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Legends of Elessia - Shadows Over Garm #3
A Sundered Moon
When the Blood God rises, two sworn enemies hold the fate of the world in their hands.
Lucius has failed. The Blood God beat him and bound the priest’s very soul to that of his most hated foe. Now he must work together with the vampire sorceress Memphala to unravel the secrets of blood magic. But the soul-binding curse leaves him unable to rely on the blessings of the Silvery Moon.
As the pair fights their way through the ruins of the capital and a populace driven mad by the blood curse, a new avatar of the Moon Goddess rises—and she will not tolerate Lucius’ dalliance with the dark.
Lucius has failed. The Blood God beat him and bound the priest’s very soul to that of his most hated foe. Now he must work together with the vampire sorceress Memphala to unravel the secrets of blood magic. But the soul-binding curse leaves him unable to rely on the blessings of the Silvery Moon.
As the pair fights their way through the ruins of the capital and a populace driven mad by the blood curse, a new avatar of the Moon Goddess rises—and she will not tolerate Lucius’ dalliance with the dark.
- GenresFantasy
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2022
4 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Luís Falcão de Magalhães
17 books48 followersMy name is Luis, and I’m the black sheep of the family.
Born the scion of a household of magistrates and physicians, I was groomed from a young age to meet those expectations. I threw the chain of office away and became a bard instead.
I’ve since traveled the breadth of my homeland, picking up tales here and there. I’ve dined with aldermen and drank firewater with vagabonds; I’ve sung moonlit serenades to hussies and taken the daughters of wealthy merchants to grand balls. I’ve joined secret orders, learning their lore and passphrases; I’ve locked arms with tree-huggers and danced with them under the full moon.
But two things sing to my soul like nothing else. One, the roll of the dice, be it on the wood of the tabletop or within the shards of magical glass that are everywhere in our society. Two, the tales of daring, of heroism and valor, of wickedness and deceit, to be found among the dusty tomes of the world’s libraries.
To contribute to those, I have made my life’s work.
Stay a while, and listen…
Born the scion of a household of magistrates and physicians, I was groomed from a young age to meet those expectations. I threw the chain of office away and became a bard instead.
I’ve since traveled the breadth of my homeland, picking up tales here and there. I’ve dined with aldermen and drank firewater with vagabonds; I’ve sung moonlit serenades to hussies and taken the daughters of wealthy merchants to grand balls. I’ve joined secret orders, learning their lore and passphrases; I’ve locked arms with tree-huggers and danced with them under the full moon.
But two things sing to my soul like nothing else. One, the roll of the dice, be it on the wood of the tabletop or within the shards of magical glass that are everywhere in our society. Two, the tales of daring, of heroism and valor, of wickedness and deceit, to be found among the dusty tomes of the world’s libraries.
To contribute to those, I have made my life’s work.
Stay a while, and listen…
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 9, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
If I had to sum up "A Sundered Moon" up in one word, it would be redemption. Redemption from failure, from loss, from betrayal. Different for each character, but all with something to prove.
Between books 2 and 3, I did feel a lot of similarities with Game of Thrones - which I didn't mind. Memphalarissala reminds me a lot of the red lady. Loved by some, hated by most. Hilda also made me think some of Lady Bree with a mix of The Hound. Tough and stoic, but secretly wants to wear her heart on her shoulder. All are great characters who are more complex than they first seem.
Book 3 starts almost immediately after the events of book 2. My favorite dilemma being the tie Lucius now has with Memphala. Enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?
I believe this was a worthy end to the trilogy. Kept true to the characters, the pacing, action, and resolved the main problem.
If I had to sum up "A Sundered Moon" up in one word, it would be redemption. Redemption from failure, from loss, from betrayal. Different for each character, but all with something to prove.
Between books 2 and 3, I did feel a lot of similarities with Game of Thrones - which I didn't mind. Memphalarissala reminds me a lot of the red lady. Loved by some, hated by most. Hilda also made me think some of Lady Bree with a mix of The Hound. Tough and stoic, but secretly wants to wear her heart on her shoulder. All are great characters who are more complex than they first seem.
Book 3 starts almost immediately after the events of book 2. My favorite dilemma being the tie Lucius now has with Memphala. Enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?
I believe this was a worthy end to the trilogy. Kept true to the characters, the pacing, action, and resolved the main problem.
May 12, 2024
The Blood God prepares for total domination. To prevent this the worst of foes become allies. But what hope is there against a power so fearsome.
Excellent finale to a fun, exciting series! Lots of old school D & D nostalgia. Quick and light read full of adrenaline rushing adventure.
Excellent finale to a fun, exciting series! Lots of old school D & D nostalgia. Quick and light read full of adrenaline rushing adventure.
February 20, 2023
Rcvd an advanced reader copy from BookSirens for giving my two cents. We continue on Lucius' quest to stop the blood God and continuing to be tethered to Memphala. Gotthift will use his abilities as a necromancer to aid in the fight against the blood God...however her has another duty to another master that he must fulfill. Sahal is back in the world to take his vengeance and sends his ravens to bring the darkness. There is hope...Silas remembers reading weird text in the library and it may help Lucius and Mem to defeat Sahal. Donata is on her own quest...one of the Lady...she feels a pull to an area in the Forrest....but will it be her downfall? Oskar has an idea to take out thr flying ravens and it involves metal and his people's talent to work with it. Lucius and mem have alot of work to do. He knows smtg had led him to her....bc the voices left after fighting her. It's not a coincidence but he has hope. Mem had been alive for millenia and she is starting to share Lucius feelings...yuck. Sahal is gaining power...will Lucius and Memphalas plan work or will they end up in thr depths of hell?
January 2, 2024
Previous Review of A Silvery Moon
Previous Review of Mask of the Eternal Moon
This is the third book of the Legends of Elessia series, with an apparent expectation of another book coming soon. Setting aside the ridiculous conclusion of the prior book, this one starts with the ascendency (or resurrection/release) of the Blood God … one of an apparent trinity of god-like vampires that ruled many eons ago. While it doesn’t really explain why, the sisters ganged up and vanquished their brother his return here … and he is pissed. As his first act, he curses Lucius, a priest for the Daughter of the Pines, linking his existence with his nemesis, the high vampire Memphala … making access to his pure moon magic impossibly painful to both (since they are essentially sharing all the other experiences). Although this was a rather ham-fisted way to connect them, it does begin something of a redemptive arc for the vampire that could have been interesting if there had not been so much prior effort to show how irritably evil she was …. and as part of that shared experience, the priest changes and is pretty much damned (so it is unclear if this really is a redemptive arc).
At any rate … the writing style is the same that is seen in the previous two books, so if you enjoyed them, this is more of the same. I still found it awkward and simple, but somewhat entertaining. For almost the entire book, we see everybody moving back and forth preparing for and evening engaging against the new big bad, aka the Blood God, who have cursed the moon red and ripe out his keep and fly it north to ultimately destroy his sister, the Daughter of Ice (and apparent patron of undead). When all is said and done, this is primarily a mechanical adventure with vampires, necromancers, dwarves and humans and a few other monsters …
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#ASunderedMoon #BookSirens #KindleUnlimited
Previous Review of Mask of the Eternal Moon
This is the third book of the Legends of Elessia series, with an apparent expectation of another book coming soon. Setting aside the ridiculous conclusion of the prior book, this one starts with the ascendency (or resurrection/release) of the Blood God … one of an apparent trinity of god-like vampires that ruled many eons ago. While it doesn’t really explain why, the sisters ganged up and vanquished their brother his return here … and he is pissed. As his first act, he curses Lucius, a priest for the Daughter of the Pines, linking his existence with his nemesis, the high vampire Memphala … making access to his pure moon magic impossibly painful to both (since they are essentially sharing all the other experiences). Although this was a rather ham-fisted way to connect them, it does begin something of a redemptive arc for the vampire that could have been interesting if there had not been so much prior effort to show how irritably evil she was …. and as part of that shared experience, the priest changes and is pretty much damned (so it is unclear if this really is a redemptive arc).
At any rate … the writing style is the same that is seen in the previous two books, so if you enjoyed them, this is more of the same. I still found it awkward and simple, but somewhat entertaining. For almost the entire book, we see everybody moving back and forth preparing for and evening engaging against the new big bad, aka the Blood God, who have cursed the moon red and ripe out his keep and fly it north to ultimately destroy his sister, the Daughter of Ice (and apparent patron of undead). When all is said and done, this is primarily a mechanical adventure with vampires, necromancers, dwarves and humans and a few other monsters …
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#ASunderedMoon #BookSirens #KindleUnlimited
August 25, 2025
Wow this book really puts Lucius, the Goddess priest, to the test as the Blood God rises he binds Lucius to his hated enemy, Memphala the vampire sorceress, and in doing so he weakens the bond Lucius had to his goddess. Sahal, the blood god is out to rule the world and his main intent is in taking down his sister the goddess of the moon. In the meantime a curse is unleashed on the populace of the city who turn upon one another turning the steets red with blood. Also the mercenary group of ravens are unleashed to wreak havoc on all who stand against Sahal who is floating above the mountains in the fortress he tore off. Lucius now bound to Memphala is forced to work with her in order to defeat Sahal before it is too late, however Donata the Goddess' priestess will not allow this to happen, and she sets out to kill the sorceress. If she does harm to Memphala this is reflected on Lucius, but Donata is adamant the sorceress must die. This book is breath taking, full of risk taking and danger, but also loyalty to Lucius as well as betrayal through fear and past anger. Can they survive this calamity? This is a series for readers who enjoy dark epic fantasy full of sword and sorcery!
