with nuggets of spiritual wisdom and a satisfying ending that will leave you wanting more.
Angela Stever has peppered her story with “Easter egg” references to local singer-songwriters who music fans in this region, know and love, and named the main protagonist and another heroic character after her two sons. I suspect she may have used Prince Edward County and Sandbanks Provincial Park as inspiration for Barsicon. Conquering the Divide (available on Amazon now) is her first novel, and it is an outstanding debut. This reader cannot wait for more stories by Stever.
May the God of Light’s Final Judgement find you worthy before you are forced to die for the greater good. “The power should be in the hands of the people, not in the hands of one man.” As in all fantasy stories, there is a battle between good and evil, and the protagonists have to overcome seemingly impossible challenges to defeat their adversaries. Sometimes the men in power are simply weak, bullying idiots being controlled by psychopathic puppet masters. And sometimes, it takes standing up to our oppressors and being willing to start a revolution before the light can shine through The Darkness.
In July 2022, two days before the Light Ceremony she believes it is her destiny to conquer, Seneca meets Alex, JD’s cousin, who is referred to using the pronouns they/them. Alex is the first stranger Seneca has ever met, a popular singer in Light City, and sexual-spiritual fireworks ensue.
Seneca has trained diligently for the Light Ceremony, believing that she will complete it and be able to move her family from The Darkness, the land to the east of Light City, inhabited by the 1% elite of Barsicon on the shores of West Ocean. To gain the privilege of living in Light City, Light Seekers must successfully complete Seven Steps into the Light, Steps that amount to a battle to the death. But has Seneca been brainwashed? Is the story she has been told about her miraculous birth true? Is she simply a pawn in a very toxic game?
Light City is ruled by President Barbara Crow, an angry woman with daddy issues whose father, General Walter Crow (a comic book buffoon of a bullying leader, with no real backbone), demanded the construction of a wall between Light City and The Darkness following the Battle of Barsicon in 1972. Northern Warriors erected the barrier which runs parallel to the coastline, two miles inland from the West Ocean. Only the wealthy live along the West Ocean, its residents made up of people who sleep until noon and feast until midnight, playing games and dancing all day. The wall offers them protection from the ‘unworthy.’
While reading this book—which could arguably be a parable—during the middle of the umpteenth lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, one cannot help but recognize the parallels in the world in which we live and the authors’ world of Barsicon, a simply constructed, dystopian fantasy world. Many of us are seeking a higher spiritual path in light of the darkness we have found ourselves in for the past two years. The 1% elite who govern us and decide upon how we will conduct ourselves and live our lives, have divided us with vaccine mandates, passports, and other draconian restrictions. In today’s world, there is a divide between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, people who are described by the media and even our own Prime Minister, as unworthy to live in regular society. It may only be a matter of time before we are physically segregated from each other, even though many of us can see that our leaders’ plan to deal with the pandemic is not working. Right now, most of our lives are about survival and not thriving, just like the citizens of Barsicon who live in The Darkness.
There are psychopaths and unexpected twists and turns in Conquering the Divide, and a little bit of magic, lots of mystery, and plenty of heart-centered heroes to cheer for. If you loved The Hunger Games or The Mortal Instruments, you’ll want to join Seneca as she discovers her new normal and realizes her true destiny, moving out of The Darkness and into the light. This fast-paced, exciting adventure is filled with nuggets of spiritual wisdom and a satisfying ending that will leave you wanting more.
Angela Stever has peppered her story with “Easter egg” references to local singer-songwriters who music fans in this region, know and love, and named the main protagonist and another heroic character after her two sons. I suspect she may have used Prince Edward County and Sandbanks Provincial Park as inspiration for Barsicon. Conquering the Divide (available on Amazon now) is her first novel, and it is an outstanding debut. This reader cannot wait for more stories by Stever.
May the God of Light’s Final Judgement find you worthy before you are forced to die for the greater good. “The power should be in the hands of the people, not in the hands of one man.” As in all fantasy stories, there is a battle between good and evil, and the protagonists have to overcome seemingly impossible challenges to defeat their adversaries. Sometimes the men in power are simply weak, bullying idiots being controlled by psychopathic puppet masters. And sometimes, it takes standing up to our oppressors and being willing to start a revolution before the light can shine through The Darkness.
February 21, 2026
In Conquering the Divide, local author Angela Stever invites us into a high-stakes world where the weight of a kingdom’s future rests on the shoulders of a family bound by prophecy. It is a story rooted in the human experience of striving toward a goal and the grueling recovery that follows in the wake of tragedy.
Stever is an excellent narrator (audio version); her voice is confident and engaging, making the book a very quick and immersive read/listen. She has a gift for setting a scene and drawing the reader into the emotional atmosphere of her world. The central premise is genuinely interesting, and I found myself rooted in the journey of the characters as they navigated the complexities of their fates.
If I had one wish for this book, it would be for more of it. Stever has built a world so intriguing that I found myself wanting to explore every corner. While the plot moves at a brisk pace, there were moments where I felt certain storylines and character perspectives were just beginning to bloom. I would have happily sat through another fifty chapters to see more points of view fleshed out and
to fill in the gaps of this fascinating kingdom.
Ultimately, Conquering the Divide is a testament to Stever’s talent for storytelling. It’s a concise, spirited adventure that leaves you wanting just a little bit more time with its characters. I look forward to seeing where her narration takes us next.
Stever is an excellent narrator (audio version); her voice is confident and engaging, making the book a very quick and immersive read/listen. She has a gift for setting a scene and drawing the reader into the emotional atmosphere of her world. The central premise is genuinely interesting, and I found myself rooted in the journey of the characters as they navigated the complexities of their fates.
If I had one wish for this book, it would be for more of it. Stever has built a world so intriguing that I found myself wanting to explore every corner. While the plot moves at a brisk pace, there were moments where I felt certain storylines and character perspectives were just beginning to bloom. I would have happily sat through another fifty chapters to see more points of view fleshed out and
to fill in the gaps of this fascinating kingdom.
Ultimately, Conquering the Divide is a testament to Stever’s talent for storytelling. It’s a concise, spirited adventure that leaves you wanting just a little bit more time with its characters. I look forward to seeing where her narration takes us next.
October 31, 2022
I loved this book! I think I read it in 2 days because I couldn't wait to see what happened. I love good vs. evil books, and plot twists and books that have non-traditional characters. I love a good adventure story with strong women characters.
This book hit all the buttons.
This book hit all the buttons.
February 15, 2022
I read this book in record time because I couldn't wait to find out the next twist. I loved the characters, the story and the many twists and turns. Highly recommended!
October 31, 2022
Compelling ride! I look forward to more from this author!
February 15, 2022
Absolutely incredible book. At its core its about family (the kind you're born into and the family you choose) and good vs evil. LOVED this book. Its immediately familiar, but at the same time unique and fresh.
February 21, 2022
I could not put this book down. I didn’t sleep until I was finished and now can’t wait until the next installment. I loved Angela Stever’s characters - each is complex, intricate, and real, while breaking free from common tropes, cliches, and binaries that are so often found in most stories for young adults. It takes you through one twist and turn after another and the ending is brilliant.
But - not only is it entertaining, it is wise. It grapples with the question of what is truly valuable, and like all great art, is reflective of the times we live in and the struggles we are living through. It is a breath of fresh air. I couldn’t speak highly enough of it!
But - not only is it entertaining, it is wise. It grapples with the question of what is truly valuable, and like all great art, is reflective of the times we live in and the struggles we are living through. It is a breath of fresh air. I couldn’t speak highly enough of it!
February 22, 2022
This book was outside of my norm but a delightful read from start to finish. It is geared, in my opinion, to mid to late teen reading but was edgy enough to stretch further if fantasy is your preference. The characters were enticing enough to keep you entertained throughtout with a few twists and plot turns thrown in for good measure. Critiquing it is simple enough. The scene was not described as much as I would have expected for a debute novel of characters and place. I found it drab and repetative in what was described. For her first novel, Angela, has done well. Here is to #2!
November 1, 2022
An extremely powerful story of a young light seeker Seneca, and her fight to bring the two sides of Barsicon together. Her early training from a young age has prepared her for a life full of wonders. This LGBTQ+-friendly coming-of-age story has masterfully presented themes of perseverance, corruption, and love while also interweaving a futuristic narrative. These themes may have been explored in other books before, but never with such freshness, intensity, and power before.
Although this is Angela Stever's first novel, it is clear she has complete control over her story and writing style. I would recommend this book to people of all ages as a quick page-turner, which will bring back or expand your love of reading.
Although this is Angela Stever's first novel, it is clear she has complete control over her story and writing style. I would recommend this book to people of all ages as a quick page-turner, which will bring back or expand your love of reading.
November 1, 2022
This book was recommended to me and being a reader of mostly non-fiction I was THRILLED with how it not only captured my attention from Chapter One but turned me into an obsessed page turner.
I was actually shocked to see any bad reviews of this book but then after some brief investigating, I realized they are accounts with only one review on this site (being of this book). They almost all hater spam, folks. Beware. I will be investigating more carefully in the future when looking into other reviews of books.
I couldn’t recommend this book more. Happy reading… and being inspired!!
I was actually shocked to see any bad reviews of this book but then after some brief investigating, I realized they are accounts with only one review on this site (being of this book). They almost all hater spam, folks. Beware. I will be investigating more carefully in the future when looking into other reviews of books.
I couldn’t recommend this book more. Happy reading… and being inspired!!
January 12, 2026
Listening to Conquering the Divide turned a 4.5‑hour drive into a blink of an eye. The story is compelling from start to finish, and I couldn’t wait to get back on the road just to keep listening. Narrated by the author herself, the audiobook feels authentic and engaging, drawing you even deeper into the story. The plot is well‑paced with a great twist, and I enjoyed it so much that I’m planning to read the physical book next. Highly recommended.
February 15, 2022
Lovely book, thrilling tale, can’t wait for the next instalment!
March 22, 2022
Lol I tried but this is so cheesy and not well written
October 31, 2022
An excellent and compelling debut for this Kingston author. Plot is well paced, characters are well developed and overall the writing is accessible, engaging and makes for a good binge read!!
February 6, 2023
Unintelligent and unoriginal, could not finish
March 13, 2023
Her writing is about as good as her comedy 🥴
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews