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Scribes #1
Scribes' Descent
People worship technology on Planet Daishon.
With inventions that prolong life and eradicate disease, it’s little wonder. Death seems obsolete until an earthquake kills thousands, including Mallory’s parents. They should have lived for a thousand years, not just fifty. Mallory scrambles for answers. Such a disaster shouldn’t be possible.
Quakes have never happened on this world before.
Suspecting the top research center had triggered it, her best friend’s father investigates. When he turns up missing, Mallory goes on site after him as a geology intern. She can’t bear to lose anyone else.
An old mine sits at the epicenter of the recent quake, and an unbreakable alien barrier seals it off. But a door hidden in its surface opens for Mallory when she translates its engravings. Once inside, she evades underground predators while cut off from the tech that’s always protected her.
Some graves run much deeper than six feet, and this place could be one of them.
Within this self-contained world lie the remnants of a universal war, revealing that Daishoni folklore is more than superstition. To survive, Mallory must trust in something more than science and logic. She must follow the voice of one she can’t see down to the very bottom. Something deadlier than a quake is trapped there, and it is trying to escape.
Read the first 4 chapters for free: https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/...
With inventions that prolong life and eradicate disease, it’s little wonder. Death seems obsolete until an earthquake kills thousands, including Mallory’s parents. They should have lived for a thousand years, not just fifty. Mallory scrambles for answers. Such a disaster shouldn’t be possible.
Quakes have never happened on this world before.
Suspecting the top research center had triggered it, her best friend’s father investigates. When he turns up missing, Mallory goes on site after him as a geology intern. She can’t bear to lose anyone else.
An old mine sits at the epicenter of the recent quake, and an unbreakable alien barrier seals it off. But a door hidden in its surface opens for Mallory when she translates its engravings. Once inside, she evades underground predators while cut off from the tech that’s always protected her.
Some graves run much deeper than six feet, and this place could be one of them.
Within this self-contained world lie the remnants of a universal war, revealing that Daishoni folklore is more than superstition. To survive, Mallory must trust in something more than science and logic. She must follow the voice of one she can’t see down to the very bottom. Something deadlier than a quake is trapped there, and it is trying to escape.
Read the first 4 chapters for free: https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/...
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
344 pages, Paperback
Published May 27, 2022
51 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Dylan West
4 books68 followersI’m a Jesus lover, web developer, video game developer, former Navy nuclear operator, foreign language nut, and a nut in general. While other people are busy thinking normal thoughts, I’m crafting corny jokes. I live in Chesapeake, VA, with my wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
May 13, 2022
I was provided an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Scribes' Descent caught my interest in the description of what the story was to focus on. Escaping from a planet beset by earthquakes and going to one where they don't exist. Suddenly one occurs, leading the protagonist to go on an adventure with a team of scientists to discover why. It feels more geared toward Young Adult Sci-Fi but is definitely a good read for any who love that sense of discovery.
There are a lot of good things inside of this book. The science and technology of this universe are really well thought out. There are clear consequences and the medical side of things stand out as strengths throughout the book. There are several plot points that are very intriguing and keep a reader turning the pages to find out more about what is going to happen. There are a few heart pounding moments that I can't go into detail with for fear of spoiling it!
There were a couple of things that I found fell a little flat for me. The characters felt like they were tools for the MC and very rarely had their own personality. This made it difficult for me to have a real connection with a few of the characters that one comes into contact with throughout the journey. The other was that there were a lot of hints, but felt like most were just thrown out there without any continuation or mention again.
Overall, I enjoyed this debut novel. This novel is one that will really speak to the inner scientist of people. It is a well written tale with vibes of Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review and hope that you find many books to read!
Scribes' Descent caught my interest in the description of what the story was to focus on. Escaping from a planet beset by earthquakes and going to one where they don't exist. Suddenly one occurs, leading the protagonist to go on an adventure with a team of scientists to discover why. It feels more geared toward Young Adult Sci-Fi but is definitely a good read for any who love that sense of discovery.
There are a lot of good things inside of this book. The science and technology of this universe are really well thought out. There are clear consequences and the medical side of things stand out as strengths throughout the book. There are several plot points that are very intriguing and keep a reader turning the pages to find out more about what is going to happen. There are a few heart pounding moments that I can't go into detail with for fear of spoiling it!
There were a couple of things that I found fell a little flat for me. The characters felt like they were tools for the MC and very rarely had their own personality. This made it difficult for me to have a real connection with a few of the characters that one comes into contact with throughout the journey. The other was that there were a lot of hints, but felt like most were just thrown out there without any continuation or mention again.
Overall, I enjoyed this debut novel. This novel is one that will really speak to the inner scientist of people. It is a well written tale with vibes of Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Thanks for taking the time to read my review and hope that you find many books to read!