July 6, 2023
‘How do ye feel about forging a weapon ta kill a god?’
For me, as long as it’s filigreed and has purple sparkles…
Seriously, though. It’s crucial to wield the weapons that best suit you. The blacksmith even custom-designed the priest’s ‘one-and-a-half-handed sword’ so he can keep his ‘holy book in hand’.
Familiarize yourself ‘with the lies required to maintain harmony in the court.’
Find for yourself friends who give out this kind of advice:
‘Get him to give you more of that potato-distilled spirit.’
May we choose the invigorating experiences of life rather than the dreary monotony of immortality.
This concludes the trilogy. But wait…there’s an anthology of stories that go with this ‘The Rose and The Knight’. I will continue the Elessia-Age of Rekindling series with an ARC of ‘The Champion of The Ice’ (expected 20 July).
For me, as long as it’s filigreed and has purple sparkles…
Seriously, though. It’s crucial to wield the weapons that best suit you. The blacksmith even custom-designed the priest’s ‘one-and-a-half-handed sword’ so he can keep his ‘holy book in hand’.
Familiarize yourself ‘with the lies required to maintain harmony in the court.’
Find for yourself friends who give out this kind of advice:
‘Get him to give you more of that potato-distilled spirit.’
May we choose the invigorating experiences of life rather than the dreary monotony of immortality.
This concludes the trilogy. But wait…there’s an anthology of stories that go with this ‘The Rose and The Knight’. I will continue the Elessia-Age of Rekindling series with an ARC of ‘The Champion of The Ice’ (expected 20 July).
April 5, 2024
An epic thrilling classic adventure.
Working against odds and even old friends, the characters make their way from defeated to hope, againts armies, magic and god-to-be foes through two different planes of existence.
Four kinds of magic and meddling with the enemy feelings brings enough originality to worth a try.
The colossal clash ends this adventure but there is no back to their normal themselves and a door is open to new adventures in the future.
Easy to read and action packed. Just enjoy it
Working against odds and even old friends, the characters make their way from defeated to hope, againts armies, magic and god-to-be foes through two different planes of existence.
Four kinds of magic and meddling with the enemy feelings brings enough originality to worth a try.
The colossal clash ends this adventure but there is no back to their normal themselves and a door is open to new adventures in the future.
Easy to read and action packed. Just enjoy it
March 11, 2024
A SUNDERED MOON is the third book in the Legends of Elessia series and should be read in sequence as this one starts not long after the other finishes.
Lucius and Memphala are recovering from their battle with the Blood God. Oskar is looking for his crossbow. Hilda returns to Gotthilf. And Donata is helping heal the wounded, which just never ends.
Told from many perspectives (including a fruit fly!) you get a fully rounded picture of what is happening to all of the characters. I loved the interaction between Lucius and Memphala. The changes in both of them were brilliantly written. The rest of the characters, barring one, didn't change much, just continued to act as they had which was perfect.
Donata is the one character who changed the most and I was both thrilled and disappointed. Thrilled - because it showed that the Lady of the Pines wasn't uncaring about the war going on with her people. I loved the trials Donata went through and the strength her character had. Disappointed - because after everything, her story just fizzled out. I could understand her resentment towards both Lucius and the situation, but it became bitter. It seems even the Gods of Elessia can't overlook some things and get help from unusual quarters, even if their world is at risk.
A full-on action book that takes you from one crisis to another. I found this to be a wonderful addition to the series and loved the epilogue with Lucius, Memphala, and Silas. This definitely needs to be read as a series or you won't understand a single thing. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 6, 2023
Lucius and Memphala are recovering from their battle with the Blood God. Oskar is looking for his crossbow. Hilda returns to Gotthilf. And Donata is helping heal the wounded, which just never ends.
Told from many perspectives (including a fruit fly!) you get a fully rounded picture of what is happening to all of the characters. I loved the interaction between Lucius and Memphala. The changes in both of them were brilliantly written. The rest of the characters, barring one, didn't change much, just continued to act as they had which was perfect.
Donata is the one character who changed the most and I was both thrilled and disappointed. Thrilled - because it showed that the Lady of the Pines wasn't uncaring about the war going on with her people. I loved the trials Donata went through and the strength her character had. Disappointed - because after everything, her story just fizzled out. I could understand her resentment towards both Lucius and the situation, but it became bitter. It seems even the Gods of Elessia can't overlook some things and get help from unusual quarters, even if their world is at risk.
A full-on action book that takes you from one crisis to another. I found this to be a wonderful addition to the series and loved the epilogue with Lucius, Memphala, and Silas. This definitely needs to be read as a series or you won't understand a single thing. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 6, 2023
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews