I’m excited to share an extra-special post with you today! As you know, I love fantasy books, and I’m pretty active in the indie (self-published) author community, both as a reader and a hopeful author. There’s an awesome Facebook group called Indie Fantasy Addicts that I really recommend. I’ve met so many awesome people and discovered new favorite authors through this group. They’re actually doing a reading challenge that just started, and you’re more than welcome to join in!

That’s how I learned about Brandon Barr, an extremely talented writer who sadly is in the final stages of leukemia. The indie author community is banding together to promote his book and help support his family financially, creating #BrandonsBuddies. After hearing this, I bought his book, and I was so happy to genuinely enjoy it. So I wanted to share it with you!

I wish I’d discovered Brandon’s writing earlier. He seems like a wonderful person, and if you can, I’d really encourage you to check out his book and GoFundMe. It’s a great read and for a good cause. Below you can find my review. <3

About the Book

 

A god-gifted young woman is chosen for a grim task – one that will take her beyond the boundaries of her own world. Winter’s chilling visions of the future make clear that her choices will not only affect the success of her mission… but whether those she loves will live or die.

On the distant world of Hearth, Meluscia is the daughter of a dying king. As he wages a bitter war in the north, a growing evil devours the villages of the east. She would turn her kingdom’s forces to face the emerging threat– but first, she must gain the throne… and confront the secret desire that torments her soul.

Though worlds apart, Meluscia and Winter’s destinies are bound together by portals and an ancient prophecy that promises to pull friend and foe together in a devastating collision.

Goodreads | Amazon | 237 pages | Adult fantasy
Where I got it: Purchased the ebook

Review

THE WRITING

I haven’t been this sucked into a book in years. Can’t remember the last time I was so instantly hooked. This book reminds me of Game of Thrones with a little bit of sci-fi thrown in. Brandon Barr’s writing is the perfect mix between simplistic and flowery – it’s pretty writing, but it doesn’t get in the way of enjoying the story. In fact, it felt like I was sucked right into the pages.

THE PLOT

There are two storylines here; Aven/Winter and Meluscia. By the end of the book I’m still not sure how they line up, but I’m curious to see in future books. I liked Aven/Winter’s storyline better, but Meluscia is intriguing too. I tend to find fantasy plots difficult to follow, and this one was no exception. But my reading comprehension is at fault there, not the writing. It’s an intricate plot with a lot of world-building, and I’m really impressed with Mr. Barr’s imagination. Please note that I’d classify this as Adult fantasy rather than YA simply because of more violence (though certainly not worse than Throne of Glass).

THE CHARACTERS

An awesome, varied cast of characters! Aven’s chapters were my favorite. I like his sister Winter; she reminds me of Winter from the Lunar Chronicles (and not just because of her name). Meluscia reads a bit as an anti-hero to me, with some of her voyeuristic tendencies. But I really like how the book explores the requirements of religious celibacy. Meluscia would be a great leader, but she has a really hard time with the idea of being alone for life…which is completely understandable! I’ve never seen this idea explored in a book before, so props to the author.

POINT OF VIEW

Rise of the Seer is written in third person from alternating perspectives – my favorite writing style to read. As I mentioned before, I love Mr. Barr’s writing style and felt I was able to easily connect with the characters. There are some quite hard-to-pronounce names in here, as with most fantasy, and the 3rd person left me wondering how exactly you pronounce Meluscia. I’m going Mel-oo-shuh.

WILL I CONTINUE READING?

Absolutely! I can’t wait to read the next installment. (It just released yesterday, with the third book in January I think.) I’d like to own this series in paperback, too. It really is amazing. I encourage you to give it a try!

Thank you, Brandon Barr, for allowing me to spend time in your wonderful fantasy world. I heartily recommend this series to any fantasy readers!