July 14, 2023
Scribes' Descent is a fun read
The Author’s descriptive and imaginative writing dragged me into a satisfying story I wasn’t expecting. Science fiction mixed with adventure, normally the domain of fantasy and more seasoned sci-fi works, was seamless and entertaining.
After leaving their dying world, young Mallory laments her splintered family as some declined to abandon their planet. Her life on a new world abounds with contrasts between native inhabitants and the refugees from Imna, Mallory’s birthplace. The internal struggle with disparate belief systems within her own people felt real, and steered clear of preachy subtext many writers embrace. This skillfully written story assumes a more YA fantasy feel after the main characters’ lives take a dark turn, but doesn’t abandon the science fiction I gravitate toward as a reader.
Intricate world building never overshadowed the wonderful characters and fast-paced creative plot. Each chapter had a fluid stable voice, making the pages go by faster and faster. The end came too soon.
The Author’s descriptive and imaginative writing dragged me into a satisfying story I wasn’t expecting. Science fiction mixed with adventure, normally the domain of fantasy and more seasoned sci-fi works, was seamless and entertaining.
After leaving their dying world, young Mallory laments her splintered family as some declined to abandon their planet. Her life on a new world abounds with contrasts between native inhabitants and the refugees from Imna, Mallory’s birthplace. The internal struggle with disparate belief systems within her own people felt real, and steered clear of preachy subtext many writers embrace. This skillfully written story assumes a more YA fantasy feel after the main characters’ lives take a dark turn, but doesn’t abandon the science fiction I gravitate toward as a reader.
Intricate world building never overshadowed the wonderful characters and fast-paced creative plot. Each chapter had a fluid stable voice, making the pages go by faster and faster. The end came too soon.
August 3, 2023
Scribes' Descent is a well-written science fiction/fantasy adventure in an entirely original universe. SD is clean in that it is appropriate for younger readers, which I can appreciate as a father of two young ones. That being said, I still was able to enjoy this as an adult (and my tastes range from clean to very much unclean).
As other's have mentioned, the world building and overall storyline are what kept me intrigued throughout this read, and it has me anxiously awaiting installment number two. You can tell that a lot of scientific thought and research went into creating this book, and it paid off with a winner. Well done, indeed.
As other's have mentioned, the world building and overall storyline are what kept me intrigued throughout this read, and it has me anxiously awaiting installment number two. You can tell that a lot of scientific thought and research went into creating this book, and it paid off with a winner. Well done, indeed.
February 8, 2023
Great book with wonderful story and character development.
July 19, 2023
Linguistics + Science + Jesus? What a rad book
January 23, 2023
So Interesting in So Many Ways
Where to begin? I don’t know what I was expecting from this book, but I wasn’t expecting this.
So, it’s YA and faith based; not my usual thing. To begin with, I don’t often read Sci-Fi - which is strange, since I enjoy a good amount of it when I do. Add to that the phrase “faith based” and … well. I’m all for faith, mind you. But, in my experience, at least many of those who refer to themselves that way do not remotely believe what I do. Or, at least, we believe it very differently.
However. This is basically a science fiction Narnia, allegory and all, and I loved it. It, like most books, isn’t perfect (more on that in a moment), but it’s engaging, well plotted, the pacing is generally ok, and the world(s) are rich and believable.
The characters are lovely, with complex-enough personalities and traits, and the dialogue is solid and shows an awareness of how to utilize vernacular to add depth to the cast.
The main character is both likable and believable, more or less. She’s overly adaptable, it seems to me, but with a little suspension of disbelief she’s very relatable (and the love interest shows up at a nice time).
That said… things move along so quickly (by which I mean the characters adapt so easily and quickly to their circumstances) that it feels as if there are gaps; I’d like to see more character development shown, which means more time passing while these things simmer.
But that’s me, and I usually (though not always) read older-YA type stuff. A bit grittier and PG-13 rated.
Now I’m waiting for the next one 🤗
Where to begin? I don’t know what I was expecting from this book, but I wasn’t expecting this.
So, it’s YA and faith based; not my usual thing. To begin with, I don’t often read Sci-Fi - which is strange, since I enjoy a good amount of it when I do. Add to that the phrase “faith based” and … well. I’m all for faith, mind you. But, in my experience, at least many of those who refer to themselves that way do not remotely believe what I do. Or, at least, we believe it very differently.
However. This is basically a science fiction Narnia, allegory and all, and I loved it. It, like most books, isn’t perfect (more on that in a moment), but it’s engaging, well plotted, the pacing is generally ok, and the world(s) are rich and believable.
The characters are lovely, with complex-enough personalities and traits, and the dialogue is solid and shows an awareness of how to utilize vernacular to add depth to the cast.
