Son of Ereubus

Guardians of Legend #1

by J.S. Chancellor

Since time immemorial, Man has lived in fear of losing his soul to the darkness of Saint Ereubus. For generations, the Ereubinians have wielded that power and ruled like gods. Three thousand years ago, Man irresolutely placed his faith in a mythical world. That world, Adoria, now holds Man's final hope.

As the last stronghold of Man is threatened, the fates of three strangers become forever intertwined and everything they once believed will be irrevocably changed as they discover... Their time has run out.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, High Fantasy, Adult, Fiction

292 pages, Paperback

First published October 21, 2010

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, I want to thank Goodreads' First Reads to give me the chance to read this book. (Won through their giveaway)

At first, I thought I was going to like this book. It was intriguing, different, and the characters were interesting. The story was progressing, but then I realized I was 70% through and no plot was really developing. I was still waiting for the point of the story. I get that it's a fantasy and bad guy vs good guy, but that was it! No adventure, nothing developing into a climax and ending like a book should, it was really all fluff. A filler, I assume, for the rest of the series.

The other problem I had with it was that I was left confused a few times during the book. A character was doing a certain thing, then a new chapter starts and the same character is now doing something completely different, as if I missed a page or two. At first I blamed it on me maybe not paying enough attention, but no, it was just unclear of the progress or the story. After a few pages I was able to clue in what was happening so it wasn't a big deal, still bothered me.

The writing, except for the unclear parts, was good. The characters were well written. I liked the protagonist Ariana. She's a strong and independent character. The secondary characters were also well developed, though there are a lot to keep track of.

While it has a lot of potential to be a good and entertaining series, this first book wasn't good enough to get me to continue.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check Out Author's Interview !!

Since always, people has ideas running through their head.
But not a lot of people can write what's in their head into a well written book.
It was relief to have read this book after having read so many mediocre books lately.

The story contains most of all, soul taking Ereubinians, Adorians who fights to protect the soul of humans, a mystery that is yet to be unraveled, wonderfully descriptive characters, loyalty and trust among friends and allies, hideous monsters,
and a heart-wrenching love story.

The villains described in this book is more than dreadful, I read some of them acting only on what could be an evil's doing. which was good for me since I didn't feel like I have read a lot of "true" evil lately either.
I find that characters are very well developed and loved how the author slowly but skillfully revealed the story that has lasted thousands of years.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait to read more !!

Favorite Quotes
"The very nature of faith is to believe when all else fails — when reason or logic cannot provide proof of hope.It is easy to leave with nothing left behind. A true test of character is if one is able to willingly leave what means the most to him, his very heart, for the sake of a greater cause."

"Why didn't you kill me?"
Stepping closer, Garren looked as though he was about to reach out to her,
but held his arm against his chest instead.
"I don't think that I can explain it. Something caught me. It was almost like being awakened from a heavy sleep, as if seeing your face stirred something in me that had long slumbered."
"A familiarity" she whispered.
He nodded. "Yes, if there were but a thing deeper.
It revealed everything in a light that I knew nothing of, stripped me of all the things I'd once called truth."

[Douglas Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.S. Chancellor is going to make huge waves in the fantasy genre. Ereubus is a great read and Chancellor is a fantastic debut author. If you like fantasy, you'll love Ereubus.

[I am Bastet · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read the description of this book, my reaction was literally "I bet I can have some feminist fun with this one," because of the mention of "man" and the seemingly gender unbalanced fantasy world (which is common in fantasy canon, of course.) But, as it turns out, the author, J. S. Chancellor created a strong female lead in Ariana, a young woman who refuses to be treated like she's second-class because of her gender. Ariana was strong without being irritating, doing things for herself with the ability to stand up to the most frightening of adversaries (and to her brother, who was a very dominating sort of character.) But she also had real emotions when she needed them, and wasn't above feeling vulnerable or revealing that emotion to a select few close relations.

This is a character driven novel in the best possible way. Nobody is fully good or fully evil, even those who seem like they should be. Chancellor shows us weaknesses of each character, undermining what the world believes about them. Aiden is coming to mind right now, because I thought he was wonderfully dynamic, even for a supporting character rather than a main one.

The world of this book is very well built. There are three quasi-human races who are all intertwined through the decisions of the gods: humans, Erubinians who suck human souls and treat them like cattle, and Adorians, angel-like people who are more open-hearted and without the darkness that humans have. It was very cool: there were prophecies, a goddess named Ciara who controlled the Erubinians through the creepy Laionai (former kings of men who were cursed for siding with Ciara, now one consciousness--reminded me a tiny bit of The Nine from LotR.) At the beginning of the book, I was a little confused how all of these different groups of people and their belief systems related to each other and fit together, but by the end the background the reader needs has been provided, and the mysteries of the plot are clearly laid out to be solved in the next books.

One of the most pleasing things about this book is that there were several times when I THOUGHT I was going to run across a trope of sword and sorcery fantasy, and then Chancellor turned said trope on its head and I got a fantastic surprise. When Ariana meets Michael, beautiful winged Adorian man, I thought "oh, lovely, she's going to fall in love with a perfect angel man. Sigh." Turns out that Michael is her brother, and he's far from perfect. They had a great relationship, beginning as being uncomfortable and awkward around each other, but moving into a mutual affection and the ability to draw strength from one another.

Garren was, I think, my favorite character. I'm a sucker for the characters who can't figure out where they fit on the good/evil divide, and Garren was a perfect example. He was a product of his upbringing and his environment, raised to do horrible things so as to squash out any chance of light in his soul. The beginning romance between Ariana and Garren was nice--I look forward to seeing how that relationship plays out in the next two books. At first I thought the romance was a little rushed, but it turns out that there's a secret wrapped up in it, that also involves both Ariana's and Garren's existence.

Everything in this book had a purpose. It was a pleasure to see how so many of the loose ends begun at the beginning turned out to have roots in the world's history or prophecy or the gods. I liked the uniqueness of the world a lot--it's easy to fall into the traps of medieval worlds that are basically history lessons with a tiny bit of magic thrown in. This world, rather, was really created based on the societies of the different races--each setting was unique. Refreshing, especially for someone like me who cannot read one more fantasy book involving quests and horses and inns and kings and queens and corsets. Also, J. S. Chancellor has a really pretty and clear writing style, without being overly ornamental.

I'll be interested to see how the unevenness between the sexes plays out, as well as the major hints dropped about the Erubinians at the end of this first book. The only problem I really have is that what I would call the climax of this book happened some 80 pages (estimating) before the end--it's my personal preference to have books end on a bang, especially when they're in series, but that's not a criticism so much as just an opinion. I was sort of waiting through the resolution for another climax, but it didn't drag despite that. However, the end of the first book sets up a spectacular opening (I assume, anyway) for the second book, and it certainly leaves the reader with a lot of questions. I'm itching for the next one. I don't want to wait until next November! (I have an e-book copy of this, but it's worth it to me to order a physical copy from Amazon. I like to support the more indie publishers who do stuff like this, not trying to cater to the masses but really trying to produce quality books.)

[Ashlynn Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. S. Chancellor has created a very enjoyable and well-written story! This is one of those books that keep you turning pages, excited to see what will happen next. The world that this book creates is both believable and rich with history, religion, and culture. As the reader, you get a distinct sense of each separate group of sentient beings who inhabit this world. Each culture clearly has distinct separation and the dichotomy of uniqueness about each of the three groups makes this a fascinating read.

The book flows well and even with all the drama and diversity, the read is never distracted or pushed out of the story. Each character is unique and the presentation to the audience makes them both likable and relatable. The struggles of the plot and heartaches the characters face make them three-dimensional. Ariana, the main character, grows considerable through this story. She is both likable and strong. If you like, a strong female heroine who’s not afraid to step out of her cultures gender roles, this book is for you. Ariana is strong in crisis but still has a woman’s heart.

I found that the sense of family in this book added to its value and the emotion of the connections written in a very passionate and touching way. Son of Ereubus, Guardians of Legend blends a richly woven plot with skillful writing and memorable characters.

As this is the first of three there is always a fear of being left a little too at loose ends, however Ms. Chancellor has done a remarkable job of ending the story with just enough room for the read to certainly pick up book two but not feel cheated by the way the story ends. My only dissatisfaction with this work is that book two and three are not yet available. I have high hopes that these will be as pleasurable to read as the first.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enslaved and soulless, the human world at large has fallen. Ariana is among the few to remain free, surrounded by survivors blind to the desperate reality of their situation. It's only a matter of time before Ariana's fate is sealed and her soul taken. Legendary guardians could be their last hope – only they don't exist.
 
Son of Ereubus combines surprise, mystery, mortal struggle and love, in a flowing tale that leaves you searching for the next page. Overall a very enjoyable and relatively clean adult book. The reader should be aware that this story contains regular bloodshed as result of conflicts and rituals, as well as some sexual references, situations, and nudity. I will read it again and look forward to the sequel.

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[Roshio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Expectations. Expectations have a way of ruining a book for me. I build up a book and if it doesn't meet the standards I have already set, it disappoints me a lot more than if I'd known nothing about it. Unfortunately this is what happened with this book. For me this is mostly a story of star crossed lovers who happen to have their love set in a fantasy world. So its 'fantasy romance' so to speak. Fortunately I like star crossed lovers so I liked this book but what I wanted was dark fantasy, grim, cruel, harsh. I didn't really get that from this book.

[Allanah]

This sound like a really good book, I really want to read it.

[Jessica Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Son of Ereubus – Guardians of Legend Book One Book Review by Jessica Nelson

Title: Son of Ereubus – Guardians of Legend Book One

Author: J.S. Chancellor

Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing

Length: 310 pages

Price: $17.95

ISBN-13: 978-0-9827437-4-4

“How small the world has become. How dark the days of man have grown. Each passing moment is steeped in vile, wicked, and corrupt things that once whispered of power, only to betray. What was once overflowing with life has diminished to a threadbare existence. It was not always this way.”
-Son of Ereubus, Guardians of Legend Book One

So opens what may well be the greatest epic fantasy of our time. Like so many legendary tales, at the root of Son of Ereubus lies a history and a prophecy. The story takes us on a grand journey of hope and betrayal as we follow a young girl named Ariana away from the only home and family she has ever known after she is inexplicably the only person left in the wake of an Ereubinian attack on the last human stronghold in Middengard. For Garren to have let her live was unthinkable.

As the story progresses, Ariana learns that the world isn’t exactly as she’d thought. Tales her father taught her to dismiss as a child might actually have some credence to them. Not only that, but she herself might have quite a role in what she’d always thought of as an unfounded mythology. The more she learns the truth about herself and others, the deeper we are pulled into a fantastic world of thaumaturgy and vision.

As Ariana stumbles away from the horrors she’s just endured, she wanders in front of an arrow a hunter has just launched at her dog, which he mistook for a wolf. The hunter, Michael, brings Ariana to the healer in the mystical realm of Adoria, where he is the elected sovereign. All are shocked when the healer proclaims that regardless of her apparent upbringing in the human village of Palingard, the girl is not what she seems. She is, in fact, a member of the very race her father taught her not to believe in.

The worlds and characters author J.S. Chancellor creates in Son of Ereubus are expertly depicted, deep and rich. She uses her knowledge of various religious beliefs and mythologies to derive one name from another, thereby giving us an innate sense of each being simply by naming them. Some of these are more obvious, such as those named for better-known archangels. Others are slightly more obscure, but still extend the feeling of familiarity and knowing, such as St. Ereubus, derived from Erebus, god of darkness in Greek mythology. When she names the dark city Eidolon, we are at once somehow aware that this is a bad place, a haunted place, where we don’t want to be. Adoria, on the other hand, seems a place of wonder, light, and love … and of course, it is just that.

The story itself is masterfully told. It’s so easy to slip into that you not only find yourself effortlessly in the setting, you become an active participant as well. The writing flows with such a speed and rhythm that when you are forced to put it down –and it’s really hard to put this one down- you fall right back in over your head when you get to pick it up again, carried off by the current of adventure. The only thing that stops me from fully comparing this work to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien is the ease with which it can be read, the familiarity and modernism of the vernacular.

Beyond all this, the characters learn and grow, as all good protagonists must. Readers cannot help but form a relationship with the characters and get emotionally involved with what happens to them. There is much to be said for lessons of loss and redemption, forgiveness and love … indeed, this is far from the first story to ever cover them. The reason these lessons are so often written about, is because they are the hard lessons in life. The ones that leave marks.

We can be told numerous times about someone else’s experiences; but to know and to comprehend are not always the same thing. We know we shouldn’t take people for granted, but we do, and it isn’t until we no longer have the option to take back what was said or to say what we didn’t that we really and truly feel what others were trying to warn us of, the pain they tried so hard to spare us. It’s obvious the author has learned these lessons the hard way, as must we all, as she expresses the importance of this in the smallest and most meaningful actions of her characters.

A rarer lesson covered here, is the importance of knowing oneself and understanding one’s own beliefs. So much pain has been brought to this world by those who blindly follow a belief system simply because it is what they were taught to do. In Son of Ereubus, we are presented with Garren, an Ereubinian so cruel that he is the epitome of what is contemptuous. However, as the story progresses, we find that Garren has only ever done what he has been taught is right, without ever questioning those teachings. His perspective, too, is of great importance not only to this story, but to anyone who might read it and learn from it. This is also a lesson which must be learned the hard way, but somehow, having heard about it beforehand tends to soften the blow when you realize that what you were raised to believe may not be the way things actually are.

Son of Erebus is one of those books that should be on everyone’s to-read list. To call it a testament to the human spirit sounds trite, but it is. It’s one of those rare tales that has the ability to make other writers seriously consider putting their pens down, because the idea that such a wonderful, well-written story could live so richly in someone else’s imagination is difficult to fathom. I gushed about it to friends the entire time I was reading it, and I’m happy to say all my gushing has led to some of them planning on reading it as well. I’ve tried very hard to keep to a professional level of dissection here, but now that I’ve reached the last paragraph, I absolutely loved it. I was stunned and amazed, and I’m already looking forward to the second book, Blood of Adoria, due out November 2011. Do I really have to wait that long?

[Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revising my four star review a year ago to five after a re-read of this beautiful fantasy. I LOVE this book. It did take me two reads to understand the nuances of what is really going on behind the scenes, and I fully recommend referring to the Glossary in the back if you question who and what anyone or anything really is. It should be in the front.

The building of the characters in this story is really brilliantly done. Garren is evil and brutal to the point it is disturbing, and so is the strange world where he is feared and has great power. Yet early in the book he does something that is so totally out of character that it shocks him and troubles him. He shows mercy and spares a life. He tells no one what he has done and agonizes about the reasons why he would do such a thing.

Ariana is a human girl who never knew her mother, but loved her father who was killed in a battle many years previously. She lives a simple life with good people along with her beloved dog, Koen, (who I get the feeling there is more to than meets the eye) in a poor region of this world. The Ereubians who have been gifted by the evil Goddess to be able to steal souls, rule Middengard, the world where humans are struggling to survive. The only hope of the humans is ancient legend that tells of a race of guardians, the Adorians, who will protect and save them. Ariana does not believe this legend nor does she believe that the Adorians exist. Her friend, Sara, several years earlier swears that she saw one of these winged warriors with his horse in the forest near their town. No one really believes her.

As the story progresses, Ariana does find out that the Adorians do exist and that she is to play a part in the future existence of man and the battle between the Adorians and the Ereubians to save Middengard.

I found Ariana a very believable heroine, and in this second reading paid close attention to the legends and the mystical things that happened to her along her journey. The tie between her and Garren who she has only seen once becomes a major part of the story. This is the story of Ariana and Garren, a most unlikely pair to have a great love. But it is also the story of Michael, leader of the winged Adorians. A number of side characters beautifully come to life and surround them. The Dark Goddess Ciara, the Creator,the immortals, and other more illusive characters bear watching because there are hints throughout the story of more to the story that is on the surface.

The second book is out and I re-read this one before starting it. Glad I did and on to read Blood of Adoria. If you like fantasy, an intriguing romance, and action this is a really great read. Again, read and refer to the Glossary whenever you have any questions - it's simple and definitely made my second reading much more fun than the first time when I only discovered it in the back after reading the book.

A few quotes I loved:

"His eyes were cold. Staring into the well, the Dark Lord Azrian watched the ripples shiver across the surface of the water from where his fist had made contact with the stone. A foul, black curse left his lips in a language he rarely spoke as he leaned over, resting his weight on the centers of his palms, his arms outstretched on both sides. He'd been foolish, he knew. Ariana had been there all along, among the humans, right in the midst of the fray. It was nearly insulting. He wondered if Ciara had felt it too. No matter, he told himself, keeping his eyes fixed on her pale skin and fluid blue eyes. IT HAS BEGUN."

"There is no way we could have foreseen the effect of their meeting in this mortal plane and that's the only way the Dark Lord could have found her. But you are forgetting something --that same unpredictable power means their love is far greater than even you or I could ever have imagined."
"This didn't lesson Bronach's fears at all. ' Or that Garren's darkness as a son of Ereubus is so great, the very foundations of the immortal world shook when he touched her."

[John Drehobl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love epics. I love character driven drama set in larger than life backdrops. I greatly respect any story in which I can’t deduce or anticipate the outcome within the first few chapters or acts. I am excited and pleased to say that I found just such an epic novel in J.S. Chancellor's "Son of Ereubus.” Book one in the Guardians of Legend Trilogy.

The Prologue reads like a Steven King story, with graphic, wild and dark grey imagery resembling a Clive Barker scene. Having expected to embark on a journey within the comfortable and familiar confines of a “classic” fantasy novel, I was taken aback by the brutality and horror of those introductory pages, and actually uttered “uh oh” out loud. However, like a typical Clive Barker scene, I was compelled to turn the page and read a little more, holding my breath and bracing myself… and was allowed to exhale as Ms. Chancellor introduced me to a colorful land, complex people, races, creatures, demi-god like entities, and mystical intrigue worthy of any J.R.R. Tolkien fans’ book shelf.

J.S. Chancellor writes with an elemental style, and liberally uses multiple points of view. This is necessary, because nearly every main and sub-character hold secrets, personal agendas, and make choices that impact or influence the fate of the main protagonist. Be prepared… because there is nothing “cookie cutter” about this story. Chancellor breaks conventions and makes it work. There are no obvious “good guys” and “bad guys” here, although there seem to be as we join a story in progress. The line between antagonist and protagonist becomes blurred as the story unfolds, until that line is scarcely definable. The story is not only that unconventional… it is that good.

Chancellor’s book delves deep into the psychology and spirituality of humanity… and beyond humanity. What is “good?” What is “evil?” How do our personal histories, perspectives, and choices define or frame either of those alleged opposites? What of fate? How do forces and elements outside of our control and awareness help shape and define us as “good” or “evil?” Chancellor’s Novel is all about examining and contrasting light and darkness, within the world, and within ourselves as well.
The first book in this new author’s trilogy teases and tantalizes us with brief conversations between ancient, powerful demi-gods, dazzles us with awe inspiring visual scenes of an entranced protagonist, unconsciously drawing and manifesting powerful balls of magical light, while knowing witnesses secretly observe but fail to explain, and intrigue us with peripheral plot devices like a companion dog that is subtly but obviously more than he appears. The reader will damn her, even as they continue to fall irrevocably in love with her and this tantalizing tale.

Few would dispute that Steven King is the “King of horror.” J.S. Chancellor chose her pen name well, for this new author seems capable and well on her way to redefining and becoming the “Chancellor of modern fantasy.” Every avid reader knows that as an author continues to publish more titles, their refined writing and style become even better and more unique. I eagerly await Chancellor’s next book, while this one sits waiting next to the likes of Tolkien, Barker, King, and Goodkind on my bookshelf. Do yourself a favor, and have this first edition sitting on your own shelf, well-read with dog ears, when book two comes out next year.

[Tiffany Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the expansive world Chancellor created, there are essentially two realms: Middengard, the human realm currently ruled by the demonic Ereubinians; Adoria, the angelic realm ruled by the winged (unless Braeden) Adorians. The Adorians and Ereubinians are practically at war with each other, and the humans of Middengard stand in the middle of this chaos.

At first we readers are tricked into thinking there is a firm line between humans, Adorians, and Ereubinians, and the three main characters -- Ariana, Michael, and Garren -- personally represent the conflicts of the place they belong to. Then Chancellor quickly avoids the easy route by blurring the lines.

The feisty, sarcastic Ariana, who is supposed to be human, surprises Garren with her strong, blue eyes. Not only can't he -- a person who is known for killing indiscriminately -- take her life, but he also can't take her soul. That makes her Adorian. Michael, who turns out to be her Adorian older brother, shoots her by mistake, and that's how Ariana ends up in the Adorian world she once believed with all her heart didn't exist.

Meanwhile, past the Ereubinian borders, Garren is feeling emotions he's never felt before, thanks to Ariana. This introduces one of the most complicating love stories I've had the pleasure of reading in a while. Chancellor has shown Garren's horrible crimes. Many of the Adorians, for various legit reasons, hate Garren with a passion. Yet Garren and Ariana -- most likely due to a prophecy and their past lives -- are steadily falling deeper in love.

Sometime's I'm for the relationship; other times, I find myself unforgiving of all the relationships Garren single-handedly destroyed with his merciless killing. Generally, I love that the romance never takes the story over, while also enhancing it and being of importance to the overall plot. Makes you wonder: is love something that must be deserved or is anyone 'allowed' to love?

The story ends similar to the first book of Lord of the Rings, in that there are many loose threads and much more at stake than when the story started.

In all, I really liked the story. I found the ending effective enough to make me excited for the next installment and the story itself interesting enough to keep me thinking about it when I had to put it down. I like my stories gritty, emotional, and clearly progressive. If the romance isn't complicated, I question its existence. Chancellor passed all of my tests (not that passing my tests really matters, since I'm just another opinionated reviewer). The only thing that bothered me was the various typos, but I think that could just be a first print issue.
_____________________________-

My name is Tiffany Cole, and I'm a book reviewer for Suspense Magazine. I am also an aspiring young writer. Savior of the Damned, the supernatural/dark urban fantasy novel I've been writing and editing for five years, is one step away from the agent/publisher hunt. You can find me in many places:

writergirllw@yahoo.com
tiffanyrambles.blogspot.com
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tcole.tk
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[Douglas Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a writer I am sometimes overcritical when I’m reading someone else’s work. Even when I’m not trying, I subconsciously pick out things I would do differently or words I would use instead of the ones being used. It’s not that I’m trying to be a jerk or hyper-critical when I do this, but sometimes it just happens.
But then there are the other times—the times when the writing is so spectacular, or the voice is so strong that I find myself inspired, looking deeper within my own writing soul for ways to be better. Once I find a writer that does that to me, I’m hooked for life. Stephen King and Brandon Sanderson come to mind right away. But I have found another author who can sign me up for anything she writes. She is fellow Rhemalda author, JS Chancellor. Her debut novel, Guardians of Legend Book One: Son of Ereubus is a must have for all fantasy fans. While reading Ereubus, I was in awe of every word Ms. Chancellor painted onto the page.
As for the book, which is why this is a book review and not an author review. S.O.E. is fantasy how fantasy should be done. Explaining the entire plot in this brief review would be foolish of me to even try but I’ll mention what I love most about the story. I love that S.O.E. is character-driven at its best. I love Ariana, while I struggled with whether Garren (the bad-ass dude on the cover) is good, evil, or what. He fools me by showing mercy to some. Or maybe he fools me when others receive his fury (sorry about your luck, Aiden). As with brilliant characters, you don’t entirely know whether you want him to win or lose. You’ll ask yourself, as I did, what is with the pooch, Koen? Or what happened to Ariana’s father so many years before. S.O.E. is a fantasy novel—there is no doubt—but a touch of horror is woven throughout the well-crafted world of Chancellor’s imagination. This story is great for reading on a full-moon night in an old, settling house with shadows from the outside world bouncing beneath the street lights. That is, unless you hate to be creeped out. Fantasy with a touch of horror can be a wonderful thing if done correctly and I am happy to announce Ms. Chancellor’s success at doing so.
My only question to you is—why are you still reading my blog and not placing your order?
Well done, J.S. Chancellor.

So that is my review of S.O.E.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book confused me. In so many ways. For the first, like, third I had no idea what was going on. You're thrown into this world without any explanations for anything, and this annoyed the hell out of me. I think Chancellor was trying to put you in the middle of the action and be all mysterious, but I just ended up confused.

But then you kinda eventually get to the point where you understand more, and it found its pace and got good. Actually, it got really good for a while in the middle. The end wasn't quite up to the same standard, and I think it finished in quite a weird place, but it was much more readable than the first part of the story.

And the story is quite good. It's an interesting idea (I think...I'm still a little confused in all honesty), but the writing itself annoyed me at times. I can't quite put my finger on why, but it did. It was just...little inconsistencies in the text and jumps in the narrative made it a bit difficult for me to read at times. Like, when someone was sitting at a table and a guy knelt down in front of her, but then two seconds later was leaning on the wall behind her.

I liked all the characters. Ariana was strong-willed and I quite liked her sense of humour, although I wasn't such a fan of the relationship between her and her brother, Michael. He in himself was fine, but they fall into the brother/sister relationship awfully easily considering that he's like 30 and she's 21 or something and they didn't know the other existed until a few days/weeks previously. I liked Garren's journey, and think the torment of confliction he was going through was well written. And I so think some secret's going to come out about Koen...I'm just not entirely sure what.

So now I'm confused as to whether I want to carry on reading the rest of the series.

So much confusion!

See the full review on my blog :)
http://bookaholicsbookcase.blogspot.c...

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was delighted to receive this through the Goodreads First Read program. I'm extremely new to the fantasy genre - I read urban fantasy often, mainly in series - but for straight-out fantasy, I'm as amateurish as they come. I had hoped this one wouldn't be too far out and over my head; thankfully due to writer's easy-to-follow style, I didn't have problems lagging behind. Even though the characters are from a much different world than I've read of, their personable and real traits made it easy to picture them as genuine and true.

The book grabbed my attention from the beginning with a clever hook and while action is never non-stop here, the characters are curious opposites. Garren and Ariana's relationship was one of the more catching plot devices I wanted to pursue. The strongest part of the book was the characters - the plot itself was also intriguing, but more of a set-up to more things to come, I think. The ending leaves on a huge cliffhanger, right on the very edge of a big event, leaving a small pause of dissappointment (I wanted to read the next part!)

With an easy pace, fun exploration of character, and a unique fantasy tale, I would recommend this one to fantasy readers - novice and newbies alike.

[Mark Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing read. JS Chancellor pulls you into her dark but beautiful world from the very first page. As the story and the puzzles delicately continue to unravel from there on, you only get pulled in further. The spawns of her imagination range from the beautifully innocent, to the horrifically depraved.

The heart of Chancellor's tale is the story of what happens when you suddenly find yourself in allegiance with your sworn mortal enemy - and her portrayal of that delicate conflict could teach us all - even those of us not of the realms of Adoria or Middengard - a thing or two about the values of tolerance and forgiveness.

She concludes this first installment in her trilogy with just enough questions answered blended seamlessly with riddles still to be solved so that she leaves you thirsting for more. Which leads us to my only real complaint about this book: I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER 2011 TO READ THE NEXT BOOK!!!!!! GARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

"Son of Ereubus" makes for an excellent read and I would not be at all surprised to see "The Guardians of Legend" trilogy included amongst the fantasy ranks of "Lord of the Rings" and "The Belgariad."

[Cas Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like something extra with your fantasy then this is the book for you. Instead of the much used ‘good guys versus bad guys’ scenario, Son of Ereubus presents an intriguingly incestuous ‘ménage à trois’. Here there are three distinct and variously motivated races, all tied together with an unforeseeable twist. The worlds they inhabit are richly described and vivid, the main characters are complex and well drawn. Their faith structure, beliefs and life goals present ample opportunities for conflict and the novel fully explores these areas. Its focus leans heavily towards the characters’ individualism, making Son of Ereubus a thought-provoking read. However, there is no lack of gritty realism or action and the pace is swift. Anyone who loves character-driven novels will enjoy this book, as will those who like a hefty dose of ‘sword’ with their ‘sorcery’. I would certainly recommend it.

[Shyam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to go ahead and give this book 5 stars.

It starts off slow, introducing several terms and names that are a bit confusing. Natural though, for the first book for what is meant to be an epic fantasy.

The pace picks up at the one-third mark, and we "get" most of it. The irony of the girl who never believed being "one of them" is not lost on me. Michael's rescue of Micah is also an Epic Win moment.

The story really races at the two-thirds mark, as the author piles revelation on top of revelation; it's amazing Garren is coherent at all towards the end of the book, given what he was learning.

In all, "Son of Ereubus" was a great book. A very good start to a series, which I hope adds enough story to keep up with its first book.

I owed the author a review, after I downloaded the book for free from her site. My thanks, I will almost certainly buy this in paperback at some point.

[Sandra Brannan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was planning to read this over the Christmas holiday, then found myself with a few moments last night and devoured this book (losing alot of sleep, I might add)! I tend to read books in my own genre of mystery thriller, but J. S. Chancellor did a phenominal job drawing me in to her fantasy world and my disbelief was certainly suspended. Can't wait for the next one!!

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stepped out of my comfort zone with this one, but a friend insisted I read this. She was right! As a writer, I really appreciate when an author layers in enough story to make me pick up book # two in the series. Suzanne Collins did this so effectively in The Hunger Games. J.S. Chancellor has done this with Son of Ereubus (Guardians of Legend, #1). Congrats on a job well done.

[Arashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really slow at first but then it catches you and you cannot let it go.
A great story told by its characters. I really want to read the other two books from the trilogy, and wait for more books from her author.

[Cyp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on A Bookalicious Story.

I loved the synopsis of this book, and after I read it, I immediately scrambled about to get it.

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That was my face when I saw the The End. Like..That's it? It wasn't even a proper ending. Ok, I shall continue harping about the ending later.

It had an action-filled plot, endearing characters, but written in a complicated writing style at times.

This review would be boring, cause the book didn't enthrall me, neither did it repel. Altogether rather lukewarm, really.

Ariana goes off into the woods to avoid the festivities going on in the town to mourn the day her mother died a few years back on that day. However while out in the wilderness, she met with an entire hunting party of the widely feared, cruel, soul-sucking Eidolon people (I don't know what their called..Eidolonians? No..Arh).

Garren, the High Commander of Eidolon, was leading that hunting party when he spotted her (for lack of a better word, prey), and started hunting her down. And nothing, nothing ever outruns him. But Ariana almost did, if not for that root that tripped her and made her sprain her ankle.

Everything began here. Garren straddled her hip and he had her at sword's point, but he just couldn't seem to deal the final blow looking into those eyes that blazed with determination and strength. So here's the thing: he gave her his cloak and let her go. And to fool his generals so that they wouldn't all go hunting her down like any wild game, he cut himself to show that a scuffle did ensue but that he killed the girl in the end.

My man, that one.

Anyway, from there, Ariana struggled to walk to somewhere where she could live and heal her wounds, when all of a sudden, an arrow whizzes thru the air and embeds into her side. Luckily for her, that arrow belonged to Michael, Archorigen of Adoria. In short, the king of the good guys.

But over there, she's having vision-like dreams of Garren, and she found out that she wasn't entirely human. And more bizarre stuff keeps popping up. But the tip of the shit pile is that her best and closest friend has been kidnapped by the Eidolon army and is kept there as a Breeder (true to its name, she's there to reproduce. Sounds kinda crass).

How can one girl break into the world swarming with cruel bastards that will sooner suck her soul than negotiate terms of release, and get her friend out all in one piece? What is her strange connection with Garren that ignites strange feelings in her and gives her such visions? What in the world is she, if she is not fully human? And why did her father keep her identity a secret from everyone, including her?

As I've said, the plot was suspenseful and was never dull. Something's always happening, and it kept me on the edge of my seat.

The only dull point that I can point out is that her writing seemed kind of complicated at parts, which made the scenes confusing. I couldn't follow thru when this happens, and so I breeze thru them most of the time. But other than that, the selective third person POV was handled perfectly.

Oh, I loved the humor in this one. Tho they were few and far between, every time one comes along, I would almost certainly smile or chuckle to myself.

Example: Jareth gestured to his little friend. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce you. This is Cryx. He's my faithful companion, useless in the most important of assignments, but comforting in the least of them. He tends to have a bit of a temper, so he'l pitch a fit if you don't pet him..."

Not really an explicit joke, more of a dry sentence that was funny. Hm, I didn't phrase that right.. But yes, I found the book funny. And with that medieval-like talking going on, it sounds to me like some hybrid form of poetic humor. Which is amazing.

I absolutely adored the entire cast. Ariana was strong, brave, independent, loyal, beautitful, kind, and compassionate; Michael was a loving, protective brother, an understanding friend, and a worthy leader; Garren was sweet, also very protective of Ariana, a man with strong faith, will, determination, courage, and character; Jareth was a charming angel boy, he stayed by Ariana's side and became her confidant when she felt very alone when she first arrived at Adoria, and he's always there with a smile. The Braeden - Adorians who sever off their wings when they were young to live amonst humans to protect them - also caught my attention. Most of them were battle-seasoned warriors, and they were all unexpectedly loyal to Michael. Atagonists were mighty evil, that was very well done too.

The ending leaves much to be desired. It was abrupt and uncalled for. It seemed more like the book was getting overtly thick, therefore they had to cut it off there. Which sucks. Cause now, I'm on some sort of cliffhanger with a fatal drop before me, and I have to wait for 2 more months for that "fishing hook" to hook me back away from that steep drop.

My review's getting wacky and weird, and it's a sign for me to stop. Doesn't bode well for this review if I continue..Who know's what other crap I'll write.:O

Anyway, book was above average. Loved the storyline, loved the cast, loved the scenery and world building, loved the development of the interactions between the characters, but got confused at some parts of the book, and the ending was dissatisfactory.

4 - 4.5 stars.

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading Son of Ereubus, I can't help but think of it as kind of a "fluff" read. By "fluff," I mean, it's an easy read and not very intellectually stimulating. Although there are parts of the story that are pretty dark, and there are also some interesting moral questions that the book made me contemplate (which I will talk about in a bit), I personally think that you'll enjoy this book more if you go into it thinking of it as "fluff" rather than taking it too seriously. Similarly, unless you enjoy the occasional "fluff," I don't think that this book will be right for you.

It's also worth pointing out that Son of Ereubus focuses a lot on the romance between Garren and Ariana. I think that there is a time and place for romance in a fantasy book, especially on *my* bookshelf, but if that isn't something that you enjoy then you should be warned right off the bat. Although not much actually *happens* between the two characters, at least not yet, their feelings for each other are the catalyst for most of the events that take place in the story.

All in all, I found the book relatively engaging - a quick and fun read - and I'll probably read the next installment in the series. (Of course, it helps that the series is available in the Kindle's lending library right now!) But, with that said, the book has a lot of flaws that I feel are necessary to mention.

For one, I think that the book centers around too many characters. Son of Ereubus isn't a George R. R. Martin-esque epic fantasy, it's a young-adult fantasy, and in YA fantasy, there is just no need for a laundry list of characters. In my opinion, by having a cast of too many secondary characters, the book doesn't focus enough on the handful of *main* characters, which in turn, makes me less invested in them. Even the secondary characters that *were* well-developed (like Micah) should have gotten more book-time in favor of some of the more snooze-worthy characters (like 90% of the Adorians).

Secondly, there just isn't much depth to be found in Son of Ereubus. Having come from recently reading Tigana , a book in which all of the characters were full of interesting ambiguities, this flaw was especially glaring. The good guys (Ariana, Michael) are SO good, and the bad guys (Aiden, Tadraem) are SO bad. Furthermore, Ariana is a bit of a Mary Sue as well. She can fight, she's beautiful, multiple characters are in love with her, and she can even sing, to boot. Yet, the characterization wasn't the only element in the book that was missing depth. For example, the struggle between the realms of Adoria and Eidolon is an obvious struggle of good versus evil. In Sons of Ereubus, there is so much black and white, but not much gray.

If gray exists, though, you'll most likely find it in Garren, who is the most interesting character, by far. The problem is, Garren does such an incredible 180 as the book progresses, and I'm just not sure it's completely believable. I know that I *wanted* to believe it, since I liked Garren so much, but I'm not sure that my brain followed my heart on that one. Also, my other issue with Garren is... was he actually redeemable? The book posed some interesting questions, or at least led me to pose them to myself, about whether a character who has committed such truly atrocious acts could be redeemed. Since he was raised in such an evil environment, can you really hold it against Garren for turning out the way he did? And when he truly repented, is it fair to keep holding his past sins against him? For me, the jury is still out on that one. In some ways, I think that he got off too easy, and in other ways, I wonder if I'm just being too harsh. Nevertheless, I enjoyed that the book made me ponder about such things.

Now Arianna, on the other hand, didn't really interest me much. This is mainly a problem because I don't understand why Garren would fall so fiercely in love with her, and do a complete 180 because of her. I'm also not sure why she didn't go on the mission at the end of the book, when it was mostly for her sake, and it had already been established that she could clearly defend herself? In this day and age the damsel-in-distress breed of female leads are a bit passe, so the fact that Ariana didn't go on the mission (and that it wasn't even brought up that she could or should?), I think that was a mistake.

My one last nitpick with this book is that it ends really abruptly. Yes, I get that it's the first book in a *series*, but there should have been at least *some* semblance of an ending, surely? I really thought that the ending (or lack thereof) was poorly handled. Couldn't there at least be some sort of pretense that the book wasn't abruptly stopped in the middle of a longer story, so that the publishers would have an excuse to charge readers another $5 for a second book?

So yes, the book certainly had its flaws, but really, none were game-breakers for me. Ultimately, I enjoyed Son of Ereubus, and am interested enough to keep following the series for now. But, if you're more fussy than I am, you may be less forgiving and may want to pass on this one.

[David Eural · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely put you on my radar. Good stuff!

[Russel Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who are into reading books of different types.
A must read for all.

[T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the first books discovered through Goodreads, Son of Ereubus drew me in with a clever blending of mythical and gritty reality.

Ariana is left alone in her grief for her parents, both murdered in a senseless war that wages between desperate, faithless humans and the evil men who steal their souls, Ereubinians. When she happens across one--a very powerful, highly esteemed one, at that--she does not face him with fear, though. Her placidity and proximity awakens something in this fierce Ereubininan named Garren who, before then, has known only ruthlessness.

She also surprises the stranger who claims to be her brother when she awakens after an injury in a realm she has doubted existed all her life, but that her best friend, Sara, has placed her faith in beyond reason. This stranger, Michael, welcomes Ariana into his world, his family and his royalty.

Michael and Garren know each other intimately, as well-acquainted enemies on the blood-soaked battlefields of Middengard. Of Ariana's quickly fading world.

After my last misstep in taste with Marked (P.C. and Kristin Cast), which my husband told me I'd hate after the first line, I figure that after he read the first sentence of Sons of Ereubus and said I'd really like it, I had no worries and needed only to sit back and enjoy.

I was misguided in that notion.

There was no sitting back and relaxation after this ride got going. The truth, the lies, the past, the future... the Prophecy, the Oni... Learning about the hidden, burdened realm of Adoria through Ariana's eyes was as inescapable as watching Garren, inexorably, falter in his sordid people's ways.

What I found most interesting, what with the parallels between Adorians and Ereubinians to angels and demons, respectively, was that the Adorians had no interest in religion or anything of the sort. Not even a moral code guided their guardianship of the humans. They did it to prevent the Ereubinians from obtaining control over all of Middengard, essentially, though each Adorian for his own, secondary, more personal reasons. Whereas, Ereubinians have this whole institution of observance and High Priests, Dark Lords and Goddesses. I thought it an interesting angle.

The only things that bothered me, and they were miniscule but noticeable, were:

1) the occasional slip of editorial oversight.

I use "occasional" loosely. "Far too frequent" sounds better. There were insane amounts of misused commas, periods, dialogue tags and sentences spliced together--sometimes whole words were missing.

"Our discussions are my preference." Garren said, leaning in closer. "What brings on this insubordination from you?"

- Son of Ereubus, p.56

Multiply that by like 50.

2) How Garren and Ariana fell in love.

I understand that Garren had time to come terms with his growing feelings for Ariana while they were apart from each other after their first meeting. I mean, it took up like half the book, their separation from one another! During this time, however, Michael was feeding Ariana tales of how dastardly and depraved Garren was, how merciless and unfeeling. All it takes are a few words from Michael about what Garren went through to save her (and, granted, it is a lot, but still...) for her to go charging into his room for kisses. It just felt unbalanced for me--that Garren has to sacrifice so much and risk everything, even his life, and all Ariana has to do is sit there and look pretty. (Although I am almost certain this will not be the case in the next book, Blood of Adoria!)

Not saying that I didn't enjoy it. I actually quite enojyed it. It just, at first, seemed a little facile. That's all. *Preferential note.

I started off at a slow, relaxed pace with reading this book, but soon enough, I was taking it on smoke breaks with me, errand trips, to the bathroom! Yeah! It's been a while since I felt so connected to a book and in so many ways I was hugely grateful for the reprieve from shitty ones. There is hope, in the literary world, after all.

✩✩✩✩ 4 stars. I loved it. Every single little bit of it.

On a different note altogether, this book was signed by the author to a man named David, and I felt kinda shitty being in possession of it seeing this on the front fuckin page. Who would put up a signed--and dedicated--novel for sale on Amazon, so heartlessly? Saddo.

ALSO POSTED AT MY BLOG.

[Shelfish Twitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is tough to review, because there is no straight storyline in this book. This is not a bad thing in the slightest… in fact – it’s brilliant, because you are always left craving for more and more. With this series, the author is weaving a blanket, not just a scarf. There might be many storylines, but they all fit together. Some of the storylines are answered in this book, and some are not – but will be in the next book or two. I can’t wait to get my hands on them! J.S. Chancellor’s new book has seriously cut the cake of new epic fantasy.

Son of Ereubus is a character driven novel, from the points of view of a number of different characters. Ariana, the main female protagonist is a strong-willed but somewhat naïve young woman who is thrown into a world that she never believed in. Michael discovers family that he never knew he had, and Garren, well – he just doesn’t know any better. All of these characters are thrown on a journey in this book that they never expected, and they are in it together, whether they like it or not.

Son of Ereubus has a really good balance between good and evil. Parts of the book verge on fantasy horror, but I believe that horror and darkness is essential to any fantasy novel, and J.S. Chancellor does this well.

My only pressing problem now, is that I can’t decide what to rate this book as. It deserves a four star, because this debut novel is really really good, but it also deserves a five star, because the world and character building are exceptional. I am going to rate it as a five star overall, because when it comes to fantasy, I think that J.S. Chancellor has hit the nail on the head with extremely well written prose, and wonderful imagery.

I am a traditional fantasy lover from way back. My favourite fantasy books are by amazing authors such as David Eddings, Stephen R. Donaldson, Maggie Furey, David Gemmell, Trudi Canavan, Raymond E Feist, and of course JRR Tolkein. You are probably wondering where J.S. Chancellor fits into all of this… Well, depending on where the rest of her Guardians of Legend series goes, based on the fact that I have only read the first book - I’m strongly of the opinion that her work will probably be right up there with my other favourite fantasy authors.

On a side note, I emailed J.S. Chancellor just after I had picked up this book, and read the opening chapter that introduces Garren. He is evil, and dark, and I instantly fell in love with him. Maybe I have a fascination with the darkness or something, and even though he was killing someone at the time, there was just something about this character that captured my imagination.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can love transcend death, time, and ancient enemies?

Ariana - The child of light. Willful, strong, beautiful, and with unknown potential and hidden powers.
Michael - Leader of the Adorians, angelic ancient protectors of the realm of humans.
Garren - High Priest of the Erubians, he now seeks a new future.

In a magical world where the relam of Midagurden has fallen to the vile Erubians, a few strongholds of human resistance remain. Historically, the Adorians have fought alongside man against their ancient enemy, but as man's hope died and the war against the Erubians became lost, the Adorians removed themselves from the world of man returning across the divide to their magically protected realm.

The book starts out quite interestingly and fast paced. Chapter one draws you in by setting the stage with dark fantasy detailing, and then the book takes off following our protagonist, Ariana. When Ariana manages to escape from an Erubian raid on her village, she ends up lost in a snow covered forest, which we later discover is Adoria, where she is discovered by Michael. As the story progresses you realize that Araina's background and person is important and that there is a unique connection between Araina and Garren, something the Adorians consider abhorable.

There's plenty of action, fighting and magic. There is an intriguing history to the world the reader has yet to discover, and the characters are largely unbeknownst to the ancient histories as well.

Quite honestly, this is one of those books that is really hard to describe without giving away spoilers!

Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read the next when it comes out. Specifically I liked the world building, the way magic was portrayed and the cultural settings. However, at points it was obvious I was reading an author's first work. The book was concise, but there were times it was difficult to get the perspective or the orientation of the situation right (i.e I had to re-read a couple paragraphs a few time to understand what the author meant, and once I still wasn't sure).

The book has a focus on great love (but is NOT a romance). The idea that love so strong between two people can survive death. That the two souls will find each other again, no matter how far apart - across time, distance, and cultures - they are stretched, no matter the cost. It's a concept I really like, and for that reason I will follow on with this series.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Eidolon – in the realm of Middengard – live the Ereubinians, who have been granted power by the goddess Ciara and the Laionai (the leaders of the Ereubinians) to steal the souls of humans. Palingard is the last hold-out of the humans; the last free humans left in Middengard. Ariana, who has lived there her whole life, doesn’t believe in the Adorians – legendary winged beings who the humans believe watch over them and will someday save them. Her disbelief is shaken, however, when a group of Ereubinians led by Garren – their High Lord – attack Palingard. Ariana is away from the village, but is seen by Garren himself, who chases her into the forest, managing to catch her only because she trips. However, strangely, Garren doesn’t kill her: instead, he gives her his cloak and tells her to hide until nightfall. He also tells her that, not only is she not human, she is Adorian. Left on her own, wandering the Netherwoods, she stumbles across the ruins of a city and a temple – upon leaving it, she finds herself … somewhere else.

I have tried not to give any significant spoilers – however, I wanted to be sure to explain the names and people included in this story, because I was a bit confused at the beginning of the book by mention of first Eidolon, then Ereubus, then the Laionai … it all ran together. However, it is explained well by bits and pieces throughout the book, as well as giving a great deal of history. That is not to say that this story is wrapped up – not by a long shot. We are left on a cliffhanger at the end – but do not despair, because there are two more books in this series set to come out. The next one – “Blood of Adoria” – is scheduled to be released in November, 2011, and the third, called “Eternal Requiem,” is scheduled to be released November, 2012.

A high dark fantasy adventure, “Son of Ereubus” is beautifully paced and imagined. Ms. Chancellor says she began writing this book when she was a freshman in high school, which I find hard to believe because it is written with the sort of style and control that I often don’t see in the books of even much more established authors. It is wonderful to discover such amazing talent, and even more so to realize that she is a “neighbor,” residing here in the state of Georgia! Fans of fantasy – dark or light, adventure or not – should all find something to love in this book – and in this series, if this book is any indication of the treat we are in for. Grab this book, and mark your calendars for November of both 2011 and 2012 so you can enjoy the entire series – you WILL love it!

[Alyne Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through timeless realms and parallel realities, Ariana journeys to discover her true self. J.S. Chancellor has created realms out of old mythologies: Middengard, the land of mortals whose last city Palingard is slated to fall to the soul-devouring Laionai, of Eidolon. Once human, the Laionai evolved into a hive consciousness, gifted by the shape-shifting Dark Goddess, Ciara, with the ability to steal souls. The only salvation for the remaining mortals is belief in the myth of the lost land of Adoria, itself doomed to fall.

Readers come to fantasy seeking the Otherworld. The unfolding intricacies of strange realms are like the unraveling of a great mystery. Perhaps we all guard a legend deep inside our souls, a sanctuary that we keep safe from the corruption of the world. Chancellor builds on this fine resonance to keep us reading. She is particularly adept at conjuring up strange creatures like the ”not quite horse or dragon” Dragee, and the Laionai, like a cluster of ancient Chinese sages.

The story opens with Garren’s brutal execution of a rival warlord. He is utterly ruthless, seemingly without heart or conscience. At the same time an agile, gritty red-haired girl, Ariana, embarks on a mysterious journey, only to be attacked and wounded by Garren. Something about Ariana stirs feeling in Garren that he isn’t supposed to have and he spares her life. She is rescued by a powerful winged warrior who forces to accept an alternative reality. By doing so, Ariana discovers her true identity and the role she is destined to play.

Son of Ereubus is a fun read, fast paced and exciting. As the plot darkens, more secrets come to light. Ariana grows and Garren finds out he has a heart.

This book made me think of Anne Bishops’ Dark Jewel series in its pacing and atmosphere. If you like those, and the genre of dark heroic fantasy in generaal, you would no doubt enjoy Son of Ereubus.