By: Philippa Ballantine
Publisher: Imagine That! Studios
Publish Date: March 22, 2013
Format: eBook
Genre: Fantasy
Series: 1st in Chronicles of the Order, affiliated with A Book of the Order series
Recommendation: Yes, to get the glimpse of the Break through one weary citizens view watching the world change around her.
Synopsis:
This short story is set in teh world of the Deacons of the Order, before the time of the novels, Geist, Spectyr, Wrayth and Harbinger.
It tells the story of the first day of the Break, when the undead come in the world of Arkaym, and the horror they bring with them. One small village is caught in the chaos of that day. Some will live, and some will find new purpose.
First Sentence:
Life might be hard in the highlands, but death came in a few regimented ways; starving in the winter, falling from a cliff top, or succumbing to wet lung.
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/ My Thoughts and Summary:
Life is hard and death is harder here in the highlands, but what death they find next is the worst. Myra was enjoying her early spring day with her flock of sheep, son, and two dogs. Following out a harsh winter the predators were on the prey, when suddenly wolves of strange behavior show, threatening her family. When Myra goes to get the healer what she finds... is death and loss and a question of why.
A view of the Break through an innocents eyes. Philippa brings the feel of worry and strange new in a world to the front for the people. New fears surface, and a far worse death than any could expect.
This is a quick jump into Myra and her son's short story. It keeps you here, wanting to learn. The things of campfire stories to scare children come to life... Geists now appear along with Geistlords. What happens this night breaks Myra's thoughts on the religion she was raised on. The world has changed and she has experienced it first hand.
Can you read this without reading A Book of the Order series? Yeaaa, you could. But I think you'd be lost on what's happening. After reading at least the first book of the series? Yes, you will understand the break and geists. You'll get the geists here but there's more to the background you get from the books to fill in for reading this. It in now way spoils what's to come in the books, this is the far history of what happened to bring the world to the point we read in the series.
Myra doesn't have answers but she hopes to find them. I would like to read more of Myra's journeys to learn what's coming of the world and why. And how they tend to it to come to the system we find in A Book of the Order series. This one leaves me wanting more.
You can listen to this short story for free, read by Philippa Ballantine. Pip has other amazing authors playing in the world as well, which you can listen to on Philippa Ballantine's page.
*I read this short story for my own enjoyment.