The main character is both likable and believable, more or less. She’s overly adaptable, it seems to me, but with a little suspension of disbelief she’s very relatable (and the love interest shows up at a nice time).
That said… things move along so quickly (by which I mean the characters adapt so easily and quickly to their circumstances) that it feels as if there are gaps; I’d like to see more character development shown, which means more time passing while these things simmer.
But that’s me, and I usually (though not always) read older-YA type stuff. A bit grittier and PG-13 rated.
Now I’m waiting for the next one 🤗
May 31, 2022
Scribes’ Descent is an immersive read. As the main characters journey deeper into their world, your vision of it broadens, fills in at the edges, and becomes saturated in color. Although the world exists in an entirely different universe than ours, the author has made it accessible; you neither need to be a sci-fi nor fantasy buff to understand this new world, its vocabulary, people, and extensive history.
Below I will list the highs, lows, and neutrals of the book for me. I received an ARC (thank you!) of Scribes’ Descent, but that has in no way altered my review.
HIGH: The sci-fi/tech portions of the novel were great. For me, a book will be a DNF if the jargon is impossible to pronounce in my head, if it feels like it’s every other word, or if it’s just so out of left field I cannot make any sense of it. None of those problems occur here. There is familiar tech and new tech in this world, and it was easy for me to envision it just as easily as all other details.
HIGH: Outstanding world building. There were numerous times while reading I found myself imagining scenes similar to those in Avatar. There is the combination of tech and nature. There are different groups of people with their various languages, clothing, creatures, homes, etc. When I first saw Avatar, I saw it in 3D. It was so strikingly beautiful, I went to see it again the next day. Scribes’ Descent took me in, and by about the middle of the book my mind was experiencing it in 3D. I want to see this world on the big screen.
LOW: I hate going low, but here we go. One thing that bothered me was what I’ll call gender content. The gender roles, terms, clothing, and narration disappointed me for a book set in a more advanced time. If I’m reading sci-fi I’m not only hoping for but expecting advancement past the binary and heteronormativity. E.g. there are a few references to “man” as if “man” applies to all humanity, and that was off-putting. If already making up an entirely fake world, why not make that extra effort to lose outdated gender stereotypes? Of course, it is possible there is a reason this world has not reached that point yet but won’t be revealed ‘til a subsequent book in the series.
NEUTRAL: So there were a few things that took me out of the story a little bit but certainly not enough not to dislike them or avoid them. First is that they travel very very very deep into their planet. Only once does anyone ever mention that they will have to go back up at some point. They struggle to have ample food, water, and endurance, but they’re ok with having to travel uphill and primarily only uphill for weeks? Also, isn’t it hot in the middle of the planet? Curious.
NEUTRAL: So the MC is smart, but really everyone is. She and a couple of her friends are well-versed in languages. They speak both their own language and the native language of their new home fluently. There is another friend who can understand a small amount of the new native language. When the group is introduced to a third, unique language, the MC picks it up in what seems like less than a day. But the other friend, after what may have been weeks around only the native language being used, has picked up no more of it. It just didn’t feel realistic.
Overall, this book was well done. I would recommend this book to friends who enjoy YA as well as the YA audience it’s directed toward. Also there is no foul language or sexual content for those looking to avoid that.
Below I will list the highs, lows, and neutrals of the book for me. I received an ARC (thank you!) of Scribes’ Descent, but that has in no way altered my review.
HIGH: The sci-fi/tech portions of the novel were great. For me, a book will be a DNF if the jargon is impossible to pronounce in my head, if it feels like it’s every other word, or if it’s just so out of left field I cannot make any sense of it. None of those problems occur here. There is familiar tech and new tech in this world, and it was easy for me to envision it just as easily as all other details.
HIGH: Outstanding world building. There were numerous times while reading I found myself imagining scenes similar to those in Avatar. There is the combination of tech and nature. There are different groups of people with their various languages, clothing, creatures, homes, etc. When I first saw Avatar, I saw it in 3D. It was so strikingly beautiful, I went to see it again the next day. Scribes’ Descent took me in, and by about the middle of the book my mind was experiencing it in 3D. I want to see this world on the big screen.
LOW: I hate going low, but here we go. One thing that bothered me was what I’ll call gender content. The gender roles, terms, clothing, and narration disappointed me for a book set in a more advanced time. If I’m reading sci-fi I’m not only hoping for but expecting advancement past the binary and heteronormativity. E.g. there are a few references to “man” as if “man” applies to all humanity, and that was off-putting. If already making up an entirely fake world, why not make that extra effort to lose outdated gender stereotypes? Of course, it is possible there is a reason this world has not reached that point yet but won’t be revealed ‘til a subsequent book in the series.
NEUTRAL: So there were a few things that took me out of the story a little bit but certainly not enough not to dislike them or avoid them. First is that they travel very very very deep into their planet. Only once does anyone ever mention that they will have to go back up at some point. They struggle to have ample food, water, and endurance, but they’re ok with having to travel uphill and primarily only uphill for weeks? Also, isn’t it hot in the middle of the planet? Curious.
NEUTRAL: So the MC is smart, but really everyone is. She and a couple of her friends are well-versed in languages. They speak both their own language and the native language of their new home fluently. There is another friend who can understand a small amount of the new native language. When the group is introduced to a third, unique language, the MC picks it up in what seems like less than a day. But the other friend, after what may have been weeks around only the native language being used, has picked up no more of it. It just didn’t feel realistic.
Overall, this book was well done. I would recommend this book to friends who enjoy YA as well as the YA audience it’s directed toward. Also there is no foul language or sexual content for those looking to avoid that.
March 9, 2023
This is a very fun YA Sci-Fi full of high stakes, realistic and believable scientific elements, and a fast-moving, digestible plot. A great first novel by this emerging author. I highly recommend it!
September 14, 2022
I read Scribes’ Descent as part of a judging team for the second annual Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC2), where it was assigned to my first round allocation.
It’s not especially hard to get a general sense of where the story is going. The main character lives on a planet ruled by a science-worshipping race of colonizers, who closely guards the mines where the (monotheistic) natives had been enslaved centuries before. When things go wrong, it’s not hard to guess who is at fault and where to look for answers.
But it’s interesting and well-written, albeit to the younger end of the YA spectrum. We know there’s a secret, but the promise of learning the details of the secret keep the plot driving forward, and the main character’s ingenuity is on full display in winning a robotics competition to gain entrance to the heavily-guarded facility that likely contains the answers.
But the second half of the story pivots to an exploration/adventure tale where nearly every problem is solved by supernatural guidance. Don’t get me wrong—the religious aspect was well-foreshadowed and is right at home here. But it gets to the point where it crowds out the lead’s own abilities, and the supernatural assistance reduces some of the dramatic tension (though the writing is strong enough that some remains).
My other big issue here is that the biggest questions (What are the hidden historical atrocities? What’s up with the monotheistic cosmology vs the science worship? What caused the dang earthquakes?) get left for the sequel. This novel accomplishes several intermediate goals, so it doesn’t entirely feel like it’s dropped in the middle, but the adventure aspects taking so much of the back half and crowding out some of the big questions keep this closer to the two/three-star border than the three/four border.
Not gonna lie though, I would’ve devoured this in middle school, when I would’ve had time to simply jump straight into the sequel.
First impression: 11/20. Full review to come at www.tarvolon.com. Determination of SPSFC2 status will be made in concert with team members.
It’s not especially hard to get a general sense of where the story is going. The main character lives on a planet ruled by a science-worshipping race of colonizers, who closely guards the mines where the (monotheistic) natives had been enslaved centuries before. When things go wrong, it’s not hard to guess who is at fault and where to look for answers.
But it’s interesting and well-written, albeit to the younger end of the YA spectrum. We know there’s a secret, but the promise of learning the details of the secret keep the plot driving forward, and the main character’s ingenuity is on full display in winning a robotics competition to gain entrance to the heavily-guarded facility that likely contains the answers.
But the second half of the story pivots to an exploration/adventure tale where nearly every problem is solved by supernatural guidance. Don’t get me wrong—the religious aspect was well-foreshadowed and is right at home here. But it gets to the point where it crowds out the lead’s own abilities, and the supernatural assistance reduces some of the dramatic tension (though the writing is strong enough that some remains).
My other big issue here is that the biggest questions (What are the hidden historical atrocities? What’s up with the monotheistic cosmology vs the science worship? What caused the dang earthquakes?) get left for the sequel. This novel accomplishes several intermediate goals, so it doesn’t entirely feel like it’s dropped in the middle, but the adventure aspects taking so much of the back half and crowding out some of the big questions keep this closer to the two/three-star border than the three/four border.
Not gonna lie though, I would’ve devoured this in middle school, when I would’ve had time to simply jump straight into the sequel.
First impression: 11/20. Full review to come at www.tarvolon.com. Determination of SPSFC2 status will be made in concert with team members.
March 4, 2024
I bought this for the teen bookworm in my house who likes adventure and mystery after meeting the author, Dylan, at a school event. I'm glad I did! We ended up reading the book together and neither of us wanted to put it down. We are looking forward to his next book.
Dylan did a really good job creating the world and backstory that Mallory, the heroine, lives on. Scenes were described with the right amount of detail to help a reader while not distracting from the events that were happening there. Mallory and her supporting characters were also well developed. That made it easy to identify with her as she travels underground through the bio-prison filled with danger and adventure.
I appreciate how Dylan had people around Mallory believe in her when she doubted herself. Knowing the tragic events she lived through made her doubts realistic as she went on the quest to help her world while being asked to help another that was unknown to her.
Dylan also included a few science and engineering terms that most people don't use everyday. I like that and recommend you look them up! Your brain will thank you. For example, we now know what an archology is.
If you like sci-fi or fantasy you will thoroughly enjoy Scribe's Descent whether you are a teen or older adult!
Dylan did a really good job creating the world and backstory that Mallory, the heroine, lives on. Scenes were described with the right amount of detail to help a reader while not distracting from the events that were happening there. Mallory and her supporting characters were also well developed. That made it easy to identify with her as she travels underground through the bio-prison filled with danger and adventure.
I appreciate how Dylan had people around Mallory believe in her when she doubted herself. Knowing the tragic events she lived through made her doubts realistic as she went on the quest to help her world while being asked to help another that was unknown to her.
Dylan also included a few science and engineering terms that most people don't use everyday. I like that and recommend you look them up! Your brain will thank you. For example, we now know what an archology is.
If you like sci-fi or fantasy you will thoroughly enjoy Scribe's Descent whether you are a teen or older adult!
February 16, 2024
So much to like about this! A compelling mystery/journey setup, vivid planet imagery, a determined MC (Mallory), and the technology made me feel like I was in a new future (I especially liked the nanotech). I'd probably put this on the younger YA or maybe MG fiction end. It kind of brought back fond memories of when I was a middle schooler reading the Mars Diaries.
Other recs I could compare this to: It has touches of Ender's Game (genius children caught up in world politics) and brilliant worldbuilding somewhat similar to The Broken Earth trilogy. This also has some play with religions (similar to Brandon Sanderson's world-building)--something Syfy doesn't play enough with in my opinion!
There were a few minor things that didn't quite catch me fully. The character's emotions didn't always line up with the actions occurring, happening too late on the page for me--so I would start questioning why the characters weren't reacting.
But all together this was a really fun Debut novel. The author has a video game demo--which I'll be curious to check out!
Other recs I could compare this to: It has touches of Ender's Game (genius children caught up in world politics) and brilliant worldbuilding somewhat similar to The Broken Earth trilogy. This also has some play with religions (similar to Brandon Sanderson's world-building)--something Syfy doesn't play enough with in my opinion!
There were a few minor things that didn't quite catch me fully. The character's emotions didn't always line up with the actions occurring, happening too late on the page for me--so I would start questioning why the characters weren't reacting.
But all together this was a really fun Debut novel. The author has a video game demo--which I'll be curious to check out!
May 6, 2023
Scribes Decent is a great opener to the Scribes series. I thought it was different in its use of technology. The story is science fiction but it's not all spaceships planets. Actually, it's about ONE planet and though one of our heroes comes to this planet on a spaceship, that kind of science plays very little into the plot. The science felt very real and often over my head. But it wasn't overwhelmingly so. Any young person or adult who is nerdy at all should enjoy this book. I am looking forward to when the second book is out and am very happy to have found a new clean series and author I can share with my kids.
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August 13, 2022interesting sci-fi, magical to spiritual story
The author has solid science and technology knowledge. And while advanced technology is part of the story, the main character has a mystical to spiritual journey that changes the course of her life and her companions. Well written, exciting and clean fiction for YA and up
The author has solid science and technology knowledge. And while advanced technology is part of the story, the main character has a mystical to spiritual journey that changes the course of her life and her companions. Well written, exciting and clean fiction for YA and up
May 20, 2023
Intricate, relatable world-building expertly described makes a perfect setting for this plot-twisting journey that features a cast of dynamic characters headed by strong yet empathic heroine. I don't read much science fiction, but this one was a joy.
May 19, 2022
Forced to flee her homeworld as a child due to world-shattering earthquakes, Mallory now lives on Planet Daishon, where earthquakes are unheard of—until a big quake shakes the very foundations of everything she takes for granted, taking away her security and the lives of thousands, including her parents. Mallory struggles for answers to how the impossible has happened, but rumor and research lead her to an infamous underground mine protected by an impenetrable stone that grows. What she discovers far outstrips any imaginings she might have held and teaches her many things about her people, and about herself.
Scribes' Descent is a delightful young-adult adventure that surrounds young Mallory with both danger and discovery. None of the young characters, all in their late teens, felt stereotypical to me. Each was astute, intelligent, clever, and nice; they're good teens in trying situations, and they always use their sharp minds to think their way out of their predicaments. Mallory and her cohorts would make great role models for young readers, as they depict brainy, book-obsessed, math-savvy characters in cool ways, especially since they're able to use those brains, that math, and those books they've read to solve their problems. The way they think and speak, while definitely Y.A. in some respects (i.e. no foul language; instead, the characters use words like "saps" as an exclamation), is certainly high-level, using vocabulary that may require a bit of thought at times. No doubt Mallory would relish the thought of learning a new word, and readers of her story likely will, as well.
The author tells Mallory's story in clean, wholesome fashion. There's no sex, no on-the-page blood-and-guts violence. Mallory and her pals run into troubles, no doubt, but I think this is a good, safe read for any age level above 13. Scribes is marketed as Y.A., yet I definitely enjoyed reading it. Even the fantastic parts (this is fantasy, after all) felt plausible. West has done his research to "science it up," and it shows. His writing style is approachable and easygoing, even when the storyline twists at all the right places, keeping the reader glued to the page. Each time I thought I could relax, the plot would take another unexpected turn, bringing Mallory and her pals to a new tight spot. It's easy to keep reading despite the fact that it's past your bedtime.
Since this is the first book in a series, the reader should expect to run into a bit of a cliff-hanger at the end. But that didn't spoil it for me. In fact, it made me certain that I'll be looking for the next book in the series.
If you have teens who love to read, or who are incredibly bright—saps, even if you have no kids, but you love to read a good fantasy story—you'll want to check out this book. Scribes’ Descent will be released on May 30, 2022, you can check out more about the author, Dylan West at his website, https://dylanwestauthor.com.
Scribes' Descent is a delightful young-adult adventure that surrounds young Mallory with both danger and discovery. None of the young characters, all in their late teens, felt stereotypical to me. Each was astute, intelligent, clever, and nice; they're good teens in trying situations, and they always use their sharp minds to think their way out of their predicaments. Mallory and her cohorts would make great role models for young readers, as they depict brainy, book-obsessed, math-savvy characters in cool ways, especially since they're able to use those brains, that math, and those books they've read to solve their problems. The way they think and speak, while definitely Y.A. in some respects (i.e. no foul language; instead, the characters use words like "saps" as an exclamation), is certainly high-level, using vocabulary that may require a bit of thought at times. No doubt Mallory would relish the thought of learning a new word, and readers of her story likely will, as well.
The author tells Mallory's story in clean, wholesome fashion. There's no sex, no on-the-page blood-and-guts violence. Mallory and her pals run into troubles, no doubt, but I think this is a good, safe read for any age level above 13. Scribes is marketed as Y.A., yet I definitely enjoyed reading it. Even the fantastic parts (this is fantasy, after all) felt plausible. West has done his research to "science it up," and it shows. His writing style is approachable and easygoing, even when the storyline twists at all the right places, keeping the reader glued to the page. Each time I thought I could relax, the plot would take another unexpected turn, bringing Mallory and her pals to a new tight spot. It's easy to keep reading despite the fact that it's past your bedtime.
Since this is the first book in a series, the reader should expect to run into a bit of a cliff-hanger at the end. But that didn't spoil it for me. In fact, it made me certain that I'll be looking for the next book in the series.
If you have teens who love to read, or who are incredibly bright—saps, even if you have no kids, but you love to read a good fantasy story—you'll want to check out this book. Scribes’ Descent will be released on May 30, 2022, you can check out more about the author, Dylan West at his website, https://dylanwestauthor.com.
May 27, 2022
I admit that I'm not necessarily the most versed in modern scifi reading, but I do know when I've enjoyed a book. And I definitely enjoyed Scribes' Descent. Mallory is an engaging character, and watching her grow her confidence and come into her own was rewarding as a reader. I appreciate that she earns people's respect with her scientific and engineering capabilities rather than just having the plot hand respect to her because she's the MC. She made me regret that I hadn't paid more attention during my college science classes. :)
The world building is layered and beautiful, which pulled me into the story and kept me intrigued about what I would discover next. Excellent supporting characters--each has their own personality and their interactions with the MC are natural and realistic. The dialogue is well-written, and there are nice moments of humor to help build the humanness of the characters.
What I liked most about this fun book was how organic everything feels. The cultures, the science, the physical worlds. All of these elements read as though they developed naturally. The science, in particular, I liked because it is detailed enough to expand the realism and showcase that the author understands what he's talking about, but not so detailed that a non-scifi reader such as myself would become lost. Instead, it's exciting. I didn't know building a drone could bring so much tension!
A very good book with action, adventure, a bit of mystery, and solid characters that I think scifi fans will enjoy.
The world building is layered and beautiful, which pulled me into the story and kept me intrigued about what I would discover next. Excellent supporting characters--each has their own personality and their interactions with the MC are natural and realistic. The dialogue is well-written, and there are nice moments of humor to help build the humanness of the characters.
What I liked most about this fun book was how organic everything feels. The cultures, the science, the physical worlds. All of these elements read as though they developed naturally. The science, in particular, I liked because it is detailed enough to expand the realism and showcase that the author understands what he's talking about, but not so detailed that a non-scifi reader such as myself would become lost. Instead, it's exciting. I didn't know building a drone could bring so much tension!
A very good book with action, adventure, a bit of mystery, and solid characters that I think scifi fans will enjoy.
May 20, 2022
Given an advance copy for review.
I enjoyed reading Scribes. Dylan is very knowledgeable and that comes through in the writting. The novel starts off as a science fiction novel with a little religion and then has a Narnia moment as the main character and her companions begin their descent into the planet. The science falls away and the story becomes more and more magical the deeper they journey. The tying thread between the sci fi story and the fantasy story is one of the religions. It was a unique idea but I feel the religion was not explained enough in advance during the sci fi story that it left the two halves feeling a little disjointed. The story is told from the perspective of the main character with little dialogue which makes it hard to feel a connection to any other character beyond the main character. I hope in the sequel we get a return to the sci fi where the characters had more self direction and there is more ethnic and religious conflict to have the driving religion of the story more fully explained before we dive deeper into the fantasy world. Overall a great first novel and I look forward to reading the sequel.
I enjoyed reading Scribes. Dylan is very knowledgeable and that comes through in the writting. The novel starts off as a science fiction novel with a little religion and then has a Narnia moment as the main character and her companions begin their descent into the planet. The science falls away and the story becomes more and more magical the deeper they journey. The tying thread between the sci fi story and the fantasy story is one of the religions. It was a unique idea but I feel the religion was not explained enough in advance during the sci fi story that it left the two halves feeling a little disjointed. The story is told from the perspective of the main character with little dialogue which makes it hard to feel a connection to any other character beyond the main character. I hope in the sequel we get a return to the sci fi where the characters had more self direction and there is more ethnic and religious conflict to have the driving religion of the story more fully explained before we dive deeper into the fantasy world. Overall a great first novel and I look forward to reading the sequel.
May 11, 2022
A unique blend of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Scribes Descent plunges the reader into multiple dangerous quests that only a multi-talented character can overcome. The prose is elegant and insightful and I had to stop many times to admire and read over some of the distinguished verbiage. Filled with obvious technical savvy, the author immerses the reader in a world of plausible technology. The dialogue and scene setting in this novel is very good and grounds the reader in most chapters.
About halfway through the book the narrative seems more fantasy than science fiction and some aspects of the technology fade. Why emphasis on certain aspects of technology in the beginning of the novel do not pan out in the conclusion is a mystery. The tension in some instances could be increased as it seemed that the obstacles overcome by the protagonist were preordained. Overall it is a great read and some of the plot points are left hanging for the next novel which should be very interesting.
About halfway through the book the narrative seems more fantasy than science fiction and some aspects of the technology fade. Why emphasis on certain aspects of technology in the beginning of the novel do not pan out in the conclusion is a mystery. The tension in some instances could be increased as it seemed that the obstacles overcome by the protagonist were preordained. Overall it is a great read and some of the plot points are left hanging for the next novel which should be very interesting.
June 23, 2022
Scribes' Descent by Dylan West is a young adult science fiction book. I picked it up hoping for something unique and different, and I wasn't disappointed.
The plot is varied and fast-paced. Many years ago, Mallory and her parents fled their home planets, which is riddled with earthquakes. Their new home, Daishon, was supposed to be safe from natural disasters. But when an earthquake kills Mallory's parents and her best friend's father goes missing while at the country's top research center, she decides to investigate. What follows is an adventure that takes her deep underground and allows her to meet a diverse and fascinating cast of characters.
I especially enjoyed diving into a completely different world. The technology and the supernatural beings in this book are completely unique, which makes it particularly intriguing. A great read for anyone interested in science fiction or simply looking for a good story.
The plot is varied and fast-paced. Many years ago, Mallory and her parents fled their home planets, which is riddled with earthquakes. Their new home, Daishon, was supposed to be safe from natural disasters. But when an earthquake kills Mallory's parents and her best friend's father goes missing while at the country's top research center, she decides to investigate. What follows is an adventure that takes her deep underground and allows her to meet a diverse and fascinating cast of characters.
I especially enjoyed diving into a completely different world. The technology and the supernatural beings in this book are completely unique, which makes it particularly intriguing. A great read for anyone interested in science fiction or simply looking for a good story.
May 30, 2022
Full disclosure: I helped with developmental editing on this novel, and I can't review it as a reader. I've seen too many drafts and too much backstory to have a reader's perspective!
What I -can- attest to is how much worldbuilding went into this project. You won't find elves or orcs, or even Earth and the Milky Way. Other than humans themselves, everything is new: the universe, the planets, the cultures, creatures, and non-human sapients, all with their own stories and backstories and logical historical progressions to the state of the world at the time of this novel.
In short, I think the universe of Scribes' Descent is special, and what I like best is the path the story takes through all the worldbuilding, giving you a glimpse of more.
What I -can- attest to is how much worldbuilding went into this project. You won't find elves or orcs, or even Earth and the Milky Way. Other than humans themselves, everything is new: the universe, the planets, the cultures, creatures, and non-human sapients, all with their own stories and backstories and logical historical progressions to the state of the world at the time of this novel.
In short, I think the universe of Scribes' Descent is special, and what I like best is the path the story takes through all the worldbuilding, giving you a glimpse of more.
May 4, 2022
Dylan West weaves an intricate web in “Scribes’ Descent”
“Scribes’ Descent” is an intriguing title for Dylan West’s sci-fi tale. The author weaves an intricate web in a world he has created and described in rich detail. The storyline holds the reader’s attention and is filled with mystery and surprises. Unresolved is why the characters do not engage in the duties of scribes by writing or copying documents. The characters themselves deny being scribes. The author’s creative license allows him to share his imagination in this captivating novel providing the reader a delightful—and sometimes frightful—escape from reality.
“Scribes’ Descent” is an intriguing title for Dylan West’s sci-fi tale. The author weaves an intricate web in a world he has created and described in rich detail. The storyline holds the reader’s attention and is filled with mystery and surprises. Unresolved is why the characters do not engage in the duties of scribes by writing or copying documents. The characters themselves deny being scribes. The author’s creative license allows him to share his imagination in this captivating novel providing the reader a delightful—and sometimes frightful—escape from reality.
July 24, 2022
Kudos to Dylan West for this uber creative sci-fi quest. Rated YA, this OL (old lady) really enjoyed it. This is not a quick read. You'll want to take your time savoring the richly drawn characters, creative language, detailed world building, and the action-packed storyline. There were many moments when West's humor showed in throw-away lines like "I prefer my monsters fun-sized" or "It boggles my boggler." The overarching theme of having faith in the things you can’t see but do hear and feel in your heart made this a truly rewarding and satisfying read. But the journey doesn’t end here. Trust the sequel will be available soon.
May 15, 2022
This novel is not something I would particularly pick up on my reads list considering it's more science fiction than fantasy but I'm glad I stumbled upon the book. The protagonist is faced with a lot of unique challenges throughout the novel and the gaps in the story is perfectly place where your intrigued by the next installment but not left wondering. The plot in itself is something I haven't read before and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
May 30, 2022
{This review contains no spoilers} Dylan West has created a fantasy world of Star Wars level sophistication to tell his story Scribes' Descent. Mallory Leighyan embarks on a "Reluctant Savior/Hero" journey that will entertain and delight you throughout this entire 1st book of the Scribe's series.
After a slow start the narrative becomes engaging and the dialogue is EXCELLENT throughout. If you don't mind the occasional head-hopping, this will be a book you will thoroughly enjoy.
After a slow start the narrative becomes engaging and the dialogue is EXCELLENT throughout. If you don't mind the occasional head-hopping, this will be a book you will thoroughly enjoy.
January 23, 2023
Really liked this one! I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was a ton of fun to follow the characters through the start of their journey. West does a great job of making the reader sweat during tense scenes. The characters and their interactions are charming, and the story reveals layer after layer of great worldbuilding as it progresses. I'm really excited for book 2!
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February 3, 2024DNF at 8%
Seems like a really decent story. It's just not for me and I couldn't get into it.
Will not be rating.
Seems like a really decent story. It's just not for me and I couldn't get into it.
Will not be rating.
February 20, 2026
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fun and had good action and good mystery reveals. There could have been more depth to make it better for me personally but considering it is aimed at middle school ages, the depth is sufficient.
September 27, 2022
Dylan West is an amazing author. Not only did he write a very good, entertaining, and well-paced YA scifi thriller, but he even wrote stories within the story! This guy puts the W in world building. On top of that, he writes well, he knows his stuff and did very good research. I’ve been deeply fascinated with this kind of adventure books ever since I read Niels Klim’s Underground Travels as a young boy, regarded as the first Nordic scifi novel (Nicolai Klimii Iter Subterraneum), written in 1741. Scribes’ Descent is in many ways different from Niels Klim’s travels, but still sparks the same excitement.
December 10, 2023
A fun read for readers 12 and up. Dylan West has created new worlds, new peoples, new foods…new everything, in a creative adventure that will engage the imaginations of his readers. Mallory is a cool MC, and I’m looking forward to reading about what she faces in the next book.
April 20, 2024
This book was amazing. I was able to contact with Mallory. This was a good mix between sci-fi and adventure. I couldn't put the book down. -Kara
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